Z Books

Wow, what a book! One of the best I have read in a very long time. The story goes straight to the heart. I had to re-read certain passages over and over again; they were so good. The story is very tender but yet funny and the characters are very much down to earth. I am looking forward to other stories of this author.

I really, really hope there might be a book 2 of Tristan and Michael maybe showing how they do after 10 years into the relationship.

Ursula

There's double the pleasure here - ZA Maxfield's prose is a delight to read, very witty and sharp, but never cutting. The main theme of the story is the maturing love affair between Michael and Tristan, but her style has you following them all the way, the pace just right for the reader to enjoy the characters and still find a plot. And the other delight is the characterisation, the guys are such fun! I like especially the way she writes dialogue, one minute they're bantering with each other, next minute they're almost incoherent with emotion. Devotion might sound like a sappy word, but I don't mean that here, it describes the respect they have for each other, and there's no unnecessary angst for the sake of it - they *like* being with each other! That's refreshing in a romance book sometimes. I thought it was well balanced, too, I felt as sympathetic to each of them and their families and work situation. Tristan is cheeky and bold and outspoken, Michael is more mature, confident, protective and downright cute. Oh and the love scenes are...hot and sensitive and even more fun! :)
Now I have to go and re-read it! Enjoy!

Five stars, three "hots": hot cop, hot kid (but legal) and hot romance. The other reviewers tell all you want to know about the storyline, so I won't go there. The fun is in the stereotypical process of boy meets man, boy falls in love with man (who's already in love with boy), while generating lots of hot romance and sex and eventually a strong relationship (with some traffic bumps along the way). It's in the middle of the gay male romance genre, but it's fun and a pleasant read, good characters and a hot stereotype gay cop. Go for it.

Tristan is all about having fun as a college student, but he never forgets his family, especially since his father died. Tristan is also trying to figure out why, after a long string of girlfriends offering as much sex as he wants, he is still vaguely unsatisfied. So, Tristan figures its time to take a walk on the wild side and try sex with a man and see if it's any different. So armed with The Plan, Tristan hits the neighboring Borders store and picks up just about every available gay title and sits himself down in the café to see what he can catch. However, he didn't count on Officer Helmet, the bane of his existence, being there and offering, through text messaging, no less, color commentary on all the men that approach Tristan. So as Tristan is ready to admit defeat and give up on The Plan netting him a walk on the wild side, he finds himself somehow being picked up by none other than Michael Truax - Officer Helmet!

Michael Truax has been trying to catch Tristan to give him another ticket and check him out now that he is legal and maybe give him another ticket, just for kicks. But what started as a friendly, and safe, offer to introduce Tristan into the joys of gay sex, quickly turns into something more - especially since Michael has had his eye on Tristan for a long time. But Tristan is nineteen, almost ten years younger than Michael, and Michael fears that Tristan will break his heart when he eventually leaves to experiment with other men or go back to girls. However, despite the age difference and their different lifestyles, somehow Michael and Tristan manage to make it work - for a while. Because when Michael is seriously injured on the job, Tristan isn't so sure he could survive the death of another person close to him. Can Michael convince Tristan that he is worth the chance?

Tristan is so young and not really ready to settle down - even if he is head over heels in love, but Michael is old enough that that is exactly what he wants with Tristan. Can Michael wait for Tristan to grow up a little and can Tristan trust that Michael will keep his heart safe?

I think that I have become a Z.A. Maxfield fan for life! Crossing Borders is a funny, sensual, romantic read which is, of course, scorchingly hot. Tristan and Michael pack so much emotion and sensuality into each and every encounter that you share their impatience when waiting for them to have time to be together again. Tristan is young, impulsive, impetuous and so completely charming and loyal that you will be charmed by him on his very first appearance, but the strongest trait that makes Tristan an unforgettable character is his complete earnestness with and about himself and what he wants. Michael is old enough to be cautious, and experienced enough, to guide Tristan during his exploration of his desire for men. But when love comes into the equation, Michael will steal your heart completely as he, oh so carefully, reveals this truth to Tristan and waits with baited breath for Tristan's reaction. These two and their story are so memorable and compelling that I can almost guarantee that you will be reading their story more than once and eagerly awaiting Z.A. Maxfield's next book. Crossing Borders is the perfect read when you are looking for a great romance that will heat you up, melt your heart and wring a tear or two before it's over. I Joyfully Recommend Crossing Borders - it's a book that will keep you up well into the night because you will want to finish it all in one sitting and you will resent all intrusions that pull you away from Tristan and Michael. Get Crossing Borders by Z.A. Maxfield today, you won't regret it!

Sabella
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

This one was a certain to-buy-book: first it's a may/december relationship and I love it, second it's a Loose Id LGBT book and with rare exception I buy all of them (but this doesn't mean that I read all of them...), third it has a young character, probably virgin, and I'm very naughty about it... Plus, and I'm sincere about that, after deciding that I would buy it, I discovered that it was the first book of one of my LJ friends (I recognized the cover) and so one more reason, since I followed all the gestation (how I missed that it would be out with Loose Id, I don't know, but my brain sometime lose a chip here and there).

When I first opened it, thinking to read it on a session before sleep, I had a little surprise: it was 300 pages long, no way I could read it in one night. And another concern was: it is enough good to keep my attention for so much pages? The answer is yes: the book is funny and compelling and if not for my body need of sleeping, I wouldn't put it down till the end. But as soon as I had the time to end it, it was my first thing in the to do list!

Tristan is a 19 years old horny guy... well, poor boy, horny maybe is a strong word, but it's exactly what he is. At fourteen years old Tristan was wondering if he liked girls or boys, but since he was a very cute boy, and girls are smarter then boys at that age, all the girls around caught him before he was able to catch a boy. And so for the next five years Tristan enjoyed the life and the girls... but now he is arrived at a point where he is able to discern, and sexual release is not the only thing he wants. He is finally ready to admit that he is attracted by men, and a man he wants... being around all that girls has taught him a lot of things, above all that the better place to drag is a bookstore. And since he wants to draw a man, what better place that the gay section?

On his very first expedition, Tristan gets lucky... maybe... since the man he hooks up is Officer Michael Truax, the young cop who patrols the neighbor and that always preaches him about being a good boy. But Michael is also a very sexy guy, 27 years old and friendly when he is not on duty. Soon Tristan is ready to forget that Michael is a cop, to enjoy the fact that he is a gay man willing to teach him a thing or two on how it should be the life of a healthy gay man. What it starts like a funny thing soon becomes the real thing, and Tristan has to decide if he is ready for it: no doubt that he is in love with the man, but he is still a 19 years old boy at his very first experience on the "dark" side... maybe he needs to consider other ways, before setting for true?

In this book there is the right dose of awareness that being a gay man today is not always simple, but luckily our two characters don't fight too much to find their way in the world; reality is there, right behind them, and sometime it makes its appearance, but all in all, it leaves them free to enjoy their love.

Michael is a very nice character. Strong, good, tender and caring... and wealthy! A good son, loving with his mother, and a good boy, always ready to offer an hand or an ear. Maybe he is not a man easy to fire up, but he is always "warm"; and he has passion inside: he doesn't deny his desires and his needs; he was attracted to Tristan since the guy was 17 years old but obviously he has never act on his passion since the moment the boy is legal and willing; but as soon as he understands that the boy is ready to be pick up, he is there in front line: no regrets on being too old or on gives him space to test his newfound sexuality, if someone needs to teach something to Tristan, it will be him.

Tristan is a joy to read. He is funny, sweet and sexy. He is clearly a boy with a great spirit and a loving family behind him. He was raised in good way, and he has strong values; he knows what is right and what is wrong; life maybe has put him in front of some obstacles (he lost his father 2 years before), but all in all he walks in steady grounds. And so he can enjoy life, and makes enjoy it also to you, with a freedom that is refreshening.

The story of Michael and Tristan is funny and sexy. There is a lot of sex, but it's always light and not angst: it is almost like you savor it with the same joy and sense of discovery that is of Tristan.

Can't say enough good things. We didn't want to put it down.
Just try it. There's never a dull moment.

Just a quick note: Homocide books and baseball aren't my thing-- I've never even seen a baseball game-- but this book is compelling! Check it out!

The enjoyment of Lewin's first historical novel should not be reserved for adolescents. Within his two-continent, three-generational panorama, the intermingled tales of Jacky and her grandmother make compelling reading for adults. In plot and setting, the novel gives us Lewin the storyteller at his most expansive. To control such a large canvas, he limits the point of view to that of his naïve protagonists. For that reason, the cast of characters may lack depth, but the breadth is impressive. In a world of harsh cruelty and unexpected kindness, Jacky's success based on fortitude and personal integrity contrasts effectively with her grandmother's darker story. Cutting Loose reveals Lewin's versatility and scope. You don't need to be young to find it fascinating.

The action-packed thriller is a master-peice! It combines history, baseball, and murder into a melting pot of profound and insightful literature. It follows the life of a young woman, Jaqueline, or Jacky. She dresses up as a boy so that the other kids let her play baseball. But when her famous baseball playing father is murdered in cold blood by a fellow team mate she sts out to avente her faqthers death, and of course, play baseball. However, at ten is not about to let her wander around the country unattended. So she is shipped off to a farm in the midwest. There, she meets her best freind, Mattie. Tired of the opressive farm life the two escape to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Happiness is short lived, however. Mattie is murdered by the knife act. Now Jacky must avenge two murders: Mattie's and her father's. From the Pruple Mountain's Majesty of the Rockey Mountains, to the sweeping Great Plains, to the gothic streets of New York, to the dark, dank sewers of London, where in the shadows, a killer waits. And at every possible place, baseball. This books is a roller-coaster ride of excitement! I loved it, and I guarentee that you will, too!

This book is fast-paced and extremely interesting. It is well written and the characters are very well developed. Jackie, the main character is a professional baseball player who dresses as a man so she can play. She is on the search for her best and only friend's murderer, however a professional detective is sure that Jackie is the murderer and sets off in pursuit of her. There is another story woven into the story as well. I would reccomend this book to mature middle school students.

If fairy tales were historically accurate, they would read like DAWN WIND. Once upon a time during the Saxon conquest of Britain, there was a boy named Owain who, along with a war hound, was the sole survivor of the battle of Aquae Sulis. While searching for any remnant of the British host, he discovers a young girl, Regina, alone in a sacked and ruined city. As they attempt to escape to the safety of the British settlement in Gaul, Regina falls deathly ill, and Owain's only hope of saving her is a nearby Saxon homestead. The Saxons agree to care for her, but in return they sell Owain into slavery. This is Owain's story and his journey through darkness to find hope on the dawn wind.

The writing is languid and poetic without being flowery. The prose is subtly peppered with authentic details of 6th century life that enrich the tale without ever becoming a cumbersome archeological treatise. Despite its length, the story flows effortlessly.

It is an incredible shame that DAWN WIND and so many of Rosemary Sutcliff's other works are now out of print. With the right bit of marketing and new, sleeker, cover art (perhaps by Brett Helquist who recently lent his talents to the re-released Green Knowe Chronicles), the readers who cut their teeth on series like The Time Warp Trio, The Magic Tree House, Tales from the Odyssey, and Dear America would fall in love with Sutcliff's historical fiction. Rosemary Sutcliff is a master storyteller to say the very least.

Rosemary Sutcliff creates such a beloved character in Owain. His endurance and love for others when he could have been bitter make him my favorite Sutcliff hero. I sincerely hope this book will be reprinted soon along with the rest of her out of print work.

This is another great book in the D'Aguillon family series. I've been reading this book at intervals for at least 20 years. I still look to Owen as one of the greatest heroes I've ever read.

As a 14-year-old boy, Owen participates in a battle which kills not only his father but everyone he knows. It is the last stand of the British people against the Saxon invaders.

The story of how Owen re-builds his life amongst enemies and strangers while finding, losing, and finally finding again the love of his life is full of heroism and plot twists.

I highly recommend it.

Rosemary Sutcliff wrote primarily for a young adult audience, but many folks well past their teens love her stories of the making of Britain. I echo previous reviewers: Dawn Wind deserves reprinting. The characters and plot are memorable; once you read it, you will not forget Owain. The book's themes of loyalty and unselfishness are timeless.

Sutcliff transferred her love of British history directly into her writing. Through her books, readers learn about the Roman Legions' stay, and how the Angles, Saxons, Picts, and Normans fought over and eventually settled Britain. In Dawn Wind she uses some of my favorite "Sutcliff words": garth, kist, bothie, gleeds, kirtle.

To publishers: Less than half of Rosemary Sutcliff's books are readily available. Gems like Dawn Wind, Knight's Fee, The Shield Ring, Frontier Wolf, The Mark of the Horse Lord, and Sword at Sunset (King Arthur for adults) deserve to be in print. Check other reviews. Many readers love this author and would welcome new editions of her out-of-print titles.

This is one of the best books Rosemary Sutcliff wrote. It is a crime that it is out of print. It belongs with the "Eagle of the Ninth", "The Silver Branch", and "The Lantern Bearers" as the continuation of the tale of the Roman family of the silver ring with the flawed emerald (which I believe also turns up in "Knight's Fee"). It is a wonderful tale of faith, loyalty and a beautiful love story to boot. All is told as you grow up with Owain from the last stand of the Roman remnants in Britain where the story opens on a deserted moonlit battlefield, through his voluntary enslavement, and eventual freedom on another battlefield. If you can find it - read it and give it to your young adults. Other great books by this author are "Knight's Fee" and "Warrior Scarlet".

This book is amazing! . As a DBA , I keep on referring this book again & again . It has very useful information & can be used by anyone who wants a really good understanding of DB2

Cheers to the author for writing such a wonderful book!

This book excels in clarity , depth and the number of topics covered . The questions at the end of the chapters are helpful too .
Also , anyone preparing for the DB2 Certification ( for OS/390 ) would benefit from this .

DB2 for Z/OS and Os/390 Development for Performance (Volume 1&2
by Gabrielle Wiorkowski

This book is extremely helpful for all levels of DBAs, system programmers and DB2 developers. It is most comprehensive and includes all features of v.6 and v.7.
At our shop, we have always used Gabriell's book for all releases
of DB2. This particular edition is very helpful, in the sense it is a text book for all levels and all parts of DB2 world.
Anytime in question, we look it up in this book for answer.

I will recommend this book as a must for DB2 tech team.

I've believed for some time that Gabrielle Wiorkowski knows as much as, or more than, anyone outside of IBM's DB2 development team about DB2's use of indexes, optimization, and other aspects of performance. This book is based on what she has learned, her direct experiences, and the experiences of other DB2 professionals with whom she comes in contact. ... It is you, the administrator, database designer, or application developer who applies its capabilities wisely or unwisely. This book provides practical information of use to you today in your job environment. Marilyn Bohl, Vice President, Work Process Systems, San Jose, CA.

Working with DB2 from 1985 forces one to read many books.
Gabrielle's book is the best ever I've read (and use) for DB2 on OS/390 (Z/OS) platform.
Very good explanations, clarity of write and easy to find structure.
I have many other books, but this is my leading (by far) favorite.
If you ever wish to know DB2 - this is the book you must have.

It is IMPOSSIBLE to read this novel and not fall in love with Officer Ludwig (a K-9 German shepherd).

UPDATE: as of August 2008 I have now read all but one of Wambaugh's novels, and of all 13 of them, this is absolutely the best, hands down.

This is Joseph Wambaugh at his best, humorous, suspenseful, and sympathetic to his police characters while not shying away from their faults, foibles, and flaws. In one of his better mysteries, the cops of Rampart Station try to solve the connections between a Nobel Prize, a Russian submarine, a useless credit card, a dead hooker and a similarly deceased sleazy private eye.

Detective Mario Villalobos tries to solve the murder of a young hooker named "Missy Moonbeam" by day while spending his nights drowning his sorrows with a typical Wambaugh cast of police and groupie characters at Leery's Saloon. Larger than life characters such as "The Bad Czech", "Jane Wayne", Ludwig the police dog, and the "Gooned Out Vice Cop" all make appearances. The thing is Wambaugh makes you actually care about these people and their situations. It is obvious that the former policeman turned author still understands and feels a great empathy and affection for the men and women who police our "mean streets".

Villalobos is one of his better drawn characters. A burned out man who drinks too much, he still possesses some great police instincts, and he is not so far gone as some of the suicidal main characters of Wambaugh's darker novels, such THE SECRETS OF HARRY BRIGHT or THE GLITTER DOME. A mixture of serendipitous luck and good police work lead to a surprising twist of a conclusion, but as with most of Wambaugh's best books, the journey and the whacky cast of characters one encounters along the way is actually more important than the destination itself.

Highly recommended. Five plus stars.

Perhaps this should be called the precinct that couldn't shoot straight. A police procedural that is spiced up with a cast of police characters that are bizarre, pathetic, crude and funny. All of them are boozers, meeting nightly at a local tavern to toss a few and exchange wild happenings of the day. Joseph Wambaugh wrote this book in 1982. It has the hip lingo of that era - a reminder of how quickly street talk becomes cliché, nevertheless a fun read. Cops on the beat, especially in L.A, always have weird but entertaining stories to tell. Besides the gritty happenings on LA streets, there are two murders to solve here. Several clever twists keep you interested throughout. A great beach book.

This is no dud, stop looking in the bookstore when you see this title and pick it up. This book moves at the same pace as a cop car running hot. It really is a good read with a lot of inventive characters and situations. There are a lot of police novels out there but this is defiantly one of the top ten percent. You will like the book from the moment you start reading.

My only regret is that I can only give 5 stars to this terrific police procedural by Joseph Wambaugh. There aren't many books that make me grin constantly, even at 5 in the morning! Wambaugh combines zany characters with (what seems like) gritty realism about cops' lives to form a wonderful read. There are strong female and male characters, and enough villains to keep things rolling. Wambaugh's LA is smoggy (dare I say gritty also?) and filled with mean streets; his police officers cope as best they can. I've read and enjoyed other Wambaugh books, but I'd have to say this is #1 (so far). Police Officer Ludwig, in particular, is unforgettable.

I enjoyed this book, but thought it could be a little bit longer. I liked the part where Freeza got sliced up by his own energy disk. The best warrior in the universe did suicide!!! It was fun reading for any Dragon Ball Z fans.

Mirai no Trunks, or Future Trunks, shows up in the new DBZ volume, making the coolest character debut in any anime or manga in existence! The Frieza saga finally ends, and the Androids/Cell saga begin with this volume, as Trunks gives Goku a warning of danger(ps, that's also the title of a DBZ song). So, the Z-senshi, including Kuririn, Tenshinhan, Yamcha, and Chaozu, who all come back from the dead in this volume, train for three years. What will they face?! Will the training be enough? Find out, as the sequel to the original DB Red Ribbon Army story begins!

Freeza has escaped Namek and is coming to Earth. With Goku not back from Namek yet, the Z-fighters know that things are hopeless, yet they decide to die fighting. Our heroes are in more trouble than they thought. Another power, strong like Freeza's is coming to earth. It is Freeza's father, King Cold. Will Goku come back to a planet riddled with destruction?

As the Z-fighters believe that it is truly hopeless now, a mysterious boy wearing a Capsule Corporation jacket comes from nowhere to challenge Freeza and King Cold. What is he thinking? The only way he can have a chance is by turning into a Super Saiyan, and there is no way that can happen. Whoops. Spoke too soon. Trunks has turned into a Super Saiyan. As the heroes rejoice to the defeat of the evil in the universe, it is cut short by the boy's prediction of doom. The Red Ribbon Androids want revenge against Goku for stopping the plans for world domination held by the Red Ribbon Army (see Dragon Ball 5-8).
Can three years of training be enough to stop the Androids that destroyed Trunks' timeline?

This book,(like the other 11 before it) is amazing. However their is one bad thing about this book... it's the last one that I need to complete my set because after this book, all of the rest of them are in shonen jump (which I also highly recommend). So now that I have 1-12 I have decided to start reading dragonball. If Dragonball is ANYTHING like the Dragonball Z manga then it must be amazing. All there is else to say is congratulations Akira Toriyama for such an amazing creation!

This might be my favorite DBZ manga yet since Trunks is my favorite character. It starts when Freiza's gets cut in half and Goku nearly escapes Planet Nameks distruction. After that Frezia appears with King Cold. Just in time Trunks shows up and destroys Freiza and his father. Goku comes back and Trunks tells him that he came from the future and about the androids. Read it! The manga is much better than the TV show.

This education guide serves as a great resource when considering alternative health care. The book presents the history and a clear description of each method and modality. It is reassuring to see what the educational requirements are for your new practitioner before you put your body and mind in their care!

This book -- co-authored by Bastyr ND Nathen Gabriel (2000 grad.) -- is an excellent example of naturopathy's 'purposeful life spirit' / 'vital force spirit' sectarian premise.

And I quote, from the naturopathy chapter:

"naturopathic medicine is an integrative and vitalistic medical system [...] there are seven principles of modern naturopathy [...#2] respect the healing power of nature (vis medicatrix naturae). There is an innate healing force within all life that is always attempting to prevent and/or heal every possible illness [...a] 'life force' [...] naturopaths help their patients to optimize this innate force [p.119...] most medical systems in place before the rise of modern western medicine [...] were 'vitalistic' in nature, meaning that a spiritual 'vital force' or 'life force' was believed to be both the source of existence and the essential healing force for every person. Ayurveda's 'prana,' Chinese medicine's 'chi,' and Hippocrates' 'humours' are all versions of the vital force [p.120]."

I highly recommend this chapter for anyone interested the the central article of faith of in this form of sectarian medicine.

-r.c.

As a layperson who happens to work in a holistic environment, i found this book to be exceptionally well-researched and comprehensive. I can imagine all the students out there getting really excited reading this book and perhaps finding some clarity as to their actual specialty. It's truly inspiring to read about all the different, effective modalities one can choose from, or simply add to their knowledge database. Really well organized and easy to read.

I'm an undergrad student tentatively on the `pre-med track' but feeling somewhat dissatisfied with the conventional MD route, and have been looking to explore other areas of healing modalities as a career. This book has been an invaluable guide for me, especially in terms of placing allopathic medicine within the context of other healing traditions and practices (some of which go back thousands of years!). Truly integrative in its broad assessment of so many practices.

Coming from a science background, I am somewhat skeptical of the more alternative practices included in the guide (homeopathy, rolfing, iridology) but was pleased with the objective descriptions that acknowledge drawbacks, uncertainties and criticisms in the different modalities. Non-judgmental, just the facts.

One of the best features for me were the lists of professional organizations, websites, and further resources associated with all the various modalities. In this way the guide is a great jumping-off point for further research and career-searching.

This is a unique and valuable reference source that is a one-stop guide to careers in the alternative medicine universe. What I particularly found useful and interesting is the extensive background information and history of each of the many healing areas covered. The listings seem to be very thorough, with lots of helpful sections for people thinking about a career (or even really just wanting to learn about the background) in these practises. I haven't found anything like it in researching the range and scope of educational options. In sum, it's a commendable addition to the public's introduction to training possibilities in integrative medicine and a great place to start (and maybe finish) any search for the learning possibilities in alternative healing. Top marks.

Even though there was a delay in shipment, I was very satisfied with the price and the condition the book was in. I definately would purchase again from amazon.com.

Cindy

This is a really useful, extremely attractive book. The pages are big, the pictures are bright and colorful and true-to-nature, and all the flowers that a typical gardener can reasonably expect to encounter in his or her hobby are covered (yep, A to Z). The tips on the individual flowers are concise and instructive, covering buying, planting, caring for, cutting, arranging, everything of flowers. The book starts with a general information section which may not be of much interest to a well-experienced flower gardener, but I found it helpful and again, very informative. And while it may be the weather or pure luck, our flower garden this year is looking better and more prosperous than it ever has. If you are serious about your flowers, you ought to seriously consider purchasing this book.

"Flowers A to Z" is a wonderful resource that is definitely needed. Essentially it is a dictionary of flowers, containing information about names, colors, vase life, how to tell freshness, availability, designing tips and more!! But what a dictionary!!!! It is a very large and visually stunning book, lavishly illustrated with beautiful photographs. "Flowers A to Z" provides very practical information about floral product in a format that elevates the content to an art book! Pros and hobbyists alike will appreciate it for both its content and presentation. "Flowers A to Z" would be equally appropriate in your reference library or on your coffee table.

Not only is this book packed with the most gorgeous photographs, but also it's also full of practical advice. As the title suggests, it is arranged in alphabetical order so that looking for the flower you are after is quick and easy. Each flower is presented with a double page spread, and includes tips on buying, growing, arranging and cutting. It's an extremely useful reference with information on important flower-related problems such as how to make each flower last longer in the vase, what's poisonous, etc. it even gives you the meaning of flower names. Even if you're not into the practical side of arranging flowers, this book is equally valuable as a stunning coffee table book.

This book is a great resource for anyone with a cutting garden, a love of flowers, or a romantic husband. It's full of great tips for all different types of flowers and has allowed me to increase the longevity of the bouquets I receive.

I liked it so much that I bought one for mother's day.

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it shows flowers being cut in air when they should always be cut underwater!

The pursuit of the unanswered koan continues in the zen experiences of van de Wetering. The book recounts linking up with his Zen mentor/nemesis "Peter" after a hiatus of 10 years. The author decides to leave Holland and join Peter at his zen community in New England so that the koan may be realized.

As in "The Empty Mirror" (see review), van de Wetering pursues the unlocking of his koan given him by the old master in Kyoto. And he eventually comes to an understanding:

"But when you find the koan's answer, as cryptic as the koan itself, the interpretation is still yours to find out. You may even go along a way which the master doesn't approve of, and he may terminate your training. But your insight will still be right and properly acknowledged".

After his insight, the author returns to his Amsterdam routines, changed and yet not changed. With humor and honesty, one man has chronicled his struggles on the path to enlightenment for us - the first step in liberation.

Highly recommended, as this is a seriously humorous book.

Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts

I picked this book up in a college town's bookstore while visiting my sister. Sometimes I will just pick up a handful of books in the Eastern Philosophy section, and see what I get when I take off my blindfold. On the car ride home I was unsure while glancing over it if I was going to like this one or not. The back speaks of "...Zen sages who were alcoholics, the two natured personality of Zen Masters who enjoy sex and cowboy movies..."-I personally found this description of the contents after having read it, frankly completely off base.

This book is about a Zen student's adventures from Japan, back to Amsterdam, to the United States-where this book takes place for the most part. It could be any Zen community really, it shows what it is like working with others in a very accurate manner. He writes with a direct simplicity-he is not wordy, just says it how it was. Now did I agree with everything he had to say about Zen? Not at all, but the important thing is I was asked a lot of questions while reading this book. And that's what any good book can do above all else, is ask questions-rather than saying, "here, agree with me."

A passage of his book that provided myself with a lot of insight goes as follows,

"A Chinese allegory tells how a monk sets off on a long pilgrimage to find the Buddha. He spends years and years on his quest and finally he comes to the country where the Buddha lives.

He crosses a river, it is a wide river, and he looks about him while the boatman rows him across. There is a corpse floating on the water and it is coming closer.

The monk looks. The corpse is so close he can touch it. He recognizes the corpse, it is his own.

The monk loses all self control and wails.

There he floats, dead.

Nothing remains.

Anything he has ever been, ever learned, ever owned, floats past him, still and without life, moved by the slow current of the wide river.

It is the first moment of his liberation."

This book is brilliant in all places, it shows some struggle with inner questioning. A wrestling with the author's own cleverness. It almost feels like a diary. One that just so happened to have been written while having a stay with a Zen community. I believe you will come to appreciate this book a lot.

Just finished this great book. Two days pass, and I want to know more about this man. I tell my girlfriend to google him. As she was searching I started to ponder how old this guy must be. After all, he did write it in the 70's. I guess 70. Turns out he is 77. She continues to search on Wikipedia and says, "this can't be right, he just died two days ago." I was amazed. As I was finishing the last chapter, intriguingly named "Corpse" he was dying or had already passed. I hope he found the liberation he was looking for. Great read for someone interested in Zen, Buddhism or anyone on a search for the truth.

The author resumes his search for the meaning of life in an American Zen commune. Less fumbling compared to his experience in "The Empty Mirror". One could almost sese the author has gained some insight. What this insight is, is not quite clear ~ as it should be. The master will pour you tea, but where is your cup?!

this book shows that the most sacred is found in wherever you are, and it is never necessary to point it out. Its just there smiling from the shadows, waiting for you to share in the joke. The character of Peter is very interesting and represents an 'ideal' which I try to live up to, not in the sense of mirroring his personality or surroundings, but merely reflecting the core that is all our nature. It is not so much the narrator's specific journey is important, as none of ours are except to us individually, but of the feeling generated from knowing though flawed we are all just sleepy children not yet aware of the extend of our shared majesty.

This is the method used in my son's school and in most ESE classes. If you have a child with fine motor difficulties...use this. If you have a child with writing difficulties...use this. If you have a child with ASD, as I do... this works!!!

The posters below me (Gladstone and Barchowsky) would probably prefer you use their methods -- one of which I own. However as mom who writes using Spencerian and even Barchowsky's Italic, I have a child who had writing difficulty. But my 6 yo Asperger's son grasped onto the HWOT program and ran with it. He understood its' simplicity and more than anything....ENJOYED IT. It "clicked" with him. Can he write in full sentences now at 6? Yes. Can he write legibly? Yes. Can he write quickly? Yes!!!
I have also used it with my non-ASD 3 yo who is now writing upper and lowercase with it now as well.

My daughter is dyslexic and this is a great tool for her. Even my three year old likes to play with the wood pieces. The program is great for home schoolers. It is easily taught.

Great ideas that I never would have thought of. It works for teaching your own child at home or in a group setting.

My daughter struggles with getting a good grip on her writing insturments which results in sloppy letters. The suggestions in this book/text have helped to strengthen her hands. Her letters are becoming much clearer. I highly recommend this program.

This is a great program, but I really did not need this guide. It is pretty self explanatory. Or you can use the website. It is helpful if you are a teacher.