I’m often asked by both adults and kids about where they can learn more about the Art of Magic. In this article, I’ll recommend top 10 magic books a newcomer to the Art of Magic should consider. The good news is the majority of these books are available from Amazon or Barnes and Noble bookstores.
1. Mark Wilson’s Complete Course in Magic by Mark Wilson
Mark Wilson’s book is the modern equivalent of a condensed version of the Tarbell Course in Magic series. Wilson’s book introduces readers to a wide variety of magic ranging from card tricks, coin tricks, rope magic, mental magic, impromptu magic and even stage illusions! It teaches the fundamentals of magic technique and is well illustrated.
2. A Book of Magic for Young Magicians : The Secrets of Alkazar by Allan Zola Kronzek
This is one of the best books on handling key cards and has excellent presentations for classic magic effects. It is written as a kids book but it has a lot of great tips and handling for common magic effects. In one lesson Alkazar demonstrates an entertaining magic trick and a boring magic trick. Both use the same method yet the book explains the importance of presentation.
3. Now You See It, Now You Don’t Lessons in Sleight of Hand by Bill Tarr
Bill Tarr’s book provides a well illustrated introduction to sleight of hand. If you want to learn how to make cards, coins, and silks disappear and reappear, this book provides an excellent introduction. He also wrote a second book called The Second Now You See It, Now You Don't.
4. New Modern Coin Magic by J.B. Bobo
Coin magic is a lot of fun to perform since coins are readily available, fit in your pocket, and can be borrowed to perform mysterious and entertaining feats of prestidigitation. Bobo’s Modern Coin Magic provides an excellent resource on all the key vanishes, retentions, concealments and sleight of hand required to perform coin magic. The book also has several chapters dedicated to various classic effects in Magic such as Coins Across, The Miser’s Dream, and Coin Boxes. Bobo’s Coin Magic a must in any magician’s library!
5. The Royal Road to Card Magic by Jean Hugard and Frederick Braue
The Royal Road to Card Magic is an inexpensive book that is jam packed with card magic. Beginners and experienced magicans can benefit by reading the Royal Road and reviewing the different concepts and ideas on sleight of hand card magic. One of my magic mentors recommends that every magician – experienced and new – should review the Royal Road to Card Magic as it acquaints the reader with the fundamentals of card magic.
These books aren’t the only magic books I’d recommend but for the magic newbie, these are great books to start learning about the art of magic. There are thousands of books, DVDs, and articles available on the Art of Magic. In future articles, I’ll explore a few more useful resources to learn about Magic.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thank you Dr Seuss for Fantastic Children’s Books
Yes, Dr Seuss was a real person though his name was Theodor Seuss Geisel and he was called Ted. He wrote over 40 children’s books and all of them remain popular to this day because he made reading such fun. His success is attributed to his controlled use of vocabulary, simple text, humor, repetition, rhyme, his choice of words, imaginative illustrations and original characters. The books teach the skills that young readers need and inspire them to continue their reading journey.
Theodor Geisel first wrote under the name Seuss when he was a student at Dartmouth College. A party thrown by Ted and his friends resulted in Ted being asked to give up all his extra-curricular activities. He was editor-in-Chief of the College’s humor magazine at the time, so to continue to contribute to the Jack-o-Lantern without the administration’s knowledge, he began signing his work with the pen-name Seuss (which was his mother’s maiden name as well as his middle name).
After Dartmouth, Ted went to Oxford and it was during one of his classes there that his doodling caught the eye of a fellow American student named Helen Palmer and she suggested that he should become an artist instead of a professor. He found that he liked her advice and began to work as a cartoonist. (He liked more than her advise because they later married!)
Ted worked in advertising for 15 years but was a regular contributor to humor magazines, writing under the name Dr Seuss. With the arrival of World War II, Ted sought a commission with naval intelligence where he made animated movies relevant to the war effort.
In the latter years of the war, he began writing children’s stories, beginning with “And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street”.
His turning point came when he was asked to write a children’s primer using 220 new-reader vocabulary words. While schools were reluctant to adopt “The Cat in the Hat” as an official primer, children and adults showed no such restraint and clamored for copies.
The success of “The Cat in the Hat” elevated Dr Seuss from a pioneer in the field of writing and illustrating children’s books to a respected authority, a position he has held ever since. His book “Green Eggs and Ham” came about when his publisher, Bennet Cerf wagered that he couldn’t write a book using 50 words or less! Cerf had the vision to see that Ted was going to turn the children’s book world upside down and he created Beginner Books. His relationship with Dr Seuss as publisher and close friend lasted many years.
Ted, or Dr Seuss as we think of him, enjoyed writing entertaining books that encouraged children to read. However he was also concerned with moral and environmental issues and his book “The Lorax” has the theme of someone building a profitable business for themselves at the expense of a natural resource and those who depended on it for their survival.
Ted loved funny hats. He would wear them when he had writer’s block and often also at dinner parties at his home. If guests didn’t arrive wearing one, they were loaned one from Ted’s collection!
Dr Seuss received many honors for his work, not least a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, given to an author or illustrator whose books have made a substantial contribution to and lasting impact on children’s literature.
Over the course of his long career, Ted Geisel wrote over 40 books, mostly under the name Dr Seuss, but over a dozen as Theo. LeSieg and one as Rosetta Stone. Nearly 30 of his Dr Seuss books have been adapted for television or video.
At the time of his death in September 1991, 200 million copies of his books, translated into 15 different languages had been sold and sales continue to climb as children (and adults) the world over discover and re-discover his delightful tales and at the same time learn important lessons in tolerance because, despite their differences, all of his characters are portrayed as being just as important as any other, as he says “A person’s a person, no matter how small” (from Horton Hears a Who).
Thank you Dr Seuss!
I hope you have found this article of value. Reading to my own children and grandchildren has been one of the bright spots in my life. I firmly believe reading to children helps to create a strong bond between you that lasts for a lifetime.
For more information on the best children's book to read to, and with, your young child, please visit my website at http://www.fabfamilies.net or email me on
Theodor Geisel first wrote under the name Seuss when he was a student at Dartmouth College. A party thrown by Ted and his friends resulted in Ted being asked to give up all his extra-curricular activities. He was editor-in-Chief of the College’s humor magazine at the time, so to continue to contribute to the Jack-o-Lantern without the administration’s knowledge, he began signing his work with the pen-name Seuss (which was his mother’s maiden name as well as his middle name).
After Dartmouth, Ted went to Oxford and it was during one of his classes there that his doodling caught the eye of a fellow American student named Helen Palmer and she suggested that he should become an artist instead of a professor. He found that he liked her advice and began to work as a cartoonist. (He liked more than her advise because they later married!)
Ted worked in advertising for 15 years but was a regular contributor to humor magazines, writing under the name Dr Seuss. With the arrival of World War II, Ted sought a commission with naval intelligence where he made animated movies relevant to the war effort.
In the latter years of the war, he began writing children’s stories, beginning with “And to Think That I Saw it on Mulberry Street”.
His turning point came when he was asked to write a children’s primer using 220 new-reader vocabulary words. While schools were reluctant to adopt “The Cat in the Hat” as an official primer, children and adults showed no such restraint and clamored for copies.
The success of “The Cat in the Hat” elevated Dr Seuss from a pioneer in the field of writing and illustrating children’s books to a respected authority, a position he has held ever since. His book “Green Eggs and Ham” came about when his publisher, Bennet Cerf wagered that he couldn’t write a book using 50 words or less! Cerf had the vision to see that Ted was going to turn the children’s book world upside down and he created Beginner Books. His relationship with Dr Seuss as publisher and close friend lasted many years.
Ted, or Dr Seuss as we think of him, enjoyed writing entertaining books that encouraged children to read. However he was also concerned with moral and environmental issues and his book “The Lorax” has the theme of someone building a profitable business for themselves at the expense of a natural resource and those who depended on it for their survival.
Ted loved funny hats. He would wear them when he had writer’s block and often also at dinner parties at his home. If guests didn’t arrive wearing one, they were loaned one from Ted’s collection!
Dr Seuss received many honors for his work, not least a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, given to an author or illustrator whose books have made a substantial contribution to and lasting impact on children’s literature.
Over the course of his long career, Ted Geisel wrote over 40 books, mostly under the name Dr Seuss, but over a dozen as Theo. LeSieg and one as Rosetta Stone. Nearly 30 of his Dr Seuss books have been adapted for television or video.
At the time of his death in September 1991, 200 million copies of his books, translated into 15 different languages had been sold and sales continue to climb as children (and adults) the world over discover and re-discover his delightful tales and at the same time learn important lessons in tolerance because, despite their differences, all of his characters are portrayed as being just as important as any other, as he says “A person’s a person, no matter how small” (from Horton Hears a Who).
Thank you Dr Seuss!
I hope you have found this article of value. Reading to my own children and grandchildren has been one of the bright spots in my life. I firmly believe reading to children helps to create a strong bond between you that lasts for a lifetime.
For more information on the best children's book to read to, and with, your young child, please visit my website at http://www.fabfamilies.net or email me on
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_554777_40.html
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_554777_40.html
Friday, October 10, 2008
16 Christian Book Reviews
For those of you are who are looking for some good reading covering a wide variety of topics, here is a list of some very good books covering some very interesting topics. Each one of these authors are truly anointed in their teachings and you cannot go wrong with their specific teachings on the subjects they are discussing in each of these books.
1. "Approval Addiction: Overcoming Your Need to Please Everyone" by Joyce MeyerI believe Joyce Meyer to be one of the very best Bible teachers we have in the Body to-date. In this book, she gives you very good commentary and insight on the problem many of us have today in trying to please anyone and everyone. Many people have been set free from her teachings and I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has this particular problem in their thinking and how they relate and interact with others.
2. "Battlefield of the Mind" by Joyce MeyerAnother very solid book from Joyce Meyer. The Bible tells us that we are transformed by the renewing of our "minds." As a result, our minds are the battlefield between God, the devil and our flesh. Each Christian has to learn to how to walk in the Spirit and the ways of our God and stay away from wrong type of thinking that can eventually lead us into trouble that can end up bringing down major misfortune and trouble into our lives.
You are what you think. You can become what you think. That is why the devil and his demons will always try to go after your mind and your thought process - in order to try and seduce you into their dark ways of living in this life as versus the Lord who will try and to lead us into His ways of thinking and living in this life. This is one of the best books she has ever written and she discusses one of the most important areas of spiritual development in a believer's life.
3. "Be Anxious For Nothing: The Art of Casting Your Cares and Resting in God" by Joyce MeyerIn the fast-paced, high-stress world in which we now all live in, many people are having a hard time in finding any true peace. They are worrying about anything and everything. One of the greatest commands given to us by our Lord is to learn how to be anxious for nothing. Joyce does a very good job in covering the appropriate Scripture verses on this command and some of the ways you can learn how to do this in your own personal life.
She gives very good examples of how she learned how to do it for herself as she used to be constantly worrying and complaining about everything. Once she was able to grasp this powerful revelation and truth from God's Word, and then learn how to really get it worked into her mindset and way of thinking and living in this life, she was then able to settle down and enjoy this life much more fully.
4. "Your Best Life Now" by Joel OsteenThis book has become a national bestseller. This man truly flows with knowledge and revelation from the Lord and you cannot go wrong with any of his solid biblical teachings. He has one of the biggest churches in America.
I know some have criticized him as being too seeker-sensitive in some of his sermons, but I believe this man is truly anointed by the Lord and this book will give you much practical, down-to-earth knowledge and wisdom on how to get the most out of your life in the Lord with what He is calling you to do for Him.
5. "God's Generals: Why They Succeeded" by Roberts LiardonFor those of you who would like to learn about some of the saints in the past who have walked with higher levels of the anointing such as Smith Wigglesworth, Kathryn Kuhlmann, Aimee Semple Mcpherson and Marie Woodworth-Etter - this book will give you all of the basic fact of their ministries, how they all got started and some of the incredible things that had occurred in their ministries for the Lord.
This book is a fascinating read into saints who were not afraid to push the envelope with God and how they learned how to walk with some of the highest levels of the anointing that any human has ever walked before. There is much to learn from both their successes and some of their failures. This is the only book I know that goes into very good basic detail into all of these people's lives.
6. "The Holy Spirit" by Billy GrahamA very good, solid book on the Holy Spirit from one of the greatest evangelists of all time. He goes into the 9 gifts and 9 fruits of the Holy Spirit, along with showing you how the Holy Spirit convicts and leads sinners to the Lord for eternal salvation. This book is solid teaching from start to finish covering everything from who the Holy Spirit is and how He will work to lead us into a deeper and closer walk with the Lord. I believe this book to be one of the best teaching books on the Holy Spirit and the personal ministry that He has with each one of us as we journey through this life.
7. "Maximizing the Moment: God's Action Plan for Your Life" by T. D. JakesT.D. Jakes is without question one of the greatest teachers and pastors we have in the body to-date. To those of you who have seen him preach and teach on his regular TV show, he is one of the most anointed speakers in the area of motivating the saints to become everything that God is calling them to become in Him in this life. This man is one of the most intense and on-fire teachers you will ever see.
This book goes into very good detail on how to maximize with whatever God is calling you to do for Him in this life. He covers how to get released from your hurtful past and how to face and overcome obstacles and roadblocks that will come your way once you fully submit to God and start to walk in the divine destiny that He has set up for your life.
8. "Loose That Man and Let Him Go!" by T. D. JakesAnother great book - especially geared for men. Like the book above, he gives very good insight and commentary on how to break free from your past, no matter how bad it may be, into the divine destiny that God has set up for you to follow in Him. Another great motivational book on getting the saints of God out of the dugout and into the real game of life - which is God's call and individual plan for your life.
9 "Called to Be God's Leaders" by Henry Blackaby and Richard BlackabyA great insightful book into Joshua and how and why he became so successful in everything that he accomplished for the Lord as he was the leader that led the Israelites from the wilderness into the Promised Land. This is a great book for all saints who who called by God to enter into any type of leadership position in the Body. The two subtitles of the book are "Lessons From the Life of Joshua" and "How God Prepares His Servants for Spiritual Leadership." Joshua was one of the greatest men in God with everything that he accomplished in his life and these two authors do a great job in isolating the specific factors that were some of the reasons for his major success in the Lord.
10. "The Devil's Door" by John BevereJohn Bevere is another great author and teacher in the Body today. In this great book, he covers how the saints need to stay out of the dark side of this life and what can happen if we do not stay on our side of the fence with the Lord. He also covers whether or not a Christian can lose his salvation in the Lord. Just because we have been saved does not give us the right or license to keep on sinning. Very good practical insight on living a good and righteous life for the Lord.
11. "Elijah" by Charles SwindollThis man has written several powerful books on some of the greatest saints of the Bible. This one is on Elijah, who probably walked with one of the greatest anointings that any man has ever walked with in both the OT and NT. Probably one of the best books ever written on Elijah's life and what we can all learn from this saint's amazing journey and adventures with the Lord.
12. "Joseph" by Charles SwindollAnother great book from Mr. Swindoll, with this one being on the life of Joseph. You have all heard your pastors talking about Joseph going from the pit to the palace. This books goes into very good detail on everything that occurred in this Joseph's life and how we all need to hold fast to the Lord like Joseph did even in the most trying of circumstances - and if we do, then sooner or later we will be rewarded by the Lord.
13. "Paul" by Charles SwindollThis book from Mr. Swindoll is on the life of Paul. I believe Paul to be the greatest of all of the NT apostles and this book gives you all of the basic facts of this man's journey and adventure with the Lord. Again, there is much to learn from his story in the Lord and much we can incorporate into our own personal walks and journeys with the Lord.
14. "David: A Man of Passion and Destiny" by Charles SwindollKing David ended up becoming the greatest of all of the kings of Israel. God gave this man two of the highest compliments when He said that David was a man after His own heart and that David was a man who would do all of the will of God for his life. Mr. Swindoll once again goes into very good basic detail on the main parts of this man's life in the Lord and why he ended up becoming one of the greatest saints in the OT.
15. "Handbook of Todays' Religions" by Josh McDowellThis is a fantastic reference book for those of you who would like basic information on not only on all of the major false religions of the world, but also on the many different areas of the occult and New Age Movement. This book even goes into some of the basic secular areas such as atheism, Marxism and secular humanism. Very solid book that provides a wealth of information and knowledge right at your fingertips on all of these different areas. To be forewarned with knowledge is to be properly armed - especially in the type of world we live in with so may people falling into some these heavy demonic areas.
16. "Sparkling Gems From the Greek" by Rick RennerThis book is an excellent daily devotional. Rick Renner is one of the very best teachers in the Body of Christ. In this gem of a book, he has a specific teaching for every day of the week. What is unique in his teaching style is that he will translate words from the original Greek that the New Testament was written in.
In the 365 daily devotions that are in this book are more than 1000 in-depth Greek word studies so as to help you understand the specific words being used in each of the Scripture verses he is teaching on. Rick covers a wide variety of topics in this very anointed book. You simply can't go wrong with any of this man's solid biblical teachings. The Bible tells us to grow in the knowledge and grace of our Lord and Savior - and you will definitely grow in the knowledge of God if you meditate on many of this man's and teachings and writings.
Article written by Michael Bradley, where you can get 20% off retail on the above books at his online Christian Bookstore.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_219351_51.html
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A Review Of The Magnetic Sponsoring Book
Magnetic Sponsoring is a physical book that teaches network marketing distributors how to generate leads and cash flow for network marketing businesses.
Mike Dillard, the founder of the Magnetic Sponsoring series and Better Networker community forum claims that his ‘funded proposal’ system will help network marketers in any business opportunity to build a ‘hands-free’ name list on autopilot and generate cash from those leads even if they do not join you in your downline.
Traditional network marketing prospecting methods are often criticized of being obsolete, filled with flaws and ineffective at best. Prospecting methods such as cold calling strangers and dead beat leads is one of them. Other forms include running expensive opportunity meetings in the hotel and pestering your close friends and relatives to participate in your business by ‘supporting’ you.
People frown upon these prospecting techniques because they fear rejection, are not easily duplicated by the downline in the network and often resort to hard selling methods in order to ‘close’ the prospect. Practitioners of the traditional methods are often faced with insurmountable challenges and often, at the cost of friendships being destroyed in the process.
Mike Dillard uses the Magnetic Sponsoring method differently. As he outlined in his Magnetic Sponsoring book, he believes that by using the principle of attraction marketing, distributors are able to turn the tables by becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. What this means is that distributors will be able to easily attract prospects to them simply by virtue of leveraging on their credibility and expertise without hard selling those prospects at all. The result? Branding the distributor as an expert in the field where they draw prospects to them by getting the prospects to ‘raise their hands’ first.
Dillard also teaches distributors about the execution of the funded proposal system by using the Internet to generate leads into the sales funnel. Most network marketing reps run out of business leads when building their network marketing business after awhile. They write a name list of their friends and family and once their list runs out, they are at a loss what to do next. Magnetic Sponsoring teaches reps how to generate cash flow while building that list and it is a list of targeted, qualified prospects that are genuinely looking for a business opportunity or a way to change their finances.
At the end of the day, the Magnetic Sponsoring book outlines a step-by-step attraction marketing blueprint to change the mindset of typical network marketers to think more like a leader than a sleazy salesperson.
Mike Dillard, the founder of the Magnetic Sponsoring series and Better Networker community forum claims that his ‘funded proposal’ system will help network marketers in any business opportunity to build a ‘hands-free’ name list on autopilot and generate cash from those leads even if they do not join you in your downline.
Traditional network marketing prospecting methods are often criticized of being obsolete, filled with flaws and ineffective at best. Prospecting methods such as cold calling strangers and dead beat leads is one of them. Other forms include running expensive opportunity meetings in the hotel and pestering your close friends and relatives to participate in your business by ‘supporting’ you.
People frown upon these prospecting techniques because they fear rejection, are not easily duplicated by the downline in the network and often resort to hard selling methods in order to ‘close’ the prospect. Practitioners of the traditional methods are often faced with insurmountable challenges and often, at the cost of friendships being destroyed in the process.
Mike Dillard uses the Magnetic Sponsoring method differently. As he outlined in his Magnetic Sponsoring book, he believes that by using the principle of attraction marketing, distributors are able to turn the tables by becoming the hunted instead of the hunter. What this means is that distributors will be able to easily attract prospects to them simply by virtue of leveraging on their credibility and expertise without hard selling those prospects at all. The result? Branding the distributor as an expert in the field where they draw prospects to them by getting the prospects to ‘raise their hands’ first.
Dillard also teaches distributors about the execution of the funded proposal system by using the Internet to generate leads into the sales funnel. Most network marketing reps run out of business leads when building their network marketing business after awhile. They write a name list of their friends and family and once their list runs out, they are at a loss what to do next. Magnetic Sponsoring teaches reps how to generate cash flow while building that list and it is a list of targeted, qualified prospects that are genuinely looking for a business opportunity or a way to change their finances.
At the end of the day, the Magnetic Sponsoring book outlines a step-by-step attraction marketing blueprint to change the mindset of typical network marketers to think more like a leader than a sleazy salesperson.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_658844_80.html
Author: Kathering Skywalker
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_658844_80.html
Author: Kathering Skywalker
Book Reviews on End Times and Revelations
For those of you who are looking for good bottom-line knowledge on end time events as specifically prophesied to occur by our Lord through His Word, here is a list of some of the best books on this hot topic.
All of these authors are true experts in this field and you cannot go wrong with all of their teachings on this subject. Many people have a hard time in understanding the Book of Revelation, but all of these authors will help you interpret and understand this most important book in our Bible.
I believe we are truly living in the end times and each Christian should have some of this bottom-line knowledge under their belts so they can help explain this to both other Christians who do not have much knowledge on this subject, and also to other nonbelievers who are too sensing something in the air with the way many of the end time events are now starting to come to pass. 1. "Are We Living in the End Times?" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry JenkinsThe co-authors of the best-seller "Left Behind" series have written a very good factual book on all of the main end time events that will be occurring leading up to the visible return of Jesus back to our earth. Tim LaHaye has written several good non-fiction, factual books on end time events and I believe this to be one of his better books. Goes into very good detail on all of these end time events along with all of the Scripture verses to back it all up.
2. "Revelation Unveiled" By Tim LaHayeAnother very good solid book from Tim LaHaye. This book in particular is the best I have seen from him to-date. Besides going into the end time events that will be occurring leading up to Jesus' 2nd coming to our earth, he goes further into all of this showing what is going to happen in the 1000 year millennium kingdom when Jesus will literally rule this earth from the city of Jerusalem - and then what we will get with the final ending to all of it - the New Heaven and New Earth. This is not only the best book he has done to-date, but it is one of the best books on this topic we have to-date in the Body of Christ. I can't recommend this particular book highly enough.
3. "The End Times Controversy" by Tim LaHayeTim has written another good book on end times, but this one is to answer some of the critics who have a hard time in interpreting the Bible from more of a literal point of view. There is a big debate whether or not there will be a rapture, whether or not a real antichrist will really come, etc. Tim answers many of these questions in this book. Highly recommend this book if you want answers to some of the debates going on with this topic.
4. "The Popular Encyclopedia of Bible Prophecy" by Tim Lahaye and Ed HindsonAnother very good solid book from these 2 authors. This is a beautiful hard-bound book that covers specific topics in alphabetical order so you can find what you may looking for at a very fast glance. I would highly recommend this book for those of you who are really wanting to have a firm and solid grasp on all of the basics on this topic. I consider this to be one of the better reference books on this topic. At a very quick glance, you will be able to locate very good Bible commentary on the specific end time events that will be occurring. This book is one of my personal favorites and I refer to it quite often in my studies on end times.
5. "The Late Great Planet Earth" by Hal Lindsey
This book started it all! Written back in the 70's, this book is still considered a classic. I believe Hal Lindsey was one of the first men that God anointed in our day and age to be able to understand and then explain all of these end time events to the rest of the Body. He is one of the most anointed men in the Body of Christ on this topic. 6. "Prince of Darkness" by Grant JeffreyAuthor Grant Jeffrey is another highly anointed man of God in this area. This man is one of the best in this area and this book in particular goes into very good and easy to understand detail on all of these end times events. This book is a paperback, but it is 350 pages in length, and it is LOADED with an incredible amount of knowledge and revelation in this area. This book is also another one of my personal favorites and I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to further their education in this area. He goes into the New World Order that will be coming and some of the things that are occurring right now that will allow the Antichrist a world platform in which to step up on.
7. "The Jerusalem Countdown" by John Hagee
Brand new book from noted pastor, author and Bible teacher John Hagee. As you all know, the country of Iran is emerging as the next major world threat with their intentions of wanting to develop nuclear weaponry. John has ties in with some of higher ranking leaders in Israel and he gives you some very good insight as to what is really going on behind the scenes with Iran and Israel. This book has been flying off the shelves at some of the bookstores I regular frequent where I live. This is a very, very good book bring you real live up-to-date information on this building crisis in the Middle East.
8. "101 Most Asked Questions About the End Times" by Mark HitchcockMark Hitchcock is another solid anointed man of God on being able to understand and teach on end times. This book is a bit different in that he gives you some of his knowledge and expertise in this area by specifically answering some of the most asked questions on this topic. He is another very good author and teacher on this topic and he has a very good way of explaining everything to you so that you can fully understand all of it.
9. "Iran: The Coming Crisis" by Mark HitchcockAnother very good book just released on the current crisis we now have with Iran. Mark gives you some good historical insight into Iran and how we have got to this point with them now wanting to literally conquer the entire world through their new president. This book, and the above book from John Hagee on this building crisis, are two of the best current books we have to-date on this unfolding dilemma.
Article written by Michael Bradley, where you can get 20% off retail on the above books at Christian bookstore offering a wide selection of bibles and christian books.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_213211_51.html
Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_213211_51.html
Saturday, October 4, 2008
The Finer Points of a Literature Review
Generally speaking there are two kinds of literature reviews. The first type is the more informal one, it is a review of a written piece of work, a summary and an evaluation of it. A perfect example is a review of a new book. The first type of literature review has a wider readership because it is more popular, while the second type is the scholarly resource.
It is written as a review of a book or textbook but also has some points of reference in a synthesized format. The casual literature review is supposed to include emotional, intuitive, aesthetic or intellectual responses and discussions concerning credibility, creative worth and literature value of the written pieces of work. Literature reviews which are more academic should contain an evaluation which is more intellectually based and focused or they should have analysis and a list of research done. Academic literature reviews should give details about the original research report. For instance, a literature review for the masses, a book review may contain some of the following phrases: “…if someone is certain that you should read The Celestial Jukebox then read it for sure. Of course, you can also wait for the movie, it would follow soon. The Celestial Jukebox reminds about Fried Green Tomatoes, Magnolia and even bears some resemblance to Gone with the wind in the making.”
The second type of literature review, the scholarly review might sound like this: “… Some studies have taken a different approach on concentrating on how same-sex groups produce different types of interaction as opposed to mixed-sex interactions. Maltz and Borker conducted a typical study of this sort in 1982 developing lists of what they considered as men’s and women’s features of language…”If you are considering writing a literature review of the second type, the scholarly resource, according to professors at University of California, Santa Cruz then it is good to include the following: 1) a subject/topic/theory overview; 2) objects of the literature review; 3) a categorizing of the works under review; 4) a comparison of the inner workings of each source being reviewed; and a conclusion which draws the attention to the source with the more valid and more valuable arguments or positions. In case you should write an alternative literature review, a book review or a report, then make sure you cover the several points listed: 1) a summary of the book; 2) examples of characters, plots, setting; 3) your own opinion what was the most interesting moment, what did you not like about the book, your advice whether people should read it or not.
About the Author
Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning books. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Literature ReviewThe Tombs of Atuan by Ursula K. LeGuin – Book Review
The Tombs of Atuan is the second book in LeGuin’s Earthsea series of books. At less than 150 pages in length it is a small yet magical book that is suitable for children and adults. This is a perfect book for bedtime stories or if you want something light that won’t take a year to finish.
The Tombs of Atuan is the second book in LeGuin’s Earthsea series of books. At less than 150 pages in length it is a small yet magical book that is suitable for children and adults. This is a perfect book for bedtime stories or if you want something light that won’t take a year to finish.
The story of this book is pretty straight forward and about a young girl named Tenar who is taken away from her family at the age of five. She has been determined to be a reincarnated priestess and is brought to the tombs of Atuan to fulfill her role as she has supposedly done for a thousand years.
One very remarkable thing about this story is the immense and complex labyrinth that lies under the temple of Atuan. This labyrinth is the central part of the story and holds many secrets and many treasures. Tenar spends much of her time wandering the dark corridors of this labyrinth and as a reader you will find yourself flipping to the map of the labyrinth at the front of the book. You will be drawn into the labyrinth and you will refer to the map often to track Tenar’s progress as she explores the treasure room, the painted room, the room of bones, and much more.
This story starts out gentle and slow and it takes a little time to really get the feel for the main character and for what is happening but after thirty or forty pages you are going to come to the realization that you have come under the influence of quite a remarkable spell of writing that has been cast upon you. This book, and this story is just remarkable in its beauty. If you love fantasy and are looking for something special to read then I recommend this book highly.
About the World of Earthsea
The story takes place on one small island in a large world called the Archipelago of Earthsea. It is a vast array of islands that are populated with many different people and cultures. Some of the islands even have dragons.
Does the story stand alone?
Being the second book in a series of books the question comes up as to whether or not the book can be read alone without reading the other books and the answer to that question is yes. It can be thoroughly enjoyed as a sole reading adventure. Everything in the story ties up very neatly by the last page. But a character in the first novel of the series (A Wizard of Earthsea) plays a central role in this second novel. I do highly recommend you read the Wizard of Earthsea before you read this novel.
The books have been reprinted many times and you can purchase the first three books as a complete set. And there are currently six books in the Earthsea cycle. The Other Wind is the sixth book and it was published in 2003. You will be drawn into the world of the archipelago and Earth Sea because things happen in this book that have an effect o the rest of the world and you are going to want to explore more of the world that LeGuin has masterfully crafted.
Theme and the Story within the Story
The book can be characterized as a young girls coming of age story but it is much more than that. It probes into the questions of reincarnation, balance and harmony in the world, and through the metaphor of the labyrinth it peeks into the mystery of everything. All of this is packed into 150 pages? Yes, and more. The book itself is a perfect example of a central theme of Earthsea – words and names are important. More words don’t mean much. What is really important is the right words, and the right names of things. And LeGuin parallels this perfectly in this novel. It does in 150 pages what is often attempted in 800 pages.
About the Author
For more reviews and Guides to Fantasy books visit the authors website:
The Fantasy Guide – Your guide to Fantasy Books
Will Kalif is the author of two epic fantasy novels and a fan of all things fantasy and medieval. You can check out his blog on these subjects at: Heroic Dreams – Never Give A Sword to A Man Who Can’t Dance
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