Book Description
The story of a marriage of true minds and spirits--a brilliant writer's tribute to lasting love. "A vivid and touching chronicle."--Chicago Tribune
Customer Reviews:
Personal & Insightful look into Madeline L'Engle's world.......2007-05-22
I enjoyed this book - it was an insightful look into L'Engle's life. I never knew that she had been an actress. I especially liked her stories about her theatre life. The fact that she was married to the actor that eventually played "Dr. Tyler" on All My Children was interesting too. She shares her views on things that matter to her, and tries to impart some wisdom upon the reader about living with an actor husband, doing what is best for her family, and ultimately doing what is best for her husband in his time of illness. I would recommend this book for anyone going through a difficult time with a gravely ill spouse, and anyone looking to find out more about L'Engle's life.
I did this, then I did that. Boring.......2007-05-20
I have finished Predlude, the first 70 pages. I'm done. This is a step-by-step and quote-by-quote retelling of her love-life, courtship, etc. There are too many great books out there waiting to be read for me to waste my time waiting for this to get better. I don't really care how many times some suitor proposed to her and what her response was, nor how many dog biscuits she ate after taking a bath. The sentences are boring and so is the story. Farandolae are much more interesting.
Aspects of marriage.......2006-07-02
A great read on the complexities of marriage, life and facing death. Two of my favorite quotes of all time are in this book.
Sentiments rarely praised these days.......2003-10-02
(Two Part Invention) I was touched by the way this woman thought as she entered marriage; how she considered the marriage before any other factor in life. As someone born in the last 40 years, I have honestly never heard a woman talk about her marriage in those terms. I was humbled and thought what a shame...we have lost something very special and gentle: honoring marriage. I never did, never knew anyone who did, marriage for myself and those in my circle was more of a nuisance. After two painful divorces I could finally hear Madeline's voice and everything she said made such beautiful and perfect sense. I long for that type of life and marriage and never realized all along it had to come from me. I also cried after putting the book down and a tear often comes when the book comes to mind. I always remember her thought about moving into the city - where she didn't particularly want to live - so that she could be the wife "hosting the slumber party" when they were snowed in, rather than being the wife getting the call when the husband wouldn't be coming home to the suburbs. And how she adjusted her whole sleep schedule to accomodate her husbands' late work nights. Sigh. Thank you Madeline, thank you for a voice that is not often heard.
Wonderful.......2003-03-05
Two-Part Invention was wonderful. Madeleine L'Engle talks about her 40 year marriage in retrospect - while dealing with the imminent death of her husband after a long struggle with illness. It is moving and profound and inspiring - not depressing at all, despite the sad subject matter. I appreciated that she talked about her craft - and the struggle between being a good wife and mother and being a writer. I'm far from a "writer" but I understand her plight - finding a balance between her vocation as a mother and wife and her avocation as a writer while still doing it all. I think anyone who has a passion for art or writing or any sort of creation and has struggled with that creative urge in the face of their other responsibilities will understand. Wonderful.
Average customer rating:
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Two Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage/Leaders Guide
Madeleine L'Engle
Manufacturer: HarperCollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Actors & Actresses
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
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General
| Reference
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ASIN: 0062506382 |
Customer Reviews:
life-changing.......1998-08-28
Madeline L'Engle's perception on life truly is unique and uplifting and after reading this book only 4 short weeks after my own wedding day, I am approaching the years with my husband and future family from a completely new angle. In a story centered around a 40 year marriage, Ms. L'Engle was at all times a model of passion, creativity, courage, faith, and self-sacrificing love. If you choose not to live by the "norm"; if your prayers come in all forms; if you live by the pulse of the city or the rhythm of nature; if family time comes at any hour of the day; if you love someone so completely that you are willing to let them die first-- read this book. I promise it will change your life.
Average customer rating:
- It was a difficult book to get through
- LOVE IT
- One of the best...
- storm winds
- Your typical historical romance
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Storm Winds (Wind Dancer)
Iris Johansen
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
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The Wind Dancer
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ASIN: 0553290320
Release Date: 1991-05-01 |
Book Description
A twisted psychopath...a trail of violence...and a man and woman who will risk everything to stop him...
Jean Marc Andreas wanted what was his by right. He was seeking justice--and he would use any means to get it. Juliette de Clement, a confidante of the royal family, could aid his search for the priceless treasure so many had killed to possess...and died to protect. But in eighteenth-century revolutionary France, a world of power and intrigue, soldiers and assassins, royalty and rebels, death could come in many forms and from any direction, and none more lethal--or more likely--than from the person you trusted most.
Still, Jean and Juliette had no choice but to trust each other, because their very lives depended on it. Someone else was determined to have the Wind Dancer statue--and the legacy of power it bestowed. Someone whose twisted genius for evil was already wreaking a path of unspeakable violence that only together they could stop...even as they stood to be its next victims.
Customer Reviews:
It was a difficult book to get through.......2007-03-12
I have enjoyed other books by Iris Johansen Countdown, Dark Rider, Lion's Bride and Wind Dancer, but I didn't care for Storm Winds as much as I did the others.
Early in the book Iris Johansen describes in a graphic and prolonged fashion a horrid scene of rape and butchery, for me those word visions stayed with me and I dreaded what was to come from the sadistic character that would reoccur throughout the book. It's possible I am to sensitive concerning violent acts upon girls and anyone that reads this review may ask why I bothered to continue with the book, well the answer is simple it's better to read to the end so I'm not left wondering what happen, a final resolution is always the best path to pursue.
LOVE IT.......2007-03-09
I LOVE IRIS JOHANSEN!!!! ALL OF THE BOOKS I HAVE READ OF HERS ARE GREAT!!!!! READ THEM, YOU WON'T BE DISAPOINTED!
One of the best..........2007-01-05
The Wind Dancer series of books has been my absolute favorite! If you love history and romance these are the books for you! I love how Iris researches the history before she writes it in. I could not put down any of the books in the Wind Dancer series. They are probably up there with the best books I've ever read!
storm winds.......2007-01-04
I ENJOYED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH. I DID'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN.
Your typical historical romance.......2006-12-21
This is part of a series. I had no idea until I was about to leave my review. My mistake for not taking the time to find out. I enjoyed the book but it did take some effort to keep picking it up. It's not one that grabbed me like others have. I still gave it a 4 star rating. I hope you'll like it too.
Book Description
A user’s guide to the planet.
We see it every day, yet we understand so little about Earth. From minerals to meteorites, this book covers every aspect of the science of our world. It breaks this complex discipline into four major sections: geology, oceanography, meteorology, and planetary science, and it gives an overview of the processes of each. Complete with interactive experiments and a glossary, this book makes the study of our planet—and other planets— easier than ever.
Topics covered include
*rocks
*plate tectonics
*geologic processes and time
*the sea floor and shoreline
*currents
*waves and tides
*atmospheric conditions and layering
*clouds, winds, and storms
*exploration of the planets
*natural satellites
*asteroids and comets.
Look for these Made Simple titles
Accounting Made Simple
Arithmetic Made Simple
Astronomy Made Simple
Biology Made Simple
Bookkeeping Made Simple
Business Letters Made Simple
Chemistry Made Simple
English Made Simple
French Made Simple
German Made Simple
Ingles Hecho Facil
Investing Made Simple
Italian Made Simple
Latin Made Simple
Learning English Made Simple
Mathematics Made Simple
The Perfect Business Plan Made Simple
Philosophy Made Simple
Physics Made Simple
Psychology Made Simple
Sign Language Made Simple
Spelling Made Simple
Statistics Made Simple
Your Small Business Made Simple
www.broadwaybooks.com
Customer Reviews:
Earth Science Made Simple is Simple.......2007-09-09
Great overview of the general topics in earth science. The only thing that I wish the book included would be question sets to review the material. I would use this book more as a resource for myself than my students.
Just What I Wanted.......2007-03-09
I was looking for a basic science book to introduce Earth Science to my kids. Too many of the books I looked at were "dumbed down". I just wanted basic coverage of science without politically correct commentary. This books gives nice coverage to the topics without obvious slanting towards anyone's agenda. I like it. (Yes, biomes are threatened, but I'd like to teach my kids about them before I talk about why they are threatened.) All in all, a good basic book.
Average customer rating:
- Historical Romance
- Transported Away
- Beverly Jenkins WINDS OF THE STORM is an awesome tale.
- Once again . . .
- HOT! HOT! HOT!
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Winds of the Storm (Avon Historical Romance)
Beverly Jenkins
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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United States | Short Stories | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 006057531X
Release Date: 2006-04-25 |
Book Description
Archer Le Veq owes his life to the woman who rescued him from certain death at the height of the Civil War...a woman known only as "the Butterfly." Now, in the dark, waning days of Reconstruction, he needs the courageous and beautiful former spy...in more ways than before!
Zahra Lafayette thinks her days of intrigue are far behind her, until she is asked to go on one more mission. Posing as an infamous madam in New Orleans, Zahra must gather information to ensure the safety of the South's freedmen. The last thing she expected was to see Archer Le Veq again. He is as arrogant as he is handsome, but there is something about this dusky and debonair hotelier that sends her senses singing. Zahra knows she will need to guard her secrets, but no peril awaiting her compares with the treachery of Zahra's own heart – for, Lord help her, she burns to taste the man and to lose herself in his powerful embrace.
Customer Reviews:
Historical Romance.......2007-03-09
Another Beverly Jenkins hit. I've just about read all of Beverly Jenkins books and trust me this woman can deliver the best...it's never a disappointment with anything she's written. This is a wonderful historical romance book, if you are interested in black history and what black people have done to make the many contributions that we've had to this country, read this book. Beverly does an extensive amount of research when she writes historical books, or any book for that matter and is excellent with providing further insight and websites to further your knowledge. This is another book that doesn't disappoint.
Transported Away.......2007-02-23
Indigo was the first book I read by Beverly Jenkins. Afterwards, I purchased most of her books. I've also purchased a couple of the books that she lists in her Author's Note. Her characters are so life-like. Sometimes I wish I could be transported back in time to see what life was really like for 19th century African Americans.
Beverly Jenkins WINDS OF THE STORM is an awesome tale. .......2007-01-20
Known only as the Butterfly, Zahra fluttered about the country providing information to the Federal forces and aiding in the rescue of runaway slaves and other men and women who required help. Zahra takes great pride in her small contribution to the civil war efforts, but she's never forgotten one of the men she saved - Archer Le Veq. The war is over but Zahra has been requested for a special mission - posing as the madam of a brothel in New Orleans.
Archer Le Veq owns a prominent hotel in New Orleans. During the war, he had worked for the Bureau of Military Information, collecting intelligence on the Confederacy. Until he was captured and came close to losing his life, only to be rescued by a mysterious woman known only as the Butterfly.
In the days following the war, the country is in a state of Reconstruction. For many it's a time of rebuilding and hope. For others, it's a time of a questionable future as they struggle to be accepted into society. Zahra was content with her life in South Carolina. She'd done her part to help her people during the war. She had no intention of going back into the service of the country, but President Grant requested Zahra and promised to look into the situation involving her parents getting their land back. Hoping the president would honor his word and help her parents, Zahra takes the assignment. In order to collect information involving the perilous situations that people of color faced, Zahra will travel to New Orleans posing as the madam of a newly established brothel. Nobody would suspect the proprietor of such an establishment of gathering information. To protect her identity, Zahra wears a domino which only seems to entice the men, including Archer's brother, Phillipe. Everybody wants to know the story behind the mysterious Madam Domino. Archer fully intends to stay away from the house of ill-repute until circumstances bring them together and he finds himself just as enamored of Madam Domino as everyone else. Unlike the others though, Archer has a feeling he's met her before, if he could only remember where . . .
Beverly Jenkins WINDS OF THE STORM is an awesome tale. You not only get a fabulous love story but you get further insight into the history behind the figures who struggled to help ensure every man, woman, and child of every race were treated equally. Zahra is one of the most memorable characters I've ever encountered in a storyline. She's strong willed, incredibly smart, and selfless. Archer is everything Zahra needs in a man - virile, sexy, and he accepts her and the roles she plays in an effort to help their people. There are other equally great characters in this story that do bear mentioning but that would make this review way too long. I highly recommend this book. You'll want to meet the other great characters from this period in our history.
This book is a follow up to Ms. Jenkins book THROUGH THE STORM. I'm sincerely hoping there will be a third book involving Phillipe. He's a dynamic character throughout the plot in this story who had me smiling with his antics. This is a powerfully moving tale that has earned permanent spot on my keeper shelf.
Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
Once again . . ........2007-01-09
Beverly Jenkins is brilliant. I normally read modern-day novels, however, she is the only author whose historical romances I will read. Her historical romance always provide some insight into black history, which is valuable.
HOT! HOT! HOT!.......2006-09-16
Beverly Jenkins has done it AGAIN! Archer and Zahra are sizzling! I absolutely LOVED this book. I read it in a day and a half (because I had to stop and go to work!) and now I want to re-read it again. I think this may have been the best yet. The character of Zahra was exquisitely done. I loved her sense of humor and her ability to "play" with Archer Lev Veq. As a distinguished "gens de coleur" Archer was a highly revered man of color who was wealthy and was in a higher social class than Zahra. So of course, Zahra would never have ranked as a suitable mistress for him but once Archer laid eyes on her, he was totally smitten by the beautiful Butterfly (Zahra's spy name). The playful banter and the electricity between the characters practically leap off the pages and I couldn't get enough. I can't wait until she writes another. Hurry Beverly your fans are EAGERLY waiting!
IF you have never read a Beverly Jenkins book, you are missing out. She does an excellent job of weaving little known facts about African-American history throughout a sensual love story. I have NEVER read another author that has mastered the art of telling an intriguing and suspenseful story while maintaining the eroticism but B.J. has NAILED it! We love you Beverly!! Keep writing!!!
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The Gathering Storm: Winds of Change in a Post-Christian World
Sammy Tippit
Manufacturer: Moody Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0802415717 |
Average customer rating:
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Big Wind Coming!
Karen English
Manufacturer: Albert Whitman & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0807507261 |
Average customer rating:
- Classic Sci Fi
- Black, the horse from hell
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Dilvish, the Damned
Roger Zelazny
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BKTC6M |
Product Description
1st Book Club Edition.
Customer Reviews:
Classic Sci Fi.......2007-09-27
I picked up this book by Roger Zelazny while looking for other sci-fi at a local used book store. The version I have has a terrible cover right out of the artistically challenged 1970's. What is it about that period that produced such awful art in every field? But as the saying goes, don't judge it by it's cover. This is a great book of short stories that I came into with great scepticism. I don't read just anybody, I like references. Wolfe led me to Borges and John. C. Wright, Phillip Dick and Jack Vance.
I was looking for something else that has escaped me, when instead the Zelazny book found me instead. He is an artful writer, sort of like Vance without all the artifice. In some sense it reminded me of Vance's Dying Earth and by extension Wolfe's Torturer books. But Zelazny has an interesting since of humor, and whereas Vance's Dying Earth seems to have nothing but scoundrels in it, Dilvish exudes a certain nobility in his action and motivation.
Since these stories were not written into a coherent whole, there are large gaps in the action and what happened has to be pieced together, but I like that. The style rings more true to life, where we lack information and have to guess at what is going on around us. Looking at the book I expected a lot of stuff about hell and demons and things, but really it doesn't get much of a treatment. Dilvish was sent to hell for a few centuries by an evil wizard but has somehow escaped (we aren't told how) and is now out for revenge. The entire series of episodes is in some sense his quest to find his tormentor. The opening pages made me think that I was in store for some over the top, quasi-Medieval romance with absurd language and unbelievable characters, but the stories get better as they go. This is light fare, but entertaining, and skillfully done.
Black, the horse from hell.......2007-01-14
Normally I don't go for Gonads-the-Barbarian clones, but "Dilvish the Damned" (1982) is a collection of short stories that forms a prequel to "The Changing Land" (1981), which is one of my favorite Zelazny fantasies.
Plus Dilvish the Damned has a very cool demon horse named Black, who supplies most of the brains and brawn in these eleven stories. Dilvish spent a couple of years in hell, courtesy of the evil sorcerer, Jelerak, and his gray matter seems to have gotten a bit scrambled. That makes him easy prey for every sorceress-in-distress who falls his way and/or out of her décolleté dress.
Black is very philosophical about these encounters.
Zelazny tossed off these stories in the midst of writing five of his Amber novels, from 1964 to 1981. Like the Amber novels, there is lots of flashy sword-play, and slightly wittier dialogue than is to be found in most thews-thaumaturgy-and-thwack'em tales. The earlier stories such as "Passage to Dilfar" (1964) and "Thelinde's Song" (1965) tend to be written with the verbs in front of the subjects, as in "...neither were his eyes the eyes of Men," and there are mighty curses within. One of my favorites, to be uttered in the full heat of battle, is "May he thrash in the darkness of the darknesses for the ages of ages."
These stories don't always flow one into another as many were written from year to year for the fantasy magazines. Dilvish acquires an invisible sword and a legion of ghosts in one tale, "The Bells of Shoredan" (1966), loses the legion but keeps the sword in the next, "A Knight for Merytha" (1967). He permanently loses the sword in the following stories (well, it was invisible). I'd recommend "Dilvish, the Damned" (1982) for serious Zelazny fans only, or those who are interested in the prequel to "The Changing Land."
Customer Reviews:
Dilvish the Darned.......2006-12-19
Normally I don't go for Gonads-the-Barbarian clones, but "Dilvish the Damned" (1982) is a collection of short stories that forms a prequel to "The Changing Land" (1981), which is one of my favorite Zelazny fantasies.
Plus Dilvish the Damned has a very cool demon horse named Black, who supplies most of the brains and brawn in these eleven stories. Dilvish spent a couple of years in hell, courtesy of the evil sorcerer, Jelerak, and his gray matter seems to have gotten a bit scrambled. That makes him easy prey for every sorceress-in-distress who falls his way and/or out of her décolleté dress.
Black is very philosophical about these encounters.
Zelazny tossed off these stories in the midst of writing five of his Amber novels, from 1964 to 1981. Like the Amber novels, there is lots of flashy sword-play, and slightly wittier dialogue than is to be found in most thews-thaumaturgy-and-thwack'em tales. The earlier stories such as "Passage to Dilfar" (1964) and "Thelinde's Song" (1965) tend to be written with the verbs in front of the subjects, as in "...neither were his eyes the eyes of Men," and there are mighty curses within. One of my favorites, to be uttered in the full heat of battle, is "May he thrash in the darkness of the darknesses for the ages of ages."
These stories don't always flow one into another as many were written from year to year for the fantasy magazines. Dilvish acquires an invisible sword and a legion of ghosts in one tale, "The Bells of Shoredan" (1966), loses the legion but keeps the sword in the next, "A Knight for Merytha" (1967). He permanently loses the sword in the following stories (well, it was invisible). I'd recommend "Dilvish, the Damned" (1982) for serious Zelazny fans only, or those who are interested in the prequel to "The Changing Land."
Product Description
7 massmarket paperback Titles By Zelazny - This Immortal - Isle of the Dead - Jack of Shadows - Lord of Light - My Name Is Legion - Dilvish the Damned - Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming
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Dilvish the Damned
Manufacturer: Underwood Miller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0934438692 |
Product Description
Limited to 333 numbered and signed copies.
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- dilvish - a saint from hell
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Dilvish, the Damned
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
| Adventure
| Alternate History
| Anthologies
| General
| Graphic Novels
| High Tech
| History & Criticism
| Series
| Short Stories
| Space Opera
ASIN: 9993067210 |
Customer Reviews:
dilvish - a saint from hell.......2000-06-15
this is a very different book compared to other books by zelazny. it tells the adventures of our hero - dilvish , an elf returning from his exile in hell on a metal horse named black.his only goal now is revange: to find jelerak - the evil sourcerer who exiled him and to kill him... however , the story is build from 11 chapters that seem almost to have no conection between themselves. each chapter is a different adventure that dilvish and black go through when the previous adventures are almost never mentioned (and sometimes seems even not to be finished). the adventures are really great ones - zelazny's imagination at it's best. it's been great fun !
Amazon.com
The World's Religions, by Huston Smith, has been a standard introduction to its eponymous subject since its first publication in 1958. Smith writes humbly, forswearing judgment on the validity of world religions. His introduction asks, "How does it all sound from above? Like bedlam, or do the strains blend in strange, ethereal harmony? ... We cannot know. All we can do is try to listen carefully and with full attention to each voice in turn as it addresses the divine. Such listening defines the purpose of this book." His criteria for inclusion and analysis of religions in this book are "relevance to the modern mind" and "universality," and his interest in each religion is more concerned with its principles than its context. Therefore, he avoids cataloging the horrors and crimes of which religions have been accused, and he attempts to show each "at their best." Yet The World's Religions is no pollyannaish romp: "It is about religion alive," Huston writes. "It calls the soul to the highest adventure it can undertake, a proposed journey across the jungles, peaks, and deserts of the human spirit. The call is to confront reality." And by translating the voices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Christianity, and Judaism, among others, Smith has amplified the divine call for generations of readers. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
Originally titled The Religions of Man, this completely revised and updated edition of Smith's masterpiece, now with an engaging new foreword, explores the essential elements and teachings of the world's predominant faiths, including:
- Hinduism,
- Buddhism,
- Confucianism,
- Taoism,
- Islam,
- Judaism,
- Christianity,
- and the native traditions of the Americas, Australia, Africa, and Oceania.
Emphasising the inner –– rather than institutional –– dimensions of these religions, Smith devotes special attention to Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, Sufism, and the teachings of Jesus. He convincingly conveys the unique appeal and gifts of each of the traditions and reveals their hold on the human heart and imagination.
Customer Reviews:
The World of the late fifties Religions.......2007-09-23
This is not a bad overview of some of the World's religions, but the reader should take care. Although I originally considered the book as a text for a survey course I am teaching on the subject, after reading some of the selections more closely, I was unsure that the book would work. It is well-written and interesting to read, to be sure, but smacks of a certain condescension or has a patronizing tone that came off as a little biased. I might still use the text to demonstrate a point of view, but have concerns that some of the students in the class whose own traditions were discussed by the author might take exception at how he portrays or writes about them. The book is a product of its time -- pre civil rights, pre feminist, pre alot of things. Yet, like a number of sort of "classics", it has its merits.
An excellent book for mutual understanding.......2007-08-29
What started me on reading this book was a talk with a Muslim lady. It was in 1997 at a park in California, U.S. She was a mother of two little children and so was I. We somehow slipped into a sensitive topic like religions. She was Muslim and very happy with it. When I told her I was Buddhist, she said,"Buddhism is a beautiful religion". I was so moved because it was the last remark I expected from a person of a different religious background. She had taken a class of religious study in a university, and this book was the textbook.
This book clearly shows the main ideas of world religions. It is not only good for understanding other people's religion but also helpful in understanding my religious background. I realized that religious environment of Japan is a mosaic of Hinduism, Buddism, Confucianism and Taoism on the base of Shintoism (one of the primal religions). Since around 1868, Japan has been influenced with an idea that the wolrd should become better if you really work hard together, as you see in social movements, which I think derived from Christianity.
Introduction to the World's Great Religions.......2007-07-21
This book is absolutely EXCELLENT in its coverage of the wide array of world religions. One large missing gap, however, is a discussion of African traditional/indigenous religions (such as Yoruba), and African-Caribbean religions (such as Vodun). This is a major weakness of the book. For example, in using the book for a summer World Religions course, I had to independently gather excerpts from other books and additional articles so that African-based traditional religions could be included along with the rest of the world. While the book contains numerous photographs of people of African descent practicing the various world religions, it does not contain a discussion of religions that originated with them and that are still widely practiced. It is important also for people who read the book to learn that while Western versions of Christianity, and while Islam is practiced in Africa, such religions are are re-configured by Africans and merged with various elements of traditional indigenous African religion. The Independent African Christian churches are examples of this type of integration. I think that the next edition of this book should add such a section. Perhaps a scholar such as Mbiti might be added to the group of scholars who compose the next edition.
As a college text - use with reservation.......2007-07-16
This book is often recommended as a good classic for an introduction to the world's religions. It was the first book I read on the subject many years ago when I started on my own long journey to study the world's religions. I recently used this book as a text for my college class on the world's religions but, to my dismay, my students found it most difficult reading. I have to agree with my students that Smith can be a bit wordy at times as he runs on and on in an attempt to explain complex religious concepts and values to drive the point home in ways that the western reader can relate to (was I too wordy there?). Personally, I like the book for what it offers: Smith gets right to the heart of the religions, bypassing all the superficial history, creeds and practices. He really does capture the most important essence of each religion and does so in a way that really makes each religion shine - putting its "best foot forward." And that he does try to relate these otherwise foreign ideas to the reader is the real value of this book. But the astute reader will want to beware that Smith leaves a lot unsaid: If you are looking to learn the history and practices of these religions, you'd best look elsewhere.
I recommend using Irving A. Sparks' "Reading and Writing Workbook" as a companion to Smith if you are serious about wanting to focus on the most essential points Smith is making (although my students often failed to use good critical reading skills so as to identify the most essential points in an effort to answer the questions in the Workbook).
Simplicity, Clarity and Profundity.......2007-06-13
Dr. Huston Smith's updated magnum opus provides unparalleled and valuable insight into the manifold expressions of humankind's deepest and longest-lived religious impulses. Don't expect this book (or any of Dr. Smith's books, articles or interviews) to reflect dusty and dry academic renditions of the superficial commonalities and differences betwixt and between the world's religions. Rather, revel in Dr. Smith's ability to elegantly and poetically describe the authentic profundities and differing world views in each. A life-long Methodist, born to missionary parents in China, Dr. Smith has immersed himself in these various traditions for long periods and, from experience and understanding, separates gold from institutional/cultural dross. As the world shrinks and our numbers grow it is ever more important to go beyond the implied condescension of simple tolerance towards a deeper understanding and appreciation of religious traditions and expressions that differ from our own. If you read only one "religious" book in your lifetime, make it this one. Dr. Smith is a global treasure.
Books:
- Villa Incognito
- Virgin Earth: A Novel
- Walden Two
- When Dreams Cross (Second Chances Series #2)
- With a Tangled Skein (Book Three of Incarnations of Immortality)
- Zorba the Greek
- 2010: Odyssey Two
- Absolution by Murder (A Mystery of Ancient Ireland)
- Amongst Women
- Assassins: Assignment: Jerusalem, Target: Antichrist (Left Behind No. 6)
Books Index
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