"Ask again later"....It's my favorite non-answer.
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Jill A. Davis somehow manages to write hysterically funny stories about the oddest people in a manner so smart and lucid that the reader is left chuckling with every page - while at the same time falling in love with the zany heroine of her latest book, Emily Rhode ('or Road' or 'Rowed' or even 'Rode', depending on the state of mind and at times acerbic patter of this marvelously created character).  This is a book that sparkles with witty prose, high and low humor, and surprisingly a sensitive degree of philosophy about the current condition of life we are all living.  The balance between funny and touching keeps the scales even, making the reader laugh at situations that in themselves are not at all funny - unless you have the perspective of Emily 'whatever'.

Emily is a trained lawyer whose career is put on hold with the sudden hyper-dramatic news of her mother Joanie's lump.  No, cancer isn't funny, but Joanie is such a wildly entertaining character that when Emily moves in to care for her, all goes slightly bizarre. We meet the father Jim who left the family when Emily was very young and for whom she has no concern, the spendthrift airhead sister Marjorie who treats the world like a shopping party, Rick the boyfriend of Emily to whom she cannot commit, Perry her gay therapeutic friend, and Paul her therapist whose sessions contain some of the most hilarious (and most insightful) moments in the book.  Divided into very short, titled 'chapters', Davis ably lets us get close to Emily by exploring her foibles and her perception of the world and her family by means of what could be stand-up comedy routines - until the sadness peaks through.  Marriage, therapy, death, fatal illnesses, fidelity, menial jobs for overeducated people, failed relationships - all are grist for Davis' keen mind and wit.

An example of Davis' writing:  'As she's lying there waiting for surgery, I imagine a cancerous Pac-Man - or Lady Pac-Man - running through her body eating up her healthy tissues, her life, expanding its mass and taking over.  Devouring the flesh that nurtured me, or longed to. I want to scream. And I'm mad that I'm of a generation that can best relate to parent's cancer to a video game.' And that is only a short tidbit of the superb writing by Jill A. Davis.  This is a smart book, exceedingly well written, and one of the most entertaining reads of the year! Now in paperback... Grady Harp, January 08
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Do you have questions on life? On why God allows things to happen? Or why if God is such a loving and kind God, is there suffering?  What about on how to make it through the nitty gritty of life? I'm sure that most, if not all of us have questions that run along these veins.

So, where do you go for answers? Do you go to friends, family or trusted outside authority? Perhaps your pastor?

Well, Max Lucado has written a book called Max on Life in which he attempts to answer the most frequently asked questions of life.

In this book, Pastor Lucado answers questions such as Do angels really walk among us? Does it matter if I speak encouraging words to my husband? and The thought of heaven doesn't excite me, so what am I missing?

This book is laid out in a question and answer format, which I really am not a fan of. In fact, I was looking forward to reading this book and was rather disappointed to find out that the book was in this format.  For me, it disrupts the flow of reading.  However, I know a lot of people really like that format. There averages out to be close to a question and answer per page in the main part of the book (172 questions). Then, there is a scripture index, an addendum and a huge list of other books that Max has written.

Pastor Lucado does answer the questions posed as if he is sitting across from you at a coffee shop in his signature conversational tone. I do appreciate that. It is almost as if you are having a question and answer session with him.

While I was rather disappointed with the lay out of the book and how I prefer to process things, it was still pretty good. I do recommend this book as a gift to new believers and those who may need some encouragement in their faith. It just wasn't written for people who process like I do, which is fine (I much prefer nice long essays and dissertations as opposed to a question and answer format in written material). I plan on using it as a resource, especially as my children get older to have them research answers to their questions (of course in supplement to the Bible as that is the supreme authority on life.).  So, if you have questions in regards to life, and you like a question and answer format in a book, get a copy of this one, go and make up your favorite coffee treat and sit down for a chat with Pastor Lucado. It is the next best thing to picking his brain in person.

I received a copy of Max on Life by Max Lucado from Thomas Nelson Publishing as a part of their BookSneeze program for the purposes of this review. All opinions are mine and mine alone and no other compensation was received.
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I just would like space to type my comment after the questions.  I will not comment on the other one.  Got it by accident!
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I've recently been trying to give Bob Dylan & Neil Young among other classics a try. Akron/Family have always been like that for me. They test me and push me to explore music. I grew up mostly listening to music that I liked immediately. Now that I'm grown, I am learning to LOVE music that asks something of me. I love this album.
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By joining Amaon Prime I can listen to all my favorite music.  Love that!  I ask some pretty simple question,  and Alexa tells me doesn't know the answer, I guess I thought she could answer most questions......wrong
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My ex-girlfriend suggested The Truth Machine to me. I am sure she ment it as a slight but then I happened to see it and picked it up, and I am glad she said that. I don't believe I have ever felt more empathy for a literary  character than I did for Petey. As far as relationships are concerned, hey, take the thought of whether or not you  can trust a person out of the equation. Wouldn't it be nice to scip the salesman the next time you get a new car?  However some questions should never be scipped; Do you think these jeans make me look fat? Who do you  think is a better cook me or your mother? Perhaps a white-lie tolerance should be allowed. Or hopefully people  will learn not to ask those kinds of questions.
5139
Excellent, I've watched this again. After an interval, your just in the mood for it again. I'm collecting the others.
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As others have said, this one hardly ever gets it right  The first gen was never wrong! What happened? I said "yes" to "is it an animal?" And the very next question was "does it contain a liquid?" Uh...really? Followed by "can you use it more than once?" Immediately after I said it lives in the forest, it guessed dol
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I'm really enjoying this so far, but I'm not laughing out loud or anything.  I've just found that when relating part of it to a family member I had a funny excited tone in my voice.
I love Handler's direct judgements.
I'll only give one lame example so you'll enjoy the others when you find them.
blah blah blah something something Volcano.
"Whenever there's a volcano in a story, it's automatically interesting."
blah blah blah something something Two Detectives.
"Whenever there's two detectives in a story, it's automatically interesting."
I'm sorry, but he's right.  I scooted up in my seat for the word "detectives."  I didn't realize I was such a tool.
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I have a horrible time keeping a journal. I never know what to say but these question prompts are amazing. And the fact that they use the same questions year after year means that I can see how my answers change as the years pass.
Sample Questions:
What was the last TV Show you watched?
Do people really change?
Write down a new fact you recently learned.
What is your favorite thing to do on a Friday night?
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See the earlier review- don't know why there are two requests for review.  Perhaps they thought I was asleep the first time.
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and I don't use that phrase often. I gave my highly highlighted and marked-up copy to a friend. She is raving about it as well. Now I need to order another copy for myself. Actually I'll probably order a couple more copies as extras to give out. This all started innocently enough when I mentioned to someone during a conversation "You know how it takes longer to heal as we age..." It was suggested that I purchase this book.
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These Zen quotes sometimes leave me scratching my head. It's always good to ponder an unknown. Other days, I'm so touched, I'm nearly in tears or laughing out loud. It's never disappointed me! Makes a great, little, inexpensive gift, too.
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Don't just read it! Apply it. The Ask method is a great way to attract qualified prospects into your sales funnel.
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Love closing the night with this. Sometimes we take the questions very lightly, other times his answers will melt my heart. This truly is for the guy who goes and does and never expresses how he feels. Thank you for letting us share this experience.
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I'm just about half way through my first 365 since I started this past March 2014 and I have had a repeat already in the same week! The are two questions, one asking what could I live without and another asking what I have to loose that I see as the same thing. Hope I don't run into this again anymore. Otherwise it's a nice daily ritual. I'm looking forward to seeing my answers side by side next year to see if and what has changed.
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after reading the Alladin Factor you wonder how many times will I have to hear, "Ask and you shall receive,"  before it sinks in?  Jack and Mark are like the postal service;  They Deliver.  Within the synergy only these two create,  is the key to acquiring what you desire - ASK!  Rub the lamp and ask the genie who lives inside us all for the Courage to open your mouth.  We used to say nothing bad can happen when you ask at the end of the day - If it's been a good day and you receive by asking, it just got Better; if you ask and don't receive, who cares it's been a good day anyway.  If it's been a Bad day and you don't receive, don't beat yourself up, it's been a bad day. BUT, if it has been a bad day and you Do Receive - Shazamm! - you just changed the WHOLE DAY.  And not only that day but the next day and the next - You have the POWER to Ask.  Desire without Action is a Wish - Read this book to begin making your wishes come True.  Way to Go, guys,  Another W! inner -- Keep Smilin'  Mike Redding