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- Great Western Stories
- Writing For 2-Cents A Word
- Five star entertainment!
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The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard CD
Elmore Leonard
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Forty Lashes Less One
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A Century of Great Western Stories-An Anthology of Western Fiction
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The Hot Kid : A Novel
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Valdez Is Coming
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Hombre
ASIN: 0060757655
Release Date: 2004-11-02 |
Book Description
From Elmore Leonard, the author who has influenced more writers than anyother, come two thrilling stories of law in the Old West, upheld by the barrel of a six-gun.
"Three-ten to Yuma:" Deputy Paul Scallen will earn his one hundred fifty dollars if he can get his prisoner Jim Kidd on the train to Yuma Prison. But the members of Kidd's gang have determined that Scallen won't live long enough to make the Three-Ten to Yuma.
"Saint with a Six-Gun:" Bobby Valdez will hang in the morning and young Lyall Quinlan is proud to guard him through the night. But Valdez doesn't seem like a cold-blooded killer and his request for last rites may just set him free ... or get them both killed.
Performed by Henry Rollins, these classics of bullets and bad men demonstrate the superb talent for language and gripping narrative that made Elmore Leonard one of the most acclaimed writers of our time.
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"
No one is more evocative of the dusty, gutsy hey-day of the American West than Elmore Leonard. And no story about a young writer struggling to launch his career ever matched its subject matter better than the tale behind Leonard's Western oeuvre.
In 1950, fresh out of college -- having written two ""pointless"" stories, as he describes them -- Leonard decided he needed to pick a market, a big one, which would give him a better chance to be published while he learned to write. In choosing between crime and Westerns, the latter had an irresistible pull -- Leonard loved movies set in the West. As he researched deeper into settings, Arizona in the 1880s captured his imagination: the Spanish influence, the standoffs and shootouts between Apache Indians and the U.S. cavalry ...
His first dozen stories sold for 2 cents a word, for $100 each. The rest is history.
This first-ever complete collection of Leonard's thirty Western tales will thrill lovers of the genre, his die-hard fans, and everyone in between -- and makes a terrific study of the launch of a phenomenal career.
From his very first story ever published -- ""The Trail of the Apache"" -- through five decades of classic Western tales,
The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard demonstrates again and again the superb talent for language and gripping narrative that has made Leonard one of the most acclaimed and influential writers of our time.
"
Customer Reviews:
Great Western Stories.......2007-01-17
I bought this as a gift for my Dad, an avid Louis L'Amour fan. I wasn't sure if he would like this author, but he said it is a great read!!!!!! I am so pleased w/ my purchase and the great service @ Amazon!!!! Thank You!!!
Writing For 2-Cents A Word.......2005-05-26
Since mine is the first review of this wonderful collection of short stories from a master writer, the book must be one of the best kept secrets of contemporary publishing.
These stories were written during years of the mid-1950s through the mid-1960s for magazines of that period, prior to Elmore Leonard switching to a modern mode of crime writing for books.
Anyone familiar with HOMBRE, VALDEZ IS COMING, or THE TALL T will not be surprised with his talent for writing westerns. He has said he always liked western movies, and his first fledgling attempts at writing were therefore westerns. Growing up in that era, I clearly recall that westerns were almost at the forefront of both publishing and movie screen. Many of us growing up in those days of Hoppy & Roy & Gene & Lone Ranger comics, post-WWII paperbacks, and the local "bijou" theaters, remain western fans to this very day. On a personal note, I probably have well over one thousand paperback westerns in my library, collected over the years, and yes, Mr. Leonard's are all there.
So when this book came out I bought it immediately. The manner in which the publisher issued the book is above normal: inside the front and back covers are many of the magazine covers in color within which the stories appeared; also, there is a nifty map showing many sites in Arizona Territory helping one locate the area of individual stories.
This was an ambitious undertaking from both author and publisher, and one of love from the author I'm sure. If you have interest in Elmore Leonard, or the American fictional west, or both, you will not want to be without this volume.
Five star entertainment!.......2005-04-23
This CD set includes 11 unabridged stories by Elmore Leonard. Stories are read by Tom Wopat , William Atherton, David Strathairn and Henry Rollins. Included in the 6 disk collection which takes about 6 hours to read- or one trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles, or halfway from Fresno to Phoenix ( my two frequent long distance drives) are the following stories:
Blood Money read by Tom Wopat
Only Good Ones read by Henry Rollins
Trail of the Apache read by David Straithairn
Trouble at Rindo's Station read by William Atherton
The Boy Who Smiled read by Tom Wopat
The Tonto Woman read by William Atherton
Hurrah for Captain Early read by Tom Wopat ( this one is also in the When the Women Come out to Dance collection read by Taye Diggs - the two renditions are interesting to contrast as the hero in the story is an African-American who served in the all colored 10th Cavalry division)
The Colonel's Lady read by David Strathairn
Saint With a Six Gun read by Henry Rollins
You Never See Apaches read by William Atherton
Three-Ten to Yuma read by Henry Rollins
For those familiar with Leonard's westerns you will see his favorite landscape- the rugged land of southern Arizona and Apache territory. The scrub grass, dust and blistering heat are a character unto themselves. This collection is aptly handled by a talented crew. I particularily enjoyed the dry delivery of Atherton known best as the obnoxious reporter from the Die Hard movies. David Strathairn has a more measured approach to the complex tales of life on the frontier, Tom Wopat cowboys up for his tales and Henry ROllins is fantastic giving voice to the rough and tumble lawmen of 100 years ago. Recommended for fans of westerns and Leonard alike!
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The Complete Western Stories of Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Genre Fiction
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ASIN: B000NUGN08 |
Product Description
A collection of Western short stories by Elmore Leonard, known mostly for his crime/suspense novels. Large Print Edition.
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Complete Western Stories
Elmore Leonard
Manufacturer: WEIDENFELD & NICOLSO
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0297848119 |
Amazon.com
Smuggling may be de rigueur for some along the Norfolk coast in 1815, but it isn't the usual activity of noble women. Not so for Kathryn "Kit" Cranmer--she yearns for adventure and excitement. Posing as a young boy, Kit is named leader of a ragtag gang of smugglers. Her wits and courage make her a natural leader. But the Norfolk coast is small, and smuggling provides the only lucrative means of support for most of the people who live there. As leader of her small band of smugglers, Kit finds herself pitted against Captain Jack, the head of a rival gang, when the groups compete for the same goods. Jack is infamous for his reputation, but Kit can't resist his charms and they enter into a love affair that is as tempestuous as the rocky coast on which their gangs fight.
Book Description
They meet in a clash of swords, drenched in the moonlight of Britain's rugged eastern coast: Captain Jack, his handsome features etched in silver and shadow, his powerful physique compelling "Kit" Cranmer to surrender. He is her dream lover come vividly alive, and his command of the smuggling gang is absolute. his all–knowing gaze penetrates her disguise as the "lad" leader of a rival gang with frightening ease and his "punishment" with kisses leaves her maidenly modesty in tatters. Suddenly Kit finds she's only too delighted to explore with Jack the pleasures conventionally reserved for married ladies. . .little knowing what dangerous forces she's unleashing. For even as Kit revels in midnight gallops and cottage rendezvous, captain Jack is laying a gentle trap that will curtail her freedom. . .and bind her to him with a ring, a promise. . . and ties of devotion and desire.
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E-book extra: The Gorgeous Specimens the Muse Directs My Way: An Interview with Stephanie Laurens. They meet in a clash of swords, drenched in the moonlight of Britain's rugged eastern coast: Captain Jack, his handsome features etched in silver and shadow, his powerful physique compelling "Kit" Cranmer to surrender. He is her dream lover come vividly alive, and his command of the smuggling gang is absolute. His all-knowing gaze penetrates her disguise as the "lad" leader of a rival gang with frightening ease -- and his "punishment" with kisses leaves her maidenly modesty in tatters. Suddenly Kit finds she's only too delighted to explore with Jack the pleasures conventionally reserved for married ladies little knowing what dangerous forces she's unleashing. For even as Kit revels in midnight gallops and cottage rendezvous, Captain Jack is laying a gentle trap that will curtail her freedom and bind her to him with a ring, a promise and ties of devotion and desire.
Customer Reviews:
Just loved the story.......2007-09-27
This book was great. The story was very exciting and full of adventure and I just could not put it down. I adored Kit Cranmer's character and you can't help but love Captain Jack. Stephanie Laurens seems to have put a lot of thought into her characters and their personalities. A great quick read and it's filled to the brim with steamy love scenes.
The story revolves around Catherine "kit" Cranmer who has a bit of a wild streak and enjoys riding her pure bread Arab across the country side dressed as a man in the dead of night. She ends up leading a small band of smugglers, and joins forces with the hunstanton gang and their leader Captain Jack. However the Hunstanton gang is smuggling more then just Brandy and Lace, and Kit has a bit of a problem when it comes to smuggling spies.
Captain Jack's woman.......2007-01-19
This is the pivotal novel of Laurens' Cynster series & Bastion Club series. For those unfamiliar with Mz Laurens' writting, it is also a good intro to her writing style. Her character development is excellent & the interaction between the main characters is witty & playful. She gives both Kit's & Jack's reasoning & point of view so one can easily follow how each misinterprets the others actions & thoughts. This novel has humor & wonderful romance with plenty of action both in bed & with the "bad" guys. These characters will reappear in subsequent
novels, so remember them! I strongly recommend this novel.
could have been so much better.......2006-11-28
ok, basic story is a woman meets a many that she believes is a smuggler and predictably falls in love with him. he believes she is illegitimate and she believes he is a smuggler, not the high born noble that he really is.
the story started off decently, with jack being a typical overbearing male, but with kit holding her own, at least most of the time. however, as soon as they had sex, she turned into an idiot. she couldn't think when he touched her, and she let him get away with ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING because as soon as he touched her she 'lost her mad' and couldn't remember what she was going to tell him.
he got even more overbearing as the story went on, and instead of her dealing with it in a way that allowed her to keep her independence, she just bows to him. also, her cousins who had stood up for her against her aunts and uncles suddenly decide they don't have the guts to stand up to her husband or to help her. please, some continuity in the characters.
in my opinion the ending ruined the book. i liked kit until the end, and didn't mind jack - he was perfectly redemable - but the ending made me dislike both of them. i didn't care whether they ended up together, and kinda hoped she would leave him and never come back.
as a side note - i did kind of think there was a lot of sex as well. not that i have a problem with sex per se, but it seemed like it was just to fill the pages. to be perfectly honest, they were wasted pages, because the scenes lacked (at least to me) lacked any emotional impact.
so, if you are a laurens fan, i would recommend this book, especially to give you a background for some of her other books. however, if you haven't read her before, don't start with this book.
Get some spine, woman!.......2006-09-02
Normally I love Stephanie Laurens' writing, but this book left me wanting to slap the heroine about once every twenty pages. It started off well - an independent, smart woman, and a smart but arrogant lord. She'll change him, right?
Wrong. For the ENTIRETY of the book, she gets mad at him, plans to tell him how she feels, and somehow can't keep a coherent thought whenever he's around. So they have drawn out sex - and then the scene changes. Why doesn't she ask him after they get the physical stuff out of their system? Argh! He stays arrogant the whole time, and she accepts "he's arrogant but I love him anyway" instead of "I finally got him to admit I'm a valid person too."
All in all, I'll probably keep this book around because it's by Stephanie Laurens and I have the rest of hers, but it's not going to my "read this again" pile. Her Cynster books are much better.
Best of Her Books By Far.......2006-08-10
I admit I've been disappointed in the last few of Ms. Laurens books I read, but I was pleasantly surprised to find this story so out of her usual story line.
Kit is a high spirited young lady who resolves not to marry convinced she'll never find love. The ladies in her small home town plot to get her involved with Lord Hendon the area's most eligible bachelor and newly returned war hero. Kit is bored with the slow life and starts taking moonlight rides on her horse Delia dressed as a lad. She stumbles over a small smuggling gang and leads them out of danger when the watch almost catches them. She finds herself surprised when they make her or "the lad Kit" the leader of their gang. Soon a much larger gang takes over and she finds herself falling for their handsome leader Capt. Jack.
Capt. Jack is really the pseudonym of Lord Hendon who is working undercover for the government to bust the real leaders behind a gang who is smuggling in spies from France. When his gang takes over the smaller gang, he almost immediately figures out Kit is a woman and falls for her, vowing to make her his mistress. He believes she is the illegitimate daughter of one of the local gentry and seduces her. When he finds out who she really is he vows to make her his wife. He doesn't however tell her the truth about who is he is really working for and she is worried when the gang starts bringing in spies.
What is so great about this story is they take two characters who are head strong, but allow them to show their softer sides without ever appearing weak. Kit is the headstrong granddaughter who gets involved where she shouldn't, but she never comes across as spoiled or unlikable. Actually for once, the heroine is the perfect blend of sassy and smart and actually has some common sense. She is one of the best heroines in any book I've read yet. Jack is the man we all dream of having, he gets you all bothered just looking at you. He respects Kit more than most heroes in the regency books but sometimes still falls into that I'm the man , you're the woman trap. His strength is he does recognize that he and Kit are equals. If Ms Lauren had all books this refreshing , with original characters she'd never leave the best selling list.
Book Description
One of the brightest stars of romantic fiction, the incomparable New York Times bestselling author Stephanie Laurens flings wide the gates of the Bastion Club -- an elite society of unmarried London gentlemen dedicated to determining their own matrimonial futures. Here, in one volume, are two of the author's most captivating and sensuous novels: a "prequel" that brilliantly sets the stage for the popular series and an early Bastion delight.
Captain Jack's Woman
Rebellious Kathryn "Kit" Cranmer finds adventure at the head of a rag-tag band of smugglers. But her dashing, ruthless rival, the notorious Captain Jack, rules the night -- and becoming this bold man of mystery's woman will carry Kit to new heights of excitement beyond anything she's ever dreamed.
A Gentleman's Honor
Anthony Blake, Viscount Torrington, believes Alicia Carrington when the frightened young beauty swears she's innocent in the murder of the villain who was blackmailing her. But it is more than honor that compels the handsome nobleman to protect her, and to do everything in his seductive power to make Alicia his.
Two classic novels in one volume!
Product Description
The first three titles in the Bastion Club Series: Captain Jack's Woman; The Lady Chosen and A Gentleman's Honor.
Average customer rating:
- It was an excellent book. . . and why
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Shadowfane (Cycle of Fire/Janny Wurts, Bk 3)
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Harpercollins (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Contemporary
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Wurts, Janny
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Epic
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ASIN: 0061054704 |
Book Description
Ivainson Jaric, heir to the Firelord's legacy, is caught in a life and death struggle to win his inherited powers. Taen Dreamweaver battles her evil brother, corrupted by demons to slaughter his own kind. If either one of the falls, the Stormwarden will never win free of his icy imprisonment to help their cause.
As Scait, Demonlord of Shadowfane, uses his captured human talent for his conquest, his machinations raise an even greater threat, one that could hurl all the world to its destruction , and end mankind's chance of reclaiming freedom among the stars...
And so the Cycle of Fire races toward its powerful conclusion!
Customer Reviews:
It was an excellent book. . . and why.......1998-06-27
Shadowfane is a mixture of fantasty and sci-fi. . . of course,though, it is the sci-fi that always rules. The whole book is gripping and it makes you want to find out what exactly happens next. . . and many things that happen are unexpected - lots of things are unexpected. It still is an excellent book and has a very good ending - at least I think it does
Average customer rating:
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Shadowfane
Janny Wurts
Manufacturer: Harpercollins (Mm)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEWDNE |
Amazon.com
Of course we can never really answer the question of whether God exists. And of course it would have been highly unlikely for Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis to discuss this question in person, considering that they were born in different countries and a generation apart. Nonetheless, The Question of God allows readers to listen in on one of the most articulate debates possible by creating a virtual meeting of Freud and Lewis. For the past 25 years, Armand M. Nicholi has taught a similar course at Harvard, where he compares Freud's atheist-based reasoning against the atheist-turned-believer C.S. Lewis. Both men were considered brilliant, highly educated thinkers who profoundly influenced 20th-century thought. And both men presented compelling arguments for and against the existence of God. At the core is Freud's assertion that God is a figment of the imagination (more accurately, God is an outcome of our deep-seated need for protection, stemming from the helplessness of early childhood). Lewis, on the other hand, did not see the belief in a higher power as a childish need for comfort. In fact, he wrote, "rendering back one's will which we have so long claimed for our own, is, in itself, extremely painful. To surrender a self-will inflamed and swollen with years of usurpation is a kind of death." Nicholi never take sides. Instead he gives both men a chance to eloquently answer the big questions of humanity: why is there suffering? What should be our guiding belief? How do we form a moral compass? Surprisingly, this debate turns out to be a fascinating page-turner, with most of the credit going to Nicholi. Because he understands these men's arguments so well and respects their beliefs so thoroughly, believers could begin to have doubts and atheists could start to wonder. Regardless of where you ultimately land on the question of God, this stellar book will deeply enrich your understanding of humanity. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Throughout the ages, many of the world's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the concept of -- and belief in -- God. It may seem unlikely that any new arguments or insights could be raised, but the twentieth century managed to produce two brilliant men with two diametrically opposed views about the question of God: Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. They never had an actual meeting, but in The Question of God, their arguments are placed side by side for the very first time.
For more than twenty-five years, Armand Nicholi has taught a course at Harvard that compares the philosophical arguments of both men. In The Question of God, Dr. Nicholi presents the writings and letters of Lewis and Freud, allowing them to "speak" for themselves on the subject of belief and disbelief. Both men considered the problem of pain and suffering, the nature of love and sex, and the ultimate meaning of life and death -- and each of them thought carefully about the alternatives to their positions.
The inspiration for the PBS series of the same name, The Question of God does not presuppose which man -- Freud the devout atheist or Lewis the atheist-turned-believer -- is correct in his views. Rather, readers are urged to join Nicholi and his students and decide for themselves which path to follow.
Customer Reviews:
Heidi.......2007-09-26
We have been using this book as an icebreaker to discuss the physicalist and theistic world views. I am learning a great deal about Freud that I never knew before, and have a greater appreciation for the extrinsic pressures (anti-semitic from the religious sect)placed on him. I have been thinking that he was likely an extrinsic atheist, and an intrinsic agnostic. Although I am very familiar with Lewis' works, I have never seen both Freud's and Lewis' philosophies placed side by side before! Thanks!
False advertising.......2007-09-03
I labored through this book in audio format. I have the physical copy on my bookshelf and have had it for several years. (I will now be donating it to goodwill.) From the description, I was expecting a sort of posthumous debate between Freud and Lewis about God, etc., per the title of the book.
I found the actual book to be, disappointingly, nothing of the sort. It seemed more like a mini-biography of both Freud and Lewis, often drifting way off track of their views on the proposed topics of the book. What do the details of Freud's analytical technique have to do with the purpose of the book? Or the drama of Lewis' childhood, or love life? These subjects took up far too much of the book, leaving little room for substance.
I'm disappointed because it wasn't what I thought it would be, at all. I expected a contrasting of opinions and I got a mini-bio instead.
Additionally, I felt the author was clearly biased in favor of Lewis. Whenever a direct comparison of the two was made (which wasn't very often), he seemed to be in favor of Lewis' viewpoint.
I am an atheist, and a former devout Christian, and I greatly admire C.S. Lewis, but he is not the only and best representative of what it means to be a Christian. And neither is Freud the only and best representative of what it means to be an atheist! Overall, I felt the author's handling of the Freud and Lewis, as well as atheism/Christianity, was disappointingly shallow.
Mixed bag.......2007-08-22
Overall, I enjoyed the author's ability to negotiate the lives and teachings of Lewis and Freud. This book is a good way to encounter both thinkers, though it is necessarily a very brief introduction.
As for theological/philosophical perspective, I found Freud a very dissapointing advocate for atheism. Having once been one myself, I recall more convincing (or at least more universally relevant) arguments against God than Freud offers. The treatment of Lewis, in contrast, is encouraging, entertaining, enlightening, and the exposition of his theology is very convincing. Sadly, many chapters include much more of Freud than Lewis.
In all, a decent book, but I recommend just reading some of Lewis's works if you want to learn about his thoughts. If you want a brief treatment of both, then this book is for you.
A great service to fans of Freud and Lewis.......2007-08-16
The author has done a great service in presenting the views and lives of Freud and Lewis in such a readable way. Whether or not you are a fan of either or both men, I believe you will genuinely enjoy the philosophical and lifestyle "debate" that is this book. Although it would seem a very difficult task, the author has done it masterfully and maybe as importantly, concisely.
Which worldview works for the way you live your life?.......2007-04-30
Dr. Nicholi is a professor at Harvard University and teaches a course to his students using this same material comparing the life, writings and worldviews of two extraordinary men - Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, and C.S. Lewis, a converted atheist turned author and Christian apologist. While Freud and Lewis were contemporaries (Freud was 42 years older), they apparently never met in person - until Dr. Nicholi's work to bring his students and those who read this book face to face with these men and their messages. Nicholi gives ample background into the lives and inner workings and struggles of each man helping the reader understand the conclusion each draws on issues such as the presence of God, the concept of evil, and the hope of love. Most people probably are familiar with the different conclusions reached by Freud and Lewis - Freud influenced by his naturalistic worldview is forced to eliminate the possibility of a divine creator and looks at life as hopeless and helpless, man is a product of his conditioning and lives out his existence in a hollow pursuit of meaning and significance. Lewis, on the other hand, surrendered his life to Christ and his worldview was radically transformed - from hopeless to hope-filled! While both men lost loved ones early in life, Lewis was filled with love and passion in his later years, even enjoying his sexual life within the bounds of marriage. Freud was a man who seemingly enjoyed little, including sex, and refrained from sexual intimacy with his wife after the death of his father. While the writings and philosophy of Freud seemed to free the moral constraints of others, Freud himself lived by the moral code of a Jew his entire life and died a bitter man angry at the world and at god.
The book is clearly written by a college professor and would be a great read for high school aged students or those already in college and beyond who really want to compare and contrast the two opposing worldviews of naturalism and Christianity not only in theory but also in practice. Comparing these two lives is a great way to compare what they ultimately believed. The Question of God is not an easy read, but it was a very enjoyable read - Nicholi is an excellent communicator and he makes the nearly 300 pages pass with ease.
Amazon.com
One way of learning the difference between the sheep and the goats, according to Armand M. Nicholi Jr., is to look at the lives of Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis side by side. The Question of God is based on Nicholi's popular Harvard course comparing the two men and their worldviews. Lewis represents "the spiritual worldview, rooted primarily in ancient Israel, with its emphasis on moral truth and right conduct and its motto of Thus saith the Lord"; Freud represents "the materialist ... worldview, rooted in ancient Greece, with its emphasis on reason and acquisition of knowledge and its motto What says Nature?" Nicholi believes that everyone embraces some form of one of these worldviews, and The Question of God helps readers figure out which camp they're in. For the most part, this book remains neutral on the question of who's right and who's wrong. Nevertheless, The Question of God does give Lewis the last word. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
"This elegantly written and compelling comparison of the worldviews of Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis provides a riveting opportunity to consider the most important questions mankind has ever asked: Is there a God? Does he care about me? This profound book is for anyone who is earnestly seeking answers about truth, the meaning of life, and God's existence."
-- Francis Collins, Director, National Human Genome Research Institute
Many of history's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the ultimate question of belief and nonbelief in God. Though it might seem unlikely that any new arguments could possibly be raised on either side, the twentieth century managed to produce two men who each made brilliant, new, and lasting arguments, one in favor of belief and one opposed. Few spokesmen have ever championed their respective positions better than Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. Sadly, as far as we know, they never met or debated each other directly.
In The Question of God their arguments are placed side by side, as if they were standing at podiums in a shared room. Both thought carefully about the flaws and alternatives to their positions; each considered the other's views. Both men considered the problem of pain and suffering, the nature of love and sex, and the ultimate meaning of life and death. Here, with their debate made explicit, we can take ringside seats at one of history's most profound encounters.
For more than twenty-five years Armand Nicholi has studied the philosophical writings of both men, and has taught a popular course at Harvard that compares the two worldviews. In The Question of God he presents the fruits of years of labor among the published and unpublished writings of Lewis and Freud, including an extensive exploration of their private letters. He allows them to speak for themselves on every major question of belief and nonbelief, but also skillfully draws conclusions from their own lives. Why did Freud have such difficulty maintaining lifelong friendships? How did Lewis's friendships change after his transition from atheism to belief? Why was Freud unable to willfully ignore his own internal moral sense, even though he believed it to be purely a product of socialization and not in any way eternally "true"?
The Question of God may be the best book about belief and nonbelief ever written, since it does not presuppose which answer is correct. Instead, it uses two of history's most articulate spokesmen to present arguments on both sides. In the end, readers must join Nicholi's hundreds of former students in deciding for themselves which path to follow.
Download Description
"Many of history's greatest thinkers have wrestled with the ultimate question of belief and nonbelief in God. Though it might seem unlikely that any new arguments could possibly be raised on either side, the twentieth century managed to produce two men who each made brilliant, new, and lasting arguments, one in favor of belief and one opposed. Few spokesmen have ever championed their respective positions better than Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. Sadly, as far as we know, they never met or debated each other directly. In The Question of God their arguments are placed side by side, as if they were standing at podiums in a shared room. Both thought carefully about the flaws and alternatives to their positions; each considered the other's views.
Customer Reviews:
Gets Redundant After A While.......2007-01-23
At the time when I picked this book up, I thought it was an intriguing subject; to juxtapose these thinkers arguments and try to form somewhat of a debate. Unfortunately, the author seems to say everything he can make out of their writings & lives within the first couple of chapters. Afterwards you're just left reading the same thing over & over again. I would suggest reading their individual works if you want something more stimulating. However, this may be a good starter book if you know nothing about either person.
An Interesting View of Two Powerhouses.......2006-03-13
This book is well done. It has matched up the essays CS Lewis wrote in response to Freud's. As a fan of both, it's a great and easy way to read a debate between two great minds of the 20th century.
Not as good as the PBS show of the same name.......2006-02-23
I initially saw the PBS show of the same name and then read the book. I found the television show enormously educational about the views of Freud. Before I saw it, I had a notion of Freud as being an egotiscal, misguided, father figure who needed to be knocked off his pedestal. After it, I found him, through the description of his life by others and his writings themselves, to be an incredibly amazing figure, fully worthy of his spot in the 20th century. An amazing thinker, the sort of person who comes only once in epoch and someone who truly created our modern world. And I had enormous respect for his Atheism and the courage it took to take that stand. Not so, Lewis.
I loved Lewis' books as a child, but I truly question his thought processes. I think it is easy to turn to a God figure, especially after traumatizing events in our lives, particularly since it is so socially sanctioned. What Freud did went beyond finding personallly satisfying rationalizations for mainstream beliefs. I found Lewis' "responses" to Freud's incredible dissections of popular belief to be well, Bilbo Baggins-ish. I wasn't convinced that these feelings of joy, of something other could not be explained away by naturalism, the way our brains react to the stimuli of life and that God is tacked on there because it is the way we are trained from a young age to explain things. I call it the "bowling alley effect". That is we roll the ball down the bowling alley, because that is what we are trained to do. Is it not at all surprising that most people raised in a particular cosmological concept stay within it their entire lives? In all, I don't think that Lewis is really the equal of Freud. Something I find amazing to say, since, before the show I wouldn't have even considered the question at all. Also, their positions within the societies they occupied were so different. Freud, a Jew in an anti-semitic society faced such different challenges, of course, his ability to get along with others was compromised. Lewis, a white, Protestant male in a country ruled by the same, well it is an unfair comparison. And society really does reward you for joining in on its delusions. Sorry to use Freud's words, I know they are terribly off putting, but there you have it.
The book written by Nicholi, which is not tempered by the incredible interviews of those knowledgable about Freud, I found to be terribly one-sided and weighted toward Lewis. There were in the show, interviews with Harold Blum and Ismar Schorsch that were utterly amazing in their description of Freud's ideas. The way Freud put together the analysis of Moses and the psychological underpinnings of Anti-Semitism is brilliant. My mouth almost dropped to the floor. As an American Indian, a member of two tribes that faced holocaust, I was completely overtaken with, yes, Joy at his audacity, fearlessness and absolute genius.
I also found Nicholi's lack of analysis of the power of the state and belief in God to be an extreme oversight. The role of an all-powerful God in legitimizing the overarching power of an Emperor or King is a major component to the whole idea of God in most civilizations. In many, many medieval paintings of heaven and hell, the order of God, angels, humans, devils is shown reflected in a parallel painting of the order of King, vassals and serfs. It was so fundamental to the administration of power over others. If you didn't believe in God that meant you challenged the present social order sanctioned by God, were an enemy of the King and should be killed. This acted as a major force to keeping the belief in God in everyone's lives for many centuries. It also prevented any real discussion of God's existence and even the development of science. The separation of church and state is essential for the protections of basic freedoms and human rights. I should also note, that powerful clerics like the Pope supported the annihilation and enslavement of American Indians. The infallible Pope apologized in 1995, some 500 years after a papal bull legitimized the murder of some millions of children, women and men in the New World. Today, followers of Lewis are leading the charge to take down the barriers between church and state and to create a "Christian Nation". Of course, I think that Lewis would have been perturbed by this, but nonetheless, that is what is happening.
In Jonathan Kirch's God Againts the Gods, he makes a good point that belief in a single, all-powerful deity was not possible without the enforcement of a powerful police state. The natural state of things for most of human history was the belief in a multitude of gods and goddesses. A plurality that is not discussed at all in The Question of God. Monotheism is in itself an extremely unusual state of human spirituality. Traditional peoples believe in many supernatural forces that act in many different ways. Even the Lakota "Great Spirit", Wakan Tanka is really a term that denotes hundreds of supernatural entities both good and bad. This is the natural form that spirituality takes when a society is not forced through an overarching power like a King, a Law Giver or an Emperor. Monotheism and the power of the state are inescapably intertwined. We cannot ignore that our present belief system is a direct product of centuries of this forceful conditioning. Without it the whole discussion of God becomes disingenous.
The Question of God: C.S.Lewis and Sigmund Freud..............2005-09-25
I would recomond this book. The book is very worth reading.
There are only so many choices..........2005-05-20
Dr. Nicholi has obviously been teaching the particulars of these two for a long while. For me, they represent the ying and yang of my life: Freud was my fascination as a young grad student deciding what I really believed. His nihilism was always a little unsettling, but being unsettled is often the norm in the college years. But in adult life, I have found the humility, humor, genius insight, peace, joy and truth in the writing and philosophy of C.S. Lewis to be without peer. In the book Nicholi offers the reader two options; I'm not sure there are more, unlike an articulate lady posited in another review.
The reality is a life founded in materialism can be enjoyed by some; they identify a god to worship and spend their lives doing so dependably and with great passion. The material they worship is not the stuff they collect or the regimen they follow; the material of worship to the materialist is the image seen reflected in the mirror. The underlying void of real spiritual fulfillment is combatted on the internal, totally personal level, mostly not open for outside observation. There is little difference between the apparently Karma-comforted non-theistic Buddhist and the totally self-absorbed millionaire sports fisherman with his multi-million dollar fishing boat, $5,000 tankfuls of fuel, the boat bunny he brings to the remote fishing island while the wife thinks he's with the boys, the drunken stupor he finds himself awaking from without planning it. Both ends of the Freud spectrum are fighting desperately to find peace on their own terms. While the more sober and introspective Buddhist may put on the better show from a mental health perspective, both are running on a treadmill that will eventually throw them off into oblivion. This book underscored my belief that those not on the Lewis end of the spectrum are clearly trapped in the Freud end; it is only the personal character traits of the individual where the overt, observable behavior is different. Inside it is always some kind of chase; the chase of self-love that never brings satisfaction.
Lewis' philosophy is at the other end of the spectrum. Lewis' worldview is typified by peace, rest, security and tranquility. Outside appearances will almost always reveal an interior decor of serenity and confidence. This state of personal assuarance is a result of a chase surrendered. The work of a heart hardening against a higher power is given up to face whatever dire music must be faced, only to discover the surrender is actaully release from prison, slavery and the chase. The joy of liberation is such a profound paradox from the anticipated chains of legalism expected by the regenerated chaser that it's impossible to articulate adequately. But Lewis can get close to it and Nicholi exposits it clearly and with passion.
This book is a brilliant reminder of the choices life offers and the two fascinating personalities of the 20th century who personified the options... there are only so many, maybe only these two.
Product Description
This Audiofy audiobook chip packs Robert Whitfield's full 8.5 hour reading of "The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life" on a tiny memory card. A single Audiofy audiobook chip, hardly larger than a stamp, holds a complete digital audiobook, and saves the last listening position automatically, unlike CDs. With an SD memory card slot or low-cost adapter - like those for digital cameras - this Audiofy audiobook chip can be played on Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh desktop computers or laptops (Microsoft Windows XP/2000/Me/98, or Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above) or transferred to Apple iPod media players. Audiobook chips also move seamlessly to most Palm OS and Pocket PC handheld PDAs with SD expansion slots, as well as Treo and Windows Mobile "smartphones" (Palm OS 5.2 or Windows Mobile 2002 and above)... Renowned psychiatrist and educator Armand Nicholi presents a fascinating comparison of the beliefs of Sigmund Freud and C. S. Lewis. For all the variety of specific religious beliefs, there are fundamentally only two kinds of people: believers and nonbelievers. In the 20th century, no spokesman was more prominent for nonbelief than Sigmund Freud, and nobody argued for belief more successfully than C.S. Lewis. From pain and suffering to love and sex, from God to morality, Lewis and Freud carefully argued opposing positions and even considered the chief objections to their positions. Based on years of studying both men, including wide access to Freud's letters, and teaching a popular course at Harvard comparing the two, this debate on the greatest of subjects strikes at the deepest chords in our souls.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Skeptic (Altadena, CA), published by Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 2222 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Christian and the Atheist.(The Question of God: C. S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life)(Book Review)
Author: Jeffrey Shallit
Publication:
Skeptic (Altadena, CA) (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: Skeptics Society & Skeptic Magazine
Volume: 10
Issue: 4
Page: 78(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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