N Books

The reason I didn't give the book a 5 rating was because it could have had a better ending. Greg was SO timid and let everyone else run his life for him. It never improved until the end. And this bit about him always being scared to come out of the closet--geez. Who did he think he was-Tom Cruise or somebody really noteworthy or famous?? He was a gold medalist from an Olympic contest for Pete's sake--it would have made the news for a day and then blown over. I kind of wonder what his life would have been like if he had run it himself.

But--it was a good book and I did enjoy it and I loaned it to a friend, and both of us had it read in 4 days.

This book provides further gut wrenching proof that outward success is no guarantee of happiness or spiritual wholeness. Almost the opposite it seems. 4 Olympic Golds, a body and a smile to die for, and yet trapped in self loathing and an abusive relationship.

Greg Louganis is not alone in recovering from this paradoxical situation, but his story is a moving and powerful one nonetheless. It also provides hope to us who will never be Olympic medalists but still suffer from self doubt and self destructive ways.

This was a candid autobiography by Greg Louganis. It discusses his struggles with coming out of the closet, being pushed to the limit by his father and diving coach, an abusive relationship, prejudice, being tested HIV positive, and other ordeals he had to live thru to get to where he is today. I learned a lot about Mr. Louganis by reading this book and hope you will too. It was that good.

It is a great autobiography in the sense that the author is very honest with his readers and being true to himself.

The author has made great introspections on his life and through the chapters on his childhood, family, diving career as well as relationships, you will be inspired to think along of your own and relate it to his stories. It is not only readng a story of the author but also a soul-searching journey of your own.

It does not matter that you are not a professional diver or have little interest in the sport since the chapters on diving do not include technical details that bore the non-sportlovers. Instead they display how Greg Louganis accomplished his achievements through years of hard work and perseverance rather than depending on his good look or luck, if any.

His story of success in career is as thought-provoking as the later chapters on his struggle to live with HIV-positive and pursuit of the cause of non-discrimination against gays.

Also the photos in the book are fantastic. You can see some on his childhood, friends and family, diving and a few of them are gorgeous and sexy(e.g.centerfold in Playgirl)that won't disappoint you.

We must give the author a credit that he did not show off how many important people he had ever taken pictures with but included those who are important to his life. If you challenge me about the two photos of the presidents, don't judge him too soon, look at the caption and you will know why.

The third last sentence of the book is "I just hope I have enough time to make a difference". After reading the book, you will agree with me that he did and did it amazingly. Thank you, Greg Louganis.

The reason that I first read this book was that I wanted to read a book written by a gay author. I knew nothing about Greg Louganis or the fact that he smacked his head during the Olympics. All I knew was that he was gay and was a swimmer. I checked it out from the library and ended up reading it in two days, which is a record for me because I procrastinate.

Greg and Eric put together Greg's story very well, never once causing me to wonder what was going on. From the very beginning I was amused by Greg's thoughts and concerned although he was talking about something that had happened over a decade ago (seven years ago when the book was written). Greg did not tell his story from a casual perspective. He was upfront with his emotions and I felt like I really got to know who this guy was and I came to care a great deal about him.

Greg Louganis is the sort of person that should be admired and respected not only for his athletic and acting (let's just think about Jeffrey here...) accomplishments but for his strength and courage. For someone who used to have such a distorted self-perception he grew into a rather wise and very beautiful man. He tells his life story with such compassion, humour, and care that it's difficult to believe he used to think so poorly of himself.

This man is one of my role models and I highly suggest that anyone and everyone read this book.

I ordered this book for my sister. We are both adults and we have very fond memories of having this book read to us as a children. I ordered it to her so she can enjoy reading it to her niece,nephews and futire children. Children of all ages love the story.

This book is a hallucinogenic mind-freak that makes almost no sense at all--and it's great. My kids love it. I love it.

THE COLOR KITTENS is the story of two cats who paint. They live in a world in which all the colors apparently already exist, but yet they are the ones who have yet to make all the colors of the world. They don't, however, have any green paint, so there's no green in the world, but they really like green, because everything they already really like in the world is green. Their reality is a psychedelic and contradictory maelstrom of lyrical color, and then the cats have a long dream about color, and then they wake up and spill their paint, and then all their spilled paint goes out and gives color to the world which we saw..wait...didn't there world already have color...? Yeah, it did. What the...?

It's freaky, and it makes no sense at all, even internally, but it's really not about making sense or telling a coherent story--it's really about creating a world of vivid brightness, a world that connects from image to image in an associative, dreamlike way.

In that sense, this book is a lot like David Lynch's classic psycho-horror film, ERASERHEAD, in that it's more about mood and a dreamlike state than it is about progression or anything literal. It is, admittedly, much less creepy than ERASERHEAD, which is good, since it's supposed to be a kids book, and I don't want my kids to have nightmares. Like ERASERHEAD, however, the story, already very dreamlike, is interrupted and eclipsed by an actual dream, making the "reality" that bookends the dream seem all the more surreal, like something you were never really in and can never really return to. In ERASERHEAD, the main character goes from psychotic drudgery and responsibility, to having his head ground up into pencil erasers. In THE COLOR KITTENS, the cats who paint the world go from mixing paint to a tree that magically changes color when you count, and also to dancing easter eggs.

The book is lyrical, and delightfully weird, and almost biblical in its phrasing. "O wonderful kittens! O Brush! O Hush!" The illustrations aren't perhaps as memorable and trippy as Garth Williams' pictures in LITTLE FUR FAMILY, but they are good--simple and schizophrenic, straight off a Haight-Ashbury 1960s mural about the power of culturally diverse acts of community service.

I didn't like this book when I first read it to my daughter, but that's only because I'm an adult, indoctrinated by a lifetime of trying to make sense of everything. Once I read it from my three-year-old daughter's point of view, however, I could really see the appeal--the appeal of pure color and feeling, oddity and dream. It's a good book for kids in that way, because it's probably a lot like how most kids experience the world--not as a straight adult narrative, but as a wild wash of strangeness and the new.

If you have kids as young as two or three, pick this one up. They're sure to enjoy it, and you might find your mind stretched a bit from it as well. It's something else.

This little gem, written by Margaret Wise Brown (of Goodnight, Moon fame) the same year I was born, was read to me as a child, and it was a favorite of my own (now grown)children. The combination of her poetic prose and the wonderful original illustrations are transporting. I bought a bunch so I would be sure to have them on hand for shower gifts (I couldn't find them for the longest time.) A wonderful, wonderful book.

I absolutely LOVE this book! It's one of my childhood favorites, and I was excited to be able to replace it! The pictures are dream-like, and the book is great for introducing color concepts/words to young children. The book is so much fun; they'll read it over and over! I know I did! : D

Unfortunately, this isn't the full-sized book I remember from my childhood (it's a rather cheap imitation that probably won't hold up to multiple readings). But the pictures and story are still the wonderful ones I remember.

Comprised of a set of chapters in three or so rotations on such splendid characters as Hitler, Mussolini, Petain, Franco, Stalin, and even Hirohito and his generals. I could not stop reading this hefty volume and regret that it ended where it should have logically ended. The book bears comparison to the more breathless writings of Anthony Beevor and I heartily recommend it to specialists and to the general reader. Bravo!

Apparently I'm the only one disappointed by this book. I found it a mish-mash of political, social, diplomatic & economic history that flitted around the world without going into much depth in any country. Brendon is a bit like a gossip columist, writing brief tidbits & then moving on to the next item. Also, he mentions the major diplomatic events, Rhineland, Austria & Munich, only in passing. I had hoped there would be more emphasis on diplomacy & politics, as in "Munich" by Telford Taylor. I found the chapters on Spain & Italy most interesting, perhaps because I've read very little on the Spanish Civil War or Mussolini's dealings with the Vatican & the war in Ethiopia. The chapters on France are also good, but " Collapse of the Third Republic" by William Shirer is much better. The chapters on Britain are the worst. Brendon is biased against Churchill & doesn't do the man justice. I skipped the chapters on the U.S., Japan & Russia (except for the last chapter), so I can't comment on those.
Maybe this is good popular history, but I found it rather superficial. On the plus side, Brendon is a good writer.

I just completed this book and found it to be very well done portrayal of the 1930s. Brendon vividly captured both the individuals at the heart of the decade -- Roosevelt, Chamberlain, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and a cast of others (including the shifting political leaders in France and Japan) -- but also brings to life the trends and experiences of the millions of anonymous "masses." Particularly compelling were the chapters on Stalin's 1937-38 purges and the chapters on Japan. While lengthy (692 pages) the book reads at a good pace and keeps one interested.

This is one of the best books I have ever read about that period or any other period of modern history. Brendon knows how to connect countries, people, events and even fleeting vignettes with the utmost mastery. You really get a global vision about those years and the spirit that animated them. Last but not least it must be mentioned the elegance of Brendon's pen. His ability to depict leaders or secondary characters with one stroke, one line, one adjective or two is amazing and always with a drop of sly humor.
In his best moments he remembers that other great history writer and wit, E. Gibbons.

Ah, the 1930s: "Japan annexed Manchuria and tried to conquer China, challenging Britain's position in the Far East. Italy seized Ethiopia & flexed its muscles in the Mediterranean, which, when Franco subjugated Spain, seemed in danger of becoming a fascist lake. Germany occupied fringe territitories, tearing up the Treaty of Locarno as well as the Peace of Versailles & upsetting the balance of power in Europe." "Statolatry," the worship of the state, lay at the heart of the matter. It wasn't the stock market crash of 1929 that doomed the decade, but (argues this author) governments' responses to it that engendered 'The Dark Valley' of the 1930s, particularly by the middle of the decade. The perceived panacea of state planning, instead of surmounting the turmoil engendered by 1920s stock market irrational exuberance, actually was akin to pouring salt on the wound. As "governments abandoned laissez-faire in favor of protectionism" "this encouraged 'have-not' states to create 'co-prosperity spheres' of their own, in defiance of the feeble League of Nations." In other words, "economic nationalism easily developed into political agression." Concomitant to this, propaganda was elevated to an art form. Said one participant: "And why do I insist on proclaiming that October was historically a revolution? because words have their own tremendous power." The words could easily be Lenin's, but are another coup leader's actually, uttered by Mussolini after his October 1922 seizure of power. The communists were no slouch herein, either, of course. The USSR had its show trials (after a 1934 state funeral for Stalin's potential rival, after Stalin had the later killed). And Hitler, all the while, was gearing up for war while denying it . But why did not "the truth will out" across Europe and across the sea? In Britain, blame the "moral paralysis" of the decade on Fleet Street's "habit of suppressing or 'playing down' unpalatable news." Witness how they hid the truth about Mrs Simpson's relationship with their king. "It helped to justify the newspapers' deceit about appeasement and the imminence of war," the author concludes. Meanwhile, the French were afflicted with a "Maginot mentality;" wallowing passively behind their wall, praying that it would protect them from Hitler; an affliction not at all helped by Neville Chamberlain's pacifism. (Neville was, after all, but one fine example of Theophile Gautier's maxim that one can pass through one's own age without seeing it.) And "America further destabilized the situation by refusing to pull its weight internationally." But it was Italy that takes center stage in this book. Or, rather, it was the West's failure to confront Italy that emboldened the forces rising round the world to push their luck. In particular, "The most fateful turning point in the period between the wars," (in historian B Liddell Hart's view, the author offers) was Britain (through the League of Nations) not calling Mussolini's bluff in 1935. "Damaged by its impotence over Manchuria, the League of Nations, as many had anticipated, was destroyed by its failure over Ethiopia." To boot, in 1937, not taking a stand against Mussolini because such could be "dangerous" (as Chamberlain argued) was akin to telling Hitler to sabre rattle to his evil heart's content. In Hitler's own view: "The brown shirt would probably not have existed without the black shirt" (Mussolini's original fascistic stormtroopers). PS: This book has 76 pages of notes which is indicative of the thoroughness of Piers Brendon in this weighty tome. (06Jul) Cheers!

After learning the basics of circle casting and herbal correspondence, many Witches seek a deeper understanding of magick and inner working. Enter "Evolutionary Witchcraft", a revolutionary guide to expanded humanity and divinity. As stated in the introduction, the goal of "Evolutionary Witchcraft" is to "reach for the stars, dance with the Gods, and make love to the beauty of the earth...[to] expand our capacity to be human and learn what it means to be fey workers-bringing the edges into center and opening up new worlds in the process."

"Evolutionary Witchcraft" is composed of 10 chapters that teach the basics of Feri Witchcraft. The first two chapters introduce basic Feri techniques such as casting a Feri circle and aligning one's triple soul. The proceeding chapters, each focusing on a ceremonial direction, address empowerment, magick, and personal healing. Included are unique Feri practices and concepts such as the Iron Pentacle, the Warrior Ethic, and the Black Heart of Innocence. It is designed to be read once, then studied over a ten month period.

Poetic, powerful, and wise, "Evolutionary Witchcraft" is a book for anyone truly devoted to spiritual progression. Practical exercises, meditations, and rituals allow the reader to tap into innate divinity and manifest magick in everyday life. It is an invitation to experience the beauty and dangers of Feri magick, for as Thorn teaches, anything truly worthwhile is dangerous.

"Evolutionary Witchcraft" is a work of mystery and power. It will push your boundaries and expand your knowledge and perception of the Universe. It is slated to be a classic. Thorn's compassion, experience, and deep commitment as a Priestess can be seen on every page. Read it and be inspired!

*courtesy of Copper-Moon.com*

Awesome book, alot of useful info, twobears books was also a outstanding

source in their timely shipping and keeping me updated on my book!

...Let this be the one you buy.

You may have heard the joke, "What do you call a fourth-degree witch?" The answer: "A Buddhist."

Well, those of us who read and PRACTICE this book can grow for a lifetime in this deeply spiritual tradition of the Craft.

As someone who is lucky enough to be taking classes with the author, I can honestly say that Thorn is the real deal. She practices what she writes; she Knows whereof she speaks; and she has the intelligence, experience, and power I believe we all seek in teachers. (She also doesn't take herself too seriously -- another hallmark of a truly great teacher.)

With this book and personal commitment, anyone can tap into the endlessly meaningful practice Thorn lays out in rich and clearly-explained detail.

Also, there's a DVD that Thorn created that I find very helpful. Unfortunately, (at least at the time of this writing) they don't offer it on Amazon, but if you Google Devotional Dance and Thorn's name, you'll find it....

Evolutionary Witchcraft
T. Thorn Coyle
Penguin books
302 pages

I found this book to be very intriguing because it provides a mystical perspective to magic and this perspective is based off a western system of magic as opposed to an Eastern system. It does have some parallels with Eastern mysticism, but is also more practical oriented. While I didn't agree with all of Coyle's points, I did find that I enjoyed her perspectives and approaches and felt like I received a good understanding of what informs her approach to Feri.

I liked her focus on the on the directions and elements associated with each direction as well as the different types of pentalces such as the iron and pearl pentacles. I also found that the exercises were valuable for creating a shift in thinking on how magic could be approached.

I think, in the end, what I most liked is the overall spirituality of behind the concepts. Here is a person who has explored her spirituality and then shared it with others and it really shows in this book. A refreshing change from a lot of the other books out there.

If you take all the popular "advanced" and not so advanced books on wicca/witchcraft that are the current fad, you get yet another "tradition". This is one of those blender "traditions" - a mix of some of this and some of that. The photos of the tatooed dancer is something you don't see in any other "advanced" books (you do see it on all high school campuses, reality TV, etc. - so much for originality). Almost everything that is presented in this "tome" has been around for many years. Read Starhawk's "Spiral Dance" for a start. The writing is repetitive to the point of being annoying. I was very disappointed because I ordered this based on all the rave reviews. I'd suggest you check this out at a library to see if it's for you, before you order it.The one I ordered is on it's way back to Amazon.

The book was a source of encouragement in faith, obedience, of how we should listen to The Spirit when it speaks to us. Great book.

I applaud and respect, Ms.Brookshire. I believe from reading her testimony, that she is a woman of God, and was highly favored during this ordeal. In this book, I learned what that phrase "NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER.

I can't believe her then Mother-In-Law, knew of her son's medical status, and did not warn this woman, this makes the mother, her son accomplice.
No wonder why they both got what they deserved.

This woman is a real "Trooper". God bless you.

this was a very powerful book she believed deeply in god and he was there for her every step of the way even though her husband treated her badly i was very happy she found someone who loved her and believe in the same things as she did i love this book

This is one I borrowed from the library but definately will buy to add to my collection. I read this leisurely in 4 days staying up pretty late on the 4th day trying to finish it. It is amazing what someone can get through when God is carrying them. I am astonished and happily excited by a story like this one. Thank You for sharing Mrs. Brookshire.

This book was awesome. I read the book in a day in a half. This book was passed to me from my Aunt. I learned a lot from ready this book. Just to wait and listen closely to what Jesus has to say. Don't jump into relationships without seeking Gods face first. From this day forward my life will never be the same. I will continue to be more observant of that gut feeling that we get, they are not always butterflies but Jesus trying to tell us something. LaJoyce Thank You So much for sharing your life with all of your readers. This is definitely what God ordained you to do. I was always taught that God allows us to go through things so that we can help others that may face similar situations and so that we can have a testimony to share with others.

Be Blessed and Highly Favored

I bought this book because of its great ratings. After reading it now I actually can't believe that all those reviews are actually from real customers.

The book is written in a very bloated style. It is a good thing when an author makes a dry subject interesting. But Peter Bielagus overdid it in my opinion. While there are some very good and original ideas in the book, they are spread far too thin: My textmarker came to use only every five pages or so - and even then mostly only for one sentence.

The 400 pages of Bielagus' book could easily be condensed down to 80. Even with entertaining examples and stories added the book could at least be half its size.

To be fair I have to say that Bielagus obviously had teenager readers in mind when he wrote the book. I am 25 and I've already read a lot of other books on the subject, so I might just not be the perfect fit. However, neither title nor cover text say anything about this being a book for teenagers. That's why my expectations were quite high - and now I'm quite disappointed with the purchase.

Getting Loaded is packed with practical advice that everyone with an interest in financial stability and independence should be accustomed to. The information is not complicated and represents only a beginner's guide to the financial world, but lack of the the knowledge in this book would leave one with a rather shaky financial foundation.

The chapters include the fundaments of money management, credit, insurance, investing, and the essentials of personal money matters. The content is geared towards a beginner, thus those with general knowledge in these areas will find little new on these topics; however, as an introductory book on personal finance, I would happily recommend this book to anyone including my own child.

This book has been a real eye opener. I should have bought this book years ago! It made me realize that there are other avenues for my money to grow. Very informative and a great resource. I definitely recommend this book!

This is an excellent book. This book is a perfect gift for a recent college graduate. The author explains the basics of personal finance and provides solid advice to someone just starting out. The material is presented in a way that makes it engaging for someone who is not all that interested in finance, saving money, etc.

I've read several books on personal finances that were supposedly for 20 year olds and they were all a bore. Those books either were for 40 year olds or never progressed beyond "How to write a check". But, Peter Bielagus' book is just right.

He addresses all the concerns of a twenty year old and beyond with great advice and humor. Peter shows you how to budget without feeling restricted and frustrated. Getting Loaded explains the stock market in laymen's terms which makes you feel comfortable investing your money. All in all, Getting Loaded is a great book to help you set up your financial future and learn how to get your money to work for you.

College graduates should definitely pick up this book and it's also a great graduation gift. I highly recommend this book, it's a great read!

If you are looking for hope and love in a world filled with chaos and fear this book is a must read. The author weaves his story and friendship with Fred Rogers into a very entertaining and heart wrenching treasure.

Tim thank you for sharing with the world your precious moments with Mr. Rogers. You have given hope, love, and IPOY to more people than you will ever know!!! I am one of the many who very much needed the words and affirmations written in this lovely book!!

God Bless you all of your days.

This is a touching story about how great Mr. Rogers was. I loved it & so has everyone I know that has read it. It is a must read!!!!!!!!

This is a sweet remembrance of the author's friendship with Fred Rogers. But it also gives an interesting insight into the spiritual side of the "Mr. Rogers" so many of us grew up with. Most of us know that Fred Rogers was an ordained Presbyterian minister, but this book shares correspondences and conversations that reveal just how deeply spiritual Fred Rogers was.

This book is about a relationship between two friends. I often give this book to friends who have lost a parent. In this world where so few people encourage and lift each other up, are able to have a heart-to-heart talk with a friend, this book is an excellent example of how to do just that! "I'm Proud of You" is one of my favorite books. I would highly recommend it and preferred it so much more than "Tuesdays with Morie"(spelling?)since the story seemed so much more heartfelt.

This book made both my wife and I cry at times as it covered the sensitive topic of a son's relationship with his father and a man's relationship with a mentor. This is a must read for all father's, son's, and mentors.

It's Easier Than You Think is one my favorite books. It's short, sweet, easy to read, and will make you feel better. I reread or dip into it from time to time. I highly recommend it whether you have any interest in Buddhism or not.

best explanation of Buddism for the American reader -- just bought another copy for a friend

Exceeded my expectations, this was my first purchase! Book was new, arrived quickly, & was a great price!

Although the book never dives too deeply into the history of Buddhism, Sylvia's personal stories, accompanied by her thoughts on Buddhist practices, provides more insight into the teachings of Buddha than I could have absorbed in any straight forward text. Since this was my first book on Buddhism, I really appreciated the down to earth method of writing she employs and the honesty with which she shares her experiences. Knowledge is a river flowing through time, and Sylvia Boorstein is a wonderful voice for this modern day and age.

I really enjoyed this book. It simplified and de-mystified Buddhism and protrayed it as a viable lifestyle/worldview for Westerners (and all people, for that matter). Reading this book genuinely brought me happiness.

N.D. Wilson's LEEPIKE RIDGE tells of a preteen who has always lived next to Leepike Ridge - but who finds himself lost beneath it when he escapes the man set to marry his mother and finds his escape raft has left him underground. His discoveries under the ridge - of a body, a dog and more - will answer questions and challenge his survival skills in a riveting adventure kids will relish.

There are an awful lot of dead bodies per capita in this book, and quite a bit of fairly mindless violence, but that said, it's a page-turner that is extremely well written. Unlike other reviewers I found nothing confusing about the elements of the plot, just found some of them unlikely in the extreme (both the ostensible pre-historic Chinese settlers of the Americas and the ostensible pre-historic Phoenician settlers just happen to have come upon and used the same underground and under-river storage caverns? Wouldn't proof of Phoenician settlers of North America alone have been enough??) This is clearly a read oriented more towards boys, but girls who like adventure stories will enjoy it too.

I read a review that made comparisons between this book and Louis Sachar's Holes. This kind of comparison always makes me skeptical. "We'll just see about that," I thought. I read it. I saw. And I get it now. This one is worthy of that comparison -- and then some. And this book will definitely appeal to fans of Holes.

Leepike Ridge is a book for every kid (and every grown kid) who played in refrigerator boxes, caught critters in the woods, and floated down creeks on homemade rafts. It's a fantastic story with a grand adventure, a heroic boy, bad guys that you love to hate, a loyal dog, and a hidden treasure. The fact that it's beautifully written with magical, transporting descriptions is gravy.

If you know and like a boy between the ages of, let's say 9 and 13, Leepike Ridge would make a fantastic gift!

I really enjoyed this book, with it's mix of Homer's Illiad, Mark Twain and something else that was completely Nathan Wilson. If you have a young reluctant reader in your family, give them a copy of this & watch the magic happen. I can't wait to see what else Wilson comes up with!

I have to agree with another review the cover of this book just hooked me. This came into the library where I work (5/6 grade) and I immediately snagged it. Read it in one night and have not seen the book on our shelves since!!! It has been out constantly since we put it in the collection. Our kids like it (mainly the boys and our teachers love it!!). There's action and creepiness. The scene in the cave was so vivid I could feel the cold damp and the spongy feel of the body as our hero, Tom, groped his way around in the pitch black. Excellent!!

This book hit home. One of my best friends gifted me with this book and it has been one of the best gifts ever. I work full time and have a 10 month old daughter. After reading just a chapter I felt relieved to know I am not the only one feeling stressed with all there is to do everyday while maintaining a home, work, relationships,etc. This book gives permission to slow down, and it says it's okay to stop and listen and not do the big birthday parties and attend all the holiday parties and events. Just being and listening and not doing anything together is time well spent.

As others have noted, this book is a series of reflections about motherhood and the importance of slowing down to savor daily life with loved ones.

This book energized me to make several changes in my own life. Part of my motivation for homeschooling this year was a desire to have a more conscious, contemplative, and purposeful life rather than a frantic-mad-dashing here and there life.

In fact, as the holidays approach, many of my friends are feeling "swamped", "overwhelmed", "stressed" - feelings I remember all too well from previous years. While I still have my moments, overall I am much less stressed than last year. The overall tenor of the holidays is much happier and calmer. I have done my best to pare the holidays down to the essentials, to keep things simple and personal, rather than grandly extravagant. Extravagance has its place, but when children are young, I think simplicity makes so much more sense.

I loved this book so much I chose it for my book club of busy suburban SAHMs. I was quite surprised to find only two (out of nine) loved it as I did! Three thought the book had "some good ideas", but they clearly didn't connect with the author.

The other four were quite negative about Mitten Strings. They felt it was too preachy and perfect and Pollyanna-ish, that "real" people couldn't live like the Kenisons without lots of money. But it's not a financial lifestyle she is talking about, it's an internal one, it is simply making a conscious effort to notice, appreciate, prioritize and streamline.

In trying to figure out the mixed response to this book in my book club, I came up with a couple of ideas. I think the crux of liking the book has to do with the following:

First, it depends on whether you are at a point in your life where you actually consider rushing madly to be a negative thing, rather than proof you are productive. Some people feel empowered and energized by rushing and being busy!

Second, it depends on how contemplative you are feeling when you read the book. The more contemplative you feel, the more likely you might enjoy the book.

Finally, it depends on whether you enjoy visual and poetic language. The author writes with a heartfelt, genuine sentimentality that, while I enjoyed it tremendously, can apparently be off-putting to people with more pragmatic sensibilities.

One reviewer said they would not give this book to a parent of an autistic child, or one with Down's Syndrome. I actually think this book has considerable merit for families with special needs children - the key is knowing WHEN to give the book. I have a child who was diagnosed with autism at 3, and when he was younger and we were rushing around madly from therapy to therapy, ransacking our home to make it an engaging learning environment, etc..., I would not have been in the frame of mind to appreciate it.

In fact, according to my three criteria above: the mad rushing was proof I was doing everything I could to help him; who has time to be contemplative when you are trying to save your child from autism; and poetic musings about the wonderful lives of families with typically developing children would have been quite upsetting.

NOW I see things differently. I think the ideas in the book have even MORE relevance for children with special needs, who often thrive in calm, centered environments. I think children with special needs deserve to have their progress, however slow or small, deeply savored and appreciated.

Well anyway. This is not a book that EVERYONE is necessarily going to love, in spite of the steady parade of 5 star reviews. Nevertheless, I join the parade and give this book 5 stars based on my own incredibly positive experience reading it.

I truly enjoyed this book. It is not a religious book (despite the title) nor a parenting guide; it is a deeply spiritual look at what it means to be a family.

Mitten Strings touched me in such a way that I felt like I was reading a letter from a good friend. There was a sense of peace reading it and imagining my family in her book. Her basic premise is to slow down, notice the details of your children's lives and be present with your family. But the book goes so much further than that. We all know to slow down...but to be reminded how magical it can be, with illustrations that are so tender is even better. I highly recommend this book and in fact purchased seven more to give to my friends as a special gift. I'd love to meet the author (Katrina) and sit over a cup of something on the front porch while our children run circles around the house!

It is rare to say but so true. It was given to me by an older woman and it truely changed the way I parent my two boys, see life and helped me create a summer that I will treasure. A must read for those who want to slow down and get off the "treadmill" of life.