This riveting story is based on one of the oldest extant narratives from Ireland (recorded in Leabhar na hUuidre -- The Book of the Dun Cow). The author has rearranged the traditional sequence of events so that they correspond to the actual geography of Ireland and its islands and has perhaps restored the tale to something close to its original form. Her use of language is spectacular, in particular her vivid description of Mael Duin's madness. Essentially, the story follows a young man as he discovers his origins, finds his insane mother, learns that he must avenge his dead father, and sets out to fulfill that goal. The story moves seamlessly between the plausible and the mythic, firmly rooted in human emotions with which the modern reader can identify but keeping a foot in the Otherworld as well. Allow time to read this book in one intense sitting -- you won't be able to do anything else

Fantastic Book! McDowell gives background and dissects new trends in the New Age Movement. A definite read!

Jeanne Zornes has provided a tremendous help for those worn out with life's struggles. Her solid biblical teaching, combined with witty and poignant stories, encourages and equips the reader. I highly recommend it.

Came across this great book in my local Historical society genealogy library. The title intrigued me and I was not disappointed. For the beginner it a a virtual "how to" in tracing your roots. For the seasoned veteran, it contains all sorts of suggestions that I am sure every could use reminders of. Written in the form of letters between the author and one of her family members, it chronicles the steps in researching their family history. Not dry and lifeless as some of this type of book tend to be, it treats the subject with humour and makes the idea of starting your family search sound like fun! I recommend this book for everyone's genealogy library.

This is a difficult book to read because the evil that slavery entails. The oppression of anyone is an evil that must be overcome. Frederick Douglass displayed a remarkable courage in learning to read and write to finally overcome the horror of slavery. I appreciate his observation on the religious hypocrisy of the South. It was telling that religious slave owners were always the worst. Of course since religion helped breed slavery in America this really should not come as any surprise. I have great admiration for the founders of this country but I also feel that the evil and hypocrisy of slavery should be exposed. It is an ugly passage in American history that must be addressed. This book should be read by high school kids in every high school in America--make that every American period. Frederick Douglass deserves to be recognized as a great American and this book is essential reading for any American.

Slavery was known as a "peculiar institution". By broadcasting such labels for slavery, the southern slave owners were able to downplay the severity of the subjugation of slaves in this "peculiar institution". However, in 1845 a runaway slave by the name of Frederick Douglass was published his narrative which showed the extent of the cruelty within of the oppressive the institution of American slavery. Douglass gives a powerful portrayal of his personal struggle against the tyranny of himself and his fellow slaves. By depicting his personal story regarding the horrors of slavery, Douglass testified to the injustices of the slave institution and conveyed an urgent message of the time for prompt abolition.
Douglass leaves out no detail as he portrays the brutal means in which slaves were forced into subjugation. In order to maintain order and to achieve maximum efficiency and productivity from his slave, an owner used the fear of the ever-present whip against his slaves. Over, and over again throughout the Narrative, Douglass gives account of severe beatings, cruel tortures, and unjust murders of slaves. The message is evident. Slavery dehumanized African Americans.
From the introduction of his early experience, Douglass portrays the burdens of slavery. The reader is forced to cope with the fact that he has no tangible background. Slavery has robbed him of the precious moments of his childhood. He was raised in the same manner as one would raise an animal. In his early years he had no knowledge of time-he did not even know when he was born. He is also forced to scrounge for food in the same fashion as a pig digs for slop. The saddest insight is the alienation of Douglass from his family. He has no connection with his parents and when his mother dies he was untouched. On hearing of her death he states, "I received the tidings of her death with much the same emotions I should have probably felt at the death of a stranger" (19). The bond between mother and child is the strongest bulwark for children and to be robbed of this and to not care demonstrates just how severe slavery was to Douglass and countless others who faced the same fate. In the entire slave experience, the only escape from the repression was through sorrowful singing. As Douglass states, "every tone was a testimony against slavery..." and "slaves sing the most when they are unhappy" (29). Only through music could slaves find comfort in dealing with their anguish.
Douglass's first witness of brutality is the telling of his Aunt Hester's beating. The narration is powerfully effective through terrible detail. The cursing of the overseer, the shrieks of his aunt, and the horrible effects the whip upon her flesh is almost as agonizing the reader of the Narrative as it was to his unfortunate aunt. The fact that this terrible instance is a common occurrence makes it a heavier burden upon the reader's soul.
As if the beatings were not enough, slaves were also murdered on a whim. Douglass tells of Gore, a meticulously cold taskmaster who blew out the brains of a poor slave by the name of Demby. The chilliness of Gore's is terrible due the fact that he kills with the sympathy of a butcher.
Upon hearing about this, one would speculate that the authorities would deal with such barbaric acts justly. However, as Douglass recounts in the story Mrs. Hicks, the murderess that killed a slave girl for not moving fast enough, the law officials were hesitant to enforce the rights of the slave and would intentionally overlook such matters. This is primarily due to the fact that a slave owning society could not allow the rights of the slave to be upheld to the same level as a white man. To do such a thing would threaten the stability of their superiority. This is further illustrated in Douglass's struggle against the shipyard workers, when he fled to his master and told him of the attack his master stated that he could not hold up Douglass or even a thousand blacks testimony. The lack of protection under the law and the unwillingness of the whites to give the slaves a voice allowed the whites to completely dominate the slaves without the fear of accountability for their actions.
The worst aspect of slavery is found in the religious nature of the subjugation of slaves. The cruelty found in slavery was even more intense when placed under the pretense of the slaveholding religion of Christianity. Through Douglass's deconstruction of Christianity, he learns that the white oppressive version of Christianity is much different from his own beliefs of Christianity. The incident that shaped Douglass's understanding of the mentality of religious slaveholders was when he was placed under the authority of Mr. Freeland. In this situation, he was able to see the difference between the so-called "religious slave-holders" and "non-religious slave-holders." Douglass felt that the "non-religious slave-holders" were less brutal because they did not reprimand their slaves based on a Divine command. Instead they were more concerned about reprimanding the slaves when the slaves did wrong as opposed to whenever they felt that the Lord professed a beating.
The Narrative and Selected Writings is a powerful testimony to the struggles American slaves faced. Through the writings of men such as Frederick Douglass, abolitionists were given fuel to the bonfire of the Abolition Movement. Douglass honest testimony helped to bring out the truth about slavery. Abolitionists now had evidence to back their claim that the "peculiar institution" was in fact an institution of evil.

Perhaps more so than any other account, Douglass gives us a look into the life of a slave. I enjoy this book on many level. Douglass writes honestly and in a factual tone. He does mince his words when he describes the brutality of slavery. Douglass demonstrates that he is an intelligent man despite his lack of education. He taight himself to read. To our youth, this demonstrates the value of education. Douglass also show Americans manipulated the work of God even in his time. Yet, Douglass found strength in that God. I think the quality I enjoyed most about this book is the fact that Douglass does not see himself as a hero, but as an average slave. This is not a typical characteristic of an autobiography. I read this book for the second time coming and going on 3 hour flights. The book is a short read, but well worth your time to read of atriumph of the human spirit.

A good read. Hurston does an excellent job of depicting the parallel experiences of the captivity of the Israelites and the American Slave. In fact, one could argue that the experience of the Israelites is the American Slave experience. This is a great book for high school reading, it provides a variety of cause and effect themes that all young adults need to know; among them, if you oppress a people or person you breed fear, insecurity, and eventual self hatred in that human. I highly recommend Their Eyes Were Watching God another of Hurston's literary jewels. jewels.

This is a brilliant novel. Hurston retells the story of Moses through the lens of black history and of her own day; the reader can see Hitler in Pharoah, the ghettos of Europe and America in Goshen. The Hebrews of Hurston's tale are European Jews under National Socialism and American Blacks under slavery. Moses becomes in this context a figure of contemporary hope. His being suggests that it's possible for someone to lead those in need of leadership out of trouble and to change the world. (By the way, if you get a chance, take a look at J Kristeva's book "Revolution in Poetic Language.")

Hurston's novel is particularly relevent in today's world of spin politics and soundbites. To read this book is to better understand the news you're stuck with being fed.

A poetic, topical book that puts a contemporary twist on historical and spiritual (and political) issues pertaining to human rights and human potential. Highly recommended. Readers young and old should also pick up Hurston's "Tell My Horse: Voodoo And Life In Haiti And Jamaica."

When I first purchased my copy of Rachel's Tears, I was not able to put it down - it was THAT good! While this book is targeted for a youth to young adult audience, I believe that there are main ideals in this book that appeal to any age group.

Rachel's Tears is a moving portrayal of the life of Columbine Martyr Rachel Joy Scott. There are excerpts from Rachel's own private journals and both Darrell Scott and Beth Nimmo (Rachel's Parents) provide their own commentaries on various aspects of Rachel's life throughout the book.

This book will truly open your eyes to the incredibly mature relationship that Rachel had with God and will encourage those who are Christians to pursue a more intimate relationship with their Heavenly Father.

Rachel's Tears shows that Rachel, although having a relationship with God that displayed an obvious level of maturity beyond her years, was a normal teenager and dealt with the various issues that all teenagers face at one point or another.

After reading this book, I was truly motivated to pick up the torch and continue on where Rachel left off. I am encouraged to start off a "Chain Reaction" of my own where I live.

I want to personally thank both Darrell and Beth for writing this book and giving us an insight into the inspiring life of their daughter. It must have been an incredibly hard book to write, but I am truly grateful that it was written. We will never forget Rachel Joy Scott!

Some people have objected to calling Rachel Scott a martyr and to the idea that she was killed explicitly for her Christianity. These are reasonable objections to matters that may never be actually proved. But they are also irrelevant in light of the verifiable facts: that Rachel Scott, as her journals reflect, was a true believer, filled with the Holy Spirit, who listened when she was called by God, and dedicated her whole being to God's service and to following the words of Jesus. After she was murdered, some of her writings became public so that all could see her testimony of faith. It should be based on those two facts alone that anyone decides to accept or reject the assertion that God was at work there, and anything else is missing the point. Personally this book struck me like a arrow through the heart and convicted me of my shortcomings in serving God. I believe God set it in my path for that purpose and that He used Rachel Scott (and Rachel's parents) to show me an example of the kind of faith and courage that He would have me live in my daily life. With immense grief and renewed commitment, I felt as if Rachel's tears came through my own eyes. In all eternity, what matters most is not how Rachel or anyone else died, but how they lived. I believe Rachel lived as God would have all of us live, depending on His grace and gifts and power every day, every moment. Go for it!

The book Rachel's Tears is about the Columbine shooting.The author is Beth Nimmo.Its a very good book.I'Ve read other book on the shooting and for some reason this one stood out.In the book it shows that Rachel had a good life and a bunch of friends.It tells what her family went through and her frinds after the sooting.She was a church girl and she loved writing to Jesus in her journal.She would also write poems.I liked reading this book because it was about kids my age.It will make you laugh and cry.You can really thinik you know the girl in the book. I recommend this book because it tells a good story on a sad day with good details. If you are in to true life, then this is a good boog for you.

If you can get this book used for under $10 dollars

AND...

You are interested in the whole workings of the Vatican National Geographic sytle, buy it it, is a great book from that perspective.

It is not an over $20 dollar art book because a large number of pages which could have been used for images are wasted on oversize text. Five pages of the books text could have fit on one page.

The photographs are great, but they are of everything including wasted full page close ups of guards. If you want a general book on the vatican this book delivers......but if you thought that "Inside the Vatican" meant a lot of art you might not see otherwise this is not the right book for the price.
It is not an Art book like one thinks of with Konemann books, there are some good photos and enough for a general book like this but it does not have enough art to warrant the price, then again I guess no one really said it was supposed to be art book.
I have written this review just as a warning for some people who might think that there is a lot of art here.....it is not an art book. This fact is kind of a shame because after 65% of the book is finished and it finally does get to the "Treasures section" the photographs are decent, however it makes you wonder why did we need a whole page close up of a guards face and only a quarter page on some of the art.
The Wonderful frescoes of the Vatican are very few and most are the usual 4 token shots of the Sistine chapel.
The wonderful Hall of Constantine isnt covered at all. I agree with all the other reviewers, if you are a National Geographic format fan, this is one of their best efforts.

But....The wrong pictures are too big, the right pictures are too small, the really wonderful pictures never made it into the book, and way, way, too much space is dedicated to oversize text.

I bought it used, do the same, it is not a new full price book,
there is enough for under $10 even if your main interest is art but you will not get as "Inside the Vatican" as you might with other books about the Vatican Art.

Good Pope pictures, Pope-Mobile pictures, and that sort of thing
and good "Quick read history".

I was proud to be a Catholic anyway, but gee the wonderful stories, history and people behind this book makes it a must own for Catholics!

Jim Stanfield is one of the most accomplished photographers to work for National Geographic. I met Jim several years ago, and he's a fine gentleman as well as an outstanding photographer. He won one of the top photojournalism awards in the world, in 1986, based partly on this body of work as well as an essay on Isreal. Bob Gilka, who was Jim's boss at National Geographic, told me he thought Jim was the most technically accomplished photographer working for the magazine. When there was an especially difficult job to do, it was given to him. And Jim's technical expertise shows through, but there's more here than technically superior images. These are stunningly gorgeous photographs in their own right. But they are more than that, they give you an insight into life at the Vatican that will never be repeated. Buy it. I can't wait for more books by Jim Stanfield to hit the shelves.

This book is funny and fast paced and violent. But the writing is great and I liked the hero very much, and the mystery part had me fooled. The sex and romance was a little formula-like, but overall this was a very good read. Good ending! I recommend it highly.

Decent read, keeps you turning the pages, and the author knows his way around a karate chop. All at once funny, violent and suspenceful. Great Character in Willy diaz. Movie potential. Like to see sequel.

I've read virtually every popular mystery ever written and chanced upon this book at B. Dalton's in New York. Even though this is on the grisly side, the character of Willy Diaz, a Puerto-Rican American New York detective, is suprisingly sensitive and fleshed out for a potboiler. In fact the whole thing is kind of cerebral which makes me wonder who Rider McDowell is and, if it's the pseudoname of an editor at Harpers, or a real guy who just happens to be able to juggle extraordinary violence with lyrical pose and, in some cases, unusually sensitive characters. I'm not sure I'd like to meet the author in a dark alley, but I might enjoy meeting him at an upmarket restaurant. Also like the dust jacket picture of "McDowell." Is he married?

Someone else mentioned staying up all night to read Vectors. I found myself once again getting far too little sleep because I just wanted to read "one more chapter!"

Other reviewers have been more eloquent than I but I agree that one of Kube-McDowell's strength's has always been making science interesting to a non-scientest like myself. However, I'd say that what I love best about all of Mr. Kube-McDowell's writing is the way he takes an interesting subject, presents all sides of it, and writes characters you really care about to play out the story.

I'd highly recommend this book, especially to anyone curious about the blending of science and spirituality.

This is a story that explores the unknowable and tries to put the lie to the phrase "the country from which no traveler returns". Do we have a soul? Can it be measured?
The background and texture of the very near future is well crafted. I was impressed by his vision of our society's development under "Homeland Security". The on-going issues of university politics, and the general tendency of science to be more reactionary than many would expect make this believable and real.
I very much look forward to any future books in this universe.

I am perhaps not the most objective of sources, as Mike is an old friend of mine. We met our first day of college at Michigan State University (mumble mumble) years ago and have been close friends ever since.

However, what I lack in objectivity, perhaps I can make up for with scope. I've read pretty much every piece of fiction Mike has ever published, a few that he hasn't published, and some of his non-fiction as well.

The story is well enough described in the cover blurb and other materials, so I won't go into that.

All of Mike's books and stories are good, but this is the best yet. In it he combines all his numerous strengths as a writer and human being. Mike has always been able to make the science part of science fiction intelligible to non-science types like me, without talking down, and he weaves the needed explication into the narrative far more seamlessly than most. He was an unusually thoughtful and inquisitive college freshman, and has become an unusually thoughtful and inquisitive mature writer. Without simply falling into credulity, he manages to make the topic of reincarnation, if not yet scientifically respectable, then worthy of cautious inquiry.

More than in most "hard" SF, his characters are fully human and fleshed out, warts and all. The all-too-common "tell the readers what they need to know about quantum mechanics for the story to work, why don't you" kind of dialog is replaced with real conversation between believable human beings. Humor and tragedy interweave in the lives of his characters, just as they do in real life.

I could effuse a lot more, but you get the point.

Do yourself a favor and buy this book. Do some of your friends a favor, and buy them copies, too.