Edward H. Faulkner startled the agricultural world--all of it, on six continents--when he published Plowman's Folly in 1943. As almost everyone knows, he launched a vigorous attack on the plow and dseveloped in a masterful way the advantages of surface incorporation of organic material. The Readers Digest summed up American interest at the time in the statement, "Probably no book on an agricultural subject has ever prompted so much discussion in this country." A Second Look is a sequel to Plowman's Folly. In it Mr. Faulkner answers his critics and re-examines the theories expressed earlier, in the light of extensive investigations he subsequently made in visiting experiment stations, soil scientists, and farmers in many parts of the country. Finally, in simple, straightforward language, he gives the lie to "soil impoverishment." Highly condensed, here is his thought: The soil which the gardener or farmer works is made up of tiny crystalline fragments. The action of soil acids, principally those released through the decay of organic matter, unlocks the minerals required for healthy plant growth. If this is true, then the indiscriminate and continuous use of commercial fertilizer is a mistake. In fact, says Mr. Faulkner, the "bank account" theory of soil is bankrupt. It holds that whatever we take from the soil in the growing of crops must be put back--usually in the form of prepared fertilizers. What the soil needs, on the contrary, is the gentle chemistry described above. If a man cannot learn this, he will pay and pay, ultimately to his ruin. If Plowman's Folly dealt a body blow to deep plowing, then A Second Look sets in revolutionary perspective the whole problem of soil impoverishment. Whether you cultivate a backyard garden or a thousand acres of wheat, this is a book you can hardly afford to miss.

Four-hundred-twenty-five books are reviewed in this superb collection. A Second Look, Native Americans in Childrens Books gives a thorough examination of the books as a guide for parents, teachers, librarians, and administrators interested in books for children. Anyone involved in selecting books will find this guide useful in working through the maze of available materials. Andie Peterson, one of the few women to be awarded an Eagle Feather, has provided a meaningful criteria to help in judging books. She outlines ways for objectively studying books to draw conclusions as to the suitability for the reader. She writes candidly about books filled with stereotypes, hurtful images, and damaging text and illustrations. She writes eloquent, glowing reviews of the books that are real treasures. She writes: On a daily basis, children must face the hidden curriculum that lets them know where they fit in, whether they can achieve their goals, whether they even dare to dream. An overwhelming part of that hidden curriculum begins with books that are more narrative and illustrations; they are books that carry a message of politics and values. Andie advises that in selecting Native American books, the non-Native child must be considered, also. She counsels that hurtful books set in motion attitudes of prejudice that persist for years. She states that she has reviewed books with older copyrights because they are still on the shelves in libraries and available via the Internet. She says reading the older books helps to understand how adults have formed ideas about Native people. She says: After all, if its in a book in the library, people believe it to be true. Its time to disturb the peace and end the ritual of damage. A Second Look, Native Americans in Childrens Books By Andie Peterson

Mark Hart brings stories of Biblical characters to life through Scripture, the saints, and his own real-life reflections, asking, “Are you willing to take a second look at the Jesus you currently know and allow Him to speak to you in new ways?”

Caught in a struggle to navigate the often-conflicting demands of faith, career, and relationships, Elizza BenTaleb is a young Muslim woman in her final semester obtaining MBA. While dreaming to open up a clean energy business to help people in Libya on the one hand, she is trying to mother her four sisters, each divergent in their own ways – from uber-conservative to Insta-famous Hijabi – on the other. Elizza's life takes a complicated turn when a successful Libyan businessman, Firas Tarseen, is hired for a semester to give lectures at the university. Elizza has some less than genial encounters with the fellow, but can't seem to avoid bumping into him everywhere. Can they overlook their first impressions of each other to realize that they may have more in common than they know?

My daughters, Sarah and Anna, are friends with a precious boy named Daniel. One summer weekend day, we met up with Daniel at church after not seeing him for a few weeks. The first statement that he made to us was, "Did you know I'm half white and half black?" Since we know and love both of Daniel's parents, this information came as no shock to us. Daniel's mom quietly told me that Daniel had been troubled for days after having been told by someone that he was "half white and half black." Over the next few hours, the idea of this book grew in my heart. I wrote and designed it with a little help from my girls. I delivered it to Daniel a couple of days later. He immediately read the book aloud while I stood in the doorway listening. After reading a few pages, he stopped and looked at his mom with astonishment as he realized that his skin color and his origins didn't matter to his friends. "They don't even care!" he said in amazement as his mom gave him a hug. This simple little book helped Daniel remember that God does not make mistakes. My hope is that other little children will find comfort in this book as they are reminded of that truth for themselves.