Come to the Garden was given to me by a friend at a time in my life when I was physically and emotionally worn out. It's words both gave me hope and helped me to heal. For weeks I read it daily. I have since given it away as a gift countless times.

Come to the Garden annd its sister book The Path Less Taken are very special and wonderful books. I have given them as gifts to many, many friends and family members and the responses I have received are heartwarming. "How did you know I needed this inspiring book?" "I read it often and keep it by my bedside." "Where can I buy this wonderful book to give to my friends and family?" I still read Come to the Garden and The Path Less Taken often and always find comfort in their words of wisdom. The combination of exquisite poetry and beautiful art make these books great favorites of mine.

JoAnna O'Keefe's deep compassion will carry you away from the cares of the day to a place where your spirit can mend and your mind is set free. A "must read" for those who seem to have no private time or a place to go. This is a healing book that you will read again and again.

Have you seen the remains of the day? Do you love pastel colors, a relaxed atmosphere, antiques and softly printed fabrics? Then this is a book you might like. The choice of pictures is excellent and even after 6 years I still keep looking into this book. Every page is illustrated and the photos are sooo lovely. It is mostly about fabrics and colors though. If you are interested in HOW to decorate I recommend "decorating with antiques", which explains the structure of a well balanced room and furniture better. Nonetheless, this book will make you contemptuos of other people's homes. I hope you are not arrogant.....

A wonderful book. I constantly refer back to it, more than any other of it's type. Beautiful pictures and text.

I received this wonderful book as a gift and highly recommend it to those who, like me, love the comfortable, slightly rough but homey feel of a cottage. This has inspired many projects as well as many farther-off dreams for our own home. It's great to look through again and again!

Great book with information for the beginner and expert because we all forget the basics from time to time. Helpful information for easy-to-find substitutes you have around the house/yard to use as jumps, ramps, etc., before you buy and/or make your own regulation equipment. Covers all the basic commands and how-to's on all agility equipment.

This is full of great background, start and training aids for agility.

We found that there is no substitute for class training with pro instruction. But this is useful for those who want to just do it in their backyard, or as prelude to class work.

Good advice on rigging own obstacles, progression of learning, etc.

Worthy resource for agility interested or those already into this growing activity.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is training their dog in agility! It doesn't matter if you're just starting or are advanced, this book will give you some great tips on forming good agility habits, and getting rid of the bad habits. It also gives you good ideas on training stratigies, and how to make your own safe equipment from stuff around the house. Nice pictures too!

You may think you're buying a copy of "From A Distance" for that special child in your life, or maybe for a loved one -- but I suggest, nay warn you ;-), that you better order an extra copy for yourself. This book is exquisite -- it's a journey of colors, words, images and of music that has become part of our collective consciousness!

Enjoy! ..Zoe

I got all choked up as I read this to my five year old. The outstanding folk art illustrations along with the universal message of peace and harmony are extremely powerful together.

A lovely picture book with a song of hope for world unity. A beautiful gift for people you love.

Getting Life offers a rare glimpse behind the closed doors of long term care. This fictional story draws readers into the wheelchair of Emily Mason, a 35-year-old nonverbal woman with Cerebral Palsy, and allows you to share each of her experiences -- painful, thrilling, or confusing. This book will confirm the worst fears of many when it comes to congregate living, but it also demonstrates clearly the power of the human spirit. Anyone involved in personal attendant care for another, should join Emily on her journey. I promise the next time you look around your world -- the view will be different.

Author Julie Shaw Cole creates a painful, joyful, enthralling journey toward self-discovery in GETTING LIFE. Told from the first person point of view, she draws the reader deeply into the horrific and frustrating world of nursing home care, seen through the eyes of thirty-five-year-old Emily Mason. Emily spends seventeen years in a wheel chair, watching the play of light on rooftops seen through the window of the nursing home.

When her mother died in an accident, Emily went to live with a tender uncle and an abusive aunt. When these relatives die, Emily comes to live at the nursing home. Her life seemed to be characterized by abuse and neglect, as the people around her assume that because she cannot speak she cannot think. When a devastating accident results in a hospital stay, Emily meets Dr. West, a woman who will change her life. For the first time, someone speaks to her, rather around her or about her. For the first time, her humanity is recognized.

It takes three years and remarkable discipline for Emily to free herself from the nursing home. As she struggles to communicate, to read, to become mobile, and to learn the skills she needs to live independently, her lessons become lessons for the reader about the strength of the human spirit and the weakness of human perception. She confesses her own prejudices and fears, thereby forcing readers to reevaluate themselves. Indeed, readers will find their most basic assumptions challenged; from the accessibility of sidewalks to the way we see those who are different from ourselves. A must read for all caring human beings, GETTING LIFE comes very highly recommended.

This book will challenge - and possibly alter - your perceptions of the disabled. The disabled person that you know (your uncle, spouse, neighbor, or client) will be seen in a new light. A friend, working wonderfully with the disabled for years, now sees her clients in yet a new way. You will, also. Read this book. You owe it to yourself. It is beautifully written, with great and moving senstivity.

This is a wonderful book. I have given it as a baby shower gift many times and the parents always love it. The quality is excellent and it is so different than most of the other books out there.

This book seems to have been created- with love, warmth and talent. This book has a sweet approach without being saccharine.An adorable book that is appropriate for any little child- and fun for parents to read,too!I'd love to see more books by these authors.

I have never seen any children's book as beautiful as this. It is a keepsake that I have given as gifts on several occasions.

Though this book is on grammar, it is not that hard. It tries to make the subject simple, fun, and the most important thing, easy to remember.

You'll need to make a review of some grammar, but the book is self-contained to that purpose, and it gives you all necessary tools for the work. These tools will help you to understand how to write and speak better English, and if they were not enough for you, every "rule" has examples and these examples, in turn, are explained when needed.

The book recognizes English is a changing language, so there are exceptions for some rules, but it shows you the most general exceptions and helps you to decide which road you should take.

Nonnative English speakers, beware: The book has "fun parts" that could be difficult to understand. If you are not an intermediate or advanced speaker of English, better look for another book.

For Spanish speakers:

este es un buen libro para practicar y aprender gramática inglesa, pero está orientado a hablantes nativos del idioma, no a estudiantes. Si no están en un nivel avanzado, otro libro puede ser mejor.

Barry Tarshis has given us a remarkably well done guidebook to that often complicated language we call "English". It is a priceless helping hand for everyone - students, writers, professionals, and just plain folks. Bravo Mr. Tarshis!

I use it and recommend it to many of my fellow students that are wading their way through college. Especially great for any international folk...the English language is a crazy beast.

I am extremely picky about the books I read, and never was even one for a romance story, I don't even know why I got it, I ordered it from the library, anyway- I could not put it down, and I have 3 kids!!! This is by far the best book I have ever read (It's right up there on my top 100 best books in the world list tied with the Left Behind Series) All I can say is I loved it!! I laughed!! I cried!! I cried some more!!! I cried even more!!

"In Honor Bound" is most definitely my all-time favorite book! The basic plot is that of a power-hungry king who will stop at nothing to keep his bloodlines pure - including destroying his entire family! A young girl named Rosalynde falls in love with the king's second oldest son, Phillip. However, Phillip's heart already belongs to another woman. When this woman is burned at the stake in a twisted plot by the king to get rid of her, Phillip loses control... This book is the perfect story for anyone seeking a romance centered around God and without all the sexual graphics found in secular novels!

This book was very entertaining. It has it all - suspense, romance, and tragedy. The author has a way of captivating your attention whereby you want to read just a little bit more and more until suddenly you don't want to stop until you find out what happens in the end. If you like reading Mary Higgins Clark or John Grisham books you should like this one! I

With the family Texas radio station chain in jeopardy due to her father's failing health, Kyra Cartwright will sacrifice her life to save the empire. This is nothing new to Kyra who has given up her wants and desires for that of her father and brother ever since her mom died when she was ten. Now, Kyra plans to marry wealthy media mogul Harold Stovall though she does not love him. However, before her final sacrifice, Kyra comes to the Florida Keys to live her life long fantasy at Fantasy, Inc.

Retired on a disability, former firefighter Anthony Michael Moretti's wants to escape, albeit even for a short time, from his feelings of hopeless helplessness. To do so he comes to Fantasy, Inc. Every evening, Michael wears a mask so that he can perform daring rescues, especially concentrating on saving Kyra. She finds herself liking Tony, but desiring Michael but knowing that Harold is her final destiny in spite of falling in love with "two men".

The third book of the Fantasies, Inc. series, INTIMATE FANTASY, is simply fantastic. The story line is entertaining and loaded with romance and dilemmas. The characters seem genuine and readers root for Anthony-Michael and Kyra to ride off into the sunset together. Julie Kenner keeps the quality bar high and places the pressure for book four squarely on the capable shoulders of Janelle Denison.

Harriet Klausner

In an effort to save her family's business, Kyra Cartright has decided to accept a proposal of marriage to a business acquaintance for whom she has feelings but not of the toe-tingling variety. Before she tells him "Yes," she decides to indulge in one final breakaway weekend on Intimate Fantasy Island--never realizing that her wildest fantasies were about to change her life forever.

Tony Moretti made his livelihood saving other peoples' lives. But in the space of one afternoon, he lost not only his life's work, but also his health and self-confidence. Scarred and in pain, he accepts his friend's offer of R&R at Intimate Fantasy island before settling down to life without the thrills he'd become used to. By day, he lounged around the pool, but by night he morphed into the mysterious Michael, an unidentified man who traveled in the shadows and rescued those who had gotten into trouble. And one of those is Kyra.

Kyra finds reality far better than her fantasy in the arms of Michael, a man with masterful bedroom skills. And by day, she finds a wonderful friend in Tony, a man whose scars are overlooked in favor of that special 'something' about him that draws her closer and closer.

Afraid the truth will ruin all he's accomplished so far, Tony holds back and doesn't tell Kyra of his alter ego. A boating excursion turns deadly, prompting questions and revelations and, for Tony, the point where he must decide to risk it all and tell Kyra the truth.

Julie Kenner creates a tender and passionate love story with two very real people, each faced with life-altering events, in a story line that is both credible and heart tugging. My heart melted for Tony, whose life of a firefighter has gone from the heroic to the mundane as he contemplates a desk job and can't quite handle it. Kyra is just what he needed to gain back his self-confidence and zest for life. She saw past the scars and the pain to the real man inside. A man who *does* make her toes curl!

This is part of the Fantasies, Inc. continuity series, and it's a winner! The hero, Tony, is at once both vulnerable and strong. After a debilitating injury, he wants to return to the role of a hero (he was a firefighter), and goes to Fantasies, Inc, to be able to be a hero once more. At night he's in disguise, the dashing rescuer of the island, and the man of Kyra's fantasies.

Watch out for this one. It's a hot read!!!

A very well written book, "Counterpart" is an interesting personal memoir of life in Vietnam and the ravaging affects of war. The book ends with his departure and fresh start in the United States. Having worked in the power industry with Kiem Do and Julie Kane for a number of years in New Orleans, I'm glad he has finally published his long awaited memoirs.

As a "young" Vietnamese -American who did not participate in the war, I find the book entertaining and educating. This is a book every family, especially Vietnamese American, should own because it is so well written with a sincere heart and offers an accurate realistic view from an ex Navy commander from South Vietnam. The more I read the more I admire and respect him for sharing all his invaluable experiences to subtly teach the American public as well as Vietnamese- American young generation about the truth of a major period in American history - the Vietnam war. I now clearly understand what our heroic South Vietnamese soldiers went through. Mr. Do Kiem was successful in restoring well -deserved honor to our patriotic South Vietnamese soldiers. It peaks my interest and leaves me wanting more when I finish reading . This is truly an amazing account! Somehow, it brought back to memory a poem, learned many years ago in high school, belonged to our national hero Dang Dung in his noble fight against the Ming dynasty's fiendish invasion in Vietnam in 1400's.

Revenge is not yet fulfilled, my lord! and hair already turned white. Too many times whetted my precious sword, under the shining moon light!

Dong Nhac

Some books about the Vietnam War are basically worthless, filled with "blasting machine gun fire" stories similar to Rambo, etc.

However, this book is refreshingly different. Officer Kiem Do reveals a story unheard by most Americans. Not only did he battle the communists, he constantly fought government corruption and bureaucratic interference from his (our) side.

This is a must read for anyone interested in Naval history.