Queen of Dreams

Book Description

From the bestselling author of Sister of My Heart comes a spellbinding tale of mothers and daughters, love and cultural identity. Rakhi, a young painter and single mother, is struggling to come to terms with her relationship with ex-husband Sonny, a hip Bay Area DJ, and with her dream-teller mother, who has rarely spoken about her past or her native India. Rakhi has her hands full, juggling a creative dry spell, raising her daughter, and trying to save the Berkeley teahouse she and her best friend Belle own. But greater challenges are to come. When a national tragedy turns her world upside down and Rakhi needs her mother’s strength and wisdom more than ever, she loses her in a freak car accident. But uncovering her mother’s dream journals allows Rakhi to discover her mother’s long-kept secrets and sacrifices–and ultimately to confront her fears, forge a new relationship with her father, and revisit Sonny’s place in her heart.

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In her most spellbinding novel yet, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni spins a fresh, enchanting story of transformation that is as lyrical as it is dramatic.

Rakhi, a young artist and divorced mother living in Berkeley, California, is struggling to keep her footing with her family and with a world in alarming transition. Her mother is a dream teller, born with the ability to share and interpret the dreams of others, to foresee and guide them through their fates. This gift of vision fascinates Rakhi but also isolates her from her mother's past in India and the dream world she inhabits, and she longs for something to bring them closer. Caught beneath the burden of her own painful secret, Rakhi's solace comes in the discovery, after her mother's death, of her dream journals, which begin to open the long-closed door to her past.

As Rakhi attempts to divine her identity, knowing little of India but drawn inexorably into a sometimes painful history she is only just discovering, her life is shaken by new horrors. In the wake of September 11, she and her friends must deal with dark new complexities about their acculturation. Haunted by nightmares beyond her imagination, she nevertheless finds unexpected blessings: the possibility of new love and understanding for her family.

“A dream is a telegram from the hidden world,” Rakhi's mother writes in her journals. In lush and elegant prose, Divakaruni has crafted a vivid and enduring dream, one that reveals hidden truths about the world we live in, and from which readers will be reluctant to wake.

Customer Reviews:

Why do I have to listen to her complain?.......2007-06-26

This book was full of beautiful potential, but the characters where completely without true richness. The main character was so whiney and and annoying. She complained about a childhood and parents that were typically flawed. The author gave a vague and rediculous episode that was suppose to fuel her deep hatred for an ex husband. 9/11 was just thrown in as if it had to be, bringing up much deeper and more exciting topics that the rest of the book then ending abruptly.

Queen of Dreams by far the best I have read this year........2007-04-13

For some reason I discovered this book sitting in my bookshelf and have no idea when I purchased it and why. I read a book a week and was searching for something to read when I discovered this one. I had never heard or read anything by this author. My huge loss, for this is by far the best book I have read this year. Perhaps the best I have read in the past year as well.

While searching for some knowledge as to why her mother dies in an accident and trying to discover who she really was, Rakhi unwinds a tale that is so marvelous you cannot put this book down. Magic, mystery and wonder fill every page. Written at times like poetry, you are aware of this authors unbelievable talent with every page you read.

I will now read every other book she has written. Where are these great writers hidden ? Why are they known to someone like me who is an avid reader? We are forced into trusting the best sellers list and to read novels by mediocre writers to satisfy the demands of publisher who control the market as well as our minds.

This book is a gem and will make you hunger for more of this author.
Chitra Banergee Divakaruni........a toast to you and your talent. Please keep writing.

Some Comments on Comparative Study on Literature of Dream Interpreters.......2006-05-11

I come across the work of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni through a radio interview in April. Her reading excerpt on the Queen of Dreams was so charming that I checked out the title in the nearby local library. Unforunately, that radio program ceased to pose her audio interview on line.

Time is well-spent reading this title as the many reviews of the title cover comment on the effect 'spiritually therapeutic'. Her narrative prose in first person account is so poetic that even a tormented main character, a single mother who struggles to paint, a La Boheme artist, sounds like a saint. What strikes me as universally humane is how Chitra describes the 'redemptive' process, sexual frustration with her ex-husband, friendship with her girlfriend, Freudian connection with her son Jonas (yes, the Biblical character), ambiguous reconciliation with her gifted mother after she died in an accident, and with her father who lent a cooking hand to support her 'faltering adventure in coffee shop business'. The father figure is fairly clear-cut.

For those who are new-age seekers, the self-discovery of identity in the post-modern Berkeley era does not sacrifice the quest of authentic intellectual curiosity. Rather it affirms a woman's struggling for her independence while longing her interdependence with those who care for her. Only a protagonist (here a woman) can write such moving novel.

If you enjoy poetry for the namesake of beauty, try the journal passge on how one interpretes the modality of 'thorn'. How many ways can one assign meanings to the dream about 'thorn'? That depends on who has the dream and in what context.

The author maintains a website for her other works.

Dream Time..........2005-12-10

I loved reading this book, at first it was boring, but that only lasted a few pages, later I was so engrossed by it that I could not stay away from it. I felt drawn towards all of the characters, especially Rakhi. The only thing I didn't like was that it leaves you wanting more; some things are not resolved, or not explain too good. But all in all, is a wonderful and magical novel.

Another 5-star novel.......2005-10-28

I have now read 4 of Ms. Divakaruni's books, and hope she writes another novel soon. She has a tremendous gift to make her images come to life in your head as you are reading. I also felt again that I was being given a privileged tour of a culture different than my own, and could see my own culture through different eyes. So in addition to being entertained, I was being educated. Along with a great story comes a little magic--in that way her work reminds me of Alice Hoffman--the magic seems like a completely natural and believeable part of the world. Read this book, and then read the rest of her work!

VIRTUOUS WOMEN : Three Classic Korean Novels (A Nine Cloud Dream, The True History of Queen Inhyon, The Song of a Faithful Wife, Ch'un-hyang).

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VIRTUOUS WOMEN : Three Classic Korean Novels (A Nine Cloud Dream, The True History of Queen Inhyon, The Song of a Faithful Wife, Ch'un-hyang).

Manufacturer: Royal Asiatic Society, Korean Branch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HDHT86

How to Get More out of Being Jewish Even If:: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think ... Hated Hebrew School, or E. All of the Above!
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How to Get More out of Being Jewish Even If:: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think ... Hated Hebrew School, or E. All of the Above!
Gil Mann
Manufacturer: Leo & Sons Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Law | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

ASIN: 0965170926

Book Description

Tackling some of the most pertinent questions Jews ask themselves every day, this insightful examination of American Jewry considers the relevance of the Jewish religion and its traditions in the modern world. Culled from interviews with Jews from varying backgrounds, this book addresses the major issues that affect all Jews, regardless of age, sex, or level of practice. From answering the question What is Judaism, anyway? and considering the relationships between Jews and their community to understanding the state of Jewish education and discussing the issues involved in keeping kosher, this book offers hints for reconciling ancient religious customs with life in the 21st century and enriching one's spiritual life.

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Fantastic Book Any Kid Will Love

I'm Not Going Out There!
Paul Bright
Manufacturer: Good Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bedtime & Dreaming | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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One Winter's Day
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ASIN: 1561485357

Book Description

"I'm not going out there," declares the little boy in this hilarious, rhyming story.

But what is frightening him? It's not the dragon breathing smoke in the living room. Or the ghost snacking on toast and chocolate in the kitchen. The witches in the bathroom are too busy washing their dirty underwear to bother anyone. And the monsters performing ballet exercises in the bedroom aren't at all terrifying.

But something in the house is very scary. And it's coming this way . . .

A perfect read-it-aloud book which children will beg to hear again and again.

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Book Any Kid Will Love.......2007-07-09

I can't believe that nobody has reviewed this book yet! My boys absolutely love the way the author turns a phrase in this book about a little boy hiding out from something that is very scary. The tone of this book is very upbeat and all of the scary creatures are described in very fun ways that make them sound a lot less scary.

I definitely recommend this book for any child!

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wonderful contemporary romance

Going All Out (Blaze) (Harlequin Blaze)
Jeanie London
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0373792352

Customer Reviews:

wonderful contemporary romance .......2006-02-04

In New Orleans, Bree Addison is walking home to her Court du Chaud abode from her late night shift at Toujacques casino when she realizes a car seems to be following her. She hides in a nearby backyard, but sees the culprit seeking her out, dangerous Jude Robicheaux, who she once was seeing, but fled what in her mind was a bad relationship. Why Jude is in town is anyone's guess, but Bree assumes the worst including revenge on her dumping him.

Wearing only a towel, software guru Lucas Russell is shocked to see a beautiful woman in his backyard. He goes out to investigate why she is there, but deep in his gut he hopes the mysterious woman dropped in to see him. As they become acquainted and even begin to fall in love, Lucas demands Bree tell him what she is hiding from him as he wants to help her. She fears if he gets too involved he will be hurt so she refuses to reveal her inner secret. As their relationship looks in peril, a ghost haunting her family plays matchmaker while Jude plans match destructor as no one walks out on him.

GOING ALL OUT is a wonderful contemporary romance with a touch of suspense and a pinch of the paranormal to enhance the prime plot of the relationship between Bree and Lucas. The cast make this a fun read as the audience will root for the lead couple, hope that the ghost receives his just awards and that Jude his just desserts. Jeanie London provides a fine follow-up to the Red Letter Nights anthology.

Harriet Klausner

How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even If:: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think Keeping Kosher Is Stupid, D. You Hated Hebrew School, or E. All of the Above!

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How to Get More Out of Being Jewish Even If:: A. You Are Not Sure You Believe in God, B. You Think Going to Synagogue Is a Waste of Time, C. You Think Keeping Kosher Is Stupid, D. You Hated Hebrew School, or E. All of the Above!
Gil Mann
Manufacturer: Leo & Sons Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0965170918

Book Description

Tackling some of the most pertinent questions Jews ask themselves every day, this book examines the relevance of the Jewish religion and its traditions in the modern world. Culled from interviews with Jews from varying backgrounds, it addresses the major issues that affect all Jews, regardless of age, sex, or level of practice. From answering the question "What is Judaism anyway?" and addressing the relationships between Jews and their community to discussing the issues involved in keeping kosher and the state of Jewish education, this book offers hints for reconciling ancient religious customs with life in the 21st century. Suggestions for people interested in further exploration of Judaism and a list of references for more research complete this resource for Jews who are seeking to enrich their spiritual lives.

Going all out: An invitation to belong : seven lively essays for youth with questions for discussion and suggestions for action

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Going all out: An invitation to belong : seven lively essays for youth with questions for discussion and suggestions for action
Robert J Carlson
Manufacturer: Catholic Bulletin Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

My Going Out Book (Little Ladybird Board Books)

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My Going Out Book (Little Ladybird Board Books)
Eugenie
Manufacturer: Penguin U S A
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0721450741

Bad news for roads? Business NZ is going all out to protest against a new Bill they say is bad news for the nation's roads and hence for our businesses. ... Soapbox).: An article from: NZ Business

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Bad news for roads? Business NZ is going all out to protest against a new Bill they say is bad news for the nation's roads and hence for our businesses. ... Soapbox).: An article from: NZ Business
Simon Carlaw
Manufacturer: Profile Publishing Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from NZ Business, published by Profile Publishing Ltd. on June 1, 2003. The length of the article is 715 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: Bad news for roads? Business NZ is going all out to protest against a new Bill they say is bad news for the nation's roads and hence for our businesses. (Business Soapbox).
Author: Simon Carlaw
Publication: NZ Business (Magazine/Journal)
Date: June 1, 2003
Publisher: Profile Publishing Ltd.
Volume: 17 Issue: 5 Page: 33(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Entrepreneurial Management, Going all out for Results

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Entrepreneurial Management, Going all out for Results
Charles A. Dailey
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFYVEC

Book Description

Long before the Babylon 5 space station brought Humans face-to-facewith alien races, they discovered an extraordinary breed among their very own . . .

The year is 2115. Shock waves follow in the wake of astonishing news: science has proven the existence of telepaths. Amid media frenzy, panic, and bloodshed, Earth's government steps in to restore order--and establish tight control over the newfound special population . . . by any means necessary.

Ambitious senator Lee Crawford spearheads the effort, overseeing the creation of the Psi Corps--an elite unit charged with tagging and monitoring all telepaths "for their own protection." But the real agenda behind the crackdown is one of government control. Many question the telepaths' origins, while others view them as a coveted weapon. As the Corps tightens its iron grip, the stage is set for a cataclysmic confrontation--one in which the future of Earth will be decided.

Customer Reviews:

The Genesis of Psi Corps.......2007-04-03

Interesting in that it goes into some detail about a period of Earth history when telepaths started to appear, and how Earth society dealt with it (hint: not well).
Disappointing, though, to those Babylon 5 fans who expect something recognizable from the series. Because it mostly occurs a generation before the events of the TV series, you won't see any of your favorite characters in it. If that's important, then skip this one.

I feel my mind going..........2005-11-22

J. Michael Straczynski really fizzled when it came to the PSI Corps on the series Babylon 5. Getting the chance to have a fifth and final season, he builds on an impending war between the PSI Corps and normal humans ("Mundanes") then never delivers. Fortunately, he has allowed J. Gregory Keyes to flesh out the background of the PSI Corps, starting from its chaotic inception. The novels are somewhat dark and brooding. The first novel, DARK GENESIS: THE BIRTH OF THE PSI CORPS ends with Bester's birth and deliverance to the corps (after the loss of his parents). While it is interesting, most of it is hack.

The trilogy really takes off with the second edition, DEADLY RELATIONS: BESTER ASCENDANT, delineating Bester's PSI Corps training and rise to the top of the PSI Cops regiment. It is full of delicious details and insights. Unfortunately, it ends just as Bester is planning on going to Babylon 5 to round up Jason Ironheart.

The third installment (FINAL RECKONING: THE FATE OF BESTER) picks up the tale of Bester well after the telepath war is over. He leaves the fate of Lyta Alexander to speculation and instead concentrates on Alfred Bester and Garibaldi's quest for revenge. Many of the details of this novel read like a poorly written Danielle Steele novel, but in the end Keyes delivers a fine resolution that actually ties his triology together quite well. I will not provide spoilers, but this novel is certainly a must for anyone interested in whatever happened to Mr. Garibaldi and Mr. Bester.

Entertaining Story.......2005-10-12

Dark Genesis follows the recognition of telepaths and the formation of the Psi Corps on Earth up to just past the birth of Alfred Bester. It portrayed well the sudden impact of a telepaths on human society, and the reaction to this impact that resulted in the Psi Corps creating a monster like Bester.

Babylon 5 backstory.......2005-08-01

I very much enjoyed the details that "filled out" the B5 universe. The questions of how and why things became their current form has always interested me. The fact that J. Michael Straczynski has shared his detailed outline with other writers is great. I would have given this book a 5 star rating on content and story but I took a point away because of some technical writing errors. Any fan of B5 would enjoy this book.

The Mother and Father of the Corps.......2003-08-14

This book, based on an outline from Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski (so you know it's official), covers the period in B5's history detailing the discovery of telepaths on Earth in 2115 and the early years of the Psi Corps.

I was stunned at the revelations in this book, including the appearance of the ancestors of several of B5's (in)famous telepath characters and briefly touches upon the first contact with the Centauri. But the thing that got me the most, and this is a small spoiler (but it's right at the start of the book), but the discovery of telepaths was the result of a joke. Yes, two medical students had to write and research a paper on the most outrageous topic they could think of as part of a hazing ritual, so they chose mind-reading. Imagine their surprise when they tested and found people who could actually do it.

Keep that in mind the next time you're watching Babylon 5 and it's an episode involving human telepaths. Sure, it would've been discovered sooner or later, but you have to appriciate the irony involved that the discovery of telepathic abilities, and all their subsequent problems, is the unintended side effect of a prank. Highly recommended.

Dark Genesis the Birth of the PSI Corps
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Dark Genesis the Birth of the PSI Corps
J. Gregory Keyes
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000GRRBFY

Babylon 5: Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps (Series: Babylon 5.)
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Babylon 5: Dark Genesis: The Birth of the Psi Corps (Series: Babylon 5.)
J. Gregory Keyes
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Babylon 5 | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OV8AAC

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Dark Genesis: The Birth Of The Psi Corps
J. Gregory Keyes
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S9KK0S

Book Description

From the Preface: Over the many years we have been teaching "A Course in Miracles", it has become apparent that its radical message has often been a source of much confusion, misunderstanding, and distortion. It is our aimto help clarify Course principles -- through this question-and-answer format -- in order to facilitate greater understanding and application of its thought system. The 72 questions are arranged by topics including Jesus, the metaphysics, application, form, language, and the curriculum of "A Course in Miracles."

Customer Reviews:

disappointed.......2007-06-01

The book got into too much extra hoopla. When I first heard about the book I was soooo interested, but it seemed the authors got into what they thought more than what the original authors thought.

A Valuable Supplement.......2006-11-10

This is a good companion book to ACIM which addresses many of the potential questions that someone may have about the text.

Read this book before you give up on ACIM.......2006-11-05

Wapnick provides short summaries of ACIM concepts that help clear up the initial confusion that some people experience. The course is written in a manner that requires care in reading and study. Perserverance is the key; don't give up. Read the CLARIFICATION OF TERMS at the end the ACIM Text and read Wapnick's book. Don't let your old ideas of religion and words stop you. Atonement, salvation, sin, Jesus, all need to be approached with only a little willingness to be open minded. Give ACIM 90 days then see what you think. Best wishes.

Indispensable for Course students.......2002-04-21

"A Course In Miracles" is founded on the definition of God as a formless, timeless, presence of abstract love that ultimately doesn't even know that we exist as individuals. Further, the Course says the entire physical world is an illusion that never happened. Can you fully understand or grasp this? Can I? No. And the Course says it's better not to try, and it refers to such attempts as "senseless musings." Rather, the Course is aimed at our experience here in this world that, though ultimately illusory, is the classroom in which we learn the lessons of forgiveness.

Based on such an impossible-to-grasp theory, it goes without saying that this Course is not always easy to understand. This is not a Course for everyone ("There are many paths, and they all lead to God in the end"). But for those who believe it is the path for them, this book will make the path understandable. This book is all in question and answer format, with no additional commentary by the authors. The book does close, however, with a mission statement for the Foundation for A Course In Miracles, founded by the two authors of this book, as well as a catalogue of products from the Foundation.

Seventy-two questions are answered, and they are divided into five chapters:

CHAPTER 1: "The Nature of Heaven" - In this chapter the abstract philosophy of the Course is addressed, such as Course theory that God did not create and in fact does not even know about the physical world. Is this the same God of the Bible? Why are masculine terms exclusively used in the Course? These questions, ten in all, are answered in this chapter.

CHAPTER 2: "The Nature of the Separation" - In this chapter, in 12 questions and answers, the theory of the separation is addressed. The "separation" is the Course theory that all the problems in the world are really only one problem: the separation from God. What's more, the separation never occurred in reality. Well then why am I suffering in a world of pain? If God didn't create the world, who did? What is the Course's view of time? What does the Course mean when it says there is no death? These questions, among others, are answered.

CHAPTER 3: "Application and Practice of 'A Course In Miracles'" - In 24 questions and answers, we go beyond the abstract theory of the Course and focus on our physical lives in this world. Though this world, as taught in A Course In Miracles, is ultimately illusory, it is by living in this world that we learn the lessons we are meant to learn. Does the Course have a code of ethics and morality? Are babies born innocent? Can you be a student of the Course and still serve on a jury, be a doctor, lawyer, etc.? If this is all a dream, does that mean the abuse I suffered as a child should be denied or ignored? If this world and the body are illusory, does that mean it is wrong to enjoy them? These and other questions are answered.

CHAPTER 4: "Jesus" - Six of the most commonly asked questions about Jesusý role in the Course are answered here. Is this the same Jesus as the Jesus of the Bible? Where in the Course does it say that Jesus is the author? Why does Jesus say in the Course that I should forgive him? You'll find the answers here.

CHAPTER 5: "The Curriculum of 'A Course In Miracles'" - Here the way in which the Course should be studied is addressed. Should a student start with the Text, the Workbook, or the Manual for Teachers? What should one say to a friend or family member about the Course? Should children study the Course? Should I practice the Course in seclusion without worldly distractions? Should students of the Course only go to therapists familiar with the Course? Seventeen questions in all are answered in this chapter.

This book certainly is not intended for cover-to-cover reading. I consider this more of a reference book, perfect for occasional "check ups" on Course comprehension. Often, I use this book just for meditations. And, I must admit, some of the answers, particularly the more abstract ones dealing with the illusory nature of the world and time, as well as the concept of their being no right or wrong, can be quite overwhelming - even after five years of studying the Course.

This isn't an easy Course, and it wasn't intended to be. But this book makes it a little more understandable. Of course, when the ego finally lets go the student will finally see how simple it really is (...still waiting for that to happen).

A Most Helpful Book for students of "A Course in Miracles".......2000-10-10

Ken and Gloria Wapnick are the most experienced, authentic and helpful explicators of "A Course in Miracles" one can find. Ken was intimately associated with Helen Schucman, the woman who channeled and scribed the Course. His book about Helen, "Absence from Felicity," is an important work for serious Course students. The book I am reviewing here provides helpful answers to 72 of the most commonly asked questions about ACIM which Ken and Gloria have encountered over the many years of their operating the Foundation for "A Course in Miracles" and in their teaching about the Course. The theology and psychology of the Course are profound. It's thought system is unique in the Western world and raises many questions which readers can find addressed in this useful little book

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