Henry IV and the Towns: The Pursuit of Legitimacy in French Urban Society, 1589-1610.(Review) (book review): An article from: Canadian Journal of History

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on December 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1138 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Henry IV and the Towns: The Pursuit of Legitimacy in French Urban Society, 1589-1610.(Review) (book review)
Author: Michel De Waele
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2000
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: 35 Issue: 3 Page: 531

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Understanding the Film explores the art of film making and offers insight into classic as well as contemporary motion pictures, from King Kong and Citizen Kane to Forrest Gump and Braveheart. The text includes photos of professionals at work and actual film stills.

Customer Reviews:

pedantic & patronizing.......2006-01-19

This is poorly written and I imagine anyone over the age of 14 would be insulted by the tone in which the authors speak to the reader. I found several passages in the book particularly insulting, such as "You may be most familiar with American Films and not realize that there is a large International film industry." It seems the authors have assumed that I'm an idiot or have been raised by wolves. This is being used as the text for my 300 level college class and I am stunned. There are much better texts out there. Don't waste your time with this.

THE ABSOLUTE WORST TEXTBOOK FOR FILM STUDY.......2005-08-07

I have been teaching a high school film class for the last three years. I ordered this book and decided to adopt this as the course text. However, the book reads like a long-winded and dull run-on sentence. Film terms are not clearly explored, and the text glosses over concepts. My students were bored to tears with this text. Most of the information presented was common sense and overly generalized. Now I am using the text Film: An Introduction which is an amazing first textbook filled with examples of film terminology. Beginning film students need specific examples to demonstrate film terminology and concepts. The new textbook explores mise-en-scene, cinematography, sound, and editing, all within the first four chapters with plenty of color and black and white photographs to illustrate the concepts. I wish that I could get a refund on Understanding the Film. Trust me, the book is worthless, and I am perplexed by the other two reviewers who really appreciated the book.

Very useful.......2001-10-15

When I prepared to introduce film appreciation to my 9th graders, I found this book a good teacher resource. It not only gives a comprehensive overview of all aspects of the film industry (history, production and editing techniques, profiles of actors, directors, producers, film reviews and studies, list of good films, etc), but also provides compellings reasons for why film should be studied in the classroom. Movies are indeed the novel of 21st century, and this book is helpful for understanding why.

A captivating look at the art and history of film........2000-03-31

Every once in a while a classroom textbook will capture the attention and cause a student to read beyond the chapter assigned. Understanding the Film is one of those books. Its many quotes and anecdotal passages, along with its profiles of well known people in the film industry, would have me engrossed before I'd realize that what I was "supposed" to be reading was on the other end of the book.

WARNING TO STUDENTS: If you browse this book, you'll never make it to your assigned reading.

The authors, Bone and Johnson, cover every aspect of film, from the people who make movies to the people who review them to the people who go to see them. The chapters are digestible segments outlining each element of the film experience, yet overlap enough to give the whole thing unity.

As a budding filmmaker, I particularly enjoyed the profiles, which were the first person accounts of actors, directors, special effects artists, and other industry professionals. Cutting through the Hollywood mystique, which has long made the movie business seem inaccessible to us mere mortals, the profiles allow us to see that there are real people behind the hype - people with dreams and aspirations that we can identify with.

What didn't I like? Not much. The book did get off to a tedious start. In showing that film was "big business", the first chapter seemed like an endless string of statistics and figures. And, as with most textbooks, I thought it was a little pricey. I paid $35 at the university book store (I should have shopped Amazon), which is a little high for a paperback.

All said, I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in movies and the film industry.

Amazon.com

They say if you remember the '60s, you weren't there. But, fortunately, Tom Wolfe was there, notebook in hand, politely declining LSD while Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters fomented revolution, turning America on to a dangerously playful way of thinking as their Day-Glo conveyance, Further, made the most influential bus ride since Rosa Parks's. By taking On the Road's hero Neal Cassady as his driver on the cross-country revival tour and drawing on his own training as a magician, Kesey made Further into a bully pulpit, and linked the beat epoch with hippiedom. Paul McCartney's Many Years from Now cites Kesey as a key influence on his trippy Magical Mystery Tour film. Kesey temporarily renounced his literary magic for the cause of "tootling the multitudes"--making a spectacle of himself--and Prankster Robert Stone had to flee Kesey's wild party to get his life's work done. But in those years, Kesey's life was his work, and Wolfe infinitely multiplied the multitudes who got tootled by writing this major literary-journalistic monument to a resonant pop-culture moment.

Kesey's theatrical metamorphosis from the distinguished author of One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest to the abominable shaman of the "Acid Test" soirees that launched The Grateful Dead required Wolfe's Day-Glo prose account to endure (though Kesey's own musings in Demon Box are no slouch either). Even now, Wolfe's book gives what Wolfe clearly got from Kesey: a contact high. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

Tom Wolfe's much-discussed kaleidoscopic non-fiction novel chronicles the tale of novelist Ken Kesey and his band of Merry Pranksters. In the 1960s, Kesey led a group of psychedelic sympathizers around the country in a painted bus, presiding over LSD-induced "acid tests" all along the way. Long considered one of the greatest books about the history of the hippies, Wolfe's ability to research like a reporter and simultaneously evoke the hallucinogenic indulgence of the era ensures that this book, written in 1967, will live long in the counter-culture canon of American literature.

Customer Reviews:

best book ever.......2007-06-13

I read this book in college (as an assignment for history class) and it literally changed my life. I've read it three more times since then. It's the only book I have ever read more than once.It's interesting and thought provoking. And it's true. 'Nuff said.

Thought-provoking and amazingly well written.......2007-06-01

Wolfe masterfully examines the life and times of Kesey's "merry pranksters" by offering first hand experience in detail that I haven't read before. The scenes are vivid and made me really better understand this segment of a generation that I haven't been exposed to.

Disappointment.......2007-05-28

I read this book as a capstone to a class on the Beat Writers. It's touted as an American classic, and I suppose it may be if one is a hippie wannabe. I found the prose confusing, repetitive, and listless. Whole paragraphs composed of successions of incredibly similar images could be skimmed over briefly for the offered no emotive response for this reader. The book as a whole seemed largely derivative of Kerouac's On The Road, the prose of which is much more lucid and enjoyable -- stick with Kerouac if you want to understand the beat travel experience.

Exceptional Summary of the Oncoming Hippie/Acid Culture.......2007-02-17

Two chapters in I'm heading to Wikipedia to see if this is fiction like other Wolfe novels I have enjoyed or a true story. This is the quisistential book of the 60s, the influence of LSD and how America drastically changed from the conservative 50s to the forgettable 70s. This is not a quick read, and frankly, I could have stood about 50 pages fewer. But it is so bizarre, so unbelievable, and so well documented that it is a must read.

From a personal perspective, I list my minor LSD experiences of the early 70s as one of the top 10 most important experiences of my life. This book completes the story and shows the actual history of LSD and the glorious years before it was a crime and before the drug had been widely discovered. The crux of the book is that Ken Kesey, leader of the Merry Pranksters, chooses to turn on America including the Hells Angels, to an alternative lifestyle, the self discovery of LSD phase of mind enhancing. Such is the journey that Kesey attempts to introduce to his band and to America on a cross country journey aboard a 1939 International Harvester bus painted in neon colors. Yes, welcome back to the beginning of the hippie culture.

While I do not consider the book in my Top 10 list as suggested by so many, this is a worthwhile read I recommend by anyone wanting to explore America culture and one of our greatest writers of the last 50 years.

IN THE TIME OF OUR TIME.......2007-02-09

Recently I reviewed novelist Robert Stone's memoir about his 1960's experiences with author (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Sometimes a Great Notion, etc.) Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters, a classic counter-cultural phenomenon of the period. That review sent me back to the shelves to scan over Tom Wolfe's journalistic narrative written about the adventures of that same group. Unlike Stone and even more so, unlike Hunter Thompson, who episodically crossed Kesey's path as he chronicled the California Hell's Angels, Wolfe stands in the tradition of classic objective journalism. But with a lot more style, literary flair and wit than most of its champions. As far as I know he never got down in the mud with the Pranksters like Stone and Thompson who were more than happy to be the participants in their own stories. That, in any case, was the genesis of Thompson's`gonzo' journalism.

Nevertheless Wolfe offers some important, if detached, observations about what the Pranksters and their obsession with drugs and dropping out meant about the nature of society in the Sixties. Some of the reportage seems dated but as I stated in the Stone review, hell, that was a fun time to be alive. As I also mentioned there out of that whole countercultural mix called the Sixties I went the political route. Let Wolfe tell you about this other route. He tells that story well.

Average customer rating:

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0553140949

Average customer rating:

The way it was

The Electric Kool-aid Acid Test
Tom Wolfe
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: B000B9UWK8

Customer Reviews:

The way it was.......2005-10-30

If you want to understand today's drug culture, you must go back to the origins in the Sixties. Wolf's account of this era and its principal characters is a not to be missed read and a valuable reference for that period. In fact, if you want to understand society today, certain lifestyles and the associated values, read this book. From the painted buses to the flower children to Ken Kesey and more, it is all here in extraordinary detail. You won't put it down until you finish, once you start reading, so carve out a few hours one weekend and have food and beverage to hand. Pencil and paper, too, for you will want to get Wolf's other books for his social insights.

Average customer rating:

The Electric Kool-aid Acid Test

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Into the Wild

ASIN: B000F6RHP0

Product Description

1st paperback printing

Average customer rating:

The Electric Kool-aid Acid Test
Tom Wolfe
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus And Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EW4XRU

Average customer rating:

Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GQHYHU

Average customer rating:

THE ELECTRIC KOOL AID ACID TEST
Tom Wolfe
Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000RB5RUA

Average customer rating:

THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST
TOM WOLFE
Manufacturer: BANTAN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 055311395X

Average customer rating:

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

Manufacturer: Bantam Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HIS1P6

Average customer rating:

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test
Tom Wolf
Manufacturer: Farrar Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ME73MW

Book Description

It's time to throw your puzzle-solving skills into high gear with The Everything 30-Minute Sudoku Book! Packed with puzzles specially designed to challenge your solving speed, you'll find tips and tricks on learning the rules and strategies of Sudoku that will help you beat the clock! If you can't solve the puzzles in thirty minutes or less, have no fear-by the time you finish all these puzzles, you'll be a savvier, swiftier solver!
Puzzle expert Charles Timmerman offers you:

200+ puzzles for quick solving fun

Helpful tricks for faster puzzling

Techniques to sharpen your solving skills
Get ready to race with The Everything 30-Minute Sudoku Book! Time's a-tickin'!

Customer Reviews:

30 minutes? Only for the very experienced.......2007-02-09

In general, it appears with most sudoku books that easier puzzles offer more hints and rely on logic and the process of elimination, whereas more difficult puzzles offer fewer hints and rely more on lucky guesswork. This book is definitely in the latter group. Unless you're a very experienced sudoku solver, don't expect ANY of these puzzles to take 30 minutes! They're all surprisingly difficult and all require at least some guesswork to solve. If you're already very experienced, you'll probably enjoy this book. If you're a casual solver or somewhat new to sudoku, pass on this one.

Average customer rating:

Good primer on the high-level process

The Book I Always Recommend To Friends

The Ultimate Guide to Buying and Selling Coops and Condos in New York City
Neil J. Binder
Manufacturer: Nice Idea Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Buying & Selling Homes | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Real Estate | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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The New York Co-op Bible: Everything You Need to Know About Co-ops and Condos: Getting In, Staying In, Surviving, Thriving

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Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Co-op, Condo, or Townhouse

Tips and Traps When Buying a Condo, co-op, or Townhouse (Tips and Traps)

Keys to Purchasing a Condo or CO-OP (Barron's Business Keys)

ASIN: 0967924944

Book Description

A must-read for anyone thinking of buying or selling an apartment in New York City, The Ultimate Guide is clear, concise and packed with authoritative industry-insider information. The product of Bellmarc Principal Neil Binder's 26+ years of experience in New York residential real estate, the guide walks buyers, sellers and real estate brokers through the entire sales process. The third edition is newly updated for 2005! BUS054000

Customer Reviews:

Good primer on the high-level process.......2007-04-16

The pros:
- This book describes the high-level buying process for condos and co-ops.
- Gives good overview of closing costs.

The cons:
- I later found almost all of the information I used in this book on-line.
- Advice is mostly high-level and generic. This info is still useful, however, if you're completely new (as I was) to the New York market.
- No advice on how to find recent comparable condo/co-op sale info in New York.
- Little to no advice on the negotiating process.
- The chapter on how to decide if it's better to rent or buy is completely stacked in favor of buying. For example, the author fails to mention the 6% broker's fee you're going to incur when you sell your place (unless you choose to sell it on your own). He also fails to compare buying a house (which he correctly notes is a highly leveraged investment) to the returns of similarly risky and leveraged investments in other assets (e.g. stock portfolios bought on margin). He also fails to mention how much money you're likely to have to spend updating and upgrading your home to be able to sell it for a price you're happy with.
- Much less advice regarding selling than buying (silver lining: knowing some of the advice the author gives to sellers - e.g. how to sell a dark apartment - can be useful to buyers as well)

The Book I Always Recommend To Friends.......2006-11-28

This book is short and to the point. If you learn and understand what's in here, you'll know more than 90% of the real estate brokers out there!

Walks you through the basics of the process, each step of the way.

Average customer rating:

A Christian classic by a heroine of the faith.

Prisoner and Yet
Corrie Ten Boom
Manufacturer: Christian Literature Crusade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Defeated Enemies

Not Good If Detached

The Hiding Place (Deluxe Christian Classics)

ASIN: 0875080197

Customer Reviews:

A Christian classic by a heroine of the faith........1999-02-17

Raw and real, this direct translation from the original Dutch is the work which served as the foundation for the later book and subsequent movie "The Hiding Place." It is excellent primary source material for students of World War II and essential reading for serious students of the Holocaust. Confessing Christians and nonbelievers alike will be humbled as they view the horrors of Ravensbruck through Corrie's witness. Her testimony to the power of the love of Christ will touch even the most callous hearts.

Average customer rating:

Inspiring Book about Corrie hiding Jews from the Nazis

A Prisoner and Yet...

Manufacturer: Pillar Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0891290230

Product Description

The Nazis overran Holland and Carrie Ten Boom chose to risk death by making her quietly respectable home a haven for refugees. Finally the Gestapo came. And during the months in concentration camps that followed, Carrie ten Boom bore sadistic suffering and torture. She watched her father and her sister die. Yet she survived, mind in tact, soul still free. Where did this gentle woman find the courage to resist, to suffer, yet to endure? This book holds the answer. It reveals a life-sustaining faith that carried an innocent woman through some of the worst agonies man can devise. A PRISONER AND YET....is one of the most tragic, yet fianlly most inspiring and life-enhancing stories of modern times!

Customer Reviews:

Inspiring Book about Corrie hiding Jews from the Nazis.......2006-02-08

I read this book after I read "The Hiding Place" by Corrie Ten Boom, and it was again amazing, just like "The Hiding Place." It went into more detail about Corrie's plight with hiding Jews from the Nazis, and was just as enjoyable and provoking as her first book. I would highly recommend this book, and I have read all of her other books, I liked them so much!

Average customer rating:

A Prisoner and Yet...
Corrie ten Boom
Manufacturer: Chipmunk
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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The Hiding Place (Deluxe Christian Classics)

ASIN: B000E3XP0U

Average customer rating:

Prisoner & Yet
Corrie Ten Boom
Manufacturer: PENGUIN PUTNAM * TRADE
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SF19EI

Average customer rating:

A Prisoner & Yet...
Corrie Ten Boom
Manufacturer: Christian Literature Crusade, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HMDOZY

Average customer rating:

A Prisoner And Yet
Corrie Ten Boom
Manufacturer: Chipmunk
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OIJV62

Average customer rating:

A Prisoner and Yet
Corrie Ten Boom
Manufacturer: Family Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 0515033170

Average customer rating:

A PRISONER AND YET
CORRIE TEN BOOM
Manufacturer: CHIPMUNK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000RZHRFO

Average customer rating:

A Prisoner And Yet...
Corrie Ten Boom
Manufacturer: Pillar Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IN1AF8

Average customer rating:

A Prisoner and Yet...

A Prisoner and Yet...
Corrie ten Boom
Manufacturer: Christian Literature Crusade (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GJ6B6W

Customer Reviews:

A Prisoner and Yet..........2006-10-03

Are the days of miracles past? The materialist says they never existed, and many professing Christians have their doubts, since they have never put God to the test. The author of this volume has no doubts. She has taken very literally the Divine injunction, "Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me". To fufill the last part of this promise this book has been written, in order that God may be glorified for the great things He did in response to the faith of this woman. There have been many books written about the war, and multitudes read with with loathing and horror the terrors of the concentration camps. Miss ten Boom endured many of these, but in the midst of the troubles that beset her and others on every hand the power of God was made manifest, and the peace that passes understanding became an ever-present reality. God did not deliver her from trial and tribulations that are the lot of every Christian in a world of sin, but He kept her and preserved her in the midst of terrifying experiences that most of us have been mercifully spared from enduring.

The book is another footnote to the Acts of the Apostles. Miracles were the normal experience of these dark days in the concentration camp, when cold, hunger and indignities of all kinds were heaped on these unfortunate prisoners. This book will stir every reader to the depths of his being and help him realize afresh that with God all things are possible.
--- from book's dustjacket

Book Description

Teach Yourself Instant Reference: War and Warfare is an A-Z reference that covers the history, major figures and key events of war and battle strategy in over 500 informative entries.

War and Warfare (Teach Yourself Instant Reference)

Average customer rating:

War and Warfare (Teach Yourself Instant Reference)

Manufacturer: Teach Yourself Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0340782765

Book Description

Before they were generals-they were gentlemen.

A remarkable footnote to history surfaced during America's fight for independence. After the Battle of Germantown, General George Washington came across a stray dog wearing an inscribed collar marking him as the property of British general William Howe-the very man Washington was trying to defeat. As a well-bred gentleman and man of his times, Washington did the proper thing: he returned the dog to his adversary, along with a polite note. Though separated by ideals and loyalties, both Washington and Howe adhered to a common code of conduct. Following the early lives of both men, General Howe's Dog provides a fascinating account of their upbringings and ascents through the military ranks, detailing how enemies on the battlefield composed themselves as respectable gentlemen in the midst of war. It is a rarely seen glimpse into the personality and character of the father of our country.

Customer Reviews:

A Fun Little Book on the Revolutionary War and George Washington.......2005-10-05

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the Revolutionary War or George Washington. It is a welcome diversion from the more weighty treatises on the topic, and is great as an evening or weekend read. Unlike most books dealing with historical topics, "General Howe's Dog" is written in a breezy, easy to digest style, but succeeds in informing the reader and not coming off as sounding trite or simplistic. In addition, "General Howe's Dog" doesn't cover the same well worn ground of many other books dealing with that period, focusing instead, among other things, on selected aspects of George Washington's character, his affinity for dogs and the role of the dog in warfare.

A delightful diversion.......2005-08-02

General Howe's Dog is a light-hearted diversion in the American Revolution non-fiction genre. General George Washington is the central figure of this book, though General Howe and his dog have their moments. However, it is not Washington's military and political achievements that are the focus, but rather his etiquette, hunting habits and dog breeding. The title is somewhat misleading with its reference to the Battle of Germantown. Caroline Tiger uses the Battle of Germantown and the incident with General Washington returning General Howe's dog as a crossover from his well-known military exploits to his more gentlemanly pursuits.

Ms. Tiger takes a fitting, almost tongue-in-cheek tone at times as she weaves hunting exploits and dog breeding into the tapestry of Washington's famous life. Her light-hearted approach does not belittle the subject matter which were serious personal pursuits to gentlemen, both English and American. The book gives the reader a glimpse of a portion of Washington's life that is all but omitted from his biographies because of its more 'trivial' nature. However, these aspects are actually by no means trivial, but rather demonstrate the deep -seated principles that guided Washington's military and political decisions.

General Howe's Dog is a delightful and even insightful, summertime diversion for those even remotedly interested in either early American History or in the origins of American dog breeding. Caroline Tiger's fluid writing style makes for an enjoyable read. Two additional treats are included that will appeal to the more avid historians or dog breeders: The Rules of Civility & Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation, which Washington had copied as a teenager, and Breed Standards of the Treeing Walker.

Book Description

Five years ago Dr. J. Matthew Sleeth and his family lived in a big house, had two luxury cars, loads of money, and lots of stuff. As chief of the medical staff at a large hospital, Sleeth was living the American dream--until he realized that something was terribly wrong. As he saw patient after patient suffering from cancer, asthma, and other chronic diseases, he began to understand that the Earth and its inhabitants were in trouble. Feeling helpless, he turned to his faith for guidance. He discovered how the timeless lessons of personal responsibility, simplicity, and stewardship taught in the Bible could be applied to modern life. The Sleeths have since sold their big home and given away more than half of what they once owned. In Serve God, Save the Planet, Sleeth shares the joy of adopting a less materialistic lifestyle, and reveals what was easy and what was hard about the changes his family has made. Drawing on science and religion, Sleeth builds a bridge between environmentalists and mainstream Christians. He and his family are harbingers of the creation care movement, which calls on all those who love God to love our planet. Sleeth shares how material downscaling led his family to healthier lifestyles, stronger relationships, and richer spiritual lives. Serve God, Save the Planet is more than a book: it is a prescription for taking personal responsibility for global survival.

Customer Reviews:

Great stories and great ideas.......2007-09-10

I bought this book after hearing Sleeth speak (via the web) at Mars Hill Bible Church in Michigan. I just finished the book and I really enjoyed it. Many of the topics that Sleeth covers have been on my mind lately but he definitely gave me some new ones to consider (ie. pets--yikes!). My plan is to go through his suggested action items (back of the book) and highlight the ones we've accomplished and make a list of new ones to tackle. I am sold on this concept; however, my family isn't quite there yet.
I have recently begun volunteering at a Christian agency that helps the underresourced. In doing so, I have become acutely aware of American (and my own) consumerism. So many things have only been used once or not at all and then they come to us. One day the fire marshall almost shut us down because we had mountains of donations. It is great that people are generous but wouldn't it would be better if they'd not bought so much stuff in the first place, only to donate it and buy new and different stuff?
I'm sure I will loan this book to tons of people in an effort to do my part to "Save the Planet." I'm fairly sure that it'll be around for me, I'm just worried about my kids and grandkids!

amazing.......2007-09-03

I'd recommend this book to everyone. We live in a world that has become so focused on consumption and production that we forget that we really don't need all this stuff. This book is written by a former doctor who has transformed his life (as well as his family's) into one that is very simple, yet incredibly peaceful, and wonderfully dedicated to God's glory.

We often associate environmentalism and "nature-loving" with hippies... but why not associate it with God? After all, He created it.

An Amish life for me?.......2007-08-16

I enjoyed Mr. Mathew Sleeth's book immensely and there was much I took issue with. It is indeed disappointing to see such an earnest effort fall short. He speaks with authority on many subjects but has credibility with but a few. Mostly I do not find fault with his interpretation of scripture. It is in other areas that his knowledge is thin, non-existent or worse yet takes, as authority, information from others that is unsubstantiated. A significant percentage of the "facts" presented are implied to be common knowledge when in actuality they are, unfortunately, little more than a recitation of the pandering that comes from mass media. Mr. Sleeth skates past the documented benefits of the industrial revolution with an ease that is disturbing. Where Mr. Sleeth encourages us to live _personally_ greener lives is where his arguments are strongest. I for one am not interested in de-evolving to an "Amish" lifestyle. Surely he cannot believe that our God wants us to life a life that is restricted to the technology of the 17th century. I suspect that the world's _current_ population could not be fed if much of the western world's population adopted it anyway. I must ask the question, "Do you suppose God would bless the act of feeding starving children in Africa any less, IF the vegetables were grown organically versus the most current high production methods?" Read this book with a jaundiced / discerning eye. This is truly a case where the wheat must be sorted from the chaff. Not only did God give me two hands, he also gave me a brain. Now if you'll excuse me, I see that there are three more ripe tomatoes in the garden and we're having beans for dinner.

Great Christian stewardship outline.......2007-07-20

This book succinctly highlights our duty as children of God to care for each other and His creation. By making both small and large sacrifices, we can impove our contentment while saving the planet for the enjoyment of future generations. Thank you, Dr. Sleeth for providing a quickly readable, yet thought provoking call to action which should be used in church discussion groups nationwide.

Strays from his area of expertise.......2007-07-18

After three chapters, I said to my wife -- this is GREAT. Indeed, the first five chapters are a well-structured synopsis of the environmental concerns we are facing, and a wake-up call to Christians to participate in restorative work. From there, the book degenerates quickly.

The rest of the book is simply filler to make a profitable book -- a discussion of issues on the fringe of environmental concern. Consumerism is a relevant issue, for example, but unnecessary is an at-length comparison of Jesus and Santa Claus. Sleeth ventures far from his area of expertise, including some extremely shaky exegesis at times. There is an analysis of Revelation that is especially unfounded. Also disappointing is his lack of practical advice -- this is relegated to a few redundant references (lightbulbs, clotheslines, etc) and a few sparse appendices at the back of the book.

Sleeth could have published this book as a much smaller edition, including his first five chapters and an extended discussion on practical approaches to helping the environment. Seems like a lot of wasted paper and energy for a book that does not seem to contribute much, if anything, new to the environmental movement. Overall, I was very disappointed and honestly, more frustrated when finished than any book I've read for quite some time.

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