Leather Books

I just bought a copy of this in a used book store. It caught my eye about two weeks ago. I had never seen a book so beautiful, and I had to have it. I had them hold it, and I just brought it home. It is the prize of my two thousand-plus book library. The content is interesting - old poems - but it is the physical properties of this book that attracted me. I was lucky enough to find one in pretty good condition, but I won't be handling it much. If you just love books, beautiful books, this may be one for you. I am elated with this one.

I am constantly delighted by the elegance and grace with which the early and mid-20th century metaphysicians conveyed the eternal truths. People like Ralph Waldo Trine, Katherine Ponder, Raymond Charles Barker, Joseph Murphy and Frederick Bailes are still the best choice to read if you are serious about improving your life.

And judging by this wonderful little book, Florence Scovel-Shinn takes pride of place amongst them. With a great economy of words, she makes her point and in simple language explains the benefits of right thinking and how to solve problems. The text is strewn with jewels in the form of uplifting statements and memorable affirmations.

Amongst other topics, the laws of prosperity, non-resistance, karma and forgiveness are presented in a fresh way, with clear instructions on how to impress the subconscious. She covers everything that is really important in a book that one can read in a day. Of course, I recommend regular reading of this wonderful manual for living a life of joy.

This classic early work of musical history is published in facsimile in three clear and well printed volumes. More paid lip service to than seriously respected as the significant primary source it is, readers will be rewarded in the second volume with revelations regarding musical life and thinking in the earlier eighteenth century. Hopefully this edition will lead those with an interest in this subject to go back to this important primary source. For example, Hawkins' account of early concert life in England reveals it to have been more extensive than is generally supposed. We have accounts of the full background relating to the ownership of the York Street concert room in London, and of Clayton, the first composer of an English opera. Although written later in the century, and less prestigious than Burney's more famous work, events were nevertheless sufficiently recent for Hawkins to have obtained eye witness accounts, and apparently been willing to go to considerable lengths to do so, demonstrating a serious of purpose and a reliability that deserves greater credit.

Why are you underselling this book, and why do you choose to cheat the author?

I purchased this book as a gift for my boyfriend who wanted to get organized. This is the perfect address book for a guy - it's leather and it has cool pictures of vintage Harleys. It holds many addresses and it's a good size (not too big, not too small).

This book is the account of a Midwestern teenager's life-altering year as a Navy medic on a hospital ship off of the coast of Viet Nam in 1967. His heroic and often heart wrenching experiences are eye-opening narratives of a side of combat that is not often seen, that of the medics that treat the wounded. The author is affecting and engaging and quickly draws you in to the crowded environment and break-neck pace of combat medicine aboard ship. Patients treated are introduced in the format of letters written home to America or to the patients' families. Hence the title: Ghostwriter; the medics wrote letters for all of those who could not write themselves. You find yourself cheering for those who defied all odds and survived to return home. Your heart breaks for the many who did not.
This is a valuable resource for those who are searching for information and background on America's ugliest war. All Viet Nam era vets will recognize this heart-wrenching plea for peace and the profound hope that this type of loss of young men just starting their lives never happens again.
I congratulate the author for the compassion and dedication that he and his fellow medics in all branches of the military have always displayed.

The Giant Killer takes the reader back to a time before auto-mobiles. It is a time of horse drawn carriages and Church every Sunday. The story is about a family which must adjust to the new arival of two spoilt boys, who arrive at the outset of the tale. The mother of the house reads to the children the tale of "The Giant Killer" over a couple of weeks. In-between readings the children are inspired to inspect their responsiblities to family, community and God; and how to get along with each other. This is a great book to start introducing children to Biblical values and wisdom. 5-10 year olds

This book is currently available by the publisher and Vision Forum, I do not know why it is not available through Amazon.

"A dark-skinned human with four arms walks towards me across the floor of the club, clad only in a belt strung with human skulls. Her hair forms a smoky wreath around her open and curious face. She's interested in me."

So opens GLASSHOUSE, Stross's latest and best (so far) novel, set in the Invisible Republic, a splinter-polity recovering from the Censorship Wars. Here's Robin, the protagonist: "When people ask me what I did during the war, I tell them I used to be a tank regiment. Or maybe I was a counter-intelligence agent. I'm not exactly sure: my memory isn't what it used to be."

Robin has hot monkey-love with skull-clad Kay, and they both sign up for an experimental historical-roleplaying project, which has the stated objective of recreating one of the historic Dark Ages, c. 1950-2040 AD. You won't be surprised to hear that (cue ominous music) Things are Not as they Seem. A twisty, engrossing and very well-done paranoia-thriller ensues.

It's the 27th century. People have moved to space, in habitats around brown-dwarf stars, linked by instantaneous T-gate wormholes. Their health, wealth and daily sundries are supplied by A-gates, nanotech assemblers that can store, edit and recreate most anything, including the posthumans. But the security on the gate network, well, wasn't....

I had a whole lot of fun reading GLASSHOUSE, which is a spicy blend of bleeding-edge SF extrapolation, cool, complex characters, an amazing number of plot-twists, and wonderful storytelling. This is a mature work, with the author in full control of his tools. The book has the feel of Robert Heinlein at his best: a matter-of-fact recounting of daily life in a far-future world that's taken some very strange turns.

Stross's energy and imagination never flag, and the book comes to a satisfying (if a bit formulaic) conclusion. Look for it on next year's award-ballots. Highly recommended.

Here is Amazon's main entry for Glasshouse.

Happy reading--
Peter D. Tillman

Every once in a while a book gets the binding that it deserves.

Eliot Rosewater was the scion of an extremely wealthy family- his grandfather had even married a Rockefeller. Eliot stood to inherit control of the vast family fortune through the Rosewater Foundation (a legal entity constructed to shield that fortune from taxation.) But then Eliot went off to WW2 to become a highly decorated Captain of combat infantry. He served with men from all walks of life. Oh yes, he also accidentally bayoneted a 14-year old non-combatant, and afterwards tried to throw himself under a truck. After this he was never the same, much to his rich and powerful family's distress. While he did come back to graduate from Harvard Law and assume control of the foundation, he started behaving...irrationally. He started to actually use the money to HELP people! He also started drinking, wandering, and visiting volunteer firehouses- among other eccentricities.

Eventually, he ended up in Rosewater, Indiana- a depressed backwater that his family had long ago used up and abandoned to found the beginnings of their fortune. He found the people there to be without pride, without hope, without work. So he opened up an office over the liquor store in order to help anyone who needed his help. The sign on the door said simply, "Rosewater Foundation: How Can We Help You?" So Eliot Rosewater, philanthropist, poet, volunteer fireman, Harvard graduate, and drunk proceeded to help any and all that came to him for help.

Needless to say his family could not allow such insanity to continue. Why even Eliot's psychoanalyst came to the conclusion that Eliot was mentally ill. The nature of his illness being the fact that he had channeled all his psychic energy into bringing Utopia to earth for all those in need. What could be more abnormal in modern, capitalist society?

This is my absolute all time favorite Vonnegut novel- and I have read them all.

This is a "Fantastic" book to read through out the year, I've been reading this book at least 3 years and I feel Christ talking directley to me when I read each days writing. I read the Bible to learn Gods word, and read this and hear Jesus talking to me, helping me with each days struggles. I highly recommend it to everyone.