W Books

I'm a former Chief of Police from the Seattle area, and started my career in So Cal, so I've had my own share of law enforcement experiences, many of which I related with while reading this book. The culture, crimes and personalities detailed in "Burnt Offerings" are woven together as only a master storyteller could. Strong language and situations, though not excessively overdone, reflect the underbelly of society that most never see, or want to know about. This book is a page turner that you will not want to put down! I can only hope the author, Chuck Newsome, plans another book.

Awesome!!!! I loved this book. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. It leaves you wanting more. Based on factual experiences, it has every element in it to keep it exciting. It sends your heart pounding in suspense from the first pages. I can't wait to hear more from this author!

Mr. Newsome has taken the reader into the real world of law enforcement, in perhaps the most violent city in the U.S. Nothing gussied up here. He portrays police officers as few writers do, men and women asked to do a thankless, damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't job by a society which cares little for the toll it takes on these extraordinary individuals. I literally could not put this book down. Besides a tremendous storyline and character developement, there are many surprises along the way. The ending? Well, I guess one needs to read the book.

I REALLY ENJOY THIS MR. NEWSOME MADE ME FEEL AS IF I WAS THERE,WITH THEM IN THE STORY. I GREW UP IN THIS AREA SOMES THINGS SEAM TO BE REAL. HOPE THERE IS ANOTHER BOOK COMING.

Mr. Newsome's first published novel had me assigning actors to the key players in this nail biter... I was drawn into this story and the imagery was as clear as on the big screen. This story has the making of a "block buster". I can't wait for the screen version and, better yet, can't wait for the next novel from Charles Newsome. Keep them coming!

The literary world is indebted to Galeano for his
poetical honesty in articulately conveying the voice of suffering in the masses, in the few. In Century of the Wind, he speaks with fascinating brevity as he dances and intertwines the triumphs and failures of a resilient, albeit it haunted, century. Galeano's words become newspaper articles that come Alive, his charachters become colorful fragments of peace and war and love and politics, refusing to be silenced. He urges the reader to pay attention to the paradox of romancing a people whom have had chaos and horror thrust upon them. Cetury of the Wind is a pathway in which we can collectively examine the troublesome past of America and ask the next great question with some degree of vigor -- And where are we heading?

Eduardo Galeano is a thrilling writer! (And very quickly one must add that his translator Cedric Belfrage is also gifted!) CENTURY OF THE WIND is a kaleidoscopic history, very much appropriately influenced by the sociopolitical beliefs of the author, of the Americas - South and North, and in that order - from the turn of the century 1900 to the last entry in this book in 1986. Reading it is an experience in history, in the fantastical events that have sprouted everywhere in every venue in a century more filled with inventions and collisions and bright lights and devastations than any preceding it.

Galeano's style is journalistic (he began his rigorous and controversial career as a journalist and editor before turning to books), and in a most readable fashion he takes us through specific events in each of the years of the 1900s and reports and comments on such divers topics as Thomas Edison, Fidel Castro, the Panama Canal, vaccinations in Brazil, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, agrarian reform, wars, revolutions, Frida Kahlo, religion, Evita, Ernest Hemingway, dictators, the Beatles, fellow authors of South America - the list is endless.

Galeano can say more in a paragraph or two than most commentators or historians can in an entire book. This is tasty writing unearthing many concepts that have passed unknown to many of us. Reading this fascinating book raises more questions than a multitude of reading groups or college courses and it is a must for the libraries of those who love to be challenged while being entertained! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, May 06

"Each day of life is an unrepeatable chord of a music that laughs at death." So Eduardo Galeano tells us in this, the final book of his "Memory of Fire" trilogy. The culmination of his experiment in history writing, this volume tells the history of the Western Hemisphere's 20th century in a series of vignettes that range from beautifully poetic to brain-burningly horrifying, from the torture chambers of Latin America's right-wing dictators (too often brought to you courtesy of the USA) to a little town in Central America called Yoro where, from time to time, it rains fish. You will end this book weeping with rage and joy. (And I mean that literally. This book is quite a ride.)

Eduardo Galeano's "Century of the Wind" (1988) stands on its own merits as one of the finest cultural histories ever written. From Pinochet to Presley, the author chronicles the dark undercurrents of South and North America in a compelling, cross-cutting narrative. An indispensible book that belongs in every library.

This book was completely mesmerizing and beautiful in its portrait of human nature and the history of two continents. Galeano unfolds the story of the Americas in the 20th century with his magnificent story telling which makes the book difficult to put down or to forget. Each snipet tells of the experiences of various Americans from poor Indigeneous folk to the heads of state. I would recommend this book to anyone, but especially to people in the U.S. who should develop a better understanding of their sister countries to the south. Galeano is neither pessimist, nor optimist but rather chooses to reveal the naked reality of human experience and conduct from the most avaricious calousness to the most magnanimous heroism.

So far I am pleased, am trying to get my 2 older grandaugthters (8 and 6) into reviewing recipes for their nutritional value, visual appeal, and enjoyment. Am just getting into doing so, it looks good so far, may send another review at a later date. Thanks again, Dianne

I purhcased this book two years ago for my then 13 year old daughter (an extremely "picky" eater) in the hope that she would expand her food horizons. In my wildest dreams I wouldn't have expected this to work so well. She has made several of these tasty dishes for the family and we all love them. We're vegetarians and we have discovered many delicious recipies in this wonderful cookbook. One of our favorites is the "Carrot Ginger Soup" recipe. If you enjoy cooking healthful, tasty meals from simple, unprocessed foods you will be pleased with this book. Thank you, Chef Bobo!

This one has great food for the little people. Well received by mothers concerned about what their kids consume.

I just love this book! As a mother of 2 boys and a Holistic Health Counselor to many families as well as individuals, this book has been a great resource. The recipes are easy to make and delicious. People of all ages enjoy the food and the children are having fun helping to prepare meals. Thank you Chef Bobo for what you are doing in the school and now sharing it with the world at large. I am buying copies for many people and I hope that more people will become aware of your work and that of your assistants.

I can't say enough good things about this book. The recipes are quick and easy to make, no hard to find ingredients, and everything I have tried has been good. The whole family enjoys this book. Get this book and you won't be sorry.

Harold Hoehner has worked very hard to nail down the year of Christ's birth, His years of ministry, the year (and date) of His death, and the length of His ministry. There is also a trememndous chapter expounding and exegeting Daniel 9:24-27, whee Hoehner shows how it culminates to the time of Christ to the exact day.

The only part of the book where I found myself in disagreement with Hoehner was his belief that Christ was most likely born in December or January based on church tradition. I felt that the evidence for the month of His birth was inconclusive.

But I agreed with Hoehner on the year 33 A.D being the year where Christ was crucified.

The whole book was so encouraging to my faith that I plan on reading it again and again. One of the best books on biblical studies available! A must buy!

Hoehner, Harold. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ. Zondervan 1977, 176 pp.



This book should be a helpful companion for any serious student of Holy Scripture. Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ answers many questions that students of the Bible might wonder about but lack the research tools and ability to answer. Topics covered include:

The Date of Christ's Birth- After surveying the evidence, Hoehner concludes that Christ was born in the winter of 5/4 B. C.

The Commencement of Christ's Ministry- Reasons that Christ's ministry began in the summer or autumn of A.D. 29.

The Duration of Christs' Ministry-Believes that the evidence points to a three and a half year ministry.

The day of Christ's Crucifixion- Concludes that Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose again on Sunday.

The year of Christ's crucifixion- presents a persuasive case for Friday, April 3, A.D. 33.

Daniels Seventy Weeks and New Testament Chronology- This chronology supports a Dispensational understanding of Daniel's seventy weeks. Regardless of one's theological commitments the evidence should be evaluated fairly.

The benefits of this book are many. As the evidence for various dates is presented and evaluated the reader gains an understanding and appreciation for history, and chronology as the science of time. Methodologically, dates and valuable information can be gleaned from items such as ancient coins, Egyptian Papyri, and even headstones in a Roman graveyard. The author hold s to a high view of Scripture and this is demonstrated repeatedly as he works with the historical evidence. This is sure to instill confidence in God's word (2Tim.3:16).

One of the greatest benefits of this book is its accent upon history in an ahistorical age. If we fail to grasp the fact that the Christian faith is rooted in history, Evangelicalism will quickly morph into into a substitute for the genuine article. " By this you know the spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God." (1 John 4:2)

In this book, Hoehner tries to elucidate the dates of major events in Jesus' life such as his birth, start of ministry, crucifixion, etc. Hoehner does this largely by using extrabiblical information about the Roman Empire and linking it to data from the gospels, especially Luke.

Hoehner did his Ph.D. on Herod Antipas, qualifying him as an expert on first century Judaic/Roman history. It comes through on every page. The book is a fascinating read because the author masterfully puts together the brief bits of information we read in the gospels, such as which year of Tiberius' reign an event occurred, with extrabiblical Roman history to put together a chronology.

You will learn a tremendous amount about Herod and Pontius Pilate. For example, why is it that Pilate was so weak-willed in the gospel accounts, which contrasts with some of his previous brutalities and strong leadership? The answer comes from a conflict with Claudius involving a man named Sejanus. You will learn why Pilate then gave Jesus over to Herod for him to decide. All this Roman history will really add insight into your reading of the gospels.

Hoehner is also very fair when he establishes dates. He lists all the major views on a given point, and then weighs the pros and cons. He is so careful and rigorous in scholarship, documenting everything that he says, that you will continually go back to this book as a reference.

One conclusion that he fairly decisively argues is that Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 3, AD 33. Some other scholars argue for an AD 30 crucifixion, but Hoehner clearly shows why that view is deficient.

This book is not for everyone: if you are not a fan of history or the type of person who cares exactly when various events occurred, you will not enjoy this book. Even if you do care, as a word of caution, the level of detail in this book is very high and might bore some. The book is not easy to sit and read straight through. Many people may find the book most useful as a reference tool. In fact, my recommendation would be to read his concluding chapter *first*. You get to see where he is going, and read the final chronology. To understand a particular issue, such as "was Jesus crucified on a Wednesday or Friday?" you could then turn back and read the relevant chapter. For the serious New Testament student, there are a number of extremely valuable finds that you will very likely want to go back and re-read later. For example, was the Last supper a Passover meal or not? If so, why wasn't it celebrated on Friday with everyone else? Hoehner masterfully covers this difficult subject with great scholarship and insight.

As an added bonus, Hoehner concludes by reflecting on the meaning of Daniel 9:25-26. Sir Robert Anderson published a book called "The Coming Prince" in the late 1800s on that subject but made an error in his calculation. Hoehner corrects the error to arrive at an astounding conclusion.

The last strength of the book is its brevity. Hoehner is not wordy, so despite the amount of rich content of the book, it is remarkably short. He knows how to express ideas clearly and simply, making this book accessible to a wide readership. Overall, this book is invaluable for the serious New Testament Scholar.

If you have questions about the timing of many events in the Gospels, this is the book to have. Dr. Hoehner, explains the 'difficult' timing of Good Friday/ Easter and the Date of Christ's birth in clear laymans language, but with the deep Theological insight that a Ph.D from Cambridge and long years of teaching at Dallas Theological Seminary would provide. Simply the best book available. I have read and used it frequently in my ministry.

This book has been in on my shelf for years and I find myself going back to it time and time again. This will make sense out of many of the dates that seem odd. The chapter on Daniel's 70-7 is priceless.

Too complex for me! Especially with three kids a job a husband pets and god knows what else. I do believe in his theory, though, and I'm certain it works. Maybe when my last baby goes to college I'll give it a try.

Wish I'd read this book before moving to Seattle, one of the darkest cities in North America, and living there for 17 years! Each year when the rains started and lasted for months and months, I'd typically gain 15-25 pounds. If the sun came out long enough in the summer, I'd sometimes lose most of my winter weight. When the sun was out, diet was easy. When the sun was not shining, I could not stop eating. I arrived in Seattle weighing a petite 103 pounds and wearing a size 5 and left Seattle barely able to sqeeze into a size 14-16.

Now I've moved to a sunny state and have quite a few pounds to lose. The high-carb, low-fat diets left me hungry all the time. The low-carb diets left me feeling depressed. The carbohydrate addicts diet was too restrictive, no carbs except at one meal per day. On the Circadian diet, I don't feel an overwhelming urge to eat all the time. In fact, last night, after a very small dinner, I felt more full than I usually do after a very large meal. The diet is palatable, too. While protein is emphasized during the day, a little bit of carbohydrate is allowed, and it makes the meals a lot more appetizing. So, I can have a few chunks of pineapple with my cup of cottage cheese when I'm in a hurry and have to prepare a quickie lunch. Or I can have a piece of high fiber bread with my omlette at breakfast. And I can have some protein with my carbs at dinner. Eating out is easy. After failing at high-carb, low-carb, Weight Watchers, Diet Center, et cetera, I finally have a satisfying way to eat and am losing weight. In fact, I easily lost three pounds my first week on the diet. I learned a lot of useful information from other diet books but could not stick to the diets. After reading The Circadian Prescription, I find losing weight is pretty easy! With the other suggestions in the book, I overall feel much better than I have in years!

This guy makes a lot of sense. check it out.

I had dimly begun to suspect the reasoning myself - advertising bombards us with "Carbohydrates Are For Energy", but they always seem to put me to sleep during the day when I need to think clearly. Peeking inside, Dr. Baker says effectively 'duh you idiot that's right save the carbos for dinner'. Liking this reinforcement of personal intuition, I immediately bought the book !

"Protein-in-day, carbs-at-night" is of course not patentable, but it seems to work, and the details are worth $1.00, plus which it is fairly information-dense, not one of those padded tomes.

This book is a literally a lifesaver! For years I have struggled to stay awake, alert and function with ADD, Candida and other health problems....the diet that is recommeneded allows me to feel alert when I need to be alert and relaxed when necessary by eating differently at different times of the day,and not be famished and weak with hunger in-between. This concept is radically different from anything else that I've ever read..but it works! I've always assumed that somehow each individual was so unique that we needed different diets ....this is a diet that seems to work for everybody, regardless or age, sex, health or lack of it...The breakfast shake in particular is a gem..and can even be used for lunch if needed..it gives me lots of energy and carries me to lunch without the usual mid-morning hunger that usually plagues me.
I have even introduced a friend to the concept and she was blown away too. Thank you Dr. MacDonald, from the bottom of my heart.

This book has the original fairy tales, and they are amazing. If you want something completely different from the clean cut Disney versions of the classics you should at least read the book.

This is a very accurate study on fairy tales: everyone who wonders what's there beyond a story can easily find an answer. The book contains classical versions of some of the most famous fairy tales (Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, Bluebeard and Hansel and Gretel), including their multicultural variants, and for everyone of these there is a deep exploration about their social, historical, psychological aspects etc.

My daughter needed this for school and buying all her books here instead of the site the school works with saved a lot of money. Great condition, would buy again.

A collection of fairy tales that have lasted throughout the years, "The Classic Fairy Tales" also offers many essays by the experts in fairy tale. The very best critics including Jack Zipes and Maria Tater, have written well-thought out essays varying from Disney's involvement in fairy tales to the sexuality of these tales. These essays along with the eight stories (Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Cinderella, Bluebeard, Hansel and Gretel, four short tales by Hans Christian Anderson, and three by Oscar Wilde) and you get a book which will help you understand not only the tales themselves, but the ideologies, social connections, and cultural importance. This book is definitely a good read.

(This is an old review I wrote somewhere else before, 20th April 2005.)


This book is a collection of both classical fairy tales and contemporary ones, though you never get the contemporary ones without their former classical models. Mostly, the book is divided into some six or seven sections devoted to the most well known tales out there: Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Bluebeard, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel. There's also a section about Andersen and one about Wilde.

For each section there is an introduction by Maria Tatar, usually an excellent one. Also, since this is a Norton Critical Edition, you get a whole part of the book devoted to essays by the most recognised critics of fairy tales. Some of those are dubious, and bashed by other essays included there, and rightly so. Be careful about the psychoanalytical ones. But basically it's interesting to see how thoughts evolve from one essay to another, because they're put in such an order that they exist in a continuous current of thought, and that gives a neat unity to this book, as far as the essay side of it is concerned.

Excellent book to get into fairy tales with a critical mind.

I loved this poem and laughed...enjoyed...and re-read it. Just a fun tale and the illustrations are really quite vivid and enlightening adding a quality to the storyline.

I saw this book in my son's school library and bought it through Amazon the very same day. A great rhyming story to read aloud. My son and I both enjoy reading this book. Highly recommended!

I recently saw this poem recited in a vaudeville show in the Yukon. A couple of days later when I saw the book I just had to buy it. Although the story is morbid, I think the sound of the words and the colorful pictures will appeal to my 10-month old grandson (if he's allowed to hear it read). Great book!

This was one of my favorite books as a kid. My dad used to read it as a bedtime story. The pictures in this version are not as big as those in the original which was a little dissapointing. Otherwise the book is exactly as I remembered it.

I recently saw this poem used effectively with a sixth grade Social Studies class studying the Yukon Gold Rush. The poem with it's morbid/supernatural theme is intriguing to kids in the middle school years and the colorful yet somewhat archaic and ambiguous language led to a great beginning Socratic Seminar. This type of "picture book" should be used more often with older students and as another reviewer mentioned this poem would make a great extension to a literature unit on narrative poems or as a supplemental reading to a classic novel like Jack London's CALL OF THE WILD. And though I had never heard this poem before someone recently told me it is a classic to tell around the campfire especially when camping in the snow.

I had to read this book for a freshman lit course and I must say, it was such a wonderful read that it never felt like work. I'd buy another copy in a heartbeat if mine was lost. Excellent work!

A great job done by the authors for a multimedia piece that reflects America's melting pot story. The people are real and the work itself should inspire immigrants and descendants of immigrants to share the experience. I found the CD fascinating as a work to be enjoyed with the book. A wonderful job! I look for more work by the authors.

The book is well done except the authors failed to include the ethnicity that was and continues to be among the largest immigrant group, the Irish. The authors dropped the ball on that one.

If there was ever a time when we needed to be reminded that immigrants are the heart and soul of what makes this a textured, rich and interesting country, this is it. This book and its companion museum exhibit, which I was lucky enough to come upon serendipitously at Purchase College's Neuberger Museum, celebrates the gifts we have received as a nation from the diverse people who have struggled first to get here, and then to make a life for themselves here. Before we build walls on borders, before we villify those who are different from us, let's appreciate what we are gaining from the immigrants who choose the US as their home. Let's remember that very few of us are Native American. We have all benefitted from the open door to America.

Book is an excellent companion to a travelling show we saw at the University of Maine in Orono. It captures in an extraordinary fashion the incredible ethnic and cultural diversity within a relatively small section of Queens, NY.

This is a very important book about officer survival. The focus is not on tactics, but on mental aspects of combat, and especially the aftermath of violent encounter.

The book starts with introduction of Survival triangle: You have to survive both physically, mentally, and legally to fully survive an violent encounter. The authors keep that in mind through the book, while the stress is on mental survival. Next the authors discuss the selection process of police recruits, and the nature of violence the police are forced to encounter in their line of duty. Next they give a thorough explanation of fear and it's effects on a person, and they address the issue of training, as well.

The main portion of the second part of the book (about 100 pages) is real-life stories told by cops, and the author's comments of the events. There is not any tactical reviewing, but the incidents are discussed on a psychological point of view. At the end of the second part there is a chapter of psychological injuries, starting from physical effects right after the incident, going to post-traumatic stress disorder and difficulties with relationships with other persons.

The third part of the book covers the treatment of a traumatic event survivor. The authors cover all aspects: What the survivor himself can do, what his superiors, family members, peers and so on can and should do. The authors also stress that there are many different kinds of encounters that can cause post-traumatic stress disorder other than gunfights, and that all participants of such encounter can develop mental problems, not just the ones who pull the trigger. There is also advise to detectives who investigate officer-involved shootings.

All things considered, this book is a very complete package. It is easy to read and the text is not too "scientific" for a layman to understand. This was the first book by Loren Christensen I have read, but it sure won't be the last!

I received this book as a Christmas Gift from my brother. He's a Deputy, I'm an Executive Protection Specialist. Next to Robert Oatman's books on Executive Protection, this is the most valuable book in my Library. I can see that this is a must have book for Police Officers everywhere, but it's also obvious that anyone who may find themselves in a position requiring deadly force can benefit from this book.

I found the book to quick to read and easy to absorb. The authors make simple explanations of others experiences, and help you understand what works. In particular, the mental preparation for use of force provided by this book is excellent and concise.

It's at the center of human nature to stay alive, anyone that's put in a situation to kill or be killed will benefit greatly from this book.

An easy 5/5.

This is a fantastic book that is easy to read and makes a lot of sense. Every law enforcement officer should read this book and it should be required reading in all academies. I wish that I had read it before my deadly force encounter, but it was still very helpful in understanding what was happening to me in the aftermath. It has also been enlightening to my fellow officers that heard the incident unfold on the radio and to my family that received the phone call after the incident. It is a must read.

As with any book authored by Christensen, one feels the reality and truth of the content. This book is no different, it is enlightening to all inexperienced and experienced police officers. It should be mandatory reading for all police recruits in the academy as well as veteran officers on the job.

The mind MUST be prepared for what it will go through during a lethal encounter and more importantly, what it will go through after the encounter; unless of course you lost and are DEAD. Then, your loved ones must now deal with your failure to have survived. Do not do that to them ! Read this book, train and be prepared.

"The mind must be trained and then the body will follow." Anthony M. Cataldo www.blackbeltdojo.com

As a former Oakland, CA police sergeant and veteran of a number deadly force encounters, I can recommend this book to all street officers. In 1972 I was involved in an incident with an armed suspect who was killed. Today I can still relate the incident second by second. It will never leave me. This book allows you to gain from experience of deadly encounters without having to go through it yourself. This is very helpful and will certainly save lives. I recommend the book.

Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D, author of Managing Police Stress. docwifford@msn.com

I lost 20 lbs after reading Arnots books. He offers safe and effective advice for folks who want to live longer and healthier lives.

Dr. Bob's "Guide to Turning Back the Clock" is 100 percent accurate and a good motivational tool for both men and women. I had no idea that enriched flour ... is so bad for your body. He has some very good ideas on how to eat and "fuel" your body. I especially liked the sections on roller blading and cross country skiing. This is the "one" diet/fitness book to have at your side. Cousin Arnold is right: "Be the best you've ever been. Now is the time and this is the book!"

Very informative book. It contains a lot of useful information. I became bored with many parts of the book especially when Dr. Arnot went into long discussions on topics like which sports equipment to purchase. Overall the book contained very practical information. I found the diet information extremely useful, but a little hard to actually implement. For a short time after reading the book, I actually did follow Dr. Arnot's eating advice and felt better than I have in a long time.

Sensible and practical. No quick fixes, but collects a bunch of good tips into one place.

great book, very informative, talks about not only diet, but also the importance of exercise and mixing it up. Not just cardio but muscle building/strengthening as well. No BS in his book, everything makes sense. Oh yeah, Arnie recommends it.