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This is a book to be read, not to buy and put on a shelf to impress your friends. In a free society we all need to be informed. Read other reviews for more detail.

As one of the researchers mentioned in Operation Mind Control (Jim Moore - pp 262-264, orig. edition), I followed this book and its author with great interest. The book disappeared because, according to what I learned, the CIA did not want the public to know the extent and details of its mind control programs. I believe even Walter Bowart himself once described how the entire warehouse supply was bought up by the CIA. The book also began vanishing from libraries across the nation, and virtually every copy available in bookstores was suddenly bought up and disappeared into a black hole. Very few copies survived this draconian purge. Those that remain are quire rare and expensive and should be must-reading for all Americans concerned about the future of our country and how our thought processes are manipulated by the political-intelligence "experts". especially in the wake of what is being revealed about 9-11, Iraq and the NSA spying.
At one point, even photocopies were going for as much as $75-100. The book itself (1st edition) has sold for as high as $250. There was a second printing (with a different cover) that also quickly disappeared; whether it was an authorized printing or not, I don't know.
Walter Bowart reportedly wrote a follow-up, but suddenly stopped and virtually vanished. The rumor mill has it that he was threatened with "termination with extreme prejudice" - a phrase for assassination that is now outdated.
To my knowledge, he is still alive but living his life in a very low profile. From my own experiences over the years, I can't say I blame him.

This is for those wanting a more than 2-line review of Walter Bowat's "Operation Mind Control."

For whatever reason this book was not widely publicized nor advertised when it first came out during my high school years. I read a lot then and this book certainly would have been the type I'd wanted to read. OMC was published in 1978. In "the author's note" Bowart describes his book as "an excercise in citizens' intelligence" because he like many authr's Bowart cites in his bibliography [including but not in entire: John Marks ["The Search for the Manchurian Candidate"], Lincoln Lawrence["Were We Controlled?"], Donald Bain ["The Control of Candy Jones"] expressed "shock and outrage" over govenment abuse of our [US] people.

Below is a brief synopsis of the "Contents" of "Operation Mind Control"...

FOREWARD:

This was written by Richard Condon who wrote the novel [& from which the first movie titled] "The Manchurian Candidate."

CH 1. "The Crytptorian Candidate"
Discusses the concept of government mind control such as the use of drugs [including LSD], behavior modification, various frequency of sound, hypnosis and other "psycho-weapons." [Note: this book was published 2 years after both Watergate was exposed and also, the Senate's Church commitee had dredged up many ways the CIA had run afoul of the law & one part dealt with a subcommitee dealing with the MKULTRA scandal].

The author discusses how he came about to write this book & later put an ad in the mag "Soldier of Fortune" about possible military victims of gov't mind control. After sifting thru the alledgedly obvious cranks he further interwiewed those who had convincing stories. Bowart discusses the concept of possible Manchurian candidates.

CH. 2 "Only One Mind For My Country"
Discusses the case history of former Air Force "box pusher" [who scored very high in several aptitude tests]named David. David awakes in a hospital where doctors tell him he'd attempted suicide. He discusses later being involved in clandestine operations where for years he had no recall. At first all he recalled about his Vietnam experience is having fun at the beach with 2 other people & no military recall. Over time he recalls scenes that very much seem like the island scenes of the compound in the 2004 version of the movie "Manchurian Candidate." He believes the alledged "suicide attempt" [which he denies attempting] was put on record to discredit him should he later recall events.

CH. 3 "The Mind Laundry Myth"
Discusses the case hitory of Vietnam POW George E. Smith who was in the Green Berets. Also discussed is the concept of Korean/Red China/Communist "brainwashing" where the victim is broken down psychologically & once the mind is "empty" it is refilled with whatever the brainwasher wants. This is illustrated by the story of Francis Gary Powers [and others] who was allegedly "brainwashed" in Korea [others in Vietnam, Russia] Discussian of brainwashing techniques that the Communists use versus the Western Model [slow vs faster with adjunct of drugs, electoshock for example]

CH. 4 "Without Knowledge Or Consent"
Hypnotist George Estabrooks techniques of mind control thru OSS [later CIA] on unwitting soldiers & later US & other countries citizens. The various uses of hypnosis combined with uses of drugs or shock in some cases is discussed as how it is used in the concept of mind control tests on unwitting "volunteers." The "war" against Communism thru mind control now becomes "a private war within."

CH. 5 "Pain-Drug Hypnosis"
Various uses of drugs [barbituates, nonbarbituate sedatives, calmatives, amphetamines & finally "conscious expanding" LSD] use for mind control discussed. Abbie Hoffman & Timothy Leary's stories are discussed as are Sandoz lab's [where LSD was "discoverd" association with CIA. The heroin addiction of many Vietnam GI's and later the "voluntary" participation in the drug BZ[10 X stronger than LSD 25] by soldiers at Edgewood Arsenal. are discussed.

The government becomes more interested in not only the mind control of individuals but populations. Also, other biological weapons are discussed.

CH 6. "The Guinea Pig Army"
Discusses how in 1975 the public [tho in reality most news sources heavily censored this info or never reported it at all] learns of what was the MKULTRA files being destroyed & how well over 100 subprojects dealt with gov't research on citizens of the US [also at least one was in Canada {not mentioned here}: the story of Dr Ewen Camereon]

CH 7. "The MKULTRANS"
Richard Helms DCI of the CIA and the various MK projects including MKULTRA, MKSEARCH, BLUEBIRD, ARTICHOKE, MKDELTA, etc are revealed but highly censored is discussed. A brief story about the California Medical Facility in Vacaville is discussed. Basically the CIA wanted to find out if & how it could control our minds.

CH 8. "The Mata Hari of Mind Control"
Discusses the story of CIA Mind Control story of "courier" Candy Jones.

CH 9. Discussion of of the CIA also mind controls their own. Discusses briefly Wild Bill Donovan of the OSS & the Dulles brothers and the concepts of the US cryptocracy & the military industrial complex & how these relate to mind control & the control the US gov't thru various types of propaganda and mis-& dis-information. The cryptocracy engages scientists to do covert research engage in covert control & create the ideal of national security to enslave the US citizens with "Operational Mind Control,the ultimate technology of secrecy and control."

CH 10. "Brave New World in a Skinner Box"
The cryptocracy meets behavior modification.

CH 11. "A School For Assassins"
The cryptocracy searches for the best killers: they look for the passive-aggressive types & desensitize them to gore & mayhem. Watson assists the cryptocracy with creating the model in a series of lectures. One of these experiments--Project Camelot--[the demise of Chile's President Salvadore Allende] is an example of creating such assassins who will kill on demand. [Allende was overthrown in a CIA sponsored coup who killed himself after his palace was set afire by recruited assassins.]

CH 12. "The Four Faces of a Zombie"
A trained "multiple zombie-state killer named Luis Castillo is discussed in one theory of the JFK assassination. The connection to the JFK is debatable but what was fascinating was the discussion of how the various zombie states were fleshed out with various word commands.

CH 13. "The Lone Nuts"
Discusses how accused killers Lee Harvey Oswald, Sirhan Sirhan, & James Earl Ray acted under various depths of hypnosis and/or truth serums is interesting/chilling. The CIA has fingerprints throughout this chapter as well.

CH 14. " The Ignored Confessions"
Jack Ruby, Dorothy Kilgallen [who interviwed Ruby in his cell] talk & die under cloudy circumstances as does Professor[former oswald friend & intelligence agent] George de Mohrenschildt's dies mysteriously & also after telling his story. de Morenschildt had also been subjected to mind control drugs and electric shock.[?]

CH 15. "Another Hypno-Patsy?"
M L King's death & cover-up.

CH 16. "Confession By Automatic Writing"
RFK's assassination by Sirhan Sirhan & the assassin's strange behavior following under hypnosis & alledged writings possibly planted in Sirhan's home?

CH 17 "The Patriotic Assassin"
First discusses how the word assassin came to be.Then how the NSA uses this model to create assassins with its black ops & how the CIA is the "whipping post" of the NSA. Chilling interview of how they use ultrasonic & electronic manipulation of the brain so the assassin remembers nothing unless cued by the handler. Discusses how Presidents will obey their handlers wishes or face the same as JFK.

CH 18. "Deep Probe"
Jose Delgado & electronic brain stimulation & his desire for a "psycho-civilised society." Remote control of the brain. Brain implants.

CH 19. "From Bionic Woman to Stimulated Cat"
Lincoln Lawrence & RHIC-EDOM: Radio Hypnotic Intra-Cerebral Control-Electronic Dissolution of Memory. The concept of sleeper assassins is discussed

CH 20. "The Engines of Security"
Summarizes the cryptocracies want/"need" to control the minds of society.
*******
Some of the book is outdated but this book is often used as background in more recent works on the subject of mind control. The book is diificult to find & expect to pay even more than $100 for a copy in any condition. It took years to find one for a little more than half that price. The book is worth reading if you can find a copy of it. Hope this helps.

The author of Operation Mind Control, Walter H. Bowart, died on December 18, 2007, according to his obituary in The New York Times and the reference page at Wikipedia.

In 1978, while living in New Hampshire, I had the opportunity of hearing a local radio interview with Bowart concerning his book. I immediately went out and purchased a copy at the cover price of one dollar and ninety-five cents.

Government censorship of the book has created a scarcity of available copies and has skyrocketed the market selling price.

Everything the other reviewers at Amazon have alluded to regarding its supression by the government is true, for Operation Mind Control is indeed a mind blower. The State could not permit anyone to disclose such damaging information.

The secrets revealed in this book openly describe a clandestine government at war with its own people, covert forces which Bowart describes as "the cryptocracy."

This is precisely the kind of dangerous information that governments fear.

Operation Mind Control is not conspiracy theory.

It is documented fact.

Governments live by lies, by bamboozling and hiding the truth from their subjects.

Accordingly, the primary task of opponents of modern tyranny, as libertarian Murray N. Rothbard pointed out, is an educational one: to awaken the public to this manipulation and propaganda, by demystifying and desanctifying the state apparatus upon which such lies are built upon.

Walter Bowart heroically accomplished this feat.

Operation Mind Control spoke truth to power as few books published in the past thirty years have done.

That is why the government tried to destroy it.

Years ago I had the opportunity to discuss these matters with John Marks, the brilliant author of The Search For The Manchurian Candidate: The CIA and Mind Control. Mark's volume somehow escaped the government's relentless campaign waged upon its predecessor.

I highly recommend his book in addition to Operation Mind Control.

Two excellent documentaries tell the sordid and shocking story discussed in these books. They are, Mind Control: America's Secret War, and Bad Trip To Edgewood. Both are available at Google Video for viewing.

This is a review of the scarce 2nd edition of Operation Mind Control, which appears for sale occasionally on Amazon, originally a subscribers only edition, with author's seal and name of the person it was prepared for on the first page. Limited to 500 copies.

I mostly found this to be a very interesting book about the so-called cryptocracy. There's a lot of startling stuff in the 686 pages of main text, and in the appendices. There do appear to be a few factual errors however. He states that B.F. Skinner's daughter committed suicide, but doesn't say where he got that information. According to the book "Opening Skinner's Box", Debbie Skinner is alive and well. He also declares that Skinner was a tool of the cryptocracy out to turn people into "obedient automatons", which is a contentious argument. All I will say is to recommend Lauren Slater's book to get both sides of the argument and also to read a balanced analysis of "false memory syndrome". Mr Bowart argues against that in the chapter "False Memory Spindrome". However, earlier in the book he mentions the case of Sirhan Sirhan, who apparently after hypnosis claimed he killed Robert Kennedy and who, according to a psychiatrist in 1973, had hypnosis used to plant ideas in his mind to make him accept that he killed Robert Kennedy. This psychiatrist is quoted as saying that a polygraph is more accurate than hypnosis. This suggests that memories can indeed be planted through hypnosis!

Most of the sheer volume of information appears to be well researched. In the interests of space I will just list some search terms that could be entered into a search engine to find out about some of the subject matter: "george estabrooks", "mary pinchot meyer", "sir william stephenson", "mark phillips mkultra", "triple dissociation", "mindwar", "dr colin ross", "franklin cover-up", "finders cia", "michael aquino", "luis angel castillo", "david ferrie", "george de mohrenschildt", "becker body electric", "consumertronics", "high power microwave technology", "gunther karl russbacher", "white phosphorus waco", "genie laborde", "col john alexander", "black hole of guyana", "dorothy burdick", "armen victorian", "mike-alpha-delta-3", "tesla generator", "alt.mindcontrol", "mkdraco", "fletcher prouty", "jacques vallee", "martin cannon controllers", "harlan girard", "p.a. lindstrom", "biotelemetry".

There's supposed to be a documentary based on this book too, according to Mr Bowart in this book.

Colorful illustrations and beautiful language. This is a book that not only your children will enjoy, but you'll have fun reading as well! Amos is a sweet little leprechaun that surprisingly enough is not green. In fact, he changes colors each day. This book could be used to teach colors and days of the week, but the poetic language allows it to transcend the typical book that teaches basics by memorization.

Tells the story of Amos, a leprechaun, who changies colors as the days change. Cleverly written and crafted. In addition to being an entertaining read (it makes your mouth happy to read it aloud), I was able to use in my classroom as an example in our poetry unit dealing with figurative language and imagery.

A beautiful book that teaches colors, days of the week and rhyming. My 2 yr old loves it!

This is a great book for any elementary library. The story is fun and easy to read, the pictures are inviting and enjoyable. Students love the book and keep it checked out.

As I read this sweet story to my little toddler, the characters seemed to jump off of the page. The colors are so wonderfully bright and vivid. It's exciting to turn the page and see what the next color will be. The rhythm and rhyme of the story are also enjoyable. I highly recommend this book!

I came into the possession of this book, an autographed copy, from a friend of Charlies'; Danny Park of Philadelphia, PA. Danny had talked incessently about his travels and conversations with Charlie and insisted that I read his most recent book, 'Charlie's Thoughts'. Well, being an avid reader,and always enjoying autobiographical writing, I was up for the challenge. What I discovered was a book that I couldn't put down. The story of Charlie's life and all the challenges, failures and amazing accomplishements kept me riveted. It is the rare book that keeps me up at night, not wanting to turn off the light until I'm finished. 'Charlie's Thoughts' is just that type of book. One that will keep you up until the last page turns and leave you with the constant reminder that your life, and success, is for you to make.

An inspired book from an inspired man.

I wanted to first say that Charles Butland is not only an entrepeneur and now author, he is first and foremost my uncle. He sent me the soft cover version of his book and then just recently the hard cover when it went to final copy. He called me the other day to tell me that I could see the rating for his book at Amazon.com.

I have read through the book and found it funny and thought provoking. Most of the things are just distant memories that come bouncing back after seeing them in print. I loved walking down memory lane, and am proud to be associated with the man who wrote this fine book.

Debbie (Butland) Bernier

charlie seems like a real person writting from the heart. the music reflects his thoughts very good. i think there is alot of good ideas in this book. i also found that the stories very very real to life in general.

Down to earth, and very real... "Charlie's Thoughts" had me seriously reflecting on life one moment and laughing out loud the next. He touches on life, love, relationships, childhood and business. And while there really is something for everyone, entrepreneurs will find some of Charlie's stories especially humorous and inspirational. There are anecdotes of wisdom sprinkled throughout the book and I'm sure, like me, you'll pick a handful that will stay with you for the rest of your life. (And what a cool idea! The book comes with a music CD!)

"Charlie's Thoughts" is a remarkable book. Not only is it filled with wisdom and inspirational, uplifting anecdotes, it is also one of the most honest and personal biographies I've ever read from the heart of a true, spiritual, couragous human being in every sense. And what's more, the book is really exciting too! Charlie Butland is an extraordinary person, living an extraordinary life. His attitude is based on a deep love and understanding of life in all respects, his "never giving up" mind ever so inspiring, his "making the best out of all situations" remarkable, his "I am responsible for my own life" attitude showing the deepest understanding of the truth. Charlie's own life is a great example, "Charlie's Thoughts" deserves a big, worldwide audience! Give yourself a treat, read and enjoy "Charlie's Thought's" - it is food for your soul! And the music CD - just enjoy! What's more, this is a great gift to those you care for!

Chelsea's Tree is filled with beautiful illustrations and relevant language and includes maps of both the United States and the world. Having raised three children in a military family, I wish we would have had something like this to help our children trace our families, my children's own travels and the many stations we called home. The many pages for pictures would help a child keep his memories close by at all times and the clever handle makes that especially easy.

Chelsea's Tree The presentation of this book is beautiful. It is definitely not a book to leave hidden on a book shelf. Although the story is geared toward children of blended families it is appropriate for all children with large families. The second portion of the book is a photo album that provides a place for family photos. Stickers are provided with names of the family relationships. This is a wonderful keepsake book for children.

I just finished reading this wonderful book. I only wish I could have had this book when my children were younger. I can certainly see how the unique way this reading engages parents and children into action ( which is how we learn best) instead of just reading.

Chelsea's Tree is a lovely and charming resource for parents, grandparents and other members of blended families. Children love to take an "action-oriented" approach to discussing their experiences and this is the perfect tool for that purpose. Also, as a retired marriage and family therapist, I think this little book would be very helpful in a theraputic situation to allow children to explore their feelings in a positive, non-judgmental context. The sticker feature that allows a child to build his or her own blended family tree is a fun activity for the whole family, adults and children alike.

I gave this book to my Grandchildren Great Grandchildren & kept one for myself. All the gifts were given to children who are all part of blended families.

I will continue to give this book as gifts because of the thoughtful and loving way in which it celebrates diverse & blended families.

Beautuful interactive book for all to enjoy.

This book will be equally useful for an individual ambitious to improve, or for a chess trainer looking for stimulating course material. There is a tremendous depth to the program of instruction here, with sections on openings, middlegame concepts (closed center, open center, isolated pawns) and endgames (queen endings, pawn endings, knight endings). Computers and databases are covered (2 pages), with the emphasis in that section (as indeed with the whole book) being as much on HOW to study as on the study itself.
A beginner might enjoy this book, but the most benefit will be obtained by players who have some experience but feel they have reached a plateau - a quite common situation in my experience. Gambit is well known for only publishing quality chess books, so this is a self-improvement work you can rely on to improve your game and rating.

What I really like about this book is how it caters for the student who seriously wants to improve. There is a lot more to it than you might think from seeing the cover, and I learned a lot about strategy and endgames. There are four things I found especially helpful:
1. the book covers a big range of topics, like how to make a plan or the important of pawn structures.
2. the diagram examples feature many famous games and famous players.
3. endgames are covered in detail (I have found that other books of this type ignore them).
4. there is lots of advice on how to improve

If you are an intermediate player (say rated 800 to 1900 USCF) this book will greatly benefit you.

What I really like about this book is how it caters for the student who seriously wants to improve. There is a lot more to it than you might think from seeing the cover, and I learned a lot about strategy and endgames. There are four things I found especially helpful:
1. the book covers a big range of topics, like how to make a plan or the important of pawn structures.
2. the diagram examples feature many famous games and famous players.
3. endgames are covered in detail (I have found that other books of this type ignore them).
4. there is lots of advice on how to improve

If you are an intermediate player (say rated 800 to 1900 USCF) this book will greatly benefit you.

why has no-one told me about this fantastic book before? There are sections on the endgame, analyzing your own games, how to study position-types and so on. Hall clearly writes from personal experience, and the method worked for him: he is a strong international master. The title is a little misleading in that it might imply the book is aimed at novice players, when the book could be useful for even club players. My chess library consists of around 300 books. This is one of the best self-improvement works in it.

You will find this book outlines a wonderful program on how to study, and gives a deep insight into openings, middlegame strategy and endgames. As well as teaching chess I play in local tournaments, and I can say with confidence that this well-rounded approach is exactly what will benefit the intermediate level player most. The chapters on the middlegame will help every junior solve some of the most common problems, and there is a lot of great study material on strategic themes. The section on the endgame alone is worth five stars, as it extensively covers topics you rarely see mentioned in other books.
There is no doubt that after reading this book your general strength will improve, and there is so much material packed in, that it is like having the contents of several books put together. That is my one complaint - there is almost too much material, and it could take several months to do it justice.
The author is an experienced chess teacher, and he shares his methods with a passionate enthusiasm. I found his methods to be valid, and quite insightful in some cases. I would highly recommend this book for both kids and adults to study and enjoy.

Having worked with troubled youth for years it wasn't until I read one of the essays in this book did my job become easy. I get incredulous looks when I tell people what I do for a living. They think it is hard or difficult dealing with that "type" of person. Using the information in this book not only makes it easy but fun too.

One of my favorite lines goes something like this:

"The main problem with children is how to live with them. The adult is the problem in child raising, not the child. A good, stable adult with love and tolerance in his heart is about the best therapy a child can have."

When this piece of advice is taken to heart the most troublesome (previously that is) youth become a joy to work with. You don't have to believe it. Just read the book and try some of the techniques out for yourself.

Sincerely,

A Reader

This book has helped me in raising my own kids. It contains theory about children, as well as practical application for helping children through the difficulties of life.

Great book!

I've recently gotten married and with that became a very young step mother. Not knowing how to deal with an 8 year old, I picked up this book and read it. To my amazement, it works! I am developing a strong, loving relationship with my new daughter.

I loved this book. It gives so many practical suggestions for dealing with kids. In today's world where there seems to be escalating violence and drug abuse among children, it's really important to have solutions that actually work. ....

I first read this book years ago when expecting my first child, and I continue to re-read parts of it whenever I feel I need some more support.

The beginning essay, "How to Live With Children" is truly wonderful. My viewpoint on children didn't necessarily change from reading this book, but was certainly strengthened. Children aren't animals to be trained, they don't "belong" to their parents (they are individuals with rights of their own) and they deserve to be treated with respect.

It is true that children can try a parent's patience, though, and the author, a father himself, was well aware of that. He provides some very simple, wonderful methods for handling common problems that children and their parents can have.

For instance:

What do you do when you give your child a new toy and he immediately breaks it?

What do you do when your child gets hurt and doesn't cheer up for too long afterwards?

What do you do when your child acts up in order to get attention?

What do you do with a child who is angry and rebellious, or who has suffered losses and is stuck in grief?

With 6 young children, these things are important for me to be able to handle successfully. My kids are very able, happy, well adjusted children, and this book has a great deal to do with my overall success as a parent.

I recommend this to anyone who deals with children in any measure!

Jonathan Fesmire has created a universe in which his intriguing creation of the Dual Twin is forced to survive or perish. Imagine having a twin with whom you've never come face to face because you are unable to occupy the same space and time. Fesmire has imagined exactly such a situation and how it would effect his creation as they are forced to hide their true identities because most of those around them misunderstand, fear and hate them...even the most mundane of daily exercises becomes a challenge and a trial. Whom can they trust? Add to that a villain who wishes their undoing and the complication of romance and what Fesmire has given us is quite the tasty confection indeed!

With the recent popularity of such literary phenomenons as Harry Potter, and the resurgence of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, overuse of the staple fantasy cliches has become a commonplace occurrence. That is, if there's magic, there are elves, and if there are elves, there are orcs, and if there are orcs, there are great battle sequences strung together with brief vignettes supporting the obligatory character development, and...you get the picture.

Jonathan Fesmire's Children of Rhatlan sidesteps the trend to capitalize on the current fantasy formula, and instead tells a simple tale of two siblings trying to find their place in a world not quite our own.

Our heroes, Garum and Vayin, are duals, siblings who possess their own individual bodies and souls, but who are relegated to sharing the same life, the same "space," if you will. When one is "overt," the other must remain "covert," and vice versa. It's a bit confusing at first, but an interesting conundrum nonetheless. Rather than focus the novel solely on the magic involved, though, Fesmire has concentrated the brunt of his attention on the emotional and social magic behind living a dual's life. Sure, there is the central plot involving Garum and Vayin meeting an old witch bearing promises of enlightenment, and her brother, Paterun, a mad wizard fallen from grace (whose insatiable lust for spiritual resonance sets him on a quest to assimilate Garum and Vayin), but it's the brother-sister politics that count. In writing a book about siblings with a dual nature, Fesmire has very much conceived a story with a dual plot line. The overt: Paterun's quest to track down Garum and Vayin; the covert: the duals' coming of age, managing the necessities of food, shelter, love, acceptance in a world filled with superstition and mistrust.

Children of Rhatlan is a comfortable novel, more of a character study than an epic battle piece (though confrontation between Paterun and the duals is inevitable)--but I believe this to be Fesmire's intent, to make duality into an everyday affliction that must be dealt with by our young heroes. To this end, Fesmire knows how his machine works. Dave Duncan's Great Game comes to mind: a complete society and religious system has been laid out to support his characters. Moreri, Lothay, and Rhatlan--the mischievous lord--are potent fixtures which future Rhatlan novels will surely expand upon.

Children of Rhatlan isn't perfect. At times, there just doesn't seem to be enough happening in the in-between scenes, and the frequency of occasions upon which Garum and Vayin are either eating or bathing borders on the redundant--but having said that, the premise is solid: What would it be like to share your life with someone else--literally?

Jonathan Fesmire knows the answer.

I love this story because the duals are unique. They are a different kind of magic and I think its absolutely brilliant. It's a great story about magic, racism, betrayal and hatred, to love and lose, revenge, and forgiveness. I hope you take the oppurtunity to read this book and go on one adventure after another with Garum and Vayin!!!

CHILDREN OF RHATLAN by Jonathan Fesmire
Lulu Printing
Genre: Fiction/Fantasy
ISBN: 1411637194, $15.95, 276 pp, 2005

High fantasy at its best! Wizards, sorceresses, magic and the new duals.

In this story the duals are twins (Garum and Vayin) who have two bodies but share one life and one place in the world. For one to be present, the other must vanish.

The evil wizard Paterun who possesses the magical Claws of Rhatlan is possessed himself by the souls and voices of those he's killed. The voices laugh as one in his mind. They hear his thoughts, and they talk to him.

"Duals can handle another voice in their minds, so why can't I? The hair tingled along his arms. He looked toward the open shutters, eyes widening as a new idea formed. No light came through the horn windowpanes. Duals! Curse of Rhatlan, I believe they can handle it because they were born joined. They were made that way. What if I were a dual?

You're a fool! the sorceress cried. The wizard cringed; he had neglected to hide his thoughts. Now, he made the effort.

She'll know soon enough. I can't hide everything from them. He rubbed his forehead. I can't become a dual, but I could join with one, send my mind, all these minds, into one. Gods, I believe this will work!"

Now our evil wizard has a plan to free himself from the voices in his mind. Does he succeed? Only the tale will tell.

Jonathan Fesmire is an accomplished writer and artist. "Children of Rhatlan" will definitely appeal to children of all ages. Jonathan has a rich imagination and the ability to describe the world he sees in his mind. The magical mystical cover was created by Stephanie Law and is a work of art itself.

Other books by Jonathan include "Tamshi's Imp", "Seeds of Vision" and "Amber in the Over World".
Reviewed by Kaye Trout - July 1, 2006 - Copyright

I only wish I had Jonathan's imagination. When he came up with the concept of duals, he had a winner all the way! At first, it was a little difficult for me to envision two separate people living in one body but once it became clear to me, I wished I'd thought of it. This is more than multiple personalities; it is two distinct people, each with their own personalities, living inside one body. And the explanation for that duality is absolutely believable. The reader learns to like each of the duals and when they are in danger, the suspense is high.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes a little fantasy in their diet. Even if you don't, give it a try; I'm sure you will agree that this book is awesome.

A marvellous book for both beginners and advanced practitioners of the art of Qigong!
At the very heart of Grandmaster Qingshan Liu`s book is a practical introduction to the famous series of "Qigong Harmony in 18 Figures" and "The Eight Figures for every Day".
Exact and detailed descriptions of the movements and breathing allow you to easily perform the exercises on your own.
In addition, the rhythm of the movements and breathing are
illustrated on a timeline, which is especially helpful.

The presentation of the text is clearly arranged and organized and the language easy to understand.
A series of photos accompany and illustrate each of the Qigong movements which are being demonstrated by Qigong Grandmaster Qingshan Liu himself.

In the first and last part of his book Qingshan Liu talks in a vivid way about the theoretical background and the basis of Qigong as well as the philosophy of "Qi".
He also answers frequently asked questions concerning both practicing Qigong and the emotional and physical reactions Qigong provokes.

The book suits both beginners` and advanced Qigong-practitioners` purposes extraordinarily well!

It is clear structured. We lern how to understand the differences between the west medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I tried many teachers, but a teacher like this book, makes me understand what I have lerned before, this is the first time I have found the right teacher. I am very happy reading this book. I have tried also the Video in English und German, it is a great help. I do the exersices every day. I can easily do the 18Figures, because Master Liu is just standing in front of me, I can feel the Qi from him. I feel much better while and after the exercise. Thank you so much Mr. Qingshan Liu!

It is clear structured. We lern how to understand the differences between the west medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. I tried many teachers, but a teacher like this book, makes me understand what I have lerned before, this is the first time I have found the right teacher. I am very happy reading this book. Thank you so much Mr. Qingshan Liu! I will lern your school

There are some outstanding features to this book which are worth a comment:

First, chi theory is presented in English that is comprehensible to the ordinary American. Nothing too technical, no mumbo jumbo. Very solid explanations.

Second, the two qigong routines that are presented, the "18 Figures" and "Eight Figures for Every Day" are well illustrated and contain clear and not overly-wordy instructions. There's just nothing like trying to learn a move while holding the book in one hand and reading through a sea of verbiage while simultaneously trying to imitate fuzzy or poorly-posed photos. You won't find that here!

Third, the book is not too long. It's what you need to know for the beginning or intermediate levels and that's all. Also, there is nothing religious, nothing spiritual, and nothing new age to be found anywhere. The instruction is drawn from medicine and the martial arts.

Fourth, the movements themselves in both routines are more physical than one often finds in other qigong sets. This is truly a fitness workout, although most people in average condition should not have any difficulty with the moves. Anyway, if something doesn't work for you, you can always adapt it to your situation. The qigong police won't come for you.

The only improvement I would suggest to the publishers, should YMAA decide to reprint this book, is that it should come with a DVD in a little plastic pouch glued to the inside back cover. There used to be a video, but I can't seem to find that anywhere. A do-along DVD workout would make this easy program even easier to learn.

I am pleased to recommend this book. It lives up to the high standards I have come to expect from YMAA.

This is a book giving you much fun to read and make it very easy to learn and understand Qigong and the essens of the Traditional Chinese Medicine. You will get health, wellbeing and joyfull living. Go for it! (I am 31 Years old).

I read many online reviews of this book, and the few I found that did not like it seemed to be nit-picking (should full moons be before new moons? Difference between initiation and dedication? c'mon.) These matter when you belong to a specific coven belief system. The author, Deborah Blake, states that she doesn't and is ecclectic, which is why I like this book. She doesn't tell you what is right, but rather gives you ideas on how to combine what is comfortable to you and a more organized ritual. I really love the freedom this offers me, a former solitary that is now part of a fledgling group. This book has already given us confidence in how we celebrate the Goddess, and I see us continuing to utilize Ms. Blake's book far into our group's future. Thank You Deborah Blake!

What I love about this book, aside from the great ideas, is that the author has made herself available to the readers by her writing style. It is well thought out, and a great addition to anyone's collection of books on Wicca. If you're in a circle, thinking of starting one, or simply curious about what a ritual gathering is like, I recommend this book.
Kudos!

I read many online reviews of this book, and the few I found that did not like it seemed to be nit-picking (should full moons be before new moons? Difference between initiation and dedication? c'mon.) These matter when you belong to a specific coven belief system. The author, Deborah Blake, states that she doesn't and is ecclectic, which is why I like this book. She doesn't tell you what is right, but rather gives you ideas on how to combine what is comfortable to you and a more organized ritual. I really love the freedom this offers me, a former solitary that is now part of a fledgling group. This book has already given us confidence in how we celebrate the Goddess, and I see us continuing to utilize Ms. Blake's book far into our group's future. Thank You Deborah Blake!

This book is a great start for anyone wanting knowlegde of the Craft. HPS Blake gives a clear explantion to what you need, doing what you feel is right and the tools needed for the Craft. She includes her own covens rituals from start to finish and the meanings for each one. Breaking it down by month gives a better understanding to what happens in the Craft as well. She also gives great references for other authors which she encourages to add your own practice. You can tell she has a great love for her coven and being a witch. She really turned me onto the Craft. This is a must-own book.

As a solitary witch I thought this book would have nothing for me, but on the recommendation of a friend who is also solitary I gave it a look and it is now one of my favorite go to books for ritual planning. The information is organized in a user friendly format and Blakes style of writing is like having a high priestess all to myself. I've never considered myself the type of witch who would enjoy working with a group, but reading and using this book has made me consider forming a coven or looking for one to join.

This book is fantastic for beginning whistle players. The basics of music are explained well and are easily understood. Also comes with a CD so that you can play along AND helps you play by ear.

This is a good book for beginners to start with. comes with a CD rom. I'll be able to follow through. Hope I'll be able to master it soon.

I really enjoyed all of the tunes in this book. It helped that I could read music to begin. The process of reading music is explained briefly and not until after you've already played a few songs, but the CD would definitely help anyone who was learning to read the notes on the staff for the first time. I don't think this would be a stumbling block or a reason not to get it- just something to be aware of. One thing I really liked was that there are short histories and backgrounds on the style of music.

I am just teaching myself how to read music and play the Tin Whistle. This is my second book purchased. I am finding this very user friendly. Even a novice like myself can learn , by listening and reading, then playing along. If I could, I would give this package 10 stars.

If you want to learn how to play the tinwhistle, then this is the book. Starts you out with the very basics and works you up to the more advanced. Bill Ochs is by far one of the best whistle players out there. Make sure you buy the book with the cd; hearing how the tunes are played will help you to learn a lot better then the book alone. This is the best instruction book I have every seen. Clear, concise and never overwelming. You will not only love to play the whistle, but love learning to play.