Product Description
The gilded age was one of unrivalled opulence, an age of castles transported from Europe, four-hundred-foot yachts, and the great American family fortunes. Society was decorous, strict, and entirely stratified. Above all, it had but one leader, Mrs. Astor. It was she whom with the help of her friend and social confidant Ward McAllister, decided who was, and who was not, a member of Society-- a group limited to four hundred by the confines of the Astor mansion's stately ballroom.

Four years the press clamored to know who the Four Hundred were, who comprised the inner sanctum of Gilded Age Society? Mrs. Astor never in her life spoke with a journalist, but Ward McAllister often did. Famous for his flippant remarks and unwavering loyalty to Mrs. Astor and Society, he leaked the list to the New York Times in 1892. Instantly the term, "The Four Hundred," entered the national vocabulary, as a way to describe New York's hereditary elite: the Vanderbilts, the Van Rensselaers, the Goelets, the Stuyvesant Fish, the Chanlers....

Jerry E. Patterson, social historian and widely published author, brings the names on McAllister's list to life. Describing their lineage, wealth, exploits, and amusements, Patterson paints a vivid and remarkably human portrait of Gilded Age Society at its peak. In telling the story of the First Four Hundred, Patterson details the composition and lore of New York Society from the time the early Dutch settlers first broke bread through the Gilded Age and into the early part of the twentieth century. This telling history of New York's very rich is as much a history of the city itself as it is of social customs, dynamics, idiosyncrasies, and private architecture.
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Customer Reviews (6)

Great intro to NYC in the Gilded Age!
For those of us who are not overly familiar with NYC in the Gilded Age, Jerry Patterson's book is a wonderful introduction.In the book, he covers noteworthy personalities such as Mr. Brown, the Grace Church warden, Ward McAllister, the writer of the list that included the first four hundred, and briefly gives an introduction to Caroline Astor, leader of NYC Society.Many customs, traditions, and amusements of this lavish era are described.Overall, the book is very engrossing and informative.

Ignores Alva Belmont's debasement of Caroline Astor's values
Caroline Astor, unlike Alva Belmont,was not a racist.Mrs Astor's values about race became the moral standard in New York and Newport high society until Alva Belmont reduced the standard.Belmont was the daughter of an Alabama cotton planter. "I was a natural dictator," Belmont wrote of herself. "I enjoyed nothing so much as tyrannizing over the little slave children on my father's cotton plantation." Patterson could have devoted a chapter to attutudes about race in the Gilded Age.This book is well written. I highly recommend this book.

Ignores Alva Belmont's debasement of Caroline Astor's values
Caroline Astor, unlike Alva Belmont,was not a racist.Mrs Astor's values about race became the moral standard in New York and Newport high society until Alva Belmont reduced the standard.Belmont was the daughter of an Alabama cotton planter. "I was a natural dictator," Belmont wrote of herself. "I enjoyed nothing so much as tyrannizing over the little slave children on my father's cotton plantation." Patterson could have devoted a chapter to attutudes about race in the Gilded Age.This book is well written. I highly recommend this book.

The high and the low of the Gilded Age
The book misses the personality differences between Caroline Astor and Alva Belmont.Caroline Astor could likely be reincarnated in today's Queen Elizabeth II.Alva Belmont could likely be reincarnated in today's Leona Hemsley.

Great Reading!
This is a lovely and attractive book with wonderful pictures and even a listing of the complete "400." I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the Gilded Age in NYC. Also, you might want to join this yahoo group to discuss it further: [URL] ... Read more

Product Description
• Fully revised updated and expanded edition of an ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award winner

• Cultural history plus celebrity anecdotes

• Up-to-the-minute look at the current New York cabaret scene

Intimate Nights is the definitive history of cabaret as it evolved in New York City in the years after World War II. But that doesn’t mean it’s dry and academic. Good heavens, no. Settle in for racy tales of nightlife, revealed in interviews with dozens of the people who lived it: Bobby Short, Eartha Kitt, Mabel Mercer, Bette Midler, and many more. Author James Gavin has tracked down rare, early stories about the legends who came out of New York nightclubs—and that means Barbra Streisand, Woody Allen, Nichols and May, Johnny Mathis, Carol Burnett, Lenny Bruce, among others. Part cultural history, part celebrity gossip, Intimate Nights offers an intimate look at the creatures of the nightclubs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Rich and Glorious
Intimate Nights: The Golden Age of New York Cabaret
The header refers to the author as well as the book. I use the word 'rich' in all its meanings except the monetary one. A wonderful book full of wonderful detail by a wonderful writer. Luckily I had already amassed a number of the CDs listed in the discography, so there were few demands on my credit card. I can't say the same for 'Deep in a Dream', Mr Gavin's opus on Chet Baker, another hard-to-put-down book. I'm still paying for lots of Chet CDs. Now I'm eagerly awaiting James Gavin's imminent biography of Lena Horne, 'Stormy Weather'

Cabaret at its best
this book gives good insight on the story of cabaret.easy reading-with interesting facts & photos. Gives detail on the history & the key players of cabaret in NYC.

LIFE IS INDEED A CABARET, OLD CHUM!
If life is truly a cabaret, than James Gavin has written a spectacular history of that night life. This updated edition of Gavin's 1992 book of the same title concerns the history of cabaret in America--and it's a real dazzler.
Beginning in the speakeasies of the '30s and progressing through the glamorous '40s and '50s to the repressive '50s, the book takes us to the wide-open sexuality of the '60s and '70s, the devastation from HIV of the '80s and early '90s to where we stand today. It's a show-biz history of an admittedly small niche in American entertainment, but an extraordinarily rich and creative one.From Bobby Short and Mabel Mercer through Phyllis Diller and Barbra Streisand and Peter Allen to the Callaway sisters, Barbara Cook and Ute Lemper, there is something here for all tastes and all moods.
The art of cabaret--and be sure it is an art--is the experience of sitting in a quiet club, some glamorous, some sewers, and listening to a singer perform . . . seemingly just for you.Old standards are reinterpreted, new material marveled at,forgotten songs recalled.The audience in encouraged to feel, think--and maybe have a drink or two.Scrupulously researched, Gavin has managed to not only create a chronological history (including the stars, and the genius accompanists, crafty presenters, scummy landlords and adoring fans) but lovingly describes performers and performances. But be forewarned: The discography at the end of the book is incredibly comprehensive, and by the time you've finished reading about these legendary talents, you're going to want pull out the charge card and hit amazon.com
So stop sitting alone in your room, buy this book, and discovers just how much more music you can hearplay, if, old friend, you come to the cabaret.

What an enjoyable book
Gavin has done a lot more than just research the time period he covers with such liveliness in this comprehensive book about New York nightclub entertainment. He really seems to have immersed himself in the world that he describes, and his enthusiasm shines through on every page. This is a wonderful introduction to an essential part of entertainment history. ... Read more

Product Description
Discover how you can use the easiest, most complete system of hypnosis available to heal your life, change bad habits, research past lives, and more, by reading New Age Hypnosis by Dr. Bruce Goldberg.

Dr. Goldberg has been practicing hypnosis for over 25 years and is an authority on the subject. Under his guidance, this book will teach you how to safely and effectively enter into and return from a hypnotic trance. New Age Hypnosis shows you how to have various metaphysical experiences, including past life regression, out-of-body travel, and much more:

·View past or future lives
·Attract a soul mate
·Contact departed loved ones
·Increase self-confidence
·Overcome shyness, overeating, and depression
·Slow down the aging process
·Meet your guardian angel
·Heighten your psychic awareness
·Increase your ability to earn and hold onto money
·Strength your immune system
·Eliminate bad habits and phobias

This just scratches the surface of what you will be able to do when you practice the easy techniques in New Age Hypnosis. Included are several methods for inducing hypnosis, deepening the hypnotic state, and overcoming resistance, as well as numerous sample hypnosis scripts and how to find a qualified hypnotherapist. It even gives explicit and practical instructions on how you can establish your own new age hypnotherapy practice using the techniques in the book.

Upon completion of this book, you will be able to induce a hypnotic trance, deepen it, maximize a clinically beneficial state, and return to the normal waking state as a more spiritually evolved soul. Get New Age Hypnosis today.
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Customer Reviews (13)

Good book even for hard-to-hypnotise people
My dad is extremely hard to hypnotize, but by tweaking a few of the pieces in this book, I got him into a basic hypnotic state. I will have to keep trying, but he was far deeper than his hypnotherapist has gotten him! XD!!!

Thanks Dr. Goldberg.

John McAdam, author of:
Were Ancient Gods From Other Planets?
Am I Mad Or Coherent?

Audio tapes and Book scripts the same
Having listened to a couple of his audio tapes - which have since been passed along to another - it was a pleasant surprise to discover those same scripts in his book. Why purchase those CDs, when I can create my own audio file in my own voice from the scripts in this book?

Efficient Self-help with self hypnosis simply explained.
This book is really fantastic.The author tells you what to do to help yourself recover from any discomfort through self-hypnosis.It is efficient as it explains everything in simple words.the book also has chapter that are well balanced and arranged.I think that the aim is to be holistic, which explains the title.Professionally done.I believe people can help themselves at a fraction of the cost of seeing a professional.The subconscious mind will do it all for you.Just follow the advices in the book.

This book works
Hypnosis is simple, natural, and effective. Unfortunately, many people who pick up this book may find the simplistic nature of the hypnotic theory and induction techniques off-putting, but as a certified hypnotist in training and a practitioner of the scripts included here-in, I could advise anyone reading this review to buy this book with complete confidence that it indeedWORKS. This book adequately describes how to perform extremely powerful inductions on your clients *including eye-fixation, hand-clasp, and progressive relaxation inductions* and also goes a step further by describing the mechanisms behind effective inductions *described as the Hypnotic Laws.* I have noticed however that the hypnotic scripts are written direct-authoritatively which may render them ineffective for emotional suggestible types, but I've found it quite simple to revise the scripts to fit any personality type. For more information on suggestibility types and robust hypnotic theories of the mind I'd recommend "Professional Hypnotism Manual" by John Kappas. However, a deep understanding of hypnosis is NOT required to reap it's benefits on a personal level. This book has more than enough information to successfully master self-hypnosis *which requires no changes to the script whatsoever*. For people out there who haven't been getting tangible results using the self-hypnosis techniques of this book, keep in mind that it takes some time to get used to self-inducing a deep trance state. Hallucination's of angels or higher-dimensional beings, or any positive or negative hallucination for that matter, requires the subject to be in the deepest levels of trance. Good news is, this book is loaded with deepening techniques to help get you into the most powerful hypnotic states. You'll find yourself falling into hypnosis progressively deeper and faster the more often you practice putting yourself under, so practice often. For the skeptics, hypnosis is a matter of fact. Regardless of the fringe nature of the hypnotic scripts included in this book. your sub-conscious mind is capable of creating these mystical experiences with incredible ease.

Great book!
This book answers a lot of questions newly interested people might have and it gives a few tips for those of us interested in life 'progression' and soul contact.There is ample instruction for making your own tapes with his scripts as beginning points.
From a hypnotherapy instructor's viewpoint I really like it for new people.In fact, it's now required reading for my course. ... Read more

Product Description
Many people will be surprised to find that Judaism isfundamentally aligned with what we think of as the New Age. Many ofthe things we associated with the New Age are not new but are part ofKabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. New Age Judaism is not aboutJudaism modified to meet the needs of the moment, but rather it makesage-old Judaism, traditional and kabbalistic teachings accessible tothe modern person in a new way.

New Age Judaism is a very practical guidebook to Jewish spiritualitydrawn from the insights and personal observations of the author, awell-known meditation teacher and psychotherapist. Melinda Ribner hastaught Jewish meditation and meditative kabbalah for over 16 years andincorporates many of these exercises into her book. In 1989 she formedThe Jewish Meditation Circle which meets weekly in Manhattan. Her workdraws on the teachings and practices of the Musar, Chassidic, andKabbalistic schools within Judaism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

NEW AGE AND JUDAISM? IT'S NOT AN OXYMORON
On the surface, Judaism and the New Age movement would seem totally contradictory: Judaism is all about "tradition," right?(At least, that's what the play "Fiddler On the Roof" said...)

Actually, Melinda Gibson's (2000) book points out that the TRADITION of Judaism also includes a substantial MYSTICAL tradition; in particular, the Kabbalah, and its most famous book, the Zohar, that actually taught vegetarianism, holistic healing, and reincarnation in places, not to mention belief in angels. There are also more "experiential" branches of Judaism such as Hasidism.So the two religious traditions may not be as far apart as one would think.

Melinda was authorized to teach meditation by the famous late rabbi, Schlomo Carlebach, and she has taught it for many years in the "Jewish Meditation Circle."Her book covers Kabbalistic concepts such as the "Tree of Life," and also includes chapters on the "Divine Blueprint," and even sexuality.The book also includes a series of guided meditations.

There are other Jewish teachers who write books with a similar focus (e.g., David Cooper, God Is a Verb: Kabbalah and the Practice of Mystical Judaism, who with his wife Shoshana directs the Heart of Stillness Hermitage in the mountains in Colorado; Rabbi David Zeller The Soul of the Story: Meetings With Remarkable People--a psychologist and musician who studied with Schlomo Carlebach from the mid-1960s; Joseph Gelberman, Zen Judaism: Teaching Tales by a Kabbalistic Rabbi, as well as Tirzah Firestone With Roots in Heaven: One Woman's Passionate Journey into the Heart of her Faith).

Spiritual Nourishment that lights the soul
With the growing popularity of Kabbalah over the last few years, many people have eagerly sought after authentic voices that can reveal this ancient wisdom. People are longing for deeper meaning in their lives.They are looking for connection-connection with themselves, with each other and with God.
The path that leads to Jewish spirituality can have many false steps.But if you begin your journey with Mindy Ribner's splendid book, New Age Judaism-Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World, your feet will be firmly planted in the rich soil of divine wisdom.
From the first page to the last, New Age Judaism has something to teach.More importantly, it is an inspirational treatise that transports the reader beyond time and space with a gentle landing at the doorstep of enlightened awareness.
Ms. Ribner, who received a nonrabbinical ordination to teach meditation from the legendary Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, skillfully leads the reader to the deepest realm of Jewish meditative practice and Kabbalistic thought. From an illuminating discussion on how and why God created the universe to a thoroughly engaging examination of the tree of life, Ms. Ribner demonstrates her true genius by making the inner wisdom of Judaism thoroughly accessible. At the core of New Age Judaism, the reader is treated to an abundant array of meditative tools that make a direct experience with one's own soul obtainable. The shear variety of meditations offers the reader nothing short of experiencing Divine inspiration over and over again and in so many different ways.
New Age Judaism simply put is spiritual nourishment that emanates straight from the heart. It is a sweet and tender love song to God, one in which Ms. Ribner invites you to raise your voice and join in the chorus. New Age Judaism is an invaluable source for anyone who is interested in deepening his or her spiritual experience. I whole-heartedly recommend it to everyone.

If you want a lesson on Jewish Morality...
The only reason I gave this book 2 stars was because the meditations were good.However, for the author to start drawing moral and philosophical conclusions based on circular questions is ridiculous.For the most part the book is filled with the same nonsense you may find in any book on Judaism.If you believe it, great, if not, reading this book will certainly subject you to it. It is a poor attempt of legitimacy for various biblical phrases and 'ancient texts' (that were by most scholarly accounts written 1,000 years ago) through bad proofs, and decent meditative experiences - although whether the origin of some is judaic or not is questionable. This book is comparable to any other occidental religion trying to 'adjust' to a new paradigm, regardless of how many times the author cries otherwise.

"A Tonic for the Soul"
Mindy Ribner's book, "New Age Judaism" is a tonic for the soul. The message is soothing and spiritually uplifting. By sharing examples ofthe meditation exercises that she practices and teaches, you are given arare opportunity to become more connected to your inner self. Through herextensive knowledge and wisdom of such subjects as reincarnation, kabbalahand angels, you will learn just how vibrant and relevant Judaism is in the21st Century - the "New Age". Mindy is the rare author thatcombines scholarship with first hand experience. She not only knows of whatshe writes, but will inspire you with all that living a faith based lifecan be. Suddenly, your own concept of a Jewish life has a beautiful,expansive new way to be expressed. She is truly a spiritual guide, and asyou travel with her in this wonderful book, you will most certainly feelGod's presence leading the way. ... Read more

Product Description
Douglas Groothuis explains what the New Age movement is, analyzes its major doctrines, and shows how it is influencing politics, science, health care, and education. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Another Effort to Defend Against and/or Delay Advancing Human Consciousness

Until about 1958, I might have shared the beliefs in this book.A lot has happened during the past half-century that is not specifically detailed in the Bronze Age scribblings that are bound in a book that allows for no updates/revisions.It is as though the great Universal Life Force identified by many names including "God" is bound and gagged by the printed word; no longer permitted to speak directly to the humanity whom He created.

This book is interesting reading and opens a peep-hole revealing the contents of closed minds.

Cline.

Get a life!
You can't have fear and faith at the same time. Wake up!

Unmasking The New Age
Sorry, but I have read many books on this subject and although he may have written this book for all the right reasons, I cannot believe some of the stuff he says in his book. Especially about Rock N Roll.If it had not been for the group Petra which he blatently calls Ocult or devil worshippers, I would have never been able to embrace the Love and Grace of God.He claims they made devil horns like what is done in Rolling Stones or Led Zepplin concerts and what he saw was the symble for I love you in sign language.I've been to many of their concerts and that is the sign language they use for I Love You.I would recommend however, Evangelising The New Age, Invasion Of Other God's both excellent books in this area.Sorry, I would't be given this book again even if somebody dropped it on my door.

Unmasked the Deceiver of This and Every Age!
Although dated now, this is still a proper intro to the subject.The movement as Groothius points out is complex and dynamic, yet he provides the elements to it which can be flushed out throughout the culture.

How significant to reflect back how the infiltration of this movement into media and medicine and education and government is now so fully entrenched.

More to the point and more serious is this infiltration into the church, e.g. positive thinking.The comments here alone should awaken Christ's church to get rid of this leaven which is not new, just combination of old deceit with new terminology and players.

Great source!

5 Stars, with a caveat
I had the pleasure of meeting Dr Groothuis on a fairly recent seminary visit and had the privilege of talking with him in his office for nearly an hour about things philosophical.Contrary to what a previous reviewer intimates regarding this particular book, Groothuis is one of the elite Christian scholars in regards to worldview issues, and his treatment of the New Age in this book, while somewhat dated, is outstanding.It engages in a respectful and sober discussion about the influence of the New Age upon our culture, and even within the church.As such, it is likely to make some Christian readers unhappy since it will likely challenge such readers who might be engaging in certain New Age practices to rethink such participation in light of the potent spiritual consequences.

This book attempts to describe New Age influence in public schools, and in the fields of medicine, science, politics, and American spirituality generally.I especially appreciated Groothuis's emphasis early on that he does not subscribe to a 'New Age conspiracy' which lends solid credibility to his approach.After reading the book, one might come away thinking that indeed such a conspiracy exists, but this is not the conclusion that Groothuis himself appears to subscribe to.

Groothuis's treatment of how the New Age is impacting the fields of science and politics were especially insightful.He properly points out in the field of science that while New Age influences have actually corrected a number of erroneous presuppositions held sacred by many secular humanists and naturalists, this does not compensate for the New Age's abandonment of truth and the resulting chaos it brings to any field of study if consistently followed.Further, Groothuis brilliantly exposes how New Age influences have penetrated the American federal government, with taxpayer money being spent promoting decidedly New Age beliefs and practices.One wonders (though I confess it's no mystery to me) why the more militant church-state separatists haven't been up in arms about such a mixture of taxpayer money and religion, but that's a whole other topic.This sticks out like a sore thumb even more in light of the caveat I discuss below.

Groothuis's treatment of the New Age's contribution to American spirituality (along with its influence in medicine) are likely to be the sections that laypeople might most object to.In these two sections, Groothuis properly goes into some detail in showing how New Age medicinal/spiritual practices are not innocuous or devoid of any spiritual meaning, but in fact promote a spiritual worldview that cannot be harmonized with orthodox Christianity without severely compromising it.A number of these practices are things that all kinds of Christians from the lukewarm to the devout are engaging in today either because they don't know any better, or even worse, because they are not discerning enough to see how these New Age practices are built upon and promote a philosophy that directly contradicts the message of the Bible.Because such practices like yoga, TM, acupuncture, homeopathy, and others have become mainstream even within the church, I strongly recommend this book as an effective countermeasure against the wholesale adoption of these practices by the body of Christ without any discernment.

The one caveat I have about the book is its age.This book was written in the late '80s/1990, and as such, it is somewhat dated.Because the 'New Age' is a movement that makes it up as it goes along and is a rather fluid movement, readers looking for a current Christian critique of this movement might be a bit disappointed in this effort, although I think much of the material is still current.The date of this book is noteworthy because when Groothuis talks about the marriage of the New Age and the Department of Defense, as one example, this is what was happening 15 years ago, not yesterday.What is happening today is quite probably even more pervasive influence of the New Age with more taxpayer money being spent on New Age seminars, medicinal experiments, etc.For the Christian who has grown weary of the recent perversion of the church-state doctrine that has tried to put Christianity in an ever smaller and quieter box, this data from Groothuis makes it crystal clear the new standard of church-state separation is not being consistently followed, and that it certainly seems like we are living in an age of different rules for different faiths.Such a conclusion is formidable ammunition for the Christian seeking to expose the hypocrisy, uneven handedness, and rank bias of those who claim to cherish neutrality on this issue.As a result, I heartily recommend this book for a variety of reasons. ... Read more

Product Description

We have all grown increasingly aware of the potential -- and documented -- dangers of the chemical toxins that surround us. The New Age Herbalist is a compendium of healthy alternatives, an indispensable guide for contemporary natural living. Created by a team of experts, it offers:

A full-color illustrated glossary of more than 200 herbs, describing their properties, active ingredients, and traditional uses around the world
A guide to using herbs for scent, for decoration, and even as chemical-free housekeeping aids
Tips on using herbs for skin care and beauty, by making natural shampoos, lotions, soaps, and cosmetics
A review of culinary herbs, with some unusual recipes that use familiar herbs in delightful new ways
An examination of the growing science of herbal healing, discussing herbal remedies -- including stress relievers -- and the scientific research that validates them
A complete herb gardening plan, with advice on choosing symbiotic herbs, designing and scheduling plantings, and preserving the harvest by freezing and drying

Fascinating, authoritative, packed with information presented in a stunning visual style, The New Age Herbalist will be the home herb user's bible for years to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Excellent Reference for Herbs and Their Uses
What I really like about this book, The New Age Herbalist, is the wonderful lay-out of photos it includes regarding plants. Many books that I have seen reference finding and using herbs, but include very few pictures. In The New Age Herbalist, every chapter has a two page, large picture with lots of plants shown, at times, seeds and powders as well as the plants are shown and in color. With each herb listed in the book there is a little illustration as well so you can get an idea of what the plant looks like from those too.

This is a wonderful herb book packed with herb uses and information that is easily read and understood.

Chapter One - Understanding Herbs
Two - Using Herbs
Three - Herbs for Natural Living
Four - Herbs for Nutrition and Health
Five - Herbs for Healing
Six - Herb Gardening

These are the headings under each chapter and each chapter has in inself things like: body care, herb drinks, harvesting and storage, using fragrance and dyeing with plants and many other sub topics.

This book is almost 300 pages and the book is a very large paperback so it's easy to read the print and find things you are looking for. It's laid out very well and is wonderfully informative. I would highly recommend this book if you are interested in starting an herb garden or in learning about herbs and their uses. It's Spring so it's the perfect time to start learning.

Review of the New Age Herbalist
This is a great book for the novice as well as those that have walked this path for years.
The photography, drawings and paintings are excellent and are good guides for identification.

I bought this book several years ago and it got ruined in a "flood."Since I had now had a book with many pages stuck together, I had to get a new copy.

The only thing that bothers me is the ad here on Amazon.The book lists Richard Mabey as consultant Editor but does not list anyone else, such as was listed in the ad.

None the less the book is a must for the Herbalist and Naturalist.

Herbalist How to ues Herbs for Healing
This is a great book it shows and tells you all you would want to know and more.

Great information and good layout
I have found this book to be very useful and well designed. The glossary of herbs is detailed and informative, combining age-old wisdom and newer, medical information. Each herb is also included on a photo page and referenced from the glossary, so you can see what the herb you are studying looks like in real life. The sections on home use, health and body care were interesting and had recipes for a variety of uses. I would have liked a few more pet care recipes, but overall, I'm very happy with this book.

Would Have Given this FIVE stars But....
Wonderful book on herbs with lots of great, large pictures for defining them.The reason I only gave four stars is that this is a fairly old book and there are herbs listed that don't have any caveat regarding mixing with other meds (as new prescription meds or info comes out, it's important to update herbal books).Aside from that, this is an amazing book and well worth the money.Has much more info and much better pictures than I thought it would. ... Read more

Product Description
In the years between the world wars, a pioneer group of designers, architects, and artists-including Norman Bel Geddes, Donald Deskey, Paul Frankl, Raymond Loewy, Gilbert Rohde, Eliel Saarinen, Walter Dorwin Teague, and Russel Wright-forged a new design aesthetic that was unmistakably American and undeniably modern.

This book, the companion volume to an exhibition organized by the American Federation of Arts and opening at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, showcases more than 125 of the most influential works by these and other legendary designers. From chairs, dinnerware, and textiles to lamps, cocktail sets, and clocks, these strikingly innovative objects made stylish modern design accessible to a broad audience-and are much sought after by collectors today.

The introductory essay ranges from the role of museums and department stores in promoting modern design to the obsession with streamlining to the origins of planned obsolescence. This extraordinary book is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in American design.

170 illustrations, 140 in full color, 9 3/4 x 9 3/4"

J. STEWART JOHNSON, the consultant for design and architecture in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Modern Art, has curated exhibitions on Alvar Aalto, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and Marcel Breuer, among many others.

EXHIBITION SCHEDULEThe Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMay 15, 2000-Jan. 2001 ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

America's own design style.
This is a beautifully designed and printed book based on the exhibition `American Modern' at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art.The 172 illustrations (142 are large color photos mostly one to a page) focus on objects rather than the wider visual aspects ofstreamline design such as architecture, transport, engineering.I like the idea of everyday items being used, here you can study, for instance, Lurelle Guild's 1937 Electrolux vacuum cleaner, Norman Bel Geddes' 1940 Patriot radio, Russel Wright's 1937 American Modern dinnerware or the stunning candleholders Wilbert Orme designed in 1938, there are four shown in four separate arrangements and I would really like to have a set!

Author Stewart Johnson explains, in an essay at the start of the book, how a small group of American designers, several of them emigres from Europe, abandoned the ornamentation of Art Deco in favor of simple clean lines, using new materials and manufacturing techniques.Furniture designer Paul Frankl was one of this group and he became an active promoter of the new style. He tied it all down to six characteristics
1 Simplicity.
2 Plain surfaces.
3 Unbroken lines.
4 Accentuation of structural necessity.
5 Dramatisation of the intrinsic beauty of materials.
6 Elimination of meaningless and distracting motives of the past.
Johnson adds one other point that Frankl would not have mentioned at the time: Streamlining.This was the idea that made the style American.

The back of the book has several pages of designer biographies, a useful glossary (Aluminum to Vitrolite and I now know what Monel Metal is) bibliography and index.Joe Coscia Jr, of the Metropolitan's photo studio, should be congratulated on his wonderful photography of the exhibits, they leap right off the page.

As thisbook only covers objects you might want to read about other areas of Streamline design,have a look at `The Machine Age in America' by Richard Guy Wilson, Dianne Pilgrim and Dickran Tashjian.I think this can be considered the standard work on the subject. Another book that I like is Martin Greif's`Depression Modern: Thirties Style in America', it has some excellent architectural (especially interior) photos that I have not seen in other books.Want to know more? Scan over my Listmania: 'Streamline' books selection.

***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Wonderful book!
I saw the exhibition at The Met and this book captures the objects perfectly! It also serves as a great reference to the greatest period in American industrial design: 1925 to 1940.

A COFFEE TABLE BOOK--With CONTENT!
This is a great book for anyone interested in or appreciative of modern design and aesthetics. The book itself is beautiful, and all the color reproductions inside are sleek, clean, and inspiring. The author has theworks divided by interesting categories such as "Streamlined,""Geometries," and "Penthouse," groupings that reallyhelp illuminate different design tendencies during this period. A beautifulpublication! ... Read more

Product Description
Fr. Pacwa probes the reasons why Catholics are dabbling in the New Age Movement. He shares his experiences and disillusionment with Jungian psychology, the enneagram and astrology. He aslo covers crystals and channelling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A bit dated...
A bit dated, but important read about the infiltration of the New Age Clap Trap that invaded the Church of God. Thank the Good Lord that Father found his way out of the maze of untruths, but looking around at all the horrible things that have occurred in the last 50 years and some of the heretical people that are within the Church right now, it is clear that many Religious and Laypeople did not find their way out of the maze and continued to teach these falsehoods and some still do.The Gates of Hell will never prevail... Lord protect your Holy Church and your People from the enemy...

Great professor of theology
Father Mitch Pacwais President and Founder of Ignatius Productions. He has taught at the University of Dallas and Loyola University and is now the Senior Fellow of the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology.
has a deep understanding of the new era not only from personal experience but also by the Depth of his theology studies I recommend the readingsthis book

Even better on the second read
I'm reading this for the second time.The book is fair, circumspect, and respectful.It contains clear, interesting descriptions of some New Age practices and thoughts.Fr. Pacwa is not on a search-and-destroy mission.He shines the light of Truth on astrology, enneagram, creation-centered spirituality (Matthew Fox), and others.

A starter book for anyone interested in combating New Age foolishness
I bought this book back in 1992 because I was about to attend a workshop Fr. Pacwa was doing on the subject.Back then, to most people New Age was just something cute that Shirley MacLaine did, I don't think most grass roots Catholics realized how widespread New Age was and how it was slowly creeping into our culture.Fr. Pacwa was one of the first to warn of it's dangers.

This book, although somewhat dated would be a good primer for anyone begining to research the subject.

Very important
This is an incredibly important book for Catholics to read. For some reason I cannot explain, many Catholics, including my parents when I was growing up, were and are deeply interested in the occult and new age spirituality. It is VERY dangerous stuff.

My parents bought me my first set of runes, and my first Ouija board. I do not think they were being willfully evil. They were just VERY ignorant regarding Catholic truth, and also regarding the dangers of the New Age.

Luckily, when I was in my late 20s, I met a wonderful and faithful priest who also went though a period of experimentation with "crystals" and "runes" and other garbage when he was a teenager. He walked me through the dangers and pitfalls such approaches to "spirituality" present. The interesting thing was, in my heart of hearts, I always knew that my parents and I were offending Jesus with the actions we were taking. I just KNEW I was doing something wrong, despite my parents' tacit approval and even encouragement. All Father had to do was bring out of me the answers I already had on my heart. He gently led me to repentance, and then forgiveness in Christ Jesus.

Still, until recently, I had never known anyone whose life was ruined because the New Age. However, I can now say that the New Age is destroying people in my family. I have several family members hopelessly fascinated with this stuff. Some have had tragedies in their lives and are unable to really heal and deal with the ramifications of such deep personal loss because they are holding on to their loved ones with seances and other inappropriate forms of spiritualism and communication with the dead. Rather than find comfort in faith and prayer (the Catholic Church is a wonderful place to be, for we teach we can still pray for people, even though they are gone) they turned to psychics and the New Age. I see pain linger and grow in them. By contrast, faithfully Catholic and Christian friends who have experienced similar tragedies have fared much better.

If I were not a person of faith, I would conclude from my experience that the New Age is psychologically unhealthy and dangerous for mental health. As a person of faith I believe that this is certainly true, but, more importantly, I believe that dabbling in the New Age can cause real and spiritual trauma to the soul of the individual involved. It opens the door to the Devil and his minions.

This book is SO important. If it convinces one Catholic to flee sin, flee the New Age, flee Satan and his army of Demons and seek the rock of Jesus Christ, then it has had positive effects that will echo in eternity.

Thank God for faithful Catholics like Father Mitch Pacwa. ... Read more

Product Description
Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Deborah Blum follows New York City's first forensic scientists to discover a fascinating Jazz Age story of chemistry and detection, poison and murder.

Deborah Blum, writing with the high style and skill for suspense that is characteristic of the very best mystery fiction, shares the untold story of how poison rocked Jazz Age New York City. In The Poisoner's Handbook Blum draws from highly original research to track the fascinating, perilous days when a pair of forensic scientists began their trailblazing chemical detective work, fighting to end an era when untraceable poisons offered an easy path to the perfect crime.

Drama unfolds case by case as the heroes of The Poisoner's Handbook-chief medical examiner Charles Norris and toxicologist Alexander Gettler-investigate a family mysteriously stricken bald, Barnum and Bailey's Famous Blue Man, factory workers with crumbling bones, a diner serving poisoned pies, and many others. Each case presents a deadly new puzzle and Norris and Gettler work with a creativity that rivals that of the most imaginative murderer, creating revolutionary experiments to tease out even the wiliest compounds from human tissue. Yet in the tricky game of toxins, even science can't always be trusted, as proven when one of Gettler's experiments erroneously sets free a suburban housewife later nicknamed "America's Lucretia Borgia" to continue her nefarious work.

From the vantage of Norris and Gettler's laboratory in the infamous Bellevue Hospital it becomes clear that killers aren't the only toxic threat to New Yorkers. Modern life has created a kind of poison playground, and danger lurks around every corner. Automobiles choke the city streets with carbon monoxide; potent compounds, such as morphine, can be found on store shelves in products ranging from pesticides to cosmetics. Prohibition incites a chemist's war between bootleggers and government chemists while in Gotham's crowded speakeasies each round of cocktails becomes a game of Russian roulette. Norris and Gettler triumph over seemingly unbeatable odds to become the pioneers of forensic chemistry and the gatekeepers of justice during a remarkably deadly time. A beguiling concoction that is equal parts true crime, twentieth-century history, and science thriller, The Poisoner's Handbook is a page-turning account of a forgotten New York.

Amazon.com Review
Amazon Exclusive: Author Deborah Blum's Top Ten Poisons

On a recent radio show, I heard myself telling the host "And carbon monoxide is such a good poison.” We both started laughing--there’s just something about a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist waxing enthusiastic about something so lethal. But then he became curious--“Why?” he asked. “Why do you like it so much?”

These days, as I travel the country talking about The Poisoner’s Handbook, I’m frequently asked that question or variations on it. What’s your favorite poison? What’s the perfect poison? The answer to the latter is that it doesn’t exist--except in the plots of crime novels.

But in reality, poisons really are fascinatingly wicked chemical compounds and many of them have fascinating histories as well.Just between us, then, here’s a list of my personal favorites.

1. Carbon Monoxide (really)--It’s so beautifully simple (just two atoms--one of carbon, one of oxygen) and so amazingly efficient a killer. There’s a story I tell in the book about a murder syndicate trying to kill an amazingly resilient victim. They try everything from serving him poison alcohol to running over him with a car. But in the end, it’s carbon monoxide that does him in.

2. Arsenic--This used to be the murderer’s poison of poisons, so commonly used in the early 19th century that it was nicknamed “the inheritance powder”.It’s also the first poison that forensic scientists really figured out how to detect in a corpse. And it stays in the body for centuries, which is why we keep digging up historic figures like Napoleon or U.S. President Zachary Taylor to check their remains for poison.

3. Radium--I love the fact that this rare radioactive element used to be considered good for your health. It was mixed into medicines, face creams, health drinks in the 1920s. People thought of it like a tiny glowing sun that would give them its power. Boy, were they wrong. The two scientists in my book, Charles Norris and Alexander Gettler, proved in 1928 that the bones of people exposed to radium became radioactive--and stayed that way for years.

4. Nicotine--This was the first plant poison that scientists learned to detect in a human body. Just an incredible case in which a French aristocrat and her husband decided to kill her brother for money. They actually stewed up tobacco leaves in a barn to brew a nicotine potion. And their amateur chemical experiments inspired a very determined professional chemist to hunt them down.

5. Chloroform--Developed for surgical anesthesia in the 19th century, this rapidly became a favorite tool of home invasion robbers. If you read newspapers around the turn of the 20th century, they’re full of accounts of people who answered a knock on the door, only to be knocked out by a chloroform soaked rag. One woman woke up to find her hair shaved off--undoubtedly sold for the lucrative wig trade.

6. Mercury--In its pure state, mercury appears as a bright silver liquid, which scatters into shiny droplets when touched. No wonder it’s nicknamed quicksilver.People used to drink it as a medicine more than 100 years ago. No, they didn’t drop dead. Those silvery balls just slid right through them. Mercury is much more poisonous if it’s mixed with other chemicals and can be absorbed by the body directly. That’s why methylmercury in fish turns out to be so risky a contaminant.

7. Cyanide--One of the most famous of the homicidal poisons and--in my opinion--not a particularly good choice.Yes, it’s amazingly lethal--a teaspoon of the pure stuff can kill in a few minutes. But it’s a violent and obvious death.In early March, in fact, an Ohio doctor was convicted of murder for putting cyanide in his wife’s vitamin supplements.

8. Aconite--A heart-stoppingly deadly natural poison.It forms in ornamental plants that include the blue-flowering monkshood.The ancient Greeks called it “the queen of poisons” and considered it so evil that they believed that it derived from the saliva of Cerberus, the three-headed dog guarding the gates of hell.

9. Silver--Swallowing silver nitrate probably won’t kill you but if you do it long enough it will turn you blue. One of my favorite stories (involving a silver bullet) concerns the Famous Blue Man of Barnum and Bailey’s Circus who was analyzed by one of the heroes of my book, Alexander Gettler.

10. Thallium--Agatha Christie put this poison at the heart of one of her creepiest mysteries, The Pale Horse, and I looked at it terms of a murdered family in real life. An element discovered in the 19th century, it’s a perfect homicidal poison--tasteless and odorless--except for one obvious giveaway--the victim’s hair falls out as a result of the poisoning!

Now that I’ve written this list, I realize I could probably name ten more. But I don’t want to scare you.

--Deborah Blum ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

The Not-too-chemical Handbook
As I started "The Poisoner's Handbook", I thought this was a great book: a fine history of modern American forensic science, told through a double biography of Norris and Gettler, two of its major founders, and illuminated with engrossing tales of murder, mayhem, and nightmarish misadventure.That thought died as soon as I started to spot the technical explanations that were uninformative, misleading, or downright wrong.Will a dozen examples do?

p. 56:Hydrocyanic acid (HCN) is not a potent acid or corrosive;it is just about the weakest acid known.The fact that it is ferociously toxic has nothing to do with its acidic strength.

p. 22:Chloroform is not terribly corrosive;on keratinized tissue (normal skin) it has no effect at all.

p. 86:You cannot get anything by mixing arsenic (As), copper (Cu) and hydrogen (H2) because the first two are metals and the last is a gas that does not react spontaneously with either of them.

p. 179:Radium (Ra) does not react with water to produce radon (Rn); it produces Rn by atomic decay.

p. 183:Radium (Ra) does not decay to produce polonium (Po) and radon (Rn) - its atomic weight is far less than that of Po and Rn combined so it cannot produce both. It can decay to produce Rn, which then decays to produce Po.

p. 187:Sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) is not slightly acidic; as any highschooler knows, it is moderately basic.

p. 191:There is no such thing as diethyl phlatate.(Did Blum mean diethyl phthalate?Did anyone proofread this book?)

p. 201:Ethanol (EtOH) does not "dissolve" into acetic acid;it is converted to acetic acid by tissue enxymatic activity.

p. 206:DDT is not an organophosphate;it contains no phosphorous at all.It is a chlorinated hydrocarbon.
passim:Blum does not seem to realize that wood alcohol, methyl alcohol, and methanol are just three different names for the same compound, used at different times as chemical terminology became more precise over the years.

And at least two misconversions from US weight units to metric.

How Blum got a Pulitzer for popular science writing and a job teaching it at the university level I cannot imagine;perhaps her zoology is better than her chemistry (it would have to be much, MUCH better), but her chemistry is far too inadequate to qualify her to explain it to others.

I propose that henceforward any book purporting to explain chemistry for the layman should be vetted by a committee of ten members randomly chosen from the American Chemical Society, before it is let loose on the unsuspecting public. Why shouldn't popular science writings be subject to the same peer review that professional writings are?

If Blum had left out the chemistry or else got it right, this would be a four-star book; as it is, it's a one.

A regulation free America
I loved this book, but its' greatest impact on me was the stark picture it painted of an America without regulations. It is especially relevant today when so many seem to feel that 100% of government regulations are bad.

Reads like a mystery, delivers so much more
I'm not particularly interested in poisons, or in the birth of forensic medicine, or in the Jazz Age. But writer Deborah Blum had me from the first sentence of Chapter One: "It would, of course, be in the cursed winter of 1915--when ice storms had glassed over the city, when Typhoid Mary had come sneaking back, when the Manhattan coroner was discovered to be skunk-drunk at crime scenes--that the loony little porter would confess to eight poison murders."

Who could resist a sentence like that? Not me. And the rest of the book is just as page-turning and enthralling as the first sentence.

The best nonfiction writing combines a strong point of view with a good story (or series of stories) and a compelling voice. This book has all three. Highly recommended--even if you *think* you're not interested in the subject matter.

Fascinating and well written
A doctor in my book club recommended this one.A great dose of history sweetened by mystery and suspense.

Mysterious Mayhem Explained for the Non-Scientist
This book is a pretty enlightening, entertaining look back at the history of poison detection at the start of the 20th century. For centuries, getting away with murder by poison was pretty easy, but thanks to science and its begrudging acceptance by law enforcement under Tammany Hall, people started getting caught and paying the price. The cases presented are interesting, and the forensic detective work that went on is intriguing for those who like that sort of thing. The dry science is readable and understandable even for those whose strong point may not be the sciences (like me).

Perhaps most shocking here, though, is the role that the American government played in making illegal booze lethal during Prohibition. To discourage people from distilling and drinking alcohol, an impossibility, government agencies made sure that the cheapest ingredients moonshiners could find to create their product were also the most poisonous to the human body. Great, huh? Of course, warnings were given out to the public that illegal drinking could very well kill you, but we all know that people who want to drink will drink. The medical examiner's office was rife with victims before Prohibition ended.

The last fourth of the book becomes a little repetitious, but up until that point, it recreates an age and makes heroes out of some great scientific minds. Worth it for the mysteries and the murderers who thought themselves too clever for capture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Difficult, but good
Not always an easy reading style, but a facinating look at early American culture.Many original documents and letters are reproduced which give an authentic feel of the character of those times.Sometimes difficult to read, but the effort is rewarded by insightful analysis of unfamiliar facts, stories, and events. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Most Excellent
I will not repeat too much what previous reviewers have said. This is indeed the best Chinese English dictionary around, my copy is so worn out I need to get a new one. I will just point out what I think is missing, at least from my edition (the 2000 one I think)
- Somebody already mentioned- a table of grammatical functions, not too critical really
- The measure word for nouns would be most useful
- A section of difficult characters, some characters are hard to look up as their root is not clear, some dictionaries have a special section for these, and this is missing.

And last but not least, not really a problem on its own, just my personal preference, I like the traditional characters much much more than the simplified ones, and would have liked them to be used as the 'default', but since this is printed in China, it's probably too much to ask for.

New Age Chinese English Dictionary Reviewed
This is one of, if not the best, chinese-english dictionaries to have come out in the last few years.Formerly, The Pinyin Chinese-English Dictionary was one of the best dictionaries produced on the Mainland.However, it was woefully out of date and full of Cultural Revolution platitudes. The 'New Age...' is roughly 2000 pages, has many more characters than the 'Pinyin..', and has most, if not all of the new phrases and terms of the last 20 years. As China has modernized, so has its language vastly increased the number of compound words in current use.The 'New Age...' is also printed and bound much better than most books produced on the Mainland, athough its pages are necessarily thin.
All in all, this dictionary is a 'must have' for anyone studying Chinese at an advanced level.

Great dictionary with lots of extras
I just bought the 2006 edition of this dictionary in Beijing last week (the price has gone up to a whopping 112 yuan/14 US$--c'mon Amazon, you're losing your competitive edge!). In the store I compared it to the big dictionary recommended by my professor, and found that the New Age dictionary not only had more entries per word, but also had many more idomatic usages as well. Plus it includes proper names and place names, classical, cultural and folklore references, tons of botanical and esoteric references and finally has a big appendix including all sorts of helpful charts about family relationships, heavenly stems, chinese musical instruments (illustrated), Chinese governmental offices, a breakdown of the Chinese communist party, and many more things, making it almost a mini almanac! The only negatives are that the introduction is in Chinese only, there doesn't seem to be list of the chinese abbreviations for 'part of speech' notations (ie--'v','adj','m. word', etc), and the print is not as big as I wish it were.(NOTE: Mar, 2008--I've translated the Parts of Speech notations myself, and will be glad to email anyone a copy to tip into the dictionary)But I still really recommend this one!

Best Chinese-English Dictionary Ever
As with other reviewers said, this is THE definitive Chinese-English dictionary. If you need just one Chinese-English dictionary, make sure you buy this one. If you're a serious learner, this dictionary is a must have.

* It has more than 2,000 pages describing thousands of characters.
* It's indexed by Pinyin and its corresponding intonation mark.
* It has a radical table at the first few pages making it a breeze to search for the entries.
* It contains entries of rare / classical characters with annotation.
* It even contains entries of the ancient / obsolete meaning of the character, if any.
* It contains examples of the word usage plus its meaning, making it very suitable for advanced learners.
* It briefly explains the idiom (if the entry is an idiom / proverb) and a little background on it.
* It contains an appendix that explains Chinese culture a bit.

The characters are indexed like this:
X --> Main character, (pinyin sound)
Main meaning: xxxx... Example: xxxx Translation: xxxx
Secondary meaning:
1. xxxx... Example: xxxx Translation: xxxx
2. xxxx... Example: xxxx Translation: xxxx
...
n. xxxx... Example: xxxx Translation: xxxx
Words using X:
XA (pinyin): Meaning: xxxx. Example: xxxx. Translation: xxxx
XB (pinyin): Meaning: xxxx. Example: xxxx. Translation: xxxx
...

From here you know that it's extremely comprehensive. You'll find dozens of pagesper each common word like Bu (No), Shi (Yes), Yi (One), etc. And even contains idioms (like Bu San Bu Shi, etc).

The only down side of this book is there's no electronically searchable version and it's heavy.

I own this edition (2001 edition) and use it ever since I bought it in 2004. I heard that there's a newer edition (2004) with ISBN 710003308X. But I haven't confirmed it. If it is, then I'll definitely buy it again since my copy creased a lot due to frequent use.

disappointment
i am sad to say that i was very disappointed from the condition of the dictionary cover. it looks used or damaged. this was the first time i have ordered somthing from amazon and i think it might be the last. ... Read more

Product Description
Enter dream worlds, spirit worlds, and worlds beyond earth in the continuing adventure of a woman and her sage, known as the Fool on the Hill, in book two of the 'Other Side' series. This story, rich in psychological and metaphysical insights, is also designed to catalyze readers to explore their own expansive beings. Jump into life's mysteries and adventure beyond the boundaries of the mundane. Come to the Wall of Remembrance and talk to the dead. Enter the realms of angels, spirits, and ghosts. Time travel into multiple realities and multiple selves. Dance across the meridians of time and space, traversing diverse inner worlds, and parallel other worlds. Explore the world of A Thousand Me's, Counterbalance, and Compression, and the world where memory comes before the event, and where music lives before it becomes music. This captivating and enlightening story weaves various realities into a masterpiece of understanding that uplifts the human spirit, dissolving the shackles of fear, guilt, and regret. It is a gem for mystical adventurers or for those seeking personal healing or quantum life change. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Enlightening!
Wow!I read this book on a recommendation from a close friend and I was amazed!I loved this book!!!

Facinating and Enlightening
This is an intriguing story about a highly sensitive woman who is able to easily journey into dimensions and worlds on the other side of mundane life. Because of this, she gains many insights about the dynamics of life behind the scenes and has fascinating experiences in aspects of reality beyond convention. As I read the book, I felt like I was expanding, or growing as she systematically put many pieces of life's mysteries together, weaving all that exists into an insightful picture that is enlightening and beautiful. It had a strangely healing affect on me! I highly recommend it for anyone searching for--more.

A Powerful Personal Journey
The most fascinating thing about this story is that it doesn't focus on any point of view but rather has a way of encompassing all views. I felt myself releasing small and almost repressive ways of thinking that I didn't even know I had. I was able to glimpse the overview of all of life, even beyond what we call life. Yet at the same time I felt myself getting very centered, to such a point that I was having revelations of my own. This is a powerful read that helped me rise above what is beyond all the belief systems out there--like seeing the big picture. I feel uplifted and enlightened, pretty much like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

Check out this book!!!
Wow!Another enlightening book by one of my favorite authors.I was hooked in with the first book, The Other Side of God, and I have been eagerly awaiting the next book.Reading The Other side of Life has also changed my life in a positive way!It is full of adventure, metaphysics and spiritual healing.I especially like the advise/inspiration the author gives at the end of each chapter.Her knowledge as an experienced psychologist really shines through and would often make me smile while I was reading.I recommend this book to anyone who is in search of themselves, a new thought process, or just an escape from the mundane!This book will expand your perspective when you gaze upon the stars in the sky! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Incredible personal testimony and insight
It's been a couple years since I read this book. However, I'm planning on re-reading it in the near future. The insights in this book are very compelling as they come from a profound personal experience that is both shocking and enlightening. I've recently been reminded of this book as some recent exposure to the Oprah Winfrey show has refreshed in my memory everything described in Will Baron's testimony. For anyone who is an Oprah fan, I urge you to read this book.

Very educational
This book ought to be on the reading list of any serious Christian. It's important to know how to keep on the "straight and narrow" path the Bible teaches.

The New Age from the Inside Out
Whether friend or foe of the New Age movement, everyone concerned with spiritual matters ought to read this unique book. This isn't just a book "about the New Age movement." Will Baron was there --really there-- and knows what he's talking about.Christians will want to read thisbook, too, if only to find out what famous evangelist is recommended by thespirits as being most in harmony with their teachings.

Truthful Expose of the New Age Movement
Shocking expose of the nature of New Age Movementand Spiritism entering "Christian" churches. Amust read for those who wish to be ready.

A Wake Up Call for Christians and Other Truth Seekers
Will Baron's autobiographical account of his experiences in the New AgeMovement provide a sobering wake-up call -- particularly to Christians --of the inherent dangers of this invasive movement.Truly, even the"very elect" are in danger of being deceived if they fail toremain alert and in continuous study of scripture.Already, New Agepractices are being subtly introduced into "fundamental" and"conservative" Christian churches throughout the world.Thisbook shows that you shouldn't doubt for one moment that it could happen inyour church.Learn how deception is slipping through the cracks viaseemingly innocuous practices that fail under closer examination to live upto testing required by Scripture.Read this book; read the Bible; bevigilant; be on guard. ... Read more

Product Description
In the fifth edition of Intellectual Property in the New Technological Age, luminary authors Merges, Menell and Lemley continue to offer broad, accessible coverage of the full range of legal protections for intellectual property. Including seminal and cutting-edge cases and materials, this landmark casebook incorporates practice problems that encourage students to think like practitioners.

Timely and forward thinking, the authors of Intellectual Property in the New Technological Age offer:
- Complete coverage of basic and cutting-edge Intellectual Property law issues;
- An excellent selection of cases and materials;
- Practice problems that develop students' skills in applying the law;
- A law and economics perspective;
- Detailed treatment of new media issues, such as computer software;
- An introduction to biotechnology and the latest legal developments in the Statutory and Case Supplement;
- An Author Website with new cases and developments in IP law.

Updated throughout, the Fifth Edition offers:
- Revised patent materials that include the Bilski decision;
- Changes in patentable subject matter, obviousness, and the law of willfulness;
- New developments in digital copyright law and fair use;
- Trademark chapter revised to include dilution, merchandising, Internet keywords, Rescuecom v. Google, and fair use Software cases newly integrated into main chapters. ... Read more

Product Description
Wolverine's 30th Anniversary Celebration starts off with a bang as the X-Men investigate a series of mysterious murders in New York City. All the victims seem to have been cut to pieces by blades... Adamantium blades! But if Wolverine didn't murder these people, then who did?! Plus: While on assignment to track down missing teammate Sage, the X-Men discover more than they bargained for: the birth of a newer and deadlier Hellfire Club! Collecting Uncanny X-Men 450-454. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good story
I thought this book has a interesting story line.This one was deal with the hellfire's club.As soon as I heard that name I thought I was going to see the Phoniex but it wasn't about that.It was about re-establishing the hellfire's club and x-23's rescue attempt happens to lead up to it, and the x-men have to take down the hellfire's club once again before it is established again.I was introduce to the character Sage which I have not had the pleasure before.First heard of this character from a Spiderman game (Gameboy Advance).I got to see Emma Frost (or White Witch as she is called in the hellfire's club) in action. So it makes for a good read

Mainly a fan read if at all
I have to say that I enjoyed this Graphic Novel: but I am a fan, and we can (if we try hard enough) like anything X-men related. As comic books go, however, this one is kind of pointless: to both a long-term fan and someone just starting out. The plots (there are two) are really not that interesting: the first one focusing on the "Mutant town" of new york, and the second focusing on the Hellfire Club. The first is much better, but still the whole thing doesn't really do anything but cement a new character into the X-Men books, (the process further and better carried out in the next Graphic Novel in this series) and the whole mutant town concept is pretty poorly explained. The next one is a plot only fans can love, with so many obscure and unexplained characters it was confusing even for me (where the heck did Selene come from?!?!?). Both of these two plots did have their brief moments of characterization (such as the confrontation between Rachel and the White Queen), and they both have decent art, but even this does not really make it worth it. All in all these felt more like fillers done in desperation then anything else. So if you absolutely must buy these, buy them for brief moments and good art. Otherwise, if you are looking to save some money by skipping a Graphic Novel, or you are a newbie, skip this.

P.S If marvel wants to highlight an issue like slavery, why create a fake mutant slave trade, when very real and terrible ones already exist?

Really Trying to Like Uncanny X-Men
I'm obviously in the minority here; I think Logan is cool but I don't need to see him in every X-Title. It's hard to believe there was a time when he was on one team, but he really seems to be on them all.

That being said, I really didn't get that interested in X-23. Unfortunately, I have to admit to enjoying Wolverine alot in his own comic book, but am losing his character in the X-books. I don't really see how he can be on more than one team at once and still have enough adventures to justify his own title.

Maybe I'm just over exposed to him? Regardless, I feel as if stories about the Weapon X program really should stay in his own comic - I actually read X-Men to catch up with how the team as a whole is doing. It's getting hard to really justify buying what is essentially a team book when the focus is increasingly on one character.

The arc isn't bad; it's just treading a plot line that has been overdone in the X books in Wolverine's case, it's really hard to work up enthusiasm for another person who went through the Weapon X process.

More good X-fun from Claremont
This second volume of legendary X-scribe Chris Claremont's return run on Uncanny X-Men finds Wolverine encountering Marvel's newest (and hottest) character in the past few years while investigating a murder: the X-23.In the meantime, Storm, Nightcrawler, Bishop, Marvel Girl, and Wolvie are trying to track down Sage, and in the process discover a new Hellfire Club, and boy do they have an axe to grind.If you read the previous volume, The End of History, then you'll know what to expect in Cruelest Cut.Claremont seems to be getting more comfortable back in the house he built by not trying to impress everyone every issue.He's having fun here writing characters he created and riding on the mythology he helped shape, which helps make this TPB a worthwhile read.The art by Alan Davis and Andy Park is great as well, especially Davis' pencils as he once again draws a mouth watering Marvel Girl.All in all, longtime and new readers who have either enjoyed Claremont's last volume or were there in the golden age of his Uncanny X-Men run should give this a look. ... Read more

Product Description
This major encyclopedic work is specially designed to help you understand the broad spectrum of New Age beliefs and how they compare with traditional Christian beliefs and practices. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent condition
The product received was in excellent condition and received in a most timely manner.Appreciate the excellent service.

A great resource
This is one of the most helpful and resourceful discernment books on new age beliefs. The book gives brief descriptions, and quick facts. Topics are easy to find at a glance. The content of the book is impressive, well researched, and helpful. There are charts at the end of most chapters that compare new age beliefs/practices with Christianity which helps the reader to distinguish the difference. The book has been an extremely helpful resource for the times in which we live. Thank you to the authors who produced this laborous work to help assist christians.

Seduction of christianity by Dave Hunt is better
Just a thought after reading this from the other reader from South-Africa:
"Of course, the simple truth is that they are not mutually exclusive: one can pray and visualize"
Where did you get this idea from? Which bible are you reading? This kind of thinking is typical of the modern "world church" members. Yes! let's all be "progressive" "liberated" Christians! Don't be so negative! Don't be a hate breeder! What's wrong with you?
An very good book on new age and its effect on Christianity today is: The seduction of Christianity by Dave Hunt. Lots of second hand copies of this book available too.

Aresourse book to have on your shelf
The New Age is not so new, as the authors point out in this fine book. They cover a variety of topics that could be considered as occultic and definitely not Christian. I have found it useful more than once when atopic came up where I wanted more information. They have written this bookin such a way that you don't have to read it cover to cover. I like thedual columns, and the information they provide is well worth the price ofadmission. As a researcher myself, I know that it took these gentlemanthousands of hours of tedious research to compile this tome, so my hat goesoff to them.

Devastating Critique of the New Age
Ankerberg and Weldon have produced a highly detailed examination of several aspects of New Age thought in this book.In my view, what makes this book good is that it spends a large amount of time quoting from folksin the New Age movement, rather than simply writing an exclusivelyChristian commentary on New Age thought.By analyzing what New Age leadersare saying about their own teachings, Ankerberg and Weldon help quell thenotion that they are simply writing an ad hominem attack on the New Age. In particular, I thought that the section on Eastern gurus was one of thebest commentaries yet written on this phenomenon, precisely because thechapter includes so many quotes from the gurus themselves that are simplydevastating.When confronting New Age thought, Christians have theconsiderable challenge of getting the discussion out of the clouds andgetting down to the level of how New Age thought can be practically livedwith any real assurance that its claims are true.It's very hard to getthe discussion to this level precisely because many New Age disciples don'twant to go there.The one thing about this book that came across loud andclear without it ever being said is that many folks who become involved inthe New Age don't want a practical spirituality that can be relied upon andput into everyday living.They want a dimestore spirituality that doesn'trequire them to live by any moral code other than whatever they think isright at any point in time.Self divinity sounds nice and it attracts anawful lot of people to New Age thought, but this book effectively showsthat not only is the concept of self divinity a complete denial of what weknow to be true about the human race, it also tends to be very debilitatingto the New Age disciple once it becomes clear that the realities of the NewAge movement don't fulfill the promises it makes.

I did not give the book5 stars for 2 main reasons.First, I thought that the authors spent toomuch time interjecting the concept of demonic possession or demonicinfluence into the discussion.After a while, this became a distraction tome while reading the book, and frankly, I think the whole concept wassignificantly overemphasized.Entering the concept of demonic influencesinto a discussion with a non Christian is probably the best way to alienatethat person from the joy of Christianity.Secondly, the one thing I washoping to see that I didn't see was an in depth discussion of the latestNew Age craze - nature based spirituality.Whether it takes the form ofwicca, native american spirituality, or other forms of paganism, there isnot a comprehensive discussion of this area.It is touched upon in a fewplaces in the book, but because it's such a hot topic right now, I wouldhave greatly enjoyed a separate section that was devoted specifically tothis arm of New Age thought and having it thoroughly examined as its owntopic.

With the exception of the 2 concerns addressed above, Ankerbergand Weldon have produced a formidable response to New Age thought.It ismy hope that as the New Age movement continues to change, the authors willcontinue to publish revised versions of this book in order to keep current. ... Read more

Product Description
The next step in today's 'spiritual revolution' is putting the gains of personal development to work for the world, says Benjamin Creme, author of 12 books on practical spirituality and life ahead in the new millennium. In a new, expanded 5th edition of his book, Transmission-A Meditation for the New Age, Creme explains that the time is past to focus on one's own spiritual progress without engaging in some form of service. Transmission Meditation, he says, is the simplest way to do both--at the same time. Transmission Meditation is a group service activity which 'steps down' the great spiritual energies that continually stream into our planet, focused by the Masters of Wisdom--our 'Elder Brothers'. This process, which makes the energies more useful to humanity, is like that of electrical transformers, stepping down the power between generators and ordinary outlets. These transformed spiritual energies, Creme explains, are gradually uplifting all life forms and changing our world for the better. "What is unique about this work," says Creme, "is its simplicity. It is a perfect vehicle for the aspirations of very busy people. It is safe, highly scientific, non-denominational, free of any charge, and unbelievably potent. It is a service in which we can involve ourselves for the rest of our lives and know that we are helping in the great transformation to a more just and compassionate world. At the same time I know of no other form of service which makes for such far reaching and fast spiritual growth." The preface includes Creme's extraordinary account of his 40-year collaboration with a Master of Wisdom, and how it led to his primary work of preparing the way for Maitreya, World Teacher for the coming age. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

A serious form of service
Mr. Creme has written a higly readable book about a complex and yet simple form of meditation. Not for those unfamiliar with meditation or seeking personal metaphysical experiences, this offers information for those who want to join with others around the planet in offering themselves as vehicles for service to a better world. Anyone can form a group, preferably of three or more persons, and do this powerful group meditation.

A meditation to serve the world
This book provides insights into the energies that form the world in which we live and how we can cooperate (through transmission meditation) with higher beings so that these energies are used to benefit humanity.After reading this book many years ago, I became involved with a transmission group and I feel I have benefitted in so many ways from this form of meditation.

What makes this meditation different?
I had lots of questions about Transmission Meditation and this book helps answer them all.You might wonder, how does it affect my other spiritual activities...or compare to something like trancendental meditation?What have other people asked over the years?These are all answered in this book.

Great if you have been meditating, and just as good if you are brand new to meditation.Either way this book is beneficial.

A Must Read
Transmission Meditation is a powerful way to serve the world and at the same time speed up your own personal spiritual progress. Benjamin Creme's books are an ongoing dialogue about how the universe is really working and our place in it. Highly recommended for those whose hearts and minds are open to the new energies and the new time. Maitreya, the World Teacher, is here to guide and assist humanity into the new time. Simply the best. A must read.

A Helpful Understanding of Meditation
I had been meditating for a few years before I read this book.I found Mr. Creme's explanation of what this form of meditation is and how to do it very direct, easy to understand and helpful.Transmission is a form of service meditation as opposed to meditation soley for an individual's spiritual development or other purpose.It is usually done as a group meditation. Since I read the book and joined a transmission meditation group, I have found that it is much easier for me to meditate and I am getting much more personally from this form of meditation practice. ... Read more