St Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica (translated by Fathers of the English Dominican Province) (5 Volume Set)

Book Description

Thomas Aquinas' best-known work is the Summa Theologica. As the title indicates, the Summa is a "summing up" of all that can be known about Christian theology.

Customer Reviews:

A great resource for theological research.......2007-09-28

I purchased this Five-volume set after taking a couple of philosophy courses, which I feel like I should recommend to anyone starting to dive into this hefty text. If you don't feel like taking a class, perhaps some of the secondary texts written by philosophers about Aquinas will help in reading this fantastic set of info.
Aquinas forms his arguments in a way that is almost flawless. I am not Catholic, yet I find this to be an explanation of Catholic doctrine that makes me almost want to convert. For anyone from the atheist to the devout catholic, this text is a window into one of the greateast natural and revealed theologians to ever document his thoughts. Footnotes are aplenty to send you on your way to other documents, especially Augistine, so be prepared for an obsession.

Mike Yandell

Summa is supreme.......2007-05-13

Probably the best sys theo work ever. Oh, that more fellow Protestants would pour over this text!

Good Theology, Good Philosophy.......2007-01-12

These volumes have withstood the test of time in the worlds of religion and philosophy. Reading the words of one of the greatest minds in history is both entertaining and educational. This set is a must have for anyone who likes to study philosophy. For a beginner, it may be beneficial to get one of the many Aquinas readers or help texts, but it doesn't take very long to catch on and soon you will find yourself just reading at your own pace, making your own ideas about what Aquinas is all about.

Great Work, Good Translation.......2006-11-08

The Summa Theologica of Saint Thomas is without doubt one of the greatest works in the history of the Christian faith. The logical order and progression is simply amazing and the scope of the work monumental.

This translation is generally very close to the sense of the Latin original, although in a few cases I have noticed some strange differences. For example, in Pt. 1 Q.1 A. 4. The Dominican Fathers translate the Latin (which reads "Magis tamen est speculativa quam practica") as ". . . speculative rather than practical" although the Latin reads ". . . speculative MORE than practical." This is a substantial change in the meaning which ends up creating confusion in the next article when Thomas says that theology is ". . . partly speculative and partly practical". There are other variations from the Latin throughout the rest of the work, some more and less important.

I urge those who are interested in a serious study of Saint Thomas to use this text as an aid to a deeper study with the Latin. If this is not possible for you, this translation will nevertheless give you a good introduction and tool for an introductory and intermediate understanding of Saint Thomas's thought.

St. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica (5 volume set) .......2006-11-05

This set of books is very good for religious studies majors or anyone pursuing a higher education in theological studies. This series addresses in detail, the myriad questions pertaining to Christian theological doctrines through philosophical reasoning.

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature

Average customer rating:

A very reliable companion
A very useful book
You will never read the New Testament the same way again!
The Gold Standard Greek Lexicon
over-rated and not worth the $

A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature
Walter Bauer
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Reference | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0226039331

Book Description

Described as an "invaluable reference work" (Classical Philology) and "a tool indispensable for the study of early Christian literature" (Religious Studies Review) in its previous edition, this new updated American edition of Walter Bauer's Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments builds on its predecessor's staggering deposit of extraordinary erudition relating to Greek literature from all periods. Including entries for many more words, the new edition also lists more than 25,000 additional references to classical, intertestamental, Early Christian, and modern literature.

In this edition, Frederick W. Danker's broad knowledge of Greco-Roman literature, as well as papyri and epigraphs, provides a more panoramic view of the world of Jesus and the New Testament. Danker has also introduced a more consistent mode of reference citation, and has provided a composite list of abbreviations to facilitate easy access to this wealth of information.

Perhaps the single most important lexical innovation of Danker's edition is its inclusion of extended definitions for Greek terms. For instance, a key meaning of "episkopos" was defined in the second American edition as overseer; Danker defines it as "one who has the responsibility of safeguarding or seeing to it that something is done in the correct way, guardian." Such extended definitions give a fuller sense of the word in question, which will help avoid both anachronisms and confusion among users of the lexicon who may not be native speakers of English.

Danker's edition of Bauer's Wörterbuch will be an indispensable guide for Biblical and classical scholars, ministers, seminarians, and translators.

Customer Reviews:

A very reliable companion.......2007-07-21

This is a very reliable companion to the Greek text of the New Testament &c. Lucidly written, systematic and easy to use.

A very useful book.......2007-07-21

As an older student of Greek and only recently feeling at ease with the Greek New Testament I am finding this book very useful. I do agree with those who say that the large Liddell and Scott (LSJ) is also very useful. My study so far has been in ancient Greek generally (from Homer to Koine) and I have used LSJ (and the abridged editions) extensively; it a good tool to give New Testament readers a wider view of particular meanings.

So if you can afford it I say buy Danker and LSJ, and if you don't know your Greek accents, get a good book on that too (such as the one by Probert).

You will never read the New Testament the same way again!.......2007-01-04

Walter Bauer spent five hours every day of his scholarly career working on this invaluable lexicon. This lexicon will open up the world of New Testament Greek to even the beginning scholar. With only a little help and looking through the introduction to the lexicon, this volume will unpack the meaning of all the words in the New Testament and other Early Christian texts. If you are a seminarian, pastor, or interested person, this is a must have volume for your shelves.

The Gold Standard Greek Lexicon.......2006-12-26

This is indispensable. Proper Greek study and exegesis CANNOT be done without this resource. The down side? A bit pricy. But it more than pays for itself. WARNING: Pick up the most recent edition (the third, I believe); the changes are staggering and affect meaning.

over-rated and not worth the $.......2006-08-03

For much less than the price of this lexicon, one can purchase a copy of Thayer's, AND Trenchard's vocabulary guide AND a Greek concordance. Academic snobs make a big deal about how Thayer's lexicon is out of date because he did not have access to the papyri, but for 99% of New Testament words and meanings this is not an issue. Trenchard's book is actually MORE helpful, in my opinion, than this or any lexicon because he simply lists every possible meaning of each word. One way to get to the essence of a word's meaning is to look at the cognates, and Trenchard lists them all. A Greek concordance will actually print all the NT uses of a word in Greek. Bauer's lexicon is just not that helpful and is too wordy.

Annals of the World: James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History

Average customer rating:

Awesome!
No more revisionist history!
Excellent but not without issues
Terrible
Outstanding Historical Cross-Reference.

Annals of the World: James Ussher's Classic Survey of World History
James Ussher , Larry Pierce , and Marion Pierce
Manufacturer: Master Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0890513600

Book Description

Master Books commissioned this important literary work to be updated from the 17th-century original Latin manuscript to modern English and made available to the general public for the first time. In its pages can be found the fascinating history of the ancient world from the Genesis creation through the destruction of the Jerusalem temple.

Find Out:
• Why was Julius Caesar kidnapped in 75 B.C.?
• Why did Alexander the Great burn his ships in 326 B.C.?
• What really happened when the sun "went backward" as a sign to Hezekiah?
• What does secular history say about the darkness at the Crucifixion?

Customer Reviews:

Awesome!.......2007-02-21

Awesome, easily legible tome. Good concise notations on major events - including Biblical. Received book promptly and in great condition.

No more revisionist history!.......2006-12-08

James Ussher's classic work is an absolute joy to read. I was up 'til the wee hours reading the night I got it. The writing is truly fresh and exciting, a bit unexpected for a volume first published in the mid 1600's by an Anglican archbishop!

I happen to hold a young-earth creationist's view of origins, and find Bishop Ussher's calculations relating to creation utterly believable, but no matter your worldview you will find the histories complete and engaging, interspersed as they are with first hand accounts of some of civilization's most defining moments.

The bindings of this volume seem sturdy enough at first glance, though time only will tell how it holds up to the study this book will certainly receive! The print is crisp and clear, and the illustrations are very fine as well.

This volume belongs in the library of every serious student of history.

The supplemental CD gives a wealth of solidly scriptural information to complement the biblical timeline charts, and some excellent commentary on the position of God's infallible Word in ancient and contemporary times.

Buy this book! You will not be disappointed!

Excellent but not without issues.......2006-11-07

Usher is a classic and is either respected or mocked by modern historians. The mocking is of course driven by worldview conflicts, but those quick to laud Usher's work as authoritative must be careful to avoid zealotry as well.

I find Usher to be extremely helpful and his postdeluvian history seems to be generally quite well referenced. We have run into some dating conflicts that are understandable, for Usher did not have the benefit of archaeology and recent finds of supporting historical texts (last couple of centuries).

His work is certainly commendable, and as a volume of history it is very useful. However, the dating of events especially concerning ancient Egypt and before can't quite be reconciled with several competing histories.

I suggest it as a supplemental history for classical studies, as a primary source it might leave some questions unanswered.

Terrible.......2006-09-25

I thought this book would give me some new insight into biblical history. Its didn't. It is disjointed and much of it talks about one ruler or king or leader (none biblical) who died on such and such date in history. It gives little is any detailed information about anything pertaining to the bible. I thought that by reading this book I would have some new knowledge about biblical history but I have none. Its just a terrible book.

Outstanding Historical Cross-Reference. .......2006-01-26

"Annals of the World" is a great historical reference for the most discerning of scholars. Covering the time from the beginning of creation to 70AD, James Usshur used over 2500 historical sources to ensure that he compiled a complete collection of historical facts.

Elaborating each of the positive qualities and reasons to purchase and read this book are highlighted in most of the 5 star raters, I would only be seconding what they have already stated.

Average customer rating:

Fascinating theology, but don't expect much historical Jesus
religion
Great book
The Nag Hammadi Library
2 or 3 interesting and inspiring tractates

The Nag Hammadi Library
James M. Robinson
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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

ASIN: 0060669357

Amazon.com

The Nag Hammadi Library was discovered in 1945 buried in a large stone jar in the desert outside the modern Egyptian city of Nag Hammadi. It is a collection of religious and philosophic texts gathered and translated into Coptic by fourth-century Gnostic Christians and translated into English by dozens of highly reputable experts. First published in 1978, this is the revised 1988 edition supported by illuminating introductions to each document. The library itself is a diverse collection of texts that the Gnostics considered to be related to their heretical philosophy in some way. There are 45 separate titles, including a Coptic translation from the Greek of two well-known works: the Gospel of Thomas, attributed to Jesus' brother Judas, and Plato's Republic. The word gnosis is defined as "the immediate knowledge of spiritual truth." This doomed radical sect believed in being here now--withdrawing from the contamination of society and materiality--and that heaven is an internal state, not some place above the clouds. That this collection has resurfaced at this historical juncture is more than likely no coincidence. --P. Randall Cohan

Book Description

This revised, expanded, and updated edition of The Nag Hammadi Library is the only complete, one-volume, modern language version of the renowned library of fourth-century manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945.

First published in 1978, The Nag Hammadi Library launched modern Gnostic studies and exposed a movement whose teachings are in many ways as relevant today as they were sixteen centuries ago.

James M. Robinson's updated introduction reflects ten years of additional research and editorial and critical work. An afterword by Richard Smith discusses the modern relevance of Gnosticism and its influence on such writers as Voltaire, Blake, Melville, Yeats, Kerouac, and Philip K. Dick.

Acclaimed by scholars and general readers alike, The Nag Hammadi Library is a work of major importance to everyone interested in the evolution of Christianity, the Bible, archaeology, and the story of Western civilization.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating theology, but don't expect much historical Jesus.......2007-10-02

The Gnostic writings of Nag Hammadi are fascinating but badly misunderstood, thanks largely to sensationalist media reports and books like the Da Vinci Code.

On the whole, these writings aimed not to preserve history, but to reinterpret Jewish and Christian theology, often from the foundation up. So, for example, many Gnostics believed that this world was a horrible mistake created by a demigod who was too stupid to realize that he wasn't the real God.

The stories here of Jesus and the disciples (including Mary Magdalene) are fictional accounts used as vehicles for these theological views. To call them "fiction" is not a value judgment (many fictional elements are likely present in the Gospel of John as well), but simply an observation of how these thinkers (writing primarily in the second through fourth centuries) shared their ideas.

As a result, they don't, unfortuntately, tell us much about the historical Jesus. The Gospel of Thomas (included in this volume) may include some genuine sayings of Jesus, but this is hotly debated. And anyway, on the whole, Matthew, Mark, and Luke remain the best historical evidence that we have.

To be clear: those seeking to find historical dirt on the apostles, or accounts of Jesus marrying Mary Magdalene, will be disappointed. But if you don't mind wading through cryptic texts, buy this volume (or the newer volume of these texts called "The Nag Hammadi Scriptures"), and begin with the Apocryphon of John or the Hypostasis of the Archons. After several reads, a fascinating theological world emerges.

religion.......2007-09-17

A reference book on religious history. For those who are enlightened
and educated on Judaism and Christianity, because this is to deep for
the average lay person.

Great book.......2007-03-08

This book is difficult to read, but seems to be very well written and researched. Like many ancient texts, it may take years to read and begin to understand.

The Nag Hammadi Library.......2007-02-22

I find this book to be very interesting. You can see why much of it was left out of the Bible. It gives you a different view of what might of gone on in the past.

2 or 3 interesting and inspiring tractates.......2007-02-19

i have not read all of the tractates (gnostic books/papyri) in this book carefully, though have skimmed most of it and find a pretty high degree of consistency in what the different tractates are saying.

from a gnostic angle there would seem to be the first thought or voice, which gave rise to father, mother and son, but the first thought can be reffered to as the Father with a capital F... however this father is 'she' who is the original force in this universe. there is talk of the womb. this form of 'christianity' would perhaps be more acceptable to a woman scared off from conventional patriarchal christianity. however certain aspects of the gnostic literature as just as patriarchal as those found in the bible. for example, in the Gospel of Thomas, a woman is encouraged to become a man, that she may be saved. no scripture in my opinion is ever going to be perfect, but all point us towards 'God', or the reality of that which is beyond, if one is averse to useing the word God.

some very interesting little snippets that caught my eye...
"how could virgin have conceived through holy spirit, when the holy spirit is female?"(paraphr.)
"Joseph was the carpenter that made the cross upon which his son was crucified".(paraphr.)
not that one should get caught up in these details, though im sure some people will.

i love the gospel of Thomas, though much of this material is probably parallel to and almost identical with the theoretical Q manuscript from which the four gospels drew source of jesus wisdom sayings, and many, or even most of the wise sayings in the gospel of thomas are found in the new testament, there are two or three significant sayings that arnt in the new testament.

there is a non-dualistic emphasis on making the high as the low and the inside as the outside (in gist, not literally). the passage which blew my mind comes near the beginning of this gospel, was...
"if you are told that the kingdom of heaven is in the sky, birds will be seen, but if you are told that the kingdom of heaven is in the sea, fish will be seen" this impeccable logic can be applied to jesus statement: "seek and ye shall find", he then goes on to say that there is an objective truth, saying something like "the kingdom of heaven is neither in sky nor sea, but within you."(paraphr.)

for me the Thomas Tractate was a highlight, we are lucky to have this copy of the gospel found in an egyptian rubbish tip in nag hamadi in the 1940s, as far as i am aware only one other copy of it existed prior to this find.

i enjoyed the trimorphic protennoia which is more overtly gnostic than Thomas, it is beautifully composed and speaks in female metaphores almost as much as maleness metaphores in relation to the divine, talk of jesus comes out in this tractate, though it would seem he is the 'first thought' given to the 'yaltaboth' in the image of his own son, whilst infact being the arch principle (thought/Father) in disguise.
i can see that there is probably much room for debate over terms and roles of persons in gnosticism, this is because there are simply so many complex and beautiful names and persons mentioned, total consistency with such complexity is nigh on impossible.

'thunder the perfect mind' is rather beautiful too, and expect that anyone calling himself a gnostic would love this piece of writing. it talks of the divine as both cruel and kind, lover and hater, mother and husband. some beautiful complexity and paradox in this tractate.

i cant remember what its called... i think something like exhortations of Jesus, but this though damaged is also very wise and its inspiring to think that here i might be reading the words of jesus and some of his teaching that never entered the bible. his exhortation to find the root of all things, is like that in the Tao to always seek out the ultimate in whatever one does (though one stopp just short of attaing it lest the blade become blunt.) "he who sees reveals"!

the "tripartite tractate" is long, though worth a more careful read, in order to gain some understanding of gnosticism.

there are various apocalypses and other books detailing how jesus has spoken (post resurection), but i was more interested in digging out the actual words of jesus prior to his death.

i have wondered where gnosticism came from whilst reading this, it is not the same as hermetic material in the corpus hermeticum and is pretty consistent with the teaching of a once major or popular belief. some of the material in the nag hamadi library refers to the valentinian sophia's (she who is the personification of wisdom) daughter Achamoth, valentinianism is one of the heracys that ireneus wrote against in his work 'heracys'(or it might have been 'against heracys'). funnily enough, had ireneus never written that work, we would possibly not know much about valentinianism today. among the guanche tribe of the canary islands, some still worship the mother 'achamoth', for some who have converted she has been replaced by veneration for mary, jesus' mother.

all in all, not light reading, but some interesting and lovely material in this ancient library if you wish to read it and have an interest in things of the distant past.

it would do many christians good to realize that the bible does not contain all the words of jesus, which were so many that even the whole world could not contain them!

love, flakey xxx

An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind

Average customer rating:

Everything I expected
A Must-Read
An Unstoppable Force
A light in the darkness
it will change the way you look at church

An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind
Erwin Raphael McManus
Manufacturer: Group Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0764423061

Book Description

An Unstoppable Force will excite and inspire readers about being part of the Church that God had in mind! A "force" created to change the world. A Church that is engaged with its community, daring to cut itself free from atrophied practices and programs to flourish in creative and compelling worship. A Church that risks reaching out to our jaded culture with "outside the box" expressions of faith and love.

Customer Reviews:

Everything I expected.......2007-10-05

The writer has exceptional skills with the use of metaphor to communicate about a difficult subject, the emerging church, in ways that help the changes occuring within Christianity make sense. Without this approach in communications, what he has to say from a content standpoint, would probably be rejected. He breaks through the artificiality of Jesus-speak with a freshness that gets to the heart of the real gospel I believe Jesus brought us. I enjoyed, but was challenged, by this work.

A Must-Read.......2007-01-19

Read this book - it will energize and focus you if you are a believer. If you are not, it will cause you to rethink what your perceptions are about church.

An Unstoppable Force.......2007-01-09

Excellent book with many challenging statements about the role of believers in the world today.

A light in the darkness.......2006-07-01

It seems, from time to time, God raises up visionaries to nudge the church toward His divine directives. The book of Revelations carries letters to the churches reminding them, correcting them, and showing them that even at that early age the church had the potential to stray a bit from the path we are to follow. And throughout our history, there have been others to bring this message to His bride.
Erwin Mcmanus is one of those messengers. He speaks with clarity on the issues that many of us have been wrestling with for some time. To quote the great theologian Morpheus, "you know something is wrong, like a splinter in your mind". (paraphrased)
As I read this book, I cried aloud many times, "Yes!" when I would read another statement laying bare the topic of the generally handicapped state many of our churches is in. Not in the pointless fashion of criticism but with direct counterpoints to many of the tired and stale positions the church has taken on the topics relating to, in all reality, the foundational reasons the church exists. My wife must have thought me crazy during these outbursts.

If you have forgotten your first love-READ THIS BOOK

If you are walking the "narrow path" and would like a trail map-READ THIS BOOK

If you feel your walk is becoming more of a trudge-READ THIS BOOK

If you are involved in ministry in any way. Pastor, teacher, prophet, elder, greeter, parking lot attendant. I beseech you, PLEASE READ THIS BOOK.

This is not a "here's how to fill up those empty seats in your church" book. What this is, is a picture of the heart of the church, laid bare.
I rarely recommend books to folks because I believe all truth is available in the Holy Bible, and we are pushed constantly to spend our money on an endless train of Christiana. Or to send our money to others so that they can do God's work for us. I have no issue whatsoever with any ministry doing valid Christian work. My point is we are ALL called to do the stuff. As the late John Wimber said, "everybody get's to play".
With that said, I do recommend this book wholeheartedly for anyone desiring to pursue a closer walk with Thee.

it will change the way you look at church.......2006-04-06

Loaded with many fresh, new perspectives on churches and pastoring, McManus brings many forgotten aspects of what the church is to the fore.

My favorite is the "pastor as spiritual environmentalist" where he talks about the work of pastoring being like farming. It's all about the soil around the plant, not actually making the plant grow itself.

Many other great insights in this book. It's great if you're currently out of a church or are rethinking the roles of pastors and churches in the world today.

Caesar and Christ (The Story of Civilization III)

Average customer rating:

Want a Good Start on an Education?
HISTORY WELL DONE
Civilization vs. History
Valuable reference for historical novel readers
Pearls before swine

Caesar and Christ (The Story of Civilization III)
Will Durant
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Rome | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0671115006

Customer Reviews:

Want a Good Start on an Education?.......2005-02-06

"Caesar and Christ" is the third thick volume of an amazing 45-year life work by Will Durant. I strongly advise you do not heed the academic reviews of "The Story of Civilization." There is no reason to assume the critics even read one volume of Durant's work. Be aware that academic philosophy professors list Hanna Arendt, a second rate intellectual, as the only significant female philosopher and ignore one of the most powerful minds of the post WWII era, Ayn Rand. Sure, she is flawed but she is greater than a Camus or a Chomsky. I strongly recommend reading "Caesar and Christ" and the entire 10 volume set of "Story of Civilization" - if you truly seek to be generally educated. You will learn more from Durant than from years of liberal arts schooling in any university. I never heard a professor mention Durant to students but I saw the entire set on the shelves of the private libraries of some major historians. Would you buy, own, read and keep 10 volumes of books you knew to be worthless? Ignore the academic mantra and decide for yourself.

Let me introduce you to this remarkable man. Durant was a gifted Columbia philosophy student who earned a PhD in philosophy. He was a major teacher-staff member of a now forgotten, fascinating private school movement, The Modern School movement. He served primarily as a head foreign language teacher. A real scholar, Durant mastered six important languages. Durant wrote and published "The Story of Philosophy" in the 1920s. To his surprise, it was an instant best seller. Durant's prose style, bright mind, and sharp wit made the book a little classic that has never been out of print. The book made him famous & independently wealthy and professors wrote to inform him that "Story of Philosophy" had caused a sharp increase in enrollment in philosophy courses.

Durant's book income allowed him to quit working and pursue his fascination with history. He devoted the rest of his life to researching and writing "The Story of Civilization," still a unique work. Do yourself a favor. Read the Introduction to any volume. Read a chapter of any volume before you decide whether to buy or read a volume of the history. The books are thick but Durant was a major prose stylist. His prose style and his wit will make you love reading Durant.

Durant found history writing to be too divided and too provincial. A real historian, Durant wanted to know something about world history. As you read his history, you must remind yourself of the year when the volume you are reading was written, especially the first three volumes. They read like Durant wrote them today. He writes with keen insight about the Arab world. He tried to correct a major error still prevalent today: The muth that Irish monastaries and monks preserved civilization for the Western world. Durant discusses at length how and why the Arabic world was the leader in learning & science during the middle ages. Arab scholars knew Latin and Greek and they studied the great Greek thinkers. Arab mosques pioneered free education & wealthier muslims practiced charity.
Durant wrote total history (he called it synthesis) before it was a fad in France. He covers art, architecture, literature, geography. When Durant explains the importance of the Mediterranean and describes the coast, you comprehend what he conveys to you. He was there. He was not on a taxpayer paid vacation, thinly disguised as "research." He was "there", at his own expense, for weeks studying the area (with his wife who knew another five languages, including her native Russian). Durant and his wife invested in at least three lengthy world tours to see and study the areas Durant wrote about and He wrote about the civilized world.

American history majors should read at least the "Our Oriental Heritage" volume. Serious art majors should read the entire 10 volumes. You will never read a historian who writes so well or with greater knowledge about the art, architecture and skilled crafts of different times and different peoples.

Enough. I leave you with this. By all means, read modern academic trashings of Durant's "Story of Civilization." Also, read the introductory remarks in each volume. You may be surprised to learn that Durant wrote each volume twice. He sent his final drafts to well known academic historians, according to their region of specialty. Durant then re-wrote each volume in response to detailed criticisms these professors sent him. No volume of "Story of Civilization" contains the 'whole truth' but very few modern histories of one year of one institution are more factually accurate. And no academic historian can lay claim to possessing the 'whole truth.' If you have a liberal arts graduate degree, read all ten volumes. You may gain the basic liberal arts education you wanted but did not get in six years of college.

HISTORY WELL DONE.......2005-01-01

It this third volume, Durant continues the story of man through the time of the height of Rome and Christ. Like the other volumes it is quite well done and despite what another reviewer's opinion is, quite comprehensive. Granted, I you want to read more about battles, etc. they you should probably look elswhere. I am of the school that a time period can only be understood by what they left behind, i.e. art, literature, politics, etc. rather than who they defeated in battle, or who defeated them. This is only my opinion though, others look at it differently. Also, I suppose if you are teaching a college course addressing this period of time, you would certainly want to gleen information from other sources. That not being the case on my part, I thought this was a wonderful overview of a very important epoch. I thought it was quite well presented. Recommend highly.

Civilization vs. History.......2004-05-23

The book has wonderful moments. It is lovingly written and often witty. However readers should be aware of Durant's definition of civilization. According to Durant:

"Civilization is social order promoting cultural creation. Four elements constitute it: economic provision, political organization, moral traditions and the pursuit of knowledge and the arts. It begins where chaos and insecurity end. For when fear is overcome, curiosity and constructiveness are free, and man passes by natural impulse towards the understanding and embellishment of life"

If you want a history that incudes the brute forces of history (not solely its cultural creation) you will probably be somewhat disappointed. There is nothing wrong with Durant's msny sections on poetry, philosophy, painting etc. but it squeezes the space alotted to things like economic trends and military struggle. If you want to read this book, you should probably first read a regular history of Rome. You can then appreciate this book as icing on the cake.

Valuable reference for historical novel readers.......2002-11-04

It is an excellent history reference, although people may not read it from page one to the end like reading a fiction. College students may use it for academic reference and research papers.

However, if you are into Roman historical novels such as Colleen McCullough "First Man in Rome", "Grass Crown"..., Gore Vidal "Julian", Robert Graves "I, Claudius"..., Henryk K. Sienkiewicz "Quo Vadis"; Roman era fantasies such as Pauline Gedge "The Eagle and the Raven", Donna Gillespie "The Light Bearer", it definitely adds complimentary flavor to your reading by being aware of the political and social environment of Roman Empire. The chapters are not essentially in chronological layout, but, for example, a chapter devoted to Roman arts and letters, another for daily lives of the social classes. Whilst you are reading your novel in the middle and want to find out more about a particular topic, simply refer to the Index and the relevant chapters.

You would enjoy the novels, and possibly Shakespeare's "Anthony and Cleopatra", and the movies "Ben-Hur", "Spartacus", "The Fall of Roman Empire", "Gladiator" even more. And "Cleopatra" and "Quo Vadis" were made movies too.

The part of Early Christianity in the latter chapters, would help you in reading the Gospels, the Acts, and letters from Paul and the disciples. In the same manner, it helps you to appreciate more in reading Christian historical fictions such as Sholem Asch "The Nazarene" "The Apostle", Thomas Costain "The Silver Chalice".

An additional recommendation is Vol 4. "Age of Faith", sole focus of which is the discussion of the religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam in the Middle Ages.

Pearls before swine.......2000-01-03

It's too bad so few people have taken the trouble to read or even review Durant. "The Story of Philosophy" was a best-seller in 1929. Tom Clancy & Patricia Cornwell (sic) get listings as long as the day is long, but Durant just gets in left in the corner ignored. It's a shame.

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

Chinese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Irish | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Japanese | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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

Doctors & Medicine | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Lawyers & Criminals | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Love, Sex & Marriage | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

French | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Victorian | Erotica | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Epic | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Conspiracy Theories | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

War on Drugs | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

English (All) | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Science | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books

Online Research | Genealogy | Reference | Subjects | Books

Native American | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Sailor Moon | Popular Characters | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Pilates | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

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.

Cambridge History of Christianity. Volume 1: Origins to Constantine

Average customer rating:

Cambridge History of Christianity. Volume 1: Origins to Constantine

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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

All Deals | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Blowout Books | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0521812399

Book Description

Over thirty essays provide a comprehensive overview of the essential events, persons, places and issues involved in the emergence of the Christian religion in the Mediterranean world over the first three centuries. The collection traces the dynamic history from the time of Jesus through to the rise of Imperial Christianity in the fourth century. It provides a thoughtful and well-documented analysis of the diverse forms of Christian community, identity and practice that arose soon after Jesus's death, and which through missionary efforts were soon implanted throughout the Roman Empire.

The Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew

Average customer rating:

Fascinating view of strange early "Christianities"
A Revelation
This book could do with a little less stream of thought, a little more precision
An Excellent Choice
Shoot Out at the New Testament Corral

The Lost Christianities: The Battles for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew
Bart D. Ehrman
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Apocrypha | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

History | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0195141830

Book Description

The early Christian Church was a chaos of contending beliefs. Some groups of Christians claimed that there was not one God but two or twelve or thirty. Some believed that the world had not been created by God but by a lesser, ignorant deity. Certain sects maintained that Jesus was human but not divine, while others said he was divine but not human. In Lost Christianities, Bart D. Ehrman offers a fascinating look at these early forms of Christianity and shows how they came to be suppressed, reformed, or forgotten. All of these groups insisted that they upheld the teachings of Jesus and his apostles, and they all possessed writings that bore out their claims, books reputedly produced by Jesus's own followers. Modern archaeological work has recovered a number of key texts, and as Ehrman shows, these spectacular discoveries reveal religious diversity that says much about the ways in which history gets written by the winners. Ehrman's discussion ranges from considerations of various "lost scriptures"--including forged gospels supposedly written by Simon Peter, Jesus's closest disciple, and Judas Thomas, Jesus's alleged twin brother--to the disparate beliefs of such groups as the Jewish-Christian Ebionites, the anti-Jewish Marcionites, and various "Gnostic" sects. Ehrman examines in depth the battles that raged between "proto-orthodox Christians"-- those who eventually compiled the canonical books of the New Testament and standardized Christian belief--and the groups they denounced as heretics and ultimately overcame. Scrupulously researched and lucidly written, Lost Christianities is an eye-opening account of politics, power, and the clash of ideas among Christians in the decades before one group came to see its views prevail.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating view of strange early "Christianities".......2007-10-02

I had no idea that there were such a wide variety of beliefs in early Christianity -- the "winning" group so effectively destroyed all evidence of earlier texts. A great piece of detective work and a very well-written book.

A Revelation.......2007-09-01

This is a great book if you want to read about a war, not a war that was fought with weapons, but one that was fought with the pen. A lot was at stake with each group of Christians thinking they were right and all the other groups were wrong. Even within the confines of the New Testament one can see Paul mentioning "another Gospel" A reader of the New Testament has to wonder what this other Gospel could have been. In the New Testament we can also see that Peter and Paul were at odds with each other on whether Christians should be circumsised or not.

This book shows that there were many other disagreements amongst Christians. Some believed Jesus was a man, some believed he was a spirit. Some wanted to keep the Jewish Law, others flat out rejected the Jewish Law.

Christians even today see God in the Old Testament as wrathful and him as loving in the New Testament. This led one man named Marcion to believe that there was in fact two Gods. He had a huge following up until the 5th century.

Ehrman mentions that these "other Christians" were not small splinter groups. He provides the evidence that we not only have the scriptures that they thought were sacred, but also the Church Fathers' writings which were dedicated to countering these other Christians by calling them heretics.

In the New Testament (Acts) the Christians are portrayed as all united. This could not be any farther from the truth and this book clearly shows this.

Also contains some great photographs.

This book could do with a little less stream of thought, a little more precision.......2007-09-01

The book is a stream of thought project, somewhat. It has more form than that, but instead of going over each of the lost branches of Christianity and clearly setting them out, it mostly wanders over the same thesis again and again.

It has flashes, three pages here, two pages there, of clear, concise and direct information. If you want to understand what a gnostic was -- great, there is a sharp explanation. But if you would like a good explanation of the rest of the baker's dozen of early Christian movements that are gone? No such luck.

Sigh. Wanders too much. On the other hand, once you've read one of this author's books you've pretty much read them all, which is too bad. From the flashes of sharp writing, I'm certain he could have said a lot more and provided a lot more information. Too bad he lacked the discipline to do so.

An Excellent Choice.......2007-08-26

This is the second book by Dr. Ehrman that I have read. It is a nice sequel to my first book that I read of his "Misquoting Jesus." He goes into nice depth of what it was like in the first few centuries of Christianity. Once again, Christians need to take a look at their creeds and consider the need for further light and knowledge from God. I believe in the Bible but I don't believe in false creeds. I dare Christians to find out more about the Bible they know only by their traditions. I dare them to ask God to guide them in their search for Truth.

Shoot Out at the New Testament Corral.......2007-08-19

Because many of the previous reviewers have so thoroughly covered the material presented in Mr. Ehrman's book, we see no need to restate their information. Suffice it to say that Mr. Ehrman is, as usual, thorough to a fault and offers the most difficult material in a completely accessible manner. Some reviewers, in a seeming effort to smear Mr. Ehrman's academic veracity, have accused him of having an opinion. One would hope that he (and every other person that takes the time to write a book) does! After reading many of Mr. Ehrman's books, we have come to the conclusion that his opinion consists of thinking the world might be a more tolerant, if not peaceful, place to live if we could all let go of the thought that our ideas are unassailable truth and the ideas of "others" are not. Mr. Ehrman then presents the reader with an abundant and varied amount of information that may help them to embrace this view. Mr. Ehrman does not make the mistake of telling anyone they must change their mind or adhere to any certain way of thinking, he merely invites the reader to consider the concept that the world we live in might have been constructed along different lines if some historical events had not taken place and others had.

As writers who also have an opinion, our desire would be that everyone who reads the New Testament would also read Lost Christianities or Ehrman's Misquoting Jesus. Yes, this may leave the reader confused as to how they should proceed on their spiritual journey, but a confused and searching mind is far more likely to be open to truth than one that has been bound by doctrine. Yes, the reader may well come to the conclusion that no one "owns" Jesus, his teachings or the right to interpret them. And yes, this also means that we each have the right and responsibility to find out who Jesus is by approaching him on a one to one basis. This may be a frightening concept to those of us who have been taught that we need to be directed or we will go astray. It is freeing to those of us who feel ready for liberation. Those who fear that the wall of their beliefs will crumble if Ehrman pulls out a brick are the ones who feel the need to attack this book. Ehrman's great gift is his knack for offering information without creating doctrine or dogma. He asks questions that invite more questions, and for that we thank him. Quantum Prodigal Son: Revisiting Jesus' Parable of the Prodigal Son from the Perspective of Quantum Mechanics

A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion #1)

Average customer rating:

Submerge yourself in Roman history!
Not for the faint-hearted
Breath taking
greatest book ever!
Great Book

A Voice in the Wind (Mark of the Lion #1)
Francine Rivers
Manufacturer: Tyndale House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Romance | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Regency | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0842377506

Book Description

This classic series has inspired over half a million readers. Both loyal fans and new readers will want the 10th anniversary editions of this beloved series. These editions include a new foreword from the publisher, a new preface from Francine Rivers, and discussion questions suitable for personal and group use.

#1 A Voice in the Wind: Torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, a young slave girl clings to her faith in the living God for deliverance from the forces of decadent Rome.

Download Description

Torn by her love for a handsome aristocrat, a young slave girl clings to her faith in the living God for deliverance from the forces of decadent Rome.

Customer Reviews:

Submerge yourself in Roman history!.......2007-10-10

Short of jumping into a time machine and visiting the Roman Empire at the fall of Jerusalem, this is the best method I would suggest for understanding the setting of the New Testament. The "world" that is referred to in Paul's writings is clearly understood for what it was, and the parallels to our lives today are uncanny and alarming. Be warned, however, Rivers graphically, but appropriately shows the Roman Empire for what it was, so this book is not for the faint hearted or young readers. I challenge you to read it and see if you ever think about the Jews, Romans and other Gentiles of the Early Christian Age in the same way ever again.

Not for the faint-hearted.......2007-08-22

It was difficult for me to come up with a rating for this book. It was well-written with a captivating story. The ending left me wanting to know more about the characters and I will probably read the next book in the series just to find out what happens. I am also a fan of Francine Rivers and have loved a number of her other books.

The problem I had with the book was the graphic portrayal of the Roman empire during the time of the story. The author was very open about the society of the times and that meant that there was a lot of violence and sexual innuendo throughout the story. As I generally tend to like authors who do not sugar-coat their stories I was puzzled as to why this bothered me.

I do tend to be very squeamish when it comes to gory violence. The fights of the Roman Empire were quite violent and were vividly portrayed that way. The sexual content also bothered me. There weren't any details but the author gave enough information to leave little to the imagination. This is probably came from the fact that she wrote Romance novels before switching to Christian Fiction. I personally thought it was a little over done.

My favorite character in the book was Julia; the spoiled rich girl who reminded me of Lady Macbeth from Shakespeare. It was her story that kept me reading as I wanted to know more about what was going to happen to her and I wanted to see what other choices she might make. It was the flaws in her character that made her the most interesting to read about.

I tend to read books in the Christian genre when I'm looking for a good story without an overabundance of scenes I would prefer not to read. If this is not why you would pick up this book then it may be the right one for you. I would not recommend this book for young teens or anyone who wants to avoid reading material that has a lot of violence and sex as it is impossible to avoid in this book. When I make my choice in ratings I base it on whether or not I would own or would re-read the book. In this case I would not do either but I can easily see why someone else would answer yes to both of those questions.

In summary, if you are not bothered by violent fight scenes and/or sexual innuendo then you may very well enjoy this book. It was definitely an interesting read and it gave me a greater insight into the Roman Empire. For me, it proved a little too strong for my tastes.

Breath taking.......2007-05-30

From the moment I began reading this novel it simply took my breath away. I just could not stop, and when I had to put it down, I was counting the minutes or hours that I had until I could begin. I highly recommend this book.

greatest book ever!.......2007-05-20

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING!!! i just got finished reading the series for the third time and honestly, outside of the Bible, this book has done more to encourage my walk with the Lord than any non-fiction book...its wonderful! francine rivers has been blessed with words to make stories come alive. loved it! you should buy it and read it!!!

Great Book.......2007-01-12

Excellent Historical Fiction. Great series. This book and its sequel are wonderful. A great witness to those who would read romance novels. An engaging testimony without being to preachy or schmaltzy.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books