3 comments about The Duty of Delight: The Diaries of Dorothy Day.

1. This unique tome is worth every penny because it can connect us with Dorothy Day more intimately than I ever imagined possible. She is no longer inaccessible to me. In fact I had been a little afraid of her in the sense I had been afraid like the whiskey priest in one of Dorothy's favorite novels, "The Power and the Glory" by Graham Greene. I had always been afraid to end up like him, despairing over missing the boat. Here is the scene on the night before he was executed by a Mexican Communist firing squad:
   
   "What an impossible fellow I am, he thought, and how useless. I have done nothing for anybody. I might just as well have never lived..It seemed to him at that moment that it would have been quite easy to have been a saint. It would have needed a little self-restraint and a little courage. He felt like someone who has missed happiness by seconds at an appointed place. He knew now that in the end there was only one thing that counted - to be a saint."
   
   Well now after reading 700 pages of "Duty of Delight" I am no longer afraid. Dorothy makes it look possible to be a saint. I believe without a doubt that she is now with God in heaven. What she did to get there, I can do. Reading her diary showed she slogged it out just like the rest of us with doubts, setbacks and sorrows. Through it all she remained faithful to daily prayer and the sacraments, including frequent Confession. She knew that it was in the little things that we find God, something she learned from one of her favorite saints, Therese of Lisieux.
   
   Dorothy didn't always "suffer fools gladly." No matter. She was quick to apologize and always harsher in judging herself than she was other people. She always stayed focused on the pearl of great price, even as she paid her bills and worried just like the rest of us.
   
   This doesn't mean she was an ordinary person. What ordinary person would devote her life to voluntary poverty in order to serve the least among us, literally serve them, with food and shelter? Flannery O'Connor, whose letters she was reading near the end of her life, said one time, "The Truth shall make you odd." Dorothy was never afraid of being thought to be odd if that was the price you had to pay to live the Gospels. And it was and it is the price you have to pay.
   
   During the many days it took me to read this book, she was constantly on my mind. No other book ever did that for me. I wish I had known her like so many did. She affected all of them for the better, whether they were cardinals, famous writers like W. H. Auden, or street people.
   
   Miller's classic biography of Dorothy Day ends wtih her funeral and his final passage tells it all:
   
   "The funeral was on December 2 at the Nativity Catholic Church. An hour before the service people began to assemble in the street. There were American Indians, Mexican workers, blacks and Puerto Ricans. There were people in eccentric dress, apostles of causes who had felt a great power and truth in Dorothy's life...At the appointed time, a procession of these friends and fellow Catholic Workers came down the sidewalk. At the head of it Dorothy's grandchildren carried the pine box that held her body. Tamar (her daughter), Forster (Tamar's father) and Dorothy's brother John Day followed. At the Church door, Cardinal Terence Cooke met the body to bless it. As the procession stopped for this rite, a demented person pushed his way through the crowd and bending low over the coffin peered at it intently. No one interfered, because, as even the funeral directors understood, it was in such as this man that Dorothy had seen the face of God."



2. Dorothy Day is the quintessential radical Catholic with a lifetime of arrests and writings to make her stands known. Few can equal her courage, as this book so aptly demonstrates. She chides herself constantly for being critical and speaking up, yet no one has the stamina to do so with her insight gained from experience. A comrade of Mother Teresa, Cesar Chavez and Fr. Dan Berrigan, she is in good company.
   Who can not be impressed with her achievments and ongoing diary entries
   of a litany of prayers? Life had no soft way out for her. Living among the poor, she endured the company of the homeless, drunks, addicts and insane persons. Likewise, coping with ongoing discomforts of noisy interruptions, lice, and ringworm, she proved her commitment to the otherwise forgotten members of society. She is best known for publication of the socialist newspaper,"The Catholic Worker", but
   her personal memoirs and conversion story are not for the feint of heart. Truly she is a saint of our times.



3. There are few people who have done more to keep Dorothy Day's words before the public than Robert Ellsberg. As both editor of her writings (By Little and By Little, 1983; Dorothy Day: Selected Writings, 1992; A Penny a Copy, 1995) and publisher (Orbis) of books by and about her, Ellsberg continues to remind us of Dorothy's vision of a Christianity that is orthodox in theology and radical (in the deepest sense of the word, as a return to roots) in social activism. His credentials are good: he knew Dorothy for the final five years of her life, and served as managing editor of "The Catholic Worker" for two of them.
   
   Now, in The Duty of Delight, Ellsberg continues to enrich us with an edition of the diaries Dorothy maintained from 1934 to a few days before her death in November 1980. The manuscript of the diaries, housed at Marquette University (my alma mater, by the way) and sealed until 25 years after Dorothy's passing, is over a thousand single-spaced pages. Ellsberg has reduced the material by half by whittling away unessentials. Providentially, Dorothy's diary entries for the final year of her life, missing from the Marquette archives, was discovered after Ellsberg took on the editorship.
   
   Ellsberg's Introduction to the diaries provides a nice overview of their content. Arranged by decades, the entries from the '50s through the '70s make up the bulk of the work. I began reading in the '70s section, since this is the decade in which I first became aware of the Catholic Workers, and gradually worked my way backwards.
   
   Three things especially strike me about Dorothy's diaries.
   
   The first is the sheer richness of the activities she chronicles: serving as the dynamo that kept the Catholic Worker movement energized; raising her daughter Tamar; dealing with Tamar's father Forster and Forster's common law wife Nanette; continuously writing; travels, both domestic and abroad; retreats and daily masses; public demonstrations and peace witnesses; and dancing with officials from both the state and church. In recording her activities, Dorothy not only gives us a good idea of her dedication, but also provides us with cumulative sketches of many of the co-workers (including Ellsberg) and clients with whom she came into daily contact.
   
   The second thing that's impressive about the diaries is the breadth and depth of Dorothy's reading, as well as her love of music. The authors and composers she mentions in her diaries, when compiled, make up an impressive list, and her asides about them (as when, for example, she calls Solzhenitsyn a "holy fool," p. 626, or states that it's actually sloth, not Cassian's avarice, that is "man's abiding sin," p. 364) are frequently insightful.
   
   Finally, the self-examinations, self-recriminations, and resolutions to be more prayerful, patient, compassionate, and nonjudgmental with which Dorothy liberally sprinkles her diaries are fascinating. On one level, they provide a cumulative portrait of a woman who is deeply troubled by what she perceives as her inability to practice what she preaches--a self-doubting that probably both feeds and emerges from her "long loneliness." At another level, though, these passages strongly suggest something that Dorothy perhaps never fully appreciated: that what she took to be spiritual and personal weaknesses in fact were also the very strengths that enabled her ministry.
   
   In August 1952, for example, she writes (p. 177): "When I say, Lord, that I am too sensitive, it is truly that--my senses, exterior and interior are too thin-skinned. I am tormented by people's moods, their unhappiness. I must live more in my own heart, with Thee. Then when I go forth I have at least serenity." But what Dorothy interprets here as a moody over-sensitivity that inhibits contact with God might perhaps more accurately be described as an empathy that connects her with other people's suffering, and consequently with God's as well. Surely it's her "thin-skin" that allows for compassionate entries such as this one from February 1972 (p. 501): "I have been harried and worn out all day by the consciousness that we were inundated by an ocean of unemployed and unemployable, black and white human beings, searching for food, warmth, comfort, momentary surcease from suffering."
   
   The Duty of Delight is yet one more wonderful gift to us from Dorothy, and it will prove to be an invaluable scholarly and spiritual resource. Robert Ellsberg and Marquette University Press are to be commended.
   ____________
   * Entry from Easter Sunday, 1968 (p. 418) that could easily serve as the epigram for Dorothy's diaries.

5 comments about Confessions (Penguin Classics).

1. The place of St. Augustine's Confessions in the history of spiritual writing cannot be underestimated, so I will not belabor the point here. Suffice it to say, this book is, indeed, one of the great literary/spiritual classics ever written.
   It has been, for me, however, even more valuable as an examination of conscience. When I read of St. Augustine's sin, I see my own sinfulness; when I read of St. Augustine's doubts, I see my own lackluster faith; when I read of St. Augustine's cries to the Triune God for help, I pray that the Almighty will have mercy on me, as well.
   Very much like St. Augustine, I have often implored God for help & guidance, promising fidelity to His Commandments, but always accepting that guidance in my time, not in God's time. Like me, you may read the Confessions of St. Augustine & see quite a bit of yourself in what he has to say. The difficulty can be, though, that you may not like what you find. Nevertheless, I would urge you to read this book at some point in your life. You may just discover what St. Augustine eventually realized about the Lord: that your heart will be at peace once it rests in Him.
   
   Pax et Bonum!



2. Augustine of Hippo was a very interesting character who had immense influence on church theology long after he was dead and buried. Some of his thoughts on church discipline and just war had long term results that he may have disliked, but his personal journey was an interesting one.
   
   Written as a "letter" to God, "Confessions" takes the reader through Augustine's life of wandering searchs in a variety of places for the spiritual solace that he desired. His comments on Manichaeism, philosophy and Christianity are personal and coloured by his own experiences. His own thoughts are very negative and dark in places, though "Confessions" smacks of a brutal honesty that is rare. At times, his writings are coloured by his disappointments, such as meeting with Manichaean priests.
   
   The Penguin translation is sometimes a touch dry in the presentation of Augustine, and that can make reading a bit difficult in places. At times the style is a touch on the hard going side. However, being quite cheap, this book gives you a very cost-effective introduction to the life of the man.
   
   However, this should not detract from the overall value of such a personal look into the life and reflections of one of theology's great historical figures. While I felt this version was not the best, the personal look at Augustine's life, loves, and disappointments put some "flesh and blood" on the person who is so often quoted in theological text books and so on.
   
   If you have not read this, then I recommend doing so. It is a cool book.



3. Before reading any St. Augustine, I had formed an image of him as an intolerant puritan, almost Taliban-esque. As an agnostic, I did not at all expect to find him a sympathetic figure. The "Confessions," however, reveal a warmly human, hugely intelligent man, relating his own open-minded spiritual journey, which included way-stops at Manicheeism and neo-Platonism. Augustine formulated his religious and ethical systems through careful deliberation and observation, aided by an epiphany or two; his is not a story of blind, unthinking faith or of mysterious visions. His concept of God seems little different from the Chinese concept of the Tao, and his concept of grace little different from the Buddhist concept of enlightenment. Thus, there is considerable interest in his viewpoint even for non-Catholics, non-Christians, and non-believers.
   
   In addition, this book also constitutes an autobiography of material existence in the waning years of the Western Roman Empire, and thus should be of great interest to any classicist. Little examples: Augustine confirms that, at least around 400 A.D., the normal way to read, even among the most highly literate, was aloud; Ambrose's habit of reading silently to himself inspires considerable comment and speculation. We learn that high school students were rowdy, then as now. The Roman Emperor didn't seem to matter much in the lives of citizens.
   
   The Penguin translation by Mr. Pine-Coffin is excellent and very readable. He avoids the archaic "thou's" that plague many translations. Regrettably, the cover material chooses to emphasize the translator's status as a Roman Catholic as his single most important attribute, and his introductory comments are likely to strike non-Catholics as intolerant. Skip over that, and get right into Augustine's writing itself.



4. St. Augustine's Confessions is a masterpiece of literature. One of the first books ever written from an introspective first-person point of view, it is an intensely personal glimpse into one man's mind, soul, and relationship with God.
   
   The first nine of Confessions' thirteen books are the story of Augustine's life, beginning with his birth and early education. He recounts his sinful lifestyle and his mother's constant grief and prayers for him, and he praises God for faithfully seeking him until at last he was converted to Christianity.
   
   Books ten through thirteen explore the mind, the memory, the nature of time, and the interpretation of Genesis 1. Augustine displays his intellectual brilliance the most in these books, sometimes almost leaving the reader in the dust. The insights and opinions he offers, however, are ingenious.
   
   The entirety of Confessions is written with such eloquent style one can only conclude that his expensive education to be a master of rhetoric paid off. Some of the passages are so beautifully written that you have to stop, reread it, and think about it.
   
   Confessions is a challenge to read, but it is well worth it. Its depth, vulnerability, and beauty are seldom, if ever, matched.



5. True medicine for the heart: read it with the Bible. For centuries, AUGUSTINE'S CONFESSIONS has touched people's hearts and inspired the greatest philosophers to think on God, time, memory, creation, and our humble existence.

5 comments about The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr..

1. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr. is a must read, especially for the the youth of the 21st century. I have always appreciated the sacrfices Dr. King made to create a better America, as well as a better economical and social status for African Americans. But after reading this book I have a new respect for Dr. King. His strength through out the entire civil rights movement is without a doubt remarkable. His nonviolent strategy was truly a genious way to fight the hands of racism and evil during the times in which he lived in. He used the media to shame the racist who tried to keep all power for themselves and white America. Dr. King was a very intelligent man and I believe he had a deeper understanding of social behavior that was sharper than most.
   
   I have read many autobiographies on extraordinary people in the world, and prior to reading this book Malcolm X's autobiograpghy was my favorite of many. But I now have to say I have two favorite books. Although Malcolm X and Dr. King had different approaches for fighting racism in America, I believe they were both effective because if nothing else they both brought media attention to the issue that was never there before. In this way they made it impossible for America to sit idlely by and do nothing.
   
   I believe this book should be read be everyone because it truly leaves the reader with a deeper appreciation for the struggles of great leaders who shaped the core values of this country.



2. It's an inspirational read and clearly establishes King amongst the finest examples of portraying a 'Purpose Driven Life" in recent generations.



3. I haven't quite finished the book yet but I am impressed at how well the book is written. Martin Luther King,jr. is one of the most memorable historic figures in history and this book eloquently accomplishes portraying him as such.



4. THIS BOOK WILL INSPIRE YOU TO DO GOOD. ITS VERY INSPIRATIONAL. A GREAT MAN WHO DIED TO YOUNG LIKE SO MANY OTHERS. KING NEVER WAS ABLE TO WRITE HIS OWN AUTOBIOGRAPHY. THIS AUTHOR TOOK ALL THE INFO AVAILABLE TO HIM TO CREATE THIS PHENOMENAL BOOK. AFTER THIS BOOK I FELT I COULD DO ANYTHING. ITS JUST SO INSPIRING. I WOULD BUY IT IF I WERE YOU. SEE YA.



5. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a very brave man, an unyielding pacifist---and a radical leftist who greatly damaged the United States. He literally argued that his own country carried out a racist and imperialist war against the Vietnamese. MLK believed in affirmative action programs and socialism. He pushed the myth that right-wing conservatives assassinated John F. Kennedy instead of the committed Communist, Lee Harvey Oswald (Camelot and the Cultural Revolution: How the Assassination of John F. Kennedy Shattered American Liberalism). And no, you don't have to take my word for it. Clayborne Carson has put together the hard evidence. King was also a plagiarist who didn't hesitate to steal other authors' writings. Nonetheless, we know for sure that these essays were at least approved by him. Many people who read MLK's approved texts for the first time will be appalled. This is especially true for those who reject the morally relativistic notion that a few lies on behalf of a noble cause can ever be justified.
   
   There is another book you should read. Theodore Pappas released his own meticulously researched Plagiarism and The Culture War : The Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Other Prominent Americans only a few months earlier than Carson's. It turns out that MLK's PhD was not earned. At best, he was a pseudointellectual. Hard core left-wingers like Stanley Levinson and Andrew Young took full advantage of his shallowness. Americans need to learn the truth about Rev. King. The fact that these two books were published roughly ten years ago is not relevant. You should put them on your must read list for 2008. Truth is always more valuable than even the most well meaning deceptions.

5 comments about The Open Road: The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

1. Pico Iyer's new book subtitled "The Global Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama" takes its title and theme from an essay by D. H. Lawrence about Walt Whitman and his poem, "The Song of the Open Road". Lawrence wrote "The great home of the Soul is the open road. Not heaven, not paradise, not `above'" The human person (or "soul" for Lawrence) "is a wayfarer down the open road" and democracy flowers "where soul meets soul in the open road." (Iyer, pp. 13-14)
   
   Whitman's poetry, with its journeying, democratizing, spirituality, and sense of the private makes a fitting motto for Iyer's book. In describing the Dalai Lama and his journeys, Iyer also makes excellent use of appropriate short head notes from Thoreau, Michael Faraday, Emerson, Thomas Merton, Aldous Huxley, Marcel Proust, Etty Hillesum (Holocaust victim), and Beijing journalist Xinran Xue. These introductory quotations illuminate the story Iyer has to tell. I found especially illuminating the following Hasidic proverb which introduces the final section of Iyer's book, "In Practice" (p. 163).
   
   " You must invent your own religion or else it will mean nothing to you. You must follow the religion of your fathers, or else you will lose it."
   
   Pico Iyer is a journalist who writes regularly for the "New York Review of Books." He has known the Dalai Lama for over thirty years. Iyer's father, who had been born in Bombay and went on to study at Oxford, was five years older than the Dalai Lama. Iyer's father became friends with the Dalai Lama after the latter fled to India in 1959. Iyer is not a Buddhist, but he writes of the Dalai Lama and his teachings with great sympathy together with a commendable attempt at objectivity.
   
   The book begins slowly and meanders from place-to-place. Iyer's portrait of the Dalai Lama emerges only gradually. Iyer portrays the multi-faceted characters of the Dalai Lama as spiritual leader for Tibetan Buddhism (viewed as a god by some within the Tibetan tradition), political leader and statesman for the Tibetan government in exile, religious seeker, Buddhist monk, and ordinary human being. The Dalai Lama's most appealing traits include his humility and self-effacing character under the glare of constant media attention usually accorded to entertainers and some politicians. Iyer is impressed with the Dalai Lama's ability to communicate at a simple level basic human and religious values to people of varying religious denominations or of no religion at all. The Dalai Lama has tried to encourage people to explore their own religious traditions rather than convert to Tibetan Buddhism. Yet besides the openness of his message, he is a person of great learning and practice within the Tibetan tradition, which he explores in depth in seminars and trainings beyond his public appearances.
   
   Iyer's book is in three parts. The first part, "In Public" focuses on the celebrity the Dalai Lama has become in recent years and examines his public appearances worldwide with emphasis on visits to Japan and to Vancouver. The second part of the book, "The Philosopher", gives a more in-depth picture of the Dalai Lama and of Tibetan Buddhism. Iyer shows rituals, teachings, and schisms within this school of Buddhism that will be unfamiliar to those who know only the public face of the Dalai Lama. He describes well an encounter between the Dalai Lama and the American monk Thomas Merton just before Merton's untimely death, and he compares the spirituality of these two different traditions. Both the Dalai Lama and Merton had the goal of finding commonality among different religious paths.
   
   The final part of the book "In Practice" offers a detailed look at Dhramasala, India, home of the Tibetan government in exile. Iyer discusses the difficulties in the Dalai Lama's path in returning the Tibetan people to their homeland under a rapprochement with China. The Tibetan people will face an uncertain future upon the death of the Dalai Lama, with the loss of the prestige and respect he has garnered on an individual level.
   
   For Iyer, the Dalai Lama recognized early, as did his predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, that Tibet erred in attempting to shut out modern life. The Dalai Lama has tried to learn himself the science and knowledge that the West has to offer. He has given, in turn, a perspective on spiritual growth and on humanism that people from many backgrounds and stages of life find inspiring. In Iyer's account the Dalai Lama is a possible guide to the open road that remains to be found by every person.
   
   Robin Friedman



2. A soulful and insightful portrait of an important world leader. Written with real feeling and humility.



3. Not an easy read but if you stick with it, an overall interesting read. Well worth the time.



4. it came in about 2 days and it was in perfect condition. way to go book company



5. "The Open Road" is indeed about journeys - both physical and spiritual. The book is, of course, centered around the Dalai Lama and his public and private life, but it delves into other areas as well - the West's dreamlike vision of Tibet, life in India, dealings with China, various schools of Buddhism, politics, etc. Very clearly, it comes across that the Dalai Lama is at heart a realist, and much of this book addresses his strong desire to face the world straight-on and find real solutions to end war, pain, and suffering.
   
   My only complaint about this book is that it does not flow well. There is no easy progression of going from point A to point B. It feels a little choppy. At times I was anxious to skip over paragraphs and move forward. I learned quickly, though, that this was a mistake. There is wisdom tucked away on every page. I learned to read the book slowly, stopping every few pages to let it all sink in. The author and his subject, the Dalai Lama, both have wonderful insights to share.
   
   An enlightening read.

5 comments about Love Without End: Jesus Speaks....

1. While this book has many innovative ideas in it, it makes perfect sense. It is easy to read, although so full of great thoughts and inspirational concepts that I had to slow the pace just to digest it. It speaks to the heart and the process of reading is healing in itself. I highly recommend it to anyone searching for their hearts desire, or just plain looking for answers.



2. A purported running dialog with the Christ figure with commentary/amplification by the author interspersed throughout the dialog. This is an extremely worthwhile read, being a "clarification" or "re-statement" of what the Christ's original doctrine was -with elucidation of that doctrine. That original doctrine dovetails nicely with expositions found in The Conversation With God series, Course in Miracles, and even the Seth material (which supporters would say should happen if all these sources are indeed different perpsectives on "truth"). There are enough additional and further clarifications in this work to make it absolutely a "must" for readers interested in this genre. The author's work "the Keys of Jeshua" is also a must read, being a "how to" put the principles into action in life to achieve a different life experience. This work belongs in one's special tomes on "truth and living".



3. As one who has been committed to the Path for a LONG time, I feel confident in saying that the new version of Love Without End is the
   most complete Spiritual Teaching you will ever find.
   
   Each sentence is a Gem ... that you could mediate on for quite awhile.
   
   I have read this book (and marked it up really good!) at least six times.
   
   A Miracle of LOVE indeed...
   
   Gratefully,
   
   Dr. David Kamnitzer



4. I find this book to be packed with information on the nature of reality. Unlike my experience with many books on spirituality, I find myself returning to this book again and again. The truths that Jesus reveals in modern American English hit home whether he is explaining the nature of the heart, the physics of the universe or the ten commandments. Here is revealed both the deep love of Jesus for all people and an unflinching guide to all of life. All of this is presented free from dogma, free from religiosity, and free from condemnation.



5. The warmth, love, compassion, wisdom and joy that radiate from this book is, at times, overwhelming! For me, this is a book that one must keep so that it can be referred to time and again, as I simply am not spiritually advanced enough to get most of the information on a first, second and maybe even third pass. I hope to hear Glenda speak some day and I'd love to see her painting up close and personal. Buy the book and cherish it!

5 comments about Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life.

1. I love most of what C.S. Lewis writes. I can read the Narnia series over and over, and I adore Till We Have Faces. I find him an incredible philosopher and a brilliant mind and a fantastic writer all 'round.
   
   This book is possibly the dullest thing I have ever forced myself to read.
   
   I wanted to like it; heaven knows it had interesting parts, fascinating things I had never thought of before. I found it valuable for understanding what themes that Lewis meant to convey in all of my favorite books and his conversion was particularly interesting.
   
   Oh, but I could have gone without that long and utterly boring chapter about going to boys' school, being hazed, and interactions with the Bloods; I could barely keep myself in the thing even in the most interesting parts about his childhood. Even his conversion came with little emotional interest. For a second I wanted to say that I was missing something, that I had the problem, but I'm not sure that this is so. It's just... boring. For the person on the brink of accepting Christianity, I'm not sure it's even applicable, for intellectually, Lewis is on another plane entirely. What if the reader has never felt this stab of "joy," or at least, experienced it the way Lewis experienced it? I tried to remember such a feeling and, although I remember it, I do not recall it being such a life-changing event.
   
   In the end, this book is fascinating, but far more valuable for the insight it delivers into Lewis's works of fiction than for the path he took to conversion.



2. I have been looking for this book for a long time and i am glad it was so painless to get hold if it through amazon. I am most impressed with the whole experience. Perfect and Painless..



3. One of the greatest Christian apologists ever, you may know, had been in his youth an atheist. This is the story of his journey from faithful, believing child to (paradoxically) myth-worshipping atheist adolescent, to unabashed Christian. If you have any interest in the man himself, Surprised By Joy is autobiographical and describes a lot of details that really seem secondary to his conversion. Very fun and interesting read.



4. Surprised by Joy is a prerequisite if one is to experience the maximum benefit of C.S. Lewis' apologetic works. That is, while one might not actually, and perhaps should not, read Surprised by Joy before some of his other titles it will certainly provide the reader with a new appreciation of Lewis' perspective. Throughout his life, as it is evident in his writing, Lewis returns time and again to face his own struggles, those questions born of his own thoughts, to explain and defend Christianity. As it might be imagined, some of the toughest questions that he ever presented were first shaped into a fit argument while he was confident that Christianity could not possibly be reality. Within this work, Lewis brings these difficulties to light, as well as his experiences which justified his thoughts at any given time and the thoughts which accompanied these experiences.
   
   The education, thoughts, and experiences of Lewis' early life are valuable enough in themselves with regard to an understanding of his adult conviction. However, it is also seen, after reading this work, that it was not only the Christian conviction which became finely tuned in his adulthood. Those difficulties which, at one time, prevented Lewis from accepting Christianity also matured over time into well developed arguments, positioning themselves contrary to his Christian faith. This, some believe, is what makes Lewis such a valuable asset; not only in terms of his ability to make converts out of secular society, but as an educator of Christians seeking clarification. He did not convert and completely forget his previous beliefs, rather his beliefs from any time grew in their ability to persuade and he continuously applied that which he understood to be greater truth to effectively demonstrate why, even the most persuasive and articulate, counter arguments and philosophical alternatives simply fell short of Truth itself. It is for this reason; the fact that much of Lewis' reoccurring subject material stems from difficulties made aware to him in his youth, that Surprised by Joy will provide the reader with a greater appreciation for C.S. Lewis' life's work.
   
   By the title alone, one might be led to believe that this is an autobiography portraying the time before Lewis embraced Christianity, and his path to conversion. It is true that this work is a revealing look into Lewis' early life and, what appear to be, most private thoughts. It is less about Lewis, however, than it is about the human struggle to achieve or even possess joy. Lewis seems to feel that any detail of his life, regardless of what the reader might want to know about him as a person, is willingly sacrificed if it does not somehow tie into his pursuit of joy. What might surprise the reader even more is that Lewis actually ends this work at a period of his life prior to his conversion to Christianity. Nevertheless, Lewis conveys the most trying obstacles in his journey, leading him to theism, while presenting the reader with enough information to bridge some of the, albeit few, personal gaps found in his presentations elsewhere. For a student of C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy is a must.



5. Note that this review is for the Blackstone audio book narrated by Geoffrey Howard. I really enjoyed listening to this book, which is told in the first person. The narrator sounded just like I imagined CS Lewis to be. Initially his tone sounded to me like a stern professor, but it grew on me and ended up being perfect for this book.
   
   I have always been fascinated with CS Lewis; initially as a child I read the Screwtape Letters and much later read the Chronicles of Narnia and then some of his Christian apologetic work. I love his style and I've always thought he had a brilliant mind. I wanted to learn more about his conversion to Christianity and bought this book to find out.
   
   The story is sort of an autobiography, but focuses on his intellectual development as it relates to his becoming an atheist, then a theist, and finally a Christian. This all took place during his childhood through young adulthood. He lost his mother when he was young and never had a good relationship with his father. He didn't develop any true friends until later in his youth, so it was a difficult childhood. He would be termed a geek today; he hated sports and was a bookworm. His recounting of boarding school sounded horrifying. In fact, he describes fighting in World War I as less stressful.
   
   The one thing that I found most interesting was his describing the affect various authors had on him and he found to his disappointment that the authors that impacted him the most were Christian; and that the atheistic authors didn't seem to have the same depth. The book is full of other remarkable insights and is worth reading. I highly recommend this book in either the audio or written format.

5 comments about No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith.

1. No Man Knows My History was a direct attack on critical Mormon beliefs about Joseph Smith. In 1946, The Improvement Era, the official periodical of the Church, said that many of the book's citations arose from doubtful sources and that the biography was "of no interest to Latter-day Saints who have correct knowledge of the history of Joseph Smith." The "Church News" section of the Deseret News provided a lengthy critique that acknowledged the biography's "fine literary style" and then denounced it as "a composite of all anti-Mormon books that have gone before."
   
   BYU professor and LDS historian and apologist Hugh Nibley challenged Brodie in another booklet, No, Ma'am, That's Not History, asserting that Brodie had cited sources supportive only of her conclusions while conveniently ignoring others. Brodie herself thought the Deseret News pamphlet "a well-written, clever piece of Mormon propaganda", but she dismissed the ultimately more popular No, Ma'am, That's Not History as "a flippant and shallow piece."
   
   Brodie's controversial depiction of Joseph Smith is in the same vein as her other Psychoanalysis works of fiction. I say fiction because the psychoanalytical babbling of the insane is just that - psychoanalytical babbling without substance or fact. Brodie incorporates in her work Freudian psychology. Psychoanalysis is a work of the devil for sure, based on dreams and unprovable and unsupported assumptions. Her psycho biography of Thomas Jefferson became a best-seller base on the same psychoanalytical babbling And most important, Brodie's study of the early Richard Nixon, completed while she was dying of cancer, demonstrated the hazards of psycho biography in the hands of an author who loathed her subject. Brodie grew up disliking the LDS religion with full support from her mother. Brodie had access to church historical records because of her family connections to the church. She deviously betrayed the trust of church historians by misusing and misrepresenting the material.
   
   Psychoanalysis is a body of knowledge developed by Sigmund Freud and his followers, devoted to the study of human psychological functioning and behavior. Freudian psychoanalysis refers to a specific type of treatment in which the patient verbalizes thoughts, including free associations, fantasies, and dreams, from which the analyst formulates the unconscious conflicts causing the patient's symptoms and character problems, and interprets them for the patient to create insight for resolution of the problems.
   
   Both Fawn Brodie and her husband subjected themselves to psychoanalysis, he for insomnia and she for chronic mild depression and sexual problems. (Bernard's employer, the RAND Corporation, paid most of the bills.) If the problems of everyday life had been insufficient to maintain Brodie's interest in psychology, there was the case of her mother, who during this period attempted suicide three times, the second by cutting herself with a Catholic crucifix and the third (which succeeded) by setting herself on fire.
   
   One should be careful what they read and adopt as gospel truth. The infamous Mark Hofmann read Brodie's No Man Knows My History before he bombed and kill two prominent Salt Lake City residents in 1985. Hofmann set out to destroy the LDS church. Hofmann's favorite text to discredit the Mormon church was Fawn's Brodie's No Man Knows My History. In my opinion Brodie's book is a work of the devil for sure, based on the psychoanalytical babbling of the insane.



2. An outstanding and at times exhaustive history of Joseph Smith, founder of The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints, the Mormons...Very detailed and excellently researched, but it is obvious--too obvious at times--that the author, Fawn Brodie, has a very low opinion, perhaps even detests, the man she is writing about and the the church he established.
   One wonders if she, like Scott McClellan's book on the Bush administration, is not getting her "pound of (vindictive) flesh," though there may be some truth is what is said.
   
   There is a feeling, a strong feeling, that balance and objectivity may be missing from this work, but even so, it is a good, worthwhile read.
   
   This much is certain: The church Joseph Smith established could never have grown and become it the church it is today until he passed from the scene. It then no longer had to defend him and his wilding gyrating ideas and visions.
   
   It makes one wonder if the Mormon Church has become the church it is today--has found its way--in spite of Joesph Smith rather than because of him.



3. Because this book tells a story that many people may find offensive; I think it's best that there's different recommendations for different groups of people.
   For currently practicing Mormons who are happy in their religion:
   this probably isn't a book you want to read. Ms. Brodie talks about a lot of things that will be upsetting to you and your faith. If you're happy in your religion you might just prefer to stay away from this book.
   For non-Mormons:
   If you're interested in religion, charasmatic leaders and movements, or just like biographies I think you'll find this book very interesting and readable. Joseph Smith is an interesting historical character who was able to raise up a religion with thousands of followers around him which has grown into millions of adherents today. Much of that religion still gathers strength from Smith's charisma and personality. Understanding him better can help you learn so much more about personality, religion, and psychology. It's worth your time if you have any interest.
   For ex-Mormons and Mormons who aren't happy in their religion:
   This is the group that I fit into. This book helped me to finally break away from the Mormon church. There were so many things that never made sense, but once you can better understand Joseph Smith and how he founded his religion you can better understand Mormonism today. Knowing the truth about Mormonism makes it so much easier to to leave because when it comes down to it Joseph's stories were lies and he constantly did things to better his own position in life. Joseph Smith was the first major cult leader in America and understanding that can help you get away. So I definitely recommend this book for people who are having a difficult time leaving the church or have had a difficult time staying away.



4. This book has been around a long time. It is one of the most quoted books on Mormon history. Some of the assumptions and some of the conjectures made have since been found to be a little off, the history that was written was a wonderfully accurate look at the man Joseph Smith Jr. Fawn Brodie is a noted historian and author. In the beginning of the book it seemed that Ms. Brodie was sympathetic to Joseph Smith and the Mormons. As her research and the book progressed, the tone became more negative, just as mine did through the research I did.



5. I found this book to be greatly informative and interesting. Great book!No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith

5 comments about Still Growing: An Autobiography.

1. My favorite quote was, "You don't find God - He's not lost. You are, and He finds you."
   
   Kirk found the two most important things in life - peace and joy.



2. I was a fan of Kirk Cameron from the Growing Pain days. Well, the book gives you a great insight on his life and how he accetped the Lord Jesus Christ to be his savior. It also shows his erros and how he wished as a new Christian he would have done things differently yet, shows that being a christian doesn't mean your perfect... shows you are work in progress and you too see it in his life!!! Awesome book.



3. Kirk Cameron's entertaining and inspirational autobiography is a must read for any young person interested in an acting career or anyone who is curious about what it is like to grow up in front of the camera.
   
   You will find out what it is like to have every kid's dream fulfilled-finding yourself on the cover of dozens of magazines, receiving upwards of 10,000 fan letters per week and the ultimate kid dream-having adults treat you with respect!
   
   Kirk's book exposes the pluses and minuses of fame. From the perks of show business celebrity to finding yourself cooperating with the police to capture a pedophile who uses your fame to hurt others.
   
   You will discover how Kirk's love of God and family has contributed to a happy and fulfilling wonderful life, after child stardom. By the time you finish reading Kirk's autobiography, you will know why he is still growing and still smiling- you'll smile too!



4. Yes, I was a Growing Pains fan growing up, but that is not why I wanted to read Still Growing. I wanted to find out how a devout atheist (who, in his own words, "pitied" the religious people he knew) became arguably one of the most outspoken celebrity Christians in Hollywood. Something radical had to have happened.
   
   Much to my surprise, not only did I get an answer to my question, but I got a candid look at the funny (see the section on a young Kirk's audition for Growing Pains where after reading he asks "Is this a drama or a comedy?"), scary (see the section where Kirk has to be the bait in a sting operation to catch a child predator who had begun stalking him), romantic (see the section where he flew to New York to surprise his future wife) and amazingly providential (see Kirks meeting with Ray Comfort and the start of Way of The Master).
   
   And while it is obvious that Kirk is a better actor than a writer, I stopped caring after the first few pages because of the engaging and conversational tone Kirk employs throughout the book.
   
   If you were a fan of Growing Pains, this is a no brainer. If, like Kirk, you struggled with the bigger questions in life, read this book. It will give you the only satisfying answer that there is.



5. Prior to reading this book, all I really knew about Kirk Cameron was that he starred in Growing Pains and later appeared in the Left Behind movies. Now, I have a newfound respect for Kirk Cameron. The entire book is a testimony of his faith in God. He doesn't need to apologize for having a good moral upbringing. Yet, he realized that he was still missing something--God. I was also surprised at his intelligence and wit and enjoyed the writing style of the book. The book covers everything it needs to without being a lengthy tome.

5 comments about Bruchko: The Astonishing True Story of a 19-Year-Old American, His Capture by the Motilone Indians and His Adventures in Christianizing the Stone Age Tribe.

1. Even though I haven't gotten a chance to read this book since it arrived a week ago, I'm giving it 5 stars because my husband got a hold of it first and read it before me and absolutely loved it, and now I've ordered the next book for him. My son now has the book, so I'm not sure when I'll actually get to read it myself, but I'm looking forward to reading about how Bruchko - Bruce Olson - trusted God with everything. What an encouragement, and what a challenge!



2. Great book. Amazing story. Very inspiring. Easy read, and you won't want to put it down.



3. This book is an outcry for those who want to see a Christian life given to God to serve whatever purpose that He has. The story is of a man, Bruce Olsen, who as a child comes to know God through Jesus and begins to be persecuted by his parents who eventually kick him out as a young teenager. The book is a story of Bruce's life thereafter, in which he constantly is given to seeking and trying to find the will of God and the place where he needs to be. It is an illustration of someone doing the work of the Almighty and being blessed for it and being taken care of out of nowhere when he had nothing and noone else to look to. This book should be read, and it will be read quickly by those who pick it up, by any person who claims to be a Christian. It may shock many to see the way they are living is nothing like the way that it should be, and this book is a good example of that life.



4. Awesome quick sale, product was just as stated. thanks for the sale ~ God bless ; )



5. This story will make you marvel at the way God used Bruce Olson in the jungles of the Amazon. I marveled at his story about his conversion and about the time he told his Lutheran pastor about it. His pastor was stunned, to say the least. His pastor had prayed over Bruce at his confirmation and did not see the need for "Conversion".
   
   I had to marvel as Bruce tells how he learned the language of the Motilone people. He used the old fake trick of pulling his thumb off. He did not initially think much of it, but he noticed that they loved to watch him do this. They would laugh each time he did it. Bruce did this trick so many times that he started figuring out what some of their words were. As they watched, they would say "He is going to pull his thumb off", "Now he is going to put it back on". Over and over again, Bruce slowly picked up some of their language and verb tenses.
   
   The other interesting story is about how he told the gospel to them so that they could understand. The native Indians he lived with had formed their houses into one large circle, with a big opening in the middle. Looking down from above, it resembled the shape of an ant hill. According to Indian legend, they learned how to do this from the ants. It seems one day one of the ants became a man and told them to build their homes in this fashion - like the ants do. When you look at an ant hill that is what you see - a hole with dirt all around it. Bruce used this illustration to tell how another Person wanted to tell us about God. And in order to do this, He became a man, told them the story of salvation, died for their sins, etc. What is so neat about the story is that Bruce realized that in order to relate the Gospel to them, he had to tell it in a way they could understand. This was the perfect illustration, the ant that became a man, so he could tell them about how to build their homes.
   
   This story has many events that are just too incredible. I still cannot imagine the Yuko drink that they made and then drank it!!! This story is incredible from beginning to end.
   
   It is truly one of the best missionary stories I have ever read. I have read this book twice now and used it in Sunday School lessons.

5 comments about Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love.

1. I had expected a fictionalized narrative following the daughter of the famous astronomer. What I got was a detailed biography of Galileo himself. However, I still continued reading to the end.
   With more warmth and humanity than your average historical account, Sobel's story weaves the life and family of its subject in among the facts of his life. Such things as his recurring illnesses and his struggles with the church authorities are brought to life and made more interesting.
   I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the life of Galileo, or anyone who is interested in the day-to-day activities of Italy in the 17th Century.



2. I've got a secret. This book is not really about Galileo's daughter, Virginia. It is about Galileo and his life and times as seen through letters from his daughter to him (the letters from him to his daughter were destroyed). As a book about Virginia, it is largely uninteresting and unenlightening. As a book about Galileo, it is terrific. Dava Sobel captures the essence of Galileo's work and his fight with the religious authorities. My emotions as I read the book were: enlightenment in that it shows Galileo to be a far better person than I had given him credit for; sadness because of how he was mistreated; amazement for the honor he showed in all his dealings; and frustration at how much science was held back by religious authorities. And it puts into perspective how little my own daughter actually demands from me. I strongly recommend this book and I look forward to reading other of Sobel's works, including Longitude.



3. GALILEO'S DAUGHTER
   By
   Dava Sobel
   (Penguin Books 2000)
   Sour Marie Celeste was the illegitimate daughter of Galileo Galelei - the eldest of his three, and only, children At the age of 13 her father had her admitted to the convent of San Mateo in Arcetri, where she would remain until her death at the age of 34 in 1634. Once admitted, or shortly thereafter, she started writing letters to her father - the most loving, beautiful, intelligent letters I have ever read. There aren't too many of them, but they have been preserved and form the excuse (if that is the right word) for this book - which is a part history of the life of Galileo, part comment on his times and a setting to publish the letters chronologically along with and in tune with events in his life.
   Every school child knows something about Galileo - whether it was his "invention" of the telescope (he didn't invent it; he improved it immeasurably) or his "discovery" of the fact that it was the earth which revolved around the sun rather than vice versa - and this too was wrong, He didn't "discover" this. The sun-centered universe (heliocentered) had been discovered and described by Nicholas Copernicus (1473-1543) in 1543, 21 years before Galileo was born in 1564. Using Copernican theory Tycho Brahe (1545-61) had fixed the positions of may stars both as to distance and location and Johannes Kepler (1591-1630) had established the planetary motion of the planets - or most of them. So it wasn't what he invented or what he "discovered" that eventually got him into trouble with the Catholic Church, it was the fact that he was by far the most gifted and the most prominent man to have advocated - or thought to advocate - the heresy of a heliocentered universe.
   He had been a star from the start, one of the most gifted mathematicians of his age or any other, one of the few who, instead of taking things as they are said to be, tried to find out how they really are. And thus was one of the first true scientists, a man who dropped balls of different weights from the tower of Pisa, who rolled balls of different weight and different sizes down inclines of different pitches, who measured the tides, floating bodies - always studying motion and/or the laws of motion - and almost all of modern physics is the study of motion whether it's string theory - action at a distance - or general relativity or the measurement of the effect of a collision of protons in the CORE tunnel in Switzerland this summer.
   He was always an academician, teaching mathematics at the University of Pisa or Padua or being the resident mathematician and experimenter for one of the Medici's. And on retainer to the same. He was always ill. He never married. His work was his spouse. However, he recognized his three children by his liaison with the beautiful Marina Gamba of Venice. Domestic life was not for him. To the end he worked and thought, living as a guest or retainer in many ducal palaces in Tuscany and Rome. He lived as an untitled man at the highest level of worldly or ecclesiastical aristocracy. He made enemies - many of them - but he persevered and died in a kind of house arrest at the age of 72, still working and under banishment for daring to support the idea that the earth moved about the sun which the Catholic Church, relying on Aristotelian and Pythagorean thought and on the literal word of Holy Scripter believed as holy writ that it was the sun which revolved about the earth.
   I have just spoken of his many enemies and of the ducal residences in which he often made his abode: and the book is full of this detail - too full in my opinion. It would have been better if much of this had either been omitted or if Ms. Sobel had taken the time to tell us something about the governance of his time, I would have been much better informed had I known something of the Medici's or the Doges of Venice or the politics of the Popes who were involved in his life. And I would like to have known more about how people lived in his time.
   Similarly I would have liked to know more about convent life. There is enough in the book to indicate that it was perfectly dreadful -cruel, inhuman by our standards. Hared work, cold water, bad food, no rest, small quarters, iron discipline and no sleep. The Hanoi Hilton in San Matteo. Why would anybody lived this way? And why did Galileo put his daughters "away" at age 13. He robbed them of a life! (The excuse given by Sobel is that he learned he had known enemies in court because of his success and wanted to protect them; but this doesn't wash with me. All he had to do was to acknowledge them and, as his heirs, they would have properly evaded his enemy's attempts to take his property. I think he put them away because he was selfish. He didn't want three illegitimate children to be staining his record as he surged his way upward, buoyed by talent and reputation.)
   As Galileo stepped through his professional life he wrote to Sour Marie Celeste, but his letters did not survive. Her replies and her spontaneous letters to him did survive, however, and manly of them are quoted here. Would that all children would love their father so much. Would that any one of us would have a child as intelligent, as articulate as she. Would that she were here today - or those like her - to call our attention to enduring love as contrasted to the conditions in which we live.
   There are a couple of other comments I want to get down here on paper before I quit. First - about Galileo's "Trial". It is covered accurately and well in the book. In brief Galileo had published in Dialogues the essence of Copernican thought spoken through the mouth of a neutral that was just saying what it was. Then there were two characters, one of which was Galileo under a false name, who discussed it. Thus he never on paper espoused the Copernican heresy. He just said what it was. He thought he had a deal with Cardinal Bellarmino (later Saint Bellarmine) that as long as he didn't teach or espouse it he was not in conflict with Church teaching. However, 15 years later he fell out of favor with Pope Urban VIII. His enemies in the Vatican called on the Inquisition to question him and it was as the result of this that he was sentenced to house arrests.
   The trial is well covered in the book, but I wish Sobel had told us more about the Inquisition, how long it lasted, what it did, what procedures were followed, how it was independent (if it was) of the Vatican. What was the Index? What happened to people who wrote things that made their way to the Index of banned books? What kind of books? How many?
   I also wish she had told us more about the thirty Years War because it is frequently mentioned and apparently played a direct role in the attitude of the Catholic Church at the time.
   Woven through out this history of Galileo's life and the beautiful love expressed by his daughter (who was every bit as bright as he was) is the conflict between science and religion. Sobel never addresses it. But it's pretty clear to me. Religious belief cannot overrule, change or ignore true scientific discovery. And the greatest conflicts in this area have been the Galileo incident with respect to the heliocentered universe and Darwinism. God made the world and He made the rules of nature and God doesn't bend, break or ignore His rules because they are contrary to the ideas of His people



4. This book must be read if not for the depth of the actual telling, then for the elegant writing itself. The intertwining of primary source material and the author's own pen is done beautifully. The story's theme of the supposed clash between faith and reason/ science is as relevant today as it was in Galileo's time. Food for thought.



5. My real issue with this book is that Sobel's writing leaves me cold. I had avoided reading this for a long time because I had not really enjoyed Longitude. But countless critical raves and the response from friends caused me to decide to give Galileo's Daughter a try.
   
   The subject matter is interesting enough. The book is very little about Galileo's daughter and is more a book about the man himself. That is not really a bad thing, since there is sadly not very much to know about Suor Maria Celeste. The episodes Sobel chooses to highlight are interesting, and I believe she succeeds in making Galileo human to the readers.
   
   I would be hard pressed to say what exactly it is that I do not like about Sobel as a writer. It is not something that I can easily articulate. I think that it has something to do with the fact that her prose feels like an overextended magazine article. Both in Longitude and in this book, I felt as though the material were too thin for the weight that she was trying to hang on the pages. I am not sure that this is true, and suspect it may have something to do with the structure. In any case, with both books I had the experience that I was quite impatient with the prose even as I was interested in the material.
   
   If you are interested in scientific history and in the mood for some reasonably light reading, then my review should not discourage you from picking up Galileo's Daughter. Myself, I am probably going to avoid Sobel in the future.