In general, it's a book worth having because it includes his Sayings of Light and Love and his letters as well as his poetry and his major works: Ascent of Mt. Carmel, The Dark Night, the Spiritual Canticle and The Living Flame of Love.

My complaint has to do with the very prosaic nature of the translations. The abovementioned major works in this edition are written in academic American English. Even the layout screams "textbook." I first came upon John's major works online, on a site called "Ethereal Library." I read The Dark Night and Ascent .. in translations that captured a much greater sense of John's poetry and mysticism, as well as a sense of his own time and place in slightly (but not overwhelmingly) archaic language, where even the layout suggested more a long prose-poem than academic text. That other version was flavorful, glowing and delicious and, after reading it, I fell in love with St. John of the Cross.

Had I read this rather dry, textbook-style version first, I probably would have dismissed St. John as boring and difficult. For someone already familiar with St. John of the Cross, however, this book definitely offers examples of his thought and writing not normally available.

"The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross" consists of the writings of this 16th century Spanish Mystic and Doctor of the Church. St. John was a Carmelite friar and friend of St. Theresa of Avila. A valued spiritual counselor, many of his works were written as instruction to religious who sought his guidance.

The book consists of four major works and many minor works. The major works are "The Ascent of Mount Carmel", "The Dark Night", "The Spiritual Canticle" and "The Living Flame of Love". Each of the major works consists of a poem, written by St. John, and an extensive, word by word, explanation. In the explanation, St. John reveals his own theology, supported by verses from Scripture.

The minor works consist of letters written to his contemporaries as well as a collection of St. John's poetry.

This is definitely not light reading. The reader must concentrate on his the text in order to appreciate what he is reading. I am glad that I read it from two perspectives. From an historical perspective, it provides the reader with a good introduction into the world of mystical writing. More importantly, from a spiritual perspective, this book gives the reader an insight into God's call to all Christians to draw themselves more closely to Himself. The spirit of this book is difficult to explain. It is a classical book which is better experienced than described.

I was almost dissuaded from buying this by Ms Ramirez' review but having all of John's works in one book was too much to resist, and I'm very glad I went ahead and bought it. Concerning the "old" English translation so admired by Ms Ramirez, it certainly sounds very beautiful but it is also very difficult to understand whereas this translation by Kavanaugh and Rodriguez is extremely easy to read and grasp. Sound and rhythm have their attraction, but I'll take understanding any day. Who among you honestly gathers more insight from the King James version of the bible as opposed to the NIV? The same principle applies here. The Collected Works does NOT read like a "text book", the layout is wonderful and the value of having all of John's works in hand is inestimable. Buy it, treasure it - it holds the full depth of true Christianity within it's covers. Indeed, it is a map of the landscape leading to heaven by one who knows the Way, and in simple terms understandable to all.

Just my luck that the song I wanted to play the most (Swing Low, Sweet Chariot) is printed with the vital note bends missing. Oh, the asterisk is there in the key, but nowhere to be seen in the notes. I wonder how many other songs are misprinted.

I'll be sending this one back.

I bought my first harminca and The book Harmonica Americana about a year and a half ago,then 6 months ago, I finally got around to ordering the two cd's that go with the book. What a difference the cds made for me! My ability jumped by leaps and bounds after that. Just to be able to hear what the songs really should sound like made all the difference in the world. What a thrill it is to me to be able to make GOOD music anytime at all. I tape my practising and when I replay it and then can't tell my harp playing from his, sometimes, I just think -wow! I am in the early stages of bending and thanks to his lessons, am extremely grateful that I really can bend notes! Just need to perfect this skill. I am a 55 year old grandmother of 13, so if I can, you can too.

Hi Jon,
For a long long time, I had been planning to learn how to play the
harmonica. This past Christmas my wife bought me a set of Soul's Voice
harps and my son bought me your Harmonica Americana with CDs, the only
thing better would be to have you here at the house. A few days ago I had a friend download and burn(I dont have a burner) your Chugging and Bending instructions. Man! you talk about getting you in the mood to play, I listen to them going to work, sure beats listening to Imus in the morning. I now chug as fast as real train, ok,,ok maybe like a 2 mile long train going up a 6 mile 20 degree incline, but one of these days I'm gonna crest that hill, and then it's downhill and the speed will pick up. I want to THANK YOU for helping me fullfill a dream that I've had since I was young pup living in Canada. I'M now 60 1/2 years old which again proves that you're always young enough to learn. Again I THANK YOU for the enjoyment that I get practicing.
Cordially
Mike Hebert

When Hesketh Pearson sat down to write a book about the most witty people in history (including the likes of Swift, Wilde, Shaw, and Beerbohm), he made the decision that Chesterton should go last in the book. He was undoubtedly one of the most delightful critics of the modern era, and "The Ball and the Cross" is amongst his best.

The story about two adversaries has a particular point to make. Two people who believe in very different things have one major thing in common over the majority of people: namely, they believe in something. Here, two men are so fervent in their beliefs that they wish to duel to the death, but end up as best friends due to their isolation amongst relativists.

The story was actually based off Chesterton's relationship with George Bernard Shaw. This is simply a delightful read and even more relevant today than ever before.

So many people wrote great reviews of GKC's best-known books here that I'll concentrate on this one. It happens to be my favorite novel by him, but I was quite surprised that this nearly unknown book would be so good. My suggestion is don't read Martin Gardner's foreword first--read it as a backword, after the book, and then see if you agree.

Chesterton later wrote a little poem about how he didn't like this book, and how it didn't make any sense, but I found it to be the clearest thing I've ever read, and it has forever instilled lucid pictures in my brain. It starts with a scene that seems to be some sort of dizzying science-fiction story from Victorian England--sort of like something Jules Verne would write if he suddenly became a better writer.

That's not the only unforgettable visual image in this book, which is pieced together like so many cliff-hanger serials. Someone else will likely write about all the debates over points of view implicit in the title and fiercely held by the characters, but what attracts me is the excitement of a widly heroic life (which both characters live). GK shows, of course, that it's found in the romance of orthodoxy, but by the time the book winds up, he has me panting like a thirsty horse to find those cooling streams.

Another novel that does this is Manalive!, which a friend of mine said is her second favorite book, next to C.S.Lewis' Perelandra. Manalive! is very light, but it just flies, and opens with the most intriguing first page I've ever read. Both these stories, although written in different ways, seem modern or even post-modern. They seem like they were translated into modern English from another language, even though they both date from the early 20th Century.

Recently, I had the chance to see the world premiere of a play of The Man Who Was Thursday, which put these three novels into perspective for me. Chesterton wrote at a time when anarchist dynamiters --the terrorists of their day--were causing havoc about London. Many social conditions were chaotic and in the world of ideas, things were up for grabs.

Chesterton did not have an easy conversion, nor did he come by his views without a hard-won struggle. In this sense, he didn't arrive at the "right" answer by working a puzzle or stumbling on the secret to life, but like his story about a man who walked around the world, came back with a new perspective, able to see things in a new way for the first time. Although I did come to embrace his romantic orthodoxy, I don't think his big gift is in convincing us of the wisdom of the Creed, but rather in opening our eyes to the wonder around us.

That's what my 17 year old tutoring student told me this week. He's been quoting the book around school and is absolutely enchanted with it. Note, this kid is no slouch intellectually, he's on the state championship debate team and has read such things as Dante's Inferno, and Huxley's Brave New World, so the best thing he's ever read is high praise.

I think what makes this book so good is the paradoxical quality of the situation. The action carries you forward as the two main characters attempt to duel about truth and are continually thwarted by a constabulary and a citizenship who don't (for the most part, that is) want them to fight. The paradox is that these men are sane, but the world thinks them mad. It reminds one of Emily Dickinson's poem "Much Madness is divinest Sense"
and the society the characters are in does deem them dangerous.

What is amazing to me is that Chesterton wrote this book in 1905, but it could almost have been written yesterday, at least in terms of people's attitudes. The descriptions are unusual, some of the people quite odd, yet the whole story becomes believable in a very strange way. And it is both intriguing and amusing at the same time.

This is the second teenager I've recommended this to and both of them have loved it. Maybe the teenagers I know just have better taste than most of the librarians out there, since this is a nearly impossible book to find on any library shelves around here. Thanks Amazon for making it so easy to purchase. I've just ordered a copy for my teenaged niece for her birthday. Maybe the American Chesterton Society should start a branch for teens...

The cover of this book gives a taste of the wonderful things to come. The designs are colourful and refreshing, and the charts are coloured and easy to read. I can't wait to stitch the 'Home Sweet Home' sampler. There are also great ideas for using the designs in innovative ways. This book is a classic for cross stitchers. Designs run over all the seasons, and include Christmas designs, things for children, and lovely things for the home. I have enjoyed just browsing through it and reading the helpful ideas and suggestions!

I cannot express the feeling I got when I opened this book for the first time. Everything about it is just gorgeous, from the layout to the Englebreit touches throughout, to the very quality of the book itself. The stitching patterns are clear, colorful, and very easy to read. I can't wait to create some of these designs -- I wish I didn't have to work so I could stitch full time!

I've always loved Mary Engelbreit's artwork and was thrilled to find this book. I did the Angel "Peace" sampler and it is the most beautiful piece of needlework I have ever created. I gave it as a Christmas gift to my mother-in-law, and I have recieved many complements on it.

The design was easy to follow as each symbol was color coded. The instructions for the project were clear and concise. I am looking foward to making another project from this lovely book. My only regret is that my copy has been used so much that it's quite dogeared now.

I started Mr Kopel's book with high hopes that I had finally found an objective work on this controversial topic. My hopes were dashed within a couple of chapters but I plugged on until the end anyway. The book attempts to convince and appear scholarly by the sheer quantity of information conveyed, but much of it is totally irrelevant to the real issues.(eg I do not believe that public opinion towards gun control in the UK is in any way influenced by King Henry VIII's statutes related to crossbow usage in the 16th century). In other cases, the information conveyed is misleading or just plain wrong. Mr Kopel's overriding thesis seems to be that the imposition of gun control in other countries can be directly correlated with erosion of civil liberties and loss of personal freedoms. For those of us who have lived in at least one of those other countries, this just doesn't wash. The conclusions of the author appear to be that America is so different from other countries that none of their measures to reduce gun related violence can work here. It is very apparent that Mr Kopel started this book with his mind already made up on this issue. What a pity he wasted the opportunity to deliver a truly open-minded opinion on the subject.

Kopel histories of the governments in Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Japan, Switzerland and the US. Concurrent with the history/culture review he mirrors the weapons control laws that evolved and their consequences. By looking more in depth at the context within which each of these countries enacted their controls, Kopel looks for "lessons learned." His work is mostly objective, incredibly well-documented, and reaches some pretty common sense conclusions. An excellent resource for learning about the nature of government, laws, and gun control specifically.

This is an absolutely excellent resource for anyone interested in the gun-control debate. Mr. Kopel's thesis is that effective gun-control and culture are very tightly linked. Mr. Kopel describes the gun control policies of several countries, puts each in a historical perspective, and discusses why and how well those controls work in their respective countries. He goes on to describe what form of gun-control would be best suited for the United States.

Mr. Kopel's book is superbly researched, very readable, and includes copious references. This is by far the most informative book I've found on the gun-control debate. I recommend it highly.

This book would be a great addition to my collection if I didn't have a collection. The designs themselves are great but these designs have been used in other books or are so similaar to other patterns in several other books that I regret buying. The carts are in black and white. They are small designs and easy to finish in a couple of hours. Quite a few of these small designs change colors over 10 times. If you have few cross stitch books, this one would be a great addition to your beginning collection. But if you have a large collection, examine this before buying.

I loved the variety of the designs in all catagories, but loved the pet patterns the most. The three hamster designs were especially adorable and very appreciated since designs of life-like rodents (especially hamsters, guinea pigs, rats etc.) are impossible to find.:-) I hope that there will be ferret cross stitch patterns soon!

This book has been around for some time now and since I'm not partial to small designs because I prefer big projects,I never got around to buying this book,but since Amazon has introduced its new and wonderful "Look Inside" feature I got the chance to look through some of its pages and found that the designs though small are rich with color and detail. The designs are original they range from playful and fun to sophisticated and fancy. The charts are of good size,in black and white but very clear to follow. The photographs of all the end results are included. Some of the designs can be done in as little as 15 minutes,the most complicated in two hours.I'm glad I bought this book,I've already finished a simple project with one of its designs which only took me an hour and a half. With 501 designs I'm sure to find a couple of hundred more to work on.

Being not a christian, I found this a book to be a new twist on the jesus myth. Its just a valid as any of the other mythical accounts found elsewhere such as the bible.

Though i have only read the sample chapter of this book, i must be forthcomming in my feelings and say that it has captured my heart. Though i am a believer in Christ, i now fight back tears for the imaging, of the authors, that has truely struck home. I pray that all who read the sample chapter find it as compelling as i have. God bless us and praise Jesus for all eternity.

I thought that the book was very insightful from the centurions point of view. I felt moved at time. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend this book to all! Thank you.

What a wonderful book! Clear, concise patterns that give so many options. You can either choose to do the entire Pegasus in the clearing, or just him in another setting, picking out other elements from other designs in the book, or by himself! This is just an example of the versatility of TW's designs. All however, are exquisite in their intended state.

Easy to follow(even at 3 in the morning and bleary eyed, I had no problem understanding the explanations), and not 'quaint' ; she approaches the topic of mythology in needlework in a very sober, mature manner. Bravo!!

Even if you already own all or most of the individual leaflets that are in this collection, this book is well worth buying. The greatest improvement over the original leaflets is that the different colors of backstiching are all marked differently--no more guessing!

If you've never done any of Teresa Wentzler's designs, be forewarned that they are quite a challenge, but the results make the effort worthwhile. They contain a level of intricate detail that I have rarely encountered in cross-stitch patterns.

What a glorious book to leave the real world in as you stitch.The detail leaves you in ore of it all.
Even though I can't buy the book,it's incredable.

I see that most of the readers given this book 5 stars. I given it 4 stars as I think only a few books deserve the highest rating. However, let me say this is one of the best book I ever read about Arctic/Antarctic exploration. I found the book in a recess of the library here at South Pole Station, where I'm wintering over, so that you can understand my interest in the matter, but I'll buy it because I want to own it.

It is really a further shame that was an Englishman, and not an Italian - as I am - to wrote it. However, it is really a great way to restablish the historical truth about one of the most shameful, forgotten, episodes in the long history of my country, Italy. Thanks to the author, even though, admittedly, a bit on delay, for having written something so good about the great Umberto Nobile and his life.

By the way, the original title of the edition I read was "Ghost Ship of the Pole". I don't know if something has been changed in this new edition

Even though they flew over the pole, the airship actually north of the arctic circle, but near some Norwegian islands. This book however, is recommended as the definitive account of the Italia disaster, and also a personal history of General Nobile. It gives some insight to him standing up against Mussolini and his Facists (Nobile was basically apolitical; he just wanted to design and fly airships and be left alone), which caught up with him after the rescue. The book really picks up after the crash and when the rescuers start to pour onto and over the ice floes. This was the biggest search since the Frankin disaster, fortunately for the survivors, there was now modern equipment such as airplanes and icebreaking ships available. Author Wilbur Cross interviewed Nobile in Italy and many of the other survivors. Recommended for anyone interested in Arctic survival, a lot of it is reminiscent of "In the Land of the White Death", though for anyone wanting to know about the circumstances of Roald Amundsen's death should look elsewhere, as it's barely mentioned except to say that his plane was overdue, and some of the Norwegian people were hostile to Nobile after the rescue since the Italians did practically nothing to rescue their own people.
Chapters are as follows:
1. Prelude to Disaster--the Italia is losing altitude and nothing the crew does will make it rise again.
2. The Impossible Dream--History of Nobile's airship designs.
3. An Ambitious Undertaking--The story of Nobile and Roald Amundsen flying the Norge to the North Pole.
4. The Next Big Step--Building of the Italia and preparations for more Arctic expeditions.
5. Premonitions of Trouble--The flight from Milan to Spitzbergen across Europe.
6. Destination Zero--Flight from Spitzbergen to the North Pole.
7. The Downfall--The crash of the Italia.
8. Picking up the Pieces--the survivors rally and gather equipment to survive.
9. Frustration--SOS is sent and rescuers begin to head out--but where are the Italians?
10. Split Decision--Mariano, Zappi, and Malmgren leave the camp to try to reach land and help.
11. The Shortwave Dilemma--They are unsure if their shortwave messages are being picked up.
12. Against the Odds--Italian Army Captain Sora leaves out on skis to search; Amundsen and others search by air.
13. Manna From Heaven--The survivors are resupplied by airdrop.
14. A Decision in Doubt--Swedish Lt. Lundborg lands and rescues Nobile.
15. Prison without Bars--Nobile is held on the Italian ship Citta di Milano against his will by his own countrymen.
16. The Ice Torture--The death of Malmgren.
17. Fools Forsaken--the rescue of some of the would-be rescuers.
18. Breaking the Ice--the Soviet icebreaker Krassin comes to the rescue.
19.Liberation--the final rescue from the ice.
20. Reverse Rescue--More of the rescuers rescued.
21. Voices Muzzled--the Italians are censored by the Fascist government and Nobile's reputation and courage are questioned.
22.An Abundance of Enemies--Nobile is attacked by the Fascists, including Mussolini, in court and elsewhere.

The Airship Italia disaster of 1928 has unfortunately been nearly forgotten today, but in its time captivated the world. I've read a number of books on the incident and this one ranks with the best (I even have an aviation text from that same year that was published after the accident, but before the rescue. The readers were left hanging!). While attempting to fly to the North Pole under the command of Italian Gen Umberto Nobile, land on the ice, and return, the airship Italia crashes on the pack ice hundreds of miles from civilization. The survivors are hurled to the ice and can only watch as 6 other survivors float off to their doom on the derelict airship. Legendary Norwegian artic explorer Roald Amundsen, flies off in a seaplane to attempt a rescue, and is never heard from again. The castaways confront sudden cracks in the ice, broken bones, polar bear attacks, and almost staggering incompetence from their base ship back in harbor, which didn't even bother to monitor the radio most of the time. 3 of the party set off in a desperate bid to reach land and lead back a rescue party. The Norwegian Dr. Malmgren is soon too exhausted to continue, and after stoically help dig his own ice grave, bids the other two, Zappi and Mariano, on after giving them his food. The duo trudges on, clearly seeing land on the horizon, while the drift of the pack ice cancels out all their efforts. 43 days after they started, the last 12 without food, the snow blinded Zappi and Mariano sit down to await their fate. But the Russian Icebreaker Krassen miraculously rescues them just hours from death. 48 days after the crash, and against all odds, all the survivors are finally rescued. First published in 1960, this book has the advantage that the author had personal one-on-one interviews with nearly every survivor. Ironically, after coming so close to death, each survivor lived to comfortable old age, while the majority of their rescuers met early deaths, either by accident, or in the case of the Russians, in Stalin's purges. Instead of receiving a hero's welcome, Nobile was slandered by Mussolini's fascist government, who perceived him as a threat. He only received the credit due shortly before his death. This story is just begging for big screen, big budget treatment (it was the subject to a not-well-known, but good, Sean Connery movie, The Red Tent, though). Hopefully, they wont take the U571 route and change the principle characters from Italian, Czech, or Norwegian to Americans!