Book Description
In this lyrical, unsentimental, and compelling memoir, the son of a black African father and a white American mother searches for a workable meaning to his life as a black American. It begins in New York, where Barack Obama learns that his father—a figure he knows more as a myth than as a man—has been killed in a car accident. This sudden death inspires an emotional odyssey—first to a small town in Kansas, from which he retraces the migration of his mother’s family to Hawaii, and then to Kenya, where he meets the African side of his family, confronts the bitter truth of his father’s life, and at last reconciles his divided inheritance.
Customer Reviews:
warning.......2007-10-09
great read, but once you're done there's no way you could look at this man the same way again.
"PT 109" for the 21st Century.......2007-10-08
As my readers will know, I am a tough critic, but I can find precious little about "Dreams from my Father" to criticize. Of course, the book will not appeal to those who don't care about race in America, or who have extremely fixed ideas about the subject. I like to think though that the majority of the reading public at least (if not the general public) are both engaged with and to some extent open-minded about our nation's central bugaboo/crisis/character flaw.
An editorial review mentioned that Obama's mother is almost absent from the book. To some extent he may have taken her somewhat for granted -- unlike his father or himself, he always had a good idea who she was and what she was about. In the preface to this edition, Obama mentions that she has died of cancer between the original publication and his nomination for U. S. Senate from Illinois, and that if he had known she would not be around to see that, he might have written a different book, spending more time hailing her for having stood by him. In the introduction to the first edition (written in 1995), he admits that he can't speak for everyone in the world. This is the most ironic part of the book, since it was only a year after that that he first ran for the Illinois state legislature. Thereafter, he has increasingly been compelled to try to do just that.
Although finding oneself has become a cliche, especially in the literary world, it was Barack Obama's mission for the first thirty years of his life. Defined as a black man, he sought to make his race more than a social construct, but something central and ineffable, and at the same time not cut off his ties to the rest of humanity, particularly his white mother and grandparents. He doesn't take his mother completely for granted -- he spends thirty to fifty pages talking about her background and that of her parents, who moved from Kansas to Hawaii, seeing it as the last frontier, when she was about to start college. Another one hundred pages or so explore his life with them in Hawaii (with a short stint in Indonesia, where his mother married a man who had studied in America and gave birth to Obama's half-sister Maya).
Readers of any race will be overwhelmed by the sheer power of Obama's writing. I choked up reading this several times. That is ultimately the best reason to read it, not the fact that Barack Obama has become a serious candidate for the presidency. This book also helps you figure out how he did that. The only thing he feels more keenly than his own hopes and fears are the hopes and fears of everyone around him. At the end of the book, having learned the whole story of his father's and grandfather's lives, he stands over their graves and weeps, feeling what they must have felt at each turning point of their lives. Although Obama is quintessentially American, I somehow would not be surprised, given the epiphany he had there, if he chose upon his death to be buried in Kenya alongside them. But perhaps my sympathy is making me romanticize the man.
This book leaves me with two regrets and one big hope. First, it is probably unfilmable. Second, there is one man running with even more vision and courage than Barack Obama, so I won't be able to vote for him in the primary election (although I will in the general if he is the candidate). My big hope is that Obama will write a third book in 2017, having waited eleven years between books as he did between his first and second, that will combine the autobiography he did with this book and the political manifesto he did with "The Audacity of Hope" (a phrase which you have to read "Dreams from my Father" to know Obama doesn't take credit for). Although I haven't finished the latter book, there is basically no way it could top this one. I give it my highest recommendation.
Moving, eloquent and inspirational..........2007-09-26
Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama is a moving, eloquent and honest book that was originally published in 1995. This is an amazing story, and not just because he is a presidential candidate. Although autobiographical in scope, it is not intended to be a complete history of the author's life. Instead, it is "a boy's search for his father."
Barack Obama had a most unusual childhood. His mother was a white American living in Hawaii. His father, Barack Obama Sr., was a brilliant black Kenyan who received a college scholarship to the University of Hawaii. When Obama was two, his father graduated college and received a scholarship to obtain his PhD at Harvard. Unfortunately, the scholarship did not include living expenses for his family, and this proved the end of the marriage. After that, Obama only saw his father one more time before being killed in an auto accident when Obama was 21. Obama's mother subsequently married a man from Indoesia, where Obama lived for several years. But that marriage also ended and Obama returned to Hawaii to live with his grandparents. Dreams from My Father also includes Obama's college experiences, as well as the work he did as an organizer in Chicago.
The most moving part of Dreams from My Father involves his trip to Kenya for the first time several years after his father died. As a youth, he describes the reaction of others when they discover his background "Privately, they guess at my troubled heart, I supposed--the mixed blood, the divided soul, the ghostly image of a tragic mulatto trapped between two worlds." In Kenya, he meets his African family including grandparents, half-brothers and sisters, step-mothers, aunts, uncles and cousins. At the Kenyan airport, an airport employee recognizes his name and knew his father. "For the first time in my life, I felt the comfort, the firmness of identity that a name might provide, how it could carry an entire history in other people's memories...My name belonged and so I belonged." I was also moved by Obama's discovery of faith.
Even if Obama was not a presidential candidate for the 2008 election, Dreams is still an eloquent and inspirational story about his search for his father and his efforts to reconcile the histories of this white and black families.
A worthy memoir of Obama's complicated early life.......2007-09-06
Due to its multi-section arrangement, falling into three precise stages, this book feels like a well-paced coming-of-age novel, an impression buoyed by the fact that, to a degree that is unusual for politicians, Obama can actually write well. If you are looking for information on what policies Obama would support as a presidential candidate, you should look elsewhere. However, the book does give the impression that the writer is unusually forthright, both about himself and his beliefs.
Watching Obama's attitudes on race evolve is one of the key points of interest in the book, and the reader comes away with a picture of a man who is both reflective and self-critical. It is somewhat apparent that the author was not running for office at the time the book was written, and yes, it (very briefly) mentions his now infamous flirtation with cocaine use. However, if you want to read a portrait of the man, if not his political platform, and interested in the struggles of someone growing up in between two different cultures, this book is well worth reading.
just great.......2007-08-17
Obama wrote his memoirs of his growing up some years ago (and with his political career I expect he'll be writing them again in twenty or so years). It is an honest book about a remarkable man who had a remarkable life. Nothing political about it.
Book Description
Kim Meeder has seen horses go where no one else can tread - stepping through the minefield of a broken child's soul in a dance of trust that only God can understand. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love washes away their barren places. Kim's ranch is a place where this miracle happens over and over again. It is a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of reality - a place where hope rises.
Where Wounded Spirits Run Free
Follow a horse where no one else can tread, through the minefield of pain that surrounds a broken child’s soul. From a mistreated horse to an emotionally starved child and back again, a torrent of love revives their barren places.
In the presence of unconditional love, a mute girl speaks for the first time. A defiant teenager teaches a horse to trust again...and opens his own heart to love. A rescued horse gives a dying man his last wish. A battered girl finds love and protection in the friendship of a battered horse...
Come visit a place where the impossible flourishes, where dreams survive the inferno of realityâa place where hope rises.
Customer Reviews:
Beautiful.......2007-09-19
If this testimony of God's work in the lives of those at Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch doesn't pierce your heart, nothing will. It is well writen and absolutely beautiful.
Simply Beautiful.......2007-08-21
Inspiring, true stories of how neglected horses and neglected children help to heal each other. This book reveals over and over again the powerful miracles that can happen when one has hope.
Outstanding true stories of wounded horses and hurting kids.......2007-05-13
Kim Meeder is not only a fabulous person; she is a gifted writer. These true stories of mistreated horses and hurting children coming together for healing and enjoyment will gladden any heart. Even if you are not a horse lover, you'll love this book. It's about "horse therapy" for suffering children and the bonds and breakthroughs that happen when kids and horses interact on a safe and secure level. Kim Meeder writes with her heart and out of personal experience.
Absolutely beautiful.......2007-05-07
I loved this book. It was full of wonderful stories and personal experiences. Very touching and inspiring.
Hope Rising-Book of Miracles.......2007-03-20
This is a book of miracles. It is about love, faith, and healing. Ms. Meeder plays the human heart strings like a diva, and her stories of children healed by horses are as touching as they are inspirational.
J.R. Wise
Author of
"Give a Horse a Second Chance"
Book Description
Cross Over Troubled Waters
Hope is like the starsâalways there, yet shining brightest in the blackest of nights. It is like the dawn, always rising anew. Hope is for everyone, and that includes you. This collection of more than twenty true stories from a ranch of rescued dreams unveils the heart of true strength and the character of genuine courage. Experience for yourself the kind of love and hope that change a person from the inside out. Because sometimes, just believing in someone is enough for them to start believing in themselves. It’s the galvanizing truth that no matter how deep your painâ¦God’s love exceeds it still.
Sometimes, just believing in someone
is enough for them to start
believing in themselvesâ¦
Without raising his eyes to look at me, in a voice barely clearing the horizon of a whisper, he said, âI know you don’t love me⦠You just say that ’cuz you’re an adult and it’s kinda like your job. But I know you don’t really love me.â
Suffering and blessing balance on the same high wire, each giving stability and depth to the other. The one that we feel the mostâ¦is ultimately the one that we give the most.
It was her eyes that gave her away. The conflict of her mortal illness versus her will raged behind them. Her body shouted, âI’m sick and it’s getting harder and harder to do the things I love!â while her indomitable will shouted back, âYeah, but I’m just a little kid, and little kids should get to ride horses!â
What a relief it is when we begin to understand that it is within our hardships that truth is elevated from our hearts to our heads.
âDuring the darkest days I’d ever known, I was introduced to the unconditional love of a little horse and a merciful God, and my life has never been the same,â says author Kim Meeder . And her book proves that hope is not only for us to keepâ¦but to give.
âStirring, encouraging, and inspirational, Bridge Called Hope reminds us that hope is heaven sent for everyone, and that we, too, can make a positive difference in others’ lives."
Eric Close
Actor
âKim Meeder vibrantly sharesâand livesâan amazing story of hope and restoration. A triumph of recovery for wounded hearts!â
Louie Giglio
Director, Passion Conferences, and bestselling author
Story Behind the Book
âI was moved to write Hope Rising and Bridge Called Hope because, when I needed it the most, someone shared hope with me and it saved my life. During the darkest days I’d ever known, I was introduced to the unconditional love of a little horse and a merciful God, and my life has never been the same. Everything in our life is about choices. We cannot control our circumstances, but we can control how we choose to feel about them. The pain that we feel in this life is certain. What is equally certain is how we choose to feel about the pain. It can destroy usâor it can define us. The choice is uniquely ours.â âKim Meeder
Customer Reviews:
As beautiful as the first! .......2007-09-19
Most sequels don't measure up to the first book, but this one is a rarity. It is as well written and beautiful as the its predecessor. I hope it's not the end of the author's writen journey.
Wonderful inspiration.......2007-09-04
This book was much like Kim's first book - "Hope Rising". Full of wonderful stories about the many horses and children who have spent time at the Crystal Peaks Youth Ranch and because of their time there, have come away with new hope about life itself. Great reading!
Keep your tissues handy.......2007-08-26
Kims stories of abused children will bring a tear to almost anyones eyes. Her writing paints a vivid image in your head, as if you are there yourself. But this is not merely a book about unwanted and abused children. It's a story of how one couple takes God's message of hope to ones who have none.
Bridge Called Hope.......2007-08-23
This was a beautiful story with and important message of reaching those who feel they are without hope in this world. the title is very appropriate and the message is one that is greatly needed in our world today. There is hope!
Hope Rising.......2007-08-19
Second book by this author that offers true, inspiring, heart-tugging stories how horses and children that need mending from abuse or other physical/mental issues help pull each other through to a path of healing; and the husband and wife team that makes it all happen through faith.
Book Description
This is the only book that gives homeowners who are dreaming about building or planning to build a new home the good and the bad on all types of prefabricated houses. Shows that prefabricated can be mainstream traditional design and does not have to look like a mobile home or a modular "Dwell" box.
Prefabulous describes the many systems available for prefabricating all or parts of a new home, including timber frame and log, as well as modular, panelized, structural insulated panels, steel framing and concrete systems, which are relatively new. Prefabulous describes these systems, compares their advantages and disadvantages, and shows beautiful examples of houses built using these techniques. Although all of these "prefabricated" houses look very different, all of them were manufactured partially or almost completely in a controlled factory environment and transported to the home site to be erected. As a group these systems offer a faster, more energy-efficient, and sometimes more cost-efficient method of building.
Includes a foreword by Not So Big House author Sarah Susanka, who writes: "For homeowners who want to know the options, the advantages and disadvantages of those options, and to see how those prefabricated parts come together into a good, attractive home, read this book."
Customer Reviews:
Prefabulous.......2007-09-20
Very informative book. A must read for anyone thinking of building an upscale prefab house.
Fabulous is right!.......2007-08-24
Sheri Koones has done another remarkable job showing the benefits and cusomization capabilities of systems-built homes. The press has made 'pre-fab' a common term over the last few years, and this book helps to showcase the many types of quality, code-compliant, factory built homes. As Executive Director of the Building Systems Councils at the National Association of Home Builders, I know many of our members own copies of this book and are proud to see systems-built homes get the recognition they deserve for being such great ways to build. The book is extremely well done, outlining the types, options, floorplans, and design choices of systems-built homes. There is no other book like it.
Long on promise, short on substance.......2007-08-23
I purchased this book along with another book about "modular" homes by the same author titled "Modular Mansions". I am terribly disappointed by both the books and I am leaving this same exact review for the other book as well.
The book is nothing more than pretty pictures. It offers very little in substance. While the book does profile several large houses constructed in a modular fashion, the author seem to have neither the inclination nor the construction background to discuss the meat and potatoes issues. The book is sprinkled with platitudes and how various home owners chose to decorate their homes. I would have liked to see discussions about how the actual construction was accomplished, what the pitfalls have been, some rudimentary floor plans etc. An in-depth profile of at least one of the houses including perhaps a sit-down with the architect as to how the pieces fit together would have been better than the sheer fluff that fills the pages.
It seems the author was exposed to the modular way of building homes rather by accident and while she seems genuinely enthusiastic about this method, she does not possess proper education/training/experience to guide a reader properly. Instead, she chose to produce this coffee table book that is pretty to look at but offers little else. I was suckered by the promise of modular homes into ordering both the "coffee table" books by this author at the same time and both are equally disappointing.
Modular type of construction does offer some promise in very specific cases for an educated home owner/builder that can take advantage of the efficiencies of this method while avoiding the various pitfalls. But do not buy these books expecting to be educated. You are better of researching somewhere else where true professionals offer advice in this area.
Extraordinary Approach To Housing.......2007-07-23
I had no idea factory built homes existed at anything close to this level of detail, craftsmanship, beauty, variety, durability and more.
This is an excellent book which incorporates all the major types of factory built homes outside of manufactured homes and mobile homes. I now have an entirely new perspective on the current and future state of housing in our country, especially here in Miami, Florida.
As a result of this tremendous "discovery," I am putting together a team of dedicated professionals to assess the viability of the construction applications (residential, commercial and otherwise) featured in this book for the South Florida market.
Every one of my colleagues, friends, family and others have been absolutely amazed at the contents of this book.
You will not be disappointed with this outstanding piece of work even if you employ its use for educational or edification purposes only, or just as a conversation piece for your coffee table.
FAB.......2007-06-08
This book is very helpful in learning about the different choices you have for building. Worth buying if you are looking for something besides standard stick built house.
Book Description
LEADING FROM THE SECOND CHAIR will raise awareness of the need for strong leaders in secondary positions. It will describe the value they can bring to their organization and to primary leaders when they are serving at their full potential. It will reshape the way they view their role, with an emphasis on their own responsibility as leaders. It recognizes the unique challenges and frustrations of serving in a subordinate position and equips these leaders with the attitudes and skills that they will need to survive and thrive in this new paradigm.
Because of the scarcity of resources for second chair leaders, particularly those in the church, this book will offer a practical way to improve the performance of any organization.
Leading Congregational Change discussed the importance of a "vision community"--a diverse group of key members who discern and implement the vision for a congregation--to guide the transformation of a church. This work will extend the theme of an empowered leadership team as we explore how individual clergy and laity can lead effectively.
Customer Reviews:
For Second and First Chair Leaders.......2007-03-09
This book gave me a fresh perspective on a difficult situation. I can get away with calling myself a good leader. I am a graduate of the nation's oldest military college and a former naval officer. And I know that all leadership is challenging. But I was not ready for the difficult dance that a second chair has to manage. No one person - even a senior pastor - can be the expert on everything. And if you are a strong leader, with proven and developed expertise in your profession it can be difficult when you report to someone without the same insight. I am an associate pastor in a growing church and also the principal of the church's school. My senior pastor is a great guy, an amazing preacher, and a solid church leader who has little experience in education and management of multiple employees. It can be tough trying to support someone who doesn't get you and does not have the time to absorb all that you have learned in two decades of working. But that is my job and it is also my job to be the servant and make things work in this relationship. This book gave me a lot of what I needed to get there mentally. On another note, if you are the top person in any ministry involving multiple staff you may need to read this book as much as your subordinates do - especially if you have less than five years in a senior subordinate role. But don't trust me - the people who wrote and contributed to this book are the experts - and it shows.
Resource For the Entire Pastoral Staff to Read Together.......2006-08-31
IF . . .
Staff communication and Egos are healthy enough to take it.
This book elevates the role of second chair pastoral staff. As the lead pastor of a church I appreciate the public acknowledgment of the immense value of second chair leadership. Any senior pastor who feels a need to micromanage or minimize the role of others is guilty of leading the church to mediocrity, sort of like an engine only running on one cylinder. I always want my second chair leaders to be LEADERS in every sense of the word.
This book also cautions second chair leaders to check their personal egos at the door when they enter. Subordination is a great American weakness that does great damage to the church. Often second chair leaders excell in vision, energy, and drive, but too often are weak in areas of savy and experience. If the first chair leader feels threatened, things quickly go from bad to worse. This book builds savy.
This book is timely, important, and could potentially prevent many ministry wrecks. I suggest that every multiple staff church use it as a study guide for a series of staff meetings. I wish it had come along earlier in my ministry.
Excellent Book For All Leaders.......2006-07-18
"Leading From The Second Chair" is a book that generates healthy discussions and allows anyone in a leadership role in a church to gain a better perspective on what they do and what the First Chair Leader goes through.
I have led our pastoral staff through a discussion of the principles in this book, allowing time for feedback, comments, interaction and questions. It has been a healthy time of understanding how God has wired each of us and how we can better serve our leader, build God's church and stay healthy.
executive pastors take note.......2006-04-20
I'm someone who recently transitioned from first chair to second chair by choice due to a recognition of my strenghths and weaknesses. This book helped in that transition as I felt my way around this new role. It also helped confirm for me that I had made the right choice. I found especially helpful the section on the "deep/wide paradox" in seeing the need for balance between minutia and grand vision. Also helpful (and humbling for a former first chair) was the section on the "subordinate leader paradox". This book will be extremely helpful to the second chair leader who feels trapped in a bad situation with a bad first chair (not me) but is still full of great wisdom for the person in a great situation with a great first chair leader(like my church). I recomended this book to a church planter in Hawaii and he read it along with his potential second chair guy, which I thought was a great use of this book. Every second chair leader should read this, especially young guys like myself.
Needed this 20 years ago.......2006-03-24
After 37+ years as a second-chair leader, finally there is a book with practical information that fits the position. I've always felt called to the second chair, but have also chafed at not being able to exert greater leadership for my church. The authors have done a masterful job of providing principles along with real-life examples. I recommend this to any second-chair leader.
Book Description
We try to escape from the play of life and the suffering that being "a person in the world" entails. Our efforts to find spiritual enlightenment have the opposite effect and reinforce an underlying feeling of lack, of separation. In Life Without a Centre, Jeff Foster suggests that there is only ever the present appearance of life, with no individual at its core who could ever escape even if they wanted to. The entire spiritual search is nothing more than a game we play with ourselves, the cosmic entertainment. Jeff cuts through the confusion and frustration surrounding the search for escape through spiritual enlightenment, by pointing to the utterly obvious: This moment, and everything that arises in it, is already the liberation that is sought. Life, just as it is, is already what we've been searching for our entire lives. Jeff Foster graduated in astrophysics from Cambridge University. Soon after graduation, life events propelled him onto an intense two-year spiritual search, culminating in the realisation that there was never anything to find in the first place. He currently writes and talks on what some people have called "non-duality", but which he just refers to as "the utterly, utterly obvious".
Book Description
In one compact volume, POP DREAMS analyzes the trends, events, and personalities that influenced American culture from 1945 to 1970. The discussion broadens students' understanding of major events in popular culture by putting those events in historical context.
Customer Reviews:
brief and well written.......2005-08-25
This little book could easily have been a fully fledged tome. Loss surveys the popular American media in the 1960s. He shows how it echoed and in turn fed back on the burning issues of the times. The Vietnam War and the civil rights movement.
There is discussion of politics at the Federal level, with the actions of US Presidents being key events. But Loss manages to tie this all into a narrative that also encompasses analysis of the rock and roll scene and the counterculture.
The book is aimed at an undergraduate or high school reader, as a quick synopsis of trends that Loss traces back to 1945 and the emergence of the US from the Second World War. He hopes to whet the reader's appetite for more detailed reading of these vast topics.
Customer Reviews:
Life changing.......2007-10-05
I have only finished chapter 3 and already have received some life changing revelation which I will remember forever. Get the video!
Extremely clear and concise...a must read!.......2007-09-10
One of the best books about a favorite character of the Bible...Joseph. I could relate with each test he went through. A must read if you feel you're always living in the dream, but never realizing your destiny. I also recommend the video series. We are using it with our community group at church. GET THIS BOOK!!!
A Must Read ..........2007-06-12
From Dream to Destiny changed my life. Reading this book helped me see and get through one the life lesson's God was dealing with in me at my workplace. I bought several books and gave them out to my clients and recently purchased more to use in a book study at church to teach others the 10 Lessons We Must Go Through to Reach Our Destiny.
You, have a God given destiny.......2005-09-30
You (and everyone) have a God given "destiny". Pastor Morris explains the life of Joseph to walk you through your own "thinking process" and your own desires to fulfill God's plan for your life. The writing is very enjoyable and the content is spiritually encouraging. Pastor Morris uses many scripture references. You will be blessed. - MDP
Empowering and Uplifting! Your Destiny Awaits You!.......2005-07-29
This book is a blessing! It is filled with many answers concerning destiny. The author, Robert Morris expounds on the life of Joseph (Gen. 37-50), his journey from the pit to the palace.
Joseph is the perfect example of a person being tried in many areas while traveling to his destiny. He faced many difficult challenges which makes FROM DREAM TO DESTINY a book so encouraging for anyone facing difficulties.
Robert Morris elaborates on the 10 tests we must pass in order to walk in our destiny. They are: pride, pit, palace, purity, prison, prophetic, power, prosperity, pardon and purpose. All of which we must go through if we are to reach our destiny. The author also reminds us that many tests occur after our dream but before our destiny.
Don't give up between your dream and fulfilling your destiny!
Happy Reading!
(...)
Customer Reviews:
The book made me want to give up the day job.......2004-03-04
This is craft raised to the level of art; mouthwatering. Sweaters (with added socks etc.) mostly two-coloured, mostly knit circular, but I should give special mention to two aspects. One: many of the designs use the all-in-one construction with real innovation, as if an artist had taken a plain 'toile' and painted it without regard to seams, etc, making best use of three dimensions. Second, the book contains pages and pages of charts - not the automatically symmetrical ones you get with fair isle; big, little, corners, bold - for plundering. All I want to do now is knit them and I can't choose which to opt for first.
Terrific technique section, wonderful charts, pretty designs.......2001-03-29
First, for those who are not familiar with Joyce Williams, let me offer my humble opinion that she is one of the most inventive knitters alive today. Joyce has an amazing ability to solve little nagging problems that have been deemed "unsolvable" by the greater universe of knitters. This book is chock full of these solutions.
The first 30-plus pages of the book concern techniques - including a nice write up Joyce's great two needle circular method (no more double pointed needles when knitting socks!!!) This part of the book is worth the price all by itself.
The bulk of the book are Joyce's designs for a variety of garments, most of which are knit in the fair isle or stranding tradition. These are gorgeous garments. One blessing/caveat -- I was lucky enough to participate in a showing of these garments at Meg Swansen's Knitting Camp and they are very heavy and warm. It's also important to note that Joyce deliberately leaves out needle sizes and yarn amounts for these patterns. Why? Because most of the sizing is accomplished by changing needles and guage. Her instructions on this are clear but the presentation is likely to be disconcerting for knitters who are used to conventional "blind following" of patterns.
The final segment of the book is a terrific collection of charts for stranded or textured knitting. This is where the "Latvian" aspect figures into the art. All of these patterns are based on Latvian weaving patterns. The result is nice group of charts (and resulting knitting) that strongly resembles it's Nordic "cousins" but has its own sort of spice.
Bottom-line: An absolute keeper for the technique and charts alone. Not recommended for novices or beginners who are heavily reliant on patterns. A wonderful addition for thinking knitters who miss Elizabeth Zimmermann's works.
I waited a long time for this book.......2001-02-05
And was not disappointed. Joyce Williams is a real artist and genius. She's adapted Latvian weaving designs to knitting and...so much more. She has the most innovative techniques for using modules of knitting, I-cord and colors. This is one of the most unique books on knitting, and it's very inspirational. It was worth the wait.
A treasure trove of technique and pattern.......2000-11-30
Latvian Dreams contains so much information for the thinking knitter that the reviewer's job is difficult. Should I concentrate on the innovative techniques Joyce Williams has come up with--I-cord variations, built-in hems, buttonholes with facings, and on and on? Or should I focus on the pages and pages of charts she painstakingly created from the Latvian originals? But I cannot leave out the garments themselves--sweaters, jackets, socks, vests--knit in a number of weights and showing the reader many ways to use the charts. This book is filled to overflowing with exciting and empowering techniques and ways of seeing (really seeing) the possibilities of knitting.
For all these reasons I am very impressed with this book. But most importantly, Joyce is one of those authors who inspires knitters to create their own designs. She lets us see how she combined elements to make her vision come alive, and then she gives us the information we need to plunge in ourselves. This is exactly what I look for in a knitting book--the "you can do it too" teacher with spirit, technical know-how, and humor.
Book Description
After 'Hit Man'
The New York Times bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man documents John Perkins’ extraordinary career as a globe-trotting economic hit man. Perkins’ insider’s view leads him to crisis of conscience--to the realization that he must devote himself to work which will foster a world-wide awareness of the sanctity of indigenous peoples, their cultures, and their environments. Perkins’ books demonstrate how the age-old shamanic techniques of some of the world’s most primitive peoples have sparked a revolution in modern concepts about healing, the subconscious, and the powers each of us has to alter individual and communal reality.
Deep in the rain forests and high in the Andes of Ecuador, native shamans teach the age-old technique of dream change, a tradition that has kept the cultures of the Otavalans, Salasacans, and Shuar alive despite centuries of conquest. Now these shamans are turning their wisdom and power to the problem of curing a new kind of illness--that created by the industrial world’s dream of dominating and exploiting nature.
John Perkins tells the story of these remarkable shamans and of the U.S. medical doctors, psychologists, and scientists who have gone with him to learn the techniques of dream change. These shamanic teachings have sparked a revolution in modern concepts about healing, the subconscious, and the powers each of us has to alter individual and communal reality.
Customer Reviews:
A New Way of Viewing the World.......2007-07-06
This book is for those of you who recognize that there is something inherently wrong with the way our society operates. Even if you don't recognize it, this book will shed light on a myriad of problems. We can all learn a few things from indigenous people, and Perkins is a level-headed expert on the subject. Short and easy to follow, this book is a must read!
False and Deceptive -- Doesn't Even Mention Shuar Violence and Head Hunting!.......2007-06-21
This book needs to be labeled fiction and it totally misrepresents the indigenous South Americans about whom he's talking. The native Amazonians he visits have a well-documented history of head hunting and raiding until very recently! These groups survived colonialism because they retreated deep into the rainforest, and because they were extraordinarily violent towards outsiders, other fellow Amazonians, and especially to their own women.
It's insulting that Perkins remakes these indigenous Amazonians into his own hippy, 1960's idealistic view of a nature-loving, dream-centric, egalitarian culture with some special understanding of the world that we can use to remake our own. He neglects to tell anything truthful about the Shuar culture-- and it's tiresome and offensive to have people put their own ideals into some "Wise Indian's" mouth.
The truth is always interesting, and I'm sure Perkins' trippy, drug-induced vision of an eco-friendly imaginary dreamworld could be interesting too. His lie is to conflate the two.
John Perkins is a true teacher.......2007-05-22
I plan to buy ShapeShifting next. This book will change your life and the way you look at things. I know...there are so many books out there that claim to do that as well, but they are nothing compared to this book. Only an intelligent spirital person would read this book, but it is also an easy read. I have the highest respect for John Perkins.
Dreaming it as it is.......2006-07-31
This is a superb rendition of spiritual principles crafted within the context of indigenous cosmology. It reflects broader corollaries that can be assigned to numerous spiritual disciplines world wide and provide a source of inspiration to those who question the nefarious motives of unfettered "development" with all its hideous consequences.
Mr. Perkins utilizes vast personal experience to highlight indigenous wisdom that takes to task our ethnocentric, greed based, industrialized world view that seems designed to ransack planetary resources and exploit the lives of all it can consume. A sad commentary on the foibles of an economic system run amuck, yet, a surprisingly inspirational joy ride through time and space as seen through the eyes of the author.
Highly recommended.
Lacking depth.......2003-05-29
I was very dissapointed by this book. When I bought it I was expecting the book to teach me how to implement shamanic teachings, how to heal, how to dream, how to direct our dreams, how we can change our dream, but instead I read pages and pages of discriptive text. Talks only about Mr. Perkin's travels. It doesn't even give in-depth examples of how people were healed.
Books:
- Drive to the East (Settling Accounts Trilogy, Book 2)
- Dungeons & Dragons Monster Gift Set (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying)
- Endymion
- First Meetings in Ender's Universe
- Fleet of Worlds
- Foundation and Empire (Foundation Novels)
- Foundations of Earth Science (4th Edition)
- Foundations of Financial Management (The Mcgraw-Hill/Irwin Series in Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate)
- Gabriel's Ghost
- Getting the Love You Want Audio Companion: The New Couples' Study Guide
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- The Road to Civil War
- The Artist's Problem Solver: Practical Solutions from 10 Professional Artists for Painting in Waterc
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- Strategic Giving: The Art and Science of Philanthropy
- The Investigation of Organic Reactions and Their Mechanisms
- The Golden Age of Sailing: Classic Yacht Photographs by Beken of Cowes
- Sounding the Event: Escapades in Dialogue and Matters of Art, Nature and Time
- Nature, Technology, and Society: Cultural Roots of the Current Environmental Crisis
- Nippon 1996: Business Facts and Figures
African-American & Black
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
Great Speeches by African Americans: Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Barack Obama, and Others (Thrift Edition)
Barack Obama: Working to Make a Difference (Gateway Biographies)
The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography (Oprah's Book Club)
The Pursuit of Happyness
