Book Description
Capturing the reality of war with a fidelity and power that echoes the best of classic war writing, this haunting novel brings to life the terrors of a young soldier in shocking, almost hallucinatory detail.
George Tilson is an eighteen-year-old Iowan farm boy who enlists in the army during World War II and is sent to Normandy shortly after D-Day. Nicknamed “Heck” because of his reluctance to curse, he is a typical soldier, willing to do his duty without fuss or much musing about grand goals. The night before he is trucked into the combat zone, Heck meets a young French refugee and her family, an encounter that unsettles him greatly.
It is during his first, horrific exposure to combat that Heck discovers a dark truth about himself: He is a coward. Shamed by his fears and tortured by the never-ending physical dangers around him, he struggles to survive, to live up to the ideal of the American fighting man, and to make sense of his feelings for the young French woman. As the stark reality of combat—the knowledge that he could cease to exist at any moment—presses in on him, Heck makes a series of choices that would be rational in every human situation except war.
With remorseless, hypnotic clarity, Arvin draws readers into the unimaginable fear, violence, and chaos of the war zone. Arvin layers profound meaning within a brilliantly executed minimalist style. His portrayal of the emotional and physical terrors Heck can neither understand nor escape is one of the most disturbing and unforgettable accounts of the life of a soldier ever written.
Download Description
NICK ARVIN studied mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan and Stanford and has worked in a variety of positions in automotive and forensic engineering. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the recipient of the Michener Fellowship, he is the author of In the Electric Eden, a collection of short stories. He lives in Denver, Colorado.
Customer Reviews:
Solid Premise, Poor Execution.......2007-05-19
In writing a work of fiction about World War II, an author must do something to stand out in the vast landscape of the genre. Nick Arvin has an interesting premise centered around the true story of Eddie Slovik, a World War II deserter. Unfortunately, the story seemed cold and was unable to engage me as a reader. Even knowing what was going to happen, I kept waiting for the action to take place or something to happen. The main character only seems to feel fear and reminisce about a girl he met once. Certainly there is more to war. The drawn out passages that add little to the story make me believe this would be better delivered as a short story.
George "Heck" Tilson did not want to go to war. Along the way, he falls for a French woman that he later finds to be pregnant. Is she carrying his child? While George's thoughts drift toward Clarie, he realizes he is a coward. We tries to find any excuse to avoid killing, whether getting lost or a flesh wound. His cowardice seems to come to a head when he is sanctioned as an executioner in the execution of deserter Eddie Slovik.
The ending is predictable even though the author leaves some question about the outcome. I also could have done without the graphic descriptions of Claire's anatomy. This aspect of the story reminded me more of a romance novel or chic-lit book. With all of the hopes that I had for this book, I was disappointed. With all of the potential this story had, I think he could have done more.
A first person account of war........2006-04-07
Heck is a Iowa farm boy who joins the army during World War II. He arrives in Normandy after the D-Day invasion. After training camp the first few weeks in Normandy are dull and uneventful, as Heck awatis his assignment. During this time Heck meets a French girl and her displaced family. Heck and Claire begin a relationaship which Heck finds he is not ready for and runs.
Heck is finally assigned to his unit and sent to the front. Once there Heck discovers his fears are overwhelming and can not deal with the horrors of war. The book details Heck's struggles with his brief encounter with Claire and his fears through the rest of the war.
I found the story very gripping. It brought some of the grim details of warfare to the readers attention, and it is interesting to see them through the viewpoint of Heck. How Heck deals with his fears makes one think of how other soldiers dealt with these issues. The story gave me a greater appreciation on how soldiers can perform their duties under such terrible conditions, stresses, and fears. Enjoy.
Great Book.......2006-03-17
There have been innumerable amounts of good war books in history, but only a couple of those are modern. This is one of those few modern, good books. The main character, Heck, as the army calls him, is an eighteen-year-old boy from the Midwest. He was drafted into the military and sent to the beaches of Normandy soon after the D-Day attacks. He ended up on the western frontline and met a French girl, Claire. They fell in love, but he couldn't desert the army for her. At the town Elbeuf he got a gash that was an inch-deep and was sent to the military hospital. After that, he was sent to the forests in the frontline of France until the war ended. After that he met Claire, found out that she was pregnant with his child, and they moved back to the United States. Though it was not the type of war book I usually read, I liked it anyways.
All of the war part was very descriptive and created a detailed picture in my head of what was going on. There was, however, only two major war parts. The first part was in the beginning at the town of Elbeuf, right after Heck meets Claire. The second war part of the story was in the forests of France, where it was mostly just Heck and his crew waiting.
I liked how the characters were not normal. Heck was definitely not normal because he was a very sociable person but he did not talk to anyone. There was also the kid he met at the hospital, who wrote to a fake fiancé everyday.
I liked how the story was simple and to the point. It was a whole year put into about 200 pages and the book even had good detail. There were a lot of different happenings in the book also. It goes from enlistment to meeting Claire, to war, and back to Claire, and that's only half of the book!
This was the best modern book I have read. It will probably be the best book I've read for a while. I think this is a great read for anyone, even if you don't like reading. The shortness of the book makes it even more likeable.
George Tilson is an Iowa farm boy..........2006-01-18
George Tilson is an Iowa farm boy whose father publishes a newspaper back in the Hawkeye state and whose late mother admonished him never to curse. George Tilson's reluctance to use profanity earned him the nickname, "Heck."
After landing at Normandy Beach after D-Day, Heck becomes restless as he waits for his orders. During his wait, he begins to hike around cliffs near the base camp. During one of his outings, Heck happens upon the remains of an airplane in a mined field, and sees a boy playing in the cockpit of the wrecked plane. As Heck turns to leave, he hears an explosion, sees the boy laying near an exploded mine, and a young woman rushing to his aid. Heck hesitates in momentary fear, then he also decides to advance toward the injured boy, who he carries to the shell of a house where the young French girl, the boy, and their father have taken up residence. There, Heck formally meets Albert, a one-armed and slightly peculiar World War I veteran, Ives, the boy, and Claire, an attractive if somewhat undernourished woman/child of perhaps 18 years.
The following day, Heck returns to the house and finds Claire who thanks him for his help the previous day with a gift of a music box that she pulls with her bare hand from a beehive. Miraculously, Heck observes, Claire is not stung. Claire also hopes to give Heck another, more profound gift as she leads the young G.I., who, in her broken English, she has nicknamed "Ohiowa," into a grotto along the bluffs of the Atlantic Ocean. However, in Heck's now apparent cowardice, encouraged by claustrophobia and fear of what he thinks may happen in that cave with Claire, Heck runs from the cave and back to base camp.
In his embarrassment, Heck resolves to return to the house to see Claire the next day, but is receives his orders and is shipped to the front instead. Like a virgin having the prospect of his first sexual encounter, Heck is clumsy and anxious during his first experience in combat. In fact, Heck is more than clumsy and anxious. He is plainly a coward. Heck sees death occur all around him, but through a series of fortunate minor inadvertent and intentional injuries, he escapes the fate so many of his fellow G.I.'s meet. As he fights his fear more than he fights the German army, he holds that music box and the memory of Claire close to him.
In war, like in life, ironies and ambiguity abound. After taking his time recovering from a minor injury for which he, himself, was responsible, and returning to his unit, Heck is given orders for a special assignment. When Heck learns the details of the assignment, which is more distasteful than anything he could have experienced in battle, he must confront his cowardice and determine how to proceed in the war and in his life. If he carries out the assignment, he becomes a hypocrite of the most disgusting sort. If he does not, he may never be anything other than a coward for the rest of his life. In any case, Heck may never be the same man.
The first novel by Nick Arvin, `Articles of War' provides a concise story of the full range of emotions - love, self-loathing, courage, cowardice, and redemption - one man can feel during a time of unspeakable turmoil. A nicely designed and well-written account of George "Heck" Tilson could have been the memoir of any veteran of war.
One Soldier's Story.......2005-10-04
This novel is a sensitive study of an individual caught within the maw of enormous forces. There's no big picture, grand vision of the war here. It's one guy trying to make his way through a world gone crazy. The enormity of how unprepared he is and the barbarity he's faced with is almost unfathomable, and yet it's totally believable. I don't doubt that stories like this unfolded in this and in every war. Arvin does, however, bring it to the page with a personal, intimate immediacy. I especially connected with the confusion Heck faces with his feelings for the French girl. The way he's drawn toward her, but then flees from their sexual encounter, only to then decide he loves her and pines terribly after her... It all makes sense. This guy is just a kid. He should be fumbling through romantic situations at home. Instead he's asked to risk his life and/or to kill every day. Yes, there's reason to be confused and have emotions careen out of control. Arvin gives us all of this with a sure, steady hand, that places real characters in dire situations.
I do wish the book had been longer. It feels truncated at the end. After the firing squad scene - which is tremendous - it jumps forward ahead of portions of Heck's story that I don't know why Arvin didn't give to us in detail. It does seem rushed, or as if he was exhausted by his efforts and just had to wrap it up. Having said this, though, it's a niggling complaint about a stunning debut. Arvin, if he has more books in him, could well be a writer of note soon. We need more novels like this one. Hopefully, this author will give us more.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from World Literature Today, published by University of Oklahoma on June 22, 1994. The length of the article is 519 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: After the War: The Novel and England Since 1945.
Author: William Hutchings
Publication:
World Literature Today (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 1994
Publisher: University of Oklahoma
Volume: v68
Issue: n3
Page: p573(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Mosaic (Winnipeg), published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2005. The length of the article is 8303 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 alcoholics of war: experiencing chemical and ideological drunkenness in Emilio Lussu's Un anno sull'altipiano.
Author: Umberto Rossi
Publication:
Mosaic (Winnipeg) (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 38
Issue: 3
Page: 77(18)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Parachute: Contemporary Art Magazine, published by Parachute Contemporary Art on October 1, 2002. The length of the article is 8226 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: Beirut, the novel.
Author: Hashim Sarkis
Publication:
Parachute: Contemporary Art Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2002
Publisher: Parachute Contemporary Art
Page: 132(11)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
|
BOOK NOTES.(Arts & Literature) : An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
Terrorism
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Office Supplies
| Categories
| Office Products
| Bookmarks
| Calendars & Planners
| Cases, Folios & Travel
| Desk Accessories
| Desk Essentials
| Drafting Tools
| Filing, Binding & Storage
| Label Makers
| Labels, Tags & Tickets
| Money & Key Control
| Paper Pads, Notebooks & Clipboards
| Paper Punches & Folding Machines
| Paper, Forms & Envelopes
| Tally Counters
| Time Clocks & Cards
| Writing Instruments & Accessories
Accessories:
-
Moleskine Pocket Ruled Notebook
ASIN: B000BU2AQG
Release Date: 2005-10-20 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by Thomson Gale on October 16, 2005. The length of the article is 915 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: BOOK NOTES.(Arts & Literature)
Publication:
The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: October 16, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: G7
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Horn Book Magazine, published by Horn Book, Inc. on May 1, 2001. The length of the article is 1102 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: A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor.(Review) (book review)
Author: K.f.
Publication:
The Horn Book Magazine (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2001
Publisher: Horn Book, Inc.
Volume: 77
Issue: 3
Page: 331
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Kliatt, published by Kliatt on March 1, 2005. The length of the article is 337 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: Bruchac, Joseph. Code talker; a novel about the Navajo Marines of World War Two.(Brief Article)(Young Adult Review)(Book Review)
Author: Paula Rohrlick
Publication:
Kliatt (Magazine/Journal)
Date: March 1, 2005
Publisher: Kliatt
Volume: 39
Issue: 2
Page: 8(1)
Article Type: Book Review, Young Adult Review, Brief Article
Distributed by Thompson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from African American Review, published by Thomson Gale on December 22, 2006. The length of the article is 7740 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 Recorder, broken families, and educated nations in Julia C. Collins's Civil War novel The Curse of Caste.(The Curse of Caste; or The Slave Bride)(Critical essay)
Author: P. Gabrielle Foreman
Publication:
African American Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40
Issue: 4
Page: 705(12)
Article Type: Critical essay
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
|
The Cup of Fury: the preferred title of Caroline Gordon's None Shall Look Back.(Critical essay): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
Walton Young
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Automotive
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Crime & Criminals
| Current Events
| Economics
| Education
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Government
| Holidays
| Law
| Philosophy
| Politics
| Social Sciences
| Transportation
| True Accounts
| Urban Planning & Development
| Women's Studies
General
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Civil War
| United States
| Americas
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Classics
| Comic
| Contemporary
| Literary
General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
United States
| History
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
United States
| History
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Nonfiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B000NO3BMM
Release Date: 2007-02-21 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Thomson Gale on June 22, 2005. The length of the article is 3950 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 Cup of Fury: the preferred title of Caroline Gordon's None Shall Look Back.(Critical essay)
Author: Walton Young
Publication:
The Mississippi Quarterly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 22, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 58
Issue: 3-4
Page: 785(10)
Article Type: Critical essay
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Customer Reviews:
I only enjoyed the Whiteside novella.......2005-09-26
Let me be honest I bought it for the Whiteside novella, I really enjoyed it, but it was way too short, the characters were undeveloped and it was a little confusing.
three heated historical romances .......2005-07-27
"American Beauty" by Susan Johnson. In 1889 Epsom, England, American Evelyn Sweet knows her horses while Marquis Nicholas DeLacey has the reputation for the best stable in England. With the Derby coming up shortly, they agree that their thoroughbreds belong together while each plans to make love with the other.
"Dr. Yes" by Katherine O'Neal. In 1912, following three annulled marriages due to certain marital problems, rich San Franciscan Sierra Winston travels to Buenos Aires seeking to become sexually liberated. British expatriate sexual therapist Dr. Alistair Lange plans to be her liberator but also sees her as a sexy distraction who can seize a damning political document he desires to possess almost as much as he wants to possess her.
"The Seduction of Mrs. Rutledge" by Diane Whiteside. In 1863, his father warns Colonel Brett Rutledge that if he fails to take a bride soon he will have him removed from the military. Knowing he can do this, Brett visits his childhood friend Venetia Davidson to ask her to be his wife. Though twelve years have passed since they saw each other in Maryland, Venetia accepts as she worries about her future. However, she vows to never fall in love as that only leads to pain, but Brett has mounted an assault on the heart of the woman he loves.
These three heated historical romances star wonderful protagonists who grip the audience in each case. Readers will appreciate these naughty yet nice novellas.
Harriet Klausner
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Spider Jerusalem's old vices surface again. Namely, politics and drugs, and he indulges in a lot of both. He writes a lot about politics, and does a lot of drugs.
He is annoying the political powers now, and this is enough to get someone he likes killed.
American Politics Meets Its Match.......2006-05-24
Here in Volume Three, Spider Jerusalem finds his life once again driven further into madness by the demands of his Editor. Spider has been back into the city for a while, and except for a short but memorable run-in with The Beast, he's failed to address a seemingly unavoidable topic of the news (by choice of course): politics.
It's an election year, and his hated enemy, The Beast, on whose depravity Spider literally wrote the book (the same book which made his career, and drove him out of civilization entirely), is seeking reelection. The Opposition party is in town, and Spider is being dragged kicking and screaming into discussing their imminent convention. Unfortunately for Spider, the front-runner in that race is a neo-fascistic nutjob, and his adversary is a man who only seems to do one thing: smile dementedly.
Can Spider save the American Electorate? Can he pry himself away from the needles, pipes, and pills long enough to find The Truth?
Read Transmetropolitan Volume Three to find out.
Transmetropolitan matures.......2005-05-28
The story is really getting interesting at this point. Spider's been well introduced in the previous two books, and now Ellis starts to introduce some real complexities.
Spider makes what seems to be a definite decision that he's going back into the mountains after it's all over.
He gets an assistant that appears to be a long term one.
His editor reveals that Spider needs to be hated to work.
And, he starts covering the election, which seems like it's going to be big in the upcoming books.
I love Spider's different facial expressions. And, the writing is excellent. I'm going to read all of Transmetropolitan.
Perfect.......2003-06-07
Perfect. No less. When it comes to graphic novels, this is all one could hope for. It is fascinating. Spider's harsh truth seeking, foul mouthed, character is a brilliant creation. In 'Year of the Bastard' Ellis begins -- in very subtle notes -- to reveal a softer side to this character. In his growing relationship with Vita Severn we begin to understand Spider more, and the fate of this relationship at the end of the novel is Spider's key motication for his actions until issue 60. The ideas, political machinations and wit of the book are all brilliant. Read and be amazed.
Covering the campaign.......2000-11-27
8 years ago, Spider saw the Beast come into power. After that, he went to his mountain. But he was called back, and in Lust for Life, wrapped his fingers around the pulse of the city. Now, it's election time again, and his editor has spoken. Spider will cover the election, since his readers demand it. Not a threat, but advice for someone who wants to make money for himself and Spider.
You might think that a comic book is for teenagers. Maybe even younger. Some might be. This is not one of them. Spider is a drug crazed maniac. But he's not the worst of the lot.
The politicians are. Heller, with his "America for Americans" catchphrase, and a Hitler lookalike in the crowd - in case you missed the point with the Gothic lettering of his name and having his rallies compared to Nuremberg, it's driven home is a rather unsubtle manner.
The Smiler is just plain deranged. It's not clear if politicians look like that before they've been prepared by their handlers, but the scary thing is I don't find it implausible.
Vita is an interesting character, a nice addition to the cast of maniacs that populate this world. The story line flows well, and demands several re-readings to see all the details that the first reading misses.
The artwork in this novel is simply at its best. Yelena is a character that Darick Robertson is meant to draw, and he does the things he does well, well here. No experimentation, no compromises.
This is easily the best of the series, and makes "The New Scum" all the more disappointing as a follow-up.
Absolute must read.
Customer Reviews:
This book changed my life forever!!.......2004-06-28
I cannot recommend this book highly enough! The author lived long ago and yet his Christ-centered words ring out beautifully for us modern mortals. I was so moved by his humble approach to God and his deep love and surrender to Christ. A profoundly spiritual and moving experience awaits the reader of this book!
The Paraclete At Work.......2003-03-02
This book fairly lept at me from the shelf. I wasn't particularly looking for it, but I found it nonetheless. For a former Ayn Rand afficianado & neo-Objectivist, the very title ought to have been anathema. However, it was a greater sense of peace that I was after, and to some extent, this book is helpful at understanding one's true relation to God, particularly in terms of recognizing and submitting to His will.
I had previously attempted Kempis' "The Imitation Of Christ", and found that it was difficult to disassociate from the intended audience of that book (cloistered religious). I'll try to review it in the near future. In any case, my experience with Thomas a Kempis made me a little gun-shy with regard to spiritual primers intended for religious communities. One of the challenges of "Self-abandonment" is the extent of its direct communication between the author (as spiritual director) and the nuns with whom he communicates. Nevertheless, the more generalized introductory sections overcome this difficulty.
I happened to be in the midst of "Self-abandonment" at the time of my grandmother's death. I must say that in retrospect I could not have found a better companion for those days. de Caussade does an excellent job at communicating the spiritual benefits of acceptance, duty, and forgiveness. It ought to be the goal of every Christian to make each day, and each moment of each day a paean to the Lord - seeing His will in all things - even small things and most particularly in painful things is a crucial step toward living a truly Christian life.
Finally, I don't know whether to call this book "life changing," as I believe that one must already be at a certain level of acceptance prior to realizing benefits from the approach that de Caussade recommends. Nonetheless, it is a useful and helpful aid to the continuing trauma of living in the world but not of the world.
Review from the Publisher.......2001-03-16
This is an amazing 18th century classic divided into 2 parts and giving the method espoused by de Caussade for attaining great holiness. Written for all no matter how advanced spiritually. The author believes that God hides behind the simplest of daily activities and can be found through total surrender to whatever His will is for the individual. Therefore, self-abandonment is the key to spiritual development An outstanding spiritual tool, revealing new insights with each reading. A must for any serious Catholic. 230pp. PB. Imprimatur.
The true meaning of God's omnipresence.......2000-11-04
God's omnipresence is taken for granted by all Christians. But it is so easy to assume this applies merely to the physical and material world. If He is omnipresent in a physical sense, then He must also be present in every circumstance we experience our lives, no matter how small. Thus, we can experience God just by yielding to what life brings. DeCaussade, in this beautiful book (I am in my third reading), has introduced me to this "new" way of experiencing God: I now "see" Him everywhere. This view of God brings great comfort and assurance. I find myself struggling less with life, accepting things that I would once have found distasteful, and discovering many new blessings from God. If you long for a more settled life you will gain much from this book.
One of the best books I've ever read.......1999-10-16
Absolutely fantastic book, life-changing, second to "The Imitation of Christ", this book is really worth reading. Makes you realize that everything that happens is ordained of God and teaches you to be content with what God brings into your life.
Book Description
For more than 250 years, this simple classic of inspiration has guided readers of all faiths to the open-hearted acceptance of God's will that is the sure path to serenity, happiness, and spiritual peace.
Customer Reviews:
Abandonment To Divine Providence (1921).......2007-09-26
This is an awesome book with wisdom that applies to ones real life needs and experiences. I first checked it out from our church library but quickly knew that I needed to own a copy that I could mark up.
Lost.......2006-11-05
I bought this 4 months ago and still have not read it, I guess that says something, but I don,t know what. If you are on a sprirtual search try James Redfield or Ace Starry, Brian L. Weiss, or Betty Eadie.Peace.
everyday mysticism.......2006-08-06
I used to get intimidated by the term mystic. I thought you needed to live on a mountaintop, shave your head and eat bark to be a mystic. But after explore this book and some of the other Christian mystics, I'm convinced that they are telling us what we already know--every moment counts. Every moment God's love is available and we can encounter it.
While the writing can be a little clunky at times, this book has priceless gems of insight scattered throughout it. If you're looking for a book that will open your eyes up to the significance and wonder of this moment, check out this little known classic.
A "classic!".......2005-10-22
This is a classic of spirituality - Some chapters are a bit repetitive (thus 4 stars) but the teaching is solid right on. Basically it is about finding and SEEING God's will in each moment of the day and each event of our life no matter how humdrum and common. It is much more appealing than "The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence (at least in my humble opinion.)
In our media saturated, entertainment driven culture where only the new and spectacular arouse interest, de Cassaude shows how God is found in the simple and ordinary of our daily lives. The problem is that we are too interiorily busy to hear and see him.
This is a wonderful, solid book of spiritual guidance. Though de Cassaude was a Jesuit his teaching echos the wisdom of the Carmelite saints. I wouldn't be surprised if he had contact with the writings of Carmel.
This book should find a permanent place on your bookshelf and your regular reading schedule. The paragraphs are short enough so you can read one a day or a week ... there is plenty to think about and apply to your life.
Excellent spiritual book that balances contemporary thought.......2004-01-23
What is Divine Providence? Shakespeare writes that "there is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough hew them how we will." (Hamlet) This book expands on the theme of allowing providence to shape our ends and trusting in the wisdom of providence.
Taken on its own, this book may inspire some readers to be passive regarding life's outcomes, as other reviewers have suggested, but we read this in light of so much contemporary preaching and Christian writing about being proactice and successful and prosperous and "blessed" in all we decide to do that reading this book gives us a different view that will provide balance to our spiritual lives. It is a view of contentment at the feet of God, a view of trusting in God's presence and compassion. I was thrilled while reading this book. It is a book to inspire us all to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to him, as Mary did, rather than asking Jesus to bless our busyness from a distance.
One must remember that this is a book of compiled letters to nuns and notes for lectures to a similar audience. These are exhortations to nuns who have devoted their lives to Christ. The casual Christian may find the exhortations extreme and that they do not fit into our Christian America mindset. The structure of the book does create a more laborious read than modern books that flow better due to proper formatting.
I recommend this book as I recommend Imitation of Christ by Thomas a'Kempis. They are books that are relevant and I think necessary to modern Christians, especially those caught up in the "Purpose-Driven Life" movement. I bought a copy for my pastor to read, because we plainly do not hear of this kind of devotion today. It is not a movement but a sacrificial life the author promotes.
Book Description
God continues to speak to-day as He spoke in former times to our fathers when there were no directors as at present, nor any regular method of direction. Then all spirituality was comprised in fidelity to the designs of God, for there was no regular system of guidance in the spiritual life to explain it in detail, nor so many instructions, precepts and examples as there are now. Doubtless our present difficulties render this necessary, but it was not so in the first ages when souls were more simple and straightforward.
Download Description
God continues to speak to-day as He spoke in former times to our fathers when there were no directors as at present, nor any regular method of direction. Then all spirituality was comprised in fidelity to the designs of God, for there was no regular system of guidance in the spiritual life to explain it in detail, nor so many instructions, precepts and examples as there are now. Doubtless our present difficulties render this necessary, but it was not so in the first ages when souls were more simple and straightforward.
Customer Reviews:
Great Christian classic that still speaks to the heart today.......2006-12-24
I originally read this classic many years ago and it had a big influence on me. It talks about the will or God or the underlying current that seems to move us from behind the scenes. It also talks about the presence of God in the moment and our interconnectivity to all that is. In short, this is an inspirational read for anyone even non-Christians.
De Caussade was a mystic who tried to understand reality by directly experiencing it. This is the approach he takes in this book and encourages the reader to do the same. This is in some ways in conflict with a scientific paradigm, however, it appears to me to be a necessary compliment to other theories of knowledge. Furthermore, the mystics in many traditions seemed to have had similar experiences although they tend to conceptualize them differently.
This is a highly accessible book that introduces and brings the life back into merely habitual approach to spirituality. While I like to read across traditions and don't limit myself to the Christian genre, I find this book contains a lot of wisdom. To non-Christians, some of the metaphors may not land unless you keep an open mind. However, the underlying concepts are powerful.
If you are a Christian of any denomination, I don't think you will find anything at odds here with respect to your faith. Mysticism as defined in this contex is simply knowledge of reality by union with reality. It is like the difference between reading about swimming and getting in the water. This book can really demonstrate how you can surrender and apply the teachings of the gospel in your daily life.
Product Description
Fr. Caussade's Self Abandonment to Divine Providence is a book for all those who, in the words of St. Benedict, "Truly seek God". Fr. Caussade's spiritual teaching was derived from two extremely pure sources, St. Francis de Sales and St. John of the Cross. Another source of influence on Caussade were his penitents, the Nuns of the Visitation. Fr. Caussade effectively synthesizes both Salesian and Carmelite traditions in this book, which is comprises his letters and dialogues on prayer. Fr. Caussade refers to the Salesian teaching of self-abandonment and simplicity, and the Carmelite emphasis on grace as a dynamic force that enlightens and cleanses the soul. When speaking of death to self, he refers to "abandonment" "trust" and "acquiescence". He impresses upon the reader that abandonment may be taught and practiced by repeated acts. It is the duty of every Christian to acquire this virtue.
Average customer rating:
|
CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM
Mariology
| Catholicism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Luther, Martin
| ( L )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1931848076
Release Date: 2006-12-15 |
Product Description
The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.
Product Description
NOTE: Publication date is a guess as none is listed!!
Book Description
A portion of this remarkable work in English has already appeared in America, but many readers, to whom this precious little book has become a favourite, will welcome a complete translation, especially as what has already appeared in the English version may be considered as merely the theoretical part, whilst the "Letters of Direction" which form the greater portion of the present work give the practical part. They answer objections, solve diffietdties, and give practical advice. The book thus gains considerably in value and utility...
Books:
- Baby Momma Drama
- Beauty and the Spy (Warner Forever)
- Bee Season: A Novel
- Before You Know Kindness
- Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War
- Breath, Eyes, Memory (Oprah's Book Club)
- Bundori
- Burmese Days: A Novel
- Cat in the Dark: A Joe Grey Mystery (Joe Grey Mysteries)
- Claudius the God: And His Wife Messalina
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Complete Works - 6 Volumes
- The Vegan Family Cookbook
- Strange Heaven: The Virgin Mary As Woman, Mother, Disciple And Advocate
- Simple Stunning Wedding Organizer: Planning Your Perfect Celebration
- The Agony and the Ecstasy: A Biographical Novel of Michelangelo
- Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web
- The Firecracker Boys
- The Forgiving Air: Understanding Environmental Change
- Pon Tu Corazon En Ello / Pour Your Heart into it: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time
- China in Motion: 17 Secrets to Slashing the Time to Production, Markets, Profits in China, Japan and