4 comments about Raphael: Communicating with the Archangel for Healing & Creativity.

1. This book is ideal for anyone who wishes to strengthen his or her connection to the spiritual realm. The writing is excellent. The exercises work. If your mind is clear and your intent is sincere, your heart pure, you will be blessed with the power and the presence of angels.
   
   If you feel spiritually disconnected from whatever God you believe in, read this book. You will not regret it.



2. I began reading this book and was amazed at the information about the Archangel. A friend of mine recommended this book to me. I thought I knew alot about him. I like the way it is written in simple to understand language. I had a personal experience with Raphael while reading this book. I pray to him to help me pass a nursing exam, while I was taking the test there were questions I simply couldn't answer. I was feeling overwhelmed when I couldn't answer alot of the questions. I invoked him before and during my exam. I even worn his colors and had his prayer card with me. I couldn't believe that I did pass my exam. I am thankful and grateful to Raphael and God. He is excellent help to students and people in the medical profession. He helps with creativity, abundance, healing and more. Believe and you will receive too. Also get the other books written by this author, Michael, Gabriel and Uriel. Bring the angels into your life and you will see how blessed you really are. God Bless You!



3. I generally am not a big fan of Llewellyn publishing and all there books on Wicca, and Wiccanizing everything from Brujeria, Hoodoo, Santeria, and Curanderismo, which sadly they have done many times before, and have sold millions of copies to readers who don't know any better and believe any junk they read. But out of all the authors who publish under Llewellyn I give my respects to one of them, Mr. Richard Webster, although I do not like all his books, he has published some good ones.
   
   In his new four book series on Communicating with the Archangels, as a person born and raised in the tradition of Brujeria and Espiritismo most of this knowledge was passed down and taught to me from early childhood, and was part as still is a part of daily life, as breathing and eating. Although most of the subjects on the book deal with Stories as re-told by the author, both personal and stories of others, and rituals, meditations and bringing these powerful forces into your life, I would have to highly recommend all four books, for anyone who is interested in learning and adapting these ancient powerful Supreme Beings into your life.. No matter if you practice Voodoo, Brujeria, Curanderismo, or don't practice any form of religion at all but are a spiritual person looking to bring these positive forces into your life, then read these books, you will not be disappointed. I have to actually say bravo to Llewellyn for publishing these books, and hopefully they keep publishing more books on other traditions without trying to Wiccanize everything.
   
   To begin the series I would start with the book Spirit Guides & Angel Guardians: Contact Your Invisible Helpers, also published by Llewelyn and the author Richard Webster.
   
   From then I would recommend going on to Michael: Communicating with the Archangel for Guidance & Protection.
   
   The second book should be, Raphael: Communicating with the Archangel for Healing & Creativity. Traditionally the Angel of healing as in the Old Testiment there is the story of Raphael healing Sarah and Tobit as they travel to Tobias.
   
   The third book in the series is Gabriel: Communicating with the Archangel for Inspiration & Reconciliation. Although many people will disagree with the order stating that the book on Rafael and Gabriel are mixed, this would depend on tradition. Traditionally Saint Gabriel was the Angel that visited Mary and foretold of her pregnancy with Jesus, as well as to the Shepard Joseph. The reason people will disagree with the order is because they say that Gabriel is the Angel that rules the element of Air, and Communication, which makes sense. But to many traditions he is seen as the Angel that rules Water, as he fortold of the pregnancy of Mary, The Holy Infant child Jesus being in the womb, which is associated with the element of Water. The books work fine in the order they are, but as one studies further, this tradition works well, or can be rearranged, with further study.
   
   The final book in the series, which I have not read yet, is Uriel: Communicating with the Archangel for Transformation & Tranquility. But should also be included in the series. All the books go hand in hand.



4. To start with, I love the cover of Archangel Raphael, its colors, the softness of the way it was drawn, etc just beautiful.
   
   As for the content, wow, talk about direct to the point. For a 150-page book, it packs a lot of info. And there are so many terrific exercises.
   
   Well done, Richard Webster, well done.

5 comments about Uprising: A Revolution of the Soul.

1. Erwin McManus is one of the most compelling Christian authors I've read in a long time. He shares his heart and is transparent about his strengths and weaknesses and how God is changing him. He has a vision for the church today, that we assess what it is we are doing, why, and what we could do to better serve Christ. But the church will only change as individual believers catch the vision and are transformed. Read this book if you are ready to grow!



2. "In this daring book Erwin Raphael McManus points the way to a life overflowing with passion, freedom, destiny and human creativity-" (from the inside book cover).
   
   So just what is this "way" that McManus points us to? And just how Biblical is his (and the publisher's) attempt to cash in on "The Purpose Driven Life" bonanza? After all, the book's inside flap begins with "...a life of passion and purpose is the cry of every human heart."
   
   From my reading of the book (and from his own words), McManus' bottom line, in a sentence, is this: If we will seek to develop the qualities of honor, nobility and enlightenment (following the pattern set by Jesus), our lives will be changed from "imitation and mediocrity into [lives] of passion and character...that will forever change the world!"
   
   Quite a tall order and quite a promised outcome!
   
   In my opinion, Mr. McManus has simply given us another Christian self-help volume-in addition to the hundreds, if not thousands, already available on the Christian bookshelves of the world.
   
   Please allow me to quote extensively from the book before commenting upon its shortcomings. I want to present an accurate picture of the author's thesis.
   
   (From the book cover flap:) "...reach your fullest potential as a human being" "What would we look like if we became like Him?" "This is the ultimate destination to become the person God dreams of."
   
   "God formed us in His image and then breathed life into us. His life in us is sustained by His character. When we lose the character of God, we lose the life of God in us. But to have His character, we must first die to ourselves, because to become like Him is what it means to really live." p 6
   
   "...this book is a quest for life...a quest to regain what was lost in the fall." p 6
   
   "Our quest is to have God's character formed in us..." p 9
   
   "...course set before us offers the freedom that comes from a discipline of the soul." p 16
   
   "...the pursuit of character." p 16
   
   "...the cry of our own soul screaming, `I want to change!' " p 18
   
   "What do you do when you can't stand the sight of yourself?...you can't escape who you are. ... But you can become someone else. ... One thing is certain-you need to change. ... Change into what? From who you are to who you can become only with Christ." p 19
   
   "To want godly character is one thing; to know how to acquire it is quite another." ... This journey's course is set by none other than Jesus Christ. The path is unveiled by His footprints. To choose His way is to engage in three quests that will not leave us unchanged-a quest for honor, a quest for nobility, and a quest for enlightenment." p 20
   
   "...you alone have to desire to change." p 29
   
   "He (Jesus) promises that if you and I follow Him, we will become like Him at journey's end." p 34
   
   "In the pages ahead we will walk a path marked by the footprints of Jesus." p 36
   
   "You now stand before a gauntlet. The destination you seek requires that you pass through treacherous terrain...three quests: a quest for honor, a quest for nobility, and a quest for enlightenment." p 39
   
   And so forty pages into his book, McManus sets about to convince us of the virtues of godly character development to attain our "fullest potential as a human being."
   
   Is this truly what God wants for our lives? Is this God's solution to the sin problem-the sin of greed, self-centeredness, impatience, etc. Will this "quest" for honor, nobility and enlightenment change our lives from lives of "imitation and mediocrity into one of passion and character...that will forever change the world"??
   
   Hogwash.
   
   Let me be clear that this is not a personal attack on Mr. McManus. Instead it is an attack on a false and dead-end approach to the Christian life.
   
   Let's start dissecting this unbiblical path to "the ultimate destination." From the book cover flap: "...reach your fullest potential as a human being" "What would we look like if we became like Him?"
   
   This, dear reader, is the very same proclamation which was used in the garden of Eden to precipitate the fall of man!! "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God..." (Genesis 3:5). We are NOT to become "like God." We are to be expressers of the life of God through abiding as a branch in Him as the life of the Vine (John 15). This is a RESTING in Him rather than a "quest" for character traits which imitate His life.
   
   On page six McManus says, "God formed us in His image and then breathed life into us. His life in us is sustained by His character. When we lose the character of God, we lose the life of God in us. But to have His character, we must first die to ourselves, because to become like Him is what it means to really live." "...this book is a quest for life...a quest to regain what was lost in the fall."
   
   Hold on here. "His life is sustained by His character"?? I think not. Rather His character is sustained by His life!! His character is the outflowing of His life. There isn't something called "character" which is sustaining God's infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent life. McManus seems to imply that the presence of God's life in us is dependent upon godly character and godly behavior on our part. If we just "die to ourselves"-our ungodly character traits-we shall begin "to really live." McManus thinks that "what was lost in the fall" was godly character traits!! His quest for honor, nobility and enlightenment is a quest to regain what was lost in the fall.
   
   Of course that is not what was fundamentally lost in the fall. It was "spiritual identity" which was lost in the fall. Adam and Eve accepted the belief of an independent selfhood and acted upon that lie. What is needed now is not a quest for godly character traits by fallen or even "saved" humanity, but a dying to the false sense of self (identification in Jesus' crucifixion) and a spiritual re-birth (identification in Jesus' resurrection). This exchanged life produces God's character in our lives-because it's HIS character-filled life rather than our false sense of life. Rather than a "getting" of godly character, it is a realization of the present fact of being "complete in Christ" already. There is a vast difference in these two approaches to true spirituality.
   
   McManus reveals his lack of understanding of what is commonly known as "the exchanged life" in the following quote: "What do you do when you can't stand the sight of yourself?...you can't escape who you are. ... But you can become someone else. ... One thing is certain-you need to change. ... Change into what? From who you are to who you can become only with Christ." p 19
   
   As I read this, McManus wants us to become godly with the help of Christ. But this approach to spirituality denies the new creation and Paul's revelation of "Christ Who is our life" and "I have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Only Christ can live a godly life. The natural man cannot become godly. And "Christ Who is our life" need not go on a "quest" for honor, nobility and enlightenment-they are inherently a part of His life.
   
   We are "complete in Christ" and the path to attaining "honor, nobility and enlightenment" is to be still and come into the realization of our oneness with God the Son and God the Father as the answer to Jesus' prayer recorded in John 17:21-23 "That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one;...."
   
   No mention in this prayer of any "quest" in order to "forever change the world." Until Christians understand and experience the difference between the external "quest" for godliness and the inner realization of the truth which sanctifies and makes free, publishers like Thomas Nelson will continue to make money on self-help books like this one.



3. If you've attended church and read the Bible, you've heard all these ideas before. Uprising makes all the pieces fit nicely together to make all the religous concepts make sense as God intended, not as many churches have taught.



4. A quote from Isaiah sums this book up the best. "If you go the wrong way - to the right or to the left - you will hear a voice behind you saying. 'This is the right way. You should go this way.'" Isaiah 30:21
   
   Integrity and Character are two of the milestones you will pass as you follow McManus' journey through "The Gauntlet". In this age of immediate gratification, McManus reminds us that our faith takes time. One of the biggest takeaways I got from the book, was how we view poverty and sufferring. Character and Integrity are forged in the furnace of suffering and trial. Yet it is not our suffering and trials that define us, it is that which is forged from them.
   
   I recommend this book highly.



5. Ok some like Erwin some do not. The things that I like about him, he seems to address my Inner soul in his writing. Things I am feeling but am to proud or arragant or something to actually talk about. This book so far has been great. He has talked a lot about being people of integrity, and passion. And not just to use that for our own benefit but to realize that it is to be used in-line with the will of God. I find myself stopping to ponder many of the thoughts that Erwin talks about in this book.
   
   A very enjoyable read.

5 comments about Stand Against the Wind: Fuel for the Revolution of Your Soul.

1. This is one of those little gift books that you observe a proliferation of in spring as people are preparing for graduation and other changes in life. It is truly meant as a gift, and as such it is a great little book. It is almost a work of art; most pages could be reprinted and framed as inspirational art. Most of the material appears to be new work, unlike most books of this type that are a rehash or synthesis of the author's thought or other books.
   
   The way this book is set up you can read it from beginning to end the first time through, then go back to specific chapter's from time to time as a reminder, a challenge or an encouragement. The specific chapters deal with the topics as follows:
   
   1. Freedom - Running Free
   2. Truly Human - The Drowning Pool
   3. Humility - Rising Out Of The Ashes
   4. Grateful - Creating Out Of The Pieces
   5. Perseverance - Coming Out Of Nowhere
   6. Integrity - The Unifying Power Of Believing
   7. We Need God - The Healing Power Of Belonging
   8. Perseverance - The Sustaining Power Of Becoming
   9. Courage - The Warrior's Heart
   10. Generosity - The Generative Spirit
   11. Fear God - The Divine Imagination
   12. Servanthood - The Greatness of Servanthood
   
   Even though this book comes in at under 120 pages it will help to call you to a deeper relationship with God and to a life lived for others. Some great quotes from the book are:
   
   "Life is most enjoyed when we give ourselves away. Generous people give more than their things; they genuinely give themselves. In the most marvelous of ways, those who give most freely live most freely."
   p.98
   
   "When you fear God and nothing else, you discover the freedom to pursue great adventure."
   p.105
   
   "The scriptures remind us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. Then what exactly does this mean? When we fear God, we fear nothing else. It is only in the fear of God that we find ourselves free from the fear of death, of failure, and all the other fears that bind us."
   p.112
   
   "We were created to be free. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you're also called to be free. Yet to experience this freedom, there must be an uprising - a revolution of the soul."
   p.7
   
   "An overwhelming number of us feel trapped in the lives we've created. The irony is that we are the cruel tyrants who hold ourselves captive, and the tragedy of our imprisonment reaches into the deepest caverns of our souls. Our passion to be free both ignites us and betrays us, and more often than not leads us to be consumed by an unforgiving fire.
   The very fire that burns within us can destroy us."
   p.13
   
   "YOU CANNOT FOLLOW JESUS AND REMAIN THE SAME!"
   p.26
   
   "Talent without character is a dangerous thing. Talent fueled by character is a gift from God."
   p.51
   
   These are but a few samples of the great gems you will find within this book. Pick it up, you will not be the same.



2. Erwin impresses me once again with his incredible understanding of Scripture and unique perspective on culture. This is a great book especially for discussing in small groups. The book is very thought-provoking and takes some time to get through but the practical applications are invaluable.



3. Uprising on steroids... is what I've heard this book coined as. It's basically a re-package of Uprising, flashier and in smaller chunks. I can see why it's geared toward the 18-35 market.
   
   I liked uprising more, but I passed it to a close friend who didn't like to read, and he thought it was phenomenal.
   
   My favorite section was Running Free. I've always loved the message of freedom and running wild found in the Scriptures, but there's something also to be said about the trials and disciplines that lead to that life-transforming freedom that we sometimes neglect to mention. A couple quotes from the book:
   
   The transformation of our character is more revolution than reformation. It is forged from battles fought far more than by beliefs held. It emerges out of crisis, not out of classroom.
   
   Our capacity to run free is related to our commitment to stand firm. There is a discipline of the heart that marks the free spirit. All of us long to play the song in our souls, and more of us would do so if it didn't require endless hours of studying the notes.



4. The over-designed nature of this book makes it a bit difficult to read. Content is fairly good, which is why this is a bit of a disappointment.



5. I've bought multiple copies of this book to give to family and friends, and each reader comes back to me expressing the intense appreciation I felt when I first inhaled its message a few short months ago.

2 comments about Schwartz' Principles of Surgery Self-Assessment and Board Review (PRETEST PRINCIPLES OF SURGERY).

1. The newer edition follows the latest version of Schwartz. Questions are different then the old book, however the last 5 or so questions in each chapter are from the previous version of the same book. Some explanations to answers are excellent, with resources, other's don't really answer WHY a certain answer is picked for the quesiton asked. Overall, its' a good book to have. I would suggest it.



2. This book is a good tool for self assessment. The explanations to the answers add to your understanding of the subject. Gives key tables at the end of a chapter. On the whole an excellent resource for the ABSITE exam and the general surgery written boards.

5 comments about A People's History of the American Revolution: How Common People Shaped the Fight for Independence.

1. Most history of the American Revolution focuses on "the founding fathers" and particular events. Ray Raphael's book, the first in a Howard Zinn series, gives credit to everyday people and seldom told events. Adams, Jefferson, Washington et al would have hardly been able to found a country without the massive support of the anonymus masses.

   Most impressive about Rapahel's book is that he allows the facts to do the talking. Many authors argue a case but haardly bother to back it up, not Raphael. Equally important, the book is a good read. Some history books with a series of stories become tedious, but Raphel's writing is crisp as he weaves incidents together.

   The book also exposes the violent, viscious nature of people, with tarring and feathering and other public humiliations regularly doled out to citizens out of favor in their community. We are reminded that while the common folks were heroes of the Revolution, they were hardly saints in the way they carried out retribution and their perception of justice.

   But the primary contribution of the book is to give a fuller more honest view of the American Revolution, how it could happen and who deserves credit, besides those familiar figures so prominent in American text books.




2. This book continues in the Howard Zinn tradition of trying to focus on groups of people and causes that are not necesarily part of the mainstream. Though not as well written and researched as People's History of the United States, Raphael does do a good job of telling about how different groups saw and participated in the American Revolution. There is plenty of important information such as the large numbers of people in pacifist religious groups like the Quakers and German protestant groups like the mennanites and shakers who were against all war because all the fighting they had seen in Europe through the centuries. It also deals with groups like Native Americans, African Americans and women. These groups were not treated as whole members of society before or after the revolution (not to say that their condition would have improved under continued English rule) so it was interesting to see their involvement and opposition to their war. In addition, the book deals with fronteir groups that suppored American independence, not just northern merchants or southern plantation owners that we are more familiar with.



3. Raphael's goal is an admirable one, and his topic is of great importance to any study of the American Revolution. Indeed, the "common people" (including women, slaves, and Indians) are too often overlooked in histories of the period, and their roles were critical. For example, the HUGE influence slaves had on how the war was fought in the South is sadly ignored, despite the fact that no understanding of that aspect is complete without it. That said, the book is not the whole story and is best read in combination with a work focusing on the "great men" and events "at the top"--perhaps Gordon Wood or Bernard Bailyn. Such a combination, I think, would provide a fuller portrayal. My major complaint with the book is its inclusion of page upon page of source material. I understand that for some this is a strong point of the work and that Raphael is trying to let these common folk speak for themselves. But the extraordinarily long quotations (sometimes pages in length) prevent Raphael's own voice and analysis from coming through. And in my opinion, the lengthy quotations from secondary sources could have been eliminated and summarized. He would have been well advised to limit the direct quotations and focus on a more in-depth analysis. After all, if one wanted to read straight primary sources, there are collections of documents available. But these flaws notwithstanding, the book deserves a read, if only to fill in the gaps left by high school history courses.



4. Raphael has compiled a first-person account of early America and has the wisdom not to over-editorialize, making this an indisputably factual historical reference. Unlike the sometimes "fairy tale" school books, one learns and feels the anguish of the early settlers as they struggled with strong class distinction, wealth vs poverty, and desperation for the freedoms, traditions (some quite surprising) and culture of America today. One learns intimate details about the lives and values of some of our founding fathers (and mothers) who are undeserving of their elevated place in history, while discovering some whose sacrifices and courage made our independence achievable. Here's an example: The Boston Tea Party was not as much about "taxation without representation" as it was about the working class rebelling against the wealthy who were the only ones who could afford to buy tea for their snooty tea parties....and therein began the tradition in America to offer coffee to house guests rather than tea. Here's another example: "tar and feather" punishment didn't originate in the south as a racial issue. You will be surprised at some of the recognizable names who were the target of this public humiliation. It's not a book that you "just can't put down", but one that you won't want to toss out of your library.



5. This author is a deciple of Howard Zinn, which means one should be under no illusions as to what they shall find in this book. For one this is not a military history of the Rev War. This is social history, with a decided agenda to pursue. This is all well and good, but many of the author's references to military events suffer from a basic lack of knowledge on these aspects of the conflict. The problem with social/political historians is that they deliberately want to disregard any kind of military perspective in their works, to cover what they consider to be more important issues. But when you are dealing with a military subject like the Rev War, you can't help having some of your story effected by these aspects of the history. This is where the author should have versed himself better, because his narrative suffers from simplistic military observations of the conflict as a whole.
   
   There is value in a work like this to be sure despite the selected nature of the research. The author shows very cleverly that many who proposed the Revolution in the first place were not the ones who actually fought it. Many older works have brought this issue up before, perhaps not as deliberately as the the Howard Zinn school of revisionist history would like, but many studies of Washy's army clearly shows that most were the landless, rootless sort which contained many Blacks. So no big discovery there.
   
   The author does point out that in many ways the Rev War was the first big American con job! Liberty was in the air, but it did not include, women, blacks or Indians. There is much truth in this observation, but the danger of looking at past events with too much contemporary outlook tends to pass unfair moral judgements on those people and events. The American Revolution needs to be studied within the confines of its own time and place. Once you start accusing the past of not living up to the supposed standards of the present, you run the risk of passing unfair judegment. This seems a popular thing to do these days, and there are many revisionist historians out there willing to do just that.
   
   The Howard Zinn school of studying events from the ground up, instead of the top down has merit, but to suggest that we should turn our history upside down in order to achieve this goal threatens to distort just as much in the opposite direction. If you are going to have any idea what was going on in the Revolution, you have to be aware of the Washingtons, Jeffersons etc. To simply look at the Revolution from the perspective of Joseph Plum Martin, or a runnaway slave gives you only a slice of the whole picture. I have always thought that the Revolution has been taught with too much holier than thou emphasis. Books like this are good to provide added detail, but they are not designed to be new standard histories.
   
   The author attempts to be balanced, but the tone of the book steadily becomes more strident with each passing chapter. The final chapter on slavery becomes almost sanctimonious. Does the author really believe that we would learn so much more about the Revolution if we were able to read every slaves'journal about escaping from his master! Most slaves due to circumstances could not even read or write! So where would this treasure trove come from? Literacy was not even common among the soldiery of the period, much less anyone else! To study select groups of any event has merit, but to do so exclusively becomes distortion. The fact remains that the Reolvution was fought mostly by the common white soldiers of the colonies. They were the rootless, riff-raff that comprised all armies of the 18th century. To see it any other way is to bring political aggenda into the study of the period.
   
   Teachers would be mistaken to assign this book as a main text on the American Revolution. One would learn little of the actual events of that conflict if this were the only text consulted. The true value of this book only becomes apparent when studied in comparison to other works about the Revolution. After reading some of the more standard histories this book could serve as a useful supplement. Nothing more. I have given this book three stars because it should not be considered a comprehensive new study on the American Revolution.

2 comments about Speech Science Primer: Physiology, Acoustics, and Perception of Speech.

1. This text has, for the past 10 years, been the best and most prestigious of introductory books in our field. It is a fine lead-in for students wondering how speech is constructed. A follow-on for the more advanced student is my "Acoustics of Speech Communication: Fundamentals, Speech Perception Theory and Technology" 1999, Allyn and Bacon. J.M. Pickett



2. There is one major error in the text. Page 101 is wrong. I emailed the publishers but got no response. Be careful with some of the figures. Other than that, the book is great!

3 comments about Schwartz's Principles of Surgery, 8/e (Schwartz's Principles of Surgery).

1. I am a fourth year medical student going into general surgery and this is the only surgical textbook that I have read in significantly. I chose this book because it got the best rating in First Aid for the Wards. I have completed all but the last 100 pages of this 1870 page text. It begins with a 500 page, 14 chapter section entitled "Part I, Basic Considerations" that is mostly surgical basic sciences. This material is mostly well-covered. The clinical application is not always clear but that is not the intention of these chapters as far as I can tell. Chapters on SIRS, infection, wound healing, and cell/molecular considerations stood out. In "Part II, Specific Considerations" there are chapters arranged by organ systems that cover the various areas of general surgery, followed by individual chapters on surgical subspecialties such as urology and ortho. These chapters vary somewhat in style. The congenital heart disease chapter was brief and a bit hard to follow partially due to insufficient discussion of embryology and fetal circulation. The acquired heart disease chapter was too brief in my opinion. The esophagus and vascular system chapters very lengthy and thorough. The other chapters are adequate. The gyn chapter and neurosurg chapters in the subspecialty areas are actually pretty good and have some useful info for general surgeons. The chapters generally speaking are less oriented towards descriptions of the surgery performed. They tend to have a brief discussion of normal anatomy and physiology, followed by in depth discussion of diagnosis including various tests and imaging studies, followed by descriptions of benign diseases and their medical and surgical management, followed by malignant diseases of that organ and their management. The chapter on colon and rectum is an exception since it discusses the various resections separately from the disease entities. The gyn section is heavy on descriptions of surgeries.
   
   Since I cannot compare this text to others in the field, I am not sure how to rate it. The chapters have some variation in style. The discussion of diagnosis and management including diagnostic testing and imaging is very thorough. The descriptions of the actual surgeries is usually somewhat brief and not always complete. The illustrations of normal anatomy and of surgeries could be better. However, that may be more of a job for a surgical atlas, which is next on my list of things to read. The heart chapters (congenital and acquired) could be extended and improved. Otherwise, this is a pretty decent textbook that is mostly fairly readable.



2. I found the 7th edition of Schwartz a chore to read. However, while the recent edition of Sabiston has abridged and cut detail in favor of glossy color pictures, the 8th edition of Schwartz is a well balanced textbook, with an appropriate level of detail and an excellent basis in basic science. The chapters are also immensely readable! This is the text that I intend to finish reading during my surgical residency...



3. This book is much appreciated by the medical community and I found it both informative as well as educational.

4 comments about The Little Flowers of St. Francis.

1. Francis is one of the most famous Saints today, although most only know him through his famous prayer ("Lord make me an instrument of they peace..."). This is the book to read in order to find out more about his life. The Little Flowers could in many ways be called the "Acts of Francis and His Followers," as it chronicles their journeys and miracles, and records their wisdom. The stories are not historical accounts in the modern sense, but oral traditions that tend to be on the legendary side (e.g. he communicates with animals, talks to Saints in heaven). This particular translation by Raphael Brown is excellent for the it also has The Considerations of the Holy Stigmata, The Life of Brother Juniper, The Life of Brother Leo, and the Sayings of Brother Giles.
   

   2) Brown has added sixteen additional chapters of material that have never before appeared in English.
   

   3) It contains a lengthy introduction and an appendix to guide those who wish to learn more about the history of the book and the life of St. Francis. The appendix is particularly valuable because it has a biographical sketch of the characters and short annotations that illuminate difficult passages in the book.
   

   4) The translation from Italian and Latin to English is very readable.
   

   If you want entertaining, amusing, and inspiring stories in a quality package, then check out The Little Flowers of St. Francis as translated/edited by Raphael Brown.




2. Pleasant read however historically unreliable. If you compare this account of St. Francis, to the earlier biography by Thomas of Celano you will find several inconsistancies and embelishments which are unsupported by evidence. If you are looking for a more reliable historical account of the life of St. Francis I would recommend that you check out the biography by Thomas of Celano as it was written much closer to St. Francis' lifetime and likely more realistic.



3. I like to read this one like a novel. To me it's kind of like Cannery Row, only instead of drinking you got self-flagellation. Fun stuff!



4. The Little Flowers of St. Francis eloquently tells that tales of St. Francis and his brothers and sisters in the Franciscan Orders. Brown offers a lengthy introduction that provides some biography of Francis and explanation about The Little Flowers and additional chapters.
   
   Many of the stories of Little Flowers are based on the previous biography by Thomas Celano. As one reviewer noted, it might be good to read a traditional biography of St. Francis to better enjoy the Little Flower stories; however, Brown's biography in the introduction serves as the basic outline of Francis' life.
   
   The stories are inspiring and eloquent. Francis' life cannot be discovered apart from the miraculous and mystical. His spiritual devotion and charisma defined him and his order. Depending on one's view of the miraculous, these stories might seem quite embellished, but that is not necessarily the case. The impact Francis' life had on the world is a testimony to its power and supernatualness.
   
   The stories are not lengthy and make great light or short reading. There are five sections that fully address the Holy Stigmata of St. Francis. Additional sections include extra stories of St. Francis and the life and sayings of Brother Giles a friend and successor of St. Francis.
   
   Most of these stories can be read to children or to the family. "How St. Francis tamed the very fierce wolf of Gubbio" is a classic story. All of the stories are inspiring and seem to have a touch of the Divine.
   
   Craig Stephans, author of Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays

5 comments about Family Therapy: A Systemic Integration (6th Edition).

1. I am using this book for a Marriage and Family Therapy class. I found this book to be too difficult to understand and it took several readings to fully comprehend what they were trying to get across. Good concepts on Bowen but I would not recommend schools use this for an intro course. Its extremely frustrating.



2. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I found this book to provide a clear discussion of Marriage and Family Therapy models, and their roots in cybernetics. It is oriented for clinicians who practice from a systemic perspective. I had the 2nd edition in my training program in the 1990's and find myself yet referring to it for ideas about case conceptualization and questions about theory and practice.



3. If you are interested in any aspect of family practice, this book is a must have. I must agree with prior reviews of the book--it is definitely a hard read. Fortunately, I had the privilege of being taught the author(s)-Dr. Becvar is/was on of my professors. Once the class ended, I understood the systemic approach to family therapy.



4. The condition of the item was as stated and it was received by the date given.



5. Used in a Cybernetics of Cybernetics and System Thinking class. A little tough to get thruw but if you keep reading it eventually comes into place. Don't give up until you get thru chapter 6. Good Luck

No comments about QAR Now: A Powerful and Practical Framework That Develops Comprehension and Higher-Level Thinking in All Students (Theory and Practice).