Coyote Morning: A Novel
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • A Tale of Uneasy Neighbors
Coyote Morning: A Novel
Lisa Lenard-Cook
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0826334660

Book Description

One spring morning Alison Lomez watches her daughter, Rachel, wait for the school bus in front of their house when she sees a coyote trot up to the seven-year-old and sit down. This encounter between species is the first of many in Lisa Lenard-Cook's novel of life in Valle Bosque, New Mexico. The village is only a short commute from Albuquerque, but it is home to a healthy population of these adaptable canines as well as a contentious group of humans who disagree vigorously on how to deal with their wild neighbors. Lisa Lenard-Cook introduces us to coyote supporters, coyote haters, and an animal control agent who secretly practices a "catch and release" program.

Anyone who lives in the twenty-first-century West will recognize Lenard-Cook's sharp-eyed portrait of the edgy space between farms and suburbs, old timers and newcomers. But her witty send-up of the environmental issues that vex refugees from city life serves as a powerful and serious means of examining the ways human beings cope with life's mysteries and its inevitable dangers. The complex relations between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters that make up the daily lives of Lenard-Cook's characters will make readers reflect on their own lives and relationship to wildness.

"Reminiscent of the best of Carol Shields and Sue Miller."--Kevin McIlvoy, author of Hyssop

"A lyrical writer."--Dallas Morning News

This story of the conflicts between humans and coyotes reminds us to reflect on our relationship with the natural world.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars A Tale of Uneasy Neighbors.......2004-08-28

This compelling tale begins with a chance meeting, witnessed by a horrified mother, between her seven year old daughter and a coyote. Set in Valle Bosque, a fictional suburb of Albuquerque, this tale will resonate with anyone who has followed the environmental tug of war between developers, would be suburbanites and environmentalists. Anyone who lives in the present day south west will recognize Lisa Lenard-Cook's timely snapshot of the uneasy meeting and mingling of wild lands and suburbs.

Lisa tackles the environmental issues that create enemies and alliances between coyote supporters and the coyote haters. On one hand Coyote Morning is an examination of the efforts individuals make to cope with modern life and the inevitable dangers that result from those efforts. On the other hand Lisa explores the relational dynamic that occurs when people live together in a mysterious and complex world.
Coyote's morning cry: Meditations & dreams from a life in nature
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Coyote's morning cry: Meditations & dreams from a life in nature
    Sharon Butala
    Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Unknown Binding
    ASIN: 0002554305

    Book Description

    Sharon Butala knows that we are all searching, reaching for ways to nurture our soul, define our inner selves and connect with the natural world. In her No. 1 national bestseller, The Perfection of the Morning -- which has been shortlisted for a Governor General's Award and three Saskatchewan Book Awards -- she shared her deeply moving, intimate journey through her inner and outer landscapes. Now she offers wisdom, hope and inspiration for what she calls "soul-building."

    Coyote's Morning Cry is a series of meditations on the meaning of everyday life; the importance of being true to oneself; the inexorable connection between body and soul; the often intangible significance of dreams; and the value of communion with Nature.

    Remarkable for its understanding and written in Sharon Butala's scrupulously honest, luminous style, Coyote's Morning Cry is a beautiful book to read and to give to others, perfect for nature lovers and those seeking inspiration in the simplicity of everyday life.
    Coyote's morning cry: Meditations & dreams from a life in nature
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Coyote's morning cry: Meditations & dreams from a life in nature
      Sharon Butala
      Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000O8MLVO
      Coyotes Morning Cry
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Coyotes Morning Cry
        Sharon Butala
        Manufacturer: Harperperennial
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000O8UCHE

        Sandman Presents, The: Thessaly - Witch for Hire (Sandman Presents)
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • Which witch?
        • Growing on me
        • Slayers R Us
        Sandman Presents, The: Thessaly - Witch for Hire (Sandman Presents)
        Bill Willingham
        Manufacturer: Vertigo
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 140120497X

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Which witch?.......2006-07-17

        One of the more enigmatic characters in the unfathomable world that is Neil Gaiman's "The Sandman," Thessaly has also become one of the most endearing. She is a waifishly cute witch of the bookish, granola variety -- at first glance -- but more of the powerful and ruthless type once you get to know her.

        In "Witch for Hire," Thessaly is saddled with a fetch, a ghost-like being comprising the souls of the many thousands of people killed by the witch over the millennia-long existence. She's also being attacked by a variety of vile beasts, and the fetch is seemingly the cause. Soon, Thessaly finds herself faced with a force of chaos so powerful that it can't be killed. But since failing to best it means dying herself, she's quite motivated to prove the legends wrong.

        The climax of "Witch for Hire" seems a little anticlimatic, to be honest, but the journey getting there is loads of fun. Bill Willingham, creator of the "Fables" series, has taken Gaiman's lead and run with the character, and her development here is spot on. Shawn McManus has illustrated the book with a fable-like gloss that makes even the most disgusting bits -- vomiting frogs, stuffing eyeballs in jars, you know the sort of thing -- look innocent as pink bunnies.

        By Tom Knapp, Rambles.NET editor

        4 out of 5 stars Growing on me.......2005-10-29

        Thessaly is growing on me as a character. It would be interesting to see some stories from her past

        4 out of 5 stars Slayers R Us.......2005-09-16

        Thessaly, the world's most powerful witch, is back in a sequel her tale in Sandman Presents: Taller Tales. Thessaly finds herself fighting a Naga. This is not the first monster she has fought recently. Then Fetch returns and claims that the monsters were sent by him and that they are a monster-slaying team (even if she didn't know it). Now there is one last case but the monster doesn't really exist. Except that it does and it cannot be stopped.

        Thessaly knows the coming monster will be her destruction so she sets accounts right and goes on a quest to discover a way to stop the monster. But everything says the monster can't be stopped. Can Fetch and Thessaly pull a rabbit out of a hat and stop the unstoppable? You will have to read it to find out.

        A very interesting tale told in an unusual way. Dome of the action occurs completely off stage with very little description (a technique that worked well in The Books of Magic). The art is clean and the monster has a Kirby-ish look. I did not feel the story was either dragged out or condensed. It seemed to be told at just the right pace. Quite entertaining.
        The Sandman Presents: Thessaly Witch For Hire
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • Some good stuff here
        • Stories From The Dreaming
        The Sandman Presents: Thessaly Witch For Hire
        Bill Willingham
        Manufacturer: Vertigo
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 1845761944

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Some good stuff here.......2005-03-01

        This droll, witty collection is based -- very loosely and kinda sideways -- on Neil Gaiman's darker "Sandman" series. All the stories are themselves about storytelling, the first being the not entirely trustworthy account by Merv Pumkinhead (Dreamland's janitor) of his exploits in recovering stolen dream-dust and (of course) saving the world in the process. He's a James Bond clone in his own mind, with a bit of Agent 86 thrown in. The second piece, which should appeal to my fellow librarians everywhere, is "The Further Adventures of Danny Nod, Heroic Library Assistant," about the perils of recovering checked-out library books. It's kinda weak, though. The last piece is a catch-all sort of visual narrative FAQ about why dreams work the way they do. But in between is the meat of the book, a four-part yarn centering on the last of the Thessaliad witches, her quest to do unto the ancient death gods of various cultures before they do unto her, and her possible involvement with a nice-looking but ghostly fetch (called Fetch, naturally). On the surface, Thess is a cute, bespectacled college student in pink bunny-slippers and a teddy bear backpack, but underneath she's a cold-blooded survivor who's not afraid of anything. People tend to die around her, innocent civilians included, but that's not (usually) her fault or her problem. Willingham writes a good story and Shawn McManus is a terrific artist of the realist persuasion, just right for this sort of story.

        4 out of 5 stars Stories From The Dreaming.......2003-10-29

        This is a collection of stories by various writers and artists set in the Sandman framework. Each of the stories is quite different.

        First we have a spy thriller staring Pumpkinhead Jack. Is her really a hero or is he just pulling our leg? The answers might be surprising. The most entertaining story of the lot.

        Next we have a tale of a young boy in the Library Corps. He must take his red wagon and retrieve book that were taken out the previous night. The weakest of the stories and far too cartoonish for my taste.

        Next we have a three part story of a powerful witch who is the target of a group of death gods. She is joined by a Fetch (a type of ghost). Nice plotting and shows promise of further tales.

        Finally we get a short collection of loosely-joined scenes meant to answer dream questions we were afraid to ask. This has its ups and down but is generally OK.

        A reasonable collection that will hopefully be followed by more in a similar vein. We shall see.

        The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Third Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)
        Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
        • Great book - Just didn't like the font
        • Dozois' Usual Suspects
        • The Preeminent Science Fiction Anthology
        • looks good, but has stories included in other collections
        • Not One of the Best, But a Few Gems
        The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Third Annual Collection (Year's Best Science Fiction)

        Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        ASIN: 0312353340
        Release Date: 2006-07-11

        Book Description

        In the heart of the new millennium, worlds beyond our imagination have opened up, blurring the line between life and art. Embracing the challenges and possibilities of cyberspace, genetics, the universe, and beyond, the world of science fiction has become a porthole into the realities of tomorrow. In The Year's Best Science Fiction Twenty-third Annual Collection, our very best SF authors explore ideas of a new world with such compelling stories as: 'Beyond the Aquila Rift': Critically acclaimed author Alastair Reynolds takes readers to the edge of the universe, where no voyager has dared to travel before---or so we think. 'Comber': Our world is an ever-changing one, and award-winning author Gene Wolfe explores the darker side of our planet's fluidity in his own beautiful and inimitable style. 'Audubon in Atlantis': In a world not quite like our own, bestselling author Harry Turtledove shows us that there are reasons some species have become extinct. The twenty-nine stories in this collection imaginatively take us far across the universe, into the very core of our beings, to the realm of the gods, and the moment just after now. Included here are the works of masters of the form and of bright new talents, including:Neal Asher, Paolo Bacigalupi, Stephen Baxter, Elizabeth Bear, Chris Beckett, Dominic Green, Daryl Gregory, Joe Haldeman, Gwyneth Jones, James Patrick Kelley, Jay Lake and Ruth Nestvold, Ken MacLeod, Ian McDonald, Vonda N. McIntyre, David Moles, Derryl Murphy, Steven Popkes, Hannu Rajaniemi, Alastair Reynolds, Robert Reed, Chris Roberson, Mary Rosenblum, William Sanders, Bruce Sterling, Michael Swanwick, Harry Turtledove, Peter Watts, Liz Williams, and Gene Wolfe. Supplementing the stories are the editor's insightful summation of the year's events and a lengthy list of honorable mentions, making this book both a valuable resource and the single best place in the universe to find stories that stir the imagination and the heart.

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars Great book - Just didn't like the font.......2007-05-14

        As I said in the title...a really nice collection of SF; different types
        and styles, all good. Lots of stuff for a great price. I just didn't like
        the typeface they used; that is obviously a personal preference.
        As usual, Amazon service is tops.

        2 out of 5 stars Dozois' Usual Suspects .......2006-09-27

        Dozois prefers the long short story or what might be called the condensed novel, and most of these stories are in that vein. Very few stories here are short. Dozois also prefers stories that are more about millieu and atmosphere rather than stories filled with metaphor or operate on some kind of ironic level (as did the stories in the old Wollheim/Carr anthologies). Perhaps this is due to the kind of science fiction being written today: it's mostly about predictable futures or predictable alien cultures, long on atmosphere and short on story. Many stories, in fact, don't really get going (the McDonald, the Reed, the Gerrold, the Turtledove) for several pages. (I was halfway through the McDonald before I had any understanding what the story was about, let alone what its conflict was--the story had almost no dramatic tension).

        And there are a lot of lost opportunities. Robert Reed's story involves a ship larger than several worlds, but ends up becoming a mere - and unexciting - detective story. The trope or conceit of living in a HUGE space ship is lost both on Reed and the protagonist. What would human life be like if one were traveling the rim of the galaxy in a giant spaceship? Wouldn't that DO something to you? Well, apparently not. The story becomes just another murder mystery that needs to be solved. The same is true of the David Gerrold story. It's a time travel story involving "timequakes" in the L.A. region (brilliantly realized by a man who's lived there all his life) but becomes devolves into a rather sordid homoerotic detective story in the end (with an ending that's so cliched that I'm surprised Gerrold let himself get away with it). And some of the stories are plain unpleasant, such as the Vonda McIntyre story. How it ended up here I have no idea. Another odd choice is the Alastair Reynolds story, "Along the Aquila Rift". I'm surprised that ANY editor published it: imagine a story told in the first person where, in the end, the person forgets what he has just told you. As a creative writing teacher, I would NEVER have a student tell a story in the 1st person and have it end: "And then I died" or "And then I was given amnesia". One can justifiably wonder how the heck the story got written down in the first place. How did it appear on the printed page? (Alan Brennert, an otherwise notable writer, won a Nebula years ago by writing a story told by a ghost. I guess fantasy and science fiction writers can do things that mainstream writers cannot. Or perhaps everyone's taking their cues from John Gardner's GRENDEL wherein the monster, telling his tale, is, as we all know, killed in the end. I would let Gardner get away with the conceit, not so Mr. Reynolds. I want my money back!)

        This anthology really is a collection of stories that Dozois would have published had he seen them all for Asimov's Science Fiction. To his credit, he has culled many of these from internet and other non-traditional publishing sources. But mostly these stories weren't a lot of fun, and most took a lot of patience to wade through. I did like the Wolfe story; but, again, the conceit of the story gets lost in a twist ending that can only be appreciated if one has endured a bad marriage and suffered inklings of spousal revenge. I miss Donald Wollheim and Terry Carr and Judith Merrill and Frederick Pohl and Groff Conklin. What happened to stories that were fun? Where is the sense of wonder here? Yes, there are dazzling depictions of India in the future and the wonders of genetic engineering and nanotechnology, but, really, who cares? What is present in this volume are stories written by the very best we have. But they're like weightlifters with these enormous muscles lifting really tiny weights. Is it because they have to crank out two stories a month and three novels a year in order to make a living? Find an old anthology edited by Damon Knight called THE DARK SIDE. It's out there somewhere. It's far better than these anthologies--collections that suggest a paucity of imagination in our field that's been around now for about twenty years. These people, and this editor, can do MUCH better than this.

        5 out of 5 stars The Preeminent Science Fiction Anthology.......2006-09-04

        I was especially anxious for this year's volume because I recently read Mr. Dozois' Amazon Short in which he describes how he goes about preparing his annual best-of volume and in which he recommends that the volume be read cover to cover without skipping through the various stories. In this my twentieth year of reading Mr. Dozois' annual volume, I found that it truly does make a difference to read the stories sequentially as it gave the volume a much more powerful impact.

        But let me take a stab at why the book represents more than the sum of its parts: Following Mr. Dozois' absolutely encyclopedic summary of events in the science-fiction world, we first encounter a story by Ian McDonald that treats some timely themes of Artificial Intelligence and the effects of governmental limitations on technology that mirror current attempts to limit internet access. This story has an upbeat and hopeful ending. The theme of the triumph of good over bad continues with Paolo Bacigalupi's story of a dystopic future in which farming is controlled by multi-national corporations--again, a type and shadow of fears concerning control of technological development by virtue of intellectual property rights.

        Dozois follows two clearly thematically chosen stories with a first-rate Alastair Reynolds story about a future sailor who gets a bit more than he bargained for that is just excellent science fiction. It is followed by Daryl Gregory's piece about the effects of a future designer drug, an excellent piece of technological extrapolation.

        Next are four stories that are surprisingly similar in that they primarily focus on the impact of events upon an individual character: Jay Lake & Ruth Nestvold's superbly rendered story of an eccentric billionaire who develops star travel on his own with fateful consequences to his wife is followed by a Michael Swanwick story about time manipulation and its effect upon the person who understands the ultimate fate of his timeline. Robert Reed's story of a character making his way across the galaxy in a gigantic ship has much to say about the power of one individual to do good. The next story likewise presents Ken MacLeod's tale of a missionary who desires to bring Christianity to an alien lifeform.

        Bruce Sterling's story of the Blemmye brings a new perspective to the crusades and thoughfully explores the question of whether our history is everything we believe it to be is followed by a dystopic future-vision of a world destroying itself; William Sanders' Amba. Just as Amba deals with unforseen consequences, so too does Mary Rosenblum's story about a world in which any information is available for a price, Chris Beckett's vision of a world that turns inward to the ultimate rejection of all that is corporeal, and David Gerrold's exploration of the unintended environmental impacts of time travel in Southern California.

        He changes gears with a solid work by Stephen Baxter, who has the audacity to present a story of humanity spanning the very life of our Earth but which subtly highlights the interconnection between our civilzation and our environment--albeit on a geologic level. This is followed by a unique future vision by Vonda McIntyre in which humanity exists in a symbiotic relationship with its own technology. Dozois then turns to alternative histories--Gene Wolfe's world adrift and Harry Turtledove's portrayal of Audubon's search for unique birds on a unique continent. These are followed by an utterly unique story by Hannu Rajaniemi about ultimate power and a similar story by Steven Popkes about how the health benefits bestowed by nanobots may come with a price that is not entirely welcome.

        Dozois is obviously a believer in saving the best for last because he then throws in two stories that were my personal favorites: Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck by Neal Asher--a story about a hunting expedition gone awry and Zima Blue by Alastair Reynolds which was in my estimation worth the entire volume just by itself, a story about what is truly important. Unfortunately, anything that followed these two stories was bound to suffer by comparison: David Moles' story about a planet where males inexplicably die yet the women are doing just fine; Dominic Green's sobering tale of high technology gone wrong in Africa; Chris Robertson's alternate history in which China is the superpower; and Gwyneth Jones unnecessarily profane and graphic story about space travel.

        Peter Watts and Darryl Murphy offer a story about the unintended consequences of creating a conscious program that has a searing ending followed by a likewise emotional story by Elizabeth Bear about the power of expression. The volume ends with a James Patrick Kelly novella that harkens back to Thoreau and asks whether it might be better to live simply and to forego the benefits of modern technology.

        I'm convinced that the best way to experience Mr. Dozois' efforts is to start at the beginning and read straight through--despite the fact that the volume presents many different stories and styles, there is an impact carefully designed by the editor that requires this approach. Highly recommended.

        4 out of 5 stars looks good, but has stories included in other collections.......2006-08-22

        This books looks real good, it is very large and weighty. I ordered it specifically to get the Alastair Reynolds story in it, after reading about the story online. Only to find out a day after a received it, that the story was already in another SF Best of book that I already had, but did not read yet, until after getting this one. Anyways, it looks good and I would recommend it to others with interest in such material.

        3 out of 5 stars Not One of the Best, But a Few Gems.......2006-08-06

        The Little Goddess, by Ian McDonald. Rich atmosphere adds weight to thin plot as artificial intelligence complicates life in 2034 India. C

        The Calorie Man, by Paolo Bacigalupi. Even when Earth's energy sources are reduced to plants, Big Business casts its sinister shadow--is all hope lost? Superb speculation with a timely message. A

        Beyond the Aquila Rift, by Alastair Reynolds. Humans use abandoned alien technology to comb the Milky Way, but as one ship captain learns the hard way, what they really need is an operator's manual. A

        Second Person, Present Tense, by Daryl Gregory. A family tries to heal after the daughter's strange drug overdose, but astounding issues of self-identity and consciousness get in the way. Heartrending and mind bending! A+

        The Canadian Who Came ... by Jay Lake and Ruth Nestvold. An anomaly at the bottom of a remote British Columbia lake suggests a missing space explorer may still be around. B

        Triceratops Summer, by Michael Swanick. Dinosaurs cause trouble for humans, but not in the usual way. C

        Camouflage, by Robert Reed. Snappily written but routine whodunit aboard an immense space ship full of immortals. C

        A Case of Consilience, by Ken MacLeod. Courageous or crazy? A space reverend makes first contact with sentient mud. C

        The Blemmye's Strategem, by Bruce Sterling. A monstrous master of the occult stirs up Hell during the Crusades. Dank, Medieval characters and atmosphere. B

        Amba, by William Sanders. Against the dismal backdrop of global warming, adventurers live by their wits in sunny Siberia. Near-future speculation seems too true to be good. B

        Search Engine, by Mary Rosenblum. When computers record your every move, tracking a suspect is easy. Figuring out what to do with him--a bit harder. C

        Piccadilly Circus, by Chris Beckett. A poignant story set in a desolate future London where virtual reality is more real than reality, except for a few lingering old souls. B

        In the Quake Zone, by David Gerrold. Brokeback Chinatown. Sexual politics under cover of fiction. D

        La Malcontenta, by Liz Williams. The maids on a mystical medieval Mars are merrily minus men, mostly. C

        The Children of Time, by Stephen Baxter. Bold predictions about the fate of man over the next seven hundred million years are made stirringly immediate and personal. A

        Little Faces, by Vonda N. McIntyre. Another all female society, this one aboard organic ships, grim, and feuding. C

        Comber, by Gene Wolfe. Pithy tale of a man who sees trouble ahead, literally, for his geologically unstable city. A

        Audubon in Atlantis, by Harry Turtledove. In a barely alternate world, the famed naturalist combs Atlantis for a rare and most peculiar bird. B

        Deus Ex Homine, by Hannu Rajaniemi. This one is about artificial intelligence implants, but I need one myself to make sense of it. NR

        The Great Caruso, by Steven Popkes. Puff piece about an old woman who smokes her way to stardom, thanks to a cigarette SNAFU. Finally, some (much needed) humor in this collection! A

        Softly Spoke the Gabbleduck, by Neal Asher. Unsavory adventure seekers hunt off-limits prey--and their guide--on an exotic planet where danger lurks everywhere. Fast paced and exciting. A+

        Zima Blue, by Alistair Reynolds. In the far future, a mysterious artist reveals his secrets to a spunky journalist. One of the most memorable characters I can remember, plus fresh thinking on the meaning of work, art, and self. A+

        Planet of the Amazon Women, by David Moles. I'm neither smart nor schooled enough to make heads or tails of this one. NR

        The Clockwork Atom Bomb, by Dominic Green. Weapons of mass destruction hijinx in a politically complex future Africa. C

        Gold Mountain, by Chris Roberson. Zzz.

        The Fulcrum, by Gwyneth Jones. Zzzz.

        Mayfly, by Peter Watts and Derryl Murphy. Zzzzz.

        Two Dreams on Trains, By Elizabeth Bear. In a submerged and subdued future New Orleans, a poor boy sandwiched between a rock and a hard place tries to make his mark. B

        Angel of Light, by Joe Haldeman. Slice of life about a man in the new Chrislam world order who discovers an odd cultural relic in his basement. B

        Burn, by James Patrick. Struggles of a young firefighter on planet Walden, where men fight with mixed success for the simple life in a remote corner of a culturally and technologically complex galaxy. C
        The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-third Annual Collection
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-third Annual Collection
          Gardner (Editor) Dozois
          Manufacturer: St Martin's Griffin
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: B000NT16A6

          The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (Oxford World's Classics)
          Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
          • a classic text.
          • Surprisingly Modern
          • Incredible. Will change the way you see, well, everything.
          • religion began from shared feelings of group security...
          • Still worth reading
          The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (Oxford World's Classics)
          Emile Durkheim
          Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback

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          ASIN: 0192832557

          Book Description

          'If religion generated everything that is essential in society, this is because the idea of society is the soul of religion.' In The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912), Emile Durkheim set himself the task of discovering the enduring source of human social identity. He investigated what he considered to be the simplest form of documented religion - totemism among the Aborigines of Australia. Aboriginal religion was an avenue 'to yield an understanding of the religious nature of man, by showing us an essential and permanent aspect of humanity'. The need and capacity of men and women to relate socially lies at the heart of Durkheim's exploration, in which religion embodies the beliefs that shape our moral universe. The Elementary Forms has been applauded and debated by sociologists, anthropologists, ethnographers, philosophers, and theologians, and continues to speak to new generations about the origin and nature of religion and society. This new, lightly abridged edition provides an excellent introduction to Durkheim's ideas.

          Customer Reviews:

          4 out of 5 stars a classic text........2007-06-01

          A book of this kind needs no review; everybody intrerested in sociology of religion needs this text as one of the fundamental views of sociological reflection on the meaning of religion.

          5 out of 5 stars Surprisingly Modern.......2006-10-07

          I've read Suicide and Division of Labor and was interested in a historical sort of way. Elementary Forms is positively shocking. Pages 8-18 and 433-48 will change your life. In those 25 or so pages he outlines a sociology of knowledge that presages the works of Mead, Berger, and the phenomenologists. He's 50 years ahead of Merleau-Ponty's great Phenomenology of Perception which treads over much of the same material. The rest of EFRL is interesting as well but if you read nothing else of Durkheim's read those pages. They completely reinvigorated the stuffy "father of sociology" I had known.

          5 out of 5 stars Incredible. Will change the way you see, well, everything........2006-01-16

          I read this for a class- I study comparative religion (not anthro or sociology). Our professor asked us at the end of the semester when we had watershed-type moments in the class and people kept going back to Durkheim. It's hard not to. Ok, the guy didn't quite get it right on some things but don't get too bogged down in some of the stuff he misses or that sometimes he sounds very colonialist when he talks about "primitive religion", because when he gets it right he is brilliant brilliant brilliant.

          His points about religion are really revolutionary. Even today after "we've come so far" (wait, does that make Durkheim the "primitive" now?). You can get rid of the idea that we made up delusions to comfort ourselves from nature (unless you're in Freud's camp, like a lot of atheists I know) or that religion necessarily has to be about God, gods or goddesses (like my Christian mom). You can even throw away the idea that "the West" is becoming less religious, because as he explains, religion is a part of our humanity and is tied to the fact that we're social beings. Religion is "eminently social" and I'd explain it here but Durkheim does a much better job than I could- even in translation.

          5 out of 5 stars religion began from shared feelings of group security..........2005-05-16

          In this book Durkheim examines the origins of religion. He explains that religion developed from the collective feelings of security we gain from living in a group, and that these feelings are very powerful and important to us. Early tribes passed these feelings onto which ever object they were close to or the most frequent object in their area at the time of experiencing the emotions. The object could include a plant, vegetable or an animal, which would then be represented in a carving of stone or wood and then worshipped. This for Durkheim is the beginning of totemism, the first religion. He follows on to discuss how our first religion gave us an understanding of the world around us, our conception of space and time. For Durkheim 'the framework of our intelligence' is made up of the concepts of space, time, numbers and our existence, and they were born 'in religion'.

          What emerges is no mere dry academic treatise, but an absolutely fascinating journey through topics such as the rain dances of the Pueblo Indians, the finger exercises of monkeys, and the hallucinations of alcoholics. Durkheim, of course, is the father of modern sociology and anthropology and even though sociology and anthropology have rejected many of his theories over the years he is still worth reading because the state of modern sociology and anthropology is polluted with all sorts of assumptions that are mostly politically correct eather than factually correct. The predominant belief that "we have come a long way since 1912" is completely misleading. Even though the fundamental assumption upon which Durkheim's work is based, that aboriginal practices are religion at its most basic and primitive, is no longer accepted as necessarily true - this theory was also current in Durkheim's time and he also discusses it over several chapters and effectively refutes it.

          Durkheim's writing is suprisingly easy to read and very enjoyable. His examination of early societies gives much insight into their lives and how they understood the world to be. It's a fascinating read for anybody interested in human nature and early cultures. This is one of the three books that impacted me the most in my life.

          5 out of 5 stars Still worth reading.......2003-11-06

          Durkheim, of course, is a father of modern sociology and anthropology. Even though sociology and anthropology have rejected many of his theories over the years he is still worth reading. I think that many of his ideas can still provide useful ways to think about society and culture; this work may be a bit out-of-date but it's definitely not obsolete. Either way, anyone interested in sociology or anthropology should read this work, if only to get a better understanding of where these disciplines have been. Fields' new translation gives this old work new clothing and is well worth the investment.
          The elementary forms of the religious life (Free Press paperbacks)
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            The elementary forms of the religious life (Free Press paperbacks)
            Emile Durkheim
            Manufacturer: Free Press
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Unknown Binding

            AnthropologyAnthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books | Cultural | Ethnobotany | Ethnology | Evolution | General | History & Philosophy | Physical | Primitive | Religious | Sociobiology
            CultureCulture | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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            ASIN: B0006BMIM6
            Las Formas Elementales De La Vida Religiosa/ The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (Ciencias Sociales / Social Science)
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              Las Formas Elementales De La Vida Religiosa/ The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (Ciencias Sociales / Social Science)
              Emile Durkheim
              Manufacturer: Alianza Editorial Sa
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback

              GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
              Tribal & EthnicTribal & Ethnic | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
              SociologySociology | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
              SpanishSpanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
              SociologíaSociología | Ciencias Sociales | No-Ficción | Libros en español | Formats | Books | Comunidades | Cultura | General | Grupos Sociales | Historia | Matrimonio y Familia | Mujeres | Situaciones Sociales | Teoría Social | Urbana
              GeneralGeneral | Religión y espiritualidad | Libros en español | Formats | Books
              Otras PrácticasOtras Prácticas | Religión y espiritualidad | Libros en español | Formats | Books | Masonería | Misticismo | Ritual
              SociologíaSociología | Estudios Religiosos | Religión y espiritualidad | Libros en español | Formats | Books
              ASIN: 8420655325
              The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
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                The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                E. Durkheim
                Manufacturer: HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                SociobiologySociobiology | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 0042000300
                Epistemology and Practice: Durkheim's The Elementary Forms of Religious Life
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                  Epistemology and Practice: Durkheim's The Elementary Forms of Religious Life
                  Anne Warfield Rawls
                  Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Hardcover

                  GeneralGeneral | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                  GeneralGeneral | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                  Social TheorySocial Theory | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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                  ASIN: 052165145X

                  Book Description

                  Anne Warfield Rawls argues that, although Durkheim's The Elementary Forms of Religion is the crowning achievement of his sociological accomplishments, it has been consistently misunderstood. Rather than a work on primitive religion or the sociology of knowledge, Rawls asserts that Durkheim's analysis represents an attempt to establish a unique epistemological basis for the study of sociology and moral relations. Based on detailed analysis of the primary text, this book will be an important and original contribution to contemporary debates on social theory and philosophy.
                  The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                  Average customer rating: Not rated
                    The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                    Emile Durkheim; Joseph Ward Swain (Translator)
                    Manufacturer: Macmillan Publishing Company
                    ProductGroup: Book
                    Binding: Paperback
                    ASIN: B000K02VKM
                    The Elementary Forms of the New Religious Life (International Library of Sociology (Paperback))
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                      The Elementary Forms of the New Religious Life (International Library of Sociology (Paperback))
                      Roy Wallis
                      Manufacturer: Routledge & Kegan Paul Books Ltd
                      ProductGroup: Book
                      Binding: Hardcover

                      CulturalCultural | Anthropology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                      CultureCulture | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
                      GeneralGeneral | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                      Comparative ReligionComparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
                      ASIN: 0710098901
                      The Elementary Forms of The Religious Life
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                        The Elementary Forms of The Religious Life
                        Emile DURKHEIM
                        Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
                        ProductGroup: Book
                        Binding: Hardcover
                        ASIN: B000MX07IA
                        The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                        Average customer rating: Not rated
                          The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                          Emile Durkheim
                          Manufacturer: Free Press/Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
                          ProductGroup: Book
                          Binding: Paperback
                          ASIN: B000O8AG20
                          The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                          Average customer rating: Not rated
                            The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
                            Emile (Joseph Swain, Tr.) Durkheim
                            Manufacturer: Free Press
                            ProductGroup: Book
                            Binding: Paperback
                            ASIN: B000H1WZ2S

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