Connecting: The Mentoring Relationships You Need to Succeed in Life, by Paul D. Stanley and J. Robert Clinton, Colorado Springs, Navpress, 1992, 252 pages. Reviewed by J. L. Lee

Paul Stanley has over twenty years experience in leadership development. He has served as the international vice-president of the Navigators. His ministry has taken him to a variety of international locations where he has done both leadership training and consulting.

Dr. Robert Clinton has served on the faculty of the Fuller Theological Seminary as an associate professor of leadership for the school of world mission. He has completed extensive research in the field of leadership and specializes in leadership training, selection, and emergence patterns.

The thesis of this book is to show leaders a method they may use to "finish well." That method is to use mentoring as a leadership tool. The authors define the tool of mentoring in relationship terms as an experience where one person empowers another using divinely provided resources. The authors also clearly state the four objectives of the book on page 13.

1.)"How to be mentored even though there aren't enough mentors to go around"
2.)"An explanation of what makes mentoring work"
3.)"A balanced model of mentoring relationships"
4.)"Illustrations and ideas on how mentoring can work for you"

They answer the first objective in the first ten chapters of the book. This is accomplished by breaking down the task of mentoring into seven functions, Discipler, Spiritual Guide, Coach, Counselor, Teacher, Sponsor and Model. Model is further sub-divided into Contemporary and Historical Models. The first three mentoring functions are grouped together under the supra heading of Intensive Mentoring. The fourth through sixth functions are likewise grouped under the heading Occasional Mentoring. The two sub-types of models are considered under the heading Passive Mentoring.
The authors also define three essential dynamics of the mentoring process as Attraction, Responsiveness, and Accountability. These three dynamics are of greater importance in the more intensive types of mentoring. The three dynamics also address the second objective of the book, "what makes mentoring work."
The introduction of the seven mentoring functions and the three dynamics begins in chapter two, especially pages 41-45, and form the backbone of this book upon which most of the rest is expansion and elaboration. Chapter 11, especially pages 161-168, describes what the authors term the "Constellation Model" of mentoring. This model attempts to set forward a framework for the seven functions of mentoring detailed in chapters 3-10. This Constellation Model is defined in images of upward mentoring, downward mentoring, and peer co-mentoring. The peer co-mentoring is further described as either external (outside your organization) or internal (inside your organization). Peer co-mentoring is also described in terms of "close buddy", friend and acquaintance.
The fourth objective of the book is met throughout the book in the numerous illustrations and tidbit ideas for practical application of the mentoring concepts presented. This reviewer found chapters 13 and 14 to be especially helpful in meeting this objective. Chapter 13 listed "Ten Commandments of Mentoring" as well as insights from the mistakes, which the authors have made in mentoring. Chapter 14 presented five characteristics of leaders who finish well.
The book closes with an appendix that describes four principles of adult learning. The appendix is followed by a section of notes from the text. This section in turn is followed by a list of references cited in the text and an annotated bibliography.

Chapters three through ten form the core of the book and develop the material about the seven different functions of a mentor. These can also be understood to be seven different types of mentors.
Chapter three begins this section with a discussion of the Discipler Mentor. The chapter is descriptive and presents the basic growth habits of discipleship and a section of "hints for discipleship mentoring" that apply to both the disciple and the discipler. This chapter does not conclude with a chapter summary.
The second type of intensive mentoring, the spiritual guide, is described in chapter four. Again this chapter is descriptive with the major definitions being easily recognizable in boldface type font. This chapter delineates the functions of a spiritual guide and also gives a means of determining the need for a spiritual guide. It also does not conclude with a chapter summary.
Chapter five concludes the intensive mentoring functions with a development of the role of a coach. This chapter offers the mentoring dynamics, functions, and hints for the coach.
The idea of occasional mentoring is introduced in detail in chapter six with a discussion of the counselor mentor. Of special interest are the eight major empowerment functions of the counselor mentor as well as a section on hints for the counselor.
Occasional mentoring continues into chapter seven when the teacher is described as a mentor. Hints for the teacher-mentor and a section of tips to turn your teaching into mentoring are key sections of this chapter.
Occasional mentoring concludes in chapter eight when the sponsor is described. The sponsor functions and empowerment together with the practical hints on sponsor mentoring are useful listings. It's interesting that this chapter together with chapters five and ten are the only chapters dealing with the seven types of mentoring that offer chapter summaries at their conclusion. Several of the chapters do conclude with a section titled for further study. Chapters nine and ten take up the concept of passive mentoring by describing the role of first the contemporary model and then the historical model in the two chapters respectively.
As noted above, the heart of the book is found in chapters three through ten and each of these chapters in turn addresses the stated thesis of the book which is to present a method which leaders may use to finish well. While the concept of finishing well is not specifically addressed in great detail within the core of the book, in fact it is addressed most significantly in the final chapter, the methods presented in the core build up to and support the conclusion of the book with this thesis.
The book is very systematic and analytical in presenting a theory of mentoring. The structure appears easy to discern and the descriptive material tends to hold the reader's interest. It is a relatively easy read that seems to accomplish the purpose well which the authors set forth for it. This reviewer would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the subject of mentoring.

Stanley and Clinton have written a very practical guide to developing mentoring relationships. By addressing several kinds of mentoring (from intentional discipleship to passive mentorship) they have digested sophisticated theory into reasonable methods. Throughout the book they also offer their own personal experiences as examples of the principles they wish to bring out, which adds a very readable flavor. At times the authors seem to treat the topic of relationships with a sterile pragmatism, which is my only complaint about the book. Perhaps Stanley and Clinton would do well to spend time reading Larry Crabb's book by the same name! Overrall, I appreciated this book and I am using some of the principles in my own ministry at Biola University.

The book was a rocket ride for me. It was exciting, well-paced and well written. What's even better is that Delusion is Good is a book you can put to use. It's not so abstract that you can't use it. It's practical and assertive, but it doesn't ever force-feed you. Instead, it takes you by the hand. It guides you to some great places in yourself. And once it does, it really starts to shake stuff up for you. The book works. And it teaches us things we can put to use now, not five years from now!

DELUSION IS GOOD is not your run-of-the mill self-help book. It makes us all look at some things that we might not want to confront. And it requires a little bit of honest self-evaluation to go after it's rather outspoken theme. But once I did, once I took a look at the two matrixes that drive us, Love and Fear, and how we respond to them, I found it exceptional. Once I got the message of my true mission in life, I couldn't put it down.

You will find THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WEIGHT TRAINING to be a good reference book and resource tool. Do not leave home without it!

The contents is basically textual in nature with a lot of easy to understand tables and figures which enhances comprehension. The book does not address the specifics of how to perform exercises but there are thousands of books that do that.

This book deals with the science of training and how to format a training program along with sound training principles and solid nutritional information that helps to ensure your success in training.

The cycling and periodization of training is very important for success in general fitness, bodybuilding and training for sport. This book is loaded with useful information, examples and principles that will get you on the road to success and very quickly.

It has great examples of periodization for all levels of training. Moreover, the nutritional information is solid and easy to grasp.

All people (young or old, male or female) as well as high school and college students and personal trainers should have it for their library.

You will not get the insight and information from any other source that you will find in the ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WEIGHT TRAINING.

I highly recommend it. Buy one NOW and be ahead of the crowd.

You will never loan this book to anyone because it will not be returned because of it great value. It is truly a "pearl of great price."

Walter Hecht

Excellent resource: This book covers a wide variety of subjects relating to fitness and provides a tremendous depth of knowledge to anyone who is serious about fitness.

This book, based on a series of talks given at the New York Library, biographers Robert Caro, David McCullough, Paul C. Nagel, Richard B. Sewall, Ronald Steel and Jean Strouse explain how and why they went about writing biographies in the way that they did.

Each biographer explains well how the life of the biographer becomes intertwined with that of the person they are researching. In each case, they stress that biography writing is both intense and time-consuming.

Lyndon B. Johnson biographer, Robert Caro, recommends Francis Parkman's "Montcalm and Wolfe" for two reasons. One, to show that the job of the historian is to try to write at the same level as the greatest novelists. Second, that the duty of the historian is to go to the locales of the events that will be described, and not to leave, no matter how long it takes...until the writer has done his or her best to understand the locales and their cultures and their people.

In the end, it means that the biographer must not only understand the person, but also needs to intimately know the area where the person grew up and lived.

This book gives its readers new insights into the lives of some of this nation's most prominent figures, through the eyes of six well-known biographers. In "The Unexpected Harry Truman," David McCullough shows the life of Truman through new eyes. McCullough stresses that a biographer must genuinely care about his [or her] subject because you are living with that person every single day. The process is like that of choosing a spouse or roommate, therefore, the subjects that he chooses must have a degree of animal, human vitality. In Truman, he said, as with Theodore Roosevelt, he found no shortage of vitality.

McCullough created a detailed chronology, almost a diary of what Truman was doing from year to year, even day to day if the events were important enough. He also used primary sources, such as personal diaries, letters and documents from the time period. Truman poured himself out on paper and provided a large, wonderfully written base of writing for McCullough to sort through and "find" the man.

McCullough says that the magic of writing comes from not knowing where you are headed, what you are going to wind up feeling and what you are going to decide.

Richard Sewell's "In Search of Emily Dickinson," research process took twenty years and he says, "In the beginning I didn't go searching for her, she went searching for me." The process took him two sabbaticals, years of correspondence and meetings with Mabel Loomis Todd's daughter Millicent Todd Bingham to uncover the whole truth.

Paul Nagel's "The Adams Women," gives readers a sense of how important the women in the Adam's family were. Nagel said that contemplating the development of ideology is good training for a biographer. After all, he said, the intellectual historian takes an idea and brings it to life. For Nagel, working with ideas establishes a bridge into the mind and life of the people who had the ideas he studies.

Nagel said that he likes and admires women and this is why, after writing about the Adams' men, he wrote about the Adams' women. Nagel also said that he has learned and taught his students that our grasp of history must always remain incomplete.

Ronald Steel said, that the hardest job a biographer has is not to judge his or her subject, however, most fail to keep their judgements out of the biography.

In Jean Strouse's, "The Real Reasons," she explains that the modern biography examines how character affects and is affected by social circumstance. Biography also tells the reader a great deal about history and gives them a wonderful story.

In writing about Alice James, Strouse found that there was not an interesting plot line to her life other than that her brothers were writers Henry and William James.

Strouse, when asked by another writer about the descendents of the three James' children, she said that William's great-grandson in Massachusetts, tired of being asked whether he was related to Henry or William, moved to Colorado where he was asked whether he was related to Jesse or Frank. Strouse reported that he stayed in Colorado.

Strouse realized that in order to tell the story of the James' family, she was going to have to use her own voice to give life to the family, especially Alice. This is not recommended for all biographies, but in a case such as hers, it needs that biographer's voice to connect all the information for the reader.

In Robert Caro's, "Lyndon Johnson and the Roots of Power," he talked to the people who knew Johnson to get a sense of the former President from Texas and what made him worthy of a new biography. He wrote the biography to illuminate readers to the time period and what shaped the time, especially politically.

This book will help writers understand the steps he or she will need to take to write a biography. It shows the difficult research processes and makes the reader want to either write a biography about an interesting person or never want to write again. Either way, this book provides new insights that one may have never thought about before. I recommend this book to both beginning and seasoned writers

This highly readable textbook is probably the only one that has successfully dealt with the explosive growth of research and discovery in the exciting field of neuroscience. The 4th edition of the classic by Kuffler and Nicholls maintains the clear, logical and coherent presentation of its predecessors while keeping up with the latest work involving a range of techniques, from molecular genetics to functional MRI. The book's emphasis on the experimental and intellectual basis of knowledge in the field makes it ideal for graduate and advanced graduate students, even those with limited scientific background. It is doubtless no accident that the relatively compact new edition has kept the breadth and depth of earlier editions without becoming unwieldy. Its only real shortcoming is its hefty price, although it is still below most of the competition. It would be nice to see a paperback edition.

I can't imagine to find a book like this... It's excellent. It has many things that anybody can need in order to know more about this system and this kind of cells.

Well beyond theory - this is obviously the work of the men who have done it. Chocked full of stories, examples, checklists, work plans, and wisdom. If you are thinking about gainsharing or participative management - get this, read it, and use it to guide your work.

Managers, entrepeneurs, ceo s , cfo s, and consultants will appreciate this book as a prac- tical and well-explained series of methods for creating and implementing gain sharing and/or variable pay programs. More than any other book on the subject this will be a clear explana- tion of gain sharing and variable pay. It is clear, well-written, concise and yet far reaching in its analysis and down to earth examples of what has worked and what has not worked at places that have tried gain sharing management.

You will not want to discard this book during the time you are implementing a gain sharing or variable pay program. As I management con- sultant I often refer to it in my seminars and on-site consultations. Mike Pavilon, Chicago

This is my fifth Goddard, and each maintains a freshly unique, suprising, suspensful character. The Spanish Civil War is an active character in the novel, and offers a valuable learning experience in itself. The theme of webs, connections and linkages continues from Goddard's other novels. All issues are finally resolved but not without unexpected twists and turns that make it difficult to put the book down.

The plot is well thought out. Unlike most of Goddard's books, half way through, I was sure that I fully understood what was going on and who had committed the murder. All the facts fitted my suppositions so I was a little disappointed at how easy it was to determine what was going on. Then the plot changed dramatically and all my suppositions were proved to be wrong. Red herrings galore! The final pages of the book reveal the most plausible of solutions to the scenario. As with most of RG's books, the final pages reveal a solution not thought of, but altogether too plausible. An Excellent read! Terry Hockenhull

Images: The Piano Music Of Claude Debussy Paul Roberts (professor of piano, Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London) is a meaningful, superbly presented, in-depth analysis of the French piano music of artist and visionary Claude Debussy. Chapters focus in depth upon Debussy's individual songs and go into minute, deconstructive and comparative analysis, observing common threads in Debussy's work and that of other masters such as Chopin. A scholarly book deftly written at the college-graduate level, Images is highly recommended as the perfect companion book for a true connoisseur of Debussy's music. Two music CD's of Debussy's work, performed by Images author Paul Roberts, are intended as companions to Images but are sold separately.

I would be able to write a more erudite review of this book if I had my copy beside me, citing examples of wonderful writing, interesting anecdotes and illuminating images. Unfortunately, I loaned it to my piano teacher, and she won't give it back! She has fallen in love with it. I think I may have to give her a copy as a gift if I ever want to see my copy again. Paul Roberts was here in Portland last June for the first Piano Festival Northwest. He gave a lecture, a master class and a piano recital. His abilities in all three areas are distilled into this book. He has studied Debussy and the cultural "stew" of Paris during Debussy's life. He has studied Debussy's piano works and performs them sensitively. And finally he can explain all of this in a most entertaining manner, in person and in his writing. The book is not easy to read in a summertime-beachy way, but it is certainly not academic or pedantic. It is lively but thorough, engaging and thought provoking. It also contains many examples and musical excerpts which can be studied with a view toward performance of the pieces. As an amatuer pianist, I can appreciate these sections without being able to perform the works, and my teacher takes the examples as points of departure or new interpretive ideas for works which she has performed in the past, but can now see in new ways. Of course, if you've never heard of Debussy, I suppose you might have no use for this book. Otherwise, buy it. (I have no connection, family or business, with Paul Roberts.)

While not the 1st artist to take on the conceptions of light and its practical uses in art, now Flagstff, AZ. artist James Turrell has brought the perception of light in art to creative and fantastic new levels through his conceptions such as his famous "skyspaces" to "darkspaces," "blue rooms," etc. Many of his pieces offer low light level environments, some almost no light at all, still others brilliant hues of red and blue.

Like most artists, Turrell shies away from giving detailed explinations of his works so that each individual can surmise the piece for themselves. This is not necessarly the case in this work. Turrell wanted, (and did) to build a specific "skyscape" in order to view an eclipse that occurred in England. Like his other "skyscapes," Turrell took the environment and all of its factors, as well as very specific geometry, into account, so that he could construct the perfect medium through which to not just observe the eclipse, but to better magnify the light, or lack thereof, of the eclipse.

The book is a wonderful look at this process, complete with analysis and pictures of the eclipse, the "skyscape," etc. An added bonus is the cd by German composer Paul Schulze, who's approach to his music (a minimalist ambient style, normally) is a perfect match to Turrell's art.

Fans of Turrell, or those who are interested in the interplay between light, our senses, and the reality they both help us create, will find this rather short treatsie to be of invaluable use to them. A wonderfully intriguing work.

James Turrell has long been a major player in the field of light art, and visitors to the Matress Factory museum in Pittsburgh are well aware of his outstanding way of playing with art and images. This amusing meditation on an eclipse is an excellent addition to his body of work

The New Interpreter's Bible is a twelve-volume series, updating the popular Interpreter's Bible from a few decades ago. There are several key features common to all of the volumes of this series. First, each includes a two-column, double translation of the Biblical text (NIV - New International Version, and NRSV - New Revised Standard Version) arranged by topical unit or story. Then, they provide commentaries that look at the passages as a whole, as well as verse-by-verse. Third, interesting Reflection pieces that relate the passages to each other, to history, and to current concerns occur at the conclusion of each passage. Fourth, introductory articles for each book are provided that discuss transmission, historical background, cultural setting, literary concerns, and current scholarship. Finally, there are general articles about the Bible, each Testament, and various types of literature (Narrative, Gospel, Wisdom Literature, etc.) are provided to give general placement and knowledge about the text overall.

The list of contributors, editors, and consultants on the project is a veritable Who's Who of biblical and theological scholarship, representing all major traditions and schools of thought liberal and conservative. Leander Keck, of the Yale Divinity School, is the primary editor of the series.

The volumes were published individually, and can be purchased individually, which is a good thing, given that they are a bit expensive. But for any serious biblical scholar, preacher, student, or enthusiast, they are invaluable.

--Volume X--

The tenth volume of the New Interpreter's Bible continues the New Testament, containing the books of Acts, Romans and First Corinthians, including an introductory essay on Epistolary Literature (i.e., letters). This was the final volume to be published. The series is now complete.

Robert Wall of Seattle Pacific University provides both the commentary on Acts as well as the essay on Epistolary Literature. The introductory article on Acts includes maps and drawings of archaeological sites, and looks at Acts from the standpoint of composition and conversation. Thus, Acts can serve as a story, as theology, or as historical framework.

In the essay on Epistolary Literature, Wall looks at both the Pauline collection and the letters attributed to other apostles. He examines the issues of dating and sequencing, the controversies over authorship on some letters, and the literary issues and features of letters versus other types of literature.

N. Thomas Wright, theologian of the Church of England, examines the Letter to the Romans. Looking at the structures and the themes of Romans, Wright argues against the idea of pulling out a few verses here and there as representative of the whole. 'One might as well try to get the feel of a Beethoven symphony by humming over half a dozen bars from different movements.'

J. Paul Sampley of Boston University looks at First Corinthians. Sampley explores the city of Corinth, the church in the community there, Paul's relationship with the Corinthians, particular themes that appear in the letter as representative of early Christianity.

High praise goes to the general editorial staff for working with such strong authors/scholars, that their work fits together well as part of this set while retaining the individual characteristics (much like the writers of the Bible itself!).

--Other volumes available--

The following is a list of each volume in this twelve-volume set, and the contents of each.

Volume I: General Articles on the Bible; General Articles on the Old Testament; Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus

Volume II: Numbers; Deuteronomy; Introduction to Narrative Literature; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; I & II Samuel

Volume III: I & II Kings; I & II Chronicles; Ezra, Nehemiah; Esther; Additions to Esther; Tobit; Judith

Volume IV: I & II Maccabees; Introduction to Hebrew Poetry; Job; Psalms

Volume V: Introduction to Wisdom Literature; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Book of Wisdom; Sirach

Volume VI: Introduction to Prophetic Literature; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Baruch; Letter of Jeremiah; Lamentations; Ezekiel

Volume VII: Introduction to Apocalyptic Literature; Daniel; Additions to Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Johan; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; Malachi

Volume VIII: General Articles on the New Testament; Matthew; Mark

Volume IX: Luke; John

Volume X: Acts; Introduction to Epistolary Literature; Romans, I Corinthians

Volume XI: II Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; I & II Thessalonians; I & II Timothy; Titus; Philemon

Volume XII: Hebrews; James; I & II Peter; I, II & III John; Jude; Revelation

Published at least a year later than originally announced, this volume completes the 12-volume New Interpreter's Bible Commentary (Volume 1, Genesis-Leviticus, having been published in 1994). I've really come to enjoy and rely on the broad and balanced scholarship represented in this series (although I have to admit I haven't read any of the volumes from cover to cover). Volume X has the text and commentary for The Acts of the Apostles, Romans, and 1 Corinthians, plus an excellent "Introduction to Epistolary Literature" by Robert W. Wall.

Although the volumes are large and you'll need to dedicate 28 inches of shelf space if you intend to acquire the entire series (and you should), you'll appreciate the large, easy-to-read typeface and the inclusion of two English translations of every passage of the Bible (NRSV and NIV for the 66 books used by both Protestants and Roman Catholics; NRSV and NAB for the Deuterocanonical Books read primarily by Catholics). Besides verse-by-verse commentary, each book has a general introduction, "Overviews" to large sections within the books, and periodic "Reflections" (intended, I presume, to help kick-start many a pastor's sermon preparation). In addition, there are occasional Excursuses on a variety of fascinating topics (although there are none in Volume X, there are 4 in Volume VIII on the Gospel of Matthew). On the off chance that these commentaries won't answer every question you may have, the detailed footnotes and thorough bibliographies will direct you to all the right sources.

My only gripe is that the series does not cover ALL the books of the Apocrypha as represented in the NRSV translation. There is nothing, for instance, on 1 and 2 Esdras or 3 and 4 Maccabees. My copy of Volume X came with an announcement that in Spring 2003, Abingdon Press would be coming out with the New Interpreter's Study Bible. I plan to pre-order it as soon as I can. My only hope is that this Bible will include the Apocryphal books they neglected in the Commentary. The announcment also stated that an index volume would be issued in Fall 2003. Can a CD-ROM be far behind?