I had the great pleasure of reading and using Diane Jacobs' "Her Own Woman: The Life of Mary Wollstonecraft" while researching and writing my recent biography, "Theodosia Burr Alston: Portrait of a Prodigy (Corinthian Books, 2002). Vice President Aaron Burr, for all his flaws, was the first prominent American man to enthusiastically embrace and publicly endorse Wollstonectaft's radical feminist views on the equal education of women. He used her principles to give his teenage daughter, Theodosia, a "man's education" which would equip her for the three roles in life he envisioned for her: queen, president, or empress. I found Ms. Jacobs' work extremely insightful and enormously useful in understanding this woman who many cite as one of the first mothers of feminism. -- Richard N. Côté

Diane Jacobs has taken the intriguing, and sometimes tragic story of Mary Wollstonecraft and turned out a riveting account of a true pioneer. Fresh and readable, the book makes use of previously unknown sources to provide a new perspective on someone who's life was even more dramatic than her important writings. Far and away the best book on Wollstonecraft. Truely enjoyable and highly recommended.

Some people write books for money or recognition - not Mike Jacobs.

His whole message - both in person and in his book - urges each one of us to "always remember, never forget," and to "never become silent or complacent." This message at first seemed somewhat obvious from what one might expect from a survivor.

But Mike has a different spin on his message: He doesn't hate, and he doesn't feel self pity. Rather, he's exhuberant in his mission to live life to its fullest, and along the way, to explain what he lived through so no one human being ever has to face it again.

His book is incredible - not just one to add to any collection; rather, your interest in a survivor's tale and triumph over such horrifying persecution should start right here with Mike. Let him tell you what really happened as he lived it first hand...and walk away with the message he lives every day to pass on to us, our children and their children.

"I was never a teenager...I lived on less than 800 calories a day...I was tortured; I was beaten; I've got scars on my face, but I always stood up. I always bounced back." Holocaust Survivor chronicles the five and a half years Mike Jacobs, founder of The Dallas Memorial Center for Holocaust Studies, spent as a youth in the ghettos and concentration camps of Poland including Auschwitz/Birkenau and Mauthausen/Gusen II. From the age of fifteen to nineteen, Mike witnessed and was subjected to horrors that no one should ever have to endure, including the infamous Death March in the dead of winter out of Auschwitz-Birkenau. He spares no detail in the retelling of the events he lived through, from the "beautiful dolls" and sadistic SS Sergeant of the Ostrowiec Ghetto, to the risky business of sabotaging the Messerschmidts he worked on as part of the camp resistance. Mike credits his survival to three things: his faith, his unfailing belief that he would one day be free, and his ability to dream. It is this underlying note of positive thinking that I think makes Mike's story different and eminently readable for all ages. Mike easily makes us believe that, despite the darkness and despair surrounding him, he did, indeed, rely on his dreams and soaring imagination to keep hope alive. His concentration camp friends thought "Mendel is getting off his rocker," but Mike felt the secret of survival was to close his eyes and soar high above the camp like a bird. "Guys, you wouldn't believe it! It was beautiful--I traveled all over the world, I was free!" This incredible story of spirit, endurance, and triumph over impossible odds is punctuated with Mike's message: "Hate breeds hate. But we cannot be silent or complacent. If we are, this can happen again." Thank you, Mike, for all the times you've spoken to my students, touched their hearts, moved them to tears, and ultimately, made them a formidable force for change.

The Hot Sauce Bottle Cookbook is a slender, 62-page booklet surveying and showcasing the top brands of hot sauces and offers recipes that are spicy and delicious. From Caribbean Pumpkin Soup, Creole Rice, and Curried Snapper with Mango Chutney, to Baked Brie with Roasted Garlic, Peachberry Salsa, and Firecracker Shrimp, this little collection will prove a kitchen shelf favorite for the adventurous family chef. Of special value are the hot sauce cooking tips on everything from "Measuring the Heat" to "Chile Versus Chili".

HOT off the presses and I do mean HOT, Linda Matthie-Jacobs turns on the heat with her latest contribution to the culinary bookshelves. Linda, author of "Light the Fire: Fiery Food with a Light New Attitude!" (previously reviewed here) as well as "The Fire 'n' Ice Cookbook: Mexican Food with a Bold New Attitude" once again shows us that she knows how to produce and package a hit!

Anyone familiar with Linda's earlier releases knows that her gorgeous cover photos grab the eye and the recipes inside her books will keep your attention once the cover has caught you! Her latest is a tribute to the myriad number of hot sauces available and the bountiful recipes that incorporate their use in places you would not have thought to look!

The book is die cut to bottle shape, just the right size to tuck into a gift bag or basket filled with fiery flavor enhancers, sauces and chiles- - the perfect gift for the person who likes it HOT! Working with Diane Dallas, President of Lost Continent Hot Sauce Traders, Linda has expanded her horizons and recipes by working with and testing the manufacturers suggested recipes as well as modifying some of her own to use hot sauces rather than fresh or dried chiles. She loved the results...and so will you!

Ten companies contributed product and recipes for this book. Each section gives background information about the product, the manufacturer, additional product lines and several recipes and ideas using the featured product. I counted 30 recipes that range from (the unexpected) "Hot Chocolate Truffles" to (the sounds more like what you were expecting) "Screamin' Beef Burritos" with salads, seafood, chicken, salad dressings and pastas included in this recipe round-up for lovers of the red hot! There were dozens and dozens of tips and ideas as well.

Don't be afraid to "sizzle"- - Linda has always said, "the heat should only accentuate, not incinerate" and that is the way that the recipes are written.

For those of you who prefer fiery, flaming, blazing, smoking, searing, and scorching- - you merely adjust the amount of hot sauce upwards to your own taste.

Linda Matthie-Jacobs the undisputed "Hot Pepper Princess" has now laid claim to the title of "Hot Sauce Sovereign" as well!

This is a wonderfully adorable book. My 2 year-old daughter loves this book and all of her magic box stories. This is one of her favorites and she especially loves the frogs and the hamster. The book is interesting and fun for her and she asks to have it read and "reads" it herself a lot. This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to teach pre-schoolers about small pets.

This is a delightful little book that helps children explore the wonderful world of pets that are small enough to live in the house. My 2 1/2 year-old granddaughter just loves them all and never tires of hearing the story - it's a daily event, in fact. Since she has seen a lot of these pets at the pet store, it makes it even more fun for her to read. A lot of discussion goes on as the story is read since the book is written to be highly interactive. The pictures are adorable and the text is interesting for curious young minds. What a fun way to help children learn and explore.

I really enjoyed I Will Bring You Back by Sue Sandidge. I found myself wondering what was going to happen next even though I had heard some of the Jacob and Joseph stories in church. I appreciated how the story was told and the explanations that are not found in the Bible. Sandidge gives the background and makes the connections that are not apparent to the casual reader and covers parts of the stories that are often skipped over in church. She tells the story in an easy to understand way and explains the social, political, and geographic relationships present in the story. This information would take a lot of time to figure out on your own, but adds meaning to the story and made me appreciate it more. When I was growing up Bible stories were always taught separately from each other and I had a hard time understanding how the stories fit together. This book makes it clear that the Bible contains not just many separate stories, but stories that connect to each other. I feel I now have a much better understanding of the relationships between Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph and a greater appreciation for the writings left to us in the Bible.

Sue Sandidge brings to life the Biblical stories of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in an engaging and highly readable recounting of their stories from the Old Testament. The lively description and discussion of their stories allows the reader to know these people and think about them in ways pertinent to our world today. This book is a "page-turner," and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in a coherent and contemporary reading of the Biblical record.

Kinnard undertakes here the highly problematic issue of vision and cognition in early Indian Buddhist Art and examines the different strategies deployed by Indian Buddhist artists to make the Buddha present through visual paradigms. Particular attention is accorded to the rare references to the making of anthropomorphic images of the Buddha in early (i.e. Theravada) and later (i.e. Mahayana) texts. Kinnard also considers the importance placed by the literature in question on the physical presence of the Buddha and the strategies implemented when that tangible presence is no longer available. Turning thereafter to the concept of "buddhanusmriti" (recollecting the Buddha), Kinnard points to the cognitive or imaginative act of "making present" the Buddha in the mind, and asserts that these various layers are contingent components for representation in the larger context of Buddhist art. An extremely insightful and incisive contribution.

Kinnard's scholarship is matched only by his charisma in this magnificent work.

Nicely written by Janet Graber and entertainingly illustrated by Sandra Salzillo-Shields, Jacob And The Polar Bears is an upbeat picture book fantasy about a young boy who loses 172 tiny polar bears from his own pajamas. The playful little bears rush outside and simply won't stop frolicking in the snow, leaving Jacob with the knotty of problem of getting them all to come back! Jacob And The Polar Bears is a merry and highly recommended winter fable for young readers.

One day, Jacob and his mother choose polar bear pajamas at a second-hand shop. The shop owner cautions Jacob of the naughtiness of his polar bears, and gives him a stuffed polar bear who will help keep them in line. That night, itching, tickling sensations awaken Jacob and he sees a bed full of tiny polar bears. Rather than coming to sleep on his pajamas, however, the playful polar bears want to go for a swim in the creek. Now Jacob and King, his stuffed polar pear, must get the 172 naughty polar bears back on his pajamas.

Young readers will love JACOB AND THE POLAR BEAR! My two-year-old audience, much younger than the recommended ages of four to eight, sat still for the entire story, mesmerized by the mischievous 172 polar bears. Indeed, my audience has asked for this story repeatedly since the first reading! A whimsical, amusing story with beautiful illustrations in which young Jacob learns the challenges of obedience, JACOB AND THE POLAR BEARS earns the WordWeaving Award for Excellence.

This book is amazing. If you find yourself on "the path," this is a must read.

This brief book combines Mysticism, Art, Genetic Manipulation, Quantum Theory and Life-Extension. Its set in the post-LSD San Francisco Bay-Area.

Our lead character is investigating an event which took place in a church he briefly rested in. This leads to denials on the part of the priest and attendees as to what really happened. The identity of the individual seems to be all over the map from a young healthy male to an aged man.

Based on a near identity supplied by the priest, a very intense, laid back but strange cast of characters emerges. These individuals are the clearing house or grades of entry to the introduction to Jacob.

Jacobs art is ethereal, primitive and psychedelic. The art is reminiscent of photo-microscopy of amebas and one celled animals. Jacobs art also has a transforming effect upon certain individuals, hence his odd assortment of acquaintances. They're not a cult following or his keepers, but are his protectors.

Michael Murphy also wrote "Golf in The Kingdom", a mystical journey through the sport of golf. His "7 Laws of Money" should be required reading in all high schools. Its a "Heroes' Journey" or guidebook on money and finance.

As opposed to your standard sci-fi or speculative fiction, Jacob Atabet crosses boundaries of science, literal self-renewal and re-invention from the parallel worlds of mysticism and the micro/macro-cosmos.

Physicist Neils Bohr had a Yin-Yang symbol in the center of his family crest, a Yantric lotus and a manta on the outer border. The family crest of a physicist? Micheal Murphy melds these 2 seemingly opposing worlds into one where birth, creation and accountability all merge within ourselves and is reflected in our waking world.

I would like to see this in print not only to replace what has recently gotten lost, but to make it available to persons I always reccommend this book to.

Apocalyptic literature is nothing new, but it has been sadly neglected in American literature. Recently, whether prompted by religious feelings, turn-of-the-millennia dread, and/or the Holy Spirit itself, we've been pleased to see a (comparative) resurgence of this ancient tradition. The closest we had to it for generations was the rise (and fall?) of science fiction, where it took a turn into dystopia and called itself cyberpunk for awhile. And of course, anything Kirbyesque in comics.

Enough of that. This is no essay; this is a review of an apocalyptic series which has only begun to find its audience.

We've only seen the first two (I want more!): Ephraim's Seed and Jacob's Cauldron. As in a popular (and sensationalistic) Protestant series' milieu, there is a wicked one world government (with the deliciously punstered name of United World Economic Order, or UWEN), an underground movement, and betrayals. There is mysticism, evil, good, and all the blends of good, evil, and apathy inherent in humans. And there is the strong running premise that humans remain a vital part of this scenario. God may be in charge, but he involves Ben, Peg, Alex, Moira, and all their buddies in the decision-making processes, enlightenment, and actual procedure. (I can't believe I wrote that sentence! Doesn't it read like an annual performance review?) In one respect, this brings more tension to the novels; any one of the characters can change, be hurt, or die - there is no feeling that any of the characters are safe.

The difference between the two series really points out an interesting difference between Protestantism and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The popular (lots of explosions) series, after initial intense despair at being "left behind," becomes a story about retribution. Pam Blackwell's Millennial Series, amidst a series of Fugitive-like escapes, is mainly about building and growing. Building and growing is much nicer and certainly more Christian - but explosions and action sequences will always sell better.

Therefore, I strongly urge all Christians (LDS or otherwise) to buy, read, and support Pam Blackwell's series. Not only is this the best researched "future history" scenario I have ever read, not only will it give good counsel for those who find themselves living in the future -- it is entirely applicable to our troubles of today.

Buy copies for yourself and give copies to friends, neighbors, and relatives. I desperately want this to be a best-seller.

Because I can't wait to find out what happens next!

I enjoyed this book as well as Pam Blackwell's first offering Ephriam's Seed. I just wish it had not been such a long wait between the books. She continues the storyline begun in the first book and one comes to understand the people involved better. It gave me a lot to think about like what my reactions to such events would be. I can't wait for the next book.

An incredible and inspiring account of one family's journey from Russia to China to the United States. This book will make you re-evaluate your priorities and your life and renew and increase your faith in God. An excellent book.

This book is one of the most inspiring and poignant tru stories I have ever read. Read it to affirm and increase your faith in God.