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Let me just say this: this book managed to reduce this 23-year old male college senior to tears. I came to know more about God's love in this 240 or so page book which I was able to read in two evenings than I have in volumes of systematic thoelogy...

In what is perhaps one of the most encouraging books I've ever read, Norma McCorvey (Jane Roe of Roe vs. Wade) shares with us the story of her upbringing, her involvement in the (in)famous Supreme Court case, and how she was used both by the men who caused her to desire an abortion, and ironically(!), the people who she turned to for help.

In the end, it was the love of Christ expressed through a group of Christian pro-life activists who moved their office next to her abortion clinic who started to soften her heart. Building on a friendship with a young girl named Emily, Norma befriended her former arch-enemy, and in one culminating moment, decided to give her life to Christ.

The later parts of the book are concerned with the reaction she received from her former cohorts and the liberal media, and exposes the double standards employed when people don't tow the liberal line during interviews and such.

Needless to say, Norma is now a pro-life activist herself, who has founded her own ministry, Roe No More (http://www.roenomore.org/).

If you only have the time to read one book this year - or have one to recommend to someone, this should be it.

I have talked to pro-choice women who condemn this book sight unseen. Their hypocrisy is amusing, since only a few years ago, when "Miss Norma" revealed herself to be the "Roe" of "Roe vs. Wade," they couldn't get enough of her "charming simplicity" and "homespun sincerity." They even got Holly Hunt to play her in a movie! But now that "Miss Norma" has had a change of mind and heart, she is persona non grata - that "homespun sincerity" is now patronizingly referred to as "childlike naivete" by some reviewers. Well, well. I suggest anyone, pro- or anti-abortion, will do well to read this book and see what "Jane Roe" really went through. Even if you disagree with her, you gotta respect her. She's REAL.

It was a couple of years ago that I read this book. A friend of mine from a pro-life group lent it to me, and I couldn't put it down. It told the story of a young woman who was involved in a court decision which helped legalize abortion in the United States, and spent much of her life working for an abortion clinic to try to convince herself that there was nothing wrong with it.

Ironically, a pro-life group moved in practically next door. Norma McCorvey saw the love of this little group, and the love of little children... which melted her heart. Thus the title of the book - "Won By Love". She completely turned around, and while she still worked in the abortion clinic, she started being blatantly honest with women who would call up asking for abortions. She would tell them the truth - that they were wanting to kill children. This convinced some women to change their minds about their desires for abortions, and the clinic lost business. If I remember correctly, she was fired from that job (in any case, she stopped working there).

Today, Norma McCorvey, the "poster girl" of Roe vs. Wade, is fighting to overturn that court decision.

Definitely a book I'd recommend reading - if you're an avid anti-abortion advocate you'll definitely enjoy the book.

From the woman who wrote the book on parrot behavior . . . it's The Book of parrot behavior. Sally's understanding of parrot psychology is without peer--and her ability to put her knowledge into guidance that is easy to understand and apply makes this book invaluable. Remarkably, it is a friendly and welcoming book in spite of its little-understood and sometimes intimidating topic.

The book is divided into sections on all stages of your companion bird's life--bringing a baby bird home, bathing, housing, how much attention to give, games to play, preventing and repatterning unwanted behavior, dealing with phobias, and much more. Some (all?) entries are reprinted from the Pet Bird Report (soon to be called the Compaion Parrot Quarterly). All are written clearly and thoroughly, with concrete advice as well as more right-brained assessments of parrot psychology.

If you have a companion parrot, whether it's a well-adjusted hand-raised Grey or a phobic rescue cockatoo (like mine), keep this book close at hand. You'll turn to it time and again for advice and entertainment.

No matter how good the information in a book is, it's not useful if no one reads it. Sally Blanchard has put together a book that is FUN; the whole family can enjoy and learn from together. If only the pet stores were ethical enough to require this book be read BEFORE anyone buys a bird, perhaps there would not be tens of thousands of them needing new homes today! People who "impulse" buy a bird without this information are at high risk of giving up the bird within 2-3 years because they don't understand the nature of these vastly intelligent creatures or how to deal with the challenge of a wild animal in their home. Parrots are NOT domesticated pets, and Sally understands and bases her practices on that fact. Sally has described exactly how to have and keep a successful relationship with a parrot. Her up-to-date information and realism leave no doubt about the complexity of this relationship. Her knowledge of parrot behaviors in the wild helps readers get the "AHA" that goes with finally knowing why a parrot acts as it does. If you know anyone with a parrot, buy them this book!

Where was this book when I got my first bird??? Concisive information from deciding if you want to be a parrot owner to selection, purchase, training...it's all right there. It should be a pre-req to buying a parrot! Beautifully written, it kept my 14 year old's attention. The whole family will benefit from reading this book. Even my husband who does not read, was caught flipping through this book! This book is useful from the novice to the experienced owner. Gives you some really useful tools in understanding Parrot behavior. This book is a must have if you want to truly get along with your bird.

I read this book long ago, have forgotten a lot of it, but just about every December I find myself singing "Deck the Halls in Old Crepe Paper, fa la la" etc. Used to confuse my kids no end. For those who haven't read it yet, look for the scenes of holiday celebrations in the old TB sanitaruims-- sad & funny.

This book is filled with an off beat sence of humor. It isn't the slap you in the face kind of humor but rather the kind of humor that hits you later. For example, I found myself smilingat something I read earlier in the day while cooking dinner. At the end of this book you feel like you know each of the people personally. I wanted a follow up to find out what happened to each person. It's that good.

Basically this book is about Betty MacDonalds stay in a sanitorium while she had TB. She can take such a serious topic that could be pretty morose and turn it into something interesting and funny.

When I was 15, I acquired TB and was hospitalized for 7 months. What a grim sentence for a teenager. A library assistant gave this book to me and it began my long love affair with Betty MacDonald's books. This is a favorite of mine. Her descriptions of the personnel and patients in the sanitorium are hilarious. Wit and a talent for the language makes each of MacDonald's books a treasure to be read over and over.

I had never really been "close" to my cat before. He was very sweet and affectionate but I must say I always thought people who were so in love with their animals were a little strange. However, when I read this boom I began to realize just how much my cat actually meant to me and how much I really did love him. It made me realize that he really was a big oart of my life and he had grown to be part of the family. Anyone who loves their pets will love this book and find themsleves a little more close to their pets.

If you love your pet, you'll love this book. The stories capture how important pets are in our lives. My whole family has read it. I'm writing stories about my own pet with the help of a journaling book, THE BOOK OF MY PET. It's helping me capture my endearing animal's life in the way the Chicken Soup authors did.

I had always loved animals, but I had never exactly been aware of the magic that takes place between humans and animals. Then I read this book. This book deepened my respect for all kinds of animals, not just cats and dogs. Not only are the stories amazing, but in the back is a section where you can get information on pets, and part of the profits from this book go to animal-related causes. This book is a must-have!

This book changed my life. I cannot express how much Priscilla's words spoke to me. The Lord really used her in this book. She showed herself as vulnerable and in return she was seen as real person to the reader in the book, not just some boring words on a page. I will forever look at myself differently because of this book. I am 22 years old and I have read a great number of Christian women's books, but this one in the diamond in the rough. So many of those books speak only to certain groups of women but, this book will speak to any age of women, single or married. I was very greatful of that. Thank you, Priscilla for speaking your heart.

Any woman, regardless of her personal situation, will benefit from reading this book. It's inspiring, well-written, and very easy to read. I couldn't put it down. I'm going to purchase several copies of this book and give them out as gifts. Thank you, Pricilla Evans Shirer, for showing women their true worth and position in the Lord's Kingdom with your book, a very inspiring, "A Jewel in His Crown".

I am at an age to have the privilege of mentoring many young women. Almost every woman I've met has dealt with low self image (very few exceptions). Shirer's book is THE BOOK I recommend. Priscilla speaks to ALL women, not to only a select group. This book challenges women to see themselves as their heavenly Father sees them. The book offers insight, hope, challenge, and makes one rethink the lie believed about SELF. If I had the power, I'd place "A Jewel in His Crown" into the hands of every woman. It's THAT life changing!

What can mathematics do for you? Read this pearl and you will find it. It's not just about math: it's about life! The Man Who Counted also taught, thought, loved, lived! The adventures are great! It seems mathmagic! This book changed my life, and will change yours!

You've got to read it! You're gonna love it, I can assure! This book made me start loving Math. It really shows how Math can be beautiful. Now I've been a Math books worm since the day I started reading it.

The math is everywhere , this is a great book to read , it's easy to follow the math he uses in order to solve others problems , they are very impresive

This large format board book is a re-issue of the same title originally published in 1993. Each page has a double-spread illustration of an animal mother and baby, with the mother telling the baby how much it is loved. The final illustration is of a human mother cuddling her newborn infant, saying "I love you as much as a mother can love." The poem is sentimental, which in terms of the subject is quite alright, and the illustrations are lush and beautiful. Young children will enjoy the animals; their mothers will get teary at the words. This larger board book format will work very well in group sharing, such as toddler storytime, and is likely to be easier and sturdier for small hands to hold than the original paper edition was.

This book is just awesome! My husband & I read this to our 2-1/2 yr old son every night before bed. We alternate reading the pages, with me always ending on the precious last page of (human)mother & baby. The illustrations are WONDERFUL and it is just such a sweet little book. We've been sharing this book with our son since he was less than 1 yr old. We all love it!

This book is one of my son's favorites at bed time. He loves the pictures and likes it when I substitute other members of the family for "mommy" ("Said the daddy horse to his Alex..." or "...Now sleep little Al, while the stars shine above, Grandma loves you as much as a Grandma can love...". I ask him "Who is it tonight?" and he will name a family member (most often it is still mommy). Such a sweet book.

For anyone interested in or ignorant of "The Troubles" this book is a must read. Written in a clear, concise and straight forward manner this book gives a brief background of the conflict in Northern Ireland, then provides a "snapshot" of life in the war torn city of Belfast from the a first person point of view/reference. Mr. Conroy must be applauded for having the courage and determination to immerse himself in a part of the world and into a subject, which it seems most (American and British, especially) journalists are unaware...by choice. One can only hope that the concept of "equal justice under law" will be the next permanent "fad" to invade Northern Ireland.

This book was recommended to me as excellent reading about the Troubles, particularly for Americans. I whole-heartedly agree; it is all that and more. Conroy does describe the daily workings of life in Northern Ireland but he also tackles the prejudices and ignorance of Americans (and the U.S. government) when it comes to the political climate in Northern Ireland. He pulls no punches and sugar-coats no issues. He explicates the situation as he sees it and is not afraid to indict those who turn blind eyes. The version I read was older so I have not yet seen the updated book that includes information on semi-recent IRA ceasefires. But I do think many of Conroy's observations are still applicable, changes in administration notwithstanding. He describes the intolerant view towards Sinn Fein taken by the American government in the 80s and the biased, oversimplified treatment of the Troubles by the American media. Indeed as Conroy notes it has not been hard to sell the British point-of-view to American audiences but what of the counterpoint? When do proponents of the other side get a chance? Conroy also concludes that for as long as Northern Ireland remains a British enclave, continued violence is guaranteed. For that reason alone, Americans owe it to themselves to read _Belfast Diary_.

of what it is like to live, work and experience the turmoil of "The Troubles." Conroy covered the Troubles the right way...he went in and lived among the people in Belfast instead of swooping in for drive-by interviews like too many journalists have done in the past. He also manages to convey what he experienced while maintaining objectivity...this skill when dealing with terrorist and paramilitary violence is something writers covering the "War on Terror" these days could learn from. Required reading for anybody interested in Northern Ireland, its history and how to possibly make a better future in that wartorn nation...

My wife died of cancer in 2001. One thing I realized when reading this book was how lucky I have been to have missed most of the incredibly callous behavior and remarks that young widows and widowers often seem to be treated to (the most shocking example I found in the book was that of a young man who lost his wife and child in childbirth and was told by a well-meaning person how "lucky" he was not to have gotten "stuck" with the kid). With the exception of my in-laws, everyone I know has been very supportive and tactful, and reading this book taught me to be thankful for that.
Of course, everyone's experience is different, but I found a number of things in this book that I could identify with, and suspect that all young widows and widowers would too. One thing I'd like the author to consider adding if she writes a revised edition of this book at some point is a more extensive treatment of the problems that widows and widowers experience in new relationships. The book is primarily about coping with the early stages of grief, about how to get to the point at which one is ready for a new relationship. But it does not go beyond this point. There is a passing reference to the fears young widows and widowers have as a result of "gloom-and-doom" statistics about failed second marriages, but it would be very helpful to have some analysis of why these relationships so often fail. Understanding these problems would probably help many readers - both widows/widowers and their partners - deal with them more effectively.
Finally, a recommendation for further reading is Elisabeth Kubler-Ross's On Death and Dying. While this classic book is certainly more useful before than after a death, I think it may help many who have already suffered a bereavement to understand their own feelings as well as what spouses who died after a long illness went through.

Being a young widower only 7 months into this hell I found that this book was very helpful in explaining that I was not alone in this world and there are many others like me. The many quotes used in the book have been said over and over in my mind a thousand times. It covers topics that no other books I have found does like dating, personal and family stresses, and many of the guilts we place on ourself and how other place their guilt onto us to ease their own. If you are not a widow or widower it is still a wonderful book to help you understand us and how we think.

This book is a must for any young person who has lost a spouse or someone who is close to them. If you know of someone buy it for them Don't make them find it on their own like I had to. It is noted in this book and I must agree that it is not for the newly widowed...wait a couple months before giving it to them.

This book is a Godsend. I'm 27 and my fiance, Mike died 7 months ago in his sleep of natural causes. Losing him has devestated me and changed everything in my world, forcing me to face things I never thought I would. This book is incredible and the author made me feel like she wrote this just for me. It has helped me understand how and way I am feeling the way I am and validating those feelings when you feel like no one could possibly understand. Thank you for this book!! I love you forever, Mike and will always miss you....

The "Random House Word Menu" defines words, but it is not a dictionary. It is arranged by subject, not alphabetically, and lacks word etymology and pronunciation. Unlike a thesaurus, it doesn't provide synonyms or antonyms, but words related by subject. The "Word Menu" is the product of 20 years of research by writer Stephen Glazier, whose diverse career with words includes writing novels, screenplays, copywriting, and editing. It started as lists of words organized by subject for use in writing novels, and it ended up a widely useful reference book featuring 75,000 words. The words are divided into 7 major categories: The Human Body, Living Things, Science and Technology, Domestic Life, Institutions, Arts and Leisure, Language, and The Human Condition. Each category in turn has 3 or 4 subcategories, and there are two more levels of categorization within those, constituting 800 divisions in all. Once you find the subcategory that you want, you are presented with a literal "menu" of words pertaining to the subject along with their definitions. You can find the subcategory you seek by looking at the table of contents, by using the Guide Words that tell you what category and subcategory you are in at the top of each page, or by using the index. All of the words are indexed alphabetically, so if you can think of a word related to what you need, you can locate the appropriate category easily. The "Word Menu" is most useful for finding the correct word when describing a topic in detail and for gaining familiarity with the vocabulary of a particular subject. Because the words have been selected by subject, the "Word Menu" contains far more nouns than adjectives or verbs. I found that the book's organization took a bit of getting used to before I could locate words efficiently. But the "Word Menu" is a unique and helpful writer's tool that has a place alongside my dictionary and thesaurus.

Every writer needs this book. It is not negotiable. I was lucky enough to find a hardcover copy of Word Menu about five years ago on a bargain book table, and at least once a month, I rave to my wife about how much I love it.

All true writers know that nouns and verbs are the meat of writing. This is what makes Word Menu great. The book puts words into categories like walking, hats, and ships. Suppose you know what a certain type of gun is, but you don't know the name--with Word Menu, you'll find the exact name of the thing.

I read somewhere that the author, Stephen Frazier, made this book his life's work. He is now dead, but what a legacy to leave behind! I think the next step for someone eager (or crazy) enough would be to produce a visual word menu, because often we know what an item looks like, but we don't know its name. A great, great reference tool.

I bought this years ago just out of casual curiosity, even before I ever had a thought about writing lyrics or poetry, but now I find this an absolutely invaluable reference.

Writing a lyric that has a line about seeing a bird? "Hmmm...'a bluebird flew by my window...' Ugh! 'bluebird' is way too cliched... and I need an extra syllable to properly fit the melody... hmm... let's see what Glazier has to offer... birds... birds... aha - 'meadowlark'!" Ok, bad example, but you get what I mean...