literature

My young cousin, whom I'm raising, has wanted to be a police officer since he could talk. After reading THIS book, he wants to be a K-9 Officer. I had to get him a second copy, for him to keep at school. My neighbour owns a day care centre, and has three or four copies for the children; she says that they're fascinated by the book, and it's a great spur to reading.

The photography is outstanding, and Officer Matsik makes for a terrific representative of the Shaker Heights Police Dept. A very positive book, which should be in the library of every child.

This book has given my daughter an understanding of the job I do as a K-9 handler in a way that makes reading fun for her. I have chosen this book for our donations to area school that I visit to enhance their library.

A wonderful 'grandfather' book. My younger grandchildren want me to read it over and over. I enjoy the well written story and the photographs are excellent. Actually, all ages can appreciate this quality book.

How pleased our family is to have "Armenia: A Rugged Land, an Enduring People" on hand for reading and reference. It's a quick read for adults and a comprehensive overview for children. Through this book, Lucine Kasbarian offers all readers a wonderful introduction to the people, land, history and culture of Armenia. Insightful and inspiring, it's a great gift to share with friends to help understand who we are as Armenians...a must have for every family's bookshelf!!!

-Nvair K. Beylerian, M.Ed.- producer, "2Mayrer: Children's Songs in Armenian" 2001

As a Peace Corps nominee assigned to Armenia, I had been looking for books that could provide an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to this country and its people. Many of the books I acquired on the subject of Armenia seemed parsimonious with details. This book satisfied my hunger for information immediately, with "Fast Facts About Armenia" and with every indispensable chapter that followed. The book covers Armenian history, culture, art and daily life in abundance, and in a style that is easy to read. The accompanying photos and artwork are some of the best I have come across. I have recommended it to other Peace Corps volunteers who, like me, are anxious to discover the many wonders of this fascinating country and people.

"Armenia" possesses all the properties that make it an above-average learning resource for readers -- young and old. It provides access and insight into a country about which there is little awareness. Not only is the reader exposed to a wealth of current information about the region, he/she is inspired to take a virtual journey into the lives of a different people in a foreign land and is invited to explore the contrast it portrays to his/her own lifestyle. The content of "Armenia" is factual, the text uncomplicated, the artwork appealing. Employing a smooth, unobtrusive style, "Armenia" encourages readers to develop understanding and tolerance for cultural diversity. Those in search of contemporary and comprehensive material about Armenia should rejoice in having this rare and worthy resource available to them.

-- Gilda Kupelian, Executive Director, Armenian National Education Committee

Scriptures are used to teach these principles of successful living, i.e., success as definited by doing God's will. He talks about being born with certain gifts, talents, abilities, and desires. For each individual's uniqueness, there are human needs waiting to be met. Your assignment is to discover where you fit in matching your uniqueness with meeting needs. It's an exciting approach to living!

Like similar books in this genre, he says relationships are more important than work. Espicially is this true of one's relationship to God. He talks about geography being important in one's assignment. This book is full of insights from the Bible. Consider his comments on time, "God uses time to achieve His own goals on earth. He uses time to develop the seeds of greatness that He plants in the soil of people."

You will be a more effective steward of your time, talent, and life after having read this book. With that in mind I give it my highest recommendation.

This is a wonderful tool for both men and women who desire to really come to an understanding of their assignment. Now I know the difference between a gift, talent and my assignment. Wow. Every christian needs this book as a daily assignment and as a workbook for mentoring groups. Don't pass this one by. Get two copies, one for you and one for a friend.

Mike Murdock is a man of few words. The good part of this is he makes each word count. This book is written to be a daily devotional/workbook for one month. Each day has a single idea which builds upon the earlier days. Each day has Biblical scriptures to back it up as being an old idea from the very Source. I have gone through this book several times, and benefitted each time in having more clarity, more focus, and more excitement about my life's purpose.

The works of A.W. Tozer force the reader to think. His essays are original, unorthodox, sometimes profound, provocative, and frequently brilliant. These are well written, logical commentaries. Christians of all denominations will benefit from Tozer's insights. Highly recommended.

AW Tozer is a man of God who was self-taught (many times on his knees before the open Bible) and not seminary trained, because he could not afford to go to seminary. But his learning was through the Spirit of God and his diligence. And this book, "Best of AW Tozer (vol.1)" IS indeed great summary of Tozer's spirituality (Thanks to Warren Wiersbe who compiled and selected these chapters from Tozer's numerous books). In this book, Tozer teaches us in sum:
1. What is essential Chrisitan life? He talks of believers' NEED for genuine love for Christ and His Return. For example Tozer accurately points out, "Another reason for the absence of real yearning for Christ' return is that Christians are so comfortable in this world that they have little desire to leave it... in these times of religion has become jolly good fun right here in this present world, and what's the hurry about heaven anyway?" (p.57). Such words challenge our heart of hearts. And there are more words like this in this book.
2. What is proper knowledge of God? He does not mean merely doctrinal or theological side of it (though he emphasizes it elsewhere in the book), but also experiential walk with God and seeking Him. He said, "[holy men and women] want to taste, to touch with their hearts, to see with their inner eyes the wonder that is God... The evil habit of seeking 'God-and' effectively prevents us from finding God in full revelation. In the '-and' lies our great woe. If we omit the '-and,' we shall soon find God" (pp. 17,18). He is right. And there are more helpful, challenging, and edifying articles in the book.

Those who read this book will not be disappointed, because Tozer redirects believer's focus onto God and God alone.

This takes some of Tozer's most memorable work and condenses it for easy reading in short sessions. As always, Wiersbe make learning and studying a joy!!

I loved this book as a kid 25 years ago, and now I love reading it to my 20-month old son. My son loves Joe, too, and wants to read it over and over. Joe seems like such a friendly, hard-working fellow, and he's a wonderful example for kids. The illustrations are about the best I've ever seen in a children's book, so good, in fact, I sometimes pick it up even after my son goes to bed!

We purchased this book for our son who is now 14, I saved all his baby books, and now we've got a new son, 19 months..both of them have enjoyed this book immensely! The cut-away view of the truck is wonderful, the illustrations so detailed and accurate..this book is one of the best out there for truck- loving toddlers...a must have, and a classic in our house.

I have read this book at least 100 times to my son Bjorn. And I still enjoy reading it!!! I think that says somthing of the quality of the thing. Bjorn is now 4 years old and we started when he was about 2.5 years old. The book has very good illustrations, detailed enough to be interesting even after a hundred times! We usually start to look at the x-ray drawing of the truck, talking of where the radiator is and whats it for, why there is a fire extinguisher beside the drivers seat etc, etc...

I love it.

Gail Buckley's extensively researched and lengthy book flows from page to page as it chronicles the Black soldier from the earliest beginnings of the Colonial era to the frontlines of Viet Nam to the dusty corridors of the Persian Gulf. Names, familiar and unknown, are introduced and profiled with ease by the author. The prejudices and biases endured by these gallant men and women make their respective stories an inspirational journey into the human spirit and willingness to overcome.

A few photographs are found mid-length and provide the reader with a view of the heroes/heroines mentioned in the text. This is a book for the history/sociology buff as well as those that have an interest in the American military.

I find it a shame that more have not read or reviewed it. If one more can be inspired to purchase the book, then I, as a reviewer, have done my job.

There are not many pieces of work detailing the African American's contribution in the military, but Ms Buckley's work "American Patriots" is good. As an ex-military that served during Desert Storm, it did me proud to read how we as a people served, sometimes in the most terrible and racist of conditions, and give their best to a nation that didn't treat them favorably in return. I am sorry that there were some mistakes in there(human error) I didn't know, but am glad someone took the time to give proper credit. Despite of it, I wouldn't dismiss the whole work as revisionist. Someone took the time to tell the story of how we served admirably for this country, and we can read it. I agree that it should be in the schools for our children to read and every library within this country's paremeters should own a copy.

Extremely informative historical piece of writing laid out in an interesting and chronilogically easy to follow format. Excellent book that was well researched with lot of cross references to historical events, places and figures. Writer Gail Buckley did outstanding job of providing historical contexts to her research with the more "infamous" figures in our country's history. This is the type of history book that I painfully missed in my education of our country and military. A must read for anyone wanting a more expansive and "complete" view of the "forgotten american's" contributions to our military's history/success, fight for personal democracy, justice and equality.

This is a very good book for those interested in Beowulf. In fact, it's as close to my idea of an "ideal" version that I can find.

There are several different sections in this book, besides the text of the poem itself. There are technicial discussions on the poetry itself, and a guide to pronounciation. At the rear of the book are discussions of the historical context of the poem, both internal to the poem and external in the world. A lengthy commentary of the poem follows, then a bibliography, and finally a line-by-line glossary of some of the major sections of the poem.

The part that caught my eye was the "dual langauge" edition. The main text consists of the Anglo-Saxon version on the left-handed pages, and a modern English translation on the right-handed pages. The author states that alliteration in the translation was not a concern, and sometimes the translation does not follow the original word-for-word. Within each numbered five-line block, the translation does follow the original, so it's not too hard to follow both the original and the translation.

As a final comment, Caedmon Audio produces an audio edition read by Bessinger, and I find this is to be an excellent compliment to the book.

Useful for learning Old English. Get a copy of Beowulf read in Anglo-Saxon on CD in order to help you speak Anglo-Saxon. It is lovely, but hard to speak. This is a good book to learn to write Asatru rituals, but to speak to the living Gods in their own tongue you'll need recorded readings of Anglo-Saxon to teach yourself Old English.
This book is old Enough to buy a used copy.
Even at the new prices it is worth it, for any student of Old English

After reading about the immense influence of Beowulf on Tolkien in "Celebrating Middle-Earth", I reread it in this translation. It is powerful and moves along rapidly. It captures the strong yet poetic use of words and brings out changes of mood brilliantly.

Judith Cornell has written a beautiful, many layered biography of Ammachi. It is an incredibly difficult task to convey the depth of Amma's mission with the words of a finite language, yet Judith has more than succeeded.

It is a blessing to know Amma, and a gift to know the life she lived before I was even born. For others and myself who were in India during the time that Judith was writing this book her offering also has the added gift of recounting what we all experienced. It is a rare blessing.

I am especially thankful that Judith wrote this book. It was very timely to retell Amma's life story and to place it within the context of our changing times (especially with what women have achieved and still must work to gain).

Amma is "Healing the Heart of the World" in giant acts, and also in reaching within the very core of each individual, healing the personal wounds and sufferings of this world.

In the wake of what we now face in our present world there are few books other than this one that have the power to bring insight and change on a global level.

I was on vacation in India for a month and I visited a niece of mine. While talking to her I heard the chanting of Bhajans from the neighborhood and I inquired as to what was going on. She reported that in the neighborhood was a house where the devotees of Mata Amritanandamayi gathered every week and prayed to her in front of a framed photograph of hers. I was curious and went in to ascertain it. There were about 50 men and women seated in front of her picture, chanting hymns. It was an eye-opening experience for me. Earlier in the week, I had passed through the front of the Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Cochin and had heard from many about the facilities over there. Now, I decided to learn more about this person considered a saint in India.

Reading through this book helped me to situate the phenomenon of Mata Amritanandamayi. No doubt the book is trying to depict in an objective light this charismatic woman, Amma (Mother) as she is understood and looked upon by thousands of her devotees. As a miracle healer, prophet and mystic she has established her fame. Her world tours have attracted attention to herself as an incarnation of the Divine Mother. By now she has grown into a big institution worthy of attention by the world. Judith Cornell by this book is presenting her along with her ideas and gifts to the western world. She tries to bring in personages familiar to the American readers, like Padre Pio, Bede Griffiths and C G Jung in relating to the ideas and message of this Hindu saint. She also refers to the black Madonna and the Christian understanding of Virgin Mary the Mother of God. The Catholic and Orthodox Christian belief in the Blessed Mother is very different from the concept of the Divine feminine found in Hinduism, though there are some comparisons possible. What Cornell ends up doing is to bring the East and West closer. The story of the rise of Sudhamani, an ordinary girl from the family of a poor fishermen couple on the coast of Kollam, India to the world renowned Mata Amritanandamayi is fascinating. Her story is told as it is known and spoken of around her birthplace, by her family members and her devotees around the world. Her ideas are presented in simple words, understandable to the ordinary folks, though they are typically Hindu in their perspective. The Hindu pantheon could absorb any number of seers and sages as incarnations of the Divine. So there are repeated mentions of Buddha and Jesus Christ in the book.

I found this a valuable book, useful for anyone who wants to know more about the saints and sages of the land of India. It gives one a somewhat objective look at the phenomenon of Mata Amritanandamayi along with her humble past, her mystic experiences and her compassion for the poor; it provides one the opportunity to hear the various opinions of many of her devotees deeply touched by her. All these contribute to the immense popularity of this saint of today, whose activities in favor of the poor are widely recognized.

This book is an excellent introduction to Ammachi's life - especially for a Westerner. For those who already know Amma, the offical biography by Amma's senior disciple might be better.

This book also touches upon the fact that downfall of Indian civilization occurred at the hands of unfriendly external cultures. Notably Arabs from the present-day Afghanistan and later from European Colonials (please note - I draw a distinction between a European and a racist European colonial).

Even a strong economy like America's will collapse if it comes under sustained terrorist attacks over a period of 100 years or more. In a similar fashion the reason for economic depravation of India was not mismanagement by Indians (as another reviewer has written) but sustained attacks on India by violent and unfriendly cultures. A person who wins a war and kills thousands of people cannot be stamped culturally superior to the person who lost the war (on contrary, the more violent and brutal a culture is, more likely it is to go on a successful rampage).

Lastly, one must note in Vedic culture there was no place for skin color and such nonsense. Most of India's ancient saints were black in color (from the description written by their followers).

Casteism was a social order, not a hardened discriminatory practice. In fact the sage who compiled Vedas and wrote Mahabharata - Veda Vyasa - was born to a fisherwoman and not of high caste. Another example is Valmiki - the sage poet who wrote Ramayana - he was a hunter who lived near a forest, but who undertook great penance and became a sage. Through ages Indians and people who respect Indic culture have revered them.

The hardened casteism came about because of external influences in later periods, even then brahmins have never burnt lower-castes or people of other religion at stakes as has happened elsewhere.

This one is along the lines of The Pianist. It's well written, and provides another view into a time that I still can't fathom.

I just finished reading this book aloud to my wife. "Beautifully written" would be too little praise for this piece of fine literature. I found it reminiscent of Tolstoy at his best, but it stands on it's own. Andrzej Szczypiorski tells the story, not of Mrs. Seidenman, but of humanity. The only thing that I can compare this book to is the film "Decalogue" by his fellow Pole Krystof Kieslowski. It is full of, how shall I put it?, perhaps "tenderness" for the plight, and the beauty, of people with all of their humanity. Like Tolstoy, he does it without sentimentality and allows us to see beyond the surface of each character. And, also like Tolstoy, he does so with words, sentences, paragraphs, that seem to flow effortlessly.

Do not be decieved that this is merely a novel "about" the holocaust, or Poland, or Catholicism. It is about people. From the sympathetic whore who gives shelter to a desperate Jewish boy to the Nazi who orders the deaths of Jews. We discover that neither the whore nor the Nazi could have done anything other than what they did.

A wonderful writer. A wonderful book. Not just a good read but a great experience.

The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenman is one of the most beautifully written novels I have ever read. The author deftly weaves together several people's lives which converge during the same time period. There are no distilled characterizations of heroes or demons; rather, fairly ordinary and yet complex people who are trying to figure out how to live and survive in Nazi occupied Warsaw. To further exemplify how ordinary the characters are, Szczypiorski projects each person into their future to let the reader know what will become of him or her. This can be an artifical plot device but in this case, it is highely effecting. Moreover, it does not take the reader so much out of the present, rather it helps one to better undertand the complexity of each character--no matter how "simple" he or she may seem. This is a very full reading experience. It is thought provoking, affect laden and a really well told story. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the Holocaust and/or Poland.

I read this book in which I had briefly heard the story of Dr. Ben Carson and was amazed at all of his accomplishments. This book was very inspiring and should be recommended reading for all youths and even adults to show them that their dreams can come true. Dr. Carson's story has really helped to inspire me for when times start getting tough that I should look to god for guidance.

I really liked this book. It is a real story of Ben Carson. When he was young other children called him dummy. He always wanted to be a doctor. Sometimes he thought that it could never happen but his mom would cheer him up. I think it's a great influence to kids. You should read this great book. Jk

I have added this book to my classroom library for 5th graders. They enjoy reading books about diverse people. Ben Carson is our classroom hero!