As an Anglo-Catholic who was not raised as one, I have had many questions about customs and liturgies. This is one of the sources I reach for first when I need answers.

The focus of this book is on home practices, on customs and especially on foods. However, this is not just a collection of recipes for various Saint's days, but also includes information about each saint and about the seasons of the liturgical year, starting, quite properly, with a discussion of "Sunday" since each Sunday is a mini-celebration of Easter.

If you are raising a family and wish to do so in a Christ-centered way, you should have a copy of this book. While it is aimed primarily at Catholic and Orthodox families there is much material here that would be useful in a Protestant family, particularly one that wishes to explore the two thousand years of Christian tradition rather than "re-inventing the wheel."

This is a nice book with some fun information about saints and their days. After buying it, our family started to celebrate name days (any excuse to have a celebration). I wish it had more ideas for meals and more saint days, but the ones already in there are well done.

This is a really helpful cookbook, especially if you didn't come out of a liturgical tradition orginally. Evelyn Vitz has laid the book out in a calendar fashion for the most part, but has sections on days of fasting and abstinence and saints days. I really love her recipe for plum pudding and use it every year now. I had tried several other recipes before hers, but hers is definitely the best. We have also included a lot of her other suggestions in our family celebrations. This is a cookbook that I refer to frequently (especially during Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter).

This book is great for any Christian family that wants to add a bit more traditional Christian emphasis to their lives. You don't have to be Catholic or Orthodox to enjoy it and use it. You may find yourself understanding Catholic and Orthodox traditions once you've read it, however.

This book passes on traditions that some families failed to get from Great Grandmother before she died. If you are from a Christian family, it will help you get in touch with your roots (as well as give you a lot of delicious recipes to try).

This practical handbook demonstrates the use of the power of mind to achieve harmony in various areas of life. These include healing of oneself and others, both physical and mental, solving money and relationship problems, and more. Many examples of healing are given and every chapter ends with the exercise technique to solve that particular problem. Although this book is valuable, I have not found the text to be as engaging or inspiring as, for example, the work of Catherine Ponder or Joseph Murphy. Also, not enough emphasis is put on harnessing the power of the subconscious or on how to overcome resistance from the conscious mind. Having said that, everyone who seriously and consistently practices the eternal truths explained here will find great benefit.

I was introducd to this book by my mother-in-law. She was using the methods to bring about change for her entire family! Having been a student of metaphysical teachings for many years,I was pleased to learn of the success she was having using the methods outlined in this book. After briefly reading some passages, I decided to locate a copy for myself. I have changed the wording of my treatments to keep them positive and included an acknowledgement to the source from which, I believe, all things flow. At one point things were moving so fast, I had to adjust the wording; mostly because I hadn't properly prepared for the fulfillment of my request and the physical changes that were occuring. A word of caution to those who would use metaphysical treatments for others: make sure you know the outcome they desire, so you are both on the same track. Think wisely and prepare before you begin your treatments.

This book has been very valuable in my life. I have improved my relationships, health and day to day life reading this book. If you are consistent and read this book you will get very noticeble results. THIS BOOK WORKS! Make it available and keep this book in print for years to come.

The novel, Other Women, illustrates the pathetic situation of a single woman's unrequited love for a married man. Fiona, a young twenty-something artist meets a married man, Raymond, a powerful and socially prominent CEO who is old enough to be her father. His business deals require him to travel often, and the two of them begin a year or two of meetings in various hotels in different cities and in Fiona's apartment.

Raymond never considers their relationship as anything more than a diversion. To him she is just as a playmate. Much of the physical intimacy they have is more like that of a prostitute and john, not like lovers. Early on in the relationship he even asked her if she had found a man yet. Raymond tells her how much he loves his wife. Fiona has fallen so hard and so deep for the man that she ignores these and other many other negative signals. Later, after Raymond tells her point blank that he will never leave his wife, she still persists.

Once Fiona understands the importance of Raymond's wife to him, she becomes obsessed with her. This is because Fiona wants to be her. In her fantasies she physically destroys Raymond's wife so she can take his place.

The book has a very poetic feel. The style is slightly reminiscent of a journal, in a good way. Much of it is in the present tense. Much of what Fiona says toward or about Raymond is said in his absence, in the second person. It suggests an inner dialogue. It is as if the affair was in the past and Fiona is reliving it emotionally. In the beginning of the book, the style seems a little awkward, but the frequent images and metaphors are consistently excellent and carry the reader very well. The use of the second person in addressing Raymond works very well also. Past the mid-point of the book, I felt impelled to find out how Fiona's situation would get resolved.

At the beginning of the story, in my mind, I condemned Fiona for her lack of ethics and poor judgement. But mid-way through I began to have some sympathize for her, as it became clear she was a prisoner of her own emotions. Eventually, the almost unendurable pain forces Fiona to face the reality of the situation. Once she accepted it, her infatuation broke. What more can we expect from a person than to learn from their experiences?

The reason I still have not changed my mind about Lau's talent even after long since she came out as a former runaway-a child hooker was her frightening greed for language, period. That is what makes her work transcend every category she could fall in and makes it more universal. It is universal, indeed.
In Other Women, I was entirely amazed by her tanacious observation and staying power to translate the almost physically brutal pang of loving somebody who is beyond her reach into the art of language. As usual, she possesses the gesture of the proud masochist, which has been her turf. I often suspected if it is the stance she had developed out of the helplessness in her childhood/teenage days with no choice. She seemed to be growing into such a complexed young woman who'd get mixed up with paternal protection and manly affection of which she did not know to seek after. That is what caused the fatal obsession Fiona had with Raymond.
The way Fiona fell and got desperate was precisely described and examined by the prose that made every trivial scene appear different and fresh, even the cliche of affair an older man who never leaves his marriage could have counting on some kind of fidelity of a young woman who is drowning in the emotion.
Even the cruelty was beautifully woven by her poetic and poised art of language. The highlight of the whole novel, however, was the shocking disclosure of the fact how lonely and unsatisfied people are, no matter who you are, men, women, married and unmarried. The discovery was solely attributed to the persepective of Lau's, who's distanced from the regular social structure, this time, marriage. Contemplating on being a mistress and taking a close look at marriage from outside the institution that regulates people's desire gave the work the enormous insight that reveals the puzzlement almost everybody seems to experience behind the content front, including the author herself.
I have got the impression that Lau might be the kind of writer who gets oneself burned to see and know what it feels like just to write it real. This is the work the guts resulted. It is the valuable documentation of the modern day theme we are doomed to face; Alienation is universal. Lau never falied to report it with grace and brutality of her art of suffering.

My friend sent me this book a few days ago. I opened it's pages and begin to read. I began relating to this character, and seeing her as myself for a bit there. I felt like I was inside this story. Fiona, the main character or main character emphasis--is a desperate woman in love with a married man. Not totally unbelieveable...it happens everyday. The narraitve voice Evelyn Lau takes as this character is very vivid and honest.

this is a very alive, and hip piece of new age writing. It surpasses most fiction, mainly because it has a emotional fixation with the reader, you are either angry, depressed, happy or totally miffed at the aftions of each character. Raymond, Fiona's love whom is married, will not leave his wife of 15 years for Fiona and woman he has never even sexual intercourse with.

Fiona in a desperate attempt to persue Raymond and make her dream of eternal love with him ends up becoming an alcoholic...she spends most of hert time doting and thinking of him. Every man she sees reminds her of Raymond...nothing wrong with that. Is it mere obsession or real love? Who knows...I won't tell my opinion...

The lyrical aspect of each sentence keeps you engrossed the whole time, and you almost want more when you finish. i loved her wording, and her narritive voice...very powerful and different I must say!

I'll have to enter a dissenting voice, here. I'm glad to see that this book has been useful to others, but for myself, I found it boring and lacking anything new or eye-opening. The authors seem earnest in their advice, but they don't go into much depth about the challenges of marriage. It's feel-good candy for the soul, not the protein needed to sustain a lifetime.

My husband is a recovering addict and this book was great for us to read together. It helped him see just how ego-centered he is and gave him ways to work on changing that. It also reminded me that my husband and I are at very different places, but that's okay as long as we are both making progress.

This is one of the best marriage/relationship books that I have ever read. The insights into what makes a marriage/relationship work and why it does not is superb! There are practical suggestions and guidelines as well that enable the reader to maximize their ability to gain

I waited a mere 6 months for my copy of this book and I had given up hope when a week ago the email came saying it was available. Was it worth the wait? YES! I have read almost every one of these types of books I could get my hands on (probably to procrastinate more than in search of inspiration!) and I can safely say that this book along with David Sternberg's How to Complete and Survive a Doctoral Dissertation have offered the best advice.

Chapter 1: The Doctoral Degree Facts of Life -- The Beginning Chapter 2: Researching your Committee--The really critical research project Chapter 3: Selecting the Dissertation Topic Chapter 4: Spending Money and Using the 20th Century to Your Advantage Chapter 5: Designing Your Dissertation and Preparing the Prospectus and Proposal Chapter 6: Writing the Dissertation -- Twenty Workdays to go! Chapter 7: Defending the Dissertation -- Two Hours to Doctor! Chapter 8: Celebrating, the Last Revision, Postpartum Depression

I am giving it 4 stars only because (and I hate this!) there is no Index. Each chapter is clearly outlined in the Table of Contents and each chapter has a summary paragraph at the end so if you need to cruise through and get on with it, you can do it easily (but I still miss that index!)

Dr. Ogden's book gets down to the nitty-gritty. It's not the book you want if you're interested in your dissertation being a great piece of research. But if you're interested in FINISHING IT (and getting those three letters after your name), then its insights are very, very practical. She mentions the specifics of how to get it done with minimal obstacles. She gets into the keys of proposal, selecting the right dissertation chairperson, analyzing what you'll need to do, the stages, setting a timeline, and oral defense of the thesis. I agree with another reviewer who said her timelines were unrealisitic (Can a first time thesis-writer really collect data and do literature review research at the same time?); however, the optimism in which the book was written makes it great. Her method of analyzing other dissertations of your chairperson was a very key insight, and she sets it out there in step-by-step fashion. Simply following her guidelines puts you on the clear path towrd PhD, not ABD.

This book is a concise lesson in organization for anyone. I found it in the university library and became desperate for a copy, since I will be writing my thesis this year, and maybe someday a dissertation. Her timelines are optimistic, but encouraging.

Good book overall, but for some sections where there are recommendations for names or elements, the book stops at the year 2000, so it's useless for people like me who's trying to find names for new baby born in 2001.

I am considering this book since I'm looking for an auspicious name for my baby who will be born next year (2003). But according to one of the readers, it is outdated if you need to determine the best name for year 2001 onwards.
Will the author Evelyn Lip considering of
publishing new edition for year 2002 onwards so that
we can determine what is the best name base on the element and
birth date.

My wife and I are from India. We recently had a baby daughter. We had lots of fun applying Chinese naming principles to Indian names. Hope the name's auspicious for our daughter

My two favorite sections of this book are the introduction by Mary-Alice Waters and the essay by Evelyn Reed, "The Woman Question and the Marxist Method." In the intro, Waters explains 1) how the status of women in the US has changed since WWII; 2) what the women's liberation movement of the 1960s and 70s accomplished; and 3) a scientific explanation for why this powerful and inspiring movement declined. It is the definitive answer to Susan Faludi's thesis in Backlash, written 8 years before Faludi's book appeared! For that alone, this book is worth buying and reading and studying and discussing with others.
Reed's essay sums up the political debate at the center of the book (see other reviewers' summaries of this) and, like Waters, launches a factual, scientific examination of the roots of the oppression of women and how our concepts of beauty, fashion, and cosmetics are tied to the rule of a handful of capitalists over the majority who toil for a living. A must for women (and men) who want to understand why sexism exists in our society and how to fight it.

A fascinating and instructive collection, this is the written record of a debate carried out in the pages of the socialist newsweekly, the Militant, in the mid-1950s.

You get a serious look at the roots of the oppression of women in capitalist society, including the powerful psychological pressure exerted through mass media, marketing, and bosses to compel women to "need"--and hence buy-- the "right" clothes, cosmetics, and so-called beauty treatments. The discussion takes up the changing relations between men and women as human society has evolved from earliest times to today's class-divided society, debunks the notion of an eternal standard of beauty, and much more.

It's also a wonderful example of how to analyze and understand political and social questions from the standpoint of the interests of working people and not succumb to the prejudices and fetishes of capitalist society. You see how political activists can thrash out sharp differences over tough questions in the framework of an open exchange of views.

An extensive introduction covers the impact of the capitalist crisis of the 1980s on women and the decline of the mass women's rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

This entertaining and thought-provoking book had a curious beginning - a 1954 exchange of news articles and letters to the editor in the socialist newsweekly the Militant. The original article joked about the declining use of cosmetics and subsequent problems of the cosmetics industry. A reader's reaction quickly brought a discussion of the role of women in society, their increasing participation in the workforce, and the source of the imaging of women in culture.
This dispute, which became a debate within the Socialist Workers Party, took place well before the rise of the 1960s women's liberation movement. It took place at a time generally regarded as one of bland social conformity. Obviously, social attitudes towards, and by, women were much more complex than met the eye. An introduction by Mary-Alice Waters puts the book in its modern-day context

I love the original Healthy Homestyle Cooking and use it constantly -- however, I've always thought the sweets and baked goods were the weakest part of the cookbook. And unfortunately that problem is magnified in this book. She cuts too much fat and salt out of everything, and the flavor and texture of the final products really suffer. Most of her muffins and quick breads are either rubbery and tough, or dense and soggy, because she replaces every last drop of oil or butter with applesauce. Also, H.H. Desserts has many repeats within itself as well as repeats from her first book. The same cheesecake and muffin recipes are repeated again and again, with just a tiny change in flavorings, fruit, name, etc.
For best results with Tribole's muffin and quick bread recipes, always add about 1/2 teaspoon salt, a few tablespoons of oil (in addition to the applesauce she calls for), and when she calls for two egg whites, use a whole egg instead. You'll get far better results and you'll still have a healthy, low-fat product. And you won't waste mountains of egg yolks, which I think is criminal!

I believe Carbohydrates are the bigges dieting problem but we all need to satisfy our sweet teeth! Here are some wonderful recipes which are fun to do, try and enjoy without guilt, guilt and too many calories. Enjoy your treats, you deserve them!

This book will totally surprise you. I know something about cooking, so I was convinced that removing some of the butter, oil, eggs, etc., would render many of these sweet recipies inedible. But then I bought this and tried some of these "healthy homestyle desserts" after I bought Tribole's other book, STEALTH HEALTH. All I can tell you is the woman is a magician. And she made me feel like one, too! If you don't believe me, just take her Chocolate Turtle Pecan Cookies to your next church bake sale and watch the reaction.

After reading the reviews on this book, I decided on the spot to order it. Although it has many thought-provoking questions in it, they definitely arn't life changing. It is a decent book, but it didn't meet my expectations. If you are a very religious or spiritual person, this may be your style.

This book goes to the heart of the matter, or in this case directly to the soul. It is a book that can be picked up at any time as life twists and turns the answers may dramatically change. There are questions that this reader has never considered and questions that are at unanswerable, but mentally challenging.

It is difficult to describe the impact of this book... It is so simple, yet you may never find a more effective window to your soul, your relationships, your self-image, your most treasured "lost" memories, and your sense of spirituality. The times in which we live rarely allow us to take the time to be calm and contemplative, to put our lives into perspective, to appreciate our relationships with friends, the world, or our spirituality. At the risk of belittling the value of this book, I would almost describe it as a "spirit pill", a nearly instantaneous redemption of the ability to reach inside. Its questions capture your mind and soul, and the few moments of thought that are stimulated by each question seem to linger with you and color your action for days to come.

My wife and I have used the book to defuse disagreements, to stimulate an evening of (god forbid!) wonderful conversation. We gave this book as a gift at a housewarming, and the dozen or so people present found themselves still sitting in an absorbed circle of shared experiences at 2 AM.

You can spend 5 minutes or 5 hours with this book and come away enriched. You can wake up with a question or go to sleep with a dreamquest. It will, in the best sense, allow you to continuously regain and rejuvenate your direction, purpose and value.

On a scale of 5, it can only be described as a 6!

In the begining of the book the author states "...adopted people who do not acknowledge their original mothers are not living authentically..." I take exception to this statement. The person who gave birth to me IS NOT my mother. My mother is the person who guided me and loved me throughout my life. I have never had any urge to search for my "original" mother and I have several adopted friends who feel the same way. I do not deny the existance of the woman who gave birth to me, but I do deny that she has had ANY impact (other than DNA) on my life and who I am today.

This book just perpetuates the myth that adopted children feel they are "missing" something (in this case the woman who gave birth to them.)

Evelyn's book provides a rare insight into the mind of a mother who has given her child to adoption. It details the tremendous pain suffered because of this action and the life long grief it leaves. The book records the life of the author from the time of her birth till the present, and it is an honest and candid exposé of her thoughts and feelings about the conception, gestation, birth, and finally the reunion with her son Adam (later renamed Steven by the adoptive parents). Evelyn's story is one that has, in many ways, mirrored the experiences of many other women who have lost their children to adoption. It is a story that needs to be told and one that needs to be heard.

Evelyn raise the question of 'acquiescence' for the natural mother and then dispels it by revealing the truth about the coercion involved in gaining consent for adoption. Evelyn also acknowledges the pain and hidden grief suffered by adopted people and lifts the veil of secrecy that surrounds adoption. She examines adoption's dark underbelly and the [idea] of silence that often works to maintain the spiritual, intellectual and physical separation between natural mother's and their children.

This book is highly recommended and a 'must read' both for professionals working in the area of adoption and all of those many millions of people, worldwide, who have been touched by adoption. This book will be especially valuable to adoptive parents because it provides an account of the (often unacknowledged) experiences of birthmothers and their children. Many of these individuals have in the past, and will continue in the future, to be consumed by adoptions unresolved grief.

Excellent book. I am an adoptee, and this helped me understand as best as I can the experience from a birthmother's perspective. Highly recommended reading.