I've read several of the books that are often suggested as introductions to Reformed thought. This is the first one that doesn't focus on Calvinistic soteriology to the exclusion of other equally (or perhaps more) important aspects of the Reformed view of what Scripture teaches. My only real quibble is that the title ought to be Back to Intermediates, because there are more foundational doctrines than these - but all Protestants agree about those.

The book is divided into four sections, each written by a different author:

Doug Wilson contributes the chapters on salvation. He very able covers justification and predestination. Doug Jones contributes the section on covenantal theology. Covenant theology is the true heart of the Reformed viewpoint. These few chapters ably lay out the scriptural basis for it and explore the implications of it. A third section concerns the church, including its nature, the sacraments, and church discipline. This is the weakest section of the book, but still adequate for the overall purpose. Particularly, one wishes that more time would have been spent on the nature of worship and on the place of the sacraments in the corporate life of the church. Finally, Hagopian himself handles the section on the Christian life, which is mostly a theology of sanctification. This is perhaps the most immediately practical of the sections.

Each chapter ends with a dozen or so review questions. We are considering using this book in a Sunday school class, so that is a very definite plus. Any criticism that could be leveled against the book would be on the basis that it could have treated a subject more thoroughly, but doing so would have necessitated expanding the book beyond its purpose.

This book is responsible for introducing me to the Reformed faith. For years I had been told of the "evils" of Calvin and his twisting of God's character... afterall, he's a lawyer... and who can trust those guys? But what I found shocked me! The reformed faith actually made sense (go figure...)and had no semblence to the caricature the critics like to draw of it.

I was going through a rough time in my faith and I decided to re-examine things I had been taught in church when I stumbled on this little gem of a book. This book was the stepping stone to my discovering the Reformed faith and gave me a firm foundation that had never been built in my life. I continue to return to my copy from time to time for its concise examples, thoroughness and extremely readable style... my paperback edition is extremely dog-eared.

If you are interested in testing the waters of historical, evangelical Pretestantism, I heartily recommend this book as a launching point.

I read Sproul's Grace Unknown, and while it may be a good basic introduction this book is far superior. The writing is good enough to communicate deep issues of theology to those without much exposure, as well as thorough enough to satisfy those who have put much time and thought into understanging God's character. Douglas Wilson writes the section on Conversion and if you have never read anything from this man, please do so quickly. He is always two or three steps ahead of most of the writers you would recognize and respect in terms of his originality and thoughtfulness.

The author, Bryan Magee, modestly states in his preface that: "There is never any suggestion that I am giving a full explanation of [Wagner's] works by what I say in these pages: I am merely drawing attention to some of the ideas that went into them." While it is true that is book is focused on Wagner's philosophy (both in the broad and narrower senses of the word) and how this philosophy influenced and affected his works, he also succinctly and brilliantly covers Wagner's biography and personality. If you have never read a book on Wagner, this would be a marvelous place to start.

Magee's basic argument is that to really understand and appreciate Wagner's mature operas you need to understand Schopenhauerian philosophy and Wagner's metaphysical beliefs. He then proceeds to explain Wagner's ideas in a prose style that is straight-forward, extraordinarily lucid and brimming with profound insights. But while the heart of the book is the exposition of Wagner's philosophical beliefs and the affect on his music, there is so much more. As the book jacket blurb says accurately, the book is "at once a biography of the composer, an exploration of the creative process, an account of 19th century opera and an investigation of the intellectual and technical aspects of music". It is really a wonderful addition to Wagner literature.

Magee, it should be noted, is also the author of "Aspects of Wagner", which is a marvelous collection of five short pieces examining, yes, different aspects of Wagner. One of the pieces in that book is about Wagner's anti-Semitism, primarily placing Wagner's views in historical context. In Tristan's Chord, he compliments that earlier essay with an appendix which explores Wagner's anti-Semitism and its ramifications more fully than his earlier piece. It is a balanced and well-supported argument on this most controversial and inflammatory topic.

Most of the major secondary material about the intellectual influences on, and influence of, Wagner, refer to philosophy and Schopenhauer in particular. Magee cogently argues that these ideas were not just influential, but central to, Wagner's art. In particular, Magee shows that all Wagner's work after Tristan is deeply infused with Schopenhauerian epistomology and ethics. No other work that I have read so clearly and completely explains this seminal influence on Wagner.

Magee writes energetic prose without sacrificing any depth of analysis. I cannot recommend this book too highly to the following: 1) Wagner lovers 2) those interested in late 19th century intellectual history 3) those interested in philosophy 4) anyone who wants to know more about one of the most important thinkers of the last hundred and fifty years.

There aren't many composers whose philosophical views are of such crucial, and controversial, importance as Wagner's. But this is not because Wagner was an important philosopher.

As Magee shows, Wagner's thinking should not be too readily dismissed. Wagner was no philosophical dilletante. He was awesomely well-read in the philosophy, philology and linguistics of his day, in addition to his vast reading in literature ancient and "modern", in history, myth, and the history of myth, and much more. And he was an intelligent and sometimes extraordinarily perceptive man, whose erudition was not just for showing off with but of vital importance to his thought and work.

However Wagner believed, wrongly, that his intuition was as sure a guide in the world of ideas as it was in music and drama. So his philosophical writings follow his intuitions, not his reasoning - indeed he seems to avoid reasoning, except in small bursts, out of principle. His writing is therefore irrational and self-contradictory, obscure in the worst German manner: neither original (except accidentally, where he achieves originality by misunderstanding a source, particularly Schopenhauer), nor lucid, nor "true". "True", that is, in the sense of being based on "matters of fact or reason".

So his philosophy is not, despite what Wagner probably thought, of much importance in its own right. It is mainly important because it permeates and influences his major works, which are among the few most endlessly fascinating human creations of any kind. The increasingly Buddhist resignation, withdrawal from the world, of his later works are steeped in Schopenhauerian doctrine, just as the leftist radicalism of the earlier works are steeped in the work of the libertarian democratic-socialist Feuerbach. Magee's book is invaluable in tracing the effect of these and other philosophers on Wagner's work. _Tristan und Isolde_, for example, was indeed written in the white heat of a love affair, but that love was Wagner's love of Schopenhauer, not of Matthilde Wesendonck.

Wagner's philosophical ideas are important to his work in a way that seems true of no other composer. Mozart's use of Masonic symbols in _Zauberflöte_ and elsewhere (eg his "three" chords, three maidens, three boys, etc) has never seemed more than skindeep, almost flippant, references, while in Wagner the philosophical ideas cut deep both with the drama and the characters. Magee shows how the many complex layers and depths of works like the _Ring_, Tristan_, _Parsifal_, and even the earlier Romantic operas like _Lohengrin_ and _Tannhäuser_, can never be fully explored without an understanding of Wagner's key ideas: the futility and evil of power-seeking and conquest, the struggle of the artist to escape from, and yet redeem, the constricting culture in which they operate, the desirability of losing the world by annihilating one's one ego-consciousness, the value of the irrational and of dream, and much else.

There is another, hopefully temporary, reason why it is worth knowing what Wagner's philosophical ideas actually were. Recently there has been a small avalanche of books presenting Wagner as a proto-Nazi, even a serious influence on Hitler, and one who put proto-Nazi ideas into his dramas. Books by Rose, Weiner, Köhler, Zelinsky, Millington and others creak and twang with the sound of long bows stretched past the breaking point, as they try to fit Wagner's operas and his prose works into a Nazi frame.

And "frame" is the word. As Magee shows, Wagner was a radical democrat when young (democracy being a radical idea at that time, in Europe), who drifted as far right as supporting constitutional monarchy, particularly when constitutional monarchs were writing his cheques. And who, after his disillusionment with Bismarckian Germany, lost interest in politics altogether. There were slim pickings for the Nazis, except for the antisemitism that Wagner shared with Hitler's other favourites, particularly Bruckner, also Beethoven, Bach and Brahms and many others, whose antisemitism is as ignored as Wagner's is stressed.

Magee adds an appendix on Wagner's antisemitism, putting it back in context as a disgraceful form of bigotry, just like the ignorant bigotry of today's taxi-driver who sounds off about Vietnamese, or Afghan, or African immigrants. Wagner, like many a talk radio jock, populist politician and barroom loudmouth of our own day, called for Jews to lose their separate culture and identity and assimilate into German culture. This is contemptibly racist, but the diametric opposite of the Nazi program of racial segregation followed by genocide. I might add, as Magee does not, that Wagner was an ardent abolitionist, passionately opposing slavery in the US. On some racial issues Wagner was more progressive and less racist than many Europeans and Americans of his day. But we seldom hear about this from those who prefer a simple caricature to a complicated human being.

And of course the Nazis banned _Parsifal_ for its pacifist content, as well as banning complete cycles of the _Ring_, which charts Wotan's moral degradation and downfall in pointing out its message of the futility of power and conquest. Magee notes that Wagner performances actually became much less frequent under the Nazis than before the takeover. The soundtrack of the Third Reich was not Wagner, as today's filmmakers think; in reality the opera houses played Auber, Lortzing and Lehar (Hitler never attended a Wagner opera after 1942). When classical music was played at the rallies, it was Bruckner and Liszt as much as, or more than, Wagner, but mainly the music played was "cholly Cherman" brass band music. Magee makes these points clearly and elegantly.

My main criticism of the book is that Magee clearly loves Schopenhauer almost as much as does Wagner. As a result I think he grossly underestimates the influence of the left-wing Feuerbach not only on the early works but on the later works: even _Parsifal_ ends with a political revolution, the peaceful overthrow of a hereditary monarchy. And the _Ring_ ends with us, the vassals and working women, alive after the fire and flood, facing the future with all heroes and gods swept away. I believe there is at least as much Feuerbach and Schopenhauer in the mature operas, and Magee tends to skimp on the continued radicalism of Wagner's Feuerbachian leanings and borrowings.

But this is a minor criticism of a splendid book. It is an invaluable guide to Wagner's philosophy, as well as being a remarkably clear exposition of Schopenhauer's philosophy. Highly recommended.

Cheers!

Laon

Great book of pictures of Mirage, Visions, 5th Edition, Weatherlight & Portal. Helps alot with viewing the cards for collecting.

If you are currently collecting or playing Magic cards, I suggest buying this book if you dont have it NOW! It is filled w/ information, fully illustrated cards, interesting facts, playing tips, etc. Also, buy the Magic Encyclopedia Volume 1.

Richard Garfield is the creator of Magic The Gathering card game. This book gives the reader an in-depth look into the game and shows the beautiful illustration that each card contains. This is a must have for all players and collectors of the card game.

From this book's inner jacket (A Quick Reference guide and a Command Reference guide) to the reference information provided at its end, this book provides an excellent introduction to the world of UNIX. Even "seasoned" UNIX users can pick up a few facts from here, like the "history" of UNIX, the numerous UNIX operating system "flavors," and even troubleshooting common system problems.

But there's much more here. There are chapters devoted to topics like the different UNIX "shells" (and their descriptions), file manipulation (along with opening, editing, saving, and printing files), working with the X Windows system, UNIX text editors like vi and emacs, and even how UNIX and the 'Net are intertwined with each other.

One more thing I liked about this book (besides the wonderful diagrams and screen captures) was the attention paid to describing various UNIX commands and their options. That really helps to "de-mystify" this operating system.

Even though I'm more of an "intermediate" UNIX user, I've searched for a long time for a good introductory UNIX book. I'd say this one definitely fits the bill.

There is much more to this book than just beginning UNIX commands. There are dozens of beginning UNIX books. Many of them are quite good. This book however is one of the few that can start with the concepts and get you going on most of the major UNIX platforms. Yes every one will point out the differences in BSD and AT&T, however most systems are a combination. What I found interesting is the X Window information as the general public does not realize that UNIX has a GUI interface like CDE. This book also has a good treatment of networks. Again the general public does not realize that the Internet is almost purely UNIX. There are all sorts of things it forgot to leave out so you can have an excuse to buy more books.

This is a very well written book as an intro to Unix. I know just about nothing on Unix and wanted to learn what Unix is about. After finishing this book, I found myself understanding how and what Unix is. It uses simple language to explain the OS to you instead of technical terms of which leaves you scratching your head in sheer frustration. I found it very enjoyable reading about how Unix was born and the different flavors of Unix out there. It also teaches you the basic shell commands to get around the OS. After finishing this book and practicing what you've learned in the book, you're definitely able to move around a little bit better on Unix than before. It won't turn you into an expert by any means but it will give you a good foundation for you to head toward that direction. I am usually very skeptical about the Idiot or Dummy book series but this one is an exception to the rule. This is not one of those books which leaves you completely exhausted for you feel the task of learning Unix is going to be beyond you. It leaves you feeling that Unix isn't all that tough. The book does not go into details about any of the Unix flavors and what each is truly about, the security features or why one might be more suitable for certain tasks you might want to do.

I was not dissapointed at all when this book arrived. I am in love with the Cozy Wrap which is shown in a cream color and made holding 3 strands together. Really Red is gorgeous, Soft Stripes which is made holding 6 strands together is on my must do asap list. Pretty in Pink, Vintage Ripple... so many patterns to enjoy here! There are some I will make as shown, and patterns that give me ideas for original creations of my own. There is nothing stale or boring here, and if I ever lose this book I'll buy it again.

This is such a useful book. I am making 2 afghans out of it right now. One is done using 2 strands of yarn and an N hook, and the other is made using tripple crochets and an H hook. Both are working up very quickly and look beautiful. This book has a nice range of patterns in a variety of styles: ripples, grannies, and mile-a-minutes. Some are very simple and some are more complicated. There are also some baby blankets to make. I think that any crocheter would enjoy this book. Mine is showing wear and tear just because I have so often flipped through the pages, admiring and planning projects that I would like to make.

I am currently making my first (of many, I sure) afghan from this book. The pictures are great. I especially like that they simply list the yarn needed as worsted or sport weight and let me choose a brand name that I can get locally. So many books use a specific brand of yarn and I have to determine what I need to substitute to achieve relatively the same result. I LOVE this book and plan to make many more from this book.

In the book a worrier name Kane who seems immortal and ageless, finds an ancient relic in the booty of a bloody raid. With this relic he seeks to unearth and awaken an ancient power with which he will rule the earth. It is a gory tale of a man part savage, part sage, with a touch of satanic seasoning, and lust to rule the planet he is doomed to stride for eterity. If you loved Kane you should try and read some of Wagners other tales of Kane Like : Dark Crusade, of Darkness weaves both excellent, and they give hint to his past.

If you liked Bloodstone, the rest of the series is a must read. Wagner has managed to create the near perfect anti-hero. I would also recommend "Killer", a book he co-authored with David Drake. Not a sword and sorcery tale, but good sci-fi.

Bloodstones fills every need that a sword and sorcery reader has. The character,Kane, is truely the hero or un-hero, your choice, that we all seek to follow. Sporting the triple "B's", Big, Brutal, and Brilliant he shows the reader survival and success techniques that apply even in today's market arena. I am constantly amazed at the intricate flow of intrigue Wagner created. I have read the book three times and then lost my copy. I am now on my own quest for the "bloodstone" and the power of it's story.

When a boy finds a VERY RARE baseball card in someone's attic, he is faced with the decision whether to return it or not. There are only 40 of these cards in the world! With this card he is able to meet the baseball star Honus Wagner. He goes back in time and finds himself an adult, bats for Honus Wagner because Honus's hand was hurt, and actually hits a home run! I am no baseball fan, but I have read ALL of Dan's books about baseball and loved them, and this was probably my favorite. P.S. This has a surprising ending, which is really cool, but I'll let you find out about that for yourself!

This is a great book! First, Honus comes to the future to meet Joe Stoshack and then they both go back to Honus's time. Joe gets his dream and gets to play in a professionall game. At the end something REALLY COOL happens. I encourage all kids who are interested in baseball to read this book. P.S. I'm not giving any more away otherwise I would ruin the surprise!

Honus & Me By: Dan Gutman Would you like to read a book about Honus Wagner? What about baseball history? Well here it is. The book is Honus & Me. It is a very interesting book with a lot of facts about Honus Wagner. Joe Stoshack loves baseball. One day when cleaning up his next store neighbors basement Joe found a Honus Wagner card, the most valuable card in the world! In the middle of the night Joe wakes up and face to face with him is Honus Wagner. Now they will go to the past with Honus Wagner. They will go on the one of the greatest journeys ever.

It's been 20 years since I first read this book, and I still have not forgotten the curiously spellbinding quality of it. An excellent book for children, it both entertains and gently explores delicate emotional issues. I'm looking forward to introducing my own daughters to this series.

I read these books when they first came out i was 6 or 7, I'm almost 30 now. I truly loved them. Great stories for any horse loving little girl.

I am 15 now and I read this book in third grade and have never forgotten it. There's something about this book that intrigues and makes it memorable.

This book does it's best to sell Tachyon disks, tachyon cells, tachyonized water, and other products, and I sincerely recommend that you allow this book to collect dust on the bookshelf.

Page 58: there is an illustration of the Chakras.

I do not accept the Chakra model of distributing universal lifeforce energy through the body. I am not saying the yogic mystics did not see the Chakras. I am only saying they misintrepreted the chakras. If the Chakra theory were correct; Accupuncture would not work.

Page 70: "Vegetarianism is an important contribution to the harmony of the world, a world in which we as human beings respect our brothers and sisters of the non human kingdom as fellow beings of equal value."

If you want to be a vegetarian be my guest. All I say is for you to supply the body the food it really needs. The Creator created everything to serve a purpose, and in his/her/it's eyes all have equal value. However remember you are killing the vegetables you eat. For people to live; something must die and serve as our food. The same law appies in the animal kingdom as well.

Page 70: "All twenty-four meridians achieved achieved energetic balance and stayed there."

The authors should have done a more thourough job in research. There are twelve primary meridians, Eight Qi vessels, and hundreds of smaller meridians. The Baihui vital point on the crown of the head is the meeting point of 100 or more meridians. I would suggest that you look at a chart showing the known meridians, and the 705 accupuncture points.

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In several areas; this book suggests you apply tachyon disks or tachyon cells on meridian points.

This book does NOT show an illustration of the meridians, and accupuncture or accupressure points; meaning you neeed to buy materials and learn about the meridians, and buy the Tachyon TM products.
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I would suggest that you learn to direct this universal lifeforce energy with the mind.

There are many modalities that you can learn inexpensively or even free of charge. Actualism Meditation, HUNA, Qigong, Reiki, Seichim, and Theraprutic Touch are only a few modalities.

E-Mail me if you have questions or comments. Two Bears

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

This book can be defined as a breakthough. There are so many intesting thing within it, that it could be overwhelming to someone who hasn't done some reading on health related books.

Gabriel Cousens never ceases to amaze me with his writing. I've followed him for years, and his books "Spiritual Nutrition..." and "Conscious Eating" are two of the best books I've ever read on health, and I've read 100's. When Cousens writes, I listen. I respect him as a writer and as a person because he tells it like it is. He'll say if he doesn't know, he'll voice his opinion. It's a breath of fresh air to read the work of someone without an ego.

Tachyon healing is very powerful, as I have experienced it myself. This book COULD be in better detail of certain of the Tachyon methods of healing, but I'm sure a revised version will come out in the future. If Tachyon is half of what the authors believe it to be, we may see the human lifespan go up to 160 years and beyond.

All in all, an exciting new look at a "new" discovery that just might be the key to unlocking the tremendous potential of the human species. I'm excited to even think about it.

This is a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all the testimonials and descriptions regarding the applications of tachyon energy to improve personal and planetary health, concrete scientific examples of how tachyon's vitalizing energy affects plants, animals, people and mental function just blow the mind. I was especially grateful to see that there is a solution to the harmful effects of ELF waves and electro-magnetic fields produced by power lines and appliances in our home and work environments. This is an amazing new form of energy to use - a faster then light particle that when brought into the labs seams to have so many extremely curative and helpful benefits to living organisms. I wouldn't recommend this book to someone that is just getting interested in the field of energy medicine but for those that are interested in learning of one incredible new healing tool!