Richard Ellis has recently published a new book which at present is only available through UK distributors. You can find it at Amazon.co[m].uk

The new Title 'Reiki And The Seven Chakras' offers us a unique perspective of the practice of Reiki by drawing on the authors personal experiences and conclusions coupled with an in depth step by step journey through the seven chakras.

Highly recommended

for more information go to www.practicalreiki.com

This book is a beaurifully written resource about the practice of Reiki, an energy healing method. I recommend it to any one who is interested in alternatives to traditional Western medical practice.

As a student Reiki, I was referred to this book. As a now Reiki Master, I recommend it to students, or anyone wishing to understand this great Universal Healing Energy that we all have. It has short chapters, that are in depth, with illustrations. It is not the end of all of Reiki knowledge, but Richard Ellis has packed as much as he should have into this easily transportable book. It is sturdy, and has flaps, built into the book, at either end for bookmarking. A great tool for Reiki Masters, and an easy to understand book for newcomers to Reiki.

Ellis Cose has written brilliantly with regard to the American Dilemma. This is without a doubt his best work. Cose has interviews with successful African-American men and women, including lawyers and corporate executives. What comes forth is a searing indictment of our society, and a warning with regard to (as James Baldwin wrote more than a generation ago) "the fire next time".

A central theme of the work makes clear that regardless of the rate of one's acknowledges material success; racial prejudice remains one of if not the most pervasive and oppressing impacts on the lives of people of color in this society.

"What is there to be angry about?", one may ask. Our President enjoys the benefits which have flowed to him solely due to his Father's success at Yale. At the same time, he decries as "unfair" a Law School's use of race to assist in determining which members of this generation will get to enjoy the same benefit. One person is unabashed about his ability to enjoy the blessings of an accident of birth. Another is challenged and denigrated for the temerity of seeking a corner of the same benefit.

Sometimes, seeing someone else explain the problem makes it not necessarily easier to deal with, but easier to understand (I guess in some way that leads to being easier to deal with). Often as I read this, I thought "yeah".

If the "privileged class", those who by virtually every yardstick appear to be "making it" (and have the most invested in this society) have this much rage, the feeling which is pervasive throughout much of the throughout the rest of Black America is something which must be resolved.

Anyone who thinks that we have got this problem of race in America solved ought to read this book.

Since the first term of the Reagan administration, tacit resentment of Affirmative Action initiatives has been replaced by unequivocated vocal opposition lead by white males who feel they are hapless victims of 'reverse discrimination.' While it is ludicrous to have expected the vestigal effects of centuries of institutionalized subjugation and prejudicial practices could be displaced by any combination of legislation, enlightened multicultural ideologies and enhanced educational opportunities in less than one generation, the arguments against continuation of structured programs to advance minority access, most prevalently in employment, housing and education have also inferred a degree of perplexity in the white community as to why so many middle class blacks are dissatisfied. The pseudo-displaced white male is expeditious in disaffirming any personal connectivity to the legacy of slavery while in the same breath, adamantly professing all blacks are denigrated by the actions of a small percentage who may behave in an antisocial manner, but failing to grasp the inconsistency in the contrasting positions. The *disaffected* white fails to understand why upper class and middle class blacks, ostensibly the socio-economic groups that most benefited from equal opportunity legislation enacted from the mid-fifties forward is discontented. THE RAGE OF A PRIVILEGED CLASS is an important work in the effort to eludicate a multipicity of issues black professionals are obliged to confront without sanctuary each and every day. With unrestricted clarity, the author, journalist Ellis Cose delineates exactly why so many relatively successful black professionals still feel a degree of disaffectedness, often in proportions exceeding similar expressions of disenchantment voiced by the so-called black underclass.

Though based predominantly on anecdotal examples provided by a limited range of corporate professionals, jurists, academicians and journalists, Mr. Cose clearly indicates why progress in narrowing the racial chasm has been largely superficial. In case after case, respondents point out the multifaceted stress factors that eventually present themselves to any black american in a presumptively integrated environment. In the preponderance of occurrences, the respondent was also the sole representation of organizational diversity. For nearly all, Affirmative Action has served as a double-edged sword, facilitating entry unto the perimeters of previously closed circles of influence but encumbered with the stigma of second class consideration, irrespective of exemplary individual achievement and competency. The incumbent can never rest assured evaluation of one's capability will be based on personal performance nor is there any assurance one will be allowed to perform under the unbiased tenets of a meritocracy. Concerted efforts toward assimilation are no panacea either, typically failing to generate the aspired result while tending to alienate the aspirant from his or her ethnic base, and fostering perjorative expressions of disdain among racial peers.

Over centuries, black americans have manifested an indefatigible optimism in the belief egalitarianism and deontological rectitude would compel the white community to adhere the principles of equality and equitable treatment of all peoples regardless of race or ethnicity only to experience rejection or worse, condescension, at every entreaty. In this poignant but incisive account Mr. Cose refuses to allow his personal subjectiveness overwhelm journalistic impartiality. He addresses all of the classic cliches and stereotypes endemic to conservatives and reactionaries...and liberals, who endeavor to reverse whatever minimal advancements have been achieved primarily over the last forty years. It is significant that the majority of current promulgations like the vituperative polemics of "scholars" such Michael Levin (WHY RACE MATTERS) are categorically refuted although this book was published well before most of them. In his text, Mr. Cose has emphasized the fact that in large part the justifications espoused to support insidious interpretations of racial diversity are not new ideas, discoveries, or materially factual, simply reformulations of venerable trivalities that will not accept a quiet death.

I also found it mildly intriguing that 100 years after W.E.B. Dubois submitted his premise the elites of black society had a responsibility to marshall the course of racial advancement, we now find influential political leaders like former Senator Moynihan proselytizing the doctrine as their own, attempting to impose accountability on the black middle class, but assiduously avoiding any personal population group responsibility for action.

I read this book about a year after it first came out, but returned to it today after reading a New York Times Magazine piece on how Citigroup CEO Sandy Weill made it to the top. The reason the article made me pull Cose's book out of my bookcase again was because over and over again it described traits in Weill that experience taught me, and Cose's book confirmed would have resulted in the end of his career if he had been an Afro-American male: brash self-confidence; the tendency to explode in tirades at associates then at subordinates but make up with them with no dire effect on his career progress; a love of taking risks, etc. My own experience in the world of corporate journalism had long ago taught me that if an Afro-American male expects to survive in the corporate world, the last thing he better be is a brash, self-confident, risk taker (that will automatically get him labeled as arrogant), or a person who shows any sign of a temper (he'll be accused of an inability to get along with others or work in a team).

And Cose's book is filled with interviews and observations from Afro-Americans in banking, law, etc. who describe the destruction or paralysis of their careers for the same reason I left corporate journalism. All of this coupled with the lack of access to the level of capital some of our Caucasian counterparts get access to (Weill started on his road to becoming a man worth over $1 billion today by borrowing $30,000 from his mother in 1960 as his share in helping launch a financial services firm; $30,000 in 1960 is probably the same as at least $100,000 in 2000; and how many Afro-Americans can go to mommy or daddy for that kind of money?), makes for an intractablility to the Afro-American predicament that is rarely recognized in the on-going and exhausted study of the effects of race in this culture.

Add to this the preconcieved notion in corporate America that Afro-Americans simply aren't intelligent enough to handle "real work" as the subjects of Cose's book point out over and over again, and it makes a person wonder how an Afro-American can ever acheive his full potential. The insidious and subtle compromises we have to make in virtually all fields except basketball, rap, and football, are so daunting that I am now convinced that it is EXTREMEMLY DIFFICULT for any Afro-American to make a major mark in this culture and also escape major psychological damage.

The pity is that Cose's book is not treated as perhaps the most crucial examination now in published book form of the issue of why Afro-Americans have problems in this culture even after being provided the best educational opportunities. Indeed I had experience with some rather well-known neoconservatives who dismissed this book because Cose talked to, among others, personal friends in compiling his observations. That anyone would qualify that as a reason to dismiss his findings indicates the depth of the dissonance on this subject between intelligent Afro-Americans and a lot of allegedly intelligent and respected Caucasians. Which doesn't bode well for the future of race relations. Unfortunately, as a previous reviewer noted, the people who have read and will continue to read this book are principally the people who already know the extent to which it is telling the truth about life for even the most ambitious, intelligent, hard-working Afro-Americans.

I have read "See Naples and Die" with admitted prejudice. That prejudice is rooted in the fact my father, like Bob Ellis, served in the 10th Mountain Division. Like Ellis he too was a machine gun operator and served in the same campaign in Italy. Although my father, like Ellis, was never given to braggadocio "war stories" what he did share with me and what I learned therefrom has allowed me to read and comprehend Ellis' memoirs keenly.

The manner, in which Ellis has written and shared his experiences, is a lasting tribute in itself. The fact that he has taken the additional step of sharing his diary and personal letters is priceless and without selfishness.

Having the opportunity to compare what Ellis has written against the reminisces of what my father told me is no less than incredible to me. The parallels are uncanny and events, as related by both parties, validators of each. This includes but is not limited to training at Camps Hale and Swift, transport onboard the USS West Point (SS America), and the brutal combat in Italy. The author and my narrator never met and were widely dispersed in the 10th having served in different regiments. Incredibly their stories are the same.

"See Naples and Die" now has its permanent place in my personal library alongside the only other book I own relating to the 10th - the Army's official publication circa 1946 entitled "History of the 87th Mountain Infantry (10th Mtn. Div.) Italy 1945."

As one who served both as an enlisted man and an officer in the US Army in Korea and is a student of 20th century history, I consider "See Naples and Die: . . ." to be on of the most authentic memoirs of a combat veteran's experience in World War II. It is well told with sharp observations that put veterans back in touch with their own half-forgotten experiences.

It is a great read for World War II history buffs and any others who are interested in the life and times of the "greatest generation" during that difficult period in our nation's history.

This book is a World War II memoir of a young man who served in the US Army's famed 10th Mountain Division--from rugged training in the Colorado Rockies to the bloody combat in the rugged Italian mountains. The story, told primarily through the eyes of Ellis, the young soldier--as recaptured in the many letters he sent home during his service--is fleshed out with details from other sopurces, as well as wry observations by the author.

The book provides an excellent picture of the nature of combat, particularly in mountainous terrain. The reader will come away with a much better understanding of World War II after finishing this book.

This book can serve as a great endtable book with itslarge-page (12.5" x 9") format and accurate paintings of avariety of sharks by R. Ellis, but this book is more than that.

The book has excellent illustrations, paintings, and photographs, and biographies of several prominent shark researchers, conservationists, and shark-hunters. But more importantly, this book does a good job of summarizing aspects of the biology, ecology, and evolution of this amazing and intruiging group of animals.

Is this "the" definitive shark book? I would say that's a safe statement for the non-technical crowd. The only thing it needs to keep the technical crowd happy is a comprehensive list of references to scientific literature that was used to provide the information detailed in the book.

If you are interested in marine life, and in the lives and times of this group of top predators, then this book is for you.

Top marks, even though some of the information is becoming somewhat dated.

Mr Ellis has written the most informative, detailed book on every species of shark there is. Anything you want to know about sharks is in this book. I have read many shark books and myself and my husband are shark lovers and we believe this book is superb. Definitely recommendable.

When i was a kid growing up, sharks were (and still are) the greatest thing on earth. This book was the first book i ever read about sharks, although back then all i did was look at the pictures. I own the book still, and now that i am older, i know that is is one of the most thorough, and thought prevoking books dealing with this subject. It is a worthy entry in any shark lovers collection

Dr. John Rickford Ph.D (1997, Feb. 28) Dept of Linguistics, Stanford University

I recieved Domino, and was impressed both by the book and the tape. It was enjoyable for my wife Angela and I--the similarities with so many songs we knew growing up in Guyana were so striking, especially for Angela. (As your photos show, these clap patterns and circle songs are more popular with girls than boys.) For instance, for "Brown Girl in the Ring," we sing, "There's a Colored girl in the ring, etc" and end with "She likes sugar, and I like plum!"

WRT the "Congo Saw" proverb on page 22--I'm pretty sure this is the same as the "Conguseh" we have in Guyana, meaning "gossip," so the proverb really means that gossip is worse, more harmful than working obeah. See the entry for _congosa_ in Allsopp's wonderful, just released _Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage_ (Oxford U Press).

Also, the wording for Mother Goose on page 39 seemed to us perhaps to be "Come look a me ya" ("Come look at me here") but it wasn't so clear. This is a wonderful achievement, Karen, and the kids must have LOVED the attention and interest you showed in them and their songs. I bet they missed you when you left.

Come-All-Ye, Vol. II No. 2, Summer 1990 A Review Journal for publications in the fields of Folklore, American Studies, Social History and Popular Culture. "It is a thoroughly delightful compilation, of interest to folklorists, teachers and everybody else can enjoy it."

"An oversized paperback and 35 minute cassette provides a unique opportunity to absorb the culture and sounds of an area which has received relatively little attention. More than just another ethnic song collection, the tape alone holds merit, the paperback/tape package is recommended above each singly: the book is an essential enhancement to the tape, offering a political and cultural review of the Virgin Islands, teaching advice to teachers who may be considering the tape and workbook for classroom use, and illustrated musical instructions and score sheets for the tape's songs. The small black and white photos of the children at play are particularly intriguing."

Jim Cox Midwest Book Review

'I was a bad man once. I hate to think about the terrible things I did. It makes me sick. But you gave me another chance. Dear Father, use me to offer another chance to this strange fellow.' (The Healing Place, pg. 1, Joe C. Ellis).

Even in the most unlikely places, evil can lurk. But where ground is sacred and consecrated as holy, God is present. When doubts arise and it seems there is no hope, when our past sins rise up to haunt us, there is always a place we can go. This is The Healing Place, Elijah Mulligan's place of refuge, where he goes to meet with God.

The Healing Place is set in the beautiful Appalachian hills of Eastern Ohio in the town of Martins Ferry. Scotch Ridge Church and the legendary monument known as The Chair, in its adjoining graveyard, are factual sites in this community.

Ellis weaves the eerie superstitions of three twelve year-olds and The Chair with the diabolical notions of a young man, Nathan Kyler. Kyler's own life is corrupted by a past that haunts him and the only one who recognizes the truth of his warped mind is Elijah Mulligan.

Elijah has experienced God's healing power numerous times, but nothing prepares him for the ultimate evil encounter that brings to surface uncertainties about love, past sins and a life he just can't seem to let go of. His friendship with the three kids mixed with the love he is reluctant to accept from a widow named Annie, offer a balance to the thrills of eerie suspense. The Healing Place is a must for the person who enjoys sitting on the edge of their seat, only to be eased back with a touch of romance, then to be completely thrown as tales of love, evil and everlasting healing unfold in a most unpredictable way.

I couldn't put it down. This story kept me captive until I read it all. Ellis's style quickly captures the reader and keeps them hanging on until the finale. The setting in Eastern Ohio provided a touch of reality to the story line. (Especially "The Chair"!!)The spiritual emphasis provided me with with a sense of validation of God's promises amongst the trials of this life. Great writing. Looking forward for more!!!

Beautifully written - Joe Ellis is an artist who has been able to paint visual images with words throughout his story - with carefully drawn phrases, the reader is able to feel - the warmth of the sunshine - and an unexpected cobweb; smell - the sweet aroma of a spring flower garden - and the nauseating stench of decaying animals; and hear - the early morning Doxology of a choir of birds - and the terror only found in total silence in the dark

He draws the reader into Elijah Mulligan's soul before the end of the second paragraph of the book - and holds the entire story together as we follow/share in this gentle giant's wrestling with the forces of evil threatening his church and persons dear to him. Here is the blending of a love story, a tightly woven mystery, the pranks of three 12-year old friends, and the ever-present struggle of good and evil. All become a powerful vignette in the life of one small rural church, the Scotch Ridge Presbyterian Church, high on an Appalachian hill on the outskirts of a small Ohio town.

I enjoy this book more for the memories it brings me than the recipies. Both are good though. If you were a fan of the show you are sure to enjoy the book.

I really enjoy this cookbook, not just for its great recipes, but also the photos, quotes, and stories behind the recipes. The index is great because you can look up recipes by the character, or by the name of the recipe. And it even has a section for Thanksgiving, and a section for Christmas. Each recipe reminds me of the episode that it originated from, and it feels like I have a little piece of Cicely in my own home. The recipes are wonderful, and it's also a fun book to browse through and read little tidbits. A must-have for any fan of the show, it's quite a unique book.

This is the only cookbook I've ever read cover-to-cover, and I've read it three times. Some of the recipes get a little silly (Marylin Whirlwind's potatoes: 1. boil potatoes. 2. salt.) but some are fantastic, and the descriptions are hilarious. Whether you're a cook, a NX-junkie, or both, this book is definitely worth getting.

I've never read a romance novel before, but on a friend's suggest I read this one. It was brilliant. It had adventure, humour, and more...

When is a romance novel not just a romance novel? When it's Sand Pirates by Ellis Hoff! Though I am not a fan of contemporary romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this romp around the island of Sava with Petra, Frans, and the ever-so-foolish Clark. The exotic setting, well-defined characters, and snappy plot drive the novel merrily along its way to a satisfying conclusion. The author's unique "snapshot" style of writing allows the reader to absorb all points of view within the novel, and proves adept for building suspense and reader anticipation. The only thing that I didn't like about Sand Pirates is that it ended. Ah, but truly good things just can't last forever, now can they?

Sand Pirates was one of the best romance novels I have read in a long time. I am looking forward to Ms. Hoff's next book.

this book was great! i had to do a report at school about the holocaust and i chose this book to use as a reference. it was so touching and really made me think.

Rarely can you find such a book. Surely it is a great help for people who want to find information about the Holocaust, but even if you aren't planning to do so, it is indespensable. An amazing book that ,filled with suspense, narrates a true story by Livia Bitton Jackson, as she looks back on her horrifying past as a fourteen year old girl in the Second World War.

This memoir is so uplifting. If you are feeling a bit low and a bit sorry for yourself, I suggest you read ELLI. Then you can count your blessings. It makes you wonder how someone can live through such horror and still come through.

Readers should know that the facts which describe the Spanish immigrants mentioned in this book were actually taken from the stories of Pilar Mendez Bertomeu and Sally Mendez Selles, my grandmother and her sister. The sisters, so eloquently described as Eva and Juanita Quinones in this book, immigrated from Galicia, Spain, not Bilela. My grandmother always used to sing Munequita Linda to her grandchildren

The result of diligent research, intensive interviewing and careful editing, the "Ellis Island Interviews - In Their Own Words" is a historical treasure trove. In the tradition of Studs Turkel, editor Peter Morton Coan has compiled dozens of interviews depicting the Ellis Island immigration experience. In their own words, immigrants from all walks of life relate the stories of their passage, often providing information about the places they came from, what their trip to the United States was like, why the came, and where they went after leaving Ellis Island. Each story is different of course, but each has a common goal: the dream of a better life in America. Coan also includes interviews with Ellis Island employees and provides background information on U.S. immigration policies and Ellis Island operations to help orient the reader.

Coan's excellent research and editing of the interviews has yielded an invaluable resource of our country's immigration history. The stories are fascinating, and the guts and determination possessed by many of the immigrants are beyond admirable. Reading the "Ellis Island Interviews" is a touching and humbling experience - it will help you to better appreciate what those who came before you have endured. Ellis Island ceased to be an INS port in 1954, and almost all of those who came to the U.S. through Ellis Island are now very advanced in age - we have Coan to thank for preserving their stories for generations to come.

This is an incredible book for anyone interested in how their ancestors immigrated to America. It gives honest first hand accounts of people that are currently in their 80's - 100's. I would recommend this to anyone interested in learning more about their roots.