It was a dog's life for Fluke the puppy until the images that had been haunting his canine mind came into sharp focus - he wasn't supposed to be a dog, he was actually a MAN! How had he ended up in this furry body? What of his wife, his child? What of HIM? Soon, though, the truth came - he the man had died, and had been reincartnated as a dog. And the visions hinted that he had been murdered! This begins a quest as Fluke sets out to his old town, determined to deliver out justice to whoever murdered him...An excellent book and a personal favorite of mine. But the best part of all was Fluke. He remained at all times a dog, even though he had human intelligence and memories, rather than some bizarre mix of human and animal that all too many books have. Fluke's friend Rumbo is also an enjoyable character, even if he did have a passion for crime. One of the best, well-written and beautiful stories I have ever read.

This is a surprise. With Herbert, you usually got a gore-fest, and when I started reading this book about a man who finds himself in a dog's body, I imagined there would be lurid descriptions of dogs ripping apart other living things, probably humans. Far from it. This book is as cleverly written and as skilfully told as anything by Richard Matheson or Jonathan Aycliffe, and I do not make such comparisons lightly. 'Fluke' describes the dog's (told in the first person-or should that be in the first dog?) quest to discover his previous humanness. It is a journey both of discovery and self-awareness. Herbert vividly describes what it (probably) feels like to be a dog, capturing the world of smells and canine desires; and the lingering sense of his previous humanity that propels him to discover who he was before he became a dog. The ending is moving without being sentimental. An unusual and satisfying book and one that I can fully recommend.

Fluke tells the tale of an abandoned dog named Fluke that has past life memories of being a man, a man that was evidently murdered. Fluke then goes on an odyssey to find his home, his family, and his killer. Getting there alternates between funny and frightening. Herbert shows genuine skill as a fantasist here and I wish it was a talent that he tried explore more often, as this is his best novel.

Our whole family LOVES Bubba! This is a fantastic, extremely funny twist on the old "Cinderella" tale. The art work is amazing - we delight in the illustrations and the book is just plain fun to read! My daughter adores the fact that Bubba [the "boy" Cinderella in this tale] wants to go to the ball with Miz Lurlene [its a cool change!].

We read this in a Texas drawl [you almost can't help it!] and just have loads of laughs with every re-reading. We originally checked this out of the library on a whim and have since bought our own copy [and will probably be giving copies for birthday presents too!]. This book is money well spent - and one I truly don't mind reading for the 3,000th time!

This book is fabulous! My son loves it and I look forward to reading it to him. The story is a twist on the classical "Cinderella" story but set on a ranch in Texas and this time Cinderella is a cowboy! It's the best! I can't tell you how much everyone who reads it raves about it.

This book was recommended by our Librarian because I was looking for some outstanding illustrated books for my 6 yr. old daughter who is real observant and truly enjoys and appreciates the detailed illustrations in the books she reads. She had not expected a twist on the well known Cinderella tale. What a humorous and enjoyable story to read with illustrations that take you right into the story. This book was not only entertaining but the colorful and humorous illustrations were outstanding! My daughter and I love this book so much that we ordered it for our own library at home.

Space Toys of the 60s is a great book with loads of photos! If you are a collector of Major Matt Mason, Zeroids, or Colorforms Aliens, then this book is a must for you. Plenty of detail describes variations among the different items (Did you know that Calisto had both short and long boots?), a great help for discriminating collectors. Even if you aren't a collector, but just want to remember the fun you had playing with these toys when you were younger, this book is the ticket to memory lane. I love it (and I wish I still had all of those toys!). Thanks for the memories, James!

This book provides a much-needed reference for collectors of '60s and '70s -era space toys such as Zeroids and Major Matt Mason. Even non-collectors will enjoy this book, which has many color photos of these toys, their packages and advertisements.

If you have any interest in Zeroids, Matt Mason, or Colorform Aliens you have to get this book. A wonderful reference book for those amazing toys from my childhood that no collector should be without. It is hard to believe you can get so much information for such a low price. Overall a wonderful job by Jim and a great trip back to those wonderful days of my youth. Thanks

Excellent historical novel,ages 10 up, about The Lost Colony of Roanoke Island abandoned in 1587, who disappeared without a trace. What happened to them? Author, Stainer, answers this 400-year-old question mark in American colonial history with an intriguing possibility, that they joined the friendly Croatoan Indians on their nearby island. An accurate, fast-paced account told through the eyes of 14-year-old Jessabel Archarde. Middle school readers will be swept up in the fascinating story of these brave colonists who were in the New World 33 years before the Pilgrims. A must read!

"'I will take care of you," he says quietly. 'This..I promise...For does not the Great Spirit love us both?' It's then that I know I'll be safe....for surely I believe, in my heart of hearts, that what he has spoken is true." Or as so the Lyon's Roar says. This excellent work of historical fiction captivates its readers almost instantly with a likeable character Jessabel Archade. Jess, a 14 year old girl makes the history of the ill-fated colony come to life. Jess witnesses some of the horrible grieves, such as the lost of the only other girl child in the colony, besides little baby Virginia Dare. She witnesses other historic moments. You must read this book. I can't wait to read the other books that will complete the saga. As I said READ IT!

As a Social Studies teacher, I'm always concerned with getting my poor readers to want to read more about history. This is the perfect book, and the series promises even more.The mystery of the Lost Colony is an intriguing one and I find my students turning pages and devouring the story. A remarkable accomplishment! I would recommend all the books to any teacher who wishes to motivate his or her students.

As previous reviewers have noted, this is an excellent reference that is bound to become a standard at almost the level of its "Total" brethren in baseball and football. However, I believe that the editors applied misguided priorities to the content of the book to some extent. Allegedly the official encyclopedia of the NHL, it includes over 100 pages on international hockey (in case you needed to know the 1967-8 league champion in Iceland), but devotes only a single page to Stanley Cup results, with W-L in Finals games and the winning and losing teams and coaches. I would have expected a book of this scope to list the scores of ALL Stanley Cup games, if not line scores and scoring summaries. The Stanley Cup playoffs are the showcase of the NHL, and it struck me as odd that the annual game results, at some level, did not find their way into this book.

If you're a hockey nut, this book is for you. It lists all the players who ever played an NHL game and also explains the origins of the game itself. The stats alone are worth the price. Now you can see who all Newsy Lalonde (the Wayne Gretzky of the early 1900's) played for, and his stats, as well as Gretzky's stats.

The parts on the origins of the game are extremely interesting and shows how the best sport on earth has become global. There are also good biographies of important hockey people, male and female, as well as NHL team histories, league stats, and minor pro and European league stats.

All in all, an excellent comprehensive hockey encyclopedia.

Since 1983, the copyright of The Hockey Encyclopedia by Stan and Shirley Ficshler, I have eagerly awaited an updated version of this incredible reference book. Finally-the masterpiece of them all. Comprehensive section on the History of the game and the NHL and tons of stats. The greatest thing that sets this book apart from others is the trades and tracking of each player. Who went to what team for what player or what player was selected for a traded draft choice. The ultimate trivia at the tip of your fingers!!

While it is quite true that Haught's book does not present a formal refutation of the main tenets of organized religion, it does provide an excellent sampling of the theistic, though more often anti-theistic, thoughts of extraordinary minds. On occasion the selections do leave one hanging, wishing that more had been cited. In some instances, one can justifiably object that perhaps someone's words are not being properly presented. However, this does not ultimately refute the underlying premise of the book: there are alternatives to theistic thought.

As I read the acidic published review of Haught's work, I could not help but get the impression that the reviewer had missed the point. The work ought to be considered a stepping stone in the process of challenging the powerful icon of religion in society. Since the majority of the population has some form of religious belief, be it mono-, poly-, or pantheistic, those who question the posited existence of a higher power can feel intellectually alone. By providing selections from some of the most notable people from the annals of time, Haught lets the budding freethinker, rationalist, or atheist into the presence of greatness.

Hence, when a detractor faults the book for lacking structure or formal arguments, they have missed the point. The book simply shows that one does not need to have any particular form of religious belief to have an impact upon society. When one faults the book for making admittedly brief citations, the objector rarely admits that in most cases there is a wealth of information that supports the viewpoints and opinions suggested by the few lines from various sources. Had Haught sought to fully cite each section of each author, fully document each minute detail of each quotation, the book would quickly fill several volumes, and would thereby become a very intimidating tome to a neophyte.

Thus, I freely concede that there are faults with the book, but ultimately it demonstrates that theism is not the only source of greatne! ss in history. It is an excellent starting point for a new rationalist or agnostic, and is definitely a worthy addition to both the theistic and atheistic library.

Christians are going to go through the roof when they read of people like Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, Adams and other founding fathers (and mothers) that had no use for organized religion.

The chapter on James Madison is especially interesting in its depiction of Madison and Jefferson's battle to pass Jefferson's Religious Freedom Act. This action was necessary since a tax bill was on hand (1784) to give sums of American tax dollars to Christian churches, thus establishing a federally funded religion. Had this occurred, the religious freedom so many people had died for would have evaporated. Jews, atheists or otherwise would have been out of luck. Fortunately, that bill was defeated and the tenets of Jefferson's Religious Freedom Act were sewn into our Bill of Rights in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

I find it important to illustrate the fact that one does not have to be an atheist to find value in this book. For those of us that are interested in human history, this text lends great insight into the minds of many people that have impacted our world's past, present and future. Its claims are exhaustively researched and documented on the pages. If the inclination to dispute or research is felt, all one has to do is have a pen and paper handy.

This book is very good. It is chronologically ordered, so that one can read what various freethinkers throughout history thought of religion, often at the threat of social disdain (at the very least) or death. Although a great many ancient minds thought the Earth was flat and posessed by various gods of a Draconian religion, there were those precious few that were surprisingly ahead of their time. This book chronicles this nicely.

Even theists that have the slightest bit of doubt will enjoy this book, perhaps unwittingly. There are some great minds listed throughout such as: Voltaire, Copernicus, Magellan, Einstein, Freud, Mark Twain, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, John Adams, Ben Franklin, Darwin, Ayn Rand, Louis Pasteur, Thomas Edison, and lots more.

Also littered throughout the book are various snippets of historic events, such as atheists who were murdered for their beliefs. Makes one realize how serious people were and are about their pet mythologies.

This book is a must have for the atheist seeking some fun arguments by authority or for the theist who is impressed by such. In any event, it is VERY insightful!

Dan The Burke

This particular anthology of the very best writings of James Allen is a testament to the truth of that cliché; "Good things come in small packages." The collection of five classic works by the contemplative Englishman, being only about 5 x 4 inches, is the ideal size for stuffing Christmas stockings, though it is entirely more substantial that the throwaway knickknacks and edibles that are usually found therein. It also rides unobtrusively in backpacks, briefcases and handbags, and will be equally inspiring and motivating to the carriers of all of the above. This is a book that cries out to be toted around; open it up to any page and you will unfailingly be greeted by a gem--in the form of Allen's digestible, clean, concise prose. It is no exaggeration to say that James Allen's was one of the great minds (and souls) of the nineteenth century. Opting not to utilize the convoluted and alienating language of some other great thinkers and philosophers, Allen-an exceedingly humble man who advocated simplicity in life-meant for his deeply valuable ruminations to be shared with everyone, no matter what age, sex or background. And it is true that his writings-on such themes as character, destiny, true wealth, spiritual development, the secret of happiness, serenity, suffering and the universal law of love-are as appropriate for the high-schooler as for the retiree, the ambitious business person or the thoughtful homebody. As well as one of simplicity, Allen believed in a life of self-discipline, self-examination, and a constant striving for personal betterment and harmony both within and among individuals. This involves, in largely simplified terms, refusing to judge ones fellows while at the same time reaching to better one's self-through the renunciation of personal, inharmonious will for surrender to the unfailingly loving and ever-present guidance of a higher power (or self). Lovers of the great author Leo Tolstoy's synthesis of the earthly and prosaic with the mystical and spiritual will appreciate a similar quality in Allen, who was an admirer of the former. Allen, perhaps even better than Tolstoy, demonstrates that there is no better place or time to become more spiritually beautiful, prosperous, loving, harmonious and happy than here on this earth and in this life. Peace, truth, prosperity, joy, wisdom and that vague, cloud-enshrouded 'Kingdom of Heaven' we have all heard of are not, Allen emphasizes in these works, conditions which await us after the completion of this strife-ridden earthly existence; on the contrary, they are qualities already present in abundance, here and now, not just around us but in us, waiting to be realized. We all need to be reminded now and then of the responsibility we have for our own happiness and destiny. James Allen-in this appropriately small, simple-looking yet densely rich book-illustrates how to effectively exercise this responsibility for the most fruitful results and rewards, both tangible and intangible.

Although I was familiar with As A Man Thinketh, I had not read other works by James Allen. This book has five of James Allen's works that all provide insight into living life as a positive, productive person.

We are all searching for answers on how to lead a fulfilled life. The answers are within all of us, but often we look elsewhere to try and find the answers through comparison and material possessions. I have by no means mastered the lessons taught by James Allen, but can see that with time, patience, and persistance I can be at peace with myself. This work is greatly enhanced with a goal setting plan. The combination allows us to create a plan and a framework to live by. The result is the ability to ultimately construct the fulfilled life we are all searching. This is not a read and put away book. One really has to think about the messages conveyed.

I enjoyed the fresh & light approach of this book. Doesn't bog you down with too many rules and must-do's and lets you bring out your thoughts directly onto paper. I think its especially helpful in the starting stages of a business where you don't yet have the information to build a full business plan but need to organize your thouhts. It is also a great ongoing condensed format for a business plan that can keep your actions/strategies in line.

As someone who has never written a business plan and had no idea where to start, this book is absolutley fantastic!! It starts you off with writing pieces of what you want to do by answering the five "W"'s. It also suggests you have an interview with someone so that you can play back what you actually said and then transcribe your verbal thoughts on paper. Very realistic and fun approach to what could be a very arduous task.

Being a severely right-brained person, the thought of actually having to sit down and put to paper a plan for my business was painful. When my coach sent this book to me, I was reluctant to even open it. But, when I did and saw the graphics and journal style layout, I couldn't put it down. I now have a vision for my business that stretches much further than I ever thought possible. What a tool!

I got this book as a Christmas gift along with a painting by the artist. He's a good artist. Make no mistake about that. But you'd better be an ardent gamer to really enjoy his subject matter.

James Christensen's art can be funny on one page and thoughtful on the next. Christensen has the uncanny ability to take you into his pictures -- even when there are fish floating about. One of my favorites is "Lawrence Pretended Not to Notice That a Bear Had Become Attached to His Coattail". Yes, that's the title. There is a cute story on the same page. A grade school student attempts to find the theme in this piece - with only partial success. This book will remind you that heartwarming is more than an adman's phrase. After all, when was the last time you actually opened one of those fancy art books you've got on your coffee table? This is one you'll _read_.

Journey of the Imagination is a wonderful table top book. It is a beautiful discussion peice. James Christensen's art is filled with passion that is vibrant and thrilling. Every piece of art is amazingly detailed and done with brilliant colors that thrill the eye. This book has a mixture of his fantasy art and his allegorical artwork. I prefer his fantasy art, but both are great and done equally well. This book is a must have for any art lover, especaially those who love fantasy art. My only complaint about this book is that it does not include "Sisters of the Sea"--Christensen's mermaid painting. However, you can get that one in Voyage of the Basset by Christensen. While the two books do double up on a few art pieces, each stands on its own merit and anyone who loves his art must have both.

I originally found a copy of this most excellent, and timeless work over 22 years ago in a used book store. I have read it every day since. It is pure scripture, a daily compilation of related verses based on a single theme verse. The Holy always speaks with new thoughts for the same page, no matter how often you read it over the years. It's a treasury of God's thoughts, second only to your Bible. I will continue to give it as a gift to beloved friends 'till the day of His Coming.

This lovely book of topical scripture is a wonderful way to begin and end the day in the Word. First appearing in the 1800's, it has been updated in this NKJ version for modern readers by Anne Graham Lotz. Its original compiler was a gentleman named Samuel Bagster. Each day's reading has two themes, one for morning and one for evening. The readings are short enough to be read through in a less than a minute, but inclusive of enough scripture to comfort, instruct, direct, and encourage. Scriptures are footnoted at the page bottom, leaving the eye free of distraction from the heart of the message. It is an excellent devotional, illustrating the richness of the pure Word of God, without the intrusion of human comment or thought.

This small leather book feels so good in my hand. It's small size makes it easy to put it in a briefcase, backpack, or purse. There are two readings for each day - morning and evening. This book was compiled by Samuel Bagster and first published in 1794.

Anne Graham Lotz introduces this wonderful book to a new generation of Christians. In the preface, she explains that her mother (Ruth Bell Graham) received a copy of this book from her mother at age 10 and has read it every single day of her life. Anne received it from her mother at age 10, and she has likewise given the book to her children.

Each devotion is complete on one page and is totally Scripture. There is a theme, and then the verses all center around that theme. All the references are at the bottom of the page so you can look up the verses if you choose.

This soft leather book has gold-edged pages, and a ribbon marker to keep your place.

Daily Light makes a great gift!

Please see my other reviews of Christian books and music!