Excellent book for those on the fence
590949
After struggling with faith and spirituality for several years, this book came along at the right moment.  It covers many topics concerning the spiritual.  The topics have been research quite well by Ms Hagerty.  I'm getting rid of a lot of my books, this one will always be with me.
1466767
Alexander has done a great job with this book. Like most intros to the Pentateuch/ OT he discusses source-critical issues, but unlike most other such intros he does not dogmatically accept. Instead he critiques them and allows the reader to decide for themselves. The language is fluid and his arguments well-reasoned and easy to follow, and the text is not cluttered by too many footnotes. Highly recommended.
2657487
We were looking for a good basic idea book on fence styles and types.  "The Fence Bible" fit the bill.  It is loaded with illustrations and "how-to" information on every kind of fence and/or barrier you can imagine.  A reference any homeowner with a garden or yard would be happy to have.  Highly recommended if you're starting from square one on any fence project.
2106451
This is an excellent book. You can tell from reading the other reviews that unlike all other books on this subject, people actually cut the addiction after getting this book, rather than just learning more about the addiction. I found it extremely helpful and have seen an almost complete turn around. While it is written from a secular viewpoint it is for christians too.
3427063
Finally a book that provides solace and comfort to believers who have struggled with the evolution vs. religion dilemma.  There is no question that many of us have the gut reaction of "I did not come from a monkey" and prefer to go with creationists or intelligent design proponents than ever admit that our great-great-great to the nth grandpappy ate bananas and hung from tree branches (although some current in-laws are guilty of the same).  Collins' explanation of why evolution is real and how religious people can not only accept but embrace this fact is clear and convincing.  Dr. Collins does a terrific job of reconciling science with religion, without being preachy or judgmental.  I have reached the point where I personally realize that evolution is real and can accept it without degrading my faith.  He boslters his arguments with frequent and appropriate quotations from CS Lewis as well as other thinkers, including theologians like St. Augustine, as well as more contemporary thinkers. If you are a believer on the fence of this issue, this book nudges you gently off and provides a solid but soft foundation on which to land.  You can get up from there and walk with your head held high while keeping your eyes straight ahead on the God of Creation.
1742392
I extra recommend this book for those who are uncomfortable interacting with people. As someone with anxiety, depression, and a general dislike of socializing, I now have tools for acting on my desire to share why I love this gospel.

I think LDS members generally have only a limited idea of what being a disciple of Christ/member missionary looks like in action. This book gave me a broader understanding of what missionary work actually is: LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOOKING(!) to hear more about the Savior, and neighborly service to those who aren't. I am better enabled to understand how to relate to all walks of people in terms of their level of interest in my religion. All people are at different stages of progression--some are not ready to hear, some are disinterested, some have decided it is not for them, some are looking for it. This book gave helpful examples.

Universally though, I definitely recommend this book for any member of any church who has the smallest desire to share his or her testimony of Christ. I found many ideas for how to serve with my time and talents, and operate within my comfort zone, with ideas to spare if I find myself ready to grow its boundaries.

This is a small list of how the book has benefited me.
1003241
This book is a well-written and well-reasoned one that does not conveniently overlook opposing arguements, but fearlessly accepts their challenge and incorporates them into the discussion.  Even if you disagree with Mr. Abanes' conclusions, any thoughtful and well-informed reader can appreciate the arguments he uses to reach them.  I would recommend this book to anyone who is uncertain about the fantasy question, as well as anyone who has already made up their mind one way or the other.
3628576
Those who have criticized this book have clearly not read it in its entirety.  This is a wonderful book, and has the potential to prevent a lot of problems and save many marriages.  At the least it is eye opening regarding preconceive ideas and miscommunication between men and women. My husband and I also attended the seminar he gives and found that to be quite inspirational and empowering.  I highly recommend both.
1233589
A great book that has changed many lives. Should be a must read! If you are on the fence make the right choice and just buy it.
1525726
Overall, I loved this book.  Any Christian or seeker who is looking for a one-stop-shop for apologetics should get this book.  It covers truth, morality, the existence of God, the Judeo-Christian concept of God, reliability of scripture, and the person and resurrection of Christ.
I don't know of another non-technical book that covers all of these topics - usually one would have to read multiple books to get all of this, or read a dry apologetics textbook.  Of course, if you want a detailed treatment of any one of these topics in particular, you would be better off with a book that focuses on just that topic.  But if you want an overview of all of them, this is the book.
For the most part, the authors do a good job of presenting the argument of the "other side" in a fair way, while explaining why they disagree, and supporting their own side.  For example, they explain the "fine-tuning" problem that the universe is evidently tuned in multiple ways to be just right for our existence.  A common non-theistic explanation for this is to appeal to the "multiverse".  The authors explain the problems with the multiverse view then present the theistic alternative.
The one exception is the section on evolution.  The authors imply that there is simply no evidence for evolution, and that the only reason any scientist would believe in it is because of naturalistic bias.  That, of course, is incorrect.  Even if one happens to not believe in evolution, it is simply not true that there is no evidence for it. They are ignoring transitional fossils, increasing complexity of life as time goes on, DNA evidence, etc.  I suppose someone could look at that evidence and find it unconvincing (they do something similar in the other chapters of the book). I would normally say that claiming the evidence doesn't exist is deceitful, but in this case, considering that is not the approach they take in the other chapters, I find it at least odd.  And to say that only those with an atheistic bias believe evolution ignores prominent evolutionary theists such as Francis Collins.
I have spent an inordinate percentage of this review discussing what I view to be the weakness of the book.  But that is only because that single chapter is so out of character for the rest of the book.  On the whole, the book is excellent, and I would recommend it highly.  But before you recommend it to a friend that is familiar with the evidences for evolution (whether or not they accept that evidence) you might want to give them a heads up about the evolution chapter.  I'm pretty sure there are some biologists who would ignore the entire book simply because of the chapter.  That would be understandable, but also a shame.
4381016
This book is a truly excellent work that should be read by every serious fencer.  This is the best book on the classical Italian style of fence that I have seen so far.  Anybody who is a serious student of fencing and knows the difference between the flashy, mindless "flick-filled" sport of today and real fencing will undoubtedly find this book enlightening.  The Science of Fencing covers all of the basic and advanced techniques of the foil, sabre and epee, and also includes drills, history, tactics, sample lessons, helpful glossaries and appendices, a bibliography, and the synoptic tables after the section on foil, which basically describe every attack, a parry that defeats it, an evasion for said parry, etc.  The wealth of information to be found in the synoptic tables alone is well worth the price of the book.  Some may say that the book is too technical; this may certainly be true for some.  If you are not already at least slightly familiar with fencing in some way, this book may be a little difficult to understand.  To those with experience, it should prove to be a great help in understanding the "how" and "why" of many techniques regardless of style (it should be remembered that the French and Italian classical styles are actually much more alike than many people would believe).  If you are looking for a quick fix, learn-the-basics-in-a-day, modern jumping and yelling style text with flashy pictures and an utter lack of real good information, this is not the book for you; there are a thousand other books like that already out there.  For those truly interested in learning about the real art and science of fencing, however, this work should prove invaluable.  Maestro Gaugler has providid a truly wonderful work that will be of great benefit to fencing coaches, teachers and students alike.
2260263
David Carpenter's book of "A Hunter's Confession", is a spot-on book as to the good and bad attributes of hunting. I am 67 years old now and have gone thru the cycles David has described. Being a woman, I was thrilled when my husband encouraged me to hunt with him, although I had done some shooting growing up on my family's small farm. As a child, I vividly remember going out in our back yard and looking up the hill, seeing whole herds of deer passing through. My Mother encouraged me to shoot animals to put them out of their misery when the need arose. We raised chickens to sell both their eggs and chickens for cooking. I remember hunting foxes to keep them away from the chicken coop and over time, became fairly proficient with a rifle. Even then, I noticed that the quantity of animals in the wild was changing and dwindling. Certainly today is a sparse comparison to years ago. However, when I was asked to hunt with my husband, I really enjoyed the thrill of the hunt for white-tailed deer. Being properly dressed and equipped was part of the thrill. Many years later, after my divorce, I bought several firearms and basically used them to get rid of various small animals that have plagued my home. However, I began to think like the animals I was killing. For example; what did I do to deserve this? In the animals eyes, they were just living out their lives, but to me, I saw a different side to them. They can be destructive around our property, annoying and even dangerous with the advent of rabies. Over time, however, I began to look at them differently. As I gazed into a groundhog's eyes one day, he looked up at me and almost seemed to be asking the question mentioned above. Then there was the squirrel that ran UP the tree to get away from me instead of DOWN. He had been a real pest. But, after I shot him, he wedged himself into the crook of the tree high up, looking down at me. Every day, I felt that his little soul was staring down at me asking the same question. So, I really do understand David's feelings that it will be better if we try to co-exist, rather than easily killing any animal that upsets us or just for "sport". We envy earlier hunters for the quantity of wildlife available and certainly understand that hunting methods are responsible for the animal's demise and reduction in numbers. The older I get, the more I realize that we basically have raped the earth of living beings that had every right to be here, as us. David Carpenter's book is a wonderul dissertation to how I and many others feel about hunting now. I thank him for his book - it certainly has made me realize that as we age, we finally (and hopefully) come with the knowledge that we need to respect things a lot more.
4629878
This book is an excellent book for people who are anywhere from single or dating to engaged or already married. All too often society puts a stigma on sex as being either not to be discussed because you're not married and it's a bad thing, or do what you want when you want it with whomever you want. By the time we get married, our perception of a healthy sexual relationship is completely skewed. Jeff and Alyssa discuss real-life topics like pornography and how it affects our brain chemistry (because it does!), as well as how growing up in the "true love waits" generation can affect our beliefs on sex in relationships. They really bring things together to help people to understand what a healthy relationship can look like, and making God the center of our relationships.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher.
2426154
I was suprised after reading this book to find so many harsh and judgemental reviews!  Having been married before, I found the authors voice to be extrememly refreshing.

This book is not a "How To" book, by any means.  I do not believe it was meant to be...  On the contrary, I believe this book to be the ultimate resource for the development of realistic expectations.

The author is definitely opinionated with regard to inter-faith marraiges, and her experience is primarily with that of coven-initiated pagans; so it is to be expected that she voice her opinions as such.  However, I did not find her voice at all judgemental or discriminatory.  Afterall, she made a point throughout the book to insist that, when done with intention and for the "right" reasons, ANY union can be successful.

Deciding to get married is a huge decision, and unfortunately, the current divorce rates are proof that too many people embark on this decision without a clear or realistic vision of "why," or what to expect.  It was her views on what it takes to have a successful union that drew me to her work.

I found her to be brutally realistic, forcing the reader to really look within his or herself to determine the true intention behind their desire for union.  Her views are based on years of intimate experience with couples and their paths to unity, and I found her stories of actual experiences to be extremely illuminating.

I also found her realistic approach to planning, extremely helpful!  When I married for the first time, I allowed my family and friends to make decisions for me and ultimately (although my wedding was beautiful), it was not about me and proved to be a miserable experience.

This author has an unbelievable grasp of what works! Her views are opinionated, but with good reason.  Sadly, I believe many of the reviews thus far, to be extremely unfair and most likely the rants of some extremely stressed out or insecure people.

The fact is, she makes some incredibly good points, whether you choose to agree with them or not.  When you pick up a book, on any subject, you do so because you are interested in what another being has to say.  It is soley up to you to choose what to take from it.

That in mind, this work is not for the faint of heart.  If you don't have a clear idea of who you are and what you want, or you are expecting someone else to tell you exactly what you should do, step-by-step, then by all means avoid this book.
4430534
I loved this book.  I've given it as a gift to a couple people.  One who was struggling with reconciling his faith and his sexuality.  It's easy to read and understand and counters so much of what people want to throw out about the Bible and what they 'think' it says.  I've quoted scripture right back at them and questioned their interpretation.
1506215
Strayed has a way of cracking open the heart of a problem and finding the truth behind the bulls***. I recommend this book especially for people who are at a crossroads in their lives. There's a good chance that she's answered a similar problem to yours, and sometimes advice that had nothing to do with anything remotely in my life, carried a deep answer to questions I didn't even know existed.
4090273
For those who question whether or not a vegetarian lifestyle is for them, this is an excellent book.  The author very methodically and with documentation, is able to present the whole picture regarding food.  It isn't a pretty picture.  But I think that a book which gives you as much information as possible, while being very readable.  If you as a consumer are under the impression that the meat industry is well-regulated and concerned about the quality of their product, think again.  The answer to disease and the high cost of health care in this country is the people making sound nutritional decisions.  This book is invaluable.