Chaka! Through the Fire

Book Description

It started with a difficult childhood in Chicago, wild teenage ways (including a stint as a Black Panther), and nights as a fifty-dollar performer in raucous clubs. Then came Rufus and the first hits, a solo career, and the addictions that so often accompany superstardom. But Chaka fought back and beat her demons-physical, emotional, and spiritual. Today, she's herself at last, with renewed ties to her family, her own record label, and a foundation to help women and children in crisis. Chaka! will be a delicious treat for the legion of 'Chakaholics' worldwide who have grown up to the sound of her incomparable voice-a voice of joy and pain, rage and redemption, heartbreak and healing. Yet it's also a celebration of the staying power of rebels and free spirits. Chaka! is a book for the generation of women-black and white-who came of age in the turbulent 1960s, who surfed the first and second waves of Feminism to come boldly into their own power.

Customer Reviews:

Once you get started--Once you get past the beginning chapters.......2007-06-21

It begins kind of boring because she is talking about people we really don't care about (her relatives), but once she starts talking about her teen years, her black power years, her marriage, her sucess, it is very interesting!!! It is more like listening to her talk than it is "literary", but I'm glad to get info on Chaka anyway I can!!!

Soul Survivor. . ........2006-08-31

Recently checked out this book and thought it was not bad as celebrity memoirs go. Though the book is a collaborative effort, it is unmistakeably the voice of Chaka Khan. She frankly discusses both the successes, spoils and the pressures of an unexpectedly rapid rise to pop stardom. As the powerhouse tomboy of seventies soul music, Chaka Khan created a amazing body of work with the integrated pop/rock/soul band Rufus. On her own, she has been less successful but no less interesting. Indeed, she is now getting her well-deserved props for the white-hot trail she blazed in pop/R&B music. At the same time, she is also upfront about her legendary drug problems, romantic failings and her flaws as a parent. All told, this is a quick read, enjoyable and very down-to-earth.

Keep Up the Good Work Chaka.......2006-01-05

This opening comment is directed to the writer who titled their review; "Chaka Uncut".

Aretha gave birth to her first child when she was thirteen years of age. She most certainly could be Chaka's momma. As we used to say in the neighborhood a very looong time ago...."So talk what you know!"

A good read. Boring if you are looking for lots of juicy details about intimate and private portions of the author's life.

I believe this is an honest and forthright book that makes Chaka transparent before her fans and the world. Chaka's drug addiction and addled behavior was a well know industry secret.

It's good to know she is clean and moving forward with her life. She purports to be a Christian these days. Lets all wish her the best.

In Uncharacteristic Charity,

Miss Ross

Great book!.......2005-02-06

Too bad not enough people know about Chaka Khan in 2005.

One great female vocalist.

This is a great book.

3 -1/2 stars defaults to 4 here. ;o).......2005-01-05

I truly enjoyed this memoir written by Chaka Khan and Tonya Bolden and would recommend it to any Chaka Khan fan or anyone curious as to how this siren of song came to be and lived.

I've been a Chaka fan since childhood. She is my favorite all-time vocalist. My father bought Rufus' first album but I didn't pay much attention until the second, "Rags to Rufus". Chaka's raw primal energy on the microphone had me hooked from the first guitar riff of "You Got the Love" and "Tell Me Something Good". The third album, "Rufusized", sealed my fate as a lifelong Rufus and Chaka Khan fan. I would sit, listen and ogle over the album covers for hours on end. In my naive young mind, Chaka Khan was the epitome of womanhood. I wanted to be her. All at once this woman was incredibly talented, beautiful, vivacious, tender... exuding tremendous confidence, power and an animal-like sensuality. I would shake my braids loose, dress up in my summer halter and bell-bottoms and dance about the family room doing that side-to-side-jerk-shimmy thing that was her trademark. The band's appearances on shows like Bandstand and Soul Train were moments that I lived for. My father even bought my first guitar to help appease my obsession. It was only much later that I discovered all that glitters is not gold... in regard to my idol and otherwise. My first live Chaka experience was at a mid-80's concert in the Chicago area. She was good... but clearly trashed and suffering. It broke my heart. My adulation remains however, and I'd always yearned to know her story.

The thing that I enjoyed most about the book is the conveyance of her personality through the words. Her candid expression and frankness are qualities that I deeply appreciate. Her matter-of-fact sense of humor tends to come out of nowhere. From the first mention of her first-born you can sense the guilt that haunted her career, having left her child for long periods to pursue her career. Others have remarked on the brevity and lack of detail throughout some periods of her career (if not MOST of it). I would agree. Though personal and to the point, her recollections are fairly vague. I don't know if she was limited to a certain number of pages, by deadlines, or simply couldn't recall those times through the haze of substance abuse. I will say that I wished there were more... much more. (C'mon Chaka... girl if you're gonna write it... write it) Perhaps the intent was to focus on a few specific moments and what she pulled from those experiences. To the self-dubbed "in-the-moment gal", I gather everything else was irrelevant. I would like to know more about her rise with Rufus beyond the formative years, more detail on the inter-relationships (she could've devoted an entire chapter to her and Tony Maiden alone), inspiration for songs that she penned and adventures on the road. Most importantly, more on where that voice derived it's passion and fire. She seems to have completed this book for the purposes of exorcising demons, rather than putting focus on the beauty and legend that she created. In a way the book IS optimistic, in the sense that she feels that she has now gotten the upper hand on her demons. She continues to look forward, taking each day as it comes. I wish her the very best.

Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology through History

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A Short Book on a Very Long Subject
Interesting History and Commentary

Throwing Fire: Projectile Technology through History
Alfred W. Crosby
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521791588

Book Description

In Throwing Fire, historian Alfred W. Crosby looks at hard, accurate throwing and the manipulation of fire as unique human capabilities. Humans began throwing rocks in prehistory and then progressed to javelins, atlatls, bows and arrows. We learned to make fire by friction and used it to cook, drive game, burn out rivals, and alter landscapes to our liking. Our exploitation of these two capabilities figured in the extinction of many species, and may have played a role in the demise of Neanderthals. In historic times we invented catapults, trebuchets, and such flammable liquids as Greek Fire, a napalm-like substance that stuck to whatever it hit and could not be extinguished with water. About 1,000 years ago we invented gunpowder, which led to guns and rockets, enabling us to literally throw fire. Gunpowder weaponry accelerated the rise of empires and the advance of European imperialism. In the 20th century, gunpowder weaponry enabled us to achieve unprecedented mayhem--the most destructive wars of all time. This trend peaked at the end of World War II with the V-2 and atomic bomb, at which point species suicide became possible. Faced with possible extinction should we experience World War III, we have turned our projectile talents to space travel which may make it possible for our species to migrate to other bodies of our solar system and even other star systems. Alfred W. Crosby is the author of the widely popular and ground-breaking books The Measure of Reality (Cambridge, 1996), America's Forgotten Pandemic (Cambridge, 1990) and Ecological Imperialism (Cambridge, 1986). He taught at the University of Texas, Austin for over 20 years. His books have received the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize, the Medical Writers Association Prize and been named by the Los Angeles Times as among the best books of the year.

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Customer Reviews:

A Short Book on a Very Long Subject.......2004-05-03

Crosby's "Throwing Fire" is well written and engaging, and it is a useful overview of the development and use of projectiles from the appearance of hominids in Africa over two million years ago through the launch of Pioneer 10, the first space probe to leave the Solar System. Still, two million years is an awful lot of ground to cover in 200 pages of well-spaced text, and "Throwing Fire" is more of a long essay than a ground-breaking synthesis like Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel."

For my money, the first few chapters are the most interesting parts of the book. Crosby does a good job of summarizing what scientists know about the ability of Australopithicenes and other ancient hominids to throw rocks and other projectiles, the first known appearance of javelins an astonishing 400,000 years ago, the use of fire to "terraform" the planet, and the possible role of the atlatl (spear thrower) in the great extinction of megafauna that took place in the Upper Paleolithic. The chapters that deal with relatively recent historical developments--gunpowder, crossbows, trebuchets, artillery, missiles, and the like--cover a lot of familiar ground with a broad brush and do not offer as many intriguing observations as the first parts of the book.

If this subject interests you and you'd like to read a more elaborate history of weapons development (albiet without Crosby's excellent examination of prehistory), try Robert O'Connell's highly readable "Soul of the Sword: An Illustrated History of Weaponry and Warfare from Prehistory to the Present." If you are intrigued by Crosby's brief discussion of the counterweight trebuchet (an impressive if little known medieval siege weapon), have a look at Fisher & Fisher, "Mysteries of Lost Empires," which includes a chapter about a project to reconstruct a trebuchet (everyone needs a hobby, I guess, and this one can be used to knock down castle walls).

Interesting History and Commentary.......2002-08-08

This book has some similiarities with Jared Diamond's wonderful "Gun's, Germs and Steel", but it is much more focused. Crosby discusses the historical use of projectile weapons by humans (and hominids), and how in a lot of ways, this helps to define humanity. No other animal has shown the ability to throw hard, far, and with accuracy, and this ability might have been crucial to the adoption of a terrestial lifestyle by our ancient ancestors. Throwing stones at predators might just have been key to allowing Australopithecenes to survive. The use of fire is also a key characteristic of humans, and with it humanity has helped shaped the environment to suit our purposes. Moving on from simple stones; through javelins; atlatls; slings; bows; siege engines; and, finally, chemically propelled projectiles (which mix fire and throwing), including satellites that have left our solar system, Crosby shows how developments in projectile technology have helped shaped history as we know it. This book is an interesting read, and is very well footnoted. Those interested in such areas as general anthropology, historical science and military science might also find book quite enjoyable.

Average customer rating:

Maybe A Bit Under-Rated
Muller's plotting is getting tired, but still like her books
Amateurish
Sharon McCone goes to Kauai
A Walk through the Fire

A Walk Through the Fire
Marcia Muller
Manufacturer: Grand Central Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:

Dead Midnight (Sharon McCone Mysteries)
Both Ends of the Night (Sharon McCone Mysteries)
Dangerous Hour, The (Sharon McCone)
Listen to the Silence (Sharon McCone Mysteries)
While Other People Sleep (Sharon McCone Mysteries)

ASIN: 0446608165

Book Description

Sharon McCone, weary of San Franciscos persistent rainy weather, jumps at the chance to investigate sabotage on the set of a documentary film being shot on the island of Kauai. Based on the writings of Hawaiian scholar Elson Wellbright, the film has incited major controversy among some of Wellbrights family members who arent anxious to see the project reach completion. Vandalism quickly escalates into big-time violence, and McCone discovers a world of family secrets, drug dealing, political insurgency, and murder in this new crime novel by one of the worlds most beloved mystery writers. Marcia Mullers previous Sharon McCone mystery, While Other People Sleep (Mysterious Press 7/98), hit the bestseller list. Its paperback publication will coincide with A Walk Through Fire. Both Ends of the Night was also a bestseller and was named one of the seven best mysteries of the year by Publishers Weekly. Mysterious Press has published the novels of Marcia Muller since 1988.Muller handles the professional and personal threads of her stories with dexterity and fine suspensea pro in her happily continuing prime. The London Free Press

Customer Reviews:

Maybe A Bit Under-Rated.......2007-07-29

This installment in Muller's Sharon McCone series takes our heroine to Hawaii. Office neighbor Glenna Stanleigh is attempting to film a documentary on Kauai, but filming has been plagued by a series of "accidents" that may not have been very accidental. Overall, the plot of this story is pretty good. There are some pretty transparent aspects to it, and not too many big surprises, but it kept me turning pages right up to the end.

As I write this, the average rating among reviewers here for A WALK THROUGH THE FIRE is below average for the books in the series. While I agree that this isn't one of the best McCone mysteries I've read, I also don't think it's as much of a letdown as others have indicated. I have just two criticisms. First, the attempt to inject additional melodrama into the story through the invocation of the mystical "spell" of the islands and through the romantic entanglement with the helicopter pilot really didn't work for me. Second, Ms. Muller took up flying some years back and since flying has become a significant element in every McCone mystery. Ms. Muller apparently likes flying. Great, but give it a rest in the stories. Sometimes is OK, but it's gotten overworked. Once in a while it would be nice to get a story that stays on the ground. I always thought that her use of San Francisco as her setting was part of the charm of the McCone mysteries. A return to that sometimes would be welcome.

A WALK THROUGH THE FIRE isn't the best McCone mystery I've encountered, but it kept me turning the pages to the end. My routine rating for books in the series is four stars and that's what this one is getting, as well.
Casual readers may not be greatly impressed, but most fans will find this another enjoyable episode in the on-going saga.

Muller's plotting is getting tired, but still like her books.......2004-08-23

Most of the other reviewers have said what needs to be said concerning this book. It's a good read for the beach, yet that in itself is a bit of criticism because most fine authors want to be better than that (I would think). This genre is supposed to be entertaining, and this book is exactly that. No less worthy of spending your time then sitting in front of the boob-tube for hours at a time!

It's hard, I'm sure, to continue writing about a single protagonist all the time. And it's difficult to ask readers to suspend belief over certain things happening constantly to one person (though I can testify that bad things do happen constantly to good persons). Not enough effort put into the plot, and newcomers to Muller's books usually get a better introduction into the characters, and so the characters seem rather cardboardish at this point.

Karen Sadler

Amateurish.......2003-07-28

Amateurish, stiff, thin, contrived--these are the adjectives I can think of to describe the novel best. Although I might add one more: disappointing. This is my first Marcia Muller mystery, and I expected more from a seasoned writer--too much, as it turned out. After reading Steve Hamilton, Bill Pronzini, Andrew Greeley, Tony Hillerman, Stuart Kaminsky, Les Roberts, and others of that level, this seems stale as yesterday's gruel.

There's no point in reviewing the plot details. Other reviewers have commented adequately on those. So I'll proceed to the other two major points of any mystery--atmosphere and characters. Set in Hawaii, for the most part, I just never quite got there, despite all the green vegetation, flowers and fiery volcanoes. Beautiful, beautiful, so what? The characters are pretty much standard fare for mysteries--too rich, too spoiled, too much alcohol and drugs. As for love affairs, mystery writers might do well to heed S.S. Van Dine's rule from decades ago and leave sex out of the work. If the mystery is thin, the romance won't thicken it. The murder and the detection are, after all, why we read crime fiction. If I want romance, I'll go with Bertrice Small.

In short, I doubt that I'll try another Marcia Muller book, at least, not for a long, long time. Sorry.

Sharon McCone goes to Kauai.......2002-09-25

Private Investigator Sharon McCone gets tough duty in this 20th. book of the series when she is asked to go to Kauai. Glenna Stanleigh, a friend from San Francisco, has asked Sharon to investigate the strange happenings on the set of the documentary she is filming in Hawaii. Sharon takes the job and flies over with her significant other, Hy Ripinsky. When she arrives, she begins investigating the family whose patriarch is at the center of the film. Glenna has used his notes and research about some of the folk tales of the native Hawaiins as a starting point for her documentary. As Sharon's investigation proceeds, several skeletons begin to come out of the closet and family secrets are revealed. At the same time, Sharon is being romanced by a local helicoptor pilot and Hy leaves the island in order to give Sharon some time and room to consider her relationships with the two men. The plot has some intriguing twists and turns and at last all of the secrets are revealed. Marcia Muller and her heroine have matured over the 20-plus years that this series has been written, and this book does not disappoint.

A Walk through the Fire.......2002-03-20

"A Walk through the Fire" is the 20th Sharon McCone novel. ...I think this is one of the best of the Sharon McCone novels. Glenna Stanleigh, a friend of McCone's, is filming a documentary on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It appears that someone is trying to sabotage the project and Glenna fears that someone is trying to kill her. She asks McCone to come to Hawaii and investigate. She and her lover, Hy Ripinsky, go to Hawaii. Glenna's project focuses on the Wellbright family, a wealthy family with quite a few dark secrets. Sharon almost becomes involved with helicopter pilot Russ Tanner, and her relationship with Hy is put to the test. This is a different kind of McCone novel. I did miss the San Francisco crew, but all in all I thought this was an excellent novel.

Average customer rating:

Excellent material
Good magazine article reprint--very disappointing as a book
Invaluable reference, and well-told to boot
Up-close and Personal
MY KIDS LOVED IT.

Through Blood and Fire at Gettysburg
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain
Manufacturer: Stan Clark Military Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1879664178

Customer Reviews:

Excellent material.......2007-01-22

Quick read from Joshua Chamberlain. I enjoyed it and it was amazing how much closely the modern movies follow the actual events.

Good magazine article reprint--very disappointing as a book.......2006-02-22

This article is a reprint of a 1913 magazine piece written by Joshua L. Chamberlain to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Gettysburg. While it's interesting to read his first hand depiction of the battle, all readers should note the story is approximately 15 pages long. The publishers have tried to beef up the "book" by adding 15 additional pages of photos, but it does not make up for the lack of content. I was very disappointed with the purchase.

Invaluable reference, and well-told to boot.......2002-11-16

Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain did history a great favor by recording the events that happened on Little Round Top during the second day of the battle of Gettysburg. Thanks to him we have an eyewitness account of the 20th Maine's valiant defense of the left flank of the Union army. Rich with rhetoric, this account is packed with emotion and feeling.

The narrative is very short, only 29 pages, but there are many pictures and an appendix that make it well worth the money. Many well-known histories have drawn on Chamberlain's account of this part of the battle, and Michael Shaara's novel even quotes some of Chamberlain's lines. This primary source is highly recommended for anyone interested in the civil war, not just the die-hard historian.

Up-close and Personal.......2001-05-20

Though at times difficult to read due to the flowery style of Chamberlain's rhetoric, this book is an exciting insight into the thoughts, feelings and experiences of someone who lived through the Battle of Gettysburg. This is more than an account of the battle, this is a window into the emotions and motives of why these men were willing to risk their lives for an ideal.

MY KIDS LOVED IT........2001-04-24

THIS BOOK IS A GOOD READ FOR ALL AGES. TAKES YOU THROUGH ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CONFLICTS IN THE MOST IMPORTANT BATTLE IN U.S. HISTORY. EASY TO READ.

Walking Through Fire: A Life of Nawal El Saadawi

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Walking Through Fire: A Life of Nawal El Saadawi
Nawal El Saadawi
Manufacturer: Zed Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1842770772

Book Description

Walking Through Fire is the story of Nawal El Saadawi, the first Arab woman to write about sex and its relation to economics and politics. It explores her extraordinary life spent in resistance, and shows the passion for justice that has shaped her life and writings. A sequel to her first autobiography, A Daughter of Isis, this book chronicles her time spent as a rural doctor, her attempts to set up women’s organizations and publish magazines later banned by authorities or endangered by fundamentalist threats, her time in exile after her name was published on a death list, and her marriages and ensuing struggles against her "false self”.

Lighting Fires: Deepening Education Through Meditation (Learning Resources)

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Lighting Fires: Deepening Education Through Meditation (Learning Resources)
Jorgen Smit
Manufacturer: Hawthorn Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Some Through the Fire (Valkyries Series)

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Glowing comments from readers
good
A gripping coming-of-age story with profound spiritual truth
Couldn't put it down
An outstanding achievement in Christian fiction

Some Through the Fire (Valkyries Series)
Jeri Massi
Manufacturer: Moody Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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All Through the Blood (Valkyries Series)

ASIN: 080241513X

Book Description

Valkyries tells the story of a teenage girl in the '70s who commits herself to Jesus at a tent meeting and is then immediately plunged into her family's traumatic breakup, which results in violent abuse from her father and neglect from her mother. Finally sent away to a Catholic boarding school for girls, Tracey recognizes some hard truths about her own anger and her inability to possess inner goodness - in spite of being a Christian. She also discovers, in the course of things, an unexpected talent for basketball.Some Through the Fire follows Tracey's story from her commitment to Christ to her exile at a Catholic boarding school. About the title: The Valkyrie, a female warrior from Norse mythology, is the basketball team's mascot - but this mythological figure takes on much deeper significance for Tracey as she struggles for spiritual victory.

Customer Reviews:

Glowing comments from readers.......2003-12-06

"I am blessed and encouraged after reading this story. I feel - I remember why I believed in Jesus when I first did. Thank you for reminding me of what is good and true in the Lord."

"I'm speechless. I just finished it, and I know I have to write to you, but I truly have no idea what to say. What an amazing story! The way you wrote it made me feel as if I was there watching it.

"I have just finished reading your Valkyrie series. It was a work of the very highest standard. Rarely have I read at story that has engendered such a range of emotions in me or moved me in such a spiritual way."

"I VERY much enjoyed reading that book. I think it's Christian fiction at its finest."

"I just wanted to thank you for your work in writing it and making it available.... The message of God's grace in light of our own failures was not lost on this reader, and I hope it reaches many more people in the years to come."

"I genuinely feel...that apart from the undisputed classics like NARNIA and the CURDIE books, VALKYRIES is the best Christian novel for young people that I have *ever* read."

good.......2003-12-05

it took me a while to get into this one as its written in a unique style but once it grips you, you can't put it down. you come to care deeply about the main character as she struggles to overcome a painful past and face the daily trials head-on

A gripping coming-of-age story with profound spiritual truth.......2003-11-10

The Valkyries books (Moody Press) are really parts one and two of one story: a rare blend of a coming-of-age tale set in the 1970's, an exciting athletic narrative, and the story of a young girl's poignant and gripping spiritual journey.

Just after her 8th-grade year, Tracey Jacamuzzi goes against her Italian-Catholic upbringing by attending a Baptist tent meeting and "getting saved"--a term that baffles her friends and family. Tracey's conversion is too much for her parents--a father who is already violent toward her, and a mother who is too preoccupied with an extramarital affair to give her eldest daughter much thought.

A violent showdown with her father results in Tracey being banished to the Sanctuary of Mary and Joseph, an all-girls' Catholic boarding school. Here she endures cruel hazing before realizing that basketball is the school's all-consuming passion, and she must become skillful at the sport in order to survive. An older girl takes Tracey under her wing as a basketball coach and mentor, and becomes her best friend in the process, making life more bearable at the school.

The team's mascot, the Valkyries--valiant female warriors in Norse mythology--become symbols of Tracey's quest for strength and truth.

But Tracey must still deal with questions in her growing faith, and the fact that what she is reading in the Bible is often at odds with the doctrines taught at the school. In addition, the fact that she is outspoken and often headstrong makes for some severe confrontations with Sister Mary, the rigid and coldhearted acting principal.

Along the way, God brings people into Tracey's life that give her love and acceptance and help her answer the spiritual questions that haunt her. School volunteer Maddie Murdoch imparts wise counsel and the promise of a motherly love Tracey craves.

Jeri Massi brings the story grippingly to life. You feel outrage when Tracey is abused, share her pain when she is treated unkindly and unfairly, and are moved when she learns new spiritual truths. (The fact that I, a 40-something, non-athletic woman from a conservative Baptist background, could so empathize with this Italian-Catholic teen-aged girl, is a credit to Massi's ability to make this story so real.) Massi's descriptive pen makes you actually see the mist shimmering on the serene campus, and vividly described dream sequences hint at her background in writing science fiction. And the basketball scenes are fastpaced and exciting, and could only be written by someone intimately acquainted with the sport.

If you are a Catholic, you may not appreciate Massi's unflinching criticism of the church's doctrinal conflicts with Bible teaching. But she doesn't vilify Catholics themselves--one of Tracey's "good angels" in the book is the elderly Sister James Anne, who gives her unfailing love and acceptance; Father "Bing," the school's Bing Crosby-look-alike headmaster, shows her kindness; and she develops good relationships with some of the nuns who teach and coach her.

Ultimately, I was captivated by Tracey's story (I scarcely put the books down while reading them!), and enriched by the lessons she learned about God's grace, His Sovereignty and His loving plan for one girl's life. Although these books would be ideal for a teenaged girl--especially one who is interested in sports--the common themes and the page-turning narrative make them a terrific fit for anyone who enjoys top-notch fiction.

Couldn't put it down.......2003-01-16

This story rings with honesty. It's a transparent account of coming to Christ from outside an Evangelical background. In the unlikely but believable environment of the Sanctuary of Mary and Joseph, Tracey Jacamuzzi comes to grips with the precious cornerstone of Protestant doctrine: the Grace of God is all that we have. Fast paced with the pounding rhythm of a basketball game, filled with grief, tragedy, hilarity, and an amazing, quick-fire dialogue that one seldom sees in Christian fiction, this book is a keeper. You won't be able to put it down! Be sure to get both VALKYRIES: Some Through the Fire, and volume 2, VALKYRIES, All Through the Blood. You need to read both to get the complete story!

An outstanding achievement in Christian fiction.......2003-01-15

The two-volume story VALKYRIES has been billed as "a hard-hitting novel about the grace of God". The description is indeed apt, because this story pulls no punches. It is by far the most honest, compelling, non-stereotypical, and thought-provoking Christian novel for young adults that I have ever read.

The heroine, Tracey, is not some paper saint -- she is a fully believable character whose struggles and doubts are very real. Nor are the challenges that she faces as a young believer downplayed or oversimplified. As Tracey seeks to grow in her newfound faith and take a stand for Christ in a hostile environment, the errors she makes and the failures and disappointments she experiences teach important truths about God's mercy, grace, and love. Yet the story is far from preachy, and the lessons are never glib.

One of the most remarkable things about this story is the richness and depth of the characterization. Although Tracey's conversion from Catholicism and her subsequent opposition to Catholic doctrines and practices are central to the book, the Catholic characters are not demonized, nor the evangelicals glorified. Neither can any one of the characters be reduced to a mere stereotype -- not even the apparent villains of the piece, like Tracey's abusive father or the harshly dictatorial principal of her Catholic school. Each person Tracey meets, regardless of their beliefs, is portrayed as a real human being, with virtues as well as faults. As such, the story rings true to life.

The dialogue in the book flows easily and naturally from the characters, without any of the golly-gee hokiness or wooden diction that infects many Christian novels. It also shows real wit -- some of the quips made by Tracey's schoolmates are laugh-out-loud funny -- yet the humour is never forced or contrived. The narrative style of the novel is highly readable, clear and straightforward, providing just enough detail to create a picture in the reader's mind while spare enough to keep the action moving right along.

Although Tracey's story unfolds slowly, each scene advances the plot, adds interest and depth to the characters, and none of it feels superfluous or wasted. I am a non-athlete and have no interest in team sports as a rule, but Tracey's high school basketball career -- an element which is crucial to the book, and not presented merely to add excitement or to glorify sport for its own sake -- is so skilfully described that I was captivated by it.

Reading VALKYRIES, I was moved to both laughter and tears -- a rare experience for me. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in reading a forthright, uncompromising, and deeply moving portrayal of what it really means to be a Christian and a child of God.

CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
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CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

Mariology | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Luther, Martin | ( L ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Augustine, Saint | ( A ) | People, A-Z | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1931848076
Release Date: 2006-12-15

Product Description

The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.

Through Blood & Fire: Selected Civil War Papers of Major General Joshua Chamberlain

Average customer rating:

Through Blood & Fire: Selected Civil War Papers......
An excellent approach to the life of Chamberlain.
tedious, at times emotional

Through Blood & Fire: Selected Civil War Papers of Major General Joshua Chamberlain
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain , and Mark Nesbitt
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

"Bayonet! Forward": My Civil War Reminiscences
Through Blood and Fire at Gettysburg
The Grand Old Man of Maine: Selected Letters of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, 1865-1914 (Civil War America)
The Passing of Armies: An Account Of The Final Campaign Of The Army Of The Potomac
In the Hands of Providence: Joshua L. Chamberlain and the American Civil War

ASIN: 081171750X

Customer Reviews:

Through Blood & Fire: Selected Civil War Papers.............1999-12-07

This book depicts a true American soldier. Joshua Chamberlain's letters and the narrative given by Mark Nesbitt give great insight into JLC's political, personal and military thought. It is a well organized work.

An excellent approach to the life of Chamberlain........1999-10-11

Mark Nesbitt does a wonderful job of organizing the personal letters of Joshua Chamberlain into an informative and enjoyable read. Through the letters, Chamberlain's motives to join the army, his accounts of battles and day-to-day affairs of a soldier's life, and his personal insights bring a new perspective on a man usually know only for his role at Gettysburg. This book allows the reader to get to know many of Chamberlain's other accomplishments in life: his family, his career, and his achievements throughout the war.

tedious, at times emotional.......1998-12-10

I am a great fan of Chamberlain, but found this book hard to digest. It is a compilation of his civil war letters strung together with a little back- ground information (that is mostly confusing, occasionally helpful). Most of the letters are quite boring and tactical in nature (If you find that interesting---sorry---you'll love it!) There are a few really good ones, however that can stand on their own and speak to the true character of the man. I cried twice while reading these, but at other times found myself dreading picking up the book. I'm glad I finished it---and it was worthwhile reading. Trulock is much better!

1812 THROUGH FIRE AND ICE WITH NAPOLEON: A French Officer's Memoir of the Campaign in Russia

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1812 THROUGH FIRE AND ICE WITH NAPOLEON: A French Officer's Memoir of the Campaign in Russia
Eugene Labaume
Manufacturer: Helion and Company Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books

19th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Napoleon's Expedition to Russia: The Memoirs of General de Segur
The Diary of a Napoleonic Foot Soldier
Moscow 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March

ASIN: 1874622752

Book Description

This reprint of an important French narrative is sure to generate a considerable amount of interest, as Napoleon's epic 1812 Russian Campaign continues to fascinate and enthrall.

Out-of-print for 150 years, Labaume's text presents a superb evocation of the Grande Arme'e in 1812. We follow this French officer of engineers as he marches with Eugene de Beauharnais' IV Corps deeper and deeper into Russia, and experience the strange fascination this mysterious land held for Napoleon's soldiers. Battles follow, Labaume relating his experiences at the bloody Moskwa, or Borodino, in particular detail, before the army reaches Moscow.

Soon, events take a more unfortunate turn for the French, and Labaume begins his part in the disastrous Retreat from Moscow, recounting the appalling miseries endured by the soldiers, including the crossing of the Beresina. Somehow, Labaume survives to tell the tale - making his way back over the River Niemen to safety. Key FeaturesA vivid and fascinating personal account of one of the great campaigns in military history.

The author kept daily notes during the Retreat from Moscow by mixing gunpowder with snow to produce ink.

This reprint makes a very scarce work available again to a whole new readership, representing a major contribution to the library of Napoleonic literature.

"Arrived at the opposite bank, like ghosts returned from the infernal regions, we fearfully looked behind us, and beheld with horror the savage countries where we had suffered so much. No person would then easily believe that we had once regarded these climates with envy..." (Labaume commenting upon his safe return from Russia

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