A Treatise On White Magic by Alice Bailey is a very special book written for those spiritual seekers who have found the spiritual path within themselves and who require specific and general guidance in moving forward. The book is divided into major sections, where each can be seen to deal with a major aspect and stage upon this path. There are sections that deal with the physical, emotional and mental aspects of ourselves and the books hints at how these aspects are and can be spiritualised.

A Treatise on White Magic, like so many of A.A.B's books, is not intended to be informational. On the whole, they are intended to be inspirational. By that I mean that the reader's intuition and spiritual perception is awakened through studying the book's contents.

This book cannot be rated too highly and will be appreciated by those who have a deep interest in all things spiritual, but not necessarily religious, and by those who can appreciate the spiritual and esoteric aspect of everyday life.

In this book, the 15 Rules of White Magic are explained in detail, each relating to a specific plane, each demanding a definite state of mind in order to obtain sought after results. For instance, Rule I requires Recollection leading the way to Concentration. Rule II demands Response leading to Interaction between the Higher and Lower Self. Rule III is Radiation, which is a Sounding forth, etc. Rules I through VI relate to the Mental Plane, Rules VII through XI to the Astral Plane. Rules XII through XV to the Physical Plane. The whole of man is taken into consideration; the whole of man is at work with White Magic.

This book is an enlargement on the "15 Rules of White Magic" as given by the author in "A Treatise on Cosmic Fire". The "15 Rules" apply to bringing down to the physical, the Divine Idea which is its underlying cause. Specifically, the rules examine the various phases this Idea goes through in order to be "clothed in matter", at which time it becomes manifest on the physical plane. The "magician" is the soul or Higher Self, thereby making the new physical object of divine origin. Obviously, not everyone can perform White Magic of this kind as it requires that continuity of consciousness possessed by an initiate of a certain grade. Furthermore, it is clear that if this information were easy to know, inherent dangers might befall the "magician". So, much of this book also centres on how to "become a Disciple and Initiate", and the reader has to "read between the lines" to truly learn. Hence, it is a book one returns to time and again over many years.

Ms. White's stories of her family and community are funny, charming, and entertaining. Whether she is telling us about UFO's, disappearing bicycles, or her mother's favorite song, this collection of stories will keep you paying attention and enjoying it.

This is a great way to learn of your family history. Barbour has done a great job at noting all of the towns vital statistics. Great reference book.

There is a saying that, "A Picture is worth a Thousand Words." In this case, that is more than true. Words alone could not describe the beauty and emotion that is alive in these pictures.

With this book, Jack Kotz takes the "reader" on a journey though his life, and the lives of people that have influenced him greatly. The title of the book concerns his grandmother, Myrtle Booth, and the garden is, to put it simply, her world. The photographs show a mixture of the desolation and the beauty that can be found in rural Mississippi and Tennessee. Words don't really describe the effect that the morning fog has as it slowly rolls across the gardens and the sunlight breaks through the clouds striking the differing textures of the vegetables in all their variety of colors so Jack has attempted this with his camera.

You are taken on a journey here with Ms. Booth as she visits the church where she performed her duties to the community and the Lord as organist for 70 plus years, You see the ladies and their quilts which vibrate with color. You meet what seems to be plain country folk who, as you get to know them through the pictures, come alive with a variety of experience that would astound the casual person.

You see the beauty that Jack has grown with as the sunlight reflects off the moss of the dark green pond and then note the lights of the few lamps as dusk slowly falls across the town or the storm approaches over the plains.

You are taken over a journey through a town kept alive by its grocery store and the church and then you find the strange beauty of a household freezer as you see the colors of all the vegetables spring into your eyes.

Finally you see the spirit of Ms. Booth as she is constantly on the move. Age seems to have slowed her but not stopped her. First she is with a cane, then a walker, then a wheelchair but always she is moving forward and facing life with a zest that seems to have strongly affected her oldest grandson.

I say that with knowledge and pride being Ms. Booth's youngest grandson. I received the book today and looked at it at my office. The pictures brought many memories and emotions rushing back to me. At times I just stopped and felt myself drawn into the picture. I felt the air as it closed around me, sometimes hot with humidity and sometimes cool. I heard the birds in the background and sometimes even the logging trucks as they roared down the highway. I smelled the air, sometimes redolent with auromas that can be found in the country and other times full with the smell of corn bread, fried chicken, and peach pies. I saw my grandmother as she would slowly march forward through life stopping to inspect and everything until she was satisfied and then moving on to her next stopping point. I also saw Jack. I saw him walking through the country and stopping as the mixture of light and shadows caught his eye. I saw him driving down the road and having to stop to take a picture as he saw the clouds slowly obscure the mountain that he was viewing. I saw Jack and Ms. Booth walking hand and hand through her garden...and it was breathtaking.

Bailey White's voice says as much as her words. Her writing is poetry, with periods. Her syntax is southern, only better: she likes her subjects. You hear the cicadas, the crickets, and the alligators. You smell the earth and the old books. You are there, and don't feel the chiggers. You are not only delighted and surprised by her observations, but enriched by her touch.

Southern living is really dangerous. Random thoughts could get you in a ton of trouble. Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White is a hilarious memoir about her wacky family. One of the best qualities about the book is the way Bailey White paints the pictures of Mama. You can just see her sitting in her reclining chair, listening to the radio, and reading UFO newsletter or picking up some road kill for dinner. Another great quality is that the characters are easy to relate to. By the end of the book you want to talk to Mama or you wish that Bailey was your 2nd grade teacher. The characters are fun and exciting. The last quality that was really wonderful was that throughout the book you learned many lessons about life. From how great instant-care is to how to deal with 36 first graders on a field trip. Bailey White's life is as entertaining and Mama and the way She describes it is amazing. Mama Makes Up Her Mind was and entertaining group of stories that will make you laugh out loud. Buckle-up, because your about to read a thoroughly eccentric book.

"My mother eats things she finds dead on the road. Her standards are high. She claims she won't eat anything that's not a fresh kill. Mama is an adventurous and excellent cook also. We have feasted not only on doves, turkeys, and quail, but robins, squirrels, and, only once, a possum. That's my Mama." This book, "Mama Makes up her Mind," by Bailey White is a hilarious string of stories that reflect on what it was like growing up in the Deep South with her "practical" but funny mother and her siblings. This book had many wonderful qualities. One of the best ones is the book's hilarious and unforgettable characters. Mama encounters many strange characters and learns how to relate to them in her own "unique" way. "I could tell from the fully present look on the top of the artist's glowing bald head that Mama was describing her invention of a cure for male-pattern baldness. She calls it the axillary transplant." The artist in this chapter called "Nonrepresentational Art" was their host and they were on their way home from one of his exhibits in a gallery. This is only one example of the witty ways of Mama.

Another quality of this book is it's ability to "paint a picture." The adjectives and form of writing really made me think of an old country house in the South. The dialogue and characters helped also. An example of these elaborate descriptions is about Rosey's restaurant in the following quote from the book. "Rosey's restaurant is a tough juke joint

on the edge of the marsh in an old-fashioned part of Florida. At Rosey's you never know whether you're drunk or not because the floors wave up and down anyway. The foundations are sagging and you can eat inside if you can take the smoke or you can eat outside and throw your fish bones down to vulture looking pelicans." This is from the first chapter titled, "Rosey's." Simple, yet suspenseful.

While reading this funny book, I found myself simply laughing out loud. It takes you back to Bailey White's childhood and allows you to experience her comical stories and lively characters. Although I fell in love with Mama, I am glad she's not my Mama.

It's been a long time since I've read anything that made me chuckle, let alone laugh out loud - but Bailey White's "Mama Makes Up Her Mind" had me doing just that for several stories in this collection, particularly the ones in the first section, the one that deals with her and her life with her mother. There's a story in that section called "Instant Care" that had me rolling on the floor. I can readily identify with Ms. White's mother - she's a real character! There are other stories that are not as funny - but then, they're not meant to be - and they're just as good. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I read this book because I truly enjoyed her previous work, Mama Makes Up Her Mind. But I was disappointed by this one. Several short stories seemed to have not much substance and not very funny altogether. I enjoyed less than half of all stories, ie. Red the Rat Man, Career Choices, Computer School, Horror Movies.

Bailey White's amusing stories supplied a quick and satisfying read. The humor and insight into life made me laugh and think. Some of the more poignant stories still echo in my mind. The voice created by White for these stories is real and it brings her characters and adventures to life.

I urge you to read anything you can that is written by Bailey White. I am currently sharing all three of her books, Mama makes up her mind, Sleeping at the Starlite Motel, and Quite a Year For Plums with my 70 year old mother and my 14 year old daughter. Her writing transcends generations. We read passages outloud to each other. From worms doing gymnastics from the ceilings to every possible strange character, her books are a delight.

Reading this book is like sitting in on a fascinating conversation between two great preachers. They cover a wide-ranging set of topics. Anyone interested in preaching will enjoy this book. A special treat included is a CD containing one of Bailey's sermons.

I have read and dearly loved both collections of short stories by Ms. White and was excited when I found this novel. A little red flag went up with the cast of character list as if it indicated that the reader would need a program to follow the play. Unfortunately, this was the case. The characters were a bit too quirky and the first half of the book seems not to belong to the same story as the second half. I finished the novel with a quizzical look--not at all the same laugh-out-loud humor and wonderfully drawn characters in the short stories. Sometimes real life is more entertaining than fiction.

My father is an agriculturist who lived in retirement in South Georgia; many of his relatives are Southerners. Thus, Bailey White's treatment of the character of Roger seems realistic, grounded, as do the characters of "the aunts" Hilma and Meade, especially. (Who else has written so trenchantly about the odd charisma of short-sleeved agricultural scientists and the intelligence of elderly women?) We don't get inside Ethel's head, however--and she seems to be the most interesting of all, with her series of obsessed men and boats in the house. And what's with the bland, mild, "You're a good man, Roger," ending? Otherwise, I found the book to be laugh-out-loud funny in certain places: "Birding," "Tossing Flowers into the Swamp," "The Silver Thread," "The Dying House." And why doesn't Roger take up with Lucy, who is clearly sanest of all?!

I buy a fair number of books, usually paperbacks, although sometimes I'll buy an audio book to listen to in the car. There also are a few authors whom I like so much that I throw credit card to the wind and buy the hardback as soon as it comes out. Bailey White, however, is a wonderful buy in any medium and I buy BOTH the printed books, in hardback, AND the audio books-the printed books because she is such a fine and gifted writer; the audio books because she is a marvelous storyteller, her voice a slow, gentle rasp which gives her stories wonderful shape and character.

QUITE A YEAR FOR PLUMS, has the same sensibility as her previous autobiographical essays but in a fictionalized context. The characters all have that quirky charm I love, expressed through writing that has a firm grasp of the natural world, art, and literature. Although set in small rural towns, the characters live rich expansive lives through large and exploring minds. And to top it off, sometimes she's just plain hilarious. I read and listen to her with a constant smile, broken only by periodic bursts of laughter or a sudden intake of breath as she utters a phrase of remarkable beauty and poignancy. In a word, she is simply WONDERFUL.

Ordinarily I am a big fan of Bailey White, but I found this book to be very disappointing. Maybe because I listened to the audiotape it "lost something" that comes with reading the written word. However, I won't give up on Ms. White! I am anxious to read her new novel.