Product Description
Owen Fiddler wants to tell you his story. (Everyone sing along to the tune of the Beatles' "Nowhere Man")Has a selfish point of view,why he's such a fool, no clue. Isn't he a bit like me and you? Owen, man, please listen. You don't know what you're missing. Owen, man, your world is at your command!He's no role model for you or your kids, but reading his story will learn ya a thing or two, and that's a fact. This is an entertaining, thought-provoking, humorous and spiritually insightful book which will surely have you thinking about your own life. **** Four Stars. "I heartily recommend reading Owen Fiddler for a spiritual perspective on life that will cause you to think about your own actions and behavior. Whether or not you believe in God, a higher being, heaven, law of attraction, or any type of life after death, you will walk away from this novel having at least been inspired to glimpse the possibility that there is more to life than a simple daily existence. " -Lisa Haselton, award winning writer/editor/book reviewer ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

A Neat Trick
I think it's pretty amazing when I can dislike a character and still want to follow him anywhere.Marvin D. Wilson was able to accomplish this with his protagonist Owen.The guy's a mess, and yet he is able to appeal to a reader's desire to believe in human redemption.I enjoyed this book immensely, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to feel better about his or her own bad decisions.Sometimes we get another chance, or something happens that puts all our confusion into perspective, if only for a while.

Owen Fiddler
Owen Fiddler takes you along on his life's journey - a journey filled with trials and tribulations that he must confront and conquer along the way. He could never seem to get it right in his life up until the very end. But man, oh, man, the journey he takes you on is just one adventure after the next. I couldn't put this book down. It followed me everywhere I went until I finished it.

I strongly recommend Owen Fiddler to anyone. Marvin did such a wonderful job in writing it. In this book, he writes in a common, everyday language. He describes sex and fighting scenes without sugar coating them. (some of the language - and the sex - and fighting scenes might actually be a bit too raw, harsh, and graphic for some readers. I know they are for me. Tee, hee.). But by doing so, Marvin captures the true essence of each of his characters' dialects, speech patterns, and lifestyle, lending a high degree of credence and authenticity to his characters.

The story is fast moving, heart thumping, and full of adventure - a page-turner. I can promise you'll not be bored or disappointed. You'll be saying "Whoa" or "Wow" when you finish reading it. It's just that good. The story gives you a satisfying ending, which to me is very important whenever I'm reading a book or watching a movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the dialogue between the two young women in the car (near the beginning of the story) and what is almost a monologue by Jewel's nurse when Jewel had her doctor's appointment. I could really relate to those scenarios.

Owen Fiddler
Marvin D. Wilson, Author
Owen Fiddler
Cambridge Books, ISBN 978-1-59431-563-9
Fiction-spiritual, religious, humor, inspirational
207 pages

Review

The main character in Owen Fiddler is ... Owen Fiddler. Owen comes from a good and caring family. He has led a troubled childhood where a series of bad decisions have sent him to jail, hardened his outlook on life, and taught him to look out for number one. He never learns from his mistakes and therefore continues to repeat them well into adulthood. Owen has never accepted responsibility for his mistakes and as such blames his faults on anyone except himself.

Finally, Owen has a chance to make a good life with a wonderful woman, Jewel. They fall deeply in love, marry, and have a lovely daughter, Frenda. Jewel is everything Owen admires, at least in the short term, but shortly he grows bored and seeks extra-marital excitement. Seven years into what Jewel believed to be a lifelong marriage, she divorces Owen because she has found proof that he has indeed returned to his womanizing party animal persona.

The single bond Jewel and Owen will always share is their special daughter, Frenda. Both love her more than anything else, and have watched her grow from a majestic child into a spectacular young woman. Tragically, one New Year's Eve she is killed. Jewel is beside herself with grief. Through a series of conversations Owen has found himself in a predicament that later reveals itself to be potentially negligent in his daughter's untimely death. Ridden with guilt he drowns his sorrow in booze, women, and anything else that dulls the pain.

Owen has made some very bad decisions in his life. Some years ago, Owen had the good fortune to meet a man who handed him a path out of debt and on to prosperity. He squandered it as usual. This man is evil and does not take kindly to being taken as a fool. Bodily harm is this unsavory man's preferred way of dealing with overdue debts.

Owen lies in a hospital bed in a coma where death may end the suffering in his physical life. His mother sits at his bedside hoping against hope that he will live. Frenda is handed a mission to intercede on behalf of her dad. She and her new friend visit Owen. This life changing experience provides him opportunity to turn his pathetic life around.

Frenda's message to Owen is clear: love is to be cherished, acceptance of past mistakes is a necessary step in healing our hearts and moving forward, and forgiveness for such transgressions, both by self and others impacted, can pave the way to a better life here, and after. While this decision and all it entails is not easy for Owen to understand and accept, he does so and comes out of his coma to get a second chance in life.

Owen Fiddler could literally be any one of us. The lessons learned are simple, yet profound. It was a moving and entertaining journey for me, and one I would recommend for everyone.

Unflinching realism!
I hate it when authors waste a good redemption story on sinners who are just not very sinful. Either that or they euphemise everything the character does or says so as not to offend the delicate sensitivities of their readers. Well, you won't find any of that in this book. Owen Fiddler is bad news with a capital B, and author Marvin D. Wilson tells his story with raw, honest language and descriptions that make Owen's ultimate transformation a truly marvelous thing to behold. I also love that the spiritual messages in this book aren't hindered by the shackles of organized religion and its abundance of hypocrisy. Anyone who believes in the value of the human spirit will appreciate Owen's journey, and they'll enjoy reading his gripping, gut-wrenching and frequently hilarious story.

Learning Experience
When you are at your lowest, sometimes you need a 'reality check' or a 'vision from beyond' to guide your way. That is exactly what Owen Fiddler needed to turn his life around. His life was at one point meaningful with a wife and young daughter but he messed that up. It wasn't until one greddy moment, one heartbreaking incident that changed Owen forever. Even if you are a non-believer as I was, you will be touched by reading this book which I highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
For prospective educators seeking teacher certification inTexas.This test preparation book includes two full-length exams for theExCET Professional Development Tests.The test questions, based on themost recently administered exams, are followed by detailedexplanations.The book includes a comprehensive review of keyeducational theories and concepts such as Piaget's theory of cognitivedevelopment and Maslow's hierarchy of needs.Also included in thisreview are legal matters relevant to teachers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Comprehensive ExCET Study Book
This book is probably the best comprehensive study book for the Professional Development part of the ExCET exam. It has lots of information and sample test questions. It is very well written and was suggested in myschool district as the best book to get. There is a study book that workswell with it (kind of like a workbook) called Pass the ExCET on Your FirstTry. I highly recommend The Best Test Prep... ... Read more

Product Description
Caribbean Landscapes is an introduction to the cultural and physical diversity of the island Caribbean through the lens of geography, the discipline dedicated to understanding places and patterns on the earth s surface. The authors, geographers, from Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, combine published research and their own first-hand field experience to trace the evolution of Caribbean Landscapes for a broad audience. The atlas comprises two parts (natural landscapes and human landscapes), each subdivided into chapters about specific landscape elements: terrain, natural communities, natural hazards, agriculture and rural settlement, industry and tourism, political landscapes, and urban landscapes. Each chapter begins with a general essay, followed by individual pieces about particular places, such as the Vuelta Abajo tobacco region of Cuba, the East Indian villages of Trinidad, Montserrat s Soufrière volcano, downtown Kingston, and the Haitian/Dominican border in Hispaniola. The authors use diverse media to capture the diversity of Caribbean geography, including satellite imagery, astronaut photos, ground photos, maps and interpretive essays. The geographic coverage, drawing on literature in French, Spanish and English and the authors field research in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Caribbean Landscapes will be interest to students, libraries and anyone who wishes to understand how Caribbean land and life took shape. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Atlas is very helpful
This is a great atlas. The amount of information is astounding. If you are at all interested in the Caribbean, then this should be on your bookshelf or coffee table. You won't go wrong with this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Voodoo and Conjure have a history going back hundreds of years. Let these historical accounts teach you how to cast powerfully effective spells, create mojo hands and remove jinxes, hexes and crossed conditions. Book comes fully illustrated with classic images of hoodoo and more! ... Read more