If you have felt that Bible studies just haven't gone deep enough for you, or maybe you're tired of hearing the same old things in women's studies, this book is for you. Many women in our church are going through the workbook version of this book and all agree that there is power and truth in this study. It will take you deep into the Word...mostly old testament, especially Isaiah, but really all through the Scriptures. God has really blessed Beth with insights and the ability to pull powerful and life-changing truths from His word. The title, Breaking Free, Making Liberty in Christ a Reality, is right on, and what is inside does not disappoint. Again, I have experience with the workbook (which I don't see listed here)but the hardcover covers the same topics. There is a video series that goes with the workbooks, but much could be learned through the book even without the video. It's wonderful for group studies. Encourage your church to purchase the video series to use in small groups. You will not be unchanged!

I have been a Christian for many years and thought I understood freedom in Christ until I took this Bible study. I found out more about what a loving Father God really is in 10 weeks than I have in 22 years. Beth Moore takes you on the Freedom Express as she journeys thru Scripture to show how God loves us, forgives us, and wants us to live a life free of guilt and shame. She brings to life the point that we are children of the King and worthy of His love and forgiveness. She points out how as such a child, we truly are beautiful in His eyes.

Beth Moore has a wonderful ability to remind us of what Jesus said is finished and why we're free. I found this to be a delightful book from a female prospective that hit me right where I am. She reminded me of my identity in Christ and how there's no shame or condemnation since now I reside in Christ Jesus.

What more can I say! Who doesn't want to EXPERIENCE freedom, especially if you already HAVE it!?!

I picked up this book because I was interested in the Randy Weaver trial. Spence, the author of the book, was Randy Weaver's defense counsel and was successful in getting his client acquitted on the basically made up charges leveled against him by the government who murdered his 10-year old son and his wife following a botched operation in Ruby Ridge, Idaho in 1992. I expected to get a ground-level view of this trial and the lengths to which the government will go to impose its will on the citizens it is supposed to serve and not rule.

The first two chapters of the book were indeed about the trail and how Spence systematically dismantled the government's ridiculous position despite the usual dirty tricks, lies and other blatantly illegal conduct that we have seen from our law enforcement agencies since in the Waco and Timothy McVeigh trials. Following this brief summary of the trail Spence then embarks on a lengthy and flowery dissertation on how we as humans have lost our freedoms to our lifestyles, corporate greed, time and other often existential concepts.

I do not disagree with any of his opinions; I think he is right on target with his evaluations but I found myself wondering as I read if he was trying to make a point or if he was just trying impress me with his ability to write in flowery, elegant prose. There is no doubt that he is capable of describing concepts in an elegant, dreamlike fashion but I was looking for more of a head on examination of the subject of the state of our freedoms and the tyranny of the government and the corporate mindset in this country.

Spence goes to great lengths to passionately describe the problems as he sees them but he offers few if any real solutions. The few solutions he offers are as ethereal and rhetorical as his prose and they left me completely unsatisfied. I was sincerely hoping that as a lawyer who has seen the evil of corruption up close he would have some sound advice, but he does not (or at least he does not share with the reader). This had the unsettling effect of getting the news from a specialist that yes, you do indeed have cancer, but then, instead of giving you some hope or advice on how to treat the disease, he just smiles sadly and nods his head.

If you are looking for a thought provoking look at the illusion and reality of freedom in life by all means read this book. If, on the other hand, you are looking for something less rhetorical and more practical then this book will undoubtedly leave you wanting as it did me.

The Country lawyer from Wyoming explains clearly that we have all returned to slavery. We have become the worst kind of slaves - those that believe they are free.
In fact, we all slave to support the New King - the non-breathers, the corporations. He points out that nearly every aspect of our lives are controlled by nameless, faceless, soulless, greedy, cold, corporations. Although he neglects to mention that the United States of America is also a corporation, I am sure he suspects that most of his readers are acutely aware of the fact.
We have been duped, dumbed-down, and brainwashed into believing that we are free, when nothing can be further from the truth.
His cynicism of our justice system is well supported and one cannot help but agree with his conclusions regarding the badly broken system.
His writing is poetic and heart-felt. The book opens and closes with personal letters that he has written or received. These touching letters capture the essence of the man and his love of mankind. His passion for justice is contagious. His honesty, intellect, and candor explain his stellar court record and leave one wishing that in time of need, an attorney like Gerry Spence might appear. Unfortunately, we have even less hope of good men like Mr. Spence appearing than we do of regaining freedom in this country.
While I do not share all of his "tree-hugging" ideals, I was moved by some of his suggestions, and found his Indian references extraordinary.
This book can truly offer sound advise to libertarians, and Patriots everywhere.

I certainly agree with all of the other reviewers! This was the first book of Gerry's that I read and thereafter purchased and read all of the others except for two, which I plan to read very soon. I always enjoyed his commentary on TV and was familiar with his famous cases but really became a fan through his books. His writing style is so compelling and honest that you just can't put his books down. This should be required reading in our schools and yes, it does make you want to change our world again! All of his books are wonderful and I recommend all of them highly! A warning, it also may scare you when you realize how far and how fast tyranny has "progressed" in our generation! Most frustrating is the "dumbing of America" and knowing most people will never read a book like this. If you value your freedom and are tired of all the gossip, fluff and nonsense and want to think again, get this book!!

Mr. Williams says things I've always believed, but was afraid to say aloud for fear of being thought of as intolerant, uncompassionate, or politically incorrect. Mr. Williams knows how people work and what they do to further their best interests (which is the study of economics) and explains it in a jovial and colloquial manner. READ it.

As stated, this book is a must read for any person who wants to have a clear grasp of the issues of our day. As other reviewers have noted, this book is a collection of some of his syndicated columns that were previously published. That being said:

Dr. Williams writes with a style which is completely opposite of much of the intellegencia. His writings are straightforward and to the point. This book is worth the price just to read his wrtings about Dunbar High School, a primarily black school in a poor district of D.C. which yielded outstanding results in the 50's and 60's....until the great forces of public education intervened and destroyed that success. I urge anyone who is a great supporter of public education and who buys into the "education needs more money....Black schools can't succeed" philosophy to obtain a copy of this book. It may not change your mind, but it will challenge your thoughts.

Dr. Williams writings on affirmative action are equally superb. He, again in simple terms explains how the economics of affirmative action don't match up with the political rhetoric. Be not scared that he is an economist, he writes for the reader and not for himself, with practical examples easily understood by all. Walter Williams is a national treasure.

This book is a reprint of great articles from Walter Williams. It is a shame we do not have more teachers like Williams in our schools. If only more people took economics.

Evaluating Golway's book in terms of its subtitle-- a thousand years of Ireland's heroes-- I think this selection is fantastic. As a semi-biographical profile of many prominent, legendary, and simply amazing Irish revolutionaries, this book does exactly what it should. Golway discusses such notables as Brian Boru, the O'Neill family, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell, Charles Stewart Parnell, Arthur Griffith, O'Donovan Rossa, Kevin Barry, Richard Mulcahy, the leaders of the Easter Rising, Eamon de Valera, Michael Collins, Kevin Barry, Bobby Sands, Countess Markievicz, Bernadette Devlin, and many more. Other reviewers have summarized quite well what the book is; I would like to provide readers with an idea of what the book is not. This would make excellent supplementary reading for anyone with an interest in Irish history. However, Golway does focus on elements of biography and therefore does presume a fair bit of knowledge on the part of the audience. If you are looking for a good starting point in learning about Irish history, I would not suggest this title. On the other hand, if you already have a general working knowledge about Ireland, these biographies would very, very much enrich your experience. Bottom line: buy it for the biographies and consider any Irish history you pick up along the way an added bonus.

Golway has a very easy to read writing style. He gives seemingly very intimate details about each person he talks about, and also gives you alot of background information that you might miss in other books. In some parts of it, you can almost imagine that the heros of old are still alive and fighting for freedom.

He covers more about history 1850 onwards than previously, but he gives fair time to both of them. A fascinating book for anyone who wants to know about Ireland, or the history of Revolutions in the world.

It's amazing that Golway put so much information in such a little space, complete with pictures of all his subjects. An excellent account of Irish history through the personalities that made it. Most of the book covers the 19th and 20th centuries but most of the changes took place in that era. I thought I knew everything about Ireland but I was sure wrong. This book also reads like a novel which makes it even better. I can't wait to read his book on John Devoy.

Murray Rothbard, an "anarcho-capitalist," writes a brilliant promulgation of liberty, natural rights theory, and property rights all derived from a non-agression axiom.

This book is a great introduction to the "extreme" side of libertarianism, and although I don't agree with all of Rothbard's insight, I was blown away by his clear prose, meticulous logic, and thoughtful points that jump off every page.

Unlike the reviewer below who gave this book 1 star, I actually read it. Rothbard doesn't side step ANYTHING. He discusses economics from a refreshing free-market prespective, demonstrating the freedom such a market would allow. But more importantly, he tackles issues that many people think libertarians fear: roads, police, and the environment. His pollution solution is simple and derived from a Lockean theory of property rights: you own yourself; if pollution harms you, it is "invading" your property. Thus, pollution is a tort (something one can sue over), or it is illegal, because it is illegal to violate one's right to self-ownership without providing just compensation.

Property rights have a tradition grounded in John Locke's work on natural law theory. In fact, far from not defining property rights, Rothbard quotes extensively from Locke's "Civil Government" to define them AND he defends them throughout the entire book but extensively in the first chapter,"Property and Exchange."

Of course, if the reviewer from Mississippi State (who gave 1 star) needs someone to "define" property rights for him better than Rothbard did than perhaps he is beyond help. It also is nice if someone reads a book before they review it. Note: the reviewer claimed that Rothbard's ideas simply mean "one dollar, one vote." From an anarchist perspective there wouldn't be anyone to vote for.

Nevertheless, I can't say I agree with all of Rothbard's work. Anarcho-capitalism wins the moral argument, as Rothbard shows here and in "Ethics of Liberty," his in-depth scholarly work, but I am not sure it is a system that will ever come about without overthrowing the government, and hence using violence.

Perhaps I'm too pessimistic. But this book is still great for even miniarchists, or those interested in a clear articulation of libertarian solutions to current world problems from a natural rights perspective. There is no better philosopher to start with.

If you're looking for an introduction to libertarian thought, this is THE book to read. Here, free-market economist and radical for liberty Murray Newton Rothbard tackles all the major issues: the philosophical basis of libertarianism, the history of classical liberalism, the failures of government to preserve basic liberties, and the ways in which a free-market economy handily solves problems that seem forever beyond the reach of government. Rothbard is also one of few libertarians to face the issue of pollution head-on. You'll search Ayn Rand's works in vain for any "pollution solution"; she was apparently content to believe the problem didn't really exist, a practice to some extent continued by her disciple George Reisman in his mostly brilliant treatise _Capitalism_. But Rothbard doesn't duck the issue: demonstrable pollution is an invasion of property rights and should be outlawed. Nor is Rothbard a friend of "corporate capitalism." Again unlike Rand, who regarded "big business" as "America's most persecuted minority," Rothbard lambastes big business for its constant seeking of government favors and its use of clout to secure protectionist legislation -- including "limited liability." All in all, this book is a treat. If you haven't read it yet, I envy you. Pick up a copy of this consistent, principled defense of liberty at once.

Murray Rothbard is considered to be the most influential of the modern libertarians, and in "For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto" he demonstrates why. In an American society content with confiscatory taxes and military slavery via conscription, Professor Rothbard redefines the concenpt of liberty: the Lockean concept of liberty which America was founded upon. This concept is one of Man's ability to reason and the right to self-rule which comes from it. From bans on prostitution and drugs to the forced "trust fund" called social security, Rothbard relentlessly decries the paternalism and coercion of government and calls for a return to our nation's libertarian roots. Professor Rothbard's defense of an age of freedom passed is eloquent evidence of the immensity of his learnings. From economics and political philosophy to history and the present state, Rothbard wages the war of ideas on all fronts with passion and ideology backed by empiricism and logic. "For a New Liberty" questions the contemporary conceptions of both the left and the right and presents a more consistent, just philosophy for America. Anyone embarking upon a reading of Rothbard's text must be open minded and ready to accept what America once was, and can be again

Erich Fromm was not the World's Greatest Writer, nor was he the World's Greatest Historian. However, he did manage to write some pretty interesting books, one of which is "Escape from Freedom," perhaps his most famous. The idea behind the work; that man will seek comfort from the burdens from responsibility, even if it takes the form of a dictator, is an extremely intriguing one, and one which becomes ever more appalling with each successive dictator that crops up somewhere in the world. There are some factual mistakes in this book (Fromm tries to attribute the roots of this phenomenon to specific time periods, when such thoughts were present in far earlier literary works), and it can be somewhat repetitive at times. However, "Escape From Freedom" is nontheless an extremely intriguing read that I would recommend to anyone unafraid to consider some pretty frightening ideas.

There is a lack of freedom in our world, even in the best of democracy.
Unfortunately, the only reason we are not free is because we choose not to be. In fact we are trying very hard to escape from freedom just like the title says and that is a very pessimistic thought. If there was a plot to keep us from reaching our individual freedom like some people think, that would be optimistic - In that case we could have a revolution. But the way things are we need billions of inner revolutions, and that's an implausible scenario.
All essential problems of human situation are thoroughly and clearly described in one place. If you are unhappy with your life, your surroundings, or feel weltschmerz of some kind, you'll find all the answers right here. It is incredible that book which is read so lightly almost like some novel, is so filled with wisdom and deepest understanding of human mind and it's problems.
In my opinion Erich Fromm and his entire opus are by far the most important event in Psychology and Sociology in this century.

This book offers insight into many everyday issues: thinking, feeling, wanting, character, individualism, politics, most of all freedom - the list goes on. You will learn what it means to have a false self including: pseudo-thinking, pseudo-feeling, pseudo-willing, etc. For example, when you have a "thought" how do you know it is yours? When you want something, how do you know it is you who "wants" it?

This book also explains the rise of Nazism from a psychological and historical perspective, making it actually seem understandable.

Fromm starts the book by talking about our experience as children from the womb to breaking away and moving into the world. The problem he describes is that people on the whole do not want to be free and want to cling to ideas that make them feel as if they were back in the womb.

This book talks much about socialization and in my opinion parallels "The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise in the Sociology of Knowledge" by Peter L. Berger, Thomas Luckmann, which I believe to be one the best books ever written.

I think this book is one of his best. It covers all the areas of the human condition and the essence of his teaching. After reading the book however, throw it away or give it to someone and dont let it become a crutch in your life...he would have wanted it that way.

I happened to come across this book by chance. As I had heard about Krishnamurthy before, I thought I should read a bit and see what his teachings were all about. The first 15 pages were enough to convince me to buy this. I was struck by the orginality of his thought and how he puts everything in perspective. I have tried reading other self-help (or improvement) books before, but none of them were of any use in real life. This book, has simply transformed my being without any conscious effort on my part. You have at read it to believe it. This is no self-help cook book you should know. This is my first reading of JK's book, I plan to check out his other works!

A very thought provoking and timeless work that mirrors the conditions for a journey towards self-liberation and the unending search for the truth. If you are looking for a new system or a method that you will follow and shape according to your desires for results and achievement, this book has none of that and it will dissapoint you. This is not a religious, a self-help or a motivational book.

An excellent work by an author who obviously has a tremendous love and fascination for American history. The book starts slowly with the family histories of the two main characters - Chamberlain and Oates. He does an excellent job of introducing the reader to two completely different character with completely different backgrounds without taking sides or displaying predjudices. Chamberlain, the hard working, devout, formally educated New Englander projected against the self educated rambler from Alabama. He then shows how the paths these men take lead them both to that infamous day on Little Round Top. The author also does a good job of setting the stage so the reader understands how easily the course could have taken another direction - Longstreet's counter-march and delayed attack allowing the Union to reinforce the critical position and maintain control of the good ground setting the stage for the ill-fated Pickett's Charge. I think that the only area lacking in the book is the Post Civil War period in the South. While Perry spends time explaining the obvious differences between the Democrats and the reconstructionist Republicans, I do not think enough effort was given to Oates' wavering political positions and how he was influenced. All in all, one of the best works on a very demanding and focused subject.

So many books have been written about the Civil War that Conceived In Liberty might seem to be more of the same. But the book clears new ground on Joshua Chamberlain, by noting that this "marble man" of the North had blemishes of his own -- as did his counterpart, Col. William Oates of Alabama (the other subject of this first-rate dual biography.

I have read a number of books on Joshua Chamberlain and have always thought that there was another side to the man: that he was not simply a great hero, but also a soldier who was thoughtful, and deeply disturbed by the conflict. Perry adds the balance that is so desperately needed to our knowledge of Joshua Chamberlain, then completes the portrait by counterposing his life with that of William Oates.

These two men not only met at Gettysburg, but they are symbols of the larger issues that consumed our nation in the nineteenth century. Filled with information and anecdotal accounts of the lives of both men (incidents that appear in no other work on either Chamberlain or Oates) Conceived In Liberty is not only well-researched it is a fantastic read. This book is long overdue.

Yes, Conceived In Liberty is controversial, but that is its value. Perry is a courageous writer and a first-rate historian.

The Civil War was, in some ways, our own clash of cultures that ended up with us having a stronger, and more philisophically harmonic country than we had then. After the war we no longer were "Those United States" but "These United States".

While it took longer (and still has not taken root) for some Southern areas to accept that they have changed because of the war, this book outlines in a fascinating fashion why the American Dream was won in 1865.

Joshua Chamberlain and William Oates are both opposing personalities. Chamberlain was a professor, Oates a laborer. Chamberlain was a respected fellow before the war. Oates was much less.. even going into hiding at one point from the law.

What they had in common was a belief that they had gone as far as they could in their lives before the war. Chamberlain was forever going to be a professor. Oates forever a laborer.

Both faced each other in Gettysburg. While Chamberlain was the hero of Little Top in that battle, Oates eventually had a longer and more productive politcal life than Chamberlain.

Neither of these men won their positions by birth, wealth, or by the inner workings of a political machine. They won their positions by hard work, and the admiration of their men in battle and the people they fought for.

While it may have been possible prior to the Civil War for these men to have done so (Abraham Lincoln is a prime example) the fact is that the Southern philosophy was beaten in 1865, and the Northern philosophy of hard work, and position by trust and admiration rather than birth, and wealth won out and both sides reaped benefits and still are from that day.

Randy Barnett makes a compelling and highly readable case for a "polycentric legal order" in his book The Structure of Liberty. The novel starting point of this work is the application of market strategies to a legal system. In this regard, The Structure of Liberty is the most interesting and certainly one of the most clearly written and cogently argued, works on legal philosophy in a very long time. Taking his cue from modern rights theorists, public choice theory, and an understanding of the decentralized nature of knowledge in society, Barnett offers an alternative way to guarantee justice in a free society. At the outset it is worth mentioning, however, that Barnett is not engaged in the radical utopian theorizing which is all too common in the libertarian literature. Barnett has a background that definitely has the effect of immunizing him against such exercises, acting as an assistant district attorney in Chicago and acting as a defense attorney for several big name clients in federal appeals courts. Barnett is familiar with how the legal system works at its basic levels, and this is possibly what informs him in the direction he takes.
The first point that Barnett makes in the introduction that colors the entire work is that every right is also a restriction or, stated differently, every right implies the warrant to do violence to those that violate that right. Because of this, a proper order of rights is necessary to define a system that separates legitimate claims of rights from illegitimate ones, so that the only violence that is done is just and the only rights that are protected are legitimate ones. Any system that presumes to do this, however, must deal with three fundamental problems: knowledge, interest, and power. His book is divided to deal with each of these issues individually and to see what a liberal justice system that could deal with these problems would look like. The main critique of our current legal system is that it does not adequately deal with these issues and therefore fails to uphold a "liberal conception of justice" under the rule of law.
The central selling point of this book, however, is that although it deals with issues of fundamental importance and of philosophical as well as practical interest, it is written in such a manner so that an interested layman with little or no background in political philosophy or law could understand it. Further, it is not only accessible but also captivating and highly entertaining. Clear writing is, no doubt, the product of clear thinking, but even in well thought out works there is usually something wanting in organization and style. I can honestly say, however, that The Structure of Liberty is one of the most clearly structured (no pun intended) and stylistically inviting books ever written on the topic of legal philosophy. If you have any interest in legal theory, political philosophy, or are just drawn to interesting and new ideas you should buy this book. You will be haunted by the ideas within, even if you disagree with them, again and again.

The Structure of Liberty is one of the finest libertarian books on the scene today. More than just another justification of libertarianism, Barnett explores libertarianism's practical implications, showing how the "liberal conception of justice and the rule of law" is effective in dealing with a series of problems he presents as facing any legal system. And though you wouldn't know it by reading some of the reviews on this page, Barnett defends a version of libertarian anarchism, devoting an entire to chapter to listing the problems of the monopolistic state ("the single power principle"). This book's other highlights include his superlartive defense of restitution and the short story about the ability of a "polycentric constitutional order" to deal with the "rouge agency" problem that defenders of libertarian anarchism inevitably encounter. A must-read for all those interested in libertarianism.

Those of you who might be leery about picking this book up because you're not a legal professional or law student, don't be afraid. Barnett's writing is clear and lucid, and his explanations can be grasped by those without formal legal and philosophical studies, such as myself.

Barnett begins by outlining the 3 obstacles that any legal system must overcome, the problems of knowledge, interest, and power. Taking each one of these in it's turn, Barnett clearly outlines the rights and legal structure that would best acomplish those ends.

The most radical part of the book is the section on power, which is where some exceedingly strong arguments for a polycentric legal order, as opposed to the monopolistic legal order of the State institution, are made. After doing so, Barnett turns to debunking some of the criticisms of his system.

Anyone interested in law should definitely read this book, even if not a law student. Also, people from other related fields, such as economics and politics, are strongly urged to give this brilliant book a chance.

It is doubtful whether any other book on the American Revolution could compete with Thomas Fleming's 'Liberty' when it comes to artwork. This illustrated history is ablaze with colour- including great paintings of the Battle of Concord, the redcoats advancing up Breeds Hill (often mistakenly called Bunker Hill in other works),the fierce fire-fight at the Guildford Courthouse,Washington and von Steuben reviewing that ragged Continental army at Valley Forge, and much more. In fact, the failing of illustrated histories is that they often distract from the text or, alternatively, have an inadequate text (Fleming however, writes well and for an overview of the Revolution this is a fine book).The other distraction is the frequent stories within the story. Whilst giving additional information( eg on women in the revolution,the role of indians, or life in the 13 colonies etc) it tends to distract the readers attention from the main text. These criticisms aside, this book could never be described as dull-either in text or pictures- and is a good starting point for the general reader to learn more about America's beginnings as a nation.

Fleming's book is not for everyone, since the inherent limitations of the format will turn off some readers wanting a more in depth analysis of the war, its causes, or its numerous battles and personalities. If you purchase the book thinking you are buying a beautifully illustrated, well-written coffee table book about the Revolution, with numerous interesting "asides" on topics ranging from the Liberty Bell, origins of the Flag, etc., then you will be richly rewarded with this purchase.

Fleming has done his research, and I thought the text was well-written and detailed enough to provide a well-rounded overview of the struggle. Many of the war's colorful characters, like Banastre Tarleton, Nathaniel Greene, Benedict Arnold, John Burgoyne and Samuel Adams, are explored well both in print and in the excellent illustrations. For those readers whose curiosity is piqued by this book, and who want a more thorough account of the war as well as a detailed discussion of the political and biographical backgrounds that Fleming cannot include here, I recommend Robert Leckie's excellent one volume George Washington's War.

I continue to be surprised with these movie "companion" books (the Civil War by Geoffrey Ward and Panther by Mario Van Peebles are other notable works). This is an excellent summary of the Revolution and, at some levels, exceeds other more celebrated accounts. We get all kinds of "context" presented with the numerous pictures and paintings as well as little "side-bars" that richly describe,among other things, life in the 13 colonies, the Liberty Bell story and the truth concerning Betsey Ross and the American Flag. Fleming's writing is good, if not a tad "dry", but some details are covered better here than in other histories (the little-known battle of Monotomny as the British are retreating from Concorde is given excellent coverage, for example...). The post-war era up to and including the development and the signing of the Constitution is remarkably detailed and, from which, I learned much. The biggest critique that I'd discuss is the almost criminal lack of maps...these types of books generally make their reputations on the inclusion of excellent battle maps (again, Ward's "Civil War" is the standard), but they are very noticably lacking here. Finally, as other reviewers have stated, this should not be viewed as a comprehensive covering of the war, but it is an excellent introduction and, notwithstanding the movie, completely stands on it's own.