Sapphire's Grave
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Good but confusing
  • Captivating Narrative
  • A Compelling Story!
  • Outstanding!
  • Almost...but not quite
Sapphire's Grave
Hilda Gurley Highgate
Manufacturer: Harlem Moon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 076790883X
Release Date: 2003-12-23

Book Description

The debut of a major new talent, SAPPHIRE'S GRAVE tells the stories of several generations of African-American women, bringing their spirit and their sorrow to life with a power, sensitivity, and immediacy.

In 1749 in Sierra Leone, a woman of fierce dignity is captured and forced onto a slave ship. On the harrowing voyage to the Americas, she is beaten for her unrelenting will and staunch pride. When she arrives, she gives birth to a daughter who is called Sapphire because of the "black-blue-black" complexion she shares with her mother. Sapphire has also inherited her mother's strength and defiant spirit, and despite a life of poverty and opression, she grows up to mother several daughters of her own. Even when tragedy strikes and part of Sapphire dies, her strength gives rise to a legend that will sustain the women who follow her, "each carrying something of her mother, her grandmother, her aunts; each passing on to her own daughters blessing and cursing, the consequences of her own choosing.

Through the lives of Sapphire and her descendants, Hilda Gurley-Highgate not only creates a poignant and engrossing saga of black women in America, she brilliantly illuminates the meaning of roots and the links between women and their female ancestors, a tie that often appears tenuous, undefined, and distant, but is strong, palpable, and much closer than we imagine. Written in luminous prose, SAPPHIRE'S GRAVE is an astonishing work by an author poised to take the literary world by storm.


From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Good but confusing.......2006-01-21

This book was good and the story she is trying to tell is great but she doesn't follow any sort of progression and leaves the reader lost and trying to figure out what just happened. Its almost like reading Beloved, maybe it requires a reread to fully understand what's going on with the characters. For instance, I though Sister was the one who was raped and killed her infant but now I see it was really Sapphire.

5 out of 5 stars Captivating Narrative.......2004-10-22

Sapphire's Grave is one of the BEST narratives of a generation AFrican women. I apreciated how it spanned the years, showed how the unkindness and/or bravery of one soul can resonnate for years.

This book made me deal and face my own demons. I'd recommend it highly.

5 out of 5 stars A Compelling Story!.......2004-08-07

This was easily one of the best books I have read this year! I had a hard time putting it down. I was drawn into the lives of the characters. I felt their pain and found myself in their midst. The author is an inspiration. I hope that this will be one of many more books to come!

5 out of 5 stars Outstanding!.......2003-02-24

Sapphire's Grave is a moving and poignant debut novel by Hilda Gurley-Highgate. The author transcends two centuries to reveal the foundation of a family: an African captive called Sapphire because of her beautiful blue-black skin tone. Her physical statue and dauntless attitude commands a semblance of respect from everyone, including her enslavers. Sapphire remains strong, defiant, and unbroken despite the horrors of the Middle Passage, systematic rape, physical beatings, and back-breaking slave labor. So daring is she that immediately following a brutal act of sexual abuse at the hands of her owner who promises to do the same to her infant daughter when she is of age, Sapphire kills her daughter rather than allow the child to suffer the same fate she herself has endured.

At death, Sapphire is hastily buried in a shallow grave, but her tormented soul cannot rest. In spirit form, she approaches each of her female descendents and evokes memories and visions for them to discover, awaken, and use their inherent inner strength to love themselves, gain self-respect, and obtain inner peace to survive in a cruel and difficult world. For the next two hundred years, Sapphire touches the bewitched Sister, the prostitute Vyda Rose, the lovelorn Jewel, the artistic Clovey, and truth-telling, outspoken, shameless Rae'ven who embodies Sapphire's spirit completely and thus allows Sapphire to return to the grave satisfied and fulfilled.

The author writes in a thoughtful, lyrical prose which educes a myriad of emotions and reader empathy for the characters. Gurley-Highgate offers the reader an introspective look inside the lives and minds of the lead characters and their lovers. She clearly illustrates how Sapphire's spirit changes, fortifies, and empowers her daughters regardless of their station in life. There is a valuable lesson in this book for all women regardless of race and/or socio-economic class.

So touching and well written that this book has earned a place on my best reads list. Bravo, Ms. Gurley-Highgate! A job well done...I cannot wait until the next release.

Reviewed by Phyllis
APOOO BookClub, Nubian Circle Book Club

3 out of 5 stars Almost...but not quite.......2003-01-09

Let me begin by saying Hilda Gurley-Highgate is a phenomenal writer. Her prose in SAPPHIRE'S GRAVE puts one in the mind of Toni Morrison's BELOVED. Like Dr. Morrison, Hilda Gurley-Highgate becomes a lyrical poet when she turns a phrase. In some ways, that strength seems to also be the weekness in the book. I desperately wanted to gain further insight into the many generations of strong black women that were introduced in this novel, but the overuse of lyricism and the abrupt end to the storylines, hendered this process. Again, I believe Hilda Gurley-Highgate is perhaps one of the most prolific writers to come out recently, and I have no doubt that as she continues with her craft she will soon become a writer who will be studied by generations of scholars.
Across the Sapphire Seas
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Across the Sapphire Seas
    Heather Graves
    Manufacturer: Piatkus Books
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

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    ASIN: 0749903996
    The Sapphire Trio in Europe ... It's all about relationships.(Forum focus: collaborative performance): An article from: American Music Teacher
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Sapphire Trio in Europe ... It's all about relationships.(Forum focus: collaborative performance): An article from: American Music Teacher
      Jody Graves
      Manufacturer: Music Teachers National Association, Inc.
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Digital

      NonfictionNonfiction | Subjects | Books | Automotive | Books on CD | Books on Cassette | Crime & Criminals | Current Events | Economics | Education | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Government | Holidays | Law | Philosophy | Politics | Social Sciences | Transportation | True Accounts | Urban Planning & Development | Women's Studies
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      ASIN: B0007UUD5K
      Release Date: 2005-07-13

      Book Description

      This digital document is an article from American Music Teacher, published by Music Teachers National Association, Inc. on February 1, 2005. The length of the article is 995 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: The Sapphire Trio in Europe ... It's all about relationships.(Forum focus: collaborative performance)
      Author: Jody Graves
      Publication: American Music Teacher (Refereed)
      Date: February 1, 2005
      Publisher: Music Teachers National Association, Inc.
      Volume: 54 Issue: 4 Page: 98(2)

      Distributed by Thomson Gale

      Wit'ch Storm (The Banned and the Banished, Book 2)
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • Totally Mature Literature
      • Very Nice
      • Action pact!!!!
      • Excellent reading
      • the saga of elena continues
      Wit'ch Storm (The Banned and the Banished, Book 2)
      James Clemens
      Manufacturer: Del Rey
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      2. Wit'ch Gate Wit'ch Gate
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      4. Wit'ch Fire (The Banned and the Banished, Book 1) Wit'ch Fire (The Banned and the Banished, Book 1)
      5. Hinterland: Book Two of the Godslayer Chronicles Hinterland: Book Two of the Godslayer Chronicles

      ASIN: 0345417070
      Release Date: 1999-05-18

      Book Description

      James Clemens burst onto the fantasy scene with Wit'ch Fire, a remarkable novel as brilliant as it was original. Now in Shadow of the Wit'ch, the explosive sequel, his talents blaze brighter still, illuminating a war-torn world of dark magicks and darker destinies--where a last, desperate hope for the salvation of all that is good lies in a young girl's hands . . . and heart.

      Elena bears the mark of the wit'ch upon her palm, the crimson stain that testifies to the awesome power of unimaginable potency: wild, seductive, difficult to control. Only a mistress of blood magick can stand against the foul minions and all-corrupting evil of the Dark Lord. But Elena is not yet the mistress of her magick. Protected by an ageless warrior and a band of renegades, she quests for a lost city where prophecies speak of a mystic tome that holds the key to the Dark Lord's defeat. But if the Dark Lord finds her first, Elena will become his most fearsome weapon.

      Sy-wen is a girl-child of an ocean-dwelling clan, bond-mates to the terrible and majestic sea dragons. But ancient bonds tie Sy-wen to the land she does not know, to a man she has never seen . . . and to a legend asleep in stone deep beneath A'loa Glen--a legend beginning to wake.

      Now, as Elena and Sy-wen converge on A'loa Glen from land and sea, will the forces they unleash lead to a future of freedom--or an eternity under the Dark Lord's yoke?

      Download Description

      Elena bears the mark of the wit'ch upon her palm, the crimson stain that testifies to an awesome power of unimaginable potency: wild, seductive, difficult to control. Only a mistress of blood magick can stand against the foul minions and all-corrupting evil of the Dark Lord. But Elena is not yet the mistress of her magick. Protected by an ageless warrior and a band of renegades, she quests for a lost city where prophecies speak of a mystic tome that holds the key to the Dark Lord's defeat. But if the Dark Lord finds her first, Elena will become his most fearsome weapon...


      "Full of violence, magical pyrotechnics, and black-hearted villains."
         PUBLISHERS WEEKLY


      Customer Reviews:

      5 out of 5 stars Totally Mature Literature.......2006-07-01

      This book takes a new take on fantasy grasping the more mature audience by surprise and slightly desterbed yet still cheering on for the home team. I made me crave for the third book.

      4 out of 5 stars Very Nice.......2006-04-30

      After reading the first Wit'ch tale I went out and bought the remiaing 4 books in the series. I just finished the second book, and I will happily start the third. James Clemons is a very good, solid writer. He writes an interesting story in a fantasy setting that is familar in many ways, but also has enough spark of originality that things don't seem stale. If you like your bad guys really bad, and your good guys to be people you really want to cheer on, then these books are for you.

      5 out of 5 stars Action pact!!!!.......2006-03-01

      James overwelms me every time! I can't put his books down and my heart pumps with excitement at every page!!

      5 out of 5 stars Excellent reading.......2005-08-18

      After reading the first book of the series, I couln't wait for the next book,I ordered the remaining four books and could not put them down. Highly recommend this and all books to the series. Enjoy as I have

      3 out of 5 stars the saga of elena continues.......2005-02-02

      In the second installment of the Banned and the Banished series, we are introduced to more characters, more plot twists and more fantasy novel cliches.

      I'm actually thankful that Clemens didn't throw all of these things at us at once. I don't think I would've been able to keep all the characters straight without time to learn their stories and quirks.

      The cliches continue to run rampant, but the way Clemens utilizes them makes them seem new and fresh. Although there were points when I was taken out of the novel to reference where that bit came from (Lord of the Rings, anyone?).

      But the overall story continues to captivate and keep your attention well enough for these small breaks in the suspension of disbelief to not cause me to put the book down.

      This second novel is almost non-stop action and I appreciate that. I like the way Clemens weaves the plot line in with the action so there are no long, drawn-out scenes of exposition where the story is told to you. You discover it along with the characters.

      Clemens writing style remains easy to read and engaging. I have high hopes for the rest of the series.
      THE BANNED AND THE BANISHED: Book (1) One: Wit'ch Fire; Book (2) Two: Wit'ch Storm; Book (3) Three: Wit'ch War; Book (4) Four: Wit'ch Gate
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        THE BANNED AND THE BANISHED: Book (1) One: Wit'ch Fire; Book (2) Two: Wit'ch Storm; Book (3) Three: Wit'ch War; Book (4) Four: Wit'ch Gate
        James Clemens
        Manufacturer: Del Rey - Ballantine Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback
        ASIN: B000NRS7W8

        Creature of the Mists (Accidental Detectives)
        Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
        • Best of the series
        • Wonderful!
        Creature of the Mists (Accidental Detectives)
        Sigmund Brouwer
        Manufacturer: Bethany House
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

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        Similar Items:
        1. Madness at Moonshiners Bay (Accidental Detectives) Madness at Moonshiners Bay (Accidental Detectives)
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        3. Tyrant of the Badlands (Accidental Detectives) Tyrant of the Badlands (Accidental Detectives)
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        5. The Mystery Tribe of Camp Blackeagle (Accidental Detectives) The Mystery Tribe of Camp Blackeagle (Accidental Detectives)

        ASIN: 0764225693
        Release Date: 2003-06-01

        Book Description

        Book 6 of Accidental Detectives. Winning a science contest brings Ricky and friends to Canada to search for the fabled lake creature Ogopogo. But strange events reveal something even more ominous than a legendary monster. As trouble looms, the Accidental Detectives realize that without God, faith in science is empty.

        Customer Reviews:

        5 out of 5 stars Best of the series.......2003-10-10

        When Ralphy enters all their names on the science contest, the accidental detectives are elated. A week hunting for the mythological Ogopogo in British Columbia is the perfect thing to break up summer vacation. But they've hardly left before things start going wrong. First, Joel sneaks on board. Then they find dynamite in the motor home they are traveling in. Things only get worse when they arrive. Ricky's going to have to think overtime to put all the pieces together in time to spare his friends' lives.

        This has been my favorite in the series from the very first time I read it. All the clues are right there in the open, but you never know what they are and what they mean until Ricky tells you. And since he's often confused, that makes things even more interesting. When first published, one aspect of the story was never fully explained, but that's been fixed for the republishing, and it's nice to finally have that answered. The friends are at their teasing best, and there are several laugh-out-loud moments in the story. There are even a couple interesting discussions on science and the Bible thrown in for good measure.

        I recommend this series to anyone who likes a good mystery story. It's equally fun for kids and adults. This book stands above the rest for its wonderful plotting and strong story.

        5 out of 5 stars Wonderful!.......1999-07-02

        Even though I'm fourteen and this book is geared toward a 9-12 audience, I love it. One of the great things is that it sounds like it could happen to anyone. Ricky etc. aren't any different from other kids their ages. They are very believable. Not to mention, the plot and the mystery are very strong, and keep the pages turning. This is also one of the funniest books I have ever read!
        Accidental Creatures
        Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
        • A powerful writer, passionate about ideas
        • Daughters of the Void
        • Home Girl Nails Near-Future Motown
        • Original sci-fi with actual science and characters.
        Accidental Creatures
        Anne Harris
        Manufacturer: Tor Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Hardcover

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        ASIN: 0312865384

        Amazon.com

        Anne Harris's second novel welcomes readers to the Detroit of the future--a city of extreme poverty and extravagant wealth, were every life is overshadowed by the megalithic biotech corporation GeneSys. With the rise of maglev transportation and the death of the auto industry, the name Motor City has become an anachronism. There are no jobs except GeneSys jobs. One can either pass an exam and obtain an office job at GeneSys headquarters or work in the dangerous biopolymer-growing vats in Vattown. Chango Chichelski, a sport (a mutant from exposure to lethal growth medium in the vats) with a passionate love of the Detroit of her grandmother's stories, chooses instead to fall through the cracks. Chango lives in an ancient motor car and spends her time haunting (and committing to memory) buildings slated for demolition.

        Her life changes when she rescues, and then falls in love with, a fanged and four-armed sport named Helix. Helix is the adopted daughter of Hector Martin, the brilliant but emotionally unstable head scientist at GeneSys. Weary of her isolated life, Helix flees into Vattown, intending to become a vat diver. But her plan is opposed by Chango, whose union-organizer sister Ada died after contact with the vat's growth medium, and by the vat divers themselves, who refuse to accept a sport within their ranks.

        Accidental Creatures is an action-packed tale full of intrigue, betrayals, and flashy characters. Interestingly, the sports of the Vattown underworld--drug dealers, junk artists, and healers--look positively normal compared to GeneSys's corporate denizens, who scream, cry, fight, and lie outrageously to retain or advance their positions in the corporate hierarchy.

        Harris's writing style is not for everybody (for instance, readers allergic to comma splices should approach with caution). But for the less grammatically persnickety, Accidental Creatures may prove to be a rewarding tale of outsiders and identity. --Eddy Avery

        Book Description

        Anne Harris returns with an outstanding look at the near future. Never before has her technological insight been so acute, or her portrayal of sex and gender issues more startling or insightful.A bio-technology corporation has created a new species, intelligent, four-armed, humanoid "tetras" who can live in the vats in which "the company" grows biopolymers. Both the tetras and the human vat-divers they were created to replace are at the mercy of vicious corporate politics. But soon the victims become the aggressors, and something amazing, a transcendent change, occurs not only in their lives, but throughout the world. Anne Harris has created an extraordinary, breathtaking vision of the future.

        Customer Reviews:

        4 out of 5 stars A powerful writer, passionate about ideas.......2007-06-30

        An old adage recommends that you should write what you know. Perhaps heeding this advice, Anne Harris has used her hometown of Detroit as a backdrop in both her debut novel, THE NATURE OF SMOKE, and in her sophomore effort, ACCIDENTAL CREATURES. The Motor City of ACCIDENTAL CREATURES, however, is somewhat different from its present incarnation. GM, Ford and Chrysler, are gone, replaced by the aptly named GeneSys as the major corporate presence. Detroit is now famous for the valuable biopolymers produced there. Instead of factory workers assembling cars, the city now is home to an unfortunate group of exploited "vat divers", who physically harvest biopolymers from huge vats filled with a toxic growth medium. Although the names, products and employees have changed, one thing remains the same--corporations still focus on the bottom line, in the process making the lives of their employees miserable.

        The two chief characters of ACCIDENTAL CREATURES are a thief named Chango, and the woman who later becomes her lover, the mutant female Helix. Chango scrabbles to survive on the edge of Detroit's mainstream. She longs to make big money as a vat diver, even though the job killed her older sister Ada, who may have been murdered in retaliation for her union organizing activities. Chango meets the innocent Helix and is immediately taken with her, due to her unique appearance. Even in a society accustomed to aberrations (years of vat diving has spawned a number of grotesque birth defects), the four armed, fanged Helix stands out.

        Raised by GeneSys research scientist Hector Martin, a doting father determined to protect her from her dangerous past, Helix has until now had very little experience with the real world. Hooking up with Chango changes everything-Helix discovers the existence of the vats, and, despite Chango's protestations, is inexorably drawn to them. Helix, it seems, is an unexpected byproduct of her adoptive father's genetic experiments, a new life form designed to thrive in the vats. Her very existence, however, constitutes a threat to the livelihood of GeneSys--she and her forerunners, whose creation has been concealed from GeneSys by Martin, are targeted for death by the corporation.

        Harris is a convincing storyteller with a gift for getting and holding your attention--portions of this novel are absolutely riveting. A master at creating realistic backdrops for her action, Harris' rendering of the corporate milieu is totally convincing, eerily familiar to anyone who's worked for a large company. Vattown is equally plausible--it's all too easy to buy in to the urban nightmare she creates. This attention to detail combined with the vitality of Harris' ideas and the book's breakneck pace keep the pages turning at a furious rate.

        It's only after that last page is turned that one realizes that the book is something less than the sum of its parts. It's hard to classify this novel, since Harris never quite decides what type of story she wants to tell. Judging by its gripping opening, you'd think you were reading a polemic on labor, a suspense novel set in the near future with employer-worker relations as its main concern. The story veers from this direction early on however, into a dystopian fantasy, when Harris introduces Chango. Still later, it becomes a fairy tale, wherein an ugly duckling grows up to discover that she's really a Queen.

        Overall, the book's virtues balance its imperfections, making for a satisfying read. Harris is an author who merits attention, a powerful writer, passionate about ideas.

        5 out of 5 stars Daughters of the Void.......2005-12-25

        Here, Anne Harris has created a very impressive and compelling near-future, both in science and setting. Her exercises in future genetics, biotechnology, and computer networks are outstandingly creative and plausible, and this novel has some great insights into the potential dangers to human society from supposedly helpful consumer products. Meanwhile, Harris has nailed a depressingly likely future dystopia for her native Detroit, where that city's history of fractious labor relations and blue-collar struggle has evolved into a system of corporate control by one soulless industrial juggernaut that literally sees workers as disposable commodities. The characters here are also well-drawn and intriguing. This applies especially to the fascinating Helix and Lilith, great post-human creations that illustrate humanity in quite unexpected ways. One issue with Harris' writing is a rather awkward sense of pacing and an uneven use of flashbacks, though her themes on gender issues and feminism in this novel are not as heavy-handed as some critics have suggested (though this is a bigger concern in her later book *Inventing Memory*). There are also some minor plot holes connected to certain characters' motives, especially the villain and his lackey. But what makes this novel such a great read is the combination of strong science, a truly believable near-future society, and great characters who are both weird enough to qualify for dark fantasy and empathetic enough to really connect with the reader. [~doomsdayer520~]

        5 out of 5 stars Home Girl Nails Near-Future Motown.......2000-05-06

        As a long-time resident of the Motor City, it made me proud to read the work of Anne Harris. Less abstract than William Gibson, Harris does her homework when it comes to carrying on the cyberpunk anthem. Reality based near future concepts such as cell-animate tattoos and post economic apocalyptic cityscapes make this a must read for sci-fi fans. Detroit is lovingly portrayed as the industrial juggernaut trying to cope with its gentrification. Boundary issues, class struggle, and corporate rape are as entrenched in the mid twenty first century as in the mid twentieth century. The image of Southwest Detroit as "Vattown", where biopolymer vats spew forth organic based synthetics at the degradation of the working class hits home. This book is clearly a coming of age for Harris, and gives the reader a clear sense of the struggles we, as the first industrialized city in the first industrialized country, will continue to face. Gender issues are dealt with in a mature manner with respect to both sides, and none of the insipid "Grrrl" axes to grind. All of Harris's characters stand on their own merit regardless of sex, sexual preference, or race.

        I am looking forward to Harris's next installment with great anticipation.

        4 out of 5 stars Original sci-fi with actual science and characters........1998-08-24

        Accidental Creatures is an interesting, well paced sci-fi thriller with some actual "science". The main characters are not only well crafted but original, sexual and beautiful. Yes, beautiful. Images created on paper of the four-armed Helix and that little brat Chango are quite unforgettable. Self-serving antangonists grow from within the story and bio-growth medium goo, where divers risk their pathetic lives to earn a living. The end goes a little too far with the whole evil corporation thing - but, a little too far can be fun. And it is.
        Accidental Creatures
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Accidental Creatures
          Anne L.; Harris, Anne Harris
          Manufacturer: Tor Books
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Paperback
          ASIN: B000OTHY3I
          Accidental Creatures
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Accidental Creatures
            Anne L. Harris
            Manufacturer: Tor Books
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback
            ASIN: B000OTWP28

            Ropes to God: Experiencing the Bushman Spiritual Universe (Profiles in Healing series)
            Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
            • Shake & Bake
            • Fascinating
            Ropes to God: Experiencing the Bushman Spiritual Universe (Profiles in Healing series)
            Bradford Keeney
            Manufacturer: Leete'S Island Books
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

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            3. Kalahari Bushman Healers (Profiles of Healing) Kalahari Bushman Healers (Profiles of Healing)
            4. Shaking Out the Spirits: A Psychotherapist's Entry into the Healing Mysteries of Global Shamanism Shaking Out the Spirits: A Psychotherapist's Entry into the Healing Mysteries of Global Shamanism
            5. Shamanic Christianity: The Direct Experience of Mystical Communion Shamanic Christianity: The Direct Experience of Mystical Communion

            ASIN: 0918172403

            Book Description

            In this detailed personal account of traditional healing practices, Bushman doctors from Namibia disclose the defining symbolism, art forms such as rock art, and kinesthetic elements that define Bushman spirituality. Ropes, cords, threads, and lines of light enable the spiritual healers to commune with ancestors and gods, as well as communicate with other Bushman communities. Also documented are the physical movements that facilitate entering the transformative states of hyper-arousal and synesthesia.

            Customer Reviews:

            5 out of 5 stars Shake & Bake.......2006-12-07

            After reading Bradford Keeney's book "Bushman Shaman: Awakening the Spirit through Ecstatic Dance" I have become quite fascinated with his work. And would highly recommend you read Bushman Shaman before any of his other books.

            I became interested in this book after hearing about a DVD that was included which showed video footage of African Bushman shaking and dancing around a fire. Unfortunately what I had pictured in my mind of what I was going to see was nothing like I ended up seeing, so if your buying this book to try and learn some shaking techniques, then maybe you should borrow it form the Library first.

            Other than the compliant about the DVD, this book is excellent. Everything you ever wanted to know about the African Bushman is here, and explained from someone who actually lived the life and walked the walk, not from someone who just observed from a distance which is what the majority of scientists who study people end up doing.

            Learn about the African Bushman's (male and female) spiritual practices and how they are related to all aspects of their lives. Keeney goes into depth on Shaking, Nails & Arrows, Lines, Threads, Strings, Chains and Ropes of Light and of course the Dance. If you had read Bushman Shaman fist, you will know what I am talking about. This book is not just for people who are fascinated by other cultures spiritual practices, it is a book for anyone who has any interest in the African Bushman.

            I would highly recommend adding it to your Library.

            4 out of 5 stars Fascinating.......2005-02-21

            There are moments in the healing dance when I feel I am standing in a ray of light. In this light I am able to see inside others. I see everything as if I'm inside you.... The light sometimes seems to be inside other people. That light is given to us to see into others so we can find out what is wrong.
            Mamolelo Shikwe, Bushman Doctor

            This book provides a fascinating account of the spiritual universe of Kalahari Bushmen, mostly as a series of first-hand accounts from the "doctors". Keeney has spent a lot of time in Kalahari and has written a lot about his experiences there. In this book, he takes a back seat and allows the Bushmen to speak for themselves. I was fascinated by the love these people have for God and for each other, a love which is uncomplicated, obvious and delightful, without the burdens of expectation or rationalization. It is simple - when one is happy, one loves. Dancing is a primary technology Bushmen use to enter that space of cleansing and communion with oneself and one's fellow beings. Bushmen healers obtain their "power" during healing dances. The power can come from ancestors, totem animals or directly from the Big God. The doctors themselves describe in great detail how this power arises in the belly, rises up and leaves the body "as steam" from the top of the head; then it falls down to the ground, rises through the feet and starts the process again. The process of becoming a doctor entails mastering this cycle of energy. Interesting parallels with some Eastern methods for manipulating Qi.

            An initiate learns to see "lines or strings of light that go up to the sky" as well as horizontal lines across the physical world and learns to travel along these lines. In the sky one meets the ancestors:

            "The oldest Bushmen ancestors have heads of animals, usually that of the eland. While I'm up in the sky village I may learn from the old ones or from the Big God. When it's time to come down the rope of light I bring the entire village (of ancestors) down with me to the ground where the dance is held. This is a very special moment. When this takes place, the whole community enters a spiritual time and space where the past and present are brought together as a singular moment."

            While the material is fascinating, the way it was put together is somewhat haphazard and the "antropological" discussion at the end way too simplistic. Keeney is well aware of the difficulties in presenting and analzying something as fluid and as intangible as experiences of these doctors, each of whom has a different way of describing what they see and do and he basically leaves it at that. Still, this is a worthwhile book to get your hands on.

            Books:

            1. Shuttlecock
            2. Sincerely Yours (True 2 Life Street)
            3. Six Days in Marapore: A Novel
            4. Snowball's Chance
            5. Teacher, Teacher, I Declare!: And Other Little Tattle Tales
            6. Thank You for the Music: Stories
            7. The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz
            8. The Beginning: an allegory
            9. The Book Against God: A Novel
            10. The Bushwacked Piano

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