Book Reviews/General Interest

Good Reads For Your Adventure Travels

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Please Note: The books and Audios reviewed here are my honest opinions. I received these unsolicited and free for promotional purposes, but I simply do not review the ones I do not believe to be review worthy.

Letters to Zerky by Bill Raney is a quick, easy read I couldn't put down. It is written in a unique way, as letters from Raney to his one year old son who accompanies him and his wife on an amazing round the world journey in a Volkswagon bus in the 1960's. As they move from country to country, traversing mountains and basking on beaches, hiking, tent camping, and meeting interesting people, Bill writes about the experiences, which his son shares but will not remember when he is grown. His wife, JoAnne Walker Raney keeps a Journal along the way and they take black and white photos. Her journal entries add to many of the letters. Unfortunately, both son and mother died in later years before the work book was written and without either re-reading the letters and journal which had been lost. When these were found Raney compiled them into a charming book which describes in vivid adjectives and down-to-earth, honest manner the way these countries were a half century ago. For inveterate travelers this window into the past is fascinating and alluring. For anyone it is a very interesting read and contains lots of history, geography, and maps and adorable black and white photos. You'll love this one!

Undress Me in the Temple of Heaven by Susan Jane Gilman is delightfully written as a memoire from a long ago trip around the world, which Gilman and her college friend Claire take in 1986. They left after their ivy-league graduation, to the dismay of their parents who thought they should get a job and that they were too young to travel on their own, totally naive to the perils and distresses of travel. Eager to see the world, Susan was from a poorer family in a rough New York City neighborhood, while her friend was from a wealthy family of Connecticut. The book details their fun and sometimes horrific adventures into the beyond, including China before it was officially open to tourists. They were sometimes victimized, sometimes lovingly welcomed into homes, often confused and many times ill. In those days of travel communication back home was extremely difficult, and when the phone calls did go through their families simply did not understand (nor would they tell) what they were actually going through. They made friends with strangers who helped or took advantage of them, and even fell head-over-heels in love with the unlikely odd-fellow. The book is delightfully written...I couldn't put it down!

From Beer to Maternity by Magie Lamond Simone is a delightful book about parenting, which will often make you laugh out loud. Told from her heart, Simone describes her venture into late marriage and becoming a parent at nearly midlife. She describes in great, true jest at herself, her experiences from learning to live alone, to mastering the dating game, to becoming a bride, then a parent, and then a second child. The antics and foibles are so very human and all so real...if you have lived any of these stages of life you have BEEN there, right along with her, and the book will make you laugh at yourself and take your problems less seriously...after all, life is NOW, and traumas usually have a way of working themselves out. A sense of humor along with a sense of wonder helps along the way. Buy this one now! A fun read to lighten your heart and your worries. (Brodman Publishing)

The Complete Book of Polymer Clay by Lisa Pavelka I have always loved to do arts and crafts and have worked with polymer clay many times, the great advantage being that you can bake it yourself in a low temperature oven. You can paint it, carve it, drop it and it won't break. It is ideal for children, but I never dreamed there were so many artistic ways for adults also to create with it. Pavelka has fifty gorgeous but easy to do unique projects to do with various colors of polymer clay. A professional artist, she has detailed and simple instructions for tools and equipment needed and photos showing the process for production of the items. You can produce many different finishes with her techniques, from faux opal and turquoise and ivory, to metal leafing, marbling, silk-screening, stamps, transfers, and other additions or tools that create amazing effects. You will love this book, from pre-teen to elderly! Great! (The Taunton Press)

Wildlife of South Africa, a photographic guide by Duncan Butchart This is the guide you will want to take with you for a safari in South Africa, so that you can identify almost every living thing you see! The book has about 150 pages with four beautiful color photos to a page and a paragraph about each one. The sections are Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, Frogs, Trees & Shrubs. For each photo the specimen is named with common and scientific names, and the length and status, and the best viewing tips are given for each. Each one is described in detail, including the mating habits, feeding habits, color, the sounds it makes, and many interesting details to help you identify and remember each one you see. This book is a MUST for anyone going to ANY African country. We were in Tanzania and the book easily identified all that we saw there. Highly recommended!

Field Guide to Wild Flowers of South Africa by John Manning This is the perfect guide for identifying wild flowers, over 1,000 pictured in gorgeous photos. The guide is also perfect for botanists and for hikers and gardeners. The plants are divided into 10 categories, according to similar characteristics, which are explained in the first few pages of the book. Then each flower pictured is verbally described in detail and a chart shows the peak blooming months and a little map shows where in South Africa each is most prolific. The book is a very valuable guide for anyone who loves flowers, and many of the species of other continents can be identified with this book also, since many have been sent to other countries and domesticated to their new homes. EXCELLENT!

The Fighting Tudors by David Loades For those readers that have an interest in English history and particularly the glorious period of the Tudor reign, David Loades' book The Fighting Tudors is a very interesting and different approach to an aspect of the Tudors that possibly defined not only their reigns but also the future of what became the British Empire. Loades takes each King and Queen of the Tudor dynasty and focuses on their approaches to military action and how it was used as a political tool to survive and to build a kingdom that carries an image which through the future centuries has fascinated people around the world. Beginning with Henry VII's victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field, Loades gives the reader insight into the behind the scenes evolution of Henry's early approach to the military defense of England in his wanting to build a Navy. As you move through the book, you become aware of the importance of these early steps in the military preparedness of Henry VII as they influence each of his Tudor successors through Elizabeth I and the relevance of the English Navy in light of how important this would be to building an Empire with the beginning of the Age of Discovery in the new world and the rise of power of Spain with its Aramada. Loades brings out how the approach to military action by the Tudors began to change the European perception of the English being somewhat barbarian, as Loades points out about Henry VIII's Field of Gold encounter with the French king, saying: "Two ancient enemies had been brought together in peaceful competition rather than in war, and Henry's image had been greatly enhanced. The general impression that the English were a collection of barbarians had been definitively dispelled." The insight into the short reign of the child king Edward VI is another aspect of this book that is not found in most history books of this period. All these accounts lead to the discussion of the reign of Elizabeth I, which takes up almost half of the book and is showing the culmination of the Tudor approach to military action and its effective use in both the political and image making context. Political leaders around the world today in these very image driven times could profit from a reading of this book. For me the book could not be read without the thought of how important these reigns were in setting the stage for such creative figures in the history of Britain as Sir Walter Ralegh, Shakespeare and Sir Thomas More. Not only is the book a very interesting and provocative read, but it is also well written and easy to comprehend.

Save the World & Still Be Home for Dinner by Will Marre Whether you work for a company, own the company, or are a home-maker or single person, this book is about finding out Who Am I? and What Am I Here For? What Is My Real Purpose On This Planet? How Can I Accomplish It? The author is an experienced company executive who has years of experience as advisor to corporate executives on how to put soul into the workplace. He also has the website SaveTheWorldBook.com where he has assessments you can take in order to find your passion, what you were designed by your Creator to do, and how to access your power to accomplish your dreams. The book is Christian in principles but can be a help to any person of any faith or no faith. It is a wonderful tool to find your true Self, your Real Person who does the overseeing and internal assessment of your life and your body. That is the place to find where you really want to be going, what you REALLY want to be doing, and HOW to get there, without stressing or overworking or staying away from your family to accomplish your goals. When you are in the right place doing what you are designed to do, following your own passion, things seem to fall into place and you are happy. This book is the tool you need to get there. EXCELLENT!

Dying: A Practical Guide for the Journey by Peter Fox and Sue Wood So far as I can tell, this book is the first of its kind and should be in EVERY home. The two authors are experienced hospice volunteers and have had much experience helping the dying and their families. With great sensitivity and practical advice, they detail how to handle every aspect of the dying process, which we all will face with loved ones and for ourselves at some point. The book discusses the what to do when you or your loved one receives word that deat is approaching quickly, and how to experience in the best way possible all the intervening stages until the final demise. Emotions, legalalities, friends, family, personal getting things in order, denial, and grieving, and acceptance are all discussed with practical and very helpful advice of how to get through each stage are thoroughly covered in this book. I recommend that every home should have this on a bookshelf for when it is needed because at that time no one thinks clearly. EXCELLENT!

Digitally Daunted: The Consumer's Guide to Taking Control of the Technology in Your Life by Sean Westcott and Jean Riescher Westcott

Yes, I am frequenetly "digitally daunted," and I live in a small town where there are few computer gurus. This is just the book I needed. It is written in very simple terms, not "computer geek-ese" and it is not going to frighten the beginner away. I think it would be a good first book for mddle and high school students to understand computers and other digital machines beyond just experimentally learning how to use them and get by. The book is well indexed and covers about anything you need to know in order to make a wise purchas or trouble shoot your own equipment. They cover not only computers and Internet, but also cameras, telephones, cell phones, CD and DVD machines, game machines, Televisions, and much more. This is the book to read before you buy and as you struggle to learn how to use new equipment, and how to trouble shoot your own problems or whether or not to call a repair person. This book should be in every home where there is not a resident Geek!

Gaza Graffiti by Mia Grandahl is a beautifully printed book from Cairo University Presss. It is filled with photographs of the graffiti which fills the streets of Gaza. Street artists seemingly make use of every available blank space, with spray paint quickly rendering loud messages in words and pictures. In the 1980's a law was passed permitting graffiti as long as it was quality art work, and later a five million dollar gift from Japan to clean up the street art was given. The graffiti was laboriously overpainted with white paint, just creating new canvas space for the determined artists, who want to decorate the otherwise bleakly drab streets they walk through every day. The book shows and translates the messages of love and po9litics and tells the story of one of the most difficult places to live in our present world. But the heart of the artists is still determined to make an impact and a difference. The book will do so in your life too.

Letters From Africa by Dr. Cynthia Tuthill , details five years of African safaris in honor of the death of her best friend, an astronaut on the space shuttle Columbia. More than Just a Safari, this is an adventure into the African wild. Each year she traveled to Africa she would write letters about the trip to her late friend's sisters in India. But after realizing so many people could benefit by learning about the African continent, eco-safari travel, and

using one's vacation money to benefit Africans and their native animals

she decided to turn her stories into a book. Letters From Africa teaches people to spend their money in an ecologically and ethically sensitive way. It is for anyone interested in other cultures, nature, travel and adventure. Not intended for those on a low-end travel budget, but rather for those who want to experience the heart of Africa and everything it has to offer. Readers will be taken through the countries of Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia to experience nature at its finest. Tuthill immerses the reader in the very same thrills that she experienced,

from walking safaris that take you deep into the jungle to quiet waterways filled with hippos and crocodiles. Recalling the time they were surrounded by lions in a broken down vehicle and the time they were charged by a protective female elephant, you will revel in the joy of nature by watching lions and elephants during the day and listening to the sound of the African bush at night

Homebuying: Tough Times, First Time, Any Time by Michele Lerner is a MUST for anyone thinking of buying a home. Lerner is an expert and experienced realtor who shares her vast knowledge of the pitfalls and joys of selecting a home to lease or purchase, and how to decide which one to do. She explains thoroughly and in easy to understand language how to secure financing, find a good agent or realtor, what to consider when selecting the neighborhood in which to prospect, and insights into the leagalities, taxes, insurance, closing issues, contracts, inspections, etc. Her very sage advice is to get EVERYTHING in writing. This is a great handbook for anyone seeking a new home and for realtors to use with their clients.

Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks is a fascinating book that reads as easily as a novel, although Sacks is a British neurologist who is discussing what he has observed in scores of patients for whom music is therapeudic in many unpredictable, unforeseeable ways. Some are victims of severe accidents, strokes, illness, paranoia, lightning strikes, or genetic diseases. Many of these patients have become suddenly gifted in music in some way or other, or their love for one type of music suddenly changes to a drastically different type which proves to have a healing affect on them. The book is enormous in the impact of Dr. Sacks findings, for the field of medicine and psychology and for anyone interested or gifted in music. When one says he is born with the gift of music, Dr. Sacks agrees that some actually are. This book is a wonderful read. We are actually tuned physically by the music we hear or play. And some specially gifted people are born with the ability to hear music that has never been played and then create it. Others find this is a strange gift as the result of a bad accident or illness. Amazing! I'm glad he has actually studied and documented these patients and their phenomenons for medical history.

Around Africa On My Bicycle by Riaan Manser is undoubtedly an amazing read. This South African young man decided to journey all over Africa on his bicycle and he spent over two years pedaling through 34 different countries! His stories are of courage and endurance against some inhuman odds, illness, all kinds of weather, and events that would frighten most people away from unsettled countries. You'll be astounded at how he handles everything from flu on the road, to falling into open sewers, to sleeping under the stars all alone, to winging his way through getting visas rapidly in places that normally take days. His experiences in embassies, hospitals, homes, rural places and cities will thrill and apall you. I couldn't help thinking he must be crazy to put himself through such an ordeal, day after day, week after week, and yet I envied him the opportunities and experiences he shares with his readers. This is a wonderful book and Manser made a world first in doing this marvelous feat. You won't be able to put the book down!

Negative Space by Noma Bar ... Wow, what a book! Bar is an artist with the power to make very simple pictures using strong, stark lines and empty shapes in bold colors. His art seems simplistic at a glance, but they will arrest your eyes, your imagination, and your soul and keep you thinking about the pictures for days. His portrays many of the world's greatest problems: death, depression, divorce, war, stalkers, hate, spiders, cancer, anxiety, to mention a few depicted in the book. The single bold image you see first captures your attention, then you read the title and look at the negative space and the art speaks volumes from the artist's imagination to stimulate your imagination while you ponder the deep subject of each painting. This book is one you and your friends will pour over time and time again, marveling at the novelty and profoundness of the art and the artist. A MUST!

American Idle: A Journey Through Our Sedentary Culture by Mary Collins is such an interesting take on our way of life in North America. The physically active author had a severe bike accident, which drastically impaired her health. In her eagerness to regain some mobile abilities she began a study of movement and its ability to empower us. She began to realize how important being outdoors in green space is and that adults and children in our culture live almost entirely indoors and don't move their bodies any more than necessary. Collins has spent years studying the importance of movement and outdoor exercise to our overall health and writes about her findings, including physical, mental, and spiritual. Many interesting findings and simple ways to alter our family lives are included in this astonishing book. A must read!

My Extraordinary Life and Death by Doug Macleod is a cleverly, curiously, comically appealing little book that will make you smile throughout. The author declares that his life is boring, so he imagines a fantastically whimsical life with situations and people that are impossibly, irresistibly fanciful. The illustrations, which look like small woodcuts, are appropriately outrageous. Since the book is a spree of imagination, the author can also describe his ridiculous death. It is a delightful read and a cute gag gift for anyone. Teens will love this one too.

BIG: The 50 Greatest World Record Catches with the magnificent art of Flick Ford and the well researched text of Mike Rivkin just came out October 2009. The 14" by 11" book is an intriguing collection of art and stories and factual information that even those not into fishing will find worth owning. A great deal of research went into documenting the 50 world record catches along with finding archival photographs to go with each of the record catches. The book could stand alone as an art book on the basis of the art of Flick Ford in the detailed portraits of the 50 species of fish dealt with in this book. Flick's first book FISH: 77 Great Fish of North America, published in 2006, was widely acclaimed, winning the bronze Independent Publisher Book Award for the best coffee table book. As the reader of BIG: The 50 Greatest World Record Catches, I first was fascinated by the pictures of each of the different species of world record catches depicted in the colorful, detailed art of Ford, but as I began to read about the individual record catches, I was drawn into a wonderful world of stories and yarns that allowed me to vicariously experience the adventure of going after and attaining a record catch. The archival photos also brought a reality to the record catches. The book is certainly a wonderful coffee table collectable, but whoever opens the pages will definitely give this book more than a cursory look. I marveled at the time and effort that had to have gone into the making of the book. From the story of Alfred C. Glassell, Jr.'s catch of the record 1,560 pound monster black marlin off the coast of Peru to the story of George Perry landing the record large mouthed bass of 22 pounds 4 ounces, the book takes the reader beyond just the documented facts of each record catch. The book is a terrific conversation piece that will not only illicit a great deal of comment but also become a reference volume that artfully answers a lot of questions about the quests for the biggest catches in the world

Fresh Cut Flowers by Gregory Milner is an expert guide to selecting and caring for cut flowers. The book is so beautiful it will be a prized coffee table display in any home. The book is a most unusually helpful guide to bouquets for any occasion. Each double page has an exquisite photograph, making the book a treasure of anyone who likes flowers (and who doesn't?) Most of us have had the occasion of spending a good deal of money at a florist shop only to be dismayed that the floral display was drooping or turning yellow after only a couple of days, when the money spent should merit it lasting at least a week. This book tells what kind of flowers to buy for each occasion, from weddings to intimate dinners. And it tells in details how to keep each looking perky for much longer, thus saving the price of the book in just a few visits to the florist. The second part of the book is a complete encyclopedia of flowers suitable for cutting, with beautiful photos of each and interesting details about the history and traditional use of each, as well as how to receive the most benefit from each occasion of use. This is a book to treasure for years!

Find Your Courage by Margie Warrell: This book is an excellent guide for gaining courage in the work place and in life. The author divides her tips into twelve Acts for Becoming Fearless At Work and in Life. She discusses different types of courage and how to gain it: Courage to take responsibility, live with integrity, challenge the stories you are living and telling, and to dream bigger. When you put courate into action you must be yourself, speak up, take action, persevere, and learn how to say no to what you really know you do not want to do or are not capable of doing. Finally, courage can become, with practice, a way of BEING: living with an open heart, letting go, and being a leader by your actions. This book is filled with wisdom for anyone to apply in any situation. It would make a perfect gift for graduates or those entering a new career.

Nature's Design: Exploring the Mysteries of the Natural World by Richard Thompson is a very informative and fascinating book. Starting with the importance of grasslands to the survival of humanity and addressing the climatic changes that could cause severe prolonged droughts, the author walks the reader through the development of flora and fauna throughout the world. This is much more than ecology or evolution or protecting our environments: this is the global picture of how and why the web of all life works together. It is a masterpiece of writing and explaining scientific findings in lay terms. He uses African landscape and animals for most of his examples, telling amazing facts about many species. I couldn't put the book down and read from start to finish! I highly recommend it.

Forget Me Not, A Memoir by Jennifer Lowe Anker is the poignant story of the love and adventures of the world renowned mountaineer, Alex Lowe, who, at age 40, was killed in 1999 in an avalanche in the Himalayas. The book was written by his widow as a tribute to their loving relationship and memoir of their experiences together and of how she survived her tragic loss along with their three children. Alex's climbing partner, Conrad Anker, survived the avalanche and had to cope with his deep grief and feelings of guilt. He and Jennifer found the way to cope through helping each other remember, and the two ultimately fell in love. The book is unforgettable and insprirational for anyone, lifting us to the highest reaches of human life possible and surviving the lowest depths of human grief and surviving and attaining joy again after tremendous sorrow. The book is a MUST and an excellent read for any trip.

The Food Tree by Ranveig H. Elvebakk, M.D. is THE book and guide that every overweight or tired individual needs to relearn healthy eating habits and achieve optimum health and weight WITHOUT DIETING. The book is based on the pyramid of foods that our bodies need, with proteins being the main source to build good health and prevent hunger. Fruits and vegetables are next in importance as the source of nutrients needed, then good fats from healthy oils and nuts. And finally in the least proportions are the healthy carbohydrates and sugars. The book explains the science and psychology that controls the metabolism and thoughts we have about food. The author gives great tricks to retrain our thinking and habits in order to remake our bodies into younger looking and higher energy lean machines that carry us through life. This is not a diet book but one that teaches us how to choose the foods that keep us satisfied and healthy, without cravings that undermine and destroy dieting efforts. The book is EXCELLENT and the only guide you will ever need to creating the body and good health you desire, without feeling deprived. Order it today and begin to feel good, lower your weight, increase your energy, lower your cholesterol, and get off medicines by learning how to eat for health and enjoyment. The author has also created a website to give help as needed and products to order for easy, healthy snacking to keep you on the right track.

The Inner Life of Martin Frost (From the Book of Illusions) by Paul Auster & Illustrated by Glenn Thomas This is a strangely beautiful work of art, with each page created as a separate work of art in itself. The type is arranged into different patterns on each page and tells a continuous and fascinating little story, while the bold drawings on each page cause pause for study. They are interesting and beautiful designs that baffled me. It is a book and a story to be perused over and again, a most unusual art piece in and of itself.

Deedee Devine's Totally Skewed Guide To Life by Diana Estill is a delightfully humorous read, especially for moms. The author, writing from her experience of helping four children grow up successfully, two to whom she gave birth and two from her second marriage, has a tongue in cheek way of telling many experiences familiar to every mother. With wit reminiscent of Erma Bombeck, the author will have you chuckling at her wit and wisdom and the philosophy, adopted only in her senior years, that she has enough age to speak her mind frankly and sometimes shocklingly, uncensored. She had pithy commentaries and funny stories about losing weight, shopping, gardening, romance, health and beauty, handling holidays and leisure time. This is a fun read and would make a great Mother's Day gift for young and older moms.

Sew What! Bags by Lexie Barnes, the renowned designer for diaper bags, craft bags, laptop carriers and more. In her new book Lexie shares with the reader her ways of creating unique and functional bags, from the inside out. She explains details of how to sew for beginners and fabric selection tips for all. She explains how to create a bag for the particular function you need, by planning the inside first, measuring correctly, and constructing it easily in a few short hours of fun. She has instructions for 18 different kinds of bags, all made without patterns. You will have fun with this book's ideas and learn many how to tricks of the trade. it would make an excellent summer projects plan for any young seamstress to feel successful and create gifts for everyone.

Man Crafts from Popular Mechanics This little book is a delightful visit to the past, with skills still popular and interesting for today. When men returned from World War II, in which they had learned how to make things they needed, continued using the skills they had gained to create new businesses or as hobbies. This book, which shows the beginning of the Baby Boom era, is not only nostalgic but also teaches skills which men and boys (women too) will enjoy in spare time today. These skills can create or restore household items, utilitarian or for decoration, and interesting gifts. The activities can become fun hobbies, especially for parent and child to do together. In these tough times some of these skills could become a business for the industrious who enjoy working with their hands. The book covers these skills: saw carpentry, leathercraft, bookbinding, block printing, axe craft, tin can craft, braiding and knotting, fly tying, cartooning, and hand lettering.

Decorating...The Professional Touch by Carol Donayre Bugg This lovely book is filled with photos and commentaries by Carol, who has spent forty years in what she loves: helping people express themselves tastefully in their homes and businesses. Carol's husband, Jim, and she started their marriage and their franchise decorating business, Decorating Den, four decades ago and have decorated homes all over the world, working for average people and for stars, politicians, and royalty. They have experiences and credits to their business that make for a friendly, personal read, which will help you find your own style for decorating, or you can order their help. A lovely coffee table book to display.

The Other Queen: A Novel by Philippa Gregory This outstanding author has done it again: created an historical fiction novel which helps the time in history live in your imagination. I did not particularly like the form she uses, each chapter with a different narrator speaking as he or she experiences the events, because much of the information was redundant. However, I gained great insight and sympathy for Mary Queen of Scots as she was held prisoner by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I of England. All the history I had read before showed Elizabeth in great favor. I came to realize, by reading this novel, how convoluted and cruel royal history is. The many contenders who have been killed through the years, in protection of the monarchy, have probably been only seeking what could have rightfully been theirs, as is Mary in this novel. My heart went out to her in her plight, but her coniving and wiles and connections are full of fascinating and amazing intrigue. The state of womanhood in England during this period of history is shown through several different characters in dramatic ways you won't forget. As all of her faithful followers know, Philippa Gregory is perhaps the BEST writer of historical fiction in our times. Worth a read!

People of the Book: A Novel by Geraldine Brooks. The Pulitzer Prize wining author, with much historical research, has imagined the various situations and trials and interactions of people who help save The Sarajevo Haggadah, a precious treasure of Judaism. Through hundreds of years, this hand scribed and lavishly illustrated book, which teaches part of the observances of the Passover celebration of Jewish homes, has been saved from extinction. During periods when books are burned, all other copies of The Book were destroyed, and Jews were killed, the book is hidden by different people, some of whom are not Jewish, even people of Islam and Christian faiths. Each person into whose care the book falls has his or her life endangered if the book were to be found. The real book is discovered and saved through the efforts and sleuth of a young woman called to a library to make a speech and dedicate the new display of the long lost Haggadah. Although I felt this novel was a bit difficult to read, it is a well plotted historical fiction that puts the reader in the places of possible persecution. People of the Book made me realize how fortunate I am to live in a time and place where I can read or worship as I choose. The book if very thought provoking and pertinent to the world's current situation, well worth a read.

Jake's Closet DVD by Barbara Gruen, Ben Bode, Sean Bridgers, and Brooke Bloom is a MUST SEE for parents contemplating divorce. The independent film is the story of a yound child whose parents are going through a divorce. The movie depicts in a moving way how young Jake copes with the terrifying situation. Although his parents try to make him understand and make the transition smooth for him, he is overwhelmed with his imagination of monsters he believes to be in his closet. The storyline of the DVD is well written and the actors do an excellent job. The film is captivating as well as enlightening. The extras on the DVD include excellent resources for families in this struggle, including phoneline help and counseling on screen, and private counsellors to contact. Because the tragedy of divorce affects each family member for the rest of their lives, devastates innocent children, and creates a lot of the poverty in the Western World, this film fills a great need in our world. By all means, if your marriage is in trouble, get this DVD. It could save your home and your children. A MUST SEE!!

Changing the Channel: 12 Easy Ways to Make Millions for Your Business by Michael Masterson and MaryEllen Tribby Whether your business is a storefront, online, sales, or any other, this book is a wealth of knowledge to help any business succeed. These authors have totaled 59 years of business successes and have graciously shared all the tricks of marketing with the readers. You may think you know all the channels of promoting your business, but it is almost certain you have not tried ALL of the twelve described in detailed How To's in this book. It covers direct online marketing, socila media, public relations, radio and television and radio advertising, direct space ads, event marketing, telesales, telemarketing, joint ventures, affiliate marketing, and direct mail. Each chapter tells how to do each of these types of marketing, the difficulties and the benefits of doing each correctly. This is an excellent and timely book with so many thinking of stimulating their business in this economy.

Food to Some, Poison to Others: The Food Allergy Detection Program by Terry Traub and David E. Allen If you have problems with indigestion, rashes, sneezing, or other discomforts it may be due to food allergies. These are very difficult to identify because we do not eat isolated foods but many ingredients mixed together. This book details how you can cure yourself by identifying the foods that make you feel ill. It is an arduous process that required discipline while you are identifying the culprits, but the rewards of feeling good again are worth it. This book tells you what you can eat and what you must eliminate during the identifying process and tells you step by step how to go about the task. Unless you suffer you will not be willing to go through this process, but if you are one of the millions of allergy sufferers, this is a priceless guide of how to cure yourself. It works! and it IS worth the effort. This book is the best yet in how to go about the process. You CAN do it!

Move It. Lose It. Live Healthy. Achieve a Healthier Workplace One Employee at a Time! by Thomas B. Gilliam; Jane Neill This excellent book is your company or family guide to a healthy and fun lifestyle. Explaining the basics of proper nutrition and fun ways to exercise, the authors detail the necessity of helping pre schoolers learn these healthy habits and learn why their bodies need for them to choose nutritious foods, not to develop bad eating habits,or smoking or alcohol. This book is a good guide to helping correct the problems with the current generation of youngsters who are the most obese, least exercised of any generation in history and the health problems for them as adults are staggering. This book presents adorable characters, Heart "E" and his friends, who help the parent teach the child how his body functions and which of these friends can help and which ones can hurt him and how he can protect himself from the harmful ones that destroy his body. This is an EXCELLENT book for all your employees so you have a lower insurance cost with healthier workers and for the whole family to change to healthy, life enhancing life styles and have FUN and enjoyment while doing so. It is packed with great physical and scientific information but explained in simple to understand and follow ways. This is a MUST for every family...give your children and yourself the gift of happy energy, feeling great, and adult good health!

World Almanac and Book of Facts2009 This book of up to date facts is a reference every home should have. It has been published annually , for over a century but now has a website that is updated very frequently to keep the latest edition even more up to the minutes. You can find facts about history, famous people, politics, economics, sports, geography, weather, and so much more. And the book has many photos and highly readable text, making it fun to peruse. It is the perfect homework reference for kids. And what you remember from your times of reading it make for very interesting conversations. Keep informed in the easiest way by keeping this book of facts at your fingertips.

More Alive With Color: Personal Colors Personal Style By Leatrice Eiseman is the second book by the world renowned color authority who helps people and businesses feel alive by choosing the right colors for their look and mood and for the image they want to create. In this book Ms. Eiseman has made it very simple and fascinating for every person, no matter what his or her skin color or nationality, to create their own very best looks. Instead of choosing colors by season, as was the classification in the Color Me Beautiful scheme years ago, the Colortime Pallettes are named by time of day: Sunrise, Sunlight, and Sunset. There are charts of these color pallettes and directions as to how to ascertain which is most beautiful for you. A chapter deals with color to fit your changing moods and various needs throughtout a day or a lifetime. By using your Colortime Pallette to create your wardrobe, it becomes easy to decide what to wear for each occasion and how to pack easily for business or pleasure because everything coordinates, saving you time and money. This book is a MUST for everyone who feels frumpy or who wants to make a good business impression, or who just wants to feel great about looking in the mirror.

The Cults of Relativity by Drake Larson is an exploration and contradiction of many of the hallmarks of long accepted, irrefutible truths of physics and thermodynamics. Basing his book on the principles Einstein put forth and the wise sayings of Mark Twain, Larson refutes and expands Laws of science such as the Theory of Relativity and the Laws of Thermodynamics by playing with bizarre ideas of his questioning mind. He uses simple, everyday examples like cue balls in pool and playing BlackJack to demonstrate and explain in laymen's terms many mathematical equations he has developed to prove that 100 years of advancement in science means many Laws need to be expanded and re thought. He intersperses the worlds of statistics and relativity and transforms tabooed paradoxes into amazing solutions in areas as yet uncharted. Is there energy exceeding the speed of light within a Black Hole? He explores this and other forbidden questions, to the point of being called a crackpot, but perhaps he will win a Nobel Prize someday when his discoveries are finally declared the new Laws. Weren't Galileo, Newton, and even Einstein considered irreverent, evil quacks in their day? This is a book for scientists and advanced math students, but not for general audience, even though it is written with a playful tone.

Urban Iran by Mark Batty, Publisher This book made me sad. The photos depict art found in today's cities of Iran, principally in Tehran. With the political strife of the last few decades and the iron leadership of a theocratic government artists have been severely limited or censured in what they are allowed to say or portray, so art in every form nearly died. Yet artists are born and yearn to create. Recently they have become emboldened in what they are presenting, often disguised but giving hidden messages, which people are beginning to discern. This book catalogues the often angry art found in public places and in even children's books today in Iran. The artists were interviewed and speak out with careful articulation about their plight and the stirrings of protest. It is a fascinating book but makes one sad to see the grief expressed in the art. This is a bold, history making book, important for the world to see and important as future documentation of life in today's Iran.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh: First Lady of the Air by Kathleen C. Winters is a beautifully written biography of the wife of Charles Lindbergh, the world famous pilot. She also was a pilot, one of the early female pilots, and was co pilot and navigator for her husband, who could have chosen any other for important job. Anne has been revered as an author for years for her well loved books, the most famous being the timeless Gift From The Sea, still a best seller after over half a century. But her life as a pilot and a pioneer in aviation history had not been explored, and Winters does a fine job with this part of Anne's early life, which she left behind when she became a mother. The new biography is excellent and sure to become a mainstay of aviation history.

A Lawyer's Journey: The Morris Dees Story by Morris Dees with Steve Fiffer is an autobiography which reads like a novel. It is Morris' story of growing up in a share cropper's family on a cotton farm in Mississippi in the post Depression years. He worked in the fields with the black laborers, whom he heard talking among themselves as no other white ears could hear. With a compassionate father who treated negroes kindly in a period and place when other whites treated them cruelly or unfairly, Morris' character was developed to be sympathetic to the underlings of society. He grew up to be a successful lawyer and founded the Southern Poverty Law Center, which fairly and without charging represents poor clients so they can receive just treatment in a legal system which still favors the rich, white accused. The book is a compelling and poignant read and one you cannot put down. It will pull your heart strings and educate you to cruel realities in America today. An excellent book you won't want to miss.

1,000 Dollars and an Idea: Entrepreneur to Billionaire by Sam Wyly, a self made billionaire who grew up in Louisiana. You'll love the way this, one of the 1,000 richest people in the world, tells his story and his life lessons in a folksy, down home, down to earth conversational tone. He shares the simple lessons he learned as a child listening to his father and friends talk in the barber shop about hedging their loans on their cotton crops to pay off the bank in the fall, and from his mother, who put a few dollars into a savings account for his future college funds and explained that if he added more dollars regularly the savings would grow because he was not spending his money and because the bank would pay him to leave his money with them for those years. Sam's family lost their home and had to move to a cabin with no water or electricity because of the crop failure, and from this childhood experienc, which became his finance lesson, Sam ultimately started the Maverick Capital and Ranger Capital Hedge Funds. He shares how to realize your dreams, overcome failures, and reach your full potential and at the same time build companies that are good for your employees and co workers's success and happiness also. The book is Wyly's autobiography and also an inspiring business guide.

Baseball Bits by Dan Schlossberg is the author's newest of 33 books on the subject. Dan, a sportswriter for AP for 38 years knows all the stats about this favorite sport of the USA. Even if you think you know everything about baseball and its players and teams, you gotta get this book, chock full of fascinating tidbits and baseball trivia that will make your watching the game so much more fun! :Baseball Bits

Chicken Soup for the Soul: a Tribute to Moms by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, and Patty Aubery If you already are familiar with the Chicken Soup series, you know in advance you are in for another treat with the newest Chicken Soup for the Soul book. This one is PERFECT for any mom you know and love. It is filled with heart warming stories and memories of excellent writers who share their intimate, loving moments they recollect with their mothers. You will laugh, shed a few tears, and cherish this book for years of re reading. It is very special.

One Month To Live by Kerry and Chris Shook This book is not what I thought it would be from the title. I had expected to be reviewing a book that talked to cancer or other dying patients to uplift them. However, this is a book for everyone, and it is excellent. The authors advise us to imagine what if we had but one month to live... how would we spend our time? This really makes you put your priorities in order. The challenge is to live this way for thirty days, doing only what really matters to you, spending quality time with family and friends, drawing closer to nature, God, or your higher power, and cherishing each moment. The book is one we should take to heart and live by, because this is not a dress rehearsal, and no one knows how many more days he or she has...each day must be treasured and lived to its fullest. A terrific guide.

Your Survival: The Complete Resource for Disaster Planning and Recovery By Dr. Bob Arnot and Mark Cohen is THE essential book for every home and office. Dr. Bob Arnot, who has travelled the globe as a humanitarian and reporter and chief medical correspondent for NBC and CBS, has compiled a very complete wealth of information on how to prepare for any kind of emergency situation, from floods, mudslides, earthquakes, tornadoes, terrorist attacks, bird flu, and any other of life's crises. This 148 page handbook has excellent worksheets and checklists, as well as sage advice for getting one through a disaster. The book comes with a 90 minute DVD which gives the advice of top experts on how to plan for any emergency, and the DVD has fascinating, although harrowing, personal accounts from those who have lived through various kinds of disasters and what they would do from what their experience taught them. Dr. Arnot has also thoughtfully built a website with up to the minute advice and predictions about current issues. He has built this as a place to go if you experience a disaster and have no other way to contact loved ones: a Family Meeting Place On line. The book is a MUST and the perfect gift for any household. To be prepared and knowledgeable is to survive even the wors experiences. This book tells it all, from personal care to home care and financial preparation.

ON THE NATURE OF FOOD ALLERGY BY DR. PAUL J. HANNAWAY is a complete guide to food allergies. This is a book that is an absolute MUST for allergic persons, their loved ones, health professionals, and restauranteers. In this book Dr. Hannaway gives encyclopedic details of food allergies, what causes them, and how to avoid or handle reactions to foods.Until reading this book I was not aware of just how serious food allergies can be, how difficult it is to completely avoid the foods one is known to be allergic to, and how quickly one can die from an allergic reaction. In addition to explaining the vital necessity of an allergic person having not one but two epi pens on his or her person at all times, but also the importance of knowing how to use one correctly, as even the majority of health care professionals do not know that it must be administered in the muscle, not sub cutaneously. One of the most useful, yet frightening, aspects of this book is the doctor's detailing of hidden uses of culprit foods as additives to various other prepared foods. Did you know someone allergic to peanuts can die from being kissed by someone who ate peanuts or from handling playing cards which a peanut eater previously used? Or that shrimp shells are a component of glucosamine? Vital information for someone allergic to shellfish! By all means get this book!

Complete Idiot's Guide to The World of Harry Potter by Tere StoufferWhen I got this book I thought it might just be a recap of the Harry Potter books, all of which I enjoyed immensely. However, to my surprise and delight this is truly a GUIDE, although certainly not written for idiots, despite the catchy name of the series of excellent and informative books! Instead, it holds a wealth of fascinationg knowledge, showing that J.K. Rowling really researched her fantastic stories in minute detail,rather than making it all up. In this guide, which you can use like a dictionary to look up terms you don't understand in the British or archaic language, or which you can enjoy reading straight through and devouring the knowledge of medieval practices, beliefs, cures, spells, and more. You can understand terms used in fairy tales and old English and Celtic lore; increase your vocabulary to include many real words you didn't know; understand references to mythological traditions and floklore; have insight into the beliefs and legends of Egyptian, Greek, Mesopotamian, and Roman gods and traditions. You will learn about many herbs and the actual medicinal practices of ancient times, on which Rowling bases her potions. And, of course, many of the references and situations in the Harry Potter Series are explained and clarified, without ruining the plot of those you haven't yet read. This is a fascinating book to read even if you have not read the Rowling books. I highly recommend it!

Seasons Among the Vines: Life Lessons from the California Wine Country by Paula Moulton is an excellent new book any reader would enjoy. Written by a woman who is not your typical "farmer" but an upscale business person and single mother, widowed just before her book was released. Paula wrote the book with the seasons of the year in farming in mind, but all the stories illustrate also the seasons of life. The personal lessons she learned in growing the grapes are extrapolated to apply to wine making and to life itself. The deep emotional and spiritual meanings are not spelled out, so each reader can draw his or her own lessons as the seem to apply to life's experience. The book is unique and wonderful. I highly recommend it!

Parowan Gap by V. Garth Norman tells about Nature's Perfect Observatory . This book describes an earth shaking discovery in Utah where ancient petroglyphs have told revealed the brilliance of ancient Native American tribes for centuries. There are over 90 panels drawn on the rocks and over 1500 figures. In 1993 Norman, a renowned archeologist, began the project to decipher these drawings. Ultimately it was realized that Fremont tribes and others from as far away as MesoAmerica traveled through here and communicated with intricate and accurate calendars at this place where rocks form a natural calendar to calculate what to do in each season. Fascinating!

Voices of Breast Cancer: The Healing Companion is a new book , just released this month LaChance Publishing Company, is an anthology of stories, essays, and experiences of fifty breast cancer patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. These give personal experiences of struggles, strength, hope, and joy and grief concerning the disease. The stories are efforts by the writers to give courage, comfort and strength to those facing breast cancer diagnosis and treatments.This is an excellent and heartfelt book that will inspire and help so many, and one you will definitely want to read and to give as gifts to friends and loved ones who have been diagnosed. The book follows Voices of Lung Cancer and Voices of Alzheimer's, published earlier in 2007 and all available in bookstores everywhere. A hundred percent of the profits go to The Healing Project , founded by Debra LaChance to give avenues of support for patients, family members, and caregivers. The book is timely in celebration of National Breast Cancer Month in October.

Spanish At Your Fingertips by Clark M. Zlotchew, Ph.D. is thorough enough to be a Spanish textbook. The book is extremely well written and divided into easy to understand chapters, which cover every part of grammar and are easy to flip to the part you need for the moment. The serious student of Spanish will find this is the only book he/she needs. Having studied Spanish myself, I found the chapter on Commonly Confused Verbs especially helpful, as it explains very well the fine nuances of the language so you don't end up calling someone boring when you actually mean he is bored. Of course, these are very important fine points to understand and remember if you intend to converse in Spanish. This is not written as a traveler's guide, although it would be a good reference if you tuck it into your suitcase.

What Next? by Linda Schurman is an astute account of the world's affairs, political, ecological, and economic, as they are today. Linda, a well known astrologer makes dire predictions about where we are headed as a world, but she emphasizes it is up to us...we have choices, because although the planets and heavens have patterns that are read as given proclivities to certain events, they are not absolute because mankind's will can change events or prevent some. The book is important reading for our time, because we are running out of time for changing our fate. For professionals, Shurman gives official astrological charts to back up all her predictions. For the general public, we need this book to wake us up to what will likely happen if we don't act now. A MUST READ! I highly recommend this book.

From Book to Bestseller by Penny Sansevieri is the book you need if you intend to self publish and also if you are published by a major publisher. The author, who has seven other titles to her credit, is an expert in how to promote yourself and your book on Television, radio, book signings and other ways. She discusses the secrets of writing books that sell, creating unique marketing campaigns, budgeting, and more. This is THE book that authors need! Excellent!

A Woman's Guide To Saving Her Own Life by Mellanie True Hills is one EVERY woman must read and take “to heart.” It is Mellanie's story of nearly dying of heart disease. Few women realize that in the United States one woman dies every minute of heart disease, 10 times as many as die of breast cancer and 5 times as many as from all cancers! Heart disease and stroke are responsible for 40% of women's deaths, even young women and those who don't smoke and are without history of high cholesterol or high blood pressure. Heart disease kills more women than men, and yet we don't hear about it. This book details the warning signs and has excellent instructions for changing our lifestyles to prevent heart disease. This is a MUST for all women and men who love them.

Traveling With Grandkids by Dean and Nancy Hoch If you have grandchildren and already travel with them or never even thought of doing so, this is a book you MUST have. The Hochs, experienced grandparents and professional travel writers, have loaded this fun to read book with sage advice and practical tips about having these little companions on long to be remembered trips. Chapters include discussions of everything from where to go and when to choice of modes of transportation, planning tips, setting rules, fun and teaching along the way, health and safety concerns, and following up after a trip. These memories you'll create for yourself and your grandkids are priceless and their treasured legacy for all their lives. The book also contains a Suitcase Full of Resources for US and International destinations they have personally tested and recommend, websites, contact lists, and travel checklist. This book is terrific!!!

The Post Petroleum Survival Guide and cookbook by Albert Bates is an intriguing and well constructed look at what every citizen in the oil addicted world should know and begin to move toward if any kind of survival is possible when oil is no longer readily available. Bates begins by giving convincing evidence that the availability of plenty of oil and gas is not in the world’s future. But the book is not a dooms day end of the world account. After explaining the supply/demand situation for the world relying mainly on oil and gas as the key source of energy, he then goes on to spend most of the book detailing ways in which the average consumer can begin to do things in a daily way that will make everyone less dependent on petroleum as the main energy source. The book details everything from creating one’s own energy supplies to food preparation and storage to the way to save in transportation. The margins of each page of the book contains menus of dishes that help to form a more energy efficient approach to cooking. The book is well written with good explanations of approaches the author feels are key to beginning the change to living in a world without abundant petroleum supplies.

The Miracle Within by Jack McCubbin, MD, with Cathy Schaffer is a beautiful portrayal and detailed account of the growth of the fetus from conception to birth. All the scientific facts of conception and cell division and growth are explained and illustrated by photographs, a miracle itself in our times. Even if you are a grandmother, you will learn much about what happens during the stages of pregnancy, and the text is scientifically correct yet poetically beautiful and sensitive. Special quatations about motherhood from well known persons are inscribed on many pages. The book is a treasure and a perfect gift for anyone who is expecting.

Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid by Jimmy Carter is President Carter's latest book, which is a very insightful look at the perplexing ongoing situation between Isreal and the Palestinians. For any reader it is a great recounting of the events that have taken place since 1967 with many behind the scenes happenings between President Carter and key players in the middle east before during and after his presidency. His description of work by The Carter Center in monitoring the recent Palestinian election clarifies for the reader a great deal about the present attitudes of the Palestinians and the reasons the World should take seriously an equitable settlement of the conflict over the establishment of a Palestinian State. He also brings out the Arab World's position in its approach to the Palestinian crisis and insists on the U.S. as well as others continuing to maintain a dialogue with all sides. Carter uses the events and evolution of the conflicts to point to approaches that should be considered by both sides as well as the United States and the rest of the world. Carter is very candid in his overview, bringing up what he believes are mistakes on all sides. He concludes that there is hope for resolution of the problems if all parties will work to abide by historic past agreements such as U.N. Resolution 242; Camp David Accords, 1978; and U.N. Resolution 465, 1980 and will work to establish a fair and equitable settlement of disputed territory in the region without creating an apartheid situation by walling off and restricting Palestinian rights to an independent existence.(Reviewed by Bill Neely) .

WHY THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT IS WRONG BY ROBIN MEYERS is a thoughtful and carefully researched, insightful look into the errant rhetoric of the Christian Right, which has become intertwined with the Republican Party. The author, a Biblical scholar and obviously a Christian, shows throughout the book the contrast with what this administration has done compared to what Jesus teaches and prompts the reader to ask continuously, What would Jesus Do? The book grew out of a speech made by this college professor in Oklahoma of which many people requested a copy. Those people copied it onto the Internet and emailed it to friends, unbeknownst to the author, who was then bombarded with thousands of emails in support of his tenets and asking for more. The book is very well written and is deeply Christian in content, with a slant which does not support big money or big business and has no intent to use its audience for personal gain, as do the people who have blinded the American public with carefully crafted rhetoric and lulled them into supporting so many changes in the American Way which would have distressed our founding fathers and which, although done with a Christian tag have so gone against Jesus' teachings. The book is EXCELLENT and shoud be read by ALL Christians, Republican or Democrat. It allows you to think instead of just being fooled by wordcraft and posturing. It also reminds us that our country was founded on the principles of separation of church and state, but this administration has intertwined the two for advantage of the wealthy and corporations and at the great expense of our freedom and our conscience.

Horses of the Presidents by Leah C. Taylor is a fascinating book about how the horse helped to shape America. Taylor has a brief chapter on each of the Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush and shows photographs and illustrations of them with horses. The stories and anecdotes are personal and folksey and make the Presidents seem like your friends through her tales of their love of their horses . In many of these stories we understand how important the horse was as a figure in American history. Did you know that you can be arrested for speeding when riding a horse through Washington, DC? Read the book to discover which President actually received a speeding ticket for this!

Beyond The Storm by William T. Close,M.D. with Malonga Miatudila, M.D. is an outstanding memoir by Dr. Close, who was invited in 1960 to go to the Congo for six weeks as a medical missionary. Leaving his wife and young children except for intermittent visits, he spent most of the next sixteen years ministring to the tremendous health problems in Congo, which became Zaire. He was for a long time the only doctor in a fifteen hundred bed hospital, with the responsibility to bring it from corruption and tribal medicine into modern medical standards. However, he went to the Congo just before its independence from Belgium, and when Mobutu took over as dictator Close became the medical doctor to the armed forces and then the personal physician of Mobutu, who in the beginning had the interest of the country in mind. The book tells of the extreme corruption Mobutu's power achieved in his personal life and how he became an absolute, uncaring dictator letting the physical and medical needs of his starving countrymen quickly decline to abject poverty and deplorable health epidemics because of the graft within his government and the unbridled money, power, and weapons he obtained from the West. The book is very interesting and just before Mobutu's death, Dr. Close, who had returned to the US to practice medicine in Wyoming, was called back to Zaire to rebuild the hospital and medical system and help overcome the horrible conditions.

RETIRED WITH HUSBAND by Mary Louise Floyd is Superwoman's New Challenge Defined. With the Baby Boomer generation reaching retirement age, senior years have to be redefined, and Floyd does so by naming the period Second Adulthood. Now that the pressure of having a career with demanding schedules and trying to balance home and family as well has ended, Superwoman does not settle for lolling around the house watching TV with a depressed husband who has nothing to do and feels demoted and useless. No! Her new challenge is to re engineer her mate and their life by re thinking retirement ideas and creating new challenges which her husband can command at home, entering a new career that makes her life easier and gives both partners time and energy for the fun things they have had to postpone until these years. The book has EXCELLENT ideas for putting the fun and energy into these years and creating the best time of life together. By all means, if you are retired or about to enter that phase of life, read this book! Her humorous tongue in cheek style make it fun to read, and her facts about the five decades of the Boomers' First Adulthood are insightful and interesting.

Defiance By Alex Konanykhin How to succeed in business despite being hounded by the FBI, INS, Homeland Scurity, Interpol, Department of Justice, and Mafia hit men. This is the amazing true story of Alex Konanykhin, a young man who made millions in Russia during and immediately after the ending of the Soviet Union's Communist dictatorship. He was an entrepreneur in business even before citizens were allowed to pursue capitalistic ventures and before he had completed college. His wealth was seized by the KGB and he had to flee Russia to keep from being killed or thrown into political prison. He continued to pursue business ventures within Russia even from his exile in Hungary and later the United States. In a difficult to fathom true account he describes how the United States government sold him out to the KGB and Russian mafia who wanted him returned to Russia so they could kill him. The biographical account reads like a Clancey novel. His determination and courage are amazing, and what was done to him by trusted government entities of several countries is horrifying. An interesting read.

Driving On The Wrong Side of the Road by Diana Estill will keep you chuckling and sometimes laughing uncontrollably, as I was while sitting in the airport reading it. The book is a compilation of some of Estill's very popular humor columns, which are featured in numerous publications. She was a finalist in the 2005 America's Funniest Humor Contest. Treat yourself and your friends to this delightful book. There are so many and varied situations about which she pokes fun, you'll relate to many and have great fun reading these aloud to people of all ages. Terrific Christmas gift for others or for yourself!

How Much Is Enough? By Diane McCurdy,a Certified Financial Planner who has 25 year's experience helping people to find the right ways to achieve financial peace of mind, is an amazingly astute guide To Balancing Today's Needs with Tomorrow's Retirement Goals. Early in the book she provides the questions to ascertain your spending personality, which is something every person has from early in life and this will not change. There are Spenders, Builders, Savers, and Givers and the combination of any two can create huge problems in any marriage. McCurdy explains how to determine your combination and what to do in order to achieve realistic goals for today's spending and tomorrow's comfortable retirement. She has practical step by step guides to how to determine your financial needs (as differentiated from wants) and your preferred lifestyle while in the working years. Then she shows how to create a plan that works so you can save for your senior years and how to find money to save. This is one of the very best books I have read on the subject because she knows how difficult it is for most of us to find a few extra dollars to save when you are struggling parents with so many family demands. After over 25 years as a certified professional financial advisor, with hundreds of married, single, divorced, young, old, rich, and poor clients, she is experienced in advising EVERY kind of financial need, and she does so in the simplest terms that anyone can understand. Then she tells step by step how, when the time comes, to manage the money you have saved for retirement, so you can actually enjoy the senior years, having prepared for your needs and your wants to be met, and knowing the difference between wants and needs all through the various stages of life. This book is a MUST read for ANY age. I am ordering one for everyone on my Christmas list!

P.S. Kiss the Duchess For Me by Joe Rossi This book is a collection of letters from an un famous soldier, Private Joe Moss, who was killed in World War II. The 150 love letters to his wife Gertie, in which he refers to his daughter as the Duchess, are a time capsule of the experiences and thoughts and dreams he had in basic training and in the foxholes of France. He did not survive to look back on the war as something he did and as history. The letters are down to earth and touching to read. For years they were carefully preserved in the attic of his granddaughter, who finally decided they are truly of interest to people who were not related to Joe. This little book reveals the feelings of those who endure the horrors of war and the thoughts of unfulfilled dreams and family life at home.

Eyes Wide Open by Mark Bannister This is the story of a man determined to make the most of everything life has to offer. He shares his experiences, thoughts and ideals in this remarkable book. Mark Bannister was born in Liverpool in 1965 at an early age he was diagnosed as having a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy which required his use of a wheelchair. Because the condition was rare he felt somehow special and developed a strong desire to continually be the first to achieve what no other disabled person had done before. The book describes the challenges Mark faced as a child growing up with a disability. He shares many exciting and humerous episodes, each having a meaning that both contributed towards making him the person he is today, and developing his beliefs and ideologies in life. At an early age, unlike the cliché desires of being a fireman or an airline pilot, Mark had a great ambition to become a Grand Prix driver. As a step in this direction, he took up kart racing. He went on to become the first wheelchair person to receive a UK competition license and being crowned the annual provincial champion in his class on two occasions. Because of this growing desire to travel and to work in community development, Mark delayed his entry to University for two years. This was an exciting and rewarding period of his life. The first big adventure was an expedition to Chile where he was to spend time in some of the most remote and dangerous country in South America he was to assist with the renovation of a medical centre and the building of a jetty for rural communities. The mountainous nature of the terrain presented a considerable challenge and Mark's solution to this was to take with him a quad bike and modified wheel chair which enabled him to negotiate the rough ground. The book gives a lively and fascinating account of the country, the villages and the people, and of the adventurous exploits in the mountains with the quad bike.

With rucksack attached to the back of his wheelchair, Mark also travelled throughout many world countries including the US, Hong Kong, South China, Thailand, New Zealand, Greece and Denmark. The impressions of these interludes are colourful, perceptive and humorous.

By the time he had qualified, Mark's career objectives had changed from a desire to design race cars to being involved in development work within poorer communities. For a few years he worked as an engineer in the UK and developed his expertise in water and sanitation. At the second attempt, he was accepted by Voluntary Services Overseas and offered a post in South Africa it was the first time there had been a volunteer using a wheel chair that qualified for such a position.

Mark was based in the north of the country and was involved with provision of water and sanitation to the rural people. He gives a realistic portrayal of life in this region, in the villages and the townships, and discusses attitudes of the different groups within the community in post apartheid South Africa. Mark was enjoying his life to the full he met his future wife, Kabelo, through the work they were doing...and then came the car accident which changed his life completely and made his dependency on his wheelchair and those around him so much more than previously. The accident may have damaged his body but not his spirit nor his enthusiasm for life and most of all his desire to help others less fortunate in rural communities of South Africa.

This book is not merely descriptive, the author draws on incidents and experiences, at school, as a student, at home and in the many different places he has visited or worked, to introduce political and social comments and arguments and his own philosophy of life.

Throughout the book, the author takes pains to point out that disabled people can rise above their disabilities and take their place in society together with those who are able. He dispels the misconceptions that the physically disabled are mentally impaired and inferior he describes his feelings on occasions when he has been treated as such and records how regressive and demeaning this is. He relates discrimination in his own life to racial discrimination in South Africa and compares the similarities. He questions the sincerity of 'equal opportunity' employers and comments on attitudes towards the disabled in different parts of the world.

The book provides inspiration and motivation not only for the disabled but also for those having difficulties in life which they are struggling to overcome. The author gives encouragement to readers to adopt positive attitudes and be proud of their achievements, to appreciate what they have, to share experiences, to help others fulfill their ambitions and to use their knowledge and skills to assist those less fortunate. He tells of the great reward and pleasure he obtained during the time he spent working in deprived areas with the poorest people of the world those with no money and few material possessions were some of the most happy, friendly and hospitable he ever encountered. This is the story of an extraordinary life, of achievement and courage. It is entertaining and informative it will be welcomed by all who read it, including those working or living with disability, travel enthusiasts and those interested in real life adventures.

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WORKOUTS FOR WOMEN: WEIGHT TRAINING BY JONI HYDE is a simple to follow workout guide to help women of every fitness level to learn how to do weight training. The author, who also wrote Workouts for Women: Circuit Shaping , is a certified Personal Trainer by the American Council on Exerccise and a Certified Health/Fitness Instructor by the American college of Sports Medicine; therefore, the book is like hiring your personal trainer to have in your home or office on call! Her weight training exercises are well illustrated and easy to follow, designed to be done quickly whenever you can find a few minutes, evey at the office! She describes how you are helping a specific body part and gives tips from personal experience. An excellent guide, easy to use, giving quick success to your best self. from

Shooting Water by Devyani Saltzman is the touching story of the making of the film Water of which Ms. Salzman's mother, Deepa Mehta, is the writer/director. The film documents the deplorable life of widows in India in the 1930's. The shooting began in Benares, India's most holy city where many of these widows lived. However, within a couple of days dangerous demonstrations shut down the production and four years later the film was finished in Sri Lanka. The book documents the events surrounding the shooting while the mother and daughter team work out the stresses and pain of a lifetime between them, since Devyani chose to live with her father after her parents divorced. The struggle with the film making parallels the struggle with their hearts, and as they resolved the production problems they also resolved their relationship pains. It is a touching book, timely, as the film is just being released in the U.S.

Daddy Will YOu Dance With Me? Sandra Schoger Foster

Daddy, Will You Dance With Me? by Sandra Schoger Foster celebrates special moments between fathers and daughters throughout all stages of life. It is a beautiful little gift book, perfect for Father's Day or any special occasion you want to impart love to someone who may have everything.

Our Endangered Values by President Jimmy Carter is a book our former President has written because of his concern over t he influence of money and fundamental religion on the policies of the present Administration. Carter himself is an evangelical Christian, but he takes issue with the powerful influence the fundamentalist religious right is having in our country and the direction this is moving our country in taking it away from what our founding fathers put in place in keeping a separation of church and state, one of the basic reasons for the founding of the United States. Carter also chapter by chapter details those particular policies which seem to put the United States in a totally different world role than what all previous administrations have fostered. He points out the terrible impression given to the rest of the world in terms of human rights through the present administration's activities in the use of the Patriot Act as well as the imprisonment at Guantanamo Bay and other secret and covert activities that allude the justice system. Without any political aspirations at stake, the former President has boldly spoken out against the direction this administration has taken the United States, which goes against the policies of all previous administrations, both Republican and Democrat. The face of the United States to the world is now not what the American people should want it to be. President Carter concludes that "Americans have always been justifiably proud of our country... Now more than any time in history, the United States of America has become the preeminent military power on earth. While there has been a sharp downward expenditure worldwide for weapons during the past 20 years the United States has continued to increase its military budget every year. ...The only arms race is the one we are having with ourselves...." But he goes on to point out that the face we need to put on this nation shoud be done through a policy not of might and preeminent strikes but one of a commitment to the virtues of truth, justice, peace, freedom, humility, human rights, generosity, and the upholding of other moral values...and become "the international example of virtues..." EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!

What Happens When We Die by SAM PARNIA, MD, is quite different from other books about near death experiences (NDE's.) Sam, as a young critical care doctor in Great Britain, decided to study cardiac arrest patients who survived, to learn if they had NDE's, or out of body experiences. He developed a strictly scientific study by which patients were asked simply if they remembered anything from the time they were in a coma. He compared results testing brain chemistry, brain waves, medications, and many other scientific conditions to see if there were any similarities which might induce the brain to create the experience. Convinced that there was no explainable cause for NDE's from these studies he delved more deeply than others writing about NDE's. This book not only cites various NDE's of patients who consistently found the light, benevolent beings, and a peaceful happy experience and returned to a life more benevolent, but the book also details his very thorough scientific studies from other approaches heretofore never considered. He has approached the question what happens when we die from the physiological aspects, the brain chemistry aspects, the patients' personal beliefs about death or religion, as well as considering it from scientific knowledge, quantum physics, psychology, and neuroscience. The book gets very technical in some chapters but gives easy to understand examples in non medical terms. I found most fascinating that he considers the NDE's from the philosophical aspects of what do we consider real? And what is human consciousness? And where is the mind or consciousness located? His conclusions are fascinating, sticking to the scientific method, and proposing theories that may lead to future scientific discoveries that will forever alter our concepts of human life and science, just as discoveries by Newton, Galileo, Descartes, Einstein and others have changed mankind's knowledge forever. A really fascinating book and proposal for a larger study when it is funded in the future. He has concluded that human consciousness does travel outside the body and continues to exist when the brain is dead.This is a groundbreaking study into the nature of life and death.

DREAMS DOORWAY TO EMOTIONAL HEALTH by Lloyd E. Shaw is an interesting insight into dreams as messages that are like letters to ourself. Shaw, a retired minister and psychologist in practice for forty years, tells in the ten chapters different case scenarios in which he helped his client unravel the mysterious or bizarre dream to find deep insights into personal problems often hidden from himself or herself. With many years of experience Shaw gives the reader concrete ways to view dreams and decipher their codes and symbols: often revealing emotional distress, repressed anger, grief, guilt, emotional conflicts, which only become worse and more disturbing because they are buried in the subconscious. He helps the patients and the readers learn how to bring these buried truths to the surface in order to calm oneself. An interesting and informative self help book.

IF THERE'S ONE THING I'VE LEARNED by James Green is about “how to seize your once in a lifetime chance to get it right.” The author has interviewed hundreds of people of all ages and walks of life and asked what is the most important lesson each has learned and how he or she learned it. The stories and the lessons are told in the interviewee's words. Many are followed with a related wise saying from Wisdom teachers of various faiths through the ages. .

Breaking the Perfect 10 by Tracy Lindswy Melchior & Susan Wales

Breaking The Perfect 10 by Tracy Lindsey Melchior with Susan Wales is the autobiography of a young woman who was abandoned many times in childhood and grew up feeling unloved and unprotected. Tracy, who later became a daytime TV star of the Bold and the Beautiful, One Life to Live, and Sunset Beach, details many of the troubles of her childhood and teen years and describes how she learned to seek love in all the wrong places and became a relationship addict. Her book is about the triumph she achieved over her derelict life when she became a Christian and some friends walked her through the Bible. She shares her experiences in the hope of helping others who may have similar problems or lifestyles. The book is well written. .

WORTH THE ROOM BY REVEREND PAUL LACHLAN PECK, M.Ed., is the touching autobiography of the author, whose mother died when he was just a baby, and he grew up with a cruel step mother and remote father. As a youngster he was blamed for everything his step brothers did wrong and was punished instead of these half siblings. With warnings never to tell his father, his step mother beat him with a rubber hose until he had whelps and bruises constantly on his emaciated and sickly body, while screaming at him "You're not worth the room you take up on this earth!" Overcoming this horrible childhood, which included sexual abuse from his step mother, the author was able, with the help of some kind friends, to get out of the situation and find a meager job to support himself as a young teen, although he still had to send money home to help support his father's family. He worked his way through college, a loveless marriage of seventeen years, rearing two children, and finally realized and acknowledged that a large part of his misery as an adult was that he was a closet gay, a fact which he had concealed from even himself. The book chronicles the milestones of his terrible early life, the way he found his freedom and self worth, and the successful career he had as a fund raiser, counselor and minister to young people on college campuses, with hundreds he saved from drug abuse and suicide. Nearing the end of his life, he has written this book in his seventies because when he was young and his aunt learned about what he had suffered, she told him that someday he should write a book to help others and heal hinself. Worth the Room is worth the read! .

In The Beginning There Were No Diapers
Laughing and Learning in the First Years of Fatherhood by Tim Bette

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WERE NO DIAPERS: LAUGHING AND LEARNING IN THE FIRST YEARS OF FATHERHOOD by Tim Bete is a perfect Father's Day or anytime gift for any father, especially those of pre schoolers. It is also the ideal baby gift for expectant or new fathers, and it is usually hard to find something just right for them! This is a humorous account of a dad learning to cope with being a father: from diaper changes to taking toddlers to restaurants, to attempting to civilize young monsters, to changing a diaper in an airplane bathroom! You will be laughing outloud as you identify with these predicaments children of any age can put their dads into. Of course the author takes poetic license and dramatizes the events to make them even funnier than reality, but any parent who has been in t he situations, and all of us have, will identify with him as his children teach him how to be a father. Each chapter uses Biblical quotes and principles, but in a very humorous way with odd twists, not preaching, but creating more tongue in cheek laughter. You'll enjoy this one! .

I'm A Good Mother by Gigi Schweikert is a perfect gift for any mom. We mothers can always find a way to blame ourselves for any fault or problem our child has. This little book is filled with wonderful affirmations to help moms realize they are doing a good job, in spite of conditions and circumstances. The question "Am I a Good Mother?" is answered resoundingly "Yes!" in many different encouraging messages, accompanied by an easy to do action step for the day, along with a scripture and prayer. This book is one that mom will keep going back to day after day when she needs a mental hug!

This book is a selection of the new Mothehood Club "Making a Difference One Kiss at a Time" an innovation of Howard Publishing Co.

TIGHT SQUEEZE BY DEBBIE DIGIOVANNI is a delightful little novel about the saga of being a mother. Any mother can identify with the specific trials and tribulations of Becca who finds herself pregnant with her fifth child when her first is nearing the end of high school. Wanting to run away from it all she retreats to her schooldays friend whose footloose and fancy free lifestyle looks so very appealing. Together on an escape vacation they face good and bad memories while planning to look great for their high school reunion. The novel follows the pregnancy and the mid life crisis of self doubt which Becca faces as she grows "fatter." While following her escape dreams she finds her true self and the joy of motherhood with all the trials children of every stage of life bring and is able to face caring for her new baby with the original thrill she felt on her first day of being a mother. Throughout her growth her husband and family are both trying and supportive, as realistic as all families. The book is one every mom will identify with and will bring smiles and tears. This book is a selection of the new Mothehood Club "Making a Difference One Kiss at a Time" an innovation of Howard Publishing Co. .

Miracle in a Mother's Hugs by Helen Burns

THE MIRACLE IN A MOTHER'S HUG BY HELEN BURNS is the perfect Mother's Day or anytime gift for any mother you know! Written from the very personal point of view of a world renowned female preacher and teacher, it is very touching. Helen tells of rearing her three girls and the importance of giving love and hugs. Her writing will touch your heart and spark yhour memories of experiences as a mother or with your own mother. She makes us aware of how important a mother's presence is instead of presents. When a child's need for love and appropriate loving touch is met, the child grows up loving and self confident and carries the legacy into the next generation. If you as a mother ever feel unappreciated pick up this little treasure of a book and see how very important your role is, not only when your child is young but also all through his or her life. This book is a selection of the new Mothehood Club "Making a Difference One Kiss at a Time" an innovation of Howard Publishing Co.

Lost in the Grooves Illustrated by Tom Neely

Lost in the Grooves, Scram's Capricious Guide to the Music You Missed from Routledge Press, written by many contributors, is edited by Kim Cooper and David Smay with cover and illustrations by Tom Neely. This could be considered both the anthology and encyclopedia of the not so popular music scene. Written in clever, whimsical, tongue in cheek style, the book is a wealth of trivia and facts about hundreds of albums and singles which never made the Top Ten or Hit Parade in the last forty plus years, some by obscure artists and some non hits by well known artists. Because of the alphabetical arrangement of the numerous reviews the juxtaposition of the aritists, styles, and genre of the music is outrageously interesting in itself! For anyone who ever shoved nickles into a Juke Box, any music lover of any kind, and any pop culture enthusiast, this book Rocks! Tom Neely's delightful cover design, illustrations, and caricatures of some of the artists will delight any reader.

THE ENTREPRENEUR'S SUCCESS KIT BY KALEIL ISAZA TUZMAN is A 5 Step Lesson Plan to Create and Grow Your Own Business. Written from the experience of an entrepreneur who himself has experience many successes and many failures, this business man tells how to reach your business dreams in a very unusual way. Unlike the typical MBA platform of making a business plan and setting the goal of making more and more money, Kaleil stresses getting to know yourself as the vital first step. By exploring your strengths and weaknesses with his guidance you have thorough knowledge of the tools you need to overcome your pitfalls and to complement your strengths. By taking his peaks and valleys tour you gain the confidence that prevents your pitfalls from destroying your business or you. With this boxed kit, Kaleil instructs the business person with very simple lessons which are on two CD's and augmented with a more in depth guidebook. After assuming the progress pose and listening to your inner self under his pleasant voice as guidance, you are equipped to write in your workbook to prepare quick outlines for ultimately making a successful business plan which fits you and your dreams. His encouragement helps you see that true success is not measured in dollars but in satisfaction and fulfillment, without which any business becomes drudgery and is likely doomed to failure. I found all the principles and exercizes which Kaliel gears toward entrepreneurship to be so helpful that by substituting the word life instead of business or self instead of entrepreneur, this kit is great for gaining success in your whole life scope. I highly recommend this kit for anyone at any stage of life. It is simple enough and contains such profound wisdom it would be a great gift for a high school age youth to learn from in order to assure not only success but joy in life. .

YOU ARE PSYCHIC by Debra Lynn Katz is the only book of its kind which teaches valuable tools for developing clairvoyance, your own psychic ability to see visual information through extrasensory means, a gift which the author firmly believes everyone possesses but few use. Katz has a B.A. in psychology and an M.A. in social work and studied with faith healersa nd psychic surgeons in the Philippines. She founded the Sedona Psychic Training Center and Sedona Psychic Entertainment in Arizona and is a professional clairvoyant, psychic reader, and healer in California. The book is well written with explicit and simple directions and practices for anyone to use to discover these hidden talents of seeing beyond the physical scope. Katz explains that she wanted to make available to everyone the techniques by which she was trained to develop her own psychic ability, which was only weakly discernable in the beginning. Katz firmly believes that everyone has these psychic receptors which only need fine tuning and practice while we learn to trust what we "see." A fascinating book for anyone interested in ESP.

HOW MY DEATH SAVED MY LIFE By Denise Linn is an autobiography of her Journey to Wholeness. If you are familiar with Linn's other books, you'll enjoy this one which tells of her tragic childhood, her near death experience after being shot, and her triumph in overcoming huge obstacles both physical and psychological. She explains how she gained her spiritual insights and learned to use her natural talents as a Seer by studying with various healers and Seers around the world while connecting to her Cherokee ancestry and its beliefs. Her life and her work are most unusual and interesting to read. The book is very encouraging to anyone who has had a tragic childhood to overcome.

Healthy Living Ideas for Living Younger Longer is by the Staff at Canyon Ranch, a renowned health resort in Tucson, AZ. By selecting a card each day and looking at the beautiful, brightly colored photograph of nature or a serene setting on one side you can center yourself and breath deeply. Then flip the card over to find a one sentence reminder of how to live this day in the present moment and to stay healthy so that you can enjoy each precious day of your life. This is an excellent gift set for yourself or anyone you care about. It is a perfect gift for those who are recovering from and illness or from chemotherapy. .

Guide To Getting It On by Paul Joannides and illustrated capriciously by Daerick Gross Sr. is referred to as the coolest and most informative sex guide in the Universe! With nearly 800 pages it certainly must be the most complete! If you like Sex In the City TV Show this is the guide for you. It is written in the contemporary vernacular, straight forward, using slang instead of medical terminology. It is definitely aimed at readers under fifty, but older ones (if not offended by the slang and illustrations) will learn a lot also. The book explains in detail and plain talk everything parents didn't dare tell! And if you order it, it is discretely sent in a plain wrapper so even the postman doesn't know!

Twelve Step Plan To Becoming an Actor in L.A. by Dawn Lerman & Dori Keller is newly updated for 2005 and is a must for anyone who wants to start a career there, not just an acting career. The huge city can be daunting if you have no money and no contacts. The authors, now have successful careers in L.A. and tell you how to make it happen for yourself. The detail their experiences of arriving as unknowns, and they give excellent step by step guidance to helping yourself succeed in this difficult profession. By creating a plan and working each step in order you can make your dreams come true, but not by just dreaming! This book is a perfect going away gift for anyone about to tackle the big city. Whether or not you want to be an actor, this book is an excellent guide to how to survive in the city with many helpful businesses and phone numbers listed. .

A Job Ain't Nothing But Work by Emanuel Carpenter (ISBN # 1413703232 from Publish America, 112 pages, $16.95) www.emanuelcarpenter.com Don’t be turned off by the short number of pages in this small book. If you’ve ever applied for a job or worked in an office, nearly every sentence in this book will make you laugh, chuckle, smile, or, at the very least, nod your head. Although it’s nonfiction, this is the kind of book that could be made into an ethnic man’s cinematic version of the cult classic, “Office Space”. Emanuel Carpenter is a black man offering his candid perspective on the occupational hazards of, well occupations. The book is a series of frank insights wrapped in a cloak of humor. His experiences with a lifetime of seeking and gaining employment have provided him with valuable information he passes on to the next generation. He takes the grandiose ego of managers and supervisors down a peg or two; to him they are elevated employees who believe themselves to be way more important than they are. Tales of bizarre interviews and the interviewers who conducted them are recalled as a series of off ! the wall methods of finding the “right” person for the job. His tales of co workers and their world do not focus much on race, but on the sheer weirdness of human nature in the corporate world. I found the constant trademark symbols (™) whenever he mentioned cars, fast food brands, office machines, and the like a bit distracting. Mr. Carpenter could have done it on purpose, in which case it added to the insanity of our label intensive world. I would recommend this book especially for high school and college students about to embark on the corporate world.

Psychic Navigator Harnessing Your Inner Guidance by John Holland is a lovely little book written by a man who had Sixth Sense from his early years but was afraid to talk about what he could sense or "see." As an adult he found a teacher who could help him learn to develop his extrasensory perceptions and use them confidently to help other people. Now John helps people further by encouraging and teaching readers how to develop this latent ability which we all possess. With easy to follow instructions he teaches "the mechanics of psychic awareness, the benefits of meditation, the vital power of breath, and the workings and functions of your chakras and aura." By practicing each of the lessons in this little book, you can learn quickly and easily to trust the "feelings" we all have experienced and to develop your ability to enhance your own perceptions. An excellent and easy to follow guide, which will greatly enhance your spiritual experiences no matter what Faith you proclaim. The book comes with a guided meditation CD which includes "Healing Relaxation for Body and Mind" and "Raising the Power," a guide for learning to open and close your psychic receptors and raise your energy." It is fascinating to experience the new levels of awareness and to incorporate them into your life with practice. .

Bylines 2005 Writer’s Desk Calendar

Linda Hagen Miller

(Review by Emanuel Carpenter, a book critic and author of "A Job Ain't Nothing But Work")

Bylines Publishing

ISBN 0 9744185 1 X $13.95 150 pp.

Why would reviewer bother to write about a desk calendar? When it is more than meets the eye. This is the case with Bylines 2005 Writer’s Desk Calendar. The calendar consists of short stories, poems, and anecdotes from writers you may or may not be familiar with. It also includes a list of essential books, magazines, and websites meant for everyone from the skilled, professional writer all the way to the novice.

In the calendar, 55 writers tell about their experiences in writing. This includes advice on how to deal with rejection letters, experiences with success, and the joy of crafting a story. The style of writing includes humorous essays, thought provoking poems, intriguing short stories, and much more.

Bylines senior editor and creator Linda Hagen Miller says she decided to launch the calendar as sort of a cheerleading squad for discouraged writers. The result is an introduction to some of the best writers you’ve probably never heard of. Combine that with a compilation of resources every writer should have and you get one powerful punch. Bylines will make an excellent edition to any writer’s (or reader’s) bookshelf.

Highly Recommended

National Lampoon Book To Feature Comedian's Funny Road Signs

National Lampoon's Big Book of True Facts, to be published in June, will

feature more than 200 photographs of funny road signs contributed by Tom Snyders,

"The Bicycling Comedian."

Snyders has spent the past 16 years pedaling his fully loaded touring bicycle

to all his stand up comedy performances. He's cycled more than 124,000 miles

and to all 50 states. Along the way he snaps pictures of weird and amusing

signs he encounters. He now has a collection of more than 7,000 images from

America's back roads the very best of which are featured in his live

performances.

"I'm off the interstate and not going by at 60 miles an hour so I see a lot

of strange stuff," Snyders explains. "Some of it's incredibly funny, and I

always keep my camera loaded and ready."

Snyders recently signed a contract with RuggedLand Books of New York City, in

conjunction with National Lampoon, to use a selection of his comical photos

in the soon to be released hardcover book. This new collection of

absurd but true humor from everyday life will include headlines, advertisements, personals

and signs. Snyders and his bicycle will be featured on the cover.

Randi Siegel, Exec. VP Creative Development at National Lampoon, saw Snyders

perform at the Comedy & Magic Club in Hermosa Beach, CA, and put him together

with NatLamp's Editor in Chief Scott Rubin. "I was excited to see Tom's show

because, not only was he funny, the content of his slide collection was a

perfect fit for the material being created and compiled for our True Facts book."

Snyders will promote National Lampoon's Big Book of True Facts this summer

and fall on the first ever book tour by bicycle. The tour will begin in Florida

and continue up the coast to New York City, the first leg of the combined book

tour and his never ending "Smile America Bicycle Comedy Tour." He will

continue pedaling across the country, doing comedy shows and book signings along the

way, eventually ending up in Los Angeles in October.

"I'm really excited to be collaborating with National Lampoon," Snyders says.

"I've been collecting these images for 16 years, and I'm happy to be able to

share them with a wider audience."

Snyders' car blew up on his way to a comedy performance in 1987. Since then,

he's been using his bicycle as his main form of transportation to bicycle

events, conferences and comedy clubs, where he performs his unique, one man comedy

show. Over the years, he's also pedaled onto the set of nine national

television shows, including three appearances on Live With Regis & Kathie Lee.

Snyders has also written a screenplay; coincidentally, it's about a comedian

who travels by bicycle to all his stand up comedy performances. "It's Forrest

Gump meets Seabiscuit," he jokes.

bookbikecomedy@aol.com

Tel: (773) 502 5087

www.bikecomedy.com

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