You don't have to have a chronic illness to get a lot out of Spero's "The Art of Getting Well." Maybe that's because living in our fast paced and relatively crazed culture qualifies all of us as chronically ill. Whatever the case, the accessible style and reassuring tone of this book give you the confidence and motivation to make real changes in your life. I'm especially pleased that Spero does not fall into the "blame the victim" camp. Getting sick is not our fault, although we can have a say in how or whether we get well, up to a point. Sometimes our luck runs out, but our spirit can still remain strong, furthered along by the compassion of bonafide healers and primo storytellers like Spero. Get two: one for yourself and one for a friend.

I'm one of the people whose stories appear in The Art of Getting Well. This book has particular power for me, since it captures my story as I have been finding my way after breast cancer surgery, with chemotherapy - that six month bodily assault - followed by radiation. And out of that whole devastating time there erupted the long suppressed and virtually forgotten drive to become an actress. A theater workshop opened me to feelings and experiences, and that led to acting in a community play. With the wealth of material in this book, you can find that life opens up, from what we feel is a disastrous time. We are much more than victims. We are actors.

This book is both eloquent and down to earth, chock full of interesting anecdotes and inspiration. You can feel the writer's humanity and courage in each page and feel the warmth of his hope. His vitality and tenacity in tackling problems and elucidating others' strengths and vulnerablities is fascinating! He is a gifted writer and has a sensitivity and compassion that come through as he relays his personal experiences and those of people he has helped through his career as a nurse and a personal coach. A must read!

This short and artfully written book was published after Hume's death. Hume did not wish to experience the controversy engendered by the arguments advanced in the book. It is likely as well that Hume was concerned also with offending some of the moderate Presbyterian clergy who were his personal friends and had been his partisans in other controversies. This book is primarily an attack on the idea that the exercise of reason and logic provides support for religion, and particularly that application of reason leads to strong evidence for the existence of a beneficient God. This line of thought had become particularly popular among liberal theologians in the first half of the 18th century and was a widely held notion among Enlightenment intellectuals across Europe and North America. This idea is still widely held today and can be seen in the writings of the so-called 'intelligent design' advocates of creationism. Hume's criticisms, then, are not only of historic interest but continue to have relevance to our contemporary lives.

The Dialogues are constructed as a 3 cornered argument between three friends. Demea, a man upholding revealed religion against the idea that reason provides support for the existence of God. Cleanthes, an advocate of natural religion. Philo, a skeptical reasoner who attacks the positions held by Demea and Cleanthes. For those who like Hume's sprightly 18th century style, this is a fun book to read. Hume artfully divides some of his strongest arguments between Cleanthes and Philo, and gives the Dialogues the real sense of a dispute among 3 intelligent friends. Philo is generally taken to represent Hume's positions but Cleanthes articulates some strong arguments and provides some of the best criticisms of Demea's fideism. Much of the book is devoted to attacking the argument from design, which Cleanthes attempts to defend against assaults from Philo and Demea. In many ways, the argument from design is the major idea of those supporting the natural religion approach to existence of God. Hume's critique is thorough and powerful. It even includes an anticipation of Darwin's idea's of selection, though the basis for Hume's critique is primarily epistemological. In the later parts of the book, Hume attacks also the comsological argument for the existence of God, though this discussion is relatively brief and a bit confusing. Hume's analysis is consistent broadly with much of his philosophical work. In many ways, his great theme was the limitations of reason, and this book is an example of his preoccupation with the relatively limited role of reason in establishing certain facts about the universe. He finishes with short criticisms of the idea that religion is needed for a stable and well ordered society and defends the usefullness of skeptical reasoning.

It is important to view the Dialogues as part of a critique of religion that Hume sustained in several works. His Natural History of Religion, the On Miracles section of the Enquiry Concerning Human Understacing, and other essays comprise a broad criticism of religion. Other pillars of religion, such as the existence of miracles and revelation, are criticized in his other work. While Hume denied being an atheist and was apparently disturbed by the dogmatic atheism of French philosophes he met in Paris, he was certainly not religous in any conventional sense.

This is a short and very readable book but the power of its arguments are totally out of proportion to its length.

I had a mental love affair with David Hume. I found myself intigued and captivated and frustrated all at once. And, in the end, there was something liberating and alienating. To believe or not to believe--that's something Hume leaves to the reader. Oh, by the way, technically, the sun doesn't rise, nor does it 'set' or fall. The earth spins around its axis--the side that is facing the sun is day; the side facing away from the sun is night. And yet, after reading David Hume, I might even doubt that explanation.

Actually, the rising sun example is often cited as something Hume was completely unsure about. (theoretically, of course) Hume was essentially unwilling to believe anything, be it materialistic or spiritualistic.

great guidebook. Describes in detail the good, the bad and the ugly of Nepal. The language section was extremely useful. A few hours spent learning some useful greetings and phrases will pay off tenfold upon arrival in Nepal. Being able to bargain or ask for directions in the native language is a lot of fun and much appreciated, especially since most travellers do not take the time to learn anything more than "Namaste."

This book has given me comfort and a wealth of information about what I would like to do and see in Nepal. Having a well planned trip in advance is smart and this book will probably tell you everything you need to know about anything, and more. Food, health issues, places to stay, sights, special points, etc. Definitely worth the investment.

I just returned from Nepal using this guide. The book was very well-written with lots of practical advice-- everything from how to book an airline to what kind of diahrrea you may have picked up. Very accurate information re. hotels, modes of transportation, etc. Useful vocabulary list.

A story you won't soon forget. Had the pleasure of hearing it several years back at womens fellowship meeting. I can't get the story off my mind. I'm one who believes angels are a big part of our lives. It captured my heart and I'm thankfull for Amazon because the book is no longer in print.It will be a part of our Christmas tradition for the rest of my life. Thanks Amazon!

A Christmas Guest is my families' favorite Christmas story. It captures the spirit of Christmas in a beautifully illistrated fashion. It is a wonderful book to read alone or to a group. My wife shares it with the kids' classes at school every year. It is truly a Christmas Classic!!

This beautifully written Christmas story captivates young and old readers alike. It has become a tradition for our family to read it every Christmas Eve (and throughout the year!). After only one reading of the book, it becomes a treasure. Thank you, Mr. LaRochelle, for this marvelous book.

This is a straight reprint of the original...they actually photographed the pages instead of having it re-typeset, thank god...and all the David Stone Martin illustrations are intact.

This is THE classic on jazz music and writing. Crazy stories, crazy times, with the unbelievable spinner of tales Jelly Roll holding the floor. Lomax could have just printed Jelly's comments verbatim and this would've been great, but he went to the trouble of tracking down a bunch of people who knew Jelly or were otherwise around New Orleans in the early daze, and this added detail spices the pot considerably. Alan Lomax's own commentary and observations are witty, charming, and spot on.

This edition is made definitive by a scholarly afterword bringing the reader fully up-to-date on modern Jelly Roll research. Quite a few pertinent details are now known that weren't when Lomax was writing this.

Up there with Mezz Mezzrow's "Really the Blues" as essential an text in the American music pantheon.

This is one of the rare books for it can be enjoyed by just about anyone who picks it up. Its the amazing account of the life of Jelly Roll Morton, one of the best jazz pianists of all time. Though a braggart and troubled man, he created some of the very best pieces of jazz. The book goes into his life from his childhood and his time working at Storyville to the very troubled end in the early forties. You learn about his family, his troubled relationships with Anita and Mabel and how he went from being wildly successful to dying virtually forgotten. Voodoo, New Orleans, jazz and Creole culture, its all here.

Written with flair and never boring, Mr. Jelly Roll is a book that you will read more than once. Its a look at a legend and a glimpse into a world we can only know of through books and music. Get this if you want a good read and a look at Mr. Morton's life. A true classic.

Alan Lomax interviewed Jelly Roll while doing an extensive set of recordings shortly before Morton's death. He followed up with a number of interviews with people who knew Jelly Roll. Lomax did a fabulous job of keeping himself out of the way while letting the often colorful information from the interviews tell the story of Jelly's part in the birth of jazz, a story with triumphs, massive ego and ultimate decline. I read a library copy and am buying a copy for a present.

i first heard of this book while watching reading rainbow on pbs...i had to have this book being of cherokee indian blood
i am a mom and this book...once again was for myself...the art
work/illustrations are so compellingly beautiful that i tore three
pages out and put them on my wall...the depicition of the american indian 'cinderalla' emerging from the water hangs in my
bathroom...and the gossiping sisters hang in my foyer/hall by front door of my home...books like these make you feel so glad to
be alive to experience little invaluable treasures such as these...this particular version of the classic european story of cinderalla is also an award winning book...it is hard to find positive stories especially for the children/family like 'the rough-face girl' i let my mother read it and she loved also...

This is a beautifully told Algonquin Indian version of the Cinderella story. From reading this story we learn that not all things are seen with the eyes, but with the heart, as with the Rough-Face Girl who earns the love of and the right to marry the Invisible Being. We should all be like the Rough-Face Girl by seeing the beauty of the earth around us and not taking any thing for granted.

I highly recommend this book.

As a principal of an elementary school, I cannot say enough for the impact Rafe and all of his books have on our children and their teachers and families. My personal favorite is Dear As Salt, and if you have a chance to purchase it anytime or anywhere, you must!!! Rafe is the most amazing storytelling and children's author of our time. The content of Rough Faced Girl is not only a Cinderella story at it's finest, but can be used by 4th grade teachers throughout New York State as part of their curriculum. I always wait for Rafe's next great work!

I am a voracious reader, and love all different kinds of fiction.
This is one of the best books I have EVER read. I will count Mr. Martin as a new favorite author. I can't wait to read his work again!
I cannot remember the last time I read a book that made me cry - not just mist up - but actually boo hoo, sniffle and get all red-nosed!
I just finished this book over the weekend and I am going to get it for my sisters.
What an amazing gift David Martin has.

As with every David Martin novel that I have read, Crazy Love is populated with fascinating and well-rounded characters that live in your memory long after the last page is turned (which happens much too soon). Katherine and Bear bring this gripping story to life in a way that lets the reader feel completely involved with the story. I can't stress enough how much readers of quality fiction are missing if they don't read the books of David Martin. So few authors these days are as reliable for a solid story with gripping characters, plot twists and satisfying endings. David Martin will not disappoint you...

Treat yourself.
Read Crazy Love!!!

This book was one of the most touching sweet stories I've ever read. It's not many books that make me cry, but the last chapter had me sobbing. It was a wonderful story!! It totally beats The Corrections which is on the best seller list and which I could not even get into. READ CRAZY LOVE - ITS THE BEST BOOK!

I bought this book out of respect and deep admiration for Martin Scorsese. What I got was keen insight into a creative genius. The numerous interviews reveal a side to Scorsese that not many people see outside the camera. It's a lot more personal than that. When he talks about his movies, he ultimately parallels them to what his life was like at that time. So it's a fine blend of his personal life mixed with his professional life. There's also the obvious vibe that this man always was and always will be a student of film; his passion is infinite. Perhaps that's what makes him as influential and well-respected as he is.
You're the best there is, Marty!!

This reader felt almost privileged to read these interviews, lectures, and conversations with Martin Scorsese. He simply shares everything, and indeed he is, if nothing else, a true fan of movies!

The insightful words of Scorsese, arranged to parallel his filmography up through New York Stories, are annotated by the redoubtable editors Thompson and Christie. Scorsese is arguably the greatest postmodern artist, (and I would have to say the only postmodernist I unhesitatingly adore -with possible exception of Matt Groening), and the reader really gets to see how Scorsese constructs a film. His inspirations are as predictable as directors Pasolini and Powell, yet as diverse as Mahatma Ghandi and Little Richard. He loves all with equanimity and enthusiasm.

That's the joy of this book... the guy loves movies, loves making them, and all that energy just shines through.

Extremely valuable resource for the student of film, but good fun for the humble film buff, too. Bonus: interesting black and white photos you won't find elsewhere. Excellent (though naturally out-of-date) filmography appendix.

I absolutely devoured this book, essentially reading in two sittings a day apart. A rare and privledged look into the mind of Scorsese in his own words, followers of his work will be thrilled with the insights and anecdotes. Anyone half-aware of the man's work can recognize the thought that goes into it, but these interviews reveal the incredible depth and passion for film and its history that underlies his craft.

An essential read for anyone that considers her- or himself a film buff.

Great book. Great detail.A must for anyone who has seen the film. Gives you a 100% more info and detail.

Sure, if you're not into the film "Goodfellas" that much or if you don't care for screenplays, then chances are that this would be rather worthless to you. Might as well find something else to buy, because this isn't going to do anything for you.

But, if you DO love the film and would like to read the screenplay, then this is just the thing for you. Written by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi, "Goodfellas" is an amazing script that sucks you in right away.

Henry Hill has always wanted to be gangster, as he states in the very beginning of the film. This is his story of how he became one and everything he had witnessed and experienced. It's a tragic story of how good things always have to come to an end. It's also about how power and money can grab hold of your life until it's too late to turn back. A tale full of crime, murder, paranoia, and greed, "Goodfellas" is a trip down Mafia Lane that you will never forget. This is Mr. Hill's story.

The script is based on Nicholas Pileggi's novel, "Wise Guys," which is also based on a true story. The dialogue is sharp and very realistic and gives us a window into the lives of people in the Mafia. It is a very quick read, only about 130 pages. That's pretty short, considering that the movie was at least 2 and a half hours long. But, it's just dialogue, which is why it is very easy to read it quickly. I finished it in less than a day.

If you love the film "Goodfellas," and are interested in reading screenplays, then this is the perfect book for you. Here's your chance to relive some of your favorite moments, this time in writing. A very fine screenplay, it is.

Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" is, hands down, the best gangster film ever made. "The Godfather" created the mythical imagery of mob families that was forever buried by this gutty, bloody real life drama. Based upon the true story as told by the film's main character, Henry Hill, "Goodfellas is the best filmed example of the real life glamour and woekmanlike drudgery that goes with being a wiseguy. It is difficult to imagine a show like "The Sopranos," for example, had not "Goodfellas" reinvented the gangster film genre.

Ray Liotta is excellent as Henry, but the movie's real showcases are the performances of Joe Pesci and Robert DiNiro as his partners in crime. Pesci in particular gives a tour de force performance that is downright frightening. Other first rate performances come from Lorraine Bracco as Henry's Jewish wife and Paul Sorvino, whose performance as a real life Godfather could not be more different than Marlon Brando's.

This film is a must see for anyone who enjoys gangster movies. It also has to rank as THE best American movie of the 1990s.

I read The Crying Heart Tattoo with the highest expectations. I had heard rave reviews and was prepared to read a compelling love story. I was sorely disappointed. The author sets up the female character to appear confident, worldly and strong, yet he has her act weak and pathetic. Her so-called backround was unbelievable when compared to her actions. I never felt an unbreakable bond between the two characters. The writing was obvious in some instances with too many cutsey lines repeated a bit too often. The ending felt tacked on, as if Mr. Martin just ran out of story. The book lacked depth and all in all was just not a compelling read.

When I read this book and reviewed it shortly afterward, I don't think I gave it fair due. As time goes on and I think back to this book I love it more and more.

This is the story of Felicity and Sonny.....life-long lovers with a turbulent and sometimes downright heartbreaking relationship. Felicity, 20 years Sonny's senior, is brazen and even loopy at times. She lends a great deal of humor to the story as well as veiled sadness.

Sonny, on the other hand is a huge jerk throughout most of the story as he becomes more and more bitter and jaded. Felicity seems to be the only spark left in his life...a spark which he almost puts out.

Running parallel to the story of Sonny and Felicity is the tale of Gravelda and Genipur. They are two rather primitive tribal people who are hauntingly similar to their modern-day counterparts. It's a story that Felicity tells to Sonny in chunks over the years as their meetings become fewer and farther between. The story allows Felicity to quietly vent her feelings about her relationship with Sonny.

This is a book that, even if you become a little dazed about in the process of reading, will stick to you long after you've read the last page. Far be it from me to withold credit where credit is due....and I must admit, this book is a jewel.

I first read this book in 1995. I was thinking of getting a tattoo and was drawn in by the title. Little did I know that I would grow to love this book. I have read it every year since then and everytime it gets harder and harder to put it down. I find the characters wonderfully written. When I discuss this book I feel like I am talking about my friends. I did not enjoy reading until I found this book. I am constantly returning to it every summer and am still captivated by its magic.