This is one of the 10 best books I have ever read! The story and the test and the explaination show the reader why they are frustrated with the typical Church experience and why they need to have an "eagle" life. Hearing God and Soul Care by the same author are good follow ons to this.

In a very simple yet profound way, Peter Lord does much to heal wounds in souls burdened by the excesssive demands of conformity to man made rules and regulations. The book encourages us to realize that we are sons and heirs with the Master Jesus Christ. What a wonderful little book. When i finished reading it, I did indeed begin to feel my spirit souring. Thank you Peter

Lord shows us how easilly we have been duped into wrong thinking about who we really are as Christians. We are eagles who were created to soar in life. Instead, we have been taught that we are just turkeys, never experiencing the fulness that was intended for us.

"Several years ago I got into the habit of trying to read one book on the topic of the Lord's Supper as part of my preparation for Communion. Since the church I attend only celebrates quarterly it hasn't been too difficult to dig up titles on the subject. Anyway, in preparing for Communion last Sunday I picked up Peter Leithart's 'Blessed are the hungry' which is mostly a collection of 3-5 page meditations. I give the book my highest recommendation. I would not hesitate to put it in the top 10 books I've ever read, not for its profundity, but for its perspective. You might not agree with everything he says, but I doubt that anyone could walk away from reading this little paperback book of meditations without having a perspective adjustment and a greater appreciation for God's revelation of Himself and the means of grace He has blessed."

For those interested in the broader theological implications of the Lord's Supper, Blessed are the Hungry offers a feast of biblical insight. Leithart reminds us of the integral links between word and sacrament, kingdom and sacrament, and covenant and sacrament--links which have been largely ignored or denied among many evangelicals in the 20th and 21st centuries. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to reflect further on the Lord's Supper and the unity of Scripture.

A well researched, intensely realistic portrayal that not only describes but vivifies U.S./Latin American relations during the turbulent years of the late 1970's to early 80's, The Drug Lord - which focuses on Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha, the past King of the Bogota, Colombia section of the cocaine cartel - is packed with conflict, emotion and the terrifying truth. Intertwined in the political story is a searing love story, so utterly believable and unforgettable in its passion that it will haunt readers for months to come. Finally, the general public has a chance to understand the cocaine trade as well as the workings of Colombia, a truly complex nation. The Drug Lord masterfully illustrates the rise of Gacha, an orphaned street delinquent who, in the span of a few short years, becomes the King of Bogota, as he singlehandedly comes to control the drug trade in the Colombian capital, while establishing a subsequent and powerful influence in North America as well. A native of Colombia, Neissa writes with the undisputed knowledge of one who has seen firsthand the bloodshed and experienced the horror of the ongoing drug wars that have wreaked havoc upon his homeland.

A thrilling and intriguing look at the cocaine trade, The Drug Lord is a must read; to read is to understand the drug trade, a subject so intricate and devastatingly important it can easily consume and annihilate the lives of those involved - as well as innocent citizens. Enhance your experience and your understanding of the workings of American and Latin America as nations. Terrific!

The Drug Lord, a compelling journey into the world of a Colombia drug lord by first-time novelist Peter Neissa, follows the career of Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha from his early beginnings on the streets of Bogata, to his rise to the pinnacle of the Medellin Cartel.

The book seems maticulously researched, probing into the details of a drug lord's life, both interesting and mundane. The book's main character draws the audience into feeling an odd sort of empathy, while at the same time both loathing him and themselves for such feelings. Gacha's love interest, Anna Alicia, embodies the stark class distinctions between the oligarchy and the true poor of Colombia. Her character possesses a natural honor that Gacha will never know, feeding his tragic attraction to her.

Neissa, a native of Colombia, has a strong command both of character, and the language that brings them to life. He weaves an addictive parable of the real consequences of drugs in modern socities o! ! ther than our own. Anyone interested in what goes on in the mind of a drug lord, or who just wants to step behind the wheel of a thrilling ride, should pick up a copy of this book.

About 10 years ago at the age of 14 I picked up this novel from Morwood, and put it down again a couple of days later after I'd done nothing else but read. Since that first hit I've been addicted to the Book of Years, and other Morwood spin-offs from this series. The pages on my poor old paperbacks are worn and tattered from so many reads (and the occasional accidental dip in the bath).

The story of the young warrior unfolds over the 4 books remarkably well. From the loss of his family we follow his adventures through dark and treacherous lands in the attempt to fulfil his oath and avenge his father's death. The plot is gripping, the dialogue wry and entertaining, and the characters well-developed. If you like your fantasy a bit more adult, don't just buy this book, get the series.

"The Book of Years" is began in "The Horse Lord". I would have to say it is one of my favorite books and series as well. Non-stop action, the wording of this tale flows smoothly and before you know it is time to get ready for work cause you just couldn't put the book down! I must have read the series over half a dozen times over the last 12 years! If you get lucky enough to find a copy, BUY IT!!! You will NOT regret it!! It is a great read!!!

This novel is the story about the impact of outsiders on a tribe of Indians in the Amazon. Essentially two facets of the outsiders (read Western Civilisation) that are explored ' the 'sacred' in the form of missionaries, and the 'profane' in the guise of mercenaries. Their stories told in alternating chapters, Lewis Moon and Martin Quarrier both have a purpose in mind - both feel that they can 'save' the locals that are yet to come in full contact with Western Civilisation. Moon is part Native American, and at the beginning of our story he is a mercenary hired to kill the Indians. On a drug induced flight, he crashes into the jungle and ingratiates himself into the 'wild' Indian tribe. His relationship with the tribe is really an extension of his life so far ' he doesn't quite fit in, no matter what he does. Quarrier is an evangelical missionary who has travelled with his wife and child to bring the word of God to Indians. Very early on, however, Quarrier has doubts about his own suitability, and then the broad-spectrum suitability of anyone using trickery to force a belief on the Indians. This brings him into conflict with his co-missionary, who is a stereotype of all that is wrong in the missionary movement ' this character is a man more interested in his own personal reputation and the number of souls he has saved (or it looks like he has saved) than genuine results.

This is a well written exploration of 'missionaries and misfits' on the edges of civilisation. We have comparisons of Catholics and Evangelicals; comparisons between missionaries who are there for the greater glory of God (or the idea of God at least) and for the greater glory of their own name; and the attempts by different outsiders to 'save' a tribe from other outsiders, with more concerns for their own agendas than the welfare of those they are trying to save. Oh, and there is some amazingly insightful writing about interpersonal relationships to boot.

What I liked best about this book was that Matthiessen spared nobody ' unlike some novels of this genre, the Indians are not simple 'noble savages' ' some are cleverer than others; the Indians aren't all environmentally friendly, in-tune with nature good-guys (Moon takes them for task for their wasteful practices, but they don't care)and Matthiessen takes the time to explain the motivations of his characters, something that can be sorely lacking in some novels.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a good novel. For those with an interest in the specific topic area (the Amazon, 'Western' culture meets 'natives', missionaries) there is a lot here (if you liked Poisonwood Bible, i you would probably like this). But even if this is not an area you would naturally gravitate to, i would recommend it on the basis of Matthiessen's great writing alone.One point - the first 4 -6 chapters can be hard going, but stick with it - things pick up. It was for these first chapters that i docked a star (would have given it 4.5 stars if possible).

I've always been a bit of an escapist, so this book was perfect for me. Peter Mattiessen is actually a travel writer, well qualified to describe the South American rain forest setting. What surprises is how well he conveys the brutal reality of what might befall us, should we find ourselves sitting at a rickety wooden table at La Concepción Taverna at the end of a mud street in the jungle.

You will find yourself in the strangest company. It's hard to tell the savages from the decent white folk. The Missionary's wife appears to be losing her mind. The natives are restless. The mercenaries passing through town. You are about to meet Lewis Moon and, for some reason, you will not be able to look away.

This is a disturbing book, no-one is spared, not even the reader.

This book is the comparison of Missionaries Vs. Mercenaries and is charactered by peopled with ethnic groups who also come from the same sort to conflict: Jews and American Indians in the land of the Amazon. Kind of a "If religion doesn't work, shoot the bastards," and "women like being ravaged by animals." This is not a book for the weak stomached, or the self righteous. This is a book for people who want to tear the face off of reality. This is a great, honest and sad book. It is a requiem for indigenous people around the world, maybe for you

This is one of my three favorite Lord Peter Wimsey novels (the other two are Clouds of Witness and The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club), and it's my favorite of the "later period" (1930s) stories (in some part because it doesn't feature Wimsey's paramour, Harriet Vane, whom I often found rather dull). This book is Wimsey at his most whimsical, though because it is to some degree an extreme example of Wimsey's character, it's probably best enjoyed by people who have read the earlier books.

Sayers apparently worked in the advertising business herself for some years, and in this story Wimsey goes undercover as "Death Bredon" (his middle names) at Pym's Publicity to investigate the death of a copy-writer who fell down a spiral staircase. As a result, Sayers pokes all kinds of fun at the advertising business, as well as drawing an enlightening sketch of what that business is like. More than one person who's read this novel has commented to me that it seems that advertising hasn't changed much in the last seventy years!

The victim himself had been running with a fast, drug-taking crowd, which Wimsey infiltrates to tragicomic effect, and when his contacts with this ne'er-do-well group meet his upper-class family later on, he's put in the surreal position of... well, read the novel; the ultimate payoff of this thread is one of the funniest moments in the whole series! The book also includes a chapter featuring everyone's favorite incomprehensible English sport: A Cricket match, which as it turns out fits right in with the rest of the book in both style and outcome.

The mystery itself is about average for Wimsey's adventures, and is a bit more hard-core than we'd usually expect. But that aside, this is a funny, flamboyant, and educational novel, perhaps the most rewarding overall of all of Lord Peter's stories.

This is the best Wimsey book not featuring sometime-fellow-sleuth Harriet Vane which Sayers ever wrote. Not terribly serious, but great entertainment. I've read this book 6 times because it's just so much fun. Written in 1933, IMHO Sayers' prime, Wimsey is far more human and less of a caricature than in the early books, but much less goopy than in her latest books. The dialogue is a treat, even minor characters are exquisitely drawn, and the in-jokes at the advertising biz (Sayers worked as a copywriter herself for a while) are utterly hilarious. Plus, there's a puzzling, neatly-solved mystery. And even though I don't play cricket and don't understand the game, I adored the pivotal cricket game scene: Sayers at her best. My only complaint is the total absence of the delightful Bunter. THis is definitely the book to read first if you'r e interested in Sayers. Then read the Strong Poison-Have His Carcase-Gaudy Night trilogy. These are, IMHO, her four best books, and of the four, Murder Must Advertise is definitely the most charming and light-hearted.

Victor Dean worked at an advertising agency in London. Then Victor Dean died at an advertising agency in London. Accident? Murder? That's what Lord Peter Wimsey is asked to find out.

Shortly after Dean's death, he is replaced by copywriter Death Bredon. That's pronounced "Deeth", by the way. Bredon soon gets down to the business of writing copy ads. We find out that Victor Dean fell down a steep flight of stairs, that he had fought with various members of the ad agency, that when you are advertising for margerine you shouldn't mention butter, and that if you write 'from' instead of 'with' you will cause your client a great deal of anguish. We also discover that something fishy is going on at Pym's Advertising Agency, which somehow ties in with London's thriving cocaine smuggling industry. Soon we're wrapped up in advertising slogans, tea and cake costs, catapult snatching, Whiffling Round Britain, Harlequins in trees, cricket games, and that unfortunate incident where Mr. Death Bredon runs into Lord Peter Wimsey. This is one of Dorothy Sayer's most entertaining, amusing mysteries featuring Peter Wimsey.

Dorothy L. Sayers' "Busman's Honeymoon" can be considered her finest "all inclusive" Lord Peter Wimsey novel. She skillfully combines the culmination of the Wimsey/Vane romance and a "domestic mystery". Whereas other of her novels (The Nine Tailors, for example) could be considered her best mysteries, this book is beautifully written. The reader is expected to have a passing knowledge of England at the time and the life to date of the characters, as well as a classically literate education. Don't let this put you off, however; the book stands perfectly well alone. It's old - it's not outdated.

As a DLS Groupie, I love all of her books, but especially those books that pertain to the Harriet Vane character. This book, as well as 'Gaudy Night' by Sayers, is primarily about the relationship of Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. The extraordinary thing about all of Sayers' books is her beautiful amd sensual use of language to paint a picture with words.

Based on a stage play co-written by Sayers, Busman's Holiday is Sayers last significant statement in the mystery genre--and a completely satisfying one at that. Like several other novels that involve both Sayers' sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey and mystery novelist Harriet Vane, the novel is as much a portrait of their relationship as it is a murder mystery, and while these two elements occasionally seem at odds in other works (most notably the unworthy Have His Carcass), Busman's Holiday strikes a perfect balance between the two as we follow the couple through the first few days of their honeymoon as they deal with the shock of marriage, domestic disasters, and an unexpected body in their honeymoon home's basement. As in other novels, Sayers draws a great deal from her setting--in this case rural England on the eve of World War II--and presents us with a memorable cast of supporting characters, and the result is as fine a novel as she ever produced, particularly notable for its wittiness and sly humor. A greatly satisfying finish to a highly enjoyable series.

There is, incidently, an extremely well-made 1930s film version of this particular work starring Robert Montgomery and Constance Cummings. Although Montgomery is not quite the image of Lord Peter Wimsey, he plays quite well, and Cummings is Harriet Vane brought to life on the screen. Sayers fans should enjoy the film almost as much as they enjoy the book!

I was fortunate to have read "In the Lord's Library" quite some time ago and thoroughly enjoyed the entire book. I feel that MARSDEN did a superb job in creating this storyline and was able to put into writing a very believable tale. It is evident that MARSDEN spent a portion of his career as a police officer and he has been able to bring to life some of the situations which he faced while in service.
If you are looking for a great story to read during these rainy winter months, look no further than "In the Lord's Library"

Enjoy!

We were so caught up in this book, that we read it in a day!
We read it aloud. Reading, as if it were a script.
Each character was brought to life, as P.J. Marsden described them in detail.
"In the Lord's Library" was the book we chose to end the year with.
It was the perfect selection, for best friends to read together.

I look forward to reading more books, by P.J. Marsden.

You can certainly tell the author of this book is a veteran police officer. The places he takes you, and skillfully I might add, could only be achieved by a cop who has been there, done that, and yes, even took the pictures for his file. While there was certainly a lot in this book for me, I can easily say there lays within these pages a little something for everyone, as well as the lesson that we can all be as strong as the main character Judith. We just have to allow our free will and inner strength to take us there. The author skillfully weaves this believable story by leaving you hanging at the end of each chapter, challenging the reader to abandon the pages but I would have none of that. I kept right on reading!

I very much enjoyed this book. It presented the history, archaeology and architecture of Tikal in a clear fashion. Harrison wove the various threads of evidence together skillfully without getting bogged down in details. After an introduction to the site and its environment he proceeds in a chronologic order telling the history of this ancient city. He takes two breaks in his story to describe the city's architecture. Because there is dispute in the field of epigraphy you cannot take this book as the last word, but that is the nature of writing about something which is an intense subject of research. I must also say that I found some of Harrison's assertions about architectural alignments dubious. Certainly, I could not see how his maps could support all his claims. Nevertheless, I would heartily recommend this book.

I visited Tikal last Feb. I had read about it for years and still wasn't prepared for the magnitude, the scope the complexity of the civilization it was a small part of--it is a place you have to visit and see for yourself to even begin to really grasp. When I got home I found this book--I really wish I had read this BEFORE I WENT, the trip would have been better for it. In any case, I was happy to read it after the trip. This is the single best work I've found for sharing part of what I discovered at Tikal with people who haven't been there. I recommend it--especially if you are considering a visit--but also if you just like to armchair travel...It is a nice place to go either way.

this book on tikal is essential for those going to the ruins. not only does it take you back in time, it also helps orientate the traveler so he can use the best of his time, money and efforts. Don't leave home without it!

Dorothy L. Sayers' book _Gaudy_Night_ is one of the best mystery books ever written, if you enjoy beautiful, educated writing and brilliant, sympathetic characters, not to mention a great plot. Harriet Vane, one of the first female Oxford graduates, like the author, struggles with poison-pen letters, personal focus, and the attentions of Lord Peter Wimsey as she returns to Oxford after attending the annual Gaudy (a reunion of old students). Without a corpse in sight, the book may not appeal to many readers of grity detective novels, but this mystery is solved with wit, wisdom, and Vergil. For what more could one ask?
_Gaudy_Night_ is eriudite as well as entertaining, standing up well to the passing of over six decades. The themes of academia versus business, career versus marriage, and town versus university are still alive today. The writing of Dorothy L. Sayers is not to be missed, and this is arguably her best book (along with _The_Nine_Tailors_).

Gaudy Night has long been my favorite Dorothy Sayers mystery. The plot involves Harriet Vane and Peter Wimsey investigating a murder at Harriet's old college at Oxford. The plotting is excellent and the dialogue intelligent and witty. This is classic Sayers. What really adds to the story is the continuing love story between Harriet and Peter. Before Harriet came along, Wimsey seemed to me to not be a fully fleshed out character. Adding Harriet to the mix livens up Wimsey and makes him seem more real and more human. This is an excellent golden age mystery from a master writer. Highly recommended.

This book is amazing: not only does it comment intelligently on just about every human life issue, but it does so while being a very competent murder mystery, and consistently enjoyable to boot. Gaudy Night is the novel that shows the world why Dorothy L. Sayers is the master. Her style is as beautiful as always, and this third book in the 4-book Harriet Vane/Peter Wimsey series is a fascinating piece of whodunit mystery fiction, a commentary on the single-sex environment as well as the place of women in education and education in women, a treatise on love, and a breathtakingly realistic and satisfying romance that anyone who's been following Harriet and Peter through Strong Poison and Have His Carcase will appreciate. The fourth and final book, Busman's Honeymoon, is the only thing that could possibly crown Gaudy Night, and I recommend them both.

I think anyone who's pondered the very real problems in reconciling Harriet and Peter and how Sayers could approach them while remaining true to both will feel as I did--bought the book, liked it, will keep it.