Book Description
The dust storms that terrorized the High Plains in the darkest years of the Depression were like nothing ever seen before or since. Timothy Egan's critically acclaimed account rescues this iconic chapter of American history from the shadows in a tour de force of historical reportage. Following a dozen families and their communities through the rise and fall of the region, Egan tells of their desperate attempts to carry on through blinding black dust blizzards, crop failure, and the death of loved ones. Brilliantly capturing the terrifying drama of catastrophe, Egan does equal justice to the human characters who become his heroes, "the stoic, long-suffering men and women whose lives he opens up with urgency and respect" (New York Times). In an era that promises ever-greater natural disasters, "The Worst Hard Time" is "arguably the best nonfiction book yet" (Austin Statesman Journal) on the greatest environmental disaster ever to be visited upon our land and a powerful cautionary tale about the dangers of trifling with nature.
Customer Reviews:
It's Good --- but is it National-Book-Award good?.......2007-10-16
I liked this book. For the most part.
It's an exciting account of an amazing and horrific time in the nation's history, and its descriptions of the dust storms as they came in over the prairies are absolutely terrifying--but I think it's far from the great book that it could have been.
The story, of course, is one of the great stories of American history, and will no doubt enthrall any readers unfamiliar with the 1930s Dust Bowl. But the book fails, I think, in bringing across the full scope of it all, focusing so intently on handful of towns and counties (and always forgetting to remind us what states these towns are in) that it feels like more like a gathering of a number of isolated occurrences. It also fails to provide all the facts that the story begs to contain. And it kind of peters off toward the end, as if the author just grew tired of the subject.
Is this a good book? Sure. I enjoyed it. But would I have given it the National Book Award? No. And is it the best book on the subject? No, again. I prefer the book "Dust Bowl," by Donald Worster, which I found to be much more thorough and vivid in its treatment of the subject.
Outstanding.......2007-10-10
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl
This is an outstanding book! I had no idea how bad the Dust Bowl was. I was so impressed with the book that I bought a copy for each of my 3 siblings.
Unbelievable!.......2007-10-03
This book was fantastic. Although the majority of books I read are fiction, I'm not hesitant to read good non-fiction. This book was so well written that it reads like a taut novel. Along with Seabiscuit and The Devil in the White City, it is one of the best historical books I've read. Very well researched and thought out. You almost can't believe that this could have actually happened. You feel like you know the characters, and you certainly root for them even though you seemingly know how it will turn out. I would recommend this book to any avid reader - fiction or non-fiction.
Hopefully, we will learn from our past.......2007-10-02
This is an important event in US history that is so relevant today, supplying more fuel for both side of the ongoing debate on global warming.
I found it a bit difficult to stay connected to the characters. In spite of that, the story remained interesting, showing the plight and hardships endured by the generation before us, and bringing us an awareness of our fragile ecosystem.
Eye Opening and Hard to Put Down.......2007-09-25
A must read for history buffs and readers in general. Information places the midwest, its people, and past in an entirely different light of appreciation. (Absolutely Facinating)!
Average customer rating:
- Amazing!
- Non-reader
- Keeps you guessing right until the end
- The Plain Truth is Difficult to Come By
- Great Page-Turner - Couldn't Put it Down!!!
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Plain Truth
Jodi Picoult
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
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ASIN: 0671776134
Release Date: 2001-04-03 |
Book Description
A shocking murder shatters the picturesque calm of Pennsylvania's Amish country -- and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer who steps in to defend the young woman at the center of the storm....
Plain Truth
The discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn shakes Lancaster County to its core. But the police investigation leads to a more shocking disclosure: circumstantial evidence suggests that eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the newborn's mother, took the child's life. When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big-city attorney, comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to defend Katie, two cultures collide -- and, for the first time in her high-profile career, Ellie faces a system of justice very different from her own. Delving deep inside the world of those who live "plain," Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And as she unravels a tangled murder case, Ellie also looks deep within -- to confront her own fears and desires when a man from her past reenters her life.
Moving seamlessly from psychological drama to courtroom suspense, Plain Truth is a fascinating portrait of Amish life -- and a moving exploration of the bonds of love, friendship, and the heart's most complex choices.
Download Description
Moving seamlessly from psychological drama to courtroom suspense, Plain Truth is a triumph of contemporary storytelling. Jodi Picoult presents a fascinating portrait of Amish life rarely witnessed by those outside the faith -- and discovers a place where circumstances are not always what they seem, where love meets lies, and where relationships grow so strong they can transcend death.
When Ellie Hathaway decides to defend Katie Fisher against the charge of murder, the urban-savvy D.A. finds herself caught in a clash of cultures with a people whose channels of justice are markedly different from her own. Plain Truth is the extraordinary story of two unforgettable women -- and what happens when their disparate worlds collide.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing!.......2007-10-11
I read a lot of Jodi Picoult. If you are a Picoult fan, you know that sometimes you need to read another author in between and then go back to Jodi. I have read most of her books and this is clearly one of her best! I loved it. It is right up there with Sister's Keeper!
Non-reader.......2007-10-09
I loved this book. I'm not someone who sits down and reads books. However, this one kept my attention and was phenominal! I plan to read all of Jodi Piccoult's books. I definately recommend this book!!
Keeps you guessing right until the end.......2007-10-02
I thought this book was outstanding. Being from Pennsylvania, I found it very interesting to dive more into the "Plain" way of life. I enjoyed the story itself and the focus on the Amish Culture. It was a page turner, without a doubt. I wasn't able to put it down after the first page. Definately would reccomend this book.
The Plain Truth is Difficult to Come By.......2007-10-02
This story opens with the discovery of the body of a newborn baby on an Amish farm. The rest of the book deals with the struggle for the truth.
Although it had been proven that young Kate had just given birth, she denied ever having been pregnant, let alone having ever given birth. Little by little, she admits to remembering more and more circumstances linking her as the mother of the baby.
Meanwhile, defense attorney, Ellie Hathaway, learns truths about herself. Forced to stay on the Amish farm in order to maintain custody of her client, she is compelled to face a totally different lifestyle and a set of values that is much different than her own.
Interesting characters and a fascinating glimpse into the Amish way of life, make this book irresistible. The ending has a unique and unexpected twist which readers are sure to love. This novel obliges the reader to contemplate the meaning and value of truth.
Great Page-Turner - Couldn't Put it Down!!!.......2007-09-30
Another great book by Jodi Picoult. I love reading about the Amish culture and the court case had me on the edge of my seat. Great characterisations throughout. Definitely worth reading!!
Book Description
Illus. with photographs from the Dust Bowl era. This true story took place at the emergency farm-labor camp immortalized in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Ostracized as "dumb Okies," the children of Dust Bowl migrant laborers went without school--until Superintendent Leo Hart and 50 Okie kids built their own school in a nearby field.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful and Inspiring.......2007-10-09
This book is a beautiful testiment to the human spirit, and the resilancy of the American spirit.
It is also the story of taking a chance on people that other's find useless.
A beautiful book and a beautiful story.
Connecting Childen to History.......2005-09-09
this book is an excellent companion to the historical ficiton book "Bud, Not Buddy." By reading aloud sections of Children of the Dustbowl, teachers could build some of the background knowledge that would help children understand how the daily lives of the average person changed as a result of the Great Depression and the 5-year drought in the Midwest.
Given the devastation of Hurriicane Katrina, this book also offers insight on what can happen when large numbers of people must migrate because of weather-related disasters.
Children of the Dust Bowl.......2005-09-08
The book appeared to be new, no marks, and sent immediately.
Readable for ages five (with help from parent) and up........2002-04-04
The writing in this book is excellent, flowing evenly from page to page. Many of the photographs within are pure art, having been taken by Russell Lee, Dorothea Lange, and others. These two people are the Pieter Bruegel and Thomas Hart Benton (depicting plain, everyday folk) of American photography. This book relates a small chunk of American history, to be sure, but more than that, it relates universal themes of the human condition. Overall, the book relates the brutal conditions of the dust bowl, the migration over the mountains and desert, taunting and prejudice from settled Californians, and eventual attainment of excellence, as revealed by the construction and maintenance of the Weedpatch School, which eventually became a model school in the community. My 5 1/2 year old enjoyed reading every page, and found particular mirth in the unusual daily chore that the dust bowl children did with their cows. The description of this unusual chore is worth the price of the book. What was this daily chore? One way to find out is to borrow or purchase this book.
Children of the Dust Bowl.......2000-07-26
I am a student at St. Lawrence University, and doing a summer fellowship about the works of John Steinbeck. This book, while written as a children's book, is a valuable look at the Arvin Federal Emergency School, the conditions of the Dust Bowl, American attitudes about the poor, and Leo Hart, the man whose vision for a "broader curriculum" among his students was so influential and inspiring.
Stanley treats the same material in short form in an article in The American West (1986).
Amazon.com
If you'd like to read about meditation and then go back to your regular life, don't get this book. Henepola Gunaratana, a monk from Sri Lanka and venerated teacher of Buddhism, warns us that vipassana meditation is "meant to revolutionize the whole of your life experience." In one of the best nuts-and-bolts meditation manuals, he lays out the fundamentals of basic Buddhist meditation, the how, what, where, when, and why, including common problems and how to deal with them. His 52 years as a Buddhist monk make Mindfulness in Plain English an authority on a living tradition, and his years of teaching in America and elsewhere give it the clarity and straightforwardness that has made it so popular. If you'd like to learn the practice of meditation, you can't do better. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
With his distinctive clarity and wit, "Bhante G" takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. We already have the foundation we need to live a more productive and peaceful life — Bhante simply points to each tool of meditation, tells us what it does, and how to make it work. This expanded edition includes the complete text of its bestselling predecessor, as well as a new chapter on the cultivation of loving kindness, an especially important subject in today's world.
Customer Reviews:
An invaluable manual for the beginner to Insight meditation.......2007-09-28
I have read through this book several times and each reading gives me further insights and pleasure. This is a wonderful book for beginners to insight meditation and is a no-nonsense, action oriented guide to this practice.
The author has an engaging style and very deep insight into the PRACTICE of meditation which makes this an invaluable guide.
The layout of the book is logical and the material is sufficient for the beginner to get started and deep enough to take him all the way to intermediate and advanced levels.
Amazing........2007-09-17
Although it's available online for free, I definitely recommend picking up a copy here. Just so convenient and easy on the eyes. Also gives you an opportunity to write notes on each page.
The style of this book is super down to earth. The content is solid, incredibly practical and freshly presented with modern language and minimal use of Buddhist jargon. The book also (clearly from the title) goes straight to the heart of the matter, emphasizing a cultivation of mindfulness: an impartial but attentive and consistent observation of ones mind and senses. This is an extremely effective path to balance and greater well being.
Only for the hard core.......2007-08-29
This is a book for which one can only have a great deal of respect but it is heavy going reading. Not really suitable for wimpy meditators.
Excellent explanation of vispassna meditation.......2007-08-10
I have read numerous books on this and related topics.I ve also attended hundreds of meditation meetings. There isnt a better synposis of mindfulness and vispassana meditation. I highly reccomend this book for all levels,novices to teachers.
Easy to read!.......2007-07-28
When I read the author's name I was very glad the title mentioned Plain English. This is a great book, very down to Earth and basic.
Book Description
Companies must innovate to grow, but they often forget to look beyond their own brands. Take Sony, for example. Its success with consumer innovations like the Walkman blinded it to obvious changes in how, when, and where people wanted their music. Apple capitalized on those changes in demand with the iPod, providing a new way of listening to music and of managing one’s entire music library.
This book explains how you can spot these opportunities that are hidden in plain sight. It introduces the demand-first innovation and growth model that will show you how to become an unbiased observer of people’s consumption and usage behaviors. Refining this skill helps companies generate organic growth through new products, services, solutions, and experiences that truly enhance peoples’ lives. Revealing the innovative processes of such organizations as BMW, Proctor and Gamble, GE Healthcare, and Frito-Lay, Hidden in Plain Sight offers you a new approach to identifying and executing your company’s growth strategy.
Customer Reviews:
A growth strategy from the outside in.......2007-10-15
Erich Joachimsthaler's book Hidden in Plain Sight challenges conventional wisdom on marketing and marketing strategy. There are a number of books advocating this 'outside in' view on strategy and growth.
Joachimsthaler's approach of DIG for Demand-first Integration and Growth Model provides a comprehensive set of tools and methods for defining growth opportunities based on an understanding of the external environment rather than trying to change the world to fit your products and services.
Joachimsthaler provides a full description of the processes and tools including a number of case studies that describe companies that have grown through innovation and an outside in view. These are the strengths of the book.
These strengths are also the books weakness. By talking extensively about companies like BMW, GE, PepsiCo, etc, the book's main messages get bogged down in the text. Many of these cases have not used Joachimsthaler's DIG methodology, so there is little to connect the case to the argument he is advancing. This makes the book drag in some places and confuses Joachimsthaler's argument.
Overall the book is recommended as the combination of tools and methodology provides a valuable resource for companies looking to change their marketing approach and results. Other resources to consider include Chris Zook's "Unstoppable" and Davenport and Harris's "Competing on Analytics."
The Formula for Innovation and Growth.......2007-07-14
Erich Joachimsthaler provides a systematic approach to make marketing accountable for innovation and growth of BtoC and BtoB companies. We have seen the innovative business concept of share of customer evolve and being executed over the last years. Hidden in Plain Sight pushes that practice further to the concept of customer advantage, which means consequently managing impact and relevance, products and services have on customers daily lifes - on customers share of the day.
Erich Joachimsthaler formulates an explicit model, the demand-first innovation and growth model (DIG-Model), that illuminates the advantages of creating the demand landscape and sets a plan for action to specify the necessary effort to capture the relevant parts of the ecosystem of customer demand, reframes the specific business opportunity space, aligns business processes across all functions and sets the foundation for sustainable innovations and predictable growth.
As one reads the carefully selected international cases (e.g. Procter & Gamble, BMW, Apple, Deutsche Telekom, Volkswagen, NetFlix, Starbucks, General Electric, Sony, Allianz) reference is made to all parts of the DIG model and how all pieces have to work together to execute in business practice. Based on his deep insight and understanding of many industries, Erich Joachimsthaler proves his approach carefully and outlines, how innovation and growth can be systematically and replicable managed. That is why this book is relevant for people from many business functions and a variety of industries.
Thanks for this outstanding business book.
Kevin Frantz
Excellent.......2007-06-28
This is an excellent book, an eye opener for any professional in marketing, particularly those fighting the dog war of private labels and commoditization.
A popular, inspirational pick........2007-06-17
Business managers and executives who want keys to locating the potential for a company's expansion will want to consult HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT: HOW TO FIND AND EXECUTE YOUR COMPANY'S NEXT BIG GROWTH STRATEGY. It pinpoints changing consumer needs and usage patterns and tells how to use the DIG model to help companies understand the hidden opportunities for innovation, using the author's 20+ years studying company connections to help pinpoint customer-driven ideas. Business libraries catering to executives will find it a popular, inspirational pick.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
The Invisibility of the Obvious.......2007-05-23
Erich Joachimsthaler offers what he claims is a "new model of strategic innovation for achieving profitable business growth" by abandoning "some of the tried and proven conventions of innovation, marketing, and strategy formulation" and by discarding "some of today's common assumptions and management practices and adopt a fresh way of planning an executing your strategies today and your innovation and growth strategies of tomorrow." The key word is "some" as he explains how.
After discussing "hidden opportunities to innovate and grow" in Part I, he focuses in Part II on several companies which exemplify a demand-first innovation and growth model (e.g. Frito-Lay, Allianz, GE Healthcare, and State Street) and then shifts his attention, in Part III, to various strategies by which to realize customer advantage.
As the title of this book suggests, Joachimsthaler asserts - and I agree - that many senior-level executives lack the ability to see - really see - "the opportunities presented by the changing consumption or usage behaviors of people [their organizations are] trying to serve. [They] cannot spot or recognize and pursue the abundant opportunities that exist in plain sight." Why? Joachimsthaler suggests several reasons which include routine but disparate processes which fragment a company's view of its customers, perpetuation of the status quo which limits a company's perspective on its competitive marketplace, a mistaken belief that "the key to growth lies in identifying customers' needs and wants [and/or] providing solutions for the tasks or jobs it knows customers must take on and get done," and an "inside-out" perspective which results in what Theodore Levitt once characterized as "marketing myopia."
Joachimsthaler suggests three lessons that can be learned from companies such as NetFlix, Sony, and Starbucks:
1. Position existing or new products or services at natural intersections of customers' consumption and use behaviors;
2. Change or enhance customers' daily routines and create transformative experiences around activities, projects, and tasks in new and welcome ways; and
3. Deliver on previously unleashed or unarticulated desires, dreams, fantasies, and urges in the social-cultural context of people's lives.
The demand-first innovation (DIG) model can be of substantial benefit to any organization (regardless of size or nature) but it would be a fool's errand to attempt to apply all of the ideas that Joachimsthaler presents. Rather, It would be a fool's errand for anyone who reads this book to attempt to apply all of the ideas that Joachimsthaler presents. Rather, he suggests that those who read this book clearly identify their organization's key demand-relevant assets and make full use of them, rigorously evaluate and develop their organization's distinctive capabilities deployed to manage those assets, choose only those major strategic initiatives that force the integration of all demand-facing processes, and "build the culture" with innovation initiatives at all levels and within all areas throughout what should be a demand-driven enterprise.
Joachimsthaler calls for nothing less than "the activation of demand-first growth platforms by whatever means [to] help customers absorb or assimilate an innovation, or retool old ways of doing things, into their daily life or work experiences." Only then can an organization find and execute its next big growth strategy.
Book Description
LEAN PRODUCTION SIMPLIFIED
A Plain-Language Guide to the World's Most Powerful
Production System
Pascal Dennis
The author is a professional engineer, and educator with 20 years experience in manufacturing, public service, and consulting engineering. He developed his lean thinking skills on the shop floor of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, and working with lean masters in Japan and North America.
LEAN PRODUCTION SIMPLIFIED is a plain language guide to the lean production system. The book is organized around a central image: the "house of lean production", which will help the reader grasp the system and the factors that animate it. Additionally, the book provides an insider's view of Toyota, and how this company continues to succeed.
Features and Benefits:
· connects directly to Toyota
· first book on lean production written for the operator level
· emphasizes the lean process as a common-sense approach
· perfect book to keep on the floor as a quick reference guide
Customer Reviews:
P. Dennis.......2007-09-05
This is the best book I have read on the subject of Lean and the Toyota Production System. Easy to read and the concepts are fully explored and explained. If you want a Toyota perspective to process improvement you need this book.
Time to read 1 book on TPS? This is the one!.......2007-08-23
This was an incredibly informative book that helped to shape my views of TPS. My company religiously follows lean practices and this simple-to-read guidebook helped clarify and reinforce many key concepts. I'm currently buying five additional copies to distribute to my supervisors.
Lean for Dummies.......2007-05-07
A short book which presents the basic principles of Lean Enterprise from the Toyota creation.
Excellent Introduction & Overview to TPS/Lean.......2007-03-26
This is an execellent overview and introduction to TPS. It is clear and concise without all of the case studies but it covers all of the basics of TPS. It is an easy read for the novice and will give a good grounding an overview of the key elements of TPS as a system that it is and should be understood as.
In addition to the basic elements of TPS/Lean the author also adds the Toyota elements of the strategic planning process and roles played by the various levels of management. This is an added bonus and is an area of TPS that is not very well addressed in other literature I have read...at least not in any real detail.
If you really want a good solid quick overview of TPS/Lean without all of the case studies, then I highly recommend this book.
lean production simplified.......2007-02-10
This is a very interesting book because show us of the simplified way how is possible to learn about lean manufacturing . It's important to highlighting that language of this book is very simple and your reading bring us a lot of pleasure .
Book Description
Even for the religious, life is full of questions: What is faith? Can my life be more satisfying? How can I deepen my walk with Christ? What does it mean to be happy? These bubble and boil underneath the surface of our everyday life. And though we ignore them, we know they point us to realms of wisdom or even mystery-to something more.
Author Mark Buchanan asked these same questions. "I want more, God," he prayed-and the answer was more than he was looking for. It was right there, hidden in plain sight among the syllables and syntax of a few words of advice from the apostle Peter. With time and experience, Buchanan learned to tease it out, this secret of more, and he wrote a book about it: Hidden in Plain Sight. The answer, he discovered, is an investigation of the cross. The answer is an excavation of the virtues. The answer urges us passionately to "make every effort." And, Buchanan tells us, the answer is worth it.
Customer Reviews:
As functional as it is enjoyable.......2007-08-01
As a thinking Christ-follower, I struggle with the delicate balance between faith and works. I understand and appreciate God's grace, but He must be impressed by my efforts at piety...mustn't He?
With his usual deftness, Mark Buchanan presents a flowing exegesis of 2 Peter 1:1-9 that actually gives me hope in my aforementioned struggle. Buchanan is my favorite Christian author. He is a gifted wordsmith with a winsome delivery, yet his work presents a functional practicality and I reference it often. "Hidden in Plain Sight" is different than anything Buchanan has done before and he seems to be maturing as a writer. I especially enjoyed "The Petrine Diaries," behind-the-scenes glimpses into Peter's soul which added insight and context to his exhortation. When I finished the last page, I found myself looking forward to Mark Buchanan's next offering. I am certain it will be another cherished gift to the church.
Seven Ways / One Path to a Better Life.......2007-07-26
The somewhat obscured virtues 2 Peter sets-forth, if adopted and practiced faithfully, assure you of a better life with Jesus.
Amen and amen........2007-06-06
The writer Diane Ackerman once wrote that for too many people, "Life is something that happens to them while they wait for death." In HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT, Mark Buchanan explores seven ancient virtues that are found in the writings of the apostle Peter. In doing so, Buchanan invites us to pay attention to our lives, to really live, not just exist.
The life we've always wanted, Buchanan reminds us, is already here. It's not later, like after the kids are grown, or we've gone to counseling, or gotten a degree. It's now. We have everything we need. And there are seven virtues that, according to the Apostle Peter, if we add to our lives will make us more fruitful and productive. But first we have to search out these virtues and apply them.
What are the virtues? We need knowledge, the key to efficiency and productivity, and for it to be detoxified by goodness, which renders knowledge beneficial and not impressive. Add self-control; learn to pray. Persevere. Become Godly (Godliness, he notes, is "beautiful when it is authentic, and revolting when it's pretense.") Be kind. Love each other. Virtue's "groundwork" is faith, he writes. Its lifeblood is the Spirit.
As in his previous books, such as THE REST OF GOD and THINGS UNSEEN, Buchanan crafts lovely prose and careful word choices to get his message across. "...the Spirit is a wind. I'm learning to run with his gentle pummeling on my back, keeping me from growing weary. Some days, I spread my arms like wings and catch that wind beneath them, and for moments I fly. I fly."
Buchanan's vulnerability, often poignant personal stories, careful incorporation of scripture, illustrations and quotes from such diverse writers as Annie Dillard, G.K. Chesterton, and Pat Conroy enrich and illuminate his message. Every page is a challenge if we take it to heart. And we can't be proud of these virtues; rather, each virtue must come with an underlying humility.
In one interesting passage of the book, Buchanan wrestles with a concept that I've always struggled with. When we know that whenever we make a decision, the fallout of it might have negative consequences, how do we move forward? For example, we send care packages with toothbrushes in them to impoverished children in Africa, and the local toothbrush vendor loses his business. Or the church decides to invest in new choir robes, and the local food pantry can't feed 30 families because they are short on funds. It can make you crazy! Buchanan's advice, riffing on Martin Luther's "sin boldly," is helpful: "Don't anguish over every little thing. Do what needs doing and leave the outcome to God."
Something different: Buchanan integrates "The Petrine Diaries," 11 entries drawn from the life of Peter plus three short fictional stories that are tagged onto each section of the book, which he includes to "stir up your imagination." Although his nonfiction is stronger than his fiction, these short stories help flesh out the person of Peter on which the book revolves.
This is a message that will go straight to your heart if you let it, make you ask yourself questions about the way you are living, if you are risking enough, if you really want enough of God. I love Buchanan's hope for his book: "May it disrupt us, turn us upside down in order to live right-side up.... May it help us live with such holy vigor that when we're gone, our epitaph will be, "They really lived." May we say, "God, I want more of you." Amen and amen.
--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby
4 1/2 Stars...Deceptively Light.......2007-05-28
With his fifth book, Buchanan proves to be one of the best Christian authors you've never heard of. He writes with humor and grace. He makes a lofty promise in "Hidden in Plain Sight," offering "the secret of more." More what? More rules to Christian living?
Buchanan states up front that this book is about practicing virtue. However, he quickly sidesteps Victorian stereotypes and invites us to explore dark, haunting, beautiful, and life-changing truths contained in a few verses from II Peter. He leads us through these precepts, connecting the dots of virtue, building one upon the other, until we have a clear picture of what it means to have godly love. Along the way, Buchanan gives us insights into this outspoken disciple. Peter is more human than we remember--and more godly than we might assume. Peter shows us an example of what to do and what not to do.
Buchanan uses this example to great effect. He offers hope for those who feel discouraged in their Christian progress, as well as correction for those who have lost their focus, or become spiritual workaholics. He raises questions. He deals honestly with life's difficulties. In a deceptively light 200 pages, he gives meaty bites of practical theology, bites that require thorough chewing to produce the most efficient nourishment. Don't rush through these pages. Mull them over. Enjoy each savory word picture. These concepts are ones to live by.
Hidden In Plain Sight.......2007-04-05
Mark Buchanan is a unique writer. He writes in a style that is "out of the box" thinking. He keeps me off balance in a good way. As a result I find myself actively engaged with the message he is seeking to convey.
Book Description
It's about time that someone wrote church history that tells about people, not just about "eras" and "ages." Church History in Plain Language taps the roots of our Christian family tree. It combines authoritative research with a captivating style to bring our heritage home to us.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Overview of Church History.......2007-10-11
I am reading this book in concert with a Church History course. The book provides a solid overview of over 2,000 years of history of the Christian Church. It does an excellent job of highlighting the key movements and failures throughout that history. The book is easy to read and does not require an advance understanding of the topic. I would recommend it for any lay person seeking to understand the changes that have occurred in the Christian church since the Book of Acts was written.
What you need to know but didn't take the time for........2007-08-13
This book is so well written it makes it easy to read. The information regarding our christian church's history is written in such a way that you step away from the book remembering all the foundational stones and background to our modern church.
Dreadful.......2007-06-09
Bad history, bad theology, bad everything. Please do not waste your time on this book. Reads modern evangelical creedalism, separatism, and paranoia directly onto past eras of Christianity with no support. There are so many good books on Christian History. Go find one of those.
Perfect Title.......2007-05-25
This book is exactly what it claims to be... Church History in Plain Language. I found this book easy to understand, and it helped to give the overall picture of all of church history (including our denominations today). One can easily see how far we have come, where we have come from, and then appreciate the greatness of our church today! This book brings to the lay person a good foundational knowledge of ecclesiastical history without having to sit and read through the difficult "dry stuff."
"church" history well done !!.......2007-05-11
Here is a nicely well done one volume history of the "church". Written by a good church history scholar, this book is definitely one of the better one volume church histories to read. Just does a good job of hitting the high points, and quite some detail, of major and many minor historical church/christian events, peoples and institutions. Interesting reading and informative.
Amazon.com
Written by Patricia T. O'Conner, an editor at the New York Times Book Review, Woe Is I gives lighthearted, witty instruction on the subject most of us dreaded in school--grammar. Discussion is brief and concise, and much more engaging than the grammar books you may remember. With chapter titles such as "Woe is I: Therapy for Pronoun Anxiety," "Your Truly: The Possessive and the Possessed," "Verbal Abuse: Words on the Endangered List," "Comma Sutra; The Joy of Punctuation," and "Death Sentence: Do Cliches Deserve to Die?," O'Conner proves that even grammar can make for entertaining reading.
Book Description
The bestselling grammar book has been updated and revised to include the latest and greatest on the basics and subtleties of English, and features a new chapter on the language of the Internet.
Customer Reviews:
An Excellent Grammar Review.......2007-07-30
This book was suggested to me some years ago by an English lit professor and I've only finally gotten around to finishing it. As the title states it's a grammar guide written in (mostly) plain English. Woe Is I is a an easy and enjoyable read for anyone wanting to brush up on their grammar, spelling, and punctuation and O'Connor makes use of terrific and creative sentences that make the various rules easier to recall. I certainly had some disagreements with the book (after all, language is living) and the biggest turn off for me was the lack of acknowledging more progressive and modern language.
Great Book.......2007-05-12
Great book for anyone that needs basic grammar and more. Especially good for SAT prep.
Pleasurable read, good advice.......2007-05-06
"Woe is I" caught my eye in a bookstore, with its cutesy title, where it stood out against the dry, text-like grammar references in a quick scan. Patricia O'Conner did not disappoint, and her advice nearly always hits its mark for people who actually care about the finer points of grammar. The book is much more about grammar than the popular "Eats, Shoots, & Leaves", and I easily preferred this one.
The author ranges from grammar and usage concepts to exact details on words and punctuation. She mixes in some fun and cute examples, which I can understand would put off some people, whereas I found it part of the pleasure of the book because the author didn't go overboard.
I consider myself pretty solid on usage and grammar, and was happy to discover many topics confirmed my own thoughts and style, even when I didn't explicitly realize the rules she spelled out. It was good to learn exactly why some of those rules were true, and her flexibility on such items as split infinitives was refreshing.
She covered some areas I sometimes struggle with (e.g., "she dislikes my smoking", "who" vs. "whom", and "like" vs. "as") and identified relatively obscure examples I probably get wrong and now can try to do properly. Isn't that one of the reasons to read a grammar book, anyway?
Perhaps the only topic about which I disagreed was whether to use apostrophes in certain plurals, as in 1970s vs. 1970's, which she admits is no big deal and basically a coin toss anyway.
The chapter on e-mail best practices is good advice, even though it doesn't really fit with the book's emphasis on grammar.
The Enjoyable Side to Grammar.......2007-04-02
Patricia T. O'Conner speaks to the masses about the English language. WOE IS I: THE GRAMMARPHOBE'S GUIDE TO BETTER ENGLISH IN PLAIN ENGLISH is recommended reading for refreshing one's memory to properly using pronouns, gerunds, possessives, and a variety of other common mistakes made when writing and speaking in English. This book may be a good start to re-approaching the language.
O'Conner uses a quirky approach to explaining and showing the basic nuts and bolts of grammar. As she states in the introduction, it is a survival guide or a quick read to understanding and correcting common mistakes, and is clearly reader-friendly, which will alleviate any anxiety or struggle. Although the book is not meant to be an introduction, it is a good supplement and reference source to previously read textbooks related to English grammar.
WOE IS I is a convenient book that may be referenced more than once. It is light enough to be carried and read at any time, and it is suitable reading for any occasion. The book is as helpful as it is humorous when grasping the English language.
Strunk & White, but funnier........2007-04-02
(Note: I have the first edition of this book. I believe this second edition has more about e-mail than the first edition.)
This book is close in content to Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style". It covers the same grammatical concepts such as subject-verb agreement, pronoun use, punctuation, etc. The biggest difference is that Ms O'Conner uses humor to help maintain her reader's interest.
I wouldn't recommend buying both this and "The Elements of Style", unless you learn better through repetition. Of the two, I prefer O'Conner's not only because it is more fun to read, but because it also includes more examples of each topic. Also, O'Conner is a bit more open to modern usages.
If you prefer to learn from teachers who use humor to engage their students; choose this book. If you would rather your teachers get straight to the point; Strunk & White would probably suit you better. Personally, I enjoy both styles of teaching, and will keep both books near me while I try to learn to write well.
Book Description
This no-nonsense guide helps you learn the easy way to navigate the latest version of Office with numbered steps and concise, straightforward language that show the most expedient ways to learn a new skill or solve a problem. Youll become familiar with the new, easy-to-use user interface and learn the essentials for working with Microsoft Office programsdiscovering how to perform everyday tasks and answer your own questions quickly. You will discover how to create documents with Microsoft Office Word, spreadsheets with Excel, and presentations with PowerPoint. Youll even get the basics for designing a publication using Publisher, creating a Web page with FrontPage, sharing information with SharePoint, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Plain & Simple: 2007 Microsoft Office System.......2007-10-11
I am very pleased with this book. The instructions are clear and visual, and that rates highly with me because I do better when I can see how to do something.
Great book!
Lynda Schofield
Too Simple.......2007-09-16
Windows Vista(TM) Plain & Simple (Bpg-Plain & Simple)
It is hard to use this to start using Vista because the subjects are not in the order you will encounter them in trying to configure it. For example how to use multimedia and running gadgets are covered before "setting up" , "managing files" and customizing your configuration.
2007 Microsoft Office System Plain & Simple (Plain & Simple Series) .......2007-06-08
Well written, simple and precise, easy to follow and understand. Great to have a book that is non geeky. Excellent.
Not so plain, but yes, simple!.......2007-06-01
This is a great book for anyone who does not want any type of theory but just the information to get going on a project. Lots of great illustrations and just what this busy librarian needs who does not have time to go back to school for a computer science degree. The book contains easy to read page layouts with instructions on how to preform various task in a simple step by step manner. Who knew a marine biologist and former caterer could cook up such a book.
Excellent for beginners.......2007-04-10
This book is well laid out and easy to understand. The step by step, visual format makes it easy for you to quickly complete topics without guesswork - it shows you all of the steps you need to take! Excellent as a manual or reference book, generally you can go directly to a topic and learn all that you need to know about that topic without having to read previous sections.
The book starts off by covering the features common to all Office 2007 programs - extremely useful to quickly familiarise you to the general workings of any Office 2007 program. Each of the following chapters then focuses on an individual Office 2007 program(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access).
CHAPTER LIST
01. About This Book
02. Working in Office
03. Common Tasks in Office
04. Viewing and Editing Text in Word
05. Formatting in Word
06. Working with Special Content in Word
07. Working in Excel
08. Analyzing and Presenting Data in Excel
09. Creating a PowerPoint Presentation
10. Presenting a PowerPoint Slide Show
11. Working with Messages in Outlook
12. Organizing with Outlook
13. Creating a Publication with Publisher
14. Working in Access
15. Exchanging Information Among Office Programs
16. Customizing and Securing Office
After reading this book you will do more with Office 2007.
One note of caution: The content is targeted towards beginner to low-end intermediate users who need step-by-step instruction. Intermediate- Power- and Advanced-users may find the material covered to be too basic to be useful.
Books:
- Then and Now Bible Maps: With Clear Plastic Overlays of Modern Day Cities and Countries
- Thunderstruck
- Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture
- Tipi: Home of the Nomadic Buffalo Hunters
- Titanic: A Survivor's Story and the Sinking of the S.S. Titanic
- Twentieth-Century Russian and East European Painting: The Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection
- Undeserving Poor
- Venice and the Islamic World, 828-1797
- War and Peace
- Western Civilization: A Brief History, Comprehensive Edition (with InfoTrac)
Books Index
Books Home
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