I received as a birthday present and love it. It lets your imagination run wild with wanting more.

simply, this is the most excellent book i've come across. sophie calle's projects that mix photography and writing, seek to investigate identity, familiarity, and life in creative, direct, and honest ways. she's fascinated with knowing and simultaneously constructing others and herself.

i just saw an excerpt of the work discussed in this book at mass moca in north adams mass. it was amazing. the attention to detail that ms. calle pays is astounding. i can't wait to get the book and i recommend you get it to and see the work in person at mass moca if you get the chance.

Found this book very interesting and easy to read. The book shows the 'human' side of this technology and the enduring spirit of a man who wanted to live independant of the utilities. A man who dared to live the simplier life and enjoyed the hard work to get there.

If only there were 240+ million more like him.

In my quest to utilize this techology, I was delighted to encounter a volume that felt like it emerged from personal experience and not simply a rote tech survey. While I am not a particularly technical person, I found the information and presentation clear and direct. There is an undercurrent of personal charm I found engaging and added to my a sence of confidence in being able to do this. My wife and I are delighted with the results of what we learned and applied based on Mr Fowlers' book. Our second home in the woods was enhanced for it.

This fun book taught me how to think in terms of independent living. One of the best on my shelf.

You stand in a primeval forest of millions of acres. It is dark. All about you, unseen, stand trees which have stretched themselves heavenward for 50, 100, or more years, their younger offspring, and all the complex understory of a virgin forest.You shine your flashlight directly ahead, illuminating the base of a sequoia 100 feet in diameter. "This," you declare, "is reality." Only when the moon rises do you see that reality is more than what the flashlight's beam exposes.Those who delve into The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook may find themselves lying awake in the dark forest of galaxies, pondering that vastness. That which is momentarily illuminated by the flickering light of consciousness is also not all of creation.Imagine the universe at the moment just before the Big Bang. NOW, it begins. Yet in an equal and opposite universe, it does not. As the first Big Bang moves into the second moment of cosmic time, another Big Bang occurs in that alternate universe. In a third, it does not; in a fourth, the first Big Bang collapses. At this very moment, NOW, somewhere, the Big Bang begins. In another, it does not, but will in the moment to come. The expanding universe implodes in another. And every variant conceivable by the cosmic consciousness that powers it all even now unfolds.What we choose to illumine with our consciousness is our reality, for good or ill. Knowing that there are timelines in which one is blind, or blonde, or amphibian, or in which one took a risk untaken in present reality, is primarily useful in developing empathy.And yet, if everything which can happen has, or will, or won't, then in some world one might remember an earlier life; might make choices based on remnant memory; might open a door and find one's first love waiting, unspoiled, unaware of one's shortcomings. FSD is fundamentally an exploration of consciousness and reality, cloaked in a time-spanning love story and a quest to expiate the guilt of insufficient love.In some "alternate histories," the South wins the U.S. Civil War, Nazi Germany triumphs in World War II, the Age of Dinosaurs continues, or aliens rule the worlds. Paul Pipkin shines his light closer to home, into the dark woods of the human heart and the universal desire to "do it over and get it right."FSD has no aliens, no men in black, and its voodoo priestesses appear only in past tense. Its significant action is in the minds of its characters; in FSD's reality, reaching a higher level of understanding is a climactic act which, in other books, would require an epic space battle. It is long, quirky, personal, has a big cast of characters, uses big words and is very complicated ‹ like life, like quantum mechanics, like love, like sci fi at its best.

Have you ever thought that you remembered something clearly, and then been confronted by facts which proved events could not possibly have happened exactly the way you remembered? Could things have happened differently in an alternate world? As incredible as the idea of parallel universes may seem, it is taken quite seriously by some physicists - could it be that events such as those described in this book might really happen?

If you like science fiction (or even if you don't), or mysteries, or love stories, you'll like this. The author's unique writing style perfectly sets the mood for this memorable and haunting book. Two warnings are in order: 1)this is aimed at an adult audience, and 2) this is not your typical "light" read - this book demands your attention, but the effort will be well rewarded. In fact, it's worth reading a second time just to make sure you didn't miss anything.
It's a wild ride that will leave you wondering about the nature of reality, but not wondering at all about the talent of this promising new author. Highly recommended.

Ever made a life-changing decision, then wondered down the road how things would have turned out had you chosen differently? Of course, we all have. William Seabrook was a American author of some renown the 1920s and '30s who wrote as if he got another chance - and maybe he did. This fabulous novel is a story within a story, the tale of a present-day Seabrook fan and scholar sleuthing the truth about Seabrook's complex, multi-layered life.

Through vivid, unconventional sex - this is definitely adult reading - Seabrook and his muse explored alternate states and multiple-universe destinies. Fact and reality slip and slide. Truth and fiction mesh. The ever-present now melds with past and future.

*The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* is a book about a journey, where paths fork and fork again, as well as cross one another and loop back. It's a thrilling read for non-linear thinkers.

I view *The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* as a wake-up call. There's magic afoot on this planet, deep in the quantum physics of the it. Through our own senses and stories such as this, we can heighten our experiences and appreciation of it.

I'm going to re-read this book, which is a rare statement for me. Most fiction loses me at some point, I skip to the ending, and that's the end of it. This fiction-nonfiction story is rich, haunting, and teasing in itself, and it's enriched my thinking about my own life and the choices I've made, the people I've met, and what may happen yet.

*The Fan-Shaped Destiny of William Seabrook* is an affirmation of life and possibilities. It set off firecrackers in my head, and for those who want more than a beach read, it's likely to do the same.

From back of book:Y'Gora is threatened... Goblins, demons and worse spill over the Dark BOrder, attacking Rath Tintallain and hte priceless treasure it holds. The Hasturs fear that the fall of Rath Tintallain will bring utter destruction, and summon a gathering of the greatest heroes - elves, dwarves and mortal men - for a desperate stand. And Istvan DiVega is called to join the fray, fighting shoulder to shoulder with men of legend. They are the last defense against the Shadow.......

As many other's, I was also shattered to hear of Mr. Zimmer's untimely death. I remember the Goosebumps that would continually envelope me when reading his books. That to me, was the mark of a great novel...a rare occurrence to this jaded reader of thousands of Fantasy/Sci-Fi books over the last 25 years. A Gathering of Heroes was among his best work, right up there with the wonderfully fabulous Dark Prince & King Chondos' Ride. Only David Gemmell has since written books that can equal Mr. Zimmer's in grandeur. That rare intuitive grasp of human nature & complexities was his forte, & he wielded it with uncanny precision & care. You were thrust into his visions & imagination within the first few pages...& you felt lost & alone when the last page was read & the journey done. I HIGHLY recommend his books to anyone who wants 'Mature', 'Realistic', 'Dark' Fantasy. Except for David Gemmell, there is NO substitute.

I was devastated to read of this author's death. This book ranks second only to "Ender's Game" in my library of favorites. Though hard to find, it is worth the effort.

This book is a fascinating, moving and spiritual story about St. Paul and the life and times of the Jews, Romans and early Christians during the time of Jesus and shortly thereafter. Its many quotations from and references to the Bible makes it seem very accurate in terms of adherence to historical events. I'd like to know if there are any sources to support her many details of Saul's (St. Paul's) life that are not found in the Bible. Some of them are very hard to believe, but made the book interesting and hard to put down. I was very impressed by the author's ability to describe St. Paul's (and other's) inner feelings, as well as her descriptions of the landscapes and cities of the time. I'm looking forward to reading some of her other works.

This was my first Caldwell book and I loved it. Caldwell is poetic and elequent. She teaches the reader about The Greeks, Romans, Jews and Paul and how he was received by the early church and why. I recomend this book to anyone who is interested in the Roman Empire, the origin of the church or Christ.

I finally read this book, having attempted it once. I finished it just before going to Italy and Greece. Caldwell truly is one of the few writers today who can compare to the great storytellers of the past...Dickens, Hugo, etc. Her language is poetic and rich, and the stories believable. I thrilled to her descriptions of Romans, Greeks and Jews. I appreciate her research, her sense of respect for spirituality, and I adore the quality of her writing. I recommend all of her books, but would try "Glory and the Lightning" and "Dear and Glorious Physician" or "Devil's Advocate" before this. Then go for this and follow it up with a trip to Italy, Greece or the Holy Land.

Iread this novel 22 years ago and loved it. If you love freedom
and sci-fi you've got to read this book. And if you're a gun nut
you'll love the shotgun Steve and Pard use in the ending; and the planet Flint!

I first read this book some 20 years ago, and it has haunted me ever since. I truely wonderful bit of sci-fi spanning time, space and mortality. Whilst it was in my possession I read it many many times, but made the unfortunate mistake of lending it to someone, never to see it again. Some time later I discovered the LaNague chronicles (encapsulating "Healer") and got the book. Whilst Healer remains my all time favorite, LaNague is almost as good a read. Should anyone know of or have contact with Mr F Paul Wilson, would they extend my thanks, and plead with him on my behalf to put pen to paper (or fingers to key-board) and produce further "Steve & pard" novels, as there is far to much meat on this bone to let them off travelling the universe and time in just one book!

I read this book when I was young and still read it every few years to relive the magic. About a man who finds immortality unexpectantly, and then has to figure out what to do with it and how to fit in socially through time when nobody knows what he has. The climax is a bit lame, but this doesn't detract from a brilliant read.

This book gives a terrible tarnished picture of the Vatican, even if the author is wrong and there was no murder or active murder (they could have let Pope John Paul I die, by not administering him his medicine).
A Vatican controlled by a bunch of corrupt, merciless, avid for power, 'holy' cardinals (Villot, Cody, Marcinkus, Baggio), implicated in a web of depraved banking, masonic and Mafia figures like Calvi, Gelli and Sindona. (I recommend for the 'banking' part also the book by Richard Hammer 'The Vatican Connection').
What is also intriguing, or should I say 'demonic', is the fact that the next pope didn't remove anybody entangled in these murky affairs from his office.
The author gives also very plausible hints why, besides personal career interests, there were moral (the issue of birth control, for instance) and financial (money laundering to help friendly unions or parties) motives.
A devastating book. Not to be missed.

Back in 1958, when I was a student in a Catholic school, Pope John XXIII was elected. One of the lay teachers said that Pope Pius XI was bumped off to allow a "German Pope" to be put into power. That was before I was born and of little interest to me. Little did I realize that in twenty years another Pope would be bumped off to put another reactionary Pope into power.

This book points out the politics and personalities that went into the decision to eliminate Pope John Paul I. Afterwards, some of the reforms did go thru, perhaps due to the banking scandals of the 1980s, and other events that followed Vatican II.

Back in 1981 a State Dept. employee was kicked out of Nicaragua because she tried to poison their Foreign Minister (also a cleric). The poison to be used was said to be undetectable unless they knew what to look for. The symptoms made it look like the flu, and the cause would likely be overlooked. I wonder how many times this was used in other time and places?

David A. Yallop wrote four previous works (one caused the British government to reopen a twenty-year old murder case, another freed a man serving a life sentence for murder). This investigates the mysterious death of Albino Luciani, Pope John Paul I. He spent three years of intensive investigation using various sources in Rome, New York, London, and South America; they cannot be publicly identified.

Luciano Albini opposed the looting of Banco Ambrosiano while Bishop of Venice. As Pope he would rid the Vatican Bank of swindlers, money launderers, drug dealers, and their allies. But these had connections with organized crime and certain intelligence agencies. Pope John Paul I was as doomed as President John F. Kennedy's attempts to curtail the military-industrial complex, and Big Oil.

In 1981 there was an attempt to poison the Foreign Minister of El Salvador: the poison was to be put into his alcoholic drink. Nothing would happen for a week, then he would develop a flu-like disease, and die the next day. This poison could not be detected unless the coroner knew what to look for. This plot was exposed by the double agent recruited for the job, and a US diplomat was expelled from the country. The newspapers did NOT compare this to the death of Pope John Paul I.

Pages 40-49 tell of a swindle using counterfeit bonds worth $635 million. They would be sold to the Vatican Bank, and the money used for payoffs, and buying control of a company. The bank would write this off as a loss. You can be sure of high-level corruption and collusion in the bank!

The murder of Pope John Paul I may never be solved officially. Perhaps another Pope would continue his proposed reforms; we'll see in the near future.

This was the first volume in the whole IVP series I purchased, and because of it, I bought the "Dictionary of the Later New Testament." This whole series is a wonderful and insightful compilation of Biblical studies. This work is a concise, and yet thorough work on Paul's theology and termonology, and the novice student doesn't need to worry about a ton of theological jargon or a degree in Greek in order to read it, either.

I tend to prefer the more extensive "The Theology of Paul" by James Dunn, although this book may have a more logical orginization to it as a dictionary format. I usually sit down with both when I study, as they both have their strenghts and weaknesses as a resource.

I dont 100% agree with everything in this book, but I agree with a lot of it, and consider it a necessity in my library.

The best one volume book you can find on the complete writings of Paul. The book covers everything dealing with Paul and his writings, and not one stone is left unturned. Every article is brilliantly written, and informative. I found the articles on Textual Criticism and the various ones on Jesus Christ very helpful to my study. Along with the other three volumes (Jesus and the Gospels, Later New Testament and its development and New Testament background) it makes a good collection to the complete understanding of the New Testament. Go out and buy it, and you will not regret it.

Another extremely helpful dictionary from IVP and Dr. Daniel Reid. A tremendous work that provides a vast array of scholarly articles on issues related to the Pauline corpus. The sweep of this project has been enormous. This particular volume has been of great help to me as I continue to move through the Pauline epistles. The many articles relating to the law have been especially helpful. The editors have been careful to give the traditional as well as the new perspective on Paul and the law a balanced hearing. Some of the articles are thin, but the bibliographies (at the end of each article), provide primary sources. This is truly one of the best resources on my shelf!

This book of 96 pages is a translation of Jean-Paul Sartre work. Specifically: it countains 7 sections:
* Existentialism (43p)
* Freedom and Responsability (8p)
* The desire to be God (3p)
* The Desire to be God (cont.) (5p)
* Existentialist psychoanalysis (16p)
* The Hole (7p)
* Ethical Implications (7p)

The first section "Existentialism" is the translation, by Bernard Frechtman, of the french text by Jean-Paul Sartre "L'Existentialisme est un humanisme" which was originally the text of a conference Sartre gave in Paris on 29 OCT 1945, published later in 1946.
Originally, this text was not intend to explain Existentialism, but to defend it against harsh critics from people who did not fully understand it. It is thus a fairly good introduction for anyone who whishes to recieve a first understanding of Existentialism.
The other sections are extracts from "Being and Nothingness", translated by Hazel E. Barnes, from Sartre's book "L'Être et le Néant" published in 1943.
I did not read the translation, I bought this book for my not-French girlfriend.

Reading Jean-Paul Sartre's "Existentialism and Human Emotions" is a much easier approach to understanding Sartre's philosophy than reading Sartre's more concentrated work such as "Being and Nothingness." Although I think the best introduction to Sartre is through reading "Nausea" and the plays. This book tries to explain what Existentialism is and what it tries to do. Sartre also defends Existentialism against attacks on it by other Philosophies and the public that often assumes Existentialism is a sad philosophy; giving man no meaning and leads him to nihilistic despair. On the contrary, Sartre says that Existentialism is the only way to give man meaning and dignity. The book also touches on the idea of Man wanting to be God in a world where God does no exist. Sartre at the end gives a quick summing up of Existential Psycho-anaylis. A basic thesis of this work could be explained as the following: "Man is free when in total involvement and action and from Freedom man has an ultimate responsibility he must follow as his actions have to do with all mankind."

I would recommend "Existentialism and Human Emotions" to anyone who wants to understand Existentialism without getting a headache from reading more complicated works(i.e. "Being and Nothingness," Heideggar etc..) I am an avid reader of Philosophy and I always refer back to this book when pondering a question about Existentialism. A must for anyone who is interested in Philosophy.

However much Sartre's essay enflamed Heidegger (see Heidegger's 'A Letter on Humanism'), Existentialism is a Humanism is perhaps THE quintessential outline of the existential project and of existentialism proper. If one wishes to gain an understanding of Sartre, the journey should start here. All the primary concerns of Sartrean existentialism are laid out in clear and insightful language - freedom, responsibility, bad faith and other issues are discussed. To this effect the translation does justice to the intent and thrust of Sartre.

In particular, Existentialism and Human Emotions is highly recomended for those wishing to begin Being and Nothingness, and those who want a deeper understanding of existential literature.

This book has been an invaluable part of my library, often read, referenced and revered.

I am a social worker and an author. I have recently become involved with writing about medical as well as human rights issues. (My book BEHIND THE BURQA, which is to be published in October by John Wiley, is the memoir of two women who escaped the brutality of Afghanistan and the suffering they endured in the US.) Through my work, I have come into contact with people, such as the two subjects of my book, who have endured excruciating circumstances. HOW CAN I HELP sits on my night table so that I can read it after I've come home from interviewing someone in pain. It addresses all the issues that come up when people try to help each other, whether as "helping professionals" or simply as friends or family who are reaching out--guilt, burnout, fear, sense of helplessness--the myriad emotions that afflict those who want to make a difference in the lives of others. HOW CAN I HELP is psychologically astute, spiritually enlightening and written with great gentleness, compassion and occasional moments of humor. I feel the authors have become my mentors and friends. They accompany me to detention centers when I interview imprisoned asylum-seekers who have fled horrific tortures. They're with me when I visit people in the hospital. Their wisdom and guidance inspire me and inform my ability to remain intimately involved with people who have undergone horrible suffering. This book should be required reading in medical schools, psychology and social work programs, and any other context in which people are being trained to work with others in need.

This book is filled with insights. These insights are hidden gems of wisdom revealing our personalities desire to seek and find what we all have in common. This unity is driven by our need and desire to find peace in the midst of life's most difficult moments. As our heart goes out to those in need, our acts of service contain our soul's longing to connect with a fellow soul. Once our soul is awakened in service, a path opens and leads us into a sacred human relationship infused by the power of peace. Thanks, Ram Dass, for your guidance into the realm of spirit through the words written in this book.

I also recommend: What the Dying Teach Us: Lessons on Living by Samuel Oliver

I read the book called "How can I help" by Ram Dass and Paul Groman when I attended a seminar for care givers. It was intended to help us not get "used up" or "burned out" as the saying goes. The book has a number of vignettes followed by commentary. Each vignettes has proven an inspiration and the commentary has always added to the insight.

I do something I call "peer counseling". What it means is I simply try to provide a really safe place for them to express themselves. I have a structured way of developing that environment but that's too complex for this email. I believe that even if we think very hard about an issue we still need to say the words before we get a complete perspective. When we say the words out loud the first time to someone else we some times think, "Damn I'm right!" other times we think, "Boy is that stupid." and I try to provide a non-judgmental place to reach a conclusion. I also expect that if the outcome is the second they will try to distance themselves from everything that was associated with time spent working in the wrong direction. Generally that means they distance themselves from me too. I have to help them leave me with no feelings of guilt because they are "abandoning" someone who has befriended them. That is the second part of my counsel letting them go guilt free. I sometimes fear "losing" clients will drain me but re-reading the vignettes in the book renews me.