P Books

I've been in banking for nearly 13 years and have sometimes struggled with much of the terminology used during corporate functions, meetings, or just watching CNBC. Whether a novice or a veteran, it's something that should be in your briefcase, pocket book, or in your desk for quick reference. This is a "NO BS" assessment!

Paid for by me. ;O)

This can almost be considered an inexpensive textbook. It not only defines, but explains the terms in a simple, easy to understand format. Although in dictionary form, it consistently relates the terms to one another so the reader will understand how the concepts interwind. Includes financial and banking terms.

I use this in a training class about bank documentation. It is very helpful and comprehensive. It defines terms in concise and easy to understand words. Even a seasoned banker can learn something from this dictionary.

book should contain all banking terms because most of them are not understood by layman

Working in an IT company catering to bankers I bought this book to help understand their lingo. I have to say it hasn't disappointed yet. It is also very up to date the latest IT/banking terms. If you were to read all the definitions in this book you would probably know more than you banker. A great reference. Buy it!

In her debut novel, M.P. Barker pulls together a page-turning plot that will thrill all ages while also bringing to life 1830s rural Massachusetts. As you bite your nails over what will happen to our heroes, Ethan and Daniel, you milk the cows with them, work alongside them in the kitchen garden, eat dinner with them in the Lyman parlor, and walk the pasture with them with their beloved horse, Ivy. The best part of A Difficult Boy is that you get the experience of a great story and the experience of what life was like for early Americans, which is the icing on the currant cake.

Ethan's family is in trouble. His father, a smalltime farmer in rural New England in the 1830s, owes money to Mr. Lyman, a wealthy storekeeper and landowner. To help pay off the debts and save the family's property, Ethan, who is only 9, is forced to work for Mr. Lyman as an indentured servant, in an arrangement that is only a few steps away from slavery.

Ethan is paired with Daniel, an orphaned Irish teenager who is also indentured to Mr. Lyman. Daniel has grown hard and sullen after years of being subjected to Mr. Lyman's bigotry and beatings, and at first the two boys have an uneasy relationship. But it isn't long before Ethan also feels the sting of Mr. Lyman's hand, and he and Daniel form a friendship forged by shared hardship and their love of a spirited horse.

In its second half, the book begins to take on the trappings of a detective story. The Lyman household has many secrets, and Ethan begins to suspect that his own family's desperate financial situation is not of their own making. As the plot thickens, the pace quickens, and "A Difficult Boy" builds toward a climax that is filled with revelations and suspense.

Through the judicious use of historical details, the author, M.P. Barker, creates a bracing sense of immediacy. Even the milking of an irritable cow becomes an occasion for tension and danger. Scenes of Ethan and Daniel riding bareback on Ivy, their master's horse, through an open field and later racing a scruffy peddler have a lyricism that will lift readers' hearts. "A Difficult Boy" is a deeply satisfying novel that both entertains and enlightens.

What a pleasure to read this book on so many levels. Not only is the story compelling, but the historical background material is totally accurate. I felt like I was right there!!!!
The author's eye for detail is exquisite. .....lovely to read.
I was caught up in the story from the first page. The characters are all realistic and seem to mirror 19th century customs and culture.
The story about prejudice and how it is overcome when you get to really know someone is fabulous, but does not hit you over the head with it.
It's a great way to show people that underneath it all we are all alike.
Loved, loved it and I can't wait for her next book.

Although I'm not usually a fan of historical fiction, I absolutely could not put this book down.

A Difficult Boy is the story of an indentured servant, Ethan, who gradually makes friends with another servant named Daniel. Everyone calls Daniel a difficult boy because he appears unfriendly and unkind. However, Ethan unravels the source of this unfriendliness: both boys are severely beaten by the man who owns the land that they work. Daniel is also beaten worse than Ethan, because he is an immigrant from Ireland and the owner of the land, Mr. Lyman, does not like him for this reason. Driven together through this, Ethan and Daniel forge a strong friendship that brings them together so that they can escape the beatings and that life.

A Difficult Boy is a worthwhile historical fiction that is both well written and interesting.

MP Barker's A DIFFICULT BOY grabbed me from the beginning. Her main characters, Ethan and Daniel, are engaging, well-rounded and likable boys. I adored the horse element of the novel and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read.

I wish that I had had this book when my teenage daughter was a newborn. I am trying to undo the poor choices made along the way in her nutrition in order to maximize her health and physical well being. This book has been tremendously helpful.

You don't have to be an expert to understand the concepts in this book. It's written in such a way that the average person can understand the issues and put the tools to work. It tackles every feeding/eating issue that a person with Down Syndrome faces, from birth to adulthood. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who has a family member with Down Syndrome or who works with people with Down Syndrome.

Posted for, Brian Chicoine, MD of the Adult Down Syndrome Center

The Down Syndrome Nutrition Handbook is an outstanding resource for people with Down syndrome throughout their life span. It contains excellent information and practical suggestions for people with Down syndrome and their families. A wide variety of topics are addressed from general nutrition to nutritional intervention for diabetes mellitus, celiac disease and other health issues.

The book is well written, person-centered, and health-centered. It is beneficial when read cover-to-cover as well as when saved for use as a reference book. In addition to the writing style, the pictures make it a valuable education tool for people with a wide variety of reading abilities.

I highly recommend this book for people with Down syndrome, their families and anyone who wants to help them with their nutritional goals.

Very good book
Easy to read
Very informative for parents with and without medical knowledge
Have found it very useful as a guide to my daughters nutritional needs and abilities

Don't let the long (boring) name fool you, it is a GREAT book! As our daughter is getting older (she is 16,) she is taking control of her diet. I can't be with her all the time, so I have to teach her to eat healthy. This might sound simple, but it isn't. Well meaning relatives offer her foods she shouldn't eat, and others don't know that she has some 'nutritional issues,' like Celiac Disease. Our daughter has to know what she can and can't eat, as well as portion control. The DSNH not only has information for me as a parent, but it has worksheets and teaching activities for our daughter to help her learn healthy eating habits and good fitness activities. Did I say that it is a GREAT book? We copy off the worksheets and post them on the fridge, so our daughter can track what she eats during the day to make sure that she has 'hit' at the necessary food groups and water intake goals. She even has her fitness goals for the week.

The book covers nutritional information and needs from birth through adulthood. Section three is the one that we are working on right now: Teaching Healthy Choices to Encourage Healthy Lifestyles. It has everything from menu planning, to cooking and fitness. It's full of readable and understandable information for me and hands on learning for our daughter. That is a great combination if you ask me!

Our daughter will be the one in control of her own cooking, fitness activities and health in a few years. This book will help me help her to make a smoother transition to become a more independent and healthy adult with Down Syndrome.

What else can I add? Other reviewers have done a remarkable job summing up this brilliant anthology. Do yourself a favor- order it!

Sarah

I purchased this as a gift, so have no opinion about the book; but others seem to like it a lot.

For unexplicable reasons, Amazon cancelled my order twice. Since I had originally purchased it with other items, I couldn't get free shipping when I had to reorder. They said they would reimburse my shipping if I reordered, but cancelled my order again so they wouldn't have to send it for free. I ended up buying it with something else to get free shipping. Then I had to spend my own money to send it to the original gift recipient.

This blissful collection of delightfully spooky tales will bring back the love of bedtime reading for all ages. Just scary enough to make you nervous, just real enough to make you believe but not gory enough to give you nightmares. Great for sleepovers and camp-outs; make some smores and learn a few Lessons from the Dark Side.

Twisting, hilarious, scary and downright wonderful; you'll certainly have Goosebumps but with Dr. Offig at the lecturn - you will have SO much more!

Gifford has outdone himself this time! This author can manage to make you laugh and quake in your boots all at the same time. This is the perfect book for young and old alike. It is full of brilliance and wonderful characters. Read a lesson at a time, or be so enthralled that you don't ever put it down!! Can't wait for volume 2.

Crawl under your covers, fire up your flashlight and be prepared to shiver and shake. Turn off your light when you dare and just try to go to sleep...

Dr. Offig's lessons will keep you awake wanting to read more.

I can't wait for the next book to come out. Until then just forget about trying to see what is just out of the corner of your eye. You know something is there. Dr. Offig will tell you all about it. The doctor is IN...

Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine October 2002 VOYA
Growing up in San Jose, California, Arturo Rodriguez and his brothers and sister endured an abusive father, their parents' unhappy marriage, and their father's absence after he returned to Mexico. Rodriguez coped as best he could, but his drinking and drug use, in the wrong place at the wrong times led to his incarceration in California's prison system for young offenders. Against all odds, he put his past behind him, married and had a family, and worked hard to overcome injustices and start a successful business. After his retirement Rodriguez began writing about his life and his family. This book is sequel to East Side Dreams (Dream House, 2001, published in Spanish as Sueños del Lado Este. In this second autobiographical book, he writes about childhood pranks and misdeeds, his mother's near fatal illness, his parent's divorce, the birth of his first child, and how his parents even eventually became friends.
The writing here is unpolished but sincere in true, and the reminiscences and descriptions are vivid and true to life. Neither how he grew to understand his father and other relatives whom he loved despite their flaws. His message for young readers is clear. It is possible to survived and overcome injustices and hardships. Rodriguez maintains a Web site at www EastSideDreams. com and invites readers to visit, view his picture alum, and perhaps send him an e-message. He will answer.-Sherry York Voice of Youth Advocates Magazine

The Midwest Book Review. May 7, 2002
East Side Dreams by Art Rodriguez is full of energy and the struggles that the author himself endured while growing up on the east side of San Jose, California in 1966.
I enjoyed reading this inspirational novel derived from the memories of a teenager who is now a mature and successful businessman.
East Side Dreams has been translated into Spanish to reach the Spanish speaking population in the United States.
As I read the troubling times of Art Rodriguez I couldn't relate to many of his predicaments, but I certainly felt compassion toward him and thanked God for my "normal" life. Mr. Rodriguez touches your heart as you read his passionate book of self-taught lessons.
As you read East Side Dreams, which captures the hopelessness of growing up with an unpleasant childhood, keep in mind that this life drove the author to his true passion-writing!
The author, Art Rodriguez has been honored by the New York Library System to be on the "2001 Books for Teenage List" for his book East Side Dreams. He was also given "The Mariposa Award-Best First Book" at the Latino Literary Hall of fame for this same book. Bravo! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and encourage young readers to read it, as there are plenty to learn from this book. It will bring tears to your eyes.

James A. Cox
Editor-in -Chief
The Midwest Book Review.

East Side Dreams is the debut book and memoir Art Rodriguez, of a Latino American who survived growing up on the rough side, at odds with a dictatorial father, and once an inmate of the California Youth Authority -- a prison system for young lawbreakers. Reflections on both happy and miserable times of his childhood, growing up, learning maturity and finally making a comfortable life for himself fill this heartfelt and revealing personal testimony. Highly recommended reading for young adults, East Side Dreams has justly earned the distinctions of being named the "Best First Book of the Latino Literary Hall of Fame", and has been honored as one of 200 Best Teenage Books in the United States by the New York Public Library System.

My son who is 21 came home with this book and said Mom you have got to read this book it is so good. So I said o.k. mejio let me read it! When I started to ready it it brought back so many memories (I grew up in the East Side of San Jose) and most of the things he was talking about I lived it. I laughed and cried and could not put down the book. This is a great book for all ages. After I got done reading it I gave it to my Father to read and he enjoyed it too.

Art Rodriguez takes us to jail with him so that we never need to go. He sits us next to him in his cell with nothing left to do but sit and remember. We try with him to connect the memories to being imprisoned, but there is no connection at all.

Although Art had an abusive father, he never once cites this as a reason for his violent behavior. He was a kid that made poor choices and got what he deserved. He blames no one but himself, and it is with this realization of responsibility that Art turns his life around. He went from street punk to a successful business man, a supportive father and an award winning author. He shows us that people can change and that bad mistakes are not the end of your life unless you allow them to be. Art Rodriguez is the silent roll model all troubled children are looking for.

This book is a great experience for audiences young and old. Buy it and read it.

Very good book for kids who love dragons. We read this book many times, and my son still asks for more. The pictures are marvelous.

I was immediately drawn to the beautiful artwork of this book. The cover page was so very descriptive. The illustrations throughout the book are wonderful and very little text is needed to complement the art of the pictures. On the discovery of the egg in the henhouse, George takes the egg to his bedroom to keep it warm and safe until it hatches, reading to the egg all the while. George seems to believe that the egg can hear his words and continues to read to the egg. On hatching George continues to read to the dragon before bed each night after training the dragon during the day in dragonly characteristics. Reading plays an important part in the book, and is a good example to be setting for young people enjoying this book. The storyline and most especially the beautiful illustrations make this a really fantastic book for the young adventurer. All that is needed is an imagination and a sense of adventure to enjoy this book.

The Egg has some of the most beautiful drawings I have seen in a modern children's book. Even I found myself caught up in them.

The story is very pleasing as well. My son enjoyed learning about dragons and their "dragony ways." Although he was somewhat saddened at the end as he could not understand the need for the separation.

In all the books I have read, there has only been a few that have captured my attention and actually held it. But I have found what I have come to call a books soul or in simpler terms a books meaning. Yes this book was probably written for a young person, to put them to sleep or to just keep them occupied. But to a dragon lover this book is much more. It is in a way a ticket to another world. A world in which the imagination can be free to explore the deepest and darkest corners of the universe without being restrained by reality.
In this remarkable book there is a young boy, whose name is George, who discovers a large egg. After the egg hatches he and the dragon become great friends and they teach each other the importance of having a friend. While George teaches his new found friend all he could about being a dragon he couldn't give his friend one thing, another dragon to play with. If you want to find out what happens to this special young boy and his mystical flying friend than you want to read the book The Egg, by: M. P. Robertson.

Robertson, M.P. The Egg. New York: Phyllis Fogelman, 2001.

In The Egg, a little boy named George finds an enormous golden egg in his mother's chicken coop. He takes care of the egg until much to his surprise, it hatches into a dragon! George takes good care of the dragon until one day it leaves to find its own dragon kind. The little boy is sad and misses his good friend but receives a great surprise in the end that helps him deal with the fact that the dragon has to leave.
The Egg conveys a breakthrough in modern stereotypes. The big issue in this story that breaks through is the fact that a male character is doing the stereotypical "mothering." Starting at the very beginning of this story, the narrator stresses maternity and nurturing. Most of this is done through text but some through illustration. Most of the action pictures in this story take place on the right side of the page, setting up the anticipation of action on the next page. George finds an egg that a hen has laid, sits on top of, and keeps warm and protected in the hen house. In the full-page spread when George takes the egg inside, he immediately sits on top of it to keep it warm in his bed. In addition, the integral parts of the story, in which the dramatic action takes place between George and the dragon, and is very important for the flow of the story, appears as a full page of color with no white showing. When the author is trying to get a reader to focus on one thought or sentence, which is not as important or outstanding, he puts a small, colorful picture in the middle of a white page in order to draw your attention. George mimics the hen and takes care of the egg like he thinks a good mother would do with her young. The series of four pictures on the next page shows the egg hatching and George being pleasantly surprised that it is a dragon!
The first main time in the book when George obviously breaks through a modern stereotype is when the egg hatches, and the dragon says his first word to George: "mommy." This is taken to mean that the dragon wants the boy to be his mother, and George proceeds to take care of him like he thinks mothers do. George has obviously only ever been exposed to the traditional type of female mother figure; therefore these experiences shapes his behavior with the dragon. This is a prime example of how George breaks down traditional stereotypes because he is exhibiting a behavior that he has only learned, but does the job of "mother" so well that the dragon thinks that he is a mother. The narrator comments, "George had never been a mother before, but he knew that it was his motherly duty to teach the dragon dragony ways." Another series of pictures shows and describes how George teaches the dragon to fly, breath fire, help a damsel in distress, and defeat a knight. These lessons are synonymous with the integral and important things for dragons to know, and each one is taught to him by his "mommy." Again, George is "mothering" the dragon the only way he knows how; a way he learned from a woman, the central caregiver he has observed, and it makes no difference that he is male because he is only coping a behavior pattern. If George is the example, gender has nothing to do with good parenting.
The point in the story when George makes the largest noticeable break in stereotypical behavior, is a line that comes toward the end of the story. On a full color page, which makes it seem important, appears a night scene of the dragon and the little boy in a tree. It reads, "Every evening, as all good mothers should, George read the dragon a bedtime story." This is a great example of the proof that the behaviors he is exhibiting are stereotypical to female mothers. This indicates what a "good mother" does, but George, a male, does the "natural" things that mothers do, only he is a male. The great thing about this book is that a non-traditional character plays a traditional role. A male can be just as good a mother as a female simply because he has learned to reproduce mothering behavior. This book does a good job of showing that you do not need to be a female in order to be the picture of motherhood, you only need kindness, care and unconditional love associated with good mothering and learned rather than innate behaviors. All in all, this was simply a good, easy picture book for children, but it has a certain deeper context that we may not even notice until a child thinks it odd that a boy is doing the "motherly" jobs.

If you care about living long and well, this is the book for you. When I saw it at my local bookstore it literally jumped off the shelf. You can't always judge a book by its cover, but in this case the contents lived up to the promise on the jacket, "What Really Determines How Long You Live."
There are many things that I could say about this exceptional book. The most important is that at a time when we are deluged by the latest hype on health and happiness, this book, by one of the premier researchers in the country, gives us the real facts about holistic health.
I've been working in this field for 38 years and consider myself one of the experts, but I learned new things in every chapter.
At a time when Gender Medicine is emerging as a new field of health, this book gives us the facts to help us understand why men continue to live sicker and die sooner. It doesn't have to be that way. We can all improve how long and how joyfully we live.
If you buy one book this year on Mind/Body/Spirit, make it Emotional Longevity. You'll be glad you did.
I have been working in the area of Gender Medicine and writing books on men's health for the last 35 years. Among the 7 books I have written, Male Menopause has been a best-seller and has now been translated into 16 foreign languages. My new book, The Irritable Male Syndrome will be published next year.

What one should take from this book is that health means balance is all areas of one's life. We are social animals and obviously our emotional well-being influences our longevity. A great book!

An eye-opening look at the synergy between emotions and longevity. In the deluge of "let's just be happy" rather superficial books, this one is a refreshing departure from that norm.

Written by a leader in his field, Dr. Anderson does not negate the biological determinants affecting longevity. But drawing on his work as the CEO of the American Psychological Association as well as numerous studies, he paints a compelling picture of the actual links between emotions, beliefs and one's social environment and their effect on one's health and subsequent death. He also cites the many studies that show how these same factors influence our vulnerability to everything from the common cold to heart disease. The book is written in an understandable style and features vignettes of prominent people, such as Maya Angelou, Terry Fox and Linda Ellerbee to add a more personal touch to his scientific presentations and findings.

This is a book that will give you a most compelling reason to try and change your life and your way of living. It can indeed be a matter of life or death or at the very least a significant factor in the quality of your life.

Emotional Longevity explores the dimensions of health and well being in a unique and refreshing way. Though based on research, it offers a refreshing (and understandable) perspective differentiating it from other books of this genre. It clearly defines and illustrates how each of the elements affecting longevity play out in our lives and in the lives of our children. It juxtaposes science with vignettes, making it not only informative but compelling as well. It is an insightful and contemplative "must read."

...

When I picked this book up, I thought for sure that there was nothing else to be learned, but I was completely wrong. For once, this book is backed by scientific research and the results are shown for experiments such as positive and negative outlooks, overcoming illness, likelihood to die early, the list goes on and on. 'Emotional Longevity' does not indicate the length of an emotion, but rather teaches us to view things in a light that will produce a much higher quality of life, and will ultimately lead to a much healthier, longer, and more fulfilling, realistic lifestyle. I know it sounds cliche, but it's true. And it's different from all the others to boot.

Highly recommended from a person who highly needs good books like this. :) (Who doesn't?)

J.P. Miller has an interesting background. He spent twenty-one years in Naval Intelligence as an expert cryptologist, which makes him eminently suited to create mysteries and puzzles. He is also a linguist, skydiver, and traveler. His areas of expertise also include criminal justice and medicine. He presently teaches aviation survival to pilots and aircrews.

Detective D.J. O'Hara operates out of the 12th District in the Northeast corner of Philadelphia. He's been on the force almost long enough to retire, and is presently dating and considering marriage to Kristen, who is trying to extricate herself from an abusive husband. Life is going fairly well, until a serial killer begins his spree in D.J.'s territory. D.J. narrates the story, and he includes lots of refreshing tidbits about police procedural that are entertaining and informative for the reader:

"It wasn't surprising that Ray didn't discover a cartridge case. The killer's weapon was probably a revolver, and revolvers don't eject the bullet case. Another explanation was simply that the perp picked it up. However, when someone commits murder, they usually don't take time to retrieve the hardware. After firing they get the hell out of Dodge."

D.J. is, thankfully, not an alcoholic. Please, writers, stop that overused convention! He is a cuddly but tough cop who has already "made his reputation." He has believable, normal problems: a daughter he adores who is probably going to have to move; whether to propose to his girl; how to take care of her abusive ex-husband. These are the things of everyday life that people want to read about. This makes Facedown in Fishtown a readable, fun book. D.J. is just enough of a smart-aleck (his conversations with his partner Manny are hilarious) to be the kind of guy who is engaging and heroic in an ordinary day-by-day way.

J.P. Miller does not shirk on details. Every step of the hunt for a serial killer with enough rage to take on an army is logical. The narrative which takes the reader into the mind of the killer (not an easy thing to do) is also straight-ahead and compelling. Facedown in Fishtown is brilliant!

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer

It's the details that get you ... the author's obvious familiarity with forensics and the worldwide locations keeps you engrosed. I'm looking forward to more from this author.

Miller is a gifted storyteller whose powerful narrative unfolds through his vivid depictions of an inner-city Philadelphia cop and a seemingly unsolvable mystery that takes the reader from the City of Brotherly Love to the streets of beautiful Bucharest.
Miller spins a riveting tale of gritty Philadelphia cop, DJ O'Hara as he trails a peculiar serial killer. The short chapters make this a fast read and a thrilling ride! This is a great read!!

This is a great book. If you like police shows such as Law and Order this book is for you. The author follows the reality of police work in how exciting it can be, but he also shows the down time and how hard a "lead" can be to follow. This book is a page turner, and I couldn't put it down once I started.

Riveting! Has the big city feel! This gritty written book posses the power to keep you glued to the pages. Very informative in Crime Scene Investigation and Forensic Science. Shows alot of investigative research that is missing in alot of todays murder mysteries. Very well written and easy to keep up with. Is a very good page turner with some good twist. Highly Recommended!

I first read this book when I was in elemetary school. I had borrowed my father's copy, and now, 25 years later, it is held together with a rubber band required after numerous re-readings. I was fortunate to read this book before most of my math studies and these tales certainly enhanced and enriched my math experience later on. Like math or not, these are wonderful tales of fantasy, science fiction, of math. I plan to buy a new copy with a fresh binding to give to my son to read as soon as possible.

The mathematics behind the fiction in this book is not deep and often reaches the level of the absurd. Mathematical jargon is (mis)used throughout, if you know the mathematical principles being cited, it will be difficult for you to avoid mentally reciting the mantra, "Ridiculous, ridiculous, ridiculous." Nevertheless it is very fun to read, the stories possess a whimsical quality that will tickle the funny bones of everyone who is willing to relax their mathematical rigidity for a moment. This is due to the general quality of the writing, which is excellent, combined with the humor inherent in seriousness gone effectively awry. This book is the perfect way for a mathematician to respond to a personal need to "lighten up."

What a relief to open the pages of this book. I approach mathematics as a subject necessary, but always painful, to learn. Dare I say I love this book? Some of the short stories are humorous, some are endearing, some have common characters. All deal with mathematics in one way or another. Fadiman's book succeeded where so many others failed--it interested me.

A LIFE LEARNING POINT: This book closely tied math with imagination and fantasy--a connection never clearly drawn in my public education. I think, though, that it's very important to present mathematics as the language for interpreting the world that it is...rather than as a cold and mostly irrelevant subject to get C minuses in! IT MADE MATH EXCITING. Yikes, did I say that? It is another way to know why your baseball is going to break the window, how to build a spaceship in your back yard, and how to teleport to Argentina in 0 seconds flat.

A real tangible benefit to reading this book was learning the derivation of Pythagoras' Theorom. Not to sound like an idiot, but I think most of us went through high school geometry having no clue where a2 + b2 = c2 came from. In two pages, this book explained it so clearly to me that I laughed out loud. IF ONLY THEY USED THIS TO TEACH ME INSTEAD OF A BRUTAL MATH BOOK!

This book is worth it in Hard Cover or Paperback. Own it and you too can open up to your closest friends and admit you liked a book about math...

You don't have to be mathematically inclined to enjoy this collection, but it helps. On the other hand, if you take your math too seriously, this book may go right under your head. This anthology was first assembled in 1958, with some stories dating back to the 1920s, so some of the accounts of how machines could be used in the future now make one want to say, "If only you knew". Some of the best stories, however, are timeless. Section 2 (Imaginaries) is the best; my favorites are A Subway Named Moebius, And He Built a Crooked House, A Botts and the Moebius Strip, The Captured Cross-Section, and No-Sided Professor. A science-fiction writer friend once pooh-poohed this collection as amateurish sci-fi, but the rest of us will love it. It's great to have it back in print.

i have a very old copy that belonged to my uncle, a math proffessor...and i would recommend this to anyone who enjoys math and science fiction...it is great even for those who dont understand in depth math concepts because everything is at a level that most will understand. I first read at age 12, and i liked it then and still do. READ IT!!!!!

Michael Williams' book, "Far As The Curse Is Found" is packed with vital insight into covenantal thinking into. What makes it interesting for the reader is the unpacking of the contents; and there is plenty to unpack--from God's redemptive plan to God's working in history and how this ties to his covenant relationships. Where does one start to organize all of the concepts and ideas presented here? The book itself walks through the Old and New Testaments presenting the covenants in succession along with Israel's failures to keep each of them. Another way to approach this material might be to lump content into the four key categories of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation. This pattern works not only as an outline of "Far As The Curse Is Found" but can be seen as the overarching storyline for the Bible itself. How I found myself organizing the ideas presented in this book was lumping things into key thematic ideas, such as: Jesus, creation, fall, mission, name, blessing, identity, land, God.

Jesus - Williams begins with Christ. Why? Because "Jesus is the key to the story." (2) Jesus is the context upon which the rest of this book hinges. He is the fulfillment of the promise. He is our new covenant representative. He is the one who lets us in. He is a real man with a real history who also had real relationships with real people; in fact, he continues to have real relationships with real people today because he really is God. He is the fulfillment of the promise that "God would come to his people, that he would come and dwell with his people, that he would come and stay." (7) Christ is the connector that links the Old Testament with the New; and the covenants of old with the new covenant.

Creation - Creation is that which gives us the means of understanding our identity as image-bearers. What we see is that God longs for relationship with Adam. Just as God longs for relationship with us. I like how Williams talks about sin as an invader, something unnatural that enters into the picture. This provides context then for the preservation of creation that comes out of the Flood; and enables the restoration of that creation and God's relationship with it which will happen on the occasion of the 2nd advent of Christ.

Fall - With the creation of humankind God bestowed upon them the freedom to obey or disobey. (50) What we sometimes fail to see through the first sin is how radically our response to God impacts other creatures. Williams shows us how the whole episode involving the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil warns of the most serious penalty for covenant unfaithfulness (51). "God's creation did and can not exist without evil of sin. To recognize that something is wrong with us presupposes an order of right, a way things out to be." (65) I had never really though of the fall in this light. Scripture passages such as Genesis 3:15 "I will put enmity between you and the woman" show how the relationship between man and creation was knocked off kilter at the fall. What I have failed to perceive, until it was pointed out in this book, is how this even sets in place the longing of God for things to return to what they were, to the way they were supposed to be; the way things were intended by his divine design. One day God will "return fallen humanity to the integrity of Eden." In relation to the fall we might also turn to William's discussion of the "Decalogue" which addresses humanities fundamental covenant duty. (162) It was failures to keep God's covenant by which all creation was subjected to corruption by the fall of Adam.

Mission - What is God trying to achieve by establishing covenants with men? Why do men continuously fail in keeping the covenants? The answer lies in the fall. With the fall we are corrupted. What God attempts to do over and over again is to deliver us from this corruption. This calls to mind Moses' delivery of his people out of Egypt. God knows that men will not be able to keep their end of the bargain. Through this knowledge he sets into motion his own plan for redemption that will ultimately lead to Christ's delivering us from sin. The mission is one of restoration of our relationship with him. In "Far As The Curse Is Found" we are told that the restoration viewed in Jesus' bodily resurrection, is links to "the restoration of creation." In the resurrection we see "God's absolute promise that he will be victorious over sin and death and will reclaim his fallen creation in the glory of Christ's return. God promises redemption; and the fulfillment through Christ.

Name - Israel is the name of God's people who emerge through the covenant with Abraham. The discussion of "name," of "nation," of "people" and of the "church" (ekklesia) in some ways blur together. We think of name in terms of identity, something I'll discuss more below. Here I'd like to think of name as the tie to the divine. William's explains how Israel and the church proper are connected by Christ. The name Yahweh is the divine name which "confirms God's promise of redemption." (27) Israel is the name God gives his Covenant people. It is interesting that William's points out how the people did not make a name for themselves as they did at Babel. (109, 110) In the latter portion of the book, Williams shows Jesus as true Israel. Throughout the book Jesus is seen as the conduit which joins up the elements of this covenant story. He is the vital key and link between the old and new covenants. I was surprised to see how this comes up in Hebrews 8:10 where Paul says, "the time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel." This is new to me, thinking of those who follow Christ as continuing the name, Israel.

Blessing - God's blessings are clear in Abrahamic covenant along with the promises to make of him a great nation, and a great name. "God chooses Israel out of nothing but his good pleasure." God will renew, purify and cleanse this world of sin; he will give us new bodies and place us in a world renewed. (273) God's blessing seems evidently clear as he continuously delivers man from the destructive patterns of sin which emerge with each breaking of a covenant promise. Man's failure to keep his end of the bargain makes it clear that we cannot live up to our original design to be God's vice regents of the kingdom. Out of the fall we experience a change in identity.

Identity - What is the identity of the people of God? Certainly our true identities with manifest in consummation . God himself, through events in Exodus, tells his people who he is. (42) Part of our identity is wrapped up in who we are as a nation under God, so to speak; as "a people bound together by geography, speech, religion, and culture...common descent, history, and experience." (112) To be a "nation" is to be a cultural force. We as God's children are called out ones. Under the category of "identity" we might also fold in an understanding of church and the blessings it inherits as the successor to Israel. God calls the church to be a royal priesthood and holy nation. (254) To see the passage in 1 Peter 2:9 echo Genesis 12:2 was new to me. Paired with the passage in Hebrews it opened my eyes to see the place of the church today as the "new temple;" and to see how it falls in line with the covenants of old. "The church is the people of God, called to live out and proclaim the kingdom. The focusing point of this kingdom is the focus on the church." (265)

Land - "Abraham is called to the land that Yahweh will show him." The land of Canaan becomes "central to the redemptive mission for which Abraham was chosen" (115) In the Davidic covenant God says, "I will provide a place for my people Israel." "The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you." There is this whole idea of place. God's promises to David echo those to Abraham in dealing with people and land.

God - Ultimately it all comes back to God. "the anchor of the believer's existence is neither the people point nor the land point...It is God....Christ is our anchor. Our hope is not so much in the restoration of creation but in Jesus Christ."

These key themes are by no way comprehensive, but for me these are the broad headings which arose from my notes as I sought to unpack Michael Williams' unfolding of Covenant Theology in "Far As The Curse Is Found." The biggest overall idea that was driven home for me is the rich identity we inherit as Christians through the name, Israel. This is an identity we can only truly understand if we spend time studying the path from the first Adam to the second Adam. I would be remiss not to mention the idea of "hope." While the hope for what is yet to come, the eschaton, is not the main focus of this paper, it is something Williams does spend some time on towards the end of the book where once more it is made clear that God's eternal plan all hinges not on land, nation, name or blessing - but on Jesus Christ.

THIS BOOK IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER RECEIVED FROM AMZAZON. THE BOOK ARRIVED ON TIME BEFORE CLASS AND IT WAS PROFOUND THEOLOGICAL WORK FROM WILLIAMS. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL CHRISTIAN, LAY PERSON, CLERGY OR ACEDAMIAN. PROFOUND BOOK ON THE SUBJECT OF BIBLICAL THEOLOGY.

'Outside of God's gracious redemption, we will not read aright His revelation in His creation.' pg 21

We have had a lot of time to reflect on the drama of redemption and comment on the work and Person of Christ, the lead role in this amazing true life story. And yet many have failed to give due attention to the nature of God's verbal word, His promises deployed throughout the drama, and the measures God took to ratify His covenants with various biblical characters - as a commitment of His faithfulness to His word, and as a display to the vast array of His divine attributes. In this book is revealed the plot of that story line that has been the glue of Covenant theology. Its secures for us the knowledge that this story has One divine author, and one progressive story line, one time-space context, one redeeming purpose and one future grand finale - all culminating in glory, as the Bible reveals to us how God acts in our world, and on our behalf.

'Christianity is a revelatory religion. This means that God has revealed Himself, His ways, and His will most clearly and fully in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. This implies that we expect it to comprise a coherent message within a unified whole.' pg x, Preface

Even our Lord, Jesus Christ, placed His part (and ours) in the history of mankind in a context of covenant, and Paul insists that what he is narrating in this chapter of redemption, he directly received from Christ:

'For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks He broke it and said, 'This is my body broken for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the NEW COVENANT in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' 1 Cor 11 23 - 25

We are, as much as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were, all participants in a covenant initiated by God. Communion is the ordinance that is intended to continuously remind the New Testament church of this means of salvation, this covenant we have cut with God, through Christ's atoning death on the cross. Baptism is the sign of the New Testament believer's death to self, but its significance in its role as a ordinance is contested by various strains who interpret Scripture differently.

'The events of biblical history can become redemptive history only through the witness of the Spirit to the believing community as it responds to the biblical story.' pg 18

What Christians fail to grasp is that God enters into world history to do His saving acts, because of His covenant He cut with men in which He said to them He would. Here we must part ways with many modern and relatively recent interpretations of how God has been pleased to reveal Himself.

Prof Williams connects the three relational offices, within the time frame of the Edenic covenant as: that of man to God, man to creation and man to other humans. He furthers:

'The image of God does not make man unique from the created order, but rather unique within the created order. Man bears God's image for the sake of his calling to rule over and steward creation. Should we miss man's calling, we will miss the purpose of his being in the image of God...for the sake of the whole earth. That God has placed us here in this world and called us in service both to Himself and to His creation means that we can be comfortable with our creaturely status, our undeniable links with the creaturely. Man is made for earth. This world is our home.' pg 60 - 61

Not ultimately, but in God's created order, definitely. Does that not shatter the illusions of many, laying waste their other-worldly claims to 'apostolic' authority and 'heavenly' visions?

'The covenant is not contingent upon human response. The covenant can never depend on man. From this point forwards, God covenants with man not just as image bearer but also as sinner. For a creature in revolt against the divine rule, all overtures of grace are in spite of his fallen nature. God preserves His creation in spite of man. And He redeems in spite of sin.' pg 95

How have we misunderstood God's goodness toward us right from the very beginning!

I'm currently using this book with my weekly small group Bible study and everyone is enjoying and learning from the study.

If you've ever read the Old Testament stories and asked yourself why these stories matter, then this book is for you. It's very readable!

I got the chance to speak with the author last summer and he told me that this book was not designed so much to be a text book, but rather a book that you could give to your mother ... I gave her a copy for Christmas and she's already buying copies to give to her friends.

Williams writes in the theological line of John Murray and Palmer Robertson. The treatment is thorough and balanced, but the virtue of the book is the elegance of Williams' style. This is delightful reading as well as fine biblical theology.