Book Description
The first Autobiography of Emperor Haile Sellassie is detailed with information on the little giant of a man who many peoples from all of life consider to be the returned Christ, the Messiah, or Defender of the Faith. Indeed, a remarkable and outstanding world leader. Got to read it. First time ever in paperback.
Customer Reviews:
A Beautiful Story about a Beautiful Man and Nation.......2005-05-16
This is a book that should be read and studied by all believers in God. It should also be studied by people who are interested in a career in political science or people who eventually want to become a prime minister. And, it should be read by national leaders who still believe that Plato's 'philosopher king' can lead the people of a democratic nation. As President Putin of Russia continues to say correctly that there are many different forms of democracy that will work properly.
This book showed me that Germany's Hitler and Italy's Mussolini were very ugly and inhumane. It also shows that religions can be ungodly when they force a religion onto free people. It shows the origin of today's terrorism.
Emperor Haile Sellassie I was a great developer of the human spirit and Nature's resources. Everything he did was for the benefit of the people of Ethiopia and those nations that joined the League of Nations. His work to unify science and theology was new and should become a 'development' model for all nations today.
It is an inspirationl and legendary for the New Generation........1999-07-24
The whole work of the book is very inspirational, historically it is educational and legendary. The new generations of Ethiopian or the Eritrean will learn from it what they have not been told correctly. History never chnages. The book has it all. It is compiled very well, charismatic and the writer is to be admired for his great work. Everyone must read this book for self uplifting or for your edification.
Book Description
In this chilling yet enormously entertaining tale by acclaimed Chinese writer Su Tong, a pampered and na+ve 14-year-old prince finds himself, suddenly and unexpectedly, named as Emperor and placed in the position of lord and ruler over an entire nation. A boy of few talents and limited interests, he soon grows drunk on his own power and learns to wield an iron fist in dealing with subjects inside and outside the palace. Narrated in retrospect by the ex-Emperor, this is a mesmerizing story of cruelty and decadence, of concubines and eunuchs, of lethal imperial rivalries and royal court intrigue. Su Tong is one of the most celebrated Chinese writers today. The New York Times calls him "an imaginative and skillful storyteller." The publication of this book -- his first in almost ten years -- will be an international literary event. His innovative, deftly constructed novels remain at the forefront of a growing body of work by a coterie of writers who have exposed new facts about China's past and posed vital questions regarding the country's future.
Customer Reviews:
Su Tong's "dream within my own dream world".......2007-04-21
In a distant Chinese province at an unspecified point in time, the Imperial Father dies. According to his testamentary edict, and to everyone's surprise, he is to be succeeded by his fifth son, the fourteen-year-old Duanbai. Thus begins Su Tong's imaginary journey through Chinese history, as he assumes the role of the newly crowned Emperor of Xie.
Having long been fascinated by the millennia of China's history, the classical times, the concubines and palaces, the author Su Tong creates what he calls "a dream within my own dream world", using his inner self, his fears, anxieties, fantasies, unfulfilled wishes and secret desires as the basis for this quasi-historical tale.
A book as powerful and brutal as it is romantic and beautiful, a constant intermingling of opposites; graphic images that are irresistibly attractive and inexorably repulsive at the same time. Life itself, perpetually turbulent and hanging in a perilous balance, transferred onto paper.
Wisdom in the midsts of cruelty.......2006-08-11
Su Tong made a quick name for himself when his novella _Raise the Red Lantern_ was made into a great film. One might think that such success could spoil an author to continue to write what has already been successful, but his next book, _Rice_, offered its own challenges when Su Tong took on a deeply disturbed and violent man as his protagonist. _Rice_ was a great book, because even through horrific events, Tong looked for the rationale of every character and allowed them to present themselves in honest ways. Now, with _My Life as Emperor_, Su Tong takes the other perspective--rather than focus on a poor crook, his focus is now a young man named emperor of the fictional Xie Empire.
Su Tong has fully confirmed his masterful ability to mix the harsh and cruel realities of social commentary with genuine pathos for the characters within those commentaries. It is a wise and splendid mix--Su Tong addresses the problems of the hierarchies of people while treating the people themselves with compassion and empathy. Duanbai, who ascends to the throne of the Xie Empire at the age of 14 even though he was not the first-born to the dead emperor, is a troublesome narrator, for he is spoiled and gets drunk on his own power quite easily, but still he is someone to sympathize for, for even with the power to have a person's tongue removed at his whim, he is still under the thumb of his grandmother, who will gladly strike out with her longevity cane. The implications of Duanbai's rash ruling are not as clear as they could be to convey the misery the new emperor is inciting in his own empire, but the growth of Duanbai in his friendship with a eunuch named Swallow and of course the problems people find with his claim on the throne, makes this a wise and wonderful book. Even if you find the book a little shallow at first, I would stay stay with it, for the ending is masterful.
Su Tong adds another successful work to his canon, possibly because he works on a very simple yet effective paradigm--even in the most awful situations, people will create their own happiness or misery.
A Gripping Tale.......2005-08-14
My Life As Emperor by Su Tong is really hard to put down once you start. His writing style just pulls you in as you try to figure out the mind of the protagonist, Duanbai, the fifth emperor of the Xie Empire. The tale starts out with the death of the fourth emperor and the unexpected appointment of his fifth son, Duanbai, as the emperor. Duanbai is only 14 years old, and is completely unprepared for the job. While he wastes his time with his pursuits, the real government is his overbearing grandmother who rules with an iron fist. On commiting his first act of cruelty, he feels regret, but his grandmother tells him that he would do the same, so he goes down the road to being a cruel and thoughtless ruler. His frustration at his powerlessness and his complete inability to rule leads him to strike out at those around him. This tendency is made worse by his poor mental health. As his empire crumbles around him, though, he begins to see some things which offer him some comfort and perhaps a path to a better life.
It may be difficult to imagine the cruelty which the protagonist enjoys, and some may be put off by it. Some may even claim that such cruelty is unimaginable, but I don't think that is true. The world around us is surrounded with cruelty which is just as bad as anything this emperor does. The only difference is that we have come to accept that cutting out prisoners' tongues is unacceptable, while we rationalize the cruelties of our modern age. In reading this book, I hope that you step back from the fictional world of Duanbai's empire, and take a look at our own world. If you do that, reading this book can become a powerful experience.
Honest not flowerly review.......2005-04-12
I am a female on active duty with the navy on the USS Kitty Hawk currently stationed in Japan and being so, I do not write flowerly reviews because my time is short.
I have seen the film version of "Raise the Red Lantern" which left such a profound impact on me when I saw this book written by the same author I had to purchase and immediately read the book. So far the shock and awe (to borrow a term from CNN) of "My Life..." has lived up to the same feeling I get from watching "Raise the Red Lantern"
I try as I am reading this to imagine how life would be if I were a spoiled 14 year old boy suddenly thrown into the role as Emperor. Nothing I can imagine even comes close to the horrors this young man demands performed. From cutting out the tongues of wailing women so they do not disturb his sleep, to ordering the torture of a man who tried to stand against this young snot nosed child. All the man did was ask for the taxes to be lowered in an area struck with bad luck during the farming year.
I am a little more than half way through the book and so far it's hard to put down at night so I can rest before work. This is not a book for the light hearted nor for someone with a weak stomach. The careless way this young man can order the drowning of a maid to cover his selfish needs makes me glad I am a good mom who has raise a teenaged daughter with enough common sense and compassion to think of others and not herself.
Please pick up this book and give it a go.
A Kingdom's Fall, an Emperor's Rebirth.......2005-02-24
Along with Mo Yan and Gao Xingjian, Su Tong is widely regarded as one of mainland China's premier novelists, and with good reason. MY LIFE AS EMPEROR, the third of Su Tong's works to be published in English (after RAISE THE RED LANTERN and RICE), tells a brilliant and compelling tale of fate, decay and decadence, and palace intrigue fueled by the whims of a fourteen-year-old and his manipulating grandmother, a figure strongly reminiscent of China's famous Qing Dynasty dragon empress, Cixi. Yet within this bleak context of impending doom, the author gives us a phoenix tale, the story of an unlikely rebirth into a life of peace and contemplation.
MY LIFE AS EMPEROR is set in an unknown place at an indistinct time, although the author closes by locating the renamed imperial capitol as Changzhou in Jiangsu Province, not far from his own Suzhou birthplace. At the death of his Emperor father, fourteen-year-old Duanbai - the fifth of his father's sons - is unexpectedly called by his grandmother, Madame Huangfu, to assume the throne of the Xie Empire. Sun Xin, an alchemist and his deceased father's attendant - now reduced to madness - proclaims that calamity will soon befall the Empire. And it indeed does as Duanbai's ascendancy sets off a chain of palace intrigues among his half brothers.
Duanbai himself is feckless and capricious, immature and utterly unprepared for his responsibilities. Duanbai's sleep is filled with night demons, and he is given to acts of pettiness and stunning viciousness alternating with acts of deep sympathy and love. The only person he can trust, his mentor Juekong, is banished from the capitol to live out his life as a monk on Bitter Bamboo Mountain. He befriends a palace eunuch named Swallow and falls deeply in love with a concubine, Lady Hui, but his empire is beset by enemies from within and without. He ultimately loses his throne to his oldest brother, Duanwen, and is banished from the capitol to live life as a commoner as his punishment. The balance of the novel tells the story of Duanbai's life after his fall from power.
Written in 1992, MY LIFE AS EMPEROR offers an engrossing story line filled with memorable characters and fascinating insights into imperial life. As in his other works, Su Tong can be brutally cruel and explicit, but wondrously lyrical and richly symbolic. As he suggests in his Preface, this story is a dream from within the dream world in which he lives and writes. It is a dream filled most notably with birds and bird images: the foreboding white herons on the book's opening page, his eunuch Swallow, Lady Hui's Singing Oriole Pavilion, the birdlike feeling of tightrope walking, and the Double Eagle crest of the invading Peng Empire among others.
From young Emperor Duanbai's favorite cricket cages to his escapades with tightroping walking, MY LIFE AS EMPEROR is a tragic story of unasked for imprisonment and deeply sought freedom. In the end, stark military power prevails in the public sphere, but the wisdom of Confucius' ANALECTS provides the one true way to peace. Sadly, the path to Bitter Bamboo Mountain is littered with mistakes, needless suffering, and tragedy. Life is bitter, indeed.
Average customer rating:
|
My Early Life
German Emperor William II
Manufacturer: Ams Pr Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Germany
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0404069479 |
Customer Reviews:
I'D LIKE TO START A LEGACY WITH HIM!.......2006-10-07
The cover is one of the hottest covers I've seen in quite awhile (especially if you see it fully open). The story was pretty good but the love scenes left a little to be desired. Dillon Blackhawk should have been a biker with his attitude and looks.
I couldn't put this one down!!.......2005-01-07
I have always been a big fan of Barbara McCauley but this book was definitely the best yet. Reading about Dylan and Rebecca was just the escape that I needed. I didn't want it to end. I can't wait for the next book!
Book Description
"A cautionary tale with a disturbing resemblance to past history and future possibilities" (Milton Friedman, Nobel Laureate), "Alongside Night" portrays the last two weeks of the world's greatest superpower and ends on a triumphant note of hope.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating story and a fun read.......2006-12-10
I read through this book in a weekend and really enjoyed it. While I see some other commentators felt the character development or holisitc political/philosophical framework was missing, I wasn't really expecting a heavy dose of that in such a short book.
The libertarian/individualistic ideas presented are worth reading just for their currents in contemporary society. As someone who is neither "left" nor "right" I appreciated aspects of the pseudo-underground culture depicted, especially with the clandestine trading system and currency. It is an idea that intrigued me, and somehow got me into reading more FV Hayek, one of the intellectual originators of what is today called neo-conserative/free market ideas, but seemingly less dogmatic than some of today's commentators. There are also some interesting resources for people interested in alternative economics and currency outside of the current US/Euro $ hegemony.
While I agree it would have been nice to see more development of the characters and backstory, it is still a fun read. A good place to introduce people to some libertarianesque ideas in a fun read that keeps some decent plot pace.
Disappointing, it doesn't reach it's goal........2006-10-12
It takes more than a libertarian protaganist and statist antagonist to have a libertarian novel. A true political novel tries to demonstrate through the writing the moral superiority of the political system advocated by the author, be it libertarian (such as L. Neil Smith), conservative, communitarian, etc., and simply choosing the ideologies of the main characters does not do that. Token attempts are made at this, such as the government being after the family of the dissident who dares advocate libertarian ideas, but no doubt the same government goes after dissidents who advocate other ideas that the government does not like.
Nor does this book actually qualify as a dystopia. It takes more than an oppressive government to make a dystopia - in a dystopia society itself is warped in ways that would be considered monstrous to most people (such as Orwell), even if some dystopias seem pleasant enough on the surface (such as Huxley). All there is in this book is an overly strong government that oppresses people who disagree.
The characterization is flat. That may be a common complaint in libertarian literature, indeed all political literature, but in this case it is more so. It is not a case of one side being all good and the other side being all bad as Ayn Rand would write. In this case I see little moral difference between those who hold different ideologies, even to the main character being just as insulting to his peers of different beliefs as they are to him.
All this book amounts to is an action-adventure sci-fi novel, and not a strong one at that, with political polemics getting in the way.
J. Neil Schulman.......2005-12-18
This is indeed an excellent book, and was an important step on my own pathway to anarchism. But it's not by "L. Neil Schulman" because there is no such person; Amazon seems to have confused two different anarcho-libertarian science fiction authors, L. Neil Smith and J. Neil Schulman. This book is by the latter.
A ripping good tale........2004-07-02
J. Neil Schulman was known to me as the best interviewer of my hero, Robert A. Heinlein. I'd recently re-read his "The Heinlein Interview (and other Heinleinalia)", and decided it was time to read some of Neil's fiction, and get a better sense of what he has to say in his own voice.
But it was with some trepidation that I approached his work. I'm a fan of RAH, and, like many Heinlein fans, I've run out of new material to discover for the first time. So, my feelings were about equal parts of "Gee, I hope his writing is a lot like Heinlein's," and "Gee, I hope his writing isn't _exactly_ like Heinlein's."
But, about sixty pages into Alongside Night, I realized two things; first, that I wasn't thinking about whether it was too much or too little like a Heinlein story, and second, that I was well and truly hooked into a ripping good tale, and enjoying it immensely.
Though it is possible to recognize the mark Heinlein's writing has left upon him, Neil's voice and style are all his own. If you, like me, reached the end of Heinlein's work and are searching for more like it, you will not be disappointed in Alongside Night. If you want a sci-fi thriller which will keep you guessing to the end, this is for you. If you just want something to keep your mind occupied for a few hours, then by all means, read this book. Some of the ideas in it might just make an impression.
Thanks Neil. See you at the TANSTAAFL Café.
~Rick Berry
A Free Society Imagined.......2002-04-17
I first read this novel in 1983, and I now re-read it periodically because (1) it gives me hope for a better, freer society, and (2) it's so damn much fun. Without being preachy, Schulman's great libertarian sci-fi novel is like one of the terrific, old Heinlein juveniles -- simple, to the point, and fast-moving. Read it yourself, hand it off to friends (I keep a stock of tattered paperback copies just for that purpose), then re-read it yourself when you get in the dumps from too much statist TV exposure.
Book Description
"One of the most important books on consciousness and cosmology to appear in decades. Anyone interested in questions about soul and nature, about the relationship between consciousness and the world of matter, about meaning in the universe, needs to read it."
Brian Swimme, Ph.D., coauthor of The Universe Story
"Radical Nature exposes the biggest con job in the history of human thought-that matter and nature are dead, mindless, unfeeling, and disconnected from ourselves. De Quincey gives us an image that is as hopeful and fulfilling as the old view was empty and depressing. Never have we needed such a view as now."
Larry Dossey, M.D., author of Healing Beyond the Body
Do animals have souls? Do worms and insects feel pain or pleasure? Can trees feel anything at all? Ever wondered where in the great unfolding of evolution consciousness first appeared? If questions like these intrigue you, you are in good company because they touch on the deepest mystery in modern philosophy and science: How are minds and bodies related? How does consciousness fit into the physical world?
These are not just idle speculations. How we answer such questions can dramatically affect the way we live our lives, treat the natural world and other people, and even how we relate to our own bodies. In Radical Nature, philosopher Christian de Quincey explores how mind and matter are related, and he proposes a radical and surprising answer: Consciousness goes all the way down! Through animals, plants, even single cells . . . in fact, all the way down the great chain of being to molecules, atoms, and beyond. Drawing on both ancient and modern knowledge, de Quincey shows us that the universe teems with consciousness through and through. "Matter itself tingles with the spark of spirit," he says. "And therefore nature, in all its forms and glory, is sacred to its deepest roots." Radical Nature takes you on a mind-stretching journey in this remarkable story of philosophy and science in search of a soul.
Christian de Quincey, Ph.D., is professor of philosophy and consciousness studies at John F. Kennedy University and managing editor of the IONS Review from the Institute of Noetic Sciences. His work on consciousness has appeared in both popular and academic journals, including Journal of Consciousness Studies, ReVision, Network, Cerebrum, and Journal of Transpersonal Psychology. He lives in Half Moon Bay, California.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent Book.......2007-01-12
This book is great for beginners being introduced to philosophy and consciousness ideas, as well as seasoned readers of the genre. There is quite a bit of history of Panpsychism (and other world views) given, which the author says could be skipped if you are already familiar with the subject.
The author's writing style is easy to read, and he gives samples of upcoming ideas that keep you motivated to keep on reading. I got the sense that Mr. de Quincey is a talented teacher - I felt like he was giving me a personal lecture (in a good way!) as I was reading.
Although the book is definitely focused and has a point that he is trying to convey, I got the impression that Mr. de Quincey didn't have an agenda that he was trying to push on the reader. While reading the book, I got the impression that the author was taking the reader through the research and thought processes that lead him to his conclusion. It seemed like he came up with this conclusion naturally and rationally, rather than having a the conclusion in mind before starting his own research and gearing his studies towards his opinion.
Because of this, I think this book will appeal to open-minded materialists as well, since Mr. de Quincey presents himself in a very non-New Age manner. He keeps any farther reaching speculation (afterlife ideas, notion of a soul, etc.) to a minimum, which I thought was a refreshing change from the norm in books that propose a more Panpsychic view of the world.
This is the first part of a trilogy, so if you like this one be sure to read the rest.
A Liberating Book for Mind and Body.......2007-01-02
Christian de Quincey's book "Radical Nature" fell into my hands at just about the right time to heighten that curious sense of synchronicity when things seem to have an underlying harmony and purpose, and I thoroughly enjoyed his body of thought.
Perhaps this book arrives at the right time for many people who want to liberate themselves from the clutches of the old materialistic paradigm. It will help them in this endeavor, because Dr. de Quincey respects and appreciates the achievements of all the great thinkers who have come before whether they would have agreed with him or not.
As the great P. Feyerabend has pointed out, philosophers of science often tend to overlook that science itself is a story and not a problem of logic. Dr. de Quincey does not make this mistake. He takes his ideas further and talks of the unfolding story of the cosmos, how it is intelligible to us precisely because we are inseparably connected to it, part and parcel of its essence and its being. We can make sense of it all, because it is sensible; everything, the whole cosmos including its very last spec of matter, is "intrinsically sentient" he declares. Matter and psyche coexist as an inseparable whole.
Dr. de Quincey has labored hard to pull together all the different strands of human knowledge from the fields of science, philosophy and psychology, and he presents them in his beautifully clear understanding. His well argued and carefully outlined thoughts on the nature of matter and consciousness especially the mind/body split are designed to put Humpty Dumpty back together again when nobody thought this could be done. I actually feel liberated and, in some sense vindicated after finishing this book, since it strengthens and validates in strong ways feelings and thoughts I had for quite some time. I learned a lot reading this work, and the best thing is, it actually made me a happier person.
Radical Nature is radically enjoyable by H. Crowe.......2006-10-14
When I read this book, I rushed over to Amazon and bought Christian de Quincey's other book Radical Knowing.
I totally agree with his witty critique of "physics envy" . . . Consciousness is not a sub-atomic virtual energy field although, as he correctly points out, it is the experiencer of energy, of vibrations, of fields, and waves. His slogan "Consciousness knows. Energy flows" says it all.
His thought and writing are so fine and so beautifully intelligent, and I responded with feeling. I particularly want to compliment de Quincey on his amazing explanation of the great philosopher Whitehead. I have heard that he is the hardest philosopher to understand. But Radical Nature does a great job untangling difficult ideas. After reading this, I find Whitehead the easiest philosopher to understand now--particularly the mind-body connection. People should come to this book with a feeling sense . . . reading while listening to our bodies. Dr. de Quincey's teaching has more than a touch of real alchemy. The more I read his books, the more I know I am calibrating a great mind who can communicate in an exciting and profound way. I kept having to put the book down because it inspired cascades of ideas and contexts that made complexity unravel in a life affirming, powerful way. This book, and Radical Knowing perhaps even more, is positively juicy, a term not usually used for top scholarship in consciousness exploration. Dr. de Quincey is particularly adept bringing a grounded, welcoming order to complex, abstract philosophical language. In the end, I landed right where he wanted me to...wanting and able to read and know more. Both books added so much value and richness to my life and merit every bit of attention.
Bravo, de Quincey!.......2006-10-08
In this book, de Quincey's knowledge, experience, passion and scholarship catapults our understanding of consciousness into a view which dissolves boundries between matter and mind. His clarity and eloquence of expression helps to bridge the gap between pure feeling and the written word.
My favorite quote from the book: "Stories Matter, Matter Stories" (also a chapter heading) says a lot about this book which is chuck-full of wisdom. His ideas are well supported and come across with the simplicity of "common sense."
Helpful to me........2006-10-06
This book was a valuable addition to my ongoing search to make sense out of my world. I owned it for some time before I read it. Then I bought Radical Knowing and liked it even better. (I reviewed it in July)
De Quincey puts into words deep feelings I have had all my life about my connection to nature. His research seems to be impeccable. I can only read so much and it really helps to read an author who does so much of it for me.
I am not a scientist or a philosopher so some of the arguments between different schools of opinions don't mean a lot to me. What I enjoy are new ideas put in language that is readable and enjoyable. This book fulfilled those requirements.
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- My Sister's Bones
- Never Again Once More
- New Stories from the South 2004: The Year's Best (New Stories from the South)
- Nights in White Satin: A Laura Principal Novel
- Operation Shylock : A Confession (Vintage International)
- Oscar and Lucinda: movie tie-in edition
- Panther in the Basement
- Portraits: Talking with Artists at the Met, the Modern, the Louvre, and Elsewhere
- Prairie Nocturne: A Novel
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