Book Description
Sam Cooke was the biggest star in gospel music before hecrossed over into pop. His first single under his own name, "You Send Me,"went to #1 on the charts and sold two million copies. At a time when recordcompanies treated black artists like hired help, Sam Cooke demanded respectequal to that of top white artists. And he connected, in songs like"Wonderful World," "Chain Gang," and "Another Saturday Night"--seeminglyeffortless compositions that still sound fresh today. This resoundingly praised book captures a human essence so vital, soappealing, that it is impossible not to fall under its spell. At the sametime, DREAM BOOGIE re-creates in rich detail the African American worldfrom which Sam Cooke emerged, allowing us to feel both his trials and histriumphs.
Customer Reviews:
A Triumph of Peter Guralnick.......2007-08-19
Peter Guralnick knows how to tell the history of a life, and Dream Boogie is a well written account not just of Sam Cooke but of the history of popular music at perhaps its most significant stage. The author details the coming together--forced to varying degrees from the circumstance of segregation--of gospel and blues, art and commerce, glamour and shabbiness. Guralnick brings this last combination to vivid perspective in particular: while on tour and 'Wonderful World' is high in the charts, for instance, segregation still limits Sam's choice of accommodation to run-down hotels. As Guralnick shows, however, the religious and the secular were two things that were already well entwined: Dream Boogie emphasizes how the church was rooted in material success--how preoccupied its gospel stars were with sexual and financial, as well as spiritual, concerns.
I'd like to clear up a confusion that other reviews suffer from: when Guralnick, say, talks about Sam Cooke's 'naked avariciousness', he's talking from a business opponent's point of view. This is why statements seemingly flatly contradict. We get impressions of greed and generosity, but just because words aren't in inverted commas, it doesn't mean they represent the author's beliefs. It's a literary conceit (you could call it 'shifting third person subjective' or some such if you liked), and Sam Cooke appears through this composite approach. Guralnick has said in interview that his professional intention is to 'disappear', and mostly he does--by the device of presenting a series of opinions.
Too much of Sam's life seems little more than a series of tour itineraries. It's a fault that overruns the middle section of the book, although it's tempting to accept as a by-product of honesty and thoroughness. The end, though, is filled with revelation, and it becomes clear the author has consciously chosen to concentrate even on Sam's trivial triumphs above examples of tawdriness: the death of our hero is met with such a conspicuous absence of sorrow from those closest to him that it creates an absence of sorrow in us, too--all we can feel primarily is surprise.
If you've ever wondered about the myriad personal ramifications of instantly recognizable genius, and if you want to know how things were, how things happened, at the birth of rhythm & blues--and rock & roll--this book provides answers. Dream Boogie reminds us that things only spring out of nowhere at the quantum level. Sam Cooke, after all, had contemporaries: the primary difference was *that* voice.
Dream Boogie: The Triumph of Sam Cooke.......2007-04-10
Everyone should read this book. It is not only about Sam Cooke, it is about the music industry and many others involved in the industry. An excellent book, artfully written with unusual details.
Steer clear of this one........2007-03-04
When I had first heard of Dream Boogie, a 700-page biography of the late Sam Cooke, I was ecstatic. Up until that point, I had only known of one other biography of Sam Cooke - You Send Me, which I haven't gotten around to reading. I eagerly bought a copy of the book from my local Barnes & Noble, expecting an enormous gem of truth about Sam, that would prove to be both through and entertaining. For readers of this review, there is now a third Sam Cooke biography, written by Erik Greene entitled: "Our Uncle Sam". Who is Erik Greene, you may ask? He's Sam's great nephew.
But let us return to Dream Boogie. Peter Guralnick is known as the definitive biographer of Sam Cooke, having written liner notes for digitally-remastered CDs and much more. Peter Guralnick worked on writing and gathering the materials for Dream Boogie for more than fifteen years. Therefore, one might well assume that he would write an enormous gem of truth that proved to be both through and entertaining.
Let us begin with the good points of this 700-page biography. Peter Guralnick chose to interview a large portion of the Sam Cooke family, something Daniel Wolff did not do. Naturally, Erik Greene did. Guralnick includes commentary from his father, his brothers, his sisters, his business associates, his close friends, and most importantly, his widow. Barbara Cooke, ever since the death of her husband, has never conducted any interviews regarding Sam for the past forty years. Naturally, she provides a unique but also a brutally honest commentary regarding her life and Sam's. However, Guralnick does not deviate from his course - he is still extremely through (to say the least) in the actual history of Sam's life. He doesn't miss a single thing.
In my opinion, there is a flaw to this. In the art of writing, if you're too through with a subject, you will bog the reader down immensely. Guralnick gets an A+ on this one. Throughout the 700-page biography, Guralnick succeeds in providing the reader with so very much information that is indeed interesting, but not important to the overall history of Sam. He also succeeds in doing the exact opposite over the more important and memorable aspects of Sam's life. In the 1950s, he stood up against the police in Memphis after the police told him to push the car to the side of the road. Specifically, he told him: "Sir, my name is Sam Cooke. If you haven't heard of me, your wife knows me. When you get home tonight, you ask your wife if she knows Sam Cooke. I don't push no car. This is my car, my brother ran out of gas. I'm not pushing it. You want to put a ticket on it, put a ticket on it. But I don't push no car. Not mine, not yours, not nobody's elses. I'm not a pusher. I'm a singer." Sam then proceeded to sit back in his car, his brother came with the gas, and they left. The police left them alone.
Depending upon your interpretation, this could be seen as one of the first steps for Sam regarding the Civil Rights Movement, which led to his greatest composition, "A Change Is Gonna Come", an African-American response to Bob Dylan's "Blowing in the Wind". This also leads to another flaw in Guralnick's work, a complete lie over an important television appearance of Sam. Daniel Wolff also makes the same mistake. In February of 1964, Sam appeared on The Tonight Show and it's known that he sang "Basin Street Blues" as the performance still survives. However, according to both Guralnick and Wolff, Sam also sang "A Change Is Gonna Come" on the same show. I'm not sure what Wolff does in an attempt to prove this, but Guralnick uses a cue sheet with a similar title to "A Change Is Gonna Come" to prove that Sam did indeed sing the song.
I recently contacted a Carson archivist, and Sam never sung the song. It took me a day to figure it out. Guralnick worked on this book for more than fifteen years. If he went through such work to that the song was planned, why wouldn't he check the log book of the episode to see if Sam sung the song to be completely sure? During the days of The Tonight Show, some guests would exceed the length of time they occupied and therefore, some guests would never make it onto the show.
Perhaps that's not a very big flaw in the biography of Sam; it's only a single event. Consider this. On the eighth page of the biography, there is a picture with the caption "A very young Sam Cooke". The eighth page and Guralnick makes a major mistake. It's not Sam. It's his brother, L.C. Three months after the book was released, the mistake was corrected. If Guralnick cannot properly identify a photo of the person he's writing about, what other mistakes is he prone to make in the book?
Perhaps the biggest mistake Guralnick makes is stating that the official version of events concerning Sam's death was how it went down. As I read the chapter regarding Sam's death, I seriously considered whether or not Guralnick was employed by Allen Klein, whom Sam was planning to fire. Who was Allen Klein? I don't know too much about him myself, but I do know that he swindled the Cooke family out of the royalties of Sam's catalog with help from one of Sam's daughters and his widow. I do know that he also conned The Beatles as well as The Rolling Stones. That's about it. Yet, he uses Allen Klein's and Barbara Cooke's commentary exclusively. If you do a Google search about the death of Sam, you'll find an analysis of the "official" version of events that pokes five large gaping holes into the official version of events. In addition, the coroner's inquest was a complete joke and contradicted itself numerous times. Daniel Wolff didn't believe the official version of events, Sam's fans don't believe the official version of events, and Sam's family doesn't believe the official version of events. Pretty much no one believes the official version of events other than Guralnick.
I'm not sure what Wolff does to debate what really happened that night, but Erik Greene includes a report in his book that is extremely different from the official version of events. Well, you may say that he would naturally do that, considering Sam was a member of his family. Instead of using the "facts" from the coroner's inquest and related events, Greene chooses to tackle the mystery of Sam's death via a pathology report. Scientifically speaking, I believe that it's quite accurate.
Here's the rather discerning part. Peter Guralnick is known as the definitive biographer of Sam Cooke. But of course, no biography doesn't have its flaws. However, keep in mind that I do not cite all the mistakes made in Dream Boogie. I can probably cite four or five more off the top of my head. But I think I've trashed the book enough. What's the worst part? The flaws in Dream Boogie, known as the Sam Cooke Bible, could be perhaps passed off as truth by a less-than-familiar (historically speaking) Sam Cooke fan, and are blatantly obvious to the die-hard fans of Sam Cooke.
If you want a good biography of Sam that is entertaining, through, and truthful, either check out Wolff's biography or Greene's biography, which I highly recommend, which was by a member of the family of Sam Cooke.
Sweet Voice and Good Looks.......2007-02-28
I enjoyed this book. This is one of several books I have read on Sam Cooke. Sam was very much into African American history. He gets brownie points for that.
He was a very interesting character, and just loved women. For me, his greatest and most touching song is "A Change is Gonna Come." However, I really love his voice the most when he was with the Soul Stirrers. It is unfortunate, that most great black singers have to water down their vocals to appeal to the white masses. He even said himself, that when he performed for his people, he dare not give them that water down crap. They don't want any bologna. They want some steak and potatoes.
It was sort of funny that when some radio personality or industry person messed him over, he'd sex their wives. Sam that was not nice.
A Very Good Cooke Book!.......2006-11-04
Although this book is a very thorough and comprehensive record of singing virtuoso Sam Cooke and his much-too-short life, the 700 or so pages seem to soar as effortlessly as Sam's voice over a lyric. Upon completing this read it was not exhaustion I felt from reviewing every minute detail (as recalled by nearly a hundred of first-hand witnesses) of Sam's 33 years, but a feeling of utter sadness and frustration that this monumental talent himself probably set about the chain of events that caused his demise. What thrilled me about the book the most are the details surrounding each of Sam's recording sessions, from the early gospel years, his own SAR/Derby joint venture with J.W. Alexander to produce gospel, R&B and pop artists, to his final recordings produced for his new Tracey company shortly before his untimely death. Many details of his personal appearances both in the U.S. and abroad, and his life on the road with other artists (well known, and lesser known) are provided in abundance. While Sam's previous biography, "You Send Me" (which may be currently out-of-print) was quite adequate in its content, "Dream Boogie" is the ultimate bio for Sam Cooke fans and fans of rock & roll/pop/gospel/r&b/soul music. Highly recommended!
Average customer rating:
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The Triumph of the Soul: Cultural and Psychological Aspects of African American Music
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Ethnomusicology | Ethnic & International | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Ethnic & International | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Ethnic Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0275953653 |
Book Description
Music is a central element of African American culture. It is part of the oral tradition that began before Africans were enslaved and brought to North America, and it continues in the bicultural synthesis that is the African American experience. All black American music therefore represents the history, expressive styles, and important values of African America. Inherent in this consideration of culture is the psychology that has evolved from the historical experience of African Americans, particularly those mental dispositions and processes that have enhanced psychological self-preservation in the face of oppression. This essay collection elucidates the distinctive behavioral, emotional, and attitudinal modes as well as the values that are reflected in all types of African American music. Although there are--and have been historically--a variety of forms and styles of black music, spirituals, blues, ragtime, jazz, rhythm and blues, rap, for example, there is a core African American cultural fabric that is found in all of the historical and contemporary forms. Accordingly, the contributors affirm the perspective that African American music is one root genre with several branches. They analyze the distinctive cultural and psychological features of several of these, from the psychological utility of the spirituals to the vibrancy of current day rap music, while demonstrating the persistent competency of their artists. Scholars, researchers, and lay readers concerned with African American cultural analysis and music will find this collection of particular interest.
Book Description
Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen are joined by Heather McNamara, senior editor of the series, in this unforgettable collection of inspiring and uplifting stories. Sure to become a favorite of readers who love Chicken Soup for its stories of overcoming life's obstacles, challenges, heartbreaks and pain, this book emphasizes triumph in the face of overwhelming odds. A timeless testament to the indomitable human spirit, this collection is sure to encourage, support, comfort and, most of all, inspire all readers for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
A much needed comfort & inspiration.......2007-09-14
I bought this for my sister who relocated to Kansas and is having a tough time in her life; She is one who doesn't like books and never picks up a book; however she LOVES this book! the short stories filled with courage, love and inspiration help her get through this chapter in her life.
Helpful and supportive.......2007-01-21
A reminder that others have made their way, and we can too.
Puts life in perspective.......2006-03-31
My friend gave me this book a few years ago, when I was going through a rough time.
I give it 4 stars, because it is not as great as previous Chicken Soup books. But the stories are still very inspiring.
Each story is more emotional & moving than the next. Lots of tears were shed, as I read these stories. It makes you realize that your problems aren't so bad & there are a lot of people who have it worse off than you. You must keep a positive attitude & remember that 'life goes on.'
If you are looking to put your problems into perspective & see the big picture, then this book is for you.
tough times.......2004-03-24
i found that when reading a few of the stories i felt greatly moved, more books like Chicken soup should be written as i feel deeply emotional especially as something unforgettable happened to me recently that has made me look at life completely differently.
Above most servings, but still far below the first one.......2003-10-05
Perhaps the words "for the Unsinkable Soul" had misled me to over expect, I was quite disappointed. The stories are relatively plain and uninteresting. It's a complete stereotype of the first three servings, but with much less glamour and appeal.
In case you are still very satisfied with the third serving, which I believe only people who had completed the first three servings would look for a book like this, go for it. If you had already been tired of the third one after the first two, this book is not for you.
Book Description
Riding Grace: A Triumph of the Soul chronicles author Alissa Lukara's no-holds-barred 12-year quest to reclaim her life from a debilitating, presumably incurable illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. In this raw descent into and out of the dark night of the soul, she renders the unspeakable in a bold, lyrical voice. She learns to accept the unacceptable and open herself to healing and renewal. Hers is a true heroine’s journey for the 21st century. Lukara explores uncharted frontiers of wellness and realms of existence, and navigates the void where life and identity "as she knew them" cease to exist. She breaks through denial, upends ancestral patterns, and uncovers powerful truths, which she shares in this book. With forgiveness, compassion, and poetic vision, she finally embraces the larger meaning and purpose of her journey. Riding Grace offers the gifts of hope, endurance, and inspiration. It gives readers permission to dive deep into their own shadows to find new, nurturing, loving ways of living in the world.
Customer Reviews:
Riding Grace.......2007-09-08
Very moving and inspiring, especially for the incest survivor just beginning to take the journey towards healing from childhood sexual abuse.
A deeply moving, inspirational book........2007-06-14
This book was hard to put down. It moved me deeply. The subject is a tough one: Alissa Lukara spells out in vivid detail her remembering and then coming to terms with repeated sexual abuse by her father. Yet the story that Alissa tells of her journey of struggle, growth, and self-transformation is so lyrical, and the healing so complete that I found myself swept up into it and truly inspired. Alissa Lukara is a deft, powerful writer, one who has mastered the art of bringing the reader fully and immediately into the emotional life of the moments that she lives through her words. A truly wonderful book.
Riding Courage.......2007-06-10
Given the statistics on childhood sexual abuse, Riding Grace is a story that must be told, and one that must be heard. But it is so much more than a clinical report. It is a testament to the indomitable power of the human spirit, and to the author, Alissa Lukara, who sustained the courage to keep believing in it. Most important, it appeals to us to honor our own inherent impulses toward health and forgiveness.
Empowered my healing journey with CFS!.......2007-05-05
This book is a rare read of someone's CFS soul journey to complete healing. So many of us are IN the journey and I thrive when exposed to people's stories...particularly Alissa's. I could relate to it on the deepest of levels and steep in the inspiration and altered perspective it gave me.
This was the first book in years I couldn't put down. She hooked me from the start, knowing she has experienced healing on several levels (physical-spiritual-emotional) and simply is 'one of us' in having CFS.
I have since gained a renewed sense of self... reading through her story helped me give voice to parts of me and mine that hadn't yet been heard and encouraged me to continue the journey by intuitively seeking more creative means and trusting this process despite past trials and perceived failures. I have not been a child of incest...but I have had CFS for 12 years and a history of trauma and profound loss.
This book simply brought me a greater freedom to be in this life with this condition and dig a bit deeper trusting my soul to carry me through...because I do see the light...I may not be clear how long it will take to arrive, what that arrival will be...but I see it and it's divine!
A Powerful Journey of Recovery and Healing.......2007-04-27
God Bless Alissa Lukara for the courage to remember, the strength to recover and the willingness to be a Light unto others. If you have physical pain or any challenges moving forward in your life, read this book! Let Alissa's story inspire you to no longer be a victim. Let her show you how to take back your power. Let her show you how to heal.
Book Description
Chronicles of King Curtis is an historical account of the life and times of the greatest saxophone player in rock and roll. King Curtis was a musical renaissance man: a multiple-saxophonist, performer, composer, arranger, producer, band leader for himself and Aretha Franklin, session man, talent scout, publisher, vocalist, guitarist and businessman. His impact on saxophonists was colossal. His style was riveting, his tone rich, his playing passionate. His versatility extended to jazz, blues, funk, R&B, soul, country, spirituals and pop. A master craftsman who blew a funnel of funk like the world never heard, his volcanic streams of sound created a whirlwind. He mentored musicians yet fastidiously studied melody, harmony, and theory. He was on a spiritual quest while simultaneously trapped in a material world. He tapped into a reservoir of soul and blew his top. This book for the first time presents an overview of this incredible musician.
Customer Reviews:
A waste of time, money and paper.......2006-08-27
I guess one of the downsides of publishing-on-demand is that anyone can "publish" anything. This book is an example of something that falls into the lower echelons of that world. Most of this book gushes in high school prose about the greatness of King Curtis (something on which I agree wholeheartedly), but it's pretty short in information or facts, and replete with confusion and wrong attributions (such as repeatedly referring to Atlantic Records executive Jerry Wexler as an "engineer"). The author relies mainly on secondary sources, with a minimum of primary sources. King Curtis' ascendency as a first-call saxophone player in New York and elsewhere is all but glossed over. The illustrations are poor reproductions of bad photographs of King Curtis album covers. The appendix of selected record reviews could and should have been replaced by a list of must-have albums and CDs. Did I learn anything new about King Curtis from this book? A little, buit not much. Allegedly, a better researched book on the great King Curtis is in the pipeline, so save your money. I wish I had.
Excellent biography of this jazz great!.......2005-02-18
Excellent and thorough biography. Easy and fast read that holds interest. Parts were gripping. A nice review of the era.
Book Description
This book is about unique individuals and movements that changed the entire course of history. They did not start with money, power or great armies -- just an idea and a passion for the truth. This book shows how people like Gandhi, Joan of Arc and Dr. King brought amazing and positive changes into the world. It also covers many powerful heretical movements from the past -- some which succeeded and some which failed, but all were expressed in a spiritual sense, as opposed to a religious one. Also revealed are keys to achieving a spiritual triumph of one's own. Various exercises will strengthen the soul and reveal its hidden power.
Amazon.com
"The truth is a riddle wrapped in an enigma--or sometimes in a nice piece of hot flat bread fresh from the oven. That's my friend Etjole." So surmises the boisterous sword-swinger Simna Ibn Sind, one of three fantastical companions that the seemingly simple Ejtole Ehomba has gathered in his wanderings through the three-book Journeys of the Catechist series (preceded by Into the Thinking Kingdoms and Carnivores of Light and Darkness--Triumph of Souls concludes the series). But as every fan knows (at times, unfortunately, to the point of eye-rolling), the self-effacing Ehomba only seems simple: Alan Dean Foster's answer to Baron Von Munchhausen is a modest, humble sheperd who talks with dolphins, fights tornadoes, summons man-eating sharks out of the air, and plays music that will make the snow dance. And that, predictably, is not the half of it.
Fulfilling the dying-gasp request of Tarin Beckwith from book 1, Etjole is finally getting around to rescuing the Visioness Thermaryl of Laconda from the evil clutches of Hymneth the Possessed, a very disagreeable sorcerer-type. Along with Simna and his two other companions, the big talking cat, Ahlitak, and the hulking man-beast, Hunkapan Aub, Etjole dutifully heads west to rescue the damsel, but must first control the four winds, get his ship towed by a jet-propelled Kraken (for, literally, the price of a big cup of coffee), stare down skeletons, dupe demons, and all other sorts of such likable nonsense. --Paul Hughes
Book Description
"The truth is a riddle wrapped in an enigma--or sometimes in a nicepiece of hot flat bread fresh from the oven. That's my friend Etjole." Sosurmises the boisterous sword-swinger Simna Ibn Sind, one of three fantasticalcompanions that the seemingly simple Ejtole Ehomba has gathered in hiswanderings through the three-book Journeys of the Catechist series (preceded byInto the ThinkingKingdoms and Carnivoresof Light and Darkness--Triumph of Souls concludes the series).But as every fan knows (at times, unfortunately, to the point of eye-rolling),the self-effacing Ehomba only seems simple: Alan Dean Foster's answer toBaron Von Munchhausen is a modest, humble sheperd who talks with dolphins,fights tornadoes, summons man-eating sharks out of the air, and plays music thatwill make the snow dance. And that, predictably, is not the half of it.Fulfilling the dying-gasp request of Tarin Beckwith from book 1, Etjole isfinally getting around to rescuing the Visioness Thermaryl of Laconda from theevil clutches of Hymneth the Possessed, a very disagreeable sorcerer-type. Alongwith Simna and his two other companions, the big talking cat, Ahlitak, and thehulking man-beast, Hunkapan Aub, Etjole dutifully heads west to rescue thedamsel, but must first control the four winds, get his ship towed by ajet-propelled Kraken (for, literally, the price of a big cup of coffee), staredown skeletons, dupe demons, and all other sorts of such likable nonsense.--Paul Hughes
Download Description
Bound by honor, Ehomba has traveled through many exotic and perilous lands on a quest to save a beautiful princess he has never met from imprisonment at the hands of the evil Hymneth the Possessed. Through all their travels, Ehomba has ignored all the warnings he's heard from seers and psychics he's encountered along the way. He's ignored the strenuous warnings that his quest would end in disaster and he would meet his death if he tried to fulfill his promise. Now that Ehomba and his traveling party have finally reached the goal of their epic journey, the kingdom ruled by Hymneth where the princess is rumored to be held, will they be able to defend themselves against Hymneth's powerful and evil magic? Will they be able to collect the princess and bring her safely home with their lives intact?
Customer Reviews:
Familiar Territory -- But Some Surprises.......2004-11-12
It took me a couple of chapters in A TRIUMPH OF SOULS to figure out exactly what sort of book I was reading. I had not read the previous books in the series.
At first I was put off, thinking, "hey, this is totally implausible." Then I figured out that the book follows the rules of a fairy tale. Or even, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp. So if a fisherman has a bottle containing the west wind, or the heroes venture into a land of faceless people -- well, in this universe, such things happen.
Once the reader orients him/herself to this world, the read becomes more comfortable. And it is full of wonderful surprises! It is as though Foster is familiar with the conventions of such fantasy worlds, and does some amazing switcheroos! These can be very surprising, and if you are reading in bed, the writer really wakes you up.
The characters are not too deep, excepting maybe for the lead character Etjole Ehomba, who is drawn with more depth and complexity. And a warning-- some characters are NOT what they may seem!
The ending of this novel is full of the most unexpected and amazing twists. Other bonuses -- The story has a very voluptuous, beautiful, and super sexy pricess type, named Visioness Themaryl. What happens to her at the end of the book is quite a testament to the contraryness of women, but for me to divulge the details would "spoil" the book for readers.
The novel is picaresque, united by a journey. Each place visited on the journey contains a separate adventure. The dangers the group of heroes face are very original. The structure is very loose-- almost like a chain of short stories involving the same characters. (Naturally, the novel has the obligatory map of the fantasy world, which seems to be a "stock in trade" of fantasy novels these days.)
Lastly, there's a really bad villain. About as unpleasant and dangerous as could be imagined.
A fun book. A good airplane book. Not to be taken too seriously. (I don't even think the author himself intended that the book be taken very seriously.)
The book was interesting enough that I finished it in two days.
phenomenal..........2004-04-19
imagine your favorite video...and instead of it taking 2 hours to watch and enjoy...with this trilogy, you can spend several weeks or several days reading this series...i welcome the time when i will read it again (for the 4th or 5th time)...the characters are so real, their personalities and natures such that i almost expect to meet them on the street...
not one who particularly cares for fantasy, i initially rejected the 1st book as being too slow and lacking that Tom Clancy energy...my mistake...after the first few chapters, i was fully attentive...excellent, excellent books for those with good visualization...
amazing trilogy...probably my most favorite literature to date...
if this trilogy is ever made into a movie...i want to be there to make sure they don't screw this one up...
Drat........2002-05-02
Book 3 of the series.
Well, I was hoping for something as quirky and smoothly written as the first two books. It was good, and it is an ending to a series I enjoyed, but it's not as good as the begining. Maybe it's just that it reveals too much at the end, sometimes a little mystery is more satisfying than a full disclosure. With that in mind, I'll shut up now.
End of the journey.......2001-11-26
A brilliant series by Mr. Foster. The first book of the series was lovely masterpiece, the second did not quite fullfill the hopes the first had promised, this last one was, in my opinion, again better than the second. Maybe not achieving quite the free floating feeling of the first book, but a great story all the same. The whole series a lovely story, recommendated.
A satisfying conclusion........2001-05-10
This is the concluding book of the JOURNEYS OF THE CATECHIST trilogy, the first two being CARNIVORES OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS and INTO THE THINKING KINGDOMS. As with the first two books, this was a light, enjoyable read that provided a satisfying conclusion to the series. There isn't much difference in the storytelling between the previous books and this one. The characters still run into one obstacle after another and always miraculously overcome it uitlizing some gift from Etjole's backpack. Still, it is a fun journey and I enjoyed the climax of the story. It was definitely unexpected.
Again, though, I have to voice my complaint of the dearth of character development. I have never seen four more static characters in all the fantasy I have read. I wouldn't expect for Etjole or Alitah to change much, but I had high expectations for Simna. He could have developed into a more interesting character than the treasure seeking person that he is. Not that he's a bad person, but, rather, he seems to have only a one track mind. Unfortunately, this never changes throughout the three books, despite the fact that Mr. Foster put him in several situations that should have had a serious impact on his character. Unfortunately, the author chose not to take advantage of these opportunities.
One thing I thoroughly enjoyed were the chapters on Hymneth, the antagonist of the story. Mr. Foster completely redeems himself from the cliched first chapter of INTO THE THINKING KINGDOMS in which we got our first glimpse of our villain. Hymneth is revealed to be a rather interesting character with different motivations than most fantasy villains. We get the quick version of the story of his life and we...well, I'll leave it to you to read the book. I don't want to ruin anything. Suffice it to say, the ending of the book is a unique twist on fantasy story resolution.
All in all, I truly enjoyed reading this series. Etjole is a very intersting character and his journeys through distant lands and the characters he meets there are truly fascinating. The storytelling is a bit repetetive at times and the characters can be infuriatingly static, but it is a romping adventure that is different than most epic fantasy out there today.
Book Description
Life is 'episodic', and so this treatise reflects the eposodes in my life which shaped me and led me to write this book.
It is not possible to write one's whole life story until it is ended; however, the highlights tend to shed light on the improtant events and concerns that shape a personality and show the direction in which a life might progress. The story which has already been written unfolds as time and events take place.
Writing about these things will, I believe, be theraputic and will allow me to completely forgive any and all 'incidents' that seemed to frustrate or block my financial, social and spiritual progress, so that I may truly say, "All is forgiven; it is well with my soul." For after all, this is our real purpose in life; that we may live it, reflect on it; be grateful for it; and to do as Jesus taught us - to 'love one another; forgive one another as I have loved and forgiven you'. (Paraphrased)
Remembering and reflection on these things, I have come to know that 'greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world.' So, as Paul the Apostle would say, 'I press on to the high calling which is Christ Jesus who was crucified in this world, but rose again, immortal and impassable.' (Paraphrased)
So as you read this book, may you be inspired to 'press on' to the high calling..., forgetting what is behind and looking forward to the greatest reward which is in heaven.
Book Description
THIS 15 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: The Light of Egypt Or Science of the Soul and the Stars, by Thomas H. Burgoyne. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766132374.
Download Description
THIS 15 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: The Light of Egypt Or Science of the Soul and the Stars, by Thomas H. Burgoyne. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0766132374.
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Triumph of the Soul
Michael R. Joens
Manufacturer: Fleming H Revell Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0800757025 |
Book Description
Do you love a good movie or novel? From the mind of movie producer Michael R. Joens comes the magnificent World War II epic Triumph of the Soul. The result is a novel that reads like a film: crackling dialogue, fast-paced adventure, and heart-stirring romance. Joenss style is unlike any other in the Christian fiction market, Christian Retailing raved. [It could] raise the standards by which other fiction is judged.
Billy Hochreiter, as American as apple pie, doesnt take life or faith too seriously until the day his plane is shot down in a French forest. Here he encounters Colette, an intriguing woman whose influence on him is far reaching and profound. Rolf Schiller, decorated hero of the Reich, believes his heart died the day Katharina was killed. But the worst is yet ahead for the German soldier as he encounters disillusionment and bitter betrayal.
Billy and Rolf meet only in air combat, yet their stories are remarkably parallel as each seeks his own Triumph of the Soul.
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