helen luke is dead now but i wish she wasn't. this
is the best book i ever found about dante. if dante's
comedy seems a mystery to you, if it seems hard to
reach, or if it seems like it has nothing to say to us
now, you need this book. helen luke used dante's poetry
to write a magnificent jungian deconstruction of growth
and love. it makes everything simple. it is magnificent.
i was interested to see that she liked dorothy sayers'
translations (of all the dante translations that there
are) the best. if you have this book, you don't need
any other growth book, you don't need any other literary
analysis of the comedy. she knew dante very well.

This marvellous book opens up Danteland for the contemporary reader. Helen Luke's masterful guidance on the paths of Dante's three-tiered cosmos not only helps us to reenter and relish the Divine Comedy - the towering literary achievement of the medieval imagination - but to use it to enter deeper levels of reality through meditation and active imagination. I have based deeply moving group meditations on this, along the lines of those decribed in my own book "Dreamgates", and we have found that Dante's gates can actually take us into imaginal realms that people appear to inhabit after physical death. As the life dreamer she was, Helen Luke reminds us of the way the radiant guide keeps calling the seeker through dreams, which are so often ignored or forgotten until the BIG moment of spiritual trial and eventual initiation. I would recommend using the middle section of the book in tandem with W.S.Merwin's excellent recent translation of the "Purgatorio", which is more readable than the older versions quoted by Ms. Luke.

The moment I saw the references to Charles Williams and Dorothy L. Sayers I was hooked. Culturely familiar with, but never having studied, Dante's poem, I had always understood it as an allegory of life after death. Wrong! The intersections between Dante's journey as portrayed by Helen Luke and portions of my spiritual journey were intense, meaningful, detailed -- and totally unexpected. The reality of the passage through Hell and Purgatory in this life points to the hope of a portion of the feast to come also in this life. It is not an easy read, but I found myself unable to put it down -- except when the power of a passage would so resonate in me I had to pause to mark it and reflect on it.

If I could have one cookbook back after our house burned down, this would be it. The Melon Moons recipe was our all time favorite pickle. We used most of the cherry recipes to preserve the abundance from our trees. The unique and exquisite recipes and precise directions make this the best book on canning, preserving, as well as endless other condiments, pate`s and wonderful things for the pantry that ever existed.

This is an absolutely terrific book for Christmas-time cooking. A fruitcake recipe that makes fruitcake-haters ask for seconds, plus beautiful and delicious nibbles and sauces. Unusual items that are fun to make and make great gifts too.

I figure if I find one really outstanding recipe in a book it has paid for itself. This book, and the revised Good Stuff, has recipe after recipe that are really flavorful and preserved safely. Many preserving books from the US and abroad do not follow approved methods, or have no preserving directions. Helen Witty does. The Red Pepper Jam-with red bell peppers and jalapenos is stellar. I make cases of it every year. There's such a variety and number of recipes; you can use it for years.

I had the good fortune to read Father's Rooms in early drafts four years
ago and many scenes remain alive in my mind: the scene when Helen must leave her father at the door of the institution and he doesn't want her to go; the scene in the office of the funeral director where she and her brothers laugh about the kind of casket they'll choose and the director
joins them in their intimate humor; the scene where she cries to her father that she still needs him to be her daddy and, in spite of his deterioration, he holds her and comforts her. I laughed. I cried. I loved this book. You will too. Certainly anyone who has ever dealt with Alzheimers should read it. But everyone else should too. It's more than a story about Alzheimers. It's a story about the human heart.

Ellen Bass
Author of: The Courage to Heal and Mules of Love

Father's Rooms is a moving account of a father's last illness and his demise, and how it affects his family. It details his daughter's process as his primary caregiver, her interaction with her siblings, and how they all come to terms with their father's gradual loss of cognition. Although no two Alzheimer's patients are ever the same, this account will be helpful to any caregiver embarking on this perilous journey.
Jill Ginghoffer, Executive Director
Alzheimer's Association,Santa Cruz,Chapter

Helen Resneck-Sannes' book is a tribute to love, the love between father and daughter, that is influenced but not diminished by Alzheimer's. Her tenacious love is in the details, the stories that make this book engaging.
I appreciate how she embraced the whole stories, not
shying from what must have been difficult to tell. Readers who accompany their parents on similar journeys will be lucky to have her words to companion them.
Author of: Writing and the Spiritual Life: Finding Your Voice by Looking Within

ANOTHER book on flower arranging? Ho-hum I thought. But wait, the author is Rebecca Cole, the charismatic and incredibly talented floral arranger and author. A relatively tired subject is made crystal clear and amazingly new by Rebecca. The book includes basic flower care advice, excellent instructions and photography, and makes you love flowers almost as much as the author. As with her two previous books, highly recommended for the visual enjoyment as well as the writing, to say nothing of the incredible ideas.

This is the third book I've read by Rebecca Cole and they just keep getting better. Rebecca's new book is filled with cool concepts and writing. She talks about creativity, encourages it, and uses refreshing--sometimes even irreverent--humor throughout the book. Flowers are not too precious for this designer and this reader appreciates all of the tongue in cheek. The flower arrangement results are sometimes whimsical and always stunning. Funny, smart, and beautifully photographed and designed, Rebecca's book is my current favorite gift item.

This book is a must read. Great for book clubs. Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I found myself captivated by Rebekah and ALL those around her. I felt the emotions that the author instilled in her characters. When I wasn't able to be reading, I was thinking about what would happen next. I was angry at times, then would find comfort and hope. Ms. Stanphill doesn't disappoint.This book reminded me that even the most impossible IS possible, but not from within my self. Where is the sequel? I have to know what happens next!

I really enjoyed the story. It was well written and very inspiring.
I could picture Rebekah (the main charecter) in my mind as I was reading along, and became very engrossed in the story.

I hope you'll take the time to read this book. The story reads really well, and the message is inspiring - we might be born into a set of circumstances, be we do have the power to change. I've recommended this book to all my friends!

My 16 mos. old daughter loves this book more than any other. She always reaches for it. And even though she has pulled the shoe off Gnu she still wants to read it again and again. I am online now looking for more books like this one! Very cute and creative.

bought this book for my nephew and he loves it. loves all the pulling, lifting, seeing the pop-ups. can read it with him again and again without him losing interest.

Babies, to parents, to grandparents were delighted and charmed by this clever, bright, adorable book. We all just love it and so will you. Bright colors, a simple story, beautifully drawn, and the most incredible pop-ups ever. We were all ga-ga over this book. More! More!

This outstanding collection brought back fond memories of trips to New Jersey many years ago. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down.

From Sinatra to Springsteen, Princeton to Pt. Pleasant and all 121 miles of Jersey Shore coastline this book rekindles long dormant memories for those who grew up in the Garden State or were clamdigger wanna-bees. Helen Chantal-Pike mixes insightful prose with picturesque views of the Great State of New Jersey. This is a must have for anyone who has salt water running through their veins. Excellent coffee table book that you can come back to again and again. Can't wait until Pike's next book, "Asbury Park: Glory Days 1890-1980" is published based on the quality of "Greetings from New Jersey. . ."

"Greetings from New Jersey, A Postcard Tour of the Garden State" is a hefty, gorgeous book that feels good to hold in your hands. New Jersey is one of the great postcard states, and author Helen Pike, between two covers, has made quite a handsome sandwich of it. From the diving horse of Atlantic City to the dining room of the State Reformatory in Rahway; from Thomas Edison at his West Orange office to the cute little Campbell's Kids, the tour is a colorful retro-joy that calms the nerves and sends the reader dreaming. Advertising, manufacturing, main streets, parades, disasters -- it's all there. And it's m'm! m'm! Good! With each card, Pike supplies an appealing bite-size commentary. As if the cards and comments aren't enough, Pike's essays are likewise terrific. The introduction to the book entertainingly deals with the advent of the picture postcard in general and its importance to New Jersey in particular. A closing chapter is titled "The Delights of Deltiology" (the study of postcards) and is a really useful introduction to the various categories of cards. It is perfect for people who wish to develop an interest in collecting. In short, "Greetings from New Jersey" is a book to keep close by and pick up again and again. It's really good enough to eat (which is why I bought two of them). It would make a great gift for almost anyone.

I prefer this to fiction. If you are interested in true life stories, this is the place to find it. Phyllis Crawford, New Paltz, NY. I am an historic interpreter and researcher for Ulster County, NY Historic Societies.

GIMH,BKII is a series of stories based on patient/doctor interactions. These stories, spiced/sliced with humor, ranging from the indelicate/steamy to the heart-gripping and tragic, provide entertaining reading and a window on the great variety of human behavior.

This book is a compelling collection of human stories; great reading for messages and for fun. Dr. Alicia Bertone, a scientific author, Professor at Ohio State University who recently has won a $500,000 Truman Endowment to set up and continue research

"Hamptons Bohemia" is a lovely coffee table book, but it is much more than that. It is a well-researched, thorough history of the artistic life of the Hamptons from the 18th Century to the present day.

The illustrations were an important part of my enjoyment of this book. Almost every page contains a painting by a Hamptons artist, or an offbeat photograph of a group of Hamptons writers or painters. And the illustrations are beautifully done.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It's no surprise that artists and writers were among the first to be inspired by the natural beauty of the Hamptons. It's also no surprise that celebrities, hangers-on, and wannabees followed soon after. What some may not know is that the Hamptons exerted their draw on the creative community long before Jackson Pollock and his pals put it on the map. This book eloquently conveys the allure of this magical place and the entertaining goings-on that occur when the world's finest artists and writers intermingle.

I was given this book as a "must have" gift. So very true. The stories and photos are sublime. I'll never look at this place in the same way. Highly recommend it.

I cannot believe this is not an award winning book. I have read many children's books lately, and to me this ranks right up there with the Caldecotts and other award winners. The illustrations are wonderful, depicting the animals realistically yet with very expressive almost human faces. The story has some nice humorous twists to it, and I found it very entertaining. There is even an educational aspect to it, as it includes an index of sorts to the animals depicted and a little information about them. I think any child would be delighted with this book, and might even be inspired to further reading about animals.

The book is truly a dream come true for many children. I myself found the book to be soothing to a rejected child who is always to slow and never wins. This just goes to show that good sportsmanship and willingness makes the grade. I know that someday when I children that I will read this book to them rather they are the fastest most athletic kid in the class or the slowest and last picked kid in the class

Helen Ward's illustrations are fabulous and she has retold this classic charmingly and engagingly. I am more and more impressed by Australian illustrators and writers. This is a must have.