Liberty Books

This is not a review, since I'd only say great things about my book. But, I will say there's a possibility the book may become a motion picture. The screen treatment is in the hands of three major production companies.

Dr. Bob Alottsa

Since I was the Radio Officer of this ship I could be a bit biased but I did enjoy reading it. The authors spent many years in the research and interviewing of the surviving crew and other people who were envolved. They did a good job and I believe this story would be of interest to anyone who wishes to know more about this phase of WW2. Almost all the survivors are no longer living now. So it is fortunate that we have this record for the people who will be interested in years to come. Thanks Don Foxvog and Bob Allota.

Dr. Alotta has done it again!
"The Last Voyage of the SS Henry Bacon"is an excellent addition to any collection of Maritime or World War II history. After spending many years gathering first hand accounts and recently de-classified US Government documents, the author has transformed long ago events into a fast paced and riveting story of struggle and survival on the North Atlantic's deadly "Murmansk run".
This story again reminds us of the sacrifices made by the seamen of our Merchant fleet during WWII. Without their courage and dedication to duty, this world would have been very different from the one in which we have been raised.
I give thanks to my Dad, Dick Burbine and the crew of the SS Henry Bacon, as well as to the men of the HMS Zambesi.
Dr. Alotta -- Great Job -Well Done!

Donald Foxvog and Robert Alotta effectively collaborate in The Last Voyage of the SS Henry Bacon to dramatically present the powerful story of an American freighter in the crux of the WW II high seas. The mission of the SS Henry Bacon was to save the lives of nineteen Norwegian refugees fleeing from the Nazi Army onslaught. The freighter's mission would exact a blood price from its faithful crew. A deadly and harrowing true story filled with heroic sacrifice and sad tribute, The Last Voyage of the SS Henry Bacon is highly recommended reading for anyone with a strong interest in naval history and a unique contribution to personal, academic, and community library World War II studies collection.

I have read this book twice in it's entirety and some sections of it three or more times. Dr. Alotta has woven together the words of these seamen as they relived their last voyage on the Henry Bacon. Many books on historic events do not give the reader a grasp of how terrible the conditions are that the soldiers and sailors endure in their battles. In this book, you get a feel for how cold and icy the water was. You can picture in your mind what it must have been like to stand on the deck of a sinking ship in the arctic waters knowing that if you stayed on the ship you would die and if you jumped in the water you still might perish. Thank you to Dr. Alotta for writing this book and thank you to all of the brave men and women who have fought our country's battles.

My boyfriend chanced upon this book at our local library where we were perusing graphic novels for a lark. Not only is Eden cleverly written but the art work is fantastic! I loved the section at the end with cover pictures and rough sketches.
The characters are endearing, its hard not to fall in love with the adorable antics of duckling Truman, and his best friend, weiner dog, Oscar. Both of the main human leads, Frank the vet, and Brandy, the psychiatrist are also likeable and I found myself rooting for poor Frank to finally get the nerve to ask Brandy out. Their relationship alone is enough to keep me reading!
Overall a very smart, very funny comic strip that I have now bought for myself and am collecting the rest. A must have for any comic fan and a must read since this book starts from the beginning of the strip.

From University^2 to Liberty Meadows, Frank Cho has created a masterpiece. The humor is fresh and laugh out loud funny. The best part about the comics, or in this case, the trade paper back, is that the strips are unedited.

If you want to laugh about something clever this is the book for you. Oh, and the art is great, too.

First of all, this book was supposed to come out in August. Now, the availability is 1 to 2 months? How long till the next book? 1 year?

I gave this 3 stars because:

5 stars: I love Liberty Meadows
1 star: The time for waiting

I first picked this book up thinking it was just another stupid anonymous comic book that I'd glance at and put down immediately, but upon browsing a few of the pages I started chuckling and then laughing out loud, and at one point I laughed so loud that I startled myself because I realized of course that I was in a book store and it was very very quiet except for my LOUD laughing.

A fantastic read, with realistic and believable characters that I suspect are probably taken from either the authors life or his dreams and imagination. I'd recommend to EVERYONE, however some of the jokes are aimed at older at least teenaged people, and some adult themes are weaved throughout.

The main characters are short-but-average-joe, a bunch of super-smart but WIERD animal-like characters, and the tall beauty naned Brandy that pretty much makes the book.

I wouldn't say I'm anxiously waiting for the next Frank Cho book because I have other interests that take up much of my time, but really, I'M WAITING ANXIOUSLY FOR FRANK'S NEXT BOOK! lol

Thanks for reading, I hope this review helps you decide on whether to purchase or not.

Before its voluntary departure from the Washington Post, "Liberty Meadows" had gained a loyal following that brought it back from possible cancellation more than once. Now this kooky strip and its bizarre characters are back in this book, "Liberty Meadows 1: Eden."

Welcome to Liberty Meadows, an animal preserve overseen by timid vet Frank and beautiful animal shrink Brandy. As Frank tries to muster the courage to ask Brandy out, the two of them also have to deal with the nutty animals there: a crazed Cow, Leslie the hypochondriac bullfrog, Ralph the tiny belligerant bear, Truman the water-fearing duck, and Dean the chauvinist pig in rehab.

This loony crew tries to deal with dates (where Brandy's crazed ex tries to kill Frank), the evil catfish Khan, camping trips with psychedelic mushrooms, falls into mine shafts, severed noses, truck-sized ticks, the insane stalker Cow kidnapping a celebrity and -- worst of all -- Dean's trip through the land of Cold Turkey.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a weirder comic strip than Liberty Meadows. Frank Cho combines the realistic drawing style (Frank and Brandy) with more traditional cartoon styles (the animals, and supporting humans like the handyman). Filled with wry pokes at pop culture and political correctness, it's refreshing and amusing in a sea of stale comics.

If you weren't lucky enough to read "Liberty Meadows" during its stint in the papers, check out "Liberty Meadows: Eden." Silly, weird, bizarre, and immensely entertaining, this is definitely worth a read.

I'm happy with the purchase, just typing on the keyboard in the privacy of my own home, selecting a book, clicking on it, easy, quick, effecient. Book arrived quickly, new book. All was well in my world. Only complaint would be that 2 of the 3 books I ordered simultaneously came packaged together in an excessive amount of packaging. Overboard on the plastic wrap followed by extra cardboard for protection, followed by a box. Don't need all that for books. Need to think about the environment Amazon.

I could not disagree more with Goldman's ultimate philosophical conclusions, but I enjoyed this book, and volume II as well. Her essential humanity emerges, and it is a good case study and an interesting read, historically, philosophically and personally. She is no Mark Twain or Billy Faulkner, but her life was interesting and her prose adequately conveys the milieu she became enmeshed in. A fair degree of antecedent historical knowledge is necessary to fully enjoy this book, but you most likely have that or you wouldn't be reading about Emma to begin with. If you don't, or find that you are getting lost in the history and sequence, it would pay to do a little research to better understand what she lived through. It will also help you spot bias on Goldman's part. I heartily recommend this book. It is informative, enlightening and entertaining to boot.

In her autobiography Emma Goldman explains her life, narrating the experience of marching to her own drummer. Depending on the reader's political expectations, Emma's life is either inspiring or downright terrifying. Those who believe in social conformity would probably be more comfortable moving on to other fodder.

Nevertheless, this eyewitness account of American and Russian history, ought not to be trivially dismissed. Emma fought for things we have taken for granted in modern life, such as birth-control and the eight-hour work day; she went to jail in the struggle to obtain these for us. This book explains how she lived her commitment to individual liberty, choosing who she would love, advocating revolution, and harrassing those of her "allies" who compromised on these principles.

Perhaps the most interesting portion of the book is her years in Russia. Here she describes arriving at the "Promised Land" of the peoples' revolution and how that mutated into a sense of disillusionment and horror at what she saw as the betrayal of that revolution by the "dictatorship of the proletariat."

Her writing style is nothing exceptional, but the story she weaves from the material of her life is nothing short of fascinating. Another reviewer suggested taking a break between volumes--I couldn't! I had to know what happened next.

Although there are a lot of pages to wade through, I will give this book as a gift to the young women in my life. I believe that Emma can serve as a role model for living one's own life, not living out the expectations of friends, family, or society. In a dysfunctional world, we have too few people who model this.

Emma gets three stars for writing style, but the powerful and plentiful content bring the rating up to five stars. Not to be missed.

(If you'd like to discuss this book or review, click on the "about me" link above & drop me an email. Thanks!)

NOTE: THIS IS VOLUME ONE ONLY! It's a great book but it is not labeled as just the first half of the memoir.

This is the best autobiography I've ever read, because her life was lived with such commitment & independence. Certainly, she was hugely influential in her time, but her success was scratched out of nothing, with no support, and huge opposition. The difficulties and the times are conveyed amazingly well. The book will make you look carefully at your own life ... in ways that can only change it for the better.

Straight forward and clear, this book is one of their first and seems less directed towards the masses. LOVE IT

New Beginning II is a great explanation of the surprisingly revolutionary concept that it is our feelings and emotions that really "create our reality". Most new thought books rightfully stress the importance of thoughts, however, the overwhelming number of thoughts we have are the by-products of our emotional responses to what we perceive. New Beginning II clearly explains how to deliberately change these emotional responses, creating feelings, that in turn will cycle back to the kinds of thoughts we have to have in order to produce the positive feelings, which in turn will reproduce the positive thoughts we need to create the reality we desire. Think of New Beginning II as sort of "Seth Material dumbed down", it's less intellectually challenging than the Seth Material, but no less effective. I also find it interesting that Jerry and Esther Hicks proudly acknowledge the significance of the Seth Material and Jane Roberts...this is a positive reflection of the Hicks' ethical integrity-unlike the legions of New Thought authors who have been ripping off Seth/Jane for years, the Hicks' are honest about their spiritual heritage.

The material that ABRAHAM presents resonates with Seth's materials. With easy to understand examples and analogies, ABRAHAM explains to us how we are indeed the creators of our lives and that our natural state is well being. The way that ABRAHAM presents the material is casual and can be applied practically and easily. ABRAHAM also provides fun little "games" (processes) that we can do everyday to enhance ourselves and how to become a deliberate creator (to take control of our lives).

Though is book has 278 pages, the later half of the book is actually consisted of Q&A from group sessions. Thus many of those covered topics are quite relavant to situations that we may encounter in real life. An issue of Jerry/Esther Hick's quarterly journal is also incorporated, which occupies around 40 pages.
Reading this book is definitely refreshing.

This book contains and further elaborates on most of the information given in the first book (vol I) except the planetary alignment stuff. The information in this and volume I is extremely practical information, as opposed to very theoretical. Again like volume I this book gives you the mechanics of conscious creation and how the universe works to bring things into physical manifestation. This book gives back meaning by showing you every thought you have has an impact in your life and the life of others. This book can show you why your life is a product of your thoughts and beliefs. If I was given the choice of only one book it would be this one.

I have read many books like this (Seth, etc.) but the difference withi this book is that it is focussed on giving the reader specific exercises, along with examples and instructions, on how to "consciously create" your world.
The changes are almost immediate, since you are actually changing your thoughts on a minute by minute, day by day basis.
I have recently read Wayne Dyer's book, "The Power of Intention", which, as another reviewer stated, is very similar and draws upon this heavily. However, this material, possibly because it is coming from non-physical beings, is more succinct, clearer, and more comprehensive.
As Abraham says (I am paraphrasing): there is a small and growing number of people on earth who know that they create their own reality. Of those, there is an even smaller who are looking for the mechanisms of how to do this. It is this latter group for whom the book was written.
If you already know that you create your own reality, but want to know how to change the way you do it, and refine your methods, then this book is for you.

I love what he said about government, politics and toleration. It's kind of cool how he used the bible to push his point. This work is very influential and has been the modern foundation for many governments. Where would America be without John Locke? I believe that he was at the fore front of the British enligtenment. Along with Newton and Boyle he made the modern world what it is today.

The Second Treatise of Government provides Locke's theorizes the individual rights and involvement with the government; he categorizes them in two areas -- natural rights theory and social contract. 1.Natural state; rights which human beings are to have before government comes into being. 2.Social contact; when conditions in natural state are unsatisfactory, and there's need to develop society into functioning of central government.

Political Power and Natural state: He explains the need for civil government; by detailing life with the absence of civil government. This is the premature state of an entity; through this one can see the need and a role for a government structure. He begins by defining political power; which is the right of making laws with penalties varying with the nature of transgression. The laws are maintained for the preservation of property; the enrichment of the community and its defense.
He determines the need for civil government by expressing the state of society without a government. To maintain harmony; there is a need to maintain equality; this is the state of nature. The chief end for the human species is survival; to attain it we need life, liberty, health and property. These are natural rights that we have in a state of nature before the introduction of civil government, and all people have these rights equally.
The Natural State personifies a state of utopia; as it does not account for the realistic issues of violations of this natural state. There are no police, prosecutors or judges in the state of nature as these are all representatives of a government with full political power. In addition to our other rights, we have the rights to enforce the law and judge on our own behalf. We may intervene in cases where our own interests are not directly under threat to help enforce the law of nature. Still, the person who is most likely to enforce the law under these circumstances is the person who has been wronged. The basic principle of justice is that the punishment should be proportionate to the crime. When victims are judging a crime; they likely to judge it of greater severity than an impartial judge. As a result, there will be miscarriages of justice.

Slavery: Is the state of being in the absolute or arbitrary power of another. On Locke's definition of slavery there is only one way to become a legitimate slave. In order to do so one must be an unjust aggressor defeated in war. The just victor then has the option to either kill the aggressor or enslave them. Locke tells us that the state of slavery is the continuation of the state of war between a lawful conqueror and a captive, in which the conqueror delays to take the life of the captive, and instead makes use of him; only in this condition is slavery legitimate. Illegitimate slavery is the state in which someone possesses absolute power over someone else without just cause. Locke holds that it is this illegitimate state of slavery which absolute monarchs wish to impose upon their subjects.

Property: In evolution of the state of nature to civil government. It is the account of nature and origin of property, which leads to the explanation of why civil government replaces the state of nature. In discussing the origin of private property Locke begins by noting that God gave the earth to all men. Locke holds that we have a property in our own person. And the labor of our body and the work of our hands properly belong to us. The state of evolution for property is hunter/gatherer to agriculture to introduction of money; each development provides more flexibility and removes limitations of trade; creating economical inequality. The inequality may cause quarrels which increases the numbers of violations of the law.
The institution of civil government comes about because of the difficulties in the state of nature. Rather clearly, on Locke's view, these difficulties increase with the increase in population, the decrease in available resources, and the advent of economic inequality which results from the introduction of money. These conditions lead to an increase in the number of violations of the natural law. Thus, the inconvenience of having to redress such grievances on one's own behalf become much more acute, since there are significantly more of them. These lead to the introduction of civil government.

Social Contract Theory: Locke's argument for the right of the majority is the theoretical ground for the distinction between duty to society and duty to government. When the designated government dissolves, men remain obligated to society acting through majority rule. It is entirely possible for the majority to confer the rule of the community on a king, oligarchs or an assembly. Thus, the social contract is not linked to democracy; still a government must perform the legitimate function of government.

Civil Government: The aim of such a legitimate civil government is to preserve, so far as possible, the rights to life, liberty, health and property of its citizens, and to prosecute and punish those of its citizens who violate the rights of others and to pursue the public good even where this may conflict with the rights of individuals. In doing this it provides something unavailable in the state of nature, an impartial judge to determine the severity of the crime, and to set a punishment proportionate to the crime.

I could not believe how different this book was from what I expected it to be based on professors in politics classes describing Locke. I think they never read this book or were confusing him with someone else. This book is short and sweet, and at the same time a cornerstone for what the world has become in most developed countries. Many ideas in this book were revolutionary in his time (in fact Locke would not let it be known he was the author) but are now so commonplace as to be things observed in any developed country without explaining why. At least the economic ideas could be classified as such; but the ideas of the people overthrowing a tyrant due to horrible ruling is equally revolutionary in monarchies and dictatorships today, and even in poorly governed "democracies" today. A must read.

The importance of this book, first published in 1690, cannot be denied. The book's most famous and controversial idea is that the people have a right to overthrow their government if the government fails consistently in its responsibilities and duties.

The book, which lacks an introduction or conclusion, may be challenging for modern readers. Locke's writing covers a wide range of topics; conquest, paternal power (i.e. the power that fathers have over their children), despotical power and his over-arching central concern, property.

The main ideas of the book are that government exists by the consent of the governed who found government for the purpose of securing their lives, rights and property. Locke frequently contrasts people who live in a state of nature (i.e. no government; people enjoy considerable personal freedom) and those that live under government. Under Locke's view of the social contract, men give up give up the unlimited freedom they enjoyed in the state of nature so as to secure their life, limb and property more securely under government. There is also some discussion of the idea of separation of powers; what is interesting here is that Locke does not use the traditional formulation (i.e. executive, legislative, and judicial), rather he discusses executive, legislative and "federative" (by which he means the conduct of self-defense and foreign policy) powers.

The type of government that Locke describes more closely resembles the system employed by Britain and Canada, more than the United States. He conceives of a monarch or prince at the top of the government (as in Britain and Canada; the Monarch is the Head of State), with the legislature representing the people (Parliament) and so on. This is not to deny that this book still holds value for Americans, as other reviewers have pointed out.

All that said, I would not recommend this particular edition of the book. The lack of introduction to put Locke in his historical context can make the book difficult to understand and some of Locke's 17th century references will simply be skipped over by most readers. However, if you simply want a copy of the book that is plain and plan to quote from it, this edition is quite useful. Each paragraph of the book is numbered allowing a researcher to precisely footnote information.

John Locke (1632-1704) wrote "Second Treatise of Government" in 1690, it was the main political philosophical source that our "Founding Fathers" went to in writing the "Declaration of Independence" and in forming our government. I think you should know something of Locke to understand what influenced his thinking. His father was a small landowner, attorney, Puritan and his political sympathies were with the Cromwell Parliament. Like Hobbes, Locke attended Oxford Univ. and did not think much about the curriculum or his professors. Most of his education came from reading books in the Univ. library. Renee Descartes and Sir Isaac Newton's writings greatly influenced Locke. Like Hobbes, he took a tutoring job teaching the son of the 1st Earl of Shaftesbury, and traveled Europe. His friendship with the Earl was beneficial in obtaining government appointments. During the political unrest in England, (1679-83) he fled to Holland because his liberal notions put him at odds with the government.

Locke writes the "Second Treatise of Government" to justify the Revolt of 1688 and the ascension of William of Orange to the English throne. The book argues against two lines of absolutist ideas. The first is Sir Robert Filmer's "patriarchal theory of divine right of kings; secondly, Hobbes argument for the sovereign's absolute power in his book "Leviathan." Locke argues that government emanates from the people. Locke's treatise rests like other political writings on its interpretation of human nature. He sees our nature opposite the way Hobbes did, decent and not as selfish or competitive. Man is more inclined to join society through reason and not fear. Man prefers stability to change.

His very important contribution to "law of nature" theory was his bias toward individualism. In state of nature, before government, men were free independent, equal enjoying inalienable rights "chief among them being life, liberty, and property." Where have you read that before? Property rights receive much attention in this treatise. Locke argues that government based on consent of man can still preserve freedom independence and equality.

His political writing had immediate influence in the world and influenced our founding fathers in their struggle against tyranny. He is an excellent writer and his theories are easy to understand by the laymen. As a graduate student of political philosophy, I recommend if you have an interest in politics, philosophy, or government then you must read Locke's "Second Treatise of Government"

Why Grace Changes Everything
A great Christian theology tract as it gives a succinct summary of why the Protestant Reformation occurred and a nice overview of Protestant theology and the doctrine of divine grace. I read this in college, but not having any background in Christianity at that time, I did not understand it. So I do not recommend this book as a witnessing tool to give to your non-Christian friends; I linked what I consider an easier to understand book by my favorite preacher of God's grace, Chuck Smith, to give to nonbelievers. However, once you understand the basics of your faith, this is a great pamphlet to help keep you anchored in grace and from straying into legalism. It also gives you a basic understanding of Martin Luther's teaching. With so many odd strands of Christian teaching emerging the past few decades, I highly recommend anchoring yourself in the theology of this amazing man of God, so as not to be pushed about by "every wave of doctrine". I try to keep it handy to refer to.

Keeping this review short and sweet, like the tract. For more, I'd read the other reviews on this tract.

Not being Lutheran, I welcome the opportunity to study the man who came in third place in the "Person of the Millennium" poll.

This slim book contains his discourse on "Christian Liberty," that is, the relationship to faith and works. All the hearsay finally dies with this book, since you hear Luther's own words on the matter.

He asserts that Christian Liberty is paradoxical, that the Christian is a perfectly free lord to all, but also a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. This paradox comes because of man dual nature: spirit and element. His main point is that by the Atonement, we all become free, but because of the atonement, we have an obligation to serve other people in chaity.

I like this edition. The translation is actually a translation, and Mr. Grimm block the text into paragraphs for easier reading. Moreover, he provides the scriptural references that Luther merely alludes to. Thus, the book becomes lecture notes for our review and pondering.

The cover illustration is eye-catching. It shows Luther taking his stand before some potentate. It reflects the energy that you feel in the words, the drive that empowered a man to shake all of Europe. It shows the energy that drove this man to liberty.

Not being Lutheran, I welcome the opportunity to study the man who came in third place in the "Person of the Millennium" poll.

This slim book contains his discourse on "Christian Liberty," that is, the relationship to faith and works. All the hearsay finally dies with this book, since you hear Luther's own words on the matter.

He asserts that Christian Liberty is paradoxical, that the Christian is a perfectly free lord to all, but also a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. This paradox comes because of man dual nature: spirit and element. His main point is that by the Atonement, we all become free, but because of the atonement, we have an obligation to serve other people in chaity.

I like this edition. The translation is actually a translation, and Mr. Grimm block the text into paragraphs for easier reading. Moreover, he provides the scriptural references that Luther merely alludes to. Thus, the book becomes lecture notes for our review and pondering.

The cover illustration is eye-catching. It shows Luther taking his stand before some potentate. It reflects the energy that you feel in the words, the drive that empowered a man to shake all of Europe. It shows the energy that drove this man to liberty.

Not being Lutheran, I welcome the opportunity to study the man who came in third place in the "Person of the Millennium" poll.

This slim book contains his discourse on "Christian Liberty," that is, the relationship to faith and works. All the hearsay finally dies with this book, since you hear Luther's own words on the matter.

He asserts that Christian Liberty is paradoxical, that the Christian is a perfectly free lord to all, but also a perfectly dutiful servant, subject to all. This paradox comes because of man dual nature: spirit and element. His main point is that by the Atonement, we all become free, but because of the atonement, we have an obligation to serve other people in charity.

I like this edition. The translation is actually a translation, and Mr. Grimm block the text into paragraphs for easier reading. Moreover, he provides the scriptural references that Luther merely alludes to. Thus, the book becomes lecture notes for our review and pondering.

The cover illustration is eye-catching. It shows Luther taking his stand before some potentate. It reflects the energy that you feel in the words, the drive that empowered a man to shake all of Europe. It shows the energy that drove this man to liberty.

Martin Luther's treatise "Christian Liberty" (or "The Freedom of a Christian") is perhaps the most powerful and concise presentation of the Christian life ever written. I cannot recommend this work highly enough. I rank this among the very best of Luther's works (and that is really saying something). If an inexpensive copy were still in publication I would buy every copy to give as gifts to friends and family. The power, discernment, brevity and readability of this work make a true gem among Reformation writings (and Christian writings in general). Here you will find the essence of the spirit of the Reformation distilled into a guide for practical, biblical living.

With the clarity and bold authority of a true prophet, Luther sets forth the whole of the Christian life in two theses: "A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all." We are free from sin and the law (subject to none) but slaves to Christ in love (subject to all). As Paul writes in Romans 6:22, "But now...you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God."

Luther writes as a shepherd of the common people and the tone and content differ greatly from his better-known debate-oriented works (ie. Bondage of the Will, 95 Theses). The doctrine of justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone is the heart and soul of Luther's message, founded upon a firm conviction in the authority of scripture alone.

He writes, "One thing, and only one thing, is necessary for Christian life, righteousness, and freedom. That one thing is the most holy Word of God, the gospel of Christ."

And again, "It ought to be the first concern of every Christian to lay aside all confidence in works and increasingly to strengthen faith alone and through faith to grow in the knowledge, not of works, but of Christ Jesus, who suffered and rose for him.... No other work makes a Christian.... 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent' (John 6:29)."

And regarding our service to God, "...In this way the stronger member may serve the weaker, and we may be sons of God, each caring for and working for the other, bearing one another's burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ. This is a truly Christian life. Here faith is truly active through love. That is, it finds expression in works of the freest service, cheerfully and lovingly done, with which a man willingly serves another without hope of reward; and for himself he is satisfied with the fullness and wealth of his faith."

This volume is currently out-of-print, but this treatise has been published in a number of other individual volumes and in at least one very worthy compilation entitled "Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings" (ed. Timothy F. Lull, 1989) which also contains a number of other infinitely worthy works such as Luther's "Small Catechism," the stirring "Meditation of Christ's Passion," and the thesis chapters of the foundational "Bondage of the Will." I cannot vouch for any other volume than this one and the one detailed above, but any version of this monumental treatise is bound to bless you. It is the fire and the hammer of the Word of God to consume the adversaries and break apart the stone hearts of impenitant men.

Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom is an authentic and beautifully written book. Fr. Ryan's style brings the journey to spiritual freedom within the reader's grasp. One of the concepts that stayed with me is the idea of letting go of what others and the "world" think you should be to find what makes you unique. When you are who you were meant to be and live the life you were meant to live, from integrity and in harmony with the universe, you will feel the presence of God. As daunting as this may seem, Fr. Ryan makes it real by disclosing experiences from his own life and the lives of others who have inspired him on his own spiritual journey. This book resonates with honesty and sincerity as I could relate it to various experiences in my own life. It is a book that I didn't want to end.

Fr. Ryan's book Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom is a beautifully insightful reflection on the challenge to find freedom for our souls as we journey with God. The many stories about himself and others that he incorporates throughout the chapters breathe life into his ideas, resonating deeply and memorably because they are so real. I was particularly struck by the spiritual director's wise counsel: "Learn to be at home in the mud!" I felt that Ryan offered a thoughtful balance between practices such as prayer that strenghten our faith and the sheer grace that is the root and source of our spiritual freedom. Most meaningful and captivating to me was the second step to freedom, "Live Your Calling to the Full." Never before has anyone given me such a strong impression that desire should be a central aspect of the way we seek and answer God's call. Indeed, there is not only freedom but great joy in contemplating that God uses our desires to direct and guide us. I read Ryan's book twice; I am aware that I could easily go back to read it again and still learn from it. My friends are buying the book and discovering the same thing. This is a rich resource for people who want their spiritual lives to grow and be renewed.

I savored this book-forcing myself to read only a little bit each day when in effect I didn't want to put it down. Father Ryan writes/instructs with gentleness humility, and great compassion, honestly sharing his own life's experiences and faith processes.

His book is theologically respectful of the teachings of the Church while inviting us to understand how good aspects of other faiths can help us to create a deep, personal and meaningful relationship with God. The anecdotal stories of others' personal "dark nights of the soul" often spoke so directly to me that I was able to work through many of my own hang ups that were interfering with my personal relationship with God and with others.

I have not often had success in centering prayer/meditation but Father Ryan's "Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom" enabled me to meditate and reflect on my life and my connection to God in a way that I have not been able to do before.

This prayerful book, allowed me to achieve a real breakthrough in my life, in my faith and my ability to pray in a more meaningful, deeper and mature level. It brought me through a difficult time in my life. I continue to refer to various passages and to reflect on them.

Some of my most concentrated reading time happens on Metro (subway) as I travel from home to work and back again. I read Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom that way. It was like having a 20-minute retreat every day. I looked forward to each day and the new insights as well as tough questions that could force growth.

This spring I went through an illness that was a new and disturbing experience for me. Reading this book helped me to consider recovery ... and how much of my old schedule and patterns I want to recover and which it is time to let go of. The questions about passion and living as centered in what God wants rather than the more noisesome demands of everyday have been enticing me to take stock. This book is a perfect companion for those seeking renewal, regeneration, or recovery of meaning.

Excellent book for anyone who takes their spiritual development seriously, or for those who desire to develop ongoing spiritual practices. Fr. Tom Ryan's examples from his own life, and those of people he knows, help illustrate the impact serious spiritual reflection and practices can bring to discovering meaning in life. Can also be used for self reflection, or a book club, with the questions Fr. Ryan uses at the end of each section.
As a lay person with a regular spiritual practice for some time, Fr. Ryan's book helped me step back and look at what is essential in my practice. It also gets to the heart of what is important in simple language.
The last chapter provides guidance on specific practices, in the Christian traditions.

I read this book while spending a week at a Young Life camp facility, and found it very inspiring and challenging. It is the biography of Jim Rayburn, Jr., written by his son. Mr. Rayburn confronted many obstacles in his life, but pressed on in serving the Lord in spite of the adversity. He was apparently a very winsom, energetic, charismatic individual and the book conveys his personality well. I finished reading this work inspired to let God be greater in me.

This is a must read for any person willing to examine the life he/she leads. What a great way to delve into the questions: "Does God exist?" "How does he work in people's lives today?" and "Is it worth it?" It's not only a first-hand look at Jim and Maxine Rayburn from the inside, but a beautiful glimpse of the workings of Christ in modern times. Whether Christian or not, this book promises to deliver on every level: it will make you laugh, cry, examine your own life, and challenge your thoughts. Jim Rayburn III hit the nail on the head with this amazing story of his father, the founder of Young Life, the legacy he left behind, and the torment he went through due to his humanness. As a former Young Life kid, I owe a lot to his first convictions. You will, too.

This book was one of the more "impacting" pieces of literature I have picked up in a long time. It's the inspirational story of a man's desire for rich intimacy with God, and his burning love affair with The Savior. Throughout the story, miracles unfold one by one before the readers eyes. This book played a significant role in my desire to join the Young Life staff four years ago in Littleton, Colorado. I have been inspired by Jim's love for kids as I continue to invest my life in those at Columbine High School. As I reflect on this story, it makes me regretful-that I have only one life to give for Christ.

Kevin Parker Young Life Area Director South Jefferson County, CO

If the mission of Young Life played a role in your life at any level; whether as a "club kid", camper, committee member, staff, or volunteer, then Bondage to Liberty, Dance Children Dance is essential reading for you. To understand the mission, you must understand the man God chose to initiate it, Jim Rayburn Jr. His son, Jim Rayburn III, provides the means to understand that man in this book. Primary source materials including personal journals, "club talks", and first-hand observations shed light on Jim's character and internal thought processes, personal relationships, incredible prayer life, and personal spiritual highs and lows. Photographs and expanded captions add much to the painting of Jim's portrait. More than a simple biography, Bondage to Liberty honestly examines the lives of Jim and Maxine Rayburn, their human struggles, frailties, shortcomings, and the miraculous work accomplished through them. In the process, it opens a window into Jim's relationship to his Heavenly Father and his God-sized vision for reaching teens with the message of the Christian faith in terms they could relate to. More than just documenting a work with youth, Bondage to Liberty reveals the varied spectrum of Young Life's history from its conceptual beginnings in the rural Southwest, to the anointed growth and impact during its early decades, through its tumultuous social and corporate growing pains, and on to its current condition today. In the context of the story of this man and his work, we are reminded that making an impact with teenagers, or anyone in this world, has more to do with love than it does logistics, requires availability more that it does capability, and demands faith rather than fancy formulas. Just as with the mission it documents, Jesus Christ and knowing real life in Him isn't just one thing Bondage to Liberty is about, its all Bondage to Liberty is about.

Jim Rayburn III has captured the spirit of a great movement that has made the world a better place to live. Jim Rayburn, the author's father and founder of Young Life lived a life committed to sharing God's love with young people. This is an important book for anyone who wishes to know the inside story of a person dedicated to serving God. It is a life high "highs" and low "lows". It is a life of pain, tragedy, disappointment, felt betrayal and a life of joy, faith, love, compassion and humor. It is a life of prayer and close commumion with the Almighty. Jim III has openly shared the inside struggles of his family as well as the inside struggles of the organization of Young Life. This book will be an encouragement to any unafraid to confront a great truth, that great accomplishments can be experienced in the middle of great pain.

I highly recommend this book. This book explodes some basic assumptions that most people believe. As an attorney I was astonished by some of the truths in this book which are counter to what I believed. Historians, educators, and average citizens will all find something in this book which will change how you think about our legal and legislative system. This book should be required reading for all high school students and their teachers.

Ably written by Martyn Babitz for a non-specialist general readership, The Illusion Of Freedom: How To Restore The True Constitution And Reclaim Liberty Now is a politically charged manifesto articulately exhorting the importance of reversing gradual encroachments on the Constitutionally reserved sovereignty of America's citizens which have taken place over the past few decades. The importance of standing up to the increasing control government has over private lives, as well as taking personal responsibility for defending, maintaining, and exercising cherished constitutional liberties form the core of this practical, timely, powerfully written call to get involved. The Illusion Of Freedom should be on the Political Science shelves of every community library in the country -- and read by all political activists of the Right or of the Left.

Babitz's ideology immediately got my attention and opened my eyes up to an entire new way of thinking and hoipefully doing in the future. His work distinguishes the "real" laws of the land set forth in the Constitution by our founding fathers from the fraudulent restraints that have been imposed on people in our country by the Federal Government. The amazing part about this book is that it makes us pay attention to what is right there in front of us. Nothing is hidden. The Constitution documents the laws of our land and is available for all at any time, including in the appendix of the book. Babitz's work focuses our attention on what has always been there for us to see, but what the government refuses to see. The work gives us a framework from which we can work together to restore true liberty in our country.
This is a must read for anyone that is American. It is cutting edge, but not extreme. It is new and exciting, yet buttressed at every step of the way by the Constitution.

In a word, `inspiring'. I choose this word because this book will inspire the reader to get more involved in actively protecting their Constitutional freedoms which have been eroded away by our federal government. This type of book is long overdue and I commend Martyn Babitz for mapping out a plan for citizens to take action against the usurpation of our Constitutional rights.

Mr. Babitz explains it all in plain language, illustrating how the federal government has meticulously, over time, eroded the sovereignty of the individual state republican governments. In the first two chapters, Babitz clearly defines the limitations on the federal government set forth by the Constitution and how the federal government has overstepped those limitations. The unconstitutionality of specific issues are outlined such as how the Supreme Court, with the aid of the unconstitutional Judiciary Act of 1789, has exceeded its jurisdiction, how the Supreme Court and special interest groups unconstitutionally take part in legislative decisions, how the Supreme Court illegally invokes the equal protection clause to strike down actual state laws that apply to all persons in the same way, as well as our unconstitutional tax system, unconstitutional federal banking system and much more. Babitz even breaks down, in the simplest of terms, such fundamental principles as the First Amendment, "Congress shall make no law..." Babitz explains here how state legislatures and municipalities are clearly not Congress and therefore the First Amendment should not apply.

Mr. Babitz then looks at the three methods that have been used in the past to combat unconstitutional federal action; resolution, nullification and secession. Resolution being the only method that has been successful, i.e. the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions against the Alien and Sedition Acts.

The book concludes with a clearly delineated plan of action for state legislatures to take to regain state sovereignty and put an end to federal usurpation of power. An outstanding sample resolution is provided in which the reader may pattern their own resolution to be submitted to their state legislature. The Appendix includes the U.S. Constitution with all Amendments. The Bibliography is sure to include several volumes the reader will want to add to their list.

This is definitely a book which I will add to my list of essential reading for conservative Christian Americans. One of the best books of the year.

Monty Rainey, founder
www.juntosociety.com

This book should be required reading for every US citizen and anyone interested in the pursuit of freedom and justice. If you have ever wondered why you felt like the Federal government was totally out of control, then you've got to read this book!

Babitz does a great job of laying the case for how our government has totally over-stepped its boundaries and takes advantage of our freedom.

When I finished reading this book, I was angry and motivated to take action. I felt like everyone was lying to me about what the government was supposed to be and do. The biggest surprise to me was how the Federal Government, especially the Supreme Court has systematically eroded our freedom and the contempt that they have for the true Constitution.

If only our history and civics teachers would tell us the truth about the government our Founding Fathers put in place. Babitz exposes some of the most troubling myths about taxes, civil rights and state's rights using an effective mix of history and current events.

Not only does Babitz clearly articulate the problem, but he also prescribes a reasonable and rational remedy for restoring our true constitution. The more people that read this book, the better off our country will be!

This is not the easiest book you'll ever read, but it is definitely the most important! SP

Enjoy one of the biographies of John Adams, then read this superb book to complete the story of this great man. Mr. Thompson is a fine writer and can be seen on an old CSPAN segment giving a lecture on Adams. His grasp of President Adams's work and his ability to explain it are unmatched.

I am floored! I started reading biographies of John Adams after the musical "1776" piqued my interest in him and have absorbed at least 20 of them since then. I don't know how this 1998 title flew underneath my radar until 2004 but it did ... and I think NOW, after the 2004 election, is the time when every American needs to know what he did for us ... or TRIED to ... including: pointing the way for those of us who CAN to start doing something about the mess we're in now. His insistence on basing our government structure on actual human nature instead of a fantasized ideal of how human nature ought to be may be the only reason we've lasted even this long. Communism went down because it flew in the face of this wisdom. We could be next. Thompson shows that Adams was not only a political theorist, he was a scientifically oriented psychologist. So am I. And I know that he had a handle on psychological reality that exceeds what most modern psychological theorists can lay claim to. He was an Adlerian more than a century before Adler was a gleam in his father's eye. May ALL the Gods bless C. B. Thompson for what he has done ... and may his publisher start doing a better job of getting this book before the public.

I just finished reading C. Bradley Thompson's "John Adams and The Spirit of Liberty," and am in awe; not only of John Adams but of Dr. Thompson's masterful explication of Adams' political thought.

I had no idea what a debt of gratitude I owed to one man, John Adams, who more than any other Founding Father developed and provided the intellectual framework that became the Constitution of the United States. At the very least this book should be required reading for any person who is interested in pursuing a career in politics.

To all of you who are interested in understanding the intellectual founding of this country I urge you to read this book. You won't be able to put it down.

And to C. Bradley Thompson, I salute you and thank you for your efforts in resurrecting the reputation and honor of this great man.

The most critical period of American history actually occurred after the revolution. The instability of anarchy threatened to make the ideas expressed in Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and the heroic successes of Washington nothing more than a forgotten dream. Another hero, one who would be willing to chronicle all previous forms of government and guide the architects of the constitution in creating something entirely new was what was needed. He was more than just another name on the list of American presidents. That hero was John Adams.
Thank you, C. Bradley Thompson, for this inspirational account of an often overlooked and undervalued intellectual giant among the American John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty by C. Bradley Thompson
founders.

To return America to its original foundation of freedom and individual rights, it is vital that we know the ideas of the men who created that system. This important task will be easier thanks to this book by C. Bradley Thompson. Readers interested in the Founding period and its legacy for our own time will not want to miss this book.