Book Description
HIDDEN RELICS. SUBMERGED SECRETS. BURIED EVIDENCE. . . .
American pathologist Nora Gavin has come to the Irish midlands to examine a body unearthed by peat workers at a desolate spot known as the Lake of Sorrows. As with all the artifacts culled from its prehistoric depths, the bog has effectively preserved the dead man's remains, and his multiple wounds suggest he was the victim of the ancient pagan sacrifice known as the triple death. But signs of a more recent slaying emerge when a second body, bearing a similar wound pattern, is found -- this one sporting a wristwatch. Someone has come to this quagmire to sink their dreadful handiwork -- and Nora soon realizes that she is being pulled deeper into the land and all it holds: the secrets to a cache of missing gold, a tumultuous love affair with archeologist Cormac Maguire, the dark mysteries and desires of the workers at the site, and a determined killer fixated on the gruesome notion of triple death.
Hailed for her multiple award-winning debut novel Haunted Ground, Erin Hart melds Irish history, archeology, and modern forensics in her eloquent, suspense-charged thrillers.
Download Description
American pathologist Nora Gavin has come to the Irish midlands to examine a body unearthed by peat workers at a desolate spot known as the Lake of Sorrows. As with all the artifacts culled from its prehistoric depths, the bog has effectively preserved the dead man's remains, and his multiple wounds suggest he was the victim of the ancient pagan sacrifice known as the triple death. But signs of a more recent slaying emerge when a second body, bearing a similar wound pattern, is found -- this one sporting a wristwatch. Someone has come to this quagmire to sink their dreadful handiwork -- and Nora soon realizes that she is being pulled deeper into the land and all it holds: the secrets to a cache of missing gold, a tumultuous love affair with archeologist Cormac Maguire, the dark mysteries and desires of the workers at the site, and a determined killer fixated on the gruesome notion of triple death. Hailed for her multiple award-winning debut novel Haunted Ground, Erin Hart melds Irish history, archeology, and modern forensics in her eloquent, suspense-charged thrillers.
Customer Reviews:
Another good read!.......2007-08-02
After I read "Haunted Ground" and found out that Ms. Hart was writing a follow up, I couldn't wait to "dig" into her second effort. And I wasn't disappointed at all! Her first book was no fluke, no beginner's luck. Story line, plot, characterization, and place description are as tight in this book as in her first.
My only request for future Hart novels is to bring the setting out of the gloomy boglands. I much more enjoyed following her through forests and beautiful vistas of Ireland in "Haunted Ground." But, whe was still true to her surroundings.
Keep going, Erin! Take me back to Ireland again with a great read!
Fun Mystery!.......2007-03-13
Lake of Sorrows, is Hart's 2nd novel with American pathologist Nora Gavin and Irish archaelogist Cormac Maguire. Lake of Sorrows once again takes the reader out to a mysterious peat bog where an ancient body has just been uncovered preserved. Dr. Gavin heads out to the bog to study the discovered body, and upon her arrival another body is found, this one from the 21st century. Thus the mystery begins....
Hart writes a great character driven mystery that is an easy read when you're looking for something light to read fast! It was a page turner that had me second guessing my own thoughts as to who the murderer might have been and what their motive was. I have enjoyed both of Hart's books. If you can I would begin with Haunted Ground just so that you can get the background on Nora and Cormac. It is also a great read and a great modern day mystery intertwined with an ancient one.
Lake of Sorrows: A Novel by Erin Hart.......2007-01-15
Ms. Hart's second novel after "Haunted Ground" shows us that this eloquent, beautiful writer only gets better with each new work!!!Her characters are well developed, fascinating, and not what suspense novel readers are used to seeing in modern fiction. Her characters are well connected to this Irish community and we see motives for murder in many of them. This is totally refreshing!! No sterotypical plot or characters. Compulsive and literate!!!
Modern forensics with ancient secrets.......2006-07-10
Lake of Sorrows is Erin Hart's second book that features Nora Gavin, a pathologist that has knack for getting mixed up in murders and tangled scenarios that make for some great reading. I must admit that I had no idea there was a book written prior to reading this, yet it I didn't feel it kept me from enjoying this fully as the story was strong on its own. One of the best parts of this book is the rich and detailed description of Ireland, focusing on the Loughnabrone Bog as a place of mystery and gruesome hidden secrets that sank as fast as the muddy sand that swallowed up jewels and people with no one to hear the last screams. The foggy and misty feel of the country side with it's wet bogs, forests and magnificent pastures swept through my head as the writer described everything so eloquently with much passion. This tale of murder, lost treasure, love triangles and archaeological excavations that educated us about the Iron Age Celtic culture, as that history wasn't written, only recorded on jewels and weapons found in the sunken bog along with bodies of sacrificial origin, murmured to be called a Triple Death from Britain and the Continent, found from Gallagh, Galway and Lounghabrone.
Nora Gavin has suffered through an event from the previous story, and was out in Loughnabrone at an archaeological dig in the bog of a man believed to been sacrificed over a hundred years ago. She slowly discovers secrets and hidden relationships between teams of people from the University and other expedicitonal teams that end up adding bodies into the watery bogs. The story has many interesting characters, some good and some who hate and cheat and even murder. I was extremely interested in watching their separate stories cross paths with each other, like a piece of fabric woven with tales of love and hate and what happened when Nora forced by events around her must get to the bottom of hidden treasures and missing people in order to free her boyfriend who seems involved and to save her own life as she stumbles in the path of danger. This was not only a murder mystery but a tale of love and relationships, about people who only start caring for someone after they have been murdered, because when they were alive no one cared and for life's lessons that my eyes read through hungrily.
I don't know how people could have found it boring for I was pulled into the story until I finally read it to the end, and i would try to go to bed but would pick the book up, read it then try and go to sleep only to do it two more times. I liked and cared for Nora and Cormack, her boyfriend, I detested Ursula Downes who was sneaky and out after every man, especially the taken ones, and for Ward, the detective, Charlie Brazil a bog worker with secrets and hidden containers with clues to the tale and the many minor and major characters who made it for a head spinning tale of intrigue, as guessing who did it was hard, so many people have done something very interesting that kept adding fuel to the fire it was hard to see who wasn't guilty. I recommend this for a nice summer read, filled with beautiful language, fresh scenery and constantly building intrigue.
I have all ready purchased Haunted Ground, Hart's first book and plan on reading it soon, as it give more roots to Nora Gavin and her past.
-Kasia S.
Death allowed all kinds of intimacies never imagined in life.......2005-06-20
The centuries old mystery of the Irish midland peat bogs are bought to life in this engaging thriller from author, Erin Hart. The bogs are full of secrets. To ancient people they were a strange liminal region, half water and half earth - the center of the world. A holy place, a burial ground, a safe for stowing treasure, and a region of spirits.
Recently the bogs have been relinquished to feed the ever-growing hunger for electric power, the men have gone to work on them devising more efficient ways to harvest peat. As the turf is cut and dried, to be burnt as a fuel, there is occasionally a find that enthuses archaeologists.
When Dublin archaeologist Cormac Maguire and anatomy lecturer Nora Gavin return to the wilds of the Irish countryside, they discover one such find. Two bodies are excavated: one an Iron Age bog body, revealed to have been in the bog for thousands of years, the other is the body of a man discovered to have a modern wristwatch on his arm. But both show signs they were victims of ritualized killings, or murders that looked like ritual killings.
This is an area that is soaked in ancient myths and age-old recriminations, and police detective Liam Ward, who knows the history of the area, is perplexed that the bodies were slain in such a manner. With an estimated date of death to be only twenty or so years ago, Ward, helped by Nora and Cormac, must work to discover the true identity of the modern man who was buried beneath the bog.
The newly discovered body is identified as Danny Brazil, a champion hurler who was believed to have emigrated to Australia twenty-five years ago. Before he disappeared, Danny and his brother Dominic were awarded a substantial reward for their discovery of the Loughnabrone hoard, a priceless collection of gold. The hoard contained the Broighter collar, a gold neck ring from the first century BC, an unbelievable find that was also considered invaluable. Soon after, however, the hoard containing the collar inexplicably vanished.
In unraveling the fate of Danny and the mysterious Broighter collar, Hart has assembled an eclectic and varied collection of suspects: There's Dominic's son, Charlie, a shy, reclusive loner who is quietly obsessed with bee keeping. Is Danny a misfit, or just one of those unfortunate people whose odd behaviour naturally draws suspicion? Teresa Brazil, Dominic's wife, hides secrets of the past, and hates living amongst "a landscape of soaking ground and dark drains slowly bleeding life away."
Does a young mute young woman named Brona, who once witnessed her sister's suicide, know something more than she's letting on?And what of Ursula Downes, fellow archaeologist and rapacious vamp? Ursula has recently been raising eyebrows because of her clandestine, kinky affair with Owen Cadogan, the bitter, misogynistic, and very married bog manager. There's also Rachel Briscoe, and an enigmatic young student who hates Ursula with a passion and spies on her at night.
As the story unfolds, Hart reveals a plot that is as complicated as a Chinese Box, waiting to be opened, to confound, and to mystify. It soon becomes clear that the Brazils were a dark family, and darkness seemed to eminate from their very souls, from the secretive habits and closed doors, the walls that constantly built up between them.
Hart excels at keeping up this shadowy and solemn mood; everyone has their secrets, and everyone has their burdens of sadness to carry. In Lake of Sorrows, lives are confined by narrow roads closed in by hedges and ditches and ivy-choked oak trees, hemmed in by a place that is perpetually dark, secret and damp. It's where the bog peat can enter your very pores, filling you up with darkness.
But Hart never forgets that she's writing a mystery. She has a sharp and experienced eye for police procedural and the technical aspects of autopsy. The second half of the novel is a race against consequences, as a second murder is committed, another ritualistic killing, full of blood-spattered mayhem. Cormac becomes a prime suspect, and Nora finds herself face-to-face with a murderous monster who believes that death is a "sacrificial privilege."
The plot of Lake of Sorrows is full of surprising twists and turns, with an inexorably mounting tension; it's somewhat like walking the bog; you have to be very careful where you put a foot down, in case you sink in. Mike Leonard June 05.
Book Description
Karen Hawkins brings us a clever Scottish–set fairytale romance – including a Snow White–type heroine, complete with seven brawny Scotsmen for apprentices.
Devon St John has never had a problem in his life – until now. Born to wealth and privilege, surrounded by a warm and loving family, he has pursued a life of leisure, chasing the most beautiful women London has to offer. All told, he has the perfect life and no intentions of ever settling down in any shape, form or fashion. So resolved, he heads to his friend's Scottish castle, unaware that fate is already hard at work.
As the illegitimate half–sister to Viscount Strathmore, Melody Macdonald refuses to reside under his roof and instead lives in a thatched house on the edge of the forest that borders Strathmore Castle. Ever since she ran off at the tender age of twelve to become an apprentice to a master of stained glass, Melody has been deplorably independent and wild. When Devon arrives at Strathmore Castle, he is taken aback by the rude, overbearing, illegitimate Scotswoman who refuses even to pretend to possess any feminine wiles. But Devon is determined to teach the strong–willed Melody a lesson in love ...
Customer Reviews:
St. John Talisman ring that curses the holder into a marriage.......2007-07-07
A Scottish historical romance with strong characters and a fun magic twist. Devon St. John runs to Scotland to avoid marriage only find Kat in old castle tempting him.
If you enjoy this genre I would also check out The Lady Lies by Samantha Saxon, Spirited Away by Cindy Miles and Secrets of a Duchess by Kaitlin O'Riley.
Description on back misleading!.......2007-05-21
When I read the back cover of this book to find words such as "mystical wood", "magical beauty", and "ring that curses the holder", I was expecting quite a bit more fantasy than this book actually delivers. The only one of those descriptions that seems to pop up in the book is the curse of the ring. Even than it just makes the owner's "true love" feel all warm and fuzzy. Other than that, this is a pretty simple, quiet romance novel. The book felt anti-climatic especially since the character Murien (who the author keeps hinting will do anything to marry the main character Devon) did nothing to thwart the budding romance between Devon and Kat except for being so annoying that no one other than her sister could stand to be around her. The rocky relationship of Murien's sister Fiona and her husband Malcolm (brother of Kat and friend of Devon) seems to just right itself suddenly in the last chapter for no reason other than happy ending for all the couples in the book. These two characters just frustrated me with the thoughts of how much they loved each other while aloud they disagreed, butted heads, and scorned each other behind the others back at every turn. That their wager of whether Devon would choose Kat or Murien was the last resort for saving their marriage seemed ridiculous.
I would only recommend this book as a very casual read. Do not expect to fall deeply in love with any of the characters. Just enjoy it as a plot headed straight for a happy ending with no real speed bumps in sight.
Good Character interaction.......2006-02-21
It is enjoyable to read a book where the main characters take the time to become friends and are not fighting all the time.
Although Devon's oringinal intentions are pitiful, he finds that out for himself as the relationship grows. He grows too. Kat is a down to earth normal(not perfect)woman. It's nice to see a story where she overshadows the shallow woman who is vying for the hero's attention. It's a story with it's ups & downs, but again I like when the hero/heroine get along more than fight.It is a pleasurable read compared to those who constantly bicker or fight the attraction to the extreme up until the very end.
Please -- don't bother. .......2005-07-12
The plot just didn't do it for me. I didn't like either of the main characters and felt that the story was very boring. I found myself skimming whole chapters to get to the end of the book. Devon St. John is fleeing from "curse" of the St. John talisman ring that states that the St. John to be in possession of the ring will be wed. Devon runs away to his friend Malcolm MacDonald's house and once there meets Kat MacDonald, Malcolm's half-sister. This when things just get creepy - basically Devon decides he needs to sleep with Kat and spends the better portion of the book trying to do just that - not for any good reason, just because he can. Kat, on the other hand, doesn't want to pursue this "relationship" and is content to just live in a cottage with seven men (yep, seven men) doing glasswork. Striking a blow for feminists everywhere, Kat runs her own business. After a variety of meetings and arguments (none of which are interesting) they finally succumb to their desire (a tryst during which Kat is wearing a nightgown her BROTHER gave her and right before the lovemaking, Kat thinks about how her brother gave her nightgown and she thinks he bought for his wife but gave it to her because it was too big.) The story ends with requisite ball scene where the heroine is looking splendid in a gown that is gorgeous and our hero is overcome. All in all, this book was a pretty big waste of time. The only other St. John book I've read is "Lady in Red" and I would recommend that book over this one any day.
Devon & Kat's story.......2005-06-15
Finally, a book in the series where the title & picture on the
cover make sense with the storyline. This was an enjoyable read.
Devon is the toughest nut to crack of the brothers thus far (only
one left to go). It was so sweet, the way he was always going to
visit Kat at her workshop.
The intimate scene was interesting ... a smidge bit kinky at first.
Also, in this part of the story, guinea's are mentioned, so I was
curious as to their size. I did some research, and they are quiet large, actually. The hero liked her 'guineas'.
I loved the way the ring was 'passed on' to Marcus at the end
of this book (Marcus is in the last book, "Lady in Red").
I would give this book, and the others so far, 4 1/2 stars each.
They are near perfect books and I honestly can recommend each one.
Average customer rating:
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And the Bride Wore Plaid
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739442910 |
Product Description
"My brother, Devon, left for Scotland in an effort to escape a foretold marriage. I only hope he has a very, very fast horse. He'll need one." Sara Montrose, the Countess of Bridgeton, to her friend, Sophia Hampton, Viscountess Easterly, while playing billiards at Chiswick Manor.Once upon a time, a beautiful woman locked away her heart from all who might try to enter ...Katherine Macdonald once tasted the bitter poison of a broken heart. To protect herself, Kat put her feelings into a deep slumber. Now she lives in a cottage in a mystical wood where, assisted by seven hulking Scotsmen, she makes stained glass of magical beauty, happy in her isolation until ...One day, a charming prince with black hair and deep blue eyes came riding into the mist-shrouded forest ...Devon St. John has found himself in possession of the St. John talisman ring that curses the holder by clasping a wedding band on his finger when he least expects it. Devon vows that he will never give up his beloved freedom -- even when an impulsive kiss from a beautiful Scotswoman with red gold hair casts a tantalizing spell ...And so, the tale begins ...
Average customer rating:
- Background and ending too rushed
- Good sci-fi, with a strong sense of humanity
- C'mon Larry, You've Done Much Better Than This
- OMG this is a BAD book
- Loved this book
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Building Harlequin's Moon
Larry Niven , and
Brenda Cooper
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Niven, Larry
| ( N )
| Authors, A-Z
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Adventure
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
High Tech
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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| Books
Similar Items:
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The Draco Tavern
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Burning Tower
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Old Man's War
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Ringworld's Children
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The Ghost Brigades
ASIN: 0765312662
Release Date: 2005-05-19 |
Book Description
After many collaborations in short fiction,New York Timesbestselling author Larry Niven and Brenda Cooper team up for their first full-length novel in the classic world-building Larry Niven tradition T he first interstellar starship, John Glenn, fled a solar system populated by rogue AIs and machine/human hybrids,threatened by too much nanotechnology, and rife with political dangers. The John Glenncrew intended to terraform the nearly pristine planet Ymir, in hopes of creating a utopian society that would limit intelligent technology.
Customer Reviews:
Background and ending too rushed.......2007-08-13
Larry Niven got top billing but Brenda Cooper was the real author. Would I have bought it if his name was unmentioned, probably not. This book could have easily been split into three stories. First a detail book about why the colonist left Earth, second the current book as it is. Third a book about the Earth colonist and their final quest to Ymir. Even though I felt the book a little rushed at the beginning and very rushed at the end, I still found it a very good and satisfying reading.
Good sci-fi, with a strong sense of humanity.......2007-08-03
This is a pretty good entry from science fiction master Larry Niven and first time author Brenda Cooper. The Earth Born passengers of the space faring ship John Glenn, fleeing an Earth which is overrun by artificial intelligences, are interrupted on their trip to the far colony Ymir by a technological failure. Unable to repair the problem on their ship, they resort to creating a moon to use as a base for building equipment that will enable them to continue their journey. As if this wasn't hubris enough, they unthaw enough passengers to bear and raise a race of children who will have to provide the industrial base required to create the necessary equipment. But intriguing as all that is, the real focus of this story is the personal problems and ethical issues that the characters have to deal with, especially the final conflict, which hinges on how to deal with the Moon Born work force that is destined to be left behind on a world that never should have been.
Niven's very clinical take on hard science is always more palatable when it is tempered by a co-author's touch of humanity, and that's never been truer than in this novel. Historically, Niven's characters have often tended toward the cartoonish, whereas many of these characters, especially Rachel and her friends on Selene, are human enough that we actually care about their ultimate fate. One assumes that it was Cooper's influence that made the difference. Good sci-fi, and a good story about human beings as well.
C'mon Larry, You've Done Much Better Than This.......2007-07-20
Once upon a time, there was a good young scifi writer named Larry Niven. He wrote some highly imaginative and interesting stories that were set in a creation called "Known Space". This universe had fascinating places in it like Mt. Lookithat, the Draco Tavern and the Ringworld; it included creatures like bandersnatchi, puppeteers and Kzinti; there were engaging characters like Gil Hamilton and Louis Wu. His stories were popular, fun to read, and won awards. Readers were amused. Readers were entertained.
Then, Mr. Niven's gas tank seemed to run low. He became inconsistent. He abandoned known space and took to collaborating with other writers. He still had some clever ideas, but many of the stories he was involved with landed with a clunk for various reasons. Somewhere along the line, he seems to have lost that light touch, the sense of playfulness and fun that informed his earlier work. Now, he seems intent on being a "serious" writer. We would all benefit if Niven could recapture the fun element that's gone missing.
BUILDING HARLEQUIN'S MOON is one of the latter efforts. There are some good ideas in here, but the whole thing just doesn't work very well. It takes itself too seriously, for one thing. There's nothing wacky or amusing, here. There's also not much action until the last part of the book and, by then, I didn't care that much what happened to the characters involved. It seems as though none of them has a good idea of what needs to be done. When they finally arrive at a solution to the problem of how to produce fuel for the starship, it's a solution that a bunch of smart people could have, and should have, arrived at in the first place.
Along the way, I found myself wondering what kind of people would create an environment and populate it with their own offspring, knowingly planning to treat said offspring like slaves and then leave them all behind on a doomed world. Especially when there were far better ways to deal with the problem. For example, if you have 60,000 years and the power to engineer a habitable moon, why not engineer it better so that it is stable. Or, why not have a smaller population of "moon born" offspring and take them with you. The starship was equipped with a large environment and with enough "cold sleep" chambers to accommodate all of the original colonists and crew, yet everyone could remain virtually immortal with only occasional one-year stints in cold sleep. It should have been simple to keep part of the population "warm" at any given time and rotate everybody through cold sleep periodically. Or, why spend so much time and effort creating something that you don't really need. The premise of the story has possibilities (stranded starship needs to find a way to refuel and move on), but the way it is realized doesn't work very well.
BUILDING HARLEQUIN'S MOON is another disappointing Niven collaboration. The ending is flat and too obvious, and somebody should have thought of it in the beginning. Further, there's not enough action and the main characters are only mildly engaging. They were often more frustrating than sympathetic. The story never got to the point where I was anxious to see what was going to happen next.
It's hard to know exactly how much input Niven has into these collaborative efforts, but the results have been a decidedly mixed bag. This one was just an OK read, and that's being a bit generous. This is a soft three stars.
OMG this is a BAD book.......2007-07-07
If this book were part of a Turing test it would show there was not an intelligence behind the curtain.
Many many bad things in terms of characterization, dialogue, plot, etc. For example, the time scale. This isnt a scale for escape, but for evolving a new species. At the very least, after all that time no one would be trying to leave since very probably there would no longer be any place (or at least civilization) to go. With the time and effort put into building the moon, why not simply stay? The entire premise is stupid beyond belief. I can't recommend this one as a library book.
Even free it's a sad waste of time.
Instead try
Dying Earth by Jack Vance
or
City by Clifford D. Simak
Loved this book.......2007-06-19
I enjoyed this book immensely. I read it just after is was published and still remember the characters. I would love to see a follow-up!
Book Description
The Ancient Meditation Technique that Brings Real Peace of Mind
Vipassand-bhavand, "the development of insight," embodies the essence of the teaching of the Buddha. As taught by S. N. Goenka, this path to self-awareness is extraordinary in its simplicity, its lack of dogma and, above all, its results. The Vipassana technique can be successfully applied by anyone.
Based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka--and prepared under his direct guidance--The Art of Living shows how this technique can be used to solve problems, develop unused potential, and lead a peaceful, productive life. It includes stories by S. N. Goenka, as well as answers to students' questions, that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.
S. N. Goenka's Vipassana courses have attracted thousands of people of every background. Unique among teachers of meditation, Goenka is a retired industrialist and former leader of the Indian Community in Burma. Although a layman, his teaching has won the approval of senior Buddhist monks in Burma, India, and Sri Lanka, a number of whom have taken courses under his guidance. Despite his magnetism, he has no wish to be a "guru" --instead he teaches self-responsibility. This is the first systematic study of his teachings to appear in English.
Customer Reviews:
An Insider's Take on THE ART OF LIVING & Why BEYOND THE BREATH is the Perfect Compliment.......2007-09-17
Except for the author, I bet I've read and reread The Art of Living more than anyone else alive. Here's why:
Before learning the meditation technique taught by the Indian-Burmese meditation master S. N. Goenka, I'd practiced in other traditions for more than 15 years and completed many long meditation retreats. I only attended a Goenka course because the 10-day retreat was offered for free and I'm a frugal sort of guy. But half way through the first course, I was wowed by this meditation method: my body and mind spontaneously dissolved into energy and then "disappeared," my heart opened, and I felt more peaceful and happier than I had in a long time. Here was truly a better way to meditate! Soon after leaving that course, I was determined to figure out why it works so well, and spent most of the next three years writing and researching a book, which Tuttle published as Beyond the Breath: Extraordinary Mindfulness Through Whole-Body Vipassana Meditation (more on it at the end).
So back to The Art of Living; to talk about this book, you really need to talk about Goenka's 10-day course. But first note that it's a little misleading to call it a "Goenka course" since Goenka didn't invent this type of meditation. He learned it in Burma, where it is believed that over the millennia Burmese monks and meditation teachers have preserved the exact method the Buddha himself used.
Spread almost solely through word of mouth, Goenka's courses have spread across the globe. According to the independent Buddhist magazine Buddhadharma, each year an estimated 100,000 people take a Goenka course. This means he has probably taught more people Buddhist meditation than anyone in history--including the Buddha himself! (Admittedly, this comparison is a bit silly since the Buddha wasn't able to offer retreats via audio and videotape.)
It's worth noting, that although a layman, Mr. Goenka, who is independently wealthy, has never made any money from teaching Buddhism. As already noted, his famous ten-day meditation courses are offered for free. After finishing a course, students may give a donation (to the nonprofit foundation that takes care of the expenses of running a meditation center), but contributions are totally voluntary and there is never any pressure to give.
Goenkaji, as his students call him, has a beautiful voice, a delightful accent, a grandfatherly warmth, and a terrific sense of humor. These qualities work well to balance his passion and seriousness of purpose. During a course, he gives a clear and accessible framework for understanding Buddhism and how to do this type of meditation. Through collaboration with the assistant teacher Bill Hart, The Art of Living faithfully presents Goenka's teachings from his 10-day course--minus the meditation instructions and, naturally, the sound of his lyrical voice.
The book's strength's are those of Mr. Goenka's: clarity and accessibility. Most of his explanations are illustrated with a traditional Buddhist parable or with a story from his extensive teaching experiences. The book's weakness is that Mr. Goenka's charisma is diminished in print. Like any great teacher or storyteller, the book can't recreate his uncanny sense of timing and his animated voices. Perhaps this weakness isn't apparent to those who read the book before taking a course (I took a course before reading the book). Calling this a "weakness," though, is not to dis' The Art of Living, which is a valuable resource in its own right. It is helpful to have Mr. Goenka's presentation written down and the book includes some Q & A not presented during a course (Mr. Goenka, who was born in 1924, and is now in poor health has retired from active teaching).
The Art of Living is generally read by two types: someone who has recently finished a ten-day Goenka retreat or by someone considering taking a course. For the first group or "old students", the book is a great refresher and offers details you may have missed on the video or audio tape. For the total newcomer, the book will give you a sense of what to expect at a course, but it may diminish the impact hearing Goenka "live." Since I took my first course before reading the book and had a powerful experience, that's what I'd recommend. But if you haven't decided to definitely take a course, then by all means read the book first. The important thing is to get yourself to a course (yes, I know 10-days is a long time-except if you try to remember what you did over the last week and a half and it seems to have gone by in a flash).
Now here comes the immodest part (though, honest-promise!), since I'm recommending the book I wrote: Beyond the Breath (Tuttle Publishing). While the book stands on it's own, in many ways it complements The Art of Living. To help explain why this meditation method works so well, Beyond the Breath is much more apt to refer to scientific research than a traditional parable. For instance, Beyond the Breath explains why Goenka and the Buddha's advice to live a moral life makes so much sense based on what we now know about evolutionary psychology; it also explains an essential aspect of Buddhist practice on an easily understood biochemical basis. So while The Art of Living offers wonderful stories and great homespun analogies that make good common sense, Beyond the Breath, will be especially helpful for those who want to know WHY this method (and Buddhist practice in general) works so well. Such insight isn't just an intellectual exercise; greater understanding leads to greater confidence in actually doing the practice. I'm confident anyone who's taken or considering a Goenka course, or just interested in meditation or Buddhism will find it valuable.
But whether or not you read either book, again, I encourage you to take a course. To check out more about Goenka's courses: www[dot]dhamma[dot]org
Beyond the Breath: Extraordinary Mindfulness Through Whole-Body Vipassana Meditation
One of my favorite meditation references.......2007-06-02
I practice and teach meditation, but am now strongly wanting to participate in the 10-day vipassana course, having finally read this priceless book. I have some absolute favorite books, like Swami Rama's "Science of Breath" that allow such a perfect conveyence of great information. One of these days, I'll participate in vipassana, and absorb the lessons more completely!
I took the class.......2007-05-12
The book is well written. It explains Vipassana and all the philosophy around it. Because it uses terms from India and refers a lot to spiritual aspects, it may appear a little complicated but Vipassana meditation is in fact very simple. You can read the book but the best is to take the 10 day class! You'll see Mr Goenka on DVD, such an incredible character...
Not for dabblers or the religion of the month clubbers........2006-11-23
It amazes me that C. Belmont,in the review below, describes how after coming home from the 10 day course that he was still not feeling normal and was still not in touch with his old feelings. Did he not go to the course because he was not satisfied with his old ways of thinking and feeling about his life experiences? Then as soon as he gets back he wants to start thinking and feeling exactly the way he did before he went to the course. What was the point of going?
Do you really want to change your life? This is a very much harder question to answer than most people think. They feel some disatisfaction with their lives and they feel that they need to change things and that something is wrong but they are not exactly sure what the problem is and what they need to do to change their lives or in what direction they should go. I've been there. So if you are sure THAT SOMETHING REALLY HAS TO CHANGE then read this book. If you like the book THEN go to the course. It's a hugh change in the way you think and feel about things. So tread carefully and slowly. Yes if you really do want to get off of the treadmill that is your normal every day existence and you FINALLY want to start feeling that your life has TRUE meaning, then read the book. If you decide to go to the course and then just want to go back to your OLD self and be who you were before you went,then please don't go. Because you won't be the same. You will have changed. That's a simple statement but you will have changed in substantial ways. Please be aware that these are big life altering changes.
If you are a butterfly and are fluttering around in this and that direction looking to try NEW things, then do not read this book or take the course. It's serious stuff that makes you realize that most of the things you think are serious really aren't and that can scare you. So if you've had enough of the humdrum of everyday life and want to really start living, then boldly go where few men and women have gone before.
Wake up and smell the roses. Just don't cry about it when they don't smell the way you thought they should. But that's really the whole point of the book and the course. You are to STOP putting your preconcieved notions on everything and start seeing life as it really is. Believe it or not that will be new and very scarey ground for most people. I know it scared the hell out of me. Not for the faint of heart. So fasten your chin strap tightly, bare down, dig in and go to war with illusion. It's a hell of a ride. Just don't expect it be to easy. Reality is a harsh mistress! But one that will eventually, AFTER A TRUE BATTLE, lead to the the peace you have been looking for. Nothing worth having is easy. I can't express this strongly enough.
Here is something most people won't tell you; life is full of suffering and is many times very painful. You will have to come to peace with that! It's reality!
A must have for Meditation.......2006-11-02
This book is sooooo true! It helps to actually go through and practice meditation in between chapters. If you are interested in how meditation can help you, this will definitely teach you a wonderful technique!
Books:
- Leonardo's Swans: A Novel
- Lest Darkness Fall & Bring the Light
- Little White Lies: A Novel of Love and Good Intentions
- Lying Awake
- Memoirs of a Geisha: A Novel
- Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose
- Now Is the Time to Open Your Heart: A Novel (Walker, Alice)
- Ordinary Wolves: A Novel
- Patty Jane's House of Curl
- Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Books Index
Books Home
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