I live in Atlanta and for years I have driven by African-American Churches getting out on Sunday morning. When I pass these churches I often slow down and gaze at the uniquely dressed women coming out the doors -- all dressed to the nines, and most of them are wearing their crowns. For the African-American churchgoing women hats are not mere fashion statements they are integral expression of faith and cultural identity. The Apostle Paul should be thanked daily by all milliners for Paul furthered the fashion of wearing hats to church by writing "Every woman who prays or prophecies with her head unveiled dishonors her head" (I Cor. 11:5).

The hats in this book are as unique and alive as the women that wear them. Michael Cunningham, using black & white film, has beautifully captured the panache that these women and their chapeau's express. Just as every hat in this book has a woman, so every woman in this book has a story about her hats, and I think you will love their stories. This is a refreshing, original book that is not only is captivating but anthropological educational. Highly recommended.

"Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats" is a genuine treasure and a breathtaking illustration of fine art. Photographer Michael Cunningham and journalist Craig Marberry exemplify the meaning of a queen with their artistry. The first portrait invites you to begin a journey that will lead you page by page through history with the inspirational and candid stories of each woman bearing a Sunday worship service crown. Truly this book extends to all religions by exploring one simple, but ever important symbol of showing reverence to God.

I first heard about this book on the CBS Sunday Morning program, telecast just before Christmas 2000 (write to CBS for a copy of that tape, if you missed it. It features the book's authors and some of the women they photographed. You won't regret it!) I fought Christmas crowds to go to the nearest bookstore to see it firsthand. I was blown away! I'm getting to "that age" when the mothers of the church are wondering when Miss Esteen's girl is finally going to start wearing hats to church. This book is pushing me closer to that day! Don't let the fact that the photos are in black & white, not color, deter you from buying this book. In a lot of ways, the black & white photography helps bring out the true beauty; I think color photography might have actually been a distraction from that. The only thing more beautiful than the hats in this book are the women that are wearing them! Pride, dignity and strength are on each page. If it were only about fashion, I wouldn't recommend this book so highly; it's the women who wear the hats, their spirit and their thoughts and that make this book. To the ladies photographed, I have only one thing to say: I want to be just like you when I grow up!

Better than the first in the trilogy, I read this book in two sittings. This book focuses on both Ampris and the Sri-Kaa, but I found myself growing bored with the scenes of palace intrigue which interrupt the more-compelling Ampris story line. The Viis empire starts to fall apart towards the end of this end of this novel, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion in the third book. My only other complaints are that the rescue scene at the end of the book felt rather contrived, and that too many scenes are left without detail, where depictions of gore and trauma would have made for a more vivid picture, at the risk of making the book unsuitable for younger readers.

I loved it! This is a great book and it lives up well to the first of them 'The Golden One' This one also ends leaving you hanging. But I truely believe Debi's next will be just as great. Debi ( I hope you don't mind me calling you that) I have one question for you if you ever read this please answer. Will there be anymore, now ofcourse there will be the end of this, but what about AFTER that, will we here more about Ampris? I think that after this you sould do more books about Ampris and Co. Because I read many fantasy books and this is one of the few that really reach my high standers. Thank you.

Deborah Chester's "Crimson Claw" is a sci-fi novel with a definite historical feel to it. While the story was about the conflict between the slave races and the master race,set on a different planet in a different time, I always got the feeling I was reading about the Gladiators of the Roman Empire. This is not a negative criticism, just that the story had a very real flavor to it.

Additionally just about all her characters seem very real and that is disturbing. I found it very difficult to hate most of her bad/evil character because she gave them so much dept. And it made a lot of their motivations very understandable. Chester has a knack for getting into all her characters heads and while the story is about Ampris, it could have also been about Elrabin, Israi, or the Kaa.

Surprisingly however, two minor characters who play a big part in the book get the short shrift. Halehl, her trainer we really know nothing about. And an early antagonist Sheri, her early bunk

mate, who I kept expecting to see in the ring.

One thing that bothered me was that Ampris's team "The Blues" were supposed to be the reigning arena champions, but they cheated big time in a number of ways. Chester gave little attention to the possibility that they could or would ever get caught. At one point in the book Halehl threatens to sell Ampris, but the thought that Ampris might reveal their cheating techniques never comes up.

Another thing that is not clear is why is the Viis empire crumbling. Sure they are not fixing things, the economy is collapsing and they are a ruthless race. But why? Their motivations for allowing all this to happen boggles my mind. Perhaps it will be more explained in the last book.

Minor quibbles' thou. The book is a very quick read and completely engrossing. And after you are finished you will want more. A book kinda sorta similar to this book is McCaffrey's "Freedom Landing" trilogy. However while that book purports to be about runaway earth slaves from a master alien race, it is really a book about colonization.

lewis@qnet.com

An amazing book full of detailed information to enable any campaign to flush itself out with characters from all walks of life. Good for building specialize background characters to make the game run smoother, give a quest to further the plot, or even to allow Player Characters something to make them more unique this book has is all. More Feats and Skills to have players make or arrange to have made just about anything they can think of. From the simple tradesman to a citywide guild, you can create what you need for your campaign. New Items, ready made characters, DC tables to guide tasks for the Trades and Professions, as well as more than twenty five expert classes. Defiantly worth keeping in your library of books.

If your game group wants more choices in character types and skills, if you want to whip up an instant population of craftsmen before or even during the game, if you want more depth in the nonplayer characters (NPCs) you play, or if your players' visits to towns and cities have become a long, non-roleplaying chore, then this book is for you. This volume is packed with an incredible wealth of gaming aids and ideas. Everything is here to let you, for example, quickly look up an exact remedy and price from the town herbalist or alchemist, play a prerolled Sage or Craftsman instantly, set up your own specialist Expert in a few minutes, set up a Guild, let a player train/practice in a craft or play an unusual Expert, or determine whether a city even has certain Experts available.

The book outlines five broad types of Experts (Craftsmen, Scholars, Entertainers, Professionals, and Tradesmen) and under them, details 28 types of Expert: Alchemists, Physicians, Courtesans, and more. Many, such as the Armorer, Physician, or Sage, would usually act as "services" in town; some could be important NPCs, such as the Steward of the local castle; others, such as the Guide, the Artificer, and the Slaver, could easily become the center of new adventures. A great amount of supplementary and background material supports these Expert types: medieval work area and laboratory descriptions, a whopping list of about 110 new skills, three new feats, and Guildmasters (as a new prestige class) and their guilds (including several tables for quick random generation of guild structures and availabilities in any given town/city). Table contents include effects of unsound construction, ship design flaws, sages' libraries, herbal remedies (with availability and properties), mineral availability, device complexity, Experts as spell casters, Experts' prices per level, and more. A second prestige class, the Militiaman, is also offered, and suggestions are given on use of the various Experts' materials as part of a campaign or for player character use.

The 28 ready-to-go NPC Experts (one of each kind) have enough background and personality to get going the moment you need them, without being so detailed as to require major rewrites for your campaign. The worst you'd need might be a name change for the person, their city of origin, or their god. A few of these characters have enough back story (ranging from humorous to sinister) to potentially springboard some side-quests for the Dungeon Master. Linked to several of these NPCs are some of the book's 17 brand-new magic items (all items are tied to the Experts theme, such as the Everfull Brewpot, Fireseal Wax, and the Mini Mecha Golem); these could be easily written into side-quests as well.

Highly recommended.

Experts is a key asset for DMs interested in extracting the _roleplaying_ from 3rd Ed.

Once key NPCs are 'fleshed out' as bonafide skilled individuals, it only follows that they have personality, unique goals, and complex motivations. This book is a wonderful tool towards the goal of creating 'three dimensional' NPCs by covering that first step (clearly defined skill sets).

From the players' perspective this book is also valuable, as multi-classing a core adventuring class with one of the Expert classes in this book ought to provide players with noteworthy roleplaying opportunities. What fighter wouldn't appreciate some knowledge of battle dressing? What spy can't use a cover identity? Why shouldn't wizards also be scholars of a less arcane sort?

Experts, as presented here, also make ideal henchmen a la the Leadership feat. Designing a patently non-combatant henchman around a skill set that distinctly contrasts the skills of a typical adventuring party will vastly expand the types of adventures that are viable for typical parties.

Theophany is a charming and touching novel, with a lovable main character that we quickly grow to care about a great deal. The story is so engrossing, that its not especially apparent that you are being challenged to think. Its message of spirituality, love and sacrifice, seem very apt in the manic, sometimes rather cold seeming world we live in. As Sarah makes her journey, we journey with her and see the light in humanity that Michael Vines obviously does. Its universality and hope will appeal to anyone of faith, or indeed to anyone who has faith in the human heart. I recommend Theophany highly

Theophany is a charming and touching novel with a lovable main character. The story is so engrossing, you might even forget you are being challenged to think. Its message of spirituality, love, and sacrifice seems particularly apt to the manic world we live in. As Sarah makes her journey, we journey with her, and see the light in humanity that Michael Vines does. Its universality and hope will resonate long after you finish reading. This is a book I can highly recommend.

First, let me say that Theophany is not the type of book I would have thought I would find myself reading. My style is more action-based reading, and I prefer mystery novels over anything else. I actually saw Theophany on a bookshelf in the office of a friend who had read it, and I found myself quite intrigued. Reading Mr. Vines' bio on the back cover, I started reading the book, and couldn't put it down. Sarah quickly captures your heart, and you feel as if you are at her side as she embarks on her journey. The book blends humanity and spirituality with conflict and jubilance. Theophany helped me re-identify an inner faith that I thought was long gone. While it may be a fictional story, the effects in has the reader are very realistic. Sarah and Josh will stay with you for a while to come. Read this book...it could be the sleeper of the year!

A fun and interesting book. I am not in love with it... but my kids like it quite a bit. It is interesting because it takes children on a journey through woods, fields, swamps, etc. to go find a bear. All along the way, there are funny sounds to show the different obstacles on the journey... woods, fields, swamps, etc. These sounds enhance the stimulation of the journey. As the journey reverses itself, the story repeats the words, sounds, places and experiences for enhanced learning.

The pictures are good, but a little dull - but the kids still enjoy them. And, the surprise ending is fun to rush through for more excitement.

Overall, a good book, fun and a little bit silly.

Many children's books are a torture for parents of toddlers to reread over and over as this age group requires. This is the exception. Our family of six wore out this book and I am ordering another copy for the up and coming crop of readers. The older ones love to read it to the young ones and my two year old has it memorized. We all love to add our own nuances to the sing-song pattern to the story. I rarely buy books new (we haunt used book stores) but I have bought this one new twice now. It must be everyone's favorite- I have never seen it for resale. A definite must have for childhood!

This book is fantastic for a good bed time story. The only problem is that my son wants to read it again and again. He likes to help make all the sounds with me and his favorite part is "It's a bear!!". Definately a book you should have in your collection!

I first read the Borribles trilogy when I was about 13 - and haven't stopped thinking about it since. Having been an avid fan (along with my brother whom I caught "secretly" practicing with a catapult in the back garden), it's been amazing to come to London and discover the settings of the stories. I used to block book the trilogy from my local library in Durban - re-reading the stories constantly - totally captured by the imaginative tellings. If ever there was a set of books that deserved to be put back into print - these are they. Please sort this out, publishers???!!

I was extremly lucky enough to have read this book a long time ago ,I am searching for a copy if anyone can help please e-mail me. This book inspired me to read at a very young age.

I first read the trilogy back in the early 80's. These books introduced me to fantasy/adventure and I haven't looked back since. I agree with many of the other reviews that this book should be recommended to everyone not just kids. Like the Harry Potter series it traps you and won't let you go. Don't be mistaken by the thought these are cute stories about children. These are gritty tales of survival and living on the edge, not soft and charming characters like Harry Potter and his friends.

When you have finished one you will crave the next.
These books have been out of print for some time but the news on the web is they are to be re-issued in June 2002. If you enjoy Hobbit's, Wizards and Adventure then you'll love The Borribles.

Mr. Miller's style of suspense keeps us reading to see what happens next. He vividly portrays the progress of open heart surgery, step by painful and bloody step. The reader suffers with the parents and doctors with each failed operation on each child, but watching as each technical problem is solved makes everything ok in the end.

The reader learns about various congenital heart diseases of children, the symptoms, the physical descriptions, and the outcomes. Mr. Miller explains the procedures very well so no prior knowledge of surgery, medicine, or heart physiology is required.

My favorite part is the race with the Mayo Clinic to perfect the heart-lung machine. The Mayo Clinic not only loses, but loses almost comically. Another favorite part is how the pace-maker was invented. This story along with the heart-lung machine story make this book worth reading.

If you are interested in medicine, surgery, heart problems, medical history, medical technology, or just want to learn, then you will appreciate "King of Hearts."

King of Hearts contains the topics of great literature - death, heroism and pride. The real beauty of this story is that it's all true. This is the tale of a brillant doctor and flawed human being who overcame great odds to develop open heart surgery. How quickly we forget in our technologically advanced world about the human sacrifices made for the sake of medical advancement. This book is a moving testament to the doctors and patients involved in the early struggle to repair heart defects. I was hooked from the opening scene and barely looked up until the final page. King of Hearts reads like a thriller and Miller carefully supports each plot twist with facts culled from medical archives and countless interviews. I think it is an impressive piece of reporting. Moreover, it is a powerful piece of writing. Miller uses his story telling skills to bring to life a milestone in medical history. So if you're in the medical field, you're an ER fan, or you crave great journalism, I highly recommend this book.

"King of Hearts" is an engaging adventure into the world of heart repair 50 years ago. Mr. Miller tells the story of Walt Lilihei, one of the pioneers of open-heart surgery, with spirit, accuracy and compassion. He is ever sensitive to both the goals that Dr. Lilihei had and the lives that were lost in the process. Instead of viewing these lives as just statistics, we see how they were people, loved and valued by their families, who had no alternative but to try surgery. Their deaths are respected and honored, as they went before the world knew what it knows now about open-heart surgery. But they were instrumental, as was Dr. Lilihei in teaching the world what it knows now about repairing the heart.

Although some stay away from biographies, "King of Hearts" stands alone. It is a fast-paced, exciting exploration of one man's search to radically alter the surgical options for heart disease. Once one picks up this book, it is difficult to put down. I confess to reading it straight through the moment I received it. The reader wants so very much for Dr. Lilihei to triumph, to find a way to save his patients. And Mr. Miller's style of writing is enough to keep any reader engaged. He writes with energy and with a no-nonsense portrayal of this great man. He skillfully avoids the overtly technical and instead writes for the layman reader, though I have no doubt that those in the medical field will also enjoy reading the story behind the facts they learned about Walt Lilihei.

I am reminded of Grisham and Turow in the reading of this text, yet Miller stands quite by himself as well, marking out an aggressive and fast-paced style of writing which tells both the facts and the emotions but never dips into pathos or excessive sentimentality.

As Mr. Miller points out, Lilihei was essentially as human as any of us. His faults and virtues are both explored in this excellent text. He is in essence the quintessential hero, and his story could easily be taken from the great Greek tragedies. As portrayed by Mr. Miller, Dr. Lilihei is man against nature, sometimes trapped by his own failings, and sometimes triumphant in his earnest attempt to better the human race.

And the fact that Dr. Lilihei succeeded in his efforts makes this book both triumphant and glorious. As with the modern day film "Rocky," one gets to cheer the accomplishments of someone who fought against the odds, while at the same time recognizing that these accomplishments were sometimes overshadowed by a questionable personal life.

"King of Hearts" stands as a contribution to the wonderful texts which tell of the indomitable human spirit, of the need for man to reach out and better man. It is as much a study of human nature as it is a retelling of the field of cardiology in the early days and the frustrations which doctors encountered when they had to let their patients die because no surgical options existed. This book surpasses a mere retelling or biography and instead becomes an example by which other biographies should be judged. In other hands, this subject might be dry and overly technical, but in Miller's telling it comes alive and teaches us all a little bit about ourselves and the human condition. Bravo to G. Wayne Miller for his extraordinary talent and for this extraordinary book!

This book looks intimidating, with it's seven hundred something pages, but once you start reading, you can't stop! I've never gone through a book so quickly before, staying up often all night because I wanted to know what happened next! The humor in the story has you laughing out loud, and the traumas have you crying along with the characters. The adventure is so wonderful that you can't wait to read it again, and you'll remember it forever, and reccommend it to your friends. A phenomenal achievement

Although this was a scary book to pick up and dive into, due to the length, it is a very easy read. I have laughed so hard at the antics of Green Spider and the group of mismatched men traveling the river. As usual there are a number of powerful women and men in battles of strength, wit, and stamina as well as physical power. This is one of the best I've read so far, being only the 5th in the series. I intend to finish off the series. These are all fantastic books. The wonderful story is woven through threads that tie clans and families together and cords of power that tie them all. The story is built on a strong foundation of historical knowledge and the details abound thoughout this novel of prehistoric North American life. Descriptive and captivating, you'll enjoy every minute of it.

When I first picked this book up I thought, "Holy cow, it's going to take me all summer to read this." But after the first chapter I was hooked, and I finished it in less than two weeks. Once again the Gear's savory writing style and intense plot had enveloped me. This elegantly-crafted story is filled with friendship, humor, and emotional intensity. There is a good balance of inner and outer journeys for the characters. The reader is transported into another time and place, and it's so real you can almost taste the berries and smell the trees. I have read several of the Gear's other novels in this series and this is my favorite one so far. Highly recomended for historical fiction buffs and lovers of Native American culture!

Norfolk's Port Folio Weekly reviewed this book and said: "For Pearson, the world was dominated by the Bronx. And in this beautifully crafted memoir, he has brought that world to life.

His recollections of his literary experiences -- set against his memories of everday life on the street -- create a tension that is sustained throughout the book. One gets the impression that he was forever torn between the small world in which he lived and the wide world of his book-fueled imagination.

Dreaming of Columbus gives us a brilliantly detailed picture of one boy's life in the Bronx. But to a great extent, it also transcends the particulars of time and place. Regardless of where you grew up, this is a book that will help you see your own past in new ways."

"Dreaming of Columbus" is a funny, poignant book -- really nicely written. It gave me a real sense of what it was like to grow up Irish Catholic in NYC in the 1960's. The writing is poetic and sharp.

I just finished reading Michael Pearson's "Dreaming of Columbus." It is such a delightful reading experience that I was sad to see it end. His poignant remembrances of his childhood are written with such skill and pathos that I was deeply moved. Also, his comedic mastery is a wonderful tool that he uses so subtly that I laughed out loud at some of the recollections. All in all, this was the best book I've read all year.....he's a fabulous writer! Mary Ann Wilson

For economic reasons, I practice self help whenever I can, so self-help books appeal to me. I have lots of them, but not often do I read a book like Three Minute Therapy which began to help me from the first chapter. Reasonable thinking lies at the heart of this therapy. The simplicity of the author's technique fit right into my busy life in that I did not have to wait weeks or till midway the book to comprehend Dr. Edelstein's technique or start getting obvious results. I have compulsive shopping and anxiety, family disputes and job tensions. I started using Dr. Edelstein's simple, down to earth, rational therapy and already become aware of positive improvements in my life. I talk to my mother more affectionately now thanks to this book because I learned to accept her and not require she become my ideal. I find my work more enjoyable because of changed expectations and reduced anxiety about having to be perfect. I find play more fun, and started again on creating an office manual, now that I understand it need not be the ultimate, most perfect one. I like the new feelings I am still obtaining from this book. Socially, I feel less of a need to have absolute approval from friends, and this freedom has given me a great deal of comfort. I say feeling because my new reasonable thinking actually has benefited my emotions. These improvements I am sure came from contact with this Three Minute Therapy book. I would like to recommend it to everyone I know. Cliff Cin, San Francisco

One of things that I like the most about this book is it's simple approach to dealing with complex issues...like anxiety. As the title suggests, this type of work can be practiced in very short increments...say three minutes or so, and can be implemented almost immediately. Which is a lot more time and cost effective than spending months or years in therapy. Obviously, I didn't resolve my anxiety issues in three minutes, but after implementing the practices recommended in this book on a regular basis over a couple of months I was able to change the way I let situations affect me and ultimately reduce unnecessary anxiety. This book is an easy read and offers effective tools for anyone to deal with stressful and anxiety producing situations that occur in the course of everyday life. It's the best self-help book I've ever read!

Dr. Edelstein has written a simple, straightforward and very helpful book here. REBT made easy. There's gold here folks! I recommend not only the book, but also Dr. Edelstein as a therapist.

One of the things I've learned from him and his wonderful book is how to get control of my unhealthy eating habits and to start exercising. I've lost 40lbs so far, and I am continuing to lose. To get help losing weight was the reason I started therapy with him, but I got so much more out of it. I only wish I had discovered this way of thinking 20 years ago. But as I have learned, it is never too late to turn your life around.

In addition to this book, I also highly recommend Albert Ellis's "A Guide To Rational Living".

Thanks Dr. E for all the help and for writing this book!