F Books

Robert Dallak and Terry Goldway bring to life masterfully in Kennedy's own words a portrait of an age with a president that was young but gifted politician. From the "Ask Not" Speech to the speech of the Berlin Wall, Kennedy's voice enhances the masterful biography of all Kennedy's charm, love of words, and deep, moral conscience. To me, it brings back the era when the world was on nuclear hair-trigger alert, the press was oppressing, and CIA secrets were gossip for the public. However, I do not think middle school students should read this book because the words of kennedy are still to deep to grasp at this age. The words of Kennedy cut deep into this nation's very soul, and continues to do so.

This was the kind of book that once I started reading I couldn't put down. I finished it very quickly.

I was five years old when he was killed. He was the first President I remember first hand. I remember that in Kindergarden we were told that President George Washington was the Father of our country. In my five year old mind, I thought JFK was the Father of our country, because he too was President like George Washington. This book gave me a chance to hear in his own words what was going on in a time I barely remember as a young child.

His words still speak to us today. This book for me was what I needed to read at this time to remind me of what is important. We as a country have moved so far away from the vision of JFK and it has inspired me to get back to my roots and to get back on track and to try and get our country back on track.

Here's a unique coverage: a political biography honed from John F. Kennedy's own words blending an audio CD with the insights of two notable historians. From issues ranging from Peace Corps politics to Kennedy's debates before his Presidency and his preparations for war, LET EVERY NATION KNOW proves far more compelling - and provides far more insights - than most.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A must have book for all age groups interested in the life and times of JFK. To hear the actual speeches of JFK on CD are inspirational and even in this day and age very moving. The book and CD transported me back to that era even though I was 8 at the time and brought back many memories.
An excellent book.Highly recommended.

Listening to the accompaning CD is both stimulating and depressing. The literacy and restraint of Kennedy's language so starkly contrasts to what we hear from the current administration. There is much irony as well. In the clip from the debates, Nixon tells the voters that as president he will be a role model for the nation's youth, just as Ike had been. But most depressing is the way this book and CD demonstrate the change in what voters now find persuasive. These are not sound bits or simple messages. These are intelligent and sophisticated speeches. These speeches suggest that Kennedy assumed that the voters were intelligent and that he respected their intelligence. Compare that to the current, simplistic messages that accuse opponents of being in league with al Qaeda. While Nixon was no stranger to the simplistic attack, it is striking to listen to his language and compare it to the current Republican leadership. To suggest that an early time was better is almost a cliche, but when you read and listen to these speeches the evidence seems overwhelming. This was a time when many of our leaders spoke with eloquence and addressed complex issues (Stevenson, Dirkson, Mansfield, Nelson Rockefeller, Robert Kennedy, and many others). More importantly, the voters seemed to actually listen to these speeches. There are great lessons in this modest volume.

Kennedy Assassinated was an awesome book. I think that this book is very incredible in detail because it gives you all details about how Kennedy survived his life and how he got through it all. I think that this book is awesome for anybody that can read. If you are interested in history then this is your kind of book. Please take this and remember that he was a good person but he lived a bad past. The best story element for this book would also be suspense. It tells you of what happens and how it all happens. Thank you for listening and I hope that it helped you.

Kennedy Assassinated was a great book. It taught me alot of what happened to him. I gave this book five stars because I learned who shot Kennedy and where. My favorite part was when they were operating on him in emergency room one. They kept on trying to bring him back but he is gone. I really liked this book.

This book was very exciting I thought. It tells the story of the day that kennady was assassinated. I really likd this book because it was very exciting aand has a great retelling of the event. It also had great allusion back to the future in a reporters shoes. Thats what I thought of the book.

This is one of the better books I have ever read! This book did a great job of suspense, it was unbelievable! JFK is riding in his convertable along side a Dallas police baracade when he and the governer of Texas are shot. The are both taken to the hospital near by and a young reporter is assigned to the case. This is is first case and it had me on the edge of my seat wondering how he would do on the case. I really recomend this book to you if you like drama and suspense, it is truly a really great book.

Kennedy Assassinated is an awsome book. It is brief yet very interesting. This book allows you to experience Kennedy's death through the eyes of a reporter. I actually began to sweat. If you want to read about president Kennedy, this is a good book to start out with.

Thank You For The Well Written Book For Sharing All Your Valuable Experiences And Insights. This Is A Wonderful Book and I Salute Your Effort. I Always Keep Going Back Re-Reading Chapters and Sections For Encouragement and Inspiration. Thanks Again For The Helpful Advice. It Has Help Open My Mind To A Whole New Dimension And To Explore Spirituality. I Consider This True Wealth Of Information Offered In This Book!
My Heart is Full of Gratitude For Having A Copy of L.I.F.E. On My Bookshelf .... Norine L.

I attended one of the author's seminars to listen to her speak about exploring & embracing spirituality if one cannot subscribe to organized religious beliefs. I was fascinated by her experience as described in her book and her search is one of many paths a person can take to achieve a satisfying spiritual life. Diana shares the stumbling blocks and trials, the insights gained along the way. The story illustrates that persistence is required for seekers trying to find the answers to who we are, what our place is in this world, and how we can live a fullfilling life as we continue to learn the spiritual truths.

The book is a reminder for me; but for someone beginning the search, it may invoke some ideas of how to proceed. Best of luck.

In a market filled with books about spirituality, it is so rare to find one that takes a different angle. This book fits the bill, using interior design terminology to present a powerful and inspirational blueprint for changing your life and finding your true spiritual path. The author writes with warmth, honesty and plenty of humor, describing her own unique life path, including a life-altering paranormal event that changed her inside and out. She also presents the reader with tons of useful and enlightening information about cutting-edge physics and how science and spirituality are merging, and plenty of tips, tools and ideas for finding spiritual truth, including the directions for the potent Five Step Prayer method of Science of Mind philosophies.

I loved the writing style, and the content, of this very unique and empowering book. It truly does help you lay down your own life blueprint for designing an inner truth that is yours and yours alone.

As a long term recovering alcoholic, I find Diana's book to be the perfect complement to my basic twelve step literature. It expands on the simiple steps to be taken for positive "concious contact" in a wonderfully warm, believable and easy to read manner. Her authentic approach has really helped enrich my "belief" system on a daily basis. Newcomers to the spiritual pursuit will also find this a perfect book with which to get started. It is my experience that dealing with any of life's stumbling blocks of physical, mental or emotional crises...definitely requires a spiritual growth component.This book is a must read for anyone seeking an excellent blueprint for understanding and incorporating spiritual growth into their lives. Paul M.

A L.I.F.E. Blueprint: Spirituality Designed For The Non-Religious by Diana Cornelius, is an insightful guide especially for those disillusioned with both organized religion and the "new age pyschobabble". L.I.F.E. is an abbreviation for Loving Force of Infinite Energy, i.e. God. A L.I.F.E. blueprint is a straightforward, meaningful demonstration how people can reach both without and within, identify the positive within themselves and open their lives up to God, peppered with personal anecdotes and techniques for mental spiritual for self-improvement. With its twenty tips summarizing the best personal growth messages most commonly presented in spiritual "self-help" literature, A L.I.F.E. Blueprint is especially recommended reading for all who do not yet have their personal spark of spirituality extinguished by the foibles, corruptions, deceits, and disillusionments of today's organized spiritual and ecclesiastical life.

This is the third book of Parkman's that I've read. Previously, I read Pioneers of France in the New World and The Jesuits in North America. About all three I would say a) they are absolutely amazing works of brilliant, inspired scholarship, b) Parkman's measured, objective, caring approach to the topics -- and the beauty and tone of his writing -- is extremely compelling, and c) my grade school, high school, and college education did not provide me with the gritty, fascinating facts about what REALLY happened back in the 17th Century in North America.

This is not James Michener (as much as I have enjoyed his works) packaging and making sense of history -- or the dry, intellectualized expert texts I had to read in school -- or the politically correct wholesome simplified upbeat teachings of my youth, with for example the perfect Puritans and the friendly Indians sharing Thanksgiving.

This is what really happened, detail by detail, based on exhaustive research of original texts -- letters, reports, maps, government documents, earlier histories, etc. Fortunately for Parkman, the early adventurers did a lot of writing, including many of the members of religious orders who accompanied or in some cases led the explorations.

My main takeaway from these true histories is how incredibly dangerous, unsuccessful, and unpredictable the courses of events were in these times (and probably in our time as well). In a way they are like anti-stories, or anti-history. Good often does not prevail over evil; heroes do scandalous things; scoundrels act heroic; no one is assuredly, consistently good or evil; when you least expect it there is a generous caring act; and when you least expect it, when all is going well, there is a foolish, unfortunate, destructive act that ruins all that has been accomplished, etc.

That is, while there may be certain patterns in events, these patterns themselves are constantly shifting, and the most logical and predictable outcomes almost never happen. In other words, Parkman has truly captured life in all its shades of grey and inconsistencies.

His treatment of the Indians is a perfect example. By modern day standards, it is egregiously politically incorrect. But he reveals them in all of their savagery, helpfulness, childish immaturity, wisdom, thievery, generosity, deceit, and unpredictable kindness. The commonplace cannibalism and similarly common extreme forms of repulsive torture done by Indians are carefully documented and reported throughout his texts, as well as the way their easily given friendship essentially saved the lives of most of the key European adventurers at one time or another.

These books are definitely not for the faint of heart or people who want a simplistic "Dummies Guide" to history!

While there is a new Introduction, this is the historic account of Robert LaSalle's exploration of the Louisiana territory in the 1680s. Parkman first published this treatise in 1869; it has since been reprinted numerous times. An excellent, thoroughly engrossing recounting of the exploration of the territory which LaSalle claimed for France in 1682, through which the reader not only learns of the daily travails of the little band of explorers, but also, the human frailties of the man, Robert Cavelier, known as LaSalle. This book gives life to a name from history, and exemplifies the methodical research done by Parkman in the days before telephones, faxes, and copiers. I was thoroughly impressed by the subject and the writer. Excellent; informative, totally enthralling reading-writers of today should take note! Kudos to the publishers (and Krakauer) for bringing this series (back) to life!

Parkman is that unusual combination of great scholar and wonderful writer. His books depicting the history of French exploration of North America and the conflict between the French and the British for control of North America remain the basic narratives of these events. Parkman's writing, combining narrative, psychological insight into major historical actors, and use of rhetoric that seamlessly reflects his narrative, is often superb. This particular book is almost entirely devoted to the career of the Sieur De La Salle, the French explorer obsessed with establishing French control over the Mississippi valley. Parkman provides vivid portraits of the almost incredible hardships of travel in North America, the character of politics in the French colonies, and an insightful treatment of La Salle and his associates. Parkman's powerful but restrained language often recalls the style of Tacitus.

I picked this up on a lark and found I couldn't put it down. A fascinating story, extremely well written and a pure pleasure to read. I travel extensively and found it amazing how many places I go to regularly have a direct link to La Salle. Couldn't recommend it more.

Frances Parkman was a man who lived and breathed his history. He not only researched his subjects thoroughly, but seems to have crawled inside their heads as well.

Parkman's gift for bringing people alive is nowhere more evident than in this complex story of Robert Cavalier de la Salle's attempt to realize his dream of making France a leader in the new world. Parkman's skillful examination of the man behind the story lets the reader understand why LaSalle and his ideas were the cause of such controversy. At the same time, Parkman paints a vivid picture of the new world frontier as it existed in LaSalle's time. This is a book that can be savored on many levels: as an entertaining adventure story, a psychological thriller, and a historical reference.

Parkman's prose is rich and full of details you will need to understand the complexity of the charcters and the consciousness of the times. Therefore, you should be prepared to spend time working your way through this book. Whenever I tried to hurry through a section, I found that I missed something important that was needed later on. In other words, patience is needed, but well worth it. Parkman was a true lover of history and the people who shaped it and it shows.

Hesselbein and Cohen have assembled and brilliantly edited "enduring insights on leadership" from the Drucker Foundation's award-winning journal. What a superb selection of essays they offer! The Introduction by Hesselbein (all by itself) is well worth the cost of the book. As for the 37 individual essays, they are organized within seven Parts:

I. On Leaders and Leadership (eg Peter Drucker, Max DePree, and Herb Kelleher)

II. Leading Innovation and Transformation (eg Peter M. Senge, John P. Kotter, and Douglas K. Smith)

III. Leadership in the New Information Economy (eg Esther Dyson, Margaret Wheatley, and Kevin Kelly)

IV. Competitive Strategy in a Global Economy (eg Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Ann Winblad, and Keniche Ohmae)

V. Leading for High Performance (eg Steven R. Covey, Jim Collins, and Noel Tichy)

VI. Building Great Teams (eg Warren Bennis, Jon R. Katzenbach, and J. Richard Hackman)

VII. Leadership Across the Sectors (eg John W. Gardner, Regina Hetzlinger, and James E. Austin)

I know of no other single volume in which so many great business thinkers are represented by so many of their landmark essays. The editors are to be commended for the selections; also for the structure within which those selections are organized. This is "must reading" for leaders and, especially, for whose who aspire to be leaders.

"People both in this country and around the world also have an enormous hunger for ideas; that's why three years ago the Drucker Foundation launched 'Leader to Leader', a journal of ideas by leaders for leaders."Frances Hesselbein writes, "this hunger among millions of working executives demonstrates their concern for the future and a commitment to make a difference. The incisive thinkers and remarkable leaders who have contributed to the journal and to this book open doors, spark ideas, raise signal flags, and help satisfy that universal hunger."

In this context, I partially summarized only five of the thirty-seven essays written by thirty-seven talented thinkers.

I. Peter F. Drucker writes: "the three people from whom I learned the most in my work were all very different. The first two were exceptionally demanding; the third was exceptionally brillant. All three taught me a lot...Five lessons I learned from those remarkable men still apply today:

1. Treat people differently, based on their strengths.

2. Set high standards, but give people the freedom and responsibility to do their job.

3. Performance review must be honest, exacting, and an integral part of the job.

4. People learn the most when teaching others.

5. Effective leaders earn respect-but they don't need to be liked.

II. Doris Kearns Goodwin lists ten lessons from the stories of Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and Franklin Roosevelt for leaders of today's organizations:

1. Timing is (almost) everything.

2. Anything is possible if you share the glory.

3. Trust, once broken, is seldom restored.

4. Leadership is about building connections.

5. Leaders learn from their mistakes.

6. Confidence-not just in oneself-counts.

7. Effective partnership require devotion to one's partners.

8. Renewal comes from many sources.

9. Leaders must be talent brokers.

10. Language is one's most powerful tool.

III. John P. Kotter argues: "No organization today-large or small, local or global-is immune to change. To cope with new technological, competitive, and demographic forces, leaders in every sector have sought to alter fundamentally the way their organizations do business. These change efforts have paraded under many banners-total quality management, reengineering, restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, turnarounds. Yet according to most assessments, few of these efforts accomplish their goals. Fewer than fifteen of the one hundred or more companies I have studied have successfully transformed themselves." Hence, he lists eight critical steps to transform your organization:

1. Establish a sense of urgency.

2. Form a powerful guiding coalition.

3. Create a vision.

4. Communicate the vision.

5. Empower others to act on the vision.

6. Plan for and create short-term wins.

7. Consolidate improvements and produce still more change.

8. Institutionalize new approaches.

IV. Warren Bennis argues: "I believe that behind every Great Man is a Great Group, an effective partnership. And making up every Great Group is a unique construct of strong, often eccentric individuals. So the question for organizations is, How do you get talented, self-absorbed, often arrogant, incredibly bright people to work together?" And he suggests ten principles common to all Great Groups:

1. At the heart of every Great Group is a shared dream.

2. They manage conflict by abandoning individual egos to the pursuit of the dream.

3. They are protected from the "suits".

4. They have a real or invented enemy.

5. They view themselves as winning underdogs.

6. Members pay a personal price.

7. Great Groups make strong leaders.

8. Great Groups are the product of meticulous recruiting.

9. Great Groups are usually young.

10. Real artists ship.

V. J. Richard Hackman identifies a number of mistakes that managers make in setting up and leading work teams.

Mistake 1. Use a team for work that is better done by individuals.

Mistake 2. Call the performing unit a team but really manage members as individuals.

Mistake 3. Fall off the authority balance team.

Mistake 4. Dismantle existing organizational structures so that teams will be fully empowered to accomplish the work.

Mistake 5. Specify challenging team objectives, but skimp on organizational supports.

Mistake 6. Assume that members already have all the skills they need to work well as a team.

I highly recommend this excellent collection as a whole.

This is a collection of outstanding contributions from the Journal of the Drucker Foundation, by leaders and thinkers. Key sections focus on: leaders and leadership; leading innovation and transformation; leadership in the new information economy; competitive strategy in a global economy; leading for high performance; and building great teams.

A few of the contributors include: Peter Drucker, Charles Handy, John Kotter, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Steven Kerr, Noel Tichy, Stephen Covey, Warren Bennis and Peter Senge. This book offers an enormous amount of rich content. Recommended. Reviewed by Yvette Borcia, Managing Partner, Stern & Associates, co-author of Stern's Sourcefinder: The Master Directory to HR and Business Management Information & Resources, Stern's CyberSpace SourceFinder, and Stern's Compensation and Benefits SourceFinder.

"People in both in this country and around the world have an enormous hunger for ideas; that's why three years ago the Drucker Foundation launched 'Leader to Leader', a journal of ideas by leaders for leaders."Frances Hesselbein writes, "This hunger among millions of working executives demonstrates their concern for the future and a commitment to make a difference. The incisive thinkers and remarkable leaders who have contributed to the journal and to this book open doors, spark ideas, raise signal flags, and help satisfy that universal hunger."

In this context, I summarized partially only four of the thirty-seven essays written by talented thinkers as follows:

I. Peter F. Drucker writes: "The three people from whom I learned the most in my work were all very different. The first two were exceptionally demanding; the third was exceptionally brillant. All three taught me a lot...Five lessons I learned from those remarkable men still apply today:

1. Treat people differently, based on their strengths.

2. Set high standards, but give people the freedom and responsibility to do their job.

3. Performance review must be honest, exacting, and an integral part of the job.

4. People learn the most when teaching others.

5. Effective leaders earn respect-but they don't need to be liked.

II. Doris Kearns Goodwin lists ten lessons from the stories of Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and Franklin Roosevelt for leaders of today's organizations.

1. Timing is (almost) everything.

2. Anything is possible if you share the glory.

3. Trust, once broken, is seldom restored.

4. Leadership is about building connections.

5. Leaders learn from their mistakes.

6. Confidence-not just in oneself-counts.

7. Effective partnerships reqire devotion to one's partners.

8. Renewal comes from many sources.

9. Leaders must be talent brokers.

10. Language is one's most powerful tool.

III. Warren Bennis argues: "I belive that behind every Great Man is a Great Group, an effective partnership. And making up every Great Group is a unique construct of strong, often eccentric individuals. So the question for organizations is, How do you get talented, self-absorbed, often arrogant, incredibly bright people to work together?" And he suggests ten principles common to all Great Groups:

1. At the heart of every Great Groups is a shared dream.

2. They manage conflict by abandoning individual egos to the pursuit of the dream.

3. They are protected from the "suits".

4. They have a real or invented enemy.

5. They view themselves as winning underdogs.

6. Members pay a personal price.

7. Great Groups make strong leaders.

8. Great Groups are the product of meticulous recruiting.

9. Great Groups are usually young.

10. Real artists ship.

IV. J. Richard Hackman identifies a number of mistakes that managers make in setting up and leading work teams.

1. Use a team for work that is better done by individuals.

2. Call the performing unit a team but really manage members as individuals.

3. Fall off the authority balance team.

4. Dismantle existing organizational structures so that teams will be fully empowered to accomplish the work.

5. Specify challenging team objectives, but skimp on organizational supports.

6. Assume that members already have all the skills they need to work well as a team.

Not only these essays, but all of the book as a whole is strongly recommended.

The Leader to Leader magazine, from The Drucker Foundation, is consistently one of the best magazines for insightful leadership thinking. Now the 'best of the best' has been gathered for this handbook. Harvard Business School Professor John Kotter's insight into the four most common mistakes that cause change efforts to fail are superb and right on the money -- and his chapter is just one of thirty-seven. I wish this book had been available when I started my leadership journey many years ago! Whether you are just beginning your leadership journey or you are well on your way to becoming a SmartLeader, this book is a resource that you will benefit from today and in the days ahead.

The compilation of essays on military leadership edited by Mr. Kolenda ought to be among the "essential reading" books on the shelves of anyone aspiring to leadership in any form, in any walk of life. "Warrior" in the title deceives, even though warriors have practiced the art through millennia, and many became its masters. Civilians would gain substantially by learning from those who never perused a "how-to" treatise on leadership, and often paid for lessons with their own blood rather than the declined value of corporate shares. Kolenda's book contains a series of such lessons, and the price is cheap: one evening spent on excellent reading, and not a drop of blood spilled. Yet, every "Boardroom Warrior" will discover a lot of highly practical wisdom in this unassuming volume. Maybe, then, the "Warrior" in the title does not deceive after all.

Chris Kolenda has put together a fantastic study of leadership that kept the cap off of my highlighter. "The Warrior's Art" gives the most in depth and comprehensive look at leadership that I've seen. If you want to lead and not just manage, you MUST HAVE THIS BOOK.

The book encapsulates the leadership studies of the great philosophers to allow the reader to rediscover the foundations of leadership. These insights are priceless and allow the true student of leadership (private sector or military) to see through the clutter of modern philosophies into what a leader really needs to do to make an organization or team work. Some of the most accomplished leaders in America follow with studies that give further historical insight and a look into the future. It is important to note that there are no step by step instructions and Chris and the other incredible authors allow you to evaluate the lessons and how you can apply them on your own.

BRAVO!

Chris Kolenda has put together a fantastic study of leadership that kept the cap off of my highlighter. "The Warrior's Art" gives the most in depth and comprehensive look at leadership that I've seen. If you want to lead and not just manage, you MUST HAVE THIS BOOK.

The book encapsulates the leadership studies of the great philosophers to allow the reader to rediscover the foundations of leadership. These insights are priceless and allow the true student of leadership (private sector or military) to see through the clutter of modern philosophies into what a leader really needs to do to make an organization or team work. Some of the most accomplished leaders in America follow with studies that give further historical insight and a look into the future. It is important to note that there are no step by step instructions and Chris and the other incredible authors allow you to evaluate the lessons and how you can apply them on your own.

BRAVO!

This was some pretty intriguing literature. A little dry if you aren't really wanting to learn something from another. Everyone seems to feel that they are natural born leaders and books like this are for others. I'm here to tell you leaders are made not born.

The truth is plain here. Learn from the past or repeat in the future. The story has been told many times and read many ways..but, no one seems to ever learn.

No point in repeating the other reviews. They are all pointing in the same direction.

This book is a fantastic compendium of essays on leadership, specifically as it applies to the military experience. Chris Kolenda compiles a list of some of the most talented senior and junior leaders today, both in and out of uniform, as well as renowned historians. The vast majority of the authors taught at the U.S. Military Academy during some point in their career, ranging from the Departments of History, Social Sciences, and Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, to the Department of Physical Education.

The book is comprised of three major sections, 1) Ancient and Modern Concepts of Leadership, 2) Historical Case Studies, and 3) Contemporary Experiences and Reflections on Leadership, with author biographies, endnotes and index at the back. General (Retired) Barry McCaffrey wrote the foreword, while Lieutenant General (Retired) Walter Ulmer wrote the Introduction. The authors consist of such leaders as LTG Daniel Christman, former Superintendent of West Point, General (Retired) Gordon Sullivan, former Chief of Staff of the Army, and Professor Frederick Kagan, just to name a few.

This work contains a tremendous selection of thoughts and experiences on the art of leading soldiers. I will keep it on my shelf to refer to time and time again. As the editor writes in the preface, "developing the vibrant intellectual core from which a leader can draw insight into the art of leadership requires the courage and humility to immerse oneself in the ideas and experiences of others." Leadership: The Warrior's Art acts as a tremendous vehicle toward achieving that end.

Highly recommended for the military professional!

Dennis Kinlaw has written a superb work for understanding the nature of God and the Trinity. Kinlaw's biblical training and years of scholarly work make him a crediable voice in the often confusing and problematic Doctrine of the Trinity. Kinlaw's work focuses on both historical and theological shifts that make this doctrine hard to understand. His writing refocuses the discussion toward personhood as a starting point. Intellectually stimulating and scholastically accurate.

In this brief book (176pp), Dr Kinlaw constructs a whole-Bible theology that grows a Christian's appreciation of the Old Testament as God's revelation of himself as the Trinitarian God, helps counter a skewed view of God as merely a judge (but who is also compassionate father and passionate lover), and offer entire sanctification as a real possibility through the perfecting of love (rather than through legalism).

Dr Kinlaw began with the ontological Trinitarian view of God, starting with John's Gospel, developed and fully expressed through the New Testament corpus, and finally clarified through four centuries of debates by the Church Fathers such as Athanasius and Augustine. The Trinitarian view sets Christianity apart from the other two 'Abrahamic Faiths' of Judaism and Islam, and also forms the basis of the correct view of personhood - that our personhood is derived from the ontological personhood of the divine Trinity (compare with the analogy common among Christians, "God is personal because he relates to us persons").

It is this understanding that we are persons in the image of God who is person that enables us to fully appreciate what Christ has done to reconcile sinners (estranged persons) to God, and to return to the love-relationship God desires and had with the first persons he created, Adam and Eve.

Filled with theological concepts such as ontology and touching on philosophical issues such as epistemology, it is not a book for your average Sunday School class, but ideal for the next step up, and an introduction to theology. What better way to start theology than with a whole-Bible theology?

This book was an excellent book with a different view of approaching theology. The author makes sense in His fresh approach to understanding God and theology. I have greatly benefitted from this book both personally and academically and highly recommend it to all who are thinking of reading it.

This popular, long time college president writes a book for those who want a fresh approach for studying Christian theology. His starting point is not the traditional category of God's attributes, but instead "starts with Jesus" as the initial way to understand God. The Incarnation embraces the obedience to the OT law intended for God's people, and makes personal the divine attributes of love, joy, patience, and faithfulness that ought to characterize the Christian life. This Christological approach to understanding God would certainly please Karl Barth, as it underscores Jesus' words "whoever has seen me has seen the Father."

Kinlaw uses three insightful metaphors to explain how Jesus reveals the nature of God: royal, familial, and nuptial. These especially explain God's design for intimacy with his creation. Next, the author considers the human problem of sin and need for salvation, as thus features the extent to which the Lord demonstrates intimacy: by actual personal identification with his creation through the Incarnate Son. The effect of rereading about God's love this way this is spiritually refreshing. The consequential role of the Spirit in the Christian life is also highlighted.

The scholarly ability of the author finds its best expression by his interesting and impressive ancient world and biblical contextual explanations. He writes with brevity and simplicity that resonates with the heart like a devotional but inspires the mind like a good systematic theology should.

Scholarly and spiritually insightful, this book views theology through the Person of Jesus Christ. This approach allows an incisive look at the uniqueness of Christianity by quickly getting to the heart of the Gospel. The often-quoted philosophical arguments about the existence of God are bypassed for an intimate revelation of the reality of Jesus.

Christ literally stands at the crossroads of the world's religions. While the concept of God seems to merge with other beliefs, the ministry of Jesus stands alone. There is no parallel in other religions, which makes an ideal starting point for defining theological ideas. The author's penetrating reflections will cause readers to think deeply on this issue.

By using familiar Christian convictions and filtering them through the Person of Jesus, there is a renewed appreciation and understanding of vital doctrines. The nature of God, the problem of sin and the means of sanctification come into sharper focus when viewed through this lens. The divine association of the Trinity is also revealed in a marvelous and majestic way.

This book needs to be read slowly and carefully. It's obvious the author has a brilliant mind, filled with spiritual wisdom. These pages literally overflow with excellent thoughts, enabling the diligent reader to uncover some amazing insights. This is a serious study; however, it's more than just an intellectual pursuit. By starting with Jesus, there is a profound blending of theology and worship. The author, who is a respected biblical scholar, has both the intelligence and the spiritual sensitivity to make this subject relevant and rewarding to every reader! - Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com

This book was bought for my daughter who is in a LPN course her teacher suggested this book for a report. She was very happy with the book and information it gave.

This book was hunted down for sentimental reasons but now my twin boys LOVE it!!! Great book with terrific educational value too - two things in one - gotta love that!!

I got this book to help my 4 year old son understand why we poop. We're having some battles over potty training, and I wanted him to know the whole process, in hopes that he would have less anxiety about pooping on the potty. He understands digestion now, and we talk about it frequently, but alas, no pooping on the potty!

This book is about a diner cook who loves to eat healthy food and we find out what happens to that food in this well written and illustrated book by Paul Showers and Edward Miller. There are little experiments and up close photos of digestive organs which can delightfully gross out your child while one reads and learns about this important system of the body.

My 4 year old daughter wants to be a doctor when she grows up so I am always on the look out for books about the body. I love all of the "Let's-Read-And-Find-Out Science" books and they have several very good books available regarding how the body works.

My 5-year-old son thinks it is good because it teaches how the food gets digested. My 8-year-old daughter thinks she learned a lot from the book. I personally enjoy reading it too!

I picked up this book while waiting in my doctor's office and immediately ordered a copy for myself. Denver Bryan is an outstanding photographer and depicts this beautiful breed in all possible scenarios, beginning from puppyhood to old age. I was smiling, laughing, and crying, all at the same time. The text, by E. Donnall Thomas Jr., describes these wonderful dogs, their antics, personalities, and the unconditional love they show for their owners. This one's a keeper!!

I've spent hours looking at pictures made by Denver Bryan and reading the words of E. Donnall Thomas Jr. ... This book and "Labs Afield" are 2 of the best photography books on Labradors I have found so far ... What can I say ... I don't like hunting but I think Labradors are wonderful ... and the collaboration between photographer & writer celebrates the breed in quite an exceptional way ... If hunting photographs don't disturb you, then this wonderful book will help anyone understand how special it is to have a Labrador as friend and companion ...

As a lab owner, I was eager to see what this book had to offer. It is superb. The photos are gorgeous, perfectly showing every aspect of these wonderful animals. The text was just as good, perfectly complementing the photos. This is the best book I've seen on the breed and the most beautiful. A must have for any lab or animal lover.

Starting, as this book does, with the all too believable notion that the Labrador Retriever is perhaps the single most agreeable and people-oriented creature this side of Paradise, the author shows the reader how and why to care for God's most perfect earthly creature, the Labrador Retriever! He entices us into the earthly domain of the heavenly Labs with a torrent of photos that show them in all their splendor and glory, and reading this book is such an utter enjoyment it is easy to overlook the valuable information it also provides.

For example, by showing us the degree to which the breed represents a witch's brew of intelligence, honesty and loyalty to its human companions, the author illustrates why the Labrador has become the single most popular breed of dog in the world today. Labradors are sturdy creatures indeed, bred for sporting use along the quicksilver shores of Newfoundland, where the water temperatures and sea conditions require a healthy dollop of strength and endurance, and those are qualities these dogs have in spades.

For any of us that have seen them at work or play in the fields and in the water, their unique combination of physical attributes and obvious intelligence makes them the ideal human companion. I should know; I live with four of them! The proof of their adaptability to almost any condition and their loyalty, intelligence, and unparalleled work ethic is demonstrated by the wide use of them as guide dogs and as adjunct partners for the physically handicapped. Stories of Labradors crawling out onto the ice to save their masters are legendary, as are the tales of them rescuing children from fires or from underneath rubble. Never has there been a dog superior to them.

The author has testifed as to the qualities and abilities of the dog, and one walks away from a reading of the book much better informed as to the all of the many qualities and capabilities of the breed, which seems to represent an astonishing list of useful and worthwhile attributes. We also get quite critical information as to what to look for when choosing a lab, and how to analyze the quality of the puppy you see before you. The author offers information regarding genetics, feeding, health care, and inherited dispositions, as well as some sage advice as to how to ensure your puppy becomes the grown up Labrador companion you will come to view as another family member. This is a great book, and one I heartily recommend! Enjoy!

Not much to say other than check this book out and compare it to any of the others out there. You'll see for yourself. Especially loved the sequence on the "old Lab stealing hotdogs."

After I read this book I had a burning desire to visit the Canadian Shield and paddle a wood and canvas canoe on the Churchill River. I only wish I could have done it in 1960, when this book was written. It is a much different place today. This is an excellent book about a canoe trip of 500 miles by six friends. I only hope I will be as lucky to do such a trip someday.

It's a great book. I haven't paddled the Churchhill River yet, but rivers closeby, and you still find the wilderness and the loneliness that Sig Olson describes. After reading this book and others by Sig Olson I just want to go out paddling and enjoy the wilderness.

I first obtained this book in my youth through the old Outdoor Life Book Club (which also introduced me to other classics such as John J. Rowlands' Cache Lake Country). I'm not sure I read The Lonely Land all the way through at that first encounter, but I recently rediscovered it when cleaning out a family home. I picked it up out of nostalgia, but I soon found that I couldn't put it down.

Apart from the inherent interest of its subject matter -- the majestic wilderness of central Canada's Churchill River drainage -- I was quickly taken by the immediacy of Olson's account. The wind, the waves, the thunder of approaching rapids all spill off the page in vivid detail, as do the detailed descriptions of each night's camp and its routines. As compelling is the exuberance of Olson and his five companions as they explore pristine lakes, shoot the Churchill's wild water, and find refuge time and again on the solid, reassuring outcrops of the Canadian Shield.

Finally, at each stage of the journey, Olson quotes from the journals of those who came before him, the "bourgeois" who led the brigades of voyageurs into the heart of the Lonely Land in search of furs. Men like Alexander MacKenzie, George Simpson, and David Thompson, who worked for the Hudson's bay Company or its competitors: the record of their observations informs Olson's account with vivid descriptions of the land as well as a sense both of how much and how little had changed over the one hundred and fifty years since they had last paddled, poled, and lined their way up the same great river system.

I know that Olson has many well-regarded books to his credit, but a new reader could do worse than enter this world of woods and water by way of The Lonely Land.

I read this book while in Antarctica, and I spent several storm days lost in Olson's vivid tale of an epic journey through the vast Canadian wilderness. His insight into the socio-historical condition of the indigenous peoples and French-Canadian missionaries and traders is unique. Also, I found the illustrations by Frances Lee Jacques to be immaculate line drawings worthy of admiration in their own right. "The Lonely Land" fueled the wanderlust and naturalist in me as much as any Ed Abbey or John Muir book.

I was looking on information on old canoe routes of the voyageurs and I came upon this book. It tells the experiences of Olson, a famous naturalist of the 50's and 60's, and 5 of his friends, as they paddle three wood and canvas canoes down 500 miles of the Churchhill River in Saskatchewan in 1960. Olson describes the setting and experience so completely, including diary entries of famous fur trappers who traveled the same route, that I have thought of nothing else but going to see the country he describes, the Canadian Shield of Northern Saskatchewan. It is a different place now than it was 40 years ago, less lonely I imagine, but still something I must do. I would recommend this book to anyone who longs to experience this land, North America, before it became overpopulated.