Reading good Christian books is a glorious pastime for me, however, I hesitate giving this book even this high of a rating. I only give it anything above a zero because the front cover is attractive. It is the most poorly written book I've read in years. Save yourself the time and money and buy something else. I would venture to say, don't even borrow it from your library. In my opinion, it is a waste of time and money. I gave the book a good chance; I kept reading it thinking it must get better. Finally I couldn't take it anymore. There are so many well written books. Buy those. Do yourself a favor and skip this one.

I'm a big Cindy Morgan fan and bought the book for that reason alone. (I figure, she can write good songs, why not a good book?) The experience of living in fear has only been a small portion of my 'life experience', but I did and do experience it to a degree. So this book was more of a healthy eye opener for me into the lives of people who battle with it on a more daily basis. (And I really enjoyed reading about one of my favorite female musicians.) It can help you too, whichever side of the wire you're on.

I enjoy Cindy Morgan's music and after reading the reviews of this book here on Amazon, I just had to get this book!

Cindy makes herself very vulnerable and transparent as she tells her story of her many fears, their possible origins, and how she came to terms with her fears. Cindy's mother was also a very fearful person and Cindy remembers her mother, unable to sleep, playing the piano and reading the Bible aloud in the middle of the night.

Cindy shares what she now sees as a compulsive, legalistic approach to reading the Bible. She felt she never measured up and she read Scripture out of duty and fear rather than out of a hunger for the Lord. Cindy lets you in on how she's worked towards resolving some of these issues, while admitting that she still struggles with these problems.

This book is not one of those "I had this problem, but now I learned this, and the problem is gone!". Cindy tells of a much more realistic situation and gives everyone who struggles with any of these issues a hope for a better tomorrow through Jesus Christ our Lord!

I admire Cindy for her honesty and candor. I also really enjoyed her writing style - her description of growing up in the eastern Tennessee mountains really helps the reader feel like they're there. I really enjoyed reading about her grandfather too.

Cindy Morgan is married to Sigmund Brouwer, who is the author of many Christian books (many are written for young boys - see coolreading.com). Cindy and Sigmund have a new baby girl named Olivia - God bless you, Cindy, Sigmund and Olivia!

Please check out my reviews of Christian books and music!

...but thats about it. I agree with previous reviews. As a veteran of Gingerbread I have been making houses for several years. I bought this book primarily for the pictures, which was pretty much all I got. This book is for experts in gingerbread to provide inspiration and new ingredient ideas. Those looking for a place to start should look elsewhere.

I always loved making gingerbread houses, but I wasn't all that good at it, and someone else always assembled the house. This book inspired me to try building my first house on my own. I can't wait to try out all the decorating ideas. I think this book is really good for beginners, like myself. I love how it gives you instructions, tips, and pictures to help you make your own. If you have any interest in gigerbread houses whatsoever, I strongly advise you to read it. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are clear, and it will have you hooked on gingerbread houses.

I had always wanted to make a gingerbread house but was afraid to try it. I do many different types of crafts but none where the item is made of just food. That seemed too daunting for me.
But when I recieved my copy of "Making Great Gingerbread Houses" my fears left. I read the whole book ( the side "tips" helped allot ) and proceeded to make my first Gingerbread House.
The photos and directions for asembling their "Basic House" were simple and made the process basicly mistake proof for me.
Their ideas for decorating along with photos of completed houses with differnt ideas for this helped me to realize that sometimes less is NOT more....at least when making gingerbread houses.
Even some of the more complicated houses became a possible future house for me to make once I read all of the information that they supplied with the photos.
With their information on " form real life to gingerbread" and their templates I understand the basics of gingerbread houses.

Inns, cottages,chaples,castles,villages and even a riverboat, you are only limited to your imagination.
And....the dough recipe makes for GREAT cookies.
I would recoment this book to nayone that wants to learn the ins and outs of gingerbread houses.

I enjoyed my 2nd reading of Mahoney..interesting story involving the Hero, Brian McKenna...his good relations with his department, NYPD..his dealings with the Brits, Iceland and the IRA..the interesting story of the cop gone bad(not McKenna)..the involvement of family of the victims and McKennas too...good informative stuff and easy to follow..The presentation of the Det from Iceland, Thor, was rather neat as well..the ending seemed kind of rushed but i liked it all things considered..i look forward to Mr. Mahoneys other work..

If you are a Brian McKenna fan, this is a must read, but be prepared to learn a lot about the Irish fighting in Belfast, Ireland. To me, while some of this information was important to the story, the excessive amount of information about Ireland did not move the book forward. I was beginning to feel he was being paid by the word for Ireland experiences.

Fortunately, this book is also set in New York and Iceland. To me this would have been a 5-star police procedural if it had taken place only in New York & Iceland.

Iceland's criminal justice system and its Chief Investigator are priceless. This information (scattered throughout) alone is worth reading the book.

Overall, I recommend you read this book if you like Police Procedurals or Dan Mahoney (McKenna) Books.

This book grabs your attention and doesn't let go for a week after you finish it. As a former Police Officer and someone who has been to Iceland and Northern Ireland I found this book to be very realistic in every sense. Brian McKenna is the type of guy you want to be your partner, your friend , and the cop who comes when you dial 911. He is Dan Mahoney's main character in all of his books, a NYPD Detective who in spite of past problems rises to the task of solving the toughest cases that come along. In this book he travels to Iceland to find a missing girl and ends up in a personal battle with the IRA's best bomb man. If you want a safe, predictable story then DO NOT buy this book. But if you want a gripping, realistic story of intrigue, with heartstopping action thrown in. Then get off your chair and go buy this book !

I expected a lot more from this book and the marvellous Ms. Llywelyn. Unfortunately, the characters are very one-dimensional. They either prematurely terminate, or fail to develop with any intensity as the "story" progresses.

....It is as fine a novel as any of Llywelyn or Scott's other work. While the characterization here is acutely archetypal, excusing it readily from Proustian descriptive depth, it is truly memorable. The dark goddess Pythia is absolutely Lovecraftian in her gross morbidity and utter vileness. Hero Horatius strides manfully from the literary gene pool that spawned Odysseus, David, Beowulf, and Superman. The sensuously depicted settings easily bring Dante and Milton to mind. This is masterful storytelling at its finest from two of contemporary fiction's best.

Although usually not a big fan of fantasy, I found this story to be exciting and almost impossible to put down. Ms. Llywelyn and Mr. Scott have done a superb job of writing with their descriptions of the netherworld, its dangers and pitfalls . The premise that Horatrim's ancestors bestow upon him the powers needed to overcome all odds and to defeat the powers of evil are certainly in keeping with the modern idea that we all inherit certain qualities from our forbearers. I hope that there will be a sequel to this book as I really want to know what happens to these characters in later life.

I lied. I do remember a tad of the information on Lilith, but that may just be a culmination of other things I've read on her, and not what was in the book.

This book presents itself to you: the smooth texture of the cover, the small/longish size, the riveting pictures. That's why I'm giving it three stars instead of two. It's an aesthetically pleasing book to read.

The book is filled with tidbit information: little sections on many things. The kind of stuff you read once and then forget. Oh, you'll probably hang onto a couple of things, but will you look at again? Remember it with fondness? Maybe.

If you're a collector of this genre it may be just your thing. But I prefer something more solid and encyclopedic to reference. Aesthetics only go so far.

As mentioned above, this book is very nice to look at. The myriad of paintings/engravings really draw the reader in. The writting isn't bad either; if you want an easy read on the subject, this is the book for you. Unfortunately, it wasn't the academic work I had hoped it would be. It was obvious that the authors were trying to appeal to a large audience. In their defense, however, the authors do appear to have done some extensive research, including devils/demons from the Asian and Middle Eastern cultures. I enjoyed this book and would encourage any "devil enthusiast" (if there is such a thing) to purchase it. For the price, it is a good deal.

Clear, lucid, and informative without being remotely ludicrous. This tiny book has a BEAUTIFUL cover, beautiful silver ornamentation and really terrific illustrations. The text is direct and smart. This book is especially important to me because I'm using it for a writing project and what I thought would turn out to be dull, hokey, and excessively serious reminds me that my project can be playful & fun.

The final sentences of John Morgan Wilson's Revision of Justice are Benjamin Justice's lament for the inevitable ending. "But life doesn't work like that, not even sometimes. I guess that's why they make movies." Unfortunately, those lines could apply to Wilson's novel, too, with a one-word substitution. Revision of Justice is no more realistic or lifelike than the typical Hollywood screenplay, so pat that at times it reads like one. For a series that began surprisingly strongly with Simple Justice, this is tragic.

Unfortunately, the difference between Simple and Revision is clear: in the first book, Wilson focused on character, introducing and developing Benjamin Justice as well as his world and his supporting cast. There, Wilson shone; he created a deeply flawed anti-hero who nonetheless could hold the loyalty of the reader and several stereotype characters (i.e., the grouchy editor with the heart of gold) that broke out of their mold. He also painted the world of West Hollywood vividly and clearly.

In Revision, however, Wilson leaves character development and shifts his focus to plot. That's where it all falls apart. Revision limps clumsily along a pre-ordained story arc, as though it had been created in a beginning writers' workshop. The meat of the mystery is clear from the first chapter, and the reader knows the solution in every detail by page 131 (first hardback edition). The rest of the book alternates between the agonizing wait for Justice to catch up - how many murders will it take? how many innocent people will he hurt in his quest for truth? - and an in-depth depiction of the entertainment industry, with a focus on screenwriting. In fact, large chunks of the this novel would be much more at home in a non-fiction book entitled "An Insider's Guide to Hollywood Screenwriting." Wilson clearly knows this world all too well. If only he had been able to draw the reader into it, as he did with WH in Simple, rather than dissecting it.

Even more painful is the careful alignment of resolutions, as Justice gets his chance to revise his past mistakes. He once abandoned a lover dying of AIDS. In Revision, he finds a guy who looks just like Jacques, the dead lover. Conveniently, this guy is also sick with AIDS, also dying, in a way that gives Justice a chance to replay his abandoment of Jacques, making the right choice this time around. Justice also once falsified a major story for the LA Times, dragging his editor down with him when he falls from grace. In Revision, Justice has the opportunity to pursue truth instead of lies and offer that same editor a major scoop. (It's the truth, this time.)

Second novels are always difficult, especially the second novel in a series. Wilson, despite all of his undeniable writing talent, has stumbled here. But so have a lot of good writers; many went on to better things. Let's hope that the third Justice mystery restores the series to its former glory.

I have to admit I haven't read the Benjamin Justice Mysteries in order. In fact, I read "Limits of Justice" first and have been backtracking. So I can honestly say this second mystery following "Simple Justice" is not my favorite. However, I really did enjoy the story because the author writes with a style that draws you in with a skill that makes you read right thru not wanting to stop till you get to the end. The story centers around a dead man, Raymond Farr, and how anyone at this Hollywood party might have wanted him dead. Justice begins to nose around and unearths a web of relationships, that finally lead him to the killer. I thought the story dealt very emotionally with Ben's feelings for AIDS stricken Danny Romero, a subject in the murder, and his effort to clear his name in the murder. The ending, yes, was a little obvious, and the murderer easy to figure out, but it's still an interesting read, and very enjoyable. I am glad I read this second mystery by John Wilson, and would recommend all four of his mysteries to anyone.

Wilson continues his Benjamin Justice series of detective novels with this dynamic second entry, set, of course, in Hollywood, among the world of rapacious, do-anything-for-a-break screenwriters, a world Wilson himself apparently knows well from experience.

A young, aspiring screenwriter with too many connections to too may important people with too many secrets is found murdered at a party in the posh home of a prominent screenwriting teacher. Justice, a once promising print reporter felled by scandal, is enlisted to help find the killer by his friend, a hotshot reporter named Alexandra Templeton. Justice agrees for financial reasons, but his heart is dragged into the search as well, as he is determined to clear his new friend Danny Romero of any suspicion of the crime. Danny is HIV positive, just like Ben's late lover Jacques, and Ben experiences a VERTIGO-like moment of déjà vu. (The love scene with Ben and Danny in the AIDS clinic, with Danny nearing death, is electrifying, touching, and erotic.)

If John M. Wilson/Benjamin Justice's Hollywood is any indication, there are practically no nice people in the American movie industry. There certainly aren't in this cast of characters. If someone's not busy clawing his way to the top (or even to the middle rung), then he is busy hiding some secret of a very shady past. The novel has the grime of raw ambition all over it, and chances are you won't find anybody here to whom you will relate. But that is all right. This is probably a more accurate representation of the Hollywood milieu than a lot of people would like to admit. Wilson does it very well. And his sense of character is sharp too. More and more I find myself thinking that Benjamin Justice may well be a more compelling character than Michael Nava's celebrated Henry Rios (and I wouldn't have thought that a few years ago). Justice is no Huggy Bear himself, but he's smart, sardonic, and funny, and he accepts his "loser" status with the stoicism of a wise man.

If one can cite faults here, it is the easiness with which one can guess the killer and Wilson's rather irritating habit of bashing white males and playing up the multicultural aspects of his own cast of characters; there's something in it that smacks of insincerity.

An excellent novel. Just don't go into it looking to be cheered up.

I came across this book at the local library and was intrigued by it's Walden like premise. The first half of the book, which dealt more with the building and moving to the cabin and talked about his earlier experiences in the woods, was fairly entertaining. The rest of the book was a chore to complete. It grew difficult to listen to this grown man whine and complain about his life: how he lost touch with his wife (it always seemed to be her fault), how work was interfering with his spirit, and how he shares his feelings (constantly) with his circle of friends. The chapters describing his experiences in nature in the second half of the book tended to be pedantic ("I did this. I saw that."). ."). Overall, I agree with the first reviewer. There are much better books to be read that cover these topics.

This book proved to be a major disappointment to me. There are far better modern day books on building a cabin in the woods and surviving (see Coming out of the Woods-Kaufman). There is Bryson's Walk in the Woods for humour and environmental insight. And as far as coming to terms with the ending of marriage grief ,stick to Heat-Moon's Blue Highways. What Brill accomplishes here is very little new ground and I don't think he has a very good way of saying it. The first 90% of this book is about how awful his wife is- reducing her to someone who dislikes him because he didn't provide her with a large home, big car and country club membership- hard to believe she would be that shallow. He wishes only to be with his kids during the good times and gets his best revelations at drunken Halloween parties. He selfishly builds a cabin in the woods and doesn't unserstand her aloofness. Maybe he should have asked her. Than after forty years he finds religion- just when its convient because he needs forgiveness. If Brill spent as much time talking and communicating with his wife and kids as much as he sits on the Rock Of Contemplation he might not have had to written this mess. This tale is too little naturalist story("We saw Foam flowers"): too one sided divorce tale( she stopped this, she did that) and too little on cabin life (I had to split the logs for the fire) to be helpful to anyone. The only thing keeping this from one star or less review is he does come to some realization of his transgressions in the end(while repairing a riding tractor no less a condescending sexist swipe at his wife again). Take my advice... read the books mentioned in the beginning of review first. If you've done that go outside and enjoy what you have learned from the masters and leave Brill to himself, I think he likes it that way.

Like many people, the idea of settling in the wooded mountains has always held a fascination to me. For that reason, I breezed through the book soon after it arrived and found it to be a fairly thorough summary of the author's experience. He recounts in some detail how he arrived at the decision to build, settling on a location, finding a builder and his excitement at seeing this hope realized. Many of us toy with the idea; he made it happen which I find immensely admirable. And I couldn't get enough of Brill's description of rural, East Tennessee!

That said, his frequent departures relaying the pain of his failed marriage gave the book a dismal tone that was, to me, a little tedious. To be fair, his divorce was obviously a monumental event, marking this season in his life and shaping his decision to retreat to the woods; it warrants more than just a fleeting reference, I suppose.

All in all, a very well-written and engaging book. Certainly worth reading. Four stars.

When one first approaches this book, one can't help but be drawn in by Ginsberg's knowing smile. His life experiences, loves, and tragedies can all be summed up within this book. However, the many monumental poems in this book("Things I Will Not Do", etc.) are spaced apart with lymerics, catchy tunes, and mostly toilet humor. When both reading about Ginsberg, and reviewing his earlier work, a person feels a sense of awe and wonder. A person begins to look upon the world with new eyes. However, I felt a little let down after reading this one. I just felt most of the poems to be far too juvenile, and this really detracts from the over all concept, and sentimentality of the book. I'd really consider this a "half-n'-half" book. Half was good, and half was not. If anyone is looking into this book for a first look into Ginsberg, I strongly advise you read his earlier stuff first.

Ginsberg happens to be the father of the beat generation, a generation that many dismiss. Ginsberg comes to understand death in the pages of political tongue lashing's and calling them out like a showdown at the "OK". Buy this book and understand a dying man's dream of innocent fame.
.....

I recommend this title to anyone who enjoys good poetry. There is something extremely "real" about Ginsberg, always has been, and he shows that realness in these last few poems before he died. "Things I Will Not Do," which was the last poem he wrote before dying, brings a tear to my eye almost every time I think about it. We could all hope to approach our ends with the kind of dignity that Ginsberg seems to have.

I've always enjoyed Joe Morgan as a baseball player and in the broadcast booth, but I was a bit leery about this book. I shouldn't have worried. Joe did an excellent job sharing his thoughts on what's wrong with Major League Baseball as well as what's right. I don't always agree with his opinions, but that's what makes the book interesting.

Pete Rose should read this book and take some of his former teammate's advice to heart. Joe's suggestions to Pete are not particularly new, but he's got insight into the man that many other commentators do not.

I definitely recommend this book for any baseball fan.

Joe Morgan is a thoughtful and intelligent commentator on baseball. It's apparent in his work for ESPN and, now, in his most recent book. While I do not agree with some of his views, i.e., his high opinion of Bud Selig or his touting of revenue sharing as the solution to all of baseball's economic woes, he argues his points thoroughly and rationally, unlike many so-called sports "authorities." My only reservation about the book comes from the fact that, as a former player,he tends to exonerate players and their union from any culpability in the game's current environment. However, his commentary on his former teammate, Pete Rose, should be mandatory reading for those with short memories about Rose's actions.

I picked up this book in the bargain bin at a bookstore (...). This is a book every serious fan should read. It's probably the best baseballl book I've ever read. Joe Morgan knows baseball. He should be the commissioner.

What happened to the four man rotation? Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame? What should the Lords of Baseball (excuse me Dick Young) do? Joe knows. Read this book. You'll know too.

The "story" has absolutely NOTHING to do with the synopsis that is written on the back cover. This has to be the most ridiculous, insulting drivel I have ever had the misfortune of reading. I am embarrased to say I spent money on it.

I've never read any books by this author before, but the back of this book intrigued me. It started out as a "normal" romance/adventure novel and about half way through the book turned very strange and almost like a fantasy novel. I don't recommend this book, or based on this would I buy anymore books by this author.

I liked the uniqueness of this book. She always writes with an emotional intensity and depth of characterization that completely involves me in her people. Every character has depth. No cardboard ones running around. The tension and page-turning quality of this book is top drawer. I don't want to give away the plot. But I urge anyone who likes adventure hooked up with romance to read this book. It's fantastic!