Gene Smith's treatment of the l868 impeachment and trial against President Andrew Johnson is beautifully written and presents fair, yet compelling portraits of all of the major players. In the wake of the most recent impeachment crisis concerning President Clinton, this book becomes more important than ever.

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In The Celtic Way of Evangelism, George G. Hunter III explores the spiritual landscape which made Patrick's Ireland (and my local pub) a ready recipient of God's grace. Hunter, dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission at Asbury Theological Seminary, developed his view of relational evangelism in an environment not unlike my own. He learned that "stained-glass jargon" doesn't play well on the sands and surfboards of muscle beach. ...Perhaps that is why Hunter's perspective of Celtic Christianity resonates so strongly.

Hunter's retelling of the story of Patrick the Precedent Postmodern provides an able framework for understanding the possibilities and priority of mission. Patrick's own spiritual quest, including rejection of his father's religion and discovery of truth in the midst of brokenness, is of foremost and foundational importance. A Briton, Patrick was captured as a teenager by pirates and enslaved in Ireland. During his time as a cattle-herder near the turn of the fifth century, Patrick experienced three transformations which would equip him in his calling. First, he experienced the truth of an intimate relationship with Jesus. Second, he learned who the Irish people were, of their customs and culture. Third, he grew to have genuine love for his captor-brothers. These experiences reflect the three conditions for dynamic and convincing communication found in Aristotle's Rhetoric. Patrick's personal conversion gave him ethos, his understanding of the Celtic people provided pathos, and his love for his captors was his logos.

Patrick was freed from his seminary of servitude after six years, but returned as a missionary nearly three decades later still with this passion within. His Irish pagan hosts were receptive to this message because many aspects of their tribal druidic religions could find relative comparisons in true Christianity. An appreciation for paradox, an acceptance of the complexities of deity, an awareness of nature, the power of tale and fable, common virtues and values, a love for the riddling rhetorical triads and even fascination with the number three were all relatable ways Patrick could immediately and extensively explain the Christ-story.

Patrick's Celtic Christianity also provides a model for community. The first of five distinctives in this model is intentional solitude, drawing away from the clan for time alone with the Creator. Second, this community called for each believer to have a companion in the journey, a anamchara (or "soul friend") who would be not a spiritual superior but a friend and peer who could nurture a safe place for transparency, vulnerability, accountability, support and challenge. From the one, to the two, to the three: the third element of this community was a mentor-led small group of fellow believers who would join in study and service. Fourth, the experience expanded to common life: meals, labor, Biblical teaching, prayer and worship. Finally, the impacts of these four aspects combined to compel each member of the community to interact with pre-Christians who had not yet understood the promise of the Gospel. While this fifth aspect of community may seem at first similar to contemporary expressions, an essential difference must be noticed. Modern methods of evangelism begin with a presentation of the Gospel story to those who may be no more than casual contacts. If successful, this effort leads to a decision for conversion. Upon conversion, the new believer is invited to community and fellowship. Hunter contends the Celtic approach is actually and appropriately an inversion of this conversion protocol. In the Celtic approach, the potential believer is first offered fellowship and hospitality, which lead to opportunity for service, ministry and authentic conversation. After this connection and commitment are built and trusted, the prospective Christian may choose belief and conversion based on the reality of relationship, leading to full inclusion in community. Certainly, Jesus' own practice was to call those who would be excluded from most modern Christian communities, never to be given an opportunity to discover His open invitation. (Luke 5:27-32).

Hunter is insistent that readers find within these ancient methods innovative avenues for reaching the "New Barbarians," those whose lifestyles seem unacceptable and unconventional, considered beyond reach by religious institutions tied to structure, tradition and presumed authority

Certainly, this reader agrees with the assessment Hunter discovered within the Australian Jesus Movement: the challenge is to see God's Kingdom "as a party -- where the doors are thrown open like an Irish pub to anyone who would come in." This "pub church" would be one where Patrick could be quite comfortable -- a church "festive, music, participatory."

Finally, a book that takes the interest in "celtic Christianity" that seems to be such the rave now and applies it to the modern church in a life-changing way. This book re-visions evangelism in a way that will reach out to people who haven't grown up in a church setting. Through his study of celtic Christianity, George Hunter saw an evangelism that does not expect people to live by the "rules" of Christianity before they are even accepted into the doors of a church. Looking at a group of Christians who reached out to the world around them and asked them to be "christian" and not "civilized" is true inspiration for us today when our churches seem to want people to know how to act before we are willing to even let them in the doors. This book is well worth the read for anyone interested in bringing Christ to their world.

In this book, Mr. Hunter has written an excellent thesis on Celtic Christianity. This is not light reading, but neither is it too heady for the average reader to understand.

The basic thesis of this book is an interesting study of the fifth century evangelization of Ireland by Patrick and how his methods may be effective in today's culture. Mr. Hunter does a fine job of educating the reader about the ways Patrick used to reach a barbaric, pagan nation with the Gospel using very non-traditional methods. He theorizes that in today's world, there is a generation of "New Barbarians" - people whose lives have never been influenced by Christianity and have no true Christian experience. As in the days of Patrick, the religious institutions have failed to make the Gospel highly relative to this culture.

He concludes his study by giving examples of specific churches and ministries who have adopted creative new methods of evangelizing this largely unreached generation and have succeeded. He also issues a moving challenge to Church leaders to make the necessary changes to bridge the gap between the Church and the unchurched and bring in this vast harvest of people who are searching for God in all the wrong places.

I found this book very helpful and encouraging. I highly agree with Mr. Hunter's thesis and join with him in issuing this challenge to the Church. As a pastor, I began making these changes in our church years ago, with some success. More recently, we have been introduced to ministry groups who are literally going into the darkest parts of this alienated culture, living among the people and sharing the good news of the Gospel. The fruit of their ministry is tremendous and has challenged us to go even further to make the Church a place where everyone who is seeking God is welcome, regardless of how "uncivilized" they may be.

Those churches who are bold enough to make this change will be rewarded with an army of passionate young warriors of the faith who will go anywhere and do anything to share the love of Jesus Christ in the streets. Buy this book if you are serious about reaching the lost. You won't regret it.

Lest we forget, the civil rights era and the horrors that it wrought still echoes and reverberates within us. Now comes a poignant reminder that there still are some closets that have stored secrets and are full of old ghosts. Paul Hendrickson braves the wrath and guilt of those that may want this sordid part of our history to continue to lie fallow. This is a story of Mississippi's pained past, one that is in the forefront of efforts to eradicate and ply for a new frame of reference. The author profiles seven Mississippi sheriffs photographed while one of their number showboats with a billy club in an apparent show of glee in beating a would be students' quest to integrate the University Of Mississippi. The real story about this book as more to do with telling the truth than hiding it. and the author uses the front cover picture on the book as metaphor to illustrate what transpired during this time, and the aftermath years later.

The genesis of Hendrickson's curiosity about the picture gives rise to why he felt that there's more to tell about the men that perpetuated and fueled actions extolling the indelible image of racism for the times. His question was: Is racism a genetic thing? Could it be possible that the sons of the perpetrators are just as racist? In other words, How has it changed for the families that had to witness the shock and sorrow of their loved ones. Where did the hatred and remorse go that strengthened the viewpoints of these so-called law enforcers? The compelling point of it all is what is extracted from the sons and grandsons to feed the pages of this book. He follows the careers of the proponents up to their deaths, with the quips, quotes, and anecdotes condoning violence, and the various interviews with leading subjects of the day. He begins with a wrenching retelling of the Emmett Till lynching-seven years before James Meredith fought for and finally won admission to Ole Miss, a bloody story Hendrickson also recounts (in addition to a fascinating recent interview with Meredith himself). I found this part of the book revealing, and gave credence to the depths that Hendrickson took to solidify his research methodology. The book's final third tries to get at the legacy of Mississippi's particular brand of segregation, but tells us nothing that we don't already know. He tries to rectify quality by profiling the children of the men in the photo, and of Meredith, with sad and inconclusive results.

While Hendrickson can be intrusive in telling readers how to interpret his subjects, he repeatedly comes up with issues that are repeated in previous and later sections of the book. The electric interview material, and deftly places these men did their horrors masterfully defines events of their times, and adds yet another chapter to this period that Mississippi would rather be left dead and buried. This book and story should not be looked down on, but should be placed among other books that endeavor to give some semblance of accord in understanding mindsets of a racist enclave.

Author Paul Hendrickson has written a very well researched book on racism in Mississippi while concentrating on seven Mississippi sheriffs photographed on the campus of the University of Mississippi during the fall of 1962 when James Meredith was to be enrolled at the University. The author spends Part One of the book painting very unflattering portraits of the bigoted men in the picture. Part Two emphasizes the past and present life of James Meredith who appears to be somewhat difficult to understand. As one of Meredith's sons says in Part Three, "My father has an overwhelming need to be famous and so will do whatever he thinks will provide that and get him attention--Jesse Helms, David Duke, you name it, even if it's only for a day...I'll call it his eccentric philosophy. This is my theory. He does these things--almost as a kind of offensive strike to throw you off...For instance, supporting David Duke. Why in hell would you even support a racist like David Duke if you're James Meredith? Well, maybe he knows he's going to get all these articles and letters about that, condemning him. And that somehow gives him the energy to do what he wants to do next."
In addition to speaking to Meredith's children in Part Three, the author also visits two of the sheriffs in the picture that were alive at the time (one died shortly after) in addition to some of their children and grandchildren. A number of these offspring are working in law enforcement or in other jobs in which they must relate with fellow workers who are African Americans.
The book is slightly more than 300 pages long. Part Three may have told me a little more than I cared to know about the lives of the descendants of the bigoted sheriffs pictured on the cover of the book. I guess we can say these men were a product of their time, and their descendants have become more enlightened through the passage of time. Bigotry is a learned behavior and through the passage of the generations progress can continue to be made.

"Sons of Mississippi" illuminates Charles Moore's photograph of a group of Mississippi sheriffs gathered at the University of Mississippi prior to the admission of its first black student James Meredith in 1962. A subtext is how the story of the murder of Emmett Till reverberates to this day in Mississippi. Hendrickson spins his narrative from interviews, research of documents from the era, and literature about the time and place. Most compelling are his interviews with the sons and grandsons of the sheriffs and with Meredith's son Joe, probing their psyches as it relates to their experiences with race and racism. Near the end of the book on page 291, the author Paul Hendrickson quotes Mark Strand on Edward Hopper's paintings: "The shadow of dark hangs over them, making whatever narratives we construct around them seem sentimental and beside the point." Here he critiques his own contribution by advising the reader that although he has spun a story around a compelling photograph, he understands that the power of the photo, the shadow of dark that hangs over it, is more profound than the fascinating narrative he has attached to it.

This book starts off with some basic principles, such as lapse rates and black-body radiation on up to atmoshperic waves, turbulance, and making short term predictions. It does well by trying to focus not just on Earth, but all the other planets in solar system.

I also didn't know there was a first book when I read this. I liked it, and I'd like to read the first one now, but the flashbacks to the past were definitely more interesting than 1988. Also, it goes on and on about the land, the glen, the mist, until you want to yell "Enough already!"I wish I had read the first one first! I think that I would have liked it better.

I did not realize this book was part of a series or I would have read Too Deep for Tears first. However, this book does well as a stand alone, also. Normally I don't like stories that switch back and forth from past to present, but this book was superbly written in such a way that it was still easy to follow. I thought it was a touching story about family and the traits that are passed down from generation to generation. I especially enjoyed the sections that were written about Eva's ancestors and their lives, joys, and pains.

I read this book 1st not realizing that is was part of a series. I strongly suggest reading Too Deep for Tears first. This is an amazing book that takes you to the green hills of Scotland. I felt as if I was a part of the Rose family. It made me feel the joy and sorrow of the characters. If you want to take yourself to another time and world this book is a good read.

Versailles, the mere name evokes visions of the venerable edifice and seat of French absolutist power. Kathryn Davis tries to recreate this world via Marie Antoinette. Antoinette's now fictionalized story, thanks to Davis, is paralleled against those of the rooms at Versailles. Starting from Marie's first days at Versailles as a youth, to her incipient days as queen, childbirth, and macabre allusions to the French Revolution, Versailles covers much of the more pertinent events her life. These events are covered in a series of vignettes, sometimes written from Marie's, courtiers, or servant's perspectives and at others as plays involving Marie and courtiers. The central focus throughout the text remains Marie Antoinette with a heavy emphasis on Versailles. All the big names are covered here: Louis XV, Madame du Barry, Adelaide, Maria Thesera, King Joseph, Louis XVI, Turgot, etc.

The main faults of Versailles lie in its execution, whereas the theory may come close to perfection. The better part of Marie's life is crammed into a framework of two-hundred pages and in a book that is more the size of a mini-book. This lack of pages leads to a forced and sometimes rushed plot. However, most of the plot is saved however because Davies lends so much flexibility to it because of its freeform design of part fiction, part biography. As so much of it is written from Marie's perspective, Davis can selectively skip and, conversely, dwell on certain aspects of her life. The downside to this style remains Davies writing. So much of the book remains a convoluted tirade. Allusions are made to the ever-present financial problems of France, the joys of motherhood, Louis's problems, and Marie's overall discontent, but so much of lies hidden in convoluted minutia. This convolution manifests itself at times in esoteric musings that simply do not add up historically or do not make sense. Sadly, Marie comes off as self-centered beyond what history has suggested. It seems a bit unfair and invented. Additionally, the title of Versailles seems a bit misleading, considering Versailles most notable construction was completely under the patronage of Louis XIV. To compound matters, Marie's most resplendent creation, the Hamlet, is neglectfully mentioned.

It all depends, I suppose, on what you're looking for in a historical novel. If you are seeking a sprawling epic that follows a famous personage from birth to death and all points between, like the books of Margaret George or Jean Plaidy, you will be disappointed with _Versailles_. Kathryn Davis's novel about Marie Antoinette will seem episodic, disjointed, and inaccurate. Due to Davis's penchant for writing disconnected scenes, rather than a flowing narrative, parts of this book make no sense unless you're armed with a great deal of knowledge about the period. For example, the Dauphin's death is mentioned, and then a little while later, people are talking about the Dauphin again, who seems to have come back from the grave. In fact, the second Dauphin was born before the first one's death, but the younger prince's birth is never mentioned in the book--or even his name. If you didn't already know about him, that part would be quite confusing. And there are errors as well--the Tuileries was not burned to the ground, as Davis attests. Napoleon lived in it, for pete's sake. Personally, I'm a big fan of the sort of historical novel that depicts a time period in as much detail as a nonfiction book would, but using the fictional form to infuse emotion and drama into the events.

But this is another sort of book entirely. Once I got over wishing this was a Margaret George book (pick on me if you will, I don't care), I began to enjoy _Versailles_ for what it is: a poetic, experimental novella. Davis uses a series of scenes, tableaux maybe, to show us Antoinette's story. Some are in first-person prose, some in third-person prose, some in the form of a play script, some in poetry. There is even a scene based on a painting that has a certain gruesome connection to the Bourbon rulers. All of the scenes are strung together quite loosely, so that if you don't know anything about the period, you'll be lost. But if you do know some of the history, the scenes do add some color to it. Early in the book, they are funny, saucy, and irreverent. The end of the book, fittingly, takes a somber and haunting tone; I was especially moved by Antoinette's time in prison, her death, and her existence as something other than herself after that. The last sentence of the book is a stunner--I won't give it away.

This book is pretty good, if you think of it as a sort of prose poem about Antoinette rather than a narrative, and if you already know much of her history. Or maybe if you just want to read evocative, beautiful prose.

Versailles is an interesting approach to understanding Marie Antoinette. Kathryn Davis takes an essentially fictional look at her life and gets into her brain. What we get is an essentially stream of consciousness meditation of Marie Antoinette looking back on her life, with little regrets. Davis writes beautifully--the words seem to glide off the pages effortlessly. Marie Antoinette is not a wholly likeable narrator, but she is certainly human and certainly not a monster. Versailles is an interesting exploration of not history, but a historical figure.

Really disappointed. We purchased this book for use within our Big Five consulting team. For some reason, we never really used it. When I left to work for a smaller strategy consulting firm, I soon found out why. The book is geared exclusively for software and IT proposals. It is so specific that very little transfers to other uses. Also -- and this is a big negative as far as I'm concerned -- there is very little discussion on the importance of stressing client benefits over product attributes. In fact, the book spends most of its time discussing how to communicate product specifications and implementation processes. Understand, buyers purchase your products and services because they benefit the buyer. Not because they are thrilled with your "gee-whiz" and "whiz-bang" product attributes. They want to know how much will this service save me? how much more profit will I earn? Your proposal is a marketing tool. It must clearly underscore the benefits your customer will derive from the purchase of your product or service over other alternatives. However, you never would have known of the importance of writing the proposal from the client's view after having read this disappointing book.

The purpose of this book is to provide you with a practical guide to writing and organizing sales proposals - with emphasis on "practical". Instead of discussing salesmanship 101, sales theories, and proposal war stories, this book focuses on developing the materials and a process for writing winning proposals.

This book is useful not only as a writing guide, but as a proposal resource to show management how professional proposals are resourced, managed, and written. These ideas and others are explored in this new edition.

This book was recommended as a NY Times notable book which I trusted. The book reads like the first novel of a very "sensitive, artistic" under-grad writing student. There are a lot of pretentious descriptions and the hint at an interesting story but it is entirely unsatisfying and you realize just past the half way mark it's not getting better.

Thirty years ago when I was in college I had to muddle through difficult books. What does the author REALly mean? Who is the main character supposed to portray? I used to sit in the dorm and dream of the days when I could read what I wanted; for pleasure.

I love to read sentences that flow together, about characters that are real and varied, and indulge myself in plots that are interesting yet ones that a chart is not needed to follow.

After 120 pages of The Walking Tour I did not know one character, I did not know what the plot was about and had to force myself to concentrate or else be forced to read the same line 4 times to REALly understand it.

This book struck me as a college read from freshman year. It was cumbersome. The cover flap was intriguing. That was the only intriguing part. I quite and went on to something else, something that I VERY seldom do.

Kathryn Davis's book is wiser about our future -- really our present -- than UNDERWORLD. Hers is a fiercely moral view, as strange as it is accessible, as innovative as it is traditional. It's a heady mix. Following to an extent the conventions of the upper-middle-class-white-philanderers-narrative, she raises questions of identity, text, and defends the not-quite-stabilizing, not-quite-liberatory imperative of art. A mysterious and -- yes! -- delightful read.