General Practice Books

This author touches me deeply in every chapter. I picked the book up because of the title The God Who Won't Let Go which is a message I needed to hear at the time, and the book delivers on every page. It clearly presents the challenges we face in living out a Christian life, but provides the spiritual support and assurances we need to face those challenges in our dailly lives. The chapter on forgiveness of others is the most helpful and meaningful I have ever read. The book is comforting and incredibly healing!

I cannot express in words how incredible this book is...in Chapter 1 alone, one sees the "awesome" nature of his subject. It does call us to a higher level, but helps one see just how possible this is to attain.

It was neat learning from a Europe theologian as he introduces to those of us on the other side of the Atlantic his personal European influences/contemporaries. In some respects, one can compare his writings to those of Henri Nouwen.

This book is a joy!

I bought this book after reading the reviews on Amazon and I was not disappointed. Father van Breemen is a man of God and communicates powerfully God's love for us. For those of us who are seeking a deeper relationship with God, this book is for you.

As a Protestant I started reading books by Catholic writers about 10 years ago starting with books by Henri Nouwen. I found they spoke much more to my circumstances than the Evangelical Protestant books I was used to reading. Instead of further instruction on "biblical living" they told me of a God who was with me in my troubles and constant failings, a God who I found very winsome. As van Breemen would say "a God who loves me as I am and not as I should be". However, as I would read these books my Protestant thinking would kick in with questions about how scripturally based they were as I read about this almost-too-good-to-be-true God. I worked my way through various authors, Nouwen, Basil Pennington, and others, as when one author would quote another author I would often check out the second author if I liked the quoted material. This finally led me to Peter van Breemen who has since become my favorite.

Van Breemen writes of a "loving God" to match any of the other authors I liked and yet his books are also very grounded in scripture (and satisfy my Protestant paranoia)! They blend presenting a God who loves us unconditionally and eternally with all the challenges that Jesus and scripture present us with as we are called to conversion. And because these challenges to conversion come in the context of descriptions of God's ever-new love they enable my faltering and faint heart to sometimes say "yes"!

I would highly recommend this and any of vB's books. My only caution is that his books often seem to come from oral presentations he has given and therefore have a different feel to them than a book that was written from scratch as a book.

Peter van Breemen, a Dutch Jesuit, is a popular author who has penned a number of books on spirituality. His writings reflect his training in the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and are peppered with his vast knowledge of many subjects and his keen understanding of the human condition. The readers of THE GOD WHO WON'T LET GO will certainly see these characteristics of van Breemen at work.

Van Breemen would probably be the first to admit that what he says is not all that new or original, but he presents the material in a manner that is both fresh and engaging. He focuses on a variety of themes common in the Christian tradition: God's love, the heart's deepest desires, vocation, redemption and forgiveness. These themes are based on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and van Breemen pays special attention to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as he explores these themes. The chapters of the book seem to flow from one to another rather than read like a treatise, and readers may wonder in what direction van Breemen is leading them. Yet after the book is completed, it is easy to see how it works as a whole, much like talks on a retreat. Since van Bremen does retreat work and spiritual direction, it is likely that he conceived of the idea for this book based on his retreat experience. The book is not meant to be read in one sitting and readers who do so will probably miss much of what van Breemen has to say. The book is ideal for spiritual reading. The chapters are concise and do not take a great deal of time to complete. The chapters also end with short prayers which can lead to further reflection.

While the book can be appreciated by just about any audience, it will probably be best appreciated by people familiar with Ignatian spirituality. Van Breemen writes in a style that can reach people at just about any spiritual level in a way that is respectful of a person's intelligence and challenges those who believe they have heard it all before.

A refreshing book that focuses its energy on the qualities of leadership beyond "book smarts." This was a real eye opener!

This approach to leadership is comprehensive and easy to understand. The wholehearted leading approach embraces the four chambers of competency, intimacy, integrity and passion, and illustrates how they work together in a synergistic manner to provide the foundation for effective leadership. Each chamber of the heart model is critical for success. Informative with practical applications!

Few books on leadership provide as clear, dynamic and strategic guidance and insight as The Seven Acts of Courage and The Heart of Leadership. They provide the reader with a sound and useful foundation upon which and rom which to grow. In my experience as a Personal and Professional Development Coach, I have had the pleasure of working with many individuals who have read and studied these books and find these individuals not only motivated, but inspired by the principles they have gleaned. Perhaps the greatest benefit of these books is that the principles they present are readily teachable to those being led. Dusty's insights and intimacy are powerful and penetrating. Dusty sets the leadership bar, both higher and deeper!

The FOUR Chambers of the Heart model makes this approach easy to visualize, grasp and learn. It teaches a balanced approach to leadership -- all parts of the chambers are equally important. I recommend this book to everyone. It's a GREAT book!

In Robert Staub's The Heart Of Leadership: 12 Practices Of Courageous Leaders, lays out an articulate inquiry into, and explanation of, critically essential aspects of effective business leadership including competency, intimacy, integrity, and passion. Articulate, educative, ardent, and inspiring Staub offers a thoroughly "reader friendly" and practical presentation that is very highly recommended for anyone charged with an entrepreneurial or business management responsibility, from the smallest company to the largest international corporation.

This is an extremely useful book; by far the most user-friendly guide to ancient astronomy available. Both the technical and historical aspects are generally presented with admirable clarity. My only complaint is that the early chapters on pre-Ptolemaic ideas are too cursorily treated. Unlike the thorough discussion of Ptolemy's system and the outline of Copernicus' system, this early material is presented in recipe-book form with little emphasis on ideas. Consider for example the theory of the gnomon. Much time is spent discussing gnomon plots (i.e. plots of the shadow cast by a vertical stick in the course of a day) and their practical uses. But our curiosity is suppressed: looking at a sequence of gnomon plots over the course of a year (p. 54) one naturally wonders why the curves are hyperbolas, except the equinoxes where the curve is straight. Not even the latter is explained. This is very unfortunate because it would have paid off greatly to think about these interesting and natural questions at this stage, since the answers lead naturally to several ideas developed subsequently. Let's see how. Why hyperbolas? Because the sun moves in a circle, thus generating a cone with the tip of the gnomon as vertex; drawing the gnomon plot amounts to cutting this cone with a plane, so one gets a conic section. Why straight at the equinoxes? Because then the daily orbit of the sun contains the tip of the gnomon in its interior; drawing the gnomon plot amounts to cutting this plane with a plane, so one gets a line. These simple insights are very fruitful. They immediately suggest Ptolemy's equatorial ring (p. 206), for example. And they would have helped us greatly in the construction of the sundial (pp. 133-139), a very complicated construction which Evans pulls out of a hat in pure cookbook form. If we had taken the time to think about the gnomon plot earlier we could now have approached this construction much more naturally as follows. To create a sundial means putting hour marks on our gnomon plot. To do this we should divide the sun's daily orbit into 24 equal parts and figure out how to find the corresponding points on the plot. This is easiest at the equinoxes, since the orbit and the tip of the gnomon are then coplanar, as we saw. By contrast Evans goes straight for the much more complicated cases of the solstices, and then obtains the marks for the equinoxes as a by-product. This construction would have been natural instead of artificial if one had understood the equinox construction first, just as later the solar theory (being simple but having the essential ideas) is a good introduction to the planetary theory, as Evan emphasises. In fact, if we were willing to settle for an approximate sundial we could have avoided Evans complicated construction altogether by extrapolating the hour curves from equinox line by qualitative reasoning as follows. Since the sun's position at a given hour throughout the year are all coplanar, the hour curves on the dial will be straight lines. It is also easy to see that the noon hour line will be perpendicular to the equinox line, and that the other hour lines will deviate only slightly from this in a sun-feather pattern. This would give us a sundial that would be perfect around the equinoxes and accurate surely within an hour at the solstices. After this it would be easier to appreciate the full construction at the solstices.

The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy by James Evans is a wonderful, comprehensive study.It is beautifully illustrated with original drawings of early astronomical instruments and charts. I got a copy out of the library because I needed to learn about armillary spheres and astrolabes and and couldn't find much useful information anywhere else. I found it so interesting that I bought my own copy.

Upon receipt of this book, I just read it from cover to cover. It's easily one of the most interesting and illuminating astronomy books that I own.
James Evans explains very clearly how ancient astronomers obtained such a vast amount of data with very simple instruments.

Not only is the layout and presentation of this book beautiful, the writing is lucid and engaging. I have already learned a tremendous amount from this book and I have only read the first 30 pages.

This is great book. I got to take the class for which the book was the class book, and the author was the professor. Class time was used for discussing the history and practice of the ancient astronomers from the babylonians to copernicus. We then were able to take a lab time to go through the well written excerisize to actually do the astronomy as, say, the ancient greeks did it. You can learn how the ancient greeks were able to predict the position of the stars and planets using the principle that the earth is the center of the universe. I took the class 2 years ago, and every once and awhile i pull out the book just to read through or make a new astrolobe plate.

How Firms Succeed transforms the poetry of architecture into the prose of practical management advice. This book offers solutions to the questions and problems that distract firms from their quest to provide excellent design. It should rapidly become an indispensable part of every architect's working library.

I was very pleased to find this book. It is a clear, concise resource for people who need to better understand design firms. It provides an insight into the nature of the design business - and it unique culture - that is invaluable to both practitioners and managers who want to create a successful and healthy organization.

Too many design professionals think that design excellence and financial acumen are mutually exclusive. Thanks to the authors of How Firms Succeed for putting this myth to rest. This book addresses the issues that, if practiced, will allow for both. One can only imagine the impact of a firm that provides best-of-class design and its impact on our communities.

I loved this book! In these highly competitive times acheiving success is just as much about running a quality business as it is producing great design. How Firms Succeed provides deceptively simple, yet ultimately critical guidelines that apply to anyone seeking inspiration and insight.

How Firms Succeed should be on every Design Firm's must read list. It is the closest thing to a how-to manual in running a design firm. Anyone who follows the principles of the text will reap the rewards as their business grows.

We all labor under lies, and these authors make a concerted effort to debunk them here. From common myths like "I must be thin to be happy;" "I don't have time to be healthy;" and "True love is like a romance novel" to the more probing ones, such as "I deserve to have it all" and "I can be young forever," they share personal stories, apply Biblical truth and encourage us all to break free. Insightful and uplifting.

This book tears away the curtain of lies women have become accustomed to hearing. These women talk candidly about their experiences in a way that will touch your heart. I can't be this open about my own life, but I'm so glad they could. They have provided insightful, practical advice for overcoming the problems each of us have. Not every experience will speak to you on a personal level, but I could identify with several of them. I think every woman should read this book and it would be nice if every man bought it for the woman in his life. I Can't Do It All, is a book you will read through more than once.

I must be thin to be happy. I don't have time to be healthy. I can be young forever. The more I do, the more God loves me.

Ever believed any of those lies? If none of the above, then I'm sure very few would not be able to identify with some other topics dealt with so capably - and honestly - in this book. Women sharing from their own hard earned experiences of life have to be listened to. The personal application sections at the end of each chapter gives the reader the opportunity to check things out for herself - and himself too! Highly recommended for group study and discussion also.
Mary Hawkins

As we learned in Logic 101, if you base a theory on a false premise you will end up with a false conclusion. I once heard sin described as the human tendency to believe the lies of Satan over the truth of God. So whether we choose to convince ourselves that drinking ourselves into a stupor will solve our problems or that having material things is a measure of our self worth, believing these lies becomes the basis for behaviors that lead to trouble and misery. The three authors of I CAN'T DO IT ALL! have taken a giant step toward helping to identify some of the most common lies that we have the tendency to believe --- lies that can lead us away from truth and freedom and into sin and bondage.

The table of contents reads like a mental "to do" list for today's busy generation as well as for many of us who still struggle with making changes in our reasoning. The chapters address such lies as: I deserve to have it all...right now; I can make my own truth; I don't have time to be healthy; True love is like a romance novel; The more I do the more God likes me. And, perhaps the biggest of Satan's lies: I don't need God. These and several other thought-provoking chapters provide the reader with much to ponder when trying to understand why life is full of stress and frustration. Tracie Peterson, Allison Bottke and Dianne O'Brian have crammed this small handbook full of Biblical truths that can be used to free yourself from the lies that have held you captive and never provided the promised results.

In a unique format, each of the authors addresses one of the lies that she believed, describes the problems it led to and the resulting stress and frustration that it caused. Along with the Biblical truth that challenges the lie, there is a list of questions and suggestions at the end of each chapter to help provide practical applications. So you're not just getting "take two proverbs and call me in the morning" advice. Many chapters also contain inserts with simple prayers such as: I keep saying yes to things when I really mean no, Lord, help me get a grip!

I CAN'T DO IT ALL! can be used to guide a Bible study or simply to help the reader break free of lies that control. It is a book about hope and healing, written by three women from diverse backgrounds who have a common belief in the goodness and mercy of God.

--- Reviewed by Maggie Harding, a substance abuse counselor in Phoenix, AZ who wanted to be Brenda Starr before life intervened. [...]

We try to do it all, be all things to all people, be all places at all times.We are women, we are capable and we are tired.

Tracie Peterson, Allison Bottke and Dianne O'Brien tackle the statement 'I can do it all' with truth and grace in this book.

With candor and vulnerability they share stories from their own journeys and guide us on ours. Fourteen chapters, fourteen lies we try to live and always fail. For it is the truth of the Bible that will break the lies. Then we learn it is only through Christ who strengthens us that we can do all things.

This book is an excellent resource for women's Bible studies, retreats and individual growth and reflection. Woven through the pages is truth, beauty and the grace of the God who CAN do it all. Read the book. You will see yourself on the pages. You will also find mercy and freedom on every page.

Anne Graham-Lotz have done it again. I enjoy all of her books. They are truly spirit filled.

Ms. Lotz presents the Bible in a totally different way than anyone I know. When she speaks of Isaiah, she makes you feel like she knew him personally. She really gets into the mind of the character. Even though she is Billy Graham's daughter she has issues just like the rest of us. People don't always treat her so well either. She is very humble in letting us know that. Her writing is for the average person who needs encouragment.

My mother had searched for this particular book forever. She is a Graham fan! A great Christmas gift I must say! Thanks!!!

As the daughter of the world renowned evangelist Billy Graham, author and speaker Anne Graham Lotz frequently shares in her auspicious father's spotlight --- not on his shirt-tails as it were, but because of her own skilled ability to speak and write in a similarly compelling manner. Lotz has written a number of titles entreating fellow Christians to draw closer to Jesus Christ as the meaning maker to all of life's quandaries and as the final answer to discovering true inner-satisfaction and peace amidst a troubled, war-ravaged world.

In her newest text, Lotz continues in a similar vein, challenging evangelicals to "wake-up" to the call that time is speeding by and countless individuals pass into eternity unprepared spiritually. Citing 9/11 as her own personal "wake-up call," Lotz recounts her invitation to speak on "The Early Show" mere days after the 9/11 attacks. Revisiting her thoughts and feelings from that time, Lotz reports on her on-air conversation with co-host Jane Clayson, in which she shared that it is America's moment to decide whether "we're going to implode and disintegrate emotionally and spiritually or whether we're going to make the choice to be stronger." In response to Clayson's assertion that many people were expressing indignation and anger at God, Lotz replied with an honest observation that, for the most part, Americans have been shaking their fist at God and telling Him to get out of the schools, out of the government, out of businesses, and out of the marketplace. "And God, who is a gentleman, has quietly backed out of our national and political life, our public life, removing His hand of blessing and protection."

On the heels of such a pronouncement, Lotz then begins her text in earnest as she lays the foundation for the practicalities of re-awakening a believer's heart who outwardly appears to be in tune with Christ because such said Christian quotes Scripture, prays out loud, sings hymns from memory, and has a cursory understanding of historical Christianity. Yet this person lacks the heart passion for God's Word, for intercessory prayer, for sharing the gospel, for saving a lost and dying world, and for Him alone. Pointedly, Lotz goes straight for the jugular and aims to either incite fresh passion or see complacent Christians cringing at the truthfulness of her words.

With the prophet Isaiah as her model, Lotz explores this biblical character's journey to greatness by detailing his life struggles, which she successfully pairs with modern-day life events so as to further demonstrate how alike today's believers are with historical figures and how God works in similar fashion throughout the ages with His people. Lotz urges Christians to recognize their sleeping state, wake up, open their eyes, rend their hearts, bend their knees, heed the call, move their feet to action, and stay awake for the duration. One of Lotz's strong suits is the ability to balance difficult calls to change with hope for lasting inner-transformation. She understands that Christians, on their own steam, cannot achieve (or succeed over the long haul) what the Bible calls them to do without the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit.

Fans of and newcomers to Lotz will be admonished, chastised and revived. And due to Lotz's gentle boldness, they will thank her for the upbraiding.


--- Reviewed by Michele Howe

This is my first time reading anything by Anne Graham Lotz. She was a guess speaker at my church & I enjoyed her sermon. This book is a must read.

I couldn't have said it better! Everything you need to start a magical group is right here for the taking. Pick it up. Even if you are not considering joining or creating a lodge, you never know...this could come in handy one day. Also has an interesting ritual for invisibility within it.

Have you ever wanted to start your own or join a magical lodge? If so, this is the book to start with. Mr. Greer, has a magical ability of being able to simplify a rather complex topic so that anyone can understand. Whether you're a neophyte or an adept, inside a magical lodge will guide you through from conception of the lodge system to the very creation of your own working lodge. This book is a must have if you are interested in the Golden Dawn tradition or variations of. As a companion book to this, I highly recommend Nick Farrell's "Gathering the Magic: Creating 21st Century Esoteric Groups".

This is an excellent book. Instead of rehashing other people's material, the author has focused on a much ignored topic - the framework of the magical lodge. The book goes through the structure, purpose and workings of a magical lodge in a concise and down-to-earth manner.
The author also goes step by step through the work needed to set up and maintain a magical lodge, from identity and requirements to aims and practices. All in all this book is well worth investing in if you have an interest in ritual magick and in the dynamics of a working magickal group.
I would recommend this book to anyone thinking of starting a magickal group, regardless of tradition - be it Thelema, Grimoires, or even Wiccan Covens!

Finally a decent book on forming a group in a modern, esoteric, manner. Prior to this book, there hasn't been much on the structuring of a formal magical lodge/order outside of a few Wiccan Circle types of books. The closest I've come across is the late William G. Gray's "Inner Temple Magic" and that had more to do with WHAT to do while in a magical order than it did about forming one.

Part of the problem with such books is that little is offered as guidance on dealing with the people within such a group. The group dynamics is usually overlooked so the seeker looking to gain some knowledge running a group and not just forming one is often left to his/her own devices on dealing with people. This makes for a blind leading the blind type of situation - at least emotionally - and usually what occurs is that the rest of the group is leaderless.

In the Satanic oriented groups, the leader is often encouraged to lead with an "iron fist" or "it's MY way or the highway" as pointed out by Rev. Yaj Nomolos in his book "The Magic Circle". Whereas in the Ritual & Ceremonial Magical traditions, the heavy handedness is not always conducive to a smooth running operation. Fortunately this book offers some simplistic thoughts on dealing with people within the lodge and mainly that is covered in Chapter 2.

What this book does offer is pretty solid material on WHY one should want to formulate a lodge and WHAT kind of structure the group should have.

The book starts out with pretty basic historical information on who the Freemasons were and why they came to be. This was based on the Medeival Guilds that were formed around trades and craftsmen. What follows next is the jump from the Freemasons to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and it's not like we haven't heard of that particular order before.

Greer also points out the foundation of what a Magical Lodge really is and offers to the interested party: structure, symbolism, magic and secrecy. In chatper 2, he nails it on the head when he writes "A magical lodge can take many forms and be many things. If it's going to function at all, though, there's at least one thing it has to be: a group of people who are able to put together the resources of space, time, and material needed for the lodge's work and who can do so with a minimum of bickering, confusion, and hurt feelings....A group that can't manage at least this much isn't going to likely to last long or get far." This fact has caused many lodges (and covens) to peter out long before they really could begin all over this very fact.

When we get thru the next three chapters on each of the foundations of symbolism, magic and secrecy, Greer has done a pretty decent job of offering more than mere platitudes in which to live by. He has explored very real concepts such as the group's egregore which helps to keep the nucleus of the group together. Then he tackles initiation and why this should be an important step to getting into a lodge. Finally he discusses the practical uses of secrecy and how this can benefit the group's continued focus as it progresses along.

The next part of the book covers the forming of a magical lodge. Greer uses a mythical group of personalities who opt to form their own lodge using alchemy as a framework. This is a useful teaching method and it allows Greer to give a better explanation of the various intricacies of sorting thru the mess of trying to form a core lodge group. He calls this group "The Order of the Athanor" and as we follow the formation of this group, we see some of the pitfalls and highpoints of forming and operating this group.

One of the pitfalls of lodges has always been the monetary dues contributions from its members. This is a sore point for many would-be lodge members because of their current financial situation which most deem financially strapped. Unfortunately, unless one has an ideal temple in their home, it takes the combined efforts of an entire group contributing money to rent a hall big enough to support a group. For example, if say you or I were to invest in building a comfortable working space such as an insulated and climate controlled pole barn, there is not only the initial cost of such a building and land to worry about but also the ongoing day-to-day maintenance to deal with. Utilities and upkeep usually are a drain on one person and without the group kicking in some sort of monetary support, the person in question will more than likely come to resent the fact that she or he has to foot the bill. And if one tries to keep meetings in their home, the same sort of thing eventually happens.

Greer also discusses some of the more esoteric rites that are available outside of just initiation and one of them is the working of Invisibility. This subject has been covered in Greer's prior work "Circles of Power". He takes this subject and lucidly explains the concept and how to do it sort of approach that many aspiring magicians drool to be able to accomplish.

All in all, this book is highly recommended with five stars because the author has chosen to tackle a very neglected subject and offers some very practical advice on forming a group. So much so that even Wiccans wishing to form a coven would be well to research from this book.

This book begins with a history of how lodges came into being, which is interesting in and of itself. It then discusses the pros and cons of being in a lodge. It also covers all the nuts and bolts of what goes into a lodge and lodge work.

One of the neatest things about this book is that it shows how to create a lodge from scratch. This is especially useful because a lot of the older lodges are not specifically about magickal work. In this section of the book, he writes a story about a woman who started a lodge. It tells of what she went through starting it, its offices and responsibilities, dealing with personalities and egos, and so forth. This fictionalized account is nice because it is less abstract than "you need to do x, then y, then z."

Perhaps the most useful aspect of this fictional lodge is his mapping out how to create its rituals. This is the stuff that will set a magickal lodge apart from the Masons and Odd Fellows. This is the stuff without a lot of handbooks and maps of the whys and hows of what is essential to make rituals, and therefore the lodge, function.

What a fantastic book! I picked this book up and couldn't put it down. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to read it again, and again. This will be a book that I will read at least once a year for the rest of my life, until it become one with the way that I think. It was as if Dzigar Kongtrul studied my mind for years and then wrote a book on it, and how to tame it. This book is so beautifully honest, and gave me such a new beautiful view on my mind and ego. Not only did the book give me a shift in my perception of my ego, but it also gave me answers on how to work with it, and gave very clear answers to the questions we have all made in regards to our attachments to the ego, and our wrong view that ego has healthy aspects that contribute to our life. This is one of those books you will want to give to all of your friends once your done reading it, and can be fully enjoyed by anyone in any religion or faith, or no faith at all.

Recommended for people who don't want or are not into heavy Buddhist teachings. Although I'd recommend first timers books by Steve Hagen (such as the excellent "Buddhism Is Not What You Think") or this one, another jewel: What Makes You Not a Buddhist by D.J. Khyentse.

Reading this book was a pleasure; it deepens stuff you already *thought* you knew. I'll read it two times and probably more, just to continue discovering new things. Why not 5 stars: I think that's because English is not my native language, so it sometimes complicated the reading a bit.

What wonderful information for us to live by. I want to read/listen over & over again.

This book posits the ability to observe your life calmly, as though you were watching a movie, as the key to contentment. There are a few other major tenets, such as the need to minimize self-importance, and the concept of M-E-R-I-T: 1. The ability to get positive circumstances in one's life, and 2. The ability to enjoy those good things (hint: # 2 is more difficult and more rare). To those who are familiar with the Hedghog/Fox categorization of Isaiah Berlin, this book falls squarely into the hedgehog classification: It relies on one main tenet rather than on an accumulation of little tricks. I thought it was one of the best of the modern interpretations of Buddhism, accessible to anyone without being too technical. A new book called, "Ruling Your World," is also quite good, though it has a slightly different emphasis; more pragmatic. That book uses four animals to illustrate cardinal Buddhist virtues: Tiger, lion, garuda and dragon are each used to illustrate a cluster of key traits. The author is Sakyong Mipham, the son of Chogyam Trungpa.

Of the several books I have read on Buddhism this is one of the best. In a very clear and simple, yet profound manner, Dzigar Kongtrul shares his wisdom illuminating some very complex principles of the practice of dharma. I have gained a great deal studying this book and reflecting upon my own conceptions on the dharma as well as my thinking on the ego, suffering and the purpose and place for self reflection in my own life. I highly recommend this text for anyone seeking more insight into themselves, who seek the path or are thrown onto the path of sometimes brutal and honest self reflection. The message, so clearly explained here, is that through our suffering and challenges we have the greatest opportunity to learn, to become liberated, to transform and to grow. That it is this task- to relect on the self, to increase our compassion and wisdom that leads us toward our own enlighenment.

I was delighted to come across this book which speaks eloquently of the connection between God and his creation, and points to that connection as a model for all human relationships.

The Jesus Advantage offers an invitation to a spiritual life which is centered and practical, yet mysterious and deeply moving.

In "The Jesus Advantage", priest and psychologist Paul Donoghue suggests a new model for those seeking help and support to live into their full humanity - Jesus. Too often, it seems that Jesus is depicted either as judgmental, angry and punitive: or meek and mild beyond all reason. The Jesus as illustated Dr. Donoghue's Scriptural examples is a full, rich and complex human being, a person who gets angry, is sad, feels betrayed and hurt, and expresses his feelings fully. This Jesus is one that resonates with the words "fully human and fully divine."

This book is eminently readable, gentle and sane. Its one fault was that parts of it struck me as very mildly and unconsciously sexist, in that he tends to speak of women in terms of their relationships and appearance, but men in terms of their jobs. This could, however, be simply a function of the population he sees. Other than that very minor point, it is a wonderfully refreshing spiritual resource, one that should be widely read and enjoyed.

Dr. Donoghue's book is an extraordinary gift for anyone in need of a resource for teaching or studying scripture. It is written in an accessible style but is very thoughtful in its examination and reflection on Jesus's life and teachings.

As a parish priest I especially appreciate the down to earth applications of Dr. Donoghue's references to scripture, which make the familiar stories come alive with new meaning and depth.
The study guide which is available for facilitating discussion of the book, seems a perfect outline for any course in christian formation or Lenten series.

Dr. Donoghue is very honest in his sharing of his own experiences as a person of faith in a struggle to apply the words and actions of Jesus to our daily lives. It is even more enlightening to think that these words and actions can actually help us to be healthier and happier.

I can without hesitation recommend this book to anyone who would like to live a life that can be changed and enriched by the wisdom and love contained in the gospels and made so real by the profound reflections of Dr. Donoghue.

Each year I look for a book to read during Lent that will inspire me and assist me to live my Christian values. I have found the perfect source of inpiration in the Jesus Advantage. Paul Donoghue reveals a human Jesus Christ who is our model of emotional and spiritual maturity. Using scripture he shows us how Jesus Christ lived his loving and authentic life and how we we can look realistically to him as a model in every aspect of our lives. The author uses stories from his own life and the lives of others to demonstrate how we fail to live up to our model. Then he masterfully shows us the practical way of fulfilling our desire to live as Jesus Christ did. I recommend The Jesus Advantage wholeheartedly

In this book Jesus is brought beautifully to life, not only in the pure message of his words, but also in the way he felt and responded, the way he paid attention to and reached out to those he encountered. Here is a man who lived fully through his hurt and delight, his anger and warmth. The richness of this portrait is interwoven with scenes from the lives of those Paul Dononghue has encountered who have struggled to find an inner peace that comes from living authentically and in faith. What becomes wonderfully evident is the immediate relevance of Jesus as model for living a rich spiritual life that is also realistic and down to earth. Captivating and informative, I believe this book will aid and inspire anyone seeking such a life.

As a new parent I bought this book mostly because I feel like I can trust Johnson & Johnson. It's a great book for new parents, maybe as a baby shower gift. Very descriptive, a few too many color pictures of babies where more info could have been added...but very helpful. I would recommend this!

We have many pregnancy books that we've collected, and it seems like there is too many to read and go through. This book is very quick and simple to read through for the months of interest. The sections are brief and informative, and I like that it contains picture illustrations. good resource.

SENT THIS AS A GIFT FOR MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED THEIR PREGNANCY. THE BOOK WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED AS THEY WERE FIRST TIME PARENTS. FROM WHAT THEY TELL ME, IT HAS ALL THE HELPFUL INFORMATION AND REALLY USEFUL. GREAT BUY.

clear & full of illustrations..
good book for new parents..
give clear explanation from the beginning the the pregnancy until the first 5 years of the baby

I asked my partner to compare all the pregnancy books that I found in Kinokuniya bookstore. I am glad he choose this book, since it covers from pregnancy till 36 months. I did compare it with Dr Miriam Stoppard's books, and find this book is way much better for its illustration and explanation. It give step by step guidance through pregnancy that you want to know and even the basic knowledge such as breast feeding babies and changing nappies (with illustrations, of course!)