The national forest's trails and wonders are revealed by authors who've hiked the trails most of their lives. 100 of the most scenic, strenuous hikes are described in a guide which requires strong walking skills and access to North Carolina wilderness region.

This is an execellent book that provides helpful descriptions of each trail and how to find them. Especially helpful that it uses USGS maps instead of printing their own. I highly recommend this book.

This book details some wonderful hikes in the North Carolina mountains. Experienced hikers and casual strollers alike will find ample adventures mapped out in this excellent book. The authors, all natives of NC, have certainly put much time and energy into creating a book that would reflect their love of the outdoors and their special fondness for the western section of NC. I highly recommend this guide. Enjoy!

This is one of my favorite "Merton" books. Other than Merton's own work, this is a real taste of Merton. I loved it! Jim Forest knew Tom Merton and gives a real insight into his life and thought.

As a Catholic monk living in the United States during the turbulent second world war and the sixties, Tomas Merton's strong faith in his God shines brightly in his writing. While his autobiography, " The Seven Storey Mountain " might be the correct entry point into his more than 50 books, this book summarizes well Merton's life and times, and provides more pictures of of the places and friends that effected Merton than most of his no illustrations books.

For someone just getting into Orthodoxy, this book has been priceless. Icons are very special in Orthodoxy, and I felt it essential to know more about them. There are wonderful pictures of icons, windows into heaven. So captivating! Although there is sufficient information on icons, the books focuses on prayer of The Orthodox using icons. A great addition to any Orthodox or Christian library!

Prayer...the light that leads us down the narrow path into the quiet place where we come into the presence of the Holy One. Prayer...descending with the mind into the heart and listening for that still, soft voice. Prayer...the language that we must use in developing our love relationship with the Savior. Jim Forest's book, Praying With Icons, talks a lot about icons and the art of iconography, but it is mostly about prayer.

I stumbled into this book. The library I use most often has very few books in its "religion and philosophy" section. I have read most of them. This book has kept staring at me from the shelves. I did not pick it up because I thought of it as an "art" book. You see, although I come from a family of artists, I am not one of them-you might say I have an art "allergy". However, this book has been persistent. Every time I have gone to the library...there it is on the shelf (especially since it has only been checked out three times in the three years it has called the library home-me being number three). I am glad I finally caved and read it.

I am in many ways ignorant of the traditions of the Orthodox Church. One of the great things about this book is Mr. Forest's ability to put Orthodox concepts and traditions into very understandable terms. He begins the book with a short history of icons. He then briefly outlines the qualities of icons, what it takes to be an iconographer, and ends Part I with a very brief but fascinating discussion of the use of color in iconography. The section on color really intrigued me. Each color represents some spiritual quality-for instance: "Blues are associated with heaven, mystery, and the mystical life", while "Red, the color of blood, suggests life, vitality, and beauty".

In Part II Forest discusses prayer. He starts with a discussion of how human beings were created with a need to pray. This need expresses itself in a multitude of ways depending on the person, what they believe, or what kind of culture they live in. Forest argues that in spite of all these differences, the need to pray in some form-even if the person does not believe in prayer-is universal. He then goes on to explain the traditional Orthodox way of prayer. This section is most useful for those interested in the many faceted jewel of prayer. Forest speaks eloquently of what some call stillness. As I read more and more on prayer, and as I begin to experience more and more of prayer, I am struck by what an awesome privilege it is to enter into the quiet of God's rest. Forest is succinct and lucid (as only one with experience of this kind of prayer can be) while discussing this kind of prayer.

Parts III and IV focus on explaining different types of icons and their spiritual significance. This part was not only very interesting, but it changed my view on icons and iconography as a whole. Prior to reading this book I was unimpressed with icons. I thought of them as primitive pieces of art that bordered on idolatry. How wrong I was! I now see the silent beauty of these masterpieces. They are truly prayers in a visual medium.

Part V is a listing of prayers that are commonly prayed in Orthodox services. This part is also very useful for understanding the Eastern Church.

This book is fully worthwhile. I cannot recommend it enough.

Jim Forest takes the reader on a thought-provoking journey by exploring the Beatidues as a whole and individually. Using examples from such diverse sources as the Desert Mothers and Fathers, Russian Orthodox saints, and contemorary peace and justice activists, he opens the Beatitudes in ways which allow readers to see their connection to our own times and lives. He does an especially good job delineating the meaning of words as they are used in the Beatitudes. A good resource for teachers, preachers, and anyone who wants a "new-old" way of looking at these basic teachings of Christ.

Born in 1951, I was a child of the JFK generation. The Peace Corps, the growing Asian war, the idealism of a few good politicians, protests in the streets greatly influenced my upbringing. All of this was a jumble until I met Dorothy Day and then read A PENNY A COPY. My encounter with Miss Day was very brief, but I do remember the intensity of her eyes. And that intensity flowed into her writings from the Catholic Worker which are contained in this book. The desire to be Christian was burned into every page. Because of this book, my great heros became and still are Peter Maurin and Dorothy Day. In great part I became a Catholic Priest because of A Penny A Copy. Voluntary poverty, Community, and communicating the Good News is what I have sought now throughout my life. Since reading the original, I haven't missed an Issue of the Catholic Worker, which still sells for A Penny a Copy. I am buying an extra copy of the book to give to a friend.

My Great Great Grandfather, Private Thomas Quinlan (who is on page 230 of this book)who fought under DeForest with the 12th Connecticut Volunteers, would have been proud of the way in which DeForest's written words immortalize the battles that they fought for future generations to understand just how brutal the Civil War battles were. DeForest describes the battles in such a way that the reader feels that they are there on the battlefield. This book is a "MUST HAVE" for any Civil War library/collection.