L Books

This book will really help you know and understand the different types of worship that people experience. Like the "love languages" many have learned about, I would say this explains the various "worship languages".

This book is valuable in both self discovery and in communicating with other Christians. When speaking with others they give clues to their dominate pathways thus, an insight of where they are 'coming from'.

If you are trying to find a way to connect better with God, then this little guide may point you in the right direction.

Having already read Thomas' "Sacred Marriage," I had extremely high expectations for this book, and I would say that they were largely met. Gary Thomas manages to write in a style that is both intellectual and personal, challenging the reader to ponder at a deeper level than many Christian books while never allowing his style to seem distant or arrogant. It's a tricky balance, but Thomas manages to strike that balance.

"Sacred Pathways" sets out to establish the reality that Christians do not naturally connect to God in identical ways and that this is not only acceptable but part of God's plan. It's the type of message that many of us need to hear, as we play the dangerous game of comparing our spirituality to other esteemed believers and realizing that we don't measure up to them. Thomas instructs us to consider that we are not meant to try to mirror anyone else's walk with God. Rather, we need to identify how we have been created and head down that "sacred pathway" with all diligence to "cultivate and grow" our relationship with God.

Thomas managed to tell very personal stories from his own life about every one of the nine sacred pathways, while managing to explain which ones came more or less naturally for him. This articulates the crucial point that though we may be bent toward one pathway more so than another, none of us have the right to ignore any of these sacred pathways as somehow irrelevant in our lives.

One particularly commendable component of Thomas' writing is his respect for the history of the church, and he constantly refers to our spiritual predecessors to gather their thoughts from the past centuries on so many different topics. What a refreshing approach to contemporary Christian writing! How much richer would the spiritual vitality of the church be if we were able to better learn from the past two thousand years of collective wisdom and experience?

I look forward to reading more of Gary Thomas' books. I would recommend "Sacred Pathways" to any Christian interested in learning more about the diverse ways that God has created us to seek after Him.

Thomas provides a keen analysis of the various pathways we use to relate to God. He also provides insights that all believers need if they are to be tolerant of other peoples pathways. This is a much needed resource for those experiencing a disconnect due to changing worship styles. Traditionalists can better understand those desiring a contemporary experience and "Contemporaries" would be well-served to seek understanding of the validity of the traditionalist's preferences.

I can not get enough of Burton Silverman and this book was just what I needed.
I just flip open a page and study how he pulls it off, great painting that is.
I have not read the whole book, just little bits here and there.
But I sure have looked at all the pretty pictures and so should any one who likes B. Silvermans work.
Barry

You will have to admire the works of Burt Silverman presented in this well designed compilation of his work. I have followed his work for years and he's just one of those magical craftsmen that makes me just shake my head in wonder when I see what he can do with a paint brush. He is certainly one of the best artist of our age. If you love art in the realist format, you will be well pleased with this book and with Mr. Silverman's work. This one is a "keeper".

This is the story of a man's quest for truth in art in spite of a country's infatuation with its new found Modern Art. I found the book to be BEAUTIFUL, COMPELLING, ILLUMINATING, and INSPIRING...filled with IMAGES OF the LOVE that Mr Silverman has for his subjects, his kind & curious Humanist "take" on the World, and his incredible volume of awe inspiring work. He has crossed the barriers of "illustration" showing us that Art is Art when "spoken" by the true voice.

Most people who would buy this book are already familiar with Burton Silverman's paintings. The book is no disappointment; the reproductions are large and sensitive to color nuances, on heavy paper, and there are a lot of them. There are short essays by Silverman about each painting which show an honest, contemplative mind at work. It's not a how-to book; there's no pedantic bloviating, just a humble, intelligent man describing the circumstances behind each picture. At first I pegged Silverman as one of those East Coast types who paint their Greenwich Village friends sitting still with expressionless faces and vacant stares. It all seemed too academic, lacking action and vigor, like most modern art. But his understanding of color and composition is undeniable, and the personalities he depicts grow on you. They are of the type of person who can be found in artist's lofts, in front of Folger's coffee cans full of paintbrushes, wearing sweaters and spectacles, New York academics and intellectuals who go to poetry readings, listen to Public Radio, and fret about the fate of the Rosenbergs. He's a world traveller, so he has other types of people, too, but he seems to know all of them personally, and doesn't just paint anonymous models. Though his work is a little tame compared to the kind of entertainment industry stuff I'm interested in, commercial illustrators could learn a lot from Silverman's penetrating eye and calm, balanced judgement.

Just a few lines (as I chose to write below) to be an 'unhelpful' review.

My fingers wiggle when seeing the drawings. My nerve cells tingle trying to process/digest/analyze color combinations in the paintings, and half of me trying to get off the chair and get to the easel to "mix 'em colors".

Some body, catch me! I am falling... in love.

The LRRPS did. Time and time again the long-range-reconnaissance-patrols went out to "see" and not be "seen", and sadly, some individuals wouldn't return home.

This is fantastic series of books covering the history and evolution of the LRRPS/LRPS/RANGERS during the Vietnam War.

Rey Martinez, Kenn Miller, and Gary Linderer interviewed a great number of the surviving members of the LRRPS/Rangers to bring their history alive. While some members were able to tap into their memories, others wouldn't touch the pain from long ago. The authors did a terrific job bringing the histories together for a strong narrative.

If anything, I found myself wanting to know more! What were they thinking? What were you feeling? I'm sure much ended up on the "editing room floor".

The "SIX SILENT MEN" books are a very honest account if the units actions. They're packed with adventure and daring. While reading their books, I was filled with tension and dread, other times I had to laugh aloud, and a few times I became misty-eyed. You feel for the teams as they "will" themselves to become invisible while on patrol.

Don't be mis-lead by a negative review. The reviewer misquoted the book. This I know since I pulled my copy off the shelf and checked the text. The reviewer claims the authors are liars --- NOT SO. A great number of books on the Vietnam War are written very honestly, and the publishers do "Fact Checking" before publishing these books. Read the review by Harold Nealy, who was a LRRP! His testimonial supports this fine series. If these books were embellished tales, then Vietnam Vets who served in the LRRPS/Rangers wouldn't hesitate to post a review here and let the truths be known. As you see this isn't the case.

I have never met a veteran who has panned these books. Never.

If you enjoyed this series, I would also recommend Jim Morris' WAR STORY, John Plasters' SOG, James Rowe's FIVE YEARS TO FREEDOM, Larry Chambers RECONDO, and Leigh Wade's TAN PHU.

I had the honor of meeting Kenn Miller, Jim Morris, and John Plaster (and other Vietnam Vets) two years ago. They freely answered my questions. I was going to `buy a round' when one of them said, "Put your money away kid." I was 33, and that gathering was enjoyed by all.

Read the books. You won't be disappointed! God Bless and Attack life!

This work is all that is to be expected from a sequel to the first "Six Silent Men". I was not let down, as I so often am, with some of the small unit contact books. This work was all that I expected. The action was close to non stop. The depictions of contact were thrilling and heart stopping. I was with and rooting for the teams all the way. This book, as was its precursor,is top notch. After having read circa 110 books about this subject, you may take my word for this book's being an interesting read.

I highly recommend any & all of Gary Linderer's books; all are packed with great recollections of our brave fighting men in Vietnam, and are fast reads. Once you start this book (Vol 3), you'll find it very hard to put down. Reading Vols 1 & 2 are not necessary, as each is a stand-alone account.

I have enjoyed all of Mr Linderer's publications, and can recommend this one as well without hesitation. You won't be disappointed!

Excellent piece of writing from a guy who served with the team. As a UK reader, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the 101st LRRPs/Rangers in Vietnam.

...This book is, as well as the others by Linderer an interesting recollection of his own experiences as well as experiences of others. Spend the bucks and you won't get disappointed. Try reading his other books to get a good sum of what he and his teammates experienced during Vietnam.
Don't let yourself be blamed by such [bologna]. I mean, the war is long gone, Linderers and Chambers books are a recollection of their feelings, thoughts and experiences. Truly and honestly written. The way I understood it, this book and the other books aren't a recollection of commo details or other things. These are facts of men fighting a war not REMFs ... spitting on a good job and being jealous about what they could do. So buy this book or the others by Linderer and you will understand a lot more.

Snow Moon Rising is an intimate glimpse of the seasons of Mischka Gallo's life. From her happy childhood, in spite of social injustice and bigotry against the Roma people (derogatorily referred to as Gypsies), Mischka maintains her innocence through her mid-teens. Only later does reality harden her. She displays a zest for life and heroic strength, believing that, "Everyone should feel the love, enjoy the exhilaration life afforded... [O]ver time she came to realize that each soul needs its own private place and solitude to nourish both joy and pain" (p. 2). It is this optimism that allows Snow Moon Rising to inspire us, rather than let us be defeated by the malice Mischka faces.

Many fictional stories are based on the atrocities of Hitler during World War II, but Lori L. Lake uses an uncommon perspective, telling the story from the Roma and German point of view, and then adding a refreshing twist. Without gratuitous sex or violence, Lake succeeds in writing an emotionally charged, action-packed, and authentic story. Her tight, crisp narrative flows seamlessly as Mishka, at eighty, recounts her life's experiences to her fifteen-year-old grandson, Tobar. As the events unfold, it's easy to imagine her world. Mischka says to Tobar, "I don't want to end your childhood with sad stories, but remember, after darkness there is always light. Just like after the moon disappears, the sun always rises" (p. 5). Throughout Lake's novel, the theme that resonates most isn't the bleakness you might expect, but rather, is hopeful.

The relationship between Mischka and Pauline Stanek (Pippi), as friends and lovers, spans seventy-one years. Pippi is the sister of a wounded AWOL German soldier, Emil. The Roma clan adopted Emil when Mischka was a child, and he became a beloved cousin of Mischka. It is through Emil, that Mischka and Pippi meet for the first time. The connection and kinship they feel is immediate. The two young girls make a vow to remain friends, forever bonded by heart, spirit, and soul. It seems theirs was an unlikely union, considering that homosexuality was considered a sin and punishable by death and both women end up on opposite sides during the war. Pippi knew Hitler to be the madman that he was, but what choice did she have when the Third Reich summoned her and ordered her to serve at a labor camp? One wonders how many unwilling German guards and soldiers were as much a victim of the war as the prisoners.

Snow Moon Rising is a page-turner because Lake carefully balances the storyline, choosing only the scenes that move the plot along. The immediacy and transparency, as the story unfolds, allows the reader to engage both emotions and intellect. The reader not only understands the horrid situation--but also feels deeply along with Mischka, her people, and Pippi as well. The narrative summaries don't lecture, but rather convey feelings, making the scenes compelling. This reviewer imagines what it must have been like in Mischka's camp: the sounds, the smells, the tastes. Even though written in English, you feel like they are speaking a foreign language, without having to sift through a lot of cumbersome dialect. The Roma and German phrases add to the story and set the tone for readers who are fluent in any language.

One would think it depressing to be Mischka in those days. A Roma woman was like chattel without civil rights; however, to watch Mischka before she was forced into marriage, and later, thrown into a concentration camp, she was the light in a dark world. She maintained her dignity in the face of inhumane treatment as her means to fight the enemy. The way Lake captures the heart of this admirable woman is the reason Snow Moon Rising reminds this reviewer of a photograph. Mischka thinks, "Memories surfaced, and pictures rose up from hidden recesses, not in the sepia tones she so often remembered, but stark, bright, vital, and as colorful as modern photographs" (p. 5). This is a fair description of how Lake tells, and shows, Mischka's story with clear and vivid detail, which remain bright despite her often dismal surroundings.

With an impressive bibliography at the back of the book, Lake's extensive research is rewarded by the vivid and heart-rending account of what life was like for the Roma "Gypsies" during WWII. Snow Moon Rising is easily Lori Lake's most accomplished work to date. The novel has already won the Alice B. Reader's Appreciation Award 2007 and is nominated for numerous other accolades. Fans of fiction containing historical truth will cherish this novel, and it would be a fine addition to any library.

Popular lesbian author Lori L. Lake has always been the consummate craftsperson, but she comes of age in this haunting, terrifying and ultimately splendid novel of the persecution of the Roma people in Nazi Europe. Although the protagonist, Mischka Gallo and Pippi Stanek share a love that lasts for decades, this is not your typical lesbian romance. Lake has her eyes set this time on a higher plane, and she realizes it in one of those rare lgbt novels that deserves the label, "literature," and that will have you alternately shivering in fear, crying with the pain of the oppressed which she so vividly captures, and laughing with delight at Mischka's indomitable spirit. Solidly researched, with come-to-life characters and the sort of detail that says, "You are there," this is the kind of writing that transcends labels.

Victor J. Banis, Author of COME THIS WAY

Lori Lake has a gift. It's not so much about constructing sentences that call attention to the writer. No, Lake pretty much vanishes behind her prose. And that's a good thing, especially in this compelling historical love story that spans two World Wars and the horrors of the Nazi "work" camps. Lake creates two indelible women, Mischka and Pippi, who, from the very beginning of the book, creep into your heart and stay there, making Snow Moon Rising nearly impossible to put down. It's obvious Lake has great love for her characters and the magic she works is that she transfers that love to you, her reader. Lake has written a moving story that transcends genre and touches our hearts and minds with a very universal message about the persistance of love and human connection, even in the face of terrifying odds.

This is not the most tightly written novel you'll buy, but it has a big heart and I, for one, take my hat off to any lesbian author who's willing to write more than a cheesy romance. I won't describe the plot , since other reviewers have already done that, but I will just say that I felt very drawn into this story. It's quite a long one and should be read over a few days so that there is time to take in the full detail. But Ms. Lake writes with great feeling about the plight of the "Gypsies" during World War II. I was really touched by the enduring love of Pippa and Mischka and the honest account of their history with all the fascinating insights into the Roma culture. People often forget this was a whole population that also fell victim to the Nazis. This book is not a romance. It's a rare exception amongst the books normally published for lesbian readers, a strong story about human struggle and right and wrong. There are fancier books out there set in this terrible period of history, but most of them do not have lesbian characters. This one does and it is well worth your time to read.

Mischka Gallo was born with a vivid spirit--and that's a good thing. Her life is anything but easy--first growing up among the Roma in a traveling caravan in Poland and Germany, then marrying an abusive man, being sent to a 'work camp,' and finally coming to America with little more than her name. Mischka's spirit refuses to be cowed by circumstance or by man. She meets the love of her life at a young age but it takes many years for her to accept that this love is beyond anything she's familiar with.

Pauline "Pippi" Stanek is a meek woman on the outside, but a fighter inside. She first meets Mischka when her brother marries into the Roma clan. Though Pippi is a few years older, the two become instant friends. Due to Mischka's vagabond life and Pippi's more traditional one, they don't see one another often, but when they do, their friendship remains intact.

The story is told through a series of remembrances and begins with an elderly Mischka talking to her grandson about his name, Tobar, and about the importance of family and tradition.

Mischka's life is not an easy one. The Roma are looked down upon, feared, and in some cases despised, but held true to their traditions and to one another. This is the heritage Mischka wants young Tobar to understand, and in the telling, she reveals much about her own beliefs. Mischka tells about her own youth, remembers her marriage and her family, and doesn't gloss over her difficulties. She embodies the idea that one can triumph over any adversity.

Pippi and Mischka's most poignant meeting is at the work camp. Pippi is 'drafted' into service as a supervisor because she is an exceptional seamstress, while her childhood friend Mischka is a prisoner. Mischka and the other women she befriends here find subtle ways to survive.

The title comes from the Roma way of naming the months. The Snow Moon rises in November--a time for rituals to banish negativity. Snow Moon Rising is a love story, but not your typical love story.

Armchair Interviews says: A story where hope, sense of family and love shine through.

This is by far one of the most spell binding books I have read in quite a while. You are hooked from the first page, and will not want to put it down until you are finished. I recieved this book at 10:30 AM, and had it finished by 7:00 PM, the same day. (Good thing it was Saturday) :)
I have told everyone I know about this book. My daughter, who hates to read, stayed up late every night until she finished.

I can't wait for DL's next book.

Two thumbs up

Written very well. Excellent storyline. Publisher should use spellcheck, though.

genre: Mystery

Title: Sweet Dreams

Author: D. L. Edwards

Megan Montgomery is young, beautiful and lonely. Nightmares of horrendous murders haunt her nights, deadly premonitions of things to come. She knows that she must tell the police about her dreams but will they believe her? Can she stop this reign of terror?

Unable to put the horrible nightmares out of her mind and encouraged by her surrogate mother Nancy, she calls Detective David Stark and gives him the details of her dreams. Stark, a young, handsome but self-centered career cop, does not believe Megan and laughs it off: until the murder actually takes place in every vivid detail that Megan gave him. Is she involved? David is determined to find out one way or another. When they meet, there is a definite chemistry between them. The two get together in order to solve the crime but will Megan turn out to be the woman of his dreams or his worst nightmare? Is David going to believe Megan and help her or will he subject her to ridicule and use her?

D.L. Edwards has a talent for suspense. Vivid descriptions bring the scenes to life. Her characters are bright, intelligent and not without faults making them very believable. Fast paced plot is filled with twists and turns, interesting suspects and unexpected turn of events. The reader is drawn in on page one and Edwards does not let go until the end.

The book, as with many self-published works, does contain a few typos and spelling errors but this does not detract from the plot.

Highly recommended. Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.

DL Edwards offers fiction readers a little bit of everything in this well-blended book...suspense, gore, deep thought and a touch of erotica. "Sweet Dreams" is not a book to be ignored.

The main character is described nicely, easy to empathize with and very believeable. Edwards obviously did her homework in regards to psychic visions because her descriptions of them as well as their affects on Megan, the main character, are well planned out and not difficult to follow.

Edwards' story offers readers an enjoyable ride that is filled with plot twists and literal misdirections that keep her readers guessing all the way through the tale. I glad I read this book!

T. Anthony Truax
Author, A Whole New Breed

Megan Montgomery is living a nightmare. Not only is she dreaming of gory murders committed by a psychotic serial killer, but she has to awaken two mornings later to find that she has seen the crime before it was committed. And this isn't anything new - as a child, she saw through the eyes of another killer, and the experience nearly killed her.

I could not put this book down. From start to finish, Sweet Dreams had me biting my nails, unable to sleep. The images created by DL Edwards are so vivid that you almost feel like you're there. I really enjoyed this novel and can't wait to see what DL Edwards does next.

I discovered this book in the town library when I was in high school. I kept checking out this book over and over again and I couldn't get enough. My mom bought me the book one year and I was soo excited to own it for myself. It was one of the best presents I have ever gotten. The book is worn out now and I have to turn the pages delicately in fear of wearing them more. That just makes me love it more. My history since I have boughten the book is that I read it through and through and put it on the bookshelf for a year and forget about it. It doesn't take long before I long to read it again, I then pick it out of the bookshelf and fall in love with it all over again. If I had to choose only one book in the world that I could keep, it would be this one. Needless to say I love it!

I grew up with this book. My dad had one from his childhood (an original 1942 edition) which was used and used, the binding held together with duct tape. It was known in our house as "the Brown Book." It seems that the source of all the the famous lines from literature can be found in here. "Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink." "And you Brutus?" Lincoln's Gettysburg address, George Washington's Farewell, even the letter from Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby (which was quoted by the commanding officer and served as the reason for "Saving Private Ryan" in the movie. Due solely to this book I was familiar with the letter long before that movie came out.) This is a wonderful resource, reference book and collection of so many of the valued literary and historical pieces from our culture. Even my five year old loves it when I read passages from it to her. Every house should have one.

I learned to read literature of many sorts when I was just a child. I've remembered passages from this book for nearly 50 years. This is a must-have volume of outstanding workmanship. Every homeschooler will benefit from having it in their reference library.

This is the most amazing book! It includes any famous quotes, speeches, stories, poems, songs, etc. It is like having a mini-encyclopedia in one book. We use it all the time in our homeschool. You have to have this book.

A lot of comments I've heard about this wonderful collection remark on
the odd juxtapositions within its pages: Shakespeare next to
"Silver Threads Among The Gold"; The Marine's hymn next to
Poe's "Raven"; Lincoln and Longfellow next to one of Dorothy
Parker's quips. It's true that this is one of this book's charms, but
I found something more to be prized. The "Treasury" is
exactly what it claims to be: a treasury of the hundreds of songs
you're familiar with but don't know by heart, and don't know where to
look up.

Everyone will have their own list of works they think
they'll never find again. Here's a partial list of mine; perhaps some
of these are ones you're hunting for too: Langdon Smith's
"Evolution" (When you were a tadpole and I was a fish/In the
Paleozoic time); Oliver Wendell Holmes' "The One-Hoss Shay";
Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee"; Henley's
"Invictus" (source of "I am the captain of my
soul"). And dozens more.

I found much I didn't care for here,
but much more I did. This is truly a remarkable collection. It
belongs on every bookshelf, if only because you'll never find another
source for so many of the poems within it. Buy it; you'll discover a
lot of old friends here.

Used as a review tool for a college course after taking a year off in French. Very useful and helpful.

Yes, David Stillman and Ronni Gordon have done it again. Years ago, when I bought The Ultimate French Review and Practice, I was certain that it was the most thorough French grammar book I had ever encountered. However, the newer Ultimate French Verbs Review and Practice carries coverage of the French language a step further. Don't be fooled by the title. To be sure, this is a book on French verbs, one which provides just about everything one might wish to know on the subject. But, it is also packed with up-to-date vocabulary such as computer and internet terms and a wealth of extra tidbits covering other aspects of usage and French language history and development. I took my first French class in 1961 in a high school language laboratory and have been captivated by the language ever since. I went on to study French in college for four years. Since that time, I have continued to read French and to use the French soundtrack on DVD movies as a means of experiencing the language on a regular basis. Living in West Virginia, I rarely get a chance to speak French. It's so nice to have the two Ultimate books to recall things I already know and to learn new things. One little gem I had never encountered before is the use of "vous autres" to emphasize the plural use of "vous." It is simply the French equivalent of "you all" or "you guys." I had always wondered if the French had a way of saying that. Now, I know. The French, however, go a step farther. They also have "nous autres" or "we all" to emphasize the inclusion of particular groups in the use of "we" as opposed to the generic "on" which is an all-inclusive non-particular "we" and is also rendered as "one, people, you, they, etc." I had come across "nous autres" in high school, but never "vous autres." I haven't nearly exhausted the comprehensiveness of this book. I am sixty years old. I will probably never need another French book in my lifetime. These two should do it quite well.

I already speak French but am rusty. This book is perfect for reviewing and getting back up to speed.. It wouldn't be much help for beginners as a lot of the fundamentals aren't gone over very carefully,

i hadn't believed when i read the reviews about this book,but when i purchased this book,it helped me a lot to learn about french tenses but most importantly french verbs.i think verbs are the real obstacle for learning french. if you want to discern french verbs and tenses you had better buy this book.the thing that made me frustrated about this book was how it badly published. the pages are easily torn apart. yet it is nothing besides how you easily and thoroughly learn a lot about french.

I have taken 2 years of French in college, but I have to say I wish I found this sooner (but still completely satisfied I have it now). It lays out in a clear and rule based form how to handle verbs, meanwhile explaining exceptions in a clear and non-intimidating manner. I love it, and for people who have gone through immersion programs (like me) it is nice - now that you have the basics - to go over everything from a clear and concise standpoint. I highly recommend this book as well as their Ultimate Grammar Review.

I've read many people give an account for why they believe what they believe. From atheists, I've read Russell, Sartre, Nietzsche, Sagan, Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, and Antony Flew (when he was an atheist). From Christians, I've read Craig, Zacharias, Sproul, Strobel, Pascal, Lewis, Blomberg, John Dickson, and Moreland. Although both lists of atheists and theists have good writers who can make vivid points, none is the teacher like Geisler.

Norman Geisler and Bocchino are not poets. They are straightforward and the powerful imagery of their book is using phrases by the authors mentioned above. However, they have packaged a very good text with a wide breathe of knowledge and connected the fact that beliefs have consequences. Those consequences will spill into all aspects of our lives no matter if we realize it or not. This book basically shows the logical sequence of philosophical premises with regards to major worldviews and how those worldviews, if honest and logically consistent, will play out in fields like science, law, morality, and education.

This is a good referance book for any Christian. Specially for College students. It will not get outdated soon. So buy it read it and keep it for future referance. It is very useful. LOTS of information there...

This book is a must read for all students in a secular environment, and for anyone seeking a reasonable defense of the Christian faith. Evolution and moral relativism are not satisfying answers logically or practically. Geisler does a masterful job of removing the scientific underpinnings of evolutionary faith and establishing a well reasoned defense of Intelligent Design. He further takes on issues such as justice and absolute moral standards vs. relativistic morality and judicial philosophy. THe last section of the book points to every man's need for Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord and establishes the Bible, as God's revelation, as the only proper epistemoligical starting point.

This book sat on my shelf collecting dust for nearly 6 years. It wasn't until I found myself as a first-year teacher needing a strategy to refute evolution and a darwinistic view of our world that I even felt compelled to pick it up. This book is an excellent resource...logical, methodical, and sound-minded in its application of reason to matters of faith. I highly recommend it just as strongly to one longing to worship the Lord God with all his mind, as to another who is still unsure of the intellectual credibility of the Christian faith. In terms of books that have changed my life, this title will rank with the best of them...only coming in behind the Bible itself, and C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity.

For many years now, Christian apologetics has been a scattered, unorganized field, full of random facts that didn't really come together to form a coherent picture. As someone who is very skeptical and has struggled with whether or not to believe in the Christian worldivew, that was always very frustrating for me when attempting to do research. Unshakable Foundations has completely changed that, and has in a sense revolutionized Christian apologetics. Most of these ideas were always out there, but Bocchino and Geisler have given them structure, starting with no assumptions (one of the very first topics in the book is whether there is even such a thing as truth) to build an airtight case for Christianity that is just about impossible to get around. Jesus and the Bible are not even mentioned until near the end of the book, undercutting any charges of bias or unreasonable assumptions. It's just basic logic, pure and simple, and it is stunning how the authors take that logic to show how it can only lead to one conclusion. This is a great book for Christians and non-Christians alike, young and old, seekers and believers. For anyone who takes seriously questions about our existence, meaning, a higher power, etc., there is no better starting point than Unshakable Foundations.

In Durrenmatt's *The Visit* a hideous--and hideously wealthy--old woman returns to the town of her long-ago youth to avenge a past wrong. Unaware of her intentions, everyone in Guellen is excited at the news of her imminent arrival, but none more so than the old lady's old flame--the shabby shopkeeper Alfred Ill who volunteers to be her personal guide during the visit. Expecting that her return, and Alfred's solicitous attention, will mean a revival of the town's fortunes after years of hard times, the inhabitants of Guellen are nonetheless staggered by the generosity of Claire Zachanassian's offer. But their joy turns to dismay when they discover the one condition the old woman has placed on making them all wealthy beyond their wildest dreams. The good folk of Guellen must deliver up one of their own for sacrifice: her old lover, Alfred Ill.

Will the townsfolk murder Alfred for the money--and the "good" of Guellen--or not? Durrenmatt not only sustains the suspense of this situation throughout most of this rather lengthy three-act play, but, even more surprising, he renders it chillingly plausible. One is reminded of Shirley Jackson's classic story *The Lottery*--a similar atmosphere of claustrophobic, predestined dread prevails in *The Visit,* a sense that there is no escape from the judgment of the community of which one is a member. Indeed, it seems if one is properly socialized one internalizes that judgment and delivers oneself up accordingly for there is no life outside of the community. Such a "voluntary" death becomes a sacrifice and one lives on in the benefit bestowed upon the community. So does society sustain itself by eating its own.

What the old lady wants is justice for a wrong done to her in Guellen long ago. But that desire for justice--and the hurt that goes with it--has hardened over time into an implacable thirst for vengeance that nothing but blood will satisfy. Even within the play, as well as in Durenmatt's postscript, Claire Z. is likened to Medea and it's an apt comparison. Claire is older, wealthier, a confidante of princes and presidents, a serial bride, full of wit and dry humor, and her anger is considerably colder than that of the legendary scorned madwoman of classical literature--colder and thus more lethal.

Aside from Claire Z, who has hardened beyond humanity altogether, *The Visit* is primarily a tale about human weakness--about the temptation for the pleasures of this world and the rationalizations we devise to grab them when the opportunity presents itself. For behind the high-sounding principles and moral outrage of the good people of Guellen is the drive to self-aggrandizement that motivates all of us. Or, as *The Visit* memorably points out--all of us but the rare individual who acknowledges the guilt we all share and prefer to locate solely in our neighbors, the rare individual who, when it's time to point out the source of evil in the world, has the astounding courage to point at himself.

This is as close as you will come to a true depiction of the Swiss. It may be a generalisation but isn't that how generalisations are generally derived? Anyway, the author is Swiss who is supposedly not very popular among the Swiss possibly because it is too close to home/truth.

This book, although somewhat disturbing, is a good read for anyone who desires a look at how humans continually put material objects before their own fellow human beings. Layered in "sick" comedy, The Visit brings the ultimate desire for retribution to life, as well as depicting how even normal people can become vicious with revenge, even when they are not the victim. Furthermore, this book depicts how one person can change the lives of other's lives drastically, because of power and money. When read in the context of seeking the reality of life, the desire for riches, the greed of the desperate, and the need to be "someone" and be defined by worldy possessions, this book truly gives insight, with a bizarre but intriguing tale.

"The Visit" is a play I've never seen, only read. I read it first in high school, leaving me with goosebumps then. It still has that power, now. I can think of no other tale that expresses the power of bitter revenge better than this one. I remember reading somewhere that this was done originally on stage here by Lunt and Fontaine--wouldn't that have been something to see!

I wonder, though, why the 1964 movie starring Anthony Quinn and Ingrid Bergman is never mentioned, and has never been released on video or DVD? I saw it 30 years ago and found it chilling in its own way, though not matching exactly the play.

Like Bertholt Brecht, Friedrich Duerrenmatt (1921-1990) was a proponet of "epic theatre," a style of drama in which the audience is not so much asked to identify with the characters and story but to contemplate them in an detached manner and thereby arrive a certain intellectual and moral conclusions. Although he was the author of several notable dramas, he is not well known outside his native Switzerland and German-speaking Europe--with one exception: Der Besuch der alten Dame, known in English as THE VISIT.

First staged in 1956, it became internationally famous in the late 1950s in a production staged by Peter Brook starring Afred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, which had a successful Broadway run and which toured extensively; it was also filmed, with considerably less success, in 1964 by director Bernhard Wicki and starring Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn. Maurice Valency performed the translation for the Lunt-Fontanne stage version, and for many years his extremely free adaptation was the only English-language version in print. The Patrick Bowles version offered here, however, is much more accurate in translation--and therefore considerably darker in tone.

The story concerns a tiny town which has fallen on very hard times, but which has hopes in the form of a visit from the incredibly wealthy Claire Zachanassian, a woman who was born and raised in the town and who has now decided to make a return visit. Although a distinctly grotesque figure, Claire has a reputation for generosity, and upon her arrival she does indeed announce her intention to endow her hometown with riches beyond imagination. There is, however, one catch: in return, she demands the death of Anton Schill, the lover who wronged her many years ago. The community is outraged and refuses to comply... at least at first. As the play progresses, however, the citizens (including Schill's own family) begin to dream of what they could do with all that money. Is Claire's demand really so unreasonable after all?

Duerrenmatt insisted that his play was a comedy, and it is indeed quite funny, albeit in a distinctly grotesque sort of way. At the same time, however, it is quite obviously a parable on the natures of revenge and greed. Indeed, Claire's revenge is not so much on Schill as it is upon the town itself, as she forces them to faulter through greed by presenting them with a choice between morality and immorality. Although extremely witty, THE VISIT may also be described as deeply cynical, and more than one critic has flatly described it as evil, despicable, and profoundly unsavory. Whatever the case, it is a truly remarkable play, quite unlike the usual fare you'll find haunting either Broadway or the local community theatre. It has also been extremely influential over the years, with perhaps the most obvious example being Arthur Kopit's OH DAD, POOR DAD, MAMA'S HUNG YOU IN THE CLOSET AND I'M FEELING SO SAD. Strongly recommended for fans of far-out theatre.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

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I especially like the pictorial history of world religions.

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I give a 7 because it's well written and the layout is superb. However, the photos of various E-Meter drills and Scientology sessions look VERY formal and almost military in nature - with some even wearing Navy-like uniforms. Also, very few photos of non-white persons. The info about Scientology is very interesting yet no mention is made of any 'teacher' other than L. Ron Hubbard, and he is presented in an almost God-like manner. Scientology doens't seem to support the teachings of anyone other than L. Ron Hubbard, whereas Chopra, Tracy, Robbins, etc all read and support each other's teachings. I also found it perplexing that while L. Ron Hubbard is very highly praised by Scientologists, I could not find a single mention in the book about any Hubbard family members that are involved and carrying on his lagacy. I found no mention of Hubbard children or widows who are currently in Scientology. Scientology and Dianetics might be for some people, but definitly not for everyone. Search CNN.com and other news sources if you're seriously interested. And by the way, if you have money you'll be very welcome because Dianetics & Scientology cost $$$! Their own literature says it's similar in cost (and time) to going to college for several years.