End-of-Life Books

I have to admit I was not particularly looking forward to reading yet another book about church splits, but by page 5 I was really hooked. The author does not just tell the story, but gives the answers to end this age old problem, like a breath of fresh air you feel there is hope.

Francis Frangipane takes you gently into
the areas that the enemy uses to corrupt
the unity of God's church. He shows you,
in down to earth ways, how to avoid being
a part of this corruption and what to do if

you are confronted with it; answering a lot of heart felt questions, he leads you to healing the hurts that you may have within your spirit
from being a victim or a participant in this event.

Mr. Frangipane shows the damage that church splits do to the Body of Christ and our testimony as a whole, not in a condemning way, but in a thought provoking way that should bring every Christian to their knees in prayer for the Body of Christ.
Through his words we can see it's time we join together and put an end to this invasion from the enemy of the church; and the author writes the words that will help mend the broken fences if the church will listen
and apply the truths spoken within these pages.

Recommended read for all serious Christians!

This is a great book. It hits the issues of splits and divisions head on. What a wonderful addition to Francis Frangipane's already incredible list of books! Keep up the good work.

The whole audio series of this book is great! I listened to it in the car with my two kids, ages 10/12, when we went to church - it took us almost a year to complete the series but it was very suspenseful and the kids looked forward to listening to it each time we went in the car! The drama is so well done and you feel like you are a part of the character's lives - very much recommended!

this version of the left behind the kids audio series covers what i think is the most exciting books in the whole series. i have read all the left behind the kids books, and i LOVE them. after i finished reading i went straight to the audio series. They are very well acted, and exciting, i recommend this for everybody!!

Chuck Nelson has captured a unique time and place in American history in his book "Life at The End of a Dirt Road." He has eloquently related childhood memories in a moving story told through the eyes of a boy, growing up in Siskiyou County, California in the middle of the twentieth century.

The setting for the book is the "Nelson Ranch" a 1700 acre cattle ranch located on the remnants of an ancient debris avalanche midway between majestic Mount Shasta and the city of Yreka.

Chuck has uniquely combined humor, nostalgia, and poignant stories from his boyhood to give "city kids" a glimpse into another world, another time, and another way of life. These stories are brought to life through a generous sampling of Chuck's award winning nature photography.

Full of antidotes describing growing up in the "The Red House" on the ranch, the instructive, entertaining stories are thematic. From how to milk a cow, to gathering eggs, and decapitating future fryers, Chuck details the daily chores assigned to the Nelson boys.

He explains the art of "frogging". Chuck tells (tongue in cheek) of how he and his brother contributed to the NASA space program through their experiments proving man's ability to endure the G forces as man is shot into space.

The drudgery of herding cattle, shearing sheep, mending fences, and irrigating the pastures become exciting adventures through Nelson's masterfully crafted humorous narration.

This is a story of family life, of sacrifice, of personal goals, growth, heartache and destiny. A sampling from the family album further endears the family to the reader. Chuck skillfully articulates, with personal feeling, lessons from life, and his deep appreciation for nature as he reflects on many of his hiking experiences.

Chuck's word pictures are as powerful and dramatic as his photography. "The thundershower is over as quickly as it came. The sun falls bright on your eyes and hot on your skin as it emerges from behind the clouds. The birds resume singing. As you watch the rain shadow moving away across the dry hills, you realize that your hike has produced an unexpected reward. You have been kissed by the sky."

This is a book for every parent or grandparent that grew up in rural America during the 40's and 50's to pass along to their children and grandchildren. It is for everyone who loves "Americana" and should be in every city, county, and school library in California. The book is also avialable in an 8 1/2 X 11 inch edition with spectacular full color photographs.

Chuck Nelson's "Life At the End of a Dirt Road" captures the nostalgic memories of every Amercian kid privileged to grow up in rural America in the mid-twentieth century. Nelson relives the high and low moments with his dual skills of pen and camera.

His literary artistry pulls no punches.

The explosive, glolden glory of a Shasta sunset doesn't conceal the reality of frigid winter nights and boiling hot summer suns that confront kids learning the skills of ranch life on Northern California's high desert.

Nelson weaves a story certain to remind all youngsters of the realities of ranch life in the west or farm life in the south. Herding and milking cows; irrigating the fields; the fine art of raising and cooking chickens; the serious sports of hunting and fishing; surviving wild weather; overcoming long distances to school; the tough discipline imposed by a ranching father who cut his sons no slack; and the overall feeling of warmth that clothes that magical package of childhood memories while building bodies, souls, and character at the end of that dirt road.

A fair reading of Nelson's book leaves nothing to the imagination. But while calling it as he sees it, the message comes through loud and clear that the author cherishes that long-ago, long-gone time on the ranch and treasures the foundation it laid for a successful adult life.

Anyone who lived a childhood on a farm or ranch will embrace "Life At The End of A Dirt Road." And those who grew up midst the 24/7 cacophony of an American city, will be rewarded with a fascinating account of what they may have missed.

Warren L. Johns
Smithville, Tennessee

From global warming to the end of natural resources, Religious Task Force coordinator Margaret Swedish poses a fine challenge to people of faith: what kind of human responses will take place to increasing global conflict and challenge? Her survey of spiritual vision and community involvement lend to a fine spirituality of hope and a passion for ethics and shared support, making this an excellent pick for college-level audiences surveying spiritual ethics and world conditions from a Christian perspective.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

So says author Margaret Swedish in the concluding chapter of her sober but hopeful Living Beyond the End of the World. Hers is one of the most courageous books published in the last few years, and she and her publisher, Orbis, are to be commended for saying what few of us want to be told.

We--the world in general and the U.S. in particular--are in a crisis, and it's likely to get much worse. Climate change is a reality that will impact economies, geopolitical relations, individual lifestyles and health, and the very stability of the good earth itself. The "American Way of Life," predicated on an abundance of cheap, nonrenewable fuel, is over. The problem is that we've become so addicted to it in the very short time it's been around--a generation or so--that we can't quite bring ourselves to believe that it's an exception rather than the rule. So we go on pursuing it, to the detriment of the environment. In the meantime, the rich truly are getting richer (and fewer) and the poor are getting poorer (and more numerous). The end of the world as we know it is upon us, and there's nothing we can do to salvage it.

What we can do, however, is rethink who we are and what our purpose is--this is what Swedish means by reinventing our presence on earth. We need, as she says, to begin learning how to restore our "primary relationship" with our "home community"--earth. Doing this is a holistic work that necessarily redirects our interpersonal, economic, and political relationships too. We become better seers, better listeners, and better at grateful wonderment, because we've weaned ourselves from our alienated drive to subdue and seize the planet.

Swedish tells us that she chooses to believe that the reinvention our dire situation calls for is possible. She chooses hope, believing that we can discover the moral will to create a better world, one more compatible with our role as God's stewards. But her message isn't one for pollyannas. She's painfully aware that the task before us is colossal, and that whatever happens in the future, the lifestyle that the baby-boomer generation enjoyed is a thing of the past. We're moving into a "permanent fast." The only question is whether it will be voluntary, thought-through, and reflective, or forced by circumstances.

Read this book alongside James Howard Kunstler's brilliant and equally disturbing The Long Emergency, as well as his futuristic novel World Made by Hand. Equally timely are Thich Nhat Hanh's The World We Have: A Buddhist Approach to Peace and Ecology and Michael Mann & Lee Kump's Dire Predictions: Understanding Global Warming.

I am a deep admirer of Islam's books and I think he can reach a depth and an insight into the life of Bangladeshi immigrants in the Uk that is precious, uncommon and stirring.
Read this book: it will capture you, change you and remain with you forever, like the character of Brothero Man.

My dad took along time to write this book , so i hoped it would be good!! Although I have not yet finished the book, I am enjoying it very much. I think this book (so far ) is very truthful about a lot of peoples lives nowadays. This book will make a lot of people see another point of life. READ IT NOW!!

I started reading these books because I have a 14-year-old son who only reads when he has to. My wife and I bought these books for him, but I became the first to start reading them. Having read the adult Left Behind books, I thought these would be juvenile, but I was wrong. I thought they were very fast moving, exciting and extremely entertaining as well. I found them even more entertaining than the adult series. Though many of the characters are teenagers, I agree that the content is more adult than childlike. It is also apealing to the young reader as well, although they are certainly not for the very young readers. I would recommend the youngest be 11 or 12, if they are mature and bright in their thinking. The best part I found with these books is their Christian content. Jesus is the central theme of the books and him crucified on the cross of Cavalry for our sins. (John 3:16, 17) I am impressed with the simplicity in which Dr. Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins weave the truth of the Gospel throughout these wonderful little books. I am only up through the middle of them at present (book 14) and have about 14 more books to finish. I am in no hurry, but they are a great book for the young and old alike.

I have always enjoyed the adult series of Left Behind books. The kids books are just as good. The kids interact with the characters from the adult series, experience the same events, etc. However, since the main characters are teens, these books can appeal to younger readers. So far, the stories haven't had the ups and downs that the adult series has had. The adult series has books that are a lot more boring than others. The kids series seems to be good in every book. These are not for really young kids, but would be appropriate for young teens. I enjoy them and I am an adult.

An outstanding collection of vignettes that can be read not only by those in the health care professions, but also by those who just have questions about how physicians and clients can communicate around sensitive issues. I have used it as a text for nursing students with great success and shared it with friends diagnosed with a serious illness. I strongly recommend it for anyone who is concerned about quality of life at the end of life

Dr. Quill is best known for his infamous "Diane" who chose to end her life in a unorthodox way. Dr. Quill does not agree with physician assisted suicide, however, he does believe that compassion in dying and allowing one to make their own destiny in the face of uncontrollable pain will alleviate much suffering. The most common reason for suicide in those with medical conditions that are incurable are is they want to die in control and without pain. It is possible with the right medical care and if it results in hastening ones death...so be it. Dr. Kevorkian uses an unorthodox procedure that at times is barbaric. Dr. Quill is one who will help you and make you comfortable. He shares his experiences with several of his patients in a way that is humane and loving.

This book helped me so much when my Grandmother died. It gave me an understanding of the grief process and the stages of grief in an easy to read manner. It helped me know that what I was feeling was part of the normal healing process. After reading this book I have been able to have more compassion and insight into others who are grieving from the loss of someone or something they loved. Everyone should get a chance to read this book for we all grieve at sometime in our lives and have people close to us who we want to support with their grief.

i feel that anybody going through a grieving experience should have or be gifted this booklet. it is so helpful in understanding the diffrent stages we go thru when we grieve, both for ourselves and for the people around us trying to support us. it makes a tremendous difference. written in a clear and easy to understand way that is soothing and calming. a real gem. i highly recommend it.

This amazing treatise describes the development of Xenopus laevis embryos at a level of detail far beyond that of any other work, of any other species. Longer more laborious descriptions exist for some, but the lucid writing, beautiful illustrations and absolutely astonishing accuracy of this work is beyond compare. How could Nieuwkoop and Faber possibly "see" the level of developmental detail described in this work from serial sections? To this day with our laser confocals and sophisticated imaging armada we see less than these two extraordinary scientists gleaned from their sections.

An absolutely critical reference work for any developmental biologist.

We use this classic text all the time in my lab. It's got greatblack & white illustrations of each stage of development, and alsohas excellent written descriptions of the entire process. A must for anybody working with everybody's favorite amphibians!

This text assembles the various spiritual interpretations of an historic event into a fluid, cohesive paradigm. Many perspectives are woven into a beautiful portrait of our potential for personal evolution. By referencing non-cannonical esoteric texts Blonder points out the underlying unanimity of widely differing spiritual perspectives. The book is like contemplating the potential meanings of the lights in the sky with a wise elder.

The Phoenix Lights what could they mean? If they were a sign what might they indicate? These are compelling and rewarding questions that 'The Oracle' discusses in depth. The figures, the location, the timing, the symbols, the star patterns in the sky that night...all these elements `suggest' some meaning. Perhaps by appearing in the land of the Hopi the lights indicate the unfolding of traditional prophecy. Could the number of the lights suggest the opening of new chakras, the evolution of a healing age? Blonder delights in drawing together the diverse interpretive possibilities for which we can be grateful.

Combined the numerous prophecies and associations suggest a message of hope, of humanism, and of the unfolding of higher consciousness. For which we can be grateful.

Maureen Quinn

Steven Blonder's book presented to the this reader facts as well as his interpretations and connections. He goes even further as he looks at those historical events and connections to prophesies expressed by past civilizations as to the future of this planet. This book is so informative and gave me so much to think about and ponder. It reads like a mystery novel rather than cold historical facts. It is timely as we near 2012 and timeless in its implications.