The Help (Movie Tie-In)

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Amazon Review

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Four peerless actors render an array of sharply defined black and white characters in the nascent years of the civil rights movement. They each handle a variety of Southern accents with aplomb and draw out the daily humiliation and pain the maids are subject to, as well as their abiding affection for their white charges. The actors handle the narration and dialogue so well that no character is ever stereotyped, the humor is always delightful, and the listener is led through the multilayered stories of maids and mistresses. The novel is a superb intertwining of personal and political history in Jackson, Miss., in the early 1960s, but this reading gives it a deeper and fuller power. A Putnam hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 1). (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From Bookmarks Magazine

In writing about such a troubled time in American history, Southern-born Stockett takes a big risk, one that paid off enormously. Critics praised Stockett's skillful depiction of the ironies and hypocrisies that defined an era, without resorting to depressing or controversial clich√©s. Rather, Stockett focuses on the fascinating and complex relationships between vastly different members of a household. Additionally, reviewers loved (and loathed) Stockett's three-dimensional characters—and cheered and hissed their favorites to the end. Several critics questioned Stockett's decision to use a heavy dialect solely for the black characters. Overall, however, The Help is a compassionate, original story, as well as an excellent choice for book groups. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Customer Review
By Eileen Granfors (Santa Clarita, CA)

A new classic has been born. Kathryn Sockett's "The Help" will live in hearts and minds, be taught in schools, be cherished by readers. The three women who form its core, idealistic Skeeter, loving Aibileen, and sarcastic, sassy Minny, narrate their chapters each in a voice that is distinctive as Minny's caramel cake no one else in Jackson, Mississippi, can duplicate.

These stories of the black maids working for white women in the state of Mississippi of the 60s have an insiders' view of child-rearing, Junior League benefits, town gossip, and race relations.

Hilly is the town's white Queen Bee with an antebellum attitude towards race. She hopes to lead her minions into the latter part of the century with the "enlightened" view of making sure every home in Jackson, Mississippi, has a separate toilet for the help. Her crusade is, she says, based on clear hygienic criteria, which will save both blacks and whites from heinous diseases.

Despite the fact that the maids prepare the food, care for the children, and clean every part of every home, privy to every secret, many of the white women look at their black maids as an alien race. There are more enlightened views, especially those of Skeeter, a white, single woman with a college degree, who aspires to more than earning her MRS. Skeeter begins collecting the maids' stories. And the maids themselves find the issue of race humiliating, infuriating, life-controlling. Race sows bitter seeds in the dignity of women who feel they have no choices except to follow their mamas into the white women's kitchens and laundries. Aibilene says, "I just want things to be better for the kids." Their hopes lie in education and improvement, change someday for their children.

There is real danger for the maids sharing their stories as well as danger for Skeeter herself. The death of Medgar Evers touches the women deeply, making them question their work and a decision to forge ahead, hoping their book can be published anonymously and yet not recognized by the very white women they know to the last deviled egg and crack in a dining room table.

The relationships between the maids and the white children, the maids and some kind employers, including "white trash" Cecilia Foot, illuminate the strange history of the South. The love Aibileen shows for Mae Mobley matches the love Skeeter felt as a white child from her maid-nanny Constantine.

There is never a dull moment in this long book. It is compulsively readable while teaching strong truths about the way the United States evolved from a shameful undercurrent of persistent racism to the hopes and dreams of Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Ultimately, will the next generations children learn (and be taught) that skin color is nothing more than a wrapping for the person who lives within?

Keywords:
the help
the help book
american history
historical fiction
Kathryn Stockett

A Stolen Life: A Memoir

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Amazon Review

In the summer of 1991 I was a normal kid. I did normal things. I had friends and a mother who loved me. I was just like you. Until the day my life was stolen.

For eighteen years I was a prisoner. I was an object for someone to use and abuse.

For eighteen years I was not allowed to speak my own name. I became a mother and was forced to be a sister. For eighteen years I survived an impossible situation.

On August 26, 2009, I took my name back. My name is Jaycee Lee Dugard. I don’t think of myself as a victim. I survived.

A Stolen Life is my story—in my own words, in my own way, exactly as I remember it.

---

The pine cone is a symbol that represents the seed of a new beginning for me. To help facilitate new beginnings, with the support of animal-assisted therapy, the J A Y C Foundation provides support and services for the timely treatment of families recovering from abduction and the aftermath of traumatic experiences—families like my own who need to learn how to heal. In addition, the J A Y C Foundation hopes to facilitate awareness in schools about the important need to care for one another.

Our motto is “Just Ask Yourself to . . . Care!”

A portion of my proceeds from this memoir will be donated to The J A Y C Foundation Inc.

www.thejaycfoundation.org

Customer Review
by Amelia Williams

The first thing you need to know about Jaycee Dugard's book, is it is indeed a very difficult thing to read. It is a beautifully written, pull no punches account of the 18 years she spent in captivity with a very sick man, Phillip Garrido.

In a note from the author at the beginning of the book, Dugard explains that she wrote the book to attempt to convey the overwhelming confusion she endured during her years in captivity and to begin to unravel the damage that was done to she and her family. She chronicles her experience with brutal honesty. She writes about missing her mother and worrying that she will never see her again. Her dependence upon her kidnapper grows the more he isolates her from the world. For long periods of time he was the only other human being that she saw.

Before I bought the book, I wished that Amazon would list the Table of Contents, so here it is for you:

Author's Note
Introduction
The Taking
Stolen
The Secret Backyard
Alone in a Strange Place
The First Time
First Kitty
The First "Run"
Nancy
Easter: Phillip on an Island
Christmas
Learning I Was Pregnant
Driving to a Trailer
Waiting for Baby
Taking Care of a Baby
Sarge
Second Baby
The Starting of Printing for Less
Birth of Second Baby
Raising the Girls in the Backyard
Nancy Becomes "Mom"
Pretending to Be a Family
Cats
Surviving
Discovery and Reunion
Firsts for Me
Milestones
The Difficult Parts of Life
Finding Old Friends
Therapeutic healing
Meeting with Nancy
Therapeutic Healing with a Twist

As you can tell from the Table of Contents, she spares no detail. You witness her physical and psychological transformation from a scared child held against her will to a woman who bears his children and runs a business with him until she is discovered. This truly is an exploration of her past. As profound as this book is in its horrific detail, it is not a triumphant, feel-good story. Other than her rescue, don't expect many warm fuzzies from this one.

If Jaycee's book interests you, I Love Yous Are for White People: A Memoir (P.S.) is another you'll undoubtedly want to read. Amazing to see people triumph over such adversity, and retell their stories so brilliantly.

Keywords:
true crime
kidnapping
realistic
stockholm syndrome
colleen stan
perfect victim
coercion
memoir
molestation
women

Bossypants

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Amazon Review

Tina Fey’s new book Bossypants is short, messy, and impossibly funny (an apt description of the comedian herself). From her humble roots growing up in Pennsylvania to her days doing amateur improv in Chicago to her early sketches on Saturday Night Live, Fey gives us a fascinating glimpse behind the curtain of modern comedy with equal doses of wit, candor, and self-deprecation. Some of the funniest chapters feature the differences between male and female comedy writers ("men urinate in cups"), her cruise ship honeymoon ("it’s very Poseidon Adventure"), and advice about breastfeeding ("I had an obligation to my child to pretend to try"). But the chaos of Fey’s life is best detailed when she’s dividing her efforts equally between rehearsing her Sarah Palin impression, trying to get Oprah to appear on 30 Rock, and planning her daughter’s Peter Pan-themed birthday. Bossypants gets to the heart of why Tina Fey remains universally adored: she embodies the hectic, too-many-things-to-juggle lifestyle we all have, but instead of complaining about it, she can just laugh it off. --Kevin Nguyen

Customer Review
by Alan Mazer

I enjoy a good memoir. It seems there's always something good to learn from other people's life experiences. And while I'm not a huge Tina Fey fan, I enjoyed her as Sarah Palin on SNL and occasionally watch 30 Rock. So after reading a review of the book, and being without anything to read at the moment, I took a chance and bought Bossypants, and I'm glad I did.

It seemed a little uneven starting out, but quickly transitioned into some very interesting pieces about her early jobs, her work with Second City, and then her transition into writing for SNL and her eventual creation of 30 Rock. Interspersed are stories about growing up and dating, her eventual marriage, and her struggles to balance work and family life, as well as some candid advice for other women on how to make it in a male-dominated industry.

Perhaps what I liked most about the book is that even though there is a lot of self-deprecating (and distancing) humor, my sense in the end was that Fey gave us an honest look at who she is: imperfect, stumbling, but always rising again, persevering, and continuing to do what she loves. I would say the book is well worth reading for any fan of Tina Fey, 30 Rock, or SNL, as well as for any woman who struggles to balance the roles of worker, spouse and mom. It was a good read!

Keywords:
tina fey
30 rock
satire
liberal
entertainers
essays
overrated and not funny
puke
vitriolic rhetoric
anti-intellectual
hater

I'm Over All That: And Other Confessions

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Amazon Review

“IN THIS THIRD ACT OF MY LIFE, MUCH HAS BECOME CLEARER. SO MUCH IS OVER, AND I AM OVER SO MUCH . . .”

At a certain time in life, we all come to realize what is truly important to us and what just doesn’t matter. For Shirley MacLaine, that time is now. In this wise, witty, and fearless collection of small observations and big-picture questions, she shares with readers all those things that she is over dealing with in life, in love, at home, and in the larger world . . . as well as the things she will never get over, no matter how long she lives.

Among the things that Shirley is over: people who repeat themselves (“when you didn’t care what they said the first time”); conservatives and liberals; ill-mannered young people; the poison of celebrity (“Why do so many people want to be famous when they see how it can destroy your life?”); being polite to boring people (“If they won’t stop talking, I go into a trance and meditate”); getting older in Hollywood (“How peaceful it is not to have to look particularly pretty anymore or to wear a size 6”).

In the opposite camp, there are some things Shirley will never get over: good lighting (“Marlene Dietrich taught me how to light myself”); gorgeous costars (“The vanity of male actors is an impossible wall to scale”); performing live (“Yes, it is better than sex”); and above all, brave people with curious minds (“Fear is the most powerful weapon of mass destruction”).

Along the way, she recalls stories of some of the true greats she has known—Alfred Hitchcock, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, the two Jacks (Lemmon and Nicholson)—and ruminates on the state of Hollywood past and present. She recollects her relationships and romances with politicians (including two prime ministers), scientists, journalists, and costars.

An unabashed seeker of truth and unrepentant free spirit, Shirley looks squarely at a world that can irritate, confuse, and provoke her, but that can also delight her with its beauty, humor, and future promise. Reading I’m Over All That will make you feel you have been reunited with an old friend who tells it like it is but never takes herself too seriously.

Shirley MacLaine may be over all that, but this irresistible book ensures that we will never get over her.

Customer Review
by K. Elliot "Kindle Addict" (Punta Gorda ,Florida)

I just got this book on my Kindel today . At first I was not to crazy about it but it got realy good .I`ll say one thing for Shirley she`s lived life her way . I read every one of her book`s so far .and this one is Good . Yea ! !

Keywords:
3g
drm
e-reader
ebook
ebook reader
kindle
kindle 3
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kindle devices
kindle wi-fi

The Land of Painted Caves: A Novel (Earth's Children)

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Amazon Review

Thirty thousand years in the making and 31 years in the writing, Auel's overlong and underplotted sixth and final volume in the Earth's Children series (The Clan of the Cave Bear; etc.) finds Cro-Magnon Ayla; her mate, Jondalar; and their infant daughter, Jonayla, settling in with the clan of the Ninth Cave of the Zelandonaii. Animal whisperer and medicine woman Ayla is an acolyte in training to become a full-fledged Zelandoni (shaman) of the clan, but all is not rosy in this Ice Age setting; there are wild animals to face and earthquakes to survive, as well as a hunter named Balderan, who has targeted Ayla for death, and a potential cave-wrecker named Marona. While gazing on an elaborate cave painting (presumably, the Lascaux caverns in France), Ayla has an epiphany and invents the concept of art appreciation, and after she overdoses on a hallucinogenic root, Ayla and Jondalar come to understand how much they mean to one another, thus giving birth to another concept—monogamy. Otherwise, not much of dramatic interest happens, and Ayla, for all her superwomanish ways, remains unfortunately flat. Nevertheless, readers who enjoyed the previous volumes will relish the opportunity to re-enter pre-history one last time. (Mar.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Customer Review
by M. Reynard "kairosdreaming" (Ohio)

The Land of the Painted Caves is the eagerly awaited sixth and final book in the Earth's Children series. While its possible this book could be read as a stand alone, I wouldn't advise it and instead suggest that a reader start at the first book, The Clan of the Cave Bear. For those who aren't familiar with the Earth's Children's series (and this could be a spoiler) Ayla was a little girl who was adopted by a clan of Neanderthals and raised in their ways. When later she has to leave them and her son behind, she finds a valley where she lives alone for awhile and makes unlikely friends with a horse and lion. She is lonely though and happy when a man named Jondalar comes to her valley and they fall in love. They stay with a tribe of people called the Mamutoi for awhile but Jondalar yearns to go to his home far to the West and they make a dangerous journey back there. Once there, Ayla is quickly accepted into the Zelandonii but they want more of her. As the fifth book ends she decides to become an acolyte of the Zelandoni (spiritual leaders and healers).

This book starts a little later and is separated into three parts. The first two are mainly about her taking a small journey to visit different caves of the Zelandonii and learn their special purposes. It also shows a little of the time spent with Jondalar and her daughter Jonayla and a series of years pass during this time. The third part of the novel takes place while she is finishing her training as an acolyte and deals with her discoveries while doing so. Since this is a highly anticipated book, I hesitate to describe the plot further and ruin it for anyone.

The characters in this book are rather weak. Jondalar turns out to be a complete jerk and I really can't fathom why Auel wrote him the way she did in this book. I was vastly disappointed. Ayla, while finally showing some flaws loses some of her likability in this book and I had a hard time connecting to her like I could in previous books. Poor Jonayla, while she probably should have been an important character, was left largely undescribed and even when there are scenes with her, they don't use her to her full potential. The rest of the characters are just so-so to me.

This book had the feel of Shelters of Stone which was also a book I didn't care too much for in the series. It had the same ever present Mother Poem repeated over and over just like the previous book and also the endless renditions of titles. The description that was so wonderful in the early books just made this one drag on and on as they explored the many caves of the first two parts and after awhile I felt myself trying to skim the book as I just didn't care about another cave painting followed by the Mother poem. That being said, I actually did enjoy the third part of this novel and that was what saved it from having an even lower star rating from me It at least was exciting and had some plot to it. As an aside, there are graphic sex scenes in this novel and some readers may want to exercise caution because of it.

To wait this long for the finale of a series (it took over 30 years for all the books to come out) and then have the quality be like this was disappointing. While I appreciate knowing the ending of Jondalar and Ayla's tale, I was left with quite a bit of dissatisfaction and almost wish the series would have ended with the third or fourth book. Those who are die hard fans of the series but didn't like the fifth book will probably share my feelings about this novel and should be warned.

Book 1: The Clan of the Cave Bear
Book 2: The Valley of Horses
Book 3: The Mammoth Hunters
Book 4: The Plains of Passage
Book 5: The Shelters of Stone

The Land of Painted Caves
Copyright 2011
757 pages

Review by M. Reynard 2011

Keywords:
jean m auel
prehistoric fiction
earth s children
historical fiction
ayla
ice age
auel
earths children
william sarabande
clan of the cave bear

The Lincoln Lawyer

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Amazon Review

This #1 bestselling legal thriller from Michael Connelly is a stunning display of novelistic mastery - as human, as gripping, and as whiplash-surprising as any novel yet from the writer Publishers Weekly has called "today's Dostoevsky of crime literature."

Mickey Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car, traveling between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers - they're all on Mickey Haller's client list. For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence, it's about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it's even about justice.

A Beverly Hills playboy arrested for attacking a woman he picked up in a bar chooses Haller to defend him, and Mickey has his first high-paying client in years. It is a defense attorney's dream, what they call a franchise case. And as the evidence stacks up, Haller comes to believe this may be the easiest case of his career. Then someone close to him is murdered and Haller discovers that his search for innocence has brought him face-to-face with evil as pure as a flame. To escape without being burned, he must deploy every tactic, feint, and instinct in his arsenal - this time to save his own life.

Customer Review
by michael a. draper (Guilford, CT)

Mickey Haller seems to be a good man. Like anyone, he has his flaws and he does what he can to make a living as a defense attorney. He confides that his father, who was also an attorney, had a place in his heart for helping the less fortunate. Many of these clients were women who resorted to prostitution as a desperate choice to survive. Mickey tries to follow his father's example.

Mickey does much of his work from the back seat of his Lincoln. His driver, Earl, is working off his fee for Mickey's successful defense in a case against him.

As the story progresses, Mickey is asked to defend wealthy real estate agent Louis Roulet from the accusation of aggravated assault and attempted rape against Reggie Campo, a woman Roulet met in a bar.

From the start, Mickey is skeptical of Roulet when he catches him in a number of lies about his past. Then, when Mickey sees a photo of Reggie, she bears a close resemblance to a young woman that Mickey's former client Jesus Mendez, was sent to prison for killing.

Mendez maintained his innocence and now Mickey wonders if Mendez could really be innocent. Mickey visits Mendez in jail and brings a number of photos, one of which is Rolet. What Mickey learns is that he's now dealing with a truly evil person.

The novel proceeds as the author, Michael Connelly, sets the parts in motion as if he is directing a play. Roulet is able to create a special reason for Mickey to win the case and set him free but he also admits to things in his past. Since there is an attorney-client privilege, Mickey cannot use this against Roulet.

To say that the award winning novel was well done is an understatement. The reader becomes involved in the story as if the reader was sitting in the front row of the jury box. We observe Mickey and wonder how he will provide justice for Roulet, a man he is defending.

Keywords:
michael connelly
book recommendations
character driven
courtroom drama
friendship
kennedy
lawyer
legal
legal drama
legal thriller

The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide

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Amazon Review

For years, Elisabeth Hasselbeck couldn't figure out what was making her sick. She asked doctors and consulted nutritionists, but no one seemed to have any answers. It wasn't until spending time in the Australian Outback, living off the land on the grueling Survivor TV show, that, ironically, her symptoms vanished. Returning home, she pinpointed the food that made her sick -- gluten, the binding element in wheat. By simply eliminating it from her diet, she was able to enjoy a completely normal, healthy life. But that wasn't all. Hasselbeck discovered the myriad benefits that anyone can enjoy from a gluten-free diet: from weight loss and increased energy to even the alleviation of the conditions of autism.

In this all-inclusive book, Hasselbeck shares her hard-earned wisdom on living life without gluten and loving it. She gives you everything you need to know to start living a gluten-free life, from defining gluten - where to find it, how to read food labels - to targeting gluten-free products, creating G-Free shopping lists, sharing recipes, and managing G-Free living with family and friends.

Customer Review
by Alison St Sure (Bay Area, CA)

I must admit that I had a preconceived notion about what the book was going to be like. My skepticism had nothing to do with her, or her personality, or what she says on the View, or what people think of her, because frankly, I don't have time to watch TV at 10am or read about her comments on the internet. My preconceived notion was based simply on the title "The G-Free Diet."

The cutesy title reminded me of an article I wrote on my blog Sure Foods Living in which I pointed out that maybe the reason people couldn't embrace the gluten-free diet is that the word "gluten" just isn't cool enough for people and that we need to start calling the gluten-free diet something else. (I jokingly offered "the no g-carb diet" as a solution.) Turns out I might have been right and a celebrity has given it a new name! Elisabeth uses the term "the G-Free Diet" so many times in the book that by the end I actually find myself getting used to it. Another phrase she uses: "G-Full" -- referring to foods that are full of gluten. Not bad.

So back to the preconceived notion... the cutesy title and cutesy cover made me think that the book was going to be cutesy too. It wasn't!

What I thought...

I found this book to be practical and personal. It is practical, with understandable medical and diet information, and personal, with stories meant to illustrate points and make us feel like she is just like us with the same worries and anxiety about the diet that we have (except that she hangs out with Whoopi Goldberg and Prince Charles!). She also maintains a positive but realistic attitude throughout, which is the tone that I also try to convey on my website.

Perhaps I liked this book too because I related to her story. My celiac story is very similar to hers in terms of symptoms and the journey to diagnosis. In fact we were both diagnosed in 2002, after returning from a time away from the United States -- she 39 days in Australia for Survivor: Outback, me 25 days in India for my honeymoon. We both were on a gluten-free diet without even realizing it, our bodies repaired themselves, and when we returned to our wheat-laden American culture, our bodies struck back with a vengeance. Another similarity -- we both figured it out before doctors did. Our recoveries were similar too. She mentions jokingly that she can't believe her now-husband continued dating her despite all her health problems -- I have also joked that I can't believe my husband married me! (I was diagnosed 3 months after our wedding!)

I really liked...

The chapter called "What's Mine is Yours (Well, Sort Of!)" Elisabeth is the only one in her family that eats gluten-free, and she provides helpful information for what she calls the "modified G-free kitchen" where both gluten-free and gluten-containing foods are prepared. If you are new to the diet and haven't converted your entire family to your way of thinking yet, the information provided in the book will make the shared kitchen seem do-able. Luckily I don't have to take all of these extra precautions, as my kitchen is completely gluten-free. (My husband eventually adopted my diet because he was feeling so much better when he was gluten-free and I have decided to raise my children gluten-free.) I feel that if you can get your kitchen to be as gluten-free as possible, it makes things so much easier and makes you feel more relaxed -- at least you can feel at ease in your own home!

The chapter "Out on the Town" about dining out. There are some very good restaurant tips and the section called "Deciphering the Menu: The G-Free Detective" defines menu terms that are helpful for everyone to read. Don't expect to find recipes or many menu ideas in this book. There are a couple Italian recipes from her mother, but this is not a recipe book.

The chapter called "Throw Me a Bagel!" about living with someone who is gluten-free. Rarely have I seen tips for the person who lives with a gluten-free person ("GFG" she calls it, for Gluten-Free Gal or Guy). There is some great advice addressing such things as compassion, adaptability, preparedness, cleanliness and selflessness.

The section "Translating Ingredients" for understanding how to read cosmetics and personal care product labels. This is something that often gets overlooked by people on a gluten-free diet.

I really didn't like...

The fact that there is a chapter named "G-Free and Slim As Can Be!" which sounds like the whole chapter is promoting the use of the gluten-free diet for weight loss. The chapter is actually not about that at all and points out that once people are on a gluten-free diet and are forced to read labels, they become aware of what they are putting into their bodies and generally become healthier eaters overall. The chapter is more about nutrition and awareness of food. There are only a few sentences that refer to the fact that people might try the diet to lose weight -- it's unfortunate that the title doesn't reflect the real content of the chapter.

I'm glad she included...

The foreword by Dr. Peter Green. Also, I'm glad that in the foreword, Dr. Green talks about non-celiac gluten sensitivity and states, "Those with gluten sensitivity in the absence of celiac disease have a great difficulty getting satisfaction from the medical community. Without an abnormal biopsy, there is difficulty among many physicians accepting such a diagnosis. I, however, regard the diagnosis as valid, providing that celiac disease is excluded." This is a different take than he had in the past when he referred to the gluten-free diet as unnecessary torture without a diagnosis of celiac disease. If you are a regular reader of my blog Sure Foods Living, you know by now that I think outside the celiac box, so I was glad to see that gluten intolerance has been acknowledged in the book by both Dr. Green and Elisabeth.

And in her last chapter, Elisabeth tackles the connection between Autism and the Gluten-Free Casein-Free (GFCF) Diet. I believe that she did it well, citing studies and quoting doctors to support the idea that a diet change could be beneficial for some autistic kids. She made the connection understandable and at the end of the chapter, points out (and I wholeheartedly agree) "If eliminating gluten and casein from your child's diet can even slightly reduce the severity of his ASD, why not talk to a physician who could help you make this change?"

Some picky notes (I couldn't just let these go!)...

Blue Cheese
Elisabeth recommends staying away from blue cheese, but there are many brands that are gluten-free. See the article "Is blue cheese gluten-free?" on Sure Foods Living for a list.

Glucose Syrup
Although it can be made from wheat, studies have shown that it is gluten-free. See the article "Is glucose syrup gluten-free?" on Sure Foods Living for more information.

Sticky Rice
The book says that the sticky rice in sushi might contain added gluten. I know a lot of you enjoy sushi, so don't freak out! The sticky rice (also called glutinous rice) does not contain gluten itself, despite its misleading name, and I have never heard of gluten being added to it. Things that are added to sticky rice are sugar, salt, rice wine and rice vinegar, all of which are gluten-free. There are other foods to watch out for when eating sushi (soy sauce, imitation crab, sauces, roe, miso, tempura, tea), but the sticky rice is not one of them!

Online Stores
I wasn't impressed with the online stores resource list in this book. I understand that websites and stores change a lot, but there were some basic "oopsies" that I found. In the middle of the book (p.74) she recommended a particular online store -- well, it's just someone's Amazon store! Also, in the resources list at the end of the book, she recommends another market whose domain name is for sale. Given that few resources were even listed, it seems like they should have been checked before going to print.

Overall...

I think this is a really good guide for someone who has just been diagnosed with celiac disease or is just starting a gluten-free diet, or even for those that have been on a gluten-free diet for a while but haven't completely mastered it yet. I am surprised I liked it so much. I may even start saying I am "G-Free!" Or maybe not.

Keywords:
gluten free
celiac
ian finn
amazon
gluten intolerance
poison
wheat free

Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook: More than 100 Easy and Delicious Recipes from the Gluten-Free Chef

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Amazon Review

Two things that really strike me about this book at first glance are: one, I have most of the ingredients used in the book in my pantry already and two, the recipes appear straight forward and as the title suggests, easy enough to prepare everyday. --Fire and Salt, May 22, 2009

In "Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook," Robert Landolphi includes more than 100 quick, easy recipes for soups, entrees, side dishes, desserts and even breads. What makes the cookbook most user-friendly, however, is its rundown of alternative flours and starches, and basic directions for how to combine them effectively in various recipes. --Honolulu Star Bulletin, May 20, 2009

Not having a lot of practice cooking gluten-free, the most valuable section in the book for me became Landolphi's chapter on "Gluten-Free Basics", which contains comprehensive information on the numerous flours, starches, nut meals and seeds that are used in gluten-free cooking. This section includes information on the taste, appearance, nutritional value and even storage guidelines of these ingredients and is very valuable to the less-experienced GF cook.

"The recipes in my Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook are the kinds of dishes that people who have celiac disease and are on a gluten-free diet thought they'd never be able to eat again," says Landolphi, a certified culinary arts instructor, chef, and culinary operations manager at UConn. "You don't have to give up the foods you love."

Customer Review
by A. Gentes (Pittsfield, MA)

I was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease and needed a good "every day" cookbook. I followed the reviews here, and I was not led astray. This is by far one of the best cookbooks I have ever owned! My husband (who is not GF) and I have been very impressed with every recipe we've made from this cookbook. The recipes are easy, the ingredients aren't hard to find (which is a big plus if you live in the boonies like we do), and the food you will make is far better than non-GF food (really!). I highly recommend it!

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Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide- Expanded and Revised Edition

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Amazon Review

Shelley Case has written the definitive gluten-free guide. The extensive research behind this book will benefit everyone who needs to be on a gluten-free diet. This is a MUST HAVE reference for every physician and patient who has to deal with gluten restriction in their life! --Dr. Michelle Pietzak, MD, Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California

This book contains a wealth of information useful for everyone interested in an accurate resource for the gluten-free diet. --Cynthia Kupper, RD, Executive Director, Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, Seattle, Washington

With increased awareness and consequently, the increase in the number of people diagnosed with celiac disease, clear guidelines on how to embrace a gluten-free diet are crucial. Shelley's new edition is timely and extremely welcome to educate 'newcomers' to the celiac community, as well as experienced members and health care professionals. --Dr. Alessio Fasano, MD, Director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, Baltimore, Maryland

Product Description

Here's what you'll find in the new Gluten Free Diet:

• Detailed food and ingredient information
• Latest breaking news on oats, including position statements from various organizations around the world, guidelines for use and references
• New food and GF labeling regulations in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Australia/NZ, as well as the international Codex Alimentarius
• Over 3100 gluten-free specialty products listed by company name, product name and package size
• Directory of more than 270 American, Canadian and international companies divided into 3 categories: manufacturers of GF products, GF bakeries and GF stores & distributors
• Nutrition information and practical strategies for healthy gluten-free living
• Creative ideas for meals and snacks
• Gluten-free cooking and recipes with nutritional analysis
• Prevention of cross-contamination
• Tips for eating out
• Resources- books, cookbooks, magazines, celiac groups around the world and more!

Customer Review
by Dina Aronson

Successfully following a gluten-free (GF) diet involves much more than just avoiding gluten. It is about getting optimal nutrition from healthful foods. And it is not all about GF breads and cookies, it's about eating a bounty of whole foods and incorporating healthful whole GF grains, using them in ways that maximize their nutritional benefits.

As a registered dietitian, I refer to Gluten Free Diet on a regular basis; I trust that the information is research-based, backed with science, and 100% reliable. It is the number-one resource on GF diets / GF living for myself and for my clients.

Shelley Case, a registered dietitian who herself follows the GF diet, is an international expert on celiac disease and the GF diet. The book not only covers the GF diet in detail, but common medical questions and issues that arise among folks suffering from celiac disease, or wondering if they might have it. From everyday concerns to more remote issues, all topics are covered in an easy-to-understand prose, complete with useful tables, appendices, and easy recipes.

The book gets updated regularly, so is up to speed on the more controversial issues such as oats (are they GF or not?), hidden sources of gluten in the diet, cross-contamination issues, limiting nutrients and where to find them, whether a "dedicated facility" is important or not and other labeling issues, and great resources for anyone needing support and information on going GF. One of the best sections of the book is Case's well-researched list of GF manufacturers/brands, bakeries, stores, distributors, and web-sites.

If you've been diagnosed with celiac disease or want to follow a gluten-free diet for any other reason, this is the only book you'll need.

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The Hunger Games

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Amazon Review

Starred Review. SignatureReviewed by Megan Whalen TurnerIf there really are only seven original plots in the world, it's odd that boy meets girl is always mentioned, and society goes bad and attacks the good guy never is. Yet we have Fahrenheit 451, The Giver, The House of the Scorpion—and now, following a long tradition of Brave New Worlds, The Hunger Games. Collins hasn't tied her future to a specific date, or weighted it down with too much finger wagging. Rather less 1984 and rather more Death Race 2000, hers is a gripping story set in a postapocalyptic world where a replacement for the United States demands a tribute from each of its territories: two children to be used as gladiators in a televised fight to the death.Katniss, from what was once Appalachia, offers to take the place of her sister in the Hunger Games, but after this ultimate sacrifice, she is entirely focused on survival at any cost. It is her teammate, Peeta, who recognizes the importance of holding on to one's humanity in such inhuman circumstances. It's a credit to Collins's skill at characterization that Katniss, like a new Theseus, is cold, calculating and still likable. She has the attributes to be a winner, where Peeta has the grace to be a good loser.It's no accident that these games are presented as pop culture. Every generation projects its fear: runaway science, communism, overpopulation, nuclear wars and, now, reality TV. The State of Panem—which needs to keep its tributaries subdued and its citizens complacent—may have created the Games, but mindless television is the real danger, the means by which society pacifies its citizens and punishes those who fail to conform. Will its connection to reality TV, ubiquitous today, date the book? It might, but for now, it makes this the right book at the right time. What happens if we choose entertainment over humanity? In Collins's world, we'll be obsessed with grooming, we'll talk funny, and all our sentences will end with the same rise as questions. When Katniss is sent to stylists to be made more telegenic before she competes, she stands naked in front of them, strangely unembarrassed. They're so unlike people that I'm no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet, she thinks. In order not to hate these creatures who are sending her to her death, she imagines them as pets. It isn't just the contestants who risk the loss of their humanity. It is all who watch.Katniss struggles to win not only the Games but the inherent contest for audience approval. Because this is the first book in a series, not everything is resolved, and what is left unanswered is the central question. Has she sacrificed too much? We know what she has given up to survive, but not whether the price was too high. Readers will wait eagerly to learn more.Megan Whalen Turner is the author of the Newbery Honor book The Thief and its sequels, The Queen of Attolia and The King of Attolia. The next book in the series will be published by Greenwillow in 2010.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Customer Review
by Michael A. Berh "mabehr" (New York, NY United States)

Wow. I was barely able to put this book down for a second after the first few pages got me completely hooked. Suzanne Collins narrative here has an immediacy to it that, when combined with the very dramatic life-or-death plot, is incredibly compelling. It's entertaining, and incredibly disturbing all at once. If this was merely a good read, I would have given it 4 stars, but they say great art leaves you changed after you experience it... and this book definitely did that. Suzanne Collins has, with one amazing work, propelled herself onto my top shelf.

Parents, caveat emptor! The storyline is brutal. Even though the writing is geared for young adults, the main characters are teenagers, there's very little physical romance, and the actual violence would probably count as PG-13 nowadays... it's probably one of the most terrifying books I've read in a very long time! Right up there with George R.R. Martin, if not more so. Remember what we learned from Jaws: you don't actually need to SEE the shark in order for it to be terrifying. Sometimes not seeing the shark is even worse.

The story is basically about a teenager who is forced to compete in a 24-man-enter-1-man-leaves event. I don't want to spoil it by saying any more, but if you liked The Running Man, you'll definitely like this. And if you're young enough that you don't remember The Running Man, nor did you get the Thunderdome reference, then I'm just way too old. But take an old fogey's advice and read this book.

Amazon, when can I preorder book 2???

Keywords:
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survival
the hunger games
post-apocalyptic
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science fiction

A Discovery of Witches: A Novel

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Amazon Review

It all begins with a lost manuscript, a reluctant witch, and 1,500-year-old vampire. Dr. Diana Bishop has a really good reason for refusing to do magic: she is a direct descendant of the first woman executed in the Salem Witch Trials, and her parents cautioned her be discreet about her talents before they were murdered, presumably for having "too much power." So it is purely by accident that Diana unlocks an enchanted long-lost manuscript (a book that all manner of supernatural creatures believe to hold the story of all origins and the secret of immortality) at the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and finds herself in a race to prevent an interspecies war. A sparkling debut written by a historian and self-proclaimed oenophile, A Discovery of Witches is heady mix of history and magic, mythology and love (cue the aforementioned vampire!), making for a luxurious, intoxicating, one-sitting read. --Daphne Durham

Customer Review
by Viviane Crystal (New York, USA)

This is not your ordinary story about witches, vampires and daemons!

Diana Bishop's famous ancestor was executed for being a witch. As a heart-rending consequence of Diana's parents' mysterious deaths, Diana has vowed she will live totally as a human, denying her identity as a witch with both usual and unusual powers. Dedicating her life to logic and ordinary living, she is now a history scholar doing research on alchemy texts in the Bodleian library at Oxford. Upon receiving a requested text called Ashmole 782, she realizes either the book is spellbound or there is something about this book that connects with her hidden witch powers. Add to that the reactions of suddenly appearing witches, vampires, and daemons whose animosity and threatening looks and words make Diana's wish for normalcy an illusion she can no longer ignore.

Into the midst of this reality arrives a handsome, extremely intelligent and old vampire, Matthew Clairmont, who is supposedly pursuing his own research as a geneticist. Initially disliking and avoiding his presence, Diana finally begins to realize he is protecting her from direct attack by the hordes of persons appearing daily in the library who are insisting she recall the text they are desperate to obtain. Then he begins to appear during her running and rowing exercises which seem to be the only way she can stop her natural abilities from emerging with perilous effects on herself as well as others.

Why is Matthew so attracted to Diana and what is behind the interest so many have in this mysterious text lost for centuries which has appeared and again disappeared after Diana's innocent unbinding of its pages? Finally, when several close calls with death frighten Diana into realizing her lack of control, she accepts shelter first with Matthew's vampire family in France and then with her own witch family in America.

A Discovery of Witches is so much more than just a supernatural story! Yes there are adventurous thrills for those who love the proverbial accounts of such creatures. But here is an intelligent consideration of the essence of origins, differences, genetic mating and consequences, shared powers defying definition and classification, versions of history holding secret and amazing phenomena, relationships of enmity forced to unite under common needs - both good and evil, the quintessential realities behind the search for the Philosopher's stone or alchemy, and so much more.

Add to that a sweet, dangerous romance all the more real because of what seems to be its doomed end, and herein is the perfect combination, preciously difficult to adequately encompass in any brief review. This tale is a smart, tense, provocative, and enchanting read you will not want to end and will be relishing long after the last page is turned. This reviewer is so looking forward to the sequel to this amazing novel which will be a best seller!!! Absolutely delightful and impossible to put down!

Keywords:
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vampire
magic
romance
history
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literary fiction
9 99 boycott
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Love You More: A Novel

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Amazon Review

WHO DO YOU LOVE?

One question, a split-second decision, and Brian Darby lies dead on the kitchen floor. His wife, state police trooper Tessa Leoni, claims to have shot him in self-defense, and bears the bruises to back up her tale. For veteran detective D. D. Warren it should be an open-and-shut case. But where is their six-year-old daughter?

AND HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO . . .

As the homicide investigation ratchets into a frantic statewide search for a missing child, D. D. Warren must partner with former lover Bobby Dodge to break through the blue wall of police brotherhood, seeking to understand the inner workings of a trooper’s mind while also unearthing family secrets. Would a trained police officer truly shoot her own husband? And would a mother harm her own child?

. . . TO SAVE HER?

For Tessa Leoni, the worst has not yet happened. She is walking a tightrope, with nowhere to turn, no one to trust, as the clock ticks down to a terrifying deadline. She has one goal in sight, and she will use every ounce of her training, every trick at her disposal, to do what must be done. No sacrifice is too great, no action unthinkable. A mother knows who she loves. And all others will be made to pay.

Love you more . . .

Customer Review
by Olga Bezhanova (Edwardsville, IL)

Lisa Gardner is one of my favorite authors, and I always await the release of her new book with great impatience. This wonderful writer never disappoints! In my opinion of a fan who has read every single one of her fascinating, very professionally written books, LOVE YOU MORE is definitely Gardner's best so far. She is at the height of her creative career, and I'm very excited to see how each new book is even better than the previous one.

LOVE YOU MORE features D.D.Warren, one of the most convincing protagonists of a mystery and suspense series I have ever encountered. D.D. is going through a complex stage in her personal life (don't worry, there will be no spoilers in this review.) Her inner turmoil makes the case of the trooper Tessa Leoni that she gets assigned touch her on a very personal level. If at first Trooper Leoni's case seems a clear-cut situation of spousal abuse turned violent, it soon becomes clear that things are a lot more complex that we might have believed initially. There were many points in the text where I thought, 'Oh, I know what happened!" only to realize that, yet again, I failed to guess completely where the novel was going.

Gardner's writing is great because it always draws you in from the very first pages. LOVE YOU MORE does not contain a single page that is either boring or redundant. Gardner is not one of those writers who pad there books with lots of boring, irrelevant details and descriptions in order to create a bulkier novel. Every word she writes matter. Every scene is to the point. Every character contributes something to the plot development. Gardner is also great at maintaining suspense from the first page to the last.

If you are still considering whether to read this book, my advice is to get it as soon as you can. You will not be sorry as you will enjoy it immensely.

Keywords:
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

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Amazon Review

From a single, abbreviated life grew a seemingly immortal line of cells that made some of the most crucial innovations in modern science possible. And from that same life, and those cells, Rebecca Skloot has fashioned in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks a fascinating and moving story of medicine and family, of how life is sustained in laboratories and in memory. Henrietta Lacks was a mother of five in Baltimore, a poor African American migrant from the tobacco farms of Virginia, who died from a cruelly aggressive cancer at the age of 30 in 1951. A sample of her cancerous tissue, taken without her knowledge or consent, as was the custom then, turned out to provide one of the holy grails of mid-century biology: human cells that could survive--even thrive--in the lab. Known as HeLa cells, their stunning potency gave scientists a building block for countless breakthroughs, beginning with the cure for polio. Meanwhile, Henrietta's family continued to live in poverty and frequently poor health, and their discovery decades later of her unknowing contribution--and her cells' strange survival--left them full of pride, anger, and suspicion. For a decade, Skloot doggedly but compassionately gathered the threads of these stories, slowly gaining the trust of the family while helping them learn the truth about Henrietta, and with their aid she tells a rich and haunting story that asks the questions, Who owns our bodies? And who carries our memories? --Tom Nissley

Customer Review
by E. Jacobs

Wow. This book should be required reading for scientists and students of life. The true story of Henrietta Lacks and her family has finally been told, beautifully, in this book. The book encompasses science, ethics, and the story of a family who was terribly wronged in the pursuit of scientific research. I could gush about this book for pages but I'll try first to hit the main points of why this book is so remarkable in list form for the sake of brevity:


1. The author clearly developed a strong relationship with the Lacks family, which was absolutely critical to ensuring the story was told accurately and with the respect to Henrietta Lacks that was so deeply deserved.

2. The storytelling is amazingly moving despite the need to convey a lot of scientific information. It reads like fiction.

3. Ms. Skloot's research into the science is impeccable.

4. The book is FAIR. It presents the unvarnished truth, obtained DIRECTLY from as many prinicpal people involved in the story as is humanly possible. It would have been easier to simplify the story into heroes vs. villians, but Ms. Skloot deftly handles all sides of the story.


For some detail: I have worked with HeLa cells in the past, but did not know even the barest information about the story of Henrietta Lacks until a few years ago. It simply was not common knowledge, until a few less ethical folks released her name and medical records to the public. This obviously should not have been done without the express permission of the Lacks family, which Ms. Skloot obtained. In the past, others have not been as ethical. The book covers Ms. Lacks' early life, how her cells came to be harvested, and what happened to both the cells and her family afterward.

The contributions of HeLa cells to science are absolutely staggering and cannot be over-stated. The sections where the science was described were clear and accurate. With the story of Ms. Lacks' family interwoven, this book was fairly close to perfect. I found myself moved to tears several times because of the fate of the Lacks family and Henrietta's daughter's indomitable spirit. I do not think anyone but Ms. Skloot could have written this book. She worked with the family for over a decade in order to get the story right. This was critical, as the family had been wronged too many times in the past.

Thank you for this astounding work of art. I will be donating to the Henrietta Lacks foundation in honor of the entire family, and I hope many others will read the book and be similarly moved.

Keywords:
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Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived

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Amazon Review

Review

“It isn’t easy to develop a biblical imagination that takes in the comprehensive and eternal work of Christ . . . Rob Bell goes a long way in helping us acquire just such an imagination--without a trace of soft sentimentality and without compromising an inch of evangelical conviction.” (Eugene H. Peterson, Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology, Regent College, and author of The Message and The Pastor )

“A bold, prophetic and poetic masterpiece. I don’t know any writer who expresses the inexpressible love of God as powerfully and as beautifully as Rob Bell! No one who seriously engages this book will put it down unchanged. A ‘must read’ book!” (Greg Boyd, senior pastor at Woodland Hills Church and author of The Myth of a Christian Nation )

“[Bell] is at his usual best here, casting fresh light on biblical truths, engaging readers with the compelling metaphor, turning the arresting phrase, and reminding all that the love of God is more powerful and sweeping than we can imagine.” (Christianity Today )

“One of the nation’s rock-star-popular young pastors, Rob Bell, has stuck a pitchfork in how Christians talk about damnation.” (USA Today )

“In Love Wins, Rob Bell tackles the old heaven-and-hell question and offers a courageous alternative answer. Thousands of readers will find freedom and hope and a new way of understanding the biblical story - from beginning to end.” (Brian D. McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity and Naked Spirituality )

Product Description

Millions of Christians have struggled with how to reconcile God's love and God's judgment: Has God created billions of people over thousands of years only to select a few to go to heaven and everyone else to suffer forever in hell? Is this acceptable to God? How is this "good news"?

Troubling questions—so troubling that many have lost their faith because of them. Others only whisper the questions to themselves, fearing or being taught that they might lose their faith and their church if they ask them out loud.

But what if these questions trouble us for good reason? What if the story of heaven and hell we have been taught is not, in fact, what the Bible teaches? What if what Jesus meant by heaven, hell, and salvation are very different from how we have come to understand them?

What if it is God who wants us to face these questions?

Author, pastor, and innovative teacher Rob Bell presents a deeply biblical vision for rediscovering a richer, grander, truer, and more spiritually satisfying way of understanding heaven, hell, God, Jesus, salvation, and repentance. The result is the discovery that the "good news" is much, much better than we ever imagined.

Love wins.

Customer Review
by George P. Wood (Springfield, MO)

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love questions and those who love answers.

Question-lovers focus on the ambiguity and uncertainty of belief. Reality is bigger and more complex than our theories about it. Consequently, we must be humble in the face of mystery, knowing how much we do not know.

Answer-lovers focus on the clarity and certainty of belief. Reality may slip the grasp of theory at the margins, but theory has a firm grip on reality at the center. So, we must act courageously in the world on the basis of what we do know.

Rob Bell loves questions. His critics love answers. This difference between them--a difference that is both temperamental and methodological--illuminates the controversy surrounding Bell's new book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived.

Bell asks, "Does God get what God wants?"--namely, "all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 2:4). He further asks, "Do we get what we want?" A "yes" answer to the first question makes you a universalist, that is, a person who believes that God both desires the salvation of all people and realizes that desire. A "yes" answer to the second question makes you a proponent of hell, that is, a person who believes that we can be separated from God for eternity.

A "yes" answer to both questions makes you Rob Bell, a hell-believing universalist.

If that description of Bell strikes you as an oxymoron, you are probably an answer-lover who longs for clarity and certainty. To you, belief in universalism and belief in hell form an incoherent set. Either/or but not both/and.

But Bell is a question-lover comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty. God will get what God wants. And we will get what we want. Either way, love wins. "If we want hell, if we want heaven, they are ours. That's how love works. It can't be forced, manipulated, or coerced. It always leaves room for the other to decide. God says yes, we can have what we want, because love wins."

Read that quote again. If we want heaven, love wins. If we want hell...love wins there too?

In my opinion, Bell can make that statement only by redefining hell. The Christian tradition--Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant--defines hell as the sentence of eternal punishment rendered by God against the unrighteous. One of the source passages for this definition is Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats. In that passage, Jesus teaches that he himself will separate the righteous and the unrighteous and render judgment. "Then they [the unrighteous] will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Bell thinks the tradition has misinterpreted Jesus' words in verse 46. There, Jesus contrasts two fates: kolasin ai'nion and z''n ai'nion. The standard English translation of these two phrases is "eternal punishment" and "eternal life," respectively, although the words everlasting and forever occasionally appear instead of eternal. According to Bell, the "word kolazo is a term from horticulture. It refers to the pruning and trimming of the branches of a plant so it can flourish." And ai'nion describes either "a period of time with a beginning and an end" or "a particular intensity of experience that transcends time" (emphasis in original). According to Bell, then "the phrase [kolasin ai'nion] can mean `a period of pruning' or `a time of trimming,' or an intense experience of correction."

If the tradition defines hell as eternal punishment, then Bell redefines it as temporal or particularly intense pruning. The former is ultimate and retributive. The latter is penultimate and remedial. What Bell says about the interplay of human sin and divine judgment in the Old Testament captures the gist of what he's saying about hell: "Failure, we see again and again, isn't final, judgment has a point, and consequences are for correction."

There are several problems with reasoning about hell in this way: First, Bell commits "the root fallacy" when he thinks the root-meaning of kolaz'/kolasin determines its meaning. In the New Testament, kolaz' and kolasin are translated as "punish" and "punishment" in the four instances where they are used (Acts 4:21, 2 Pet. 2:9; and Matt. 25:46, 1 John 4:18, respectively). The root-meaning in and of itself cannot determine whether that punishment is remedial (which is what Bell intends by "pruning" or "trimming") or retributive. Second, the word ai'nion must be translated the same way in both of its instances in Matthew 25:46. If hell is temporal, so is heaven. If hell is an intense experience that transcends time, so is heaven. Obviously, Bell desires to limit the duration of hell, but in doing so, he ends up limiting the duration of heaven at the same time. Third, the problem of citing the Old Testament interplay between human sin and divine judgment is that this interplay is corporate and historical. In other words, it applies to the nation (Israel) or city (Jerusalem), not every citizen or resident. And it applies to that corporate body's experience in this age, not necessarily in the age to come.

Bell doesn't draw a sharp distinction between this age and the age to come. He argues--correctly, forcefully, and with great insight--that they overlap in the present age. (He also argues--again, correctly, forcefully, and with great insight--that our eschatology should shape our ethics.) Theologians describe the overlap as inaugurated eschatology. In other words, through his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ inaugurates "the age to come" in the midst of "this age." In terms of heaven, this means that we can begin to experience "eternal life" right here and right now. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come," Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "The old has gone, the new is here!" But inaugurated eschatology also applies in terms of hell. Romans 1:18 says, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people." And 2:5 adds, "because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." According to these verses, right now, we begin to experience either "eternal life" and "new creation" or "wrath" and "judgment."

The New Testament teaches inaugurated eschatology, but it also teaches consummated eschatology. If the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ inaugurates, his second coming consummates. Consider, again, Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats, which begins this way: "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him..." (Matt. 25:31). Or 1 Corinthians 15:51-52: "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
Or Revelation 19:11: "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war." In these passages, and in many others, Christ's return marks a definitive turning point in the relationship between God and his creatures. In the words of the Nicene Creed, "He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead."

For Bell, there does not seem to be a definitive turning point, a crisis moment where destinies are finalized. Hell, especially, is temporal and remedial. How long one spends there depends on how long one resists God's love. "Hell is our refusal to trust God's retelling of our story." Bell draws attention to Revelation 21:25, which says of the New Jerusalem: "On no day will its gates ever be shut." Then he writes: "That's a small detail, and its' important we don't get too hung up on details and specific images because it's possible to treat something so literally that it becomes less true in the process. But gates, gates are for keeping people in and keeping people out. If the gates are never shut, then people are free to come and go." Bell sees this as an image of hope. Those who have chosen hell can choose heaven. Logically, though, the image contains a note of despair, for what stops a person who has chosen heaven from choosing hell? Absent the precipitating event of Christ's second coming and the final judgment, it seems to me that life as Rob Bell portrays it will always be an ongoing struggle between heaven and hell, with no guarantee of a final resolution.

And if that's the case, in what sense does love actually win?

Keywords:
rob bell
christianity
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The 17 Day Diet: A Doctor's Plan Designed for Rapid Results

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Amazon Review

“We’ve all pledged, promised and bullied ourselves to eat better and exercise more, but so many times even the best intentions fall short. I incorporate healthy habits into my work and home life and you can too.” –Dr. Mike Moreno

If you need to shed pounds fast and in a safe, effective, and lasting way, this is the book for you! Unlike many diet programs that starve you down to size, Dr. Mike Moreno’s 17 Day Diet relies on proven methods to help you take weight off and keep it off for good—whether you’ve got 10 pounds to lose or 100. His revolutionary program adjusts your body metabolically so that you burn fat day in and day out. The program is structured around four 17 day cycles:

Accelerate—the rapid weight loss portion that helps flush sugar and fat storage from your system

Activate—the metabolic restart portion with alternating low and high calorie days to help shed body fat

Achieve—this phase is about learning to control portions and introducing new fitness routines

Arrive—a combination of the first three cycles to keep good habits up for good. On weekends, enjoy your favorite foods!

Each cycle changes your calorie count and the food that you’re eating. The variation that Dr. Mike calls ‘body confusion’ keeps your metabolism guessing; this means that you can expect big changes in the first 17 days alone!

This is not a diet that relies on a tiny list of approved foods, grueling exercise routines, or unrealistic calorie counts that leave you hungry and unfulfilled. Moderation and proper portions are key factors in the 17 Day Diet—the trick is to figure out the foods and routines that work best with your real lifestyle. That’s why the book is filled with tips for how to avoid the usual food pitfalls like holidays, eating out, or even just a tempting candy jar. Along with a comprehensive explanation of how each segment works, every phase comes with an extensive list of foods, recipes, and sample meal plans to help make grocery shopping a breeze. Because of the diversity that you are allowed from the very beginning of the program, there is a way to make this diet work with almost any food allergies you might have or what cuisine you’re used to eating.

The 17 Day Diet is a simple plan that gets big, long-lasting results if you stick with it and let Dr. Mike help you along the way. Whether this is your first attempt at dieting or your fiftieth, you must believe that you can do this. What matters now is focusing on your goals, identifying what you need to get there, and taking action to begin the process. Your health and happiness are important, so stand strong, believe in yourself, and let your 17 Day Diet begin now!

Dr. Michael Rafael Moreno, better known as “Dr. Mike,” is a graduate of the University of California at Irvine and Hahnemann Medical School (now Drexel University). Following his residency at Kaiser Permanente in Fontana, California, Dr. Mike moved to San Diego, where he now practices family medicine and sits on the board of the San Diego Chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians. In 2008, Dr. Mike launched “Walk with Your Doc,” which he participates in every Tuesday and Thursday morning before his workday begins. The program began when Dr. Mike offered to walk with a patient to motivate her to exercise and has since grown into a thriving community Dr. Mike takes pride in being viewed not only as a doctor, but also as a friend and confidant.

Customer Review
by Chevypower

1. I won't get sick of this diet. (I'm certainly not) - though I admit at times I want chocolate or ice-cream or something, but the author promises by stage 4, I can have some of my treats again on occasion.
2. I won't be left hungry. (this is very true)
3. I will lose 1-2 pounds a day immediately: very true, and I will elaborate.

I'm a 5'8'' male, age 31. The last couple of years I crept up over the 200 lb mark, and I really feel I should be around 160. I weighed in at the doctors office two weeks ago at 212lb! The book had arrived, we (my wife and I) were just going to enjoy Christmas and New Years Eve without being on the diet.
I have weighed myself every day (except the first day) of the diet, at the same time, before breakfast for consistent results.
Day 2, I weighed in at 204-point-something. I feel it is right for me to assume I was AT LEAST 206 on day one - though I wish I had weighed in for accuracy.
I am writing this at work, and my results are at home, but every day showed a weight loss, most days were at least one pound. There were two days of just under a pound.
Today is Day 8, and I weighed in at 196.4.
The book instructs to do 17 minutes of walking per day (or the workout video). We have missed about 3 days of doing this - and still got good results. I'm sure they would be better if I did it every day. But the fact is, 50% of those people at the gym right now going every day, won't even be there in February! I also haven't tried green tea as was strongly suggested in the book.

Look, the book works - anyone who says it's a scam hasn't even bought the book, let alone tried to follow the instructions in it. Probably looking for an excuse to keep drinking 44oz sodas, and eat fast food every day. Tell yourself it's a scam so you don't feel so bad about not dieting. Maybe they are trying to sell their own diet plan and jealous this one is getting so much attention- either way, if you are serious about losing weight, and keeping it down with a long term strategy, starting right now, this book is for you. If you are looking for dramatic results immediately, maybe do the HCG diet for a month and then move on to this one straight away.

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Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

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Amazon Review

Moonwalking with Einstein follows Joshua Foer's compelling journey as a participant in the U.S. Memory Championship. As a science journalist covering the competition, Foer became captivated by the secrets of the competitors, like how the current world memory champion, Ben Pridmore, could memorize the exact order of 1,528 digits in an hour. He met with individuals whose memories are truly unique—from one man whose memory only extends back to his most recent thought, to another who can memorize complex mathematical formulas without knowing any math. Brains remember visual imagery but have a harder time with other information, like lists, and so with the help of experts, Foer learned how to transform the kinds of memories he forgot into the kind his brain remembered naturally. The techniques he mastered made it easier to remember information, and Foer's story demonstrates that the tricks of the masters are accessible to anyone.
--Miriam Landis

Customer Review
by K. Corn "reviewer" (midwest, United States)

Whether you have memory problems (can't recall the name of someone you met a week ago?) or not, you're likely to improve your memory after reading this book. Even if you don't - but odds are you will - it makes for fascinating reading.

It definitely was a major aid for me and I do think of it as a unique "self help" book, one that can have immediate results, helping to make life easier, alleviate tricky memory issues and more. I think it is important to disclose that I'm a Baby Boomer and my memory seems to have worsened with age. I used to recall the name of nearly everyone I met as well as both major and minor actors and actresses, all of my teachers (from kindergarten through high school) as well as the first and last names of every one of my high school classmates. I could recall even tiny details of books read long ago.

But Moonwalking with Einstein goes far beyond remembering the names of acqaintances. It can help make your daily life easier, aiding you when you try to find lost items - or keep them from getting lost in the first place- and actually train you to find ways to improve your memory.

For added fun, the author includes examples of people who have amazing abilities to recall things. I wondered if at least one of them could give Vegas a run for its money or even be banned from casinos. Although I don't plan to test my abilities in Vegas, I have been practicing in casual card games, with gratifying results. The surprised looks from friends and family members was worth the cost of the book.

I'd strongly recommend you give this one a try. The techniques can even be fun for a whole family to share - and test -together. And c'mon...how can you pass up a book which explores "the art and science of remembering everything"?

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Sing You Home: A Novel

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Amazon Review

Popular author Picoult tackles the controversial topic of gay rights in her latest powerful tale. When music therapist Zoe Baxter’s latest pregnancy ends in a stillbirth, her husband Max decides he can’t handle any more heartbreak and leaves her. As she picks up the pieces of her life, Zoe is surprised to find herself falling for a school counselor who happens to be a woman. While Zoe is finding happiness with Vanessa, Max falls off the wagon and is helped by a pastor from his brother’s evangelical church. Vanessa and Zoe wed in Massachusetts, and Vanessa offers to carry one of the fertilized embryos Zoe and Max stored. Excited by the prospect of being a mother, Zoe goes to Max to get him to release the embryos to her and is shocked when he instead sues her for custody of them, backed by his church. Told from the perspectives of all three major characters, Picoult’s gripping novel explores all sides of the hot-button issue and offers a CD of folk songs that reflect Zoe’s feelings throughout the novel. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The always topical Picoult plans a multimedia tour to more than two dozen cities with Ellen Wilber, who will perform the songs she and Picoult wrote together. --Kristine Huntley

Customer Review
by Eclectic Booklover (US)

Jodi Picoult is one author well known for writing about controversial issues. Her latest novel, Sing You Home, is sure to evoke strong emotions among some of her readers. The novel encompasses such diverse issues as, gay rights, evangelical Christian beliefs, in vitro fertilization, suicidal teens, divorce, discrimination and even music therapy. The essence of the story is told in alternating chapters from the points of view of three primary characters.

Zoe Baxter, has longed to be a mother. She's approaching 40 years of age, has been married to Max for nearly 10 years, and the couple has been unsuccessful at bringing a child of their own into the world. Zoe has had several miscarriages, and her last pregnancy resulted in a stillborn birth. After undergoing IVF (in vitro fertilization), spending thousands of dollars, and experiencing one disappointment after another, Zoe still has not given up hope. Her husband Max, on the other hand, is through.

Max is a recovering alcoholic. He cannot endure the thought of more attempts at conception, and he wants out. Max files for divorce and he slowly slides back into drinking once again. When he is involved in an automobile crash while under the influence, he soon realizes he needs to change his life. He moves in with his brother Reid and his wife. Reid suggests that he come to their church, The Eternal Glory Church, and listen to their pastor, Clive Lincoln speak. The pastor happens to be a radical fundamentalist with an anti-gay agenda.

Meanwhile, Zoe throws her emotionally wounded self into her work as a Music Therapist, working with hard to reach individuals. She is asked by Vanessa, a school counselor, to work with a suicidal teen girl. Zoe agrees, and before long a relationship which began as colleagues then friends, develops into romantic love.

The couple, from Rhode Island, get married in Massachusetts, where gay marriage is legal, since Rhode Island does not yet recognize such unions. The lesbian couple, very much in love, wish to complete their union by having a family. Zoe tells Vanessa about the fertilized embryos which she and Max have stored, and Vanessa is more than willing to try to become pregnant using these embryos so that the couple can experience parenthood.

Unfortunately when Zoe approaches Max, now born again Christian, he is vehemently opposed to the idea and a vicious court battle ensues, over who has rights to the embryos when a couple divorces.

MY THOUGHTS - Having read all of Picoult's novels, this one --her 18th, is probably her most controversial yet. The author presents a powerful story about what constitutes a family, and why committed gay couples should be seen no differently from straight couples when it comes to marriage and raising a family. It is a timely story told in voices that are real and heartfelt. The message is one of acceptance and tolerance, and it is certainly a story which will provide for lively discussion among readers and book clubs everywhere. Included with this book was a music cd which includes (10) soundtracks inspired by Zoe's work as a music therapist, and the songs are reflective of her feelings throughout the novel. The lyrics were written by Picoult, and the music was sung by Ellen Wilbur -- the music was lovely. I cannot recommend this book highly enough -- a must read.

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