G Books

Anfra,

This book has changed my life. As I read this book I was tremendously blessed. God definitely spoke to me through you as some of the information in your book helped me to understand myself more clearly. I've got alot of work to do!!

I loved how you ended each section with "Think about it, sisters"!! That phrase caused me to pause and think about what I had just read in depth.

Your writing style was easy to understand, funny, informative and inspirational. I'm thankful that my sister Andrea, gave me this book because it has changed my life.

Thank you for promoting sisterhood and helping me to grow more spiritually. I have been encouraged, enlightened and empowered.

Anfra, express her views on life's many embers: AIDS, sex, politics, spiritual, how to raise your children, meditation and more.

I especially like "A Tribute To African-American Authors" where she uses the titles of various author books to get her point across.

A great reality check book.

I was searching through the bookstore looking for more books by Juanita Bynum. The store clerk recommended You Are My Sister by a new author that I never heard of. I must say I was skeptical at first. I liked the cover and the synopsis on the back and needlees to say I was drawn in. What? A book about why women date married men. Woow, I was intrigued and what I found on the inside pages made me call the book store up and ask if they had any more books by Anfra.

Write on my sista, write on! Please write on.

A new fan, Gwynn in Detroit, MI

I could not put this book down. A friend of mine was reading it at work and suggested that I get a copy and I did. I didn't know that I was in for a treat of refreshing and uplifting words from a powerful sister.

Words can't express how enlightening this book is. You Are My Sister should become an anthem for women. I loved the Sisterhood Creed in the front.

Thanks Anfra for those encouraging words of wisdom.

You Are My Sister - An Inspirational Book That Promotes Sisterhood and Spiritual Growth by Anfra is a definite must read. I really enjoyed this book. This is indeed a winner.

You Are My Sister by Anfra takes you on a wonderful spiritual journey of reflections and self-upliftment that humbly reminds us that we are somebody. I was very inspired and it really eased a lot of my inner stress that I had while reading the book. I feel not everyone can produce writings for inspiration and spiritual growth; it's something that has to come natural to the writer. Anfra not only captures and reflects that definition, but she naturally does "encourage, enlighten and empower" with her writings.

Although I had many favorites, a few elevated themselves to me as being my inspiration. "What's Blocking Your Blessings?" was a rude awakening to me and I humbly enjoyed her writing. It is a compelling reminder that we tend to overlook stress related issues that can impact the blocking of your blessings.

Another of my favorites was "Weight Problems." I realized from that passage that we have to stop, think, and come to terms of what is actually weighing us down. We have to realize that it's not always about the physical, that it's about the religious, mental, and spiritual growth and development that we must acquire within ourselves to survive the heavy burdens that we unconsciously put on ourselves.

I also enjoyed Anfra's poetry section. Three of my favorites were "Someone Else's Eyes" A Message From An Unborn Child" and "I Got It." All three including her other collections had me nodding my head up and down and side-to-side. They were definitely on time.

Finally, the last section was what I consider a serious grand finale because this section was about YOU doing a self-inventory. The title alone is self-explanatory - "To Thine Own Self Be True" You Are My Sister-Personal Inventory. Anfra provides you with an opportunity to now examine yourself with various questions, and exercises that can only do one thing and that is encourage you to take charge of your life.

Although I could go and on about my favorites, I think words would be well spent if you get the book yourself and enjoy a magnificent collection of her writings, poems, reflections, and inspirations, that I know will do more then "encourage, enlighten, and empower" but will bring a humble "amen" "wow" and "thank you" to Anfra for sharing her spirituality and inspiration with us. You will truly enjoy this book and will want to keep it nearby for those pick me up days. I give it a rating of 5.

Reviewed by Kalaani

If you enjoyed Oke's "Love Comes Softly" series, you will surely love this book! This is my favorite of her books and I recommend this one to anyone who wants to read a good romance novel.

A gown of spanish lace is about a young women that is a school teach.
and a young man that has been raised by outlaws and without a mother.

its a wonderfull book about two young agult finding love..
and a young man finding out how he is... and coming to belive....
its a graet book full of mystery and Love and advetures. and a little acshon. graet graet book!
and I think you would enjoy it!
:-)

I loved this book it was wonderful they was they fell in love. Ariana and Laramie are perfect for each other. Ariana lived the life of a schoolteacher who was hungry for god's word. She wanted her students to feels the same. She loved her town and every thing it stood for. Well. She loved being a teacher. She was adopted. Her parents died in a raid on their wagon trail. All she has heft to remember her mother by is a dress, which she planes to wear when she gets married. That wont is for a while. Soon Ariana is kidnapped so that Laramie's father can get Laramie to kill some one. She is kept in a hut near the camp, the people that live in the camp our robbers and are horrible men. They are widely known. None of them know about Ariana being on there camp except for the boss and one of the other members of the camp. Sam, Sam told Laramie about his past, well at least as much as he knew. Gave him a trunk filled with Laramie's stuff. From when he was a baby. While Ariana is a captive her and Laramie fall in love by simple acts of kindness. Soon Laramie helps her escape. He almost kills someone for it. Once they escape there past begins to unravel, in a strange way the to lovers are connected very closely. Soon all is settled but the ending will take you by surprise. You don't see it coming.

This is the best book that Oke has written. I absoulty loved it and couldnt put it down until I finished it. Read it.

I really enjoyed this book.
My mom read it to me when I was three or four and recently
She recomended that I read it myself.
I am really happy that I did. It is about
a sixteen year old girl named Ariana who is a schoolteacher.
one day two men come to the school house and kidnap her during a blizzard.
She is taken far away to an old, small, dirty cabin and locked in. When she gets a new guard, Laramie, at first she is afraid of him, but then she starts to enjoy his company. He does not mistreat her and he buys her food and soap and all she needs. one day he decides to help her escape. It is a dangerous and risk, but Laramie is willing to take it and liberate her out of camp. Will they survive?
see for yourself. I think that you should definatly buy this book It has many twists that I did not mention. 5 STARS!

I probably would have liked this book a little more if I had read it before I read Ravished; it just seemed like a rehash of that book, only in a medieval setting instead of nineteenth century.

Also, the purple prose bordered on the silly side at times, making it hard to read with a straight face.

this book is fun to read. one of the only medeival books written by amanda quick.high in action.

This is definitely my favorite AQ novel. I won't go into a breakdown of the book, but I will say that besides enjoying the story, I learned more about how life was during that time.

A great read for any Medival novel or Amanda Quick fan!

I love these 1-title books from Amanda Quick. I know they are not a series, but each book has some similarities, but she always keeps it fresh!

I cannot believe all of the 5 and 4 star ratings for this book! I couldn't wait for it to end. Very formula and hoaky dialogue. If this is any indication of how Amanda Quick writes her best-selling novels, I think I'll pass up the next opportunity to read another. The purple prose was forced and ridiculous. If this was supposed to be a satire or comedy, it missed the mark and just came across as incredibly stupid.

"He found the valley that divided the luscious hillocks and followed its course to the hot spring that awaited him." (The words of Hugh the Relentless.)--Even though this is a medievil romance--way too hoaky.

"A cold, ghostly wind wafted from the dark corridor. It carried before it the promise of doom." (this is describing Hugh entering a dark cave and Alice, the heroine senses his presence by mental telepathy or something. OH PLEASE!

"Hugh was vengeance incarnate, a dark wind that would sweep all before it."

And these ridiculous passages were easy to find--they're everywhere in this book.

I say don't bother with this one.

Exellent book on snowflakes. Great photos and educational info on the formation , etc. This book makes a great gift.

I have read this book quite many years ago, or just two, and I can honestly say it's beautiful in the most breath-taking way. The photographs are seriously impressive and I don't think you've ever seen snowflakes quite like that. The text is great as well and you get to learn a lot of things about snowflakes.

Don't think this book would "steal" the mystery of snowflakes, as with everything in life, the more questions are answered, the more questions. So with this book.

I recommend it to anyone interested in snow and snowflakes in particular. It would make a wonderful gift, also. I can't recommend this book enough.

This handsome book should motivate the reader to appreciate -- perhaps even delight in -- every snowfall. The photos are superb; they are often curiously interesting and always a visual feast. Libbrecht provides an easy to understand description of the formation of snow crystals (not all of them are flakes, he points out.) The book will encourage some readers to want more, and Libbrecht provides a companion volume -- a Field Guide -- for that purpose. This is more than a mere coffee-table volume. Libbrecht makes the physics behind the snow crystals not only understandable, but charming. Libbrecht uses clear prose without "dumbing down" the science. Now, if Libbrecht will only produce another volume with 3D or stereo views...!

The photos in this book are breathtaking! This makes a great gift for a hard to buy for person. I bought it for my father and he loves it!

Well written, with unparalleled photos of snow crystals. The book contains accurate physics, nice insights into snow crystal morphology and growth and is at a level that will engage almost everyone. Enough information here for a physicist to enjoy the book, but presented in a way that will not intimidate the layman. Just gazing at the pictures of the snowflakes will inspire wonder at the beauty of these little ephemeral creations, and is an antidote for frazzled nerves any time of the day, in any season. I've bought several to give away and one for myself, and it probably won't be the last one.

The reviewer below who thought the author doesn't give enough credit to God for the amazing design of the snowflake, may be a little too demanding. Perhaps the author thought the little crystals speak for themselves, and lets the reader draw his own conclusions. I can't look at these beautiful pictures without marveling at a God who is so creative He doesn't "know when to quit"!

This is my favourite Jeeves & Wooster story yet. The story had me laughing out loud; a bit annoying for my wife trying to work nearby. This is a great story and a handsomely bound, affordable book from Overlook.

This has to be among the best of Wodehouse. As so many other reviewers have remarked, the novel has a fluid feel to it; total and complete chaos. Starting with an ominous phone call from Aunt Dahlia, Bertie jumps from bowl to bowl constantly in the soup.

I loved the quotes from this book, on things being gruntled and what not. The characters are also amazing. Sir Watkyn Bassett, the treacly Madeleine, with Spode running after Bertie wanting to break his bones, the dog Bartholomew (this was perhaps one place where I almost laughed out loud) which terrorizes Bertie and Jeeves when (I think) they have to take shelter on top of the cupboard-Bertie goes to great lengths introducing this terrier. The moment is when they throw a candle at Bartholomew and it eats it.

The cow creamer plays no small part in the plot. It is a hideous silver jug that uncle Tom collects. Aunt Dahlia wants Bertie to 'sneer' at it by saying that its modern dutch, which might lower its value, apparently.

There is also Stephanie Byng and stinker Pinker who constantly trips over things. And constable dobbs, Aunt Dahlia herself, and Gussie Fink Nottle. There couldn't have been a more ridiculous set of characters than here.

This,and perhaps some of the Pig books (Pigs have wings, and Summer Lightning come readily to mind). I wish the world were as nice as that depicted by Wodehouse.

Believe it or not, I am 74 years old and had never read
about the trials and tribulations Jeeves put up with
Bertie Wooster. I have never laughed so much in my life.
I am now going to get my hands on every word P.G. Wodehouse
ever wrote. I truly would have loved to meet the man.

The Code of the Woosters, by the inimitable P. G. Wodehouse, is a fun and enjoyable romp with Bertie Wooster and his Man Jeeves. This novel features numerous plotlines, including but not limited to, the battle over a cow creamer, a lost notebook, romantic entanglements, the theft of a policeman's helmet, a potential jail sentence for Bertie, a dictator, and more romantic entanglements. Each plotline is brought to a conclusion by the brilliance of "Plum" the excellent English humorist. The book is full of hilarious one liners and brilliant wit. Amazingly, this novel was first published in 1938, yet it is still full of timely situations.

This novel of classic comedy introduces us to Totleigh Towers and its owner, Sir Watkin Bassett. Several memorable mainstay characters are in this book including Gussie Fink-Nottle, Aunt Dahlia, Madeline Bassett, and Stiffy Bing. Any journey taken with Wooster and Jeeves is time well spent. This classic series endures because the characters are wonderful and memorable. A 5 star fun-filled romp.

An early critic of P.G. Wodehouse complained that his second book was identical to his first, only the character names had changed. In response, Wodehouse resolved to continue writing identical stories, but to keep his character names the same. And so, The Code of the Woosters is nearly identical to all other Jeeves and Wooster novels; Bertie gets into a sticky situation, inadvertently makes things worse, and is ultimately rescued by Jeeves. Could any one of them possibly be any good if they are all so unoriginal? Yes. In fact, they are all excellent. How? Wodehouse was a genius; reading any one of his books will prove it to you. His characters are unforgettable. His narrative is brilliant. Above all, his books are hilarious, and The Code of the Woosters is one of his finest.

Betram (Bertie) Wooster, a lazy, bumbling (but well meaning!) gentleman living in Britain during the early 1900's, is pressured by his aunt Dahlia to steal a cow-shaped milk creamer from Sir Watkyn Bassett, a magistrate who once fined Bertie five `quid' for `pinching' a policeman's helmet. The task is made complicated by the presence of Roderick Spode, the amateur dictator who founded `the black shorts' and who is a friend of Sir Watkyn; Spode is watching Bertie like a hawk and threatens to break his neck if he sees Bertie so much as glance at the cow-creamer. Things go downhill when Gussie Fink-Nottle (a newt fancying friend of Bertie's) suffers a snag with his engagement to Madeline Basset (a dreamy girl who holds opinions like `the stars are God's daisy chain,' and who thinks that Bertie is madly in love with her). Bertie rushes to patch things up between them, but nearly becomes engaged to Madeline himself. In the end, only Jeeves, Bertie's brilliant, (almost) all-knowing manservant, can guide Bertie out of these troubled waters.

If you aren't familiar with P.G. Wodehouse's dynamic duo, you owe it to yourself to read this book. I guarantee you won't be able to stop laughing. Nearly every line is comical. The narration itself (the story is told by Bertie) is positively hilarious. And so, I give The Code of the Woosters the highest marks I can!

"Cotillion" was actually the first Georgette Heyer book I have ever read. I'd heard of Heyer through word-of-mouth and even in other novels (like Bridget Jones's Diary), but just never seemed to get around to reading one of Heyer's novels. I am so happy that I did. It's basically as if I've "discovered" Heyer and now I'm eager to get my hands on every single novel that I can. I've read a lot of regency-inspired romances over the years and I have to say, that when it comes to realistic, this book is the closest I've ever come. The dialogue is full of phrases and slang (like, "it's all the crack") and the mannerisms of the characters feel real and authentic. Occasionally, I couldn't help but think that Freddie was gay. Sorry, but it just kept popping up in my head every time he commented on someone's hat or shawl... -but I let it go. One thing I was surprised about was the actual lack of overt romance. Rather, it was subdued and subtle throughout the book. I really loved this book. Read it. If you don't like regency romance novels, don't read it. But then, I'm not sure why you'd be on this page in the first place if you didn't.

This is my first Georgette Heyer novel. I had a hard time getting into it. The first quarter of the book is rather slow and dull. However, once into the story, I found it very quirky and fun. I did not find it to be a romance though. Freddy and Kitty don't have much spark. And although I realize that this was not the intent of the author, I kept waiting for Freddy to come out of the closet. At the very least he is a metrosexual. I like my heroes a little less interested in female clothing and style.

But if I look past the idea of this book as a romance, I enjoyed it. The banter is great. The characters are hilarious. I would definitely recommend it.

This is classic (and therefore brilliant) Heyer. Not your usual Regency fare in terms of hero & heroine, but that's what makes it so unique and sweet. The cast of characters is full, but doesn't detract from the main plot; rather it helps the two along their sometimes bumbling way.
If you're looking for a keeper, this one is worth the money.

If you loved Friday's Child (my very favorite Heyer book) you'll love Cotillion.

Most Heyer books feature heros who need to grow. In Cotillion, a classic comedy of manners, our innocent heroine (madly in love with a romantic, dashing figure as the book begins) learns to appreciate the real worth of a very average man.

Sweet, gentle humor-- a book that gets better with every read.

Kitty Charing's guardian, the crotchety Mathew Penicuik, has promised that she shall inherit his fortune if she agrees to marry one of his great nephews. Kitty, however, wants none of them. What she does want is a trip to London, a place that she's never been. So she arranges a hoax engagement with great nephew Freddy giving her a good excuse to go to town to meet his family. Once in London she becomes a woman of fashion and gets entangled in all sorts of scrapes and misadventures.

Overall, Cotillion is pleasant historical fiction that while rather loosely plotted is carried along by the strength of a charming cast of characters. These include: the half witted but affectionate Lord Dolphington, foppish Freddy who has immaculate taste on everything from waistcoats to drapes, and the darkly handsome Jack, a notorious gambler and ladies' man.

The story starts with Kitty dealing with multiple marriage proposals and matters of the heart. However, during the entire middle section of the novel her romantic future is put on hold as she plays cupid for others. I felt as though this took too much focus away from Kitty as a heroine. She pales a bit in comparison to the far more interesting couples and situations around her. I got the impression of her as a kind hearted ingénue, but not much more than that.

Also I felt that Kitty and Jack's past and present relationship was rather poorly defined. We are made to understand that they had some kind of involvement in the past, but the exact nature of it eludes us. Was it a simple school girl crush as Kitty insists? Or was it something deeper than that as Jack seems to believe? This is a problem when Heyer attempts a love-triangle conflict at the stories' climax. Because we do not know whether Kitty really feels anything for Jack at all, there is a definite lack of tension, romantic or otherwise.

In the end, Cotillion is more of a feel good story than anything else. Suspense is minimal, and the novel's true strength lies in the journey and not the destination.

On a side note, there is a lot of unusual and (I suppose) period appropriate vernacular. For example,
"Wonder if he's playing a deep game?.. No saying what might be in his head, a curst rum touch Jack! Shouldn't have thought he'd whistle a fortune down the wind though. Rather fancy he counted the old gentleman's rolls of soft his own. Never knew such a fellow for wasting the ready! Played wily beguiled with his own fortune!" Pg 48-49.


Recommended if you love regency stories or light-hearted cozy reads.

You know what ? This is a great book !
Being a french reader, I waited that I'd improved my english in order that I could really appreciate such good novels.
Ian Fleming is excellent at slowly revealing the psychology of his main character. And Fleming write with a skill and sureness of touch that go straight to the essential, without any "fioritures".
I do recommend this book to anyone who simply want to be appealed by good stories.

This is the best by Fleming. A real treat to read! Danger is what Bond gets into.

I've always ranked the first Bond book, "Casino Royale", as the best of the series. "On Her Majesty's..." is also one of the best -- perhaps because it has much in common with "Casino". Bond returns to the gambling tables of Royale; he enjoys various foods and drinks; he falls very hard for a girl, with potentially tragic results; and he comes across as very human, rather than the Superman of the movies (contrast the effortless skiing ending in a parachute jump or some other stunt in a typical Bond movie with Bond's desperate, exhausting downhill escape run that is a highlight of this book).

One of the best Bonds.

In Ian Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service, James Bond is chasing Ernst Stavro Blofeld, the villain from Thunderball. Bond has to do a bit of role-playing in this classic Bond thriller, and he plays the part of a professional from the College of Arms (an organization dealing with genealogies and family trees) with panache. The novel begins with a terrific display of suspense, as Bond is in eminent danger. This feeling also lasts through most of the novel.

This novel is set mostly in the Swiss Alps at a sort of combination ski facility/ scientific lab. Bond is posing as a man from the College of Arms because Blofeld has expressed interest in his heritage. The novel continues as Bond attempts to find out all that he can about Blofeld's strange facility on this Alp.

The first part of the book was not quite as exciting as I had been expecting, but it provided enough humor for me to be satisfied until it got to the more action-filled sections. However, this book provided more than humor and action. The plot was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The skiing scenes were especially suspense-filled and exciting, Bond's romantic interests complemented the plot, and the characters were full and vibrant.

I decided to read a Bond novel after having watched several of the movies (you know how they all come on tv at once,) and I am glad I did. This novel was surprisingly good even though my expectations were high. This book is better than the movies because instead of mere sound-byte-intensive humor, it provides a real humor that I found to be much more affable than the movies. Also, Bond is portrayed somewhat differently than in the movies. I found that the action scenes were just as vivid as they are in the movies, something that is not often successfully managed by authors. I believe that any Bond fan should read the books, not just watch the movies. Trust me, they are at least equally enjoyable.

I think that this book is at least comparable to today's suspense novels, and my only complaint is that I was not around in the 60's to read it when it was a new and, I suspect, rather progressive novel.

One of the last of the original Bond Books, On Her Majesty's Secret Service is also one of the best. Picking up a year after the end of Thunderball, this book finds James Bond again battling the nefarious schemes of Ernest Stavro Blofeld and SPECTRE and, most importantly, falling in love with the beautiful, resourceful, and ultimately tragic Tracy. Though the usual intrigue is well-presented by Fleming, he also makes it clear that Blofeld's plan is hardly meant to be taken all that seriously. (Without ruining it for those who might never have read the book or seen the surprisingly faithful film adaption, it all comes down to Blofeld hidden away in Switzerland, pretending to be an allergist, and brainwashing English farm girls. No, it doesn't make a lot of sense but Fleming obviously had so much fun presenting it that most readers won't take offense.) The heart of this book -- and this Fleming treats with an admirable seriousness that should take his critics by surprise -- is the love story between Bond and Tracy. In Tracy, Fleming has created perhaps his most fully realized "Bond girl." Vulnerable yet resourseful and more than capable of taking care of herself (and, at times, perhaps even more so than Bond himself), its hard not to fall in love with this character and when Bond finally does decide to reject all others for her, its impossible to disagree with his logic. Its a compelling, rather touching love story and, even though most Bond films know how its going to end, the ending still packs a heavy impact.

As for Bond himself, after being a rather predictable presence in Thunderball, he's back in full form as a full realized, interesting character in this novel. On Her Majesty's Secret Service was written after the release of Dr. No (Ursula Andress even makes a cameo appearance at the time) and one can sense that, with this book, Fleming is reestablishing his claim on the character. From the intentionally ludicrous evil scheme to the frequent excursions into Bond's head (revealing him hardly to be the ruthless, unflappable killer that filmgoers though him to be), Fleming comes across as a reenergized writer in this book -- determind to let all the new Bond fans out there know who is really in charge of their favorite secret agent's destiny. The result is one of the best of the original Bond books and one of the best spy thrillers I've read in a long time.

This book is amazing because it allows us to understand the roots of our frustrations. We live in times of despair: our planet, our families, our loves, everything seems to be melting away on one side - on the other, our quest for a real progress is wider, we want peace and harmony, more than ever in the previous ages of wars and revolutions. The author brings to us a profound, maybe definitive, light on this point, "where our civilization went wrong", be it outwardly, or inside ourselves, with our desires and our values.
Please, don't read it only, but make it be read; don't discuss them, but try those solutions, and, if they do work, let's start it all over again with our lives.

Gregoire De Kalbermatten lays out the spiritual and history perspective of mankind's evolution.

The book is well written and easy to read, provides a truly deep insight into the human condition, and offers practical solutions for the direction of humanity.

The book is for everyone who has ever asked the question "what is this life all about / why am I here"

I've read this book sevaral times and always found new things to chew on ;-). The author clearly describes not only the decadence of the western society but clearly states the zeitgeist of our whole modern world. Everybody who just looks a little bit deeper under the surface, sees that the status and mind of the world isn't in good shape, facing destruction on every level, from global down to personal, effecting every human being in one way or an other.

A possible solution to all this is the way the author explains. It's nothing new of course, basically stating - change the world by changing yourself - but why should truth be something new, it always has been the same and will be. Circumstances are changing, as clearly described in "The Third Advent", relating the "story" back in history as far as 6000 years.

An amazing book altogether

It does not take much intelligence to realize that the current state of affairs are unsustainable. Corporate Scandals, wars, corruption, pornography , economic recessions, environmental damage, genocide- we have all witnessed some impact of atleast one of these in our lives. And things appear to go worse as we go along.

Undoubtedly there are good things to cheer about which make life worth living. But they are declining.

This book takes stock of the current situation in this world and suggests a way to improve. This is not some super philiosphy meant for a few selected ones. Neither its difficult to tread. It can be implemented upon by everyone.

Mahatma Gandhi once said "you must be the change you wish to see in the world" . This book precisely advocates this. Its a book about you a change in human conscisouness can bring about profound changes in humanity. This book recommends the way of Sahaja Yoga - the path suggested by H.H Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. (for more details go to www.sahajayoga.org).Mataji has written Meta Modern Era which is an excellent guide to know ourselves.

"A great storm is gathering, and hatred is on the rise." This is the entrance of Mr. de Kalbermatten's book The Third Advent. Apparently a man aware of the world's woes, he outlines the sufferings and injustices from time past to current world events. This exposé is intertwined with messages that mankind's hope lies in a shield made of wisdom, love and compassion. He brings to light famous saints and philosophers along with obscure (to the layman) visionaries that have graced this human experience with their divine message. These messages seem to be somehow encoded and he shows us throughout the book the key to understanding them, "Man must wrestle with the letter of the scriptures to pierce through to the inner core of real spiritual understanding of the Spirit".

Mr. de Kalbermatten through many examples enfolds the fruitless search of mankind for outside stimulants that trigger only frustration and disappointment. Instead of looking for reality in our seeking, we delve in escapism created by a suspension of disbelief. This is where alternative realities of perception are created so that we can escape our existence. There is a need to realize that the stimulus of our seeking is spurred by an inner urge that can only be satisfied through introspection. "It would seem a great waste that we could all be walking along a corridor of dreams that leads nowhere." Although with an enlightened perception, the writer tells us, we could see dreams as a gate to a new reality. He states that this urge that drives our seeking, this "gate" to reality, really exists and he proposes that there is a crossing between the worlds. This crossing seems to be an effort that requires synchronicity of a collective action. The key to open this gate appears to be the quest, and this key although very ancient, can be found in our present reality. Curiosity fuels this quest. This quest, he intimates, may be the result of many incarnations. Each life we pick up the trail from the last one. The gate equates to the One, the One who is the gatekeeper that lets us into the true Reality.

The author relates adulthood with the loss of innocence, the innocence of a child's belief in the magic of life. He speaks of his own seeking throughout the world, of life's true meaning. He found disappointment, betrayal, danger and the deadening effects of cynicism, "Looking for reality, we have run further away from it and into magnified delusions." At this low point of his life, in essence representing the disillusioned state of most of his peers, is when he discovered the Key, in the form of a woman. It starts with twilight, where we cannot perceive anymore what is reality. Where certainties evaporate and different options appear. As Meister Eckehart expressed, "It is in darkness that one finds the light."

The author relates that through the feminine power man has been spurred to evolve spiritually. It was the suppression or neglect of this feminine power that mankind focused on the masculine powers. This brought advancement in conquests, discoveries, industrial technology and industrial growth. Although, as Goethe tells us, "Womanhood leads us above". For mankind to realign their path to ascension, to achieve equilibrium and balance, they must raise their awareness of the feminine power.

Throughout the book we find references about the gate. The gate to spiritualism, the gate to the garden of knowledge of good and evil, the gate of man's relationship with his intelligence and spiritual potential and man's search for the key to this gate through signs and symbols. The path to this gate begins with pure desire. Poverty removes temptation of the unattainable, affluence affords the leisure to seek the deeper meanings of life but the temptations cover the scent of the search. Where is the middle way?

The Key, the Gatekeeper that Mr. de Kalbermatten found offers the solution to enter into Reality. He speaks of an inner energy that once awakened raises the consciousness of mankind. Raises from what into what? This is an amazing world that is unfolded. He speaks to the businessman, to the layman from every level of our society, to the most resolute seeker and shows how this is possible at every level. "As we change so does the world." He reveals the importance of the connection of God - man - and the whole collective. The next step of our evolution is from homo sapiens to homo spiritualis. This all begins with self knowledge or knowledge of our spirit.

There are many snippets of truth in literature. There exits exposure of excess unveiled by many people well connected and in the know. But Mr. de Kalbermatten gives us the whole pie. Somehow through reading his book I can envision his description of the Garden of Eden, where the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, the ultimate wisdom, exists. It seems our life is this garden, and the tree the choices that unfold within it. The author describes wisdom as follows, "It's main purpose, at the gate of our brain was to feed the intellect with real knowledge... Wisdom empowers us with inner sight to witness the plays of light and shadow, to absorb the first and reject the latter." It appears that it is in the recognition and acceptance of wisdom that we can progress.

Further, to quote Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, "True and lasting solution to present ills can be found only by inner collective transformation of human beings." The author's allusion to the magic in life can be found in the process of Self Realization. This is the master key to the Gate of Knowledge.

I highly recommend this amazing and truly inspiring book to all seekers of truth - even those amongst us who are not (yet) aware they are seekers.

Herbert Reininger,
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna/Austria

Not only did I like the tape, it was so inspiring. The shipping was within alloted times.

I have used Mindfulness techniques with many clients in my private practice, but in the last couple of years have begun working with mentally ill inmates in a maximum security prison. These inmates are often depressed and feel out of control. I was looking for a way to help them understand their feelings and regain a sense of control over their circumstances. They have responded very positively and are applying the principles to their lives. We recently started a meditation time where they meditate at the same time of day even though they are in separate cells and not able to directly communicate with each other. This has been a powerful, positive experience for them. The book has been a hit with a very tough audience.

I was actually led to seek out information on meditation as a treatment for depression through a book called Surviving America's Depression Epidemic by psychologist Bruce E. Levine. That book takes a highly insightful approach to investigating the sociological and personal genesis for depression and I credit it for saving me from succumbing to this condition. Afterwards, I bought "The Mindful Way through Depression" to supplement Levine's more brief explanation of meditation as a therapeutic modality.

Three psychologists - J. Mark G. Williams, John D. Teasdale and Zindel V. Segal began investigating why it was that people who became depressed once would experience constant relapse even after treatment. They eventually were led to the work being done by Jon Kabat-Zinn who had been researching the benefits of meditation at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

The approach they eventually created is called Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (or MBCT), which begins with the understanding of human psychology branching out of the Buddhist contemplative traditions of ancient India. This understanding of reality is then applied to findings of Western cognitive-behavioral therapy. Despite its Buddhist influences, the practice is completely secular. There is no mention of Buddhist concepts such as anatta, dharma or nirvana but the essence of the contemplative traditions is still present. The meditations in the book and on the CD are focused on experiencing the present moment as it unfolds here and now. This is what is meant by mindfulness.

Some of the reviews on this page mention "curing" depression. Yet, like Dr. Levine, the authors of this book redefine depression - not as some inherent chemical or genetic fault that needs to be eradicated with psychotropic drugs - but as a habitual reaction towards our unpleasant feelings. Taking a poignant insight from Buddhist philosophy, the authors realized that much of our suffering is due to an aversion towards our own unpleasant feelings. (Note: Depression is NOT unpleasant emotions themselves. Negative feelings - sadness, fear, anger, anxiety, etc. - are benign in and of themselves. It is a pattern of reactions towards these feelings that is the depression.)

Feelings - both the pleasant and unpleasant - are important messengers which contain vital information about whowe are and the state of our lives. However, when depressed, we often become paralyzed by our unwillingness to be with our fear, sadness, anger, anxiety, etc. This initial aversion cycles into depression in a complex interplay between our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. This is why we often find ourselves sinking deeper into depression the more we try to "think" our way out or just "snap out of it." At worst, these attempts only serve to further estrange us from our emotions or cause us to start ruminating, cementing our depressed thoughts. At best, they serve only as a cosmetic and temporary solution.

I was happy to discover that MBCT addresses some of the shortcomings of traditional CBT that Levine criticizes in his book. CBT has a preoccupation with thoughts specifically - neglecting the nuanced relationship between our external circumstances, our emotions, thoughts and behaviors. Likewise, I found CBT tends to be exhausting. Who can stand to analyze their thoughts constantly, especially when they don't have an understanding of where those thoughts are coming from to begin with? The mindfulness practices in this book place thoughts in the wider context of life itself and bring us out of our own heads. The "Body Scan" that begins the CD is an excellent way of bringing one into the entirety of the body and opening to the physical, sensory experiences most of us have come to ignore.

Eventually, what these practices serve to do is awaken one to the true nature of living. Depression itself can be seen for what it is - a pattern of thoughts, feelings and behaviors - that we eventually learn to transcend. If you are currently depressed, this may all sound highly dubious. I myself was skeptical at first. But, having nothing to lose, I read through the book, practiced the meditations as described and suspended judgment for the eight weeks recommended by the authors. Within the first two weeks, it started making more sense. I felt I was living more "in the moment." When depressed, our days often feel monochromatic - everything runs together in a big jumble of anxiety, numbness, inaction, etc. Weeks go by and we feel like we haven't actually LIVED through them.

Mindfulness completely transformed this familiar experience for me. My days feel longer and more varied. I started noticing tiny details like where I hold tension in the body, when I needlessly and repetitively feed anxieties with negative thoughts, and started to notice things in the world around me more. Many people construe "curing" depression with banishing all unpleasant emotions. However, this is neither possible nor desirable. These sorts of emotions will always arise. However, the aim is to learn to be open to them instead of becoming overwhelmed by them. I can't really explain exactly how different this feels, but it felt like being a child again: awakening to the newness of each and every moment, as a child experiences the world, is really the heart of mindfulness.

This book and CD would certainly do fine as a stand-alone if you are just interested in feeling better. The insights into the workings of the mind and emotion are remarkable and all supported by the latest research. The CD narrated by Kabat-Zinn is extremely helpful as well in setting up a regimented practice and commitment to yourself to get better. If, however, you are also interested in learning about depression as a cultural, sociological and historical phenomenon, I highly recommend Bruce Levine's "Surviving America's Depression Epidemic" which touches on many topics not dealt with here, including the role of schooling in teen depression, shyness or social phobia, abuse and neglect, the role of depression for artists and musicians and loss of community in modern-day society. Both are excellent books, however, that deal with different aspects of the same topic.

Before I start I just have to say that this book is FANTASTIC and is a really exciting step forward in the treatment of depression. At last - a non-drug approach to one of societies most overwhelming problems: Depression.

As a person who has suffered from depression in the past and as a therapist, I truly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It told me all I needed to know about mindfulness and taught me the process in a very comprehensive yet easy to follow way.

I had read several books on mindfulness by various authors before receiving this book. Compared against the others that I read, I found this one to be the most clear, so even if you do not suffer from depression, but are looking to learn mindfulness, this book could be just what you are looking for. The other bonus with this title is that it is not repetitive like similar titles I have read - it just tells you what you need to know.

Some observations that I would make though are as follows.

1. There were a few spelling and grammar mistakes throughout, however they didn't affect my `reading flow', so this should be an issue.
2. The layout of the separate sections could have been better laid out. It shows you how to follow an 8 week program in the end of the last chapter. I would have liked to seen it laid out so that you read and practice a section at a time rather than learning everything before you start.
3. There is a warning in a couple of places in the book that warn you not to us the program in is entirely now if you are experiencing an episode of clinical depression. This somewhat confused me as the title of the book is `The Mindful Way THROUGH Depression.
4. The book comes with a CD... It was recorded using the voice of one of the authors, Jon Kabat Zinn. The meditation entitled `The Body Scan' seemed a little rushed. As a personal preference, I used an old CD that I had from Jon that was much better quality for me and worked well.

These were the only negative things that I picked up and wanted to include them to make this review as balanced as possible. There were so many things right with this book though that the comments above are small concerns against all the things that you will get out of reading it.

So in conclusion: this book is easy to follow, very inspirational and motivates you to learn mindfulness and overcome your depression. It is simply fantastic.

Warmly,

Richard MacKenzie
Author of Self-Change Hypnosis

I feel very grateful to the authors of this book, having suffered from recurring bouts of depression over the past dozen years or so. For help, I tried several books on cognitive therapy and saw a few therapists who focused on this approach. But, each time, after initial improvement, I ended up in a mental boxing ring fighting with the same old repetitive, negative thoughts. I would try to substitute negative thoughts with more realistic ones, as cognitive therapy encourages, but I soon realized this process would go on endlessly, without any real change. As someone wrote in an earlier review, it was exhausting. It never seemed possible to me that depression could be dealt with at the level of thinking since habitually negative thinking is the main problem in depression!

In "The Mindful Way through Depression," the authors really take the reader to a different level in handling negative, ruminative thoughts and their accompanying difficult feelings. I love the underlying theme of the book: that it's not the content of our thoughts that's important, but rather the present-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and surroundings. Emphasis is also placed on deeply accepting all of these sensations -- not running from them in fear or aversion, but approaching them with gentle awareness and curiosity and allowing them to be there. There's a huge freedom in this, but it takes perseverance.

One point to note: I think it was wise of the authors to state at the book's outset that a person suffering from fairly severe depression should wait until he or she is on the mend before attempting to use the book. Personally, I think trying to do some of the exercises would be very difficult during a deep depression.

Finally, while the book is completely non-secular and beneficial to anyone, it will probably be particularly appreciated by people already interested in areas such as mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and "Westernized" Buddhism.

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.