Ariel Reviews

Although this book is miniature it is packed with information about your sun-sign. The feature of this book I enjoyed most was that it paired your sign with each of the other eleven signs (including itself; Pisces and Pisces). For example Pisces and Leo. It then described the chances of a relationship between the two. Another feature I enjoyed was the different chapters about Pisces. Such as your talents and careers, body and mind, and Pisces at a glance. I know that you will enjoy this small book as much as I have.

Hanna Bandes shows herself to be a gifted story teller as she weaves a wonderful tale based on a Talmudic fable. The story is set in Israel in the third century, and follows a young, kind hearted Reb Aharon in his quest to marry and have a family. He uses a small treasure bequeathed to him by his father to purchase a larger treasure, which through a misunderstanding turns out to be a monkey! As Reb Aharon deals with this challenging pet, we see him mature into a responsible young man. And all his patience, perserverance, and good deeds finally pay off in ways you would not have imagined!

An educational book in many ways, this book offers a touching story line and good role models for children. The characters cooperate with and care about each other. The setting provides a vivid historical scene of third century Israel and Jewish customs. My kids love it!

As the author makes plain, in pre-Colonial India, since the dawn of time, there was no "separation of church and state" -- secular law and religious law were one and the same. This book answers many of the questions you always had an about the true meaning of karma, dharma, and justice in Indian culture. It analyzes India's ancient legal literature, explaning myths and rituals that helped guide generation after generation. It illuminates the ancient laws of Manu, describing them as a conscious integration of legal material within a Vedic moral viewpoint. Scholarly and thorough!

Each writer is covered by a long critical article which gives an overview of all of their major works and provides insight into the themes and concerns of each writer. It is definitely a great place to go for background on the writers and help with interpreting their works.

This audio tape is from one of the author's workshops. And you can feel the power and wisdom of their work on this tape. It really is like being there. They have a joy and humor that is contagious! and they have amazing insight into the nature of humanity and how to be more happy and satisfied in your life!

On the first listening I found a number of valuable insights immediately.

But I have listened to this tape many more times, while driving around, or while relaxing at home, and I must admit, I get more and more out of these tapes.

This is Not really positive thinking or affirmations or like anything else I have ever heard. They really talk about just becoming aware. Just becoming more present. That's it.

And I feel better, happier, more satisfied.

Like they promise in the title - they are giving you keys to satisfaction! AND it has worked for me!

You can hear in Ariel and Shya Kane's voices - they have really learned how to be happy and satisfied...and I thank them for sharing it.

...continues the excellence of the series. Originally intended as the final book of the series, "The Story of Civilization", in ended up being the penultimate volume.

The Durants lucidly and eloquently summarize the philosophy, life and influence that Rousseau had on the 18th century and, indeed, continues to have to this very day. Rousseau may be regarded as the creator of the Left-wing sensibility. This may seem anachronistic and, in a sense, it is. Rousseau died before the French Revolution, which created the modern political division of Right and Left. Nevertheless, it is accurate to see him as the Fountainhead for relativism, communism, and the worship of feeling as opposed to reason (debased and emptied of all intellectual content this is now called building "self-esteem" by the modern leftist).

Rousseau created most of the modern ills of political fanaticism and airy, absurd idealism as the Durants so ably note.

The rest of the period is not neglected and vivid portraits are made of Frederick the Great, Catherine the Great, the Elder Pitt, Diderot, D'Holbach, Samuel Johnson and many, many others help this book to shine.

Awarded the Pulitzer Prize--which should have gone to the entire series as opposed to just this volume--this book gives the reader a complete (if necessarily synopsized) account of the End and Failure of the Enlightenment and how what Rousseau and Voltaire intended in their attacks on the social structure (Rousseau) and religion (Voltaire) lead to disastrous consequences in the French Revolution.

The writing sparkles with vivid wit, pith and lucid beauty. It is a book to be read for a lifetime and bequeathed to children. In an age where smarmy, intellectually empty, political fanaticism is attempting to erase the past in favor of the PC fantasies of the moment, the Durants offer a vivid account of the Truth. European civilization is presented here in all its glory and with all its warts. Slavery, religious fanaticism, exploitation and the horrors of the penal system and warfare are all presented here, in their proper place and in context. The modern academic community has attempted to destroy the ideal of context and balance. As long as these books are around, REAL history and historiography are available to anyone who simply opens a copy and reads it.

Excellent body of work. This book is so very much needed. It provides a comprehensive view of conversion therapy, in addition to new seminal research on the ethics of conversion therapy (see the Schroeder and Shidlo article).

Solomon was a young prince who lived next to a large forest where he spent every spare moment because he preferred peaceful trees to rancorous humans, and was taught to speak their language by the animals who lived there. When Solomon grew up and became the king, he found himself so busy that he forgot about the forests and his animal friends. Eventually Solomon came to understand the price that must be paid when people don't take proper care of the earth and its blessings. Highly recommended for young readers grades 1-3, and based on a Midrash folktale and Judaic teachings about the earth and the festival cycle, Solomon And The Trees is an outstanding and superbly presented collaboration between author Matt Biers-Airel and illustrator Esti Silverberg-Kiss.

Ariel's books (see his earlier, The Mystic Quest) make Judaism and spirituality live. His discussion of our present spiritual situation (page two) cuts right to the heart of the contemporary human situation and reminds us that venerable religious traditions offer great assistance to those seeking to "restore heart and soul" to all of life.

This is my favorite of the Beatrix Potter books, and I probably read all of them as a child. It's ideal for a slightly older child. A very sweet story of a tailor, his cat, and a group of mice who save his business when he is too ill to work.