Books to read if you're planning a vacation in "LaGrange", sorted by average review score:
Schaum's outline of theory and problems of theoretical mechanics : with an introduction to Lagrange's equations and Hamiltonian theory
Published in Unknown Binding by McGraw-Hill Book Co. ()
Average review score: 
Good self-study for analytical mechanicsThis text exhibits the clear and straight forward expositional style one expects from Murray Spiegel. Many basic and advanced results are given as well as a useful discussion of non-inertial coordinate frames. This text in addition to "Schaum's Outline of Lagrangian Dynamics" by Dare A. Wells comprise excellent companion texts for either of "The Variational Principles of Mechanics" by Cornelius Lanzcos or "Mechanics: From Newton's Laws to Deterministic Chaos" by Florian Scheck.
The largest repository of mechanics problemsInstead of using mediocre mechanics text such as marion and thronton I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys problem solving.
theory and problems of theoretical mechanics : with an introSolved Problems - Theorems on moments of inert
Schaum's Outline of Lagrangian Dynamics
Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill Trade (01 June, 1967)
Average review score:
The Very BestThis is the best of Schaum's Outlines. Not only is the treatment of variational mechanics complete, with exposition on every major aspect of the derivation and solution dynamical equations, it does so while exceeding all junior-level texts on analytical mechanics. Its treatment of dissipation functions in chapter six, moreover, is better than the available graduate textbooks on the subject. This is the one workbook in the series that you must own for learning and for future reference.
The best on Lagrangian MechanicsIf you would like to understand and know who to use Lagrange equation, look no further. This book provides both theory and practical application to Lagrange equation. The material converge is excellent and complete. The book is rich in examples and solved problem. It is a graduate level book but also very accessible to people with good background in Dynamics. I often refer to it when solving dynamic modeling of systems.
Excellent problemsThis book contains some excellent problems and solutions. It was invaluable in understanding this material when I took my college junior mechanics class.
Life Everlasting & the Immensity of the Soul: A Theological Treatise on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, Hell.
Published in Paperback by Tan Books & Publishers, Inc. (March, 1992)
Average review score:
Excellent treatise on the afterlifeThis theological treatise by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange is excellent! He deals with the immensity of the soul in the first section of the book. Then he devotes a section each to death and judgment, hell, purgatory, and heaven. He explains each aspect in great depth, though in a manner fairly easy to understand. He deals with questions that should be of interest to most Catholics; for example, the question of charity for the souls in purgatory, the nature of the joys of heaven, etc.
I highly recommend this book for helping to understand the theology regarding the afterlife, as well as for helping to focus one's thoughts on our goal, union with God in heaven.
I highly recommend this book for helping to understand the theology regarding the afterlife, as well as for helping to focus one's thoughts on our goal, union with God in heaven.
The Four First Things!The Four Last Things of Catholic teaching - Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell - become the "four first things" at Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange's hand. While a few chapters require a little thought, especially those at the beginning on the nature of the soul, it is a very readable work, at once profound but written for everyone, with interesting explanations of the importance of scripture, doctrine, and revelation in forming the Church's teaching on these subjects. (It contrasts nicely with the author's interesting, but far more difficult, theological treatise "Predestination" also published by TAN.)
A most profound and arresting treatise on the "last things".EVERLASTING LIFE is a most profound and arresting
theological treatise on the "last things" according to
Christian revelation: death, judgment, heaven, hell, and
purgatory. Written by the theologian who was the dissertation
director for Pope John Paul II's doctoral work in spiritual
theology on the doctrine of St. John of the Cross, it
continues the author's habit of synthesizing the tradition of
the Church within the light of the teaching of St. Thomas
Aquinas. It is perhaps the simplest yet most theologically
lucid introduction to the Church's teaching on these matters.
The Mother of the Saviour: And Our Interior Life
Published in Paperback by Tan Books & Publishers, Inc. (October, 1994)
Average review score:
Review from the PublisherThis is perhaps the finest summation of the Catholic Church's teaching about the Mother of God ever penned. Written by a pre-eminent authority, with brevity, economy and absence of novelty or speculation or "merely metaphorical expressions." The book is suffused with the spirit of faith and inspired by love begotten of sanctity. Shows how Mary is greater in grace than all angels and all men combined. Explains her role in relation to us: How she is the Mother of all men and of each individually; her role as Co-Redemptrix of all men; her power of intercession for us and in the distribution of all graces; her Queenship of Heaven and earth and the honor of hyperdulia we pay her, which is best expressed in true devotion to Mary; why true devotion to Mary is such a certain means of sanctification; and finally, why the human race should be consecrated to Mary for the peace of the world. A comprehensive yet concise statement of all that the Church teaches about Mary. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine that anyone having read this masterpiece of Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange will ever again question the exalted position of Mary recognized by the Church or ever thereafter denigrate or question her stature in the order of nature or of grace. 290pp. PB. Imprimi Potest.
Piety rooted in doctrineThis is the most profound work on Our Lady that I've found. Garrigou-Lagrange explains the Catholic Doctrine concerning Mary and her unique priviledges coherently and with a forthright simplicity. He shows that all of Mary's privledges stem from her maternity of Jesus which gives her an unique relation to the Blessed Trinity. From this foundation Mary's various priviledges are to be understood, e.g. the Immaculate Conception, the Assumption, the hyper-dulia owed to her by us. Moreover, practical consequences for our spiritual life are drawn from these theological points of doctrine. Garrigou-Lagrange provides a solid intellectual basis for devotion to Our Lady which is lacking in so much of the literature on religious topics.
Southern Born and Bread, by the Junior Service League of LaGrange Georgia
Published in Hardcover by Wimmer Companies, Inc. (April, 1998)
Average review score:
The Best Junior League Cookbook I've SeenA friend gave this book to me as a gift and I have enjoyed every recipe I've tried. The selection is unique and not "show-offish" like so many of the League cookbooks are. These are easy to prepare, quick recipes for those of us in the real world who don't want recipes for entertaining, but rather an assortment of good meals for the every day mom who just wants to nurture her family. There is a huge selection here, (over 700 recipes) but my favorites were the "Chidrens' Favorites" and the "Desperate Gourmet" section. Planner in the back is good too. My mother-in-law likes to "read" cookbooks (as if they were novels) and never cooks from them. If you're one of those people, Ma says it's also great for armchair reading.
Very enjoyable! Finally, an all-around great cookbook!This is the best cookbook I've ever seen! It is wonderfully organized with the best index I've found in any book. Recipes are indexed several different ways which makes locating them a snap. The party planning information is so helpful to figure out how much to make for how many people and the sample occasion menus are much more inventive than I would come up with on my own.
Thanks Jr. Service League of LaGrange, Georgia for such a wonderful book! It's so nice to find great recipes that use ingredients I have in the pantry!
Chicken Ranch
Published in Paperback by Oak Tree Publications (June, 1982)
Average review score:
This is a great little bookIt's too bad this book is out-of-print. It's a dandy. Maybe you can get a copy through Amazon's rare and out-of-print service. It is the story which led to the movie, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas," a great movie with Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds.
But, the book is nothing like the movie! It's even better. This is the story of the oldest continuously operating whorehouse in Texas. It first opened for business in 1844, in La Grange, Texas, where it became an institution which the community not only tolerated, but looked at with a certain pride.
It was protected by a succession of sheriffs, who, supposedly, did so out of the goodness of their hearts, and because the Chicken Ranch was a source of invaluable intelligence into criminal activities in the county.
The author, Jan Hutson, seems to write from a knowledgeable--even intimate--viewpoint. She says in her Acknowledgements that she could not have written it without her husband's "enthusiasm in humoring my eccentricities" and her children's patience and pride.
Hutson is extremely hard on the TV personality, Marvin Zindler, whose efforts she credits for shutting the famous old whorehouse down.
She portrays him as a toupee wearing, sensation-seeking "jerk" who went on a vendetta against the Chicken Ranch, seeking personal aggrandizement by making it a cause celebre.
"Busting sixteen obscure whores from Houston was not going to grab any headlines. But the Chicken Ranch was not obscure; it was a name familiar to every schoolboy in Texas. The house was doomed because its public relations had worked too well." (Page 109)
This is a great little book. If you can get hold of a copy, you will not be able to put it down.
Joseph Pierre,
Author of THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS: Our Journey Through Eternity
Growin' Up Poor (Black Walnut Farm Series)
Published in Paperback by Larksdale Press (December, 1992)
Average review score:
In regards to Ted A. Woodworth's Black Walnut SeriesTed has done a wonderful job of bringing back those times from long ago....He has a great knack for details, and makes the reader reminisce about the "good old days". If only more were to write like Ted!!
Paul The Shepard Boy and the Birthday Sandals
Published in Paperback by Lynn LaGrange ()
Average review score:
A religious story of a boy's generosity.This is a christian story of a shepard boy named Paul who always had to walk in bare feet until his father could finally get him some sandals for his feet. He loved them so much and was proud to wear them on his trip to see Jesus. There, he sees a poor, crippled boy and knows that he should give his sandals to the boy. Jesus sees that and gives the boy a special understanding about life.
Providence
Published in Paperback by Tan Books & Publishers (December, 1999)
Average review score:
Classic work on God's creation and our response.Arguably the best treatment of the Catholic doctrine of Providence: how God governs the world, to what purpose, and how we should respond. Rooted in Scripture and the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas, this book offers solid doctrine, clearly expressed, to anyone seeking to discern and follow God's will. I try to read the fourth chapter every couple of years, where Garrigou-Lagrange explains when we should accept our circumstances, as coming from God, and when we should seek to change them. I recommend this book to all those who tend to worry too often and too much.
As a point of interest, Fr. Garrigou-Lagrange taught at the Angelicum in Rome from 1909 until 1960, and the future Pope John-Paul II was one of his students.
The Three Ages of the Interior Life (2 Volume Set)
Published in Paperback by Tan Books & Publishers (September, 1999)
Average review score:
A classic on the spiritual lifeThis work is the most comprehensive study of the interior life available. It is a veritable encyclopedia of the Catholic tradition, with emphasis on the Thomistic and Dominican tradition. The work is organized on the basis of the traditional three-fold division of the interior life: 1) beginners; 2) the proficient; 3) the perfect. Common characteristics, problems, and advice for each stage are provided. The organic development of the spiritual life is emphasized in a manner which avoids the over-schematization common in manuals of the period. A notable contribution Garrigou-Lagrange makes is his insistence upon the fact that the contemplative life and the heights of mystical union are not a something reserved for the few, but rather the summit of the normal path to sanctity for all people.