Waterland

Book Description

Set in the bleak Fen Country of East Anglia, and spanning some 240 years in the lives of its haunted narrator and his ancestors, Waterland is a book that takes in eels and incest, ale-making and madness, the heartless sweep of history and a family romance as tormented as any in Greek tragedy.

" Waterland, like the Hardy novels, carries with all else a profound knowledge of a people, a place, and their interweaving.... Swift tells his tale with wonderful contemporary verve and verbal felicity.... A fine and original work."--Los Angeles Times

Customer Reviews:

Like a Seinfeld Episode.......2007-06-11

Reading Waterland was much like watching a Seinfeld episode. Not because the story is comedic. Quite to the contrary, it is tragic in every sense of the word. But like the Seinfeld writers, Graham Swift does a masterful job of weaving together multiple narrative threads as the story progresses to its ultimate conclusion. The fact that Swift is able to accomplish this feat with such beautiful prose just makes the book even more worthwhile.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a word of caution is probably in order. For those of you who like a more simple and linear storyline as well as constant action, this book is probably not for you. Moreover, if switches in tense tend to annoy you, then portions of this book will annoy you since periodically, Swift switches from first person to third person and then back again. Personally, that, along with the complicated storyline, made the book a unique and intriguing read, but I imagine it might prove frustrating to others.

As for criticism, I have very little, but as at least one other reviewer has pointed out, some of the characters (including the protagonist) were flat and could have been more fully developed. In the grand scheme of things, however, a minor criticism really.

All in all, an outstanding read. Highly recommended.

The world is flat.......2006-12-27

Graham Swift's much praised novel about the natural and social history of East Anglia is beautifully constructed, and manages to sustain a great deal of suspense from chapter to chapter among many divergent plotlines, all the while imparting quite a bit of information about the amazing landscape of the Eastern fen-country. Unfortunately, it is not simply the countryside that is so astonishingly flat here. Despite his gifts as a taleteller, Swift here is not much one for fleshing out his characters, most of whom we've seen before: the most egregious example is the key character of the narrator's mentally challenged brother, who so typifies the Holy Fool that his biological father even refers to him before his birth as a messiah figure. The language is not so stylish as you'd like; the conventions of taletelling often get in the way. And the novel seems far too derivative, especially of Salman Rushdie's MIDNIGHT'S CHILDREN (in terms of some of the more general points of style and approach) and Sylvia Townsend Warner's THE FLINT ANCHOR (for subject matter). This is not a bad book, by any means; but others have done this before, and have done it better.

challenging, exhilirating novel.......2006-10-31

Waterland is many things at once: a ripping yarn, a reconsideration of the impact of private actions on public lives, a psychological study, a traditional romance. Swift's narrator is witty, wise and confused, and that combination makes his story one for the ages.

Superb Fiction.......2005-11-11

Graham Swift's 'Waterland' stands as one of -- if not the -- finest novels which I have read in the past five years. Swift's organic narration imbues his text with a sense of authenticity, a sense of capturing the English experience. Swift's characters are painful in their realism, and are suggestive of the dynamic which guides the novel: the relationship between past and present, history and contemporary culture. 'Waterland' is required reading for those with an interest in modern fiction. This is a novel which will survive the ages and will stand as a symbol of the Fens for generations to come.

Waterland seeps in and stays.......2005-05-31

Waterland is one of those books that leaves a deep impression. First, Graham Swift paints beautiful images of a fading way of life, along the Fens in England. While reading Swift's descriptions of this area, I couldn't get various paintings of Monet out of my mind, where lighting and detail so depend on perspective and distance. Swift's prose is like that, beautiful and complex, then dull and boring (only in what's being described), and then flowing back to wonderful and amazing.

Swift, through the narrator of the story, Tom Crick, compares the complex ecosystem of the Fens to the people that live along it, seemingly languid and lazy, but deeper down churning and defying understanding, full of mystery and amazement if one but looks. It takes some early work to enter the flow of the book, but what a wonderful inertia is gained.

Waterland questions history and memory, both from afar and up close, from times distant and in the present, but seemingly always very personal. The book is full of wonders, which flow with the seep and power of the Fens themselves. The book is unique in my experience.

Average customer rating:

Waterland
Graham Swift
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Waterland
Graham Swift
Manufacturer: Poseidon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Amsterdam: Mit Gooiland, Amstelland, Zaanstreek und Waterland (Artemis-Cicerone)

Average customer rating:

Amsterdam: Mit Gooiland, Amstelland, Zaanstreek und Waterland (Artemis-Cicerone)
Hildegard Kretschmer
Manufacturer: Artemis-Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3760807585

Average customer rating:

Apprenticeship in Action

Manufacturer: Thimble Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0903355310

The Articulation of Science in the Neo-Victorian Novel: A Poetics (And Two Case-Studies (Europaische Hochschulschriften)

Average customer rating:

The Articulation of Science in the Neo-Victorian Novel: A Poetics (And Two Case-Studies (Europaische Hochschulschriften)
Daniel Candel Bormann
Manufacturer: Peter Lang Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

German | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literacy | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

Study & Teaching | Words & Language | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Literacy | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

German | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Nonfiction | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

Reference | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3906770052

The Bridge to School: Entering a New World

Average customer rating:

The Bridge to School: Entering a New World
Liz Waterland
Manufacturer: Stenhouse Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

A Charge Deliver'd to the Clergy of Middlesex, At the Primary Visitation Held May 19, 1731

Average customer rating:

A Charge Deliver'd to the Clergy of Middlesex, At the Primary Visitation Held May 19, 1731
Daniel Waterland
Manufacturer: John Crownfield
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000U5RUP8

A Concise Historical Account of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers of the City of London

Average customer rating:

A Concise Historical Account of the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers of the City of London
C. H. Waterland Mander
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VKZ2ZM

Product Description

a coherant account of the craft thoughout the ages. 222 pages

A critical history of the Athanasian creed

Average customer rating:

A critical history of the Athanasian creed
Daniel Waterland
Manufacturer: J. Parker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00087VLQ2

Book Description

A classic love story by New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky, back in print for the first time in years and guaranteed to delight her fans, old and new.

Stephanie Wright was just 19 the first time she ran, heartbroken and angry, out of Douglas Weston's life. She and Douglas, a devastatingly handsome tennis camp instructor, shared a summer marked by a gentle love, capped by one night of sensuous passion -- followed by a terrible, unforgivable betrayal that sent her fleeing. Eight years later, upon her return to the camp, Stephanie must fight the feelings that first drew him to her And now there is Melissa, her beautiful seven-year-old daughter; who smiles up at her tennis teacher with gray eyes that mirror his own.

Download Description

"Extras: ONE: A Note from the Author, TWO: An Early Preview of Barbara Delinsky's upcoming novel, The Passions of Chelsea Kane Sephanie Wright was just nineteen when handsome tennis instructor Douglas Weston shattered her heart. Eight years later she finds the strength to return to camp, and to Doug -- with her seven-year-old daughter Melissa. This time it's not just her heart at stake.. A Barbara Delinsky classic, first published in 1984. A classic love story by New York Times bestselling author Barbara Delinsky, back in print for the first time in years and guaranteed to delight her fans, old and new. Stephanie Wright was just 19 the first time she ran, heartbroken and angry, out of Douglas Weston's life. She and Douglas, a devastatingly handsome tennis camp instructor, shared a summer marked by a gentle love, capped by one night of sensuous passion -- followed by a terrible, unforgivable betrayal that sent her fleeing. Eight years later, upon her return to the camp, Stephanie must fight the feelings that first drew him to her And now there is Melissa, her beautiful seven-year-old daughter; who smiles up at her tennis teacher with gray eyes that mirror his own."

Customer Reviews:

written in 81 under a non de plume.......2006-08-10

and it shows.
Wow, one other thing it shows is how far Delinsky has
matured with her writing. Compare this to her "Coast Road", or "Lake News" and you will be stunned.
This is basically a 7.99 harlequin style romance.
The leads have to go through a lot of foolish misunderstandings before they get their happy ending.
The prose is very, very simplistic and stilted . Go ahead and count the times the word- thus - is used.
This is no layered examination of relationships.
For what it is, it is a quick easy read. You won't remember the characters afterwards.
Two people meet, they simply can't fight or deny the physical attraction.
A misunderstanding occurs and they go their separate ways.
Only to find one another 8yrs later. It takes them the whole book to learn how to communicate:} These are no young kids, either.
I have to say,in these older romance novels, these brutish men and their, chest beating ways just
don't read quite as comfortably in these somewhat enlightened days.
I expect if a man spoke to me or man-handled me like our
"hero" does in this book, I would have him charged with assault.
Buy it cheap and used, so you won't kick yourself for spending 8 bucks.

Sweet & Emotional.......2003-05-19

This book written early in her career under a psuedonym and republished under her name and a new cover.....is a good book but lacks the maturity of her later writings. However, it was refreshing and an easy read.

Sweet!.......2001-08-22

I’m always a sucker for sweet stories like these. This book made me very emotional. I can’t help but think of the bits of strange, special irony I found in this story. Devastating, scary, and yet loving, this story is one I didn’t particularly think I’d enjoy much, but trust me, I did. Being far from my home country, this book was strangely a comfort to me. I am a big fan of Delinsky’s.

4 Titles By Bonnie Drake (aka Barbara Delinsky): (1) Lover From the Sea; (2) Moment to Moment; (3) The Silver Fox; (4) Sweet Ember

Average customer rating:

4 Titles By Bonnie Drake (aka Barbara Delinsky): (1) Lover From the Sea; (2) Moment to Moment; (3) The Silver Fox; (4) Sweet Ember
Bonnie Drake , and Barbara AKA Delinsky
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VRD7S4

Average customer rating:

Sweet Ember
Barbara Delinsky
Manufacturer: HarperPaperbacks/ HarperCollins Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Average customer rating:

SWEET EMBER
BARBARA DELINSKY
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Anja Gallandro planned to destroy the Solo family. But now she fights an intense inner battle--against her increasing spice addiction, and her growing friendship with Jacen and Jaina. In desperation for spice, she steals a ship and flees the Jedi academy. The young Jedi Knights follow her from the spice mines of Kessel to the dangerous beauty of Crystal Reef--where an even more sinister plan is hatching...

Customer Reviews:

a very exciting book.......2003-05-31

This is the first long Star Wars book I ever read and I was quite impressed. With Anja Gallendro's growing addiction to andris spice she decides to steal Zekk's ship THE LIGHTNING ROD to go and get more spice from Kessel. Jacen, Jaina, Tenel Ka, Lowbacca and Zekk decide to go after her to stop her spice addiction and get Zekk's ship back. When they get to Kessel they learn that the administraitor has had a assasination attempt on him and Anja has left to Mon Calanmari. Leaving Jaina & Lowbacca to watch over the administrator. When the rest of the gang arrives at Mon Calamari they meet with the Jedi healer/ambassador they meet Anja and decide to destroy the evil Czethros (who smuggles andris spice) spice hideaway under the ocean. But Czethros has landed troops on Kessel for a takeover,and only Jaina & Lowbacca stand in his way! The book is exciting with lots of action. I recomend it to all Star Wars readers.

An excellent finish to the saga.......2001-01-13

After many adventures and many friendships, not to mention fourteen novels, the much loved saga of the Young Jedi Knights has finally come to an end. I greeted this book with a measure of respect, and also a touch of sadness. I expected it to be one the best yet, and I was not disapointed. For a brief summery, Anja finally admits to herself that she is addicted to Andris Spice, (a type of drug) and, though she is trying to quit, she finally can't stand it any more. She steals Zekk's ship, The Lightning Rod, and heads for the spice mines of Kessal to get a few more doses to "tie her over" while she figures out what to do next. Naturally, the Young Jedi Knights go after her, and they eventually track her down to Crystal Reef, Calimari, and that's where the real adventure starts... In short, this book provided a fine close to this final trilogy, with (at last) an awesome confrontation with Czethros and Black Sun, as well as coming to terms with the question of Anja's adiction to spice. Speaking of Anja, this book really seemed to redeem her. I didn't like her at all at first, because of how much of a jerk she always is, and because it seemed that she was trying to replace Tenel Ka, whom I have always liked. She was better in this book, because she was at last admitting her mistakes to herself and to others and trying to set things right. Also, while this book solved the delima of this trilogy, there were many loose ends left unsatisfied, and it didn't seem to bring true closure to the whole series, except in the last few pages. For instance, what ever happened to Raynar after the death of his father? He was never one of my favorite characters anyway, but it should have been Zekk who was left out, not Raynar. Now that Zekk is no longer a villian and his healing processes are through, we really don't need him anymore except to be The Boy That Jaina Likes. I was never to enthusiastic about that boring relationship. Jacen and Tenel Ka were much better. Also, what happened to Raaba? Is she ever going to come back? They should have brought her back in this book. And I would have prefered it if all the Young Jedi Knights were together in their final adventure, instead of just Jaina and Lowie getting to fight the last battle. Anja, Jacen, Zekk, and Tenel Ka are instead all under Crystal Reef destroying the Andris, and while this has as much to do with the main plot as anything else, they are not all together and that is the point. Other than that though, there is nothing else wrong with this excellent book, and I would recommend this series to any Star Wars fan.

The end is at hand.......2000-08-19

It's over. The YJK series is at an end, but it's kind of unsatisfying end. To be brief, Anja, suffering from spice withdrawl, steals the Lightning Rod and jets to Kessel to get some of the drug. She learns of Czethros's hidden stash on Mon Calamari, and then goes there to find it. Lowie and Jaina go to Kessel and end up disrupting Black Sun's takeover of Nien Nunb's spice mining operation, and travel to Mon Cal to help out Zekk and Tenel Ka and Jacen. Ambassador Cilghal provided the group with a sub and the YJK make for the ice caps and then destroy the spice cache. Anja nearly dies until the Knights use a healing trance on her. They are nearly eaten by a sea monster looking for a nice snack, but they survive and return to the academy. Anja, discovering that she has no Force potential, goes to Cloud City and works with Lando to run the establishment. This book is drawn to a very disappointing close, with Jacen giving Tenel Ka a necklace and Zekk promising to let Jaina be his copilot whenever she wanted. I figured that since these relationships had been building over 2 years, that they would have a better end (in print.) However, there are many fan fictions dealing with that sort of thing, should you be so inclined. And that leaves me to wonder, in the New Jedi Order, where are Zekk and Tenel Ka? It's like they never existed. Oh well. May the Force be with you guys!

This series rocks!.......2000-07-19

If you haven't read these series than read them. They are soooooooooo cool. I am a major YJK fan I so badly wish there were more. I got my whole familt adicted to YJK. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE WRITE MORE. They are the best series. I almost cried when I was on the last book. READ THEM AND YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

MORE YOUNG JEDI KNIGHT BOOKS.......2000-04-10

I think this book was just as good as the other ones BUT this can't be the end!

We have no idea what happens to the twins! AND these books are so great they can't be over. On Fridays after school, I walk to the bookstore and sit and read these books. Now I have no new YJK books to read! :(

Product Description

multiple books ship as one item. save on shipping/handling charges.

Crisis at Crystal Reef [Young Jedi Knights]

Average customer rating:

Crisis at Crystal Reef [Young Jedi Knights]
Kevin J.; Moesta, Rebecca Anderson
Manufacturer: Berkley Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Young Jedi Knights | Series | Teens | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

For Buddist-Jews and Agnostics Alike

Disingneuous and Disappointing

Brilliant and informative book!

Does Western Zen Buddhism Have Anything To Offer Orthodox Jews (and Vice Versa)?

A Difficult Book To Rate *(****)

Letters to a Buddhist Jew
Akiva Tatz , and David Gottlieb
Manufacturer: Targum Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Living Inspired

Worldmask

Permission to Receive

The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India (Plus)

That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist: On Being a Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist

ASIN: 1568713568

Product Description

It began as a correspondence between an Orthodox rabbi and a Jewish man seeking a return to Judaism. It culminated in LETTERS to a BUDDHIST JEW, a far-reaching correspondence that plumbs the depths of Jewish knowledge and answers the questions disaffected Jews have sought for decades. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand why Jews are drawn to other faiths -- and what can draw them back.

Customer Reviews:

For Buddist-Jews and Agnostics Alike.......2007-09-07

This is an excellent book by Rabbi Akiva Tatz who himself is a Baal Teshuva, a person who became observant of Orthodox Judaism of their own accord. This book touches on sensitive matters that both observant and non-observant Jews alike ask. It brings light to Jewish principles with and informative and non-judgmental tone.

Disingneuous and Disappointing.......2007-08-14

As a former student of Rabbi Tatz (I took classes under him in Jerusalem in the late 80's) I anxiously approached this book in the hope that it could address some of my own problems with Judaism. Unfortunately, I found no real answers, just a lot of rhetoric.
The questions which Gottlieb asks are for the most part skirted. The answers given proport to address the issue, but generally fail to do so. It's as if I asked you how to make a watch, and you told me what time it is.
However, the real bottom line is never approached, probably because this is a Feldheim publication. The undiscussed truth is that the relevant difference between Buddhaism and Judaism is that the former makes a path available to the serious seeker, while the latter does not. Period.

And the furstration is that Rabbi Tatz makes it sound like the knowledge is there for all to have. But it is not, if it exists at all. Maybe Rabbi Tatz has found a mentor, but his source is jealously guarded.
The true seeker after spiritual growth has nowhere to turn to in Judaism, and that is why we seek elsewhere. Unfortunately, this elephant in the room is ignored both by Rabbi Tatz and Mr. Gottlieb.

Brilliant and informative book!.......2007-07-21

I found this book to be one of the most informative books on religion. While it was heavily phylisophical, I found it to be an easy read- a real page turner. I learned a lot about life and the world from Akiva Tatz's profound words, and I feel that I will refer to this book often in the future for basics as well as deep insights.

Does Western Zen Buddhism Have Anything To Offer Orthodox Jews (and Vice Versa)?.......2006-10-25

First, I must say that this is a lovely book about Judaism that would appeal to anyone unfamiliar with Judaism's spiritual (as opposed to religious, intellectual or cultural) side. To enjoy this book you don't have to be interested in its relationship to Buddhism specifically.

David Gottlieb is a Jew who grew up in a Reform Jewish community in the USA and was essentially uneducated about Judaism. In the course of his quest for a spiritual life, he was introduced to western Soto Zen Buddhism. This form of Zen is a uniquely western form, a form in flux that has not yet fully adjusted itself to life in the West. It focuses primarily on sitting meditation (zazen) and social action, while maintaining many of the Asian practices and forms inherited from Japanese Soto Zen Buddhism. Gottlieb's dedication to his Zen practice led to his taking formal lay-person's vows as a Zen Buddhist.

His Jewish wife objected to his deepening Buddhist practice. Gottlieb turned to Rabbi Doctor Akiva Tatz for guidance in reconciling his Jewish background and Zen practice. Rabbi Tatz (an Orthodox rabbi and physician in the UK) and Gottlieb carried out an extended dialog via email. This book is the record of that dialog.

This book is primarily about Judaism, not Buddhism. It is not a comparison of the two spiritual paths. Rabbi Tatz knows Judaism well. He has a good grounding in the traditional Jewish texts, commentaries and practices, both mystical and normative. He has an orthodox as well as Orthodox (with a capital "O") perspective. He's obviously used to dealing with more or less uneducated Jews who have strayed from Judaism, either to other religions or to an atheist, agnostic or secular life. And so he approaches Gottlieb in that way. The lion's share of this book is his presentation of Judaism with an eye to impress more or less uneducated Jews that Judaism already has everything they want from a spiritual path and more, so why forsake it in order to try and find it elsewhere?

He doesn't seem to know much about Buddhism in general, Zen Buddhism in particular, nor western Soto Zen Buddhism specifically. Jews are taught to judge others leniently, so it would've been nice if Rabbi Tatz had not (as it seems he has) prejudged western Soto Zen Buddhism to firstly, be a religion, and secondly, a religion inherently antithetical to Judaism. Approached in that way, he might have discovered that the core of western Zen Buddhism is perhaps consonant with Judaism and perhaps even has something to offer traditionally observant Jews, specifically teachings about hitbo'd'dut (meditation), kavvanah (attention & intention), hishtavut (equanimity) and khessed (compassion) for all people.

Rabbi Tatz takes the Judeo-centric perspective that anything that another religion has in the way of truth originated in Judaism and that (in the second Gerrer Rebbe's terms) it is Judaism's ultimate role to re-integrate those "sparks of holiness". For example, he notes that Abraham predated Shakyamuni Buddha by thirteen hundred years, posits that he was the original "enlightened" man, and that when Abraham gave his secondary heirs "presents" and sent them off to the East, those presents were the spiritual foundations of the eastern religions. I can understand Rabbi Tatz's desire to undercut other religions in the interest of kiruv (bringing Jews back to Judaism), but interpreting ambiguous midrashic statements in this way doesn't encourage the feeling that he is dedicated to an open and truthful dialog.

For another example, consider the chapter on idolatry. When Gottlieb's wife learns that there are statues in the Zendo and that part of the practice involves bowing, she jumps to the conclusion that western Soto Zen Buddhism practices idol worship. The mistake that she makes and that Rabbi Tatz perpetuates is that they don't realize that they are on the outside of an unfamiliar culture looking in; they don't take the time or make an adequate effort to ask those who are on the inside exactly what is going on.

Imagine if a non-Jew entered a synagogue and saw the Jews bowing to the east or to the cabinet where the Torahs were kept, kissing the richly adorned Torah scroll as it was carried past them, or bowing in the direction of the Temple's Holy of Holies in Jerusalem where incongruously for a religion that disdains physical representation, golden statues of two cherubs adorn the cover of Ark of the Covenant. Might not they initially think that Jews worship the sun (for the sun rises in the east) or that they worship the scroll of the Torah, or that they worship the two statues of the cherubs hidden behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies?

It would take a lengthy explanation from the Jews and patient listening from the non-Jew to resolve the fact that Jews abhor idolatry and that what was observed was worship of the ultimately unknowable Infinite One. Perhaps the same opportunity should be offered to our western Soto Zen Buddhist friends. My experience is that we Jews would learn that bowing in the western Soto Zen Buddhist context is in general not idolatry but rather what Jews, if they gave the benefit of doubt, might call rudimentary worship of the ultimately unknowable Infinite One within the limits of a Buddhist experience that lacks the revelation at Sinai.

There's an exceedingly important omission in Rabbi Tatz's presentation. Oddly for a dialog that addresses why a Jew should study Judaism rather than Buddhism, it does not address Jewish meditation directly in any significant way. Zazen -- sitting meditation in the form of either shikantaza ("just sitting") or with koans - is the core of western Zen Buddhist practice and the key to the awakening experience that Buddhism promises is available to all. Zazen is the main attraction in Zen. To not address what Judaism has to offer in its place is a glaring omission.

What has Rabbi Tatz done? Instead of directly addressing meditation, he discusses prayer. Imagine if back in the old days, an aspirant came to Elkana the prophet for instruction about how to become a prophet and instead of teaching him, Elkana sent the prospective student to his wife Hannah (whose prayers as recorded in the book of Samuel are the model on which we base much of Jewish prayer). Certainly the student would learn much from Hannah, but it wouldn't be about the meditative methods that prepare one for prophecy. The Jews who find Zen's awakening experience to be attractive desire to be taught meditative methods, not prayer. So instead of focusing on prayer, perhaps Rabbi Tatz might have discussed Jewish meditation methods for directly experiencing the first stirrings of Ruakh Ha-Kodesh (the Holy Spirit), available to all people. (For more information about Jewish meditation, see Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's a"h books "Jewish Meditation", "Meditation and the Bible", "Meditation and Kabbalah", "Innerspace" and then follow his bibliographies back to their original sources.)

If I had to summarize the book in one paragraph, for Rabbi Tatz the bottom line on compatibility between western Zen Buddhism and traditionally observant Judaism can be found on page 78 where he states that "if Buddhism consists only of `cultivating mindfulness, watching my breath, realizing the interconnectedness of all things and beings, and striving to recognize and uproot the causes of suffering', we should not find it necessary to argue." Since these are precisely the core practices of western Soto Zen Buddhism, we can conclude that his arguments are only with the Indian/Japanese/Chinese cultural baggage (e.g., the statues, bowing, offerings, robes, assignment of deity to Buddha, adoption of Hindu/Shinto/Taoist/Confucist religious practices) that have accreted to Zen Buddhism since Shakyamuni's day. If Gottlieb had instead presented him with a version of western Zen Buddhism shed of its cultural baggage and returned to its core practices (i.e., essentially shikantaza meditation only), Rabbi Tatz should have had no objections if (and only if) Gottlieb had at the same time taken the time to learn about and deepen his knowledge and practice of Judaism.

The book would have been considerably more interesting and enlightening for both Jews and Buddhists if Rabbi Tatz had an erudite partner in dialog instead of a relative novice. David Gottlieb, unfortunately, at the time this book was written, was not educated or skilled enough in his knowledge of western Soto Zen Buddhism to dialog deeply with Rabbi Tatz. For example, when he said that Buddha was "utterly human" I had to wonder how he'd missed reading the Lotus sutra, a core teaching in Buddhism in which Buddha is a supra-human deity. And over and over again during Rabbi Tatz's explanations I scribbled notes in the margin about how what he asserted as unique to Judaism applied essentially equally to western Soto Zen Buddhism. So the book is often an erudite Jew's perspective on non-Jewish religions in general rather than being based on the facts of western Soto Zen Buddhism.

Even so, the faults and omissions are very minor compared to the overwhelmingly positive aspects of this book. It is a book that is indispensable for Jews who are already involved with (or contemplating involvement with) other spiritual paths, and Jews with limited educational backgrounds who simply want to appreciate the depth of their religion's roots.

(And to the reviewer who wrote: "Perhaps Tatz needs to sit over tea sometime with Bernie Tetsugen Glassman-Roshi." I would reply that Bernie Tetsugen Glassman Roshi was brought up in a non-religious Jewish home and doesn't have the deep Jewish background that Rabbi Doctor Tatz has. Bernie Roshi would likely refer questions about Judaism to Rabbi Zalman Shachter Shalomi, whom he calls upon as his Rabbi.)

A Difficult Book To Rate *(****).......2006-09-24

LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW purports itself to be a dialogue between Rabbi Dr. Akiva Tatz, a noted Judaic scholar, and David Gottlieb, an American Jew practicing Zen Buddhism (Gottlieb now runs a website named "True Ancestor" which is strictly Judaic in content).

Tatz's and Gottlieb's opinions, however informed, are, of course, their own, and other Jewish scholars might agree or disagree with them. This reviewer finds more commonalities between spiritual Judaism and Zen than Tatz allows for. Zen practice can be an enlightening adjunct to any religious system. In its accessibility it can take the place of more ritualistic religious observances. In large part, that is the appeal of Zen. Tatz can never admit to this, and Gottlieb seems to lack any such awareness. Tatz does not trouble himself to explore Zen in depth at all, while Gottlieb is little more than his audience of one.

Unfortunately for the reader, LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW is barely a dialogue. It is a virtual monologue during which the erudite Dr. Tatz so completely overwhelms David Gottlieb that this reviewer began to wonder if their dialogue was even a real one to begin with and not just an authorial device. The David Gottlieb on these pages is so colorless that it seems like he may not even be real.

The religious chauvinism of the authors of LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW is evident from the beginning. David Gottlieb's introduction spans half a page; Dr. Tatz's consumes several. There is a lengthy glossary of Jewish religious and mystical terminology; Zen gets not a word. Gottlieb is described as having undergone a "lay ordination" as a Zen Buddhist in 2002, but this "ordination" is never explained. And if in fact Gottlieb acheived a leadership role in his Zendo, his grasp of Zen philosophy and literature seems shockingly weak.

Perhaps this should not be surprising as his grasp of Judaism is just as weak. One of Gottlieb's earliest letters to Tatz spells out a dozen or so basic questions that even a particularly literate Bar Mitzvah boy could answer. Gottlieb seems to know nothing at all about Jewish history, Jewish religious practices, Jewish philosophy or Jewish mysticism, even though he describes himself as a "seeker" and claims to attend a Conservative synagogue regularly. If Gottlieb's ignorance is real, then it is a bitter indictment of the pallid state of mainstream American Judaism. But there is something so contrived about the intellectual befuddlement evident in Gottlieb's letters that this reviewer strongly believes that they were intentionally crafted so as to give Dr. Tatz a ready-made foundation for his numerous theses in this book.

Dr. Tatz's discourses in LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW are articulate, reasoned, and brilliantly presented. The depth of his understanding and scholarship of Judaism is truly impressive. For those disaffected with "corporate" Judaism but wishing to return or to remain within the fold, LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW opens surprising new vistas of spirituality and mysticism in the ancestral faith. For those "seeking," Dr. Tatz has written an accessible, detailed, and reassuring introductory guidebook to Torah and Kabbalah. As Rabbi Dr. Tatz observes, many young Jews seek out Eastern religions for their esoterica and exotica, never realizing that Judaism is in its essentials an Asian religion just as is Buddhism. It is difficult not to praise Rabbi Dr. Tatz's achievement here.

Over 95% of LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW is comprised of Rabbi Dr. Tatz's responses to David Gottlieb's brief (sometimes one-line) letters. When speaking of anything Judaic in this thick volume, Rabbi Dr. Tatz enters the realm of genius. As a discussion of spiritual Jewish practice, this book is without peer for a general readership.

Having said that, it is difficult to praise Rabbi Dr. Tatz's insouciant intellectual particularism. Where Judaism and Buddhism agree, Dr. Tatz takes extraordinary pains to explore the depth of Jewish knowledge while damning Buddhism (and other faiths) with faint praise. Where they disagree, Dr. Tatz is almost venial in his criticisms of Zen Buddhism. He repeatedly falls into the unfortunate but very common habit of comparisons: Abraham, "our enlightened one," lived long before Buddha; by the time Buddha was born, Jews had already had their prophetic age; Jews have contributed immeasurably to Western civilization; and so on, as if such seniority in time indicates superiority in substance.

Rabbi Dr. Tatz's self-righteous certitude that anything Buddhism can offer Judaism can offer more and better is the bigotry of that worst exemplar of our species, the True Believer. Certainly, a faith that has given rise to the elegance and complex simplicity of Ichiban, Bonsai, Haiku, and Chanoyu (Japanese flower arranging, horticulture, poetry, and the tea ceremony) not to mention a spare, direct, and immediate view of human existence, is worth more than just a specious examination. Rabbi Dr. Tatz needed to treat the subject of Zen with all due consideration, not just limit his inquiry to superficial divergences of ritual practice. For those interested, THE JEW IN THE LOTUS by Rodger Kamenetz addresses the specific "Jewish Buddhist" experience in a more openminded way.

Gottlieb is of no use here. He hardly mentions any great Zen masters or their writings by name, he seems to have no intellectual ability to draw parallels between the two streams of thought (there are a great many), and since he knows nothing of Jewish mysticism he can find nothing complementary in Buddhist mysticism. He does ask at one point if Dr. Tatz had read any of the Zen books he'd provided, but suspiciously, the names of the books and their authors are never mentioned, as if to put off any specifically non-Jewish intellectual curiosity in the reader. Likewise, a rather embarrassing (probably invented) dialogue between the leader of Gottlieb's Zendo and Gottlieb's wife makes it into the book, apparently in whole. Gottlieb's wife goes on a rant about "idolatry" while Gottlieb quietly stands there, utterly emasculated. Although the scene calls for ethical outrage, Tatz says nothing about this truly offensive display of ignorance toward another faith. This reviewer had to wonder how, if Gottlieb was an "ordained" Zen practitioner, he had failed to explain any of the practice to his spouse or found his own answer to the question of Zen "idolatry." Gottlieb seems less like a Zen practitioner than a man interested in attending meditation classes at the YMHA. This is not an impressive moment in LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW.

In the same vein, Rabbi Dr. Tatz spends a good bit of time knocking over idols, at least Buddhist ones, but rationalizes similar Jewish practices. Bowing toward a Buddhist altar smacks of blasphemy while bowing toward the Torah ark does not. Displaying photographs of Hasidic leaders is "inspirational" while the showing of Bodhisattva icons is "idol worship." And Tatz never addresses the exact congruence between the numerous Hasidic practice lineages that are descended from various Tzaddiks (wise men), and the Zen Sanghas (communities) descended in lineages from various Roshis (wise men).

Tatz's Judaism is based on the "Word," and he talks volubly. Zen relies on zazen and shikantaza, forms of silent meditation. Gottlieb barely speaks, but only because he seems to have nothing to say. There is certainly nothing wrong in presenting and making attractive the huge, largely unknown corpus of Jewish mystical thought, but it is a shame that Tatz and Gottlieb made such an obviously conscious decision to turn this book into a minor tractate of religious propaganda. The apparent insecurity behind their decision will in itself be offputting to the intellectually curious reader. Their dishonesty is all the more hideous because LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW is otherwise a book of immense value and quality with much to recommend it. It stands on its own merits.

Tatz and Gottlieb certainly didn't need to stoop to a disappointing parochialism to present their ideas. Notwithstanding the "give-and-take" format of the book, Tatz and Gottlieb are actually speaking from the same position and they should have just said so from the outset. Their decision to present Gottlieb as a confirmed Zen practitioner wending his way back to Judaism is simpleminded and becomes more and more transparent as the book progresses. Clearly, one of the major purposes of LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW is to present a presumptively indifferently disposed Jewish reader with an attractive alternative to any non-Jewish spiritual practice. Despite Gottlieb's presence, the "Buddhist Jew" of this book is a constructed human being who could have been of any other faith or none.

Titled to attract a certain body of readers, LETTERS TO A BUDDHIST JEW has essentially nothing to do with Buddhism. It would have been far better to have made this book a true attempt at dialogue or at least a frank examination of the two streams of practice. Perhaps Tatz needs to sit over tea sometime with Bernie Tetsugen Glassman-Roshi.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books