The book 'The Intimate Merton', edited by Brother Patrick Hart and Jonathan Montaldo, is a great encapsulation of the journals which Thomas Merton, monk, writer, activist and spiritual guide (I believe he would eschew the word leader, kept from the time he began considering a vocation (both as a monk and as a writer) to the time of his death nearly thirty years later.

The book is broken into sections reflective of Merton's monastic life. Each section is composed of selections, representative and/or significant, from his regular daily journals. Merton actually kept voluminous journals (published in seven thick volumes), much of which served as a basis and self-reflective sounding board for his other writings. This book is a user-friendly spiritual autobiography, distilled from the wisdom gained over twenty-nine years of teaching, prayer, reflection, prayer, writing, prayer, activity, and yet more prayer.

Merton was not (and still is not) universally loved, even by the church and monastic hierarchies who claim him as a shining example of one of their own. Merton's life is a quest for meaning, and quest for unity before God of all peoples, and a quest for love. These were not always in keeping with the practices of the church, which found itself more often than Merton cared for embroiled in political action in support of the state, or at least the status quo.

Merton was a Trappist monk. The Trappists derive their name from la Trappe, the sole survivor of a reformed Cistercian order in France about the time of the Revolution. This order of Cistercians (white-robed monks) had fairly strict observances which included the usual monastic trappings of vows of chastity, stability, obedience, poverty -- and a regime of prayer and psalm recitals coupled with daily work and study that is not at all for the faint-hearted (or faint-spirited). It was to this order that Merton pledged himself, in his beginning search for meaning and fulfillment.

'The great work of sunrise again today.
The awful solemnity of it. The sacredness. Unbearable without prayer and worship. I mean unbearable if you really put everything aside and see what is happening! Many, no doubt, are vaguely aware that it is dawn, but they are protected from the solemnity of it by the neutralising worship of their own society, their own world, in which the sun no longer rises and sets.'

Poetry in prose -- this passage, from the section on The Pivotal Years, reflects a searching nearing a conclusion, but still far from grasping, and far from complete. It also reflects the need for sharing, the drive toward caring, the simplest of things in the world, available to all, free of charge -- and most will never take possession.

God is calling in the sunrise. Merton recognises the call. He wants to deliver this sunrise in a package to the world. But he cannot. This is Merton's endless frustration, and the drive to do more, while yet being, as he would say himself, selfish in wanting to grasp it for himself, too. His time in the Hermitage, a time during which he was removed even from the company of fellow monks -- reflects this duality of vocation in Merton. He recognises that in some ways, it is an escape, but other ways, a fulfillment.

Even late in his life, after he was called away from his solitude at the Hermitage, because the world needed him, he was still humble and seeking. After nearly three decades of monastic practice and reflection on the level that Merton had done, one would expect a certain 'expertise' to have permeated his thinking. And yet, he would write:

'I have to change the superficial ideas and judgments I have made about the contemplative religious life, the contemplative orders. They were silly and arbitrary and without faith.'

This, on the basis of one retreat in December of 1967, with laypersons and clerics and monastics outside his Trappist order -- this is his conclusion, his resolute determination to not be boxed in, even by his own thinking. The true search can lead anywhere, even to the conclusion that one has been wrong all along.

And yet, Merton was not wrong. There was value in each of his spiritual discoveries as he discovered them. They still resonate for all of us today.

'Since Hayden Carruth's reprimand I have had more esteem for the crows around here, and I find, in fact, that we seem to get on much more peacefully. Two sat high in an oak beyond my gate as I walked on the brow of the hill at sunrise saying the Little Hours. They listened without protest to my singing of the antiphons. We are part of a menage, a liturgy, a fellowship of sorts.'

Near the end of his life, Merton was becoming more and more one with all around him, with all of God's creation, with nature, with people, with friends and strangers. And yet, he missed his privacy, his time for personal reflection and solitude.

'Everyone now knows where the hermitage is, and in May I am going to the convent of the Redwoods in California. Once I start traveling around, what hope will there be?'

Merton had premonitions that 1968 was a year 'that things are finally and inexorably spelling themselves out', prophetic indeed, for in the same year the world lost Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and Brother Thomas Merton. He never was able to reclaim the solitude, pouring himself out for his friends ('what greater love hath anyone...'), who he counted as the entire world.

May Brother Thomas' journey enlighten your own.

One may wonder why another book on Thomas Merton, one of the most self-chronicled lives of the twentieth century, is needed, but The Intimate Merton serves a valuable purpose. Only academics and fanatical devotees of the famous writer and monk will have the time and interest to read all seven volumes of his personal journals. And yet, as this selection of entries from them demonstrates, Merton's journals are a treasury of autobiographical revelation, psychological honesty, and spiritual insight.

Just a few of the more memorable entries justify the book. These include an hilarious account of Merton the non-driver taking a jeep for a spin, a beautiful description of a night watch as a dark night of the soul, and Merton's sober yet grateful meditations on his 50th birthday.

Nevertheless, it is the sweep of years, the chronicle of a soul, that make these meditations most interesting. The Intimate Merton wisely focuses on the journal entries from the 1960s, material not covered by The Seven Storey Mountain and other earlier works. Thus we see a self-portrait of the older Merton wrestling with his need to be an individual versus his need to love and be loved, fitfully learning to accept his failures and to appreciate the gifts of others, and searching for his home in this world and beyond.

Thomas Merton was a complicated, Thoreauvian figure who considered himself to be, among other things, an "amateur theologian." Yet an amateur is essentially a lover, and Merton, for all his faults and doubts, was certainly a lover of God. Other lovers of God will enjoy tracing his spiritual journey through these pages.

I've been amazed over the years at how many people see themselves when they read something by Thomas Merton. What was it about this man? Women, Protestants, the unchurched, all sorts of people who are outwardly nothing like him, yet feel a strange, strong kinship. People have even told me what Merton would be doing if he were alive right now, as if they could know!
Reading this volume I understood anew how this is so. Merton wrote his soul, he wrote his life. We ARE THERE as we read it. I actually find answers to some of my life questions as I share the life of this Trappist monk. Many other people do, too.
This book is helpful because it puts so much of Thomas Merton's life between its covers. And, easy as he is to befriend, he is endlessly mysterious, perhaps just because he reveals so much. So many threads - what a complex and endearing man.

review by Janet Knori, author of Awakening in God

What a tremendous book "Jonathan's Journey" was! Even at the age of 38 years old, I found that it helped ME understand the scarlet thread of love that is woven throughout the Scriptures. I read it to my 7 and 8 year old boys and they laughed and cried right along with me! They loved it and so did I. Take the time to read "Jonathan's Journey"...you'll not want to put it down!

Jonathan's Journey will answer questions about the saving grace of Jesus for the young and old alike. It's illustrations and descriptive content become real and alive to the reader. The words on the cover "Read and Grow Rich" are right on target. Thank you Katherine Bell for a beautiful book that can and will be shared by many Christian readers.

Jonathan's journey is so well written I find it difficult to describe. I have written to the Pope and asked that Katherine Bell be asked to write the next book in the bible - the woman is clearly touched ... by God. In fact I think she has been touched many times and on a regular basis.

My sensei is telling us all to buy this book because it helps us keep track of our tournaments and belt tests. Really cool! Great art, too!

The book was exquisitly written and magnificently edited. It is imperative that every student who wants to excel at the martial arts should own this book.

This book really is a MUST HAVE for any student of Martial Arts! It is exceptionally valuable in helping the student keep track of their growth and progress! It is well organized, well written, and contains everything a student of the Martial Arts could possibly want! Clearly the author has exceptional expertise in the Martial Arts and has provided this wonderful book as a tool to encourage others towards excellence! I've also read his Ultimate Jujutsu: Practices and Principals, and I look forward to additional titles.

Finally, a book written by insiders in regard to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Certainly a rare find. This book is actually a compilation of papers/essays/letters written by numerous authors all of Israeli Jewish decent. Noted authors include Uri Avnery who fought in the '48 war and served in the Knesset, Ishai Menuchin who is a Major the Israel Defense Forces reserves, Dr. Yigal Shochat who served as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force during the War of Attrition, as well as numerous well-known and published professors of Political Science, all of whom teach at universities across Israel.

The book subverts many myths about Israeli politics in the OPT, but it does not do so in a black and white manner as so many other books do. It is a critical analyses of how certain decisions by those in power are creating a threat not only to Israeli citizens within Israel proper, but also a to Israel's democracy itself. This book criticizes key flaws in Israeli politics in regard to the Palestinian issue and provides solutions in their place; rather than simply attack Israel for all it's worth.

In addition to the logical, critical, thought-provoking, Jewish-perspective information this book provides, it also serves to effectively undermine anti-Semitic attitudes towards Israel. Many other books simply criticize Israel without providing alternate solutions given from Israeli Jewish perspectives.. those types of books end up in the hands of some anti-Semites who use the text (most often taken out of context) as metaphorical ammunition. This book is no such source for such idiocy.

To criticize one's own government is nothing new, but to do so in such a well-articulated manner, without ostracizing 1000s of years of Jewish culture, and all the while defending democracy while putting your public reputation on the line is not only genius; it's heroic. Read this book!

A book that challenges so much that one hears about the "justice" of Israel occupying Palestinian land is an important, necessary book. Although the title makes somewhat grandiloquent claims on the part of its individual writers (there is no risk whatsoever to these people, in terms of social position or even income, in writing these articles), it is important for Americans to hear other perspectives coming from Israel. Most of the articles are worth reading, although Anthony Lewis's contribution to the volume unfortunately shows his characteristic clunky prose and banality of polemic. But that is a minor quibble to make. This is a fine book.

I have read many great books that adequately cover the Israel-Palestine conflict, but this is one that achieves a high position on my list of books for those who also want an intro to the topic. Besides the fact that it thoroughly covers and exposes many myths, it also does it from an Israeli perspective, hence perhaps removing discomfort of anyone who might be tempted to read some truth but question it's source.

The book absoutely redefines Pro-Israel as something that is tied together with Pro-Palestine. The two are intertwined. What the American media projects as "Pro-Israeli" is really in the worst interest of both the Palestinians AND the Israelis and the book covers this quite well.

The book is split up into sections dealing with the rise of the conflict, escalation and so on. For example, a section is dedicated to purely military dissidents (very brave men) who speak out against crimes that they may have been forced to help once.

All in all, this book is recommended to the nth degree.

Jonathan Dobrer's newest collection of essays showcases his gift for extremely engaging, often humerous and always thought-provoking writing. Who can resist delving into an essay that seems to be a confession of a crime "I just got back from making a drug run to Mexico."? It's not a confession nor a crime--but I leave it to the next lucky reader to discover the truth! His essays explore and address seemingly insurmountable social concern; separation of church and state, Sept. 11, the situation in the middle east, corporate fraud, immigration, racism, and national security. And whether or not you may agree with his observations, these essays will make you think and rethink your own observations. These are essays born to spark lively group discussion. The essays here also show Jonathan Dobrer's strong ability to write deeply moving essays such as the one on the death of Daniel Pearl, delightful whimsical pieces such as "Murder Most Vowel" and local interest pieces such as "Irony-Free in Anaheim" that address the issue of immigration in an intelligent, straight-forward manner done so well it could apply to any community in the U.S. This book is a delight to read, talk about, and read again. I look forward to Jonathan Dobrer's next collection!

Jonathon Dobrer has an irreverent method of cutting to the heart of common and frequent misconceptions and misleading information. His way of playing devil's advocate while imparting knowledge to the reader is unique. He asks questions (most of us would like to ask but are too shy) and provides "dumb" answers--exactly what the average person gets when dealing with companies and their policies. This book is funny and thought provoking at the same time. I couldn't wait to read the next chapter and am looking forward to his next sojourn into the literary forest.

serious; funny; --> seriously funny.
so funny, i couldn't put it down.
seriously.

A fantastic book! Worth the investment and time reading through the rich chapters!

ANOTHER PSYCHOLOGIST JUST SHOWED ME THIS TEXT AND IT WAS BETTER THAN MOST NY TIMES BEST SELLERS! I ESPECIALLY ENJOYEDTHE CHAPTERS ON WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE DEAF OR BLIND. I PLAN ON USING THIS TEXT IN SEVERAL OF THE COURSES I TEACH. EVERYONE WHO HAS READ OR HEARD ABOUT THE BELL CURVE NEEDS TO READ THIS TEXT

One of the best APA books ever-full of cutting edge perspectives in for this changing world!

"The Hunting of the Snark" is a brilliant nonsense-poem. Yet Gardner has seen fit to put pretentious, geeky, ...pedantic annotations all over it. Now I like nonsense, but the vulgarly rational "sense" of some of these annotations irritates me. Do we really need to know that the word "BOMB" begins and ends with B (thereby relating it to the Boojum) and that OM is the Hindu name of God??? Do we really need to know of a political cartoon in which Kruschev says "BOO", and does Gardner have to tell us that he was trying to say Boojum??

Annotations should be done in the manner of Gardner's own annotations of Alice in Wonderland. Now those were annotations that made *sense*. Annotations that simply explained out of date concepts, gave relevant details from Carroll's own life, or obscure humour. That's all! That is what annotations should be like.

The pedantic geekery of these annotations remind me of the...games of Star Trek fanatics (or Sherlock Holmes fanatics).

The poem is brilliant, though; and the illustrations were funny, before the annotations over-analysed them.

Lewis Carroll is brilliant in this piece. First of all the poetical music is perfect, absolutely perfect, and yet the words don't mean much. Many of these words are not even to be found in any dictionary. Be it only for the music, this piece is astonishingly good. But the piece has a meaning. I will not enter the numerical value of the numbers used in the poem : 3, 42, 6, 7, 20, 10, 992, 8, and I am inclined to say etc because some are more or less hidden here and there in the lines. Hunting for these numbers is like hunting for the snark, an illusion. But the general meaning of the poem is a great allegory to social and political life. A society, any society gives itself an aim, a target, a purpose and everyone is running after it without even knowing what it is. What is important in society is not what you are running after or striving for, but only the running and the striving. Lewis Carroll is thus extremely modern in this total lack of illusions about society, social life and politics : just wave a flag of any kind, or anything that can be used as a flag and can be waved, in front of the noses of people and they will run after it or run in the direction it indicates. They love roadsigns and social life is a set of roadsigns telling you where to go. Everyone goes there, except of course the roadsigns themselves who never go in the direction they indicate. Lewis Carroll is thus the first post-modern poet of the twenty-first century. He just lived a little bit too early.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU

I am a fan of Lewis Carroll, but somehow was unaware of the existence of an edition of "The Hunting of the Snark" with annotations. As someone who tremendously enjoys Martin Gardner's "Annotated Alice," I heartily recommend this book to like-minded readers. Gardner's annotations and introduction set the stage for the reader, putting the composition of the poem in its proper context in Victorian England, and in Lewis Carroll's life. And as with "Annotated Alice" the annotations are fascinating and amusing in their own right. "The Hunting of the Snark" is one of Carroll's lesser-appreciated (or at least lesser-known) works, and this paperback is an excellent introduction.

I noticed some confusion in the Amazon listings for this book, so let me clarify that the edition with Gardner's annotations is the paperback, and for illustrations it contains reproductions of Henry Holiday's original woodcuts from the 1800's. There are only eight pictures, and these are in old-fashioned style which may turn off some modern readers. This edition does not contain the illustrations - listed in the review of the hardcover editions - by Jonathan Dixon, nor the illustrations by Mervyn Peake also listed as available in hardcover from Amazon.

To Snark fans, though, I would unhesitatingly recommend both those editions as well. Dixon's is little-known, but excellent, the most profusely illustrated Snark, with pictures on every page in lush, gorgeously detailed and humorous pen and ink. It may still be available through the website of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America, who published it in a small edition. Peake's drawings are also in beautiful black and white, and capture his own rather dark, quirky "Gormenghast" take on the poem. (A good companion, too, to the recently released editions of "Alice" with Peake's drawings.)

In this story, there is a very selfish giant. He hates kids and won't let them play in his garden. This causes spring not to come. This goes on for years; no children playing, no spring. Finally, one day, many many years later, the children just play in the garden without permission, and spring comes. All of the kids are climbing trees, except for one little boy. Something amazing happens, but you have to read the story to find out what it is.
I think this story is trying to teach us that kindness goes a long way. If you are mean and grumpy all the time, you will have no joys in your life now, or even after death. If you are nice, loving, and caring, that will go along way, and you will be rewarded for that later. Everyone should remember, what you do now, will eventually come back to you, in some way or form. Treat others how you wanted to be treated back.

I don't know very much about Oscar Wilde. I was drawn to the book by its illustrations. I purchased a copy for my then-four son and read it to him one evening. When I reached the end I was pretty stunned. The beautiful artwork conveyed the story so beautifully and at the end when I realized WHO the little boy was -- I had a hard time finishing the story.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I have purchased multiple copies as gifts. This is not a book you read once and leave on the floor in the kids' room to become damaged. It stays in a nice place where it will be passed from generation-to-generation.

WARNING - I may say something offensive here - I have absolutely NO problem with "the religious overtones" (as put by some other reviews - and for those who don't understand the significance, the one mention means nothing anyway). After years of academia's cold influence on the nature of man, sin, and redemption, a hint of Hope is not unforgiveable.

Beautiful, beautiful piece of artwork. My hat is off to the author and brilliant illustrator.

- Dr. T.A.B.

"Every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the Giant's garden..." So begins Oscar Wilde's timeless classic. The children love the Giant's garden, its soft grass, beautiful flowers, tall climbing trees, and singing birds. But when the Giant returns from a seven year visit and sees all the children playing happily, he is angry. "My own garden is my own garden," said the Giant. "Anyone can understand that, and I will allow nobody to play in it but myself." He selfishly builds a high, high wall around the garden and puts up a "Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted" sign. The children were very sad. They had nowhere to play and spent their days remembering the Giant's wonderful garden. Inside the high wall, the birds stayed away, and the flowers would not bloom. Winter had come to stay. Snow, Frost, Hail, and the North Wind now lived in the garden. There was no Spring, Summer, or Autumn. And then one day, the Giant noticed a small boy had entered his cold and wintry garden, and he began to feel very sorry for what he had done. As the little boy began to cry, the Giant's heart melted..... Originally published in 1888, The Selfish Giant is as magical today as it was well over a hundred years ago. Oscar Wilde's simple, yet eloquent text, with its gentle message of love and generosity, is charming, engaging, and begs to be read aloud. But it's Saelig Gallagher's marvelously detailed and evocative illustrations that really make this picture book stand out and sparkle. Perfect for youngsters of all ages, The Selfish Giant, with its satisfying, happily-ever-after ending, is a masterpiece to share with friends and family now, and with future generations in the years to come.

this is a ok book for people that have seen the new movie and want to read about it. DON'T READ THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE! you want a book to read before you go see the movie read the adult version.[unless your reading abillites aren't high enough to read it.] This book was pretty hard to understand and it made a lot more senes after I saw the movie.

Starwars Episode 2 was an action/lovestory. The setting of the story was were the Jedis tried searching for the bad guys all over the galaxy. The main characters in the book were Obi won Kenobi ,the Queen and all the Jedi masters. My favorite character is Yoda because he was a very good Jedi master.My favorite part of the book was when all the Jedis fight against the clones.I would recommend this book to children betwen the ages of 7-13 because it is very cool and action packed.

This is one of the best Jr. noveliation. It give us a in depth look in what is in the film. I love it because in it it shows us the continuing bond in between Anakin Skywalker & Padme Amidala her real last name is Naberrie. This is a very good book if your a Star Wars fan. Thanks George for the best films ever.

I have yet to read a book by Piper without being enlightened and motivated by the supremacy of God. Far from being a boring "how-to" manual on preaching, John Piper has given an excellent primer on preaching with passion and direction in this work. This book is the application of Piper's overriding philosophy of life, that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him," to preaching. Piper divides the book into two parts. The first part is sort of a defense for his thesis being the supremacy of God in preaching. In so doing, Piper argues that the goal of preaching is the glory of God, the ground of preaching is the cross of Christ, and the empowerment of preaching is the Holy Spirit. The second part of the book is essentially a survey of Jonathan Edwards' preaching, based on his view of God as supreme. Essentially, Piper judges modern preaching with the preaching of the great Jonathan Edwards. It is most significant that Piper finishes this section by saying that one must first of all, catch a vision of the God of Jonathan Edwards (105). Piper says, "If God is not supreme in our preaching, where in this world will the people hear about the supremacy of God? . . . If anyone in all the world should be able to say, 'I have looked upon thee in the sanctuary, beholding thy power and glory,' it is the herald of God'" (108-09).

This is a thrilling book, which should convince those called to preach of the importance and joy of such a call. Here are a few quotes from the book which will give you a small indication of its helpfulness:

"People are starving for the greatness of God ... The majesty of God is an unknown cure ... Preaching that does not have the aroma of God's greatness may entertain for a season, but it will not touch the hidden cry of the soul..."

"God saves people from everlasting ruin through preaching."

"No man can give the impression that he himself is clever and that Christ is mighty to save." [a quote from James Denney]

"Don't strive to be a kind of preacher. Strive to be a kind of person."

The book has only 102 pages of text, but contains much more help than any number of longer books.

Buy one for yourself and one to give to friends in the ministry.
Highly recommended.

If I had only read the author's preface to this book, it would have been worth it. This book in meant to be read a paragraph at a time and savored. Piper's immersion in the Word of God produces a man after God's own heart. Highly recommended for anyone who aspires to the preaching or teaching ministry, particularly the emphasis on the desire to see the Word applied to their own life and those who are being reached by their ministry. Give it to your pastor!