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Book reviews for "Beifuss,_John,_Jr." sorted by average review score:

Confusing Love With Obsession: When You Can't Stop Controlling Your Partner and the Relationship
Published in Paperback by Writers Club Press (December, 2002)
Author: John D. Moore
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Hard to put down!
John D. Moore is truly a gifted & talented writer. In this book he exposes the problem of "Confusing Love with Obsession" and challenges people everywhere who are in abusive, addictive and unsucessful relationships to take the focus off of the person we are involved with and put it where it can do the most good: On ourselves!

If you are dealing with an addiction to another person - THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU. At times, you will find yourself having to put the book aside because it is too painful to read...but make sure you pick it up again! Kudos to Mr. Moore, he has written a powerfully clear and meaningful book for women and men everywhere.

It came alive
We were assigned this book to read by our instructor at the university I attend for undergraduate social work. Confusing Love with obsession advances so many psychological concepts ways that are easilly understood by the reader. I think what I found most alluring about this book was the level of compassion offered by the author. He went out of his way to not cast blame on relationally depedent people and offered concrete reasons as to why someone might behave destructively in personal relationships. There were a few times I had to put the book down because it started to influence me emotionally. If you are looking for insightful reading material that will hold your attention, get a copy of this book.

EXCELLENT!
This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is clear and to the point, with case studies that bring out the truth of what it is like to be involved in an obsessive, controlling relationship. Moore shows readers how sex, emotions, emotional abuse and even food can be used to control a partner.

I was very glad to see that the book shows the controlling behaviors of both men and women in relationships. He even has a few case studies that shows how stalking (physical and cyber) can be part of an addiction to another person.

I kept feeling like I was reading a novel, until I realized that all of the case studies were true! If you are involved in a controlling relationship or if someone is obsessing over you, please read this book - it is going to change your life!!!


Tested Advertising Methods
Published in Paperback by Prentice Hall Trade (April, 1985)
Author: John Caples
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They laughed when I got this book, but when they saw my ad--
And when they saw the RESULTS of my advertisement, the other guys simply said "Where do you get your ideas?" But, truth be told, my ideas are not all that original, but they do work, and I get my source from Tested Advertising Methods.

And that's the premise of this book--ads that are going to work; ads that will bring in customer response; ads that will produce sales. Sometimes you see advertisements with clever copy. But this book shows you how to write headlines, use effective copy, and properly use graphics that will help you SELL a service or product.

In most advertising books, you get clever ideas on ads. Some of those ads may have worked, and some may have flopped. If you want tested advertising methods, then get the book "Tested Advertising Methods". If you want one book that will show you how to sell a product or service, then get this book.

If You Want 5 Star Content, This Book is The One!
There's a reason why David Olgilvy calls this the most useful advertsing book he's ever read! I hold a Ph.D in Sales/Marketing and they simply DO NOT teach this money producing stuff enough at our colleges and universities! Instead, most of them opt for creative mush that's clever and makes for good awards and 5 minute speeches....but doesn't sell anything! If you want simple, brass tacks, powerful advertising advice, this book will be the most delapidated marketing resource in your library!
Is you're serious, RUN, don't walk to the checkout and pickup this incredible book. You'll pay guys like Dan Kennedy hundreds and even thousands of dollars for this advice...but it's all right here! Good stuff!

Doesn't get any better than this.
It is so good because Caples was in the mail order advertising business for forty-something years, and that's one of the few kinds of advertising that gets real feedback. Ads can be tested and the results can be compared. So Caples gives you FACTS rather than opinions about what works in advertising.

The book is very informative and also very interesting because Caples will show you two examples of ads he ran as a split-run and says "one sold three times more than the other; can you guess which one?" Then he'll tell you, and tell you WHY.

Not only that, but the book is extremely readable. I'm the author of Self-Help Stuff That Works, and I'm an expert on putting the most useful information into a readable form, and this book is as good as it gets. As David Ogilvy says in the introduction, "This is, without a doubt, the most USEFUL book about advertising that I have ever read." No more endorsement than that is needed!


Warfare in the classical world : an illustrated encyclopaedia of weapons, warriors, and warfare in the ancient civilisations of Greece and Rome
Published in Unknown Binding by Salamander Books ()
Author: John Gibson Warry
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Exquisite book, but the Roman section is disappointing
This truly is a marvelous book and provides a wonderful introduction to warfare in the classical world. The only issue I had with the book was the scant details on warfare during the Roman Empire itself. The Greece section -- from Homeric times to Alexander the Great and his successors -- comprises half the book's pages, and then the Roman Republic section -- from Pyrrhus to the beginning of Octavian/Augustus rule -- comprises about 80 pages. This leaves only 15 pages for the Empire itself, about 400 years of history, and the section scarcely went into any detail whatsoever. I'm not sure why the author chose largely to ignore this critical part of Roman history; perhaps he thought there was enough information out there already.

This one problem aside, the book is simply marvelous, and as long as you don't mind the author breezing over Imperial Rome, it's a must-buy. The Alexander the Great section in particular is spectacular.

Don't think. Just buy it. Even if the cat has to go hungry.
An absolute must have for anyone who is remotely interested in warfare in the classical world. Not just dry descriptions, but beautiful, realistic, full color illustrations of the soldiers from each important evoloution. (Such as the Homeric and Spartan hoplites, the Macedonian Phalangite, the Companion Cavalryman, the Thracian Peltast, the varied Persian troops, and the various evoloutions of the Roman Legionary and their foes (including Hannibal's Iberians, the Celts, and the Huns), along with detailed descriptions of each one's panopoly and tactics. Also describes all major battles, seagoing and siege tactics and the historical timeline surrounding each. The one thing it lacks is analysis of the great generals, which is appropriate as a good study of any great leader can easily fill a book this size. However, is a must-have companion to any T. A. Dodge or similar work on the period. Really puts a face on the fighting soldier.

A Wargamer's Review
This is an exceptional book for wargamers interested in the art of war in Classical times. The text is clear, concise, and gives a good overview of the political and cultural events that shaped the art of war and the history of the particular period in a particular chapter. The illustrations give good looks at uniform and organisational details, and the descriptive maps/illustrations give a decent look at tactics.
Getting all of this in one volume at a reasonable price makes this a "must-buy" for wargamers (particularly beginning wargamers) looking at the Greeks, Macedonians, Persians, Cathaginians, and/or Romans as potential armies for the tabletop.


Apollo : An Eyewitness Account By Astronaut/Explorer Artist/Moonwalker
Published in Hardcover by Greenwich Pr Ltd (October, 1998)
Authors: Alan Bean, John Glenn, and Andrew L. Chaikin
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Impressionistic Representations of Apollo
This is a nice addition to the currently available literature on the Apollo program. For those who are unfamiliar with Alan Bean's work, it is more impressionistic, rather than focusing on complete, detailed accuracy. Those who watched "From the Earth to the Moon" and expect the same kind of art may be disappointed. However, Bean's work adds another layer to the basic photographs we've already seen, incorporating the sense of grandeur and "magnificent desolation" that the astronauts were able to experience. Chaikin's text does not add anything that was not already covered in his book, so don't purchase this text to find out new facts about Apollo. DO purchase this book for the paintings. It makes you want to own a Bean original!

Apollo : An Eyewitness Account By Astronaut/Explorer Artist/
With the descent of the lunar lander Intrepid, Apollo 12 astronaut Bean became the fourth man to walk on the moon. Since his retirement from NASA in 1981, Bean has devoted himself to his realist paintings; this handsome volume allows him to display both his artistic skills and his orbital experience, reproducing dozens of Bean's paintings of lunar surfaces, moonwalks, astronaut gear and so on, alongside a blow-by-blow narrative of Apollo 12, which Chaikin (The National Air and Space Museum Book of Aviation and Space Flight) has written very much from Bean's perspective. Chaikin and Bean describe the thrills and setbacks on the latter's path from naval aviator to astronaut, his first view of the blue-and-white Earth from 293,000 miles and the technical problems of making sure an American flag stays up on the moon. Final chapters track Bean's adventures with the paint and canvas he took up in 1974 ("Flying skills are so much like painting skills, it's amazing"), the exploits and close calls of other astronauts and Bean's hopes for his art and for space exploration. Short paragraphs in which Bean explains his pictures' subjects and techniques alternate with the longer segments of narrative; this format can make the whole book seem scattered, though the images, and the anecdotes, retain undeniable power. The meticulously detailed paintings themselves add warmth and a mid-19th-century softness to the photos and equipment on which many of them are based.

A stunningly beautiful book
Alan Bean's unique artistic vision is beautifully presented in this book. Bean's art thoroughly supplements the pounds of moonrocks and racks of datatapes as payback for the Apollo program, and the book is the first comprehensive collection of his work. Bean's first hand stories of Apollo 12, and Chaikin's text provide an adequate refrence for the pictures... but the pictures are the story. The Apollo program may well be the defining event for all the 20th century, and Alan Bean's artwork captures the humanity of the moon landings in a way that is instantly comprehendable on a very human level. I won't be shocked if, 100 years from now, Alan Bean's paintings of the early days of theexploration of space is treasured along side Thomas Moran's paintings of the American West.


City of the Dead
Published in Library Binding by Bt Bound (October, 1999)
Author: John Whitman
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The Greatest Book By John
If you like action and fun this is a great book to read, I got it mainly because I like Boba Fett and when I read I loved it. It's a great story about Zac and Tash and their Uncle Hoole go to a planet called Necropolis and how they get pretty mixed up with Boba and get into a bit of trouble.

It is a great , imaginative spin off from Star wars
Zak and Tash go to a planet with strong superstition of the dead. They are looking for a spaceship there. With their Uncle Hoole, a shape-shifter, they find out Dr. Evazan's secret. They have many adventures along the way. This was a great book. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.The author did a great of explaining. I highly reccomend this book to any sci-fi fan.

Ahhhh!! Freaky, sad ...yet SO good!
OMG! You have to have this book if you like this series. It's great. But I warn you...it's HIGHLY freaky and so sad....sniffle...While voyaging to the planet Necropilis Tash and Zak run into some big problems...and meet some new friends. This stroy was well written , and hautingly sad , as I went to be crying soon after....be warned chara death....but nothing seroius. So anywayz you SHOULD SHOULD SHOULD buy it.


May All Be Fed : 'a Diet For A New World : Including Recipes By Jia Patton And Friends
Published in Paperback by Quill (October, 1993)
Authors: John Robbins and Gia Patton
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Great Recipes and Much More!
A friend kept bringing delicious vegan dishes to potlucks. Every time I asked her for a recipe, it was out of "May All Be Fed: Diet for a New World." I pulled this book off the shelf and into the kitchen, and now people are complimenting my cooking and coming back for seconds--even meat eaters. At a recent party, meat lovers kept coming back for seconds of the Vegetable Tofu Loaf, and I knew I had a goldmine of a cookbook. Every recipe I've tried has worked out great. I cut the oil in half in the Lemon Rice and Peas, because it didn't need 2 tablespoons for 4 servings, and it was still delicious.

The cookbook portion is the second half of the book. The first half is full of well referenced, easy-to-read information on a variety of nutritional and health topics, including protein (ch. 3); chicken, fish, dairy, and eggs (ch. 5); the marketing of infant formulas (ch. 6); and what individuals can do about the problems discussed in chapters 2 - 6 (ch. 7). I found the charts and graphs great for concisely conveying Robbins' points. Although he discusses serious societal and individual problems, the tone of the book is positive: all these problems are correctable and here's what you can do to help solve them.

Whether one uses this as a just a cookbook, a reference book, or both, this book is worth having!

Third World issues/possible solutions addressed.
Diet for a New World will make you think twice about your next meal. Robbins offers real solutions to third world issues. When we consume meat, the crops were grown in abundance in a third world or extremely poor country, then it was exported to a meat farm to feed the cattle. Robbins explains that the grain used to feed the cattle could have fed the starving population of the growers and us as well.

Some of this book is difficult to read because it makes us take a serious look and the way live, eat and purchase everyday items. I'm glad I did- it changed my life.

Becoming vegetarian or vegan is only part of the solution. Buy the book, read it, practice it, bring veg dishes to gatherings and share what you know. Buy the book as a gift too, that's how I got it.

I realize we have One Earth and One Chance- let's make it count. John Robbins can get you started on the right path.

compassionate and insighful
John Robbins is a great author. Everyone must read this if they are not a vegetarian or do not understand or respect the intelligence of our fellow creatures who share this earth. Robbins' sensitive look into the meat industry and the propoganda behind it sheds light on the coruptness and greed of the business, not to mention the deception and lengths for which they are willing to go to keep certain information virtually hidden from the masses.

The second half of the book is filled with wonderful recipes. Not a bad one yet...best thing is, it's vegan. The cream of broccoli soup is absolutely the best, and no one can believe there is no dairy in it! I reccommend this book to everyone. After reading this book, one must go on to read Robbins other book, Diet for a New America.


Satellite Encryption
Published in Paperback by Academic Press (15 September, 1999)
Author: John R. Vacca
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Highly Accessible, Immensely Informative
Anyone who uses a mobile phone, relies upon oversees Internet connectivity, or worries about personal security should get acquainted with this book. Mr. Vacca has once again produced a very accessible yet easily readable tome on the dangers and promise of satellite encryption. Pick it up and you'll learn about or government policies regarding satellite communications management and security. By the time you put it down, you'll understand everything from pagers to the electronic battlefield. It's a must-read!

Enlighting, very informative and thought provoking !
John Vacca has put together a vivid presentation on the subject. Our future communication security is dependent on secure Satellite Encryption. This book presents Satellite Encryption, it's many issues and concerns, in a format that can be understood by all. Complex national security, corporate and personel security issues are technically presented and discussed. Views of the author on the "electronic battlefield" of the future are both enlighting and thoughtful. I sincerly recommend this book for individual and educational reading.

Technically detailed, and great reading as well
As always, John Vacca provides an incredible level of detail in a readable manner. The Internet implications are particularly applicable to almost any reader. In our case, where the line-of-sight constraints of radio transmission in our wireless WANs are forcing us to look at satellite options, this book is an invaluable resource. And the tales told herein about encryption break-ins and techniques make fascinating reading in their own right.

Technical from orbit to chip, and immensely readable as well!


Big Pumpkin
Published in Audio Cassette by Recorded Books (December, 1999)
Authors: Erica Silverman and John McDonough
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superb illustrations... fun story
In Erica Silverman's _Big Pumpkin_, a witch tries to get her big pumpkin off the vine, so she can make pumpkin pie. A mummy, a vampire, a ghost and a bat each stop by and try to pull the pumpkin from the vine. They succeed when they all pull together. Later they share the pumpkin pie.

Schindler's illustrations are hilarious. The image of the mummy trying to pull the pumpkin from the vine is one i will never forget... the image of the bat eating pumpkin pie is another one. Both I and my (3 year old) son find this book very funny. The story is simple and repetitive...nothing really scary or morbid here at all.

In my opinion, this is an ideal Halloween picture book for 3- and 4-year olds.

ken32

Teacher's Favorite
Of all the Halloween books I have in my Halloween box at school, this is the one my students love the best. Since I began using it 4 years ago, my classes(K-2)have usually had it memorized and could say the verses outloud with me as I read. The pictures are incredible. The story is darling. If you happen to come across the book on tape, grab it up quick. The producers put the words to delightful music, and voices that make the book come to life.

Big Pumpkin is Big Fun!
This delightful retelling of the old Big Turnip story is a Halloween favorite of my Kindergarten class. They learn the repetitive lines quickly and love to exclaim "DRAT" with the witch as she patiently watches the ghost, vampire, and mummy fail to yank her big pumpkin from its vine. And when the bat has the winning idea, we learn that cooperation is good for all. We also love to act this book out. A Winner. My suggestion, however, is to AVOID the paperback. Mine fell apart after three readings and is now held together with LOTS of tape!


Wither's Rain : A Wendy Ward Novel
Published in Mass Market Paperback by Pocket Books (01 February, 2003)
Author: John Passarella
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Make Room For Passarella Alongside Your Favorite Authors
First of all, before I get into my long review, I am going to start with saying this is a great book that any horror or avid book fan for that matter, should enjoy. In only his fourth novel(3rd solo, he was co-author of Wither), John Passarella breathes fresh air into the horror genre that even the most jaded fan should enjoy. The story of Wither's Rain centers around Wendy Ward, a college student with a gift for magic. She thought she had taken care of Elizabeth Wither when she watched her get crushed under falling stone, but it would not be the last she would see of her. Wither's physical form may have been crushed, but her blood survived. Unknown to Wendy, Wither's blood has found a new host in Angelina Thorne, and this time Wither's power grows more quickly. Wendy is going to have to face the same evil that she has not been able to get out of her nightmares since that one Halloween Night. In order to face the evil, she will need the help of her friends, Abby a young girl with the new found ability to turn into a wolf, Hannah a baby with extremely accelerated growth, and a crone figure from the future. That is a real simple explanation of where the book begins. One important thing to mention is that Wither's Rain stands alone really well. Meaning that you didn't have to read Wither in order to understand what is going on. Passarella does a great job of leading you into the story, and offering the vital information you might have missed not reading the first. Though since Wither was so great, I would think that you would enjoy going back and reading it anyways. Wither's Rain is one of those books that grabs a hold of you and just doesn't let go. From the first page, it engulfs you, and you just can't stop flipping the page. I would pick up the book to read just a few pages before I go to bed, and next thing I know, I have read over thirty pages(which is a lot of pages when you read as slow as me) and still can't seem to stop. Passarella just does such a great job of setting situations up, that you continue to read just a few more pages to find out what happens. The suspense throughout Wither's Rain is of a cailiber rarely seen or even approached. Then there is Wendy Ward, who is a great main character to base a series around. She has that extra something that helps to put her in a catergory with some of the best leading characters of today, such as Buffy and Anita Blake. John Passarella is a great author, and is personally responsible for my new found interest in books. Wither's Rain is a completey enjoyable and satisfying experience. John Passarella continues to prove why he belongs to be mentioned with some of the great writers of today.

WOO-HOO!
On Halloween night in 1999, a group of young people defeated an ancient evil known as Elizabeth Wither. They thought they had destroyed it. They were wrong!

The second book began on the same night. After her defeat, Wither escaped her human host's body. Wither's blood had but a short wait before a new host arrived. Angelina "Gina" Thorne changed the instant Wither entered her body. Any good within Gina was quickly corrupted. Slowly, Gina learned about the demonic entity, as well as, the extent of her new powers. Wither needed a new coven. Wither wanted revenge!

Wendy Ward was a college student, gifted with white magic. Wither had left Wendy with doubts as to her magical abilities. When "the Crone" began appearing before her, Wendy thought she had finally gone mad. Instead, the Crone began teaching Wendy the lessons she must learn - QUICKLY! For Wither was on the hunt and Wendy was to be her prey.

***** Nine year old Abby and baby Hannah was not left "normal" after their ordeal in book one. They appear in this exciting sequel to John Passarella's first novel, "Wither". The story mainly targets Wendy and Gina though.

Be forewarned of dark magic and hard sexual scenes, but that is expected in any book that I could ever consider as a "true" horror novel involving the dark arts. The story clearly showed that Passarella did a lot of deep research in his Wicca topic. The casual referrals to subjects, such as making the circle, and steps detailing rituals, make the story even more realistic.

John Passarella is a powerful voice in the horror genre of today. I expect him to quickly become the Master of Horror! Highly recommended reading here! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

A Horror Novel with a Realistic Pagan Twist
"Wither's Rain" is the second book in the Wendy Ward saga which began with "Wither". As the story opens, we find Wiccan college student Wendy dealing with the traumatic aftermath of her good versus evil battle against the creature-witch Elizabeth Wither and her coven. Wendy thinks the ancient evil has been laid to rest, and now it is time to pick up the pieces of the shattered lives Wither left in her wake. But soon Wendy begins to suspect that all is not well in Windale, Massachusetts. Has Wither managed to cheat death again and returned to rain havoc upon those who survived her earlier rampage? Has a new force of darkness moved to town? Or is it merely Wendy's overactive imagination and lingering guilt revolving around the amount of damage Wither managed to inflict before Wendy found a way to stop her? Wendy must reclaim her wavering faith in herself and expand her magical talents to find the answer to that all important question before time runs out.

"Wither" was one of the very few novels that I've ever found so engrossing that I literally could not put it down; "Wither's Rain" follows in what will hopefully be a long tradition of excellent horror writing. Wendy is a realistic and decidedly human heroine, with all of the foibles and flaws that come entangled in flesh and blood. Her Wiccan practices are realistic to a great extent, with some dramatic flair mixed in to make the story exciting. Her opponent is a witch of a different color and character, leading to interesting contrasts and comparisons between the two. And the tension generated will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. A definite must-read for any horror or pagan fiction fan.

I also recommend Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, M.R. Sellar's Rowan Gant series, and Mercedes Lackey's Diana Tregarde series.


Awakening from Grief: Finding the Road Back to Joy
Published in Paperback by Open Heart Publications (01 December, 1999)
Author: John E. Welshons
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One of the FINEST books I've ever read!
This book has changed my life! It is far superior to any other book I've read on the subject . . . most of which tend to be much too syrupy. AWAKENING FROM GRIEF is Real, Honest, and straightforward. It never fails to look at the deepest aspects of the experience of loss and sadness, yet it always shows the reader the road to a new, healing perspective . . . the "Road Back to Joy." What's most remarkable about it is that it isn't really about grief as much as it is about happiness. By showing us the ways in which our attachment to feeling victimized stands in the way of our ability to be happy, this book offers a taste of true spiritual freedom and REAL healing. This book has helped me heal childhood wounds that have resisted all forms of therapy. It has helped me to find a lightness in my life that I've never felt before. I will be forever grateful for this book, and I highly recommend it!

An excellent book to help set the tone for your grief
This is the first book on grief that I read after my husband died, and I'm glad it was this book. It set the tone for my grieving, because it helped me gain the perspective that loss gives us the opportunity to develop a deeper experience of life. I still refer back to it from time to time, and it continues to give me a sense of peace.

A Book with Heart
If you enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie, spend Wednesday with John. Mr. Welshons draws on his twenty-five years of working with both the terminally ill and those in mourning. However, this book is written for anyone who has experienced any type of loss whether through death, divorce or disappointment. Mr. Welshons explains that only through embracing our pain will our hearts open to feel greater joy.

The author conveys his thoughts by telling personal stories which will move the reader and explaining their lessons.

It's an easy to read life affirming book which gives a fresh perspective on death, loss and life.


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