After reading this text I came to the conclusion that Song of Songs is *the* most missiological book in the Old Testament. Pope translates the text directly, free of the normal curtailing of language that occurs in English translations in order to protect pseudo-Puritan American sensibilities. As such it is a much more moving, poetic, and graphic collection of poems. "My lover thrust his "hand" through the "hole", and my inwards seethed for him." The description of part of the man is not "slabs of ivory", but "an ivory tusk". In this focus on being more true to the original text Pope reveals some key aspects of the Hebrew mindset which we could all learn from. Far from the traditional Christian perspective of these latter days of downplaying sexuality, of thinking it as somehow unclean though never saying so outright, God's desire is for us to revel in it and celebrate it. He created us as holistic beings, the only true amphibians, being both spiritual and physical, and thus capable of enjoying what he created to a much greater degree. The author of Song of Songs revealed years before contemporary psychology that sexuality is an integral part of (eros) love, not to be denied, but celebrated.

Throughout the translation one also gets the distinct impression of the empowerment of the woman. While this is certianly present in other translations, it comes through all the more clearly in Pope.

"Our sister is young/And breasts she has none./What will we do for our sister/On the day she is bespoken?/ If she be a wall,/We will build on her a silver buttress./If she be a door,/We will close her with a cedar board."

"I am a wall,/And my breasts are like towers./Thus have I become in his eyes/As one producing peace."

While the woman's brothers would seak to constrain and control her, she speaks out and states that she has the control, turning the wall metaphor on it's head. While they would belittle her physical manifestations of womanhood, she proclaims to all the world that she is all woman, and beautiful, betraying a clear confidence in herself and her body.

Repeatedly the man and woman within these poems show their care for eachother- not just for their bodies, and not just for their souls, but for the entire being, as one. In Pope one sees clearly here an image, a foretaste, of true gender reconcilation, as existed once before the fall, and was not to be fully realized until Christ came and sat down at a well in the desert. The both encourage each other to grow, and love each other fully as beautiful in entirety. Since Song of Songs is a collection of poems, it tells not a story so much of what is, but like all great poetry, of what might be. It does not seem to describe the reality of gender interaction at the time it was written, but what was yearned for, for what might be. This it does beautifully, such that one thirsts for this reality as one reads it. And I believe this is what makes it missiological- it preaches a reality that one day could be, will be, should be, though the author can have no awareness at that time of what Jesus will come to offer.

One would wish that Pope's translation was available without the commentary as well, that it would be read more often by the layman who might be stymied by the length of the work. But the commentary is indeed excellent as well. After the translation, Pope goes on to present alternative scenarios for understanding Song of Songs, and then an exhaustive and impressive line by line analysis of the entire book. His analysis adds greatly to a thorough appreciation of this inspired work.

I have been working on a research paper on the Song of Songs and feel extremely fortunate to have found Pope's reference. It is exhaustive, interesting and helpful. The most amazing section is his bibliography and list of translations of publications on the Song of Songs, dating back to ancient manuscripts. Excellent.

Pope's work is the standard by which all commentaries on the Song of Songs are judged. While the work is huge, bulky and a bit intimidating, its extensive discussion is the best reference one can find on every (and I do mean EVERY) aspect of the Song.

My family has read these stories aloud to our children for three generations. Since the 1st edition of these stories is long ago out of print, it was great to see that a new compilation of these stories was published. Now we all can have a copy of these wonderfully funny stories to give to our children, instead of fighting over the scarce old copies!

I had never heard of C. A. Stephens until this was given to me (thanks, Stuart!). I suspect the book is best consumed as a read-aloud. It is packed with stories, and much to my surprise, almost every one of them is quite funny! After reading this, two new entities were permanantly added to our family culture: "Vermifuge" and "Master Lurvey".

This notable book is a compilation of stories based on the life of an extended family living on a Maine farm in the mid 19th century. It gives a rare glimpse into life at that time. Our family felt that it was in the same league as the Little Britches and Little House series. It's a great book for outloud family reading.

This testimony to man's inhumanity to man is a welcome addition to Holocaust literature. Mr. Rosengarten's personal story is a tribute to the human spirit and the will to survive. Although the book was originally planned for his children, I appreciate the fact that he shared his experiences, his courage and love of family with the general public. Because this authentic and moving book made such a lasting impression on me, I wish to donate a copy to our library.

A truly haunting book in its simplicity. This is not high emotion, but an incredibly comprehensive recollection of life in various concentration camps. Israel Rosengarten conveys the true horror of the concentration camps via his narrative of the details and minutiae of day to day life. It is the very ordinariness of many of the details which jolts us and the capriciousness with which one either lived or died. Mr. Rosengarten's detailed memories of the routine of the camps 50 years after the events is what sets this book apart. It is this which conveys the true horror of the Holocaust and makes it a must read. It is a pity that the Publisher allowed such obviously poor translation and editing to be done of such an important work.

Survival: The Story of a Sixteen-Year-Old Jewish Boy begins with Israel J. Rosengarten's deportation in 1942 to the Belgian concentration camp of Breendonk at the age of sixteen and follows his movements through a series of camps until 1945. Survival is a compelling, personal account that concludes with the Auschwitz death march, liberation by the Americans, and Israel's return to Belgium -- only to discover that he was the lone survivor of a family of seven. This intimate story of what it was like to be a teenage boy in the concentration camps of the holocaust, of surviving almost 1,000 days of internment through a series of incredible coincidences, miracles, and a fierce struggle to stay alive against impossible odds. Survival is a welcome addition to the growing body of holocaust literature.

The amount of determination, courage and fortitude to travel the continent as an overlander in 1852 must have been unimaginable. This is a remarkable first hand account of the Boatman's journey from Illinois to the Oregon Territory, along with quotes from other overlanders' diaries during the same year. Suffering from the heat, thirst, food shortages for both emigrants and livestock, the cold, rain, mud, river crossings, cholera epidemics and other illnesses, exhaustion and death to many who attempted such an endeavor, this book has it all. The author, a decendent of the Boatmans, has put forth a most wonderful book depicting the hardships and misfortunes of the early day pioneers. A+

I have known the author for more than 30 years, so I have been aware of his 15-year effort to research, write, and publish this book as it unfolded. It is with pleasure, therefore, that I can attest to how well crafted it is. Rau tells the story of his great-grandparents' journey by employing extensive quotes from their written accounts and from the accounts of other 1852 Oregon Trail travelers. These quotes are woven together and amplified by Rau's observations of the physical, cultural, and social settings they experienced, including how the geology along the way influenced the development of the terrain. The book is also very well edited. I found but one typographical error and two place names missing from one map.

Besides being very well crafted, the book has left me with several strong impressions. The travelers, especially the men, approached the trip with a sense of romanticism. It was going to be a grand adventure with a pot of gold waiting at the end. A very different reality forced its way into their consciousness as the trip unfolded. The trip brought out all the best and worst traits of the travelers and those who sought to serve and usually profit from them along the way. They experienced disease, death, and discomfort. They and others suffered from cholera, scurvy, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Mary Ann and Willis' brothers both died on the trip, as did many others they met along the way. Mary Ann was pregnant for the whole trip and had to walk much of the way, in addition to performing the cooking and other housekeeping chores that fell to her. In addition there were extremes of weather, loneliness, homesickness, sorrow, grief, resignation, thievery, greed, and hardheadedness. These were balanced by bravery, resoluteness, kindness, compassion, neighborliness, concern, and assistance, sometimes from people they didn't even know. The journey had but three possible outcomes; they had to turn back and reach their former homes, get to the Willamette Valley, or die before winter hit. In some ways their journey can be compared with what the first interplanetary travelers will experience. Indeed, even after Willis and mary Ann reached the relative safety of the Willamette Valley and then the Puget Sound country, for years they felt as isolated and separated from their families as if they were on another planet.

If you have had no real appreciation for the magnitude of the feat that Oregon Trail travelers accomplished, you will have when you finish this book.

The fact that Weldon Willis Rau is a geologist who has turned his talents to the writing of history lends a special flavor to his book, Surviving the Oregon Trail, 1852. Basing much of his work on the notes left by his great grandparents, Willis and Mary Ann Boatman, Rau gives us a gripping and factual story of the wagon trip west from Illinois to Oregon Territory in that pioneer time nearly a century and a half ago. The recounting begins with the sorrows of leaving home and parting from loved ones. The sad picture of an old grandfather, waving a tearful goodbye, knowing that he will never see his beloved young ones again, moves the reader to compassion. Children as well as adults are disturbed by the upheaval of unprecedented departure. The trek to the Missouri River was not easy, but was yet a rather civilized journey compared to what was to lie ahead. Crossing at about the site of present-day Omaha the Boatmans followed the Platte and the North Platte westward toward Wyoming. Sickness was the great affliction along the those river banks. Many of the westward travellers died, particularly of cholera. Along the way. Mary Ann Boatman's young brother was among those lost to disease. Wyoming and Idaho offered many hills to climb, streams to ford or ferry, steep slopes to descend, and scenic wonders new and remarkable to folks from Illinois. Water for all and grazing for the cows and draft oxen were often hard to find. Dust whirled up by the wheels of the wagons and the hooves of the animals choked all the travelers in various places. In Oregon the great gorge of the Columbia was a traverse not equalled elsewhere on earth. During the gorge trek Willis Boatman's brother, John, died, leaving Willis and a pregnant Mary Ann the only family members left in the trip. The two arrived in Portland exhausted and nearly broke. Weldon Rau tells this story with great feeling and understanding. His respect for his pioneeer ancestors is manifest. Clearly he has explored nearly the whole route his great grandparents travelled. And his explanations of the geology that formed these Oregon Trail lands adds greatly to the reader's undertanding. This book is a welcome addition to any library.

My husband and I have read this book. This book was written back in the 1970's. I cannot believe now in almost 2002 how it pertains to today. He had such a revelation back then. He was really ahead of the rest of us. It is a most wonderful book that teaches about the Tabernacle of David and is most inspiring to those of us who want to restore the Tabernacle of David and teach us how. Excellent study of the Tabernacle of Moses, Solomon and especially David.

The most comprehensive study of this matter. Dr. Conner helps the theological student understand the foreshadow of the Church (Christ's Tabernacle) found in the Tabernacle of David. Both interpretations, the Davidic Kingdom and the Davidic Worship, are covered. The Davidic Worship topic study includes a deep scriptural and spiritual understanding of the Ark of the Covenant, Sion, the complete historical setting, the order of singers and musicians, evaluation of music based on principles, and more. Dr. Conner provides an exhaustive number of Bible scriptures for each concept studied. If you don't take things for granted, only those which have plenty of biblical substance, this is the kind of author you need to learn from.

The "Tabernacle of David" is the second in a triology. The first being "The Tabernacle of Moses" and the third "The Temple of Solomon." It would be beneficial to first obtain "The Tabernacle of Moses" to better grasp the message in this book, though it isn't necessarily impending to do so. The first thought that usually comes to mind when a reader sees the title is: I never knew there was a tabernacle of David. Many have studied and and interpreted the scriptures for years never touching on the subject of the tabernacle of David because of the lack of understanding of it. But just what is it? That is the most important question that this book remarkably and sucessfully answers . To fuller appreciate the New Testament and its message, a sure knowledge of the "Tabernacle of David" is a must. From layman to scholar, this book will serve to enlighten what forever has seemed to have been lost in scriptural understanding

"Tam Lin" has been my favorite fairy tale since kindergarten, and Jane Yolen retells it beautifully. The illustrations, too, are wonderful.
I especially like this story, because it is very unique. There is a heroine instead of a hero, Tam Lin and Janet are not a prince and princess, but commoners, and the fairies are evil.
This book is not only for children; teens and adults who are fans of Scottish folklore will adore it, too.
A tear always comes to my eye every time I read "Tam Lin". It will be enjoyed by many generations to come.

With Tam Lin Jane Yolen presents a beautiful retelling of the ancient Scottish ballad Tam Lin. Which concerns the young man Tam Lin who is enchanted by the fairy queen but saved by a brave maiden. Our resourceful and intelligent heroine here is Jennet McKenzie and she manages to free Tam Lin from the fairy queen's clutches and is rewarded with hislove. A book not just solely for children, I think. But an asset for all ages. Ms. Yolen's writing has the exact poetic touch and the illustrations are simply lovely. Text and illustrations thus are perfectly balanced.

This is one of several versions of the Tam Lin legend I've read, and by far the best--even though the other books were highly acclaimed novels. Jane Yolen's version is short but sweet--not to mention haunting, eerie, and beautiful. It's certainly not just a children's book; the spare, elegant writing and magical illustrations should charm readers of all ages who enjoy folk tales of dark magic, forbidden romance, danger and redemption. The heroine is spunky and courageous, the hero enigmatic and seemingly doomed. This is a classic.

Made me think of God and evil. Made me revise my whole life. The book is shaping my future with a powerful force. Is making me to live my life fully and to get in touch with my inner self in a way unknown to me. Thank God for having read it!

One of the best spiritual books I have ever read. Will raise questions in those with no moral principles or in search of God.Made me realize the Sodomistic society in which we live today. Showed me a path to follow, a path I like to believe. It touched my realm of inner truth.

Beautiful. God inspired. Has lifted my spirit to the realm of tears and repentance. A book for everyone interested in salvation. A magnificent guide to heaven. Touches the soul in a very poetic way. The prophesies included are very important to better comprehend the hard times ahead in a vision of hope.

The reviews of the first edition were glowing, and rightly so because this is a superb book. Tov is a world authority in his subject, and has the ability to explain his complex technical subject with great lucidity. This second edition is, however, almost a page for page reprint of the first edition and has only a few small revisions. This is disappointing, and we look forward to a more thoroughly revised third edition in the next few years. Anyone with a first edition need not bother with this one. However, everyone else with more than a beginner's interest in the subject should buy this book now.

It is a long time since a decent book on Old Testament textual studies appeared. Classics like those by Ginsburg and B J Roberts are largely obsolete and anyway almost impossible to obtain. There are some brief introductions around, but they do not begin to match the depth and erudition of this book. Tov is a brilliant scholar, and one of the World's leading authorities on the Septuagint and the Dead Sea scrolls, so he is well qualified to write this book.

This is the best source for factual information about the Tanakh (Old Testament) on the market. It is an absolute "must" book for every serious student of the Bible. Professor Tov covers the history of the Bible, its copying and transmission, and many of the textual problems. He pays a great deal of attention to the evolution of the Masoretic texts and their differences. Dr.Tov's experience as a professor at Hebrew University and Editor-in-Chief of the Dead Sea Scrolls publication project makes him uniquely qualified to write about the Hebrew Bible. If you want the facts, this is the book for you. This is a featured book at our site - INTERNETBIBLE.COM.

It has been said that "Every quilt tells a story." This Old Quilt tells 'The story of every quilt.' The book warms the hearts and educates the minds of quilters and non-quilters, lovers of the art and collectors of lore. As every enthusiastic quilter, collector of quilts and lover of history can tell you, there is an amazing history within the squares of each handmade quilt and in each individual pattern. The artists very spirit goes into each individual stitch, into every created square, and full circle into the completion of the pattern. Some quilts tell stories, some relay history, some give direction to the wayward and some point the direction to freedom. The editor of this collection sews together a wonderful array of memories, essays, short stories, lore, and historical accounts of quilts involved at every stage from a wide variety of writers. I highly recommend this collection to anyone interested in quilting and also to those of us who just enjoy reading a great book under the warmth of an old quilt. A heartwarming and inspiring collection of interesting facts, experiences, fiction, and heritage lays waiting in these pages. Wrap yourself up in your favorite old quilt, pour yourself a warm 'cup o' joe' and enjoy these intriguing and heartwarming stories in front of a simmering fire. You will love learning something new.

Aptly edited by Margaret Aldrich and featuring contributions by Alice Walker, Terry McMillan, Dorothy Canfield Fisher, Whitney Otto, Patricia J. Cooper, and Norma Bradley Allen, The Old Quilt: A Heartwarming Celebration Of Quilts And Quilting Memories is a coffee-table sized anthology of stories and memoirs relating to quilts, quilt folklore, and history to intrigue quilters of all predilections. Lavish color photographs, artwork, quilt patterns, and even the occasional cartoon liven the tales with dazzling visual appeal. Wry stories and incredible illustrations make The Old Quilt truly a "must" for any needlecrafting enthusiast of quilts and quilting!

This book is a necessity for anyone who enjoys not only
quilting but the art of crafts. It is wonderfully written
and illustrated and successfully portrays the beauty that
is captured through the art of quilt making.

I first read to my boys the story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff which is just the way I remember it from when I was a child. I then flipped the book over and read to them the troll's point of view. What a cute and funny story. We all love this book. We will definitely buy other books like this one written with other classic stories telling both points of view.

I first received a copy of this book at the International Reading Association's 1996 conference when I was acting as a staff development assistant and enrichment teacher at an elementary school. It is hilarious. First, you read the traditional The Three Billy Goats Gruff to the kids and then you read the Just a Friendly Old Troll story which is told from the point of view of the troll. It is really funny. The troll says he was just misunderstood-he didn't mean he was going to eat the baby goat when he said," I'd like to have you for dinner?" but that he was inviting him to dinner trying to make friends and that when baby goat and medium goat each said wait for my bigger brother knowing that eventually big billy goat gruff would come to defend them that he thought they meant they didn't want to come to dinner without their brother.

I am a school librarian and I thought these "other point of view" stories were wonderful (not just the 3 Billy Goats). It gives you a chance to alert kids to the fact that sometimes you need to hear another point of view before you make judgments. It's too bad the Horn book reviewer didn't like it.