Richmond Books

I fell in love with these books the moment I started reading them! At first when my mom showed me I was like I'll try them. But she turned out to find the best series I've ever read. Not only cause it's a Christian Series but because I also love romantic books. Because I'm getting older this was the perfect match! I also love learning about the Civil War so these were aousome! Thanks Mom for finding great books! This is one of my very favorites in the series.

I fell in love with these books the moment I started reading them! At first when my mom showed me I was like I'll try them. But she turned out to find the best series I've ever read. Not only cause it's a Christian Series but because I also love romantic books. Because I'm getting older this was the perfect match! I also love learning about the Civil War so these were aousome! Thanks Mom for finding great books!

This novel was so good to read it's been a long time since i had the privilege to read a romance novel and it felt good to get back into reading them again.This was my first time reading anything by these author's and their storie's were all good I really enjoyed Sandra and Anita's stories. Good work.They were heart felt stories about sisters and their every day life problems.

Anita, Sandra and Eva did a wonderful job demonstrating the love between sisters and their concerns for each other when it comes to relationship with men.

There is a lot of practical, workable help in this book. I enjoyed it even though I had never even heard of this particular author. At times, also, I wanted to edit the book; it needs to be clearer and more direct at times.

A lot of the material in this book is really about divorce recovery instead of single parenting. So if you're a single parent who is not divorced, or who has already processed your divorce issues, or you're just looking for the parenting help, there may be better titles out there. Michelle Howe, herself a single parent, has a very good book selling here on Amazon. Kevin Leman has a book here also.

I enjoyed this book and I recommend it. Just be aware that a lot of it is not about parenting, it's about divorce issues and divorce recovery. If you need help with those issues, consider this book a "bonus" title.

Lauren Hodge,
Apple Valley, CA
I also highly recommend:
Raising Great Kids on Your Own: A Guide and Companion for Every Single Parent

Author, Gary Richmond, is a pastor and leads a divorce support group based in CA that has been in existence for more than 10 years. His sound advice is practical, heart-felt, and INVALUABLE! One could say that the book's 16 chapters fall into three major areas of support: (1). the parent & family in crisis...what's happening to us and how to survive, (2). 6 chapters focused solely on the children's responses (age specific), what you can do to give them the emotional support needed, and God's promise of help, and (3). processing it all, healing, moving on. There's also a bonus that I've NOT found in the numerous books about divorce I've read so far, and that's the section of FORGIVING...God's and yours! It's the firm foundation of your future victory and your children's! Be gentle with yourself; get this book and another: "Helping Children Survive Divorce" by Dr. Archibald D. Hart. You would not have read this far if you didn't truly want the best for your children despite the divorce. You will all be changed; it's your job to accept healing from God and to channel that to your children. Excellent "Single Parent Bookshelf" at the end listing books on various topics of concern to (single) parents where one can look for additional information. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book!

This book has been described as a book for people from 8 to 80. The short stories are true, and people who don't even like to read, like this book. It makes a really nice gift book and a nice one to give people in the hospital. The blue hard cover copy is my favorite one, but they are hard to get. A New View From The Zoo is available in paperback. I know many people who love reading these books. When Gary was working at the zoo, he would come home and tell me about these things that happened at the zoo that were so interesting and funny. He began telling these stories when he was speaking at schools and churches. He started writing them down and found that people really enjoyed these animal adventures. If you haven't read it yet, you are in for a treat.

This is a great book to reaad with your kids, they will love it. He has had some interesting experiences.

Well, It was kindas stupid. It jumped around a lot. It was quite unbelieveable. Every man she met was rich they all loved her spent all their money on her screwed her over she made it out unscathed and the whole time her man was cool wit all these other dudes she was screwing please!!!! I also have part 2. Part 1 does not set me up to want to read it in a hurry though.........

I am on Page 115 of this book and all I can say is WOW!!! This is one of the worst books I have ever read in my life. There are so many typos, run on sentences, punctuation, spelling and grammatical errors that it makes this book very hard to read. There is also a lot of repetition in this book. I struggled through the first chapter and started to put it down then, but being the curious person that I am I want to know how this story will end. The storyline is ridiculous and unrealistic - extremely unrealistic. The first thing that blew my mind is how Yarni's mother declined Des' request to marry her, and then she ends up moving out with him anyway. The way I understood it was that Yarni's mother was very over-protective of her. You mean to tell me she just let her 15 year old daughter walk away with a 21 year old dope dealer without a fight? That was just plain stupid. She didn't take any legal action or anything. I find that hard to believe. The other thing that just made my mouth drop was how Yarni was having sex with this guy and that guy (at the same time she's supposed to be so intelligent), but she is supposed to be 100% committed to Des; at least that's how it sounded. Des is providing her with everything she needs, even though he is in jail, so why does she need to hustle and get money out of other dudes? How did she turn into a gold-digger overnight? That didn't seem to be her original character. She supposedly came from a good home and was raised better than that. I am going to finish this book because I paid for it, and actually bought the sequel to it (I hope it's better than this book). However, I really don't expect this book to get any better and would not recommend it to anyone. The author should be ashamed to have anything like this with her name on it.

*** EDIT ***

I just finished reading this book and I am very disappointed. I knew it wouldn't get any better. There were new characters who were never really introduced. This book is so unrealistic. I hope she does a better job in the sequel.

i loved this book as well as the the sequal! i couldnt put them down! i dont want to ruin the story so i am not gonna go on and on about what happened in the story but it was well worth my money and if you like reading books about living the high life and the struggles that come along with it you will love this book as well as the sequal "Forever A Hustlers Wife."

This was a outstanding book i recommand this book to anyone who is thinking about buying it. Not only because its good but also it has a few messages. Never let anyone or anything get in the way of your education, if you have a chance to further your education did do it, It's good to be indenpent so that you don't have to denp on some one else there's nothing like having your own money, and if you are involved with anyone that are similar to the characters in this book you need to be smart and learn to save for rainy days. This book was interesting from start to finish.

This book was really good, interesting but a little predictable. The character development in the book is what makes it a must read. For lack of a unique plot, the author makes it up in the character developement. Book moves at a nice pace. Recommend you read it.

The author has, with vivid display and perception, shown how the events of one month in the history of our country has affected the USA we know today. If Lincoln wasn't the man he was or if Lee and Johnston were not the men they were we could still be a totally fragmented country on sectional lines. We have all learned these events in school but never have they been put into perspective in one volume as in this book. I highly recommend it to you.

This is a deeply moving history of the great men who believed in duty, honor, country and made courageous decisions that preserved the Union. I have read many of the very positive as well as the more critical reviews of this great work by Jay Winik. If Winik had included all of the detail of the final battles this would have been a lesser work. I would strongly recommend first reading "The Passing of the Armies" by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. Chamberlain's memoir published in 1915 is a beautifuly written first-hand account of the final campaign that led to Lee's surrender. It is a must-read that helps to set the stage for what follows in Jay Winik's history of the month that saved America.

What a book! Until I read this I had no idea what that month meant to the US or the world. Lee chose to surrender so peace could prevail. He did have other choices. He could have hid in the Southern Hills for years like the Taliban has done in Afghanistan, but he cared too much about the stability of his country. I personally think it was the hardest decision he had and the best decision he made, Grant and Lee handled Appomattox with the best diplomacy as was possible. Many do not realize that Appomattox was the only the end of one part of the war a fact the Winik illustrates here well as does that it was a valiant fight to the end. Did I mention it was Palm Sunday?

I was quite disappointed in this book. I thought the topic sounded interesting, and indeed it is. However, the hyperbolic writing style constantly gets in the way.

Not only does he puff up his writing with exaggerated, overwrought prose, but his motto seems to be: "Why say something in one sentence that can be said in five paragraphs."

Plus, early on in the book, one has to endure a 15 page paean to Robert E. Lee that I found pretty astounding. I didn't really expect to find a modern Civil War writer so aggressively espousing the cult worship of Lee.

In defense of Mr. Wink, however, I would like to point out that an earlier reviewer is in error when he says, "He also muffed Stanton's great quote regarding Lincoln at the time of his death: 'Now he belongs to the ages' is mis-rendedred 'Now he belongs to the angels.'" The quote is thoroughly covered in the Notes section at the back of the book, where he discusses the various versions of it and why he chose this particular one.

However, given the inflated nature of the writing, I can understand why someone wouldn't want to wade through the Notes section too.

Alot of people assume that the Civil War abruptly ended at Appomattox and that our nation simply healed itself. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Jay Winik argues that April 1865 was perhaps the most crucial period of time in our history, even more so than July 1776. While the Founding Fathers may have established a set of ideals, it was the Civil War that put them to the test. As Lincoln said in the Gettysburg Address, "...testing whether that nation or any nation can long endure". The Civil War never fully realized those ideals. It took over 100 years for civil rights laws to be passed and the process is still incomplete. But April 1865 was the painful start of that process of rebirth which saved our country.

What is unique about the American Civil war is that the nation actually did heal itself, unlike many other civil wars which degenerated into chaos, fragmentation, and prolonged guerilla warfare. All of these things could have happened in America had it not been for a few high-minded individuals from both sides of the conflict who put their personal animosities and ambitions aside for the good of the nation as a whole. Lincoln was the foremost of these individuals, but his assassination threatened to end any reconciliation between the north and the south. It was left to others to carry out that task.

Ironically, it was the warriors, the generals, who were most instrumental in making that happen. They were the ones who took the high road while many politicians succumbed to short-sighted and petty vindictiveness. Many southerners refused to accept defeat and wanted to disband their armies and carry out a guerilla war. Jefferson Davis was the foremost of these individuals. Rather than demonize Davis as a coward, as so many historians have done, Winik portrays him as a brave but tragic man who could never compromise his beliefs.

If there is one hero in this book, it is Robert E. Lee who could easily have been swayed into continuing the rebellion as a guerilla war. Lee, not Davis, was the only man in the south who had the respect and moral credibility among southerners to prevent that from happening. The other Confederate generals followed Lee's example, including Joe Johnston and the hard-bitten Nathan Bedford Forrest.

While many politicians in the north wanted to punish and subjugate the south as a conquered territory against Lincoln's wishes, it was the union generals like Grant and Sherman who showed generosity and magnanimity to their conquered foes. In fact, Sherman, who was so brutal to the south during the war, had to endure scathing criticism from his superiors in Washington for the lenient terms of surrender which he offered Joseph Johnston.

Jay Winik takes us back to the time and events at the end of the Civil War which are taken for granted in history classes but were as important as the founding of our nation. July 1776 may have been the first birth of our nation, but April 1865 was perhaps the more crucial rebirth.

I've bought three books in the end oh september and untill now (oct 28th) I didn't receive anything. It could be because I live in Brazil and the mail service is not to fast. I hope take it soon.

It is large and heavy but full of information and easy to fine that information which many guides books can't come close.
Lonely Planet, you do a good job.

the Lonely Planet guide to India is THE guide. Going to India with the Lonely Planet changed my life. It also tells you to leave the guide behind and follow your intuition. I did. The result was my new book, on how to travel with your intuition and change your life. Travelling Magically: How to Turn Your Journey into a Life-Changing Experience. Quite a few stories about my time in India there - I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

While I only ever purchase Lonely Plant books for my travels, this new edition had me a little disappointed with no inclusion of HiTech City as one of the sights to see. The city was truly amazing and I am thankful our driver thought to take us there.

I was one of those people who took lonely planet books everywhere, all over Europe, to Iceland, the Philippines, Cuba and now Delhi. I trusted the brand so it was the only book I brought, big mistake.
I'll only speak for Delhi because thats where I spent two weeks. So I hope this specifically helps travelers to Delhi.

The restaurants were pretty much awful, the hotel prices were wrong, the massage treatment place recommended so out of the way that it cost the cost of the massage to get there and back. I was working so I only wasted my weekends following the book. My work lunches were at far better restaurants and a aimless walk in the daytime in Old Delhi was far better than any guided tour. I also didn't appreciate the tone of this book and how much time it wasted on smug reviews and lame humor.
I think the individual country books depend really on the authors/editors, the other lonely planet guides I have were of great help. For India(or Delhi at least), try another title.

This book was terrible. The writing was very juvenile, the characters weren't well developed and the spiritual message was very weak. Zakia came off self righteous to me and if I knew someone like her in real life, I would not want to go to her church. I can't even get through the rest of the book. It's just too weak for me....

I really enjoyed this book it showed how we can forget sometime from where we came from and how we can let other things take over our lives but we come back to the realization that it is the God in us that we need to let others see and the God in us that we worship and praise.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book as it showed how much a person can accomplish with education, drive, ambition and faith, which all of the characters in this book had - even though a few of them got side-tracked, but were back on board at the end.

Once you are saved you allow the Spirit to indwell in you. I have never heard of such nonsense as a person get saved and then goes to a back room to receive utterance. Also speaking tongues is useless if it is not understood by another person, it doesn't do anything to build up the body of Christ if no one interprets it and tells others what the person is saying. The first time I read this book I was impressed and disappointed at the abrupt ending...however, the second go round after much meditation and prayer, I realize that this process isn't something that is based off of biblical knowledge. In 1 Corinthians 14:6-12 states "Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7) Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the flute or harp, how eill anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8) Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9) So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will be speaking into the air. 10) Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11) If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and he is a foreigner to me. 12) So it is with you since you are eager to have spirtual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

In this same chapeter it goes on to say that if anyone who does speak tongue they shoud pray for interpretation so their mind will be fruitful. Therefore, the author states that this is Zakia's power, but this is not true...a person praying in any language to God can release power in their prayer simply through their belief and fervency. I too have been pulled over by cops and I didn't have to utter tongues to pray to God. He heard me just as I was because I was speaking to him with an open heart. This author needs to study the word before confusing masses of people with unsaid truths. Study and show thyself approved!

This book was not good. The writing and the story was all over the place. It was rather boring and felt a bit preachy. I enjoy reading Christian Fiction ( in fact thats all i read), however, the dialouge felt unrealistic and preachy, as did the characters. I never felt a connection to them.

I tried so hard to finish this for my book club, but I had to put it down- it was to painful

The reason some stories remain classics is simply because they deserve it. This ancient story is as exciting, sexy, and romantic as they possible come and that is simply how it should be. Post-Iliad comes the perilous journey back to Greece, a journey that lasts twenty years through every horrible (and yet totally cool thing) that could ever happen. It's passionate, fun, and exciting and I guess that is why they make us read all of it in high school. Well, yay!

I recognize and agree that Lattimore's translations of "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" are the MOST TRUE to Homer and Ancient Greek we have ever seen.

Two minor examples: he uses long verse lines (like Homer), maintains Homer's sentence structure and he keeps and repeats all the Epitaphs exactly as they appear in Homer.

Lattimore's choice of words and sentence organization can sometimes seem jumbled and complicated and his manner/style somewhat archaic, it is because Lattimore is showing how Homer "sounds" in English as if you were translating it directly and perfectly from the Greek. That is Lattimore's aim, to render Homer as EXACTLY as possible. For this I am grateful...he has helped many to develop a more scholarly aptitude.

This aside,

I give it 3 stars because I find that his translation is not condusive to reading. Lattimore's 1960's American English is out of date and the story moves excessively slow. I often find Lattimore's Homer stodgy, hard, complicated, and often boring!


My favorites are still Stanley Lombardo's (Prosaic Verse) and E.V. Rieu's (Novel-like Prose) versions. Both full of fire-like Excitement, shimmering Beauty and monumental Drama.

I always recommend having 2 or 3 different versions of Homer on shelf, Lattimore is always on mine...not for reading enjoyment though but only for comparing.

Thanks

The Odyssey of Homer is an incredible experience.

If you haven't read it, or aren't familiar with the story, it's about Odysseus, a veteran of the Trojan War, who upon embarking for his home on Ithaca experiences a series of trials (the Great Wanderings) that eventually lead to his marooning on Ogygia, Calypso's island. Pallas Athene (more commonly known simply as Athena) intervenes on the part of Odysseus (whose house is overrun by various suitors trying to win over his wife Penelope) and sends his son, Telemachos, on a journey to find news of him. Athena convinces Zeus to help Odysseus off of Calypso's island, which he does by sending his son Hermes. Odysseus leaves the island, lands on Scheria, and receives conveyance from Alkinoos and Arete, the King and Queen of the Phaiakians, respectively, back to his home on Ithaca. To make a long story short (the entire last half of the book takes place around Odysseus' contrivance against the suitors and their ultimate murder) Odysseus and Telemachos get to Ithaca (Odyssues disguised as a beggar), plan out how to punish the suitors, kill them, and kill their revenge-seeking relatives. This is obviously an incredibly short synopsis because the book is so rich and full of detail and minor - though incredibly interesting - stories (including Menelaos' journey and struggles against the Old Man of the Sea, Agamemnon's murder at the hands of Aegisthus and his traitorous wife, and the suitors' bow and arrow competition) that it's impossible to go into any great detail.

As for the translation, everybody knows that Lattimore did an incredible job; not often is there a translator whose name I actually remember after I read the work he/she translated. In Lattimore's case, I'll never forget, seriously: it's that good. He incorporates the nuances of modern English into Homer's epic masterpiece to create a rich interpretation that will probably never be duplicated. I would seriously recomend this book to all literate peoples. Like I said: it's an incredible experience that you'll never forget.

The Trojan War is over and one of our hero kings is lost. His son (Telemachus) travels to find any information about his father's fait. His wife (Penelope) must cunningly hold off suitors that are eating them out of house and home.

If he ever makes it home Odysseus will have to detect those servants loyal from those who are not. One absent king against rows of suitors; how will he give them their just deserts? We look to Bright Eyed Pallas Athena to help prophecy come true.

Interestingly all the tales of monsters and gods on the sea voyage was told by Odysseus. Notice that no on else survives to tell the tale. So we have to rely on Odysseus' word.

Many movies took sections of The Odyssey, and expanded them to make interesting stories those selves.

Not just the story but the way in which it is told will keep you up late at night reading.

Troy (Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)

I own and have read translations of The Iliad & The Odyssey by Fagles, Fitzgerald, and Lattimore. I rate them as follows:
1. Lattimore
2. Fitzgerald
3. Fagles
Fitzgerald's translations are often the most enjoyable. However, I feel that Lattimore's clarity facilitates greater understanding of the story by the reader.

I read this book while on the treadmill on my morning gym visits.I really enjoyed it and often felt that it was my own words I was reading. I didn't feel it was a sap story or one I've read before but it was of a woman's journey for better health with its ups and downs and ups and downs. I applaud Courtney Rubin for sharing her life in this book.

I could barely finish this book. It started out great, but after a while it really got on my nerves. Having spent the last year loosing 70 pounds, I feel Courtney just does not GET IT. You can't diet, you have to change your lifestyle and she never does this. The last half of the book, detailing her binges was extremely painful, especially since she never recovers from it.

If you are loosing weight, this book will do nothing to encourage you, only depress you. Just awful

The effect of this book on me was much like Rubin's attempts to control her weight--frustrating. The irony is that she's very intelligent and self-aware, yet is utterly unable to change her own behavior. I do commend her courageousness in documenting it.

There's only one mention of BED in the book (binge eating disorder). I wish she had explored this more. Also, I wish she had realized that therapy was something she needed at least as much as a nutrition program.

For me, the book is having the effect of a powerful negative example. I'm hoping to use Rubin as the model of everything I don't want to be. I hope it helps.

I bought this book when it first came out and have re-read it so many times it finally fell apart!! Although i do agree with some of the other reviewers comments -- Courtney does whine sometimes, and does tend to shift some of the blame for her behavior -- DONT WE ALL?? I am not overweight but i do understand the struggle to lose 20 lbs and keep it off. it's a never ending battle and it DOES consume your thoughts and behaviors. Courtney handled the issues most of us have dealt with using an ascerbic wit, humor and a slightly self-deprecating attitude that the majority of women have. It IS hard to accept compliments when you are still "fat in your mind" and i totally understand how demoralizing it was for her to regain after steadily losing. I think her total honesty and sharing of painful history had to be cathartic to Courtney and extremely helpful to struggling dieters everywhere. I hope she will keep writing books; she's currently living in England which was a lifelong dream for her. As many others have said this is not a "how to" nor does it have a sunny ending. But it IS honest and forthright and a really entertaining read.

Good Lord. I just read the most recent reviews of this book and was astounded by those who called Rubin 'whiny.' I think they miss the point. Losing weight, for most people- is not easy. In fact for many of us, it's the hardest thing we've ever had to do, and if we were to accurately document the process as Rubin did- it would naturally reflect that pain. It's not a perfect 1-2-3 book on how easy weight loss can be! If that's what you're hoping for- this book may not be for you.

However, if what you're looking for is to know that you're not alone, that your pain and fear through this process is not unusual, that you're not the only one who sits in front of the tv stuffing chips down your throat (to be followed by ice cream) with tears streaming down your face...well then give this book a whirl. Because it will inspire you to know that others have healed from this pain...and you will.