This is a gorgeous coffee table book. I am mostly a rubber stamper and paper artist, and though I don't do much photography per se, I still love this book. It features a lot of collage art and ideas I know I can incorporate into my own designs.

The book is broken into four sections including transformed, constructed, extended and digital images. Each section features the work of 4 or 5 different artists. Each artist was interviewed, explaining their techniques and thoughts on their artwork. Four different full-page examples of each artist's work follows, with captions giving information on title, size and techniques used. There is also a gallery featuring examples of seven other artists' work.

Because I like to work with computer graphics I especially enjoyed the digital section. The still life with people in a soap bubble by Olivia Parker is really awesome. I love John Reuter's tile effect Polaroid transfers with nudes of as well. The winged pig of Maggie Taylor is another favorite.

A handy glossary and index are included as well as a directory of artists with addresses. With such a variety of techniques and approaches to art this book is truly inspirational.

I am a painter. I have recently started making art using the computer.The computer is simply just another tool. I stumbled upon this book and found it to be very inspiring. The artists use a variety of photographic, digital and mixed media techniques to achieve a work of art that is unique and beyond the process. There are excellant representations of the works and some very good explanations of the process for achieving the final results. I reccomend this book to mixed media artists, painters, photographers, and digital artists.

This is an excellent book for those interested in photographic work that goes beyond the straight print. It essentially represents a collection of work by a dozen or so artists who use photography as a starting point in the creation of their art. Their is some information on the processes the artisits employ but it is by no means a technical manual. If you are looking for inspiration this is an excellent place to start.

The quality of the reproductions are excellent as is the text which ecompanies each artist's portfolio.

You do not want to miss this book. This amazing author reaches out and squeezes your heart and then gives it back to you feeling full and hopeful and renewed. You will feel as if you are right there with these two incredible characters. When Luke describes what he sees in Gaby's eyes and how he feels about it you will cry because it has touched you so deeply. You will never want to leave these characters and wish that you could go on reading about them forever. I have to warn you - you will not be able to put this book down once you start it. I finished it only to read it completely over again. It has become one of my most read library additions. You will feel your own life renewed when you experience the tenacity of love and character over evil in this incredible story. Please do not miss this book. It is ever so much more than just a wonderful love story.

Awakened by His Kiss is a touching story of the healing power of love. This book is wonderful. But more than that, Judith Lyons is an author to watch for. She writes beautifully and with extraordinary emotion and tenderness. I can't wait for her next release!

Judith Lyons has used the girl meets boy premise and taken it to new heights with tight writing, palpable emotion and a plot that keeps you turning the pages.

Gaby has come to her Red Mountain seeking refuge from a life lived on the edge of violence. Luke throws himself into war zones, saving lives to forget his past. But will saving Gaby destroy him?

Judith Lyons has delved deep into the human emotions of love and fear to create two very strong characters. Her love of the stunning scenary in Colorado leaps off the page and you are with her characters, in their place, on their horses and when it all gets too tense, you too get to feel the soothing calm of Gaby's red mountain.

So grab a copy and follow Gaby and Luke as they fight their demons,and realise that love comes in many guises. Keep an eye out for Judith Lyons, a writer to watch, read and enjoy.

I consider my self not good at math and this book really taught me what I did not learn in high school. It has several exercises and several examples to follow. From fractions to geometry everything is lay out. Very easy to understand and right to the point.

This book is so simple to understand. The examples help out so much with the exercises. I thought my math class would be very difficult but with the help of this book I know I'll pass the class.

The only thing I can find wrong is that the disk mentioned in the Preface was not included with the book. Would be nice to know how to acquire this disk. Something like phone numbers, sales stores, or even how much the cost is for people who can afford it. Will the school be able to acquire one? Very sketchy data about this tool. Otherwise the book is excellent.

I adored this book. The other reviews have covered the general storyline. What sets this book apart from others is its warmth and fun. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The repartee is excellent between the romantic characters and among the whole character ensemble yet all is very clean. I think this book would appeal to all ages from young teen to adult. That's saying a lot. I am not adverse to sexual scenes in books so I am not endorsing this book because of its extremely clean dialogue and story. But the fact that it leaves such a warm feeling after any female finishes it regardless of age speaks volumes.

I did so enjoy this book.This is one of the books I reread at certain intervals.It was such a wonderful book.I loooooooved the interplay between Kate&Mr.Markham.Each trying to outfox the other.Kate behaves just the way a Kate is expected to behave.I also enjoyed the behaviour of the youngest Farthington sister, Chloe.I loved how she put words that people used in her hearing away for further use.

Katherine Farthington was determined that her devious uncle, the unscrupulous Edward Farthington would not sell their family home. When Uncle Edward brought the urbane Nicholas Markham and the Duke of Bellingham, prospective buyers, to Farthington Hall, the mischievous Katherine and her sisters put a devilish scheme to work With outlandish tales of ghostly hauntings, moldering chimneys, and crumbling shingles, they set out to prove that Markham's purchase of the estate would be pure folly.

But Markham was not so easily duped-and he knew that all was not as it seemed at Farthington Hall. He also knew that his only folly would be to leave behind the beautiful and high-spirited Katherine, who was unwittingly scheming her way into his gentlemanly heart...

If you can lay your hands on a copy I would do so. This is a lighthearted and amusing story. Great for a chuckle

one "of the most important" haggadot.... teaching that the traditional "celebration of Passover has led to complacency in dangerous times, like the Holocaust, that lulled us into a sense of freedom we did not have" (Mr. Steingroot's review comes from his book KEEPING PASSOVER.)

"Children friendly.... [and yet] the Preface is an education in itself.... It can be studied at any time of the year, and it will provide a number of concepts of how the entire body of knowledge of Judaism should or could be studied". [Mr. Marshall's review belongs to the public domain.]

"a wonderfully innovative haggadah"

The deeper I got into this book, the more involved I became with the men who suffered so horribly. I have done my own research and asked many questions about the POW experience under the Imperial Army, because my father suffered along with Estel Myer and the others. Belly of the Beast is an accurate portrayal of part of my father's journey. He survived the Bataan Death March, imprisonment in the Philippines, the 3 hell ships mentioned in the book, and further imprisonment in Japan and Manchuria. He came back to the United States, only to succumb to the ravages caused to his body several years later. This is riveting, unvarnished truth, and only one story of many which prove to us that freedom comes with a steep price. One very good way to honor these men, who suffered so much, is to remember their stories and share them with others, so no one forgets --- ever!

Belly of the Beast is a good history lesson for those who never knew how the p.o.w.s suffered at the hands of the enemy. I was happy to see the author stated facts from information she obtained and now the truth about the war is out and not sugar coated . Although this is a great tribute to my father, I pray that people will realize that our freedoms are not free. That my father and other great men paid a high price for our country and for us. This author did a great justice to all the men and women of WW2!

So compelling, I couldn't put it down! In these hard times, Belly of the Beast is a wonderful testament to the enduring human spirit. This is a riveting account of a horrific ordeal suffered by many, yet made personal by the author as she follows one man, Estel Myers, through his capture and barbaric treatment as a POW. It's a great history lesson, as well as a gut-wrenching read.

Benedict's Dharma is a rare find--a book on spirituality that is lovingly burnished by practice. Benedict's Rule was above all a work for practical application; what few understand is how well the Rule translates into Eastern practice.

Rarely have I enjoyed a book as thoroughly as this one; I regretted reaching its final page, for the journey it provided was such a delight. Yet the greater truth is that this book is meant to be a passageway, pointing the way to greater spiritual understanding and greater self-knowledge. The truths it uncovers are applicable to anyone who is serious about leading an authentic spiritual life.

This book is an exceptional treasure, offering significant and practical insights on every page.

Benedict's Dharma is a rare find--a book on spirituality that is lovingly burnished by practice. Benedict's Rule was above all a work for practical application; what few understand is how well the Rule translates into Eastern practice. Rarely have I enjoyed a book as thoroughly as this one; I regretted reaching its final page, for the journey it provided was such a delight. Yet the greater truth is that this book is meant to be a passageway, pointing the way to greater spiritual understanding and greater self-knowledge. The truths it uncovers are applicable to anyone who is serious about leading an authentic spiritual life. This book is an exceptional treasure, offering significant and practical insights on every page.

"There is fire in the Rule of Saint Benedict" (p. 121) David Steindl-Rast, OSB, writes in the Afterward to this collection of Buddhist reflections on that Rule. Written in the sixth century, Saint Benedict's Rule is a set of guidelines governing Christian monastic life. This 137-page book is the result of a two-week "Encounter" between Buddhists and Christians, in which Norman Fischer, Joseph Goldstein, Judith Simmer-Brown, and Yifa were participants. Their "fresh take" (p. xiv) on Saint Benedict's Rule is followed by a new, 80-page translation of that Rule by Patrick Henry, OSB.

The Rule was written to practice "Christ's way." Christ said, "Whoever perseveres to the very end will be saved" (p. 97). For Buddhists, Benedict's Rule is about "walking the path to spiritual awakening" (p. 105). That is, both the Rule and Buddhist dharma offer "general guidelines for an inner journey" (p. 1). Judith Simmer-Brown notes that the Rule offers us insight into living a contemplative life amidst the demands of everyday life, or "anyplace you find yourself" (p. 3). From a Buddhist perspective, Benedict's Rule is about learning to live life "so it gets into your bones, under your skin" (p. 34), and about living with "a love of true life and a longing for days of real fulfillment" (p. 36), for this was "Christ's way."

It is evident from this book that "the monastery wall is always permeable" (p. 81). Benedictine monasticism is designed to lead one to spiritual riches on the path of humility (p. 95). It is possible, we're told, to practice a contemplative life outside the monastery walls. "The world is vast and wide," Norman Fischer writes. "Why put on your robe and go to the meditation hall when the bell rings?" (p. 89). Daily practice is "the common ground" for monastics of East and West (p. 124), and in his excellent Afterward, David Steindl-Rast, OSB, concludes that "lay practitioners are running away with the monastic ball" (p. 126). "Step out into the dark night," he writes, "raise your eyes to the starry sky, and you will experience what contemplation was before it had a name" (p. 126).

We find Buddhists and Christians travelling the same "ladders and bridges" in this harmonious book. Buddhist or Christian, this book will appeal to to that monk or nun cloistered in each of us, who is interested in "a life spent seeking the truth."

G. Merritt

After reading "A Christmas Legacy" (which I bought solely because Kathryn Shay was the author), I was so intrigued by all the characters therein that I've now bought the other four books in the series and will be reading (and reviewing) them in order. Since I grew up in a small town and moved away from it 20 years ago, and now live near Indianapolis, I'm also reading these books for the authors' treatment of both our state and hometown folks. So far, they're doing great!

Both Lily Bennett and Aaron Mazerik left Riverbend after high school graduation fifteen or so years ago--she to go to college and marry a wealthy Bostonian; he to just get out of the town where he was "someone's b-------d" and seemingly doomed to self-destruct. He landed in Indianapolis after college, and found his niche helping kids who are just like he was as a teenager. Now they've come home, only this time, he's gotten his act together and she is completely shattered following the death of her husband (though not for the reasons you might think). Suddenly, his old dream of having someone classy and "in" like her and her old dream of having a passionate partner like him resurface.

In addition to the great love scenes (as we used to call them), it's wonderful to meet the teacher that helped turn Aaron around eventually and for Aaron to tell him, "here's what you did that made the difference for me." (Every teacher should hear that at least once from a student) Also, in the final chapter or two, the mystery of Aaron's father's identity is revealed after years of guessing on Aaron's part and stalling on his mom's part. Aaron's mother, by the way, is a piece of work. I'm still trying to figure out what makes that woman do the things she does:)

Aaron's journey here was more fascinating to me than Lily's, for some reason, but I think it's because he's also featured very prominently in "Christmas Legacy", so I "know" him better from having read that book first. Or maybe, like Lily, I just have a soft spot for the underdog. You probably will, too, once you've read this series:)

Abraham Steele, beloved Riverbend patriarch, brings Aaron Mazerik and Lily Bennett Holden together. It is at Steele's funeral that the high school basketball coach and counselor, a reformed bad boy, decides to approach the wealthy widow for money for his summer program for underprivileged town children.

Lily Bennett, the byproduct of an affluent and happy upbringing (ie. a River Rat), had married into wealth fifteen years ago because she had fallen in love with a Boston attorney. After a disastrous ten-year marriage, she returns to Riverbend to heal and yes, to hide in her newly purchased house and to paint her still lifes. Her actions cause people to believe that she grieves for her husband and she does nothing to correct them for fear of disappointing the town's opinion of her. The truth is, she is far from being the perfect girl they always thought she was.

Both Aaron and Lily have their past reputations to deal with and Arnold illustrates this well through their developing friendship. Lily finds it hard to believe, at first, that bad boy Aaron has become a respectable teacher. Aaron comes to realize that Lily's seeming self-assurance is actually shyness. And there is a major conflict concerning Aaron and his mother denying him his birthright. For thirty-three years, Aaron has struggled with the truth surrounding his paternity and he fully believes that it hinders any chance of a relationship with Lily in the most fundamental way.

Arnold is off to a great start with Riverbend and it is to be hoped that the other five authors, whose stories comprise this mini-series, can pick up her thread and continue. Riverbend is a small town but Arnold illustrates it beautifully through her narration. Through her fluid prose, she has shown that she is an artist, like her heroine, but words are her medium of choice.

Fifteen years ago in Indiana, the River Rats graduated from Riverbend high school. Considered the town's postal wall pin up, Aaron Mazerik left town, vowing to never return, but he is back because his mother Evie, a waitress at the Sunnyside Café, needs him. Aaron coaches basketball and counsels students at his alma mater.

Another rat, formerly Lily Bennett now Holden married a millionaire Boston attorney who died in a car accident. Lily returned home because living in Massachusetts was no longer the same for her.

Needing funds to finance a sports program for teens from poor families, Aaron turns to the last person he wants to beg for money, Lily. Not only was she a pain, he remembers her father the doctor dropping off cash to his mother. Still, when they meet, Lily and Aaron surprisingly remain attracted to one another. Soon that blossoms into love, but both have demons from the past plus several townsfolk who do not believe the once bad boy is now good enough for the daughter of their doctor.

BIRTHRIGHT, the first novel in the six-book Riverbend series, is a warm contemporary romance that provides a vivid picture of a Midwest town. The story line is fun to read as the audience obtains a glimpse of adults who were once best friends in high school. The lead couple is a charming duo struggling with reputations and other ghosts. The support cast makes Riverbend seem like a genuine Indiana town. Judith Arnold has set a high benchmark of quality that places much pressure on subsequent authors (see THAT SUMMER THING by Pamela Bauer in August) to match or surpass over the next five months.

Harriet Klausner

This is one of the best voices in fiction in a decade. Edgy, charming, heart wrenching and just plain brilliant. Every writer could learn from Podell about how to turn a phrase, and every reader will find themselves thrilled to turn every page. Love it. Love it! Love it!

Once in a while a new writer hits a homerun: Judith Podell's Blues for Beginners is a cult classic-stylish, deep,beautifully crafted: a collection of heart-wrenching stories from a lived-soul guaranteed to reetablish your faith in smart 21st century women . Laurie Colwin, the great late 2oth century short story stylist, you have a worthy successor in Judith Podell.Movie agents, Woodie Allen-option this one!

I discovered this writer by pure chance. I'm pretty sure everybody will have heard of her in a couple of years if she keeps on turning out pieces like those in Blues for Beginners.

It seems like no major American writer can do humor anymore. You are either serious or funny. In Podell's collection, however, we see both. Even though her style is distinctly American, I am reminded of some of the new Irish writers, who don't labor under the current American literary delusion that humor and brilliance are incompatible.

Buy this book. You'll thank me when you read it.

I bought this book when I was searching for a specific recipe. This title happened to have that which I was seeking at the time, and I brought it home. I will confess, it is not a book I use often, as I prefer a different style of bread than many of the recipes presented in it, but it still is a good volume with good recipes.

I am a bread baker who likes a plain, "honest" loaf of bread, not enriched with a lot of fruit, vegetables, nuts and cheeses. If I want that kind of bread, I make something like cinnamon buns or a stollen or something. This book is full of recipes that use a variety of these ingredients, and that is a style to which I personally do not adhere. There are recipes that require such things as pumpkin, carrots, and other things not normally found in regular loaf breads.

That said, the recipes in this book are top notch. I have made a few of the more "plain" recipes, and the results have never been less than exceptional. Even if I do not bake in the style presented in this book, I cannot fault the recipes. It's a style issue, not a quality issue.

The book is full of very interesting and informative tidbits that make this book an interesting read in addition to being a cookbook. One section describes the origin of doughnuts (and specifically, the hole in the middle). Another describes an interesting account of where Anadama bread gained its name.

This book has no photographs. Rather, it has lots of pencil drawings to go along with many of the carefully written recipes. The instructions are easy to follow, but the drawings add a nice touch that make the recipes even more complete in many places.

Overall, this book is very well written and organized.

This book has an exceptional recipe for Monkey Bread, the best I have used so far.

If you want a large collection of "plain" recipes, I recommend you look at something else instead of this book. However, if you like variety and you enjoy recipes that make use of unusual ingredients for bread (at least as far as normal loaf bread is concerned), this book will serve you exceedingly well. It's a great book for the adventuresome baker.

I have cooked (and baked) professionally for 20 years. I have amassed a library of 250+ books and this book continuously gets more use than any other. Primiarily because I love to bake and trust The Book of Bread recipes.

Judging from the contents, this is a book of execellence. It contains over 200 recipes on a wide varieties of breads. Unlike other bread or baking books I have, the recipes here are easy to follow, correct in measures, and most of all, taste fantastic. It also contains many bread-making tips/techniques that made a huge difference in the results. If you make bread by hand, or are attempted to try, this is the book. The best $20 I ever invested. Warning. No color photo. Only hand drawings.