This was an excellent book! It is a vivid, comprehensive and sweeping biography of a most important and influential man of the early American West. At the age of twenty four, Thomas Fitzpatrick started out with Ashley's expedition of 1823 as a fur trapper going up the Missouri River. The following year he discovered South Pass, then was part owner of the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. After the fur trade declined, he guided the first wagon train west over the Oregon Trail, then acted as guide to Fremont, Kearny and Abert on their expeditions. Later,he was appointed as an Indian Agent for the government and in this position he was most significant in facilitating relations with the Plains Indians. Leroy Hafen's writing is to be commended. He was an excellent author/historian. This is an easy book to read, and there is so much history to this remarkable man, Thomas Fitzpatrick.

This book is the result of a historian's dissertation on this little known now, but once well-known figure in the expansion of the west. Fitzpatrick discovered the Southern Pass, mentored Kit Carson, and is buried in the Congressional Cemetary in Washington DC. I'm not a fan of historical novels, or much of a student of history. But, this book described the way of life of the great western explorers of the 19th century in fascinating detail. Chock full of facts that I never learned in school history, this book sheds light on a poorly represented but important part of US history by tracing Fitzpatrick's life as reconstructed from historical documents and interviews with surviving ancestors. I highly recommend this book.

The Hand of Ethelberta starts well, maintains its' lively pace through the middle with many plots and schemes all throughout, and finishes well to boot; but not in the way one first expects it to conclude.

Ethelberta, Hardy's heroine for this book, is one of the most complex characters in Hardy's work. She is the daughter of a butler, who, being ambitious, aspires to raise herself up through a well placed marriage with someone of wealth and class. (As the story begins she has done this once already and became widowed a mere 3 weeks later.) She is cunning and resourceful in ways few others are, but, while being driven in part by motives not entirely selfish, seems at times cold and calculating.

She is pursued first by an old lover, Christopher Julian. Mr. Julian was once a potential marriage for her but she opted for his rival, Mr. Petherwin, instead. He has since fallen into ruin after the death of his father and, being penniless, turned to his hobby of music for his profession. His lone companion at this point in his life is his sister, Faith, with whom he lives. But Mr. Julian has rivals.

There is Mr.Neigh, the nephew of an influential family, with whom she is acquainted with by the name of Doncastle, who is said to be independently rich and known to be more than a little aloof, if not eccentric.

And there is Mr.Ladywell. A painter of moderate celebrity but is from a good family and is wealthy, of course.

As if things weren't bad enough, there is Lord Mountclere, a rich and powerful womanizer, whose enjoyment of the childish games he plays is fueled as much by his jealousy as by his sense of power.

Hardy gives this story its' tension by making Ethelberta's lineage unknown to all concerned, but already known to Mr. Julian. In Hardy's time social class was EVERYTHING. The upperclass was for the upperclass only. The lower class was expected to keep its' respectful distance and know its' place. Ethelberta had dined at their houses, attended their gatherings, not as a member of her own true class, but as an equal. This would have been scandalous in its' day. To have excepted the daughter of a servant as an equal to those with money, education, and worldly opportunity and experience would have been unheard of. A marriage with an upperclass bachelor to that of a woman whose lower class pedigree is confirmed by her father's occupation, that being a butler, could hardly be expected to be entered into knowingly.

Hardy gives us other characters that balance out the narrative. There is Picotee, one of Ethelberta's sisters, who falls in love with Mr.Julian. Her invalid mother, Mrs. Chickerel, who is afraid of almost everything except giving unsolicited commentary and advice peppered with her own doubts and misgivings. Her father, Mr. Chickerel, who tries to be fatherly on occasion but really only seems fit to be a butler. There is Mr. Mountclere, the brother of Lord Mountclere, whose condescending manners are the stuff revolutions are fueled by. And last but not least there is the perfidious Miss Menlove, whom the men certainly do seem to love but are never really more than a flirtatious fling to her, who threatens to be Ethelberta's undoing.

For fans of Victorian Literature already acquainted with Hardy's work or not, Make This Purchase Now! With a rich story line and its' incredible heroine, Ethelberta, this novel deserves to be read.

This is a nice book, that has lots of pictures and anyone can learn illustrator in a day just by reading this book. It comes with a easy to disk with samples and hands-on activities.

This was the book that finally made me decide to leave the Catholic Church once and for all. How any intelligent human being can have the slightest respect for a God that supposedly gets kicks out of the senseless suffering of a child is beyond me. It's these bizarro concepts of God that give any kind of religion a bad name and confuse people far more than they ever help them. This book is a prime example of the utter morbidity and diseased spirituality of any religion that feeds off guilt, shame, and sado-masochistic impulse. After reading of how statues and communion wafers bleed and "sacred oils" run down the walls, one can only laugh in disbelief. Those are the corniest miracles, straight out of some lame freakshow. How the Audrey people can even believe in such a stupid concept of God is very sad. This book is very very sad. It typifies a desperation that should not present, and the parents of this child should be locked up. Pure nuts. The Catholic Church should be ashamed of itself in this day and age(or any age, for that matter). The poor little child was the victim of a senseless accident--that's all. It happens throughout the world every day to thousands, and people survive such tragedies with human love and perseverance, not with plastic statues that weep blood and olive oil. Further, what kind of people traipse to this girl's bedside, believing that God will take their illnesses and sufferings and load them "mystically" onto this child's body as a prelude to their miraculous healings? How demeaning! How selfish and pathetic and desperate can you get? This poor little kid is no saint, no mystic, and no wonderworker. She is a V-E-G-E-T-A-B-L-E. People that flock to her are deluded and need to volunteer their time at some viable social outreach program AND take some classes in reality. sad. This book was very disturbing. Our world needs to educate itself if humans are ever going to overcome the scourges of deception, ignorance, and emotional illness. People are way wrong to glorify false, third-rate parlor tricks & phenomenon instead of LOVE--the only miracle the world needs. What an insult to intelligence. What an insult to God.

This book was EXCELLENT! Piri Thomas writes about his own life... getting out of jail and trying to better himself by going to church and helping street kids. He faces racial discrimination, romance, marriage, and having a child of his own. The book was wonderful and brought me back into his time period on the streets of New York where you had to know who you are, be it Puerto Rican, Italian, African-American...whatever. Definitely read this book.......Puerto Rican until the death!

After having read "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" Trilogy a few times I was looking for something similar to enjoy. "Hand of Fire" by Thomas Rath fits the bill.
Although it's hard to rate this trilogy as only one of the three books has been written, I did find the writing, characters, and story line intriguing. It's nice when you can read a good book and be some place else for a while. In this case it's in a land with Dwarves, HuMans, Chufa, Gremlins, a nasty Dragon, an even nastier Villain, and a hero that hasn't really learned the extent of his amazing powers, and more. I just finished the first book and hardly realize the abilities of "Thane of the Five Tane" myself. I'm not going to explain the powers of the "Tane" but just to say that they are real cool and they are to this book what the "magic ring" is in Tolkien's books.
The descriptions of the places and people are...well let's just say when your reading about them, you are there with them.
Like "Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit", "Hand of Fire" by Thomas Rath will take you on adventures you never really dreamed of and that's its purpose. The only trouble is that the second book is in the process of being written so I now have to wait for a short time before finding out what happens to Thane and the rest of the stories characters (I was about to say friends instead of characters for the good ones as that's how I felt about them as I was reading "Hand of Fire").
The book moves about to different events that are happening at the same time so be sure to make note of who's who in order to keep everyone in their proper place.
Who knows, maybe there will be a "Hand of Fire" movie in the future. Now wouldn't that be great!

Hand of Fire is a very exciting book. It kept me riveted, I couldn't put it down. I must say that I am not a fantasy fiction reader, but this book could make me into one.
I am anxiously awaiting the next book!

This is a very well done piece. Despite what some might think this book is NOT trying to Christianize traditional Chinese teachings. I found it to be just the OPPOSITE! The authors use the teachings of their childhood (mostly Toaist and Zen teachings) to explain eastern christianity. The Christianity of the Chinese and other eastern people is very different than that of the west.

For western Christians who find their church's teachings no longer speak to them this is a wonderful book. I find myself very influenced by eastern teachings, they speak to beliefs I have always held and had no name for.

If you are easilly offended or feel that no religious teachings should ever be meshed this book is not for you. As the authors would say, "teachings and dogma are only useful if we are not attached to them. As soon as we become afraid to change them, examine them, or modify them they become a stumbling block." So for those who are more interested in finding a universal truth than blinding clinging to teachings this book will truely be a "taste of water".

As more and more Christians are interested in Eastern practices and vice-versa, this little book provides some valuable insight into the key issues of a potential dual practice. I am very glad it is back in print and would highly recommend it.

One wonders if the confused lone critic who is ranting against this beautiful book has read more than its title ... sad how some individuals feel the need to vent their own spiritual anger in the most inappropriate places. "A Taste of Water" is refreshing inspiration for anyone who is serious about exploring the possibility of a spiritual path that encompasses Eastern as well as Western religion/philosophy. I would highly recommend this book, and yes, it can be found by those who know where to seek ...

I have read four of Hardy's novels and loved them but I didn't like this one and didn't even finish it. For one it is not an engaging novel. Usually I can't put Hardy's novels down but I was reluctant to pick this one up. Second Hardy seems to blame "society" for everything that goes wrong in Jude's life. This is a huge departure for Hardy who normally writes about flawed characters that create their own misery and troubles. Blaming social pressure not Jude's personal acts is a departure from his other books such as The Mayor of Casterbridge.

I personally had no sympathy for Jude or the other characters in the book. I also found the anti-marriage theme troubling. Jude chose to enter a relationship with Arabella who was completely wrong for him. People who knowingly enter relationships and then marriages with inappropriate people are completely responsible for the misery that results. Saying that social conformity is a bad thing because it asks men to take responsibility for the offspring they produce is troubling. Yes Arabella tricked him into marriage with a false pregnancy but he chose to become intimate with someone knowing pregnancy was a possibility. Hardy's theme of victimization is so annoying I don't plan to read anymore of his books.

Jude The Obscure goes against the normal strain in its treatment of topics ranging from marriage, ambition, dreams, and class-society. The book takes shocking twists and turns, and even though the subjects are often depressing, the sheer shock of what has just happened makes you want to read more. Hardy's main character is Jude, a poor, parentless boy whose ambitions far exceed the restrictions his class would put on him. Throughout his childhood he pushed himself in the studies of academia, he would always be seen with Latin books while delivering bread to the villagers. Eventually, as Jude grows he decides to move to Chirstminister-Jude's dream starting from his very early days of youth. Christminister is the center of all academic pursuit and home to the greatest colleges of learning. We follow Jude's adventures there, along with all of his attempts to being admitted into one of these institutions. This is not easy for a young man who has no money or family status behind him. One of Jude's great battles is between his burning desire to achieve higher learning, and his weakness towards women which draw him away from this goal. The elements which Jude's eventual children present, make an outlandish story even stranger by their actions. Certainly Hardy intended the children to present us with some additional lessons to consider while contemplating the book.

The book was difficult for me to read, as mentioned in other reviews, the depressing subject matter and gloominess is not inherently an inviting thing. However, by unfolding the story as Hardy did, following the dreams and failures of young Jude, I learned some lessons that I do not think I could have otherwise. I received a strong personal impression in the importance of not giving up on yourself. That even if your opportunities are not optimal, or you environment is not perfect, that you still have the ability to reach for your dreams. And at all costs you should not give up on your dreams, or believe that you are not capable of accomplishing them. I also thought a lot about the acts the society would have us perform, which are not securely right. Having read the book forced me to reflect about the daily choices I make, how many of those are really mine, and how many are artificial restraints institutions would have me believe I must make.

While I have read more entertaining books, I would have to recommend this one because of the unique perspective it presents. Hardy message allows us to think about important issues in a light not often seen through.

Prior to reading Jude the Obscure, I had a smattering of knowledge about the religious uproar it caused upon publication, which led Hardy to abandon novels and focus merely on poetry. His work being denounced and burned by the churches, Hardy felt that if that was to be the treatment of his work, he would no longer produce the work.

Now that I have read the novel, and having attempted to place myself in the mindset of the later 19th century morals and ideals, I can begin to understand why such an uproar was raised.

First, the story...Jude Fawley, of poor and meager birth, aspires to academic greatness. When it is recommended to him that he stay on the 'blue collar' course he has begun, and not wish for more, he decides to educate himself, one day hoping that it will position him for greater things.

Jude enters into a hasty marriage, which by later standards would be described as a 'shotgun' wedding, which he eventually comes to regret, and ends. Enter his cousin Sue, who becomes the love of his life. Sue also ends an unsatisfactory first marriage, freeing herself to be with Jude, whom she loves as well.

What follows is a descent into tragedy and despair, with numerous twists and turns along the way. Not wanting to spoil them, I will not divulge.

However, the remainder of the novel touches upon many, many themes that amounted to raising of the ire of the church in response. Divorce; childbirth out of wedlock; loss of faith in God; questioning religious ideals and teachings; all these and more are present in the latter half of the novel, and so much more.

Upon finishing the book, I was left to question were these really Hardy's own feelings illustrated in his work, or simply a realization of a course of events for the characters, and not a reflection on the author's beliefs. That, however, bears further reading on the life of Thomas Hardy.

Where I find fault with the novel is in the characters, and it is merely a distaste with their actions. Sue, the heroine, spends far too much time vacillating about her love for Jude and her desire to marry him. When Jude tries to do the right thing by Sue, and respect her wishes, she claims he has 'given up too easily, and doesn't seem at all disappointed'. Jude's first wife, Arabella, displays an utterly selfish, self-absorbed personality, and was, for me, unlikeble, and unsympathetic. Jude, a character capable of learning Latin and Greek and engaging in other scholarly pursuits, seems completely naive in the ways of the world, and further seems blinded by a sense of duty over a sense of the rights and wrongs of others. His actions make him appear to have no regard for himself, until the very end.

Perhaps this is exactly as Hardy meant the characters to be seen, perhaps not. I did enjoy the book more than I expected to, and apparently more than others who have said to me "What on earth are you reading THAT for???". Hardy is not a comedy writer, and one should not expect a glamorous, cheerful, tidy ending, it does not exist here.

While not the greatest of classic novels I have read, I can certainly see why this one has been discussed for over 100 years. While Dickens peppered his stories with levity to break up the gloom, Hardy continues on a downward spiral, leaving his characters in despair within and without. I recommend it to readers who enjoy a good characterization of later 19th century life in England. But if you are looking for something to put a smile on your face, Hardy might not be for you.

Barbara Brennans first book, Hands of light, was rightly acclaimed for its thoroughness and convincing approach. Though I had my misgivings about its lack of questions about the nature of the author`s sources, I eagerly bought Light Emerging immediately after it was issued. Easily one of my big disappointments, this book wallows in half-baked repetitions of what was stated more succinctly in the first volume.

But the far larger problem is Ms. Brennans "discoveries" of new levels of energies, new psychic centers, etc. Her background and standing as scientist is toted in large types, but any hint of scientific method is completely lacking. Is it not strange that omniscient yogis with an ancient heritage in energy science like Lahiri Mahasaya and Ramana Maharshi have not discovered these levels that Ms. Brennan delivers without divulging how she arrived at her conclusion, from a far lower level of consciousness than her predecessors, as far as I can see? There is an openness to accept healing within the framework of health services. But if healers choose the religious approach instead of the scientific, they must do so openly and honestly. Stating her personal views in the name of scientific method, as Brennan does, is a fundamental disservice to the development of a true healing community. A good example of the reverse is "The tibetan book of living and dying", where the approach is humble and the claims modest, but where Sogyal Rinpoche succeeds brilliantly in outlining a practical approach for dealing with the dying. I recommend you buy Rinpoche`s book instead of wasting your money on "Light emerging", as I did.

This book defiantly adds to Barbara's first book 'Hands of Light', but as her being a scientist I ask myself where's the science in this book? She seems to just rely on her spirit guides for everything, even all the stuff she should and probably already does know as a psychologist! Why all the push to get everyone involved in the 'occult' and talking to spirits? Instead why not try to teach people how to do things like Donna Eden does in her book Energy Medicine? If all her guides chanellings where left out of the book I would have added another star to it's rating.

Never in my life have I seen so much knowledge of spirituality and healing. No one has been more accurate on this topic. The only complaint I have is that she only offers a soft side of healing, and does not do much motivational "strap on your boots and just get after it" type of talk. Consider yourself very lucky to have read this book.

This is a good book for the average horse owner / caretaker (layperson). It basically shows you how to determine if something is an emergency (i.e.- whether or not you should "CALL THE VET.") including what you should do until the vet gets there, AND how to do it. Just about all areas were covered- from eye injuries to hoof care. BASIC first aid techniques are provided, and described well.
The one thing I did not like, is that it did not give you much information as to what was really going on. Specifically, it did not correlate signs and symptoms with any specific "diagnosis." However, I do have a healthcare background (no, I'm not a veterinarian)- so my review is based on what I expected a "Complete Book of First-Aid" to be. That is.... complete and thorough. I expected more information about how to care for various injuries and illnesses, whereas I found the focus to be on just stabilizing a problem until the vet comes

This book is a life-saver. It's easy to follow instructions make it a must. I especially like the sections that list symptoms and if it says to call your vet immediately, it tells you what to do while you're waiting. The only drawbacks to this book is that the cover doesn't hold up well, and it would be better with color pictures for the toxic plants. I strongly recommend this book if you have horses.

Nothing can replace your vet, but this one is a keeper. No barn should be without a copy.