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The largely blue collar citizens of Kansas can be counted upon to be a "red" state in any election, voting solidly Republican and possessing a deep animosity toward the left. This, according to author Thomas Frank, is a pretty self-defeating phenomenon, given that the policies of the Republican Party benefit the wealthy and powerful at the great expense of the average worker. According to Frank, the conservative establishment has tricked Kansans, playing up the emotional touchstones of conservatism and perpetuating a sense of a vast liberal empire out to crush traditional values while barely ever discussing the Republicans' actual economic policies and what they mean to the working class. Thus the pro-life Kansas factory worker who listens to Rush Limbaugh will repeatedly vote for the party that is less likely to protect his safety, less likely to protect his job, and less likely to benefit him economically. To much of America, Kansas is an abstract, "where Dorothy wants to return. Where Superman grew up." But Frank, a native Kansan, separates reality from myth in What's the Matter with Kansas and tells the state's socio-political history from its early days as a hotbed of leftist activism to a state so entrenched in conservatism that the only political division remaining is between the moderate and more-extreme right wings of the same party. Frank, the founding editor of The Baffler and a contributor to Harper's and The Nation, knows the state and its people. He even includes his own history as a young conservative idealist turned disenchanted college Republican, and his first-hand experience, combined with a sharp wit and thorough reasoning, makes his book more credible than the elites of either the left and right who claim to understand Kansas. --John Moe
Book Description
With a New Afterword by the Author
The New York Times bestseller, praised as "hilariously funny . . . the only way to understand why so many Americans have decided to vote against their own economic and political interests" (Molly Ivins)
Hailed as "dazzlingly insightful and wonderfully sardonic" (Chicago Tribune), "very funny and very painful" (San Francisco Chronicle), and "in a different league from most political books" (The New York Observer), What's the Matter with Kansas? unravels the great political mystery of our day: Why do so many Americans vote against their economic and social interests? With his acclaimed wit and acuity, Thomas Frank answers the riddle by examining his home state, Kansas-a place once famous for its radicalism that now ranks among the nation's most eager participants in the culture wars. Charting what he calls the "thirty-year backlash"-the popular revolt against a supposedly liberal establishment-Frank reveals how conservatism, once a marker of class privilege, became the creed of millions of ordinary Americans.
A brilliant analysis-and funny to boot-What's the Matter with Kansas? is a vivid portrait of an upside-down world where blue-collar patriots recite the Pledge while they strangle their life chances; where small farmers cast their votes for a Wall Street order that will eventually push them off their land; and where a group of frat boys, lawyers, and CEOs has managed to convince the country that it speaks on behalf of the People.
Customer Reviews:
don't have to read the book.......2007-10-09
I don't care what state you live in, a democratic agenda (modern) is the most economically disadvantaged direction you can choose anywhere in the USA. Therefore I do not need to read the book to know that even with the sad state of the republican party today, it is preferable to the democratic party. However i plan on reading this book to understand what can possibly make the author write such a book directed at a state. (know your enemy)
don't waste your money.......2007-09-20
Do not buy this book. I came prepared to love it, I was really looking forward to an insightful, informed, inside view of this remarkable political 180 of our times. That is simply not this book. It may be well researched, but it is so poorly written that it is nearly impossible to find out. Negative, back-biting, harsh, judgemental, bad-mouthing, blame-the-other-guy psuedo "politics" IF you can call it "policits". Politically themed finger pointing is more like it.
The Land of Oz.......2007-09-15
The author writes a somewhat satirical look at middle America 's political affliations. He has two major thesis. The first being that by the Democrats trying to copy Republicans-and money interests have turned their backs on blue collar workers. These workers have only the social issues to make their political choices. The second part of the thesis ,is that the money interests of the backlash movement (as he calls conservative Republicans) have just payed lip service to ending abortion and gay marriage etc.
So the effect of this is to have a reverse French Revolution in which the common man votes Republican and against his/her economic interests. So farming communities shrivel up,unions die,people go without health care.
Frank a native Kansan explores with humor and interviews peeople of the backlash movement.He bemoans the fact that populism -a left wing philospohy born in the mid west is dead. William Jennings Bryan a fundamentalist Christion was a liberal Democratic Senator from Nebraska.He explores this transformation and his diagnosis would make Clinton supportors and free market libertarians both angry. Since he offend both ends of the sprecta his observations should be taken seriously.
Certainly their are flaws in his thesis. if the Republican party is only paying lip service to social issues ,why are Democrats so afraid of their Supreme Court picks. If Clinton was in the pay of moneyied interests why was the right so moblized against Hillary's health care plan ?
This is a provacative book that explains Red and White state differences and the psycholgy of political self delusion (Blue collar people voting for big moneu interests)
thought-provoking, albeit hackneyed, look at America's Third Estate.......2007-08-02
Looking at Kansas today, it seems hard to believe that the archetypal American Heartland was once a hotbed of left-wing populism. "What's the Matter With Kansas?" shows us a bizarre socio-political landscape where a rural-suburban proletariat ardently defends corporate privilege in hopes that there will be an abortion ban or flag-burning amendment in it for them somewhere down the line.
Given Thomas Frank is a native Kansan, the detached tone he takes in his survey is disappointing. At many points, he comes across as preachy and high-minded to the point that you almost understand why the people of Kansas are so wary of "liberal elites". Rather than focusing on the lack of corporate accountability and excess that bring about the layoffs and cutbacks that hurt working class Americans, Frank takes swings at NAFTA and the many other trade policies that helped make the economic salad years of the 1990s possible.
While it becomes clear that in many cases the white Protestant gun-owning Average Joe is making a mistake when he votes Republican, Frank makes a grave mistake when he turns his nose up at the social and religious values this stratum of society holds so dear. He overlooks the fact that liberals are guilty of this same indulgence of principles. If it's so irrational for a churchgoing factory worker in Kansas to vote for a Republican corporate shill in order to protect his Second Amendment rights, why does it make any more sense for a Harvard-educated six-figure-earning professional to vote Democratic and have his taxes hiked up for the sake of protecting the Roe v. Wade decision?
Frank also overlooks the fact that Kansas was reliably Republican for years before the conservative backlash of the 1980s. Kansas was a Red State back when the GOP was still the party of Dwight Eisenhower, Nelson Rockefeller and Gerald Ford (and the people who would eventually make up the neo-conservative Republican coalition were still Conservative Democrats).
As a moderate Republican who happens to support affordable higher education, I was particularly offended by Frank's portrayal of Kansas' "Mod Squad" as arrogant corporatists. All in all, Thomas Frank has raised a lot of important questions, but his survey of the state he grew up in seems sadly detached and out-of-touch.
Well-written, entertaining but fails to live up to the title.......2007-07-08
Thomas Frank stated purpose is to tell how Conservative won the hearts of the working class, the middle class and the rich all at the same time. His answer is that rich, Republican elites throw up red herring issues (abortion and gay marriage are two that he mentions frequently) that bamboozle the working poor and the middle class into supporting them and their greater cause of Free Market Capitalism and International Free Trade even though Capitalism and treaties such as NAFTA inevitably beat the little guy into a pulp (his thought, not mine).
Yep. That's about it, although Mr. Frank says it much better than I just did. He also never goes into detail about why Capitalism and Free Trade are both evil (he just assumes you agree, I suppose), although he is very critical of Bill Clinton for supporting NAFTA throughout the book. Big business, especially Wal-Mart, are also to blame for de-populating the Kansas countryside. Apparantly, Wal-Mart has some larger agenda in which they plan to drive their customers away from the stores they build in the country...
Seriously, the book would have been helped by further explanation as to why Mr. Frank is such an opponent of Capitalism. He has another book on just that subject, according to a tiny bit of research on my part. It might be a help if readers read that book first, especially in light of Mr. Frank's view that all politics is based in economics: "Most of us think of politics as a Machiavellian drama in which actors make alliances and take practical steps to advance their material interests." (p. 121)
Mr. Frank's fails to properly tell us "How conservatives wone the heart of America" because he does not really believe, deep down, that people will vote in ways that he sees that are economically disadvantageous (Free Trade, etc.) unless they are tricked into doing so. People really believing in other issues and voting for them are foreign to his way of thinking.
This teacher gives it a C-. Thomas Frank really fails to adaquately address the thesis of the book, as expressed by the title. Interesting readiing, nonetheless.
Book Description
"Beattie understands being overboard, which helps her throw best-selling lifelines to those still adrift." ----TIME Since the publication of Melody Beattie's groundbreaking book Codependent No More, millions of people have confronted the demons of codependency. And yet, many in recovery find themselves slipping back into the old ways that brought them such grief. In her newest book, Beattie helps readers understand what drives them back into the grasp of controlling behavior and victimhood--and what it takes to pull themselves out, to return to the healing, faith, and maturity that come with a commitment to recovery. Personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders show readers how to stop acting out their painful obsessions. Marked by compassion and keen insight, Playing It by Heart explores the author's most intense personal lessons and shows readers that, despite setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth. In her many best-selling books, including Stop Being Mean to Yourself, Codependent No More, and The Language of Letting Go, Melody Beattie draws on the wisdom of Twelve Step healing, Christianity, and Eastern religions. Click here to read a one-to-one conversation with the beloved author of Codependent No More, The Language of Letting Go book and journal, Playing It by Heart, and 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring Real-life Story.......2004-10-04
It is amazing to read Melody Beattie's life story of her battle with addiction and destructive behaviors. She leads by example showing what she did to overcome her problems. I was truely amazed by what she went through. This is a wonderful Real life story for anyone struggling with addictions to read.
Prostitution, drugs, to fame in codependency research.......2004-01-21
Wow. When a friend lent me a copy of this book, I had to buy myself one. This is such a terrific addition to literature and I am so enlightened to have read it. I read Codependent No More over and over with a 1980s copy, and I never would have guessed what Ms. Beattie went through to get where she's at today. Prostitution so she could get drugs, rape from drugged stupors, her arm being photographed with all its needle marks and used to show school children the horrors of drug use -- the clinicians certainly never thought she'd amount to anything, but she learned codependency is the root of all addiction.
A wonderful read. It will make you cry! It did me. A lot of people, men and women, will see themselves in her story. It really makes a person appreciate how she knows so much about codependency and is such an authority. Personal experience, that's what she has to share. I love her meditation books, too. Such an inspiration and used in Codependents Anonymous meetings everywhere. Her books should be a must-read for high school students. She can help people before it's too late.
Her humor in the book is especially wonderful because with all she went through, it makes one wonder what she could find to laugh about, and her humor just further brings home what an astounding woman Ms. Beattie is!
An incredible story.......2001-08-29
Melody Beattie has a life story that I would never have imagined from Codependent No More. She has a powerful insight into how and why things happen and Playing It by Heart shows how she has truly "been there." This book was impossible to put down. It is one I would sincerely recommend to anyone who struggles with life, especially when addictions are involved. Her story was very encouraging and I am very glad to have found this book.
Inspiring anecdotes and prescriptive reminders.......2001-07-04
In Playing It By Heart: Taking Care Of Yourself No Matter What, Melody Beattie (author of Codependent No More) addresses the issues involved with why people who have struggled so hard to shake off controlling dysfunctional behaviors and victimhood fall back into self-destructive, self-diminishing situations and relationships. Through the use of personal essays, inspiring anecdotes, and prescriptive reminders, Beattie reveals how to stop acting out painful obsessions and shows that despite occasional setbacks, recovery is a lifelong opportunity for spiritual growth and a co-dependency free, gratifying, enjoyable life of accomplishments and relationships. Highly recommended for personal self-help, self-improvement reading lists and community library reference collections.
Too much history. Where's the advice?.......2001-06-05
I learned more than I wanted to about Melody's abused childhood and her life as a junkie. She goes into great detail about the crimes she committed and the miserable effects of her addiction. After painting such strong, striking, emotion-filled pictures time after time I expected her to draw some conclusions and parallels that I could use. No such luck. This is a long, tiring autobiography of a painful life, not a source for new elightenment.
Book Description
At last—a powerful companion volume to A Woman After God’s Own Heart® by Elizabeth George (400,000 copies sold).
Many Christian men want to be a man after God’s own heart...but how do they become one? Author Jim George shows that a heartfelt desire to grow spiritually is all that’s needed. God’s grace does the rest—bringing lasting change to a man’s:
Marriage—leading, loving, and protecting his wife God’s way
Work—cultivating attitudes and actions that make a difference
Witness—putting God on display in his life and words
This book will help men realize the tremendous joy and confidence that comes from pursuing God in every area of their lives.
Customer Reviews:
Refreshing.......2007-06-20
Hi everyone! I actually bought the woman and male version of this text and I gave one to my fiance. I didn't even want to let go of the male version....it was written as well as the female version. I agree with earlier comments...the book is a delicate read and if you are a new born to the christian life you need a word that is inviting, warm with an air of simplicity. I just received a text from my man...he said he loves the book. Ladies by the book for a man that you love...who you know is trying to be a better man.
Christian Man.......2007-02-23
We are using this book in our men's Monday fellowship. We just started but it is a very easy read, short chapters that get straight to the point. Just the way men like it...
being a more Godly man.......2007-01-09
This wonderful book is wholly convicting and gets straight to the heart of the matter. If you have had inklings that you wanted to be a man after God's own heart, but haven't quite been able to get there, this book will lead you in the right direction. I stongly encourage any man who struggles with the day to day life of fatherhood, his world at work, and being a husband to read this book.
Good Christian Advice.......2006-11-23
After having read "A Woman After God's Own Heart", I wanted to read "A Man After God's Own Heart" (even though I am not a man). I loved the "Woman" book so much, I wanted to see what the "Man" book had to say. It told about what a man's priorities should be, using biblical passages for backup.
Even though I am not going to give a lengthy review, I will say that the book told about the important things in a man's life, such as caring for and supporting his wife, spending quality time with his children, etc.
One of my favorite parts of the book: when the author and his wife had small children, they paid a babysitter for 2 hours and had their weekly date across the street at a fast-food restaurant (only drank coffee). That tells you what his priorities were. Instead of saying "I can't afford a date", they made sure they had their date, even though they only had coffee. That precious, quality time was important. That really touched me.
I want to say one thing about Going Fishing. I know the author meant well about it, and that his point was that you are to put God first before fishing and anything else, which I totally agree. So this is not a complaint, and it is not going to take a Star away from my review. I just want to put in my feelings about Going Fishing. When I go fishing, I don't feel as though I am taking time away from God. I feel that the Creek Bank is God's Country, and I actually feel closer to God at the Creek Bank than inside a stuffy house. Reading my Bible on the Creek Bank is wonderful and refreshing.
This book was wonderful. It does not talk about abusing or controlling your wife. Instead, it talks about tenderly taking care of her, and the children. But most of all, putting God first.
An Insightful Look at a Man's Responsibilities.......2003-05-28
My wife is an huge fan of Liz George's popular books for woman. They have helped her spiritual life more than any other woman's books.
Jim George's book is no disapointment. As a bible teacher and scholar, he delivers a warm, easy-going, conversational manual for man seeking to glorify God with their lives.
The book is divided into easy-to-read chapters. He covers all the areas of a man's life and offers a gentle, but firm call for men everywhere to stand up and be counted in the spiritual battle.
A Man After God's Own Heart makes a great devotional read. I read a chapter a day for a month or so and it really helped me. I was challenged to be a better husband and a godly witness.
This is a great read and would make a great gift for the man in your life. It's not hard to read and it doesn't bog down with theological minutia. Jim George is talking to you man to man.
Men, pick up this book and read through it. Woman, get this book for your husbands. It's a great, great read.
Book Description
ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian has spent over twenty-five years covering almost 3,000 Major League Baseball games and interviewing about that many players, coaches, managers and executives.
In Is This a Great Game, or What?, Kurkjian combines his years of experience, uncanny knowledge and deep love of the game, to create a book filled with some of the most fascinating insight into Major League Baseball this side of Jim Bouton's bestseller, Ball Four. Whether he’s explaining what goes through a ballplayer’s mind when he faces a fastball in the chapter "My Face Was Crushed by a Bowling Ball Going 90mph", detailing bizarre rituals and superstitions performed by some of baseball's greatest players, or taking us into the locker room to see what transpires in the clubhouse of a Major League team, Kurkjian’s tales are at times hilarious, other times horrifying, yet always entertaining.
Kurkjian has spoken to some of the greatest ballplayers ever over the years and they have revealed details about themselves and the game they love with a candor that readers won't find anywhere else. Filled with anecdotes and fascinating insight, this is an essential book for baseball fans or anyone curious about America’s pastime.
Customer Reviews:
It's that good. By a mile........2007-09-06
This is the best baseball book I've read in a long, long time.
With this slim volume (it could have been twice as long and I still wouldn't have had enough...) Tim Kurkjian vaults ahead of his peers to become one of the pre-eminent baseball writers alive today.
His elegant yet conversational style comes across beautifully on the printed page. It is so easy to read, yet many of his descriptions or turns-of-phrase are nicely constructed, poetic and hilarious.
His arguments...baseball fans LIVE for arguments...are so concise yet clear-cut, that I will tell you there is no question who's a better baseball player, Ruth or Bonds. It may be obvious to you, yet Kurkjian's theorem is iron-clad, and funny as all get out.
The theoretical question as to how many baseballs would an average person hit off the average professional pitcher...the answer, unequivocally, is zero...is answered SO unequivocally that it's brilliant in its' brevity and wit.
There are great lines and great stories on each and every page of this book. I was actually sad when it was done.
I will buy every single baseball book Mr. Kurkjian writes, for the rest of his career, based on this one book.
It's that good. By a mile.
Tim -- You've Got to Get a Life.......2007-08-12
If you are a baseball fanatic than this is your book. Tim loads on baseball stats, funny annedotes, provides an intriguing look into some of the characters of this great game, a little baseball history and a look at some of the aspects of the game that goes unnoticed. I found this book very enjoyable and easy to read. If you love baseball and are tired of biographies or "how to" books, then I highly recommend this book. Tim Kurkijian is a great writer (and very insightful on TV). The most surprising part about Tim is that he's still married. I suppose I am most envious of his ability to make a living at something he is most passionate about. Tim -- when is volume two coming out???
I loved the book.......2007-08-09
I really enjoyed reading this book. So much interesting and special things that those, like me, that love baseball really enjoy. When is the next book comming out?
Wonderful.......2007-08-06
About: Kurkjian relates interesting stories and facts from his career as a baseball writer
Pros: Funny, great look at the stories and people in baseball you might not hear about, also includes stuff he doesn't like about baseball.
Cons: He seems to like Cal Ripkin, Jr. a whole lot. Not that I can blame him, but I noticed Cal came up lots.
Grade: A
Worst Editing Ever!.......2007-08-06
I was prepared to love this book, and I must admit that I do like hearing the inside stories. But when I came across the Tippy Martinez story about picking off the side, I immediately shouted out to my wife, "There is no way that happened in 1978." I drove myself to that game, and I am quite sure I did not do that when I was 12 years old. He also left out the best parts, that in addition to Sakata behind the plate, Gary Roenicke and John Lowenstein were playing infield.
But the errors don't stop there. There are numerous missing words in sentences, poor grammar, and other typos that clearly should have been fixed by any type of editor, one without even any knowledge of sports.
I was left to wonder how many of the other stories in the book are just plain wrong. I wasn't in the stands for every game in his book, and the one I was there for, he got completely wrong. Cal Ripken was playing shortstop in that game, THE WHOLE GAME, and he clearly wasn't on the Orioles roster in 1978.
Average customer rating:
- Sadly misguided
- Scientific , useful, and readable
- Not one that will you'll skip over and leave "un-read."
- Challenge your thinking about doing therapy
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The Heart & Soul of Change: What Works in Therapy
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ASIN: 155798557X |
Customer Reviews:
Sadly misguided.......2007-07-22
It is wonderful that the authors are taking on a topic of real importance in the psychotherapy field. What is much less impressive is their approach, which basically harkens back to 30 years ago in the field of therapy research. The authors search for common factors in therapy (which is fine), but at the expense of recognizing the enormous value that evidence-based therapy models play. There is a reason that evidence-based models have taken the field by storm-- that is because they consistently outperform "treatment as usual" which is what most clinicians practice (i.e., making it up on the spot, depending on their whims and biases). The authors take a highly one-sided approach-- not valuing the enormous strides that have been made in the field by evidence-based treatments, and the advent of the empirical testing of them.
Scientific , useful, and readable.......2001-07-19
Based on the strong literature review, professionals in the human services field may well see an improvement in their clinical outcomes if they follow the suggestions in this book.
Not one that will you'll skip over and leave "un-read.".......2001-01-05
I found this text to be of great help. The contributing chapters and the topics covered are fantastic. The authors take therapy constructs that have always been detailed in writing styles far too thick and complex and now describes them in descriptions much easier to understand, all the better for the transfer from theory to practice. While certainly pointed at the field of therapy, this book speaks to many of the "helping" disciplines---more can be "therapeutic" by aligning with these "common factors." The authors give great review to the ingredients to effective interventions and behavior change. When I finished this book, I was left with the impression that although everyone may not be in the "therapy business" this book shows how many who "help" can now be far more involved in the positive behavior change business.
I read this with relish. A genuine "Thanks" to all those who contributed to this book. I can't say enough about it.
Challenge your thinking about doing therapy.......2000-05-25
This book challenged what I was taught to do when doing therapy. The book inspired me--made me think about new ways to view "stuck" cases. The case examples were powerful and the writing was excellent. A bit of interspersed humor made the reading interesting. I highly reccommend this book to anyone in the field of therapy. In fact, I suggest reading this book before going in to the field so that one can avoid becoming pigeon-holed into any certain formal, traditional model of therapy.
Book Description
Where Did THAT Come From?
You know that dreaded, sinking, I-can’t-believe-I-said-that-out-loud feeling? It’s a disconnect between your attitude and your actions. Or is it? âFor out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,â states Matthew 12:33. Scary, but true: The words you âaccidentallyâ speak and the actions you later regret are actually in keeping with what’s hiding in your heart. Andy Stanley’s life-changing message examines four conditions at the root of sour attitudes, hurting relationships, and regretful actions: guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. This book will help you disclose the true state of your heart and turn what’s terrifying into what’s terrific.
You Can’t Run
from What Lurks Within
More frightening than Frankenstein. More seductive than a vampire’s kiss. More destructive than alien invaders from another planet. They will numb your soul, steal your life, and threaten your most treasured relationships.
Who are these creatures?
Where do they come from?
At the fall of mankind they were unleashed on the world, wreaking havoc and sending countless thousands fleeing from their homes. And their lair is found in the last place anyone wants to look â the mysterious depths of the human heart.
You think nobody knows the real you. You think your secret is safe. Beware! These forces gain strength from darkness. And left to their own, they will grow in power and influence, like a lab experiment gone terribly wrong.
But these monsters have a weakness. They can be defeated. You can escape their clutches and be forever free of their influence.
Learn the truthâbefore it’s too late!
[FLAP]
Are you afraid to look inside?
Suddenly a young wife files for divorce. Suddenly a college student’s grades drop and his attitude changes. Suddenly a man’s harmless pastime becomes a destructive habit.
Each looks for someone else to blame. But the real enemy lurks within. Each of these people is a victim, but not in the way they might think. An invader, a deadly parasite, has wrapped its powerful, controlling tentacles around each victim’s heart.
The heart. Not the organ that pumps blood through our veins, but that invisible, intangible place where we experience love, compassion, contempt, and jealousy.
Like the physical heart, this other heart is highly susceptible to attackâby four nightmarish foes, in particular. Four malevolent forces that, left unchallenged, have the power to lay waste our homes, trample our careers, and leave our relationships in fiery ruins.
But hope is not lost. There is a way to fight back.
In this smart, revealing book, you will be introduced to these four invaders of the heart. More importantly, you will be given four weapons designed specifically to destroy them. Writing with deep honesty and gentle humor, Andy Stanley shows how you can overcome these monsters and save your world, starting now.
Story Behind the Book
Andy Stanley is the senior pastor of three North Point Ministries campuses with a cumulative congregation of more than twenty thousand. In his role he sees a tremendous number of people struggling with the same basic issues. This book is based on a message he spoke to his congregation to help them better understand, work through, and move beyond the problems caused by a hurting heart.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth it!.......2007-06-12
Well written, thought provoking, and informative, this is one of the best christian non-fiction books i've ever read. It deals with four main sins of the heart: anger, guilt, greed, and jealousy. It doesn't mention pride or some of the other sins the Bible names but for the four that it does, it gives great insights to each. I found a lot of his statements eye-opening. Verses i've read and heard a thousand times were cast in a perspective i had never thought of before. Some people who've reviewed this book already didn't agree with guilt being a problem of the heart. I agree with that to an extent because feeling guilty of committing a sin makes you aware of its horrible potential if you continue in it. But, i think guilt can become a sin when you hold on to it and when it begins to hinder you from growing closer to God. In the end, this is a very short and very powerful book for anyone: from a teenager to a elderly man or woman.
Good points but somewhat incomplete.......2007-03-10
Mr. Stanley has a very readable style and this is a good book for teenagers. It does, however, have several important shortcomings.
1. Christian thinkers for centuries have indicated that "pride" is the chief sin. There is no mention of "pride" in this book. One is advised to consult C. S. Lewis' MERE CHRISTIANITY and read the chapter on "The Great Sin".
2. The sin that has devastated modern culture is "Lust". Stanley seems to think of it as a minor problem to be eliminated if we could get rid of guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy. He doesn't tell us why he thinks so. I must disagree. The scripture is clear. Matt. 5: 27 - 32 is a clear indictment on our culture which is saturated with pornography not to mention STD's. This is a serious ommision in view of America's slide into the gutter.
3. Guilt is not an evil sin lurking in the heart. If we get rid of "shame" , which we have been trying to do for about a century with the help of the Psychiatric community, we eliminate a great safeguard for our soul. When it is in our heart we must deal with it. But it is not a cause but a symptom of condition in the heart. It is the result of a forbidden word today "sin."
The great sins are greed, anger, pride, sloth, lust, envy, and gluttony. A good list to remember. In my opinion this book is readable but a bit shallow. But Stanly makes some excellent points and it is worth a read.
R. C. Lewis
This Book Will Teach!.......2007-02-26
We used Stanley's book "It Came From Within" as a series with our Senior Highers. They loved it. The information in Stanley's book is so practical. It's a great reminder that our hearts are a pretty filthy place apart from God's touch. The old monster movie parallels that Stanley uses are fun, and actually have a unique way of conveying the message themseleves. I highly recommend this book.
Good Place to Start for Self-Examination.......2007-01-09
No matter how 'good' or 'spiritual' we feel, there are still negative words, actions, and thoughts that seem to come from nowhere. Andy Stanley reminds us that the Bible teaches those things come from within our hearts.
By covering four main inner 'monsters' (guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy), he shows how to overcome these diseases of the heart. He particularly does a good job of showing how we all practically struggle with these four monsters, even if we wouldn't previously think so.
I've found "It Came From Within" very helpful in teaching our teenage Bible class. Many of us adults agree that some of these difficulties very likely had their roots in our childhoods and adolescent years. When I'm blessed with children, Lord willing, I hope to be able to help them deal with keeping their hearts pure from these dangerous calamities.
Enjoyable... read it reflectively..........2006-09-06
This is an enjoyable and easy read, but do read it reflectively. What Andy wrote has helped me reflect on my life and also identify areas that I need to work on even though I was not aware of them previously. He went to the heart of the matter, and not just the surface actions. He sorted through common reasons and rationale, and showed how it was flawed in light of what lurks beneath.
The 4 areas that Andy wrote about, what that means, and their remedies are:
Guilt - "I owe you" [Remedy: Confession]
Anger - "You owe me" [Remedy: Forgiveness]
Greed - "I owe me" [Remedy: Generosity]
Jealousy - "God owes me" [Remedy: Celebration]
Confession allows us to come out from hiding. Forgiveness allows others to come out from under cover. Generosity allows us to partner with God as He shows himself in tangible ways to the world around us. Celebration makes us a vehicle thorugh which God communicates pleasure... these four habits set us free to love as God intends for us to love. Anger, greed, guilt, and jealousy are the antithesis of love. [pg. 218]
But what about lust? Andy writes that lust is different in that lust is an appetite that needs to be managed. Andy writes that lust can be a good thing, and if not for lust, we would probably not have been born. He also states that before sin, there was lust. (pg. 212-3) I guess this would be a matter of definition as what lust is. In anycase, Andy writes that if we deal with the 4 monsters of guilt, anger, greed and jealousy, we would reduce the problem of sexual temptation.
Amazon.com
As though blowing oxygen upon the dying embers of a fire, pastor Jim Cymbala revived a broken-down church in a rough-shod inner-city neighborhood through Christian faith. Twenty-five years ago, the Brooklyn Tabernacle could barely draw 26 people to a Sunday service. Nowadays the congregation is 6,000 strong--filled with converted prostitutes, pimps, drug addicts, and homeless people, as well as yuppies and wholesome families. Although he's quick to give God credit for this miraculous success story, Cymbala admits that there may be a few human decisions that led to this Christian triumph. Most significantly, he made sure his church community embraced everyone, from all walks of life--no matter how distasteful or foreign. "Christians often hesitate to reach out to those who are different," according to Cymbala. "They want God to clean the fish before they catch them. If someone's gold ring is attached to an unusual body part, if the person doesn't smell the best or the skin color is not the same, Christians tend to hesitate." Thus, Cymbala encouraged his congregation to adopt the very same tolerant and accepting attitude as their God does. The results? Let's just say a church thrives in Brooklyn. Accomplished cowriter Dean Merrill helps this tender true story stay satisfying and highly readable. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Pastor Jim Cymbala shares the lessons he learned when the Spirit ignited his heart and began to move through his people. This book is for anyone seeking to live at the center of God's purposes, through experiencing the power of his Spirit. This softcover edition includes a study guide.
Customer Reviews:
An Appeal to the Power of Prayer.......2007-08-15
The Brooklyn Tabernacle's commitment to prayer is well-represented in the work. Rev. Cymbala is truly a humble man of God who seeks not to elevate himself but the Mighty God he and his Church serves. In addition to the rich Scripture that is cited in this work, there are numerous testimonies to the power of prayer, and historical accounts of church leaders who made prayer a number one priority as well. I also appreciated the simple plea of prayer that Rev. Cymbala ascribes to. Today, there are a number of church leaders who promote special techniques for prayer such as position, geographic location, and so on. How refreshing it was to hear a pastor appeal to calling on the name of the Lord that rested on the grace of God and His mercy rather than an individual's unique performance.
Fresh Wind and Fresh Fire is a book, which will leave one in awe to the power of God that is released when people unite and call upon the Name of the Lord.
Excellent Prayer Motivator!.......2007-07-25
I lead a weekly prayer group at my church and was becoming discouraged due to poor participation from the congregation. After 2 1/2 years I was getting ready to throw in the towl, but reading Pastor Cymbala's book has breathed new life into me! This book was a major encouragement to me, both in my personal prayer life as well as my corporate rone. While the book is written very simply and does not go too deep into theology, it presents some wonderful insights into the power of prayer and how God has hard-wired this world to work through the prayers of His children. Would highly recommend this book for all believers, especially those in leadership roles.
A Fresh Approach.......2007-04-27
Jim Cymbala brings us back to the basics of the early church. He demonstrates what happens when a church really starts to pray. The power talked about in the early church is still there.
Jim shows how we just have to let go of our formulas and programs, and we have to admit that our approach is not really calling down God's power. Real brokenness is essential for God's power to really flow, brokenness and a dedication to praying. This is what leads to spiritual breakthrough.
This is definitely a story of most of today's churches, and Jim shows us a way to focus on God's power. Do you believe that "great sermon" may stand in the way of god's moving?
The book is very readable.
Fresh Wind Fresh Fire CD.......2007-03-23
This CD Book was practically new (may have been new). The price was right and it was shipped in a timely manner. The people who sold this CD Book to me are top shelf in my book. Thank you.
YES! BUY IT!.......2007-02-15
Enough reviews that tell how good this book is, they are true! Just wanted to add to theirs in case someone wants to see what books I reccomend!
Book Description
If you have a child with a congenital heart defect (CHD), you have a million questions: How did this happen? What kind of surgery is best? What’s life going to be like for my child after surgery? Will problems crop up later? Will the crisis ever end? In
The Parent’s Guide to Children’s Congenital Heart Defects, more than thirty leading experts in pediatric cardiology—cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, nutritionists, counselors, and social workers—give detailed answers in plain language to help you learn to live with your child’s CHD.
Written by two parents of children with CHD in an easy-to-follow question-and-answer format, this guide brims with the latest information on diagnosis, treatment options, surgery, aftercare, and growing up with CHD, along with the voices of dozens of other parents who have lived through CHD and know what you’re going through. In these pages, you’ll find the information, empathy, and support you need to care for your child and thrive together.
Customer Reviews:
A Reliable Purchase.......2007-06-06
After my 5 year old son was diagnosed with AVSD, I engrossed myself into extensive research about his condition. While I discovered many other books with great information, I found this one to be the most inclusive, definitive and easy to interpret. The Q&A are broken down under each chapter specifically dealing with certain attributes one might be facing with a diagnoses; not all,but most of my questions were answered after reading this book. Highly, highly recommended.
J.B.
Excellent Book with Real Q's & A's that are relevant.......2003-07-04
My new born daughter was recently diagnosed with Complex Congential Heart Defects and naturally I wanted to learn as much as I could about the topic. I purchased several related boks through Amazon.com and founf this one to be very relevant and answered lots of appropriate questions for me. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to learn more about Heart Defects of any type. It is very thorough and covers every defect I am aware of.
Great Book for Parents of Kids with CHD's.......2003-01-24
I loved the question/answer format of this book. It made an overwhelming and complicated topic far more understandable. I wish this book had been available when our son was diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Vessels 12 years ago. We had so many questions, and while the doctors and nurses were super, a resource like this would have been invaluable becuase the questions don't stop when you finally leave the hospital! I'm sure the authors will keep the book as up-to-date as possible, but just know that cutting edge research is improving the methods of diagnosing and treating chd's every day. So, if the treatment protocol your doctor recommends isn't listed, don't panic. You might be benefiting from the latest research! When our son had his surgery, the Arterial Switch operation, which is now standard procedure, was only being done at a handful of hospitals around the country. Kids born with chd's today have a much better outlook thanks to the advances made by research. And, with more research, tomorrow will be even better.
A Must Read Guide For All Parents.......2002-10-10
My son Noah was diagnosed in-utero with a VSD and at the age of 9 days received his first sonogram and EKG. The VSD closed - confirmed at his 1-year appointment, but was diagnosed with mitral valve stenosis at this same appointment. This book guides one through diagnosis, parental coping, issues/caring for the newly born, answers many of your obvious and not so obvious questions, surgery - what to expect/how to prepare and the likely impact your childs' condition may have on his/her life basis current knowledge. It also is full of annecdotal stories from parents that are going through the same thing you are as well as commentary from pediatric cardiologists. Additionally, there are resources from the internet to camps in the appendicies. No doubt, the book is at times depressing, but it is also enlightening. The undelying message is you need to be prepared for what you and your child are yet to experience and it is a map to guide you in this area
The Best Book You Will Ever Buy!!.......2002-09-23
I would recommend this book to anyone with a child that has a congenital heart defect. This book is easy to read and explains anything and everything you need to know about a heart defect.
My husband and I searched everywhere for answers. This book answered all our questions.
We have a non-profit for congenital heart defects. This is the book we tell all parents to get!!...
Book Description
A Muslim's Heart provides Christians with a crash course in relating to their Muslim friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Without understanding the way a Muslim thinks and feels, and the cultural reason for this, any attempts at evangelism will target the mind without engaging the heart. Geared for Christians who are attempting to relate to Muslims overseas or in their own neighborhood, this book offers practical, field-tested instruction for reaching a Muslim's heart.
Customer Reviews:
Unique and insightful firsthand experience.......2007-09-24
I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Hoskins in person in 2003 and was impressed at that time with his insights into the Muslim worldview. Much of what he had to say went beyond what I had heard in other settings (e.g. the course _Perspectives on the World Christian Movement_)
This book is filled with personal experiences and stories from Dr. Hoskins' years of making friends with Muslims in many different countries (including the US). He is very honest about his successes and failures in attempting to talk to Muslims about Jesus.
I also appreciate that he does not take a dogmatic approach on what is most likely the most controversial issue regarding ministry to Muslims - "insider ministry" (or "highly contextualized" churches). Briefly, the question is whether a Muslim who comes to faith in Christ should be publicly baptized and change his religion, or should continue to live as an "insider" to be a witness for Jesus among his family and friends. Dr. Hoskins essentially says that each individual Muslim who decides to follow Jesus must make his or her own decision about these issues and should not pressured either way by Christians.
Stereotypes and Ethnocentrism at Its Best.......2006-08-06
This book, while at moments seems to try to smooth over blatant misinformation about Muslims, remains neck deep in sweeping statements, stereotypes, and the ethnocentric "the West is Best" orientalism that so many American Christians maintain. I am a white non-muslim, and find this book's ignorance and arrogance utterly appauling.
Jesus met people where they were at.......2005-01-21
Whenever someone would ask Jesus a question, he would go straight past that and answer what was REALLY on their mind, what was really in their heart. Dr. Hoskins knows how to do that, and has a way with people unlike many you'll meet in a lifetime. It is silly to try and have an impact on someone without trying to understand them, and this book will help you do just that.
Customer Reviews:
a valuable resource for understanding cholesterol.......2007-10-08
I very carefully read this book. I wasn't convinced when I started that he could prove his thesis. While I was immediately put off by his writing style (the funny bits just don't work for me and they seem very unprofessional given the subject), I stuck with it. I believe he does a very good job of detailing the evidence that is out there on cholesterol and heart disease. He uses publicly available data (much of which I was able to find via google or the URLs he included in the book), though I cannot say that I looked at it in depth.
There's a lot in this book that will make you mad. The way medicine in our country (and his, the UK) is so controlled by big business. It really is a shame the FDA has been made toothless over the last 15 years.
Enlightening.......2007-09-22
This is a book written for anyone to understand. It is not only written in very good prose, but is even fun to read. The author has his own particular style of using humor while explaining the contradictions in the Lypid Hipothesis.
A Complicated Book.......2007-09-10
The book contains helpful information, and is very humorous and thorough , but is much too technical for the ordinary lay reader.
very witty, easy to read, he exposes the LIARS!!.......2007-08-30
I'm convinced that my dad's doctor killed him with prescription drugs (Statins). Don't let this happen to you or your family!!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Get your highlighter out you're going to need it; this book will BLOW YOUR MIND!! We've been lied to folks, and most doctors don't even have a clue; they follow like sheep and don't use their brains.
The Colossal Kendrick Con.......2007-08-29
Well, I gather from the reviews that the people looking to buy this book have already made up their mind (perhaps people with "pill" phobias or those who've had side effects) and they're searching for it on amazon to confirm what they already believe. Kendrick does a good job of pandering to the public and takes the oppotunity to have a rant about his colleagues whilst glorifying his own superiority over them. A revolutionary martyr who puts his "head on the chopping" block infront of his colleagues!!! How courageous!! Please !! Try looking at Hulda Regehr Clarks "Cure for all advanced cancers" who thinks all cancers are caused by liver flukes, flying in the face of medical opinion,maybe we should congratulate her on her courage (or on her bank account) aswell !
Kendrick twists the facts and confuses the issues to suit his own purpose.Take for instance the "high fat diets don't cause heart disease". This is hardly a revelation. Anyone who eats a high fat diet but eats a normal amount of food isn't going to have an increased rate of heart disease, naturally. This doesn't justify naming a chapter "eat anything you like, diet has got nothing to do with heart disease". Thats just plain dum.
The point is that in the majority of the population who are obese (approx 30% in US and its getting worse,quadrupuled in the last 25 years), much of their weight comes from fat ie.they have a high fat diet and consume large amounts of it. Granted they probably eat a large amount of carbohydrates and this should be targeted aswell. However the reason fat is often targeted by the Public Health department is because it contains more calories per gram then the other food types (Protein 4 cal/ Carbohydrate 4 cal/g Fat 9 calories/g !) and obese people tend to consume a disproportionate amount of it. Now are you going to say obesity isn't associated with heart disease and lots of other major health problems ? (Well I'm sure thats one of Kendricks next targets in creating a name for himself)
Basically you shouldnt really be cutting any of the food types from the diet (especially fat and protein which contain essential fatty acids and essential amino acids which cannot be manufactured by the the body), it should be a balanced diet which is in line with medical thinking.
Must of the research is carried out by the pharmaceutical companies (and much of it is not!) but the people working there aren't all in cahoots out to defraud the public, it would only take one person with a conscience to let the cat out of the bag and the company would get massively sued. Look what happened to Merck and Vioxx. The doctors looking after the patients aren't getting secret handouts. Its absurd. Unfortunately the "its all about money" argument is attractive to many and often skews reasoned thinking. Pharmaceutical companies may have money as a major goal but lets not pretend they have hypnotised and bribed us all. Medications people take for blood pressure, heart disease, stroke etc in general have a small increase in average life expectancy for the population taking them. Is Kendrick suggesting we shouldn't take any of them ? Perhaps, and that certainly would appeal to many. Personally, as long as I wasn't getting any significant side effects I would take statins, I'd like to reduce my risk of heart attack (until the evidence states otherwise) even if that risk reduction was small. Especially considering coronary heart disease is the biggest killer in the UK.
Why does he cast aside morbidity as if its not important ? I'd still rather not have a heart attack even I was going to die at the same age! There are lots of medications that have been proved SO FAR to only effect morbidity and not mortality. Is morbidity irrelevant ? It seems so in Kendricks eyes.
Kendrick also has a chapter on stress and its association with heart disease. Well huh ? Is this mean't to be a revelation. NOT
Basically the world of research on heart disease is evolving and evidence is growing but not in a perfect way. One could take any branch of evolving treatments and write a book about the inconsistances and inadequancies of the research surrounding it. This appears to be how Kendrick makes his living. It would be ok if it was presented without bias and such a flippant tone (not to mention a moronic if not juvenile relentless sarcasm). The problem is if it wasn't written that way it'd be boring and the public wouldn't want to buy it and it isn't scientific enough for the medical profession to want to read it.
Perhaps when medical research further refines its ideas on cholesterol and a more defitive answer is found about the nature of build up of atherosclerotic plaques there maybe a better drug than statins, for now I think I'll carry on recommending them.
In conclusion Kendrick has highlighted some of the flaws of statin research and this maybe useful to the public when deciding whether to go on as statin, especially if its for primary prevention or you are getting side effects and have an over zealous GP.(there is an easy solution to this though STOP taking it !!) Unfortunately he does this in a self congratulatin and highly biased way. It is a less than sensible approach on trying to inform the public. I found many of his little anecdotes nauseating and sychophantic. In general this book reminded me of adverts for "get fit in 3 weeks" or similar, supposedly exposing the stupidity of conventional knowledge but really just turning out to be a big con themselves. The Colossal Kendrick Con has a much better ring to it.I've no doubt however that this review will be regarded as unhelpful, most sensible people won't be interested in this book where as the "anti-cholesterol" establishment will de dying(likely of a heart attack) to cast their vote.
As an aside heres a hilaroius quote from Kendrick in the media talking about the placebo effect " Then, after doing tests and listening carefully to the patient, the doctor can say. `If you take this pill, I fully believe it will do you good.' In many cases it will. Where is the deceit in that?".
As a patient would you like to be patronised as such? Given a pill to take where the doctor says it will make you better but you don't know if theres any scientific evidence behind it ? Are we all to be treated as children ? I'm all for complementary therapies if they make us feel good but I'm not up for some patronsing GP doling out sugar pills and telling me they're magic healing pills.
Sorry to rant on but all this anti-establishment, big buisness corporation conspiracy paranoia, pill phobia and medicine bashing without reasoned argument drives me crazy
Books:
- Wish I Could Be There: Notes From a Phobic Life
- Wizardology: The Book of the Secrets of Merlin (Ologies)
- Words of Wisdom: Daily Affirmations of Faith
- Writing the Breakout Novel
- A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana (Today Show Book Club #3)
- A Writer's Reference
- Adobe Photoshop CS2 Classroom in a Book
- After the Affair: Healing the Pain and Rebuilding Trust When a Partner Has Been Unfaithful
- Amelia Earhart's Shoes: Is the Mystery Solved?
- American Mourning: The Intimate Story of Two Families Joined by War, Torn by Beliefs
Books Index
Books Home
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Don't Think of an Elephant: Know Your Values and Frame the Debate--The Essential Guide for Progressives
Moral Politics : How Liberals and Conservatives Think
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God's Politics LP
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