I will be married in six months, and I was getting tired of looking at all of the wedding books available that dealt with the nitty gritty of planning, picking out flowers, sites, photographers, etc. This book is wonderfully refreshing to read, as it reminds the reader not to become too bogged down with the 'show' of a wedding and remember why a couple should get married in the first place. The delightfully sarcastic humor is just what a harried bride and groom need.

I really liked this book. In fact, I read it twice because it was so fun to read. And most wedding books are not particularly fun, either. The Wedding Survival Guide was great for keeping perspective and a sense of humor at a time when things are getting a bit overwhelming and it has a lot of extremely helpful information - which I actually read and retained because the book was so engaging. The photos and their captions are especially amusing, too.

This book tells everything you need to know in an easy to read, hilarious format. Unlike other wedding books that tend to take themselves too seriously, this book gets the pertinent information across in a manner that makes you WANT to read it.

My fiance particularly liked the section on ring buying.

Perry keeps the focus on WHY you are getting married, to be together forever. He downplays the keeping up with the Jones which is so prevelant in marriages these days. However, if you want to go all out, he'll tell you who, traditionally, pays for what!

A must have book!

In "Divorce is a Mitzvah" Rabbi Perry Netter takes the reader through a Jewish perspective of divorce. A mitzvah is defined as a response to the voice of God that commands us to behave in a particular way. While Jewish scholars have many writings on the importance and symbolic significance of marriage and being an ideal couple, there is a dearth of writings concerning divorce.

Rabbi Netter tackles this problem and many of the hardest questions of divorce. Chapters include: "Why is this happening to me?", "Is divorce Kosher?", "What do I do with all this anger?", "How do we tell the kids?", "How do I get to closure?", and "How do we continue to raise children together?". All this is done from an understanding and compassionate position within the Jewish belief system. The book is a highly recommended read for Jewish readers seeking answers on the question of divorce.

For anyone considering a divorce, for those in the throes of one, or for
those still recovering from one, the title of Netter's book alone will
lighten your burden--Divorce is a Mitzvah, A Practical Guide to Finding
Wholeness and Holiness When Your Marriage Dies. In the book, Netter tells
us what Judaism has to say about divorce. He also discusses the related
topics of love, marriage, anger, and loneliness, using stories from the
Torah to make his points. But as anyone who has ever read a Torah passage
will attest, virtually every word can have multiple translations--or at
least nuances--and this rabbi, a divorced man himself, tends to put a spin
on these tales that can salve the souls of the divorced.

"I wish I had read Divorce Is A Mitzvah when I was going through my divorce. Not only would it have given me much-needed moral support but it might have helped to dramatically reduce the levels of anger and recrimination between my soon-to-be ex-husband and myself. I have read other Jewish books on the subject of divorce but none are as loving, caring and helpful as this one; Netter is a human being speaking to other human beings. In addition to offering sage advice, he really does manage to fulfill his aim of ending "the silence in the Jewish world about divorce, and in a small way, help to alleviate much of the unnecessary pain and suffering that seem to be so much a par tof hte ontemporary divorce." This book should be required reading for all couples because the device that it gives and the divine clarity that it sheds will only help them deal even better with their existing marriages -- let alone if they have to come to the sad solution of divorce." ... reviewed in the Jerusalem Post, November 20, 2002

In 1968, a full year before the Stonewall Riots that began the historic start of the gay liberation movement in the United States, a young gay minister started a church that would change the lives of countless gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and straight people throughout the world. Meeting with just 12 people in his living room, Reverend Troy Perry began a ministry of hope and healing that continues to this day to more than 300 congregations in 19 different nations.

This incredible book, written by Reverend Troy Perry, founder of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, and co-authored by Thomas Swicegood, details the early life of both Reverend Perry and UFMCC. Rather than simply a chronological retelling of the histories, the book is divided into individual themes: Reverend Perry's childhood, his struggles to accept his homosexuality, the history of women in the MCC churches, international outreach of the denomination, the impact of AIDS on the denomination, and other topics.

My favorite chapters involve the struggles of the early congregations. So many of us who have come to MCC in the past 10 years aren't aware of what the early congregations endured. Some of the more horrific stories involve arson of MCC churches, murder of church members, rejection of the congregations by their local communities, and in one case, an actual cross burning on the grounds of the MCC in Houston, Texas. But within the stories of horror are stories of hope, courage, and a love of God that stands pure and true.

I am unable to complete this review without offering a personal testimony to what this denomination, and this man means to me. For many years I too thought that God couldn't love me because I was gay, but one Sunday in February of 1996 I was taken to Covenant Metropolitan Community Church in Birmingham Alabama by two friends who thought I needed to see what MCC was all about. Reverend Perry was preaching that day in honor of Covenant MCC's 15 year anniversary, and when he told the congregation, "I want you all to turn to each other and say, 'You're in the right place,' " tears began to flow from my eyes. I knew that I had found a home and that God loved me after all. Recently Reverend Perry was once again at our church to help us celebrate our 20th anniversary, and I was able to thank him for what he and MCC have done for me and my relationship with God. The tears flowed again, and I wasn't ashamed of a single one of them.

Reverend Perry is one of the most sincere, loving, and genuine Christians you'll ever meet, and I urge you to purchase this book even if you're not a member of an MCC congregation. You will encounter a man who is not a saint, but an ordinary person who has trusted God to give him the strengths and talents to do God's will and make a difference in people's lives.

I discovered this book by accident in an Edinburgh book shop in 1993. I had no active interest in religion at that time but for some reason I felt compelled to buy it. I "devoured" the book in 24 hours and have re-read it several times since.

The book is an honest and inspiring account of Rev Perry's life and the circumstances surrounding the formation of the Metropolitan Community Church. As well as his own testimony, we are treated to the stories of many other people who have helped made MCC what it is in the 19 countries world-wide where its congregations (now over 300 in number) minister.

Two years later I helped found MCC in Edinburgh, Scotland as a result of reading this book. No other book as had such a direct impact on my day to day life.

Even if you are not religious, this book will gave you an insight on the striggles of lesbian and gay people of faith within a Christian church which has often closed its ears to Christ's message of inclusivity and hope.

I first read this book in 1992. I was going to school in Florence, Alabama and I drove 70 miles one-way to Huntsville, Alabama to a gay/lesbian bookstore. I read that book in one afternoon. It brought tears of joy to my eyes and my heart was deeply touched at the courage of Rev. Troy Perry He is an inspiration to all gay/lesbian people everywhere.Words just cannot describe how I feel.

Here's what you do when you can't find your shoe is an incredible book! Andrea Perry is an incredible author as well! she was my typing teacher when i was in 5th and 6th grades and her book reflects here personality incredibly! she is funny and fun to be around! Her book is very good for children! I hope there's more on the way Mrs. Perry!

Andrea Perry is an incredibly talented and creative poet. She has tapped into the interests, concerns and humor common to all children with this book.

My son roared with laughter, begging me to re-read many of Ms. Perry's clever poems. He especially loved "Veggies Be Gone", a hilarious ode to the hatred of all things green and leafy.

Alan Snow's wonderful illustrations captivate the reader. They bring Ms. Perry's words to even more vibrant, vivid life.

I would highly recommend this book for any child, or anyone who has been a child. It delights readers of all ages.

Andrea Perry certainly creates a wonderful world with words. With zany solutions to everyday problems, she brings adults and kids into a place where the answer makes us all smile.

Each time you read it, something new reveals itself. The cleverness is endless. Alan Snow acheives the same with elaborate illustrations.

My kid audience can't hear these stories enough, nor can I read them enough!

This is a fantastic book to be enjoyed by EVERYONE!

I found the character Chloe relatable along with Luke for that is where I find myself. Trying to find where I fit in the scheme of things and needing to rely on God to help me sort everything out. Sometimes you have to go home to find out your true place in the world. The book also helped to make one appreciate family and the pushing and proding they do in your life for you know they love you and care.

Chloe Caldwell's family wants her married. When she pretends that she is dating Luke Hunter she doesn't think their will be problems. When she gets an invite for both of them to visit home she thinks, "No big deal. I'll tell them he's busy." Then Luke shows up with TWO tickets home. Now, she has to pretend with her family all around. The Caldwell family has been in a fued for years between her dad and her uncle. Chloe and Luke set out to see what started the whole problem. Meanwhile Luke is there under different reasons. He's looking up some land to build on. See what happens in "Hunter's Bride"

I am not even finished with this yet, but I am on Ch. 7, and it is BY FAR, the best love story I have ever read. Believe me, I have read my share of love stories!

This book is so realistic, amusing, and everything packed into this one book that makes you want to read it forever.

Oh, and by the way, the best pages so far are 109 & 110.

I can't wait to finish this book!

Truman Capote combines a real life event and all of the components of a novel into one beautiful and emotional thriller that keeps the reader on the edge of their seats. By his use of the suspense, Truman electrifies the atmosphere and keeps the emotional roller coaster at mach three. Gruesome detail leaves the reader feeling as if he had witnessed the crime in first person. Although Capote could have pictured the murder at the very beginning of the book, he continually switching back and forth between the narrator and the different characters. By giving the narrator omnicient abilities the reader is able to probe into the mind of a maniac. This also gives the reader a sense of fright and unsettlement, the likes of which are only known when watching "Psycho." Capote takes on an entirely different and untested writing style in "In Cold Blood." He calls his new style the "non-fiction novel." By writing about a real life murder in novel form, Truman achieves in making the hair on the back of the readers neck stand on end and not lay down for days after the completion of the book. I believe that everyone should read this book. First for the sheer blood curdling entertainment and second for the great and almost frightening writing style that includes ever so colorful language and such suspense that will leave the reader screaming into the book to tell him what happened that faitful night.

After reading In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, the formerly obscure vision of "natural born killers" is finally illuminated by their own words. To paraphrase Perry Smith, the killer of the Clutter family, somebody had to pay for all of the cruelty he had suffered during his life, even though these people were completely unknown to him, innocent of any wrongdoing, and admirable from every point of view.

The book chronicles the crime of Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, who, acting upon information provided by one of Hickock's former fellow inmates, drive off to Kansas to pursue the contents of one Mr. Herbert Clutter's alleged home safe. Mr. Herbert Clutter, an immensely successful and humble Kansas farmer, and his wife, teen-aged son and daughter are spending a typical quiet Saturday evening at home. After the family retires for the evening, Perry Smith and Richard Hickock walk into the house to make their big score. Upon discovering that there is no safe and precious little cash at the Clutter residence, Smith and Hickock systematically murder each member of the family. Each of the victims is tied up and shot in the head. So ends the lives of a fine, decent American family and so begins the examination of the crime in the seamless, highly readable account by Truman Capote.

Truman Capote takes the reader with the murderers on their long journey to the hangman's noose in the most intelligent manner of any crime writer to date. He doesn't leave anything out of the events and lives of the murderers and yet there is nothing superfluous or gratuitous about the account.

In Cold Blood is quite a departure from Breakfast at Tiffany's, to say the least, but for anyone who has read Answered Prayers, it is easy to look back with that good old twenty-twenty hindsight to see that Truman Capote never shrinks from an unpleasant topic. He, in fact, embraces it with his customary gusto and stylish restraint. However, In Cold Blood, presents the reader with an array of issues to ponder and inspiration to learn more about the trial. Mr. Capote addresses the possibility that the two killers were denied a fair trial since the venue of the trial was right in the heart of the region where the Clutter family were known and loved by so many. There was serious questioning about the competency of the prosecution and defense attorneys, the impartiality of the judge. All kinds of good stuff to chew on, to this day, if you are a hard-core advocate of the rights of the incarcerated self-confessed murderer. There is also some rather toothsome stuff for those who fervently believe in capital punishment (but would be content with plain old punishment) in cases such as O.J. Simpson. There is a twisted form of satisfaction, a faintly amusing irony, to be derived from the notion that Perry Smith and Richard Hickock paid with their lives for the future celebrated murderers who got off Scot-free. I wonder how Perry Smith would feel about that? Could his twisted sense of justice make any sense of that concept?

In Cold Blood is deftly written to leave the determinations of the outcome of the case to the reader. It would have been so easy for Truman Capote to slide in his own sentiments about the case but he stuck to excellence in writing, in reportage, and creating another one of those "can't put it down" books of my summer of 1999.

You won't be able to put this book down, and when you're done with it, you'll sit for awhile, deep in reflection of the journey you've just made.

This is a peek into the life of a very productive quilter and it adds so much more depth of enjoyment knowing the person who designed the patterns and the life she led.
The patterns are so stylish for the period and readily adapt to todays fabrics as well.
Every time I page through this book I feel as though I'm getting a hug of encouragement from all of our quilting ancestors.
You will enjoy the pictures, patterns and story.

An absolute treasure! Inspiring. Delightful reading and well-drafted patterns to use. A must for your quilt library.

This is a superb book for anyone interested in American quilts of the 20th century. I was intrigued to discover that Marie Webster's designs, introduced to the public as early as 1912, were the originals from which "traditional" quilt patterns of the 1920's and 1930's were derived. These include the sunbonnets (gentle here, not saccharine), the poppy applique, and the medallion floral appliques. Also, it was an eye-opener to see Webster's dogwood and sunflower designs, extremely close variants of which were popularized years later by a manufacturer of quilt batting. The photography is excellent, and the book is printed on beautiful heavy-stock paper. The essays (written by Webster's grand-daughter) are joyful and respectful and a pleasure to read. The book includes patterns for 12 of the quilts shown. I can hardly wait to get started with my needle.

I agree with reviewer Dan E. Moldea who suggests that the film studios will line up behind this one. It's a wonderfully crafted story which makes you feel you are inside the story. Kudos to author Mark Perry. He is a wonderfully talented story teller.

Lift Up Thy Voice is a compelling tale of two sisters that will inspire young women to speak up and fight for what they believe. This book recounts the significant, yet often ignored role women played in the abolition of slavery. But beyond the facts of history I enjoyed reading the more personal story of the sisters and the effect their strong beliefs had on their personal lives. Even today having strong feminist views is not without its consequences, but these women spoke out at a time when women belonged their fathers and then to their husbands, rarely to themselves. Mark Perry has written an excellent and comprehensive history of this family and I would recommend it to readers interested in women's history as well as African American history.

Mark Perry follows his important last book on the Civil War with this gem about two remarkable American families, one black and the other white. The only remaining question is: Which Hollywood studio will get the film rights? Perry is quickly becoming one of America's best storytellers.

Dr. Bruce Perry, former collaborator, more recently biographer of Malcolm X, searched for decades after Malcolm X died for more speeches and interviews by Malcolm X. He spent years tracking down the man who had the tapes that led to this book, finding him in the rain forest jungles of Guyana, and being able to interview him while the revolutionary government of Marice Bishop still ruled Grenada. He knew Pathfinder would publish them, because Pathfinder was the publisher Malcolm X chose while he was alive to publish his work, because they believe in Malcolm X's words because they are Malcolm's.
There are three sections, two speeches given before Malcolm split from the Nation of Islam from January and February 1963, two interviews from december 1964, and the last two speeches we have in full, one he gave February 15, 1965 and another he gave the next day. Malcolm X was murdered on February 21, 1965.
You can judge for yourself how Malcolm X grew and changed.l One thing, it wasn't to become someone just into peace and love and non-violence and all sorts of silly things that people say, but that Malcolm X never was into. I just leave you with the contrast in titles. The titles of the 1963 speeches are "Twenty million Black people in a political, economic, and mental prison" anmd "America's gravest crisis since the civil war," rooted in the problems of Black people in America. The speeches given in the last week of his life speak of the world: :There's a world wide revolution going on" and L:Not just an American problem, but a world problem."

This book has all of the themes that Malcolm spoke about during the last year of his life. He patiently explains over and over that the U.S. government is not and can't be "ours", not without a revolution : it is theirs, it belongs to the superrich
( mostly -white ) man. He calls this system " the power structure" or, most scientifically of all, then and now, "Western, or American, imperialism". He speaks of the need for Blacks in "America" to be proud of their African roots;
the need to become and to stay politically independent of the twin parties of capitalist racism; of women's equality and dignity - that's right ; it's one of the main reasons he broke from the Nation of Islam - and he speaks of the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Cuban revolutions as examples to emulate HERE. Above all he teaches you , of whatever color , creed ,or sex , to start with the standpoint that most of the people in the world are your potential allies and what is called " America" - the U.S. government and the Yanqui Empire - is your and my deadly enemy. Anti-capitalist and pro-socialist, this is not the Malcolm of biographers, or movie directors, or other "interpreters" - it is Malcolm X speaking for himself, putting forward a line of march relevant to every fighter for meaningful social change today, tomorrow, and beyond.

If your view of Malcolm X is from the Spike Lee movie, reading this book and the other books of speeches from his last year "Malcolm X: The Final Speeches" will turn your head around. Malcolm is depicted as a purely humanist, apolitical person, after his trip to Mecca who simply loved everyone. The speeches and interviews from his last year show him as an increasingly political person who was working with Cuban, Congolese, Algerian revolutionists and with revolutionary socialists in the United States to fight for African liberation and against the growing US War in Indochina. Moreover, Malcolm's speeches from this year also document the reactionary and corrupt practices of the Nation of Islam under Elijah Muhammad and its terror campaign against Malcolm and anyone else who dissent. He had held back from this, but he needed to do this to expose the threats against himself and his family.
As in his other speeches and interviews Malcolm speaks in a voice with lots of practical school-of-hard-knocks knowledge and reasoning, in a soul stirring, voice, with lots of wit as well as wisdom thrown in.

Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy

This is the real Who; the Rock'n Roll years when they wrote disposable hits that lasted all the way to the next one, a few weeks later. They just happened to be some of the greatest tunes ever written and MBBB is the account of how they came to be.

Author John Perry was one of the most elegant Rock'n Roll guitarists, and it shows. He knows his stuff; how the group set about producing its sounds, the history of the Who's management (surely one of the more colourful in the business) and he has viewed unique early material in the BBC's archives.

This is a great story, a cracking read and you earn a lot on the way.

Excellent book, and very funny. Most Who books are so serious. Not a all like The Who I know. The chapter on 'I'm a Boy', and the stuff about Zeppelin, I couldn't stop laughing.

Dave Marsh's 'Before I Get Old' is very thorough, but it's a bit dry. You can tell Meaty, Beaty, Big & Bouncy is written by a musician by the way the author conveys the feel of the music.

Tells you more about Townshend's best song than any other book I've come across.

Great pictures too.

A thoroughly well researched, entertaining and witty look into the madcap world of the Who and their rather fine music...buy this book now, or your life shall feel empty.