Open

I know the author personally and I can honestly say--Amos Raymond put his heart and soul into this book.

Amos writes with a passion that is hard to find in many works. He also takes great pride in his photography and always seems to find the perfect shot to set the mood of each individual poem.

I have not met anyone who owns this book that did not absolutely fall in love with it. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to read about true love and romance...but dont get too attatched ladies, he's taken.(smile)

I have read Mr. Raymond's work over and over again. Everytime that I read it I find something new and endearing that I previously missed. Mr. Raymond's work is wonderful. Every person male of female should purchase this book. Everytime you pick it up your heart will be touched and you mind expanded. If you're a person who believes in love you need to purchase this book.

My fears have finally been relieved! It is such a refreshing joy to find that men who know how to openly and honsetly express their feelings about loving and living are still among us! Raymond takes his readers on a lyrical journey filled with poetic twists and turns as he explores the many facets of this thing we call life. From friends to family, females to failure, Raymond strikes a chord with his poetry that will find a place in us all. One simple, indulgent pleasure would be to read Sincerely Yours.

When I was growing up, I never heard anyone talk about wisdom. Knowledge and skills were held to be within our reach, but "wisdom" was something for philosophers, not ordinary people like us. Cynthia Kneen's book is a wisdom book. It is a treasure chest of ideas and stories that demonstrate how each of us can work toward realizing our hearts' most cherished visions in everyday life. Its basic structure is to introduce, in a logically coherent way, a system of teachings known as Shambhala Buddhism. In this regard, you could say it is an intellectual text, one demanding of the reader both concentration and reflection. At the same time, the book contains such poignant and varied anecdotes as to touch even the most skeptical heart. It also relates its teachings to the lives of spiritual warriors readers are already likely to be familiar with, such as Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, and Rosa Parks. On an NPR radio show, Kneen once heard a new immigrant to the US say, "My dream is to have my family live in a peaceful situation, educate my children, contribute to my community and larger society, and help reduce the destructive forces in the world." Whereas my own family have been citizens for four generations, this is my dream, too. Kneen's book reminds me that the resources for realizing this dream exist within ourselves and the diverse world we share. It encourages me to stay true to the yearnings of my youth, confident that I have countless allies who have never given up on human goodness.

This book is for anyone who has ever had the sense that their life might be a path of continual unfolding to the profoundity of being alive, awake, right here, just as we are... Not only has Cynthia Kneen written a classic book on the teachings of Shambhala and a masterful tribute to her main teacher, Ven. Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, but she reveals how her own life has been a true example of a commitment to the practice of meditation and warriorship. She shows us the ground, path and fruition of the way toward bravery, a continual willingness to be stay open, no matter what life throws at us. She shows how this simple path of bravery can be ordinary, mundane, day-to-day. Yet sometimes it can manifest with surprise, power, and magic, like lightening striking all around you! This is arguably the greatest book on the Shambhala teachings since Jeremy Hayward's Sacred World. It goes to the heart of Shambhala Buddhism.

Cynthia Kneen has a clear mastery of the topics of Buddhism and Shambala. More importantly, she has translated this knowledge into insight and tools that can help passersby to (more easily) implement these teachings and improve our approach to problems in everyday life.

If books are "food for the mind", this is not McDonalds. Rather it is a 5 course Cordon Bleu feast.

This is such a great book-i would reccomend it to anyone! It is uplifting and after reading it you'll want to read it over and over again!

This book is a definite "feel good" book that I have passed along. It's a book made of love. Many stories helped me to remind me of the power of Christ.

I laughed, I cried, and then I cried some more! All in a good feeling sort of way. I would recommend this book to anyone, no matter what their belief system is. It definitely will impact them in many different ways. There are memories that come flooding back as they relate to the stories told. It makes you want to make sure you take advantage of all that is good and positive that we miss day to day by being to caught up in ourselves! I loved the book.

We were given this book while we were learning about the process of openness in adoption and nine months later, our child was born to us by his birthparents -- our shared miracle. Back when we were still waiting, reading about open adoption in this book helped my husband and I better understand how this approach to adoption might work in different people's lives. The authors helped us embrace the idea that birthparents could be known in a child's life and be part of a functional extended family. For us, this became true. "Children of Open Adoption" was for us a primer that described the common issues surrounding the concept of openness. This book provided for us the chance to hear from other parents and see how things might play out later in our child's life if we opted for openness. Page by page, we read parts aloud to one another and became more and more convicted that our intuition was right. Openness allowed natural adoption, so that our family would include our child's birthparents. We understood that the amount of openness might be different for each family, but this book helped us also understand the beautiful potential for a normal life that included birthparents and honored both them as life-givers and us as family. For anyone who wants to disagree, I no longer argue. I know that what this book describes, we have. We allowed our trust to grow and we gradually experienced open adoption as a family -- a family that includes our child's birthparents and birthgrandparents, with openness for all of our child's life -- if we are lucky.

We were given this book while we were learning about the process of openness in adoption and nine months later, our child was born to us by his birthparents -- our shared miracle. When we were still waiting, reading about open adoption here helped my husband and I better understand how this approach to adoption might work in different people's lives. The authors helped us embrace the idea that birthparents could be known in a child's life and be part of a functional extended family. For us, this became true. "Children of Open Adoption" was for us a primer that described the common issues surrounding the concept of openness. This book provided for us the chance to "hear" from other parents and see how things might play out later in our child's life if we opted for openness. Page by page, we read parts aloud to one another and became more and more convicted that our intuition was right. Openness was "natural adoption," so that our family would include our child's birthparents. We understood that the amount of openness might be different for each family, but this book helped us also understand the beautiful potential for a normal life that included birthparents and honored both them as life-givers and us as parents. For anyone who wants to disagree, I no longer argue. I know that what this book describes, we have. We allowed our trust to grow and we gradually experienced open adoption as a family -- a family that includes our child's birthparents and birthgrandparents, with openness for all of our child's life -- if we are lucky.

I am currently pregnant with twin boys that I will be giving up for adoption. I was looking for books to help me and the adoptive parents truly understand open adoption. I LOVE this book! I read through it in only a few days time and now the a-mom is reading it. I recommend this for both sets of parents, it is a GREAT resource!

I have read many beaver trapping books in my days and hundreds of other trapping related books. Wesley attacks problems most often encountered with beaver trappers in the more southern parts of the country. The book is well written, easy to understand and flows very nicely. The photos are clear and represent a very clear idea of the subject matter. Wesley does an outstanding job teaching the reader, whatever his skill may be, how to trap beaver by the hundreds if they are available. The hand drawn diagrams add that personal touch and they are easy to read. The writing of the book is flowing, easygoing and refreshing after decades of stale old beaver trapping books. Good job Wes! It's a winner!

I greatly enjoyed reading your two books, CONIBEAR BEAVER TRAPPING IN OPEN WATER, and BLACKTAIL DEER HUNTING ADVENTURES. I also look forward to seeing your work in "The Trapper and Predator Caller" magazine. Your work really counterbalances a lot of the anti-hunting and anti-trapping sentiment which is so strong especially here in California.

A very good beaver book. Your methods are very similar to ours

This anthology of prose and poetry starts out strong .... prose selections from Italo Calvino, Lynne Schwartz, Roy Blount and Anne Fadiman are wonderful, affectionate tributes to reading, Also, I think this is the first time Steve Martin and Jane Austen have appeared together, and both are fine. There are also a LOT of poems here, and some are better than others, as with all poetry. This is a mix of contemporary (Fran Lebowitz, Billy Collins) and classic (Cervantes, Elizabeth Barret Browning) selections that explore reading, writing and books. Artwork by Bascove is of a style consistent with the cover -- bold, colorful and primitive, sixteen paintings that also feature books. A percentage of the profits go to First Book, a literacy program for children.

I'd say the quality of the selections is uneven, but you will undoubtedly find something, and probably many things, that will please you. This is a small volume that can be read quickly, or savored, and as an object it is very pleasing. This would make a fine gift for a bibliophile you know.

This is a perfect gift--but first give it to yourself. Bascove takes the same care selecting and arranging prose and poetry as she does composing her lush oils, which tell their own stories. I savored the book cover-to-cover, at one point stumbling up the subway steps because I had my nose buried in it. This is a singularly beautiful book in every way.

Wow! An amazing, joyous, intelligent, witty book composed of
all great writers. The lifelike and breathtaking paintings
of Bascove are worth buying the book alone. This is a
unique and rare gift. This book takes you away from
the awful events of 9/11. Thank you for your treasure.

As a big hockey fan, and a goaltender, this was just required reading. Yet, it turned out to be more. This well written, quick read was a gas to enjoy and quote. I will be glad to read others by George Plimpton, and I'm already on the hunt for PAPER LION.
I guess thats my ringing endorcement. If I'm looking to read a book on football, the author must be wonderful. Quick, funny, well written, and vastly enjoyable, you wont regret buying this book, no matter what the price.

This book was a real joy to read. It was a pleasure to take in George's unique observations as he bravely went where no non-athlete has been before, between the pipes to guard the goal of the famed Boston Bruins.

What makes this book so special is George's lack of prejudice and his ability to tell a story complete with the smells, sights, thoughts, feelings and emotions of being completely overwhelmed by a situation that he has absolutely no control over.

His story-telling is succinct and yet descriptive enough so that the reader feels like s/he is in the room with George, as he talks with players, coaches, hockey wives, fans, etc.

Throughout the book, it amused me to picture George holding a conversation these hockey players - his Ivy-league mesmerisms and accent remarkable proof that he is a stranger in this crowd.

It is impressive that Plimpton is not judgmental in his analysis of this much maligned sport. He has a splendid time in his experiences, and I had an equally splendid time reading his book. Don't worry that this book was published in the 80s, as this is a timeless storytelling achievement.

This has to be George Plimpton's best book. I've read this book and could not put it down. If you are a hockey fan, or a George Plimpton fan I highly recommend this book.

This is the best general kayaking book on the market today (2001). Covers the range of the activity. Enjoy.

I don't know if I'd agree with the subtitle; Seidman's guide is by no means complete (for that, see Dowd's "Sea Kayaking") but it certainly does cover the essentials of the sport, and as others have noted, it is certainly sufficient to introduce a newcomer to all the essential techniques needed to get started. While no book is a replcement for a good teacher, Seidman gives you enough to get out and teach yourself basic strokes, braces and perhaps even rolls- though that's something best seen demonstrated first.

The photos are one of the strongest parts of the book, and a good argument for buying it- next to the "Perforamance Sea Kayaking" video Seidman's book has the best illustrations of basic moves to be found anywhere. If you were only going to buy one kayaking book, this would not be a bad choice- but after working your way through it you'd be well advised to move on to more detailed and specialized books as well.

I got into sea kayaking after reading this book and it is all the author said and more. I've lent this book to a number of friends who are now also "hooked". This is an easy to read book, one that evokes the possibilities of kayaking along with information necessary to develop the confidence to make them happen. I highly recommend it to anyone considering this great sport.

You've done a wonderful job. The research is there. I especially like the accounts of the National Road.
Merritt Ierley, author "Travelling the National Road.

I received this book as a gift and am VERY happy to have received it. The story is so interesting and each of the characters has a story of his or her own. The author is a gifted story teller!!! MWD-Saddlebrooke,Arizona

This is a story that is so interesting. You feel as though you know each character very well. There is a story behind each character. This is a wonderful read for anyone at any time. The author did a fantastic job researching for this book. I will definitely buy every book she writes.

If you are looking for a management book which has information that can help you at work and home, puts a smile on your face and makes you think, then The Naked Manager is worth your time. Like the One Minute Manager and Zap, The Naked Manager is written in an easy style and uses language that lets the reader focus on the message.

The book is written from a woman's perspective, with an Erma Bombeck like flare. The anecdotes and analogies made me laugh, think and at times, raised an eyebrow, all good things from my point of view. The Naked Manager also provided an unexpected bonus. Besides gaining insights into working more effectively with others, I also gained some new insights on a woman's view of the world.

The author deals very well with two topics that most management writers ignore - intuition and spirituality in the workplace. This was refreshing, informative and clearly added value to the book. The chapter "Big Buts" helped me understand and respect the power of that three letter word - but.

I recommend it - Jim V.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this refreshing book. The Naked Manager helps today's managers make larger sense of critical human dynamics and the role they play in the turbulent corporate game. This is management 2000 and beyond! Jillian Austin, Director, US Relations The Americas Cup

With technological advances being made every day, businesses are saving time and money and responding more quickly than ever to changing customer needs. But have these application breakthroughs contributed to more gratifying, harmonious workplaces? National surveys of employee satisfaction suggest otherwise, so what's a manager to do? Get naked, according to Eileen Dowse in "The Naked Manager". Dowse, a motivational speaker, mediator and educator with more than 20 years of business experience, has found in working with clients a common missing thread: authenticity and integrity. Rather than being honest with employees, sharing core values and exposing vulnerabilities, managers and companies clothe themselves in protective layers. Their workplace personas become so far removed from their true selves that workplace cohesion unravels. Being naked means being authentic and dealing with issues at the core level. Through a series of exercises and diagrams reinforced by the collective wisdom of Dowse's clients, Dowse guides the reader through the process of getting naked. Removing these layers is the key to transforming today's business environments. "The Naked Manager" is a true find for today's manager; an eminently readable, digestible book with practical and applicable insights gleaned from real life experiences. Yes, Dowse acknowledges, getting naked takes courage and isn't for the faint of heart. But for those managers and companies committed to creating the most successful and satisfying workplaces, it's essential. As Dowse explains, naked managers expose their core values and inner thinking in a way that lets others know what they stand for, believe in and give credence to. This will produce more gratifying workplaces and business relationships. She asserts that five skills--keeping an open mind, understanding another person's perspective, staying motivated, letting people know you exist, and being proud of who you are--hold the greatest value for managers in the current workplace. The book's insights are reinforced at the end of each chapter in a section featuring thoughts and solutions shared by business leaders around the world. The true power of a manager, Dowse contends, comes from the ability to handle management without masks and superficial layers.