I guess that I'm not a scientist. I never quantified my distractibility etc... (although my old school records could probably show statistics). All I can say is that I was diagnosed ADD a couple years ago, but I didn't realized the cause and effect of ADD. For every action there is an equal and oppisite reaction. By being distracted, I was punished in my youth (or other problems). I guess I could add a chapter in the book myself. Because of being undiagnosed and uneducated regarding ADD, my life was not all that it will be. For those who don't have ADD they may not relate. How can you describe the taste of butter to someone if they have never tasted butter. It's kind of rich, and salty, creamy, I have no scientific proof, but it is describe that way by so many...(they would not understand). In reading this I felt like I was more like part of a club, rather then an outcast. I only got about half way through, and honestly I was a bit sad or scared. You see it was sort of a challange for me to figure out why I was the way I was. It was the additional "ball to juggle" which was manifested from this problem. I'm a bit afraid to finish the rest of the book. If the rest of the book answers the rest of any remaining questions that I have, then what would I do to fill the large gap of 'searching for answers' which has consumed such a large portion of my life. But I will finish the book. I imagine that I will always have some questions.
I don't know who said
"A moment of realization is worth a thousand prayers"
but it rings home for me.

Good luck

I am a MFCC intern working with children and adolescents with ADD and also have relatives with ADD. I cannot express how wonderful this book is. It's so easy to read and it's very informative and filled with great factual information as well as case studies. I learned a lot from this book and find it to be one of the most helpful books on this subject. It should be the textbook in schools for those learning about this subject!

WOW! I am happy to say that after reading this wonderful book, that I am not manic-depressive as an immediate family member had me convinced my entire life. Well-meaning advice sometimes spoken out of anger and frustration over the ADD behavior I displayed throughout the years, but WRONG! I found myself on all the pages, 100%, where as most of the self-help books I have read over the years to deal with myself, was at 50%. This book exactly detailed my life. I just wish it had come along sooner; I could have averted a lot of damage to myself and family. My mother suggessted it, who by the way was not the family member who had me incorrectly diagnosed, - Thank you, mom - and just in time too, since I had given up on me and my life, of trying to make things happen and just plain work. I have scheduled an appointment to have myself clinically diagnosed and I am looking forward to accepting and living my new and uniquely gifted life. Wahoooo!

Lord Dunsany is acknowledged by many, including leading authors (from W.B. Yeats and Lovecraft to top writers of today) as one of the greatest contributors to the field of modern fantasy. Sadly, many of his works have been allowed by publishers to slip out of print and many readers today have never had the chance... This book is one of his best and anyone who enjoys fantastic fiction, myth or legend should try it. The story has such power, is written so lyrically, is woven so richly, that there can be few comparisons. You care about the people, you can see the realms before you. There is depth and complexity, joy and heartbreak, detail and sweeping vision, and a leavening of humour (some supplied by the people of the land but especially by the troll... and no, this is not some stereotypical "bad guy on a bridge"). For style and reach, few can touch Dunsany. Don't miss out - and when you've read this book, try "The Charwoman's Shadow", also reprinted. For something different, there's a whole alternate mythology in "The Complete Pegana" and some truly outstanding short stories in "The Hashish Man" - and keep an eye out for any other Dunsany works. Maybe even write or e-mail a publisher or two to look for more...

I am a fanatic of fantasy, but after reading Lord Dunsany i felt ashamed of never reading more of his works. I read once in a while short stories from him on fantasy compilations, but to be honest i never felt interested. Now i am hooked and have to search for more of his works. The King of Elfland's Daughter is a faery tale as it should be. Lord Dunsany weaves a wonderful story of love that is destined to fail, of never ending sunset lands, of princes on magical quests, of witches and of hunting magical creatures. Every word on this work has a meaning and a lyricism to it that you could almost taste them like in a poem. What really amazed me is the simplicity and shortness of a really epic story, in present times, this one book would have been done in a trilogy. And instead of falling to the temptation of overextending the plot, Dunsany advances masterfully at every chapter, every page is important and you will feel it as your eyes fly across the words. A must have for fantasy lovers everywhere.

When Terry Goodkind's "Soul of the Fire" - part of one of those multi-volume "epic" fantasy series so popular these days - was not yet released, Amazon readers had already posted a few hundred reviews of the book, almost all of which rated it at 5 stars. None of them had read a word of what they were reviewing, but that didn't stop them.

At the time of writing this, there are just a handful of reviews of Dunsany's "The King of Elfland's Daughter", which was first published in 1924 and which is one of the true classic fantasies of all time. And I doubt a great number will follow.

That's fashion for you.

Still, in about twenty or thirty years from now, I very much doubt if a lot of fantasy afficianados will be able to remember Terry Goodkind at all (let alone "Soul of the Fire"). But I do know that they'll remember Dunsany. As they will William Morris, E.R. Eddison, C.S. Lewis, and - of course - J.R.R. Tolkien.

You see, these are the original masters of fantasy. A lot of good - at times great - fantasy has been written since then (writers like Patricia McKillip, Stephen Donaldson, Ursula LeGuin, Guy Gavriel Kay come to mind), but these are the Old Ones. The ones, if you like, Who Knew What They Were Talking About.

To explain (in the case of Dunsany): a few years back, when in Ireland, I tried to visit the Dunsany ancestral home (yes, this is real aristocracy). I remember asking a local farmer for directions; then, after a little searching, I found a secluded gateway. I drove up the lane, crowded with trees, turned right - and there it was. One of the most beautiful and hospitable - and very real - castles you could imagine. And it suddenly dawned on me: if you lived in such a place - if your family had, for generations, lived in such a place, in such a troubled country, with so much pain and turmoil - you probably couldn't help but turn to some sort of fantasy. And that fantasy couldn't help but be more true than what all of us could come up with, munching our microwaved Internet dinners before flickering monitors and filing billion dollar law suits against any company that produces potentially harmful products.

Not knowing where it came from, it's easy for us to try to decide what good fantasy is - it seems we don't even need to read to book to review it - but we might do well do realise, every now and then, that some of it was written with a far greater perspective than we could aspire to.

In the end, "The King of Elfland's Daughter" is one of the masterpieces of early fantasy. It takes a little getting used to - like Henry James, for example - but if you like fantasy fiction at all, you must read this book. It is one of the very few fantasy books that if worth just about any price you pay for it.

One final remark: an absolutely excellent collection of Dunsany's shorter fiction was recently published by Victor Gollancz under the title "Time And The Gods" (Fantasy Masterworks Series). As far as I know, this has not been published in the US, but you should be able to get it from Amazon.co.uk. Buy it immediately; these stories will probably be out of print again very soon.

Inherit the Wind is good entertainment... but it's entertainment, and only loosely based on facts. Read this book, if you're interested in the true story of the Scopes trial.

This book is roughly divided into 3 sections. 1., the time before the trial, political and social context, and the people involved. 2. The trial itself, and 3. after the trial, the appeals, and some comments on modern-day Dayton, TN.

The background information is the largest section of this book, and is the most valuable. It's interesting to hear who William Jennings Bryan was as a person, how the ACLU became involved, the personalities of Scopes, Darrow, Bryan, as well as the other lawyers involved, the citizens of Dayton, and the judge. You will understand that contrary to the popular view that Scopes was harassed by the religious folk in town, he volunteered to take part, for the sole purpose of testing the anti-evolution law that had just hit the books. You will read how Darrow and Bryan both expanded the issues in the trial, so that religion and evolution became the focus of the trial, instead of simpler questions about what can be taught in school, and educational freedoms. The latter is what the ACLU was testing, although the former became the scope of the trial, much to their chagrin.

The trial and wrap-ups were also interesting. I was a bit disappointed that the trial description was so short, relatively. I would have liked to read more transcripts of it, hence the 4 stars instead of 5.

Overall, a fascinating and educational book, that is still relevant today. The issues discussed in the Scopes trial are prevalent in modern society, and played out daily in our classrooms.

It is incredibly ironic that the Scopes trial, promised by both the prosecution and the defense to be a battle for the truth, is represented in popular & religious culture and, most unfortunately, taught in classrooms in a largely false manner. This book won the Pulitzer Prize in History for good reason; it is the first (and best) attempt to accurately reflect not only the Scopes trial but also the events before it and the three-quarters worth of a century that followed.

As one who fell asleep while trying to watch "Inherit the Wind," I find the truth far more rivetting. The bredth of the defense team.. and the strong convictions and performances of Arthur Garfield Hays and Dudley Field Moore are entirely bypassed in popular history.

The only fault with the work is Larson's apparent effort to be so objective that no one is offended. This causes him to refrain from defending Darrow from years of attacks for his "cross-examination" (outside the presence of the jury and ultimately stricken from the record) of Bryan. The prosecution-- and Bryan in particular-- had promised/threatened/guaranteed a showdown.. to prove that evolution was false, especially if one accepts a literal reading of the bible. The reason Bryan was called to the stand and Darrow was able to question him as he did without the jury present is because the PROSECUTION changed strategies. Unable to find a single competent scientist to support its view, the prosecution was forced to argue against Malone's efforts to show that christianity and evolution were compatable. By keeping out the evidence of the defense's religious and scientific experts, the only defense left was to demostrate the absurdity of Bryan particular views. Though Darrow no doubt enjoyed it, his treatment of Bryan was the third line of defense, not the first.

The manipulation of the facts surrounding Scopes and a rise in the number of so-called scientists pushing creationism demonstrates that, in spite of our supposed rapid intellectual growth as a nation, there are more individuals than ever willing to say, do, or believe whatever will give them control, power, or money. It is a shame that after more than 75 years, Bryan would today have no trouble finding an "expert" witness.

It's one of the defining scenes of our century. The young science teacher, John Scopes, is chased from his class by a rabid bunch of anti-evolutionists. He's thrown in jail and a show trial is set up to punish him. Then Clarence Darrow arrives ... the white knight for science and rationalism. In a brilliant oration he destroys the older fundamentalist, William Jennings Bryan, exposing him as a fool and winning the case, making the world free for evolution. One small problem.

The truth is nothing like that happy story. What you're thinking of is the plot of Inheirit the Wind, a second-rate movie that used the Scopes trial to dramatize the McCarthy hearings. Spencer Tracy and Gene Kelley weren't in Dayton for the trial, and what really happened was far from black and white.

But in the hands of Edward Larson, it's also far more interesting. Larson's book, Summer for the Gods is a brialliantly reasoned look at what led to the trial, the trial itself, and its continuing impact on society. (Okay, on American society ... but it's still interesting.) Larson manages a tremendously difficult task: he manages to be unbiased and dispassionate without becoming dull. And he walks the line masterfully. There were times when I couldn't honestly say whose "side" Larson was on ... which is kind of the point. I read a lot of history, and it's very seldom I come across something that's so even-handed. Which would be a triumph in itself, even if it weren't so darn readable. For the rest of the review, visit my web page at exn.net/printedmatter

David McCullough's Pulitzer prize winning biography of John Adams is exhaustively researched and authoritatively written. It is certainly worthy of the critical acclaim it has received, if for no other reason than that it focuses a much deserved spotlight on the life and accomplishments of one of America's most important historical figures, who for whatever reason had until now remained in relative obscurity compared to his contemporaries such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. McCullough, who previously won the Pulitzer for his biography of Harry Truman, more than does justice to his subject. In 650 pages, he examines Adams' life from his birth in Massachusetts to a humble farming family through to his death at the age of 89, highlighting not only the major accomplishments of Adams' lengthy and illustrious political career but also his personal and family relationships. This book, in fact, is not only a biography; it is also an excellent historical appraisal of the early years of our newly-founded republic, and will be appreciated by lovers of history as well as avid biography readers.

McCullough draws on the thousands of letters written and received by Adams throughout his life as the basis for much of his research. During his long separations from his wife, Abigail, they wrote each other often and shared extensive political ruminations as well as intimate feelings. Adams also corresponded for much of his life with Jefferson and several other lesser-known political figures. These letters provide a wealth of information about his life and allow McCullough to paint a rich tapestry of Adams' life. We learn of Adams' early life, his education at Harvard, and his initial forays into the world of politics as an ardent support of American independence from Britain, then follow him to Europe where he honed his diplomacy skills while negotiating peace with Britain, and later vital loans for the new republic from the Netherlands. But without doubt the most impressive writing covers his years as vice-president and then president, giving great attention to the political rivalries and intrigues of the day.

Even educated, knowledgeable readers will find this book worthy of close reading. It explores in detail the peaks and valleys of Adams' relationship with Jefferson, a close friend at times but also a political rival. It also gives close study to the behind-the-scenes machinations and back-stabbings of Alexander Hamilton, whom McCullough portrays as a political miscreant and manipulative opportunist. And it more than does justice to the loving, respectful relationship between Adams and his wife and children.

If there is one potential criticism of this book, it is that McCullough may have seen Adams through slightly rose-colored glasses. And how could this not be the case, given that so much of the primary-source material available to researchers consists of Adams' own reflections and ruminations? Perhaps John Adams was as remarkable, respectable, and honorable a man as this book makes him seem, but he was certainly unpopular for much of his career and at times ridiculed by well-admired thinkers and government leaders. Granted, these opposing views are fairly presented, but only after McCullough has portrayed Adams in such a positive light that it is only natural for the reader to view his critics as less impressive players driven by jealousy and ego more than altruistic intentions.

David McCullough has written the Adams biography that finally does our second president justice. Adams' reputation as obnoxious, vain, and disliked by his peers has for many years overshadowed the accomplishments of the man. The truth is, the United States owes a greater debt of gratitude to Adams than most people realize. McCullough chronicles Adams' tireless service to the cause of liberty and his considerable role in structuring a representative republic. Without Adams' hand, the United States as we know it today may be a quite different nation than it is. Such was the influence of Adams, and we can thank McCullough for revealing to us the actual greatness of the man.

The John and Abigail Adams union is perhaps the greatest political love story in US history. McCullough understands and appreciates the role that Abigail played in John Adams' life and career, and he devotes a good portion of the book to Abigail's influence on her husband. Abigail was not a highly educated woman, but her common sense and intelligence, as well as her devotion to her "dearest friend", reveal her to be woman ahead of her time. It is difficult to imagine John Adams without Abigail, especially after reading this book.

McCullough is a responsible historian, and in being so he refuses to whitewash his subjects. He does not deify Adams; he shows us his flaws as well as his attributes. Adams was human, subject to the same imperfections as anyone. This truth, however, allows readers to marvel at Adams' accomplishments even more. After all, that which may be simple for a god to accomplish can require a superhuman effort for a mortal to achieve, and Adams' list of achievements is long and impressive.

McCullough's "John Adams" is a well-researched and thorough biography, yet it is anything but dry. The author has the rare gift of capturing on paper all that is exciting about history, something to which readers of his previous books about the building of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Panama Canal can attest. McCullough reinforces the notion that the world's greatest stories are the true stories, and that our great historians can be our best storytellers.

An excellent historical biography of a man who played such an important role in the founding of this country. As one whose education and backgroud is in science and technology and who is not well schooled in history I especially appreciated David McCullough's writing style. This book is not a dry, historical chronology but an entertaining and informative accounting of a man's life and the people and events surrounding it. This is about John Adams the man. His accomplishments, his failures, his strengths, his weaknesses and not just what he did but how he thought and felt about people and events. While not a detailed chronicle of the revolutionary war it gave me a new appreciation of what overwhelming odds the fledgling American military faced against Great Britian. It was also interesting to read how congress in the 18th century was just as ineffective, divided along party lines and corrupt as it is today.

The acknowledgements and bibliography sections give one a sense of the extensive research Mr. McCullough put into the writing of this book adding credibility that this is a factual acounting which, for a "technocrat" like me, was another reason I enjoyed the book so much.

Well, I hate to be the wet blanket who gives this production less than glowing reviews, but here goes: I am a loyal fan of Crossing Over and am tremendously impressed by John Edward's ability. However, I've got to say that I find this 6-volume cassette compilation filled with way too much fluff: the first side of each of the cassettes uses up only about 1/2 of the tape. You then must fast forward through the remaining 1/2 of blank tape, and flip it over to the second side, where the practical exercises begin. This is wasteful and a pain. My best estimate is that the entire set could easily have been condensed into two - perhaps three - tapes total. To you, the consumer, it means that you've just spent a whole lot more money than actually necessary on blank and worthless tape. Tapes 3 and 4 do contain fairly valuable information and follow-up exercises. Tapes 1, 2, 5 and 6 provide some interesting background and John's personal anecdotes, but probably not much use to anyone who has a reasonable grounding in subjects psychic. For the sake of Tapes 3 and 4, the investment was not a total loss, but a costly enterprise nevertheless.

I purchased these tapes several months ago and have followed them very closely. Not only have I experienced greater relaxation, I have experienced more awareness of myself and my emotions. John's voice is easy to listen to which makes the relaxation techniques very pleasant to follow. It is great to actually to know what he looks like because when you are one on one on the tapes, it is very easy to visualize him walking you through the exercises. John is a gift to this earth and we should appreciate him for how precious his words really are. If you buy these tapes, you will not be disappointed, you'll be enriched for years to come.

If you have ever had psychic experiences (I've had them constantly since I was a kid with no idea what was going on) and want to develop them further, look no further, these are the tapes for you. John does an excellent job of teaching you how to prepare your physical body to relax so that the inner workings of your mind or soul, can develop. I truly wish I would have gotten these tapes when he first made them available. How many other true mediums are willing to help others develop what we are starting to recognize? In educating us, John also answers numerous questions we all have, including things that religion teaches us is "taboo" simply because we don't understand what they really are, such as psychic tools. If it weren't for John, I wouldn't be inviting those back whom I turned away years ago (begging them to leave me alone, because I was scared) and didn't know what was happening to me. Now thanks to him and his tapes, I am educated on what's going on and what my choices are. Since you're probably wondering about the title of this rating, here's your answer: I get stressed alot, have a lot of responsibility with my job and my family and I know when I get really stressed out, instead of promising myself a rich dessert once I get through this or that, I look forward to rewarding myself with listening to one of my favorite tapes in this series, or if you will, my "dessert". I always fall asleep and when I wake up (hearing John count me back), I feel so good! I'm ready to go again. If you think you're going to purchase them then make yourself copies and put the originals on an auction site--think again, you won't want to let these tapes go, trust me! I highly recommend these tapes. Buy them, you will be glad you did. Take care everyone & be good to each other.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is one of the most clever and entertaining books yet written. The author's use of language is extremely appealing to the younger readers. These young readers are attracted to this book because of the author's use of many songs. For instance the lullaby sung by the duchess to her child. The Mock Turtle also sang to Alice and the Gryphon a song about the Lobster Quadrille. The author also uses poems that are entertaining and fun to listen to. "You are Old Father William" is one of the many poems. Not only does the author use poems but she also uses commonly known poems and changes the words to fit the character saying them. For instance the Mad-Hatter sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in different words saying "Up above the world you fly, Like a tea-tray in the sky." If this isn't a unique way of writing I dont know what is. Another style of her writingthat is appealing is when she creates a picture, using words in a poem, about the poem. Yhis is used on page 37. The words in the book are nbot hard so the book can be enjoyable when it is being read, not stressful. The author brings animals to life which is an interesting style of writing. This is Lewis Carroll's style of writing. The main character in this book is a little girl with blonde hair named Alice. This child is full of fantasies and dreams, which is what the book is about. Alice is very curious and likes to know every little detail. She thinks she is very smart. For example, when Alice is listening to the Dormouse's story she asks questions like "What did they live on," and makes smart comments such as "They could'nt have done that you know, they'd have been ill." She is also a little bit bratty, especially to the Dormouse when she says: "Nobody asked your opinion." These characteristics pull together to make an interesting main character and to create a fabulous story. The theme of the story is sometimes you need to take a break out of every day life and dream of fantasize. This makes your life more interesting even if you dream about things that will never come true. Alice does this when she dreams about changing sizes and listening to talking animals. Dreaming doesn't hurt anyone except the people who don't do it. If nobody ever had dreams life would be extremely stressful and boring. The plot of the story is all about Alice trying to find the white rabbit, which of course is in her dream. Following the white rabbit takes ALice to interesting places, such as the Courtroom filled with animals, and the Duchess' house, along with meeting interestingpeople such as the Cheshire-Cat and the Queen. This amazing cat hes the ability to disappear whenever it wants to and it always smiles. In the end Alice finds the white rabbit and then wakes up from her dream. This is the plot of the story. The story is effective to the reader. This is so because after listening to such acreative dream and fantasy, it inspires people to take a little time out of the day and be creative and dream once in a while. All the parts of this five star story; the writer's style, the main character, the theme, and the plot; come together to create the overall effectiveness of the story. This is why I rated this book five stars.

I really like Alice in Wonderland and its sequel because it is so whimsical. The way Dodgson made fun of Alice so much makes one laugh until tears come pouring down. He based the character Alice, on his friend; a real life Alice. Throughout the book, he constantly makes references to her, or something related to her. For example, when a character asks her the exact day Alice replies May 4th. May 4th is the real life Alice's birthday. Alice walks through Wonderland, and she sees many strange things, but thinks otherwise. If you like poems, you will certainly like Alice in Wonderland and its sequel, for both books contain numerous poems. However, in the book Carroll takes the original poems and creates a parody out of them. Something interesting to know is that all the poems relate to the chapters. These are all minor details, but something to muse over. On the surface, Alice in Wonderland is a book where she meets weird creatures and walks away from them always feeling humiliated, as she thinks she is smarter than she really is. That is most of Alice in Wonderland.

Alice through the Looking Glass is similar to the prequel, yet glaringly different. The whole book revolves around a chess game, and so the character's actions correspond to moves on the chessboard. Alice joins in the game, starts out as a white pawn, and proceeds to move until she becomes a queen. At each square, she meets a new character, but in one chapter, characters from the previous book are in this one too. An important thing to know in this famous classic is that everything is backwards. It makes sense since Alice is on the other side of a mirror, yet she encounters difficulty sometimes in understanding this. But in the end, she manages to become a queen and to checkmate the red king. Both books are very enjoyable, and I strongly advocate both children and adults to read it. Enjoy!! Cheers!!!!! : )

When I was assigned Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass to read for my Victorian Literature class, I was excited. Even though I had heard Alice's Adventures in Wonderland referred to countless times throughout my youth, I had never read the story or seen the movie. I had never heard of Through the Looking Glass, but while reading, I realized that many people who think they are talking about AAIW are actually referring to TTLG. The two texts seem to be conflated in a way that makes them indistinguishable from each other. It is for this reason that I enjoyed reading this edition of the texts. There is only a page separating the two stories, which allows the reader to easily make the transition between them. This small separation also allows the reader to recognize the undeniable connection between the texts and to understand why many people combine them in their minds.
AAIW is about a young girl named Alice whose boring day with her sister is interrupted when a white rabbit runs by her saying, "Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" Alice's curiosity is aroused, but surprisingly not to a great degree. This is the first hint to the reader that Alice is not an average child, as she seems to believe that a talking rabbit is quite normal. She does become intrigued, though, when the rabbit produces a clock from his pocket, so she follows it down its hole and enters a world of wonder. I loved the story from this point on. It is filled with such unbelievable creatures and situations, but Carroll's writing style made me want to believe in a world that could be filled with so much magic and splendor. There was never a dull moment in the story, and each page was filled with more excitement. I will offer a warning, though. This story is not for those who like a neatly packaged plotline. It is written in a somewhat discontinuous nature and seems to follow some sort of dream logic where there are no rules. However, I enjoyed the nonsensical pattern. Without it, a dimension of the story would be lost. It offers some insight into the mind of a young, adventurous, fearless girl, and Carroll seems to be challenging his readers to be more like Alice.
The second text in this book, TTLG, is again a story about Alice. In this adventure, Alice travels through a wondrous world on the other side of her looking glass. As in AAIW, Alice again encounters absurd creatures, such as live chess pieces and talking flowers. The land she travels through is an oversized chessboard, which gives this story a more structured plot than AAIW. The chess theme provides Alice with sense of what she must accomplish in the looking- glass world, and it provides the reader with a sense of direction throughout the story. Alice's goal is to become a chess queen, so the reader knows that when she becomes queen, the story will be over. However, just because the story has some structure does not mean that it is not just as wild and marvelous as its predecessor. I enjoyed all of the characters. They seem to have an endless supply of advice that people in the 21st century can still learn from. My favorite example is when the Red Queen says, "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" Maybe what Carroll is suggesting is that if we read more nonsensical, unbelievable stories like his, we won't be so afraid to be adventurous and fearless like Alice; so that the next time a white rabbit runs by us, we might just see where it leads us.

First of all, I must state that I really enjoyed this book. As a watcher of John's "Crossing Over" show, I was already familiar with how he works. He is very consistant whether on the written page or on TV. So, is this real contact with those who have died, or is it a very convincing act?

I try to keep an open mind but still retain a measure of skepticism. I'd like to believe in it 100% because it diminishes some of the queasiness/discomfort/fear/sorrow most people feel when contemplating the pain that the death of a loved one would cause, or has already caused. But I don't believe I've ever experienced anything (yet) that would convince me that this is really how life and death work. I've never been tempted to see a psychic or medium. But since reading the book and watching John's show, I'm getting more and more curious.

If you want to get a review of the book itself, here goes: The writing style is easy to read and generally flows pretty well. The stories John relates are often heartbreaking. There are also a number of lighter/amusing stories. If you maintain an open mind, you'll either enjoy the book as captivating entertainment, or, as an actual account of the extremely special abilities that John has. Either way it's a good read. I even read large portions aloud to my wife so we could both enjoy it together.

On the other hand, if you're absolutely convinced that John is a charlatan who rips off hurting, gullible people, don't bother yourself with this book. Similarly, if you truly believe that what John does is satanic or evil then you really will hate this book. If you're just not sure and are willing to keep an open mind, you'll probably enjoy the book as much as I did. While I won't be fully convinced without personally experiencing this kind of thing, I guess I'd like to believe...

What the heck - buy it!

John, if you are reading this review, keep up the good work. You bring a lot of relief to people who are in pain. Do the ends justify the means? Well, sometimes maybe they do.

I have to admit that I watched his show, Crossing Over, only once. It was strange, watching a psychic pick people out of a crowd. The show left me wondering how he kept himself focused and how he managed to single out one person at a time.
That one episode intrigued me enough to buy the book, and I was glad that I did. He comes across as down to earth in his book as he does on his show. That makes the book very easy to read and understand.
One Last Time touches everything about his life--his relationship with his family, his healthy skepticism about talking to people from the Other Side, his career in the medical field, his religious faith, and the cases he has experienced. I almost felt like I was there as I was reading the pages, he writes so well.
I was especially touched by Andrew and Mikey, who both died in accidents. Their cases resonated with love and caring for their families. I felt empathy for Mr. Edward when he worried about how his mediumship would affect his standing in the Catholic faith. What impressed me the most about One Last Time was that it wasn't filled with the typical "harps, chariots, and beyond-beautiful" picture of the Other Side like I've read in other celebrity psychic books. He talks about the Other Side as being an infinite place that is full of love and a place where souls can evolve.
He explains what happens to people who commit suicide. Being a survivor, that was especially comforting. At the end, he tells us how we can tap into our own spiritual awareness.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has an interest in spirituality and anyone who has lost someone close to them. One Last Time is a message of hope.

One last time ... I don't read many books but I am really intrigued by John Edward abilty to hear messages from loved ones, friends, animals who have crossed over. He is the most honest,down to earth person as a psychic that you can seek to hear a reading from. If you have seen his show on the scifi channel you can see that he really wants to help people to give and a chance for healing in a passing of a loved one for one last time. I have found his book to give me a better understanding that there is life after we crossed over. and that we will be happy on the other side. so we can see ourselves helping the people in our lives cope in moving on when our or their time will come. I hope that readers will benefit from this and give John the avenue to keep doing this for years to come ... I cannot wait for him to come more things on his ability to hear from those who crossed over.. the most honest book there is !!get this you will not be sorry !!! One last time is all you may have !!!

This book is the story of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Not the assassination that they teach in the history books but a much more in depth view of the conspirators that were involved. Most people don't know that the Federal Government actually arrested ten people for the conspiracy and assassination and hung four along with killing John Wilkes Booth during the man hunt. The conspirators were tried by a military tribunal and not in civilian courts.

This book goes very in depth at the contacts and relationships that these conspirators had. The countryside is discussed as well as events leading up to and after the shooting. It talks of previous plots of the Confederacy to kidnap Lincoln and of the Federals to kidnap Jefferson Davis. The book did, at times, read a little like a history book. So much detail that it seemed to drag in spots but only for short periods before it revived itself.

This is a very good book that students of history will love. That Civil War buffs will enjoy also. It is more of a book for high schoolers and up as at times it is tedious because it has so much information to process. Overall, I enjoyed it greatly. But then again, I love history. Check it out, see what you think.

Kudos to Mr. Steers for writing a well-docmuented historical account that reads like a nightmarish novel. For anyone with an interest in the US Civil War era or President Lincoln, I would rate this book as a "must have." The book has a fascinating account of the assassination conspiracy; the length (over time) of the conspiracy and the direct involvement of the Confederate government in the conspiracy were surprises. Whenever Steers makes assumptions, he plainly states the bases for those assumptions; and, they make sense given the materials he cites. I did wind up wanting to know more about the Confederate Secret Service and its Union counterpart; and, more about their roles in the Civil War generally. Treatment of this subject in Steers' book was more than adequate for the topic of Steers' book, though. Very enjoyable (allowing for the overwhelming sadness of the topic) and informative reading!

This book was obviously well researched. Steers fluently documents the series of events surrounding the Lincoln assasination. His telling of events is easy to follow. After reading this book, I have a better understanding of the people involved in the conspiracy and the roles they played in carrying out this tragic event in American history. This is definitely a book you want to buy for your Lincoln bookshelf. Steers paints a clear picture of the Lincoln assasination, however for a truly enjoyable companion read, I would suggest "Lincoln Assasination" by Swanson and Weinberg. The high quality photos in the Swanson/Weinberg book enhance your undersatnding of the events told by Steers. The two books bring the story to life!

John Edward's personality shines through in his new book "Crossing Over: The Stories Behind the Stories." Readers of his first book, "One Last Time" will notice a bit of a shift in content. "Crossing Over" is chock-full of information about John's path into the public eye as opposed to the consecutive chapters of readings "One Last Time" contained. More importantly, it is written in a fashion that allows the reader to understand "at what price fame" and enables them to see that no matter where you are in your spiritual growth, there is always something new to learn and experience.

If you have been watching "Crossing Over with John Edward" on the Sci-Fi Channel since the first episode aired, you will be familiar with many of the readings mentioned in the book and enjoy the extra background. They are distributed throughout the narrative of his journey from everyday psychic medium to his present status of world-wide acclaim which the show has brought to John and his message.

This book is a MUST PURCHASE for any fan of John Edward or his show. It is full of behind the scenes information and gives a history of how "Crossing Over with John Edward" came to be. In addition, John shares his invaluable spiritual insights and infectious humorous sarcasm. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and when you get to the end you'll be looking for the new release date of his next book.

If this is your first visit into the realm of John Edward's works, I recommend you purchase "One Last Time" as well and finish it before delving into his latest work. "Crossing Over" is a little heavier read due to the nature of material discussed, such as the Leon Jaroff incident and other negative media events John has been faced with. [Note from Reviewer: The March 5, 2001 issue of Time Magazine tried to pass off an article by Leon Jaroff which was an obvious plagiarism of an "Inside Edition" segment on John Edward almost word for word.]

In this book, John recounts his early struggles into show business. He talks about the incredible hurdles he had to go through to create the television show "Crossing Over."

As in his first book, John writes about the incredible series of coincidences and synchronicity he experienced. Things just fell into his lap in his quest to create the show. He also gives great insights into his experiences with the nay-sayers, and how they really pounced on him when he became famous.

The best thing about John's books are the stories of the people he meets. There were several touching stories; a tragic love story involving an unsolved murder, and how that love between the two people literally broke the barriers of heaven and earth.

Another story about a loveable old man named Carl Perkins, who wrote "Blue Suede Shoes" which launched Elvis' career. Carl was a very humble human being who was taken advantage of financially many times, but his passion for life and music lit up all those around him, including his close friend Paul McCartney.

There were several other stories, but I remember these two in particular. They are powerful, moving stories that touch upon the very essence of life itself, the reason why we even choose to live: LOVE! Friends and family are the factors that make life worth living, and that's the lesson John tries so earnestly to teach on his show and books.

A very moving book, just like "One Last Time." Highly, highly recommended!

Up until recently, I had little idea who John Edward was. Oh yeah, the "TV Psychic." Then I read One Last Time and then this book and understood what a fascinating man he is. I felt at times like he was speaking directly to me somehow about his experiences not only with getting One Last Time published, how he survived the "infomercial disaster" he encountered while trying to get his book publicized, how "Crossing Over with John Edward" got on the air and just what daily life is like being a psychic.

The end of the updated book has a chapter about John's thoughts on 9/11, including a story of his contacting a spirit who was on one of the planes that crashed into the WTC that day. For people like me who felt incredible loss and grief that day, it was to me a message that they too wanted to let everyone know they are fine.

Like "one Last Time," he has stories about contacts with "the other side," some of which will bring tears to your eyes. To some this book has and will bring comfort in the knowledge that "Yes Virginia, there is The Other Side."

Books like this one prove not only there is a spiritual realm, but give comfort in knowing your departed ones are still around and want to try and contact us, even if we can't physically see them.

Fr. Beck brings the reader along for a journey through 21 touching and highly personal stories about his life experiences in this easy to read book. I absolutely could not put the book down and finished it all in one day. Some stories had me laughing, some crying, and others both at the same time! It's very unusual to find someone with a gift of telling stories such as Fr. Beck's. He is able to use brutal honesty to allow you into his heart and soul and to imagine walking hand-in-hand with him through some really challenging situations. Fr. Beck doesn't try to gloss over the fact that life sometimes challenges us, but he shows the reader that there is a bit of magic in the strangest of places!

God Underneath is a moving, sincere glimpse into the heart and soul of a religious man. Fr. Edward's real life stories evoke deep feelings of joy, fear, and doubt. He bravely reveals the struggles and rewards of being a Catholic priest. Fr Edward allows us to intimately share with him his personal spiritual journey. These heartfelt and inspirational stories demonstrate the presence of God in everyday life. God touches all of us in different ways. To experience God we simply need to open ourselves up to the events and people around us.
I found it refreshing to have a priest put his trust in us by revealing himself so honestly and openly. We are fortunate to have Fr Edward working at God's side.
I highly recommend this book to anyone searching for God in their daily lives.

Father Edward Beck takes the reader on a journey through various incidents in his career as a passionist priest. Begining each chapter with a passage of scripture, Father Edward then uses his own human experience to personally exemplify that passage. Father Edward removes the mystery and uses his very humaness in a variety of situations to show that he is just another man, seeking GOD and trying to apply those teachings in his own life. This book so moved me and has helped me along my own spiritual journey. It brings seeking and experiencing GOD to a place where I understand and feel comfortable. Father Edward is insightful, funny and self depricating; never taking himself too seriously. This book is a must read for anyone on a spiritual quest.