Book Description
Jack and Annie are off on another mythical mission at the request of Merlin the magician. Luckily, they have a young sorcerer, Teddy, to help them. From underwater caves to a Spider Queen, from mystical selkies to a magical sword, this is a Magic Tree House adventure kids won’t want to miss!
Customer Reviews:
Summer of the Sea Serpent (Magic Tree House #31).......2007-08-29
I am trying to get my son to want to read and this book was very successful at getting him to want to continue reading to see what's going to happen next.
Action-packed but creepy.......2007-06-13
I love the Magic Tree House books, and Summer of the Sea Serpent is a very cool Merlin Mission, but it is very mysterious and creepy. In one part, they went into a cave where the Spider Queen who lives inside it, the drawing looks creepy because the spider has about 13 eyes! And some other parts are mysterious, too. I really appreciate Mary Pope Osborne's great fantasy books, but this not exactly the best nor the worst. If you are a fan of the Magic Tree House series, check it out in the library, but don't buy it. Still, I love Magic Tree House.
Summer of the Sea Serpent.......2007-01-06
You just got to keep up with the kids . If you have the collection the book is great as always. My kids really enjoy them.
Summer of the Sea Serpent.......2006-11-03
Summer of the Sea Serpent
By Mary Pope Osborne
The book I'm reading is called Summer of the Sea Serpent. In the book, Jack and Annie go to Camelot. They meet an old friend, Teddy. He is a boy sorcerer who turned himself into a dog by accident, and Jack and Annie free him. He enjoys going on adventures with Jack and Annie. Teddy respects his magic, but needs some work on his rhyming. He turned Jack and Annie into ravens during last mission by accident, and had the idea to turn them into seals this mission. Do you think Teddy is a good sorcerer?
Brian, 9
Cunniff School
Watertown, MA
At it again.......2006-08-30
Jack and Annie continue in this wonderful series. We read these books, and listen to them on audio tape and cd - acceptable for the whole family without being boring for the grownups
Average customer rating:
- Ok, but Knaak's previous books were much better
- Great book.
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Scales of the Serpent (Diablo: The Sin War, Book 2)
Blizzard Entertainment
Manufacturer: Pocket Star
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Birthright (Diablo: The Sin War, Book 1)
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The Veiled Prophet (Diablo: The Sin War, Book 3)
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Moon of the Spider (Diablo, Book 1)
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Kingdom of Shadow (Diablo #3)
-
Firstborn (StarCraft: Dark Templar, Book 1)
ASIN: 0743471237 |
Book Description
Since the beginning of time, the angelic forces of the High Heavens and the demonic hordes of the Burning Hells have been locked in the Eternal Conflict for the fate of all Creation. That struggle has now spilled over into Sanctuary -- the world of men. Determined to win mankind over to their respective causes, the forces of good and evil wage a secret war for mortal souls. This is the tale of the Sin War -- the conflict that would forever change the destiny of man.
Bent on destroying the evil cult of the Triune, Uldyssian does not yet suspect that Inarius -- secret Prophet of the Cathedral of Light -- has been subtly aiding his quest. Obsessed with restoring Sanctuary to its former glory, Inarius has been playing Uldyssian against the two great religions in a reckless attempt to topple them both. But another player has slipped back into the equation. The demon Lilith, once Inarius's lover, seeks to use Uldyssian as her own pawn in a scheme to turn humans into an army of naphalem -- godlike beings, more powerful than any angel or demon, who could overturn all Creation and elevate Lilith to supreme being.
An original tale of swords, sorcery, and timeless struggle based on the bestselling, award-winning M-rated computer game from
Blizzard Entertainment. Intended for mature readers.
Customer Reviews:
Ok, but Knaak's previous books were much better.......2007-07-16
I found out that the sin war series could have been finished in two books. The 2nd book is nothing more than an extention of the first. The plot just continues, there are no new surprises along the way. Essentially the heroes do more of their stuff in the 2nd one like destroying temples etc.
I would say this book is a lot weaker than the first one. Lets hope the pace picks up in the 3rd book though.
Frankly I really liked Knaak's other Diablo books especially Moon of the Spider and the Kingdom of Shadow. The sin war series seems less than a equal to the previous titles.
Get it if you like me love Diablo.
Great book........2007-05-16
This book was awesome, I waited so long to find out what happened to my dear friend Uldyssian....now I have to wait again for the third book xD
Book Description
A personal adventure, a fascinating study of anthropology and ethnopharmacology, and, most important, a revolutionary look at how intelligence and consciousness come into being.
This adventure in science and imagination, which the Medical Tribune said might herald "a Copernican revolution for the life sciences," leads the reader through unexplored jungles and uncharted aspects of mind to the heart of knowledge.
In a first-person narrative of scientific discovery that opens new perspectives on biology, anthropology, and the limits of rationalism, The Cosmic Serpent reveals how startlingly different the world around us appears when we open our minds to it.
"The Cosmic Serpent is a spellbinding, scholarly tour de force that may presage a major paradigm shift in the Western view of reality." --Michael Harner, Ph.D., president, Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and author of The Way of the Shaman
Customer Reviews:
A big piece of the big puzzle........2007-06-09
This book is one of those books that change the way you look at life and the world.
There is so much knowledge about the orgin of life that's disregarded by western science just because they don't understand it. Knowledge that comes from worlds that western science just doesn't grab.
This book is an excellent read for open minded people. Well and conservative narrow minded scientists too. But they will probably disregard it :)
A little short for the reach of its goal.......2007-05-17
The book is extremely interesting, no doubt about it, but if the reader is seeking information about ayahusca trips, there are no significant anecdotes. The author only provides a few details about its first experience.
As an anthropologist, he is bewildered by the large amount of wisdom and information displayed by shamans he met, about the environment and the uses of plants. Many of the medicines they posses, are extracted from different specimens by elaborated processing methods. However they lack any technological means to gather data about their biochemical properties. So, the obtainment of the final result only by chance is almost impossible. When he inquired how the information is obtained, the response is usually the same - The plants "told" it to the shamans - while drinking ayahuasca.
So the author decides to find out how is it possible that while having hallucinations a person can reach veritable data with wonderful practical uses, and his conclusion is fascinating. In a nutshell, when drinking ayahuasca a shaman - or any person with an open mind - can communicate in a defocalized consciousness with the global network of DNA- based life.
He is humble enough to recognize that his methods and mental associations of mythological images, biochemistry, history, DNA, are for the moment nothing more that a plausible proposition. Nevertheless most of those who have drink this not so tasty beverage, can attest that their experience would challenged their preconceptions about themselves and the world they live in.
Definitely on to something.......2007-03-20
An excellent book. Essentially the author is saying that basically all the world's ancient cultures worshipped a giant serpent of some description. Yet they had no contact with each other as far as we know - and some, such as the Siberians - had no contact with snakes. The author suggests that the shamans took similar trance inducing herbal compounds which enabled them to see visions etc. Inevitably they saw giant snakes. The author tries this with some Amazonian shamans and he also has experiences with these giant snakes - like anacondas or boa constrictors. Sounds cuckoo..but the truth is most of us at some time have a dream with large snakes in it. I know I did. Anyway, he connects it to the molecular level, which is to say that he thinks the shamans got down to the DNA level which is represented by the double helix, intertwined snakes. Interesting, but needs more work.
Extremely Thought Provoking!.......2007-02-17
In "The Cosmic Serpent", Jeremy Narby shares both his mental & physical journey concerning shamanism & the biochemical, neurological, and pharmacological information understood by the shamans of various "indigenous" peoples of the Amazon. This is truly an amazing journey!
Through his travels & research, Narby realizes that the Amazon forest can be likened to a huge pharmacy - and that the "natives" would have to have some form of biochemical/neurological/pharmacological knowledge & insight in order to combine & create their various "medicines". But how could they obtain such knowledge without all of the "fancy" scientific tools we have here in "civilization"?
Narby finds his answer after spending time with a well-respected shaman in the Amazon - the knowledge is imparted to them while in a hallucinogenic trance brought on by a brew called ayahuasca, which Narby decides to try for himself, resulting in some really intense insights into mind, body, and soul.
It's the author's hypothesis that shamans, with the aid of ayahuasca, are able to take their consciousness down to the molecular level, which allows them access to biomolecular information. But, because of the scientific tendancy toward rationalism, no research is considered to understand this further.
One of the most interesting parts of this book for me was the discussion concerning DNA & its' possible link to the double serpents/double helix revered in many indigenous societies - are they already aware of what we know about DNA? Could they know even more?
I recently saw a documentary re: an anthropological find where several statues were found that showed 2 serpents. From these statues, the scientists determined that this ancient civilization worshipped a snake or serpent God. After reading this book, I had to wonder if maybe they're wrong...
Overall, I found this to be an interesting, thought provoking, page-turning read. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in spirituality, shamanism, anthropology, & the biological sciences - it has a lot to offer!
The Cosmic Serpent.......2007-01-10
The first couple of chapters were very interesting, more like a novel. As I got into the middle of the book it was like reading a science textbook. There is obviously a lot of discussion of DNA and how the author tries to relate it to the Amazon medicine men.
Average customer rating:
- For the Bellydance Afficionado
- FOr the Pictures, if Nothing Else
- Inspirational, but Flawed
- great pictures but...
- Or, Belly Dancing for Dummies! A Good Resource and Accessory
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Serpent of the Nile: Women and Dance in the Arab World
Wendy Buonaventura
Manufacturer: Interlink Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Middle Eastern | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Egypt | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1566563003 |
Book Description
"I think it is the most eloquent of female dances, with its haunting lyricism, its fire, its endlessly shifting kaleidoscope of sensual movement."
With these words, Wendy Buonaventura explains her own fascination with Arabic dance. Her book is a unique celebration of the female dancers of the Arab world, and their impact on the West. She explains the origins of this ancient art, which has survived in the face of commercialism, religious disapproval and changing times.
Focusing on the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, she shows how Arabic dance came to be influenced by Western ideas about art and entertainment. But the influence was two-way. In the heyday of "Orientalism," Arabic dance exerted a powerful influence on the Western imagination-on such writers as Flaubert, such artists as David Roberts and Jean-Leon Gerome, and such imitators as Colette and Mata Hari. Their fascination was often based on common fantasies about the women of the Middle East. Yet, as the book's sumptuous illustrations show, this obsession also produced wonderfully evocative images. At the turn of the century, the genre also had an impact on fashion, theater and popular entertainment.
Customer Reviews:
For the Bellydance Afficionado.......2002-11-17
Lots of colour pictures ... past & present ...including old paintings, quotes & accounts of the people who actually watched belly dancing...& then tried to describe it!
For those just starting out to find out about Bellydancing & such enthusiasts,there are some pictures of famous older dancers, past & present .. Samya Gamal, Fifi Abdou & Sohair Zaki.
More like a collection of cameos than a real in-depth exploration of the Art Form, or Elucidation of the styles & Expression... but it IS a good coffee-table book & nice, informative read .
FOr the Pictures, if Nothing Else.......2002-07-04
I can't speak to the accuracy of Wendy Buonaventura's history of belly dancing, though I found no evidence of the most controversial complaint, that she fails to note the role of European Orientalists in fabricating our notions of Middle-Eastern dance. In fact, she discusses this very thing at length.
The treasure in the book is the collection of paintings. Where else can you see Dinet's gorgeous watercolors? I had never even heard of him. Are the pictures accurate? I suspect they are. Are they representative? Of course not. Like Gauguin in Tahiti, the Orientalists saw what they wanted to see.
Inspirational, but Flawed.......2001-07-26
Wendy Buonaventura obviously loves raks baladi ("country" or folkloric belly dance) with a passion. As sometimes happens with authors passionate about a subject, she unfortunately treats her opinions as facts upon occasion. As a dancer, I love the glorious Orientalist pictures, early 20th-century photos and fascinatingly slanted accounts from Western travellers, and I love her feelings for the dance. It's a beautiful book to peruse, and you can get some marvelous ideas for theatrical costuming from it. But like the Orientalists she reviews, Buonaventura presents an exotic and monolithic Middle East, where Egypt represents this entire diverse region and where nothing changes over time. She also perpetuates the popular myth that this is a *women's* dance, whereas in truth both sexes dance at private functions, and in both Egypt and Turkey, men historically performed as well. (Western tourists just weren't interested!) Read this for its lovely artwork and, if you're a dancer, for a feel-good spiritual connection with earlier dancers--but if you're interested in the subject of dance history, do some further research. And if you are involved in the Society for Creative Anachronism, PLEASE don't use this book for costume documentation. Egyptian clothing pre-1600 was very, very different.
great pictures but..........2000-08-29
The quality and quantity of pictures in this book is wonderful and there is also some good information but unfortunately all the information is not very accurate and there are even many things that are not true. As a book this is nice to watch but as this book has become "a bible of belly dance" when other more accurate documents have been hard to find I can't rate this higher because readers tend to believe everything that is written here.
Or, Belly Dancing for Dummies! A Good Resource and Accessory.......2000-07-26
"Serpent of the Nile" is a wonderful book for anyone with an interest in Middle Eastern Dance, which is currently gaining tremendous popularity in the West. The author traces the art of 'Beladi,' what we now refer to as 'belly-dancing' from its origin to how it has changed over time. There is a lot of very interesting information in here, written concisely and accessibly, even for those of us who are not overly concerned with history; such as the need for male dancers to entertain the public when women were forbidden to do so, how the patriarchal nature of Arabic society affected Beladi, and how the Westerners exoticised and perhaps even corrupted the original form of dance. But the beauty of this book lies in its stunning pictures, a treat for the eyes! Photographs of sculptures, paintings and engravings of dancers and musicians fill the pages and make it an ideal coffee table book. A wonderful resource.
Book Description
Sir John Woodroffe did great service to the students of "Tantra" originally elucidated in Sanskrit,the ancient language of India. The Author's other famous Books like Sakti and Sakta,The World as Power,The Garland of Letters,The Great Liberation and Hymns to the Goddess and Hymn to Kali, are already sold on the Amazon site.
Customer Reviews:
If this is what your into go for it.......2007-07-17
If you want to examine Kundalini from an occult Western perspective go for it. It is heavy reading but worth it if that is what does it for you.
Kundalini Revealed.......1999-04-24
One of the most amazing books by a Western Orientalist on the subject of Kundalini and the Tantras. An indepth study for the serious student of the Tantras and the Yogas.
Book Description
Revised edition of a modern classic challenging all that has been accepted as dogma about ancient Egypt.
Customer Reviews:
Open Your Minds and Hearts.......2007-08-01
I just finished reading this book and found it fascinating, informative, and intriguing. I feel that any lay person, as well as a seasoned scientist, can learn something very profound from this book. I did not find it difficult to read at all, but that may be because I already have an interest in learning more about Egypt and other paths of esotericism, higher knowledge, and higher consciousness. I don't think anyone can dispute that Egypt, as well as other ancient cultures, possessed a knowledge that far surpasses our own on so many different levels. For one thing they were able to finance huge projects (try to get any one society/civilizaton today to fund a pyramid; even a small one like Menkaure's). For the second thing, they were able to organize themselves in such a way that devotion to higher thought was the primary motivating factor in their expression of monumental building and encoding secret/sacred knowledge into symbols. These are the salient, yet subtle points made by Mr. West. Wouldn't it be nice if more of us 'moderns' could be like that? Anyone who has seen hieroglyphics has to know that it cannot be interpreted into our language (how we communicate thought) verbatum, nor into our current thought patterns. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that it takes a symbolist view to be able to make sense of them, and that may require breaking away from established patterns of thought; civilization started in Greece; modern science is the be-all-end-all marvel; the Sphinx looks like the statue they call Cheperen, etc., to enable the messages to pour into your heart. This is one of the things that comes through in this book.
This book, Serpent in the Sky, is a great introduction into, not only Schwaller deLubicz' work, but is in its own right a step toward helping one recognize that there might be something to be gained by reforming our thought patterns and exploring other subject matter such as harmonics, proportions & volume; and incorporating these concepts into our everyday living experience. I don't know anything about these things at this time, but I am inspired by this book to want to learn more. I barely got through geometry in school (decades ago-smile), but I may now be able to absorb more of it now that I see that it has a real/spiritual purpose. How about you? Would you challenge yourself by first trying to investigate the concepts outlined in this book and then have the heart to move onto Schwaller's The Temple in Man? Do you think you can be taken to a higher level of consciousness?
If you think you are a layperson, don't be discouraged from your quest for higher knowledge by listening to the comments of those who assume that laypeople cannot learn from this book and Schwaller's. You can learn anything you want to and Serpent in the Sky might be just the thing to help you step onto the road to higher spiritual development. If you have already stepped onto that road, then you know that it is not easy or quick to get to where you'd like to be. Mr. West has an impeccable style of writing, a flare for clarity and humor (because he's not in denial), and anyone with a reasonable amount of education can enjoy this book and be inspired by it. If you don't know a word used in the book, pull out your dictionary. Not well versed in geometry? Get your hands on a self-study book or a tutor. That's part of how spirit works through us and our guides to give us more illumination. We have to do the work ourselves and you'll know if someone is a guide sent from The Most High or from somewhere else.
Open your mind and your heart! (smile) See for yourself. See you in Egypt in late 2008.
Making Schwaller de Lubicz understandable.......2006-09-27
If you prescibe to conventional views about Egyptology don't buy this book. However, if you believe that science does not have the story of our origins and Egypt quite right, then this book will open your eyes.
The writing style is accessible, not too technical, and not too etheric. The work of Schwaller de Lubicz is presented, along with JAWs owns metaphors, in a way to help you understand that Egyptian culture and architecture was much deeper than archeologists think.
JAW is most famous pointing to geologic weathering analysis of the Sphinx show that it is at least 10,000 years old. The book stays rooted in science enough to keep the discerning reader interested. There is also a hint of the civilization that pre-dates Egypt (?Atlantis) which will also keep the alternate reader interested. All-in-all a very good and balanced book.
Also recommended is 'Temple of the Cosmos' by Jeremy Naydler.
Confusing.......2006-09-01
The book is an attempt to make accessible to the layman the findings of Schwaller de Lubicz (1887-1961), a self-taught French Egyptologist with a strong mystical bend who claimed among other things that Egyptian civilization is much older than mainstream archeologist believe and that it was based on esotericism.
The book is abundantly illustrated with black and white photographs and drawings and every page has a wealth of quotes from the most diverse writers. In fact, these quotes make up about a third of the contents.
"Serpent in the Sky" could be described as a kind of short encyclopedia on Egyptian civilization but seen from an esoteric point of view. All aspects of ancient Egypt are covered, from temple architecture to the meaning of hieroglyphics. And of course, there is a chapter on the Sphinx, explaining that it is much older than most experts think.
The big trouble with this book is that it simply fails to give the reader a coherent and substantial idea not only of Schwaller de Lubicz's views but also of its topic. In typical fashion, the writer will start discussing a topic, make a few remarks which sound profound (but are not always intelligible)and then move to something else. What one gets in the end is bits of information on many topics, but one doesn't really to come to a full understanding and appreciation of what the author is talking about. One suspects that Mr.Anthony West hasn't really digested the obscure teachings of his French master.
So, while this book may stimulate your interest for a different interpretation of what ancient Egypt was all about, you certainly won't find here the answers you are looking for.
It is true, as another reviewer has noted, that the author, in expounding his "heretical" interpretation of Egypt,shows himself to be thoroughly critical not only of conventional Egyptology, but also of Western science and the modern worldview in general. As I thoroughly agree with most of his condemnatory pronouncements, I wasn't bothered by this anti-modern stance. In fact, many of his remarks are quite to the point. In my opinion, this is a positive aspect of the book.
But the fact remains that after reading this book I still don't understand the civilization of Egypt and the teachings of Schwaller de Lubicz regarding it. Sometimes it is better not to know anything about a topic than to have incomplete and unclarified notions about it.
I am sorry to say that this book leaves one in a state of complete confusion about Egyptian metaphysics and civilization.
Homage to DeLubic z.......2006-07-14
This is West's attempt to present some of the philosophies of DeLubicz from his perception of them. West presents the theories, assumptions, conclusions and epiphanies of DeLubicz with his own radical approach to the subject matter. Encompassing a wide range of subjects West does not presume to attest to an expert status in all subjects but presents his view point of the DeLubicz material in a highly readable manner. Although quite technical in some areas it serves only to stimulate the reader to investigate further. Read with an open mind and shelving all preconcieved notions of tightly held dogma and turf wars from the differing scientific departments West's book asks us to open our minds to an entirely different thought pattern concerning what we know or think we know about the Egyptians. Whether we believe or not West presents ideas considered fringe by established thought but those five per cent of fringe thinkers are what kicks our minds out of the rut and stimulates our intellectual need to know and understand.
Excellent scholarship........2006-01-26
I whole-heartedly agree evolution is nonsense. And I also agree the dating of the sphinx and pyramids are in error. In support of West's book, I point out that the constellations they represent did not exist until 10,000 B.C. The three pyramids represent the constellation Orion and the Sphinx represents the constellation Leo. These constellations as depicted in these famous Eygptian megaliths were created by people who witnessed them; namely, people who existed 10,000 B.C. Therefore, the history books are all wrong, including the Princeton and Harvard and Yale so-called scholars who have a hard time swallowing these facts.
However, I disagree with the author's confidence in astrology. Moreover, I disagree but understand his assertion that the Golden ratio isn't a number but is a function.
The Golden ratio is an irrational number. The author seems to imply that irrational numbers are functions, not numbers. What does he mean? I mean, I kind of get what he means, but he leaves you hangin'.
First of all, the ancient Greeks thought a number is that which can be constructed with a square and compass. However, the Greeks also didn't like numbers like the square root of two and denominated such numbers as "irrational." Descartes sheds light on this topic on page 2 of his book "Geometry."
From a half circle in which Descartes inscribes some triangles, Descartes arrives at three equations (all pythagorean): c^2 = a^2 + b^2; d^2 = 1^2 + b^2; (a + 1)^2 = c^2 + d^2. Substituting the second equation into the third he gets a^2 + 2a + 1 = c^2 + 1^2 + b^2. Then, using the first equation, we substitute a^2 + b^2. Thus, a^2 + 2a + 1 = a^2 + b^2 + 1^2 + b^2. Thus, 2a = 2b^2 or a = b^2 or b = /a (square root of "a").
Thus, according to Descartes, one can theoretically construct an irrational number with square and compass. Thus, if one defines an irrational number as a function, as Anthony West does, namely that b = /a, it doesn't remove the fact that it can be constructed by square and compass. Thus, although Greeks didn't like irrational numbers, according to their own definition of number numbers like the sqaure root of two are numbers. Why Anthony West wants to define numbers in such a narrow way, I don't know. He ends up like the Greeks who got in conundrums because of their rigid definitions. The natural numbers (.i.e, 1,2,3,4,5. . .) are constructable by square and compass. Why should we not broaden our definition of number to include something other than the natural numbers? Narrowing one's defnition of number gets us into semantic disputes that get us nowhere.
Finally, why do P.h.D.'s at Ivy League colleges insist on dating the pyramids and sphinx more recently rather than 10,000 B.C.? Because, dating them at 10,000 B.C. trashes the Ice Age myth.
Book Description
Deepens and refreshes our view of early Christianity while casting a disturbing light on the evolution of the attitudes passed down to us.
Customer Reviews:
Ugh, not again........2007-05-27
That's it, last time I buy a book buy Pagels no matter how enlightened she is. This is the second time I've wasted money on a Pagels book because of a misleading title and synopsis. I'm tired of her misrepresentation, and the wtf look on my face after reading is simply not attractive. This is supposed to be a book about how Christians came up with the idea that sex is inherently evil and ended up being about beavers in their natural habitat. For all you literal people, that was called sarcasm.
The design of Genesis.......2005-11-12
Two creation accounts were later joined in GENESIS. In the first four hundred years Christians regarded freedom as the primary message of GENESIS. In Jesus's time anti-pagan feelings were strong among the pious and rural Jews. John the Baptist may lived with the Essenes. Jesus warned of the coming day of judgment. Rabbis, teachers, came to replace the hereditary caste of priests.
GENESIS commands be fruitful and multiply. Jesus reversed traditional priorities. He celebrated the single and childless. Within a century of Paul's death ascetic aspects of Jesus's message spread rapidly. Chrisitians attacked the gods and the imperilled pagans.
Christians in different provinces showed great diversity. Christians were distinguished for their moral rigor. Some Christians resented being told what to think and how to behave by the bishops. Some sought to know God directly through gnosis. Gnostics constituted an institutional threat.
After Constantine, heresy became a crime against the state. Jesus had said there were no grounds for divorce. Paul spoke of marriage in negative terms. Paul and Jesus sought to prepare for the end of the world. As the religious basis of society, Christians were to look to one another. They claimed moral equality. Some Gnostics believed in an internal source of desire and action.
Augustine was joyful when he gave up ambition and embraced celibacy. The ascetics were athletes for God. Augustine de-emphasized free-will and affirmed secular government in qualified fashion. He offered a theology of politics. The Christian view of freedom changed as Christianity became the religion of emperors.
All things old are new again..........2004-10-02
Elaine Pagels is perhaps best known as the author of the popular text, `The Gnostic Gospels', highlighting a lesser known arena in early Christian history. Her reputation is somewhat controversial, as is her writing, but one thing is certain - she is a good writer, interesting to read, and she will make her readers think. This particular book, `Adam, Eve and the Serpent' deals with issues surrounding sexuality and gender, a hot topic in the social and cultural situations of today, but similarly of concern throughout much of Christian history. There is a tug-of-war between `traditional values' (leaving aside that there are various traditions) and `revisionist' or `modern' ideas, and few are in agreement over where the boundaries should be drawn.
Pagels explores some of the ways in which these traditional roles of gender and patterns of sexual expression arose to become so powerfully ingrained in western Christian society. To this day, most people make the appeal to the early chapters of Genesis both as the paradigm for what God intended for the world as well as the explanation, if not the actual instance, of sin and evil encroaching upon the world. Pagels begins with a copy of the first few chapters of Genesis, and traces ways in which ancient Jewish and early Christian communities interpreted these chapters.
Each chapter in Pagel's book highlights a particular theme. The first chapter looks at the understanding of Jewish culture of the early Genesis stories that would have formed the world view of Jesus, Paul, and the other apostles and church leaders, all of whom were born and raised into this Jewish culture. Jesus and Paul do not seem to see original sin as being a sexual sin or act, according to Pagels, and humanity after Adam and Eve are still called to make a moral choice out of freedom that goes beyond sexuality.
Later chapters deal with the development of interpretation in light of the political and social situation, first as an oppressed minority, then later as a significant political presence in the empire. Pagels also devotes a chapter to looking at the Gnostics and their views toward gender and sexuality, the radicality of which sowed some of the discord between their community and the greater orthodox church. Pagels then devotes considerable space to the Augustinian development of ideas of sexuality, gender and human nature in relation to Genesis, as all subsequent Christian viewpoints in the West have some relationship, pro or con, to the Augustinian foundations. The prevailing idea of original sin as being sexual derives largely from Augustine (although some of it is based upon misinterpretation).
Pagels discusses briefly the issues of exegesis (interpretation) versus eisegesis (reading into the text, or projection) - it is often said that one can find most anything one wants in the bible by interpretation; Pagels has been charged with this as well. However, as an explanation of the ways in which certain texts were understood and passed on, Pagels is a good voice to include - her scholarship and research support is sound, and her interpretations fit within reasonable limits. This is a book that introduces the reader to ideas perhaps unknown, intriguing, and certainly worthy of conversation.
The Village Reader Review.......2004-07-14
Jesus interprets Genesis 1 to 3 in a radical new way, and the subsequent four centuries of orthodox and Gnostic Christians resulting thought process leads to modern ideas on relationships.
In first century Jerusalem there was conflict between the pagan Rome and Jewish culture and religion. There were also a struggles between Jews that had an accommodative posture toward Rome (led mostly by the upper classes and Priests that had the most to lose) and those, mostly more conservative and rural, that resisted Roman influence. In modern terms, Jesus was a resistance leader.
Pagels argues the conflict was partly due to Jesus' interpretation of Genesis. In Genesis 1:28, the basis for marriage was procreation - and by Jewish law, marriage without children was grounds for divorce. Christ turned the law upside down. When asked what the grounds for divorce were, his answer, in Matthew 19:4-6, is that there are none. "This answer shocked his Jewish listeners and, as Matthew tells it, pleased no one".
After the crucifixion, but long before the Reformation, two groups competed for the heart and soul of Christianity - the orthodox and Gnostics. The same Scriptural texts supported radically different viewpoints. Orthodox Christians read Genesis as "history with a moral" - and their viewpoint was "a proclamation of moral freedom". Pagels implies this led to the development of the rights of man, democracy and equality under the law. Gnostics believed that Genesis was a "myth with a meaning". They argued that Genesis could not be read literally because it didn't make sense. There were two different creation texts which didn't agree (Genesis 1:26, 27 and 2:7); they questioned if Adam and Eve could hear God's footsteps (Genesis 3:8) and wonder why God an omniscient God would ask "where are you?" (Genesis 3:9). They looked for a deeper meaning to scripture.
For four centuries orthodox and Gnostic waged a philosophical battle for the heart of Christianity. Orthodoxy won, and only now, nearly sixteen hundred years later, are some of the early arguments and texts being reexamined, after the discovery of the Nag Hammadi texts in 1945 and the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. This well written, probing, thought provoking book is a part of a reexamination of the development of religious thought.
The many influences of one myth..........2004-05-22
"Adam, Eve, and the Serpent" is a brief, fascinating introduction to the world that shaped early Christian thought. Pagels writes that, during the first four centuries of the common era, there were many different schools of thought about religion, almost as many as there are in the contemporary American setting that she writes.
In this book, she examines how one myth -- the story of the fall of Adam and Eve-- shaped different religious thinkers. Some, like Augustine, took it as an illustration of the inherantly sinful nature of people, and used the story to flesh out his highly influential beliefs about original sin. Other religious thinkers, like Gnostics, saw the myth as an allegory about the spirit (Eve) within the flesh (Adam) and even went so far to see the serpant as an early foreshadowing to Christ. The fall wasn't a bad thing -- it was an allegory of emerging spiritual consciousness.
Readers may be surprised to discover just how influential the Adam and Eve myth really was. For many under Roman rule, it was the first introduction to a notion of human equality-- all people were equal creations of God-- and a spark that lead to contemporary American concepts that "all men are created equal." (Just to be accurate, in both of these periods it was only men who were seen as equal, and no consideration was given to women, slaves, etc...) Pagels points out that an idea like this, which the American founding fathers took to be 'self-evident' is in fact an empirically unprovable concept, and philosophers like Aristotle would have found it absurd.
Elsewhere in the book, Pagels provides an interesting window into Christian attitudes about celibacy. I was surprised to learn a life of renunciation was seen as a freedom from the responsibilities of family life -- my modern mind was more trained to see it as a purely religious concept, not a practical one.
Pagels has a succint, controlled writing style that is hypnotic. In just 154 pages, she covers a lot of ground. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and would be curious to see other treatments of the singular influence of certain Bible stories.
Average customer rating:
- The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters
- Ramses Reincarnated
- Another Classic Peabody
- Great book!
- Rosenblat tired of Amelia?
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Serpent on the Crown CD (Amelia Peabody Mysteries)
Elizabeth Peters
Manufacturer: HarperAudio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
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Lord of the Silent: A Novel of Suspense
ASIN: 0060760133
Release Date: 2005-03-29 |
Book Description
New York Times bestselling master of suspense,
Elizabeth Peters, brings an exotic world of adventure, intrigue, and danger to vivid life, in a tale as powerful as ancient Egypt.
The Emersons have returned to the Valley of the Kings in 1922 and Amelia Peabody and her family look forward to delving once more into the age-old mysteries buried in Egypt's ever-shifting sands. But a widow's strange story -- and even stranger request -- is about to plunge them into a storm of secrets, treachery, and murder.
The woman, a well-known author, has come bearing an ill-gotten treasure -- a golden likeness of a forgotten king -- which she claims is cursed. She insists it has taken the life of her husband and unless it is returned to the tomb from which it was stolen, more people will die.
Amelia and her clan resolve to uncover the secrets of the statue's origins, setting off on a trail that twists and turns in directions they never anticipated -- and, perhaps, toward an old nemesis with unscrupulous new designs. But each step toward the truth seems to reveal another peril, suggesting to the intrepid Amelia that the curse is more than mere superstition. And its next victim might well be a beloved family member ... or Amelia Peabody herself.
A novel filled with riveting suspense, pulse-pounding action, and the vibrant life of a fascinating place and time,
The Serpent on the Crown is the jewel in the crown of a grand master, the remarkable Elizabeth Peters.
Performed by Barbara Rosenblat
Download Description
"
Once again the incomparable
New York Times bestselling master of suspense, Elizabeth Peters, brings an exotic world of adventure, intrigue, and danger to vivid life, in a tale as exciting, mysterious, and powerful as ancient Egypt.
A unique treasure obtained by unscrupulous means, the small gold statuette of an unidentified Egyptian king is a priceless relic from a bygone era. But more than history surrounds the remarkable artifact -- for it is said that early death will come to anyone who possesses it.
Enjoying a world finally at peace, the Emersons have returned to the Valley of the Kings in 1922. With the lengthy ban on their archaeological activities lifted, Amelia Peabody and her family look forward to delving once more into the age-old mysteries buried in Egypt's ever-shifting sands. But a widow's strange story -- and even stranger request -- is about to plunge them into a storm of secrets, treachery, superstition ... and murder.
The woman, a well-known author, has come bearing an ill-gotten treasure -- a golden likeness of a forgotten king -- which she claims is cursed. Already, she insists, it has taken the life of her husband, and unless it is returned to the tomb from which it was stolen, more people will die.
Intrigued by the mystery, Amelia and her clan resolve to uncover the secrets of the statue's origins, setting off on a trail that twists and turns in directions they never anticipated -- and, perhaps, toward an old nemesis with unscrupulous new designs. But each step toward the truth seems to reveal another peril, suggesting to the intrepid Amelia that the curse is more than mere superstition. And its next victim might well be her irascible husband, Radcliffe, their beloved son, Ramses, his lovely wife, Nefret ... or Amelia Peabody herself.
A novel filled with riveting suspense, pulse-pounding action, and the vibrant life of a fascinating place and time,
The Serpent on the Crown is the jewel in the crown of a grand master, the remarkable Elizabeth Peters.
"
Customer Reviews:
The Serpent on the Crown by Elizabeth Peters.......2007-07-21
This book was shipped very quickly from the UK and it came in perfect condition. Great product!
Ramses Reincarnated.......2007-07-18
Ever since Ramses grew up, I've missed the pedantic child. I'm delighted to see him now reincarnated in his son, David John. Though my children aren't so precocious, they play an important role in my second comtemporary romance, "Big Bad Wolfe." I look forward to reading "Tomb of the Golden Bird" to see what David John, his twin sister Charlotte, and the rest of the Emersons are up to next.
Another Classic Peabody.......2007-06-25
I just love these books. I love spending time with the Emersons and nothing makes me sadder than when the book ends. I had tears in the end when reminded of the intense love Amelia and Emerson have for each other. These books are romantic, fun, adventurous and educating. What more could you want from a book?
My only issue is Amelia's expressed view of how she wants to leave this world. When she talks about it, my stomache is in a knot and my heart pounds as if she is someone I know and love in real life. She must be etneral on this earth!
Great book!.......2007-06-09
I have been a huge fan of the Amelia Peabody books since the first one came out and this one doesn't disappoint. It has all the same characters we have grown to love, and as usual, interesting new antagonists. It captures the spirit of the age as well as the older ones have, and the allusions to the finding of King Tut's tomb are easily seen by anyone who knows their history. In this book, you really become aware that Amelia and Radcliffe are not immortal and are preparing to pass the torch to Nefret and Ramses. But, as usual, not without a fight! I would recommend this book, and of course the whole series, to anyone who finds Egyptology to be interesting.
Rosenblat tired of Amelia?.......2007-04-23
I thoroughly enjoy the funny and farcical Amelia Peabody books of Elizabeth Peters, and I have listened to a number of them as read by Barbara Rosenblat. She always does a beautiful job with the many characters and accents in each book, but in The Serpent in the Crown I wonder if she's getting a little tired of Amelia and Emerson. They are parodies, of course, but usually endearing characters. In this reading, though, Amelia is officious and shrill without the self-deprecating humor that softens her character; Emerson is just boorish and boring. I found the book, as read by Ms. Rosenblat, humorless and lacking in the usual charm.
Book Description
The fourth and final novel in the magnificent saga of Britain’s warrior queen (Boudica – “Bringer of Victory” and the last defender of the Celtic culture) will capture readers’ hearts and minds, as Manda Scott brings the series to a stunning close.
It is AD 60 and the flame of rebellion that has been smouldering for 20 years of Roman occupation has flared into a conflagration that will consume the land and all who live in it. There is no going back. Boudica has been flogged and her daughters raped, and her son has burned a Roman watchtower in an act of blatant insurgency.
This is the time to act: the Roman governor has marched his legions west to destroy the druidic stronghold of Mona, leaving his capital and a vital seaport hopelessly undefended in the face of twenty-thousand warriors aching for vengeance. But to crush the legions for all time, Boudica must do more than lead her army in the greatest rebellion Britain has ever known. She must find healing for herself, for the land, and for Graine, her 8-year-old daughter, who has taken refuge on Mona.
Is revenge worth it under any circumstances, or is the cost more than anyone can bear?
Colchester is burning and London is lost without hope. Amidst fire and bloody revolution – a battle that will change the face and spirituality of a nation for centuries to come – Boudica and those around her must find what matters most, now and for ever.
Customer Reviews:
A Complete Triumph.......2006-07-31
This is the fourth book of what was to have been a trilogy, the author obviously had second thoughts and thank goodness she did. I believe that this one is the best of the lot, or maybe it is because it is still the freshest in my mind, no matter, they are all a triumph of historical fiction.
I do not think there is a boring page, never mind a boring chapter in any of them.
Most people who have any interest in history will have some knowledge of the Queen of the Iceni, what befell her and her daughters and the pain and suffering she rained down on the Roman invader in retribution.. . .
The Warrior Queen has burned Colchester to the ground and the Roman's are leaving London. Rome's forces are stretched to the limit and their chain of command is broken. Never in the history of the legions have the Roman forces been in such disarray.
Can Boudica sustain her advance against the might of Rome. Will she ever she her daughter Graine again. The young girl has taken refuge on the island of Mona will her mother succeed where others have failed. Can she unite the land of Britain against its invaders, or will the might of Rome finally impose its iron will on the tribes of Britain.
Magnificent.......2006-05-11
So, we have arrived at the final climatic novel of Scott's series. Having started with a touch too much fantasy in the opener the previous two efforts have been high quality and gripping. The pace, characterisation and emotive response doesn't let up in this final novel as we follow Breaca to her inexorable destiny at the hands of the Augusta II.
The novel opens rapidly where the third left off. Cygfa and Graine are coming to terms with their brutal mistreatment at the hands of a cohort of Roman legionaries. Breaca is painfully learning to wield a sword again whilst Valerius seeks to prove himself to the Iceni host whilst the simmering anger of Cunomar lingers painfully at his side, the younger man desperate to prove himself his mother's heir should she fall in battle. From this point we follow Scott's retelling of what little history we know as Valerius destroys the IX legion in a manner emulating the infamous Varian defeat in A.D. 9. Cunomar develops his own band of elite troops, the Bears, blooding them in fierce combat. All the while Breaca is struggling to heal, both physically and mentally, reaching her fateful decision during the final sack of the Claudian Temple in Camulodunum whilst her son and brother debate who must lead the war host.
After injecting a cameo from Graine as she defeats the Corvus-led invasion of Mona using the power of the Dreamers and the subsequent self-sacrifice by Dubornos after the rites in the lands of the Coritani, we find Hawk appointed the true bearer of Breaca's father's sword and the swelling host of the British warriors sacking London before the final fateful battle.
When readers of Scott's magnificent series find themselves reluctant to read this final novel they will realise that the character empathy engendered by this sterling author has given us an emotional link to Breaca and the Iceni. We know with terrible finality that Breaca will die because history commands it but we do not wish it to happen. As the pages march inexorably on the heart grows heavier knowing the Dreamers and the Iceni are doomed to failure and the Boudicca cannot lead her people to victory. Still, Scott delivers it in a manner that is both exhilarating in Breaca's courageous fight at the climatic battle and her subsequent benediction on the surviving Valerius, Cygfa and Graine who take the power of the Dreamers into a hidden world to rest and nurture before being reborn once the Roman Empire falls.
My review of the opening novel in this quartet found it lacking and fantastical. That view remains. However, from the second novel through to the end Scott delivers a series that packs an massive emotional punch, crisp subplots, vibrant language and a colorful sense of humanity that ensures the pages keep turning faster and faster. It will appeal to readers wanting to gain a sense of the violence and raw battles that define the period, it will appeal to readers trying to gain a sense of the celtic druids and the otherworlds they walked. But, above all, it will appeal to the reader who wants to pick up a series and wish it never stopped.
A masterpiece.
Average customer rating:
- You don't see kids' boks like this too often.
- One of Bill Peet's best stories
- The saving Sea Serpent
- The likable Sea serpent
- Endearing and unpredictable
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Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Bill Peet
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0395313899 |
Book Description
A shark accuses Cyrus of cowardice because he won't sink any ships. The kindly sea serpent almost succumbs to peer pressure, but learns at last to be himself.
Customer Reviews:
You don't see kids' boks like this too often........2006-04-08
I've read elsewhere that this book is about resisting peer pressure. That sub-story is over in the first few pages and really does little but set the scene. What this story is really about is courage, self-sacrifice, and the protection of innocent life against a world that often is far too dangerous. Many adults could benefit from giving this a read and taking it to heart, and yet it's not preachy or over the heads of the children it is targetted towards. Add to this the absolutely gorgeous colored-pencil artwork (Bill Peet worked for Disney for a while; his character designs give the original 101 Dalmations and the Sword in the Stone much of their charm) and some truly memorable characters, and you have my favorite children's book, ever.
One of Bill Peet's best stories.......2005-11-05
This charming story is certain to bring a smile to your face. I love it even more than my son does. The drawings are delightfully done. Bill Peet is one of the very rare children's book authors who are able to produce both an excellent story and great pictures. All of his books are good, but some are better than others; Cyrus is one of his best.
The saving Sea Serpent.......2003-03-14
Title: Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Author: Bill Peet
Favorite Characters: Cyrus, Caption
Cyrus is board and wants to find something to do. A shark told him to go wreck a ship and when Cyrus follows a ship out to see, he ends up saving it! First, he blew the ship out of the doldrums. Than he kept it floating trough a storm and after that, he saved the ship from pirates!
Cyrus than noticed that the ships sails were torn off because of the pirates. The people would be stranded at sea for ever if he didn't do something. He was clever enough to figure out what to do. You should figure out what he did your self by reading this book.
...
The likable Sea serpent.......2003-03-14
Title: Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent
Author: Bill Peet
Favorite Characters: Cyrus, Caption
Cyrus is board and wants to find something to do. A shark told him to go wreck a ship and when Cyrus follows a ship out to see, he ends up saving it! First, he blew the ship out of the doldrums. Than he kept it floating trough a storm and after that, he saved the ship from pirates!
Cyrus than noticed that the ships sails were torn off because of the pirates. The people would be stranded at sea for ever if he didnýt do something. He was clever enough to figure out what to do. You should figure out what he did your self by reading this book.
Endearing and unpredictable.......2002-11-18
Once again, Bill Peet has captivated his audience with yet another unique and imaginative tale! As with every one of his books, Cyrus the Sea Serpeant is a delight to read and presents a lesson in creature kindness, no matter what shape or size. Through adversity and prejudice, a determined Cyrus proves to be an unlikely hero. Certain to bring a smile to all faces and a pure joy to read!
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