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- A Real Pearl
- Deliciosly seductive and surprisingly redemptive
- Intellectual Game of Concepts
- This book is so Spanish, it defies traditional translation
- "We have an old saying here: 'If it's white and comes in a bottle, it's milk.'"
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The Seville Communion
Arturo Perez-Reverte
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
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ASIN: 0156029812 |
Amazon.com
Spain's Arturo Perez-Reverte continues his string of comfortably old-fashioned, modestly intellectual thrillers with a touching and suspenseful story of faith and duty, set in the timeless and enchanting city of Seville. "In Seville different histories were superimposed and interdependent," he writes, aided by Sonia Soto's seamless translation. "A rosary stringing together time, blood and prayers in different languages beneath a blue sky and wise sun that leveled everything over the centuries. Stone survivors that could still be heard. You just had to forget for a moment the camcorders, postcards, coaches full of tourists and cheeky young girls, and put your ear to the stones and listen." As in his previous surprise bestsellers--The Club Dumas and The Flanders Panel, both available in paperback--Perez-Reverte takes a supposedly cool observer and turns the person into a hot-blooded participant in the action. In The Seville Communion it's Father Lorenzo Quart, who works for an investigative branch of the Vatican that is referred to by an angry, upstaged Archbishop of Seville as "you and your mafiosi in Rome, playing God's police." Father Quart, a very attractive man with prematurely gray hair cropped short, wears expensive suits and has to fight off the women who test his vows of celibacy. His toughest challenge is a breathtaking, titled beauty named Macarena, whose banker husband is at the center of a plot to tear down a historic church. Two people have already been killed because of the intrigue, and more violence threatens as Father Quart is pursued by a trio of ineptly dangerous villains, straight out of Bogart's Beat the Devil, through the gorgeous streets of a city to die for.
Book Description
A“diabolically good” hacker puts a message on the pope’s computer, pleading for him to save a seventeenth-century Spanish church—a church that is killing to defend itself.Although Our Lady of the Tears is but a crumbling baroque building in the heart of Seville, it is also the center of a multilayered mystery—one that will force ecclesiastical sleuth Father Lorenzo Quart to question his loyalty, his vow of chastity, and his faith itself.
Customer Reviews:
A Real Pearl.......2007-09-24
Perez-Reverte disappointed me in the nautical chart book. It was artsy--too many references to books and movies, as if his characters couldn't emerge out of their actions. That's not the case here. His priests are real. That's a lot tougher than creating real cops in this world. And so's his Vatican. Dibden's CABAL works the same vein, but the comparison is all in Perez-Reverte's favor. He's closer here to DEATH COMES FOR THE ARCHBISHOP than to CABAL. Cather gets the 5th star; that's the only reason THE SEVILLE COMMUNION doesn't.
Deliciosly seductive and surprisingly redemptive.......2007-09-22
Because I am a novelist with a work-in-progress featuring a Jesuit priest, a friend suggested I read "The Seville Communion" for the interesting character of Father Lorenzo Quart. I am very glad to have found this book. The story is interesting, clever in places and deliciously sensual with lavish descriptions of Seville. The plot is not particularly complex but it is satisfying as a background for a story populated with some of the most enjoyable characters I have encountered in a long time. The bumbling, inept trio hired to foil Quart's investigation are absolutely hilarious and the dotty old duchess with a surprising hobby is a delight. Even her gorgeous but ultimately manipulative daughter has her moments and the cantankerous old village priest surprises with his unexpected pragmatism. But it is Father Lorenzo Quart that fascinates.
Though very different in personality, Fr. Quart reminded me of another handsome but challenged Jesuit, Fr. Emilio Sandoz, in Mary Doria Russell's lovely book The Sparrow. He is not a man of Faith but, like Sandoz, he has found peace, purpose, and discipline in the priesthood and that is good enough for him. In Seville he finds an entire city full of exasperating characters --- from a disillusioned American nun to a bumbling, debt-ridden gambler --- all determined to thwart his every move. Quart has always relied on his self-discipline, intellect, and pride in being a "good soldier" to guide him but in Seville none of that seems useful any more. The storyline is not complex but, as the end approaches and Quart takes it upon himself to perform the one act that can make a difference in the bizarre situation, the reader cannot help but be somewhat thrilled that this former "good soldier" will risk his entire distinguished career to perform an act of Faith out of a faith he didn't know he had. Quart redeems himself even though he isn't really sure what that means.
This is an enjoyable read (and I sincerely wish I read Spanish well enough to read the original) with a few hilarious moments and a climax that left me in tears.
Intellectual Game of Concepts.......2007-05-27
The Seville Communion is a Twentieth Century thriller. Written under the "Perez-Reverte" tradition,it effectively intertwines greed,religious fervor,tradition,hypocrisy and loyalty.
The setting is mainly spellbound "Hispalis".It portrays a clash between social institutions such as The Holy See,local church hierarchy and old family lineage.
Two deaths occur in a crumbling church located in the center of Seville. "Vespers" breaks into the Pope's computer. As a result, Father Quart is sent to investigate.
With a highly complicated plot(complicated as the Baroque Movement),the constant presence of imagery and surprise is astounding.
At the end "Nobody leaves Seville without sinning"
This book is so Spanish, it defies traditional translation.......2007-03-24
I studied Spanish Literature in school and when I think of Spanish authors, I think of Cervantes, Quevedo, Becquer and of course, Gongora. Then there's a leap from the "Golden Century" and Spanish Literature becomes Latin American Literature with Garcia Marquez, Octavio Paz, Pablo Neruda and of course, Isabel Allende.
Perez Reverte is a revelation. He really takes you to Seville with a host of characters that are different from each other, and through their antics and actions,they show another dimension of this legendary city.
The pace of this story is well contained, since it cannot be read in a rush. Perez Reverte takes you to a walk through the narrow streets of Seville, showing you the Tower of Gold, La Giralda, many squares and plazas, churches and convents,all the way to the shores of the Guadalquivir River. One can see the ocher walls, and hear Tablao throughout the entire story.
Father Quart is a unique character, and the hero of the story. He so methodical in everything he does, that he reminds me of "The Day of the Jackal." He feels more pride than piety, and control rule his acntions, rather than zeal. I liked this character very much.
Macarena is the "Maja" of the story, and trough her mother, Cruz Brener, Perez Reverte takes the reader to the times of the "Other Spain," the aristocracy, the wealth, and the world of privilege that is fading away quickly.
I just have one recommendation for this book. There's nothing wrong having a good looking priest around, but it seems that Perez Reverte describes Fatehr Quart too many times as a Knight Templar throughout the entire story. I picture Father Quart as a young Arnold Schwarzenegger playing Ivan Danko in "Red Heat" running around Seville looking for Vespers.
I'm glad I discovered this author, and I have a feeling this won't be the only book I'll read from him. Well recommended, you won't be disappointed
"We have an old saying here: 'If it's white and comes in a bottle, it's milk.'".......2007-02-12
In this absorbing mystery set in Seville, author Arturo Perez-Reverte depicts the all-too-human ecclesiastical hierarchy--from an elderly local priest in a small church of declining population, to the Vatican, the Pope, and the Institute of External Affairs (IEA), in charge of investigating crime and violations of priestly protocol. Fr. Lorenzo Quart, representing the IEA, is sent to Seville to investigate when a hacker leaves a message on the Pope's private e-mail claiming that two recent deaths in a seventeenth century church suggest that the church "kills to defend itself."
Our Lady of the Tears, a Baroque church undergoing restoration, is sitting on some of the most valuable land in Seville, and the archbishop and a local bank are determined to close it and sell the land. Its irascible, elderly priest, an American nun/architect, the seventy-year-old duchess whose family has endowed the church, and her gorgeous daughter Makarena are just as determined to keep the church open. Matters become more complicated when one of the bank employees, heavily in debt, hooks up with a former prize fighter, a gypsy singer, and a slick operator, to guarantee that the church will close.
The ambition of the archbishop, the susceptibility of Fr. Quart to the wiles of Makarena, the stubbornness of the elderly priest of the church, the loss of faith of some clergy, the infighting within the Vatican, and its deal-making all show the human frailties of the clergy and add to the complexity of the developing mystery. The author uses every trick in the book to involve the reader in the action, including deaths inside the church, clergy who share their doubts about God and the church with the reader, sexual temptations, betrayals and double-crosses, and characters who gradually show themselves to be different from initial impressions. Fr. Quart, "the sexiest priest alive," supposedly resembles "Richard Chamberlain in _The Thorn Birds_, but more manly," and as he investigates and tries to avoid taking sides, he must resist the advances of Makarena.
The novel leads to a bang-up conclusion, but it is somewhat disappointing in its melodrama. In addition, the solutions to many of the novel's mysteries are revealed in retrospect, sometimes weeks or years later, not through direct action. The stereotypical characters become individuals only in the conclusion, when their atypical behaviors, for which there have been no advance hints, conveniently allow the author to solve several mysteries. Still, the author's depiction of enchanting Seville, his ability to create atmosphere, and the sheer fun of the story make this one of Perez-Reverte's most enjoyable mysteries. n Mary Whipple
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Seville Communion, the
Arturo Perez-Reverte
Manufacturer: Harvill Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1860463533 |
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This means of grace
John Seville Higgins
Manufacturer: Morehouse-Gorham
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Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: B0007H9QDI |
Average customer rating:
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The Anglican communion today (Church Historical Society pub)
John Seville Higgins
Manufacturer: Church Historical Society
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ASIN: B0007F7D5S |
Product Description
Three superb literary thrillers from the master of the intellectual adventure.
Customer Reviews:
Pregnancy of Revenge.......2006-03-17
I enjoy this book very much. It was great. I would pass this one on the all my friends.
From the back cover:.......2005-11-08
Revenge...Italian style!
A gold-digger, that was all Charlotte Summerville was, and she was going to get everything she deserved! Billionaire Jake d'Amato was determined to make the money-grabbing beauty pay. His plan was simple. He'd take revenge - in his bed!
It might have looked as if Charlie was avaricious, but her intentions were purely innocent - just like her! Jake's masterful lovemaking blew her away, but passion had its consequences...
Suddenly she was married to a man who wanted her but hated her...and she was pregnant with his child!
Book Description
The novels that launched the New York Times bestselling series
Star Wars: The New Jedi Order
VECTOR PRIME
DARK TIDE I: ONSLAUGHT
DARK TIDE II: RUIN
Customer Reviews:
At first I didn't accept it..........2007-01-30
The first 3 in the series and the following novels are a little different than what you'd first expect from Star Wars if you haven't read any of the expanded universe novels - they were the first of many for me. Once you get about finished with the first one novel, the storyline becomes very engrossing and you want to read more.
It was this series that started me on my personal journey to read every novel from the expanded universe. I have about 10 left and I will have read every one (if that tells you what the New Jedi Order series meant to me).
I give it a four instead of five because of the dissonant feelings I originally had with the storyline. Do I accept this from Star Wars or not?
Turns out I do.
Awesome collection.......2006-04-28
I have had the box set for over 2-3 months. It contains Vector prime, Dark Tide 1, and Dark Tide 2. I am on Dark Tide 2 right now and I can not wait to sink my teeth into the next book. This box collection is awesome. Vector prime starts out the NJO series and all of your favorite characters are back such as: Chewie, Han, Leia, Luke, R2-D2, and C-3PO. There are also alot of new faces too. The series bases apon a new enemy race, the Yuzhann Vong. This is a sinister and vile race trying to take over the galaxy. But of course, the jedi kick butt. I reccomend taking this series slow because this series contains 19 books plus two E-Books. I would not waste your money on the E-Books though because you have to wait one day to read it and it's not worth the money. Plus one of the E-Books is contained in Star by Star. Anyways the next book after Vector prime is Dark Tide 1. This book continues almost right after Vector Prime. And believe me this one is as good as the first. Continuing on to the next book, Dark Tide 2. This is an excellent book so far. I am almost done with it. This box set does not dissapoint so buy it and have fun with the NJO series.
Star wars Fan.......2006-01-21
Great books. Must read if you like star wars Extended Universe. I loved them because it seemed to grow up as far as the writing went. They allowed people to die and get old, something that so far in the Extended Universe hadn't happened. The New Jedi Order series really pushed the boundaries as to what was acceptable with the force and changed many peoples view of the force forever. Very interesting read I will warn you to not start unless you are willing to read them all because they are highly addicting.
awesome.......2005-11-18
This is a must have if you haven't read the New Jedi Order series yet. The first book, Vector Prime really gets things started and is the best so far. The other two, are decent. Luke, Mara, and all the rest of the characters are portrayed really well in these three. Exciting books.
Amazon.com
Why Religion Matters is a passionate, accessible, ambitious manifesto written by one of the very few people qualified to address its titular topic. Huston Smith is the grand old man of religious scholarship. Raised by missionary parents in China, Smith went on to teach at M.I.T. and U.C. Berkeley, among others, and his World's Religions has long been the standard introductory textbook for college religion courses. The subject of Why Religion Matters, Smith writes, "is the importance of the religious dimension of human life--in individuals, in societies, and in civilizations." Smith believes that the religious dimension of human life has been devalued by the rise of modern science: we have now reached a point at which "modern Westerners . . . forsaking clear thinking, have allowed ourselves to become so obsessed with life's material underpinnings that we have written science a blank check ... concerning what constitutes knowledge and justified belief." In candid, direct style, Smith describes the evolution of intellectual history from pre-modern to postmodern times, and the spiritual sensibilities that have been shunted "by our misreading of modern science." In the book's final sections, Smith avoids the folly of predicting the future, instead focusing on "features of the religious landscape that are invariant" and therefore may serve as "a map that can orient us, wherever the future may bring." This book is fresh, insightful, and important. It may prove to be as influential in shifting readers' terms of religious understanding as any of Smith's previous writings. --Paul Power
Book Description
Huston Smith, the author of the classic bestseller The World's Religions, delivers a passionate, timely message: The human spirit is being suffocated by the dominant materialistic worldview of our times. Smith champions a society in which religion is once again treasured and authentically practiced as the vital source of human wisdom.
Customer Reviews:
Smith affirms the religious world-view.......2007-07-22
This book was not quite what I expected. The title, on "Why Religion Matters", might get you to thinking that there would be large tracts devoted to Darwin or Marx, or atheistic criticism and the hegemony of secular thinking. Smith actually argues that the traditional world-view of an intergrated, meaningful world is still valid, and primarily attacks the view that science or "scientism" (that all beliefs can be reduced to scientific method or explanation) has become somewhat of its own religion, precluding alternative or earlier understanding of this world. In a nutshell, we have all become too rationalistic and "straight-jacketed" by the rigors of a modern, "scientistic" thinking. He makes some valid points, but personally I believe he may have done some disservice to the curiousity and wonder of many scientists. His book is effective, but not what I was expecting, and not the exact way I would imagine framing this question myself. It is, overall a good book, communicating interesting and controversial ideas - adequate for beginning students.
Brings the respect back to religion.......2007-06-30
I was given this book when I was in public university. I am normally not much of a book reader. But this is now one of my most treasured posessions. Huston Smith uses his incredible gift of knowledge, perception and worldviews to make an irrefutable case for the value and necessity of religion in human society.
This book is NOT light reading. It is very deep and requires the reader to repeat some pages just for the content to seep in. Smith manages to pack an incredible ammount of thought and content into small selections.
There is way too much to cover in this review but the best way I can describe it is as follows: This book discusses the three worldviews throught history... traditionalism, modernism and post modernism (what we are in now) Smith then carefully details how each of these worldviews deals with the debate of cosmology vs metaphysics and how this affects the nature of society. He brilliantly pickes apart positivism (the notion that science is the only means of arriving at truth), and goes on to explain why religion is innate and cannot be ignored.
I only wish I had his writing skills. He brings in a number of religions including buddism, Judaism, Christianity, hunduism...etc.. This is not biased and brilliantly done. You will not be disapointed.
Read Smith's World Religions Instead.......2006-03-23
Horribly, horribly disappointing. Books that simply trash another opposing theory (think US politics in 2004) without coming up with solid ideas of their own is not nearly as interesting as original/positive thesis. Smith spends a huge chunk of the book doing just that and portraying scientists as soulless students of dead matter. Really, if Smith's version of science was truly the dominant cultural paradigm, 5 percent instead of 95 percent of Americans would believe in God.
In addition, he takes superficial examples from other cultures and uses them to defend his monotheism (an underlying Christianity, based on some passages). While I agree with the author that tolerance without thinking is just as bad as
intolerance, using native cultures as examples and then arguing that there is an absolute religious Truth (not a spiritual truth) is difficult to swallow. Sorry, you can't have both.
In addition, the writing is generally chaotic in the last half -the author seems to be trying to squeeze his life work into a few pages.
Again, Huston Smith has MANY better books out there that treat the world's religions with more respect.
Time to clean house.......2006-01-18
The author (an old friend of mine) has long been pointing to the tragedy he describes in this and other books of his. Now what has happened to us has happened to science itself and religion also. It's time to clean house from top to bottom while the house is still standing.
Very disappointing........2005-12-27
I saw the Bill Moyer's PBS series on Huston Smith. I was very impressed. I bought The World's Religions by Huston Smith and was blown away. Fantastic summaries of the 7 great world religions and a chapter on the lesser religions.
I've had the question nagging at the back of my mind for a while, "Does religion really matter?" So, when coming across Why Religion Matters I knew I had to read it.
I didn't read the whole book. I fell just short of 200 pages before giving up. The book wasn't getting to the point. It just kept bashing science and Scientism, over and over.
This is a dreadful book.
Product Description
The internationally revered authority on world religions confronts the current crisis of the human spirit.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Theological Studies, published by Theological Studies, Inc. on December 1, 2001. The length of the article is 907 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: Why Religion Matters: The Fate Of The Human Spirit In An Age Of Disbelief. (Book Reviews).
Author: John H. Wright
Publication:
Theological Studies (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2001
Publisher: Theological Studies, Inc.
Volume: 62
Issue: 4
Page: 845(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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