Madras on Rainy Days: A Novel
Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
  • A very talented writer that covers a wide range of issues
  • True Hyderabadi
  • Tedious and unfocused!
  • A Beautiful Gem
  • A good read
Madras on Rainy Days: A Novel
Samina Ali
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0374195625

Book Description

Layla is torn among clashing identities--dutiful Muslim daughter and free, independent American woman. When she is nineteen, her parents inform Layla that a marriage has been arranged for her to an Indian man she doesn't know. A stunned Layla submits reluctantly but not before she commits a dangerous, final act of defiance. In the heat and noise of Hyderabad, as her wedding looms, her behavior becomes more and more erratic. Her mother, fearing demonic possession, takes Layla to a Muslim faith-healer, an alim, hoping to exorcise all traces of rebellion. To Layla's surprise, the ancient and elaborate wedding rituals, her groom's physical beauty, and the unexpectedly warm welcome of her new family fill her with a sense of belonging she has never known before. But her honeymoon in Madras soon reveals the full horror of the devil's bargain she has struck.

Set against the backdrop of the ancient walled city of Hyderabad and mounting Hindu-Muslim tensions, Madras on Rainy Days lyrically evokes the complexities of life behind the chador. A gorgeously written novel by an original new voice in international fiction.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A very talented writer that covers a wide range of issues.......2006-09-18

It is a rare writer indeed that can cover the issues, of ethnic identity, sexual taboos, religious tensions, and feminism in such a short span of pages and make the story interesting while not preachy. Layla is a 19 year old Muslim indian girl who lives half her life in the US and doesn't truly fit in either place. Against the back drop of the parlimentary elections in India and raised tensions between Hindus and Muslims, Layla is coerced into an arranged marriage with a boy who is not all he seems. Can an Indian girl raised in a non traditional family find the happiness and stability she craves in the midst of national tension and family secrets?

4 out of 5 stars True Hyderabadi.......2006-02-13

An eye opener. Samina, has explored old city Hyderabad life, and desribed it to the T. A great story or double lives lived by westerners, with eastern origin. Really enjoyed it, and looking forward to her next book.

2 out of 5 stars Tedious and unfocused!.......2006-02-01

This book is just tedious. As soon as one storyline started to get interesting, everything would screech to a halt & it would shift directions. The lack of a glossary of terms was very confusing for anyone not familiar with Indian culture. I wish I had given up by Page 50, but I just kept plugging away in the hopes that it would get better. Basically it's the story of a girl who lives in America & India who agrees to an arranged marriage & then doesn't want to deal with the outcome.

5 out of 5 stars A Beautiful Gem.......2005-12-26

Someone loaned me this book months ago, and I finally picked it up to read over the holidays. I didn't know what to expect, but I couldn't put it down - it was intriguing. It was a real treat - Ali's clear writing is a beautiful foil for the complicated emotions that roil through people as they try to discover themselves and work through relationships. A big bonus was the setting for the book - Muslim India. I know people that have actively read books by/about Muslim women, and I had never sought one out. This book provided a window into the world behind the chador. All in all, it was inspiring and simply beautiful.

4 out of 5 stars A good read.......2005-12-15

I thought this was a very good first book. Touches on the topic of homesexuality in IndoPak; something that's more common than we think.
Madras on Rainy Days : A Novel
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Madras on Rainy Days : A Novel
    Samina Ali
    Manufacturer: Picador
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: B000OTS0WM

    History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • 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

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    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:

    3 out of 5 stars 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.

    5 out of 5 stars 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.

    5 out of 5 stars 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.

    5 out of 5 stars 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.

    4 out of 5 stars 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.
    Night Flame
    Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
    • Great
    • Wonderful!
    • Very Good Read!
    • It will touch your soul.
    Night Flame
    Catherine Hart
    Manufacturer: Love Spell
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Mass Market Paperback

    GeneralGeneral | Romance | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0505523868

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars Great.......2002-01-20

    The book was so romantic and the story was beautiful. Night Hawk is a dream guy!

    4 out of 5 stars Wonderful!.......2000-06-26

    This story was wonderfully touching and romantic. You could really feel yourself being pulled into the feelings of love and desire between Night Hawk and Sarah. The bantering between each other as Night Hawk was able to gently bend and submit Sarah to his ways was touching and believeable. The history of Cheyenne beliefs and the Christian beliefs Sarah was brought up with, was woven into warm comparison of the two. So Sarah found it easy to adapt to the Cheyenne ways and beliefs. This story is full of so much tenderness that it's definetly one you will want to own. It's a keeper.

    4 out of 5 stars Very Good Read!.......2000-06-26

    This was my first Catherine Hart novel, and I really enjoyed it. I found the tender love and the dialog, between the heroin Sara and Night Hawk quit believeable. I found myself truly lost in the story. Very good read with lots of twists and turns. I couldn't put it down.

    5 out of 5 stars It will touch your soul........1997-11-25

    This was my first C. Hart novel and I have since been a faithful reader. This is a wonderful story about romance and the true meaning of love as it conquers all obstacles. The setting is woven around several battles and historic figures that were historically correct and added balance and authenticity to the storyline. Flame is the vision every woman would like to be, Nighthawk is the dream lover we would all cherish. Together they weave a story of infinite beauty and love that touches your soul and leaves you wanting to revisit this story many times again.
    The Dark Night of the Soul and the Living Flame of Love: St. John of the Cross (Fount Classics Series)
    Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    • A much needed spiritual divine.
    The Dark Night of the Soul and the Living Flame of Love: St. John of the Cross (Fount Classics Series)

    Manufacturer: Harpercollins
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback

    InspirationalInspirational | Catholicism | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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    ASIN: 0006279341

    Customer Reviews:

    5 out of 5 stars A much needed spiritual divine........1999-01-02

    A book itself in need of very few word to describe its greatness. A wonderful interpretation of the migrating soul!

    When in print I had purchased 3 to pass along to friends.
    THE COLLECTED WORKS OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS, Volume II: The Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ, The Living Flame of Love
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      THE COLLECTED WORKS OF ST. JOHN OF THE CROSS, Volume II: The Dark Night of the Soul, Spiritual Canticle of the Soul and the Bridegroom Christ, The Living Flame of Love
      Saint John of the Cross
      Manufacturer: Cosimo Classics
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
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      ASIN: 1602064342
      Flame Against The Night
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Flame Against The Night
        Vincent Godfrey Burns
        Manufacturer: New Worls Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover
        ASIN: B000MMPIJE
        Flame in the Night
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Flame in the Night

          Manufacturer: Pauline Books & Media
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

          GeneralGeneral | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0819802344
          Flame in the Night
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Flame in the Night
            Mcgowan
            Manufacturer: Pocket
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

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            ASIN: 067170351X
            Flame In The Night - The Life Of St. Francis Xavier
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Flame In The Night - The Life Of St. Francis Xavier
              The Daughters Of St. Paul
              Manufacturer: St. Paul Editions
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover
              ASIN: B000QRDDOM
              Flame In The Night - The Life Of St. Francis Xavier
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Flame In The Night - The Life Of St. Francis Xavier

                Manufacturer: St. Paul Editions
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover
                ASIN: B000I748RG
                Lies & Flames (Fly by Night)
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Lies & Flames (Fly by Night)

                  Manufacturer: HEADLINE
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

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                  ASIN: 0747279438

                  The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai : Across the Eighth Dimension
                  Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                  • Book good, description bad
                  • Super Reader
                  • Wherever You Go, There You Are
                  • Beyond the 8th Dimension...
                  • Watermelon explained
                  The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai : Across the Eighth Dimension
                  Earl Mac Rauch
                  Manufacturer: Pocket
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

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                  ASIN: 0743442482

                  Book Description

                  "I speak Spanish to God, French to women, English to men, and Japanese to my horse."

                  -- Buckaroo Banzai

                  Buckaroo Banzai. A strange, elusive figure, his name whispered in barrooms and boardrooms, his advice sought by pashas and presidents, his exploits recounted in movies, novels, and comic books that seem somehow more real than life itself.

                  Buckaroo Banzai. First and foremost an extraordinary brain surgeon. In his spare time designer and driver of the electrifying Jet Car, a speed machine faster than sound! Buckaroo Banzai. A happy man whose life has been marked by great tragedy, who speaks a dozen languages and writes songs in all of them. His musical sidekicks the Hong Kong Cavaliersó Rawhide, Reno, the Swede, Perfect Tommy, Flyboy, Big Norse, Pecosóare one of the toughest, most popular hard-rocking bar bands in east Texas.

                  Join Team Banzai on their two-fisted, action-packed assault against the evil red Lectroids from Planet 10! Experience the horrors of the Shock Tower and the Pitt deep within the walls of Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems as Buckaroo Banzai fights against impossible odds to rescue Penny Priddy from the clutches of Dr. Emilio Lizardo, the diabolically alien dictator. Pray that Buckaroo will succeed, knowing only too well that if he fails the Earth itself will be blown to dust!

                  For the first time in nearly twenty years, Pocket Books is proud to present The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai. This special edition features a new introduction by the author and a color insert featuring photos and illustration seen here for the very first time!

                  No matter where you go, there you are.

                  Customer Reviews:

                  4 out of 5 stars Book good, description bad.......2007-10-09

                  The description here says "This special edition features a new introduction by the author and a color insert featuring photos and illustration seen here for the very first time!"

                  Yeah, well, it doesn't include the introduction or the color insert.

                  Other than that, I loved the fleshed out story of one of my favorite movies of all time.

                  4 out of 5 stars Super Reader.......2007-08-31

                  This was pretty good, for a movie book, explained some things, went into detail. It was definitely worth it for Buckaroo fans.

                  During the movie, it can be hard to tell who is who, or how does what, or can do what. This fills you in nicely, as well as information on the Irregulars and other bits associated with the great man. Not to mention his musical stylings.

                  4 out of 5 stars Wherever You Go, There You Are.......2006-05-20

                  When I first came on the pulp paperback of this film some years back, I thought it was too dense to read and passed on it. Having since seen the film more than twenty times (It's my favorite movie) I decided to read this reissued version. The story is told from the point of view of Reno in the first person, which kills any dramatic action since it's all after the fact. It's very unevenly written and also very intriguing. Although I figured that Earl Mac Rauch wrote this book first and then adapted it to the film script, I think now that it's a novelization tie-in made after the film.

                  But that doesn't explain why certain parts are so different from the movie. In the film, there's a conflict (to oversimplify) between the (good) black lectroids and the (bad) red lectroids. In the book there are only bad lectroids, the good ones instead being called Adders. The book also continually refers to another book or episode of B. Banzai and friends called Extradition from Hell, another evocatively named pulp-fiction adventure which begs to hit the screen. Viewers of the film are aware that it ends with an ad for the next serial as it were, Buckaroo Banzai and the World Crime League, of which there is no mention in this book. The introduction seems to say that another volume of stories is forthcoming, and hopefully some sort of cinematic sequel.

                  This is one of two books I can think of where the film is better than the book based on what it chose to leave out. The other is Forrest Gump, drawn from the book by Winston Groom. But for one exception, I think the Buckaroo Banzai film is very well edited in relation to this book. For instance, the gruesome torture scene of Penny Priddy in the book is replaced in the movie with a nearly comic one, and the intriguing philosophies given all through the book are worked implicitly into the movie rather than being discussed at length.

                  The real miracle is the film's tone, which is why I think people keep watching it. It's light without being flippant, about real things without being weighty, fantastic but not randomly so, moving without being sentimental. The book doesn't have this light tone, but it does delve into ideas that are mind-boggling and mind-expanding. It starts out almost unreadably bad, with an odd kind of stilted syntax and deliberately archaic language, but it ends up excitingly well.

                  The one exception where the book could improve on the film is in an alternate (longer) beginning which shows rather than tells the Buckaroo backstory. I had the Special Edition DVD which includes an alternate beginning in the Special Features section. But I highly recommend instead the Special Collector's Edition DVD which allows you to select a longer edition of the entire film with the new beginning. In my opinion this makes the film a lot better. It's the definitive The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Dimension, and it's truly an amazing film.

                  This edition of the book says it's being released to coincide with the Special Collector's Edition DVD of the film, and this DVD really is that much better. But even on the Special Edition there's an interview with director W.D. Richter and a pilot for a TV show done in CGI that even now would find a huge audience. I join with about a million fans of this film asking why not more Buckaroo now?

                  5 out of 5 stars Beyond the 8th Dimension..........2006-03-02

                  This is not an adaptation of the cult film. While the movie spotlighted some of the more entertaining aspects (and an outstanding cast), the novel itself draws life from the thoughts and experiences of its diverse characters.

                  The story is told in the first person by Reno, Team Banzai's chonographer, who relates events, back-story, witness accounts and even a few science lessons in order to give the reader as complete a picture as possible. The side-bars may seem to complicate things, but the deeper one reads into this book, the more often you begin to wonder if it is a true story. So effective and all-consuming is the narrative--At times like a documentary.

                  To be certain, there are villains and heros... incredible scientific devices... outlandish individuals who are more colourful than the spectrum. But throughout, we are exposed to profound philosophy, socio-political commentary and even a few rules for living.

                  Witness the principals promoted by Buckaroo through radio and comic books: "The Five Stresses ... decorum, courtesy, public health, discipline, and morals. The Four Beauties ... beauties of mind, language, behavior, and environment. The Three Loves ... love of others, justice, and love of freedom." [p.20]

                  Or Buckaroo's paradox: "A scientist, like a warrior, must cherish no view... A 'view' is the outcome of intellectual processes, whereas creativity, like swordsmanship, requires not neutrality, or indifference, but to be of no mind whatever." [p.133]

                  And some fun with alien names: "...some Lectroids carried regular last names taken at random from a Manhattan telephone book, whereas others ... were evidently translations of Lectroid pictographs... (John Icicle Boy, John Repeat Dance, John Careful Walker, John Thorny Stick, John Mud Head, John Small Berries, John Ya Ya, John Take Cover, John Many Jars) [p.148]

                  Granted, there is a level of idealism present. But is it so terrible to imagine an organization that strives for "a better world" and is made strong by its many and varied members representing every walk of life? So powerful was this novel that it inspired me to create an electronic public forum for discussion, debate and information exchange in the days before the "World Wide Web."

                  Not for those seeking light reading, "Buckaroo Banzai" delivers a world and people so real and sincere that you cannot help but ponder the source. I was left feeling empowered and eager to snatch up my chances to make a difference.


                  [Please note, the text above was originally posted February 11, 1998. It was written based on the first publication of this book (ISBN 0671540580) which accompanied the 1984 film. I have not verified the citation page #s for the 2001 printing. I am the original author. Back then Amazon allowed anonymous reviews.]

                  5 out of 5 stars Watermelon explained.......2005-07-31

                  Kenneth Peel "Gurgeh", your answer to the watermelon scene can be found on the commentary of the movie (or the documentary, I can't remember which at this very moment). It was no great mystery afterall, it was just the filmmakers testing the studio heads. They wanted to see if the studio bosses were paying attention or ignoring them.

                  I love this film.

                  A Brief History of the Druids (Brief History, The)
                  Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
                  • Outstanding!
                  • Essential for understanding European thought and history
                  • Good Solid Overview of Druid History
                  • Academic Grudge Match
                  • a perfect introduction to the subject
                  A Brief History of the Druids (Brief History, The)
                  Peter Berresford Ellis
                  Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

                  GeneralGeneral | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | England | Europe | History | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | World | History | Subjects | Books
                  DruidismDruidism | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  CelticCeltic | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                  Similar Items:
                  1. The Druids: Celtic Priests of Nature The Druids: Celtic Priests of Nature
                  2. The Celts: A History The Celts: A History
                  3. Celtic Myths and Legends Celtic Myths and Legends
                  4. The Solitary Druid: A Practitioner's Guide The Solitary Druid: A Practitioner's Guide
                  5. The Druids (Ancient Peoples and Places Series) The Druids (Ancient Peoples and Places Series)

                  ASIN: 0786709871

                  Book Description

                  Shrouded in legend, the mysterious cult of the ancient Druids continues to fascinate, inspiring latter-day imitators who often are only a poorly researched and romantic reflection of Druidic lore. In this compelling and readable history, respected Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis explores who the Druids really were and what role they played in the Celtic world. Ellis provides a fresh and convincing interpretation of the facts, based on both archaeological and etymological findings. “Remarkable ... offers much for the academician as well as the general reader. Fascinating reading!”—Joseph A. King, author of Ireland to North America

                  Customer Reviews:

                  5 out of 5 stars Outstanding!.......2007-05-07

                  Great book...but rather technical in terms of history and geography, so if you are looking for an "easy" or "light" reading, this is not the book for you. I found it to be incredibly informative. I have loaned it out many times and at this point have to beg it back (after 4 months) from the last person who borrowed it. It has been loved by all who have borrowed it (as a matter of fact I've had to work pretty hard to get it back from everyone!) It contradicts some theories I have heard before, but gives excellent support for the author's theories of culture development. Great for sociological discussion. Highly recommend for teaching situations involving Celtic culture and history.

                  5 out of 5 stars Essential for understanding European thought and history.......2006-12-16

                  I recently completed a movie script that takes place in pre-Christian Europe. This book was an absolutely essential tool in my research.

                  Berresford Ellis is a thorough and careful scholar, but he writes clearly, and engagingly. Occasionally, he takes on other scholars and he does repeat that the Romans' authority on Celtic matters is highly biased. Given that almost all academic research on pre-Medieval matters relies heavily on Roman sources, Ellis's insistance on their fallibility is important. He carefully traces several fallen chestnuts of "knowledge" to their sources. Likewise, he uncovers many good ancient accounts of ancient (mostly Greek) encounters with Druidism that differ radically from the received (mostly Roman) knowledge.

                  The book was an eye-opener on that score. I have not found a more reliable source of information on Druidic matters than this one.

                  4 out of 5 stars Good Solid Overview of Druid History.......2006-08-27

                  I enjoyed this book- it isn't as "dry" as I was expecting for a history book, and actually didn't take me long at all to get through. It covers all the basic bases to introduce to people what the Druids were, at least what we do know about them. The only thing I wished was that the author would have looked into the Druid Revival more if he was going to do a chapter on it. He's obviously treating it with disdain, and because of this only presented some of the less credible people involved in the Druidry revival, or at least barely mentioning the ones that inspire many modern followers. Other than the last chapter, excellent book and a muast-read for those interested in Druidic history!

                  2 out of 5 stars Academic Grudge Match.......2005-11-22

                  I suppose that books are a nicer alternative to MTV's Celebrity Death Match when it's time to settle a score (not half the fun, though.) There is admittedly a huge amount of very academic and erudite information here concerning the Druids and Celtic history but I felt that he wasn't really writing for me. Instead, he was carrying on a running argument with Nora Chadwick, another equally talented writer who happens to differ with Ellis on several apparently key points of Celtic lore. So be it - if Druids are your thing you'll likely find the book interesting though maybe a bit dry and academic. If you're looking for something to read along with your stack of vampire or werewolf comics, though, you'll likely find it long and tiresome.

                  5 out of 5 stars a perfect introduction to the subject.......2005-10-31

                  Like his previous work, "The Celts", Peter Berresford Ellis has managed to pack a great deal of information in a small package. The book begins with a good basic overview of the Celts themselves and then possible origins of the Druids. The next two chapters relates the commentaries of non-Celts about the Druids, and then comments about the Druids from Celts themselves. There are discussions of female Druids, their religion and rituals (given a careful survey considering what little we know about these aspects), and then better than half the book covering a section on the Wisdom of the Druids. The book closes with a review of the Druid revival.

                  Ellis' gives his subject a balanced treatment, presenting both sides of an argument if there is more than one theory. There are some fascinating sections in this book including the section detailing ancient Celtic law and the final chapter on the revival of Druidism is practically worth the price of the book as I have never seen this aspect of Druidry presented so cleanly and succinctly. Modern practitioners of Druidry are given a fair, if somewhat jaundiced treatment, in the book's final pages.
                  A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DRUIDS (BRIEF HISTORY)
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DRUIDS (BRIEF HISTORY)
                    Peter Berresford Ellis
                    Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Publishers Inc.
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback

                    DruidismDruidism | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                    ASIN: B000NXHHEG
                    Tuscaloosa, Alabama "The Druid City": A brief sketch of the history back of this thriving city
                    Average customer rating: Not rated
                      Tuscaloosa, Alabama "The Druid City": A brief sketch of the history back of this thriving city
                      Herndon G Dowling
                      Manufacturer: Tuscaloosa Chamber of Commerce
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Unknown Binding

                      DruidismDruidism | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                      ASIN: B00088ZRCA

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                      1. Meeting Ms. Right
                      2. Midnight Champagne: A Novel: A Novel
                      3. Monuments and Maidens: The Allegory of the Female Form
                      4. Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith
                      5. Naruto: Innocent Heart, Demonic Blood
                      6. Northern Borders: A Novel
                      7. Notes from the Underground, The Double and Other Stories (B&N Classics)
                      8. Novels I of Samuel Beckett: Volume I of The Grove Centenary Editions (Works of Samuel Beckett the Grove Centenary Editions)
                      9. Only Revolutions: A Novel
                      10. Paris Trance: A Romance

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