A convoluted and strange path indeed.

Mr. Carmel, of blessed memory found his spritual home in a most unlikely place, and only after diligent search and much discouragement: from his family, his colleagues, and for quite some time, from the community he sought to join. He found joy and contentment as a high school English teacher. To hear Shakespeare from his mouth was an experience, but to be privileged to have known him well and to have been one of his students was a singular honor. Shunned for the most part by his family, he never married; his funeral was so large that traffic and bus lines had to be diverted for the crowd that assembled outside the Yeshivah of Flatbush High School. Such was the measure of the love his students and his adopted People had for him.
A remarkable man.
May his memory be for a blessing.

In the process of finding my way from the Episcopal Church to life as a Jew, this is one of the most power things that I read and re-read. It gives one an idea of where to go when the idea that Jesus was God incarnate no longer holds. I have recommended this book to everyone I have met on the path to conversion, and others with crises of faith, for over 25 years. It is still one of my most beloved books.

The story of Mr. Carmel's spiritual journey is very worthwhile reading. His strange path from Anglican priest, to Roman Catholic priest and subsequent conversion to Judaism is well told. His modest, gentle and generous nature will come through to any reader. Plus it's very well written. After all he spent the latter part of his life as an English teacher.

I had the priviledge of meeting this wonderful gentleman, may he rest in peace. I approached him, and got to know him, because I found his story fascinating. Unfortunately he retired from teaching at my high school before I could formally become his student.

This is the book that started my lifelong fascination with the Lincoln assassination story, at age 7! I couldn't read much then, but the many, many photographs are so evocative that they managed to convey the tragic, haunting story all on their own. This book was originally published in 1865 (the centennial of the assassination) and is probably the prototype for serious overviews of this topic. The authors were renowned Lincoln scholars and archivists, and their love and expertise for the subject is reflected not only in the moving collection of images but also in the intelligent, well written text. If you're at all interested in this topic, this is the best book out there!

If you are looking for a wonderful way to do a project or are just interested in Lincoln and America's reaction to his assassination, this is the book to look at. It was wonderful to read, and the pictures earned me an A on my presentation!

This book has hundreds of photographs related to Abraham Lincoln's assassination and funeral train. Its written description of events from April 14, 1865, to May 4, 1865, is outstanding. This book is by far the best of its kind.

Very comprehensive book- the only one out there like it. It is interesting to read what the people in the theatre that terrible night actually saw and heard. I learned some things I didn't know by reading this book, and would definately reccommend it to anyone interested in the Lincoln Assasanation.

I had to read a book on American History for my college course. I am interested in President Lincoln's assassination and this book caught my eye! Very interesting and hard to put down! Highly reccommended to anyone, old or young.

This is a wonderful, very informative book. It's the only written collection of eye witness accounts ever published on the Lincoln assasination. Every Lincoln buff needs to add this one to his or her library.

This is an amazing book. It simplifies a lot complex Abremelin teachings and methods of invoking the HGA. It is a common sense approach to contemporary Abremelin workers. If you have the original title, "Sacred Magick of Abremelin the Mage", this book can certainly work as an adjunct to understanding the original work much better.
I give it 5 stars and wait for more titles by Mr. Newcomb.

"21st Century Mage: Drawing Down the Divine" is an exciting new book that invites us to make contact with our "Holy Guardian Angel," our unique personal connection with higher planes of consciousness. New author Jason Augustus Newcomb has reinterpreted the 15th century text, "The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage," into a relevant program for contemporary spiritual seekers. Mr. Newcomb's book offers a completely modern approach to the mysticism and magic of Abramelin. Cutting to the core of the "Abramelin" system, "21st Century Mage" describes for the reader many tools and methods from yoga meditation to ritual magick for getting in touch with the personal genius, "Holy Guardian Angel," or tutelary spirit that is each person's connection with universal consciousness.

According to Newcomb, with this connection a person is in touch with his or her own unique creative intelligence and divine knowledge. So few of us are even aware of our own divine genius. Mr. Newcomb feels that genius is the prerogative of all human beings and this book offers several approaches to making the connection with one's own divine genius within the context of Abramelin's system.

Newcomb's hip, non-denominational interpretation of Abramelin, yoga, magick and spirituality in general requires only an openness to creating a deeper connection and relationship with the universe and a yearning for a greater understanding of the mysteries of life. If you've ever wanted to obtain enlightenment, but aren't interested in wearing saffron robes and giving away flowers at the airport, this might be the book for you. Newcomb describes himself as a skeptical and pragmatic mystic. In the book he explains that everything from overeating to drug abuse are all misplaced yearnings for the connection with higher consciousness called, "The Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel."

Newcomb calls upon diverse sources to elucidate his modern mystical hypotheses. In this book you'll find quotes from many places such as "The Spiritual guide" of Christian mystic Miguel de Molinos to ubiquitous quotes from the Victorian drug mystic Aleister Crowley. Newcomb offers exercises and ideas from all of these sources to create a very thorough plan for spiritual awakening. The book is very readable and should be interesting to anyone from the curious to the deeply immersed in the Western Mysteries.

It is April, 1865, the Civil War has just ended and Abe Lincoln is sitting in the White House waiting for his wife, Mary, to finish dressing. This is a happy night and the Lincoln's are going to Ford's Theater to see a play. As Lincoln patiently waits, he thinks back over his life, his simple upbringing and how he made his way to the presidency...from the small log cabin in Kentucky with only one window, to his love of learning and going to law school, to entering politics and finally becoming president, to believing in one country, whole, not half slave, half free..... Ann Warren Turner's eloquently written "fictional biography" and Wendell Minor's beautifully expressive and detailed artwork combine to capture your youngster's imagination with poignant, quiet emotion and moving, understated text. Historical notes at the end fill in the rest of the story, including Lincoln's assassination and can be used to augment lessons and enhance discussions. Abe Lincoln Remembers is a beautifully written, thoughtful story, perfect for youngsters 5-9 and makes a wonderful addition to all home libraries.

This is a wonderful biography for children, especially for children who are already familiar with Lincoln's story. The illustrations are superb, the best since the Daulaire's Caldecott Medal-winning biography of 1957. Wendell Minor's paintings humanize Lincoln without sacrificing that essentail iconic quality we usually expect in a Lincoln portrait.

"Abe Lincoln: The Young Years" tells the story of the future President from his birth in a cabin at Sinking Springs Farm in Kentucky in 1809 until he was a teenager storyteller in Pigeon Creek, Indiana. Author Keith Brandt covers the most significant episodes in the life of the young Lincoln, using them as evidence for how a "poor backwoods boy grew up loving people, the land, and the law." Each two-spread spread includes an illustration by John Lawn, who takes the trouble to show a lot of things I have heard about Lincoln's life but never seen, such as the half-faced camp the family lived in when that first winter in Indiana and the sleeping loft for Abraham and his sister Sarah to have their own "room." Consequently, this book will teach young readers something about life on the American frontier in the early 1800's as well as all about the life of one of the nation's greatest Presidents. Of course, stopping where it does, "Abe Lincoln: The Young Years" will only want them to read about what happened after this book ends.

...The illustrations opened up discussions about what life was like in the United States in the 1800's. The familiar Lincoln lessons about working hard and succeeding in the face of adversity are well-presented.

This is a masterful study of the political and economic undercurrents of the American Revolution. Abraham Clark, a Signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey, was an advocate for the middle and working classes. He fought against privilege in every form, often pitting himself against the most powerful, and wealthy, leaders of the Revolution. He feared that America would establish a country in which the domination of the poor by the wealthy would continue. He was also concerned that "new sources of tyranny" would "arise from American centers of power." His economic ideas and initiatives centered on "leveling the playing field" and are still worth considering. Most of his work was in this area, both on the national and state level. Called an "excentric genius" by one of his enemies, Clark's actions were extremely popular among the people of his district. He was held publicly accountable for every major bill which passed during his tenure in the state legislature. As a member of Congress, he was an ardent supporter of James Madison's policies and measures in the area of commerce.

This is a masterful political and economic study of the Revolution, from the point of view of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence who was an advocate of the middle and working classes. It contains economic, social and political ideas still worth considering. Abraham Clark represents a proud and unique tradition in America in which the idea of equality is central. He feared tyranny in the form of the wealthy gaining power over the poor, and institutions over the individual. As the author states, he fought every form of privilege: social, military, economic or political. His economic vision and ability made him a major player in shaping our new country.

The author writes very well, and has a lot to say -- with humor and a light touch. I've had a few Muslim friends read the book, and they have all, thus far, come away from it impressed by the author's fairness and by how much he knew and understood about their faith.

Islam, the faith of millions, is easily misunderstood in the west. We, for example, often see terrorists justifying their brutality in the name of Islam. This book, written by an LDS scholar on the Middle East, paints a very sympathetic but even-handed picture of this important faith. I learned a lot that I now value knowing. It is a good read too.

George Sullivan's biography of "Abraham Lincoln" for the "In Their Own Words" series is one of the finest juvenile books on Lincoln I have read, and I have been reading a lot of them this month. Of course, as a rhetorician I would have liked to have seen even more excerpts from Lincoln's speeches: the "House Divided," "Cooper Union," and the 2nd Inaugural Address are basically boiled down to a choice sentence or two. Although "The Gettysburg Address" is presented in its ten sentence entirety. There is no mention of Lincoln's 1st Inaugural.. Still, Sullivan does make ample opportunity to use Lincoln's own words, culled from letters or public conversations, at every opportunity. He also does a nice job talking about the motivations of the younger Lincoln as he struggled to make something of his life.

The details of the Civil War are toned down to a reasonable level, since both the constant parade of generals and the unrelenting slaughter can be a bit overwhelming. If anything is given short shrift in this biography it is Lincoln's love life. Anne Rutledge receives a couple of sentences and there is nothing about his complicated courtship with Mary Todd before their marriage. Nor is there anything about her tragic fate following Lincoln's assassination. However, these seem to me quite reasonable omissions in a book aimed at this particular age group. After all, it is not like they will never find a more comprehensive biography of Lincoln down the road.

I have seen several juvenille biographies of Lincoln that are not half as good and cost three or four times as much as this fine effort. There are a couple dozen illustrations, only a handful of which are not from the 19th-century, which is pretty impressive, given the competition. George Sullivan has written a book that does not water down its subject matter for the younger audience. I find the reliance on Lincoln's own words to be particularly commendable. For upper elementary school students this would be the first volume I would recommend they read about Lincoln.

"More books have been written about Lincoln than any other American," says Sullivan in his biography of our sixteenth President. Not all of them are well done - but this one is excellent and deserves a place on the shelf next to Freedman's Caldecott award-wining Lincoln: A Photobiography (Houghton Mifflin, 1987). Sullivan defines primary and secondary sources, then describes the life and times of Lincoln with a liberal sprinkling of quotes from the President and those who knew him. Excerpts from Lincoln's speeches, letters, and other writings are included, explained, and set into context. The Gettysburg address is reproduced in its brief but effective entirety. The book also gives relates the major events of the Civil War.
The writing is simple and uncluttered, and the oversized text and well-spaced lines make for easy reading. Photos and illustrations add to the narrative without distracting. Chapters are tight and concise, and the design (a mix of contemporary borders with Lincoln's handwriting gracing new chapters) is the perfect blend of old and new.
The book meets the usual 100 page requirement for biographies for middle school reports; teachers who may be turned off by the large print and compact size will appreciate the attention to detail as well as the scholarly chronology, bibliography, further reading, photo credits, and index. Pair this fine example of citing sources, acknowledging other points of view and relaying research from primary sources with Holzer's Abraham Lincoln the Writer (Boyds Mill Press 2000).

Most Americans know the major details of the life of our sixteenth president: his pioneer family and humble upbringing; his self - education, his rise through native wit and intelligence from lawyer to state legislator to presidential candidate; his necessarily rapid growth as a statesman to become the virtual conscience of his nation during the bloodiest rift in it's history and spirit; his vilification in the South; his assassination; and his glorification in the Northern states. What many of us may not know are the particular incidents, decisions, and qualities which created the most extraordinary figure in out political history. In this one - volume biography of Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin P. Thomas presents all the significant events and achievements in the life of one of the greatest presidents, and greatest men, in American history. These achievements, Thomas maintains, are a matter of record. There is none of the easy myth - making and hero worship that often mar both longer and shorter biographical treatments. In Abraham Lincoln readers will find little of the lyrical and romanticized Lincoln, nor will they encounter the historically possible but imagined situations which sometimes adorn Carl Sandburg's narrative. What they will find is a full account of the rise to power of a skillful politician and complicated man, who took on an enourmous amount of personal and public responsibility during the greatest crisis in our nation's history. Clearly an admirer of our sixteenth president, Thomas allows the story of Lincoln's successes and failures, and his priviate tragedies, to take its natural course to a regrettable and unnatural end. He permits both the character of the man and the weighty, worrisome decisions of the president to speak eloquently for themeselves. In summing up the Lincoln legacy, Thomas achieves an eloquence of his own: Lincoln saw his countrymen as inheritors of a trust. To them it had been given to make democracy succeed, to cleanse it of the hypocrisies that deprive it of its just example in the world. For in democracy, made genuine, he saw our last, best hope of frustrating any tyrant who seeks to regiment or debase or mislead any people, anywhere and of achieving peace on earth and good will among men and woman through the universal liberty of mankind.

AS IN ANY 101 INTRODUCTORY COURSE, HIGHLY RELEVENT OTHER INFORMATION IS MISSING. YET, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT ONE-VOLUME BOOK ABOUT LINCOLN. OTHER BOOKS THAT WOULD FLESH IT OUT DEAL WITH STEPHEN A DOUGLAS, CAPTAIN SAM GRANT (THE FIRST IN A TRILOGY, ALL OF WHICH ARE RELEVENT), (2)GRANT MOVES SOUTH, AND (3)GRANT TAKES COMMAND. IN ADDITION READ OTHER WORKS ABOUT LINCLON WRITTEN BY LUDWIG AND SANDBURG, ALSO THE LINCOLN READER, AND LETTERS AND SPEECHES BY LINCLON, AND THE READER WILL HAVE JUST BEGUN TO APPRECIATE THE GREATNESS OF AN INDIVIDUAL WHO BECAME LINCOLN THE MAN, AND A GREAT PRESIDENT. MY 5-STAR RATING IS BASED ON THE 101 HYPOTHESIS IN THE HOPE IT WILL LEAD READERS TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER THE LIFE OF THIS NATION'S SIXTEENTH PRESIDENT THE BETTER TO APPRECIATE WHY LINCOLN IS SO RESPECTED AND HONORED, AS INDEED HE SHOULD BE.