This extraordinary book takes you by the hand and guides you through the process of not only developing a deeper understanding of Meditation, but also shows you, in an evolving succession of concepts, examples and exercises, the ways in which we often lose sight of it. In these pages you will learn not just the principles behind Meditation, but simple, practical ways to apply those principles and increase your enjoyment of every day.
By distilling years of personal research and experience in meditation into this brief, easy-to-understand guide to awareness, Eric Harrison has created a work that can bring about rapid and profound changes in how you see the world and how you live your life.
This Book makes nice addition to Echart Tolle's "Power of Now". Honestly, this combination of books moved and empowered me in a way that no other book(s) have ever been able to do.

Don't let the title fool you. Eric Harrison's book is not a spare 'how to' manual, nor is it dumbed down to simplify the process. His lessons are woven between his personal style of writing. He explains the reason for doing meditating and provides the human and biological reason meditation works.
The lessons are simple to follow, and are the building blocks for further advancement. Once you understand what you are trying to do, it becomes easier to do it.
Harrison shows the reader how to focus, how to breath, and how to 'watch with detachment', and he explain in detail so as to understand how these states occur naturally if we allow them to. As the reader progresses, he can work on aspects such as scanning, mantra, and visualizations. Harrison illustrates each practice and explains the biology and benefits derived.
As I read the book, I noticed how Harrison's 'forgiving' view of meditation helped me to place realistic expectations on myself when I sat in the evening to practice. The goal is to clear the mind and relax the body, but sometimes this is difficult after a troublesome day. One sitting may take me into theta, but the next night I find I can barely make it out of beta. His view is that something beneficial will always come from focus and clearing the mind, even if one session is not as 'successful' as the last. It far better to let the body relax, the mind focus and not be worried about achieving an ideal.

So, does it work? I've not worked through all the lessons yet, but I have noticed changes. I'm sleeping better and handling anxiety more reasonably. I look forward to the 15 minutes I spend in sitting - the only time I allow myself when I refuse to fret about the day's mishaps(there's enough time to be anxious at work). My migraines are less to bother me and I haven't been in pain with my neck. By meditating consciously and thoroughly, I've come to realize I really haven't been relaxing. So, yes, I have attained the basics of meditation.
This book is not the one and only book to read on the subject and you may want visual manual to follow, as well(this book is text only) What the book *does* provide(which makes it an invaluable resource) is the basic skills in a simple, but thorough, format. After you learn the basics, then you can pick up a number of books and pull out other points to work on.
Apart from this, Harrison is an excellent writer, and even those who have been mediating for some time will still find insight into their practice. Those who are new to meditating will achieve the building blocks of mediation. This is an invaluable manual for all levels.
Now I'm looking forward to reading his other book, "How Meditation Heals". It's on order as I speak.

If you are interested in trees and live in Texas, this is the ONE book you must have. So often you have to buy a Western U.S. book for West Texas and an Eastern U.S. book for East Texas - and you still don't have all the trees in the Rio Grande Valley that are primarily Mexican.

The book is clear and easy to use. Even better, it gives interesting tidbits about each tree's range and habits in Texas, including the location of the largest known example in the state.

Highly recommended!

Ever wonder what kind of tree you're looking at? If you're in Texas, you can't miss with this book.

The book includes a map of soil types (with its natural diversity, Texas could be a country in itself!) and follows it with general drawings of leaves. Compare the leaf you see to the drawings in the book and you're sent to a tree family. From there you simply find the tree from more detailed drawings and area maps. It's easy! I am now considered a tree guru.

What else? Look through the book and find which trees will do best in your area, their size and flowers, virtually everything the homeowner, naturalist, or budding naturalist needs or wants to know.

When hiking our many parks and wildscape areas, other naturalist books stay home. This book comes with me...it's great!

My father, who was an artillery Captain in the Philippines during WWII, frequently pulled this book off the shelf to show me what war was like. He said that it was as close as you could get without actually being there. He died before he could see "Saving Private Ryan," but I think he would still say so even after seeing the movie.

This is THE most unforgettable view of the first days of the then called "Police Action" in Korea. Author Duncan lived with the men and portrayed all the comraderie, terror and fear that they did. His work makes an indelable image in our mind & is easy to grasp the magnatude of it. My now deceased husband was one of those young Marines and one of the walking wounded who lived in pain his whole life. He treasured this book and knew the subjects. He found it a way to bury his emotions and go on with a "normal" lifestyle. This book had to help Truman change and understand it was not a simple mop-up action....but This WAS War! Although out of print, my family is trying to get copies to pass on to their children to help us better understand their father. It is especially appropriate at this time when attention is being given the Korean Conflict's 50th anniversary. I wish they would reprint it and distribute a copy to all high school and college libraries.

Words occupy an ambiguous status in life. They are never quite congruous, that is they can be accurate but never quite adequate and words dilute the intensity of the immediate experience. Cathy has, however, somehow put into words the journey of her spirit and has deciphered what my spirit has experienced in her book Transcending Illusions. This book integrates challenges into Cathy's daily life. She juggles a hectic schedule as a wife, a loving mother of two health-challenged children, having a full time career as a school teacher, keeping a home for her family and running errands and working snack shack shifts as a baseball mom. Cathy expands the limitations of voicing an experience into one of explicating living an experience. This wonderful lady has faith and opinions which are liberties for everyone to express, but she has become articulate through her tenacity and the very richness of her spirit. This book is a power-pack of emotions. Strap in, you are in for quite a ride.

This young Lady has done some real soul searching and done a lot of growth in a few short years. Very commendable to share that wisdom with others. A very good book for those in like circumstances to help them deal with letting go of their feelings of (no control) of their lives. Don G.

This compilation of critical essays by Dr. Patrick Smith is the first full-length text to thoroughly examine the scope of Harrison's fiction. Smith's writing is clear and concise and offers itself as an intellectually rich and beautifully written companion to the work of a truly incredible contemporary writer. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates the fiction of Jim Harrison. Thank you Dr. Smith!

If you care at all about Jim Harrison's peerless work and the timeless craft of writing, you will devour the emerging talents of Patrick Smith as he leads you through the rich world of Mr. Harrison's work.
Insightful analysis, thought-provoking attitudes and fresh reasoning pour forth from the new and credible voice of Dr. Smith, who demonstrates complete mastery of his subject matter. I applaud this long-overdue look at one of the great voices in fiction, by a new and worthy writer.
Bravo, Dr. Smith!

For Vol fans the country over, this will bring a transfusion of their "Orange Blood!" Great for anyone who ever haunted the hallowed field of Neyland Stadium. A must for your Vol friend or family for Christmas.

Brings back some very good (and some bad) memories of "Football Time in Tennessee". A delightful collection of photography and anecdotes that shows the VOL fans "doing their thing".

I was particularly fond of the McElroy "Big Orange" Limo (Johnny grew up in my neighborhood). "Tailgating" at it's finest! He may be the "BIGGEST" Vol Fan.

As also enjoyed the "Vol Navy" photos. Having served as a crew member on one of it's vessels many times was an unforgettable experience that "Volmania" helps you relive in your memories.

You can almost hear the band playing "Rocky Top"!

After looking at someone else's copy, I had to have not one, but three copies. I ordered one for each of my two sons (Vol Alums) and one for my wife and I to enjoy. Three Christmas Gift problems solved! (hope they don't read this until after Christmas)

GO VOLS! Get "VOLMANIA"! You'll be glad you did!

A Vol Fan

What a great book! I gave it to my 12 year old, who read it to me and my 5 year old. We all loved it! Especially loved the pictures!!

Wahoo! Elementary is one of those all too rare finds among today's children's literature. The illustrations are vibrant and colorful, carefully drawn characters -- not the crudely sketched kind some kid lit authors create when they have to flesh out their book to sustain the cover price. The poems do more than tell a story. They are funny, touching, and capture the essence of how children perceive their world. They certainly triggered memories of my otherwise long since forgotten elementary-school days. How unusual to find a book that both parents and their children can really enjoy together. If you appreciate the sophistication of Dr. Seuss and the simplicity of Sesame Street, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

Written by an experienced animal control handler of exotic wildlife Tim Harrison, Wild Times: Tales From Suburban Safaris is an amazing collection of true life anecdotes and candidly personal stories. From rescuing alligators, to rehabilitating birds of prey, to dealing with lions in city streets, and more, Wild Times is the fascinating true chronicle of a man with a unique love of wildlife, and is charged with the sometime difficult duty of protecting both humans and wild animals from one another. Wild Times is very entertaining and especially recommended reading for animal rights activists and wildlife enthusiasts.

This guy and his stories are great! He's a firefighter, policeman, paramedic who, for the last twenty years, has been called to remove bears from apartments, lions from city streets, pythons from worksops, and cougers from backyards. He has met, and rescued, alligators from local rivers and farm ponds, pet stores and basements. His wildest captures are in this book. But his goal is to let people know of the growing chance that they'll be coming across an exotic, wild animal as their population increases in suburbs across the country, and to discourage people from buying and keeping this animals as pets!Excellent (lifesaving) snakebite protocol in the back of the book. Great stories for all ages.

William Henry Harrison, second book in the Young Patriots Series, doesn't disappoint, but makes an excellent read, and both entertains and educates. The illustratins are simply wonderful and truly enhance the story. Geared to the 8 to 12 year old, it's a must on every family bookshelf!

William Henry Harrison holds the distinction of being the United States President who delivered the longest inaugural address and served the shortest time (30 days) before he also became the first president to die in office. William Henry Harrison: Young Tippecanoe is a superb biography for young readers ages 8 to 12, written by the late Howard Peckham, and originally published in 1951. Featuring the childhood adventures of our ninth president (including the thrilling rescue of his sister from drowning when he was only seven, and the courageous capture of a British soldier just one year later when he was eight, William Henry Harrison is a welcome, very highly recommended addition to school and community biography collections for children and part of the Patria Press newly designed "Young Patriots" series.

This is the first book I read on my journey into the complex and highly specialized world of medicine. Harrison's journal style account of all the problems she encounters as a woman in residence in a large city hospital are insightful, and heartfelt. Some, years later, I worked in a hospital for my research, and Harrisons' observations vividly returned to me. I would highly recommend this book to any female who is considering becoming an MD.

I highly recommend this book to any woman preparing to give birth in a hospital. RUN, don't walk, to your nearest midwife and plan a home birth instead! This book, written by a female doctor, makes it clear that you will not have a very wonderful birth experience if you listen to the OB's tell you to 'trust me; everything will be fine'.