Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity

Average customer rating:

This Book Is Awesome

Fun to read, Great reference

Down to Earth with REAL, EVERYDAY advice

Well scrubbed book

Excellent Book

Organic Housekeeping: In Which the Non-Toxic Avenger Shows You How to Improve Your Health and That of Your Family, While You Save Time, Money, and, Perhaps, Your Sanity
Ellen Sandbeck
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Remodeling & Renovation | Home Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Cleaning, Caretaking & Relocating | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Home Repair | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Healthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-toxic Cleaning

The Naturally Clean Home: 100 Safe and Easy Herbal Formulas for Non-Toxic Cleansers

Better Basics for the Home: Simple Solutions for Less Toxic Living

Home Enlightenment: Practical, Earth-Friendly Advice for Creating a Nurturing, Healthy, and Toxin-Free Home and Lifestyle

How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office

ASIN: 0743256204

Book Description

Longing for a kinder, gentler world? As the old saying goes, everything begins at home, and odds are, if you live in the all-American household, the air inside is more toxic than the air outside, even if you live in the most polluted of cities. You regularly handle the filthiest object in your home -- the kitchen sponge -- and put the same chemicals on your face that are used in brake fluid and antifreeze.

The cleaning agents and personal care products commonly marketed to and used in American homes contain not only some very dangerous, toxic chemicals, but they also create an "overly clean," chemically bombed-out house that compromises immune systems. And with more than fifty million Americans suffering from allergies and other autoimmune diseases -- not to mention the developing and fragile immune systems of children and seniors -- large numbers of people are actually being made sicker and sicker by their homes.

Learn to live a clean, healthy, more economical way with Ellen Sandbeck, the nontoxic avenger. In this must-have book for the twenty-first- century home, this passionate, witty advocate of all things organic will teach you how to maintain every part of the home -- from living room to septic tank, kitchen floor to bathroom sink -- using safe, simple cleansers and quick preventative measures as well as the most effective organic products on the market to get the job done.

Learn time-saving, preventative housekeeping, such as taking thirty seconds to clean the shower while you shower. Take care of bathroom stains with baking soda and vinegar rather than commercial, toxic bathroom "bombs" peddled to you with such force by manufacturers. Need whiter whites? There is no bleaching power on earth stronger than the sun. Snow clean your fine rugs. Choose fruits and vegetables from the relatively pesticide residue-free list. Clean felt-tipped pen stains with vodka. Make furniture shine with olive oil and lemon. Your house will also smell as great as it looks.

Customer Reviews:

This Book Is Awesome.......2007-08-22

I saw this book at a bookstore and rushed home to Amazon to get it. :) It is a great reference for housekeeping. I couldn't believe all the things you can do with random household products. Like baking soda... Awesome!

Fun to read, Great reference.......2007-08-03

In many ways, this is a good Organic Living 101 book. I received this book as a Christmas gift and wasn't sure what to think at first. I was pleasantly surprised. This book has not only been enjoyable to read but has become a valuable reference as well. Lately, whenever I've had a question regarding safe cleaning or home maintenance, I find the answer here - from concerns about ants to cleaning carpets to cleaning the shower. I've also found great advice and ideas for getting organized around the house. I appreciate the author's goal to spend LESS time cleaning - not more!

Down to Earth with REAL, EVERYDAY advice.......2007-07-07

This is the 1st time I have taken the time to write a review about any book. That should say something at least. This book has become my bible as I have bought and begun to renovate my first-ever home. While my mom is nagging about bleaching out the basement and hiring a pest control service, I am able to come back to Organic Housekeeping for advice that is in line with my morals. This book is NOT preachy. Instead, it offers practical advice for straight-to-the-point how to do ____ without poisioning your family (pets included!). Thank goodness for this book! I recommend it to everyone who has an interest in being green. :)

Well scrubbed book.......2007-05-13

This book includes a lot of common sense/tried and true methods for cleaning (and yes they do work) along with many new ideas I had not heard of before that are simple to carry out. I like that fact that the material is not toxic and will not set off my asthma like some of the store-bought items do.

Excellent Book.......2007-04-03

This book is full of excellent advice. I have been concerned about the products that I use for cleaning for a while and this book gave me a great one-stop resource to start doing something about it. The introduction on how to handle the mountain of stuff we tend to accumulate was a welcome bonus (buying a copy for my ex-wife just for that!).

Simulations and the Future of Learning: An Innovative (and Perhaps Revolutionary) Approach to e-Learning

Average customer rating:

read it before you take decisions!
what it takes
Infotainment and Evangelism
An easy read that will have you thinking for a long time.
Timely, Needed, and Important

Simulations and the Future of Learning: An Innovative (and Perhaps Revolutionary) Approach to e-Learning
Clark Aldrich
Manufacturer: Pfeiffer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Human Resources & Personnel Management | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Training | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Entrepreneurship | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0787969621

Book Description

Simulations and the Future of Learning offers trainers and educators the information and perspective they need to understand, design, build, and deploy computer simulations for this generation. Looking back on his recent first-hand experience as lead designer for an advanced leadership development simulation, author Clark Aldrich has created a detailed case study of the creation and deployment of an e-learning simulation that had the development cycle of a modern computer game. With this book Aldrich, a leader in the e-learning field, has created an intriguing roadmap for the future of learning while taking us along on an entertaining rollercoaster ride of trial and error, success and failure. Simulations and the Future of Learning outlines the design principles and critical decisions around any simulation's components— the interface, the physics and animation systems, the artificial intelligence, and sets and figures. Using this accessible resource, readers will learn how to create and evaluate successful simulations that have the following characteristics: authentic and relevant scenarios; applied pressure situations that tap user's emotion and force them to act; a sense of unrestricted options; and replayability.

Customer Reviews:

read it before you take decisions!.......2007-02-21

Aldrich knows what he is talking about and it reads like a novel. Before you know it you have read most of it and you can reproduce it because of the catchy examples and arguments.
Gave me food for thought while designing e-learning for prisoners and stops me going down the tracks the market wants you to follow.
Ernst Duvert

what it takes.......2005-08-03

This book is really a case study of creating developing and working through the giant project of making a true simulation game where the gamer can be in control of who things go. In the business leadership scenarios mentioned one can learn a great deal

Infotainment and Evangelism.......2004-10-26

High profile e-learning industry analyst Clark Aldrich became disenchanted with the yawning gap between the promise of e-learning and the reality. Attracted by the potential application of computer gaming techniques for training simulation purposes, he quit his job with the Gartner Group and joined a project team attempting to design a computer-based leadership development simulation. The result was Simulearn's Virtual Leader. Aldrich's book recounts the experience in this book.

Despite the promise of the title, the book is a curious mix of speculation, case study, and product promotion. Aldrich provides accessible frameworks for thinking about the underlying design considerations for the development of simulations, and some useful insights into the analysis of content and development of simulation architecture. Yet the book is not a tool kit or primer for would-be designers - the advice is rarely actionable - nor is it a deep study of the concepts and application of simulation models. As such its greatest value is as an introductory case study into aspects of simulation design. The case in question is the development of Simulearn's Virtual Leader product, and the book gives little insight into other forms of electronic or other simulations. The author is a Vice President of Simulearn, so his views are not impartial.

Aldrich makes some refreshingly provocative assertions: e-learning has failed to deliver because it's not sufficiently user-focused - it has been sold to senior managers as means of lowering the cost of training, rather than enriching the value of learning. Aldrich believes that education and vocational training are too "linear", emphasizing the acquisition of facts in a sequential, guided way rather than "open-ended", allowing the development of decision-making, interpersonal communication and creative capabilities required for success in work. In contrast, simulations offer rich combinations of linear, cyclical and open-ended learning, with the freedom to make mistakes, try new approaches and hone skills in a secure environment.

The book is often entertaining. Aldrich's account of the analysis of the leadership content in order to arrive at an underlying simulation model and architecture is amusing - framed as a quest to find the meaning of leadership and render it into electronic simulation, with himself as hero. It is slightly clouded by digressions on the nature of leadership - Aldrich seems to approach the subject with little background, and is suprised to find that (to paraphrase Warren Bennis) so much been written by so many to so little effect.

A number of glaring issues go unexamined: the leadership model and the simulation design of Virtual Leader require a standard of behaviour and ethics that are possibly more ideology than reality. Success in Virual Leader requires a degree of conventional virtue that most organizations espouse but is not always practiced by those in power. A fundamentally Machiavellian approach apparently won't work in Virtual Leader, but it is arguably an effective means of gaining and retaining power in most organisations. The player's experience of Virtual Leader is not evident from the descriptions -despite extensive descriptions of the design process and interface, the book gives little insight into how the player interacts with the game.

Aldrich is evangelical, which gives his writing energy and persuasive power, but like many evangelists, he is strong on belief and short on evidence for his views. While he is right to question the validity of conventional models of education and learning, his opinions are largely speculation, or based on the anecdotal evidence of others or his own experience.

And despite the evangelism, if Aldrich's predictions hold true, most organisations will never design a simulation using his approach. They are prohibitively expensive, costing many millions of dollars. At best, they may purchase an off-the-shelf simulation, and customise it to some extent, which is possibly one of the promotional intentions of the book.

An easy read that will have you thinking for a long time........2004-09-20

This book has a great casual style that makes it accessible to anyone, yet the ideas are significant.
It's pretty cool - he describes the process he went through to create a game to help people learn leadership skills. What I found interesting is how he came to define leadership, since he had to do it in a way that would permit 'quantization' and definition as a simulation. He admits that the ideas are not new, but I think his perspective is a fresh one. The way he has put them together is definitely new. The result is a visualization of leadership that plays on in your mind - great stuff.
It is also an interesting account of the process he went through when designing his simulation/game. When organized and well written, accounts of groups solving complex problems can be very illuminating, and this one certainly succeeds there too.
I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in leadership; e-Learning; and problem-solving.

Timely, Needed, and Important.......2004-07-12

Every person who has played a modern-day simulation game has had to wonder how that level of interaction can be used to teach and train. Simulation and the Future of Learning doesn't just explain that it's possible, it proves it.

Aldrich's extensive background in e-learning products gives him a very qualified view of what needs to improve in the future of learning. The answer is simulations. Real-time, engaging and realistic simulations. He explains in detail the hurdles, headaches, and horrors of developing what has become one of the best leadership training tools on the market--Virtual Leader.

Book Description

Chantalene has terrible nightmares from when she was a child: a dark barn in a wind-swept moonlit field. Her mother is inside, screaming; her father is hanging from the rafters for a crime he didn't commit. She hides in the field, watching as four hooded figures emerge, their faces hidden in shadow. But deep in the recesses of her memory, she knows who they are.

Returning to her hometown of Tetumka in rural Oklahoma, Chantalene vows to learn the identity of her father's killers. One man claims to have answers for her, but when she finds him slain on the floor of his butcher shop, Chantalene realizes the danger she faces in discovering the truth.

As Chantalene relentlessly searches for more clues, Tetumka's quiet citizens grow increasingly hostile; her foster parents advise her to let the past lie. With the help of Drew Sander, a local boy back home from the big city, Chantalene uncovers the dark secrets of both her hometown and her own mind, bringing her closer to the faces behind the shadows that haunt her dreams.

Customer Reviews:

Fast Moving Oklahoma Thriller.......2006-06-28

Chantalene, a young woman haunted by dreadful memories, returns to her home town of Tetumka, Oklahoma. Twelve years ago, in one horrible night, her father was lynched for a crime he didn't commit, and her gypsy mother, LaVita, fearing for her own life, ran away and abandoned her.

Now Chantalene is determined to find out what really happened, and who killed her father. The townspeople aren't exactly thrilled to see her, and things start going dreadfully awry from the first page. Fortunately, she finds an ally, Drew Sander, a New York tax attorney, who is also returning to Tetumka, but for very different reasons. I won't tell you what happens, of course; you'll have too much fun reading this book for yourself.

Author Marcia Preston writes an engaging fast-paced thriller that hooks the reader from the very first sentence and doesn't let go until the end. The mystery has many levels--child abuse, traumatic memories, frontier justice, and the characters' search for their own integrity. Not to mention a delightful hint of romance. I can recommend this book for a really enjoyable read. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

Suspense, Surprise, Satisfaction.......2006-03-26

This little mystery perfectly captures rural life and thinking, the effect of trauma on a child, and the strange ways those we know best can surprise us. A very satisfying read that will take you out of your world for a few hours.

Smooth reading; exciting tale! Terrific!.......2004-04-14

If I hadn't read good reviews of this book and just looked at the cover, I'd have passed it right by; I can't really say why! But this was a surprisingly well-written and intriguing book. This is my first book by M.K. Preston and I'll now try another!

I couldn't put it down!.......2002-07-25

This was a wonderful read. The story moved and I was caught up from the first page. The mystery was cleverly devised; even though all the clues were placed, I was surprised by the outcome. The characters were intriquing and felt like real people. Their conversation was natural and engaging; I loved the interraction between Chantalene and Drew. It was tantalizing and fun. Marcia K. Preston's first novel is like experiencing Thanksgiving dinner at Grandma's house. You want to eat your fill, but you don't want to wait too long for another helping either.
Once while away from the book, I kept sensing a scene, returning to it in my mind like one does with a song that will not be banished from the brain. Eventually, I realized that it was Tetumka and Chantalene's ranch and Whipporrwill's corral that I was seeing in my mind. That desolate place was with me...and I was longing to be back with the characters and see what might happen next. An excellent first book that leaves the reader begging for a sequel.

Frontier Justice and Modern-Day Womanhood!.......2002-06-17

Marcia Prescott's "Perhaps She'll Die" zips along at just the right pace. Chantalene, the main character, has just the heart, beauty and courage to be featured in a series. This independent young woman puts love of family and righting a wrong ahead of personal safety. The mystery, written in the mold of Mary Higgins Clark and other great storytellers, is a winner. Chantalene's ride into town astride her horse with the wind whipping her cheeks has the atmosphere of frontier justice and modern-day womanhood. Ah, to be young again, riding a horse under the hyacinth-blue skies of Oklahoma. Let's hope Chantalene gallops her readers onto the pages of a new adventure soon.

Comparative Jurisdiction Guide - where to set up and, perhaps, manage a hedge fund

Average customer rating:

Comparative Jurisdiction Guide - where to set up and, perhaps, manage a hedge fund
Multiple Contributions
Manufacturer: ISI Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1894916611

Product Description

The decision as to where to set up and manage a new hedge fund has become more complex given the increasing number of jurisdictions wooing hedge fund managers and the differing regulatory regimes. This Guide - written by Dechert LLP with the assistance of law firms in each of the locations covered - offers a comparative analysis of 13 of the major hedge fund jurisdictions as well as a useful 'at-a-glance' table of the key jurisdiction variables. Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Bermuda Location Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Local stock exchange Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 2: British Virgin Islands Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Investment restrictions Accounts Taxes Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 3: Cayman Islands Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Local stock exchange Accounts Taxes Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 4: United States of America - Delaware Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Other filings and filing fees Stock exchange Setting up a investment adviser Chapter 5: France Restrictions on hedge funds in France Supervision Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Investment companies Quasi hedge funds Setting up a local investment manager Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Taxes Chapter 6: Germany Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Regulatory requirements for German hedge funds Setting up a local investment manager (KAG) Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering Chapter 7: Guernsey Mandatory requirements Investment business Setting up a fund Particular concessions for hedge funds Net asset value and share price estimation Service providers Fund structures Approval process Taxation The Channel Island Stock Exchange Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Chapter 8: Ireland Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund The International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) Local stock exchange Taxes Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 9: Isle of Man Mandatory requirements Recent developments Setting up a fund Supervision Investment restrictions Financial Supervision Commission Taxes Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager General requirements Chapter 10: Italy Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 11: Jersey Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Legal structure of the fund Functionaries Investment restrictions Channel Island Stock Exchange Taxation Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 12: Luxembourg Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund CSSF Fees Local stock exchange Taxes Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager Chapter 13: Malta Mandatory requirements Setting up a fund Local stock exchange Taxes Confidentiality laws Anti-money laundering laws Setting up a local investment manager

Perhaps Today: Living Every Day in the Light of Christ's Return

Average customer rating:

Perhaps Today
SIMPLIFIES UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE WE NEED TO LIVE
True prophets
Well meaning, but ....
The previous review is bogus

Perhaps Today: Living Every Day in the Light of Christ's Return
Tim F. LaHaye , and Jerry B. Jenkins
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Devotionals | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 084233601X

Book Description

"Living every day in the light of Christ's return" is the theme of this devotional book from the authors of the best-selling Left Behind series. A unique "teaching devotional," Perhaps Today offers an in-depth look into the Scripture's teaching on Christ's second coming. Each devotional has a Bible passage and prayer to inspire the reader with an eternal perspective. For those interested in prophecy and especially for fans of the Left Behind series. Primarily New Living Translation used as Bible text.

Customer Reviews:

Perhaps Today.......2007-09-28

This is an amazing devotional that educates you as you spend time in planning your day!!

SIMPLIFIES UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE WE NEED TO LIVE.......2003-12-03

This book is so Spirit-filled! The person who wrote that bogus review about the messenger who took Jesus' place needs to sit down and read his Bible! I highly recommend this book for new Christians and those that have been believers a longer time - for EVERYone, actually! Everything in this book is scriptural and it is all simply worded so everyone can understand it. There are tons of false teachings out there, readily available to anyone who doesn't know Christ. This book is not included in that number, however. It can all be backed up from the Bible, God's Word, and it is. Read it prayerfully.

True prophets.......2002-06-29

It's truly a miracle that up and coming prophet Lahaye has written so many fine Christian novels lately. His amazing ability to interpret Scripture is powerful and many Christians will profit from reading it. I can only pray he will go on to greater heights.

I also recommend other prophecy greats such as "1994?" by Harold Camping, "666 : The Final Warning" by Gary Blevins and "Gorbachev! Has the Real Antichrist Come?" by Robert Faid.

Well meaning, but ...........2002-05-04

I've read the Lahaye-Jenkins book and I'm sure the authors are well meaning. But since then I read another book that presents a lot of good evidence that the Christ will not come again, but has instead sent a messenger. After reading the message, I am convinced that Lahaye merely repeats and perpetuates false doctrine and dogma, while the real messenger gives us the truth about real prophecy. I encourage you to seek the real truth, because if you seek it you will find it.

The previous review is bogus.......2002-04-28

Don't listen to the review from New York. This guy is fabulous! I bought this book for my husband for his birthday and he has loved it! It is very inspiring and helpful to him.

The book of Revelation is very hard to understand and oftentimes misinterpreted. I believe that being Christians we are always looking for the truth, but won't find it until we are all with the Lord himself.

The Left Behind series, however, gives a great idea of things to come so that we can warn our non-Christian friends and loved ones.

Book Description

poetry, Israel, tr Robert Friend

Customer Reviews:

"Only what I have lost is what I possess forever" .......2005-10-23

This translation by the late Robert Friend of the Hebrew poet Ra'hel ( Rachel) gives a real sense of the poignance, beauty and depth of her work. She was a pioneering Hebrew poet, and also a pioneering settler (Chalutz) in the land of Israel. Her short tragic and painfully lonely life is reflected in her small and memorable poems.

Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 25: Perhaps in Death

Average customer rating:

A great series by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima!
The grass are summoned to Edo as Retsudo is delayed
The saga approaches its finale

Lone Wolf and Cub Vol. 25: Perhaps in Death
Kazuo Koike , Goseki Kojima , and Kazuo Koike
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Dark Horse | Publishers | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Shonen (Boys) | Manga | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Action & Adventure | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1569715971

Book Description

The mortal enemy of our ronin hero, Retsudo Yagyu has been imprisoned in Edo castle by the shogun. It seems the conniving poisoner, Abeno Kaii, has exposed the Yagyu letter! And Yagyu's jailer is none other than the poisoner himself, determined to feed Retsudo the dose that will end his life in a pit of dishonor. But Yagu has spies even in Edo caslte, and a message is sent to his "grass," members of the clan hiding in secret, living as normal townspeople throughout Japan. It is up to them to give their lives in this final hour of desperate need. Meanwhile, Itto Ogami is living in a shack and training his little boy for the day when he must protect the battlefield with his own little hands. Still, two swords remain in this field of death, awaiting the two hands that will draw them from the soil and bring us closer to the end of our tale.

Customer Reviews:

A great series by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima! .......2007-10-06

I own all of the original japanese press runs, as well as the comic book/graphic novel style of the USA versions of this series. I now own the almost complete set of the smaller manga tpb style series. For anyone interested in historical Japan, this series is a great look into it. I've been a long time collecter or almost everything that Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima have ever done, and I even own some books and novels that were never released in the USA or translated into English by them. Their creative story lines and tradtional style of graphics are just outstanding! I can highly recommend this series!

The grass are summoned to Edo as Retsudo is delayed.......2003-01-19

The fact that I know there are 28 volumes in the Lone Wolf & Cub epic certainly enters into how I read the stories collected in Volume 25, "Perhaps in Death." If I was reading Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima's epic manga as a regular comic book then the way the final confrontation between Ogami Itto and Retsudo Yagyu is being drawn out may very well have driven me crazy. But given the perspective of the long view there can be a greater appreciation for how these final impediments only add to the grandeur of the conflict. Although poisoning the blades of the two samurai failed to kill either one of the foes, Abe-No-Kaii has revealed the Yagyu letter to the Shogun and Retsudo is now under house arrest:

(122) "Perhaps in Death" focuses on Okan as she obeys Retsudo Yagyu's orders and uses the Wolf Fire to call forth the grass to Edo to aid their master. Meanwhile, Abe-No-Kaii watches over Retsudo while trying to come up with a new poison plot and Ogami Itto learns that his foe may be delayed in returning to the place where their two swords are standing in the ground.

(123) "Tales of the Grass: Oyamada Shume" is the first of a trilogy of stories on how the grass, members of the Yagyu clan hidding in secret by living as ordinary folk throughout Japan, respond to the call, of the Wolf Fire. Not only must they pass along the signal, they are also required to fake their deaths.

(124) "Tales of the Grass: Nakodera Busho" finds the call of the Wolf Fire coming next to a priest while ringing his temple bell.

(125) "Tales of the Grass: A Day Like Any Other" is the final story of this trio about the grass being called to Edo, and one of the most upsetting tales in the Lone Wolf & Cub saga. I have been reading one episode an evening before going to sleep, and it was difficult to sleep after this one.

(126) "Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, and Brunch" finds Abe-No-Kaii deciding to use Retsudo Yagyu's pride against him since the old man refuses to eat or drink anything set before him by the servants of the master poisoner. But Kaii's spies also report that Retsudo is just sitting there, not even lying down to sleep. The story continues the developing effort to make Retsudo a nobler figure, both in contrast to Kaii and even in comparison to Ogami Itto.

(127) "By His Own Hand" finally returns us to Ogami Itto and Daigoro, who are being watched by the Shogun's bugyo. In a shack by the shore the young boy practices repeatedly with a long stick, suddenly rushing at his father and whacking him. Those watching have figured out the meaning of the two swords stuck in the ground and the hundred mounds each covered with a stone, but they cannot understand the lesson that is being taught by father to son.

I sure hope the final volume of Lone Wolf & Cub is published soon (it has already been delayed almost a month) so that I do not have a gap in my reading experience, but certainly I could appreciate the lesson if that turns out to be the case. I have not bothered to find out the original schedule these comics were published, but assuming a montly schedule this volume would mark ten years worth of stories and I would be hard pressed to name another comic book that maintained this high of a standard for so long a period of time. When you step back and look at the epic in its totality you can appreciate the way Koike and Kojima are putting the pieces into place, slowly but surely.

The saga approaches its finale.......2002-12-29

Yagyu Retsudo, the mortal enemy of Lone Wolf and Cub is finally brought up on charges of treason against the Shogun for the infamous Yagyu letters. Awaiting trial under the care of the poisoner Abe who plots to kill him still, Retsudo summons the 'Grass' in a final attempt to change his fate - ninja infiltrators hidden for generations among the Samurai families all over Japan. Duty, the main tenet of Bushido is evident in the way the ninja obediently destroy all traces of their former lives (and in some cases, their offspring as well) as farmers, soldiers, and priests, to answer Retsudo's call to arms. Elsewhere, Ogami Itto patiently awaits his promised duel with Retsudo while teaching son Diagoro what it means to wield the sword of the Samurai.

Product Description

Written for readers who have started to question religious teachings and the existence of a divine creator. Those who want to think more and believe less. Also, debunking creationism.

Customer Reviews:

science reality vs. religious fiction.......2003-06-02

With a high percentage of confirmed "non-religious" Americans and Canadians, this title is essential for those who are still not too sure what to accept for real, ANCIENT RELIGIOUS FICTION AND HEARSAY or MODERN SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES. This most comprehensive book probably covers all possible reasons for taking religions for what they are, reasons to no longer have one's life dominated by religious superstitions. The chapter "Critical Questions" should be read by all, believers and non-believers.

Unfortunately this book can not be found under applicable categories, such as "atheism", "freethought" "humanism" "science vs. religion" agnostics" or similar listings.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books