A Grief Observed

Amazon.com

C.S. Lewis joined the human race when his wife, Joy Gresham, died of cancer. Lewis, the Oxford don whose Christian apologetics make it seem like he's got an answer for everything, experienced crushing doubt for the first time after his wife's tragic death. A Grief Observed contains his epigrammatic reflections on that period: "Your bid--for God or no God, for a good God or the Cosmic Sadist, for eternal life or nonentity--will not be serious if nothing much is staked on it. And you will never discover how serious it was until the stakes are raised horribly high," Lewis writes. "Nothing will shake a man--or at any rate a man like me--out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself." This is the book that inspired the film Shadowlands, but it is more wrenching, more revelatory, and more real than the movie. It is a beautiful and unflinchingly honest record of how even a stalwart believer can lose all sense of meaning in the universe, and how he can gradually regain his bearings. --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

In this classic trial of faith, C. S. Lewis probes the fundamental issues of life and death, and summons those who grieve to honest mourning and hope in the midst of loss.

Customer Reviews:

An Interesting Read.......2007-09-19

C.S. Lewis's "A Grief Observed" is quite different from most of his other works. It is a thoroughly honest recording of his thoughts about the death of his wife. Whereas Lewis carefully argued for the compatibility of suffering and a loving God in "The Problem of Pain," he never claimed that his arguments and philosophical thinking would be any comfort for the actual suffering a person may experience. "A Grief Observed" reveals this to be the case- Lewis finds himself doubting God (mostly doubting His goodness) because of his tremendous grief.

The book is composed of four short chapters, and you can easily see changes in his demeanor and ways of thinking throughout the short book. By the end, Lewis seems to have regained a level of confidence in his faith, although he was shook to the core by the death of his wife.

For me, the book was a strange read, and I had little ability to relate to Lewis. I have not experienced such a tragic loss yet, though there is little doubt that one day, this book will connect with me on a deeper level. However, as to whether or not this short book offers a good source of comfort to those who have suffered a great loss, I cannot say. Yet, if you want to see C.S. Lewis at his most human, most honest moments, then "A Grief Observed" is the book to read.

Death of a loved one.......2007-07-29

This book was recommended to me when my son died. I found it very helpful in dealing with my sorrow, and I would recommend it to anyone who has lost someone very dear to them.

Breathtaking .......2007-07-28

The fact that only five stars can be awarded is, in this case, a travesty. The acuity of Lewis' mind, in direct correlation with his ability to transfer his thoughts to paper is that which places him amongst the most riveting authors of the twentieth century, if not of all time. It is by the pen of this individual that many have come to understand the Christian religion with greater confidence due to the fact that Lewis has a way of evoking personal sentiments that may have been otherwise buried in the subconscious. It is from the mind of Lewis that some have come to terms with The Problem of Pain. From this same mind, others have been provided with the information necessary to see through the theological differences across Christian boundaries in an effort to discover Mere Christianity. However, A Grief Observed is a work of art like no other.

What differentiates this work from all others is that Lewis applies his amazing ability to the evaluation of his own mind, as opposed to an effort directed towards helping others grasp difficult concepts. A Grief Observed may be the most honest and moving literary masterpiece ever created by a human hand. It appears as if Lewis commenced the documentation of his experience uncertain of whether he would publish it for public consumption, or retain it for his own purposes. It would be difficult to determine if Lewis, himself, knew with any degree of certainty what was to become of his somewhat stream of consciousness jottings when he began. This stream of consciousness, however, could not be compared to that of James Joyce or the like. While it is jumbled at times - as one might expect the mind operating after a significant loss - Lewis maintains a flow of logic and reasoning that is just as seemingly clairvoyant as his most premeditated works.

Many may turn to this short work only after themselves suffering a personal loss. While one cannot be certain as to how reading this would affect their grievances; it is fairly apparent throughout this work that Lewis would not expect that anything created by the hands of man could dampen the blow suffered by the loss of a loved one. However, the fortunate might be those that have an opportunity to experience this amazing walk through another man's thoughts while they are free from their own emotional suffering. Whatever it is that might bring an individual to the thought of examining A Grief Observed, it can be assured that they only serve to gain by following through with their initial curiosity. To expect this work to fill a void would be comparable to throwing a penny into the Grand Canyon; outside of this expectation, this text is worth its weight in life.

Wrestling with God.......2007-07-15

There are only two marriages I've ever been interested in: that of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, and that of Lewis and Joy Davidson.
This book, while it hints of what the Lewis-Davidson marriage was like, is not about their marriage. Instead, it's an absolutely no b.s. recording of a mind as its world has turned bleakly, seemingly inconsolably, black. But this is no ordinary mind. This is the mind of C.S. Lewis, arguably the greatest Christian apologist of the 20th century, if not all time.
If you have read any of Lewis' other books, you will sense that Lewis had some deep personal struggles, going back to his early childhood. It's not obvious. You have to read between the lines, and even then very carefully. But people who have had similar struggles will know what he's communicating to them, consciously or not.
When Lewis married Joy, I don't think he knew what he was getting into. Or maybe he did. Whichever, somehow a former Marxist, divorced mother of two boys, and powerful Christian thinker in her own right was able to get in, under and on Lewis' skin. She was God's unlikely choice for him, which is probably the best kind.
There's was a marriage steeped in levels of love and truth unknown by most couples and certainly most of us unmarried folk. How can you tell? Well, when it ended, it just about ended Lewis' other great and even longer relationship, that of Lewis and his Lord.
This is a tough book. The lesson I got from it is: don't put anything above your realtionship with Christ. Because when that anything comes to end, which it invariably will, it's only the unfailing grace and love of God that will bring you through it. And even experiencing that will be a battle.

A Grief Observed.......2007-07-05

This book really is an aid to anyone experiencing the loss of a loved one. C.S. Lewis describes so eloquently the feelings of loneliness,anger, disbelief,faith and hope one feels while experiencing grief.

Too Far From Home: A Story of Life and Death in Space

Average customer rating:

Great for those with interest in life in space.
stuck in space...
Couldn't put this book down!
Too far from home: A story of Life and Death in Space
This is as good as it gets.....

Too Far From Home: A Story of Life and Death in Space
Chris Jones
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385514654
Release Date: 2007-03-06

Book Description

An incredible, true-life adventure set on the most dangerous frontier of all—outer spaceIn the nearly forty years since Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, space travel has come to be seen as a routine enterprise—at least until the shuttle Columbia disintegrated like the Challenger before it, reminding us, once again, that the dangers are all too real.
Too Far from Home vividly captures the hazardous realities of space travel. Every time an astronaut makes the trip into space, he faces the possibility of death from the slightest mechanical error or instance of bad luck: a cracked O-ring, an errant piece of space junk, an oxygen leak . . . There are a myriad of frighteningly probable events that would result in an astronaut’s death. In fact, twenty-one people who have attempted the journey have been killed.
Yet for a special breed of individual, the call of space is worth the risk. Men such as U.S. astronauts Donald Pettit and Kenneth Bowersox, and Russian flight engineer Nikolai Budarin, who in November 2002 left on what was to be a routine fourteen-week mission maintaining the International Space Station.
But then, on February 1, 2003, the Columbia exploded beneath them. Despite the numerous news reports examining the tragedy, the public remained largely unaware that three men remained orbiting the earth. With the launch program suspended indefinitely, these astronauts had suddenly lost their ride home.
Too Far from Home chronicles the efforts of the beleaguered Mission Controls in Houston and Moscow as they work frantically against the clock to bring their men safely back to Earth, ultimately settling on a plan that felt, at best, like a long shot.
Latched to the side of the space station was a Russian-built Soyuz TMA-1 capsule, whose technology dated from the late 1960s (in 1971 a malfunction in the Soyuz 11 capsule left three Russian astronauts dead.) Despite the inherent danger, the Soyuz became the only hope to return Bowersox, Budarin, and Pettit home.
Chris Jones writes beautifully of the majesty and mystique of space travel, while reminding us all how perilous it is to soar beyond the sky.

Customer Reviews:

Great for those with interest in life in space........2007-09-15

I really enjoyed this book. I have always had an interest in the space program since I grew up in Florida and would watch most launches when I was in grade school. There were just a few parts of the book that might not be totally accurate due to the writers background as a sports writer and that is why I gave 4 stars. Happy reading!

stuck in space..........2007-07-30

In February of 2003 the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere and all seven astronauts aboard were lost. The news shattered the pysche of our nation and as TOO FAR FROM HOME strongly details the last people to see them and who felt their loss so acutely were the 3 astronauts aboard the International Space Station who had just seen Columbia disenage from station. Americans Kenneth Bowersox, and Don Pettit and Russian Nikolai Budarin were left with only the outdated Soviet capsule Soyuz to get back home. With the mission estended and no end in sight the author richly details life aboard the ISS and all the inherent risks of life in space and all the spectacular reasons why men and women risk their lives to be in space.

Couldn't put this book down!.......2007-07-25

I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing is beautiful and very descriptive. It reads like a science fiction book. It is very fast-paced and easy reading.

In November 2002, ten astronauts left Earth aboard the space shuttle Columbia headed for the International Space Station (ISS). The mission was to depart much earlier, but problems, both technical and weather related, marred the launch. On one launch date, when the astronauts were already strapped-in in their seats aboard space shuttle Columbia, bad weather in their emergency landing site in Spain prevented the launch. The astronauts had to return home. On another occasion, a technical fault cancelled the launch. When the new launch date in November was approaching, the astronauts were wandering if more problems would suddenly appear and prevent another launch. Some astronauts believed that the mission had a bad luck aura around it, but did not discuss it openly. One astronaut had told his relatives that he was never coming back home again!

The launch did take place on November 2002, and to spectators on the ground and to the astronauts aboard Columbia the launch was routine and successful. But cameras aboard Columbia transmitted a different image to Mission Control. A piece was dislodged during the launch and hit critical heat shields located underside the shuttle. After reviewing the tape hundreds of times, Mission Control concluded that the piece must have bounced off the underside of the shuttle causing no damage.

On February 1, 2003, only seven of the ten astronauts were heading back to Earth aboard Columbia after bidding farewell to the three astronauts they left behind in the International Space Station. Sadly, they never made it back home. On re-entry, as witnessed by millions of spectators worldwide, Columbia exploded, killing all seven astronauts onboard. Contrary to what Mission Control thought at first, the heat shields were damaged during the launch. The three astronauts left behind in the International Space Station -- Donald Petit, Kenneth Bowersox, and Russian flight engineer Nikolai Budarin -- found themselves too far from home, stranded on the International Space Station!

Mission Controls in Houston and Moscow worked around the clock to bring back the astronauts safely. Launching another Space Shuttle was not an option, since further NASA space shuttle launches were suspended for months, perhaps years. There was also the problem of how to provide the stranded astronauts with enough supplies while they remained in space. Ultimately, they had to settle to a plan that, according to the author, was risky to say the least. Latched to the side of the space station was a Russian-built Soyuz TMA-1 capsule with outdated technology and, according to the Americans, a questionable safety record. In 1971 a malfunction in the Soyuz 11 capsule left three Russian cosmonauts dead (However, as one reviewer on amazon.com pointed out, all Soyuz crews since that mission have worn full pressure suits during launch and entry as a safeguard against that failure happening again). Furthermore, the Soyuz TMA-1 capsule hadn't been flight tested before (there was never a need to use it)! However, as far as the Russians were concerned, the Soyuz was safe and the only way to bring the astronauts back home.

Despite the inherent danger, the Soyuz became the only hope to return Bowersox, Budarin, and Petit home. Interestingly, though, the three astronauts had such a great time aboard the International Space Station that none of them wanted to return home when they were relieved. Aboard the Soyuz, the three astronauts eventually took "an accelerated, lung-crushing dive" back to earth. Their account aboard the Soyuz is remarkable, and will leave you gasping for air!

The author goes back to the history of the space race with Russia; with the first Russian in space; to animals sent in rockets to space; Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon; the Russian space station; and finally to the International Space Station. You will learn a lot of things about life in space that you probably did not know about, assuming you have not read such material before like me. For example, many early astronauts aboard space stations felt lonely and depressed and longed for home. All the earlier astronauts retired from NASA soon after their return from space! Two astronauts actually went on strike for a whole day while on a space station, and refused to continue their mission. They too retired from NASA on their return. However, the Russian cosmonauts fared much better. They adapted well to the loneliness and confines of space, unlike their American counterparts. According to the author, this is due to the simple life of the Russians as compared to the luxurious and comfortable life Americans lead and are used to.

You will learn a lot about the amazing beauty of a space walk, and how astronauts are so mesmerized by the beauty that they forget themselves, floating as in a trance towards Earth. One astronaut almost was lost in this way if it wasn't for another astronaut pulling him back! I actually went to my video store and bought an Imax DVD of a spacewalk! On the funny side, you'll learn how astronauts "take a crap" in zero gravity, and some quite embarrassing situations!

Here's some negative criticism from other reviewers on amazon.com:

"This author skips around with what in the movie business would be called flashbacks; a few of these are fine but I think this author over used them."

"Felt like there was a little too much effort put into making this into a Manly Tale. Everything seems a little too exaggerated -- the spicy language, the icy fear, the burning decisions. Maybe this style would have held up without question in a magazine, but at the novel's length, I kept wondering, "How do you know?" The little details started to feel like some of them were imagined or embellished; the writing was popping me out of being lost in the scene."

Overall, I highly recommend this book if you have never read non-fiction books on space before.

Too far from home: A story of Life and Death in Space.......2007-07-05

Arived quickly in time for a flight to Atlanta and back, was able to get entirely through it during both flights, However I generly like a lininar book, this author skips around with what in the movie business would be called flashbacks, a few of these are fine but I think this author over used them.

This is as good as it gets............2007-06-27

Ordinarily I wouldn't read a book on space travel because it's not something I've ever had an interest in. I picked the book up for my husband. I'm certainly glad I opened it myself. I read one of the comments where the person thought that Chris Jones should stick to what he knows, sports. I think it's obvious that Chris IS sticking to what he knows, the heart and soul that fills a person up and pushes them to go for the impossible. He understands the human spirit and writes about it beautifully. Space travel is a huge, poetic, heroic, incredible achievement that somehow I viewed with a blase' attitude -- Ho-hum, man in space.... What was I thinking! Thanks to Chris I will now always view it with a lump in my throat and gratitude to the remarkable men and women who make it happen.

Average customer rating:

An excellent beginning to a new series
Yes, it's good forensics, but...
Unique
An Unlikely Page-Turner
CSI: Medieval

Mistress of the Art of Death
Ariana Franklin
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399154140
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Book Description

A chilling, mesmerizing novel that combines the best of modern forensic thrillers with the detail and drama of historical fiction.

In medieval Cambridge, England, four children have been murdered. The crimes are immediately blamed on the town's Jewish community, taken as evidence that Jews sacrifice Christian children in blasphemous ceremonies. To save them from the rioting mob, the king places the Cambridge Jews under his protection and hides them in a castle fortress. King Henry I is no friend of the Jews-or anyone, really-but he is invested in their fate. Without the taxes received from Jewish merchants, his treasuries would go bankrupt. Hoping scientific investigation will exonerate the Jews, Henry calls on his cousin the King of Sicily-whose subjects include the best medical experts in Europe-and asks for his finest "master of the art of death," an early version of the medical examiner. The Italian doctor chosen for the task is a young prodigy from the University of Salerno. But her name is Adelia-the king has been sent a mistress of the art of death.

Adelia and her companions-Simon, a Jew, and Mansur, a Moor-travel to England to unravel the mystery of the Cambridge murders, which turn out to be the work of a serial killer, most likely one who has been on Crusade with the king. In a backward and superstitious country like England, Adelia must conceal her true identity as a doctor in order to avoid accusations of witchcraft. Along the way, she is assisted by Sir Rowley Picot, one of the king's tax collectors, a man with a personal stake in the investigation. Rowley may be a needed friend, or the fiend for whom they are searching. As Adelia's investigation takes her into Cambridge's shadowy river paths and behind the closed doors of its churches and nunneries, the hunt intensifies and the killer prepares to strike again . .

Customer Reviews:

An excellent beginning to a new series.......2007-10-09

First Sentence: Here they come.

A child has been murdered and residents in Cambridge claim he was crucified by the Jews. The Jews provide Henry II with a large part of his revenue and requires that the real killer be quickly found. From Naples come Simon of Naples, an renowned investigator, Mansur the Saracen, and a woman doctor trained in the study of corpses at the School of Medicine in Salerno, Adelia Aguilar. The bodies of other children are found, and Adelia is determined to find their killer.

I am about to gush! This book was judged the best researched of its year by the BBC and historian Dr. David Starkey. Happily, it is not written in Middle English and, as the author admits, some liberties were taken. Others more versed in this time than am I, may be able to find historic fault with it. I don't care. I found the history fascinating and learned even more about life in this period. The style of writing was wonderful; from that first three-word sentence, I was entranced. I loved the characters; Adelia, Simon, Mansur, Ulf, Gyltha, Prior Geoffrey, Henry II (whose voice I shall always hear as Peter O'Toole's) were real to me and others became so as the story progressed. The language was a bit challenging at first, but soon became easy to read. The sights, sounds and smells of the town were described to place me within the story. The story kept me involved from beginning to end and tapped all my emotions. There is a wonderful romance which arises to warm the heart and quicken the pulse. I laughed, cried; was moved, frightened and appalled and I can't wait until the next book comes out next May. What can I say; I loved it.

Yes, it's good forensics, but..........2007-10-02

Doesn't anyone know history any more? Spanish Jews with sidelocks speaking Yiddish (not Arabic)? Um, the Hasidim lived in Poland, and I don't think they were styling their hair that way or even a religious movement quite as early as the 1100s...

A sign posted on the convent door listing the local motels? Who could read besides the occasional priest? And not *all* priests could read, either, or knew more Latin than what was in the Eucharistic ceremony (many of them just garbled the liturgy). Thatcher's children actually attending school?

Every anachronism made me flinch, and I have twitched a lot while reading this book. I usually give up on such books after a couple of chapters (like "Da Vinci Code" --awful book), but the CSI aspects are keeping me going. I'm at page 145, but I might give up yet.

For a writer who is supposed to be so experienced (and published), she could have taken more care to be more accurate.

Unique.......2007-10-01

Great plot and interesting characters. Very different and great period in history.
Highly recommended

An Unlikely Page-Turner .......2007-09-28

Start with Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales." Throw in a cameo of a calculating and brash King Henry II straight from "The Lion in Winter." Add some medieval mystery on par with Umberto Eco's groundbreaking "The Name of the Rose". And finish it off with the forensics of "CSI", and you'll have some appreciation for Ariana Franklin's remarkable achievement in "Mistress of the Art of Death", a fresh and inspired twist of historical fiction and crime thriller, a blockbuster of murder and mayhem told through lively, darkly humorous prose that is as educational as it is entertaining.

The setting is 12th century England. King Henry II, still smarting from the Church's reaction to the murder of archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket, is anxious to get to the bottom of the grisly murders of four children in Cambridge. The Cambridge townspeople, steeped in superstition and New Testament legend, blame the murders on the local Jewish population, who are banished to Cambridge Castle for protection against a mob bent on retribution. The wily Henry, coming to the Jews defense not from love but for the sake of continued tax revenue from his affluent moneylenders, reaches out for help from his cousin, the King of Sicily, and Italy's renowned medical school in Salerno. In response to this request, Adelia, a talented young female doctor in "the art of death" - essentially the forensics of the time - is sent to assist. In a time when women barely rate above stable animals and medical treatment is limited by an overwhelmingly powerful to relics and prayer, Adelia faces not only the formidable task of tracking down a serial killer who is obviously still on the loose, but also overcoming ignorance and prejudice in cracking a case of unthinkable evil. Notwithstanding some anachronisms - some noted and others ignored - Franklin delivers her tale with the historical authority of Edward Rutherford or Bernard Cornwell, while told in dialogue as engaging as Grisham, Forsythe, or Follett at the tops of their games. I found myself glued to the top notch "whodunit", while at the same time captivated by the vivid period detail and political intrigue of the time.

If this is not the best new fiction of 2007, it is certainly among the most original as it takes more than a few unsuspected twists in getting to a climax that is as insightful, ironic, and intelligent as it is white-knuckled. Well done, Ms. Franklin!

CSI: Medieval.......2007-09-26

All the way through this book, I felt like I was watching an extended episode of CSI set in miedieval England. Just like the shows, the book wasn't realistic and some of the characters and clues were contrived.

Still, there were some definite good points. The mystery didn't get buried in the romantic sub-plot. King Henry was a fantasticly portrayed character. And if you're just looking for some good escapist reading where you don't already know the who the bad guy is by the second chapter, this is a great choice.

Train Wreck: The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith

Average customer rating:

Uhhh what?
grave-robbing at its best...
Train Wreck
Love you Anna!!!!
"User-Loser"

Train Wreck: The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith
Donna Hogan , and Henrietta Tiefenthaler
Manufacturer: Phoenix Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1597775401
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Book Description

She was the most outlandish, outrageous, in-your-face symbol of the age - and suddenly, shockingly, she was gone. In life her antics, adventures and behavior kept a nation riveted; in death she stunned a world gripped by the surprise and swiftness of her unexpected passing. The woman was, of course, Anna Nicole Smith. This is the story of the little girl from west of nowhere, born into a broken, dysfunctional, dirt-poor family, told by the one woman who knew her best - her sister. Her fierce resolve, pluck, luck and determination allowed her to claw her way to celebrity status, becoming a tabloid staple, and to reach the potential of unimaginable wealth. And then, in a moment, she was gone, not yet 40 years old. A Horatio Alger story with a bitter ending, TRAIN WRECK- The Life and Death of Anna Nicole Smith, is the definitive story of the rise and swift fall of one of the most compelling characters to blaze across the American sky.

Customer Reviews:

Uhhh what?.......2007-09-28

Luckily I didn't spend money on this book because it gave me a headache just trying to get through the first chapter. The writing is SO BAD. I can't believe she collaborated with someone and this is the best they could do. It jumps around so much and alot of the book has nothing to do with Anna at all. I figure the reason for that is Donna's writing what she knows and she DOESN'T KNOW ANNA. It's all old news and assumptions. I could have written all the "secrets" that are in this book. Most of the photos are of Donna's family which sure they're partially related, but these people don't know Anna.

If you *have* to read this book, do what I did, and go to the library.

grave-robbing at its best... .......2007-09-22

one word: trash. i bought this book because i felt, well, that no one could probably tell us the personality of this strong woman (and anyone who has gone through what anna nicole smith went through is definitely strong). i figured her sister would clue me in about the culture that brought this young woman to a tragic end. i must say, it is not there. this book would probably amount to "gossip" and nothing else. if you want to read everything you have already heard in the media, it is an okay read. if you are curious about anna nicole's life, this book won't offer you much.

Train Wreck.......2007-09-12

I thought this book was very interesting. I have never been a fan of Anna but found this book to be a good read.I now understand Anna a little better and see that she really had a very sad life. If you are a fan or not this is a good book.

Love you Anna!!!!.......2007-09-09

Good book, I ordered it the second it came out. Very nice cover and image, beautiful packaging. Donna Hogan is a decent writer. I think she might have been false on a few things but over all it was good and worthwhile for Die-hard Anna fans like myself. I LOVE ANNA NICOLE!!!!!!! Been her biggest fan since she came out. She is the most beautiful creature to have ever graced this planet and it is a shame she is gone. Rest is Peace Beautiful and keep the books comin!!!!!

"User-Loser".......2007-09-08

Donna Hogan is just exactly what Anna said she was a "user-loser". She is trying to get her 15 minutes by trashing her half sister who she obviously really knows nothing about. Everything she claims to know comes from the media. She is the epitome of "trailer trash" and too ignorant to realize it. She thinks that her own sleeping with married men and whoever else will have her makes her worldly and sofisticated and that her use of Anna's name to further her causes is ok, yet she trashes her half sister who doesn't appear to have done anything worse than she herself has done. I wish I hadn't purchased this book because I hate to think of her succeeding in making money from trashing her dead sister. She is disgusting.

Average customer rating:

A Simple but Poweful Argument
"The full acting out of the self's surrender to God therefore demands pain"
Problem of Pain
The Problem of Pain in its Right Context
Absolutely Amazing Tackling of the Issue

The Problem of Pain
C. S. Lewis
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ethics | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060652969
Release Date: 2001-02-05

Amazon.com

The Problem of Pain answers the universal question, "Why would an all-loving, all-knowing God allow people to experience pain and suffering?" Master Christian apologist C.S. Lewis asserts that pain is a problem because our finite, human minds selfishly believe that pain-free lives would prove that God loves us. In truth, by asking for this, we want God to love us less, not more than he does. "Love, in its own nature, demands the perfecting of the beloved; that the mere 'kindness' which tolerates anything except suffering in its object is, in that respect at the opposite pole from Love." In addressing "Divine Omnipotence," "Human Wickedness," "Human Pain," and "Heaven," Lewis succeeds in lifting the reader from his frame of reference by artfully capitulating these topics into a conversational tone, which makes his assertions easy to swallow and even easier to digest. Lewis is straightforward in aim as well as honest about his impediments, saying, "I am not arguing that pain is not painful. Pain hurts. I am only trying to show that the old Christian doctrine that being made perfect through suffering is not incredible. To prove it palatable is beyond my design." The mind is expanded, God is magnified, and the reader is reminded that he is not the center of the universe as Lewis carefully rolls through the dissertation that suffering is God's will in preparing the believer for heaven and for the full weight of glory that awaits him there. While many of us naively wish that God had designed a "less glorious and less arduous destiny" for his children, the fortune lies in Lewis's inclination to set us straight with his charming wit and pious mind. --Jill Heatherly

Book Description

Why must humanity suffer? In this elegant and thoughtful work, C. S. Lewis questions the pain and suffering that occur everyday and how this contrasts with the notion of a God that is both omnipotent and good. An answer to this critical theological problem is found within these pages.

Customer Reviews:

A Simple but Poweful Argument.......2007-09-19

C.S. Lewis offers a brilliant defense of Christian theism despite the pain in the world in this brief book. Combining sharp thinking and excellent prose, this book is highly recommended for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Lewis's arguments are similar to many theodicies (defenses of God's existence despite suffering) developed by great Christian thinkers past and present. Man's suffering is in fact a result of free will, not an original creation of God. And suffering continues to result due to the evil wills and deeds of men. As Lewis observes, "When souls become wicked they will certainly use this possibility to hurt one another; and this, perhaps, accounts for four-fifths of the sufferings of men." If men are to have any significant free will at all, the bad consequences of evil deeds must be allowed.

This, of course, leaves the problem of so-called natural evil. Lewis contends that such evil and pain are necessary for our own repentance. In order to recognize our sins and ask God for forgiveness (and thus restore the proper relationship between created and Creator) we humans must be awoken with pain and suffering. Pain shatters the notion that what we have is ours and is good enough.

The Problem of Pain, despite its brevity, covers a great deal of ground, including a defense of the doctrine of the fall and the doctrines of heaven and hell. All throughout, Lewis's writing style is accessible and convincing. For a powerful defense of Christian theism in the face of a cruel world, "The Problem of Pain" is highly recommended.

"The full acting out of the self's surrender to God therefore demands pain".......2007-07-13

"Try to exclude the possibility of suffering which the order of nature and the existence of free wills involve, and you find that you have excluded life itself."

Another serious and powerful work in a long series by C.S. Lewis: why must we suffer, mentally and physically? He hits on subjects we all struggle with. Lewis detests the doctrine of hell, but it is written, so it must be discussed. The chapter on animal suffering is fascinating. The only chapter that led me to question his words is on man's fall.

On human wickedness: "A God who did not regard this with unappeasable distaste would not be a good being. We cannot even wish for such a God----it is like wishing that every nose in the universe were abolished, that smell of hay or roses or the sea should never again delight any creature, because our own breath happens to stink."

On saving grace: "The dangers of apparent self-sufficiency explain why Our Lord regards the vices of the feckless and dissipated so much more leniently than the vices that lead to worldly success. Prostitutes are in no danger of finding their present life so satisfactory that they cannot turn to God: the proud, the avaricious, the self-righteous, are in that danger."

By the Lord's love we suffer; this strengthens, and it also keeps us on the straight and narrow. If we are to look for easiness, then we are to look for less love. It is for our sake.

"The full acting out of the self's surrender to God therefore demands pain: this action, to be perfect, must be done from the pure will to obey, in the absence, or in the teeth, of inclination. How impossible it is to enact the surrender of the self by doing what we like,..........."

After finishing the book, a thought on heaven came to my mind:
The differences are what makes up a community whether here or in heaven: God has created us after a time where all was God (but that is no more!); we are all unique parts to a puzzle. He needs us all back to complete it----to rejoin our family in heaven; it pangs Him that many will not make it, and choose to ignore their created purpose, because they have surrendered to the self and not to the Lord. Once all was God, but after the creation all has changed; we are asked to be with God because we are of God. We are distinct here on earth, but the maximum distinction awaits us in heaven, to be reunited with our Creator.

Wish you well
Scott

Problem of Pain.......2007-05-30

Excellent book by C. S. Lewis. Used for adult Bible Study discussion group.

The Problem of Pain in its Right Context.......2007-05-01

Pain is real, just as sorrow, death, and wickedness. Your becoming a Christian will not encapsulate you away from it. Christ did not promise that in the first place. But there are reasons why pain happens, as much to Christians as non Christians, and we should reach a better understanding of the circumstances in which we live, so that we can apprehend the promises that are envolved through that pain. Everyone is to pick up a cross at childbirth, but whether you follow Christ with it depends only on you.

This book won't be the treat that 'Mere Christianity' was. It's more philosophical; it assumes the reader is a Christian and has some knowledge of Scripture. But nevertheless, everyone can follow his thinking and it will all make sense. About 160 pages, it has chapters of between 10 and 20 pages, and frames the problem in its right context before reaching his conclusion at the end of the book. This is not a make-you-feel-good (dumb) self-help book. It's a make you understand book.

Absolutely Amazing Tackling of the Issue.......2007-04-15

The first book of CS Lewis I read was "Mere Christianity" and I was profoundly stunned by how effective and witty he could be in his explanation of Christianity and Christian doctrine. So it was with eagerness that I devoted myself to the reading of this book.

And I was not disappointed in the least. The problem of pain is tightly linked with that of evil, in a world supposedly created and led by God. This is one of the most common, and most important, issues in theology, and I dare say, in everybody's life, provided they're somewhat curious about the world they live in. Justifying God on the counts of evil and pain is called theodicy, if I'm not mistaken, and that is what Lewis does in this book, but he does much more.

He deals with the basic problem I just mentioned, how could there be a good God when we live in such a wretched world, but he goes further and treats the human nature as "fallen", and that in a very interesting manner, not your silly Adam & Eve story taken literally (and by "silly" I don't mean the actual myth of Adam & Eve, just the literal taking of it).

Lewis tackles even such a complicated issue as animal pain and the condition of animals in Christianity. That shows quite some bravery.

One chapter is devoted to Hell, and another to Heaven, and either are really amazing prowess of theology. I'm no specialist of theology, but Lewis has a true gift in explaining of all this in a very clear fashion. He truly makes theology a thrilling matter!

After having read "Mere Christianity" and "The Problem of Pain", I'm absolutely convinced that I will get to read everything he wrote on theology, Christianity, and the likes. Regardless of your actual faith or lack thereof, you will find this book (or these books) worth your while. If you're interested in such things, please do yourself a favour and purchase those profoundly marvelous books.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Average customer rating:

Outstanding book - must read
Important read
The Audio Was Great
Another "Thin" Classic From Postman
Deserves to be Called a Classic

Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
Neil Postman
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 014303653X

Book Description

Originally published in 1985, Neil Postman's groundbreaking polemic about the corrosive effects of television on our politics and public discourse has been hailed as a twenty-first-century book published in the twentieth century. Now, with television joined by more sophisticated electronic media—from the Internet to cell phones to DVDs—it has taken on even greater significance. Amusing Ourselves to Death is a prophetic look at what happens when politics, journalism, education, and even religion become subject to the demands of entertainment. It is also a blueprint for regaining controlof our media, so that they can serve our highest goals.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding book - must read.......2007-09-27

One of the best books on the danger posed by entertainment to our civic community.

Important read.......2007-09-04

This book asks questions that we need to be asking but aren't. How can we not at least question the media and technology that we take in like oxygen? It's an important read and I recommend it to anyone who isn't apathetic.

The Audio Was Great.......2007-09-03

If you like people like Colin Wilson, you will love this well written and well thought out book. It is like listening to Colin Wilson without the references to literature but the lessons are intact.

Another "Thin" Classic From Postman.......2007-06-22

This is Postman's most famous and widely read book (as is attested by the more than 100 customer reviews here on Amazon) and it is, as other reviewers have suggested, a classic in the Media Studies field. The songwriter Roger Waters was inspired enough to title his album "Amused to Death" after reading Postman's book (although Postman states in one of his later works that he himself would never stoop to listening to the likes of a "Roger Waters").

Instead of giving the usual plot synopsis here as other reviewers have done, I would like instead to perform for you a Media Studies reading of the book. That is to say, instead of reviewing the book's contents, I would like to draw your attention to the medium and format of the book itself, and in doing so, point out what this reveals about Postman as a philosopher.

To begin with the most important point: there are no pictures. Anywhere. And not only is this true of Amusing Ourselves to Death, it is true of every single one of Postman's books. This should alert us to something very important here about Postman: he is iconophobic. He is engaged in a battle against images of any, and every, kind. Not even Marshall McLuhan was so antipathetic to the use of images and illustrations, for his very first book, The Mechanical Bride, is a series of commentaries upon advertisements. In the age old battle of the Word vs. the Image -- a battle which goes way, way back before the twentieth century to the Iconoclastic debates amongst the Greek Byzantines whose iconophobes were in fact influenced by the aniconism of Islam, an entire religion which, like Judaism, had been based upon a rejection of images -- Postman, in this tradition, definitely aligns himself on the side of the Word against the iconophiles, be they Catholics or Hindus or lovers of comic books, or whomever.

Also, you will not find any references to works of art of any kind in this book. Postman apparently has an antipathy to painting and imagery of any kind whatsoever, be it "classical" or electronic. It is important to point this out because it reveals, in the tradition of Harold Innis, Postman's essential "bias" in this book. Indeed, Postman's dialogue with Camille Paglia, published in an old issue of Harper's, underlines this point, for Paglia is as much an iconophile as Postman is an iconoclast. "In the beginning was the Word," Postman quotes, as though to clarify his own personal theology, before proceeding onward with his dialogue with Paglia.

The next thing to notice about the book is its brevity. It is very short, as in fact, are all Mr. Postman's books, for Postman has been quoted as saying that he does not believe in writing long books, and that if one cannot express oneself in two hundred pages or less, then one has no business writing a book. The bibliography, accordingly, is also short, and so apparently Mr. Postman did not feel the need to read many books in order to write this book.

For Postman really only has a single point to make here, and it is an important point which he argues persuasively and eloquently: television is taking over our culture, and all our thought patterns in every aspect or division of our culture is taking its cue from the syncopated, discontinuous and ahistorical "mentality" of television. How this has affected our reading habits, and whether those reading habits still continue, albeit in a changed manner, Postman fails to address. For people have not stopped reading books; instead, they continue to read books, but their expectations of the book have changed. The brevity of Postman's book is itself perhaps an example of what happens to sustained intellectual discourse in the Electronic Age: books get shorter because our attention spans (Postman's included) have shrank. Nobody wants to wade through books on the scale and magnitude of Spengler's Decline of the West or Hegel's Phenomenology of the Spirit. I notice, furthermore, that the sorts of books which Postman exhibits in his Bibliography are, one and all, short books.

Thus, here is the secret of Postman's book: Postman himself suffers from the very same attention deficit disorder that he castigates others for having suffered at the hands of Electronic Society.

Hmm. One would expect a professor of Media Studies who was as well read and thoughtful as Postman to engage our attention for a while longer. If this book is the greatest thing Postman ever wrote, then we must confess, alas, that Postman's work does not contain a single magnum opus on the level of a Gutenberg Galaxy or an Understanding Media. Perhaps this fact in itself is evidence of a general decline in intellectual and literary ability in our culture during the latter half of the twentieth century.

The reader should not understand that I am saying that there is anything wrong with Amusing Ourselves to Death. But we should learn to understand its limitations in order to appreciate its place in the pantheon of Media Studies classics, upon which list, after all is said and done, Amusing Ourselves to Death places relatively low.
--John David Ebert, author Celluloid Heroes & Mechanical Dragons: Film as the Mythology of Electronic Society

Deserves to be Called a Classic.......2007-06-19

It seems unlikely that a book labeled "Current Affairs" could have a shelf life of more than a few years. It seems preposterous that a book dealing with television and referring to Dallas and Dynasty could have anything to see twenty two years after being published. Yet Neil Postman's Amusing Ourselves to Death, now in it's "20th Anniversary Edition" continues to be read and studied and to hold influence. Even today it is used as required reading in many high school and college level courses. Though written by a man who made no claim to Christianity, few modern books written by an unbeliever have been more widely read and quoted by Christians. It truly is a remarkable little book.

Postman had that rarely quality of being able to see behind a fad, behind what was late and great. He saw the significance of the rise of the image and the fall of the word, the rise of amusement and the decline of discourse. He saw that television would soon saturate every area of our lives and taint the way we understand politics, religion, education and every other area of importance. As we now transition from a television-based culture to a computer-based culture the image remains central. Perhaps we have already amused ourselves past the point of no easy return. Television is remarkably effective at doing what it does best--entertaining. Postman had no argument with television is a tool of entertainment. In fact, the best things on television are its junk and no one is seriously threatened by this. Where television fails is in attempting to do the more serious work that has traditionally been carried by the written word.

Postman makes it his goal in this book to make the epistemology of television visible, demonstrating that television's way of knowing is hostile to typography's way of knowing, and not only that, but it is inferior to it. "Serious television" is a contradiction in terms for television speaks only in the voice of entertainment, never of serious, weighty, discourse--the kind of discourse that is essential to politics, religion and education. Television's influence has been relentless, transforming our culture so that every area is now considered a venue for entertainment.

Electronic media, led by television but being superseded by the computer, has changed the way we view the world and the way we carry on any kind of public discourse. Gone are the days when content was of overwhelming importance. Instead we deal with sound bites, with discordant images torn from any kind of context, and with style when in former days we relied on substance. Politicians win and lose election campaigns not on the basis of what they say, but on the basis of how they look when they say it.

Throughout the book is an interesting interplay between Huxley's Brave New World and Orwell's 1984. In the latter an oppressive regime dominates the world while in the former the people allow themselves to be overcome by levity, by entertainment and by pleasure so that they have no need of an oppressive regime. They were controlled by their amusements. Huxley, Postman argues, had it right. And I would tend to agree.

Amusing Ourselves to Death is a good read, a disturbing read, a thought-provoking read and, dare I say it, a must-read. It deserves its status as a classic and, though already two decades out of date, it is as timely as ever.

Average customer rating:

Great learning tool
Sweet screenplay!!!
A great screenplay to a great film.
"The woods are lovely dark and deep..."

Death Proof: A Screenplay
Quentin Tarantino
Manufacturer: Weinstein Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1602860092

Customer Reviews:

Great learning tool.......2007-08-24

A great lesson! I bought this book to refresh my memory of screenplay style as I begin to prepare writing my own. Tarantino is known for his dialogue between characters and that is why I purchased this. It was a good read and did not disappoint. I took away from it several lessons on screenplay style.

Do not be swayed by the Tarantino haters out there. If you want to learn style he is one of the best today. There are many that throw around the terms "boycott", "overrated", etc. I am still fascinated by the number of people that go out of their way to drag down Tarantino's work yet they still see his movies. You would think by now that they would have learned to just not watch them. In reality these people are just jealous of the success he has had. Tarantino very often is referencing other movies that he watched while growing up. He is usually not doing anything original but is instead giving a film history lesson giving us glimpses of the movies of the past.

Follow your own path. Make your own decisions and do not listen to the haters.

Sweet screenplay!!!.......2007-07-07

If you like Tarantino, you'll like the Screenplay he has written for Death Proof. Simple as that. Plus, it helps young screenwriters to know what to look for and what to do when attempting to write a screenplay of their own.

A great screenplay to a great film........2007-05-29

Wow. Tarantino does it again, and is still at the top of his game. Quentin took a break from his smooth dialogue in both Kill Bill films. But he returns and scores gold once again. I recommend this to anyone interested in Quentin Trantino.

"The woods are lovely dark and deep...".......2007-04-18

This is an amazing piece of screenplay literature to own! I am a music major and after reading this and viewing Grindhouse several times I am seriously considering changing my major to film. This is an amazing addition to your library as it weaves you in and out of action, horror and sex; the "100% Death Proof" Tarantino way.

Average customer rating:

Want to write? Walk the Talk! ..
A good continuation to but not as good as the Artists Way
Sound advice for anyone
cameron's books are like candy to me...
The best emotional and spiritual support for artists

Walking in this World
Julia Cameron
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1585422614

Book Description

In this long-awaited sequel to the international bestseller The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron presents the next step in her course of discovering and recovering the creative self.

Walking in This World picks up where Julia Cameron's bestselling book on the creative process, The Artist's Way, left off to present readers with a second course-Part Two in an amazing journey toward discovering our human potential. Full of valuable new strategies and techniques for breaking through difficult creative ground, this is the "intermediate level" of the Artist's Way program.

A profoundly inspired work by the leading authority on the subject of creativity, Walking in This World is an invaluable tool for artists.

Customer Reviews:

Want to write? Walk the Talk! .........2007-06-17

Known for her best selling book THE ARTIST's WAY...Julia Cameron is the author of 19 books both fiction and nonfiction. She bills this book as a sequel to THE ARTIST'S WAY...and says it is the 'nextstep in her course of discovering and recovering the creative self. She urges writers and all creatives to inhabit the world with a 'sense of wonder' -- to not just observe. By dividing the volume into 12 weekly 'chapters' she lets us 'rediscover' the wonder of her "morning pages-- a type of journaling --to get the juices flowing' and helps us map our interests. Each 'chapter' or week works on a different aspect of Discovering -- ranging from 1 -- A sense of origin, to 2 sense of proportion to 3 a sense of perspective 4) a sense of adventure 5) a sense of personal territory to 6) a sense of boundaries to 7) a sense of momentum, to 8 -- a sense of discernment and 9 a sense of resiliency and 10 a sensse of comraderie and 11) a sense of authenticity to 12) a sense of dignity. Julia explains in her intro that "walking and talking humanize her life...they draw it to an ancient and comforting scale...and it is on these walks that her best ideas come to her...and no you don't have to walk every day-- she suggests a weekly walk. In the afterword which follows a short epilogue she explains about her 'creative clusters guide"...she noes that there are no franchised or accredited Artist's Way Teachers...for "creative recovery' as she calls it is 'a nonhierarchial, peer-run, collective process"....something I too totally agree with...She also includes guidelines for a group....for many readers...this process could be much more productive than just a weekly book club...for others...the book is still a great guide to going solo--- to reawakening your creative spirit or just re-affirming that YES, you are creative...and that it's never too late to write that play, paint that canvas or sculpt that statue....We are all creative...we just need to recognize our styles and to encourage our innate ability to color outside of the lines and think outside of the box! THERE IS NO ENVELOPE....

A good continuation to but not as good as the Artists Way.......2007-02-03

This is a nice continuation of the Artists Way program, but will not be as effective without having done the Artists Way first. There are a lot more references to "God" and "The Creator" than the first book, and a bit of repeated information in an identical format. That said, I think this book is a perfect continuation for both artistic recovery and artistic expansion, and is very useful.

Sound advice for anyone.......2007-01-25

I read the Artist's Way long ago and thought this would just be a rehashing of it, but it is an excellent book in itself and as a companion to the Artist's Way. It does cover some of the same ground as the previous, but expands on them, and covers some new territory and techniques for living a productively creative life (such as the Walks in addition to Morning Pages, which may sound simplistic, but the importance of them is explained with helpful insight here.) I consider this book as both a way to strengthen the lessons in the Artist's Way, and a small step forward from it. Both are great books to read thoroughly a couple times, then pick up now and then when needing some sage advice and encouragement in creative endeavors, reassurance in the midst of self-doubt, and just to raise the optimism. I also appreciate that Cameron does all this in a non-New-Agey, straightforward way. (While she does touch on spirituality, do not expect language like "the divine cosmic essence of your being" here.) I can imagine even macho tough guys getting something out of these books.

cameron's books are like candy to me..........2006-10-30

One in the Artist's Way franchise, Cameron continues bolstering artists and their recovery through her frank descriptions of creative phases and her prescriptions of activity to work one's way through. these are the pages that bolstered me through the artescape year. it took me 12 months or more to wade through the 12 weeks of her walk, but to take one's time with this material is allowed. i continue to hold julia cameron in high regard--grateful for her work, her confessional nature, her experience with recovery, her commitment to allowing a great creator to work though her. i particularly like the words of other great creatives, celebrated in the margins of her own work through the decorative use of quotes. i found the chapter on dignity, the last chapter, to be particularly poignant--learning that all artists share a glass mountain phase of their creativity. learning i am not alone in my weird ways of hiding and fearing the "real" world when i come down off my creative highs. cameron's books are like candy to me--constant companions who keep me connected to a legacy of creativity. i am grateful for her anecdotes, her name dropping, her truth-telling. i receive tremendous benefit from my 10 year old morning pages habit--and have added artist dates and walks without adhering to them with any religiosity. i recognize, if taken as prescribed, these antidotes to depression would bolster me more equally throughout my days. i am honored to be a loyal reader of cameron's work--admiring the voice i hear on the page, claiming kinship with the author through how she echoes (or is it i who echoes her?) my own inspirational sentiment. i think it's hard to be an artist--and even harder not to be one. i am grateful for the accompaniment of cameron's artists' ways and walks.

The best emotional and spiritual support for artists.......2006-10-20

I read this book so long ago but still reference it often. This book explains how to live with many universal feelings and experiences of being a writer/artist. Cameron's writing has helped me make crucial decisions, bolstered me when motivation waned, taught me that insecurity comes with the territory, shown me to contain my work until it's ready to withstand critiques, when group support is not supportive, and how to set boundaries to improve productivity. I'm grateful to Cameron's generosity in teaching many things I didn't have to stumble over myself until I figured them out.

The struggle to become your best artist-self can be difficult, if not heart-breaking, in a society that often does not honor its artists with sensitivity or an income. Yea, Julia. You've save me from drowning in confusion many times. If I had one book on my shelf to guide my work, this would be it.

The Hollywood Book of Death : The Bizarre, Often Sordid, Passings of More than 125 American Movie and TV Idols

Average customer rating:

Great Book
Excellent book
How did they really die
Bizarre Read
Not all that impressive

The Hollywood Book of Death : The Bizarre, Often Sordid, Passings of More than 125 American Movie and TV Idols
James Robert Parish
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0809222272

Book Description

The death of a celebrity is often as fascinating as--and sometimes more fascinating than--a star's actual life. From the grisly end of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson family and the mysterious demise of Bob Crane to the peaceful passings of Lucille Ball and George Burns, The Hollywood Book of Death is a captivating and appealingly packaged volume of more than 125 television and movie stars' final curtain calls.

Arranged in an encyclopedic approach by manner of death, these well-researched accounts include details of celebrities' colorful lives and unusual deaths, their funerals, and the intriguing aftermath. With more than 100 rare photographs and a special "necrology" index of more than 6,000 stars and directors, along with a section revealing where Hollywood personalities are resting in eternal sleep, this enthralling reference promises to be on every film and television buff's "Top 10" gift list.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2007-08-24

This is a great book. Anyone interested in the seedy history of Hollywood stars will definitely enjoy this book.

Excellent book.......2007-01-12

Very Good book, well written.
I for some reason have a morbid fascination into hollywood deaths and this book definately satisfies my curiosity.
Highly recommend

How did they really die.......2006-10-05

The title of the book says it all. The book details the deaths and often the lives of some of Hollywoods favorite players. It is broken up into sections depending on the type of death. Some of the catagories and people in them are:
1. Mysterious:
a. Natalie Wood
b.Sal Mineo
c. Bruce and Brandon Lee
and many more

2.in obserity-these people had not been in the limelight in a while
a. Lucille Ball
b. Joan Crawford
c. Mary Pickford
as well as many more

3. suicide
a. Freddy Prinz
b. Lupe Velez
as well as others

4. Drugs/alcohol
a. Judy Garland
b. Chris Farley
c. John Barrymore
and many more

This book is full of interesting tidpits that any person who loves old Hollywood will definitly injoy

Bizarre Read.......2006-03-16

This had all the bizarre,and perverse stories I have read in a long time. I have read accounts of some of these deaths but they weren't quite as sordid as these.

Not all that impressive.......2006-02-05

I like this book, but felt it left out so many interesting cases.
Most of the entries were not sordid or bizarre as the cover states but simply sad.

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