Cunningham Reviews

I thumbed through this book at my mom's house and knew I wanted to buy it. It's full of helpful hints and great ideas. It's very interesting!

As a beginning gardener myself, I found this book to be quite fascinating. I wanted to utilize all these tips because I had most of the materials at home! It was a very easy book to read, and I thank the author for gracing us with these tips.

Common Sense, that is what we really want to use and 1001 Ingenious Gardening Ideas gets us going. Let's use what we all stash in the garage, lamp shades, newspapers, plastic bottles, old plastic pots. This book is so easy to read, and to re-read. I don't know how I got along without it all these years. I can't wait for the next 1001 suggestions.

When I read this book I was always looking forward to reading what was going to happen next. I didn't enjoy the plot so much about dogs and there bloodlines. Kept me on the edge of my seat. Nice job

Have only recently discovered this author and I think he is marvelous! Loved the dog theme. At last a writer like Dick Francis but with a dog theme instead of horses! Keep up the good work. Can hardly wait for the next book! Recommended for all dog lovers and readers of Dick Francis books.

Scottish kennel owner, John Cunningham, his spouse Beth, and their new neighbor Ben Garnet go hunting together. However, John's enjoyment turns to anger when he realizes that the unprincipled Ben has set up a mating between his canine and John's champion dog. Later, the two men argue in public over the pedigree of the puppies as John refuses to sign the papers acknowledging the valuable bloodlines. However, the world is just starting to turn ugly for John. Ben is found half-dead on a roadside near John's house. Everyone knows John's animosity towards the victim and concludes that he is the culprit. Before the police accuse him of attempted murder and to regain his tarnished reputation, John begins his own investigation even if it means confronting a brutal individual.

BLOODLINES is a great Scottish who-done-it that showcases the immense talent of author Gerald Hammond. Like the other stories in this fabulous series, the story line is brisk and the mystery remains mysterious until the end. The characters are all wonderfully developed, especially the feuding canine owners. BLOODLINES is a top pedigree of a novel that brings Scotland to life.

Harriet Klausner

While Christian Spirituality is a fairly basic book about the spectrum of the spiritual life,its main focus is spirituality developed within the Roman Catholic tradition. Cunningham brings his description forward to the 21st century keeping the roots connected to the future. I particularly liked his chapter on Friendship and how it relates to one's spiritual growth. That is one of the more unique contributions this book makes. Cunningham's foundational approach is a good start for someone initially exploring this topic. He presents every chapter in a chronological manner, describing first the scriptural basis of this aspect and then bringing it forward through the history of Christian history. Obviously this is not done in depth, but provides a reader with many footnotes, bibliography and some exercises to help the reader look for his/her own nuance.

I have read and heard many of the things Cunningham wrote, but I found his presentation be to be a concise and terse one. I enjoyed that. It is the kind of book one can go back to find something quickly for further exploration.

Leisurely to read, commodious in depth and breadth, this book is a showcase of the learning and expository ease of two well-respected professors of theology and religious studies. For anyone who wishes to acquaint themselves with major themes in the Catholic spiritual tradition in painless indulgence, I highly recommend this book.

Each chapter focuses on a theme, such as the spiritual journey, meditation and contemplation, asceticism, living in the presence of God, solitude in community, or friendship. In the selection of themes and in their treatment, the discussion leans heavily towards established monastic, medieval, or post-Reformation traditions. This holds true even though the authors may take up modern innovations, such as Gustavo Gutierrez' liberation spirituality or Thomas Keating's centering prayer. Unfortunately or not, given this tendency, very significant modern developments get short shrift--for example, the "little way" of St. Therese of Lisieux.

I was delighted to see the authors pick up shiny gems from the Catholic classics like shells on a beach stroll. Turning the pages, I happened upon the penthos of the desert fathers, the epektasis of St. Gregory of Nyssa, the schola of St. Benedict, the contemplatio of St. Dominic, the discretio of St. Ignatius Loyola, and the gustos of St. Teresa of Avila.

Interspersed throughout the text I came across citations of the likes of The Brothers Karamazov, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, or Conjectures of a Guilty Bystander, making the book an engaging display wherein the modern is lightly hung upon the traditional like decorations.

This book was intended as an introductory overview. For a fuller discussion, the reader should consult the original texts and scholarly works, for which the authors provide a modest bibliography. Excluded as an important reference is Jordan Aumann, O.P.'s Christian Spirituality in the Catholic Tradition (1985), which I would strongly recommend as a historical survey.

I have read this book three times. Every time I wish to send a gift to a Catholic friend, this is what I send. Why? Because it is loaded with the best stuff the Catholic Church has to offer. That may be a drawback. It is unlikely that readers who aren't Catholic would be familiar with many of the experts on prayer who are quoted and interpreted. Persons who aren't Catholic, however, who are seeking to grow in their spiritual life, will have a hard time finding a more useful method to pray the psalms than what is offered here. The entire Bible, of course, is presented as our first source for prayer and meditation, but the specifically Catholic traditions may be offputting to some. For over a year now, ever since I read this book for the first time, I have been spending an hour with God in the morning before I do anything else. It has changed my life.

At the end of last year, a friend noticed that I was interested in hats. I began to purchase what I would call those "Alicia Keys/Ashanti" type hats.....modern, retro with a twist of my own personal style to boot. Well, he said that when he saw this calendar I instantly came to mind.

Crowns, remarkably done with Black and White photography, shows Sistas of various ages and backgrounds in all their crowning glory. It even gives a synopsis of how they came to be hat wearers or better yet HAT LOVERS.

Although the calendar has present day photos, the Black and White style gives you a feel of a day gone by. It puts me in the frame of mind of a lazy Sunday afternoon....visiting family down south. I feel I can hear someone saying...."chile, did you see Sista Ann's new hat?? uuuhuu...well, hers alright but mines betta." :)

I have this calendar hanging up at work. It's a nice diversion to occasionally look back and still a moment with "my people"....my Sista friends and their lovely Crowns. :)

I have already purchased this book three times. For myself, for my mother and for my ninety year old Nana, a former milliner and Deaconess of Bright Hope Baptist Church of Montclair N. J. where hats were worn and worn fiercely ! I had it send directly to her at her rest home in Florida and she was "tickled pink". The photos are wonderfully done and the one page stories of the women wearing them are compelling. You will find yourself laughing out loud one minute and weeping the next, I kid you not. Get this book !! It reveals the lives of Black women in a way I never thought possible. As they say, a picture is worth....

I just received this calender - it is not a book - from amazon.de - Germany. Whow! It is everything I hoped for and more. It pictures 12 very different women who each share a statement or a little story about their hats. But more so, they share a little of themselves. And each and every one of them is an inspiration: to be proud of yourself and to hold your head - and hat - high. It is not a question of being black or white, but a question about being female, strong, and sure of yourself. Definitely more than just a calendar.

Having taught costume design for a number of years, the one thing I can say with certainty is that no book can do everything. I've used the text for a number of years and find it helpful...especially her approach to analyzing the text (I still use her checklists myself). However, a lot of my students are intimidated by some of the illustrations/examples of work. They don't know how to approach sketching for themselves and there are a couple of other texts that are more helpful in aiding in that particular process. Possibly there could be more graphic illustrations of getting from A to D (show us B & C) instead of just the beginning and the end result. The historical research sources and the historical costume outline are good - again some of my students think that she provides a finite list of resources and as with any historical survey the attention is to avoid variations and or anything beyond high fashion. Generally, a strong introductory text but needs supplementary materials (as does any book). No one has complained about the text; that's a good sign.

Rebecca Cunningham truly knows her stuff! Be it a suit and tie, a Diane Von Furstenburg wrap dress, a sari, a skullcap, a bathrobe, or one's birthday suit; a watch, hearing aid, brooch, or thong bikini, everything that we wear or refuse to wear conveys a message - however deliberate, and however unintentional. That said, few of us actually realize that we wear costumes 24/7. It's just too hard to think about. But as a professional jack of all trades and an admitted theater nut, I have thought a lot about it and dressed many a performer, and am very disappointed with the state of costuming in Hollywood and elsewhere. Costume designers today go overboard in attempting to "convey messages" in an unnecessarily redundant attempt to enhance the script. Take Erin Brockovitch for instance. I admire the wardrobe, don't get me wrong, but the film would have worked much better had the character dressed more like Phyllis Schlafly or Tina Yothers or Laura Bush than like LaToya Jackson. Rather than assume what the audience wants to see, think about the character. I dare say, was the nude scene necessary in Hair? I for one would have been happy to see the characters wearing at least a leaf or two. I was hardly shocked because I was expecting it. Which is my point. Would not that musical have been much better if instead of nudity we were greeted with the opposite - a bunch of paleolithic neanderthals dressed to the nines in their Sunday parka best?

And don't even get me started on Grease. I would prefer to see people on stage who are dressed like those I encounter every day. Even if that means the shabby failure to recognize one's dandruff, offensive body odor, or visible excrement stains. The theater is really not about bright lights, vivid colors, and makeup as camouflage. Ideally it is about self reflection. Which is rarely achieved through excessive glitz and glamor or well-dressed, square-jawed, magazine-quality "good" looks. I suggest that even a terrible performance can be greatly enhanced using these simple steps. Lopa Mukherjee is the director of the Upper Crust Theater Company (El Paso)

As a college student I was first introduced to the book The Magic Garment: Principles of Costume Design by Rebecca Cunningham. The book is simple and consise while providing a wealth of valuable information for the novice or professional. I enjoyed this book so much that I have choosen to use it as the text book for my costume design class. This will be my first teaching experience; however, I feel confident that this book will enable me to help my class understand the art of costume design.

As a serious child cook, I enjoy testing recipes. One of my least favorite dishes, however, came from " The Supper Book ", which I had bought in the form of " Marion Cunningham's Good Eating ". Well, the Tamale Pie was not good eating. While the filling was delicious and nicely spiced, the cornmeal mush used as a crust never thickened, and remained the consistancy of Cream Of Wheat even after baking, forming a gloppy mush on the plate that looked really unappetizing. Worse yet, the quanity the recipe made was immense, and it filled our largest pan, which was about 2 1/2" deep, 2' long, and 1' wide. Are any other recipes in this book good? Beats me. Just avoid that hideous Tamale Pie.

I had an old clipping of Cunningham's lemon yogurt breakfast muffin recipie and was delighted to find a copy of it with other equally wonderful offerings here. The supper recipies are simple but elegant. If you are into nouvelle,fusion,gourmet prescription-this is not for you, but this is the food that my family likes to eat, and it is a cut above.

These are delicious recipes, well explained. The breakfasts as well as the suppers would be suitable for a satisfying (yet not too large or complicated) supper. I was impressed by Marion Cunningham from her revision of Fannie Farmer. This book shows her own personality much more and made me want to declare her an "honorary aunt" in our house.

Scott Cunningham was one of the FEW Llewellyn authors who actually traveled to the spot he was writing about. Rare for Llewellyn who will publish any book that was researched from other Llewellyn books....As a result of Scott's research, this book is accurate & interesting. Although the Wiccan connection is not valid at all.
AND BY THE WAY, a little note to the New York, NY reviewer below, who wrote a review in 1999: For someone who supposedly was so touched by Scott Cunnigham in person & through his books, WHY DON'T YOU KNOW THAT SCOTT DIED IN 1993???? Hhmm....

I like this volume more that the later release "Hawaiian Magic And Spirituality" because of the 25+ color photos in the section between pages 82 and 83.

Mr. Cunningham OBVIOUSLY did his homework. This has one of the most complete picture of HUNA and Deities I have seen.

Unfortunately; Mr. Cunningham allowed his Wiccan beliefs to influence his perceptions of HUNA.

It is true that BOTH HUNA and Wicca are Shamanic religions, but they are RADICALY different.

Please E-mail me if you have questions or comments about this review. Two Bears.

Wah doh Ogedoda (We give thanks Great Spirit)

HE AMAZES ME WITH HIS LOVING KNOWLEDGE THAT HE SHARES WITH US IN ORDER TO CREATE A FINER PLACE TO LIVE AND NURTURE OF FAMLIES. i MEET SCOTT MANY YEARS AGO AT THE CHELSEA HOTEL..I WOULD LOVE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIM AGAIN..JUST TO CATCH UP...HE SENT ME BOOKS AND POEMS AND CALLED ME FROM TENN. THE NIGHT DUANE ALLMAN DIED. WE BOTH CRIED AND CRIED. SPECIAL MAN, SORRY I LOST TOUCH. HE HAS CERTAINLY CARVED A PLACE IN THE LITERARY WORLD AND IT COUND'T OF HAPPENED TO A FINER MAN WHO'S TIME HAS COME. . MARGUERITE NYC

'In the Shadow of Dragons' is a gritty alternative to the misty myths that have surrounded the Camelot tales. The story focuses on the character of Marcus ap Iorwerth an assassin and master of disguises whose sole purpose is gaining and maintaining freedom for the people of Britain. Saxons threaten from the coast; Picts and Irish present danger in the north. The Britons double-cross and scheme among themselves. It is amidst this sea of chaos that Marcus with the aid of his wife Claerwen (a seer) and the druid Myrddin seeks to secure peace and freedom by reclaiming the Macsen Spearhead-a piece of legendary treasure that will give legitimacy to the ruler of England.

Though the character of Marcus is multi-faceted and downright fun, the story is hurt by forced dialogue and a plot that relies too heavily on captures and rescues.

This is an epic tale, taking place before the time of King Arthur, but at a time when his coming was prophesied. It's an enchanting tale of Celtic and Roman Britain, full of intrigue and suspense, adventure and romance, treachery and betrayal.

The book revolves around Marcus ap Iorwerth and his wife Claerwen, who suffers from visions of the future, and Myrddin Emrys (Merlin of the tales). A good touch, I thought was that Myrddin was the illegitimate son of the high king and when he suspects that there will be an assassination attempt on the king's life, he calls in Marcus to help root out the conspirators. Marcus is a spy and master of disguise.

Claerwen insists that she must go with her husband on his quest, due to visions she's been having, Marcus agrees reluctantly. He doesn't want to put his wife in danger. The original plot is discovered, but there are betrayals within betrayals. Claerwen and Marcus are falsely accused of treachery and must go on the run.

They suffer sacrifice and profound personal loss on the quest to prove their innocence, but will their sacrifice have been worth it?

The author hasn't just written a story here, she's weaved a tapestry of words that enchant you even as you read. The plot is infused with a wealth of historical detail, but so subtle that you hardly know it is there. The characters come alive, dancing off the page and into life.

I've read quite a few Arthurian re-tellings, but this one is different, concentrating more on the time before Arthur united the Britons, where danger and treachery were ever present and maybe the prophesied future king was the only thing that kept people going.

It's a great read, the second in a trilogy, but is a good stand alone novel as well. It's the sort of book you could read again and find something new every time.

Highly recommended.

Reviewed by Annette Gisby, author of Silent Screams

The sequel to Into The Path Of Gods, Kathleen Guler's epic fantasy, In The Shadow Of Dragons, is the second volume in the "Macsen's Treasure" series and continues her superb blend of Dark Age Celtic myth and Arthurian legend in this devious tale of magic, politics, and intrigue. When the enigmantic druid Myrddin Emrys, known in fable as Merlin the Enchanter, becomes certain of yet another assassination plot against the rightful king, he summons a master of disguise to find and destroy the diabolical plots of hidden conspirators. Yet there are more layers to the woud-be coup than even a divine seer can foretell, and the fate of a monarch, his land, and its people lie in the knife-edge balance. A compelling, entrancing, and highly recommended high fantasy -- the kind of book so easy to pick up and so hard to put down!

The Ultimate Marilyn is a biography which is filled with information. It has facts, myths, and theories. However, it is also boring to read. Unlike most Marilyn biographies which I have read, it is not set up like a story. It merely has short blurbs on each aspect of her life.

This is such a good book. I had a report on Marilyn Monroe and this helped out so much! This had pictures which were beautiful pictures. Some things that were in this book were family, friends, husbands, lovers, teachers, mentors, rivals, enemies, agents, publicists, studio heads, producers, directors, writers, photographers, costume designers, gossip, scandals, innuendo, intrigues, threats, rumors, conspiracy theories, murder or suicide, books, biographies, movies, stage plays, songs, imitators, impersonators, worshippers, detractors, fan clubs, web sites, and much more!

The book market is flooded with Monroe works, as everyone knows. However, there are several "must have" volumes, and Ernest Cunningham's work is definitely on that list. The book provides the reader with a wealth of information, divided into easily understood sections which, in turn, will lead the reader to virtually every book ever printed dealing with this screen goddess. Cunningham's research is both broad and impeccable, not duplicated anywhere else on the market. His writing is clean and clear with a tongue-in-cheek touch that is entertaining while also being informative. This book is truly "essential" for any Monroe fan or collector and would also be of high interest for the less devoted who simly want to know a bit more about the "why" and "how" of the Monroe legend.

This book gives complete details on HAND QULITING your Amish quilt and some general information about the colour/quilting/pattern combinations in black and white line drawings. Discusses the threads, batting thicknesses, how to copy the patterns, and includes information about quilting frames for a full roundup on the quilting scene.

As for which pattern to use with which type of quilt, the book breaks down the differences between the Lancaster PA Amish and the Midwestern Amish. Remember though this is geared all towards HAND quilting. For Machine Quilting see the Dover Pub, Amish Patterns for Machine Quilting which adapts these hand patterns for machines.

Really quite a nice book for the price.

Well laid out with design and information. A good book to have in your quilting library. Easy to follow directions for even the novice quilter. I've used this book to branch out and make quilts outside the traditinal Amish pallete with great success.

Knowing that we often get what we pay for, I give a 5 star rating to this book and author for being informative: providing information about Amish quilts from different geographical areas, giving basics on hand quilting...and for being reasonably priced. This book tends to offer something to new quilters and seasoned quilters, alike. The charming quilting designs, some of which are used in traditional quilting and not, are very well laid out and the authors are careful to ensure that designs are on ONE PAGE ONLY which allows the quilter to be able to lay out the book on a scanner, or a light box for tracing. I feel that I got more than my money's worth with this book, not only because of it's information and well laid out designs, but because of the books simple usability, that saves me time.