As we weather the more difficult aspects of motherhood, sometimes the cold winds of challenge, disappointment (mostly in ourselves), and downright struggle can drive us to a place of despair and isolation. By her vulnerable writing in God's Whisper in a Mother's Chaos, Keri Kent wraps us in the warm blanket of discovery that we are not alone...

She follows that profound gift with a cup of hot chocolate in the form of practical tips on how to hear that gentle Voice that helps us rise above mere survival and become more fully be present to celebrate the miracle of motherhood.

God's Whisper is easy to read yet filled with authentic treasures the author undoubtedly acquired by listening to Jesus.

This book is well worth the price! Keri Wyatt Kent is a gifted writer and this book is well written, east to read, and thought provoking. I highlighed much of it knowing I would refer to it again and again. Thanks to Keri, I'm able to more fully enjoy my moments as a mother and I've learned to hear God's whisper even in the most frustrating, unexpected moments. This is a must read for anyone with small children.

This book is well worth the price! It is well-written, thought provoking, easy to read and encouraging. I highlighted much of it, knowing that I would come back to its wisdom again and again. Keri Wyatt Kent is a gifted writer and her wisdom cuts through the chaos of parenting small children. She enabled me to discover God's voice in even the most unexpected moments and freed me to more fully love both my children and myself. I highly recommend it.

Ever since the 1960s, Kent Keith has doggedly insisted that despite the insanity that seems to consume the world, people can still act honorably and change things for the better. He calls his manifesto the "Paradoxical Commandments," and the very first commandment states: People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway! Commandment number two asserts: If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway! Now Keith's Paradoxical Commandments are presented with more detailed explanations, insights into the foibles of human nature, and the uplifting conviction that doing good for its own sake is the right, best, and happiest way to live. The Paradoxical Commandments: Finding Personal Meaning In A Crazy World is aptly divided into three parts: It's a Crazy World; The Paradoxical Commandments; and Living the Paradoxical Life. Each part offers a little more insight into the world we live in, and how to make it a better place. Every few pages features a short proverb of kindly wisdom, such as "Who you are and how you live are more important than who remembers what you did." Highly recommended for students of ethics and spirituality, as well as the non-specialist general reader in search of self-improvement and personal insight.

This fabulous book is packed with wonderful wisdom. The author shares a series of interesting life stories that are enjoyable and convey a deep truth about the human experience. His writing leaves you renewed and inspired, providing a new perspective about the events and people that shape our lives. The main elements are the ten Paradoxical Commandments themselves. They combine to form a positive message about life and the human spirit. This enriching message frees you to be yourself, and give the world the best you have. The Commandments are so powerful that for years they have circled the entire globe, continually passed from person to person. Now, the original author takes you on his path of discovery. I urge you to read this book; it will refresh your soul.

How wonderful to find such a compelling book of hope, of comfort, of action -- a clear voice of reason in a confusing and sometimes frightening world. It presents simple principles that are powerful enough to not only affect the way you view life experiences, but change your life if you apply them. The only person over whom each of us can hope to have any control is our own self. This book helps us see the possibilities of taking that control, no matter what else happens around us. And as Lois Wyse expressed, "[I]f one soul awakens, is not the whole world strengthened?" Read the book, then try to live the principles. You'll be happily surprised by the result.

Thank you, Kent, for sharing these eloquent Paradoxical Commandments with us.

Despite the fact that I am from Georgia Tech, the long time feud of UGA, sarcastically, I am also an English bulldog lover, having owned 2 English bullies in my life thus far. I highly recommend this book to all bulldog lovers, even if they are not associated with UGA.

This book is entirely entertaining as well as informative.

I am truly fortunate because my brother was nice enough to stand in line to get me an autographed copy of this book!! The stories within, some you've heard and some you've not, will make you laugh and cry. "Damn Good Dog", I guess that sums it up!

Go Dawgs!!
UGA Alumni, relocated North of the Mason-Dixon

This is a must have for any true UGA fan. Excellent stories and pictures.

Perfect for any coffee table, waiting room, or library.

Damn good book!

...And I know you well, because I am a Black Republican - far to the Right - libertarian even. This book is not the typical liberal drivel from a neck bone-eatin' preacher. This is a good treatise on recent Black history, and an expose' on the justice system - in my view, the last vestige of true racism.

While I had to hold my nose in reading the very last chapter of the book (where he goes liberal), I could not refute the notion that that I was reading the words of a "wise old man." Such an opportunity should not be ignored, regardless of your race or political persuasion. If you can read this extremely pleasurable book, and still not at least understand the pov of the other side, then you truly don't have a heart.

It is enjoyable reading, unoffensive to all, and a good lesson on life in America from one of its premier insiders. Further, it advances the cause of racial harmony.

BUY THIS BOOK. You won't regret it.

I FOUND THIS BOOK VERY HARD TO PUT DOWN. MR. COCHRAN LET US SEE THROUGH THIS BOOK THAT HE IS NOT JUST A BIG MONEY LAWYER FOR THE STARS, BUT A TRUE CHAMPION FOR JUSTICE FOR THE POOR AND OPPRESSED. THROUGH HIS MANY CIVIL SUITS AGAINST CORRUPT COPS AND BIG CORPORATIONS HE HAS CREATED A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL OF US.

I read this book in a short period of time, due the fact that it was so interesting, and more importantly, I was so saddened by the REAL justice system in the United States. I was amazed and disgraced that racial injustices such as those described in this book have remained steady as if it were still the 1950s and 60s. I hope and pray that some day we as a people indeed "WILL OVERCOME."

I applaud Mr. Cochran for standing up for what is right for African Americans in the face of his many critics. I say "keep on keeping on, Johnnie." From the infamous Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream Speech," "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back..." This quote may help those who are victims of racial discrimination and is a quote I refer to when times are tough.

This book has only solidified my desire to enter into the field of Law. I can only hope that I make half the progress towards achieving equality and leveling the scales of justice for my people as Mr. Cochran has.

Professional PHP4 Multimedia Programming is a unique book in the midst of all other PHP books. No other book aims to cover the topics that this one does. If you are a PHP developer looking to expand you knowledge and integrate the multimedia capabilities of PHP into your applications, then this is the book for you.

The goal of this book is to introduce the concepts and techniques needed to produce dynamic multimedia content. The extensions covered are Ming, GD, ImageMagick, PDF, and FDF. Each technology is thoroughly explained from installation through example use. A case study is then given to go into further detail on the use of each extension.

I especially enjoyed the fact that they provided installation instructions for these extensions. One of the biggest hurdles people have with using Ming, GD, and the others is the installation process. Once someone gets past that stage they can at least experiment with how the extension works. It can be very frustrating when you can't even get something installed. Hopefully this book will help ease some of that frustration.

The case studies used by the authors are superb. These are real would applications that people want to create every day! They include a headline grabber with Ming, a mobile web coffee shop finder with GD, an image gallery using ImageMagick, and a PDF template system. Each one of these case studies is designed to get you thinking. Sure, they you the code needed for the application, but they also show you how the design process works and detail possible enhancements.

The one thing I found lacking in this text was some type of common problems section. Invariably, people are going to have difficulties when it comes to installation or use of these extensions. A simple google search will show the abundance of problems related to these technologies. A small chapter, or a section in each chapter, detailing some of the most common problems encountered, with their fixes, would have been great.

Overall, this book is great. If you are looking to develop multimedia applications in PHP, it is a must have.

Professional PHP4 Multimedia Programming is an extremely handy book to have on your bookshelf, even if (and possibly especially if) you don't design and implement multimedia applications with PHP all the time. Within hours of getting the book, I realized that I could use PHP as a commandline scripting language to solve several problems. I've used it as a reference several times since, even though I do NOT consider myself a PHP Multimedia Applications developer.

The book is organized nicely. As a "Professional" book, it assumes a decent understanding of PHP. This assumption saves you lots of time and unnecessary hand holding. There is a brief PHP refresher chapter for those who aren't quite as familiar with PHP as necessary, but after that refresher chapter, you're expected to understand things. You bought this book (or will, anyway) because you already know how to program in PHP but are not familiar with the various multimedia extensions.

The next several chapters each dedicate themselves to a specific extension concept: Ming, Ming with ActionScript, GD, ImageMagick, PDFLib, and FDF.

Each chapter gives an overview of the library, it's uses and limitations, and gives lots of example source code giving examples of all the functions in an extension and how they are used together.

The next few chapters are full-fledged application case studies. Though you may not agree with the authors' coding styles, these case studies walk you through (from start to finish) several different applications to show you how the libraries can be used within the scope of a larger PHP application, not just example toy scripts.

Following the case studies are several appendices. Each appendix is a language reference for a multimedia extension. Most of the information in the appendices is found online in the PHP manual, and I, for one, find it more convenient to look it up there, but having it in the book is a nice bonus.

Another wonderful addition is a full-color screenshots gallery index, which shows you what various scripts from within the chapters should look like when run. This is great for two reasons: 1) You can "check your work" as you write the applications and sample code in the book, and 2) You can see the results of functions in the book while reading it away from the computer.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about writing even just ONE application in PHP that will manipulate any supported multimedia (Shockwave, images, PDF/FDF, etc.) The time you save by having this book as a companion will more than pay for the cost of the book.

Unlike most open souce projects, PHP has been blessed with many good books. Professional PHP4 is another fine book aimed for the serious PHP developer venturing to add multimedia.

There is a short refresher on PHP followed by PHP Multimedia installation. Then it gets into the nitty-gritty stuff of making it work.

I found the case studies towards the end of the book particularly helpful in mapping out a solution action plan.

Please let me know if you find this review helpful. Thanks.

Alison Kent's "The Badge and the Baby" is hardly original, with a common plot (two people are drawn together when a baby appears on their doorstep) and characters struggling with the same commitment-related issues many couples struggle with (for him, his job as a police officer, for her, her infertility). As with many romances, the problems melt away (especially hers) in a very romantic but not entirely realistic way.

That said, this is a very well-drawn genre romance. While nothing about the plot or characters is especially original, Kent does a good job of developing their characters and their relationship. The emotions of the characters seem very real, and the development of their romance is handled with sensitivity. The depth of emotion portrayed is unusual for a genre romance.

It's also a good read, with appealing, likeable characters. Enjoy!

"The Badge and The Baby is Alison Kent's contribution to Temptation's Bachelors & Babies miniseries. It's also her contribution as one of the hottest and best reads of the summer. Combine high energy, sexually explosive scenes and a tender love story. You end up with a story that's 99 and 44/100% guaranteed to make your summer reading sizzle.

"Harlequin authors create novels that sparkle like jewels. THE BADGE AND THE BABY shines with a luster that draws the eye and tickles the funny bone. A simple story made enchanting by a hero and heroine that discover the true worth of love and the joy to be found in honesty. Alison Kent weaves a tale that tangles around the heart, ensnaring the reader in a delectable web of romance."

Filled with tips for beginners and some tricks for old dogs, this book is a nice purchase to people wanting to try N scale or check some techniques on a very practical approach. The only drawback on the book is that while it is an introcutory book to model railroading, it doesn't concern on operating the layout (that's half the fun on model railroading!), but that can be easily covered by other books as well. BEst of all, the book does not present any complex technique, if you are a beginner go for it.

Esp. for novices, this book is a great introduction on how to get from a plan to the finished product. The author starts with a plan (in this case, a CAD design) and then walks you step-by-step through every aspect of building your railroad until it is finished: landscaping, wiring, carpentry, laying track, testing; in short, everything is covered. Even the experienced modeler will still be able to pick up and use the tips in this book.

As a person who waited and waited to start a hobby that was always in the back of my mind, this book finally made it a reality. I bought this book on Amazon.com and it was the perfect book for me. The book provided a huge amount of information that guides the reader through the steps and procedures required to get a N-scale model railroad up and running. The book gives you lists of materials you will need, and then tells you how to use them. The wiring, track, and background information is all there and it is easy to understand and use. Buy this book and then get started. I did, and it is a blast.

A fantasy set during the time of King Edward III, it is a complex tale involving magicians, dragons, goblins, the plague, and court intrigue. The author has invented history only casually related to real history. Overall, it is an interesting story but sometimes drags in long scenes which may seem peripheral to the main plot. Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, puts in an appearance in a secondary role. It seems unlikely that Edward III would have had an illegitimate half-brother as his father, Edward II, was gay and not known to have mistresses. The real power behind the throne was the Black Prince's younger brother, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (events would eventually lead to the War of the Roses between the Houses of York and Lancaster).

The author oversimplifies the relationship between Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, and Edward, the Black Prince, by calling them cousins. Joan's father, Edmund, was both a half brother of Edward II and a cousin of Edward II's wife, Isobel of France (who contrary to the motion picture, never had any contact with Wallace). A grand-daughter of Joan and Sir Thomas Holland would marry John Beaufort, a nephew of Edward the Black Prince, and a daughter of that marriage would later marry King James I of Scotland with descent to the present royal family.

I just wanted to let it be known that The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent, is not, as stated by Marc Ruby in his Oct. 17 review, the fourth book in Gordon Dickson's Dragon Knight Series.

It is actually the NINTH book in the series. It may only appear to be the fourth due to the fact that Tor only included in the list of previous books those which had been published by Tor. The rest of the series was published by Ace Fantasy, with the exception of the very first book, The Dragon and the George, which was published by Del Rey in 1976.

Essentially, I just didn't want anyone to miss any of the books out of this wonderful series. Happy reading!

By habit I read more than one book at a time. It keeps me from getting bored, and sometimes the odd juxtaposition of ideas gives me something unique for a review. Right now I'm reading a horror story so bad I regret agreeing to review it and a mystery story that makes too great an effort to be literature. It's slow going at best. The third volume is (or rather, was) this, Gordon Dickson's fourth in his dragon series. It took me exactly three days to read this hefty (500+ page) small print book from cover to cover, and I am not a speed reader. The other books just had to wait.

What makes Dickson so good that he has managed to author two major series (the dragon series and the Dorsai series) and innumerable other novels and collections? Personally I would call it superior plot making, intense dedication to details, and yes, heaps of talent. Dickson always takes the necessary time to draw his characters out fully, be they James Eckhart the knight/apprentice mage/sometimes dragon who is the hero of the story or the lowly master carpenter who keeps James in everything from chairs to outhouses. And he goes to know end of trouble to make sure that the reader painlessly acquires enough 14th century lore to make sense out of the goings on.

This volume finds James at Malencontri, his castle, trying to cope with both a plague of Plantagenet nobility and the very real plague which is advancing into James part of England. In addition, Carolinus, James mage master (one of the three AAA+ mages in the world, he'll have you know) is insisting that the King be protected at all costs. The Plantagenets on hand are Prince Edward the Fourth, the king's son and the beautiful Countess Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent. All they want is James assistance in a plot to make Edward the Third fond of Edward the Fourth again. This plot becomes ever more complicated until James finds himself commanded to appear before the King at Tiverton, where Edward III has retired to avoid the plague in London.

While this complexity develops James works overtime to prepare Malencontri against the plague. Since James and his wife Angie are actually visitors from our time who were unexpectedly thrust into the 14th century of an alternate earth, they know something of germs and disease protection. Since magic will not work on diseases, it is this knowledge which it their only hope. In the midst of all this confusion and stress, the EcKharts, their closest friends and Hob (the castle hobgoblin) are off to Tiverton to see the King.

Thanks to Hob, James is able to discover that an evil plot is afoot at Tiverton. Goblins, who are spreading the plague in order to take over the world, have slain the real castle staff and are now running it in disguise. James, due to his commitment to keep the king alive, goes into action. Since this is less that a third of the way into the book, it should be no surprise that Jim manages to use a small handful of men and knights (plus the unstoppable Hob and his buddy the hob of Tiverton) to completely mop up the Goblins and airlift everyone to Malencontri. Unfortunately James comes down with both the plague and magickal exhaustion simultaneously. Does he survive? Of course! Does he spend the rest of the book frantically trying to save Malencontri and the rest of England? You bet, but I will leave the rest of the plot for the reader to discover.

With this, fourth, volume in the series, it is getting a bit harder to simply pick up a volume and follow along. First of all you keep getting the feeling that you have missed several really good books, which you have. Secondly, there is simply too much background after three solid novels to present enough information to the reader. This isn't all bad though, you will get to read several very good fantasy tales. And if you do wind up reading it first, you will still love it enough to come back to read a second time. Highly recommended.

My daughter is now 24 and she still has her copy of Q is for Duck she has had since she was 2. She had the book memorized when she was 2 and we had to read book every day for as long as I remember. She kept her copy for her children. I now want all my grandchildren to enjoy this excellent book.

My one year old daughter absolutly loves this book! It's definatly her favorite. Because of this book, she learned the sounds to about 15 different animals. I would recommend this book to every one!!!

I did a story hour project for my Children's Literature class and this is one of the books I read to them. They really enjoyed it because it kept them guessing what the letters stood for. This book helps the child to expand their imagination because this book is not the usual alphabet books that says "A is for Apple". This book expands that horizon by incorporating the sounds the animals make. I would recommend this book to anyone.

This children's book is written simply and would make a good beginner's book. However, it really lacks a plot and a purpose. You learn of this old couple's struggles being poor, but you never develop a fondness or any type of feeling for them. As you finish the story you're left thinking, "What a waste of time." There is no true ending to the story and you're left hanging.

This book has been a family childhood favorite for me and my siblings. We are between the ages of 27 and 34 now and still rave about Socks For Supper. We would talk about how we used to reinact the story while reading the book. If it was the wrong kind of cheese in the fridge, then so be it. It always gave us a feeling of satisfaction, acceptance, and that the characters in the book could be any one of us. It's hard to find books that keep you close at heart, with yourself and with the world. Socks For Supper makes you realize that you need to be grateful for the things you have and the people around you.

A man and a lade got milk and chees for socks then the man had no shirt and then the people made a shirt for Christmas.