A very interesting look at the late Thomas Merton by Edward Rice, one of his close friends. The book is fairly small and easy to read and contaons a wealth of information by and about Merton which other sources leave out. Included are some of his drawings (rather "naughty" ones, too!), the way his opinions changed from the time when he first entered the Catholic church to the time of his death. Merton's views were continually changing and Rice is the only person who actually has come out and said in print what was quite plain to most of his readers: that at the time of his death, he was far more a Buddhist than a Christian. Many photos are included, as well as several of Merton's hermitage out in the woods of Kentucky, and several of Merton and his friends in his beer-swilling fraternity days along with his boasts of early sexual conquests). A great deal of commentary is given on the contemplative life (particularly useful to those considering becoming hermits) and on the role of peace as the full flowering of the mystical life. At the tome of his death, Merton was going to ask permission from his Abbey at Gethsemene to stay in Asia, as he considered the monks there to have a far superior insight into one's relationship with god and deep meditation than the ones in the West did, and with whom he seemed to be running into nearly continual conflicts with. great for anyone interested in Buddhism, Zen, Merton, or mysticism.

I recently hunted down a copy of this book. It was worth the trouble.

Written by a close friend of Merton's shortly after his untimely death in 1968, it is one of the few books "about" Merton which please me nearly as much as Merton's own work. Fluid, perceptive, it brings to life Merton's time and the struggles he and his world were confronting.

More importantly, however, it presents in a living form the concerns and hazards of the contemplative life - useful information for serious explorers who may be following a similar path.

Finally, "Sycamore" is illustrated with dozens of photographs, and also reproductions of Merton's own drawings. The author, Edward Rice, commendably keeps himself out of sight, but his own clear writing is a pleasure to read.

Frank's book is interesting, insightful and even helpful for those who find their vocation in the church. However, the title of his work is very misleading. Rather than writing about the soul of the congregation, he spends his energy discussing a congregation's history and personality...which is still helpful, but not a discussion of the soul. For those looking for a book to dig more deeply into what makes their local churches tick, this volume will provide a good resource. However, those seeking a discussion of the corporate soul (as in Acts 4) should look elsewhere.

In a sea of books focusing on church growth to megachurch proportions, "The Soul of the Congregation" reminds us of the human element - the individual - that is an integral part of all churches. Dr. Frank presents episodes of real life congregations to which all pastors can relate. He provides a model for pastors and church leaders to connect their stories with those of the congregation - thus finding the soul. The pastoral voice of the book can renew disilliusioned young ministers as well as revive persons who have served many years of ministry.

Favorably reviewed by Murray J. Evans (University of Winnipeg) in _Envoi: A Review Journal of Medieval Literature_ vol. 6 no. 1 (Spring 1997).
This notice was submitted by Envoi.

Although some claim you can't find a decent one volume Bible commentary, I've got an accredited B.A. in Theology, and I say you certainly can. The contributors of this commentary are from the highest levels of academia and present material worthy for the pulpit and pew alike.

This book is written in an accessible and practical format. It assumes nothing but at the same time treats the reader as an intelligent participant on the journey to understanding evidence based practice.

It is up to date and I was especially impressed with the web address it gives to ensure the reader is kept abreast of any changes since publication.

It systematically explains the need and use of 'evidence', how to find it (the search advice is comprehensive and includes details such as search terms and the best search engines aswell as web addresses) how to evaluate it and also how to act on it.

All in all this book was great, and I would reccomend it to anyone involved in evidence based healthcare practice as it will guide you through the thorniest problems.

I've been using the photos in this book with elementary art students for several years. We do value studies with black and white tempera paints, looking for the progression of values, and nature's shapes, patterns and textures (like rippling and branching). Then we compare our paintings with some by Georgia O'Keeffe and other artists. While I've never actually read the text, the photos have been a good springboard for discussions of aerial perspective, and erosion by wind and water, too.

This is the story of the renowned poet Edward Thomas's last four years, told by Eleanor Farjeon, a wealthy woman who loved him very much, but who never told him so. Farjeon, a poet herself and writer of books for children, met Thomas in 1912. He was already married and had three children. They became very close friends, but, you know, in that discreet and rigid British-Victorian way (they, for example, kissed cheeks only once, when he was going to war).

Eleanor became also a close friend of Thomas's wife Helen. She knew Eleanor loved his husband, but she was assured that would never be a problem. In fact, Thomas's relationship with his wife was surprisingly "modern" and unconventional, even by today's standards. The story is full of repressed passions, interesting side-stories, intimate aspects of other famous poets' lives, including of course Robert Frost, the main influence in Edward Thomas's life, Walter de la Mare, and others.

The text makes full use of Thomas's letters to Eleanor, a glimpse into his intimate family life. It will be interesting to specialists, but also for those who want to have a close flavor of what life in those years was like in England. In the end, it's a wonderful love story, because it contains the elements of an impossible love and a tragic ending. Very tragic indeed. A plus is contained in the additional essays, where Eleanor remembers his beloved one, forty years after his death.

Carlos Schwantes, Pacific Northwest Historian at University of Idaho, and G. Thomas Edwards, American West Historian at Whitman University have co-edited this valuable book. Experiences in a Promised Land explores topics related to the states of Washington and Oregon,from the time of discovery to the modern age. Twenty-three scholarly articles in the book cover a wide range of subjects, including American Indians, women in the West, labor, and the environment. Six of the essays were written specifically for this project; the others have been reprinted from journals. With the exception of a few old classics, the collection of articles represents current scholarship of the region, and a conscious effort to move past the traditional reliance on political and ecoomic history,

The author is faced with the difficult task of showing that T.E. Lawrence embellished his own deeds without taking away from what he did accomplish. While the myths about the man are interesting (the classic Lawrence of Arabia movie) the real story is far more interesting. A great book.