Free-stock Books

I read this book as a child and instantly loved it. It has become the book that I turn to when I want to read something that makes me feel good about the world.
I love the fact that Little Jon's, advanced society is natural and surprisingly un-mechanized. The characters in this society have truly found a balance between individuality and a sense of community responsibility and accountability. Even though our world is in contrast to Little Jon's, there is still hope. There are few truly evil people, even in our world. Most of the people who act badly are either ignorant or misguided; conditions that can be remedied.
This is a must read for children and adults alike. I've worn out two copies and am happy to finally get a new one.

The story of a boy, Jon, who falls through a mysterious door and lands on earth. Falling from what seems safe into chaos, the boy faces love and hate. While some provide loving care, others seek to destroy thus, encasing the human condition.
The author's theme is quite clear, yet not preachy. Forcing readers to look within and celebrate other's differences while recognizing held beliefs is what rides throughout the book. The theme is revealed through its characters and the setting holds to enforce it. The writer carefully questions the normal human nature. Readers are gently forced to face their own disagreements. A book that has been around for generations still provides the right answers to time old questions. Through its read, it is possible to fantasize of a better world.

I always loved reading this... still do ...enough to have 2 copies on my shelf...and I'm 51. It's one of those few books that stick with you thru the years, one you don't forget and makes you think. I always thought it would make a great Disney movie.

Other reveiwers have noted that this book is pretty short and leaves you wanting more, but that is not such a bad thing. I read this a few times when I was seven or eight years old and the story stuck in my head. I couldn't remember the title, but 20 years later I remembered enough details to find this book with a few internet keyword searches. I was not dissapointed when I read it again as an adult. It is an excellent story with a good moral. I agree with past reveiwers that it is good when it could have been great, but I reccomend just taking it for what it is and enjoying it. Also, for anyone under 12 it is a great read and not too taxing. It's a great book for instilling a love of reading, so share it with any youngsters you know.

Like so many others, I read this lovely book when I was much younger, and it has remained with me to this day. It's a deceptively simple story, told directly & clearly, which poses quite a few difficult ethical & moral questions about the world we take for granted. Yet it's never preachy or heavy-handed. Through the eyes of Little Jon, we not only see the flaws of our own society, with its emphasis on greed, power, and selfishness, but we also get a glimpse of another, better world. Certainly any child who is puzzled by the needless cruelties we so easily inflict on one another will welcome this book. Why *does* it have to be that way? Why *can't* we rise above our worst instincts? Well, maybe we can ... and a book like this is a reminder of that possibility. It's inspirational in the best sense of the word, and most highly recommended!

What's best about this book is that it contains info you aren't going to get anywhere else. And it's very positive about the industry. That's the sort of thing that's really needed.

I just wanted to say thank you. Fast Track Photographer is the defining photography guide of our time and your efforts will bear more fruit than you can imagine.

I gave you some blog love today and hope it convinces some of my readers to grab their copy now! Take care and God Bless.

[...]

Thank you Dane...Michael

Fast Track Photographer: The Definitive New Approach to Successful Wedding Photography

This book would be great for young, old, hobbyist or professional photographers! Not only did I learn a lot but this book confirmed that I am on the right track! Dane is like Harry Beckwith if he was a photographer!

Rob
Humbled Eyes Photography

Dane never fails to inspire me! This book challenged me to really think about who I am and what I bring to this industry. How to value the photographER more than the photographY. Challenging me and giving me tools to stand out in the ever growing sea of photographers. This is a must read for both seasoned veterans and "newbies" alike.

I just finished "Fast Track Photographer" this week - I didn't realize how much this book would change the way I saw both my business and myself. I gained so much out of it, and I'm still learning to apply the principles learned from my PDNA results. I can't wait to see how things look next year at this time!

So, I just wanted to let you know, that $25 has been the best investment I've spent this year on building my business. Truly transformational.

Patrick Leigh Fermor not only fills the 'unforgiving minute' but describes that experience in a way that transports us to that minute. One line from "Between the Woods and the Water" stays in my mind. "The heat and weight of the summer bore down and not a leaf stirred". Or, how about, "the newly distilled spirit had taken out the peasants like sniper". For a feeling of 'being there' he can't be beaten, certainly not by Ernest Hemingway who tried and failed by appearing too contrived. The writers who achieve this power to transport, as musicians or painters do can let us ignore their presence and I think that is their artistic intention, to merely present (with all their craftsmanship but so it doesn't show). Paul Bowles is such a writer as is Elmore Leonard. But that's another story.

The author, a rebellious teen in England, undertakes to walk from the Hook of Holland to Constantinople -- in 1937. This is the second half of his journey, through the Balkans and Danube lands. He has an ear for peoples' opinions, the oddities of Hapsburg imperial goulashes of different ethnicities & religions--most of which would be erased by the coming war. One has the sense of a "last glimpse" of the highly cultivated, varied human landscape of Europe before the war and Cold War divided its peoples.

Like most literary masterpieces this marvelous book has a outer vehicle that develops an inner theme. The vehicle is a journey on foot, horseback and barge across Europe in the 1930's when the author was 19. The inner theme is a resolution of polarities and opposites of all kinds. First there is the overriding polarity of solitude and company. He enjoys spending time with friends and friends of friends at their country homes in Hungary and Roumania and passing hours in their sometimes fabulous libraries but he finds refreshment and spiritual renewal in long solitary walks in wooded mountains and along the banks of the Danube where he meets an occasional deer or golden eagle. He relishes staying with his wealthy, worldly and sophisticated hosts but also enjoys the company of peasants, gypsies and lumberjacks. He likes passing comfortable nights in reasonably soft beds with clean linens but doesn't shrink from sleeping in hayricks or under sheltering oaks. The interplay of past and present are another polarity he weaves into the narrative. His knowledge of history and use of it in this work is both magnificent and enviable. Leigh Fermor is in fact one of the most cultured contemporary writers I have had the good fortune to read. He is a good linguist, a masterful historian and , surprisingly, a knowledgeable theologian. But that is only half the story. He is also a super-macho man of action completely aware of his body and its interaction with the environment. This we know from his activities, almost heroic feats, during WWII, especially in Crete. In the present book he coordinates his mental and physical endowments to produce a gorgeously textured masterpiece of English prose. Sex is not absent from the narrative but it is never described in terms that could be considered even remotely graphic. Acts are kept in the wings while he concentrates on the social, intellectual, and aesthetic dimensions of his relations with women. Unfortunately Amazon.com does not keep an ample stock of Leigh Fermor's works, so I had to purchase my copy from Amazon.co.uk. I may be impatient but my sense of company loyalty is unimpeachable. No?

I loved this book and other writing by the Author. Reading this book is like travelling with a friend. The author tells a beautiful tale of Europe just before the war. His style and tempo are close and personal, and when you reach the end of the trip, you know that you have encountered the Europe of a bygone era. Here in Canada many of my friends parents' were born in Germany, Hungary, and Romania. I tell them that this book is required reading.

I am not aware of any other account of Ada Kaleh, the island in the Danube populated by a Turkish enclave that was lost when the river was dammed in the '40s. I found an old postcard of the island in Hungary, and it's one of my favorite possesions.

This is a great little book. I love the way it's organized and love that it includes web addresses for everything, as well as days, times, and seasons for events, information on public transportation routes and free parking, etc. I'm traveling a long distance to spend just less than a week in SF on a small budget, and I've got my days entirely planned out because of the information in this book. It's well worth the small expense. When I'm done with my little trip, I'm gifting this book to my son who lives in the Bay Area, and I'm sure he'll use it until it falls apart!

Troy Corley, the "Free and Frugal Fun Expert" from Corley Guides, publishes a series of pocket travel guides to free fun in major metropolitan areas. Free San Francisco is the newest guide in the series, which also features titles on Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and New York. As a bonus, the California titles also include Thomas Guide map coordinates for all guidebook entries.

Free San Francisco covers not just SF proper, but also Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Marin, The Peninsula, and Wine Country. Attractions by the bay include bridges, public beaches, visitor's centers and landmarks like Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, the Haight, Nob Hill, and the cable car interchanges. Golden Gate Park and Gold Gate National Recreation Area each warrant their own chapter, and with dozens of attractions each, one could spend the better part of a year having fun for free near the Golden Gate. One can imagine spending a few tourist dollars at some of these sites (riding the cable cars, for instance), but it would be possible to enjoy all these landmarks for free.

I recommend Free San Francisco not just for the budget-conscious or family-oriented traveler. This is a must-have guide for locals, too! I know I couldn't take advantage of a fraction of these opportunities during a San Francisco vacation, but fortunately I visit from Southern California, so I can make some repeat trips to take advantage of all the bargains.

I've grown up in the Bay Area and there are so many things in this book that I've always wanted to do. Now that I know they are FREE I will do them! I'm always looking for fun stuff to do with my 2 young boys and I now have a long list of activities to look forward to (like the SF Firefighter Museum). The book is super easy to use too, which is a bonus since I don't have a lot of time to research things. I'd recommend this book to both visitors and natives.

As someone who has been criss-crossing the country for six years (see my book Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate: an Economist's Travelogue), I am always looking for good travel guides. This books is one of the best I have seen. It is well-conceived, organized, and written. I had no idea that there were so many great free and cheap things to do in the Bay Area--from concerts, to museums, to art walks, and hikes. I will definitely check out the other books in the series. And I'll be keeping this one, since we are planning to move to Berkeley next year. Michael D. Yates

I have gotten all of these books, Free L.A., Free Orange County... These make perfect gifts, stocking stuffers, or just given on a whim. I got a copy for neighbor who lived in San Francisco for the first part of her career, and who goes back often. And I got another copy for a gal in our office who travels twice year up there to visit family. And, why not, I got one for myself for when I visit the Bay Area. Great concept and well done.

The deathbed recounting (as retold by a US newspaper reporter) of a Norwegian sailor's adventure as he journeys with his father to the center of the earth - through an oceanic aperture at the North Pole, visits a continent there, and meets a group of highly developed people - that he surmises is the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Contains interesting perspectives on the "true" physical nature of the earth and on religious topics relating to the Lost Tribes.

While reading this book, I was interested to see how other accounts of people who have had similar experiences, (I'm referring to the book The Hollow Earth), have come forth to tell their stories, and yet these people are viewed as being dilusional or liars. This is an indication to me, at least that people are not ready or perhaps, not receptive to such findings.
Perhaps this is a good thing, if the outside world is unable to handle the things we face daily, then in due time we may be able to come to terms with the fact that there are other people (tribes), with technologies that will probably be of good for us when perhaps all else may fail...I read in the Holy Bible that many tribes went to the far North and were never seen again...I have read of people who live not just in the earth, but also under the earth...it is not unheard of to hear of people who have lived between 600-800 years, read the geneoligies of Adam...and yes the government have knowledge of this, but will never acknowledge it. Oh what they could teach us!!!, and how better our lives could be, read the book and discover for yourself what we are not suppose to no, and tell your friends, that we are not alone....

My Grandfather gave this book to my Father, who let me read it. Absolutely facinating. Explains perhaps why so much of the airspace above the 85th parallel is restricted military only airspace and why so many square kilometers of ocean above the 85th parallel is restricted waters.

Shows that Mother Earth may be holding secrets that have yet to be discovered, including a civilization, technologically advanced, perhaps more so than we are.

This may be the source of UFO's, which I personally believe have never been extraterrestial, and may hold the secrets of many earthly and historical mysteries.

If a civilization does indeed exist within the bowels of Earth, that is technologically advanced, governments and militaries would indeed have motive to hide that fact from the masses. National Security concerns real and imagined would most probably run rampant.

The story of Olaf Jensen rings true. Fascinating. Read it. It is out-of-print so there shouldn't be any copyright concerns in reproducing it I wouldn't think.

This is a wonderful, well written book on how to make the necessary changes in your life to "Be Rich"! The author is well educated and confident in the material, and makes a special effort to use multiple examples to educate the reader in the power of different ways to think. This book has been an inspiration to me. I have implemented many positive changes in my life and I recommend this book to all!

Very good book, Robert Collier is a great author, he explains things clearly, I my self am an author and I see the high quality in these older authors such as Robert Collier

He does use quote from the Bible but these are used in the way they were intended as teaching tools not as preaching tools.

I recommend this to learn more of manifesting your future.

Free People will bring a fresh perspective to your view of global economics. While this perspective may be as old as the Bible, Tricia Gates Brown makes it fresh by thoughtfully weaving together the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments to raise our awareness of how we should live in an increasingly globalized world. While I'm not an Old Testament scholar, Brown's writing challenged many of my long held understandings and opened my eyes to the possibilities of a better and fairer world.

Peter Illyn, Executive Director of Restoring Eden:
In Free People: A Christian Response to Global Economics, Tricia Gates Brown weaves together such complex concepts as global economics, social justice and Christian theology in a way that is understandable and user-friendly. Contrary to the trend to separate politics from faith, the author shows they are interrelated and symbiotic.

Brown's theological descriptions of 'powers and principalities' as discussed in the Pauline writings, opened my eyes to the dangers of a global consumer society-hell-bent on economic growth without regard to justice, mercy and humility, and to the church's implicit acceptance of it as God's plan. Brown explains and reveals the history, relationships and functions of organizations which had previously been mere acronyms to me-WTO, WB, IMF and NAFTA, and shows how these institutions and agreements have created a world in which 'free markets' are prioritized above 'free people.'

I was also enlightened by Brown's understanding of the indigenous worldview-the indigenous sense of connectedness to the land, their culture and their history. She was able to articulate cultural patterns I had seen in my work with tribes in Alaska and Papua New Guinea, but had not found a way to articulate.

Though revealing, from a Christian perspective, the dangerous path of global economics, Free People sounds a strong message of hope and redemption. Free People is one of those rare books that causes the reader to see the world differently.

This is the best reference on this subject in my library. Unfortunately it is out of print. Good luck finding a copy.

_Realising I was underpaid gave me the gumption to move on_. wrote Ms Muriel Seibert describing some of the frustrations she faced as a gender-pioneer on Wall Street in this fascinating first-person account, CHANGING THE RULES.

Ms Siebert begins her journey, _When I left Cleveland with five hundred dollars and a used Studebaker just before Thanksgiving 1954, I had been away from home and family only once...But that one trip the previous summer was a vacation in New York City with two girl friends_. Nearly fifty years later, she is presenting her views on how to improve 401(k) retirement plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs) directly to top goverment leaders in Washington D.C. and on 13 August 2002 at President Bush's Economic Forum in Waco, Texas, USA.

In between, Ms Siebert had an awe-inspiring career. Briefly, the highlights include first woman to purchase a seat on the NYSE (#2646, 28 Dec 1967) and first female Superintendent of Banking for the State of New York. as well as running her own brokerage firm to become the first self-made woman Billionaire for a day in February 1999.

Even with these lofty accomplishments, Ms Siebert presents a down-to-earth and pragmatic review of her career. Her dogged determination and unrelenting persistence is highlighted as she recounts the obsticles she overcame. Being first is not without its share of problems. As history has shown on innumerable occasions, an established majority is resistant to accept the usurping minority culture. Ms Siebert's challenges were primarily experienced through prejudices involving gender and religion (anti-semitism).

It is inspiring for me to read about her coping methods. Whether it is a humourous Hallmark Card or storming a table at a posh restaurant, Ms Seibert is standing up for what she believes. Yes, she does learn to choose her battles and to have another job before she threatens to quit, however, she makes modifications without jeoparding her integrity or her spiritual commitment.

I have learned that the one spiritual value that cannot be imitated is the act of giving. Ms Siebert writes that _Giving is more than an obligation, it's a privilege_. She backs up these words with a lifetime of giving: volunteer time at the Henry Street Settlement on Manhattan's Lower East Side early in her career, and a continuous record of providing financial opportunities throughout her business life. For example, she has established the Siebert Entrepreneurial Philanthropic Plan (SEPP) which contributes to charities 50 percent of the selling concession after clearing costs that she earns on new securites. In many cases, Ms Seibert explains, _the client choses the charity. It's a chance to share profits from this business with organizations serving the communities from which we receive new opportunities_.

In a time when the Attorney General of her own state is now revealing an unprecedented level of corruption and bankruptcy of ethics in the Mutual Fund Business, it is refreshing to read of a person on Wall Street who, after 50 years in the Business of Financial Services can write, _I sleep well at night, knowing that I've been competitive but honest, tenacious but scrupulous, tough, but fair_.

PEACE

This book is a well written and easy to follow investment guide. It provides an overview of Mr. Westheimer's lengthy history as a stock broker, and gives sensible advice about investing geared toward the novice investor. I highly recommend this book for anyone new to investing, it provides some great advice for cautious "smart" investing. It's an easy read that won't dissapoint.