Yes. I celebrate it. Do you find it strange that a self-proclaimed atheist would publicly announce that she celebrates a holiday that is pronounced by the main stream as religious in nature?
I struggled with it when I was first discovering my lack of belief in the supernatural. Although my childhood was filled with Christmases, I never really knew WHY we celebrated. We just did. We put up a tree every year. We exchanged gifts. We sang carols. We had a grand feast with the whole family, and sometimes even friends and relations. It was a magical time of year, and I was loathe to lose that all because of some hype about it being a Christian holiday.
The great thing about the modern times we live in – information is at my fingertips. Between the library and Google, a gal can find just about anything. My search began when I was in college. I’ll admit, I was torn between being desperate to hold onto a childhood tradition and striking out on my own with new traditions based on my new-found distaste for deities and fairy tales. At one point, I remember being so disgusted with the whole Christmas affair that I swore I would never celebrate it again. Between consumerism and the rifts the holiday season causes between people… I was ready to throw in the towel.
Thankfully, I persevered. I dug a little deeper. I researched religions and traditions that existed before, during, and after the supposed birth of Jesus. I read my Bible. Yes. You read that correctly. I read it. Some sections I even read more than one version of because it was so confounding and vague. I read essays and books depicting both sides of the argument. I talked to people I knew about what Christmas meant to them. I even suffered through annual Christmas plays at the church my husband’s family all attend.
So why do I still celebrate Christmas if I’ve done all this studying? Why would I still persist in keeping alive a holiday with such pious undertones?
My answer: Christmas is not solely a Christian holiday.
I hear the flames crackling. The stone throwers are aiming their best throwing arm toward my windows. The trolls are salivating, waiting for their chance to swoop in and rip me limb from limb for my audacity. Nevertheless, I’ll stick to my guns here. Christmas is a conglomeration of holidays from several different belief systems. It is a mutant of good cheer for people from all walks of life, not just for those who would hold to the literal translation of the word.
It all started back before that pesky Jesus guy ever took his first mythical breath of our Earthly atmosphere. The winter solstice was an event that anyone could witness. It was when the dark days of the northern climate began to reverse themselves – when the light returned to the world. It clearly marked a transition from death and cold to life and warmth. Many pagan traditions sprang up around this time of year, including the celebration of a new calendar year.
The most pronounced of celebrations around this time before Christ was ever thought of was that of Saturnalia. This was an ancient Greek festival beginning on December 17 of the Julian calendar giving honor to their agricultural deity, Saturn. It covered several days of feasts, festivities, gift giving, poetry exchanging, gambling, dancing, and a social egalitarianism that brought slaves nearly to equal status of their masters. The holiday was a festival of light, with candles aplenty to light the way toward knowledge, truth, and the winter solstice.
Later, when the Romans took over, Saturnalia included Sol Invictus (Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun) on December 25th of the Julian calendar. Even after the Saturnalia holiday was taken off of official calendars of the time, Romans continued to celebrate it for centuries, until it’s festivities were eventually absorbed by Christians in the middle of the 4th century AD. Scholars think that Saturnalia is the origin of gift giving, gingerbread men, and caroling.
Another holiday tradition, that of Santa Claus, is an amalgamation of many similar traditions, though most scholars agree that the original was Saint Nicholas. He was a 4th century bishop in Turkey, who routinely appeared in his red bishop’s garb to inquire about the behavior of children before generously giving them small gifts. His feast on December 6th was later changed to Christmas Eve in the 17th century, to coincide with Christmas. Our modern day Santa in the United States comes from a reformation in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, where Santa acquired a more secular attire. By the 1920’s, Santa was a standardized figure thanks to the advertising industry. In this case, Santa started out as a Catholic symbol and became a secular one. I find that fascinating, because it parallels what is happening with the entire Christmas tradition.
Yule, like Saturnalia, was an indigenous celebration that happened in December. This 12 day festival started on the winter solstice. It was a time filled with feasting, drinking, and sacrifice. Traditional foods included the Yule goat, Yule boar (Christmas ham, anyone?), and Yule log (a culinary confection filled with layers of cake and filling, covered in brown bark frosting and dusted with powdered sugar as if under a fresh snow). Many a Yule toast was made to Odin, a major god in Norse mythology. In the 900’s, a Norse King named Haakon the Good converted to Christianity and decided to celebrate Christmas during the same days as his people celebrated Yule. He even passed a law that forced anyone celebrating Christmas under his reign to have ale with their meals as long as the ale and holiday lasted. Drinking and shennanigans! Who could pass that up?
Nowadays, the words Yule and Christmas are considered to be one and the same, although we no longer sacrifice animals and use their blood to paint those who need blessings from Odin and the other Norse gods. Although, unrelated and gross as it is, there are still many who routinely imbibe the blood and body of a 2000 year old corpse. How cannibalism and necrophilia are any better than animal sacrifice is a complete mystery to me. Anyway, onward…
Even something as simple as the holly plant, Ilex aquifolium, has pre-Christian origins. In ancient heraldry, holly signified truth. References have been found as far back as 750 BCE alluding to the wearing of holly wreaths on the heads of druids and other important figures. Druids brought holly boughs into their homes to shelter elves and faeries who joined mortals during Yuletide. An old Teutonic custom dictated the bringing in of evergreen and holly branches to be used as havens for sylvan spirits from the cold winter weather. People hung wishes written on parchment from holly branches.
Ancient Romans associated holly with their Sun god, Saturn. They gave boughs of holly to family and friends during the Saturnalia as a symbol of summer’s fertility. Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder wrote that when holly was planted near a house or a farm, it repelled poison and protected against lightning and sorcery. The prevalence of holly lore before Christianity only made it easier for the old religions to convert. Missionaries claimed that holly sprang up under Jesus’ feet as he walked, and that the red berries were a symbol of his blood instead of a symbol of fertility. It wasn’t such a leap to go from associating the plant with one god to associating it with another, especially since the ideas were so similar in nature.
Something fun, but unrelated to Christmas – did you know that before Christianity, newborn babies were often sprinkled with Holly water to protect them from evil spirits? Holly water… holy water. It’s amazing how many pagan and secular traditions were adopted by Christianity in order to appeal to the unconverted masses.
Still think everything about Christmas is Christian in origin? If you had lived in colonial times where the population was predominately Puritan, you might think exactly the opposite. In fact, the Puritans were so aghast at the secularism and paganism associated with Christmas that they banned it altogether in 1659. It wasn’t until the mid-1900’s that the Boston area finally began openly celebrating Christmas again. Their argument was that Christmas had no biblical justification, and was a time of wasteful and immoral behavior.
No biblical justification. Think on that for a moment. How many times do you see the word Christmas in the bible? How about Yule, Noel, holly, evergreen, carol, etc? They aren’t there. As a matter of fact, nowhere in the bible does it explicitly state the month of the birth of Christ. A little digging, and anyone can see that it would be folly to think he could have been born in the winter. The roman census would not have been performed in the middle of winter, when weather is cold and roads become impassable or dangerous. Shepherds who slept with their flocks in the fields in the middle of winter instead of seeking shelter for themselves and their flocks would be looked upon as extremely foolhardy. As someone who has raised sheep, I can tell you that most breeds NEED good shelter in the winter.
When looking at everything without the bias of religion, it’s easy to see how Christians were able to adopt and adapt prior traditions from other cultures and belief systems. I can see why many Christians vehemently deny it – how embarrassing to learn that all you do is just reheated leftovers from conquered peoples! Why be embarrassed, though, when the alternate is embracing the varied ancestry of a joyous time of year? It’s not shameful for me to say that I celebrate Christmas, because I see Christmas as a special time of year that has absorbed so many good traditions from so many well-meaning cultures.
The “reason for the season” is axial tilt. People were celebrating the winter solstice as the start of a new year, as a time for revelry, long before Christians came along and claimed (around 400 years late, I might add) that their god-child was born at the exact same time. What a monumental coincidence! And how lucky for the missionaries who were bound and determined to get the best conversion rates!
It wasn’t luck. It was politics. Well, if Christians can steal their special days from pagans, I see no reason why I as a secular person cannot take them back.
Yes, I celebrate Christmas, and I am proud to do so. I have no qualms with the background history of the things I do during the holiday season. I have no guilt over bringing wooden Santa carvings (see idolatry in the bible) into my house and giving them a special place on the mantle. I have no problem lighting candles to ring in the solstice and welcome the light back into my world. I have no issues with teaching my children that even though none of the gods of the holiday season are real, the love and fun of the season are.
This is me embracing the melting pot of Christmas. Merry Christmas! Happy Solstice! Have a wonderful New Year!


Review Of White Flag An Examination Of The Uk's Defence Capability Ideas. View all available formats & editions. An examination of the uk's defence capability and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle.
7 rows foreword by general sir mike jacksonafter the pain of iraq and afghanistan, it is hard to imagine. By michael ashcroft, isabel oakshott. History › europe › great britain buy new:
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Britain is at a crossroads. First published in the daily mail on saturday 22 september 2018. Coloured squadrons of the royal navy were established during the elizabethan era to subdivide the fleet into three squadrons or more.
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The british armed forces, also known as her majesty's armed forces, are the military services responsible for the defence of the united kingdom, its overseas territories and the crown dependencies.they also promote the uk's wider interests, support international peacekeeping efforts and provide humanitarian aid. As we leave the eu, we face a great challenge and also the opportunity to forge a new identity in an increasingly uncertain world. An examination of the uk's defence capability and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle.
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Say Again, Please: Guide to Radio Communications - ASA
Talkingon an aviation radio and understanding air traffic control instructionscan be one of the most intimidating aspects of flight training. In Say Again, PleaseBob Gardner explains how the ATC system works and teaches readers whatto say, what to expect to hear, and how to interpret and react toclearances and instructions.
This new fifth edition has been updated throughout to reflect currentrules and operating procedures. Chapters cover communication etiquetteand rules, understanding radio equipment, emergency situations, and bothVFR and IFR communications and clearances. Also included: a concisesummary of the FAA’s communication facilities and their functions,airspace classifications and definitions, and the FAA’s recommendedshorthand for copying clearances.
The communication requirements for entering, departing, andtransiting each class of airspace is explained in detail by followingalong with the author on "simulated" flights. A full-color sectionalexcerpt is provided for the example flights, so readers can review themap while reading the explanation for flying and talking in each area.Readers will learn everything they need to communicate effectively inVFR, IFR, and emergency conditions. Includes a bound-in full colorexample map.
Bob Gardner's conversational-yet-concise writing style will helpincrease your comfort level when using an aircraft radio. Inside are"talk" examples of typical radio transmissions explaining how ATC works,as well as simulated flights that clearly demonstrate correctcommunication procedures in each class of airspace.
This hands-on book covers the following:
The ABCs of communicating
Understanding radio equipment
Communication etiquette and rules
VFR, IFR, and emergency communication procedures
Air traffic control facilities and their functions
Review of airspace definitions
Glossary of pilot/controller communication terms and phrases
Let Say Again, Please help you learn how to communicate in the air.


The Newt Review: The Blue Like Jazz Movie
I read Blue Like Jazz years ago, way back when it was the the hottest book on the contemporary Christian literature scene, and it resonated with me so strongly that I sought out, acquired, and devoured all of Donald Miller’s literary works as soon as I could. When I reached “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years” (still one of my favorite books of all time) and read that Don was working on a film version of his now-legendary memoir, I was thrilled. As soon as I found out that the limited-release theatrical run of the Blue Like Jazz movie would be playing at a local theater, I rushed out to see it. The movie exceeded all of my expectations in a lot of ways, and I considered writing a review then and there, but time swept the idea out of the back of my mind. Now that the Blue Like Jazz DVD is fresh, hot, and available to the public, I thought I’d seize the second chance to recommend it to everyone I know. To that end, here’s a review!
First, a disclaimer – Blue Like Jazz is not your typical squeaky-clean, come-to-Jesus Christian film. The bulk of the story takes place on the campus of extremely liberal Reed College, and both the setting and the characters therein come across as entirely true-to-life. That realism goes a long way toward making the movie great, but it also means that it’s not one you’ll want to watch with the kids.
That said, if you’re not a kid, you will most definitely want to watch Blue Like Jazz. While the book of the same name is a collection of essays and thoughts on spirituality, the Blue Like Jazz movie focuses in on one chapter of Don’s life – his first year in college – with a tightly-scripted intensity. After a shocking revelation at home pushes Don away from his Southern Baptist upbringing, he heads off to Reed College in Portland, “the most godless campus in the country”, to try to escape from God. As he navigates the ups and downs of his new life and befriends several wildly different fellow students – from straight-laced activist Penny to the unpredictable robe-and-miter wearing ball of energy known only as “The Pope” – Don comes back again and again to the question of whether or not God exists and, if he does, whether or not he’s worth following.
Blue Like Jazz is far and away the most thought-provoking movie I’ve ever seen. Every scene, every line is designed to raise questions and offer insights, often on multiple levels, and if you’re willing to engage your mind with those questions you’ll find a wealth of food for thought. Best of all, all of this thoughtfulness is encased in an atmosphere of complete authenticity lacking in most stereotypical “Christian film”. The characters are real people, they express genuine emotion, and their stories are the sort with which anyone can identify. I’ve seen the movie three times, and upon every viewing the final scene brings me to the brink of tears (in a good way). If you’re a human being who likes to think and appreciates a good story, I can’t recommend Blue Like Jazz highly enough. Five out of five stars. It’s available in Redbox and at Walmart and Best Buy all over the country, so you’ve got no excuse – go check it out! You won’t regret it.


Eighth edition published in 2011 with the original published in 1976. It contains almost 700 pages of news, history, and information all pertaining to coins and coin collecting in the United States. This is not your typical novel or even set up like a typical book where you can sit and read the chapters, this […]
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There are, in my opinion, 4 books so essential to collectors and experts alike that they provide the cornerstones of coin collecting knowledge. These would be: A Guidebook of United States Coins, the “Red Book”, Photograde, Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties of United States Coins, and The PCGS Guide to Grading and Counterfeit Detection. […]
Learning to grade coins is the basic skill that separates the beginners from everyone else in the hobby of coin collecting. Your skill at grading coins will develop over time and experience as you look at hundreds if not thousands of examples of the series that capture your interest. In fact, I would go as […]
More commonly known as “The Redbook” for it’s distinctive red cover has become the consummate guide for beginning and expert coin collectors alike. The very first edition, dated 1947, was actually released in November of 1946 and this title has since sold millions of copies worldwide. The Redbook is usually thought of as a price […]


Apr 20, 2021 · Jane Austen’s unfinished final novel Sanditon comes to ITV on Sunday nights - and is a Downton Abbey-style tale all about beaches, bonnets and a brooding hero Kris Marshall on getting naked for ...
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The Many Lovers of Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice: Having a Ball. Screenwriter 4 Credits. Becoming Jane. Becoming Jane - Il ritratto di una donna contro. Modern Persuasion.
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Sanditon (1817) is an unfinished novel by the English writer Jane Austen. In January 1817, Austen began work on a new novel she called The Brothers, later titled Sanditon, and completed eleven chapters before stopping work in mid-March 1817, probably because of her illness.
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Jane Austen captures every girls’ dream in her story: the finding and falling in love with a man that she has always hoped for. However, Ms. Austen tells a story that is so much different from the romantic stories I grew up with. Cinderella had her Prince Charming and it was love at first sight.
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Jane Austen was born in that year and her mothers sister, Jane Cooper, lived at number 12 in 1771. Some say that it was the first ever crescent in the world to be built and as you walk around it will take your breath away.
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Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is well-known to South Asian readers and many see the parallels between Jane Austen's world and South Asian cultures. The 1985 Indian television serial Trishna and Gurinder Chadha's 2004 film Bride and Prejudice were popular adaptations of the novel from a South Asian perspective. Pakistani-American author Soniah Kamal's newest novel […]
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Reposting from this time last year, because this remains an excellent way to spend your Christmas vacation. It's true: these Jane Austen movies have nothing to do with Christmas… except that Christmas vacation is a great time to watch one (or all) of them. (Sarah's reading a book right now in which one of the characters has a standing date with Mr. Darcy—er, Colin Firth—on New Year ...
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May 28, 2020 · By David Goodhew e need to beatify Jane Austen. This is not, usually, the Anglican way. But here we should make an exception. Yes, Austen is a superlative writer of romantic comedy. And the summit of her comedy involves an Anglican priest — the gloriously absurd Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice. But Austen’s greatness…
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The Janeites, a Jane Austen fan club, eventually began to take on wider significance, similar to the Trekkie phenomenon that characterizes fans of the Star Trek franchise.
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Apr 23, 2016 · I will get your lovely "Jane Fan" necklace off to you on Monday. A BIG thank you to all who participated! Lady Anne's comment was a lovely one: " A very good morning to you Lady Pamela, as I sit here by my window with the sun shining through my thoughts go to Miss Austen and how she would have sat writing.
May 30, 2019 · Jane Austen on the other hand has become progressively more famous, her work having been adapted to films and TV series. Why the fame? We don’t really know – but perhaps she is the one who best portrays the upper classes during the Regency’s ‘mini-Renaissance’ of culture and refinement.
The action with the Tribune took place off the Scilly Isles on June 8, 1796. It is represented in the accompanying print, which is taken from a picture, painted in oils upon a wooden panel, now in the possession of a granddaughter of Charles Austen.
May 07, 2021 · Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen’s plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic ...
May 05, 2021 · Widely different was the effect of a second perusal.” —Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, epigraph to The Austen Years. I. My Only Author. Rachel Cohen’s The Austen Years: A Memoir in Five Books (2020) is about how a few familiar books can become deeper through our rereading of them, and how they can help us make sense of our life. So it ...


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Posts Tagged ‘Publishers Weekly’
BETTY FORD book is here!
My latest book, the first in-depth biography of BETTY FORD, was released Tuesday, 9/11/18 and I’m thrilled with all the wonderful reviews. Publishers Weekly gives BETTY FORD: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer a starred review, listing it among “exceptional books out this week!” “In this meticulously researched and delightful biography, [Lisa] McCubbin skillfully chronicles…Read More
Publishers Weekly Starred Review of BETTY FORD
Betty Ford: First Lady, Women’s Advocate, Survivor, Trailblazer Lisa McCubbin. Gallery, $28 (432p) ISBN 978-1-5011-6468-2 In this meticulously researched and delightful biography, McCubbin (Mrs. Kennedy and Me) skillfully chronicles the life of former first lady Betty Ford, both in and out of the White House. Born Elizabeth Ann Bloomer in 1918, Betty—the youngest of three…Read More


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Destination bookstore for unique collection of top-quality educational and developmental books to excel child’s language learning skills
We offer language concept books for different international languages from many authors & publishers publishing books aiming to teach kids how to read, pronounce & write.
Alphabet books inspire play, learning and enhance a child’s developmental skills. In addition to being a fun way to spend time together, books and posters can play a great role in your child’s development. Incorporating them into daily routine is strongly encouraged and it is easy to do by just reading books with them.
Reading books to babies contributes to the development of their growing brains and gives them a good start towards their reading skills. We offer selection of self reading bilingual short story books, bedtime story books, fairy tale story books, festival and cultural story books to help your child master the reading skills.
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Trace and Learn Writing Russian Alphabet: Russian Letter Tracing Workbook
Colorful workbook for learning how to read, pronounce & write Russian Alphabets. This Book is aimed to make Learning easy for first time learner by providing step by step instructions with guided arrows, bilingual words, pronunciation and pictures of associated objects for each alphabet. 74 Pages. Bilingual Book. (English / Russian) Pictures of associated objects with bilingual words.


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Fine Lines first electronic publication is ready for you to view! And even better it is FREE to the public.
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I have used this book to death. Easy. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. The Colorado trails central region focuses on the cities of Leadville, Breckenridge, Lakewood, Crested Butte, Montrose, Gunnison, Lake City, Salida, Saguache, Canon City in Central Colorado and like the southwest region it includes tons of history, photos, maps and everything you need to know for your next 4×4 trip. I used it mostly to pick trails that were rated either easy or moderate, as we were driving my stock '04 Jeep Rubicon. 4WD Trails: … mit link für WWW um sich touren online anschauen zu können. Overview. 92 Trails … Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2016. He has always had an interest in exploring less-traveled roads and was overjoyed when he moved to Colorado in 2003.He worked many years as a graphic designer and computer technician, then joined FunTreks in 2008. After practicing design in Ohio, he moved to Colorado Springs in 1980 and worked 18 years in the printing business. Included are reverse mileages for all trails and historical highlights.All this is supported by an active Web site, which includes free trail updates, GPS downloads and an e-mail newsletter. 4X4 Trails GPS for Apple products. On its own, Colorado State Forest—Colorado’s moose-viewing capital—has more than 80 miles of trails open to off-highway vehicles with a permit. Buy Book: Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails – 3rd edition, Buy Book: Guide to Northern Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails 3rd Edition. Something went wrong. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'rockchucksummit_com-box-4','ezslot_3',800,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'rockchucksummit_com-box-4','ezslot_4',800,'0','1']));The book is broken down into specific areas of Southwest Colorado and provides full-color photos, maps, contact info for park services and trail updates. Everything you need to find off-road adventure in Colorado… This new, 4-color edition of the Colorado Trails series includes meticulous trail details for 867 miles of the region's best scenic backroads and four-wheel drive trails in southwest Colorado, near the towns of … 4x4 trails Colorado and GPS $ 129.85 $ 97.38. The Front Range region book includes details of off-road trails and routes in Fairplay, Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, Boulder, Fort Collins, Longmont areas. These items are shipped from and sold by different sellers. Easy, moderate, and difficult routes are color coded, while symbols quickly show kinds of vehicles allowed on each trail. Amazing update to an already Great guide book!!! Welcome to the on-line version of our off-highway vehicle trail guide. Every recommended trail we followed was fun and satisfying, and of course was spectacularly beautiful. Made the trip very enjoyable! We've used Charles Wells' guide to Arizona, so knew what to expect with the Colorado guide. As the highest road in Colorado, this mountain pass isn’t for the faint of heart. So, being located in Boulder, Colorado … Today his books are standard equipment for thousands of motorized adventurers. Learn More. Please try your request again later. We also used the key and recommendations in the book to find good areas for camping. My only request would be either a different title, or a better description of exactly what areas would be covered in the book. Peterson graduated from Bethel College in 2000 with a degree in graphic design. The 4WD Trails books are a series of inexpensive 4WD travel guides that include the trail information for selected regions included in the comprehensive 4WD Adventures series. Matt (PT) Peterson got into 4-wheeling in 2000 after graduating from college. I picked up a copy and have been perusing it. Red Elephant Hill. Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails 4rd Edition. He built several off-road 4x4s starting with bolt parts, and later progressed to custom-built, off-road buggies. Colorado package deal + GPS quantity. Charles (Chuck) Wells bought his first 4-wheel-drive SUV in 1993, and he had no idea how it would change his life. The title is misleading as is the description as this only covers a small portion of ‘Colorado’. Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2018. It’s here where these books fuel my passion for the trails and the history of the mountains. Learn More. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Category Guidebooks, Guide to California Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails. From Silverton and Beyond: Animas Forks Trail The jet-off point to a 4x4 paradise. Gut aufgebaut, leicht verständlich auch für Leute die nich so im englischen bewandert sind. If you’re looking for a single book that covers the entire state with more trail-specific information rather than lots of history and photos, then this book is a great option. He currently scouts trails, then helps Wells write and produce the books. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. The book, directions, and trails are great. This book focuses on the towns of Silverton, Ouray, Durango, Telluride, Lake City, Animas forks and Creede and provides full details of the history, roads, trails, and mountains in the southern Colorado … While the Southwest region isn’t an extreme “Rock Crawling” expedition, it is just breathtaking in its history and beauty and along with its breathtaking vistas comes some cliffs, high shelf walls, summit passes, and narrow roads. The mountains are always calling my name. Best off road driving trails in Fairplay, Colorado | AllTrails It was so much fun, he searched for other roads to duplicate the experience. Reviewed in Germany on September 21, 2013. The name of these off-road trails near Grand Junction makes it sound like this … He continued to get lost, run into places too difficult for his vehicle and waste time on boring roads. Wanting to share his new pastime, he and a few friends started their own 4-wheel-drive club in Michigan and the club is still going strong today. His books include easy and moderate routes for stock SUVs, difficult trails for serious 4-wheelers and trails for unlicensed vehicles (ATVs, UTVs and dirt bikes). This includes unlicensed UTVs, ATVs and dirt bikes.A separate mileage log ties numbered locations along the route to a custom map and "Aerial Terrain" view. (127) In Stock. When it comes to trail riding in Colorado no other collection of books comes close to providing the authority, knowledge, history, and understanding that the Colorado trails series and the Colorado Backroads books offer. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Unfortunately I am pretty rough on it, and I will probably need to replace it. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, Lake City (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, 141). My husband recently got a Jeep Wrangler and wanted to explore more. The 100 trails in this book may be the best batch ever put together in one place. The 100 trails in this book may be the best batch ever put together in one place. Yet it's easy to follow and understand without having too much unnecessary information that would distract from the trails you drive on. The trails … He is very particular and finds this book super helpful and informative. ... You get both of our top-selling Colorado 4×4 books plus our Colorado COMBO GPS Data Card. This region offers a lot of exploration for those looking to day trip from Colorado’s biggest city and is an excellent option for those renting a Jeep or off-road vehicle for the day. Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-wheel drive trails. Over $40 savings! The 100 trails in this book may be the best batch ever put together in one place. I don't know how he does it, but Charles Wells seems to have a keen insight into those individuals who take and use their vehicles off the beaten path. It provides a quality breakdown of all the major regions of Colorado with guides to trails, trail difficulty and route planning for day trips for there and back again routes in each of the zones. Cautious Riding.. The southwest region, central region and front range region of the books focus on their respective areas with complete in-depth trail ratings, ghost towns, mining & hiking trails, campsites, and GPS navigation data points and markers. The only issue I have is that it does not cover any area near my home. Some good mountains to start on and not quite the hair-raising experience of the southern region and San Juan mountains can be. The Colorado trails southwest region book is one of my favorite books about the region since I’m in awe of the history of the area from its mining heritage, the steam engine railroads and beautiful scenery. Learn how your comment data is processed. He strongly promotes responsible use of public lands.Charles continues to scout most of the trails and spends a great deal of time traveling in his motorhome. Category Guidebooks, ATV Trails Guide Colorado Silverton, Ouray, Lake City, Telluride. Each Region has an interactive map with ALL TRAILS … It's my every-day-driver, and doesn't have a lift and bigger wheels to navigate some of the obstacles on the more difficult trails, like our '73 Jeep CJ-5 has. Trail Ratings Defined . CT Map Book, Current Edition. We have already used it several times. Rating. Buy Online: All Colorado Trails Series online. Grand Mesa Trails. The second half puts you in the back country and high mountain peaks and some moderate He realized he needed some guidance, so he bought every guidebook and map he could find. Totally worth the money. Byron Miller | Last Updated: June 25, 2020. In fact, we guarantee it. Loved getting the little scenic overlooks and "look for___" and tidbits of history as well! I also thought the rating system of the book was very accurate- easy trails were accessible to most kinds of vehicles, and difficult trails had just the kind of challenging and fun obstacles we love to explore in our 4WD Toyota 4Runner. The quality and the information appeared to be very high quality. This follows completion of two new 4th edition Colorado books… We used this guidebook on a week long visit to the backroads of Colorado. Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails, 3rd Edition. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. We wish we'd had more time to explore other parts of Colorado. The Amazon Book Review. I am already searching for a replacement. The entire series of FunTrek guide books are a standard bearer in the 4wheeling community and a must have for anyone looking to explore the less traveled back roads and trails in each respective state they cover. Ships from and sold by WIDE WORLD MAPS and MORE!. It’s a poorly kept secret that southwest Colorado is one of the best destinations for off-roading adventures. EPA-estimated 19 MPG city/28 highway for Colorado 4x4 with available 2.8L Turbo Diesel.18 city/22 highway (ZR2) Vehicle user interface is a product of Apple and its terms and privacy statements … The book contained only the best trails, with just the most important details we needed to make good decisions in planning & following routes. I would highly recommend this guide to anyone planning a trip who desires to explore the backroads of Colorado. 770-463-2346. Guide to Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails, 4th Edition, Guide to Northern Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails, 4th Edition (Funtreks Guidebooks), Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails 3rd Edition, Off-Highway Map for Silverton, Ouray, Lake City, Telluride Colorado UPDATED, Guide to Northern Colorado Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails 3rd Edition (Funtreks Guidebooks), Colorado Trails Front Range Region: Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails. 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Dreamcast Worlds: a design history
A downloadable book
A historical book about Dreamcast games, with a unique approach – in this book I tell the story from right inside the games themselves.
Travelling through the maps and screens of three Dreamcast games, follow the network of players, developers and events that contributed to the Dreamcast phenomenon. It's a spatial history of videogames, focusing on a time when 3D, open-world virtual play spaces first became possible.
When you remember video games of the past, what comes to mind? Is it the incredible processing power of the machine on which you played? Is it the hard work of coders and artists whose names you never learned? No, I bet the first thing that you think of when you remember your favourite games is exploring the game yourself. Pushing your character through the terrain, progressing further into new areas, finding hidden secrets… This book tells a history of those game spaces.
In order to download this book you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of £10 GBP. You will get access to the following files:


Thursday, October 25, 2012
October Book Review - Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden
I love to crochet so how could I have not bought this book. Sporting a picture of a monkey with a fez hat, a little Cthulu, and a mini grim reaper... I was sold!
This book is creatively written starting out with the author's inspiration of how they came to write it as well as tips, tricks, and resources that are always popularly found in how to books. A benefit of the book is it's small enough to fit in your project bag to tote around while you hook cute monsters, however I am sad that the pictures in the how to basics are so very small, not optimal for the beginning amigurumi enthusiast.
Projects range in things you'd expect to find in this book - like zombies - to things less expected such as the gladiator (I'll admit to missing the creepy reference here since they're just cool! Yes I'm a fan of the Gladiator movie...)
The pictures of each project are great, though again some of the diagrams are a little small so I wouldn't recommend this for a novice.
I'd give this a 4.5 out of 5, only docking for the fact that some of the diagrams are a little on the tiny side for my tastes. However this allows the book to remain in pocketbook form so it's not that big a deal if you can read standard crochet abbreviations!


Top 100 poker books, places 91 to 100 reviews more books about learning Texas Holdem. Learn from the best and become a poker pro in no time.
Top 100 poker books, places 81 to 90 talks about new and old topics about Texas No-Limit Holdem. You learn about new training resources to improve your game.
Top 100 poker books, places 71 to 80 takes a look at a new batch of top poker books which will helo you to become a better poker player.
Top 100 poker books, places 61 to 70 revisits topics such as sit-n-go & tournament strategy, cash games, starting hand selection & the mental game of poker.
Professional Texas No-Limit Holdem poker players often have entirely different playing styles, yet they often share some universal characteristics that set them apart from losing players. Today we take a look at the seven most important traits.
Top 100 poker books, places 51 to 60 reviews books with topics on cash games, sit-n-go's, and tournaments. Learn how to improve your Texas Holdem game today.
Top 100 poker books, places 41 to 50 is all about cash games, sit-n-go's and tournaments strategy. Other topics include betting tactics and bluffing.
In this tutorial, you will learn why you should use bluffing in your game, how to pull off the perfect place, how frequently and when you should bluff.
There is no agreement between poker players as to what exactly describes a bad beat. Often poker players will disagree if a particular hand was a bad beat or not. Bad Beats is a poker term that describes a situation in which a player who holds a strong card loses against a player with a weak hand. Mostly the weak hand player made a poor call that eventually hits the board and wins the pot. Here are the top 10 most heartbreaking moments in poker history of incredible tough luck and bad beats caught on video.
Top 100 poker books, places 31 to 40 talks about topics such as tournaments, sit-n-go's, cash games, bluffing, betting, starting hands and general strategy.


Recently there have been more disasters and it is time to revisit this topic.
What is delicious?
Delicious is a great tool to share bookmarks with others. When you add a bookmark, you can add tags that are related to the link.
You can find shared bookmarks by using tags or by using the search engine.
What resources can you find and share on delicious?
- News articles about specific disasters
- What organizations are helping and how they are helping
- Information about volunteering
- Information about donating
Disaster Relief Related Tags
disaster AND relief
For specific disasters, you can use the following format:
Earthquake AND Haiti
Earthquake AND Chile
Flood AND Pakistan
Hurricane AND New Orleans
Oil Spill AND Gulf Coast
For hurricanes (or tropical storms) you can use the following formats-
Hurricane AND Katrina


Adding Profit by Adding Purpose
The CFO's Corporate Social Responsibility Handbook
Praise for Adding Profit by Adding Purpose
A successful social entrepreneur and CFO, Devin combines financial data critical to the bottom line with his storytelling gifts. This book is a tool kit for anyone looking to begin or grow a CSR program. ~Pearl Wright, CHOICE Humanitarian
Adding Profit by Adding Purpose is a thoughtful and compelling read. While the book is geared towards the C suite, Devin shares insights and action ideas that can be implemented by the Executive, Entrepreneur, or Employee alike. ~Jeffrey P. Lewis, Lewis Wealth Management Partners
Adding Profit by Adding Purpose: The CFO's CSR Handbook makes a compelling case that effective corporate social responsibility programs can increase profit and provides three clear models for implementation. Think of this book as a guide to corporate sustainability.
48 W. Broadway, #1903 | Salt Lake City, UT 84101


“See the world through the eyes of others”
From 25th May until 3rd June 2016, kulturkind is holding the first “Into the Wind! Nordic Children’s and Young People´s Literature Days” in Berlin. Over ten days, outstanding writers and illustrators from Åland, Denmark, The Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the indigenious Sámi will be our guests, presenting themselves and their work to the public. A varied events program opens up a new perspective on the Nordic countries’ cultural diversity, visible in literature and illustration.
“I can’t say that I write to convey some specific message or knowledge. But I do believe in literature’s ability to elicit empathy. Writing and reading both allow and compel us to see the world through the eyes of others. And this is an imperative ability, not the least in this day and age when so many people come to us in desperate need of shelter from war and persecution”.
Jakob Wegelius, Swedish author and illustrator
Laureate of the Nordic Council Children and Young People´s Literature Prize 2015
The artists talk about themselves and their work in panel discussions, give insights into their literary production at readings, and show how they make their art in workshops.To accompany the festival, kulturkind is organizing an exhibition in conjunction with The Nordic House Iceland, all about Nordic children’s book illustration. Sixteen illustrators from seven countries will show their work on the subject of “Into the Wind!”
The title “Into the Wind!” describes the richly contrasting nature of the Nordic countries, influencing the local people – but also the literature of this region of northern Europe with its so multifaceted and expressive culture. At the same time, “Into the Wind!” stands for the richness of the region’s children’s and young adult literature and conjures up a free and confident childhood.


SSB PSYCHOLOGY TEST : GIRLS OF SCHOOL
GOING TO A SEMINAR
(SAMPLE PPDT PRACTICE SET)
Sample PPDT / TAT Story
There was a visit of president of India in Lucknow on 15 may, 2006 in one of the programmes. He was to visit Lilawati girls Degree College to attend a seminar on ‘Monuments and Heritage Buildings of the Country’. The principal of the college wanted Rita to deliver a lecture to the audience. Rita visited her college library and picked up the relevant books on the subject. In addition to that she also visited Ambedkar International Library of the city, from where she drew books on problems and possible solutions in conservation of monuments and heritage buildings. She studied the relevant points in the books and noted to make out the speech.
Rita prepared herself well by rehearsing the speech many times. Rita delivered the speech with a confidence on the topic. Also showing the necessity to treat as our duty the conservation of heritage buildings. She also included in her speech that future generation should admire those buildings. And also must take responsibility to contribute their efforts towards proper care and the maintenance of our cultural heritage. The speech of Rita was educative, clear and convincing. The audience appreciated Rita’s oration.
Also Read more by clicking links below:


What an extraordinary experience was the virtual book tour arranged for my second book, Two Journeys Home: A Novel of Eighteenth Century Europe, some weeks ago by Stephanie Moore Hopkins of Novel Expressions. Beautifully planned and flawlessly-executed, it resulted in the publication of an atypically-interesting mix of posts, excerpts from Two Journeys Home, an interview and several (largely-positive) reviews.
Of equal – or, perhaps even greater significance – was that it brought me to the understanding that, no matter the quality of one's work, despite its encouraging reception by reviewers and readers and notwithstanding the already-strong creative team in-place – including a brilliant cover designer, talented formatters and copywriters, a caring mentor and an awesome editor – absent an equally capable, highly-experienced and, in this case, caring publicist, the on-going process of increasing ones readership may well prove to be an exercise in frustration.
The author needs to maintain an open mind, as well as a willingness to listen and learn of things that might be largely-unfamiliar, even off-putting to one – especially, shall we say, some more "senior" authors. Stephanie has gently schooled me in the realities of the roles played by social media in the publishing, sales and distribution process. A striking Facebook page focused on the Derrynane Saga – Novels of Eighteenth Century and, indeed, this Blog itself, are the tangible results of her education and counsel.
And – even as I continue work on the third book in the Saga, I look forward to communicating via – and hopefully learning from readers near and far – this blog. -Kevin O'Connell
About the Book:
It's 1767. As the eagerly anticipated sequel to Beyond Derrynane begins, Eileen O'Connell avails herself of a fortuitous opportunity to travel back to Ireland. In Two Journeys Home, the O'Connells encounter old faces and new—and their lives change forever.
Her vivacious personality matched only by her arresting physical presence, Eileen returns to Derrynane this time not as a teen aged widow but as one of the most recognised figures at the Habsburg court. Before returning to Vienna she experiences a whirlwind romance, leading to a tumult of betrayal and conflict with the O'Connell clan.
Abigail lives not in the shadow of her sister but instead becomes the principal lady-in-waiting to Empress Maria Theresa.
Hugh O'Connell leaves behind waning adolescence and a fleeting attraction to the youngest archduchess when he begins a military career in the Irish Brigade under Louis XV. But more royal entanglement awaits him in France…
Author Kevin O'Connell again deftly weaves threads of historical fact and fancy to create a colourful tapestry affording unique insights into the courts of eighteenth-century Catholic Europe and Protestant Ascendancy–ruled Ireland. Watch as the saga continues to unfold amongst the O'Connells, their friends and enemies, at home and abroad.
O'Connell is a fantastic storyteller. His prose is so rich and beautiful it is a joy to read. The story is compelling and the characters memorable – all the more so because they are based on real people. . . I am Irish but I did not know about this piece of Irish history. It is fascinating but historical fiction at the same time . . . Highly recommended for historical fiction lovers!
(c) Beth Nolan, Beth's Book Nook
I enjoyed the first part of the Saga awhile back . . . (and) couldn't wait to continue the story of Eileen and her family . . . this author really does have a way with words. The world and the characters are so vivid . . . Overall, I was hooked from page one. I honestly think that (Two Journeys Home) was better than (Beyond Derrynane) – which is rare. The characters and world-building was done in such a beautiful manner . . . I can't wait for the next one . . .
(c) Carole Rae, Carole's Sunday Review, Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
Two Journeys Home: A Novel of Eighteenth Century Europe . . . is a gripping story that will transport the reader back in time, a story with a strong setting and compelling characters . . . a sensational romance, betrayal, family drama and intrigue . . . The plot is so complex that I find it hard to offer a summary in a few lines, but it is intriguing and it holds many surprises . . . great writing. Kevin O'Connell's prose is crisp and highly descriptive. I was delighted (by) . . . how he builds the setting, offering . . . powerful images of places, exploring cultural traits and unveiling the political climate of the time . . . The conflict is (as well-developed as the characters) and it is a powerful ingredient that moves the plot forward . . . an absorbing and intelligently-crafted historical novel . . . .
(c) Divine Zapa for Readers' Favourite
About the Author:
Kevin O'Connell is a native of New York City and the descendant of a young officer of what had—from 1690 to 1792—been the Irish Brigade of the French Army, believed to have arrived in French Canada following the execution of Queen Marie Antoinette in October of 1793. He holds both Irish and American citizenship.
An international business attorney, Mr. O'Connell is an alumnus of Providence College and Georgetown University Law Centre.
A lifelong personal and scholarly interest in the history of eighteenth-century Ireland, as well as that of his extended family, led O'Connell to create his first book, Beyond Derrynane, which will, together with Two Journeys Home and the two books to follow, comprise the Derrynane Saga.
The father of five children and grandfather of ten, he and his wife, Laurette, live with their golden retriever, Katie, near Annapolis, Maryland.
Tour Schedule: Blog Stops at Novel Expressions Blog Tours
Spotlight- Layered Pages
Guest Post- The Writing Desk
Guest Post – Blood Mother Blog
Book Review- A Bookaholic Swede
Book Excerpt – Kate Braithwaite
Guest Post – A Literary Vacation
Interview – Flashlight Commentary
Book Excerpt – Just One More Chapter
Book Review –Impressions In Ink
Book Review – Lock, Hooks and Books
Book Review – before the second sleep
March 6th –Tour Recap


Mastering The Art Of French Cooking First Edition
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, first edition, was written by Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, and published in 1961. The book has been revised twice since then, but the original is still in print. The book is a comprehensive guide to French cooking, from soup to dessert.
The book is divided into five sections: Soups and Starters, Fish, Meat, Vegetables, and Desserts. Each chapter begins with a general introduction to the topic, followed by recipes. The recipes are written in a clear, concise style, and are accompanied by full-page black-and-white photographs.
One of the things that makes Mastering the Art of French Cooking so popular is the use of classic French techniques, which can be intimidating to novice cooks. However, the authors take the time to explain each technique step by step, so even a beginner can follow along.
The book has been praised by both professional chefs and home cooks alike. Julia Child, who went on to write her own famous cookbook, said of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, “This is the one book that every cook who wants to be a cook should own.”
If you’re interested in learning how to cook French food, Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a must-read. The techniques may be difficult to learn at first, but with practice, you’ll be able to create amazing French dishes at home.
- 1 When was Mastering the Art of French Cooking first published?
- 2 Is Mastering the Art of French Cooking worth it?
- 3 What was the significance of Julia’s book Mastering the Art of French Cooking?
- 4 How much is Julia Child’s cookbook worth?
- 5 How many copies of the Art of French cooking have been sold?
- 6 What is Julia Child’s most famous dish?
- 7 How many copies of Mastering the Art of French Cooking were sold?
When was Mastering the Art of French Cooking first published?
Mastering the Art of French Cooking was first published in 1961. It was written by Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, and Julia Child. The book was a guide to cooking French food, and it became a best-seller.
Is Mastering the Art of French Cooking worth it?
Is mastering the art of French cooking worth it? This is a question many aspiring chefs ask themselves. After all, French cuisine is legendary and considered some of the best in the world. So, is it really worth it to spend the time and effort to learn how to cook French food?
The answer to this question depends on your goals. If you want to be a professional chef, then mastering French cooking is definitely worth it. French cuisine is highly respected and considered a benchmark for other cuisines. If you want to be a great chef, you need to be able to cook French food.
But if you’re just an amateur cook, is French cooking really worth it?
There are several reasons why learning how to cook French food can be beneficial for amateur cooks. First, French cooking is all about technique. Once you learn the techniques, you can apply them to any type of cuisine. Second, French cooking is all about using fresh, high-quality ingredients. This means that the food you cook will taste better and be more nutritious. Finally, French cooking is a great way to impress your friends and family. They will be amazed at how well you can cook French food, and they will be eager to taste your creations.
So, is mastering the art of French cooking worth it? The answer depends on your goals and experience. But for most amateur cooks, the benefits of learning French cooking outweigh the costs.
What was the significance of Julia’s book Mastering the Art of French Cooking?
Mastering the Art of French Cooking was a pivotal book in the culinary world when it was published in 1961. Julia Child, the author of the book, was a television personality who helped introduce French cuisine to the American public. The book is a comprehensive guide to French cooking, and it has been credited with helping to popularize French cuisine in the United States. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is also considered to be a seminal work in the field of culinary writing.
How much is Julia Child’s cookbook worth?
Julia Childs’ cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, is a culinary classic. First published in 1961, the book has been reprinted many times and is now in its fifth edition. It has been translated into many languages and is considered the bible of French cooking.
So how much is a copy of Julia Childs’ cookbook worth? It depends on the edition and the condition of the book. A first edition of the book can sell for up to $1,500, while a fifth edition can sell for up to $100. Used copies of the book can be found for much less, but they may be well-worn.
So if you’re looking for a great cookbook to add to your collection, be sure to check out a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It’s sure to be a valuable addition to your library.
How many copies of the Art of French cooking have been sold?
How many copies of The Art of French Cooking have been sold?
This is a difficult question to answer definitively. Julia Child’s seminal cookbook has been published in multiple editions and has been translated into many languages. However, no one can say for certain how many copies of the book have been sold worldwide.
What we do know is that the book has been extremely popular since it was first published in 1961. It has been praised by critics and has been a best-seller from the start. In fact, The Art of French Cooking was named the best cookbook of the 20th century by the James Beard Foundation.
Due to its popularity, the book has been reprinted many times. It has also been released in multiple formats, including a box set and an electronic version. The Art of French Cooking has been translated into over a dozen languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, and Swedish.
So, how many copies of The Art of French Cooking have been sold? It’s impossible to say for certain, but it’s safe to say that the number is in the millions.
What is Julia Child’s most famous dish?
Julia Child was a famous American chef who was best known for her French cuisine. Her most famous dish was probably Boeuf Bourguignon, a beef stew that is cooked in red wine.
How many copies of Mastering the Art of French Cooking were sold?
Mastering the Art of French Cooking was published in 1961, and has been reprinted many times since then. It is considered a classic French cookbook, and is still in print.


Many words have been written in the past few days since the death of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, some reflect her perceived greatness and others portray her as a class enemy. I cannot hope to emulate the lyrical heights to which some have soared in the press. I can, however, look back and reflect on the way she dealt with trade unions and specifically the National Union of Mineworkers in the 1980s. During that time I was an Industrial Relations Officer in a manufacturing factory situated in the middle of the South Yorkshire coalfield. Friends and neighbors were involved both practically and emotionally in all of the events of that memorable year from March 1984 to March 1985.
I can remember the time when trade unions waged a seemingly continuous guerrilla war with the elected government of the country. In the early 1970s, the miners came out on strike for the first time in almost 50 years. They were led at that time by the avuncular Joe Gormley - later to gain respectability in the ermine of the House of Lords. However, the name on everyone's lips at the time was that of Arthur Scargill. It was Scargill who devised the strike-winning strategy of the "Flying Picket". Highly organized groups of NUM members were bussed from power station to power station preventing the delivery of coal and occasionally other fuels. This precipitated a governmental panic and the national sharing of misery brought about by power cuts arranged by the government to save precious electricity for industry. In 1974, the governing Conservative Party lost the election in humiliating fashion. The party changed its leader and elected one Margaret Hilda Thatcher. Recent TV reminiscences have highlighted some of her personal qualities of which determination and clarity of will were both evident. However, coupled to both of these, Thatcher was a pragmatist: she rarely entered a fight without a reasonable prospect of victory. Her first fight with the miners was in 1981. Arthur Scargill, now the President of the NUM, roused his members with talk of pit closures and job losses. The government postponed the closures and many perceived a government climbdown and NUM victory.
With the benefit of hindsight however, this was a clever tactical decision - never enter a fight without a reasonable prospect of victory. It seemed that Margaret Thatcher, hurt as she remained by the humiliation of the first miner's strike, considered it to be only one battle in the war. It seems that she reviewed the strategy of the NUM - the flying pickets had won the last battle for them and, having backed down on pit closures in 1981, she had allowed them to perceive that they would have an ongoing tactical advantage over the government. Wrong. Between 1981 and 1984 huge strategic stockpiles of coal were built up in power stations - enough to weather a long, long strike. The strike came in March 1984 (probably tactically not a good time as Winter was over and the need for power generation lessens with the Spring). This time, however, there were differences. The NUM did not ballot its members leading to an eventual breakaway of the Democratic Union of Mineworkers whose members continued to work in the Nottinghamshire coalfields serving the government with the tactical advantage afforded by division. The power of 'right on their side' claimed by the NUM was a matter of doubt from the start for many observers of tactics. The strategy of the flying pickets which had worked so well in the 70s had little effect when they gathered outside power stations behind the walls of which were thousands and thousands of tons of stockpiled coal. The answer of the NUM and its leadership when faced with a strategy that didn't work was not to find one that did but rather it was to throw more and more manpower and anger at the picket lines which grew bigger and more aggressive but no more effective.
The epic confrontation lasted a year. What many do not remember is that part way through the year the Association of Deputies - a supervisory union in the coalfields - threatened to join the strike. The government had not anticipated this move and made an offer of negotiation and settlement with the NUM. The NUM refused and persisted with its obstinate but ineffective strategy of picketing. Its opportunity to change an approach which was not working was lost and along with it so was the strike even though it took a further six months before the miners went back to work.
I understand that one of Margaret Thatcher's favorite poets was Longfellow and one of her favorite poems is this one:
"The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight
But they while their companions slept
Were toiling upward in the night."
During the 10 years between the loss of the election in 1974 and the second miners' strike in 1984, Margaret Thatcher was toiling upward in night, considering and consolidating her power, ready for the time when there would be a reasonable prospect of victory. It seems, looking back over those years, that the NUM fell into the trap of believing that if the strategy works once it works always. They refused the opportunity to take a different strategic direction and negotiate and found their power ebbing away as the strike lengthened without any apparent prospect of victory for the union's members.
Whatever we may think of her as an individual, it seems that Margaret Thatcher understood strategy and how to use it to counteract the actions of others. She also understood power and in the dispute with the unions used it pragmatically as the records show she did in other disputes she had elsewhere, notably the EU. I was left pondering on a quote attributed to her: "Being powerful is like being a lady - if you have to tell people you are, you aren't."
'Think on' as we say in Yorkshire.


by Ruth Axtell Morren
Steeple Hill Books – 2008
Florence Hathaway is a volunteer at Newgate Prison. She attends all hangings. Today, Jonah Quinn is to be hanged. Just as the hanging starts, a group of men rush the gallows freeing Jonah Quinn. He takes Florence hostage and escapes.
The following day Florence was released by Jonah. She told him to come to her brother, the curate of a local church, and he could help him.
It was decided that Jonah was a victim of circumstances and not a criminal. The plan to help him was to train him to be a gentleman. This program was hard on everyone. Jonah was still an escaped prisoner.
This is a lively story filled with action, tension, and much faith. Ms. Morren has redeemed herself. This book was far superior to her other book I read. It's a good story and a good read!


Sara Peté and James Maeda are two stalwarts of the Olympia underground. We first met each of them individually through their outposts at the Olympia Timberland Library and Rainy Day Records, respectively—two essential pieces of the culture of downtown. But it became obvious that they’re a pair of eccentrics who magnetically pull toward each other with some kind of mystical combustion, and together they have created some of the most amazing collections this side of the Mississippi. James has taken it upon himself to become the leading historian on Olympia flyers from the 1980s and 1990s—the times during which the punk rock culture of the town had a huge impact on not just the rest of the country, but the world at large, through riot grrrl and what was to be later referred to as “grunge.” Neither of them is originally from Olympia, but many of their collections—like jumbuttons, a thing that seems to only exist at Lakefair, the yearly downtown carnival—are specific to the region. The amount of history that dwells inside their modest home is immense, and they are dutiful keepers.


Bite the bullets (A quick summary if you don’t want to read the whole article)
- A book is a set of resources, some parts more valuable than others.
- It’s okay to skip parts.
- Rather than going down one specific rabbit hole at a time, get a broad understanding first and increase details only as necessary.
- You can stop when you have reached the amount of information you need.
- The mindset you should to adopt is: “I am going to do the minimum effort to achieve the goal of each step.”
- You don’t need to wander the whole forest, just get the coins and the pot of gold.
- This is a way to map out where the gold is.
- When reading for speed, start with the lowest hanging fruit then work up from there.
What this is and where it came from
If I want the contents of a book in my brain without spending 10 to 20 hours slowly reading every word, I do this in about 2 to 4 hours. I’ve heard the term “power reading,” but now I just think of it as eating the book quickly instead of savoring every page.
I learned how to do it in college when I had procrastinated in one of my classes. I had pushed actually reading a very dense book to the last night. I was supposed to be doing the last edits on a well crafted essay due the next day. Rather than just “finish essay” as my homework, I had the hefty work of “read book, start essay, finish essay” on my plate. I had about 14 hours to complete this task.
I simply didn’t have the physical time to read the book. After a lot wheel-spinning, reasoning, self-admonishment and searching the internet for “how to speed read,” I was forced to just do the best I could. I was resigned to writing an incomplete essay, getting a C in the class and living my life as a mediocre human. Then something dawned on me. It was the structure of the book itself. Some poor schmuck was sitting in front of the computer trying to organize their thoughts into a book at some point, and what was in front of me was the finished product. Some of their choices probably started with a notepad and a list of points they hoped to get across. I really just wanted that list of points and just enough information to support them. From that, this system was born.
I mentally deconstructed the book into smaller and smaller parts. Then, I prioritized each part by importance based on what the book was supposed to be about. After that, I wrote a summary of each of my defined parts, fleshing them out on further passes. It’s simple as that. If that’s all you need, then you can stop reading now! I just explain how to do all that below.The core skill set in reading a book in 3 hours is not actually reading; it's prioritizing. Click To Tweet
The core skill set in reading a book in 3 hours is not actually reading; it’s prioritizing. You’re going to be reverse engineering the structure of the book. To do this, imagine you’re going to write about something you know a lot about. How would you tell a friend about it? You’d probably make a point, and then give an example. That’s what a chapter is. A big point (or a few) and then a ton of examples to prove the point. Same thinking, but imagine you have to write the book you want to read.
Which brings us to the first step.
Step one: Set your goals! What’s your goal and what is the author’s main point?
Before you even begin, you need to organize the parts of the book, as well as your approach to reading it. If the book is straightforward, the overarching point of the book should be written right on the back or the inside sleeve. That’s going to have the highest density of info about the book.
Bust out a notepad or a computer and write the overarching point in a sentence on the top of the page in your own words. This is your North Star. Remember, you still have to the hard thinking and figure out what’s the point of the book. It can be phrased as a question which will be answered or as a simple topic, either way, it’s better to be as specific as you can be.
Additionally, you’re going to want to do some strategizing. You want to set the rails to keep you on track. This part is the most tailored to you. Everyone should interrogate themselves before starting with at least these questions:
- Why did the author write this book?
- Who is the target audience?
- Why am I reading this book?
- What is the author’s main point?
After that, you should write out or think of specific questions you want to answer. If you’re reading for some class, there are probably things that you need to know or answer for the class. If you’re reading to learn about a specific topic, write what you are curious about. This will be another help in the ruthless prioritization. As you begin, you should only read something in full if it moves you towards your North Star of the author’s main point or if it answers a critical question.
Step two: Make a map! What are the key ideas covered?
Now we dive into the table of contents. This is going to be your map of the book. If the book doesn’t have a contents section, you’ll have to do a bit more digging for the same effect. What you’re getting is the outline the author hung the flesh of the book on.
If there is a front index: write each chapter title with a good amount of space below each for notes. Make a note next to the title you wrote down whether it’s a long or short chapter (Or even the exact page count). Start priming your brain to wonder at what each of the chapters is about and write that down too.
If there is no front index, or no chapter titles: You’re going to make your own titles! To do this, you will have to actually do some reading. Start with the first sentence and the last sentence of the the first paragraph of each chapter. Come up with what the chapter is about and write that as a sentence.
If you can’t figure out the thesis of the chapter from that, it may not be the best written book. You’ll have to move to the second paragraph. Do the same thing: first and last sentence. There is a great shortcut we’ll need later anyways, but every chapter after the first should end in summarizing the chapter, and then introducing the next chapter. So if it’s very unclear what the chapter is about from the other places, look in the last sentence of the chapter before.
Once you have these titles written out, take a little thinking pause to try to understand how they point to your North Star. You should write down or think of any questions each chapter might answer. This is getting your brain ready for the battering. The better you understand how the chapters fit together with the main thesis, the faster you can blast through the whole book.
Step three: Prioritize your journey! What order do you read in?
After following the last step, you should have a rough idea of what this book is about, and how you’ll flesh out what the pieces are. This is when you’ll decide what order to read the book in. Navigate the map of the book you already created. There are a couple of strategies to deciding order. No matter what, you want to tackle the sub-points in order of importance, but how do you determine that without having read the book?
The first hint is chapter length, and the second is how well you can infer what’s in the chapter just from the title. Then you want to start with the best chapter first, using what you’ve learned from that to help to more quickly understand the more complicated chapters.
After reading the chapter titles in the context of each other, and seeing which are the longest, rate them on a scale of how well you understand them just from the title against length. A longer chapter means that the author had more to say about that topic, which isn’t a perfect correlation for complexity, but it will have to do.
For example, an ”easy” chapter might be “How to jog, 20 pages” since it’s a short chapter and you probably have a good idea of how to jog. Likewise a “hard” chapter might be “Nuclear Power Plants and their Effects on Russian Economy, 100 pages,” at least for me since it’s long and I have no idea how to start thinking about that. Medium could be anywhere in between with the weight on how well you can infer the information from the title. Also, what weird book has both of those chapters?
Step three and a half: Read the index
This part is a bit of magic, which plays on how our brains work. If there is a back index of terms, take the time to read every single term. Don’t skim this part. Actually read every term and even say them out loud. Don’t focus on understanding or noting which page they are on. Just read the terms.
Without getting too deep into it, this allows your brain to pause with recognition for a split second when you are speeding through the chapters when one of these terms comes up. It improves your ability to skip the unimportant words later on, and capture the important ones.
Step four: Read! Skim wide and read only when necessary, then repeat.
This is the most time consuming part. You’re essentially using a smart strategy to skim for the highest rated information. There is only so much you’re going to remember from any book and you’re trying to get that important stuff without over-reading things you’ll forget anyways.
Look back at the list you came up with. Start at the highest ranked chapter and dig in with the sole purpose of answering the main question of the book, your North Star, and the sub questions for that chapter.
On the very first pass, if there are subsections, write them each under the chapter headers. If they are not labelled but are clearly subsections separate from the other parts of the chapter, write your own subtitle.
Next pass, skim the chapters by reading the first and last sentences of each paragraph by section. It will be really clear (assuming it’s a relatively well structured book) which sections are making a point and which serve as evidence of a point. If you find that there is a series sentences mentioning one thing over and over, go back and read the paragraph introducing and defining that thing. Do this high level pass for each chapter by rank, taking notes relevant to your important questions.
There is a really important optimization in actually reading: as soon as you realize something isn’t serving to answer your questions or support a point, skip to the next chunk. For instance: If, on the second pass—reading the first and last sentences of the paragraphs—it’s clear the intro sentence that the paragraph won’t help you, don’t read the last sentence either. Just skip to the next paragraph. If you already have an example for a new point, move to the next major point.
You can repeat this skimming process as much as you need answering all of your questions. You should quit a section as soon as you have an answer to the core questions associated with it and some evidence to support it.
I’ve found there is some finesse to the strategy here: you’ll start to notice patterns in the author’s writing that will tell you what they think is important. It’s really dependent on the book or author but an example might be starting several paragraphs in succession referencing something they mentioned at the beginning of the chapter. I can go back and read that whole paragraph and then skip all those sections where they reinforce the concept.
Step 5: Post reading and pro tips
If you’re reading to learn something, read your notes in full once you’ve written them out. That is the best time to reinforce the condensed info you’ve pulled from the text. There is a chance you may have missed something in the skimming process, especially the first time you use this system, don’t shy away from other people’s summaries of the text as a resource.
Note that if you have more time, you can actually use this system to read the whole text of a book oriented towards learning what is inside rather than simply how the author presented. It turns out that it doubles as a really effective learning technique by adding more “skimming” passes until you’ve finished every section with notes.
Pro tip for analytics-heavy books: create your structure around understanding the figures, since it will be what the book is primarily about. After that, making sure you are focusing on the definitions of specific terms bootstraps the understanding of the concepts inside the book. An addition to this technique is to write a dictionary for the book as you go for term heavy books.
Finally, you can do this process with a break or a day in between each step. I don’t recommend stopping in the middle of a step because that incurs context switching penalties except for stopping between chapters during the last step, which is fine.
There you have it: the not-so-easy and not-so-fun way to condense reading an entire book into just a couple hours. Here’s a template that you can use to get started: https://sophonaut.com/2018/10/27/how-to-eat-a-book-template/
Good luck in your readings!
Clarifications, caveats and limitations
I should clarify something. There are two types of reading: reading for pleasure, and reading for information. This is solely for the second type and is not a fun way to read a book. You shouldn’t read Lord of the Rings this way. If you need the ideas in your brain fast, do this.
Second clarification: this isn’t just a cop-out to not read the book. This is a super-focused approach to smashing everything you need into a higher density and then smashing that into your head. I’m not promising you can read a book in a few minutes. I believe this is much harder mentally than reading the book from start to finish because it works by removing every passive part of the reading process.
Third, the limitations: this does not work for things like math, physics, organic chemistry or anything requiring practice to master the concepts. You can use this technique to absorb the theory parts of those types of topics, but you’ll still need to do the problems. (Sorry B.S. undergrads).
It works the best with physical books (slightly slower to navigate ebooks) and on books that make a specific argument. I.e. you can compress the proof of a fact, but you can’t compress the fact itself.


The life and works of James and William Forsyth
This website aims to catalogue the major works of James and William Forsyth, two brothers from Scotland, who spent the years between 1851 and 1903 producing works in stone and wood that will hopefully last forever. This is a work in progress.
The 'list of works' pages are my selection of the work of James and William that have been currently identified ( see SOURCES page). My aim is that this site will eventually contain a photo gallery of my images and information about every one of these works.
It should be noted that, and against the history of James and William Forsyth that is generally documented across the internet, I have yet to find any evidence that the brothers ever worked together
If anyone visiting this site finds any errors or has any further information to share, please use the contact page to get in touch with me, I would love to hear from you
My own interest in these brothers is that William Forsyth was my Great-Great Grandfather on my father's side. My Grandmother Winifred Forsyth was the daughter of William Matthew Forsyth, a son of the sculptor William Forsyth
I am currently trawling through the available archive of "The Builder" for more information on the work of James and that needs annotating
and adding to his 'works' page
July 2019 The Fountain in Dudley Market place has been added to James' 1860's page
May 2019 Hurstpierpoint college photos have been added to the 1860's section of James Forsyth
May 2019 I have updated the History page and split it into two separate sections to allow for a slightly more coherent precis of each brother's life
April 2019 The list of works by James Forsyth was expanded massively and a map was added


I picked up Under the Sunset after seeing it mentioned in a Slate article about Bram Stoker. For such a short book – it couldn’t have taken me more than a few hours –, Stoker’s first work was a slog.
This collection of Victorian children’s stories is set in a fantasy world, one nominally populated by humans just like us (so asserts the introduction). It’s actually just a gathering place for beings of either simple virtue or plain wickedness: kings think only of the good of their people, brave and beautiful princes stand ready to sacrifice themselves to save their land, everyone weeps for the sadness of some misfortune, good wins out before there’s even time to build some suspense.
I suppose it’s fine that there’s no nuance: this is a children’s book. What I find harder to bear is that there’s no humor. Everyone is so deathly earnest about everything. All stories are filled with this weirdly urgent Manichaean division: the good and innocent, so beautiful they moves everyone to tears, and the hard-hearted guilty, who either meet the swift death or (if they are lucky) are saved by an overwhelming sense of remorse and repentance. Stoker’s writing leaves no space for humor, let alone nuance. You emerge from this book coated in treacly virtue.
Though the content of the stories isn’t particularly interesting either, Bram Stoker does paint some fantastic and vivid images: a invisible, blind giant as big as the sky, only his unseeing face and hands visible; the shadow builder, who makes shades for the world, forever alone as images of the dead transit around him; the raven who steals the number seven, leaving no one able to use that number until he returned; the Castle of the King of Death appearing from the mists to take in a soul as it passes.
As I read, a creeping thought took hold in my mind: Victorian England had a messed up relationship with children and how to teach them social values. In one archetypical instance, a little girl fails to tell her teacher that she was doodling rather than doing her arithmetic exercise. Responding entirely fairly and proportionally, an angel comes to her in a dream. After showing the girl heaven, the divine messenger tells her that she’ll be eternally damned unless she confesses that most grievous sin. There’s no room for play, for childhood curiosity, or learning through living; the smallest misstep courts hellfire.
In the end, as you’ve probably already gathered, there’s really not that much to recommend this. I’m sure there are many better children’s books out there from that and other eras. If you’re interested in early fantasy writing and alternate worlds, you’d do infinitely better to check out the odd and fascinating book The Worm Ouroborus, written in 1922 in a classically heroic style (think the Iliad, a little) and that inspired Tolkien and other subsequent fantasy greats.