I believe all parents or would be parents should have a copy of this book. It would be a great baby shower gift. Helps you understand yourself and children, and actually makes you like yourself and children. I can't say enough on this book. It brings the best out in you, and also makes you feel like you are not the only parent on earth who goes through tough times in your home raising kids. The book was written over thirty years ago but still works in this day. I use the skills almost all the time with my daughter who is fifteen and I have had the most conversation I have ever had with her since applying the skills the book suggested. Truly the most effective book on parenting I have ever read.

I read this book in a communications class in junior college. I do not have kids, but it is the foundation of the way I relate to people and to my students. So many people do not know how to talk with others without blaming. This book shows you how to own your power and let others have theirs, too.

Every person alive can benefit from reading this book. I've just finished it & already see improvement between me and my 3 teens(and feel more forgiving toward my own parents, teachers). Parent Effectiveness Training translates into ALL relationships and makes them BETTER! Thank you a MILLION times.

This is a wonderful book! Jon has truly captured the spirit of this part of Colorado--we live near the Spanish Peaks in the San Luis Valley, and regularly travel the country he writes about. I drive past old Fort Garland every day. The pictures Jon draws with his words are so accurate, they are like a photograph. Our valley really is that beautiful! The characters are so vivid they feel alive, and the plot and the action move right along. My husband originally bought the book and loved it, then I read and loved it. We loaned it to my mom, who is now buying a copy to keep, plus several copies to give as gifts for Christmas. As a western writer, I can see Jon Chandler as the successor to Louis L'Amour--equally exciting and well-researched material. Highly recommended!!!

I was drawn to read Jon Chandler's first book because I had already been totally intrigued by his CD, Westerns. One of the songs on it, 'The Spanish Peaks' was so beautiful and emotional, I just had to read the book by the same name. It didn't disappoint! This book is full of action, and the characters and plot are fully developed. Anyone who likes a western flavor to their literature will enjoy this book. Don't expect it to read like any cheap western novelette, though--this writer has more talent than that!

Chandler's "Spanish Peaks" may be a western novel, but it kept this city slicker thoroughly entertained and turning the pages! It's a wonderful story played out by characters that represent the best of the west and the worst of the west.

I'll pass it along to my friends... but only if they guarantee they'll bring it back!

Man....I dunno where to begin with this book. Yeah its that awesome! I've just started reading it and I'm abt 80 pages into it but lemme tell ya , Its just as good if not better than the rest of them in the "Stories 4 the Teens heart" series! I don't think the stories are just for teens either , anyone can read them and they are sure to enjoy them. The stories talk about real life situations and how others have coped with them. This book can really cheer a person up and help them out. I hope anyone who veiws this would read it and enjoy it! Best wishes to all ya'll out there!

This book was an inspiration to me. I am going through a lot of hard times right now and this book has helped me see that my problems aren't as bad as I thought they were. One of my favorite stories would have to be "Miracle at the Mall" on page 314. There's always a different way God lets people know he cares and loves us. I look forward to future books by Alice Gray. Also, I would like to thank the people who allowed their stories to be published.

THIS BOOK IS A GREAT READ FOR TEENS.THE STORIES ARE FUNNY,HEART
WARMING AND AT TIMES SAD.MOST OF THE STORIES TEACH VAUABLE LESSONS ON LIFE.MY FAVORITE STORY IN THE BOOK WAS DUMP BOY.THE LESSON THE CHILDREN LEARN AT THE END WAS REALLY TOUCHING.ANOTHER
FAVORITE WAS A POEM CALLED MAKING SARAH CRY(WHICH WILL HAVE ALL
YOU SCHOOL BULLYS WISHING FOR A SECOND CHANCE.BUY THIS BOOK AND LOVE THE STORIES JUST LIKE I DID.YOU WON'T BE DISAPPIONTED.

The following, an excerpt from Son of Inteflux, must rank as one of the greatest quotes in modern Young Adult Fiction.

"I can't stand the sight of Long Island!" Johnny announced with much emphasis as he and Simon gathered equipment for their first experiment. "What a hole!"
Stunned that Johnny should feel moved to make such a statement, apropos of nothing, Simon could only manage a week, "Huh?"
Johnny pointed out the window. "Look at that. It makes me sick. A plastic civilization with paper dolls for people. They're all dead out there. They think they're alive, but they're dead. The only thing that's real on Long Island is the boredom. That's it. Nothing else."
"Uh - uh - is there somewhere - better?"
The sheer absurdity of this question caused Johnny to squeeze his eyedropper, spraying vicious red liquid on Simon's shoes. "The city, man! New York! That's what life is about. But not the city they show in the tourist booklets; the real city! Tenement housing -cockroaches - rats! That's real! To freeze all winter and sweat all summer, and write great songs by the light of a bare bulb in an eight-by-eight cold-water walk-up with crumbling plaster and bad plumbing! That's living!"
Simon was sure it wasn't, but said nothing and concentrated on applying the liquid to the leaf on his slide. There was no reaction from the leaf, but his shoes where beginning to steam.
"In the city, if you've got something to say, you go right ahead and say it - in five-foot letters on the subway wall. On Long Island you don't say anything. You sit at home worrying because you didn't buy your kid a personal computer when he was three, so he won't get into the college of his choice, and he'll end up stupid and have to wear plaid shirt forever. In the city, you wake up because they're breaking pavement outside, or because somebody heaved a brick through the front window of the delicatessen you live over. On Long Island, you sleep through the alarm on your fifteen-hundred dollar Piaget watch, but some poor dog half a block away is driven crazy by the sound and smashes his head against a fence until his brains are scrambled. I hate Long Island!"
Simon, weary of the speech, and more then a little nervous about his shoes, said, "If you hate it here so much, why don't you move to the city?"
"Because my mother says if I move out before I graduate, no one's going to feed my fish."
"Oh."

--Simon Irving has never liked his father's massive international company, Interflux, which makes minor pieces of major things. After spotting a small piece of land which Interflux has planned to build a major factory on but which does not own, Simon buys the land with the entire Student Council money account, starts "Antiflux", puts up various shops and museums as Anitflux bends the rules of owning a piece of land, and overall, protests against his father. --This produces a hilarious novel that is hard to put down! --Marisa

I can't imagine why this book has been allowed to go out of print. It is a genuine classic and a great personal favorite.

A young man learns all about friendship, loyalty, his talents (both in the arts and in the leadership department) and his family, while at the same time waging war against an "opressive mega-corporation".

Oh, and his father is the CEO.

Arthur Gordon writes great stories. However, realistic but inspirational insight into the joys we often miss will enrich the reader's life. I have probably bought and given away a dozen copiers of A TOUCH OF WONDER since it was first given to me.

This is a truly special book written with great insight! I keep a copy on my bookshelf because its an old friend, and it reminds me (every time I glance at it) to keep and listen with an open heart to my everyday experience.

I had to read this book for an Interpersonal Relations class in college. It is now one of my favorite books of all time. I read it everytime I feel down or need some inspiration. It is a wonderful book to give as a gift. I would recommend this book to everyone.

When British scientist J.B.S. Haldane was asked what could be inferred about the Almighty from a lifelong study of nature, he replied (given that there are 400,000 species of beetles, compared with only 8,000 species of mammals) that God must have Òan inordinate fondness for beetles.Ó If beetles and other insects are so abundant, why doesnÕt everyone eat bugs instead of plants, fish, birds, and chemically-fattened mammals? As explained in this prankish yet valuable guide to entomophagy (Latin for Òbug-eatingÓ), we already eat insects, inadvertently, in the sense that the FDAÕs food safety regulations allow up to 60 aphids in 3 1/2 ounces of frozen broccoli, 74 mites in 100 grams of canned mushrooms, and so on. They canÕt be completely kept out of our food, and, so long as we donÕt know weÕre eating them, theyÕre not only tasty, theyÕre rich in nutrients (a grasshopper, for example, is more than 20 per cent protein, and crickets are an excellent source of calcium). This parody of a typical cookbook concludes with a 3-page list of suppliers of edible anthropods (whether live or ready to serve), manufacturers of exotic toothpicks, and organizations that sponsor bug-eating extravaganzas. The author, who has a weakness for bad puns (among his recipes are ÒParty Pupae,Ó ÒThree Bee Salad,Ó ÒPest-O,Ó and ÒFried Green Tomato Horn WormÓ), has written such earlier popular books as The Compleat Cockroach and Field Guide to the Slug (which the New York Times described as ÒgrippingÓ). (Review from Ballast Quarterly Review, Vol 14 No 2 Winter 1998-99)

The ideal gift for your mother-in-law

While I originally bought this as a gag gift for my wife (no pun intended), once we tried some of the recipes we found that we really enjoyed it. Even our son has taken a liking to the recipes (so far, crickets are his favorite). If you can get past your initial apprehension, you'll really enjoy the recipes. Oddly enough, I've also found that I'm no longer asked to bring in dishes for our carry-ins at work.

While not written at the level of technical philosophical detail as Aquinas or Pannenberg (as another review here stresses), this text is still set apart from most general theological treatments by its philosophical clarity and coherence. This is in addition to the virtues of its serious treatment of the range of Scriptural data concerning each topic, its apologetic engagement with differing views, and its practical counsel for life and ministry. It is a great resource for thinking through major theological issues and positions. I recommend it highly.

Drs. Lewis and Demarest were two of my professors at Denver Seminary. I was particularly close to Dr. Lewis. He is one of the most intelligent yet humble and gentle men I ever met. And these characteristics come through in his theology.

This theology covers the full range of theology. Each subject is dealt with in-depth. Supporting Scripture verses and the implications of the viewpoint presented are given. It also overviews contrary viewpoints and explains why they do not adequately fit the Biblical material. The reasons for the disagreement are presented in a very fair and straightforward manner. No harsh language at all is seen in this theology.

The theological viewpoint presented is Baptist-Reformed. I agreed with the Baptist perspective before I went to seminary and moved into a Reformed view while at seminary. I present the same perspective in my book "Scripture Workbook: For Personal Bible Study and Teaching the Bible."

So I would highly recommend this theology. And if you want to study even more Scripture verses that support each position given, see my book. It presents dozens or even hundreds of supporting verses for each topic covered.

I am writing another review, as I have continued to develop myself "intellectually" over the years. I think that this book is still great because of its very good historical overviews, presentations & evaluation of many views (incl. liberal, Eastern, etc.), its strong Biblical scholarship, its attempts at relating the ideas to modern situations, etc... However I have come to see the book's major weakness. The Biblical topics deal with many philosophical issues, although not presented in the Bible in a philosophical way. Systematizing, analyzing these issues is even more philosophical (Greek), and in this perspective the authors are way too simplistic, the treatement of the topics too often very naively neglects the philosophical perspective that is necessary for understanding, solving many questions. I still very much recommend this book, but I want to say that it is certainly not sufficient for a real analysis, understanding and for giving answers that are sound enough. I think that this book would be well complemented by St Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologica, the deepest and biggest Christian work ever written. However, the Summa is an ancient text that itself requires a lot of study, time and devotion. So alternative recommendation I can make as a completement is Wolfhart Pannenberg's 3 volumes Systematic Theology. Pannenberg is a German (Lutheran) theologian, (and not liberal in comparison with many German theologians), and yet the world's leading theologian. His huge 3 volume systematic theology has a deep philosophical perspective. Pannenberg's work is clearly more academic, difficult than Lewis's present work, yet definetely more accessible than Aquinas' work for those who are not read in philosophy.

Monica Dickens, the great-grandaughter of Charles Dickens, fits into the "good sport" type of memoirist, recalling life experiences for which she was quite unprepared. I think of Betty MacDonald's "The Egg and I." Apparently well-to-do, Ms. Dickens decided to work as a Cook General for a couple years during the 1930's. The book is a chronicle of her relationships and experiences with various employers. I fully expected that the various households would blend into each other but was delighted to discover how vividly the personalities were portrayed, and so they remained distinct. Most memorable was the clothing designer with a constant finger on the call button, a mistrust of her spending habits and a penchant for draping her in fabrics to envision his newest creations. Some may have a problem with the fact that Ms. Dickens took on the job as a lark and could return to her comfortable life at any time, but the fact is that she really was up to her elbows in the muck of a 1930's kitchen. All in all, I found it a delightful read, although the final chapter which recounts a lecture on "The Problem of the Servant Today" is tedious and merely restates in an arid manner the "problems" so well-documented in the rest of the book.

This was one of the most delightful books I have read in ages. Monica Dickens (great-granddaughter of Charles), despite her privileged upbringing, despite being presented at Court as a debutante, is bored and has little desire to do the rounds of social events expected of a young upper class girl in the mid 1930s. And so she decides to try her hand at domestic service. If you have ever enjoyed watching the wonderful "Upstairs Downstairs" series or reading other tales which reflect the upstairs downstairs lives of the British class system, this is for you. It is light, entertaining and the author writes so fluidly, it has inspired me to begin reading more of her works.

Looking for a light but well-written book? This is it. Absolutely charming.

I read this book over a year ago and the story is still with me. I learned a lot about the Johnstown flood through this book and the related book "Emerald Storm". This story was told with a lot of imagination. Time travel, to be exact. The only reason this book did not earn five stars from me is because like all of Alsobrook's books, the love scenes, while nice, were somewhat flowery. But the book remains on my keeper shelf. I would recommend this book, if you can find it as it is out of print. The review below was misplaced and belongs with another book with the same name. I checked the reviews of that book and found a review that belongs to Alsobrook there.

I spent a lot of time searching for this book, after reading Emerald Storm, also from Rosalyn Alsobrook. I was a little uneasy about reading, due to the conclusion of the previous book, but the author is an excellent writer that draws you into the storyline with ease. Both books are excellent, and highly recommended. The author used many of the real characters from the actual Johnstown flood event in both stories, so you learn a little about the history of the flood as well. The details of what others may have felt, heard, or saw during this event in different scenarios are quite fascinating to read about, but tragic in itself. Adding the time travel and romance to an already intriguing topic, just adds to the magical element in this story. The characters are wonderfully portrayed in the author's words... and easily draws you into her fascinating imagination.

As Joann struggles to find herself in the 1990's or 1889 times, you'll feel the pull to both times, and experience her uneasiness regarding either decision she must ultimately make.

I'm a huge fan of writers who study and create stories within true historical events, and provide historical facts as well. Rosalyn Alsobrook did a wonderful job with this book, and has increased my desire to learn more about the Johnstown flood event in 1889.

If you enjoy a writer that creates stories of this historical nature, I'd also recommend anything from Dorothy Garlock. Both these authors create stories that the historical romance reader shouldn't miss.

I have been searching and searching for this book, and after all this time I got it! Let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. This book has so much to offer a reader. A truly delightful read. The storyline and the characters were great. At first I thought it was going to be sad because a previous novel by Alsobrook concerning the Johnstown Flood, but it was mild compared to that particular story/novel. Even though it was a little sad it was a well written novel that many Alsobrook fan will love. Another lovely read!

"Voluptuous Panic" is colorful, interesting, and amusing. Its a fast and enjoyable read.

The only negative quality of this book ,in my opinion, is that I always find it difficult to believe in rigid catagories describing people. The lists of different types of prostitutes, transvestites, homosexuals and lesbians are a little suspicious. The terminology is a lot of fun but, I wonder if the actual people of the Weimar era truly used these terms and definitions.

In glorious black-and-white pictures and color plates, Mel Gordon illustrates the splendour that was Weimar Berlin. This book is necessary for any uppity later generations who thought they came up with nightlife, sex and provocation.

Mel Gordon has recreated the powerful erotic imagery of a time and place now gone, and perhaps residing in only a few memories.

The black and white pictures, posters and settings recreate the longed-for but never achieved phantom-like dreams of a little boy in the thirties, who barely remembers the sloe-eyed slinky long legged sometimes stern faces about to enter the eros of barely hidden, furtive and mysterious explorations and invitations to shadowy eroticareal. A real "Noire". All delighfully expressed in this volume.

A must for any serious reader of social-cultural history of the times, but more so for lovers of quality erotica. mooseman01@aol.com