1 comments about The Confessions of St Augustine (Moody Classics).

1. It is a rather difficult read but I believe this classic is worth it. Not a book for a person who likes light and/or fun reading. Much more for the reflective person.

5 comments about Azusa Street.

1. For many, this will be one of those life changing books.
   If your heart is sensitive to it, you will feel the pain of watching greed and avarice step on, use, and pollute that which is pure.
   You will see those who long for the touch of a loving God pursue Him in the midst of persecution and manipulation. You will revel in the Holy Spirit. You will see men struting like swollen roosters brought to their knees in humility before Him. You will see Laban ministries who see God's people as servants for the advancement of their herds. Some will bow before God. Some will sell their souls to keep their titles.
   All in the historical context. You MUST KNOW this story.
   Men build systems. Systems guarantee conformity. Religious systems require that certain people play certain roles. The Holy Spirit doesn't work this way. He goes where He wills. Men don't like that.
   That's why each religious organization has their own assembly-line of ministers. Those who control the systems require the **MARK** of conformity.



2. This is a very good book which describes the early years of the outpooring of the Spirit. I have been very challenged by this book. It shows the cost for a revival: Prayer, obedience and a sincere longing for more of God. This is a very good book. God will bless you in reading it.



3. I did not receive this book, I thought it may have been my fault because I received 2 Devine Life Books. Obviously that is not true because you are inqiring about Azusa Street. Please send it to me.
   Thank you, Roy Holmes



4. Great book on the history of the spiritual experiences and what preparatory work was necessary in the 1906 pentecostal revival. The work may hurt a few feelings, especially if you are in the Pentecostal denominations, because it does not pull any punches. It says quite clearly that the reason that the Holy Spirit is not moving so strongly now is because of man's usurping God's authority and placing it into a man-made structure [denominational or otherwise]. If you are looking for a book that WILL change your outlook on how you need to approach recieving the Holy Spirit or rekindling your walk, then this is it. I loved it!



5. Frank Bartleman gives a first hand view of Asuza Street and the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. I was greatly encouraged and challenged by the aspect of becoming small enough for God to use. All of Him(Jesus). None of me.

5 comments about Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Zen Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki.

1. Crooked Cucumber: The Life and Teaching of Shunryu Suzuki
   
   My husband, Jack Elias, a student of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi in the early days of San Francisco Zen Center, recommended Crooked Cucumber to me shortly after we met. At a loss for words to describe his Zen teacher, he handed me the book and said, "David has said it all amazingly well." I didn't know much about Zen, and all I knew about this great Zen master was that he had authored the classic, Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind. I didn't know who David Chadwick was, either. After reading the book, though, it soon became apparent that the birth of American Zen Buddhism, the life of Suzuki Roshi, and a deep admiration for David, the author of this beautifully written and exactingly reported biography, had all entered my mind's world ineffably and permanently. I remember this book and its stories the way one recalls favored scenes from one's own personal history. This phenomenon itself has proven interesting food for contemplation. Sometimes out of the blue, details of Suzuki Roshi's life arise vividly and with great immediacy. In those moments I think about how this teacher lived, and how he made his difficult way to enlightenment. Quite simply, this book continues to nourish me, though I'm not a Zen student. Crooked Cucumber changed my mind in ways I can't pinpoint, but for which I'm nonetheless deeply grateful. A thousand thanks to David Chadwick for delivering Suzuki Roshi to us with such love, humor, and rigorous specificity.



2. This is a very good book. You can read "Zen Mind, Beginners Mind" and find out what Shunryu Suzuki says. More importantly, you can read this and see how Shunryu lived his life - an even better example. Simply and accepting (well most of the time except when he threw the odd wobbly). The book shows that there is nothing to zen, and then of course, there is everything.
   
   It could benefit with an index



3. If you are interested in the story of Zen in America, you must read this book. Paints a vivid portrait of one of the premier teachers, giving a "behind the scenes" view of what a spiritual teacher's life is like, without the mythologizing you often find. A good read, too. The story of his life in Japan draws you right in, and the descriptions of San Francisco in the sixties bring it to life, although the forward momentum of the narrative begins to bog down into various random anecdotes from his students.
   
   For the continuation of the story after Suzuki's death, you should follow up with "Shoes Outside the Door: Desire, Devotion and Excess at San Fransciso Zen Center" .
   
   --Alan Zundel, the HeartAwake Center



4. I came to this book with some reservations, having been told that it was a largely flattering and hagiographic "authorized" biography by one of the subject's most avid students. I expected a saccharine-sweet, whitewashed vanilla ride...and was very pleasantly DISAPPOINTED, lol!
   
   While the author makes no secret of his own profound respect and admiration for Suzuki, he does not omit many ambiguous and less flattering details and events in the subject's life and character. So while the portrait of Suzuki that emerges is largely positive, it is not without some shadows and warts as well, i.e. it is not a two-dimensional characterization by any means. We get a balanced insight into Suzuki the "Zen master" (=highly skilled teacher of Zen) as well as Suzuki the perfectly imperfect human being.
   
   What sets this book firmly in the top echelon of biographies is Chadwick's fluid and graceful storytelling, and the skillful interweaving of Suzuki's own writings and talks into the narrative. In some ways it reads almost like a novel, with the vivid and often lyrical descriptions and re-creations...Chadwick's prose certainly does not have the tedious smell of your typical academic writing. Every few pages there are italicized excerpts from the teacher's books or recorded talks, and they are for the most part very well chosen, with the events that are subsequently described complementing and/or exemplifying those thoughts perfectly. In this way, when you read "Crooked Cucumber" you really get to enjoy two books in one: a very enjoyable biography about a very interesting and irresistible man, and that man's own unique interpretation and practice of Zen philosophy.
   
   It's been a very long time since I've been as engrossed by a biography as I was by this one...maybe we could get David O. Russell (director of the ingenious and deeply Buddhist "I Heart Huckabees") to make a film out of it!



5. This is really the only way to get the skinny on Shunryu Suzuki in a short amount of time. David was kind enough to allow me an interview regarding this (then) recently published book for my last (online) edition of Royal Vagrant, back in February of 2001. In addition to the information he graciously shared with me, I really enjoyed the book a great deal as readable biography and a useful guide to ordination and what to look for in a Zen/Ch'an teacher.
   
   "Crooked Cucumber" is what Suzuki's own Zen master called a naughty Suzuki as a boy. Suzuki was a little bit lazy and devious and the name is an endearing trademark for the man's affable appreciation for the natural bent of a person's character, especially in Americanized Zen practice (and it MUST become somewhat "Americanized", is what he would have said, to become authentic practice for Americans).
   
   Chadwick is a talented author and fuly deserves to be remembered as the man who captured Suzuki's personality and life down on paper.

5 comments about Body Piercing Saved My Life: Inside the Phenomenon of Christian Rock.

1. Beaujon writes a good book. I read it quickly. As a rural pastor and a huge fan of Christian Rock since the 70s I was impressed with this "agnostics' take on the subject matter. I have read a few reviews that comment on beaujon's nuetrality which I disagree with. Toward the end of the book Beaujon admits his dad was a pastor who had an affair with a church member and stole money from the next church he "landed at." Sad. Beaujon does in-depth work with several disaffected personalities in Christian Rock that I would contend are unknowns or at least alt acts that few kids could care about. When talking with Bazen and others who get paid for playing to Christians audiances they seem to loath or distrust, Beaujon gives them free space to rail, question or act typically artist like. In his few takes with true lifes like Taylor and the head of word he ask questions I could have come up with. So I think the word "balance" is tough to give Beaujon. I see him featuring the Bazen and company to confirm his own quite problems with the faith. Beaujon had to be affected by the sad actions of his dad. Those actions must have crushed his faith. If he knows it are not he bleeds all over the pages with his pain. I think he exudes that some things about the faith are good, but I can't enternalize it. I hope he will continue to study Christianity and I think the object of the worship music he distains will continue to patienly seek him.



2. It arrived at my house in a very timely manner. It was exactly how it was described, in a good condition.



3. ...though not a great one. most of you will remember the author as frontperson of Eggs, the band that gave us the classic LP "Teenbeat 96 Exploder." since that time, Beaujon has enjoyed success making journalism (of which this book is part). the book does a good job of providing some background and perspective on a subject widely misunderstood by outsiders (whom i count myself among). my criticisms are pretty much the sort that could be levelled against a vast number of music books. there's some distracting editorializing outside the (presumed) subject matter (anyone for a rehash of Dave Matthews vs. the Dismemberment Plan?) and no mention of some figures who've enjoyed notable crossover appeal: the sublime electronica of Joy Electric, Roadside Monument (a sort of Don Cab for Jesus) and the Sam/Leslie Phillips phenomenon. in terms of political orientation, the Serious Christian rock audience (as opposed to, say, those Serious Christians who limit their intake to Christian Rock) are as likely to speak well of Mr. Obama as Mr. Huckabee. overall, it's a terribly, terribly complex subject that Beaujon is to be commended for tackling.



4. I think there's something in all of us that loves to know what other people think of us. Growing up in the `90s under the "christian music only" rule, and a (former) collection of over 300 christian rock cds, I found this aspect of my life under scrutiny from the "outside." And I loved it.
   
   In Body Piercing Saved My Life, Beaujon offers a very candid look at the christian rock music industry. I have to say that I learned a ton about the music industry in general by reading this book. Seeing the behind the scenes issues, the financial policies, the tensions, etc. was something new for me.
   
   The book focuses more on people than anything, and I think Beaujon realizes that you can't really learn much from caricatures or stereotypes. (I guess that's why he wrote the book). This, for me, was incredibly interesting, as he basically related a series of interviews, relationships with figures in the scene, and how they all fit into the big picture.
   
   I can't say that I found much to disagree with in the book. I resonated strongly with David Bazan's confusion and then rejection with the charismatic background he was raised in. I very much agreed with Beaujon's analysis of modern praise music as "more than a little sexual and a tad uncomfortable if you're sitting next to an attractive person who's been overcome by the Spirit." (159). He pointed out the similarities between the way Deadheads and now the current jamband scene experience their music, and the current "worship experience." I thought I was the only one who saw that! As one who has had deep experiences in both scenes, I thought his analysis was right on and matched my experience perfectly. He also points out many of the quirks and foibles in modern american evangelicalism, and I couldn't really argue with any of them.
   
   I think I share the same opinions with Beaujon when it comes to american evangelicalism and its music. For me, I've rejected it in favor of a bare-bones, bible based faith which rejects most of the trappings of this sub-culture (some would label me a "fundamentalist," though (like we all say) "it's much more nuanced than that!") When I "got convicted" about my music, it wasn't just the Grateful Dead that got tossed out, it was my entire music collection, all 300+ christian rock cds included. Beaujon, in contrast, finds himself identifying with those christians who reject the american evangelical subculture in favor of the world's culture, and an emphasis on a social gospel.
   
   I found this fascinating: "As I left, [Jae] Choi asked me if I was a Christian, and when I said no, he handed me a tract. I was on the plane home before I realized that I'd been working on this project for six months, and it was the first time anyone had tried to evangelize me." (168)
   
   It's apparent to me, also, that Beaujon doesn't understand the gospel: "To me, the message of the Gospel is love one another, look out for the less fortunate, and try to walk gently on the earth." (271). This is, in fact, the "gospel" that many american evangelicals are currently preaching. To me, the message of the gospel is this: even though I am a wretched sinner who knows that I deserve hell and have no possible way of saving myself from it, God Himself took the initiative, became a man, took my sin upon Himself, and received the punishment I deserve. The way is clear for a restored relationship with the Creator of the universe! That's good news!
   
   I loved Beaujon's writing style. It was downright art at times. I also loved his transparency, and felt that this was a pretty unbiased, straightforward account of the scene. I didn't feel any hatred or malice or desire to make anyone look stupid; (if anyone looks stupid in this book, they brought it upon themselves). Overall, I wouldn't say that I necessarily gained a whole lot by reading this, but I found it fascinating and enjoyable to read.



5. I enjoyed reading the book, but I didn't agree with much of what the author had to say. Beaujon inserted a lot of opinion into this book and it shows in some ways he had an agenda even though he probably would deny that. He highlighted Christians who swear, drink and carouse. He hung out with David Bazan and seems to feel most comfortably with him more than anyone else in the book.
   
   The book is informative and shows that he did research, but still he wrote that Yellowcard started as a Christian band that crossed over to the mainstream. He wrote transcripts of interviews in the book, which is kind of lazy. He revealed all the "off the record" comments by the people he interviewed. Not only that but some parts of the book dragged on because he lacked a clear focus. It becomes apparent that Beaujon wrote the book and didn't have an editor who knew enough about Christian Rock or Christianity to correct some of the mistakes he made.
   
   The bottom line is that this book is better than "Why Should the Devil Have All The Good Music?" But that's not saying much. The book should have been called "A Spin Magazine Writer's Take On Christian Rock".

5 comments about And Muhammad Is His Messenger: The Veneration of the Prophet in Islamic Piety (Studies in Religion).

1. Professor Schimmel, a German scholar of Islam here presents what could be called a 'traditional view of Muhammad' by that I mean how Muhammad is understood by the vast majority of his followers (i.e. Muslims) how they base their lives on him and how they take inspiration from him.
   
   The professor goes through various traditional religious prayer manuals popular amongst Muslims such as the Mevlid of Sulayman Celebi, the Burda, the Dala'il al-Khayrat and others explaining how they are read by Muslims, the times of year that they are read (such as special occasions like the Prophets birthday etc) and the reasons why they inspire such devotion amongst Muslims to their prophet.
   
   One negative point is that this book (as most of the professors) is largely based upon writings from the Indian subcontinent and Turkey. Practically nothing is included about for example, West Africa or the Sub Sahara which ignores the strong Sufi traditions of the Tijani, Qadiri and Darqarwi orders and their vast body of devotional literature.
   
   The most important aspect of this book I feel is that it gives us in the west a greater understanding of the reasons behind the great attachment that Muslims have to the founder of their religion and also how they actually interpret and practice their religion something I feel that we would not be able to take from for example the various Saudi/Gulf publications that have flooded the market in recent years which tell us an awful lot about what Muslims believe but not how that belief is actually put into practice in the context of the world around them.
   
   Highly recommended book. I would also strongly recommend Mystical dimensions in Islam from the same author.



2. item was delivered promptly and in good condition..I was very satisfied with my purchase and would recommend this user to anyone!



3. Annemarie Schimmel's work is well known to the world of religion,and this book is no exception. This book gets into the details of the Life of the Prophet Muhammed and the love and respect the followers of ISLAM have for their Prophet. Obvisouly this book was not a biography of the Prophet Muhammad but it gives enough information, so one can understand the Importance of Prophet Muhammad in th eislamic world



4. Annemarie Schimmel has studied Islam for years, writing many important books particularly on the subject of Islamic spirituality. The aim of this book is to explore the love for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in Islamic society. With samples of poetry and prose in praise of the Prophet, it captures some of the affection Muslims have for the man they revere as the "Mercy to Mankind." Although some biographical details appear, the book is not a biography per se. Instead the book represents a historical analysis of Prophet Muhammad's unique place in the life of his followers.



5. HI MY NAME IS MICHAEL i WANT TO BY THIS BOOK BUT PLEASE GIVE ME A REPORT ABOUT THIS BOOK michaelwsaad@yahoo.com

4 comments about Meet Solanus Casey : Spiritual Counselor and Wonder Worker.

1. I received the book, Meet Solanus Casey, in a very short time after ordering it. The book is in perfect condition. Thank you very much



2. Do you ever feel insignificant, or that your little life doesn't make a difference? Well, "Meet Solanus Casey"! His life proved that even the smallest person among us can change the world by just being himself. Born of poor Irish farmers, Solanus (Barney) did so poorly in his studies for the priesthood that he merely attained "simplex" status. In his latter years, 400 people a day would line up to counsel with him - so great was his love and his impact on his fellow man. Be inspired by the love of this little friar and believe that you, too can change the world.



3. I have visited just about every state in the Union, and I am constantly amazed at how many people have heard of Fr. Solanus Casey. A native of Wisconsin, one of 16 children of a devout Irish Catholic family, Fr. Solanus entered the Capuchin Order and spent the rest of his life listening to people's problems and praying for the healing of their bodies and their spirits. His cause for canonization is currently pending in Rome.
   Several fine biographies of Fr. Solanus have already been written. "Meet Solanus Casey" is unique in that it is written by one who lived with him in community and was his personal friend, Brother Leo Wollenweber. Brother Leo draws on the rich documentation available about Fr. Solanus, but he also adds so many anecdotes and personal reflections that are not found elsewhere. The result is a warm, intimate portrait of a man who inspired faith in God in so many people. Readers will also appreciate the appendix entitled "Wisdom from Fr. Solanus"--a collection of brief sayings selected from his letters and diaries.
   "Meet Solanus Casey" is a gracious introduction to the life of this happy and loving Servant of God.



4. This is one of three or four biographies of the Capuchin holy man, but it is far the best for the common reader. It is written by a friar who had a long association with him, and is therefore very personal. You truly feel that you have gotten to know Fr. Solanus as a person, not just as a miracle worker or a phenomenon. The amount of theological discourse is small and never confusing. I am recommending it to all, even to the more sophisticated reader.

5 comments about Alone of All Her Sex: The Myth and the Cult of the Virgin Mary.

1. Like an appealing art gallery guide, Warner conducts a grand tour of the legends, literature, and imagery concerning Mother Mary. Along the way she exposes vast differences in the messages these artists make Mary convey. On one hand, Warner shows the church moving to emphasize a host of pre-Christian rules about the ranking of males over females, and enforcement of taboos concerning sexual pollution -- to a point where all contact between men and women was a sin to be forgiven, and all love for women was a form of idolatry. As Matfré Ermengaud put it in the 1200s, "Satan, in order to make men suffer bitterly, makes them adore women; for instead of loving as they should, the creator with fervent love, with all their heart, with all their mind, ... they sinfully love women". (p. 153.) Only males who had no part in such sin could mediate forgiveness for it.
   
   On the other hand, Warner shows the rising popular devotion to women and mothers, taking form as troubadour art and as the great cult of Mother Mary. What did it mean to love her? Countering a rise of romantic ideals, the monastic artists promoted Mary as an expression of devotion for chastity. While formally shunning all earthly females, they pointed the parishioners toward a more worthy object for their devotion -- the chaste and non-physical woman of their spiritual dreams in heaven. In the "counter-romance" of clerical poetry about Mary, chastity was actually marriage to the Virgin in heaven. The Virgin called all men to love her, and was offended if they spurned her for mortal females. In a French clerical story of the 1300's, the "Miracles de Notre Dame par Personnages", a young man considers monastic vows, but then falls in love with a woman. The Virgin Mary appears and rebukes him in his bedroom:
   
   "How can this be, since I am who I am, that you are leaving me for another woman? It seems you're badly underrating my worth and my beauty. ... You must be drunk to give your whole heart and all your love to a woman of this earth? And to leave me, the lady of heaven?" (p. 156.)
   
   Warner's juxaposition of troubadour and clerical lore shows a marvelous, artfully conducted arguement over what is good, what is beautiful, and what we can aspire to.
   
   --author of "Different Visions of Love"



2. Marina Warner's writing style is so magnificent that each paragraph seems a tribute to the beauty of the English language. I should like to use this book as an instruction manual for advanced courses in literary composition.
   
   In itself, this book is a landmark work of European history. Marina's treatment of nearly a millennium of devotions, historical implications, poetry, art, and culture is exceedingly extensive and cohesive.
   
   I withheld the fifth star because the underlying thesis, that the devotions to Mary have condemned women to inferior status, distorts the essence of the devotions chronicled. Even in the 'age of faith,' the connections between devotion, which admits to God's ways being unknowable, and the physical manifestations (icons, relics and the like) which make them come alive for the believer, hardly would have been veritable manuals of 'how to use Mary's holiness to underline female inferiority.' In fact, were this book a historical work without the feminist angle, it would have been far better.



3. Warner's book is far more than a mere history of the Virgin Mary. It is not intended for devout Catholics who only wish to hear praise heaped on the mother of God. What Warner does is chronicle the journey that Mary has taken throughout history, highlighting her many cultural guises and pointing out how they have historically been used to reflect the political motivations of the church. For anyone who is looking to read something beyond the sterile propoganda of a religion that has too long controlled the way in which people perceive and treat women, this is a book that will answer many questions. A beautiful read, written sensitively by a woman who knows Catholicism intimately, but who has been disillusioned by the deeply misogynistic foundations of the Catholic faith.



4. The fact remains that this book offers a very solid and accurately researched survey of the development of the "phenomenon" of devotion to Mary, the mother of Jesus. It is not exhaustive by any means, but traces all the major strains of development from at least the third century. What the book fails to do adequately is critically delve into the real roots of Marian themes as found in the New Testament records. Indeed, what we see in the very first century of the Christian/Biblical era is a rather rapid (and radical) development of attitudes about the Mother of Jesus, a shift from early indifference and ignorance of Mary's role (the Marcan Gospel, Pauline letters) to an outright "lifting up" of Mary as the Ideal Christian, the First True Disciple, worthy of loud praise (Luke), and even iconic status as Eve-Israel 'Mother of believers'(John) and glorified symbol of the Church itself (Revelation). I wish Werner had spent more time drawing attention to how swift and startling these developments in the understanding of Mary were when the New Testament writings were being composed. Also, how did these "arcs of thought" regarding Mary take root geographically in the 2nd century church? Werner could have noted that it was no coincidence that Gospel communities giving great prominence to the figure of Mary(Luke's Antioch, the Johannine churches) in the first century continued to preserve these emphases in the 2nd (Ignatius of Anioch, Irenaeus-Justin, etc). Otherwise, Werner gives a solid depiction of how formative ecclesiastical motives (asceticism, Christological controversy) rattled the chains of Mary's rather flexible image in the patristic age, and how her mystique lent itself so readily to mythical, legendary rumblings about her death, intercessory powers, etc. A fascinating handbook and not even remotely [a] feminist manifesto ... It seems that some would have a hard time handling the reality that much of what Mary represents was a complex combination of iconic mythologizing that began in Scriptural/Apostolic times and only grew in succeeding centuries according to the demands of the age and normal human piety.



5. Notice that if you have an encounter with the Virgin Mary. . . and write about it you are biased. If you have a feminist axe to grind and write from the point of view of philosophic naturalism, you are scholarly.

   This is political correctness applied to Mary.

   Yawn.

   JMNR

5 comments about Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling.

1. More than the story of the tumultuous relationship between Michelangelo and Pope Julius II, this well documented offering from Ross King breathes life into a period in history that was populated by the great artists, Michelangelo, DaVinci, Raphael, etc. and some of the most bizarre characters in church history. Mystery, intrigue, sex, betrayal, deceit..... all the makings of a great page turning novel. But, this is fact not fiction. Art history buffs, I think, will love the stories "behind the canvas" and "outside the frame". History buffs will appreciate the way the threads of the church, the politics, the art and the artists come together in a fascinating tapestry. If you enjoy it, try the Judgment of Paris or Bruneleschi's Dome by the same author.



2. We saw the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and I wanted to know more about the person and the era that it was created. This book helped fill in the gaps of my knowledge.



3. This is one of the finest historical books I have read. It is well researched and insightful, as well as occasionally funny. King has an amazing way of bringing historical figures to life and placing them in context. I read it as I travelled Italy and finished as we visited the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Perhaps that brought it to life more for me. I recommend this book to anyone who is even mildly interested in Michelangelo or art. It is a great read.



4. If you have come this far, you really should go ahead and get this book and read it. Make sure you have some time set aside, because once you start you will not want to put this book down. This is the third Ross King art history book I have read. It meets my two criteria for an Amazon review: Is it worth the time? Is it worth the money? Yes and yes. It is highly readable, factual and entertaining. It provides insight into the works of Michaelangelo, which constitute some of the great cultural artifacts of civilization. At the same time, King sticks to his subject - The Chapel Vault- thus he has little discussion of early Medici years, many of the great sculptures, the Last Judgement and even the architecture of St Peter's. This is focused on this special period and task. The events of Julius II's reign and his military campaign are the core of discussion - one is tempted to wonder what aesthetic motives drove this man. We are made aware of Raphael working across the way and Bramante and his group fishing for influence. The point of view is decidedly in favor of Michaelango's side in controversies, but evidence is somewhat balanced. Whatever happens in your reading program, do not miss this one.



5. A master sculptor, who becomes a painter, to continue with his quest and passion as a sculptor. King's accounting of the painting of the sistine chapel ceiling is filled with details of day-to-day situations arranged and contrived by the artist. Micelangelo must use real world problem solving skills to deal with the realities of his times in his performance in completing a task of incrediable challenges. King convincingly clarifies and disarms some of the myths surrounding the work and working process. Clearly King has done his research and gives an insightful accounting of the life and times of Pope Julius II and his relationship with Michelangelo and other artist, architects and politicians. The warrior Pope maintains a love and support of the arts throughout his career with a special display of admiration and love for the artist, Michelanglo. He does all this while managing some strategic manuevers in an era of difficult and trying political arena. For anyone interested in the Renaissance art and artist of the time this approach to learning is a pleasant read. As for me, I am looking into what else Mr. King has to offer.

5 comments about An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order.

1. This was a fantastic book! I think the other reviews described the book well. This book was absolutely amazing.



2. Reading "An Infinity of Little Hours," I was, somewhat to my surprise, drawn deeply into the ascetic world of this Carthusian monastery in England through the stories of the five men who entered in 1960. The book becomes an unlikely page turner as you wonder who among the five will be able to endure the silence, the alone-ness, the cold, and other privations in order to become closer to God, which was their motivation for joining this most austere of all religious orders.
   
   The small details and trials of contemporary monastic life, little changed from the order's founding in the 11th century, are precisely described here and form a compelling counterpoint to the men's psychic yearning for the spiritual. You might both experience the "feel" of a hairshirt yet also "hear" the sweetness of a chant well-sung. You can share the frustration of one musically trained monk with his tone-deaf brothers.
   
   Reader's tip: Keep a bookmark in the page that lists the monks' secular and religious names (it can be confusing keeping track of who is who).
   
   This book will appeal to the religious and non-religious alike who share a fascination with those whose search for God sets them apart from our materialistic and secular society. "An Infinity of Little Hours" depicts a world which few of us would or could enter but which is nevertheless as fascinating to observe as any other rarified culture.



3. This contemplative, low-key text shone light into a realm unknown and unknowable to most people, and offered insights into the daily rituals and rhythms within this cloistered context. The men described were well-drawn, human, and treated respectfully, and each vignette offered different perspetives and angles on the experience inside the walls.
   
   I have recommended this book to friends interested in learning more about lives of meditation and solitude. I found it raised many points of comparison to the lives of Buddhist monks and nuns.



4. simply excellent. Couldn't put it down until finished. profound, moving and direct. one has to admire her five subjects and others involved----and the author who told their individual and collective story.
   Jim Whalen



5. Reality, not hagiography. This is the best way to describe An Infinity of Little Hours: Five Young Men and Their Trial of Faith in the Western World's Most Austere Monastic Order, by Nancy Klein Maguire. I think it is appropriate to begin this review by stating from the start what this book is not. This is not the story of five "conventional" holy men although each one was "holy" in a particular and peculiar way. The author did not set out to inspire people to pray, to excite the faith of believers nor to draw a recruiting poster for the Carthusians - although it may indeed increase the faith of some and move them to pray more or to seek admission to this strict order--and that is always good. Nor is this book about the "technique" of contemplative prayer a la Chartreuse, nor a narrative of mystical, ecstatic events.
   
   An Infinity of Little Hours could be construed as an attempt at dispassionate, anthropological observation but without the jargon that accompanies this science. Nancy Klein Maguire has an obvious interest to find out what makes this tribe of men "tick" and how they coped with their unique circumstances during their travails at the Catholic Church's "most austere monastic order." She relied heavily on personal interviews which she coupled with her extensive research material and exceptional access to the Carthusian Charterhouse in Parksminster, England and her own observations, memories, and imagination to reconstruct for her readers the settings in which the eremitic lives of these five men took place in the early 1960's. As a child born in the mid-1960's who did not witness first hand most of the pivotal events of that decade, I find her reconstruction vivid and credible. She certainly held my attention.
   
   The five men whose monastic adventure the author narrates came from different backgrounds in Europe, Britain, Ireland, and the United States. Each one brought with them a passion, an idea, a budding vocation, and their own temperament to the task. Of the five, only one remains a Carthusian today but all of them, each in his own way and like former U.S. Marines, remain "Carthusians" to this day, forever marked by their experience.
   
   I found fascinating Klein-Maguire's description of the inner politics of the Charterhouse. She answered several pedestrian questions I had regarding the relationships forged and the conflicts that arose between men in this rarefied environment. If one is "silent" most of the time, what does one think? What does one do? How does that affect our perceptions of others? The author's findings were very illuminating: worldly concerns, the bread-and-butter issues of lay people, even those with a contemplative bent in the world, disappeared, subsumed in an environment focused on the pursuit of God. "Little things" such as singing in tune in choir, a careless gesture, a sustained, casual gaze on something or someone, a gruff answer, all acquired rich overtones often leading to misinterpretation, ill-will, factionalism and even spiritual, mental, and emotional disaster. Many vocations shipwrecked on these very human stumbling blocks.
   
   Her description of environmental stresses also caught my attention. The Charterhouse was a cold, damp place most of the year; the clothing and apparel often more a hindrance than an aid to prayer - although I freely concede that my perception is due more to my very American penchant for "improving efficiency" of all things material and spiritual and not from the just appreciation of ascetical practices in the Carthusian context. I mean, if a cell is so cold that it distracts one from prayer, why not get a more efficient wood stove and do away with the 14th century model? If manually cleaning a toilet distracts one from prayer and work, why oppose the installation of flushing toilets? Again, the author proves that when worldly concerns are removed from one's psyche, the mundane is amplified beyond size and reason in one's mind. The lesson I learned was that only those who are able to set aside even the little mundane things can succeed in their Carthusian vocation. Those who cannot will leave sooner or later; no matter how advanced they may be in the ranks of the order. Their subconscious distaste for their lives will burst forth unexpectedly, overtake them, and force them to leave. Finding that out was sobering to me, as I discover the repercussions of that insight in my own non-eremitical quest to seek the face of God.
   
   Klein-Maguire seems to lose her objectivity only once throughout An Infinity of Little Hours. That occurs Klein-Maguire described the exit of one of the five protagonists who discovered his homosexuality while in the novitiate. The reader can almost feel Klein-Maguire's condescending sigh as the senior monks counseled the novice that his same-sex attraction was akin to an "illness" and therefore not sinful by itself. She then wistfully describes how the novice embraced both an active homosexual lifestyle and Catholic faith due to his perception of "acceptance" by the post-Vatican II and even, becoming "partnered" later on, while barely acknowledging the "return of the conservative Church." As a discerning reader, I would have accepted the bare narrative of this man's life and travails without judging him at all for his life choices - and I still do that. But as a believing, orthodox Catholic I did not appreciate the author's editorializing. Her stance tells me that, as a Washington DC resident, Klein-Maguire looks to Georgetown and not to CUA (Catholic University of America) for clues about the moral teaching of the Church and the pastoral care of homosexual persons. Caveat, emptor.
   
   Yet, this disagreeable lapse in objectivity was minor compared to the whole body of the work. Klein-Maguire accomplished something I look forward to in every good literature: she made me live several lives without having to stop living my own life and learned from each one accordingly. She also moved me to deeper introspection and to discover that, although I do like solitude and quiet, I am essentially a very gregarious being who needs a constant interaction from others to crosscheck note, learn, and grow as a Catholic Christian man.
   
   The Lord has blessed me with a dear wife, a family, and spiritual preceptors who have helped me and continue to help me along the way. I need their constant contact. Despite my very secular inclinations, my admiration continues to grow for those select men and women whom the Lord have chosen to "burn themselves" in a living holocaust of prayer and sacrifice for the rest of us. Everyday I become more convinced that the destiny of the Church stands on their suffering shoulders. Blessed be God for them!
   
   And thank you Nancy Klein Maguire for this precious book. Will you be writing about the Carthusian nuns next?

3 comments about Edith Stein: A Biography/the Untold Story of the Philosopher and Mystic Who Lost Her Life in the Death Camps of Auschwitz.

1. Edith Stien was a Jew who in the 1920's of Germany converted to Catholicism and then became a nun much to the dismay of her orthodox mother. Those who are have heard of Edith Stien know that ultimately she was martyred in Auschwitz because of her outspokenness against the Nazi's as well as the fact that the Catholic Church in occupied Holland was the only large church organization willing to preach against the nazi regeim.

   What must people don't know about Edith Stien was what an incredibly couragous and brillant woman she was even long before she was martyred. As this book tells the story , often in her own words and in the words of those that were close to her, she was a college professer, philosopher, and political activist at a time when a professional woman was at best a grade school teacher or nurse. Even as a nun she worked on her philosophy and her writing.

   Waltraud Herbstrith does an excellent job portraying the complete Edith Stien, Her faith Her family and her intellect. An excellent book.




2. I consider this a "must read" for anyone interested in great women in history. The spiritual insights, life story, and heroic sacrifices of this brilliant woman, who was both a Jew and a Carmellite nun are amazing. Look closely at the cover art, as my interpretation was that Edith Stein possessed the "ear of God." The only complaint I have is the print was far too small. If it comes in a large print edition, you might be wise to order it. My eyesight is fairly normal.



3. This book is an excellent introduction to the life and thought of Edith Stein (St. Theresa Benedicta). Waltraud Herbstrith presents a biography that encompases the philosophical, spiritual, and personal aspects of her subject with great care. I came away from this book with a true appreciation for Edith Stein, in particular her writings on women and her deep love of God.