More Than Enough: A Novel

Book Description

After a gang of neighborhood boys attack Steven and his sister Jenny and dislocate Stevens shoulder, the Parkers live well on the resulting settlement money. Their dream of success seem fulfilled. But their period of high living soon ends, and each family member grasps at what they want most. Jenny, the 14 year-old baby of the family, longs for normalcy, a state she tries to achieve in her Mormon friends religion and life. A stubborn optimist, Stevens father clings to his hopes of success even as his more practical wife tires of his dreams and longs for stability. For Steven, nothing is more important than keeping his teetering family together.

Customer Reviews:

An unrelenting look at a family at the boiling point.......2005-09-06

Steven Parker's family moves to Salt Lake City as his father's last chance to improve their lot. They live a rich fantasy life that covers up the harshness of their poverty in the middle of an affluent city until Steven's arm is yanked out of its socket by a boy who objects to his lack of belief in God. Billy, Steven's dad, has not paid the health insurance bills, so Steven has to be driven in the snow clear across town to the local charity hospital. When Billy negotiates a settlement with the family of the boy who beat up Steven, the temporary affluence the money causes pushes the family over the edge.

One day, when Steven's mother witnesses a death at the elder care facilty where she performs menial work so the family will never be without health insurance again, the same day Billy's grades at the school where he is supposed to be training for a second career come in as failures, she gets fed up, and she acts decisively to break the family apart. A single day takes up two-thirds of the book as the scenario is played out, leaving her and her daughter safe and financially secure and Billy and Steven alone together with no prospects.

This book has a lot to say about teenage angst, the paper-thin veneer of many Americans' affluence and the culture shocks that can still affect us in this seemingly homogenous society. Ultimately, some of the reactions, particularly Steven's, seemed a little contrived and overly dramatic, and the reactions to him appeared unrealistic. But Fulton is a superb writer and the Salt Lake he recreates is true to life.

A well-written but ultimately unfulfilling book.......2004-07-07

First of all, let me say that Fulton can flat-out write. He does an absolutely wonderful job of capturing the nuances of human behavior while portraying a family in crisis. Why, then, didn't I give this book five stars? Because I, too, wanted some sort of redemption for its characters, and Fulton never offered it. The conflict between its characters was not resolved in a way that offered any real hope for its protagonist. As a result, I found this to be a very bleak, unfulfilling novel.

a breathtaking novel.......2003-06-25

Wow. This is the devastating portrayal of the break-up of a marriage and the collapse of a family. I read this on a flight from NY to LA and was near tears for part of the trip. The author has uncanny insight into human nature and an astonishing ability to translate emotions into words.

Family togetherness?.......2003-03-05

John Fulton explores the breakdown of the dysfunctional family so thoroughly and so intimately in this book that while I was reading I often felt the embarrassment of one who is caught snooping. Steven Parker and his sister Jenny are caught in the downward spiral of their parents hopes and regrets about the lives they've chosen. Living in the, primarily Mormon, society of Salt Lake City is making it difficult for Billy Parker, the father, to pass on his strong disbelief in God to his children. Jenny makes friends with a girl on the cheerleading squad and begins memorizing the Ten Commandments, while Steven deals with the after-effects of being bullied by some rich neighborhood brats. Mary Parker carries the financial burden of her husbands lack of work ethics and swears every time Billy goes a little nuts that she's taking the kids and leaving.

What captivated me about this story is the way that Fulton dissects this falling-out so carefully... taking the length of a book to narrate the couple of months it takes for this family's inevitable disintegration. This kind of information gives birth to gossip in the real world, but here we get the whole, messy, painfully honest story. While the ending did leave me feeling slightly depressed, it is also very realistic and, therefore, leaves that small crack of hope open. This is a wonderful story written by an author who truly knows his characters.

Falling apart was never this fun.......2003-01-06

This is a lovely first novel which follows a Salt Lake City family as it implodes. My favorite part of the novel is the extended section that takes place over a day, including some hilarious and harrowing forays into a diner and a nursing home. The adolescent protagionist's crack-up is as compelling as Holden Caulfield's--a claim I don't make lightly. I hope this wild and wooly novel finds the wide readership it deserves.

Born again! (once was more than enough!) as a United States Marine!: A Korean War novel

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Born again! (once was more than enough!) as a United States Marine!: A Korean War novel
William Gibson White
Manufacturer: JenComp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

The stunning sequel to Elizabeth Kerner's Song in the Silence, The Lesser Kindred continues the story of Lanen Kaelar, a young woman who embarked on a search for the great dragons of legend and discovered not only the reality of the myth but her own true love. The course of happiness is not an easy one, however, and Lanen must make some hard choices. Her decisions could spell the salvation of an entire race--but at the cost of all she holds dear. AUTHORBIO: Elizabeth Kerner lives in Scotland. The Lesser Kindred is her second novel.

Customer Reviews:

Great "middle" book.......2007-06-21

This is the second book in the current trilogy about Lanen Kaeler. It is great at being one of those "middle" books in trilogies that tend to not be as good as the rest of the series. Though I think it is the weakest of the three, it is still a great read and you shouldn't miss it. The beginning of the book about drove me out of my mind with all the mushy love talk, and I mean mushy. It goes on for quite awhile, but if you can make it past that the book gets much better. I don't think Kerner has quite mastered the art of going back and talking about things that happened in the previous book. She is almost reciting it to you, rather than the characters telling you here and there what you have missed and need to know about the preceding story. If you can get past the first couple chapters of this book, the rest of the book is excellent!

The Lesser of Kerner's work.......2006-05-05

The story and characters of this series are awesome, Kerner's writing style is top-notch, and when these books reach a climax they are nearly impossible to put down. However, in this second book of the series, Kerner has failed to impress. The first 3/4 of the book is spent recapping the first book or wallowing in unimportant details that don't progress the plot at all. Only in the last hundred pages or so does the story really pick up steam and some action finally come into play. I really wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people start reading this book and quit half-way through (which is not what I reccomend, because the last bit of this one is extremely exciting).

As far as the multiple first-person narrative writing style, I think it is a cool idea and works very well in most regards. It allows for an intimate look into all of the characters minds, providing a deeper understanding of all that happens. However, because the story is told as if the characters have written the book to tell a story that happened long ago, it doesn't really make sense that a character could be telling his story right up until the point when he dies. That's a petty complaint though, and it doesn't take away from the story.

I can't wait to read the last book, this one sets it up for a spectacular ending.

Do not buy this book w/o the sequel.......2005-02-20

While the first book (Song in the Silence) had a satisfying conclusion w/ just enough loose ends to make the TOR marketing department happy, The Lesser Kindred might as well have ended mid sentence. "Book" is too long a work to describe it, I would call it a "bo" and can only assume the "ok" will come in Redeeming the Lost. Of course, as of 2/20/05, it is only available in hardcover and I refuse to reward TOR w/ my $17.65 for such a blatant disregard of the reader.

If, however, you are reading this once all the books are available in paperback... together they form a light story w/ an interesting take on dragons, people and demons. If I had been able to get Redeeming the Lost right away (in paperback) I probably wouldn't have been as irritaed by the format and would go on to read the rest of the story b/c it has been fun so far.

Awesome! More then five stars! Summer Paulus.......2004-11-13

When I read the first book I thought it was good, but when I read the secound book, Wow, I could not get enough! The first book was filled with action, drama, and romance. This one was filled with more action, drama, and a whole lot more romance! Now that I put the book down, well I'm waiting for the last book to come out in paperback. And now that I must wait, I'm tapping my pencil and chewing on my finger nails, I can't wait! But I'm disapointed because the books have to end so soon. Elizabeth Kerner is so talented I want more! I'm writting my own books and look up to Elizabeth as an idal, I'm a huge fan of her books. And now that the books are ending so soon, I don't know what to look for next. I just hope she will write another series that will be as good as this one. I want to be a famouse Author and working on a book right now called Elegant Sea.

I love this book!!!! (and you will too!) :).......2003-10-12

The Lesser Kindred is the breath-taking sequel to Song in the Silence, continuing the story of Lanen Kaeler and her born again husband. Kerner writes with the same resonance as in her first book, and gives the reader a deeper look into the wonderfully vivid characters and their all too fragile world Kolmar. Starting out precisely where her last book left off helps the reader get into the book all the more quickly. Do not be put off by the repetive first chapters of the newly wedded couple, the story takes off soon enough. As with the first book, The Lesser Kindred weaves several plots seamlessly together, leaving the reader enthralled and wanting more. The final book in the trilogy, tentatively titled Redeeming the Lost, is due out the summer of 2004. I know that anyone who reads this book will be marking their calenders for this coming summer. Song in the Silence and Reedeming the Lost are honestly two of the best fantasy books out there!

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The Lesser Kindred
Elizabeth Kerner
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTID4C

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Takin' it to the streets: snack makers build brand awareness via sampling.(Lesser Evil) : An article from: Westchester County Business Journal
David Toth
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Westchester County Business Journal, published by Thomson Gale on February 20, 2006. The length of the article is 1765 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Takin' it to the streets: snack makers build brand awareness via sampling.(Lesser Evil)
Author: David Toth
Publication: Westchester County Business Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: February 20, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 45 Issue: 8 Page: 1(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

1890. Translations by A.W. Evans, Lafcadio Hearn, and Mrs. Wilfrid Jackson. Anatole France is the pen name of Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault, French novelist, poet, critic and winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1921. This volume contains three of his novels: Penguin Island, The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard and The Revolt of the Angels. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.

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Heavenly Coup
Revolt of the French?
one of my favorite novels
Not your ordinary plot

The Revolt Of The Angels
Anatole France
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1419180517

Book Description

"God, conquered, will become Satan; Satan, conquering, will become God. May the fates spare me this terrible lot; I love the Hell which formed my genius. I love the Earth where I have done some good, if it be possible to do any good in this fearful world where beings live but by rapine. Now, thanks to us, the god of old is dispossessed of his terrestrial empire, and every thinking being on this globe disdains him or knows him not.

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God, conquered, will become Satan; Satan, conquering, will become God. May the fates spare me this terrible lot; I love the Hell which formed my genius. I love the Earth where I have done some good, if it be possible to do any good in this fearful world where beings live but by rapine. Now, thanks to us, the god of old is dispossessed of his terrestrial empire, and every thinking being on this globe disdains him or knows him not.

Customer Reviews:

Heavenly Coup.......2006-07-14

Yes, Anatole France was a Nobel Prize laureate; No, that is part reason enough to read him (Who can name six laureates). If you need to be convinced, try The Revolt of the Angels.

An angel, Arcade, leaves heaven, comes to earth, uses his invisibility to steal books from a library, after which he joins a host of fallen brethren with plans to overthrow god. Fantastic? Think again. In the hands of France, the plot is a mere jot; he is more interested in expressing his contrarian view of the universe.

His knowledge of history and religious texts is amply demonstrated; however the main draw is his cynical philosophy and his virtuosity in descriptions. When one of the angels delivers a tirade, the lifespan of the universe is captured in paragraphs: Original sin is a fable concocted by god, the Reformation was started Luther "all swollen with beer and theology," and god's thunderbolt was stolen by Franklin. According to France, god foresees everything, yet is surprised by the most probable event. France is not interested in orthodoxy, this is not religious satire to make you laugh; this is one that causes you to painfully shake your head and smile.

The conclusion is obvious, but it brings us back to reality - nothing will change. By the end of this impressive work of literature we discover only one angel is in revolt and it is not Arcade. It is Anatole France.

Revolt of the French?.......2006-05-29

There's a lot to work with in this idea. Angels exist on earth, lots of them, including many assigned duties as guardian angels. God's in his heaven, and all's right with the world.

But, at the hands of master satirist France, all is not right with the world. The god in this story is a petty, tinhorn tyrant. He has arrogated himself power of life and death over this world's little beings, but with no true understanding of the clockwork perfection of even his assigned corner of this universe. Many of those angels on earth have defected, and are plotting an insurrection against that god's dictatorial rule. They secure funding, they stockpile bombs of horrific power, and they brace themselves for the struggle ahead.

I'm no scholar of the French revolution, but one point of similarity leaps out: the rebels' near-total lack of plan for what happens after the current in-crowd is outed. And, once the angels take on some features of earthly flesh, they fall victim to many of the ills that human flesh is heir to. Those include love of money, love of women, and love of the anarchic plotting in itself.

There's a lot to like in this novel by Nobel winner France, but also a few things that didn't work for me. France move his plot forward using an alternation of many viewpoints - a technique that works poorly for maintaining cohesion in a story. This translation, from 1914, is generally readable and enjoyable, but a few of its phrases seemed stilted by today's standards. And, although I enjoyed the narrative, I was not always sure how the family story of the d'Esparvieus matched the larger story around it. France makes up for any failings, of course, in his repartee, including some well-place barbs at America and Americans.

//wiredweird

one of my favorite novels.......1999-11-30

Hilarious and silly. A perfectly ironic retelling of "Paradise Lost."

Not your ordinary plot.......1999-01-17

The book tells the story of an archbishop's guardian angel who starts reading the bishop's books on Theology and becomes an atheist. The angel moves to Paris, meets a woman, has his wings fall off & takes up the harp to make a living, since he can't handle harmony. Then he meets the Devil. This is a very funny book, by the world's greatest ironist. A wonderful read for those who smile at people who pray on TV while squinting. Elegant prose even in English, better in French; a quintessential skeptic at his best.

Novels of Anatole France: Penguin Island; the Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard And the Revolt of the Angels

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Novels of Anatole France: Penguin Island; the Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard And the Revolt of the Angels
Anatole France
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Madness, Heresy, and the Rumor of Angels: The Revolt Against the Mental Health System

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Yesterday's shaman is today's "schizophrenic"
The Philosophy Of Biological Reductionism
The Voices of Angels.

Madness, Heresy, and the Rumor of Angels: The Revolt Against the Mental Health System
Seth Farber
Manufacturer: Open Court
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Mental Illness | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Unholy Madness: The Church's Surrender to Psychiatry

ASIN: 0812692004

Book Description

This is a collection of seven true stories of individuals insulted and injured by the mental health system, individuals who then fought back, broke free, and rebuilt their lives. Madness, Heresy, and the Rumor of Angels is a work in the tradition of Thomas Szasz, R. D. Laing, and Erving Goffman, a challenge to the delusional belief-system known as psychiatry, and a protest against its appalling crimes.

Customer Reviews:

Yesterday's shaman is today's "schizophrenic".......2007-04-10

Although Robert Robbins makes insightful comments about psychiatry in his review,his comments would lead someone who read MHRA to conclude that he did not read (or not read very carefully) the book he is ostensibly commenting upon. The focus of Madness, Heresy and the Rumor of Angels is not biological reductionism--which has become the well-deserved target of many authors--most prominently Dr Peter Breggin. But Farber's focus is reductionism in the broader sense--that is, the refusal to recognize--in fact the determination to suppress--the spiritual dimension of human existence. Thus what lies outside the ordinary schemata that determines consensually-validated "reality" (or one might say the consensually validated delusional system) is "reduced" by mental health professionals to pathology, to "mental illness." The (true) stories of "schizophrenics" in this book reveal that "schizophrenia" is not only a breakdown but also a breakthrough (as R D Laing said long ago) to the realm of the extra-ordinary.This book, contrary to Robbins, does indeed elaborate on the idea of a spiritual dimension. Like Laing, Farber attributes the typical unhappy outcome IN OUR SOCIETY of the schizophrenic experience --to the practices of the mental death system--to sins of commission--e.g. zombifying "anti-psychotic medication" and degrading psychiatric labeling, i.e. "diagnosis") and perhaps more importantly the the primary sin of omission
--- the failure of "mental health professionals" to act--as they would if they were genuinely committed to helping their fellow human beings-- as companions (not as jailers and judges) to persons who are typically lost and frightened, having found themselves thrown into the unfamiliar spiritual domain of life.
While the spiritual world --alien to the age of "reason" as Max Weber pointed out--is being re-discovered lately in various circles (eg "new age"), in the mental health system it is still regarded as pathology to be stamped out--along alas with the "patient."

The Philosophy Of Biological Reductionism.......2005-06-08

This book brilliantly illustrates the ethical and moral dangers of biological reductionism. The mental health system has adopted a philosophy of biological reductionism. They see human beings as clockwork oranges. They consider the psyche to be an outdated myth. They don't consider psychotherapy to be a valid treatment option for any form of emotional distress. They don't even subscribe to basic psychology anymore. The mental health system has reduced all forms of human behavior to brain chemistry and they define mental illness as a chemical imbalance in the brain which MUST be treated with drug therapy. The mental health system has become a mindless, soulless menace to humanity. Mindless because they are anti-intellectual and soulless because they have no respect for spirituality.

I was intrigued by a vague hint of "intimations of a spiritual reality" mentioned in the blurb but the book does not elaborate on that topic.

I would also recommend the play "Equus" by Peter Shaffer, a now forgotten critique of psychiatry and the threat it poses to spirituality and our humanity.

The Voices of Angels........2004-02-27

If you have ever seen any of Albrecht Durer's woodcuts on the Apocalypse or have read the works of Swedenborg and can relate to the central figures, then perhaps this book is one you might find helpful. If you have experienced what is colloquially called "madness" or frequently undergo mystical experiences which a doctor has told you constitute a psychotic disorder, then I believe that reading this book may be profitable to you. The book relates several tales of individuals and their experience with the mental health establishment. The book is written from an "anti-psychiatry" perspective and includes commentary by Seth Farber and Thomas Szasz (famous libertarian) on the dangers of the mental health system, the harm it has done to many sensitive souls, and the psychiatric survivor's organizations and mental health liberation leagues which have fought coercive treatment. (I generally tend to be somewhat sympathetic to the point of view of the author, although I'm not sure that it would hold true for all individuals and I do believe that medicines and drugs can sometimes be helpful. Afterall, it is very painful to be truly "awake", wakefulness takes energy and thus drains the body, so if you are fully awake all the time you probably will need a medication to sedate you.) If you have ever experienced hallucinations, paranoia, or delusions, and believed they have been improperly handled by a psychiatrist or in a mental health facility then perhaps you can recognize some of what is discussed in this book. My personal experience is this. I went to a very select and intensive math and science academy for undergraduate school and many individuals and friends of mine underwent severe crises and breakdowns as a result of the stress. I have undergone several breakdowns myself or existential crises and have had my fair share of otherwise "mystical experiences". I believe that this sort of thing is not adequately understood by modern science which is biased in a materialistic, scientistic manner. In particular, for example, I believe that the soul can be severed from the body and the body can become a mere "puppet" or "robot" during extreme stress. A psychiatrist has described this experience as "psychotic"; however, a quick perusal of most ancient religious sources will show it to be a fairly common one. If you have these sorts of experiences, believe you have ESP for example, or feel that you can communicate with angels, that the television may speak directly to you, or that God talks to you, then you are not "abnormal" as a psychiatrist or mainstream society may say. Rather, you may merely be a particularly sensitive individual who picks up cues from his environment and perhaps has access to higher levels of being, other dimensions (read for example the book _Flatland_ by Edwin Abbot), or even parallel universes. I believe that the brain is like an antenna that can be tuned to different radio stations (a spike on the energy graph which is "you") and may occassionally pick up some static. Unlike the author however, I disagree with him about the role of psychiatric medications. While it is true that many of these medications do have certain harmful side effects they can be helpful in certain ways. For example, speaking for myself I know that without the drug depakote I am nervous as a cat, paranoid, believe that people are talking about me, have ideas of reference, cannot sleep, do not want to eat, and sometimes cannot even leave the house. With it I have the side effect of cotton mouth and feel sluggish, but otherwise I believe the drug does calm my nerves. So in this sense I feel it may be good for me, despite its long term side effects (a chance I am willing to take, for the peace of mind it seems to offer me now). The choice of course is entirely up to you as far as medications go and they do not work for all people. Otherwise, this book offers an excellent opportunity to examine the role of mystical experience in the lives of those deemed mentally ill and looks at some individuals who are at the higher functioning level of mental illness. Mental illness I believe may ultimately be a disease of civilization. The pressures of social conformity work their way into the minds of people and ultimately cause them to undergo breakdowns, breakthroughs, or transformations. Afterall, civilization has certain cracks.

Also of interest: If you are interested I suggest you consult the book _Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind_ by the late Professor Julian Jaynes, which is one of the most mind-shattering books I have ever read in explaining consciousness.

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AT THE SIGN OF THE REINE PEDAUQUE AND THE REVOLT OF THE ANGELS.

Manufacturer: J M Dent
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HH48G8

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AT THE SIGN OF THE REINE PEDAUQUE, THE REVOLT OF THE ANGELS
FRANCE
Manufacturer: DENT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S06CAO

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At the Sign of the Reine Pédauque + The Revolt of the Angels Everyman's Library No. 967
Anatole France
Manufacturer: J M Dent & Sons Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KYX0LC

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AT THE SIGN OF THE REINE REDAUQUE AN THE REVOLT OF THE ANGELS
ANATOLE FRANCE
Manufacturer: DENT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S7ZD8O

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Great Novels of Anatole France: Penguin Island, The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard, The Revolt of the Angels
Anatole France
Manufacturer: The Book League of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PRYNJW

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The Revolt of Angels
Anatole France
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K7LW9Q

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Laugh, Laugh, Laugh.......2007-07-23

Once again, Coleman Barks translating Rumi equals a huge blessing in my life.

I was thrilled to learn that these stories from "Mathnawi" are translations of Rumi's "Couplets", teaching stories poetically told. These are stories created to be retold, read aloud, discussed, debated, unfolded, sniffed, thrown in a river and caught several miles downstream with the laughter still gurling forth... as well as the "a-ha's" because naturally, with Rumi, humor is a valuable source of personal growth and reflection.

This section touched me deeply:

"Pay attention to your mean thoughts. That sourness may be a blessing, as an overcast day brings rain for the roses and relief to the dry soil. Don't look so sourly at your sourness. It may be it is carrying what you most deeply need and want. What seems to be keeping you from joy may be what leads you to joy."

"Don't call it a dead branch, call it the live, moist root."

Ahhhh, how I treasure all of the words in "Delicious Laughter".

Lost in translation.......2006-01-29

Jelaludin Rumi is, as we all know a true poet of the heart.
Although, when his passages were originally recorded in persian we must be reminded that our texts we now purchase in book stores have become hazy and sometimes unclear from the inter-language transformation.
In this volume, Coleman Barks takes Nicholoson's translations from latin to english. Nicholoson translated Rumi's poetry into a more literal form. I suggest that in reading a volume of work translated to something as closely literal as possible to the original you will recieve more of a true insight to Rumi's thoughts.
Another good source to defintly own by Rumi would be "Open Secret : Versions of Rumi"

The Divine Comedy of a Comic Saint?.......2000-11-14

Delicious Laughter is Coleman Barks's collection of some of Maulana Rumi's most uproarious stories from the Mathnavi. But I must warn you potential reader: many of the narratives in this compilation are quite explicit - *definitely* not for puritanical prudes. The thing to remember is that Rumi uses these graphic images to make a point. His stories are not just crude attempts to make us chuckle. Rather, he seeks to lay bare the various impulses that push and pull us - impulses that in fact make up the Divine Comedy of human existence. Behind all of these impulses lies the Grand Impulse, which is our inate yet unconscious yearning for the Object of our existence - the Eternal Beloved - like water drops seeking a return to the ocean, or flowers naturally turning towards the sun. As long as this is kept in mind, Rumi's humour will reveal itself for what it is: a key to a higher and more profound understanding of what makes us human. Through this key the grand narrative behind the apparently incoherent and disjointed fables and stories will unlock itself.

Solid source for Sufi teaching tales.......2000-08-10

Delicious Laughter is a secondary translation of teaching tales in verse by Rumi. By secondary translation I mean that Coleman Barks does not translate directly but works with others who can read the origin. However, Barks' sense of poetry, meaning and story make his versions excellent. Many of the stories are known to the Western world via Idries Shah's work, some through de Mello, others have moved East and West through time. However, many of the tales will be unfamilar to the reader - some of which will remind us of the international character of Rumi's environment.

In "Chinese Art and Greek Art" there is a contest to see which art is best - the Chinese complete a stunning piece of art on their wall. The Greeks polish their wall so brightly that it reflects the Chinese work. ... the moral is ... (read the book to find out).

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