A Bible verse flits through your mind, but you can't remember it exactly, and you're not sure where to find it. You look in the Concordance in the back of your Bible. No help. Even the gigantic Strong's Concordance (which gives you a hernia to lift!) doesn't help because it's keyed only to the King James translation. Cruden's to the rescue! Look up a key word and you find the reference in 'most any translation. Example: you remember somewhere in Scripture the phrase, "God inhabits the praise of His people. So you look under "praise" and you find Psalm 22:3: "OH Thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." OK, so you didn't recall it quite right. Now you know. Another example: you're curious what the Bible has to say about JOY. Wow! More than 2 columns of references on joy and joyful! A Bible study in itself. As a writer, I adore this book, but anyone who loves God's word and studying it will, too.

A wonderful multidisciplinary approach which shows that Dance can be political and literary, in addition to being physical and visual. Engages the reader to consider dance and choreography in a new way -- including that there need not be an edge to the stage, i.e. that the stage can be the world so that the performance can even be the self of the "viewer."

This is the favorite raconter of millions of TV fans back in the 1950's and 60's!!The bestselling author of books such as Mine Enemy Grows Older and May This House Be Safe From Tigers!Alexander King tells you all about the women he's known,liked,loved,married-and kissed.Here they are in splendid array(and sometimes disarray):the hot tomatoes and cool chicks,the ladies,women,girls and girlies who have saunterd,stormed or slunk through Alex's Kingdom!

Alexander III is a tsar who has disappeared in history, probably because he reigned for too short a time to make much of a difference in Russian history. He ruled in between two of Russia's better known monarchs: his father was Alexander II, who freed the serfs, while his son was Nicholas II, the last tsar. Alexander III has been ill-served in biography; the sole real English-language biography of him was written in the 1890s and contains (unsurprisingly) numerous errors. Bokhanov's "Imperator Aleksandr III" fills all the gaps (although it is, alas, in Russian). Bokhanov quotes from tons and tons of letters, including Alexander's letters, those of his siblings, those of his wife, those of his children, and those of his parents, and even includes a section on Alexander's short-lived, more liberal older brother (whose fiancee he inherited). Bokhanov's scholarship and use of primary sources is, as always, fantastic. (See "The Romanovs: Love, Power, and Tragedy" in English for an example.) Lots and lots of beautiful family photos, too. A fascinating book for anyone interested in Alexander, his charming, iron-willed wife, Maria Fyodorovna, the intertwined world of late nineteenth-century royalty, or the early childhood of Nicholas II.

This book is a treasure. I'm a school librarian and discovered it on our shelves,gathering dust, last week and have been reading it to classes ever since. It tells the story of a man who needs to get an important message to the king. He appeals to various villagers and ultimately realizes that, even though he is not the smartest, the most eloquent or the strongest, the task is up to him. The story is a wonderful lesson in doing what needs to be done, regardless of our limitations or fears. I like the fact, also, that it's a story from the Middle East. Good for the kids here to see that we all grapple with the same issues and that heroes can come from far away places and places that are sometimes considered our enemies. Anyone familiar with Sufi tales will recognize the style of this story.

Amazon com. found this book quickly, it'd been out of stock although. When the book was delivered to me, it was second hand with a signature@"Mrs.xxxx in Bali in 1933." As a person making a private research on the art movement in Bali in 1920th, this book is truely great and gives me a lot of rare info about that time. It's not difficult for anyone having been to Bali, to understand the story.

This book is 100% great - it goes in to evey aspect you could want to know about the relationship of Law and medicine. Areen is a great author and continues to teach at Georgetown Law Center in D.C. - I have read this book twice - and it's just great.

Most who are familiar with the Bible are not familiar at all with the content of the major and minor prophets. The emotional impact of hearing the book of Ezekiel--especially in one sitting, which this set makes not only possible but enjoyable--is rather strong. In fact, it got me kicked out of my church, because the prophets give a sense of the extreme condition in which God finds us, and I applied it to Christendom. In this day of "luke-warmness", that did not go over too well : ) Having this set on tape gives us opportunities that otherwise simply would not be there for getting the "sense" of what's in the most-admired and least-read book in the world. I'd advise buying it if you're in doubt.

I've used the prophets as an example. My point is that there's no substitute for getting a whole book (especially the large ones) at one time. I've rated it at four stars because many of the... publishers (I don't know about this edition) to save money, cut the books into different tapes, which makes it nigh unto impossible to keep one's place...How would you like to go fast-forward and rewind for 10 minutes trying to find the beginning of Isaiah?...

Mark Vedder

This set of tapes has served me well. I listen to them in the car. I read the Bible every day, and I enjoy being able to listen to the Bible as well. I feel that the Bible is God's word, and God is the only One that can provide security and salvation for mankind. God's plan for the earth is in the Bible. The Bible is more than a history book.
Scourby provides a good voice to listen to. I highly recommend this set of tapes for anyone who enjoys listening to books on tape.

Scourby's voice was made to read the scriptures! His ability to match the tone of each passage is astounding! Without having to rely on dramatization, he is able to transport you to ancient Babylon, where Daniel is about to be thrown into the lions' den, or to Jerusalem, where 12 year-old Jesus discusses law with the priests and doctors.

Green's work on Alexander, begins with the legends about his conception, the family and culture he was born into, his early education (I learned alot here about how small the Greek world was in relation to the great minds of the era), his rise to power, the intrigue, and ultimately the military genius of such a young man.

Green does an excellent job of explaining what is known as fact, what is conjecture and what the competing opinions are. He takes historical data, legends and myths and weaves them into a comprehensive study of a historical Alexander who at times was bigger than even his legends and at times was much smaller. Green provides enough information to comprehend the world in which Alexander lived, which makes understanding the man easier.

It is truly amazing to read about these events so long ago in such a refreshing style. It amazed me at times how much Alexander's campaigns sounded like accounts of the U.S. Civil war or other "recent" military events. Alexander and Green's masterful study of the man are both GREAT!

It has been thirty years since Peter Green wrote his masterful biography of Alexander the Great. I first read this great book when I was in 9th Grade doing a report on Alexander. Years later I am still captivated by the thoroughness and detail that Green gives to Alexander.

What makes this book great is not just the immense amount of information that Green has presented. Professor Green whisks the reader away to the time of Philip and Alexander, and gives a excellent portrayal of the friction between Greece and Macedon at the time, until King Philip took power and set the stage for Alexander's conquests.

This book also contains an amazing number of characters. From Aristotle to Parmenio, Green throws in the players who shaped Alexander's life. The only problem with this is that many of the characters have the same name, and it was hard for me to sort out the names.

Green's biography almost reads like a novel, and is full of action and romance. Peter Green has written the best biography of Alexander. Hopefully, this fine book will be the definitive biography of the young man who conquered two million miles of territory and brought Greece, Persia, and India together.

This is a truly excellent biography of a near-mythical figure. First of all, this book provides a thorough review of the known history of Alexander the Great - I have no idea how someone could consider this book "fictional," as one reviewer did. What's most impressive is how Green insists on treating Alexander as a human being. An exceptional person, but still a person, motivated by human passions and concerns. Most ancient history treats its subjects like the stone statues seen in museums. But we can't forget that there were people behind the marble, and they acted like, well, people. Alexander may have considered himself chosen by the gods - and by the end, even divine himself - but Green isn't buying it. At every turn, Green insists on interpreting Alexander's actions just as he might interpret a leader's actions today. Green weighs the poltical, military, family and psychological factors that affected Alexander's decisions, and leaves divine will out of it. Some readers may be put off by Green's demythologizing. I think that Green revitalizes Alexander by restoring humanity to his myth.

Mary Renault was one of the most successful historical novelists of the 20th Century and her Alexander novels were her masterpiece. "Fire From Heaven" is the first of the trilogy that includes "The Persian Boy" and "Funeral Games", and tells us the story of Alexander the Great, one of the most fascinating and complex characters in all history, from early childhood to the age of twenty, when he succeeded his father as king of Macedon. Renault brings us into Alexander's world and presents us to him in all his multifaceted personality: his all-consuming ambition, his sensitivity, his insatiable drive for excellence, and his love-hate relationship with his father (hate inexorably, and inevitably, won out) which was so influential in shaping his character and the course of his life. Renault also brings us into the lives of Alexander's family, especially his mother Olympias, one of the most ruthless and devious characters in ancient history; totally wrapped up in her son and willing to stop at nothing to protect his interests. Olympias might have eaten Alexander alive if it hadn't been for the influence of his friend and lover Hephaistion of whom she was wildly jealous; and Renault narrates the growing affection and love between the two boys as a natural development in their lives. Homosexuality and bisexuality were normal in the ancient world (Julius Caesar himself was described by his contemporaries as "every woman's man and every man's woman") and Renault doesn't flinch at it, and neither should anyone who reads this book. Renault's greatest strength as a historical novelist was her insistence on keeping it real, which was especially difficult in writing about Alexander's early life as almost nothing is known about him before his accession; but her research into the time and the place has the feel and sense of painstaking accuracy. There is only one thing that makes me give this book four stars instead of five, and it's that, unlike her earlier novels, Renault wrote this one in the third person. It doesn't work quite as well. What was so magical about her earlier works was that when you read them in the first person, you don't just read them, you dive right into them and live them; you're right there in the middle of the action and it's totally exhilarating from the first page to the last. Reading "Fire From Heaven" is like watching the action through a clear sheet of plate glass instead of being on the other side where the action is really happening. Renault got it right in her second book, "The Persian Boy", which told about Alexander's life from his accession as king to his death at the age of 32; "Fire From Heaven" is an excellent prequel to what was to come.

Mary Renault's Alexandriad begins with "Fire From Heaven," a novel that encompasses the childhood and youth of Alexander the Great, King of Macedon and Persia. Alexander's character has fascinated historians and novelists from the time of his conquest to the present day. Currently, a movie is in the works that is said to owe much to Ms. Renault's work.

Mary Renault's love of ancient Greek culture was displayed in her previous novels, "The Last Of The Wine" and the Theseus duology, "The King Must Die" and "The Bull From The Sea." Her admiration for Alexander is also on display. Most authors of historical fiction are fond of their subjects, but the reader can tell Renault adored her chosen hero and found in him an ideal that may have been more imagined than real.

Still, Renault's work is superb. She was a master of language and craft, and her novel touches the key points of the Alexander legend without turning them into precious showpieces. (I particularly enjoyed the depiction of the taming of Boukephalos, with various characters facing different outcomes of the horse's purchase). She shines when depicting characters, and offers a fascinating interpretation of the relationship between Alexander, his father King Philip II of Macedon, and his mother, Queen Olympias.

History tells us Philip and Olympias were at war with each other until Philip was assassinated, which Olympias probably had a hand in. The war included their son, who is shown as an intelligent, preternaturally observant child who absorbs his mother's hurts and grievances well before he's old enough to understand them. Alexander is never allowed to be at peace as far as his loyalty to either parent is concerned; torn between a father who resents any resemblance in him to his mother, and a mother who has made him her defender and prize, Alexander's mystical bent is made plausible as the defense of a child who literally had no one else but God (or in his case, the gods) to turn to. A psychiatrist would have had a field day with the entire family, let alone with Alexander himself.

Perhaps Renault wanted to show Alexander as being able to rise above the turmoil his household was in, but she doesn't dwell on his vulnerability. That is a weakness in this book; Alexander is brilliant and bright, but rarely falls or missteps. The one time he makes a true mistake, leading to the arrest of a friend, is a scene of white-hot intensity, including the aftermath of the scene. If Renault had shown more of Alexander's weaknesses--his humanity--this book would have been a scorching testament to the beginnings of this complex man.

It is still a very good novel, particularly when Hephaistion enters Alexander's life. The man who may or may not have been Alexander's lover is portrayed as that by Renault, and her reasons are as good as any to believe the two men were lovers. Hephaistion is written well here, as the person Alexander trusted more than anyone, and who did all he could to deserve that trust. His single-minded devotion is a little annoying--surely Renault could have had him win an argument once instead of always giving in?--but Hephaistion still draws much sympathy, in light of all he goes through in order to remain at Alexander's side.

Renault wrote good battle scenes, and the Battle of Cheironeia (Chaeronea) is one of her best efforts. So, too, are the snippets from the Thracian wars and the Argive revolt in which Alexander saved his father's life (although the language is a little high-flown in the last). She had an eye for telling detail, making the reader visualize an entire scene from one small description. Two wonderful examples would be the aftermath of Cheironeia and the assassination of Philip.

I recommend "Fire From Heaven" because it's a beautifully written book and its history is portrayed with accuracy and skill. It's not quite as good as its successors, "The Persian Boy" and "Funeral Games," but it's like comparing fine apples to equally high-quality oranges. Enjoy it.

Fire from Heaven is the historical novel of Alexander the Great's life from his birth through the death of his father when Alexander was a young man. The focus of the book is on the development of the man's character and skills as a leader, displayed both in the context of his war experiences and his family.

One of the repeating themes in literature and biography is the difficulty that eldest sons have in succeeding in their fathers' eyes. Alexander the Great was a notable historical exception to the usual rule. His father was exceptionally able, and united the Greeks prior to his assassination. Alexander was a greater man, and this book explores the development of their relationship amid the backdrop of court intrigues and Hellenic politics. Plutarch's Lives is the primary source for Fire from Heaven, but Mary Renault has drawn from other post-Alexander sources to weave a compelling historical novel of what it might have been like back in Pella.

The Macedonians had a number of habits that some would be uncomfortable with today. These behaviors included killing as a rite of manhood, slavery, taking physical advantage of weaker people, plundering, polygamy, open bi-sexual relationships, raiding neighbors for pecuniary advantage, and sacrificing of animals to the gods. If any of these things distress you, this may not be the novel for you. These behaviors play a big role in the story.

Alexander's father and mother did not see eye-to-eye. Part of the reason was that his mother was probably overly politically ambitious. Another part of the reason was the his father rarely saw a beautiful young person he did not find attractive, and he was a man to act on his impulses. The book explores how Alexander developed his independence of character and action from both of his parents.

Much of the novel can only be guess-work, but the record is fairly clear that Alexander was able to command respect as a field commander by the time he was only 16. He also displayed a dislike for taking the easy way out, so his many principled stands make sense. The book also looks into his relations with his friends and colleagues, and leaves it open as to whether these were sexually chaste relations or not. The author's note leaves it up to you to decide what his preferences really were.

The book was most appealing to me before Alexander was butting heads with his father. One of the most revealing episodes though is one where Alexander saves his father's life, and his father pretends to be ignorant of the fact. Actually, their relations were probably harmed by this, because it made them into peers before they were ready to accept one another in that way.

If you are like me, you will find it intriguing that it could be difficult to be the son of a successful king, even if you are about to conquer the known world on your own. It was also interesting to read about what it might have been like to have had Aristotle as a tutor. The sections about Demosthenes also added to my appreciation of the role of an orator in Athens at the time.

If you are not fascinated by Alexander, you will probably grade this book down to about three stars. If you would like to understand Alexander a little better, you will find the insights here more accessible than Plutarch's and the novel to be very interesting. If you want to learn about military strategy, this book will be a one star effort for you.

After you finish reading the book, I suggest that you think about what kinds of experiences can help form the character of your children in positive ways. I also hope you will learn from the example here to let the relationship evolve easily as your children become ready for more responsibility.

Help your child create an inner spur to be the finest person of character your child can be!