A warm recommendation
580832
I heartily recommend this book to those who are searching for a potent mix of genuine human drama and science fiction.
763667
John Amodeo's "Dancing with Fire" is a lovely, loving book.  Insight after gentle insight makes for a very thorough string of variations on his deeply felt theme: Two great sources of human development have run parallel, conflicted, and now need to be woven together.
 These two are spirituality (which for him is Buddhism ) on the one hand, and on the other, personal experience, feeling and relating (he's a psychotherapist, sensitive soul, and a disarmingly courageous man, with more than enough guts to wear his tender, sweet heart on his sleeve, page after page).
 On the surface his idea is simple.  For him, and for us increasingly, higher realms of spirit and down deep, bodily felt experience can, must, and in his consulting room and reflections do work in harmony if also, inevitably at times in creative tension.  But getting this idea, of "both and" as another piece of information is a cinch.  Digesting and bringing a deepened more inclusive practice of attending to both into your life is a whole other matter.  This book is about as good company and guidance as any I've seen.
 Full disclosure: I've known John Amodeo for decades, and have drawn inspiration from the same streams he has.  Best of all I've spent hours exchanging "listening and focusing" time with him.  But my words here are no mere favor to a friend.  I'm a Vietnam vet seared by witnessing and being complicit in horror, and dedicated for the rest of this life to aiding those who serve peace. "Dancing with Fire" is a breathtaking gesture of just such great service.  I know how immense the deep, peaceful silence John Amodeo brings when listening to a fellow being.  And as a fellow author, I know the monumental challenge of translating inspiring love for others into words that reach out from the page to understand, comfort and embrace.
 Read this book.  You will be greatly rewarded to know and be "listened to" by this man.

Artie Egendorf, PhD
Master Teacher
EnergysWay.com
2125604
This book is not that long, and the information is not necessarily revolutionary. BUT, the book is refreshing and contains helpful tips and reminders for those of us who may be feeling the winter (spring, summer, and autumn) blues or the post-holiday disconnect. I'm glad that I purchased this book.
2931161
Enjoy this lovely book over leisurely cups of tea and hot cocoa with a youngster. Ms. Rylant paints a vivid picture of a community where the animals are very different from each other, but they accept and appreciate those differences.  Although the book is not preachy or pushy, here are some lessons a young reader/listener might pick up: Nigel welcomes a newcomer, though the hummingbird's flashy style makes him dizzy; Nigel patiently helps a worried little perfectionist owl "redecorate" his home -- back to the way it was in the first place; Nigel encourages a garter snake to plant a garden, aware that his lazy friend will not see it through. And finally (this is a lesson most children need to hear) Nigel politely accepts lunch with a salamander, knowing his friend serves only terrible-tasting health food. His graciousness is rewarded in the end.  The painted illustrations are as delightful as the stories and characters themselves. This book is remniscent of Jan Karon's good-natured Mitford series for adults.
4727000
I confess that I came to this book over ten years late because I had been under the impression that it was Chick Lit, and the movie was generally rated as perfectly awful, as other reviewers have noted here. It is not Chick Lit, and I am very grateful to another friend for suggesting that I give this book a try. It is a warm, sometimes hilarious,sometimes scary, and always heartwarming story of finding and restoring a beautiful home in beautiful Tuscany, while experiencing all the wonderful history and food of Italy, which is noted in great detail here. The author writes so well that you truly feel as if you are there. I found a larger story in the personal journey that accompanied the restoration. It is best expressed on p. 191 when the author gets a call out of the blue from a total stranger, a lawyer in Baltimore that has just lost her mother, and is considering a similar project off the coast of Washington. Mayes says (copying from book here as I can't improve upon it by summarizing) 'I recognize the impulse. I recognize the desire to surprise your own life. "You must change your life" as the poet Rilke said.'

Any reader will find this story entertaining and for those of us who are mid or late career, empty nesting, losing parents or otherwise experiencing a life transition, you might find a larger message in this experience that inspires or at least encourages you to find and move to the next phase of your life.
3290480
This is a short (39) page easy read that will leave you feeling truly grateful for all of life's blessings.  Humorous, serious, delightful and always aware from where those blessing come.  Recommended by a friend, I'm passing on the recommendation to my church group.  This is one I'll keep in my library and reread when I'm feeling less than thankful.
3383431
Having lived for 6 years on the Florida Gulf Coast, I find Ms Reiley's Guide is something of a delight to one plagued with what to show the next out-of-towner, or what to see myself that might be new and refreshing. The book is admirably terse, factually impeccable, and covers in good detail a considerable portion of the Paradise of the West Coast of Florida. The clear prose is peppered with Ms Reiley's reactions to people, places, and things, some which she clearly enjoyed, others of which failed to meet her mark. Her language delights this aging Sophist, while staying within the bounds of good taste. The black and white photos well illustrate the text. The maps are too small for driving, but large enough to help find the desired location.

A simply delightful guide to Paradise
3281338
Davis' well-documented second book is as delightful as a trip to the bakery; however, Davis would prefer to direct us to the produce aisle.  Happily, he also allows us some dark chocolate and a cup of coffee.  His conclusions are backed up by research (see the reference section at the back of the book) but easily absorbed thanks to personal anecdotes, catchy analogies and jingles from the author's childhood.  The book should be kept in the kitchen next to the grocery list for handy referrals.  My nonagenarian mother took my copy to her house.  I think she wants to make it another decade.  Perhaps Davis will give her a chapter in his next book.
1109755
You know, now I can't remember what prompted me to purchase this book, but I'm glad I did. It isn't perfect, but it was quite enjoyable. I doubt, however, that someone who doesn't like or doesn't know anything about baseball, would enjoy it much. I grew up in New York, and then lived in Boston for 10 years, and lived for a time two blocks from Fenway Park; we'd go up to the roof with a cooler and lawn chairs, and be able to see a lot of the game. So, while I'm not a baseball fanatic, yes, I like baseball. As I read this, I kept thinking that my late mother, who was far more of a baseball fan, would have enjoyed it even more.

I have picky tastes about fantasy, too, juvenile or adult. A story has to have some subtlety to it, and some rules. And I like a touch of humor. This novel has all three, to a degree adequate for an adult novel, not just a Young Adult. It's also got vocabulary that will certainly send Young Adults, and possibly some older ones, to their dictionaries. One reviewer compared the book to Narnia with a list of similarities; I would say that the differences are that this book has a sense of humor, and it's subtle enough not to hit you over the head with a sledgehammer about its point. Frankly, I never found the Narnia books worth rereading; I've found them simplistic, and the Christian allegory a little too over-riding for my tastes, though I enjoyed them when I was 10. Summerland is not a Christian allegory at all; it combines some aspects of many religions, and some of no religion at all. So those hoping to find "another Narnia" because they want a good "Christian story" will be disappointed. The rest of us, however, appreciate the work that went into picking ideas out of many traditions - Norse, Native American, Celtic, and secular legends.

In particular, the Tall Men seem to represent legendary large figures from every area - there's a recognizable John Bunyan equivalent, but others are clearly from non-Anglo-Western traditions.

Some of my favorite things about the book:

*The Saab named Skidbladnir, Skid for short, and all its dials in Swedish. Hey, now I know the Swedish for gasoline and volume!

*Grim the Giant, who is not quite 5 feet tall.

*The size changes required for Fair Folk to play baseball with Tall Men or even humans, and the comments on how the perception of size affects one's play.

*The wererat; the only other wererat I've read in fantasy is in Laurell Hamilton's Anita Blake series, and it's interesting to compare the ideas of what a human-rat were would turn out like. (Note: the Hamilton series is emphatically NOT young adult!!)

Stuff I didn't like: the ending, unlike the rest of the book, was a little too simple. I think I would have liked the victory to be a teensy bit less obvious, and our heroes' trip back home to be more difficult, as, for example, in The Hobbit and Lord of The Rings, where going home again takes some effort, and the characters' experiences have changed them enough that home is no longer as comfortable as it once was. In Summerland, the characters have grown up some, but they slide right back into the limited society of Clam Island as if nobody else noticed anything different.

All in all, worth the read, and then pass it along to someone else who loves both books and baseball!
2078082
Published since 2013, this is an attractive, slim, and rather larger-print book. Maybe it is a size 13 font? There are also a few typos, but overall it is well put together.

No disclaimers are necessary: no sex scenes, no vulgar language, no unnecessary squirminess.  The story revolves around Keziah, an awkward but honest young woman, who still wrestles with the holiness perfectionism of her manic minister father. She has left home and become a teacher. The story takes place on vacation as she visits home, hoping her dad will be away on one of his crusade revivals, to spend time with her best friend and her warm and protective family.

Details like nacho chips and warm cream soda lend charm to her longtime friendship with Ivy, who introduces life developments of her own. Then her vacation presents Keziah with one surprise after another. Basically a story about life and choices, it provides good fodder for thought. There are scenes that explore the difficult dynamics of family members who convert to another Christian denomination. I hope it can raise awareness of the real pain people experience because of it. So often now people presume all denominations are the same when they certainly are not.

Although Keziah is supposed to be awkward, I found her attentive, sincere, and honest. I appreciated what she had to say and how she chose to help. Several of the characters, particularly the new pastor in town and Father Felix, are strong enough to suggest that this could be the beginning of a series. The title is clever and more poignant than some may realize. I only hope that the author considers elaborating on the color of ordinary time even more, bringing green and its symbolism more to the forefront, if subsequent books are written.

It was enjoyable enough that I hardly put it down after picking it up, which, as a mother of six young children, says something.

Good work, Virginia! I hope to read more from you!
3042171
After reading the other reviews of this book, I decided to give it a try - and I'm glad I did.  It's warm and witty, and the characters are for the most part believable and well presented.  Sure, it's overly optimistic - I mean how many college football coaches have you known who not only date the college chaplain but have the courage to do it so openly as Chip?  But I still enjoyed it and found it hard to put down, finishing it in only a couple of days.

One of the things I liked about it was that sex is secondary to romance and relationships in this book, which is a welcome change from the typical gay novel.  Where some books will gloss over the romance and describe the sex in nauseating, boring detail, this book wants to (and succeeds at) pulling your heartstrings and glosses over the sex with a statement as simple and complete as "They made love."

I could picture the characters and the settings very easily in my mind because Arvin describes them so well.  In fact, I'd like to see a movie made of this story.  I was also captivated by some of his creative word pictures, such as "You try to find things to keep the fragile smile on your face from dripping off like a watercolor."  That's only one example of many wonderful expressions in this book that caught my eye.

No, it won't sail to the top of the New York Times best seller list, but gay romantics who appreciate excellent character development and sparkling, creative dialogue will appreciate this little gem of a book.  I want to read more of Eric Arvin's work now.
1594721
Warm, wise, and wonderful! - Sawatsky shares from his own experience, as well as bringing on board several other intriguing voices to join the conversation. And that's what the book feels like - a friendly and helpful conversation. It has certainly helped me in my quest to dance with my particular elephant!
3562032
Perhaps it was my surroundings at the time I first read this delightful book that makes me like it so much,

 (first visit to a naturist resort)

but, after several reads I've developed quite a thing for it.

  It alternates for the top spot on my list with Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac and Beryl Markham's West with the Night depending on my mood...

  I picked it up off the shelf at Barnes and Noble because I'm a Carl Hiassen fan and enjoyed his other colabrotive effort, A Death in China with Bill Montalbano.

  (I have since purchaced many other new and used copies for friends)

  I also needed something to read while burning parts of my body that have not seen the sun in decades to an unattractive crispy bright red.

(something naturist resorts don't alert novices to in the brochure...)

  the shifts in style from chapter to chapter make it that much more interesting, just when you start to think it's too masculine, a touch of the femenine intervines to round it out.

 To sum it up I guess,

  if your tastes in literature twist towards nature,

 international intrigue,

  or the simple pleasures of nudity,

  this book is quite the enjoyable romp.

 (SPF 30+ is recommended if you read it on the beach, trust me.)
383209
At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. To me, the beginning didn't look all that promising. I feared that this was going to be just a compilation of pointless babble without any real practical application. Fortunately, I keept reading, and I'm glad I did. Soon I found myself bookmarking several pages and highlighting various key sentences, because I kept spotting helpful lessons that I knew I'd want to reread in the future.

My favorite parts include the section on mental judo, the one about being right versus being happy, and the questions to clear the mind. In more general terms, I've got to say that I really like the overall friendly and compassionate tone that the author employs throughout the book. It makes for a pleasant reading experience.
1926516
This little book is just what the title says. Very pleasant and easy to read, I finished it in less than one hour. It contains suggestions of actions that attract "miracles" in our life. These actions are very simple and easy for anyone to do, and each one of them takes just a few minutes, if not only seconds. The actions are presented with brief clear descriptions and I felt a positive effect even by just reading of the book for the first time. An feeling of a discreet friendly presence radiates from the text.
Most of the actions suggested may already live within us, while we turn our attention and search to more complicated "miracle producing" techniques. The book artfully brings these deeply familiar ideas to the surface in a precise form, challenging us to "just do it".
Miracles are so near, and becoming open to them is so easy, as described in this collection of powerful suggestions on how to tap the source of miracles with simple ways of expressing love to ourselves and the people around us.
441873
I liked this book a lot. The Kindle version included an interview with the author at the end, which was helpful in getting a perspective on the different views of religion in the book, as well as the Muslim experience in America. It also included a list of discussion questions for a book group. And I really liked the "playlist," which was a list of songs important to the author when he was a youth of Pakistani extraction growing up near Milwaukee, and songs he listened to while writing the novel. Great addition. It reminded me of getting a jazz cd as a bonus with a Michael Connelly novel, something else I enjoyed.

As for the book itself, I really enjoyed it. The writing is good, but occasionally a little unsubtle. It read fast. The author says it was cut to about half its original length, and I suspect that editing helped a lot. I really got the sense that I learned something of the Muslim experience in a thoughtful young man. The book was also a coming of age tale. It reminded me of my own youth in some ways, in a Christian tradition, and led me to reflect on the development of sexuality and religious fervor, and how the two may be connected. And it made me think of the development of fanaticism, something many adolescents may dabble with, though most do not adopt for long. Overall, I think it is an enjoyable read, which also touches on some very important topics.
4775373
This is a lovely book! Dr Rubenstein writes about some of life's most serious and sensitive issues with the reassuring bedside manner of a compassionate family doctor. He takes the reader gently by the hand and guides us through the maze of his uniquely personal journey into the realms of spiritual mediumship. This is a warm and cosy read, full of honesty, humility and humour; a book that gives emotional comfort at every turn of the page. I found myself reading it slowly, alongside other, more scientifically political, books on the subject of psychic phenomena. For me it was, and will continue to be, an oasis of simple wisdom, sanity and sheer down-to-earth common sense; a place of refreshment in the territory of fierce combat between sceptics and believers.