I read Tom Kayser's book in the early 1990's when it was originally written for Xerox. The new edition is a fine adaptation. The book has been immensely helpful to me as a facilitator. It gives great instructions to a new and experienced group leader.

Mr. Kayser understands group dynamics. By reading and more importantly, following his "recipes", you will find that meetings are both more efficient and effective.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned in my brief time as a researcher at the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center was that meetings need not be unending wastes of times. When I first noticed this and asked how it was possible that so much always seemed to get done, no mater who was involved, I was given a copy of the Tom Kayser book "Mining Group Gold".

What a wonderful and unexpected surprise reading it was! Although concrete steps are given to guide people into getting the most out of working together and, more important, thinking together, its basic value comes from the way it enables folks to remain themselves - only do a better job of it.

Since leaving Xerox three years ago to be a consultant for Microsoft, General Electric and Sun Microsystems, I've given numerous copies to new cohorts so as to make life easier and the flow of work more efficient for all.

Thomas A. Kayser has set forth a systematic means for gaining the maximum benefit from meetings.

Starting with John Kenneth Gailbraith's infamous attribilious amphigory: "Meetings are vital to those who want to make sure nothing happens" Kayser leads the reader through the labyrinth of traditional meeting quagmires and enables everyone to profit from combining their brain power optimally.

In practical, no-nonsense terms, nothing is left to chance. Those who practice the lessons will reap the immediate and continued rewards from the old axiom of time being money!

All of the books in this series are fantastic. They are poignant sweet and fascinating. I love the characters and the interactions between the characters. I read these first 26 years ago and have made sure they are easy to find every time I move. I still read them often.

Moominpappa's Memoirs is the the most imaginative book of the series, although all of them are marvellous. This volume gives you a perspective on the history of Moominland. Snip: (...)

This is without doubt one of the most enjoyable childrens books ever written. I started reading the 'moomin' books when I was about ten,and they still have me reading them again and again every night (literaly!) .They're equal(or better) to the famed 'Oz',Harry Potter, and Roald Dahl books. This particular one gives the background history to Moominpappas capers as a 'young moomin' and the finding of the moomin family treasurs, such as the meerschaum tram. The dialouge every othr chapter between Moominpappa and his family and friends bring the story back to'present day' and gives it an loving quality. This is a wonderful,timless book, not to be passed up by older kids just because it is classified as a '9-12 age range' book. Tove Jansson's simple, flowing writing will set these books as classics.

I was given this BIble as a gift 5 years ago and I still read from it daily. ITs streghts lie in the fact that it is firmly evangelical and believes in the inspiration of Scripture. In the opening pages one will see that hundredrs of renown scholars have contributed to the articles and annotations. What I particularly liked about it was that it examined 'hard passages' in thier biblical context, offered the opposing views, and then gently espoused thier view based on solid exegesis. Also pf note are the word studies, in depth articles, and special excerpts that focus on a hot doctrine of SCriptre. Evem more amazing is the factt htat the scholars who contributed did not hammer their opinions down your throat, sometimes never voicing them at all! For example, many of the contributors came from Dallas Theological Seminary, yet you wil not find them throwing dispensationalism down your throat. However, the main editors, Dr. Earl Radmacher and others come from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary. Other institutions represented range from New Orleans Baptist to Princeton.
Bottom line:
I have over 20 refernece and study bibles and this one I will recommend over any, including Ryrie. This book changed my devotions and bible studies.

This is the one study Bible that I have given away to young men entering the ministry. The word studies, charts, articles, and the running commentary at the bottom of every page are excellent. Cross references are consistent with the NKJ translation and are always helpful. This study Bible is not for the lazy scholar, but for serious Christians.

This bible is very informative in helping one to understand the Bible. Thanks for creating it.

This edition of the New King James Bible sort of jumps out of the store shelves at you. It is obviously paperback (though the cover is made of an attractive, sort of nylonish coated paper for durability, and there's also a thick page separating the title page and last page of the book from the two covers which gives it a further feel of being more durable than the average paperback), but for a paperback Bible it's the best of the lot. It's the just right dimensions as well. It has black print, easy-to-read type which is very inviting also. The translation itself is the one many of the King James only types settle for as being the next best thing to the inspired King James. It was translated from the same manuscript sources. (The NIV and the New American Standard Bible were translated from more modern, critically edited manuscripts that many believe distort the actual Word of God in places, but that argument often hinges on very small and few changes.) Some editions of Bibles are just more inviting to pick up and start reading, and this one falls into the very inviting category.

In the realm of Bible translation, the New King James Version is among the best of the crop. Truer to its sources (its main issue being that it chooses not to use the most modern sources available to Bible scholars today) than the popular NIV, and more readable than the New American Standard Bible or the King James Version, the NKJV is simply a good translation for reading or study, and one of my favorites. It is comfortable for those raised on the KJV (people who were have told me so), and at the same time good for those who have not read the KJV since they could read.

The modest Reader's Edition is simple, graphically appealing, and contains a minimum of extra material. It's presented in an attractive, readable font, and is a respectable Bible for personal or study use. If you know someone with a spiritual hunger or thirst, this NKJV may be just the solution, as long as it's taken seriously in regular doses. Worth it all the way.

Some will dispute what is the best version of the word. Bottom line is you need to read the Bible. Find a version that works for you and Read it! After that you can explore the other translations. (I nice approach to reading the Bible cover to cover, for the first time, is "The One Year Bible", which is divided into 365 readings that only take a few minutes a day!) The NKJV is a readable version of the most referenced version of the Bible. The translation is moderized enough so it will be easier to understand. This is a good version to give to others at a good price, ...

To realise that for only a few dollars more I could have bought 'The Nightmare Factory' instead which contains all the stories in this book + many more! I guess I will end up owning them both. Ligotti is one of the few creditable horror writers working today and I could never get tired of his stories. They just seem to get deeper and deeper with each subsequent reading. However - if you are looking for blood/gore type horror don't bother - this is a deeply subtle writer at work ..

ligotti is the most disturbing horror writer i've ever encountered, hands down. after i finished "noctuary" i was hungry for more, but unfortunately could not find "grimscribe" anywhere, and am still fiending for a copy. the stories in this book resonate with a kind of sickly unreality (maybe best articulated in "the tsalal") and one gets the sense that while ligotti is on the one hand the impassioned horror writer trying desperately to communicate his vision to the reader, he is on the other hand the avant garde artist in the tradition of duchamp, laughing openly at our pathetic and delusory attempts to impose meaning and order on a universe that in the final equation has neither. it is almost as if he makes a point of pointing out the pointlessness. in this way, he is like his idol hp lovecraft, who constantly added subtle layers of philosophical nihilism and the most extreme forms of pessimism to his work. for those who love tasting the dark, you can't live without this

Thomas Ligotti is easily one of the least known masters of modern fiction. His work transcends genre and his prose is most often poetic, his imagery haunting and atmospheric. For fans of any type of literature, Thomas Ligotti is a rare gem and a great talent in the field, though sometimes a difficult read, his work is always rewarding.

This book preceeded his most recent work, "In a foreign town, in a foreign land" and his one of his best collections to date. Even the last section, which are simply bits and pieces from his notebooks, nothing coming close to a finished piece, far outshine many popular and exhalted writers working in the field today. Ligotti can create entire worlds, set mood and instill any emotion he desires, with a masters skill in less than a page, something many current bestselling authors fail to accomplish in hundreds of pages, or their entire body of work.

For those new to Thomas Ligotti, this book is a great place to start, for those familiar with some of his other works, look for "Alice's last adventure" in Prime Evil, "In a foreign town, In a foreign land" a very rare novella, and "Songs of a dead dreamer" the mass market paperback is a highly revised version of the original small press release and his first published collection of stories. Any fan of great literature no matter the genre will not be disappointed by this great artist's work.

ENJOY........

Tera's book captures both her journey and the message of interspecies communication in an easy to read, moving story. I didn't want to finish the book because I wanted there to be more to read, more to learn. My heart and mind felt such an expanse. Thanks Tera!

This wonderful book will change the way you look at life! In it, Tera Thomas takes us on a personal journey where we can learn for ourselves -- what animals have taught her.
Written with alot of openness, heart and humor, it is the story of her development as an animal communicator. It is filled with delightful stories of animals she has known, unforgettable characters who impart tremendous wisdom about the meaning of life and death, and the importance of acceptance. And, because of what these special beings (animals and Tera) share with the reader, I finished the book with a much greater acceptance of life -- and self -- than when I had first begun.
It is a very spiritual book, with much to be gleaned from within its pages.
You can't help but feel as if you have, if not flown, then certainly stretched your wings a bit. To be savored again and again.

"Opening My Wings to Fly" is a magnificent book. Tera Thomas and her precious animal friends have created stories that are beautifully written, inspiring and moving. I learned so much from reading this book - not only about the wisdom and love of animals but also about how to live in a grateful and generous way. All the while, I was captivated by the stories - stories which moved me to tears, made me laugh out loud, and motivated me to open my own wings to fly. I am very grateful to Ms. Thomas for this gift of a book. It is a treasure.

This Book Was a great help to me. I read it in a couple of days and now I'm going back through to do what it's telling me to do. This helped a lot...that's all I'm going to Say! Get It!

I agree with the the guy below, an absolute must read! This is A great book and everyone should read it!

This Book is an Amazing peice of work expresing in a very cool and exciting way...this is a Must Read!!!!!!!! If you ever need to recover from any addiction this is the book for you!!

Did you know that a child who misbehaves in class is unconsciously telling you how he/she needs to approach learning? As a special education teacher and devotee of multiple intelligence theory, this book satisfied my thirst for knowledge on how to recognize and honor children for who they are, not simply who and what we want them to be. Armstrong covers MI theory not only in relation to learning academic subjects, but behavior, classroom management, and life in general. You will never look at education the same way!

Have you considered restructuring your 2000-2001 teaching program or, if you are a school administrator, your entire school program around Dr. Howard Earl Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI)? If you answered that important question in the affirmative, then Thomas Armstrong's "Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom 2nd Edition" is a must read.

In "Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom 2nd Edition", Armstrong reinforces Gardner's (1983) MI theory as a confirmed classroom application. This revised and expanded book encourages all types of teachers, be they special education teachers, regular classroom teachers, or teachers of students identified as intellectually exceptional, to show a more holistic view that validates students for who they truly are.

The 156 pages of this book outline innovative strategies for integrating an eighth intelligence, the naturalist, into a classroom/school program. Moreover, Armstrong presents new outlooks, including three potential predicaments, about the possibility of a ninth intelligence--the existential--the intelligence of concern with ultimate life issues and its potential.

Armstrong's insights for teaching and learning, recent case studies and research on the effective uses of MI theory represents a welcomed update to his initial 1994 book of the same title.

Armstrong is to be commended for his comprehensive comments on nurturing students' intelligence strengths. He suggests practical strategies for reducing or (even possibly) eliminating achievement gaps between all types of learners. Moreover, he provides (those busy) classroom teachers and school administrators with new insights for developing a MI learning environment. This 2000 revised book is a necessary read for all who are interested in MI forms of schooling.

Reading Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom literally changed my life, by allowing me to recognize my learning strengths and then to embrace them. We all have different degrees of many intelligences, making us unique in our learning styles and abilities. If every educator could be required to read this book, I know it would at least begin to change the face of education in America. This book can change your life!

What better way to spice up your holidays than with a little murder in the family?! Christie gives us her version of Scrooge in crusty ole curmudgeon Simeon Lee who has amassed a fortune in the diamond mines of South Africa. As Christmas approaches, he invites all his family, many of them long-estranged, to spend the holidays at his palatial estate Gorston Hall. Christie proceeds to do what she does best---she gathers a group of diverse characters related by blood or marriage, reveals their worst traits, and allows one person to be murdered while pointing the finger at each of the survivors. Simeon Lee has concocted a sadistic game to play on his family. The game begins when he allows his family to hear him give instructions to his lawyer to change his will. The game continues when he gives each of them a thorough dressing down for their weaknesses, stupidity, and greed. The game reaches a climax in Simeon's study where one person is found with a slashed throat.

"Murder for Christmas" was also published as "A Holiday for Murder" and "Hercule Poirot's Christmas." It is notable not only as an excellent example of the locked-room mystery, but also as the most bloody of the Christie mysteries. Noted for her cozy murders via poisoned chocolates and a foreign substance in the afternoon tea, in this one Christie gives us all the blood and gore she is capable of. Her brother-in-law had requested that she come up with a "good violent murder with lots of blood" and this is her answer to him hoping it will satsify his lust. Though not anywhere close to today's violence on tv, this is the bloodiest of the genteel novels Dame Agatha wrote.

Unfortunately for the clever murderer, Hercule Poirot happens to be spending Christmas with the Chief Constable of the county and is therefore conveniently on hand to assist in sifting through the many red herrings and false identities that make this novel complex and exciting.

If you're yearning for a good old-fashioned English country-house Christmas with lots of interesting characters on hand, you'll find this one most satisfying.

The family has gathered home for Christmas. Even the prodigal son and a long lost granddaughter have come home for the holidays. The ailing patriarch of the family is murdered in a locked room with no mode of escape for the murderer. Poirot solves the murder with his usual flair. Interesting group of characters. It's a very good mystery that will keep you guessing.

I can't believe this book is out of print! It's definitely one of the best mysteries Christie ever wrote. A feuding family gathers for a reunion during the Christmas holidays, summoned by their obnoxious old father, and when Dad turns up dead as the proverbial doornail, it has to be a family member that committed the crime. Well, it was a family member, all right... I'm not giving away the surprise, but suffice to say you can't always trust your nearest relations, and sometimes you don't even know who they are. Christie was a national treasure and this book is one of the prime jewels in the treasure chest. Somebody please reissue this book and fast. There's a whole generation out there waiting to discover a gem.

This book might truly change your view of life because it leads you to examine the deepest parts of your soul. In plain language that's very easy to follow, Merton describes how we can abandon our self-absorbed lives and then discover again our true selves in Jesus Christ. It is a book about the transforming power of God, and although it is deeply spiritual in tone and theme, it is highly logical and straightforward in style and structure. Merton hopes to lead us to transformation and salvation not through fear or blind hope, but by persuasion.

This is without question the best account of the Fall that I have ever read. Merton drops the reality of faith and the believing Christian's responsibility right in our laps. It's a sobering and challenging read.

The monk does an excellent job in fleshing out the scripture 2Cor5:17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (NIV)