Haiku Inspirations: Poems and Meditations on Nature and Beauty Review

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Haiku Inspirations: Poems and Meditations on Nature and Beauty ReviewThis is a nice collection of poems but it is much more - this gives you the great history of Haiku and also of the great Haiku poets like Basho and Issa. I worked on this bit by bit, enjoying the poetry and also the great art that it showcases! It took me almost two years, but I finally finished it and then passed it on.
Highly Recommended!Haiku Inspirations: Poems and Meditations on Nature and Beauty OverviewBrimming with insights, and featuring sparkling new translations of 50 of the most superb haikus ever written, this opulent collection captures the spirit of the form and opens up its beauty to a whole new audience. Haiku emerged within a great flowering of Japanese arts a thousand years ago, including calligraphy and ink painting, and haiku blended with them to create poetry that is as close to the visual image as language can come. These gloriously illustrated pages trace haiku's most profound, thought-provoking, and imaginative themes, including: Zen Buddhism; the life of the poet; the Japanese court; the cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo, where the style flourished; the beauty of the landscape; the status of women; and the ever-fascinating samurai.

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When Prophecy Never Fails: Myth and Reality in a Flying-Saucer Group Review

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When Prophecy Never Fails: Myth and Reality in a Flying-Saucer Group ReviewHaving read Ernest Norman's The Truth About Mars: An Eyewitness Account recently, I was interested to learn more about the Unarius Academy, an obscure 'UFO religion' founded by Norman and his wife Ruth in the 1950's. Tumminia's decade long study of Unarius is a revealing look at the founders and followers of this group of believers, led by Uriel (Ruth Norman) for nearly thirty years. This is one of the rare sociological texts on new religious movements where the author spent considerable time inside the group, understanding both the historical perspective and the mechanisms of their belief as well as their ability to deal with repeated failure of prophecy and the death of both founders. When Prophecy Never Fails is a worth modern sequel to the classic Festinger study that inspired the title, When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of A Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World.
One of the core Unarius beliefs is reincarnation, and Tumminia demonstrates how their group approach to recovering past lives reinforces itself with each member contributing to a shared belief system. The extent of past life activity is incredible, with the group publishing an endless stream of videos and books such as The Confessions of I, Bonaparte.
Although this is an academic text, overall it is very readable. Tumminia's approach is far more sympathetic and scholarly than the style taken by Alex Heard in Apocalypse Pretty Soon: Travels In End-Time America. The tone is non-judgmental, and anti-cult activists may lump Tumminia with other sociologists considered apologists for new religious movements.
Of course, none of the Unarius beliefs withstand any level of critical analysis but overall they appear to be no more harmful or credulous than mainstream religions and they certainly pale in comparison to groups that have mastered the abuse of large group psychotherapy. Unarius is yet another example of humanity's ability to believe pretty much anything, and a remnant of a gentler age when UFO's were seen as the harbingers of our benign Space Brothers. Rather than ridiculing the Unarius beliefs, this book works to reveal why people believe, a far more interesting and rewarding topic.When Prophecy Never Fails: Myth and Reality in a Flying-Saucer Group OverviewOf the approximately fifty percent of Americans who believe in UFOs, a fraction are devotees of one of the numerous UFO-based new religious movements. The Unarius Academy of Science is one of the oldest of these groups. Founded in 1954 by "Cosmic Visionaries" Ruth and Ernest Norman (also known, respectively, as Archangels Uriel and Raphiel), Unarius is devoted to teaching the all-encompassing Uranian Science. Combining elements of pop psychology, new age thought, and science fiction, the Science asks its students to channel messages from the infinitely intelligent Space Brothers and to heal themselves through the practice of past-life therapy. Unarians await the arrival of spaceships, manned by the Space Brothers, that will bring to earth advanced intergalactic technology that will benefit all humankind. Tumminia has been conducting research on Unarius for over a decade - attending meetings, inteviewing members, and studying official Unarian literature and videos. Here she offers an inside look at this fascinating movement. She pays particular attention to the ways Unarians adapt when their prophecies - and particularly their prediction that the Space Brothers would land in 2001 - don't materialize. This is the first in-depth study of any UFO religion.

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Out of the Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther Review

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Out of the Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther ReviewA thorough biography of Martin Luther and an in-depth description of his times. This book is not easy reading, even though it's well written. Out Of The Storm is full of many of the complex issues that shaped the Reformation. Often I found myself having to reread passages. Also, Mr. Wilson didn't seem to write his book from a particular perspective. He lets the events speak for themselves; so to me his book doesn't offer a new take on Luther and his times, which might be disappointing to some, but for anyone interested in how and why the Reformation happened I recommend this book.
Randy KadishOut of the Storm: The Life and Legacy of Martin Luther Overview"Scores highly in thoroughness, clarity, and human sympathy. If you want a model of how to defy uncomprehending power . . . or a model of how to laugh at the Devil, Wilson has provided a reliable guide as to how Luther did it." ---Sunday Telegraph (UK)Martin Luther changed Europe and, through Europe, the world. It was he who originally exposed the myth of a unifed Latin Christendom, in fact only held together by crusades, heresy hunts, Inquisition, and priestly magic. Though not the first radical thinker to challenge papal pretensions and the doctrines they were founded on, by his defiance Luther created the biggest cause célèbre of the age. But this renegade monk did not just split Europe into rival Protestant and Catholic camps. By urging Christians to read and interpret the Bible for themselves, he gave a religious boost to that emancipation of the individual we associate with the Renaissance. By putting men and women in charge of their own destiny he made a cultural impact that is incalculable. The first major biography in English for many years, by leading historian Derek Wilson, Out of the Storm responds to recent Reformation scholarship to assess Luther's impact on his own and later ages. This warts-and-all study gives a vivid picture of a complex and driven man---courageous, stubborn, rumbustious, vulgar, erudite, self-opinionated, but a man of tireless energy and, above all, total conviction. For his achievements we can admire him. In his failings we can identify with him. Luther remains perpetually fascinating.

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The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841 Review

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The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841 ReviewTo read this is to know Venerable Catherine McAuley. Her heart and her spirit are on these pages. I highly recommend it to anyone who seeks a relationship with her.The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841 OverviewCatherine McAuley (1778-1841) founded the Sisters of Mercy in Dublin in 1831. Her letters are essential primary sources for readers interested in the life and works of this remarkable Irish churchwoman and in women's history and Irish church history more broadly. Whether McAuley is writing to family members, bishops, her solicitor, priests, lay coworkers, or Sisters of Mercy in Ireland and England, her letters reveal striking details about the church and society of her day as well as about her own spiritual convictions and unstinting personal service to poor, sick, homeless, or uneducated adults and children.The Correspondence of Catherine McAuley, 1818-1841, is a new, fully documented edition of more than 320 surviving letters written by, to, or about McAuley during her lifetime. Drawn from archives worldwide and arranged chronologically, the letters are carefully transcribed and generously annotated, with brief narratives introducing each group. In her letters as well as in those of the other correspondents, one sees a delightfully human, affectionate woman; a compassionate, persistent servant of the poor and neglected; an astute businesswoman; and an unpretentious, humorous friend.This edition of McAuley's correspondence is readily accessible to general readers and demonstrates not only her important role in the founding and amazing spread of the Mercy congregation in her lifetime (now numbering more than 10,000 members globally), but also her personal contributions to the pastoral development of the church in Ireland and England. Scholars and other readers will gain fresh insights into many prominent ecclesial leaders in the years 1828-1841, including Daniel Murray, archbishop of Dublin, and Thomas Griffiths, vicar apostolic of the London District. They will also find in these engaging letters one woman's grass-roots experience of certain social, economic, and ecclesiastical arrangements of her time and place.

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The Complete Psalms: The Book of Prayer Songs in a New Translation Review

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The Complete Psalms: The Book of Prayer Songs in a New Translation ReviewAs someone who is average when it comes to knowledge about the Old Testament Psalms and who never particularly connected to them on a deep level,I found this translation to be a revelation. The poetic language of the psalms themselves and dramatic choices in wording spoke to me in a deep way. The introduction added to my enjoyment and appreciation of both the ancient text and the translator's abilities. In it Pam Greenberg described how she approached the project which she did in such a soulful and impassioned manner. Even the cover is a work of beauty. In addition to enjoying the book myself I found that it is wonderful as a gift to friends. I recently bought it for a totally non-religious friend facing a serious illness. The book brought tears to her eyes and is by her bedside when in need of solace and spiritual connection.The Complete Psalms: The Book of Prayer Songs in a New Translation Overview

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Supersonic Saints: Thrilling Stories from LDS Pilots Review

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Supersonic Saints: Thrilling Stories from LDS Pilots ReviewThis book tells some great gripping stories about what it would be like to participate in flying incredible aircraft from an LDS perspective. Excellent for the flying enthusiast.Supersonic Saints: Thrilling Stories from LDS Pilots OverviewRiveting and faith-promoting, Supersonic Saints is a collection of more than 15 true stories of LDS pilots who felt the hand of the Lord in their lives when they needed it most. Many of these pilots are still active in the United States Armed Forces. All of them are alive and active members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel Review

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Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel ReviewThe book is small in size, easy for a traveler to carry, and printed on good quality paper. The first section has 31 plates of the paintings in the Sistine Chapel. The afterward section has significant information on Michelangelo, his philosophy, the chapel, the ceiling, and intriguing details on specific portraits. Very well-written but the author is not mentioned.
This book comes highly recommended for anyone interested in Michelangelo or the Sistine Chapel.Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel OverviewThis exciting new art series combines the most popular artists with expert text and a fresh, unique, format destined to appeal to children and adults alike. Each of the Rizzoli Quadrifolios features sixteen foldout pages that open into huge poster-sized reproductions of the work, allowing readers to feel as though they have leaped into work itself. The series begins with two artists whose work continually compels audiences: Michelangelo and Van Gogh. Michelangelo: The Sistine Chapel focuses on the Italian master's work on this Vatican Chapel, the recent restorations of which have propelled interest in this site even higher.

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Hibiscus: Hardy and Tropical Plants for the Garden Review

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Hibiscus: Hardy and Tropical Plants for the Garden ReviewI had hoped this book would have practical advise for beginners, and lots of pictures, and how-tos, such as how to prune, when and where, but I was disappointed, too much information and history that I did not need to know. Not much help for those with plants in containers, and those in the Northeast.Hibiscus: Hardy and Tropical Plants for the Garden OverviewHibiscuses have entered an era of increasing popularity as garden designers and home gardeners rediscover the fine attributes of these wonderful plants. Here is the only book that covers the species and cultivars of the genus Hibiscus completely and in detail. Barbara Perry Lawton surveys both kinds of hibiscus: the tropical, subtropical, and warm-temperate plants whose pure, clean colors are such grand assets to modern gardens and homes, as well as the hardy perennials and shrubs that thrive in spite of snow, ice, drought, flood, or poor soil, bearing bright flowers year after year. These classic flowers have a long and fascinating history. The book chronicles the history and traditions of their use in addition to those of Hibiscus relatives such as hollyhocks, okra, and cotton. With more than 200 species, there is great diversity in the genus Hibiscus. Barbara Perry Lawton introduces all gardeners, expert and novice alike, to the possibilities offered by these plants. A photographic gallery of hibiscuses illustrates the richness of the many species and cultivars from which the gardener may choose.

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The Abacus and the Cross: The Story of the Pope Who Brought the Light of Science to the Dark Ages Review

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The Abacus and the Cross: The Story of the Pope Who Brought the Light of Science to the Dark Ages ReviewPositives and Accomplishments
Actually I give the book 5 stars for Brown's treatment of Gerbert and his immediate environment, and for her scholarship in this regard. She paints an accurate, vivid, thorough, fair, and compelling picture of the man, his work and his direct circumstances (monastery, cathedral school, journeys, and royal court, papacy). In doing this she expressly eschews standard myths and ideological mischaracterizations of the Middle Ages or Gerbert himself basing it on current scholarship.
For these reasons I highly recommend the book.
Deficiencies
I give her four stars over all is because she deserves only three stars for her treatment of many major currents and movements in the broader Medieval world. Actually it's rather weird how she often has no problem pandering to standard myths and mischaracterizations and ignoring current scholarship when it comes the Crusades, Medieval Inquisition, history of Medieval science in general, and medieval religious life even though she explicitly seeks to avoid these for Gerbert himself!
A glaring example. She wonders wide-eyed at how the peaceful coexistence of Christian and Muslim scholars pursuing science shoulder to shoulder in 10th century Islamic Spain could degenerate into the "intolerance" of the Reconquista. Gee, does she wonder at how the peaceful media images of Iraqi children playing with American soldiers while parents smile benignly could degenerate into them wanting us out of their country?
Remedies
Crusades - The New Concise History of the Crusades (Critical Issues in History), Thomas F. Madden, The Crusades: The Essential Readings, The Crusades: A History
Inquisition - Inquisition
History of Medieval Science - The Beginnings of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Context, Prehistory to A.D. 1450; Science in the Middle Ages (Chicago History of Science and Medicine); The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages: Their Religious, Institutional and Intellectual Contexts (Cambridge Studies in the History of Science); Science and Religion, 400 B.C. to A.D. 1550: From Aristotle to Copernicus; Medieval Foundations of the Western Intellectual Tradition (Yale Intellectual History of the West Se)
Medieval Religious Life - The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200-1000, 2nd Edition (The Making of Europe); The Oxford History of Medieval Europe; Patricia Ranft, Women and Spiritual Equality In Christian TraditionThe Abacus and the Cross: The Story of the Pope Who Brought the Light of Science to the Dark Ages Overview

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Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet Review

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Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet ReviewAlthough a Dylan fan and admirer of his philosophic and poetic lyrics for the last 40 years, there was always a nagging feeling that I didn't quite get something about them. I understood them for their political and social importance, but, for me, that just didn't add up to everything that was really there. Now I know why. With this book, Rogovoy has supplied the key to the missing piece. In reading "Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet" and re-evaluating the lyrics in the context of Dylan's Jewish influences, they become richer and fuller. What was resonant before, now is revealed to have a multi-layered depth that makes them all the more meaningful.
This book isn't just for Dylan fans (and it's a must-read for them), it's for anybody who's ever wondered how the precepts of religion can impact life in a practical and profound way.
Buy the book.Bob Dylan: Prophet, Mystic, Poet Overview

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An Extraordinary Gathering of Angels Review

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An Extraordinary Gathering of Angels ReviewSlightly wider than a standard paperback, this hardback book is like a mini-coffee table art book. It contains over 170 color illustrations, including a wide range of "paintings, frescoes, stained glass windows, icons, and sculpture." The book is structured into 13 chapters, each with an introductory essay by Margaret Barker, notes and comments on the paintings, quotes from significant thinkers and scriptures on topic, and interviews with theologians writers from various religious traditions (including Jewish, Muslim, Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, and LDS). Those familiar with Barker's other works will recognize her distinctive approach emerging in her introductory essays and selection of quotations. Barker has authored 10 significant books of Biblical scholarship, and served a term as the president elect of the Society for Old Testament Study. She is also a Methodist preacher, and writes from a perspective of one involved and committed. Her writing is always vivid, insightful, and relevant. Those interested in angels for themselves, or as a gift book, will find here a delightful treasure of art and insight. Those interested in to Barker's approaches at an introductory level for general readers, either for themselves, or for others, should be well served here. Those familiar with her scholarship will be pleased that one of the art works depicted is the orthodox icon of Wisdom, which she discusses in several essays in The Great High Priest. Highly recommended, as are all her books.An Extraordinary Gathering of Angels OverviewAn Extraordinary Gathering of Angels is an exquisite visual and thoughtful study of the complex and fascinating world of angels in the Judaic-Christian tradition. Using more than 250 artworks, leading Biblical scholar and practicing theologian, Margaret Barker takes the reader on an extraordinary journey among the realm of angels. Barker makes this wonderful world accessible to all readers--mini essays make sense of the complex angel cosmology and detailed picture captions explain the meaning and significance of each angel type. Margaret also has included interviews she has taken with key theologians, artists and writers who have particular and sometimes differing viewpoints on the significance of angels.

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The Feather-Bed Journey Review

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The Feather-Bed Journey ReviewThe characters and emotions are well developed in this book. The story is of a Jewish family. The Grandma has a special pillow. Rachel and her brother begin to argue and tear their Grandma's special pillow, and the feathers fly everywhere. Grandma is upset as they try to get all the feathers as they blow through the air. The children wonder why the pillow is so special to her. Grandma then explains how this pillow contains memories of when she was younger and the war that she experienced.The Feather-Bed Journey Overview

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