Bond Reviews

I love this book. It has glamour and money with love overpowering all. It has the domineering male that draws all women in and the strong willed woman who won't give in to easy. She has known him her whole life and has had a crush on him for half of her life. Now he has decided that she has spent enough time on her own in London; she must now live upto her name and be his wife. Good Job Patricia Wilson. I enjoy all of her books and I think you will, too.

When I purchased this book I was expecting a novel like Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear series--and it is, but it is so much more. The story follows the adventures of a young girl named Clo after the massacre of her tribe. It talks about how she survives and struggles to rejoin society. It explores her fears, hopes, and dreams as she rebuilds her life. I felt a deep connection to Clo and found myself re-reading certain parts of the story over and over and marveling how much her life mirrors my own--how Clo's feelings and experiences could relate to my own life. The author takes a beautiful tale and makes it deeply personal and touching. I believe that anyone who loves a good romance/adventure story would enjoy this novel.

About ten years ago I read Dr. Vaughan-Lee's book, THE LOVER AND THE SERPENT, in which he used Jungian terms to describe Naqshbandi Sufism and spiritual transformation. The simplicity and power of Dr. Vaughan-Lee's writing made a deep impression on me, and I looked forward to reading more of his writings on the subject. In THE BOND WITH THE BELOVED, Dr. Vaughan-Lee continues and elaborates on this Sufi tradition brought to the West by his teacher, Irina Tweedie. This book focuses on the stages of spiritual transformation, what the seeker can expect to encounter at each stage, and the practices that aid the seeker in the journey. He draws from both Sufi and Christian sources to illustrate that the mystical journey in any tradition is basically the same. In fact, he uses the four stages of prayer identified by St. Tereasa of Avila to illustrate what the seeker can expect to encounter. The practices Vaughan-Lee describes that put the seeker into the arena of transformation are very simple. He writes, "In our Naqshbandi group meetings we meditate, drink tea and discuss dreams. The lack of outer form or collective ritual (music or the chanting of the dhikr) emphasizes the individual inner journey." But he also stresses the powerful transformative effect of these simple practices - especially the stillness of meditation. "In deep states of meditation there is absolute stillness, darkness and nothingness. . . . We Leave the mind completely behind in order to enter the uncreated, dark light of God." He writes like someone who has been there. Though the methods Dr. Vaughan-Lee describes seem so simple, they were verified for me by the work of the renowned Jungian analyst, Marie-Louise von Franz, in her book, THE WAY OF THE DREAM. Her description of dreamwork, which she says she used almost exclusively with her patients, echoes the dreamwork and transformation that Vaughan-Lee describes in THE BOND WITH THE BELOVED. Another book that corroborates Jungian theory and Sufism is J. Marvin Spiegelman's SUFISM, ISLAM, AND JUNGIAN PSYCHOLOGY. All three books are excellent material on the inner dynamics of spiritual/psychological transformation. BOND WITH THE BELOVED. TABLE OF CONTENTS. (1)The Shadow Side of Spiritual Life (2)Pregnant with God (3)Stages of Prayer: The Birth of the Beloved (4)Stages of Prayer: Living in the Two Worlds (5)Stages of Prayer: Ecstasy (6)The Dhikr (7) Meditation.

The National Minority Franchising Initiative was founded to promote franchising opportunities for the minority community as a means of economic empowerment. Bond's Minority Franchise Guide was written and designed to provide detailed profiles on over 400 franchisors who support the inclusion of minorities in their system. Included is an extensive list of resources available to minority franchisees as well as insider articles written by seven of the major franchisors underwriting the Initiative. Each profile details individual franchisor's contact information and background, as well as financial information, support and training provided, plans for expansion, statistics on minority ownership, and programs geared specifically toward minorities. Bond's Minority Franchise Guide is divided into 39 distinct business categories, and the inclusion of corporate logos allows for easy readability. If you are a minority person seeking a way to achieve entrepreneurial success with a franchise, begin with a careful reading of Bond's Minority Franchise Guide!

After reading this book that helped me greatly understand a new and novel style of theatre, "Restoration" is the greatest laugh I have had in years!

Within the realm of Family Values, children are taught to value not only family, but also friendships. As adults, however, there is great pressure to discount the value of friendships among males and females, between men, and between women - particularly where marriage values are strong. For many adults who live away from childhood friends, or who have no childhood friends, close emotional support expected to be found in friendships may not be present, or cultivated as the necessary social relations they are. Most are the result of work or sports groups with whom people spend time but may not contain the emotional depth of childhood friends. The quality of dual gender non-spousal friendships is always suspect, increasing the need for male friends, or female friends, which may not be readily available for the types of associations adults require, as the natural consequence of having had childhood friends. Patterns of friendships and their sources (as well as their depth) is one of the little studied human behavior, perhaps the world over. At times, even the quality of friendships is undefined and confusing often being the result of mutually beneficial social or economic relationships rather than the simple, mutual appreciation and admiration of that between childhood friends. Intergenerational friendships, if at all, are often those associated with grandparents or other family members rather than outsiders, and increasingly problematic in view of recent news articles where children are exploited through friendship. A review and evaluation of the integrity of relationships between friends is more likely the need which this analysis begins to address to understand the need for, and the quality of, real friendships and hopefully, how they are made, since, for men, quality friendships are increasingly rare commodities unless they are rooted in the trust of childhood friends, carried over to adulthood. A relatively new field of exploration, the dynamics of adult friendships is unexplored territory in human relations.

This book is the standard text for college level real estate course RE101. An excellent book with many walkthru examples to help understand difficult situations. GREAT BOOK!

Enya and Ranald find their hatred for what the other stands for turns to love of the deepest kind. Their story is a delight to read. Enya is spunky and not afraid of this bitter laird. She sees past the facade to emotions he doesn't even realize still lies beneath the layers of embitter rage. Each brings out the better in the other. Enya has never felt attractive and Ranald gradually gives her that feeling despite his intent to destroy all that she stands for, having traded her Scottish birthright for the British that overthrows their rightful heritage. The Scottish lord finds he is taught an important lesson on Love rather than Hate. The ending is the best in the entire romantic genre. No author has topped it nor do I think that the sensational ending ever will be. It created that wonderful warm and fuzzy feeling that stays with you long after the last line is read.

This series is a great tool to give kids some direction before its too late. Helps them take initiative to discover what really interests them and how they can use that in their future.

This book is packed with useful info - including fun websites. It also is not a you-must-succeed-by-18 book. Most of us happen upon careers and have limited ideas of careers and no knowledge of how to relate our childhood interests to adult pursuits. This book is a thoughtful way to show children 10-13 that what they now do and enjoy in school can be something they continue to do and to enjoy in their working years.