(...)David Beale, professor of Church history at Bob Jones University, has taken advantage of recent scholarly studies and his own personal knowledge in putting together an excellent treatment of the Mayflower Separatists and their connections with other seventeenth century British dissenters. After describing their background in the context of the English Reformation, Beale details the fortunes of the Pilgrims from their beginnings in the Lincolnshire area of northern England to their landing at Cape Cod in 1620 and beyond. He references everything with the best sources and fleshes out his account with colorful descriptions of these indomitably brave souls. This is the best single reference volume on the Pilgrims in print. An added bonus for Baptists especially is Chapter Eight, “How the Earliest English Baptists Originated from the Pilgrim Separatists,” in which Beale accurately describes the relationships of both General and Particular Baptists to Separatism. In doing so, he dispels the myth that seventeenth century Baptists were the product of continental Anabaptism. He also advances the position that Henry Jacob, normally considered the founder of English Puritan Congregationalism (the Independents), actually became a Separatist, having more in common with John Robinson, the Pilgrims’ “consistent separatist” pastor, than with either the English Puritans or the more radical “Brownists.”
What makes this volume particularly valuable are the appendices, ten in all, which consist of primary source materials highlighting significant events in Nonconformist history. Several practical selections are included in the appendix section as well, such as an explanation of “double” dates for British events and a self﷓guided tour of Leiden, home of the Pilgrim Separatist congregation for twelve years. And if you are interested in researching your family name, Beale gives you the necessary help to get started.
Several personal trips to England, coupled with extensive technical research, has given Beale the reputation of being one of the world’s leading authorities on the Pilgrims. The quality and detail of his careful research is everywhere evident in this book. The intricacy of explanation in no way encumbers the narrative, however, but enhances an appreciation for the untiring fortitude and faith of this small band of Christians who faced incredible obstacles in helping to establish a strong foundation for American freedoms. Particularly in a day when our liberties are under severe attack by ruthless terrorists, a study of the Pilgrims can renew hope and endurance in the midst of trial and inspire devotion to the Word of God, the book that governed their actions and sustained their faith. The following summation from the Mayflower Pilgrims expresses well the reason why their lives are worthy of emulation: “The Pilgrim story is essentially a story of conviction, born in persecution, developed in exile, and based upon the Bible” (p. 160).
Dr. Beale conducts the Mayflower Tour of England, Wales, and Holland on a regular basis.(...)

Not just dry history but a very enjoyable read by an author who has researched, first hand, his subject.

This is a well-written and comprehensive guidebook to the New Age, written by one who has traveled its roads. David Spangler distinguishes between the New Age and the New Age movement, and into the latter he lumps the fringe groups beloved of the media for their sensationalism. For him, the New Age is the consciousness of the sacred rising like a benign tide amongst us, breaking into our human world. He warns that this consciousness is filtered by our personalities, and that there will be those unable to handle "the sacred world of love and wisdom, fiery intelligence and passionate will, imagination and delight," and that this failure sometimes leads to bizarre manifestations.

He emphasizes that when one is on the spiritual path, it is important to ask the right questions to ensure that one is serving the whole and not one's ego. He warns of cults. "At the slightest whiff of a power game, look for the exit." He has no use for prophecies of apocalyptic disaster, describing them as movie-like projections of the seer's own fear and anger.

David Spangler was on his way to becoming a molecular biologist before mystical experiences intervened, and as befits this background, he writes objectively and with authority. He identifies fantasies and illusions on the one hand, commercial greed and power trips on the other, and gives the reader directions for a clear middle path towards a more benign future. If you read nothing else about the New Age, read this. (Tony Mitton)

Although there are a lot of books about CS Lewis out there, I found this one to be much better than I had anticipated. Rather than being a series of merely academic essays about his work, the authors of these essays do what good critics should do--help one understand the original text on a deeper level. Reading these essays not only helped increase my understanding of Lewis' theology but also deepened my enjoyment of his fictional works. The essay by Root entitled "Tools Inadequate and Incomplete: C.S. Lewis and the Great Religions" was particularly enlightening in articulating how Lewis' perspective on Christianity acknowledges commonalities with the great world religions yet still preserves the unique contribution of Christianity as well. In all, the essays do a great job of synthesizing broad themes (including hell, scientism, language, gnosticism, and grace) across many of C.S. Lewis works, fictional and nonfiction, and have personally helped me in my own journey of faith.

Miguel Mendez' response to the social ills of the day is to write about the crude realities of some of the experiences of the undocumented immigrant on his way to the U.S. Mendez lets us know that he will be using the voice of the oppressed to describe their suffering. In Pilgrims in Aztlan, Mendez writes about the soical and political by talking about borders. Borders that are difficult to explained and be visualized.In Mendez's story there is no protagonist, only the human journey of people who seem to have no names. Everything gets in the way of this human journey. The place of exodus, poor, uncaring, does't seem to mind. The place of destination does not welcome them only exploits them. Suffering is universal and knows no borders or time. Yet, the universal suffering of mankind are but individual stories of people. To describe these suffering Mendez has used the tool of literature to document and tell stories of human suffering, least they be forgotten.

This version of the Canterbury Tales (Everyman) contains all of the tales (including the rather tedious prose tales), and is in the original language. As anyone planning to read the Tales will be aware, old English is not easy! This book takes a lot of time to read. Is it worth it?

Yes. But a qualified yes. As an insight into life during this time in history, and particularly as a demonstration of how little humans have changed over the centuries, this book is very useful. Many of the tales are quite amusing and interesting. On the other hand, many tales are filled with rather drawn out, tedious sections, and a couple are just plain boring.

For a person who wishes to read most of the major English classics, this book must be read, and I think the only way to really appreciate it is in its original form, not in modernised English. For this purpose, the Everyman version is excellent, as it features convenient gloss on each page, so looking up difficult words can be done at a glance, which disturbs the flow a lot less. I would highly recommend trying to read the book in as short a space of time as possible, though, because you do get used to the grammar and vocabulary, and while it is fresh in your mind, it allows you to read the rest of the book with a lot less glossing.

Be aware that I read this book for personal interest, not as part of any particular course, so I am reviewing from the point of view of a general reader, not a literary scholar.

In addition to its literary importance, Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are an enchanting reading experience. The Bantam Classic edition presents the tales in Modern English translation alongside the Middle English so that one can fully appreciate the tales as Chaucer composed them, or if you're just in the mood for a fun romp you can speedily read the translation. The tales themselves move at a quick pace, so beginners will probably enjoy the modern version much more.

The Canterbury Tales revolve around a group of 29 on a pilgrimage to Canterbury Cathedral to pay homage to the martyred St. Thomas a'Becket. The members of the pilgrimage come from all walks of life, including a Knight, Prioress, Merchant, Miller, the ever-entertaining Wife of Bath, and many others. The Canterbury Tales are the pilgrims' stories and each one reflects the individual character's personality beautifully. One can't help but feel a part of this lively group.

Whether you like a bawdy, raucous tale or a morally sound fable you will definitely find something entertaining in this book. I laughed out loud several times and found Chaucer's use of symbolism, wit, wisdom, and the glimpse into 14th Century life absolutely fascinating.

The biggest hurdle in reading Chaucer is the language. Trying to read his work in Middle English is impossible without really good footnotes, and some of the "translations" are even worse--they're written in a high-blown, pompous style that takes all the fun out of the stories.

All this being so, I was delighted to find the Puffin Classics version retold by Geraldine McCaughrean! The tales are told in an easy-to-read, flowing style that captures the bawdy humor of the originals, without being over-crass (this is a children's book, after all.) I found myself often laughing out loud, and wishing I'd found this version much sooner, because it makes Chaucer fun to read! I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to try Chaucer but feels intimidated by the scholarly-looking versions available in the "Literature and Classics" sections. You won't become expert in reading Middle English, but you WILL see why The Canterbury Tales has such a wonderful reputation!

I read The Pilgrim's Progress as a child and recently reread it in order to do a comparative essay on allegorical journeys for my english class. The other book I read for the assignment was Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, and I found that Bunyan's novel equaled or exceeded Conrad's in every way. While Conrad used far more symbolism and allusions, I felt that Bunyan still did a better job of making the reader identify with his character's journey. The Pilgrim's Progress is a wonderfully written story that inspires hope and confidence in God to help his people though their own journeys.

My Grandmother proferred this book to me at a very early and immature age in my lifetime. I struggled and persevered with it, using a dictionary to decipher most words longer than 6 letters! Eventually I came to the end with with a strong determination to face up to my life with the same courage as Christian! Unfortunately, like Christian, I lost my way,more than once in my later years, lingering in unseemly places,falling into pools of Despondancy,and loosing Hope at one stage. I cant really remember the entire ending to Christian's journey,but as a man of some years now, and finding life a lot less turbulent and more meaningful,then I graciously look forward to the final part of my journey. Praise be to God. Like the book of JOB,John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress is impossible to rate with a few stars! I would suggest that such books should be purchased 'mainly' unabridged but nevertheless, intelligible to the reader.

Pilgrim's Progress has been accepted by the world as a classic piece of literature. However, just as Handel's Messiah is recognised as a magnificent work without people really appreciating the message it brings so Pilgrim's Progress can suffer from its own fame. Here we have the stories of believers moving towards heaven. They have ups and downs. They suffer pain and experience pleasure. All the time the christian reader is being led forward into experimental practical christian avenues. Despair, doubt, backsliding, the temptations of the world, helps from above and support from others on the Way all make this work so vital and relevant. Both parts, Christian's journey and Christiana's are wonderful in their own ways. For the past four years I have preferred the second part. Read it every year at least once. If you must read only one other book next to your Bible let it be this one, (Or Thomas Watson on All things for Good) but do read it all. A classic that is beyond review.

I purchased this book after reading all of the rave reviews listed here, but don't be fooled as I was! I met many adventurous souls on the Camino, but none who would think to follow the bloated itinerary suggested by these authors. Apart from the lack of maps or accomodation information, some of their trail tips were so off base (i.e. suggestions for scenic detours that wound through industrial land) that I wonder if they even hiked the same path! There are much better guide books out there, but they are not readily available in this country. My suggestion is to wait and buy The Practical Pilgrim's Guide, relatively easy to find in Europe and available in several different languages. I picked up a copy midway through the Camino. While it is much thinner on the cultural and historical details (and thus easier to carry), all points of significant interest are treated with just enough detail, not the kind of overkill that Glitz and Davidson's book doles out. I dumped their book on the side of the road after it gave me its only practical use, as I had run out of toilet paper.

This book provides a lot of information about the art and culture to be found along the Camino, but it is a totally unpractical guide for those actually walking the 750km to Santiago. First of all it is simply too heavy and bulky to lug around an entire country. Secondly it provides no information on refuges, routes, places to eat, etc. Thirdly the authors frequently recommend staying multiple days at the larger cities, which can be very hard for credencial-carrying pilgrims since most refuges have a one night maximum stay. If you are rich and can afford to rent a car, stay in hotels, and take a couple of months off from work, this is the guide to carry. If you want a more genuine experience I suggest leaving this book at home and picking up one of the many more useful guides upon arrival in Spain.

As is apparent from other reviews in this thread, "The Pilgrim's Road to Santiago: The Complete Cultural Handbook" by Gitlitz and Davidson elicits strong feelings, both pro and con. I personally found this book to be an invaluable reference while walking the pilgrimage route. However, I recognize how other individuals might differ in their assessment.

First and foremost, it is essential to recognize what this book is NOT designed to do.

The handbook is not a trail guide.
It does not list refuges or explain where to camp.
It does not tell you where to eat or what to pack.
If this is what you are looking for, find another book.

With that said and done, the handbook did provide me with an extremely valuable reference in establishing a cultural context for the sites that I was visiting. I am not an expert in Romanesque architecture, nor do I know the lives of Roman Catholic saints well enough to recognize the major figures in a Retablo. I never had the opportunity to extensively study the history of the pilgrimage. Left to my own devices, I would most certainly never have read much in the way of medieval Spanish poetry. In all honesty, even after walking the pilgrimage route, I am still far from expert in all of these areas. However, the handbook did provide me with enough information that I was able to appreciate much more of the sites that I was visiting.

As other individuals have noted, time for sightseeing is often short. I found the handbook to be extremely useful in prioritizing my time and determining which sites would be most interesting to visit. As an example, none of the other sources that I consulted noted the existence of the Blacksmith forge at Compludo which may very well have been my favorite part of the trip. Without the handbook, I would have never have visted half the church nor understood a quarter of what I was seeing.

As I noted at the start of this posting, when it comes to the handbook, your mileage may vary. Each person has their own reason for traveling the Camino. If you aren't interested in cultural history or architectural reference, you might find it more useful to bring another reference. However, if you are interested in understanding the "why" behind what you're seeing, I think that you will find this reference as valuable as I did.

This is a story set in both Hong Kong and America. It is, at surface, the story of cookbook author Emily Kerr and her lost daughter, Lam Fong. However there is much more to be explored in this absorbing tale of cultural values. A read for those who can appreciate cultural difference and similarity.

Leann Arndt, Reviewer

The only thing you can depend on in this story is that you can depend on nothing. Every chapter welcomes you warmly enough only, by the end of it, to toss you out on your ear. Virtually nothing is certain, almost everything unexpected. It's quite a captivating tale. Moreover, the characters in Hilliard's "Strangers and Pilgrims" could ellicit rage in me on one page and tears on another. No small achievement. This book deserves a wide audience.

This book was wonderful. It is one of those books that you start and don't want to put down as the author holds your interest throughout. Enjoyed the descriptions of the characters, action and environment. Looking forward to his next book.

This compact and highly readable book seeks to explore just exactly what policy there is about mental health care and mental health problems in present day England. England's mental health services, almost all government run and funded, are engaged in at least three major roles: providing care, controlling deviant behaviour, and rationing the dispensing of public support to sick or disabled individuals. In this complex morass, Rogers and Pilgrim indicate their preference for looking harder at what the key political and professional actors do than at what they say.

The first half of the book maps out the ground. It starts with an overview first of the many groups of individuals involved, their vantage points and their strongly expressed perspectives, and then of the history of mental health care in England. This should be an invaluable introduction for social work, nursing, psychology, sociology or medical students. The book goes on to explore a number of the key themes in the current debate. Many of these are obviously desirable ideas that seem tantalisingly impervious to implementation - mental health promotion, effective interventions in primary care, community based longer term care, getting rid of institutional care. There is a particularly good chapter on the issues involved in assessing the effectiveness of care.

The most interesting aspect of the book is that it is among the first to be able to respond to the fruits of the Labour Government elected in 1997. During the 18 years of the preceding Conservative administration, many commentators wrote as though they believed that this change would solve the problems. The authors show that in the event, the continuities have been more striking than the differences.

At times I felt the book failed to locate the research cited into the experience of service users and their carers in its relevant historical sequence - important at times when powerful advocacy is changing the context fast. It failed to explore the implications of the effects of the radically different training which professionals of different age groups have received. And I guess that reading the book as a white, middle class, non-disabled, male doctor who has worked in the English ministry of Health for many years, I did occasionally find myself wanting to ask the authors 'well what the hell did you expect x to do in that situation?' But even with these minor gripes, I would recommend it to students, practitioners and anyone else interested.

Gyles Glover, Professor of Public Mental Health, University of Durham

David W. Bercot has spent a lot of time studying the writings of Christians, especially from the pre-Nicene period (first through third centuries CE/AD). He has also produced what amounts to an index of their writings, A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs. The Pilgrim Road is a collection of brief quotations from early Christians, organized into broad subject categories. The quotations are generally not doctrinal in nature, but inspirational, reflecting world views and insights rather than just religious beliefs.

The early Christians' view of life, death, prayer, prosperity, the world around them and more than a dozen other topics, I found, was remarkably fresh and quite different from what I expected. At times, it differs significantly from what you might hear from most contemporary Christians.

Consisting entirely of rather brief quotations lifted directly from the writings of early Christians, virtually without commentary or application (there are a few explanatory comments), The Pilgrim Road offers informative insights into the way early Christians viewed themselves and others in the midst of what was often a very difficult life situation, at best. It is generally easy reading, but I found the views and perspectives tended to stick with me, and I have returned to the book more than once to reread passages and refresh my memory and my soul. I personally found The Pilgrim Road very enjoyable and inspirational.