This book shed light on patterns that I have been acting out but couldn't see with an objective perspective, particularly the parent/child dynamic. I am sure that I will be noticing these patterns much sooner now. This book also provided significant insight into how I have been sabotaging relationships by my aversion to anger and how this has restricted the flow of energy in my life. While no book can fix anything, this one sure has me exploring parts of myself that I wasn't looking at earlier. Maybe I will be a better dance partner now.

Doug and Naomi have done the deep emotional work transforming the power struggles many find in intimate relationships. This book helps identify and lead a practical way to embrace all the parts of ones self in a way that releases old patterns and establishes a truer intimacy with oneself and partners. I have attended one of their workshops and intend to do more in-depth work with the Moseleys, as their work has been revolutionary in my life and with that of my partner

For me, Dancing In The Dark uncovered the underbelly of my intimate relationships--a perspective that I previously would go to any lengths to avoid. And yet without an awareness of these dynamics, I feel we're doomed to be continually enslaved by them. My gratitude to the authors for their courage and integrity. And it's a great read, to boot!

Not too often I get so caught up in a novel that I read it in one day, but I did this one.

It started a bit slow -- too much fancy writing and not enough story. But it picked up, and I was hooked.

Douglas Clegg has the talent of Stephen King to keep you wondering, keep you turning the pages. Unlike King, this novel was not totally depressing and utterly gruesomely morbid, which is why I usually avoid King novels.

The variety of characters was fascinating. For me in the Midwest, just the descriptions of New York City were interesting. Since I never intend to go there, it's nice to have a skilled writer show it to me through words.

Clegg's skill in weaving the stories of all the characters together is remarkable. All in all, a very enjoyable read.

I somehow missed this novel when it first appeared as an e-serial -- but here it is at last in "hard copy" form for me and (hopefully!) lots of other folks to read and enjoy.

I have to say this is one of my favorites of Doug's. He's quite possibly the best author working in the horror field today and he really pulls out the stops with this one. I love the sense of place, whether it's the hidden world beneath the streets of Manhatten or a creepy little Virginia town where all manner of nasty things can and do happen, and the characters are wonderful (my favorite -- Maddy Sparkle). The juxtaposition between the story's modern events and a tale of Colonial witchcraft is also great. And the ending -- Wow! I'm still thinking about it.

Definitely another 5-star book for all horror fans. Also highly recommended for anyone who may have enjoyed J.G. Passarella's WITHER.

Jake and Naomi were both born in Carthage, Virginia, a place where evil stands side by side with the righteous. Neither one had a descent family to turn to for support so they clung to one another. At seventeen Naomi left town to attend school and a year later Jake followed her though they never stayed in touch with one another. Thus, Jake is shocked to elarn that his childhood sweetheart died by falling onto the tracks of a New York subway station.

In a bizarre coincidence, Jake rents an apartment in Greenwich Village just across the hall where Naomi lived. When he goes into the subway to catch a train, he swears he has just seen Naomi walking on the tracks. When it happens again and other weird things occur, Jake wonders if Naomi is dead or is her restless spirit trying to communicate with him. Either way, Jake knows that he cannot ignore what his senses tell him for if he does he will go slowly insane.

Douglas Clegg has written a complex, suspenseful, and exciting horror novel that contains several levels of understanding due to strong subplots that tie back to the prime theme. The story line includes several likable and not so likable characters, but the show belongs to Jake who must contend with the curious and crazy happenings that engulf him.

Harriet Klausner

The only thing sixteen-year-old Eliana is looking forward to is graduating the Verdiano Rural Conservatory and performing at the Imperial Court. She doesn't question the religion of the Lord and the Lady, or the magery that most people love or use or the Fedeli who eradicate all traces of heresy. The war and famine in the world doesn't touch the budding musicians who are insulated from anything that unpleasant.

Eliana's views change when the Fedeli come and kill one of her closest friends and kidnap her roommate. She leaves the conservatory, rejects the Circle of mages and the official religion, and turns to the Old Ways. She discovers that the famine is caused by the Mage's use of sorcery and ends up in a refugee camp where she becomes the rallying point of a people that desperately need a leader that will fix their world.

FIRES OF THE FRUITFUL is an enthralling fantasy saga very reminiscent of the Joan of Arc story. Readers get so caught up in the heroine's world that they actually feel they are a camp follower. Naomi Kritzer is an expert at characterizations and plotting, so much so that the audience will want to finish it in one sitting and put it on the keeper shelf.

Harriet Klausner

I was in my local bookstore the other day, holding a coupon in my hot little hand, looking for something new to read, when I came across a copy of "Fires of the Faithful." It didn't look *too* exciting -- fairly standard fantasy material, I thought -- but I decided to buy it anyway because, hey, I had a coupon. What a lucky purchase! This novel is an utterly engaging,
unputdownable read. Although this plot has been done before (evil religious zealots oppressing the masses until Our Heroine overthrows them and saves the day) and the worldbuilding is fairly standard, the novel itself manages to be original and thought-provoking. It's an interesting meditation on the nature of religion -- what it is, the purpose it serves, how it can be corrupted to serve political aims.

[Side note: In most fantasy novels dealing with religion, the "bad" religion is pseudo-Christian and the "good" religion (if there is one) is pseudo-pagan. In Fires of the Faithful, it's exactly the opposite. At least one reviewer was turned off by that. Please, keep an open mind. It's not the religion itself that the author demonizes; it's its corruption into a political tool. And bear in mind that the heroine is young and sheltered; everything is black and white to her at first. The second books complicates the simplistic view of religion of the first book.]

But, most of all, this book was just fun to read. Music and magic combine with adventure and an understated romance to produce a fine and highly enjoyable fantasy. Highly recommended!

I had the pleasure of listening to Naomi read the beginning of _Fires of the Faithful_ at a convention a few months prior to the book's publication. At the time, I was quite impressed with the reading, and I was disappointed that I'd have to wait six months to hear the rest of the tale.

This book does not disappoint. The prose is elegant, and the story is compelling. Naomi Kritzer has a bright future as a fantasy writer, and I am eagerly awaiting the sequel.

The title should be something like "A First Course of Chinese Painting brought to you by a Japanese painter." The methods, material, and paper making are all Chinese. Just like the game of Go, Japanese pretend that they invented all those methods and have outstripped Chinese. Not at all. They rank artists, and that's why you might think that Japanese are better. If you want to learn Chinese Painting, look for a book written by a Chinese, so that you not only learn the basics of putting brush on the paper, but also you learn the beauty and spirit of the art of Chinese Painting.

After the surrender in the WWII, Japanese have being working hard to introduce Chinese arts and inventions to the West under Japanese names. For example, Futon, Makura, Kimono, Ochya, Sumie, Suiboku, board game of Go, Tofu, Ramen, just to name a few. This book is no exception.

General McArthur once said that Japan's mind is a vacuum. This is very true. Japanese seem to have lost their self-confidence in terms of humanity, and they have to cheat on the art. Changing the name "Chinese" into "Japanese" only seems to work well for such a purpose of confidence build-up.

Anyway, I still recommend this book to people in the US, as Chinese painting is actually beautiful and eye-candy, unlike the ice-cold Japanese Nihonga. And also they have more chances to understand the most superficial part of the mind of China from Japanese. Japanese culture to Chinese culture is just like cup-noodle to Chinese meal.

Very beautiful "state-of-mind-arts" view and used it on eggshells I made. Real excellent explains from this book.

I agree with another reviewer here about how the storyline andcharacters for this novel are just utterly preposterous! If theprotagonist of the novel really was an ultra-Orthodox Jew, nothingthat was expected of her after marriage would have been a surprise.

The husband is originally portrayed as a sympathetic character but almost immediately becomes a caricature. He starts beating his wife and torturing her. Her parents don't give a hoot when she calls them to tell them that her husband is abusing her. Supposedly their lives revolved around her before she married. All of a sudden, they stopped caring. Real people just aren't like that.

While the writing style was engaging, I finished this book merely for the entertainment value. The plot twists were so outrageous that they were quite amusing.

I thought that this was a good book, interesting & engaging to read. However, I have to [say] that the storyline was not very believable. I found it strange that this very well educated & religious girl all of a sudden "forgets" that a married orthodox woman can't walk all over Jerusalem wearing pants, and with her hair uncovered. Most of non-Jewish women know that, but she didn't? And then a father that absolutely adored her up to the point she got married,all of a sudden decides that he won't help his only child? And a Christian would-be priest that "conviniently" discovers a Jewish mother seems a little too much, at least to me. Although I still enjoyed reading this book, in my opinion it wasn't as good as "Sotah", and "Sacrifice of Tamar" both of which I found absolutely amazing.

These situations that BatSheva HaLevi went through were very sad. This book explains the exceptions that go on within Jewish families and are very real. Although her story is not the norm, I think it was good of Naomi Ragen to write about things that go on behind closed doors.
Smooth reading and very enjoyable.

It is overall a fairly good book, but contains much to much detail for the typical non-major collegfe student. I am a teacher for the Intro Biology class ar a well known university, and I was admittedly called in at the last minute to teach this course, so I couldn't choose the text. This one I would not have chosen, as it has too much info for students who have never taken a biology class in their lives before. I find I have to "dumb down" a lot of the material, which is unfortunate, because it really is a well written and well thought out textbook.

I would just like to mention that none of the reviews here are talking about the 4th edition, which came out in 2002. While a new edition isn't a completely different book, according to the publisher, there are some significant changes that have been made to the book.
I used the 2nd eidition in my Freshman year of High School and I really like how the book was made, laid out, and how the information was presented.

I used this book during my freshman year in college. It was an excellent book with top-notch descriptions, well-placed layouts, and easy to understand content. The topics range from biochemistry to genetics to histology and all sorts of tangents into zoology, anatomy, and pharmacology. I have kept this book for 4 years and now that I will be starting medical school, I am taking the book with me. Many others in classes ahead of me have said that this book helps to clarify some of the complex topics that are presented in 1st year medical school. I firmly believe that and recommend this book to anyone with an interested in biology, medicine, and related fields.

... I would have never purchased this book.
I love the idea of giving my little 2 and a half year old a universal approach to tales and stories from all over the world. I new Rudoph qualified. I had no idea that there was a monster in the story; note that it was the one thing that impressed her, and she asked me what it was.
I wouldn't suggest it to anyone that wants to introduce the idea of Santa Clauss to their child.

I was very impressed with this book . . . a beautiful book, wonderfully illustrated, containing the original story, which did not have the Abominable, or Herbie, or Yukon Cornelius, like the later movie. I remember as a child in 1951 listening to the original story on 78rpm records put out by RCA and have attempted for years to find the original story. Although I did notice some subtle differences in the words . . .the original referred to Rudolph's, er, "forehead" (Santa was too polite to call it a big red nose) . . most of the text stayed true to what I had memorized. Definitely a book not only for children, but for us baby boomers who remember the original. A must-have to hand on from generation to generation.

Yes, the other reindeer make fun of Rudolph's red nose. (I would hardly call this bigotry.) That is the point of the story: Rudolph overcomes adversity and the other reindeer learn to accept differences. Even the elves learn to accept a dentist and the misfit toys are given to boys and girls who love them. Maybe the USA reader should have watched (or read) until the end of the story instead of making snap judgements like all of the other reindeer.

Alphabet to Email describes the start of the written English language, how far it has come, and where it may go. Baron discussed the use of writing to represent language, the role that technology has played on written and spoken language, and the English written language. Baron describes everything from caveman writing on cave walls to the type of language people use when emailing one another. The purpose of Alphabet to Email seems to be to inform readers of the advancements and changes that have been made of written and spoken language over the years. Baron describes early technologies related to language, like telegraphs and the first telephone to current technological uses like computers and voicemail. Baron also looks at how formality of the written language has changed through email. I feel that this book did not keep my attention, I often found my mind wandering as I was reading. It does give good information on the history and progression of the English language, if you're interested in that sort of thing.

Baron's purpose for writing this book consists of informing the audience of how language came about, how it has changed as new technologies came around, and how it is still changing. First she talks about where the written language first came from, and then she gets more specific and discusses how English evolved. Next she covers who reads and why they read throughout the timeline. She also talks about written standards and how language is exchanged over distance and time. She also has a whole section that is devoted to email. This book is well written with language that is easily understandable. It is interesting with good example and explanations throughout. It is more of a slower reading book to be able to soak up the information.

Baron bases her book on the timeline of literacy. She begins early in the year 1150 and touches on the story of Robin Hood. Robin Hood was unable to write to his love because he simply did not know how. Baron next back tracks into B.C. and explains how the Greeks were the first people to have an Alphabet. Baron jumps forth in time to about 1400 BC when Munks were writing by hand day in and out to write books. In 1445, Gutenburg produced the first mass produced bible. Baron goes on to talk of the paper types and such and continues to follow down the timeline of literacy. When she reaches near the end of the time line, she brings in the telegraph, then the telephone, and last email. She explains how our social etiquette has changed in literacy. She ends her book with email and where it will lead us to next.There is a great purpose to this book. Baron's purpose of her book is to teach her readers about language and literature and the history of language and literature. There is quote on the back of her book by Publishers Weekly stating, "...Baron's book examines the cultural, political, religious, and technological influences on written language as compared with spoken language."

I read "The Sacrifice of Tamar," by author Naomi Ragen, after reading her first and second novels, "Sotah," and "Jephte's Daughter." Ms. Ragen's voice and style show significant growth with each new book. Her characters and their responses to crises are much more complex, and less predictable in each successive novel.

I found "Sacrifice" a compelling story, set as it is against a cultural backdrop rarely accessible to non-Haredi Jews. However, I was very disappointed with one aspect of "Sacrifice." In it Ms. Ragen positions blackness as an inherently flawed, deficient human condition. And she writes as if this were a universally acknowledged fact.

I have no problem with Ms. Ragen using a black rapist as a plot device; it's certainly plausible that a woman attacked by a black rapist could project her hatred onto all black people. Not admirable, but understandable.

But that, as the story line goes, one's blackness should be sufficient grounds on which to be found repulsive, disgraceful, and utterly lacking in human value ... Well, that's another thing. (...)

I'm reluctant to brand Ms. Ragen a racist -- she has proven herself a champion of justice and human dignity in other arenas -- but the premise of this particular novel is pretty nefarious.

(...)

Enjoyed Ragen's look into the orthodox Jewish world and the conflicts which are created as those on the inside try to live in our 20th century. Very compelling story, read it one evening. Felt that some of the story telling was forced (when Jenny and the other girl tell Tamar what happened after their excursion the Greenwich), sort of a 'would you like to know what happened, well let me tell you.... Like Chiam Potok does in his books, Ragen shows the joy that devoutness can bring to life.

The "Sacrifice of Tamar, not unlike the author's other two books, "Sotah" and "Jepthie's Daughter" takes place in an insular ultra-othrdox community. "Sacrifice of Tamar" centers mainly in Brooklyn and later moves to Isreal. In the opening chapters Tamar is raped by a blackman and later, the same night, has sex with her own husband. She becomes pregnant and is very concerend that the child may be the rapist's. (She keeps the attack a secret from all but her two closest freinds.) Later she is relieved when the baby born to her, a boy, is white. There's is suffuicient foreshadowing to predict some of what that might occur in years to come when her own son marries and his wife is pregnant with his child. Her characters in this book, Hadassah, Jenny and the Klovitzer Rebbie are believeable and likeable characters. Ragen writes with such authority it's almost as though she has witnessed much of what occurs in her books as good writers write from experience. The books is out of print and her other two novels are difficult to find in my library system owing to their popularity and not ther scarcity. Having read all three in recent weeks I am looking forward to her 4th, due very soon. Another book, "Romance Reader," by Pearl Abraham is also about insular Orthodox communites. Although not very well writen it too is worth searching out in your library.

Naomi Klein is not known for her fine analysis of globalization nor of the neo-liberal social transformations of the last 2 decades. She is known for her understanding of what has been called (unjustly?) the anti-globalization movement and by her predominance in the discourse creation/shaping of this movement. If you want to know about the ideas debated by the constellation of activists fighting neo-liberal globalization, this is your book... however, you'll have to accept the usual bias of a political essay.

Note: most of these short essays have been already published and some are available on the net.

People who should read this book: fans of Naomi Klein's work, people who are unfamiliar with free trade agreements like NAFTA, and those looking to understand the resistance to those trade agreements.

While any collection of articles and speeches can seem to be all over the place, this book is very well organized and edited. Keep in mind that these are relatively short pieces but they still provide valuable information about the topic if you are not already familiar with it. Not knowing much about free trade before I read the book, I feel much more knowledgeable about it and I feel inclined to learn more. If you already have a good grasp on free trade and the resistance to it, you most likely will not find anything new here, but there are helpful thoughts and entertaining anecdotes from the author that makes it a good, quick read.

A book of speeches and short essays, this book closely follows the changing global condition before and after Sept. 11. It also chronicles Naomi's growth from Brand fighter to Global activist. Her writing is very easy to read and is filled with relatable examples and life stories. Just as No Logo, this book is a must have for those with any concern for the future of the Global Community. Highly recommended.