Average customer rating:
- Bored and Confused
- The Last Gentleman
- Going beyond the personal to the universal
- A Latter day Camus
- Hopefully number 3 will be better
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The Last Gentleman: A Novel
Walker Percy
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0312243081 |
Book Description
Will Barrett is a 25-year-old wanderer from the South living in New York City, detached from his roots and with no plans for the future, until the purchase of a telescope sets off a romance and changes his life forever.
Customer Reviews:
Bored and Confused.......2007-07-17
This is actually my favorite Percy novel. While I believe the Moviegoer uses an excellent device, watching movies, to depict the alienation of the moder/post-modern man I identified much more closely with the engineer in this novel. Percy believed that boredom and a sense of disconnection were the ultimate products of the modernist agenda. I believe Barret perfectly describes the average denizen of modernity who doesn't know who he is, where he is going, or what he is for.
Autobiographically, I grew up as a transplanted midwesterner in the deep south. What I loved so much about this novel is how much I could identify with the main character's sense of rootlessness.
The Last Gentleman.......2007-02-21
The year this book was published, I was a college student taking whatever liberal arts piqued my interest. My Abnormal Psychology course was a favorite. In those times, the classification of people was thought important, and I recall memorizing the various symptoms to be seen in each of the eight types of schizophrenia delineated by my textbook. My instructor knew that each person is crazy in his own way, and encouraged us to focus on the bigger picture. One of his final exam questions was "Why do so many psychological problems have to do with sex or religion?" I don't remember what I responded, but I've always remembered the question for its classic illumination of two areas that will always keep psychiatrists and novelists in business. A classmate had read this book, thought it illustrative of weirdness and I made a mental note to see for myself. Had I not delayed my promise for 40 years, I would probably have held the work in higher esteem.
The novel is in third person and overflows with asides and incidentals. Percy provides a constant flow of tangential remarks that keep the action in flux. There is little excavation to expose the root of things, though one feels a flicker of truthiness in some of the dialog. Billy, the main character, goes careening around in fugue at stressful times and the offhanded, existential immediacy of the style enhances his abnormality. At bottom, the book is about sex and religion, though the absolutes that seem to have inspired Percy make for thin spackle. Had I read this in '66 before Gonzo lit, I would have given it 5 stars.
A final remark as to the talented author. I assume wide ranging life experience and spectacular trauma may result in a deep reservoir from which to draw. Read Walker Percy's bio in Wickipedia. Taking up the pen was a great career move.
Going beyond the personal to the universal.......2006-05-14
Will Barrett is a confused young man. A drop-out, not only of Princeton, but basically of life in general, in this picaresque novel Barrett goes on a "spiritual quest" that takes him from NYC to his ancestral home in the Mississippi Delta to the desert around Santa Fe in search of answers on how to live. He falls in love with Kitty, encounters her family, faces ghosts from his own past, and breaks from his self-imposed stupor and acts. Will spends much of the novel observing: he views life through a telescope and spends a lot of time in front of a TV set. Gradually he learns to free himself from this bondage (he says he wanted to view life as a scientist might) and begins living life as a participant and not just as an observer. Will doesn't forget the value of contemplation and at the end of the novel is still a "watcher and listener," but by this stage has a better idea of who he is. Percy is a comic writer and many of the scenes are funny (and symbolic): the ending with Sutter Vaught and his Edsel is hilarious. Well written and searching, Percy's novel insists that people must reach out beyond themselves to find happiness and sanity.
A Latter day Camus.......2004-07-27
First of all, I do not bother to review a work I do not like. I am a writer myself and no one likes to get a bad review. Why should I upset another writer on Amazon? So, unless I am paid or asked to review a book in my professional capacity, I only comment on really good books. The Last Gentleman is such a book. It reminds me of Camus, Herman Hesse, or Franz Kafka at their best. There are enough previous reviews on Amazon to relate the plot outline; I need not repeat this. Those who only gave this book 2 or 3 stars admitted that they "didn't get it" or could not understand what the book is about. Existentialism is not for everyone. Nor is satire of the Percy genre.
But I loved it. Almost as much as Love in the Ruins
Edward C. Green
Harvard University
Hopefully number 3 will be better.......2004-04-16
I picked up Percy's second work, The Last Gentleman, after reading his initial book, The Movie Go-er a few years ago while in Massachusetts. In the end, I found it hard to get into the story. I could not identify with the characters. They seemed a little unreal. I could not identify with Will Barrett. I could not comprehend his inner dispositions, or how his personal history formed the person he was. The same thing with Sutter, although his ramblings in his notebook were interesting. Val was in another world for me. No doubt this probably says more about me. I don't know if that says something about how I might view southerners. I hope not. Although there were moments I truly enjoyed, I could not get into the plot. It just seemed a tad far-fetched. I didn't mind hearing the names of dated appliances or food stuffs. I derived pleasure from that, the so-called "blast from the past". I like how Percy drops here and there the strange things we humans do. There is too much that is still unresolved. I think it needs a sequel. Maybe it is just me.
I intend to pick up and read Love in the Ruins, as well as all of Walker Percy's works (non-fiction as well). That is definitely me.
Average customer rating:
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Treating Health Anxiety and Fear of Death: A Practitioner's Guide (Series in Anxiety and Related Disorders)
Patricia Furer ,
John R. Walker , and
Murray B. Stein
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Anxiety Disorders | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0387351442 |
Book Description
Never has our culture been more aware of personal and global health hazards, from both within and without. While most people may feel some anxiety in this regard, some have an unbearable sense of dread that prevents them from functioning.
Chronic health anxiety—heightened fears of illness, disease, and death—is a central feature of hypochondriasis, of course, but can also present as depression, generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, and other diagnoses.
Treating
Health Anxiety offers the professional reader not only an understanding of this condition, but also an easily implemented cognitive/behavioral program for reducing fear of illness, overcoming the fear of death, and getting more enjoyment from life, including:
-Step-by-step coverage of the assessment process and therapy sessions
-Patient worksheets and self-monitoring forms
-Specific guidelines for treating health anxiety in children and the elderly
-Strategies for handling impasses and setbacks
-Up-to-date guide to pharmacotherapy for health anxiety.
As media attention to health issues increases, client fears of illness won’t go away any time soon.
Treating
Health Anxiety gives prescribing and non-prescribing clinicians (as well as the counselors and social workers who encounter the problem) the tools to reduce both the fears and the medical costs that so often accompany them.
Book Description
Returning to the Reservation and solving her father's murder taught former FBI Agent Ella Clah that that there is more to the world than can be explained by FBI training and forensic science. Now a Special Investigator with the tribal police, Ella must investigate the brutal murders of several of the Dineh's 'living treasures,' Navajos esteemed for their knowledge of the tribe's religious and cultural wisdom.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good Book.......2002-01-18
I am a new reader to this genre. I chose this book because I was looking for a "thriller" with a female heroine. While I did NOT find this book a "thriller," in terms of not being able to put it down, the story did keep moving right along, and I did find it to be a very interesting mystery. While I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in Indian lore and the southwest, I would equally recommend it to readers who aren't particularly interested in this setting, as well. Overall, a very enjoyable book.
VERY GOOD BOOK.......2001-04-29
I am a new reader to this genre. I chose this book because I was looking for a "thriller" with a female heroine. While I did NOT find this book a "thriller," in terms of not being able to put it down, the story did keep moving right along, and I did find it to be a very interesting mystery. While I would recommend this book to readers who are interested in Indian lore and the southwest, I would equally recommend it to readers who aren't particularly interested in this setting, as well. Overall, a very enjoyable book.
Don't start it, if you don't have time to finish it........1997-11-10
As an avid Tony Hillerman fan, I loved this book. It may even surpass many of his efforts. The story grabs you from the start and makes one want to read it through without stopping. Hopefully, we will now have a more steady flow of Navajo-Rez mysteries and lore with both Hillerman and the Thurlo's churning them out.
Average customer rating:
- The Death Row Columnist
- Well written, thought provoking and very Compationate
- Brilliant Writer, Mighty Suspicious Guy
- Wonderful insight, but repetitive
- Read this book before it's too late
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All Things Censored
Mumia Abu-Jamal
Manufacturer: Seven Stories Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1583220763 |
Book Description
The title of this book is grim wordplay, referring to the author's censorship by National Public Radio's All Things Considered, which bowed to pressure from then-Senator Bob Dole to ban Mumia Abu-Jamal's radio commentaries. A death-row inmate for nearly 20 years, Abu-Jamal here offers more than six dozen essays on such topics as censorship and the failures of the court system. The author's composure, humor, and connection to the living world shine through these writings and represent a kind of victory over the “corrections” system. This edition includes 12 new essays not in the hardcover edition and a compact disc with banned radio commentaries.
Customer Reviews:
The Death Row Columnist.......2006-09-27
I'll grant that Mumia Abu Jamal is a gifted writer, and that he has plenty of important things to say. The problem is that after an hour of pontificating on a few select subjects, he starts to sound like a broken record. He's also so incredibly one-sided that his writing hasn't even a smidgen of balance to it.
These short editorials were made from his prison cell on Pennsylvania's death row, where he was then incarcerated for the alleged murder of a Philadelphia cop. His death sentence has since been overturned, but not his conviction. The recording reflects a romanticized notion of how society should be organized, combined with an inability to accept the way power operates. Mumia speaks from the extreme left, where facts and statistics account for little and where utopian ideology fails to take human selfishness into account. He harps on and on about how certain groups are victims of a callous and racist society, while never once mentioning the need for initiative and responsibility. Sure, the justice system is flawed. Sure, the poor do not get a fair break, and there is certainly a great deal of racism smoldering within American society.
All of that is tragic, to say the least. The majority of us wish things were different, but we know they never will be. On the other hand, it is possible for impoverished African-Americans to transcend their circumstances without becoming gangsters or drug dealers. People do it everyday. In fact, Abu-Jamal had done as much himself before getting caught up in his legal woes. So why is it that his writing has the subtext that poor blacks are passive victims who cannot do more for themselves? And why hasn't this equally racist view been noted and excoriated by more people? Probably because its easy to buy into.
The thing that really irks me about this collection, though, are the guest spots made by people like Martin Sheen, Alice Walker, and other left-leaning celebrities, whose involvement with poverty and justice activism border on nil. Their sole purpose is to reiterate the theme that Abu-Jamal has been imprisoned for his 'courageous voice' and for the 'danger he poses to the system.' The death of the Philadelphia police officer is merely a trumped up excuse to 'silence' the 'voice of a prophet.' There are plenty of other radical voices at work out there, so why haven't they been imprisoned? I would say it is because they haven't been involved in an outrageous murder. I do not know whether Abu-Jamal is guilty or not, and it isn't my place to say so. I hope he's innocent and I hope he one day walks. But I wasn't there, and neither were any of the mouthpieces who have turned his presumed innocence into a fashion statement.
The good news is that this audiobook is mercifully short. Abu-Jamal's editorials only run about 3 minutes each, and they are interspered with the superfluous celebrity endorsements I mentioned above. One or two of them are quite powerful, to say the least. There's a touching homage to the strong-willed mother who raised him and his siblings in poverty, and an insightful condemnation of the materialism found in modern rap. On the whole, though, its a relentless flurry of leftist ideology, based on shoddy generalizations and unsupported by any sound facts. Mercifully, the entire audiobook only lasts about an hour and a half, and its an easy listen. I suppose Mumia is recording from his prison cell, which explains the annoying echo that mars the sound quality. Overall, though, its a worthwhile listen, but it certainly is no masterpiece.
Well written, thought provoking and very Compationate.......2006-03-10
It is a very well written and thought provoking work. I truly admire what he is doing in such limited circumstances, further more appreciate his courage and strength. I was always against death penalty but after reading "all things censored" I was more aware why death penalty is such cruel and in human form of punishment. Must be abolished just like slavery!
Brilliant Writer, Mighty Suspicious Guy.......2002-09-26
Mumia Abu Jamal is undoubtedly correct with regard to his opinions about the American Judicial System, and many of the essays in this book, on everything from rap music to jail suicides, are heart rending and angering. But with regard to Jamal himself, the claims his supporters make of his innocence get more and more tenuous the harder one looks at the case. And his silence on the matter is also a bit disturbing. If an innocent man were rotting in a jail cell on death row in one of the worst prisons in the country, he would not be reminiscing about the past and the significant flaws of the system--he would write ceaselessly about the circumstances of his case, why he is innocent, what really happened that night between him and Officer Faulkner, and perhaps give us a little insight into why even his own brother would not testify on his behalf. A lucid, unsparing mind, an amazing talent, a true political activist and revolutionary, yes, all this and a vicious murderer to boot. When the smoke clears and a fair trial finally happens, some of these young kids who worship him are going to be mighty disappointed. All the lefty lawyers and goofball celebrities in the world can't cloud the actual truth, as romantic as Jamal's background may be.
I'd still recommend the book. Just remember what kind of a human being wrote it.
Wonderful insight, but repetitive.......2002-05-05
This wonderful collection of Mumia Abu-Jamal's essays is a priceless view into the life of an oppressed inner city black man. The horrible injustices done to these people are conveyed through Mumia's eloquent essays and radio commentaries.
However, some of the essays are repetitions of previous ones, such as the ones on the "drug war" and the May 13 MOVE bombing. I really appreciate Mumia's radical mindset, but I think the editors of the book could have left out some of the repetitious essays.
All in all, this is a great book with multifaceted insights into police brutality, the structure of our "democracy", and the lives of urban blacks everywhere.
Read this book before it's too late.......2001-03-02
All Things Censored
Mumia Abu-Jamal has not only a good oratory style, but also writes vividly and convincingly. Mumia has a rare perspective, as his background as a reporter and his long and unjust incarceration give him an understanding of the political economy of the media, which serves to silence dissent, and the prejudice of the trial and punishment system. This book is essential for anyone who has an interest in US politics, justice, the issue of the death penalty and Mumia's case in particular. It is also an excellent insight into modern American society - the aspect that we are discouraged from seeing by politicians and the media. Any person who has a grasp of America's recent history knows all about police brutality, the oppression of minorities and the choking conformity of censorship, but rarely has a writer conveyed all of this so clearly. If this book is inflammatory, it is only because that is the rightful response to an injustice of the magnitude Mumia has been subjected to. His case encapsulates the blatant and ruthless prejudice of the police and the courts, and their highly pervasive and authoritarian grip on mainstream media discourse. His case echoes that of Nigeria's Ken Saro-Wiwa, and it would be to America's shame if he were to pay the same price for his dissent. Don't believe the corporate-controlled mass media - reject censorship. Find out the facts of Mumia's case and then decide.
Book Description
When the medievals spoke of "last things" they were sometimes referring to events, such as the millennium or the appearance of the Antichrist, that would come to all of humanity or at the end of time. But they also meant the last things that would come to each individual separately--not just the place, Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory, to which their souls would go but also the accounting, the calling to reckoning, that would come at the end of life. At different periods in the Middle Ages one or the other of these sorts of "last things" tended to be dominant, but both coexisted throughout.
In Last Things, Caroline Walker Bynum and Paul Freedman bring together eleven essays that focus on the competing eschatologies of the Middle Ages and on the ways in which they expose different sensibilities, different theories of the human person, and very different understandings of the body, of time, of the end. Exploring such themes as the significance of dying and the afterlife, apocalyptic time, and the eschatological imagination, each essay in the volume enriches our understanding of the eschatological awarenesses of the European Middle Ages.
Book Description
"Extraordinary! In 20 years in the editing publishing business, I've not seen anything like it. Detailing the lingering effects of a death, whether recent or past, this insightful guide explains why writing heals, and how to do it." Marilyn J. Stutt "When death intrudes, we all need help. This guide to thoughtful, reflective writing is sensitive and powerful. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED." Anna L. Ulrich, Ph.D. International Reading Association Consultant "I've seen no other book that comes close to covering the range of reactions and issues that assail a survivor. Dr. Walker guides you through them all. A step-by-step blueprint for finding peace through writing." Robert Knox Clinical Social Worker
Book Description
Stories that address the grieving process of humans and animals who have lost their companions and that give advice on how best to help yourself and others recover
• Gives practical advice on recovery, including self-care, support systems, and homeopathic recipes, and also discusses the painful topic of euthanasia
• The first book to address the topic of animal grief at the loss of a companion, explaining how to recognize grief in animals and how to help them heal
Anyone who has lost a treasured animal companion knows that this can be as devastating as losing a human loved one. Unfortunately, our society's sympathy with this loss is not commensurate with the actual grief people feel. Kaetheryn Walker fills this void by presenting true stories of the grief process she and others went through after the death of their animal companions. She gives practical advice on recovery, including daily self-care, support systems, and homeopathic remedies, and discusses the painful topic of euthanasia as well. Her book is also the first to address the important topic of animal grief at the loss of a companion. She explains how to recognize grief in animals and how to help them heal.
Customer Reviews:
A great reference for helping animals.......2006-05-04
I actually lost my copy of this book, and I've added it to my wish list so I can replace it. The book is written in anecdotal format; the author uses case studies from her practice to demonstrate how particular remedies are used in particular cases of grief/shock. You don't have to be a Ph.D. or a hugely experienced homeopath to use this book.
Over the years I have used recommendation from this book to help animals recover from the death of their owners and abandonment in shelters. My most recent rescue--a cat who had been surrendered to a shelter when his former owner became too sick to take care of him, almost died while in the shelter (from illness and a broken heart), found a home and then was kicked back to the shelter due to behavior issues, and finally moved into my house, where he lives happily and peacefully with my two older cats--benefited profoundly from the advice given in this book. Only yesterday I was able to use information I remembered from this book to help a baby goat whose mother orphaned him.
If you are looking for a book to help YOU recover from pet loss, this book isn't for you. There are numerous books on the market to help humans recover from pet loss. This book is designed for you to help your animal companion cope with his or her grief and emotional turmoil after losing a beloved human or animal friend.
One word of caution: The author (and I) believe that animals have souls and feelings--NOT that animals are people in fur suits, but that animals have feelings which they manifest in their own way unique to their species. If this approach to animal welfare is too "woo woo" for you, you may want to give this book a miss. But if you are interested in homeopathy and you sense that your animal is depressed or otherwise traumatized by a loss, this book will be a great reference tool. Shelter workers and animal "foster carers" could benefit from this book, too.
Helpful and pactical.......2002-02-02
I am a volunteer foster mom for kittens and cats, having had about 200 animals adopted.I deal with animal loss-I have to deal with cats I raised in my home and personally feel the loss and adopters who call me in tears and are very distresses. I recommend this book-probably because it doesn't have poetry and stories that move readers to tears, I find people can read that their feelings of loss are very valid and extremely personal-and it helps. I am not a professional but I am asked for help when an animal is ill or passed away and this book is short enough that readers will stay with it. The homeopathic part of this book is not for everyone-probably only a small portion of animal owners.But I followed some suggestions and as they say "It can't hurt to try!"
This book is a homeopathic materia medica for animals.......2000-11-10
I think potential buyers of this book should not be deceived by the title into thinking that it is a guide to healing from pet loss, as I was. The author is a fervent, not to say fanatic, veterinary homeopath. What starts out as personal anecdotes about euthanizing or losing beloved pets turns into anecdotes about rescuing traumatized animals (surely a laudable thing) and healing them with things like Natrum muriaticum (chloride of sodium)and Borax (borate of sodium). As a pet lover myself, I'm the last to point a finger at someone who anthropomorphizes animals, but I do start wondering when animal emotions are supposedly "understood" by a human to such a fine degree - is it really possible to distinguish "rage in general" vs. rage from being left alone" vs. "rage at having the throat touched", and that each of these different rages can be cured by a different herb? Perhaps it is possible, and since the author believes in long-distance telepathic communication with animals, perhaps she knows something that I don't. The communication I have experienced from animals has truly been deeper than anything I was ever taught could be possible - but I wonder if layering on too much human emotion spoils the purity, the difference of relating to an animal rather than another human. The book makes several good, though not original points; that giving our pets a peaceful end to suffering requires great courage of the heart, that animals do suffer emotional trauma and do grieve the loss of human or other animal companions. The human-animal bond is indeed a very special, very important bond to forge - the capacity to love another outside oneself is paramount to being a good human being. Becoming the "ambassador" for an animal requires commitment, watchfulness and care; what our companion animals give us in return is beyond measure. Had I been interested in learning homeopathic veterinary medicine, I would have purchased this author's other book "Homeopathic First Aid for Animals". If you are looking for a book to help you deal with grief at losing a beloved (pet of any type, parent, a love), buy "My Cat Saved My Life" by Philip Schreibman. It will help you much more.
AFTERWORD: (9/5/01) It is now almost a year since I lost my beloved 17-year-old cat, Hugo. I felt moved to add a few words to what I wrote about this book in 11/00. I want to clarify that I believe with all my being that our companion animals DO indeed understand us when we talk to them and and touch them and can even read our moods. (Read Anthony Gugielmo's book, "The Walrus on My Table"). And I hope with all my heart that telepathic communication between animals and humans and healing with homeopathic remedies occur. But I bought this book based on the title, which is such a comforting statement when you are grieving a loss..."the heart that is loved never forgets". It would have been the perfect title for the books "Angel Paws" and "Angel Whiskers", both books that deal with coping with the grief over losing a companion animal better than the above volume. I hold no quarrel with this this book, nor this author's point of view. I just wanted others in my situation to know that better solace for sorrow could be found elsewhere. I have moved on to rescue two other cats since I lost Hugo; a 10-year-old cat whose owner had to enter a nursing home and could not take his cat and a starving kitten from my driveway. I say this not to glorify myself, but to make the point that, no matter how much I love my other feline companions, the hole in my heart left by my bright spirit, Hugo's, absence will never be filled as long as I am alive. I know that I will meet him again, when, as they say, I go over the "Rainbow Bridge" myself. I also want to tell seniors and their relatives/dear ones something very important - the animal shelter community has changed. If you are lonely for an animal companion, but are resisting because you worry about whether you will "be around"...stop hesitating! There are MANY animals out there who would be so happy to share your life, no matter for how long! I never in the world thought I would adopt a 10-year-old cat (I am turning 50 this year); but I did and it was a revelation. Even if one or both of you has only a few years left, don't they deserve to be happy ones?, full of love? There are so many sad animal stories around, but we should realize that things ARE getting better, that some people DO care, and that love can be just around the corner, for today, for tomorrow, for who knows how long? And there will be others to pick up the torch and carry the love forward. God Blesses All Creatures, if one can but see.
Book Description
Contrary to popular myth, the original purpose of dim mak was not the training of assassins. It was an intensive study of the medical arts that incorporated the martial arts, and its ultimate goal was to heal, not to destroy. True to the intent of the ancient Chinese masters, here is an undiluted, holistic study of dim mak as both a martial and a healing art. Included are a historical overview of dim mak and Traditional Chinese Medicine, discussions of the physiological mechanism and medical risks of acupoint strikes, an indepth introduction to the classical 36 Chamber training program traditionally used to teach dim mak; detailed analyses of the medical and martial applications of each of the acupoints on the 12 main meridians, complete with detailed diagrams outlining each meridian system and its acupoint locations; and an introduction to herbal pharmacology, which was an integral part of traditional dim mak training. Appendices serve as quick reference guides to the activation method and results of selected point strikes. For academic study only.
Customer Reviews:
Very Informative.......2007-08-21
Wonderful book that delivers more usefull information than any other I've seen. Terrific illustrations throughout to make learning easy. Outstanding!
Good insight into real Martial Art.......2006-06-22
The book of Walker and Bauer is a welcome futher information besides the works of Erle Montaigue. The authors have deep insights into the art of acupuncture. For this reason it was easier for them to go into the secrets of DIM Mac. Nevertheless without medical knowledge it remains difficult to understand all details of this theme. There are some mistakes in the book, but it not so important. For example the paintings and the text of the bladder meridian use different systems. Therefore some acupuncture points do not correspond between figures and text. A lot of fighting combinations in Dim Mac remain hypotheses, because a scintific analysis is not possible or mandatory. Such combinations may result in damage of individual health, experiments have to be forbidden. Nevertheless this book is an exellent work of ancient chinese martial art.
Helmut Kogel M.D. Professor of surgery
regional director IMAF ( international Martial Art Kokusai Budoin)
5.DAN Karate Renshi, 5.Dan Kobudo, 2.Dan Nihon Jujutsu, 1.Antas Arnis
Only minor disappointments...Overall good book.......2006-02-16
The Book delivers almost exactly what it promises ,so I will not mention its good points .One thing I didnt like much was the lack of clear photos for the points ,inside the chambers section of the book .Although you get a rough idea on where each point is ,I had to use my older bibliography in order to pinpoint the exact location of most points .
Also I find unacceptable that the authors did not give extensive information on Governing Vessel and Conception Vessel .Although they mention the points at the last section of the book where they present a sum of combinations and points ,there is no analysis of GV and CV .That was a disappointment .
Superlative!.......2004-11-24
I am proud to call Rick Bauer a friend and his prescence in my martial art life has always been positive, informative and influential. His long tireless work to bring this superlative book to fruition, on a deeply intricate and little known art, Dim Mak, is commendable. This collaborative effort with Master Flane Walker has long been needed and I am now able to clearly state that this is the book the internal martial arts community has been missing.
The subject matter, contents and layout of this work have been given keen attention which benefits the overall aesthetic. It is both easy on the readers eye and informative without alienating the layman. It does not play down the depth of these arts for those who frequent it's heights but rather strikes a perfect balance which comfortably caters to all; no mean feat!
In refering to my University manuals on Chinese Accupuncture Point Locations, I made a comparison with this book which did not leave me wanting. My University manuals were a largely dry affair which
catered to the medical TCM fraternity while the Book of Dim Mak covers all bases and then some. Among some of the most delightful aspects of the book is the martial applications of the points as an adjunct to the medical; very important in my view.
The subject of Dim Mak has been given lavish treatment in a most concise fashion, would it were that all books were so accessable when dealing with obscure subjects such as these. I have already found this to be the number one go-to book when requiring detailed information on Dim Mak, and while Erle Montaigue has had his own excellent works out for some years now, I can safely say that this work is an important addition to the study.
I couldn't recommend this work more highly for those with a vested interest in truly understanding the intracies of Dim Mak from tip to toe.
The best book I have every seen on Dim-Mak!.......2004-08-25
This book is a must have for all Martial Artist or anyone wanting to study and learn more about Traditional Chinese Medicine and the points used for both Acupunture and Presure Point Control or Striking.
Book Description
Offers help and hope to those who wonder if they have out-sinned God’s grace or if their life circumstances have set them aside from being used by God, with practical help to every believer and church leader who sits side by side each Sunday with the broken and hurting. Foreword by Billy Graham.
Customer Reviews:
Do you need encouraging?.......2007-09-06
This book will do it. I look at the families of others and think that they are so blessed that they can't go through hard times. Ruth Graham puts that throught to rest. She is a real flesh and blood person with a story to share.
In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart: Hope for the Hurting.......2007-07-28
I purchased this book for a friend who recently went through a divorce and struggling with the pain. However, I could hardly put it down before giving it to her, so purchased a second copy for myself. That copy is now in the hands of someone else who wanted to read it...so I may purchase a third copy for my own reading. What an inspiration, no matter where you are in your life!! I have gleaned much from the three chapters I have read and my friend is using it for a 'study' guide as she goes through the healing process of divorce. I have not gone through that, but find so much that is relevant to my own life. Thanks, Ruth, for writing this book. Five stars isn't rated high enough for this outstanding book.
Help/Hope for PKs.......2006-07-26
OK - I grew up, as Ruth did, as a PK. Although my dad certainly was not Billy Graham, in our small WV community, he was close to it. I grew up knowing, as Ruth shared, that my choices reflect on my father's ministry. While there were MANY times that kept me out of trouble, there were others where I failed. I appreciated Ruth's candor and ability to get through to me that no matter who our earthly father is, our Heavenly Father will pick us up, dust us off, and give us hope for a better tomorrow. I've highlighted my copy and written all kinds of stuff. It was truely helpful - I have recommended it to many already.
In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart : Hope for the Hurting.......2006-03-08
Ruth "Bunny" Graham's book reveals her heart as she transparently shares her hurts and her healing! The book shows God's faithfulness and comfort for broken hearts. A must-read for those who have "been there-done that" as well as for those who want to understand or counsel others who have gone through painful relationships.
judgemental people.......2006-02-21
After reading some of the reviews for Ruth Graham's book I can understand why Christians don't open up about the struggles,sins and problems in their lives. None of us are without sin and never will be. No one is perfect! It took courage to tell her story and the comments in some of the reviews verify why she kept slient all those years.
Ms. Graham states at the beginning of her book that she followed her own path and would have to face the consequences. I thank her for letting others know that whatever choices we make in our lives, whatever struggles we face that we are not alone. God is a loving God and He is with us always.
The scriptures and the sections "For the One Who Cares" are very insightful,uplifting and encouraging.
Comment to the reviewers. Yes, God will bring other Christians into our lives but He will not make them treat us Godly. The Godly person we marry has a choice/free will to how they treat us. The Godly person we marry could turn to abuse, be unfaithful, be into pornography or a number of other things that could cause the marriage to end which we can not control.
People need to walk in love and compassion instead of judging the lives of others.
Books:
- The Maiden King: The Reunion of Masculine and Feminine
- The Mammoth Book of Roaring Twenties Whodunnits: Murder Mysteries from the Age of Bright Young Things
- The Master Cleanser
- The Prey: A Novel
- The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart: Poems for Men
- The Sandman: Endless Nights
- The Soul Catcher: A Maggie O'Dell Novel
- The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ripley Under Ground, Ripley's Game (Everyman's Library)
- the Torso
- The Wisdom of Crowds
Books Index
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