This collection of the selected writings of Henri Nouwen is a gem. Nouwen was one of the greatest theological thinkers and spiritual writers of the last century, and this book makes it clear why. Jonas begins with a fascinating portrait of Nouwen, the man. This is one of the most in-depth and fascinating spiritual biographies I have read in a long time! Jonas' close personal relationship with Nouwen himself and his background as a therapist give real depth to his observations. The introduction as a stand alone piece is well worth the price of the book!

The second part of the book is the meat: selections from Nouwen's own writing. They are organized thematically, around such topics as Community, Intimacy, and Being the Beloved (central to Nouwen's theology). Each selection is perfect... a self-contained revelation. I used this book as the starting point for a series of sermon's using Nouwen's thought... and it would be wonderful for personal study and devotion as well. This is the book to start with if you want to understand Henri Nouwen!

This is a great introduction to the life and writings of a unique spirit. Henri Nouwen's thoughts on life, death, self, community and God have touched me deeply. This book provides well-chosen and organized excerps of his many writings. About a quarter of the book is devoted to an overview of his life. It is a friend's perspective and provides an interesting background to the writings. The author writes in the acknowledgments that he hopes the book will honor Nouwen's life and work. I think it does that very well. Thank you, Mr. Jonas.

As a relative newcomer to Henri Nouwen's work, I found this book a wonderful gift. The excerpts are short and accessible yet rich with this extraordinary man's transformative spiritual vision. Organized into intuitively sensible sections, the collection makes a perfect first sampler, pointing clear pathways to further exploration. It would have to be a first choice for anyone wanting to learn more about this fragile and profound man's finest spiritual writing.

But the jewel in this little treasure chest is Jonas's introduction. Beautifully written, the essay-which comprises fully a third of the book-tells the story of this fragile, Christ-like man in a way that I can only imagine would be as informative to those deeply familiar with Nouwen's writing as it was to a neophyte like myself. Jonas weaves together biographical information with literary analysis, broadly-known stories with never-before-told vignettes from his own friendship with Nouwen. And throughout, he holds a graceful balance among collegial respect, psychological insight, spiritual affiliation, clear-eyed scrutiny, and loving tenderness, while retaining an appropriate respect for the boundary between truth and sensationalism. I emerged from reading this soon-to-be classic collection at once informed, inspired, and grateful.

Anyone who is a serious student of photography should have this book. Anyone who is curious as to what "great" photographs should look like, look inside and be enlightened. The public at large tends to regard black and white photographs as inferior to color work. The truth is, a black and white photograph will stand the test of time, while a color photograph starts fading the moment it comes out of the dryer. The truth is, any good black and white photograph will make you overlook the fact that it's not in color. The mind's eye makes you see the "color." Cartier-Bresson is a true master. His work that's shown in this book is every superlative that's ever been coined, including the vulgarities. Viewing the photographs within is worth a dozen books on compositional theory. Each is a benchmark of what a quality photograph should look like. A Propos de Paris truly is a must see, must have.

this book should get five stars for the photo of two dogs behind the church alone. Perhaps it says a bit more about this reviewer than it should, but that photo is one of my favorites - I just could not stop laughing! The photo essay ranges over about three decades and the pictures are not your typical pictures of the Eiffel Tower or of the Arc de Triomphe but rather people and places and neighborhoods of Paris. One gets the feeling of sneaking a peek into these people's lives. Cartier-Bresson is a master behind the lens and this is his city, so you can't expect less than the best - and he doesn't disappoint. (check out the two dogs...)

Henri is a genius in composition. This book records over and over how Henri is able to not just break the rules on composing a photgraph, but re-write them. That unique ability is amazing. Especially when viewed in conjunction with his ability to capture people in the precise moment he needs to -- in order to communicate the image he must anticipate with a great sense of intuition. The photographs in this book are just a delight to visit over and over again.

If you are just getting started in your readings with Henri Nouwent this is a good place to start. This is a great books because it is like a greatest hits album. Just sample some of Nouwen's writings in this book and from there you can choose what you want to read next. I have been reading Nouwen's books for the past three years and I really enjoy his writings.

I happened upon this book, and was blown away at it's relevance to personal questions and issues that I had been pondering. Nouwen's understanding of the ebbs and flows of our humanity and our need for relationship with God and his community is exceptional, as is his honesty about his own journey through suffering and personal pain. This is an excellent book for those wanting to experience a closer relationship with God in a practical and authentic way. The editor did an excellent job of choosing short excerpts from Nouwen's writings and journals to present a tasteful collection of inspirational reading, palettable for short periods of reading time.

"Seeds of Hope" is an excellent introduction to the writings of this gifted man of God. The selections contained herein cover a range of related topics and each section is short enough to read in one brief sitting, yet substantive enough to provoke thought and discussion.

Nouwen was a man blessed with many talents: author, lecturer, intellectual. Yet, the gift that shines most clearly throughout his works is pastoral humility. He reminds the reader that thoughtful insight is valuable only if shared with graciousness and humor. Fortunately, most, if not all of his works remain in print. For those seeking an introduction to his inspirational writings, this is the book

A very inspiring book. One that gives the reader motivation in finding the "Truth" within themselves. This Author has very gracefully shared her journey to understanding the self. While this type of journey may be indeed different for many, the destination of the journey remains the same for us all. A journey that returns us to the perfection of "Love". A small book with POWERFUL insights.

The message is clear and written in an easy, loving style. I highly recommend this book to those who are looking for answers along their journey of life through the heart of the soul. A must read! I could not put the book down until I finished it.

This new author KNOWS the Heart Of The Soul. The insights within this wonderful new publication can aide in our journey to the core of our hearts and souls. I have been renewed by the honesty and candor of this book and look forward to sharing it with many. Well done (and said Ms. Gurganus) Thank you!

My super handed me WISHES FOR YOU as I was going to the subway.
While reading it on the subway, I did not start weeping until:
"I hope you will love one special person more than anyone or
anything in the whole world," and then I did not stop weeping
until long after I finished the book and got off the train at
Queensboro Plaza. The not-starting weeping until that late
in the book was a commendable sign of self-restraint, I think,
considering how moving, authentic, and wonderful WISHES FOR YOU is.

A lovely and inspiring children's book with gorgeous illustrations that all children will love. I bought two more for the children in my family. Highly recommended!

Tobi Tobias has written a little gem, a picture book that is poetic but utterly straightforward. WISHES FOR YOU consists of a series of wishes for the future of a much loved young child.("I hope you will love to read. . . I hope you will love being alone sometimes.") Danish artist Henry Sorensen's accompanying illustrations feature lush colors and realistic renderings of approachable-looking children being wistful, playful or intent on a task. This book would make an excellent gift for a child under five.

Taking upon himself the spiritual, mental, and physical struggles of his spiritual children, Henri Nouwen came to exemplify the kenotic life of Christ by "sharing each other's budrens, and so fulfill the law of Christ".

Each of the stories in this book show just how a simple touch, a loving glance, a kind word, or a quiet presence can effect to life of another person. More than that, it shows the simple, childlike beauty of the mentally retarded. Truly they rest in the heart of God in the arms of Christ. They are the pure of heart who see God.

If you get a chance, read Nouwen's "Compassion" to get a moving reflection on the life of communion and service.

Enjoy!

Henri Nouwen made remarkable contributions to many people of all religious denominations, particularly Christians, throughout his lifetime. Priest, Scholar, Psychologist, Professor, Chaplain and Author were the professional and formal roles he held throughout his lifetime. Yet, ultimately Nouwen was a deeply human man who has come to be somewhat widely recognized as something of a contemporary mystic since his death in 1996.

Nouwen's more than thirty-two books give very human voice and practical dimension to the struggles which life presents to us all. His personal struggles to live his own life defined his writings and perhaps are what made them so uniquely effective in reaching the wide audience he managed to draw. While clearly Christian, they were writings that were offered as 'an invitation to reflection and personal search' as opposed to any kind of theological mandates. As a result of his openness and his efforts toward inclusiveness, Nouwen was embraced by people of many faiths who found inspiration in his writings.

In Befriending Life, a wide variety of people who knew Henri in one capacity or another, tell their story of their encounters with him. Clearly, Henri Nouwen was a man who had a remarkable ability to reach and affirm others. Befriending Life is essentially a series of portraits of Henri Nouwen given through the writings and interviews of a wide array of people who came to know Henri personally in some capacity or other. The contributors include co-workers, former students, trapeze artists, retarded persons and even near-strangers who were somehow, often through the most unlikely series of coincidences, deeply touched through Henri's ministry.

As Nouwen was truly a geographical and vocational wanderer throughout his life, this book gives a delightfully engaging account of a deeply restless man who somehow managed to give voice to many more universal human struggles through the examination of his own.

For anyone who has enjoyed Henri Nouwen's writings, Befriending Life gives the reader a much better understanding of the human being behind the words. Flawed, broken, restless, seeking.... Henri went about his life most earnestly and seriously -- attempting to make his world a better place by reaching out to other human beings, one by one.

For the newcomer to Nouwen, here is a wonderful opportunity to become intrigued by this man's life and to perhaps begin a more lasting relationship with Nouwen through this invitation to his many books.

Befriending Life is a wonderfully engaging book. It weaves together many people's personal experiences with Henri Nouwen and ultimately creates perhaps the most informative biography available on the man.

Highly recommended!

Daniel J. Maloney
Saint Paul, Minnesota

If you have treasured Henri Nouwen's books, this book about him is one you shouldn't miss. It recounts the experiences of his friends with him... shows you the doors and paths he helped them find... refers throughout to his books... sending you right back to them. This 'Wounded Healer' who found so much to meditate on in the painting of the Prodigal Son will continue to touch you through these accounts by his friends.

Haven't yet hit too much of the content, but it's a wonderful publication in it's photography and high-quality publication value... Great pictures, great detail, and from what I see, the discussion of the temple architeture and sculpture looks equally promising. Definitely more of an art and architecture book about temples, than a book about Hinduism it's temples.

It is fifficult fo find a book on this subject which is equal or better!. It gives a comprehensive description of ancient Indian architecture than spans several thousands of years. The photographs should be commented for giving the finest details all all the intricae pattersn. The construction details even provide information about the materials used, floor plan dimensions, sculpture techniques etc. Best of all, there is even map locations so someone can visit these hlly sites for themselves! This book is a real pilgrimage tour of India and much more!

I would highly recommend this book for historians, philosophers and especially "people Of Indian Origin (PIO) whose ancesors came from India over a century or more and have little contact with the former mainland as are many Indian residents here in Trinidad & Tobago and elsewhere.

I traveled in India for six months in 1997-98 and am now reliving the visit, thanks to this wonderful visual survey. A great feast for the eye. Best of the India photo books.

If you liked this book, you might also want to check out other photo books of India that examine areas differently...for instance, there is a wonderful illustration book by a British artist (can't recall his name now; he also did a book on Italy as well)...and a fabulous in-depth book on Varanasi, called Benares Seen From Within, by Richard Lannoy. This book is a must-have.

Taschen has published a spectacular book called Indian Interiors, which is a real spectacle of wealthy people's fabulous homes and a few peasant places, too.

It is a well known fact that Buddy never learned to read music and played everything "by ear." This book is a wonderful tribute in a ironic sort of way, but if one takes anything away from this book, it should be that a successful career in drumming (namely, music) must include learning the mechanics/mathematics of musical notation, the language of drumming (rudiments) and the intrepretation thereof. And, admittedly, I don't know for certain, but my guess is that Buddy probably couldn't have told you the difference between a paradiddle and a ratamacue.

I used this book to develop a solid technique in conga drums.

I have been playing and teaching drums for over 30 years. In that time I have both seen and heard Buddy Rich play. During those times I have always been in amazement of Buddy's playing ability. When I got this book I gleaned its contents carefully hoping to learn just some of his playing secrets. My searching was not in vain. Overall the book itself is simple in its teaching terms, that is, Buddy teaches you the rudiments step-by-step. However, I found to my joy, that there are some aspects of the book that are obviously only Buddy's interpretation of the rudiments. For example, one will not find "The Four Stroke Ruff Single Paradiddle" in any listing of the 26 essential rudiments or the 40 complete rudiments. And that is what makes this book stand out among other rudimental drumming books I have used. I have constantly employed many of the book's rudiments in my playing. The book even comes with some of Buddy's "Advanced Rhythmic Studies" for solo work (sticking included!). For the drummer who is just starting out, this book is an excellent introduction to the rudiments; for the drummer who really wants to study *how* Buddy Rich played the rudiments this book is a must; and for the drummer who is looking for a real challenge in not only playing additional rudiments, but who wants to improve their overall snare and drum set playing, fills, and solo work--this book is worth every penny.

Henri Bergson's seminal ``Creative Evolution'' starts off with the flowing movement so prevalent in his philosophy of the organism, one idea flows into the next in a smooth undivided motion. Not only does Bergson explain his work with analogies and examples supported by the biology of the time, thereby distancing himself from the purely intellectual pursuit of most philosohpy, trapped in the world of the mind, but he demonstrates his thought in the very way of exposition he uses throughout the book. One feels his thought is produced like a Mozart symphony, all at once with no corrections needed. This aptly demonstrates the idea of duration and time he proposes in this book. His influence is profound in thinkers such as David Bohm and Alfred North Whitehead which so to speak ``run with it'' in the parlance of baseball. This is a book worth reading twice for its rich display of creativity and also to reread sections not followed the first time. One does feel however that at times the flow is interrupted by disturbances in his mode of thinking leading to disjointed reading. Nonetheless, not only does he open a whole new way of thought free of dualism and the old patterns of mechanism, but he also expalins the reason for mechanistic thought itself.

I first came across Ibsen's monumental work when reading 'Tropic of Capricorn' by Henry Miller. Despite my complete lack of evolutionary and biological knowledge, I found Ibsen's eschatology mind blowing. Several times I was forced to leave the book for days in order to fully contemplate the philosophical ramifications of his insights. From this great stride forward into the fringes of human understanding Ibsen states: 'A conduct that is truly our own, on the contrary, is that of a will which does not try to counterfeit intellect, and which, remaining itself - that is to say, evolving - ripens gradually into acts which the intellect will be able to resolve indefinitely into intelligible elements without ever reaching its goal. The free act is incommensurable with the idea, and its "rationality" must be defined by this very incommensurability, which admits the discovery of much intelligibility within it as we will. Such is the character of our own evolution; and such also, without doubt, that of the evolution of life." No one, despite their educational backgrounds or lack thereof, should feel intimidated by the possibility of transcending one's very own intellect.

Despite Lord Russell's criticism that "intuition works best in bats, bees, and Bergson," in this work Bergson not only finishes the uprooting of the Western and Platonic disembodied intellect (a deconstruction taken only so far by Kant), he presents us with the spectacle of unbridled life creatively shaping, not only its world, but itself in accord with its own telos: the need for eyesight creating the eye, so to speak. Difficult in places but a treasure, although one could wish he gave more credit to Nietzsche's obviously great impact on him. Jungians would do well to peruse Bergson too.

Thank you, Chris de Vinck, for sharing your journey of love with Oliver. Your book has been an inspiration and guideline since 1984 in our choice to care for and nurture our own litle Oliver, Gregory David. Although he died recently, it gave us courage and strength to know that someone else has been where we have. He gave us a vision of life that transcends the life we knew before his birth. It's all about love. It's ALL about love. You will always remain in our prayers for writing this little portrait of the gift of knowing someonewho has nothing to give but love.

If you have ever wondered why God allows people to be born with handicaps of any type, read this book. Oliver was born blind, mute, physically and mentally handicapped, yet his life had a greater impact on more people than many of us who are "normal" can ever hope to have. This book reminds us of the value of life and is very inspiring. I found it most touching that Ronald Reagan wrote to Mr. DeVinck about the power of his powerless brother and now former President Reagan is also one of the powerless due to Alzheimer's. I would highly recommend that you read this book. I also recommend Harold Kushner's "When Bad Things Happen to Good People."

I want to let anyone know that is interested in this book to buy it. I first read this book about 8 years ago, and have made a point to read it at least once a year. It has a way of reminding me what is important in life, and what is real. Read this book and you will never be the same! I have given my copy to anyone that will read it, it is good for young teens and up!