Thorough research + great imagination = Success
919183
I must say I have become a fan of Darlene Franklin's books. She incorporates real life happenings, which takes a lot of research, with a great imagination. This story is a great example of that.

Buck and Leta have baggage. Lots of baggage. Buck is half German; Leta hates the Germans, blaming them for her husband's death. They want the same thing, but their way of getting there is far different. With the typical ups and downs of frontier life, we see their love take root and grow, but only in their hearts, and against their wills.

Can they overcome the doubts and fears to find their faith, both in God and in each other?

I can't say enough good things about  Ms. Franklin's writing. It pulls you in and won't let go until the story is told. You want to sit back and bask in the beauty of her words, as pictures are created in your mind.
2355097
Mr. Myers research, observations and conclusions regarding the function of the Great Pyramid make great sense.  I appreciate his way of looking upon the wonders created by the ancient Egyptians and seeing them as intelligent in their vision and technology as in their legacy in stone.  To look at a thing and envision the method of its creation and the purpose for which it was built is the mark of a discerning mind.  This book presents new ideas, builds on the work of other such thinkers while abandoning nonsense that has not stood up to scrutiny, and brings it all together in a manner that spurs the imagination.  As a design professional I found the books explanations of the ancient technology to be very interesting and workable.  I look forward to Mr. Myers next book and the further results of his ongoing research.  Keep it up Steven!
1410970
This book is a thoroughly engaging and well-written summary of research conducted by a group of sociologists who investigated, not paranormal phenomena, but rather the PEOPLE who BELIEVE in paranormal phenomena.  Although the authors themselves are skeptics, they never pass judgment on their subjects.  Instead, the researchers carefully and dutifully report, without editorializing, exactly what their subjects say about their paranormal experiences.  The authors go along on a ghost hunt, a bigfoot hunt, and have their fortunes told by soothsayers.  The stories of these excursions and the people who lead them provide interesting background information which breathes life into the authors' raw data, charts, and statistics.  Personally, I don't believe in any paranormal phenomena, so I greatly admire the authors for their ability to complete this work without once rolling their eyes or winking at the camera, so to speak.  This is a fun, interesting, and informative book.
727932
Family members will enjoy time well spent reading Aidan of Oren with their children.  The chapters flow and the story is captivating throughout enhanced by delightful illustrations.  The end undoubetly takes one's breath away; but, this just ensures an even deeper breath in anticipation of the next book.

In this era of immediate gratification, we the readers are encouraged to formulate our own hypotheses as we use our imaginations transforming ourselves into this enchanting continuing story.  For teachers, this is a wonderful guide for comprehension and introduces, in a fun way, techniques for recall throught the whole story.  Furthermore, Aidan of Oren offers multi-curriculum opportunities for hands-on learning involving maps, plays, social standings, problem solving, conflict resolution, prediction, grammar and magnificant vocabulary.  Educational tools such as journal entries, group readings, discussion questions and following up opinions with 'facts' from the book are enhanced by the magic of the story itself and the colorful characters within.

Aidan or Oren is so welcomed in this day and age where life is too serious for the young.  Kids still need to be kids and escape, even if just for a little while.  Thank you, Mr. St. Jean for sharing this tale iwth us.
630436
As others have indicated in their ratings, this book does not dumb down any topic, and is obviously tremendously researched! In addition to the authors' erudition, the characters are well-developed and intriguing. There are no chapters I was in a hurry to get through, and I was hard-pressed to guess what happens next at any point. The way the numerous characters were denoted by symbols was initially intimidating, but I soon found this an ingenius artistic device, and a very efficient storytelling tool that caused the dialogue to flow more naturally. I honestly cannot wait for the sequel. For full disclosure, I knew one of the authors as a child, and recently found and contacted him (prior to purchase) This book inspired a three-year old novel project of my own which resided idle on my hard drive- My creative juices are now flowing more broadly, and in much greater volume!  Lastly, at 500+ pages, by mid-way through, I was wishing the book was much longer! Bravissimo!
428096
As a business executive with a keen interest in the economic development of San Francisco and the Bay Area (and former registered architect), I found the book fascinating, first for the quality of its research, second the author's ability to connect the dots (from history, urban planning and architecture to design, culture and daily life) and third for its comfortable writing style, including the author's effective use of the colon (:).  The author's insights interweave the fullest spectrum of ideas and perspectives.  I feel I fully understand her point of view as to what factors influenced the re-invention of Paris as a modern city.  I believe the concepts so clearly articulated in this remarkable book can inform the process of the re-generation of cities in America and around the world, and spark our imagination for creating exciting "next chapters" in the life of some of our most treasured assets, like the port and waterfront of San Francisco.
1366081
Greg Brick's book sparkles in it's authenticity of the experiences of a true, die hard explorer.  It is obvious that he has dedicated a large part of his life to his project, and has reveled in the enjoyment of so doing.
I recommened his book for any one living in Minnesota and elsewhere who enjoy venturing into the unknown, and exploring the depths of the underworld that so fascinates and grabs the imagination of those of us who prefer to keep our heads above ground, leaving that which lies beneath to those of heartier stuff.
Thanks, Greg Brick for your efforts!
4306682
Steven Greer's results after nine years of researching the UFO
phenomena is astounding.
No matter how fantastic and unreal a claim is, it is wrong
to reject it up front simply becus it does not fit into ones
own perception of reality. For a moment, contemplate the period
of the so called "dark ages" in human history. 600 years deferred
human evolution, where a static perception of reality was
enforced, effectively blocking all new ideas and research
within sciene, medicine, culture, and more.
Only by research and study can we reach conclusions, and only
so can we evolve in the dynamics of reality.
Steven Greer's research work, is mostly centered about
1) Millitary and Government current and former employees, as
Well as current and former government contractors
2) Official government documents relating to incidents presented
by these witnesses.
Many of these people has held a security clearance above top
secret. Their word counted on things that had great importance
for the national security. It is irrational to simply dismiss them all as being liars.
I recommend this book be read and contemplated, and action be
taking upon getting the state administrations to look into
this matter, and conduct a complete investigation...
41027
I'd wanted this book for a while but couldn't justify the expense.  Then I had a research paper to do that fit the subject, and that was all the excuse I needed.  Saul obviously loves his subject, and his passion and enthusiasm are obvious.  The research is thorough and not limited to a handful of overused sources.  If funerary practices, memorial sculpture and the medieval period are your areas of interest, you won't be disappointed.  (But you might be overwhelmed!)
869147
To start with, this book is packed with information.  Facts, stories, research, and author interpretations that are weaved into one of the most important and over looked aspects of early childhood.  The importance of imagination and creativity.  Not only do the authors explain the difference between the two (creativity and imagination) but they explain why each are important in their own way, and how they work together in the education and development of the child.  There are so many books on early childhood development, but I feel that this is an area where truly readable and applicable books are lacking.  And it's a shame because there probably isn't an area as easy, as natural or as critical to positive development as Make Believe/creativity/imagination.

In this book the authors explain the various uses of make believe play and how its one of the earliest forms of thought that babies acquire, and one of the major tools that children use to learn about and escape the world.  They even explain how Make Believe exists on into adulthood and what roles it plays in our lives.  I've read a few books on this topic and this is probably the best, along with Harris's "The Work of the Imagination" (which is much more dense with scientific research and a bit more difficult to read).  However this book ties in a variety of topics with a variety of research to essentially demonstrate through topics such as imaginary friends, play therapy, make believe play, daydreaming....that children/people who are engage in make believe play and are more imaginative experience a variety of benefits in their lives, both educationally and personally.

I may be a bit biased considering my own personal belief is that imagination is the greatest tool any child has, and that it is the basis of all learning....but I found this to be a fantastic book.  It's very well written.  Clear and concise.  It's loaded with information, and covers it's topic thoroughly. I will admit it can be a bit dry in parts, and it's quite extensive in breadth, length and scope but if you're interested in children at all this book should be an essential read.  The Singer's are well known researchers in the field of child development and this is their main area of study.  That says something about the importance of fantasy play in a child's life.  Even though I'd consider this book to be more of a scholarly text, and not your typical light "parenting" style of writing, whether you're an educator or a parent....the information in this book is critical to all children and should be used to improve the standards of creativity that we encourage in every child.
2236379
Baumeister & team has provided a collection of wonderful research & lot of experiments which deal with why we face a difficulty to maintain our willpower / self-control when we most need it. The book catalogs a huge number of examples of how people have been able to muster extraordinary willpower to carry out tasks which seem impossible to achieve by any human means. From David Blaine to Eric Clapton & many more how they managed to preserve their will when they most needed it.

This book can get lost very easily in the self-help section of some ignorant bookstore, but it isn't anything of that sort. It is a detailed & entertaining journey into the psychology, biochemistry & physiology of the most finite resource known to the human brain - Willpower
4456003
This review originally appeared on my blog at [...]
Thanks to the author for gifting me this book for review!

ETHER DAY is meticulously researched; the characters are brought to life via the detailed descriptions of their lives and mental states.

To think that people were operated on with no care for their pain, yet Laughing Gas (ether) was used by non medical people for fun and escape, is mind boggling. No one made the connection between the two until William Morton, Horace Wells, and Charles Jackson discovered the other uses of this gas.

The fact that these three mens lives overlapped was both good and bad: the discovery of ether as an anesthetic made both patients and surgeons lives better, but there was a lot of vitriol and ego involved as well. Each stood to make his fortune via ether, yet their lives were not always brightened by their actions.

Fenster has clearly done her research: there is both an index and endnotes, showing the comprehensive reading she did to recreate this story. She also includes a bibliography for further reading. The 1800s come to life under her expert prose and background detail. I especially enjoyed the explanation of how the gas was delivered, and how the machines were tinkered with to provide a more accurate mixing of gas and air. The fact that these men experimented on themselves shows both folly and determination  in Chapter 14, Chlory, there is a section about scientists sniffing different concoctions of gases to figure out the best combination.

Every Thursday evening they would gather at the Simpson home, sitting around the dining table to inhale candidate chemicals. I selected for experiment and have inhaled several chemical liquids of a more fragrant and agreeable odor, Simpson wrote in a medical journal during the course of his research, such as the chlorine of hydrocarbon, acetone, nitrate of oxide of ethyle, benzin, the vapour of chloroform, etc.

One old friend, a professor named Miller, made a habit of dropping by at breakfast time every Friday, so he said, to see if anyone was dead.

The lengths these men went to in the name of science is unheard of today. As the book jacket notes, Ether Day is a little known anniversary, yet without the actions of these men there would have been greater suffering in this world. They were not heros, either  just men trying to make money or a name for themselves, who fell into a bizarre chain of events that would send them all down a crazy rabbit hole and eventually break them.

Author Julie Fenster has brought the memory of these men out of the past and placed it firmly into our awareness with ETHER DAY. I commend her for choosing her subject wisely and keeping this discovery relevant, in a new way.
3235214
Nice imagination to reality transition, great stuff
1581924
Phenomenal! Beautifully illustrated. Get the hardcover edition! These wonderfully researched and imagined future cities and the questions they raise are an antidote to despair, "Hope and desire, mixed with a rich social imagination, can work together as potent antidotes to the complacency of accepting the status quo." See also, the gorgeous accompanying website Ecotopia2121.com.

In this book, Dr. Alan Marshall looks at 100 cities and their most pressing problems. From this, he extrapolates their future and imagines a positive outcome for their citizens through an ecotopian lens (positive futures reached through sustainability and renewable energy).

There are some wonderful and possible ideas here for improving urban life the implementation of which typically depend upon the political will and involvement of an outspoken populace.

Some of the imagined cities verge on dystopias (cities with serious disadvantages or perhaps undesirable aspects), but Marshall always aims to solve a problem and lean towards a positive implementation and outcome of an idea.

What the book does wonderfully: It avoids a single solution or polemic approach. Instead, it engages in problems with creativity and explores various possibilities.

It's a fun and inspiring read and gorgeous to browse through.

This would make a fantastic classroom text, perhaps along with Ernest Callenbach's Ecotopia, for a variety of studies and students  urban planning, geography, sustainability studies, creative writing students etc.

Some favorite ideas:
--"All of the buildings are veneered with a skin laden with algae that not only capture solar energy but also feed on carbon dioxide and fix it into the building walls..."  Vienna 2121
--"hotels transformed into public schools"  Varna 2121
--Participatory budgeting, eco-drones  Toronto 2121
--"every individual in business...attends annual environmental education classes before being granted a license to work" and "good food is more important than excessive mobility"  Sydney 2121
--Piezoelectric tubeways  Shanghai 2121
--"It was not technology that changed the world but enthusiastic storytelling!"  New York 2121
--"Precautionary Principle: if there is any risk to human or environmental health from a new machine system...then err on the side of caution..." Plymouth 2121
--Robust democracy
3724254
The author has an incredible imagination. A book like this isn't easy. Massive amounts of research combined with a clever way of using one group of people reborn throughout time. I just love this man's storytelling ability. And with just a few strokes from his brush (or a few well chosen words), he evokes a whole scene. This is the fourth or fifth in the series. I love them all. Brain candy from a master.
3831258
Magical Imagination: The Keys to Magic By Nick Farrell

Magical Imagination offers greater insights into the techniques of imagination in magic which Farrell previously examined in his book, Magical Pathworking: Techniques of Active Imagination. In Magical Imagination, Farrell draws on his own experiences as a magician and teacher within the Golden Dawn and the use of these techniques to build up a strong and reliable magical practice for the individual. The book looks at the continued use of pathworkings from a multitude of perspectives and functions. Farrell's skills as an author are really brought to fruition in this text as he manages to successfully draw the reader into the right mind-frame in which to engage with the material presented.

Magical Imagination takes a more contemporary view of pathworking as a form of magic rather than the psychological experimentations of Farrell's earlier work. The industry is already heavily populated with so-called "self-help" books and New Age techniques and so it can be difficult for occultists to find material they can actively work with. Reading the book I'm fascinated with the layers of self-discovery presented before the reader and find myself highly enthused with the material presented here. The book is really well formatted presenting areas of personal space to be explored in one's own "Inner Kingdom", following on to mapping out safe techniques that can be developed for clairvoyance and astral projection (though the book stays on topic and provides only a peripheral idea of rising in the spirit vision or astral projection. More time is spent towards the latter half exploring the creation of Inner Temples and working with inner plane contacts. The author is highly skilled in this area with case studies on hand to illustrate from personal experience what an individual might encounter along the way offering sage advice.

Holding so much promise I must confess I did fear that the book might result in being a re-hash of what was in Magical Pathworking; and yes there are some aspects of Magical Pathworking skill in Magical Imagination, however, I found that Farrell wove his various elements quite successfully into a very effective and yet approachable book. While one might notice some common themes in Nick Farrell's writing the author is always a delight to read and explore the various tropes of the work presented.

Upon reflection, I'm compelled to recommend this book to anyone seeking, either to begin their magical path or to develop it on a personal or indeed a group level. Regardless of one's background there is much on offer within this book for the sincere student of the Western Mysteries. Everything from the clear writing style, to the formatting and presentation of the techniques is accessible to the reader and having bought by fair share of books with guided meditations and pathworkings on offer over the years this is by far not an easy feat to achieve.

Magical Imagination: The Keys to Magic is published by Skylight Press. The book is available from various retail outlets such as Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk or direct from the Skylight Press website
2474249
This is a highly intelligent and enlightening account of the best of human ingenuity: not just regarding innovative ideas, but the people who conceived them and had the focus and energy to bring them into reality.

Meticulously researched and studded with revelatory quotes and thoughtful insights, it is beautifully written: worthy of the convergence of poetry and science that informs one of its enduring themes.

A valuable and entertaining read.