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Cleverly using the steps of AA, but changing it to fit a new context, makes for fascinating reading. This isn't a how-to book. This is a thought-provoking look into the mirror. Healing and recovery begins by admitting: "I'm a Pharisee, please help."
This book is a welcome addition to Fischer's collection of challenging and thought-provoking books.
"Hi, i'm Francois, i'm a recovering Pharisee."
Excellent!. It was one of the few books I have ever read that actually got richer as I read farther into it. Usually you kind of get the author pegged in the first couple of chapters. From that point on sometimes it feels like you finish it just to finish it. In your case, I found my desire to keep reading growing as I went on. Thanks.
You write so well. My wife happened to ask me the other day, "Whose writing do you admire?" I said C.S.Lewis - and the next person who came to mind was John Fischer. You probably think that it is a violation of some universal law that I mentioned you in the same breath with "Jack." But I don't. Both of you give me the feeling of breathing pure oxygen.
I usually react negatively to how so many churches use books in classes and small groups rather than getting people into scripture. But in the case of your book, I would make an exception. I wish every Christian would read this. In my small little circle of influence I plan to see what I can do to make that happen.
If you like the style of Philip Yancey and C.S. Lewis, you'll love the way John Fischer writes.
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In a spine chilling sequence of events in "Asleep at the Wheel," new author Jack R. Hanny demonstrates easily that he is one of the best new writers to come into print.
Displaying an in-depth knowledge of what a terrorist attack on America could be, the author also takes the reader into the lives of a newly sworn in U.S. President, his personal marriage problems and the cabinet's family lives.
With an obvious knowledge of the inner workings and layout of The White House, Hanny takes the reader through unknown tunnels, secure sub-basement rooms and then into the Oval office itself. Politics, war strategy and concern for the lives of Americans all play a prominent part in this thrilling book.
Extremely timely since the attack of 9/11, "Asleep at the Wheel" is a must read for any American. Hanny makes his fiction writer debut as a narrator of a superb political thriller.
Hollywood should definitely consider this book for one of the great motion picture stories of the year.
The author, John Hanny, is extremely knowledgeable about the White House and it's intricacies, due to his work experience within the White House. The reader finds him or herself wondering which of the details he provides in the book are true (layout, tunnels, etc.), which increases the level of curiosity and entertainment. I was completely enthralled with the book; it's format (easy to read, short, suspenseful paragraphs), story, politics, etc. In short, I loved it and you will too!
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The tale of the Heroine, Hope Clearwater, is told retrospectively by herself. Boyd cleverly puts himself into the first person so that he is believable as Hope herself. Then he has Hope speak of herself in first and third person, which creates an interesting effect. On the one hand you are viewing a narrative account of her story, but then you easily slip into her mind and listen to her thoughts. This makes the story very personal, and brings you close to Hope's character in an empathic way.
The story moves from College in England, to research in the downs of Southern England, before it leaps to Africa where things really hot up. Relationships move from civilised distraction to out and out bloodletting.
Boyd weaves in themes familiar from Jane Goodall and Diane Fossey's primate studies. He makes mathematics and research into interesting subjects, and is guaranteed to have you reaching for the dictionary to understand some of the obscure terminology of medieval english architecture. Over all of this he lays a central african civil war, academic cloak and dagger politics and some complex human and chimp relations.
Two love affairs that seem doomed, sexual politics in the bush and a shifting and uncertain movement of grant aid and civil war add to the complexity. A rebel army formed from a volleyball team, an egyptian cosmonaut, a half built hotel and the smallest model aircraft in the world inject the sense of ridiculous that is part of Africa.
A highly intelligent and enjoyable read.
William Boyd takes these various threads and weaves them together, along with a variety of brief comments on scientific and mathematical ideas and issues, into an exciting and intellectually compelling novel. With its Edenic setting and themes of Man's search for knowledge--and the madness the search can bring--the book taps into our primordial myths and some of the core questions of our existence. If it sometimes seems to be almost too consciously striving to be a serious novel of ideas, that ambition is justified, if not always realized, and the philosophical failures are more than offset by the good old-fashioned African adventure story that unfolds simultaneously.
The shelves fairly groan beneath the weight of books warning that when a little of the veneer of civilization gets stripped away in the jungle, Man must face the fact that he has a dark heart. And there are elements of that here, particularly in the way that Mallabar treats Hope and her discovery, but Boyd has much more to say besides just this. Perhaps the most exciting message of the book lies in the contrarian stance it takes to the modern age's tendency to romanticize Nature. It is always well to recall Thomas Hobbes's famous description of Nature as "red in tooth and claw." The reader of this book will not soon forget it.
GRADE : A
'Brazzaville Beach' is a story about a young British woman studying primate behaviour in Africa. William Boyd deftly weaves the story by including flashbacks of her life before Africa (and her failed marriage in England), and by describing the present state of the war-torn African country where she resides. When the primates (chimps) she studies start behaving unusually her life, and those of her fellow researchers, turns upside-down, and she starts questioning the behavior of herself and mankind in general.
In addition to being a mature, absorbing story, 'Brazzaville Beach' is written with intelligence. The characterizations are well-drawn without be overly elaborate. The story is thought-provoking without being too preachy. I should think secondary schools and universities should include 'Brazzaville Beach' in their curricula as part of a social sciences program. It is *that* good.
Bottom line: simply terrific. Don't hesitate from putting it on your 'must read' list.
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The story is of a girl whose family is being corrupted by the media, especially her father. Stories in the paper start to bother the girl, and her interest shoots up.
But among this all, is her "darling dog Checkers", a most important figure in the plot development.
While telling the story, the girl is in a Psychiatric Ward. She tells of the others there, and describes the events as if she were writing in a journal.
I high suggest this book to EVERYONE.
John Marsden did an excellent job with this book, an EXCELLENT read.
The only honest relationship the girl has is with her mongrel dog, Checkers. She seeks comfort in his company as the media circles like vultures around her house, looking for a way to connect the girl's father to the stock market scandal that's brewing. She would never have thought that the connection they were looking for was sleeping on the rug in front of her fire.
I really liked this novel, and would have loved it if it wasn't about the fortieth book I've read that's set in a mental hospital. Mental hospitals have become way too clichéd in young adult literature. Other than that, though, it was a terrific story.
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(1) The characters - John R. Maxim's characters are as real as any in popular fiction. You finish one of his books with the feeling that you really know these people, or at least would like to know them. (I personally would love to meet 'Uncle' Billy McHugh, the man formerly known as Bannerman's Monster who has now evolved into a personable, chatty bartender who just happens to be capable of incredible mayhem!) In this book Maxim brings together his popular Bannerman people, adds in the cast of his book 'Haven,' and then seasons it with the main characters from 'Whistler's Angel.' It's like going to a great reunion, meeting up with people you really liked and catching up with their lives and activities. The updates on the lives of Bannerman's people (including homes, businesses, hobbies, spouses and children) are worth the price of the book by themselves!
(2) The plot - Maxim's books in general, and his Bannermans in particular, feature enough twists and changes of direction to hold your complete attention without lapsing into 'complication for its own sake.' He also frequently has a theme for a book. In 'The Shadowbox' it was counterfeit pharmaceuticals, and the eerily prescient 'Haven' (in 1997) presented a plot where Islamic terrorists tried to mount an attack on American soil with a dirty bomb. His plot here involves bio-terrorism in a way that can make you lose sleep. As usual, Maxim presents enough realistic detail that you know he did his homework long before he started writing.
(3) The timeline - While Maxim has introduced characters from one book into another previously, here he's even dovetailing his plots. We last saw Elizabeth Stride (from 'Haven') settling into a peaceful life on Hilton Head Island. 'Whistler's Angel' came to its dramatic (and noisy and smoky) conclusion on Hilton Head Island. So how could a pro like Stride have missed such brouhaha so close to home? She couldn't. The main portion of the 'Bannerman's Ghosts' story picks up literally on the day 'Whistler's Angel' ends!
(4) The humor - For a serious book with a serious plot about very serious people, Maxim sprinkles in a healthy dose of laughs along the way. It's impossible to quote anything here, since establishing a context would take way too long. Trust me on this: you'll have a lot of fun reading this book.
This list could go on and on, but here's the bottom line: 'Bannerman's Ghosts' is great reading.
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The collection seeks to include anything that even remotely qualifies as a sacred text. You will find the works upon which all of the worlds major religions are based, (except perhaps Scientology) as well as books describing or initiating mystical traditions like alchemy and hermetic wisdom.
Very interesting reading. Very well collected and compiled.
Regardless of your Faith; Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Baha'i, Shamanism, Wicca / Witchcraft / Goddess Worship, et al...including Thelema and Zoroastrianism, you will find material on this CD-Rom that applies to your life, or your Research in Religion, Spirituality, Philosophy, and The Mystical.
I have been sharing the site with friends for a long time. I would-have written a review for this CD-Rom sooner, but I assumed it was probably reviewed numerous times, already. Apparently, word has not spread about this amazing Compilation of Documents!
This is a list of the information from the "Internet Sacred Text Archive" (World Religions, Traditions, Mysteries) :
"African, Age of Reason, Alchemy, Americana, Ancient Near East, Atlantis, Australia, Baha'i, Bible, Book of Shadows, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, DNA, Egyptian, Esoteric & Occult, Evil, Fortean, Goddesses, Gothic, Greek and Roman, Grimoires, Hinduism, I Ching, Islam, Jainism, Journals, Judaism, Legends and Sagas, Mormonism, Native American, Neopaganism/Wicca, Nostradamus, Oahspe, Pacific, Paleolithic, Piri Re'is Map, Sacred Books of the East, Sacred Sexuality, Shamanism, Shinto, Sikhism, Sufi, Tantra, Taoism, Tarot, Thelema, Timeline, Tolkien, UFOs, Utopia, Women, Zoroastrianism"
I just checked-out my new V 1.2 version of the CD-ROM from "Sacred Texts.com" and found nearly every religion / philosophy is covered on the V 1.2 CD, which has new additions, such as the "Thelema" section of the website, Shakespeare, etc. I highly recommend the Sacred Texts CD because;
a) The CD costs (Money) and this CD-Rom could save you hundreds and hundreds of dollars in the future (or inspire you to buy hard-copies of books, after Previewing them on the CD-Rom).
b) The CD Rom is much easier to Navigate, than the website, due to load time, or age of PC and/or Memory issues.
c) You always have access to the documents, even if the web connection is down.
d) Think of all the upgrades you can receive in the future.
e) Purchase of the CD supports the maintenance / preservation of "Internet Sacred Text Archive."
Suffice to say, this is The Best opportunity available for people who are serious about researching Religion, Spirituality, Occult, Mysteries, et al. I am more than thrilled with my purchase of this CD-Rom !
Adi Granth and writings on Native American spirituality available for immediate reference? The translations are old enough to be in the public domain, so do not look for contemporary critical editions, but do look for a wealth of content. I did not know about this collection until a few months ago, but I am planning on having my students use it in my world religions courses in the future.