Souls Raised from the Dead: A Novel

Customer Reviews:

Soul Stirring.......2003-02-14

A wonderful novel that stirs the emotions with characters that stay on your mind. The writing is crisp but what shines the brightest are the complex and REAL characters in the novel. A novel that is sure to move even the most stoic of readers.

good writing triumphs over unpromising material.......2000-06-10

I almost gave up on this book after the first 100 pages. After encountering the overprotective father, the plucky but seriously ill daughter, and the narcissistic, self-indulgent mother who had deserted the family two years earlier, the stars seemed in alignment for an overwrought, maudlin tearjerker. Instead, Doris Betts has given us a finely told, thoughtful story about those things we cling to when disaster befalls, especially about the exercise of faith in the absence of any reason to hope. The writing is often superb, as in this observation about the girl's grandmother: "Sex was more important to men than it had ever been to Tacey. Maybe those old Jewish male prophets valued sex so highly it had attained to them the level of sin; she did not, so it had not." Or this, a description of women waiting for their men in the hospital emergency room: "These women wasted no energy by pacing. None of them touched a magazine. They solidified themselves in the first chairs they had taken some time ago, and waited like stones for something external to make them move." Most characters are well-developed; the plot is only moderately suspenseful, but surprisingly compelling nonetheless. I wished that the author had delved more into the inner life of Frank, the main character, and I thought a few plot turns bordered on the implausible. Nonetheless, Betts has done remarkably well telling a story which initially appears unpromising.

Book fails to raise plot, characters from the dead........1999-05-27

While my tears flowed in several places throughout Souls Raised from the Dead, I found myself dry-eyed and skeptical at the end. Betts' novel of a girl on the cusp of adolescence diagnosed with kidney disease and surrounded by a myriad of colorful adult figures could have been so much more than the plot-driven surface treatment she gave the characters. Mary Grace Thompson suffers from kidney failure, but Betts never tells the reader what that involves. Only as the reader turns the pages do the stages of dietary restrictions, dialysis, increased medications, and hope for a donor become clear as the next steps. Betts' implied medical horror is only a shadow compared to the black and white truth of medical reality. I would have been happier knowing the clinical details; however, the in's and out's of kidney failure were not the focus of this book. And therein lies my biggest disappointment with Souls Raised from the Dead. The book's focus was the cliched characters and their relationships--stoic father and prickly, loving, daughter; selfish irresponsible ex-wife and two current girl-friends with different needs and wants; self-righteous grandparents and "white trash" grandparents who have a good heart where Mary is concerned. Betts did not delve into their personalities enough to make me emphathize with them. The dialogue was stilted, though some of the one-sentence descriptions were poigniant. Betts describes Mary Thompson's thoughts through the stages of her illness with clarity, though Betts never shows how Mary's feelings of isolation, denial and detachedness affect her relationships with her father or grandparents. Betts also delved into the character of Tacey Thompson, Mary's paternal grandmother, and her struggle with a faith contradicted by reality. Initially, I was prepared for a wrenching story, but by the end of the book, I was annoyed with the predictable plot and could easily visualize this as a made-for-TV movie.

The death of a child.......1998-11-01

Doris Bett's 1994 novel Souls Raised from the Dead is a heartbreakingly sad book. Mary Thompson, age thirteen, lives with her divorced father, both of them having been left by Mary's petty, selfish, but very beautiful mother. Mary develops chronic kidney failure, and her slow demise is wrenching to both the book's characters and this reader. One realizes just how precious children are, and just how unfair life can be (or, to this lucky reader, how fortunate he and his family have been). As I read this novel in the evenings, I found myself going to check on my sleeping daughters, to make sure they were breathing soundly and snug under their covers. The true villain in this book is Mary's mother, who conceivably could have donated a kidney (Mary's father has only one sound kidney), but is too wrapped up in herself and astoundingly selfish to even see the need, let alone its urgency. Despite its highly emotional theme, Betts is not a sentimental writer. I appreciate this. She simply tells her story, and trusts its strength to hold and move the reader. This novel may hit too close to home for some parents; I do recommend it for adolescent readers.

Average customer rating:

Souls Raised from the Dead: A Novel
Doris Betts
Manufacturer: Scribner Paperback Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KPDJ9Y

Customer Reviews:

Boring, flat, predictable.......2005-02-04

When the Northwind Highlanders abandoned the Capellan Confederation, some members resigned from the unit and remained loyal to the Confederation. Death Commando Loren Jaffray is the grandson of one of these former Highlander officers. Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao sends Loren to neutralize the Northwind Highlanders through intrigue and lies.

The characters lack any depth, ensuring that the book will end predictably.

Loren agonizes over his mission. Due to his relation to a former officer, he is treated as part of the Highlander extended family. He must betray and destroy the people who have taken him in. Pardoe repeatedly tells the reader about Loren's dilemma. He is not subtle about it; do not bother to pay close attention in order to delve into Loren's mind. Pardoe just states outright that Loren feels guilty, that he feels a familial connection, and that he must complete his duty anyway. He does this so often that it quickly proves boring. There is never any real doubt about what Loren will do in the end.

Colonel Macleod immediately and irrationally trusts Loren. He knows that Loren is a Death Commando, trained in espionage and sabotage, sworn to serve Chancellor Liao, arch-rival of the Highlanders. Yet Macleod quickly invites Loren into the War Room, makes him an officer, and entrusts him with dangerous secrets. It makes no sense.

The villain, unsurprisingly, is utterly evil and dishonorable.

This book features ample `Mech combat. The battles are adequately described and the tactics are interesting, but with such boring characters and predictable plot developments, the battles lack suspense or drama.

I saw nothing original or inspirational in Highlander Gambit. It is a forgettable book.

-Zach Zelmar

Highlander Gambit.......2001-10-12

Major Loren Jaffay of the elite troops of the Death Commandoes of the Capellan Confederation is sent on a mission to destroy the "evil" Highlander Regiment because they deserted the Confederation in thier time of need. I think this is a pretty exciting book to read because in the middle of Jaffay's mission the Highlanders split up and battled the Eighth's RTC units. Buy this book it is a good read!!

this book is just..........2001-06-22

since only braine lee pardoe writes about the highlanders, there is really no other writers i can compare him to. but rather than writing about them indepth he just writes about them alot. there is just that difference. his characters are rather, i should say, flat. who would trust a death commando so blatently even though he has some 'family connection'? it makes the colonel macleod look like a gullible old man.

being a death commando, their loyalty to the chancellor is not as easily swayed as loren is. making him a totally unbelivable death commando. even the supposed self-conflict is nothing but his own annoying rants.

one more thing, the epilogue with the conversation between jerry cranston AKA galen cox and victor steiner-davion was so out of their respective characters. especially for victor who seems old, cranky and highly irritable. please, victor is way beyond that.

and ROC, bring back michael stackpole.

A man returns to his ancestors, but for what purpose?.......1997-01-22

The Jaffrey Family left the famous Northwind Highlanders almost three decades ago. Now the man who rules the latest generation of Jaffreys, Chancellor Sun-Tsu Liao, plans to use Loren Jaffrey, the grandson of two of the heroes of the war of 3025, to destroy the Highlanders. But who will he fight for? A nation that he was raised in? Or will he break from every thing he has known to help his ancestors' unit

Average customer rating:

HIGHLANDER GAMBIT (Battletech)
Blaine Lee Pardoe
Manufacturer: Roc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRDXT2

Average customer rating:

Note to Teen Librarians: Great Book for Program!

Teens Cook--Beyond the Microwave

What to Cook?

GREAT FOR WANA-BE CHEF TEENS! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

TAKE THE NIGHT OFF! LET YOUR TEEN COOK DINNER:)

Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat
Megan Carle , Jill Carle , and Judi Carle
Manufacturer: Ten Speed Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Diet & Nutrition | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Cooking | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | U.S. Regional | Regional & International | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Teens Cook Dessert

Clueless in the Kitchen: A Cookbook for Teens and other Beginners (The Clueless series)

Cooking Up a Storm: The Teen Survival Cookbook

The Teen's Vegetarian Cookbook

Cooking Outside the Pizza Box: Easy Recipes for Today's College Student

ASIN: 1580085849

Book Description

Written by two teens who know what teens do and don't know about cooking, TEENS COOK is an instructional cookbook that teaches young adults how to make great meals—and be confident and independent in the kitchen. Authors Megan and Jill Carle are teenage sisters with nothing much in common when it comes to food—except that they both know how to cook really well. One buys ingredients she likes and figures out what to make when she gets home; the other follows every recipe to the letter. One is a vegetarian who's drawn to ethnic food; the other prefers all-American comfort food. Together, they're a dynamic duo who have created and mastered more than 75 recipes for breakfasts, snacks, sides, family meals, dinners for one, and desserts. In TEENS COOK, the Carle sisters also share their kitchen know-how on averting and fixing disasters, dealing with cookbook math (fractions and metrics—ugh!), deciphering culinary vocabulary (all those terms we kind of know, but not really), explaining chemistry (why and how stuff goes right and wrong in the kitchen), and avoiding accidents (can you say "grease fire"? oops!). For teens (and tweens) who are tired of eating what their parents decide to fix, TEENS COOK offers foolproof advice for whipping up some tasty home-cooked meals of their own.

Customer Reviews:

Note to Teen Librarians: Great Book for Program!.......2007-08-21

I am having a back to school program for my teens at the Library teaching them how to make easy and delicious after-school snacks. This is a great book. Just looking at the flyers I have up, they are psyched that we will be making snacks created (and taste approved) by teens. The recipes are easy, the ingredients are easy to find, and the best part is these will be healthier for them than microwavable, perservative-riddled frozen "snacks." I also like that there is a section on breakfast food since many teens tend to skip this very important meal. The cool thing is that a lot of the breakfast recipes (like the scones and even the breakfast casserole) can be made in advance and grabbed when their scurrying out the door.

Teens Cook--Beyond the Microwave.......2007-07-03

My daughter received this book and we both love it. The entree recipes provide clear directions and come with side-dish suggestions and general cooking tips. Any teen who wants to move cooking skills beyond the microwave should own this book and the partner book Teens Cook Dessert. The recipes in both are delish!

What to Cook?.......2007-01-18

This recipe book gives such a wide assortment of recipes for young people to use almost everyday. The recipes are easy to understand, ingredients are everyday items, and there are plenty of hints and tips to help the novice chef. My niece (high school)and daughter (college) both received copies from me and both are enjoying their cooking experiences from this book. I have even used some of the recipes since they are great for working women who need to put something together quickly and still feel like they are putting on a "home-cooked" meal.

GREAT FOR WANA-BE CHEF TEENS! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! .......2006-04-04

My daughter checked out this book from our puplic library,she was sooooo excited when she was able to cook the things in the book without much help from me. When she would finish,it would be GREAT!!!!! I will defiantly be purchasing this book.

TAKE THE NIGHT OFF! LET YOUR TEEN COOK DINNER:).......2005-12-20

My 12 year old pre-teenage son (who is already pretty handy in the kitchen) found this at our local library and has been going on and on and on about all the neat recipes and how easy they were for him to understand. He asked if he could start cooking some dinners for our family (using these recipes). I was like, "Uuuggh...Okay, I'll let you. If you promise to clean up." (You can never look anxious to a teen - or it ruins their fun. But inside I was doing a cart wheel - I do not enjoy cooking.) I looked through the book myself. The recipes look yummy and simple and there are all kinds of tips along the way. I like the recipes because all of the ingredients appear to be things that I can pick up at our local market. I'm buying my own copy and will buy more as gifts for teens.

Book Description

Quiet, cuddly, and ridiculously cute with their big floppy ears and cotton tails, rabbits make great companions. And while they may seem like simple little creatures, they are really very complex and never cease to amaze those who live with them. Physiologically and psychologically bunnies are very different from cats and dogs—or any other pet you may be familiar with—and they have their own unique needs and problems that must be addressed. Keeping a bunny healthy and happy requires a sincere commitment of time, energy, and love—one you’d better be sure you’re willing to invest before you take one of these gentle little creatures into your life.

Rabbits For Dummies lets you take a well-informed look before hopping headlong into the wonderful world of rabbit ownership. This fun, entertaining book fills you in on everything you need to know to successfully adopt, nurture, live with and love a rabbit. You’ll discover how to:

Choose the right rabbit for you
Learn how to communicate with your bunny
Understand your rabbit’s special needs
Acclimate your rabbit to your household
Feed and house your rabbit properly
Identify and address common health problems
Breed Rabbits

Written by lifelong rabbit fancier and award-winning author pet author, Audrey Pavia, Rabbits For Dummies is ideal for first-time and veteran rabbit owners, alike. It is a gold mine of advice, guidance and tested-in-the-trenches tips on:

Deciding if a rabbit is right for you and vice versa
Choosing the right breed, size, age and sex bunny for you
Finding your rabbit and introducing it into your home
Housing, cleaning and feeding your rabbit
Health issues, concerns and treatments
Dealing with bunny behavior problems
Training your bunny to use a litter box
Teaching your rabbit tricks and having fun together
Rabbit psychology and physiology
Breeding and showing rabbits for fun and profit

Packed with informative photos and how-to sections on every aspect of caring for and loving a pet bunny, Rabbits For Dummies is a survival guide for rabbits and their people.

Customer Reviews:

Not for the Breeder/Producer.......2007-07-04

This is a good book and seems to have a great deal of information, but I felt there was a definite bias against people who raise rabbits as livestock and (shockingly) actually eat them. This is a book solely for pet owners, not for 4-H students, FFA students, homesteaders. I understand that rabbit fanciers probably don't want and shouldn't have to be confronted by instructions how to slaughter and dress "Fluffy", but I wish there had been something that stated that this was a "pet book" somewhere on the book's cover before I spent $17 on it. We have a loved pet rabbit, but we also have meat rabbits. If you want to learn about rabbits as pets, this is probably a good book for you. If you want a book about raising rabbits commercially or harvesting them for meat, you might look into Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett. He has had 5 rabbitries and has raised rabbits for six decades.

Great for First-timers and Brush-ups.......2007-06-10

I've owned two rabbits before and I was shocked to find out how much has changed since I last owned a rabbit. The information I found in it was right-on. The behavioral problem trouble-shooting chapter is a bit slim, and the disease/health problems list leaves a bit to be desired. But the overall care chapters are superb and up-to-date on recently accepted practices.

Rabbit Lovers Must!.......2007-05-13

This book is the best over all book to enjoying your pet rabbit. I raise rabbits and I give a copy of this book to all the little kids that buy a rabbits as a pet. This book helps you to enjoy and understand your Bunny better. It's just a Hopping Great book..

a must have.......2007-02-13

I learned alot and refer to this book all the time. Now I live in the national forest in a small cabin and my rabbit is kept outside in the "Bunny Royal Ritz" (lol). The only thing about the book I did not like is that it keeps on referring to "those people who insist on keeping thier rabbit outside". It is an insult. Not everybody who keeps thier rabbit outside is being cruel. Other then that I love the book. I overlook the bias.

Great rabbit care book.......2006-09-25

If you are new to bunnies or just want a thorough book on rabbit care, this is a great one. It covers every topic imaginable! I have found most "Dummy" books to be very informative, and this one is no exception. I would like a few more color pictures of rabbits, but other than this, the book is terrific!

Hamsters For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets))

Average customer rating:

Hamsters For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets))
Sarah Montague
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Birds | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Rabbits | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Mice, Hamsters & Guinea Pigs | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Rabbits for Dummies

ASIN: 0470121637

Book Description

The fun and easy way to care for a cute, cuddly hamster

Hamsters are the most popular rodents kept as pets. Hamsters For Dummies helps those owners who have little or no experience caring for this small mammal. This book covers selecting a healthy hamster, health care and nutrition, and housing and supplies. Readers will also find information on training and playing with hamsters.

Sarah Montague (New York, NY) is a writer and producer for print and public radio. She has written for such publications as Animal Times and Eventing.

Ferrets For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets))

Average customer rating:

Wouldn't have survived Without It
Very informative
Outdated
The best reference for ferrets - ever.
GREAT BOOK!

Ferrets For Dummies (For Dummies (Pets))
Kim Schilling
Manufacturer: For Dummies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Miscellaneous | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Rabbits | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0470139439

Book Description

The successful guide to owning and caring for ferrets, now updated

This fun, entertaining book fills readers in on everything they need to know to successfully adopt, nurture, live with, and love a ferret. Based on the author's research as well as requests from readers, this updated edition features coverage of new ferret-specific foods, an internal anatomy chart, tips for developing an indoor nesting space and a safe ferret-proof outside enrichment area, and the latest on diseases and infections.

Kim Schilling (Palos Park, IL) has owned more than 20 ferrets at a time. She operates Animals for Awareness, a special sanctuary for unwanted and abandoned exotic animals.

Customer Reviews:

Wouldn't have survived Without It .......2007-10-07

This book was a godsend. When I first adopted Lloyd, My ferret, I really had no idea. But with this book and as simple as the author explained things...I'm now an expert. I highly recommend this book to any ferret owner.

Very informative.......2007-07-12

This book is great for anyone getting a ferret or anyone who already has a ferret. I thought I knew a lot and I'm learning something new on every page.

Outdated.......2007-07-09

I first reviewed this book after I had read it and owned 2 ferrets for about a month, and happily gave it 5 stars. But after 7 months of happy fuzzy parenting, I realized I badly needed to revise my review.

The Good:
- an entertaining read, no trouble going cover to cover, genuinely funny writing and jokes
- lots of info to get you ready for ferret ownership

The Bad:
- Outdated - namely, the primary treats mentioned in this book - raisins and cheerios - are now universally considered very bad for a ferret's health, you might as well be feeding them rocks. (see the links provided at http://forum.ferret.com/tm.asp?m=30331 )
- Another result of being outdated - many of the websites and companies referenced in the book no longer exist.
- Many common ferret health problems are not mentioned. In my short time as a ferret owner, I have seen them go through a prolapsed rectum, patterned hair loss, and 'abnormal' behavior, none of which were mentioned in the book. A little research and help from friends and vets eventually taught me that none of these problems were uncommon for fuzzies, leading me to believe that the book should have at least mentioned them.
- No poop chart. Though it might sound gross, I think any long time ferret owner will tell you they have needed a poop-chart at least once. Ferrets poop - a lot, and it's one of the quickest ways to diagnose a health problem (just google "ferret poop chart" to see what I mean), but this is conspicuously absent from the book.
- Scruffing. This is when you hold your ferret by the extra skin above its neck. The action is mentioned throughout the book, but never once described clearly or safely. There is a picture of a ferret being scruffed, but the details of the method are left unclear. How something so essential can be missed is beyond me.
- Poor organization - while for the most part the book is organized reasonably well, there are some key areas that really need improvement. a simple list of toy ideas is essential in any ferret book - toys that every ferret should have (dig box, dryer hose tunnel, etc) are not mentioned anywhere. The index is also weak, making information hard to find - "poop, runny" might be listed, but not "diarrhea".
- Disconcerting. This is a minor complaint, but the author mentions hiccuping and tail wagging as extremely rare behavior, but I have yet to meet a kit who doesn't wag its tail when excited, and both of my ferrets had hiccups within the first month. Things like this make me a little uneasy about how much of an expert the author really is.

Conclusion:
- I would still recommend having and reading through this book, but I would strongly strongly advise against using it as your only instructor before buying ferrets. I found online ferret forums to be a far far better resource than this book - the combined wisdom of thousands of ferret owners turned out to be better than the musings of one (I don't know why I was surprised by this). The usual problem with forums would be that there is *too much* information, that you need to know what you are looking for, making them a bad first source of information, but ALL the major ferret forums I found out there have all the essential information instantly identifiable and accessible, even more so than this book.
- The book could be great with a new edition. For now, don't rely on it.

The best reference for ferrets - ever. .......2007-06-25

Before adopting my two ferrets, there were many things that I was unsure of. What exactly should I feed them? What shouldn't I feed them? How do I litter train them? How do I ferret-proof my house? Should I get one for my lifestyle, or two? Girls or boys?

This book addressed all of that, and so much more. I learned more than I could have ever imagined, and now I even consider myself somewhat of a ferret-expert, all because of this fantastic book! Best of all, the book is actually a very fun read. I recommend it to any current or soon-to-be fuzzbutt owner.

GREAT BOOK!.......2007-06-25

This book is great! Even if you already know alot about ferrets its a good idea to pick one of these books up.

Average customer rating:

Rabbit Adoption for Dummies
Connie Isbell
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000U65JNW

Average customer rating:

Rabbits For Dummies
Audrey Pavia
Manufacturer: Unknown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K7Y0G8

Average customer rating:

Rabbits for Dummies
Audrey Pavia
Manufacturer: HUNGRY MINDS (TWLD)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GTCLWK

Book Description

Pine and country furniture continues to ride a wave of popularity with collectors drawn to the warm-colored tones, attractive designs, and affordable prices—and this Miller’s guide to buying it wisely has been completely revised, with all the prices updated. It’s the essential practical reference for both new enthusiasts and experienced buyers: it features every type of pine and country furniture, including dining chairs, kitchen dressers, settles, chests, and corner cupboards. Oak and painted pine furniture is included too, as well as other popular collecting areas, such as kitchenalia. Over 3,500 items are illustrated and described, each with a price range reflecting the latest market trends. Also included are hints and tips on what to look for, a Directory of Specialists, and a glossary of specialist terms.

Average customer rating:

Colorful variety of small motifs.

Not so Fabulous

A big disappointment

A MUST for any cross stitcher

555 stars for Donna - yet again

Donna Kooler's 555 Fabulous Cross-Stitch Patterns
Donna Kooler
Manufacturer: Sterling Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cross-Stitch | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Sewing | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

2001 Cross Stitch Designs: The Essential Reference Book ("Better Homes & Gardens")

501 Cross Stitch Designs

Stitching Pretty: 101 Lovely cross-stitch projects to make (Better Homes & Gardens)

Sam Hawkins Cross Stitch Seasons

Beautiful Cross-Stitch: Designs and Projects Inspired by the World Around You (Better Homes & Gardens)

ASIN: 0806931833

Book Description

555 traditional patterns from the best-known, best-selling designer of cross stitch. With so many ideas for any occasion--plus full-color graphs, sumptuous photographs, and several alphabets--this glorious collection will be the only resource you'll need! Choose from six themes, including: * Celebrations--from holidays to family landmarks...they're all here! * Favorite Things--toys, sports, pets, apple pie and sundaes with a cherry on top. * Home Sweet Home--there's no place like home, adorned with beautiful stitching. * Kindred Spirits--just the thing for a personalized gift. * Love & Friendship--cross-stitch wedding designs, "Friends Forever," and "I Love You." * Mother Nature--from the birds and the bees to butterflies and bunnies. It's a feast of designs for every cross-stitcher! 128 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 11. NEW IN PAPERBACK.

Customer Reviews:

Colorful variety of small motifs........2006-06-06

This book is divided into four sections:

Winter Wonders
Spring Fever
Summer Daze
Autumn Harvest

Each section begins with a seasonal sampler. The winter and summer samplers are geared toward children. Motif themes include animals, flowers, fruits, trees, buildings,seasonal sports activities and a few holiday-related designs. Illustrations of completed motifs suggest finishing possibilities such as greeting cards, towels, pincushions and table linens. Some motifs are complete enough to frame as small pictures.

The front of the book contains general instructions and they are, indeed, very basic. End material includes a DMC to Anchor conversion chart as well as one for inches to centimeters. The index is brief, vague, and therefore, in my view, disappointing. Still, this is a very useful book with oodles of designs that are fun to look at and that will provide a sense of accomplishment from a quick finish.

Not so Fabulous.......2001-08-24

The designs are too simple for any avid cross-stitcher,her 555 country crossstitch patterns are much more fabulous.

A big disappointment.......2001-06-29

I found the designs in this book very simple and uninteresting. I was very disappointed in this book and am incredibly surprised at the high ratings other reviewers have given this book. I would not recommended this book to anyone. Her 555 Country Cross Stitch Designs is superior to this book if you are looking for a small design book.

A MUST for any cross stitcher.......2000-06-06

This was one of the first books that I bought when I began to cross stitch again, and it has been wonderful! The variety is excellent, and the patterns always delight me!

555 stars for Donna - yet again.......2000-04-06

Yet again, Donna and her team have managed to put together distinctive charts, this time using six themes : Flora & Fauna, Friends & Family, Heart & Soul, Hearth & Home, Heaven & Earth and Happy Holidays. All the designs manage to be straightforward to stitch without being boring, and all are vibrant, colourful and effective. As usual, she excels with her Christmas designs - I'm on my third 'If you see Santa, tell him I've been good', its so good on blue. Add one or two different small designs (there's so many in this book) and you have another special picture for someone's Christmas (and it doesn't have to be a child!) This book is yet another goldmine. Like all of Donna's books, its a joy just to look at the pictures !

Book Description

The shimmering line between pleasure and pain has never been so lovingly caressed as by the hand of Shinichi Noda. His paintings of beautiful women in bondage, leather, and restraints are as alluring as they are forbidden! Noda's technical prowess is matched only by his fascination with the female form (and how to imprison it in the most esthetically-pleasing fashion!) A new king of kink has arrived - let us all bow down and polish our handcuffs! Printed on superb coated stock and magnificently reproduced.

Average customer rating:

Not quite what it seems

Eye Opening, Yet I Am Not Surprised

The sexual affairs of Rev. Moon, truths or fairy-tales being repeated?

Why should people not listen to both sides of the story?

The Dark Side of the Moons

In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family
Nansook Hong
Manufacturer: Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Other Denominations & Sects | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Heartbreak and Rage: Ten Years Under Sun Myung Moon

Betrayal of the Spirit: My Life behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement

Heaven's Harlots: My Fifteen Years in a Sex Cult

My Life in Orange: Growing Up with the Guru

Seductive Poison: A Jonestown Survivor's Story of Life and Death in the People's Temple

ASIN: 0316348163

Customer Reviews:

Not quite what it seems.......2005-11-29

Nansook Hong paints a painful picture of her marriage to HyoJin Moon, but she does not own up to the full truth of her parents' machinations to get her married into the Moon family. Eyewitnesses tell of Nansook visiting the Moon household and knowing full well of HyoJin's excesses in advance of her marriage. The Hongs wanted desperately for their family to be entwined with the Moon family, and after arranging for one child to be wed to the first Moon daughter, they pushed Nansook to marry a Moon son. Though I don't know all the motives, the point is that there was an agenda behind her marriage and probably this book that Ms. Hong has not been honest about. It is only too easy to paint an unflattering portrait of Rev Moon and his wife but at least some of this is suspect, given her own deceit.

Eye Opening, Yet I Am Not Surprised.......2005-10-02

The only people who can dismiss a book like this are the misguided followers of the hypocritical cult leader, Sun Myung Moon. As an atheist who currently attends the University of Bridgeport, I ate this book up in a day. It bears striking resemblance to Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven," which documents the underpinnings of another cult, Warren Jeffs' FLDS of Colorado City, AZ.

I should be careful in my use of the term 'cult,' however. What is a cult? What is a religion? They are the same entity. That judgment simply lies in the eyes of the beholder. Just as Nansook Hong points out in the epologue, all religions claim that their way is the true path to heaven. The only difference between major religions like Roman Catholicism and Judaism, and 'cults' such as the FLDS, Jonestown, and the Unification Church is their size and level of acceptance by the public. In this way, the Pope and Sun Myung Moon are both equals. They are both equally nothing.

It is clearly obvious that Sun Myung Moon is a madman who takes advantage of the socially vulnerable. This is he has such a hatred for communism - he preys on those affected by tragedy by giving them some type of bright future to look forward to. He prays on the weak. He is a con man. He claims to have spoken directly to Jesus in Korea as a young man, and has duped thousands around the world into believing he IS the second coming.

The extremely brave Nansook Hong stood up for herself and left the Moon Compound to have a better life for herself and for her children. Any unificationist who claims to be a loving human being who would argue with her motives needs to look deep inside themselves. Sun Myung Moon's son Hyo Jin is an awful person. Nansook writes about being arranged in a marriage as a 15 year old girl, being coerced into coming to America as an illegal alien, being held against her will at East Garden, being abused, raped, and cheated on by the supposed 'Son of the Second Coming of Jesus,' and having to put up with drugs, alcohol abuse, and neglect for fourteen years of her life. Sun Myung Moon preaches to his followers about the importance of family and lineage, while his own dysfunctional family is the only one he should be paying any attention to. It is even documented in this biography as well as many other publications that Sun Myung Moon himself cheated on his wife and has a child with another woman. Both Sun Myung Moon and his eldest son are criminals, and need to be locked up. In my opinion, Moon got off light with his one year in prison for tax evasion.

Unfortunately, I can hear the unificationsists already in my mind dismissing this book as 'the work of satan,' as I am going to try to show it to them next week. All I can really do is educate as many people as possible about how mentally ill and irresponsible Sun Myung Moon is and hope that his end is nearing...before more unfortunate people like Nansoon Hong are forced into a world of destruction at the hands of this 'True Family.'

The sexual affairs of Rev. Moon, truths or fairy-tales being repeated? .......2005-06-27

== quote
But, as Nansook Hong reveals in this devastating tell-all account, Sun Myung Moon does not live up to his own teachings. He has frequent affairs, which he rationalizes as "providential", that is, mandated by God.

== end quote

== quote

"My own parents saw no evidence of sexual misconduct when they were each recruited independently to join the church in Seoul."
(In the Shadow of the Moons, pp. 26-27)

== end quote

I know the UM since the mid 1970's and for a quite a long time the only accusation leveled against Rev. Moon was that he was married 4 times (while in fact he is only married 2 times) later those allegations of just being married 4 times was changed to having had sex with female followers.

Chung Hwa Pak, one of Rev. Moon's first disciples, caused
considerable controversy by confirming these accusations in a text widely circulated by critics (and later published in Japanese) called The Tragedy of the Six Marys. Pak, who had left the Unification Church, claimed that Rev. Moon practiced during the church's early years sex rituals with, among others, six married female disciples ("the six Marys") who were to have prepared the way for the virgin who would marry him and become the True Mother. The church vehemently denied the allegations. Pak eventually returned to the fold and, shortly before dying, recanted all the accusations in a second text he authored in 1995, called The Apostate.

Similar accusations were discussed earlier in libel cases in Korea and not proved. In 1989, after a ten-year legal case, the Seoul District Criminal Court (79 ko dan 3372) convicted a protestant minister, Rev. Shin Sa-hun, of criminal libel after his accusations of sexual misconduct could not be proved. In another case decided by the Seoul District Civil Court (83 ga hap 3012), damages were paid by Tak Myung-hwan, a well-known critic of the Unification Church, to a woman who had been accused of having an illegitimate son with Rev. Moon and to her son.

Corrections were published by the Christian newspapers Gidok Shinbo on October 8, 1983, and Hanhook Gidok Gongbo, on October 1, 1983, after printing similar accusations of sexual misconduct in the early Unification Church. Part of the retraction stated, "The article 'The Secret Sexual Practices of the Unification Religion' was a repetition of information published during the 1950s, and we have found it to have no basis in fact."

Why should people not listen to both sides of the story? .......2005-06-26

=== quote

Pay no attention to the negative criticisms by those who are obviously Moonies. This is should be required reading. Nansook Hong had the courage to endure and to finally escape the clutches of this dangerous cult led by the Korean flake who thinks he's God.

=== end

Funny, so people should not listen to the story of those who are still within the UM, why is this?

Also Rev. Moon himself doesn't claim to be God, this is always said by others, Rev.Moon stresses the point without God he would be nothing...

The Dark Side of the Moons.......2002-09-25

Pay no attention to the negative criticisms by those who are obviously Moonies. This is should be required reading. Nansook Hong had the courage to endure and to finally escape the clutches of this dangerous cult led by the Korean flake who thinks he's God. Not only is it run by one of the worlds most selfish and greediest families, they stand to gain even more under the President's Faith-Based program. Your tax dollars at work.

In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family.(Review) (book review): An article from: Utopian Studies

Average customer rating:

In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family.(Review) (book review): An article from: Utopian Studies
Rebecca Totaro
Manufacturer: Society for Utopian Studies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Utopian Studies, published by Society for Utopian Studies on March 22, 2000. The length of the article is 1495 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: In the Shadow of the Moons: My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family.(Review) (book review)
Author: Rebecca Totaro
Publication: Utopian Studies (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2000
Publisher: Society for Utopian Studies
Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Page: 264

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

In the Shadow of the Moons - My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family

Average customer rating:

In the Shadow of the Moons - My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family
Nansook Hong
Manufacturer: Little, Brown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OU06OQ

IN THE SHADOWS OF THE MOONS:MY LIFE IN THE REVEREND SUN MYUNG MOON'S FAMILY

Average customer rating:

IN THE SHADOWS OF THE MOONS:MY LIFE IN THE REVEREND SUN MYUNG MOON'S FAMILY

Manufacturer: Little, Brown and Company Boston, MA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IAJBFW

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books