Product Description
Headline: Draw closer to God in the ordinary moments of your day.

Through lyrical anecdotes, Southern wit, and scriptural reflection, Pastor Thomas Steagald offers this sprawling oak of a work, rooted deeply in a life of prayer. This sepia-toned memoir takes you on Steagald's daily pastoral rounds from pre-dawn rising to a rest found only in the assurance of Christ's mercy. In between is a richly- textured account of little moments seized for consecration - prayers in the shower, coffee at Hardee's, choir practice and the surprises that test our perception of what in our lives is God's business. "It is our faith, and by faith I really mean trust, that no person, no situation, no circumstance exists without Him, or devoid of Him, or apart from His grace." So it is that Steagald dismantles the strict compartments of our ordinary" lives and invites us to offer our entire beings to Christ. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (55)

A Much Needed Book
Paul Miller has written a great book on this most important of subjects.There are a lot excellent books on the market that deal with prayer and "A Praying Life" can safely be placed in that category.In 32 short, easy to read chapters, Miller challenges his readers to a deeper, more meaningful prayer life.This book is filled with stories (mostly from Miller's family) that entertain but also help to illustrate his message.Miller shows us that prayer doesn't have to be that dreaded exercise which Christian's feel obligated to do, but never seem to actually follow through on.In a step by step manner, Miller takes us through the different dynamics of communicating with the Creator God.He is not afraid to address the tough questions about prayer, and shows us how certain roadblocks to "a praying life" can be overcome.

The book is comprised of an introduction followed by 5 different parts.Part 1:Learning to Pray Like A Child, Part 2: Learning to Trust Again, Part 3: Learning to Ask Your Father, Part 4: Living in Your Father's Story, Part 5: Praying in Real Life.Time and time again, Miller offers excellent insights into the world of prayer, and shows how God uses prayer to shape our lives.Given the anemic condition of North American Christianity, we really need to go back to the basics and learn how to pray.The sad reality is that most professing Christians don't have "a praying life."While they might send up a prayer every now and then, they don't have a dynamic relationship with their Heavenly Father which has been cultivated by prayer.This is where Miller's book is desperately needed and I would highly recommend it.

Living like a kid.
That summarizes this book for me.It seems the whole of our relationship with God consists of unlearning independence and learning dependence on Him.This book goes at this goal from many varied directions, each with a subtlety and nuance of its own which colors the whole.

I am going through it a second time, tamping down its knowledge and soaking in its godly wisdom, the wisdom of the child and the fool, and trying to strip my part of my dialogue with God down to my actual heart.

I've given it to others, who have given it to others--its one of the best parts of the good news since the Good News itself.

"The Power of a Praying Life"
"A Praying Life: Connecting With God In A Distracting World"

By: Paul Miller

We all as Christians desire that "praying life", and as Christians, it is part of our calling, and should be part of our daily walk with God. But for some Christians, somewhere along the way, they lose that special relationship with the Lord, that should be taking place daily.

I was given the opportunity to read the book, "A Praying Life", by Paul Miller, and was very impressed with how the book was written with such an honest and humble attitude. Mr. Miller breaks it down very simply for us, stating that we must first come to the Father like little children, just as it does say in His word. He brings out how we should talk to God as we would talk to our best friend, and to how to praise Him, not to just have a program of prayer. He gives very simple and helpful tips, to bring the reader closer to the Lord in his or her walk with God, in their prayer lives.

I found the book very helpful for young Christians and for Christians wanting a "refresher" of sorts, in how to strengthen and improve their prayer life. This book is perfect for both individual and group studies. I believe it is never too late to improve your prayer life, and I am a firm believer in the power of prayer!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

A great book on prayer for the new or seasoned believer
A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World is written by Paul E. Miller. Mr. Miller is the director of [...] an organization that develops interactive Bible studies for small groups. He travels widely teaching on the person and work of Jesus, and prayer.It is not often that I read a book on prayer but this is one I've kept my eye on for some time, and even read several reviews on it. Multiple times I've nearly bought this book at the bookstore but I already had so many books to read. This book is highly recommended by several authors that I have read before.

One of the most surprising parts of this book was his teaching on becoming like a child when we pray. Mr. Miller blows the dust off our prayers lives and guides us biblically, theologically and practically through the discipline of prayer. As one who is engaged in prayer and intercession on a daily basis even I found this book to be refreshing. Often times our prayer lives can become routine, complicated and cluttered. Mr. Miller helps us get to the heart of what prayer is.
If you haven't picked up a book on prayer in awhile or even if you have, I recommend you get this book. It is biblical, and it is practical. This book is broken into five parts. Personally I found the last part of the book part five: praying in real life to be the most helpful- especially part 5 chapter 30 on prayer journaling: become aware of the interior journey. As one who reflects on the events of the day and previous events I personally have found journaling to be a good way to record my thoughts. I encourage you to pick up this book whether you are a new believer learning about prayer or a seasoned prayer warrior- you will benefit from Mr. Miller's teaching.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Nav Press book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Average book on prayer
This book wasn't bad but I've seen much of the same in other books. I did like the "prayer tools" section although he referenced the prayer cards throughout the book not explaining them until the end of the book.This book was too long, he said much of the same in several chapters.There were a few examples of his use of prayer I disagree with - such as this:

He relates the story that he prayed because he and his wife had determined that their daughter was "too materialistic".They were going to buy a new car at one point but when they saw that their daughter was excited about getting a new car, they purposely bought an old car instead basically (my paraphrase) to work the materialism out of her.He keeps telling you to pray for every little thing, but they determined in their own wills that she was materialistic and without prayer, bought that old car to stick it to her.I pray for my 21 year old son all the time - asking God to keep him grounded, to keep him holy, to keep him from temptation. But I'm not going to buy some crappy old car and make him buy his own cell phone so he learns to be unmaterialistic.I pray that he learns how to handle nice things, how to stay humble in using nice things. Throughout the story of his daughter Emily, he repeatedly says:WE wanted to free her from the high school idols of boyfriends ..., WE didn't want her to love the world ... WE wanted her to abide ... so what did THEY do?They encouraged their teenage daughter to work in a Guatamela orphange surrounded by razor-wired walls located in a slum surrounded by gangs.I wonder what GOD wanted for their daughter.He just seemed to contradict everything he said about leaving it to God through prayer.You'd think someone who prayed for a parking space and to find a contact lens might have asked God if HE wanted their daughter to walk into a dangerous situation to make her more holy.Maybe ask God if HE thought their NORMAL teenage daughter's excitement over the possibility of a new car was a sign of materialism. At the end of the book, he says "she ended up going to the college WE wanted". You have to be very careful praying for other people, especially with specific things YOU want for them that they may necessarily not want. Prayer is not meant to be a manipulative tool.

He also really stretched "answered prayer".For instance the family had been praying that his autistic daughter speak. 25 years later, when speech generation software came to market, they considered it a personal answer to prayer, that God had orchestrated the developer to conceive this software just for them years before the girl was even born.This is just my opinion, but I think when you grasp at logic like this to justify claiming a prayer was answered, you water down the awesome times God does reach down and miraculously answer a prayer.

I really lost interest at this point but I did finish it.It dragged on from that point on until the "Prayer Tools" section which did have some helpful hints.The section on cynicism was actually very good so those chapters and the tools section are worth reading this for. ... Read more

Product Description
Who Is Jesus?

His name is recognized the world over. Christians claim to follow him. Muslims honor him as a prophet. And many Jewish rabbis regard him as a great teacher. Everyone knows about Jesus, but how many of us fully understand what he was like as a person?

Nowhere was the vitality of Jesus more visible than in his love, a love unlike any the world has ever seen. Compassionate, honest, powerful, humble, and sacrificial-Jesus was love personified, love walking among us. Such an example doesn't just happen. How did he do it? And how can we learn to love like him?

In Love Walked Among Us, Paul Miller invites us to get to know Jesus, to observe his life and his love as they unfold in the gospel narratives. The accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John-combined with Miller's own life stories-will encourage us to imitate Jesus' way of loving people. We will investigate such questions as:

-How do you love someone when you get no love in return, only withdrawal or ingratitude?-How do you love without being trapped or used by another person?-How do you love when you have your own problems? When do you take care of yourself?-When you are compassionate, people use you; but when you are honest, people get angry. So how do you love with both compassion and honesty?

In every way, Jesus' life exemplifies the full potential of what we were intended to be. And the better we know him, the more we will be drawn to follow his perfect example. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

2nd to the Bible
Next to the Bible, this is the best book I've read.This book will floor you with the love of God.

If this book doesn't move you, check your pulse!

Bringing scripture to life!
I love this book and will recommend it to everyone I know.If you have found scripture sometimes difficult to make sense of, then read this book.It begins when the author is asked by his wife "Do you really love me?", echoing the question Jesus asked of Peter.If you want to be more like Jesus or find yourself praying that He will show you how, then read this book.Paul Miller gives examples from his daily life to which we all can relate.Jesus came to teach us how to give and receive love and this author has made scripture come to life!

Highly Edifying
This book is excellent on two counts. First, it paints a thorough and beautiful picture of Jesus by examining the many parts in the Gospels where he shows love (and these diverse demonstrations of love might surprise you!). Second, it challenges readers to show love and exposes places where they have been lacking in love.

I approached this book somewhat cautiously, afraid it might be "touchy-feely" and moralistic. Neither of my fears were confirmed in the least, and quickly vanished as I read.

A lot of the book can be read as commentary on specific passages from the Gospels. He intersperses his commentary with applications for readers, challenging them to examine their own love for God and others. Miller provides examples and illustrations to illuminate his points, as well as quotations from writers as diverse as Corrie ten Boom, CS Lewis, and Anne Lamott. He keeps a tight focus on Jesus throughout his book, although I learned surprising (and cheering) things about his disciples as well.

Miller divides his book into five sections:

1. Love Shows Compassion - Love involves compassion, and true compassion must involve truly seeing the people around you. Miller studies instances of Jesus' loving compassion -- he really is the God Who Sees!

2. Love Speaks the Truth - Love isn't just about being "nice" to people. Miller explores instances in which Jesus spoke with loving honesty (more straight-forward than we usually dare be!). He also discusses how we can be honest without being judgmental.

3. Love Depends on God - Love isn't self-generated, and it shouldn't rely on the love of others to keep it afloat. Miller explains why our love for others has no reason to be needy.

4. Love is Energized by Faith - Love can be scary. Do we have the energy to love? Do we have the courage to love when things get messy? Miller explores these questions, and finds the answer in God.

5. Love Moves Through Death into Life - In this moving final section, Miller reaches the heart of the Gospel: Jesus' death and resurrection. Love can cost us. It can lead to grief and pain. Miller doesn't gloss over this, but draws out the hope we have through Christ's suffering.

This book was firmly grounded in scripture, and all the more beautiful for that. It has greatly expanded my understanding of Jesus and my appreciation for him. On my first reading, I focused on this aspect of the book. I plan to read it again in order to focus on the applications.

This book would make a great devotional, and would also be useful for group study. The chapters are short, but contain lots to discuss!

Loved Walked Among Us
I am using this book in my prayer group and finding it helpful. Chapters are short and can be read quickly.

Awesome Book
This is truly one of the most awesome books I've read. It magnifies how compassionate and loving Jesus was when he walked on this earth and how loving and passionate he still is today. The not so awesome aspect is that it also reveals to me how far off pace my own life and relationships are from what God expects of me. As I'm faced with issues each day, I'm constantly reminded of something from the book that I can look at how to see how Jesus handled. I recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to be more like Jesus. ... Read more

Product Description

"Quick in the saddle and fast out of town." Watch one of America's most remarkable heroes come alive through fast-paced prose and gripping storytelling.

The Revolutionary Paul Revere starts at a gallop and never slows down. Follow Revere's adventure-filled life from childhood through the French and Indian War; from the prerevolutionary economic disasters through the incendiary tax fights and riots; from military occupation of Boston through Revere's part in the Boston Massacre trial; from his role in the Boston Tea Party through his early service as express rider for the Massachusetts patriots; from the tragic death of his first wife through the whimsical pursuit of a new love; from his role as waterfront spy through his famous midnight ride; from his participation in the worst American naval disaster before Pearl Harbor through his eventual vindication.

Learn about Revere's life in the Freemasons and the secret political clubs of Boston. Discover his role in Massachusetts' ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Get the inside picture of his business dealings, and see how he transformed himself from poor artisan to wealthy industrialist, making everything from kettles to cannons. Revere's life story is the quintessential American story.

Customer Reviews (84)

Good Book!
I'm very interested in Revolutionary War history as well as the people of that time.There are many books, though, that are just too textbook-ish and make the subject tedious rather than fun and interesting.This book is not like that at all.It reads more like a novel than a history textbook.

Very informative book in the life of Paul Revere
This book is well written and helps the reader really get to know Paul Revere and get to know more about his life and the times he lived in.I recommend it for anyone interested in this figure from history.

Great Read!
I'm an admitted history buff but I think anyone in junior high on up would really enjoy this book.It is written in a lively fashion to hold your interest.Paul Revere has always fascinated me.This fleshed out what I had learned in other books.

A vivid portrait of a revered revolutionary

Frankly, I did not know quite what to expect as I began to read this biography of Paul Revere (1734-1818). Prior to doing so, I knew very little about his life, other than the fact that he was among the "revolutionaries" as well as a tradesman of considerable artistic and business skills. Joel Miller writes so well that I soon became engrossed in the narrative as he took me back in time to the pre-revolutionary period and Revere's struggles to support a family, earn a living, and meanwhile join with others to seek justice from an increasingly unsympathetic English monarch and parliament.

Miller provides a wealth of information that accomplishes three separate but interconnected objectives:

1. He offers abundant evidence that Revere the patriot deserves far more recognition and appreciation than have been accorded him thus far.

2. He suggests that, like Benjamin Franklin (our nation's first yuppie), Revere was an extraordinarily resourceful entrepreneur as well as a talented artisan whereas Franklin was an accomplished scientist.

3. He "humanizes" Revere as a husband, father, friend, neighbor, and community leader. He was loved by most of those who knew him best and respected as well as liked by others, even those with whom he was in total disagreement about political issues and initiatives.

I also appreciate the fact that, much as Miller admires Revere, he separates fact from legend when, for example, heexplains what did...and didn't happen...on the evening of 18 April 1775 when Revere mounted his horse and road off to spread the word about British troops en route to Lexington and Concord.

Those who share my regard for Miller's book are urged to check out these three:Esther Hoskins Forbes's Paul Revere and the World He Lived In, Jayne E. Triber's A True Republican: The Life of Paul Revere, and George Sullivan's Paul Revere.

Fascinating biography of the midnight rider
The Revolutionary Paul Revere by Joel J. Miller is an essential biography for any Founding Fathers collection. Paul Revere is best known for his midnight ride made famous by Longfellow's poem, but Revere played a vital role in America's quest for independence. He didn't have family ties going back to the Mayflower like John and Sam Adams nor was he wealthy like George Washington or Thomas Jefferson. Revere's story is that of the everyman who was angered by the unfair British taxes and practices and wanted to do something about it. Miller's writing has real flair that brings two hundred year old events to life. Readers will quickly come to understand the real Paul Revere and his role in the Revolutionary War. He was a brilliant entrepreneur who developed one of the first copper mills in the US and wasn't far more than just a silversmith. His cartoons and engravings inspired colonists because of their symbolism and the emotion he captured. I've read several other biographies of our Founding Fathers, but Revere is the first who seems like an average man, someone most Americans can relate to. Miller's writing makes it an enjoyable read and as well as an important one to understand how the son of a French Huguenot became one of the most famous men of the Revolutionary Era. ... Read more

Product Description
"Once you get into the flow of things, you're always haunted by the way that things could have turned out. This outcome, that conclusion. You get my drift. The uncertainty is what holds the story together, and that's what I'm going to talk about."--Rhythm ScienceThe conceptual artist Paul Miller, also known as Dj Spooky that Subliminal Kid, delivers a manifesto for rhythm science--the creation of art from the flow of patterns in sound and culture, "the changing same." Taking the Dj's mix as template, he describes how the artist, navigating the innumerable ways to arrange the mix of cultural ideas and objects that bombard us, uses technology and art to create something new and expressive and endlessly variable. Technology provides the method and model; information on the web, like the elements of a mix, doesn't stay in one place. And technology is the medium, bridging the artist's consciousness and the outside world. Miller constructed his Dj Spooky persona ("spooky" from the eerie sounds of hip-hop, techno, ambient, and the other music that he plays) as a conceptual art project, but then came to see it as the opportunity for "coding a generative syntax for new languages of creativity." For example: "Start with the inspiration of George Herriman's Krazy Kat comic strip. Make a track invoking his absurd landscapes. . .What do tons and tons of air pressure moving in the atmosphere sound like? Make music that acts a metaphor for that kind of immersion or density." Or, for an online "remix" of two works by Marcel Duchamp: "I took a lot of his material written on music and flipped it into a DJ mix of his visual material--with him rhyming!"Tracing the genealogy of rhythm science, Miller cites sources and influences as varied as Ralph Waldo Emerson ("all minds quote"), Grandmaster Flash, W. E. B Dubois, James Joyce, and Eminem. "The story unfolds while the fragments coalesce," he writes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Depends on the Reader
Rhythm Science is definitely one of those books that can be viewed in extreme opposite lights depending on the sort of mindset the reader is.This book is not for those that aren't already interested in DJ Spooky/Miller or the DJ culture.I read it for a class, and it was tough to get through.Upon reflection and reading through it again, I was able to appreciate it more.
As a previous review has already stated, as you read this book, it is essential to give your thought patterns to Miller, to submerge your mind into the text in order to really get into the flow of the book and fully understand what Miller is saying.

I completely agree with others, though.The CD that serves as the book's audio companion is far better than the book itself.

Overall, it is an interesting read, but unless you have the time and willingness to dive into the book and not surface until you're finished, I wouldn't bother.

A day with Paul Miller
If you are an artist, a dj, a writer, a musician or just have the ability to see things creatively you might enjoy this book. Miller gives a glimpse into how he is finding success and describes the history of his influences and alter-egos. I read it in one sitting, but found myself going back through and re-reading sections that were intriguing. Love his invented vocabulary.

Sampling the world
Rhythm Science di Paul D. Miller (The MIT Press, Mediaworks Pamphlet Series) non è un saggio sulla Dj-culture, ma più semplicemente una raccolta di appunti e di idee, talvolta anche autobiografiche, sul senso del fare musica, sulle origini del processo creativo contemporaneo, sulla filosofia e sui padri del campionamento.

L'autore, Paul D. Miller meglio conosciuto come Dj Spooky that Subliminal Kid (Washington DC, 1970) artista concettuale, scrittore, filmaker e musicista, descrive il processo creativo del Dj moderno come è una serie interminabile di campionamenti successivi, di molecole che si uniscono e si integrano per creare elementi nuovi. Citando i padri del processo di campionamento.

"It is as difficult to appropriate the thoughts of others as it is to invent" scrisse il poeta Ralph Waldo Emerson in "Quotation and Originality". Era il 1875, dieci anni prima la guerra civile aveva distrutto metà degli Stati Uniti d'America. Ricostruire le proprie idee attraverso il pensiero altrui. Contaminare. Mescolare le idee. Il dj moderno nasce due anni dopo, quando Thomas Edison inventa il primo fonografo, la macchina parlante, la macchina della memoria. La voce non è più in sincrono col tempo. Nasce la possibilità di mixare suoni preesistenti.

"Sampling is a new way of doing something that's been with us for a long time: creating with found objects"

Dj Spooky è come un vettore si muove a grande velocità lungo il globo, cambiando continuamente direzione come un'idea che si sviluppa attraverso le cellule della nostra mente. Sfrutta le autostrade digitali, si nutre delle creazioni altrui, le modifica, le sovrappone, le altera fino ad annullarne il copyright, le rimanda in circolazione come fossero semplici objets trouvées. Analogamente a Robert Rauchemberg, quando nel 1953 comprò un disegno di Willem De Koonig solo per cancellarlo, annullarne il copyright. "I sample all sorts of stuff. The strategy, of course, is to make it unrecornizable".

Con la seducente veste grafica disegnata dallo studio COMA (Cornelia Blatter e Marcel Hermans), Rhythm Science è un libro avvincente, che salta a ritmo frenetico da un tema all'altro senza bisogno di collegamenti certi. Spooky ci invita ad ascoltare il c-side del libro, un cd con musiche campionate dai suoni più disparati, incluse parole di Marcel Duchamp, Tristan Tzara, Kurt Schwitters e tanti altri fino al Finnegans Wake di James Joyce.

L'estetica del sampling, il ritorno di immagini nascoste nel fondo della memoria oppure, più semplicemente, di suoni registrati su un i-Pod. Niente paura, la creatività trionferà sempre perché, per usare le parole di Mallarmé: "Un coup de dés, jamais n'abolira l'hazard".

Good CD with over-done liner notes
I like to think of this as a gimmick-packaged CD instead of a book. Paul D. Miller has assembled a remarkable mix of music. It's a shame that the words accompanying the music almost spoils it.

I might have liked it better if the thing wasn't so ugly to look at. Like some of MIT's other Mediaworks pamphlets, Rhythm Science is over-designed to the point that discerning the text is a chore. Unlike other publications in this series (e.g. Shaping Things by Bruce Sterling) the thoughts contained within do not really justify struggling through the various typefaces. Miller's prose is not well written nor does it contain any arresting new ideas; he seems content to regurgitate rhetoric and jargon.

I understand that part of Miller's intent is to apply DJ principles to prose. His facile attempts do not compare favourably with, say, Brion Gysin's & William Burroughs's cut-up & fold-in experiments in the '50s & '60s, or even to Jeff Noon's attempts at word remixing in his novels.

However don't let the disappointingly pseudo-intellectual and pseudo-hip writing put you off the music. Five stars for the CD, 1 star for the book: my overall rating is the median of the two.

5 stars +
Look people: Rhythm Science is about mixing art and sound. The book
is totally readable and accessible, and either people have a reading
level of a 2nd grade student or something, or they just don't get
theory stuff, or maybe they're just stupid. The reason the book is
great is that it draws together writing and music like a dj would and
should: with rhythm. Spooky mixes words and texts in the book like a
mix CD, and the CD that goes with the book is a kind of audio
companion. They are both pretty amazing, and they compliment each
other nicely. It's annoying to see people always come off
conservative and dumb when this is obviously an "avant garde" kind of
book. Come on people: it's not Martha Stewart telling you how to dj -
but you'd think that alot of the reviews are. People always want
something simple, and Spooky never does that. That's why this is an
amazing book. Think of the early Dada manifestoes (even Kurt
Schwitters is on the mix CD!), think of the early Surrealist
manifestoes of Andre Breton or Jean Cocteau, and then fast forward to
now. Digital media and cut culture blur all of these things together
- art, music, and writing, and Paul D. Miller a.k.a. Dj Spooky gets
that. The problem is it seems like he's ahead of alot of people who
don't. The book shows why. ... Read more

Product Description
This catalogue accompanies the exhibition of the same name organized by the Georgia Museum of Art for the Lyndon House Arts Center in Athens, Ga., from August 8 to October 24, 2009, consisting of more than 80 works of art (paintings, sculptures, whirligigs, etc.) by the Georgia self-taught artist Reuben Aaron "R.A." Miller and drawn from the collection of Carl and Marian Mullis. Paul Manoguerra served as the curator of the exhibition and contributes an essay to the catalogue and a lengthy interview with Carl Mullis and Durwood Pepper, a close friend of R.A. Millier and an early dealer of his work, as well as a folk artist in his own right. The book includes many color illustrations, a checklist of the exhibition and a reproduction of the Georgia House of Representatives' resolution commending Miller. ... Read more

Product Description

A wide variety of texts by the Latin satirists are presented here in a fully loaded resource to provide an innovative reading of satire's relation to Roman ideology.

Brimming with notes, commentaries, essays and texts in translation, this book succeeds in its mission to help the student understand the history of Latin's modern scholarly reception.

Focusing on the linguistic difficulties and problems of usage, and examining aspects of meter and style necessary for poetry appreciation, the commentary places each selection in its own historical context then using essays and critical excerpt, the genre's most salient features are elucidated to provide a further understanding of its place in history.

Extremely student friendly, this stands well both as a companion to Latin Erotic Elegy and in its own right as an invaluable fund of knowledge for any Latin literature scholar.

Product Description
Unlike most devotional resources offering inspiration or spiritual encouragement through a few moments of private devotional readings, this book offers specific direction for becoming disciplined in applying Scriptural truths or insights throughout one's daily experience. ... Read more

Product Description
A study of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals reveals the vision and strategy of his pontificate. It is a vis-ion which at once recalls the mysteries of faith and appeals to all men and women of good will to build the future on a firm spiritual and ethical foundation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Encyclicals of John Paul II
Since this book is out of print, it was an unexpected treat to get a NEW COPY - which arrived in pristine condition.The book exceeded my expetations in every way. To have the encyclicals of a soon to be saintis a wonderful addition to my wife's Catholic religious library.The whole process went smoothy - from order to delivery.

Soon to be John Paul the Great!!!
This giant of the 20th Century, will be known as John Paul the Great by future historians. Today, his teachings are considered "out of touch" with the modern world by the mouth pieces of worldly power, especially on sexual morality. He is considered worthy of derision by them, how wrong they are.

The thought of JPII is trans-modern, it is a bold and sophisticated philosophical approach to the problems that afflict our world. His insights penetrate into the philosphical and spiritual roots of the modern crisis and has found the solution. His approach is a rigorus engagement with modern thought and transcends the dead-end thought that has emerged among intellectual eliets and poisons our universities.

For those who would gloss over his writings, they would miss the mystical import and profound depth of this thinker and leader. So subtle, so rich, it is easily missed.

John Paul II is a prophet to the world, a prophet whose message has largely been ignored.

In the not too distant future, when our need for the TRUTH presses upon us ever more heavily, those who search will find John Paul's writings and be liberated and ennobled by this man's potent seed.

Take this and steep yourself in the truth and allow this man's spirit, the spirit of the Father, Child and Love to fill you.

What a book!What a Pope!
Here they are, in one collection.Why buy them individually when you can have them all in one place?

This important book provides a study of 12 of Pope John Paul II's encyclicals, from the first of his pontificate,Redemptor Hominis, through the much discussed Evangelium Vitae andVeritatis Splendor, the not-to-be-overlooked Redemptoris Mater, and Ut UnumSint.

Scholars and non-scholars will be pouring over the Pope's gifts forthe next century to come.The encyclicals offer Pope John Paul II'sbrilliant blueprint for the third millennium.It is a blueprint fashionedfrom Scripture itself, but with modern insights to carry us forward acrossthe "threshold of hope."

J. Michael Miller, C.S.B. offers anexcellent introduction to Papal encyclicals and helpful notes prior to eachchapter.In addition, an exhaustive index makes this a superb referencefor pastors, teachers, writers, theologians, researchers, and the averagelayperson desiring to know more about the Church.

Religiously, Intellectually, & geopolitically important
Father Miller has captured an entire set of the most significant written works of the Papacy of John Paul II.Clearly the present pope has been a religious and geopolitical figure of first importance in the past 22 years, as has been amply documented in such works as Weigel's'Witness to Hope'and Bernstein's 'His Holiness.'The universal intellectual achievementhowever of JPII is understandable most readily in his encyclicals.Thesedocuments speak from and reveal a philosopher and theologian of the firstquality;indeed, as with Leo XIII, it may take at least a hundred yearsfor the importance of his work to be understood.Fr. Miller has thequalifications on all fronts, as a philosopher, a theologian, and hisformer employment in the Papal Secretariat of State, to gather and remarkon these works.Students of the times and their deepest roots willdoubtlessly find here a collection of primary source materials that areindispensible to their understanding. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Almost a bigger waste of time than the main textbook.
It almost seems as if the authors of the book couldn't work their own problems.i have no idea how they choose which problems they do--they only do the odd-numbered problems, and even not many of those!They don'texplain each step, only referring you back to the textbook, which itself isuseless and incomprehensible.

Don't bother. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (13)

Great book of lateral thinking puzzles.
I was looking for a book with lateral thinking puzzles to stretch my mind a little. This is a great book full of lateral thinking puzzles from easy to difficult and answers and hints in the back! If you are looking for a great book of lateral thinking puzzles, this is one!

Disappointed - too corny
It's definitely thinking sideways, but really reaching for that answer.Just too corny, even for gradeschoolers.Like the first one - woman had a goldfish that was unwell. brought it to vet and miraculaously healthy again.he replaced it with a new one!See, reaching for it too much.Check out Stories with Holes, Nathan Levy.very interesting, a few are too corny but most are great.With a few word changes are great even for 2nd graders.

thinking?
i love this book!I remembered having it when I was younger, and was so happy to find it on amazon.com!My husband and I have gone through the whole thing, and love being stumped!

Lateral Thinking
My students are really enjoying these puzzles.They can hardly wait each day for us to do one in class. I highly recommend this book.

Puzzles to keep the intelligence juices flowing smoothly
Puzzles are one of the best ways to keep the electro chemicals in your brain moving rapidly and efficiently. The best ones are simultaneously simple and hard. Simple in the sense that the solution is easy to understand and hard in the sense that it cannot be obvious. The phrase "lateral thinking" is used to describe puzzles where the solution requires some thought from a different direction. These puzzles certainly satisfy that definition, although there are a few where the solution is a bit of a groaner.
There are five levels of puzzles: easy, moderate, historical, difficult and fiendish. There are also three sections to the book. The list of the 93 puzzles, clues to help you find the solution and the answers. When trying to solve the puzzles, I often consulted the clues, and approximately half the time found the solution rather quickly. For the other problems, I failed to arrive at the solution without some help.
While some of the puzzles in this collection are classics that veteran puzzlers will recognize, there were enough that were new to me to keep me entertained and mentally challenged throughout.
... Read more

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Some of the most joy-filled books in the New Testament were written from a small, dark prison cell. Although hungry, cold, and scarred, Paul exalted his savior's love and grace to the Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. How was Paul able to rest so securely? And how can you today? The Smart Guide to the Bible™: Paul and the Prison Epistles will brighten your life by illuminating how God is with you in all your circumstances. You'll be uplifted by Paul's instructions for finding joy in suffering, engaging in spiritual warfare, receiving God's love, living out your faith, and so much more. You, too, will be able to rejoice in the Lord always!

Be Smart About:

• Pauls' Circumstances
• Joy No Matter What
• Spiritual Warfare
• God's Grace
• Why Paul Wrote His letters
• Living Out Your Faith

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You've seen your own blood, when you have a cut or a scrape. You can see the veins in your wrist, and you've seen the scab that forms as a cut heals. But do you know what blood does for you? Without blood, you couldn't play, or grow, or learn. That's because just about every part of your body needs blood, from your muscles to your bones to your brain. How does your body use blood? Read and find out! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Absolutely wonderful
My kids LOVE this book.The illustrations are superb.A vampire and his ogre assistant are the demonstrators -- it's a crack up.Even the font is creepy.Along the way, the book does a very good job showing the properties of blood.This is a keeper.

A DROP OF BLOOD
WHAT YOU SEE, IS WHAT IGOT. VERY HELPFUL FOR THE PROJECT THAT I USED IT FORA Drop of Blood (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

Fun and Easy for Kids to Grasp
Great little book.My 4 year old loves it.He's very interested in how the body works and this is a great overview of the basics of blood, blood vessels, clotting, etc.I love this whole series - it explains scientific principles and concepts in ways that even very young children can understand, and I as a parent am not left to rely on my memories of 9th grade biology class, which was a very long time ago indeed.

We love this series
A Drop of Blood (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

Really nice book with lots of info about what blood is and what it does for our bodies. It's amusing to me that this has dracula even if my 5 year old doesn't know who that is. The diagrams are concise and easy to understand. There are photos of magnified blood cells, diagrams of how the blood flows thru our bodies. Since all kids skin their knees there is an explanation of what happens when you get a boo-boo and blood comes out and a scab forms while new skin grows to cover the cut. There is even info on how much blood we have inside us at different ages.
We are steadily collecting all the "Let's read and find out" series. I haven't found one yet that I didn't enjoy. My 5 year old genuinely loves to learn about science so these books feed his hunger for knowledge. It doesn't seem to matter which level we read from. This one is level 2. He isn't reading them yet but likes me to read to him still. The information isn't over his head even when the reading level is. I highly recommend them all.

Awesome!
My kid and I love this book! It's perfect for the monster loving 4 year old who's curious about the world inside them, not to mention the great pictures. Very fun read. ... Read more

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College students face a world of adjustments as they take on the challenges of campus life. One of the biggest tests is learning to thrive spiritually in the midst of chaotic and sometimes confusing change. Campus Voices is a collection of spiritual and practical reflections written by students, for students, that take an honest look at the most common difficulties and opportunities that college students encounter. These weekly readings are written by students from a variety of Christian and secular institutions, over 20 schools are represented and each entry opens a window into real campus experiences. Readers will instantly identify with the authentic voices of students finding their way through the maze of college life while growing their relationships with God. Reading are accompanied by journaling space and recommended Scripture readings to further encourage students to thrive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

great gift for grad
I bought Campus Voices to send as a gift to my friend's daughter who is graduating this year. But before I mailed it off, I just couldn't put it down myself! The selections hit home for anyone, but are especially targeted for grads or those who are in college. I especially like the place to journal after each devotion. I plan on getting this for all my friends' kids as a grad gift! It's a must-have for Christian guys and gals to navigate successfully through their college years.

Great College Devotional
Campus Voices is an excellent choice for a college devotional.It contains relevant, inspirational essays written by university students.Their stories are poignant but also encouraging.The book also contains journal space and helpful articles about choosing a major, dealing with conflict, and finding forgiveness. ... Read more

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Paul Goodman was one of the founders and major theoreticians ofGestalt therapy, as well as a practicing psychotherapist for many years. He constantly sought to understand the nature of our selves and our society. "Our misery seems so ingrained that it calls for an explanation from our essential natures.""Nature Heals" contains Goodman's most Important writings on psychology, including his critiques of Sigmund Freud and Wilhelm Reich, his discussions of aggression, racism, sex, ethics and other areas of modern psychopathology. Of particular Interest is his appraisal of the special problems of writers, and his notes on his own self-analysis.This book stands alone as perceptive psychological writing. These essays also help us understand the underpinnings of Goodman's political and literary visions. The pieces - some of them published here for the first time - have been selected and introduced by Taylor Stoehr, Goodman's biographer and one of his literary executors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A wide ranging selection
This volume collects two dozen essays by the brilliant anarchist critic Paul Goodman. The introduction by Goodman's disciple Taylor Stoehr presents a cogent and intimate portrait of Goodman's contribution to pyschology, providing useful context for his wide ranging selections of Goodman's psychological writings: his engagements with Freud and Reich, and his psychological approaches to literature, sociology, and self-knowledge.

As always, Goodman thrills with his agile, vivid, humane prose, and the book is chock full of penetrating aphorisms.

As the collection is largely of short works written for periodicals, it can sometimes feel a little breezy; those looking for a more comprehensive picture of Goodman's psychology would do well to seek out his "Gestalt Therapy." ... Read more

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The essays is this volume--written by prominent philosophers and academic lawyers--examine various aspects of both the right to privacy and the roles that this right plays in moral philosophy, legal theory, and public policy. Some of the essays discuss possible justifications for privacy rights, basing them on classical liberal principles or the considerations of moral pluralism. Other essays examine the role that privacy plays in American consitutional theory. Still others assess how privacy considerations affect certain issues in medical ethics, such as the proper extent of access to medical information and the normative status of the right to die. ... Read more

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The elegy flared into existence, commanded the cultural stage for several decades, then went extinct. This book accounts for the swift rise and sudden decline of a genre whose life span was incredibly brief relative to its impact. Examining every major poet from Catullus to Ovid, Subjecting Verses presents the first comprehensive history of Latin erotic elegy since Georg Luck's.

Paul Allen Miller harmoniously weds close readings of the poetry with insights from theoreticians as diverse as Jameson, Foucault, Lacan, and Zizek. In welcome contrast to previous, thematic studies of elegy--efforts that have become bogged down in determining whether particular themes and poets were pro- or anti-Augustan--Miller offers a new, "symptomatic" history. He asks two obvious but rarely posed questions: what historical conditions were necessary to produce elegy, and what provoked its decline? Ultimately, he argues that elegiac poetry arose from a fundamental split in the nature of subjectivity that occurred in the late first century--a split symptomatic of the historical changes taking place at the time.

Subjecting Verses is a major interpretive feat whose influence will reach across classics and literary studies. Linking the rise of elegy with changes in how Romans imagined themselves within a rapidly changing society, it offers a new model of literary theory that neither reduces the poems to a reflection of their context nor examines them in a vacuum. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

wedding bells for theory
Blame:
"Maitre, there seems to be a Symbolic in the Imaginary of my Real," is a sentence that would not be entirely out of place in this book. The wedding of much theory (Jameson, Foucault, Lacan) is consonant with the bounty of citations philosopher Slavoj Zizek receives, seemingly more than any philologist who actually works on Roman elegy. It also seemed that fewer passages of poetry, but more selected words, received discussion than a more comprehensive study might merit, but the author does well to traverse the lifespan of the art and relate its habits to the concerns of the day. There are a couple of textual errors and one of the sources is cited in text without a bibliographical referent.

Praise:
It's always time for someone to discuss the context from which the genre of love elegy emerged. Paul Allen Miller shares his fascination with this poetry that emerged suddenly, sparked, and then disappeared all within a period of fifty years or so. His interpretations and methods of reading elegy are generally smart, though I remain disappointed that some of the uncertainty concerning love elegy finds a kind of analytical resolution in the clarity of psychoanalytic discourse. The chapter on reading the poems of Tibullus is utterly fascinating. The introductory chapter cleanly exhibits the psychoanalytic terminology used throughout in such a way that most of the explanations that use it will be clear to those who don't read Ecrits for kicks. Other chapters provide encounters with Catullus, Propertius, the idea of Gallus, and Ovid.

The complexity of elegy Paul Allen Miller puts on glorious display. The argument that the ideologically split selves of poets in an uncertain age begat poems offering politically prismatic effects seems remotely analogous to Glenn Most's essay elsewhere on the rage for poetic dismemberment during the reign of Nero, in the sense that both authors consider the poets concerned to be keenly aware of the political and cultural trends of the age. The book was invigorating and frustrating for this reader, but on such an exciting topic the many hits may outnumber the misses. ... Read more

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This is a glorious volume from the new Pope Benedict XVI, who pays tribute to his predecessor, mentor and close friend, Pope John Paul II.As Cardinal Ratzinger he was the closest Vatican prelate to John Paul II, working together with him for almost 25 years in the Vatican.

When John Paul died, the world saw Cardinal Ratzinger speak so beautifully and eloquently at the pope's funeral, then at the Mass preceeding the Papal Conclave.Soon afterwards, the College of Cardinals quickly elected Ratzinger as John Paul's successor.This book unites these two great spiritual leaders in one powerful, deeply moving volume, complete with over 100 pages of truly inspiring, unique photos by Vatican photographer Giancarlo Giuliani (many never before published) of many striking and poignant moments of the pontificate of John Paul II as he traveled around the world.Ratzinger shares his many personal experiences and insights about this pontificate that changed the world. Illustrated. ... Read more

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The institution of private property lies at the heart of contemporary Western societies. But what are the limits of property ownership? Do principles of justice require some measure of governmental redistribution of property in order to relieve poverty or to promote greater equality among citizens? And what do principles of justice, whether egalitarian or libertarian, have to say about individuals' ownership of their own talents and the products of their labor, and the about the initial acquisition of land and natural resources? The essays in this volume -- written by eleven prominent political and moral philosophers -- address these questions and explore related issues. A number of essays consider the theoretical foundations of property ownership, asking how the rights of individuals to acquire property can be justified, and how extensive these rights are.Some essays focus on the concept of self-ownership, discussing how the individual's right to control his own mind, body, and actions relates to his right to gain control over extrapersonal objects and resources.Other essays look at connections between property ownership and various values, including democratic political participation and equality of wealth and opportunity.Still others examine issues of ownership and justice that relate to the justification of liberal political institutions, or the implementation of centralized social and economic planning. ... Read more