Average customer rating:
- This is a poignant and touching story
- My "Newest" Favorite Book!!
- WHAT A SWEET LITTLE BOOK!!!! DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!
- poignant and delicate ... a sure winner
- A gem of a book about the place I grew up.
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Rainlight
Alison McGhee
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Literary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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General
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
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McGhee, Alison
| ( M )
| Authors & Illustrators, A-Z
| Children's Books
| Subjects
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ASIN: 0312277032 |
Book Description
In Alison McGhees haunting debut, a tragic event sparks revelations from nine-year-old Mallie, her mother, her grandfather, a waitress, and Mallies fathers ex-lover. They discover long-hidden truths and forge new bonds in this unforgettable, heartbreaking novel about parents, children, and love.
Customer Reviews:
This is a poignant and touching story.......2007-06-08
The children in this book are just lovely characters. Ms. McGhee is adept at writing in a child's voice; she makes them completely believable and sympathetic. This is a very gentle book that should be savored.
My "Newest" Favorite Book!!.......2007-05-01
I have read "Shadow Baby" and enjoyed it, but this one is just so sweet and wonderful!! I truly did not want the story to end. Each chapter being told by a different character made the reading so interesting and they were all so very entwined. Mallie was my favorite--so sweet and loving and so very serious at the same time. This little book was just fabulous!!
WHAT A SWEET LITTLE BOOK!!!! DON'T MISS THIS ONE!!!.......2006-09-20
Browsing thru AMAZON I found -- and am glad I did -- the writings of Alison McGhee. RAINLIGHT is the first book I have read by her, but it will certainly NOT be the last.
The book revolves around the loss of Starr Williams who does a heroic deed and sacrifices his own life for another. Each chapter is narrated by different people. I love books like this, where each character weaves his or her story with the others to make for excellent reading.
The chapters are narrated by four different people -- Mallie, Starr's nine year old daughter was the character I enjoyed the most. Mallie is a wonderful character. She grieves and longs for her father. She blames herself for his death since she didn't kiss him goodbye that fateful day. She is a warm and caring person and tries to take care of everyone. She has her daily rituals which she follows religiously. Her chapters read well and are funny and warm.
Another character to narrate is Tim Williams, Starr's sixty-something father. He is a good person, a teacher, a loving grandfather who worries about Mallie and her little brother, Charlie. He is a huge part of their lives and his coping with loosing his son is heart-wrenching.
Lucia Williams is Starr's wife, mom of Mallie and Charlie. She is coping with the loss of her husband and trying to stabilize her kid's lives too. For me, she was just an OK narrator, I enjoyed the others much more.
The last narrator is Crystal Zielinski who is Starr's ex-lover and mother of Johnny, who is handicapped mentally and physically. Crystal runs the diner in this small town and is involved in everyone's life. I found Crystal to be a good narrator and her life is one heartache after another.
This is a good book. It should not be missed. It is NOT sad. It is not depressing. The fact that Starr dies is not too hard for the reader to take since you do not really get to know him. You will get to know him thru the other characters and their time spent with him.
This is a great book. Miss McGhee has several other books that I cannot wait to read. Don't miss this book. It was a gem.
Thank you. Pam
poignant and delicate ... a sure winner.......2004-11-22
A tragic accident brings out musings from 4 different characters and reveals secrets between each other that some goes a long way.
This book is beautifully written. It's poignant, delicate, touching ... reading it feels like having a soft velvety whisper of air on your skin. Each character grows on you that you feel like you know them very well. Each secret is revealed flawlessly. And after reading her 2nd novel -- Shadow Baby -- I think Ms. McGhee is very good in writing about child characters.
A gem of a book about the place I grew up........2003-11-19
I grew up in exactly that part of Upstate New York, and McGhee captures perfectly what life is like there, the insularity, the long winters, the ever-present mountains. She names places and towns I know well, and fictionalizes others I also know.
Beyond that familiarity, her book is crowded with real people whose lives are constrained by where they live, the limitation of small town existance. I've been recommending this, and her other books, to everyone I know.
Average customer rating:
- Enlightened reading for young and old alike!
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The Rainbow Dreamers: Musard Rainlight Rainbow
Linda Varsell Smith
Manufacturer: Rainbow Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Teens
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0972547940 |
Book Description
In the cosmos many quarky life sparks seek forms to enliven. In such a diverse universe there are many life experiments. On their journeys souls leap in and out of the forms they need to operate in different realities.
On Earth life experiments arrive and leave. Some become extinct, others flourish. The Rainbow Chronicles tell the story of Earthens, a non-breathing life force. People's hands and machines create Earthen forms. Earthen life-sparks are their own creation.
By rules set by the universe, Earthens live parallel lives with Earthlings. Earthlings are breathers- animals and people. Earthens share their lives with magical, shape-shifting Supernaturals (like fairies and elves). Supernaturals aid Earthens in their quest for freedom and harmony.
Once Earthens experienced very unenlightened, placebound lives under surveillance by people. Then one Earthen named Karen launched the First Earthen Liberation Movement called The Hub. Enlightened Earthens called themselves Rainbows. Roving Radiants brought their light/sound/magnetic skills and discoveries to darkened Earthens. Rainbows formed companies to explore their life gifts and to overcome their many challenges.
The Rainbow Chronicles record this Rainbow Era from 1950-2005 and beyond. The Rainbows archived their Rainbow Chronicles on Laura Hernstrom Larrabee's computer. Each Chronicle begins with a Beforeword by the Rainbow storyteller.
Laura's friend Linda Varsell encouraged Laura to share the Rainbow stories after they started to appear on Laura's computer in 1995. Laura (too busy with her teaching and family) entrusted the task to Linda. The Rainbow Chronicles present the Rainbows' perspective on multifaceted realities of several worlds. How will Earthlings react knowing Rainbows live among them?
Customer Reviews:
Enlightened reading for young and old alike!.......2003-11-13
My 14 year-old son breezed through all 12 in just a couple of weeks. He thoroughly enjoyed following the Earthens, Rainbows and Supernaturals throughout all of their adventures. Not since Harry Potter has a series kept him so enthralled. As both a mother and a child psychiatrist, I appreciate the Rainbow Chronicles' wholesome quality and theme of peace.
Average customer rating:
- POEMS THAT GIVE DREAMS AND HOPE
- A collection of writer Jean Tupper's poetry
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Woman in Rainlight
Jean Tupper
Manufacturer: Hobblebush Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0976089602 |
Customer Reviews:
POEMS THAT GIVE DREAMS AND HOPE.......2006-07-01
THIS IS A VERY GIFTED POET JEAN TUPPER SHE HAS WRITTION A VERY SPECIAL BOOK OF POETRY THAT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE THE SUNSET ON THE BEACH LISTENING TO THE WAVES."THE RAIN"(FROM WOMAN IN RAINLIGHT BY JEAN TUPPER) REMINDS ME OF THE LIGHT STORMS WE HAVE IN FLORIDA WHICH MAKES ME FEEL WARM ALL OVER. THIS BOOK WOULD MAKE A WONDERFUL GIFT FOR A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER OR SOLDIER SERVING OVER SEAS.
A collection of writer Jean Tupper's poetry.......2005-02-06
Woman in Rainlight is a collection of talented writer Jean Tupper's brief, expressive free-verse poetry, collected from literary magazines such as "The Madison Review", "Sanskrit Literary-Arts Magazine", "Voices International" and many more. The deeper connotations of ordinary situations make for rich fodder to paint the gamut of human emotions. "Timid Lady Rides The Redline": She shudders at / sudden vibrations // clutches her / Aigner bag // for the / dark tunnel // subway screech / and T-stop // at Kendall Square. / An eyeblink // as her car emerges / in noonday sun.
Average customer rating:
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Rainlight
Alison McGhee
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTDTW8 |
Customer Reviews:
A little disappointing.......2006-11-23
Melisande's father is killed by a treacherous enemy and she is forced to marry Conar,an Irish/viking prince to save her home and her people from an enemy. After the wedding she is sent to a convent to grow up as she is only 13.Years later Conar and Melisande meet again when her home is again being attacked.He rescues her again and they fight then she is abducted.At this point most of the remainder of the story is told in flashback.The hero was a pretty decent character but the heroine behaved like a spoilt brat throughout the story.She's 13 at the start of the story and continues to act 13 to the end of the story.Conar deserved someone who was woman enough to accept the fact that the best way to protect her people and her home was to marry him and accept it without all the fuss that she made.I lost track of the number of times she called him viking;he knows he's a viking we know he's a viking did she have to keep saying it? It was a good story but the heroine's childish attitude spoilt most of it for me. The scenes with Conar and his family going into battle were far more interesting than any scene with the heroine.Rhiannon and Eric(The Viking's woman)made appearances,also Erin and Olaf(Golden Surrender).They helped the story to get a 3 star rating.The story would have been alot better if the heroine didn't fight the hero all through the story.
Sigh..........2005-10-16
I started reading this author on a recommendation. I bought two of her books, this one and the Viking's Woman. I can honestly say this one is WAY better than Viking's woman, but that's not saying much. I know it's a task trying to create a realistic hero, who's structured properly for the period of the novel while exhibiting romantic and loving traits, but that's the gift of a creative writer. Graham seems to be lacking in this creativity. Is it too much to ask that a ROMANCE novel contain at least a smidgen of romantic build up. I do not constitute sex with romance, they're two entirely different animals. Injecting sex in a story does not make it a romantic story, nor does the hero throwing around declaration of possession over his wife constitute romance. "You're Mine...I'll never give you up...You belong to me," because of the period, I can accept these statements as loving, if they're mixed in with a healthy understanding of the character's dynamics. Graham does not utilize a writer's ability to build a personality for her characters to create a caring or bond with the reader.
The heroine was a yawn inducing bore. Her immaturity was understandable in the beginning because of her age, but it remained through out the story to the last page. Fear ruled Melisande during her initial meeting with Conar. But after that encounter, I lost the motivation for her behavior towards him. I did enjoy the interaction between Conar and his parents. The love, loyalty and genuine affection between Conar, his parents and his numerous siblings was more interesting than the lack luster relationship between him and his *destiny* with the hellion. I can honestly say he tried to bend and show affection towards Melisande, which is the reason I gave this book three stars.
A true treat.......2005-05-01
This book just happened to be the first I read by the author and I fould it to be a wonderful novel. I couldn't put it down and I have no problem re-reading the novel when I happen to run into several other novels that were not with reading. I really hope anyone reading this review takes the time to read the novel and form their own opinion.
ABSOUTLEY AMAZING!!!.......2004-06-05
THIS BOOK IS WONDERFUL!!!First off,I'm a little partial because I absolutely LOVE Viking Romances!In Lord of the Wolves, Heather Graham weaves an intricate tale of love, suspense, trust, and passion. Her characters, Melisande and Conar, are both strong-willed and sensual at the same time.I would love to tell you my favorite parts of the book (which is practically all of it!) but,I don't want to spoil it for anyone! Because of Graham's incredible plot, vivid detail and amazing characters, I COULD NOT put this book down! I STRONGLY advise anyone who is looking for a GREAT read and amazing story buy Lord of the Wolves. This novel is STILL and will always remain one of my absoutle FAVORITES! If you do buy it, I hope you enjoy it and have as much fun as I did reading it!
It was Okay........2003-05-14
I thought the book was okay although Mislande's, character worked my last nerve. I thought the writer took there dislike for each other on the surface a little to long. You would think after someone saves your fortress, advenges your fathers death and then save you. Could there be a little more gratitude. Some of the chapters could have been minimized. But other than that it was okay.
Average customer rating:
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Lord of the Wolves
Manufacturer: Dell Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000CMQSZM |
Product Description
0440211492 Thirteen year old Countess Melisande de Beauville despised the Vikings who raped and ravaged her homeland. Then Conar of Dubhlain, the magnificent Viking chief they called Lord of the Wolves, came to her rescue. Melisande had just witnessed her father's brutal murder by their greedy neighbor, Gerald, who wanted the Count's land -- and daughter -- for his own. But Conar slew Gerald -- and, in victory, took Melisande for his bride. Conar arranged for his family to care for his new wife until she was old enough to consummate their marriage. But, when the day finally arrived for Conar to claim Melisande, she had grown into a black-haired, violet-eyed beauty who vowed never to succumb to a Viking -- even as her body craved his searing touch.
Product Description
404 pages.
Product Description
As Read On The Back Cover of the romance paperback novel LORD OF THE WOLVES: A Dangerous Wilderness Trek... English widow Sarah Marsters was on her way to the religious community in America where her arranged marriage was to take place, when a tragic ambush placed her in the protection of a disturbingly handsome frontiersman. Caught between her faith and a scorching desire, Sarah struggled to remember that she'd pledged her troth to a Moravian minister-even as her heart yieled to a man unlike any she'd ever known. ...BECOMES A PASSIONATE JOURNEY OF THE HEART Bent on avenging the deaths of his wife and child, the last thing Kingston Sauvage wanted was the responsibility of escorting a prim young Englishwoman through the perilous Pennsylvania forest. But the pretty, innocently sensual Sarah had struck a spark deep within him. Now, as forbidden passion flared, Kingston was forced to choose between his all-consuming quest for revenge and a love that had touched his soul.
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- Fine Noir With a Dash of Cyberpunk
- Ottoman cyberpunk
- Where's the Originality?
- OK read, but it tries to do too much
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Pashazade
Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Hard-Boiled
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Alternate History
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science Fiction
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
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ASIN: 0553587439
Release Date: 2005-03-01 |
Book Description
Part mystery, part speculative fiction, and wholly unforgettable, Jon Courtenay Grimwood’s celebrated Arabesk series portrays the dark, hard-boiled story of a man out to prove his innocence in an alternate world where the facts aren’t always the same as the truth . . . and murder isn’t the worst that can happen.
It’s a twenty-first century hauntingly familiar—and yet startlingly different from our own. Here the United States brokered a deal that ended World War I, and the Ottoman Empire never collapsed. And lording it over all sits the complex, seductive, and bloodthirsty North African metropolis of El Iskandryia. Almost nothing is what it seems to be in El Isk, and Ashraf Bey is no exception.
Neither the rich Ottoman aristocrat everyone thinks he is, nor the minor street criminal once shipped off to prison when he fell foul of his Chinese Triad employers–the fact is that Raf has as little idea who he is as anyone else.
With few clues and no money, all Raf has is a surname hinting at noble heritage and an arranged marriage to a woman who hates him. But nothing Ashraf al Mansur learns about himself is as unexpected—or as terrifying—as the brutal murder he’s accused of committing. Now, as a hunted man with the welfare of a precocious young girl in his irresponsible hands, Raf must race after a killer through an unforgiving city as foreign to him as the truth he'll uncover about himself.
Download Description
“All brilliant light and scorching heat . . . Grimwood has successfully mingled fantasy with reality to make an unusual, believable, and absorbing mystery.”
–Sunday Telegraph
“A mature balance between sensibility and action in what's essentially a rite of passage story allied with a detective thriller--deftly told and laced with neat ideas.”
–Time Out
“Near perfect.”
–Murder One
From the Trade Paperback edition.
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
An ex-low level triad involved gangster ends up back in his native Arabic city, that is pro free trade and a little more cosmopolitan than your usual Islamic joint, not that that is saying much, and he has high caste status.
His aunt has been murdered, he is a suspect, and he was to work out what is going on.
Something of an alternate reasonably near future novel - people have phones in their watches with ear pieces, and the protagonist appears to possibly have cybernetic implants. His niece has a fancy robot dog.
Genetic anti-aging treatments are mentioned in passing, that sort of thing.
It is ok, not enough to make me want to read more I think. It gives some of the flavour of Budayeen, and a touch of Neuromancer, but doesn't appeal as much as either of those.
Fine Noir With a Dash of Cyberpunk.......2006-09-17
Pashazade has been on my in-pile for a good year and a half. I've picked it up a dozen times, read the first page repeatedly, but never launched into it. Now the time was right, and after a good start Thursday night, spent all afternoon baking in the sun and devouring this dense, lyrical, intricate and most unusual book.
Pashazade is nominally sf - it's set in an alternate universe in 2106 or so, one in which President Wilson, rather than intervening in World War I, negotiated a settlement that left the old empires intact. The setting, al-Iskandriah under 21st Century Ottoman rule, is the star of the book as Los Angeles in the 40s starred in classic noir.
And sun-baked, redolent, languid noir it is. Pashazade reminded me of a blend of first-season Veronica Mars and Chinatown - the hero with a personal stake in a killing rooted in local politics, intrigue and corruption. Add a post-cyberpunk, quite broken reluctant hero, an utterly annoyance-free precocious kid and a lovely billionaire's daughter, and you've got ultramodern noir at its finest.
But more than just a fine example of a genre updated - I've fallen in love with al-Iskanriah in a way I have with very, very few story settings: the Rome of the early Falco novels, the city of Amber, the Federation, the beach in front of Troy - it's a very short list of places for a lifetime of reading. Al-Iskandriah is that vivid, that intriguing, that layered and nuanced and real.
And Grimwood can turn a phrase, too - there are a lot of subtle gems of prose, nothing too garish for someone who does *not* like an obtrusive or mannered style.
At last year's ComiCon, I was given an Advance Reading Copy of the sequel, Effendi. I'm headed back to the Ottoman Empire's greatest free port...
Ottoman cyberpunk.......2006-03-28
Pashazade is a novel with a unique premise that fails to fulfill its potential. It is a cyberpunk mystery set in an alternate future wherein the Ottoman Empire was not destroyed as a result of WWI. Sadly, the novel is more cyberpunk than Ottoman, which is a weakness. The original setting is merely peripheral, so the plot could be transported to any setting and hardly anything would change. Grimwood should have made the setting more integral to the story. A good example is Bangkok 8, wherein the Thai setting and culture are enmeshed with the storyline. That story could not take place anywhere else, primarily because the primary character comes from that setting. In Pashazade, the primary character is an outsider, basically an American. This character is poorly drawn, a composite of mismatched traumas and cyberpunk cliches. I had no emotional investment in his success because he was neither likable nor ever in any jeopardy. The story is run-of-the-mill, and the outcome barely makes sense. The villain is forgettable with no rational agenda other than the acquisition of money. The cyberpunk elements are standard, from the endless branding of clothing to the clubs, music, and drugs. For what it is, it is breezy, descriptive, and written with flair. The action is memorable and occasionally the dialogue is sharp. It is just a shame that a novel with so much promise ended up being so ordinary.
Where's the Originality?.......2005-09-16
First of all, if anyone thinks setting a cyberpunk/noir in the Arab/Islamic world is a brand new idea, I would refer them to the late George Alex Effinger's '80s Marid Audran series (When Gravity Fails, A Fire in the Sun, and The Exile Kiss) and short story collection (Budayeen Nights). That series featured a down and out 22nd-century Arab gumshoe in grimy Cairo who is unexpectedly elevated into a powerful position and makes heavy use of brain implants in order to track down a few murderers, exact vengeance, and try and figure out just who his parents actually were. Hmmm... sounds an awful lot like this book, doesn't it?
Grimwood's story is a fairly off-the-rack "reluctant hero" tale about Ashraf, a small time hoodlum unexpectedly sprung from jail in the U.S. and brought to Alexandria/Iskandriya by an aunt he didn't know he had. Apparently he's the son of the Bey of Tunis, and therefore a very important young man with carte blanche and legal immunity to almost anything. However, it's clear that he's also got all kinds of genetic modifications, the source of which is left deliberately murky. He's also got some kind of invisible advisor fox (in D&D days, we would have called it a familiar), and a whole host of issues. Soon after his arrival in "Isk", his aunt is killed and the police seem to think he did it. So naturally, he must carry out his own investigation in order to clear his name -- with the help of a ponytailed ex-American Chief of Police. At the same time, Ashraf's past -- from lonely boarding school upbringing, to working for Seattle Chinese gangster Mu San -- is measured out in italicized flashbacks.
Actually, the entire first third of the book is rather confusingly arranged, with chapters in reverse chronological sequence and shifting points of view. It's an unnecessary and messy structure which only makes the story that much harder to get into. Eventually, things settle down and Grimwood sticks with telling the story from Ashraf's perspective -- albeit, still continually interrupted by flashbacks. It's as if the author was afraid neither Ashraf's present or past were interesting enough on their own to hold the reader's attention for extended periods of time, so he mixed them together to keep the reader from getting bored! Pacing is definitely a problem in the book, it's generally exceedingly slow, but also kind of choppy due to short chapters and the flashbacks mentioned above.
The story trudges onward, with Ashraf racing to solve the murder before the authorities come down on him. Fortunately, his 9-year-old cousin adores him and sticks to him like glue. And as in so many cliche films, the kid will prove to have world-class computer hacking skills that will become pivotal in solving the mystery. His other ally is the woman he is supposed to get married to, the rebellious daughter of a mega-billionaire industrialist. Also as in so many cliche films, they get off on the wrong foot, bicker, and then predictably fall into bed together -- and of course, she's got a comic-book body. In the end, the villain is perfectly predictable, although the motive comes out of nowhere and seems quite ridiculous. The ending comes rather suddenly, and many readers will leave feeling rather frustrated -- there's a lot left to be answered in the second and third books.
Having grown up in the Middle East, and being a moderate sci-fi fan and a big mystery fan, I was looking forward to this book. I was especially curious to see how the alternate history elements were going to be portrayed and used. And while on the one hand, it's nice that he didn't make the alternate history too intrusive, there didn't really seem to be a whole lot of point to it either. Perhaps the geopolitical differences will have a greater impact on the second and third books in the series, but in this one they don't enter into it that much. Also, many reviewers seem to be misunderstanding the alternate history. In this series, the Ottoman Empire is intact, but it is essentially just a regional power, not a world power. That's why a German is in charge and the Khedive is just a figurehead locked in a gilded palace. Also, if you're going to set up an alternate history setting, why are all the designer brand names the same as in our own world. Since in this setting Germany dominates Europe, wouldn't there be a lot more German designer brand names instead of Japanese and Italian?
In addition to the above weaknesses, the "cyberpunk" elements lack any originality. I'm not a big fan of the genre, but everything seemed familiar: hacking, genetic modifications, pet robots, implants, drugs, viral music, even a ridiculous underground club. And in a nutshell, that's kind of the problem with the whole book -- it all feels recycled. The setting's been done before, the main character is a classic archetype, the relationships are all cliche, the plot is classic "must clear my name" material, I'm just not seeing any original ideas. That said, there are bits and peices of nice writing here (generally the flashbacks), and there are intriguing hints here and there, enough so that I probably will read the next in the series to see if it gets any better.
OK read, but it tries to do too much.......2005-09-02
Jon Courtenay Grimwood does do one thing very well: he does make you care for his characters.
But other than that, Pashazade's overly ambitious, impossibly complicated--it wants to be too many things: alt-history, cyberpunk, a whodunit, a hardboiled noir escapade, and a coming of age story.
Nobody could accomplish all that in 360 pages, and while Mr. Grimwood comes closer than you'd ever expect, he doesn't entirely succeed.
The alt-hist (the Ottoman Empire survived into the 21st century) is just laid out, and not developed at all (the book could have been set in Alexandria 20 years from now and it wouldn't have made much difference); the cyberpunk is faux Gibson, right down to the product placements (and it's amazing how many of the products are the same in this world, despite the radical changes a brokered WWI, leaving the Kaiser and the Austro-Hungarian intact, would have been); there aren't enough good clues for a good whodunit, so in the end the mystery is solved because the author says it is, not on account of any internal logic; the noir is acceptable, but no more (i.e., about what you'd expect); and the coming of age might have been handled better if the book weren't so danged flashbacky (one of the flashbacks, which ought to have been the book's prologue) actually interrupts the grand finale.
Still in all, the book never bores; it just frustrates.
Book Description
This book is a presentation of Dzogchen as taught in the Tibetan Bon tradition.
Customer Reviews:
Walking without sitting down?.......2002-07-07
Thanks so much for this excellent book. It is one of the best books about the practice of this Way on WHOLE day. I don't practice Dzogchen but it is easy to see that the quality of teachings of this book are superior. One of the best books of practical Buddhism that I have read.
The simple way to expose the deepest matters and the humility and high knowledge shows the great level of practice of the author and the importance of this Tibetan school. Helpful to any Buddha follower. Excellent purchase. Recommended 100%.
Great Book.......2000-02-14
This is one of the best books I have ever read on Tibetan culture and religion. It is clear and concise. It is extremely informative, revealing practices that have been kept secret, for some unknown reason, for centuries. A great book!
Yung-Drung Bon Monastic Centre.......1998-12-27
Recently, in the West, a number of books have appeared on the subject of Dzog Chen. This is the first book to describe the Bon-Po point of view of these high teachings. This pleases me greatly. They are derived from the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud, which is the most essential within the Bon-Po Dzog Chen.
Lama Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has been trained in this lineage since he was fourteen by the Venerable Lopon Sangye Tenzin and the Venerable Lopon Tenzin Namdak. From the early days on, he has shown a special gift when it comes to these meditations.
The book is written in clear and concise English. This is particularly important as the teachings are very elaborate and at times hard to understand. The simple language used clarifies tremendously. The authentic descriptions of Dzog Chen give the serious student ample material to practice Dzog Chen.
This book doesn't include stories; it explains the quintessential aspects of Dzog Chen. In other words, it gets right to the point. Especially the chapters such as the ones on Contemplation and Integration. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of these high teachings.
The Ligmincha Institute.......1998-12-27
His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes, "This book will be of great help to readers wishing to find a clear explanation of the Bon tradition, especially with regard to its presentation of the teachings of Dzogchen."
Indeed! *Wonders of the Natural Mind* is a treasure trove of information --- appropriate for any level of practitioner. Here's an excerpt from the back cover of the book:
*Wonders of the Natural Mind* is a presentation of Dzogchen as taught in the Bon tradition. Dzogchen has begun to be familiar to Westerners principally through the teachings of the Nyingmapa school, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and other Tibetan teachers residing and teaching in Western countries. In *Wonders of the Natural Mind*, the author presents the Dzogchen teachings based on the *Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud*, the fundamental Bon text. The book gives an epitome of the main points of Dzogchen, its relation to the various systems of Bon teaching, and the author's personal reflections on the practice of Dzogchen in the West.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a Lama in the Bon tradition of Tibet, presently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is the founder and director of The Ligmincha Institute, an organization dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bon tradition. He was born in Amritsar, India, after his parents fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and received training from both Buddhist and Bon teachers, attaining the degree of Geshe, the highest academic degree of traditional Tibetan culture. He has been in the United States since 1991 and has taught widely in Europe and America.
Books:
- Revenge of the Lawn, The Abortion, So the Wind Won't Blow It All Away
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- Soulmates Dissipate
- Sweet Dreams, Irene: An Irene Kelly Novel
- The Age of Wire and String: Stories (American Literature (Dalkey Archive))
- The Art of Glass: Art Nouveau to Art Deco
- The Book of Lost Tales, Part One (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 1)
- The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two (The History of Middle-Earth, Vol. 2)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret
- How to Discover Your Purpose in 10 Days God's Path to a Full and Satisfied Life
- Death in Danzig
- Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the Teacher I Never Had
- History: Fiction or Science
- Introduction to Stochastic Search and Optimization
- LBJ: Architect of American Ambition
- Lord Palmerston
- Failure in British Government: The Politics of the Poll Tax
- Strategies for Transitions to Retirement
