Halfway To Heaven

Amazon.com

Bestselling author Susan Wiggs once again delights readers with her portrayal of unconventional women and the men who learn to love them. Abigail Cabot, the awkward, dowdy daughter of a powerful senator and sister to reigning beauty Helena, loves nothing more than stargazing. In fact, that's what she's doing when she discovers a couple in a passionate embrace in the garden. Embarrassed, Abby escapes, dropping her handkerchief in her hurry. Imagine her shock when the gentleman seducing the president's sister in plain view turns out to be freshman congressman James Calhoun. The rake's knowing winks and forward manner rile Abby like no one else ever has, not even the object of her long-standing unrequited love, Lt. Boyd Butler, the vice president's son. But nothing is as it seems in Wiggs's wonderful world. The ugly duckling turns into a swan, thanks to a fairy godmother in the form of a talented seamstress, but the prince is a surprise to everyone, including the newly transformed Abby. Meanwhile, the beautiful Helena is in love with a thoroughly unsuitable man, their next-door neighbor, absent-minded professor Michael Rowan, the only man who doesn't think Abby's affinity for astronomy is unnatural. But it appears that no one is going to get what they wish for--or worse, maybe they will. Susan Wiggs's deft story telling keeps audiences guessing all the way to the last page and leaves us wanting more! Hopefully Helena and Michael Rowan's story isn't too far behind. --Alison Trinkle

Book Description

At a glittering White House gala, Abigail Cabot discovers the man of her dreams. Only, he's not interested . . . yet. So the gifted lady astronomer, whose passion for measuring stars has left her woefully lacking in social graces, seeks someone to educate her . . . someone who is a master at the art of seduction.

Jamie Calhoun's handsome looks and easy charm have made him as popular on the Senate floor as he is with the capital's most attractive women. But secretly, he loathes the cynical, manipulative man he's become. Initially, he befriends Abigail as a means to a political end. But somewhere along the way the plan goes awry.

First laughter and then love take them completely by surprise in this wildly romantic story. For a man convinced he's incapable of love and a woman who believes she can reach the stars, could this be a match made in heaven?

Customer Reviews:

This One Will Make You Smile - The Ugly Duckling Wins The Day..........2006-05-20

I have read a few novels now by Susan Wiggs - Miranda, The Firebrand, Horsemaster's Daughter & A Summer Affair. All extremely good - especially the last two (which are a series). I have taken to this author as she is a master with the written word. I so enjoy authors that are able to draw out human emotions from simple descriptions and a few well placed words and thoughts. Her writing draws you into another world - just as a good book should. Her books are really simple love tales but, the journey is the best part of her stories and characters. Just like life...it's the fun of getting there that is the sweetest treat.

In Halfway to Heaven she does it again. The magic of an unexpected love. This story was extra fun because we can all empathize and feel for a leading lady who is less than beautiful, less than graceful, less than perfect - just like most of us - we can relate to Abby in this story. She was more brains than beauty, more deep thought than wisdom and more science than mystery. But...she was charming all around. It just took a very discerning eye to see the real woman beneath the surface. Her father missed it. Her sister even missed it. The world around her certainly missed it.

But...our leading hero, James - or Jamie as he began to be called - didn't miss it. He saw it clearly.

Jamie saw her as a boring, brown wren at first - much as the rest of the world did. But...upon deeper viewing he saw a lovely bird ready to spread its wings and soar with the right guidance. His guidance. Mind you...Jamie had his own needs to be met - getting in with the right politicians to get his agenda fulfilled in Congress but, he didn't mind playing fixer upper with Abby along the way since her father was an important connection locally. His assistance in polishing Abby into a social butterfly with the right clothes, social graces and dancing charm was much needed. Jamie was helping Abby capture the man of her dreams and in turn, Jamie would get political clout. Everyone would win.

Along the journey of evolvement to a real woman Abby made him laugh, think, and explore the world in ways he had forgotten. He was hurt from the past, reserved from previous hurts and closed to the idea of giving away his heart but...Abby managed to break past his polished and handsome exterior to find the real man beneath the surface. Jamie's friends missed the true man beneath. His family missed it. The world around him missed it.

But, our leading lady Abby saw it. She saw Jamie for the wonderful man he was. Complete with dark memories, deep loss, lost first love, scars and all. Still she saw through him. To the real man. Her ability to see deep changed him as well.

Nothing is more soul stirring than hearing a man tell a woman she made him better than he could ever hope to be. Abby did that for Jamie. And in turn, Jamie made Abby a complete woman. I loved how Abby developed into a confident and courageous woman by the books end - she took what she wanted instead of waiting for the world to give it to her. I loved how Jamie realized the past must be just that and he can only have a future by looking forward. Being apart, they realized they were stranded on earth - and alone. By being together, they were already halfway to heaven.

I liked that SW did not make Abby and Helena's father into a bad guy. He was busy with work and alone since his wife died and making the best of being a widowed father. I liked that he loved his daughters and simply wanted the best for them even if he seemed distant and distracted at times. I also liked some of the other secondary characters in this story too - interesting people - sister Helena, scientist Michael Rowan, the princess etc. I plan to read Enchanted Afternoon next so, I'll get to hear Helena and Michael's story next.

SW rarely goes into a lot of details in her love stories in terms of physical intimacy or relations. Instead, she uses the gift of the written word to make you dream and visualize and fantasize about "the what if?". She makes you feel the longing, the hurt, the confusion and all the love that is between the main characters and because she is so good at this, I rarely miss the love scenes. If anything, the emotional tugging she does to your head and heart are more powerful than any "quickie" could be.

If you have not found this author yet, I would recommend you do so. She always writes a great story - realistic and easy to follow and creates moving and memorable characters. She is on her game and it's a pleasure to buy her books. Happy reading!

A Pygmalion story with an intelligent herione with a twist.......2006-04-30

Tender, funny, poignant. This book has it all. I am a sucker for a well developed story that doesn't insult my intelligence where honest yet sometimes confusing feelings are concerned. Abigale is not a "perfect" physical specimen which is a departure from the norm, but makes up for it with her wit and inteligence. Jamie's Pygmalion style role to bring Abigale to her full potential is romantic in it's poignancy and full of humor. This book was brought to my attention by a customer of mine. She has never led me wrong and this time is no exception. I am currently looking for Susan Wiggs sequal story of Abigal's sister Helena and other offerings by this new found (for me) author. Thank you, Susan Wiggs

One of the Best!.......2005-04-10

I truly enjoyed this book. The character of Jamie kept me wondering what he would do next. It took me less then a week the read this book. I passed it along to my friends, knowing that they will enjoy it just as much. I wish this book would become a movie!

Captivating Tale.......2004-12-04

I got this book for my wife who gave the following review: "I was totally captivated by this story from beginning to end. It was like watching a romance movie. All the characters came alive to me...Jamie Calhoun,the Cabot sisters. Thank you Susan Wiggs I look forward to reading some more."

Enchanting Tale.......2004-07-16

I was thoroughly delighted and enchanted by this romance. Susan Wiggs raises the art of the historical romance through her excellent characterizations, and weaves her tale with a perfect blend of history, humor, and heart. The main characters are intriguing, wise, obstinate, and very real. I adored Abigail as the heroine - she was intelligent, inquisitive, unique. I loved the way Jamie's story unfolds, bit by bit, rather than in a clumsy exposition like lesser writers would have succumbed to. The secondary characters are also richly drawn and add color and depth to the story. This was my first Susan Wiggs novel I've read, but it certainly won't be the last!!

Average customer rating:

Was important information overlooked in this book?
worth reading, if you have patience
Halfway Heaven
Liked it more than the "the dead girl"...
Haunting, revealing account

Halfway Heaven
Melanie Thernstrom
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Murder & Mayhem | True Accounts | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0385487452
Release Date: 1997-08-18

Amazon.com

Harvard prides itself on being a melting pot: the student body is 19 percent Asian, 7 percent foreigners, and more than one-third of all of the students are minorities. So when a junior from Ethiopia, Sinedu Tadesse, stabbed her roommate 45 times and then hung herself, the university came under immediate scrutiny from the press. Melanie Thernstrom approaches this tragedy with the sensitivity of someone who cares about Harvard, as an alumna and daughter of a professor, and she engages the reader with an unassuming, personal style. In the end, Halfway Heaven presents a disturbing picture of how a small, prestigious community can neglect its mentally-ill members. As quotations from Sinedu's diaries reflect all too clearly, what it takes to do well in school does not necessarily build a healthy psyche: "When I am with one person, I shake with nervousness fearing that we will run out of things to say and she or he will be bored. For math I had a teacher; for painting I had a teacher; for social life I had no one."

Also recommended is Thernstrom's first book, The Dead Girl.

Book Description

A few days before the end of spring term, an anonymous note arrived at The Harvard Crimson. It contained a photograph of a student and a typed message: "Keep this picture. There will soon be a very juicy story involving this woman." Now, the critically acclaimed author of The Dead Girl reveals the never-before-told story of two girls--one from Ethiopia, the other from Vietnam--for whom admission to Harvard was like "halfway heaven," the stepping stone to the American Dream that would ensure success for them and their families; and how they met instead with the darkest of all fates: a tragedy that might have been prevented.

Based on Melanie Thernstrom's article in The New Yorker, here is the complete story of an unfathomable murder/suicide that shocked the country--and a groundbreaking exposÚ of one of America's most distinguished universities. Drawing on the astonishing diaries kept by the murderer, Thernstrom reconstructs the inner life of a deeply troubled girl, struggling against isolation and depression, uncannily self-aware, and desperate for help. Sifting through layers of responsibility and silence, Thernstrom has pieced together a story that points back to Harvard and its calculated efforts to whitewash the story, and to protect and promote its distinguished reputation at the cost of its own student body.

A work of dazzling investigative journalism and literary pathos, Halfway Heaven raises profound questions about the nature of attachment, obsession, female friendship, and the power of loneliness to transform love into destruction.

Customer Reviews:

Was important information overlooked in this book?.......2005-12-07

Review by Rosie Meysenburg

This story of a Harvard murder-suicide that happened in 1995 involved a young woman from Ethiopia, Sinedu Tadesse, who stabbed her Vietnamese roomate 45 times and then killed herself.

For three years Sinedu saw a psychologist at Harvard. Is it possible to have therapy with a psychologist for 3 years and not be sent to an M.D. for antidepressant treatment?

There is the possibility that Sinedu was in antidepressant withdrawal during the murder-suicide. The main clue to this event is the chapter where Sinedu meets and has lunch with her friend from Ethiopia who is also a Harvard student. He comments on the change in Sinedu's appearance. Contrary to her usual appearance, she had dressed herself beautifully and had a glow to her face that the friend had never seen previously. She was chatty and lively. These are all signs of a manic type reaction [to an antidepressant??}. If this is what was happening to Sinedu, then she was still on the antidepressant when she met with her friend.

If and when Sinedu quit taking the antidepressant, her previous depression would have worsened as would her manic symptoms. There is also the possibility that she was still on the antidepressant and the college police turned all evidence of medicine bottles over to those in authority.

It is a well known fact that some of the more infamous murder/suicides in recent years involved antidepressants. Kip Kinkle, Springfield, Oregon, who killed his parents and several class mates at his high school, was in Prozac withdrawal. Eric Harris was on Luvox, a Prozac type antidepressant, when he went on his rampage at Columbine High School. Jeff Weise was on Prozac when he killed ten people, including himself, and wounded seven at Red Lake, MN high school.

The fact that Sinedu wrote to people she found in the phone book is another clue to her antidepressant use. People who report going manic on their antidepressant often mention writing long letters to perfect strangers.

This book is excellent reading for trying to come to grips with what is happening in our country regarding antidepressants and murder-suicides.

worth reading, if you have patience.......2005-06-04

Halfway Heaven is half the length of Melanie Thernstrom's other book, The Dead Girl, but it is a less compelling read.

When an Ethiopian Harvard coed (Sinedu) murders her Vietnamese-American roommate (Trang), and then commits suicide, many trenchant issues are raised. Are colleges and universities more concerned with PR than they are concerned about students' well-being? Do they look after students' mental health during semesters filled with academic and social pressures? Are there so-called "good minorities" vs. "bad minorities"?

Thernstrom does all the requisite sleuthing into the backrounds of the two students, and hits all the relevant points about social concerns. But in the end, the personal diaries and letters of the perpetrator of the crime provide the most affecting and readable passages of the book. They portray an outsider in a foreign society desperately trying to find a way out of a personal nightmare, and receiving no help from Harvard or the society at large. (Note: One of the peculiarly striking ways that Sinedu cried out for help was by sending a personal plea to strangers that she picked out of a telephone book.)

Halfway Heaven is valuable as a book that speaks out for victims, and exposes the story of two individuals who, had they lived, could have made great contributions to the world. Beyond that, it shows a less than flattering side of Harvard University, the most prestigious school in America.

I look forward to Thernstrom's next book, and hope that she finds her next subject less confining to her writing style.

Halfway Heaven.......2004-06-08

Stirring up Harvard's feathers is a wonderful thing. This book certainly did this. It is a comprehensive book about a very troubled student who gave plenty of warning signs in her personal file which the head of Dunster House, Professor Liem, looked at and filed away shortly before the horrible murder/suicide in which an innocent girl was fately stabbed 45 times by her room-mate. The most interesing thing about this true story is Harvard's attempt at cover up and downright intimidation of staff and students alike. Nobody connected with Harvard wanted to be interviewed for fear of dismisal from the staff or student body. The author's job at the New Yorker was even threatened. It is all about preserving Harvard's "sacred image" so the well heeled Alumni will keep supporting them. Harvard's poor excuse for a student mental health program, not to mention their greed, has finally been exposed.

Liked it more than the "the dead girl"..........2002-06-12

The Dead Girl, Thernstrom's previous book, was just a collection of journal entries. This one was much more interesting, better structured.

I give it three stars only because I did not come away from the book with a better sense of who the girls really were. Ok, they were both high achievers who went to Harvard, but did they love music, read interesting books, was there anything to them outside of perfect SAT scores and always being at the top of their classes?

I read this book thinking I would get an inside look into the Ivy League, but instead I got a really interesting look into how lonely this girl was and its nature in general. When reading Sinedu's chapter, I kept thinking "didn't she have friends outside of school or through clubs or interests?" When I realized she had none, I became afraid for her. Life can be really tough sometimes and friends provide a cushion against it. Without them, life can really slap a person around, as it was Sinedu.

I wonder if Sinedu ever thought about why she was studying so hard. Gathering knowlegde is great when you have someone to share it with, but with no one around, its like being a millionaire on a desert island.

An interesting read for anyone who wants to debunk the myth that the Ivy League is heaven and who wants to see what real lonliness feels like

Haunting, revealing account.......2002-01-09

I worked at Harvard for many years and knew a number of the people Thernstrom interviewed. Her take on the institution is stunningly accurate. The book is extremely well conceived and executed. The insight that this book offers into Sinedu's incredible loneliness (not even this word properly describes her life experience) is haunting. The chapter describing the author's visit to Ethiopia and the culture differences she discovers between Ethiopian life and American life is stunning. Read it!

Halfway to Heaven: The Hidden Life of the Sublime Carthusians

Average customer rating:

Too short, but sums up the Order engagingly
And this from a skeptic!
The needed voice of peaceful silence in a world of decadence
Nice introduction, but marred by small errors
A Rare Book on A Rarefied Subject

Halfway to Heaven: The Hidden Life of the Sublime Carthusians
Robin Bruce Lockhart
Manufacturer: Vanguard Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0814909221

Customer Reviews:

Too short, but sums up the Order engagingly.......2006-05-04

You may have read Nancy Klein Maguire's recent book on five novices who entered the Carthusians at St Hugh's in England in the early 1960s, "An Infinity of Little Hours," and wanted to know more about the background of the Order. Lockhart's book is short enough to read in an evening, and while it is by no means as in-depth as I would have wished, it does convey, through the personal p-o-v of a convert, the impact of the Order.

Lockhart, while familiar with St Hugh's near his home, also travelled to other male and female-staffed monasteries of the Order; unfortunately, his itinerary is often reduced in print to "X Charterhouse in Y location was beautiful, the monks/nuns were friendly, it is situated in the mountains around Z." Many of the Charterhouses receive only cursory mention, except for La Grande Chartreuse and the Vermont foundation of the Transfiguration. He does not convey for me enough of the texture and the feel of the monks/nuns, although this may be impossible for any lay observer. You should watch the German documentary by Philip Groning, "Die Gross Stille {Into Great Silence} for an unforgettable portrait of silent life experienced in time at La Grande Chartreuse; also see the Order's website and its link to Parkminster's handsome net presence. These give visuals and context that deepen and expand much more what Lockhart describes in print.

I did like the framework of this short book: he sets the mystical and eremetic traditions within the Church Fathers and early monasticism in part 1. Part 2 takes you through a whirlwind account of St Bruno, the Order's history--too skimpy, however--and the schedule of Fathers and Brothers and how candidates are vetted--again, too quick a consideration, especially in how the community accepts/rejects the monk in simple vows after a probation period--I wondered about those sent away and why this was. Part 3 proves practical; many readers will wonder, as I did, "fascinating, but since I will never live in a Charterhouse, let alone probably be allowed inside one, what can the Carthusians teach me out here in the secular world?" A couple of short chapters on "Contemplation for All" and a compendium of snippets for meditation from those in and out of the Order round off this account. (I noticed that an updated version in 1999 was issued by Cistercian Publications, which by its pagination adds about one-fourth to the original's 150 pp.) Apparently this later printing removed the sub-titular adjective "sublime" before "Carthusians," at the Order's request--fitting their wish for humility and understatement!

While this book, mixing Lockhart's own enthusiasm and reflections with a survey of the essential information about Carthusians that a casual inquirer would likely desire, still feels too "light" 15 years after I first read it, it does fulfill a need for the rest of us to find out in a handy, easily perused, and lively rendering more about this most self-effacing of Catholic communities, surviving over a millennium "never reformed because never deformed."

And this from a skeptic!.......2006-04-02

Ironic. I'm a lapsed Catholic who challenges the relevance of the church's hierarchy in this, a period in which many of the church's members are wiser and better educated than those who ostensibly oversee them.

I am also a classic extrovert.

And I'm a card-carrying skeptic, one who believes deeply in the need for scientific processes, means by which to challenge or prove claims made by anyone.

At the same time, I envy most those of such deep faith as to partake of a lifestyle of complete submission.

By the way, those who think the priests, brothers and sisters who become Carthusians do it as an escape, a candidate for the community must undergo rigorous psychological testing to check whether he or she is an appropriate candidate. (I learned that, by the way, from a Trappist priest at whose monestary I purchased this book! Such a volume is not easy to find. Thanks, Amazon.com, for providing it!)

The book is a good summary of the history of the order and its practices. I had a slight problem with a few statements--which escape me now as I finished it a couple of weeks ago--of ideology. Whether or not I disagree with the author is irrelevant. Such commentaries may be op-ed and the book would have been slightly better without them.

Another critic commented on some factual discrepancies. Assuming those are true, that is still another problem with the book, credibility being important to me. (I remember a book that a friend had recommended. In the book's introduction, the author referred to a book and its author. I knew that author did not correlate to the book--something like "'Brave New World' by George Orwell." I put that recommended book down and haven't picked it up again; such a factual discrepancy challenged the whole book!)

Another minor difference: there was a picture in the book of a Carthusian nun undergoing "the ancient sacrament of Virginal Consecration, unique to the Carthusians." No, I don't want to be titillated, but I do wish there were at least a little description of that sacrament. I know nothing about it, just assume now, from a picture's caption, that it exists. What is it? What is the ritual? The tradition?

Well, enough of my ranting. Again, I envy the depth of the Carthusuans--and hope they include me among those for whom they live a painfully rigorous "lifestyle," i.e., pray. This volume is, again, a fine summary of the Carthusian community. It's no closer to perfect than I, or those whom I envy. But, since such a lifestyle as the Carthusians is anethema to our day of excess even profane consumption, it is wonderful to have a volume to examine it!

The needed voice of peaceful silence in a world of decadence.......2005-02-06

This book taught me a great deal about cultivating an inner silence of peaceful surrender through the holy example of the Carthusian Monks.
Their hidden life of silence must be heard by all who are living in a stressful world of superficial noise.
If you want to know why a person would give up his life in total contemplation and isolation, this book is a good resource to have.
If you want to understand the power of prayer in your life, this is a book of living witness.
"If the world is becoming worse, it's because there are more people fighting, than praying!"

St. Bruno, pray for us!

Nice introduction, but marred by small errors.......2001-06-23

This book is again in print in an updated edition available from Cistercian Publications. Lockhart affectionately provides a window into the secluded lives of the Carthusians that both illuminates and informs the reader. However, as a student of history, I was disturbed by a number of errors that marr this fine book. The following is not an exhaustive list, just errors that caught my attention. Lockhart provides erroneous dates for the life of John Climacus (c. 579-649), not 379-449 as stated on page 16. Also, Lockhart says that Climacus wrote "the ladder of paradise" when the title is best translated as "the ladder of divine ascents". Lockhart makes two references to Lao Tzu, one giving his date as about 800 BC, and the other as Lao Tzu providing this quote, "Christians have no monopoly of mysticism." Something is certainly amiss here. Lockhart says that, "it was probably Pope Innocent III who first referred to the Martha and Mary analogy..." (125). Instead, the analogy between the contemplative (Mary) and the active life (Martha) goes back many centuries before Innocent's time. John Cassian is especially praised in this book, having a chapter all his own. However, Lockhart mistakenly refers to Cassian as a saint, "Cassian - or St John Cassian as he was to become ..." (27). Cassian was never officially canonized as a saint in the catholic church. This has to do with Cassian's 13th conference and saint Augustine. Columba Stewart analyzes this issue thoroughly, and convincingly, in his wonderful book "Cassian the Monk", where he argues that Cassian needs to be approached on his own terms, not filtered through a hard line Augustinian interpretation around the issue of grace and free will and Pelagianism. Not being more informed about the Carthusians, why I read this book in the first place, I hope that the chapters dealing with Carthusian history are more diligent in factual accuracy. Still, this is a good book, and brings the Carthusians into a greater light for the rest of the world to understand and give thanks for the dignity and service that their lives bring for all of us.

A Rare Book on A Rarefied Subject.......1999-03-05

As the Carthusians have traditionally kept as much out of the public eye as possible, it can be difficult to find information on such basic issues as where they are located, how they select candidates, and the particulars of their daily lives. This book, though not as detailed as one would like, provides a good introduction to the Carthusian Order and the people who join it. I hope that the publisher will consider putting it back in print, as this is one of the few books on the subject in English.

Average customer rating:

Halfway to Heaven
Nancy Johanson
Manufacturer: Zondervan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0310467527

Halfway to Heaven (Cistercian Studies Series)

Average customer rating:

Slightly expanded version of 1985 book on austere monks
The Hidden Life of the Carthusians

Halfway to Heaven (Cistercian Studies Series)
Robin Bruce Lockhart
Manufacturer: Cistercian Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

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Sounds of Silence
The Wound of Love
They Speak by Silences
The Call of Silent Love

ASIN: 0879077867

Customer Reviews:

Slightly expanded version of 1985 book on austere monks.......2006-05-16

You may have read Nancy Klein Maguire's recent book on five novices who entered the Carthusians at St Hugh's in England in the early 1960s, "An Infinity of Little Hours," and wanted to know more about the background of the Order. Lockhart's book is short enough to read in an evening, and while it is by no means as in-depth as I would have wished, it does convey, through the personal p-o-v of a convert, the impact of the Order.

Lockhart, while familiar with St Hugh's near his home, also travelled to other male and female-staffed monasteries of the Order; unfortunately, his itinerary is often reduced in print to "X Charterhouse in Y location was beautiful, the monks/nuns were friendly, it is situated in the mountains around Z." Many of the Charterhouses receive only cursory mention, except for La Grande Chartreuse and the Vermont foundation of the Transfiguration. He does not convey for me enough of the texture and the feel of the monks/nuns, although this may be impossible for any lay observer. You should watch the German documentary by Philip Groning, "Die Gross Stille {Into Great Silence} for an unforgettable portrait of silent life experienced in time at La Grande Chartreuse; also see the Order's website and its link to Parkminster's handsome net presence. These give visuals and context that deepen and expand much more what Lockhart describes in print.

I did like the framework of this short book: he sets the mystical and eremetic traditions within the Church Fathers and early monasticism in part 1. Part 2 takes you through a whirlwind account of St Bruno, the Order's history--too skimpy, however--and the schedule of Fathers and Brothers and how candidates are vetted--again, too quick a consideration, especially in how the community accepts/rejects the monk in simple vows after a probation period--I wondered about those sent away and why this was. Part 3 proves practical; many readers will wonder, as I did, "fascinating, but since I will never live in a Charterhouse, let alone probably be allowed inside one, what can the Carthusians teach me out here in the secular world?" A couple of short chapters on "Contemplation for All" and a compendium of snippets for meditation from those in and out of the Order round off this account.

(I noticed that this updated version in 1999 was issued by Cistercian Publications, which by its pagination adds about one-fourth to the original's 150 pp.) Apparently this later printing removed the sub-titular adjective "sublime" before "Carthusians," at the Order's request--fitting their wish for humility and understatement!

While this book, mixing Lockhart's own enthusiasm and reflections with a survey of the essential information about Carthusians that a casual inquirer would likely desire, still feels too "light" 15 years after I first read it, it does fulfill a need for the rest of us to find out in a handy, easily perused, and lively rendering more about this most self-effacing of Catholic communities, surviving over a millennium "never reformed because never deformed."

The Hidden Life of the Carthusians.......2006-02-09

This is an excellent look at the Carthusian life and their history. The author, Robin Bruce Lockhart, is a journalist and a man of faith who has had the privilege of having been able to visit several Charterhouses around the world. And from these visits he shares the insights he gleaned from them.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part starts with fundamentals of monastic and eremitic spirituality. He shows the eremitic life starting with the early church fathers in the desert. And shows how this life found its way into Europe.

In Part two we are introduced to Saint Bruno, the founder of the Carthusian Order, and his life. A history of the Carthusian order, a life of its founder, St. Bruno, a summary of his life.
We then follow the history of the Order to present times, which is quite an amazing story. We get a glimpse of the life within a Charterhouse for a Father, Brother and Nun. And what sorts of individuals join the order. He also shares what is required to join and the process one would go through to become a member.
Then this part of the book gives us a description of present Carthusian governance and bureaucracy that allows the Order to continue to exits.

Part three of the book he covers how the contemplative methods are good for all of us and how we might be able to try and practice them in our on home before starting our secular days. There is a section on words of wisdom to meditate on from some of the greatest thinkers of all time.

The book has some appendices, which includes the letter to the Order from Pope John Paul II on their 900th Anniversary. A sample of an individual monk or nun's regimen of prayer and work. We see they pray for us day and night, this necessitates two separate sleep periods of about three hours each. The book concludes with a list of Charterhouses that were in operation in 1999 and a wonderful bibliography.

5 Titles By Bauer - His and Hers - 14 Valentine Place - Halfway to Heaven - Model Bride - Seventh Heaven

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5 Titles By Bauer - His and Hers - 14 Valentine Place - Halfway to Heaven - Model Bride - Seventh Heaven
Pamela Bauer
Manufacturer: various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000RMOPQQ

Product Description

Multiple books shipped as one item for your convenience. Save on Shipping/Handling charges.

Halfway Between Heaven and Earth: An uncommon story of a white woman

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Halfway Between Heaven and Earth: An uncommon story of a white woman
Leone Lawrence
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Discrimination & Racism | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1419641808
Release Date: 2006-10-17

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Halfway to Heaven
Pamela Bauer
Manufacturer: harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OWKF40

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HALFWAY TO HEAVEN
MAX SINCLAIR
Manufacturer: HODDER AND STOUGHTON
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000SD27K0

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Halfway to Heaven
Max Sinclair
Manufacturer: Hodder and Stoughton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000S1ROEG

Product Description

In a split second one July day, Max Sinclair's life was dramatically changed. His neck was broken in a car accident. Evangelist, father of three, optimistic for the future, he suddenly faced the terrible possibility of permanent paralysis. Hundreds prayed. Hopes for recovery were raised, then dashed, and finally miraculously fulfilled...

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