Conversations with Poppi about God: An Eight-Year-Old and Her Theologian Grandfather Trade Questions

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But there is something here for all Christians --- or skeptics --- from adolescents to grandparents, who read for insight

What A Great Book!

Christian Friendship and care of souls

Delightful Conversations

Conversations with Poppi about God: An Eight-Year-Old and Her Theologian Grandfather Trade Questions
Robert W. Jenson , and Solveig Lucia Gold
Manufacturer: Brazos Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Theology | Reference | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Systematic Theology: Volume 1: The Triune God (Systematic Theology)

The Way That Leads There: Augustinian Reflections on the Christian Life

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On Thinking the Human: Resolutions of Difficult Notions

The Triune Identity: God According to the Gospel

ASIN: 1587431866
Release Date: 2006-11-01

Book Description

Come and listen in as one of the world's most respected theologians talks theology with his eight-year-old granddaughter. In Conversations with Poppi about God, Robert Jenson and Solveig Lucia Gold share with us their unscripted, spontaneous talks about everything from the meaning of the Trinity to what God looks like. The result is a charming and enlightening book that reminds us all we have a lot to learn from theologians and from children. Conversations with Poppi will appeal to parents, grandparents, pastors, teachers, and Christians looking for a refreshing perspective on the mysteries of Christianity.

Customer Reviews:

But there is something here for all Christians --- or skeptics --- from adolescents to grandparents, who read for insight.......2007-06-06

What a good premise for a book: an eight-year-old precocious child carrying on a theological conversation with her 73-year-old grandfather --- not just any grandfather but a noted "Reverend Canon Professor..." who has edited a volume on Christian dogmatics. In an introduction, Solveig Lucia Gold explains her book's origin: "It all began on a dark, chilly night, sitting by the fireplace long after my bedtime at [my grandparents'] home in Princeton, New Jersey. I had a theological question to ask my grandfather (Poppi)... Poppi gave a lengthy reply that led me to ask him more theological questions." The next morning her grandmother suggested that further conversations be taped and transcribed "to turn them into a book."

In a second introduction, Dr. Jenson explains that the conversations were "wholly unscripted" and edited ever-so-slightly. Topical subheads have been added (something less than chapter demarcations) to introduce conversational shifts. Occasionally the narration is so conversational that I had to read a sentence twice. But a heavier edit probably would have interfered with the spontaneous and playful tone of the mischievous child, who sometimes teases her grandfather and even brings up Dante and his view of purgatory (which Solveig's father has explained to her).

After starting at the obvious place, a discussion of "the beginning" --- the Genesis creation story, the introduction of sin, the fall of Lucifer --- much of the book follows the whim of a child's curiosity. Christmas is approaching, and Santa Claus --- or the bishop St. Nicholas --- wanders in and out of the conversation, as does the mysterious role and work of the Holy Spirit, as does the first line of a Lenten hymn, about Jesus's temptation in the wilderness: "Forty days and forty nights..."

And yet young Solveig isn't just running at the mouth. Here's her summary of the metaphysical discussion that starts with the question, "Could God make two and two equal five?": "Two plus two is four because God knows it, and he knows it because it is true... If God knows it is true because it is true, he knows that it is true because it is true. But he also knows that it is true because he knows it."

Ultimately Solveig isn't in control of the conversation. Grandfather sometimes cuts in with an authoritative statement, based on the scriptural account or theological tradition. When Solveig proposes that "Jesus has his own thoughts, and God has his own thoughts. They don't think alike --- they do think alike. But Jesus could be watching over one continent, and God could be watching over..." Poppi cuts in with "No, no, no!"

Eventually the book is less randomly structured than at the beginning. The conversation turns to the phrases of the Lord's Prayer and then the Nicene Creed, which Grandpa Jenson (a Lutheran) and Solveig (an Episcopalian) repeat as part of every Sunday service.

A few conversational points --- about seasons of the church calendar, for example, or the wording of the creed --- will be best understood by readers who attend liturgical churches. But there is something here for all Christians --- or skeptics --- from adolescents to grandparents, who read for insight as well as whimsy.

--- Reviewed by Evelyn Bence

What A Great Book!.......2006-12-09

I have read both volumes of Robert Jenson's "Systematic Theology" and many of his articles, and I can safely say that Jenson is quite difficult. In fact, I had to read, re-read, and then read again several chapters of Jenson's "Systematic Theology" in order to get a solid grasp of what he was communicating. However, this work brings Jenson down to the lay level and covers issues that are basic yet imperative that all Christians understand.

This book is great, not only because it is Jenson, but also because Solveig (Jenson's granddaughter) asks all the right questions. Moreover, Solveig is a brilliant child in that the questions she asks go right to the heart of the matter. The work is quite basic, but very important in terms of its content. The book covers issues such as Evil, God's Motives, Providence, The Messiah, Communion Practices, the Resurrection, The Lord's Prayer, Lent, the Christian Calendar, Advent, Santa Claus, The Nicene Creed, Prayer, and much, much more.

It took all of 30 to 40 minutes to read the whole text. It is engaging, fun, serious, and just plain educational on many levels. This was a brilliant idea. Moreover, we get a glimpse into the mind of one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century and how he would answer questions that at one time or another, we as Christians have asked. I highly recommend this book!

Christian Friendship and care of souls.......2006-10-23

Robert Jenson is one of the most important Theologians living in the United States. Unfortunately most of his writing is dense and difficult to understand for us mere mortals.

Back when I was in Seminary, I hated it when we were assigned anything by him because of this. However, I have started to enjoy reading short articles by him, even if his books usually make me give up in frustation. I learn a lot when I read his work and even find myself agreeing with him more often than not once I digest it.

So, when I saw this book advertized, I expected that it would either be very good if there was genuine communication or very bad if he talked over her (and our) head. It is with great joy that I report it is the former.

While I bought the book for "Jenson light", I found that while that is certainly there, something arguably more important is there as well. It is a model of Chirstian Friendship between the two authors. The Rev. Dr. Robert Jenson is obviously the senior partner here, but the two authors treat each other with respect, love, and humor as they deal with some very difficult issues. In short, Dr. Jenson treats his granddaughter as a fellow Christian, and not just as a sponge to absorb his considerable knowledge.

I pray that more of this goes on in the church and hope that this book helps serve as a model.

Delightful Conversations.......2006-09-11

One of America's foremost theologians, Robert Jenson is a wonderful writer whose work is always worth reading. This book, consisting of transcribed conversations with his granddaughter, is an absolute delight. It is warm and humorous, but also profound. It is sweet, but never condescending. Solveig holds her own in the conversations with her grandfather, and he both respects and encourages her thinking. Conversations with Poppi about God is careful theology at its most accessible level, with lots of affection and a twinkle in the eye.

Like Shaking Hands With God: A Conversation About Writing

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Slight, but wise
Short, yet inspiring
The art of Being
A great little book
A WRITERS' CONVERSATION

Like Shaking Hands With God: A Conversation About Writing
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. , and Lee Stringer
Manufacturer: Washington Square Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0743410580
Release Date: 2000-11-28

Amazon.com

Kurt Vonnegut (Breakfast of Champions): writer of wild, satiric, outrageous fiction. Lee Stringer (Grand Central Winter): one-time homeless crack addict who discovered that pencils are not just drug implements. Kurt Vonnegut and Lee Stringer: a mutual admiration society. Like Shaking Hands with God: a transcription of two moderated conversations between Vonnegut and Stringer--one before a bookstore audience, one over lunch.

Shaking Hands has a slender profile and a pretty cover. But the only thing slight about these conversations is that they leave the reader wanting more. The book is billed as "a conversation about writing," but it is as much about life as about writing. Neither Vonnegut nor Stringer is interested in holing up in a garret to write. Vonnegut makes any excuse to go out and rub elbows with the folks who buy lottery tickets. Stringer wonders, "Can you write anything on Park Avenue, really?" Vonnegut laments his happy childhood as "no way for a writer to begin." Stringer panics--while he wrote his first book as if on a high, the next one may emerge from an awareness of Oprah and marketability.

Vonnegut and Stringer are passionate about one another's work, passionate about life, and passionate about writing, but not so much so that they ever, for a moment, lose their sense of irony or humor. In the age of the sound bite, literature can be deemed, on some level, useless. Stringer praises writing, in that context, as "a struggle to preserve our right to be not so practical." And Vonnegut? "We are here on Earth to fart around," he proclaims in Timequake (excerpted here). "Don't let anybody tell you any different!" --Jane Steinberg

Book Description

In this elegantly produced, extended conversation celebrating the writing craft, Kurt Vonnegut and acclaimed Grand Central Winter author Lee Stringer explore what it means to be a writer -- and what it means to be human.

It is an increasingly rare occasion these days to find two writers willing to speak candidly, thoughtfully, and concretely about the intersection of life and art. And that these two writers happen to be Kurt Vonnegut and Lee Stringer makes Like Shaking Hands With God a truly historic and joyous occasion. The setting is a bookstore in New York City in October 1998. Before a crowd of several hundred, Vonnegut and Stringer jump into the aesthetic fray, taking up humanity, writing, salvation, art, and the challenge of living, day to day.

As Vonnegut would say, "It was a magical evening." A passionate and inspiring discourse between two extraordinary writers, Like Shaking Hands With God is a book for anyone interested in why the simple act of writing things down can be so much more important than the amount of memory in our computers.

Customer Reviews:

Slight, but wise.......2007-08-26

The transcript of two conversations between writers Kurt Vonnegut and Lee Stringer. Helpful to those who are considering writing or those who are required to study writing. What is offered? Some wisdom, a few prods, some encouragement--and the imperative: write nothing insincere.

Short, yet inspiring.......2006-08-01

I was able to finish this short book in a few hours at my job. When I was in high school first looking for colleges to attend, the only thing I was certain of was that I wanted to write. Of course life managed to get in the way of that dream, however, after reading this 80 page conversation I feel more inspired to pick up where I left my dream. I was expecting more out of the conversation, but hearing these two incredible authors speak back and forth makes you want to read more and more of their material. I suppose I find it nice to see a personally attached to writers. I would completely recommend this book to anyone who reads their work, and has an hour or two extra.

The art of Being.......2006-05-20

This is a wisp of a book. At less than 80 pages, I read it in one evening in the time it took me to eat a few tapas and down two pints of beer. By the time the check arrived, I was already writing down my thoughts inside the back cover.

But what an enjoyable wisp it is!

Almost everyone I know is a fan of Kurt Vonnegut, and so the colorful and curmudgeonly wisdom he brings to the table here is no surprise. But who is this Lee Stringer guy? By the end, I began to think of him as a superior version of James Frey (author of the badly written pseudo memoir "A Million Little Pieces") with the main difference that Mr. Stringer (1) writes well and (2) his tales about life on Skid Row are true. Actually, now that I think of it, that's kind of like saying I'm like Shakespeare except that he (1) writes a lot better and (2) he's been dead for almost 400 years.

Anyway, back to the book: I admit that Like Shaking Hands With God doesn't offer a great price-per-word ratio (it's slim and relatively expensive) but it does offer a great deal of wisdom on its handful of pages. Based on two conversations between two friends with a lot of respect for each other, these guys are smart, they know how to express themselves, and they've been around the block a few times.

The book bills itself as "a conversation about writing" and it is that. But it's more of a conversation about being, but a kind of being that involves writing. For a lot of avid readers, that's a perfect fit.

A great little book.......2005-08-28

I liked the conversational tone of it- and it really is a very enjoyable short and easy read. The second part of the book isn't as good as the first. If you like Vonnegut, you'll dig this. Lots of ideas to chew on.

A WRITERS' CONVERSATION.......2000-11-16

Anything by Kurt Vonnegut is good! Well almost anything. I was attracted to this gem featuring two authors of different generations conversing about the meaning of writing in their lives. I expected an enlightening tome that would set my mind to thinking and provide me with new insight.

Neither happened. Vonnegut and Stringer are good writers but these interviews just didn't come off well in print. A question is raised as to what the two writers had in common. Stringer gave some good points but Vonnegut rambled on into the wild blue yonder. Of the two, Stringer appeared to stay focused on the questions and provided the reader with insight as to how writing impacted on his life and freed him from his own internal demons.

As a collector's item in your Vonnegut library, yes, do indeed purchase it. If you want something more in depth with Vonnegut and Stringer read their works. This text just doesn't get to the heart of their writing world.

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In Contact With the Gods?: Directors Talk Theatre

Manufacturer: Manchester University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Theater | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Stagecraft | Theater | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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The Director's Voice: Twenty-One Interviews

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Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing

The Viewpoints Book: A Practical Guide to Viewpoints and Composition

On Directing

ASIN: 0719047633

Book Description

Rarely has the private world of the director in the rehearsal room been so frankly and entertainingly opened. In addition to the art and craft of directing, they discuss: multiculturalism; the 'classical' repertoire; theatre companies and institutions; working in a foreign language; opera; Shakespeare; new technologies; the art of acting; design; international festivals; politics and aesthetics; the audience; theatre and society.

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Simply delightful!
So small
Profiting from Other People's Work
Interview with God
Beware of modernized "fluff"

Interview with God

Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Quotations | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Moments of Grace

ASIN: 0743229576

Book Description

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FOR EVERYONE

On May 29, 2001, Reata Strickland posted a version of Interview with God on a local church Web site in Alabama, with no announcements or advertising. Within a week 500,000 people had heard about it and taken a look. Soon, the numbers reached well into the millions, and they have been growing steadily ever since. God's message, which gently points out our failings while reminding us of what really matters in life, has become an astonishing success, reaching out and touching people around the world.

Now, in this beautiful full-color edition enhanced by many new photographs and a Foreword by Reata Strickland, Interview with God can be treasured and shared, time and again.

Customer Reviews:

Simply delightful!.......2007-08-09

It should be no surprise to fans of author Reata Strickland that the book "Interview with God" is a delight. This wee book is a very short read, but rich in content. I have used this as a devotional with many small groups and foud it very effect in sparking converaion about the nature of God and prayer.

So small.......2002-12-19

I thought the size of the book is 8x11, but it's merely 4x6. Should put the size there. Otherwise, the content is awesome.

Profiting from Other People's Work.......2002-07-12

Why buy this book? The "editor" didn't write it, so why should she profit from it? You can see this on her website, reata.org, for free.

Interview with God.......2002-05-25

It's very nice view from God point. I'm very like this point.

Beware of modernized "fluff".......2002-04-11

While there is nothing inherently wrong with the sentiment express here, to attribute the words as quotes from God is a VERY dangerous practice. God did NOT say these things -- they are only the imaginations of a created being (the unknown author) attributed to the Creator.

Book Description

Consisting of conversations between renowned Jewish thinker and teacher Rabbi Irving (Yitz) Greenberg and Shalom Freedman, this book presents the major themes of Rabbi Greenberg's work and thought and addresses the most challenging questions facing Jewish people today.

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An Interview With God
Michael Ashbury
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Channeling | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Spiritualism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1592863728

Book Description

From the time of man's existence on Earth, he has constantly searched for answers to questions as to who he is, why he is here, why his life varies so dramatically from his brothers, why he might live a long healthy life while his brother suffers a terrible disease, accident or other loss. Man is presented with both the theologian's view of creation and the conflicting scientific view of evolution, yet both beg for more answers. Man faces a multitude of personal challenges in life, none of which he is equipped to deal with. He turns to spiritual support in times of crises but he is presented with multiple faiths, each claiming to be the true faith and the pathway to God. An Interview with God challenges the reader to consider alternative answers to many established beliefs.

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The Interview with God

Manufacturer: Get Inspired Now! (Incorporated)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0972507655

Product Description

Soon to be a classic! This inspirational book will be treasured for a lifetime. Readers will feel closer to heaven and more intimate with God. A great gift for others or just to treasure for yourself.

Choosing God, Chosen by God: Conversations With Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger

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Captures his essence: thoroughly modern, thoroughly Catholic

Choosing God, Chosen by God: Conversations With Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger
Jean-Louis Missika , and Dominique Wolton
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Captures his essence: thoroughly modern, thoroughly Catholic.......1997-07-03

An extraordinary series of interviews between two french intellectuals (academics, one of whom describes himself as a Catholic agnostic, the other describes himself as a Jewish atheist) and the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris

The Orchards of Perseverance: Conversations With Trappist Monks About God, Their Lives and the World

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A Realistic Book That Captures Trappist Life
Insight into the Monastic and Spirtual life
A inside look from an outsider that is really an insider
A inside look from an outsider that is really an insider
Down-to-earth Cistercians with hearts fixed on Heaven!

The Orchards of Perseverance: Conversations With Trappist Monks About God, Their Lives and the World
David D. Perata
Manufacturer: St. Therese's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Monasticism | Other Practices | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0967213509

Amazon.com

One might argue that the world does not need any more what-it's-like-to-live-in-a-monastery books. But The Orchards of Perseverance by David D. Perata offers such a fresh, smart, down-to-earth perspective on the monastic experience that even if you're suffering from compline-fatigue, you'll want to read this one straight through. Perata first visited the Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux, a Trappist monastery in Vina, California, in the summer of 1967, when he had just finished the seventh grade. He helped harvest the monastery's crops, which range from walnuts to safflower, and he began paying close attention to the monks he worked with in the fields. Over the next 30 years, Perata returned to the Abbey many times, and this book is the fruit of his labors. The Orchards of Perseverance is a collection of interviews with the Trappists, illustrated with intimate photographs of them at work, at worship, and at play. The book offers plenty of spiritual wisdom, like this from a Trappist named Father Timothy: "Sometimes I'll be praying, and all at once I'm so aware of God's presence.... Just a few minutes like that makes it all worthwhile, and then you go out and plant some more tomatoes." More striking, and more unusual, is the way that Perata's interviews convey a tangible sense of what it's like to live in such a close-knit community of faith. The reader learns, without being explicitly told, that there is lightness in the density. And that is a fascinating and hopeful fact. --Michael Joseph Gross

Book Description

The Orchards of Perseverance presents a refreshing profile of ten monks of the Trappist Order who live in a small community at the Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux in Northern California. This oral history follows the life of each monk over the course of many years, from their "call to God" to their first entry into the community and the subsequent adjustment to the monastic life. The monks speak candidly in this book about the psychological trauma associated with leaving society and attempting to discover their true "self." Their frank observations about God, how they view life outside the monastic gate and the effect of world events, and how they think the world views them, are interwoven with humor and insight that offers hope and inspiration in a confusing world.

With 450 acres of prune and walnut orchards as their livelihood, blue denim is just as prevalent as monastic robes while these men follow a daily schedule of prayer and work from sunup to sundown. A wide cross-section of the community is represented, from the novice master whose job it is to interview and nurture every man who asks to enter, to the abbot who talks about the difficulties of his title.

Author David D. Perata first went to the monastery in the latter sixties while in grammar school, working out in the orchards with his best friend Joe and having a ball hunting rabbits and driving jeeps and tractors with the monks. Over the course of some thirty years, he has returned to the monastery most every year or so, enjoying its peaceful atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of society. When the abbot of New Clairvaux recently gave him an opportunity to photograph their life and interview the monks, the result is this rare, intimate look into the monastic enclosure that topples these men off their spiritual pedestals and reveals them as human beings like the rest of us. Far from the mysterious stereotypes we all have had of monasteries and monks, the spiritual struggle and perseverance of these men underscores the simple fact that they are ordinary people who have simply chosen an extraordinary lifestyle.

Illustrated with over eighty-five archival and contemporary photos, The Orchards of Perseverance entertains while arousing a wealth of thought-provoking questions and ideas that readers can incorporate into their daily life.

Customer Reviews:

A Realistic Book That Captures Trappist Life.......2005-06-01

David Perata's THE ORCHARDS OF PERSEVERANCE is one of the most interesting books on Catholic contemplative religious life available. Perata gives some background about the Cistercians, a group of Catholic monks and nuns also known as the Trappists whose life is based on the Rule of St. Benedict. The majority of the book contains interviews with monks, both priests and brothers, who live at New Clairvaux Abbey in Vina, California. The subjects of the interviews range from monks who have been in religious life for many years and the newest member of the community who eventually decides he is not called to the monastic life. In each of the interviews we see very different people struggling with a variety of issues with varied perspectives on life all searching for one thing: union with God. This book is not a pretty book so to speak. We do not find ideal people or perfect role models. What we do find are people who are real and attempt to live a life that is challenging for the person perusing it and fascinating for those of us who read about it and observe it. Reading about the joys and struggles of these monks can help us as we strive to live in our world and search for the same thing these men are searching for, and in many ways are finding.

I do know how the Trappists feel about the many books written by them. Some I'm sure they love and appreciate, others they probably would not mention because as anyone who has ever met a Trappist knows, courtesy is a hallmark of this order. Whenever I have visited a Trappist monastery, I usually head right to the bookstore and I do not find all the so called Trappist books, but I do always seem to find THE ORCHARDS OF PERSEVERANCE prominently displayed. My guess is the reason is that Trappists themselves find the book authentic, and quite frankly, that's good enough for me.

Insight into the Monastic and Spirtual life.......2004-10-09

Wonderful book filled with commentary from the monks. Offers a great analysis of the questions that many of us ask ourselves in this life and this book portrays the few whom make the sacrifices to actually live it.

A inside look from an outsider that is really an insider.......2002-01-06

So many questions I had about Trappist Monks were answered in this book. This is a must read book if you are at all interested mans relationship with God from men who spend there whole life working on this relationship. The author allows you to me them personally for he has a personal relationship with them from an early age. This is the book you wish someone would write and has. I highly recommend this book.

A inside look from an outsider that is really an insider.......2002-01-06

Down-to-earth Cistercians with hearts fixed on Heaven!.......2001-10-09

This compilation of interviews with the monks of New Clairvaux, California is a fascinating contribution to that part of Catholic literature that might be called, risking impertinence, "contemplative chic." The books of Thomas Merton remain a great influence, and there exists a considerable interest in Cistercian spirituality and the cloistered life. These ten monks, as diverse in ethnicity, personality, age, background, temperament, patterns of speech, as any ten persons you can find, share their views, their experiences, their recollections as to what prompted them to undertake the monastic adventure ... We have here a fairly down-to-earth lot, prayerful but not "head in the clouds" types, each of them conveying the necessity of perseverance and charity in a life that is anything but escapism!

There are three introductory chapters, explaining a little about Cistercian/Trappist history and detailing the schedule and the activities of your average monk (if there is such a thing!); these introductory chapters can probably be skimmed by those readers who have delved extensively into Merton or Pennington or who have made retreats at Trappist monasteries themselves. Some of the books in the Bibliography proffered as Suggested Reading can be avoided (Finley's book "Merton's Place of Nowhere" being not terribly magnetizing) ... and there are times when we read the interviews that we find Mr Perata's attempts to reproduce the speech of the monks to be a bit labored, but there is humor to be found (an octogenarian Irish monk: "readin', workin', & just meditatin' ... you've gotta start usin' your mantra"). Some of the personalities & histories in the interviews will be more attractive than others, but if the reader is interested in the Trappist life, "The Orchards of Perseverance" will be a welcome addition to the personal library. Essential? Perhaps not, but the words of these monks impart considerable charm & a fair amount of wisdom.

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Ant God is More Than Good

Thoughtful Narrative Motivates Reflection

The Ant God
Kelton Drew Earl
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1412073626
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Product Description

The characters of The Ant God are "Drew", and an angel named "Neo." Drew keeps an ant farm where he studies the daily existence of the ants. He wins an "interview with an angel" which allows him a two hour interview with the angel Neo.

During this interview he is entitled to ask any questions he chooses. Much of his questioning is directed to the position he has as the owner of an ant farm. Questions about man and his purpose are related to how an ant's can control their lives, but cannot control the individual ants, or their actions.

As Drew and Neo converse, they muse on the nature of wisdom, compassion, pain, fear, birth, death and re-birth in an afterlife.

This text is spiritual in nature, introspective and informative. You walk away from this text with a renewed desire to perform and excel in this life, at whatever you choose to do while you sojourn on this planet.

Kelton Drew Earl declares that The Ant God is a metaphorical story of a real experience which happened in his life.

To contact Kelton Drew Earl, or order copies of this book, please click on the following link:
keltondrewearl@aol.com

Customer Reviews:

Ant God is More Than Good.......2007-03-26

I just picked up a copy of Kelton Drew Earl's book "The Ant God." I couldn't really afford to buy it, but the library couldn't get it in so I had to purchase it. I don't regret buying it at all. It was very good and I enjoyed it very much! I plan on giving it to my mom and step dad to read. I think they will love it as well.

It reminded me of Neale Donald Walsh's "Conversations with God" and a little of the message in "The Celestine Prophecy." There was also a bit of "A Course in Miracles" thrown in. I was not sure what his direct influences or reading tastes were, but I could tell he was very well read.
He had a lot of intelligent things to say, which is saying a lot.

I agreed with his outlook overall. He had many things to say that were practical and profound. It was refreshing to see that he knew what he were talking about. I wasn't 100% sure how to categorize his beliefs, but they tend to take a Gnostic lean. They are fundamentally Christian, but with a philosophical and Zen twist.

His idea of performance was interesting, but I'm not sure I agree with his concept of Good and Evil. Hope and wishing seem to be the same thing in his book, which I am not sure I agree with either. I see his point about how wishing and not acting is wasteful, but having faith is often what drives us to act. In any case, at the end he was vibrating with love, which ended the book on a very positive note.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes to think critically about religion and philosophy.

Thoughtful Narrative Motivates Reflection.......2006-05-13

I appreciated the author's clever use of ant farm as an analogy for the human race and its unflagging spirit and drive to exist and excel despite its never knowing the answers to all the big questions: Why are we here? Who or what is ultimately responsible for our creation? What will happen to us when we expire? Ant God is a charming parable that makes the reader pause and reflect about what is truly important when carving out a life in an often difficult world. The character Drew is an everyman that all can relate to. And the illustrations are detailed, beautiful and unique.

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