A group of my Christian friends and I are dealing with a close friend who has recently fallen away from the faith. I can't tell you how encouraging and perspective-renewing this book was for us to read, even though we aren't her parents!

Jack Miller brings everything right back to the Gospel. The lessons that he and his wife learned showed me "what love looks like." None of us could put it down. It's been a God-send!

This is an excellent book for parents raising teenagers. The format of the book is such that the reader gets the story from both the parent's side and the daughter's side. This gives the reader insight into the reasoning of the daughter, as well as the viewpoint of the parent. Although the subject matter deals with a wayward child and how the parents and family dealt with the issues involved with that, the principles given in relating to children are a benefit to all parents. I recommend it to everyone, whether you have children who have rebelled against your teachings or not. The principles of interpersonal relationships dealt with in this book are useful in many circumstances. A must read!

The father and daughter in this book openly share their journey of separation and reconcilliation after the daughter forsakes all the spiritual values her father held dear. This book is a must for parents who are struggling with how to relate to a wayward child. This is a true story.

This giant of the 20th Century, will be known as John Paul the Great by future historians. Today, his teachings are considered "out of touch" with the modern world by the mouth pieces of worldly power, especially on sexual morality. He is considered worthy of derision by them, how wrong they are.

The thought of JPII is trans-modern, it is a bold and sophisticated philosophical approach to the problems that afflict our world. His insights penetrate into the philosphical and spiritual roots of the modern crisis and has found the solution. His approach is a rigorus engagement with modern thought and transcends the dead-end thought that has emerged among intellectual eliets and poisons our universities.

For those who would gloss over his writings, they would miss the mystical import and profound depth of this thinker and leader. So subtle, so rich, it is easily missed.

John Paul II is a prophet to the world, a prophet whose message has largely been ignored.

In the not too distant future, when our need for the TRUTH presses upon us ever more heavily, those who search will find John Paul's writings and be liberated and ennobled by this man's potent seed.

Take this and steep yourself in the truth and allow this man's spirit, the spirit of the Father, Child and Love to fill you.

Here they are, in one collection. Why buy them individually when you can have them all in one place?

This important book provides a study of 12 of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals, from the first of his pontificate, Redemptor Hominis, through the much discussed Evangelium Vitae and Veritatis Splendor, the not-to-be-overlooked Redemptoris Mater, and Ut Unum Sint.

Scholars and non-scholars will be pouring over the Pope's gifts for the next century to come. The encyclicals offer Pope John Paul II's brilliant blueprint for the third millennium. It is a blueprint fashioned from Scripture itself, but with modern insights to carry us forward across the "threshold of hope."

J. Michael Miller, C.S.B. offers an excellent introduction to Papal encyclicals and helpful notes prior to each chapter. In addition, an exhaustive index makes this a superb reference for pastors, teachers, writers, theologians, researchers, and the average layperson desiring to know more about the Church.

Father Miller has captured an entire set of the most significant written works of the Papacy of John Paul II. Clearly the present pope has been a religious and geopolitical figure of first importance in the past 22 years, as has been amply documented in such works as Weigel's 'Witness to Hope' and Bernstein's 'His Holiness.' The universal intellectual achievement however of JPII is understandable most readily in his encyclicals. These documents speak from and reveal a philosopher and theologian of the first quality; indeed, as with Leo XIII, it may take at least a hundred years for the importance of his work to be understood. Fr. Miller has the qualifications on all fronts, as a philosopher, a theologian, and his former employment in the Papal Secretariat of State, to gather and remark on these works. Students of the times and their deepest roots will doubtlessly find here a collection of primary source materials that are indispensible to their understanding.

I've been using this handbook for about 25 years, and recently realized that my edition was the 3rd, published in the 1970s! So I ordered the latest edition (14th edition), and was so pleased with my purchase. This is a handbook that lives in our office, and gets used to death (we do graphic design, copywriting, editing). Any new employee on our staff is required to at least become familiar with the table of contents (in case of emergency!), and very soon they too are heading for Harbrace's to look up something. We love it.

It never ceases to amaze me how many times some anal grammarian tries to correct my writing only to review my Harbrace College Handbook to see they're wrong and I'm right. This is the definitive guide to American English grammar. Easy to read, plenty of examples, and more importantly it even covers those gray areas of usage letting the ready know this non-standard without simply cutting you off without explanation. I have purchased the latest edition ever since I purchased my first copy as text to Advanced Composition during my undergraduate days at the University of Maryland University Collage. Harbrace as served me very well ever since helping me obtain a high GPA in regards to my written assignments. I have a lot of other grammar books that I look at now and then, but Harbrace remains the standard.

This is an exemplary work. It is absolutely essential to the high school level and above as a general and specific guideline to writing. I strongly recommend this book for those interested in perfecting their grammar and writing styles.

-Jonah Sampson Boyarin hehe

I have used the Harbrace College Handbook for 31 years. My first was the 5th Edition, which I keep on the top in one of my desk drawers. I used it throughout college. I bought this edition for my father, who gave me the first one, and seems to have lost his own copy (he's 86!). This edition is much thicker than the 5th one -- these books are not exactly "reading material," but a reference guide; so I haven't read it from cover to cover. This book comes with a computer CD to install the entire book on your computer.

Excellent reference if it is necessary to constantly bibliograph infomation off the internet and other electronic sources

This is a wonderful review of Jack Miller's growth in faith and experiences of sharing the Gospel. Read it and God will change your life and outreach to those around you.

This book focuses on the domestic political scene in the United States during the period covered. Foreign affairs, and social affairs are discussed in context of how it affected the development of the Federalist party and the Democratic-Republican party. The book is well written and I found it enjoyable to read. It is well organized although there are a couple of times he discusses the same event in two widely separate parts of the book without a clear transition, so it makes it look like he's going off on to a tangent, then back to his original topic. Good academic history.

In C. John Miller's book, Outgrowing the Ingrown Church,I found an answer to why the Church seems lacking in vitality and growth. Miller explains this as a failure of an ingrown Church to accept the challenge of living out its missionary purpose. I was amazed to find myself taking on the ingrownness of my own Church, renewing our vision, and leading us through the trials that followed with greater spiritual energy and deeper contentment that I'd ever known. Though I first read this book eight years ago, I continue to go back to soak up Miller's message. I encourage anyone who cares about the Church to read this book. You will find yourself saying "yes, yes!" as Miller renews your passion for the Church's great mission.

This book was tremendously helpful in revealing what's at the heart of sin...pride and unrepentance. These are not much talked about topics in our culture today. I was greatly stirred, challenged, and blessed by the author's simply written yet powerful words. A small volume, it can be read in a couple hours, but to benefit most from it you'll probably want to read it a little at a time. Chapter titles include "Repentance, the Foundation of Life", "Repentance and its Counterfeit", "What is True Repentance?", "Repentance and the Spirit-filled Life", "Repentance and the Carnal Christian", "Repentance-God's mercy". It deals with these topics in a clear, direct manner. This is a rare book that will revolutionize your Christian life. Read with an open heart and with prayer.

In this book, John C. Miller gives an excellent account of a man who served the cause of revolution from England - but at a high cost. Miller paints a view of Adams and some of his contemporaries as nothing more than trouble makers with a genius for propaganda. He gives the most balanced view of these times of almost any account I have read of the American Revolution. This is not a book for the sqeamish. I don't think he takes a revisionist viewpoint, but he certainly gives cause to reconsider the motives of Sam Adams, Otis, and others. Any writer talented enough to do that, not obscure the facts, and keep you entertained deserves a thoughtful read. Highly recommend. Even though out of print - it really shouldn't be. It is a classic.

This book is commendable for its conception but is flawed in its premise and execution. The problem is there are too many fingers in the pie. I would have liked to read about one historian's perspective on all the films reviewed. Instead, each film was addressed and compared to historical recollections by a different author. There is no uniformity of thought or perspective. For instance, I am sure that if Stephen Ambrose had reviewed TORA! TORA! TORA! he may have seen that film in a much more favorable light than did Akira Iriye. One can speculate to infinitum. It is possible to find and read countless books on a given historical topic. The point I am making is that each author has the ability to bring different perspectives or interpretations of historical record that may result in different conclusions of events or more importantly ideas. If you were to ask an auditorium full of historians what was the most important factor contributing to the start of the Civil War I am sure you may get at least five good answers. Perhaps the idea that a film conveys is more important than the accuracy of each step that led to that idea. I think that SPARTACUS is an important film not as a representation of a historical record but for the idea that the inherent rights of human beings to live free is a notion worth dying for. Kirk Douglas as SPARTACUS stated something to the effect that he would never stand by and see two men battle and die just for the amusement of other men. There is something very noble about that statement and to the visuals on the screen that precipitated that assertion. To touch a chord of emotion from the audience is really the magic of the cinema. I never once ever thought that the purpose of the cinema was to teach history. For the audience the main purpose of the cinema is to be entertained and if you take it a few more steps perhaps come away with an idea or spark of imagination. That's the beauty of the cinema.

This is a very interesting and useful book but I don't exactly like the overall point of view that it takes on motion pictures. It takes many historically based films and critiques them by comparing what is on the screen to actual historical events. Each chapter is devoted to one film (in most instances) and is critiqued by a different authority. The one constant that I see running throughout this book is that history does not make for good motion pictures if you are gazing through the eyes of the historian. That disturbs me. Motion pictures are a business as well a legitimate art form. If a historically based movie gets your interest as well as entertains you then perhaps that movie has fulfilled its purpose. The movie is the catalyst. It is up to you to dig up the history book and see what was recorded. And if you dig up a second history book it is very possible that those same events may be recorded slightly different. I liked the critique by Sean Wilentz on "THE BUCCANEER: Two Films" where he states that they stand somewhere in between fact and fiction. Akira Iriye is too critical of TORA! TORA! TORA! When you recall that particular motion picture, that's the one that stands out as a film that tried to get all the facts correct. Americans and Japanese respective of their home countries directed it. Iriye's criticism is almost ludicrous trying to state that inflections in the voices of some of the actors actually distorted the true meaning of their words. In light of PEARL HARBOR (2001) Akira Iriye is way off mark. Marshall De Bruhl's words about THE ALAMO are redundant and superficial. THE ALAMO was John Wayne's screen fulfillment of the legend. THE ALAMO is a great American film and it perpetuates that legend till this day. I liked what Stephen E. Ambrose had to say about THE LONGEST DAY. Ambrose recognizes that half the duality of filmmaking is a business. His approach and comments are very insightful and well written. As seen by James H. McPerson GLORY comes off best. It deserves it. "PAST IMPERFECT" is a good book but I just wish there were more input from the filmmakers.

When you're both a student of history and a movie buff, as I am, it can be difficult to sit and watch a film that presumes to have an accurate historical context without fighting the urge to evaluate it and pick holes in it. And I'm not the only one. This is a collection of analytical essays, most of high quality, by experts (not all of them historians) analyzing and critiquing individual films: Stephen Jay Gould on _Jurassic Park,_ Antonia Fraser on _Anne of the Thousand Days,_ Thomas Fleming on _1776,_ Dee Brown on _Fort Apache,_ William Manchester on _Young Winston,_ and numerous others. Sticking to those films about which I have some knowledge of the historical events they claim to portray, most are right on the money. James McPherson, commenting on _Glory,_ points out that while the context and general atmosphere are very well done, and the costuming and so on are exact, there are still deliberate historical errors for the sake of drama; none of the soldiers in Col. Shaw's 54th Massachusetts were ex-slaves, for instance, all of them having been recruited from among the state's free black population. And Catherine Clinton does an excellent job taking the wind out of _Gone with the Wind_'s mythical sails. There's a great deal of good information and criticism here and it's a compliment to say that nearly any of these essays will start an argument.