Book Description
Japan's most widely-read and controversial writer, author of A Wild Sheep Chase, hurtles into the consciousness of the West with this narrative about a split-brained data processor, a deranged scientist, his shockingly undemure granddaughter, and various thugs, librarians, and subterranean monsters--not to mention Bob Dylan and Lauren Bacall.
Customer Reviews:
(3.5): Classic Murakami, but not without faults.......2007-10-09
I have read most of Murakami's work and continue to believe that he is one of the best and most imaginative writers today. His storylines are always inventive and have a way of sucking you in. "Hard-Boiled..." is no different in that respect. Here we have a story shrouded in mystery about a narrator who works as a Calcutec, a computer programmer of sorts, for the System, a government-type organization that controls computers and the exchange of information. The Protagonist finds himself at the center of a war between the System and the Factory, a second organization trying to gain control of the way information is transferred. The plotline alternates back and forth between the protagnoist's search to figure out his own importance in this information and technological war and an alternate universe (so to speak) where people are separated from their shadows and live in a place only referred to as The Town. As the story drives forward, the two plotlines converge and eventually blend into one another. As is the case with all of his work, he draws you in with such ease and you read the book as effortlessly as you would the newspaper, only with much more urgency and excitement.
My major problem with the text was the vagueness of the world he sets out. I understood that the mystery surrounding the characters was necessary given the unknown frontiers of the mind that the book aims to explore, but the world and the war between factions doesn't have enough meat to it to grip you as some of the other worlds Murakami has created have been able to. There was something missing, a visual element, that made it very hard to feel some of the tension and suspense he was building.
So this is a good book, but not Murakami's best. I would say that anyone could read it and enjoy it, but there are better things out there if you have a limited time and/or budget to spend on fiction.
Wow.......2007-09-10
This was my first Murakami book and it was the one that got me hooked on this amazing author. The story is simply amazing. The way he managed to tie everything together in the end was masterful.
I love the way his characters are all quirky and a little strange in their own right. Each of their own little quirkiness that adds such color to their characters.
I still have not finished all his books, but you can be sure I will!
A Wonderful Tale of Wonderland.......2007-08-30
I loved this novel, the third by Murakami that I have read. Since marrying my wife, I have discovered that there is a lot to be treasured in modern literature, and that such a genre exists with much greater depth and breadth than I had thought. It is nice to see that I was wrong.
While this novel is not as cerebral as Norweigan Wood and Kafka on the Shore, it was a very nice book and well worth reading.
I will not go into unnecessary detail about the plot; others have. I will merely comment upon my thoughts.
For example, I found certain aspects of this novel somewhat frustrating. There is too much of a "That's just the way it is" feel about the book. This can work, if the author lays the groundwork and then ties together the threads, such that the end result is such a beautiful and overwhelming conclusion that you have no other recourse but amazement and awe.
I was pleasantly surprised at the end of the novel, but not amazed or awed. So, it was somewhat disheartening to finish the book. Not that it was, in any way, a disappointing ending. Rather, it was sobering and sad. It was not a book that I wanted to end so soon.
The end was good, but I disliked the choice of the unnamed narrator. My wife and I actually had a long discussion about this. My personal interpretation was that his choice was selfish and that he was choosing to void his responsibilities and choose hedonism. My wife thought that he was doing completely the opposite. It is only when you read a novel that you can discuss that you realize that there is such a sparse landscape of rich and bounteous literature out there.
When asked what this novel was like, I compared it to snow falling all around you while you walk through a silent town on a holiday evening, alone, and somber. The wonder of the feeling and the solitude of that feeling and experience.
Purchase it, read it, relish it, and pass it on. It is well worth the time and the cost. I know that I am going to be purchasing more Murakami books. If you are like me, you read a lot of books of varying quality. I have resolved to keep a fresh Murakami on hand, so that when I get disillusioned I can recall the beauty of modern literature. If you are like me, grab this. It's worth it.
Harkius
Entering a dream sequence.......2007-08-02
This book put me in one of those beautiful places were you can feel the connectivity of everything. After the first 3 chapters I couldn't put it down. I've read alot of Murakami since but this is still my favorite.
Japanese lit. at its best..........2007-08-02
You have to take your time with this and all of Murakami's stuff. This had a lot of different elements blended in together (sci-fi, kappas- which are rarely written about anymore, and most of all good ole detective work by the character and the reader) and it works pretty well. I wonder if anyone else noticed the correlation between the city and town chapters and the use of the left and right side of the brain. The map in the front of the book also looks like a brain...
Book Description
Vintage Readers are a perfect introduction to some of the greatest modern writers presented in attractive, accessible paperback editions.
“Murakami’s bold willingness to go straight over the top is a signal indication of his genius. . . . A world-class writer who has both eyes open and takes big risks.” —The Washington Post Book World
Not since Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata has a Japanese writer won the international acclaim enjoyed by Haruki Murakami. His genre-busting novels, short stories and reportage, which have been translated into 35 languages, meld the surreal and the hard-boiled, deadpan comedy and delicate introspection.
Vintage Murakami includes the opening chapter of the international bestseller
Norwegian Wood; “Lieutenant Mamiya’s Long Story: Parts I and II” from his monumental novel
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle; “Shizuko Akashi” from
Underground, his non-fiction book on the Toyko subway attack of 1995; and the short stories “Barn Burning,” “Honeypie.”
Also inclucded, for the first time in book form, the short story, “Ice Man.”
Customer Reviews:
Great book, lousy packing job........2007-07-22
Affordable, shipping a little slow.
And the book was damaged when I got it, almost split in the middle for a flimsy envelope.
There once was a library..........2006-06-13
Honestly, if you buy this, you are wasting your time. In my opinion, the man is an absolute master; at the same time, clearly not for everybody. But why would you buy this sampler to find out? Go to the library and read some of his short stories - start with "The Elephant Vanishes." Or just pick up one of his novels. The excerpt of "Wind-Up" here is only slightly representative of the text as a whole.
If you buy this, you will either A) like his writing, buy some of his books, and never need this again, leaving it to mold on your shelf, or B) dislike his writing, and never need this again, leaving it to mold on your shelf.
And the "rarity" can easily be found online.
It gets two stars, instead of zero, because even a tiny amount of Murakami in your life is a good thing. But really - don't spend your money here.
A story in Nomonhan.......2004-03-06
When I heard about this anthology, I thought that it must have been extremely difficult to pick up some chapters from his long adventurous stories. I think it was true. But this anthology reminds me that my favorite story in The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle even can hold as an independent story. I thought that Nomonhan story told by Lieutenant Mamiya was the heart of the chronicle. But when I read it again in this anthology, I understand that it was splendid in terms of story telling and description and you could feel anything in that story, like fear, wind in the field in central Asia, and even flash in the cold, dark, and deep well. It is worth to read even only this story and afterward you cannot help reading the rest of the story, the chronicle.
Excellent Introduction/Anthology.......2004-01-09
I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book in November so unlike the previous reviewer, I knew what was contained within. I would say that this is an excellent introduction to Haruki Murakami as well as a great anthology for any fan of Murakami's who is thinking of rereading his work or would just like to see something they already know in a new light (for example, Lt. Mamiya's Long Story I & II outside of the WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE). This book contains excerpts from two of his novels (NORWEGIAN WOOD and THE WIND-UP BIRD), as well as 3 short stories, and a piece from his non-fiction work UNDERGROUND about the poison gas attacks in the Tokyo subways.
The first novel I ever read by Murakami was THE WIND-UP BIRD CHRONICLE. After that, I was hooked and read every novel available in English (including HEAR THE WIND SING and PINBALL 1973). I attempted to read the short story collection, THE ELEPHANT VANISHES when I had run out of novels, but wasn't drawn into the stories the way I was the books. Writing wise, I had always felt that Murakami was more of a long distance runner than a sprinter (which I guess is ironic in light of the fact that he IS a runner). That was until I read "Barn Burning" and "The Ice Man", both in VINTAGE MURAKAMI. After that, I went and read every story in THE ELEPHANT VANISHES and now hope and pray that another collection of Murakami's short stories (most have been published in The New Yorker magazine) will see the light of day (are you listening VINTAGE?). After reading "Honey Pie", another short story in VINTAGE MURAKAMI, I went on to read the collection that that story came from, AFTER THE QUAKE, and wasn't disappointed. Now, I am rereading Murakami's THE WIND UP BIRD CHRONICLE after reading "Lt. Mamiya's Long Story Part I and II." Although this is a major part of THE WIND UP BIRD CHRONICLE, it also stands beautifully alone as a short story.
For those fans of Murakami who feel that they have been cheated by not seeing anything new in print here (keep in mind, this is the first time "The Ice Man" has appeared in book form), it should be noted that this book is a part of a series focusing on Vintage Publications writers (including Nabokov, V.S. Naipul, Oliver Sacks, and more) and each book is more or less an anthology of their respected works. Even though there is nothing really new here, VINTAGE MURAKAMI has given me even more appreciation for my favorite writer and is a welcome addition to my book shelf. This book opened me up to Murakami as a short story writer and to me, it's well worth the price (just $9.95!). I fully intend to give copies of this to my friends who are curious about Murakami but have yet to step into his world.
P.S. I too agree with the previous reviewer. As much as Murakami does not like either HEAR THE WIND SING and PINBALL 1973 (more for his own writing, not the translation), I would love to see it back in print. Both books are small enough and have the same characters, that they could easily be collected in one single volume.
what could have been.......2004-01-08
For the last few months I have been waiting for this book to be released by the publisher. I searched the web for specific information about its contents, but found nothing official. I've read just about every short story and book by Murakami translated in English and had hoped that Vintage somehow had obtained the rights to publish some of Murakami's earlier novels, Pinball 1973 or Hear the Wind Sing, or maybe even some short stories that we have never seen in English. I was wrong. Finally having the book in my hand and going to the index what I found was baffling. The book basically consists of sample chapters of Murakami's previously published books and a short story or two, also previously published. The book should have been called "A Murakami Sampler" and only that. The only person who would be interested in this is a person who is new to the writer, not the seasoned Murakami fan. I wish Vintage would have spent their efforts bringing something new into English or something back into print. There is a hole in the Murakami list and the gap needs to be filled. Pinball 1973, is out of print and was published by Kodansha. The book goes for about $400 on the web. I know Murakami didn't like the translation, but the answer should be retranslate it. The book is about 75 pages. With a price being so high, one can see there still remains interest in the book. Hear the Wind Sing, also published by Kodansha is even smaller, but one can still find it in Japan. The book goes for around $50 on e-bay $50. So my point, fill the gaps Vintage, not rehash things...What would have been a beautiful addition, therefore would have been these first two Murakami novellas (actual vintage Murakami) and a handful of short stories. This all would have fit into a mid-sized paperback.
Book Description
From the bestselling author of Kafka on the Shore and The Wind-up Bird Chronicles comes this superb collection of twenty-four stories that generously expresses Murakami’s mastery of the form. From the surreal to the mundane, these stories exhibit his ability to transform the full range of human experience in ways that are instructive, surprising, and relentlessly entertaining.
Here are animated crows, a criminal monkey, and an iceman, as well as the dreams that shape us and the things we might wish for. Whether during a chance reunion in Italy, a romantic exile in Greece, a holiday in Hawaii, or in the grip of everyday life, Murakami’s characters confront grievous loss, or sexuality, or the glow of a firefly, or the impossible distances between those who ought to be closest of all.
Book Description
A short, sleek novel of encounters set in the witching hours of Tokyo between midnight and dawn, and every bit as gripping as Haruki Murakami’s masterworks
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle and
Kafka on the Shore.
At its center are two sisters: Yuri, a fashion model sleeping her way into oblivion; and Mari, a young student soon led from solitary reading at an anonymous Denny’s into lives radically alien to her own: those of a jazz trombonist who claims they’ve met before; a burly female “love hotel” manager and her maidstaff; and a Chinese prostitute savagely brutalized by a businessman. These “night people” are haunted by secrets and needs that draw them together more powerfully than the differing circumstances that might keep them apart, and it soon becomes clear that Yuri’s slumber–mysteriously tied to the businessman plagued by the mark of his crime – will either restore or annihilate her.
After Dark moves from mesmerizing drama to metaphysical speculation, interweaving time and space as well as memory and perspective into a seamless exploration of human agency – the interplay between self-expression and understanding, between the power of observation and the scope of compassion and love. Murakami’s trademark humor, psychological insight, and grasp of spirit and morality are here distilled with an extraordinary, harmonious mastery.
“Eyes mark the shape of the city. Through the eyes of a high-flying night bird, we take in the scene from midair. In our broad sweep, the city looks like a single gigantic creature–or more, like a single collective entity created by many intertwining organisms. Countless arteries stretch to the ends of its elusive body, circulating a continuous supply of fresh blood cells, sending out new data and collecting the old, sending out new consumables and collecting the old, sending out new contradictions and collecting the old. To the rhythm of its pulsing, all parts of the body flicker and flare up and squirm. Midnight is approaching, and while the peak of activity has indeed passed, the basal metabolism that maintains life continues undiminished, producing the basso continuo of the city’s moan, a monotonous sound that neither rises nor falls but is pregnant with foreboding.”
—from
After Dark
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
let's be honest.......2007-10-05
Let's just be honest here and not mince words with our darling author Mr. Murakami. Yes, we all love his earlier work. Hard Boiled Wonderland, Wind Up Bird, Kafka on the Shore are deep bright wells of metaphysical insight and terror. After Dark is just terrible. It's boring, and intellectually light to say the very least. The characters are flat and the plot refuses to budge. I applaud Murakami for his bravery in breaking with his traditional style and his takes on the Japanese I novel and trying something different with his narrative structure, but that alone does not make it an interesting or well written novel, just unique in his oeuvre. Let's not let our love of his previous work cloud our reception of his current novel.
Simple and wonderful.......2007-09-12
Wonderful character studies with hints of Kafkaesque and Lynchian environments. It seems that there is a lot going on under the surface of the world these people inhabit and the different levels people exist on. It also shows beautifully the nature of the mind.
Minor work from major artist........2007-09-10
There are two great philosophical passages in this novel that- had they been attached to characters or a story with more at stake- would have been profound character moments. Instead, they're poorly hidden attempts by the author to include a tidbit of personal, casual conversation. The characters come off as slight and forgettable, and some even border on stereotype. I definitely had the impression that the author stayed outside of these characters and used trivial physical details as camouflage for an absence of real understanding. Call girls, love hotel managers, and musicians who occupy late night Tokyo all have reasons for being there, and Murakami seems to be too hypnotized by the world to investigate it fully. It's as if he wanted his readers to feel that he had kept himself clean of too much involvement.
Teases the Murakami thirst.......2007-09-04
Pure Murakami in simple, sweet and shortened form. Descriptive and mind numbing to the senses as he tackles a night in the big city from multiple perspectives. I would not start reading Murakami with this one, as it does not define his true creative ability, but it does make for a soothing read after you have already identified with the authors style through one of his modern gems such as Kafka on the Shore, or the Windup Bird Chronicle.
Cover Story.......2007-08-29
You can judge a book by its cover. Chip Kidd, who designs Murakami's book covers, captures the enigmatic, off kilter quality of his work. It takes a close look to reveal the secrets of the cover as it does to reveal the secrets of this enigmatic, hallucinatory, at times insomniac book. I found it hard to put down, impossible to forget.
Book Description
Reflections of Toddsville ~ America's best selling historic romance writer, Trudy Johnson, has just one problem -- her love life! The only man she's taken to bed in the last 5 years is the photo of a Victorian man taken in 1891 that's on her bedside table. Her agent, Jennifer, thinks she needs a break after writing five books in five years. She pays for Trudy to take her summer vacation in a rustic cabin by a peaceful lake in Richfield Springs, just outside of Cooperstown, N.Y. On June 21, 1997, she falls asleep in her Richfield Spring's cabin only to awaken in the same bed one hundred years in the past -- and not alone! His name is Cuyler Carr, and he's not happy about his fishing trip, or his reputation, being ruined by her arrival. Looks like Trudy's love life is starting to pick up!
Customer Reviews:
really good!.......2007-01-11
I have just finished this book and then all of the others as of 2/07 by the same author. I very much enjoyed them all despite the fact that these are not the type of books I regularly read. I do read time travel books (love Jack Finney), but this was more of a romance novel, too. And, I'm not usually one for romance novels where one meets their undying forever love and has very hot erotic sex. But, for some reason, this book and her others were just completely entertaining.
These stories are more plot-driven than character driven. They aren't 'literary' by any means, yet the stories are a lot of fun.
These novels could definitely use some better editing. The author uses the word 'passed' incorrectly throughout the series, rather than the correct "past" (and considering they go to into the past, you will see this mistake quite a bit). There are numerous misspellings, too. In one of the books, there is the symbol (?sp) next to a difficult-to-spell name of a lake. Worst of all, there are many grammatical errors such as incorrect use of commas. All of these errors do detract a bit from the books and, after the first one or two books were published with so many mistakes, one has to wonder why the author didn't bother to get a new proofreader or editor.
GREAT START to a Series!!.......2006-03-09
This book is a great read if you are looking for something light to breeze through!! I read my copy in 2 days and I have three kids, three dogs and one husband so it is not like I have a lot of extra time. The story is sweet and romantic. You do have to stretch your imagination a little bit and overlook a few things but don't you with all time travel books? I highly recommended this book!! I just started the second one and can't wait to read all the other books in this series!! Thank you Hollie Van Horne for a great story and a great time traveler series to keep my up late at night!!
So-So..........2004-05-07
As an avid reader of time travel novels, I have read enough of them to know a quality book. While the main characters -- Chuyler and Trudy -- are lovable and endearing, I found the dialogue rather choppy and artifical. In addition, the suddenness at their falling in love from the beginning of the story threw me for a loop.
I found it odd how Trudy adapted so comfortably and quickly to the fact that she was 100 years in the past. Imagining myself experiencing such an unexpected turn of events, I don't think I would have handled the event so lightly. I also did not find Chuyler's quick acceptance of Trudy's time travel tale very believable. I think the author should have played out the time travel bit a while longer, to add to the possibility of it all.
Finally, I thought the kidnap scene toward the end of the book was a final, desperate attempt at making the story attention-grabbing. I couldn't wait to finish the book.
If you like fluffy time travel books, that covers storylines on the surface, this is the perfect book for you.
WHAT A WAY TO GET HOOKED.......2003-02-07
Even though this was actually the third book written in the series, Hollie Van Horne, had such a sense of continuity, she made it the first in the series, having all the details and relationships follow perfectly.
Romance writer accidentally falls through a time portal into the 1890's. Finds love and romance. Sets the background for the new Time Travelers Inc. company to be formed, for future time travel. It's a fantasy, but yet could it be real?
Hollie Van Horne sure makes you think so. I recommend buying all 6 books, reading them in a row, and continuing with all the new ones to come. The plot premise of the Time Travelers Series, leaves endless options for future books.
Become friends with Sam and Jim Cooper, Bruce Wainwright, and all the characters that you will travel with in all the books.
the best time travel romance/history/action books I've ever read. And I've read many
The best time travel-romance series on the market.......2002-06-02
I had read one or two time travel romance novels before and was vaguely interested in them. Then I met Hollie at a booksigning and decided to read the first one in the series and if I liked it, I would buy the rest of the books. This book made me feel as if I had gone into the past. When I was finished with the book, I just sat there waiting to come back to reality. I felt like I had gone on this journey to the past and now I was coming home. Landing. I was on-line in less than an hour buying the rest of the series. Now, I can't read any other time travel book because they just don't make me feel like I went there the way her book did. I will never forget Trudy or Cuyler.
Average customer rating:
- Empire Building Theme- out with the old and in with new
- Fine action SF Galactic Empire style - Steve does it again
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Emperor of Dawn
Steve White
Manufacturer: Baen
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Prince of Sunset
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ASIN: 0671577972 |
Customer Reviews:
Empire Building Theme- out with the old and in with new.......1999-11-07
An empire in danger, weak and cowardly, needs courageous leaders to save humanity. That about summons it up in one line.
I enjoyed the character development and plot. Steve White wrote a solid story that incorporates interesting characters like General Ivar Brady-Schiovana and his sons which the novel rotates around. The writing style is similiar to a David Drake novel.
I read in a day.
Fine action SF Galactic Empire style - Steve does it again.......1999-09-14
Sequel to Prince of Sunset, centuries after.
Commander Corin Marshak, Marine Major Janille Dornay, mercenary Colonel Garth Krona. Our heroes fight bloody battles, are betrayed and still triumph and finally accept their destinies
Customer Reviews:
One of the best gazetteers.......2005-10-01
All of the Gazetteers for Mystara's Known World contain interesting cultures and unique NPCs, but the boxed set for Thyatis and Alphatia always interested me the most. Thyatis is similar to the Roman Empire. Interested in having legionnaires and riots over bread in the streets? Gladiators? Thyatis is the kingdom for you.
Alphatia is a land of magic. Unlike Glantri, where only wizards can gain power, in Alphatia, if your character can cast spells -- divine or arcane -- you'll move up in the world. Slaves and commoners have no magical abilities. Following the events of the Wrath of the Immortals boxed set, Alphatia was moved to the Hollow World, making their magic-based society even more interesting as they contended with Azcans and dinosaurs.
The boxed set contains three booklets -- one for the DM with information of both Alphatia and Thyatis and one for each country for the players to read. Two poster maps of the regions round out the boxed set.
If you can still find this rare, out-of-print classic, I highly recommend it!
mystara world political power houses.......2000-08-08
For the world of mystara Thyatis and Alphatia are the big movers and shakers. Cultures based on Fighters and based on magic users who are the superpowers of the fantasy world and are background to a lot of the Known world setting (Karameikos was originally a thyatis colony, Glantri's war with air mages was with aplphatia before coming to Mystara). the boxed set contains information on areas east of the known world, the two big super nations and includes new magic for the Alphatians and griffon riders for thyatis as well as other gazetteer setting info.
Average customer rating:
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Emperor Of Dawn
Steve White
Manufacturer: Baen Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S9N7TE |
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Two Dogs, an Emperor, and Me
Gerald A. Schiller
Manufacturer: Intercontinental Publishing
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ASIN: 1881164926 |
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EMPEROR OF DAWN
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HJKC3O |
Book Description
The birth of the Christian Church—and what it means for modern religion and philosophy.
This engaging guide presents an accessible overview of the birth of the Christian church, using the historical works found at the famous Nag Hammadi site in Egypt. With chapters discussing each of the major and minor documents found at Nag Hammadi, this volume also includes an overview of Gnosticism and the major players, revealing not only what the texts say, but also what they mean.
-Renewed interest in Gnosticism and the Gnostic gospels is driven by interest in the Nag Hammadi documents, The DaVinci Code, the Matrix movies, the Kabbalah, renewed interest in the divine feminine ideal, and the fact that many who've left the Church are looking for new answers in the early church
-Author is a scholar and expert who's studied with some of the top people in the field
Customer Reviews:
Excellent survey of the Gnostic texts .......2007-04-09
In addition to details on individual Nag Hammadi texts as well as some other Gnostic texts, Matkin presents keys players within early Chistianity on the orthodox and on the gnostic side. He also discusses those early times, later gnostic movements, and modern interests in gnosticism.
The book is nicely chunked: twenty chapters each divided into sections and subsections that makes it easy to finish one piece, put the book down, and return to it later so as not to be overwhelmed by all the complex mythologies of the Gnostics.
Matkin steers a middle road, neither a proponent of Gnosticism nor eager to dismiss it. While acknowledging Elaine Pagel's contribution to making the early Gnostics accessible, he doesn't refrain from criticizing her. While open to what made the Gnostics tick, he presents critics. For example, he he includes the comment of Frederica Mathewes-Green, an Eastern Orthodox writer, that Gnostic schemes to directly experience God were "so wacky".
The one real problem I face after reading this book is that it leaves me with no excuse not to read the Nag Hammadi texts again themselves ( The Nag Hammadi Library ) which, without Matkin's guidance, may overwhelm me, as they did the first time I read them. Even the second time I read them (in 2005), I can see now I missed a lot due to less preparation. I am rereading Matkin's summary of each Nag Hammadi text as I read the texts themselves. Along with other background reading in Gnosticism, Matkin has prepared me for what I hope to be a really inspiring reading of the Nag Hammadi Library. So I am grateful to Matkin for his efforts and delivery.
Good for understanding.......2006-03-18
If you are looking for a great book to understand the who what when where and why about these gospels, this is a good book for you. If you're needing a Cliffsnotes version of what goes on in the books and what they could be alluding to, this is NOT the book for you. But, I found the research good, intelligent and at times, humorous. This is a great read if you are curious about the gnostic gospels and want to know more, in a general sense, about what the gnostics were all about.
The Irony Is Many Of The Gnostic Works Were Not Written For A Wide Audience.......2005-11-19
I like to make up my own mind about things, and I knew early on in my life I'd one day read the so-called "Gnostic Gospels". What fanned the fires of my curiosity were all the occasions as I was growing up when my teachers in religious school would tell us there was "nothing of any value" in those books, and that was why the Church excluded them from its canon. So, naturally, I gravitated toward this pseudo-forbidden reading list.
The Gnostic Gospels tell stories that are at once familiar to those modern individuals who have some background in the books included in the Bible, but there is also a lot that represents challenges to the supposed accepted version of Biblical events. After poking around over the years in the subject of the Gnostic writings, I found little of deep interest there and moved on to other areas. When I happened across this Idiot's Guide to the topic, I pounced on it and found it to be a fine overview that could teach almost anyone about these writings that date to some of the earliest decades of Christianity.
Are the Gnostic Gospels valid? If the question is "are they authentic?" then the answer would be yes. They are writings from antiquity. They contain many of the same figures from Sunday School classes and offer plenty of good-natured parables and anecdotes, histories and grains of hard-won wisdom. They, do, however, at times offer claims that stand in direct contradiction to much of what is taught as ecclesiastical truth in nearly all present-day branches of the Christian faith. Who is right? Who knows. Is that even really important?
I found this Guide to be colloquial, authored by contributors with solid knowledge of the field, and it informed me about probably all I need to know regarding this subject, whether or not I ever again go on to read the actual Gnostic works.
Informative Overview of Gnosticism.......2005-10-01
If you are interested in Gnosticism you are probably not an idiot; with that said, idiots (and the rest of us) will find this book to be a detailed overview of the origins, texts, and views of the present-day and old-world Gnostics. As with all Idiot's Guides, the information in this book is very well presented for readers of any age or background. The author's wording makes the text easy to read and, most importantly, easy to comprehend.
J. Michael Matkin, the author, does not just give a one sided view of Gnosticism. Rather he provides distinct differences in viewpoints along with research to help the reader make his or her own decision.
This book is an admirable accomplishment. Many existing books on Gnosticism use an almost "Shakespearean" tone that leaves much interpretation to the reader. This is highly recommended for those readers who don't want to have to stop and contemplate each sentence.
Chapters:
(1) Why Read the Gnostic Gospels? - The Gnostics deserve a hearing. In this chapter, reasons why we should take the time to examine the Gnostic teachings.
(2) Are You in the Know? - A fast and furious overview of the general Gnostic beliefs. The Gnostic fascination with the cause of pain, suffering, and evil in the world. A look at what they thought would solve it all.
(3) Fighting for the Right - What we know about the Gnostics primarily comes from the writings of their enemies. An introduction to the principal orthodox Christian writers of the second and third centuries.
(4) The Gnostic Lineup - Who where the Gnostic teachers? A brief biography of Simon the Magician, Basilides, Valentinus, and Marcion.
(5) Death and Resurrection - Gnosticism receded after the third century, but continued to exist in many forms. Throughout Western history there have been occasional revivals of Gnostic thought. The discovery of new Gnostic writings, especially the groundbreaking find at Nag Hammadi.
(6) The Gospel of Thomas - An introduction to the most famous and infamous of the Gnostic Gospels. Meet the Apostle Thomas and his missionary whirlwind tour through Syria, Persia, and India. The big question: is it really Gnostic?
(7) The Gospel of Mary - A look at the only gospel named for a woman. Who was Mary of Magdala?
(8) The Gospel of the Egyptians - The first of many speculative histories written by the Gnostics. This one is a preparation for baptism.
(9) The Gospel of Truth - This one may have been written by Valentinus himself. We'll see a master Gnostic teacher in action.
(10) The Gospel of Philip - More of a collection of quotations than a narrative. It gives us a Gnostic reimagining of the process of intimidation.
(11) The Revelations of the Apostles - Experiences of the Divine were very important to the Gnostics. These texts are all revelations supposedly received by certain apostles.
(12) Acts and Letters - A hodge-podge of texts supposedly written by or about certain apostles. Also, the strange discovery of another version of the Gospel of Mark.
(13) The Beginning of the End - A series of Gnostic myths about how we got here and where we are going.
(14) The Divine Feminine - Gnostic writings demonstrate an esteem for the feminine side of the Divine. These texts all demonstrate the female void in Gnostic spirituality.
(15) The Sethite Literature - Books starting a little-known character from the Hebrew Bible. Seth the son of Adam becomes the father of an immortal race of people. Gnostics saw themselves as members of that race.
(16) The Soul's Journey - Texts regarding the individual spiritual journey. A focus on ethical teaching, and a speculative take on resurrection.
(17) Prayers, Liturgies, and Initiations - Gnostics at prayer. Worship life in a Gnostic community, evidenced by this group of texts.
(18) Speaking to the Church - Gnostics remained within the larger Christian community for some time. How did they cope? A selection of works showing the many ways that Gnostics persuaded or sparred with their fellow Christians.
(19) Gnu Gnostics - Where are we at today? The revival of interest in the Gnostics and their writings. Its impact on pop culture and on the church.
(20) New Stories, Old Stories - the Gnostic Gospels continue to fascinate us and provoke us to question. A look at some of the speculative literature, including Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code," based on the new Gnostic discoveries.
Book Description
Get ready for Judgment Day.
For centuries, humans have dreaded—and anticipated-- the end of the world. These fears— fueled by natural disasters, famines, world wars, and the writings of people like Nostradamus and Jeane Dixon—have left us with more questions than answers. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to the Last Days, Richard H. Perry goes to the definitive source on the subject: the Bible itself.
• While the book is as exciting as an action/adventure novel, the author's primary source is the Bible, and he guides his readers to an understanding of the Last Days by using related Scripture
• Covers Bible basics and the Signs of the Times
• Includes timelines of every stage leading up to the Last Days and after
Customer Reviews:
I've recommended this book for our church library........2007-09-27
If you want to know an uptodate understanding of the end times scenario, this is the book to buy. Richard Perry is easy to understand, and easy to read. I, too, was raised being taught the Pre-Trib, secret rapture belief and held to this teaching for over fifty years. I was a strong believer in this teaching until I retired and had more time to study what God's word actually says, and came to realize, the secret rapture can be found no where in the scriptures. It is simply not there.
Because of the persecutions befalling them from the Roman government and the Jewish leaders, the Thessalonians of the early church were upset because they thought Christ had returned for His people, and they had been left behind. Read what Paul the apostle said to them:
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
"Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?"
Paul was telling these people that Christ would not come for the believers until there is first a falling of the Church into apostasy, and we see that son of perdition, the antichrist claiming to be God. Don't let anyone tell you Christ can come at any moment before these things happen. This secret rapture belief, which has been preached for some 177 years, is an invention of Satan himself. When you have the chance, do a little research and read about John Nelson Darby, the father of dispensationalism, and Edward Erving, which Mr. Perry discusses in this book.
One reviewer wrote the truth when he said:: "The author is so bias against the pre-trib rapture".
You will not be disappointed in this book if you are searching for the truth. This is a book you will want in your library. I highly recommend it. There are many who hold to the pre-trib secret rapture belief, and, many great men of God in the past have preached this belief. The many, however are not always in the right. I give this book five stars.
The end draws nigh.......2007-08-12
This is an excellent book for anyone interested in the last days according to biblical prophesy. Though God says that no one will be able to tell when the end comes, he will give us signs to know when the end is near. This book does a terrific job of breaking down Revelations and explaining the signs and warnings that will bring us to the end times. This book has me wanting to know more, more than just what happens in the end, but more about both the love and the wrath of God.
Read it with an Open Mind.......2007-07-19
If you are a person who only likes to read books whose authors agree with your view, and you are a pre-trib rapture believer, this book isn't for you. But if you are a person with an open mind, or you are already post-trib in your beliefs, this book offers a great presentation of the post-trib position. The author presents the material in a format that is easy to understand, even for someone new to the area of Bible prophecy. The author also avoids the emotional hoop-la that characterizes a lot of prophecy books. He also avoids the name calling and put-downs that tend to characterize prophecy presentations.
This has become the new book I give to someone who really wants to understand prophecy. The book leads the reader through the various Bible passages using only the literal interpretation of each one. By the end of the book, the author has built a strong case for believing in a single second coming of Christ after the tribulation and before the outpouring of the wrath of God.
It is unfortunate that the book is in the "Idiot" series, as I've heard comments that "only an idiot would read this book." Personally, I feel that only a person who wants to know the truth will read this book. If you are such a person, this is the one book you most want to own.
One of the Best Books ever to be written on Bible prophecy!.......2007-06-27
If you are wanting to read a book that will give you a complete overview of the Bible's last days prophecies, yet also provide meaty, deep detail to answer the tougher questions, this is your book! I have been studying prophecy seriously for about 6-7 years now and have yet to find an author that can simplify the weight of material about the end times like Richard Perry. He has a deductive reasoning to his methods and while he seems to have a lot figured out, he also remains humble in his attitude. He is always urging people, in this book and his others and his website, to search the scriptures to see if what he is writing is true.
I used to be a "pre-trib" person but for years tried to figure out where the scriptures teach such a doctrine. (For the life of me, I still can't see how God's people, whom I don't doubt love the Lord, can believe this from scripture.) Then, I stumbled upon the pre-wrath theory which answered a lot of my questions and got me back to the Bible and not the "doctrines of men". Yet, I am on a journey for truth and have recently seen God revealing more to me as I search and I have come to understand there is just ONE resurrection (rapture) of God's people....not TWO as both pre-wrath and pre-trib teach. Also, the end so clearly will take place at the last trumpet and the opening of the 6th seal....ONE Day of the LORD! Once I let go of Revelation being completely chronological, my eyes were opened to this truth.
While I don't like labels because it can divide people, I urge people to re-consider the validity from scripture for the post-trib resurrection of the saints of God. Throw aside the labels but take another look! God's people will still not suffer God's direct wrath on the Day of the Lord, yet many will undergo persecution during the Great Tribulation. While this author doesn't push a bunch of doctrine or labels, he certainly comes down on a post trib view, yet does so by a thorough handling of the Word of God. His style is unique, "out of the box" in that he isn't easily persuaded by what the "experts" say, and filled with knowledge and humble wisdom. I urge you, as the time may be short, to take another look at scripture with this filter of understanding.
I believe this book will be an excellent resource for the non-believer searching out of curiousity for what the Bible says about "the end", the young Christian just learning AND the mature Christian/Messianic Jew looking for a fresh insight. The only thing I didn't like was that many of the Bible references were left out and it has made it tougher to use as a study guide....HOWEVER, it was done this way to follow the "idiot's approach" to learning so as not to complicate the writing style. In order to check out ALL the verses, I highly recommend his book on the Last Days Mystery (also on Amazon) which details the most important verses mentioned in the Idiot's Guide. Together, they are powerful.
Prejudice against the pre-trib rapture .......2007-06-19
The author is so bias against the pre-trib rapture, I wouldn't trust his view on any end-time subject.
Book Description
A comprehensive guide to the land, people, religions, history, and archaeology of the Holy Land.
The book will cover both Old and New Testaments and detail what life was like in the days of Jesus and the Roman world of Paul.
With the current problems in the Middle East and the increased focus on what's happening there, the Holy Land and the world of the Bible are front and center in the consciousness of readers.
Customer Reviews:
The science and the facts behind the Story .......2007-09-25
Rare is the book that can both make the Bible and the facts behind the biblical stories so well illustrated and interesting. Dr Ryan achieves both and is to be commended on the archaeological facts which show a deep, knowledgeable and interesting scholarly approach he takes in presenting the true, known facts.
Any person who loves history, archeology or the bible would love this work.
Everything except the title gets a solid 5 stars. Well done work.
Filled in a lot of blanks!.......2003-05-14
The power of the Bible is such that sometimes one forgets that the stories therein take place in a real world full of interesting living people like the Egyptians, Canaanites, Moabites, Assyrians, Romans, etc. and of course the Israelites. This book sheds a lot of light on the various places and peoples of Bible times and how archaeologists and other scholars have attempted to further our knowledge. As can be expected, there are often disagreements amongst the experts, and the author usually takes a refreshingly neutral stance in presenting different viewpoints. I especially appreciated the historical background information on the likes of the Babylonians, Persians, etc. and the parts dealing with daily life amongst the Israelites were interesting and informative. (And I never knew the Philistines were so sophisticated!) I highly recommend this book as a very good introduction to the Biblical world!
Good but just..........2003-05-04
This was an o.k. read. I was expecting more. The last chapter about Israel and tips on visiting is gold. Buy used.
Books:
- Henry James: Complete Stories 1874-1884 (Library of America)
- Here's to You, Jesusa!
- Hitler's Niece: A Novel
- I, Strahd: The Memoirs of a Vampire (Ravenloft)
- I Wish I Had a Red Dress
- Intimate Companions: A Triography of George Platt Lynes, Paul Cadmus, Lincoln Kirstein, and Their Circle
- Leaving Cecil Street: A Novel (P.S.)
- Mal de amores
- Mefisto
- Memoirs of a Mangy Lover
Books Index
Books Home
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- Classical Electrodynamics Third Edition
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- A Forgotten Voice: A Biography of Leta Stetter Hollingworth
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- Iowa Business Directory 2000-2001
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle: A Novel
A Wild Sheep Chase: A Novel
Norwegian Wood
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