Customer Reviews:
A good introduction but..........2007-05-14
As a member of one of the D9 sororities (Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.) I found this book to be a great intro for those that don't know much about the 9 organizations which make up the NPHC. Each organization's history and achievements are briefly reviewed along with some interviews of famous members and undergrad and grad chapters. I don't however find the answers to many questions that many people (D9 and non-D9) want to know. For a more in depth look into the history, legacy, and future of the D9, as well as the WHY's of Black Greek Letter Organizations, there is a phenomenal book out there titled "African American Fraternities and Sororities: The Legacy and The Vision." This book was written by D9 professors and scholars and is well worth the read. It will answer or attempt to answer many of the questions that most want to know, such as WHY D9 organizations do what they do? and HOW did it all get started? The book African American Fraternities And Sororities: The Legacy And The Vision is a great value to D9 members and non-D9 members alike, and especially for the other ethnic orgs (other BGLOs, Latin, Asian, Multicultural) that have copied the D9 in how they currently do things but do not know WHY we/they do them. It's a part of our history and heritage and you will find many of the answers to your questions in the book. If you want a great overall look into the D9, I recommend buying both books.
Nice..........2007-03-21
I was pleasantly surprised to see that this book was written without bias and did an adequate job of providing information on the 'divine nine'. I think it's wonderful that a person can pick this book up as a resource of the historical backgrounds of our cherished greek organizations.
Excellent.......2007-03-19
This book is a very great book especially for a high school graduate to look into the history of Black Sororities and Fratenities prior to attending college. Its a great reference tool while in college and deciding on which way to go.
History never felt so great.......2007-03-11
The Divine Nine is a very intersting and motivating book. The stories and accomplishments are so important to the black culture and Ross tells them in great detail.
Dissappointed: Not what I expected.......2007-02-18
I ordered this book along with the book In Search of Sisterhood on Tuesday and lets face it Amazon you really delivered, as I had both books by Friday and had completed reading The Divine Nine that same night. I am disappointed because I had hoped to learn more than the book delivered. I found more information by Googling each organization than what I found in this book. The author appears to have just bundled up generic known information and published it in a book with a few cheesy interviews from a few known members. Now it is time to reread In Search of Sisterhood because I have read this book once and I loved it so much that I had to have my own copy.
Book Description
The Secret Science of Numerology is unlike any other book on numerology, because it explains why numerology works. It reveals the science behind this ancient mystical art. And, the book introduces the Inner Guidance Number, a powerful tool for accessing our inner knowing.
The Secret Science of Numerology is the first book to present a thorough explanation of the numbers and letters, starting with their origins-the how and why of their design, and exploring their nature in names and in language.
Customer Reviews:
THE SECRET SCIENCE OF NUMEROLOGY: THE HIDDEN MEANING OF NUMBERS AND LETTERS.......2007-01-08
We find this book presents an interesting reader-friendly introduction to the historical bases and concepts of Numerology, including delightful discussions of concepts of potential energy vibrations associated with sounds, colors, words, numbers, etc., and how these vibrations may affect the energy fields, etc., in the world in which we live. We feel whether one is reading the book as a serious student or simply to read for curiosity of the concepts presented, the material is presented in interesting, thought stimulating writings, and it is for these reasons we have shared this book with our friends. Amazon.com offers competitive pricing and timely deliveries. Happy reading !!!
Amazing Insight.......2004-06-14
Shirley has been practicing numerology longer than most of us have been alive. She brings this depth of experience alive on the page, as she explores the meanings of the various numbers and their vibrations.
Shirley takes each number back to its Kabbalist Roots. She demonstrates how the meaning and energy captured in the original pictograms is still alive, if hidden, in the meaning of the numbers and letters we use today. The Example of how the Hebrew Letter
Alph, which evolved into our letter A, is in fact a pictogram of an Ox's head, turned upside down. Now take that image, it is also a stylized picture of the female reproductive system. So A is tied intimately to the creative principle of the universe. This is just a tiny example, but letter by letter she lays bare why given shapes where chosen to represent different vibrations. Shirley's vision of numerology is rooted deeply in the tradition that sees number as vibration, and vibration as music. She will truly introduce you to the music of the spheres.
Shirley's ease with the subject makes the style of this book very conversational, and yes that leads to a lot of anecdotal passages. Personally I find the anecdotal material one of the strengths of the book. Here we have the direct experience of a practitioner with 40 plus years in her craft. This is one of the best books I have ever read. Even if your not interested in divination now, by the time you finish the book you may well be! An author with a wonderful voice, talking passionately, and knowledgably about the craft she loves. It doesn't get much better than this.
All that glitters is not gold.......2002-05-27
If I were to rate this book on marketing and appearance, it would get 5 stars. The cover is nice, the title is catchy, the paper is high quality, and the text is nice.
But all that glitters is not gold. And maybe not even silver, or come to think of it, worthwhile. This book glitters, but definitely isn't gold.
The main problems I had was that it is full of logical fallacies and irrelevant, anecdotal, and circumstancial "evidence." Actually that's two problems. Big ones.
But don't believe me because just *I* said so. Here's an example: she says that because the Hebrew equivalent for the letter "h" has a particular meaning within Kabbalistic Numerology (itself a distinction she slyly fails to make), the letter "h" in English therefore has the same meaning. Since when are different languages interchangeable? Next thing we know it'll be Greek, or better yet, Korean!
And her "evidence" is largely anecdotal. Most people know that if you set out looking for something, you'll find it; if you have a preconception about the way it's supposed to be, it quite likely will end up being that way. And of course she found the "evidence" she needed to "flesh out" her dog- er, I mean beliefs. As such, her stories become very shaky "evidence," at best circumstancial.
This reminds me of another thing that bothered me a lot. Ms. Lawrence should probably study physics along with metaphysics; there are four elementary particles so far discovered: neutron, electron, proton, and neutrino. She also made several other scientific errors - perhaps the next version will correct those "minor errors" as well. Bad Science isn't such a big deal ... unless your book has "Science" in the title.
All of this -[in my opinion] - thoroughly destroyed Ms. Lawrence's credibility.
I don't have anything against Ms. Lawrence or numerology (I'm quite fond of the latter, actually), but it was seriously disappointing to buy this book and find it to be so uncredible. If I disregard what I knew both before and after reading this book, the "hidden meaning of numbers and letters" would still be "hidden."
Remarkable.......2001-10-30
I've been enchanted with the Science of Numerology for several months now and was delighted to happened upon this book. The study seems to take off and form a personality of it's own..insatiable! Each new discovery is a victory, but leads to an even greater need for more information. Ms. Lawrence seems to be a tuned-in kindred soul in that she addresses all those questions that come to mind. She addresses the history of every number/and corresponding letter, she validates what you've discovered on your own and shares her own invaluable findings. The book is well thought-out, beautifully written and jamb-packed with facinating information. Wonderful Read..thanks.
Amazon.com
The Book of Letters: A Mystical Alef-Bait is written in English, but the format is classically Talmudic. The book opens from right to left, ending on the page where most readers are accustomed to beginning. Lawrence Kushner, a Massachusetts rabbi whose writings have helped restore a mystical dimension to popular Judaism in America, wrote The Book of Letters in beautiful calligraphy that is reproduced on every page of this finely bound edition. The text does not so much analyze or explain the letters of the Hebrew alphabet as play with them, teasing their forms and functions for hints of their significance. Noting that aleph, the unpronounceable first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, is also the first letter of the names of the first man (Adam), the first Jew (Abraham), and the herald of the last man (Elijah), as well as the first letter of the first commandment, Kushner notes that "The most basic words there are begin with the most primal sound there is." The Book of Letters is full of seriously playful insights like this. It's a marvelous guide to meditation, a primer for students of Hebrew calligraphy, and a fun introduction to learning Hebrew. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
In calligraphy by the author. Folktales about and exploration of the mystical meanings of the Hebrew Alphabet. Open the old prayerbook-like pages of
The Book of Letters and you will enter a special world of sacred tradition and religious feeling. More than just symbols, all twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet overflow with meanings and personalities of their own. Rabbi Kushner draws from ancient Judaic sources, weaving Talmudic commentary, Hasidic folktales, and Kabbalistic mysteries around the letters. Each letter is illuminated and, together with the comments, is presented in the author s original calligraphy, recalling the look and feel of ancient medieval manuscripts.
Customer Reviews:
Really Good.......2007-04-06
THE BOOK IS VERY GOOD; SIMPLY AND DIRECT TO THE CUESTION; A VERY GOOD GUIDE TO THE MISTYCISM IN THE HEBREW AND JEWISH.
The Book Of Letters.......2007-03-29
Fun Book to read , the Author has a sense of humor and I believe this is a much better way to learn.
GGold
Eh..........2007-01-23
I enjoy Rabbi Kushner's books, but Sefer Otiyot is frankly a bit of a disappointment. Not that there's nothing good about the book -- no; in fact, it is arty and would make a very nice gift book for someone. But if you really want to study the "mystical meaning" of Ketav Ashurit, then I would go with Rabbi Monk's book instead.
Sefer OTiYOT is truly a Prayerbook of Hebrew Letters.......2006-08-23
The first words from the Book Cover, speak literal truth: When opening this Prayerbook-feeling of like pages as "The Book of Letters" you enter a special world of sacred, traditional and religious feeling. More than just symbols, all 22 letters of the Hebrew Alef-Bait become like personalities all their own.
The SEFER OTiYOT exist independently of ink and paper or even words. The good Rabbi again spins out his volumes of meaning, much the same as in the Introduction to The BOOK Of WORDS. "The SEFER OTiYOY (written in Hebrew letters) have been a mystical Alef-Bait and fantasy for the Jewish people all through their history...One mythical hope with this book is to keep that tradition alive for so many who have even forgotten some of the letters!"
Each beautifully ornamented Hebrew Letter from ALEF...to SHIN... to TAV...is carefully introduced almost in Rabbinical language! I can only quote from SHIN: "Shin is the letter just before the end. It is the fitting together of all the parts. The restoration of all the scattered shards parts. This is Shin: Peace (Hebrew) SHALOM. Completion. Wholeness.
Rabbi Kushner likely spent many hours, many days, maybe even many years, creatively putting together these mystical letters and words of the Hebrew Alef-Bait. What a treasure of spiritual depth, learning and wisdom in few pages. Reverently from Retired Chap Fred W Hood
Stunning.......2006-01-12
It is believed that G-d spoke the universe into existance using the letters of the Hebrew Alefbet. Each letter, therefore, carries within it one 22nd of the energy of the universe. Kushner captures this so beautifully in The Book of Letters. Each page is a collage. Each letter beautifully drawn. Each description a love letter to G-d.
This is truly a holy book.
Average customer rating:
- A Durrell treasure chest
- A great read for Durrell enthusiasts
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Spirit of Place: Letters and Essays on Travel
Lawrence Durrell
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Customer Reviews:
A Durrell treasure chest.......2000-12-06
Here we have a marvelous collection of short works by Lawrence Durrell that should satisfy both beginners and older Durrell addicts.
We all know that, as the most brilliant member of a brilliant family, LD had an enviably interesting life, living all over the globe for more or less long periods and reflecting deeply on what he observed. This volume shows that he also had a fascinating inner life -- of the mind, the soul, the spirit. Edited by Alan G. Thomas, it contains letters and articles along with excerpts from early works that show the writer had lots of star quality even as a young man, even if the world didn't come to know about it till The Alexandria Quartet.
Durrel seems to have been capable of a very wide range of emotions and feelings. Mostly he had a childlike (but not childish) sense of wonder at the world and the great diversity to be found among people of various nations and climates. Also central to his emotional life is his sense of compassion...this becomes clear in the short memoir about J. Gawsworth.
The letters -- to such figures as Freya Stark, Theoldore Stephamides, his agent Anne Ridler, and even T.S. Eliot, among others, are written from a variety of locales and offer insightful comments, especially comparative observations, on places and people. He tries to get to the heart of the notion of identity, what it means to a Frenchman, say, to be French, or Greekness to a Greek. He himself was not exactly taken with Argentina and he had no love at all for its people, whom he rightly describes as zombies. Of course he loved Greece above all nations and is proud to speak Greek fluently. He probably would have had many good things to say about Yugoslavia but the blight of Communist dictatorship colors his reaction to life in that sad country.
Like most persons of high and genuine refinement, he is hopelessly enamored of French culture and civilization. Some of the finest pieces in this book deal with French writers and artists (Stendhal is the preferred novelist and gets a lot of attention here). But Durrell is also interested in more mundane, everyday pursuits like wine production, studies at a university, and political allegiances.
Still, Durrells strongest, most enduring love is reserved for Greece and the Greek people among whom he lived for so many years. Especially touching is the piece where he describes his return to the Island of Corfu as an acclaimed writer after a twenty year absence only to discover that his old friends and neighbors, whose lives he had described so beautifully in his writings, have now become infected with materialism, commercialism and the profit motive, and they even want to capitalize on his fame. They suggest he come back to the village and live in his former house so they can get more money from the tourists by showing him off to them.
Yet the timeless beauty of the Greek people and the earthly paradise they inhabit comes shining forth in very many pages of this splendid book, which was editied and published during the writer's lifetime.
A great read for Durrell enthusiasts.......1999-01-01
The book is a collection of letters, short works, and excerpts from larger works by Durrell. Of particular interest is 'Asylum in the Snow' & 'Zero', which were written around the time Durrell visited Henry Miller & Anäis Nin in Paris. The two short stories are remarkable for such a young writer, and give ample reason for T.S. Eliot's extremely high praise for Durrell. Feel free to email me to discuss this book.
Amazon.com
A few months ago, a friend I was talking with began to tell me about a friend of his named Gary Isaacs, who was working at the downtown headquarters of one of the city's top investment houses as an executive in the division monitoring the savings-and-loan crisis. Though Isaacs was just thirty-two years old, my friend recounted, he had previously worked on the Street in several other capacities as well, and before that he'd had a notably successful career in an entirely different field; what's more, it seemed he was about to quit this one, too, and to head off in yet another direction. When I asked my friend what the previous career had been, and, for that matter, what the new one was going to be, he replied that it would be far more entertaining for me to hear the whole story from the man himself, which is how, a few days later, I came to find myself in the sleek elevator of one of downtown's better-known headquarters zooming up towards I didn't have the faintest idea what.
Lawrence Weschler is, simply put, one of the best journalists ever to have written for the New Yorker--of an equal rank to masters like Joseph Mitchell, Philip Hamburger, and John McPhee. Most of the articles in this volume were first published in 1988 as Shapinsky's Karma, Boggs's Bills, and Other True-Life Tales (the story of Boggs has been extracted and expanded into its own book); each of them profiles a creative individual who "works and works at something, which then happens of its own accord: it would not have happened without all the prior work, true, but its happening cannot be said to have resulted from all that work, the way effects are said to result from a series of causes." For republication, Weschler has provided updates on each of his subjects, from Maus creator Art Spiegelman to the now-deceased musical lexicographer Nicolas Slonimsky (whom Weschler profiled at the age of 92, and arguably at the peak of his career). He's also added two new "passion pieces," including a profile of comic artist Ben Katchor. A Wanderer in the Perfect City is as close to perfect as books get, and my advice to you is to get a copy, read it, and then reread it whenever your faith in literature needs restoring. If at all possible, get two copies, so you can share this graceful anthology yet never have to part with it. (Oh, and in case you were wondering, Gary Isaacs was a former rocket scientist who ran away from Wall Street to join the circus.) --Ron Hogan
Book Description
“There is something both marvelous and hilarious,” writes Lawrence Weschler, “in watching the humdrum suddenly take flight. This is, in part, a collection of such launchings.”
Indeed, the eight essays collected in A Wanderer in the Perfect City do soar into the realm of passion as Weschler profiles people who “were just moseying down the street one day, minding their own business, when suddenly and almost spontaneously, they caught fire, they became obsessed, they became intensely focused and intensely alive.” With keen observations and graceful prose, Weschler carries us along as a teacher of rudimentary English from India decides that his destiny is to promote the paintings of an obscure American abstract expressionist; a gifted poker player invents a more exciting version of chess; an avant-garde Russian émigré conductor speaks Latin, exclusively, to his infant daughter; and Art Spiegelman composes Maus. But simple summaries can’t do these stories justice: like music, they derive their character from digressions and details, cadence and tone. And like the upwelling of passion Weschler’s characters feel, they are better experienced than explained.
“Weschler seems so hungry for life that the rest of us become hungry for him . . . a magician, a performer, and a scholar. All in one.”—from the Foreword by Pico Iyer
“Weschler’s essays are exquisitely written—so perfectly and unobtrusively organized that one can’t imagine telling them a better way.” —New York Times Book Review
“Weschler is the owner of a large dose of novelistic vision, and a particularly poetic set of ears, but . . . as important an endowment as a novelist’s eye or a poet’s ear is still the journalistic nose which led him down the proverbial alley.”—National Post (Canada)
“Weschler is a thoughtful observer and a superb storyteller.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
Customer Reviews:
Weschler is a Superb Non-Fiction Writer.......2006-08-17
The one thing that strikes me most about Weschler's writing is that he allows his subjects to talk. His quotes are long. One good thing about this is that the reader really gets to know the subjects well. It's almost like a Q&A format. Thus, there is very little room for subjective opinions in Weschler's writing; he tells it like it is.
This style leads, ultimately, to long articles -- one is almost 70 pages, the length of a short novella -- each naunce of the topic is covered from multiple perspectives, giving the reader a complete picture.
My favorite article in the book is about a former rocket scientist turned Wall Street broker turned circus clown. Weschler chronicles the decision of one MIT grad to live his life-long dream of attending clown school. Along the way, Weschler convolves Aerospace engineering, bond trading, and circus performing, and allows the reader to see why each activity is just as difficult as the next.
Recommended for all aspiring non-fiction writers. Study the craft of Lawrence Weschler!
Classic -- at least for me.......2002-03-01
I bought this collection from Amazon without any knowledge whatsoever of its contents or scope: I had read some Weschler pieces years and years ago with great profit, and after having randomly encountered his "Mr Wilson's Cabinet Of Wonder" recently, wanted to re-acquaint myself with his work. Imagine then my shock and delighted astonishment to find "Wanderer In The Perfect City" to be an almost complete re-issue of his "Shapinsky's Karma, Boggs' Bills," a beautifully made volume (printed by the North Point Press, seemingly defunct now, alas) of beautifully written "passion pieces," so-called in that they're focussed on artists singularly focussed (alternates: obsessed; crazed) upon a visionary (alt. quirky; really quirky) purpose that consumes and sustains their lives, their artistic being. A better review than this one would now list some examples of what I've just written, but unfortunately for you I'm only writing this review; and to be honest, a list of "those kooky artists and their kooky dreams!" would be a disservice to the sympathetic care Weschler employs in these portraits.
Reading the original edition of "Shapinsky's Karma, Bogg's Bills" was one of my watershed discoveries made at the time of life when everything is a discovery. "Shapinsky's Karma..." was an eye-opener for me, an inspiration; it was also the second hardcover book I'd ever bought, a weighty commitment for a boy like me, but a most fortuitous one. (The first hardcover I ever bought was "Heretics of Dune." _That_ wasn't nearly as inspirational.)
Coming across "Shapinsky's Karma..." again in this new form and fourteen years later, is therefore an occasion of some contemplation and a little rue: to remember the impressionable kid I first reading that beautifully blue tome; and to see it again in this perfectly fine edition, a little faded, a little dated. Some of its subjects who languished in relative obscurity back in 1988 have become well-known, like Boggs and Spiegelman; a great many others seem to have simply faded away. Perhaps this is an indirect demonstration of passion and its curatives, its flutterings and gutterings.
This new edition differs from the original in that the 1988 piece on Mark Boggs has been pulled; Weschler has expanded it into book-length. It's been supplanted with a piece on, I think, Ben Katchor, or whoever the "Mr. Knipl" cartoonist is.
curious look into eccentric lives.......1999-05-02
In this book the author writes nonfiction articles about various interesting characters. He talks to an art promoter, a cartoonist and all sorts of others. The art promoter was an Indian who discover an unknown abstract expressionist in New York, and gets him know in the art world. It's a strange thing how it works out. There is something funky, and offbeat about all these characters, but what is really cool about the authors writing, is that it is very easy too imagine what these people are like. Very cool book.
Amazon.com
Divination--telling the future by magical means--is a dodgy business. Deuteronomy deemed it "repulsive to God." And yet Jews have always attempted to discern the future in various ways, including the casting of lots and meditation upon the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph Beit. Richard Seidman presents a primer for the latter form of divination in The Oracle of Kabbalah. A brief historical overview of Jewish divination--beginning with the fact that the Hebrew word for letter, ot, also means "sign, symbol, or miracle"--leads to direct instruction on using Hebrew letters as a means of divination.(The letters printed on a deck of cards are included with this book.) The basic technique is as follows: "Take three slow, deep breaths from the belly. Formulate a question ... pray for inspiration and receptivity," pick a card, look up the description of the letter you've drawn, meditate on that letter's meaning, and "be receptive to any glimmers of intuition that arise." --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
The twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph Beit, are not merely the building blocks of a language, but something far more profound. Each letter is an ancient key that can help unlock the great secrets of the spiritual world, a set of powerful symbols that can grant insight into the mysteries of our own souls. The Aleph Beit are part of Kabbalah, the teachings and wisdom of Jewish mysticism, and have been a closely guarded secret for centuries. According to the earliest known book on Jewish mysticism, The Sefer Yetzirah (The Book of Creation), the entire universe was formed through the combinations of these twenty-two letters, and ancient mystics, drawing on the divine power residing in the letters, would meditate upon their forms, using them as portals through which they could discover the secrets of the past, the future and the human soul.Inspired by the tarot, another mystic system of divination and meditation, Richard Seidman has created The Oracle of Kabbalah. To unlock the power of the letters, the reader draws a card at random from the deck, and then, using the book as a guide, meditates upon the card's symbol. When one is uncertain or afraid, the cards will bring guidance and support. When one has questions about how to act, the cards will show you the path that is already deep inside you. And when one has questions about what is yet to come, the cards will reveal the answers already printed on your soul.As Seidman writes in his introduction, "Each letter is an archetype and each letter is a koan and each letter is a dream and each letter is a poem."These twenty-two letters, infused with the wisdom and philosophy of Kabbalah, form the basis of The Oracle of Kabbalah.Each of the twenty-two cards features one of the original Hebrew letters, and serves as both a guide and a teacher, initiating us into deeper levels of intuition and spiritual understanding, while helping us to discover the mystic potential the lies within us all.
Customer Reviews:
a friendly & insightful oracle!.......2007-07-27
I have this deck and i'm just starting to use it. At first, the simple cards, just with the letters elegantly drawn, didn't seem to me very interesting. I bought it mostly for the book, which IS wonderful (i don't regret the money spent on it at all)!
Then...it started calling me. The gentle simplicity of the cards attracted me, the way the cards are small (at least in the brazilian version), i can handle them perfectly. I've been putting them under my pillow when i go to sleep - not that it has been giving me any big revelation dreams, no yet, but it feels...comfortable.
As i said, i've just started using it, but i feel that i get very insightful answers in the book whenever i draw a card. Even if apparently doesn't make sense first, later i realize what exactly the letter wants to tell me.
I think many of people might not feel atracted to this oracle because of apparently 'empty' the cards. Don't do this. It's a wonderful deck, in it's own way. When reading it, since the card shows only the letter and a few numbers, i don't find myself projecting upon it anything. I let the letter take me where i'm supposed to go - it tells me a story, then it listens to me. Feels like an old friend sometimes.
My experiences with this oracle are, so far, really great. I really recommend it to anyone studying the Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism, culture and religion, the Hebrew Alphabet etc. It brings together things from different cultures and religions (like Zen and Mayan) but in a balanced way. Like the author himself said, it's no "new-age mish mash".
A Learning Tool.......2005-12-22
If you are interested in learning Hebrew letters,this is a great tool. I would recommend that you purchase this "New" rather than used.I purchased a used one and ended up with just the book and no cards.It was worth ordering again, as I use the cards as flash cards on a daily basis..Plus,the meanings are insightful.
The depth and richness of the mystical language.......2005-11-03
The Oracle of Kabbalah gives the reader an appreciation of the depth and richness of the Hebrew language. Richard Seidman gives you a guide into the mystical capacity of meditating on, and interpreting the Hebrew language. This is a journey into your mystical and spiritual capacity as you connect with the language of the Divine. The symbols are richly provided with both detailed information on the Hebrew language and its Kabbalistic interpretation. I suggest to my students to use the cards as both meditation and to delve into their current state of consciousness. Not just a divination tool but a tool to develop our own connection to the One.
Compassionate and Accessible.......2001-11-26
Richard Seidman's Oracle of the Kabbalah is a gift for those seeking to apply traditional wisdom to their everyday lives. The ancient meanings of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are presented along with inspirational discussions that run the gamut from the humorous to the profound and draw on other wisdom traditions. The author's personal reflections help anchor the teachings to our common experiences.
Rabbi Kushner's foward and the author's introduction ground one in the history and application of these mystical letters. The book and its companion set of cards are very user friendly, providing one with an insightful and welcome perspective when seeking direction.
I'm grateful to Richard Seidman for providing me with both a compassionate form of guidance and a readily accessible introduction to these sacred letters. This is a book that I'll refer to again and again.
Deep mysticism.......2001-10-04
Usually people don't think of Jews as being mystics, but many of us are. Jewish mysticism is different from New Age mystricism in that Jewish mysticism is grounded in text -- and letters. From there, it takes flight. This book is a good start for Jews and non-Jews alike, especially if you have trouble with the conventional idea of Big-Guy-in-the-Sky God. If the idea of hidden depths in Hebrew letters intrigues you, also take a look at Larry Kushner's "The Book of Letters" ....
Book Description
A legendary editor at The New Yorker during its first thirty-four years, Katharine S. White was also a great garden enthusiast. In March 1958 she began publishing her popular column, "Onward and Upward in the Garden." Her first column elicited loads of fan mail, but one letter in particular caught her attention. From Elizabeth Lawrence, a noted southern garden writer, it was filled with suggestions and encouragement. When Katharine wrote back her appreciation, she reported on her Maine garden and discussed the plants and books that interested her. Thus began a correspondence that would last for almost twenty years, until Katharine's death in 1977. Two Gardeners is a collection of these luminous letters, edited and introduced by Emily Herring Wilson. The letters bring to life the unique epistolary friendship between two intelligent women, the "formidable" Mrs. White and the "shy" Miss Lawrence, both avid gardeners and readers, both at a stage of life when to make a new friend was rare indeed: when they first wrote to one another, Katharine was sixty-two, Elizabeth, fifty-four. More than 150 letters went back and forth during the course of their correspondence, though Katharine and Elizabeth would meet face-to-face only once. Whether talking about gardens or books, friends or family, each held a special place in the other's life. Illustrated with photographs of both Katharine White and Elizabeth Lawrence, their families, gardens, and houses, this book is a special treat for gardeners, literature lovers, and anyone who delights in reading about women's friendships.
Customer Reviews:
Gardening grows long-distance friendship.......2007-03-09
From what I could tell in their letters, Katharine White and Elizabeth Lawrence only met in person once. Their correspondence allowed them to know one another in such a different manner. The differences between a "Southern" and "Northern" gardener were trivial in so many ways. And yet, their friendship let each woman grow in gardening knowledge.
I picked the book up because I've visited Blue Hill, Maine and have always loved E.B. White's work. Now I'm going looking for more of Katharine and Elizabeth.
Amazon.com
This is another good book to have at your desk for those between-chapter breaks: flip it open and read from this distillation of over 300 letters written by D. H. Lawrence. There are letters to lords and ladies, culture barons, chambermaids and pals, discoursing widely on Whitman, wilderness ("the big old pagan cosmos"), German gingerbread, and Mexican railways--the selections are fun and lively, and they illuminate an era. Plus, his political predictions tend to be right on the money: "Chaos," Lawrence writes, "is necessary for Russia." For the peripatetic author, too: Lawrence never stayed in one place too long. The better to keep up the letters.
Book Description
D.H. Lawrence's renowned creativity is conspicuous in his letters. He wrote to aristocrats, fellow authors, painters, publishers, and others from the intelligentsia--but with equal concern to his sisters, a childhood friend suffering from tuberculosis, a post office clerk or an Italian servant-girl. Lawrence reveled in the act of communication, using a direct, unvarnished but invariably vivid style appropriate to each correspondent. In this book, over 330 of Lawrence's letters, carefully chosen from the authoritative seven-volume Cambridge Edition exemplify Lawrence's artistry and humanness. In his introductory essay James T. Boulton provides a rare critical assessment of Lawrence's epistolary achievement. There are annotations to the letters, a biographical list of correspondents, brief chronological and descriptive introductions to each section and a full general index. This selection will appeal to Lawrence aficionados and will make good companion reading to his works.
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