Publications Books

Packed from cover to cover with a thoroughly "reader friendly" text by wellness trainer Sunny Hersh, Midlife Mamas On The Moon: Celebrate Great Health, Friendships, Sex, And Money And Launch Your Second Life! is enhanced with useful checklists, honest personal stories, and a wealth of practical resources to show midlife women just how they can successfully move their lives forward into a promising future every bit as exciting and fulfilling as their previous decades of life. Illustrative and inspiring quotations from midlife mentors ranging from Dr. Christiane Northrup and Rabbi Harold Kushner, to Dr. Elizabeth Lee Vliet and Dr. John Gray, Midlife Mamas On The Moon tackles a wide and diverse selection of issues ranging from Viagra to boomers, to PMS to the question of whether meditation is like prayer. From relationships with teen children, peer group friendships, and aging parents, to staying married, to surviving divorce, to intimacy with a new partner, Midlife Mamas On The Moon will prove to invaluable and highly recommended reading.

In "Midlife Mamas on the Moon," Sunny Hersh presents pertinent topics for women over 40. The sooner you read this book the better your life will be. Since I just turned 40 I found this book to be a helpful guide to a life I will soon be living. Instead of being shocked or annoyed by symptoms of aging, I can be prepared and aware of subtle changes.

Sunny Hersh shares her personal experiences and gives advice on a wealth of topics including relationship issues, sexuality, dating, financial security, hormone replacement, exercise and diet. She also gives helpful tips on looking after your partner's health.

Most of the book reads like a conversation with a close friend and I found myself writing down the names of numerous books and supplements. This book will bring you up to date on the most important lifestyle changes so you can ensure a smooth transition from 40 to 50 and beyond.

~The Rebecca Review

this book came to me at a time when i have lost my older brother to suicide and my son at war in Iraq.
My mother died at 49 and so did my brother.
I am to be 49 this year and have been struggling with this
issue. my counsiler told me about this book and it has helped me realize i am ok! better than ok!
thankyou!
pj

This is a must have book for every woman over 40.
You not only learn helpful hints, but you laugh all the way through.
I'm definitely getting more copies to give away as gifts to those I care about.
Well worth the money to be so inspired.

I picked up this book expecting another dreary tale about how to cope with menopause, but got a lot more than that! I feel energized by the many tips and nuggets found in this book on everything from understanding your husband to motivating yourself to excercise. So many of the articles you rip out of newspapers and magazines are summed up here, and the book is fun to read.

Chaplain George Castillo is my grand-uncle. I think the book is very inspirational. Until I read the book, I didn't know he did such great work in the prisons. He's an inspiration to not only the prisoners and their families, but an inspiration to us all.

George shared from the heart in this wonderful book about ministering to inmates as a chaplain. He also includes some of the politics that go with working within the system, We were so touched by his stories that we included his work in "Chicken Soup for the Prisoner's Soul" and "Serving Time, Serving Others: Acts of Kindness by Inmates, Prison Staff, Victims, and Volunteers."

I would love for the author of this great work to give a talk to my local civic organization. He has profound insight into the criminal justice system, and unique, yet practical, ideas on how to make it better. This book is worthy of being Oprah's Book of the month!

My recommendation of the Rev. George Ramon Castillo's book, My Life between The Cross and the Bars, grows out of a personal acquaintance with the author for nearly forty years as well as several readings of the book. The book is very well written and allows the reader to glimpse a first hand view of the circumstances and events that led George into the Christian ministry and into the Federal Prison chaplaincy. This life service offering reveals the character and integrity of the man, as well as the broader dimension of his professional service.
Of vital importance to George's life story is his account of his early years in British Honduras, now Belize, his early immigration to the United States, and his service in the U.S. Air Force, and his U.S. citizenship (October 26, 1953). Even more important was his marriage in 1957 to Muriel Jermain Seale, who has provided the moral and spiritual support for his successful career.
One does not just become a minister and a chaplain willy-nilly. The story of his religious development and educational experience tells how this came about: the early difficult years, then college and seminary.
I became acquainted with George while he was a student at Bangor Theological Seminary. He and his family eventually joined the congregation I was servicing, the First Congregational Church in Brewer, Maine. He was ordained under my ministry there, one of the high points, actually the highest, of my own ministry. When I left in September of 1967, the church called him to become their Interim Minister. After a year or so, he went on to serve churches in Detroit, Michigan, and in Ohio, and then was accepted as chaplain by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
All of this is essential to getting the most out of George's career as a Federal Prison Chaplain. The reader will share in the documentation and correspondence that became an important part of George's work within a difficult bureaucratic system. There were also unexpected difficulties with the machinations of opportunistic prisoners as well as with prisoners whose legitimate personal problems were all but insurmountable. If you want insight into an environment and setting that cannot be portrayed in a TV or movie scenario, this is the book for you.
A Federal Prison does not exist in isolation from the rest of society. George spells out the relationship of his work to the "civilian" religious community. This is part of his task in educating the rest of us to the enormity of the problem that confronts American society. Prison populations are growing fast, and the costs are skyrocketing. The solution to this problem, if we take George's perspective seriously, is more in terms of human relationships than in purely punitive or monetary terms.
But this comes only through genuine commitment, in George's case, Christian commitment, in a life of duty and service, with an equally dedicated life companion. There is much to be learned from what otherwise might be considered as one of the darker sides of life. George in his book, and in his life, has shown us the way.

Ray Wilbur

Initially, I was leery about My Life Between the Cross and the Bars for two reasons: I'm generally not a fan of autobiographies, and I don't know anyone who has been to prison. When I was only one-fourth of the way through the book I realized that it contains volumes of material to which I can relate. I highly recommend this book to individuals from all walks of life, as it has monumentous value for everyone. The author is a genuine inspiration to all people of every race and background, and his book is a great read.

This book shows how to do watercolour figure sketches in a loose free style.

The eye-catching pictures help in showing how to draw people with exercises that are easy to follow and understand.

For learning to draw or paint people and figures this is an excellent book. He also talks about the materials needed; colour mixing, brushwork and practical tips to get the result you are after.

You may not enjoy this book if you like more detailed realistic paintings as his style is sketchy but to me this is the magic.

Charles Reid does his usual "bang-up" job. The pictures make you want to pick up a brush immediately. I also have one of his early books...very worn by now...and this one doesn't disappoint me either.

This book is so helpful..from the preparatory sketch to painting in watercolor, he teaches it all. His techniques are simply amazing, and I've learned more from this book than anything else...I FULLY recommend this book

I have other books by Charles Reid that I love. I didn't know that this book was still available, so I was thrilled to find it. It is a great book on painting the figure. I am an art teacher, so I will share it contents with my students.

If you like Mr. Reid work, then you'll love this one. If you have one book
to buy for watercolor, then this is the only one you need. This book will teach you alot, if you are ready to invest yourself.
The spontaneity usually associated with watercolor is an illusion, and this
book with simple exercise will help you control this medium, and help you
cause accident that others call spontaneity.

Jerry has contributed probably more in the area of "modern nonduality" than anyone else.

Just his NondualitySalon mailing list has been a smash hit over the years, although it isn't quite what it used to be (people have branched out to separate lists and such - it used to be almost an Upanishad in itself.

Editing nondual subject matter is a thankless task - it is so diverse, there is so much to it. How to even communicate what 'nonduality' is to a newcomer? It is amazingly difficult, but Jerry does a wonderful job as always!

Many thanks to Mr. Katz for his continuing contributions, including the nonduality.com web site. Visit mine if you like www dot omkaradatta dot info (I am a teacher).

So many great teachers and teachings are sharing the non-dual pointers to what is Real and exposing the false ... and Jerry Katz, who has been at this for quite a while now, has kind of put it all together so as to to interrupt the mind's grasping and bring the ancient teachings into real "time."

Those who attempt to express the Indescribable Inescapable Isness of Nonduality are often awkward and inarticulate as the baffling of words fails always to point to this Naked Awareness that IS the True- Nature of this appearance. Jerry does this startlingly well: "Nonduality Is The Experience Of Your True nature." That is a great pointer, and as the natural seeing develops from that, it is ultimately seen to NOT be a "personal experience" at all (!), but rather the impersonal choiceless "experience of immortality" as one sage titled this Absolute Being-Aliveness. This is a great addition to the written Advaita tradition! With great respect and love, from [...] ... thanks for nothing/everything...!!

Charlie Hayes, author of From I Am To I Am, With Love: A Guide To The End Of Your Psychological Suffering

`Selected writings' rather than `essential' but there is nevertheless something here to inspire everyone and perhaps point them in a direction to discover more about the one truth that is the background of all appearance.

The editor is knowledgeable in all of these areas and weaves together the extracts well. All disciplines are unlikely to appeal to everyone equally. Personally, I found Ibn `Arabi a revelation and Steven Harrison's piece on `Education' excellent. The introduction too, by David Godman, provides a superbly concise summary of Ramana Maharshi's teaching. But I found Bernadette Roberts incomprehensible and the Native American piece overly mystical. There is a review of the `Matrix' films that is thought-provoking and an essay by an artist that serves to reinforce a long-standing view that writing by artists is invariably unintelligible - it seems that it is because what they want to say cannot be said that they have become artists in the first place.

`Chacun à son goût', as they say - all of this merely reinforces the view that there is something here for everyone. If you are curious about what non-duality has to offer, look no further. Dennis Waite, author of Back to the Truth: 5000 years of Advaita

Edited by nonduality instructor Jerry Katz, One: Essential Writings on Nonduality is a sourcebook anthology of writings crucial to the spiritual perspective of universal reality, and the mystical integration of the self within the universal. Exploring nonduality as understood within Sufism, Judaism, Taoism, Christianity, Buddhism, Native American traditions, and the Advaita Vedanta, One, as well as nonduality as experienced in psychotherapy, education, art, and even the pop culture movie "The Matrix", One is an integral primer to a powerfully transcendent concept. "The practical expression of the spiritual realization that life is interconnected is expressed in the forms we create, the work in progress of that understanding. Even a learning center that embodies freedom and responsibility is not complete until it seamlessly interfaces with the community of families, businesses, and institutions that surround it, as well as the world at large. Learning may finally be deinstitutionalized and returned to its natural state: curiosity-driven, lifelong, and incorporating every dimension of the human being." Highly recommended for religious and spiritual philosophy shelves.

I am grateful to Jerry Katz for offering us this superb introduction and explication on the meaning, function, and essence of Nonduality.

In the past, when friends or acquaintances asked me to recommend a book on this marvelous, but sometimes difficult subject, I was forced to hand them a half-dozen books and point out the pertinent sections--No more! Mr. Katz's lovely book brings all the essential writings together--and much more!

Part One of "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", begins with a straightforward and lucid introduction to the essential concepts of Nonduality, then suddenly and unexpectedly, Katz expertly guides us beyond the "concepts" of Nonduality and evokes the experience itself! With the compassionate wisdom of a Zen master, Katz pulls this off by directing our awareness to the evidence of our own inherent wisdom. By page 4 we may realize that we are "not in Kansas anymore", and by page 7 we may be startled to find that while "there is no place like home", there is "no place BUT home."

In Part Two, Jerry Katz begins to present the marvelous implications of Nonduality by guiding us gradually, and logically into the meaning and function of Nonduality in our lives here and now. As he does throughout the book, Katz leads the reader at a steady pace into subtler depths of this profound characteristic of reality by gradually building upon the knowledge we have attained in the earlier sections.

With a wonderful selection of teachings by Sri Ramana Maharshi, Katz takes us for an exciting exploration of the essential teachings regarding spiritual liberation, freedom from fear and greed, and the actualization of a full and authentic life.

Outlining the two fundamental "attitudes", or "approaches" to practice and enlightenment, Mr. Katz furnishes us with all the tools and knowledge we need to begin our journey along the ancient Way, which is actually beneath our own two feet at this very moment.

Part Three is a veritable treasure trove of the sacred wisdom from all the great religions and spiritual traditions of the world. By utilizing a number of insightful selections from Buddhism, Taoism, Advaita, Sufism, Judaism, Christianity, and the Native American Tradition, Katz not only reveals the wonders of Nonduality--he gives us a direct presentation of it!

As the late great mythologist, Joseph Campbell revealed in "The Hero with a Thousand Faces," there may be many "faces" but there is only One "hero", Jerry Katz reveals the "One" reality as it speaks through all the great traditions.

This section of the book provides such a wealth of information, knowledge, inspiration, and traditional wisdom that we may want to have at least two copies; for we are sure to wear this book out as we will be returning to this section again and again for decades to come.

Part Four of "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", provides the reader with some of the ways that the reality of Nonduality manifests in society, culture, and the world. This whole section is like icing on the cake.

Jerry Katz takes us behind the scenes, giving us an inside tour of the modern world through an exploration of the nature of Nonduality in:

o Psychotherapy

o Education

o Art

o Even in the movie, The Matrix

In Part Five (Yes, there is more!) Jerry Katz brings it all together (or actually reveals that it has ALWAYS BEEN altogether) by highlighting some extraordinary implications of Nonduality, as well as providing us with some grist for the mill on our own journey.

Throughout "One: Essential Writings on Nonduality", Jerry Katz provides us with the kind of lucid and insightful commentary that opens our hearts to the marvels of this vast unnamable fathomless void that we call home.

Highly Recommended!!

The best book I have bought. Goes into visualizing,planning,etc. Covers the guidelines for compositions as well as values and mood. Highly recommend.

I bought this book years ago and I continue to come back to this book years later. It's full of good and useful information. Kessler lays out the basics well and provides good solid information for constructing good landscape painting. Her book is a great reference for when I run into problems or am not sure of what I'm seeing when I'm painting. Kessler and John Carlson are the two best books on painting landscapes that I found.

On my feedback I had entered the feedback for the wrong book, my apologies, please. This book does have a lot of great information and gives details using great techniques.

Well written text, for advanced artist as well as the beginner. Kessler explains her topics very well. She uses a lot of earth tones in most of her paintings, but any artist can adjust the color range to suit their taste.

Este libro es estupendo para mejorar tu pintura, tanto seas novato como avanzado, pero especialmente es útil si llevas tiempo pintando, creo que está orientado especialmente para superarte en lo que ya haces. Te hace ver la técnica a seguir, desde que empiezas a inspirarte en una fotografía y su interpretación, la combinación de colores empleados, la mejor composición, profundidad, la forma de trazar con el pincel, y muchas recomendaciones más para superarte en lo ya llevas haciendo un tiempo atrás, como es mi caso. Recomendable para todos.
AVISO PARA AMAZON.COM: Soy español y hecho de menos que tengais un apartado especial para saber las publicaciones en mi idioma. Todos los libros que he comprado los hubiera disfrutado más si estuvieran traducidos al español.

This book is marvellous to improve your painting, so much be raw as(like) advanced, but specially it is useful if you go time doing(painting), I believe that it is orientated specially to excel yourself in what already you do. It makes you see the technology(skill) to continuing, since you start inspiring by a photography and its interpretation, the combination of used colors, the best composition, depth, the way of planning with the paintbrush, and many recommendations more rides to excel yourself in already doing a time behind, since it is my case. Advisable for all.

I WARN FOR AMAZON.COM: I am Spanish and a fact of less than a special paragraph to know the publications in my language. All the books that I have bought had been enjoyed by me more if they were translated into the Spanish. THANKS.

There is nothing really new in this book. Eating well, exercising and relaxing is good for your health. Duh!

But it is very well presented, brings up enough (but not too many) testimonials to be inspiring, it is simply written without complicated theories. The diet is easy to do and presented with lots of details. The proposed exercises are varied - very much along the lines of "do what works for you and do it at least 3 times a week". The Skilled Relaxation is nothing new if you are already familiar with the work of Benson, Cade, Pelletier, Kabatt-Zin, but it is presented here in a non-scholar way that is easy to understand, easy to implement and the book provides the health motivation to keep doing it. Understanding skilled relaxation without actually doing it twice a day is worthless. The text in this book makes you want to do it and to keep doing it.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is sick and hopeless - or anyone who wants to implement good life habits and prevent illness. I like the fact that it does not promise an instant cure for anything but rather proposes a way of living that supports physical, emotional and mental health. Well done!

The weakest point maybe is that it addresses general well being but only mentions in a rather weak way that people with long term diseases may have to be much more specific to completely heal. The proposed diet may not work for everyone, some people may need specific types of exercises and to avoid others, some types of meditation or biofeedback processes may be better than others for some conditions, etc.

However as an adjunct, Dr Stoll bulletin Board [..]) is filled with more specific information and the good doctor is also available to answer questions. A very generous proposition.

Ok - Got to go now and practice my skilled relaxation...

Recapture Your Health outlines a balanced solution to improving overall health. The authors call this program a 3LS solution named after the three legged stool which is perfectly balanced and fully functional without a lot of extras that aren't needed.

Like the three legged stool, the 3LS program contains three simple but sturdy elements (nutrition, exercise, and relaxation) that create a foundation for improved health. The nutrition section focuses primarily on minimizing damage caused by the high intake of refined foods in the modern diet. The authors promote a whole foods approach to nutrition that reduces and potentially eliminates all refined foods. This is very similar to the slow food philosophy that is gaining popularity.

Likewise, the exercise and relaxation portions of this program are not radical but are somewhat based in good common sense. Participants are expected to exercise twenty minutes three times a week of virtually any type of activity that gets them moving. Relaxation is guided through various types of formal relaxation exercises such as meditation or guided imagery completed for approximately twenty minutes twice a day.

While conventional medicine tends to focus on covering up symptoms with medications, many of which cause dangerous side-effects, this book provides step-by-step instructions on how to potentially avoid the doctor's office altogether. Based on the premise of 'how to be healthy,' this book outlines what Dr. Stoll refers to as the '3-Legged Stool of Wellness' - Skilled Relaxation, A Whole Foods Diet, and Exercise. As simple as this sounds, there are many crucial aspects that one needs to be aware of in order to implement the Wellness lifestyle effectively. 'Recapture Your Health' provides all the knowledge, insight, frequently asked questions, and troubleshooting guides needed for anyone to do just what the title says. Jan DeCourtney's writing style makes this book both fun and motivational to read cover to cover as well as easy to use as a quick-reference using the detailed index in the back. Hats off to this book, a long-awaited tribute to a very important aspect of Walt Stoll's life's work of getting the truth about Wellness out to the public!

Walt Stoll and Jan DeCourtney have given readers a chance to redeem their health or maintain it using three simple tools. Seemingly so simple, yet the authors have used their talents to give a good explanation of some of the who's, what's, and why's of the road back to health.

Even if you think you know the information to wellness they present, "Recapture Your Health" is still a great reference to have linking many common and not so common ailments to the modern day interpretation of stress. Many of us have used one of their key elements at one time or another, but in putting all the pieces of the puzzle together you have a great weapon to use in the war against disease.

If you have not yet had to deal with a serious illness or condition, you can certainly can go a long way to prevent it, according to the book, and maintain quality your quality of life for the years to come.

Something for everyone,

A+

"Recapture Your Health" focuses on relaxation, nutrition and exercise. This is the basis for the entire program so you can maintain optimal health. Not only does this show a way to a healthier lifestyle, it promises relief from a wide variety of chronic health conditions. Whether you are already suffering from a condition or want to take a more preventive approach, this book has many pertinent answers. The authors teach a more holistic approach and also explain the roots of illness.

What is the real cause of illness?
How can you reduce depression, anger and anxiety?
Is there a natural solution for chronic fatigue?

Throughout the book, personal examples are shown as people who followed this program explain how their symptoms disappeared. Some of the main things the authors recommend is the elimination of sugars, alcohol and caffeine. In order to follow the program there is also a handy list of foods you should include or avoid. If you enjoy reading labels, there is also a section about additives.

After following this program you can expect better sleep, happier moods and less headaches. As the authors say: "...most people lose health because of an unhealthy lifestyle." This book puts you on a fast track with a special section called "quick start guides." This allows you to get started even before you have read a third of the book.

The authors present a discussion about supplements, encourage healthy lifestyle changes and give lists of exercises like Pilates, Yoga and Walking. I also though their list of helpful ways to reduce stress was very helpful.

~The Rebecca Review

It is best not to let any book be your bible, but this book is worth reading. In the words of Gene Davis "do not read to believe or disbelieve but read and let you own inner self knowledge know if it is right for you." If you are really open minded this book will stir a lot of emotions that may provide some needed clearing. I also recommend reading the follow up book available through the author's web site.

The most important book for those that are ready for it, because not everybody can accept the truth that this book contain.Only sure way to clear your emotional body of all denials, judgments and missconceptions about everything that you thought was right and true.Book that really can change your life if you apply it's teachings.Highly recommended !!

You will know if you are meant to read this book.The amount of
energy and emotional block's that can be moved is amazing.
I love Ceanne DeRohan this is the first book in her series.
Growth is constant with her amazing gift.

Serious about healing and spiritual awakening that is. This book/series is NOT for the faint-hearted. It is not an easy read, even though you look at the first book and think wow it's so small I'll blaze right through it. You won't. This book, unless you are some kind of alien who has no emotional center at all, will trigger emotions you didn't even know you had. This book will rock you to your very core, because of the Eternal Truths contained within. You will become frustrated, angry, go into fits of uncontrolled sobbing, disbelief, and ultimately...you will come to understanding, acceptance, truth, and HOPE. If you have a deep, underlying sense of..."something isn't quite right with the world, but I don't know what it is or where it originated" these books tell you exactly what "it" is and why it happened. That spiritual itch that you just can't seem to scratch enough to go away will be relieved. However, it will not be comfortable when you first hear it (or rather, are reminded of it...because you already know it inside). Once you read these books, you will never be the same...

I don't think this book should be bought or sold on-line because it is absolutely imperative that the introduction be read and felt through before committing to reading this book. If you go through the effort to buy it on-line, chances are, you will think you should read it no matter what you feel, "I bought it, after all.. I might as well read it." This is not your typical channeled spirituality book and it is not on the same level of Conversations with God. I'm actually disappointed to see it on-line because most people who have read it will tell you, it is not a book for the masses. Don't buy this book until you know you are already ready to read it.. by reading the introduction and giving yourself space to really feel into it. I first read this book 10 years ago.. this is the perspective from which I speak. I don't recommend this book but it has changed my life.

THis story is classic. I use this book so much that I have to retire my old copy and replace it with a new one every couple of years. It is a fabulous vehicle for storywriting in the primary classroom.

I have been reading Pat Hutchins books to children for many years. They are wonderful!! Rosie's Walk is a great book for sound effects! As Rosie goes obliviously on her walk,the fox encounters all sorts of sound effect producing trials. Great fun!

We have the board book edition, and I have to admit, I didn't think my 2-year old was going to like it when I first flipped through it. There didn't seem to be much to it --- no eye-catching illustrations and not much text. Shows how much I know... My daughter loves it. The story is less about Rosie the hen and more about the fox --- what happens to it from page to page. It is truly a sequential story and shows cause-and-effect: on one page you see the fox leaping towards Rosie, who is walking past the pond. On the next page, you see the fox in the pond. Your toddler will make the connection on her own: "Uh-oh. Fox fall in water."

My absolute FAVORITE book as a child! Simple, clever, and humorous all at the same time. GREAT for children starting to read! A+

We fell for this after watching the scholastic dvd series. It's on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom video and we're hooked - love the detailed pictures and watching where thefox is headed.

I purchased this book as a total beginner to pool and it has really jumpstarted my learning process. Normally I'd have learned by trial and error and would eventually develop a 'feel' for it. This book explains scientifically, geometrically and physically what is taking place on the table so that I understand what it is I'm attempting to make happen. Feel will always be necessary, that's much of the fun, but understanding the logic behind each shot is a great guide and really helps me get back online when I lose that elusive feel.

Koehler's book starts with the basics of equipment and terminology and proceeds through technique, strategy, psychology and more. One thing that I really like is that the book offers many alternatives so that I can choose the ones that suit me best, or have options when my usual approach isn't available. The author offers some opinions on which might be a better choice but provides enough information on each to allow an informed decision.

Though I'm still a beginner I am confident that this book would benefit players of all levels. I've got a pool buddy (also a beginner) that lives a few hours away. I sent him a copy of this book so that I won't have an unfair advantage next time we get together!

This technical guide is full of tables and statistics, along with lots of tips to make you shoot a better game of pool.

The book is very comprehensive going into a lot of detail and at times is very technical. There are lots of tables and statistics. However, it does a great job of explaining how the various aspects of the game impact the outcome of each shot. Things like cue ball and object ball movement, best cue stick positions for type of shot, how english and top and bottom spin impact cue ball placement, and much more. If you focus on the less technical aspects taught in this book you will come out with a much better understanding of how to shoot better pool. I'm still reading it but have learned alot and I consider myself a better than average pool player already. It is at times tough reading but you can get into it as deeply as you desire and several readings over time will glean more information.

Sometimes people feel that explaining wonderful things makes them somehow less magical, as if a bit of knowledge could rub the awe off of us. I'm inclined to disagree and fortunately for me, there's a whole genre of books devoted to the related jobs of explaining the wonderful and unravelling the mysteries behind ordinary stuff.

This book stands out in that world and also in the world of books about pool. The author has taken the ordinary, sometimes despised game of pocket billiards and subjected its truths to rigorous experimentation. He built apparatus for standardizing speed and direction of balls and developed a simple device for recording where balls struck a cushion.

Koehler's attention to details is pretty wonderful in itself. Consider this: "Theoretically, the center of the tip doesn't need chalk because it makes contact with the cue ball only when it's struck dead-center. When the cue ball is struck dead-center, there's no chance of the tip slipping off and thus, no need for chalk." A tiny matter? sure. Admire the mind behind it? you bet.

The same thorough approach can be seen in chapters like

1. Equipment
2. Shooting stance and technique
3. Pocketing the object ball
4. Shot selection
5. Cue-ball deflection path
6. English
7. Positioning the cue ball
8. Rail shot
9. Combination shots
10.Bank shots

If you love the game or if you simply marvel at a job well done, this is a book for you. Any pool player will find his or her appeite for practice increased and game improved



Lynn Hoffman, author of The New Short Course in Wine from Prentice-Hall and bang-BANG, a novel from Kunati to be published in 2007

First of all, please excuse my English - it is not my native.
I've bought this book and really happy with this purchase, even Byrne's books were not even close to improve my skills in pool. The were commercially composed so that I had to buy more and more books, but fortunately I've found "Science of pocket billiards". Beleive me, its amazing, right now with a small practice after reading this book I beat my friends.
The best one.

Thank you, Valerie, for sharing your expertise with us in this highly recommended book that is both easy to read and to understand.

If you are are an adult child with aging parents, this valuable book is a must to read!

Joanne Harmon(WI)
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)
Certified in Long Term Care (CLTC)

I highly recommend this book for everyone that loves their parents or grandparents and want to help them stay at home as long as possible. The amount of information in one single source is fantastic. I found the book easy to read and informative, great for anyone who is looking for help.

I found "The Senior Solution" easy to read, filled with practical information that I can use and bring to the attention of the people I serve as a loan officer and insurance producer. Now is the time to think ahead and prepare for your own possible long term care needs. Long Term Care Insurance is the way to ensure your peace of mind and protect the assets you've worked so hard for.

I've recently had the opportunity to read "The Senior Solution" by Valerie Van Booven-Whitsell, RN, BSN, PGCM. This book looks at the issues faced by seniors and their adult children, it covers all aspects of challenges that seniors face and gives clear, concise workable answers to them. This is a book whose cost is a worthwhile investment for seniors and their families as well as the advisors that work in the senior marketplace.

Kenneth R. Clark
Certified Senior Advisor

Having seen four of my family members, including both sets of parents and in-law parents who have needed special care and attention during periods of aging, disability and dying, I had to learn by trial and error. Unfortunately, many times it was by error.

Valerie has clearly and concisely covered a very difficult subject in a very easy to read, relatively short book. She is to be commended for including such areas as VA Home Aid and Attendant Services Grants. I had never heard about them before. She also establishes reverse mortgages as a viable way of handling financial needs for seniors aged 62 and over. At the end of the book is a very comprehensive reference guide to several outstanding websites.

All in all, this book is outstanding....especially as more and more people are aging and joining the "sandwich generation"!