Professor Allen Speer has kindly shared with us the innermost thoughts of his Confederate ancestor, Colonel William Henry Asbury Speer through a diary and a number of letters to his folks back home. While the diary does show the horrors of the war and the problems of being captured, the focus of the work is to show the inner conflicts suffered by those who answered the call to duty to fight for their nation (whether it was the Confederate States of America or the United States) and the pain those men felt because they were fighting against friends and family.

The bitterness of family members over the war and the death of loved ones is made painfully clear by a letter written by Col. Speer's mother several years after he was killed fighting in the 28th North Carolina at Reams Station in August of 1864. This book brings us closer to understanding the complexities of the Civil War, a war that was not only fought between nations, but between friends and families.

What absolute rot! Diversity is not an argument for abolishing a phenomenon and a category.

In _Rethinking "Gnosticism"_ Michael Allen Williams offer a formidable challenge to those who wish to continue using the term "gnosticism." There are two proposals that Williams asks his readers to consider. One is to rethink one's characterizations of gnosticism. The second is to replace "gnosticism" as a category altogether.

_Rethinking_ divides fairly neatly into three parts. The first two chapters are Williams' critique of gnosticism as a category. The next six chapters discuss gnostic exegesis and the term used to describe gnosticism. herein lies the bulk of Williams' argument. In the last two chapters Williams discusses the history and legacy of gnosticism.

One would expect Williams to propose an alternative term to gnosticism and, in fact, he does: biblical demiurgical traditions. What are the advantages of the new term? Williams argues that his term would be specific and easy to distinguish, a modern construct, and not burdened by cliches of the past.

In his conclusion, Williams mentions a 1978 paper given by Dr Morton Smith in which the latter argued against the
"appropriateness of this category." At the end of Smith's paper, Williams notes that Smith had resigned himself to the fact that "gnosticism" had become a "brand name with a secure market." In response Williams wonders whether the market is not softer than it once was.

Perhaps it is and probably it is not. One need only read the titles of new books to see the answer. At the same time there is another matter to be considered: does Williams' argument merit the dismantling of the category? I think not. Gnosticism is not the only term which has floating parameters.

For example consider the term "Mesoamerica." The term was adopted by an anthropologist named Paul Kirchhoff to describe the area between southern Mexico and the central American countries and the peoples who lived there. Although there is interaction between the various peoples who lived in this area, there is also a large amount of differences. The term also sets these peoples in contradistinction to other peoples who shared many cultural similarities but who lived outside the proscribed geographical area.

I think one would do well to agree with William that
"gnosticism" is a dubious category, but it is far from being the only one.

I will confess to having read William's book only once. It deserves at least a second reading. His careful and critical attention to all the texts of the Gnostic tradition requires sustained attention. His point of view, however, is very welcome. Gnosticism has been rather too easily straight-jacketed into a monolithic & dogmatic form: elitist, dualist, either puritanical or libertine, world-hating and earth-hating. On the other hand, it has been romanticized by the hermeneutics of victimization as a feminist harbor in a sea of patriarchy. What Williams concludes is that the common thread among the "Gnostics falsely so-called" (pace Irenaeus) is "biblical demiurgism". This means first, a deep attachment to the biblical narrative and second, a deep dissatisfaction with the biblical deity. The use of myth, imagination, subversive re-reading of texts and the primacy of experience are common, too, as ways of retaining the story and transcending the deity. Gnosticism has too often served for orthodoxy the role that Modernism played for early 20th Century Catholicism; it was given far more ideological coherence & unity of purpose than really existed. I am a great admirer of Gnostic tradition, but the despisal of matter and the physical creation always stuck in my craw. The sin of Balaam: beating the donkey which saves you from the the avenging angel you can't see. Anyway, this book enables me to inhabit that tradition more integrally, being myself a "biblical demiurgist". It encourages a more respectful reading of the texts, without readymade lenses. And while I'm at it, despite Christian assertions of the goodness of creation and its enshrinement in the sacramental system, Christian practice --along with the practice of many religions-- performs a functional equivalent of "Gnosticism" in demonizing matter as the sinful flesh...forgetting that in the Story, it was a proud and beautiful angel who engineered the fall of the universe. I'll read this book again with more care and I encourage anyone with an interest in the subject and some familiarity with the tradition to do so, too. It did not erase the Gnostic tradition for me, but opened it up. Great work, Professor Williams. Thanks.

I read this book many years ago and always wondered why Mr. Keene waited so long to indict so many legendary spiritualists. I recall his assasination of Mabel Riffle, long-time president of Indiana's Camp Chesterfield, a long and ugly section of the book making her out to be a greedy, cranky fraud. But Mabel Riffle died in 1960, and Keene waited until 1976 to write this book. I recall also Ethel Post-Parrish-Riley, Camp Silver Belle medium, also attacked as a complete fraud and confidance woman. Ethel too died in 1960. What chance do either of these women have to reply to Keene's charges? Why were the only identifiable people in his books already dead and unable to respond (unless through a spiritualist medium!) to his many charges? I remember trying to find reference to any living person in his book years ago and there were none. What was or is Keene afraid of?

Interesting, but begs for confirmation by the end. Not very well written, but good enough to finish. An interesting consideration but unsatisfyingly unconfirmed. Examples, and bibliography much too old.

I was very interested in the observation at the beginning that psychic phenomena do exist on a much smaller, more personal scale, but that condemnation of same by the Christian churches was unwise. If psychic experiences were treated contextually as a natural part of religious experience (see William James), there wouldn't be such a fascination with the "forbidden", and Lamar's money-grubbing sideshows wouldn't be so enticing.

I also wonder if the National Spiritualist Association of Churches or any of its leading lights has ever published an official response to Lamar's book.

Mr. Allen is insightful in his analysis of economic situations, but makes the reading uninteresting, even for the economically minded reader. His examples are out of date, making the essays even less interesting.

This UCLA professor's compilation of his radio essays is a welcome relief from higher education's usually pro-socialist dogma.

His applications of reason and economic logic to real-world issues will probably irritate most 'modern' anti-capitalists, amuse and entertain strong minded capitalists, and invoke some serious consideration and premise checking in those who straddle the fence.

It seems quite clear, that the author reviewes his own books: After reading the comment of the as it seems real Albert Hardounian, I became further convinced. I came across some fishy reviews for his other books, the style is obviously the same, and, as I read many of Pattersons books, the style the same as in the books he wrote!

It's hard to believe that the same man who wrote the brilliant "Struggle of the Magicians" also wrote this thing. We can only assume that Patterson evolved very much both as an individual and as a writer in the intervening years (this is the earlier work). The book is an inelegant string of shameful incidents in the author's life; he merely presents them with a sort of glee at his own ability at objective (in his mind) self-disclosure, without ever mentioning in any detail about how Gurdjieff's ideas ever helped him to use these incidents in transcending himself. You can get that much from daytime talk shows, if you want it. It seemed at the very end that the book had a happy ending, when Patterson seems to be leaving those antedeluvian "masters" like Gurdjieff and Jung behind (having discovered a true anti-guru in Sunyata), but unfortunately for him and perhaps fortunately for readers, it didn't turn out that way. To this day he continues to propagate the Gurdjieff cult in a series of wonderfully well-written books that are easily the best of their dubious kind.

This is an esoteric book that most people won't recognize as such. That's because of the picture most people have of what constitutes an esoterically spiritual person. The pursuit of an ultimate reality beyond the cacophony of mundane life is connected with images of serene meditating monks, of wandering recluses, of wide-eyed dreamers and spooky mystics. To read instead a book full of parties and socializing, office politics, career moves, flirtation and adultery, and ego posturing seems odd. "Real" esoteric and spiritual people are expected to get away from petty socializing, to take vows of poverty and chastity, and to put their all into the pursuit of some strenuous austerity or achievement, as do monks, yogis and fakirs. But this book is about the Fourth Way, in which mundane life is grist for the mill of self-development.

It covers a period in the adult life of William Patrick Patterson. He's a writer and editor in the cutthroat milieu of New York City. He's also married, and tempted by bold, modern women. He rises like a meteor and is shot down by an office competitor. He knows wealth and poverty, arrogance and fear. He finds and honors a rare spiritual teacher. More than one in fact. There's cussing, drinking, verbal clashes, and relationships gone bad.

It's not the bald subject matter, but the insights and principles that illuminate it that distinguish this book from an ordinary memoir. Here is one of many examples: Patterson faces an ugly truth underlying his employment situation concerning the way a boss is using and mistreating him. He withdraws his cooperation from the boss at a critical moment, knowing full well the it will at least create extreme unpleasantness at the office if not result in his ultimate dismissal. He has upset an equilibrium that needed to be upset, yet what will the consequences be? Can he get control and set the situation right or not? There is no way of knowing this at the moment his decision must be made. He is on a fatal trajectory that continues when the co-worker confronts him and demands an explanation for Patterson's absence from an award dinner. Should he appease his adversary by making a phony excuse? "These two "I"'s inside me debate. The one, very rational, mature-sounding. The arguments are so reasonable, sensible. So what if I lie - so what? But then, just at the last instant, a feeling comes of total disgust - disgust for what stood before me, disgust with that whole way of life. And inside that feeling a silent voice declares: I-am-not-going-to-lie-to-him.

I tell him: "No excuse."

"What!" he screams and sags, a look of horror, bewilderment, frozen to his face .......

And something falls away and I know right then: I have broken free of him."

Later he tells his wife that he'll apologize if she really wants him too but is not optimistic about doing it, because: "I feel like there's you know, a big movement going on. Big wheels are turning. I'm at the interval in the octave. all this has to happen. I'm being moved on now."

How right he was. At the end of the book he had moved on and found some peace. With his wife, with his departed teacher the formidable Lord Pentland, and with a new career. No this is not a book claiming that the Fourth Way will make one rich, sexy, happy, or lucky. But it is about what the study and practice of the Fourth Way looks like from the inside of a modern man in modern society, which is where it was meant to be practiced all along.

the different slides in the book specially philippine editions are not complete and obsolete and should be further revised.

If one is looking for a microbiology text that contains clinically relevant information, diagnostic approaches, and tests need to specify and diagnose an organism, then this is the one book that you need to get. Things like molecular basics in bacteria, viruses, etc are not extensively covered, but the text is clinically oriented. I would recommend this book highly to anyone in the medical/clinical field as well as to clinical pathologists.

The recent edition of the "Color Atlas" is the standard by which all other comparable works must be judged. The volume should be the standard reference for both laboratory personnel and clinical microbiology educators. Previous reviews to the contrary, charts and figures represent the current state of the art in microbiologic taxonomy and identification methodology. The book is highly recommended for both professional microbiologists and for the interested layperson with a background in biology, chemistry and pathology.

Kerry Snow, Section Leader, Clinical Mycology and Myobacteriology Laboratory, Walter Reed Army Medical Center

What is it not about? : Gossip, lies, boasting, turning the truth upside down, praising one-self (particularely by using pseudo-names and writing reviews about ones own books, yes, that happens very strongly with Patterson). I could go on and on.

"The Gurdjieff-work" has been quite protected until now, but now it seems, that since most of the great followers have died, the the old saying can be applied: When the cat is out, the mice are dancing. Well, here we have quite a big mouse, rather a...

The reviews under the name of Ivan Butovitch and under R. Cazares have the same style. I do not trust these reviews.
The reviews of "Eating the I" by the same author stronly
suggest that this problem is repeating itself here again!

I was very curious about this book, but after reading it, I found that it is basically advertisement for Pattersons workline, and trying to put down others. Clever attempt, but
not for the serious. Patterson gives in to the fascination of
the "rainbowpress", reducing readers and writers to this sort of "sharks, thriving in pecking in the serious work and suffering of people, who are far above them"!

This book, published in the early 1950's, summarizes the changes to our society during the first half of the 20th century. Comparing these changes to those of the second half, it can be inferred that the pace of historical change has actually slowed down. The world is actually becoming more stable. A fascinating perspective on modern times

Well, this book was recommended to me by a teacher who was surprised by the fact I went through my US History class without learning much about the first half of the twentieth century. I only knew about the New Deal & FDR. This book is wonderful. It gives a more colorful perspective on the first half of the twentieth than a textbook could ever and what's ironic is it doesn't talk about the New Deal as much as my US History teacher did. From this book, I've learned more what America was like and who were the truly big movers and shakers, and it wasn't always the president! If you like history and you want to read something from someone who actually lived through the "big change" (and want to read something less formal that a textbook and chuckle about situations of the past), I truly recommend this book. What's even more ironic is the book I have was one of the original copies which only cost 85 cents. Now it's up to about $25. For a paperback! What a change!

Nice piece of work that does a good job of tracing the transformations that took place in the first half of the century. I found an old copy at a bookstore for $20 in mint condition...on-line you may find it cheaper at an auction. Writing style is a bit dry, so the book does plod in some places. Still, a good starter for anyone wanting to better understand the growth of the USA from rural/isolationist to global superpower.

This book has been informative in that I have learned a great deal about the political and militaristic problems Washington endured during America's push for independence. I have a feeling that, without Washington's sacrifice, America as we know it probably wouldn't occur. However, I also think of the famous quote attributed to Napoleon that "History is the myth men choose to believe." While Thomas Paine wrote about independence for the colonies, he also tore into the concept of slavery as immoral, so it wasn't as if no one was talking about this issue. If Washington would have "stepped up" and abolished slavery then and there, so that all men (and women) were truly created equal, as I said before, America might not be here. It was a politically divided and bankrupt country. I don't consider those reasons justification for sacrificing another person's human rights. The racial problems we face today stem from a lack of identity stolen from a stolen people

who did much of the work to build this country in its early days and, while the opprtunity was there, given nothing in return. "Patriot Sage" is an excellent insight into many aspects of Washington's life of which I was ignorant (like his influence on the Constitutional Convention) Sadly, some of its essays are too right-wing, to the point of Clinton bashing. What modern era president could really live up to the accomplishments of the one who defined the job's parameters ? One essay focuses on the moral symbolism of Washington now devoid in today's presidents, while another openly admits he gambled and sought prostitutes. To be read overall with some perspective.

Although I'm pretty sure the author was serious when he wrote it, this book is filled with factual errors and bizarre logic which had me howling with laughter. All theories of alternate "Shakespeares" which I've seen rely on factual distortions and arbitrary assertions, but this book is worse than most. Read it for its entertainment value, but for God's sake don't start to take it seriously! For a lot of facts about Shakespeare, and refutations of the most common Oxfordian claims, visit the Shakespeare Authorship page on the Web.

Dave Kathman djk1@ix.netcom.com

I love the way these people take this twaddle seriously. It's priceless fun.

Disappointing. Mr. Allen starts by positing a collaboration between the man from Stratford and Edward, the 17th Earl of Oxford. By the end of the book, it's no longer a possibility but definite -- and without supporting evidence. Frankly, I can't imagine a more unlikely collaboration. I think the author is influenced by the thought that "Shakespeare" is a group effort, possibly headed by Edward Oxford. He struggles with it, as all of us interested in the controversy do. But as far as I can see, his case is unproven.