Archive for the ‘Books’ Category.
December 29, 2009, 1:34 pm

From Publishers Weekly
Chan, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., offers a radical call for evangelicals to consider and emulate in this debut guide to living crazy for God. Chan’s own life compels him to live with urgency, and with good reason. His mother died giving birth to him, his stepmother died when he was nine, and his dad when he was 12. As a pastor, Chan says that conducting weekly funerals for people younger than himself has likewise sobered him to life’s unexpectedness and frailty. Chan writes with infectious exuberance, challenging Christians to take the Bible seriously. He describes at length the sorry state of lukewarm Christians who strive for a life characterized by control, safety and an absence of suffering. In stark contrast, the book offers real-life accounts of believers who have given all—time, money, health, even their lives—in obedience to Christ’s call.Chan also recounts his own attempts to live crazy by significantly … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 28, 2009, 6:16 pm

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. SignatureReviewed by Megan Whalen TurnerIf there really are only seven original plots in the world, it’s odd that boy meets girl is always mentioned, and society goes bad and attacks the good guy never is. Yet we have Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, The House of the Scorpion—and now, following a long tradition of Brave New Worlds, The Hunger Games. Collins hasn’t tied her future to a specific date, or weighted it down with too much finger wagging. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000, hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. It is her teammate, Peeta, who recognizes th … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 27, 2009, 6:58 pm

From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-Four short stories of mystery and intrigue by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are performed radio theater style by the St. Charles Players: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” “The Adventure of the Dancing Men,” “A Scandal in Bohemia,” and “The Adventure of the Devil’s Foot.” The narration is acceptable, although some characters sound flat and their British accent is too obviously forced. However, this detracts little from the overall entertainment value of the stories. The overall aural quality could be improved; a slight hissing can be heard throughout the narration. Though at times Holmes comes across as haughty, listeners become caught up in learning how he ingeniously solves the cases using clues that Watson, the other investigators, and most listeners miss. Fine for individual or group listening, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes could be used for entertainment or for a unit on the mystery genre in English classes. The lack of stron … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 26, 2009, 2:46 pm

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.
… >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 25, 2009, 7:25 pm

Review
“Gary Vaynerchuk is one of those entrepreneurs who has discovered the secret to combining passion with business. He is always an inspiration and always entertaining. You owe it to yourself to read this book!” (Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com )”Gary Vaynerchuk has become a walking, talking (and oh, such talking!), webbing and Tweeting example of how believing in what you do and keeping it fun can step up your life in all ways. There is nobody I would rather talk sports with-or wine or life.” (Scott Simon, host of Weekend Edition Saturday on NPR )”Gary is a force of nature. His authentic, raw passion and caring touches everyone. His insights into social media & his message of opportunity could not be more timely.” (Tony Robbins )”Gary was the first person to push me on the importance of personalbrand and transparency – this was months before anyone was talkingabout it, he’s always two steps ahead of anyone else.” (Kevin Rose, Founder of Digg.com )”Anyone looking to s … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 24, 2009, 12:44 pm

Noted Bible scholar J. I. Packer examines each phrase of the Apostles’ Creed, inviting readers to dive further into the essentials of the Christian faith. The Apostles’ Creed is the oldest and most beautifully succinct summary of Christian beliefs. Though often recited in unison during worship services, this great creed begins with the phrase “I believe,” making it a deeply personal profession of faith. Thus it deserves personal attention and examination from every believer. In Affirming the Apostles’ Creed (an excerpt from Growing in Christ) noted Bible scholar and author J. I. Packer explains the meaning and implications of each phrase of this creed. Both theologically sound and practical, this book provides Christians with a starting point for understanding and applying the basic tenets of Christianity. Each concise chapter serves as an invitation to dive further into the creed-and as a result, into the essentials of the Christian faith-by concluding … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 23, 2009, 7:20 pm

The New York Times Bestseller! LOSE UP TO 25 POUNDS IN 8 WEEKS AND KEEP IT OFF! The human body evolved to resist starvation by holding on to fat. No wonder it’s so difficult to lose weight! Now a revolutionary lifestyle plan finally cracks the code for efficient fat loss. Developed by leading nutrition specialist Wendy Chant, the plan is scientifically designed to help you “outsmart” your body’s natural cycles for storing and burning calories. Crack the Fat Loss Code teaches you how to boost your metabolism through “macro-patterning”–a simple routine of alternating carb-up, carb-down, and baseline days. There are even built-in cheat days, so you can enjoy the foods you love. Once you get your eating habits on schedule, you’ll find that you can lose weight . . . for good. In just eight short weeks, you’ll be able to:REPROGRAM YOUR BODY–to burn the fat and keep it off. FEEL HEALTHY, NOT HUNGRY–with limitless food options. CONQUER THAT DIET … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 22, 2009, 8:50 pm

The year was 1957, the month September, and I had just turned eight years old. Dwight Eisenhower was President, but in my life it was the diminutive, intense Sister Mary Lurana who ruled, at least in the third-grade class where I was held captive. For reasons you will soon understand, my parents had remanded me to the penal institution of St. Brigid’s School in Westbury, New York, a cruel and unusual punishment if there ever was one. Already, I had barely survived my first two years at St. Brigid’s because I was, well, a little nitwit. Not satisfied with memorizing the Baltimore Catechism’s fine prose, which featured passages like “God made me to show his goodness and to make me happy with him in heaven,” I was constantly annoying my classmates and, of course, the no-nonsense Sister Lurana. With sixty overactive students in her class, she was understandably short on patience. For survival, she had also become quick on the draw.Then it happened. One day I blur … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 21, 2009, 10:53 am

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. De Rosnay’s U.S. debut fictionalizes the 1942 Paris roundups and deportations, in which thousands of Jewish families were arrested, held at the Vélodrome d’Hiver outside the city, then transported to Auschwitz. Forty-five-year-old Julia Jarmond, American by birth, moved to Paris when she was 20 and is married to the arrogant, unfaithful Bertrand Tézac, with whom she has an 11-year-old daughter. Julia writes for an American magazine and her editor assigns her to cover the 60th anniversary of the Vél’ d’Hiv’ roundups. Julia soon learns that the apartment she and Bertrand plan to move into was acquired by Bertrand’s family when its Jewish occupants were dispossessed and deported 60 years before. She resolves to find out what happened to the former occupants: Wladyslaw and Rywka Starzynski, parents of 10-year-old Sarah and four-year-old Michel. The more Julia discovers—especially about Sarah, the only member of the Starzynski fami … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com
December 20, 2009, 4:37 pm

Review
Praise for Karen Armstrong’s The Case for God”The time is ripe for a book like The Case for God, which wraps a rebuke to the more militant sort of atheism in an engaging survey of Western religious thought.”—Ross Douthat, The New York Times Book Review ”Armstrong’s argument is prescient, for it reflects the most important shifts occurring in the religious landscape.”—Lisa Miller, Newsweek ”A thoughtful explanation, well-sourced and impressively rooted in the writings of theologians, philosophers, scholars and religious figures through the ages. . . . If Armstrong is out to bring respect to both reason and faith in the search of that transcendent meaning, she has done well.”—Repps Hudson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch ”The Case for God is Armstrong’s most concise and practical-minded book yet: a historical survey of hwo rather than what we believe, where we lost the “knack” of religion and what we need to do to get it back.”—Michael Brunton, Ode ”In over a d … >>> Save Money at Amazon.com