End-of-Life Books

I'm going to meet this guy some day and laugh as loud with him as I did when I read his book. Yet, it's almost satire. Penetrating, poignant and schizophrenic. I loved it.

Seldom does a theological work that is full of depth in its scholarship bring gut wrenching guffaws that cause my husband to actually ask me why I'm laughing so loud. Rathbun's work is as easy to read as it is poignant in its message. This is a must read for anyone who has ever wondered, "What's up with that whole Christian thing?" A Christian reader will never again be so steady nor so sure nor so quick with all the answers. This is a book that reminds us of the core of Jesus' message, "Love as you are loved."

I guess this book has been out for awhile and I'm probably behind the times (or maybe the author was ahead of his time). I underlined a lot in this book. Here's one of my favorites:

"After all, what takes more faith - to believe that God can save you and offer personal fulfillment and comfort, or to believe that God can reorient the whole world from one of hate, greed, fear and personal gain, to one ruled by peace and justice? A world where there is Good News for the poor, releases for the captives, the recovery of sight for the blind - where the oppressed are free, and all live according to God's good favor. What takes more faith - to believe that God can save you or that God is going to save the whole world and wants you to help?" - pg. 86, Rev. Lamblove (aka russell rathbun)

The best line is on page 110, but don't skip ahead. You gotta read the whole thing, then the punchline will blow you away.

I hope it's not too late - I want to join the revolution!

Russell Rathbun has just raised the bar for Christian fiction. Post-Rapture Radio is fiction - forget for a moment the adjective Christian - at its very best. It is inventive, humorous, shocking, provocative, philosophical and at times quite depressing. It's almost existential. Rathbun has a message, to be sure, and it's directed at Christians. However, unlike most "Christian novels with a message," the message does not weigh the writing down.

In the book, the narrator discovers a box containing various writings of "unknown crazy preacher" Richard Lamblove. The writings include sermons, journal entries & miscellaneous scribbled notes by this man, whose only proof of existence appears to be the documents in the box. Most of the book consists of these various writings, interspersed with notes by the narrator, who is trying to make some sense of the writings. Lamblove is at odds with what he perceives as the "Contemporary Christian Church Conspiracy" that surrounds him and it's either driving him crazy, or driving him sane. Or perhaps both.

There will be a number of people who simply "don't get" the book, which to me only shows how brilliant the book is (all great books are not understood by the masses). Some will hate it because it pushed various buttons, and we all hate when our buttons get pushed. Many will love the book, just because it's so well-written and relevant. My reaction, however, was that I began to identify so closely with Rev. Lamblove that I experienced moments of near despair (a near existential moment - another sign of a great book).

The only shortcoming of the book, in my opinion, was that the Lamblove character is a pastor. The way the book resolved (I won't give the ending away) was fine for Lamblove, but what about the majority of people in the church? What options are open to those trapped in their own Contemporary Christian Church Conspiracy, but without the resources and opportunities of the leadership (not that he gave any specific answers there, either)? I need to ask Rathbun ... perhaps he'll write a sequel.

Ouch!! Once I got his literary device, his satirical critique hit home with both humorous and distressing poignancy! The sad truth is that many leaders in desperate need of updating of their methods and models will fall victim to a wholesale exchange of contemporary style for contextual substance. Russell Rathbun's critique of ultra-modern Christianity is a must read poking fun at our attempts to contemporize ministry without the accompanying and necessary spiritual depth, character, and authentic (and ancient) substance of the gospel. Ouch, ouch, ouch!!!

Fantastic message. Every parent of a young athlete should read it, and every aspiring young athlete should read it. Alan Williams demonstrates everything that is still right about wanting to succeed as an athlete... and the way to go about it. And for those athletes that are a "can't miss" or already there, the example and impacts that a Robert O'Kelly can make on those kids fighting to succeed are priceless. I made every girl on my 12U AAU basketball team read it.

They always say if you want to know what the Coach or the star of the team is really like, then you should ask the last player on the bench. This is exactly what Allan Williams does as he takes you on a journey through his life and times of triumph and dejection on the Wake Forest men's basketball team. It's a great story for basketball players and non players alike. truly inspirational

Walk-on is a must read for coaches, parents (especially fathers),star athletes and "bench-warmers." Alan Williams is a living example of what it means to be a team player. His story is a great encouragement to the athlete who loves his/her sport, but rarely "gets in the game." The book also brings out the positive relationship he has with his father.

Realistically describes the role of the non-starter in college athletics; worth reading for the roles of determination, family and faith in an individual's life. Good to share with high school athletes aspiring to play in college. Quick read, not the very best writing, but not awful either.

This book is incredibly inspiring and one that anyone will enjoy reading. I would give it six stars on a scale from 1 to 5!!!!!

The End-of-Life Handbook is a refreshing and comforting book that I wish I had had when my husband died three years ago. Reading the words of both Dave Feldman and Andrew Lasher feels like having them sitting with you, coaching you when you need help figuring out what to do. They offer practical advice about talking to doctors, how to understand your own feelings and to care for yourself when a loved one is gravely ill. If you only buy one book when you are helping someone with a serious illness, this is the one I would buy.

Drs. Feldman and Lasher have created an extraordinary book. If you are facing the challenges of caring for a dying loved one you could benefit greatly by having this essential resource. I have never read a book that had such an immediate effect of preparing me for something so difficult: to be with someone during their final passage. My loved one is an octogenarian with cancer. As a first-time primary caregiver and health proxy, I didn't know where to begin. Once I started reading, it was hard to put the book down. Its non-technical voice was liberating and validating. Never before having experienced the throes of living with someone who has a terminal illness, I realized I was emotionally surviving one day at time without a thoughtful plan. I was managing finances, trying to understand medical jargon, and more, all while neglecting to take care of my own needs: guilt, anger, numbness, sadness, et cetera.

The End-of-Life Handbook speaks directly to you, acting as your own personal compassionate guide. It draws on the experience of two experts in the field of end-of-life care. The wisdom Feldman and Lasher provide is reassuring. Most chapters end with exercises that help you with practical (but overlooked) matters like creating a plan to take of care of yourself, or providing a list of questions to help with the often difficult conversation regarding your loved one's advance directives. In addition, anecdotes in each chapter bring to life the rich information the book has to offer.

This book is highly recommended!

I recommend this book to anyone who has loved ones that are terminally ill. The valuable information in this book helps both the caregiver and the dying person understand and deal with the last stages of life. Everyone should read this book in the event that they have to deal with a terminally ill loved one.

While sufficiently detailed and scholarly in its scope for the practitioner who deals with end of life care, I found this book to be especially helpful for the lay person such as myself. The easy to navigate chapters and common sense advice were welcome for a subject that often tends toward the clinical and calculated. Sadly we are all likely to have to care, in one fashion or another, for a loved one in their final months and days of life. This book will make that journey a little easier and more satisfying.

Serving as the power of attorney for a dying loved one, I felt as if I was left at sea without a paddle. This book helped crystallize my thoughts and ask the pertinent questions I wanted answered from my busy doctor. The book prepared and educated me in what to expect when my loved one approached death, but also how to facilitate the process towards an end in which conincided with what my loved one had hoped for. The valuable advice in this book enabled me to interface effectively with the medical team so that I could voice the wishes of my loved one when she was unable to do so herself. Even after the passing, I still find value in this book in finding resources in coping with my loss.

This series is great- not the best writing, but I love it, especially the first books (after #13-15, the series starts to go downhill). Book 12 ended on a huge cliffhanger (if you're a Ryan fan like me) and The Showdown answers those questions. Beware, it is really, really sad. I was almost crying and I never cry while reading books.

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.

I loved the book so much that I couldn't put it down. I read it in less then 24 hours and I am a slow reader. I highly encourage you to read this book. It is safe to read because both the authors are strong Christians and the book is Bible based.

The Young Trib Force has just faced God's latest Judgement, and now all four are seperated and must find a way back to each other.
Judd mourns the loss of a new friend, and tries to stay alive. He is captured by a group of GC fanatics, and must make a hard decision and risk his safety to tell a woman about the truth.
Vicki finally makes it back to Mount Prospect and reunites with some friends. Vicki worries about Ryan, and is on a frantic search for him. Where could he have gone?
Lionel was hit on the head, and now can't remember anything. He discovers a Bible, and through his new friend Conrad, tries to dsicover who he was. Through a series of drills, the two, along with Melinda and Felica head up a new unit of GC known as Morale Moniters and return to Illinois. Could the answers he is searching for be there?
Meanwhile, Ryan suffers a painful injury and fights for his survival. Is this be the end here on earth for the youngest member of the Young Trib Force?
Just a warning: this is an emotional book, and you should have a box of tissues ready! I loved this book, and the plot really fit together, and charcter development has grown so much through the series, you become so emotionally attached, its hard to let anyone go. This is one of my very favorites in the series, and if you've read the books so far, you need to get this one! The cliffhanger at the end is just wonderful, and I suggest buying book 14 along with it!

I really liked this book not only because it informs us about the End Times but it keeps you one the edge of your seat. The way the author brings the kids together and all the exciting events they go through keep you wanting to read all the books in the series. I really liked the way the author makes each character have a different situation which shows that when the Rapture happens anyone can be left behind. Unless of course you are a Christian.

The book is awesome. I've read other books co-authored by Dr. Dehaan and it very insightful. He really allows you to see the bible on the topic from a medical perspective. A must read. Sister Ford

When I first received this book it sat on a shelf for a month or so, but when I read the first page I couldnt put it down. I have read this book (160 pages)about 5 times. It is very helpful and its illistrations command your attention and involkes deep thought. I highly recommend this book for anyone that is a teacher or minister of the Word of God.

We've all heard about forgiveness but what power is there in it without "the blood"? This is an exceptional book that addresses the subject probably few people of today have even heard about. It is written in an easy to understand manner that will help any person whether Christan or not to understand the difference between the blood of Christ and just anyone's blood. This is a must read for anyone interested in eternal life through the blood of Christ. You will read it more than once in your lifetime and still glean new insight each time you refer to.

I was recently given this book to read and from the title I did not know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of this writers spiritual insights into our basic matter.
There are many chapters that he expands on what GOD has done to bring us closer to HIM and why these things occurred. I found one statement very profound in the chapter Chemistry of Tears. Dr. De Haan state that "tears are the distillation of our soul" the book is full of such gold nuggets.
I highly recommend this book to enhance your view of GOD's love for you GOD bless jb

SIMPLY A MUST READ BOOK. NUMEROUS MEDICAL TEXTS ARE USED FOR REFERENCE ON THE EXPLANATION OF WHY JESUS HAD TO BE BORN OF A VIRGIN. SIMPLY AN AMAZING MUST HAVE BOOK, NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO EVEN SCRATCH THE SURFACE ON THE INFO CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK, PLEASE READ IT.

Ron Mehl was gifted with the ability to encourage others in life's walk. I have now read three books by hi; God Works the Night Shift, What God Whispers in the Night, and Meeting God at a dead end. All three have a similar theme. Mehl tells his readers that God is always there for you, even if you cannot see or feel him. He wants the reader to remember that faith can go a long way and that God does work for our benefit. He peppers his books with interesting and uplifting real life stories. These are not deep tholigical books, but they are good for those dark times.

I was at a crossroads in my life and hurting deeply when I found this book at a yard sale. I had never heard of Ron Mehl before this time but since then, I have purchased almost all of his books and buy them for friends. Truly, this book will bring hope to the hurting. You won't regret this purchase or any other book by this author.

I picked up this little volume at a rummage sale because the cover caught my eye. However, when I started reading the book, I found the content so compelling and so inspiring, I had to lay the book down for a moment [again and again] and simply think through what I'd just read. It is quite intense. Mehl shares an insight into the Bible that is truly remarkable. He speaks right to the core of the issue and explains things in simple, clear and concise language.

His style reminds me of William Barclay, one of the most beloved Bible commentators of the century. As was said of Barclay (and is true of Mehl, as well) "He saved the Bible from the experts."

This book is filled with spiritual stories and insights that will lift the soul into a peaceful place. God's love is magnified through Mr. Mehl's writings, and again he persuades us to trust and fall on God's mercy even when facing a dead end. Excellent book!

How truly amazing and faithful God is. I know these truths in my heart, but when things happen in my life to prove it, I can't help but be overcome with awe at Him. I discovered this book at a time when I was struggling with direction in my life. I had none. Pretty big struggle, don't you think? I was done with college--I finished student teaching in December of '98, I was done with my temporary job for the Spring in a school district, and it was now the summer and I didn't know what I wanted to do next. I did not have any leads, or any desire for that matter to pursue anything. I felt a true loss of direction for the first time in my life. I couldn't tell where God wanted me to go next, and was desperately looking for answers, but to no avail--a true "dead end". I was in a Christian bookstore one day, just browsing and looking to see if they had any Ron Mehl books (my favorite author) available. There on the shelf were only two of Ron's books, The Ten(der) Commandments (which I already had), and a book called "Meeting God at a Dead End". I was stunned. Literally. I just stood there in the middle of the aisle, with this book in my hand. This book, that, before I had even opened it, had me feeling like I was Charlie from Willie Wonka holding the Golden ticket. I couldn't believe that there was a book by my favorite author, with a title that summed up my life at that point, in my hands! OK, so I am a dramatic person, but it was a pretty great moment. What was even greater was when I actually went home and read my Golden ticket. I didn't realize how badly I needed this book in my life. I felt as if Ron knew exactly what was happening to me, and exactly what words and Scripture to use to give me hope, encouragement, trust and faith in God. This book gives hope for every kind of "dead end"--where you feel like you don't know where to turn or who to turn to. Ron shows in his usual excellent way that the Lord is who you want to turn to. The Lord is who's watching over you and is there at that dead end, ready to take on whatever is troubling you in your life--you just have to let Him.

THIS A TRULY WONDERFUL BOOK, ABOUT AN AMAZING WOMAN.THE AUTHOR DELIVERS A GREAT STORY.THIS IS ONE YOU SHOULD NOT MISS. WELL WRITTEN AND TOUCHES THE HEART.DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!

Moskowitz has told the world her deeply personal story and in doing so, helps others to cope with the on-going loss of an aging parent. I am both a Geriatric Care Manager and the daughter of a mother who has Alzheimer's Disease. I found myself re-reading passages so I could remember them to share with my client's families. I also re-read parts to remind myself that I am not alone with the myriad of feelings that come with the role of caregiver. I intend to recommend that all of my clients' adult children read this book, it will give them great strength and comfort. Thanks Bette, for writing such a fine book!

This is a book that needed to be written and Bette Ann Moskowitz wrote if from the gut. The subject matter, the aging of a parent, may not be on anyone's most favorite topic list, but the author deals with it in a straight-forward, positive and honest way. In fact, the reader cannot help but admire the intensity of her honesty, especially in examining her own feelings, describing her relationship with Mary Solomon, her mother, and questioning what she thinks her mother might be thinking and feeling, if anything at all. The situation may be sad, but the book is not. It is a courageous, compassionate and deeply moving story. I would wish it were possible that no one would ever have to go through what Mary has, but realistically, as people live longer, we might. And if we must, then I wish that we could all have as strong, as gentle, as loving an overseer of our care as Mary has with Bette. This is a book that reaffirms the existence and necessity of The Golen Rule. I highly recommend it to everyone who is able to read and understand its very important message.

Moskowitz has captured in searing,honest and yet revealing candor the most private emotions and responsibilities we face. She's done this with full intent and determination - and as such has captured a private and public domain within each of us. She allows us hallowed moments to reflect privately, and that helps us accept our next giant step. What she speaks about is real and demands our honest reflection. She allows us freedom to see our destiny. Her nobility gives us a chance to once again see ourselves.

While different from my own, Bette Ann Moskowitz's personal story is quite familiar -- a story about the inexorable mental decline of one's Mother due to Alzheimer's disease.

My mother has been experiencing a definite, accelerating decline for a few years now. Through tests, we've ruled out pretty much every other possible reason; she's certainly got Alzheimer's. This book has provided some comfort by showing me that I'm far from alone in this kind of experience. And it has helped me know what to expect in the months or years to come.

Wonderful book! At times uncomfortably honest, very deep, inciteful, and practical. Volf articulates his arguments clearly, and his thought process is well organized throughout the book. I highly recommed this book.

Is it possible to forget atrocities, and should one really forgive abusers? How does memory interact with social injunctions that past wrongs never be forgotten? THE END OF MEMORY: REMEMBERING RIGHTLY IN A VIOLENT WORLD will appeal to many different collections; from health and psychology holdings to social issues and history collections at the college level. These libraries will find both controversial and insightful discussions that delve into both the origins of violent memories and their purposes and the conflicts over whether to keep them alive for future generations or in the background to allow healing.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Miroslav Volf is an evangelical theologian and professor at Yale Divinity School. He also grew up in the former Yugoslavia and its communist rule. And it is precisely his experiences in Yugoslavia during his year of mandatory military service that provide the focus for this book, a sustained reflection on the meaning of memory and grace with regard to wrongs committed against us.

Volf sets up his reflections by recounting his memory of the sustained interrogations to which he was subjected by "Captain G." during his year of military service. Because of his training in America, his background in theology, his critique of Marxism, and his marriage to an American, he was a person of suspicion. This resulted in sustained interrogations, threats of detainment, and psychological torture. This background leads him to the question, What does it mean to remember these wrongs done against us?

The first stage of his argument deals with the question of if we should remember. In today's culture, especially in the wake of the Holocaust and other attrocities of the past century, the answer seems an obvious yes. And Volf echoes this answer, marshalling the call of such people as Elie Wiesel, who rally around the cry, Remember! It is important to acknowledge wrongdoing, and to recognize both those who are wrong and those who have been wronged. But, he also turns us to wrestle with the question of how we should remember.

Memory is important, but it is also ambiguous. Memory can be put to many uses. It can help us to prevent further wrongs or atrocities, but it can also lead us to perpetrate wrongs out of self-interest (say out of the desire to not be a victim again ourselves). So the first facet of memory that Volf emphasizes is that we must remember truthfully. This means honestly seeking as complete an understanding of events as possible, admitting the points of view of others than ourselves, and acknowledging the complexities that are often inherent in these situations. It is often easy in situations where we have been wronged to make out the perpetrator as the "evil" party and ourselves as the "good" or "innocent" party. But the facts often reveal a more complex picture. While the evil can still be named as such, there is often more to it, such as the fact that Captain G. was operating within a system that condoned and encouraged his behavior toward Volf and other suspects. A second important facet of our remembering is that it is to be in service of reconciliation. We are to strive to bring a full and accurate account of events to mind so that we can fully acknowledge the situation, along with the perperatator, and then offer forgiveness and grace to that person, and, when it is received, enter into a new and reconciled relationship with them, beyond the roles of perpetrator and victim, where the wrong is forgotten.

This brings us to the third major theme of Volf's book. Beyond memory, and beyond a certain type of remembering in service of grace, comes forgetting. We should strive toward and look forward to a grace-filled world in which wrongs are fully acknowledged and then forgotten. In light of Jesus' death on the cross, a death which dealt with all evil, we look forward in hope to a time when that grace will embrace our situation. Volf is careful to remind that this forgetting is always on the other side of acknowledgement, forgiveness, and reconciliation, but it is still an end. We should (though it is not easy) long for a time when perpetrator and victim can come together without those labels, when a new and reconcilied relationship has forgotten completely those earlier roles, and draws them together as friends and companions. This is Volf's vision of the life to come, on the other side of the final judgment, a life that we can begin to experience here and now through a drive for reconciliation (as opposed to retribution).

Volf's End of Memory is an honest wrestling with the true nature of Christianity, the atonement, and grace. It helps paint a fuller picture of grace by looking beyond what grace means for me personally to a look at what grace should mean for my enemies, as well. He makes a convincing case for the importance of memory, a truthful and just type of memory, but then qualifies this memory as provisional. We instead look toward the end of memory, that time when all things will be made new, all wrongs remembered and then forgotten, and all eyes turned from past hurts to fulfillment and joy in Jesus Christ. It is a great and challenging vision of a grace-filled life. And is also a deep reflection what shapes our identity (hint: it's not our history, though that plays a role; who we are is ultimately grounded in God.)

Volf gets to the heart of our society's bullying stance by asking: How much of my (our) future will I (we) allow our tormentors to colonize? With the mind and method of premier scholarship and the heart of a poet, Volf probes the question personally and asks it publicly. Never an easy read, but probably an essential one for folks of real hope and deep honesty. He is clear, "Both ways in which this book disturbs conventional opinion are rooted in a single conviction: the proper goal of the memory of wrongs suffered-- its appropriate end-- is the formation of the communion of love between all people, including victims and perpetrators."(p.232) He desires a radical responsibility of all people and challenges us to step into it by learning to "remember rightly."

In a post Holocaust, post (this is ethonocentric, I know) 9/11 world the world, we are commonly called to Remember the wrongs, both terrible and minute, forever. The idea runs: If we forget, we disgrace the victim and allow the perpetrator to go free. But Volf, stirred deeply both by his own trying life situations and abiding faith in Christ, declares we should not allow this false form of eternal remebering to take us away from the work of Christ. Not to seek reconciliation, not to seek forgiveness in its proper way is to fail to understand who Christ, the gracious act of redemption and reconcilliation with the Triune God, and the ultimate eschatological goal Christ draws us towards (this is primary to Volf's understanding of theology in general. Faith in Christ is eschatologicaly pulled forward).

The book is accessible and thought provoking. We must let Volf's vision of faith challenge and grow us.

Did you know that nets abandoned (or lost) by fishermen become 'ghost nets' that can perpetually go on fishing? Did you know that certain fisheries throw away (or discard) as much as 80% of the species they catch?

This is a book that anybody should (or must) read. The plundering of the oceans is being quietly executed at an alarming scale that we must be aware of the dangers of depriving future generations of the pleasures and benefits of fish eating.

The book is greatly executed and researched. Each of the major subjects of fishery is compartimentalised (if I'm allowed the expression) in compact chapters around 20 pages each so it's easy to read. Charles Clover is a journalist, so he certainly wants to appeal to the broadest audience possible and wants to pass his message in a clear, almost newspaper-like style.

However, if this is the main strength of the book it is also its main weakness. This journalistic style has boundaries, and I'll make clear what I'm saying by citing a few short passages. For instance, in chapter 8 Clover recounts a trip to Newfoundland, Canada, and tells us that, while driving, the radio is playing Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac... Later on, he arrives at Harvey Templeman's cafeteria, who pushes across a cup of free coffee and helps Clover locate the person he is supposed to meet that day.

This is my point: does the reader have to know about Templeman's coffee or radio music in Newfoundland? Fortunately, these detours are short and only consume a few paragraphs, for Clover immediately dwelves into the subject matter... Yet pushing the journalistic style too far could alienate certain readers who are looking for more of a scientific discourse.

Clover makes frequent analogies between hunting in the Oceans and hunting on land. For instance, whenever the case of animal reserves is championed, nobody worries what the construction industry has to say... But whenever a fish marine reserve is planned, the fishing industry has to be consulted. Fishermen are 'stakeholders' but (as Bill Ballantine says in chapter 15) few consider that the real 'stakeholders' of the Sea are our children and their grandchildren.

Why do land-based industries abide to stringent pollution laws (risking legal action if these laws are not respected) while fishing vessels go about plundering the seas running a very remote risk of penalisation?

To continue with the land-sea analogy, we might say that, with current rates of overfishing, our seas are rapidly becoming marine 'deserts'.

Finally, if I must choose at least one major attribute of this book, I would say it is global in scope. Charles Clover can take the reader, seamlessly, from the waters of New Zealand to the Argentinean Antarctica; from the Lofoten archipelago to the high seas off Peru. Fishing, like almost everything these days, requires a global approach.

Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3LPQTH283YHEO This is one of the most important books I have read. I have turned a single page of this book into a video relating to by-catch when using purse seine netting as commonly employed for tuna fishing. Long line tuna fishing with hooks stretching out up to 60 miles long (and several lines) is only slightly less worse. The pole and line method is the best. The End of the Line was one of the first books of its kind. It was difficult to get published, but now it is going into new editions, and other books are joining the bandwagon. In order to see just how bad the situation is you may watch the following video from You Tube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZkwewR69w8 The End of the Line: How Overfishing Is Changing the World and What We Eat

This is an excellent primer on fish mining. It's well researched and easy to read. The future of industrial fishing looks bleak, and Clover clearly explains why.

For those of you who are concerned about the state of our fisheries and declining fish populations worldwide, I would suggest a newly published book, "The End of the Line," by Charles Clover. As The Independent suggests, his book is "the maritime equivalent of Silent Spring." Clover takes the reader on an unbiased tour of many of the most important fisheries throughout the world from Africa to Iceland, offshore to nearshore. His appraisal and commentary of fishery management is candid and insightful. I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves trying to contemplate the disequilibrium between fishery management and sustainability. The book ends with some positive examples of fishery management of which there are sadly too few, and he has some helpful tips for all of us to do our part to ensure fish stocks for the next generation.

"The End of the Line" is a well-written, highly informative book which addresses a serious global issue.

"Imagine what people would say if a band of hunters strung a mile of net between two immense all-terrain vehicles and dragged it at speed across the plains of Africa.... left behind is a strangely bedraggled landscape resembling a harrowed field... this efficient but highly unselective way of killing animals is known as trawling... it is practiced the world over every day, from the Barents Sea in the Arctic to the shores of Antarctica and from the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the central Pacific to the temperate waters off Cape Cod."

Overfishing is a serious problem that must be addressed. The statistics are staggering. As journalist Charles Clover shows in his global exploration of the destruction caused by overfishing, we have inflicted a crisis on the oceans in a single human lifetime greater than any yet caused by pollution.

This is a book that should be on EVERYONE'S bookshelf because sooner than later we will all need it. My husband and I put off thinking of wills, trusts, and most of all conversations with loved ones and Ms. Larsen's wonderful book got us doing it all. It's easy to read, informative, and filled with human interest stories. I recommend that you buy it, read it through,and remember that it's on your shelf. Buy it for your family and friends too, they will thank you.

Larsen's book throws open a window, allowing us a fresh look at the possibility of clarifying, before it's too late, the end of life issues of those we love. It's a thoughtful and calming read that utilizes significant facts, gentle suggestions, and even a bit of poetry to render this often postponed subject far easier to approach. I'm so glad I read it now......

As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I found Laura Larsen's Facing the Final Mystery of great value in working with clients who are dealing with illness and the issues surrounding the loss of a loved one. Ms. Larsen offers both very practical advice about how to handle the specifics of death, what to be prepared for about "facing this final mystery", along with a heartfelt section on how to handle grief. I recommend this book highly for both personal and professional use.

An absolute "must read" book for every healthcare professional, care giver, and every person of any age.
As a registered nurse, I wish that every one of my patients and their families would have read this excellent guide book. It would make my caring much easier. Ms. Larsen has a very practical approach to explaining a variety of issues surrounding end-of-life we all need to deal with whether we like it or not.

FACING THE FINAL MYSTERY is an eloquent and informative book on end-of-life issues. I have two elderly parents (ages 86 and 94), and this book has helped me through many pertinent and difficult situations. It addresses on many levels both practical and spiritual aspects of dealing with potentially painful and confusing problems. I have gained much insight and clarity and comfort from reading this book. I highly recommend it.