If God's words are the "meat and potatoes" of life - then Nancy's books (more specifically 'The Fingerprints of God') are the icing on the cake! It would be very easy to devour her books in a single sitting, but I try to slowly savor each heartfelt chapter. Nancy's words touch my soul to the very core, she writes the thoughts I so often have inside. By the end of the book, you will probably feel like you've made a new friend. This book could be used as a daily devotional, but I dare you to sit down and just read one chapter!! When you feel as though God has maybe deserted you, pick up this book and feel renewed that just as He has heard Nancy, He will hear you too.

When you read this book it is easy to imagine yourself sitting in a loveseat with legs curled underneath, listening to a good friend tell you about her life. Laughing or crying, you reach for the tissue box a few times. You notice someone else's presence in that cozy room. He whispers, "Come to me, you who are weary and I will give you rest." You snuggle down into the loveseat. Your soul resonates with Nancy's stories. They are different, yet so much like your own. You think, "Ah, that is what God was doing then. I didn't see it until now." In Nancy Hoag's book, "The Fingerprints of God: Seeing His Hand in the Unexpected" you will read another woman's story of trials, courage, repentance, hope, kindness and grace. And, between the lines you will see and rejoice in God's fingerprints -- all over your life.

Have you ever doubted whether God really intervenes in the day to day activities of our lives? I know I have. When I read God's Handprints in the Unexpected my faith soared--I laughed, cried, and rejoiced that some have eyes to see God's handprints in daily life. This book will encourage and strengthen your faith. Easy to read--use as a devotional--or sit down with a cup of coffee and get ready to meet a new friend in author, Nancy Hoag. Great gift!!!

My wife told me this was a wonderful book, but as an attorney who prefers traditional novels to modern legal thrillers, I had my doubts. Turns out she was right (as usual). I loved it. Although the protagonist is a lawyer, and the book offers plenty of suspense and intrigue, it is definitely not the legal thriller I expected. I'm not quite sure how to classify Dead Hand Control -- except to say it is a first-rate work in the tradition of the great American novel.
The book was entertaining from the first page, but once I got acquainted with the characters, it became irresistible. Russell White, the main character, is someone with whom I (and many of my colleagues) can identify. That's not necessarily a flattering comparison. Although Russell shows flashes of brilliance and great courage, he is at times controlling, myopic and self serving. But he is a familiar and completely understandable personality, which is what makes his story so compelling. Standing in stark contrast to Russell is his long-suffering wife Ellen. They produce a disabled son, Graham, who is the most admirable - and ultimately surprising - character in the book. The story revolves around Russell's desire to mold his son into the attorney's concept of a perfect person. This turns out to be a tough task for a less-than-perfect role model. Along the way, Russell must fight off kidnappers, murderers, and his own private demons. He is aided by his best friend/sidekick Johnny Murphy, an irrepressible and hilarious former Navy commando.
I don't have much time for reading fiction, and this book monopolized far more than its fair share of my free hours. But guilt notwithstanding, I have to admit I actually read it again - something I never do. In my eagerness to learn the fate of Russell and his family, I raced through much of it the first time. I needed another reading to digest the layers and nuances written into the book.
If I were to pen a novel, Dead Hand Control is the kind I'd want to write. That's about the highest praise I can give any book.

A juicy cover-to-cover read that definitely has a little something for everyone...sex, drugs, crime, human drama and a peek into the high-society life of big firm San Diego lawyers. Even though the book has all of these elements, it seemed to be different from the typical "legal thrillers" that I've read. For starters, one of the main characters is a gutsy kid with a physical disability. I can't remember ever reading a book featuring someone with limb differences as a central character. The book is a step in the right direction as far as portraying handicapped people in a strong, positive light. I can't wait to see this on the big screen!

This book is outstanding and keeps your attention throughout. I could not put it down once I started to read it. It is about an overcontrolling lawyer, however, the book is not all about the courtroom and legal issues. If you are not familiar with the law and lawyers it will not be a problem because it doesn't go into great legal depth. It really focuses on the main character's life and how he controls his family and others surrounding him. This is one of the best books I have read in a long time and it is thoroughly enjoyable easy reading.

I use this book as a desk reference every time I quilt. Everything she covers in her machine quilting seminar is covered in the book. I have a new appreciation for the skill and knowledge needed to master machine quilting. Thank you Harriet!

Even if we use a sewing machine to piece the quilt we are left with the daunting task of hand quilting the layers together. There is a solution to this problem and the book "Heirloom Machine Quilting" contains the guidance you need. Using easy to understand instructions it covers every tiny step you need to take from setting up your machine to the final binding.

Learning to machine quilt is not an overnight process. You can learn some basic techniques like stitching "in the ditch" quickly enough and you will find the detailed instructions on this simple procedure to be invaluable. But the true challenge and joy of machine quilting comes when you learn "free motion quilting". So many possibilities are open to you when you can follow your favorite stencil patterns or even create your own freestyle movements to fill in an area. The first key to making "free motion quilting" work is to set up your machine correctly with help from the book. Then you are ready to practice, practice, practice. Be sure to read all the tips provided and try the exercises that Hargrave suggests.

The book includes several beautiful full page pictures showing how a variety of quilts have been machine quilted. You will be amazed how machine quilting can give the look of the original handwork. Don't let the beauty and detail of these quilts scare you away. You can have a wonderful time machine quilting on a far simpler level. Just keep on quilting and perhaps some day you will be ready to take on a quilt much like the ones pictured.

Harriet Hargrave writes as if she is looking over your shoulder watching you work. This is an easy and entertaining read, packed with practical information on threads (I didn't realize it was possible to choose a thread stronger than my fabric!), needles, grain direction, quilt assembly, binding, etc. I am a beginning quilter, and learned a great deal of beginning information from this book. Harriet even addresses how to package or bundle a quilt you plan to machine quilt, so that it is easier to handle and unfolds as you work.

There are beautiful photographs of antique and contemporary machine quilted quilts for inspiration. There is an excellent section on how to modify quilting patterns for machine quilting.

A side note is that Harriet is one of few quilting authors who addresses the ergonomic needs of the quilter and sewer, with more suggestions about worktable height, chair types, back support, and support for the quilt "package".

This is just a great book, and spiral bound too!

"Aghora At the left hand of God" is a book I would surly recommend for anyone on the spiritual journey. I feel it is necessary to be open minded and trust divine intuition. The portrait of Aghori Vimalananda's life is very straight to the point, and may make one's lacking in faith a bit frightened. Or on the flip side, it may just be the divine spark needed to ignite the spirit of faith within you. If you trust, "that still small voice within", and your guru you will be able to gain great inspiration and perspective from this wonderful book. Anyone, who knows anything about eastern philosophy can relate and grow from Aghora. It will take you through realities not many were meant to know about, at least not until the moment of death maybe.

Jai Jai Sri Sri Mata Amritandamayi!

This book is truly outstanding. It is like Autobiography of a Yogi but goes far beyond what the beginning seeker needs to hear. It covers all facets of life and discusses spirits and many other celestial beings and their activities. Robert Svoboda has established his credibility with his intelligent and well written books on Ayurveda and Jyotish. I highly recommend this book to anyone fascinated by the spiritual realms.

This is one of the most profound and sensational books I've ever read. It brings to light the "dark side" or the "left hand", so to speak, and illumines us as to how the "dark side" is as valid a part of God and Creation as the "bright side" is. It describes the journeys of the Tantric adept Aghori Vimalananda through realms of existence far removed from the mundane world, and hidden from most of us. Reading this book (and the other two in this series) can cause a radical change in the concepts we've formed about the universe, God, life, death and everything.

Vimalananda is the pen-name of a great Aghori master (his real name is not revealed for very good reasons), who had the privilege (or rather the grace obtained because of his past karma) to meet some of the greatest masters of all times and achieve phenomenal spiritual growth through the grace of Smashan Tara, the Great Goddess of the burning grounds. The chapters on "Ma" and "Shakti" describe the motherhood of God so wonderfully that one cannot help but fall in love with the Divine Mother in spite of her frightening disposition. The chapter on Mentors describes the eternal Guru-disciple relationship and also brings to light some of the very devious ways adopted by Gurus to test their disciples, among many other things. The chapter on Aghora brings illumines us as to how even the "forbidden" substances such as meat, alcohol, tobacco, drugs and such can be used to accelerate spiritual progress if used in a proper way along with the guidance of a Guru. The chapter on Avishkar is all about possessions, whether it's by a low-level spirit or by a high-level deity, and after reading this chapter, you would (hopefully) no longer be misled by people claiming to be incarnations of deities, since the mechanics of possession would become clearer to you.

The chapter on spirits is absolutely sensational. The astral world consists of many realms, and different types of spirits live in different realms based on their karmic qualification and level of evolution. Many people seem to think that they can extract work from the spirits and achieve whatever they want, without realizing that it can drag them into a dangerous trap, if they do not have an adept Guru to protect them. Considerable information is given on different types of spirits along with their descriptions, in the bright as well as the dark realms. It's a very objective account that brings to light various types of spirit contact, along with their pros and cons, and also tries to show how we can cultivate friendship with even the lowest forms of spirits and take advantage of it for attaining spiritual progress.

The chapter on sex is the longest and perhaps the most illuminating, and I have no words to talk about it....you must read it for yourself....it brings to light some of the deepest mysteries of sex, relationships, marriage and such never heard of before!

A word of caution though: If you are a purist with black-and-white standards, then you may find the information presented here to be very disturbing, so it might behoove you to stay clear from this book. But if you're a truth seeker who desires to discover the reality behind this mysterious cosmos, then this book is certainly for you.

This book packs real power and can cause a permanent change in your life and your very approach towards it.

May the Cosmic Mother bless you!

I bought this book years ago in hardcover. I'm happy to say that I had the foresight to cover it with plastic since I refer to this book more than any other astrology book that I own and now, more than 20 years later, my copy is still in good condition. I have an entire shelf filled with astrology books, probably in the area 400+ books. I've been an astrologer for over 30 years and my highest recommendation goes to Planets in Transits. In 1980 I had the opportunity to hear Robert Hand at an astrology conference. He talked about how he wrote Planets in Transit and he said that at the time of the writing, he had a transit of Neptune going over his Sun. He jokingly said, "I don't even remember writing this book." Surely, with Neptune transiting over his Sun, he was blessedly inspired. For all new and intermediate students, this is the one to have on your shelf.

With all the nonsense written about astrology it's good to have a reliable book to explain the daily influences in your horoscope. Put down the newspaper. Put down the book that claims to tell you about your day based simply on your Sun sign. Those things are completely worthless. I was once fired on my supposed lucky day in one of those magazines. The newspaper and magazine daily horoscopes have given astrology a bad name.

Planets In Transit by Robert Hand is the real thing, the kind of book Sir Isaac Newton would have approved when he defended his belief in astrology to Halley (of Halley's comet fame) by saying - I have looked into the subject, Mr Halley, and you haven't.

This book is not for novices. You have to know the fundamentals of astrology to use it. You have to know what transiting Mars trine natal Venus means in astronomical terms before Robert Hand can explain it to you in astrological terms. You also need your chart and an ephemeris. If you don't have these things and don't know what I'm talking about, pick up a basic primer in astrology before graduating to Planets In Transit. I recommended the book to my astrology students when I taught an adult education course.

Although this book is written in a format of an astrological cook-book, the text is excellent and this makes it an absolute astrological BIBLE! Robert Hand has done it again! As usual, this book also confirms his in-depth knowledge of the stars and his original insight. Well-written and easy to read - a must for every serious student of astrology.

I am fortunate that my local library has this book, but I dread the day someone steals it and pays the "lost book" fee just to add it to their collection. :( I look in every used book store I come across, hoping that _Principles of Knitting_ will be on sale. So far, no such luck. If you have a question about knitting, this should be the first book you reach for on your shelf. Unfortunately, due to it being out of print, that is impossible for most us.

Please, please re-print Principles of Knitting and bring joy to knitters everywhere! :)

I was so disappointed to find this book was out-of-print! Being a novice knitter, I'd been checking out my library's knitting books to find THE one to buy. This was it! I learned how to do the two-handed method of fair isle knitting from the wonderful drawings which are also accompanied by clear written instructions. Not only that, the author covers yarn types (magnified photos of fibers) and knitting needles in detail. I had to return this book to the library before exploring more but it seems that the breadth and depth of this book is unmatched. Simon and Schuster SHOULD definitely reprint this--a zShop seller offers this book for (...) as I write this!

I have never had a knitting question that this book cannot answer. I have the library's copy checked out more often than not. I would love for this book to be reprinted!

Thane Rosenbaum was my professor at Fordham Law School. If you cannot spare three years and $80,000 for a legal education to get a full semester-long exposure to the unique viewpoint of this gifted iconoclast - this book may be the next best thing. His voice resonates with a deep understanding of the evil that men can do but a great hope for the power of redemption and love. The book reveals - in a story which blends humor, anguish and elloquent prose (in perfect proportions) the depths of human and emotional complexity - and the amazing perspective that Thane represents. Read this book.

Thane Rosenbaum has accomplished a rare feat with Second Hand Smoke. He has managed to weave a magical fable out of the ashes and bones of a real world tragedy in a way that entrances the reader without compromising the true horror of history. Make no mistake, this book is not a dry Holocaust memoir or a grim and sorrowful tale--it is a comic-tragic mystery and suspense story filled with rich hot-blooded life, spirit and humor. It unfolds in precise and elegant prose that never once becomes pedantic or scolding--Rosenbaum tells his story with a poets ear and a surgeons eye. His creation of character, time and place are intentionally writ large- and this is what makes reading Second Hand Smoke a literary joy as well as a revelatory insight into the strange, amazing and disturbing ways of human survival. Rosenbaum is a heroic writer tackling a heroic challenge--and with this book has emerged triumphant.

If you never read another book, you must read this novel. No, it's not about the tobacco industry; it's a post-Holocaust story, funny and gut-wrenching. It addresses the question: is it possible for survivors to have any kind of "normal" life?

For Rosenbaum's characters, the answer is a resounding "no." Told from the son's point of view, the story begins with Duncan Katz's bris in Miami Beach, where his parents--the survivors-- have settled. You will love Morty the Mohel who never misses an opportunity to rail against the god he doesn't believe in. Mother Mila, who becomes the mascot/mentor of the Jewish mafia,cajoles her son to move faster, as he grows up, through all the karate colors. Then it's taekwondo and kickboxing. To hon his skills, she drops him off in rough neighborhoods, a move which even her mob friends question.

The Katz mindset & lifestyle make perfect sense if you are a Holocaust survivor, but you wouldn't want to grow up in their home.

You will want to read this book again.

This was the required textbook in a Web Graphics class at college. I agree with the reviewer below that there's a little too much advertising for lynda.com, but I like the way she writes instructions for the exercises (very simple, but without insulting your intelligence). I learned a lot about Photoshop and Image Ready. It's really not a "beginner's" book, as she makes clear (of which I still consider myself at this point). Also, the exercises are fun and informative.

First, I really liked this book. It is easy to read, easy to use, well-designed, etc. Second, this book emphasizes web design graphics. If you are looking for a generalist book on Photoshop this isn't the book for you -- it is almost entirely geared toward web application, and most of the book diverts attention toward the aspects of web graphics processing that are addressed by Imageready and replicated in Photoshop 5.5. It is pretty much the standard stuff you need to know how to do to make the programs work. If you're slightly beyond beginner level like me, it does a good job of wrapping up loose ends and putting away some worrisome details by giving clear details. The author has a very easy-going narrative style but she also gets her point across in ways that are not highly technical. The book also includes useful tables and templates. Sure you could make these yourself...after you cut your nails, and take out the trash, and feed the hamster, and oh, watch TV... In other words, it also provides you stuff you will find really useful in understanding or using these programs that you will NEVER get around to putting together until you really understand this stuff at which time you won't need it anymore. The design of the book is quite beautiful and everything is in full color. There is no "filler" like you find in other so-called Bibles where the images are displayed and don't serve any purpose. The CD tutorials are easy to find, on-the-mark and don't waste your time with bloat. The downside to the book is, in my opinion, it should have a chapter or two on a few advanced methods, so intermediates have a place to go. Is it worth the price? Given that the CD actually has a purpose in life and the amount of time it will save you fiddling around these two programs on your own, yes. But if you can get it on sale...

With so many books to choose from, and many of them so expensive, it's hard to know which book to choose. This book got me working with Photoshop and Image Ready right away. Lynda gets straight to the point and explains real issues involved in web graphics. I was not a novice to HTML, but I had no idea where to get started with Photoshop. Here's a rough layout:

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Interface (intro to toolbars, shortcuts, tools, etc. I started feeling less overwhelmed here.)

Chapter 3. Color Management (excellent because the book helps you format colors specific for web output)

Chapter 4. Optimization (Tedious, but probably most valuable chapter. Techniques that really decrease download time)

Chapter 5. Web Color (Another tedious chapter, but helpful. Lynda includes a swatch on the CD Rom that is organized by hue, value, and saturation. I thought the swatch alone was worth the price!)

Chapter 6. Type (Finally got to the fun stuff. Fonts, styles, effects, etc.)

Chapter 7. Background images (Another informative chapter)

Chapter 8. Transparent GIFs

Chapter 9. Image Maps (I thought I wouldn't use them; she made it easy!)

Chapter 10. Slicing (Best chapter in the book!)

Chapter 11. Rollovers

Chapter 12. Animated GIFs (Really good information, too.)

Chapter 13. Automation

Chapter 14. Importing/Exporting (GoLive, Dreamweaver, Illustrator QuickTime brief topics)

Chapter 15. Troubleshooting FAQ

About the negative criticism . . .Lynda is a teacher. She operates a teaching institute. I've heard a lot of students say their teachers were "full of themselves" throughout college because they had knowledge about a topic. I was neither offended or distracted by her references to lynda.com. Her exercises are brief and focused. It is the way I like to learn.

I would love to gush over this book and give it a five star rating, but I cannot. Before I purchased this book I had zero knowledge of Dreamweaver MX. Using this book and the included files on the CD-ROM I successfully created a website using Dreamweaver MX. I followed the lessons and used the files and I created a website. My problem is that even though I now have a slight understanding of the program, building my own site is still a slight mystery. When the book told me to open a file, or import a graphic I did. What I don't know how to do is prepare my own graphics and files to import into my own site. That is most probably outside the scope of this book, so my rating may be a little unfair. A page near the front saying, "If you are a complete beginner you will also need...." whatever they used to prepare their graphics. Otherwise the book is very well written and easy to follow. I highly recommend Lynda.com books and training CDs.

I've just finished this book couple of minutes ago. I'm really glad to buy this book.

I do programming in HTML,Java Script,C++, Java, ASP, and soon CFM. I tried many books about web deveplopment&design(dreamweaver,flash,photoshop,cold fusion,etc,...). The other books had way too many jargon words, or way too many examples without real explanations.

This book starts with the basics and walks you through all the fundamentals you need to know about dreamweavermx.It's easy to read and follow. You have the questions, they got the answers.

After I went through the first 6 Chapters of this book, I ordered FlashMX Hands-On-Training and Photoshop7/ImageReady Hands-On-Training. Thank you Garo,Abigail, and Lynda for this book and the rest of H.O.T series

Dreamweaver MX Hands-On Training is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone wishing to learn Dreamweaver MX. The book is intended for beginners and intermediates.

The explanations are clear and easy to understand. The many screen shots are invaluable. The exercises were developed to naturally flow. Doing an exercise in the previous chapter assists with the following chapters.

The CD includes all the software, files, and images needed to learn Dreamwaver and secondly, to build a great web site.

The website that you build by following the exercises in this book is amazing! The website one builds is one model of what an excellent website looks like.

I originally wanted to purchase the TeachYouself Visually book but I'm glad I purchased this book instead.

The authors are definitely effective teachers who know their material.

This book gets off to an odd start with the switch of the narrator. I understand why it was done, but you don't know who the narrator is until a few pages in. However, once you get used to the fact that Tegid is narrating, it's a deep read with rich descriptions and an activity that bounces you all over, which can be distracting.

It's an interesting book about the right of kings and of sovereignty. What exactly does a king mean to the people, the land or to himself? I think that this is a question that bothers Llew throughout the book. The answer isn't clearly defined, and you see the destined king stumble, but the pondering of the question is a valuable task.

That said, I would say that there is a lack of depth to the plot. You know that everything is supposed to come out right at the end. Things that should be difficult to accomplish are dispatched with ease. However, I enjoyed this book and will pick up the 3rd book in the series to finish it off.

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. The whole trilogy is a great story that is really hard to keep your mind off of. The characters and the plot is well thought out and the essence of the battles and good vs evil is almost overbearing at times. Lawhead has great description, and describes each scene well. If you like a book that will stretch your imagination with celtic culture and mythology this is a great series to read!

Seldom do I read a trilogy I truly enjoy where I don't want to start the third book. The beginning of the third book leads to the end of the trilogy and this isn't the "Never Ending Story". Llew, the misplaced warrior, grows to meet his destiny. One wonders if the land will die before he finds it. Plenty of loose ends to entice you to read the third of the series, but you would want to anyway. Mythical, mystical and heroic, this is well worth the read.