Although Marc Reisner's "Cadillac Desert" is the most encyclopedic book about the West and its problems with water, this book actually gets closer to the bone of what's wrong with the way we in the US live in our desert climes. The book focuses first on how the O'odham and Pima indian cultures managed to live sustainably in the Sonoran Desert with its unpredictable and rare water flows. While I doubt that many of us but the most idealistic and romantic would want to live the life of these peoples, there is a certain genius in the ways they made the land and its water work for them that we could do well to learn from. Bowden contrasts this with the civilization the European cultures came and built during the last 150 years, a civilization built on "mining" the ice-age aquifers so rapidly that they will soon be drained once and for all. Having turned the plains to a dust bowl, will we just pack up and move on as we always have in the past?

In his later books, Bowden's bitter spleen often spills uncontrollably from his pen, but his tone here is much more restrained. In "Waters," his voice is almost scholarly scholarly and tinged with sad wisdom. This is a great book, and one that deserves far more readers.

Although Marc Reisner's "Cadillac Desert" is the most encyclopedic book about the West and its problems with water, this book actually gets closer to the bone of what's wrong with the way we in the US live in our desert climes. The book focuses first on how the O'odham and Pima indian cultures managed to live sustainably in the Sonoran Desert with its unpredictable and rare water flows. While I doubt that many of us but the most idealistic and romantic would want to live the life of these peoples, there is a certain genius in the ways they made the land and its water work for them that we could do well to learn from. Bowden contrasts this with the civilization the European cultures came and built during the last 150 years, a civilization built on "mining" the ice-age aquifers so rapidly that they will soon be drained once and for all. Having turned the plains to a dust bowl, will we just pack up and move on as we always have in the past?

In his later books, Bowden's bitter spleen often spills uncontrollably from his pen, but his tone here is much more restrained. In "Waters," his voice is almost scholarly scholarly and tinged with sad wisdom. This is a great book, and one that deserves far more readers.

7-306 Sanup Utong Center 129 Songhuy-dong Dong-gu Inchon, Korea. post no. 401-040

This is an excellent Bible with a lot of extras that provide in depth information without just being filler. My only complaint is that there's not more room for notes.

In the short time since my purchase of this Bible, it has become my primary carry and reading Bible.

First, the explanations are quite thorough and researched. The introduction to each book of the Bible is quite useful for setting the stage for understanding the material to follow. Timelines are also included to help place Biblical events in perspective.

The overall quality of construction of this Bible is tip notch. I feel that even with heavy use, this Bible will be around for many years.

I would like to highly recommend this Bible for anyone who is interested in studying God's word. In all my years of Bible study and preaching God's word the Ryrie Study Bible is the best study Bible I have found. I have recommended this Bible to many people and they all have enjoyed it also. It will help you to understand the Bible. It has a very detailed section in the back on Doctrines of the Bible, it also has detailed maps and outlines of the chapters. If you are interested in studying God's word this is the Bible for you.

This is by far the most comprehensible work on DeSoto that I've read to date. It fully brings to life the stuggles of the expedition, as well as the depridations done to the indeginous peoples of the Southeast. It reads much like a novel, bringing to life several key participates, both Spainards, and natives alike. This book is a masterpiece, decades in the making, wonderfully researched, and written. If the early exploration of the Southeast is of intrest to you, then this is a must own book.

I bought this book on a whim, but ... wow ... what a journey. Hudson has been intimately involved in combing through the journals and reports of the De Soto expedition, cross-referencing the reports with examinations of the geography of the areas covered and archeological/anthropological studies of the 16th century inhabitants of the region.

Hudson's approach to the expedition is interesting. He is a partisan arguing in favor of the route he delineates for the expedition, but he lays out the journey in a fairly straightforward manner that is very engaging. The Afterward, however, gives a quick rundown of the differences in opinion over the route, the still-unfolding evidence to support Hudson's claims, and what remains to be proven.

All it all, it is a vivid retelling of the first planned European expedition into southeastern North America, which was quite a different place than when much of it was colonized by Europeans a century later. The native cultures were near the end of the moundbuilding Mississippian culture, and Hudson notes how the disruptions of De Soto and his men may have contributed to the eventual changes in native society.

Fascinating.

This book uses journal entries from those who traveled with De Soto to recreate the Spaniards trek through the eastern United States. The book documents everything from the ordinary - such as the number of pigs the Spaniards had to the number of Indians encountered - to detailed and horrific accounts of the brutality the Spaniards exacted on those tribes who did not welcome them with open arms. This book provides a rare look at what life was like for those native to the Southeast on the cusp of great change. A bit sad but a fascinating read, especially if you are interested in gleaning details of pre-contact life for the Southeastern tribes.

This book was used by our study-group in Israel 3/00. It was part of a group of books recommended and I found it very illuminating. Lots of info available in easily readable writing style. I would strongly recommend this for anyone going to Middle-east/Israel and for those studying here for a more complete picture of the role of geography, etc in the development of the Bible. The impact of this facet becomes "alive" to the reader using this text.

Mr. Page came to our university (University of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas) to lecture and is going to be our tour guide on a trip to Israel that our Biblical Geography class is going on. He was very knowledgeable and the book is well written and will give you great insite to the lan.

This book helped introduce me to the many historical sites mentioned in the Bible. It is a valuable guide for people visiting the Middle East. Charles Page's book Jesus and the Land is also a wonderful and inspirational book about Jesus' life and times. This boook is a must for people who want to learn more about the ancient Biblical sites and an excellent companion for Biblical studies.

This is one of the finest books I have read about Alaska. This is a spare, unsentimental portrait of what life in Alaska is really like--both beautiful and harsh. This is not a book that romanticizes homesteading or the poverty of these homesteaders' lives; instead they come alive through the Brice's crystaline prose and her use of defining detail. Here is real life--people struggling to make lives for themselves in a country that is neither easy nor forgiving. The stark, black and white photographs that accompany the book add a beautiful and moving element. If you want to know what life on the frontier can really be like, read this book.

The author presents a thoughtful and thought provoking look at an oft misunderstood concept: homesteading in the wilds of Alaska. The reader is held in awe at the tenacity of these latter day pioneers who have chosen a lifestyle far removed from the experience of most of us in the lower forty-eight.

Intimate but respectful study of a unique breed of modern day pioneers in one of the last really remote places in America. Well done glimpse into a world of determination and dreams that most can only imagine.

If, like me, you want to teach yourself Latin so that you
can read the Vulgate and the Breviary, then you have only
two choices of introductory texts that I know of: Scanlon &
Scanlon's "Latin Grammar" and John F. Collins "A Primer of
Ecclesiastical Latin". Both texts are intended for
classroom use.

Collins slowly introduces you to Latin grammar while
building up your Latin vocabulary. Scanlon & Scanlon tend to
push you through the grammar more quickly, relying on
cognates early on to help you cope with the vocabulary.
Scanlon & Scanlon supply accent marks in all their texts and
vocabularies to show you which syllable to accent; this is
very helpful if you are teaching yourself. Collins provides
macrons to mark long vowels in his texts and vocabularies;
these suffice to let you figure out for yourself where the
accent is, and they help you appreciate the meters used in
classical poetry. For those who care about such things,
physically Collins is clearly superior, with larger pages
and larger type and plentiful margins.

My approach to teaching myself Latin is "Teach me the
grammar, give me a dictionary, and let me at the text". So
I much prefer Scanlon & Scanlon to Collins. If you want to
take the grammar more slowly though, you'll probably
prefer Collins.

Honorable mention goes to Gavin Betts who wrote an excellent
textbook, "Latin: A Complete Course (Teach Yourself)", that
is intended for self-teaching. Unfortunately, its emphasis
is almost entirely classical. Still, Classical and
Ecclesiastical Latin are similar enough that it makes a good
supplement to either Scanlon & Scanlon or Collins.

Whichever choice you make, once you start reading the
Vulgate, you'll certainly want Leo F. Stelten's "Dictionary
of Ecclesiastical Latin". Neither the Cassel's nor
Chambers-Murray dictionary is adequate.

This remarkable book is a good place to start for anyone trying to learn ecclesiastical Latin, especially those who are interested in understanding the Mass or the Divine Office. This is the first of a two book series written for seminarians and novices who may have had no previous knowledge of Latin and needed to learn it fairly quickly (the second book is called Second Latin).

This book won't make you an expert Latinist, but it is most useful for anyone who desires a reasonable understanding of the language, particularily if you are interested in understanding the Latin used in the liturgy. Readings from the Gospel of St. John are introduced in later lessons (the second book focuses more on the use of Latin in theology and cannon law). This first book does a decent job of covering Latin grammar completely; although, the explanations of grammatical constructs are a bit brief. It was written in 1944 and so presumes that the reader has had some exposure the the Latin Mass, but it won't be much of a hinderance if one hasn't had any exposure to the Latin Mass.

Overall, this is a wonderful introduction to the Latin used by the Church, and I heartily recommend it to anyone.

This book is excellent preparation for reading ecclesiastical Latin. For reading the Vulgate, the extensive vocabulary at the back makes it a handier reference than a standard Latin dictionary. The emphasis here is on reading: all exercises are Latin into English - none are English into Latin. It lacks diacritical marks, although it does mark the accented syllable. Readers seeking a primer to prepare them to read church Latin appear to have few choices, but this is a good one.

Easy to read ...hard to put down ...unable to forget.

Charlie has written a very good book about his life as a POW. It speaks the truth that many Americans are not fully aware of the types of sacrifices that are made to protect our country. For his first, and hopefully not his last book, he did an excellent job of story telling.

A true story told as it happened by a prisoner of war of the Japanese during WW2. This is a descriptive and illustrated book of one person determined to survive the most grueling time of his life. Nothing is exaggerated or played down. All stories are true and described just how the author witnessed them. From the very first chapter to the last, it's written in a way that makes you feel as if you are there and actually part of the action.
Although it's free of vulgar language some of the pictures are graphic and may be disturbing to a young reader. The book is written for the mature reader. I feel it would be a good book for every high school senior student to read. This would give the student an idea of what someone their age was going through 60 years ago. Historical events are kept to a minimum as to not bore the reader but enough information is provided to inform
you of the era. At times I found the book hard to put down wanting too know what would happen next. This is a book on real survival.
After reading this book I have found a new respect for the people in our armed forces, a new respect for the older veterans of WW2 who put their lives on the line for our freedom. A freedom that should not be taken for granted by any American citizen.
It is possible that the hardships of his youth, helped to give him the determination and will to survive the horrendous three and one half years that he was a prisoner of war, or his strong faith in the Lord above? You be the judge.

When considering one's personal life and their comminication with their God there arise many questions that we feel are "giver". Then as we consider each question, or challenge, as they occur in our lives it is painfully apparent that we don't have an answer at all. In this wonderful book, Dr. Cedar shows in very simple fashion that each and every trial, big or small, personal or "church-wide" can be addressed through an application of prayer. It sometimes is a very personal application within ourselves, or, when appropriate, the entire church body or larger needs to be challenged and encouraged to bond together in corporate prayer.
Having heard Dr. Cedar deliver his sermons on prayer in person, and believing in his sincere and extremely simple yet powerful application of his precepts, I encourage any and all to investigate this wonderful book. The reinforcement of ones personal prayer life is reward enough, but the possibilities of moving outward and upward with the concepts described herein are staggering.

I wish to commend Mr. Cedar for an engaging, pracitical, and very readable book on prayer, particularly for Christian leaders.

"A Life of Prayer" gives the reader a solid understanding of the necessity of prayer in the life of a leader. Cedar quotes several advocates of prayer providing the reader with some further roads to pursue. After establishing the benefits, necessity of prayer, he proceeds to lay out how to go about it. He mixes a fair number of illustrations from his life and the life of others which enhances this work. The book is very readable and provides a solid foundation for developing your own personal prayer life. As I read it I found myself challenged to embrace the prayer in such a meaningful way.

Paul Cedar does a great job of explainng why we should pray, how we should pray and what results we should expect when we pray. This is a great reference for anyone who wants to get closer to God.

This collection of aphorisms and thought provoking truths is relevant for anyone who cares for patients. I am on the Clinical Faculty at UC Davis Medical School and I make a point of giving a copy of this wonderful volume to those who study with me.

This is an invaluable little book , writen by someone with a great knowledge of medicine and of human nature. Warm, witty, pointing the way to attitudes in medical practice that bring back the best in doctor-patient relationships. A must for all medical students !

This is an excellent little book with a lot of wisdom. This would make a great gift for anyone in the medical field, especially students. Many years of experience are distilled into these 425 rules, and there is a lot of humor as well. Not particularly clinically oriented, the book stresses human behavior and patient assessment.