Away

I was so dissapointed after reading the 2 reviews on this book. The storyline could have been so unique. Instead the prose was made up of words chosen just to rhyme -in some cases, and not making much sense to a child. The babies were shown doing very cute antics, but I thought -as did my child - showing them as shadows, made it difficult to figure them out. It could have been such a darling book, with cute faces on the children, and the wording more appropriate.The idea was worth 5 stars, the content too dissapointing for more than 1.

What a breath of fresh air! This book has creative, original artwork, and the rhyming is first-rate -- my sons, aged 5 & 2, love it! It's cute, not too long or too short, the rhythm of the story is perfect, and it speaks to children. My eldest son relates to the rescuer, and thinks the babies are funny. He is also very attracted to the words, and repeats as I read. My two-year-old just thinks it's funny...those crazy babies. A lovely book for children and adults alike.

This is such an adorable, original book! The verses are fun to read and the silhouette pictures are so detailed and clever. My almost 10 month old LOVES this book and wants me to read it again and again and again; I've read it at least 3 times a day for the last month and a half and I'm not tired of it yet, either. It is captivating!

This handbook, written by Doug Manning, is meant to give you an overview of what happens when someone dies, and the choices that need to be made. It is a very easy read that is meant to help you prepare for the funeral and deal with people who do not understand your loss.

I especially love his story on how the book was named and how he developed a new compassion for those that grieve.

A young mother said, 'Don't take my grief from me. I deserve it. I am going to have it.' Though he did not hear the words spoken from her mouth, those words haunted him enough to change the concept he had towards those that greived and the recovery that would follow. He began to understand that though we need to recover and move on, we also need to experience the loss and move in our own time, not someone else's.

Alyice
http://goodmourninglord.com

Yes, this book has it right. Grief is ours to experience in our own way and to heal as we choose to grieve. Grief is a process it is something that will be with us forever.
I also used Write from the Heart, A Healing Grief Journal with this book. Also for my children I bought After the Tears, A Gentle Guide to Help Children Understand Death (video) This had healing activities. All of these resources are great for healing.

After losing my best friend to suicide, I was completely devistated--my world was strange and I was no longer able to relate to those around me. I felt alone in my grief. While attending a support group, this book crossed my path. I was so tired of hearing, "Why aren't you over this?" I read a line from this book that brought me much validity: "Don't take my grief away, I've earned it." What struck me about this book was how it doesn't force recovery. It eases the reader into it. It also allows the reader to identify at many different stages of grief--one week removed from death, to years later. I recommend this book to anyone struggling with recovery from loss.

In 1996, fibromyalgia researcher, I. Jon Russell and Jenny A. Fransen put together the Fibromyalgia Help Book. Their book ex-plained--as much as possible--an illness that has no known cause and therefore no known treatment.
Dr. Russell is one of the handfull of researchers who are looking for the answers. Accordingly, his book began by explaining in simple terms what seems to be happening within the fibromyalgia patient's body.
He talked about the antidepressants that seem to lessen the pain of fibromyalgia. And then he went on. He told us about all the interconnecting systems in the body that work differently in a fibromyalgia patient's body. He talked about the exciting neurological, hormonal, enzymatic, cycles that just don't work the same old way in a fibro patient's body.
Russell acknowledged that the tricyclic andidepressants and selective seritonin reuptake inhibitators that are standard first treatments may not relieve all symptoms all of the time. Accordingly, he mentioned some of the other drugs that practicioners have found help with individual symptoms.
Finally, Russell showed us the way new research is bringing us more and more information about fibromyalgia, and suggest treatment and management options for the future.
I expected THIS book, written by a similarly-credentialed doctor who is right in there treating fibromyalgia patients and studying them would pick up where the Russell/Fransen book left off. I expeced a short description of what fibromyalgia is and is not. I expected to see tender-point diagrams. I expected a human touch, since Dr. Goldenberg's wife has fibromyalgia.
Most importantly, I expected to have the continuation of the research information last heard of in 1996 in the Russell/Fransen book. Why is there more Substance P in patients' spinal cords--but not in their brains? Can we neutralize the Substance P and remove pain?
The book I just read would be a good start for a newly diagnosed person with fibromyalgia. It is warm, human, and factual. From the viewpoint of someone who has lived with this disease for 30 years, Dr. Goldenberg's introduction smells of sugar coating and looks like rose-colored glasses. I expected more meat and less froth from one of fibromyalgia's principal researchers.
It has been six years since the Russell book was published. Isn't it time to pick up the thread and explain what has been found since then. Wasn't Dr. Goldenberg the person to write it?

I wrote the book -beyond the dark cloud,road to recovery from chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction.I know how much work it takes to write a book,I do feel that DR. Goldenberg,went beyond just writing this book, he also feels for any one who has this devastating illnes and really wants to help others.By reading this fine book,I did feel I know DR. Goldenberg,because he also puts his heart into it.Thank you DR. Goldenberg for writing this wonderful book.Thea Schlosser,author,founder of chronic fatigue,and immune dysfunction media awarness,board member of the anty aging network,staffwriter for the ,international councel for freedom of health.

Fibromyalgia, the most recent book by the author Dr. Don Goldenberg, an internationally renowned medical expert and researcher in the field, is an absolute "must read" for patient, families, and friends of people with fibromyalgia. Equally important, it is a valuable resource for physicians who work in this field as well as family doctors, primary care physicians and specialists who will all be educated by this sophisticated guide to understanding, and caring for people with fibromyalgia. I found it balanced, well referenced, personally touching, informative, and realistically hopeful. Dr. Goldenberg's sections on "Myths and Truths" at the end of each chapter highlight the most important information in a succinct and relevant format. The clinical vignettes allow the reader, patient and physician to gain insight into the many manifestations of fibromyalgia and related syndromes. Overall, I would give the book the highest rating of ***** (5 stars).

Reading Waldron's touching memoir, Giving Away Simone, one will find not a typical story of teen pregnancy and adoption, but the story of a woman who unravels a legacy of abandonment and subsequent emotional distress. Her daughter Simone (renamed Rebecca by her adoptive parents), she learns later in life, is the fifth generation of a line of women who have abandoned their daughters. Knowing this gives a sharper perspective to Waldron's story as she relates her own sanitary childhood and attempts to explain why abandonment happens.

When Waldron writes of her parents, it is sad to know that such a family existed without hugs and kisses and little things that make a family whole. Most of Waldron's warmth is channeled instead to anecdotes of her domineering grandmother Altie, a church matron who spent her own years of adoptive motherhood both impressed with and perplexed by Sara's peculiar nature.

The second stage of Giving Away Simone involves Jan's reunion with Rebecca eleven years after mother gave daughter away. Through touching narrative and tense, dramatic correspondence, Waldron relates her "reintegration" into Rebecca's life and her experiences in establishing a relationship with Rebecca without taking anything away from the adoptive family (Waldron calls herself the "birthmother," which, she relates, does not always fulfill the requirements of a true mother.) As expected, Waldron is sympathetic to those who have given up children for adoption, and through baring her own soul she proves that while there may be regrets, there need not be blame when the welfare of a child is at stake.

I commend the author for her diligence in creating a relationship with her child. It is good reading for adoptive parents, particularly those involved in open adoption.

This book is an essential read for birth and adoptive parents in open adoption, for those preparing to open an adoption and for anyone needing to learn more about relationship in adoption.Giving Away Simone is an insightful, painful and wonderfully well-written description of a reunion process. the reunion between Jan Waldron and her birth daughter Rebecca, takes years to become comfortable and the ups and downs, approaches and retreats of the relationship are incredibly well described. Although the first half of the book covers pre-reunion events, for me, as an adoptive mother, the heart of the book is the second half, which describes the evolving relationship between Jan and her daughter.

There is an interesting twist to the title of this book. Giving away Simone appears to refer to Jan Waldron's placement of her baby for adoption. However, as Rebecca grows older and her loving but apparently increasingly busy adoptive parents seem to withdraw somewhat, it begins to feel as if this child is emotionally given away again,at least in part. This significantly affects the reunion process and the lessons for birth and adoptive parents are huge. For example, it becomes absolutely clear that open adoption is about relationships between FAMILIES and not just children and their two sets of mothers and fathers. Rebecca herself, now an adult and writer as well, writes a poignant and honest statement at the end of the book.

As an adoptive mother, a student of adoption and a steady reader of adoption materials, this book is one of my top five adoption books, along with work by Betty Jean Lifton, Joyce Maguire Pavao and Patricia Martinez Dorner. It is packed with wisdom gathered from first-hand experience.

I do not appreciate this author trying to make the ADA equal to the suffering African-Americans went through with the civils rights movement.

African-Americans did not force every store owner to spend tens of thousands of dollars to change everything in and around their building. We just wanted to be able to go in the same places others were allowed to go in.

Overcoming a handicap is honorable. Being an African-American is something to be proud of. Forcing our struggling businesses to change their buldings to adapt to US, however, is little more than theft.

An on going problem for the disbility rights movement has been its failure to connect with other minority groups. The critical reviewer from Tulsa, OK highlights this with his prejudiced and poorly chosen words. I am glad the reviewer is proud to be an African American and embraces his civil rights. However, comments such as "over coming a handicap is honorable" is offensive. Indeed, it reminds me of a time when African American leaders were considered "a credit to their race". Rather than lashing out at disabled people, perhaps the reviewer from Tulsa might want to consider that in the civil rights struggle to ride on the front of the bus for example black Americans had a huge advantage--they could actually get on the bus. The reviewer may also want to consider that the main problem disabled people encounter is not their disability or the physical access to buildings but rather social prejudice. Moreover, many disabled people are proud of who they are--and that includes whatever disability they have.

It's the one minority that anyone can join in an instant, "in the blink of an eye, the crash of a car," writes Mary Johnson in her compelling new book about the disabled. Many others of us are easing into various stages of disability as we age. Johnson makes a strong case that we all have a stake in creating an accessible society. Her insightful, carefully argued book is an important contribution to any discussion of disability rights, and an excellent introduction to the subject.

I've never been much of a reader, but out of the few books I have read, this one has to be the most inspirational and touching to me. Singing Away the Hunger is about the real life events and struggles of an African woman who encounters many terrible and sad things: wearing a sack and eating weeds, being beaten by a teacher, the deaths of some of her children, and many other challenges. There are also some joys she shares, such as being in love. Her struggles though, are what were inspirational to me. The way she stays strong and positive through it all is very admirable, because the things that happen to her are unimaginable to me and don't happen in the U.S.A.
The form of her writing is proficient, because it gives me a sense as if she is telling her story directly to me. Besides the story being told in first person, I really experienced this when she threw in sentences such as "When we arrive at his house, we find rice with meat. We didn't know what is rice." I was able to sense her fifth grade education, and I could almost imagine her speaking to me in an accent, with her fragments and the African words she uses often such as 'M'e (mother) and ntate (father). I got a sense of closeness to her as well as compassion for her. The stories she tells, and the knowledge she gives me about the different people in Lesotho and Benoni, in South Africa, and their cultural styles helped me to understand that there are different cultures in southern Africa. For instance, I learned that Lesotho is much poorer than South Africa, and that there is one language spoken in Lesotho, but twelve different languages in South Africa.
Another thing that I really enjoyed about this book is that it is very easy to read and understand. It is also fairly short, and it kept me wondering what type of event she would have to endure next. The titles of each chapter, such as "Death by Novena" or "The Child is Burning" hooked me. The titles alone drew me into each chapter.
One downfall, in my opinion, is the lack of descriptiveness. There are things and places that she talks about and includes in her stories that I would have enjoyed more if she could have taken me there with more detailed images. I would have liked to know more about the scenery where she was. For example she doesn't describe the area that surrounds her or where she lived as much as she could have. For the most part, in my opinion, that is all that I feel the book lacked.

I enjoyed this book very much because it was inspirational, touching, and at the same time educational. I couldn't have read this book at a better time, because just when I felt things were so bad in my life, I read it and realized that it could be worse, and is worse, somewhere in the world. I would recommend this book to any one interested African cultures or anyone who has had hard times, because along with all the information, this book is sure to give you an appreciation of life itself.

Singing Away the Hunger is a captivating true story of an African woman and the journeys of her tragic yet fulfilling life. Mpho 'M'atsepo Nthunya told her life story to Dr. K. Limakatso Kendall, an American who visited her country. The book is almost like a book of short stories, each chapter being a different event that happened to Mpho. She speaks of her childhood in Lesotho, growing into adulthood in South Africa. You learn about all the tragedies she lived through and also the wonderful time she had with her family. Even though she had a very difficult life, she always had a positive outlook on life. The most wonderful thing about the purchase of this book is that half the proceeds go straight back to Mpho and her family.
This book has many great qualities, one being the length of the chapters. Most of the chapters in the book are three to eight pages long, which makes for very easy reading. Each chapter is like a book in itself, a chapter in her life, so you can read one chapter in about ten minutes and set the book down and come back two to three days later and never feel like you missed anything. The chapters are titled in a very clever manner. The title does not lead you to believe that the chapter is about something else. By reading the chapter titles you know exactly what the chapter is going to be about. For example Chapter three is titled, "The Child is Burning!" This chapter tells about the time Mpho caught on fire in her grandmother's house and could not get any help from her grandmother to put the fire out. Once she tells you the story, the chapter ends, and you move on to another chapter in her life.
There are very few difficult aspects to this book. Keeping the characters situated was the most difficult. Mpho's name changes in the book. In southern Africa, where she is from, the women change their first name when they get married. I did not realize this at first so it was difficult to grasp who the story was about. She has many children throughout the book that pass away, and several who live, and it is hard to tell which ones are alive and which ones have passed. There are many people that she talks about in the story, and their names are hard to remember because they are hard to pronounce, like Valeria 'M'amahlaku Sekobi Lillane (p.3). Some times, Mpho creates suspense in one chapter and does not tell you what happens until many chapters later. This leaves you wondering, but at the same time makes you not want to put the book down until you learn what happened. For example, in Chapter 11, "Khotso, Pula, Nala," she mentions, "My husband was still alive..." (p.63), but she does not tell you until many chapters later what happened to him. Also, in Chapter 15, page 86 she talks about Joseph killing her children, but you don't know how he did that, or which children he killed, until Chapter 18, "Joseph Kills My Three Boys" (p.107).
Many people in the United States of America think that they have it bad, but until you read about a different culture you never realize that you have such a comfortable life. For example, we take reading and leisure time for granted, but Mpho says, "I'm telling stories for children and grown people in other places, because I want people who know how to read and have time to read, to know something about the Basotho - how we used to live and how we live now, how poor we are, and how we are living together in this place called Lesotho." We are not sold or taken into a marriage when we turn eighteen years of age, but for Mpho, that is what happens in her culture. She was lucky to fall in love with the boy she married, even though she was technically bought from her father by her husband's family. They did take her without her family knowing, but they sent word to her family that same day that she was not kidnapped, that they had taken her to get married. No matter how bad you have had it in your life, you soon realize that your worst day was one of Mpho's best. She leaves you with a sense that you can do anything and overcome any obstacles that might cross the path of your life. When you are having a bad day you can think back to something you read in the story and it some how gives you the strength to go on.
Mpho states: "I'm telling stories for Basotho like my grandchildren, who read books but don't know the old ways of their own people. If they can read these stories, maybe it will teach them where they come from. And maybe I can help them to learn English, and they can find work." I recommend this book to anyone who wants to travel to a different place but doesn't have the time or money to. The way the story is told, you feel as if you are there, looking Mpho in her big round marble-like eyes, listening to the stories she tells. If you cannot quite picture the places she is talking about, there are eight pages of pictures to help you visualize what she is talking about. This special touch makes the book more personal than the ordinary autobiography. It makes you feel like Mpho is really speaking to you personally and wants you to feel the pain and joy that she felt. If you can't grasp the meaning of the African words described in the text, there is a glossary at the very end with every African word listed in alphabetical order with the definition. You do not have to have a lot of time to read this book. I am a full time student with a job and I had the time to read it.

In my lifetime I have read very few books that kept my attention from beginning to end. Singing Away the hunger is one of them. This book gives the reader an authentic insight into southern African culture and the struggles that some people endure. I guess I'm just a naturally nosy person, and I love hearing people's stories.
My favorite aspect of this book is its authenticity. It is almost as if I was actually sitting down face to face with Mpho 'M' Nthunya. It was different than reading reference materials on Africa or watching documentaries on National Geographic. This is not second-hand information. This is an actual person giving you information straight from the horse's mouth. Nthunya has lived a life filled with tragic events on top of the everyday struggle that she and her people must live with. To have her actually sitting down telling her story just makes the reader feel it that much more.
Now that the style of the book had my attention, I was ready to enjoy the content. This book is extremely entertaining and informative. As Nthunya is telling her life story, she also explains alot of African customs and traditions. I learned more about Africa from this book than I had ever learned in school. Not only did I learn about the customs and traditions, I also became familiar with the overall lifestyle and how hard it is for them to survive. Most of our basic necessities would be luxuries to this woman. For Americans, the dream is basically to be financially successful and be able to afford as many luxuries as one possibly can. For Nthunya and her people, they struggle just to eat and have clothes. To put this in perspective, on page 20 Nthunya explains how they were afraid to eat rice the first time they encountered it. "We didn't know what rice is. We have never seen it before. We think it is maggots....We eat the bread only because we are afraid of the rice....Finally we say 'Oh, ke hantle,OK, we didn't know.' And we eat. We find it tastes all right, but we still feel strange to put these round white things in our mouths." In addition to the struggles of her life, the customs of her culture were also interesting to read about. I especially found the way they approach healthcare interesting. In chapter nine Nthunya and her husbandseek medical help after she has yet another miscarriage. First they visit a Chinese doctor who gives her medicine. They then decide to go to a "traditional" doctor. The "traditional" doctor explains to them that Nthunya's dead grandmother is causing these miscarriages because she is angry. The "traditional" doctor tells her, "So you must go home, Mpho, to your mother's house, and tell your mother that she must take a goat, slit its neck, and remove the gall bladder. Your mother must put the gall bladder in a baisin of water and wash you with her hands and this water from head to toes. And after that the meat of the goat can be eaten by everybody." It surprised me that this was coming from a "traditional" doctor. They visit more of these doctors for a variety of situations throughout the book. She also explains everything from how the school system works, to the different customs of marriage and pregnancy. It is very interesting.
There was one small aspect of the book that I did not like. This was that the names began to get a little confusing. I found it hard to keep up. She has several children, along with her family, plus her in-laws. Most of the names are African, and I found it hard to remember something that I was not familiar with in the first place. This did not take away from the stories; it was more of a pet peeve than a flaw. Although I did not like it, I understand that it is necessary. The thing that made it frustrating was that I was so interested that I wanted to remember the names and who these people were.
Overall, I would recommend this book to any and everybody. I would even recommend this book to people who do not like to read. You will not be reading a book. You will be sitting down listening to the life story of Mpho 'M' Nthunya. This book is also a good way to become familiar with the lifestyle and traditions of the African culture. As Americans, it is also a good way to put our life into perspective. It made me realize how many things we take for granted. It also made me realize that happiness can be found in any situation. Mpho Nthunya is an extremely strong woman who has been through a lot. I finished this book with a newfound respect for her and her people. I think you will enjoy it.

The majority of this book is a series of interviews between Stephen Soderbergh and Richard Lester that will mainly be of interest to fans of Mr. Lester, filmmakers and aspiring filmmakers. The first two-thirds of the book is basically a film-by-film discussion of Mr. Lester's ouevre, which too often (for my tastes) lapses into shop talk (lighting setups, film stock, etc.) and "I love it when Michael Crawford..."-type observations. I found myself skimming whole sections looking for more interesting and accessible anecdotes and discussions.

The other major part of the book is Soderbergh's journal c.1996 -- from about the time he finished editing "Schizopolis" and "Gray's Anatomy" through the months of trying to get them released, ending with his agreement to direct "Out of Sight". These sections are livelier and more amusing but get repetitive (negotiations fall through time and again, law suits drag on, procrastination is a never-ending theme) and too cute/clever (the wry footnotes get old after... well, pretty much right away).

I don't mean to be so down on this book -- I did enjoy it quite a bit -- but my expectations were higher and I know a lot of people who are not as interested in the technical side of filmmaking will find much of this material tedious. I would recommend it (highly) for those with that inclination, and also for fans of Mr. Lester's films (i.e., those who have seen and enjoyed at least "A Hard Day's Night", "The Knack", "Petulia", and one or two others). All others should approach warily.

Being a fan of his work/output over the past few years, Soderbergh's book of interview and journal entries appeared to be a must-buy. It proved to be quite interesting and very revealing. The Richard Lester interview pieces may drag in some parts (being unaware of Mr. Lester's own filmography, this may seem destined), yet the two directors do contemplate a variety of subjects outside of filmmaking (the purpose of man, religion, and many other topics). The journal entries are hilarious bits and pieces of the Writer's Deliema/Writer's Block. Soderbergh constantly engages and his bizarre sense of humor peppers the book (all of the footnotes, for instance).

All in all, fascinating read, and it even turned me on to the films of Lester (bought "The Knack" the day after reading it).

Bravo, Steve.

Finally, a window into Steven Soderbergh, the eclectic director of Schizopolis and Kafka. But I guess most people will know him as (in big flashy capital letters) "THE DIRECTOR OF ERIN BROCKOVICH & OUT OF SIGHT" as he's being billed now. I find it funny that Soderbergh is now considered this "Hollywood" director when, upon reading this book (and viewing his entire filmography), you find him almost the antithesis of your typical "Hollywood" personality. He's moody, self involved (in a good way), and a hilarious procrastinator.

But that's just one half of the book. Intercut with Soderbergh's journal entries (which date from just after he finished 'Schizoplois' and 'Gray's Anatomy' to him helming 'Out of Sight)are a collection of interviews he has with Richard Lester, the groundbreaking director of "A Hard Days Night" and "The Knack" (which I just saw and absolutely loved). I have to confess I had not seen almost any of Richard Lester's work (not including the Superman movies of which I had no idea he was involved) and since all they talk about is Lester's films I found it uninteresting to read about movies I've never seen. I did though, through Soderbergh's praise, go and watch a number of Lester's movies and then went back and read the sections that discussed them.

But the real magic of this book, at least to me and to all the Soderbergh-ites out there, is Soderbergh. His journal entries are insightful, funny, and really honest. And his style is so casual it feels like reading over letters from an old friend. I absolutely flew through his journal entries and enjoyed ever one of them. The great thing, from a fan's perspective and people interested in the movie business, is the honest, tiresome, struggle he shows of just surviving in Hollywood and the toll it takes on him. And since 'Schizopolis' may be my favorite Soderbergh movie, his journal entries being written at the time of it's release is an extra treat. And if you're a fan of Richard Lester you'll like this book even more.

So I would absolutely recommend this book: it's funny, it's informational, it's inspiring, and it's refreshingly honest. Look forward to laughing a lot too; his musings on his own procrastination are comic gems.

This book had some valuable information on the subject, however, I was offended and appalled by the religious propaganda and shameless self promotion contained within. It made me wonder how helpful prolotherapy REALLY is, or if the authors are just trying to convince people to get business.

This book opened my eyes to a whole new world of back pain treatment. After 15 years of chronic back pain ranging from mild to incapacitating, I was running out of options. Back bracing, ice, anti-inflamatories, and cortisone shots only left me in worse shape. After reading this book, I had a consultation for Prolotherapy. Immediate relief was forthcoming after the first treatment. After receiving 4 treatments of prolotherapy, I am 90% free of back pain.

Read this book and get yourself educated in how to take charge of your back pain.

Largely as a result of reading this informative book, I undertook prolotherapy for "severe degenerative disc disease" in in the L5-S1 area. It was a last ditch effort to head off a spinal fusion operation.

This book and the glowing preface by Dr. C. Everett Koop gave me the courage to persist through early weeks of an 8-treatment, 6-mos process--which turned out to be minimally painful after the first session or so. So far, four months into treatment, I am very much improved. I am lucky to live near Santa Barbara, home of the offices of one of the researchers cited in the book.

I learned a great deal from the book about the nature of the healing process--a lot of which is counter to popular opinion.

To anyone considering prolo-therapy: read this book and go to someone who practices the procedures all day long.

Prolo-therapy is certainly a viable option. The concern should be to find a skilled practitioner.

I bought this book because I am a former minister who is struggling mightily with issues of faith and doubt. I found it to be refreshing and--in some ways--astounding. Too often, anyone who harbors intellectual doubts or leaves the faith is said to be putting up a "smoke screen" to cover some kind of moral failure or rebelliousness. Tucker, however, is exceedingly sympathetic to the doubter and refuses such easy dismissals. Her idea of "doubting your doubts" as well as your faith was thought-provoking. However, I would add that I was dismayed by her repeated assertions that she could never leave the faith herself. How could anyone write this book and make such a claim? If there is no possible evidence that would cause one to change their mind, then an honest search seems to be hamstrung at the get-go.

The author gives a very good overview from different vantage points about the doubts that affect Christians. In the end I'm not sure how she can hold on to her faith however. It seems she does, as do many Christians, compartamentalize her life into her faith and religions on one hand and everything else on the other hand. The latter a process of thought and reason, the former a process of hope and wishful thinking. I think I would have to develope a multiple personality disorder to do those kinds of mental gymnastics.

Ruth A. Tucker's WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH doesn't pull any punches. Whether we in the church like to admit it or not people do fall away from their faith, and not necessarily due to ignorant reasons. WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH presents their side of the story. It is a personal and sometimes painful read, full of emotion and transparent revelations. Drawing strongly on individual stories, this is a case study on the why's and the how's of the loss of faith. It is not an apologetic work, so when the "why's" are explored a lengthy rebuttal is not given. Rather, WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH focuses on the human side of the equation. It challenges a lot of pre-conceived notions regarding doubt and even presents a surprising picture of life on the other side of the decision to walk away - something that might not want to be heard but in an honest work such as this it is welcome and enlightening. Overall, Tucker does a fine job of exploring the issue from all sides.

The reason this book is so important is that is shines a bright light on an aspect of the Christian life that is too often ignored. Doubt. The reality is that most Christians at one time or another experience doubt of some sort. Usually it will not lead to a loss of faith but even in those instances it can be a very lonely experience. WALKING AWAY FROM FAITH challenges us to be a church that is more honest about these feelings. Tucker repeatedly wonders aloud if the people she interviewed would have chosen differently if the church would've better responded to their doubts and fears. This book will not solve the problems related to loss of faith, but it does graphically demonstrate the need for the church to re-examine its methods when it comes to handling these situations. It should also be a wake up call to Christians on an individual basis, to be more sensitive to instances of doubt in the lives of each other and, more importantly, to be Jesus to the person experiencing those doubts - not to condemn, shun, or spout pat answers. More than likely, at some point in life, we're going to be on the opposite end of that situation. Hopefully when that happens someone will be there for us to walk us through those shadows, and to help us pray, "Lord, I believe. Help me in my unbelief." FOUR 1/2 STARS.

A Breath Away From Sleep caught my attention at the beginning and held it to the end, a feat which every author can't do. I enjoyed learning about Paris' past, and the cool and confident way in which she handled Tyree's advances was vastly entertaining. I was shocked when Tyree's mother entered the story, and couldn't wait to see why she was acting a fool. Ebony was another good character, but I was disappointed that Paris had to disappear from the story so that we could learn about Ebony. That took away from an otherwise excellent book.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed A Breath Away From Sleep a great deal. This author has a bright future ahead of him, and I look forward to future works.

A Breath Away From Sleep by Edward Nubian James is an intriguing and interesting story that delves deeply into the emotions of the characters. Paris Hightower is a beautiful and determined 22 year old college student. And because of her beauty, she was the woman men wanted and women hated. But we all know that beauty is only skin deep, and inside Paris is emotionally scarred and still bitter from her painful childhood. Growing up she was overweight, lonely and often the brunt of taunts and cruel jokes.

When Tyree Dickerson meets Paris, he sees a confident, beautiful woman, and has no idea of the insecurities that she holds inside. The two of them enjoy spending time together and are starting to get to know each other. But when Tyree's mother steps in, long buried Hightower family secrets start to surface that will threaten lives and possibly ruin Paris and Tyree's relationship.

While this was a very interesting read, the story had one major shortfall which disrupted the flow of the book. As the story develops, Paris' character virtually disappears leaving the reader to wonder where she has gone. Overall, I feel that Mr. James tells a good story and I look forward to more of his work.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

I found this book to be a very interesting and fast read.The chemistry between Paris and Tyree made the pages turn very quickly. Paris and her brother had been through quite a bit not having their mother around but the influence of the grandmother was right on target. I would have liked a little bit more background on the relationship between Tyree and his lunatic mother but I'm hoping that that's maybe another book.

Reviewed by: R.Evon