On a par with Francine Rivers, Ms. Noble takes my breath away with this wonderfully written novel. Once I started the first page, I literally couldn't put it down. The story of Quaid, Emmeline and Merci and they're walks with God were so moving, I found myself on the verge of tears many times. Especially with Merci's story. To watch her go from tragedy to redemption was awe inspiring. Ms. Noble knows how to touch the heart with a deepness that leaves me truly touched. Not overly preachy, any non-christian will find this book very entertaining and won't help but be touched by it. Superbly written.

Diane Noble delivers a beautiful escape that takes us from Washington D.C. to sunny and wild Southern California. The characters are real. They have the same problems we all have. I saw myself in each of the three main characters...Merci with her struggle with who she really is, Emmeline with her determination and struggle with her place in life, and even Quaid with his struggle with his own desires and the desires of others. Ms. Noble weaves a tale that is sure to thrill the heart of every reader. Number three cannot come out soon enough.

Emmeline Amity Callahan has always been an outcast. Not pretty and vivacious like her half sisters, she is also socially inept and ill-at-ease with the Washington, D.C. social scene that is part of her world as the stepdaughter of Senator James Dearbourne, who readers will remember from WHEN THE FAR HILLS BLOOM (1999).

When her step-grandmother Sara Dearbourne, offers to give her the family rancho, she jumps at the chance. Sara's offer is only good if Emmeline can show a profit she does some research and plans an orange grove on the land.

She arrives in California after having gone to Brazil where she obtained Bahia orange seedlings. Meeting her train is Quaid Dearbourne, the son of her stepfather's brother, Spence and his wife, the former Aislin Byrne whose family owns the land adjacent to the Dearbourne's. His grandmother Byrne has just made a similar proposition to Quaid, she will give him the Rancho de Paloma land if he can show he is able to make it profitable. His cousin, Merci Byrne, daughter of his mother's sister Brighid, is disappointed when she isn't the one to inherit the rancho. However, Merci has a far more serious problem to deal with when she discovers the secret to her heritage - that her birth was the result of her mother's rape. Thinking of herself as being unworthy since she is the product of evil, Merci flees the rancho to go to Los Angeles.

In her quest to find work and to be independent of the Byrne family, Merci puts her life in danger. When she is forced into prostitution, she accepts her fate as a daughter of evil. She believes herself to be unworthy of anyone's love, including God's.

Meanwhile, Quaid and Emmeline are involved in a battle of wills. Eager to find a way to provide needed water for her orange grove, Emmeline discovers what may appears to have been someone falsifying water rights maps. Quaid, who has the most to gain from this, is the prime suspect. Emmeline whose feelings for Quaid has evolved from friendship to love, is devastated.

Merci, in the meantime, has fled from the control of the man who had her working as a prostitute and has found refuge in a central California mission and although she now feels somewhat safe, she still cannot accept the fact that she is unclean. Her mother and her Indian friend search for her but when they get close, are told by a wise friend that perhaps Merci needs to find her own way and come back on her own terms. Reluctantly, they return to the rancho. Fortunately for Merci, she finds an ally in another former prostitute who has found shelter at an abandoned mission. And, although Merci still doesn't accept that she is a child of God, she does agree to stay at the mission for a while.

Quaid has always cared for Merci, as their respective parents' only children, they have always been as close as sister and brother instead of cousins. Knowing the danger Merci still faces, Quaid decides it is up to him to find her and bring her home. Merci, though, feels hopeless. Will Quaid find her before it's too late?

THE BLOSSOM AND THE NETTLE is a complex tale, beautifully told as only someone of Diane Noble's talent can. As with WHEN THE FAR HILLS BLOOM, Noble's love of her native California is readily apparent. Readers will not be able to put this book down once they begin. Those who are looking for a compelling, inspirational read need look no further. Ms. Noble is able to skillfully integrate details of life in 1880s California with the story in such a way as to make the reader feel a part of Emmeline, Merci, and Quaid's world.

Readers will anxiously await the third book in the California Chroncles, trilogy, AT PLAY IN THE PROMISED LAND, the story of Emmeline and Quaid's daughter, Juliet Rose Dearbourne.

Again Drs. Nettles and Bush write in an authoritarian manner by going to primary sources for their information. Liberals may not like this book due to the fact that the majority of Baptists have always held a high view of the inspiration of Scripture. Some would naturally discredit this book but Nettles and Bush anticipate that by going to the primary sources (some dating even to the 1600's), as opposed to the secondary sources so often used by people today. For those interested in the documentary hypothesis and its detrimental effect on scripture, chapter eight will be of imdespensable value. Nettles and Bush evaluate the impact of German philosphy on the Higher Critical movement. This book should be on the shelf of all historians of Church and Scripure.

The most interesting and enlighening subject in this book was in the very first part (chapture two, to be exact) when the two separate groups of Baptists are discussed. All my life (life-long baptist) I was told that every person had free-will to chose for himself whether or not to believe in Christ as his savior. I did not know that there was a group of Calvinist Baptistwho held to predestination. It seems that many in the Baptist Church are espousing that doctrine again. The authors have done every Baptist a great service writing this book. It should be read and re-read by every Baptist if not every Protestant. Very disturbing but very informative book.

If you missed the original edition of this book in the 1980's then you have a great reading experience ahead of you. Dr. Bush and Dr. Nettles explain in this book why Baptists have changed their view of the Bible over the years.

If you don't understand why there are so many opinions and disagreements among Southern Baptists today then read this book and your eyes will be opened and your mind will be stretched as you follow the history of Baptists and their view of the Bible from the 1600's to the present day.

Tom Nettles has put together a work that is quite surprising but yet very interesting. This book is essentially a history of the Southern Baptist Church and it's Calvinistic roots. Nettles give details of the history of certain Baptist ministers and theologians. He describes their lives and their Calvinistic theologies in great detail. Moreover, Nettles brings to the forefront a heritage that has been lost through the last dozen or so decades. This is a wonderful history of the Baptist Church and it's theology. Nettles discusses the tenets of Calvinism and describes famous Baptists who held to these historical doctrines. Some of the Baptist ministers and theologians that are discussed include B.H. Carroll (founder of the largest Southern Baptist Seminary in the country - Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, TX), A. H. Strong, J.P. Boyce (Southern Baptist Theologian), Basil Manly, Sr. & Jr., and John L. Dagg (author of "Manual of Theology"). This book is a must for church history buffs, and also for those who simply like to study theology and Christian history.

I thought that I had a good understanding of the Doctrines of Grace until I read Prof. Nettles book. Chapter 12 - Christ Died for Our Sins, According to the Scriptures, is the most awe inspiring argument for Particular Redemption that I have read by a modern theologian. I once thought I was a "fish out of water", being a Calvinistic Southern Baptist. But, now I realize the depth of the soil from which I have grown. I wish modern Southern Baptists were as faithful to Sola Scriptura as the Founders of the Southern Baptist Convention were.

The book contains a history of the doctrines of grace against the backdrop of the early Baptist preachers. Dr. Nettles also includes a wonderful primer on soteriology at the end of the book. A great resource for Baptists who want to know their history and who are looking for an introduction to the doctrines of grace.

Crazy Visitation: A Chronicle Of Illness And Recovery is the personal story of author Saundra Murray Nettles, who lived with an encroaching brain tumor affecting her memory, personality, mood, and physical well-being for years before its diagnosis and removal. Pieced together through written records and the recollection of others as well as the author's own memory, Crazy Visitation is the story of both sickness and the long road to healing. A deeply moving and uplifting book, Crazy Visitation is emotionally rewarding, highly recommended reading.

This book offers an intimate and "real" view of what it means to suffer, strive to maintain dignity, fight the oppressive forces in our lives and survive! Saundra Murray Nettle's reflections are inspiring. I was inspired to keep fighting, keep searching for what is good and loving and to stay engaged with living life.

What Saundra Murray Nettles has done in her narrative, "Crazy Visitations", is transcend the inherent, self-imposed limitation of western psychology... what she has done is summon the courage to open a path to bring spirit into psychology. Summoning this courage is, in itself, a miracle given the fact that so many African-American women suffer from a rare and lethal strain of fear; the by-product of innumerous years of unfathomable racism, sexism, and oppression. Yet, Dr. Nettles emerges... a beautiful warrior-poet willing to follow her inner-compass toward reconstruction. What makes Dr. Nettles' narrative so compelling is that she has managed to prepare a pathway for spirit to take its rightful place as focus point of the field of psychology. After reading her story, it is quite evident that human beings cannot define or attempt to fully understand their true selves in terms of behavior, innate abilities and processes, and/or personality traits, because these things are easily manipulated by outside persons and/or objects (e.g. "an orange-sized meningioma"). Apparently there is something more to the human experience than meets the eye - an eye that has for far too long been pathologically concerned with finding physical, empirical "proof." I believe that "something more" is spirit. This word has not had any place whatsoever in the field and I believe this is why western psychology will always fall short of finding those "universal truths" it so relentlessly pursues. The absence of spirit in the field has led us to a plateau where there is an abundance of empirical data, but limited, superficial progress in using that information to better humanity. Psychologists must realize their role as healers and, even further, understand the profound implications of this role. Dr. Nettles' narrative makes it unquestionably clear that this is thoroughly understood in her spirit and is beginning to take verbal shape in her consciousness. She has taken the time to critically reflect on her experiences, not as isolated events, but rather as a process that is constantly moving her toward her highest good. As such, Dr. Nettles is in a state of continual healing and renewal that radiates to all that come to know her story. I once heard something to the effect that it was truly sad that so many wonderful, brilliant people pass through this life nameless -- leaving behind a legacy of profound achievement and decency -- before anyone got a chance to simply say, "thank you." Right now, Saundra Murray Nettles, I say thank you. You are an inspiration and I am so grateful that our paths have crossed.

Some of the techniques described are for outside of the darkroom, a definite plus if you're just starting out and don't have one set up. This book is like a cookbook, full of recipes for different photography techniques. Easy to read and understand and the price is right.

This book is great for a beginning photographer or a professional artist who wants to get beyond traditional photography. Some of the techniques outlined in this book, such as magazine transfers, are accessible to people without darkrooms or cameras because you use magazine pages to create images. After reading this book, I began looking at photographic materials more creatively.

History and biography readers will enjoy this, there's even something for the gardener.This collection of diaries covers the few years before World War II when the Lindberghs moved to a home called Longbarn in England (and then to a home in France). She writes about their flying travels to Germany, Italy, France and India while based in England. She describes the plants and flowers at their home along with the landscapes of their travels. The personal political views and conversations of the time include a trip to Germany so Charles Lingbergh can evaluate Germany's aviation capability to "social events" with the King and Queen of England, Lord and Lady Astor and the Kennedy's.

I might be biased, but boy! this book really does cover everything you ever wanted to know about nettles. Cooking with nettles, different herbal medicine traditions including current uses, neat tidbits, great recipes ... I can't wait to try out the Nettle Arishtam, and can vouch for Henriette's Potato Mush ;) - Janice has done it again.

Dr. Tom Nettles and Russell D. Moore have edited a wonderful volume on the true glue that holds Baptists together and that is theological conviction. The list of contributers is a veritable "who's who" of Baptist theological conservatives. The contributers span from the U.S. to Wales to Zambia. They reflect the theological diversity that is found among conservative, confessional and committed Baptists. They are pastors, scholars and lay people. The men and women in this volume stand in the tradition of their Baptist forebearers, committed to God's inerrant Word and the doctrines contained therein and willing to suffer for those distinctives they find in the Bible that makes them Baptists. I would implore every Baptist to read this book and rejoice in the true glue of theological conviction that holds us together as Baptists. I would also encourage every non-Baptist to read this volume for an honest understanding of what is at the core of what it means to be a Baptist Christian.

I very much recommend this book. It was a quick read on my daily train commute and I actually resented getting off the train and walking home (it is difficult to read in the dark while you're walking). However, I found a few things "aggravating" about it.
First, the term "aggravating" is being misused here since the word is not synonymous with "annoying", which would have been the correct one to use. "Aggravating" means getting or making something worse but it has become one of those slang words currently en vogue (similar to "impact", which has lately become an annoying substitute for "affect"). Second, there are at least half a dozen misspelled words in the book (not typos, mind you, but misspelled words - the difference being that misspelled words are spelled that way on purpose, and for the wrong reason).
One example is "respiratory track (sic)". These misspelled words are distracting and do not inspire confidence in the thoroughness of the research.

Nevertheless, my overall evaluation of this book is overwhelmingly positive and I can't wait for the sequel (quite a few more annoying things I can think of!)

Using the word "aggravation" in the sense of "annoyance" is not incorrect. While most dictionaries list the first definition of "aggravation" as "to make things worse," they also list as a second or third defnition the use of "aggravation" as a synonym for "annoyance." The American Heritage Dictionary, for example, gives the definition of aggravation as: 1. The act of aggravating or the state of being aggravated. 2. A source of continuing, increasing irritation or trouble. 3. Exasperation. The Cambridge Dictionary lists a definition of "aggravation" as "adj informal annoyance." So this use of "aggravation" is accepted.

As for mispelled words in the text, I would not use that as a guage of how well or poorly a book is researched. After the author writes a book, it goes through the hands of several editors. This book has copius notes at the end that point to a great deal of research including scientific journals and personal interviews. This seems relatively uncommon for this type of light entertainment reference.

Incidentally, "respiratory" is the correct spelling according to Mirriam Webster, The Cambridge Dictionary of American English, Webster's Revised Unabridged, and The American Heritage Dictionary which I have here at my desk.

This book is awesome, not only does it discuss the things that aggravate and irk is, but Laura Lee goes in depth and explains the reason and science behind them, from crinkly candy wrappers to lost luggage to slow drivers in the fast lane! I enjoyed this book and its humor so much, I hope Laura Lee writes another book on the things that aggravate us!

The plot development in this book is virtually non-existent. To cap it all off, the ending sucks. You are led to believe that the book might get interesting in the end, but NO! I would not recommend this book to anyone because it is awful. A good ending could have saved it, but the ending was terrible.

Tanizaki's powers of description are as potent here as in passages of "Sasame Yuki." As usual he brings time and place to vivid and delicately observed life.

His characters are also convincing - seemingly without effort. The messiness inside them is in no way culturally specific to Japan of a certain era - whether or not it is meant to comment upon the riot of societal changes that usually provide the petri dish in which Tanizaki's protagonists are swimming.

This book is worth reading slowly.

It is also worth someday reading again.

This is one of my all-time favorite novels, and I have read it about once a year for the last ten. It is a beautiful illustration of cultural struggle, as well as the personal frustrations of a marriage falling apart. It ends in classic Japanese style-- uncertainly-- allowing the reader to wonder and imagine what happens next.