An old reviewer, with a sour look

Went out looking for his favorite book.

It was full of fairies, brownies, too.

But it couldn't be found, So what to do?

I spent years looking for the original, which commands $200-300. (It's worth it, too. I just don't have it.)

What do the readers do, when a book is out of print?

As they go through the years, and never see,

The Cannery Bear, or the house tomte,

Or the Littlest Mermaid again. Oh, gee!

I wouldn't be one - would you?

Well, now you don't have to be - it's back. That's all I need to tell the people who read it before, when it was called The Giant Golden Book of Elves and Fairies.

For the rest of you, please understand that it's hard to describe this book objectively. Seeing it again is an incredibly joyous reunion. Garth Williams paints elves so that the sense of wonder is palpably displayed. The stories and poems are exciting, moving, pensive, and fun. The children in your life will love it. The grown-ups won't mind reading it to them. I do not know anybody who had this book as a child who isn't in love with it.

So the Elves and Fairies now live on my shelf.

And I read it all day, and I like myself.

My sister and I formed all our mental images of fairies and elves from this marvelously enchanting book. Our mother gave us the 1951 edition, which we treasured throughout our childhood. My sister has the original, and I was prepared for a lengthy search of used bookstores. But, lo and behold, Amazon had the reissued edition at a discount! Once again I'll be able to read about the magic scarves and mourn the Fairy Queen, whose body lies in the stream. Garth Williams drew pictures that emblazon themselves in the minds of children, who forever after remember the magic of the things unseen and unbelieved by most adults. The stories cultivate the imagination and expand the conscience. This is one book that no child should ever miss and one that no adult should ever forget.

I've held my childhood memories of the illustrations from this beautiful book for years, and I've periodically searched for another copy. I was thrilled to see it re-issued, and prayed that the illustrations hadn't been "modernized". What a thrill when it arrived! My five year old daughter is as entranced with it as I was at her age, and will ask to replace her night-time tv program with the "magic fairy book". The stories are somewhat long for small children, but they hold the attention of my daughter very well. When we've finished reading, we keep the book open to look at the beautiful illustrations. Every picture in my mind of "Elves or Fairies" is drawn from this book, and there isn't a better place to find them.

Stephen Hawking is one of if not the most prominent physicist on the planet today, and works like A Brief History of Time make it easy to see why. Hawking knows just about everything about modern physics, hence the lofty title. From time travel to black holes to general relativity, quantum mechanics and even string theory, he never fails to captivate and galvanize.

The strongest sections in the book are probably those on black holes and time travel, so if you are interested in either of those areas, you would be doing yourself a favor by buying it. The whole book is highly stimulating, though, so even just a casual interest in science would be well-fed by any chapter. In fact, for those of you who are only mildly involved with or intrigued by modern scientific theories, A Brief History of Time just might push you over the edge and make a fanatic out of you.

With the addition of literally dozens of illustrations per chapter, Hawking has made his book extremely readable and colorful, both comprehensive and comprehendable. Yet there are some topics covered inside that are simply too complicated for many people to understand. How black holes can emit radiation even though nothing can escape their surfaces is discussed, for example. (The answer: a particle and its antimatter counterpart can, according to quantum physics, spontaneously emerge out of nothingness very near to the black hole's event horizon--anywhere else they would collide and erupt into pure energy, but near the event horizon one is sucked into the black hole and the other escapes. In this sense black holes are like "matter factories", causing new matter to enter the universe out of nowhere. Pretty weird and confusing stuff.)

The only other quibble I have with this book is that it is too short! That just attests to the quality of the book, though. It was a very worthwhile read for me; it will be for you, too.

Stephen Hawking's, who is considered by many to be the most brilliant theoretical physicist since Albert Eistein, presents the material from his bestselling work "A Brief History of Time" in a format that non-brilliant people can easily comprehend. Hawking's says that just flipping through the book and looking at the pictures will help anyone to grasp many of the fundamental concepts of physics. This is a testament to the wonderful illustrations and diagrams throughout the book that truly help the reader understand the principles outlined. But I would strongly recommend that everyone read this book in its entirety, as it is an important work that will most likely influence one's thinking about the universe. The beginning of the book is spent outlining the ideas and people that have brought the science theories to where they are today. Material includes information on the theories of gravity, mechanics, relativity. Next, Hawking spends time discussing black holes and the big bang theory. I found both of these chapters fascinating and very easy to understand. The chapter about the big bang, entitled "The Origin and Fate of the Universe," really supported my belief that God created the universe, i.e. "In the beginning..." From the start, Hawking explains that all of science is merely theory and cannot be proven. This has as of late been my problem with science; how do we actually know anything that happened in the past when we can't and never will be able to observe it? Towards the end of the book I found Hawking's "theories" farfetched and unbelievable, although they were interesting. The information on wormholes and time travel seemed absurd to me -- how can time travel be possible when it is impossible to travel at speeds faster than light? Wormholes are not a reasonable explanation. Hawking's suggestion of a ten-dimensional world also went a little beyond science. In any event, these chapters did not take away from the book.
An interesting added feature of the book outlines the personal lives of three great scientists -- Einstein, Galileo, and Newton. I found this short section very insightful.
Throughout, Hawking weaves the concept of the quest for the "unification of physics," or combining the theory of relativity with the theory of quantum mechanics. Hawking's closing words in my opinion imply how futile our attempts to fully understand the world we live in are. "If we find the answer to [the unification of physics,] it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason -- for then we would know the mind of God." Perhaps this is the strongest message Hawking delivers, and ironically it has nothing to do with science, rather the vast greatness of God.

Stephen Hawking is an established scientific genius, but this book establishes him as a brilliant writer - an extremely rare, yet valuable combination. A point he brings to attention is that it had been possible for the philosophers of ancient times to master practically all the knowledge of academia. Today, however, only a handful of extremely specialized scientists understand the latest ideas in their fields. While men of ancient times could easily understand the latest scientific ideas, people today are lost. Enter "A Brief History of Time." This book helps fill in that gap between an average person's understanding and the highly specialized scientists' knowledge.

This book covers ideas that are profound and affect everyone. It explains theories that concern the creation of the universe, time travel, light-speed travel, and many more topics. Imagine actually having some grasp of Einstein's general relativity. Ever heard of string theory? How might time travel actually be possible? What are these black holes of which I've heard? This book packs an incredible amount of information into its 248 pages, yet somehow is still easily read - this is the true marvel of this book.

The illustrated version is worth the extra money. It contains many updates and additions throughout the book by Hawking (including the time travel chapter!). Every (and I mean every) concept throughout the book is accompanied by at least one illustration - think about it: 240 color illustrations with only 248 pages!

Towards the middle of the book, some of the concepts get more complex (when he really gets into the details of sub-atomic particles). However, as a recent high school graduate, I can say with some level of certainty that the average person can understand 90% of this book - and those parts are the most interesting! It will change the way you look at the universe.

I remember how much I enjoyed reading Richmal Crompton's William books as a child...and I enjoy it as much, if not more as an adult! Her hilarious plots center around a very clever, scruffy English school boy, whose adventures make readers of all ages laugh or cry from laughter. My children and I have become avid collectors of all William books, as I'm sure any reader will understand. I am ecstatic that my own children are also William enthusiasts--showing how inspite of generational and cultural differences, Richmal Crompton's books are timeless classics!

Is good literature for children over? Do we have to conform ourselves with horrible pictures of violent and perverted cartoons? I am definitely not a moralist, but I grew up in a world where you could read Guillermo (William) and find good, interesting adventures by a bunch of outlaw kids, doing innocent but funny things in England, and feel identified with them ,even if you were a Mexican kid from the Northern desert, That is what I call universal identification. I hope these books will be available again soon, because the are very good. And Very funny.

Here's the thought. Richmal Crompton invented the situation comedy. Having read every William story as a child, and again for pure pleasure as a (quasi) adult, and without having seen every, or very many at all, situation comedies on television, I'll say there aren't any that cannot be traced back to one chapter in one "William" book. She did it first; she did it best. To my forgotten aunt in England who sent me the newest William every Christmas from '45 to '52, you gave me a life-long love of reading, I used the books to give my own son the same appreciation, these stories will live forever.

The most prolific evangelist in Christian history, a pastor to the Presidents, and a Christian man of integrity -- this is Billy Graham. Or, at least that is how most people see him. Here we have the story of his life, from his simple farm-boy beginnings, through his tent revival conversion, his college days and marriage to Ruth, his early fiery and outspoken preaching days, his years of global ministry and maturity, and ending today, as a respected man of God by virtually everyone in the world.

The story is told with an easy-going pace and reading it you have to smile at Graham's style, which is honest, humorous, and very... normal. It's really amazing to see how God took this average fellow and used him in such amazing ways. This book is also a treasury for any other pastor, evangelist, or other person who wishes to live a life of integrity. Graham relates a wealth of wisdom gained from experience that the church would be wise to remember. We would all do well to remember Billy, and to honor his legacy by remembering his life and everything that he stood for. Just As I Am is an autobiographical masterpiece from a man I deeply respect.

I am one who received Jesus Christ into my heart 31 years ago at the invitation of Billy Graham (on TV, no less). Therefore, I have great admiration for this man of God. There is no doubt in my mind that he has accomplished much for the cause of Christ.

I decided to read this book (700+ pages) after Billy came to my hometown of San Diego in the spring of 2003 for his final Southern California appearance. I also recenly saw a play on the life of Ruth Graham, which finally prompted me to pick this book off my shelf and begin to read. The first half of the book was especially interesting to me, as I knew little to nothing about how Billy was able to become the so-called pastor to the presidents. I was fascinated at how he was able to rise so quickly to the point where he could call the White House and get a return phone call from whomever was the president, whether Democrat or Republican. And how he was able to preach the gospel without losing his position of authority was fascinating.

To me, the second half of the book reads more like a journal of his many cursades than flowing stories that made up the book's first half. I did enjoy his chapters on each of the presidents, from Truman to Clinton. These were my favorites. One disappointment in his book was how little Billy really talked about his family. He did have one chapter (39) where he admitted to having regrets regarding his family (i.e. not spending enough time with them, neglect due to the ministry, etc.), but I wished that he would have spent more time giving reflections on his five children throughout the book. I suppose I could read Franklin's autobiography to learn more about that child, for instance, but I was hoping to learn more about Billy's perspective about the rebelliousness that took place with Franklin. Perhaps Billy didn't want to get too personal, but I think this could have been a beneficial part to a fairly revealing book.

And I would agree with Billy in that he lost out in watching his kids grow up. It seemed every chapter talked about his playing golf with this president (he apparently played a lot of golf) or having tea with that queen, but I am disturbed that his family took second-class status. Still, they all turned out to be fine people, and most of them are involved in the Christian ministry, so it all did work out in the end. It's just that, had I been in his situation and the ministry was going to take such a front seat to my life, I probably would have reconsidered having such a large family in the first place. Since I am involved in Christian ministry myself, I realize how difficult it can be to juggle the ministry with family. I am doing everything in my power, to the best of my ability, to make sure my three girls are not neglected by a father who chose to have them. Perhaps looking at Graham's story will motivate me to be an even better father.

One other thing that I have concern with is the fact that Graham desires ecumenical peace so much that the gospel almost seems to be diluted. Don't get me wrong, as I am not a "fundamentalist" by any stretch of the imagination. I just think it can be dangerous to try to not offend anyone that soon you offend noone. By nature the gospel is offensive, and I wish Billy would not have been so willing to be ecumenical when it came to associating himself with those who are clearly not orthodox in their Christian way of thinking.

I have a Mormon friend who went to all of the training seminars to become a counselor at our recent "mission" in San Diego. Because my friend did his workbook and attended the meetings, he told me that he received a certificate saying that he was qualified to councel at the mission. Now, I can't verify this, but if merely taking an evangelism course and saying that a person has accepted Jesus into his life (which my friend was able to say, because in his mind he is a Christian), then there is probably something wrong here.

One other note. This book was written after certain Nixon tapes came out (where Graham apparently said derogatory things about the Jews). Billy does admit in the book that Nixon secretly taped their conversations. I appreciate Graham's desire to be honest and apologize about something said 30 years ago, but you wonder how a man of the cloth could get himself into such a situation. Billy says he did not remember the conversation, but I feel this is a stain in an otherwise stainless reputation.

Despite my complaints, this is a worthwhile look into the life of a godly man and is well worth a read. It is quick reading and can be completed in less time than the 700 pages indicates.

Billy Graham's autobiography is a very down-to-earth and warm read. Dr. Graham has probably shared the message of the Gospel with more people than anyone else who has lived. With simple clarity, he shares his life and the love of his life--the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His autobiography is exciting, challenging, and edifying. After reading it, I was struck with how selfless he has been in such a selfish world. He is truly God's man for this century

Some books, such as Ball's and Beiler's seem to have sparked a life-long love of mathematics in practically everyone who reads them. "Journey Through Genius" should be another such book.

In the Preface, the author comments that it is common practice to teach appreciation for art through a study of the great masterpieces. Art history students study not only the great works, but also the lives of the great artists, and it is hard to imagine how one could learn the subject any other way. Why then do we neglect to teach the Great Theorems of mathematics, and the lives of their creators? Dunham sets out to do just this, and succeeds beyond all expectations.

Each chapter consists of a biography of the main character interwoven with an exposition of one of the Great Theorems. Also included are enough additional theorems and proofs to support each of the main topics so that Dunham essentially moves from the origins of mathematical proof to modern axiomatic set theory with no prerequisites. Admittedly it will help if the reader has taken a couple of high school algebra classes, but if not, it should not be a barrier to appreciating the book. Each chapter concludes with an epilogue that traces the evolution of the central ideas forward in time through the history of mathematics, placing each theorem in context.

The journey begins with Hippocrates of Chios who demonstrated how to construct a square with area equal to a particular curved shape called a Lune. This "Quadrature of the Lune" is believed to be the earliest proof in mathematics, and in Dunham's capable hands, we see it for the gem of mathematics that it is. The epilogue discusses the infamous problem of "squaring the circle", which mathematicians tried to solve for over 2000 years before Lindeman proved that it is impossible.

In chapters 2 and 3 we get a healthy dose of Euclid. Dunham briefly covers all 13 books of "The Elements", discussing the general contents and importance of each. He selects several propositions directly from Euclid and proves them in full using Euclid's arguments paraphrased in modern language. The diagrams are excellent, and very helpful in understanding the proofs. If you've ever tried to read Euclid in a direct translation, you should truly appreciate Dunham's exposition: the mathematics is at once elementary, intricate, and beautiful, but Dunham is vastly easier to read than Euclid. The Great Theorems of these chapters are Euclid's proof of the Pythagorean theorem and The Infinitude of Primes, which rests at the heart of modern number theory. Dunham obviously loves Euclid, and his enthusiasm is infectious. After reading this, it is easy to see why "The Elements" is the second most analyzed text in history (after The Bible).

Archimedes is the subject of chapter 4, and he was a true Greek Hero. Even if most of the stories of Archimedes' life are apocryphal, they still make very interesting reading. However the core of the chapter is the Great Theorem, Archimedes' Determination of Circular Area. His method anticipated the integral calculus by some 1800 years, and also introduced the world to the wonderful and ubiquitous number pi. The epilogue traces attempts to approximate pi all the way up to the incomparable Indian mathematician of the 20th century, Ramanujan.

Chapter 5 concerns Heron's formula for the area of a triangle. The proof is extremely convoluted and intricate, with a great surprise ending. It is well worth the effort to follow it through to the end. Chapter 6 is about Cardano's solution to the general cubic equation of algebra. Cardono is certainly one of the strangest characters in the history of mathematics, and Dunham does a great job telling the story. The epilogue discusses the problem of solving the general quintic or higher degree equation, and Neils Abel's shocking 1824 proof that such a solution is impossible.

Sir Isaac Newton is the topic of chapter 7. Rather than go into the calculus deeply, Dunham gives us Newton's Binomial Theorem, which he didn't really prove, but nevertheless showed how it could be put to great use in the Great Theorem of this chapter, namely the approximation of pi. Chapter 8 breezes through the Bernoulli brothers' proof that the Harmonic Series does not converge, with lots of very interesting historical biography thrown in for good measure.

Chapters 9 and 10 discuss the incredible genius of Leonard Euler, who contributed very significant results to virtually every field of mathematics, and seems to have been a decent human being to boot. Chapter 10, "A Sampler of Euler's Number Theory", is my favorite in the book. A large portion of his work in number theory came from proving (or disproving) propositions due to Fermat, which were passed on to him by his friend Goldbach. This chapter gives complete proofs of several of these wonderful theorems including Fermat's Little Theorem, all of which lead up to the gem of the chapter. Taken as a whole it is the kind of number theory detective work that has lured so many people into the field over the years. Chapter 10 is a mathematical tour de force.

The last 2 chapters handle Cantor's work in the "transfinite realm", and should certainly serve to expand the mind of any reader. By the time you finish, you'll have an idea about the twentieth century crisis in mathematics, and its resolution, and what sorts of concepts are capable of making modern mathematicians squirm in their seats. Dunham does a beautiful job of demonstrating Cantor's proof of the non-denumerability of the continuum. At this altitude of intellectual mountain-climbing the air is thin, but it is well worth the climb!

In brief, "Journey Through Genius" might almost be considered a genius work of mathematical exposition. I can think of few authors more capable of conveying the excitement and beauty of mathematics, as well as an appreciation for the sheer enormity of the achievements of the human mind and spirit.

This book is an important read for a layman trying to get a better grasp on the actual historical building blocks of math. Because Dunham goes through the actual problems and solutions of great mathemeticians the book moves beyond a simple narrative. A deceptively relevant book for anyone trying to understand intellectual history.

Its nice to finally see the beauty of what the dullards back in math class were trying to teach us. The reviewers are right that the personalities of some of the mathemeticians do come alive here. But that has been done elsewhere (in more detail as well).

The discovery and refinement of mathematics is a central component of civilization, and this is a wonderful way to see its actual historical footings.

As a high school math teacher, I found Dunham's book perfectfor filling what is sadly lacking in math textbooks--the idea thatreal people have contributed to the progress of mathematics. Dunham makes it clear that mathematics is not simply calculation, but an exciting journey of discovery. I have included the book in my Advanced Mathematics courses for several years now, and my students always name it as one of the best parts of the class. The other day, one of my calc students corrected an underclassman's pronunciation of Euler, commenting, "he was great enough that we should pronounce his name correctly." Journey Through Genius is where he encountered Euler's greatness.

I am normally not very fond of those books which dissects the great truth of Bible into story telling and 1-2-3 steps to heaven checklist. I prefer Christian books which provoke people to think and to reflect deeper about the reality of the biblical faith, like those works from Philips Yancey and C.S. Lewis.

This one is an exception. I have never read any book by Max Lucado before. But I definitely will read more after finishing this book. The way he takes the book of Romans and introduces this most profound book about truth to people thru engaging story-telling is simply amazing. I would call this book the modern day introduction to God's grace. Highly recommended, especially good for explaining God's love and salvation plan to people who haven't yet trusted their lifes to Jesus Christ. You would also want to read Philips Yancey's What's So Amazing About Grace after you are done with this one to get a better understanding about God's grace and how to apply it on this fallen planet.

Max has written an easily understood book on how we can know we are saved. Dealing with sin as a christian can be one of the hardest things but Max has explained how we can rely on the 'Amazing Grace' offered to us by God and yet be sure we are not abusing it. In my words it was simply - Amazing! Thanks Max!

God died for us all and by His Grace we are saved.

This is one of the best books that I've read by Mr. Lucado and is based on the book of Romans. Mr. Lucado is knowledgeable and such an excellent teacher, I try to share most of his books with my friends.

In The Grip Of Grace, he reminds us of the extent of God's love towards us. The extent that God will go to, proving his love for us. No psychologist, hypnotherapist, doctor, sweet talker can reach deep down into the pits of our souls and renew us with that sweet and wonderful gift of Grace. This gift that God so willingly offers to this suffering world as we reach out to him burdened with sin.

Thank you Mr. Lucado, this book has changed my way of thinking and it will certainly be read by lots of my friends.

reviewed by Heather Marshall.

Th Mouse and the Motorcycle, by Beverly Cleary, is the hilarious story of a mouse, a boy, and a toy motorcycle. This the most comical, action-packed story I have ever read. I think that Keith is a young, generous boy who gives Ralph his two most prized possessions, a toy motorcycle and a crash helmet. I love the way Mrs. Cleary portrays Ralph as a medium-sized mouse who is bold, funny, and adventurous. I love how Mrs. Cleary writes her books; when I read them, it seems as though they come alive! Her language is sparkling and well written. This book makes me want to read all of Beverly Cleary's books!

VROOM VROOM! Went a little motorcycle going down a hotel floor. If you like adventure stories then Mouse on the Motorcycle is the book for you! This book is about a little boy who goes to a hotel. And he happens to stay in a room where a little mouse and his family live. Keith, the little boy, and the mouse Ralph became great friends. Keith collects little toy cars and Ralph loves to ride them.
He has a lot of adventures on them. Ralph finds the motorcycle and during the night drives it down the hallway and has the time of his life! When Keith and his family leave the hotel, Keith asks Ralph to go home with him. Should Ralph go with Keith to be his pet, or should he stay with his family? You have to find out by reading the book.

I believe that Beverly Cleary is the world's most important children's author. Even adults will read and enjoy Beverly Cleary's books. my personal favorite is The Mouse and the Motorcycle. It is about a mouse named Ralph. Ralph is a regular speed demon. He has a love for the thrill of speed. The Mouse and the Motorcycle teaches the values of keeping promises and honesty. Ralph is always breaking promises. Everytime he does, something happens that causes a big problem. The book teaches respect. When Ralph ignores his mother, something happens like falling in a wastepaper basket. In the story's conclusion, Ralph realizes all he wants is to be a respectable mouse. The Mouse and the Motorcycle is enjoyable for all audiences. Its fun and exciting plot makes it a good read-aloud story. A good example of this can be found on page 23. "There it was at the end-the motorcycle! Ralph stared at it and then walked over and kicked a tire. Close up the motorcycle looked even better than he expected. it was new and shiny with a good pair of tires. Ralph walked all the way around it, examining the pair of chromium mufflers and the engine and the hand clutch. It even had a little license plate so it would be legal to ride it. "Boy!" Ralph said to himself, his whiskers quivering with excitement. "Boy, oh Boy!"." Every boy and girl of any age would love this story! Comparing Beverly Cleary's books, I have discovered they should be rated first. The majority of children's books are aimed mainly to young girls while Beverly Cleary's books are enjoyed by girls and boys. Beverly Cleary's books promote good values unlike books such as Sideways Storys from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. The children in these stories do not respect their elders. Beverly Cleary's beleivable characters make her silly plots seem real. Louis Sachar's characters are not believable which make the plot just plain weird. The Mouse and the Motorcycle should be considered a children's classic.

"Silence" towers above what passes for most religious fiction for its evocative and unflinching treatment of faith and suffering.

While the theology of pain has been touched on in much of Western literature, most of it recently seems either an apology for God's permitting suffering, rants against God for permitting suffering, or pep talks for believers going through suffering. Philip Yancey has provided a great service on the issue in his books on pain, but even they take a somewhat detached view. By contrast, Shusako Endo seems to write from within the terrible grasp of suffering in "Silence", one of the most moving novels I have ever read.

The plot centers around a band of Portugese priests who land in Japan in the 1600's to spread the gospel on a culturally and spiritually unfertile soil. Their theology is eventually challenged in ways that only persecution and suffering can do: can I carry on here? should I? can I forgive my tormentors? should I? Ultimately, they wrestle with public apostasy and with whether or not they could ever be forgiven if they commit such an act.

This is not a feel-good book by any stretch. It deals with failure, defeat, abandonment, pain, and the 'silence' of God through it all. But at the same time it opens the window wide on what the Man of Sorrows went through on our behalf and on how we need God's grace not because of our strength but because of our weakness. Highly recommended.

"Silence" is perhaps one of the finest novels written that addresses the meaning of Christian faithfulness in the midst of intense persecution and suffering. The protagonist, a Jesuit missionary named Rodrigues, arrives in hostile Japan with a sense of pride and confidence in his faith. But his witness of the martyrdoms taking place and the intense psychological torture the authorities inflict upon him and others force a reexamination of who he thinks Jesus is and where God might be in the midst of all the tribulation.

Endo's deeply compassionate portrait of all the characters involved--even the apostastes and the persecutors--made the novel quite controversial upon its release in the Japanese Christian community. But I admire his courage for not feeding the reader easy answers. The book is unflinchingly realistic in the dilemmas faced and Rodrigues's crisis of faith, though occasionally the symbolism is blunt and unnuanced (a problem somewhat corrected in Endo's later novel, "The Samurai"). Ferreira, the apostate missionary, is particularly a complex and intelligent character who speaks eloquently about why the Japanese are so resistant to Christianity. If he is right, then all missionaries and others trying to spread the Gospel to foreign nations ought to rethink their methods and approaches to sharing their faith. ("The Samurai" also addresses these issues in an even more direct way.)

I recommend that all Christians who care about their persecuted brethren, are thinking about foreign missions work, or in general wonder what it's like to be put in a truly hard spot for one's faith, to read this novel carefully and prayerfully. The book shouldn't make you comfortable, but I think the discomfort is salutary, and will hopefully help those of us who have faith to come to a deeper understanding of "the cost of discipleship" (Bonhoeffer).

This gripping historical novel is set in 17TH century Japan, during the shogun's brutal persecution of the Catholic Church. The Jesuit's Provincial Superior, Cristovao Ferreira has reportedly recanted his faith over martyrdom. Soon after, Fathers Rodrigues and Garppe embark on a treacherous mission to determine their mentor's fate and continue the work of Francis Xavier.

A harrowing journey of the soul ensues as we are placed in a moral quandary that tests the core of our faith. This is not a conventional tale of heroic missionaries. Simple peasants are put to horrific deaths as their savvy tormentors taunt priests with; "you claim Christ died for them, but it is they who die for you". Can evangelization and service ever be unjust?

Endo's story raises troubling questions in a manner not available to theologians or apologists. One of which is God's silence in the face of intense suffering. When faced with doubt whose voice do we hear? Where does true communion begin and psychological projection end? This emotional novel offers rich meditations but no easy answers.

His lively prose contains strong character development along with a heart-wrenching history lesson. Disturbing and graphic imagery is used, as are recurring symbols regarding; the Japanese "swamp", the face of Christ, and the role of Judas. Given the current crisis bestting the Church, this latter theme is especially instructive .

As Father Rodrigues sets out, the Saviour's face is "strong and vigorous". During his mission the appearance of Christ gradually changes. Confronted with trampling the sacred image of Madonna and Child so as to escape martyrdom, it is the true face of Christ that looks back at the tortured priest.

In presenting us with this face of Jesus, Shusako Endo's internationally acclaimed masterpiece rises to the level of a sacrament for all who willingly receive it.

Perhaps the most important points that this book makes are 1) If you can't build the structure, add a few bricks! and 2) Community Wealth and Social Capital are re-inventing business from the soul out!

In this well-written book, Shore (Founder of Share Our Strength) uses the model of a cathedral to demonstrate that large dreams are community efforts that reach beyond personal lifetimes to accomplish, and that appear impossible until the collective brainpower of the community engages to find a solution. This metaphor addresses the "perfectionism" that sometimes stops people from making efforts towards social change. In the inspirational stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things, readers feel the passion that rebounds of the pages. Echoing the human voice for meaning in an increasingly digital and isolated world, this book suggests practical ways for American wealth to be redefined, redistributed, and built upon foundations that include social interests. It is a blueprint for building ethics into today's business values and ventures that will create a social structure of community wealth.

I read it in one sitting, underlined heavily, and have placed 39 page markers within its covers. The inspiration found between its pages has helped me redesign my own business plan towards the greater good. In short, read it.

Shore has taken the concept of community investment to the spires. The analogy he draws between those who envision a community worthy of its members and those who over centuries built the grand Cathedrals of Europe stirs the soul. Cathedral Builders never work alone; they work in communion across time and across the community. And first they open the cathedrals within their minds and hearts, and allow the people they aspire to serve to build within. This book must be read by all who envisage lasting change through non-profit or similar endeavors. A true communion of the Saints. Shore takes us back to the basics with which we began community. He makes us dream together, stand on each other's shoulders, and lift those who might otherwise be left behind to rise with us to the heights. You cannot come away from this book alone.

Relying on anecdotes and his own experience as a philanthropic executive, Bill Shore has mapped out a new way for nonprofits to generate revenue -- by creating it. By forming corporate partnerships that "create" wealth rather than rely on charitable contributions, which aren't necessarily guaranteed and which represent someone else's money, nonprofits can generate new revenue and thus grow the community's ecomony. The author offers up profiles of some of those leading the charge and he outlines a general means through which charitable contributions and/or "community wealth" enterprise participation can also grow the soul. This is an important book that will be widely read by anyone wanting to make a difference in American society.

Some nine books into his Napoleonic series, Cornwell pauses here to return to the beginning of Sharpe's association with the 95th Rifles. In 1809 French forces were sweeping the British out of the Spain in a full retreat to Portugal. Sharpe is a Lieutenant, and a lowly quartermaster at that, but through a series of mishaps and skirmishes, he finds himself in command of the tattered remnants of a Rifle Company cut off from the main British army. These men, led by the indominitable Irishman Harper, are demoralized, distrustful of Sharpe, and waver on mutinousness. We see his first clumsy attempts at leading men, as he tries to get them to safety. Their momentary alliance with a Spanish Major who is escorting a mysterious strongbox only leads to more trouble as the combined forces are dogged by a unit of French Cavalry intent on capturing the box. Of course, over time, the contents of the box are revealed and a thrilling city battle is fought. We also see Sharpe's first awkward falling in love, with the niece of some British missionaries (who provide some of the most comic moments in the entire series). It's a good prequel to Sharpe's adventures in the Peninsular Wars, and while it makes a logical place for newcomers to start the series, it might actually be more fun for those who have already gotten to know Sharpe and Harper.

If you have read other Sharpe books, you will realize right away that the story goes back to the time before "Sharpe's Eagle". It serves to set the stage and introduce the characters that will populate the series thoughout the campaigns in Portugal and Spain. If you haven't read any other Sharpe stories and you like Historical Fiction that are enjoyable reads you are going to enjoy it.

Don't get me wrong, as a story it stands alone quite well. Readable and entertaining are the first thoughts that come to mind. The battles/fights seem to be historically accurate as well as well written (not always the case with storied written about this time period). The characters are understandable, without appearing to be twentieth-century men being transported to another era. As Sharpe grows as a commander, you both empathise with his problems and cheer his accomplishments.

The whole series is worth reading, and this a great prequel to the timeframe where most of the action takes place.... and there will be quite a lot of it!

PS... The books are better than the BBC series.

Cornwell captures "everyman" in Richard Sharpe. He is a character that I could identify with. I could feel his hopes, fears and disappointments. I was gladdened by his successes. If a reader is willing to believe the character, they are in for a wonderful adventure. I suppose that if you won't believe, you would still be entertained by this and the rest of the series. As for me, I've read the entire series several times. Every time my "day to day" has become too stressful, I've gone off to the Peninsular Campaign with Sharpe and his Rifles.