This is the best work I've read on the solar system, period. The text is wonderful but I dearly wish the author had included the American measuring system along with the metric one. I'm one of those old fogies who has to cogitate in the extreme in order to convert kilometers into miles. Oh, well.

Seriously, this book is a "must-have" for astronomy aficionados and for those who merely wish to brush up on their knowledge of our solar neighborhood.

I also wish the book had a sewn binding. Otherwise, it is a really great read and a "keeper".

Don't buy this book thinking it will be an entertaining reference for your twelve-year-old nephew who enjoys astronomy. This hefty tome is more akin to a college-level textbook than an encyclopedia. If you want to get a detailed, but not overly technical, overview of modern solar system science, this is the book for you.

Following a thematic progression, ranging outward from the Sun to other planetary systems, the Encyclopedia of the Solar System details the dynamics of motions and rotations, solar wind, planetary, geologic, and atmospheric conditions, as well as other processes in the formation of planets, satellites and the smaller bodies of our planetary environment. The Encyclopedia covers the latest observations employing planetary radar, radio, infrared, and ultraviolet wavelengths.

Features convenient glossaries of technical terms, over 700 illustrations, numerous color plates, extensive cross-referencing throughout, further readings, useful appendices, and a comprehensive 4,500 entry index. Readers and web denizens like me will particularly appreciate the convenience of using the accompanying website (academicpress.com/solar) to link to related on-line resources.

Keep watching the sky!

This book is a verry well and verry informative book. I am just starting to go in the direction of Wicca even though i have been away from Christianity for so long, and this book is verry good for the young beginer like myself. It gives you a-lot of insite into the matter of alternate regigions. I am verry certain that Wicca is the way i will go.

also this was the first book in my library of "odd books" as my friends say, that i have on the subject, i have gotten a bunch more since then[about 10-20 books]

I am not Wiccan, though I am sympathetic and exceedingly interested in this fast-growing religion. As such, I wanted a book that would be informative, easy to absorb and broad. This book was actually recommended to me by a high priest in my area, and it did not disappoint. I learned everything I needed to know, which is not to say that I've learned it all...but I think I have the broad strokes. Were I ever to aspire to be a solo-practitioner, this book would no doubt guide me quite adeptly.

Highly recommended. I have been told that the late Paul Tuitean and his wife were (and are) extremely well-loved and highly respected in the Wiccan/pagan community. From what I've gleaned and what I've learned, this book is accurate, fair, and a reference you can trust.

Peace.

I am not Wiccan. I am a Shaman; but Wicca was one of the many faiths I explored.

I have several positive, negative, and neutral things to say about this book, so I will seperate them into three lists.

Here are some of the things I like about this book. I am limited to 1000 words. ;-)

1. The altar layout illustration on page 64 is nice and complete. (You should not allow this to cause you undue concern. Start where you are; even if you have nothing more than a birthday candle, matches, and use your finger to cast a circle. You can always add tools as you find them, or feel the need to add them.)

2. This is one of the very few books to correctly identify the invoking, and banishing pentagrams. (I can count the number of books that got something this simple correct on one hand. Banishing prntagrams are always drawn widdershins (counter clockwise).)

3. I HIGHLY praise this book for teaching the shielding exercize on page 77. (I wish more authors would teach simple shielding techniques to assist against psychic attacks.)

4. I praise the authors for discussing the belief factor on page 82. (It is impossible to have faith in something you do not believe.)

5. I HIGHLY praise the authors for discussing the perils in some forms of divination as in Ouija boards, spirit tapping, etc. (If you are interested in divination; I would HIGHLY recommend that you set up a shield (as described on page 77) before practicing divination to protect you from evil and negativity in the area.)

Here are the problems I have with the book.

1. The book is heavy and cumbersome. (I would have preferred for the book to be in a smaller format with more pages. The wide pages put a lot of stress on the wrist when trying to hold the book.)

2. On page 108; the authors claim that Wicca is a nature worshiping religion. (Uh... ahem... er... ;-) I don't think so. I have never heard of or saw a Wiccan worshiping a tree or a stream. They always cast a circle and invoke Deity.)

3. On page 74; the authors discuss white and black magick. (In my opinion; magick is simply magick. the white or black connotation only comes in depending on the magickians intent.)

Here are some of the things I am neutral about, and I hope you will consider.

1. On Page 75; the authors discuss a visualization of roots growing from the base of the spine into the ground. (I would recommend you switch the visualization of roots from the feet growing into the earth (because your feet are already on the ground).)

2. On page 80; the authors talk of cleansing the athame with salt water. (Salt is corrosive and could lead to the blade of the athame rusting. I would suggest that you channel your energy into the athame to bless it and raise it's level of vibration, or smudge it by passing it through the smoke of a purifying incense as in Copal, Frankinsence, or Sage.)

3. On page 116; and others; the authors refer to the energy used as chi. (Ch'i is only one of the dozens of names this universal lifeforce energy has been called over the past 5,000+ years. Here are some of the more common names (Akasha, ch'i, Itaki, Ki, Mana, Manitou, Nuwati, Orenda, Orgone, Prana, Qi Ruach, and many others.))

E-Mail me if you have questions or comments; Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

Every Woman in the Bible is an eye opening book on the use of women's stories in the bible. Richards does an excellent job of explaining and guiding the reader. I would highly reccommend this book for anyone interested in studying women in the bible and how their stories apply to us today.

I love this book. I haven't finished it in it's entirety because I am using it for a bible study group which meets weekly. When I've completed it I will amend this rating. But, so far, so good. It's a must buy.

Every Woman in the Bible has shed light on three areas in the Bible that were very confusing to me. (I am so glad that Sue and Larry Richards wrote this book. )

First, Sue and Larry Richards explain how the relationships between men and women became distorted after the fall, and what their relationship was before the fall. This distortion is shown in the relationships between men and women during the time of the old testement; however, we see a different attitude toward women from Jesus in the new testiment that shows a restoration of the original relationship at the creation.

Second, the background information about the culture and perspectives during those times in which each woman lived, brings each woman alive and personalizes them, as well as completes an emphatic understanding for each woman.

Third, the discussion on Paul's perspective on women shows that Paul is not a male chavenist, and shows that Paul really does not contradict himself once we see the background history and the specific-situational-curcumstance he is adressing.

Every Woman in the Bible is a God-send, I believe, so that His people who are searching the scriptures for truth can draw niegher to Him.

Isn't it true that every time you go on vacation, you forget something? As a child, it did seem I would also remember everything except my pajamas. That is what happens to a giggly little girl who goes to her Grandpa's house for a sleepover.

"First some Apples we can share with Bunny and my fuzzy Bear. They cry whenever I'm not home. I couldn't leave them all alone."

The A in Apples and B in Bunny are colorful letters. In fact, this book is an alphabet type story. There is also a cute cat that makes an appearance. Doing naughty things like walking away with puzzle pieces.

Of course when it is time for bed, she starts to be a silly head and wants to hide under the bed or do headstands. By the time she starts looking for her pj's it is late and she is yawning. The last page ends with the little girl putting on her Grandpa's big pj's and she says: "Yours fit me, Grandpa! I love you."

Sweet!

This book captures the pure love a child feels for her grandfather in wanting to share all her enthusiasm for life in one night at a sleepover with this special man. The grandfather is a good sport and trys to play along with all her little games that she had planned for the sleepover. He trys to humor her, but at the same time he thoroughly enjoys this wonderful little person sporting a zest for life. There aren't enough hours in the day for this child. There is a heartwarming ending with bonding memories. A wonderful book!

What an excellent book to give to a new grandfather. Well illustrated, colorful about the warm relationship of a grandfather and his granddaughter. The alphabetical items she packs leads one into a great adventure for an evening with grandpa.

This book should be considered a combination of art/animation history,as well as a bible for Felix fans!

Canemaker takes the reader through the amazing roller coaster ride that is the career of Felix the Cat. From the shady past of producer Pat Sullivan, to the brilliant career of Otto Messmer, this is a great read. Complete with rarely seen Felix memorabilia, this book has it all. It is just too bad that there aren't more books like Canemaker's out there for the dyed-in-the-wool fan. Pick it up!

John Canemaker has the rare gift of bringing the human side of great animation to life. He is at the top of his form in this book, which follows the story of Felix the Cat from his creation by Otto Messmer through the present day. Very highly recommended for anyone interested in Animation in any form whatsoever.

This book was so well written that it did not hit me until half way through that a man was writing in first person of a teenage girl. The main character is fun loving and going through so much that you hope that everything turns out for her. A shocking twist that you don't want to tell anyone, but demand that they read for themselves.

this is a wonderfully deep and interesting book, that asks a lot of questions about what really matters in life. Laura's search is more about finding out who she really is than finding out who her real parents are. This self-searching renders the book a different read for everyone, as each individual reader fills in the gaps for themselves, in their own way. This is certainly a book I shall return to, and would encourage anybody with a penchant for soul-searching to make their next book.

The story of an adopted girl seeking her real mother is only the beginning. Stanley Gordon West explores what it means to be adopted, and what families are about, in such vivid, tender, emotionally rich prose that this book simply glows.

In this book, Jenkins describes his choice of the thousand best churches in England. Churches range from tiny, rural chapels notable for their remote, dramatic settings, to grand and majestic churches. (Cathedrals, however, are not covered, only parish churches.) He also rates the churches from one star through 5 stars.
The descriptions are generally full and compelling. However, I took off one star from my rating, because, for the armchair traveller, more pictures would have been welcome. (How frustrating to read about glorious stained glass windows, and have no idea what they actually look like!) Only about one in 10 churches is illustrated with either an interior or exterior photo.

For those interested in knowing more about England's wonderful parish churches, this book is a must. Organized by county, the book should prove useful for travellers like me who fall victim to every village spire. I appreciated both his wit and knowledge about the subject.

The history presented, and the wonderful photographs, are a panorama of architectural beauty and fascination topped only by Jenkins' insightful and witty comments. This is a perfect "coffee table volume" for anyone interested in the Church, the arts, or history, and for others who plan travel to areas of England they have not previously explored. An added bonus is that those passionate about any one of the topics will, as I have found, have the further entertainment of arguing whether Simon's choices actually were of the 1,000 best, and which of their own favourites would have topped them.

I was Hospitalized last year for Lymphoma.Iwas so ill chances of survival were slim.The Doctors had to remove my spleen,for they could of not saved it from the disease.I heared about essiac Tea.I had nothing to loose at this point.I had a friend bring it in to the Hospital were I was at.The remarkable difference the tea made, made me a true believer in it.It has been 6 months since I first took my first drink from it and to this day I am still drinking it daily.I have not missed a day.Now 6 months have passed and the Doctors say they got 99% of the disease.There is still 1% left,but from the day I was diagnosed,I could not be any happier.They say it is uncurrable,but If I can get it in remission that is good enough for me.Thank you essiac Tea and to all my friends that stood by me in the Hospital and are still with me today fighting this disease.And to a very special friend Kenny,that helped me efford the tea during a very hard time of money.And also a very special thanks to my ex-Husband and my children that gave me hope and comfort again.This is not a easy disease to swallow but stick in there.There is hope.Thank you for the time to have let me share my feelings.Thank you Essiac Tea.

This book is a no frills, frank discussion of the use of essiac to build up the immune system so the body can fight cancer and many other immune related diseases. The history of the discovery of native use of essiac by Rene Caisse and how she was able to use it successfully to help a large number of people is very encouraging to potential users of essiac today. I have purchased several copies of this book and given them away to cancer sufferers who have immediately began using the tea with great trust and hope. The odds of being helped by essiac presented in this book are so much better than most cancer patients could imagine that they are eager to try it. Every cancer patient should read this book and then make up their mind about how they wish to combat their disease!

This unique book by Cynthia Olsen, a veteran and respected researcher and author of natural health, and a pioneer in the field, details a remarkable natural remedy with a history of use concerning cancer; this book also details essential health concerns for those facing cancer in themselves or loved ones in a compassionate, caring, and useful way that makes this, in my opinion, a classic in natural health publishing and an essential reference for all interested in vital health. Excellent resources, detailed history, correct and respectful attribution to native amerian sources, and direct and personal style of writing also make this a highly readable, useful, and interesting work.Of all the existing works on this subject, articles and books, I rate this the highest on the topic, after years of my own research and publishing work in the area of health and natural healing.Members of my own family have succumbed to cancer and I believe this book would have helped them maintain a higher quality of life if they had had it then.

The majority of this book deals with Acts. The author breaks all the evidence therein down into bite-sized chunks and deals with each piece in a straightforward and no nonsense fashion while following a self-imposed rule that "a contradiction cannot be proved if there is a reasonable explanation for it" (p. 118). This rightfully narrows the field of contradictions down to a scant few and warrants the author's assertion that: "The Acts account of Paul's journeys is as reliable as we may expect history to be. So far as it can be tested by objective evidence, Acts has proven to be an astonishingly accurate record of events" (p. 134). All of this evidence eventually points to "one of the most striking aspects of the Acts record" which is how many of the details "belong to the middle of the first century, and to that era alone" (p. 132).

He also deals with empirical evidence regarding 1 and 2 Corinthians and states: "If Paul had not written a second letter to Corinth, or if that letter had been lost to history, the travel plans that he outlines in the first Corinthian letter would contradict Luke's account of his movements in the third journey" (p. 88). We can apply this same logic to the perceived contradictions elsewhere and wonder if they wouldn't be just as easily cleared up if there were more manuscripts extant relating to that time--we shouldn't look askance at the Biblical narrative because it has a remarkable track record but question our limited understanding of that particular time.

Easy writing style that won't leave you exhausted; nicely done.
--Moza

I loved this book. The insight it offers is second to none. If you are, like me, a fan of the Paul, buy this book!

Jefferson White's Evidence & Paul's Journeys: An Historical Investigation Into The Travels Of The Apostle Paul is a comprehensive guide and a fascinating survey to Paul's travels for the purpose of spreading the message that the Messiah had arrived and his name was Jesus. Written specifically for the non-specialist general reader, Evidence & Paul's Journeys is a compelte and detailed examination of the historical evidence for Paul's journeys and related activities in founding and advising Christian communities. Very highly recommended for personal, small group, and parochial school studies, each evidential point presented in Evidence & Paul's Journeys is scrupulously footnoted to a comprehensive and scholarly appendix that aptly serves as a basis for further study making it ideal for personal and small group New Testament studies.

I enjoyed reading this book. I bought it for my husband as a gift, but I read it before he did. The photographs and stories were about at least one family from each North and South American country. Wide range of lifestyles, from tribal Amazonians, peasants in Mexico, poor and rich of Brazil, single mother families in West Indies, farmers in Canada, and urban folks from Chicago. The book covers their diligences and futilities in this world as a family unit.

This type of book should never be allowed to go out of print. It should be available for all to read and learn from. In it, Helene Tremblay offers a fascinating insight into the ordinary lives of various people from The Americas and The Caribbean by spending a typical day with a typical family. In a beautifully illustrated book, sensitively written, Ms Tremblay gently pushes opens a window into their different worlds, eating, resting and working with the families. There is no feeling of intrusion, just an unspoken respect for their way of life. It is at once humbling, honest, moving and utterly compelling. It is a book I refer to many times and can highly recommend.

I've already given a review for the first book which is on this page for some reason... so I wholeheartedly agree that the book on Asia and the Pacific is just as spectacular as the book on the Americas... It was out of print and I was amazed when Amazon.Com came through with a used copy that was in beautiful condition! I was very pleased and impressed and am delighted to have this book in my collection... I was very intrigued by the families in Asia and the exotic Pacific! Very much worth the wait!