Amazon.com
Perhaps William Gaddis' most accessible novel--though a dense and imposing book--A Frolic of His Own is a masterful work that mocks the folly of a litigious society. The story centers around Oscar Crease, the grandson of a Confederate soldier who avoided a deadly battle by invoking a legal clause that allowed him to hire a substitute and who later became a Supreme Court judge. Oscar writes a play about his grandfather that goes unproduced yet appears as the story behind a big-budget Hollywood film. Oscar sues and is tossed into the vortex of litigation. Meanwhile, almost 20 other lawsuits of varying frivolity swirl about, adding to this satirical and philosophical treat, which won the National Book Award for 1994.
Customer Reviews:
Masterful Narration.......2007-06-16
If "The Recognitions" left you often baffled and confused, and "JR" was just too tough to follow, what with the 18,000 or so characters involved (perhaps I exaggerate a bit) - and with that queasy feeling that no matter how smart you thought you were - you would never get all the allusions - "Frolic" is the antidote. Completely Gaddis in its narrative flow, and his uncanny ear for dialogue, this novel is accessible to any contemporary reader. The themes are ones we live with each day, in our homes, at work, reading the newspaper, overhearing conversations of which we know little of the context. By the time you are done, if you have the same response I did, you will marvel that this long narrative is entirely propelled by dialogue: what the characters say to each other, even when they are not listening to each other, what they are reading, or what they have written themselves. The legal system, mass-media, vanity, hubris, materialism, sex, entertainment, human fraility, i.e., "personal injury", the list goes on and on, almost every facet of the middle-class American dream is here. Just to follow the saga of a man suing himself for injuring himself with his own car is worth the effort to finish this book. And, unlike "The Recognitions", you will honestly be able to claim you finished the book!
Great Technique Used to Little Effect.......2005-09-29
This is the first book by Gaddis that I have read. While the plot, characters, and technique are all promising in themselves, the book's whole is less than the sum of its parts.
This is the result of Gaddis's decision to apply a post-modernist literary technique to a narrative that doesn't benefit from it. As many other reviewers have noted, the bulk of the book is written as pure dialogue, without quotations and without attribution. While this creates some problems in the beginning, it becomes surprisingly easy to follow. The rest of the book is made up of excerpts from texts, mainly a play, legal briefs, and court documents, with a very few brief stretches of interior monologue or description.
The problems with this technique are two. First, it is monotonous. Writers generally vary the pacing and tone of their writing for dramatic effect. Gaddis can't do that. Second, the technique flattens out the narrative: no part of the text is given more importance than any other. The end result is that the reading the book feels like taking a drive over a flat highway in a car stuck in third gear, and, at almost six hundred pages, it's a very long drive.
Gaddis's choice is unfortunate, because the substance of the book, including a long-simmering battle over the rights to a play and movie about the American Civil War, an accident in which a driver runs himself over, and a running family feud, could have made for an entertaining book.
phew! I need a vacation!.......2005-06-06
I forced myself to finish this book. Several areas of alliteration were fascinating & masterful. Funny, yes, but it was like walking through three feet of mud in high heels. This is not a book for those expecting short-term reward, but wickedly satirical on many levels. Will I read Gaddis again?-hmmmmmmmmm maybe I'll just stick pins in my eyes......
Legal Tenderness.......2004-07-17
I read Frolic after JR and The Recognitions of which I was more impressed than Frolic. It's amusing to watch Gaddis skewer the legal profession -- I can think of few professions more worthy of it -- but while he addresses the national feeding frenzy of greed associated with litigation his characters fail to capture much empathy as they were more hideous in many cases than their legal representatives. Consequently, I found myself detached from main characters and unsymapthetic to their sordid fates. In JR and The Recognitions I found characters whose destinies in the story lines mattered to me -- not so in Frolic. Gaddis has his finger on the pulse of a national disgrace in the need for tort reform but, since the reformers are self-regulating lawyers, it isn't likely to happen anytime soon. This novel is very finely written with powerful, pithy observations expressed in breathtaking jabs and poetic riffs. Frolic isn't as densely packed with intellect as JR or The Recognitions but is more accessible than either as his style is more accommodating in Frolic. This novel is just shy of great compared to the high standards set by his other works, which are among the best brace of American novels of the late 20th century. The great novels of Gaddis are destined to be discovered by wider readerships, to radiate brilliantly on America's literary landscape and to endure.
Good, but not THAT good..........2002-12-10
Having read the reviews posted here, I felt pretty certain that I would enjoy Gaddis' books. His emphasis on dialogue (as opposed to description and narration) adds a pleasantly kinetic feel to the book, not unlike reading a Mamet play.
The problem I'm having, however, is that the book doesn't actually SAY very much. As fun as it is to see Gaddis play games with legal talk, 500 pages of satire seems a bit excessive. All of the characters are parodies of people, rather than people, and there's nothing to really grab onto and care about in this book. Is it fun? Sure... for a while. Is Gaddis a talented writer? Absolutely. But is this book something you need to rush out and get? Not really.
Average customer rating:
|
A Frolic of His Own
Manufacturer: Scribner Paperback Fiction
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H3UXYS |
Average customer rating:
|
A Frolic Of His Own
William Gaddis
Manufacturer: Poseidon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0670855537 |
Average customer rating:
|
A Frolic Of His Own
William Gaddis
Manufacturer: Scribner / Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0140237348 |
Average customer rating:
|
Frolic of His Own -OS
Clement R. Hoopes
Manufacturer: Shambhala Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0815955103 |
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Review of Contemporary Fiction, published by Review of Contemporary Fiction on March 22, 1994. The length of the article is 473 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: A Frolic of His Own.(Brief Article)
Author: Steven Moore
Publication:
The Review of Contemporary Fiction (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1994
Publisher: Review of Contemporary Fiction
Volume: v14
Issue: n1
Page: p209(1)
Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
Leaving behind the sheltered life of a French convent, Miranda journeyed to the New World and an arraged marriage to a prosperous Texan rancher. Arriving in America, the innocent European met her fiance's freind Derek Bragg, a rough-hewn Texas Ranger, whose harsh manner and candid comments about her beauty enraged the shy miss. Although Bragg fought to deny his feelings for his charge, he knew that he was falling in love with her. Miranda, too, was struggling with her desire for her escort as they trekked across the treacherous wilderness. Drawn to the lawman--enflamed by his raw masculine virility--will Miranda sacrifice her innocence to the fire blazing out of control in her heart?
Customer Reviews:
Original Plot, Dreadful Heroine... .......2007-06-04
Book was written around 80s, this means you'll see some rape scenes, an spineless heroine, an alpha hero or/and a plot that will have you grinding your teeth if you're a strong woman.
With that said, this book was worth 4 stars if you can ignore the heroine. Yes, she gets raped a couple of times... but what made this book awful was NOT due to this harsh treatment... it was the fact you could not stand the heroines who was shy, naive, dim witted... frankly, she was an IDIOT! OMG, I've yet to come across a heroine who was this stupid. She was raised in a convent, ok fine... this does not make someone dumb!
She blushes every 5 mins, she cries every ten, everything hurts and she's scared of EVERYTHING! In addition to all this sickening weakness, she comes across as a judgmental, opinionated, bible thumping cold fish, til the end of the story. I wished through out the book the hero would just dump her off somewhere....
INNOCENT FIRE..... this title is a joke, innocent -- she was more then an innocent, she was an idiot... Fire, WHAT fire? never seen such spineless heroine in ANY romance novel, period.
DOnt waste your time with this book if you can't stand doormat heroines, it'll have you grinding your teeth all night.
innocent fire...unforgettable!!!.......2007-05-10
i read this book many years ago, and among the first historical romance novels i have read, and i simply love it!!! this is one unforgettable story...full of events, depressing at times, but very romantic. i love the hero and the heroine. they are both very strong in their own ways. so what if the heroine gets abducted, the hero rescues her anyway and proves how much he loves her, it just adds to the romance in the story. it's a fast-paced read...you wouldn't want to put it down till you finish it. you just feel like you've been taken to their time and witness their love. there's just lots of things happening and you wouldn't want to miss any of them...i highly recommend this book!!! this is the book that hooked me into reading more historical romances hoping that there would be more like it, but there are just few that can match, but even then, they are not as unforgettable as this one.
Rape, Rape, and more Rape.......2006-10-07
I found this book to be one of the most disturbing books I have ever read. The heroine is continually raped. I read romance novels to enter a world of fantasy and joy not a world of crime and pain! I had to force myself to finish this book to put it behind me. After reading it I was depressed and disgusted for three days! I loved Brenda Joyce's other books so I just wanted to tell you that they are usually great. I can't say I would recommend this book to a friend, an enemy definitely.
Truly unlikeable female lead.......2006-07-05
This book was irritating in many ways. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was bad, just irritating.
For one thing, the plot was way too similar to Kat Martin's Natchez Flame - though I believe Joyce's book was written first. The plots were different, but the entire premise was nearly identical. It hasn't been that long since I read Martin's book, so to read one so similar was a little boring and annoying.
Aside from that, Miranda was an overwhelmingly tiring character. She was the very extreme of the typical naive miss of the time, to the point where she just seemed damn stupid. I realize that innocence and naivte was the norm back then for women, but she was and extreme and it got freakin' annoying to constantly read all her witless babble. And it seemed kind of unfitting that such a wordly man as Derek would become so connected to her.
The plot was a bit long and tedious and repetitive. I mean, Miranda is kidnapped three times in the book. Once or twice, okay fine, but three times? It was a bit much.
I also thought that the resolution of Miranda's feelings and her situation was poorly dealt with. It was like *snap* she'd changed her mind about certain things and all was right. There was also this side storyline dealing with Miranda's father. There were some serious issues there, but that's never resolved. At the end, he comes to see Miranda. She spends about a half hour with him, where they talk about nothing serious, and Miranda suddenly thinks to herself that he's not the beast she thought he was. That was it. It was a really cheap way to resolve something that had such an impact on the story.
Anyway, Innocent Fire wasn't a horrible book, but it's not one I'd recommend to others for reading.
Rating: 2 / 5
One of the best.......2003-02-21
I loved this book because it was not typical, this was a great story with a cute ending. My friend let me borrow it and I couldn't put it down, ever since then i have read almost all the Bragg Family novels.
Product Description
4 massmarket paperback Titles in Paul Shaw Mystery Series - Deadly Innocents - Circle of Fire - Touch of Death - Here to Die
Average customer rating:
|
Innocent Fire
Brooke Hastings
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0671570269 |
Average customer rating:
|
Tenderness and Fire (Innocent Years)
Robert Funderburk
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | African American | Asian American | Classics | Collections & Readers | Drama | General | Hispanic | History & Criticism | Humor | Jewish American | Letters & Correspondence | Native American | Poetry | Short Stories | Women Writers
Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Historical | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
General | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
-
Heart and Soul (The Innocent Years, No 3)
-
Old Familiar Places (Innocent Years Book)
ASIN: 1556614640 |
Book Description
General FictionLarge Print EditionDalton Temples dream of a future in professional football seems a sure thing. But a severe knee injury in his junior year sidelines both his football career and his romance. He gives his all to rehabilitation, but the reality is that hell never play pro ball again. Disillusioned, Dalton ends up in New Orleans French Quarter where he is given a second chance at love but his wonderful woman has a shady past whose shadows must be put to rest . . .
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Solutions - for People, Processes and Paper, published by Paper Industry Management Association on November 1, 2003. The length of the article is 636 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Loading dock fires pose serious safety threat: serious loading dock fires can be ignited by a seemingly innocent element: semi-trailer running lights.(Practical Solutions)
Author: Chuck Ashelin
Publication:
Solutions - for People, Processes and Paper (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2003
Publisher: Paper Industry Management Association
Volume: 86
Issue: 11
Page: 36(1)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Product Description
11 massmarket paperback Titles By Cartland - An Innocent in Mayfair - Runaway Heart - Lioness and the Lily - Little Tonges of Fire - King in Love - Runaway Star - Wings of Love - Magic or Mirage - Theft of a Heart - Ghost Who Fell in Love - Unwanted Wedding (Camfield)
Book Description
Called "the new Arthur C. Clarke" by The Washington Post Book World and "a scientist with a fine literary sense" by The Denver Post, Charles Sheffield has crafted a an exciting adventure about a frustrated teen who just can't seem to do anything right.Jeff Kopal is heir to a powerful military family. He's got everything going for him. Except one thing: Jeff is a total screw-ups. His family has had it. So when Jeff blows off his naval entrance exams he figures his future is basically kaput. Instead, he is being sent by the navy into deep space to deal with rebellious cyborgs. How did that happen?Jeff will have to find out before it's too late. Otherwise, He may become the pawn in someone else's dangerous-and very deadly-game.
Customer Reviews:
Just FYI..........2007-07-09
I have not read this book, but since some are indicating that they wish Dr. Sheffield would finish the series, I would simply like to inform the public that Dr. Sheffield died in November of 2002, which is why it is unlikely that further episodes will be added to this series.
My Only Regret.......2004-01-19
My only regret was purchasing this book without knowing it was obviously written as a series but obviously cancelled since it is now six years since The Cyborg From Earth was initially written. Seeing as how it is now 2004 I really don't think there will be a sequel. Oh well.
HEINLEIN READERS WILL LOVE THIS.......1999-06-11
I really enjoyed the book, as I enjoy Heinlein books as an adult, but it is obviously geared toward the juvenile audience. Great. However, it is not finished and we are left hanging in space (pun intended) with the story unresolved. Heinlein didn't do that. I hope Mr. Sheffield continues the story line, but he has so many irons in the fire------. Well, we'll see.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Chinese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Doctors & Medicine
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Lawyers & Criminals
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Early Civilization
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Historiography
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Victorian
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Chinese
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War on Drugs
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Arabic
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Armenian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Czech
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Greek
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Hungarian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Korean
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Norwegian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Persian & Farsi
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Polish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Portuguese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Romanian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Swedish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Turkish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Online Research
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Native American
| Earth-Based Religions
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Science
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Magic & Wizards
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sailor Moon
| Popular Characters
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Pilates
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Fashion
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Amazon.com
Believing in Jesus means so many different things to so many people that it's difficult, if not impossible, to define the true essence of Christianity. The differences between a charismatic Baptist hymnal, for instance, and a high-church Anglican communion merely scratch the surface of the many varieties of Christian belief. The River of God reminds readers that Christian belief has always been wildly diverse, and that Christianity was preceded and informed by many ancient cultural traditions. This is the point made by author Gregory J. Riley, professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the Claremont School of Theology in California and the author of One Jesus, Many Christs. Riley's prose is mostly uncomplicated, and his metaphorical argument is fairly clear: many cultural streams converged to form the river of God, and material from those streams built up the delta of Christianity. But this book is not, as its subtitle claims, "A New History of Christian Origins." It is primarily a reworking of a familiar and amply documented fact, made popular by the work of Elaine Pagels and Jack Miles, among others: Christianity did not spring into being independent from its cultural context. Like life, it evolved, and continues to evolve. Though not original, Riley's point does bear repeating. Its repetition cultivates Christian humility, by helping to remind us that everyone in history who has ever learned to live well--including, or perhaps especially, Jesus--has learned largely by paying attention to the world around him. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
Where did Christianity come from?
Acclaimed author Gregory Riley embarks on a remarkable journey in this readable and persuasive account of the origins of Christianity. Riley demonstrates that early Christians held widely differing beliefs about God, Jesus, the Devil, and the human soul, and follows these beliefs back to their sources in Greek science and philosophy and the religions of the ancient Middle East. An expert on the context in which Christianity arose, Riley maps out a new understanding of the forging of Christianity, and conveys a vital message for today about the true nature of Christian faith as inherently diverse.
Customer Reviews:
Decent intro book but lacks detail.......2004-08-10
The River of God not only deals with the subject of the origins of Christian beliefs, but also reviews alleged sources of Judeo-Biblical theology. Occasionally some frank statements are made and backed up fairly well. For example consider: "3 millenia prior to the Christianity of 4th century (Constantine) no one of record was a monotheist and certainly not a trinitarian. There was no devil, humans did not have souls and there was no need for a messiah. At the inception of Christianity neither the trinity nor the terms necessary to decribe the term existed." Each of these subjects as well as other beliefs are revealed to the reader as having pre-Christian non Judaic/Biblical origins which serve as an eye opener for someone new to the subject. Overall however, the specifics regarding time frame, proofs of where the beliefs originated and when and how they found their way into Judeo-Christian thought and the Bible are usually not well developed. Some important items such as bodily resurrection origins are only mentioned in passing. Persian Zoroastrianism is cited as the origin of many of the beliefs, but as some scholars have pointed out, because a belief is a time period contemporary of the Hebrew Bible, it is not an automatic that it ends up being incorporated into the Bible. Again, this is a decent book to begin research on the subject but if one is looking for specific detail regarding various belief origins you will have to for the most part research further.
Jesus as a Jewish Gnostic.......2004-07-02
This work by Gregory Riley of the Claremont School of Theology, also author of "One Jesus, Many Christs," makes the case that the major doctrines of the New Testament and early Christianity came from the Jewish Gnostics, who were centered in Galilee, Jesus' home base.
The peoples of the Mediterranean world, including the Hebrews, all believed that the earth was a flat disk sitting on top of a disk of water. Over that was a hard dome, not more than a few thousand feet high, on top of which sat the gods. All the gods had bodies, including the Chief One. The Hebrews, like everyone else, never believed that God was an immaterial spirit or that people had spiritual souls that could unite with God after death. People just lived out their lives on earth under the gaze of the gods and the fates.
This view was challenged by the great mathematician Pythagoras in the 6th century b.c., who stated the earth is a sphere, and by Eratosthenes, who in the 3rd century b.c. computed that the earth is 40,000 kilometers in circumference, wonderfully close to its actual size. Riley says we cannot over emphasize the dramatic effect this new Greek science had on religious beliefs (the whole premise of his book is that religious beliefs are constantly changing in response to their times). For one thing, these discoveries made the material universe immense, infinite. For another thing, there was a commensurate change in the idea of God. The Greeks developed the via negativa method of describing the new God as immaterial, ineffable, and unknowable. Plato extended this idea of God to humans, describing their bodies as shells from which the soul-an emanation of God of sorts-would escape after death and return to God.
Riley says that these ideas were slow to catch on, but they did. In Jewish society they took root among the very well educated class, especially in Galilee-a true crossroad of many cultures and religions. (Jerusalem was in the isolated highlands). Riley says that at the time of Jesus, all the Pharisees, Essenes, Gnostics, and Hellenists together were a very tiny fraction of Jewish society. The educated classes among the Jews, especially the Gnostics, were very interested in the new Greek ideas of God. If God was all perfect, however, what caused evil in the world? For that answer, the Jewish Gnostics relied on Persian Zoroastrian religion, which proposed a cosmic conflict between the god of good and the god of evil.
The Gnostics had to demote the Evil One from a god to a fallen angel, but he served the purpose of drumming up all the evil and suffering in the world. In their scenario, a lesser emanation of God had created a very imperfect world, which God allowed the devil to corrupt and control in order to test his human creations. The New Testament teachings of Jesus embody the doctrines of the Jewish Gnostics almost verbatim. Riley emphasizes what revolutionary teaching this was at the time. People did not know they had immortal souls. Neither did they suspect what great danger they were in. This constituted the "new wine" of Jesus' teaching. Riley writes:
"Fundamental to the teaching of Jesus was the dualism of body and soul. From the point of view of religious studies, Jesus was a genius-what scholars call a master figure-and his dualism was unique. In many ways it was similar to that of Orphism, Pythagoranism, and Plato, yet it is fair to say that the cosmos of Jesus had a darker side, for he was also conscious of the spiritual warfare inherent in the kingdom of God. No Greek philosopher believed in the Devil, nor did the Zoroastrians have a view of body and soul based in science (as did the Greek philosophers), Jesus brilliantly combined both traditions into something new."
Riley says that the signature parable of the NT was the first parable seen in the Gospel of Mark (4:3-8, 14-20) of the sower going out to sow his seed. The seed that fell beside the road was picked up by the birds (the devil), on rocky ground (persecution), and in the weeds (cares and temptations of the world).
Riley states that the new doctrine overturned the values of the world, making death, suffering, and persecution the means of eternal happiness. Jesus himself would submit to "persecution" (orchestrated by the Devil, no less) to demonstrate his belief in the afterlife. The Devil would use every means of tripping up people, including the use of "false prophets and religions." This warning gave impetus to the desire of bishops from the beginning to stamp out religious dissent and other religions-all seen as instruments of the devil.
This negative view of the world goes a long way in explaining the incipient violence of Christianity and its ability to alienate people from the world, nature, and their own bodies and emotions. These doctrines still have a powerful grip on western society.
Riley is also able to point out where the writers of the New Testament and later Church councils were picking and choosing among Gnostic doctrines. For example, Plato had assigned five concentric shells that would isolate the Monad from the world, emanations of the godhead that did his bidding. The Gnostics extended this divine group, called the "pleroma" or "fullness," to 365 beings. The author of John limits these intermediary gods to the Word. The author of Colossians states twice that in Jesus alone "is the "pleroma" of God (The Holy Spirit would be worked in later.)
Jesus as springing from the Jewish Gnostics makes him a much more interesting character. Just his being from Galilee sets the authorities of Jerusalem on edge. And how did Jesus as the (perhaps illegitimate) son of a tradesman ingratiate himself with the well-educated Gnostic Hellenists of Galilee? He could have distinguished himself by his special talents or beauty or both.
Excellent history of the evolution of religious concepts........2003-07-11
I really like this book. The analogy to an actual river is a concept of brilliance.
All these religious ideas have interplayed with others. They are the products of the human mind in various stages of cultural evolution.
The anthropomorphic god who walked in the cool of the day in the garden. He became the ethereal Monad in the perfect spheres of the geocentric universe.
What is a soul? What is the body? Riley shows that 5'th century
BCE Greek science created the concept of a soul. It was adopted by the religous beliefs. First Greek then Zoroastrian then Jewish then Christian.
Great read!
The River of God: The Whole Story.......2001-10-25
In The River of God, Gregory Riley shines light on much of the history of Christian origins often ignored by scholars. Most researchers of Christianity restrict themselves to the influence of the West (Greek and Roman) and often confuse Rabbinic Judaism with the Judaism of Jesus' times; Prof. Riley adds the whole of Middle Eastern religious history to the story of our search for God. Riley includes the development of Cannanite and Mesopotamian religion in the history of ancient Judaism. In addition to Greek ideas of Orphism, Pythagoreanism and Plato, he recognizes the Egyptian and Persian Zoroastrian influences on the development of Christian concepts of afterlife. Riley outlines the role of Persian Zoroastrianism on our understanding of Satan and a world savior. He details how various ancient religious models of God from both East and West as well as Greek science contributed to the development of our understanding of the division of body and soul and the creation of the doctrine of the Trinity in the fourth century. The River of God is not a general overview of world religions; it is specifically about the development of Christianity from a modern Christian perspective. Prof. Riley writes with a broad brush in his outline of the development of Christianity and, while scholars will quibble over some of the details and generalizations, I found The River of God to be an excellent overview of our understanding of "the process of the River of God."
A New History with Nothing New.......2001-08-07
I guess The River of God is technically a new history of Christian origins since it is a new book. However, new does not equate with original. Riley disappoints by not coming up with any original ideas from what I could see. He just rehashes the same old story of Christianity forming from many cultural influences. If you have read anything from somebody at the Claremont School of Theology, the various Ivy League theology schools, or the Jesus Seminar, then you have already read what this book has to offer. I expect more from a professor than to simply publish a long book report of other people's ideas.
This is also not a book for Christians who believe in the bible and the God of the bible. Riley's Jesus is more of a relativist created by cultural influences before him as opposed to being God in the flesh.
Books:
- A Hunger Artist (Short Prose of Franz Kafka Series)
- All This Heavenly Glory
- Ambition and Love in Modern American Art
- Bret Harte's Gold Rush: Outcasts of Poker Flat, the Luck of Roaring Camp, Tennessee's Partner, & Other Favorites
- Brown Sugar 2: Great One Night Stands - A Collection of Erotic Black Fiction
- By Night in Chile
- CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
- Clara Callan: A Novel
- Crossing Bully Creek (Milkweed National Fiction Prize)
- Dating Games: A Novel
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing The Customer Experience
- The Wedding Cake Book
- The Beginning: an allegory
- Race, Place, and Medicine: The Idea of the Tropics in Nineteenth-Century Brazil
- Possible Side Effects
- The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World
- The Little Soul And The Earth I'm Somebody!: A Children's Parable Adapted From Conversations With Go
- Tales from Under the Rim: The Marketing of Tim Hortons
- Regional Integration and Trade Liberalization in Subsaharan Africa: Volume 4, Synthesis and Review
- British Qualifications: A Complete Guide to Educational, Technical, Professional and Academic Qualif
JR (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
Agape Agape (Penguin Classics)
The Recognitions (Penguin Classics)
Spartina
The Rush for Second Place: Essays and Occasional Writings
