While writing a paper for Hermes I came across this book at the library. Rather than the usual dry stuff I was using for my research, this book was the one that quickly became my favorite on the subject. It's engaging, interesting, and well-written, and describes the history and evolution of the god plus his primordial functions of psychopomp, guardian, and messenger. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy for myself!

The Illustrated Guide really is. It's a non-axe-grinding report on many long term trends in American life and a useful reference when people of one political stripe or another make broad statements.

As midlife appears to be an unavoidable passage in all cultures of the world, (gratefully so), this compact book is packed with the insights midlifers need to reflect upon it with wisdom and patience. It is a keeper!

This is an excellent introduction to a central area in Jung's thought Evil, the Shadow Side and its integration with the rest of the personality.

The selections from Jung's writings are excellent and there are extensive explanatory footnotes from the editor.

Jung will convince you that those who supress their shadow side soon see it in others and that one's shadow side has to be accepted not denied.

The book contains extensive selections from Answer to Job as well as hard to obtain Jung writings (unless you want to shell out a thousand dollars for his Collected Works).

Throught the book, Jung's compassion, vast erudition, and many and varied insights shine through.

This provided an excellent introduction to Jung for me (a lay person) but it could use a pointer to some follow-up at the end. It leaves the reader with the thought: "Where do I proceed from here?", directly into the mass of Jung's works?

This book is based on a lengthy taped series by Stein given at the Chicago Jung institute. The lectures are truly outstanding! Somehow, though, the book is only about 90% outstanding. That's still a strong recommendation! Stein is one of my favorites of the current generation of Jungian analysts. He also has a seminary degree, and (in true Jungian style) his best works focus on the psychology of religion. In this book, Stein intelligently explains many of the basic (and some not-so-basic) Jungian concepts. Even if you're familiar with these, Stein's perspective is worth examining. He has a number of unique things to say about some of these ideas.

The taped series is still available from the Chicago Institute, if you prefer audio. There's also another long audio series by Stein which is equally (if not more) profound---"A Psychological Interpretation Of The Bible." Much as I like Edward Edinger's Jungian books on Biblical themes, this other series by Stein is even better! Someday, hopefully, it will find its way into print.

...to Jung's often complicated thought. The description of the structure and dynamics of the Self was particularly clear and readable. Recommended. -- Craig Chalquist, M.S., creator of the Thineownself self-exploration site.

The entire book is very short and can easily be read by anyone in just a couple of days. By the end I was thinking to myself "that's it?". In all those pages, this is all they can come up with, after all the years of experience? The book could have been a little more deep and went a little further. To be really honest, I could pretty much describe to you what the entire book tells us in just a few sentences. I guess I don't know what I was expecting. All of this to me is common sense information most everyone already knows. Like, if you want to swim, you've got to just jump in the water. I wouldn't expect anyone to agree with me, but this is just one person's opinion. I'm sure it might be very useful for some people.

This is a very good & new contribution to the American self-help tradition of 'conquering shyness' ... But there are other approaches that might be considered by shy people -- approaches which actually dare to question the anti-shy ideology of American popular culture. Three I see on Amazon currently are: "My Shyness, My Self" ... "The Gift of Shyness" ... and "The Highly Sensitive Person" ...

Shy people, and friends and family of the shy, might want to explore these books for their "shy-positive" outlook. Self-acceptance and a proper understanding of individual temperament are, after all, among the criteria for positive mental health.

This book get 5 stars from me. It is very well written and offers great advise on how to work through this crippling disorder that affect so many. As a mother of child who suffers from selective mutism, I appreciate the authors touching breifly on this issue in the book. I love the authors' sense of humor as well, throughout the book. I will recommend this book to many others.

Books on "gnosticism" often tend either to be in the academic stratosphere, or full of new age sensationalism. This volume is very useful in that it presents a variety of interesting viewpoints from (mostly) recognized scholars in the field. It's quite accessible and the closing chapter on modern gnostic revivals is of particular import for those seeking to comprehend the continued draw this ancient philosophy -- as radical or paranoid it may be -- exerts upon some elements of our society today. (I adopted this for use in an undergraduate course on gnosticism I teach.)

Pallas Athene is commonly viewed as a bright, shining goddess of wisdom, crafts (including happy-fuzzies such as weaving), and the art of war. Yet no Greek deity is without flaws and secrets, and Athene has more than her fair share. Kerenyi offers a 94-page essay which delves into areas that -will- throw your views of the Goddess into doubt and disarray. Out of the raging headache brought on by entirely too much information, a new Athene will spring, full-grown and fully rounded, and you will never look at Her the same way again.

This is a good thing.