D-A Books

i've read lots of books on method of discipline, etc. This is the best i've read so far. it goes beyond the subject of discipline. raising a child is truly complex and this author knows it and writes about all the little things a parent wonders about or should be concerned about. most of all, he expresses "the Jesus compassion" that i look for in life and strive for personally. just in reading two pages from a single chapter, i can perceive immediately what i've done wrong in handling my son's behavior, but the book doesn't leave the reader with questions like other books. i can also know how to properly handle the current struggles and better improve my relationship with my son.

This book is the epitome of biblical wisdom, and humility. Henry Clay Trumbull is undoubtedly an expert in his field. He was a father, an educator, an author, and an evangelist. This book is not the "know-it-all" rantings of a new father, but the humble wisdom of an experienced father. The original book was written in 1890, when Trumbull was 60 years old.

In the preface he relates an encounter with a friend who questioned him on his theory of child training...

"`Theory?' I responded. `I have no theory in that matter. I had lots of theories before I had any children; but now I do, with fear and trembling, in every case just that which seems to be the better thing for the hour, whether it agrees with any of my old theories or not.'"

In a world where everyone views themselves as an authority on every subject under the sun, it is refreshing to see one, so worthy of the title, admit with humility that he does not deserve it.

This book is a collection of "hints" from one who has been down this path before. These hints are not presented as a fool-proof method for raising a godly child. They are practical tips, deeply rooted in biblical truth, and proven over time in the lives of this man's children and grandchildren. (He is the great-grandfather of Elisabeth Elliot!)

This book starts off by defining the terms used. So often the idea of "training" a child is used interchangeably with the idea of "teaching" a child. As it is used in the context of this book, "the training of a child is the shaping, the developing, and the controlling of his personal faculties and powers; while the teaching of a child is the securing to him of knowledge from beyond himself." (pg. 1) He quickly points out that although both are a necessity in the upbringing of each child, training is a possibility long before teaching is. In fact, he says, the training is begun much earlier than is the teaching.

Chapter 2 - The Duty of Training Children:
This chapter, in my opinion, is right on target. He starts off by saying, "It is the mistake of many parents to suppose that their chief duty is in loving and counseling their children, rather than in loving and training them; that they are faithfully to show their children what they ought to do, rather than to make them do it." (pg. 5)

He carefully explains how it is both a privilege and a duty of parents to train their children to do and be what they should. Just because a child has natural tendencies in one direction or another, does not mean that he or she cannot be trained to restrain themselves in certain areas, or to develop proper interests in another. He offers a reminder to parents that "there are no absolutely perfect children in this world. All of them need restraining in some things and stimulating in others." (pg. 7)

Chapter 5 - Will-Training, Rather Than Will-Breaking:
I found this chapter particularly interesting for two reasons. I have a stubborn little girl. I often find myself engaged in a "battle of wills" with her over one thing or another. I have always heard that it is sometimes necessary to break a child's will in order to get them to do what is right, even, or especially, if they have no desire to do so. But, Trumbull suggests a different approach:
"To break a child's will is to crush out for the time being, and so far to destroy, the child's privilege of free choice; it is to force him to an action against his choice, instead of inducing him to choose in the right direction." (pg. 20)

As parents, we have to remember that the final choice, and the consequences associated with it, belong to the child, not the parent. It is our responsibility, as parents, to see to it that his will is strong towards right choices, and to guide them in that.

Chapter 11 - Training A Child Not To Tease:
I often read with a yellow highlighter in hand, which I use to mark thoughts, sentences, or quotes that stand out as particularly educational or inspiring. I like to be able to easily reference these portions when I return to the book at a later date. This chapter is exactly why!

It begins by saying that "a child who never `teases' is a rarity." In this chapter more than the others, it is important to remember that this book was written over 100 years ago. "Teasing" is not what we might think of when we hear that word used today. He defines it as "to pull, to tug, to drag, to vex (or carry) with importunity. A child teases when he wants something from his parents, and fails to get it at the first asking." (pg. 57)

He is referring to what we today commonly call "whining!" The practicality of this book is clearly seen in this chapter. He simply states that, "If a child never secured anything through teasing, he would not come into the habit of teasing; for there would be no inducement to him to tease." (pg. 57)

For one reason or another most parents to give in to their child's request after some amount of whining. But, no child should be under the (mistaken) impression that his parents decision was based on his teasing (whining), rather than their own understanding of what is best for the child in a given situation. If a child knows that he can eventually get what he wants by teasing (whining), the parent does not have that child's respect.

It is difficult for parents to refuse to give in to a child's teasing (whining), without exception. But, in this chapter, we are wisely encouraged to give careful thought to our child's request before giving an answer. A quick, or thoughtless reply will only result in furthering a child's belief that he can push just a little farther to get what he wants. A parent's answer should be final, and the child needs to be trained to accept it as such.

Chapter 14 - Training a Child's Faith:
Faith is instinctual in a child. But, the "knowledge of the One on whom his faith can rest with ultimate confidence is not innate." He clearly sees the responsibility of the parents in training a child in a knowledge and understanding of God - a concept that a child is capable of grasping.

"...Children...can receive the profoundest truths of the Bible without any explanation. When they are older, they will be better fitted to grapple with the difficulties of the elementary religious teachings. The idea that a child must have a knowledge of the outline of the Bible story before he knows the central truth that Jesus Christ is his loving Savior, is as unreasonable as it would be to suppose that a child must know the anatomy of the human frame before he is able to believe in his mother's love for him." (pg. 77)

This is unquestionably the most important duty that rests on a parent in the area of child training.

Chapter 30 - Good-Night Words:
Thirty chapters make up this book. It ends, appropriately, with a chapter about saying "good night" to your children. He emphasizes the need for these last words of the day between parent and child to be pleasant, encouraging, gentle words of affection. This is not the time for sharp rebuke. He closes this chapter, and the book, with this gentle admonition to parents:
"Let, then, the good-night words of parents to their children be always those words by which the parents would be glad to be remembered when their voices are forever hushed; and which they themselves can recall gladly if their children's ears are never again open to good-night words from them." (pg. 181)

We would all be wise to carefully consider the words in this book, and "take a hint!"

I came across this book in the 1990's, I was familiar with Elizabeth Elliot, H.Clay Trumbull's great grand daughter, and had great respect for her. I always wonder, about what the parents were like, of a person like Elizabeth Elliot. I was also looking for something fresh on Child Teaching and Training. I wanted a biblical perspecitve but was frustrated for years with the status quo "christian based" parenting books.
Our own family at the time, consisting of 4 sons, one in particular so very strong willed, while the children were doing well and respectful, I wanted more. I wanted to do better as a parent, and to gain new insight.
Now that we have 3 younger daughters, I am enjoying reading this book once again.
It always seemed that the "christian parenting" books were more about how to "control" than disciple.
This book is so refreshing. It is about discipling little ones. It is compassionate, caring and not a "how to" book. I am so thankful for that.
Trumbull makes you look at yourself, are you being tender? compassionate? Understanding? Are you depending upon the Lord for HIS wisdom for your little one? When your child goes to bed, are the lasts words they hear from you harsh or loving?
I cannot say enough positive things about this book.
And I just love, that he dispells the assumptions of modern day parents that in the "olden days" every parent was harsh and beat their children. It couldn't be further from the truth.

Of over a dozen child training books I have read, this is the best. Not only that it is full of Bible-centered wisdom, it actually put convictions in my heart on how to be a parent as God originally designed us to be. This is a God-send, so well-rounded in the areas of child training it covers. It does not just rest on the side of discplines nor does it just emphasizes on the role of love. It shows both the loving and righteous sides of our God in a good balance.

This is not a book for Christian believers only. Any parents seeking hard for good philosophy and practical tips about parenting will found it helpful. I read it many times already and everytime I get new insight and revelation from it. It calms me down when facing parenting issues and it provides hope. We all love our children, but a lot of times we are doing it in such a wrong way that we in reality push our children away and become negative forces in their development. That's why this book so stands out amongst all parenting books because the author's love for children and his profound wisdom on parenting is so evident throughout the book. He was so humble in his tone of writing that you don't feel condemned or pressured but just wanted to read on, read again and again and wish you could listen to him talk...

I liked the book because I am a history major but some parts are hard to get through. It is a classic however and is a great stepping stone to use when reviewing ancient history

Cornelius Tacitus knows perfectly what the cardinal human characteristic is: `From time immemorial, man has had an instinctive love of power.' And, `the reward for virtue was inevitable death.'
His book is a mighty illustration of the ruthless fight for the top spot: emperor. The ambitious and the wealthy fight one another without mercy. `The truth is that revolution and strife put tremendous power into the hands of evil men.' The vanquished are brutally slain.
For Tacitus, the most important factors in the power struggle are money (`money was the sinews of civil war') and control of the military (`the lesson that an army can create an emperor'). If you could `reward` your soldiers, you could win. However, the legions were not interested in war itself only in looting, plundering, raping and enslaving. `The men wanted campaign and set battles, as the prizes here were more attractive than their normal pay.' The victims were innocent peasants, women and children.
Overall, `Italy found it hard to put up with such hordes of infantry and cavalry, and with violence, financial loss and acts of lawlessness.'

While the `Annals' contain more human touch, the `Histories' are nearly completely centered on military, diplomatic and tactical manoeuvres, followed by terrifying and merciless violence after the battles (`the fury of the soldiers').

This for mankind severe and pessimistic book is a must read for all those interested in the lessons of history and for lovers of great classical literature.

Most people don't need a review of Tacitus's work. Most people want to know if a particular translation is any good. With that in mind, I recommend this Penguin edition of Kenneth Wellesley's translation. The translation itself is highly readable, and Wellesley indicates the rare instances where he emends the Latin text in footnotes. Wellesley also uses the footnotes to help the reader keep track of some of the less prominent characters in the work, a feature which is a big help for the non-specialist. Probably the best aspect of this edition is the map section at the end. The book contains 11 maps that include maps of large areas, maps of cities, and diagrams of important battles. Wellesley also refers the reader to the appropriate map through the footnotes. This review makes it sound like the book contains a lot of footnotes, but really there are usually just one or two a page. The one minor defect of the book is that the index only contains personal names. A general index would have made this user friendly book even better. But like I said, this is a great English copy of the Histories.

Every now and then a pivotal moment in history is witnessed and recorded by a master communicator. The mid-first century of Rome was such a time and Tacitus was such a communicator. The Histories will forever be a benchmark of good history with its observations on human nature and behaviour along with their impact on history. The historian will do well to read Tacitus not just for the historical lessons but for his approach to history as a record of human activity. While observing and commenting on the human element in history, Tacitus avoids making moral judgements and remains as objective as possible in the midst of turmoil, wars, and rumors of wars. His beloved nation and people were suffering under the barbarity of fratricidal war yet he remains above the madness and records the events with passion tempered with objectivity. His example is one that has remained difficult for others to follow.

A word on this translation in particular - I found Mr. Wellesley's translation very readable and poetic. He seems to have captured the literature value of the text as well as the content. Well done.

Reading Tacitus' Annals I oft remembered Thucydides' account of the Peleponnesian wars. An important theme of the latter work was the corrupting effects of prolonged war on the morals and intellect of the Athenian people, who were ultimately degraded so much that they voted the destruction of the people of a small island just because they had chosen to remain neutral. Tacitus, on the other hand, seems to have dedicated himself in this work to examining the corrupting effects of absolutism on the Roman people after the fall of the Republic. He shows how absolute power brought out the worst traits in the character of rulers like Tiberius and Nero, who grew more and more tyrannical with every year on the throne, and how members of the illustruous Roman senate and other sections of the Roman political society turned into a horde of spineless sycophants, informers and debauches. There were still a few honourable individuals, but as Tacitus shows in an endless series of judicial and non-judicial murders, most of these paid the price of sticking to the ancient traditions of liberty and honour with their lives. Tacitus also deals at length with the relations of the Romans with the subject peo-ples. I may be wrong here, but it seems to me that in such passages Tacitus draws a parallels between the fate of these enslaved peoples and that of the enslaved Roman people -the first a slave to the Romans, the second a slave to the emperor and his bureaucracy made up of ex-slaves. Many subject peoples rebelled and some like the Cherusci under Arminius (towards whom he does not seem averse at all) could successfully preserve their liberty against the in-trusion of the Romans. Those Romans who dared defy the tyrant on the other hand, and especially those who could wisely remain independent and yet stay alive, were far fewer, Tacitus seems to imply. Insofar as it demonstrates how closely liberty (including liberty of thought) and morals are intertwined, this work is still relevant today as a central work of liberal humanism.

I live in L.A., and I originally bought this book as research material for an article I wanted to write. Expecting something either too dry or sensational, I wound up falling in love with Corwin's vivid, immersive writing style. It was a really pleasant surprise. He knows how to draw the reader into the world of homicide investigation, conveying the tedium of investigation without losing the excitement of the pursuit. He peels back layers of compelling detail on cases that were well-published by the press, revealing a flawed yet fascinating process of tracking down our most dangerous criminals. I felt like I was right there with him and the RH detectives he follows for the year. I couldn't get enough. And the way he portrays the detectives of RH who work tirelessly on these high-profile cases was truly endearing. (Maybe his portrayal was too sympathetic. Who knows?)

I had a few maddening moments reading about the case for Robert Blake's wife with the perspective we have now. With little effort -- the case spoke for itself -- Corwin conveyed a powerful message about the influence of the media on our collective prejudices, as well as how helpless investigators can be when dealing with uncooperative witnesses. The book finished on this case, leaving me with not just a profound understanding of the homicide investigation process, but how our city has handicapped some of its most valuable law enforcement personnel.

I wish Corwin would return to RHS and do this again. I'd not only buy that book, but I'd buy copies for my friends!

What was interesting was that most of the murders were committed by immigrants or illegal aliens. The First Chapter was the Russian sex trade in LA. They were all illegal and the woman who was murdered was selling other women. When she made her pot of gold she was going back to Russia.
everyone comes here for money and they murder for it too.
Another man came here and imported Brides from his own country , while he was a crook. This is called Chain immigration of course.
I learned a lot about how easy it is for immigrants to come here.I would say that none of them made any attempt to intergrate into the dominant culture,they stayed in their own segregrated world( by choice) and murdered those close to them.
This is what diversity is and I recommend that people go to Numbersusa dot com and find out how to limit immigration

Although the book was a very interesting read, most of the cases highlighted in it had not been solved by the time the book went to press, leaving me wondering what happened.

My husband picked this book up from a bargain table at Borders. I was skeptical, looking at the cover, but it's one of the best true crime books I've read. Throughout the accounts of each murder investigation, Miles Corwin peppers you with intriguing information about the detectives, the victims, the suspects, various LA neighborhoods and LA history. It's riveting, to say the least, and you don't want it to end.

Easily one of the top true crime books I have ever read. Corwin has an eye for detail but doesn't get bogged down in minutia or wordiness. The pacing of the investigations lead to many, "ok, I'll read one more chapter then quit" episodes. The detectives' sense of humor and dark view of the underbelly of society is genuine and genuinely funny. Even the best fiction does not grab my attention like Corwin did. This work is on par with David Simon's "Homicide." Simply put, a must read.

It's a great book on how to apply God's Word to our lives.

How People Change is one of the best books I've read this year.

Tripp and Lane believe that the biggest area lacking in Christian counseling today is the gospel. They call this problem the "gospel gap." Too many Christians see the gospel as affecting their past (forgiveness) and their future (hope), but do not understand the practical ways in which the gospel should be brought to bear on their present choices. How People Change seeks to correct "the gospel gap" by providing biblical teaching and and practical instruction.

The opening chapter alone is worth the price of the book. Tripp and Lane believe that our temptation is to seek fullness and fulfillment in something or someone other than Christ. To counter this idolatry, they encourage us to apply the grace of Christ to the everyday details of our lives, not merely the big problems that we face. The rest of the book spells this theme out more clearly - how to apply grace to everyday life.

How People Change avoids moralism. It centers the gospel message, not in abstract terms, but in the story of redemption. Tripp and Lane are big on seeing the gospel within the framework of the biblical Story. They write about the Christian's past and the Christian's future in order to shine light on the Christian's life in the present. Our destination informs our journey.

There are a couple of places where I believe the theological language could be a little more refined. In describing Jesus' crucifixion, the authors write: "The triune God was torn asunder so that we might be united to him and to one another as brothers and sisters in Christ." (69) They interpret Jesus' words on the cross this way: "Why have we been ripped asunder?" I understand the loss of covenant fellowship between Father and Son at the cross. Yet, I am not comfortable with the language that the "perfect unity" that existed between the Trinity being demolished, if even for a time. Do not most theologians see all three members of the Trinity as united in the task of redemption? The authors' description lends itself to the idea that God could somehow be split in his essence and is not careful enough for me.

Another weakness is in the chapter: "Married to Christ." The authors choose to describe individual Christians as being married to Jesus (betrothed is the word they use). But they bypass the church in this chapter. Instead of seeing our marriage to Christ as taking place within the fuller community of faith, they skip the church and talk about the individual being married to Christ. To their credit, by the end of the chapter, they switch the emphasis. In the next chapter, they turn to the community of faith and spend a good amount of time on sanctification within the body of Christ. The rest of the book maintains the right emphasis upon the individual within the context of covenant community. Perhaps that is why the marriage chapter seems out of place. Nowhere does the Bible speak of the individual as being the bride of Christ.

The second half of the book focuses on Heat, Thorns, Cross, and Fruit.

Heat represents the circumstances of life that are beyond our control.
Thorns represent those areas of sin that we are easily entangled in.
The Cross represents the resources that Christ gives us in our sanctification.
Fruit represents the outworking our growth in holiness in tangible ways.
I like the way the authors make their case. One of the secondary themes that runs throughout this book is a primary emphasis in the book I am writing for Crossway: we take good things and make them ultimate things. We engage in idolatry whenever take something out of its proper sphere and put it in a place of worship.

How People Change rightly roots our problem in idolatry, not in our lack of self-esteem. We are idolaters at heart. Therefore, the issues must be dealt with at the heart-level.

The authors state their vision for this book:

"Our desire is to see individual Christians and entire churches participate in a ground swell of gospel celebration - a celebration of the amazing grace available to us in Christ."

I believe How People Change is a book that can help churches move in the direction of fulfilling this vision. It is relentlessly biblical, immensely practical, and pastorally helpful. I highly recommend it.

This book, with the possible exception of David Powlison's Seeing With New Eyes, is the best book I have read from a Christian Counseling perspective. The reason for this is simple: the book is thoroughly biblical. The authors do not avoid the issues, big and small, which drag us down day by day, but they do not start with the issues. Instead, they start with the Bible and the heart, the inward motivations. Pointing to the benefits of the cross, they direct the reader on a path away from destructive behavior and toward a fruitful life. By starting with the Bible and pointing to the cross, the authors avoid in their writing putting band aids on specific problems. Instead, they insist on the need for thorough transformation and contend that this transformation can only come through the sanctifying power of the cross. The authors bring us back to the Bible's message that the death of Jesus is not only a blessing to us for eternity, but also gives us strength to live a holy life as we dwell on and trust in what Jesus has done for us.

This text really gets to the "heart" of the issue. It helps the reader see how "real" change must take place in the heart.

This is an outstanding book. The only downside is that it seems the editors missed the fact that the authors are discussing the bible and YET the scripture quotations have no individual bible verses.

While the authors are sincere in being biblical, the typeset has made the attempt to be a challenge because there are no verse numbers to follow the bible quotes. You would frequently encounter citations like "as you can see in verse 8, Paul was saying...." and then you would look at the cited bible quote WITHOUT ANY VERSE NUMBER!

Otherwise, this is an excellent book on counselling. But i hope the next edition would consider this difficulty that this present edition brought about. THE BIBLE IS IMPORTANT and that every means to make it clear, verse-by-verse, if need be, should be made clear in this important book.

I would definetely buy this book if I were to take the AP Psych exam again. Of course, I won't have to do that because this book prepared me so well for it. It really doesn't matter which edition you buy, they contain the same content and only vary in page numbers. There are two practice tests in the back that have answer explanations and various free response questions that include points you should make when writing for each topic. I would get this rather than Kaplan's or the Princeton Review's because they have been known to have the wrong answers in the answer key in the back, which is completely unacceptable. Enjoy this book, and the exam too, it is probably the best that the Collegeboard offers.

I would definited reccommend buying this book if you are looking to take the AP Psychology Test. It was a great review manual. I started reading this book probably a week before the test, and after taking the test I felt really confident that I did well, and I did; I got a 5! Granted throughout the course I read our issued textbook, but this review manual refreshened my memory and went over some new topics that were not covered in my textbook. Overall, this was a great book and I would HIGHLY reccommend it.

most pysch classes require it anyways, but if yours doesn't get this book. It really helped me study and prepare for the in class tests and ap exam [which i got 4 on thank you very much]
just get this book, you'll be happy you did :]

This book was excellent.

I read all the pages. I took one or two practice tests, I wish I had taken more because the questions were almost the SAME as the real exam. The tests are harder than the real one meaning you will be well prepared.

I scored a 4. If I had done more practice tests, I could have gotten a 5. This book is the best, it is fun to read and pretty easy to read aswell. Don't waste your money or time on others.

Good luck!

I chose this book over many others was because i read the reviews other people wrote about this book, and it was very helpful. So thank to all of you who put your thoughts down!!

Like what other people have already said, this book is really helpful. it provides a comprehensive review of all concepts, and it even has things that my textbook doesnt. I read this whole book at least three times and made flashcards and did most of the problems, and even though i havent taken the actual AP test which is tomorrow, but i got a 5 on my psych final which was an actual AP test from a few years ago. So if you use this book and study really hard, you will definitely get a 5 on the exam!

GOOD LUCK on the test!

A self-described "working class intellectual" with a passion for collecting jazz records and a "flunky gig" as a file clerk in a VA hospital, Harvey Pekar pioneered the literary comic genre. His long-running series American Splendor portrays not caped superheroes with bulging muscles, but the everyday life of an ordinary guy in Cleveland. Pekar's autobiographical vignettes are introspective, honest, and often funny, candidly revealing his flaws and failures as he pushes on heroically in pursuit of love, companionship, and creative fulfillment.

Pekar's realistic dialogue (the characters speak in different dialects, which helps you "hear" them in your head) accompanies a wide range of art styles by a number of comic artists, from the quirkiness of R. Crumb to the stark realism of Greg Budgett and Gary Dumm and the meticulous, photographic detail of Gerry Shamray.

For me, this book was a great introduction to an addictive series. Chock full of amusing anecdotes and musings on everything from race relations in Cleveland to the joy of a good pair of shoes, it's a slice of life in comic book form.

This collection of Pekar writings from the 1970s and 80s was issued on the heels of the film "American Splendor," and it collects some of the best of Pekar's earlier work. Although not exclusively chronological, the presentation of the material gives a good idea of Pekar's life from his post-high school days through his meeting and marrying Joyce Brabner. (For a strictly chronological memoir, see Pekar's recent The Quitter.)

In the later Pekar work, the centerpiece of much of it is Pekar's obsessive-compulsive anxiety. But a lot of this work focuses on what might be described as Pekar's existential anxiety: his terrible loneliness, his anger and alienation, his dark reflections on the meaning of life, his desire for recognition, his regret over wasted opportunities and adolescent hubris, and his worries about future contingencies (financial security, illness and death, old age). The Pekar who comes through in these pages isn't the lovable crank of the film. Rather, the person who comes through is the outsider, a self-educated man, extremely knowledgeable in literature and music, who disdains a "normal" lifestyle and seeks freedom through nonconformity. Perhaps the finest single piece Pekar has ever written, "I'll be Forty-three on Friday (How I'm Living Now)" speaks to all this. The collection's lead story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story," in which Pekar winds up asking "Who IS Harvey Pekar?" is a perfect set-up.

Of course, there are also lighter moments in this collection. Mr. Boats (wonderfully illustrated by R. Crumb) appears here a couple of times, and he's always good for a bit of gently funny homespun wisdom. "Mrs. Roosevelt and the Young Queen of Greece" and "On the Corner: A Sequel, June 1976" are touching pieces about the bittersweetness of memory. And the penultimate story in the collection, "Common Sense," would make even a dyed-in-the-wool misanthrope love humanity.

Highly recommended.

I've been a fan of Harvey Pekar's work for over fifteen years. The first time I ever read his self-published comix, American Splendor, I was impressed by its examination of everyday life. His self-effacing humor grows on those who want more than mainstream comics starring spandex-clad teens with superpowers. Compared with Pekar, Spidey has it easy.

I was happy when this movie tie-in release of his early collected work was published. The everyday brilliance of the real life interactions between Pekar and his friends, co-workers and loved ones merit more attention by discerning readers. It would behoove anyone who cares about the comix medium to claim a copy for their personal reading enjoyment. This volume is not for collectors, but for fans of alternative graphic literature who want more meat and potatoes rather than the visual eye candy of more mainstream publishers.

Pekar has been described as a "working class intellectual" (The Comics Journal), and this label is respectfully accurate. He comes from a generation who grew up devouring a culture that had more respect for intelligence than is common today. Instead of just mourning this trend, Pekar rebels from it in true beatnik fashion. His long-time association with R. Crumb (who drew the very first American Splendor story, "The Harvey Pekar Name Story") attracted other artists within Cleveland as well as from other locations as the series has progressed.

The everyday heroism of Pekar working a civil service job in order to create his vision of the potential of graphic literature comes through in every page of this collection. I am glad that there are other collections and issues of American Splendor that are available. It would be grand if future generations of comix fans could gravitate around the work that Pekar has never tired from creating. Even at the worst of his lymphoma and chemo treatments, he has never quit observing and relating the drama of everyday life.

i own i think every american splendor collection book there is, and this one is my favorite. there's a few in particular that really blow me away (the one with pekar wondering around a park, reflecting on his past marriage, his present, and whether there is a God is spectacular). there are a wide variety of artists, from the goofy robert crumb drawings to more serious ones. there are certainly weak points IMO, but not as much as in the other collections. while "the quitter" is his most consistent i've read so far, there's no replacement for finding a really cool comic collection like this and reading through it, finding a bunch of random pekar stories and seeing which ones you enjoy best.

American Splendor: The Life and Times of Harvey Pekar is the largest published collection of the comic series, containing the complete text of American Splendor and More American Splendor. With an introduction by R. Crumb and art by Kevin Brown, Gregory Budgett, Sean Carroll, Sue Cavey, R. Crumb, Gary Drumm, Val Materick, and Gerry Shamray this is 320 pages of a classic American comic.

Pekar's work is a cerebral approach to the comic medium. Many of the panels have no dialog and only illustrate the external while the text reveals the thought stream of Pekar's mind. His ability to portray the inner workings of his thoughts, in a humorous and sympathetic manner, is the key to the success of his writings. The comic is a working class version of Seinfeld with a populist self-made intellectual as the leading character. Yet there is a Existentialist angst to this work that puts it in a class by itself.

My son loves this book so much! Dispite the fact that it doesn't make noises! It is a paperback though, so ours looks pretty rough now!

We have a lot of Little Critter books in this house. They're short, they're funny, they're topical, and they're cheap.

This book is a very realistic portrayal of how children remember things, or forget things... or remember what they should do but decide not to do it anyway :)

Like, Little Critter forgets to feed the dog, but not the fish - the fish just didn't look hungry! (In the illustration, we can see the fish eagerly eating all the food Little Critter is giving it.) He didn't forget to take his boots off - he's going back out in the rain! He won't forget to put away his toys - oops, maybe he *did* forget.

Pretty funny stuff, if my nieces are any indication.

My daughter loves this line of books and I love reading them to her. She is picking up on the words. She is also learning the lessons within the book. When I read the book to her, I will apply the situation to her life and ask her what she should or shouldn't do. Regardless of how she answers, we continue on to see how the story ends. Then, I apply that to her as well. It also makes reading fun. She almost always picks one of the lil critter books to read at bedtime.

My son is 8 yrs old and loves this series of books. The reading is fairly easy and the stories short so it keeps his interest. We read them as bed time stories and they are perfect. We own several of this series and we like them all.

My little guy is five, and we've been reading this book since he was three. Usually he likes to read long books, and has little interest in what he calls "short stories". This book is short; it only takes a few minutes to read. Mercer Mayer books have a special exemption, however - he loves the stories and this is one of his very favourites.

I was puzzled by the opening chapter, which offers "checklist of calls to make," "delivering a eulogy," and the like. If the loved one died suddenly, as mine did, (and as the title suggests), you would be most unlikely to have this book in your possession already, and thus would not be able to refer to it. Eulogies, memorials, and so on would probably be over before the book was ever purchased.
Other than that I found the book to be quite helpful.

This book was a Godsend to me.When I lost my sister April 4th 2008, I have never felt so helpless in my life.I was with her in the ER for 3 hours with NOTHING being done for her.She was having a blood clot and her vitals were horrible.She needed help and got nothing,I have been a nurse for 21 years and have NEVER seen anything like it.Sudden death is unbearable and this book helped to show me that I was not losing my mind,but trying to deal with something that was unimaginable.It is so hard to give up someone who is part of your everyday life and suddenly,JUST GONE.

I found this book to be outstanding. It covers subjects in a different way than most others. It is a very good purchase especially if you're aware of a pending death because it has checklists for when clear thoughts are uncomprehendable. It also shares stories of people, real people who have suffered losses.

I found this workbook and its companion book, "I wasn't ready to say a goodbye" a tremendous help after the sudden death of our 36b year old daughter. It contains very practical help, but more importantly gave me a sense that I was not alone. The authors very effectively used their experience to help others work through their grief.

This is an excellent grief resource that provides a solid roadmap to go along with the book. The activities are meaningful and help one who has recently suffered a loss go through the grieving process faster.

You will get the most benefit if you read the book and do the activities provided in this workbook. However, you could work with each of these separately.

The The Grief Recovery Handbook : The Action Program for Moving Beyond Death Divorce, and Other Losses is also quite popular and geared toward losses of all types. This book is strongly focused on a recent loss, but will be useful to anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one.

Good book and story...inspirational. Read it to my 9 year old.

Message of 'going the extra mile' would have had more impact had the editor done same.

"In God We Trust" is an epic that is a MUST READ for anyone no matter the age! It puts life and God's work into perspective. The is a book that everyone should have on their bookshelf and hand to anyone they know who is struggling with or interested in finding the way to both financial and spiritual freedom! Great Job, Jon!

John has given us what I consider a "must have" for your personal development collection. My team (and other teams) use this book on personal development "team calls" and has become one of the "standards" of personal development that we use. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in personal development of any kind.

A Wonderful story! This book brought out a lot of emotion in me, and touched me deep down inside. A delightful way to introduce us to some wonderful, truthful, Biblical and insightful teachings, that can make a huge difference in our lives...if we'll just apply them.

This short book holds the secrets to true success and wealth. It's got so many gems of information that I know that I will be re-reading it over and over again. It is a must read for those wishing to follow God's will for their lives and be blessed.

Excellent resource!!! I found it useful at work the first day I
received it.

The item was just as described. Very fast shipping. Would do business with again. Thank you!

This book is a great refrences book for medical staff professionals. I work in a hospital and when ever I need to find out dosing, stability ,or even description of a intravenous medication it's in this book. Also this book tells you all about how to store IV medication properly. This book really helps me alot. It's also a great resources for pharmacy school as well.

I am a pharmacist with the Cleveland Clinic and need to have a reliable, thorough, and handy reference available at all times. This book is one of the best resources I have come by thus far in my career. It is a must have! Quick and easy look up to a wealth of organized information. All hospital pharmacists should not go without it!

As a hospital pharmacist, this is the book I have at my side at all times. Gives important information on infusion rates, stability, and usual dosages and concentrations. This information can be found elsewhere of course but I have been accustomed to looking here first.