The Lion and the Throne: Stories from the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Vol. 1
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The search is over
  • Beautiful!!
  • in fairness to the publisher
  • Exquisite!
The Lion and the Throne: Stories from the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Vol. 1
Abolqasem Ferdowsi
Manufacturer: Mage Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0934211507

Book Description

Among the masterpieces of world literature, perhaps the least familiar to English readers is the Persian book of kings (Shahnameh, in Persian). This prodigious national epic, composed by the poet Ferdowsi between 980 and 1010, tells the story of ancient Persia, beginning in the mythic time of Creation and continuing forward to the Arab-Islamic invasion in the seventh century. the Lion and the Throne covers the first third of the Shahnameh and is followed by two volumes to complete the epic. Brilliantly translated and magnificently illustrated, these volumes give English-language readers access to a world of vanished wonders. The origins of civilizationƒthe notion of kingship...tenderness, a longing for justice, and social order...the first kings felled by foolish pride...demons on the throneƒspiritual heroes and their martial virtues...mythical birdsƒromance and passion - these are some of the threads woven together to form the rich tapestry of ancient Persia. Translator Dick Davis combines his skills as a poet and a Ferdowsi scholar to evoke the metrical music, impact, and nuance of Ferdowsi's monumental poem. Breathtaking miniatures from the finest Persian shahnameh manuscripts of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries heighten the emotional impact of the text. A short afterword by the eminent art historian Stuart Cary Welch, curator emeritus of Islamic Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, unravels the history behind these paintings.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The search is over.......2003-05-04

I have been looking for a version of the shah nameh that both adults and children could enjoy, for years. I was first exposed to these stories as a child by my grandfather and I have never forgotten them. The Heroism, Romance and Tragedy that one is exposed to in these stories is truly exhilarating. It is simply but lyrically translated.The book also has beautiful reproductions of the persian paintings on the shah nameh which are an added treat.
I eagerly await the two volumes which are yet to come.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful!!.......2003-01-07

In this first of three planned volumes, Dick Davis begins his effort to provide a fairly broad translation of the Shahnameh. He effectively utilizes the prosimetrum form, a mixture of verse and prose (naqqali in Farsi), where verse is used to accentuate periods of heightened tension.

In addition to being a fine literary accomplishement, this series of volumes is quite beautiful and heavily illustrated throughout with reprints from 16th and 17th century manuscripts. The books are very sturdy and make for excellent display.

5 out of 5 stars in fairness to the publisher.......2000-09-07

I recently saw this book as well as the second volume in the planned three-volume set in the gift shop at the Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C., in connection with an exhibit of art work from various Shahnameh manuscripts currently on display. In all fairness to the publisher, it should be pointed out that this is a gloriously illustrated art book, not simply a text. The full-color enlargements of miniature fragments from medieval Persian manuscipts are breathtakingly beautiful, and the high price no doubt reflects the fact that this book was very expensive to produce. It is exquisitely produced and for those who can afford it well worth the cost. The rest of us should urge our public libraries to acquire it!

4 out of 5 stars Exquisite!.......2000-01-22

The Book of Kings, or Shahnameh in Persian, is a compilation of ancient Iranian stories put in Persian verse by Ferdowsi in the 10th Century. Its earliest stories describe the period from the golden age of Elamite civilization to the birth of the prophet Zoroaster. Despite its blend of fantasy and history, this book has been Iran's emotional link to its past for a thousand years. The book itself survived the incredible devastation of the Mongol invasian to become a testament to patriotism and a text book on leadership. This translation includes some magnificent works of manuscript art/calligraphy from the version commissioned by the first two Safavid shahs. (A chapter by Stuart Welch masterfully analyzes the history and techniques of the artwork.) To grasp the moral power of the Book of Kings on Iranians one should recall that its stories have been used by rulers and revolutionaries alike to justify their actions, or inspire reaction, for centuries. The story of Kaveh the Ironsmith (the first non-introductory story of this volume) was used by the revolutionaries to inspire Iranians to rise up against the monarchy in 1979. I for one am very happy to finally see a complete English translation of this international literary classic, and can hardly wait for Volumes 2 & 3. My only criticism of this edition is its price. I hope Mr. Davis did not want to have this compete with the Houghton Shahnameh for exclusivity!

The Lady Is Tempted
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • My first Cathy Maxwell book was a disappointment.
  • A LIGHT DEPARTURE FOR A GLOOMY DAY
  • For Once, The Title is True To The Story!!!
  • satisying love scenes, frustrating characterzations
  • Great Book!
The Lady Is Tempted
Cathy Maxwell
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0380818337
Release Date: 2002-07-02

Book Description

USA Today bestselling author Cathy Maxwell delivers another passionate romance wherein marriage is based on convenience not love, and only desire can get in the way.

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars My first Cathy Maxwell book was a disappointment........2006-04-29

The plot line was bizarre, Deb was annoying, and Tony was a whiny baby. Definitely one of the worse historical romances I've read.

Thankfully, I gave Cathy Maxwell another chance and read "Adventures of a Scottish Heiress." It was much better.



4 out of 5 stars A LIGHT DEPARTURE FOR A GLOOMY DAY.......2006-02-13

Deborah Percivals plauge in life have been the grand-dames in her little town in the country, having coerced her into marriage with a man more that 30 years her senior at the tender age of 16. Now a widow, and still an outcast because of her French origins, the town matchmakers are back again, urging her to marry a widow with more than enough children to keep her occupied. Having sacraficed her childhood for her sisters' welfare, she finds that the huge favor was taken for granted, for living with her sister's family makes her feel wholly unwelcome.

On a visit to her younger sister's home in the city, she encounters Tony, Earl of Aldercy, a formidable man of wealth and intrigue. Like her, he has given up on the idea of love, having bethrothed himself recently to a suitably high-born woman on the grounds of convience. And yet, upon meeting each other, their hearts come alive and somewhere along the way they fall in love. But it's a fight against time, for soon the weather would clear, the bridge would be up, and it would be time to make any necessary declarations, or part ways. They must strive to decide whether their new-found love would be just those few days at the hotel inn, or forever.

The story offers the common place framework, i.e. the unsuitable woman meets a man of rank, etc., etc. However, the way Maxwell works with the characters and the story-line makes her stand out. The dialogue between Deb and Tony is very fun to follow, and the blend of humor and romance is lively and entertaining. Having read much of her work, I can say that this is one of my favorites in her line. It's a great rainy day book, but doesn't really qualify as a romantic masterpiece. It's light and fun, not exactly powerful enough to cause that flutter in your stomach if you know what I mean. But, with so many romances out there with similar plots, its easier to take notice of who does it well and who doesn't, and I would say she does not rank with the latter.

5 out of 5 stars For Once, The Title is True To The Story!!!.......2005-12-23


I have read quite a few books by Cathy Maxwell this past year. She was a new author I found and I took a chance on some of her stories. I have read "Treasured Vows", "Falling in Love Again", "The Price of Indiscretion" (all three not bad - average), "You and No Other" (pretty good) and "Because of You" and now "The Lady is Tempted" (the last two being excellent!).

I'm always excited when I stumble upon an author I like. I have read thousands of romance novels since the mid 80's when I was in high school and then stopped the last few years as I got bored. All the stories seemed the same. I was fortunate to find some great authors this past year and started reading again. A good story makes me dream, wish for more and even inspires me to be better. So...a good romance with interesting characters, detailed story lines and a smashing ending are more than just words in a book for me. They are inspiration.

SO...after reading "The Lady is Tempted" I was smiling and pleased again at the experience. If you are a true historical romance reader and love a strong leading lady and a strong yet, kind leading man - this will be a great book for you. Our heroine Deborah is a gal we can all relate to and you will root her on! She begins the book as a widowed woman of 27 in a small, rural English village where everyone knows everything about you. Her family and the leading townsfolk have run Deborah's life for her and made her decisions (sad to say). Many women of this time held similar lives - woman were not open minded, strong and determined back then as they are in today's world. Many families dictated what would happen in a girl's life and poor Deb was no different. Deborah takes the leap to true womanhood and independence by leaving to go help her sister, brother-in-law and new baby in the city of London for a short while to get away.

It is during this trip to town that Deborah becomes a new woman -the woman she was destined to be. How you ask? Why she simply takes shelter in a local cottage run by a woman named Marmy and as Deborah is taking off her hat and gloves to warm in the library near a fire, she comes face to face with her other half - Anthony Aldercy, the Earl of Burnell. The other half she didn't know existed, could only dream about and now she has to find courage within herself to take what she wants in life and not wait for crumbs to be left to her.

The beauty of this book is that for once, our hero, Anthony, feels exactly the same. And he tells her this instead of playing games and being coy. He lived a similar life to Deborah's so, they have much in common. Two people doing the right things for everyone but, themselves. For a few shorts days as the storm rages on...the two find the strength to act on their impulses and please themselves which in turn pleases the other. Of course, once the storm ends, reality returns and they have to deal with what the world expects of them as well.

You do wish Tony had the courage earlier in the book to take scandal head on instead of trying to avoid it for so long. Good comes from those who do as their heart dictates not just what is in their head and Tony finds this out in his own time. But...the author does give you alot of back ground about his upbringing, his parents and family to understand fully why he became the man he was. Tony didn't rush out on impulse or constantly thrwart society's rules...he knew the damage that could be done if you did this. His family experienced it first hand so, his caution was understandable.

Other reviewers wisely commented on how irritating Deb's sisters and husbands could be. They often took advantage of her kindness and even when they treated her poorly - she often took the beating with little comment. At points that frustrated me too as we all wanted her to stomp, shout and put them in their place and possibly leave but...that wouldn't be a story would it? I think the author showed this side to Deb as she was a woman who would do for others even what they might not do for her. She was truely silent, strong and good - regardless of how nasty those around her could be. Why? Because her kind always trumps the bad ones if given time. Perhaps the author wanted us to see real people and real families. You can't always challenge everyone and everything - it just isn't possible. Sometimes you have to take people - especially family - with a grain of salt and your eyes wide open. That includes still keeping them in the family circle even with all their flaws. We get to see that Deb and Tony's goodness ends up rubbing off on others. It's win-win for all in the end as hopefully their positive ways will make her siblings and their husbands better people in time and have less selfish ways. We even get proof of this later in the book.

This book is deep, detailed and very heart warming. You know with a romance the ending will be good but, you'll have to buy this one to find out how Tony over-comes a contract to marry another man's daughter, how he helps out her family, how he finds out who his real father is, how he finds the courage to make Deb his own and how Deb finds the courage to leave her old town and become the woman she is destined to be - a wife, a lover and mother. Plus...she does stand up to others as she gains her confidence. She finds out who she is by the end of the book and at that point...nothing can stand in her way.

I'm sad to see Deb and Tony's story end as I really liked these characters and the hurdles they had to face to become who they were truly meant to be. The love scenes were simple and tastefully written. The characters were all well rounded and interesting. The beginning, middle and end of the book was powerful and detailed and never lost steam.

Do pick up this book and try this author if you have not. Especially "Because of You" and "The Lady is Tempted" - they are both first class reads. Be tempted yourself. Enjoy!

3 out of 5 stars satisying love scenes, frustrating characterzations.......2005-10-22

this is my second Cathy Maxwell book. The author is quite talented and this book was very enjoyable. My only problem with it was the hero, Tony. His mantra of "I can't live without you, but I cannot marry you" got a bit tedious. Of course, being a romance, all works out in the end-but I still wanted to throttle the male lead-he was a bit "too stupid to live" at times:)

The love scenes are highly charged-probably out of place in a regency-but darn good anyway.

Overall, a fast paced, entertaining read
3.5 stars!

5 out of 5 stars Great Book!.......2004-12-08

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I instantly connected with both Deborah and Tony -- both very likable characters who deserved each other. I especially enjoyed Maxwell's character development, in that she shared the thought processes of Deb and Tony as their relationship blossomed and evolved.

Many times you read these historical fiction novels with the male lead as a rake, rogue, or hellion, who is a lothario with a legion of women in their past. I liked reading this historical novel showing that there were men during this time who valued relationships and wouldn't give up on someone they cared for.

I recommend this book, and look forward to reading more of Cathy Maxwell's book!
2 Titles by Cathy Maxwell (THE LADY IS TEMPTED AND A SCANDALOUS MARRIAGE)
Average customer rating: Not rated
    2 Titles by Cathy Maxwell (THE LADY IS TEMPTED AND A SCANDALOUS MARRIAGE)
    Cathy Maxwell
    Manufacturer: Avon Historical Romance
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Mass Market Paperback
    ASIN: B000TFDP8K
    The Lady Is Tempted
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Lady Is Tempted

      Manufacturer: Avon Books
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover
      ASIN: 0739426575

      Product Description

      In this heartwarming, if uneven, Regency-era romance from Maxwell (The Wedding Wager), readers must traverse a hasty open where duels and marriage proposals take place in a few sentences. Before long, however, exotic and demure Deborah Percival fills the page. At 27, she's widow to a man more than 30 years her senior, to whom she was married by her penniless family for practical reasons. Deb suspects there's something to marriage which she has missed out on, but she doesn't think she'll find what she's looking for in Parson Ames, the man the town matchmaker believes she should marry. Enter Anthony Aldercy, the wealthy fifth earl of Burnell, who has been shunned by society for his father's scandalous suicide. Deb meets Anthony in an inn on her way to visit her half-sister, Lizbet, and their instant attraction quickly leads them to bed, despite the fact that Anthony is engaged to London's debutante of the season. Although Anthony is taken with Deb, his honor won't allow him to break his engagement. Instead he offers her a position as his mistress. Insulted, Deb takes off, but the two meet and become intimate again in London only to face the same dilemma as before his honor or their love? Maxwell's prose is simple, unlike her characters, whose many motivations and conflicting emotions make for a lively and surprising read.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

      So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Science Fiction & Fantasy
      Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
      • Decolonializing the Alien
      • Fantastic - a must have
      • The way to the stars
      So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Science Fiction & Fantasy

      Manufacturer: Arsenal Pulp Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      Delany, Samuel R.Delany, Samuel R. | ( D ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
      Hopkinson, NaloHopkinson, Nalo | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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      ASIN: 155152158X

      Book Description

      arsenalpulp.com :

      So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Science Fiction & Fantasy is an anthology of original new stories by leading African, Asian, South Asian, and Aboriginal authors, as well as North American and British writers of colour.

      Stories of imagined futures abound in Western writing. Writer and editor Nalo Hopkinson notes that the science fiction/fantasy genre "speaks so much about the experience of being alienated, but contains so little writing by alienated people themselves." It's an oversight that Hopkinson and Mehan aim to correct with this anthology.

      The book depicts imagined futures from the perspectives of writers associated with what might loosely be termed the "third world." It includes stories that are bold, imaginative, edgy; stories that are centred in the worlds of the "developing" nations; stories that dare to dream what we might develop into.

      The wealth of postcolonial literature has included many who have written insightfully about their pasts and presents. With So Long Been Dreaming they creatively address their futures.

      With an introduction by Hugo and Nebula Award-winner Samuel R. Delany.

      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Decolonializing the Alien.......2005-11-08

      Speculative fiction, at least that popular in the West, usually projects Western and White attitudes into the future or supernatural situations. This important book, which gets its title from a quote by Harriet Tubman, collects stories on such matters from people of color who have been informed by the colonial experience in their homelands. These submissions often utilize non-Western storytelling techniques featuring unexpected moral constructions and non-linear plotlines. Thus, several of these stories seem to have abrupt and inconclusive endings, but that's if you perceive them in a standard linear fashion. Meanwhile, a common motif in this collection is science fiction treatments of White/European colonialism through the eyes of aliens who are being colonized by humans. That's a great twist on a trusty sci-fi device, but many of these writers apparently came up with the concept before constructing their plots, leading to some stories that are very contrived and preachy (the most heavy-handed example is by Carole McDonnell).

      But on the other hand, the stories here are almost uniformly haunting and incredibly thought-provoking for informed readers of any culture. Karin Lowachee and devorah major really make the aforementioned humans-colonizing-aliens motif work in exciting ways. Tobias S. Buckell offers an intriguing space war with a Mesoamerican twist, and Opal Palmer Adisa brings redemption in an alternative history of slavery. Wayde Compton creates a marvelously updated version of a piece of old African folklore, to illustrate post-human discrimination, while Larissa Lai finds the inherent humanity and prejudice of supposedly inhuman robots. The most moving tale here is by Celu Amberstone, in which humans who have been forcibly relocated by aliens to a new planet try to connect with this strange new Earth in a Native American fashion. As with any collection of stories by different authors, some submissions here work better than others, with preachiness being a common drawback. But overall, this is an especially stirring collection of tales that tackle shopworn sci-fi and fantasy concepts from fresh non-Western viewpoints, offering the reader new ways of looking at the past, present, and future of the real world. [~doomsdayer520~]

      5 out of 5 stars Fantastic - a must have.......2005-06-27

      The stories are short but packed with depth and information. Fantastic writing from authors who should be paid attention to. A must buy for anyone interested in postcolonial writing, science fiction, race, and gender among others.

      5 out of 5 stars The way to the stars.......2005-01-10

      Nalo Hopkinson and Uppinder Mehan have joined forces to produce a powerful and insightful anthology of Science Fiction literature from a broad spectrum of experience and (counter) experience. Please note, Amazon doesn't credit Boston-based professor Mehan (who teaches at Emerson College) with having much to do with this book, but it doesn't take a genius to figure out he had just as much say in assembling the contents as did his co-editor, Nalo Hopkinson, the famous novelist of Canada whom many credit as being the "next Octavia Butler." Together they make an imposing duo and they are wise indeed both in what they decided to do for and the people to whom they appealed for new work. The result is smashing and one of the very best books of 2004.

      Wayde Compton's "fairy tale" is almost too beautiful to describe. A "growing ball of light as bright as a sky full of half moons" appears to our hero and tells him that his name is Mr. Polaris. By the way, the hero is called Lacuna and thus describes the position of writers of color, often, marginalized within the already marginalized community of science fiction. That is, it's a world filled with its own rules and domains, yet those in charge of the dominant culture regard it with skepticism and even violence, based on the fear of losing their own Antaean strength--the exploring strength of the colonizer.

      The blind Victorian writer Celu Amberstone contributes a diaristic and chilling account of a mother-daughter relationship gone tragically wrong. In this brief and pointillistic tale, the daughter is called "Sleek" and she is almost like the spirit of the mother before society's pressures (and the pressures of colonization) took the free will out of her. The months and the days are each given beautiful and poetic names. The penultimate entry will bring tears to your eyes--even if you are a rock.

      I wish I had time to list all the stories and what makes them good. Before I sign off I could add that, although Compton and Amberstone are both Canadian, the anthology has many writers from other parts of North America too, including the USA, as well as from other parts of the world. This world--our world. The editors have skillfully suggested to their readers the ways in which all science fiction embodies aspects both of colonizing and post colonialist teleology. It's an eye opener. Hooray for Arsenal Pulp for bringing us the news in this handsome and durabe volume.
      So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Science Fiction & Fantasy
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        So Long Been Dreaming: Postcolonial Science Fiction & Fantasy
        Nalo Hopkinson
        Manufacturer: Arsenal Pulp Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        Hopkinson, NaloHopkinson, Nalo | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: B000N65GUA

        The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
        Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
        • Insurmountable Blabberdash
        • Very well-educated, full-tilt lunatic
        • unmitigated drivel
        • Tipler's Imagination Crosses the Universe
        • A Loooong string of "if's"
        The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
        Frank J. Tipler
        Manufacturer: Anchor
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 0385467990
        Release Date: 1997-09-18

        Book Description

        Is there a higher power in the universe? What happens to us when we die? Leading physicist Frank J. Tipler tackles these questions and more in an astonishing and profoundly important book that scientifically proves the existence of God and the physical resurrection of the dead.

        Customer Reviews:

        1 out of 5 stars Insurmountable Blabberdash.......2007-08-06

        A collection of poorly edited lines of arguement that go off at a tangent to each other. The relationships between the different ideas are barely demonstrated and proven properly before the synthesized new idea is used as a launching-pad for another discussion on another 'breath-taking' idea. He does not address many of the fundamental issues of religion. He also does not elucidate his definition of 'God', which handicaps my understanding of his point of view, and therefore, the intention of the whole book.

        1 out of 5 stars Very well-educated, full-tilt lunatic.......2007-05-12

        This book is different. Its author is a very well educated scientist. He makes what appears, page to page, to be a logical and scientific argument in favor of the immortality of the soul. The book has many entertaining moments, and it is certainly an intriguing brain teaser.

        However, I am sorry, in the end, it is just a really up-market version of Elvis in the UFOS. This guy is flat out nuts. And his argument does not really connect science with religion in any recognizabler manner. Rather, it is a weirdly personal vision of how, at end of the Universe, when everything is crunching into the opposite of the Big Bang, giant computers in the sky will virtually replicate all of us, as software on their infinite hardware. Kind of the Book of Revelations, re-written by a geek, with all the poetry taken out of it.

        Like I said, the guy is nuts. He makes one logical leap after another, and goes off to a conclusion that just makes no sense. He is absolutely ignorant of the religious and theological literature. What he is basically doing is making a highly personal argument, based upon his own speculations which were loosely inspired by some of science's recent findings. Not really worth reading, unless you have a taste for well educated lunatics making weird arguments.

        1 out of 5 stars unmitigated drivel.......2007-04-14

        The science fiction religion that Frank Tipler invented in this book is as puerile and Alice-in-Wonderland as the science fiction religion invented a generation ago by L. Ron Hubbard for the avowed purpose of parting fools from their money. But unlike Hubbard, Tipler is not a conscious humbug peddling whatever Big Lie the gullible will swallow. He appears to believe that his undisciplined speculation is a plausible extrapolation of the laws of physics.
        As far as I can determine, Tipler's book is written in English. At least, the individual words are English. But they are put together in a manner reminiscent of the gibberish Evangelicals tout as "speaking in tongues."
        According to Tipler (page 1), "I shall show clearly how physics will permit the resurrection to eternal life of everyone who has lived, is living, and will live." If any reader believes that Tipler succeeded in doing that, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn that I think will interest him. Tipler reaches the conclusion that physics proves the existence of God by starting from the assumption that physics proves the existence of God. Even such other peddlers of pseudoscientific theobabble as William Dembski and Michael Behe have refrained from endorsing Tipler's mushroom fantasy.

        3 out of 5 stars Tipler's Imagination Crosses the Universe.......2007-01-16

        This book may stretch plausibility a little but it has some good practical suggestions for colonising the universe in the future. Sending a 100g universal constructor and computer together with Earthly genetic material at 0.9c to neighbouring star systems and beyond is appealing, but a little further in the future than anticipated in the book. What are the chances that a von Neuman probe as described will survive such a journey to a neighbouring star through the interstellar medium? Every (atomic) particle it encounters will appear as a cosmic ray, let alone small specks of dust! Something more is needed to solve this problem. I believe also that Dr Tippler's contention that there are no other living species out there is probably incorrect, and he therefore falls into the human-centric theories and assertions of old. Nevertheless, a good read, with its main contribution being speculative means of survival and proliferation in a future universe.

        3 out of 5 stars A Loooong string of "if's".......2006-10-05

        The thesis in this book is that God (aka "the Omega Point" - an omniscient entity reminiscent of "Vger" in Star Trek) does not currently exist (but will develop at some point in the future) and will choose to replicate (emulate) exact duplicates of every human who has ever lived, in a virtual-reality Heaven. I made a list of the "if's" mentioned in this book, that all have to happen for this to occur:

        IF
        *strong (indistinguishable from human) artificial intelligence is possible
        AND IF
        *we can develop self-replicating interstellar probes
        AND IF
        *humans can be completely grown/raised/educated from stored DNA
        AND IF
        *on every planet, these seeded human colonists accept the destiny we assigned to them
        AND IF
        *nanotechnology is developed
        AND IF
        *250-gigwatt lasers are feasible
        AND IF
        *cost of materials relative to wages drops exponentially every 50 years
        AND IF
        *antimatter exists, can be feasibly manufactured, and harnessed as a means of propulsion
        AND IF
        *the universe is closed (will eventually contract)
        AND IF
        *a virtual "emulation" of a person in a computer is the same "consciousness" as the original person
        AND IF
        *all information in the physical universe can be retrieved without loss or distortion
        AND IF
        *a simulation of a living being also recreates perfectly its unexpressed internal states
        AND IF
        *emulations of every person in history can be made without also re-creating their diseases, conflicting ideologies, etc.
        AND IF
        *the cost of doing good is not significantly greater than the cost of doing evil, then an omniscient entity will choose the good
        AND IF
        *intelligent beings in the far future will have the desire to resurrect us to a life we will enjoy

        THEN
        on this basis, we might have hope of eternal life, "heaven," and a benevolent god.

        If the thesis of this book is true, it won't matter what you believed anyway - resurrection is inevitable/inescapable. But personally I'm not going to bank my eternal existence on all these dice rolling the right way, billions of millenia from now. In my view, this requires much more "faith" than simply trusting in the conventional claim of Christianity...In my opinion, "Pascal's Wager" is a much better bet.
        The Physics of Immortality  Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          The Physics of Immortality Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
          Frank J. Tipler
          Manufacturer: Doubleday & Co.
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: B000J0JV5Q
          Physics Of Immortality - Modern Cosmology, God And The Resurrection Of The Dead
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Physics Of Immortality - Modern Cosmology, God And The Resurrection Of The Dead
            Frank J. Tipler
            Manufacturer: Anchor / Doubleday
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000LRLN3K
            The Physics of Immortality Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              The Physics of Immortality Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
              Frank J. Tipler
              Manufacturer: Random House Audio
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Audio Cassette

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              1. The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead The Physics of Immortality: Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead

              ASIN: 0553472844
              Release Date: 1994-08-01
              THE PHYSICS OF IMMORTALITY: MODERN COSMOLOGY, GOD AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                THE PHYSICS OF IMMORTALITY: MODERN COSMOLOGY, GOD AND THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
                Frank J. Tipler
                Manufacturer: Macmillan
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover

                ReincarnationReincarnation | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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                ASIN: 0333618645
                Physics of Immortality, Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Physics of Immortality, Modern Cosmology, God and the Resurrection of the Dead

                  Manufacturer: NY: Doubleday, 1994
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback
                  ASIN: B000HFLG5Q
                  The Physics of Immortality. Modern Cosmology, God and The Resurrection of the Dead.
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    The Physics of Immortality. Modern Cosmology, God and The Resurrection of the Dead.
                    Frank J. Tipler
                    Manufacturer: Doubleday
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Hardcover
                    ASIN: B000NUMJVA

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