This book has it all: drama, humor, philosophy, and history. The author is an unprepossessing, very clever, unsung hero, who makes humane, practical, difficult decisions daily and keeps his nerve under the Nazi occupation of Hungary. The number of lives he saves can never be properly tallied. You will find yourself alternately holding your breath and then cheering.

I lived in Budapest for several years and became fascinated by the stories of those brave souls who survived there through the trials of the last century. This recently translated memoire is one of the best. Mr. Soros is able to convey convincingly his experiences in Budapest during the last years of WWII. Like the best memoires, it offers a window into the mind and thoughts of the author in a way which rings true and resonates with the reader. For those who are interested by the human experience in this period of history, this is a must read.

"Life is beautiful - and full of variety and adventure. But luck must be on your side." So begins a remarkable memoir of Jewish life under the Nazis in Hungary, _Masquerade: Dancing Around Death in Nazi-Occupied Hungary_ (Arcade) by Tivadar Soros. Soros was a thoroughly remarkable man who certainly had variety and adventure in his life, and his share of luck. There are many accounts of the horrors of the Holocaust, and Soros certainly does not minimize the death and terror that he witnessed. Unlike many such accounts, however, this is a story of optimism and triumph. Soros and all his family survived.

His memoir begins in 1944 when the Nazis occupied Germany. Soros realized that "Since we can't stand up to Hitler's fury, we must hide from it." He and his family hid, but since they had to be seen in order to take care of daily needs, they took on the aspects of Christians. This involved his forming close relationships with a series of forgers, and once he took care of his immediate family's documents, he took care of other relatives, and then friends, and clients. "If anyone asked for my help, one of my principles in life was never to say no - if only to avoid diminishing their faith in human beings." Amidst narrow escapes and harrowing close calls, Soros kept a sense of humor which frequently emerges on these pages. As a "Christian," Soros was able to obtain cigarettes when those were denied to Jews, and since he didn't smoke, he would leave them at a watchmaker's, so that people with stars could get some. He went to the watchmaker to get his watch fixed, and asked the price. "How can you ask such a thing? It's on the house," the watchmaker said, and then whispered to the woman working beside him, "This is the Christian gentleman who brings us the cigarettes, you know." Soros says, "At least the Jews got to see that there were still a few decent Christians." Much of the humor is tinged with humane sadness; according to one of his sons, Soros used to say, "It is amazing how well people can bear the suffering of others."

This wonderful memoir has been in print before. Soros, that practical idealist, as an Esperantist wrote the original in Esperanto in 1965, three years before his death. In libraries of Esperantists the book has been an outstanding volume from the literature the planned language has produced. It is here translated by Humphrey Tonkin, a linguist whose name is familiar to all American Esperantists. It includes brief, loving memoirs by his sons, one of whom, George, has become one of the world's richest and most influential people. If there is room on your shelves for history with hope, written by a thoroughly humane and lovable man, this book is perfect.

Mastering Herbalism: A Practical Guide by herbal expert Paul Huson is a marvelous compendium of useful information concerning herbs of all kinds. Countless practical uses for herbs are covered, from recipes for flavorful jams, soups, and teas to creating homemade perfumes and incenses to all-natural medicine. Mastering Herbalism is also packed with gardening tips for growing one's own herbs. Illustrated with line drawings and enhanced with four appendices, a glossary, a select bibliography, and comprehensive index, Mastering Herbalism is simply a "must" for any cook or gardener looking to put a little extra spice in their life!

I totally enjoyed reading this book...and I learned much more than I thought I would. I am grateful to the person who gave it to me as a gift. Paul Huson delivers a book filled with interesting information. I recommend you read it.

This book has two faces, one masking the other. Huson presents his book as a practical herbal, explaining how to use herbs in cooking and perfumery, as aphrodisiacs and to increase longevity, to live healthily and look beautiful at the same time. It also features a chapter on where to buy herbs, brief descriptions of the basic plants, and how to start an herb garden. Huson also includes a brief but thorough history of herbalism through the ages. As he points out, the aim throughout the book was practicality.

Accordingly, my wife Fayaway and I have found something useful in each of these chapters. Perhaps the best thing to come out of this book was the inspiration to plant a garden, which has provided us with an eternally renewing source of herbs for our experiments in cooking, perfumery, and natural healing. Huson tells us, in clear but entertaining language, how to make practical use of these marvelous plants. Herbs carry an occult reputation before them, and Huson makes it easy to apply the power of these wonderful gifts from nature in one's daily life.

That he has written a practical herbal without losing sight of the mystical qualities of herbs and their importance to us in these days of ecological crisis is all the more amazing, and is one of the joys of this book. The mysticism which infuses these pages is the face behind the mask: Huson's reverence for the earth is apparent throughout, particularly in his evocation of the magical essence of herbs and how we feel once we become aware of their beauty, grace, and power. Without preaching, he shows us how herbs can help us live closer to the earth, in accord with its rhythms, and he reminds us that we are part of something larger than our species and the societies we build. By reading this book, and taking part in the activities here, Fayaway and I have renewed our connection with the organism which is the earth, and of which we are but a small part. In this, then, the book is merely disguised as a practical herbal: always behind, beneath, and within Huson's words is an awareness of the beauty and simple grandeur of the plant life on this planet, and our part in the globe's cosmic order. Huson walks a fine line between practical and mystical without losing his way. It is the sort of herbal that the utilitarian Benjamin Franklin and the reverent Ralph Waldo Emerson might have produced together.

It is fitting, then, that the practical and the mystical have become in some sense identical, in this day and age. We as a species have laid waste to the planet, and our circumstances are even more dire than they were when this book was first published. It is a matter of simple survival that we see how we are connected with the rest of the universe, and bring ourselves in line with the cosmos. Failure to do so will mean our certain extinction, as well as that of the ecosphere.

This book is a fine place to start learning again of our connection with the earth and to return to simpler ways. Reading it is also a pleasant way to pass the morning in the garden or a rainy afternoon, perhaps while drinking one the teas recommended herein. The Select Bibliography lists books which, though perhaps more comprehensive on any of the various facets of herbalism described here, do not present the information with the same wit, joviality, and reverence for the earth that Huson does. I also enjoy his quaint drawings. I'd take this book over any other herbal, any day of the week. It conjures up, as no other herbal I've encountered does, Marvell's lines "a green thought in a green shade". It is recommended for beginners in the study of herbalism in general, as well as those who are specializing in one area of the field, and who want to know more about the other uses of these wonderful plants.

With each page I read I felt that this could work for me. I have Lupus and I am desperately searching for a way to at least, stop the pain, and to come back to the living. This book has given me hope. I am truly amazed at the things that Dr. Liu has done in his life, but I know that it is not impossible. I do believe in miracles. I wish that I could meet him personally. Thank You Dr. Liu, the book was wonderful!

This book served as my introduction to Qi Gong. I had never heard of it before but since I have been searching for some pain relief I expanded my reading to healing techniques used by other cultures. I loved the authors description in the first part of the book about becoming a Qi Gong master. After reading the book I became very interested in some of the exercises and have included them in my exercise routine and have read more on the subject of Qi Gong(Ken Cohen's "The Way of Qi Gong" is good). Most of the book is very easy to understand and implement. I have not tried any of the herb "remedies" he writes about because I don't know enough about them yet but feel the exercises are helpful.

The Qi Gong moves described in the book Mastering Miracles are easily understood and applicable. One of the best books I have read regarding Chinese Healing. Qi Gong is definitely a powerful healing tool that Master Hong Liu is bringing to the West.

I just LOVE this book. First of all, I love picture books of songs, they combine our two favourite activities. I also love what the author has done with the traditional song - he's turned it into a logical and wonderful story which makes sense, rather than just a succession of things. It's become a story of a 1 yr old and her/his extended loving family. The illustrations are superb. My daughter (now 25 months) has loved it since we got it from the library about 3 months ago. (obviously we had to buy a copy!) She has it all memorized, knows exactly where to turn the page, she loves to sing it over and over. A perfect bedtime book... I can hear her now: " an' maybe hab a dream od a mockin' biiiirrrrd" with an appropriate final flourish to the song!

Ahlberg presents a new variation on an old Anglo-originating lullaby, where loved ones promise to give a baby an assortment of gifts-- each one determined by the last. The sum is a cyclical verse of rhyme and repetition, utilizing a litany form. Beautiful illustrations accompany the timeless text.

My 2-year-old loves books about babies and this is one of our favorites. We sing it every night as part of her bedtime routine. The book is beautifully illustrated and each page offers lots of opportunities to point out objects to help build vocabulary. This is a "must-have" for every baby's library

if you like storys that are true to life w/ a little bit of humor and alot of humanity david hunter is one of the best authors around. if you like this one get trailer trash from tn. or there was blood on the snow i hope to see more of his work

I read this book years ago, before I became a police officer. I have worked the streets for some time now and recently reread the book. Reading The Moon Is Always Full is truly like looking into a mirror of my life. David Hunter puts into words the things I see and do every day. He portrays the joy and sadness this strange job brings with clarity that only a fellow Officer would know. My thanks to Mr. Hunter for giving me a chance to look in the mirror.

I stumbled across this book somehow. It is by far the best book I have read in a long time. I'm not much of reader but Mr. Hunter has a special way of telling stories. Reading this book was alot like watching the T.V. show COPS. You feel like your really there. Read it for yourself and you'll understand the things our badged hero's take care of. Cant wait to read more of his books!

When I read this book I was like cool. I was so into this book I finished this book in one day. the pictures are great and justin oh my god he is so hott! that is why I got engaged to him.

This book has a ton of photos and is so tiny! It's like having your own diary about them. It says all sorts of stuff about there lives and what they do in there free time. AHHHHH. I love it!

I just got done reading this book. It was great, it had all this new stuff about N Sync I didn't even know!!!@ It was great I would recommened anyone to read it!!!

As an employer of over 350 employees, I think this book may be the best way to jump start their thinking. In an engaging way,this book makes a point of challenging your every thought and helps one find some light at the end of the tunnel. Read it twice and give it out to everyone in your organization, particularly those people who have been there too long.

This book is great for anyone who has ever thought before.

It combines fun anecdotes, lessons about adjusting your thinking (that don't necessarliy hit you till hours later), and optimizing your brain power. It taught me a lot about how to get through the day at work and in life in a more efficient, productive and objective manner.

I really liked it - and still like thinking about it. I need to read it again!

This is a great read that entertains you while still helping you to learn new ways of thinking and behaving. Some of the common sense approaches in here will make you wonder why you didn't think of it yourself! It takes reading Naked at Work to help you see why so many of your fears are unfounded, and how easy it is to ease them. I recommend this book for anyone having a tough time at work.

What a fun read! A book that can be enjoyed by the young and the young at heart. It is a book that gives you hope for the underdog. Robert is a student who has trouble with learning...but through his hard work and a series of funny events and his solving of a mystery, he comes out a winner. Robert is a very endearing character and I can't wait to read the other books about him. The added bonus of this book -- I learned a few things I didn't already know.

Barbara Seuling has created a warm and loving character in Robert, who learns, through the trials of everyday life, what is really important in one's life in order to feel good about one's self. Adults reading along with their young child can benefit from the example of "Emotional Intelligence" (a la Daniel Goleman's book by the same name) which Robert develops in himself when he deals with a bully and solves a mystery. As a school psychologist and counselor, I am much more interested in seeing emotional intelligence in a child than I am in seeing an "A" paper. Robert, through Seuling's guiding light, provides children and parents with an excellent model for striking a balance between academic achievement and emotional growth and development. Parents might also benefit from the modeling of Robert's father, who, in just a brief encounter, provides critical support for his son, which stays with him and guides him long after the conversation has ended. Seuling shows accurately how important every small piece of guidance, support and validation can be when a parent takes the time to guide their child. I recommend this book to both parents and children, teachers and pupil personnel staff, to illustrate that there is much more to being a valued human being than academic achievement. I hope to see Robert providing examples of emotional intelligence in subsequent adventures which both entertain and enlighten.

My name is Ben. I am 7 years old. I read Oh No It's Robert. The book was about Robert who was not very good at school but he never gave up and he always tried his best. My favorite part was when Robert left the stinky fish in the cabinet. And when Robert saw the bully's pink underwear. I really liked this book. I want to read more books about Robert.

To be fair, I'm reviewing this work at the request of the author, who happens to be my "great" aunt in both senses of the word.

I finished reading this book while camped at 12,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Bishop, California. The next day, I was to embark on one of the longest, most physically challenging, and fear-inducing days of my life, including a climb to over 14,000 feet, losing one of our companions for 10 hours, and backpacking all night down the mountain in the darkness. Throughout this time, I was comforted by the words of Psalm 23 as taught by M.P. Krikorian nearly half a century earlier.

I was encouraged while reading about this young man's persistence in pursuing education and spiritual growth in the face of adversity. I also enjoyed reading about the author's decision to accept Christ as her savior in a small Pennsylvania church at which this man preached, and about her successful effort to research his life and produce this book.

I recommend this book for those interested in biography, Armenia, the 23rd Psalm, or the history of the Brethren in Christ Church.

I am an Armenian Evangelical woman who enjoys reading of church histories and personal testimonies of fellow believers. This book is a thoroughly detailed and fascinating account of a great evangelical who maintained his faith despite the loss of his martyed father and 75 other relatives during the incomprehensible, yet very real massacres of the Armenian people by the Turkish Muslim government during 1898-1922. Reverend Krikorian points out in his writings that the Muslim religion allowed those to be spared, should those convert to Mohamadism. Still, millions of Armenians refused, and were martyred for their faith.

Reverend Krikorian was a survivor of this ordeal, yet instead of turning from his faith, he embraced it as a Pastor in America and missionary to those left in Armenia who survived.

This book is fascinating, thorough in detail and a must read for those who identify as either a Christian or Armenian.

The book about Meshach Paul Krikorian is a compilation of his writings and other works brought together in one book by an exciting author, Miriam Taylor Wert, with a unique gift of presentation.

In my estimation, the biography of Meshach Paul Krikorian is an invaluable addition to anyone's library of God-centered, and inspired writings. There is no doubt when reading about Meshach from his early childhood to his ultimate destination in the United States, that he was able to overcome man obstacles, attaining what may have seemed to him as unattainable goals.

From the beginning of the book, his expression of love and obedience to his parents would enevtually lead him on a path that met God's plan for his life. I was quite impressed and overwhelmed to see how God's wisdom was brought out as Meshach interpreted the Holy Scriptures to the understanding of the reader. From a shepherd boy to Writer, Minister and Missionary, Meshach's life was of complete Servanthood to God and to all people.

Meshach's Ministry brings hope and salvation for anyone seeking the ultimate answer to life's questions.

Like the other viewer said, I think this is a useful book for anyone looking to understand Foucault particularly the Order of Things but I should warn you before you buy it that this book is slightly dated as you may have guessed by the title. The interview in the back of my edition is also helpful but in all of his interviews Foucault tries to redo parts of his work so read it closely and in relation to his other interviews.

This book has been numbered as the most authoritative interpretation of Foucault. The main question of the book is how to classify Foucault¡¯s thought. Foucault has been characterized as a typical structuralist. But as the subtitle of this book implies, he is not a structuralist, authors argue. He attempted to overcome the dichotomy of structuralism and hermeneutics. Early works like ¡®The Order of Things¡¯ and ¡®The Archaeology of Knowledge¡¯ might be seen as a breakthrough in structuralist line. But late works like ¡®Discipline and Punishment¡¯ and ¡®The History of Sexuality¡¯ have some flavor of hermeneutics. In this regard, Foucault could not be classified as structuralist or hermeneutist. Then Foucault¡¯s thought, one might guess, seemed to shift from structuralism to hermeneutics. To clear the confusion, we should visit Foucault¡¯s conception of discourse. The discourse is actually how the human-being understand and construct its world. Then the question of ¡®what is discourse?¡¯ is translated into ¡®what is understanding the world?¡¯ the most dominant approaches to that question are phenomenology, hermeneutics and structuralism. But they hasn¡¯t presented satisfactory solution. In Husserlian approach, the world is understood by meaning-giving transcendental subject. In structuralist approach, both meaning and subject give way to objective law (structure). Structure governs the subject. Hermeneutics is a bit subtler than them. Human-being is a meaning-giving subject, but meaning is located in the social practices like tradition or convetion, routine. (for more details, see my review on Eagleton¡¯s ¡®Literary Theory: An Introduction) Foucault gyrates along those three positions, which makes Foucault hard to be pinpointed. The trajectory Foucault traced reveals how he attempted to set up his own solution.
The questions raised by hermeneutics and structuralism converges into the question, ¡®What lies beyond discourse?¡¯ structuralism answers ¡®it¡¯s the structure.¡¯ In the world of structuralism, the concept of meaning is altogether eliminated. Hermeneutics, according to Gadamer, answers ¡®it¡¯s the profound understanding of Being embedded in traditional linguistic practices.¡¯ They all focus on linguistic practices, the discourse. It seems that in the early works, ¡®The Archaeology of Knowledge¡¯ and ¡®The Order of things¡¯, Foucault followed the structuralist doctrines: the discourse appears as self-regulating and autonomous. The methodology he hired, archaeology is indifferent to the meaning in the discourse, just as ethnologists methodically distantiate themselves both from one¡¯s own culture and from the culture under investigation. With the method of structuralist archaeology, Foucault could achieve such a distanciation. Discourse in mere object to be dissected. But the influences from social institution, which is the essential to Foucualt¡¯s conception of discourse, couldn¡¯t be seen. According to Giddens, discourse has always some intended effect to bring about. So it plays some role in social life. As demonstrated in vivid manner on ¡®Madness and Civilization¡¯, discourse not only talks about object-being-there, but also makes it. Madness emerged as the effect of discourse. It was not naturally there. Here comes the conception of power. Early method of archaeology serves to isolate and analyze discourse. But it doesn¡¯t mean that Foucault turned to hermeneutics. Actually, he denied the meaning-giving subject with advocating the disappearance of the subject. Unlike Wittgenstein or Giddens, power is the attribute not of individual social actors but of dominating system. So discourse is not the business of individuals. In the ¡®History of Sexuality¡¯, he showed how the deep meaning like identity is related to social dominance, in other word practices of power. The subject speaking deep truth or meaning is actually the product of power. But it makes it the elusive question, where the power resides in or what the power is at all. The authors are right when saying Foucault is neither structuralist nor hermeneutist. But Foucault¡¯s position is inherently ambiguous: he seems stuck in middle, I think.

Indeed, Dreyfus and Rabinow have "cleared up" much of Foucaults difficult methods. I would say that reading this does not excuse anyone from Foucaults works; it could be read alongside them to help clarify themes and connect seemingly useless portions that most people would like to skip through. Besides, without actually reading Foucault you are missing out on some of the most profound, stylistic, and original philosophy of the twentieth century. An excellent introduction and guide, but comprehensive enough to warrant FIVE stars. Trust me. Dreyfus and Rabinow have written a surprisingly original book here; their view and support of Foucault as "beyond structuralism and hermeneutics" is brilliantly explained.