this book was not as captivating and engrossing as other nicu books by the parents. the stories seemed to gloss over, there are a lot of pages, but there are pictures, etc that dont use as much space for words. the stories of the children were not as detailed, and it didnt tug at my heart the way other books have. instead, i recommend-"living miracles-stories of hope from premature babies" by kimberly powell and kim wilson, editors. this one is more detailed, gripping, and heartfelt.

"Alone" is how parents feel when they first walk into the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Spouses even feel alone from each other. Husband and wife have planned and dreamed of this birth together, but a baby born either too soon or sick leaves everyone alone and terrified. The tragedy of this unexpected (but much too frequent) childbirth makes the book, "You Are Not Alone" of tremendous importance to new parents of a baby in the NICU. The many true stories (and their realistic pictures) can help parents to realize that they are in a place where pioneer parents can help them. At the beginning the NICU experience is like being lost in a maze with no end. But "You Are Not Alone" helps new, very lost parents to realize that there are experienced guides that wish to help them. The writers of "You Are Not Alone" are a few of those guides. I recommend this book to anyone who has ever had a baby in the NICU, even it it is decades ago. I also recommend that every tertiary hospital include it in their library of books for parents of high-risk babies and their gift store. And all libraries that believe that books on child rearing are essential should put this on the required list.

Michael T. Hynan, PhD, Clinical Psychology from University of Iowa. He has taught in the Psychology Department at U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee since 1974. He is the father of a premature baby, Chris, born in 1980 at 30 weeks gestation weighing 1200 g. Dr. Hynan also does research on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in high-risk parents. Dr. Hynan is the author of "The Pain of Premature Parents: A Psychological Guide for Coping."

For many new parents, there are two major sources of difficulty around coping with having a newborn in the NICU: (1) Fear that their intense feelings are abnormal, and (2) feeling singled out by tragic fate. This book can help. Filled with a wide variety of personal stories written by parents who've "been there," it offers comfort and reassurance to new parents who need to know that others have struggled with situations similar to theirs; that others have felt the same emotions.

The mothers and fathers who contributed to this book are not professional writers--some are more eloquent than others. Some parents merely skate on the surface. But to the editor's credit, these are not sugar-coated stories of medical miracles or stoicism. The ups and downs, joys and sorrows, triumphs and fumblings are all here. Some babies survive and thrive, others continue to have medical complications or developmental lags; some babies die. Parents share their fears, challenges and failings, as well as insights, lessons learned and blessings found. They admit that while dealing with a sick baby is a labor of love, it also takes a lot of patience, time, and energy. It's not easy. But therein lies the richness of their lives.

As new parents read these stories, they will be struck by the fact that their own deep feelings of anger, guilt, helplessness, fear, and despair are normal, not crazy or overreacting. They can see that other parents have emerged from the dark days in the NICU. They'll come away empowered, knowing that they can face their baby's fate and their emotions. Most importantly, they'll acquire hope--that whatever happens, they too can survive.

By Deborah L. Davis, Ph.D. Psychologist and author of "Empty Cradle, Broken Heart," Fulcrum, 1991; 1996; co-author of "The Emotional Journey of Parenting Your Premature Baby," NICU Ink, in progress.

I am a big fan of Alan Watts. I know of no one else that has the charisma, sense of humor, and intelligence to communicate ideas from Hindu and Buddhist thought. I have read several of his books and while this book is as good as any other- I WARN YOU - it has very little about the beat generation. In fact, there is one ten page essay. It is interesting, but if you are buying this book because you are interested in the beat generation there are more informative books. This book is also a little expensive and is less than one hundred pages. Try "Cloud-Hidden, Whereabouts Unknown" or another one of his cheaper and longer books. Most of them contain similar ideas.

Definitely don't buy this if you're looking for lots of info or an extensive essay on the "beat" generation, etc. The awesome Alan Watts does deal with that topic, but almost in passing. He's goes into more detail explaining Zen and Hindu ideas with a huge helping of humor. Some ideas will stay with you. His emphasis on the key concepts of living the moment and a job as an avocation (not just to spend x number of hours making money but to do for the JOY of it)forever will be imprinted in your mind, as well as various clever examples he sites. Especially memorable is his explanation of how we Americans often live too much in the past and future and don't appreciate the present. He likened it to a coin: one side is the future, the other the past -- but the REAL stuff is the metal in between (the present). A small book with lots of big ideas that are cleverly presented.

This is probably a book for anyone who has been interested in the "beat generation" and is now looking furthur and finding the religion in it. Alan Watts is simply amazing.

If this translation were accurate but awkward it could still be useful. But even without knowing Spanish one can see that it is not faithful to the way of speaking. It does not show the parallel constructions when it could even without sacrificing the choice to rhyme. It adds images that are not there. It does not give the feeling.

Nims' translation is nothing short of miraculous. I've read the poems in at least three different translations and Nim's were the only ones which made me cry like when I read the Spanish for the first time. There is something plaintive and erotic about John of the Cross that other tranlators edit out for propriety's sake, but Nims left it in as one should. John was a lover of the Song of Songs and his pursuit of God was the pursuit of one painfully in love and desirous of consummation. Nims brings that aspect to the fore. Gorgeous. But remember, the poems are not enough. One must still read John's commentaries.

John of the Cross is often associated only with the spiritual condition he called the dark night of the soul, experienced as a cold, dry, confusing place. But when you read his poem "On a Dark Night", you realize what wonderful intimacies are hidden for lovers under cover of darkness. For me, this poem, both in its original Spanish and its rich English translation, is itself worth the price of this attractive hardback book.

This is a book that celebrates the soul's love for her Divine Lover in images and language that transcend the limitations of physical gender. When the mystics subliminated, they truly made the energy of loving sublime!

This was the 1st triathlon book I bought. It gives an overview of the equipment, types of training in chapters on swimming, running and riding, time requirments, nutrition and sample training plans.
It is NOT a training book perse. It will give the reader an idea of what it takes to start triathloning without overwhelming him and her.
I think Triathlon 101 is better but it's a personal opinion.

I found this book to be fairly helpful. I especially liked the descriptions of form drills for all 3 disciplines. The informaiton was useful. What I did not like is that since I am new to the sport of triathlon, there were phrases used that I did not understand. This was most evident in the workouts. The text would describe everything well, but then in a listing of a sample workout it would use terms not explained in the text. This made it hard to figure out what to do sometimes. Also the author says he'll show you how to have many peaks in a season, but then really doesn't ever give that information.

A fantastic book and on the "top two" of my recommended reading list for beginning triathletes. If you are going for detail and want in-depth and technical information on how to develop a training plan, go with the Triathlete's Training Bible. If you want a solid overview of the sport of triathlon, this is the book for you.

Swim, Bike, Run is written in a very straight-forward style and gives sound, practical advice. I am an avid reader of "things triathlon," so I've read just about every book out there. The most telling insight into how much I value this book is that this is the book that I consistently return to and read the night before a race. I also look to it for a "refresher" when I want to improve form/technique and when I am evaluating how my training is going mid-season. The swimming section is particularly effective and the illustrations greatly helped me on technique issues.

A great read and highly recommended.

Graeat! Quite inspiring. Got me painting more than ever. A must have for anyone interested in painting. Love it!!!

After seeing the number of painting books by Smith I took to him to be an authority. I found it straight forward and easy to follow. Lots of instuction and tips. A bit above the understanding level of my 7 year old daughter but perfect for me to graduate from painting by number. Seems to cover just about all one would neeed to know in order to take up the past time.

It is a very well written comprehensive guide to watercolor painting. It helps the beginner learn the art of watercolor painting . The paintings are invaluable tools to help you learn. It feels like it gives you a one-on-one lesson in art class. It is a fabulous book!

Want to dress up drapery tiebacks with tassels or hang your beads from the ceiling fan switch? Valerie's book gives you lots of ideas to serve as a springboard.

Not only does she give good instructions for traditional bead weaving, including brick, peyote, and netting stitches, to make your tassels, but also she shows how to make braids and cords. She suggests the combination of beads and cords in projects, including buried or berried bugle cords, crazy and flower chains, and branched fringe.

If you don't want to make tassels, but need ideas for fringes on medicine bag necklaces and amulet purses, this is the book for you.

Beaders wanting to expand their talents can reach for this book for both inspiration and instruction. There are hundreds of ideas here, for every level. Not everyone will understand all the instructions and some of the components could have been written with more detail, but with a little effort and perseverence these projects are within reach of a dedicated beader. Serious beaders and tassel makers will revel in a book that provides challenges, solutions and professional results.

Borrowed this book from a friend and had to buy my own! Many wonderful beading techniques and ideas. Beautiful for tassel making, but also many stitches which can be applied to other types of beadwork. Great fringe ideas, lots of different elements. Well laid out with lots of pictures for inspiration.

This is another excellent book in reaction to the satanic abuse and false memory hysteria that swept this country like a plague in 80s and early 90s. Written by a clinical psychologist who is a director of the False Memory Foundation, this book shows in detail how social workers, police and the courts helped to send innocent people to jail. In particular the indoctrination of the children is presented, step by ugly step, leaving no doubt about what really happened. A sad, sad chapter in American history gets another documentation. I am hoping that next we will have books on just why so many "well-meaning" people went astray and/or were led astray. I think the underlying guilt of parents with latch-key children projected onto others is a largely unexplored psychological factor. The American puritanical obsession with sex is another. The feminazi attack on men as well, of course. With this book it appears that the word has finally gotten around and the courts are beginning to throw out the tainted "evidence" and the counseling profession is beginning to see the error of its ways.

Campbell speaks with authority since it was his profession, although not him personally, that was a central part of the insanity. If the therapists had read the studies from their own journals they would have known that the sensational "recovered memories"of sexual abuse could only be highly suspect. One weakness of the book is Campbell's understandable reluctance to fully criticize these clinical psychologists. The truth is, not just some, but a significant portion of abuse counselors proved to be incompetent, mercenary and under educated. The harm done to patients and their families and friends by the worst of the therapists exceeds in some respects the harm done through the use of electric shock therapy and frontal lobotomies by witch doctors of a previous era.

Terence Campbell, a psychologist himself, delves deep into the muck of false accusations of child sexual abuse, the blame for which he lays squarely on the heads of those charged with interviewing children. It is very important to note that at no point does he say children should not be believed a priori, he only claims that current methods of interrogating children taint their testimony so the it is no longer useful.

Campbell would like nothing more than for this to change. He outlines his own method for interviewing children, and it is obvious that his technique would elicit far cleaner information than the usual methods.

Also suspect are claims of past abuse suffered as children, suddenly remembered by adults who claim to have "repressed" it.

That false memories can be created, he demonstrates by citing several objective studies, and I found them quite convincing. He further proves from objective studies that traumatic events are rarely forgotten. What's more, most of the case studies of "recovered memory" patients documented patients who had sought counseling for something other than lost time. In addition, many false memory patients recanted.

This is a much needed book. When people like Raymond Buckey spend five years in jail during a travesty of a trial, at the end of which he is acquitted, someone needs to stand up and cry "Foul!" I applaud Dr. Campbell for doing so.

This book speaks for the falsely accused so well that I plan on purchasing many copies to share with legislators, lawyers and others who need to know the how, why, and what's in reference to accusations of child sexual abuse. Terence Campbell pinpoints how these charges come about, who makes them and what should be done in order to correct the problem. Too many professionals (I use this word loosely) evaluate, investigate and use therapy through the use of "accentual perception." The see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. Many times when accusations come by way of professionals they don't consider whether or not it is true, they just go about proving that it is. Through the use of alternative hyposthesis, a non-biased attitude and changes in the laws that enact guidelines for the interviewing of children false accusations can be thwarted. There have already been some changes in the use area of repressed memories. Changes that were a long time in the making. This book is an excellent learning tool for those who have never been devastated by the misuse of the court system through false accusations and a comfort for those who have.

Each musing (chapter) gets only a few pages. It reduces some of his ideas to no more than: wouldn't this be nice? with no suggestions to make it happen. I was hoping the book would be more like Jim Wallis' Faith Works.

These are very short meditations focusing on scripture in relation to present day situations. They are meant to tantilize you and begin discussion or thought. This is an easy book to just pick up and read a few pages or sit down and read the complete work in very little time. For me it was a breath of fresh air.

Will D. Campbell, "bootleg preacher" to the unwashed and unlovable,has penned another book of wonder. Brother to a Dragonfly is viewed a modern classic[as it is}.Soul among Lions is a worthy cousin. Brother Will has stayed busy, stirring up a hornets nest wherever he can, placing a well intentioned burr in the saddle of the powerful. The short, wonderful essays are a goldmine for the comitted christian{though, of course, that statement covers an awful lot of ground}.Read Brother will, then look at yourself. If you are not challenged,read it again. To comfort the powerless and make the powered uncomfortable, and to do it with wit, and poetry.Quite a book, quite a human being.

Sorry guys, this book doesn't cut. What we have here is a tour guide which reviews in-depth and out-of-phase the world advancement through the brink of the new millenium. Not as dramatic as it might sound, fot two reaseons. The first - most of the articles are devoted regionally and supply a wealth of un-needed information concerning the geography and history of the said locale, with no regard to the werewolf population living there. Second reason - this book does not disclose the information presented in the "rage across the world" guides, so if you do not have access to the relevant guides, you can not make full use of the information given in this one. If you do, however - it is an entire story altogether. I own the "rage-acrosses" of New York and the Russian motherland, and I have to say that the parts written in the "World of Rage" about New York state and the Soviet Union (ex) makes much more sense. Not surprising at all. Overall, if you do not have a "Rage Acros the World" at home that you would like to catch up with, don't bother getting this book - it's too out of phase and tediuos to read. If you do - maybe it's worth the effort. Just maybe. I only read it once.

I'm much more of a Vampire player than Werewolf player (thought that doesn't stop me from playing as a shapechanger at times), but I am very glad I bought this book. Since the Garou and the Kindred live in the same world, what happens to one WILL affect the other. And while it tells about some of the ends of story arcs, it's always vague enough so that you can do your own story in that timeframe. A good buy.

This title just released by White Wolf is a must have. This continues any on going story arcs for rage across the world books. This gives a in depth perspective on the garou, and how life has been for them these past five years. This book also detail for the first time really Europe as a continent. They explain current affairs and key players in this game for keeps. The format has been modified so it's pleasing to the eyes. Everything you would expect from White Wolf.