5 comments about Chronicles of Wasted Time.

1. This book is what I call "chewy" - not one to just breeze through in a day or two as you would a bestseller. There is a lot going on here. I think MM had a manic-depressive disorder, and that comes to light in his other autobiographical book (of his diaries) as well. Interesting to read about his
   rocky journey through all the highs and lows, and how he finally finds serenity later in life.



2. It is almost sixteen years since the death of this great writer, broadcaster, actor, soldier-spy and latterly Christian apologist and his voice is greatly missed, particularly at this time with so many major and controversial issues dominating the news agenda. Because love him or loathe him, Muggeridge always had a unique, and often tangental, view to offer on the significant events of the day.
   Without doubt, Chronicles was his greatest work and should be compulsory reading for anyone learning English literature, for it will be found a totally engrossing read, start to finish. Spanning the early part of the twentieth century, Muggeridge was a master in use of the English language and his love of writing comes out on every page, together with his wit and wisdom. The Malcolm Muggeridge Society is bringing more of his work back into print and I'd like to think that it will be read not by existing fans but by a new generation.



3. While I don't claim to have read everything in English, this is the best-written book I've ever read. I remember hoping not to pass on before I'd finished it. Five stars is not enough for this absolutely delightful book, or rather two books. It was originally published in two volumes, "The Green Stick" and "The Infernal Grove", both included here. This is the first edition to include the remnants of the barely-begun third volume, "The Right Eye" (the Chronicles were to have been a trilogy).
   
   Thanks to the efforts of the Malcolm Muggeridge Society in London, here are all three (or two and a bit) books together. What's more, the introduction is by Ian Hunter, who penned his own riveting bio of MM, Malcolm Muggeridge: A Life, as well as assembling short bits and shreds from hither and yon in The Very Best of Malcolm Muggeridge.
   
   To my view, the Chronicles are the very best of MM. Were he to have some place in the literature of the last century, this is the book that would assure it. Not that he would want a place. He considered himself a journalist, not a writer, or as he loved to quote St. Augustine, "a vendor of words". However, as Ian Hunter reveals, he was not simply an observer but a player on the scene of the most tumultuous century in history. As biographer Richard Ingrams has noted, he seemed to know everyone and be everywhere.
   
   In a sense, there was a third book, called Conversion, which appeared instead of The Right Eye. It's the only book he wrote after becoming a Roman Catholic in 1982, and appeared with various subtitles. It's not, as one might think, about becoming an RC, although it does cover that. Oddly enough it's written in the third person, and subject-wise takes up where his book and TV show, A Third Testament, left off, in chronicling his various inspirations. It's best read after the Chronicles, as he retreads some of the same ground, commenting and adding anecdotal reflections.
   
   As much as one would long to read The Right Eye in its entirety, this is all we have. One imagines him reciting that third book somewhere to rollicking applause, for closing this volume one gets the sense that even after a long and prolific life he left us much too soon, and with music still in him.



4. I have only recently discovered Malcolm Muggeridge's writings, and wow! what a man, what an awesome writer! He can make you laugh, cry, and scream all in the same paragraph. I could not put this book down, even though at first it seemed way too long. Every page was crisp with details of a fascinating life! Truly an inspiring, unforgettable memoir.



5. For those who don't know, Muggeridge was a British journalist - editor of Punch, television journalist, etc. He was raised among some of the most "forward thinking" (an ironic phrase) socialist minded, trendy (naturist, vegetarian, etc.) people in London - very much a Fabian set. In his 30s, after he had been a policeman in India and a journalist in the U.S.S.R., he underwent an awakening to the fraud in much of the "progressive thinking" with which he had been inculcated and by which was completely adopted by all his right-thinking journalistic and political circles. He underwent a religious conversion to a high Anglican church (I think - or is it Catholic?) belief - it was later he who publicized Mother Theresa to the world. He is quite moving in describing his religious beliefs and is among the finest prose writers I've ever read - shockingly out of synch with secular modern ideas, and truly an original. He's terribly funny in his tales of the absurdity of Emperor without Clothes leaders and thinkers of the 20th century - particularly those who believe that collective policies by governments can improve mankind. He is as humorously cynical about man and his pathetic attempts to "improve himself" as anyone you'll ever read. He is also truly a fantastic prose writer - these two successive volumes in one are beautifully written and moving.

5 comments about Milestones: Memoirs 1927-1977.

1. The first 50 years of Joseph Ratzinger's life. I liked Joseph Ratzinger very much prior to 2005, and have loved him very much since he's been Pope.
   
   Not being an intellectual myself, I can only marvel at the life and character of this man. Maybe the reading of this small book is a little dry, but if you are interested in learning about him - it is well worth the reading. However, because it is written by himself, there is a lot about the man that I would like to know that isn't covered.
   
   I like the fact that the love for his family and his Bavaria is very evident - almost tangible - all throughout the book, but it is difficult to "crack the code" of his obviously deep and complex personality. Yet, I can understand that unwillingness to expose the deeper self in a book.
   
   For me the book is gratifying, if only for getting the basics but a biography would be better.



2. Milestones is a highly readable, name-dropping autobiography that illuminates some of the life and thinking of the current pope. Our church chose this for one of the selections of our book club. We reviewed it just after Benedict XVI's controversial talk at the University of Regensburg, which we read in its entirety. The consistency of the sentiment of that talk (advocating, basically, for a repudiation of violence in the practice of religion, and a dialogue with other religions and with science) with Benedict's early life is very clear. He is an actor on the world's stage, but also an important religious leader, whose vision directly affects nearly a billion people and indirectly the entire world. Important, easy-to-read and gentlemanly book.



3. When Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI over a year ago, many journalists quipped that "Ratzi the Nazi" is now Pope. Indeed, the image of the German Pope being an ex-Nazi will probably never be lost for the remainder of his life, and though this extremely learned and dignified man shouldn't for a second be upset over the attacks made on him by people whose learning amounts to no more than a tiny fraction of his own, addressing the "Ratzi the Nazi" myth is worthwhile, if for no other reason than that it may teach some people to read something instead of making judgments on the basis of the lies and leftist clichés their brains are inculcated with in modern "schools."
   
   So what evidence can you find in Ratzinger's memoirs that he came from an anti-Nazi family and himself disdains Nazism?
   
   He wrote that "time and again, in public meetings" his father took "a position against the violence of the Nazis" (p. 12), that after the January 30, 1933 "seizure of power" in which Hindenburg transferred to Hitler the position of chancellor of the Reich his father was "mortified...to have to work...for a government whose representatives he considered to be criminals" (p. 14), that his father "would warn and aid priests he knew were in danger" due to the Nazi practice of spying and informing on priests who behaved as "enemies of the Reich" (p. 14), that his father "saw that a victory of Hitler's (in World War II) would not be a victory for Germany but rather a victory of the Antichrist that would surely usher in apocalyptic times for all believers, and not only for them" (p. 27), and that his father "voiced all his ire against Hitler" to the faces of two SS men given shelter in the Ratzinger house (in either April or May of 1945), an action which "as a rule should have had deadly consequences for him," or, in other words, an action that put his life in danger (p. 36-37). In September of 1944 Ratzinger was assigned to a Nazi forced-labor camp run by Nazis who Ratzinger described as "fanatical ideologues who tyrannized us without respite" (p. 32-33); and, in either late April or early May of 1945 (Ratzinger doesn't remember precisely) he risked his life to escape the Nazi forced-labor camp; he made the escape attempt with the knowledge that soldiers "had orders to shoot deserters on the spot" (p. 36). On page 42 he refers to Nazism as a "destructive ideology."
   
   On lewrockwell.com Paul Gottfried briefly explained that the "Ratzi the Nazi" charge is entirely grotesque:
   
   "Except for a forced membership in the Hitlerjugend and a minor role protecting German cities against the Allied bombing of German civilians, Ratzinger had no links to the Third Reich. Before the War's end, he surrendered to American forces, which allowed him to return to a Catholic seminary. He and his brother Georg, who also became a priest, came from a staunchly anti-Nazi Bavarian family, which made only the smallest necessary compromises to survive in a regime they plainly disliked."



4. Like most people, I read this book, to see what the new Pope had to say about his own life. This book is most interesting when he talks of his childhood. Once he goes off to his theological studies, it's less so. The biggest drawback is that the book was written years ago, it stops at 1977. What we would have loved was to have a memoir encompassing his years with JPII and as the Prefect. Considering the very moving speech he gave at JPII's funeral, I would have loved to read something about those years. I truly hope he will have time to put those down.



5. "As a rural policeman, my father was transferred frequently, so we were continually on the road." That is, until 1937 "when my father turned sixty and retired." Ratzinger was "born on Holy Saturday, April 16" only ten years earlier; on the eve of Easter, a time of "not yet standing in the full light but walking toward it full of trust." In his twelth year, aso at Easter time, he enters the minor seminary, but Ratzinger doesn't go into much by way of detail on this 'milestone' of his. Of course, Hitler was on the war path during this time. "At first," Ratzinger remembers, "the war appeared to be almost unreal." His brother was not drafted until 1942. The following year Joseph was himself drafted, not into the German army, but into "a very peculiar kind of boarding school in Munich." Then on September 10, 1944, having reached military age we [Joseph & his boarding school cadets] were released from the FLAK in which we had actually served as students." (FLAK is an acronym for batteries of the anti-aircraft defense.) "When I arrived home, the draft notice of the Reichsarbeitsdienst [work service of the Reich] already lay on the table." After some weeks spent in the labor detail he was finally assigned to infantry barracks in Traunstein, his home town. Basic training began in mid-Jauary 1945 & not long after its completion Joseph found himself a POW in American hands. He was a free man again on June 19; his brother reappearing the following month. At this point we are at page 40 of the 113 pages of text. The balance of this "biographical sketch" (as Ratzinger refers to these memoirs) touches upon a two-year study of philosophy, followed by theological studies in Munich; and the conferment of his theology degree in July 1953. Not long after this milestone Ratzinger loses his father. ("I sensed that the world was emptier for me and that a portion of my home had been transferred to the other world.") Then, having developed a good relationship with the archbishop of Cologne (Cardinal Frings), Ratzinger accompanies him to the Second Vatican Council proceedings in Rome as the cardinal's theological advisor. Ratzinger does not at all, however, enter "into a detailed portrayal of these very special years;" not believing that "the theological and ecclesial drama of those years belong in these memoir." The story thus jumps to Munster where Ratzinger takes a position lecturing as he begins to divide his time between this locale and his ongoing advisory role in Rome. 3 years later he ditches Munster for Tubingen during a time of turmoil, a time when "at almost a moment's notice, there was a change in the ideological 'paradigm' by which the students and a part the teachers thought." It was 1967 when "almost overnight the existentialist model collapsed and was replaced by the Marxist." By 1969 he moves yet again, this time to Regensburg (where he brother was then living) to work in a "less agitated environent." But the "waves of Marxist revolt...pounded there too." The crisis in theology, though, had a cause; having emerged out of a crisis in culture and, indeed, out of a cultural revolution." Out of this turmoil came the idea to start an international journal; a project that "was to gather together all those who did not want to do theology on the basis of the pre-set goals of ecclesial politics..." Ratzinger's book ends with his appointment as archbishop of Munich, but many more 'Milestones' were still to come, thank God. (06Jul) Cheers!

5 comments about The Summer of the Great-Grandmother (Crosswicks Journal, Book 2).

1. Madeleine L'Engle was publishing memoir before most writers had mastered how to pronounce the word; The Crosswicks Journal--Book 1 (A Circle of Quiet) was first published in 1972. I have to honestly say that Book 1 saved my life, coming at a time when I, like L'engle at one point in her life, had just about given up on my writing career. L'engle's honesty about her own broken heart gave me the courage to continue going forward. In the same way, Book 2 (The Summer of the Great-Grandmother) has given me courage in dealing with the decline of my own mother, who turns 90 this summer. I have always viewed Madeleine L'engle as a writer's writer; her honest words are meant to encourage us to keep believing in ourselves, in working to perfect our craft. But this book is more about the stuff of life that can oppress us, and how to find triumph in daily tribulation. Those who love Madeleine as an authentic individual will love this book.



2. This book spoke to me years ago.... when I read it a few months after the loss of my mother. I've bought another copy to give a good friend who lost her mother several weeks ago. I think it will be a comfort to her, as it was to me. It was great, reminding me to celebrate the life of the person without actually saying that.



3. As a reader who adores the likes of Wendell Berry, I have never minded books where "nothing really happens." L'Engle's second Crosswick's installment here, while circling around the death of her mother, is such a book: a meandering chronicle of a summer where, aside from her mother's death, not much really "happens." The fact that nothing happens is not what made me dislike this book, though, but the delivery which is so absolutely stultifyingly dull, trite, candy-coated and aggravatingly sermonizing and patronizing, certainly was. What a missed opportunity for a writer of obvious talent and skill to have failed to either charm or endear her readers. This book lacks all magic and enchantment; there is not one memorable character aside from the overbearing narrator (and author).
   
   L'Engle fails to realize that some readers actually enjoy pure anecdote and resent being led to conclusions and emotional responses by an over-present author. This title was brought to our book club by someone whose opinion I respect and enjoy, however, I absolutely detested this book.



4. Having read and loved "A Circle of Quiet" (the first of four in the Crosswicks Journals) I had high hopes for this second volume. Curiously, though, this book made me reconsider continuing with the series. L'engle's accounts of her extended family read like historical revisionism -- does any extended family function as well as she claims? I would think a creative and brilliant group of people probably clash more than this book would suggest.

   As with "A Circle of Quiet" there are little gems along the way -- L'engle is a gifted writer, and reading her thoughts is a privledge. Overall, though, I found her style dispassionate and erudite, not what I would have expected from a personal memoir.




5. I'm a big fan of Madeleine L'Engle's non-fiction (regrettably, I have not yet read any of her fiction); I began with Walking on Water, and then moved on to A Circle of Quiet, from which I arrived here, at The Summer of the Great-Grandmother. There are themes that carry over from Walking and Circle, but for the most part, Summer is a different animal altogether.

   Like A Circle of Quiet, the book is autobiographical and takes place at "Crosswicks," the L'Engle/Franklin home in Connecticut. As the title indicates, L'Engle's mother, freshly a great-grandmother, is living with them, and her health and cognitive ability is swiftly declining. Throughout the book--really, like A Circle of Quiet, a collection of journal entries--the author deals with losing the mother that she used to know to senility and incontinence, as well as the effects and ramifications of death.

   I've never had anyone close to me die, so I can't relate to this book as much as I could to A Circle of Quiet or Walking on Water, but it's superbly written (L'Engle's words always seem to be alive and breathing), and I imagine that it would be a great comfort to those who are dealing with death.

5 comments about Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography.

1. "During her lifetime, Mother Teresa resisted having her biography written in full...in 1991, she gave Kathryn Spink, who had known Mother Teresa and been involved with her mission for thirteen years, to proceed with a full account of her life...It was also understood that the book would be completed only after Mother Teresa's death." This is part of the text from the inside of the front dust jacket of the book.
   
   Few authors received this imprimatur of Mother Teresa. If for no other reason, this reason calls the inquirer of Mother Teresa's "life and views and of the work" (front jacket) to consider the book seriously.
   
   It may amaze some Catholics to know that an authorized biographer of Mother Teresa is not a Catholic. Kathryn Spink is a Christian of sorts but not a Catholic. However, she loves the words and work of Mother Teresa and quotes Mother Teresa's opinion of the Missionaries of Charity as the, "most disorganized organization in the world" (Preface, vi). In that quote, it could be said, Mother Teresa was giving, indirectly, an answer to Christopher Hitchens caustic critique of her. It is hard for unbelievers to understand how disorder in the Church is evidence of the order of God--and yet it is, because God can write with broken pens.
   
   There are no footnotes, no notes at all. However, there are many quotes that are gems in the thought and work of Mother Teresa including her Nobel Peace Prize Lecture (Appendix B). Some quotes are what Christian readers expect, "I said that even if they helped one person, that was all right. Jesus would have died for one person, for one sinner" (p. 87). Others quotes only non-Christians will appreciate, "You call him Ishwar some call him Allah, some simply God, but we all have to acknowledge that it is he who made us for greater things: to love and to be loved" (pp. 155-56). There is a short but adequate Index.
   
   The style is intimate, enjoyable, and flowing from an obvious depth of knowledge of the subject addressed. There are a number of pictures in the center of the book that historically progress through her life as if taken from the family album.
   
   There are a couple of criticisms about the book that need to be addressed. First, it does not confront Mother Teresa's adversaries. There is only an illusion to Mr. Hitchens and not by name (p. 275). Second, there is a lack of comments, interviews, and commentary from colleagues and associates. Third, there is plenty of data about her life but the depth of how each subject is handled sometimes seems a little thin.
   
   In response to the second and third criticisms, authors are painfully aware of this formula, pages plus cost equal higher price plus less audience. Most people do not want to pay a fortune for a book and the numbers of books sold declines as the page number increases. In this instantaneous age, few have the attention span for longer books.
   
   Those interested in Mother Teresa's thought should inquirer into Kathryn Spink's book, The Miracle of Love. It is a shorter work but a fruitful read.



2. Spink has created a serious biography of Mother Teresa, which covers her life fairly comprehensively from birth to death. Mother Teresa's creation of the Missionaries of Charity, and her tireless efforts on behalf of the sick, and the poorest of the poor are well illumined by the book. Refraining from much criticism or praise, Spink also illustrates Mother Teresa's uncompromising stand against abortion, divorce and birth control. The style is a bit wandering and digressing (and as always I wish there were footnotes!), but nonetheless relays essential facts of Mother Teresa's life. The book is accessible, and recommended to anyone seriously trying to appreciate her life, in or outside an undergraduate context.



3. This is one of my favorite books about the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. It is very descriptive and detailed. The book also includes many old photographs of Mother Teresa, as well. This is a beautiful book about a beautiful person.



4. What a great biography about this great Albanian nun.
   In her own words "I am Albanian by birth. Now I am citizen of India. I am also a Catholic nun. In my work, I belong to the whole world. But in my heart, I belong to Christ".



5. A life such as Mother Teresa's is deserving of an insightful vibrant and skillfully told biography. I found Kathryn Spink's "Mother Teresa: A Complete Authorized Biography" left wanting. It did not live up to the magnitude of Mother Teresa's life of service and giving throughout the world but especially in India's Calcutta in the formation and running of the Sisters of Charity.

   Spink's "Mother Teresa," reads, at times, like a laundry list of events with no coherent effort made to illuminate the person behind the events. The best biographies I have found don't rely so much on the cold hard history to build a story around, but rather insight as to who the person is and how they interacted with the world. I think of skillfully told biographies in which I walked away from the reading of them with insight, motivation, and the feeling that I knew the subject and was engaged in their life. Benson's "John Steinbeck: Writer," and Morris "Theodore Rex," come to mind as examples. Spink's "Mother Teresa," does not do the same.

   I credit the writer for tackling some tough issues in the last two chapters. She addresses criticisms of Mother Teresa and the Sister's of Charity co-workers and does so without sidestepping difficult points of contention. Some social work critics fault the work of Mother Teresa for not wielding her influence to address the root causes of poverty and only tackling the end-product of suffering in a simplistic manner. In addition, Mother Teresa was loyal to the Catholic Church and stood staunch in support of difficult traditional stances espoused by that organization to include pro-life in all cases. Spink's does a good job of pitting Mother Teresa's perspective of service and belief to explain why she did what she did and why she believed as she did. However, this isn't until the last two chapters of the book and this illuminating approach could have been begun on page 1.

   All in all, I would only recommend this book if you are attempting to delve deeply into the life and times of Mother Teresa and have read other books on that subject. If you want a good read and are just scratching the surface finding out what Mother Teresa's life was all about, look elsewhere dear reader.
   --MMW

5 comments about Dietrich Bonhoeffer: A Biography.

1. Bethge was Bonhoeffer's closest friend and colleague.He devoted his life to bringing Bonhoeffer to the world's attention. This expanded volume, in remarkable ways, weaves together Bonhoeffer's life and his theological insights. In this 100th anniversary of the birth of this 39 year old martyr, this long book deserves careful reading, even my those who have read Bethge's somewhat shorter version published a number of years ago.



2. Upon starting this book I knew very little about Bonhoeffer; I had read some of Ethics and I knew of his murder by the Gestapo. Thus, there was something new on every page for me, and despite the book's length it never seemed oppressive in detail. In fact if the author can be faulted for one thing it is his lack of information about Bonhoeffer's courtship and engagement; which is discussed almost as an aside. On every other point though, the author did a wonderful job. His explanations of Bonhoeffer's theology are clear and understandable. Considering that much of what Bonhoeffer took for granted, theologically speaking, is alien to the American intellectual tradition that is a great accomplishment. The book is also a welcome antidote to the conception of 1930's and 1940's Germany as synonymous with Hitler and National Socialism. For even under the totalitarian state there were still men like Bonhoeffer who stood up against the regime



3. An outstanding, detailed and gripping story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Christian fortitude. Eberhard Bethge's exquisitely detailed knowledge and references about Bonhoeffer's life, from beginning to end is a wonderful tribute to Bonhoeffer. The reader asks the question what possessed Bonhoeffer to pursue the dream of a restive German society with Christianity abounding. Unless one has lived under a dictatorship perhaps this makes one restless. This book provides clear and concise answers.



4. About 20 years ago, I read an older translation of this biography. Then, as now, a reader cannot help but be impressed by the thorough and meticulous scholarship that went into its preparation. Because of its size and scope (900+ pages), it may be somewhat daunting to new readers who may be just now encountering Bonhoeffer. However, given the nature of his literary output (Bonheoffer was still a young man when he died, and many of his ideas exist only in limited or underdeveloped forms), this in-depth look at the man and his motivations by the individual who probably knew him best is essential to an informed understanding of his work. For Bonhoeffer admirers, it doesn't get any better than this.



5. Eberhard Bethge was Dietrich Bonhoeffer's closest friend and the lifelong editor and interpreter of his life and writings. For the first time we now have the completely unabridged biography in a revised and updated English translation. This is not only a classic of twentieth century biography; it also addresses key issues not only of German and European history, World War II, and the Holocaust but also, through Bonhoeffer's theology, the church and modernity. It sharply poses the question of authentic Christian life. A big book and a challenging read!

5 comments about The Preacher and the Presidents: Billy Graham in the White House.

1. Although I've always known that Billy Graham was a charismatic evangelist, I didn't realize just how spiritual, humble, forgiving, and influential he was until reading this book. Not only was he allowed into the "inner sanctums" of powerful United States politicians and other movers and shakers, but he was also admitted entry into places in the world where others would not have been allowed. At the same time, he cared about "the least of these" and always felt his #1 mission in life was to spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
   
   Although he could easily hobnob with the presidents and their wives, he never lost his humility and the sure knowledge that God is in control of our lives. Whether golfing with a Bush, swimming with Johnson, or praying with Nixon, he did so in a spiritual role, not a political one. As the authors bring out, Graham didn't need fortune or fame. He saw himself as their pastor, their advocate with the Father. Presidents aren't as free as the rest of us to go to the Baptist church around the corner or the Catholic one downtown, so Billy Graham felt it was his responsibility to go to them...and go he did. Plus, I learned that no matter who the president was, Graham believed that he was God's divine choice and was thus supportive, even after Clinton's misdeeds and Nixon's Watergate situation.
   
   The most recurrent theme that I picked up is that regardless of what he was exposed to, Dr. Graham remained the evangelist sure of his purpose. Interestingly, however, the pundits and press and other religious leaders all had their criticisms...even when he was clearly doing what the scriptures admonish us to do. They even criticized him for being too forgiving, too conciliatory, not judgmental enough. HUH???
   
   Sure of his mission, I've got a feeling that Dr. Graham doesn't worry about such criticisms. His message is that everyone wants to be loved and that God loves us each and everyone, even the ones who disappoint, hurt, or criticize us.



2. A fascinating read and deservedly praised, I found this book hard to put down until Chapter 31 on Billy's acquaintance with the Clintons. That chapter had a false ring - a different tone from the rest, that smacked me in the face. With so few comments there in Billy's words, as were heavily used in the chapters about other presidents, the writers droned on and on in their attempt to paint the Clintons as good as the rest. After their fairly even-handed (and exhaustive) work on both the humanity and duplicity of Nixon earlier in the book, I was unpleasantly amazed. Of course, most of the others are dead and gone, while Mrs. Clinton is running for a third term as co-president, and this makes it worse. The chapter sticks out as an effort to rub some of Billy's good character onto the Clintons by association. It didn't work.
   
   Several times during that chapter, I did put it down in disgust, wondering what happened here? I know spin when I see it. For what purpose did the writers, after relating so much that sounded genuine about all the presidents up to that point, think they needed to con readers into accepting that; while we were subjected to an amoral sex offender and his socialist wife for eight years, they were really just as normal, good Christians as all the others. Pandering to them in such a book included the writers' insinuations that Billy Graham supported the Clintons and approved, for example, of abortion and homosexuality along with them, which he emphatically did not. The way the writers gloss over the criminal conduct of the Clintons, a pass they certainly didn't give Nixon, defending and excusing them on and on ad nauseum, speaks volumes. The comparatively few words of Billy himself on that period, when it was he being interviewed for the book, is noticeable, too, in a look at the chapter. Note that Hillary bragged on several occasions what a personal help Billy had been to her, with no corroboration from him other than a meeting in 2005 in which he mentioned "private time". Yet by this point, we know his own self-imposed rules about that. Hillary's stories of "huddling with" Billy are as blatant lies as so many of her other stories, judging by what Billy himself says. But her stories are presented as accurate with no input from him, in contrast to the rest of the book.
   
   In giving the writers license, Billy was too trusting - as he often was because of his basic love for and trust in people. But I was so put off by this whitewash, I had to put the book down for a few days. Later I glanced back through the chapters, because I had also been struck by the short space given to President Reagan's term in the White House after he and Billy had been friends for 30 years. Yes, I was right - amazing how little space was given to those more recent years, compared to presidents before him.
   
   I learned a lot that was new; Carter's dislike for Billy despite professing the same religious beliefs, LBJ's real fondness for him. I was entranced by the new look at Eisenhower, saddened at the way Nixon took advantage of a genuine friendship, pleased to learn things I hadn't known about Bush 41 and the whole family. For the writers to push their personal bias in my face near the end came close to spoiling a great read for me. It is a wonderful book except for Chapter 31.



3. This biographical piece is considerably different from other works written about Billy Graham's life. Just As I Am (autobiography) and other histories of the Billy Graham Crusades evolve into hagiographies where Graham has faults but these are downplayed. This book tries to be as balanced as possible portraying some glaring weaknesses such as Graham's heavily favoring various presidents and presidential candidates, even in public, while not legalistically endorsing them.
   
   The insights into various presidencies is also very informative and shows them in ways that are probably consistent with what can be publically known but with nuances that may have been previously unknown. Certainly other Graham biographies have not entered into this level of detail.
   
   On balance, this is a genuine attempt to present Graham as he really is, particularly in relation to the presidents of the past 60 years. Those who are looking for a spiritually uplifting journey may be disappointed. That does not appear to be the point of this book.
   
   But for those who are not fans of Graham, and would like to know him better, this limited biography is very valuable



4. Given the enormous financial and investigative resources available to Time magazine reporters Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, it shouldn't be too much to expect historical accuracy in this biography. Then again, Time has been an uncritical cheerleader for Graham's ministry since the day in 1950 when publisher Henry Luce visited the young minister, then a houseguest at South Carolina Governor Strom Thurmond's mansion, and decided to join William Randolph Hearst's efforts to "puff Graham." Time has a substantial investment in Graham's ministry, having run more than 600 stories about his career. Unfortunately, historical accuracy isn't one of the strong points of a book that is otherwise a pleasant enough read. People make mistakes, of course, but when they tend to fall in the same direction, one begins to suspect a hidden agenda. On the other hand, simple sloppiness can't be ruled out, as when they place Graham at Bob Jones College in Greenville, S.C., for his first year of higher education. When Graham dropped out during his freshman year that school was located in Cleveland, Tenn. The subtitle tells you all you need to know about the story between the covers. The book begins with Graham's rocky relationship with Harry S. Truman and ends with his fatherly embrace of George W. Bush. Those attracted to the preacher will find nothing to dislike, but also little that is new. This is the same generous tale told by Graham's publicity team in countless books, articles, movies, advertisements, TV appearances and, of course, crusades. According to this account, from Eisenhower forward, all of the presidents have sought Graham's counsel in varying degrees, and discovered a deep well of comfort and spiritual wisdom. The authors make mild forays into Graham's political mistakes and spend a long while on his purported close friendship with and later betrayal by Nixon, but the poking is gentle and Graham emerges as an older but wiser hero. The mistakes and omissions are telling, however. Careful to paint Nixon as the agent of darkness, they write: "The beloved Ike, Nixon charged, was `a far more complex and devious man than most people realized.'" Thus they imply that Nixon was even nasty to sweet old Dwight Eisenhower. But this can only be a deliberate misquote. In his book SIX CRISES Nixon actually concluded the sentence "and in the best sense of those words." His intention was to PRAISE Eisenhower. It is important for Nixon to be the sinner because the preacher the authors have chosen to present was supposedly suckered into long-term support for Tricky Dick, and was devastated when he learned that Nixon had deceived him. Much to Graham's enduring dismay, his back-room politicking had been tape-recorded and would come back to embarrass him over and over again through ensuing years. Nor have all of Nixon's notorious tapes yet been released. Graham's support for civil rights is painted as enthusiastic and heartfelt, but his actual record is far from clear. The authors repeat Graham's assertion that Martin Luther King, Jr., endorsed his arms-length approach to integration, without corroborating evidence, and neglect Graham's reaction to "I Have a Dream" in 1963. Graham conducted a press conference the next morning and said, "Only when Christ comes again will the little white children of Alabama walk hand in hand with little black children." Concerning King the authors also claim that he delivered volumes by Gandhi disguised in Billy Graham book jackets to imprisoned Freedom Riders in Mississippi. This is another example of either the authors' incautious research or eagerness to hitch Graham's wagon to King's star. According to Taylor Branch, writing in PILLAR OF FIRE (which the authors cite as their reference), the transporter of disguised books was Rev. Edwin King, a white preacher of no known relation to MLK. Lest it be overlooked elsewhere as it is in THE PREACHER AND THE PRESIDENTS, Graham's nonprofit enterprises have profited nicely from the high profile that presidential palavering has, in no small part, afforded him. While his annual personal income from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association only totalled a bit over $500,000 in recent years, he enjoyed a well-appointed "log cabin" estate in Montreat, N.C., with high tech communications gear and an indoor swimming pool, a vacation home in the posh country club community of Pauma Valley, California, and controlled tax-exempt properties worth hundreds of millions of dollars in North Carolina alone. Nor do these figures include income from books, recordings and television appearances, and may not include the receipts of the individual LLCs created for each of his crusades. To top it off, he bragged that he "never paid for a suit or a hotel room," though he seems to have preferred lodging in various mansions, both public and private, to the common discomforts of life in commercial rooms. THE PREACHER AND THE PRESIDENTS offers comforting fiction disguised as history. It is, without doubt, a book written for believers.



5. This book is a must read for people who want to learn about ultimate influence

No comments about A Mended and Broken Heart: The Life and Love of Francis of Assisi.

5 comments about Acts of Faith: The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation.

1. ACTS OF FAITH: THE STORY OF AN AMERICAN MUSLIM, THE STRUGGLE FOR THE SOUL OF A GENERATION tells of the author's coming of age and understanding of religious pluralism. He grew up outside of Chicago and was the subject of racist bullying and Muslim hatred - but learned in college what was at the root of prejudice. ACTS OF FAITH charts his ability to move beyond hate to deeper messages and provides inspiration for all, making it a special pick for any collection strong in spirituality or in Middle East politics and prejudices.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. As the Director of the Center for Global Engagement at Northwestern University, I am always on the look out for books that help young people make sense of their place in the world and their potential to create meaningful change.
   
   What I felt the strongest connection to in Acts of Faith was Eboo's sense - which I felt throughout the book - that by exploring the intersection of one's own story and the legacy or history of the stories of which it is a part, each of us might better understand the potential of our own moment. Even more, each of us might be better able to access that potential and make it real.
   
   What I believe Eboo has come across - in this book and with IFYC more widely - is nothing less than a deep truth of human nature - that not only does our sense of self impact our impact on the world, but that by working to strengthen, round out and challenge that sense of self, we better enable everyone to contribute their unique assets, potentials, and perspectives to improving our shared future.
   
   What I've better come to understand after reading this is that what Patel calls "pluralism", the Center for Global Engagement calls "collaboration across borders," but it amounts to the same thing: a deep belief in the potential of the space we all share to make of this world all that it can be.
   
   Highly recommended for the young social entrepreneur, volunteer, or humanitarian on your list!



3. I loved reading this book - couldn't put it down! I heard Eboo Patel speak at a Book Session in Chicago and he's really inspirational! I could relate to so many diff. things in his book. I've purchased several copies and distributed to friends and family! Great booK!



4. Patel warmly and understandably offers a solution to genuinely change the world - save it if you will!



5. I finished this book the week before CNN began to air their three night special entitled "God's Warriors." If you haven't made time to watch God's Warriors for the 6 hour duration, you should. If you haven't read Eboo Patel's book, Acts of Faith - The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation,you must.
   
   Religious fundamentalism continues to be the spawning grounds for extremism that continues to ravage the soul of mankind. It is through the efforts of Eboo Patel and the InterFaith Youth Core (www.IFYC.org), that young adults from all faith persuasions are challenged to learn to live with one another, in collaborative harmony.
   
   The book recounts Patel's personal struggle with forging and cherishing his Muslim identity and faith, as an American, and then launching the InterFaith Youth Core as his vehicle for creating pluralistic understanding within the next generation of young adults who will become the leaders of our world. This book is about how one man decided to become part of the international interfaith youth movement.
   
   As Patel says, "In a world where the forces that seek to divide us are strong, I came to one conclusion: We have to save each other. It's the only way to save ourselves." P. 180
   
   This book chronicles how Eboo Patel came to participate in the movement of religious pluralism. In his own words, "Movements re-create the world. A movement is a growing group of people who believe so deeply in a new possibility that they participate in making it a reality. They won't all meet. They won't even know everybody else's names. But somehow, they all have the feeling that people on the other side of the city or country or the world believe in the same idea, burn with the same passion, and are taking risks for the same dream." P. 181.
   
   What's the meaning of this term "pluralism" from Patel's standpoint? He writes, "To see the other side, to defend another people, not despite your tradition but because of it, is the heart of pluralism." P. 179.
   
   In a world threatened and fractured by the isolationist requirements of religious fundamentalism and extremism, pluralism possesses the essential antidote. In Patels' words:
   
   "America is a nation that has constantly been rejuvenated by immigrants. For centuries, they have added new notes to the American song." P. 176.
   
   "The waters of faith, says one scholar, are so clear that they pick up the colors of the rocks they flow over." P. 176
   
   "Violence committed in the name of a religion is really violence emanating from the heart of a particular interpreter." P. 141.
   
   "Apartheid in South Africa was a violation of the spiritual principles of human togetherness." P. 116.
   
   In an interview with the Dalai Lama, he said: "Religions must dialogue, but even more, they must come together to serve others. Service is the most important. And common values, finding common values between different religions. And as you study the other religions, you must learn more about your own and believe more in your own." P. 96.
   
   "I realized that it was precisely because of America's glaring imperfections that I should seek to participate in its progress, carve a place in its promise, and play a role in its possibility. And at its heart and at its best, America was about pluralism." P. 89.
   
   A wonderful book. A guy I would like to meet. Consider joining Eboo and the Interfaith Youth Core at their convention in Chicago this fall entitled "Crossing The Faith Line" October 28th - 30th 2007
   
   Bill Dahl
   Author, Creator, Editor
   http://www.ThePorpoiseDivingLife.com

5 comments about Ordinary Work, Extraordinary Grace: My Spiritual Journey in Opus Dei.

1. This review stuck a tender nerve. Hahn's theology is based on dogma and beliefs, unleavened by faith, which is why his numerous writings are so ultimately uninspiring and uninspired. Hahn converted to Catholicism via an academic spiritual experience, i.e., Pedantic Enlightenment. For someone who maintains that his conversion was due to his liberation from Protestant emphasis on sola scriptura, Hahn remains remarkably laden with words, boxed into Biblical frameworks. He squeezes out faith from memorizing and breaking down Old and New Testament passages into digestible chunks, sucking the juice of wisdom dry, and regurgitating to a worshipful audience. In all his theological meanderings and desire to prove his points, Scott Hahn heavily relies on quoting biblical passages and citing their numbers, yet he misses the bigger, far more complex picture. This numerical correctness lacks depth; Hahn emulates a lawyer debating points, rather than a philosopher with something real to contribute. His descriptions of Opus Dei portray it as Catholicism with training-wheels, for those for whom Mass is Not Enough, reflecting a lack of faith. Perhaps this is the case of the convert having to be more Catholic than the Catholics.On top of this, members feel more devout by enacting little rights of self-mortification. In a world full of pain, why monstrously and egotistically borrow pain? Why not go help those who are really suffering in pain? Note to the pseudo-suffering: don't worry, if you live long enough, pain will come. Flagellation by choice or self-inflicted suffering is an act of enormous ego, of a superiority complex run amuck, not faith or devotion.
   
   Again, Hahn delivers his special brand of Spiritual Velveeta, lacking historical context and the complex richness of other theologians. One of his cheesy favorite phrases is, "It doesn't get any better than this." It's surprising how many fall for this spiritual used-car salesman. He displays a zealous desire to convert non-Christians and Protestants to his faith. Though apostolic, the Church attempts to understand that other faiths must approached with respect and care. Hahn needs to soak his head in Ratzinger's (Pope Benedict XVI) "What It Means to Be a Christian," and read repeatedly. Make it the Way. Absorb where the Pope wrote, "Everything we believe about God, and everything we know about man, prevents us from accepting that beyond the limits of the Church there is no more salvation, that up to the time of Christ all men were subject to eternal damnation" (pg 45). Interreligious dialogue is not synonymous with moral or religious equivocation.
   
   Pope Benedict XVI has never said that Jews are unsaved unless they convert, in fact, he has described God's First Covenant with respect to the Jewish people. It is one thing to be a light to the world, but Christianity has a lot to answer for in two thousand years. Try James Carroll's superb "Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews." Faith has been horrifically misused by those who transform its truths into a bludgeon to force conversion. Currently, with the scandals of the Church sex abuse cases and cover-up, spiritual betrayal has been perpetrated on an unimaginable scale. What has Opus Dei done to assist victims of the Churches current sins?
   
   But Hahn's fascination with his own process of self "divinization" is incapable of complexity. The Opus Dei he presents exhibits consistent, ardent elitism, insisting that baptism is the only way to God's grace. Even in Hahn's conversion story, he would not suffer in patience, there was no saintly Way for this man. No, he broke his covenant with his wife in order to leave her behind and convert to Catholicism before she was ready for this drastic transition. And Opus Dei helped him in this process. Hahn, in his typically self-centered way, found scriptural justification for this action, and broke his promise to her that he would wait till she was ready. He exhibits the self-centered narcism of his generation, focusing on his "divinization."
   
   Opus Dei exclusively consists of only the baptized, and seems to attract many overzealous converts. For these aspiring lay people, simply attending Mass once a day is not enough, deep worship via Mass is simply inadequate to feed their narcissism. So their Dei consists of mimicking the Mass throughout the day, adding rules to the rules. Opus Dei is an elitist club within a club, completely counter to the humility of Jesus and His Dei, His work and His way. Hahn needs to prove the depth of his faith with a theological bludgeon, lacking grace and subtlety.
   
   Pope Benedict XVI has never supported Opus Dei, and has in fact distanced himself from this egocentric, self indulgent organization. Hahn remains busy creating the Hahn New Revelation Catholic Church, with legions of ardent fans waiting with bated breath for his next pearls of wisdom. I feel obligated, having been mislead by the astounding plethora of positive reviews, and having purchased a number of Hahn's books, to warn others about this seriously misleading man. It's clear he aspires to be a new Aquinas or Augustine, but future theologians will find his numerous books to be trite at best; quantity does not quality make.



2. Scott Hahn gives a full and wonderful view of the Opus Dei way of life. It is a way of life that can bring a person closer to God in profound and wonderful ways. The Scriptures come alive. Prayers are more focused and a conversation with God. A deep spiritual learning and progress in life takes place.



3. i don't have much to add as I am not a writer but a reader
   i'm so thankful for this book
   Opus Dei was what brought me into the church
   Sedevacantism took me out and Scott Hahn's book helped to bring me back in
   Thak you so much for this Scott!!!



4. I was extremely surprised when I was given this book as a gift. I had no idea that Scott Hahn was a member of "The Work" as OD members call it. As someone who has had many positive experiences with Opus Dei and who has wanted to know more about them for a while, I found this book to be exactly what I was looking for. There is not much of Scott Hahn's own biographical journey here, although it is briefly mentioned in places. It is really an introduction to the spirituality of Opus Dei for the ordinary person. Extremely clear and well written, and inspiring! After reading this book, I have a deeper understanding of the motive, mission and philosophy of Opus Dei (their charism, really) and a more profound respect for their work.



5. There has been a lot of talk, even in Protestant circles, about "friendship evangelism." Prof. Hahn reveals it in Opus Dei. Another focus has been placed on scripture and Prof. Hahn tells us about that same focus in Opus Dei. Other groups, like Promise Keepers, have tried to stress the importance of spiritual males who live their faith in our culture. Opus Dei has been stressing the same from the beginning. Others have tried to reinstill the dignity of work in the life of Christians. Again, Opus Dei was already doing that too. Then there is the family of God focus in some groups and, again, Opus Dei beat them to the punch. Prof. Hahn exposes the "sinister" secrets of Opus Dei and shows us what we all have been seeking all along - a family that works together to the glory of God. To counter fear of the uknown, Prof. Hahn, with his always strong focus on the Scriptures, gives us inside knowledge to dispel the myths and fears. Would that all Christians take up the vocation of Opus Dei and stop fighting amongst ourselves.

5 comments about Afterzen: Experiences of a Zen Student Out on His Ear.

1. 
   If you have already read van de Weterings other 2 zen books (see reviews), you will find this book a big kiss off. The core of "Afterzen" is a slashing through the hype, the aura, of pretentiousness in zen practice. This book is an outstanding example of "cutting through spiritual materialism".
   
   van de Wetering's disappointment is palpable; he is very cynical about spiritual teachers in general, not just his previous mentors. And comparing this chronicle with his others, that cynicism has really eroded his fine sense of humor and making fun of himself. His disillusionments are what this book is about; and although it is a good read, especially his discussions about what is involved in solving koans, the absence of his formerly humorous persona reduces the power of what this book could have been.
   
   Perhaps a paraphrase of Chuang Tzu would summarize this book best:
   
   "That which is One (zen) is one. That which is not One (not zen) is also one (zen)"
   
   Recommended reading, without the highly.
   
   Extracts: A Field Guide for Iconoclasts
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



2. In his previous books, *The Empty Mirror* and *A Glimpse of Nothingness*, Van de Wetering shows us his earnest, serious phase when he seeks out and learns from a Zen master in Kyoto, Japan and later on in Maine, USA. In *Afterzen*, Van de Wetering weaves a delightful tapestry of post-zen stories that show the lighter side of life after involvement with dysfunctional spiritual teachers and centers.
   
   Van de Wetering shares his encounters with two types of inappropriate spiritual teachers: (a) the outright, (usually male) rash teachers who drink and womanize and (b) the grim, unyielding and dogmatic teachers who feel they are somehow on a mission. In Maine, Van de Wetering seems to have worked closely with the grim and dogmatic kind. In *A Glimpse of Nothingness* he gives one such teacher the pseudonym of "Peter." In *Afterzen* it seems that he refers to the same person as "Sensei," simply meaning "teacher," a name used in most American Zen centers.
   
   Some of Van de Wetering's encounters of his earlier phase are retold in a critical, yet humorous vein in his lighter, "afterzen" phase. The reason Van de Wetering didn't question the behavior of his earlier teachers in his previous books--both the teachers he worked with and the ones he met in passing--is that he simply couldn't. Western Zen students tend to take themselves and their teachers way too seriously. Respect turns into idealization and idealization turns into belief in the lineage myths of supposedly enlightened teachers. In this phase, it is all too easy to silence inner doubts about unwise or uncompassionate behavior in teachers.
   
   That spiritual teachers are human, all too human, is a hard lesson to learn in the western Zen environment. Most Zen teachers do not encourage down-to-earth, horizontal relationships with their students. It likely took many a tumble and several years of experience in a dysfunctional center for Van de Wetering to see through the Zen hype, and to come out laughing in the end. Highly recommended reading for anyone who has ever left a spiritual practice center, or who is contemplating intense involvement with one.



3. This is a curious afterthought by van de Wettering to his two previous, wonderfully expressive and thought-provoking books about his adventures in pursuit of answers to life's persistent questions (e.g. is there a purpose?), chronicling his time in a Zen monastery in Kyoto (Book 1: The Empty Mirror) and later in a hermitage in Maine (Book 2: The Glimpse of Nothingness). If you've read the earlier books, then this one is ultimately a letdown and does not live up to the lighthearted yet deeply felt and insightful, intimate and reflective style of the first two books.
   
   Afterzen reads like a work divided against itself: in his strongest, van de Wettering comes across as a vigorous searcher (much like in the earlier books in the trilogy), and in his weakest, as a sarcastic insider, self-appointed know-it-all critic of the Zen "scene" in the west. In the most confusing sections of the book he sounds like a bitter ex-disciple who had some sort of a falling out with his American Zen master and was asked to leave the hermitage. This latter retelling of his departure from the hermitage in Maine is in total contrast to his rendition of the same event at the end of book 2 where he simply says "It was time to go back. You have other things to do than sit still in a blockhouse in the snow." Not a hint of troubles with the master that he now reveals in the last book. This is not some minor contradiction since it is about his view of and his relationship with one of the major characters in both books 1 and 2. Apart from a few vague references, we never get to find out exactly what it was that led to the eventual downfall (as he calls it) of his American Zen master. In this last book of the trilogy, he calls his Zen master the "Sensei" but we can easily tell-from all descriptions- that this is the same person (called Peter in the earlier books) who played a central and positive role in earlier books. Why the need for a pseudonym now? How come Peter was so revered by the author in the first two books and fell from grace in this book?
   
   Some of the events he chronicles in Afterzen predate (if I'm not mistaken about the chronology) the second book and are presented as highly critical evaluations of Zen higher-ups (monk, master, Rimpoche -a living Buddha) he encounters in the west -Amsterdam, London, and eventually in Maine- after his time in Kyoto. These "enlightened" souls are presented as alcoholics, womanizers, and highly materialistic beings. The inevitable question after reading all this is: how come these people and events were not mentioned in the second book, and more to the point, if the scene was as corrupted at that time as the author wants us to believe, then how come he left the comfort of his home in the Netherlands to come to Maine to join Peter's (Sensei) hermitage to continue his Zen training? None of this makes any sense. Maybe it is not supposed to.
   
   We are told of a Zen master who visits the author in his Maine home -he eventually settled in the US -and how this supposedly enlightened one is a disappointment to the author, because it turns out that he seems (to the author) to fail to meet the demands of living in the Maine woods. So what? You wish that this is the author's point as well -but this is ultimately about his ego and not about ZEN. We come away feeling that this author, who took us along for this joyful ride as he went on his search, in the end, does not get it. How sad.



4. This is an honest post-script to the author's path through Zen. Jawillem van der Wetering's first and second books brought me to Zen; his third re-inspired me to get back on the cushion.
   
   If you are "into Zen", take a pass on this book. If you are looking to be a better person, reduce stress, lower your blood pressure, or become one with the Universe, take a pass.
   
   This is Zen and Zen is reality, and reality is hard, messy, discomforting, and stays in your face even when you turn away. Furthermore, reality is value-neutral, and, surprising to many, so is Zen. Zen masters in Japan supported their government's wartime policies, masters in America slept with their students, and van der Wetering's second, American, master was a moody S.O.B. instead of a smiley-faced spiritual mentor.
   
   Van der Wetering put himself on the line between ordinary life in the default mode of perception into which we grow, and the exact same life informed by the progressive destruction of assumptions, opinions, and perspective through zazen and the intense interpersonal instruction of a Zen master. He put in the hours on the cushion, tested himself sitting before his master, and, finally, spared nothing in reporting back from the front.
   
   He chronicles his disappointment; throughout the book he shares his sense of an important, yet unfulfilled, part of his life's mission and, after it all, withholds overt judgment of himself and his erstwhile master. (If judgment there is, I missed it.)
   
   In short, read, and re-read, this book, and its predecessors, to disabuse yourself of any sense that your path to inner peace and tranquility lies through Zen. Then, if you're still "into Zen", put the books away and go find a master who makes you sweat.



5. Van De Wetering's previous books on Zen "The Empty Mirror" and "A Glimpse of Nothingness" weren't advocating Zen as a "solution" or a "path" for anynone, rather they described his personal search for meaning and his personal struggle with the practice.
   While at the end of "A Gimpse of Nothingness" I had the impression that for him Zen turned out to be his "path" in the search for meaning, "Afterzen" - written several years later - describes a very different situation.
   
   Apparently his Zen community has fallen apart, he as given up on any formal practice (at least within another community) and he is very critical, polemic and cynical about Zen, about his former teachers and about spiritual teachers in general, with the only exception being the Roshi in the Japanese Zen monastary he stayed in several years earlier (described in the book "The Empty Mirror"), whom he stills holds in high regard.
   
   The book also describes encounters with fellow (former) Zen students, speaks about koans and gives some "solutions" to them. All in all it feels like Van De Wetering is creating a balance sheet of the assets and liabilities of his Zen experience. Yet he obviously isn't detached about it and his cynical and polemic - at times even self-righteous - style might turn some people off.
   
   A Zen master once said "If you meet the Buddha, kill the Buddha". Perhaps in a similar approach by giving up on Zen as a "solution" and a "path", Van De Wetering is in fact follow its intention and teaching the most, even though he's still trying to come to terms with it.