Thomas Armstrong's book make Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences very accessible to the general public. Each intelligence is very well defined. Especially fun are all the suggestions on how to develop these aspects of your own intelligence(s).

Somehow the concept of 'multiple intelligences' developed by Howard Gardner has not been as successful as the one of 'emotional intelligence' developed by David Coleman. It is a shame because 'multiple intelligences' is a multiple as rich and useful as 'emotional intellingence.' Emotional intelligence is a really helpful concept. But, 'multiple intelligences' is even more so.

This is a great book. It not only corrects the wrongful thinking of the value of IQ tests, it shows you what real smarts are and how to develop those areas.
For anyone that has children, that think and excel in different areas from each other, this book gives you hope and direction that everyone can be anything they want to be if they put their minds to it.

This book dives directly into the 7 ways of learning and through examples and suggestions lays them out like tools on a tool belt. You wont be able to use all of them but just one new method put to use can almost double your learning capability. This is evolution. This is a big step along the human species path. Don't go another week without this knowledge - youll not only learn faster but your emagination will be feeding you great things to try from these newly discovered sources. You'll meet new friends who are alive with this new form of intelligence and now that you ressonate with it you can understand them and they will recognize you.

"Extinction" is the story of Franz-Josef Murau, a wealthy Austrian gentleman living in Rome as a private tutor in German literature. His tastes run to the esoteric and philosophical, and his relationship with his student, Gambetti, is intellectually mutual. He has just returned to Rome from the wedding of his younger sister, Caecilia, to an "obese wine cork manufacturer," held at the family estate in Austria, called Wolfsegg. At the wedding were his parents, older brother Johannes, and his other younger sister, Amelia.

He receives a telegram in Rome: "Parents and Johannes killed in accident." For the first half of this 320-page book (each half being one unbroken paragraph!), he describes his life, and his narration becomes a deep reflection on his childhood and life to date. He delivers a marvelous psychological portrait of himself, as well as the family members who have just died, and his long-dead Uncle Georg, whom he remembers with great fondness. He hates his family deeply, and the feeling is mutual. He is a philosopher, they are down to earth. He is an aesthete, but they are simple folks. He is a scholar, but they are hunters and farmers, despite their fantastic wealth and their prosperous family estate. Only Uncle George understood him, artistic, free-spirited, and educated. Franz-Josef reflects passionately on his current situation, and tells us many stories of himself and his family.

For the second half of the book, he describes the funeral at Wolfsegg. Lacking parents and older siblings, he is now the master of the estate. His sisters look to him for leadership. He must now decide what to do with the estate. Will he move back to Wolfsegg in Austria, a land he loves, but an estate he hates? Will he pass it to his sisters and remain in Rome, a city he cherishes more than any other? Bernhard will stun the reader with the beauty of the resolution, but will do it in his own literary fashion.

During the story, we learn Franz-Josef disdains Catholicism and National Socialism (i.e., Nazism) in equal parts. His mother had been having an affair with a Catholic Archbishop in Rome, a relationship which was supposedly secret, but which all her children seem to know of. The Archbishop is a close family friend, and will certainly visit the estate for the funeral. His father had many Nazi friends, unbelievably still openly Nazi all these years after the war. He tells us of the fun times he enjoyed playing at his estate's Children's Villa, and how disappointed he was when it was shuttered. He vows to open and restore it when he is master. He tells us of the five libraries---five!---scattered about the estate, similarly shuttered up, collecting dust despite a half-dozen generations' worth of valuable books stored within. He tells us childhood stories of his parents, his brother, and his sister, all disdainful, and heaps contempt upon his brother-in-law, whose name he cannot even bring himself to utter, in generous proportions. At one point, he bathes in his father's bath, and wears some of his clothes. Is this a metaphor for his feelings? We learn that he blames his father only for being such a simple man, but hates his mother passionately, for dragging his father into the mud.

We struggle with the idea that this is an unreliable narrator, and we are only hearing one side of a two-sided story, but unlike Italo Svevo's masterpiece, "Confessions of Zeno", it is clear that despite this narrator's one-sided story, there is no reason to disbelieve him. He is as critical of himself as of others, and he demonstrates the pettiness and crudeness of his family in many different ways. We trust him, not only because he is self-critical, but because despite his self-confidence, he is not a fool. We also learn some untoward truths about his family, and a few hidden secrets, which cannot be dismissed, even from the most unreliable narrator. His angst comes from a simple sentiment, expressed early on: "I can't abolish my family just because I want to." He struggles to resolve the question of extinction: Must he extinguish himself to satisfy his family? Must his family be extinguished to satisfy himself?

Finally, after a rollicking narration of heartfelt emotions and deeply-help philosophies, Bernhard's narrator demonstrates how he chooses to reconcile his thoughts and feelings, his inheritance and his sisters, his legacy and his future, and all the elements demonstrated through the length of the novel braid together like a jewel. Bernhard's prose is difficult for those unfamiliar with experimental or cutting-edge literature, but actually not very difficult once one tries. Curious readers will greatly enjoy engaging their mind with this book. If they wish to sample a smaller work before digging into this one, Bernhard's "Yes" is another masterpiece of style and depth. Both are rewarding, brilliant works from a literary master.

There is great joy to be had from this wonderful book. Its first joy is its prose - sparkling in its clarity, musical, effortless - which carries one along on a journey through the thoughts and feelings of Viennese 48 year old Franz-Joseph Murau. Intellectual resident of Rome, alienated by choice from his Austrian family, friend to Archbishop Spadolini(who is also his mother's lover!), he receives a telegram that his father, mother and brother have died in a car accident making him at one stroke inheritor of the family's wealthy estate. He is now MASTER OF WOLFSEGG. The first half of the novel THE TELEGRAM concerns his recollections of childhood and relationships and events that shaped his life. Example: " At first we always tell ourselves that our parents naturally love us, but suddenly we realise that, equally naturally, they hate us for some reason - that is to say, we appear to them as I appeared to mine, as a child that didn't conform with their notion of what a child should be, a child that had gone wrong. They had not reckoned with my eyes which probably saw everything I was not meant to see when I opened them. First, I looked in DISBELIEF, as they say, when I stared at them, and finally, one day I SAW THROUGH THEM, and they never forgave me, could NOT forgive me.(p 76)" The second half of the novel THE WILL concerns his attendance at the estate where he oversees the funeral and greets and reflects upon the range of visitors paying their respects.

Example: "In ROME I often lay on my bed, unable to stop thinking of how our nation was guilty of thousands, tens of thousands, of such heinous crimes, yet remained silent about them. The fact that it keeps quiet about these thousands and tens of thousands of crimes is the greatest crime of all, I told my sisters. It's this silence that's so sinister, I said. It's that nation's silence that's so terrible, even more terrible than the crimes themselves.(p 231)" This bare outline of the two parts cannot prepare you, dear reader, for the experiences of this novel. It is as if one becomes privy as another Viennese Mr Freud did, to the real secrets of the heart of an individual, an individual nevertheless, shaped by the world in which he was born but determined to realise some truths about that world. WE are privy then to the feelings, equivocations, doubts, fears, guilt and searching. It is a revalatory experience, scaldingly honest, which provides one man's analysis of 20th Century Austrian culture, including National Socialism, the class system, religion, architecture, cuisine et al. Sometimes mocking, sometimes self excoriating, sometimes savagely funny, we travel with Mr Murau through his thoughts and feelings at this turning point in his history. In the end, Mr Murau makes a stunning act of redemption which concludes his statement and rounds off this wonderful work of literature on a joyous note. Please accompany, or perhaps follow,this novel with a large dose of HAYDN. Most modern novels pale into the ordinary compared to this work.

This was his latest novel to appear in English. It is masterfully constructed,elegantly disturbing and satisfyingly challenging.

Although I'm sure I'm quite ignorant of the larger context of this book, if I could only take one book into a cell for the remainder of my life, I would choose this. At the rate of a few pages most evenings (aloud) I'm half way through and looking forward to beginning again, more slowly next time. They say that if you study Lam-rim, it helps you with any Buddhist teachings you might come across. For this reason, I find every page filled with gems. I had owned it for two years before I returned from a Tibetan Buddhist retreat and discovered that the final pages are "The Noble King of Vows of the Conduct of Samantabhadra".

The Avatamsaka Sutra (The Sutra of the Garland of Flowers) is among the largest and greatest of the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. It is 12 volumes in Chinese, and 1600 pages in this English edition published by Shambhala. As with most Mahayana scriptures, it treats Buddha not as merely a man of ancient India, but as a cosmic principle. Differing from the austere and non-theist Theravada scriptures, it is full of gods and goddesses, heavens, jewelled trees and imaginary beings. The Avatamsaka Sutra became very influential in Chinese Buddhism, and was responsible for the creation of the Hua-Yen school.

This edition by Thomas Cleary, THE FLOWER ORNAMENT SCRIPTURE, is excellent. It includes not only his translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra, but also a book subsequently pinned onto it (the 400-page Gandhavyuha, or "Entry into the Realm of Reality"), the Chinese mystic Li Tongxuan's seventh-century commentary on the Gandhavyuha, a glossary of difficult Mahayana concepts, and an incredibly helpful translator's introduction.

Dr. Cleary ranks among the foremost translators of Asian religious literature and always succeeds in translating works clearly and precisely. In THE FLOWER ORNAMENT SCRIPTURE, his years of experience have enabled him to produce a stunning translation, and I can only admire his persistence in translating such a massive work.

This edition is really a treasure for Buddhist students. Or, should I say, serious students and scholars. At 1600 pages and a high cost (though much more inexpensive than several years ago), this tome is for the dedicated. THE FLOWER ORNAMENT SCRIPTURE, however, is an excellent translation. Dr. Cleary has benefitted Westerners greatly through his singular translation.

This translation is a mind and spirit expanding explication of the world of Buddhism. My advice to all who have the great good fortune to have the opportunity to have this book is buy it immediately. My secong piece of advice is to read it aloud. It most definitely changes your state and expands your mind. I have owned if for 10 years and given away three copies to friends. No one has ever been disappointed. The introduction alone is worth the price of the book.

Dr. Attig's book is an important part of a paradigm shift in our thinking about grief. He has thrown open a door to new thinking about how we can continue to be in relationship to loved ones who are no longer alive. This book is eloguently written with the ring of truth from the lives of real people. An excellent addition to our knowlege and understanding of grief.

On September 11, 2001, many sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters died. I lost my own son 10 years ago and since that time I have wondered what can really be of help to parents, or other grievers in learning to live with such loss. Now, more than ever, life seems so fragile in this world and the need for understanding grief as important as ever. It is so hard when grief is so great. Our fears of our own mortality spring to the front stage of our emotins nakedly exposed to others. I recently found Tom Attig's The Heart of Grief and it met me right where I was. Using his personal experiences of grieving people, Attig describes a process of learning to love in a new way. He recounts the stories of people's losses and provides a myriad of ways that grievers have found to continue loving the ones they have lost.
Of course, we do not stop loving or forget our loved one. Death does not end our relationshipwith the deceased, but it is different. They are forever gone from this life. Attig suggests that sometimes people fear that when they accept the loss it means they have stopped loving the deceased person. Many people, who are unable to let themselves feel the full impact of their loss, find themselves stuck in wishing for the past and the return of a loved one. Consequently, there can be no real acceptance of the loss. Attig emphaasizes the need to BE SAD because what has happened IS SO SAD. Feeling intense sadness scares many people, so Attig encourages us to find someone to accompany us on this journey, a spouse, a friend, or a professional.
Most importantly, Attig writes that if we do not fully accept and greive our loss, we may have difficulty ever loving again. It is only through acceptance of our losses that we can continue to love those who have died in a new way and to love those who are still with us and love us. The use of real peoples' stories of loss are inspirational and give hope. Attig provides numerous examples and possiblities of ways to learn to love anew. Whether you are grieving a loss yourself or know someone who is, this book is very readable, relateable, informative and comforting. We all will be grievers some day. I highly recommend this book. I has a permenant place of importance on my bookshelf.

This is such an important book that it is required reading in my Introduction to Death and Dying course. It has valuable information, yet it is verty readable. It is presented as a very human book.

Of all the many books I have read on Bruce Lee I think this biography is far and away the best. The previous reviewer reflected my thought exactly, that the author, Bruce Thomas, is "respectful but not caught up in hero worship". I would add that this is the only Bruce Lee book I have read that manages to walk that line. Bruce Thomas clearly has a personality and spirituality that is mature enough to have captured and integrated the essence of Bruce Lee. The biography is well-researched and detailed but this is more than a biography...it is a great book.

When one comes across a biography purporting to be about the late, great Bruce Lee, one must ask oneself: "why is the author writing a book on this man?". If you conclude that he has something to gain, say, by revising a history of which he was a part, then you should probably steer clear of such a book. Thankfully, the author Bruce Thomas was not a part of Bruce Lee's life and so he has no vested interest in rewriting this now-legendary past. Rather, in his book, Thomas tells us a little about each important phase of Lee's life: his boyhood in Hong Kong, streetfightin' teenage years, emigration to Seattle, development of his evolving art and philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, struggles breaking into the film business, and eventual mass recognition and appeal as an international celebrity. The book also chronicles Lee's last days, shedding light on his recent out of character behavior (drug abuse, adultery) with brief but insightful speculation regarding what could have killed him. Unlike other books, in Fighting Spirit, Thomas is very respectful of Bruce's memory, yet he does not get caught up in hero worship. The facts are presented as is, with the implicit assumption that the reader is intelligent enough to make what he or she will of them without any embellishment whatsoever on the author's part. This is, to my mind, the best biography in publication on Bruce Lee.

Very detailed, very insightful, most interesting of all the books on Bruce Lee's life. A must-read for anyone who wants to know (or know more) about Bruce Lee.

The X-Economy was a brilliant mix of history, today's economy, technology, business direction, stories, and practical thinking. It is a book that is not only relevant for now but will serve as a reference for the future. I had a vague understanding of the paradox I was living in - the instability and yet the tremendous opportunity. - The X-Economy spelled it out in a well articulated, enlightening and enjoyable fashion. This book is important in order to make more intelligent personal decisions as well as business decisions.

This is the best business book I've read in the past 20 years. The authors' vision rivals that of the best minds in the field, Drucker included.

The X-Economy is a must read for anyone who seriously wants to compete in the 21st century business environment. Without the requisite focus on demand-chain dynamics, any business initiative runs the risk of running aground.

The X-Economy should be on the syllabus of every business program, from the undergraduate level on up.

This is a terrific book. As Lester Craft, Jr., editor-in-chief eCommerce Business magazine said, this book is "the first in-depth explanation of the new world of B2B e-commerce, and how the emerging phenomenon of Internet exchanges is changing the rules of business." Everything is changing so quickly that the old rules on running a business do not necessarily apply now or guarantee success. This book, the x-economy, explains the basics of today's economy so that I'll be able to understand tomorrow's. Thanks Thomas and Nathaniel.

This is a book about ties and their knots. Within that narrowly prescribed scope the book executes perfectly. Any man who ever needs to tie a tie (and that would be most of us) would do well to pick up this book. Don't like the four-in-hand that your father taught you because the tie is too long but the Windsor is too big? Try a St. Andrew. Have a tie that is too long even when done in a Windsor? Try a Balthus. Have an bulky knit wool tie that looks clumsy when done up in a four-in-hand? Try an Oriental.

Even if you aren't a male clothes hound and don't care much for ties it is hard not to be impressed and fascinated with this exposition of the arcane and esoteric.

I admit it was a little intimidating at first to see that not only was this book written by two Cambridge University physicists, but that they had devised their own special notation system for defining the physics of tying a tie. We've come a long way from 'the bunny runs around the tree and goes into the hole.'

In fact, however, the guides are not only quite easy to follow (although there's still a certain amount of practice required to perfect the knots), but Fink and Mao are good about describing which knots work best with various types of ties, collars, and faces.

Now I look at this book like I do those glossy cocktail books, full of enticing photos of multi-colored drinks. Those make me want to work my way down the bar, and this made me wish I worked someplace where I could wear a tie more often, just for the joy of experimenting with the knots. Well, almost, anyway.

At any rate, any man who fancies himself a stylish dresser (or at least one who doesn't take his fashion cues from Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis) should keep this handy little guidebook next to his gold collar pins and framed photo of Fred Astaire.

When I started my current job, I checked to see if I would have to wear a tie. I do not like ties, but I did like _The 85 Ways to Tie a Tie_ (Broadway Books) by Thomas Fink and Yong Mao. There are indeed eighty-five ways to tie a tie, and they prove it, and they show them all. If you wear a tie, or know someone who does, and especially someone who does under protest, this is a useful and entertaining little book.

But how does anyone prove that there are eighty-five ways to tie a tie? Well, the genial authors explain: "Tie knots, we realized, are equivalent to persistent random walks on a triangular lattice." If that explanation strikes you as less than useful, you can turn to the appendix at the back of the book, where you will find the random walk explanation proved by means of equations with symbols and superscripts which I cannot reproduce here. Comes the explanation: "Our day job as theoretical physicists might have had something to do with it." It does not take a mathematician to enjoy this book, however. What the authors have done is to examine all the variations of how to tie a standard tie. This means that one leaves the little end alone and makes the big end travel around to form the knot. Having crossed the little end, the big end can go to the left of it, or right, or to the center (where the neck of the wearer is). That is three possible moves, and within each of the three fields, the big end may either go in toward the wearer or out away from the wearer, for a total of six moves in all, not counting the final move, which is always to pull the big end down through the knot to its final resting place. Each knot can thus be specified with permutations of six simple moves. The simplest is the three-move variety called the "Oriental," the most complex is the nine-move memory-breaker known as the "Balthus." Windsor, half-Windsor, four-in-hand, and all the others are shown and instructions given. The authors have also noted the methods which might help make a more impressive knot in a lightweight tie, or in a tie that has grown limp with use, and various other suggestions. There is art here as well as science.

This is a unique blend of mathematics, sartorial history, and fashion instruction, wittily presented and attractively illustrated. If we have to have ties, we might as well let them teach us something.

Juan has done a fantastic job of translating the Gita into such concise writing. Every verse interpreted (though it biased towards Juan's opinion or philosophies) was succinct and did not require the reader to crack his/her head over the meaning. For me it was certainly an excellent introduction to the marvellous poem. Another version by Ramanand Prasad is more in depth and profound in it's translation. The free version by him could be found at www.gita-society.com Here's an example of the two contrasting profundity and distinctive styles of translations:

For verse 2:27 Juan's translation was :

Set thy heart upon thy work, but never on its reward. Work not or a reward; but never cease to do thy work.

as for the one by Ramanand Prasad, it came out as :

You have Adhikaara over your respective duty only, but no control or claim over the results. The fruits of work should not be your motive. You should never be inactive. (2.47) (The word Adhikaara means ability and privilege, prerogative, jurisdiction, discretion, right, preference, choice, rightful claim, authority, control.)

A reader wishing to venture into the depths of the Gita should consider reading this version by Juan as an overview of it.

no words!!just read it!!my words are nothing comparing to Bahagavad Gita!!read it whoever you are!Thanx

Juan Mascaro's edition of the Gita is undoubtedly one of the more attractive versions for the general reader who is approaching the Gita for the first time. Mascaro, besides being a Sanskrit scholar, is a sensitive translator who clearly resonates to the Gita. He tells us that the aim of his translation is "to give, without notes or commentary, the spiritual message of the Bhagavad Gita in pure English." To suggest just how well he has succeeded, here is his rendering of Verse II.66:

"There is no wisdom for a man without harmony, and without harmony there is no contemplation. Without contemplation there cannot be peace, and without peace can there be joy?"

Many readers will probably be content to remain with Mascaro, and it certainly seems to me that his translation reads beautifully and that a fair number of his verses have never been bettered by others. But the Gita is not quite so simple as it may sometimes appear. If we want to arrive at a fuller idea of just what the Gita means by "wisdom," "harmony," "contemplation," "peace," and so on, we will need to consult other and fuller editions.

There are many editions which, besides giving a translation of the Gita, also give a full commentary such as the excellent one by Sri Aurobindo in his 'Bhagavad Gita and Its Message' (1995). Others, besides giving a commentary and notes, also give the Sanskrit text along with a word-by-word translation. Some of these even include the commentary of the great Indian philosopher, Shankara (c. + 788 to 820), such as the very fine edition by Swami Gambhirananda (Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1995, which may be available through the Vedanta Press, CA). Here is the latter's English rendering of Verse II.66:

"For the unsteady there is no wisdom, and there is no meditation for the unsteady man. And for an unmeditative man there is no peace. How can there be happiness for one without peace?"

This may not seem to have carried us much beyond Mascaro until we start looking at Shankara's commentary, of which the following provides a taste:

"Ayuktasya, for the unsteady, for one who does not have a concentrated mind; na asti, there is no, i.e. there does not arise; buddhih, wisdom, with regard to the nature of the Self; ca, and; there is no bhavana, meditation, earnest longing for the knowledge of the Self; ayuktasya, for an unsteady man. And similarly, abhavayatah, for an unmeditative man, who does not ardently desire the knowledge of the Self; there is no shantih, peace, restraint of the senses. Kutah, how can there be; sukham, happiness; ashantasya, for one without peace? That indeed is happiness which consists in the freedom of the senses from the thirst for enjoyment of objects; not the thirst for objects - that is misery to be sure. The implication is that, so long as thirst persists, there is no possibility of even an iota of happiness!" (page 112-3).

For anyone who would like to see a full treatment of the language of the Sanskrit text, there is Winthrop Sargeant's stupendous labor of love, 'The Bhagavad Gita' (SUNY, 1984) which offers a complete grammatical description of every single Sanskrit word in the text, along with much else.

Finally, for anyone who would like to look at a first-rate study of the Gita, there is Trevor Leggett's 'Realization of the Supreme Self - The Yoga-s of the Bhagavad Gita' (Kegan Paul International, 1995). This is a superb work with an intensely practical bent which sees the Gita, not so much as a metaphysical treatise but as a book of practical instruction. I used to think I knew the Gita before I discovered Leggett!

But despite the great wealth of available editions, of which I've mentioned only a few here, I still find myself returning to Mascaro from time to time. A perfect translation of the Gita into English is probably unattainable, but Mascaro seems to have come as close as anyone is ever likely to do. His version has a tendency to send down roots and grow in the mind.

This incredible story is a real page turner. I could not put it down.

Tarantino Productions has just taken the movie rights to this book. It will be a great movie because it is a great book...an easy read.

This book was written by someone who had definitely been on the inside of some extremely difficult investigations. It is hard to belive what police must do and the dangers they must face to provide all of us with a safe hometown.

What if reality is an illusion? How can you know if *you* aren't part of that illusion? If the world is a construct whose sole purpose is to fool your senses, what kind of conclusions can you draw about the nature of reality? Can you prove you exist? Can you even trust your thoughts? These very large questions if not dismissed consist hyprebolic doubt (aka Cartesian Doubt).

By asking and analyzing these very big questions, Descartes proved that you exist, and while not trustworthy, the mere fact you _have_ thoughts, proves it (Cogito Ergo Sum). Unfortunately, due to the high level of rigor and extreme doubt, it has proven impossible to build upon that very sound foundation, and his arguments trying to take it further do not express nearly the same level of rigor, and pale to his powerful first conclusions.

With the style of analysis and fearlessly examining this, he created the basis and foundation for most modern philosophy, since many schools of thought is based upon getting off his rigorous and rather lonely dead end island of "Cartesian Doubt" with a non-rigorous assumption or supposition.

The book is a fast, and intense read, appearing to have been written over a few days. The reader is taken along for the ride and in my case, my mind was blown at the level of rigor. To me his argument leading to "Cogito Ergo Sum" is as close to a bulletproof, rigorous, perfect argument that you can experience. Its only weakness, though, if you stick to that level of rigor, you really cannot prove anything else besides your own existence!

Definitely worth the price of admission. Especially to non-philosophers like myself!

Dig in!

"A Discourse on Method: Meditations and Principles" is more than a book, it is a challenging and rewarding mental experience. It is a tough read but well worth it just to read "I think, therefore I am" in its proper context (the simple statement that Descartes considers his first principle of philosophy).

The book is divided into three parts. In "A Discourse on Method," Descartes lays out his first principle of philosophy, and his plan for rejecting false assertions and deriving true principles. The "Meditations on the First Principle" is the wide ranging essay where "I think, therefore I am" is expanded to include all of its implications. These implications are wide ranging, from the existence of God, to the existence of our bodies, other physical objects, various scientific principles, and finally, whatever we are able to know as truth. Here is where the book poses its greatest challenge. At this point I was only reading 2-4 pages at a time. Then when I finished this part, I went back and reread a bulk of it to fully grasp the key points of the "Meditations." The third part, "The Principles of Philosophy," wouldn't have been so difficult if my brain hadn't been taxed as it was by the "Meditations." But the Principles are well organized and clearer, making the book more satisfying to read again.

Overall, this book is a treasure as an intense mental revelation. It brings together Descartes' best writing for the general reader, if the reader is up to the challenge.

Can anything be known to be certain? This is a more difficult question than most people might recognize. Rene Descartes says yes and presents us with one of the most elegant thought experiments in the history of philosophy. We begin by calling into doubt all claims of "knowledge"; believing nothing that cannot be affirmed with absolute certainty:
Imagine now that an all-powerful, all-knowing being might exist external to that which we can experience with our senses, i.e., external to the material world (recall that we can neither know this nor know otherwise). Imagine further that this extra-material entity may be a devious trickster, messing with my mind, perhaps to amuse a twisted sense of humor. Because the possible trickster would exist external to the access of scientific scrutiny, I could, in my state of absolute skepticism, never know whether this sadistic consciousness is at work, not only in the material world, not only in my conscious perception of the material world, but in fact in the perceptions of all other conscious beings as well. Thus all scientific proofs might be mere illusion and there could be no means of determining this. In other words, if all material objects and all subjects of thought are inherently uncertain, and this is indeed a logical conclusion at this point in our consideration, what then could be known with certainty? Is then the only absolute certainty this universal and impenetrable uncertainty? Could it ever be truly known that anything exists apart from the possibility of the trickster? Only one thing: that [without regard to whether or not it is being deceived] the mind of the thinker must exist, for otherwise there is not even the illusion that our consideration is happening. Thus the only thing that I may know beyond any doubt is that my mind does exist. Cogito ergo sum, i.e., "I think, therefore I am." This singular certainty is not without further implications. For while we have established that consciousness (i.e., mind) is more certain to exist than is matter, we don't know why this should be true. Or do we? Descartes says that there is a reason we must reach this conclusion and presents his ontological argument for the existence of a perfect and beneficent Mind beyond material constraints and uncertainty (that mind being God).
Whether or not Descartes believed he had "proved" the existence of God is not a very interesting point (apparently he thought so). As Pascal pointed out, such proof -- or disproof -- is not possible within the inherent limits of human investigations (Pascal found nature and reason to powerfully infer God's existence in a probabilistic sense, while "scientific" proofs must be uncertain, uncertainty being the nature of corporeal existence). What Descartes did "prove" is that the idea of an extra-cosmic mind is a rational conclusion (and is rational to a greater extent than any phenomenological observation that we might assume to be "true"). Some claim to rebut Descartes' ontology citing his geometric analogy, which was based in the Cartesian paradigm of his day. This is no great difficulty however, another mathematical illustration might have been developed had Descartes knowledge of 21st century mathematics. In fact, Descartes asserts that his conclusion does not rest on his understanding of geometry (which was about to be overtaken by Newton's mathematics). He believes that he could provide "an infinity" of allegories to illustrate his ontology. Here we find an expression of how Descartes' struggle with vanity leads to some hasty proffers (finite beings cannot wholly examine an infinity, even if we accept the existence of such). Many other thinkers, who agreed with some of Descartes arguments, quickly took umbrage with his more disputable statements. Descartes then rebutted these rebuttals. In fact some of these arguments continue today. Such is Descartes' importance to [some say "modern"] philosophy.
There are still other interesting aspects to these essays: Descartes' method (which is sound), his interest in medicine, physiology, neurology, his anticipation and analysis of "artificial intelligence" (three centuries before science fiction writers 'invented' the idea). Also interesting is the author's plea to the public (the work is clearly addressed to a general readership and not to his nemesis, the Jesuits, as some reviewers mistakenly suggest). Noticeably struggling to maintain his humility, the brilliant Descartes asks to be left to his work in physics. Rather than taking precious time to explain and defend his theories, he wishes to be left alone to focus on his work, asking to be judged and explained by it after his death.