5 comments about Sorrow Mountain: The Journey of a Tibetan Warrior Nun.

1. One day, the daughter of a Khampa chieftain, seventeen-year-old Ani Lemdha Pachen, ran away from home to avoid marrying. It wasn't that she disapproved of the match her parents' had arranged, but rather that she preferred the cerebral and peaceful world of a Buddhist nun to the physical demands of traditional married life.
   
   Runaway Pachen had spent little time at the monastery, before she returned to her parents. Despite the shame of what she had done, they not only forgave her but agreed she would not have to marry. Before she could return to the monastery to complete her training, Pachen's father tells her of their country's dire political situation. The Chinese are coming to "liberate" them. As a Khampa princess, she will be expected to lead their people through this situation, especially if the Chief should die. So the young lady received a different type of training instead.
   
   For all her bravery, Pachen was unable to resist for long. She was captured by the Chinese army and spent 21 years imprisoned. This true story focuses on how Pachen's spirituality kept her hopeful and sane during her confinement and during the many tortures she endured. The book is sprinkled with the Buddhist teachings that helped her maintain both her sanity and will to live through these dark days and features an introduction by the Dalai Lama himself.
   
   Apparently Richard Gere also advocated this book's creation and publication. He contributed his own introduction and story of how the book idea was born. He speaks of Pachen's life as a "beautiful, disturbing, and deeply inspiring story." He argues that no "serious literature" in the form of narratives or the "Great Tibetan novel" had emerged from the "Tibetan Holocaust, so a book like this one would be a great boon to the Tibetan cause. Gere, of course, had become a Buddhist and was studying in Tibet at this time.
   
   The story's merits include its insights into the life of a Tibetan woman seeking nunhood during the Mao era, it offers inspiration through triumph against extreme adversity, it draws attention to Tibet's political and cultural situation and the ways in which they have suffered in recent history, and it provides lamanistic teachings.
   
   Despite Pachen's, Donnelly's, Gere's, the Dalai Lama's, and many others' good intentions, however, this book probably has fallen short of its intended goal. The storyline does little to sustain the reader's interest because it is patchy and doesn't flow well (When Gere called it "a miracle of simplicity," he wasn't kidding! Something is clearly lost in translation here.). Although the author supposedly consulted many reliable resources, oddly very little of Pachen's story is put into historical context and few of the sources are used to draw insights into Tibet's situation. Considering the book committee's intentions, I would have expected to find a list of support organizations for Tibet in the appendices. Because of the sketchiness of the writing, it was difficult for me to find the book an inspiration, though other readers might find it so. Those looking for a story of spiritual stamina and female courage may enjoy Pachen's story, while those seeking a new perspective on Tibet should borrow it from a friend or a library rather than spending the money to buy it. Everyone else, just skip it. Sorry Richard, this one's not the great Tibetan novel, either.



2. This book tells the remarkable story of Ani Panchen, a Tibetan nun, who led the resistance to the ruthless Red Chinese occupation of Tibet, after her father's death in 1958.
   For 21 years she was imprisoned in hellish Chinese prison camps, only surviving because of her strong will and faith.
   After her release she continued to lead the struggle against the Red Chinese occupation and genocide of Tibet's people. In 1988 she was forced into exile in India, where she has continued to devote her life to the dream of Tibetan freedom, even after it has been forgotten by the world.
   
   She begins by her peaceful childhood in pre-occupation Tibet:
   In 1950 she describes how "Our country was still at peace, though on the eastern bank of the Yangtze River Chinese troops were gathering. In a few short years, they would sweep over my country, changing it forever. In the name of liberating Tibet from 'imperialist' powers they would destroy monasteries, plunder homes, burn sacred texts, and drive our people to poverty and despair."
   Babies were removed from their parents in their thousands to be relocated to Red Chinese 're-education' centers were they were to be brought up in Communist doctrine. Over a million Tibetans were to be anihilated in the Chinese holocaust that followed, and even the animal life of Tibet destroyed in order to force the Tibetans to give up their reverence for life.
   Ani Panchen tells of her experiences fleeing from Red Chinese forces, and of seeing small Tibetan children gunned down by Chinese snipers.
   It also tells of Panchen's deep Tibetan Buddhist faith underpinned by her will to 'Let all beings be free of suffering, let all being find peace.'
   While the book hopes to expose the horrors of the Chinese destruction of Tibet, in actions paralleling those of the Nazis during World War II, Richard Gere in his forward expresses his wish this book may help to "dispel the darkness of this darkest night of Tibetan history and be of benefit to all beings everywhere".
   Will the world re-awaken to the suffering of the Tibetan people mand the destruction of their civilization, and not least their dream of the re-birth of their culture and self-determination.



3. I gave this book four stars because this book is a story that people should know. It is the true story of an amazing Tibetan woman who shows strength and courage in unimaginable situations. My problem with this book is that it is poorly written. It could have been an amazing book as well as an amazing story. "Autobiography of a Tibetan Monk" by Palden Gyatso is still the best I have read on the Tibetan people.



4. Need a reality check? Feeling sorry for your life? Then read Sorrow Mountain and experience life at it's best and worst. It will lift one out of ordinary existence into the realm of compassion and tolerance. One will begin to experience the essence of the Tibetan region and the mystical struggles of one held prisoner by torturous bandits who tried to steal the Heart of Compassion and failed. Turn off the tv "reality" shows and experience the real-ness of Ani Pachen and her Sorrow Mountain. I guarantee it will become your Sorrow Mountain too.



5. I just finished reading this book and didn't want to put it down. The story of Ani Pachen is both horrifying and inspiring, how she against all odds not only survived but kept her faith, battling against her own anger at her captors to try to reach a higher spirit of generosity. The writing of Adelaide Donnelley is gorgeous and poetic, capturing the inner spirit and the mystical beauty of the land in words that lift this book to a high literary level. This book deserves to be widely read over many years. But it! Read it! It will move you.

3 comments about The Ethiopian Jews of Israel: Personal Stories of Life in the Promised Land.

1. Very well composed book with clear images capturing the humble, yet rich spirit of the Beta Israel tribe now finally settled in Ethiopia. Despite their poverty-striken land of origin, these people are blameless survivors; victims of political turmoil and religious persecution. Their positive energy is expressed via vivid documentation of actual Ethiopian Jews living in Israel today. The affable, positive qualities of the Beta Israel transcend the wonderful photographs contained in this book.
   
   Great book well worth purchasing. Unveils a people attacked throughout history for upholding their faith-a common thread amongst Jews of all nationalites.
   
   In 1622 Emporer Susenyo of Ethiopia; a converted Catholic, attempted to forcibly convert Beta Israel Jews to Catholicism. Many not killed were sold as slaves to Spain and Portugal for financial gain and acceptance within established dynasties of the Catholic church. By 1624 Susenyo 'declared' Ethiopia Catholic. Susenyo was overthrown, allowing forced converts and Crypto-Jews to re-establish their Jewish faith. Beta Israel kept their traditions intact to survive present day life in Israel.
   
   In addition to those living in Israel, descendants of Beta Israel are still present among diminishing Jewish populations in the Caribbean, such as Jamaica. New research suggests the 1622-24 selling of Beta Israel as slaves Spanish and Portugese traders resulted in Ethiopian Jews forcibly transported to Jamaica, where 4 Jewish synagogues once flourished. With this in mind, L. Lyons book is a long awaited shining of light on the Beta Israel. Once again, a well-researched author provides us with a classic, fact filled documentation of a vital piece of Jewish history.



2. This is a wonderful book which shows some of the heterogeneity which exists in Israel!!! Having lived & visited Israel over 8 times in the last 20 years, I am very familiar with this group in Israel, and other ethnic groups (Jewish & non-Jewish) which make Israel their home.
   
   Not withstanding the semi-psychotic & libelous rant against the Beta-Yisrael by one of the earlier reviewers(who shows himself to also be ignorant of the emic & etic cultural & religious anthropology of the Beta-Yisrael), this book accurately & with great respect tries to impart basic knowledge of the Beta Yisrael on a personal level to readers generally unfamiliar with this segment of the Israeli public.
   
   As a photographic biography, I feel that its style should be replicated in additional books by the author in my opinion. I for one would like to see similar books covering the various ethnic groups of Israel such as Yemenite Jews, Iraqi Jews, Syrian Jews,Druze, Circassians, and Israeli Arabs, as well as others.
   
   I for one am very happy that this book has been published, since at present there are many people in the world who sadly & mistakenly enough only perceive of Israel as an apartheid war mongering state, rather than the multi-ethnic (Jewishly & non-Jewishly) & multi-religious (just ask the Israeli Jews, Druze, Circassians, Beduoin, and Israeli Arabs) state which actually exists.
   
   Sure there are problems of various sorts in Israel. But in Israel there are also very promising peoples, technologies, and inventions (Pentium chips were designed & created there, CAT scan technology originated there, etc) there, just as there are both problems & promise in North America, Europe, and other many other global locales.
   
   In short, I love the focus of this book on one fascinating & particularly noble group of people who have decided to make Israel a daily part of their lives.



3. Profusely illustrated with the full color photography of Ilan Ossendryver and featuring an informative foreword by Alan M. Dershowitz, "The Ethiopian Jews Of Israel: Personal Stories of Life In The Promised Land" by Len Lyons reveals through candid interviews and personal accounts the struggles and accomplishments of Ethiopian Jews who migrated to Israel and became Ethiopian Israelis. Among the more than fifty men and women included in this fascinating account are religious leaders, soldiers, lawyers, students, actors, musicians, and even a member of the Israeli Knesset. Each succinct biographical synopsis is illustrated with a full page photographic portrait. "The Ethiopian Jews Of Israel" is an impressive and welcome treatise that is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library Judaic Studies and Israeli Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

5 comments about A Disciple's Life: The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell.

1. I loved this book. It is not a glossed over version of the life of an LDS apostle but it gives a wonderful all around view of Elder Maxwell. I also enjoyed learning about the history of what was going on in the world as well as the church. Elder Maxwell is a great example to follow. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.



2. I like Neal A. Maxwell as much as anybody, but this book has disappointed me. There are many interesting stories, good teachings and insights, but I didn't enjoy reading it at all. Hafen's grammar is sometimes quirky, and his use of quotations is often awkward. In addition, he goes off on completely unrelated tangents, telling stories, for example, about James E. Talmage playing golf. Finally, he can't tell his story in anything that resembles chronological order: he talks a bit about Neal's father's childhood, and then a bit about Neal's childhood, and then he goes back to talking about Neal's grandfather as a young man, and so forth--it's difficult to keep straight at times.
   
   Given Maxwell's own literary talent, and that Maxwell personally asked Hafen to write his biography and reviewed the entire thing--albeit near the end of his life--I found the quality of writing left much to be desired. I'll leave this on my shelf, but I'd only recommend this book to someone who had a particular, specific interest in Elder Maxwell--otherwise, I expect there are other, better written books you haven't read yet.



3. Neil Maxwell is among the most influential intellectuals of the Church of Jesus Christ (Mormon)of the 20th Century. J. Reuben Clark, Hugh Nibley, Bruce R. McConkie, and Joseph Fielding Smith all had great influence and all wrote many books but Maxwell's influence continues to expand.

   The author (Hafen) is himself a high Mormon authority so reader's shouldn't expect a lot of criticism. However, Hafen did include what others thought of Maxwell and some of this included criticism of subjects from Elder Maxwell's personal style to his love of alliteration and lots of big words. Overall, this book is not a fulsome litany of praise, but a balanced, serious, and scholarly summary of Maxwell's life.

   My major criticism of the book was that it flowed more slowly than I would have liked. The recent biography of Nibley flowed more smoothly and made the reader able to concentrate more on the subject matter than the manner of telling the story. I would also have like to see more about Maxwell's expectations for the future. Hafen documents the insight of Maxwell that was ahead of his time in so many areas.

   What does that insight say about future challenges to the Church of Jesus Christ? What about English language and America being less of an influence in the church now that Spanish is the most common language of the Church and most Mormons now live outside the US? What about education in the future now that public schools no longer maintain "an acceptable moral and educational climate"?

   However, these minor criticisms do not compare to the strengths of this book in detailing Maxwell's life and thoughts. There is plenty of meat in this book and I made a several page list of Maxwell quotes as I read this book. This book is so superior to books like the biography of J. Reuben Clark by an apostate historian who included lots of little digs at Clark in the name of "fairness" but completely missed the grandeur and depth of the subject.

   Overall, the second best Mormon book I've read this year. (Nibley's biography would be first)




4. This book is not only the biography of one of God's true Disciples in the latter-days, it is also the story of a successful son, husband, and father who loves to learn. The biography begins with the inspiring account of Neal's battle with cancer in the past five years, then backtracks to his days in the service and his experiences in Okinawa, to his beginning days in Washington D.C., and his administrative years at the University of Utah. Towards the conclusion of the book, the author mentions Neal's love of words and his remarkable writing ability. I am LDS (Mormon), but I recommend this book to everyone. Neal is truly a renaissance man and can be an inspiration to us all. He truly is a Disciple of Christ.



5. I had no idea when I bought this book how much I would truly enjoy it. Being an English major myself, I have always appreciated Elder Maxwell's ability to make every word he uses--spoken or written--part of a concentrated, multi-layered whole message. At the same time, I had no idea, really, what his life experience was, and how each aspect (including among other things his converted (to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) father to his work in the U.S. senate) has helped to mold not only his character and wordsmithing, but his spirit and discipleship. What an incredible story. What an incredible man. This book tells an often moving story of a humble life, within which can be found gentle counsel about discipleship. How this man follows his Savior, our Savior, has inspired me to work to greater depths in my own life's ministry.
   Savor--and enjoy!

5 comments about The Road To Assisi: The Essential Biography Of St. Francis.

1. 
   I read this book for several reasons.I belong to a Parish named,St.Francis of Assisi,I know some people who volunteer where meals are served to the needy called St.Francis' Table,We attend an annual St.Francis' Blessing of Animals (pets),a friend recently made a Pilgrimage to Italy,which included a visit to Assisi where she obtained this book,I actually knew very little about the life of St.Francis,and have for a long time been interested in Medevial History.
   I found this an excellent book in every respect.I learned many things that,despite my longtime awareness of St.Francis,I really did not know very much about him at all.
   It is a book that is very well written,easy to follow,filled with facts and information, and to me did not suffer from the fact that it was written so long ago,translated from its original French and profusely edited and annoted.
   It goes without saying,that the book does an excellent job of explaining,often through his own words,who St.Francis was,and why he became one of the Churche's best known,important and loved Saints.
   To anyone who is interested in Medevial History;it is a wonderful insight into the everyday life of people in this area during the Middle Ages ,during the life of St. Francis ( 1182-1226 ).It shows how the Church was intimately involved and a part of everyone's way of life and culture. This is at the height of the period referred to as The Crusades;however for whatever reason,they did not seem to affect St. Francis or even his life to any great extent.We do learn that he was a Knight in his early days,his father was a wealthy merchant and his mother was of nobel birth.He also made excursions associated with the Crusades to the Middle East and the Holy Land;but his involvement in fighting and battles was very minimal.We see he could have,and at times lived an extravagent life,but gave it all up for a life of self imposed hardship,poverty and struggle for what he believed in and what led to is becoming a Saint.
   For many of the latter years of his short lifespan of only 44 years,he was frail and sick.What the reason for his illness is not clear,and he received little real medical help. Although we must realize, that at that time ,there wasvery little effective medical knowledge and lifespan was much less than today;especially if one became sick or injured.
   This would be an excellent book to read if anyone wants to know about St.Francis,who the Franciscians are,and particularly if you plan a visit to Assisi.



2. In some ways, this is a difficult book to judge. Though the author of this biography is Paul Sabatier, what we are reading is a translation from the French of a book written over a century ago. But it's even more difficult because this isn't even a new translation; in fact, it's the editing and reworking of a translation that is now nearly a century old. With annotations thrown in to boot. And all this extra work has been done by a man named Jon M. Sweeny.
   
   So let me first say this about Sabatier's text as we have it here: it comes across as a fair outline of Francis' life. Sabatier tries his best to stay away from legend and stick to what can be verified about Francis though he can't resist relating some of the more famous stories which is not necessarily a bad thing. And he is frank when he relates something that is like embellished or untrue. If his language and understanding of events seems a little dated, the reader can forgive him for that since there is a lot of valuable information here.
   
   Sweeny's work, however, is more suspect. I wish I had read an un-cut version of Sabatier's work before this so I could better judge the effects of Sweeny's "reworking." On the other hand, I feel much more confident in saying that I found the annotations to be a waste of space. Only very rarely did I find an annotation that I felt added to the reading experience by filling in some detail that Sabatier did not cover in his text. For the most part, the annotations were, at best, uninteresting and, at worst, pointless. And why annotate Sabatier with quotations from Sabatier? It's bad enough the annotations were mainly quotations from other authors, but why quote Sabatier in Sabatier? If it is important enough to annotate, it is important enough to leave in the text instead of editing it out.
   
   In the final analysis, this book is a worthwhile read; particularly if you, like me, enjoy reading old scholarly works to find how our understanding and tastes have changes through the centuries. However, I would suggest tracking down a copy of the original text first. The changes and annotations made here seem to me less than worthwhile.



3. Now in a new edition edited and with an introduction and annotation Jon Sweeny, The Road To Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis was first published in French in 1894, as the first attempt at a modern biography of St. Francis, one of the most beloved figures of Christian history. Author Paul Sabatier struggled to answer the question: who was Francis the man? Groundbreaking research reveals the a fully human portrayal of a man who was nonetheless gentle, passionate, joyful, and who desired to live as Jesus once taught his disciples. An extraordinary work that covers Francis' weaknesses as surely as his strengths, enhanced by the annotation and sidebars that place events of Francis' life in historical context. Highly recommended for individual reading as well as biography shelves, and a must-have for library collections.



4. I found this book to be the best overall introduction to the life of the saint I've ever read. The editor has taken the best of all of the other books on Francis and incorporated quotes, historical tidbits, literary allusions (i.e. Umberto Eco), maps, and helpful information for anyone headed to Assisi in with Sabatier's classic (and somewhat tragic) story of Francis. A gem.



5. The Road to Assisi is a factual, well-researched, unsentimental biography of St. Francis. Written in 1894 by Paul Sabatier, the book became a bestseller throughout Europe and made the Vatican's infamous "index" of forbidden books. Sabatier, a French Protestant wrote a very objective biography that portrays Francis favorably, but tells how his order of spiritual brothers was challenged by ecclesiastical authorities. I was surprised to learn that meek and gentle Francis could also be bold, stern, and assertive in many situations. He did not go gently when he reprimanded his brothers and there were several occassions when he did so.

   It's a good translation and finely edited by John Sweeney, who has added sidebar annotations that contribute to understanding the people and places in Francis's time.

2 comments about George Washington Carver: Man's Slave Becomes God's Scientist (Sower Series) (Sower Series).

1. Great book, I highly recommend adults read with youth and discuss. I thought the ideas contained in this book were very positive and overall very appropriate for motivating young minds. I look forward to reading more from the author and sharing it with the youth that I come in contact with.



2. I bought this as a gift for my niece last Christmas. It was admittedly an attempt to expose her to other cultures and achievements. The best compliment was paid as she described the book to her teacher, who asked that she bring this in to read it to the class. I read this and its a good explanation of a brilliant man who thrived in his time. A good read for kids of any background.

No comments about The Precious Pearl: The Story of Saint Rita of Cascia.

5 comments about Salvation: Scenes from the Life of St. Francis.

1. Describtions in this book were too depressing and austere for modern reading.



2. I was prepared to dislike this book, although for the life of me I can't quite remember why. Perhaps it's because I distrust fictional accounts of Christian saints, particularly when they're written by nonbelievers. But I was quite mistaken in this case. Martin's "biography" of St. Francis is a wonderfully beautiful series of sketches. She takes scenes from his life--those related by the two earliest biographies by Thomas of Celano, but also later accounts such as Bonaventure's--and imaginatively weaves them into a cinematic-like skein that offers glimpses of the man Francis. So the reviewer who carps about her chronological lapses really misses the point. Martin doesn't intend to offer a straightforward account of the saint's life so much as a string of meditations that take their starting point from specific events in his life. Along the way she offers prose that is breathtaking in its beauty. Here's an example, taken from Martin's description of Francis early encounter with a leper--the episode that he himself, in his Testament, describes as his "conversion." Francis has just kissed the leper's hand: "His ears are filled with the sound of wind, and he can feel the wind chilling his face, a cold, harsh wind blowing toward him from the future, blowing away everything that has come before this moment, which he has longed for and dreaded, as if he thought he might not live through it. He reaches up, clinging to the leper's tunic, for the wind is so strong, so cold, he fears he cannot stand against it. . . . The two men clutch each other, their faces pressed close together, their arms entwined. The sun beats down, the air is hot and still, yet they appear to be caught in a whirlwind. Their clothes whip about; their hair stands on end; they hold on to each other for dear life."



3. I was prepared to dislike this book, because I tend to distrust imaginative "biographies" of Christian saints. Too often, they tend to be sweetly sentimental. But my concerns were pointless in this case. Martin's "biography" of St. Francis is a wonderfully beautiful and reflective series of sketches. She takes scenes from his life--those related by the two earliest biographies by Thomas of Celano, but also later accounts such as Bonaventure's--and imaginatively weaves them into a cinematic-like procession that offers glimpses of the man Francis that shed light on our own spiritual journeys. The reviewer who carps about Martin's chronological lapses really misses the point of what she's trying to do. She doesn't intend to offer a straightforward account of the saint's life so much as a string of meditations that take their starting point from specific events in his life. And along the way she offers prose that is breathtaking in its beauty. Here's an example, taken from Martin's description of Francis early encounter with a leper--the episode that he himself, in his Testament, describes as his "conversion." Francis has just kissed the leper's hand (p. 241): "His ears are filled with the sound of wind, and he can feel the wind chilling his face, a cold, harsh wind blowing toward him from the future, blowing away everything that has come before this moment, which he has longed for and dreaded, as if he thought he might not live through it. He reaches up, clinging to the leper's tunic, for the wind is so strong, so cold, he fears he cannot stand against it. . . . The two men clutch each other, their faces pressed close together, their arms entwined. The sun beats down, the air is hot and still, yet they appear to be caught in a whirlwind. Their clothes whip about; their hair stands on end; they hold on to each other for dear life." Wow! With writing like that, how could one not love this book?



4. In the introduction, the author tells the story of St. Francis in chronological order, and this is the part of the book that makes the most sense. Several reviewers have stated that this book is written in reverse chronological order, but it is not. Major sections of the book are in reverse order, but confusingly, the chapters within each major section are in chronological order. Adding to the confusion is that the first major section of the book is supposedly about the death of Francis, but it is actually only about his last days. His death does not occur until the next to last chapter of the book, and is followed in the final chapter by the earliest scene we are to see: when Francis encounters a leper in the road. If you think my review is confusing, just wait until you read the book. Is the author trying to say that the sequence of events is unimportant? In the case of Francis, who started off as the son of a wealthy merchant and ended up barefoot and penniless by choice, the sequence of events would seem to be all-important. Readers should know that the scenes from the life of Francis focus almost entirely on the physical: what he wore, where and how much he bled, how doctors branded him with hot irons, etc. Seldom if ever are we given any understanding of his inner life or spiritual motivations.



5. I just finished Salvation: Scenes from the Life of St. Francis and found it to be a provacative read. Martin is a captivating writer, who handles a potentially biased topic with journalistic objectivity. But still, she manages to relay the deep emotion that surrounded and continues to surround St. Francis and his life. What I appreciated most about Martin's writing was that it gave small pictures of St. Francis, some which showed clearly his holiness and devotion to Christ, others that made you wonder if he was a complete lunatic.

   For those of us who have studied the life of Christ, we find an interesting parallel. CS Lewis once said that Christ was either the Savior of the world or a raging lunatic. Too often, people shy away from the uncomfortable when they approach such topics. Because of that, people miss out on the complexity of the people. Too many people think Christ floated 3 inches off the ground and acted like he was stoned most of the time. They don't talk about anger, despair, humor and the like. They often make the same mistakes regarding saints.

   Martin shows here that St. Francis was a man who took a radical stand in his faith. Who knows...maybe he was holy AND insane!

No comments about Martin Luther King: The Inconvenient Hero.

No comments about Look Unto Me: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon.

No comments about Bernadette: Our Lady's Little Servant (Vision Books).