Book Description
A woman in her forties is a victim of a suicide bombing at a Jerusalem market. Her body lies nameless in a hospital morgue. She had apparently worked as a cleaning woman at a bakery, but there is no record of her employment. When a Jerusalem daily accuses the bakery of "gross negligence and inhumanity toward an employee," the bakery's owner, overwhelmed by guilt, entrusts the task of identifying and burying the victim to a human resources man. This man is at first reluctant to take on the job, but as the facts of the woman's life take shape-she was an engineer from the former Soviet Union, a non-Jew on a religious pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and, judging by an early photograph, beautiful-he yields to feelings of regret, atonement, and even love.
At once profoundly serious and highly entertaining, A. B. Yehoshua astonishes us with his masterly, often unexpected turns in the story and with his ability to get under the skin and into the soul of Israel today.
Customer Reviews:
A simple tale of humanity.......2007-09-05
This is a book that gradually gets under your skin. The storyline is deceptively simple--a victim of a terrorist bombing in Jerusalem goes unmissed and unidentified for a week before a tabloid reveals her employer and levels an accusation of corporate indifference to her death. The humiliated employer decides to make amends, using his otherwise self-absorbed personnel director to "do the right thing" for the deceased employee. What follows is a humorous/serious saga that pulls spontaneous acts of generosity and humanity out of all the story's characters.
This is not a book with sharply drawn plot boundaries or a predictable course or ending, but it is ultimately enjoyable and heartwarming in so many ways that make it superior to most good popular novels (in my opinion). A.B. Yehoshua is one of the most interesting and creative minds at work in literature at the moment and has many works out that serious readers should find challenging and highly agreeable. Most of his books are translated from Hebrew, but that difficult work seems to be uniformly well done by a variety of collaborators.
Rich and evocative.......2007-08-06
A woman is murdered in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem, her body long unclaimed, a journalist traces her to a bakery where she once worked and was not in death missed. The burial of this woman, Yulia Ragayev, the only person in this wonderful novel to have a name, launches the tale. The Bakery's Human Resource Director must find out who she was and what was her relationship to the bakery, in the process becoming emotionally attached to her. Indeed, it is a testament to Yehoshua's skills how well he brings this dead woman to life as a character in the story without using flashbacks or others recounting long memories of her.
To tell much more would give to much away about this engaging humorous story. A note should be said about those reviewers who complain that "A Woman in Jerusalem" lacked subtlety or depth. To say that this story is simple would be akin to saying that Carver's "What We Talk About when We Talk about Love" is about two couples having a drink or "Ulysses" is about a day in Dublin. The subtle layers of Yehoshua's novel contain much richness and thought, along with a great deal of pathos. Indeed, one must be impressed at the humanity and humor he brings to a subject as overwhelming as terrorism. Serious readers will not be disappointed.
A Death In Jerusalem.......2007-01-18
Yehoshua's book is both amusing and deadly serious at the same time. His writing style is reminiscent of J. M. Coetzee and Saramago. He uses a straightforward, simple but poignant language that expresses so much through its brevity. The book truly paints a marvelous picture of a journey, one that represents the roots of many an Israeli resident.
Yehoshua accomplishes his tremendous illustration by painting a picture that is at once both Kafkaesque and surreal. He takes his protagonist, a human resource manager from a large Jerusalem bakery, through a journey all the way to the old Soviet Union. With him, he takes the body of a woman that died in Jerusalem in a terrorist bombing attack. The trip brings him in contact with the two living blood relatives of the dead woman and the ex-husband. Each meeting has a special character and each one drives the human resources manager to proceed in a specific direction.
In addition, Yehoshua makes certain commentary on the government and the Cold War. But the central theme of the book regards the attempt to give the body dignity under very difficult conditions, no matter what it takes. As there is "no choice" but to do what is necessary.
The book is recommended for all serious literature readers. It truly is one of the great works of the 21st Century to date. It is highly recommended.
A Long Trip.......2006-12-23
A foreign worker is killed in a terrorist bombing in Jerusalem and the personnel manager at her employer becomes responsible for organizing the internment, due largely to his boss's generosity, compassion, and public relations savvy.
In summary, this sounds like the story of an unusual corporate assignment. But this misses what is probably the leading quality of the narrative, at least through the first two-thirds of the book. This is the relentless and annoying effort of peripheral characters to influence the actions of the personnel manager--largely by making arguments, some cynical and some sincere, to define the personnel manager's responsibility to this victim of terrorism.
For me, the effect of their efforts was to shift the narrative from a story of obstacles overcome to a story replete with aggravating meddling. You know what it's like when your strong minded relatives tell you how to perform a task you can handle competently yourself? Testy is the mood I carried through much of this novel.
At the same time, I'd fault Yehoshua for failing to pull motivation and meaning out of the actions of the characters. Yes, there are numerous declarations about compassion. But, these do not seem to flow from character. Likewise, the final section of the book contains a heavy handed imposition of philosophy and myth, which, once again, is external to the characters. Finally, there's lots of overt button pushing that surely resonates with many readers, as Yehoshua condemns characters for not trying hard enough or not doing enough for their children. Not subtle, one reviewer observed and I agree.
Nonetheless, this book does reward the persevering reader with a surprising and touching ending that also raises a valid question. Here comes a spoiler: But at the end of his novel, Yehoshua considers who rightfully belongs in Jerusalem.
If there is subtlety in this book, where is it?.......2006-12-04
I was disappointed by this novel. The plot is simple: The protagonist, identified only as the "[Human] Resource Manager" of a bakery in Jerusalem, is assigned by his boss to identify and then handle the funeral arrangements for the corpse of a woman killed in a bombing; she once worked for the company but was fired, although the pay checks kept going to her. No one seems to remember her. The resource manager is also instructed to apologize publicly for his company's inhumanity in failing to notice her death. Thus commences an odyssey which takes our man to an unnamed foreign country (Uzbekistan?) which is cold, barren, and has signs written exclusively in Cyrillic. Along the way he encounters a journalist, a photographer, the woman's child, mother, and ex-husband, and has vinegary conversations with his ex-wife. We also learn that the loyal manager was a soldier in the Israeli army, and a successful salesman. Apparently his boss has big things in mind for him if he can get his company out of hot water.
But why no names? This is hardly a universally employed story line. A bit of humanism--though frequently referred to but never spelled out in the novel--would have helped me get through it with more interest. As it stands, the resource manager's angst is left, along with the coffin which is his companion, lying in the cold snows of an Asiatic winter.
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- Daughter of Jerusalem
- This is the best non-fiction book I have ever read!
- A Free Spirit
- A More Balanced View
- A story of faith
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Daughter of Jerusalem: An American Woman's Journey of Faith
Sharon Geyer
Manufacturer: Faithwalk Publishing
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The Samson Option
ASIN: 0972419624 |
Product Description
Recipient of the San Diego Book Award for Narrative Non-Fiction. This is the true story of a young California woman who falls in love with an Iranian, moves to Iran and raises a family. Shunned by her family she leaves her family to seek refuge in Israel where she finds faith through a group of Messianic Jews. She spends the next decade attempting to reconnect with the two sons she was forced to leave in Iran. This is her true story of faith and hope especially relavent in today's world.
Customer Reviews:
Daughter of Jerusalem.......2003-09-25
Wonderful story giving you the contrast of what dreams of living like a princess such as Princess Nora and what can happen when another one finds herself trapped,abused and denied justice. Her faith heals her each time she is let down and finally wonderful solace and peace at last.
This is the best non-fiction book I have ever read!.......2003-07-20
I was engrossed with the story and admired the author's quest for spiritual growth and the courage she had to face all of the challenges brought before her. It is clear that the author experienced a great deal of anguish being separated from her children. She never wanted for anything material but continued to grow spiritually and the love she had for her sons never dimmed; it was channeled into helping others.
The author described the very complicated political/religous climate of the middle east in concise lucid terms.
I highly recommend this book.
A Free Spirit.......2003-07-19
From reading this book I learned that Sharon is an awsome woman. This book is not just about motherhood and Iran. There is so much more to it. It's a story of relentless courage and real life obstacles.
This is a story about a young girl who follows her heart.
As with all young women, she doesn't always make the best decisions. She learns from her mistakes and persistently
persues her quest.
Dedicated in her search for God, she has many adventures. Some of them good, some of them not. Sharon is able to retain her personal values despite persecutions. She doesn't let the trials and tribulations keep her down.
Throughout Sharons life, she is able to remain true to herself and others. A real keeper of her own convictions. I was inspired by her travels and fearless way of really "living" her life.
An autobiography of a truly strong woman, her experiences and lessons learned. A book that reads well and isn't overly wordy. Ms. Geyer can concisly describe her surroundings in such a way that you could picture it in your mind. A true talent. I couldn't put it down. I look forward to reading more from Sharon Geyer.
A More Balanced View.......2003-06-12
Sharon Geyer was able to write an honest book about being seperated from her children in Iran without drowning the reader in the intense personal struggles she suffered as a mother. Doing this, allows the reader to join Sharon on her journey without adding further guilt and pain to her children who still love both of their parents. This feels like a selfless act of mothering and gives the reader a more balanced view into Sharon Geyer's life.
A story of faith.......2003-06-11
Sharon Geyer's story is as much about her journey of faith as it is about a young woman who heads off to Iran with her new husband and son, her life in Iran, her eventual escape and the pain of leaving her sons behind and her discovery of and love for Jerusalem. I couldn't put it down.
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From Jerusalem to Cohutta: A woman's journey with God
Mary Anne Burnham
Manufacturer: Pathway Press
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ASIN: B0006QO8II |
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Woman of Jerusalem
Dvora Waysman
Manufacturer: Gefen Publishing House, Ltd
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9652291994 |
Book Description
All the women of Jerusalem Who lived here through the ages Left me tokens That now enrich my life...
So begins the theme poem of this beautiful, art-filled anthology, a collection of Dvora Waysman's most moving work. This collection is a love affair with Jerusalem, in verse and in prose, and is beautifully adorned with photographs, paintings and ancient artifacts.
As Israel celebrates its 50th anniversary, and Jerusalem endures over 3,000 years, Waysman's words echo the sounds and feelings of this magical and spiritual city. Anyone, man or woman, who has been touched by the unique flavor of Jerusalem, will be delighted to have this book.
Average customer rating:
- Outstanding
- Book OK Series Too Long
- And just like that, my faith is restored
- Shame on Daw books . . .
- Domestic Disturbances
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Crown of Stars (Crown of Stars, Vol. 7)
Kate Elliott
Manufacturer: DAW
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Binding: Paperback
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In the Ruins (Crown of Stars, Vol. 6)
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The Gathering Storm (Crown of Stars, Vol. 5)
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Child of Flame (Crown of Stars, Book 4)
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The Burning Stone (Crown of Stars, Vol. 3)
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Prince of Dogs (Crown of Stars, Vol 2)
ASIN: 0756404061 |
Book Description
In the wake of the cataclysm many new alliances are forming even as old ones dissolve. As Sanglant struggles to legitimize his own leadership, the Aoi are carrying out random attacks-while implicating him as their leader. Stronghand has begun a march of conquest into the heart of Sanglant's realm. Adelheid and Antonia have made an unholy alliance. And Sabella and Duke Conrad are moving to seize Sanglant's crown. Cultures, religions, and races are clashing in what will be the ultimate struggle for control of this strange new world.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding.......2007-07-17
I rarely write reviews but I had to for this outstanding series. The author held my interest in the characters and plot from Volume 1 through Volume 7. She (Elliott) uses language beautifully, develops characters (both human and non-human) in depth, and provides a plot that is suspenseful and has an inner consistency. This is excellent high fantasy.
Book OK Series Too Long.......2007-03-08
In general this is a good series and I enjoy the way the author writes.
I have come to believe, however, that any series of more than 3-5 books just gets too long. There can be too many side plots which can get too involved or the characters start dealing with variations of the same problems and you begin to loose interest.
And just like that, my faith is restored.......2007-02-22
I had trouble with the last volume, but this finale has cemented Kate Elliott as one of my very favorite authors. I loved that she didn't tie every loose end into a tidy little package, and I absolutely adored how she handled the story of Liath and Sanglant. I cried over the ending like I haven't cried since the end of "Summer of '42". Now I understand why Alain was so terribly abused. I don't know why the parallel wasn't clear to me before, because I totally understand it now. Even Blessing turned out well. Who would have thought? Wonderful job, Ms. Elliott.
Shame on Daw books . . ........2007-02-03
I thought this series was great. So good, in fact, that I faithfully collected it in hardcover until this last book. Has anyone else noticed that DAW along with other publishers have switched to low quality materials for their hardcover books? Take a look at the paper for instance. We all paid a lot of money for a seriously inferior product. Just compare the other volumes in this set and the 6th and 7th books. You won't like it when the first 5 look okay in about 5 years, but the 6th and 7th are already yellowed with age.
I'm really annoyed at this new trend and can tell you, don't waste your money paying hardcover prices for what is in essence, a large paperback. Shame on DAW!
Domestic Disturbances.......2006-09-13
Crown of Stars (2006) is the seventh Fantasy novel in the Crown of Stars series, following In The Ruins. In the previous volume, the land of the Ashioi became fertile again. Kansi, the Impatient One, was elected as Feather Cloak and led the Ashioi to war with the humans. Fleeing the forces of Queen Adelheid with Blessing as his prisoner, Hugh of Austra crossed the strand below the band of destruction and surrendered to the Ashioi. The new Feather Cloak didn't trust him, but used his skills as a mathematicus to weave the crowns. Blessing joyfully became shieldbearer to Zuangua, her great-uncle.
Queen Adelheid and Holy Mother Antonia were joined by the Arethousan general Lord Alexandros. They agreed to send galla seeking for Sanglant and Liath. Meanwhile, Sanglant and Liath inspected the shoreline of the northern sea; he also observed the clouds that covered the sun, but released not a drop of rain.
In this novel, Sanglant takes his King's Progress through immense destruction and overcast skies. Everywhere they go, starving men, women and children beg for food. Farmers are afraid to plant their seed because of the recurring frosts. Vermin swarms eat food stores. Wild beasts attack the herds and even people. Bandits loot and kill at isolated farms and hamlets. Although King Sanglant provides good advice and some assistance, people will mostly have to solve their own problems until the weather clears.
Alain and his hounds walk over backwood paths. They come to a windrow where the great storms have thrown down massive trees. He can climb over, but not with the dogs. He walks along the blockage until he comes to a lesser pile among the fallen trees. After lifting over the dogs, he makes his way through the branches, but stops when he hears something large walk by on the other side of the leaves. He and his dogs remain quiet until the thing wanders off.
As Alain continues on, he meets a small party hunting for a monster. From their description, Alain recognizes the nature of the beast: a guivre. He warns them to leave the animal alone, for it doesn't attack those who don't bother it; otherwise, they will be turned to stone. The group return to their village, but the man Atto and his woman then travel on with Alain to Autun.
When they arrive at Autun, Atto joins Lady Sabella's milites, but is ordered to first lead them to the guivre. Alain is known to Sabella, pretender to the throne, and her husband Lord Conrad and is offered the restoral of his county of Lavas. As he is considering the offer, he rides with the hunters.
Lady Bertha leads a road-weary band of clerics and soldiers toward Saony. They are refused refuge in a hastily fortified village and have to camp in the ruins of Augensburg. During the night, Ashioi attack with poison arrows, but Sorgatani walks among them and they die one by one at the sight of her.
The following morning, the survivors gather their dead and bury them. Among the casualties is Lady Bertha, who is buried separately. The Ashioi are left untouched where they fell; their killer, the shaman Sorgatani, is almost left behind, but Hanna convinces the leaders to take her with them. They trudge off toward Saony under the leadership of Sister Rosvita.
The King's Progress comes to Walburg in time to celebrate the Translatus. Biscop Alberada leaves to return to Handelburg and Margrave Gerberga declares her intentions to leave for her lands of Austra and Olsatia. Sanglant relaxes amidst his peers and family in an amicable, but bickering, atmosphere. Liath goes to talk with Hedwig, a retired Eagle, who knows more about Wolfhere, the former Eagle who had betrayed Liath to the Seven Sleepers.
That night, Prince Ekkehard runs off with Lady Theucinda, youngest daughter of Margrave Judith. Sanglant and others chase him down, guided by the folk of the countryside. They confront him in a clearing, where he refuses to return to his wife. There four galla attack, three for Liath and one for Sanglant. She picks off three with arrows fletched with griffin feathers and, as these flick out of existence, Sanglant gets the last one with a handheld arrow.
This novel concludes the Crown of Stars series. Although the nobility continues to act foolishly, the regnancy of Wendar and Verre passes on to a reasonable pair of rulers. The church reconstitutes itself and accepts new dogma. Problems that have been insurmountable are found to have a solution. But none of this happens in a manner that the reader would have foretold.
Although this series has stretched interminably, the ending is very satisfactory. Now the author is free to start a new series (hint, hint).
Highly recommended to Elliott fans and to anyone else who enjoys tales of high adventure, high and low magic, and twisty plotting.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Book Description
Bulwer-Lytton is legend nowadays for the qualities of his prose: but we find his prose attractive, in its languid way; and certainly the man was a profound thinker. "Vril" is a mysterious energy used by Lytton's subterranean race -- refugees from the deluge that submerged Atlantis -- to power their advanced civilization. Generations of occultists have mistaken this bit of business for something other than fiction; and still more generations of science fiction writers have recycled the novel's plot. Vril is a book of strong interest to anyone doing a scholarly study of the evolution of SF; it's also a novel well worth reading in its own right.
Download Description
The Coming Race, an early science-fiction work, with its superman race the Vril-ya descended from the same ancestors as the great Aryan family, from which in varied streams has flowed the dominant civilization of the world spawned a occult secret society known as the Vril Society or Luminous Lodge - its philosphy and swastika symbol profoundly influenced the Nazis. Please Note: This book has been reformatted to be easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher. The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year. Both versions are text searchable.
Customer Reviews:
Comming Race is a Fun Read .......2005-02-15
The Coming Race is a great book on many levels. As a story it is well developed and is one of Bulwer-Lytton's best works of science fiction. Also from a historical aspect it is an interesting document to see how the Victorian mind saw the world and what was beyond their horizons. This book had an incredible impact upon the reading public upon its release in 1871 and its influence, as well as that of Lytton in general, is felt greatly in later works of early sci-fi. I especially feel the stylistic influence in Upton Sinclair's "Millennium" and while for a review this is neither here nor there, this is important in understanding the development of the genre.
The book opens up with the main character, an American, being invited into a mine exploration by friend. Within just a few pages of the most basic exposition the story begins. For this genre and being that the terranean characters matter little, jumping into the plot like this makes the reading fun. For a 19th century it reads very fast and before long the reader will be well acquainted with the ways of the vril-ya and "vril" - the power source of the coming race. It really is a fun read.
The only problem with this book is that while Lytton goes through an enormity of steps to describe the culture and idiosyncrasies of the vril-ya the book at times reads more like notes of an anthropologist than a literary novel. Of course this may be the intention and since it is such a quick and enjoyable read, we can forgive the author of this. If you are fan of Lord Lytton or a fan of early Sci-Fi this is a definite read. I also would recommend this book to anyone who like 19th century novels and think this should be included in more high school English literature classes because it does not fit the stereotype and would be a welcome break for many students. While we know quite well that this work is purely fantastical it is really enjoyable to see how the mind of the 19th century saw the possibility of worlds going on underground and it is fun to imagine and believe...
-- Ted Murena
The Coming Race!.......2005-01-16
_Vril: The Power of the Coming Race_ by Victorian novelist Sir Edward Bulwer-Lytton first published in 1871 is a fascinating and bizarre tale of a subterranean world. The novel begins as the narrator, an American, descends into a mine shaft where an accident occurs leaving him stranded in a subterranean realm. There he encounters a mysterious race, in possession of uncanny powers, the ability to fly, the control of automata, and the control of a mysterious force known as Vril. These are the Vril-ya, the civilized race, who constitute a utopian civilization beneath the surface of the Earth. Bulwer-Lytton spends much time expounding upon the culture, the language, the traits, and the religion of this underworld race, which may seek someday to rise to the surface of the Earth again from whence it came. This race has a culture and civilization quite distinct from that of the Victorian world in which Bulwer-Lytton and the narrator lived. There are two sexes, the Ana (or males) and the Gy-ei (or females), but their roles are somewhat reversed with the Gy-ei courting the Ana. In this respect Bulwer-Lytton sought to parody the female rights movement of his time and the ideas of philosophers such as John Stuart Mill. Also, the Ana believe themselves to be descended from frogs, or to be followed by frogs, parodying the ideas of Darwinian evolution. The society of the Ana is entirely aristocratic and free from passion, strife, crime, and war though these notions occur in their history books. The Ana look down upon the government of the many as Koom-Posh. This may reveal Bulwer-Lytton's aristocratic prejudices. In addition, the children of the society serve as guardians until they reach marriageable age. Bulwer-Lytton also discusses the language of the Vril-ya, where he owes a debt to Max Muller to whom he dedicated this novel. This language resembles the Indo-European tongues which were being studied at the time. While in the subterranean world, the narrator (who is referred to as a Tish by the Ana) witnesses the enormous power which the Ana yield through Vril. He watches as this power is used to destroy a reptilian monster who had made off with his friend at the beginning of the story. In addition, he learns much of their customs and society. He also witnesses a funeral in which the power of Vril again is used to incinerate a corpse. Eventually, a certain Gy named Zee becomes enamored of him. The Gy-ei are larger than the Ana and are especially learned. This relationship though is one that cannot be and forces the narrator to make an important decision. This tale is bizarre and offers a unique look into the utopian mindset of the Victorian era. The novels of Bulwer-Lytton came to have much influence on many later writers including such individuals as Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, the Russian seeress who plagiarized much from his stories. Subterranean worlds have came to be a source of fascination and were incorporated into many of the traditions of the ancient world and of the Nineteenth century.
STRANGE..........2004-09-26
Strange how many early science fiction writers spun yarns dealing with an odd subterranean race dwelling within the earth. This was the first, essentially. Such myths, however, are found in most cultures... Tibet, Ireland, South America, native Americans & so on. Bulwer Lyton is a strange writer, & this an interesting read...
If your a fan of the HOLLOW EARTH you will love this book.......2004-04-20
First of all this book is non fiction its real, it really happend and the "Ana" the underground race who fly with artificial wings are still there. If your into the Inner earth and belive it is real then get this book.With vril power you can astral travel like the Lumerians who live under Mt. Shasta do. Under tyhe earth there's Atlanteans and the evil Dero and creatures of all sizes,shapes,colers that the mind could grasp and some that could not some are from planets whose names have long been forgotten. Read this book and belive.
A fantastic world like you've never dreamed of before!.......2000-06-27
This book, although written over one hundred years ago by Lord Lytton, contains some of the most futuristic thinking I've ever read about. I read the book in 2 days and was glued to it by the suspense and captivated by the fascination of the society described in it. The story is about a man who stumbles upon an unknown society, living underground, which lead their lives by the principles of VRIL, a life force that is all powerful and healing yet capable of utter destrucion. Every person in this society has the power of this force from birth on and is thus capable of destroying any of his fellow men. This forced the society, named Vrilya, to evolve into a perfect utopian harmony where everyone posesses free will and is completely tolerant of each other.
Written in first person from the view point of the man who discovered them, the book is written in an easy to read language. It relays satiric undertones regarding democracy and imperialism and contains many ideas of anthroposophy, including the Vrilya belief of life after death. The Vrilya are shown to be a more evolved human race, by many thousand years, and are believed to have descended from survivors of the Great Flood, who as a result fled underground. It shows what the future may look like for us, but hinges on the discovery and mastery of the life force, VRIL. Although there seem to be some inconsistencies in the description and behavior of the soceity, they were not grave enough to keep me from reading more. This book should be read by anyone who likes books like 1984, The Brave New World or even A Wrinkle in Time. Unlike the books just mentioned, Vril: The Power of the Coming Race, displays a fundamentally different view of our possible future. A future not ruled by authoritarians or Big Brother, or drugs or reward and punishment, but a future that requires everyone to live peacefully and happily through the consequences of their own power.
All in all, the story is sure to captivate and when keeping in mind when it was written, it is all the more amazing. I loved it, because it made me think about how we live today and the way we could live together without the negatives of our society. It also made me think about how we (The United States) should behave as the most "advanced" country on earth. I was also fascinated by the potential of the human race which we don't realize in every day life. I am sure anyone who reads this great book will love it too.
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Vril: El Poder De La Raza Venidera/ the Power of the Coming Races
Edward Bulter-lytton
Manufacturer: Jaguar Books
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 8495537842 |
Book Description
Your church is more than just a building, people or a mission statement-find out what your church really is and how to make it an exciting, thriving part of your community.
Customer Reviews:
Book that challenges tradition.......2002-01-28
This book challenges the concept of the Christian Mega-Church, and the role of Christians in the modern world. In Church Without Walls Petersen puts forth the following two point thesis:
1. Christians are in the world (not separate from it) in order to spread the good news about Jesus.
2. Every believer has a role in this process.
I think that he successfully argues his point, and provides a litany of supporting evidence (mostly historical) to show why the concept of the Church (the Body of Christ) has lost its place in the world over the centuries. By explaining a short history of the Church, Petersen points out that many good ideas that were relevant in their time, have become steep traditions in the Church, and lost their effectiveness. While this argument is interesting, especially if you do not know a lot of Church history (I fall into this category), it does get a little boring in certain sections of the book.
The part of the book which I found most compelling, was about my role as a Christian in the Church. Basically, Petersen points out that the "If we build it they will come" philosophy that many churches follow today is not working. We are not reaching the unchurched, and will continue to fail in this effort, unless a change is made. More specifically, every Christian needs to be out the in the world, modeling and explaining Christ's love to an American culture which has become quite indifferent to the Church.
I think that Petersen's analysis is accurate and convincing. He spells out how we are to do this, and what the Church should do to support this effort. If this topic is of interest to you, then you should read this book. It will challenge you to rethink your role in the Church, and take a hard look at whether or not the Christian community is being effective in a world that so desparately needs to hear the truth and love of Jesus.
Although I think that Chuck Colson's book "The Body" will give you a more profound look at today's Church, this book does a better job of explaining our role in the process. Coupled together, these two books will hopefully inspire Christians to step out of their comfort zones, and truly make a difference in the modern world.
An Amazing Book!.......2001-12-22
This is a balanced yet radical new look at what it means to be the Church in our day and in our culture. Peterson reminds us that Jesus gave us the command to "Go" into our world and make disciples. Instead we have told the world to "Come" to us! Peterson's analysis of the form of the Church being elastic enough to fit the function in each location and culture is truly life-changing; I was changed by this book. I have given copies to many friends who are also being challenged to "Go" in new and exciting ways. Out of five stars I would give it six!
A Very Balanced View.......2000-04-08
This book represents a very well researched and balanced rethinking of much of the Church Growth material that has been generated since "Understanding Church Growth" was published in the 60's. It presents a honest, Biblical view of all the stuff and fluff and gets down to the heart of the matter, namely reaching people for Christ.
Much-needed Biblical evaluation.......1998-03-07
I highly recommend this book to all Christians who want a well-reasoned approach to the Biblical concept of the Church. Petersen challenges the reader to re-think traditional, cultural "add-ons" to corporate worship of God and to seriously consider St. Paul's practice of "becoming all things to all men" for the sake of the spread of the Gospel to those foreign to practices familiar to the American Christian. -- Joseph W. Roberts
Books:
- Adventures of the Artificial Woman: A Novel
- All Night, All Day, Angels Watching Over Me
- April Witch: A Novel
- Atala / Rene
- Back in No Time: The Brion Gysin Reader
- Being Mrs. Alcott
- Bitter Gourd & Other Stories
- Brazen Angel
- Brendan Prairie
- Bruised Hibiscus: A Novel
Books Index
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