It's one of the ironies of modern Christianity that the churches claiming to make the most of the Bible in their theology make the least of the Bible in their worship. Evangelicals, for all their insistence on the authority, infallibility, and God-givenness of the Bible, have the least biblical worship in Christendom. It is unbiblical not in the sense that it breaks this rule or that, but in the sense that the Bible itself plays little or no role in the language and content of worship.

If you visit a "Bible church," for example, you may find that the Bible is a closed book, liturgically speaking. It isn't sung. It isn't prayed. It is a springboard for the sermon, and no more. But if you step into, say, an Anglican or Orthodox church, you find a way of worship much more explicitly biblical. The people hear two or three readings from both the Old and the New Testaments. They sing the Psalms and the Lord's Prayer, and the service includes hymns shot through with scriptural language.

The point of the comparison isn't to vilify one church and idealize another. Every tradition has its liabilities. But it does raise a question: What are evangelicals missing that many other Christians aren't? The answer: The other Christians have not forgotten that the Psalms are the church's first and greatest hymnbook.

The Psalms have always occupied a central place in private devotion, of course. Jerome, the great fourth-century translator and scholar, reports hearing them sung by people in the fields and in their gardens. But the Psalms were also central to public worship. Psalm-singing churches are following a tradition rooted in the Bible itself. Jesus prayed the Psalms. They were twice on his lips when he was dying. He even said, after his resurrection, that the Psalms really speak of his own suffering and glory. What greater incentive does the Christian need to pray and sing them?

"By Flowing Waters" is a collection of biblical songs -- mostly Psalms -- set to some of the most durable and attractive music that the church has produced. The melodies are basically what we're used to calling "Gregorian" or "plainsong" -- unison and unaccompanied. (It's astonishing that churches haven't capitalized on the success of all those popular Gregorian chant CDs. Why don't we get to sing the best examples of plainsong in church? The appetite for such music is clearly there.)

Paul F. Ford's settings are intended for antiphonal or responsorial singing. That is, a cantor or choir chants the Psalm, and the congregation sings a brief response (usually a sentence from the Psalm) after every verse or two. But there's nothing to keep a church from learning to sing the whole Psalm.

Not all of the Psalms are here, and many that are have been truncated. The translations, from the New Revised Standard Version, will not suit every ear. But one great virtue of this humble music is that it can be adapted to any translation. It could be adapted to the phone book, for that matter. So even if you don't like the New Revised Standard Version, you could use Ford's settings as guide for your own arrangements with another translation. His introductory essay explains how the chants are structured and makes helpful suggestions about singing them.

The author and publisher are Catholic, but musicians from other traditions who want to add sung prayer to their churches' worship will find plenty to draw on. Ford invites them to use what they wish. And for anyone who reads music, "By Flowing Waters" wouldn't be bad for private use either.

The General Instructions for the Roman Missal indicates that for Opening, Offertory, and Communion the preference should be 1) The Antiphon from the Roman Gradual 2) The Antiphon from the Simple Gradual 3) Another psalm 4) Some other song consistent with the above.

Until now, unless one was singing Latin, options 1 and 2 were eliminated, and option 3 was ignored, and option 4 all too often took the form of some banal hymn.

"By Flowing Waters" is an english edition of the Simple Gradual (which was prepared under a mandate from the Second Vatican Council), opening the door to the use of sung Scripture in worship.

This book was perfect and covered information on all major fish species and every lake in the Boundary Waters. It was a little confusing in some parts (ie some of the lure and fishing technique terminology was beyond me - a beginner), but it was a very useful resource.

This book always goes in my pack. It has a listing of most lakes in the BWCAW and Quetico that gives you size of the lake, species of fish in the lake, and relative amount of fishing pressure, among other things. It also has a chapter for each major species of fish. Also valuable is the step-by-step procedure for cleaning fish.

A DOWN TO Earth and useful book on the BWCA.I take north with me every time I go canoeing.i totally recommend this book to any who canoes and camps in the BWCA and for that matter anywhere else.Furtman has the local expertise and knowledge to make your trip safer,better,and more enjoyable.The FURTMAN name is well known and respected in the northern Minnesota region.

This book does provide pictures of probably all of the immigrant ships used, however, there is nothing else besides postcard-size pictures. They are arranged alphabetically, 3 per page, and provide a name, date, and steamship line. I was able to find the ship that my grandmother remembered traveling on her voyage to America, but no other information was available. I believe that the title is deceiving. The description stated that pictures were available, but no mention was made of "all pictures and no text". I believe that it is overpriced for a collection of pictures that I later found for free on the internet.

Yes, it is true that this book contains no detailed information about the ships that are pictured in it's pages. Yes, the photos are of indifferent quality and some are of relatively small size....... So what! This book is in my experience the only widely distributed source for photographs of emigration ships from the late 19th and early 20th century. I was able to find no less then five of the "boats" that my German ancestors came on during the 19th century. Most of the Bremen and Hamburg ships from the Steam power era seem to be present in this book. The only ships I couldn't locate were the earlier "Bark's" (sailing vessels), which probably were never photographed in the first place. There are several web sites including "Magellan - The Ships Encyclopedia" that give lots of raw data on these ships and some history to go alone with your photograph. If you need it and it's not at the library, this is probably the book that will have a picture of your ancestors ship.

I could feel the vibration going thru me as to how my parents felt, thought, lived, how they ate, how they were dressed, how they communicated with each other of other ethnic groups. I NOW can envision myself in my parents places coming in on the SS FREDERIC DER GROSSE and the SS GROSSE KURFURTZ.

These pixs brought me a little closer to my parents.

The book develops a healthy respect for the sea. Stories are thrilling, and excite one's imagination to possibly extend the limits of one's own exploration of the sea. It is not a textbook to teach how, but rather helps to decide whether to pursue the more extreme aspects of the sport.

This extreme book provides a well presented and informative guide to paddling under extreme conditions. I could not put it down as it was both informative and exciting. The stories mentioned throughout the book complement the clear and concise instruction given. Even if you never intend kayaking under extreme conditions, the book is well worth a read just simply for the amazing stories and photos

As a developing ocean kayaker, I found this book to contain a wealth of valuable information about an aspect of the sport which is rarely represented in the literature. I have long been aware of the Tsunami Rangers' reputation and products, having seen their work on television and having purchased their rock garden techniques video. This book is a continuation of the quality educational tools they are producing. Anyone who kayaks, whether a beginner or an advanced boater, will find something to learn. I found the section on essential skills especially useful, and the discussion of "subjective naviagation" in the chapter entitled "The Mighty Sea" confirmed what I have long believed--true understanding of ocean conditions is developed only through long periods spent on the water, until within us we carry the rhythms of the sea. The Tsunami Rangers obviously do.

I found that the book was directed more toward complete novices. The book was overly detailed for a person with even limited experience. The book also addressed specific types and brand names of equipment that the author used, while only brielfy touching on other options available. A novice wishing to follow the equipment recommendations to the letter should be aware that his choices were also very expensive, particularly for people who may only make one trip a summer. I much preferred Cliff Jacobson's "Boundary Waters, Canoe Camping with Style". Jacobson offers route recommendations, excellent illustrations, recipes and a miriad of equipment choices. He also provides a list of manufacturers in the appendix.

Furtman has vast experience in the canoe country of northern Minnesota and southern Canada. Through his writing he empowers the reader to make wise choices with regards to trip planing, packing, camping, canoeing and cooking. The book is well worth reading for anyone contemplating a trip to Canoe Country in the future. It even makes great reading for those of us who have experienced this great adventure. I found myself saying, "why didn't I think of that", time and time again.

Having read lots of other books on this subject, I have to say that this title is the only one that meshes with my experience. His recommendations are absolutely on the money due to a paring away of hype surrounding the gear you should use when canoe camping. A great book for the novice canoe-camper and one with opinions which happen to be borne out by the experience of others.

This book accompanied me over the Christmas holiday, and proved to be an excellent read. The author's passion for flyfishing is evident thoughout the text. Flyfishing, however, is not the only dimension to this book. Michael Checchio also has a keen sense of place, and shares interesting bits of history, people he meets, and natural settings he visited during his flyfishing junket through the Western United States. It reads similar to a travel journal, so it will appeal to readers who want to know more about the western states.

And of course, its biggest appeal will be to those of us with a passion for flyfishing. To that extent, the book can even serve as basic guidebook to fishing places such as Yellowstone, Henry's Fork, and steelhead waters in Northern California and Oregon. Aftering reading the book, you'll understand why the author quit his well-paid job in New Jersy and moved west.

I took a mandatory poetry-writing class in college and this was my textbook. Unfortunately, I learned I am no poet and am probably a very unsophisticated reader of poetry as well. But I have been trying to develop a taste for it, and this book has been invaluable.

This book is a 700+ anthology of 60 poets who have been influential since the end of World War II. Each author has a short bio that sums up the prevalent themes of his/her works. The book features several Pulitzer Prize winners, and showcases all of the prevalent styles and forms of modern poetry.

I recommend this book to anyone unfamiliar with the contemporary poetry scene (or to poetry in general). It has been an invaluable educational aid to me and has given me hours of relaxing reading.

The Wachters did a great job with this book. They're divers and researchers, not writers, but display a passion for the subject that makes this a must-have for anyone who wants to visit Lake Erie wrecks--or just read about them. Their other book, Erie Wrecks East, is even more detailed.

This is a great vicarious thrill. 16 racers (14 men and 2 women) traverse the world's most dangerous waters for the fame and fortune of winning the Vendee Globe around the world race. Battling constant hurricane conditions, 60-70 foot seas, and the everpresent threat of icebergs; these men and women risk their very lives. Unlike most of the other famous sailing events, this is a single person competition, one person against the elements, guiding their small crafts through what truly are 'godforsaken seas.' Derek Lundy does a great job describing the action, but he deserves far less credit than the bigger-than-life sailors who competed in the Vendee Globe. The only drawback to the book is Lundy's heavy reliance on sailing jargon, but he does a credible job explaining the technical aspects...this makes the book a bit slow at times, but this seems a necessary evil. Overall, a great book, even if you know little about sailing. I can't wait to track the Millenium Vendee Globe.

"Below forty degrees south there is no law; below fifty degrees south there is no God." This quote begins the tenth chapter of Derek Lundy's Godforsaken Sea. With heart-racing action right from the start, Mr. Lundy explores various issues related to what seems like a foolish act: racing a sailboat solo, without stopping, through the vicious conditions of the Southern Ocean. Yet it is the stark and simple rules of the Vendee Globe race, the subject of this book, that make it so compelling: sail around the world without help and without assistance. The course of the race is equally simple: Atlantic Ocean - Southern Ocean - Atlantic Ocean. In an age where "extreme" sports are becoming commonplace, Lundy makes a compelling case for calling this sporting event the most extreme sport of all. In fact, dealing with the moral implications of people subjecting themselves to such a dangerous event is one of the challenges the reader of this book will face. Yet the sailors of the Vendee Globe, as presented in the Godforsaken Sea, are real, genuine human beings. They are people who, while in the near hurricane force conditions, cannot wait to get home, yet, when they do arrive back in France, cannot wait to get back to the sea. The reader is left with the clear idea that the Vendee Globe is an event where a competitor has a fairly good chance of not coming back alive.

This is the best book I have read about long-distance solo racing. It's the first book on the Vendee Globe in English, and it's incredibly well-done. Lundy does a great job of moving the book along with the race, while addressing some of the larger, equally interesting issues about this sort of sailing: what drives these men and women to risk life and limb, what is the role of the sea in the collective human experience. Its structure is sophisticated, and not for the reader he needs to be held by the hand and spoon fed. The introduction of Gerry Roufs at the beginning, with his fate unresolved, was a masterful touch -- it leaves a pall of dread over the book that kept me reading, mesmerized. Lundy never talks down to the reader or over-simplifies; one of the most audacious and courageous points he makes is that this sort of racing, while mind-bogglingly exciting at times, can also be mind-numbingly boring for long stretches. Readers who can't acknowledge this and who need to be constantly dazzled by fireworks and disasters, are advised to go see Star Wars. This is a classic.

People always say, "You can't judge a book by its cover", and in the case of A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, this saying is defiantly true. The picture on the cover and the title might not leave you at the edge of your seat, dying to read the book, but it is the amazing and captivating story about three generations of women who are all struggling in life to find a reason that counts the most. This realistic fiction novel is intense and heart-wrenching, and lets you see that what happens in the past isn't always forgotten.
The book is told from the point of view of three women who all grew up in different times with different aspects on life. It shows how each choice they made throughout their lives affected each other in more ways then they will ever know, and tore apart their relationships with each other, when they really need each other the most. Rayona, a half black and half Indian girl who is around 15 years old, is suffering from her mother's poor choices in life when all she really wants is to find her place and reason in life. Christine, the mother of Rayona, is an excessive partier who never took life seriously, and who strived to be noticed and admired like her older brother Lee. Her motto was that you can never get to old to be a kid, and living by that left her unstable with many regrets from her foolish choices. Last but not least is Ida, the mother of Christine who has deep secrets of betrayal, and who never had the chance to live life. They are all in search of their selves, but need each other more than ever.
The book starts out in the present with Rayona and then gradually fades back to her mother Christine's life, told by Christine's point of view. After that, it even goes farther back into the life of Ida, which is told by her. Each of the woman have problems that keep them apart from each other, and as the book travels back in time, you see how each decision and action affected their futures and how their relationship turned out.
This book is touching, a very realistic story that can be related to in many ways. Will Rayona, Christine, and Ida ever set their differences aside so they can all be a family? Or will they all be lost forever without each other? Read A Yellow Raft In Blue Water to find out, you won't be disappointed.

I purchased Yellow Raft in Blue Water about a year ago but had kept it in my to-be-read pile until one of my on-line book clubs selected it this month. Once I started it, I wondered what had taken me so long! Michael Dorris wrote a beautiful, plain spoken tale of three women. The grandmother, Aunt Ida, the mother, Christine, and the daughter, Rayona, share with us the stories of their lives and the secrets they hide from each other.

Rayona is a typical teenager, dealing with her mixed ethnicity and the usual angst, when her mother takes her away from home and literally dumps her on the side of the road of Aunt Ida's home on the Montana reservation. Christine moves in with an old family friend, and Aunt Ida deals with all of them the best way she knows how.

And then the story goes deeper. Christine shares her growing up years, how she met Rayona's father and how she ultimately became ill. And then Aunt Ida tells more than you'd ever expect, something that ties all three of the stories together.

I thought Dorris did a great job with the first two-thirds of the book. I was disappointed at the end, wondering what happened next and if Aunt Ida ever shared the truth with Christine and Rayona. I'm looking forward to reading Cloud Chamber next.

In A Yellow Raft in Blue Water, Michael Dorris tells the story of three generations of women in an American-Indian family. Rayona, only fifteen years old, is left by her mother (on the Indian Reservation) to live with her distant grandmother, "Aunt" Ida. Rayona has to deal with her grandmother and try to learn to fit in. Christine, Rayona's mother, finds out that she has cancer and has to come to grips with her own mortality, as well as the death of her beloved brother, Lee, many years ago that she has never gotten over. Aunt Ida reflects on her life raising Christine and Lee, and the secrets that she has been keeping all her life.

Dorris gives us each of these three characters' viewpoints separately. Because he does this, we end up making assumptions about a character, then find out the reasons for that character's actions later. Structuring the book this way, giving us all three viewpoints instead of just one, allows us to understand each character and also see how incorrect assumptions can be.

A Yellow Raft in Blue Water is touching and well-written. Dorris keeps us interested in the story, and leaves us wanting more. I highly recommend this novel.