The Heart of a Father, compiled by Wayne Holmes, is a book that can be quickly read and enjoyed, then set aside for a while and re-read and enjoyed all over again. With each reading, the reader will discover new insights, new ways to connect with God. The stories are told in short bitesize morsels that can be consumed by the eager reader in less time than it would take to inhale a candy bar. And though some of the stories are sprinkled with sugar that's where the similarities between this book and a candy bar and its quickly disappearing sugar-high end. The stories are filled with God's wisdom and tend to remain with the reader throughout the day, helping the reader to discover similarities between the way they teach their own children and the way God teaches us. Mr. Holmes has done a thorough job of making sure the reader puts on a thinking cap, and in doing so has managed to bring God and His ways more fully into their lives.

If you have a father, step-father, or grandfather in your life, or are about to be a father, you'll want to buy this book. Wayne Holmes has assembled a fine collection of inspirational stories on fatherhood that will serve as a model for all men. From the famous, such as Max Lucado, to the soon-to-be-famous, like Linda Knight, each writer has captured an attribute of our Father in Heaven's character in a unique way. This books will make a great present for any man.

Appreciating the varied roles of earthly fathers helps us understand our Heavenly Father. Through engaging stories and vignettes, The Heart of a Father nudges us toward that understanding. A good read -- and a valuable one.

this had been a book as well as an audio presentation. It would have made a great read. Some are put off by Dyer's newer works in which he seems to get pretty "new-agey" and metaphysical and I understand that. I much prefer his work from the late 70's to mid 80's. I have nothing against his spiritual ideas per se, but sometimes all the chanting, Course in Miracles, and doctrinaire eastern thought can get a bit heavy for my taste.

These cassettes are practical, common sense presented in a lively and upbeat forum. There is plenty of humor and food for thought. For example, Dyer talks about people making themselves upset about traffic jams and people saying you "should have" this or "should have" that. He rightly points out that traffic will be traffic independently of our opinions, and that there is no way anyone can "should have" done anything. The past is over and to be victimized about something over which you have no control is absurd.

Far better is to use our present moments constructively and bring our own joy to what we do. Dyer goes on to point out that we all collect mental garbage from our past and then continue to beat ourselves up with it and stay in a neurotic and non- life-enhancing cycle.

If you enjoy wisdom presented in a practical, humorous way, you will love these audio tapes and listen to them over and over again. It may sound over-simplistic, but it is true that if you listen to this message and take the principles to heart and actually work them, your life will change immediately and dramatically.

This could be the best thing you ever did for yourself for under fifteen bucks.

I HIGHLY recommend Dr. Wayne Dyer's books and tapes and especially this one! He has a wonderful way of mixing humor with his advise. This tape can really make a difference in your life. I've purchased it for myself and several friends. He keeps things simple, yet shares profound wisdom with you that can really help you move to a happier, more fulfilled life.

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Wayne Dyer and this cassette collection. It has changed my outlook on life. Everyone needs to listen to what Dr. Wayne has to say, it can only enhance your outlook on life. The only limits that exist are the ones that we place on ourselves. After listening to Dr. Waynes Tapes and reading his books I realize that there is nothing that I cannot accomplish if I set my mind to it. I do not feel the need any longer to worry about things that will probably never happen or that no amount of worry can prevent. I realize that yesterday is over, tommorow has not happened but today is my masterpiece to be lived to it's fullest.

Deacon Johnson has used his own walk with the Lord and scriptures from the Bible to assist in teaching us how we should Glorify the Lord.
This book can be enjoyed by the seasoned Christian reader as well as the novice. All of the scriptures have been so eloquently broken down in language that we can all understand. "Give God The Glory", will put a fire under you to get out and spread the Word.
The scriptures tell us that we each are given spiritual gifts. This book expounded on those gifts and helps us to identify our spiritual gift or gifts. Also, how we can use them in our everyday life.
References to the scriptures, the men in the Bible and what steps we all need to take to become stronger Christians are all included.
The thought provoking questions provided at the end of the chapter helped to reinforce the learning process.
Pick up a copy of this book and grab your Bible. This book is an excellent study guide to add to your library.

Kevin Wayne Johnson's Give God the Glory is a wonderful instructional book broken up into two parts: KNOW GOD and DO THE WILL OF GOD. In Part One, he teaches readers how to glorify God at all times, comprehend that they are "called" whether they realize it or not, and learn how to recognize and utilize their personal spiritual gifts. In Part Two, he teaches readers to spread the gospel, stand tall, and be a blessing to others.

While those may seem like simple requests, most people do not act upon them daily and Give God the Glory shows us how we can make it a habitual part of our lives. Each chapter ends with a list of questions to consider, which enables readers to analyze what they have just read and fully acclimate it into their souls.

For those searching for an easy-to-read guide on spiritual enhancement, Give God the Glory is a wonderful selection. It is extremely positive to see a young African American male pen such a book because our male youth need more mentors to look to for assistance in their spiritual growth.

Reviewed by Zane

Have you ever asked yourself what it means to be a Christian and how can you
glorify God and do his will? These are the questions that Kevin Wayne Johnson
tackles in his first book, Give God the Glory.

The language used in the book is descriptive, understandable and clear. For
each topic that is discussed, the reader is provided with Old and New Testament
Biblical references. In addition, the author provides contextual information,
references and lots of easy to understand definitions. The book provides a
blueprint of how to strengthen your Christian walk.

One of my favorite parts of this book was the section that covered spiritual
gifts. In this section, different types of gifts were identified and
explained. This section led me to ask myself, "What are the gifts that God has
given me and am I using them or letting them go to waste?"

This book will have you grabbing pen and paper so that you can take notes. It
is thorough and inspiring. The book raises a lot of tough questions that need
to be addressed by Christians. You will find yourself searching your soul as
you try to answer the questions he raises. Most important, reading this book
can help put you on a path that will help you strengthen and further develop
your relationship with God. I am sure that if you read this book with an open
heart and answer the questions to consider that the author has listed at the
end of each chapter, you will be touched. This was an excellent book and I
hope that Mr. Johnson continues his writing for the Lord.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay

McDill has captured the essence of expository Preaching. No other preaching method I have studied is as God honoring and powerful. It teaches you how to preach God's Word and not your own or anyone elses. At the same time it helps you to use your own life experiences to illustrate the points you pull directly out of God's Word. It takes the best of Inductive study methods and couples them with the art of expository preaching.

I must admit as a recent Bible college graduate I was intimidated by the task of expository preaching. However, as I finished each chapter I thought to myself, "I can do that." Soon I was through the entire book confident I could preach an effective expository sermon on any passage of Scripture.
McDill takes you through from text to sermon and everything in between showing exactly how to do everything. I readily admit that my preaching has changed since reading this book. It has added depth and meaning and my sermons are not just an exegetical speech but messages that connects with the hearts and spirits of the congregation.
This book is a must-read for the expository preacher!

I have read several books on preaching and this one definitely fits the bill. It's imaginative, philosophical, practical, and invigorating all in the same volume of text. It's not long and wordy but gets right to the point. No matter how long you have been at the preaching desk, there is something in this book that you will find enlightening. For years I have been trying to find a book that "spells out" the practics of sermon preparation and writing. This book does just that. Especially helpful is the Motivated sequence outline, and specifically the analogy and scene/story chapters. Many times preachers during their sermon preparation contract a disease that I call "IMAGINATION BLOCK." You know, that's where you simply cannot come up with that perfect example, illustration, metaphor, or even application that really brings home the point your trying to make. McDill shows you, in a step-by-step way, how to find enlightenment in this area from your own experience. What a refreshing change to the etherial, ambiguous books i've read before where understanding the first two chapters is an exercise in futility. Preachers need down-to-earth counsel on understanding how our people receive and conceptualize the word of God, and the best way to help facillitate that reception. This is what McDill's book describes and proscribes in detailed fashion. This is a must buy for every preacher who is sick and tired of trying to figure out, "Just how do I approach this text, or that Psalm, this epistle, or that retorical prologue?" In short, BUY IT YOU'LL LIKE IT!"

I am a huge fan and relative of Herb's writings. He has a true gift for the written word and I have enjoyed all of his books. Herb, my prayers and thoughts are with you during these very trying times. I am thinking of you incessantly and the entire family prays for you daily. Godspeed.

Critics complain that he was a Johnny-One Note who played the same person over & over, & wasn't very good at it. I say this is Baloney.

The annecdotes & observations of the people who lived & worked with him that are found in this book show that he was able to do so much, physically, & emotionally with the characters he played.

You come away with a better sense of why you cheered, laughed, & cried under the spell of his performances. Whether you agreed or disagreed with the actions of his character, you still cared for him & cared about what happened to him

His friends, family, & co-workers loved & admired him & it shows very clearly in this wonderful book.

Sure, he drank, & smoked, & was a staunch anti-commie, but he was also a loyal, funny, kind & gentle family man who worked hard to perfect his craft & cared about his co-workers.

Read this book & understand.

"Duke We're Glad We Knew You" is an exellent book. People such as Harry Carey Jr., Ben Johnson, Lee Aaker, John Wayne's stepsister, and many more write of when they knew Duke.The foreward is written by Ronald Regan who knew Wayne personally. Author, Herb Fagen. interviewed many of them personally. The book has stories about how Wayne first got started in acting, his childhood,his marriages, his movies, and his death. I have really enjoyed this book.

A must for anyone who loves Tolkien! Very fine!

With the reissue of Tolkien's cover of "The Hobbit" and other original drawings that he did, it seems like an appropriate time to pick up this book. Why? Because for a really complete vision of Tolkien's work (Lord of the Rings, Hobbit, and all the rest) it's probably best to see it as he saw it.

This book contains all the artwork that Tolkien created (NOT all the artwork BASED on his works, just the stuff he did himself!). Some are miscellaneous sketches and doodles, some are watercolors, ink drawings, prints, pencil sketches, and combinations of all of the above. One doodle looks like multicolored snowflakes, some are landscapes or pictures of little houses, teddy bears, owls, and so on. Very cute and cool, especially the illustrations done for "Roverandum."

And many are Middle-Earth related -- different views of the Misty Mountains or the Elvenking's hall, the evolution of what the Shire looked like, different Laketowns, different "Doors of Durin," even drawings of the tattered pages of the Dwarf Book of Moria. Near the end, even Tolkien's design drawings for LOTR book covers are included. And, of course -- MAPS! Maps of Wilderland, as well as the famous map from "Hobbit."

The text accompanying these many pictures carefully dissects all of the drawings and their importance, as well as how they evolved. (It's a bit like looking at concept art) As well as going over only Tolkien's work, Wayne G. Hammond also examines influences on Tolkien's artwork. For example, there is a fairy-tale picture that influenced a "Hobbit" picture, and a scientific drawing of a golden eagle that influenced another "Hobbit" picture with Bilbo.

This is a must-read for fans of J.R.R. Tolkien, a great peek into a great mind. And it emphasizes that Tolkien was not just a brilliant writer, but a brilliant artist as well. Great stuff, definitely a must-see.

This book sheds so much light on the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien, and it allows the reader to see what he saw and know what he thought. It is a fantastic read and an invaluable addition to any Tolkien library.

As a Conservative (though mostly non-practicing) Jew, I have been reading many books on the subject of G-d...actually, what the Jewish view of G-d really is. This book explains it, and much more. It helped me understand why we don't believe that Jesus is the son of G-d, and why we don't. This book is a great resource for the Gentile reader who is intrigued and curious about the Jewish religion. But it is especially useful to the Jew who either a)doesn't understand the role Jews played in History, or b)the Jew that has specific questions about the religion that were never really answered fully by any other book. This book answers questions regarding the many Jewish holidays, why we don't believe that Jesus is the son of G-d, why do bad things happen to good people (was G-d really there for us during the Holocaust?), and definitions and meanings of hundreds of Jewish items and customs that many of us use and follow, but never really understood the deeper meaning behind them. This is my all-time favorite resource for Jewish tradition and thought!

This book, with elegance and simplicity seeks to explains what it means to be Jewish; the beliefs, people, and sacred texts starting with the Torah. Despite wanderings and settlements from Spain, Eastern Europe, and Ethiopia, and Exiles and destructions of the Temple, they have remained "The Chosen People". This book helped me realize the uniqueness of this last century on the Jews, from the Holocaust to the importance of the creation of Israel. The essays that Rabbi Dosick sprinkled through the book, offer a glimpse of a way of thinking about ethics, justice, and law. He presents his personal views, for what they are, and recognizes other views.

The description of Jewish Holiday and Worship, describe the rituals and worship that historically permeate the Jewish life. Growing up Christian, I felt some loss that we had discarded these remembrances of God from our daily life. His own essay on "Law and Spirit" recognizes some of the differences in spirit between Christianity and Judaism. It also helped me appreciate some of the Jewish observances, that as an outsider seem unusual.

If you are searching for a book on the complete meaning and traditions of basic Judaism, look no further. This book is written in a straightforward, ever-so-slightly scholarly manner that is appropriate to the subject matter. Rather than just describing different events in the history and life cycle of the Jewish people, Rabbi Wayne Dosick tells stories that help to illuminate the subtle meanings behind the events. He includes definitions to all Hebrew words (along with their Hebrew spelling) that he introduces and has each chapter broken down into easy to understand sections representing a single theme. Chapters include: Jewish beliefs, The Jewish People, Jewish Literature, Jewish Days and Holidays, Jewish Worship, The Jewish Life Cycle, and the Jewish Land. This is a compendium of Jewish thought that encompasses everything you absolutely need to know. Another great book that is a wealth of Judaic information is "Essential Judaism" by George Robinson.

This book should be read by all men and women. There is something for everyone to take away from it. The list in the book are very helpful and gives you a place to start. Women if you can get your husbands to listen to you for one minute ask them to read this book it could very well change there whole thought pattern . I loved it. Great Job Wayne!

I feel this is a must book for both men and women but even more so for women to read. Women have an easier time expressing their feelings and needs and I feel this book will help them understand men better and give them the tools to help draw out the man in their life if they are having any problems communicating. I am presently going through a divorce after a very long marriage and I know if I would have read this book several years ago maybe I could have saved my marriage by knowing more about how my husband was thinking and not giving up because I could not get through to him and us growing apart. The book was written from the personal experiences of the author which makes it even more useful and practical information to learn and hopefully helps the reader not make the same mistakes in their lives. I know I have learned some valuable insight into a man's mind in reading this book that will hopefully help me in any future relationships I am lucky enough to have. Thank you Wayne for sharing your life with the rest of us in an effort to help us avoid the mistakes you made in your journey through life!

Ah, what a great book! Being involved in Relationship Workshops, I feel this book is absolutely a must to read by women as well as men. It certainly offers insight into the world of men who listen but have found it difficult to feel. Women you must read this book! It will give you a greater understanding of men. I will indeed suggest reading it at my Relationship Workshops. Pattimari Sheets

The second edition is much better. I bought this (3rd) edition for my culinary school baking class while everyone else was still using the 2nd edition. (My class started in October 2000 just as the 3rd edition was being released. I wanted to be on the cutting edge when compared to my fellow students so I bought the then-new book; everyone else had the 2nd editon.)

None of my recipes turned out compared to those using the same recipe in the second edition. Upon closer examination, we found discrepancies in quantities in nearly every recipe over the second edition. For example, many recipes had differing weight values for metric versus imperial measurments. Unfortunately, this wasn't consistant in that metric was "always" higher than imperial. Sometimes the metric measurement was higher (off), and sometimes it was less (still off). Sometimes one tablespoon equalled 28 grams (it should be 15 grams [rounded]) other times 1 ounce equalled 15 grams (it should be 28 grams).

Buy the used 2nd edition to get a quality book. It's acurate, even if there are fewer photos and recipes.

Note: I have many Wayne Gisslen books and I think very highly of him as a culinarian. I think his other books equal five stars. He is a quality author and we're lucky to have him author so many high-value culinarian books. The problem with this particular book is the editing. This had to have been edited by a rookie editor. There is simply no other excuse for such a highly regarded author to publish a book with so many errors sliding by to publication.

This book is part of the Holy Trinity of books I use to teach myself the culinary arts. For those of us who can't afford culinary school, this book is great. After mastering the techniques discussed in such a detailed and interesting fashion in this book, you could bake anything. They have tons of recipes and scientific explanations and calculations so you can make perfect foodstuffs. Would highly recommend.

A great book and it helped me get through my baking course. I also bought the Study Guide for the National Servsafe Exam: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations ISBN 0971999678 also on Amazon. This study guide help me understand the importance of handling dairy products especially eggs to prevent Salmonella and other Food borne illnesses. It also helped my study group and I pass the National Servsafe Exam with ease. Buy the first book definitely for your baking class and buy the second book for the Servsafe Exam.