There have been many attempts to recapture the magic and majesty of Tolkien's Middle Earth. At best, they've ended up as pale imitations. A cursory glance at Gideon's Dawn might lead readers to believe author Michael Warden is taking his own stab at Tolkien's "brass ring." On the surface, there are some obvious similarities--Warden's work is an epic fantasy (and the first book in a series), it presents a brand new world rich with interesting characters and a compelling backstory, and features loads of action and intrigue. But Gideon's Dawn doesn't purport to be the "new Lord of the Rings" nor does Warden presume to be the second coming of J.R.R. Tolkien.
Gideon's Dawn is a world forged entirely from the mind of a writer who--though clearly inspired by Tolkien--has somehow found a way to create something completely new and unique. It is evident from Warden's detailed prose that he's been living in the Inherited Lands for years himself. Gideon's Dawn is an epic story, to be certain, but its believability rests not on the shoulders of past fantasy writers, but on Warden's own ability to imbue characters with personality and history; his ability to paint a diverse world with detailed, picturesque textures; and his abilty to weave pathos, tragedy, and triumph into an arresting story.
And a great story is what it's all about, right? You may be asking, just what is the story, anyway? Well, there's this guy named Gideon Dawning... Um. No, I'll stop. It's better to live Gideon's story for yourself than to have it explained. Read it. You won't be disappointed.

Wow. It's hard to believe that Gideon's Dawn is Michael Warden's first novel. He writes with such imagination and vision that the characters and setting seem to come alive right on the page.

The story goes something like this: Gideon Dawning is a burned-out teaching assistant at the University of Texas. When he takes a group of undergrads on a geology expedition, he is summarily and unexpectedly transported into a whole new realm---birthed into this place through the chaos of an earthquake. Here he is taken (mistaken?) against his repeated protests as a long-foretold messiah. The result is a journey of hardship and discovery as he makes his way through a world where words have power and "there is no magic, only words of life and death."

Have to admit I approached this one with skepticism, but was won over almost immediately by the lyrical prose and depth of story Warden has created. I'm told it took him 10 years to write---and it was worth it. Fans of Terry Brooks, Tolkien, or CS Lewis should eat this up. Warden is a bright new star in fantasy fiction...Let's hope he keeps writing for another 50 years.

As a first time reader of fantasy fiction, I was totally delighted to find a story with so much depth along with plenty of adventure and suspense. Gideon seemed very believable even in another world - one that I found quite intriguing. It is definitely a book that keeps you wanting more - hopefully the author will provide the next segment very soon as one wonders what will happen with Gideon.

This excellent book provides clear, complete, accurate and detailed information about many of the most useful herbs. Anyone interested in herbal medicine - layman or professional - would do well to read this book. It is essential to anyone who wishes to prescribe the covered herbs properly - be it to family and friends or as a health care professional. As well as covering the most useful herbs in detail, a separate section covers common conditions and what herbs and supplements to prescribe for them. This section is especially useful as it is not limited to the herbs covered in detail in the book.

I am a Natural Products Chemist and Cancer Researcher. I wanted a book on Herbal Remedies to share with my friends and family containing a synopsis based on the facts without the media-babble. This is an excellent book. It is not an exhaustive work but contains many entry point references to the scientific literature whilst still presenting core material in a manner easily understood by most interested parties. This book helps bridge the gap between those interested consumers who want facts and not hype, and the scientific community. Dr. D.W., City of Hope National Medical Center. CA.

The Healing Power of Herbs is the most credible and useful herb book on the market, helpful for the consumer and the health professional alike. I especially appreciate the discussions of clinical trials, the medical journal references, and the easy-to-reference summaries of uses and dosages of herbs. This is *the* book I turn to when I have a question about herbal medicine. If you're only going to have one book on herbal medicine on your shelf, this is the one!

Mike Slater has absolutely brought alive the anguish and triumph of those men of the 5th Regimental Combat Team who held the hills of sacrifice in the earliest days of the Korean War and eventually finished their sacrifice along the Armistice line three years later. The depth of research is stunning, not in its presentation of cold facts, but in its blended and balanced perspective from the human and emotional side of the soldiers who fought in Korea. A rich collection of archived military photos as well as personnel photos from those who fought there will not disappoint those who enjoy a more visual depiction of the history they're reading about. An outstanding history that is captivating and remarkable. A must read!!!

Hills of Sacrifice is an extremely well researched and skillfully presented factual account of the battles of the U. S. Army 5th Regimental Combat Team during the Korean War. This detailed account puts the reader right into the thick of infantry combat and gives the reader insite into the deadly dangers faced by the combat soldier or Marine. Hills of Sacrifice is wonderfully illustrated by probably the largest collection of unit action photos in any military history combat action book.

The book also has the poignant personal story of a 5th Regimental Combat Team enlisted man, Sonny Calhau, uncle of the wife of the author. Sonny was killed in action after 8 months in Korea.

An outstanding detailed work of small unit military history.

Best-ever book covering the combat operations of a unit during the Korean Conflict. This book brings what many have called the "Forgotten War" to life better than any other - I guarantee you will not put this work down until you finish. Mike Slater makes you feel as though you are there. The research, the photos, and Colonel Slater's bold writing style makes Hills of Sacrifice a winner and a must read! A superb work and great read by a proud Marine. Semper Fi!

My mother bought this book for me in 95 when i was still in high school. I really feel that what sets Jordan worlds apart from all other basketball players is his personal understanding of life. This book is very inspirational. He explains how not trying something brings him pain. This is why it seems that he plays basketball by himself. He's pushing himself so often. Tiger Woods has adopted this same view of life with golf. But beyond sports its a superb belief for life that makes you think twice about only devoting "what's necessary to get by". This book literally inspires you to do twice as much. You will get ahead with this book. Overall this is a great book for most young people since everyone I know looks up to Mr. Jordan. Outside of his profession he's a great person and kids need more people like him to look up to.

I read every week to a young inner-city boy, and by far the best book that we've ever read is this book--and I wanted to buy it for him as a present for his graduation from elementary school. If anyone has access to a copy that I could purchase for this gift, please e-mail me a message to:

Drey_Samuelson@Johnson.Senate.Gov

In my strongly-held view, this book should be put back in print and copies should be mailed out to every inner-city school in the country (EVERY school in the country, if funds would permit). Better yet, a video of Michael Jordan speaking passages of it to the camera should be sent to every inner-city school in the country so that it can be shared with classes. I found it inspiring myself, and I'm 47 years old...

This little black book of few pages is written in a simple and straightforward style. It is not about basketball, it is not about relationships, it is not about winning. This book is about feeling good about yourself no matter who you are, no matter how talented, no matterhow young or old, it is written for either male or female. I have given at least 20 copies of this book away as gifts. Had I known it would go out of print I would have bought more. I read from it to children as young as 5 and as old as 90. Getting back up after a failed attempt, learning the basics of what you want to succeed in, and playing well together as a team. Jordan reminds us in this book that though he can walk on air he usually relies on the basics of the game of basketball; dribble, pivot, pass and shoot. Slam dunks are fine but in a pinch the basics are what carries him. He also tell the reader that there are many excellent ball players out there but the reason the Bulls have had a sustained championship status is that they learned to play together as a team. A must for anyone who wants to succeed or who wants to motivate and coach others to success. I have found that kids listen when I read from the book because it was written by Michael Jordan.

I was deeply impressed by the depth and poignant nature of this ecumenical work. This wonderful book embraces, lovingly, the essential truths of prayer and meditation found within all religions and also outside of religious traditions. I was especially moved by the powerful quotes from Sufi Sage Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, a towering giant among Masters of Wisdom. Both Green and Barks are to be congratulated for their uncompromising clarity and depth. Whether you believe in a particular religious path, God, Allah, Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, the Tao is not at issue here. The core of the material presented concerns the everlasting benefits of prayer regardless of ones religious leanings. Prayer ultimately guides one to that 'open space' where all religions, all truths merge into One. I cannot say enough about the exalted content of this gem!

This is definitely one of the best books on Salat that I have ever seen. I read it cover to cover without setting it down. Barks and Green have put together some of the most beautiful images with some of the most beautiful words and come through keeping all the sacredness of the prayers. They cover all the essentials of the Muslim prayers, explaining in very accessible terms the hows of what to do. But more than that, they also make the prayer palpable to even those that may never have done it. By combining art and the poetry of Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi they create the atmosphere of the connection with God that one feels during the deepest salat.

I think that almost anyone, after reading this book will at least want to try out salat for a few days. Maybe even make a strong comitment to doing it for a long time. But even if not, after reading this book, more people will understand the heart of Islam, the prayer we repeat at least 5 times every day and what really is going on inside, what depth of feeling is during this prayer.

Recomended without reservation to anyone.

This slender book contains profound insights into the nature and essence of prayer. Based largely on the teachings of Shaikh Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (? -1986), a Sufi Shaikh from Sri Lanka who lived and taught from Philadelphia for the last 15 years of his life....

While written in the context of Muslim prayers, it's relevant to prayer in all religions. It is also an excellent guide to salat - ritual prayer in Islam.

The book explains in detail (with pictures) the various steps in salat. But more than that it relates the times of prayer and steps within prayer to spiritual development and awareness. And it is here that the real value of the book comes forth.

Using this as a base, the authors then describe a meditative prayer exercise - similar to Vedic "follow the breath" meditations.

In short this is not an academic description of prayer or theory but an invitation to readers to embark on the path.

The only negative - and this is a very very minor quibble - is with some of the transliterations of Arabic and grammatical comments.

Geshe Roach summons some of the great Masters of Tibetan Buddhism, but offers extremely little background information about them for the reader whose knowledge is limited. At the same time, his descriptions of the teachings (and the plot) seem to be geared toward the novice. So, for whom was this book written?

If you are an intermediate student of Tibetan Buddhism, you probably will find the storyline to be too simplistic for your tastes - you may find yourself thinking, "Get to the point!" On the other hand, you will enjoy witnessing the appearance of the great Masters and re-visiting the Dharma. If you are a beginner on the path, you may find yourself asking, "Who are these guys, anyway?" as the Masters enter the Garden. However, you will welcome the wisdom they bring with them (and you have the names with which to begin your research!).

So, I gave this book four stars, not because of the writing style, but, rather, because it offers "one stop shopping" for some of the most important teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and the names (and, perhaps, personalities) of the men/Bodhisatvas who presented them to the world. For this, I say "Thank you Geshe-la!"

This incredible book was written not only by a learned scholar of Tibetan Buddhism, but by one who has obviously experienced realizations of the path. In this book Geshe Michael provides us with all of the information we need to embark upon the same spiritual journey, and to experience its magical results. If this whets your appetite for more, he also has created a series of correspondence courses which provide even more elucidation of the Buddhist path to enlightenment. (not a money making scheme-these course are free to those who cannot afford them) These are available through the Asian Classics Institute. If you like this book, try also Santidevas "Guide to the Bodhisattvas Way of Life"

A "wonderment" is a thing of wonder. And this parable is that. Haven't you ever had the itch to someday ask Jesus or the Buddha everything that you have always wondered about. "Why do bad guys get rich?" "Why are some good guys poor?" "What happens after death?" "Who stuck me with such a horrible mother-in-law and why can't she just blow away?" "Why did I eat the potatoe chips with food poisoning?" "Why did I spell 'potato' with an 'e'?" "How come babies die?" The author was the first Westerner to become a Tibetan Geshe. And this takes twenty years! So he knows his stuff. To answer these questions and others that you may want to ask, you will take many trips into a garden. Buddhas and Buddhist saints will come to you and answer these type of questions. The reader is represented by a man who is searching. Isn't this what we want? This is a beautiful parable. And somewhat spooky at times! At least, that's the way I felt. Imagine sitting on a bench and waiting for some spooky Buddha to arrive to answer your grisly questions. And that's what happens. I will say no more. Buy the book.

This is a thorough book that includes information about possible interactions between herbal remedies and prescription drugs.

I originally picked this book up at the library while taking a class on herbal medicine and was so impressed with it that I bought a copy. It contains clear and concise information on a variety of ailments with not only the herbal remedies but also their drug counterparts. There are "recipes" for herbal mixtures for some of the ailments. This is a book that will be referred to time and time again.

I looked at this book not expecting to get hooked and actually pay for it--I was sure it would be redundant (my mother and I both seem to have a weakness for these Rodale books, and--well, on a modest scale--we have amassed a library of them!). But I was disappointed to learn that this book is uniquely useful and informative in ways the other Rodale books don't overlap--in ways that I don't even think having access to the Internet, and its information on herbs, could conveniently replace. It's well laid out, too--you can access the herbal information you're looking for in a number of ways. Sighhhh. I'm afraid it's a keeper.

When a friend gave me a copy of this book I almost didn't read it. I had never heard of LaMontagne or Snyder and was anxious to read the fourth Harry Potter book which I had just purchased the day before. He made me read the prologue and first couple of chapters, which I did. The book grabbed me from the very first page, and by the time Rodney and Aimee were pulled into the land of Daak I knew that Harry Potter would just have to wait. I was reading something much better.

From the moment they arrived in Daak until their last battle with the evil sorceress Haeron, I was engrossed. The story was action-packed and the characters some of the most believable I've read in a long time. I laughed out loud at the Ward and held my breath during the entire waterfall sequence. LaMontagne and Snyder made me feel emotions like few authors can. I hardly ever re-read a book, but I know I'll be picking this one up again.

I read a lot of books, but this is the best one I've read all year (and 2002 is a couple of weeks from being over). I know it's targeted age group is young adults, but older adults will love it too. King Fortis the Brave offers a terrific blend of fantasy and realism, introducing the reader to characters that are believable and magical situations that you will feel you are actually a part of. The writers do a terrific job of keeping you interested, and they make it very hard to put the book down. Even when you come to the end of a chapter, there is usually some twist that makes you want to keep reading. If I were a contestant on Survivor and could only bring one luxury item with me, that luxury item would be my copy of King Fortis the Brave.

I bought this book for my children, but found myself enjoying it as much, if not more, than they did. The authors made you feel for the characters from the very first paragraph, and by the time they reached the land of Daak, you really believed that you were there with them. The adventure was non-stop, the plot twists unexpected, and the ending exciting. I will be counting the days until Queen Aimee the Wise comes out to continue the Daak trilogy.

One of my greatest concerns, as a mother of two daughters, is that most of the young adult fantasy novels we've purchased recently have been very male oriented. Even books with female authors, like the Harry Potter series, tend to fall into this trap. With two male authors, I was worried that King Fortis would fit into that category as well, but I was surprised to find that there was an excellent balance between the two main characters, Aimee and Rodney. And Aimee isn't the only strong female character in this book. My daughters were particularly fond of Gillian of the Sisterhood of Airia and begged me to reread the chapter that introduced her several times.

King Fortis the Brave was an exciting adventure book with strong characters of both sexes that we found ourselves really rooting for throughout the story. It was Harry Potter meets Lord of the Rings while still maintaining 100% originality. I highly recommend it!

Something happened to me when I read Letters for the Living. I'm not sure what it is. I have been an adjunct, a tenure-track assistant professor, a high school teacher, and most recently a counselor in a division for troubled youths. After reading this book by Blitz and Hurlbert, I feel as though I understand my career(s) for the first time. I am doing what I can to make peace. I teach for peace. Letters for the Living is so moving, I wish it were available in every bookstore. I want to tell everyone to read this book, to appreciate the kind of friendships, experiences, and heartbreaking violence--and peace, yes--that fill the book with real power to make a difference in the lives of readers. Wonderful wonderful wonderful.

How many books can you honestly say made you cry? I cried over these "letters" from young people trying to get a college education. They have seen such terrible violence and yet they find ways to write their hearts out for two splendid teachers, Michael Blitz and C. Mark Hurlbert. How do I know they are splendid teachers? I can only say you would have to read this book to understand. Michael and C. Mark write letters to each other, to their children, to themselves, too, I think. There is so much that is beautiful in this book that it's strange to say, also, that there is so much that is horrifying. I wanted a book about teaching that would offer something "different." This book offered me an experience that is unforgettable.

I came across this book on Amazon (no surprise)because I was looking to see if anyone with my last name had ever written a book. Surprise! I share a last name with one of the authors of _Letters for the Living_, so I got the book. I'm not a teacher (or a student for that matter), so I didn't have much hope to be too interested. WRONG!! This book moved me. It reads like a novel or a strange journal about real people who have gone through some unbelievable experiences. And what makes it more gripping is that these two authors are completely up-front about their experiences as teachers of kids who have lived through incredible violence. Michael Blitz and C. Mark Hurlbert sound like the kind of teachers we all wish we had. I know I hope my own kids can have teachers like this when they are in college. What a powerful book! All I can say is, read it!

If you read one book on the Little Bighorn make it this one. I read it in one sitting . . .couldn't put it down. Sarf has given an easy to read, level account of the events leading up to and including the battle. Clear and easy for the novice to follow and yet broad enough for the avid buff. A great over all account of one of the darkest days in American history.

Here's where to start if you want to read just one book on the Summer Campaign of 1876 against the "off-reservation" plains indians. This paperback from 2000 is a reprint, with a few minor corrections of misprints, of the 1993 hardback edition. The only actual new text is the "preface to the revised edition," dated May 1999.

Sarf's approach is even-handed, and he has a real eye for telling details and for vivid quotes from participants and eyewitnesses. Boxes set apart from the main text give needed detail and background, particularly on individuals participating. A great deal of exotic color is provided by the various indians who rode with both sides in the conflict. For example, riding with General Crooke were The Other Magpie, a beautiful female warrior, and Finds Them And Kills Them, a transvestite who dressed and lived as a woman except during battles! You don't encounter soldiers of that calibre in most military histories!

The Summer Campaign of 1876 is distinguished by the almost staggering military incompetence displayed by the U.S. Army leaders. Apart from Custer, who generally seemed to know what he was up to, and the canny Nelson Miles, virtually every commander in the field seemed to be clueless, cowardly, vacillating, and in a couple of cases (Gibbon comes to mind at once) apparently paralyzed by mental illness.

Well-written and extremely readable. If you have ever wondered how Custer really got into that very bad fix, this is the best place to start your quest for understanding, and Sarf also offers a good annotated list for further reading.

Wayne Sarf has researched all the master historians in the past and present to provide a fascinating well written history and objective book on the LBH and Sioux Campaign. The book tells the complete history of the campaign from its inception to its finale, Custer's and the Sioux's as a free people. Sarf quotes both the participants concerning their actions in the campaign as well as perspectives of major historians. He also offers his own views based on the historical record and logic. An important example is his evidence and commentary concerning General Terry's June 26th rendezvouz which is pure fiction and self serving. As Sarf well proves, Custer acted judiciously and appropriately based on the information, circumstances and the expectations provided to him in synch with all the military commanders . Unfortunately for him, the circumstances changed once he was committed to the attack. Wonderful perspectives including side bars on the military participants, weapons and Native Americans. Also includes a readers guide for additional reading including critiques and some cheeky comments.