This is book number six in Hansen's acclaimed series of Dave Brandstetter mysteries. Brandstetter is the tough, no nonsense but highly cosmopolitan insurance claims adjuster in southern California who loves a good martini, listens to string quartets, and solves complicated murders.

In this outing a young woman is missing and believed murdered by the crazed leader of a sex cult. Her father has attempted to cash in on an insurance policy taken out on his daughter, and this leaves Brandstetter in considerable doubt, especially since the father himself is no where to be found. He sets out to put all the pieces of the puzzle in place.

This is my favorite so far of the series. It's an absorbing read from beginning to its (literally) explosive ending and is much more gory and gruesome than previous entries. All the Hansen felicities are here: terrific pace, expert characterization, snappy dialogue, and absolutely flawless depictions of scene and atmosphere. An extra treat is the sidelight on Dave's love life, his growing relationship with TV journalist Cecil Harris, thirty years Dave's junior and with ambitions of his own. Their rocky relationship shows a tender side to Dave glimpsed only fleetingly in earlier books.

Hansen is a rare bird among writers of all stripes: he's a stylist who can also tell a story that grips you. Read him, enjoy him, savor him.

I have read a number of works on revivals and this revival in particular. This is the one book on the subject that I have gone back to time and again. It is both scholarly thorough and devotionally helpful. As I read of the changes in the lives in the villagers of New England I became more and more impressed with how true revivals are such awesome and precious things.

This book is very helpful for our day as well. In describing the excesses of this revival (especially those that had to do with Davenport) and in the detailed accounts of unwanted side-phenomena, we see sad similarities to what has been experienced in some of our churches today. This book shows what a true revival looks like.

The writing is sometimes a little stilted (the book was first published in 1842), but this is a minor price to pay for all of the good information it brings to the serious reader. I certainly recommend it.

One of the best, if not the best children's book I have ever read. Its an excellent text to help young people realize that no matter who they are, they have a place and a role to play in this world. I loved it.

This beautifully illustrated table top book is the prize of my 30+ wine book collection. It has hundreds of illustrations including some of the best and most informative hand drawn maps of every major wine growing region in the world. there are 495 pages to this 10"x11"x2" book with a gold embossed label.

R. Conrad Stein begins his American Events book "The Great Red Scare" by making the allegory of Arthur Miller's play "The Crucible" clearly explicit in terms of American history. For those who are truly up to date on American Popular culture of the period, the cover photograph is equally interesting, for while we have Sen. Joseph McCarthy (R-Wisconsin) front and center we have in the foreground the figure of Joseph Welch, the lawyer who would finally call McCarthy to task during the Army-McCarthy hearings in front of the entire nation on television. Welch went on to play the judge in the Jimmy Stewart film "Anatomy of a Murder." Consequently, "The Great Red Scare" is able to put not only the major villain in this story on the cover, but one of the main heroes as well.

After looking at the history of Witch Hunting in the United States, Stein presents a brief look at Communism at Home and Abroad. This latter chapter does little to explain Communism as an ideology or political system, presenting more of an organizational history of Communism, especially as it relates to its presence in the U.S. Stein privileges the Rosenberg case as the spark that set off the firestorm, fueling the paranoia of Americans that the Soviets were devoted to taking over by any means necessary. The Feat Begins focuses on the Alger Hiss case, which rocketed Rep. Richard Nixon to national prominence.

However, the main focus of this book is clearly on McCarthy. In looking at What Manner of Man? was McCarthy, Stein sets the stage by showing how a lot of the demagoguery the Senator displayed on the national stage was clearly seen in his past life (e.g., more of a brawler than a boxer as a fighter, exaggerating his war record and the age of his opponent to win election to office). McCarthyism in Action shows the Senator in action, but focusing as much on his victims as on his buffoonish ranting and ravings to grab headlines. Young readers will be astounded, if not horrified, at what this man did to people. It is hard not to read about these times and not be outraged, wondering how on earth the American people could have embraced a man who never captured a single one of the Communists he was screaming about. President Eisenhower is one of several prominent political figures who fails to come out of this whole sorry mess looking good.

Americans Against McCarthy focuses on the Senator's fight with a couple of prominent national reports, Drew Pearson (whom McCarthy attacked physically) and Edward R. Murrow (who pretty much gets the main credit for destroying McCarthy on television). The Decline of the Red Scare is where Joseph Welch finally takes on McCarthy and drives the final nail in the coffin. After being censured by the Senate, McCarthy's alcoholism brings about his death.

"The Great Red Scare" is one of the most sordid chapters in American history, which makes it important to remember. Most American history textbooks do not give a sense for how bad things were, a problem that this book certainly corrects. Fortunately in the wake of September 11th we have not really seen a contemporary example of witch hunting involving Arab-Americans (if anything, some of the government's actions have been more reminiscent of what happened with Americans of Japanese descent during World War II, another dark episode that should not be forgotten). Perhaps the best evidence of Stein's effectiveness in this book is that by simply retelling the events of those times, he creates a sense of moral outrage in his readers, which is exactly the correct response to both McCarthy and the Red Witch Hunts.

Webb and Kysar provide an excellent review for preachers who have some basic background in koine Greek. However, no prior knowledge of Greek is required. The authors lead the reader through step-by-step basics, as each chapter builds skills and knowledge. The volume is not intended to make scholars out of neophytes. However, Kysar and Webb do a very admirable job of equipping the preacher to mine the many riches of the New Testament. Sample sermons are provided, as well. Various cautions and encouragements are candidly described. This book may well turn out to be a modern standard for the worthy challenge of preaching the Christian Scripture.

I first encountered Ceravolo almost 6 years ago, after first diving into Celan. The odd conjunction proved more fruitful than one might think. Underneath the green lake's awake surface, tense with linguistic wit and ingenuity (so characteristic of the New York School--for better or worse) is a dark depth that resonates long after the verbal fireworks are ashen. How a genuine and humane sorrow comes draped in such life-tuned language is a marvel no budding poet should miss, and for the poet in full bloom, Ceravolo's voice, like wind, will pollinate from afar. What plants spring up in spring are not narcissus around the lake--this lake, Ceravolo's lake, will be surrounded by flowers that are unique, are his own.

This is a great book exploring the intersection of ecological concerns and contemporary theology. The author basically argues that a strong view of the Incarnation provides a firm basis for ecological concern.

Super reading that holds your interest. Written in a unique, refreshing style that is exceptionally easy to read. This novel is sure to become a blockbuster movie. I hope the author hurries and gives us more books like this one.

Written by a christian who is also a proffesional in the couseling area, this book reviews and summarizes group dinamics while shows the biblical principles related to it, sometimes using The Scriptures as referrence text book. It also gives ideas of strategies that can be applied in christian and non-christian group meetings.

Trained as a seglar proffesional counselor I needed some help to "Chistianize" my skills. This book served the purpose. It will take proffesional counseling knowledge in order to enjoy, understand and get advantage of the book.