Holy Bible (Masonic Heirloom Edition) by Heirloom Bible Publishing (Hardcover 1994)

While the world claims to be more enlightened and better for the Holy Bible in all of its forms, most still do not really know much about the history of its translations. And it seems that many do not care to this day...When I realized I actually own this most beautiful edition of the Bible, I was saddened to see actual comments like these being posted by customers on Amazon.com...

      Brian D. Koppenhaver says: "Amazon Books one of the best places to buy The Word of God supporting the Satanic Freemasons."

      Thank goodness there is still some sensability among the Chrisitan faith. As this reply inspires me to believe there is...even if a little biased as well. "Thanks for sharing. May God forgive you for your judgement of others. Truly not a Christian act. Perhaps you should re-read Luke 6:37 or Matthew 7:1." - Rev. Cody Maxwell, Master Mason.

     I think it is not necessary to speak for either side myself, but I do think this quote from an actual Mason might say it better than I could try...

     "When I was raised to the sublime degree of a Master Mason, this was the volume upon which I took my sacred vows and thus obligated myself, and the volume which my Worshipful Master presented to me as his gift for my becoming the newest Master Mason in our Lodge. I've previewed through this sacred volume and as a Bible-believer, it is a special set of Scriptures with unique Masonic history in it that is both beneficial to both the new Master Mason and those who are non-Masons and are interested in our humble Craft. I should hope every new Mason should be given a copy, and if not, should seek to obtain one. We truly are members of the greatest Fraternity in existence and for those who are not yet Masons but are interested in becoming one, remember, 2B1 ASK1! " - Eric J. Martin ( Virginia Beach , VA )

     According to product descriptions "... the only Masonic Edition of the Bible with all these features: Masonic, Scottish Rite, and Eastern Star Records, Masonic Presidents. Freemasonry and the Holy Bible - Taking you through the internal workings of Freemasonry from the first to the thirty-third degree. Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry. Order of the Eastern Star. Questions and Answers Relating to the History and Work of Freemasonry. (Three women who were Masons!). Biblical Index to Freemasonry - giving references by books, chapter and verse to phrases, characters, events and places associated with the ritual and teachings of Freemasonry. King Solomon's Temple. The Tabernacle of Moses. Words of Christ in Red. This blue cover Bible has gilded page edges."

     I am mainly reviewing this Holy Bible to make a simple point. The Bible has been torn historically to pieces through the centuries, by every language and culture that has a hand in it ( funny since so few Christians refer to the Old Testament as the Torah - a very nice way to just write the Jewish Faith out of the whole scheme or involvement in it's existence ). Also anyone criticiszing the Freemasonic Orders should take a little time to read their Crusade histories, in particular the of the Knights Hospitaller and the Knights Templar Orders. If anyone has show devotion, respect and actually given their lives to ensure the existance of the Living Word that is the Bible of today...it has been the Masons. They are far from Satanic in their views, and have every reson to be offended to such commentary.

     I came upon this edition quite by accident buying books to sell. But I think this one is probably going to stick around in my collection for a while now that I know more about it. And for those of you who do not realzie it, there are Masonic Editions of every Christian version of the Bible. Catholic, King James, Greek , even Coptic. I have thrown a few examples at the end of the article for those interested in such things.

     Holding it in m own hands and looking through the very detailed illustrations in its first few pages, I can attest as a non-Chrisitan or Mason, that it is a true illustration that the Holy Bible is one of the great works of artisitry ever successfully put into print. It  is truly a testament to the achievements of mankind to this point.

     That at least is how I choose to see it.

The Secret Teachings of All Ages : An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy by Manly Palmer Hall & J. Augustus Knapp (Hardcover 2008)

     The full title on most editions of this book is - "The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy". Which just goes to prove that real books don't have short titles.

     This is the great work of Manly Palmer Hall and illustrator J. Augustus Knapp. These two artisans created one of the most important compendiums of its kind in this book. Perhaps the only book to tackle the wide array of cultures, mythologies, and antiquarian histories. It has been the source of controversy within the esoteric communities for almost a century.

    This book is both famed in it's own Rosy Crux circles, and at the same time is so little known that there are probably thousands of books that have used it as a reference work (some may not even know that their quotes from other great references are actually taking their inspiration from Hall who dedicated a great deal of his life just to this book's complettion. The earliest editions are nearly three feet tall and come with all 200 illustrations in full color, and it is one of the books I have ever seen that truly can be called a work of art  - the traditions of illuninated manuscripts and other post-Christian era occult works. I forewarn the potential reader that this is not an ordinary book. Even getting through a few chapters can take all the concentration  a gifted scholar is able to muster. Yet if you take the time to absorb the wealth of knowledge contained herein - you will have a better education in mysticism and the occult than most.

     To show the wide acceptance of this book as a reference work - Here is how Publisher's Weekly describes it for  the masses: "In 1928, a 20-something Renaissance man named Manly Hall self-published a vast encyclopedia of the occult, believing that "modern" ideas of progress and materialism were displacing more important and ancient modes of knowledge. Hall's text has become a classic reference, dizzying in its breadth: various chapters explore Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, alchemy, cryptology, Tarot, pyramids, the Zodiac, Pythagorean philosophy, Masonry and gemology, among other topics. This affordably priced edition would be vastly improved by a new foreword, placing the work in some kind of historical and critical context and introducing readers to the basic contours of Hall's sweeping corpus. Instead, we have a disciple's adulatory 1975 foreword, which merely parrots the same themes of mystery and esoterica that are espoused in the book. Readers who are unfamiliar with Hall's work will be at a loss in ferreting out which chapters have stood the test of time and which have been vigorously debunked (like the one on Islam, which actually uses novelist Washington Irving as a primary source on the prophet Muhammad). However, they will also marvel at the sheer scope of Hall's research and imagination, and at J. Augustus Knapp's famous illustrations, including a 16-page color insert. " - Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.   

     For once ole Amazon has a product review that is accurate and useful : "The Secret Teachings of All Ages is perhaps the most comprehensive and complete esoteric encyclopedia ever written. The sheer scope and ambition of this book are stunning. In this book Manly P. Hall has successfully distilled the essence of more arcane subjects than one would think possible. He covers Rosicrucianism and other secret societies, alchemy, cryptology, Kabbalah, Tarot, pyramids, the Zodiac, Pythagorean philosophy, Masonry, gemology, Nicholas Flammel, the identity of William Shakespeare, The Life and Teachings of Thoth Hermes Trismegistus, The Qabbalah, The Hiramic Legend, The Tree of the Sephiroth, Mystic Christianity, and there are more than 200 illustrations included here. This is essential reading for anyone wishing to explore esoteric knowledge." - Amazon product review.

     "Into this volume has been compressed the quintessence of a colossal learning. It is a living human document, pulsating with the mental and spiritual vibrations of a profound thinker who takes knowledge for his province and reduces whole libraries to a single tome."  - George Barron, Curator of the De Young Museum of San Francisco, in his tribute to this remarkable work.

     There is a big difference between this newer edition and manly of the scarce but available older hardcover editions. At the end of this article I have provided a few links to several older editions that collectors may want to consider for purchasing, you can make up your own mind. - My opinion is simple. This newer paperback edition is one of the worst examples of reprint and bastardization of one of the 20th century's masterworks. Yes inevitable as the industry is about selling out to the lowest common dollar, this would not have happened if Hall were alive to see his great book reduced to a college reader text. Trust me even the smaller 80s editions in hardcover will be well worth the couple of extra dollars that may be incurred.

     And if you are knowledgeable of Manly P. Hall and this text, you already understand. I have had this for many years in my personal collection. I believe it is one of top ten books you can read before you die, and one of the classics ever written in human literature.

     Even modern Publisher Llewelyn has nothing but high praises for 'Secret Teachings'...

     "Simply put, this is the most beautiful and complete occult book ever published. It represents a lifetime of research into the mythology, symbolism, and magical practices of countless cultures. From the secrets of Isis to the teachings of mystic Christianity, nearly every occult dogma imaginable is represented here. The book is full of giant illustrations, some of which fold out into a magnificent two-page splendor. This is the definitive guide to secret societies, famous figures, and more a must for every personal library." - Llewellyn New Times

     There are editions available on the open retail market these days if you just want a reader copy, and there are older collectable editions that are worth thousands of dollars, that is if you can even acquire one. I hope the listing below gives you a fair crossection to consider.

Other Editions

The Secret Teachings of All Ages

Secret Teachings of All Ages 18TH Edition

Secret Teachings of All Ages an Enc 19TH

The Secret Teachings of All Ages: An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy

The Secret Teachings of All Ages. Golden Anniversary Edition 1975. An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy

'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky: Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child by David Henderson (Paperback 2009)

It is very rarely that I have given a rock biography a serious read over, most in my opinion are written with a fourth grade vocabulary because the editors assume that the readership inclined to buy their garbage never finished grade school. Why bother reading another hundred pages of crap that could have just as easily been photo tags from old Hit Parader and Circus magazine articles. Also if I really like the artist, I am looking for more than their fashion sense and how many chicks they bang while on a six day binge...in the case of Jimi Hendrix, this point cannot be more true. Yet, with all such hesitations in mind, I took a chance that there might be some grace left in the world of rock and roll journalism - and in this book I can finally say that some justice was done to the legacy that was James Marshall Hendrix.

     "Most reviews of this book do not understand what David Henderson is up to. Henderson is an artist in his own right and his biography of Hendrix is a great read. Henderson is an artist forged in the same cultural milieu as Hendrix. Henderson was an important figure in the Black Arts Movement and he is working in the New Journalism tradition (Hunter Thompson, Thomas Wolf etc.) so don't expect generic writing and a presentation of "facts." This is a poetic biography and it brings Hendrix to life. If you are put off by "slang" and are appalled by any deviation from the New York Times Style Sheet you should probably skip this book, but if you want to spend some time digging Jimi, his triumphs and tragedy you should get this book. If you were not at Monterey Pop, or Woodstock, or the Berkley Community Theater in 1970 when Hendrix dedicated the show to the Black Panther Party, you should get this book-- it is the next best thing to being there. " - Keith , an Amazon reviewer.

     "The New Journalism began on the Lower East Side in the mid-sixties when poets and fiction writers became reporters for The East Village Other, mother of the Underground Press. David Henderson was one of the pioneers of the style. He combines his gifts as a poet and a reporter in 'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky, and the result is a rewarding and unique reading experience. It is part thriller and part lament for some tragic lives who enlivened an exciting decade." - Ishmael Reed.

     "No one who wants to assemble a coherent version of Jimi's story can afford to be without this book -- it is not only the best version, it is the only complete one." - Dave Marsh, author of Born to Run.

     Not to worry, yes Henderson brings his journalistic artistry to the table...but never does he forget who is really buying this book in numbers off the shelves; musicians, in particualr guitarists and bassists for whom The Experience as the trio is still one of the most formidable teams assembled in the history of modern music. It is amazing the amount of detail gone into regarding Hendrix's off stage jam sessions, private time trading licks with other guitarists, and his spiritual beliefs and how he personally saw them as part of his core as an artist.

     A few of my favorite examples from the pages of personal dialogue are : A private jam session between Eric Clapton and Jimi where Hendrix let's Clapton know he doesn't really like him much for an English bloke by repetatively playing machine gun sounds endlessly (until Clapton reluctantly is forced to leave without any explanation), Jimi explains in detial how Axis Bold as Love is inspired by the writings of Freemason Manly P. Hall who wrote about the Earth's axis being a focal point for the macrocosmic world - and how Jimi had a visionary leap of understanding that the needle on a record player is a transmission  device for the Axis of anyone who records their music on vynil ( trust me that one is worth the read, and is more coherrant than it may sound in brief ), details about the actual construction of Jimi's arsenal of inverted guitars that any guitarist will find fascinating enough to screw up their own perfectly working axes after a read through, of course many pages dealing with Jimi and the Black Panther movement - whom he basically let's know that he would support as a black artist if they would just loosen their rules about use of drugs (especially Jimi's later favorite Heroin), and the breaking up of The Experience as Jimi spends his last years in England post Woodstock.

     Also included are many never before published poems and lyrics in their uneditied forms, like this one that Jimi wrote about and for the audience as he watched from the stage side at Woodstock on the morning of his 'Star Spangled Banner' performance :

     "500,000 halos....

     outshined the mud and history

     We washed and drank in God's tears of joy

     And for once...and for everyone...

     the truth was not a mystery -

     Love called to all...music is magic

     As we passed over and beyond the walls of nay

     Hand in hand as we lived and

     made real the dreams of peaceful men -

     We came together...Danced with

     the pearls of rainy weather

     Riding the waves of music and

     Space - music is magic....

     Magic is life....

     Love as never loved before....

     Harmony to son and daughter...man and wife" 
         - J. Hendrix  on pg. 433

I cannot give high enough praises for this biography of a bright and brilliant rockstar, and kudos to Henderson for handling the task with intelligence, respect, and where necessary brutal honesty about a great American artist - who was also a talented but damaged soul. I think even Jimi would have given Kiss the Sky his seal of approval. Hopefully Jimi comes back as a merman and makes sure we "...never have to hear surf music again...."

Other Editions:

Jimi Hendrix: "'Scuse ME While I Kiss the Sky"

Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky -- The Life of Jimi Hendrix

'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky : The Life of Jimi Hendrix

'Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky: The Life of Jimi Hendrix

Dealing or The Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues by "Michael Douglas" (Hardcover 1971)

"Take the 'High' road with Peter Harkness as he travels the Berkeley-to-Boston trade route for marijuana. Peter takes the money and comes back with tidy packages of little bricks of dope soakd in Coke (to diguise the smell). There's plenty of action and then plenty of hassle when Peter's lady gets busted for holding forty bricks (or eighty pounds) of marijuana. Suddenly, everything becomes very heavy for a formerly straight college student named Peter Harkness." - from the text on the backcover of the paperback edition of 'Dealing' by the mysteriously nome de plume'd author of this unusual novel 'Michael Douglas'. This is actually an pair of brothers writing their first novel together in the late sixties as a team, Michael and Douglas by first names. One of which would soon begin his stock and trade as a novelist that would redefine the American writing, movie, and television industries with his detailed eye for the scientific state-of-the-art world with the everyday working man's 9-to-5 culture interwoven successfully with such famed works as 'The Andromeda Strain', 'The Eaters of Men', 'Jurassic Park', 'Disclosure' , and the televsion series 'ER' to his credit. You probably have guessed by now that the edler brother is none other than modern science fiction's own Michael Crichton.

     Here are a few of the humorous remarks made by readers on the Amazon site review list :

     "Love this book. It is NOT Crichton's usual, that's for sure. It tells more truth about drug culture in the 60's than most scholarly tomes." - J. Shawn Sullivan, Massachusettes.

     "I find myself quoting a line from the book repeatedly. There is a scene where the main character goes to his friends room and the girlfriend wearing only a robe, crosses her legs giving him a long slow shot. "Nothing offered," the character says, "just letting you know it's all there." - Catfish, MS.

     "Wow! I didn't know Crichton was such a druggie. I wonder what his mother thinks of this. " - A. Customer, USA. "This book is one of those rare ones that I've reread many times over the years, for its madcap descriptions that capture a period and place that I was on the edge of -- but close enough to smell the authenticity of the writing. Of course, the plot isn't quite real, but just enough to keep you on the edge. Another thing I like about this is that it's so different from Michael Crichton's later work, very fresh and genuine, yet still wise and slightly self-mocking..."

     This is definately a must read for the avid Crichton fans, yet this book has a immortalized itself as it is little known despite it's wide audience subject matter and is now infamous because it is dated with slang and cultural history of the fast burnout of the sixties from the satire of two young adolescent boys who actually were living it...more or less. It is a story full of humor and angst for about as long as the buzz takes to wear off - but the real fun of the book is the nostalgic avenues that it conjures up for us to relive without the politically correct sanctioned revisionist history stamping itself in the writing like a charcoal swastika into the forehead of a future Manson bride.

     This is a young writer without shame or inhibition, writing his first out cries onto the blank page, without press releases, retainers, contracts, publishers, fans, editors, publicists, or anything more than a typewritter and a sibling collaborator, white out, and a spare ink ribbon on hand. Pure and uncensored as the first spoken haiku, Michael Crichton today could hardly have known that lengthy career about to lay itself before him from the beginning of the 70s until the closing of the first decade 2K.

     So please, give this one a ready sometime. There is a movie version on DVD - which I am not going to recommend as highly, but it is also worth a watching in retrospective. If you are not looking for Cheech and Chong or George Carlin to approach you with the acid tripper story type used in the post flower child era scripts. And although quite humorous in its delivery, Dealing is a quick read with no real message or moral lessons in the end. But almost anyone who has read it, knows that is part of what makes it live on with a legacy, not hippocracy as so many hippie influenced manifestos gone by the wayside, with the fall of the Abbey's, the Leary's, and the Ginsburg's into an empire of second hand smokers gone to rehab assed out, only to dry hump the next two decades with dogmatic doublespeak and political campaigns needy for contributions from the baby boomers. No nukes, no war, no jobs, no money, and no where - the revolution ends with a whimper, utopia cut short by color televsion and methamphetamines.

     Michael and Douglas Crichton seem to have missed the fall or the Haight, the Grateful Dead, and Kent State. Yet found the teenage equivalent of temporary earthbound nirvana - selling and smoking marijana for fun and profit. Simple, sensible, and super for a summer job to pad the college fund, and support your girlfriends' habit. Teenage Wasteland in real time...

     Sorry for the rant, in short - disco arrives just in time to glitter up all the jive talking junkies and sketch artist tree huggers that would flood the USA with post Woodstock propoganda literature until Y2K was long past.

     Be you a head, or a narc, a campus up-and-comer or a hipster chick...remember the first words of the first page from 'Dealing' - "All names , characters, and events in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real persons is either coincidental or the result of stoned paranoia."

Other Editions:

Dealing or The Berkeley-to-Boston Forty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (Crichton, Michael - signed)

DEALING OR THE BERKELEY-TO-BOSTON FORTY-BRICK LOST-BAG BLUES

DEALING OR THE BERKELEY-TO-BOSTON FORTY-BRICK LOST-BAG BLUES

The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss by Theodore Geisel (Hardcover 1995)

"This book is moving. in the way that a rainy day or a kitten effect your mood, this book too, will leave you changed. I love this book." - KingNipsy
     This is a must find for all long time fans of Dr. Seuss, and a must see for those who just appreciate unusual art. It is a first hand look into the private world of Theodore Geisel and the creative genius the led to the publication of such great children's books as The Cat in the Hat, The Foot Book, and Green Eggs and Ham.

     Here are just a few Amazon cutomer reviews:    

     "I just love looking at this book! It proves what a witty, complex person Theodore Geisel was, and how his work is not "just for children." -  A Customer, at Amazon.

     "A visually stunning body of work. This book shares rare and unusual images not seen in the series of children's books Dr. Seuss penned. Some of the images are dark and disturbing but then that's what makes it worth seeing. A wonderful and beautifully written forward by Maurice Sendak, another children's author, adds an interesting insight to the quirky and unique personality, of my beloved childhood hero, Theodore Geisel aka Dr. Seuss." - rock girl, Chicago

      "The art in this book is much different from what I expected from Dr. Seuss, but not in a bad way. This book gives a new insight into his mind. I particularly enjoyed the sculptures because it really brought life to some of the characters that he has come up with. For all Seuss fans, I hightly recommend this one." - Jem, Georgia

     And a more professional point of veiw:

     "Beyond Dr. Seuss's work for children is an entirely different world--perhaps similar in whimsy and humor, but even more wondrous. The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss is a short (less than 100 pages) and beautiful full-color coffee-table book filled with cartoons, sketches, and oil paintings. The collection of birds, cats, lions, and pointy-headed people is fairly familiar territory for any true Seuss fan, but with a deeper amount of detail and more sophisticated tones. A favorite design in ink is titled "Impractical Marshmallow Toasting Device"--it's easy to see Seuss didn't find art to be a serious business. And could the oil painting "Cat from the Wrong Side of the Tracks" be a rendition of Cat in the Hat's evil twin? A wonderful, intriguing book for Seuss fans of all ages."  - Jill Lightner

     There are a number of really cool things that you can only find in this book. My favorites being : a portrait of what appears to be Adolf Hitler, a large painted mural that is a multi-colored field of thousands of cat eyes peering from a violet darkness, a series of wood carved heads that were apparently mounted in Seuss' own home (they are truly the most amazing thing the book has to offer), and many short sketches and paintings that let you easily see where Geisel would eventually incorporate them beyond these artist prototypes.

      There are also lots of details and a few photos of the doctor at work that also make it worth the read. The color work is so vivid, any fans will be impressed. This is truly one of the more unsual artistic books I have seen in many years.

      And a personal fave of mine...

Other Editions :

The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss

The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss

The secret art of Dr. Seuss. With an introduction by Maurice Sendak. 

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell by Marilyn Manson and Neil Strauss (Paperback 1999)

"I wanna live, I wanna love,

but it's a Long Hard Road Out of Hell..."

     - Marilyn Manson

     When I read this quite a few years back, I wasn't a huge Marilyn Manson fan at all. Rather than admit I'm not as cool as the other dopplegangers, I will admit that I grew to acquire a taste for the whole package that Marilyn and the boys bring to the table. This one not only spent an unexpected amount of time on the national bestsellers list, it was the text that won over a world wide audience because of its clever use of photomontage combined with a collection of dairy like glimpses into Marilyn Manson as a personage, an artist, a band, and a commercially calculated production for the masses.
     In this age when print is giving way to digital media, this was an unusually artistic piece of pop culture literature, if you have never seen this book...at least open it up and admire the amount of hours spent in photoshop and illustrator just doing the text layouts. When released it was state of the art and expensive to print I have no doubt, being printed in a combination of black & white / with gradient color undertoning for the cover art.

     This book is co-authored with Neil Strauss, who is a master of the biography genre, Strauss's name may encourage some literary readers to give it a whirl. As good as any reason to be able to say you read it and not because you are  a Manson fan. In the genre of  autobiography this is a modern masterpiece and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading about life in the fastlane with rock mythology. 

     "One doesn't usually think of rock stars as insightful, but, against all odds, glam-trash superstar Marilyn Manson has written a book that is actually an intelligent look at growing up. This autobiographical bildungsroman brings out the creepiest aspects of childhood, conveying the terror and fascination that young Marilyn (then called Brian) felt when looking through his grandfather's pornography, getting his first French kiss, and being taunted by the girls he wanted to "date." Manson has the benefit of having grown up as an outcast and loser and then having become a star without forgetting what he went through. This gives him an incredibly broad perspective, which he brings to bear on his ordinary life in order to convey the more potent and frightening moments that shaped him into the pale-skinned weirdo that the Christian Right loves to hate. Best of all, Manson is shockingly honest, and portrays himself as occasionally stupid, self-centered, over-sensitive, ignoble, and, mostly, highly fallible and human. It's a long way from the auto-hagiographies that other stars have written, and it's easily one of the best reads in celebrity bio." --James DiGiovanna (Amazon.com)

     Here is just a sampling of what the wider press and reveiws of the day had to say about Manson's book...and not the pendullum swining between dislike and jumping on the bandwagon to not alienate the younger readers and their music idol.

     "Makes Madonna's infamous SEX seem downright wholesome by comparison." -- Elle

     "Repulsive...well-written and uncommonly addictive." -- Chicago Sun-Times

     "Fascinating, sleazy account of his coming of age and ascent into damnation." -- Us

     "If the Marquis De Sade had a son in a hard-rock band who wrote a book, this would be the book." -- Christian Science Monitor
     The book has plenty of fun and mayhem for the kids. Included in its pages are memoirs of the Antichrist Superstar tour. With many noteworthy momments that come to mind in reflection. Such as a question and answer quiz to determine of you are a drug addict, a backstage story about how a singer can get so bored on tour that he decides giving fellatio to his band mates is a good time killer, and why you should never listen to music by Morrissey or the Smiths ever again. There are points of metaphysical note, schizophrenic fever, and dark comedic relief that should entertain the high and low brow alike as readers.

     But why say it with excessive words when the fans say it best themselves:
     "It's good for anyone who reads. If you hate him, this book will educate you on why you're an idiot.

If you hate his music but like his ideas, then this would be a good read. " - Lori A. Yoder , USA

     "The Long Hard Road Out of Hell reveals that Marilyn Manson is not a product of his environment. Everything that you believe about him is the result of a carefully calculated plan to become the world's most shocking musical and visual artist. " - Nadeem Muaddi , Washington DC

     "If you're unfamiliar with the genius of his music the book is still worth reading; if you're unfamiliar with the use of recreational products then you may miss some of the more salient points." - Edmund Zielinski, Kosovo

And I leave you with these two last quotes that made me laugh as they were unexpected perspectives to find.

     "I will probably give him a hug if I ever meet him just not caring what he has become." -  J.R. Key, GA

     "I bought this book for my son and he loved it. I decided to read about this strange man and enjoyed it. He is really an interesting man. " - C. Wilcox, Ottawa Canada

     See Marilyn Manson is bringing families closer with every million selling copy that flies off the shelves.

(And for those who are left wanting more, or have never really experienced Marilyn Manson. Below is the YouTube window ready to play 'The Long Hard Road Out of Hell' for your viewing enjoyment. After it finishes, there are a selection of 8 more videos from the band if you like what you see. Be warned 'Hell' is a visually suggestive and somewhat disturbing video to the unprepared. But it is after all Marilyn Manson)

Long Hard Road Out of Hell 1ST Edition Signed
The Long Hard Road Out of Hell (Paperback)

The Long Hard Road Out of Hell Marilyn Manson (Hardcover)
La Larga Huida Del Infierno/ The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell (Spanish Edition)

 

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook by Joshua Piven (Paperback 1999)

"How to Wrestle Free from an Alligator: 4. If its jaws are closed on something you want to remove (for example, a limb), tap or punch it on the snout..."- quote from 'The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook'>

     I bought this in an estate sale buy a number of years back, and despite my low expectations found this to be a funny and informative read that I have to give some praise. Not many books actually impress me in their sense of humor for their subject matter.
     Upon first reading, I did literally LOL.
     I even myself bought the phone / address book edition later down the road, because I enjoyed the original 'Worst Case...' Book so much. Terrible isn't it.

     Mitchell, Leary (From the Arizona-Nevada state line). Had this to say about it on Amazon : "Wow, what a book. Contains all kinds of cool stuff I've always wanted to know. Heres a partial list of whats in the book:-How to jump from a bridge into a lake or river.-How to jump from a multi-story rooftop into a dumpster.-How to run on top of a speeding train.-How to leap from a motorcycle into moving car.-How to deliver a baby in a taxi cab.-How to land an airplane.-How to survive if your parachute fails to open.-How to survive machine gun fire from a passing car.-How to get to the surface if your scuba tank runs out of air.-How to escape quicksand (even if your up to your neck).-How to ram a car.-How to break down a door (exactly where to kick.)-How to break into and hotwire a car.-How to do a 180 degree turn with your car (also known as a bootleggers turn).-How to fight sharks, grizzly bears and mountian lions without any kind of weapons. -How to beat the living hell out of an attacking alligator (where to hit him that will stop him instantly).This is dead serious material. I have no idea why it would be in the humor section of the bookstore. Buy it, learn the material, weave some fantastic tales for the grand kids and become the family legend. I enjoyed this book so much I bought 3 copies for my 'very tough' beer drinking buddies. "

     The series of books Piven has since published appear to be in the same fun thinking vein to which readers have become accustomed. Always good for a gift, in my opinion.

    Since I actually spent money on this, I thought it would only be fair to post a good reveiw on the blog.       
    This review is going to be short and sweet, because that is what I mainly have to say about Piven's work.  Peace out.