A great book for seekers of more meaingful lives. Its very well organized and easy to use and understand. We have the opportunity to contemplate the meaning and purpose of our lives. Our synagogue will be using this book as a guide on our annual retreat next month.

This book was a special gift; it is one of the nicest things I've ever received. I refer back to it for spiritual inspirations, prayers, and meditations, more often than any other book I own. When I need a wake up call, I turn to this book. It is for everyday life, a guidebook in the true sense...for Jews who are wanting to renew their spiritual connection, for people who are considering conversion to Judaism, for anyone in need of spiritual renovation. It is infused with traditional Jewish reminders of the sacred nature of scripture. Enjoyable to read, uplifting, and with a very nice format. Not too wordy or narrow in focus -- this book gets to the point. Pick any page and what you read will impact the rest of your day. This is one of those books you will actually use; you will always know right where it is and it will not be covered with dust. Highly recommended for all who are seeking positive transformation in their lives.

The Stone of Destiny or Lia Fail, also called the Stone of Scone, was for centuries the coronation "throne" of the Celtic Kings of Scotland. Nearly 700 years ago, Edward Plantagenet, King of England supposedly stole the Stone from the Scots in 1296 after his forces defeated John de Balliol's army of Scots at the Battle of Dunbar. Edward carried it back to Westminster Abbey and had a throne built around it in 1301 for the English Monarchs. So the last King of the Scots to sit up the Stone was John de Balliol. In 1996 the English returned the Stone of Destiny in a big production on the eve of Scotland's partial independence from England.

Only the question has been asked for 700 years: is this the real Stone of Destiny or a mockery? The drawings of the Stone from that period (you can see them on the seals of the Kings), show a taller stone, high enough to be a true chair, with Erse drawings and symbols all around the base. Described as a hard, glassy black stone, it was smooth, slick on the sides - a far cry from the rough-cut, slab of red sandstone Edward the Longshanks dragged back from Scotland. So the questions came. Had the Scots hurriedly made the substitution and hidden the true Stone of Destiny away? Did they hurried quarry this red sandstone slab and put it in Lia Fail's place giving the English King a fake to carry away? Two years after taking away the Stone Edward came back to Scone Abbey and ripped it apart. Was he hunting for the real stone? Another scenario, Edward arrived to find the Stone gone, and in a bit of perverse humour, had the sandstone slab quickly chiseled out and paraded before the Scottish Nobility in August 1296 at Berwick when they arrived to sign the Ragman Roll and take oath of allegiance to an English King. He knew it was fake, knew the Scots knew, but also was aware they could not say so out loud or else risk his Angevin temper when they refused to produce it. At one point after Edward's death, Edward II made a promise to return the Stone to Robert the Bruce. The promise went unfulfilled. Some say the Bruce refused it knowing it was a fake. This only added fuel to the belief this was not the real Stone.

If this stone sitting in Edinburgh Castle today is not the real Lia Fail, then what happened to it? That is the question Scotland's great writer the late Nigel Tranter turned his attention to when he penned The Stone. This book, written in 1958, has been reprinted several times, and again drew a lot of interest in the middle 90's when the discussion came up about returning it to Scotland. Finding a copy was hard. Tranter blends myth, fact and speculation into a satisfying tale of a race to discover the hiding place of the real stone and protect it from those bent on using it. He weaves his love for Scotland, its history and legend in to one of his best works. Those not familiar with the lore of the Stone of Destiny or perhaps has not read Tranter before, I cannot think of a better introduction. Once in a great while, there comes a writer that has the ability to 'walk in the past', to make you join him on that journey. Tranter was just such a magick talent and this book shines with it.

I've just finished reading "The Stone" (my first Tranter novel) and am reminded of the great books of my childhood which left me feeling sad as I turned the last page. I didn't want the book to end! Mr. Tranter's lyrical depiction of Scotland was transporting and I'm afraid I will always believe the story to be true somewhere in the back of my mind. His story and characters are amazingly real and believable. Maybe the real Stone of Scone truly is buried in a bog in the Highlands?

An educational and very funny read. The facts are all true, but have been presented in a consistely funny and readable tabloid style. Maps, pictures, and fact boxes (and some very funny ads) support the text. Highly recommended.

Very wry, very funny, and very educational, this tabloid newspaper-style book follows the story of early man from the missing link to about 3,000 B.C. Great fun for adults as well as children. Highly recommended.

Just two words: read it! Okay, I can't leave it there. I loved the pseudo-Victorian language which made me think of HG Wells and Jules Verne, the amazing mix of genres, a fantastic villainess in the form of Archan and the best fantasy heroine fo years in the form of Annie. And the sideways world of Stone is just an incredible idea, flawlessly conceived and described. You'll get vertigo with this book, I guarantee it!

Stone and Sky is Graham Edwards forth book, and it is one of the most imagingative and mind boggling stories I have read. It is a loose continuation of his Dragon books and they are not necessary to enjoy this marvelous story. Now, all I have to say is that I loved this book... From the detailed and breathtaking eruption of Krakatoa to the arrival on Stone this book is impossible to put down. It takes a while for your perception to focus on living on a totally vertical world, and you will find yourself continually looking to the front cover of the book, just to make sure your imagination and inner eye are focussed right. The characters are fully realised, from the forthright Jonah to the amazing Annie - even when she is host to the fiendish dragon, Archan. To detail this book any more would spoil the brilliance - just read it - and then wait for book 2 like I am - with bated breath.

This is a book that deals with an issue that if we are'nt dealing with already, will have to face in the coming few years. It is a situation all of us will find ourselves in at one time or another, and the book gives us a good insight on what the other person feels like. It is very true to life and a must to read. It enlivens the spirit and envigorates the mind. This is one book I am sure I will be reading again and again, and is a very beautifully written book. The authors diction and flow of conventions make it an easy to follow book. Margaret Lawrence has beautifully incorporated flashbacks, that create different time settings and thus a constant changing atmosphere. A really enjoyable book, your loss if you dont get to read it.

i was given this book for my independent study unit and i thought it would be boring but when i read it i found it amazing. its a must read.im in love with this book. it gives us the idea of people who need us and wont say. i think its a wonderful book.

Words on paper glow Photographs illumine new worlds Haiku becomes real.

"Ice-cream wrappers bloom

In overflowing baskets

Summer in the Park"

Jane Yolen

This is a "haiku" from the book. Each poem is matched with a memorable picture of the city. The pictures are of everyday scenes and the haiku are easy to read, yet the effect is haunting. Although the book is only 40 pages long, a person could spend hours reading and looking at the pictures.

Children and parents and teachers will read this book over and over.

The Stone Boy and Other Stories is a anthology of short narratives by Thich Nhat Hanh. Thich Nhat Hanh's writing brings together elements of Vietnamese legend and juxtaposes them with stories of the terrible atrocities meted out on the Vietnamese for the duration of and subsequent to its hostilities with France and the US. Thich Nhat Hanh, therefore, is a creation of his individual involvement in Vietnam's very recent history. Not much is really written about Thich Nhat Hanh - in terms of his private life and involvement and this is a great entrée into his mystery.

Thich Nhat Hanh uses heaps of farming metaphors and stories. His stories revolve mostly around the notion of "mindfulness," of become aware of things deeply, as in a really profound way, which is fundamental to a Buddhist conception of enlightenment. Thich Nhat Hanh's tales time after time highlight the import of "true seeing." Thich Nhat Hanh focuses on transcendence rather than anguish. Thich Nhat Hanh gives readers an opening for profound meditation. The eleven stories in The Stone Boy are come with brief commentaries as to their source and are helpful not only for the reason that it gives insight into the historical or spiritual contexts but they moreover provide proof of Thich Nhat Hanh's immense skill as a writer and understanding of complex items through his Upaya (skillful means). This book is a must for every collection.

Miguel Llora

I love all of Thich Nhat Hanh's books. He writes about Buddhism, human rights, and personal healing from trauma in a universal and clear way. This book is especially beautiful. These are fictional stories that show Vietnamese culture, and Thich Nhat Hanh's own experiences. He transforms incredible pain into beauty that teaches deep truths.

This book is awesome. It tells the pioneer stories in diary excerpts from the pioneers themselves. I assume the mis-spelled words in the diaries are not corrected from the originals. It made the reading even more fun. Can you imagine wearing a long dress, being very proper and having a bug up your leg? What the women went through! This is also a good learning tool for kids to better understand their boring history books. (At least my kids thought so.) Well done hardback, but is it out in paper back for easier reference? It's too handsome to "thumb through" and tear up.

What a thrilling way to travel the Oregon Trail! Combining historic diaries with fantastic artwork every step of the trail makes me go back in time and experience the trials and joys of those early pioneers. I have a new sense of appreciation! Also, I'm very gratefull to know that these authors took so much time, and attention to detail so that this portion of our history would be documented for the future. What a tremendous book.

I wish it were possible to convey how much enjoyment this little book of cats painted on river rocks has given me. I have even tried painting a few cats of my own. What sheer delight! Thank you, Mr. Nagata, for all the pleasure you have given me.

This is a short book, only 46 pages, but is packed with excellent color photos of stone cats created by artist Nagata Yoshimi. The cats are actually river stones that have been painted to look like cats. The photos are just as beautiful as the cats themselves, showing everything from a rock concert (cat playing to other stone cats), cats hiding in the leaves, a white cat nestled amid flowering clover, dozing cats, and lots of other delightful photos. At the end of the book is a step-by-step tutorial, showing you how to make your own stone cats

There are a few picture books out about Mary Anning! All of them are good, but this is THE ONE to read to younger kids! The illustrations are vibrant and colorful. The story is punchy and fun! Kids will be amazed by the story of a young girl who gets struck by lightning as an infant, survives, and as a child finds the fossil of one of the world's largest dinosaurs! It's all true! There's even a dog companion! Buy it and read it to your kids, they won't soon forget it!

I can't remember a more beautifully written children's book since my children were born. The way the story was told was so simple and yet so powerful, I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone with children. I read it to my 3 and 5 year old girls and they ask for it every night. Simply beautiful.