This was the first book I read about Buckminster Fuller. It was a great introduction to the man because a lot of people go right to his written works which can be hard to digest at first because he's just a very intense human being.

Reading this book first enabled me to understand Bucky so when I did move on the Critical Path and Synergetics I knew what I was getting in to. And boy if your ready to go through the mirror to see the truth, you're in for the ride of your life!

Enjoy!

I love to read books that I don't completely understand the first time through. This is certainly one of those books.

Part biography, part scientific dissertation, the author enlightens us on the wonderful and extraordinary life of R. Buckminster Fuller, a true renaissance man.

Many people have never even heard of Buckminster Fuller... but his ideas, inventions and philosophy have touched the lives of everyone on here on 'Spaceship Earth' as he liked to call it.

Just take a trip down to Epcot in Orlando, FL and see a geodesic sphere in real life, one that engineers and construction types said would not stand... its been standing there for almost 20 years now. Or, look down the street to the Contemporary Resort at the Magic Kingdom. Built entirely with modular construction and finished in record time.. a la "Bucky" Fuller.

Certainly this man was a great innovator... but what I was most impressed with was his 'comprensivist' point of view. He always strove to see the big picture of what is happening on Earth as well as the entire Universe around us.

Get this book if you want to open you mind to new ideas and paradigms. It has changed the way I look at many different things now.

"Buckminster Fuller's Universe" is full of information that is very pertinent to current problems in our world today, e.g., providing all people on Space Ship Earth with affordable and environmentally sound food, housing, and transportation. Sieden's passionate but not sentimental description of the obstacles Bucky faced from Corporate America lends to the compelling nature of this book. "Galileo's Daughter" depicted Galileo's genius colliding with the monolithic Church of the sixteenth century, Sieden shows Bucky's genius colliding with plumbers, architects, auto manufacturers, bureaucrats as well as ideals of the capitalist economic system. I was filled with hope by Bucky's continued enthusiasm and creativity even in the face of such huge obstacles. Sieden states that Bucky believed that Earth's problems will be solved by individual thinking and efforts and not by bureaucratic leaders or endeavors. Although, Bucky states governments can thwart or support the education and thinking of its citizens. Sieden's writing is easy to digest even when the subject matter is very complex. Seattle's Intiman Theatre will stage a production of "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe" June 8 to July 7, 2001. Which goes to show how relevant Bucky is to today's world. I strongly recommend this book for folks concerned about Earth's problems and to hear solutions from one of Earth's geniuses.

The need for the subject is enormous. We get so contributed by the book. We believe in respecting the human as a whole entity. The body reflects so much of our being that we need to understand and assess the meaning of the book. Let hope that an updated book will come soon. The conecction of mind and body reflects what is going on with the sociaty body and we need it very very much. Thank you.

When I first heard about this book from a friend, I thought that it was most likely 'Junk Science'. I was very happy to find that it is truly a valuable book. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is facing a serious illness. I think it is important to note that this book is not an alternative medicine philosophy book. I prefer to base my scientific beliefs on objective evidence

Although I am a scientist and I appreciate Einstein being chosen as Man of the Century, I feel that Albert Schweitzer would have been a more compelling choice. It is true that Einstein represents the science and technology that is taking us at a breathless pace into the new millenium. But just where is is taking us?

Schweitzer's scholarship in medicine, music, and religion could easily have led him to a highly successful academic career at a university. But he did not choose this path. Rather, he put his knowledge of medicine to use at a primitive level by serving natives in a remote part of Africa. It was a courageous, soulworthy decision. For that reason it is worth learning everything we can about this man whose mind was capable of such unique comprehension and action.

I am very grateful that Norman Cousins put his editorial skills to use in selecting words of Albert Schweitzer to pass on to us. Cousins is correct in the Introduction when he says "The greatness of Schweitzer rests not just on what he has done but on what other have done because of him."

The words in the text are classified under six headings: Knowledge and Discovery, Reverence for Life, Faith, The Life of the Soul, The Musician as Artist, and Civilization and Peace. Also, an excerpt is given from Schweitzer's 1952 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.

The quotations range from humorous to subline; from "An organ is like a cow; one does not look at its horns so much as at its milk," to "The history of our time is characterized by a lack of reason which has no parallel in the past." It is a fearsome accusation for a generation that prides itself on the good job it has done in harnessing reason to science. Schweitzer further reflects that "we have sought to live and to carry on with a civilization which has no ethical principle behind it."

With the example of Schweitzer's life of dedication and service we can perhaps see a glimmering of the ethical principle that is missing in today's world. By living a life of sacrifice and service, his soul grows steadfastly without bound.

As printed in the Editor's Note, I first suggested the ides of this book to the publisher and corresponded with Norman Cousins. In l995 I wrote a multimedia musical dramatization called the "Words of Albert Schweitzer and the Music of Bach>" This acclaimed production is available to churches and universities. It was prsented March l at Syracuse University, New York. Thurston Moore

"Dumbth" by Steve Allen is a frank look at the deteriation of efficiency and intelligence in our society and what can be done about it. This is one of the most important books I have ever read.

The book assisted me in recognizing those areas in myself that require improvement and gave me concrete ways to work on it.

I encourage people to read this book.

This book shows how remarkable and awesome the human spirit truely is. Cousins gives examples of how humor affected the body in a profound healing manor. After facing cancer and the gloom around the therapies, Cousins turned to humor to help fight the battle and overcame many obstacles in his way. Even those whose lives are not touched by cancer in some way can appreciate the benefits of a little humor therapy. Great book!

I read this book nearly 7 years ago and still remember a few of the anecdotes with fondness. At the time I was 13 and could appreciate the simple logic of Mr. Lincoln and his sparkling wit. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a nostalgic read that won't confront you with questions about Lincoln's political ambitions or racial attitudes. It is simply about a man, famous though he may have been, he was also smart and funny. In an age when humor is all about hurtful, shock-value jokes, this reminds us that it takes far more to make someone laugh and be able to do so more than 100 years after you are gone.

I think this is a really insparationall book for people who have any kind of sickness and an insight on how people are treated in hospitals when they are hurting and in pain. how people are taken advantige of when they are weak. how hospitals do not do everything in their power to confort their patients. and the detail is so instensive in some areas that u can feel the patients pain and relief his laughter and hurt. i recomend this book to anyone who is interested in books of someones paining life but with alot of exteamly high points of ups and downs and a good ending.

As an essay, Anatomy of an Illness is engrossing. At as a work of inspiration, it is indispensible. Anyone you know who is ill, or who simply cares about his or her state of health, will gain wisdom and hope from this carefully constructed, sober, yet passionate memoir of healing.

Profound! Plainly written! Reality oriented; with the constant earmarks of someone who has, in fact, "been there and done that." Norman Cousins speaks out again!

This book is an account in the first person of Mr. Cousins' visits to Dr. Albert Schweitzer at his hospital in Lambarene, Africa. The book does an excellent job of letting the reader understand Dr. Schweitzer, and of portraying his daily life from the perspective of an aclaimed journalist. This view of Schweitzer's life is presented while Mr. Cousins has an agenda to save the doctor's handwritten manuscripts and convince the doctor to speak out against nuclear testing, among other things. Overall the book left me with a warm and enlightened knowledge of Dr. Schweitzer. Definitely worth reading for anybody who is interested in Schweitzer, or has any interest in humanity itself.

vraisemblance takes a beating when jake lassiter resorts to show tunes & psychological tap-dancing to stave off certain death at the hand of an uzi bearing reincarnated hawaiian god.not levine's best, though still entertaining. average.

Once upon a time, from his perch acorss the street from the UN, Donald Keys was pursuing an interesting train of thought: how to rearrange the human being, and with it the planetary system of warring states, which we had come to know as "the way things are". This man was a dreamer, and though he tried mightily to bring a practical focus to his work, the most practical he got was in this book. There are some interesting ideas, but he was in no position to do more than propound them in words. His imaginings were intriguiing to small clique of people who followed his writings as they streamed out of his non-profit, Planetary Citizenns Inc, now defunct.