Circling Eden: A Novel of Israel in Stories

Customer Reviews:

What a beautiful little book!.......1999-07-14

This book is so tender and evocative in describing the coming of age of an American girl in Israel, I was enraptured throughout and haunted by it for days. It deserves to be read and reread!

Customer Reviews:

Really good stories from Canada.......2006-07-15

Here is the latest in a yearly collection of speculative fiction stories and poems from north of the border, in Canada.

At an isolated research station in the north, one story concerns talking lemmings who are looking forward to being eaten by other predators. There is a modern-day vampire story. Mother Teresa moves into an elderly woman's home, and turns it into an orphanage. A group of aliens about to terraform Earth are totally enthralled by the singing of an elderly eskimo woman who knows that she has reached the end of her life. There is a near-future computer-controlled war story. A man wakes up one morning to find himself conscious, but physically unable to get out of bed. Then he finds that he has turned invisible. His wife, who thinks that he left her in the middle of the night, goes into a deep depression. Then civil order collapses as thousands, then millions, of people similarly disappear.

There is a wide variety of stories here; something for everyone. Read this an example of the state of speculative fiction in Canada, or read this as simply a group of really good stories. Either way, read it.

collected contemporary sci-fi and fantasy short stories from Canada.......2006-04-02

Seven of the 23 collected pieces have been previously published; the others appear here for the first time. While all the authors are from Canada, in introductory and closing sections, the editors each note that there really is no meaningful or helpful classification of "Canadian speculative fiction." In his foreword, Ryman notes that among the selections in this loosely-defined genre of speculative fiction are science fiction, Christian miracle tales, ones based on pagan themes and content, and others depicting inexplicable events. Hopkinson in her closing section "Final Thoughts" cites the variety of humor--satire, buffoonery, camp, etc.--found in many of the stories. A few of the pieces are short-shorts of only a page or two, a couple in verse; the longest is over 60 pages. Detailed biographical notes on the number of authors at the back lead readers to additional works.

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Centauri Dawn

more twilight

fantastic series

Good start but ultimately weak

The Best Book Based on a Video Game Ever

Centauri Dawn (Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, Book 1)
Michael Ely
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Dragon Sun (Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri)

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri: Power of the Mind Worms

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri

ASIN: 0671040774
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Book Description

After a forty-year journey from an Earth left teetering on the brink of nuclear Armageddon, the United Nations colonial Starship Unity reaches the lone habitable planet orbiting Alph Centauri's primary star, bringing with it the hope of a new beginning for the human race.

Hope turns to ashes when, on final approach to the new world, a mysterious malfunction damages the ship, triggering a crisis that results in the death of the captain and a rash of infighting over the ship's undamaged colony pods. The Unity breaks apart in space and seven colonial factions are scattered across the surface of the planet.

As the Unity surviviors struggle to rebuild human civilization on this strange and mysterious alien world, old tensions resurface and one man sets in motion forces that may destroy any dream of a lasting peace.

Customer Reviews:

Centauri Dawn.......2003-11-26

The game provided a real atmosphere that the book duplicates well in some places. The concept is a nice cocktail of basic sci-fi, action, and politics. At times i was annoyed by the skipping ahead each chapter (5 years or so) in which a lot could have happened, but i think this is due to the focus being the conflict in ideals between the peacekeeper and spartan factions. it would be nice to add some more information about the development of the bases and corresponding societies but its not a major issue. There is definitely a large left-wing influence on the political side of the novel but opinions will differ with readers. Overall its a good read and if you liked the game, read the book. (although it would be cool if there were a few of those insightful quotes littered throughout the game embedded subtly in the text)

more twilight.......2002-12-11

I stumbled across this book by accident browsing on one of my favorite bookstores. I have played the game "Alpha Centauri" and enjoyed the complexity and the depth of it and was excited at the prospect of a novel based on its premise and its characters

Any book based on a video game is bound to have some difficulties but the sheer scope of `Alpha Centauri" should have provided a fertile groundwork for a book many times the size of this novel. Mr. Ely manages to shrink the setting and the situation is size and scope rather than expand it.

Colonists on the spaceship Unity have fled a dying earth to establish a life on Chiron, a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri. After enduring forty years of interstellar travel they arrive at their destination but before landfall the ship falls to infighting and possible sabotage. The Unity's seven escape pods having landed well apart from each other across the uncharted new planet, and seven infant societies are formed around each of their charismatic leaders and social ideals.
The seven factions are:
Gaia's Stepdaughters a faction of environmentalists
The Human Hive a police state based on atheistic communism.
Morgan Industries a society based on industrialization and free market ideals.
The Lord's Believers a religious society opposed to science and materialism.
Peacekeepers a collection of bureaucrats.
The Spartans military oriented survivalists.
The University of Planet a faction of scientists and researchers

Missing is the book is the construction of the colonies and the interplay between factions. I believe Mr. Ely missed a great opportunity to explore the view of this new world from the average citizen of these factions. Say for example not every one was correctly sorted into the differing faction pods when the colonies were first established, how does a sentimentally minded scientist cope with living with the fanatical Believers?

The book is largely about the conflict between the Peacekeepers faction and the Spartans. Here the Peacekeepers were painted too much to be the good guys to be believable and the Spartans seem to be there simply to provide a face to the enemy. The Spartans became more of a characterization of our current societies fear of militias and terrorists then a possible society. Rather than a society where the strong lead and prosper Mr. Ely paints a society of sociopaths who kill any they view as weak.

Missing entirely is any sense of wonder tat the landscape of Chiron or its native flora and fauna. Also missing is the sense that the book is taking place in the future. True lasar guns are tossed around but there is no sense that this is taking place far away from what we daily experience.

While I did enjoy reading this book I do not feel compelled in any way to seek out the next two books in the trilogy.

fantastic series.......2002-05-11

I'm a latecomer to the series, but becuase of that I got to read them all at once. As video game books go, they are fantastic. I was expecting flat characters and cliche's, but got an ambitious book with characters' lives set against a brutal war.
It's the mixing of individuals with big events that made this first book a compelling read. If I had to pick a fault it's that the writing is kind of rough around the edges at time, but this doesn't get in the way of the fast-paced story. And it is fast-paced...more action than sci-fi.

Good start but ultimately weak.......2001-11-02

I bought the book because I really like the game but I have to say that the game is a WHOLE LOT better than the book. The book starts off with several good scenes that set up an interesting situation but the author isn't able to sustain his momentum and ultimately devolves into a disappointing us vs. them fight that nobody wins.

Perhaps the author is stating that fighting a war is a lose-lose proposition. This is a generally true statement given the amazing destructive power of modern warfare. But he gets too caught up in the increasingly self-destructive motivations of his protagonists and the story becomes nothing but a chronology of the horror of war.

I really can't express my disappointment at how the book went from the intriguing high-level scope of the game to watching a couple of factions beat each other to death. I finished the book but it was a constant struggle between boredom and disgust.

The Best Book Based on a Video Game Ever.......2001-08-30

And winning the narrow catagory of "Best Book Based on a Video Game" is . . . Centauri Dawn!

If you enjoy playing Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, this book will expand the game a little bit for you, and develops some of the neat story-elements in the game. If you don't play SMAC, you might still enjoy the books, and then you can have the added bonus of buying the games and reliving some of the story elements.

For those not familiar with the game, it (and the book) take place on a habitable planet on Alpha Centauri. An interstellar colony ship arrives, only to learn that the developing war on Earth has apparently cut off all contact with Earth. Seven archetypical leaders (a scientist, a merchant, an environmentalist, etc.) start factions on the new planet, and risk repeating Earth's destruction.

If you enjoy this book, then I have two more recommendations for you. First, try Red Mars, Blue Mars, and Green Mars, by Kim Staley Robinson. Those books explore very similar themes, from a little bit more of a "hard sf" perspective. Second, if you haven't read it yet, try the Iliad, by Homer. Most of the second half of Centauri Dawn is a retelling of the story of Achilles, Patrokolus, and Hector, and it's fun to trace the two stories together.

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Sublime and Fanciful

Solidly researched

Transcendental Arguments and Justified Christian Belief
Ronney Mourad
Manufacturer: University Press of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0761830324

Book Description

Transcendental Arguments and Justified Christian Belief offers an extended discussion of the characteristics of transcendental arguments and the philosophical objections that have been leveled against them. Author Ronney Mourad provides a comprehensive review of the recent philosophical literature concerning the definition and possibility of transcendental arguments and defends original positions on these issues.

Customer Reviews:

Sublime and Fanciful.......2005-11-21

Let me put it this way . . . If you like transcendental argument, you'll love this book. It's to the point. Reminiscent of Hartshorne in its elegance.

Solidly researched.......2005-11-21

While this book isn't for everyone, author Mourad displays a thorough knowledge of the subject matter, taking a high-level, almost tenor-like approach to his arrangement of The Finer Things and points of transcendentalism and christianity -- something For Your Love of the complex, heady and often-ignored points of view of Ogden and Plantinga that won't allow you To Forget About Him.

Book Description

Children, like adults, come in all shapes and sizes. Some are short, some are tall, some are thin and some are not. Because of society's obsession with thinness, being larger-than-average is difficult for youth. Most children are teased about something, and probably nothing hurts more than being teased about weight. It's painful for parents to see their child's self-esteem suffer, while they worry about the result of extra weight on their child's health.

Parents can help overweight children cope by increasing their child's overall fitness level through healthy eating and added activity. Dieting and strict fitness regimes, which can be extremely difficult to impose on a child, are not the answer. Bolstering the child's self-esteem and to develop a positive body image no matter what size is the most important task.

In The Over weight Child, Teresa Pitman and Dr. Miriam Kaufman, provide practical advice for parents and caregivers of overweight children. The authors examine the link between television and weight gain, offer suggestions for coping with teasing and negative feelings, outline kid-tested ways to improve fitness for the entire family, and even include recipes that everyone in the family can enjoy.

Book Description

From an expert floral artist comes the first comprehensive book on drying flowers with silica gel. This lavish volume offers detailed techniques for cutting flowers, setting up a workspace, accumulating tools, and dealing with problem insects. Complete materials lists and step-by-step instructions guide readers through sensational design projects, including:
-Essence of Spring Wall Hanging
-Garden-Variety Ginger Jar
-Magnolia Leaf Wreath
-Christmas Centerpiece
-Traditional Twig Wreath
-Primary Colors Topiary Display

Bountiful photographs, informative illustrations, and a friendly narrative provide readers with the tools needed to achieve beautiful flower drying success!

Customer Reviews:

If you want just one book on dried flowers this should be it........2006-07-13

A really excellent book with extensive information about how to dry flowers in several different ways. Detailed instructions on how to store flowers and what problems to watch out for.
There are also excellent sections on how to make a wreath from scratch, how to create a wide variety of stunning displays with detailed instructions for each. The book is packed with instructive diagrams and well composed photographs of floral displays. If you want just one book on drying flowers this would be the one to pick.

Sensational Dried Flowers : Make Arrangements So Beautiful.......2001-06-17

This is a new hobby for me and I found the Book beautifully illustrated and easy to understand. The author covers a variety of subjects related to drying flowers such as tips on how to display the attractively and creatively after drying. She also has some chapters on how containers, from old boxes to odd-shaped baskets can serve as a base for your dried floral arrangement. She also included many names of flowers that can be successfully dried as well as a suggested timetable since flowers have different moisture content. One problem I had was finding Silica Jel in large quantities locally. If would have been helpful to have this info included in book. I did find a source in California however.

A SUPER GIFT!.......2000-07-31

(This is an adult review! Couldn't find where to write it except here!)

It's always a challenge to find the perfect birthday present for my artist/gardening wife. This year I found a winner in "Sensational Dried Flowers" by Esther Davis.

My wife was always disappointed when she tried to dry flowers in the traditional manner. They ended up with faded colors and shriveled blossoms.

It was hard to believe that the beautiful flowers pictured in the book were actually dried and not fresh from a florist or the garden. But with the help of the simple but thorough directions in Ms. Davis's book, we were thrilled when our first attempt with a Zinnia looked like it had indeed come fresh from the garden!

The arrangements by Ms. Davis are beautifully done, and have given us many great ideas. We highly recommend "Sensational Dried Flowers" whether you are an artist, a gardener, or just want to create some beauty you can be proud of in your own home or as gifts for friends.

(I am 71 years old (going on 52) if it really matters.

Dried flowers for the non-craft person.......2000-05-16

I am not your typical crafty husband. I can easily pass by the craft section of the store without feelings of remorse. However, while waiting for my wife, I picked up this book and started looking through it. It only took a few moments of looking at the tools of the trade page to get me interested. Pliers, clother pins, and glue guns...I could really get interested in something that started off with these items. I purchased the book and asked my wife where we could buy Silica gel at 9:30 in the evening. I found the examples and pictorial instructions most helpful and my results actually looked like the pictures. I can not claim to have produced the arrangements as glorious as those pictured in Ms. Davis' book, but I was very proud of them and found them to last much longer than expected. I would recommend this book to the expert and the novice. It has something for each category. I even went to meet Ms. Davis at a book signing. Her techniques in flower drying are most remarkable.

This book is for someone who enjoys flowers all year round!.......1999-09-06

What a masterpiece! This book is not only beautiful (the photography is excellent) but full of secrets for drying beautiful flowers. I can hardly wait to have them in every room of my home. This is not a craft book......it is an artists rendition of God's beautiful creations. Floral designers and gardeners alike will love this book!

Customer Reviews:

As clear as day.......2005-04-01

This is the biography of Pike that we've been waiting for. Robertson's achievment is awesome and this book is marvelous. Pike's many difficulties -alcoholism, ambition, theological posturing, difficulties in his family, with his women- are finally choreographed into the submissive background where they belong, as the three-dimensional Pike emerges broken and whole - a man addicted to action. Believing, warring, loving, campaigning, preaching, living and dying - Pike sat astride the rhythm of unrelenting action, for good or ill. Those who look to the inconsistencies in James Pike to find the living parts are looking too far. His great personal truth was in his every action- wild and true, beautiful, violent. Passionate Pilgrim brings it all before us. David Robertson's intelligence arrives with a stash of new ideas and insights, a scathing sympathy for his subject, and the ear of a real writer. Anyone interested in Pike's story will be mesmerized by this book that demonstrates better than any other I can think of the ecstatic dimensions of biography that can be achieved by perfect prose.

Sobering, Revisionist Look at the 1960s.......2005-03-20

Robertson, a writer new to me but apparently one of some renown whose other books I will be sure to look out for, has written a sobering account of the 196os through a particular prism, the charismatic Episcopal bishop Jim Pike. Pike was a radical theologian and a moving speaker, whose positioning of himself as an effective force for change took him to what were pretty much the limits of free expression within the church through the 1950s and exploded, as did so much else, in the 1960s.

Here in San Francisco he is still remembered, if vaguely, as the man who held press conferences (some of which were televised) at Grace Cathedral at the top of Nob Hill to discuss his latest activities, boycotts, rebellions, hirings and opinions on national and international affairs, not only on matters of religion, for he cast a wider net. He wrote an article, "How My Mind Has Changed," which made public his doubts about the Virgin Birth of Christ and about the three-personed nature of the Trinity. He called for a stop to the practice of "speaking in tongues." More traditional Christians grew skeptical, then became resolutely opposed to his liberal ways. His heavy drinking and his affairs with women caused his wife, Esther, to seek a divorce, and their four children suffered the most.

One of them, Jim Junior, in fact killed himself in New York City, and this put the Bishop into a real tailspin. Like Conan Doyle before him, he took to seances to raise the spirit of his boy. And then he came to believe that he would find redemption out in the desert, and the whole world was shocked when his body was found in the wilderness. Robertson recites all these numbing facts ably and with deep understanding. The spectacle of a man's search for meaning is a brutal one, as he goes, punchdrunk, into one cul-de-sac of faith after another, but Robertson persuades us that, underneath it all, we are all human and we all make mistakes sometimes. He has sympathy for even Pike's most outlandish choices, and his book is all the better for it.

Albert Pike: The Man Behind the Monument

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Delightfully readable
Simply great
Truly a Grand Master
Enlightening

Albert Pike: The Man Behind the Monument
Jim Tresner
Manufacturer: M. Evans and Company, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0871317915

Book Description

An anecdotal biography of the organizer and leader of the Scottish Rite, one of Freemasonry's largest organizations.

Customer Reviews:

Delightfully readable.......2007-01-31

Scottish Rite Masons, Civil War buffs, historians, and the curious alike will enjoy this readable book. At first I was concerned that a tale about Mr. Pike would be a tough read full of lofty verbiage and abstract concepts, but this narrative is well presented and full of anectdotes which bring Brother Pike to life as a real man, practical jokes and all. The author stays focused on the humanity of Pike and his contributions without going off on "scholarly" tangents about Pike's sister's neighbor's dog, and keeping the book to a manageable size. A well done biography.

Simply great.......2006-04-13

Tresner's knowledge of Pike is amazing. This book will hold your interest and is written in an east to understand manner. If you have ever wondered about Pike this book is for you.

Truly a Grand Master.......2004-09-25

Pike's Morals & Dogma stands as an unequalled classic to those for whom esotericism is a serious pursuit. One wonders how a man in a single lifetime could have come to amass such vast knowledge. In reading his biography, it's obvious. This is a man whose appetite for life & learning was voracious. This is a man whose capacity for action knew no bounds. He was patriot, mystic, adventurer, philosopher, writer, prankster, & pioneer. This is his story, much of it told in his own words.

Enlightening.......1999-07-01

As the author points out, most Scottish Rite masons are almost afraid to approach the subject of Albert Pike. Many find that his writings, written in the verbose victorian style of the 19th century, are beyond their comprehension. And the Southern Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry hasn't helped matters any by turning Pike into an almost mythological figure. As a result, most of us have been overwhelmed by him and have not felt worthy enough to approach the subject of so much awe and mystery. Tresner does an amazing job in showing us all that Pike is indeed approachable. He peels away the mythology and shows us that, while worthy of our respect and admiration, Pike was indeed as human as any of us. Tresner fleshes out this character that has been cast in stone for the last hundred years, thus making both the man and his writings more accessible to us today. Even if you are not a mason and don't know anything about the Scottish Rite, you will still enjoy this look at one of the most amazing figures of the 19th century. He was a lawyer, a civil war general, an author, an explorer, a musician and an early advocate of native American rights. He wrote about philosophy and religion and updated the rituals of the Scottish Rite. It is a shame that more attention hasn't been paid to the amazing life of this individual. This book is very readable, as it is written in down to earth language. The author is not out to impress anybody with multi-syllabic language. He is not a scholar trying to impress other scholars. Neither does he insult your intelligence by writing underneath you. He is a writer who truly admires his subject and will share that admiration with anyone who will spare a few minutes to listen. Besides it's easy to comprehend language, one thing that makes this book so enjoyable is it's layout. Unlike most biographies, which start at the subject's birth and chronologically list his achievements until death, Tresner devotes each chapter to a separate aspect of Pike's life. There is a chapter devoted to his relationship with the American Indians, one devoted to his lifelong pursuit of knowledge in Freemasonry, even one about his collection of pipes. Thus we can truly appreciate not only Pike's incredible achievements but those small character traits and quirks which made him so likable to those who knew him. By learning more about Pike, we learn about ourselves and about the infinite possibilities which life has to offer. It would be very difficult for someone to read this book and not want to start living life to it's absolute fullest as Pike did. Carpe Diem!

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A Life of Albert Pike
Walter Lee Brown
Manufacturer: University of Arkansas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1557284695

Average customer rating:

Anyone interested in history of Freemasonry will love this book!

Albert Pike A Biography
Fred W. Allsopp
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1564591344

Book Description

Pike is the best loved of all Freemasons. Learn what made him the remarkable man he was. Contents: Struggle for an Education; First Adventure in the West; Exciting Experiences; Returning North; He Reaches Fort Smith; His Removal to Little Rock; His Marriage; Enters Upon Practice of Law; Unofficial Public Services; War With Mexico; Duel With Colonel Roane; Pike's Scholarship; Published and Unpublished Works; Confederate Service; Order for His Arrest; Becoming a Recluse; His Masonic Career; His Plea for Fraternalism; Reply to Pope Leo XIII; Wake of the Fine Arkansas Gentleman; Some Personal Characteristics; Close of an Eventful Life.

Customer Reviews:

Anyone interested in history of Freemasonry will love this book!.......2005-12-19

A credible account of the life and times of Albert Pike - one of the best I have ever read. I highly recommend it.

Bibliography of the Writings of Albert Pike

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Bibliography of the Writings of Albert Pike

Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1564594483

Book Description

Albert Pike was the foremost Master of Masonic wisdom. Study this man. Read his writings. Contents: Foreword; Introduction; Albert Pike; A Sketch of His Life; Biography; Language; Law; Military; Newspapers; Political; Economic; Poetry; Miscellaneous; Manuscripts; Masonic; Addresses and Reports, Obituaries; Official Letters and Notices; Cerneau Controversy; Ritualistic and Ceremonial.

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