I think I have read more self help books than Bridget Jones, well at least we are on par.
This book is great. I've read it several times and wouldn't think of getting rid of it.

The book talks about the destructive circle of relationships, when I find myself caught up in that, I take out this book. Each time its helped me come back to reality and a more peaceful frame of mind.

In Trusting You are Loved, I received a rare gift. I felt fully acknowledged and validated for the tremendous amount of relationship work I have already done on behalf of experiencing love in my relationships AND it opened up a whole new horizon of possibility for me to continue to grow, and continuing to grow I am! I am very thankful!

I have read this book over and over again, sometimes in its entirety, sometimes in bits and pieces. My partner and I were fortunate enough to take the 2.5 day class called "Trusting you are Loved" in Dallas and it was a relationship saver! Imagine relationships without fear, distrust, anxiety and anger. This book makes it possible! I also learned that it isnt so much the relationship I have with him, but the one I have with myself that makes the biggest difference!

It has been said that the Mississippi Delta begins in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis. This evokes a hearty laugh or two. But Maude Schuyler Clay's Delta, this land of her black and white photograph collection, bears little humor at all.

Clay, the contributing photographer for The Oxford American (the nearly defunct glossy southern literary magazine) is a Sumner County, Mississippi, native. Back to the Delta to live and work after a decade in New York City, Clay combines landscapes, or the Delta flatscape, with the stark loneliness of the occasional roadside dog. Few humans don the pages of Delta Land.

Mississippi writer Lewis Nordan, a Delta native himself, writes a provocative and interpretive introduction to the book, one that is witty and piercing in its critical and story-like style.

The book's sepia-toned landscapes show the one constant in a region dominated for millennia by the mighty Mississippi River. That constant is erosion. Many of the photos recall decay and loss. Such is the depiction of the Tallahatchie Bridge of Billy Joe McAllister's jump to the depths below.

This coffee table book, a collection of minimalist and postmodern art, promises to deliver a true, honest, dispassionate and yet emphatic view of the Delta for all who read its words and view its pictorial depictions. The book, not far removed from the documentary eye of Walker Evans, is about memory and the hard, melancholic road that memory often takes us. I recommend it for all who love or long for the land it memorializes.

---------Reviewed by Dayne Sherman

Currenting residing in Germany (and England before that), I often think about the Mississippi in which I grew up with mixed emotions. Maude Schuyler Clay's stunning photographs, with their dark aesthetic, render visible some of the emotional landscapes and scenes that I visit occasionally in my dreams (which border on the nightmarish). Her photographs are, in my opinion, meditations on loss, on some truth of the past that slips irrevocably beyond grasp at the moment of its apperception. The artist shows us ash-covered, post-nuclear landscapes whose projection of annihilation is terrifyingly beautiful and profound. As Lewis Nordan's wonderfully written introduction points out, there are no pictures of cotton pickers in this collection of Mississippi images. The subject of these photos is far more interior and complex, inspiring reflection on the passage of time, memory, death, guilt, and the fragility of the human condition.

As a child of this place called the Delta, this was my world. This was home. Ms. Clay has captured it as it was in my childhood - and as it, to some extent, continues to be. The scenes she portrayed were classics. I may not have seen a particular church or bayou, but I have undoubtedly seen its twin. The black-and-white photographs add a timelessness that color could not. These photographs could have been made in the 50's as easily as the 90's. Much remains the same in the Delta today. Delta Land is a must for all who call this place home. Thanks, Ms. Clay. This book is what I was looking for - even though I didn't realize it until I first turned its pages.

This set collects together some of the more famous writings of C.S. Lewis, a man seemingly at ease talking philosophy, or just spinning fanciful yarns. Both are offered here for the reader's enjoyment.

THE ABOLITION OF MAN is a series of lectures on how, without a firm understanding of right and wrong, or plain old good and evil, humanity is destined to destroy itself.

THE GREAT DIVORCE is a lush phantasm about a spirit's journey to Heaven and what he sees and learns from the spirits there.

MERE CHRISTIANITY, what can I say about this brilliant study of the very core of what Christians believe and what the religion teaches. Just read it, it's beautiful.

Also included in the set are MIRACLES, THE PROBLEM WITH PAIN, and THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS.

I bought an older edition of these works, when the paperbacks were $3.95 and the overall set was $27.95 in U. S. currency. Its one of the best overall sets I have bought.

These books are central to understanding Lewis as a Christian writer, and especially as an apologist. Most people may know him from NARNIA or one of these volumes, and it is a good place for introduction into the mind and works of C. S. Lewis. All the classics are here, from SCREWTAPE and MERE CHRISTIANITY along with ABOLITION OF MAN and three other works, all of which range from profound (the majority) to beautiful (THE GREAT DIVORCE).

THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS are a series of letters written from one devil to another, and present a very interesting point of view not often heard.

THE GREAT DIVORCE explores the doctrine of love and how without free choice there would be no hell. You either say "Thy will be done," to God, or God says "Thy will be done" to you. Its yr choice. The framing device is a bus trip from hell to heaven.

THE PROBLEM OF PAIN deals with why would a benevolent and loving God include pain in his universe, and the theological ramifications that pain brings into any dicussion of God or religion. Especially interesting, although admittedly speculative, is the chapter on animal pain. Lewis vehemently opposed vivesection, which comes out rather strongly in his novels THAT HIDEOUS STRENGTH and THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER.

MERE CHRISTIANITY stands as one of the best apologetic works for Christianity ever written. This is a book written for the lay person, and is one of the best tools for making it accessible to nonbelievers.

MIRACLES, the last apologetic book he ever wrote (there are religious works by Lewis after this, but they are more relaxed and do not have a rigid central arguement), deals with the subject of miracles in the universe.

THE ABOLITION OF MAN is a book length essay, devided into three parts, concerning the universal code of morality which MERE CHRISTIANITY talks about in its first two books.

Lewis was a very versatile writer, and along with THE ESSENTIAL C. S. LEWIS you have a good start into this wonderful writer. I have been a long time reader of him, and have only recently gotten into his literary criticism, of which none is represented here, although some in THE ESSENTIAL C. S. LEWIS. Although some are more for the specialists, it is a particulary rewarding experience, and he is a well trained guide in the field of literature. I highly recommend AN EXPERIMENT IN CRITICISM, which for me is his central work concerning literature.

C.S. Lewis' essays are a MUST for everyone and anyone who is interested in good literature and/or wishes to think about things as we know them. His reflections, although deep and thorough, are also easily grasped and understood; the beauty and simplicity of his words makes these essays accessible to whomever is interested in them, both Christian and non-Christian (I'm an atheist myself). It is impossible for one to read them and not feel 'touched' by something which might be beyond our comprehension...

A wealth of well presented information, aiming at re-acquainting and improving yourself, is well presented in this book. I am sure that throughout the pages everyone will find more than a bundle of personal traits and situations - that have presented obstacles in the course of ones' achievements in life - to relate to. The Ultimate Miracle: YOU can guide you through to find your true self, come to peace with yourself and achieve the most you want to ...and even more, because the writers dare to probe into deeper thoughts concerning the relationship between God and Human Being always in the context of "improving Yourself". I am sure that these two ladies have a lot more to give us in the future.

This book is a must read, it's informative and an easy read. Sonia and Cindy, I look forward to the sequel.

Concentrated, powerful, provocative, uplifting reading. Use it as a reference manual on feeling, acting, being and staying happy-er. This book helps you learn to appreciate yourself and the world that surrounds you. It helps you discover your personal hidden treasures and inspires you to overcome your self-imposed limitations.

Brilliantly written, "Trusted Partners: How Companies Build Mutual Trust and Win Together" contains all the essential directives for building, sustaining, and harnessing the succulent fruits of a harmonic coalition.
This 319-paged book is an exhaustive compilation of both ideas and pieces of advice. Its logical arrangement ensured that all those crucial information remain dynamic. This is an important text for anyone who is into (or tends to go into) any form of corporate alliance or similar association.
Every important ingredient required for building, improving, and nourishing partnerships is in this book. Most of them were illustrated with examples.
This is a sound Management book. It is all about winning. Almost perfect! But I did wish that it provided clues on how to constructively repair a partnership that has been damaged by egoistic tendencies.

Lewis has ventured into governance territory where few have trod--for example, asking how to structure boards of various types of alliances. To my knowledge, no other book has this type of material, which makes this book an excellent choice for corporate directors. (I am familiar with this audience, because I am the Editor-in-Chief of Director's Monthly, the official newsletter of the National Association of Corporate Directors, Washington, DC).

The basic premise is obvious: There can be no solid"partnerships" without trust. As the subtitle indicates, Lewisexplains "how companies build mutual trust and win together." It is imperative that individuals be worthy of trust. They must earn it and then sustain it with behavior based on core values. We all know that values derive from character (or the lack thereof), that values determine attitudes (both negative and positive), and that such attitudes are revealed by behavior.

My guess is that those in greatest need of this book will encounter the greatest difficulty when attempting to follow Lewis' suggestions. "Trust is at the heart of the knowledge economy....Rather than being a matter of blind faith, trust must be cone step at a time. Further, building trust between organizations is all-encompassing. It involves their people, politics, priorities, cultures, and structures." Organizations become untrustworthy when those within those organizations are untrustworthy. Over the years, all of us have been victimized by fraudulent claims, intentional misrepresentations, corrupt "politics", "a hidden agenda", broken promises, etc. If trust is to be built between organizations, there must be interpersonal as well as intrapersonal relationships based on trustworthiness.

Lewis's book is divided into three parts: Trust Leads to High Performance, Alliances with Key Partner, and Tools for Trust: A Guide for Practitioners. He follows a step-by-step process within each part, providing an abundance of observations, suggestions, and caveats. Who will derive the greatest value from this book? Here are my nominees:

1. Decision-makers who have the authority (not simply the responsibility) for their organization's cultural transformation.

2. Owners/CEOs of start-ups who are committed to building trust as well as sales and profits.

3. Those involved in M&A initiatives whose due diligence includes evaluation of cultural capital as well as material assets.

One of the book's most valuable sections (Chapter VII in the Third Part) summarizes "actions that establish trust-building habits." Note the use of the word "habit." Lewis is quite correct when insisting that time and effort are required to build and then sustain trust. Conversely, trust can be quickly compromised by a single act betrayal.

In this final section, the "trust-building habits" are classified as follows: Trust Conditions; Recruiting, Training, and Rewards; Management Behavior; and Other Activities. Once you have read the book, selected what is most appropriate to your own organization, and then begun the difficult task of implementation, it would be a good idea to re-read Chapter VII in the Third Part. The counsel Lewis provide will help you formulate your own tasks and objectives within the framework of the eight trust conditions and related practices.

If those within your organization are unwilling and/or unable to make a sincere and steadfast commitment to building and then sustaining trust, find another organization. And consider this fact: The companies which dominate their respective industries are the same companies which are rated the best companies to work for. Coincidence? I don't think so...and neither does Lewis.

St. Teresa's autobiography records her life up to the age of fifty. She is a simple woman, her writing not being anything more that the thoughts that come to her mind. She states in the letter that accompanied this work to Friar Garcia De Toledo that "Some things...may be badly expressed, and others put down twice, for I have had so little time for the task that I have not been able to reread what I have written." In spite of this, St. Teresa reveals mystical and spiritual wonders in beautiful description. Rather than a history of her works and the events that determine her worldly life, this book is more of a spiritual autobiography. She recounts her childhood desires and the early yearning of her soul to be with God. She talks of her illnesses and how she came closer to God through them. St. Teresa gives her description of different levels of prayer, which appear in both the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle. She tells of the ways in which God spoke to her, at first in subtle manners to more salient ones later in her life. She received an increased number of visions as she advanced spiritually. God also begins to speak to her more directly. All this comforted her and guided her as she established the convent of St. Joseph's at Avila. In the convent's establishment, St. Teresa describes the opposition that she faced and her financial worries. Endowed with a will to reject the things of this world, she pressed on, setting a rule of poverty for her Avilan sisters. Throughout The Life, she wanders from her main point to give her understanding of several spiritual matters. The book is also permeated with her humility and self-abasement. Reading through this autobiography will benefit anyone wishing to read the Way of Perfection or the Interior Castle, her two other most notable works.

This book will introduce you to St. Teresa through passages such as her visions of angels, her vision of Christ, and the stages of contemplative prayer. Her writing is simple and easy to follow, but has great depth to it. The person beginning a life of prayer is presented as a gardener who must care for his or her garden so that it will bloom with flowers and good scents. Once the garden is well cared for, God will come to enjoy the garden. Eventually, a life of contemplative prayer, she writes, will climax to union and then ecstasy . Of remarkable beauty is her first vision of Christ, which is a vision of just His hands. The next vision is of His face. Even if you do not believe in such things or want to follow a path as intense as hers, her story is still incredible and worth the read. It is also an exhilarating read if you enjoy autobiographies.

Let me say right off that this was my first experience reading any of the writings of Teresa de Jesus (her chosen name) so I can't compare it to others.

Teresa's writing style was a mixture of the style of the time (full of disclaimers and self-deprecation) and the romantic language of the books of chivalry she loved as a child (she referred to God as "His Majesty", and used images such as castles and jewels). The result, flowing from her pen in an often (I should say usually) disorganized fashion, is fresh and touching. I particularly enjoyed her description of the soul as a garden: the Lord plants it, but we are to cultivate it in order that our Lord may take His delight in walking in it. She describes prayer as the water that nourishes that garden: first through great labor drawn from a well, but later as a free gift from God showering down from heaven. Her more developed description, covering four stages of prayer, is remarkable. HOWEVER, this does not make it the best starting place for beginners who want to learn how to approach contemplative prayer (they might do better with Brother Lawrence, Thomas Keating, or some of Thomas Merton's work).

I respect this translator, who included an excellent description on the decision-making process used in producing the translation, along with many footnotes referring to alternate interpretations and original Spanish text for concepts difficult to translate.

A personal quirk of mine which should influence no one (but I have to say it) -- I hated the cover art. While it communicates Teresa's vivacious personality, it is frankly ugly, and all who knew Teresa agreed that she was in fact physically beautiful. I know we shouldn't judge by physical appearance, but if God gives someone the gift of physical beauty why portray them as ugly? Again, my personal quirk meaning nothing.

Approach this read less as an educational experience and more as an opportunity to draw inspiration, hope and solace from the heart of Teresa: a woman who, weak and human as we all are, allowed God to transform her because of her hunger for communion with Him.

Brian Epstein's magnificence and decency as a person, and secondly as manager of the Fab Four, is what really comes across in this warm, revealing account of the rise of the Beatles. I really think that had Brian lived, the boys would never have split up. Argued yes, but split, no. Not if Brian would have had his way. His integrity (such as not going back on a contract, even though it would have meant the Beatles could have made a ton more money) makes me respect him highly. One such incident was referenced by the Ed Sullivan show, which was contracted at a measly amount, before the mop tops took America by storm and were commanding much larger contract dollars. It's seemingly rare to find this kind of integrity in the entertainment industry, and probably garners the criticism of those who later said Brian was a 'poor' manager, not getting the Beatles their due share. Maybe true...but I don't think anyone around them loved the boys more than Mr. Epstein. There's a very interesting anecdote about Brian's wavering loyalties at one point. He was so tired of the strain and the 24 hours a day work that came with being the Beatles' manager, that he considered selling his contract with them, for a good amount of cash. When confronting the boys with this idea, they thought he was joking, then realizing he was serious, threatened to pack up and quit if Brian left. Brian's quote in this regard speaks to his admiration and loyalty, in return, to the boys. After telling his prospective dealer that the deal was off, Brian remarked:
'And this was the point. The Beatles are not a deal. They are unique human beings and I believe that even if the whole thing peters out I will always be with the Beatles. I would like to look after them in some way throughout their lives, not because I want a percentage but because they are my friends'.
And a true friend they, and we all, lost when Brian passed.
Thank the stars above he brought them, and their joy, to the world with his unflagging, unwavering hope and belief that the Beatles were, and are, a once in a lifetime 'deal'.
A must read for any Beatle lover.

This is an interesting book, though you'll likely have read the story elsewhere in other Beatles books. But it's from the manager's mouth, so worthy in that regard. Some trivia: When (homosexual) Brian asked the other Beatles what he should title the book, John--with his cruel streak--said, "How about `Queer Jew' or `Cellarful of Boys'" Ridiculously, Lennon's cruel streak made Epstein just more infatuated with John!

Just to counter the praise of Brian Epstein's writing in the review below: Epstein didn't write the book; his and the Beatles' press-man Derek Taylor ghost-wrote it (and he himself said he thinks it would have been better if he hadn't written it so quickly).

"The Hunting of the Snark" is a brilliant nonsense-poem. Yet Gardner has seen fit to put pretentious, geeky, ...pedantic annotations all over it. Now I like nonsense, but the vulgarly rational "sense" of some of these annotations irritates me. Do we really need to know that the word "BOMB" begins and ends with B (thereby relating it to the Boojum) and that OM is the Hindu name of God??? Do we really need to know of a political cartoon in which Kruschev says "BOO", and does Gardner have to tell us that he was trying to say Boojum??

Annotations should be done in the manner of Gardner's own annotations of Alice in Wonderland. Now those were annotations that made *sense*. Annotations that simply explained out of date concepts, gave relevant details from Carroll's own life, or obscure humour. That's all! That is what annotations should be like.

The pedantic geekery of these annotations remind me of the...games of Star Trek fanatics (or Sherlock Holmes fanatics).

The poem is brilliant, though; and the illustrations were funny, before the annotations over-analysed them.

Lewis Carroll is brilliant in this piece. First of all the poetical music is perfect, absolutely perfect, and yet the words don't mean much. Many of these words are not even to be found in any dictionary. Be it only for the music, this piece is astonishingly good. But the piece has a meaning. I will not enter the numerical value of the numbers used in the poem : 3, 42, 6, 7, 20, 10, 992, 8, and I am inclined to say etc because some are more or less hidden here and there in the lines. Hunting for these numbers is like hunting for the snark, an illusion. But the general meaning of the poem is a great allegory to social and political life. A society, any society gives itself an aim, a target, a purpose and everyone is running after it without even knowing what it is. What is important in society is not what you are running after or striving for, but only the running and the striving. Lewis Carroll is thus extremely modern in this total lack of illusions about society, social life and politics : just wave a flag of any kind, or anything that can be used as a flag and can be waved, in front of the noses of people and they will run after it or run in the direction it indicates. They love roadsigns and social life is a set of roadsigns telling you where to go. Everyone goes there, except of course the roadsigns themselves who never go in the direction they indicate. Lewis Carroll is thus the first post-modern poet of the twenty-first century. He just lived a little bit too early.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

I am a fan of Lewis Carroll, but somehow was unaware of the existence of an edition of "The Hunting of the Snark" with annotations. As someone who tremendously enjoys Martin Gardner's "Annotated Alice," I heartily recommend this book to like-minded readers. Gardner's annotations and introduction set the stage for the reader, putting the composition of the poem in its proper context in Victorian England, and in Lewis Carroll's life. And as with "Annotated Alice" the annotations are fascinating and amusing in their own right. "The Hunting of the Snark" is one of Carroll's lesser-appreciated (or at least lesser-known) works, and this paperback is an excellent introduction.

I noticed some confusion in the Amazon listings for this book, so let me clarify that the edition with Gardner's annotations is the paperback, and for illustrations it contains reproductions of Henry Holiday's original woodcuts from the 1800's. There are only eight pictures, and these are in old-fashioned style which may turn off some modern readers. This edition does not contain the illustrations - listed in the review of the hardcover editions - by Jonathan Dixon, nor the illustrations by Mervyn Peake also listed as available in hardcover from Amazon.

To Snark fans, though, I would unhesitatingly recommend both those editions as well. Dixon's is little-known, but excellent, the most profusely illustrated Snark, with pictures on every page in lush, gorgeously detailed and humorous pen and ink. It may still be available through the website of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America, who published it in a small edition. Peake's drawings are also in beautiful black and white, and capture his own rather dark, quirky "Gormenghast" take on the poem. (A good companion, too, to the recently released editions of "Alice" with Peake's drawings.)

i was very pleased with this book! i read it in one sitting. the pictures captured both the down to earth and gentle side of this fine gentleman. the only reservation i have is that the book didn't delve deep enough into his personal life. it seems that the author painstakingly avoided it. but the pictures somehow compensated for this. i would recommend this book to any and all who are admirers(most of them female, probably) of this incredible man. you won't be disappointed!

the only thing i knows that lewis is more than all boxers ever because he was noncomparable in any ways atall.we all can imagine it that those loosed he had was underrated opponet which's clear to everyones in the whole world.
My adivise to mr Lewis is that shld not allow any one to cause enemity betwen he and Our Mnager (Mr Ogun)and not to disorganised his team ok.
I'm from Ghana and love to be seen him fight always i had been in his Fans since 1992 and love him naturally.
that's all for now Regards Alpha Atibay

I was very pleased with this purchase and I highly recommend this book to ALL fans of Lennox Lewis. You cannot be disappointed. The photographer, Blaise Hart intelligently and poetically captures various scenes of Lewis's life with the passion of a Rembrandt or Gauguin painting. The compilation of black and white photos not only illuminates and magnifies the intensity of Lennox Lewis's brilliance and presence in the boxing ring but also reveals the sensitivity, charisma and spiritual strength of a man who irrefutably has earned the title of legend and hero. He is a Renaissance man and the quintessential, modern "knight in shining armor." He exudes athletic skill, prowess and power but has the corruscating wit and intellect of a consummate gentleman - a rare breed indeed. He commands respect and is the epitome of velvet-covered steel. I also own "Lennox Lewis - the Autobiography of the WBC Heavyweight Champion of the World with Joe Steeples" which I also highly recommend to ALL Lennox Lewis fans because it provides an even more in-depth, detailed account of his heritage, his childhood and the influential forces which led him into the arena of boxing which would be of interest to any true fan. This book, however should not be overlooked and ignored. If the stunning photos of Lennox Lewis in the ring during heavyweight bouts do not impress you then you will be relieved to discover the photos of Lewis at ease in rural Africa, deliberating in solitude and playing chess which you will be sure to appreciate immensely as I did. You will also read insightful interviews with Lennox Lewis scattered between the presentation of photos which are not only candid but very entertaining. Do not pass this book up. You will regret it if you do. Then again - ignorance is bliss but thank God I chose to not be ignorant here! Lennox Lewis is truly an inspiration to us all.

Mr.W.H.Lewis, brother of Mr.C.S., projects his fondness for the 17th century with bravado in The Splendid Century. The word splendid, derived from the latin for "illuminated", allows the reader to understand his thesis of the Grand Siecle without turning a page, by simply judging the book by its cover. Here is a profoundly pious Christian man composing some of the most glorious prose about a controvertial subject and succeeding where so many others have failed.

By not limiting himself to Versailles Mr.Lewis creates honesty. But he does not stop there, he remains true to the popular understanding. The Sun King's world brought to life.

The wealth of detail in W.H. Lewis' book The Splendid Century is incredible, but even more incredible is Lewis' ability to see the forest and the trees, to intelligently distinguish between what is useful and what is irrelevant and to leave the reader with a definite impression of Louis XIV's France.

Like his brother, C.S., Warren Lewis has that stereotyped but still very real and precious commodity of English commonsense. His good-humored rationality flavors the book but not to the detriment of the subject. Lewis was, afterall, writing about Louis XIV's France, not 20th century England. As with all the best historians, Lewis has the ability to see the world from outside the ideologies and pressures of the present. More than once, he cautions the reader against applying current century thinking to a 17th century problem or event.

But tone is where Lewis excels. Personable without being chatty, humorous without being sarcastic, A Splendid Century is amazingly relaxing to read, especially allowing for the subject matter and Lewis' fact-filled prose.

Recommendation: Buy it.

W.H. Lewis wrote this famous book (dedicated to his brother C.S.) in 1953, but it has stood the test of time very well and provides an excellent introduction to the history of France during the reign of Louis XIV. "The Splendid Century" is history in the grand manner, written in the style of Trevelyan, Runciman and Roy Porter. The erudition is everywhere apparent, but it is worn lightly and the story is told in fluent prose enlivened by the odd flash of sly humour.

As the author points out in the introduction, the book might have been better titled "Some Aspects of Life in the Reign of Louis XIV;" rather than present a sequential narrative, Lewis chose to structure the book as a series of essays on particular aspects. There are chapters on the king and his court, the religious situation, the organisation of the army and the state of the peasantry. Among the unexpected pleasures of the book are the chapters on sea voyages, the world of the galleys and the education of women. A surprising omission, however, is a discussion of Colbert and his attempts at administrative reform. Nevertheless, this is a fine work of history that can be strongly recommended.