Catch and Release
Karla Huston
Marsh River Editions
ISBN 0971890986, $10.00, 31 pages
Andrea Potos
Reviewer
In Karla Huston's latest chapbook Catch and Release, the reader is seamlessly transported all the
way from a fourth-grade infatuation to a middle-aged mother dirty-dancing in the kitchen in the
hilarious poem "How I Went from Cooler than Ratshit to Lame and Really Annoying." These
poems
posess a remarkable immediacy, as if the narrative of each poem were indeed happening as we
read
them, from the shores of a Midwestern lake to deserts filled saguaros--their ancient arms raised/ in
praised of great and dangerous things.
Huston is repeatedly fearless in her poems, veering the reader into bold and unexpected places, as
in
the poem "Eighth Hour," a wry musing on the significance of the number 8. Aren't odd numbers
more satisfying? The Sacred One, the Three Graces, the 5 W's of reporting. . . . she asks. After
encountering the Beatles and the Beatitudes, we arrive at the eight ladybugs stuck tight to my
windshielf and the glorious surprise of maples trees swallowed by sun.
Several poems explore the absurdities of our daily lives, as in her delightfully fresh prose poem
Run
Amok, where the speaker takes to reading the tabloid headlines while waiting in the supermarket
checkout line. She gets carried away--as the reader the does with her--in the frenzy of Lizard Man
clubbing a woman to death in the South, the Abominable Snowman forming an army in Tibet, and
finally, the dire possibility of any minute New York City's gators will mutate into Republicans.
None of these poems shy away from sorrow, as the Niagara Falls jumper who does it for the cold
cocoon of it/tumbling/throwing me/against every thing/that had ever gone wrong, a pristine and
compassionate revelation of how people might respond to the pain of this life. In her stunning title
poem "Catch and Release," Huston wonders about the two boys discovered under frozen ice, the
grief that will abide and yet inevitably change form in the families left behind: a different ache will
lure them/and they will know/there is no getting beyond the pull of the shore. The dead have their
own living presence here--the second rising that always comes in spring--and, thus, a kind of
aching
consolation for the living.
Often feisty, funny and always steeped in emotional truth, this chapbook is to be savored and
returned to again and again. With an almost joyful sense of agony, it makes us remember all the
selves we were and might yet be.
Beyond the Beginnings: Literacy Interventions for Upper Elementary English Language
Learners
Angela Carasquillo, Stephen B. Kucer and Ruth Abrams.
Multilingual Matters: Clevedon, England.
ISBN: 185359749X, $24.95 (Paperback)
ISBN: 1853597503, $74.95 (Hardback) 159 pp.
Anne C. Ihata
Reviewer
The teaching and learning of English as a native language and as a second or foreign language
take
place in so many different contexts in the present world that the reader may interpret upper
elementary English language learners' in a variety of ways. Certainly, it could be taken to refer to
the
level of achievement of a learner population, or learners in general. It is very appropriate,
therefore,
that the authors begin with a chapter clearly delineating the group they are concerned with;
English
as a second language learners in the upper grades of the elementary school system in the US.
Communicative approaches to ESL and other foreign language teaching have dominated
education
policy, teacher training and curriculum design to such an extent since the emergence of Krashen
and
Terrell's Natural Approach and Larry Selinker's Interlanguage theories in the 1970s and early
1980s
that the teaching of second language literacy has received relatively little attention. The
significance
of reading, in particular, is increasingly acknowledged and emphasized even by proponents of
methods that support natural-like acquisition rather than more artificial taught' modes of language
instruction.
Although literacy has always been an important issue in society and educational policy, its
significance has increased greatly in the US and the UK over the past twenty-five years1, for
native
speakers of the English language, as well as for immigrant children, or children of
non-English-speaking parents. (No Child Left Behind legislation (2001) in the US, and the Right
Start initiative in the UK, for example). The authors refer to the relevant legislation at various
points, but they are at pains to draw attention to the fact that it may often result in a disservice to
English language learners ( struggling ELLs') who are having difficulty simultaneously coping
with
the demands of both reading and writing in English and the content curriculum in the upper grades
of elementary school. This is because, in grades four through six which the authors mainly focus
on,
there is a lot of pressure on class teachers to achieve results in terms of percentages of students
succeeding in state and national standardized tests, and there may be little or no language
assistance
for some ELLs who still need it. This frequently occurs because these learners have been
mainstreamed', or placed in regular or mainstream' English-only programs through scoring at
particular cut-off scores in a standardized English proficiency test, or because their parents have
chosen to enroll them in monolingual English-speaking schools, in the belief that this will
encourage
them to master English more quickly and naturally. The result is often that they are no longer
identified as ELLs and receive instruction designed for their English-speaking peers, with no
allowance for the fact that they may not have the literacy skills to meet the different literacy
demands
of the curriculum. They are taught by regular classroom teachers, many of whom have had no
specialized training in this area (p.7).
Carrasquillo, Kucer and Abrams begin from this vantage point and set out to provide concrete
practical solutions to a very pressing concrete problem; the fact that there are these children out
there in regular classrooms, struggling to cope with reading and writing in English as a second
language, and trying to learn the content in other subject areas through English, now. Suggestions
for helping to identify and assist ELLs from kindergarten up are not going to help them right now,
when they need it. So, their subtitle is very appropriately Literacy Interventions' for the upper
grades; ways that teachers can intervene almost at once to give these older children the additional
support they need, which may also be very useful to some of their low-literacy-level monolingual
peers. With all the current debate concerning literacy, it could hardly be more timely.
Most of the book is a reflection of the authors' concern with the practical, in terms of student
needs,
teachers' limitations of time and resources, the classroom situation, budget restrictions, and, in the
final chapter, parents' or family circumstances. Carrasquillo et al have obviously given a good deal
of consideration to the planning and design and writing of their text, so that it is accessible to the
people for whom it is written, who are the most able to make a difference: busy classroom
teachers.
This begins with the very clear and concise statement of findings and purposes in the Introduction,
which is re-enforced on page ? with Organization of the Book'; a brief summary of the contents
of
the eight chapters it contains, and continues through the layout of the chapters, each with its own
title/contents page.
Chapter 1: English Language Learners in United States Schools, deals with the issue of defining a
typical' ELL student, because of the diversity in the population of school learners, the challenges
that face the challenges that face them, and the language assistance currently available within the
school system; and introduces the problem of those for whom it is inadequate, the struggling'
English language learners. Chapter 2: English Literacy Development and English Language
Learners
looks at the theoretical background to the book's discussion of literacy, examining the nature of
both First Language literacy and its development and Second Language acquisition. It also
includes
a discussion of issues involved in planning instruction for ELLs. Chapter 3: Moving Beyond the
Transition: Struggling English Literacy Learners in the Regular/Mainstream Classroom sets out
the
problems facing struggling English Language Learners in the upper grades of elementary
education
in the United States, with their varied abilities, backgrounds and needs, as they try to come to
grips
with the increasing literacy demands at that stage. Chapter 4: Instructional Writing Strategies for
Struggling English Language Learners introduces instructional methods and strategies, such as
scaffolding, to help students progress towards independence in writing academic English. Chapter
5:
Instructional Practices to Promote Reading Development in English Language Learners outlines
strategies for instruction and for the learner to promote their ability to construct meaning from
text
when reading in English, and eventually their fluency in reading in that language. Chapter 6:
English
Literacy Across the Curriculum basically expands the ideas suggested in Chapter 5 to other
content
areas of the curriculum; Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics, with specific instructional
modifications proposed in each area. Chapter 7: A Framework for Assessing English Literacy
Among Struggling English Language Learners provides a theoretical framework to answer the
questions of how to assess ELLs and what type of assessment should be used for instructional and
assessment purposes, with particular emphasis on the assessment of literacy. And Chapter 8:
Developing collaborative Literacy Relationships with Parents, focuses on the important role that
parents whose native language is not English can play, and the writers believe should play, in their
children's English literacy development. The parents' own standards of literacy are among the
issues
raised.
The frequent use of diagrammatic or tabular presentation of key information or examples also
contributes significantly to the text's overall user friendliness, encapsulating the details in a form
that
is readily memorized or visualized by the reader who will need to call upon them later either at the
lesson planning stage, or during actual classroom teaching.
Chapter 1 not only identifies the group of learners involved, but also the challenges they face as
double learners' of English and the content curriculum, and how the latter may be particularly
challenging because it requires them to be familiar with and employ distinctive cognitive language
and literacy functions for the different subject areas as they progress through the grades. The
diversity among the population of struggling ELLs in the upper grades is given some emphasis
here,
in terms of their first language background and literacy and extent of formal schooling, as well as
the
amount of English language assistance they may have received. The authors are critical of
educational policy in the US that emphasizes learning/academic standards, especially English
language arts curriculum standards, which means that there is an emphasis on teaching English
and
through English to English language learners as fast as possible, with the result that many of these
learners receive most or all of their instruction from teachers who have no specialized training in
dealing with such students or their special needs. Carrasquillo et al do acknowledge the
contribution
other researchers have made to raising educators' awareness of the challenges ELLs face in
meeting
the academic standards of the school curriculum, but fail to indicate whether this has had any
practical effect at classroom level so far.
An important factor they do draw attention to here is the oral fluency of some of the learners,
especially those who were born in the US, or who have already spent quite a long time there. The
significance of this lies in its impact on teachers' (and often parents') perception of the child's
English ability, especially as it is often not matched by their academic language proficiency which
will determine their success in the content areas in the upper grades, where reading and writing
become increasingly the tools of learning, not its goals.
In Chapter 2, the writers provide a theoretical overview of ESL literacy development, through a
consideration of accepted thinking on the nature of first language literacy and second language
acquisition. While no one would argue with the soundness of presenting the relevant research
background to their recommendations, and there is certainly a need to condense what is actually
currently a very wide-ranging discussion in the area of ESL literacy development, their case here
might be strengthened by including some reference to relevant studies in L2 reading. Schema
theory,
for example, surely needs to take into account the diverse cultural backgrounds of the learners
involved, and Carrell's work in this area deserves to be brought to the attention of classroom
teachers who may not be familiar with it. The discussion concerning the notion of a linguistic
threshold' that is necessary before transfer of skills or strategies from first language to second
language use can take place (p.25) is another opportunity to relate to ESL reading researchers,
such
as Alderson (1984, 2000), Devine (1987, 1988), Urquhart (1998), etc. Cummins (1979)
BICS/CALP distinction is very pertinently introduced, for its theoretical support of the authors'
own
observations of the gap that often exists between their struggling ELLs'' oral proficiency and the
academic language they need to successfully complete courses in the content areas, such as math
or
science.
One is, however, left at the end of the chapter with a sense of having seen several of the
theoretical
threads involved in the background to the learners' current situation, but of not having really seen
them successfully woven together into a coherent tapestry. This is perhaps inevitable to some
extent,
given the size of the two main research fields referred to (literacy development and second
language
acquisition), but nonetheless, linear organization of the material could probably be improved here.
This is rare in a work that is, for the most part, well organized and accessible.
In Chapter 3, the focus is on how the changes in instructional style and mode of transmitting
information that occur as students enter the upper grades of elementary education impact on
ELLs
in mainstream classrooms, frequently compounding already existing difficulties resulting from
their
lack of literacy skills in English. It is at this level that learning to read is increasingly replaced by
reading to learn and students become more and more responsible for their own learning. One
result
of this is that ELLs with poor English reading skills at this stage receive less support from the
teacher at a time when they probably need more as they face the demands of more complex
matters
in the subject areas, especially mathematics, social science, and science subjects. 3
Carrasquillo et al are critical of the emphasis on what the learners lack, rather than on their
capabilities, which will appeal instinctively to many experienced classroom teachers, familiar with
the
generally more positive results achieved by building on whatever strengths a learner may have.
They
may, however, be accused of being over optimistic in stating that Children do not enter the
instructional context without knowing how to talk' (p.34). This is, unfortunately, precisely a
growing source of concern for educators in the US, the increasing number of children (many of
them
US-born) from immigrant families who arrive at school with very little command of any language,
largely due to their families' economic circumstances. Such children may have a superficial fluency
in English, acquired from long hours spent in front of a TV while their parents are working, but
frequently not enough to carry on a conversation at an age appropriate level. These children suffer
from the double disadvantage of not having learned English or their first language very well
because
of insufficient contact time with mature speakers of either language prior to starting school.
Rather
than being bilingual, they have been described as alingual'. 2
This news really serves to reinforce the urgency the writers' are trying to impart and would be a
valuable addition to their argument that intervention to improve ELLs' literacy skills in English is
necessary immediately, and that early emphasis on decoding needs to be replaced by more
attention
to teaching important strategies, such as the use of context.
The specific instructional practices for promoting reading and writing development in English
language learners outlined in Chapters 4 and 5, and the examples of their application to different
content areas in school found in Chapter 6, will be of practical use to many teachers of English in
a
variety of ESL/EFL contexts. The tables on pages 52 and 54, for example, designed to present
text
structures, signals and the writing process, could usefully be employed in reading or writing
classes
in secondary school or college level EFL classes where the students' native language may be
organized very differently from English. Statements such as [Many upper elementary ELLs
students] are so concerned with the surface structure of the text that they ignore the meaning.' (p.
56), or Many students experience difficulty integrating and synthesizing information.' (p. 58) will
certainly sound a familiar note to many ESOL teachers abroad as well as in the US.
There is a growing body of classroom research evidence to support the authors' contention that it
is
possible to teach struggling readers to use strategies more efficiently, and thereby improve their
comprehension skills (p. 67), and these chapters in particular will repay any ESOL teacher's
careful
reading and re-reading, providing a wealth of detailed instructional strategies adaptable to
individual
circumstances. The only thing absent here, although there are several references to using real
objects, pictures, films and other visual or physical clues to clarify meaning' (p. 89, for example),
is a
discussion of how to encourage learners to make more effective use of the variety of illustrations
they will encounter in their various textbooks. The learner's cultural background may influence
their
ability to integrate and synthesize information from the text and from accompanying illustrations,
and this is likely to be particularly significant in the teaching/learning of the sciences, where formal
diagrams abound.
The difficulties involved in assessing the English literacy skills of struggling English language
learners are addressed in depth in Chapter 7, with the strong recommendation that schools
develop
their own batteries of authentic' assessment (teacher observations, checklists, etc) to supplement
the standardized state and national tests and provide a more complete picture of the strengths and
needs of ELLs. After initial discussion of this, and how necessary it is to acquire good all round
information on students' abilities, so that appropriate instructional decisions can be made, there
are,
again, concrete suggestions as to how teachers can set about authentically assessing reading and
writing skills. Attention is rightly drawn to the need to identify whether a struggling reader's
problems are simply due to a lack of English proficiency or to a variety of other factors. (See, for
example, Alderson, 1984, 2000; Devine, 1987, 1988.)
The rationale behind state level standardized testing and its potential usefulness for assessing
ELLs
abilities, and the aims and shortcomings of the No Child Left Behind' legislation (2001) are
clearly
presented, with recommendations for improving matters for struggling English learners. The
insistence that assessment should inform individual instruction is to be seen in this context, where
the
measures actually being used in many cases are not capable of providing teachers with adequate
data
on individual students on which to base such instruction.
The final chapter of the book very sensibly, and quite courageously, given the nature and size of
some of the difficulties involved, tackles the issue of involving the parents of struggling English
language learners more with their children's ongoing literacy development. The very real barriers
to
such parental involvement that may exist are acknowledged, but the writers refer to the body of
research evidence showing beneficial effects for parental involvement, and place the burden of
responsibility for organizing this squarely on the shoulders of the individual schools. Parents'
participation is important for a variety of reasons detailed here, but one of the more interesting to
note is that the authors recommend it as a means of ensuring that the children develop literacy in
whichever is their stronger language, in the firm belief that they can transfer skills later (p.
135).
Clear, supported suggestions are given concerning how schools might go about setting up a
program
of collaboration with students' parents, which would benefit everyone concerned.
The book concludes with a good starter list of resources for teachers of ELLs, particularly the list
of
websites, and it is good to see the extensive work of Rebecca Oxford on learning strategies at
least
receiving mention here. As mentioned above, the list could be expanded to include some of the
background research by more established researchers in the field of ESL reading. The following
two
works, for example, both provide a good representative sample of papers and are both widely
available through libraries; Joanne Devine, Patricia L. Carrell and David E. Eskey (Eds.),
Research
in Reading in English as a Second Language, (1987), TESOL: Washington, DC; or P. Carrell, J.
Devine and D. Eskey (Eds.), Interactive Approaches to Second Language Reading, (1988),
Cambridge Applied Linguistics Series, Cambridge University Press.
The book needs little improvement as a whole, however. It would certainly be a very worthwhile
investment for anyone engaged in the field of teaching English as a second or foreign language,
wherever they might be working.
NOTES
1 The Schools Council Project on Reading for Learning in the Secondary School, 1980, for
example.
2 Trapped Between 2 Languages: Poor and Isolated, Many Immigrants' Children Lack English'.
Brigid Schulte. The Washington Post. Washington, D. C. June 9, 2002.
3 Teachers working in an EFL situation in Japan, like myself, might draw parallels here with the
Japanese education system's introduction of English language learning in the first grade of junior
high school, just as learning/teaching modes become more presentational and formal (as in the US
upper elementary grades).
The Cross of St. Maro
E. Kelly Keady
Magdalene Books, LLC
Suite 4100, 33 South Sixth Street, Minneapols MN 55402
ISBN: 0974973807, $24.95 398 pp.
Barbara Rhoades
Reviewer
What a great first novel! Mr. Keady writes of places he has lived which provides a first-hand and
accurate knowledge of the area of the country he writes about. What was even better is that I live
in
the St. Louis area and have lived in the Keokuk Iowa area as well so I know the descriptions of
these places are accurate.
The story is structured around lawyers, politics, terrorism and government secrecy. The main
character, Peter Farrell, is an attorney living in St. Louis. He meets with a client and finds himself
deep into a government conspiracy, complete with bribes and blackmail. His brother is murdered
and
the frame-up makes it look like Peter is to blame. Not knowing who to trust, Peter runs for refuge
and help in the only girl he has ever loved, Sara Ahrens. Sara believes she can help him provide
the
truth to the police through her father. Belatedly, she finds out her father is a part of the
conspiracy.
The two run to a family friend of Sara's, Redwood, who has been in the political/security scene
many years ago. While the life he lives shows to the world a backwoods man, he has kept up on
the
technology and abilities of his past life. This saves Peter and Sara from sure death. Once again on
the
run, they end up with the President of the United States and his right-hand man. This time, the
President is killed and yet another murder is added to Peter's supposed killing spree. Who is
behind
all of this? What is the agenda of that person? The finger points to Elias St. Armand, son of
Lebanese parents, who believe his way is the only way to save the world.
Between the political intrigue, the up-to-date scenarios of world problems and various people
trying
to accomplish their own agendas, Mr. Keady writes a powerful story. It was one I didn't want to
put
down. There were sections that were a bit hard for me to keep straight as I am not fully versed in
today's politics and who is terrorizing who but even with that, I was able to follow the main
thread
of the story with no difficulty. For anyone who knows the past history of other countries and
keeps
up with today's headlines, the story would be a breeze to read and understand the deeper intrigue
and meaning of this first novel. I hope Mr. Keady intends to write a second novel because he
writes
in a clear and easy to understand language on today's topics.
Aspects of Love: Friends, Lovers & Soul Mates
Cozean L. Hedrick
Authorhouse Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
www.authorhouse.com
ISBN: 1418446750, $9.95, 65 pp.
A journey of self-exploration soon turned into an emotional collection of poetry. A project
manager
by day and a spoken word artist by night, Cozean Hedrick's journey is simple, all of us have been
at
these same low and high points in our lives, but his message is profound, leaving a significant
impact
upon anyone who stops for just one second and reads some of his work. From Anticipation to
Revelation at Dawn and from loving yourself to respecting the one you are with, the reader can't
help but to enjoy this poetic journey of love as Hedrick's "takes this chance by unlocking his heart
to
the world."
Cozean Hedrick is a graduate of Indiana University where he was first introduced to poetry by a
friend. His first published poem, "My Lord, My Confidence," can be found in another collection
of
poetry entitled V103's Poetic Moments, by Joyce Little. Hedrick's currently lives in Atlanta,
Georgia where he works as a program manager. For more information on the poet please visit his
web site at www.paperbacklounge.com
Leeway Cottage
Beth Gutcheon
HarperCollins Publishers, Inc
10 E 53rd St, New York, NY 10022
ISBN: 0060795018, $24.95, 432 pp.
Coletta Ollerer
Reviewer
Leeway Cottage is a summer place on the Maine coast at Dundee, from which most of the action
of
the story takes place. Sydney Brant is a lonely young child, surrounded by wealth. Her mother has
fondness for things and position rather than her child. Her father's affection is precious to Sydney
but his alcoholism ultimately distances him from her. She finds comfort with her contemporaries
who inhabit this vacation community and that group is her stronghold all of her life.
This is the story of her marriage to Laurus Moss, a famed Danish musician. While she is pregnant
with her first child in the early part of WWII, Laurus decides he must join the war effort and he
goes
to England. The Nazis step up the persecution of Danish Jews and while he works for Danish
resistance in London his brother Kaj and sister Nina join the struggle against the Nazi occupation
at
home. These last know they must get their parents, their mother being a Jew, out of Denmark to
Sweden. Creatures of habit, the parents are unwilling to leave home, scoffing at the Nazi threat.
Finally they agree to go. "They wished they had listened to the children the night before.
Frightened
and chastened, they are listening now." (p182)
Back in the States, Sydney's life is far removed from stressful Denmark. She and Eleanor, her first
born, enjoy each other's company as she deals with food ration stamps and other inconveniences
of
war experienced by the privileged American classes. Laurus' parents arrive safely in Sweden. Nina
is
captured by the Nazis and sent to a camp in Denmark at first, later she is transported to
Ravensbruck in Germany. Her life there is a tableau of horror from which she never really
recovers.
At war's end, Laurus returns, Sydney is ecstatic. They resume their marriage and have two more
children. "somewhere during the war years, when his attention was elsewhere, her dish of weights
had gotten so full of must and should and want to and can't and won't, that it has plunged toward
the
ground, leaving Laurus' light and amiable dish of can, and have, and why not, swinging in the
breeze." (p263) Their different temperaments become apparent. Friends wonder why Laurus stays
with Sydney. His explanation of the Danish character seems to give the answer. "Danes love
peace.
And they love comfort, and they'll sacrifice a lot for them. But they cannot enjoy peace and
comfort
while behaving badly. . . . They trust each other to behave. . . .They act (respectfully) out of
simple
pride." (276)
Laurus' family of origin, now reunited, visit at Leeway Cottage. Aunt Nina accompanies them but
the children are uncomfortable around her, "she was so touchy and reserved and they knew their
mother thought she was basically a pain in the ass." (p233) Nina's and Sydney's lives are too
disparate to allow for any empathy.
The author implies throughout that Sydney is a very spoiled, self-indulgent person but perhaps she
was just a person frantically searching for someone to love her while being incapable of loving her
own self due to an affection deprived childhood. Either way this study of a mid twentieth century
marriage is worth the read. Beth Gutcheon's research regarding the Nazi invasion of Denmark is
an
added bonus to a remarkable saga of life on both sides of the Atlantic during and after
WWII.
Horse of Seven Moons
Karen Taschek
University of New Mexico Press
1 UNM Albuquerque, NM
ISBN: 0826332153, $19.95, 184 pages
Connie Gotsch
Reviewer
Two on a Horse: an Interesting Game
Bin-daa-dee-nin and You-his-kishn carry their badly wounded brother, Nzhu-'a'c-siin, into a cave.
For the moment, they can breathe. But tomorrow, what can they do? Return to the Mescalero
Apache reservation from which they've run to escape the filth, disease, and starvation that killed
their father and mother? No! They'll remain in the mountains, raiding ranches, until they escape to
Mexico, or die at the hands of the white soldiers.
Bin-daa-dee-nin prays to the Mountain Gods for help. A beautiful--and completely tame--pinto
horse appears. The boy can ride it instantly. Surely this is the answer to his prayer. Now he can
hunt.
He and his brothers might just survive.
But, the army comes. The Apaches flee one way, and the horse runs another. Rancher's daughter,
Sarah Chilton, finds it. It becomes hers, until the terrifying night the Apaches come raiding. A boy
about her age snatches the horse out of her father's corral.
From this beginning, Albuquerque author Karen Taschek's youth novel, HORSE OF SEVEN
MOONS, turns into a frightening turn-of-the 20th Century cat-and-mouse game between two
cultures trying to survive in southern New Mexico.
Bringing their opposing lives and values together through the horse--Moon Dancer to Sarah, and
Moon that Flies to Bin-daa-dee-nin--Taschek presents the plight of the Apaches fighting to stay
free
in their home lands, and the anguish of the settlers struggling to protect ranches they have
built.
She shows the conflict in realistic fashion, using language that is simple and direct, but never
simplistic. Neither settlers nor Apaches like each other, and neither considers how the other might
feel. Yet, the reader sympathizes with both by the end of HORSE OF SEVEN MOONS. The fate
of
Bin-daa-dee-nin, Sarah, and Moon-that-Flies/Moon Dancer leaves happiness, pain, and a touch of
sadness--as life can do.
Both adults and young people will enjoy HORSE OF SEVEN MOONS.
Selling is Dead
Marc Miller & Jason Sinkovitz
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
www.wiley.com
ISBN: 0471721115, $27.95, 320 pp.
In today's corporate world, the performance of a company's sales team can determine if they will
sink or swim. The sales team is responsible for seeking out opportunities from current customers
and creating opportunities from potential customers. In the new book "Selling is Dead" by Marc
Miller and Jason Sinkovitz, the Ohio-based authors explain the importance of hiring the right
salesperson, recognizing the type of demand that is needed, and monitoring the progression of
each
sales stage.
"Selling is Dead" introduces a new way of approaching potential customers based on four types of
demand: new application demand, aggregate demand, continuous improvement demand, and
economy demand because the authors believe that customer decision-making changes from one
demand to another. According to this book, an informed salesperson should be able to recognize
the
demand type and respond accordingly.
This book is at its brilliant best when it explains the Buyer Psychological Model, the importance
of
creating demand, and how to overcome traditional objections such as a potential client's budget
constraints. It also serves as a wake-up call for sales managers who employ mediocre salespeople
who are ineffective at creating demand or selling to prospects who are satisfied with existing
products or services.
However, there are a few problems with this book that may cause its words to fall on deaf ears.
The
first is that it reads like a dissertation and contains complicated language (i.e. the cadence of
commoditization) that may cause the average salesperson without a college degree to run for
cover.
Next, the book is written from a very strategic point of view and lacks more needed tactical
instructions. Finally, the book is written with a slant towards IT firms and may turn off those who
are not in technology fields. In other words, it's great for IT sales managers but maybe not for
other
sales professionals.
"Selling is Dead" has the potential to be a groundbreaking book. The authors understand the
psychology of supply and demand, the pressures of a sales manager, and the need to move
salespeople from inertia. But the success of this book will be determined by the buying public's
willingness to make a major paradigm shift in the sales process and the hiring process and a clear
understanding in the psychology of how purchasing decisions are made. This book makes an
interesting and informative read but it will be even more interesting to see if salespeople
worldwide
accept or reject it. Recommended.
Firecracker Jones Is On The Case
Christopher Klim
Hopewell Publications
PO Box 11, Titusville, NJ 08560-0011
ISBN: 0972690670, $9.95, 111 pp., Ages 8-12
Jamie Engle
Reviewer
Just as he's about to set a school football record, Ted Packard disappears: packs up, moves out,
up
and leaves. His best friend, Firecracker Jones, knows something is very wrong: Ted wouldn't
leave
without saying good-bye. Classmates keep asking Firecracker what happened to Ted. Determined
to
find out what happened, Firecracker Jones is on the case.
Firecracker can't get a straight answer from his Mom, teachers or coaches. He can tell they're
hiding
something, but what? A search of Ted's old house and yard turn up nothing but suspicions about
the
guy who moved in after Ted left. Finally, by chance, Firecracker finds a lead to follow: at night,
across town by bus, through the woods and over the muddy lake. What he discovers is totally
unexpected - and so is what Firecracker decides to do about it.
Kids age 8-12 are at a vulnerable spot with reading; it's often when they decide if they like reading
or not. They need well-written, high interest books to convince them to be readers for life.
Firecracker Jones Is On the Case ably fills that need. With just the right blend of humor, logic and
message, Klim draws readers into the mystery with appealing, dimensional characters while subtly
teaching about confronting fears, change, and loyalty. Kids can relate to the sometimes-clumsy
Firecracker and his health-conscious mom. They will laugh out loud at the antics of Firecracker
and
his friends.
Firecracker Jones Is On The Case is at once funny, serious, and wholesome. The first book of a
series, I can easily see this as a Disney Channel movie. Highly recommended for boys and girls
age
8-12.
Unholy Alliance
Dana Reed
ArcheBooks Publishing
4305 State Bridge Rd., Ste 103-121, Alpharetta, GA 30022
ISBN: 1595070265, $28.99, 304 pages
Joyce P. Hale
Reviewer
One of the most gripping books I've read, Unholy Alliance is a book that can't be put down. If
you enjoy reading murder mysteries, detective tales, psychological thrillers.... Unholy Alliance
will grab you and hold you 'til the last page. Two of the main good characters are two
women,
both strong in their own ways, both with pasts filled with violence and abuse; both with a will to
survive. One is a homicide detective trying to prove herself and put her past behind, and the
other is a would-be journalist trying to overcome an abusive past and a physical disability -
the
loss of one leg because of the past abuse. They are thrown together by circumstances and are
bound together as they seek the answers to brutal slayings, and the perpetrator., who has
targeted one of them for himself.
The villain is a brutal, insane serial killer who collects body parts and leaves a signature:
a glass rose. Any mystery lover must read it from beginning to end in one sitting.
"And that's when he saw it, felt it. First came the hand holding the hunting knife with the
enormous blade. Sharp looking. So sharp that when it crossed his throat he didn't feel a
thing." I highly recommend this to mystery readers.
The Spear of Lepanto
Leon J. Radomile
Vincero Enterprises
490 Marin Oaks Dr. Novato, CA 94949
www.spear-of-lepanto.com www.amazon.com
ISBN: 0967532930, $19.95, 335 pp.
Shirley Roe, Reviewer
www.allbooksreviews.com
Papal emissary, Leonardo Radolowick is called to the Vatican to meet with Pope Pius V, General
Colonna, Capt. Gavino Poliziani, and Guiseppe Martino. Accompanying him is his new friend and
protege, Miguel de Cervantes. It is not long before Radalowick is asked to choose two
companions
to accompany him on the search for the Spear of Longinus. It is believed that those in possession
of
the spear will conquer all enemies, rising victorious in the name of God. The Pope declares that
the
Turks must be stopped and only the spear will ensure their victory. However, first Leonardo must
travel to the Apulian coast of Italy where he will oversee the completion of a huge ship, equipped
with a recently discovered invention of Leonardo di Vinci-a propellor. Cervantes and
Radalowick's
other companion, Michele Geraldi accept their papal quest without reservation. Meanwhile,
Spanish
Ambassador Alzamora, his wife Lanette Louise and his daughter, Lea Linda board a ship for
Spain.
An unexpected storm finds them separated from their convoy and soon the captives of the
dreaded
Turks.
Religious turmoil, savagery, violence and deceit, all contribute to an exciting and fast paced tale.
The Spear of Lepanto begins with a rather intimidating and lengthy ten page list of characters.
This
reviewer found the first few pages read like an exhaustive "who's who" of the rich and famous of
the sixteenth century. It was difficult to keep the characters straight and their importance to the
story was vague at first. That said, once the author begins the tale it is most enjoyable. We
recommend that readers be persistent in continuing past the first few chapters, it really will be
worthwhile.
Author, Leon Radomile has researched his subject thoroughly and intently providing readers with
an
excellent history lesson mixed with an exciting story. He began researching his own Italian
ancestors
and eventually produced this fictional Renaissance adventure. The surname Radomile is a
transformation of the noble name of Radalowick.
A great book for history buffs and fans of historical fiction.
72 Hour Hold
Bebe Moore Campbell
Knopf
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
1400040744, $16.47, 336 pp.
Tamika Johnson, Reviewer
www.prologuereviews.com
Bebe Moore Campbell weaves a tale of unrelenting love and pain in her latest novel 72 Hour
Hold.
72 Hour Hold tells the story of Keri, a successful owner of an upscale Los Angeles Boutique
whose
beautiful, intelligent 18 year old daughter has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Quite gifted
and
on her way to Brown University, Trina's life has come to an abrupt halt as her disorder overtakes
her and Keri tries everything, legal and illegal, to try to save her daughter from this debilitating
disorder.
Moore Campbell does an excellent job of portraying the hell a family has to go through when a
loved one has been diagnosed with a mental illness. The struggles with the health care system, the
erratic behavior, the toll it takes on the healthy family members, are all told in breathtaking detail
and
roll off the pages in a fast paced, rollercoaster ride that keeps you guessing from beginning to
end.
The best part about 72 Hour Hold is that it manages to never come off as preachy or judgmental.
There's some scathing commentary on the problems with the mental health industry in this country
and the novel handles that discourse in a way that allows you to understand all sides of the issue
from patients rights, to the needs of the families trying to save their relatives and the overworked
and under-funded system we have in place to deal with some of our most troubled citizens. Moore
Campbell offers insight into a world that few are privy to or want to admit they are a part of and
in
so doing challenges all of us to do something to better the treatment and understanding of those
who
suffer from a mental disorder, whether we are personally affected by it or not.
The one criticism I have of the novel is how the main character, Keri is very difficult to
sympathize
with. She is judgmental, unforgiving, arrogant, short-sighted and all around a person that is very
hard to like. She is incredibly inconsiderate of those in her life and completely unaware of the
needs
and desires of others. I spent the whole novel being amazed at her sense of entitlement and
superiority. At the same time I found Keri's character trying, I also recognized that making her
such
an imperfect person, one who expects and has attained success, makes her daughter's illness all
the
more devastating and ultimately makes the novel much more dynamic and interesting.
Bebe Moore Campbell has always been good at creating characters and stories that are
compelling
and believable. Her characters jump off the page and feel like they could be people you know in
your
own life. 72 Hour Hold is no exception. It's a great read and excellent social commentary on an
issue that doesn't receive nearly as much attention as it deserves.
Arlene's Bookshelf
Love on the Line
Laura Dehart Young
Bella Books
PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1594930082, $12.95, 167 pages
Love on the Line
This novel is a classic reprint of the first book in Laura DeHart Young's Alaska series. Kay
Westmore is a thirty-eight year-old National Park Service ranger stationed in Fairbanks. She and
her
colleague Russell Bend have been given the assignment to inspect the Alaska pipeline for possible
structural defects. Along for the trip is a Washington bureaucrat named Grace Perry. It is obvious
to
Kay that Grace has her own agenda; she has her eye on becoming the next Secretary of the
Interior,
and this will probably occur if Grace is able to discredit the frontrunner for the position. From the
start there is an adversarial relationship between these two women and many disagreements
develop.
However, Kay must perform her job. Embarking upon this assignment at one of the worst
possible
times of the year, November, when the physical conditions are virtually impossible to combat, the
group heads north to complete its inspection task. Compounding Kay's frustrating professional
problems are two women: Barb, a psycho ex-lover, and Stef Kramer, an enamored twenty-two
year-old, to whom Kay is inexplicably drawn. As Kay's life becomes increasingly more
complicated,
it also becomes more apparent to Kay that her very life may well rest upon the completion of her
dubious assignment.
Young writes in very succinct unencumbered prose. The sentence structure is not very demanding
which moves along the action in the plot, but at the same time, it becomes a bit repetitive and
predictable. This reader's interest sometimes wandered. However, when Young is recounting
events
using the flashback device, the pace quickens, the diction becomes more complex, and these
scenes
completely captivate the reader. These brief snapshots of life-altering moments in Kay's life
expand
the story's characterization. The reader has a deeper understanding of her family dynamic and
dysfunction. Sometimes a less adept writer can abuse the flashback technique, and that only serves
to intrude upon, if not interrupt, the flow and pacing. Young prevents this from occurring by
seamlessly segueing into each flashback and then effortlessly returning to the present. The reader
actually looks forward to there being subsequent flashbacks as these mini-stories help foreshadow
the personal dilemmas that Kay must overcome, or at least, try to overcome.
The secondary characters are a diverse group of individuals. Barb sometimes borders on the
stereotypical. However, the ex-lover from Hell theme is so stereotypical that this reader can easily
overlook the use of that element here. There is also a sad and rather melancholy understanding of
a
relationship's erosion. Kay attempts to find a reason for her failure with Barb, and it comes down
to
one statement. "She had somehow come to be lost in an existence of Barb's choosing" (p. 7).
Stef is an energetic and spontaneous young woman who lacks the real life experiences that
influence
Kay's decisions regarding personal relationships, inconsequential flings, and shutting the door on
the
past. Young also creates an aura of enigmatic professional and sexual assurance in the character
of
Grace that keeps the reader wondering if she might indeed be a match for Kay. Russell is Kay's
best
friend as well as her colleague, and it is striking to see that their relationship of respect and trust is
uppermost in Russell's mind. He is such a startling contrast to the male police detective that she
encounters as the story unfolds.
Love on the Line is short at one hundred and sixty-seven pages, but it is an entertaining novel
which
explores the Alaskan wilderness and Kay Westmore's attempts to deal with her past and discover
her future. Young's book is an enjoyable way to spend a few hours, and it will definitely spark the
reader's appetite for the remaining books in the series, Forever and the Night and Love Speaks
Her
Name.
Down the Rabbit Hole
Lynne Jamneck
Bella Books
P.O. Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1594930120, $12.95, 193 pages
Down the Rabbit Hole
Lynne Jamneck's stellar debut novel is the first in a mystery series featuring Samantha Skellar, an
FBI agent working in Seattle. She and her partner, Rob Munroe, are investigating a possible serial
killer who has been targeting suburban neighborhoods. The crimes appear to be random, but
nonetheless violent. The husband is senselessly murdered and the wife is brutally sexually
assaulted.
The investigators are finding few leads as they attempt to produce a profile of the perpetrator.
Further complicating Skellar's investigation is an unsettling personal problem. Someone has been
watching her every move. This audacious stalker has managed to hack into her computer and has
been sending her threatening emails. Since the threats have taken on a new measure of menace,
Sam
engages the assistance of one Lucy Jane Spoon, a twenty-seven year-old uninhibited laid-back
computer expert with a definite dislike for all things resembling authority and government. Add to
this mix Kate, Sam's rock-star sister, and Carol, Sam's ex-lover, and the reader has more than
enough primary and secondary plots to maintain her interest.
Jamneck has created a protagonist in Samantha Skellar who is a totally dedicated and professional
woman, a woman who has just begun to feel those nagging pressures of her high-powered job.
Solving crimes has begun to take its toll, but Sam is intelligent enough to recognize this common
pitfall experienced by many law officers. She has also reached that point where a bit of
introspection
about her past, her family, her love relationships is necessary for her own peace of mind. Sam has
flaws, but she has compassion and integrity. Solving the crime is her passion as well as her duty.
"Little else encouraged me to professional perfection than the idea of some fucked-up little
misogynist criminal, sitting back and laughing at the law, laughing at the FBI. Laughing at me" (p.
50). Her relationship with Munroe is the product of two years of being there for each other, of
protecting one another, and of understanding each other's method of criminal investigation.
Lucy Spoon is an engaging and highly satisfying secondary character. She possesses that ability to
both rankle and intrigue Sam. An outspoken feminist, Lucy pulls no punches. She states her
opinions
and beliefs and then leaves it to others to react or ignore. She is neither easily impressed nor
intimidated. When Sam first appears asking for computer assistance, she is told that Lucy can't
help
her that day but can the next day. Sam responds, "This is really quite important" (p. 12). Lucy
looks
at Sam completely unimpressed with her FBI status. "What I have to do is important too.
Tomorrow. Take it or leave it" (p.12). Through the careful use of foreshadowing, the reader is
aware that there is a definite connection between these two assertive women. Discovering what
that
may be, is one of the many enjoyable aspects of this novel.
Down the Rabbit Hole is a well written police procedural with gripping conflicts, realistic
conclusions, and surprising twists and turns in both the plotting and the development of
characters.
Jamneck has created a worthy addition to the mystery genre. The fact that the author chose to
have
Sam's sexual identity play a secondary role is a refreshing change from other lesbian mystery
detectives. In this instance, the emphasis is upon Sam's competent performance of her demanding
job. The subplot of her romantic relationships or lack of such serves to heighten the authenticity
of
the character. Her sexuality is a part of her life, not the focus of her life. This indeed lends more
credibility to her character as she is first and foremost an FBI investigator in this mystery series.
Also interesting and impressive is Jamneck's clever detailing. Without revealing the conclusion of
the book, suffice it to say that Jamneck has incorporated a most original segment of plotting that
will
indeed segue nicely into the next adventure of Samantha Skellar. Down the Rabbit Hole is a
thoroughly riveting and rewarding reading experience - certainly one not to be missed.
For Every Season
Frankie J. Jones
Bella Books
P.O. Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1594931014, $12.95, 234 pages
For Every Season
For Every Season by Frankie J. Jones introduces Andrea "Andi" Kane, a thirty-four year-old
project
manager living in Dallas, Texas. Life certainly is not proceeding as she had planned. Andi is
enduring
an unsatisfying nine-month relationship with Trish, a control freak extraordinaire and
high-powered
realtor. Their life together has become nothing more than mind-numbing routine. One morning as
Andi hears Trish scrape her chair across the kitchen hardwood floor, Andi knows it must be
seven-thirty. "I may not have a lover, but I have the best alarm clock in the city" (p. 4). As her
luck
would have it, when Andi arrives at work, she is told she has been let go due to budget
constraints.
Holding only a box containing her possessions, she is unceremoniously escorted by security out of
the building. Several minutes later her friend Becka joins her on the sidewalk; she too is holding a
box. The two women drive to Becka's home and quickly proceed to drown their troubles in
alcohol.
When Stacy, Becka's partner, arrives home, she drives Andi back to her house. When Trish
realizes
Andi is intoxicated, she refuses to hear any kind of explanation and throws her out of the house.
Soon after, Andi decides to leave Dallas and go home to San Antonio to re-assess her situation.
While staying at her parents' home, her grandmother, Sarah, asks a favor of her - to look into a
family tragedy which took place sixty-five years earlier. Having nothing better to do and not
wanting
to disappoint her grandmother, Andi heads down to HiHo, a small town south of San Antonio, to
investigate this dark period from the very distant past.
Jones has written several good romance novels, Rhythm Tide and Midas Touch to name but two.
However, For Every Season surpasses these past efforts in two very important respects. First, the
characterization is outstanding in its depiction of both the lead and secondary characters. These
characters are rich in detail, depth, and realism. Andi is a woman with whom the reader can
readily
identify and empathize. Andi is affable, humorous, and deeply rooted in the concept of family.
Love,
loyalty, and respect for her grandmother compel Andi to undertake a quest for the truth,
regardless
of where that journey may lead. The reader is provided with generous back-story through the use
of
flashbacks and expository narrative. Yet, Jones manages to always show, not tell.
The actions in this novel are primarily interpersonal which allow for fuller threads of character
development. Leticia, Andi's mother, is a meticulously drawn character whose actions and
motivations are explained through a series of genuinely engrossing and sometimes heartbreaking
vignettes of her childhood in HiHo.
Jones' second main character is Janice Reed, the District Attorney in HiHo. Here the reader meets
a
refreshingly intriguing and fascinating woman. When Andi brings her concerns to Janice, Janice
tells
her to expect a 99.9% chance of failure, but nonetheless she still offers to help Andi in any way
she
can. When asked why Janice would still help given those odds, Janice responds, "Because I have a
hunch about you and I always play my hunches" (p. 95). This somewhat cryptic response serves
not
only to embarrass Andi but also to give her an intuitive sense of some kind of possible connection
to
Janice. As the storyline progresses, Janice is conflicted in a variety of ways. However, the deft
writing always maintains her credibility. The reader is able to peel away the layers and, thus, is
permitted to see within the core of this hard-working attorney. The mercurial sexual tension is
captivating as both Janice and Andi struggle with outside forces which inevitably will affect them
and those closest to them.
For Every Season is a skillfully written and highly entertaining look at the past and the present of
two very different families. The events of so long ago have indeed cast ripples into the lives of all
concerned. From the humorously drawn portrayal of Trish, the Ice Woman, to the painfully stated
mother-daughter contentions of three generations, to the surprising revelations of love and
misunderstanding, Jones has created a multi-faceted and page-turning story that this reader will
long
remember. For this reviewer it is always an even more rewarding reading experience to see how
an
author continues to stretch and to grow. Enhanced writing style, amplified narrative technique,
and
intensified characterization are expertly evidenced here. For Every Season may very well indicate
a
new level of writing craft for Frankie J. Jones, and this reviewer eagerly awaits her next
novel.
Dawn of Change
Gerri Hill
Bella Books
PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
ISBN: 1594930112, $12.95, 236 pages
Dawn of Change
To those around her, Susan Sterling seems to have the perfect life: a successful husband of twenty
years, a lovely daughter in college, and the country club society scene. One day she arrives home
early to find her husband in their bed with a twenty year-old blonde. Sparing herself the it's not
what
it seems speech, she bolts to the family's cabin in Kings Canyon National Park. Enjoying the
solitude
and avoiding the meddling of her mother and overbearing sister Ruth, Susan meets Shawn Weber,
a
young woman who has been camping nearby. The two women strike up a conversation and Susan
invites Shawn to dinner. A friendship begins to develop, secrets are shared, and both Susan's and
Shawn's view of life undergoes subtle yet important changes. A daughter who is confused about
her
own personal life, a husband who refuses to accept the demise of their marriage, and Shawn's
seemingly mysterious past all contribute to the inner turmoil and uncertainty Susan Sterling is
experiencing while sequestered in the woods.
Gerri Hill is the author of several impressive romance novels, and Dawn of Change further serves
to
elevate her status as a leading writer in this genre. Characterization is clearly and deftly written,
especially for the protagonist, Susan Sterling. The reader can easily identify and empathize with
the
upheaval she is experiencing. Somewhere along the way, while being a wife and mother, Susan
lost
herself, her dreams, her hopes, and she is now confronted with several opportunities to find the
woman she had once hoped to be. Her actions and reactions ring true. Avoiding the overly
sentimental and melodramatic, Hill has created a character that exudes a realistic portrait of the
woman scorned. Her dialogue is moving and at times quite wryly humorous. When her sister Ruth
pompously states that she and their mother are worried about Susan, Susan recognizes the
insincerity dripping from each word. "Bullshit," Susan said quietly. "You're worried what people
are
thinking and Mother's only concerned about what time she can have her first scotch" (p. 45). The
internal dialogues of both Susan and Shawn further show the reader the complicated emotional
wiring that these women possess.
Another strong point of this novel is the characterization of Lisa, Susan's daughter. Hill has
created
an intelligent, witty, attractive young woman who is coming to terms with her own identity. She is
a
relevant and contemporary character. Her interactions are multi-faceted. Reading the verbal
sparring
between Lisa and Ruth is humorous and very telling. Generational differences are only secondary;
the disparate temperament, spirit, and integrity of Lisa and Ruth are the true indicators of what
constitutes a decent and compassionate individual.
Dawn of Change is a fast-paced, comfortably read novel that affects the reader on a variety of
levels.
Likable and intriguing main characters, vivid descriptions of emotional entanglements and their
repercussions, and a fluid and carefully crafted plotline all contribute to this well written novel.
The
basic premise has been told in other books but not in as skillfully entertaining a manner as Hill has
imagined it in Dawn of Change. From the contrast of everyday living with the narcissistic
maneuverings of the country club set to the desire to have solitude and quietude in one's life while
at
the same time recognizing the possibilities presented with a random meeting along the trail, Hill
has
managed simultaneously to capture the interest of the reader and to provide serious consideration
for some of today's troublesome societal issues. This reader eagerly looks forward to Hill's next
book.
Arlene Germain
Reviewer
Bethany's Bookshelf
Reading God's World
Angus J. L. Menuge, editor
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63118-3968
0758605803 $14.99 1-800-325-3040 www.cph.org
Reading God's World: The Scientific Vocation is a compilation of essays by diverse authors, all of
them Christians who work in scientific fields, including teaching, experimental science, or
technical
work. The common theme binding the different topics is the bond between faith and natural laws,
and the revelation that since nature is created by God, human understanding of religion needs to
hear
what science has to say just as modern science needs to be guided by innately moral and ethical
assumptions. Individual essays concerning the origin, contribution, and theology of scientific
vocation include "Interpreters of the Book of Nature", "Science and Christianity: Conflict or
Coherence?" and "Scientists Called to Be Like God". An enthusiastically welcome contribution to
the ongoing debate concerning the moral intermelding of scientific and religious wisdom, and the
increasing need to establish ethical codes that respect the sanctity of life and individual dignity in a
world dramatically changed by ever-increasing scientific possibilities.
Health, Healing & Wholeness
Mary Chase-Ziolek
The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue, East, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100
0829816526 $21.00 1-800-654-5129 www.pilgrimpress.com
Written by the director of the Center for Faith and Health and recipient of a nursing Ph.D.,
Health,
Healing & Wholeness is a resource intended especially to speak to congregations in health care
ministries. Stressing the importance of understanding the culture of one's congregation, as well as
tapping the potential that ministries have to promote community health and development, Health,
Healing & Wholeness covers such topics as functioning models of health ministry, creating a
positive
vision for the future, and more. Health, Healing & Wholeness draws upon anecdotes, testimony,
research, the author's experience and the latest findings concerning human health to promote its
vision in which ministries apply preventatives and cures, both physical and spiritual, to the best of
their ability. Highly recommended.
Who Do You Say I Am?
M. Basil Pennington
New City Press
202 Cardinal Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538
1565482190 $13.95 www.newcitypress.com
Written by a Trappist monk from Saint Joseph's Abbey, Who Do You Say I Am? Meditations on
Jesus' Questions in the Gospels is an anthology of ponderings on questions uttered by Jesus in the
New Testament. Written in plain-terms and accessible to lay readers and theologians alike, Who
Do
You Say I Am? draws upon biblical scholarship, history, simple morality, and the unceasing quest
for answers and understanding. Who Do You Say I Am? is not a compendium of strict answers,
but
rather a stimulating tool encouraging the reader to think about his or her own spirituality, and
rationally contemplate the meaning in Jesus' message. Highly recommended.
What Did Jesus Say?
William S. Epps
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
0817014721 $16.00 1-800-458-3766 www.judsonpress.com
What Did Jesus Say? A Daily Devotional Journal is a consumable, 365-day devotional resource.
For
each day, it presents a quote from Jesus Christ, a paragraph of plain terms commentary that
reflects
upon questions pertaining to the intersection of human spiritual needs and the wisdom of Jesus'
words, and blank lines for the reader to write his or her prayers. For example, the commentary for
January 2nd concerning the quote "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?"
(Luke 2:49) concludes with the question "As you consider how your energy and time are both
consumed, what do you need to do to develop a God-centered life?" Highly recommended as a
resource for faithful introspection, meditation, and life-changing resolve.
Jesus: The Authorized Biography
Gary C. Wharton
New Leaf Press
PO Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638
0892216182 $24.99 1-800-999-3777 www.newleafpress.net
Compiled with explanatory text by a graduate from the Moody Bible Institute with scholarship in
pastoral studies, Jesus: The Authorized Biography turns directly to the gospels to portray the life,
words, teachings, experiences, and death of Jesus Christ. Sections offer simplification,
clarification,
and context for the Biblical text in contemporary language, but Jesus: The Authorized Biography
earns its seemingly audacious subtitle by faithfully reproducing the New Testament texts (in
English
translation, of course - different translations of the Bible have been fused together to create a
smoother holistic narrative) that speak directly of Jesus' life. The words of Jesus and God in
particular are emphasized in bold print. A highly readable narrative, as accessible to lay readers as
to
Christians and theologians, that gives readers of all faiths a better understanding of who Jesus was
and what he strived for.
Church History 101
William M. Ramsay
Geneva Press
100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396
0664502776 $14.95 www.genevapress.com
Though intended especially for Presbyterians, Church History 101: An Introduction for
Presbyterians is a solid, well- researched overview of the history of the Christian church from the
era
when Jesus Christ walked the earth to the present. Written by a retired Presbyterian minister,
Church
History 101 draws on a wide variety of scriptural, historical and archaeological resources to
reconstruct the daily lives of Christian faithful as well as the monumental impacts of rulers,
persecutions, crusades, alleged heresy, and attempts at reformation. The text reads fluidly, and is
highly accessible especially to lay readers and study groups. Discussion questions such as "To
what
extent does the church in our country reflect the ideas of the Puritans? To what extent should it
do
so?" and "What has caused Presbyterians to divide in the past? How helpful have schisms proved
to
be? What has helped bring many of us back together?" follow each chapter, to better stimulate
contemplation and the exchange of ideas. A highly recommended resource and history
refresher.
The Spiritual Millionaire
Keith Cameron Smith
WKU Publishing
10 Eloise Circle, Ormond Beach, Florida 32176
0975507001 $19.95 1-386-441-0028 www.keithcameronsmith.com
The Spiritual Millionaire: The Spirit of Wisdom Will Make You Rich is a guide especially for
Christians who seek harmony between their faith in God and their efforts to achieve prosperity. In
the quest to earn a comfortable living, enough to provide for the self and the family well after
retirement or passing, The Spiritual Millionaire demonstrates how to tap into spiritual wisdom to
enhance personal productivity and success. Chapters address the value of prayer and meditation to
stabilizing one's frame of mind, the power of love as a motivating force to earn success, how all
things are possible to all people, the values of enthusiasm and perseverance, and much more. A
morale-boosting and spiritually reassuring guide.
Going Home
Bill Kemp and Diane Kerner Arnett
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
0825429846 $10.99 1-800-733-2607 www.kregelpublications.com
Going Home: Facing Life's Final Moments Without Fear is a guide especially for Christians who
are
confronting their own possible (or certain) death. At such moments, it is quite possible for doubts
to
arise in one's heart, as well as questions about salvation, guild concerning cravings for relief, the
need to wrap up relationship conflicts, and practical matters such as preparing a will. Embracing
both Christian truths and realities faced by dying individuals, Going Home turns to scripture,
anecdotes, and time-tested wisdom to help the reader see the journey of life through to its final
step.
"The Book of Job reminds us of several important facts: A person can be angry at God and still be
a
person of faith. God doesn't blame us for the way that we feel. God is mysterious, and much of his
plan is hidden from us. Even patient people like Job get frustrated because they cannot understand
why God allows certain things to happen. God is still God, and one day we will understand." A
reverent, respectful, and highly helpful guide.
Susan Bethany
Reviewer
Betsy's Bookshelf
Having Your Baby Through Egg Donation
Ellen Sarasohn Glazer and Evelina Weidman Sterling
Perspectives Press
PO Box 90318, Indianapolis, IN 46290
0944934323 $24.95 www.perspectivespress.com
Clinical social worker specializing in adoption, parenting, and fertility-related issues Ellen Glazer
and
certified health education specialist Evelina Sterling present Having Your Baby Through Egg
Donation, a thoroughly practical and informative guide that provides, in lay terms, everything
prospective parents need to know about using modern technology to create children through
donated eggs. Chapters address the circumstances in which egg donation is an option; the laws,
rules, and ethics for recruited-donor programs; common emotional issues and problems associated
specifically with a pregnancy from egg donation; issues to deal with during parenthood of a child
conceived through egg donation; and much more. A list of organizations and on-line resources
rounds out this valuable, absolute "must-read" for anyone considering participation in an egg
donor
program or becoming parents through such a practice.
Your Baby's First Year
Glade Curtis, M.D. & Judith Schuler, M.S.
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0738209759 $16.95 1-800-242-7737 www.perseusbooks.com
Now in an expanded and thoroughly updated second edition, Your Baby's First Year: Week By
Week is the collaborative work of Glade Curtis (an American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists board certified physician who has delivered thousands of babies and who is
Co-Director of the Health Clinics of Utah) and Judith Schuler (who has worked with Dr. Curtis
for
more than 20 years as his co-author and editor on fourteen books dealing with pregnancy,
women's
health, and children's health). A standard in its field, this chronological development compendium
begins with "Before Baby's Birth" and "Baby's 1st 48 Hours", then goes on week by week
through
the first year of life. Enhanced with a special section covering "Emergency Situations", a glossary,
a
resources section, and a "user friendly" index, Your Baby's First Year is especially recommended
for
first time parents for whom every week will bring forth new revelations in their baby's first year of
physical and mental development.
Divining The Body
Jan Phillips
Skylight Paths Publishing
Sunset Farms Offices, Route 4, PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
1594730806 $16.99 1-800-962-4544 www.skylightpaths.com
Divining The Body: Reclaim The Holiness Of Your Physical Self by award-winning author Jan
Phillips is a spiritual self-help guide especially for women. Written to counter a negative culture of
self-hatred by cultivating appreciation for the holy qualities of the physical body as God's temple,
Divining the Body focuses on different physical parts chapter by chapter: the feet, legs, hands,
back,
generative organs, belly, heart, breasts, throat, ears, eyes and brain. Exercises and reflections offer
means to dwell upon the sacredness in the body as a gift from God, and spiritual quotes in the
margins from a wide assortment of authorities enrich this guide to life-affirming personal
contemplation.
No Saints, No Saviors
Willie Perkins
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207-0001
0865549672 $25.00 1-800-634-2378 www.mupress.org
No Saints, No Saviors: My Years With The Allman Brothers Band by Willie Perkins (President of
Republic Artists Management) is based on the authors' direct involvement with The Allman
Brothers
Band from 1970 to 1976, and with Gregg Allman from 1983 to 1989. Gripping in its detail of
personal tragedy, the nightmares of drug and alcohol abuse, the sad deaths of Duane Allman and
Berry Oakley, and the band's phoenix-like rise from ashes, No Saints, No Saviors is a primary
source
that will prove vital to fans and researchers of The Allman Brothers Band and a valuable insight
into
the music industry in general for others. Black-and-white photographs enhance this poignant,
personal, and singularly perceptive memoir.
Every Grain Of Sand
J. A. Wainwright, editor
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
0889204535 $24.95 www.wlupress.wlu.ca
Compiled and edited by J. A. Wainwright (Professor of English, Dalhousie University, Halifax,
Nova
Scotia, Canada), Every Grain Of Sand: Canadian Perspectives On Ecology And Environment is a
collection of thirteen erudite and knowledgeable essays on environmental issues from a decidedly
Canadian perspective. The contributing authors and their presentations range from Lionel
Rubinoff's
"The World is Your Body", to "Anne Marie Dalton's "Who Cares about the Meadow?", to Onno
Oerlemans' "Romantic Origins of Environmentalism", to Ehor Boyanowky's "Cutting a Deal with
Attila". Even though the perspectives are Canadian, the issues are universal, making Every Grain
Of
Sand a very strongly recommended addition to Environmental Studies academic library
collections
and supplemental reading lists, as well as thoughtful and thought-provoking reading for
non-specialist general readers with an interest in nature and environmental issues.
Natural Wonders Of The Jersey Pines And Shores
Robert A. Peterson, Michael A. Hogan, Steve Greer
Plexus Publishing, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
0937548480 $49.95 1-609-654-6500 www.plexuspublishing.com
Natural Wonders Of The Jersey Pines And Shores by the late educator, journalist, historian, and
sportsman Robert A. Peterson (1956-2003) covers a diversity of topics drawn from the unique
Pine
Barrens and coastal ecosystems of New Jersey including the flora, fauna, geological formations,
and
natural forces of the area. Much of the material was adapted from his regular newspaper column
in
"The Egg Harbor News". The informed and informative text is wonderfully enhanced with the
nature photography of Michael A. Hogan and Steve Greer. This posthumous publication of
Robert
Peterson's Natural Wonders Of The Jersey Pines And Shores is a welcome contribution by a
gifted
writer whose "insatiable curiosity about nature and history" make the New Jersey Pine Barrens
and
beaches a truly engaging read from beginning to end for the non-specialist general reader as well
as
the student of nature's ecosystems, as well as a welcome contribution to American Ecological
Studies and Environmental Studies library reference collections and supplemental reading
lists.
Betsy L. Hogan
Reviewer
Betty's Bookshelf
Steeped in the World of Tea
Edited by Sharon Bard, Birgit Nielsen, and Clara Rosemarda
Photography by Juliana Spear
Interlink Books
Interlink Publishing Group, Inc.
46 Crosby St., Northampton, MA 01060
www.interlinkbooks.com www.steeped.org
1566565561, $20.00 183 p.
From the tea ceremonies of Japan to the samovars of Russia to the carefully brewed beverage of
an
English high tea, tea is the world's most popular drink. Its very smell can return adults to the
nursery
tea table and revive memories of time spent with friends and loved ones over a "cuppa". And for
the
true tea drinker, a cup of tea can soothe even the most stressful day, at least for a moment. Tea
drinkers all have their own reasons why tea is so important to them, and Steeped in the World of
Tea allows readers to see the joys of tea from twenty-three different points of view.
In addition, the authors are donating some of the proceeds to Food First (www.foodfirst.org), a
non-profit organization that promotes freedom from hunger as a basic human right, which makes
reading about the pleasures of the tea table even more enjoyable. Whether you like tea or just like
good writing, I think you' ll enjoy this book. However, be sure you make a nice pot of tea first, to
add extra enjoyment to your reading. (If you make Darjeeling, save me some!)
Just Imagine
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Avon Books
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd St., New York, NY, 10022-5299
www.avonromance.com
0380808307, $6.99 372 p.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips's first solo fictional effort, Risen Glory, came out in 1984 and has been
out
of print for many years. After much begging and pleading from her fans, Phillips revised, retitled,
and re-released it in 2001, as Just Imagine.
In the style of Margaret Mitchell's famous antebellum romance, Gone With the Wind, Risen Glory
is
set in the days after the end of the Civil War, where the reader first meets Katherine Louise
Weston.
Katherine, better known as Kit, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl from South Carolina who's
on
her way to New York to kill a man. Left to her own devices by a father too infatuated with his
new
wife to care, she's grown up differently than most Southern girls, whom she thinks are all soft and
weak.
She's determined to be neither; she can shoot, cuss, ride a horse bareback, and smoke cigars, and
the
only thing she hates more than dressing like a girl and acting properly is Yankees. After illness
kills
off first her father and then her stepmother and she discovers that the only home she's ever known
has been left to Major Baron Cain, a Yankee hero (and stepbrother she's never met), she decides
the
only way to get back what is rightfully hers is to kill Cain.
Once in New York, her plan backfires; it's not so easy to kill a man, especially a man like Cain!
When her next plan (offering to become his mistress) doesn't work, either, she's stymied. Then he
makes a counter-offer - go to the Templeton Academy for Young Ladies for three years and learn
to
be a lady. Afterwards... well, who knows? So she goes. Maybe another plan will come to her.
After three years, she comes home, but she's still confused. Does Cain love her or just want her?
Is it
for herself or for the plantation? She can't be in love with a Yankee... can she? And how can she
live
anywhere but Risen Glory? Following the twists and turns of Kit's life as she learns what being a
woman is all about will take the reader to the last page with a sigh of satisfaction. I never read
Phillips's original version of this story, but this version definitely bears the hallmark of a Phillips
story
- strong characters, deep emotions, humor, and lots of sizzle. This is a story readers will long
remember.
Betty Winslow
Reviewer
Bob's Bookshelf
Baby Goose
Kate McMullan
Illustrated by Pascal LeMaitre
Hyperion
0786804300, $15.99, 33 pages
An amusing "take" on the Mother Goose rhymes, Baby Goose holds center stage in this collection
of
short verse which features lots of illustrations of adorable babies.
The 27 rhymes collected here include "Baby Shall Have a New Bonnet", "Baby Foster Went to
Glouscester", "Rock-a-bye, Baby", and "This Is How Babies Take a Bath".
Young children will delight in reading these short verses aloud with their parents. If you are so
inclined, add to the fun by singing them!
Diary of a Fairy Godmother
Esme Raji Codell
Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan
Hyperion Books for Children
0786809655, $14.99, 170 pages
A tale of witchcraft gone amuck, Hunky Dory is destined to be one of the best evil crones of all
time. Alas, though, when she decides it's more fun granting wishes than casting evil spells, Hunky
gets booted out of witches' charm school. What's a girl to do after this embarrassing situation?
Why
practice "wishcraft" of course! In Hunky's case, the results of her good deeds aren't always what
one
would expect or hope for.
This unconventional happily-ever-after story which puts an amusing spin on the traditional fairy
tale
will appeal to readers eight years of age and up.
Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch
Cynthia Rylant
Illustrated by Cynthia Ryland
Simon & Schuster
0689811780, $14.95, 40 pages
Part of the Ready-to-Read series of books for children between the ages of four and six, this story
find Henry and his dog Mudge planning a special surprise for Mother's Day. With Dad's help they
are going to make Mom the best lunch ever. You'll accompany the trio as they go to the grocery
store and then prepare the Mom's special meal in the kitchen. What makes it a "funny lunch"?
You'll
have to read the story to see what Henry, his Dad, and Mudge come up with!
Although released for Mother's Day, "The Funny Lunch" is a story that works nicely anytime of
year. You don't have to wait for a special day of the year to surprise Mom with lunch.
Appropriate for youngsters four years of age and up, "Mice Twice" follows the misadventures of
Cat who invites Mouse for dinner. Of course, Mouse is no dummy and she knows Cat intends that
she will be the entree. When Mouse asks if she can bring a friend along, Cat readily agrees,
thinking
"Double portions!"
How Mouse outsmarts Cat and makes it a social event the sneaky feline won't wish to repeat is
the
subject of this delightful tale. "Mice Twice" is a Caldecott Honor Book.
Tep Jones has always been fascinated by the Picture House, an Anasazi cliff dwelling, near his
home.
When the youngster finds a bone flute left behind by grave robbers, Tep's interest in the ancient
ruin
takes on a whole new dimension. Since discovering the flute the boy's life has changed for the
worse. The key to the ancient magic that the artifact has unleashed resides in the enigma of
Picture
House and Cricket, an old Indian who knows the secrets of the past.
Children ages nine years of age and above will enjoy this riveting Southwestern adventure set in
northern New Mexico.
Sammy The Classroom Guinea Pig
Alix Berenzy
Henry Holt
0805040242, $16.95, 28 pages
When Sammy begins making strange sounds, Mrs. B and the rest of the class wonders what is
going
on. "Wheep, wheep, wheep," shrieks the little guinea pig. Now what could that mean? "Whutt!
Whutt-whutt-whutt!" follows along with "Coot! Dutt-dutt-Deet-doot!". Something's obviously
not
right with Sammy.
All the children wonder what is happening but it's Maria who solves the mystery of all the strange
sounds.
The author includes a useful fact sheet on guinea pigs and how they communicate, which you'll
want
to take a look at after you finish the story.
Perspectives on Spirit Baptism: 5 Views is a collection counterpoint views by five different
authors
concerning beliefs about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Each author is a learned and prominent
theological scholar in his field, and presents the view of his own tradition in clear and succinct
terms,
as well a response to the differences of other traditions. The speakers cover the Sacramental view,
the Wesleyan view, the Charismatic view, the Pentecostal view, and the Reformed view. All draw
heavily upon the scripture to better illuminate their perspective. A well-rounded introduction into
the
theology of spirit baptism, especially useful for theologians and scholars but also accessible to lay
people who want to better understand the practice of spirit baptism as it applies to them and their
given faith.
Forest and Trees
H. Doyle Smith
Aaron-Denburn Publishing
PO Box 9059, Canton, OH 44711-9059
0964789191 $12.95
Written by the son of a Southern Baptist minister who is also a member of Mensa and has studied
the Bible privately in addition to public church worship, Forest and Trees briefly discusses
common
conundrums often expressed concerning alleged inconsistencies in the Bible. Focusing on the
theme
and outline chosen by the authors of the King James version of the Bible, Forest and Trees tries to
reconcile micro-focused issues in favor of a broad picture that emerges of God and history.
Written
with faith, passion, and a positive belief in the goodness of humanity and God, Forest and Trees is
a
compelling interpretation that sheds fresh light on age-old wrestlings and issues with the Old and
New Testaments. Highly recommended, particularly for lay readers and worshipers searching for
solace.
Seasons of Friendship: Naomi And Ruth As A Model For Relationship by Marjory Zoet Bankson
(the first woman and layperson to serve as president of "Faith @ Work", a nationwide Christian
ministry dedicated to providing tools for international community within churches) offers the
biblical
story of Ruth and Naomi's unique friendship as a model for valuing the different kinds of support
that contemporary women, today still need and are able to provide in the different seasons of their
lives. In this newly revised edition, Marjory demonstrates the contemporary aspects of Ruth and
Naomi's friendship as she ably chronicles her own long-time, ever-changing friendship with one
particular friend. Inspired and inspiring, Seasons Of Friendship will prove to be engaging,
thoughtful, and motivating reading for Christians of all denominational backgrounds and
affiliations.
The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Wisdom
Stevan Davies
Bardic Press
PO Box 761, Oregon House, CA 95962-0761
0974566748 $19.95 www.bardic-press.com
Now in an updated and expanded second edition, The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Wisdom
by
Stevan Davies (Professor of Religious Studies, College Misericordia, Pennsylvania) focuses upon
the writings known as the Gospel of Thomas which were discovered in Egypt in 1945 as part of
the
now famous Nag Hammadi Library, a collection of first century Christian documents that are
some
of the earliest written records we have available arising from the earliest days of the Christian
movement. This Bardic Press edition returns to print a classic work of painstaking yet accessible
scholarship and features a new forty page introduction discussing recent developments in
scholarship, the distinctions of the Gospel of Thomas from the canonical gospels, the role of Mary
Magdalene in the Gospel of Thomas, and additional, invaluable insights into one of the most
exciting
finds of the 20th Century in Biblical Studies. Not to be missed is a fascinating and provocative
essay
on the possible use of the Gospel of Thomas an oracle text for those early Coptic Christians
thought
to be responsible for the Nag Hammadi Library collection. Highly recommended reading for both
scholarship and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Christian Theology and
History,
The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Wisdom is an enduring work of substantial value and
interest.
Also very highly recommended reading are Professor Davies other works: The Gospel of Thomas
Annotated & Explained; Jesus the Healer, New Testament Fundamentals, and Revolt of the
Widows. Additionally recommended is Professor Davies' The Gospel of Thomas website which is
a
world class Internet website dedicated specifically to this subject.
Willis M. Buhle
Reviewer
Burroughs' Bookshelf
California's State Parks
John McKinney
Wilderness Press
1200 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1306
0899973868 $15.95 1-800-443-7227 www.wildernesspress.com
Hiking expert John "The Trailmaster" McKinney presents California's State Parks: A Day Hiker's
Guide, a traveler's guide packed cover to cover with everything a nature-loving vacationer could
hope to know about day-hikes in California's state parklands. Divided by geographical region, the
trails in California's state parks are illustrated with black-and-white maps and carefully described
in
terms of length, difficulty, directions, what to expect while hiking and more. An index allows for
quick and easy lookup of individual trails, and black-and-white photographs offer a visual
introduction to natural splendors. California's State Parks: A Day Hiker's Guide does not concern
itself overmuch with information unrelated to day hike trails, where to find them and what to see
on
them, leaving such matters to other guides. A "must-have" for hiking enthusiasts visiting or
residing
in California.
Managing With Conscience For Competitive Advantage
Pete Geissler
Quality Press
c/o American Society for Quality
600 North Plankinton Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005
0873896386 $24.00 1-800-248-1946 www.asq.org
Managing With Conscience For Competitive Advantage by business management and marketing
expert Pete Geissler dissects the flaw of a "managing for stockholder value" philosophy, that
leads
to amoral business decisions, harmful financial fallout, and blows to a firm's reputation. The
kinder,
gentler, and more productive alternative that Managing With Conscience For Competitive
Advantage offers is "managing with conscience", a.k.a. "managing for customer and employee
satisfaction." The benefits of managing for satisfaction are deliberately set out - satisfied
employees
are more productive and less likely to leave (which begets costly rehiring and retraining efforts),
while satisfied customers are more likely to keep coming back and spread a good reputation by
word
of mouth! Chapters further discuss the importance of forming positive relationships through
hospitality as sure as good business, and lessons that can be learned from other's mistakes and
difficulties just trying to survive. More than just an ethical handbook, Managing With Conscience
For Competitive Advantage is a "must-read" chock full of prosperity-building tips, tricks, and
techniques for small and big business managers alike.
Jackson Choice
Gerard Murrin
Robert D. Reed Publishers
PO Box 1992, Bandon, Oregon 97411
1931741484 $19.95 www.rdrpublishers.com
Jackson Choice is a human issues novel of crisis, challenge, and temptation. A small-town
restaurant
manager find love in his marriage, but not contentment, when an upscale golf club competes with
his business and draws him into its allure of excessive drinking, gambling and debauchery. With
his
marriage and his future precariously on the line, he must choose which lifestyle he will follow, but
tragedy inevitably strikes one of his employees drawn too deep into the club's allure, suffering a
nervous breakdown due to gambling problems and internal demons. Meanwhile the FBI
converges
upon the River Club like an ominous vulture, running a investigation that will unearth shocking
truths. A compelling tale of hard decisions and cold consequences.
French Creek
Peter Rennebohm
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
0878392114 $24.95 1-888-820-1636
Award-winning author Peter Rennebohm presents French Creek, a suspenseful novel about an
ordinary Minneapolis salesman whose trip to a junkyard in search of a part to rebuild an old truck
quickly entangled him in a lethal struggle with his life as the prize. Against ruthless and
experienced
killers, he must weather a severe winter storm amid the rural farmland of central Minnesota and
the
prairies of the South Dakota borderland. A gripping saga of personal defiance, ingenuity, and
courage, compelling to the last page.
What Works and Why: Effective Approaches to Reentry
American Correctional Association
4380 Forbes Boulevard, Lanham, Maryland 20706-4322
1569912165 $35.00 www.aca.org
What Works and Why: Effective Approaches to Reentry is an anthology of seven essays by
experienced professionals concerning practical approaches to re-integrating former prisoners into
society. The essays are "Social Learning, Social Capital, and Correctional Theories"; "Models of
Supervision Relevant to the Delivery of Effective Correctional Service"; "Evidence-Based
Programming Today"; "Using an Integrated Model to Implement Evidence-based Practices in
Corrections"; "Public Safety and the Search for a Strategic Converter"; "Meeting the Challenges
of
Prisoner Reentry"; and "Revisiting Responsibility". Published jointly by the American Correctional
Association and the International Community Corrections Association, What Works and Why
dismisses extended philosophical concerns for a focus on common problems that need immediate
solutions. Written in plain terms, the essays highlight what is most needed for the sake of
benefiting
society as surely as the former prison inmates. Strongly recommended for anyone working in
corrections, criminal law, associated politics, and potentially of use to even former prisoners
themselves.
Iraq, Inc.
Pratap Chatterjee
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
1583226672 $11.95 1-800-596-7437 www.sevenstories.com
Written by award-winning investigative journalist Pratap Chatterjee, Iraq, Inc.: A Profitable
Occupation is a scathing indictment of how the American occupation has proven immensely
enriching to private corporations - at the expense of American taxpayers and the freedom, safety,
and economic stability of the Iraqi people. Chapters discuss the scams and frauds involved in
reconstruction, the constant threatening presence of military men, militiamen, and civilians with
guns, and the questionable and arguably unstable "shadow government" being set up. The author
concludes his words in July of 2004, in fear of the future of Iraq. America and Iraq both need
desperately to grapple with the difficult issues and outright larceny in order to promote the
transformation of Iraq as a place where people can live without fear, and seek their destiny
without
the burdens of economic poverty or the hovering threat of violence. A "must-read" expose for
anyone studying the recent war in Iraq and its aftermath.
Chia
Ricardo Ayerza Jr. & Wayne Coates
University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103, Tucson, AZ 85719-6654
0816525882 $14.95 1-800-426-3797 www.uapress.arizona.edu
Also available in a hardcover edition (0816524386, $50.00), Chia: Rediscovering A Forgotten
Crop
Of The Aztecs by agronomist Ricardo Ayerza (Associate in Arid Lands, Office of Arid Lands
Studies, University of Arizona) and engineer Wayne Coates (Research Professor, Office of Arid
Lands Studies, University of Arizona) focuses upon "chia", a principle Aztec food crop at the time
of Columbus' appearance in the Caribbean, and which was almost wiped out by the Conquistadors
because of its use in "pagan" rituals. For centuries the plant survived in only a few scattered areas
and was largely unknown in the continental United States. This was a plant that the Aztecs used
as
raw material for medicines, and as an energy source on long journeys. In this comprehensive
study,
Ayerza and Coats compare chai's fatty acid profiles with those of fish oil, flaxseed, and marine
algae,
finding chia superior in many ways. Chia has the highest known percentage of alpha-linolenic
acid,
and the highest combined alpha-linolenic and linoleic fatty acid percentage of all the crops. Chia
has
more protein, lipids, energy and fiber (but fewer carbs) that rice, barley, oats, wheat or corn -- and
its protein is gluten-free. Chia is also an excellent source for calcium, phosphorous, magnesium,
potassium, iron, zinc, and copper. Chia is low in sodium (salmon has 78 times as much, tuna 237
times as much). Chia exhibits no evidence of allergic response, even in individuals with peanut and
tree-nut allergies. Chia doesn't give off a "fish" flavor, unlike some other sources of omega-3 fatty
acid. The need to supply omega-3 fatty acid in the human diet, combined with the imperative of
finding a safe, renewable omega-3 source not dependant upon the fishing industry, chia is now
documented as being one of the world's most important crops. A work of impeccable and
documented scholarship, Chia: Rediscovering A Forgotten Crop Of The Aztecs is an important,
seminal contribution whose agricultural value for human health we simply cannot afford to
overlook. Very highly recommended, informed and informative reading!
John Burroughs
Reviewer
Carolyn's Bookshelf
The Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling
Illustrations by Mary Grandpre
Arthur A. Levine Books, 1st American ed
0590353403, $22.99, 309 pages
With Book #6 on the horizon, I am remembering the first one. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's
Stone
is the first book by J. K. Rowling. It is a story about young Harry Potter, a name now known
around
the world. Rowling is much admired for her writing technique, her ability to weave an intriguing
story, and her ability to keep her readers on the edges of their seats. I read this book in 2000
because
my grandchildren were reading it and loving it! I was hooked; and, let's not forget Mary Grandpre
whose illustrations add liveliness to the text.
When infant Harry Potter's parents are tragically murdered, he has the misfortune to be taken to
live
with his mother's sister, husband, and their son. He is delivered to Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia
and
Cousin Dudley, the muggle family (non-magical people), on Privet Drive, London. They are a
miserable lot, and so Harry spends the next 10 years living in an unloving household, unloving
toward him. While his aunt and uncle treat him badly, they dote on their obnoxious brat, young
Dudley. Then, at age 11, Harry receives a letter telling him to prepare to enter wizard school at
Hogwarts. After a few fits and starts getting there, Harry is off on a fantastical adventure with
new
(and first) friends, Hermoine Granger and Ron Weasley. He begins to find out who he really is.
People he's never seen before know who he is as soon as they hear his name. Heads turn and
whispers abound.
This book takes us through Harry's first year at the Hogwarts School. We meet many characters
along the way, including headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, huge and lovable Rebeus Hagrid, bad
boy
Draco Malfoy and his sidekicks Crabbe and Goyle. We meet menacing Professor Snape,
changling
Professor McGonagall and strange Professor Quirrell, among others. We learn about Quidditch, a
most remarkable, challenging and dangerous sport, one in which only those possessed of magical
skills could ever engage. This book is a delightful beginning to what is now a world favorite, akin
to
the Hardy boys series of another era.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J. K. Rowling
Illustrations by Mary Grandpre
Arthur A. Levine Books
0439064864, $22.99, 352 pages
On July 16, 2005, Book #6, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, will be released. It is
eagerly,
almost desperately, anticipated. I own and have read, Books 1-5, and am remembering each.
Harry
Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is the second book in Rowling's extraordinary series about a
remarkable young boy; a lad who starts out life happily, then his wizard parents are tragically
murdered, and his life is forever changed.
One of the challenges facing this author, and others who write series in which characters are
brought
forward, is the necessity to keep track of each character's personality traits, habits and experiences
over time. If an author comments on one page that so-and-so dislikes coffee, and later has
so-and-so
savoring his or her favorite cup of java, well, we have a problem. Rowling has prepared well with
outlines, drawings, and briefs about people, places and things portrayed in her work. Still, the task
is
enormous. Throughout seven books (that is the total number, she says), she must keep every
detail
constant, unless of course so-and-so decides he or she likes coffee, after all!!
In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry must spend another summer on Privet Drive. He eagerly awaits
his
return to Hogwarts and his friends. Transportation back to school is a flying car, driven by friend
Ron, who shows up at his upstairs bedroom window (an upgrade from the space behind the stairs
where Harry spent his first 10 years on Privet drive). The adventure starts here. First, they stop
off
at Ron's home where we learn more about the Weasleys, and formerly meet Ginny Weasley, the
boys' sister (she was at the train station in Sorcerer's Stone). The trip to school is treacherous with
Ron at the wheel and a car with a mind of its own.
This book takes us through Harry's second year at the Hogwarts School and more dangerous
adventures. His curiosity and innate sense of right and wrong carry him through, though barely, in
some cases. We meet several new characters, including vain Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, pesky
Colin Creevey, and creepy Moanin' Myrtle; and there's more Quidditch. There's trouble about
mudbloods who are half wizard and half muggle. Hermoine Granger is a mudblood.
What makes Harry so likable is that he's not perfect, far from it. He gets angry, is not a good
student, occasionally disobeys the rules (for a just reason, of course), and gets into all sorts of
jams.
However, whatever roadblock appears before him, whatever mistakes he makes, he carries on
without whining (well, maybe a little), blaming others or giving up, a good lesson for all of us.
However, the dangers he faces in the Chamber of Secrets may be insurmountable. Read and
see.
The Prisoner of Azkaban
J. K. Rowling
Illustrations by Mary GrandPre
Arthur A. Levine Books: 1st American Edition
An Imprint of Scholastic Inc.
557 Broadway, New York 10012
www.arthuralevinebooks.com
0439136350, $22.99, 448 pp. (Hardcover)
By the time Book #3 came out, The Prisoner of Azkaban, I was completely hooked on Rowling
and
on Harry Potter. (Have you noticed how each book gets longer? This one is 226 pages longer
than
Book #2, The Chamber of Secrets.)
In this book, Harry becomes a teenager. He spends his thirteenth birthday, as usual, with his
miserable relatives, The Dursleys. However, after feeling sorry for himself all day, he gets a phone
call from Ron...that's a trip, and letters from Hermoine and Hagrid. He's feeling better now.
However, a visit by Aunt Marge, Uncle Vernon's sister, the next day is a disaster. You'll have to
read Chapter Two to appreciate what happens to Aunt Marge.
We move on to Hogwarts School where there is real danger for Harry this year. It seems a vicious
criminal, Sirius Black, has escaped Azkaban Prison, a most dreadful place for only the most
vicious
of criminals, kept in line by the terrifying Dementors who suck the breath from their victims. It
seems Black is looking for Harry. Everyone is terrified, and Harry and friends are faced with many
harrowing moments. Near the end of the book, Harry has a close encounter with a Dementor and
commits an act that will cause him considerable grief later. (Exactly what is a Dementor? A brief
description from p. 384: "Where there should have been eyes, there was only thin, gray scabbed
skin, stretched blankly over empty sockets. But there was a mouth...a gaping, shapeless hole,
sucking the air with the sound of a death rattle.")
This book has some truly terrifying passages that are extremely well crafted. I was genuinely
scared
in parts and wondered how Harry and his friends were going to make it this time. The Prisoner of
Azkaban takes Harry Potter and author Rowling to a whole new level. Don't read this one when
you're alone.
The Goblet of Fire
J. K. Rowling
Illustrations by Mary GrandPre
Arthur A. Levine Books: 1st American Edition
An Imprint of Scholastic Inc.
557 Broadway, New York 10012
0439139597, $29.99, 734 pp. (Hardcover)
They just keep getting better, and longer. Book #4, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is 734
pages long, and I still didn't want it to end. Things are really heating up in Harry Potter's fourth
year
at Hogwarts School. He is fourteen and thinking more about girls. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
(Voldemort) is becoming stronger once again and the number of Harry's enemies is increasing, or
so
it seems. Just who are his true friends, and who are not? Evil is everywhere. The war between
good
and evil grows more intense and dangerous. Meanwhile, Hermoine is determined to free the
house-elves and establishes the House Elf Liberation Front. Dobby, the house-elf, tries to adjust,
but
is confused; and what is Dobby's friend, Winky, the wicked Malfoys' ex-house-elf up to?
In the first chapter, we visit Riddle House where something strange and horrible happened 50
years
before. To the villagers of Little Hangleton, it remains a creepy place. Nobody knows anymore
what
is true and what isn't, but they all agree that the events of that horrible day so long ago started at
daybreak. We learn about Portkeys and the Dark Mark, and attend a Triwizard Tournament
where
some spectacular and frightening events take place. Padfoot and Wormtail are up to no good. The
Death Eaters terrify everyone. Rita Skeeter is out to discredit Albus Dumbledore and ruin Rubeus
Hagrid. The Irish National Quidditch Team and the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team face each
other at the Quidditch World Cup where Harry is so distracted by the beautiful Veela dancers that
he loses his concentration and so it goes. It's no wonder this book is over 700 pages.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J. K. Rowling
Illustrated by Mary GrandPre
Scholastic, Inc.
043935806X, $29.99, 870 pages (hardcover )
J. K. Rowling continues to amaze with her writing talent, her creativity and her extraordinary
organizational skills. Her prose is easy to read, her fantasies full blown and (once again) she
successfully keeps track of the details as the story of Harry Potter, his friends and enemies,
continues. At 870 pages, the Order of the Phoenix is the longest and I thought a bit too attentive
to
detail in the early stages, but that did not diminish my admiration for the author or the content of
the
story.
Harry is now fifteen and in his fifth year at Hogwarts. He spends almost the entire book in a bad
mood, not unusual for a teenage boy. He is introduced to the Order of the Phoenix and eventually
learns they are charged with protecting him. In this book, Harry has a recurring dream of walking
down a long corridor toward a closed door, which eventually opens for him, leading to all sorts of
trouble and horror. Meanwhile, Hagrid is missing for a time. He returns somewhat worse for
wear,
but at least he's back, to the great relief of Hermoine, Ron and Harry. A dreadful witch wizard in
the
form of Professor Dolores Jane Umbridge arrives at Hogwarts and much of the story involves her
treachery there. Harry's first introduction to her was at his hearing early in the book. Hearing? For
what? (Only the reader knows!)
As with the earlier books, pay close attention as you read. You will need the information provided
early in the story to fully grasp the events at the end of The Order of the Phoenix as Harry
continues
to fight against the dark forces of the wizard world.
Carolyn Rowe Hill
Reviewer
Carson's Bookshelf
The Story Of Human Language
John McWhorter
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
1565859480 $374.95 1-800-832-2412 www.teach12.com
Linguistics expert John McWhorter is a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute whose academic
specialty is language change and language contact. In The Story Of Human Language, Professor
McWhorter presents 36 thirty minute lectures captures in a six DVD format series organized into
3
plastic storage cases of two discs each. This fully developed seminar begins with an exploration
and
explanation of what constitutes language, how languages changes and evolves, the classification
of
language into "families", "The Case Against the World's First Language" and "The Case For the
World's First Language". Professor McWhorter then goes on to cover dialects, language mixture,
offers a new perspective on the developmental history of English. Then addressing the question of
whether culture drives language change, Professor McWhorter ably addresses how language
"starts
over" using Creole as an illustration. Concluding with lectures on Black English, "language
death",
and artificial languages, Professor McWhorter ends with his lecture series with "Finale--Master
Class". Professor McWhorter's lectures are hallmarked with an engaging, informative, and even
entertaining presentation style that proves easily accessible to the non-specialist general viewer,
and
yet is detailed and scholastically rigorous to serve the needs of the student seeking academic
credits.
This DVD lecture series is accompanied by three paperbacks (The Story of Human Language:
Parts
1, 2 & 3) that provide a published version of all of the lectures. The Story Of Human Language is
strongly recommended for college and university library collections, and would make an excellent
curriculum for individual advanced student and high-school "Honors Class" studies in the
development of language.
Silence On The Wire
Michal Zalewski
No Starch Press
555 De Haro Street, #250, San Francisco, CA 94107
1593270461 $39.95 1-800-420-7240 www.nostarch.com
Silence On The Wire: A Field Guide To Passive Reconnaissance And Indirect Attacks by
computer
security and programming expert Michal Zalewski focuses upon fundamentals of computing so
that
even non-specialist general readers can understand network design and their own computing
activities, becoming able to address computer security issues. Silence On The Wire follows the
path
of a piece of information from the moment the user's hand touches the computer keyboard to the
instant when it is received by a remote party on the other end of the wire. Zalewski notes that
security concerns don't simply stem from a set of isolated faults that can be worked around, but
represent issues associated with every process and system, and therefore they need to be
understood
and studied within that broader and more comprehensive context. Informed and informative,
thoughtful and thought-provoking, Silence On The Wire should be considered mandatory reading
for all security professionals, and is enthusiastically recommended to the attention of technophiles
with an interest in computer security for themselves and their associates.
John Barleycorn Must Die
Ben F. Johnson III
The University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
1557287872 $19.95 1-800-626-0090 www.uapress.com
John Barleycorn Must Die: The War Against Drink In Arkansas by Ben Johnson III (Associate
Professor of History, Southern Arkansas University) begins with the early attempts to keep
alcohol
from the Native Americans during Arkansas' colonial period. Then temperance groups focused on
outlawing alcohol in the antebellum communities of Arkansas. After the Civil War new federal
taxes
on whiskey production in Arkansas led to violence between revenue agents and moonshiners. The
state joined the growing national movement against saloons the culminated in 1915 when the
legislature approved a measure to health the sale, manufacture, and distribution of alcohol (which
prohibition included the then thriving wine industry in Arkansas). The state supported national
prohibition, but the people became disillusioned with the widespread violations of the law. But the
state waited to repeal its own prohibition law until compelled to do so by a fiscal crisis in 1935
that
required it to raise revenue. Even then, the new law only authorized retail liquor stores, and not
the
return of taverns or bars. A final effort to restore prohibition in 1950 was rebuffed by voters, but
there are still 43 counties in Arkansas remain dry, and only 32 are wet -- with disputes over the
granting of private club licenses continuing to be a lively social and political concern throughout
the
state. Enhanced with 50 photographs and an index, John Barleycorn Must Die is a work of
considerable scholarship and an impressive contribution to both American History and Arkansas
State History library reference collections.
The Sami People
Veli-Pekka Lehtola, author; Linna Weber Muller-Wille, translator
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, 104 Eielson Building, Salcha Street, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
1889963755 $27.95 1-888-252-6657 www.uaf.edu/uapress
Enhanced with both color and black/white photography, maps, a glossary, and a bibliography, The
Sami People: Traditions In Transition by Veli-Pekka Lehtola is written from the perspective of the
indigenous Sami people of Scandinavia and European Russia, the only ethnic group in Europe to
be
recognized as aboriginals. An economically and culturally diverse people who speak several
dialects
of the Sami language, they have been divided by national borders for centuries. In recent decades
the
Sami have been transitioning from their principle image as herders of reindeers to such
contemporary enterprises as writers, artists, and political activists. The Sami People is written by
academician and Sami native Veli-Pekka Lehtola (a Senior Research Fellow, University of Oulu,
Finland), and is available in English thanks to the excellent and pains-taking translation skills of
Linna Weber Muller-Wille. A unique and invaluable work of original research, The Sami People
will
prove to be of special interest and value to the study of circumpolar aboriginal peoples, and is an
important contribution to the fields of anthropology, sociology, ethnic cultural studies, and
European history.
Wild West China
Christian Tyler
Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
0813535336 $27.95 1-800-446-9323 http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu
The home of sand-buried cities, painted cave shrines, rare animals, and wonderfully preserved
mummies of a distinctive European appearance, the wilderness of Xinjiang in northwest China is
marked by a savage landscape and volatile climate where the Uighurs still farm tranquil oases that
ring the world's second largest sand desert (Taklamakan) and the native herdsmen sill roam the
wild
mountains. This is a region that has been hallmarked by violence ranging from the incursions by
nomad chieftains from the north, Muslim emirs from Central Asia, Russian generals, and warlords
from inner China. Wild West China: The Taming Of Xinjiang by journalist Christian Tyler is the
story of how the Communists have developed this one time untamed wilderness through the
development of a penal colony, as a buffer against invasion, and as a suppler of raw materials and
living space. But Chinese development is seen by the native Uighurs as the unwelcome work of an
alien occupier which has led to continued violence and savage reprisals. An invaluable
contribution
to Chinese History and International Studies, Wild West China is especially commended to
academia
and university library reference collections.
Penny Mickelbury, a highly acclaimed award-winning author, writes with an authoritative flare
about
discrimination against homosexuals, particularly black lesbians who dress and act like AGs or
Doms
(Aggressives or Dominants - new terminology replacing "Butch" within a "counter-culture" or
"sub-culture") within the Washington D.C. gay community. Someone is targeting women who
dress
and act like men with " kind of an in-your-face-don't mess-with-me attitude " [73]. Pathetically,
the police department isn't doing a thing about it, and the religious fanatics are propagating
discrimination of gays in every way imaginable, even condoning murder and rape as God's will.
Darkness Descending is a work of fiction that depicts the disturbing ugliness of homophobia and
racism too often seen in the real world.
Lieutenant Gianna Maglione, head of the D.C. Police Department's Hate Crimes Unit, and her
girlfriend investigative reporter Mimi Patterson, work to solve the brutal murder and mutilation of
twenty-nine year old AG, Natasha Hilliard, that occurred as she was leaving a gay nightclub in a
seedy part of town. By all appearances, Hilliard looks like an average male hoodlum, but what
Gianna and Mimi discover about the victim is very surprising.
"Mainstream society finally decides that maybe it's OK to be queer, as long as the girls look like
they belong on The L Word and the boys are interior design and fashion queens, but heaven help
anybody who doesn't fit inside their straight little lines!" [p 72]
Mickelbury's Darkness Descending begins in the "hood" with an accurate portrayal which includes
the colorful local language, sights, sounds, and smells. You can cut the tension in the first few
scenes
with a knife. It "feels" hot, exciting, dangerous, seedy, and incredibly real. Once you move to the
nicer neighborhoods, the mood and settings noticeably change, which shows the contrast between
the two worlds in a very effective way. Mickelbury's writing is sharp, her images vivid, her style
engaging - all adding up to an educating, but somewhat disturbing piece of fiction you don't want
to
believe could be based on truth.
Mimi and Gianna are outraged at the blatant irresponsibility of law enforcement officers who do
not
protect all citizens regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation. Both deeply
committed to their jobs, can they be equally committed to each other? Find out in Darkness
Descending, the fourth Mimi / Gianna Mystery. I highly recommend this book to socially
conscious
readers who enjoy murder mysteries, crime scene investigations, investigative reporting, fighting
against hate crimes, and abolishing corruption in law enforcement. Mickelbury does an excellent
job
of keeping the reader engrossed in this wonderfully written story, rooting for the good guys, and
trying to solve the mystery before Mimi and Gianna. Micklebury is a superb author. I didn't feel
like
I was reading a novel - I felt like I was there. Darkness Descending is deservedly a finalist for the
Golden Crown Literary Society award in the mystery category for 2005.
Change of Pace: Erotic Interludes
Radclyffe
Bold Stroke Books, Inc.
314 Conestoga Road, Wayne, PA 19087
ISBN: 1933110074, $14.95, 187 pages
Change of Pace: Erotic Interludes by Radclyffe is a wonderful collection of short stories so
delightful and delicious they will tempt, tease, and thrill readers for years to come. The anthology
is
contemporary, yet timeless, not only about sex, but also about love, longing, lust, surprises,
chance
meetings, planned meetings, fulfilling wild fantasies, and trust. Radclyffe is masterful at wrapping
subtle plots, inspired settings, and entertaining characters around an incredible variety of hot sex
scenes.
Radclyffe paints her characters using just enough brushstrokes to give the reader a whole portrait.
When one lover states, "She had the hands of a magician, the mouth of a saint, and she could read
me as if I were a billboard lighting up the night in Times Square" [p. 134], it's easy to imagine
how
much she appreciates her lover.
Full Service Station made me laugh out loud when the main character was so horny she thought,
"The waitress in the diner, a friendly gem of a woman about one year older than God, made my
pulse trip. Hell, even inanimate objects such as trees and fireplugs were beginning to appeal" [p.
14].
The scene became funnier as it went on but you'll have to read the book to see what I mean. This
is
a mere sampling of Radclyffe's humor sprinkled throughout the text.
Runway Blues was great! Who hasn't fantasized about meeting a stranger at an airport after the
trials
and tribulations of trying to fly somewhere on a holiday weekend? Or maybe you've been to the
Red
Light District in Holland as in A Woman in the Shadows, or longed for a massage as in Four Star
Accommodations, or perhaps a luxurious bath as in Hart's Desire. If you've ever gone toy
shopping
in a sex shop, you'll love Happy, Happy Birthday, Baby. Contemplating a piercing? You have to
read Pleasure Points! All of the twenty-five stories are diversified enough to keep you interested,
and are sexy enough to keep you hot.
The build-up, humor, and satisfaction are evident and incredible; Radclyffe gives her readers the
pay-off they long for and have come to expect. Trust me when I say that you are going to need a
fan, cold shower, partner, or whatever floats your boat, to quell the fire you'll feel while reading
Change of Pace: Erotic Interludes. Three of my favorite stories are the Clinical Trials Phase One:
Calibrations, Phase Two: Video, and Phase Three: Assist Mode, but I highly recommend you read
all of Radclyffe's Change of Pace: Erotic Interludes and choose your own favorite. I am sure you
will have more than one favorite in this five star collection.
Cheri Rosenberg
Reviewer
Christina's Bookshelf
Common Herbs For Natural Health
Juliette de Bairacli Levy
Ash Tree Publishing 1997 (Reprint Edition)
P.O. Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498 USA
http://www.ashtreepublishing.com
ISBN: 0961462094, $11.95
This book is one of the best herb books. Not only does it provide details on what herbs do and
how,
but gives recipes, guidance on gathering, preparing, preserving and all in an easy to follow and
understand way. The author is one of the most enduring, respected herbalists of our time.
Because she has traveled to many parts of the world to teach and learn she is known as the gypsy
herbalist. Juliette de Bairacli Levy loves to share her experience and knowledge of herbs.
With this book she's created a reference that readers may find life changing. Rosemary Gladstar
says
it did hers and tells readers how in her foreword. Gladstar claims that Levy evokes a sense of
adventure and freedom that seems to evade dreams of a more natural way of living in harmony
with
the world.
There is an index, plant sketchings, over two hundred herbs from around the world, recipes for
cosmetics, medicines, and meals.
Chapter four teaches how certain herbs and plants can be used naturally to protect other plants
and
trees. The information is understandable and explanations given with reasons why so that even
beginners will understand.
Levy constantly helps readers throughout the book. Her advice, information, and conclusions all
aid
in attempting to gently teach. One can tell she is friendly, humble, sincere, and a gift to the
world.
She offers multiple fascinating tips from when the best time to gather herbs is, to how to make an
herbal poultice bandage.
Leaves should be picked when young. Flowers should be gathered in their first opening and
before
being much visited by bees and other insects.
Levy provides cautions when necessary too, like how when
