Open Books

Writing a short book on the global economic and social situation means you have to simplify, and this can be tricky. Korten wrote a large book (When Corporations Rule The World) where he studied the key arguments in detail. I think this enabled him to now write a pamphlet that organizes the key arguments for a more democratic a more participatory society in a very didactic way. The global mess we have created may be complicated, but in fact the alternatives are fairly simple, and Korten presents them with art.

In God's Favorite Number, Ben Peters shows us that the revelation of unity in the Church is really the revelation of God's glory. He paints for us a prophetic picture of what that glorious unity looks like, and lays out fresh insights and practical helps on how we can get there. What a joy to discover that the Harvest is not only gathered in but gathered together!

Jeff Doles, Bible teacher and author of
God's Word in Your Mouth: Changing Your World Through Faith

The most comprehensive book on British Open Golf Courses around. This is outstanding and a must for any golfer!! Nice work Mike.A great gift for clients.It was so good I bought 20 copies for customers!

PROFOUND WISDOM
The God of the 21st century speaks.

Brother David is one of the most joy-filled, enthusiastic and nurturing writers in spirituality today. This is an excellently written and knowledgable exploration of a theme that he introduced in "A Listening Heart." He proposes that people can't simply be happy, but we can be grateful, which leads to happiness. Learning to be grateful for what we have, together with learning to be satisfied with less and less, are proposed as keys to spiritual growth. Because Br. David is Benedictine, his approach is inclusive and open, yet scholarly and well-grounded. Not only Christians, but all people of faith will find his books inspiring, and this one is a marvelous guide to "life in fullness."

This book is so amazing! It makes a GREAT Mother's Day present! I sent it to a friend who is expecting and she is thrilled! The photographs are beautiful but what makes this book so special is that it gives real advice on how to go beyond "coping" and how to ENJOY the journey of being a mom!!

This book presents the various "world-views" behind the immediate battles over ecological issues in a way that brings them alive. It shows why understanding and working through our most basic beliefs concerning what we ought to do (and be) is so important if we are to learn to "tread more lightly on the earth" before it is too late. It is a wonderfully readable introduction to ecological ethics and a rousing call to thoughtful action.

I first bought a copy of "Guatemala Guide" preparing for a trip in 1987. Of all the (limited) sources available, Glassman's guide stood out as a true portrait of the people and cities, not the horrid tourist guides that point you to the popular hotels and towns and ignore the history and culture....which a traveler (not a tourist) wants to experience. I wrote Mr. Glassman after the trip to compliment him and pass along a few updates, and he wrote back a warm letter, explaining he has a home in Panajachel, and lives part of the year in Guatemala, which explains his in-depth knowledge of the country. He has produced updates to the book through the years, which I have purchased for arm chair readings, as well as return trips. The 97 update is the best ever. Also pick up his "Costa Rica Guide" which is an excellent book to a far-too touristy spot.

Since most philosophical writing of high caliber usually comes in the obtuse-to-American-ears stylings of continental French and German academia, Graham Harman's book makes for a brilliant gem of thought to American readers interested in high caliber philosophy. Along the lines of Alphonso Lingis, this book flies the flag of a refreshing and inventive turn away from the long obsession with liguistic subjectivity in philosophy departments, demonstrating a movement toward phenomenological reacquaintence with things themselves. This is exciting, intense, relevant philosophy.

In The Surprise, the GypsyBridge Friends series of children's books builds on its impressive start in The Vine and The Gift. The concept for the series initially surprised me and I had to sleep on that surprise before I understood all of my reactions. I can't remember ever having to think a lot about a children's book before. Since then, I've come to be very enthusiastic about the concept.

The Surprise is a four-part resource. First, it's a story told as a parable about a child, Sally, and her friends, Dick, Jane and Tom. Second, it's a Bible lesson using the parable. Third, it's a play lesson with reusable materials. Fourth, it's a series of teaching suggestions for parents (located behind the materials).

But to say that understates the versatility of this book. Most such books pretty much can be used only as a picture book and then as a reader at a beginner level. The Surprise can be used at three levels: a picture book; then as a book where the child has the material read aloud to her or him; and then as a reader that is appropriate for about third grade with over 2000 words in it.

Here's the parable. The four children are neighbors in a seemingly adult-bereft world. God and Jesus are around . . . but not visibly. As the book begins, Sally is excited that signs of Spring are all around. Sally thinks that Spring celebrates Easter, a happy time. Her friends are not so enthusiastic. Dick points out that Easter is not about Spring. Tom points out that Easter is not about flowers. Dick and Tom become grumpy with each other over Spot's having gotten dirty in the Spring mud. Sally cannot get anyone interested in Easter. What is Easter about? Pretty soon everyone is unhappy and even the color starts to fade from the town. They decide to think about the real meaning of Easter. Dick gets his Bible and hands it to Tom. "Easter is about Jesus breaking open the gates of death when God raised him from the dead . . . ." "It's about . . . victory over the power of sin and death." The children realize that they can choose to let Jesus give them His power to stop doing bad things, and they will be forgiven for their sins.

The parable's lesson is from Corinthians 15:54-55. "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The parable is nicely explained in this context by having the color return to the town. They realize "It's Easter everyday in our lives."

The book's activity involves Dick's Drawing. There is an outline of a butterfly that can be used as a template to outline this symbol of the Resurrection so colorful details can later be added on paper.

Visually, the book will be very appealing to most children. It uses computer-generated animation methods similar to those in the movie "Toy Story." Since it's about children, they will find the material relevant. Also, there are two girls and two boys so there's a chance to relate to a same-sex character. One of the characters, Tom, appears to be African-American which encourages racial openness.

When I was young, I enjoyed the comic-book versions of the Bible that were distributed in Sunday School. These made the stories come to life for me. Unfortunately, there were no similar materials when I was younger. The GypsyBridge Friends fill in that gap in an imaginative way. Now every day can bring a Sunday School lesson for preschoolers and beginning readers!

After you have been reading this delightful book with your child from a while, I suggest that you remember to describe Easter to your child more often so that Easter can be alive every day in your family!