Many of us feel so overwhelmed by the worlds astronomical environmental and health problems, we feel utterly helpless. But this book offers a simple, straight forward approach to creating a positive change, right in your own home. As a nutritionist and environmentalist, I was reluctant to read yet another depressing book on the state of health of our planet and our human bodies. But I was pleasantly surprised by the quick read and simplicity of Mr. Diamonds idea; how each of us can contribute to positive changes on this earth. the most effort on our part is sending this book to others (especially that it is now out of print!)

As one with a lifelong interest in mysticism, I have been reading Rumi for forty-five years now. Unfortunately, I cannot yet read the originals, and I have had to intuit the sense in some rather bloodless interpretations. Harvey, however, seems to hit it just right. To the degree that we can speak of these things during a person's lifetime, he seems to me to be a genuine mystic himself, passionate and full-blooded as the real thing usually is. Six months ago, I gave a copy of this to a much younger friend who had discerned the via negativa with no external guidance before we met. He rejoices in the book and is delighted to find words that exactly mirror his own untaught discoveries. I do not normally gush over such books. I was rigorously trained in Catholic theology and philosophy, hold a graduate degree in East Asian religion and identify myself as a Christian. I am not expert in Islam, though I know far more than the average reader, having edited one work on Rumi. So I tend to cast a jaundiced eye over most work like this. But if I were forced to reduce my library to a scant hundred volumes, The Way of Passion would still find an honored place. Rumi, though heterodox like all mystics, spoke powerfully not only to the Sufis of his time but to orthodox Muslims, Jews and Christians. Though Harvey certainly does not rank with Rumi, his interpretation can speak meaningfully to all persons of good will who do not barricade themselves behind denominational lines. On the basis of this book alone, I would read anything that Harvey writes.

The Divine Love, Divine Passion, Divine Power, and Divine Truth of Rumi are all explained here by Andrew Harvey. True to the book's title, Harvey has truly created a delightful celibration of Rumi and his works. If you are on your path, or even if you have wondered off the path into the dark forest, Harvey has provided a clear roadmap to the next level of transformation. This map comes repleat with warnings of speed traps, and roadsigns - telling of Rumi and Shams "wildness, violence, and ferocity" as they traveled down their path, drinking wine, and going ever onward, toward the Sun. Just enjoying moments of Divine Grace.

Rumi is one of the greatest spiritual mystics and poets who we can read today. This book is a wonderful guide, both through some of Rumi's poetry, and in gaining insight into Rumi's life. This book is one of my favorite books in my library. Andrew Harvey has clearly experienced the passion of Rumi himself, and is able to guide the reader through profound waters with skill. I found his commentary to be a bonus to the experience of reading Rumi.

Other reviewers have given a synopsis of the book, so I won't repeat it here. Also, I read an old edition without the Afterword, so didn't have to read the author's repudiation of his youth.

I thoroughly enjoyed this classic "Journey to the East" travelogue. Harvey observes keely and writes from the heart. This book is for anyone who has travelled and fallen in love with a foreign culture, or who has travelled and hoped to find a new way of being.

Andrew Harvey is an excellent writer.his writings,even on esoterica,have a light touch, making them accessible to those of us without a first at Oxford. This book is a well written decrpitive early gem by Mr. Harvey.Ladakh is [was?]the last pristine place of tibetan buddhism left on the planet. Mr Harvey goes in search of it,and ,of course, himself. The results are surprising, and very well done. The early parts of the book deal with the travel,and it occasionally borders on poetry.The meat of the book,as it were,is Mr. Harvey's encounter with a Tibetan Rinpoche,and the subsequent effect on his life.His conversations with the rinpoche,juxtaposed with his nights drinking chang[the local brew]in a Ladakhan saloon, are wonderful, and make the text much more enjoyable, and less self inflating. After all of this, Mr. Harvey writes an afterward 20 years later[this is a reprint]and he seems to have been ahving a bad day.After stopping just short of accusing the dalai lama of homophobia[traced to some of The Dalai lamas remarks made in San Francisco, I think,}he pounds the tibetan exile community,brings up the patrichial setup of traditional tibetan life[from a feminist perspective],and generally gets more heated in 3 pages than the previous 220+. Odd way to end a lovely book.

After being advised to visit Ladakh by a number of people, traveller & writer Andrew Harvey finally arrives in the remote Himalayan region. His journey is more of a spiritual quest & is further propelled by his meeting of a Tibetan Rinpoche. He finds himself torn between his rational Western ego which is telling him that this Tibetan Rinpoche could be a fraud & giving up his former life to stay in Ladakh & immerse himself in Tibetan Buddhism.

Like any Westerner who visits such a remote region, he laments over the encroachment of the West to an ancient culture & wonders what will happen to Ladakh in the future. Wishing that he could help conserve Ladakh's unique identity, his hope is that this book will show an honest account of Ladakh, it's people & it's culture.

A brilliant book for anyone travelling on their spiritual journey.

Harvey's Sun at Midnight is a magnificently written love story with several levels. I found it immensely moving, heartbreaking at times, and supremely courageous. On the first level, it is a major vindication of the ability of two men, Andrew and his husband Eryk, to be passionately devoted and committed to each other in sickness and health until death do us part. Secondly, it is a story of spiritual partnership as the new model for committed relationships. In this love story, the search for personal union with God, the Divine Mother, comes first, and the human love story is correctly seen as the principal means to that end. Thirdly, precisely because human love and its sexual expression are the principal means to the divine, Sun at Midnight is about the marriage of spirit and matter, soul and body, spirituality and sexuality -- a reconciliation that is essential if Christianity and the West are to be restored to spiritual balance health. Like all great love stories, this one describes terrible and frightening trials. These trials are compounded by the fact that Harvey's mystical path has taken him into the subtle levels of consciousness -- where evil in the pure sense is encountered. The reviewer for the Washington Post thought this part of the book an overwrought "soap opera" but it was clear to me that the reviwer, though an associate professor of theology, had little if any understanding of the mystical path. Before resurrection into Christ Consciousness, one literally has to plough through hell and encounter evil head-on. It is not soap opera. It takes all the courage and faith one can muster and then some. Harvey recounts these trials in great detail, a service that will help those on the mystical path for years to come, especially those who have the misfortune to fall into the hands of a false guru. Sun at Midnight is a spiritual gem. Jim Marion, author of "Putting on the Mind of Christ, The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality."

What an honest and startling account of the journey known as the dark night of the soul! In Sun at Midnight, Andrew Harvey once again takes us into unchartered territory with an unflinching look at the soul-shattering experience of learning the terrible truth about his guru, the woman he thought was an embodiment of the divine feminine and who had become famous through his writings about her.
Harvey tells of his descent into the dark night as he is stripped of all that had been his life for decades; the agony of realization; and the slow and painful ascent back into light. The personal detail he relates makes this book a page-turner, as he and his future husband forge a greater love amidst death threats and harassment from the cult surrounding his former guru.
Through his journey, Harvey is brought closer to and develops a direct relationship with the Divine, in contrast to the intercessionary model of the guru system. From this experience arose his book, The Direct Path. In Sun at Midnight, we learn the details of how he came to be walking that path, and it is a compelling story, with all the elements of a good novel: drama, a gripping plot, well-written scenes, and great dialogue. And it even has a happy ending!

Andrew's passionate telling of his incredibly courageous and soulful story is consummately engaging. His complete honesty in describing every detail and emotion he and his loving partner, Eryk, share, as they make this journey through a personal and professional hell in the seeking of truth, makes this book a compelling read. No one can turn a phrase or express an emotion the likes of Andrew Harvey. His zest for life, for love, for absolute clarity and goodness, makes his books worth following as he grows to even greater wisdom and consciousness. Knowing the passion of this man, and the high bar he sets for himself in his standards and morality, I know I can trust every word he says in his book. That being so, this is a must-read for every follower, every student of self-proclaimed gurus or spiritual masters who hold themselves as the true pathways to God. Andrew lets us know, God is there, directly available for each of us, not through the prism of the judgments, weaknesses, motives or self-servings of those that would proclaim otherwise.

This is a memoir with chapters written in and after the 1880's.

An interesting positivist take on the war--also interesting how politically conscious Kidd appears to have been. My general observation is that the Northern accounts seem to be more politicized, more likely to talk about politicians and political beliefs, than Southern.

Kidd started the war as captain of Troop E, 6th Michigan Cavalry, and ended up in command of the regiment. He spends a lot of time discussing recruiting and training, details fighting at Gettysburg and Williamsport, Trevilian Station, Third Winchester, et cetera. Kidd's admiration for Custer, his brigadier, is clear.

A useful account, but not an especially anecdotal or vivid one.

This reprint of the classic "Recollections of a Cavalryman" is a valuable addition to the military history of the nation. It also offers a view of Custer by someone who actually served with him in combat -- extensive combat. The view of Custer that emerges is not that penned by a fawning subordinate; Colonel Kidd simply recounts the battles and activities of the Michigan Cavalry Brigade in a straightforward manner. His later controversy notwithstanding, Custer was an exemplary cavalry commander and arguably the most successful and brilliant cavalry officer on either side in the conflict. This book opens a window on the past and is an excellently written account of the brutal battles fought by our ancestors. The book also offers an unintentional balance to Custer's historical legacy. It's unintentional because at the time it was written, Custer was still considered a national hero. This book explains why he was. Read it.

I checked this out of the library during one of my research 'attacks'. I was actually researching the life of Ed Ricketts and got dragged back into a Cannery Row-John Steinbeck 'binge'. I thought it would be interesting to read about John Steinbeck through the eyes of a son. However, the is very very little in this book about John Steinbeck and way too much about a weak-minded son. Boring. If you are interested in reading about someone who spends his life trying to find meaning in life via others (ie. cult life) and who cannot find strength within himself....who is too weak to deal with life without chemicals....this may be interesting to you. But there wasn't anything insightful here for me. Be warned....

This biography of life with John Steinbeck is written by his son, who grew up in a privileged world of the intellectual elite, but one laden with abuse and estrangement. His memoir ended with his life and here is reconstructed by his wife of twelve years who adds her own insights to full out the life of John Steinbeck. Haunting and revealing.

I loved this book. It brought up so many raw emotions for me, that I was sometimes haunted for days after reading a few chapters. For anyone whose life has been touched by the disease of alcoholism, it is a source of great insight, grounded in honesty and the willingness to courageously tear back the curtain to show the dark side of a famous family.

The Steinbecks have been accused of writing "fantasies" about the great man by critics who claim to know more than family members. Incidents such as Steinbeck Sr. pushing his wife down the stairs in order to abort their child, or allowing John Jr. to fall on his face when told to jump into his father's arms are discredited as lies by people who have only studied the sanitized and authorized biographies and collections of letters.

I met recently met Nancy Steinbeck at a booksigning. I went because I wanted to talk to her about the way alcoholism has affected my family. She confirmed that although she had to divorce her husband because of his drinking and her fear of being held legally responsible for his accidents or debts, they legally established a commonlaw marriage and she continues to receive Steinbeck's royalty payments which she inherited from her husband. I found the book to be a loving tribute to a difficult but enormously creative and fascinating husband who was plagued by serious addictions.

Hazelden Foundation, the foremost treatment center in the country, has endorsed The Other Side of Eden as the story of a journey of victory over the disease of alcoholism and codependency. Anyone who is familiar with alcoholism knows that the way John Jr. died, with three years of sobriety, is a triumph and a cause for celebration.

This book is a Rorschach test for the reader. If you are committed to the sanitized version of Steinbeck that appears in the authorized biographies, if you are disturbed by any form of icoloclasm (witness Joyce Maynard's crucifiction for writing about Salinger) then this book will, indeed, upset your fantasy world and rattle your cage. If you are ready to take a ride of transformation and raw honesty, read the book. It is, as Andrew Harvey claims in his powerful introduction, one of the most unique biographies of the century.

I admire both John Jr. and Nancy Steinbeck for having the courage and commitment to tell their story for the sake of history and in service to others whose lives have been devastated by substance abuse. And, judging from the cover blurb by a Steinbeck scholar, I daresay most academics are appreciative that this story will be part of Steinbeck Sr's archives. There is a saying in the 12 step program: You Are As Sick as Your Secrets. The Steinbecks broke the silence of keeping family secrets, and that's a huge accomplishment. Let the groupie scholars who make a living on propagating the Myth of the Great Writer worry about whether their academic myopia will result in their own lack of credibility. Anyone who earns money glorifying the exaulted side of a writer while at the same time denying their shadow, is a fool. And who would have encouraged the Steinbecks more than the John Steinbeck Sr. himself to show a character, warts and all? Isn't that what Steinbeck is admired and loved for? His understanding of the human condition? How did he achieve that depth? If you want to find out, read the book.

While the author's experience and subject matter are of great interest to me, the style of writing and speaking make it very difficult to listen to. Every sentence is loaded up with superlatives, multiple emphasis points, and compound adjectives ("...the UNBELIEEEEVABLE joy of the AUTHENTIC christ path is UNSURPASSED by anything even REMOTELY IMAGINEABLE in NORMAL life). Rather than a normal style of placing emphasis of a particular point every once in a while (every few minutes, perhaps), the author seems to be incapable of choosing what to emphasize, and stops for emphasis in almost every sentence. The net effect is extremely fatiguing, like someone was hitting you with a hammer with each sentence, saying "no Dammit, this is MUCH more serious than anything in your normal life, pay attention".
While this could have been easily solved by getting someone other than the author to read the book, in a more conversational style, I felt that it also didn't do a good job of getting the author's information across. In the 3-4 hours (40%?) that I listened to before throwing in the towel, I only came away with a few memorable points. Most of the subjects listed in the outline had been covered in a way that left me with little recollection of them.
I also had difficulty reading his book about Mother Meera, finding that his approach of discussing how incredible various religious experiences had been was difficult to relate to verbally, and the new understanding that he came away with was not transferred to readers well. I have preferred the more plain spoken approach of Ram Dass, which is far more listenable, and also very memorable.
Of course, others probably feel differently, since Mr. Harvey's books sell well, and were well-reviewed by others - in short "your mileage may vary"...

Andrew Harvey is unique in his passion for his spiritual subject, whether it is Christ, or Hindu mysticism, or Rumi, or one of the many other areas he has written and spoken about. If you are not used to him, he can seem a little overwhelming; he uses multiple adjectives and strongly emphasizes the words in his sentences. If you are looking for a clear-cut, intellectual discussion type of presentation, then you may not like it. (Ditto if you will be offended by someone who describes Christ as an androgyne.) But if you find intellectual reviews of spiritual experiences wanting, then Andrew can bring you one step closer to how the actual experience must feel---if you let him---simply by absorbing his energy and passion. The truth is that no one can explain the mystery with words (or it wouldn't be the mystery anymore would it?). Andrew Harvey tries to bring you closer to his passion, and his experiences, with sheer energy. While some may find it over the top, I find that he breathes life into what I have always considered merely Christian theology. For example, his passion is so real, he has caused me to reconsider my long-held conclusion that the resurrection was a spiritual and mystical happening only, not a real, physical transformation as well. Andrew Harvey is causing me to reconsider many beliefs I had discounted, not because of any self-righteous Christian dogma, but because I know he is coming at the subject with the experience of years of scholarly study of Eastern mysticism, sufi mysticism, and more. His varied spiritual background, coupled with his passion, brings a credibility to his message that I do not find elsewhere. If you think that might be interesting, but are not sure whether to shell out the $$ for the full set, I would suggest you listen to his interview by Michael Toms titled "Rescuing Christ," and available on the New Dimensions website .... It's an incredibly powerful interview. If you agree, then you will like this set as well.
Light on your path.

During the past six months I have listened to these tapes repeatedly. Harvey's message has brought me back from a total loss of faith in Christianity, as spouted by our current religions, into a profound reverence for Jesus Christ and his Mother, Mary. The message is very deep and very clear. It has pointed out a way for me to advance my own interests in mysticism as well as explaining where my past efforts have wondered away from a path that leads to God. It is a profoundly message of hope for our planet.

This book is about a boy who is getting picked on a lot, but then he gets picked on by a super bully. He has to get rid of him. How do think he can get rid of him? If you want to find out, then read the book.

I read Jake Drake bully buster.
It is a great book and if you asked me to give you up to five stars it would be five stars.
I thought that it was a great book and that ages 8 and up would be a great age to be reading this book. The writer of the book made you really get into the book you would not want to stop reading it. I would recommend this book to everyone and I would say if you like Jake Drake bully buster try reading the other books too. The book is about bully's and being mean (which we should not do). One of the charters is Link he was 8 years old and wanted to be the MVP on the bully "all star team" and I think all kid's would say he made the team. Link was a brat to Jake and Jake was sick of being messed around with and just wanted his class to be "bully free" but I guess that couldn't happen.

I liked this book, because I found it to be a good book.. The character Jake had a big problem. When I was reading the book, I had to keep reading to find out what happened next. If I could read anther book by Andrew Clement I would. He is a good a author.

The book introduces itself with the author summarizing his upbringing and professional journey. This section lends itself to the impression that the author is exceptionally well-read, well-traveled, and that he has had the good fortune of many teachers, primarily of non-western influences. It is from this densely-lived life that the author offers the contained spriritual exercises. Eighteen exercises are richly and vividly explained. He's so thorough, it seems like way more than just eighteen! To me, this is a reference book to consult when someone feels that their contemplative practices are starting to feel a little stale. It contains a lot of suggestions to chew on. The reason I issued the above rating is that I can't see myself engaging in any of them on a committed basis. No two people are the same when it comes to spiritual practice, you know.

This is a great book that has been thorougly researched, and the author has talked with many spiritual leaders from all walks of life. He has 18 Practices that he guides you through, and teaches you different methods of relaxation.

The author also has a section on "reducing daily stress" where one excercise is "close your eyes - and take five deep, calm breaths, trying to empty the mind completely." He says that this simple method really works well.

I almost feel guilty criticizing a book about the great Rumi and criticizing a book by an author I generally admire but I have to say that this audiobook is a disappointment. In general, Andrew's reading of this book is slow, dull, and he sounds like a British professor doing a dissertation on the finer points of accounting. I honestly couldn't get past the manner of presentation to get to the heart of the book. If you want to hear the fire of Rumi, listen to Coleman Barks.

With great generosity of spirit and true humility, Andrew Harvey, authority on the life and poetry of Rumi, speaks to us in Song of the Sun. I am very grateful to Mr. Harvey for sharing so much more than his knowledge. He speaks in a deeply personal voice, telling us how he came to Rumi, and the impact of this encounter on his own spiritual
journey.

I am a great fan of Andrew Harvey's written work, and I felt that listening to these tapes was like a one-on-one encounter, where every question I had was answered well beyond my expectations.

This is an uncommon and intimate work. And it is precisely this closeness, this intimacy, which proves Mr. Harvey to be a worthy ambassador, reaching out to us from the world of Rumi's colossal heart.