Really a fantastic book, in which the novel is mixed with historical facts which not only captivates you in the way as it is written, but also introduces some light to certain facts that took place after Evita's death, specifically, the outregious destination given to Evita's body which were never publicly revealed.

For me, an Argentine citizien born in Buenos Aires some years (not many) after Evita's death, who in some way or in the other has been always captivated by Evita's personality, although did not share some of her political aspirations and procedures, was somehow tired of hearing huge and enormous amount of histories in relation to Evita's body, with this book I was illustrated in some portion of the history of my country which was secret and maintained undisclosed from the public for many years after Evita's death.

To those who may consider that some parts of this book appears more a fiction than a historical fact, well, believe it or not, it was a "real" portion of our past history and not "fiction" or "myth".

While claiming to be a novel, much of what is written in this macabre book is documentable as fact. The lines between fact and fiction are hazy at best; but this enhances the fascination with the story of a novelist obsessed with Eva Peron as he researches her profound effect on her people, and as he searches out the trail her body took in the 17 years after her death. With accidental murder and possible necrophilia involved, this is not a light tale, but it's engrossing; for poetry fans, there seems to be a deliberate parallel drawn between the cult of Evita and the cult of Sylvia Plath. Truly a fascinating and frightening story

Seeing that "the only thing that can be done with reality is to invent it again," Tomás Eloy Martínez brilliantly transposes Evita's postmortem journey into an outrageous postmodern fictional montage wherein the author, represented as a fictitious character and narrator in the novel, spins a web of biography, history and myth into a effervescently farcical and sombrely perverse narrative, mellifluously illuminating the woman who "ceased to be what she said and what she did to become what people say she said and what people say she did." The end-result is a gripping tale which sheds new light upon details that biographers and historians commonly leave behind, seeking to unfold "the unexplained blank spaces" of her domain while tracking the political, mythical, historical body of desires which Evita's cadaver, the body of the nation, incorporates. And quite marvellously, in the interim, the textuality of Santa Evita undrapes the roots of the complex set of relations which provide an understanding of the corpus of discursive regularities that extend the representation of Argentina to Evita's embalmed cadaver as the novel bares and reconstructs the miracles, desires, secrets, and mysteries including the fragments and revelations which triggered the narrative flow, as "little by little Evita began to turn into a story that, before it ended, kindled another." Simply put, a literary work of art.

I just got this book last week, and I love it already. I did the "18" exercise and found myself reliving the dread and fear I felt at age 18. The exercises are simple to do, but not always easy. Still, I'm eager to do more. I used to belong to that quote (I don't know the source), "I hate writing, but I love having written." More and more, with the help & encouragement of this book, I love the writing too!

Don't let the small price of this must-have writing book make you think it's ho-hum. It's has become just the spark I've needed to keep the momentum going in my writing career, after a lengthy bout with writer's block. The exercises are simple, "deceptively simple" according to Dr. Shaw, and have made me stretch more than I thought possible. Now my creative thinking has changed and it seems that everyday I see and understand more of what I'm to do as a writer. Besides the book is fun and the advice is timely, non intimidating and just as encouraging as Dr. Shaw is in person. I've attended some of her online writing classes and that coupled with this incredible investment has propelled me to selling three articles and placing a number of essays. If you're in a period of doubting your creativity, get this book. I did and I'm telling all my writing friends.

excellent book, lots of exercises to practice writing and lot of ideas to work for fiction to nonfiction writers.

In this endearing sequel to EDGE OF HEAVEN, Eva McCall continues the stories of her grandmother, Lucy Davenport Carpenter, with whom she lived for the first 19 years of her life.

Lucy & Holman have built a new home on Carpenter Mountain, raised four sons & watched as all their children leave for their own lives.

Now Holman has died & Lucy must become accustomed to widowhood. Then she receives notice that if the past due taxes on their beloved mountain are not paid, she is likely to lose the land. The children from Holman's first marriage, whom Lucy raised, & her own sons, struggle to find the wherewithal to come up with the small fortune that will keep the Carpenter Mountain in the family for all time.

Then the enigmatic & attractive peddler Jake, reappears, grandchildren are born, government land auctions loom, & Lucy must make one last trek back to her mother's grave where she can hear her heart's desire.

In CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAIN, Eva McCall gives us another charming glimpse into another time, & another place.

I have been waiting for Children of the Mountain since October 2000. The long-awaited sequel to Eva McCall's first historical novel, The Edge of Heaven, is finally available.

McCall's novels weave s together fact and fiction based on her real-life grandmother, Lucy Davenport Carpenter. The Edge of Heaven began in 1895 while Children of the Mountain jumps ahead to the late 1930s. The thirteen children Lucy was married off to raise are now all grown up, in addition to the four that Lucy and her husband, Holman, had together.

Holman is now in his eighties; Lucy in her sixties. Holman lays dying in the bedroom he and Lucy have shared since building their own home on Carpenter Mountain. But trouble is a-brewin'. Mary, one of Lucy's stepdaughters, is concerned about who will inherit Carpenter Mountain, the mountain her birth Ma's family gave her as a dowry. Mary is certain that unless something is done to make things right, Lucy's three surviving children will fall heir to her precious mountain. Mary stirs up trouble amongst her birth siblings and tries to persuade them to make their Pa make things right before he passes.

It's not only Mary who's creating an uproar. Holman, the controlling man that he is, insists the boys make his coffin and puts it on display in the parlor. And Jake the peddler, with whom Lucy had had a heart-only affair, returns to add his two cents worth of rabblerousing to the boiling pot. He plants a envelope of gold dust on Mary's kitchen table to help raise the stakes and tries to court Lucy again even before Holman is gone.

However, it may all be a mute point. After Holman's passing, the family learns that he never paid the taxes on the mountain and if the family doesn't raise $300 by spring, they'll all be homeless. If they can scrap together $20 each, they may be able to save their ancestral home. But cash is hard to come by---the children and their families live hand to mouth, even those who have moved across the country to Washington state to work in the logging industry. Can Carpenter Mountain be saved for the Carpenter family?

At first I was disappointed that Children of the Mountain jumped so far head. But the more I read, the more I became captivated by McCall's storytelling. Readers are caught up with the characters' lives mainly through exposition, which I found disconcerting as a writer. However, readers get a good, clear idea of what's happened to Lucy, Holman and the kids, but I am still captivated by Lucy, the central character. I know there is more to the story and I hope that McCall is planning another novel.

After reading "Edge of Heaven", I had become so attached to Lucy, Holman and the 13 children. I missed them so much, I read it again while I was waiting for the sequel, "Children of the Mountain" to arrive. The story picks up forty years later, the children are mostly grown with children of their own. The author, Eva McCall, includes herself as a toddler, Eva Mae. This story, based on the life of her grandmother, Lucy Davenport Carpenter, puts the reader so very in touch with the hard, but good, life of mountain people. You will find yourself wishing you could become a part of this warm and loving family. In spite of the hard times, the book is one of those rare "feel good" books. One that makes the reader count his/her blessings while at the same time being just a little envious of the special memories the author holds so close to her heart. How very fortunate we are that she chose to share them with us. Buy both books, read them over and over. You will never tire of these courageous, funny, loving, and very human characters.

The book tells a story but there where at the time of creation two living participants that were never spoken too. I know this for a fact because Sarah Hunt (not Clara as stated in the book) is my grandmother and the infant that she was feeding is my dad. Since the publishing of this book my grandmother has passed away but my father is still alive and living in the Oneonta area and has never been spoken too.

My grandmother's name was miss spelled and I feel before a book like this is published all people involved should have been spoken with. From my father's view there are many things and situations that are incorrect in this book.

I couldn't put this book down. The author had me absolutely captivated. I attended school in this area of New York and thoroughly enjoyed the history of what I always considered a "sleepy little town"; I gained a new appreciation for the area. The circumstances of the murder,trial,and conviction were extremely bizarre. The research done on this subject was extraordinary; an interesting look at the correlation between our country's penal system and its politics.

It is such a pleasure to read of the New York State Police of the 30's. Also, the writing style of Niles Eggleston took me back to the days of Walter Winchell. Well documented, well written. For us upstate New Yorkers, the historical value is welcomed. Who would have thought that such "goings on" occured in our little communities. My eyes were really opened!

Hedda Gabler lives in an absolute prison. Her idylic residence is a prison, her marriage to a hopeful "ilustrious intellectual" is a prison, but above all, she lives imprisoned by herself, trapped by the social parameters that demand her to live the way she does. Hedda just can't figure out how to get out of that tedious state. She's intelligent, cold, severe; Gabler has an almost prodigious capacity to obtain all the information she inquires about the people around her; she manipulates them, she seems to get involved, but she simply tries to take advantage of the situation. Apparently, she doesn't feel much, but in reality, Hedda is in constant turmoil - her involvement has to do, almost exclusively, with what she just cannot allow herself to do.

For this woman, being able to have some sort of "power" over someone becomes the most exciting of all experiences, however - there's a point when she no longer will be able to manipulate the situation on her favor, she will realize how many forces have power over her; therefore, she will simply do the most congruent and coherent of things, as unexpected and shocking as the outcome of this play could possibly be.

Hedda Gabler is a wonderful story of a woman desperately trying to have control over her life. Married to a husband she doesn't love and pregnant with a child she doesn't want, Hedda seeks comfort in an old friend. There are enough surprizes in this play to keep it interesting throughout. Ibsen uses his brilliant writing style to capture the very essence of Hedda. I highly recommend Hedda Gabler as well as other works by Henrik Ibsen.

Hedda Gabler is a play filled with tensions and the theme of power play. Personally, I feel that Hedda Gabler is a reflection of a woman trapped in the wrong time. She is one who wants power but is denied of it due to her gender and also her status in the society and all that she needs is to just sit at home and recieve visitors. She has no aims to look forward to and I believe that it is suffocating for this woman. If she had been born in this time of the century, I believe that she would not land up in that patathic end.

This book filled me with hope, despair, joy, sorrow and finally, at the end, a disquieting and lingering sadness. Though not always complete in itstelling of political events, I strongly recommend this to anyone interested in learning about his Polish Jewish past. A good first look.

In stark contrast to Marzynski's film Shtetl, and even more so Yaffa Eliach's book, There Was Once a World, Eva Hoffman has a remarkably balanced view of the relationships between Polish Jews and Polish gentiles. She candidly informs the reader how prejudices worked both ways. Polish gentiles might look at Jews as crafty, while Jews would often display a condenscending attitude towards Christians. She also discusses the tensions created by the fact that only some Jews saw their loyalty being to Poland, whereas other Jews shifted their loyalties to whatever foreign power was ruling over Poland at the time. Of course, the Russians, following a divide at emperia policy, encouraged polarization between Polish Jews and Polish gentiles by their policies. And this became worse during WWII. Hoffman acknowledges the fact that many Jews who collaborated with the Soviet Communists against the Poles, and the inevitable anti-Semitic backlash this created. However, Hoffman is careful to point out that, contrary to the impressions created by many Holocaust films, Poles did not (with rare and individual exceptions) participate in the German Nazi-sponsored murder of Jews. In fact, the roundups of Jews in the Bransk ghetto were performed by Lithuanian and Ukrainian collaborator police forces, not Poles. And, when it comes to individual instances where Poles did betray hiding Jews to the Germans, Hoffman is also fair enough to the reader to point out the unfortunate fact that Jews also searched for and betrayed other Jews. Finally, she addresses the accusation that the mainstream Polish underground (AK) murdered Jews who hid in the forests. She notes that there were various criminally-oriented bands which roamed the countryside, and it is these, and NOT the AK, which may have been responsible for the murder of fugitive Jews, who, owing to their obvious vulnerability, were a perfect target for such crimes. However, Hoffman is apparently unaware of the fact that, according to a Soviet document, there were also "phony AK" commandos sent inside German-occupied Poland by the Soviet Union. The job of these commandos was to commit various crimes against the civilian population (including Jews) and then to create the impression that the AK was responsible for them, all as part of an overall strategy to discredit anti-Communist forces in the eyes of the population. However, all in all, despite this shortcoming, Hoffman is remarkably objective in her treatment of Polish-Jewish relations. It is sad that her work is the exception, and not the rule, in this regard.

I give this book 5 stars. The author has rejected myths, generalizations, and prejudiced thinking to give a fascinating history of Polish Christians and Polish Jews. She is careful to give the viewpoints of both groups, beginning in the Middle Ages and continuing to the present. When she quotes a source, she reminds us that this is that person's opinion, not necessarily a universal truth. She cites to references in Polish, Yiddish, and Hebrew. She does not condemn or defend either group, and realistically argues that neither was right or wrong; some people helped each other, some people harmed each other. She gives a detailed account of the history of Poland that is not widely available in this country. The author is both Polish and Jewish, and grew up in Poland. Her ability to abjectively at her subject is convincing and admirable.

This book is good for people who doesn't know anything about singing bowls, and want to know what is it all about. However, if you are trying to get some basic skill for using singing bowls, This book provide too little infomation about this.

As a teacher of yoga and meditation since 1972, I first ran across these sensational Tibetan Bells (Singing Bowls) around 1985. Since then I have acquired nearly a dozen well-tuned bowls, and use them extensively in my own personal meditations, in leading group meditations, and to aid in spiritual healing.

Having collected legend, facts, and lore on these bells for many years, I was excited to find so much of what I had already learned-- plus a whole lot more-- was finally collected in one convenient and well-ordered form.

Ms Jansen's book has been a great aid in helping me to better understand both the physics and the spirituality behind the phenomenal effects that my clients and I have experienced from playing these bells. I highly recommend it to anybody who may be thinking of purchasing a Tibetan Bell, as well as to anybody who already owns one or more of these devices and wants to maximize their experience of the bowls.

As the new millennium unfolds, I think that this phenomenon (the influnence of sound on our sense of tranquility) is going to play a progressively more important role. When/if that happens, perhaps someone will write a "better" work on this subject. Frankly, I tend to doubt it. 1.2 million Tibetans who MAY have known the answers have so far been slaughtered by the Chinese, and the end is nowhere yet in sight. Of those who still remain, none seems able (or willing) to comment. In another generation, no one who knows the truth may survive.

I have several bowls, the largest of which is slightly in excess of 14". This bowl is capable of producing (in my consciousness, at least) the low C pedal of an organ. Since the organ pipe required to produce that tone is over 30 FEET long, as a mathematician I understand that this is physically impossible. In this book, Ms Jansen explains to you why it IS spiritually possible.

I first learned of Eva Peron through a recording of "Evita," the musical play based on her life. Peron, who served as First Lady of Argentina before her untimely death in 1952, was one of the most intriguing women of the 20th century. "In My Own Words: Evita" contains an English translation of a document (entitled "My Message") that claims to be Evita's deathbed testament.

In addition to this document (which has been translated from Spanish by Laura Dail), the book also contains several other components: a 46-page introduction by Joseph A. Page; an account of an interview with Juan Jiminez Dominguez, who was an aide to Evita in her final days (the account is written by Alberto Schprejer); a collection of black-and-white photographs from Evita's life and career; a few facsimile pages from the contested manuscript; and a chronology of Evita's life.

As Page notes, the authenticity of the document has been contested. Was it really dictated by Evita? How much of it is reliable? We may never know. But if it is authentic, it affords a fascinating window into the mind of this extraordinary woman. The document is largely a single-minded defense of Peronism, the political philosophy of Evita's husband, Argentine President Juan Peron. The document speaks of "the absolute truth of Peronism" with a sort of religious fervor. Also interesting is the document's support for a revolutionary, socially-conscious Christianity; if the document is authentic, then Evita could be seen as a forerunner of Latin American liberation theology.

The document's weakness is the fact that it seems to be more a political treatise than a true personal testament. But the document, Page's introduction, and the other materials in this book are still very interesting. Eva Peron is a true international cultural icon, and those who have been captured by her spell should explore this controversial, intriguing book.

Yes, THAT Evita. Eva Peron. From Argentina. Yes, it IS for you. Yes, she HAS been dead for fifty years. But in 1952 she wrote a book, "Mi Mensaje (My Message)." She knew her days were numbered, so she used those days for writing, and she left a message for the living. That's you.
It's a view from inside the head of a charismatic leader, the most powerful woman on earth. It's highly personal, highly political, and highly emotional. For reasons you can guess, in this, her last book, she saw no need to be politically correct--and it isn't. Without mentioning any names, she says exactly what she thinks about people, power, the Church, and the military. And precisely because she doesn't mention names, these views of hers are still relevant today.
This Message also requests a response: it is a call to action--yours.
"My Message" has been a long time coming. Too dangerous for the political climate of 1952, it has only recently seen the light of day--and even more recently translated into English, under the title "In My Own Words." It's a message for you from the real Evita.

Yes, this book is undoubtedly Peronist propaganda. But, as Fraser and Navarro point out in "Evita: The Real Story of Eva Peron," Evita meant every word she said. Evita asked the people to give their lives for Peronism, but she led by example and gave /her/ life for Peronism - which is something much different from what most politicians do, say one thing and then do the other.

Evita was not perfect, she was a human being limited by time and place, as we all are. Just as she was no better than any of us, she was no worse than any of us either. Evita did many wonderful things to empower women (for one, she helped Argentine women get the vote. A commemorative peso, with Evita's profile on the front, has been issued in Argentina for the 50th anniversay of the law granting for women the right to vote), and to inspire the poor, including building schools in the poorest neighborhoods, and building thousands of houses for the homeless. And thanks to Evita's foundation (which, by the way, was NOT a cover for extortion, though many people have claimed that it was. There has never been any evidence to support these wild accusations), and through the training of thousands of nurses and the employment of the most advanced medical equipment available at the time, there was for the first time in Argentine history no inequality in health care. She did a lot of wonderful things that she is seldom given credit for. People seem unable to get past the fact that she was so beautiful and so aware of the power of media representation - what can I say? Evita was ahead of her time. Why does society have trouble understanding that beautiful women can also be intelligent, and that it /is/ possible for beautiful women to achieve success in life without it meaning that they had to "sleep around" to get that success? See, Evita was a feminist in many ways, but she was a feminist with the power to help pass laws that helped women, amoung them the law that made divorce legal. Some people will never be able to forgive her for not remaining constrained by the dictates of a conservative society's ideas of what women should be.

As for the allegations that Evita and Juan Peron were involved in "such corruption," well, name me ONE politician who /wasn't/ involved in corruption. Let's keep in mind that the United States was founded by slave owners who wrote "All men are created equal." Isn't it corrupt to then go against one's own words and hold slaves? Or shall we just brush that bit of American history under the rug and feel smug to point out the errors of foreign leaders? Yes, there was corruption in the Peronist government - but there is corruption in EVERY government. Let's keep in mind that leaders, all of them, are human. This doesn't excuse corruption, it just helps us remember that we are all cut of the same imperfect cloth.

I would recommend this book for those who are interested in learning about Evita's inner life. Again, yes, it /is/ propaganda, but she meant and lived by and believed what she said. Even her most venomous opponents admitted that she lived by her romantic and idealized Peronist rhetoric. In her will Evita wrote, "If I have committed any errors, I know God will forgive me because I committed them out of love." And I hope a male dominated society will some day forgive Evita for having been so powerful (by some estimates, the most powerful woman of the 20th century) and for not being what they wish she was - a shallow, empty-headed bimbo who only got where she was because of her looks. If you are someone who is willing to look beyond the myths and prejudiced opinions, then I would recommend you reading this book.

I was a little disappointed after reading this book because I was looking for a great deal more in the way of the philosophy of the Tao. What I got was an excellent history of, for the most part, religious Taoism. The book was concise and readable while proving to be an excellent resource for further study. The text is packed with references to books of Taoist masters and books of study. Since the author is a Taoist I expected to see a little more subjectivity in the writing style. Nevertheless I recommend this book to anyone wanting a objectively historical view of Taoism.

I found Eva Wong's work to be a fine resource tool. A broad, objective, easy to digest primer for Westerner's interested in learning about the Taoist tradition. My contention lies in Two Bears review of this work...I applaud any effort to present clarity of subject matter...however, Two Bears review strikes me as a bit rash. The errors pointed out by the reviewer regarding Ms. Wong's presentation of Taoist internal alchemy are mistaken in most cases.

Jing and ching are simply two different spellings for the same treasure...just as are du and tu are alternate spellings for the same terms...the ming men point raised is rather dubious as well, as it is generally viewed as one (just as the various meridians are viewed as one even though they are found on both sides of the body).

Ultimately it seems that Two Bears is simply looking to build a name and repuatation for him/herself by positing his/her own presentation of meridian theory as superior to a long time, well respected practitioner of Taoist studies/practices.

I enjoyed this book very much because Ms. Wong covers most of the sects of Taoism practised for the past 5,000 years.

However; I have a few problems with her material on "Internal Alchemy Taoism" that is discussed on pages 172-189.

1. Ms. Wong is unaware of the difference between meridians, and Qi vessels.

Meridians terminate on the fingers and toes. Qi vessels do not.

2. Ms. Wong misnames one of the three treasures Jing as ching.

The three treasures are Jing (original essence that we inherit from our parents), Ch'i sometimes spelled QI (This is energy we absorb from the air we breathe, food we eat, and liquids we drink), and shen (spirit)

3. Ms. Wong misnames the Du Qi vessel that goes up the spinal column as Tu. The Du vessel is quite often called the governing vessel.

4. Ms. Wong is in error about the Ming Men. There are two (not one as she states). The ming men vital points in the area of the adrenal gands above each kidney.

Please E-Mail me if you have questions or comments about this review. Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

The book is a paperback and all of 122 pages of reading, of which 52 pages are dedicated to pictures. I do feel that the pictures are extremely useful, however I feel the book is way overpriced for what it is. There are another 24 pages dedicated to a question and answer section. The beginning of the book talks in great detail of physiology (16 pages)-although this is important information, I don't feel that the average reader would gain much benefit from it as it is very technical.

Although I feel that the information provided is useful, I also find it very hard to read. I find myself doing "homework" for the book- looking up the terminology to better understand what it is he is talking about. I am an RN and still had trouble following the book. I found a basic plan for the workout that is designed by me, for me, using his theory and techniques, but not without doing a lot of research on my own.

I feel the author should write books specific to the sport at hand, i.e. track and field, gymnastics, martial arts, baseball, etc. and get more detailed about the specific workouts for that sport. Also it would be nice if he would talk more in laymens terms.

He frequently sends the reader to one of his other books or videos to read. The question and answer section in the last chapter does this a lot.

So in conclusion, the book is okay, it has valuable information. One should read it at least twice to absorb the information and have a dictionary and pen and paper by their side. I did do an outline of important points for my own understanding. There are about 30 pages of "meat" that is very helpful. So it is up to the consumer if they want to pay 18.95 plus shipping for 30 pages of useful information. The pictures are very helpful--the book wouldn't make sense without them, so I suppose we could include those as well. Okay, 82 pages of "meat".

... As a world class trainer I'm always searching for nuggets of truth in the fitness area to maximize human potential. Such a nugget I have found in the very fine book "Stretching Scientifically" by Thomas Kurz, M.Sc.

The pictures were helpful. The programs were very well put together and I particularly enjoyed the question and answer section at the end of the book. The appendix had excellent advice on joint ranges of motion.

Are you looking for that edge in your development? Or, like me you're a trainer looking to get the most from your athletes. Let me recommend this book. You have everything to gain by reading it and applying this information.

Why should people stretch? How to stretch? What is the difference between stretching and flexibility? How to have full flexibility even without a warm-up? Tom Kurz uses a down-to-earth style and wit to answer questions like this in "Stretching Scientifically, A Guide to Flexibility Training". The book covers a broad range of issues that focus on basic theory of flexibility , stretching methodology (from theory to practical tips), and sample workouts plans. The unique feature of the Kurz's method is combining flexibility with strength training.

No one who works in athletic training, applied kinesiology, or physiotherapy should be without it. It is a must for athletes, coaches and instructors, whatever their specific discipline would be.

No single man is more qualified to write about flexibility training than Tom Kurz - he had worked extensively as an athlete, p.e. teacher and a coach. Each idea advanced in the book is thoroughly covered and illustrated with photos on which Kurz presents all exercises and his enormous flexibility skills. Does one need a better argument that his method works?