There are precious few books which address the history of the occult in a sensible manner. Foreseeing the Future: Evangeline Adams and Astrology in America does it very well indeed. Though author Karen Christino is obviously sympathetic to her biographical subject, the early 20th century astrologer Evangeline Adams, she tries to be objective in assessing her life and work. I personally found this refreshing, as it allows the reader to make up his or her own mind. Do we believe that Adams was a terrific astrologer or someone who exaggerated her successes in order to impress the public? Did she really forecast World War II or the stock market crash of 1929? It's up to the reader to decide, since Christino documents the facts and examines Adams as a real person and not just a legend. We're given insight into what drove Adams to such an unusual profession in 1900, her troubles with the law and her unfulfilling marriage to a much younger man.

I especially enjoyed the sections describing the development of the occult in the U.S., including information on palmistry and spiritualism and Adams' relationship with the infamous magician Aleister Crowley. If you're intrigued by astrology, the occult or New Age topics and are tired of all the flaky, off-the-wall books out there, you will enjoy Foreseeing the Future. It brings a sometimes mysterious topic down to earth and tells a terrifically entertaining yarn at the same time. I loved it!

I read this book in 1981 when it first came out. I was deeply moved and purchased the sequel, THE DIVINE QUEEN, the following year. The ending was heart wrenching -- but also a cliffhanger. The third book never came out, and I don't know why or what became of the author. My poem, `Elnavis', in A CHILD POSSESSED was based on this series. It starts out like this:
A deathbarge washed up on the shores of the North,/ It bore a strange manly form/ His eyes were of jade, and we watched him, afraid/ as he waded in toward the shore.

This is one thorough, authoritative tome on Fortran90. It is about as dry as one would expect of a reference manual, and yet it is not exactly succinct. I guess its wordiness is an unavoidable consequence of Fortran's longevity (backward compatibility with earlier versions of Fortran requires many a lengthy explanation).

"Foundations of Psychodrama: History, Theory and Practice" is an excellent introduction to psychodrama, an action method founded by Dr. J.L. Moreno, an European-born physician, in 1921 that has gained worldwide attention. Although Moreno's writings -- perhaps due to the fact that English was his second language -- is frequently turgid and challenging, Blatner's clear writing and thoughtful commentary make Moreno's complex and important ideas accessible to practitioners, students and all variety of helping professionals and educators. Blatner does a very good job in explaining how this action method is useful in many fields, not just psychotherapy, and the importance of having adequate training with this powerful tool.

This book turned my brother and me into "nuts," about the Adams diggings. Nothing stirs a person's imagination more than a real mystery. Richard French does a great job of telling the story of his (and others) efforts to understand and solve the mystery of the lost Adams diggings - a fantastic gold strike made and then lost in the Southwest. This book will really make your mind work... and dream.

Sometimes you need to let go and allow the garden to become. I like McClure's ideas of getting away from row gardening and instead focusing on less fussy beds, for instance using self-sowing plants. I also recommend this author's other book, The Herb Gardener. It's a good manual for those wishing to explore herbs. -Linda Fry Kenzle, author of Gathering

FRESH BREAD COMPANION was written to capture a place, a time and a feeling. As I tried each bread I felt as if Liz Clark was my companion. As I tasted each one I thought of a place, time and feeling of memory. When my niece tasted the Prune and Almond Whole Wheat Bread, her statement was, "This is like eating a memory." "This smells, tastes, and feels like Granny's bread." Although the recipes reflect current local tastes and European rather than standard fare from the good old days, it is that essence of "Home" as a dynamic place of warmth in memory thatis conveyed to the reader. The book arrived recently and had my mouth watering. I wanted to rush into the kitchen and fire up the oven after reading through recipes like Sour Dough French, Rustic Baguettes, Cracked Wheat, and Olive and Walnut. Now that I have tried them I hope to be Liz Clark's companion through other cookbooks.

This is one of the great masterpieces of Jewish Bible scholarship. Cassuto is thoroughly original and always illuminating. The opening part of Genesis is among the most difficult and misinterpreted sections of the Bible; Cassuto is a sure guide, explaining difficulties and resolving apparent discrepancies. He is a firm opponent of the Documentary Hypothesis, rebutting its arguments comprehensively. On the other hand, he never falls into the trap of slavish fundamentalist interpretation. It is a tragedy that Cassuto's commentaries only cover Exodus and part of Genesis, but for the limited area they cover they are essential reading.

Nancy Newhall was (and continues to be some 29 years after her accidental death) one of the best writers on photography I have read. She was a confidant of such luminaries as Alfred Stieglitz and Ansel Adams (she was his first biographer), the acting curator of the Department of Photography at New York's Museum of Modern Art in the 1940's, a driving force in the influential magazine and publishing concern Aperture, and an avid writer of photography books.

The writings collected in "From Adams to Stieglitz: Pioneers of Modern Photography" represent a wonderful cross-section of her work. Her knowledge of the history of photography is amazing as she writes about the motivation driving the development of the medium. Two of the pieces are remarkable:

"Controversy and the Creative Concepts," written in 1953, compares and contrasts the photographic style of the "Parisian School" as represented by Cartier-Bresson and the "Western School" represented by Group f/64, Alfred Eisenstaedt, and Helen Bourke-White. Worlds diametrically opposed, each equally valid. The article presents an important overview of 20th century photography.

"The Caption: The Mutual Relation of Words/Photographs," written in 1952 for the first issue of Aperture, looks at the different types of captions that can be attached to a photograph (if any: Stieglitz refused to put caption on his work) and how one should write them. This essay provides nice insight into the practice of photographic writing.

Anyone with an interest in 20th century photography will find this book an essential part of their library. Her writing style is unique and wonderful, an absolute joy to read.

I love history and romance and this book had both. Informative historical facts on Persia(Iran) which gives you a lot to think about. The research on this book reminds me of the research Mary Jo Putney does, ie Veils of Silk. I have read all of Mary Jo Putney's books. She is one of my favorite authors.