This is a great introduction to the ideas of Gregory Bateson, one of the most important thinkers of our times. He is able to bridge the gap between our ideas about a materialistic world and concepts of mind. He said that Western science did not explain mind, it explained mind away.

Anyone who feels that there is more to life than logic and science, but who doesn't feel comfortable with every new age quack idea, should read this book. Bateson's thesis is that aesthetics, beauty, and the sacred are as valid as ways of knowing as logic and science are, and he can back that up with real ideas about the real world.

Gregory Bateson is well known, among those with the perseverance to wrestle through his very compact prose, for his highly original synthesis of cybernetics, biology, anthropology and -- above all -- epistemology. Near the end of his one book written with a general audience in mind (Mind and Nature), he mentions his intention to continue his explorations into the realms of the sacred and the aesthetic. By the time of his death in 1980 he had written several drafts and discussed the project in depth with his daughter Mary Catherine Bateson, an investigator of great insight in her own right and a better writer than Gregory's devotion to formal rigor allowed him to be. This book is the end result of that collaboration, which Mary completed in 1986. Those familiar with Gregory's work will find some of his familiar themes explored in somewhat more accessible terms, along with some unexpected new ideas. As with his earlier works, Bateson often has to redefine some familiar words, and introduce new usages for others, which makes reading him a struggle, but a rewarding struggle in the long run. Those familiar with Mary Catherine's work will not be disappointed either. Her summarizing chapter which pulls together the various strands of the book and of her father's thought is a masterpiece of synthesis in its own right. And this book, which is above all about *relationships* at every level from the cellular to the cultural to the religious, is a fascinating record of the very human relationship between father and daughter. Like all of the elder Bateson's work, this one will take some time to digest. How much have I learned from it about "the epistemology of the sacred"? I expect it will take years to find out, and that I'll be revisiting this book many times while its implications work themselves out. As G.B. said, Life is a game whose purpose is discovering the rules. This volume is a voyage of discovery.

This slim essay is a great place to start in your examination of the doctrine of apostolic succession in the New Testament documents as well as the Patristic sources. The author is an Eastern Orthodox convert from "bible only" Protestantism and is fair and evenhanded in his assessment of the need for criteria other than one's own interpritation of the Bible as a guide for the Christian community.

Another book that examines the same topic from a Lutheran and a Roman Catholic is Carlos Steger's "Apostolic Succession in the Writings of Yves Congar and Oscar Cullmann". Although I found his conclusion a bit weak, it was very useful in presenting their respective approaches. You may also enjoy reading Congar's "Tradition and Traditions".

Enjoy!

In this 40-page booklet, Fr. Gregory Rogers, a PhD. candidate at the University of Chicago in the History of Christianity, examines the subject of Apostolic succession from the view of the Historic Orthodox Church. Apostolic succession, so important to the first-century Church, is often misunderstood and even tossed aside by many of today's churches and theologians.

Fr. Gregory begins with the Biblical foundation of Apostolic succession, examining the authority Christ gave His Apostles in Matthew 16:13-19. He looks at how this authority is carried out at the Council of Jerusalem and throughout the Book of Acts and the Epistles. He points out the catholicity and oneness of the Apostolic Church of the New Testament and refutes modern claims that Paul acted independently of the Apostles.

He goes on to describe the passing on of this Apostolic authority through the laying on of hands to disciples, such as St. James, the Brother of the Lord, who was the first bishop of Jerusalem. The second chapter focuses on the writings of the Apostolic Fathers: the Apostles' successors. He shows that the early Church was a eucharistic community under the authority of bishops. Apostolic succession was the means by which bishops, priests, and deacons, and even baptised lay people could prove that they were part of the same eucharistic body as the Apostles. This is evident in the writings of St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of Antioch, etc.

He goes on to describe the difference in the view of the Eastern Orthodox Church on Apostolic succession, which mirror those of the early Church, and the view of the Western churches, which mirror the views of St. Augustine. St. Augustine's view was that anyone who could trace his succession back to the Apostles, regardless of whether or not he was in communion with the rest of the Church, had valid Apostolic succession. Such was not the view of the early Church, and is still not the view of the Orthodox Church today.

This is not simply a scholarly book about Apostolic succession. Rather, it is the "personal testimony of a Bible-believing evangelical Protestant who examined the data and emerged an Orthodox believer." [taken from back cover] I highly recommend this book about this often misunderstood subject.

Roberta Gregory shows us the negative side of humanity, racism, homophobia, the 9 to 5 rat race, while making us laugh and teaching us.

Of the several Gregory collections of the "Naughty Bits" comic book material this is probably the "best", the one to buy first that WILL get you hooked!!! Roberta's intimate look at Bitchy's work and social/leisure life is familiar to us all and will keep you laughing spontaneously for days!!! Gregory is the godmother of the female alternative press and truly an artist at the peak of her creative powers! BUY THIS BOOK, NOW!!! (you won't regret it)

The late Brazillian author Gregory Rabassa' Avalovara is an enduringly impressive work of Latin American Literature (aptly translated into English by Gregory Rabassa), about one man and his three great loves. One seems unattainable despite his pursuit; one is a kindly hermaphrodite who enjoys the fruit of passion; and one goes only by an ideogram for her name. Sensual, meticulous, erotic, with a complex plot and tangled human machinations, Avalovara is a uniquely written, inventive, and original literary experience.

This gorgeous novel is that chimera, that impossible novel that is both an intellectual endeavor and a magical fiction that seamlessly blends Borges and Garcia Marquez. The book is structured as a spiral, and it recounts the story of a man and the three women he loved. The book is filled with intellectual games, as in the fiction of Borges and Cortazar, yet the writing is as sensual and erotic as in the fiction of Amado and Garcia Marquez. I loved it!

I began studying and using the Bach Flower Remedies about 6 months ago. I have read and re-read this book regarding different essences. It contains case studies along with both "essay" descriptions of the positive and negative states of each essence as well as check lists of qualities a person might exhibit if they were in need of that particular essence. Very informative and very useful in deepening your understanding the essences.

This book is the definitive guide to Bach Flower Remedies and is extremely insightful and well presented. It gives the positive and negatives for each Flower Remedy and a detailed description of each of the 38 Bach Flower Remedies. I have used it extensively in my Veterinary Practice for animals and for myself and people I know and it is a must for anyone using Flower Remedies for people or animals, though more geared towards people. I would highly recommend this book to the experienced practitioner or those seeking to learn about Bach Flower Remedies in general. Anna Maria Scholey MA Vet.MB MRCVS

In The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast, Gregory Dew reveals forty very special spots to fish along the Gulf Shores, Alabama, to Apalachicola, Florida. Also included for the angler is a wealth of sound advice on rigging an outfit, basic angling techniques, special fishing techniques, picking a prime location (considering tides, currents, wind, water, and geography), fish species and habitats, even local recipes! The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast is enhanced further with a chapter dedicated to resource websites, addresses, telephone numbers, tackle shops, and selected fishing charters. If you are planning a fishing trip anywhere along this spectacular Gulf of Mexico shoreline, begin with browsing through Gregory Dew's The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast!

I am from the midwest and had only engaged in freshwater fishing so it was breaking unfamiliar ground (or water) when my Florida vacation was to include fishing in beautiful St. Joe's Bay. I had no idea what kind of fish were there let alone how to catch them. I purchased Gregory Dew's book, "The Barefoot Fisherman Guide To The Emerald Coast from Gulf Shores Alabama To Apalachicola, Florida" and was not disappointed. The book was easy to read, packed with information and ultimately helped me to catch some fish. The book discusses the proper tackle, rigs, angling techniques in the first chapter. The second chapter is dedicated to picking a prime location. Chapters 3 and 4 were of great interest to me and I read them in detail. Chapter three covers the entire coast from Gulf Shores, Alabama to Apalachicola, Florida and highlights some of the hotspots there. I was delighted to see that one section was dedicated to St. Joseph's bay. Chapter 4 contained great information on the species of fish one might catch and how to fish for them. He also included a rating for edibility. He rated each species of fish on a scale of 1-10 for how good they are to eat. We found his scale to be accurate with the species we caught. Chapters 5 and 6 discuss recipes and gives some Fishing Links for more information. The ultimate measure of the books effectiveness was catching fish. I caught one Speckled Trout that was a keeper and a 23 inch Red Fish (Red Drum). The book helped make my vacation more enjoyable and makes me want to return for more "Barefoot Fishing".

"Los Angeles is now the apparel manufacturing center of the United States" (page 16). 2,900 sewing companies work in LA for the 185 firms. Sadly, the apparel manufactureres use sweatshops.

According to Dr. Bonacich and Dr. Appelbaum, a "sweatshop" is a factory that fails to pay a living wage and does nto allow a worker to purchase a house and health care(page 11). Sadly, workers make less than the poverty line of $7,200 a year. Hence, concerned citizens like us wonder how sweatshops come to be and exist?

Again, according to Dr. Bonacich and Dr. Appelbaum, sweatshops are caused by 1) a high turnover in styles (14), 2) low tech tools, such as sewing machines, 3) the neglect of union representation, 4) cheap start-ups in other countries, 5) cheap labor, and 6) bossy retailers. The authors write, "Thousands of contractors can produce small lots rapidly. The city's industry is primed for the production of fashion at cheap prices" (p. 18). Thus, Los Angeles is the "sweatshop capital of the U.S" (p. 19).

A city of sweatshops is not a healthy city. ""Polarization is destructive to society." A Chinese person making $25.00 a month cannot afford $100 pair of shoes" (p. 24). Furthermore, immigrants do not have access to politicians, since wealthy people can buy lobbyists and call the govenor and threaten to move the industry. 2.9 million Angelinos make less than $20,000 yr.

The solution to sweatshops is to spread the cost-cutting activities in every area of apparel manufacturing. "Yet cost cutting is never aimed at the executives professionals or profits." As a result, "the garment industry is a throwback to the earliest phases of the industrial revolution" (p. 14).

I hope the supervisors in the valuable garment industry read this fine book.

This is an outstanding book that should be read by policy makers, academics, activists and elected leaders. Great effort and job. This is the best book on the subject.

Great resource book to read and then give to clients and their advisors to aid them in turning the corner on the paradigm shift that needs to occur if they are to move beyond the 10 yard line of the typical estate plan.

Greg's book is a classic.

This is an excellent book. Anyone who has ever been politically active in any organization will appreciate this send-up of ideologues. What's shocking is how this book deals with the lesbian community of the early nineties but is still too timely today.

"Bitchy Butch: World's Angriest Dyke," by Roberta Gregory, collects both long and short comic strip stories about the outrageous title character. The book contains pieces published between 1991 and 1998, as well as new material. It opens with a preface (done in comic strip format!) in which author Gregory appears as a comic strip character to directly address the reader; the cartoon Gregory is also confronted by Bitchy Butch herself!

BB is a really over-the-top character. She's a short-tempered, acid-tongued, middle-aged lesbian who directs her frequent angry tirades against many targets: men, straight women, bisexual women, "femmey" lesbians, drag queens, promiscuous gay men, the religious right, and more. But BB does occasionally show her softer side (usually with her two cats). Annoyed at the heterosexist, male-dominated world she's stuck in, she longs for the good old days of emergent 1970's lesbian culture.

In two outrageous stories, BB meets Bitchy Bitch, her heavily-lipsticked hetersexual counterpart; the venom flies when these strong-willed women cross paths! We also see her encounters with the religious right, and flashbacks to her formative high school and college days. Along the way are some surprises.

One of the book's best sections is its conclusion, "Bitchy Butch Has the Last Word," in which the character directly addresses the reader (and takes time to criticize "Ms. Gregory's biased viewpoint"). BB tries to give the reader a little insight into why she is the world's angriest lesbian.

Bitchy Butch is a full-bodied, in-your-face character. Although BB is in one sense a parodic stereotype, Gregory ultimately makes her more than that. The black and white drawings perfectly complement the frequently outrageous dialogue. The art has a crude, sometimes explosive energy. Sometimes surreal, sometimes grotesque, Gregory's visual style is full of satiric bite. I recommend "Bitchy Butch" to fans of lesbian literature, women's studies, graphic novels, and cutting-edge political humor.

Based upon the first review, I went to our local law library to use the book for a note that I am writing. I was very disappointed. The book is currently out-of-date, irrelevant and, to my mind, poorly conceived.

Mr. Yood said it best. I use it as a constant resource.

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant. The commentary not only teaches you about the text, it also teaches you about yourself.