If this book doesn't reach your soul, then you don't have one. The stories contain beautifully drawn charactors we all can relate to. Dodd has a natural talent that has obviously been well-honed.

Please read what the New York Times Book Review truly said about Susan Dodd's collection, which received a boxed review: "In Susan Dodd's new book, O Careless Love, love sometimes fails the characters but it always reigns supreme among their preoccupations..One of the stories, "Lokey Man," contains the most breathtaking courtship scene I've ever read.

This is one of the finest books I have read in years. Dodd has a remarkable sense of her characters that shines through in each story. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Beautiful work.

I have used many sports medicine books, including Arnheim and Booher, and this is the book that I continue to use the most. Includes thorough etiologies, pathologies, signs and symptoms along with management skills that every athletic trainer needs. Great illustrations and photographs. My copy is literally held together with trainer's tape because I and my students use it so much.There is an excellent study guide that accompanies this book and it would be great if Amazon could offer it. The ISBN number is 0-683-00176-0 if that helps anyone.

Years ago when I took my first athletic training course, I used Arnheim's book. It was all I had known until this book was published. I am currntly teaching an introductory athletic training class and am using this text book. I feel this book is much better organized and does a better job in the injury and rehabilitation explanations. It also makes very good use of anatomy illustrations, tables and figures. I would recommend this book over Arnheim in a heart beat.

"In an age of encroaching materialism where children worry about designer shoes and new things they want, this enchanting fable is welcome fare.

"The story is told of Kingston, a wealthy pedigree dachshund, who meets Rags, a country hound. Each one believes he has everything, until they meet. When material possessions are used to measure personal worth, they discover that true happiness and genuine wealth only exist where there is freedom to be one's self and develop natural abilities. PERFECT FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY, The Story of A Rich Dog and A Poor Dog is a timeless message about being who you are." -FAMILY TIMES

In an age of encroaching materialism where children worry about designer shoes and new things they want, this enchanting fable is welcome fare. The story is told of Kingston, a wealthy pedigree dachshund, who meets Rags, a country hound. Each one believes he has everything, until they meet. When material possessions are used to measure personal worth, they discover that true happiness and genuine wealth only exist where there is freedom to be one's self and develop natural abilities. Perfect fpr the whole family, The Story of A Rich Dog and A Poor Dog is a timeless message about being who you are." -FAMILY TIMES

Not being able to see, touch and page through a book often presents a problem if you want to purchase a book online. It is even more of a worry if the book uses something that is as subjective as photography, and the emotions that is created by it, to portray it's message

In the case of this particular book, I needn't have worried!

Never before have I seen a book with such a huge amount of absolutely brilliant photography! The printing is of an outstanding quality, as is the paper and overall quality of the book and it's binding. There are quite a few double page spreads (seamlessly bound), and in a large format book such as this, it is the next best thing to being there in real life. Fred Hirschmann's photography is a joy to behold. When he does use the odd filter in his photographs, he uses it with the utmost subtlety; so all the photos are a representation of nature in her natural beauty and splendour. The essays that introduce each of the twelve regions of the USA is very informative, but I would suggest reading something like "Discover America: The Smithsonian book of the National Parks" by Charles E. Little, if the reader wants more historical information.

The front inlay states the following: "America is a word that swells the heart with pride, a word that means freedom, a word that brings visitors and new residents to its shores, a word that calls its citizens home from around the world." This book illustrates why, and after reading this book, I must say that I agree with these words. It almost makes me feel the same way, and I'm not even an US Citizen, nor have I been to the USA!

The book is an absolute visual tour-de-force, and I would recommend it highly!

Now in its third edition, The American Directory Of Writer's Guidelines: A Compilation Of Information For Freelancers From More Than 1,400 Magazine Editors And Book Publishers collaboratively compiled by Brigitte M. Phillips, Susan D. Klassen, and Doris Hall, gathers together a massive host of submission guidelines that freelance writers can follow to get their work published in magazines and books across America. Featuring more than 1,000 periodical publishers and more than 400 book publishers, The American Directory Of Writer's Guidelines is an easy-to-use, quick accessible resource, and a "must-have" for freelance writers who seek to maximize their efforts to be professionally published and paid.

On a recent trip we purchased quite a few sticker books to keep our toddler occupied, and I thought this was one of the best. In addition to having almost 30 reusable stickers, there was also a Dora story involved, adding some depth to the play. Children plaster stickers to the map, solve minor puzzles, dodge Swiper, and open a treasure chest as Dora and Boots dance with joy. Nicely done.

When we started out in Book #1, the narrator, Charles Ashworth, was still fairly young. In this novel, he is again the narrator but he is elderly and the bishop of Starbridge. Being this age, he can wind up everyone's story. There is his whole generation of people and their families in the Anglican Church plus his childrens' generation of people. Of all the books, I'd say this one you better read as #6 and not out of order. There are simply too many stories which are wrapped up here that won't have the same impact on you if you haven't read books 1-5. This novel has its share of worldly problems with: gay priests (2), the ghost of Jardine appearing in the cathederal, an exorcism of the cathedral, a possible embezzlement by Dean Aysgarth from cathedral funds, a suicide, death of a spouse and finding another spouse. It also has combined therapeutic-spiritual sessions again with Jon Darrow as spiritual director for both Ashworth and Aysgarth. Once I started any of the 6 books, I couldn't stop reading till the end and this one was no exception.

Everyone looking for depth, entertainment and a real spirituality boost should read this book. Everyone looking for an intellectual challenge should read this book. I just have to say it - everyone should read this book! Absolute Truths is actually the sixth book in a series, but like the other five stands fine on its own. It deals with the Church of England and in particular a few specific members of the church, in the 1960's. It deals with what is going on in society, what is going on with "regular" people and what is going on inside the Church of England and with its members. It focuses on one particular Bishop, Charles Ashworth, and shows him faults and all as a regular human being as he deals with the ups and downs in his personal, professional and spiritual life. There are terrific discussions of religious, spiritual, artistic and socio-economic ideals. This book will stretch your mind into thinking things you never thought would enter your grey matter. It's highly recommended by most of the people I know that have read it. And it's also recommended that you read the other books in this series. This book will change your life.

Although this is the last book in the Starbridge series it is actually set in time before its immediate prequel, Mystical Paths. Howatch obviously had good reasons for doing this; no other book could have rounded up the series so perfectly, and certainly it was a delight to return to Chares Ashworh as narrator, who began the whole series. This time Charles is at the evening of his life. He has been the Bishop of Salisbury for some years.. Some of those nearest and dearest to him have passed away and he has to come to terms not only with the sense of loss, doubt and lack of direction, but also with his wayward Dean, Neville Ayesgarth, who still insists on going off on a tangent in affairs of the Cathedral. As in Scandalous Risks, scandal seems only around the corner and Charles has to develop very strong spiritual muscles in order to bring matters to an outcome worthy of a Christian.
I must not forget to mention that in this novel Starbridge Cathedral itself - in the other books merely a background stat - becomes a major character, and a star player during the Grande Finale The climax of this book is not only deeply moving, it is also absolutely perfect. As is the entire series.

With the 2nd book in Howatch's Anglican trilogy, we explore the story of the monk who was the therapist in book #1. He is also 60 years old, a psychic and a vision from God sends him back into the world and out of the monastery. There is a great deal of counselling and angst in this novel as well. There isn't enough different about this novel to make it the same fascinating read as book #1 though. I've already bought book #3 and I hope we follow a different pattern with that one. He does find a new woman as part of his vision from God as her bag and her estate were specifically seen in it. The Anglicans must spend more time in analysis than Freud himself ever dreamed possible!

The second in the series of Starbridge books - Glamorous Powers - is the one I liked the best. IN this book we get to know Jon Darrow, who figured in the first volume Glittering Images as Charles Ashworth's spiritual director, more intimately. Whereas in Glamorous powers, seen through Charles Ashworth's eyes, he was the perfect super priest who knew everything, here we actually get under Jon's skin and see him as he sees himself: as a flawed, confused man with many problems, in particular concerning his relationship with women. Jon had spent several years in a monastery as a monk, but now, in his sixties, he receives a calling from God to leave the monastery and fulfil a mission in the world - but he doesn't know what. Nor is he certain if that mission includes marriage.
For anyone with an interest in Gnosticism and mysticism, this is a particularly interesting book - but such an interest is definitely not a pre-condition for reading and enjoying it! I'm not the only Howatch reader to have this as their favourite in the series. (...)

Susan Howatch may be a woman with training in the law, but she gets inside the mindset of male priests in the Anglican Church (Episcopal Church in the U.S.) better than anyone else. This is a mystery, a suspense novel, a love story and a deeply psychological look at spiritual direction all rolled into one. The book begins with a man having a vision of a small country chantry (chapel). Outside the chapel is a unique suitcase. Is this god telling him to pack his bags and leave the monastary he has known for so many years? After intense spiritual direction, that I found riveting, he decides to leave. He goes on holiday, and while walking down the hall of the inn he is at, he see the suitcase of his vision! He has to meet the owner of the valise. She turns out to be a beautiful woman (much younger than himself). Will love ensue? What is god's will? This book will encourage you to consider the power of prayer and god's direction for your life. It will call you to wrestle with the possibility of healing and evil. This book began my love affair with each of the books in the "Starbridge" series. It could be the start of something special for you, too.

1937: Charles Ashworth, young charming former Chaplain to Archbishop of Canterbury, Cosmo Lang, is asked to discreetly investigate the private life of the Bishop of Starbridge, Alex Jardine, an aggressive liberal. What he finds seems to horrifingly mirror what lurks in his own private life of hurt, tragedy, and guilt all hidden behind Ashworth's carefully crafted 'Glittering Image'. A brilliant novel about pastoral care and fundamental morality and Christ's grace and redemption.

This is the first in a series of a six novel series. Having already read them all, I'm going back to start again. Howatch does a remarkable job of illustrating how insidious and how damaging to the human soul living behind a "glittering image" can be...the tendency to offer a mask for the rest of the world to see that simply doesn't match the true inner self. For me, this book got *really* interesting at the midway point! Great read!

I chanced upon Susan Howatch's series on the Church of England after enjoying Castlemara. I quickly purchased all the books in the series and even sent a friend the first two. She explains much of the debate within the church in a very personal way--through the struggles of the characters. Her books pull no punches, but in the end are not negative or depressing. Being a person who has spent my life involved in and studying Christianity, her knowledge of a range of church doctrines is surprising for a novelist of the late 20th century. This is an author I would truly like to meet.

I purchased this book because my younger child is exhibiting signs of having reading difficulty in the future. In contrast, my older child learned to read on her own prior to entering school. From my own experience I realize that there is a wide variation in what children need in school. My easy reader would have found a "face the teacher and practice the sound" program exceptionally boring. I selected this particular book because I wanted "straight talk" on how a school could teach these two, very different, kids. Instead of the "straight talk" I wanted got a very biased presentation. For example, the child that gets phonics is "beaming with success." Secondly, the "researcher" reports the test scores that occur during "whole language" teaching but does not compare it to the scores that occurred during phonics periods. In addition, they do not identify the lag between when a child is taught to read and when they are tested. Thirdly, they should be more clear about why these shifts have taken place. My friends 2nd grader knows phonics well but cannot read because he cannot put it together in context. What happened to those kids in a highly phonics based program. Did they all "beam with success?" Lastly, a credible researcher provides a balanced report that identifies the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches. This book reports phonics as strong and whole language as weak. So, if you want "straight talk" on why phonics is the only way then this is a book for you. I you want to find a balance that will work for many different kids, then keep looking.

This book was truly spectacular if you are interested in really understanding how kids learn to read and what you can do to help! I learned so much from this book, if I had the money, I would buy a ton of them and give them out to anyone who has kids, will have kids, or works with kids.

This book does an amazing job of developmentally (Pre-K through grade 3) describing the skills kids need to acquire in order to read. It fairly reviews the current debate on how kids need to be taught reading, what parents can do (tons of specific age appropriate activities & lists of good books based on reading level), and it describes the research based warning signs for a child who is at risk for reading difficulties.

I am a teacher of children with mild to moderate specific learning disabilities who went through the teacher education program at Ashland University in Ohio. Like countless other teacher education programs, ours stressed only a "whole-language" model of instruction, to the exclusion of all others, especially those that stress explicit phonics instruction.

I bought this book at a symposium given by the International Dyslexia Association, and I am so thankful that I did. As a parent of elementary school-age children I needed to know the things in this book. Specifically...

*Why a book like this is necessary in the first place.

*What is this "great debate" that reading teachers, and educators keep talking about?

*How do children learn to read? Amazingly, this is not taught in many teacher education programs. Why? Because almost all of the research ever done on the issue, any research worth its weight in cotton candy points to the explicit teaching of phonics to be the way that most children learn to read. As the authors so beautifully, and succinctly point out "The English written code is a sound symbol code, not a word symbol code. That is the game."

Parents of school-age children especially need to carefully read this book. Although I myself am a teacher, I believe in a "parent as consumer" focus in education, and, given this, caveat emptor! Parents need to know what they are getting in return for their hard earned tax dollars.

Please email me if you would like to continue this discussion.