4 comments about Complete Idiot's Guide to the Life of Christ.

1. This book goes into great detail of the life of Jesus Christ, and his teachings according to the Bible. One thing I resented was the author's belief that Jesus did not walk on water, the author refers to it as a figure of speech. He also denies that Jesus actually fed 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, again referring to it as a symbol, not as an actual occurence. Although meant in a good way, it still apalled me to hear this, as a Christian who believes the Bible is the absolute truth. If one can say those events did not actually happen, what else could be said about the credibility of the Gospels? I would recommend reading the BIBLE to study Jesus' life.



2. Unlike other books of this sort, "Life of Christ" actually manages to teach you something! Not only does it focus on the existence of Jesus, the greatest teacher and thinker of all time, but it also includes details about the patriarchs, the prophets, the related history -- all the information you need to fully appreciate the tragically inspirational story of Jesus Christ. The author is truly gifted and talented; his own attitude and writing style are something to marvel at! This is a definite must read for all who are curious about the world's most passionate teacher and savior!



3. I found this book to be quite excellent.It is written simply, like most Idiot's guides. The information to my knowledge is quite accurate. I was actually surprised at the quality of this book. From the culture surrounding Jesus, to his birth, life, and death, this book covers it all. The book is packed with interesting facts. It is not overly complex, and won't try to "convert" anyone. It simply gives an overview of Christ. But even non-Christians will admire Jesus Christ after reading about his truly awesome life on this earth.



4. Yes, something good can come from Nazareth, and here we have something good about the same thing, coming out of Complete Idiot-land. It's a little hard to get used to, since it's not really a Sunday school paper, but not quite a copy of the New Testament, either.

   Includes sections on how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, and a section analyzing the Book of Revelation. Doing this explores the context of Christ's life, and this format ends up producing a refreshing new look.

   The radical nature of Christ's message comes out clearly, as the author here boils it down: don't worry about anything; disregard hypocrites; love your neighbor.

   The anaylsis of the four gospel books is pretty standard. For a guy who, according to the back cover, is on a teaching gig at St. John the Divine cathedral in NYC (home of ultra-liberals like William Sloane Coffin), the author is remarkably Orthodox in his approach. Althouth he's a Presbyterian, he's in touch with urban ministries and younger people, all of which comes out here.

   The anti-scholastic tone achieved by the cover and packaging may also be more authentically Christ-like than most people would think. The author leaves room in his writing for doubts about who Jesus was, or is, which is also appropriate for this medium.

4 comments about The Journey of Private Galione.

1. This was a great book! I usually take two weeks or more to read a book, but I read this one in a week. It's the story of a soldier who followed his heart and wound up saving a lot of Holocaust victims, and also found the German's super secret rocket manufacturing facility. The story has been kept quiet for over 50 years because the soldier was made to take an oath not to reveal it. I am extremely glad that this man's daughter decided to write his story and let the world know of his discovery.



2. this was a great book! While you definitely have to be into history a little bit to enjoy the book the amazing glory that is given to God is wonderful! Definitely would recommend it to others.



3. I am a lover of history. This book is packed full of it. I learned things I never knew had happened. I recommend this book to those who love history and want more knowledge about World War Two and the Holocaust.



4. I really enjoyed the book, couldn't put it down. God has a purpose for our life, and it was awesome to read how God used Private Galione in World War 2. Mary Nahas did an excellent job writing her dad's story. The ending of the book was my favorite part. To God be all the glory!!

1 comments about Dante Alighieri: Divine Comedy, Divine Spirituality (The Crossroad Spiritual Legacy Series).

1. Robert Royal has managed to write a book which makes Dante's Divine Comedy not only more understandable for the average reader, but which makes you want to actually read Dante's classic. One of the chief reasons why this is such a good book is that Royal takes Dante's spiritual leanings seriously, unlike some commentators who see Dante as doing mostly political commentary. I recently used Royal's book as I embarked on teaching The Inferno to a high school student I was tutoring. It was an invaluable resource and made things clearer than the notes found in either edition of The Inferno we were using. I am now looking forward to finishing The Divine Comedy myself for the first time, inspired by Robert Royal. Thank you to the author for making this classic accessible for someone who doesn't read Italian, but who does share Dante's Catholic faith.

5 comments about Star in the East: Krishnamurti--the invention of a Messiah.

1. The author of this book makes his own biases clear in the way he characterizes the various people who make up this fascinating history. It is a virtue that he does so, for it makes easier the reader's attempt to evaluate the figures portrayed across the near-century of Krishnamurti's life. In Madame Blavatsky, Charles Leadbetter, Annie Besant, and others, there is no lack for colorful and dubious characters to enliven this tale.
   
   But it is not fiction. The Theosophical Society, an occult fraternity founded by Blavatsky, came to expect the discovery of a Messiah, a World Teacher. That someone proved to be a malnourished, seemingly vacant-minded young boy discovered during a visit to the beach near Madras. K (as he came to be referred to in later life) was removed to the Theosophy center in that area, where he was subsequently fed, educated, and groomed for his life as the Vehicle of the sacred.
   
   The story is one of the jostling for place and recognition in a spiritual hothouse of jealousies, competition for recognition, and the role of K as he matured from utterly pliant child to increasingly restive adult. His ultimate emergence as a very independent and iconoclastic "Messiah" proved to be either the undoing or the fulfillment of Theosophy's original hope--depending upon to whom one listens.
   
   The author ends this volume with the ultimate chapter's consideration of the significance of K, and various views of his life. To the author's credit, he once again makes his own perspective clear enough, while presenting a good range of varying viewpoints. The reader will be sufficiently equipped to consider more than just the author's "take" on this matter.
   
   Whatever K was, the reality is that we are left with ourselves. As he pointed out during the decades of his talks presented around the world, it is up to the individual to find the truth, relying upon no doctrine or authority. If nothing else were to emerge from his life's work, that message alone would seem worth taking to mind and heart.



2. I found this book interesting and amazing. It was a detailed account of his early life and the beginning of his spiritual path.
   
   Krishnamurti was being "groomed" to be the next Messiah. At some point he decided that he did not want that for his life and left the organization that was preparing him for this role in his life.
   
   Krishnamurti's wisdom is undenyable it shines through all of his books. A clear spirituality that completely transcends religousness and cuts clear to the shining light of the spirit.
   
   I enjoyed this book tremendously and would recommend it to anyone.



3. There will be no definitive work regarding Jiddu Krishnamurti. After reading Pupil Jayakar's biography of Krishnamurti, and following my interest with Star in the East: Krishnamurti, I think both books compliment each other.
   
   Star in the East: Krishnamurti is well researched, and a delight to read. Regardless of your personal perspective, the story of Krishnamurti is relevent and important to understand. It bridges the Victorian and Edwardian societies of the turn of the century, with the idealism and hope for a better world, with a "new" approach to creating a universal brotherhood focused around a single world religion.
   
   The author points out that the world teacher project may have been created as a diversion away from leadbeater's alleged pedophilia misconduct.
   
   Krishnamurti is a role model and worth serious academic study. The star in the east does a fine job, and summarizes volumes of published material.
   
   "Pax Pax", in British schoolboy slang of circa 1910 meant truce. I think Krishnamurti came to terms with Leadbeater and the T.S. in the 1980s. Krishnamurti's biography is a fascinating story, unable to be told in a single book.
   
   Millions of words were printed about the T.S., yet none of it is useful or relevant. Krishnamurti's later works and the story of his life is relevant and important to the 21st century.



4. It was quite disappointing to read that the man who claimed to live an unconditioned life without inner conflict did anything but. K once said 'If we could,and we must, establish a deep,long, abiding relationship with nature, with the actual trees, the bushes, the flowers, the grass and the fast-moving clouds, then we would never slaughter another human being for any reason whatsoever'. He had no compunction, however, in persuading Rosalind to have two abortions - this from a man who supposedly believed in the sanctity of all life and had a strict vegetarian diet. K supporters might argue that the teachings are more important than the teacher but I think these revalations are devastating. K claimed to have 'seen' and therefore had freed himself of his conditioning, but the facts of his life do not bear this out. He did not 'see', he was conditioned, and therefore when he spoke about the 'immeasurable' and 'that which is most real'etc. he was speaking about something he had never really come in to contact with.I feel the author could have gone into some aspects of K's life a bit more,particularly Rosalind's abortions which only receive one paragraph on page 203. However, this book is well worth reading and shows, regardless of what the authors intentions might be, that Krishnamurti was a liar and a hypocrite.



5. Having read some written conversations of Krishnamurti's (On God, On Truth, & Awaking of Intelligence) & trying to find a book that he wrote (there are a few early ones, but Krishnamurti in his later life did not believe in books), this well written but questionable biography helped fill in the historical gaps. The book starts with his Theosophical Society upbringing under Besant & Leadbeater when Madam Blavatsky had already pass away, but basic historial details of the Society are mention. I am not sure if the author was fair to each of the leaders or just over described, or focused too much on the historical "Dirt", specially on Leadbeater. Sometimes the book jumped back & forth in time, & I had to reread to sort out the chronological order. Also Krishnamurti's affair with Rosalind Williams Rajagopal, was the information from Rosalind daughter's book or was it independently researched? In the end the book revealed many things about Krishnamurti that his written conversations did not reveal. For example: before I read this biography, I looked at Krishnamurti as a forced messiah turned nihilist philosopher teaching practical mysticism, but in the end I see a man still under certain influences (entities or Kundalini) while claiming to be free (another paradox). The book was very enjoyable, but read it with an open mind & do what Krishnamutri would do: question it & find out for yourself.

5 comments about Saints in Love: The Forgotten Loves Between Holy Women and Men and How They Can Make Our Relationships Divine.

1. "Saints in Love" is among today's fast-growing library of Christian self-help books. What distinguishes it is the freshness of language and insights that link the experiences of well-known saints to our own.
   
   Hallundbaek takes as her templates four famous pairs, linked forever by their work and by their correspondence. They include Clare and Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, Catherine of Siena and Pope Gregory XI, Francis De Sales and Jane De Chantal.
   
   In each case, as Hallundbaek observes of Clare and Francis, "Much of their passion, perseverance and success would come from this central point of enclosure, of being turned to each other, forsaking all others, all earthly options, all worldly distractions, both wills rooted in the love and service of God."
   
   From the lives of people who have established or revived great religious orders and shared insights into faith that have stood the test of centuries, Hallundbaek distills guidance that makes a virtue of diversity and finds strength in differences. It is an approach with particular relevance in our own time.
   
   Hallundbaek presents portraits of saints who are open to change - in the accepted social structure of their day and in their conception of God, which they encourage to evolve throughout their lives.
   
   The result is a dynamic existence where religious faith and daily life interact in exciting ways - both for saints and those who seek to learn from them.



2. The first chapter is a bit gushy in describing the relationship between Francis of Assissi and Clare. The relationships between the remaining pairs of saints are described less breathlessly; in fact, by today's standards, they seem to reflect the typical corporate relationship between teammates, regardless of gender. Most annoying in the final chapter is the poor editing, in which quotes are attributed to Francis of Assissi instead of Francis de Sales -- despite the fact that Francis of Assissi had been dead for 500 years by this point.



3. In "Saints in Love: The Forgotten Loves Between Holy Women and Men and How They Can Make Our Relationships Divine," Carole Hallundbaek explores the powerful life-changing friendships that existed between four pairs of saints: Clare and Francis of Assisi, Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, Catherine of Siena and Pope Gregory XI, and Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal. "These relationships often shed light on marriage, work, family, healthy attachments, emotional healing, and more. . . Their discoveries offer valuable lessons for our relationships today - at home, at work, in community, and with God." It is interesting that she chose male-female pairs. She illustrates that contrary to popular wisdom, men and women can be friends without a physical sexual relationship although sexual complementarity certainly does play a role in the relationships.
   
   Hallundbaek begins each chapter with a short biography of each saint, which is very helpful for placing the saints in context. She is less concerned with their individual lives, though, than with the way that their lives intersect, the impact that they had on each other, and what we can learn from their relationship. Francis and Clare lived in an era of courtly love. They were the best of friends, lived separately and never consummated their relationship, yet they were truly two people in love. "They held God first in their heart and vision; then they held each other." They "turned to each other, forsaking all others, all earthly options, all worldly distractions, both wills rooted in the love and service of God. Placing our spouse or partner beside our image of God creates the basis for a permanent longing and intimacy, because in the end, our desire for each other is our desire for God."
   
   Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross were sixteenth-century mystics, both eventually named Doctors of the Church. Together they would work to reform the Carmelite order, to bring it back to its roots and its emphasis on poverty. Unlike Francis and Clare of Assisi, who were very similar people, John and Teresa were opposites. They appreciated the holiness in each other, but aggravated each other with their differences in management style. They were co-workers who despite their mutual appreciation sometimes struggled to get along. "Teresa and John were able to work, to love, and to be profoundly creative, through all manner of challenge, obstacle, illness, and even persecution . . .With God at the beginning and the end of all their hopes, goals, and endeavors, Teresa and John were able to take personal conflicts and limitations in stride and overcome much larger obstacles with grace."
   
   Hallundbaek refers to Catherine of Siena and Pope Gregory XI as the "Peacemakers of Metropolis." The pair lived in the 1300s. Catherine lived in Siena, Italy where she became a Dominican at the age of 16. Gregory was "a good and honest man living in a time of great conflict and corruption." He was one of the Avignon popes during a time of great confrontation between Italy and France. Gregory decided to restore the Papacy to Rome, but it would not be an easy process, nor would he do it alone. His first advisor was St. Brigit of Sweden. When she dies in 1373, he sought out Catherine, who had become widely known for her wisdom. "Their exchanges would range over a variety of issues, but overarching these was their common desire for peace in Italy, the reform of clergy, and the return of the papal seat to Rome." This pair lived at a time of great upheaval. Through it all, they sought to live authentically, to be true to God and to themselves. They also shared a great concern for the world at large. "Catherine and Gregory always experienced and understood the interdependence of people, of families, of neighborhoods, of courts, of city-states, of countries . . . of our world with God. As a result, their ultimate goal was a community of heaven."
   
   Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal would found the Visitation Order in the seventeenth century. He had become a lawyer to please his family, but he would eventually give it up to follow his true calling of becoming a priest and bishop. Jane was a widow who had loved her husband deeply. After his tragic death in a hunting accident, she worked to ensure the financial solvency of her family which included four children. Once that was on sure footing, she became desolate, unsure of what to do next. The pair met when Francis delivered a sermon in Dijon in 1604. "He stressed the importance of finding God right where we are, at any place, at any time, and under any circumstances." He became Jane's spiritual director. In 1610, they would found the "Congregation of the Visitation of Holy Mary." It was an order open to those who often were not welcome in other communities: widows, those in poor health, the elderly, and the physically challenged. As a true sign of the modern spirit of this movement, Jane was allowed to bring her youngest daughter with her to the community. "She would be able to raise her there, while continuing to build the order and live out her calling. . . Jane was allowed to be a mother at work."The Visitations sought to bring spirituality to the common people. "With Francis and Jane, God is experienced not only in church; God comes out of the temple and into the streets, the office, the shops, the schools. . . They understood that God is at the center of our life and all our relationships.
   
   Hallundbaek has a poetical writing style. Her words resonate off the page, bringing the relationships of these holy pairs to life. The book is beautiful, an enchanting and insightful read, which invites the reader to discover the Holy in his or her own relationships and to learn from these masters how to love God in loving others.



4. The greatest thing about SAINTS IN LOVE, in addition to how beautifully it's written, is how it connects the real, historic lives of the saints to our own today. Author Carole Hallundbaek takes these rugged old saints from the shelf, dusts them off, and presents to us their very human personalities and their very human relationships. We get to see how these great spiritual guides recognize and triumph over relationship issues we know so well today - codependency, healthy and unhealthy attachments, family conflicts, tension with colleagues at the office, the quest for intimacy, even recovery spirituality - to fulfill their destiny, and with each other's help. SAINTS IN LOVE provides a rare and remarkable window onto the process of spiritual and emotional growth, as well as sound theology, humor, contemporary setting and culture, and the poetry of John Paul II. A joy to read, and an essential guide to relationships.



5. I was so surprised (and elated) to read the poetry by John Paul II that introduces each chapter in Saints in Love. Who knew the pope wrote poetry? And who knew it was so beautiful? I realize he wrote these poems when he was much younger, long before he was pope, but his open and romantic freedom of thought is just stunning. Saints in Love is alive with humor, and truth, and history, and the saints as real people living real lives. It's wonderful to relate to their relationship issues in this totally new way, to their struggles with codependency, and colleagues, and seeking intimacy, and wanting to be liked, and watching them change to become their fullest selves with the help of someone they loved. Each chapter closes with suggestions to apply to our own relationships. The author includes reflections of her own journeys and pilgrimages that are sparkling! She makes me laugh and cry. This book is a great spiritual journey that reminds me of Eat, Pray, Love (even the cover) but it can be said that Carole Hallundbaek is an incredible writer. What a gift.

5 comments about Radha: Diary of a Woman's Search.

1. Swami Sivananda is my guru's guru's guru. Swami Radha is a peer of my guru's guru.
   
   It is so wonderful to read of women yogis - those who can and do tread the Dharmic path successfully.
   
   This is a wonderful read that transmits more than the words in print.



2. An intimate and detailed narrative. Highly recommend it to anyone interested in Radha's life and in yoga in general.



3. Uplifting journal like account from a white womans perspective.
   great read on the yogic path.



4. This is a great snapshot of the internal world of a spiritual transformation. Swami Radhananda gives a gripping account of a few months studying meditation in India. She is very frank with her mistakes and experiences. If you liked Autobiography of a Yogi, you will enjoy this book.



5. An uplifting, inspiring, enthralling diary. Recommended by Mas Vidal in Yoga Journal, I bought the book, and read the entire thing in one sitting. You will be left with an uplifted, peaceful spirit. I only wish I could have met Radha while she was still alive.

3 comments about Roger Williams (Lives and Legacies).

1. This is an effective and concise biography. I especially appreciated the author's approach. He could have drawn in a lot of irrelevant material, as authors of biography tend to do, but, to his credit, did not. I enjoyed the writing -- and that, too, is a rare comment on a bio, especially one of a subject from this time. It's not easy reading quotes from the colonial period; the language was so formal. I like that Gaustad "translated" so much of Roger Williams' words. The latter sections of the book were especially interesting. Williams may have influenced Locke -- an interesting tidbit about a noteworthy life.



2. Roger Williams has been dead almost 400 years, yet his lessons and views are as pertinent today as they have ever been. The battles he fought regarding Church and State, the battles for freedom of conscience, mind and religion, are still being fought today, just as heatedly, by parties and groups just as determined. Basic freedoms must be defended--and earned--by each generation. There will always be a place, a much needed place, for Roger Williams in the discourse of United States history and the basic freedoms we take forgranted, yet must defend, every day.
   
   Jefferson, Adams, Washington, Franklin and others may have gotten more "ink," than Roger Williams, but he may be the most important one of them all. If there had been no Roger Williams, there may have been no Frankliln, Jefferson, Washington and Adams, certainly not as we know them. Williams earned for them the right to think,worship and speak on their own.
   
   A good book, easily and quickly read, giving the reader a keen appreciation of the difficulties, trials, tribulations--and the vision--of that day. And it speaks pointedly to the challenges of this day...If the reader wants an understanding and appreciation of Religious Freedom, how we got it, what it means, and why it is essential to the country, then and now, this is the book to read. A Word of Warning: Religious Conversatives of this day may find religious freedom, true religious freedom, dangerous and threatening!!!



3. I met Professor Gaustad in 1988 when I moved to Riverside to pursue an advanced degree in history. He struck me at the time as a dignified careful historian who nonetheless could capture and make real the religious conflicts of centuries past. Gaustad has not lost any of his gifts as this recent book demonstrates. He does a masterful job of presenting the key elements of Roger Williams' life and development. From his conflicts with Cotton Mather and his eventual expulsion from Massachusetts Bay Colony, to his friendship with Native Americans and the founding of Rhode Island, Gaustad presents what we know of William's life in an easy to read narrative. He also includes selections of Williams' works so that modern readers can get a flavor of the writing of this influential founder.
   
   What makes this book so fascinating, however, is that Williams was a real visionary. He alone among the early colonial leaders advocated a complete separation from civil (government) society and religion. A firm believer in the Bible, Williams was skeptical of all attempts to form a genuine "New Testament" church. Only the return of Christ himeself, Williams believed, would truly restore the church of the apostles. Until then Christians could only use the powers of love and persuasion to convince others of their views. Williams adamantly opposed having the state interfere with any religious beliefs, even those which are non-Christian. This was quite a leap for an 17th century thinker.
   
   But if Williams was widely rejected in colonial New England for his views, his distinction between civil society and what he called "soul liberty" eventually became dominant in the United States and later, much of the Western World. Gaustad attributes not only the First Ammendment, but also such modern documents as the Vatican II Declaration of Religious Liberty and the 1978 Indian Religious Freedom Act to Williams' continued influence. All of which points to one of the great ironies of history. America is, as people on the religious right have claimed, a Christian nation. But it is also a nation founded upon a particular view of Christianity, one which expressly prohibited ties between Church and State. And Christianity of all stripes has flourished in precisely this environment. Moreso than any other Western Nation, the United States remains firmly and devoutly Christian. Undoubtedly, the "free market" in religious thought William advocated has produced this spiritual abundance in much the same way that the free market in economics has produced material abundance. Christians everywhere should take note of this.

5 comments about The Strength of Mercy: Making a Difference in the World One Child at a Time.

1. if you've ever adopted a child (or tried to), this book will deeply touch you and inspire you.



2. This book was a great story of one mom's faith in a promise from the Lord, and how He used her grown daughter and political upheavel to bring His promise to fruition. It was interesting to hear about the adoption experience of another family adopting from a different country. We have adopted two children from China.



3. As a recently adoptive parent and grandparent of two Romanian and one Bulgarian children, I have felt the anguish and despair that can overcome a person when he or she finds themselves in such an emotional battle as the one to save children from a life of pain and despair. Like the author and her family, we found hope in the Lord and in prayer, but even that at times seems not to be enough. This type of book is one that all people, believers and non-believers alike, should read again and again.



4. This was a truly amazing book that I think all Christian readers, as well as non-christians would love. I liked the honesty portrayed in Beazely's story of how their family started out with the adoption process; the difficulties and the blessings. Wonderful story!



5. I enjoyed this book because it was a true story of a family who so much wanted to follow God's will and plan for their lives. I didn't want to put the book down! This book is similar to Experiencing God, a book also about knowing and doing the will of God. I highly recommend this book to everyone, but especially those considering or in the process of international adoption.

5 comments about Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings.

1. This is perhaps the most complete review of the Gorin no Sho. Tokitsu not only offers a very well thought out and complete translation, he also gives an unbelievably in depth view of the Master's life. The notations for the translation are, to say the very least, quite thorough and very well written. Tokitsu used the two original existing copies to create his english translation, along with adding every known work that the Master is known to have written himself. The first section covers the Master's life and duels. The second is the translations of his writing, covering more than just the Gorin no Sho (however the full documents are not fully translated, only the parts which differ in tone or line from the Gorin no Sho). The final section of the book contains an amazing look at modern kendo, as well as other Japanese martial arts, and how Musashi's specific art can be related to them. Included in this are several observations of early 20th century kendo matches, in which the level of control and ability documented have yet to occur again. The sheer amount of research and sources cited, with the differing views and conflicting arguments make for a fascinating read from a fair and balanced point of view. For any individual who studies any martial art, or is interested in Japanese history, this book should considered to be essential.



2. It's an excellent biography, it told me everthing I needed to know. It also includes a copy of the Book of Five Rings, which is nice, although I didn't notice and had already bought a copy, but having two different translations of a book is nice.
   
   Overall, a nicely organized book full of useful info and such-not.



3. Having come to this book without any prior knowledge of Musashi, I was deeply impressed by this work, especially the biographical part. It also includes the Book of Five Rings which certainly adds weight to this addition, although I would've given the book 5 stars anyway if it only included the biographical/historical parts.



4. Well, I read one book on the subject and thought that I knew everything about the man... I was wrong.
   I especially like this book because the author tries his best to show the different points of view and include sometimes contradicting documents. Also he included much needed (for me at least) background data that helped to better understand the realities of that time.
   It definitely cured me from my "I know everything" attitude.



5. Once I started reading 'Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings' I could not put it down and found myself reading until the next morning... This is a well written informative and detailed account of Miyamoto Musashi's life, his training, his teaching, his paintings and his writings. Various sources are cited and comparative analysis is rendered. We are given more than a glimpse into Musashi the warrior, the father, the artist and the man. I place this book on the top of the list of books regarding Miyamoto Musashi and his writing on Strategy as presented in Go Rin no Sho. It is a must for every military professional and devoted martial artists.

4 comments about Mazel Tov: Celebrities' Bar and Bat Mitzvah Memories.

1. this was a great book. i bought it for my daughter whose bat mitzvah is in a few weeks and she loved it. it was so funny to see the pictures of the celebs and their bar and bat mitzvahs. great gift for anyone who has had or is having a bat mitzvah.



2. Great book. I bought two copies to give as gifts. I started reading one and never gave it away - it was so funny and interesting. Really interesting to see the celebrities were just like everyone else when they were 13 -



3. My husband thought I'd like this book after he saw a feature about it on the Today show. I think one of the authors is a contributor to the show with Hollywood gossip.
   
   It's not a bad book but, it could have been much better. The pictures are great! The funniest bit is about Howie Mandel--not much of a surprise since he's a funny guy. Quite a few of the subjects like Noah Wyle and Richard Dreyfuss didn't even have Bar Mitzvahs. Why were they included?
   
   For the most part, the choice of celebrities left something to be desired. It could have been a much better book and more input from the parents and significant others or people who were in attendance would have improved the stories.
   
   If I didn't already have the book, I think I would have waited until it hit the "Bargain Bins" to purchase it.



4. I first read of this book in the NY Times Book Review, & showed it to my mom-in-law. She seemed very interested, & so gave it to her as part of her birthday gift. She is an avid reader who likes intellectual stimulation. She found the book to be well written & fascinating.