Customer Reviews:
Organizational Psychology Professor.......2006-09-06
This book is inspirational and helpful to doctoral students (probably master's level students too), and to instructors teaching qualitative methods. What I find most helpful about it is that it honors the subjectivity of qualitative methods. It is a feminist approach that begins with the self as knower, not an easy transition for those trained in the positivist tradition. Furthermore, Margot Ely involves her students in the writing of the book, demonstrating the peer relationships she establishes with learners and the possibilities for collaborative learning among adults. It is a great book full of ideas and reassurance. It s not a step-by-step guide to a particular approach or method. Rather, it is a guide to experiencing fully being a qualitative researcher and the level of engagement and transformation researchers should expect from the undertaking. I highly recommend this book for both new and more experienced people teaching qualitative methods.
Poor Instructions for Doing Poor Research.......2004-04-22
A writing and research guide for absolute beginners - better yet, students who don't know they're absolute beginners. If you're looking for poorly written instructions on how to do thin research and then write up a paper that will have no relevance to anyone but your teacher, then this guide is for you. Concerning the research methods covered here, this book is a great example of academics trying to add unnecessary legitimacy to simple methods, by using big words to describe common-sense concepts, and operationalizing the methods and grandly trying to turn them into science. In this case, the fields are cultural studies and ethnography, which were already fine when they were looked upon as illuminating field work, character sketches, and documentaries. This book makes the standard attempts (for academia) to turn these simple yet effective styles into sciences with multi-syllabic names and hierarchies of methodology, to gain respect from other more structured fields.
Then there is this book's atrocious writing. A variety of authors crank out a non-varied smorgasbord of self-aggrandizement about how "insightful" their research has been, with hugely unnecessary biographies about themselves and how exemplary they think their methods are. In an attempt to beef up the thin material, the editors have added wave upon wave of specific examples and questions from semi-anonymous "students," which are so mind-numbingly repetitive and homogenous that they cease to be believable testimonials. Qualitative research is certainly an important field with its own strengths and methods that need to be mastered by anyone attempting to do the associated research. But you can do infinitely better than this book which fails to rise above the amateur level. [~doomsdayer520~]
Book Description
2004 COVR AWARD 2ND RUNNER-UP!
The Circle Within is your guide to creating a personal spiritual practice for daily life. The first section is a thoughtful examination of Wiccan ethics and philosophy that explores how to truly live Wicca. The second section includes devotional prayers and rituals that provide inspiration for group or solitary practice.
Topics include: cultivating an ongoing personal relationship with deity, ethics and standards of behavior, concepts of sacred space, elements of a daily practice, tuning into the Wheel of the Year and the elements, and creating meaningful personal rituals.
Move beyond the basics of Wicca and enter the sacred space of the circle within.
Customer Reviews:
awesome book...........2007-09-03
Finally, not a wicca 101 book but a beautifully written book on your personal spirituality of wicca.It fills in the gaps where other books did not!
Can't believe I went so long without it..........2007-07-29
This book is truly a blessing from the Goddess. I was wondering why I still wasn't feeling "complete" with my practice - like something was missing. For a while, this little voice in my head was telling me to get the book, and I kept saying,"No, not yet, not yet."
Finally, I listened and am so glad that I did.
I read this book within a matter of hours, and now it has a prominent spot in my Witchie bookshelf. It helped me realize a few things that I didn't pay attention to before, and I think, helped me to reconnect to what drew me to Wicca in the first place.
Please - if you were feeling like I did, get this book. Also, make sure to pick up her other book, THE BODY SACRED. I'm looking forward to more of Ms Sylvan's titles in the future.
This is a MUST HAVE / Has heart and soul.......2007-07-27
I love this book. I literally have worn it to death. I'm sick of all the Wiccan books anymore. All they do is focus on spells, magick, candles, the tools, and on and on when their really is more to Wicca. This a nice change of pace. It talks about how to live Wiccan everyday. How to live comapssionately and with grace. It's a very informative book. And she is lighthearted about everything. She doen't try to cram it down your throat and she is knowledgeable about what she's writing. I would recommend this book especially if your sick of the mainstream Wiccan books and would like something with more heart and soul.
Humourously profound.......2007-03-18
This is not a beginner's book to Witchcraft, or is it a book of spells. This is much more for those past the 101 stage who want to ponder new ideas, have their thoughts provoked or look at things from perhaps a different angle.
The first section of this book is really stunning and truly gets you thinking about what this spiritual tradition means to you. Chapter 3 "Living the path" was utterly profound for me. It encouraged me to reflect on what ethics I believe in, seeing as they play an immense part in how I feel, who I am and what I believe. From this I delived deep into what values, philosophies and beliefs are the core of who I am, what forms the essence that is me. From my point of view, you should buy the book just for this chapter alone! However, the thought-provoking doesn't stop there!
It's also worth to note that Dianne does not shove her thoughts down your throat in a 'my way or the highway' point of view, instead she shares her ideas with you, and encourages you to dig deep into YOUR spirit to find what it is that connects with YOU. She also does it with a wicked laugh. If you have a witty off-beat sense of humour, you will find yourself nodding at Dianne's antedotes and stories - Dianne, love your sense of humour! I also adore the fact that she does not take herself too seriously and has a laugh - even at herself - which I believe is part of the core of this spirituality/religion.
This is definately one of my top 10 books, I cannot recommend it enough.
Simple, Useful, and Profound.......2006-09-24
This is one of the best books I have read on the Craft, and I've read more than a couple. There are many virtues to this book: it is written without pretense or jargon; it combines the author's personal perspective and obvious familiarity with the Craft; and her good heart shines through the entirety of what she has written. Dianne Sylvan, you are my kind of witch!
The book is divided into two parts: the first is an overview of basic issues or concerns that go towards making a religious practice, both general and specifically Wiccan. With humor, critical insight, and the challenge to make of Wicca more than a casual feature of one's life, the author addresses what makes Wicca unique and suggests ways to think about the sacred. She takes as examples the lives of people in other religions who have devoted themselves to service and worship, distilling the essential kernel of their practice. She lays substantial emphasis on prayer as something appropriate to Wiccans, distinguishing it from magical practice. Her approach is to incorporate ritual as a daily feature of life, not necessarily formal or time-consuming, and consequently more apt to figure as a regular facet of one's busy existence.
She says a number of things that show she does not have pentacles in her eyes about Wicca or witches, while also showing that she has not become cynical in the face of "pop Wicca," as she dubs it. Importantly, she acknowledges Wicca as a Mystery religion, rather than one based upon beliefs and creeds. This short paragraph says a lot:
"This is what I speak of when I say that Wiccans don't believe in anything. Nobody ever had to believe in the world--it simply is. We don't believe in our gods, we know them. We *are* them. Belief isn't necessary when you have direct knowledge."
That, of course, is the core of Wiccan witchcraft and worship of the gendered divine. Without the godesses and gods, there is no Wicca. Dianne understands this, and rightly emphasizes the intent of her book to be none other than a way of reconnecting, emphasizing, and bringing the sacred forward, increasingly emergent in the fabric of mundane life.
The second half of this short book is devoted to a simple Book of Shadows, providing examples of entries (most of them rhymed) of devotional chants or meditations for various occasions.
Don't be deceived by the modest length and plain language of this book; it is the expression of real insight on the part of a very thoughtful Wiccan writer. I highly recommend this both to beginners and to those who believe they know all there is to be said about the Craft.
Average customer rating:
- A deeply moving story about real love and commitment...
- Read the reissue even if you've read the original
- Hauntingly Beautiful!
- honest and touching
- This is a great book
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A Vow to Cherish (Prequel to Within This Circle)
Deborah Raney
Manufacturer: Steeple Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Contemporary
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ASIN: 0373785623 |
Book Description
The award-winning classic novel turned bestselling movie by beloved author Deborah Raney
When his precious wife of thirty years received a devastating diagnosis, John Brighton's world fell apart. As his wife slipped from him day by day, his love was tested as never before, and he found himself confronted by a weakness he never knew he had. A confidante desperately needed in this dark time, a young widow named Julia Sinclair, seemed to understand his pain as no one else could. Torn between doing what he knew was right and what his heart told him could not be wrong, John soon discovered that the heart can't be trusted where true love is concerned.
Customer Reviews:
A deeply moving story about real love and commitment..........2006-11-11
A Vow to Cherish touched me deeply--for many reasons. To me, this story is about having no regrets and allowing God to work things out in our lives with His perfect timing. I remember seeing the movie when it first came out and holding my breath as I watched John fall in love with Julia. I recall the same conflicting feelings when I read this book. Part of me wanted John to be happy with Julia. I truly felt for the guy. Part of me also cared deeply about his commitment to his wife.
The author did a fabulous job taking a difficult situation and covering it with flesh. The emotion and the loneliness were real as was the temptation both John and Julia experienced. Many people would justify John and Julia's relationship outside of marriage--especially for John. I hurt for the man. My mother was bedridden with MS for twenty years and my father cared for her until the very end. He cherished her and remained faithful when so many men in the same situations dumped their spouses when they could no longer perform their wifely duties.
John Brighton honored his vow to cherish his wife until they parted at her death. I'm convinced it made all the difference for his enduring happiness. John could then marry Julia free from guilt and knowing he gave his wife his undivided love and attention to the very end--once he overcame the temptation to vault his flesh into a forbidden zone that he would end up regretting later.
I've never read a book that more vividly portrays the deep pain of loneliness and all of the issues that go with it. My heart swelled and my throat tightened more than once through this beautiful story. I loved it!
Read the reissue even if you've read the original.......2006-07-27
Loved the first one, but with Raney's matured writing the edited reissue is even more poignant and relevant.
Hauntingly Beautiful!.......2006-06-13
Not often does an author have the chance to go back and rewrite her first book, but Deborah Raney had that opportunity. I read the original edition, saw the movie inspired by her book, and now I've read the new one. She has updated numerous things and added more depth, making an already good novel hauntingly beautiful.
John Brighton's wife has Alzheimer's, a cruel disease that afflicts entire families. I know. My mother died of Alzheimer's. I found Raney's book to be healing for me. With deep understanding and compassion, she exposes layer after layer of emotion a husband feels when his wife leaves him a bit at a time.
More cruel than sudden death or divorce, Alzheimer's robs the patient of their dignity as it robs the family of their loved one. After my mother died, daddy said he felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. That hurt and I couldn't understand how he could say it. Until I read A Vow to Cherish. As Raney reveals John's deep love for his wife, she also discloses how the disease wore him down. No one suffers Alzheimer's alone.
Beautifully written and filled with credible characters, Raney once again demonstrates why she's an award winning author. A Vow to Cherish stands on my all-time-favorites book shelf.
honest and touching.......2006-06-07
John and Ellen Brighton attend the high school graduation of their youngest child. The nest would soon be empty and they were looking forward to having time for each other. They plan to travel and just enjoy themselves. Then something started to go horribly wrong. Ellen began having periods of confusiion, saying things that didn't make sense. She gets lost and can't find her way home. A doctor gives them the shattering news. Ellen is in the early stages of Alzheimers. Nothing can be done to help her and the situation will gradually get worse.
In Chicago, Julia Sinclair has lost her husband and after years of sending her sons to St. Mark's private school, which she can no longer afford, she is desperate to get out of Chicago. She applies for a job at the Parkside Manor, a nursing home in the same town where John and Ellen live. When Ellen moves to the Manor, Julia meets John and they are attracted to each other. She can provide the companionship he misses so much. Someone to talk to, someone who understands. But John still loves Ellen, and he made a vow to cherish her in sickness and health on their wedding day. How can he go back on that vow just because she no longer knows him? A Vow to Cherish is a touching story of love and commitment and is an honest portrayal of the destroying disease of Alzheimers. The characters are so real you'll feel you know them. This book will touch your heart
This is a great book.......2004-12-12
As a person who has a relative dealing with Alzheimer's, I
think this is a great book. The movie was great also.
We all need our family and friends to help us during hard
times but we need God the most.
Book Description
Astonishing answers to unspoken questions revealed!
Geoffrey Kofi Akuamoa (Jeff Akvama) was born in Ghana and raised in Europe, son of Ghanai an mother and father. He was educated in Europe,at College of Science and Technology, Birmingham, U.K; University Medical school at Zurich ,Switzerland; Medical University of Kiel, Germany; Medical University of Copenhagen Denmark; and Medical University of Oslo, Norway .He is the author of several scientific publications ,such as Achalasia Oesophagi and Associated Diseases ,Risus Sardonicus, Subcutan Impressions caused by dipers, Safety Belts and Traffic, Physiological aspects of Comparative Medicines, Chemically induced Disease in Women etc, receiving many awards. He was appointed Professor in Education and Academic Affairs, Colombo. .MD, PhD, DSc, FIBA. Lectured a great deal in medicine including subjects such as Pain syndromes in London. He is a specialist in General Medicine and has received many awards from the International Biographical Association as well as the American Biographical Institute.
Customer Reviews:
WE LEARN TO LIVE.......2007-04-06
The book is about people,places and changes shifting from the past to the present.The book seeks some centre of meaning in life. It presents to everyone about what happened to people of the world centuries ago; the configuration of people,their understanding and the role of each individual person on Earth. The book tells about historical events of West Africa in the 15th century in such a way that it is easy to understand. It tells a little history about Portugal and what promted them to sail to West Africa.It tells about history of the Netherlands and their aim and what prompted them to visit West Africa in the first place. I was enlightened about the slave trade, and the booming exports of cocoa,gold,diamonds in Ghana and why West Africa has become what it is today. 1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List
Customer Reviews:
Within Sacred Circles: Meditations & Mandala Quilts.......2007-08-23
The quilts in this book are beautiful and an inspiration for meditation. The writing surrounding the thought of the quilt is enjoyable, and some new information is always presented. I would recommend this book for anyone who meditates and/or anyone who quilts.
Book Description
Within the Circle is the first anthology to present the entire spectrum of twentieth-century African American literary and cultural criticism. It begins with the Harlem Renaissance, continues through civil rights, the Black Arts Movement, and on into contemporary debates of poststructuralist and black feminist theory. Drawing on a quote from Frederick Douglass for the title of this book, Angelyn Mitchell explains in her introduction the importance for those "within the circle" of African American literature to examine their own works and to engage this critical canon.
The essays in this collection—many of which are not widely available today—either initiated or gave critical definition to specific periods or movements of African American literature. They address issues such as integration, separatism, political action, black nationalism, Afrocentricity, black feminism, as well as the role of art, the artist, the critic, and the audience. With selections from Langston Hughes, Sterling Brown, W. E. B. DuBois, Zora Neale Hurston, Richard Wright, James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Barbara Smith, Alice Walker, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and many others, this definitive collection provides a dynamic model of the cultural, ideological, historical, and aesthetic considerations in African American literature and literary criticism.
A major contribution to the study of African American literature, this volume will serve as a foundation for future work by students and scholars. Its importance will be recognized by all those interested in modern literary theory as well as general readers concerned with the African American experience.
Selections by (partial list): Houston A. Baker, Jr., James Baldwin, Sterling Brown, Barbara Christian, W. E. B. DuBois, Ralph Ellison, LeRoi Jones, Sarah Webster Fabio, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W. Lawrence Hogue, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Alain Locke, Deborah E. McDowell, Toni Morrison, J. Saunders Redding, George Schuyler, Barbara Smith, Valerie Smith, Hortense J. Spillers, Robert B. Stepto, Alice Walker, Margaret Walker, Mary Helen Washington, Richard Wright
Book Description
I Sit Listening to the Wind is the newly revised companion volume to the classic Circle of Stones. As Judith Duerk powerfully shows, the world is crying out for a developed Feminine voice, a voice that can mediate, once again, the ancient values of the Feminine. These are values of interiority and of the sacredness of the earth, that honor the privacy of individual process; values of the deeper Self held within us all. Many women experience a battle within themselves between the critical, dismissing voice of their masculine side and the interior, self-sustaining voice of their feminine side. Without coming to terms and seeking balance with our masculine side, our feminine side can never reach its full potential. For those seeking balance between the masculine urge to DO and the feminine desire to BE, Duerk's mixture of prose, poetry, and reflective questions creates a model for integration.
Customer Reviews:
A riveting flute solo in the symphony "Journey to Wholeness".......1998-12-29
Judith Durek's sensitive descriptions and testimonials give light to the tunnel. If you are on or just beginning the inner journey, this book will give comfort, guidance, and encourage you to find your own circle of women. This book and her first book "Circle of Stone" is essential on the journey home. I look forward to the next book in this series.
Book Description
The Woman Within is the first in a series designed as a Bible-study complement to The Sister Circle. Women will be challenged and encouraged to uncover the power and joy of a Spirit-filled life. Vonette shares with readers her own lifelong journey toward becoming the woman God created her to be--a woman influenced, nurtured, and guided by the Holy Spirit. She says the "secret" to living a life characterized by joy, energy, and purpose is to live with total abandon to the Holy Spirit despite the incredible stressors we face daily.
Customer Reviews:
The Woman Within.......2007-04-02
This is an excellent book both for guidance on how to live Christlike and also confirmation that what I believed was also Christlike. I wish all women needing more confidence and guidance would read this.
Average customer rating:
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The Point Within the Circle: Freemasonry Veiled in Allegory and Illustrated by Symbols
Albert Pike
Manufacturer: Holmes Pub Grou Llc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1558183051 |
Book Description
Dozens of Masonic and mystic symbols illustrate this work which shows, once again, General Pike's encyclopedic knowledge. "The old Kabbalists symbolized the operations of Nature in a most perfect and beautiful way. They said that the One in order to become Two, reflected itself in the waters below,..."-from the text.
Average customer rating:
- Luminous and engaging
- Relationship between young white and older person of color?
- Kids need a hero; Killingsworth delivers.
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Circle Within a Circle
Monte Killingsworth
Manufacturer: Margaret K. McElderry
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Literature
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ASIN: 0689505981 |
Customer Reviews:
Luminous and engaging.......2007-05-30
I read this book straight through, almost in one sitting. The professional reviews on the Amazon website do not do it justice.
The book is sometimes poetic, sometimes mystical, at other times slyly humorous. This tale of two wounded souls searching for purpose and direction will engage any heart that is open to wonder and aware of the intricate web of life and nature.
Relationship between young white and older person of color?.......2005-11-03
Framed as a coming of age story for an orphan, this book really emphasizes the travails of the Chinook man. The boy does step forward when the man needs support, and is more than repaid soon after. I wonder what conversations the author had with modern Native American activists--and what they would think of the relationship between the characters. There's a long tradition of young whites relying on lowly benefactors of color (e.g. Taylor's The Cay); does this one fall within it? The boy's aid does not seem patronizing to me; perhaps this is a step forward. Too bad the book never caught on with librarians and educators.
Kids need a hero; Killingsworth delivers........2000-07-06
Although some reviewers here appear quick to dismiss this book, nevertheless it is a valuable one for its target audience. In the long run, what is more important than a troubled kid finding an adult hero/mentor to teach him about values and what is truly worth fighting for, in this case a sacred stretch of land. Far from being "overwrought" as one reviewer stated, Killingsworth's words reflect the passion and commitment kids -- and the world in general -- need a lot more of. This book is strongly recommended.
Books:
- Ending The Search For Mr. Right: How to Be Found by the Man You've Been Looking For
- Every Man's Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time (The Every Man Series)
- Experience Yoga Nidra: Guided deep relaxation
- Five Minds for the Future
- Flashman: A Novel (Flashman)
- For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men
- Glorious Appearing: The End of Days (Left Behind #12)
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance
- Grace and Divorce: God's Healing Gift to Those Whose Marriages Fall Short
- Grandmother's Memories: To Her Grandchild (A Journal of Faith and Love)
Books Index
Books Home
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- An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory
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- The New Success Rules for Women: 10 Surefire Strategies for Reaching Your Career Goals
- The Making of a Bestseller: Success Stories from Authors and the Editors, Agents, and Booksellers Be
On Writing Qualitative Research: Living by Words (Falmer Press Teachers' Library Series)
Writing Up Qualitative Research (Qualitative Research Methods)
Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Approaches
Stories of Teaching: A Foundation for Educational Renewal
Notebooks of the Mind: Explorations of Thinking
