Sexuality &the Sacred, Sources for Theological Reflection - 1994 publication Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this book for a class I took and both the book and the class were amazing. The class was Social Ethics: Sexual Justice. It really opened my eyes on so many issues and expanded my capacuty to think about the way society addresses sex and sexuality. Sex is taboo and so our culture has become obsessed with it. This collection of essays wil help you reunite your spirituality with your body.

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Life and Def: Sex, Drugs, Money, + God Review

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(More customer reviews)I know what you are thinking. If this book is so bad, why did I give it four stars? First of all, the book only deserved 3 ½ stars but unfortunately that is not an option due to technical difficulties (this is my first review!).
Second, this is a very interesting story about a self-made millionaire who pioneered and profited from an industry that didn't exist 30 years ago. However, this book leaves a lot to be desired.
Life & Def sets sail with a strong start. Simmons details his childhood and introduces his creative family. He explains the strong influence of his mother (the free-spirit painter who encouraged her children to seek non-traditional occupations), and his father (the writer who believed in a 9-5, but encouraged artistic expressions and even wrote lyrics for Run DMC!) Despite the strong start, the ship soon goes off course. Simmons bombards you with names, (random) dates, and industry specific terms. He gives brief overviews of important milestones such as his successful HBO show Def Comedy Jam, only to return (briefly again!) later in the book.
My love of hip-hop and desire for entrepreneurial success pushed me through the choppy waters of this book. I especially struggled to stay afloat during the last 30 pages. By this time I was mentally exhausted from wading through oceans of acronyms, abbreviations, and run-on sentences. Simmons offers a plethora of advice. He candidly shares his mistakes and regrets in an attempt to save the reader from the same. However, he gives you a map for success omitting the last leg of the trip! At the end of the book, I was lost at sea searching for answers to the many issues that plagued the author. The best example of this is the recurring theme of drugs. Simmons readily admits that he heavily indulged in everything from marijuana, to cocaine, to angel dust (his hallucinogen of choice.) He then briefly (3 pages!) outlines how yoga led him in his quest for spirituality. He never mentions when (or if?) he discontinued the heavy drug use.
Despite the poor writing, this book is a must read for any hip-hop lover or entrepreneur. He does provide facts, tips, do's, and don't's, of any business. However, this book does his story no justice. Call me old fashioned, but I still think that the best way to write an autobiography is in chronological order. As an avid reader and aspiring writer, Life & Def reinforced the importance of a good EDITOR.

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Forgotten Skills of Cooking: The Time-Honored Ways are the Best - Over 700 Recipes Show You Why Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is an amazing tome of culinary secrets that I've been in love with ever since it arrived. First of all, the quality of the book itself is top notch. It's a rough textured hardback sans paper flap cover. Darina Allen is drawing comparisons to Julia Child, and that marketing pitch seems to have translated into the layout of the pages. They are glossy and in the exact style of every cookbook of Julia's that I own. It reminds me in particular of The Way to Cook, Julia's master class, which was uncustomarily accompanied with ample photos.
Admittedly, there are things in Forgotten Skills that I'll never venture to try, such as the tripe on page 184, or the brawn on page 320. I'm not exactly tempted by the recipe for beef dripping on toast on page 177. But there are plenty of examples of recipes that are staples in many of our kitchens, reimagined from a fresh, farmy (to invent an adjective) perspective, such as beef stew (pp. 163), quiche Lorraine (pp. 250), and a delicious bacon and cheddar cheese strata that you absolutely must try (pp. 579). It seems like we've skipped spring altogether this year and headed straight into summer. In this current heat, I can't wait to try the recipe for Ballymaloe vanilla ice cream (no ice cream maker required!) on page 207. The simplicity reminds me of how my grandmother used to wait for a second snow, and then set out a large metal bowl to collect enough flakes to add in condensed milk, and, voila!, delicious ice cream.
Don't be discouraged by the opening chapter, which addresses various edible flowers, herbs, and weeds that you can scavenge and prepare in various dishes. Those recipes set the tone for the rest of the book, but in no way define it. In fact, if I had to try to sum up the essence of this book, I'd go back to the comparison to Julia Child's The Way to Cook. Julia's book was meant as a step-by-step class for the uninitiated to the steps of traditional French cooking. Ms. Allen's book is rather a guide to the traditional country cooking of Ireland, often with hints of the global culinary influence of France, Italy, and even the United States (she has a delectable recipe for American-style short ribs on page 165). And then there are the traditional recipes like calves' liver with caramelized onions on page 183 that put me in mind of my grandmother's kitchen.
A great deal of these recipes and skills are indeed forgotten legacies of the Old World, but the majority are at least relatively current and adapted for modern kitchens. Scattered throughout are notes on farming, slaughtering livestock (a note from Ms. Allen: don't bend the chicken's neck back too far, lest you pull off the head!), instructions for making everything from homemade butter to sausage, and natural cleaning agents for around the house. Ms. Allen's book will no doubt be an indispensable source of inspiration and reference for my culinary adventures. Also, the Amazon price is a steal. Highly recommended!

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In this timely new book, Darina reconnects you with the cooking skills that missed a generation or two. The book is divided into chapters such as "Dairy," "Poultry and Eggs," "Bread," and "Preserving," and forgotten processes such as smoking mackerel, curing bacon, and making yogurt and butter are explained in the simplest terms. The delicious recipes show you how to use your homemade bounty to its best, and include ideas for using forgotten cuts of meat, baking bread and cakes, and even eating food from the wild. The "Vegetables and Herbs" chapter is stuffed with growing tips to satisfy even those with the smallest garden plot or window box, and there are plenty of suggestions for using gluts of vegetables. You'll even discover how to keep a few chickens in your backyard. With over 700 recipes, this is the definitive modern guide to traditional cooking skills.

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Suddenly (Special Enhanced Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)Overall, "Suddenly" is probably the best debut album a band could ask for. Featuring upbeat rhythm and high energy intrumentation/vocals, Suddenly showcases the band's fun-loving spirit. Overall album rating = A+
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HEY, PRINCESS - One of the more popular songs on the album. Features punk influences, a subtle use of paired vocal harmony, mild rhythmic syncopation, extensive vamping, mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation, major key tonality, electric rhythm guitars, and a subtle use of strings. 10/10 rating.
A DIFFERENT SIDE OF ME - Allstar Weekend's first studio-produced track. Features basic rock song structures, a subtle use of vocal harmony, mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation, and major key tonality. 9/10 rating.
DANCE FOREVER - The most popular song on this album, first released as a single before "Suddenly" came out. This song features electronica influences, a subtle use of vocal counterpoint, a subtle use of paired vocal harmony, mild rhythmic syncopation, interweaving vocal harmony, extensive vamping, a clear focus on recording studio production, major key tonality, electric rhythm guitars, prominent use of synth, subtle use of fender rhodes, and upbeat lyrics. 11/10 rating.
CLOCK RUNS OUT - Probably the least popular song on the album, but still has a very catchy chorus. Features punk influences, a subtle use of vocal harmony, mild rhythmic syncopation, varying tempo and time signatures, extensive vamping, mixed acoustic and electric instrumentation, major key tonality, a vocal-centric aesthetic, and heavy electric rhythm guitars. 8/10 rating.
AMY - A nice, rock-style ballad. All I have to say is if someone is named Amy then this is the song for them. Features acoustic rock instrumentation, punk influences, mild rhythmic syncopation, acoustic rhythm piano, use of a string ensemble, extensive vamping, major key tonality, a vocal-centric aesthetic, acoustic rhythm guitars, and romantic lyrics. 9/10 rating.
JOURNEY TO THE END OF MY LIFE - An upbeat look to the future. Features basic rock song structures, punk influences, mild rhythmic syncopation, extensive vamping, major key tonality, electric instrumentation, and a subtle use of vocal harmony. 10/10 rating.
THE WEEKEND - What can you do on the weekends that you can't do during the week? This is the perfect song to wrap up the album with. Features basic rock song structures, punk influences, extensive vamping, a vocal-centric aesthetic, a subtle use of vocal harmony, mild rhytmic syncopation, electric instrumentation, heavy electric rhythm guitars, and a major key tonality. 10/10 rating.
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This album is worth every penny. It might even be a little too inexpensive for such great-sounding, feel-good music. Every song explodes with positive energy.
*Individual song 'features' from the Music Genome Project*

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ALLSTAR WEEKEND is Zach on Vocals, Nathan on Guitar & Vocals, Cameron on Bass and Michael on Drums. Beyond their exceptional musicianship and stage presence, these guys write great pop songs: melodic, smart and edgy. Moreover, they wield a mature craftsmanship beyond their years. It's unmistakable in songs like the synth-hook-laden "Dance Forever" and the introspective "Journey to the End of My Life," that are featured on this debut album!
The special enhanced edition includes exclusive content from their live soundcheck performances!
Track listing:
1. Hey, Princess
2. A Different Side Of Me
3. Dance Forever
4. Clock Runs Out
5. Amy
6. Journey to the End of My Life
7. The Weekend
Enhanced CD Content
Live Soundcheck Performances:
1. Journey To The End Of My Life
2. A Different Side Of Me
3. Dance Forever
4. Clock Runs Out

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Falling Cloudberries: A World of Family Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)As someone who owns close to two hundred cookbooks (passion or sickness, your choice on what to call it) I've vowed not to purchase another one for the rest of my cooking days. When I first glimpsed "Falling Cloudberries" at a bookstore I had to will myself to walk away. Never again, I said.
Never say never.
First, a bit of background. Like most foodies and cooks, Tessa Kiros grew up scented by cooking smells and surrounded by people who're passionate about food. Her book is filled with recipes that represent her heritage: Greek, Finnish, Cypriot, South African, and Italian. As such, there are dishes here that challenge the American palate, especially those of pedestrian tastes, but what a delightful and tasty challenge it is.
I'll set aside the sheer beauty of this book for now and rate it on the essentials--the approachability and accuracy of its recipes, the reliance on fresh and obtainable ingredients, a balanced mix of easy, intermediate and advanced cooking methods, logical and sensible organization, practical tips to ensure success, satisfaction with the end product, and (always a consideration for me) a generous representation of everyday fare.
I've tried about a dozen from this thick book and it's, without doubt, a 5-star cookbook just basing it on the above:
(1)Finnish - Gravadlax with Dill Cucumbers; Potato Pancakes (of course, to go w/ the gravadlax); Fresh Salmon, Dill & Potato Soup; Finnish Meatballs; Stroganoff with Pickled Cucumbers and will later try the Cinnamon and Cardamom Buns
(2)Greek - Dolmades; Tzatziki; Chickpea, Feta & Coriander Salad; Calamari with Butter, Lemon & Garlic; Prawns with Peri-Peri; Lemon & Oregano Chicken; Stuffed Vegetables and will later attempt the Baklava
(3)Cypriot - Moussaka (if you can make lasagna, you can make this without batting an eyelash); Pork in Red Wine
(4)South African - Fried Chicken and Barbecue Ribs, if you can believe it!
That's it...that's as far as I got and tons to go. Everything I tried was simply delicious and none of them required tremendous labor, just the same amount of effort I put into everyday cooking. For those that are fussier, I plan to just make them in the weekends when I have more time.
The book is drop-dead gorgeous and I mean every part of it. From the spine to the flyleaf, to all the photos to the quality of bond, and it even came with a pretty ribbon bookmark (how thoughtful). It's peppered with tidbits on Tessa's family and her growing up cooking with them. There's even a penciled drawing of her family tree that I thought added an amusing and extra special touch to this very personal account of food and cooking over several generations. Really creatively executed and one can easily tell that it was a labor of love. It's too beautiful that I don't cook with this book lying as is on my counter. I photocopy the page I need or wrap it first in clear plastic before using. Even these precautions don't seem enough. Someday, when I can no longer grasp my chef's knife or intimidate a slab of pastry into submission with a whack or two, I want to look at this book and just lose myself in its pristine beauty. Ridiculous, I know, but there are cooks out there who know precisely what I mean--they're the same people who look longingly at gorgeous cookbooks and say `never again' without much conviction!

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Kaplan & Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry, Behavioral Sciences/Clinical Psychiatry - 9th edition Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a good textbook. The conditions of the book were exactly how the seller stated. Thanks.

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Gifts from the Kitchen For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)This book was written for someone like me! Because I have very little in-kitchen experience, even cookbooks intimidate me, since they tend to assume at least some prior knowledge of cooking and baking. Finally, I have encountered a cookbook author who started at the beginning and who explained the basics in a clear and straightforward way! She then went on to spell out fun and interesting recipes that even I could follow! I'm so excited to be able to give gifts that take time and energy, that are clearly made and given with love, and that also look and taste impressive! -- Home-spun and polished at the same time! I am going to give this book as a pre-Christmas gift, so that my friends will be able to actually use it at Christmastime! I'm thrilled with it!

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Get inspired with tips on cooking, gift-wrapping, and presentationDelight your friends and family with tasty, attractive, homemade treats!Whipping up delicious edible gifts for any occasion is a snap with this fun cookbook and packaging guide. From easy-to-follow recipes to creative presentation ideas, you’ll find everything you need to make special, personal gifts that taste great and look terrific.

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