Book Review of "The Hiding Place"

The Hiding Place, by Corrie Ten Boom, is the ultimate story of love and forgiveness. It is the redemptive tale of an older woman and her family who become involved with the anti-Nazi underground movement to hide and secure Jewish people. Living in Holland, a neutral state, the Germans siege the country and enforce their strict regime on the citizens there.

This true story offers a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people capable of extraordinary measures. The Ten Boom family is an example of strong familial ties, of traditions steeped in religion and of values rooted in morality and humanity for all. Members of the family become imprisoned for work in the underground anti-Nazi movement whose goal it was to help aid the Jews from the furor of the Germans. Living their lives amidst the horrors of war, the Ten Boom family is confronted with unspeakable ills and forced to choose which side of humanity they will place themselves on. This affords the reader the opportunity to ask themselves if they would be capable of similar decisions if the times demanded it.

This moving account illustrates how one's faith may provide the moral fiber to one's character; allowing one to keep moving forward even amidst inhumane conditions, including the despair and lack of dignity of war.

Corrie's mother once told her that "Happiness isn't something that depends on our surroundings... It's something we make inside ourselves." This literally became her mantra as she faced insurmountable odds to achieve countless acts of humanity. An older spinster, caring for an ailing father, Corrie literally stepped outside her comfort zone, not only in achieving success in the anti-Nazi movement but in demonstrating a level of inner strength and resolve previously unbeknownst. Hers is a wonderful example of discovering your life mission in the midst of your own life.

While some may view the account as overtly optimistic and full of hope, the story certainly does not diminish the pain and suffering endured by those persecuted, including many members of the Ten Boom family, in the concentration camps during the Holocaust. What differs is that Corrie saw hope in every situation in which she found herself. She places her faith in the hand of God and realizes that with Him there are no accidents. Hers is the conviction that she is carrying forth the plan of the divine. She lives with the knowledge that defeat will come to the Germans.

Her new mission after the war is to help rehabilitate those who had suffered in the concentration camps; she even extends herself to work with those who betrayed their own countrymen. She went on speaking engagements all over the world to endorse her message of the love and peace that comes from forgiveness. Her life was a shining illustration of her belief that "the experiences of our lives, when we let God use them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will give us to do."

This begs the questions: Are we are allowing our own past to help shape our future? Are we prepared for the work in store of us? Hopefully, the answer is "yes".

Book Review- Tales from the Detroit Tigers Dugout by Jack Ebling

In many ways, we can read the history of America on its ball fields, written in the dust of the infield or the chalk of the baselines. Well-suited to lazy summer days by virtue of its leisurely pace, and providing a wealth of statistics to keep its fans amused during the off-season, baseball is a uniquely American blend of action, reflection, and squabbles (called "rhubarbs" in the vernacular). And in this, the game oddly reflects the culture that gave it birth.

For those whose appreciation of sports extends no further than the city limits of New York or Boston, a book about a team of mere provincials may prove as alluring to east coast sophisticates as a trip to WalMart to mingle with the riffraff. But for those with a love of the traditions and lore of the Great American Pastime, Tales from the Detroit Tigers Dugout offers a welcome and tantalizing glimpse into one of the oldest and most successful baseball teams in history. Fast-paced and tightly written, the book will delight Tiger fans, and enlighten fans everywhere.

As the author recounts, in recent years the team from Motown had fallen on hard times. Tiger fans had begun to measure the time between winning teams in decades, rather than seasons, capped by a team-record 119 losses in 2003. Yet in those dark years, careful behind-the-scenes planning was already laying the foundation for the team's 2006 re-emergence into the upper tier of major league baseball. And the book is filled with past legends and hints of future glory that offer fans the promise of baseball glory in the years to come.

Though often ignored by sportswriters from bigger cities, Tiger legends are among the most gifted and venerated names in the history of the sport. Ty Cobb, for instance, was probably the best player ever to walk onto a baseball field—and arguably the nastiest and most contemptible human being ever to don a baseball uniform. But other Tigers were almost as skilled, yet often labored in the shadows of their better-publicized counterparts from the coast. Hank Greenburg, Charlie Gehringer, Al Kaline, and other Hall-of-Famers brought off-field class as well as on-field brilliance to the game. As the author notes, their contribution to franchise history is not lost on students or true fans of the game. Though like other stars of Cooperstown, their timeless talents are often obscured by the large salaries and larger egos of today's lesser stars, fans of all ages and eras will enjoy the stories of how and why baseball in Detroit has grown along with the game that is among the treasures of American culture.

All Americans love an underdog, one who can rise from nothing and soldier on through adversity. Win or lose, there is something about the struggles of the common man that speaks to the American heart, giving us hope for ourselves and our future. A book about baseball will not solve the problems of world hunger or global terrorism, but the magic of sports consists of bringing people together through shared adventures in a sheltered world where conflicts are solved through teamwork and effort. And by sharing some of the hopes and dreams of a long-suffering and newly emerging sports team, Tales from the Detroit Tigers Dugout reminds us that miracles are everywhere around us. We only need to open our eyes and hearts to the magic, and sports can bring smiles to our souls, no matter what is happening in the rest of the world.

How To Build Up A Full Collection Of Chalet School Books

The Chalet School series by Elinor Brent-Dyer seems to be one of the most popular school series. There were 62 books altogether which is why it is so difficult to collect the whole set. There were also additional books and newsletters. Recently new authors have written 'fill-in' books where they feel there should be extra information not provided by the author herself. Some of the books are extremely rare and some paperbacks, even reprints can sell for £30+ making some of the hardback first editions extremely valuable indeed.

If you have started a collection or would like to I have some tips for you. Firstly decide whether you wish to collect paperbacks, hardbacks or either and whether you want to get every title or just the actual series of books and not the newsletters, additional books and books by other authors. Once you have decided you will need to get together a list of these titles. Most of the more modern reprints carry a full list of titles in the front and you can also look these up on various websites. I have included a list at the end of the article (It includes all of the original books plus some additional ones. I know I have missed some of the additional ones out).

Now you need to know where to start looking for these books. EBay is an obvious choice but some of the rarer books are hard to find even on eBay and when they do appear it is easy to be outbid. However it is still worth looking and listing on the 'wants' pages of eBay. There are other websites that sell second hand books but they do tend to be more expensive. Therefore I would tend to look in second hand bookshops, bookfairs and at charity book sales. You can sometimes pick up the titles slightly cheaper and you can also ask the dealers to look out for copies for you and put them by for you. Girls Gone By publish some of the out of print titles in unabridged paperbacks and some new authors who have written 'fill-in' books. These go out of print very quickly but you can usually find copies on eBay for a while. These are ideal if you are looking to fill gaps in your collection and do not mind that the books are a different size to the originals. Other publishers of fill-in titles are Bettany Press and Troubador publishing.

If you want to, for example, read the whole series but also get a nice hardback collection, I would recommend buying any title you see that you do not own. It may take a long time to get every book in hardback and you can always sell the paperback on eBay once you find a hardback version. You can also do this with paperbacks if you want a particular cover style or if you want to replace some of your tattier copies with neater ones.

Full List of Titles

Original series by Elinor Brent-Dyer : The School at the Chalet, Jo of the Chalet School, The Princess of the Chalet School, The Head Girl of the Chalet School, Rivals of the Chalet School, Eustatia Goes to the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Jo, The Chalet School in Camp, The Exploits of the Chalet School, The Chalet School and the Lintons, A Rebel at the Chalet School, The New Houseat the Chalet School, Jo Returns to the Chalet School, The New Chalet School, A United Chalet School, The Chalet School in Exile, The Chalet School at War, The Highland Twins at the Chalet School, Lavender Leigh at the Chalet School, Gay Lambert at the Chalet School, Jo to the Rescue, The Mystery at the Chalet School, Tom Tackles the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Rosalie, Three go to the Chalet School, The Chalet School and the Island, Peggy of the Chalet School, Carola Storms the Chalet School, The Wrong Chalet School, Shocks for the Chalet School, The Chalet School in the Oberland, Bride Leads the Chalet School, Changes for the Chalet School, Jey Goes to the Oberland, The Chalet School and Barbara, The Chalet School Does it Again, A Chalet Girl From Kenya, Mary-Lou of the Chalet School, A Genius at the Chalet School, Chalet School Fete, A Problem for the Chalet School, The New Mistress at the Chalet School, Excitements at the Chalet School, The Coming of Age of the Chalet School, The Chalet School and Richenda, Trials for the Chalet School, Theodora and the Chalet School, Joey and Co in the Tirol, Ruey Richardson at the Chalet School, A Leader in the Chalet School, The Chalet School Wins the Trick, A Future Chalet School Girl, The Feud in the Chalet School, The Chalet School Triplets, The Chalet School Reunion, Jane and the Chalet School, Redheads at the Chalet School, Adrienne and the Chalet School, Summer Term at the Chalet School, Challebge for the Chalet School, Two Samsat theChalet School, Althea Joins the Chalet School, Prefects at the Chalet School

Related Books : The Chalet Book for Girls, The Second Chalet Book for Girls, The Third Chalet Book for Girls, The Chalet Girls Cookbook, Chalet School Newsletters, Friends of the Chalet School Annuals.

'Fill-in' titles : Visitors for the Chalet School by Helen McClelland, Gillian of the Chalet School by Carol Allan, The Chalet School and Robin by Caroline German, A Chalet School Headmistress by Helen Barber, New Beginnings at the Chalet School by Heather Paisley, Peace Comes to the Chalet School by Katherine Bruce, The Chalet School Librarian by Pat Willimott, Hilda Annersley Headmistress by Lesley Green.

Imogene of The Pacific Kingdom - Novel By Teresa Saari

Imogene of The Pacific Kingdom was self-published by Teresa Saari and kicks off a series of fiction for the ten year old set.

On her website, she compares her novels to Harry Potter but for girls and so naturally, I wanted to see if the similarity applies. I love when authors compare themselves to other writers I have heard of or book series. It gives you an instant idea of whether or not you want to read it.

It arrived and I read it as fast as humanly possible. I did find that the comparison was fair. There is a lot of detail in Harry Potter books and this too can be said for the same detail orientated description found in Imogene Of The Pacific Kingdom. But her label of describing this fiction for girls was somewhat limiting and I didn't find it to be true. I would also say that it has a wider audience and that she's created great fiction for people of all ages.

The story begins with Imogene and her somewhat crankie Auntie, boring life and almost insufferable life. She keeps herself positive by remembering her mother.

Imogene is abandoned by her mother and left with her crankie Auntie plus some staff. She is told always to stay out of the east wing and very little about her mother's disappearance. Even though she was young at the time, she can remember plain as day when her mother promised to return in five years to the day and the time is nearly up. She clings to this and is amazed when it becomes truth. Her mother does return when she is ten and that is when Imogene is exposed to the truth of the world. Think of Splash from the 80's but in reverse.

Imogene discovers a magical kingdom, the Pacific Kingdom with her mom and of course the intrigue that goes along with it, the secret of the deep as well as the mystery of her own existence. Events are set in motion that take the reader on an electrifying ride.

The book is riveting and moves on at an irresistible pace, and no matter what you have to keep reading. Forget about your worldy cares. This book is wonderful. This book is an absolute masterpiece of description, occular worlds that wait for discovery.

One thing I would say is that the cover design is pretty misleading. On it are dried out colors, graphically designed in a big mess with a blurry picture of a girl standing there. Basically, the cover design is terrible and I'm written down the name of the graphic design company that is boasted in the inside covers to avoid them.

Also, if I'd found this book in a bookstore, I totally wouldn't have bought it from the description. There is very little description on the back and even duller pictures and graphic design on the back. This would be what would be called a diamond in the rough, an irresistible page turner for all ages who enjoy a good fantasy now and again but in no way would this be obvious in its physical state.

This book, I give a solid four with one star taken away for presentation.

To find this book, google search to her website where she sells online with paypal.

Yes, You Can Still Retire Comfortably! The Baby Boom Retirement Crisis and How to Beat It

Book by Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth

Save more money.

Lots more money.

That's the overriding message of this book, and it's a shame so few people will follow their advice. If you get nothing else from this book or this article, but you pay off all your consumer debts and max out your tax-deferred retirement accounts, you'd owe Stein and DeMuth a tremendous debt.

However, they do provide a lot more useful information and advice. Unfortunately, in my opinion, they don't fulfill the promise of their title and subtitle.

In Chapter 1 they outline the problems that the retirement of baby boomers will bring to the world's (it's not just an American problem -- in fact, it's even worse in Japan and many European countries) economy. There's simply not enough money to pay boomers the Social Security, Medicare benefits and pensions they expect and are entitled to by law.

Baby boomers who have their own savings are going to be much better off than those depending on Social Security and pensions.

Most of the book is devoted to advice on how to invest those savings for maximum return before you retire, and, after you retire, how to convert them into cash to live on and yet keep from running out before you die. Much of the advice is good, even terrific.

They have the guts to point out something that few financial advisors do. Although stocks have historically returned 10% per year on average, nobody can count on that, because that's simply a long-term average of returns that fluctuate across a wide range of negative and positive results, in no predictable pattern.

They publish a chart on page 76 that's a real eye-opener. It's the range of possible returns from the S & P 500 over a 30 year period. Because the stock market fluctuates so much, its range of returns from year to year varies enormously. People's overall results, depending on the sequences of good and bad years, even over a 30 year period, can differ tremendously even though the average return remains 10%.

For instance, someone investing $1000 at the beginning of the best possible 30 year scenario would wind up with over $1 million. Yet the person investing that same $1000 at the beginning of the worst possible 30 year scenario would have only $268 at the end. The median was just over $10,000.

I'm also glad that they point out the value of maintaining good health, and that you must plan your finances as though you're going to live to be 100 -- maybe more, as our life expectancies are gradually on the rise. A lot of improvements are going to be made in health care over the next 50 years.

And they point out that it's likely the government will expand the means-testing of Social Security and Medicare benefits. (I consider taxation, and the recent increase in Part B Medicare premiums for people making over $80,000 a year, to be a form of means-testing, so it's already started.)

The wealthy will have enough money to get by without Social Security and Medicare. The poor will be provided for. The middle-class will have every possible dollar confiscated from them. Prepare.

One area I think could have been improved on was their advice to postpone retirement as long as possible. The more you work and save money instead of spending down savings, the better off financially you'll be. I think they could have gone into more detail about how people can work part time from home, or find other ways to make money without spending another 5-10 years at a hated conventional job (which many baby boomers are not going to do).

Where I really fault this book is that after outlining the particular problems of baby boomer and Gen X retirement, they then explain standard retirement strategies. They advocate saving through the "couch potato" portfolio -- putting half your money in a bond index and half in a stock market index.

And they devote many pages to strategies for funding your retirement through selling off your saved stocks and bonds over the course of the rest of your life. They are conservative in standard retirement financial advice, but do not consider what will happen to the prices of stocks and bonds when millions of baby boomers start selling off their stocks and bonds. They basically assume the markets will continue to go through normal cycles.

They make no adjustment in their advice for the possibility that the sale of stocks and bonds (especially stocks) will bring in relatively small amounts of money, at least after the initial wave of retiring baby boomers start to sell. The very first ones will get normal market prices.

The rest of us? Rots of ruck, for many years to come.

Their advice on funding and staying funded through retirement is certainly superior for normal conditions. But conditions won't remain normal for more than a few years.

That's why I believe they don't fulfill on the promise of the book title's. If they were advising previous generations, their advice would be terrific.

This is doubly disappointing because these same authors wrote a good book addressing the only real solution to the baby boomer's retirement dilemma: Yes, You Can Succeed as an Income Investor. I believe baby boomers should be buying up high quality stocks and bonds that pay dividends and interest, and hang on to them.

Live on the income from your investments and you don't have to worry about their current market prices.

A Psychic Reading for Answers to Life's Questions

Everyone has questions they would like answered about the situations in their life at one point or another. Difficult life decisions leave people yearning for help and advice in making their decisions. Should they stay in their relationship or break it off? Should they start a new business? Should they move for a new job or stay put?

Then there are general life questions everyone wonders at some point such as, "Will I ever find my true love?", "What does this year have in store for me?", and "Will I find a good job?"

Getting a psychic reading is a way to get help with life's questions. People from all walks of life consult psychics, from politicians, lawyers, and CEOs, to housewives, retired people, and college students. It is known that some very famous and successful people have a trusted psychic they regularly consult before making any major decision. People have been consulting psychics and trying to get a look into the future, all over the world for centuries.

A psychic is a person with a sixth sense. Not all psychics are alike. Different psychics have different levels of talent as well as different ways of getting answers to client's questions. Some use tools to help them such as tarot cards, astrology charts, or I-ching. Some use no tools at all and rely only on their natural gifts of intuition and perhaps visions.

Some psychics have areas of specialty. Some may focus on love, relationships, and break-ups, others will focus on careers and money while others do not limit their service to a particular area.

Our modern times makes it very easy for anyone who wants to get a psychic reading, thanks to the internet. A lot of psychics now have websites or a listing on a website so clients from all over the world can contact them. Now, someone can log online at two in the morning and in a few minutes be talking live to a psychic via chat or telephone.

Some people have not seriously considered getting a psychic reading because they are skeptical, afraid of being scammed, or simply have misunderstandings. A lot of people think of a gypsy looking into a crystal ball when hearing the word psychic.

Unfortunately, there are scammers posing as psychics just as there are in many fields. But a consumer can avoid being scammed. Many psychics will offer a free first reading, give the first few minutes of a psychic reading free, or answer a question for free. This way, the client can be comfortable and confident with the psychic before paying for a reading. If they don't feel good about the psychic, they have no obligation.

Free readings are a way to gain the confidence of skeptics and for psychics to show they are genuine. This is also good for the reader, because it allows the psychic to see if they feel a connection with the client. Hopefully the client will be impressed with the psychic's gift and want to know more.

Book Review for Valley of the Raven by Ken Ramirez

Valley of the Raven is a captivating novel set in the beautiful foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. When teenagers Ty Dettin, his younger brother Seth, and their pal Tanner White set out for a typical dirt bike ride in the California Sierra Gold Country, they are unaware of the life-altering adventure lurking around the next bend. Tooling along in the spring sunshine, Ty and Tanner follow Seth onto an overgrown trail that leads to decrepit buildings, vestiges of the California gold rush days, when the land was ravaged for the sake of monetary riches. While poking around one of the shacks, the trio discovers a map buried beneath floorboards in a tin box.

The yellowed map appears authentic, providing a detailed sketch of a gold-filled cavern, signed by "Coop." Fueled with a desire to discover the gold, they set out to investigate.

In a strange and magical twist, the trio happens upon an elderly Native American woman, Nevar, who lives along the banks of a river in a remote and magnificent valley. She connects with them spiritually, most particularly with Ty, accompanied by her totem, the raven. Said raven, Kaji Taka, appears at all crucial points of the adventure, assisting and protecting the boys as they move closer to the awful truth of a pending scheme that threatens Six Hills and its pristine reservoir. Ty is touched by this encounter, haunted and somewhat frightened, but he cannot stop thinking about the old women and the strong urge to visit her again.

In a parallel effort to claim the gold of their ancestor, "Coop," recently released jailbird Curtis "Junior" Cooper and his brother Carl begin an expedition to mine the gold. Assisted by fellow ex-cons, Skinny, a chain-smoking expert underwater diver who watched his abusive father drown in the pond by his home when he was a child, and Steve "Eight-Pack" Hunt, a body-builder mechanic who resembles a big Swede, Junior and Carl plan to drain a pond that hides the gold-filled cavern.

Mr. Ramirez expertly weaves yet another theme through the novel, bringing us back in history to the life of Buffalo soldier, Clay "Coop" Cooper, a strong and upstanding black man who fought bravely for the American army, and with his meager savings purchased the land that includes the valley in which Nevar appears to them. He and his wife, a lovely Lakota woman named Maka, begin a life in the rich Sierra valley, and implement a plan to purchase as much of the land as possible, donating it to the people and forbidding it to be sold privately in the future. The diverse history of the Native American tribes, the Buffalo soldiers, and their plights are beautifully told by Mr. Ramirez, a teacher himself, through scenes in a classroom where his own teaching abilities become apparent.

When the boys and their friends discover the Coopers are planning something so dastardly the entire region is threatened, they push forward with great integrity and courage, in spite of the mind-numbing roadblocks that constantly impede them. Ty is drawn to a destiny ingrained in his part-Comanche genes, and moves forward on a path of sheer lunacy and utter heroism as he endangers his own life to save the land and people of Six Hills.

Mr. Ramirez has created a lyrical world that breathes with life. The boys' dialogue is natural and real. Their actions, fears, discussions, and reactions ring true, a testimony to the author's acute understanding of youth.

Aside from the engaging storyline, Mr. Ramirez's has painted enchanting descriptions of the countryside, as in this excerpt:

"As the sun crested over the surrounding granite peaks in the glorious morning scene reflected on the lake, its surface completely smooth, not a wave, not a ripple, a true mirror – Maka's Mirror. The sky and lake together burst into a flaming golden-orange, accented with large white clouds whose fiery bellies seemed almost metallic. A small flock of Canada geese circled the lake and then, with extended webbed feet and outstretched wings, skidded across the surface of the placid mountain water, their honking amplified by the stillness of the dawn. When they finally settled on the water, the wakes of disturbance rolled through the liquid canvas, sending splinters of color and sparkling reflections in every direction."

As the completely satisfying adventure escalates toward a pulse-pounding finish, Mr. Ramirez incorporates surprising, yet believable twists in his characters, all the while subtly sharing life lessons about responsibility, stewardship of the land, respect for people of all nationalities, and following one's destiny. The most important lesson deals with the insight that our natural world – with its sparkling streams, wildflowers, tall pines, and unspoiled wilderness – provides the true "riches" which transcend monetary wealth.

I highly recommend Valley of the Raven to readers of all ages. It will quench a deep universal thirst for adventure and heroism. My only question is this: will Mr. Ramirez grace us with a sequel?

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (2003)

This is a very engaging read and the characters literally leap to life as you turn the pages. It is an epic tale that spans lives across two continents. We start the story with an adult man, Amir, looking back to 1975 when he was 12 years old and growing up in Afghanistan. The novel lets you experience the depths of his thoughts and feelings, and the reader cannot help but become heavily involved in his life and relationships. I could not put the book down as the characters lives were spread out before me.

The book, by its location, covers the war and destruction of those living in Kabul, with the fall of monarchy, the oppression of the Northern Alliance and the Taliban regime. However, it is relationships that figure most strongly - between a father and son and with his best friend, Hassan. The very fabric of the novel is woven from love, guilt, betrayal, fear, cowardice and atoning for past mistakes. Amir is tormented by the guilt of betraying his childhood friend Hassan, the son of his father's servant, and this is carried into the next generation with Hassan's son. We follow his journey to redemption and how he manages to "find a way to be good again."

The writing is so good it makes the characters' emotions almost palpable and the descriptions of various incidents are vivid. Many have questioned whether it is a work of fiction as it seems so real. The author, Khaled Hosseini, has revealed that he has drawn heavily on childhood memories, but it is definitely a work of fiction and is now an acclaimed top book. Khaled's family were granted political asylum in the U.S. in 1980, and moved to California, where he studied to become a doctor. His knowledge as a medic certainly enabled him to describe various injuries and traumas in the novel in great detail, and his words conjure up haunting images. At times, it is a heart-breaking and emotional read, but it is also spiritually uplifting and inspiring as we travel along with Amir and his struggle through life.

The book begins and ends with the practice of kite running, a popular sport in Afghanistan - trying to remain holding the last kite flying in the air, by cutting down the contenders with a kite string coated with ground glass. Then the kite runners chase through the streets to catch the falling kite - the symbolic chasing of a dream in a nightmare world.

The Power of Your Supermind: A Book Review

Vernon Howard authored an amazing number of books, booklets and other writings, all in that area of spirituality that goes by so many names, among them metaphysics, "the perennial philosophy," new thought and cosmic consciousness, just to name a few.

One of his best books is The Power of Your Supermind. It is second perhaps only to The Mystic Path to Cosmic Power as his clearest, most compelling work. In some ways, though, it outshines Cosmic Power, for example, in the wealth of practical exercises and suggestions it provides for getting in touch with (in Howard's words) "that ... remarkable part of you ... that is above and beyond conditioned human thought."

Howard has a special knack for stating timeless truths in fresh ways that hit the reader with sometimes startling newness. Often they are simply those things we knew all along -- or had encountered before in the pages of the world's great wisdom literature -- but that he is able to show to us in a new light.

I've always appreciated the insight from Lao-tse the Taoist that rules of morality arose from the loss of people's naturalness in the world, and are not really helpful at establishing goodness. Vernon Howard puts it this way: "Unawakened people are victims of their public virtues. I don't know anything more painful than trying to be 'good' people; they are so bad. ... But the self-unified man ... is good simply because it cannot occur to him to be anything else. Only an awakened man is truly moral."

Howard sums up the entire book nicely in the concluding chapter, "How to Have Everything Right through the Supermind." A person in a hurry could go directly to this chapter, make a committed effort to put into practice its suggestions, and find themselves achieving amazing progress on the spiritual/self-improvement path.

The Power of Your Supermind is published by Prentice Hall of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey; ISBN # 0-13-686718-9.