Book Description
The stories in this collection explore the complex worlds of lovers, poets, lawyers, immigrants, students, and murderers. They tell of corporate betrayals and lost opportunities, and of the obsessions, hopes, fears, and vagaries of desire.
Customer Reviews:
Reasons To Read "Reasons...".......2007-05-25
Perlman's writing style is the kind of deceptively simple literary pulp that might finally bring intelligent books back into vogue. The mass-produced mush that often clots the shelves of bookstores has its place, but it has also made works of genius tiresome affairs for most people. No one likes to be talked down to, least of all by an inanimate object.
Perlman's writing follows in the footsteps of authors like Cheever and Carver, men who throw their ten cents in but make it look like two. These are the kinds of works that don't fly over the head, but that are also much deeper and more dangerous than they initially seem. As a result, people don't feel alienated by the text, nor do the intelligentsia feel slighted by the material.
Short stories are tough acts for novelists, though. Even if Perlman's deft strokes show in the tales of this book, his limitations are likewise revealed. How to contain, in a handful of pages, the breadth and beauty that these guys more artfully employ in hundreds of pages or more? Below is a brief list of the stories, in order of accomplishment.
1 Star - MANSLAUGHTER - An overlong excuse for Perlman to use the technical knowledge he has gained in his work as a barrister. The fluctuating narratorial threads and the ambivalent emotion of the piece showcase the post-modern emotion behind concepts like "guilt" and "justice," but the overall product is bloated, unwieldy, and boring in the way of uber-technical curios.
2 Stars - THE HONG KONG FIR DOCTRINE & SPITALNIC'S LAST YEAR - Both of these are brief character pieces that suffer from opposite maladies. The first has an ending that is far too on the nose; the strength of the metaphor that Perlman employs (the title's doctrine) is sapped by his overt use of it. The second, about a grad student with lousy luck (mostly in love), has an ending so foggy and unrefined that it makes a mockery of the word "last" in the title. If that's where the impetus of the story is to lie, in the word "last," then I'd suggest the story didn't need to be quite so deliberate with its details.
3 Stars - YOUR NIECE'S SPEECH NIGHT & A TALE IN TWO CITIES - The former is a stream-of-consciousness look at the thoughts of a man who is jilted by a duplicitous lover. The story is told in the fashion that Perlman seems to enjoy the most (i.e. to "you"), and although it is a remarkably intense piece, the narrator's muddled mess of a mind makes it hard to read. Ultimately, the monologue collapses under the cleverness of the plot and the stupidity (or ignorance) of the main character. The latter story is a brief treatise on the historical persecution of Russian jews mingled with a tongue-in-cheek detective story about a missing brother. Both stories have Perlman's flair for language and revelation, but the two threads do NOT mix well at all. Perlman is good, but not good enough to flop back and forth between weighty social portents and breezy barroom jokes.
4 Stars - GOOD MORNING, AGAIN & THE REASONS I WON'T BE COMING & I WAS ONLY IN A CHILDISH WAY CONNECTED TO THE ESTABLISHED ORDER - The mental flotsam that fills a man's head in the post-dawn hours after a one-night stand. The simple and somehow unsurprising steps that lead numbly and quietly to a seemingly happy couple's separation. The steady wasting away of a poet's sanity and the things it takes for him to find his own heart again. Solidly driven, all of these pieces, and containing the multi-layered punch of Perlman's seductive prose.
5 Stars - IN THE TIME OF DINOSAURS - Writing from the perspective of a young boy who watches his family fall apart, the pathos and tender withdrawl of this story is eloquently realized. No maudlin strings are pulled, and emotion is consciously toned down, so that the young child's experiences seem ever more present. Perlman refuses to inject his narrator's world with the judgements and understandings of a man more mature, allowing his readers to do that for him. The effect is stunning.
It's the good and the bad. The dull and the sparkling. Short story collections are often hit and miss. As far as this book's score, well, you do the math.
A good stepping stone to his deeper work, just don't expect to be blown away entirely..........2007-03-21
I'm a fan of Elliot Perlman, have been since reading his gargantuan masterpiece `Seven Types of Ambiguity' and so when I stumbled across `The Reasons I Won't be Coming' at my local bargain bookstore I had to have a copy. This is a collection of 9 short stories, some longer than others that at times either shine a spotlight on Perlman's talent or, to some extent, dim that light. There are some great stories here, `In the Time of the Dinosaur' stands out as my favorite I believe, but there are also some I could have done without.
Reading this collection I noticed something about this author I've come to love, and that is that he tends to have a one track mind when it comes to his characters. Every narrator, that aside from the one in `In the Time of the Dinosaur', seems to be these smart literary lost souls who can never find the right person who understands them. It can get somewhat redundant and disappointing. That aside, one can't ignore this man's mastery of the English language. Everything is written so elegantly that you're compelled to enjoy it even if you don't really understand it.
He starts things off on a good note, with `Good Morning, Again', and what I liked about this opening story is that it was short and to the point, grabbed your interest and made you want to read more. It describes one mans feelings after spending the night for the first time with a new lover, how she compares to his former flame and whether or not he wishes to continue down the road to a relationship with this younger woman. It's very real and very relatable. Again, Perlman's writing is just so absorbing.
What makes `In the Time of the Dinosaur' my favorite story here is the mere fact that Elliot takes the narrative of a young boy, kindergarten age most likely, and makes it interesting, but most important of all, realistic. When I first started reading and realized how young the boy was I was afraid that Elliot would end up giving him the same vocabulary as his adult narrators but he did nothing of the sort. Instead he gave young Lucas the mentality and the grammar of a child his age. The story is bitter sweet, starting off somewhat cute and then developing into a very somber study of a child's viewpoint and or understanding of his parents deteriorating marriage. The boy never realizes what's really going on and so, even thought it's obvious to the reader, we're only given the boys interpretation of the events surrounding him. Very well written and short enough to reach the heart without overstaying it's welcome.
`Your Niece's Speech Night' is the first story in the bunch that resorts back to the Perlman I know from `Seven Types of Ambiguity', the heavy wording, the intriguing characterization, the thought provoking dialog. Here Elliot discusses an office romance that may or may not be serious, and as the narrator recounts his meeting with his lover as well as the events proceeding that leave him sitting in an auditorium with her sister and brother-in-law watching her niece give a speech while she's no where in sight. The ending is rather ambiguous itself, and that last sentence alone is worth the read, but it still pales in comparison to some of the superior work resting beside it.
`The Reasons I Won't Be Coming' may be my second favorite story here, and the reason for that is it shows what can happen when a simple misunderstanding is blown out of proportion, how a simple conversation can mean one thing to one party and the complete opposite to the other. Here Perlman gives us a married couple who've been through the worst together (losing a child to what appears to be murder or some other police matter) and yet it's a conversation about their engagement so many years ago that sparks feelings that may or may not have been festering for years. It's a somber piece of literature that hits deep.
One of my least favorites is `Manslaughter'. In this story Perlman dissects the courtroom as a jury decides whether or not to convict a man of murder. The story is a bit long for me, at least for what it has to say, but it's very well written and I was intrigued for the majority of the time. I didn't feel any real connection to any of the characters though, probably due to the fact that no one was really explained very well. It felt as though this could have been a test run for the courtroom scenes that took place in `Seven Types of Ambiguity', the former of which worked much better.
`The Hong Kong Fir Doctrine' reads like a plea from a jaded lover, a man who had an affair with a married student of his (or ex-student to be more exact) that caused her pregnancy and then in effect put an end to their relationship. He's mourning the loss of her companionship when he half expected to have her forever, for her to leave her husband and maybe even her children and stay with him. It's a little whiney to be honest, but it's still beautifully written. That's one thing that can't be repeated enough when in regards to Elliot Perlman, he's a phenomenal writer who knows haw to paint a picture so clear and relatable.
Close to the best in the bunch, `I Was Only in a Childish Way Connected to the Established Order' perfectly creates a mood of misery and depression as it accounts the life of a man growing crazier and crazier quite possibly because of the lack of love and acceptance around him. Our narrator is married, has a son, has a farm and yet lacks everything that could make him happy. His wife despises him, his son is never around and his farm never interested him in the least. The story tells of his visits to a mental hospital and then ends in tragedy that much resembles the life of the poet he so idolizes. Perlman's style is at its most graceful and informative and never leaves the reader bored or tired but keeps him or her glued with anticipation. The biggest compliment I can give this story is that at times it reminds me of Andre Dubus' masterpiece `A Fathers Story', a story that still haunts me.
`Spitalnic's Last Year' is actually quite good once you get passed that horrible name. It really shows the affect relationships can have on a young boy, how the aftershock of a failed romance can haunt you and play a large role in your future failures. All I could think while reading the final paragraphs when you know what's going to happen without Perlman having to spell it out for you was `I wonder what the so-called loves of his lives will think of themselves now'. It's not perfect, but it's effective.
The final story in this collection entitled `A Tale in Two Cities' is broken up into two sections, the first taking place in Moscow, the second in Melbourne. The story revolves around Rose and her family, a Jewish family living in Moscow Russia and their eventual move to Melbourne Australia to escape the misery that the Russian community heaped upon them daily. The first half takes place when Rose was young, before their move, and explains their life in turmoil, her parent's situation, her fathers temper and her mother's loud mouth. The story begins with Rose seeking out a private investigator, and it's at the end of the first section that we are brought to the now and realize why that investigator is so important.
Well, honestly I was very disappointed with this final story as a whole. It starts off strong, the first part being very detailed and informative and it made me like these people and want to know more about them, but then the second half comes along with it's investigator who's as amateur as they come and the whole feel of the story went from this beautifully tragic holocaust type story to a failed adventure of Nancy Drew and an overweight Hardy Boy (I say overweight because he's referred to as a bear, but that could just be because he's hairy). It just fails to live up to its potential. The conversations and the plot become forced and simplistic and it just doesn't work.
So, in the end I'm glad I read this collection. For the most part Elliot Perlman is a great writer and still manages to grip the reader from start to finish, but as is seen with this group of writings, he has his faults and his boundaries. Like I said, at times his characters can feel all too similar, but it's easily overlooked. He's not perfect, or I should say has yet to perfect his craft, but he's still a worthy read and one that is full of surprising touches of grace and sentiment. If you're already a fan of his work then try this one of for size, and if you're looking to break into reading some of his work then this is probably a good start since it's less daunting than a 600+ page novel and will still give you insight into his style and his magnetism.
Even Twenty-Two Point Two Percent Ain't Bad.......2007-01-17
Elliot Perlman's collection of short stories, THE REASONS I WON'T BE COMING, was a Christmas gift that I put on my stack of books to be read. I'm not sure how it worked its way to the top of the pile so quickly, but after reading the wee introductory offering, "Good Morning, Again" I had to read the other eight.
I found all nine to be good stories, and, as other reviewers have pointed out, the final piece was an excellent representation, and perhaps even a stand-alone work, but for me, the story that was the most powerful and complete was "I Was Only in a Childish Way Connected to the Established Order." Besides being well crafted, with most of the characters highly developed, it was a story describing the allusiveness of sanity. Examining what is crazy, and what is normal through the eyes of a poet is nothing new, but here Perlman takes a fresh approach, moving from a blissful city life to the stress and strain of a country existence.
Are all men dogs?.......2006-08-16
I was so excited to read this book for my book club based on the few reviews here. I was sorely disappointed. The opening story failed to capture me and left me thinking; "Why should I care about this character?" This feeling didn't go away throughout the book. Perlman LOVES the "in media res" method (starting the story in the middle, allowing the reader to gather information as the story continues), after awhile this gets annoying. Another annoyance is that he seems to think men are scum, more so than a typical college coed looking for Mr. Right. This made some stories predictable. Finally, Mr. Perlman's use of point of view... I dislike when a character, who I know nothing about yet, because of the "in media res" says "you," seemingly to me, putting me on edge, gathering the material, trying to solve the problem, only to later discover it's not me(obviously - but I never knew who it was so I had to assume the role)....arghhhh! I gave 2 stars because there were out of the nine, two stories that I enjoyed.
more entertaining wisdom from Perlman.......2006-03-07
Though these stories are perhaps not as creatively sophisticated as Perlman's novel, SEVEN TYPES OF AMBIGUITY (shich I strongly recommend), they are nonetheless compelling and satisfying in their own right. My understanding is that he wrote them prior to SEVEN TYPES . . . , so they offer a glimpse into the tremendous potential that was to be fuly realized in the longer work. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. Perman's voices are memorable, and his themes are poignant. The first and last stories, for example, are two of my favorites, yet they are completely different in style, setting, plot and characterization. In this way, I believe that the shorter literary form serves Perlman's talent for versatility well. Indeed, it is exciting to consider what he will give us next.
Customer Reviews:
Lacking.......2007-03-28
There are a few things that I find, that although the writing is good, the story is lacking . . .
1. I find it hard to believe that Gisele had been as abused as she was, especially when Nigel decides to seduce her and she is overcome. Perhaps someone who has been scarred would be more resistant and not as easy. I was hoping for a more realistic approach. Gisele, despite having only been with her husband, and given the era that they live, is quite able to understand fully her trauma and is quite confident that she will conquer it. The whole psychology is completely off and I didn't believe this character for a second.
2. What bothered me the most was that love scenes were basically the main focus, as though the danger they were in was an afterthought. More scenes ended with Nigel telling Gisele to sleep after their lovemaking than I could tolerate.
3. The story drags, with reiteration after reiteration of thoughts and feelings these characters were going through that it was exhausting. Perhaps if more scenes of danger or conflict took place, it could be an interesting read.
4. The ending was anticlimactic. After their grand journey from France to Scotland, I would hope for a more powerful resolution to the conflict. Yet, this book left me feeling as though I could find better reading at a fan fiction site - and truth to tell, I've read better.
Murray brother's Trilogy.......2006-06-20
I'm a new reader of Hannah Howell's books and I couldn't be happier!
This is the second book of the Murrary brother's Trilogy. Highland Destiny is the first and Highland Promise is the third.
Nigel Murray saw through her masquerade from the first: a young woman trying to pass herself off as a page. It almost worked - until she was unmasked in battle with the English, at the point of a sword. Recklessly Nigel saved the raven haired beauty whose secrets now endangered them both. He spirited her off to Scotland, determined to erase the terror he tasted in her kiss.
Gisele knew the dark side of men, having barely escaped the brutality of her highborn husband, Lord Deveau. Now, with Deveau murdered and a price on her head, she was every man's prey - hunted for a crime she did not commit. Nigel is her only refuge, a handsome stranger who challenged her with a fiery sensuality that burned all fear in it's wake. But to truly trust him, Gisele must put the past behind her, and let her heart accept the simple truth . . . of his undying love.
This was such a fun and enjoyable read for me! The complete trilogy is wonderful!
Good but dragged in some parts (Murray Brothers # 2).......2005-04-29
Seven years ago, Nigel Murray left his beloved Scotland to become a mercenary, offering his sword and fighting skills to any French lord who pays the most. But when he wakes up one morning to find himself sprawled in the mud, having spent all night boozing with no recollection of how he got there, he knew it was time for him to go home and face reality. While deep in thoughts, he hears voices and checks to see whom they belong to. He spots two people deep in conversation but knew instantly that the one dressed like a lad is a woman.
Gisele Deveau is a hunted woman. Falsely accused of the gruesome death of her wealthy husband, she has been running away for a whole year. When Nigel ends up saving her life, she knows that he is her only refuge for many of her own family have turned away from her and has even decried her a murderess.
Realizing that Gisele's life is in extreme danger, Nigel is overcome with the need to protect her, especially when he learns that she is pretty much on her own. And although she fears men in general having suffered pain and humiliation from the hands of her husband, Gisele knows she has no choice but to trust the man who has entangled himself in her troubles.
Little do they know that they would be faced with another trouble: that of their growing attraction to each other. Nigel is torn and confused about what he feels worried that he is still holding out for a dream in Gisele's form who is the living embodiment of Maldie, with her dark curls and green eyes so much like the woman whose ghost he has clung to for years. Gisele, on the other hand, is fearful to put her trust in another man after what she has been through before.
In this second book of the Highland Series featuring the Murray brothers, we learn of what happened to Nigel since he left Donncoill after losing Maldie to his brother Balfour. It was a little sad to read about how he has immersed himself in drinking and womanizing in an attempt to ease his heartache so it was good to finally see him find happiness in the arms of Gisele.
Just like the first book, HIGHLAND HONOR is full of adventure and passion. Gisele is a likable heroine, very similar to Maldie but with a sharper tongue. Both characters are strong and well-matched and as passionate as the first book's characters. I must say though that I found some parts dragged a bit, especially while they travelled back to Scotland. But I enjoyed the homecoming scene and was happy to see the old characters from HIGHLAND DESTINY.
What a Story!!!!!.......2005-03-27
This was my first Hannah Howell novel and it will not be my last!
This book had everything I look for in a romance story. The stroy was orginal and well written. Gisele had been accused of killing her husband and while on the run she encounters a Sir Nigel Murray. She reluctantly accepts his help. While the are eluding the men who want to capture and or kill her Nigel helps Gisele heal the emotional wounds that her cruel husband had inflicted on her.
Gisele had suffered but her sprit was still strong. She was smart and brave. She suffered greatly but I think that it made her an even more endearing heroine.
Nigel was brave, smart and a true hero. Although he questioned his motives for helping Gisele(I won't give his worries away) He was always honorable towards Gisele and constanly risked his life to save her.
I can't wait to read more of the Highland series.
Sensuality rating 3.5 out of 5.
This was as good as the first in the series.......2000-08-08
Having read all four of the "Highland" series, this and the first stand out as the best. When reading a series, it's often easy to mix characters up from one book to the next because they are usually so similar but I found Nigel and Gisele unique and interesting. I liked the coming home scenes because it allows the characters to not take themselves too seriously.
Average customer rating:
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FEASTS OF HONOR: RITUAL AND CHANGE IN THE TORAJA HIGHLAND (Illinois Studies in Anthropology)
Toby Alice Volkman
Manufacturer: University of Illinois Press
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Visayan Vignettes: Ethnographic Traces of a Philippine Island
ASIN: 025201183X |
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- Highland Honor
- Highland Honor Christine Young
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Highland Honor
Christine Young
Manufacturer: Awe-Struck
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Binding: Paperback
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Winning the Highlander's Heart
ASIN: 1587495864
Release Date: 2007-02-04 |
Book Description
Willfully stubborn and innocently courageous, Callie Whitcomb braves a journey through the treacherous highlands to the Macpherosn Castle. Callie flees from an unwanted marriage as well as her ruthless half-brother. Naively she believes Colin MacPherson, the head of the MacPherson clan, is loyal to her father and will give her sanctuary, thus protecting her from the vile plans that have been made for her. But upon her arrival, she finds that protection does not exist with the MacPherson Clan--although an unwanted marriage DOES.
Customer Reviews:
Highland Honor.......2007-08-29
Life in the Scottish Highlands in the fifteen hundreds was hard and dangerous. There was constant warfare between the English and Scots and among the Scots themselves as one clan sought to eradicate another.
Such was the life that Callie Whitcomb was born to. Her father was an Englishman and when he died, her stepbrother decided she would marry a man she detested. She had other plans.
She escaped her family home and went in search of a man known as Hawke. She thought he was an old friend of her father whose life he had saved. However, once she found him, she also found that things were not as she supposed. She had escaped one trap, only to be caught in another.
Will she ever know security again? Or will she always be a prisoner to the schemes of a captor?
Talented author Christina Young uses her vivid imagination to create a story that will keep you reading. Recommended as a fun read for any romance fan. Enjoy.
Highland Honor Christine Young.......2006-09-06
Highland Honor is a wonderfully fast moving novel. The geographical descriptions have been well researched, as are the castle settings. Christine Young has inserted the exact amount of Scottlish speech so that you are not suddenly doing battle with unfamilir words and pronunciation. The story flows. The characters are true to life from the ones we love to those we may turn from.
I am eagerly awaiting Christine Young's next book in December, 2006
Average customer rating:
- Police Procedural, Jews, and Vampires what a combination
- I love this book
- Odd, compelling and really hot
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The Alukam
Jacob Thomson
Manufacturer: Riverdale Electronic Books
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1932606025 |
Book Description
When the sunny tranquility of Port Morrow Beach is disturbed by the discovery of the bloodless corpse of a beautiful young woman, it's up to Detective David Schneider to solve the mystery. As more dead women are discovered, and the FBI links these deaths to a serial murderer, Schneider finds his instincts conflicting with his common sense. But no one suspects the truth, that the impossible is real, and they are matching wits with a killer whose crimes extend back more than three centuries.
"Thorough, committed research...propels this novel up to the top of my favourites list of worthwhile books. The Alukam is a book I recommend to all lovers of murder/mystery, as Jacob Thompson is an author that deserves to be included in everyone’s home library collection."—Carrie White, eBook Reviews Weekly
"The Alukam is certainly a book that vampire lovers don't want to miss.
Download Description
This fascinating novel combines the style of a police procedural with the horror and eroticism of the vampire tale. Drawn from obscure Jewish mystical traditions, this thriller takes the vampire novel in a new and frightening direction.
Customer Reviews:
Police Procedural, Jews, and Vampires what a combination.......2004-11-05
This is certainly one of those cases of don't judge a book by its cover. The cover art looks like a ten year old did it and does nothing to portray the quality of this story. This is an excellent police procedural novel that pits a police detective, who also happens to be an Orthodox Jew, against a cunning centuries-old serial killer.
This book was fascinating in all the details, and not just in the exploration of Judaism, both historical and modern. The author is obviously extremely well read and constantly adds interesting tidbits of information about almost everything. I learned a lot from reading this book like the fact that embalming fluid is bright pink, the difference between a clinical pathologist and a forensic pathologist, that you can tell an unmarked police car from the heavy duty locking gas cap. So much extraneous information, although all of it interesting, that the author came across as somewhat of a know-it-all trying to show off. Despite that, the book will certainly satisfy the lovers of Vampire fiction, adding an entirely new chapter to an already huge vampire mythology, and at the same time will intrigue the mystery lovers, with its realistic approach. The Alukam is certainly a book that vampire lovers don't want to miss.
I love this book.......2004-07-10
The Alukam is that rare novel that manages to cross genre boundaries with complete success. The style is police procedural, following a Gulf Coast Florida detective as he tracks a so-called "vampire" serial killer who likes to leave his victims on the beach dressed in skimpy bikinis. The detective's job is slightly complicated by being an Orthodox Jew in area where there are hardly enough to hold services, and little understanding or tolerance of orthodoxy from the more assimilated Jewish majority. (And even that majority is still a tiny minority in a mostly Bible-thumping Christian county.)
Making life even more complicated is the killer, also Jewish, but not at all the delusional psycho everyone suspects. Isaac Nathanson is a genial, urbane and very rich young man with red hair, a house on the beach filled with books in half a dozen languages, and a Mustang convertible. He is also a vampire. A real vampire, who committed suicide in 1684 and, as punishment, is doomed to eternal wakefullness, a liquid diet and the ability to rest only on the Jewish sabbath, when he must return to his coffin to be both enticed and tortured by visions of the heavenly paradise his suicide has denied him.
This novel draws on a completely different tradition than the usual vampire story. Vampirism is a punishment and not contagious. Only suicide under very particular circumstances bring it on, and only special prayers can release the victim. Sunlight, crosses, holy water, or even a stake through the heart are either utterly ignored, or no more than a minor annoyance. Instead of an ever-expanding legion of vampires, there are only a handful in the world. Nathanson is one. Another is a beautiful female, a couple centuries older than Nathanson, but looking younger, who "works" as an exotic dancer and frequently seems more interested in sex than blood.
There is, in fact, a lot of sex in this book. But there is virtually no profanity, and even the sex scenes, explicit though they may be, are described without resorting to the usual list of dirty words. The author may be a man, but the eroticism definitely appeals to a woman.
Odd, compelling and really hot.......2004-07-09
This is an unusual book, part mystery, part horror and very sexy. A sort of Rabbi Small meets Dracula at the 87th Precinct, with the story told in the Penthouse Forum. The style is pure police procedural, with the added quirk of a widowed Orthodox Jewish sheriff's department detective struggling to solve a bizarre serial murder case, raise a teenaged daughter, and cope with a thoroughly assimilated Reform Jewish sheriff who views Orthodoxy as obsolete at best. Now throw in a 300-year-old vampire and his even older girlfriend, both with a radically different life(?) style from the usual vampire, a large measure of Jewish mysticism and plenty of sex.
Curiously, the sex, while certainly explicit, manages to avoid being "dirty," creating an erotic, highly arousing setting with never a profanity or vulgarity to be found. Euphemism and metaphor can be far more erotic than crude explicitness, and that is certainly the case here.
For me, The Alukam succeeds on three levels. It's a first class police procedural, an outstanding and innovative vampire story, and a remarkable piece of tasteful erotica.
Amazon.com
Miracle of Mindfulness is a sly commentary on the Anapanasati Sutra, the Sutra on Breath to Maintain Mindfulness. "Sly" because it doesn't read like a dry commentary at all. One of Thich Nhat Hanh's most popular books, Miracle of Mindfulness is about how to take hold of your consciousness and keep it alive to the present reality, whether eating a tangerine, playing with your children, or washing the dishes. A world-renowned Zen master, Nhat Hanh weaves practical instruction with anecdotes and other stories to show how the meditative mind can be achieved at all times and how it can help us all "reveal and heal." Nhat Hanh is a master at helping us find a calm refuge within ourselves and teaching us how to reach out from there to the rest of the world. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
There have been more than 250,000 copies sold of this famous introduction to Buddhist meditation. Thich Nhat Hanh's gentle stories and exercises show us how to use the practice of
Customer Reviews:
Recipe for Peace.......2007-08-30
Finally a book with exercises and explanations that actually work. As a Vietnam combat veteran, twice wounded, who had to make casualty calls when I returned stateside, forty years of anger and PTSD have finally found their match in "The Miracle of Mindfulness."
Today, when thousands of Iraqi and Gulf War veterans begin to realize they need a remedy to their troubles, I recommend this book number one as well as several other of Thich Nhat Hanh's books.
How ironic--A Vietnamese Buddhist responds and provides peace to a veteran who helped bomb and destroy his people and his country.
Fred Tomasello Jr.
Miracle of Mindfulness is Inspiring.......2007-03-08
Worth every penny. I'll read it more than once. It was truly a gift.
Authentic Power.......2007-01-24
In simple, plain language, Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk and well known peace activist, gently explains the daily practice of mindfulness (meditation) inviting us to discover personal transformation in ordinary, everyday tasks. He includes no anecdotes drawn from professional work; he quotes little poetry. You'll find no references to other writers and their books on this topic nor any reference to other fields of human achievement. Nhat Hahn's teachings are based on the practice that has permeated his life and thus ring with authenticity. Also authentic are the books concerning awareness written by Deepak Chopra. However, Chopra weaves a glittering tapestry of provocative professional experiences integrated with the words and beliefs of Indian gurus decorated with the verses of Rumi, references to famous authors and art masterpieces and awash with strategies to reveal the Self. A dazzling work of genius. In contrast, Nhat Hahn presents his work garbed in humble cloth and sandeled feet. He tells us how to turn mundane tasks into mindful meditative practices regarding such events as washing dishes, taking a bath, or making tea as opportunities to dwell deeply in the moment transforming an ordinary event into a deeply spiritual one. It is through these small events of awareness, Nhat Hahn explains, that large events are born that can change the world. In a culture largely obsessed with activity, Thich Nhat Hahn calmy shows us that true power is available to us in ordinary human tasks.
A classic!.......2007-01-11
In a simple, yet profound, way...almost conversational....the author helps the reader to answer questions like "Am I here now?", "Am I actually aware of what I am doing?", "Are my body and my mind in the same place?". He uses simple illustrations, such as washing dishes or walking up a hill, to help the reader become aware of his own actions.
The book is a useful adjunct to other mindfulness and meditation books, as well, I think, as cognitive therapy (rational-emotive therapy).
It's a book to own, to live with, to go back to...to give and to recommend.
A miracle in a few pages!.......2007-01-06
This is really a wonderful Dharma book which will be of tremendous help to anyone who practices meditation. With great simplicity and love, Nhat Hanh shows as that with practice and perseverance anyone can turn most of one's daily life activities into meditation, therefore improving your sitting meditation sessions as well. Washing the dishes mindfully, eating mindfully, and therefore living mindfully is truly a miracle and an act of Love in the Pure land of the Buddha!
Average customer rating:
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Como Lograr El Milagro De Vivir Despierto / The Miracle of Mindfulness (Aprender a Vivir / Learning to Live)
Thick Nhat Hanh
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Meditations
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ASIN: 8495537532 |
Product Description
This lucid and beautifully written guide to Eastern meditation provides Westerners with a method of learning the skills of mindfulness - of being awake and fully aware. Modern medical developments have shown the positive effects of meditiation for psychological and physaial health, and the reader will need no particular religious orietation to benefit from the wisdom of this manual. Thich Nhat Hanh's gentle anecdotes and practical exercises focus the reader's attention on breathing and show that the contextx for being mindful are numerous and close at hand - washing the dishes, answering the telephone, drinking tea. His compassionate spirit and the method of meditation described here will help both beginners and advanced students arrive at greater self-understanding and peacefulness.
--- from book's back cover
Average customer rating:
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El Milagro de Mindfulness/ The Miracle of Mindfulness (El Viaje Interior/ the Interior Voyage)
Thich Nhat Hanh
Manufacturer: Oniro
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Zen
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| Religion & Spirituality
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Meditations
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| Religion & Spirituality
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Hanh, Thich Nhat
| ( H )
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ASIN: 8497542800 |
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