Book Description
Often called Britains Bob Dylan, Donovan was an unconventional artist, a romantic outsider who ushered in a new sound to the folk genre. His international hits Mellow Yellow and Jennifer Juniper brought folk music to mainstream audiences. Scheduled to coincide with his 40th anniversary tour and the release of Sony/BMGs box set, The Autobiography of Donovan is an openly honest memoir about the life and times of Donovan. He recalls everything, from his days as an itinerate teen, camping on beaches and hitchhiking, to his life as a chart-topping folk star hob-knobbing with such legends as Joan Baez, Brian Jones, and even Bob Dylan, as well as his legendary trip with the Beatles to the Maharishi. With the same poetic charm that made his songs classics, The Autobiography of Donovan is a celebration of the 60s, filled with all the joy, love, and reverie of the times.
Customer Reviews:
Lackluster and sloppy, though honest.......2007-08-11
I've been a fan of Donovan for years, and it pains me to say that his autobiography is a massive disappointment. First, it is badly written; I respect the fact that he apparently decided against a ghostwriter, but this book shows why there is a place for ghostwriters in the literary world. The prose is awkward, the chronology is occasionally jumbled, and he comes as rather pretentious--while he did influence pop music, and also reflected the influence of others, he seems to think that he is the reason for the popularity of folk-rock, Celtic rock, psychedelic rock, and heavy metal; he inspired Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, the Beatles (individually and collectively), the Rolling Stones, and T. Rex, among others; and he thinks he is responsible for the founding of Led Zeppelin (as all the members but Robert Plant played on the "Hurdy Gurdy Man" sessions). He is honest about his drug use, and I respect him for not trying to excuse it away or claim it meant nothing to him, and there is something touching about his story of finally finding the love of his life, Linda, after several years of missed connections. But to make sense of his career and his influence, I will have to wait for someone a bit more objective (and someone who is a more straightforward writer) to issue the definitive book.
Lastly, the book was terribly edited and proofread. There are glaring mistakes of every kind on every page. The names of people such as Allen Klein, Phil Spector, and Steve Winwood, all of whom come up more than once, are misspelled consistently. Sentences are missing the words that would make them grammatical, or even make them make sense. At one point, he mentions the chart positions of some songs, but someone forgot to go back and dig up the chart numbers for a Bob Dylan song, resulting in blank spaces instead of numbers. Considering this came from a major publishing house (St. Martin's) and that the book was originally published in the UK two years ago, leaving plenty of time for corrections to this edition, this is nothing short of shameful. The book is a huge letdown and I cannot recommend it. Instead, go back to his original albums, most of which are available on CD, and listen to his music, most of which holds up quite well.
THE MAN'S A MAN FOR `A THAT .......2007-07-24
Wow - a quick read, chokkers with chuckles and nostalgia, patchouli on every page, and topped off here in Amazon by his old mate Si Cutler's review from Dec 2005. If Donovan gets around to a sequel he should include that review, answer it, using a ghost writer or two, if necessary. I must admit that I was amused by the old plucker's penchant to `Big It Up', as they say in the UK. Even Little Richard, Paul McCartney and Liam Gallagher don't come close. Apart from such wildly exaggerated claims which depict The Don as the Lodestone of most popular and classical forms of music - ok I admit a compulsion to slight exaggeration - here was a man who had made it, in the words of John Lennon `to the toppermost of the poppermost', a man who was making buckets of bullion, who enjoyed the company of The Beatles, had meditated, medicated and no doubt levitated with a couple of them and had shown them a finger pickin' trick or two at the ashram, man. Here was the Sunshine Superman who had leapt (in rage?) naked onto the back of an English bobby, yet, who now finds it necessary to resize his image to the grandest proportion. What? Who wouldn't?? Opportunity and motive, mate.
Since the late sixties the fickle focus of fame has eluded Donovan in its spotlight, apart from a flicker or two in the seventies and nineties. By his own account he dropped out after he married Linda, although I recall he made several attempts to jump back in. Despite his undoubted successes in record sales and concerts, plus a reputation as a nice chap, pop history has not been overly kind to this magus of flower power and `bohemian manifesto'. His output in retrospect has been portrayed as fey, foppish, a wee bit silly and indulgent. Other major singer songwriters of his era have fared better in critical review, artists such as Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, (both of whom Don noted were short in stature....), and Chuckling Len Cohen - all three from the `lost tribe of Israel', as distinct from the `lost tribe of Celts' from whence Don came, via the tenements `o Glasgae, och aye. Point is, when you are wielding the pen, metaphorically or actually, you have the power to rewrite history to your satisfaction, sorry....recollection, to replace that smashed bulb in the spotlight, to shine on your crazy diamond.
I noted in another review that `autobiography is a lying art', in the words of that great Aussie Clive James. In the hands of Dylan it is great literary entertainment, and you accept that you are viewing events through Dylan's cinematic perspective i.e. historical accuracy has little to do with it. If you want that you can check his myriad biographers for consensus of opinion, but doubtless that will differ from Bob's version of events. The question here is purpose. Take Don's version of playing for Dylan as recorded in the Pennebaker film 'Don't Look Back'. Don recalls playing his song 'To Sing for You' while His Bobness remained still, showing due respect. Bob returns with Don's requested 'It Ain't Me Babe', which seals what Don experiences as an ancient folk ceremony. I recall Dylan asks `You wrote that?' in somewhat ambiguous tone, then lets loose with `It's All Over Now, Baby Blue'. It's a question of sequence perhaps, recollection, and who has the scissors.
Donovan was not the originator of `world' music, or `Celtic rock', as he claims. These titles stand for what? Indigenous musics, fused or not, change from region to region and folk instruments and music had been previously incorporated into classical, jazz, film scores and pop. Celtic rock? Pogues, Thin Lizzy, U2, Capercaillie, Moving Hearts, Van? Can't hear Donovan there. I'm not sure that he was even a folk musician in the true sense, a relocated Scot singing Woody Guthrie - carrying who's tradition? What he did achieve were some very good songs, some lovely melodies and arrangements, fine vocals and guitar playing and yes some imaginative use of other genres. His arranger John Cameron undoubtedly contributed to a large extent. The Sunshine Superman/Mellow Yellow albums were excellent examples and I was surprised that one of them wasn't included in the recent Mojo top 100 `Records that Changed the World'. Fellow `reincarnated Celtic Bards' The Beatles of course did well, as did Nick Drake, the immortalized poetic singer songwriter, who is cited as an originator of `wispy acoustic folk'.
It is unfortunate that Donovan needed to pump it so hard, to inflate the image once again in this industry albeit where ego is not a dirty word and is in fact a pre requisite for entry. I wonder what happens to that ego, an ego of one who sits near the top, when sales fall and your style of music becomes passé and the music press and new artists ridicule, when old `so called friends' avoid you because to be associated is no longer hip, when people don't recognize you, when the clout and clap wane. A common story in show biz. I wonder if that happened, how you would react? An honest biography would be enjoyable, and doubtless fascinating. Meantime, get on board. Beep beep (didn't Donleavy say that....er also?).
Badly edited/proofread, but it has its momentum.......2007-06-17
Back in the 1960s, Donovan seemed, like the Beatles,
to reinvent himself brilliantly not just with every
album but even with every single. I wonder if now
he will start reinventing himself book by book.
Anyway, the bad news: some of the editing/proofreading is
woeful. Donovan notes at the start that sometimes he replaces
people's real names with made-up names, but here and there
someone is suddenly referred to by a different name which
I suppose is probably a stray instance of the real one.
There are places where the text jumps across a phrase or
number that was evidently intended to be added later; and
most unforgettably, a reference to the comedian Norman Wisdom
is printed as a reference to "Norman wisdom."
Donovan wants to reclaim his place in history. He points
out with no false modestly that he appeared with an electric
guitar before Dylan did, recorded with a sitar and sang "Love,
love, love" before the Beatles did, and inspired a journalist
to coin the term "flower power" when he decorated a stage
with thousands of lilies. He even claims to be the progenitor
of what today is called world music. Donovan's father was a
man of strong populist political views, and he loved to recite
Robert W. Service and other poets. He had Donovan reciting
poetry from an early age, and Donovan says that for that
reason stage fright has never visited him. But while his
father believed in political action of the confrontational
kind, Donovan himself believed in change from within and he
deliberately set about changing hearts and minds by means
of his songs -- successfully enough, he asserts, though he
could progress no further when what he considered "bad drugs"
took hold of the young people at the expense of what he
considered "good drugs."
Some things in Donovan's songs that I had assumed were
there simply because they sounded good and were good Dadaist
fun turn out to have actual significance. The summer before
his career took off, Donovan went off to bum around St. Ives,
which was a haven for bohemian youth, and a bakery was kind
enough to regularly give him day-old rolls that were called
saffron cakes, thus "I'm just mad about saffron," the opening
line of the "Mellow Yellow" song. From saffron cakes washed
down with stolen milk, he went to Britain's notorious 98% tax
bracket in no time, and although he's continued appearing and
recording, he notes that all the work he's best known for took
place between the ages of 18 and 24. He writes of his eclipse
as if it were deliberate, the result of being worn out and
having accomplished his life's work anyway.
Alongside the arcs of his career, his self-styled political-
philosophical mission, and his personal burnout, Donovan also
spins the story of his love, a love somewhat frightened of
itself on both sides, for the former wife of fellow musician
Brian Jones. All these threads combine to keep the momentum
strong, while the career triva strewn throughout add interest.
From one fan to another..........2007-05-19
I have been a Donovan fan since I heard him croon the most wonderful song (and my namesake) "Jennifer Juniper." I knew I was in love. Imagine the surprise that overcame me when I discovered that Donovan had written an autobiography. I just had to have it.
I was not disappointed. This is a fabulous look at the 1960's from a true bohemian point of view. Although some may not agree, he describes his influences and muse without being too pretentious. After all, he did spend a summer in St. Ives strumming his guitar. So what if he met and became friends with the Beatles and Dillon? It was part of his story, and something that we needed to hear.
All in all, this book is another example of self discovery, and a love story that spans decades. Now that I finished this memoir about the Hurdy Gurdy man, I know some of the stories behind the beautiful lyrics that I cannot seem to get out of my head. "I'm just mad about Saffron...."
Enjoyable look back at the 1960's.......2007-04-09
This is a highly enjoyable read even though it has a number of rather annoying moments. The fault lies not with Donovan's writing - he is after all a musician, a lyricist and a poet but he isn't, and doesn't pretend to be, a professional prose writer. The faults actually lie with the severe lack of editorial input. There are typographical errors throughout the book and factual errors in abundance all of which should have been corrected by whoever edited the original manuscript. (Note to editor - Joni Mitchell and Neil Young are Canadian, Steve Winwood is not Steve Windwood and the Hendrix Experience drummer is Mitch Mitchell, not Mitch Miller). Some of the narrative would have benefitted from being smoothed out and there are occasional paragraphs which don't lead anywhere.
The actual story of Donovan's rise to fame neatly encapsulates the rise of the period that reached it's height during 1967's summer of love. He was one of the great innovators of 60's music, the first to incorporate the sitar into his songs, the first to introduce a noticable jazz and world music influence into commercially successful songs and the first to record songs that had a undeniable psychedelic element. Donovan, as other reviewers have pointed out, isn't averse to making sure don't miss this point, which is a shame because other than this he comes across as a very likable and unassuming artist. Perhaps he feels that history gives more credit to others for the rapid advances in music during the years between '65 and '67 - and perhaps it does, but you only have to listen to his recorded output from this period to realise that he was a good year ahead of most of his contemporaries. He has a right to feel that the credit he deserves has not been given.
Read the book, enjoy the story of a truly orginal artist, ignore the faults, go and listen to Donovan's albums and prepare to be amazed.
Average customer rating:
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The Hurdy Gurdy Man
Frederick L Krider
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
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Book Description
Vietnam veteran Tommy Starbuck teaches high school English in a small town in southern Ohio. But his comfortable middle-class reality comes to a screeching halt when his wife abruptly leaves him for an old boyfriend.
Starbuck becomes obsessed with reclaiming some semblance of a normal life, but fate—or some mischievous god—has other plans for him. A series of bizarre events causes him to question his sanity, the world's sanity. As he descends further into a surreal Season of Madness, he blasts an air-raid siren with a rifle on the date of his wedding anniversary. Myron Laszlo, an unkempt, long-haired giant, thrusts himself into Starbuck's life, viewing a bullet-riddled siren as radical and antiestablishment: “Your act of seeming violence was in reality an act of love,” he tells Starbuck who becomes his Hurdy Gurdy Man.
Almost as suddenly as he came into Starbuck's life, Laszlo departs, leaving a display of destruction in his wake. Saddened at the loss of his friend, Starbuck reprioritizes his life and begins working on a novel. After realizing that normalcy can have many interpretations, he decides to meet the seeming madness of Life head-on.
Download Description
Vietnam veteran Tommy Starbuck teaches high school English in a small town in southern Ohio. But his comfortable middle-class reality comes to a screeching halt when his wife abruptly leaves him for an old boyfriend.
Starbuck becomes obsessed with reclaiming some semblance of a normal life, but fate-or some mischievous god-has other plans for him. A series of bizarre events causes him to question his sanity, the world's sanity. As he descends further into a surreal Season of Madness, he blasts an air-raid siren with a rifle on the date of his wedding anniversary. Myron Laszlo, an unkempt, long-haired giant, thrusts himself into Starbuck's life, viewing a bullet-riddled siren as radical and antiestablishment: "Your act of seeming violence was in reality an act of love," he tells Starbuck who becomes his Hurdy Gurdy Man.
Almost as suddenly as he came into Starbuck's life, Laszlo departs, leaving a display of destruction in his wake. Saddened at the loss of his friend, Starbuck reprioritizes his life and begins working on a novel. After realizing that normalcy can have many interpretations, he decides to meet the seeming madness of Life head-on.
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Hurdy Gurdy Man
Donovan Leitch
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The hurdy-gurdy man (Gregg Press children's literature series)
Margery Williams Bianco
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Sam Pig and the Hurdy-Gurdy Man (Adventures of Sam Pig)
Alison Uttley
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Sam Pig and the Hurdy Gurdy Man
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- Best one since Night Mare
- Modern, thrilling and magical
- Another great Xanth novel
- Amusing fantasy
- Xone of Contention
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Xone of Contention: A Xanth Novel (Xanth)
Piers Anthony
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
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ASIN: 0812555236 |
Book Description
New York Times bestselling author of Zombie LoverA wild and wonderful new magical adventure that leads from Xanth to Earth - and back again!A cataclysmic cloud hangs over the enchanted land of land of Xanth. Three courageous couples must venture into the O-Xone, a cybernetic interface between Xanth and our own world, to rescue the enchanted realm from destruction.A xany new fantasy xaga from the Master of Merriment, Xone of Contention is chock-filled with danger, excitement and xillions of laughs!After a year filled with harrowing adventures, all Breanna of the Black Wave and her newfound love Justin Tree want is a little time to get to know each other better, and explore the wonders of the enchanted land of Xanth. But their incipient idyll is soon shattered by a stunning discovery. A climatic catastrophe is causing a massive meltdown that threatens to inundate the ancient forests of Xanth. The only way to avert this dire disaster is to undertake a voyage into the distant mists of the past, to find the moment when this ghastly greenhouse effect began. And the only people who can safely make that journey are those unaffected by Xanth's magic - normal, ordinary humans from our own world.So Breanna and Justin turn for help to the Demon X(A/N)th (a.k.a. Nimby) and his lovely consort Chlorine. Together, they devise a daring plan. Making use of the O-Xone, a magical computer network that links the worlds of Xanth and Earth, Nimby and Chlorine make contact with Pia and Edsel, a young couple from Earth who are working on a Xanth game, and arrange to exchange bodies with them.But an unexpected surprise awaits them on their arrival. The Demon Earth has challenged the Demon Xanth to a deadly duel for the highest possible stakes - dominion over both worlds. While Pia and Edsel range through the farthest reaches of time and space to save Xanth from destruction, Nimby must learn to live by the strange rules of our world, and defeat his ancient enemy without the benefit of his own awesome powers. Brimming with magic, merriment, laughter and love, Xone of Contention is a rousing new fantasy saga in the grand Xanth tradition.
Customer Reviews:
Best one since Night Mare.......2004-05-27
Until reading this book, Night Mare was my favorite Xanth novel. I love the way Mr. Anthony mixed an adventure in modern times with one in the magical land of Xanth. Also, being a diabetic I appreciate how he handled Pia's Diabetes. Most authors would have just mentioned it in passing without telling how this disease actually would affect someone on a quest of that nature. Very suspenseful and well worth reading. Cheer's Piers!!!
Modern, thrilling and magical.......2002-05-15
This book is pretty great on its own, I mean its an exiting story and the typical marrige problems gave it a modern twist. The style was quite interesting, and MAN I LOVE XANTH! However, compared to some of Antony's other novels;it just doesn't measure up to what hes capable of.
Another great Xanth novel.......2002-05-01
I just love Xanth novels. They're light-hearted, easy to read, upbeat, funny, and suspenseful without being really scary. All of the characters, whether good or bad, are sympathetic. This one fits right in.
This novel has some great premises, e.g. that there is something about Xanth's magic that prevents married couples from falling out of love and that, in Xanth, women's panties have a mysterious magic.
I would have given it five stars, but there were some very heavy pun clusters that dragged it down. If you don't know Xanth, you should understand that the magic of Xanth is largely based on puns. I'm not the world's biggest pun fan, but still some the punning is a lot of fun. In this book, though, there were sections where you just hit one pun after another and it was pretty rough going. I like it better when there is just a light sprinkling of puns.
Another slight problem is name dropping of familiar characters from earlier books. There have been enough books, now, that it's really hard to keep track of all the characters. Maybe there should be a little chart in each book, tracing the royal family lines, at least, or which characters were introduced in which books.
A good thing about Xanth novels is that each character is presented with a challenge that is suitable for that character's level of accomplishment. The characters have to struggle to win, but the struggle is appropriate to them and makes them grow.
I am not sure I like the Nimby character as much as some of the previous ones. He's just too powerful. It kind of tips the balance toward him too much. P. Anthony does a good job of putting him in situations where he is nevertheless challenged, despite his seemingly overwhelming power. Still, there is something a bit too close to God about Nimby that makes me uncomfortable.
Amusing fantasy.......2001-10-30
This is one of the better Xanth novels to have appeared in recent times. It features the adventures of Mundanes in Xanth, always a good subject for entertaining adventure (for example, "Demons Don't Dream" and "Yon Ill Wind") and the corresponding adventures of a Xanth couple in Mundania. Edsel and Pia, whom readers may remember as supporting cast members in "Demons Don't Dream", agree to visit Xanth as a last resort to save their failing marriage. They exchange bodies with Chlorine and Nimby from Xanth, who desire to visit Mundania. Naturally, both couples run into trouble along the way, and are forced to overcome all sorts of obstacles to find their way back home!
"Xone of Contention" is imbued with Piers Anthony's characteristic sense of humour (some readers may find this a little painful!), but isn't quite as jam-packed with excruciating puns as usual. I always feel that reading one of Anthony's novels gives me a peek into what is occurring in the author's life at the time- for example, Ed's struggles with "Macrohard" on his computer obviously mirror real-life problems! Some of the jokes do get tired after several repetitions; the Adult Conspiracy, for example, has been around for far too long! About time, then, that it got bent (if not broken)- as occurs during the course of the book.
As always in Xanth, there are happy endings for everyone. This fairytale magic may grate with some readers, but I find it rather comforting. Xanth is the land of childhood, where pies grow on trees and nobody ever dies (they just retire gracefully, or drink youth elixir). When the reality of life is just too depressing, you can always retreat to the bookshelf. It's pure escapism, so enjoy it!
Xone of Contention.......2001-08-09
Xone of Contention was a very interesting book, for those of you who appreciate Xanth, you have to read the series from the beginning to really understand what's going on. This book did have a few more puns than normal but that was Piers trying to satisfy all of his fans, aside from that truly a book to read and enjoy!
Book Description
Sci-fi master Theodore Sturgeon wrote stories with power and freshness, and in telling them created a broader understanding of humanity -- a legacy for readers and writers to mine for generations. Along with the title story, the collection includes stories written between 1953 and 1955, Sturgeon's greatest period, with such favorites as "Bulkhead," "The Golden Helix," and "To Here and the Easel."
Customer Reviews:
The Grand Master Returns.......2002-11-23
A memo to NorthAtlantic Books: THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for publishing the collected stories of Theodore Sturgeon. I have been a devoted fan of his (and here I call your attention to the derivation of the word 'fan' from 'fanatic') for more than 40 years now. To see his works available in this fine edition is not only a nostalgic thrill, but a pleasure.
I am such a Sturgeon addict that I find it hard to critcize any of his work negatively. Volume 8 give no reason to do so, but this in not to say that every tale is equal in quality. Superlative levels of creation and craftsmanship can be expected of no writer; but I leave your opinions to be drawn by yourself.
For what comes through this volume is Sturgeon's view of humanity, view of fear and evil in the world (and beyond, of course, but we know that his s-f work is metaphorical for the human condition any way), his incredible optimistic hopes for the success of the human spirit. It's what all his work is infected with, even when he is at his darkest.
If you are acquainted with Theodore Sturgeon, go ahead and splurge in time and funds get in touch with an old friend. If you are unacquainted with him, splurge and make a new friend. You'll not be sorry.
Customer Reviews:
Fr. Albertus is respected for a reason, but I can't gather it from this book.......2007-10-11
This is a very entertaining, beautifully written book that it is difficult to gather much useful information from. Not citing sources is a big problem in many texts of this genre: the reader is expected to rely on the authority of the author, who has a lot to say about "what alchemy is" or "what alchemists think" without referring in detail to exactly where the ideas come from. Frater Albertus did run the important Paracelsus Research society, and is popular among occultists for his book's use for meditational purposes in contemporary "spiritual alchemy"--which I'm not really qualified to comment on (my research focuses on alchemical theologies in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which are not much like what is represented here). Those interested in Jungian alchemy-as-depth-psychology will find much grist for the mill here that seems to correspond to a concrete theoretical intellectual discipline organized around alchemical symbolism, but those who wish to find out more about the chemical processes involved from a scientific or materialist viewpoint will be disappointed and should seek elsewhere.
An Alchemical Cornerstone.......2006-11-05
"The Alchemist's Handbook" by Frater Albertus is the one that started it all. Prior to its publication in 1960 there was almost nothing available in the popular literature regarding actual alchemical practices. Written mainly as a beginner's guide as well as an introduction to the Paracelsus Research Society he would later found, the "Alchemist's Handbook" has guided many on their first steps of the alchemical path. Criticised as being heavy on theory and light on practice, it follows the alchemical injunction of 'theory before practice' and does give enough practical information to begin making spagyric products.
Since the creation and later closing (2000)of the Franco-American alchemical society The Philosophers of Nature there has been an explosion of alchemical information on the Internet, in addition, much of this material has also found its way into print. In 2006 at least three books addressing practical laboratory methods appeared in print, all in some fashion having a connection to Albertus and this slim but important book. One of Albertus' later works, "Praxis Spagyrica Philosophica - Plain and Honest Directions on How to Make the Stone" contains additional information and should also be read, unfortunately it is often out of print.
If you are new to hermeticism and alchemy and would lilke to know a little about practical work, or are seeking foundational steps along the path of the Philosophers, this book is for you.
Practical (Laboratory) Alchemy!.......2006-08-01
Somewhere between the Renaissance and the late Industrial Era, Alchemy changed from an esoteric practice performed practically, in a laboratory environment, to a New Age process by which one changes themselves through meditation and mysticism. All of the ancient texts and grimoires have been construed in this light, now being seen as "blinds", whose real subject was purely spiritual, the whole laboratory process not intended to be taken seriously. Despite the history of the development of modern chemistry, New Agers have bought into this, and the number of texts out there to help the aspiring "spiritual alchemist" in "translating" the ancient grimoires on the subject and their techniques to spiritual practice abound.
This book goes a long way to putting things back the way they were intended. Frater Albertus (one Albert Reidel), who, along with John Reed, is widely regarded as one of the re-discoverers of modern practical alchemy, believes that grimoires say what they mean, and that the techniques within were designed to be practiced, not as metaphors for further practice and techniques. In the extraordinary handbook for the beginner, Reidel illustrates in detail the basic principles of practical (laboratory) alchemy, and describes for the beginner all the things that they will need, both to know and to practice, in order to begin this most fascinating Art and Science.
It is a beginner's book, without doubt but, coupled with Junius's Practical Handbook of Plant Alchemy, it will get the aspiring alchemist pretty far along the path before additional instruction is required. At that point, the alchemist will need to seek out and enroll in the 7-year course (some have done it in less) in Practical Alchemy prepared by Reidel, or wait until Mr. Joseph Lisiewski finishes his summary course based on the same (pull your finger out, Jo!).
Very highly recommended!
As advertised.......2006-03-18
This is a great beginner's book into the art of practical alchemy. It gives advice on how to set up a practical alchemical lab using widely available apparatus, and how to get started with the Lesser Circulation (herbals). Also included is a great overview of the Magnum Opus of alchemy. A must-have on any alchemist's shelf, or for anyone interested in alchemy.
Not for the scientist.......2006-02-24
As it's title says it is a handbook for all things Alchemy and if you're some "Full Metal" Fan (a anime series)please DO NOT READ this book!It's alittle techincal and not for the curious.
p.s.
pick up a book that deals with plant guide for this book.It helps.
Average customer rating:
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The Alchemist's Handbook to Homeopathy
Mary Hardy ,
Dotty Newman , and
Marcy Foley
Manufacturer: Delta K Trust
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Pharmacology
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| Pain Medicine
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| Toxicology
Homeopathy
| Alternative Medicine
| Health, Mind & Body
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ASIN: 0963145223 |
Average customer rating:
- Price emphasises what he has said in other books
- Dynamic Alchemy
- A Blending
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The Alchemist's Handbook
John Randolph Price
Manufacturer: Hay House
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The Jesus Code
ASIN: 1561707473 |
Book Description
You will learn that the whole purpose of the alchemical process is to change our thinking and feeling natures, and move up to a higher frequency in consciousness and see what we want in life, clearing the channels for Spirit and getting us back into the natural order of the universe, where we see infinite possibilities of life.
Customer Reviews:
Price emphasises what he has said in other books.......2002-03-18
They say that the human subconscious must hear a message over and over again until it takes root in the consciousness and becomes a habit. John Randolph Price has put together a nice little tome that really draws, from what I can see, about six or seven of his previous works. It is a nice synopsis book, but if you are like me, and have read and enjoyed Price's work over the years, you realize that he has said it all before and with a little more detail than you can find in this small volume.
Dynamic Alchemy.......2000-10-10
The author of The Jesus Code and fifteen other books has opened for modern eyes another ancient secret formula expressing the eternal paths to self-mastery and co-creation. Price says that conflict and scarcity cannot exist in a universe of love and infinite abundance. So, create your own program for greater joy and fulfillment in life. Realize the power of the mind and the holistic unity of spirit and matter. Allow the Creative Principle to work by dynamically materializing your ideals into the world of form. Price has restored "dynamic alchemy" which began disappearing in the mid-1800's when a particular teaching was promulgated with the specific purpose of proving the objective world was only an illusion. The art of Hermetic Alchemy deals in the mastery of mental forces; the changing of mental vibrations into other vibrations, not changing lead into gold but something that image conveys to our imaginations. We may truly be spirit inhabiting physical bodies, but we do exist temporarily in this material universe. John Randolph Price takes us from the Alchemical Sun to Saturn, and then to Isis, to show us that being prosperous is equivalent to a life of beauty, happiness, and freedom. Burn through to see the eternal truths living in the life of the spirit. Enlightened living comes from working with a spiritual discipline of whatever technique helps you to transcend the physical self and personal ego. Be the Light! Move to the fulfillment of your dreams. Live, enjoy, and prosper!
A Blending.......2000-09-17
This little book is a real treasure of information weaving the archetypal energies into everyday life. If you are a student of Tarot, Astrology and Alice Bailey writings Mr. Price's reflections will allow deeper insights into your own alchemical process.
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The Alchemist's Handbook: Manual for Practical Laboratory Alchemy
Frater Albertus
Manufacturer: Red Wheel Weiser
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0877281815 |
Customer Reviews:
The Alchemists Handbook.......2000-06-10
This particular book, though out-of-print, I consider to be the epitome of the Alchemists work. This work allows the reader to find his or her own way to bridge the gap between regular science and metaphysics. The author makes note of the fact that the Alchemists of the past are todays chemists and the astrologers of the past are todays astronomers. Perhaps with more titles such as this we can make physics out of meta-physics. If you can garner a copy I would highly recommend it for the serious scholar of the meta-sciences.
Product Description
Complete set of five books, all UK editions (the true firsts).
Books:
- The Body of Jonah Boyd : A Novel
- The Collected Jack London: Thirty-Six Stories/Four Complete Novels/a Memoir
- The Collected Writings of Zelda Fitzgerald
- The Dancer Upstairs: A Novel
- The Dirty Pair: Run from the Future
- The Disinherited : A Novel
- The Finishing School
- The Food of the Gods: And How It Came to Earth (Dover Value Editions)
- The Franchiser: A Novel (American Literature (Dalkey Archive))
- The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Everyman's Library Classics & Contemporary Classics)
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