Reviews/Endorsements:

'A Mountain In The Wind' is more than a graceful weaving through the life and spirit of John Denver. It is a verbal passage, an opening into the gentle heart of a poet, a philosopher, a humanitarian, a great soul who entertained the world with his music and mind. He was the evidence of his belief.
Christine Smith's comfort with words and her appreciation of John's earthly mission is reflected in the esoteric understanding of his life and work. John Denver was much more than a singer of songs. His friends knew it and now you can too. 'A Mountain In The Wind' is an inspirational must read for all who choose to make a difference.

-Rolland G, Smith, television journalist...In his 36 years as a professional broadcast journalist, reporter, and producer, nine-time Emmy Award-winning television news anchorman Rolland G. Smith is world renowned for his work. He was also a close friend of John Denver. John Denver said of Rolland, 'Rolland Smith is a journalist with integrity. He is a compassionate poet with the spirit of a sage.'

'Christine Smith speaks from the heart about a man, John Denver, who touched so many lives through his music, his words, and his beliefs. A Mountain in the Wind explores the underlying basis of a man that transformed his own passion for a healthy planet in which our children would feel safe into a call for all of us to do what we can to make this a better world for all. John Denver encouraged us to see the world not from our own self-centered perspective, but rather from the wings of an eagle soaring high above the horizon. Christine Smith leads us in understanding this gifted man and provides strength to all of us who are inspired and challenged, like John Denver, to make a difference'.

-Dr. Bette Loiselle -- Director of the International Center for Tropical Ecology (ICTE) located at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. The ICTE awarded John Denver the prestigious World Ecology Medal in 1990.

A MAN OF FAITH, DEDICATION AND COMPASSION!, September 11, 2001
Reviewer:
petersmaclean (see more about me) from Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Who among us has not been touched in some way by the voice and words of at least one of John Denver's beautiful songs? John 's legacy to the world was his care and concern for the environment and the people who dwell here. His Rocky Mountain High's came from the heart and each recording he made was filled with love and passion for the universe that came from deep within his soul. Each time I hear his voice, I am reminded of his simple, easy-going manner as gentle as the wings of a butterfly, his incredible gift as an artist and his ability to evoke emotion in the listener.

'A Mountain in the Wind' is indeed how John lived his life and this wonderful book is filled with his love for humanity, his respect for nature, his own personal inner strength and his spiritual beliefs. His sudden, tragic death moved people around the world. Wherever John may be today, I hope he truly does have, 'Sunshine on his Shoulder' and the peace and contentment he believed in. For fans of Denver, this is a five star book and highly recommended reading.

A Mirror, June 22, 2001
Reviewer:
Donna George (see more about me) from North Huntingdon, Pa. United States

Christine Smith's book 'A Mountain In The Wind' Is a mirror of John's ideals. For those who love and miss John and his work, this book will be not just a five star book, but a galaxy of stars. This book touched me as I thought only John's music could. The focus in this book is very positive. Christine often mentions the spirit and thoughts behind many of the verses in John's songs. Who he is talking about and what his words meant to him. The people who he admired and was inspired by.

When reading this book, I reread many of the pages several times. The messages are so profound that I wanted to affirm them in my mind. It also made me realize that John is still alive in his music and the lessons he gave to us.

A Mountain in the Wind, June 6, 2001
Reviewer:
Charles from Southern California

A Mountain in the Wind is a deep look into not only John Denver's spiritual life but it is also a challenge to look into our own spiritual life. How is God working in you life? I believe this book challenges the reader to have an open mind. Even if you do not agree with all of the philosophies described, it clearly shows another side of John Denver and spiritualism in general that you will not find in too many places. Christine Smith has obviously spent many hours studying not only John Denver but also the spiritual messages of many different faiths. This book was very hard to put down. Each chapter created a desire to read more and when finished, each reader will probably feel the need to go back and read it again. There is so much that a second time through will benefit all who read it.

Examination of love in action, June 1, 2001
Reviewer:
Connie R. Sjolie from DeLand, FL United States

Ms. Smith has written an honest appraisal of the life of a truly enlightened and caring human being. Through her words, we gain understanding of the struggle John endured on his journey of life and inspiration for our own struggles and journeys. Hers is a work of love as were all of John's own, exemplifying his compassion for humanity and commitment to the environment, ending poverty and suffering in man and animal alike and to healing our world. I wish to thank Christine for sharing her insights and for her dedication to John in carrying out his legacy.

A Treasure Written by Christine Smith!, February 10, 2001
Reviewer:
Carole Romanowski from Yonkers, NY

Christine Smith's book 'A Mountain in the Wind - An Exploration of the Spirituality of John Denver' is a sensitive, comprehensive, intuitive and inspiring book delving deep into John's soul and spirituality. Her extensive research and keen insight of John's relationship to the universe and his place in it, how he evolved as a spiritual being, who his mentors were, and how he learned his belief in miracles and of hope are all written with utmost affection and in pure honesty by the author.

Throughout the book, Christine often refers to lyrics in John's songs to further witness his spirituality and to provide more indepth analysis of his message. She has also included 8 pages of color photos of John and ends the book with a series of moving essays comprising a beautiful memorial to John by the author herself.

I truly believe you have to be a spiritual person to fully appreciate John Denver - his music, his message - the man himself. So kudos to Christine for enlightening us about the inner John plus also for portraying a powerful blueprint for us to transform our own lives through spiritual discovery and growth.

Since I do not want to give the whole book away, I'll simply say you have to read it! Thank you, Christine, for your time and effort in writing 'A Mountain in the Wind'! I know it was a labor of love for you. And thank you, John, for being her inspiration for the book. It's a treasure!
Peace.
Carole

A Vision of Life, July 26, 2002
Reviewer:
A reader from Seattle, WA

Christine Smith's 'A Mountain in the Wind', is a wonderful piece of literature that finally comes along and unbiasly expresses the essence of what John Denver and his music were all about. It's not about the celebrity; it's not about the man; and it's not about his personal and daily habits, practices, or patterns of living. If that is what people are seeking then his autobiography would be a better place to start (entitled 'Take Me Home', also available from Amazon.com). And, for those seeking to find a written, proverbial 'signature' of John and his life, this is quite simply not a book for the 'fans' but rather a book for the seeker and the believer of truth. This book takes a deep and serious glimpse into the essence of the spirit and the nature of all that encompassed John's beliefs, as we all should believe, about life and what is so about living. It's more than just getting up in the morning and going to work each day, or singing a song on stage, or doing a television show or political speech. It's more than a part time renewal or commitment. It's about 'being', an inner lifestyle and mindset that radiates love and gratitude for all living things, and towards the world as a whole. It's about a lifelong process of development, growth and change that leads to the natural awareness of who and what we are. It's about the happiness of being human, the sharing of each other for the good of all, and it's about the success and failures of the heart. It's about silence and feeling, empathy and honesty. And, ultimately, it's about freedom; the freedom that means we are all one body, one song in the vastness of the cosmos, created in the image of God with nature as our example, our guide, and our nurturing life force. It is a narrative that enlightens and inspires, from the many examples of his music, his thoughts, and his actions, the deepest principles that took a lifetime for John Denver to discover about his fellow man (including himself), our world, and the meaning of life; things he was still learning even at the time of his tragic death. And, from John's examples, Christine marvelously captures a diversity of spirituality that characterizes the natural and unwritten language known only by the soul, which understands the ways and means of a higher order of awareness about existence. And, she translates this non-corporeal and timeless belief system quite eloquently into a language we can all relate to and understand. Finally, from the pages of this wonderful, philosophical and poetic narrative, we too can learn and/or put meaning to those feelings and beliefs within us all for which the end result will enable us to focus more distinctly on our own future and life in hopes that we too will foster the same marvelous paradigm that John Denver exemplified each and every day. With certainty, his music displayed it most giftedly. He was a man with deep convictions of love towards his fellow brothers and sisters and all that exists in the world, and was a wonderful inspiration to us all. We are all ONE', and all of us can believe as John did, and be called to action for change. We are not alone in our lives and wanderings, and we all possess the innate power to give of ourselves freely and unconditionally to each other, and to our world. As the superbly chosen title so eloquently testifies, 'a mountain in the wind' means balancing adversity, individuality, and oneness with the struggles of life and the essence of existence that helps to maintain a togetherness as a family; like a mountain [range] in the wind -- strong and unwavering in spite of frailties. Thus, within each of us dwells, yet only a few ever choose to exercise, the intrinsic capacity to be, 'A Mountain in the Wind.'