5 comments about Virgin Time: In Search of the Contemplative Life.

1. From the other reviews, this is clearly a book you either love or hate; as someone who loved it, I also found it (as the other fans of it did) a very moving and coherent tale. Hampl takes us with her as she seeks for a way to understand what it means to seek; she (like many of us) yearns for some sort of spirituality, but rests in a deeply uneasy relationship with her childhood Catholicism. The book follows her on a series of trips-- to Italy with jaded English tourists, then with Franciscan pilgrims, to Lourdes, back into her childhood memories, and finally to a retreat in California. I think readers who find the travelogue parts and the retreat section disconnected are not seeing this as a spiritual journey (in fact, most of them admit they aren't interested in it!-- then why read this book?) but it is-- and one that moves Hampl, not into certainty, but into peace and acceptance with her own doubt. The book charts her finding her way to accept and forgive those who travel with her, and especially to forgive herself for the dance she does between wanting this contemplative life and not wanting to give up the world-- adoring her sweets and coffee, her human companionship, her writing, her shyness, all the weaknesses that make her human and that she finally realizes do not have to be left behind, but instead embraced with compassion. The lessons she lives out are not solely Catholic or Christian but remind me of Pema Chodron's teachings on living with uncertainty. I found it honest, moving, and, in the end, deeply joyful.



2. This book is carefully and elegantly constructed, with the quiet pacing of a richly written travelogue. Her writing is so clear, descriptive and nuanced that the countryside, her fellow travellers and her own inner life are vividly realized. I enjoyed her candidness about the difficulty of constructing an authentic spiritual experience and the magic of actually experiencing one. It has what the best spiritual autobiographies have: hopeful doubt, caution, journey and joy. It is her stark candidness and the quality of her writing that set it apart as an excellent read.



3. I have tried twice to read this book and couldn't get through it either time. I was determined the second time I read it to try harder, thinking there had to be some redeeming value, but if there is I just didn't have the patience to perservere. There are too many engaging books to be read.



4. Although I do not consider myself to be religious and have seldom set foot in a Catholic Church, I found this book captivating. It is refreshingly honest and simple to read and the characters are charming and sometimes quirky. The narrator has spent her life trying to break free of her childhood Catholic roots only to find herself drawn back into them in middle age. She begins her pilgrimmage in Italy with a group of agnostic British couples and moves on to a group of Friars and Nuns, who are delightfully humorous and not at all what one would expect them to be. Throughout her trips in Italy we learn bits and pieces of her childhood along with the story of St. Francis and St. Clare. The places she stays and sees are described beautifully and I felt as though I were on the trip with her. The book is fun and charming to read and I highly recommend it.



5. Virgin Time is a book that half way in I was nearly ready to toss - the walking trip thru Umbria seemed to have little relationship to her childhood memories of a Catholic upbringing and education. Only at her return to Assisi with a Franciscan study group did the structure of the book begin to appear. Only in the last chapters of the book did the need for the first half of the book become apparent.

   As for the internal spiritual journey, Patricia Hampl has a perspective that is useful and uncommon - the problem is not God but is prayer. Her resolution comes on retreat in Northern California - a resolution that has several insightful observations on prayer.

   There are individuals for whom Virgin Time should be "required reading" - others will find that it is an interesting one-time read from which they will learn little other than how personal a spiritual path must be - different questions as primary - different aspects of the answer missing.

   The best way to learn if this book is for you is to read it.

2 comments about St. Rose of Lima : Patroness of the Americas.

1. This is a beautiful and inspiring book! Read this book and you will change your life!! Saint Rose of Lima is a holy saint who will help us all in our daily lives in order that we may one day attain Heaven as she does now!! Please read!!!!!!



2. Read this book this saint is a very good saint

1 comments about Saint Ignatius and the Company of Jesus (Vision Books).

1. I believe Saint Ignatius of Loyola to be the most faithful servant of God. As a young Christian reader I love to read about saints. August Derleth sure has a way with words! Ignatius was truly a Saint. For me reading this book was like making a friend. I hope you have the same experience I did. "Make a friend".

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

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



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



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



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



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

5 comments about Home to Stay: One American Family's Chronicle of Miracles and Struggles in Contemporary Israel.

1. Began as e-mails back home to family, this book's strength is the description of day-to-day life in Israel through good times and bad. For the book, Gordis intersperses the letters with political commentary to give some context to the letters' time of writing. More personal than David Horovitz' A Little Too Close to God, it is similar in bringing the political and personal together as a family debates the wisdom of staying in Israel when the peace process goes bad. You will get drawn into experiencing the emotions and ambivalences the Gordis parents and children have about their life. Very readable!



2. I wish there were words to describe how great this book was. It is so hard to find a book about everyday Israeli life. In fact, is there? I saw Rabbi Gordis speak in NYC in 2004, and bought the book after his great speech. When you read this book, you feel like you are actually living in Israel. He describes every emotion he and his family is going through, the good and the bad. He is a great observer of human nature, and good writer. A must read for those you yearn to learn about contemporary life in Israel



3. Excellent real story with extreme passion, love and deep understanding. A MUST READ for everyone.
   The Jewish State for the Jews, a people so scarified, so much exterminated all over the centuries, in Europe and especially in the Arab world, world that by the beginning of the 20th century decided to exterminate, destroy and kill every single Jews in their countries, destroying as a result communities of 2500 years, reason why these Jews came to Israel our beloved land and home.
   Bravo for Daniel Gordis.
   BRAVISSIMO !!!!!!



4. I've read hundreds of books on Israel -- internal politics, religious strife, relationships with Palestinians, with neighbors in the Mid-East, with American Jews, with the US Congress, etc. This book covers these same issues, less academically but with a human face. The good and the bad. Gordis writes with passion, but not an agenda. An excellent read for anyone who cares about Israel, especially if you have ever considered living there -- or want to better understand why so many Jews have exchanged the security and prosperity they had in the diaspora for life in the Holy Land.



5. Home to Stay is a must-read for anyone interested in Israel. It's a moving account of one American family's move to Israel, beautifully written. Rabbi Gordis has a gift for selecting a telling anecdote about family life or a personal observation and relating it to the broader panorama of life in Israel today. I also enthusiatically recommend Rabbi Gordis' previous books, especially "If a Place can make you cry...".

5 comments about Sanctifying the World: The Augustinian Life and Mind of Christopher Dawson.

1. This book came as a complete surprise, and I have to admit that when it arrived as a Father's Day present, I found that the publishing house sent it by mistake. When notified by my wife, they told her to keep it...free.
   
   I don't know if this book will Sanctify the World, but I know it confirmed me in the work that I have been engaged in during the past four years---trying to help bridge the chasm that exists within my little section of the vineyard.
   
   I felt the Holy Spirit speaking through this book from the outset and I commend Bradley for his evenhanded treatment of an enigmatic man whom 95 out of 100 Catholics alive today have probably never even heard of. I have not met a priest, sister, or layman in the past week (20 or so queried) that recognized the name. This first taste of Christopher Dawson has moved me to greatly desire to read more.
   
   By today's standard of success/failure, Dawson's life seems a dismal failure, and yet isn't that the way of the prophets and saints?
   
   He speaks to humanity in 2008 and seems to have known all along what this "end state" of western culture would look like. Like Aldous Huxley's extended vision in The Brave New World Revisted, Christopher Dawson predicted a de-humanized, overorganized world that would be arrayed against the Eternal City of God, Incarnate in the Catholic Church. They arrive at this conclusion from different persectives (humanist vs. Christian humanist) but as G.K. Chesterton would say, that is a sure indication that they are both glimpsing at the Christocentic truth, the center of all that is.



2. As the title of Professor Birzer's book suggests, this biography chronicles more of Christopher Dawson's spiritual life than his social life--Dawson was a shy man anyway. No doubt Birzer does devote significant pages to Dawson's external life (the first two chapters deal especially with the early material influences on Dawson--factors such as Dawson's birthplace and family, his travels and his associations with such people as Frank Sheed, Victor Branford and the LePlay House and the Order group), but Birzer cites Dawson's social life only to transition the discussion to Dawson's intellectual development. Emphasizing Dawson's intellectual life over his social life is probably a wise approach anyway, since Birzer is not trying to reintroduce Dawson as an historical figure for antiquarian interests but as an intellectual still resonant in our own time.
   
   The most interesting part of Professor Birzer's book is his explanation of Dawson's Christian humanist view of history. According to Birzer, Dawson believed that God's "Divine economy of grace"--that is, God's universal plan for man's Salvation--accommodates not only every individual but also every culture. Thus, the West is not the exclusive cradle of Christianity but an inclusive source, as it contains elements of other cultures, too. Birzer insists that this view is Augustinian, and the evidence is convincing, especially when we read Dawson's many misgivings with Thomism's "eurocentric" views.
   
   Professor Birzer's book should make a significant contribution to Dawson's revival in the 21st century. It presents a judicious reading of this underestimated historian and should be a required companion to Dawson's works.



3. Forgotten by some and unknown to others, Christopher Dawson's extraordinary mind comes to life in Birzer's thorough and insightful book. Dawson was a writer and thinker for writers and thinkers and (somewhat unexpectedly) also for artists. In an age of propaganda, Dawson proclaimed the truths that the ideologues chose to ignore, suppress and in many cases destroy.
   
   Keenly aware of the horrors of totalitarian government, yet also aware of the dangers of "totalitarian" free-markets, Dawson recognized the reality that humanity thrives not as a manipulatable mass or a disinterested collection of free agents, but as a culture. In Europe this culture had Christian roots that grew out of the ashes of the Roman empire. That culture developed over the course of centuries. Dawson realized that though it took many generations to mature, culture could only be sustained by a people willing to live up to it's ideals and truths. And it could be destroyed in an instant by those seeking only the "new" and who somehow considered its past as of little consequence.
   
   Dawson took up the challenge of trying to sustain and nurture Christian culture at one of its darkest hours. Like Chesterton, Dawson's insight and understanding is pertinent now more than ever. His influence can clearly be seen in the works of Eliot but more recently in the works of Pope John Paul II. For artists in particular, Dawson reminds that the power of poetry, paint and music does not aimlessly spew from the fountain of individual whim, but blossoms from the rich soil of works, and indeed the very lives, of those whose world we inherit.
   
   Bradley Birzer has done a great service by resurrecting the story and the ideas of Christopher Dawson. Highly recommended to historians, theologians, philosophers and artists alike.



4. The wonderful writings of Christopher Dawson are virtually forgotten now.
   "Sanctifying the World" brings them to life once again, a resurrection of a keen mind and thoughts that modernists should read.



5. Bradley Birzer's Sanctifying the World provides an authoritative and comprehensive appreciation of Christopher Dawson's achievement. Meticulous researched, painstakingly documented, and gracefully written, Birzer's assessment of Dawson's life and work deserves a wide readership. The book's thorough bibliography alone makes an invaluable contribution to any serious effort to grasp Dawson's place in historical scholarship in the twentieth century. Historians seeking to understand the contours of Christian thought in the ideological wasteland of the twentieth century owe a debt of gratitude to Birzer for his labors. Scholars in particular concerned with the ongoing debate over the historical and normative relationship between Christianity and culture cannot afford to ignore this volume.

5 comments about The Big Book of Women Saints.

1. This excellent book came out about a year ago, but as today is Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, I thought I'd post a review.
   
   Ms. Gallick has done an exceptional job of writing a lucid, easily-accessible book on women saints. For each day of the year on the particular saint's feast day, the book contains biographical information about a woman saint, usually no longer than one page of text. The information about the saint is followed by short sentence or two supplied by Ms. Gallick explaining the "genius" of the saint.
   
   (Example: For Saint Lucy Filippini on March 25, her genius is described as follows: "Lucy recognized that teaching is a vocation, a calling from God, and she lived the advice of her mentor, Cardinal Barbarigo: 'The Church of God is not a restful garden but a working vineyard.'")
   
   I found Ms. Gallick's observations on each Saints' "genius" to be succinct and insightful. Each Saint's entry then ends with a "Reflection" from scripture that Ms. Gallick has selected; the scripture quote thematically relates to the Saint's life.
   
   (Example: Blessed Barbe Acarie, a beautiful society girl, dedicated herself to bringing the Carmelites to France. The scriptural reflection provided by Ms. Gallick is from Proverbs: "Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; The woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Prov. 31:30.)
   
   This book is a worthy addition to any Catholic's library, suitable as a daily devotional or a quick reference guide. (I hope that non-Catholics would find it interesting and inspiring, too!). As another reviewer mentioned, it would make a great gift (note the very handsome cover art), particularly perhaps for a teenage girl being confirmed, since the individual entries lend themselves to a quick read.
   
   I give this book five stars.



2. One of my favorite ongoing methods of personal growth is to study a different person in history every month. This month I am studying Teresa of Avila and from this study I am learning so much about so many other remarkable saints like in this phenomenal book I stumbled upon (thankfully!) at the library.
   
   Part devotional, part study aid, part inspiration-for-women-of-all ages, this unique guide to more than 400 women saints across the ages it includes a years worth of daily readings which each include a brief bio of each woman (or group of women) along with a section called "The Genius of..." which synopsizes that particular saint's contribution and then a reflection section with a Bible passage.
   
   The back matter of the book accentuates "the courageous Catholic saints" and what I would like to add is that this book is not solely for Catholics, it could speak to women of any faith, Christian and non-Christian alike.
   
   The introductory section (before the daily readings) includes the definition of "Saint" and describes canonization, something which I, as a non-Catholic, found very helpful. I also enjoyed looking up the Saints featured on my birthday and each of my children's birthdays. (A quick aside is my birthday - January 29 - features Saint Bathildes, who went from being a Slave to being a Queen to being a Nun... she was known for her grace, generosity and compassion)
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in women in religion and spirituality. I am planning on purchasing my own copy to use as a daily conversation guide with my ten-year-old and sixteen-year-old daughters who enjoy being inspired by other women in leadership.
   
   I am grateful I kept my eyes scanning the shelves as I walked out with my Teresa of Avila books in hand!



3. The wonderful thing about learning about the saints is that there are so many of them, each person is bound to find someone she can relate to and look up to as a positive example. In "The Big Book of Women Saints," Sarah Gallick has done a tremendous job of bringing together information about 500 women saints. While all the famous women saints are included, there are also many who are relatively unknown. Gallick divides her book into a reading for each day (some days feature groups of saints such as the four martyrs of Wangla featured on June 28th). This set-up makes it very easy to read and reflect on a life of a saint every day.
   
   In the "Introduction," Gallick describes the canonization process for Catholic saints, a process not formalized until the 10th century. Prior to this saints were "recognized by popular acclamation, which was later confirmed by the local bishops." Interestingly enough, the first woman officially canonized by the Vatican was Wiborada of Saint Gall in 1047. She is featured on May 2. Gallick goes on to state that each of the women profiled in this book "shared a unique quality that has been called the feminine genius." Indeed, on each day's profile, Gallick includes a description of that woman's particular genius, the example she offers to each of us as we travel along our spiritual journey. Another helpful portion of "The Big Book of Women Saints" is the "Annotated Sources and Web Sites" which lists each saint and offers sources for further study about that person. She also provides a general bibliography.
   
   "The Big Book of Women Saints" is a fascinating book, unique for the number of women saints Gallick profiles. It would be a wonderful companion throughout the year to learn more about these women who, coming from a variety of circumstances, have all had a profound effect on the Church and their respective communities. Their stories also provide hope and inspiration for all of us trying to live holy lives.



4. Sarah Gallick's THE BIG BOOK OF WOMEN SAINTS is an excellent resource on the lives of a wide variety of women saints, from the very famous to the more obscure. It's compelling, highly readable and obviously well-researched. I'll be giving it as a gift to family and friends.



5. What I love about Sarah Gallick's Big Book of Women Saints is the emphasis on the saints' lives, rather than their deaths. Here, worldly women give themselves freely to their faith, and in the process, establish religious orders, set up and run schools, labor as diplomats among kings and Popes, and lead armies into battle. What better way to show contemporary young women (like my three daughters) how ordinary people can be touched by the divine? The fact that the book is organized by date makes it perfect for the bedside, with one-page readings per saint. (The first thing we did: We checked out the saints of our birthdays.) A compelling read and a perfect First Communion or Confirmation gift.

5 comments about Listening For God: A Ministers Journey Through Silence And Doubt.

1. I appreciated that the author takes head on the issue of spiritual wilderness or dryness, and her experience of it. It is thought-fully and richly written, with much to offer anyone in ministry.



2. After reading this book I see Renita J Weems as an intellectual, with an intellectual's ego, trying to reason her way back to God. While Ms. Weems has apparently left her faith to follow "godesses" she has trouble understanding why this has left her faith hollow. Christ told us if we were to follow Him, to understand Him, we were to do it as little children. If Ms Weems could get over her anxiety and aggression towards men, perhaps she could listen to what her husband has to say as a Baptist minister. God tells us in the Old Testament that one of the 7 things He hates is pride...snooty, condescending pride,...Sister, I say this in Love, you might try a little humility in your search for God. I would recommend she read Joyce Meyer's "Battlefield of the Mind"



3. This is the book if you are waiting on a word from God. This is a powerful book. Dr. Weems has done it, yet again. This book makes a wonderful gift for Christian women. God Bless You, Dr. Weems.



4. As a writer and one who has an ongoing inner dialogue (often chaotic debate), this book arrived in my hands like an angel to the dying. For a number of years I've been 'on hold' regarding taking action on a number of projects, believing myself to be an imposter when I have so many questions and so much doubt. Ms Weems, in her honest sharing, has offered me a new perspective. With humor, teeth gritting honesty, and a trusting soul, Renita Weems shares her struggle and doubt, offering in the end a gift of love and wisdom. What a wonderful gift to those of us stumbling along the path. Thank you.



5. A brilliantly written book with humor which kept me glued to the pages. I could not put it down. It was just so uplifting to hear that others are experiencing the same "lost feelings" I have felt. To have those feelings validated has made a profound difference in my understanding of our wonderful God and this journey we are on.

5 comments about Go Forward With Faith: The Biography of Gordon B. Hinckley.

1. As is stated in the forward section, he was a giant among men. But I think what made him a truly great leader was how well he stayed connected with the people he led, seemingly never losing touch with the world, its people and the issues affecting them.
   
   However, the book was a bit of a slow read. Took me a while to get through it because I had a difficult time staying attentive.



2. This is a wonderful book- the history, stories and inspirational advice
   from the life of the prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley are motivating and will lift your spirits.



3. What a lovely man, so real and earthy, and how inspiring to read his story!



4. This was a wonderful book about the life of President Gordon B. Hinckley's life.
   
   Gordon B. Hinckley's life is the the LDS Church and has been since His call to serve as a missionary.So don't be surprised if it talks a lot about the Chruch and the role that Gordon played in the history of it in the last century.
   
   It's an excellent read and you'll learn much more about this amazing man.



5. Gordon B. Hinckley is an interesting man who has had great influence on the LDS Church. Primarily a marketing guru, the book details the role he played in his early years working with Stephen L. Richards and J. Rueben Clark and others as an up and coming man in the church. He sufficiently impressed his superiors that they called him to be an assistant to the apostles and eventually an apostle.
   
   As a young apostle, Hinckley spent much of his efforts on the missionary program. It appears that he deferred to the elder apostles on matters of doctrine and interestingly played little role in some of the more colorful disputes that took place in the church during the sixties. While Harold B. Lee, Joseph Fielding Smith and Hugh B. Brown were trying to reign in Ezra Taft Benson's crazy political doctrines, Gordon B. Hinckley was apparently a non-entity (no mention of those events in Dew's book).
   
   As a senior apostle, Gordon B. Hinckley had tremendous influence as ailing older Presidents and Apostles relied heavily on him to be essentially the cheif administrative officer of the church. Eventually becoming President himself, Gordon B. Hinckley continued his role as primarily an adminstrator and marketing guru.
   
   Gordon B. Hinckley will not be remembered as someone who made contributions in Mormon doctrine. Sometimes, in the book, you almost sense a Gordon B. Hinckley who doesn't really believe in anything other than the organization. After reading the book, I feel I understand Gordon B. Hinckley as a capable administrator, a loyal member of the organization, but anything but a dynamic leader who actually stands for anything.
   
   I cannot think of a single revelation that Gordon B. Hinckley has made (other than some silly stuff about piercings and tattoos- how's that for earth-shattering). He has spent millions on temples, and has worked tirelessly on public relations pursuits for the church, but an inspired leader? Even with the author's best spin, I don't think so.
   
   Sometime in the future, I look forward to a biography on Gordon B. Hinckley that has the intention of telling his story, not selling his church.

1 comments about Mimosa: A True Story.

1. I was so encouraged by this little book and so thankful the LORD had Amy Carmichael share the awesome way God revealed His love and character to Mimosa. What a rich and really priceless example of a woman's faith and what God does when we trust Him enough to look to Him alone for our life needs. The grace He gives for all He calls us to... what a precious and beautiful story exhibiting God's power and Shepherding love for his child in a dark Hindu culture.