Rarley does one come upon a book that just speaks to your children. This book has everything, Ryhmes, comedy, and lessons to be learned.

I guess that I'm not a scientist. I never quantified my distractibility etc... (although my old school records could probably show statistics). All I can say is that I was diagnosed ADD a couple years ago, but I didn't realized the cause and effect of ADD. For every action there is an equal and oppisite reaction. By being distracted, I was punished in my youth (or other problems). I guess I could add a chapter in the book myself. Because of being undiagnosed and uneducated regarding ADD, my life was not all that it will be. For those who don't have ADD they may not relate. How can you describe the taste of butter to someone if they have never tasted butter. It's kind of rich, and salty, creamy, I have no scientific proof, but it is describe that way by so many...(they would not understand). In reading this I felt like I was more like part of a club, rather then an outcast. I only got about half way through, and honestly I was a bit sad or scared. You see it was sort of a challange for me to figure out why I was the way I was. It was the additional "ball to juggle" which was manifested from this problem. I'm a bit afraid to finish the rest of the book. If the rest of the book answers the rest of any remaining questions that I have, then what would I do to fill the large gap of 'searching for answers' which has consumed such a large portion of my life. But I will finish the book. I imagine that I will always have some questions.
I don't know who said
"A moment of realization is worth a thousand prayers"
but it rings home for me.

Good luck

While many ADD books are filled with froth and fluff, and others are littered with mantras about accepting ADD in our life but, "Driven to Distraction" actually is useful. Buy it now before you forget. From descriptions about what is and is not ADD, to incredibly informative thoughts on ways of managing ADD's pitfalls and positives, this book is the one to buy. Anyone with ADD welcomes every aspect of it, and most of us would trade it for a dollar. However, Hallowell and Ratey manage to dispel the malarkey about ADD being a handicap, and provide case studies which will remind you of many of your own experiences. Great for a dear friend or mate to read to understand ADD, and how to be a better friend or spouse. Let me recommend also, "Managing Attention & Learning Disorders : Super Survival Strategies" by Elaine McEwan and "Uncommon Gifts : Transforming Learning Disabilities into Blessing" by James Stewart Evans. I fully recommend "Driven to Distraction : Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood Through Adulthood." Anthony Trendl

This book is heaven sent for those who grew up having ADD, but were undiagnosed until adulthood. After being diagnosed with ADD in my 30's, my doctor recommended that I read this book. Initially, I bought the abridged audiocassette version (if you have ADD then I don't need to explain why), but after listening to the tapes I immediately purchased the printed version of the book to learn more.

This book is a real eye-opener. It helped me understand why I am the way that I am for the first time in my life - it was like I could have written most of the case studies in the book myself! The sense of relief that I felt after having read this book was amazing - I finally felt that someone understood what it was like to be me.

The authors are very sensitive to the over-diagnosis of ADD and painstakenly set out to define what ADD is and what it is not. The book doesn't offer a cure all or quick fix, but it recommends a realistic holistic approach to dealing with ADD/ADHD. Not only do the authors offer many tips and techniques for dealing with ADD, but they also try to level-set expectations.

This book would also be an excellent read for the spouse or parent of an ADDer and would allow him/her to gain insight into the challenges that their loved one deals with everyday.

After reading mostly positive reviews on this webpage concerning Lord Dunsany's novel I went in search of it, and found it at my university library. Reading it was quite a different experience for me, but people who aren't prepared for the style of writing like I was might be disappointed, confused or scorning of the slow, dream-like pace, archetype characters and poetical language. This might be especially true of fans of typical 'fantasy' genre books (authors such as David Eddings or Terry Brooks) where a fantasy universe is deemed to be good only if it has a solid backing and an exhaustive array of facts and figures to add realism to the stories. Lord Dusany however, expects the reader to take for granted the existence of Elfland, trolls, elves and will o' the wisps, without trying to explain them. 'The King of Elfland's Daughter' is refreshingly free of geographies, biologies, cultures, or other infinite details that are so prevailent in other fantasy cult books.

The story goes that the Parliament of Erl approaches their king, eager for their small country to be known throughout the lands. The solution is for it to somehow imbue magic into its royalty, and to achieve this the king sends his son Alveric into Elfland to make the King of Elfland's daughter his wife. Alveric is successful in this, and brings the beautiful Lirazel back to Erl, where they have a child Orien. The King of Elfland however desparatly wants his daughter returned to him, and by use of three powerful runes, contrives to bring her back to her home.

Dunsany delves into several themes throughout the book, all framed by the contrasts of Erl and Elfland. Within this, he explores the differences between Paganism and Christianity, freedom and restrictions, the passage of times, mortality and immortality, male and female, parent and child - the list goes on. Running through these is the main story thread that makes clear that everyone desires what they cannot have, and although by the end of the novel their desires come to furfillment, it is in an ironic resolution that no one (including this reviewer) could have ever wished for. The ending is thus happy, but contains a certain sense of something bittersweet, like a lost childhood that Dusany continually likens Elfland to.

It was acknowledged by many later fantasy writers that they were inspired by Dunsany, including (obviously) Tolkien. It is no coincidence that Alveric and Lirazel have a certain resemblance to Aragorn and Arwen in way of their courtly love and somewhat 'forbidden' romance. However, I feel that Dunsany hits upon notes of inevitable dischord between the two that Tolkien neglects. I wonder for example if Arwen ever felt: 'the years that assail beauty, and the harshness that vex the spirit that were already about her, and the doom of all mortals hung over her head.' It is something for devoted Tolkien fans to think about, as well as potent storytelling. (That wasn't a dig at Tolkien by any means, just a thought to dwell on).

On the actual styles of storytelling, many people might feel frustrated at the continued use of 'the fields we know' to describe earth, and faery as a place 'only told of in song'. However, as I went through the story, I found the repetition to become quite familiar and comfiting, like a steady rhythm or heartbeat, and the final sentence making use of this repeated phrase made me take a deep sigh of contentment. Lord Dunsany's other gift is his use of metaphor and imagery. For instance, his use of the priest likening Lirazel to a mermaid, and then later echoing this thought with 'there was something in [the priest's] voice as he spoke, a little distant from her, and [Lirazel] knew that he spoke as one that walked safe upon the shore, calling far to a mermaid in a dangerous sea,' makes this not a book, but literature. Dunsany's soft, poetical, vivid, mellow language is what makes this book so appealing, and used to unforgetable descriptions of Elfland, twilight, the countryside, and beauty in all its forms.

A couple of times he faulters when he slips into what I've described above - trying to make story *real*. References to Tennyson and the infamous unicorn horn of Rome are jarring, and pull one out of the dreamy atmosphere. The archetypes are expected and unsurprising - the mighty king of Elfland, the elusive witch-upon-the-hill, the elfin beauty, the warrior-king, the hunter-prince, the trickster fey - we've encounted them countless times in one form or another.

But overall, this book has my recommendation, for a novelty to see how the fantasy-writers wrote before Tolkien, and for a wonderful escape into a glorious world. Plus, you can learn some little bits of trivia that you may of not known before, for instance - did you know that faeries hate dogs? That they cause clocks to stop? That their infants can talk?

Reading this short, powerful novel is like falling into a dream from which it is hard to awaken. Dunsany's prose is deliciously rich, and he moves through this tale of love and loss and strange longing with infinite grace, never laboring over a point or rushing the majestic pace. Those who are too entrenched in modern prose styles certainly might find the work lacking in the kind of day-to-day detail of the characters' lives, but readers should approach this work with more of a sense of the classic fairy tale or perhaps the biblical parable. I intend to pass this book along to everyone I know who enjoys a good story, and I hope to read it again many times myself!

When Terry Goodkind's "Soul of the Fire" - part of one of those multi-volume "epic" fantasy series so popular these days - was not yet released, Amazon readers had already posted a few hundred reviews of the book, almost all of which rated it at 5 stars. None of them had read a word of what they were reviewing, but that didn't stop them.

At the time of writing this, there are just a handful of reviews of Dunsany's "The King of Elfland's Daughter", which was first published in 1924 and which is one of the true classic fantasies of all time. And I doubt a great number will follow.

That's fashion for you.

Still, in about twenty or thirty years from now, I very much doubt if a lot of fantasy afficianados will be able to remember Terry Goodkind at all (let alone "Soul of the Fire"). But I do know that they'll remember Dunsany. As they will William Morris, E.R. Eddison, C.S. Lewis, and - of course - J.R.R. Tolkien.

You see, these are the original masters of fantasy. A lot of good - at times great - fantasy has been written since then (writers like Patricia McKillip, Stephen Donaldson, Ursula LeGuin, Guy Gavriel Kay come to mind), but these are the Old Ones. The ones, if you like, Who Knew What They Were Talking About.

To explain (in the case of Dunsany): a few years back, when in Ireland, I tried to visit the Dunsany ancestral home (yes, this is real aristocracy). I remember asking a local farmer for directions; then, after a little searching, I found a secluded gateway. I drove up the lane, crowded with trees, turned right - and there it was. One of the most beautiful and hospitable - and very real - castles you could imagine. And it suddenly dawned on me: if you lived in such a place - if your family had, for generations, lived in such a place, in such a troubled country, with so much pain and turmoil - you probably couldn't help but turn to some sort of fantasy. And that fantasy couldn't help but be more true than what all of us could come up with, munching our microwaved Internet dinners before flickering monitors and filing billion dollar law suits against any company that produces potentially harmful products.

Not knowing where it came from, it's easy for us to try to decide what good fantasy is - it seems we don't even need to read to book to review it - but we might do well do realise, every now and then, that some of it was written with a far greater perspective than we could aspire to.

In the end, "The King of Elfland's Daughter" is one of the masterpieces of early fantasy. It takes a little getting used to - like Henry James, for example - but if you like fantasy fiction at all, you must read this book. It is one of the very few fantasy books that if worth just about any price you pay for it.

One final remark: an absolutely excellent collection of Dunsany's shorter fiction was recently published by Victor Gollancz under the title "Time And The Gods" (Fantasy Masterworks Series). As far as I know, this has not been published in the US, but you should be able to get it from Amazon.co.uk. Buy it immediately; these stories will probably be out of print again very soon.

Like many of my generation, I learned of the Scopes "Monkey" Trial through the Lawrence and Lee play, "Inherit the Wind." Edward J. Larson's Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate over Science and Religion is a fine and lively historical account of the trial and its aftermath. Winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize, Larson's book sets the battle between fundamentalist religion and the "modern" science of Darwinism in both an historical and cultural context. In the 1920s, several states attempted to pass anti-evolution laws, and Tennessee finally succeeded in 1925. Thereafter, the ACLU found a test plaintiff in teacher John Scopes, and a test venue in the sleepy town of Dayton, Tennessee, which hoped to use the trial to "get on the map" and increase tourism. Using newspaper accounts, memoirs, and other contemporaneous sources, Larson displays in vivid detail both the seriousness and naivete of the battle between religion and science, William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow. He also argues, convincingly for me, that the trial did not -- contrary to the Lawrence and Lee depiction -- leave Bryan a broken man (although he died within a week of the verdict). Going beyond the trial and its immediate aftermath, the final section of this book examines how later historians and writers -- including Lawrence and Lee -- have interpreted and often mis-interpreted the trial for later generations. In particular, Larson argues that "Inherit the Wind", like the Arthur Miller classic "The Crucible", must be viewed as both a product of and attack upon the McCarthy era of the 1950's. This is an insightful and enjoyable account.

It is incredibly ironic that the Scopes trial, promised by both the prosecution and the defense to be a battle for the truth, is represented in popular & religious culture and, most unfortunately, taught in classrooms in a largely false manner. This book won the Pulitzer Prize in History for good reason; it is the first (and best) attempt to accurately reflect not only the Scopes trial but also the events before it and the three-quarters worth of a century that followed.

As one who fell asleep while trying to watch "Inherit the Wind," I find the truth far more rivetting. The bredth of the defense team.. and the strong convictions and performances of Arthur Garfield Hays and Dudley Field Moore are entirely bypassed in popular history.

The only fault with the work is Larson's apparent effort to be so objective that no one is offended. This causes him to refrain from defending Darrow from years of attacks for his "cross-examination" (outside the presence of the jury and ultimately stricken from the record) of Bryan. The prosecution-- and Bryan in particular-- had promised/threatened/guaranteed a showdown.. to prove that evolution was false, especially if one accepts a literal reading of the bible. The reason Bryan was called to the stand and Darrow was able to question him as he did without the jury present is because the PROSECUTION changed strategies. Unable to find a single competent scientist to support its view, the prosecution was forced to argue against Malone's efforts to show that christianity and evolution were compatable. By keeping out the evidence of the defense's religious and scientific experts, the only defense left was to demostrate the absurdity of Bryan particular views. Though Darrow no doubt enjoyed it, his treatment of Bryan was the third line of defense, not the first.

The manipulation of the facts surrounding Scopes and a rise in the number of so-called scientists pushing creationism demonstrates that, in spite of our supposed rapid intellectual growth as a nation, there are more individuals than ever willing to say, do, or believe whatever will give them control, power, or money. It is a shame that after more than 75 years, Bryan would today have no trouble finding an "expert" witness.

Edward Larson has accomplished something wonderful with this book. In only 266 pages (318 including footnotes and index), he has captured the flow of cultural issues surrounding science, education, and religion in the early twentieth century, the political goals and maneuvering of the parties involved, the actual Scopes Trial in Dayton, Tennessee with the dénouement of the appeal, the falsifying of the events involved in the popular culture, and the ongoing cultural impact of the issues involved in this trial.

As I read I found myself marveling at how Larson so richly captures the cultural forces coming together like tectonic plates and crashing into the Scopes trial. I haven't seen as fair a treatment of the issues involved for all the varying parties (there were many more self-interested folks than Darrow and Bryan) on any other subject. To have that time before the trial captured in such a beautiful way is very valuable.

As others have noted, the notion of the trial started as a publicity stunt to promote the hard luck town of Dayton, TN. The ACLU wanted a narrowly defined test case to overturn the laws forbidding the teaching of evolution. Darrow and his crowd wanted to attack religion more than work out the civil liberties issues involved, Bryan cared more about the rights of the parents as taxpayers to control what their children were taught. Remember, universal public education was still a rather new thing in 1925 and parents then, as now, want to have the education support them in raising their children. The education establishment then, as now, feels a responsibility to teach what they think best.

Bryan and many others were also concerned about the political uses to which evolution had recently been put in the name of survival of the fittest. It isn't a simple issue and shouldn't be turned into a cartoon. Especially since we are in some ways still grappling with these issues.

Yes, Bryan was also a Fundamentalist (although some were more Fundamental than him because he didn't insist on the strict 6 days of 24 hours for the Creation), but imposing that belief wasn't his goal.

Clarifying the truth of the trial versus the popular perceptions in our culture provided by "Only Yesterday" and "Inherit the Wind" is a very valuable service provided by this book. However, the culture seems to want the oversimplification and distortions of "Inherit the Wind" more than the truth of Scopes being a willing participant in a test case more or less on a lark. Or that Scopes never really "taught" evolution. He had used the textbook provided to him by the school and it discussed evolution, but he may never have gotten to that section since he wasn't the regular biology teacher. He taught physics, math, and football and was substituting in the biology class.

The book has a number of very nice pictures that also help capture the period of the trial and the characters involved.

One especially small quibble is that the book does not address the difference between the anti-clerical activities in Great Britain and their political nature because of the state power of the Church and the anti-clerical activities in the United States that were really anti-religion. In fact, a great deal of the fundamentalist backlash against evolution came out of this anti-religion sentiment.

I think it a reasonable view to say that most of the reaction against evolution wasn't from a considered rejection of the theory, but a reaction against being attacked by those who wanted to free America of religion. We didn't have a state church, although most in power were also believers (or publicly posed as believers). The anti-clerical movement was transplanted but to somewhat different effect here than in Europe where evolution was not seen as necessarily inconsistent with Faith (as it has become to be viewed here). But this is a trivial point compared to many wonderful insights this book provides.

While I'd heard lots of wonderful things about McCullough's book, I must admit that I did not know much about John Adams. Most of what I knew stemmed from American history classes or, more recently, studying Abigail in the light of feminist theory. I was truly impressed by McCullough's astounding accomplishment - a thorough portrait of a complicated, interesting, flawed individual who played a pivotal - and under-appreciated - role in the history he witnessed and shaped.

With Adams' own diary as a resource - along with the vast amount of correspondence to which he had access - McCullough ventures behind the history and politics to talk about John Adams as a person. He clearly conveys the passion Adams had for his country, friends and family as well as his frustration at often being misunderstood. While the Adams that is revealed is perfectly human - flaws and all - the fact remains that he saw events and lived a life that few, if any, others of the time did, and McCullough is able to both describe how Adams viewed his experiences as well as, with the hindsight of a couple of hundred years, the long-lasting significance of his actions, significance that Adams probably never even imagined. The result is an impressively vivid and relevant portrait of a man who lived during an amazing period of history.

There's no need to belabor the minor details of the book except to note that it covers an extensive period of Adams' life, one that sees his achievements, struggles and so on. One of the central underlying themes is both the lack of appreciation that Adams experienced and that the the author clearly feels Adams has suffered from. It is this obvious subtext that provides my only point of criticism. While Adams certainly was an extraodinary individual who did not always receive the recognition he deserved, I did feel that others - most notably Jefferson - were treated less than favorably given the application of that particular perspective. While Jefferson is perhaps remembered in a better light than that in which he lived, I did feel some bias in the comparisons between the two, particularly given that Jefferson, whose motives often appear less honorable and more devious than Adams, nevertheless did not experience as much harsh treatment as did the more controversial bu no less worthy Adams.

Still, despite this criticism, I found the book immensely valuable and endlessly fascinating. I am an avid reader of biographies of all sorts, and I seldom have encountered one that renders such a comprehensive and candid appraisal of its subject nor one that brings the individual so much to life - and this includes books about those still living. I could not recommend this book more highly. Perhaps a caveat to consider some of the interpretation carefully is in order, but my concerns over a slight bias have only encouraged me to read - and learn - more. I await Mr. McCullough's next endeavor with a great deal of anticipation and excitement.

John Adams as a subject and David McCullough as a biographer were made for one another. Adams was a prolific letter writer and essayist whose wife, family, and friends also wrote a great deal. With so much raw material from and about Adams to choose from, McCullough could emphasize his obvious talent for creating a smooth narration through simply connecting the most pertinent written materials authored by the key figures.

Most people who read this book will gain three important lessons:

(1) even the most successful people look to their personal lives for their real satisfaction;

(2) exploring deep relationships with remarkable people is far more rewarding than knowing lots of people; and

(3) serious mistakes and antagonisms will dog even the most successful person, so you have to take yourself with a large grain of salt.

John Adams is eclipsed in most histories of the Revolutionary period by the story line of building the new republic, and the lives of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. As a result, your perception of John Adams probably is limited to his role in defending the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre, encouraging the break with Britain, his ambassadorships, and the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts during his presidency. From that, you will have a perception of a man who saw his best days in 1776 and may wonder vaguely how his son became the 6th president.

If you are like me, this book will totally change that perspective. His best days were clearly those after he left the presidency when he could enjoy private life as a farmer. His son was raised from a small boy for public life, accompanying his father to France for diplomatic service during the Revolution. John Adams also had a talent for making tough decisions that showed up well in his encouragement of George Washington to become commander-in-chief, his advocacy for the Revolution, selecting Thomas Jefferson to draft the Declaration of Independence, his steadfastness in finding allies in Europe regardless of protocol, his steady focus on getting sea power for the United States, and his attempts to avoid war with France while president.

On the other hand, his style made him frequently misunderstood. He believed so passionately in his ideas that he often offended people by the vigor of his pursuit of them. From those extreme actions, people assumed that he had secret, extreme views in favor of authority and monarchy . . . which was probably not the case. Mr. McCullough is probably a little too gentle in forgiving Adams for his sometimes offensive ways because of the purity of his intentions.

His life also helps anyone better understand American history because he was bedeviled by communications and travels delays more than any other American of his day. Decisions about politics normally had to be made in light of limited and out-of-date information. So the man on the spot had to use his best judgment. Many interesting examples of this are well covered in the book.

In many ways, this book is almost a triple biography of Adams, his wife Abigail, and Thomas Jefferson. The interactions of the three are the most interesting parts of the book. Clearly they were among the very most talented of their age, and you get to see how the relationships formed, were put under pressure by public life and politics, and reasserted themselves with leisure and retirement.

My main complaint about the book is that Mr. McCullough could have included a lot more about the implications of what Adams believed and did. For example, although Adams was like Washington and wanted there to be no political parties, his presidency saw that unhappy event occur. How could Adams have helped maintain the consensus that there should be no parties? Clearly, he would have had to have been more active in cleansing his own Federalist supporters . . . which would have required a break with Washington's choices. Adams also kept us out of a war with France. However, would such a war have likely been very serious for the United States? France was well occupied at the time fending off every monarchy in Europe. So, although the book raises many delicious subjects like that, you will have to think them through on your own. That's a good way to learn to think independently, so this is a blessing in disguise.

Another limitation of the book is that Adams is forgiven too easily for the Federalists passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which clearly could have destroyed our civil liberties. How could someone who had fought for liberty do anything other than oppose such legislation with every ounce of his strength?

After you finish reading this fine history, I suggest that you think about how you could learn from the example of John Adams. What did he do well that you need to do better? What virtues do you have that he lacked?

Even in the midst of crisis, be sure to notice and enjoy the wonder of life all around you!

This book is almost too good! I was simply compelled to read in every spare moment as the book unfolds very much like a novel: wherein the protagonist and supporting cast are among the world's most remarkable men and women acting at a crucial time in history, as they navigate the treacherous path leading to the founding of a *peaceful* new nation.

I have read other reviewers' comments, and I cannot believe how little has been stated about the pride this book engenders. It is mindboggling to consider what our forefathers accomplished as the book recounts the many setbacks they endured. The details of the book simply put it in another class, and remarkably, what surprised me most was how successful David McCullough is in making this a psychological study of not only John Adams, but other important figures too. The contrast and odd rivalry between Adams and Jefferson is epic in itself.

The author never fails to describe the motives and ethos of the many characters. His style brings to life the subject matter and draws us in very much like a good novel. David McCullough makes liberal use of the thousands of personal letters John and Abigail Adams produced to yield this uniquely personal insight. We learn that, while many of the other historical founders wrote prolifically, the Adams (Abigail and John) were unique in the way they wrote of their thoughts and feelings and always with great frankness--apparently, atypical for the time.

The way David McCullough uses the letters is remarkable--always by foreshadowing future events enough to make me want to read on. To cite one example in the way this works, take how McCullough describes the apprehension Abigail experiences during the nearly fatal first Atlantic crossing John Adams makes as he sails alone to France to join Ben Franklin. We learn through her own letters that Abigail, was conflicted about wanting to travel with John--knowing that the separation would hurt her--but also knowing that she could no more set foot on a ship at sea than plunge herself off a cliff. But as events unfold, we learn that inevitably they must be together, where ever that leads. We learn so much about her strength and how much it meant to John Adams, and we demand to know how will she meet the challenge of sailing the ocean, a journey that in today's terms must be closer to space travel than we can ever know. Odd to say, but from passages like these, you also learn a great deal about John himself. David McCollough is truly masterful in the way everything reflects back to John to illuminate his character, his morality, and even his own insecurity.

Lovers of biography will appreciate the careful way the details of Adams' life unfold against a backdrop of historic events. But foremost, through this book, we learn so much about our founders' legacy--through John Adams' desires and struggles, we learn the very meaning of being Americans. While reading this book, the events of today come into a sharp focus. It becomes possible to understand the meaning of our freedom, and, probably as John Adams would compel us with his intellect and obstinate nature to recognize, the complete obligation upon our society to use our freedom wisely and never to squander it. What can I say, I loved this multi-faceted book and feel it to be especially relevant now. Enjoy a brisk read and get David McCollough's super biography of our second President.

I purchased these tapes several months ago and have followed them very closely. Not only have I experienced greater relaxation, I have experienced more awareness of myself and my emotions. John's voice is easy to listen to which makes the relaxation techniques very pleasant to follow. It is great to actually to know what he looks like because when you are one on one on the tapes, it is very easy to visualize him walking you through the exercises. John is a gift to this earth and we should appreciate him for how precious his words really are. If you buy these tapes, you will not be disappointed, you'll be enriched for years to come.

Once again, John Edward has designed and created a tapestry of knowledge in this six pack of information. There are 6 tapes, both sides filled with excellent information for either the professional psychic (always nice to see someone elses view), beginning intuitive (if you have ever thought your gut instinct was terribly strong) or even if the subject of parapsychology/mediumship/psychic abilities intrigues you... And if you are reading this review...chances are, you would enjoy this series of audios. John speaks simply on what a psychic does to connect with their divine messengers, and teaches you how to do the same. He speaks of Psychic protection skills that can be used by persons of any vocation. Ever come home from the mall and you are so tired and drained you need a nap? Do you have a friend who shares (or dumps) all their problems on you, and YOU find YOU feel the sadness way after the conversation has ended? Then you need psychic protection. And John describes how to do so not only with yourself and family, but also how to protect your material possessions. Angels and Guides? He simply describes what the difference is, and how you can contact them! One side of the tape you will find John sharing personal stories... making him real, giving you examples YOU may relate to in your daily life. He even exclaims mistakes he made, and wishes he had, on his road development. The other side of the tape, he teaches you how to participate in the practice of that particular exercise. Such as... Meditation. Side one shares why you need it, where should you do it, what are the benefits. Side two will take you right from point A of finding a relaxing space, to breathing, to visualization. It doesnt get any easier! Really. His voice is relaxing, his words are understandable. Not a whole lot of spiritual hibber jibbish without explanation on what it means! Lets face it, alot of people are coming into connection with their mind/body/spirit this year. Not everyone knows what an Aura is or means, no more than a Chakra. Personally on the beginning of my path, when I heard the word CHAKRA... I thought Miss Kahn had mispelled her name! You can't heal something, if you don't know where it is! The information he (john) shares in this set could take one years to discover on their own, cost thousands to combine the data from many different speciality books and periodicals, and even then, you may run the chance of missing some very important information if you have felt the need to now enhance and move forward with your own sixth sense. Once again, let me say... you do not need to be a practicing, nor a professional psychic to utilize this set. It is awesome for personal development. He ends the 6th tape with what else... ethics & compassion skills. I partcicpated in one of Mr Edwards workshops, and attended one of his lectures, I would expect nothing less from this Earth bound angel. Thank you John... You are changing the face of the psychic arts! You are...a groundbreaker. I think that once you take a listen to this audio program, you will see exactly what I mean. I can't wait to read the other reviews on this product.

If you're a fan of "Crossing Over" with John Edward on the Sci-Fi channel, you'll certainly be interested in this tape set. The six audio cassettes come packaged in a durable plastic binder from Hay House audio.

These tapes are definitely for those who are already exploring their spiritual and metaphysical path - skeptics would probably not gain much from listening to these tapes.

On the tapes, Edward makes no promises that you will develop psychic powers overnight and be able to do psychic readings with your friends. He does, however, point out that listening to the tapes will aid in your hightened awareness of the metaphysical world and that your intuitive perceptions may increase over time. I agree. We all learn at a pace and level that is right for us.

Many of us who are on the spiritual path via a metaphysical or new age approach often find that the books and tapes we choose are very serious and deep. While Edward approaches his topics as a true professional, he also sprinkles some humor into his lessons, which is very welcome.

In this set, side 1 of the tape is Edward dicussing his perspective on the topic and side 2 includes visualization and meditation exercises. I have hundreds of meditation and visualization tapes and would consider Edward's among some of the best.

Topics covered in this tape set:

Meditation - how to relax your body and meditate so you can open up your intuitive side; discussion of the seven chakras in the etheric body.

Psychic Self Defense - techniques for protecting yourself so you can avoid the energy drain that others can place in our auric field.

Angels and Guides - Edward discusses the difference between angels and spirit guides - angels being our protectors and guides being our teachers. He presents very useful visualization meditations for making contact with your guide.

Unleashing your Psychic Potential - understanding and accepting that each of us has a psychic gift - it's just a matter of learning how to access it.

Psychic Tools in the Workplace - Discussion of spiritual ethics, as well as tools such as I Ching, tarot, runes and psychometry.

How to Conduct a Psychic Session - learning to be both psychic and spiritual with the goal of helping others when doing readings.

I've listened to most of the tapes in the set several times already - the set is well worth the cost.

I really like Alice in Wonderland and its sequel because it is so whimsical. The way Dodgson made fun of Alice so much makes one laugh until tears come pouring down. He based the character Alice, on his friend; a real life Alice. Throughout the book, he constantly makes references to her, or something related to her. For example, when a character asks her the exact day Alice replies May 4th. May 4th is the real life Alice's birthday. Alice walks through Wonderland, and she sees many strange things, but thinks otherwise. If you like poems, you will certainly like Alice in Wonderland and its sequel, for both books contain numerous poems. However, in the book Carroll takes the original poems and creates a parody out of them. Something interesting to know is that all the poems relate to the chapters. These are all minor details, but something to muse over. On the surface, Alice in Wonderland is a book where she meets weird creatures and walks away from them always feeling humiliated, as she thinks she is smarter than she really is. That is most of Alice in Wonderland.

Alice through the Looking Glass is similar to the prequel, yet glaringly different. The whole book revolves around a chess game, and so the character's actions correspond to moves on the chessboard. Alice joins in the game, starts out as a white pawn, and proceeds to move until she becomes a queen. At each square, she meets a new character, but in one chapter, characters from the previous book are in this one too. An important thing to know in this famous classic is that everything is backwards. It makes sense since Alice is on the other side of a mirror, yet she encounters difficulty sometimes in understanding this. But in the end, she manages to become a queen and to checkmate the red king. Both books are very enjoyable, and I strongly advocate both children and adults to read it. Enjoy!! Cheers!!!!! : )

If you long to be carried away to a world of nonsense and magic, talking beasts and flowers then Alice is the best tour guide you can employ. This is a book that will find a place close to the heart of a reader of any age that has a place inside reserved for whimsy and childlike wonder. As Alice travels through Wonderland and meets many unexpected characters your imagination will soar. Run a race with a dodo bird. Have tea with the doremouse and his friends the mad hatter and the march hare. Thrill at the "Jabberwocky". Alice proves to be a very level headed young lady indeed as she encounters things that become "curiouser and curiouser!" The story meanders through forests and chessboards that are life size never ceasing to amaze the reader with charm and wit. Lewis Carroll completed a masterpiece of fantasy and social comentary in this classic tale. The book is truly a gift to any one who hopes to hold onto childhoods magic.

Alice in Wonderland is a great book. It gets your imagination going. It all starts when Alice is sitting on a bank with her sister and falls asleep. From there it is all imagination and from there your imagination never stops. Alice lets her curiosity get the best of her so she finds herself falling down a long, black, well after following the white rabbit. She follows the rabbit because she heard it say "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" Personally, I would have followed a talking rabbit also. After she hits the bottom of the well she finds all of these doors that she soon finds out are all locked. After she went around trying all of the doors she found a three legged table in the middle of the floor with a small gold key on it. The key was to small to fit any of the doors and she starts to wonder how she is going to get out of her. She then finds a curtain and she moves it. That's where she finds the door that the key fits. Once she opens the door she sees a beautiful garden but she is to large to fit in the door. Alice then finds a bottle marked "Drink Me" and when she drink it she shrinks. When she shrinks she noticed that she left the key on the table which now she is to small to get. Then she finds cookies that says "Eat Me" so of course Alice being as curiosity that she is she ate it. The cookie made her larger then what she was before. It made her so large that she got stuck. She started to cry which made her shrink once again. She cried so much that it caused a river of tears. Alice meets a lot of wonderful creatures and people during her adventure. She meets a caterpillar who gives her advice. She also meets the Duchess who has the Cheshire cat. Alice was confused about why the cat was smiling so she asked the Duchess. The Duchess said that he was a Cheshire cat and that it was supposed to smile. The Cheshire cat told Alice to go visit the Hatter, the March Hare, and the Dormouse. The cat told her that she would love them because they were mad. Alice did as the cat told her and visited them where she sit down and had tea with them. Alice also meets the Queen of Hearts won is an evil person. The Queens tarts get stolen and she thinks Alice stole them. Alice has to go to court over this. The Queen loved to scream "Off with her head!" Alice is woke from her wonderful dream by her sister. Alice then starts to think about how her sister will be when she grows older. At the beginning when she first falls asleep it is hard to tell if she is dreaming so that is kind of confusing but otherwise this book is wonderful and very easy to read.

I am a huge fan of John's show and have read other work by him as well as enjoys some of his audio tapes. I came across this book on audio and listened to it from beginning to end in a 2 day time period. I literally did not want to turn it off. I listened in the car and carried the tape inside to listen while I was doing housework, I could not get enough. The stories that John shared were funny and touching and personal.
As I have mentioned in other reviews, I love John's voice and the way he tells his story, it is real and poignant. He pulls you into the story and makes you a part of them. By the end of the tape he shares a story about "Mikey," that touches a person deep inside. I, needless to say, did not want the book to end. However, it did and now I am enjoying Crossing Over...look for that review coming soon.
I encourage anyone who is curious to read or listen to this book, I think you will enjoy it.
Thank you John for sharing your experiences with us.

I've first heard of John Edward after a female psychic told me to watch his show. She had just given me an online reading where my best friend who crossed over came through loud and clear. I started watching his show and was very impressed, although I'm sure the shows are edited to show John's best moments. Instead of being a weird, spiritual person I associated with psychics, John Edward seems like "the guy next door." His writing has the essence of his down to earth style. He doesn't try to force the readers to believe, but just relays his experiences with the other side. John does mention that his work is more art than science, proof is in the form of acknowledgments from his clients. What is amazing about John Edward is that he doesn't give generalities but specific, unobvious information told to him by the deceased, which is often confired by the living relatives. In this book, John talks about specific cases he worked on that really affected him on a personal level. It was fascinating to read how small, seemingly trivial actions done by those on earth seemed to have been influenced by those who have crossed over. John admits he doesn't know much about the other side, but gives his insights, which are very much in line with near-death experience accounts, especially the importance of the love we shown here on earth, and that earth is like a "school" for our spiritual beings. From reading of this book, I realize that when we cross over ourselves, the only luggage we bring is our life experiences, feelings, actions and decisions we made and how they affected others. And with that luggage, we have a life-review where we judge ourselves on how we did. John wanted to convey in this book is how love can transcends all obstacles, even death. How are you doing in this great test called life? Great reading and highly recommeded.

After having several tragic events in my life I happen/or was lead to see the scifi show of John Edwards. It has sent me on a quest to read his book. When I received it in the mail, I read the whole book in one afternoon. It is a "no mystery" approach to to dealing with love ones who have been taken, while we are left with unanswered questions. As a person of deep faith, I find this book deals with the subject on a straight forward method. I am uncomfortable with many of the other books that have taken a mysterious way and make the Christian reader wondering if other forces are at work. John Edward and this book is VERY positive and reflect a deep rooted Christian faith. I feel Mr Edwards talent and work is a gift from GOD and in this day and time, there is a great need to connect to our past. His shows and this book has help me to accept some things and encouraged me to get on with daily life, which is the real important truth. Life is for the living. Thank You Mr Edwards

This meticulously researched and reasoned book by Edward Steers both tells the story of Lincoln's Assassination and builds the case against those involved.

Much of the book reads like a detective story. Since Lincoln's death, various publicity seekers, conspiracy buffs and doubters have disputed various aspects of the story. The issues Steers deals with -- and convincingly -- are ones that have plagued the assassination story for a long time. By assembling documentary evidence from a vast array of sources, Steers builds strong cases that: Dr. Mudd was a part of the conspiracy to capture Lincoln and was a confederate of Booth -- and was expecting to help Booth escape from Washington; Mary Surratt was also a part of the conspiracy and thus justly convicted; the harebrained conspiracy theories involving Vice President Johnson or Sec. of War Stanton in the assassination are just that; The Confederate Secret service was active in supporting a kidnapping of Lincoln, knew Booth and provided him with resources; the top levels of the Confederate government (including Jefferson Davis) were aware of kidnap schemes (though no claim is made that Davis or others in the Confederate high command knew of or supported the assassination plot).

The book deftly does several things. While telling the story of the assassination plot and Confederate secret service activities, it builds the case implicating individuals found guilty by the government but whose involvement has been questioned over the years. Steers also tells of and demolishes notions that Booth really escaped and that an imposter was buried in his tomb -- notions that had some currency in the early Twentieth Century. Steers provides a thorough examination of the case of Dr. Mudd -- proving his complicity in the Lincoln conspiracy and rebuking those family members who to this day try to exonerate Mudd as an innocent doctor who executed his Hippocratic Oath for the lame Booth when he came calling to his home after the murder. (Steers has also written a book solely on this topic "His Name Is Still Mudd")

This is an impressive work. Steers deftly melds both the story of Lincoln's assignation plot with the detective work proving the case against those who claim mistake or cover-up. It is well written and makes good use of primary sources. Although I have read and enjoyed "The Day Lincoln Was Shot," I'd have to rate this as the Lincoln assassination book to read.

Much like the Kennedy assassination, the Lincoln assassination has been the subject of more than its share of conspiracy theories. Mr. Steers does an excellent job of debunking most all of these theories by meticulously sifting through the evidence and proving, point by point, that these theories do not hold water. He is able to use the same method to prove most of his own hypothesis concerning Booth and his conspirators. As is mentioned in earlier reviews, Steers does seem to take particular delight in proving the guilt of Mary Surratt and Dr. Mudd. Mudd takes the brunt of Steers' assault, possibly because this is the area of Mr. Steers' greatest knowledge. It is also possible however that the vigor of the author's attacks can be traced to the fact that the Mudd family has done an excellent job convincing most Americans that the good doctor was as much of a victim as was Lincoln. Steers proves that Mudd was indeed involved, and then drives the point home. Make no mistake, he proves it, just as he proves most of his points by doing his research and doing it well.

Please don't be afraid of this book. The writing is clear and easy to follow. Most importantly, it's interesting. There are indeed a lot of names to keep up with but most of those names are going to be pretty familiar to anyone with any knowledge of the period. To make things even easier, Steers gives the reader a good concise history of the conspirators. As a bonus, there is also a chapter devoted to following Lincoln's body on its trip back to Illinois. It's a very interesting chapter at that.

I do have one serious problem with this book. To Steers' credit he does point out that if Jefferson Davis was in on the plot, he had good reason to be. It was the Federals that first broke the rule of not trying to knock off a head of state. The Confederate President had indeed been targeted for death by a group of Union raiders attempting to enter Richmond, and the southerners had the captured orders to prove it. Steers however makes no attempt to link Lincoln with this incident and in fact Lincoln may not have known anything about it. The problem is that Steers uses such flimsy evidence to connect Davis with Booth, that the same line of thought would have to connect Lincoln to the earlier plot. Over and over Steers makes statements such as, "Davis must have known," or, "Davis would have had to know." No evidence is presented to support these statements except that a plot to kidnap the President of the United States could not have been undertaken by the Confederate Secret Service without the approval of the President. If that were the case how could the U.S. Army undertake a plot to assassinate the Confederate President without Lincoln's knowledge. The answer is, it would appear to be very possible that Lincoln did not know what his army was up to just as it would be very possible that Davis had no idea what his spies were up to.

Despite this flaw, this is a fine book. New light is shed on an old subject and maybe a few old myths have been put out of their misery. I may just have to read Mr. Steers book on Dr. Mudd. If this book is any indication, it will be well worth the effort.

Kudos to Mr. Steers for writing a well-docmuented historical account that reads like a nightmarish novel. For anyone with an interest in the US Civil War era or President Lincoln, I would rate this book as a "must have." The book has a fascinating account of the assassination conspiracy; the length (over time) of the conspiracy and the direct involvement of the Confederate government in the conspiracy were surprises. Whenever Steers makes assumptions, he plainly states the bases for those assumptions; and, they make sense given the materials he cites. I did wind up wanting to know more about the Confederate Secret Service and its Union counterpart; and, more about their roles in the Civil War generally. Treatment of this subject in Steers' book was more than adequate for the topic of Steers' book, though. Very enjoyable (allowing for the overwhelming sadness of the topic) and informative reading!

John Edward's personality shines through in his new book "Crossing Over: The Stories Behind the Stories." Readers of his first book, "One Last Time" will notice a bit of a shift in content. "Crossing Over" is chock-full of information about John's path into the public eye as opposed to the consecutive chapters of readings "One Last Time" contained. More importantly, it is written in a fashion that allows the reader to understand "at what price fame" and enables them to see that no matter where you are in your spiritual growth, there is always something new to learn and experience.

If you have been watching "Crossing Over with John Edward" on the Sci-Fi Channel since the first episode aired, you will be familiar with many of the readings mentioned in the book and enjoy the extra background. They are distributed throughout the narrative of his journey from everyday psychic medium to his present status of world-wide acclaim which the show has brought to John and his message.

This book is a MUST PURCHASE for any fan of John Edward or his show. It is full of behind the scenes information and gives a history of how "Crossing Over with John Edward" came to be. In addition, John shares his invaluable spiritual insights and infectious humorous sarcasm. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and when you get to the end you'll be looking for the new release date of his next book.

If this is your first visit into the realm of John Edward's works, I recommend you purchase "One Last Time" as well and finish it before delving into his latest work. "Crossing Over" is a little heavier read due to the nature of material discussed, such as the Leon Jaroff incident and other negative media events John has been faced with. [Note from Reviewer: The March 5, 2001 issue of Time Magazine tried to pass off an article by Leon Jaroff which was an obvious plagiarism of an "Inside Edition" segment on John Edward almost word for word.]

In this book, John recounts his early struggles into show business. He talks about the incredible hurdles he had to go through to create the television show "Crossing Over."

As in his first book, John writes about the incredible series of coincidences and synchronicity he experienced. Things just fell into his lap in his quest to create the show. He also gives great insights into his experiences with the nay-sayers, and how they really pounced on him when he became famous.

The best thing about John's books are the stories of the people he meets. There were several touching stories; a tragic love story involving an unsolved murder, and how that love between the two people literally broke the barriers of heaven and earth.

Another story about a loveable old man named Carl Perkins, who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" which launched Elvis' career. Carl was a very humble human being who was taken advantage of financially many times, but his passion for life and music lit up all those around him, including his close friend Paul McCartney.

There were several other stories, but I remember these two in particular. They are powerful, moving stories that touch upon the very essence of life itself, the reason why we even choose to live: LOVE! Friends and family are the factors that make life worth living, and that's the lesson John tries so earnestly to teach on his show and books.

A very moving book, just like "One Last Time." Highly, highly recommended!

Way to go John! Yeah for you!

I am anxiously waiting for my copy of "One Last Time" to arrive in the mail. However, the other day I was walking past the bookstore's window in town and saw "Crossing Over" in the display. I walked inside and asked for a copy. I didn't even inquire about price, reviews or what the cover said...I simply HAD TO HAVE the book.

I wasn't disappointed.

If you believe then this book is definitely for you. If you don't believe, then you should read it anyway because it will give you the opportunity to question what you are not familiar with. I applaud John and The Boys for everything they have done to help people who are missing their loved ones. John's talent is helping people to feel comfort in their loss and know their loved ones are safe. He is a giver.

The book tells about his struggles as a medium and how he got to where he is today. It talks about readings he has had and some leave you speechless. It is amazingly touching and will have you looking for the hankies in a number of places.

I can't wait to read the first book...