I am a 39 year old woman with Multiple Sclerosis and Chronic-Late Lyme Disease. I have been a work-a-holic my entire life and used to sing and dance in musicals, lift weights, ride horses, volunteer and model. I have 2 Bachelor Degrees and was beginning my Master's when, at the age of 27, this was all taken from me when I became totally disabled.

It has been tough enough to lose my career, hobbies, ability to care for myself and have children, without the lack of understanding from loved ones. The only way that I can endure these losses is through my faith in our Lord. Yet, brothers and sisters in Christ often attempt to claim I LACK faith.

This book dispells the falsehoods that believers often have about faith and explains true, Biblical faith. It also give encouragement and inspiration to those with chronic conditions.

Ron Dunn has expertly handled this subject of healing. If you have ever wondered about the Christian who WAS NOT divnely healed of a terminal illness you should read this book... It is scriptural and it shatters the myth that illness only strikes believers who have transgressed God in some way or that healing cannot be imparted based simply upon a lack of faith.

Out of extreme circumstances comes extreme blessing. When there are no answers and no reasons Dunn offers the simplest yest most difficult one of all... Trust, Faith and God's Soveriegnty.

I'm doing cartoons, which always involve people wearing clothes. Working from nude poses is helpful, but I still have to work out the clothes. This book is the only one I have found so far with photographs of clothed poses (anime drawing books are a good source for drawings of clothed poses). Especially helpful is the "rotation" of the models so that numerous angles are shown, from each of 3 different eye levels.

Also, nude poses seem to explore all the different positions a body can get into, which are not typical of the way people stand, sit, move, etc., in life - what I'm trying to draw. The photos of clothed models in this book do reflect "real life" poses.

The main reason I did not give 5 stars is that even though this book is very good, and I recommend it highly, I wish it had more poses, particularly ones which illustrate additional common poses.

This is such a good idea, one wonders what took so long to get it done. The manual is a hefty hardcover, designed to last. Very comprehensive in giving you 5,000 poses of people doing ordinary things from excercising, to primping before a mirror, to dancing alone or with a partner, to laying around on the floor. The models are photographed from eight different points of view. They are not unnaturally posed, however. More like a stop-motion camera caught them "in a moment of time".

The section on Nudes alone is worth the price of the book. If you've ever had problems finding a model to pose nude, or if you just want to sketch at three in the morning, this is the book for you. The photos are not as close-up as they might be, but they are really good at capturing the movement(or non-movement)of the subject.

I can see alot of potential for this manual beyond sketching, drawing and painting.Animation, anyone?

If you're an artist you will really like this book.

Am looking for this book to purchase it.Please notify me when its available.Thank You

I am surprised that there aren't more books out there tying together the American and French Revolutions. I read this book as part of the Brother's Book Club (BBC) and thoroughly enjoyed the e-mail discussions it generated. If you are looking for a chronological historical breakdown of the two revolutions, this would not be the book to get. If, however, an analytical breakdown of the causes that generated and fueled the two revolutions, the thought that kept them aloft, the intellectual connection and differences between the revolutions, and lastly the impact that they had upon the rest of the world; all sound compelling to you, then by all means go buy this book.

One detractor is Dunn's oversimplification in her critical look at everything involving the French Revolution and high praise for all things American Revolution. She follows this code, almost without exception. A more objective analysis would have been more meaningful and valid. The strength of the book is Dunn's revelation of the power of ideas. She makes it inducingly clear that the historically decisive actions of the world were driven by the power of ideas.

Perhaps the most compelling chapters come at the end, as Dunn stretches intellectually by portraying the two revolutions as models and exploring the effect they have had on subsequent revolutions around the globe. The biggest surprise is that after Dunn praises the American model, she concludes by finding America's current system of government inefficient and suggests that the British Parliamentary model is the best fitting for modern day democracies. How we come full circle.

Good book for those interested in the thought process behind the American and French revolution, but not so much for a historical breakdown of the two. Through exploring the power of ideas, Dunn comes up with some powerful ideas of her own.

Author Dunn explores the French and American Revolutions of the late 18th century. She does an excellent job of describing the differences between the two political systems, one based on concensus but with a loyal opposition (American) and one based on total unity (French). The most interesting idea developed is that the French Revolution served as a harbinger of the Russian Revolution. The will of the people would be served by an elite few who remained convinced of their leadership even when deserted by the people they served. The French leaders are portrayed as idealist who tried to create an impossible system while the American leaders were politicians who knew that to create a workable system, some ideas had to be sacrificed.

I would strongly recommend this book to any reader with an interest in history. Well written and well researched, the author ends the book with two chapters about the revolutions in Russia and Vietnam and how these revolutions borrowed ideas from the French and American revolutions.

Having read quite a bit about both the French and American Revolutions, I found this book to be a wonderfully written comparison of both the ideology underlying the movements and the continuing consequences of those ideologies. This is a very meaningful book, both for students of the two revolutions, as well as for people interested in political science and government in general. Not only does it do an excellent job of distilling the movements, but it is extremely well written.

Like the other reviewers, I read this book as a kid in 1959. Unlike them, I cannot recommend it. Although the characters are likeable, the story is crippled by the fact that the author is almost entirely clueless about computers. Of course in the Fifties, unlike now, this was true of most people, so the author's ignorance is understandable--but the many conceptual errors in the plot really hurt the storyline, and are likely to make young modern-day readers cringe with embarrassment--or simply discard the book, unfinished.

I loved this book as a kid. It is a bit corny, but the message it relays about experiential and constructive learning is consistent with educational theory of the 90's. Knowledge is often best attained when the student (at whatever age) helps to construct it themselves rather than having it handed to them to memorize. Kids don't have to know this to enjoy the book! Highly recommended for grade school readers or students in instructional technology...

I read this ages ago as a kid. Oh, how I wished the homework machine were real!

I loved the Danny Dunn series of books. Every trip to the local library was filled with anticipation of a new, fantastic adventure. Great stuff.

This book is mostly a romance. I like it because it tells about someone's life. It is written like a diary. I like to write in my own diary a lot and was interested by her struggles. She was "promised to" this one guy, but this guy dumped her. Then she ended up falling in love with this other guy and she got engaged. This girl was 18. She taught school for a while. She had most of her life "planned out" already. Things didn't change much from her plan. The best part of the book is when she looked down from up on a hill and chose the place she wanted to put her house. This is a "...happily ever after" story.

This was an excellent book! I couldn't put it down! I hope that the sequel is coming out soon.

This book is spellbinding. I could not put it down and am anxious to read what else will happen in Dora's life. It is full of wholesome godly morals and decent living. I am happy my 12 year old daughter loves the series as much as I do. It is good for her to read of the biblical principles that are taught and to read of the struggles other girls go through in trying to live a righteous life. I have made the books a part of her homeschool curriculum. I give this series of books my highest recommendation for anyone and especially for homeschoolers.

I found Honor's Pledge bascially dull and unexciting for the first three-fourths of the book. The author spent a great deal of time developing Abbie and Monte's mutual attraction to each other and not enough time developing their characters. After Monte marries someone else because of his honor's pledge, the book suddenly gets eventful. The last fourth of the book contains all the plot development and excitement, including a murder, a kidnapping, a surprising rescue, encounters with Comanches, a scarlet fever epidemic, and a gold strike. I had originally planned to give the book three stars, but added one just because of the last part of this book. Overall, however, I've read much better Christian historical romances, and I hope that the next in this series will improve on plot and develop the characters more fully.

Kristen Heitzmann is a talented author who really captures the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Honors Pledge will keep you into the book and not wanting to put it down. It's a book that you'll want to read more than once.

I have really enjoyed Kristen Heitzmann's first book and series. She does excellent character developement and plot twists that emotionally wraps the reader. What I liked best is that her books are not predictable. You'll never know what she would put upon you next. Young Abigail Martin is a headstrong, determined, feisty and tomboyish woman who loves to call Rocky Bluffs, Colorado her home. She meets aristocratic and sophisticated Montgomery Farrel from South Carolina who stirs the romantic fires in her heart. So dashing the hopes of her long-time childhood friend Blake McConnel, Abbie sets her cap for the handsome gentleman. Little did she know that Monte had a pledge to fulfill, a pledge that will forever change the relationship between her and Monte. Abbie must learn to let things work out to God's timing instead of her own. Through devastation, murder and the terror of being kidnapped by ruthless outlaws, Abbie grows up to become a changed young woman as she surrenders her destiny and fate to God. Monte will learn also the grace of God and that all things work out good together for those who love God. Though the book is a bit boring in the beginning but you must read on because there is descriptions of the lovely Colorado plains and rugged mountains, the people who struggled to make a living there, the Indians in the Post-Civil War era. I definitely recommend reading this book and the series if you have enjoyed first Kristen's DIAMOND OF THE ROCKIES and Twilight. I am looking forward to reading and enjoying her latest book, A Rush of Wings.

This book is VERY basic. I learned pretty much everything the book told me by doing my own research on digital camcorders, buying one (the JVC GR-D70U), and installing and running Pinnacle Studio 8. The book would not have helped me with my camcorder purchase decision, nor does its constant references to doing tasks running Windows XP help (since I use Windows 2000). I was also put off by the author's obvious bias toward Microsoft products. I realize this is a Microsoft Press book and some of that should be expected, but I've read other Microsoft Press books that were not nearly this bad. Ultimately, it's a lightweight read and a Microsoft marketing tool.

Whether you want to learn how to record better video tape, copy VHS tape to a DVD or view home movies on your handheld, you'll find lots of useful information in this book. It's clearly written with well thought-out examples and tips.

i take videos, tons of them and i can honestly say that "faster smarter digital video" by jason dunn has helped me get better results on what i've needed to do. if you have a video camera and have been putting off doing something with all that footage, this is a great book to get going quickly...makes a great holiday present as well. nice work jason!

James Dunn has done a masterful job of portraying the range of beliefs within first century Christianity. The earliest Christians were not a monolithic group who had an official doctrinal statement such as those we find in today's denominations. However, the one central characteristic which gave unity to the term "Christian" was the belief in the continuity between the earthly Jesus of Nazareth and the exalted Christ who was raised from the dead.

In regards to first century Christianity, Dunn examines the different confessions used in reference to Jesus (Son of Man, Messiah, Lord, Son of God). He examines the various ways in which the Old Testament was used or not used. He also covers diversity in worship, sacraments, religious experience, and christology. All of these areas and others demonstrate Dunn's thesis - which is that there was a tremendous amount of diversity accepted within the New Testament churches.

He then examines different segments of Christianity - Jewish, Hellenistic, Apocalyptic, and Early catholic. Within each of these categories he reviews what the dividing line was between acceptability and heresy. For example, Jewish Christianity became heretical if it "persisted in clinging to a limited view of Jesus and his role". The Ebionites were an example of this. As mentioned earlier, the dividing line in each area was in how Jesus was perceived.

One area of disagreement I have with Dunn is in how he overstates his case in some ways by being too simplistic. For example, he seems to treat each New Testament book as if it were a complete summary of the beliefs of the writer of that particular book. This often gives a skewed perspective on things. We know this by examining Paul's letters. If we only had 1 Thessalonians, then we would have a much different perspective on Paul than we do by comparing all seven (or more) of his letters. In the same way, I don't think we can claim as much as Dunn does in regards to the writers of such books as Hebrews, James, Matthew, and others. However, this doesn't detract from the fact that this is a highly informative book which accomplishes its task of showing how diverse Christianity was in the first century.

For the pensive and discerning reader, struggling through Professor Dunn's compact and rich text can be as significant an event, as reading Luther's "Introduction to Romans" turned out to be for Wesley. Certainly for those of us who attended traditional, conservative and orthodox Christian seminaries, this text can be an eye-opener. Similarly, for the laity whose spiritual guides graduated from such seminaries, this book can be liberating.

Contrary to what many of us learned in seminary (and others have simply assumed through denominational hubris), Dr. Dunn goes to great lengths to demonstrate -- from the canon of the New Testament, itself -- that there is no historically-mandated, one, proper way to be a Christian. Bishops and Church Councils may declare what they wish to declare, but often those declarations are simply not supported by the experience of the earliest Christians, as recorded in the New Testament. In one, bold move Professor Dunn minimizes both the teaching magisterium of Rome, and the most confrontive claims of the Protestant traditions.

Quoting extensively from Scripture, Professor Dunn demonstrates that: (1) there was not one expression of the Gospel, but several within the earliest Christian communities; (2) the confessional formulae and their settings for proclamation varied; (3) that the concept and structure of ministry varied widely among the earliest Christians; (4) that the structure and practice of worship was not unified; (5) that different Christian communities experienced the Spirit of the living God in different ways; and (6) that while all of the early Christian communities were unified by centering their lives and proclamations around the risen Christ, all of the early Christian communities did not understand the risen Christ in the same way. In short, Professor Dunn shows us that the earliest Christians were unified in their devotion to the risen Christ, but greatly diverse in the way that they experienced his presence among them, and told his story to the world.

Living in an era when denominational antagonisms are too often glossed over by a thin veneer of polite ecumenicity, reading Professor Dunn's book can be a humbling experience. Buy two copies of this book: one for yourself, and one for your least favorite, pompous member of the clergy

James Dunn's book, Unity and Diversity in the New Testament, is his endeavor to demonstrate the unity and diversity of first-century Christianity. He extends back into the New Testament to inquire whether we can speak of orthodoxy and heresy in early Christianity. He attempts to answer the question, "Was there a unifying strand in earliest Christianity which identifies it as Christian?" (page 6).

The book is divided into to main sections. In the first part, Dunn attempts to find the unifying strand in earliest Christianity, locating it in the " affirmation of the identity of the man Jesus with the risen Lord" (page 227). In this first part, Dunn examines the major kerygmata of the New Testament (of Jesus, Paul, Acts, John, Dunn seems to favor John), the primitive confessional formula (Dunn feels that early faith could be reduced to slogans), the role of tradition, the use of the Old Testament, the ideas of ministry, patterns of worship, sacraments, Spirit and experience, and Christology. Dunn shows a unity, Jesus, in each area he examined, while simultaneously illustrating the diversity of belief and practice.

In second part of the book investigates the diversity in early Christianity, with emphases on Jewish, Hellenistic, Apocalyptic Christianity, and Early Catholicism. Dunn shows that the center of unity here also exists in Jesus, "The unifying element was the unity between the historical Jesus and the exalted Christ" (page 369). He demonstrates that the early Christians accepted a wide range of beliefs and practices provided only that a connection to the human and exalted Jesus was established. This was all that orthodoxy embodied for early Christians, "there is no single normative form of Christianity in the first century" (page 373).

Dunn concludes the book with a chapter on "The Authority of the New Testament." Here he examines the diverse New Testament canon's role for Christians today. He makes a good suggestion that the canon limits the acceptable diversity of Christianity.

What first impressed me about this book was the breadth and at times depth of the material covered. Dunn has selected a wide range of topics to cover, it is a good collection of important issues with very good bibliographical references. Examples of sections that I found helpful are 16.1 "The role of tradition within Judaism," and 22 "Jewish Exegesis in the Time of Jesus," (page 82). These two sections contain good definitions and comparisons of Midrash, Halakah, Haggadah, Targum, and Pesher. The data presented in Section Two on the early sects was also excellent, I like the case for pre-gnostic thought existing in the first century.

In 9,"Jesus is the Son of Man," (page 35) Dunn argues that the Son of Man title grew out of a conviction of the early church, and was a distinctive theology in early Christianity. The expression also occurs in three Jewish apocalyptic works, Daniel, 2 Esdras, and 1 Enoch, although there it is applied to non-human or superhuman figures. The term also appears in some Qumran texts. There is much more debate on the titular use of Son of Man then Dunn gives credit. It's lack of use by Paul is may have been due to its awkwardness in Greek (it works better in Aramaic), and not necessarily a divergent Christology.

The title Son of God (page 45) is found in Dead Sea Scrolls, 4QDanA, and is mentioned by Dunn. The siglum 4Q246 also contains Son of the Most High. Dunn states that the title "came to full flower within the widening mission of Hellenistic Jewish Christianity." If this titles appear in the Qumran texts, wouldn't they have closer ties with Palestinian Jewish Christianity?

Dunn presents his arguments well, and I coincide with him on most issues and with his conclusion. It is one of the better books I have read in New Testament studies, I found all of it interesting. I still feel that in the end I have been short changed with Dunn's findings. Intuitively, I feel there should have been more unifying the early Christians. By claiming Jesus alone to be the unifying force is a not far removed from claiming all early Christians believed in Christ, and therefore shared a common name.

I wrote a review for Sugar Roses (a book I said is OUTSTANDING) and they've put that review onto this book as well (Sugar Flowers for All Seasons). I've noticed they duplicated the reviews from others too. I have not looked Sugar Flowers for All Seasons so I can't say one way or the other if it's any good, (although considering the author, it's probably great).

It was nice to see a book with more than just roses and by more than one artist. There are some neat ideas with good instructions. I have only been making sugar flowers for about 7 years and was glad to see a few new ideas.

This book is not only EXQUISITE to look at, but very detailed in its instruction. Since it is mainly roses, you get more varieties, which I find a tremendous bonus, since most cakes only display your basic white, red or pink rose. The book is separated into luxurious flower arrangements (that highlight a certain variety of rose) and the following pages tell you in detail how to create that rose, the other plants in the arrangement, and to assemble. All of the pages, including the ones of directions, are in lush full color photographs, and laid out as beautifully as the incomparable flower arrangements. Worth EVERY penny.

I got this book to not only help me, but to help my sons teachers understand some of the complexities of Aspergers. It is a great reference for teachers, professionals, and parents.

If you have a child with Asperger Syndrome and have found yourself explaining over and over again why s/he gets agitated over seemingly innocent smells and noises. If you get dirty looks from people who think your child is just naughty and out of control because they cover their ears, plug their noses and try to escape when they get sensory overload, then this is the book for you. Not only does it give you the words to explain what is happening to your child to others, it gives your child the words for how he is feeling himself. I have seriously considered making a card much like page ii in the introduction that is a picture of the boy with the various signs for his sensory problems. A big eared cartoon next to his ear that says, "Overly senstive to loud noises" ; a fuzzy bristled looking character representing the tactile sense that says "Has difficulty with hair washing and brushing." In one page it explains the entire problem with pictures. In addition the book gives really good ideas about what to do about the sensory issues. Very practical book. Definetely a must have in your Asperer library.

This book is packed with hundreds of ideas to help children with AS survive in a neurotypical world. It explains sensory issues in a user-friendly way and provides a blue print for helping individuals with AS!