Paul and Empire: Religion and Power in Roman Imperial Society
by Richard A. Horsley
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Paperback (01 November, 1997)
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Reviews (4)

Genesis of a world religion
This book presents a series of essays on Paul in relation the Roman imperial world in which he moved and the result is a refreshingly different view of the onset of 'Christianity', something that didn't really exist yet at the point of discussion. The supposedly 'a-political' Paul focussed on the transcendent is suddenly living and surviving in highly stressed world of the Romans where the response to need, the revolution that is impossible, is met by rising 'ekklesia', which doesn't yet mean church, of the not yet 'Christians'. In the words of the editor, Christianity was a product of empire, but what became the established church of the empire started as an anti-imperial movement.

Well Done!
Professor Horsley's anthology of essays (primarily by other authors), and his introductions, do much to appropriately redefine Saint Paul's writings within social and political contexts.Explicitly rejecting the notion that Paul is to be read exclusively as religious literature intended for a religious community, Horsley (et al.) painstakingly demonstrates that the preaching of the crucified Christ was a direct challenge to the Roman Empire.Similarly, the building of Christian communities around the proclamation of the resurrection were intentional rejections of secular values and order.

Living in an age when religion has too often been high-jacked by fundamentalists of all denominations and faith groups, to serve only petty theological agendas, Horsley's collection stands for us as a useful reminder that faith can be something more.

A Useful anthology
This is a useful anthology on an important subject in Pauline studies.Although the fourteen essays presented here have been published elsewhere,it is very helpful to have them collected in one place. Further, RichardHorsley's introductory material offers a significant synthesis of thematerial. In short, the collection depicts St Paul as developing anexplicitly anti-imperial movement, in opposition to the all-pervasiveemperor cult of Rome. Three aspects of this movement are focussed on:Theology (Parts 1 and 3), Patronage (Part 2) and church as an alternativesociety (Part 4). I would recommend this book to undergraduate students ofthe Bible, and indeed to anyone who doesn't see what politics has to dowith the New Testament. I would also recommend Neil Elliott's 'LiberatingPaul', some of which is reproduced in this volume. ... Read more

Isbn: 1563382172
Sales Rank: 187643
Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Ancient Rome - History    3. Bible - Commentaries - New Testament    4. Bible - Study - New Testament    5. Church history    6. Early Church (To 476)    7. Emperor worship    8. History    9. Primitive and early church, ca    10. Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600    11. Religion    12. Religion - Biblical Studies    13. Religion and politics    14. Rome    15. Paul   

Paul Among the Postliberals
by Douglas Harink
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Reviews (5)

Paul the Postliberal or Paul through a Postliberal lens?
It is hard to tell when reading this book.Paul sounds an awful lot like Barth, Hauerwas, and Yoder, or they look a lot like them.That said, it is a wonderful treatment of Pauline themes and postliberal theology.Each chapter alternates between the two poles.Harink treats justification as the work of God in Christ, as opposed to human work.The Apocalypse is a present reality in the cross and resurrection of Christ.Politics is about making the reign of God clear by communal living.God elects a group of people, Israel, onto which is grafted the church.This church is then a culture, which interacts with other cultures, calling them into the reign of God.If you area postliberal thinker, chances are you will like this book.If you are not, you will have some significant reservations.All things considered, this is an excellent example of a Postliberal reading of Pauline themes.

A Nice Summary, but . . .
This book is an excellent summary of several of the most important "postliberal" Pauline scholars and theologians. Harink is at his best when he focuses on Hauerwas and Yoder; he proves quite effectively that he understands each better than most critics (and critical readers). Unfortunately, when Harink turns to Wright, his examination falls apart and even turns into a vicous ad hominem attack at several points. Harink does not display a thorough understanding of Wright's work and, as one the previous reviewers on this page has noted, his summary is really a parody of Wright. Sadly, the weaknesses in the chapter on Wright betray further weaknesses in his scholastic aptitude, and his inability to comprehend the most important international "postliberal" Pauline scholar forces the reader to question whether he really has a grip on postliberalism (or Paul) at all.

The Apostle Paul from a Postliberal perspective
There will be times when conservative evangelicals (like myself) need to expose themselves to literature that go beyond the usual comfortable theological zone. Douglas Harink's book is a book that qualifies for that. It will either make you re-think Paul's theology or make you go into a fit for turning upside-down the traditional evangelical understanding of Paul. Harink's book is basically a combination of his own thoughts on Pauline themes and an overview of how well-known postliberal theologians have understood Paul. The book contains five long chapters: 1) Justification; 2) Apocalypse; 3) Politics; 4) Israel; and 5) Culture. All of these chapters are stimulating to read (some more than others). Here is an evaluation of all five chapters:

Chapter One: Justification. Harink provides some provocative conclusions on regarding Paul's doctrine of justification. He overturns the traditional Protestant paradigm by calling into question things like the pessimistic anthropology of Lutheran and Reformed theology, the "faith IN Christ" interpretation (cf. Gal 2:16), the negative view of the law, and the highly forensic nature of justification (he believes that justification has more to do with "empowerment" than "acquittal" [p. 44]). He then goes over the doctrine as it is understood by Karl Barth, John Howard Yoder, and Stanley Hauerwas. This chapter was very interesting and may open the reader's eyes on how justification is understood by postliberal scholars.

Chapter Two: Apocalypse. This chapter was the most enjoyable and thought-provoking in the book. Harink discusses Paul's understanding of the "apocalypse" as presented in Galatians and Hauerwas' writings. Harink goes onto show that Paul's point in Galatians was not to contrast faith and works, but to affirm the "singularity of the gospel" over against all other loyalties (religious or political). According to Hauerwas, Paul's main concern was to create a new eschatological people which marks themselves off from the unbelieving world.

Chapter Three: Politics. This chapter deals with the political theology of Paul and Yoder. Harink tries to demonstrate - through Paul and Yoder - that the church is not only a religious body but also a political body that is supposed to act and live differently from the rest of the world. Harink's interpretation of Jesus' call for cross-bearing is very interesting. The cross-bearing did not deal with personal discipleship but for the community to mark themselves off from the opposing political authorities. Whether this reading is correct is debatable.

Chapter Four: Israel. This chapter deals with the highly controversial issue of physical Israel in the place of redemptive history. Harink compares the works of two scholars on this issue: N. T. Wright (a supersessionist) and Yoder (a non-supercessionist). Harink does a good job showing the errors of Wright's supersessionism and its disturbing consequences. For instance, Harink makes a good point that if Wright's supersessionism is true, then the God of Israel and the Church is a capricious and non-trustworthy God (p. 165).

Chapter Five: Culture. I found this chapter to be the least interesting and stimulating. I believe Harink here fails in trying to maintain the truthfulness of the gospel with cultural and religious toleration. The gospel, on the other hand, convicts people and tells them to turn to Christ alone for salvation. Paul would have no toleration for anything that waters-down the gospel for something that is more non-offensive (cf. Galatians 1:8-9).

Overall, the book is interesting to read. I would recommend other conservative evangelicals (especially those within the Lutheran or Reformed camps) to study this book with an open mind. One may not agree with many of Harink's conclusions (like me) but one should still read this book to get a good understanding of what postliberals believe about Paul and his concerns.


... Read more

Isbn: 158743041X
Sales Rank: 415646
Subjects:  1. Bible - Study - General    2. Bible - Study - New Testament    3. Religion    4. Religion - Biblical Studies    5. Theology   

Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul
by Richard Hays
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Paperback (27 January, 1993)
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Reviews (2)

A well written treatise on Paul's use of the Old Testament
A lot of books on biblical studies are not very well crafted. This one is. I also like how Hays brings out the Old Testament nuances in Paul's writings. He recognizes throughout the book that Paul does not alwaysintend to directly quote the Old Testament. He points out that the apostleoften makes verbal echoes of OT passages that would resonate powerfully tothe Jewish members of the early Christian congregations. Plus, as a bonus,I like all of the poetry that Hays puts in the book that capturestheological motifs.

Hays is a craftsman with words
Nascent New Testament theologians should look to Dr. Richard Hays of Duke Divinity School for how to construct a sentence that is both entertaining and thought provoking.His are beautifully written as well as meaningful.

It is Dr. Hays thesis that we can better understand the writings of Paul if we first understand his hermenuetics.And for Paul, that means that he reads consistently the Christian experience through a lens that has been crafted by a fine honing of knowledge from the Hebrew Scriptures.It is in the pulling up of Hebrew Scriptures that preceded or follow the obvious linkage with a particular Pauline passage that we find the most meaning Hays argues.

His writing is compelling, understandable and, yes , persuasive.I wouldcommend this book to anyone who is trying to understand Paul and what he means.This is of particular valuable in developing a biblical understanding of the theological implications of Romans 9-11.

Dennis Shaw ... Read more

Isbn: 0300054297
Sales Rank: 231120
Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible - Study - General    3. Bible - Study - New Testament    4. Bible.    5. Criticism, interpretation, etc    6. Epistles of Paul    7. N.T    8. N.T.    9. New Testament Commentary    10. O.T    11. O.T.    12. Relation to the Epistles of Paul    13. Relation to the Old Testament    14. Religion    15. Religion - Biblical Studies    16. Religion / Bible / Study / New Testament   

Lancelot : A Novel
by Walker Percy
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Paperback (04 September, 1999)
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Reviews (17)

Not Percy's Best, But...
Quite frankly, I found this the most difficult and least enjoyable of Percy's books.

Percy is at his usual cranky self, poking at the delusions of modern life and ridiculing our self-assurance in spite of the fact that we're all rather lost. Good questions are asked. What is love and is it real? Is secular liberalism or Christianity true? What does sex mean? How can we escape boredom? Is life just some cosmic joke?

What is missing in Lancelot, in my opinion, is the sly humour found in The Second Coming or Love in the Ruins. Lancelot is a departure from Percy's typical protagonist, not because he is some crazy, libidinal loner who concocts an apocalyptic scheme to prove some cosmic point (because all of Percy's protagonists fit that bill), but because he isn't particularly funny. Lancelot lacks the sense that the world is bigger than himself, and is so serious that he rarely cracks a joke. His soliloquies, therefore, end up as overly explicit narratives concerning other humourless characters. This is especially true of the play within the play --- the movie making subplot which gets a little self-referential (after all, isn't this the most cinematic of Percy's novels?).

Still, enjoy Percy's craftsmanship, for there are far too few of his novels to be too fussy. What else is a crazy, libidinal, apocalyptic loner to do?

Modern Literature at its Best
This novel is wonderfully written.Walker Percy has quite a unique way of expressing thought in the English language.Unfortunately, unique does not always mean well done.In the case of Walker Percy, however, this novel is a masterpiece of prose.

The first couple of pages take the reader into the mind of a man (Lancelot) at an insane asylum who is recollecting his crimes against his now dead wife.Percy uses Lancelot as a foil to pose many questions regarding our humanity and morality.

For example, what is the sexual act?Why should it mean anything other than a biological act between two humans?What is it that causes man to be so grievously injured by adultery if the act is nothing but biology?Lancelot ponders these questions throughout the novel as he talks to his childhood friend who has become a priest.Percy gives no answers except to demonstrate through Lancelot that Lancelot's answers are lacking.Lancelot's answers form no moral basis.

The story moves quickly as Lancelot recalls the events leading up to his crime.To that end, the clipped pace of the narrative suits the urgency of the action.

The reader will understand just what he/she is getting in this novel within the first 20 pages.I recommend it highly, but do issue a caution that there is some quite honest dialogue in the novel that includes a fair amount of profanity.Though probably necessary to develope the character, some may be offended.

Purchase the book and enjoy modern literature at its best.

Confidentially, It's Walker Percy's Best Book . . .
After I read this book I had no choice but to immediately consume Walker Percy's novels.Reading Lancelot was like having the top of my head blown off and surviving the experience more awake and alive than ever.In an era where no one is really sure what they believe anymore, Percy sets out an interesting test.If you discovered clear evidence of evil, what would that tell you about the existence of good and maybe even God?I strongly suggest you take this journey and pay very close attention to the parallel travels of the main character's confidant, a priest-psychologist who is himself in crisis.If you do so, the ending will make the hairs stand up on the back on your neck. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312243073
Sales Rank: 229955
Subjects:  1. Adaptations    2. Arthurian romances    3. Classics    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - General    6. Literary    7. Married people    8. Men    9. Percy, Walker - Prose & Criticism    10. United States    11. Fiction / Literary   

The Loved One
by Evelyn Waugh
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Paperback (September, 1999)
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Editorial Review

The prolific Waugh--an English novelist and satirist perhaps best known for Brideshead Revisited--described this slim, vicious comedy as "a little nightmare produced by the unaccustomed high living of a brief visit to Hollywood." The setting is the L.A. funeral industry, where Whispering Glades provides deluxe service to deceased stars and their families, and the Happier Hunting Ground does the same for dead pets. (At Whispering Glades, staff must refer to the corpses only as "Loved Ones.") The industry provides a perfect foil for Waugh's deadpan wit--and an apt metaphor for the movie business. ... Read more

Reviews (149)

Dead Funny
Waugh is wickedly merciless in this attack, his use of humor morbid and obsene, his wit piercing, as always he leaves no room for empathy or sympathy as he cruely dissects his victims.His targets are common themes in many of his works, the British upper class, the Catholic Church, a lack of post war standards, human vanity ,love and the biggest of all, any symbol of the establishment (in this case societies method for the disposal of the dead).

This short book skewers all of the above, set against the Los Angeles British film community in the thirties. Our central character (not hero) is Dennis Barlow, british expatriate, failed poet and employee of the Happier Hunting Ground Pet Cemetry.After the suicide of his mentor Sir Francis, Dennis has the task of arranging the funeral at the hallowed Whispering Glades Funeral Home where he falls in love with cosmetician Aimee.

There are cultural problems, class of funeral establishment issues and a rival suitor in the shape of embalmer Mr Joybody.Waugh as you would expect extracts the maximum humor from every situation, allows no sentiment to creep into the novel or even endearing qualities in his characters.As with much of his work the love story ends in tragedy, no one much cares and life moves on.

I love satire and this is so good, not the authors best but much better than many if not all his imitators work.

Waugh's Blackest, Funniest Moment
How brilliant an author can be when he doesn't give the slightest hoot about any of the characters he breathes life into! "The Loved One" is a brutal read, but those who read it will uncover a fabulous entertainment precisely because of its total lack of sentiment.

Failed poet Dennis Barlow has left his native England and, much to the embarrassment of his fellow ex-pat Brits, taken work as the front man for a Los Angeles pet cemetery, Happier Hunting Grounds. While making funeral arrangements for his former living companion, a scriptwriter-turned-suicide, Barlow meets and romances a cosmetician at Whispering Glades, the in-place for dead celebs who crave some final status before they go. Using some recycled poetry from the likes of Shelley and Shakespeare (he's long since run out of gas on his own), Barlow manages to woo young Aimee Thanatogenos from under the attentions of chief Whispering Glades undertaker Mr. Joyboy. But will Joyboy play fair with his rival?

One confusing thing people often say about "The Loved One" is that it's a Catholic satire on the materialist way people handle the subject of death. Waugh was a devout Catholic, and a satirist, but it strikes me that "The Loved One" is rather agnostic in tone, without a religious character or idea presented as buttress against the nihilist vision of the book. I don't think people are wrong to be disturbed by it that way. "The Loved One" satirizes the non-religious nature of death as memorialized at Whispering Glades, but not so much with the suggestion of an alternative as with the notion that talk of non-sectarian "better worlds" is like whistling in a vacuum and, at best, frivolous. After a few reads, my sense of "A Loved One" is that it could be a book written by a Lutheran, a Jew, or an atheist. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

The fact that the novel still manages to be entertaining even as it runs against the grain of Waugh's moral and spiritual beliefs is testament to the author's brilliance. It's one thing to write the Crete passage in "Officers And Gentlemen," where the awful carnage of the battle is presented with a sense of some higher significance. When Barlow returns home one day and finds his old friend swinging from the rafters in a noose, we are told "his reason accepted the event as part of the established order." Barlow is an artfully rendered protagonist precisely because he is so lacking in character or decency. He is a thorough clod. Readers tackling "The Loved One" for the first time are well-advised not to make the mistake of caring for any of the characters in it, especially not him.

My favorite part of the book is the opening, where we meet Barlow and his companion, the aging screenwriter-turned-hack-publicist Francis Hinsley. "Kierkegaard, Kafka, Connolly, Compton Burnet, Sartre, 'Scottie' Wilson. Who are they? What do they want?" asks Hinsley over sodas-and-whisky, taking in the literary "new breed" which was by then either dead or collecting pensions. There's a wonderful sense of comic disengagement, the idea of Hollywood as some Somerset Maugham outpost in deepest Africa, and the Tinseltown focus is something we lose as the novel goes on, which I missed.

The rest of the book is a clever forum for Waugh's brilliant observations and off-handed commentary about a life lived in a world without standards. Aimee notes at one point: "Once you start changing a name, you see, there's no reason ever to stop. One always hears one that sounds better."

Or the infamous single episode where we meet Mr. Joyboy's mother, who had "small angry eyes, frizzy hair, pince-nez on a very thick nose, a shapeless body, and positively insulting clothes." Who says adverbs ruin good writing?

As I said, "The Loved One" is not for the fainthearted. I almost wish my edition didn't come with a Charles Addams cover illustration; it sets the wrong expectation. This is a "fiendishly entertaining" read only for those who go into it not expecting to be fiendishly entertained. It's for the dour pessimist in us all. But it's definitely one of the best novels ever written, precisely because of its unremitting focus on the things mankind naturally would turn away from if it could, and the dark amusement it finds from such exploration serves as a kind of triumph of the literary imagination we can still celebrate today.

Waugh's Black Humor At It's Best
Evelyn Waugh has long been a favorite of mine.His satire and his wit, along with his wonderful ability to capture human personality with words, introduced me to a whole new standard of literature in my college days.I read everything he had written, or so I thought, until I stumbled on a few books at the local used bookstore several years ago--and before my introduction to the world of Amazon.com.I don't know why it took me so long to pick up The Loved One, but I'm so glad I finally did!

Dennis Barlow is a young Brit, brought over to Hollywood for his poetic skills.When his contract is not renewed, far from being horror-stricken like his fellow ex-patriots, he simply takes another job, with the intention of returning to poetry on the side.What happens afterward is a morbidly humorous tale on which I can not expound for fear of ruining it for you.I can say that it includes a cosmetician, a mortician, Whispering Glades Memorial Park, a parrot and a few famous poems.Oh, and lots of typical Waugh black humor that will have you laughing out loud, re-reading, and thoroughly enjoying yourself at the expense of the characters, dead and alive.

I've read all but two of Waugh's novels, and I must say that this one tops even Scoop as my favorite! ... Read more

Isbn: 0316926086
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif    4. Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)    5. Humorous    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. Motion picture industry    8. Fiction / Classics   

The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era: Exploring the Background of Early Christianity
by James S. Jeffers
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Paperback (01 October, 1999)
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Reviews (2)

A Gem for the Ages
As a person just starting my own exploration of the early history of the Christian Church, I found this book an absolute joy to read. Mr. Jeffers is a historical author of the highest order.

As a history major in college, I found that the greatest historians were the ones who could pull together complex themes, ideas, and stories into an approachable tome. Mr. Jeffers has done all that and more. He kindly places New Testament references in the body of his text to highlight the point he is referring to.

The effect of his writing is to give the New Testament a more "three dimensional" feel. No longer is Paul's admonition in I Corinthians 16:15-18 simply about treating a fellow named Stephanas with more respect. It is about the Church showing more appreciation for all their patron - Stephanas - has done for them. This guy wasn't just an average schmoe; he was the money guy who opened his house up for the organization.

When Paul writes to the Philippians that they are citizens of Heaven living in a foreign country, the people he is writing to know EXACTLY what he is talking about. They know the benefits of Roman citizenship (which they have been denied), and the hardships of living as foreigners inside Rome. Gems like these are laced all througout the book

Jeffers also does a tremendous job at explaining Roman governance. I now understand that the Roman Senate wasn't anything other than a group of really really rich guys who pulled the strings of the government that they set up.

It was especially gratifying to read about how certain societal customs became the undoing of the Republic, and the key to the emergence of the Empire. In fact, if I could offer any advice to a reader, I might suggest reading Appendix A right after the first chapter.

It is Appendix A that connects the dots in all that I have read. Jeffers explains (in broad terms) the rise of the Republic, the Republic as conqueror, the fall of the Republic, and the Rise of the Caesar. It was, to me, the most gripping part of the book. So many of the names, wars, events, and legends that I had bouncing around my head like pin balls, came together in one unified story. It was thoroughly enlightening.

I can tell you that The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament will be a reference book for me as long as I live.

Excellent Book
This is an excellent book. I recommend it for every Christian, and for those interested in the roots of Christian history. Basically, the author gives us a glimpse of life in the first century. From the four voluntary associations in roman culture to what a person would experience in daily life to how religion was understood in ancient times, this book gives great insight into understanding key concepts and he relates those concepts to Scripture, showing how certain passages reflect a particular theme in society. This is not a theology book, but a book to educate people about the environment that the Scriptures were written in. The author also describes some common fallacies modern people have about life in those times. For example, he explains how the catacombs were not secret Christian meeting places and that the romans had profound respect for the dead (in general). But that Christians organized as burial associations. He also shows the patron-client relationship in culture and how some of that type of relationship is expressed in Scripture. And perhaps one of the best features of the book is a detailed history of the major cities in Biblical times and notable facts about them. All in all, this book is good reading. I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Isbn: 0830815899
Sales Rank: 37339
Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Bible    3. Bible - Study - New Testament    4. Bible.    5. Christianity - History - General    6. Church history    7. History of contemporary events    8. N.T    9. N.T.    10. New Testament Commentary    11. Primitive and early church, ca    12. Primitive and early church, ca. 30-600    13. Religion    14. Religion - Church History   

The Rich are Different
by Susan howatch
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Hardcover (15 March, 1977)
list price: $11.50
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Reviews (7)

excellent book
I read this book in 1977 & still remember it asa great book. It is quite long, 658 pages but it is very hard to put down. It is intertaining & interesting. I know I will be reading it over & over again.

Howatch is wonderfull
Howatch puzzles me, her novels look like run of the mill pulp fiction best sellers to judge by the covers but once you start to read them you discover a formidable intelligance. Why doesn't this author have the reputation herskills entitle her to, she is easly up there with Drabble, Murdoch andother Doyens of the British novel.

This is a Modern Day Story of Caesar.
I've ready this book about 6 times for the past 10 years and it always delights.It didn't hit me, until I started studying ancient Rome that it is the very story of Caesar and Cleopatra, but set in Wall Street, New York(as powerful as ancient Rome!) The story begins identical to the firstmeeting of Caesar and Cleopatra...just as Cleopatra was brought to Caesarrolled in a carpet and carried by her faithful servant...so is Diana Sladebrought to Paul Van Zale concealed in a cart and rolled in by her trustyGeoffry. Paul's wife is barren, just as history says that Caesar's wifeCalpurnia was barren. Guess what else?Paul has epilepsy - who else canyou think of that historians believe ALSO had epilepsy?Paul's right-handman Steve is described exactly as Marc Antony...burly, surly and withdynamic charm - guess what?Diana and Steve find an even greater love thanDiana and Caesar...oops I mean Paul Van Zale...Paul is assasinated by theson of his ex-mistress (If you know your history...you know that Brutus isthe son of Caesar's ex-mistress Servilia...) Paul leaves his fortune to his cunning, clever, sickly nephew Cornelius. Who also mirrors Octavian(Augustus Caesar in later years) Octavian becomes Diana's bitter enemy andvows to take from her the one thing that she holds most dear...Mallinghamher ancestral home... Just as Octavian vowed to take Egypt from Cleopatra.Steve is hounded by Cornelius much as Antony was hounded by Octavian andfinally dies a virtual suicidal death...When Cornelius tries to take Dianaback to New York (mmmh, seems to me that Octavian wanted to bring Cleo toRome...) Diana gets the last laugh.Paul's son also dies in his earlyyears just as Caesarian did.Paul's only daughter Vicky married Paul'senemy just as Caesar married his daughter to Pompei...and Guess what? Shedies during her pregnancy just as Julia did! I can go on and on, but youget the picture. In my youth, I considered this a truly originalmasterpiece...but I now know that the entire story is the most famous inhistory and that it did not come from Ms. Howatch's incredibly imaginitivemind.It does not mean this book isn't worth reading...It Is!! We'll justhave to forgive her for borrowing from history. I have ready many of herbooks and they are all wonderful.I usually read them many times. ... Read more

Isbn: 067122669X
Sales Rank: 525764

Many Dimensions
by Charles W. Williams
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 July, 1963)
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Editorial Review

Imagine Raiders of the Lost Ark set in 20th-century London, and then imagine it written by a man steeped not in Hollywood movies but in Dante and the things of the spirit, and you might begin to get a picture of Charles Williams's novel Many Dimensions. The plot turns on the discovery of the magical Stone of Solomon, through which one can move at will through space, time, and thought. Those who think they can manipulate the stone to serve their own ends, however, find to their horror that, as Jesus once ironically said, "they have their reward." While the story clearly deals with the extraordinary, through his humorous and loving depiction of his British characters Williams more deeply shows us the spiritual reality that lies inside the ordinary. --Doug Thorpe ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Very funny for Charles Williams, and well done
Charles Williams is always deep, and often thick and meaty. Happily, in this novel, he is extremely funny. Watching what the British do when a spiritually powerful stone is dropped into their outstretched hands is a fine pursuit. Some situations are farcically funny, others witty, and some are, in the end, pitiful- the kind of jokes about the human race that are rooted in our failure to do all we should with our great gifts, that we wish we didn't have to make.

Williams combines an ultimately serious theme with high poetry, good plot and characters, and his highly individual treatment of the supernatural and mysticism for a very satisfying read (and re-read).

Does God Play Dice?

Contrary to popular belief, I'm fast coming round to the idea that Williams was a *philosophical* writer rather than a *religious* writer.And not only because he himself described his seven novels as "metaphysical thrillers".

Unlike "Descent into Hell" - which is quite frankly an overwrought gothic monstrosity - "Many Dimensions" is a 'typical' Williams story, with standard English prose (standard for the 1930s, that is), a straightforward plotline and plenty of pace.In fact you could put "Many Dimensions" up against later fiction of a similar tone - like Dennis Wheatley, for example (not very well-known now, but immensely popular in the 50s and 60s) - and be hard put to pick a winner.

So where does the philosophy come in?
Primarily in the form of a series of very basic, but also very important, questions that lie just below the surface of the story - and sometimes not even below the surface.

Questions like: "If you can restore all of the people in group A to health, but in the process throw at least an equal number of people in group B out of work - at a time when work isn't that easy to come by in the first place - which group should take priority?"

This question, and others closely related, run all through the story yet, due to Williams' writing skill, they do nothing to impede the plot unless the reader actively chooses to think them through.

The final answer Williams gives, I *think*, is that there is no *easy* answer. Only he frames his conclusion far more lucid and impactful manner than that last observation might suggest.

In short, this writing has the power to enthrall and satisfy a wide range of readers.
The only reason I don't give it five stars is because the literary style is typical of British writing in the 1930s, which I guess won't necessarily be to everyone's taste.
Having said which, I really do recommend the majority of Williams' novels as a taste worth acquiring.

Oh yes, why did I give this review the title "Does God Play Dice?"? When you read the book I think you'll know exactly why.
Good reading!

fast-paced spiritual thriller
Many Dimensions is a fast-paced, mystical-scientific-spiritual novel in the same vein as C.S. Lewis' sci-fi thrillers (take That Hideous Strength and replace the Arthurian mythology with Middle Eastern Muslim mythologyand you will have an idea of the mood of Many Dimensions).I found bothWilliams' briefly mentioned concept of "Organic Law" and his muchdiscussed idea of time-travel fascinating.The characters are notextremely well developed, but the plot doesen't really allow it anyway. Since this is my first Charles Williams novel, I wouldn't know if it's hisbest but I would reccommend it to those interested in C.S. Lewis and theother Inklings. ... Read more

Isbn: 080281221X
Subjects:  1. Fiction - General    2. General   

Portraits of Paul: An Archaeology of Ancient Personality
by Bruce J. Malina, Jerome H. Neyrey
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Paperback (01 August, 1996)
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Reviews (1)

Seeing ancient people
A key book to understanding ancient people and their worldview. Malina andNeyrey do an excellent job of "digging" up ancient understandingsof persons.Using the character of Paul in ancient literature, theycogently and clearly use Anthropology, coupled with ancient literature, todiscuss how ancients understood and viewed each other.I highly recommendthis volume for students of the Bible and the ancient world in general. ... Read more

Isbn: 0664256813
Sales Rank: 446885
Subjects:  1. Bible - Study - General    2. Bible - Study - New Testament    3. Bible - Topical Studies    4. Biblical Archaeology    5. Biography    6. Early Church (To 476)    7. Paul,    8. Prosopography    9. Religion    10. Religion - Biblical Studies    11. Rhetoric in the Bible    12. To 500    13. the Apostle, Saint    14. Paul   

The Icon and the Axe : An Interpretive History of Russian Culture
by JAMES BILLINGTON
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Paperback (12 December, 1970)
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Reviews (7)

A CLASSICFOR ANY STUDENT OF RUSSIAN HISTORY
This reflective review and interpretation of Russian history is as fresh today as it was when it was published as a first edition.The book is absolutely spectacular.It is probably one of the best historical interpretation of all periods of Russian History; I particularly enjoyed its account of the 17th Century Raskol or "schism".I came across this book back in University. Many years later I bought it from Amazon and I am still enjoying its wealth of info.A must buy!

Outstanding!
This book evidently is the result of a disertation as it has the typical structure of such a document.It really needs to be read in conjunction with other books on Russian History to get its full impact.It is highly documented with lots of notes.It gives Russian history a new look, telling you why Russia had to do certain things.It was very enlightening and well organized and written. I would give it a must buy recommendation.

A unique combination of history, art, culture, and character
When I read this book as a young university student in the early 1970s, it kindled an interest that has endured to this day. In fact, I went on to graduate school in Russian Area Studies and spent 16 years as a Soviet specialist in the Department of Defense, primarily as a result of the reading and study sparked by Billington's masterpiece. It is not conventional history. People have asked me again and again to explain why the Russians believe or behave in a particular manner. I refer them to "The Icon and the Axe." If it is possible to explain a People (as the Russians would say a "narod"), Billington does so. Truly a great work. ... Read more

Isbn: 0394708466
Sales Rank: 239048
Subjects:  1. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    2. History - General History    3. Intellectual life    4. Russia    5. Soviet Union    6. History / Soviet Union   

Jesus and the Victory of God (Christian Origins and the Question of God, Volume 2)
by N.T. Wright, N. T. Wright
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Paperback (01 August, 1997)
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Reviews (23)

A Verbose Defense of Orthodoxy
In this book Anglican theologian N. T. Wright attempts a highly nuanced defense of Christian orthodoxy.I say "highly nuanced" because Wright's arguments are so long and complex, and so ofteninterrupted with numerous asides, qualifications, and digressions, that it is often hard to pin down exactly what he is saying. When reading this book, I often found myself saying, "Please get to the point!"

Nonetheless, Wright does - eventually - lay down a general defense of traditional Christology, while offering insights which cast that tradition in a new light.Some may question whether Wright does indeed stay within the bounds of Nicene theology, and I can only say that I think he INTENDS to, whether or not he actually succeeds.

Still, I came away from this book thinking the following thought:how can traditional Christianity survive as a major religion if it takes hundreds of pages of complex reasoning and historical research to defend and explain one of its central dogmas, i.e., the divinity of Christ?Does the need for Wright's erudite complexity signal that the doctrine of the Trinity is in trouble?Perhaps it does, for the full weight of a world religion cannot stand for long on the spindly legs of complex reasoning and hair-splitting analysis.

THEOLOGY BACK ON THE PATH
This series although quite lengthy from THE NEW TESTAMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF GOD, JESUS AND THE VICTORY OF GOD, AND THE RESSURECTION OF THE SON OF GOD. Is a must read for anyone who is interested in the truth. Wright gets into not only the theological, but the historic facts of the first centuriespolitical upheavalsas well the hope of the everyday Jew and the messiah they were looking for.& how this shaped Jesus ministry. Wright fully believes in the resurrection of Christ, and that he is the vary presence of God.That in him all the scriptures are fulfilled.its a lot of reading but well worth it. This series is a refreshing in that it looks into how the bible was understood in the first centuries and not how the twentieth century sees it and Christ.As a christian we are to seek the truth,an i believe this is a fresh start.

JVG
As mentioned in my review of NTPG, reading this book is like joining a train that has by now built up a considerable head of steam, and travelled some distance. Building on the work of NTPG Wright now turns his gaze to questions specifically about Jesus. And in doing so starts to paint a picture of who is was and what he was wanting to achieve.
Again for me this was another time of personal epiphany for me as I discovered for the first time a Jesus who seemed real and understandable. Meeting a desire that had stirred in me since more ephemeral encounters with God and, I presumed, Jesus had in church. ... Read more

Isbn: 0800626826
Sales Rank: 31785
Subjects:  1. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - New Testament    2. Christianity - Theology - Protestant    3. Christology    4. Religion    5. Religion - Commentaries / Reference   

Snow in August
by Pete Hamill
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Mass Market Paperback (01 March, 1998)
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Editorial Review

In 1940s Brooklyn, friendship between an 11-year-old Irish Catholic boy and an elderly Jewish rabbi might seem as unlikely as, well, snow in August. But the relationship between young Michael Devlin and Rabbi Judah Hirsch is only one of the many miracles large and small contained in Pete Hamill's novel. Michael finds himself in trouble when he witnesses the 17-year-old leader of the dreaded Falcons gang beating an elderly shopkeeper. For Michael, 1940s Brooklyn is a world still shaped by life in the Old Country, a world where informing on a fellow Irishman is the worst crime imaginable--worse even than the violent crimes committed by some of those fellows. So Michael keeps silent, finding solace in the company of Rabbi Hirsch, a Czech refuge whom he meets by chance. From this serendipitous beginning blossoms a unique friendship--one that proves perilous to both when the Falcons catch up with them.

Interlaced with Hamill's realistic descriptions of violence and fear are scenes of remarkable poignancy: the rabbi's first baseball game, where he sees Jackie Robinson play for the Dodgers; Michael's introduction into the mystical world of the Cabbala and the book's miraculous ending. Hamill is not a lyrical writer, but he is a heartfelt one, and this story of courage in the face of great odds is one of his best. ... Read more

Reviews (141)

snow in august -in the comics,anything is possible
This is a warm, heartfelt tale of a young, Catholic boy growing up in Brooklyn.In a fierce snowstorm, he meets a rabbi from a nearby temple; they develop a close friendship which begins when the rabbi asks Michael to help him learn the language, while he teaches Michael Yiddish.There are neighborhood toughs, a gruff but friendly priest, a widowed mother, and the character building choices made by the youngsters of the story.At first, the end of the story was a little disappointing, but with further thought, I have come to realize that it was a perfect ending; following through with the imaginative Michael resolving his problems through his comicbook super hero action and his invisible friend - and, in his fantasy, accompanying his dear friend, the Rabbi, through another of his life's experiences.It is all the means by which Michael is able to deal with events over which he has no control in the real world.He would like to believe he can make everything right, but he knows it is impossible.So he resolves it all in his imagination, and he is, indeed, a superhero.
I highly recommend this book for all ages from teenage through adult as there is something in it for everyone.

Not a usual review.
I read this book as a school assignment which required me to read analytically, and I found many surprising things.

Overall I found the book to be written in such a way that it was easy to read and find an interesting story on the surface. However, to find the most beautiful of things it took some attention to previous things written, and the pictures that the words formed. For example, when Michael goes to Mrs. Griffen about his dreams which may just seem like odd dreams at first, but when remembered later on I found it to be foreshadowing, with the red snow.

After reading many reviews about the last 40 pages being bad, and not a good ending to the book, I went back and reread the ending two more times only to find that the more I read the ending the more beautiful it became to me. The first time I read the end, I got chills, and by the third time I was crying. While some events could have been changed, I think most of the ending ties everything in the book together so well, that it really cannot be changed.

"I'm for Jackie (Robinson)"
I received this book as a gift from my cousins immediately after its publication in 1997 upon turning 12 years old. I read Snow In August at that time and then reread it a few months ago, before turning 20. Reading the book at 12 and then revisiting it at 19 sure provided a different context with different levels of appeciation.

This treasure of a novel is a magical combination of friendship, love, faith, Jewish lore and mysticism, miracles, and a battle against hatred & evil. It is a coming-of-age story of Michael Devlin, an Irish-Catholic boy, set in a rough Brookyn neighborhood in the late 1940's. It is story of one rabbi, a Holocaust escapee and recent American immigrant, tortured by his suffering, his losses, a man wrestling with his God.Their lives converge in an extraordinary friendship and teacher/student relationship. And, oh yes, it is also a story of baseball.

When the governor of my state, Bill Owens, designated Snow In August for Colorado's "One State, One Book" program in 2002, he couldn't have made a better selection. ... Read more

Isbn: 0446606251
Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Literary    4. Fiction / General   

In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in Mobutu's Congo
by Michela Wrong
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Paperback (28 May, 2002)
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Editorial Review

During Mobutu Sese Seko's 30 years as president of Zaire (now the Congo), he managed to plunder his nation's economy and live a life of excess unparalleled in modern history. A foreign correspondent in Zaire for six years, Michela Wrong has plenty of titillating stories to tell about Mobutu's excesses, such as the Versailles-like palace he built in the jungle, or his insistence that he needed $10 million a month to live on. However, these are not the stories that most interest Wrong. Her aim is to understand all of the reasons behind the economic disintegration of the most mineral-rich country on the African continent; in so doing, she turns over the mammoth rock that was Mobutu and finds a seething underworld of parasites with names like the CIA, the World Bank and the IMF, the French and Belgian governments, mercenaries, and a host of fat cats who benefited from Mobutu's largesse and even exceeded his rapaciousness.

Wrong turns first to Belgian's King Leopold II, who instituted a brutal colonial regime in the Congo in order to extract the natural and mineral wealth for his personal gain. Mobutu, with the aid of a U.S. government determined to sabotage Soviet expansion, stepped easily into Leopold's footsteps, continuing a culture built on government-sanctioned sleaze and theft. Under the circumstances, it's hard not to feel some sympathy for the people who survived in the only ways they could--teachers trading passing grades for groceries, hospitals refusing to let patients leave until they paid up, cassava patches cultivated next to the frighteningly unsafe nuclear reactor. What is less comprehensible--and rightly due for an airing--are Wrong's revelations about foreign interventions. Why, for example, did the World Bank and IMF give Mobutu $9.3 billion in aid, knowing full well that he was pocketing most of it?

In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz is a brilliantly conceived and written work, sharply observant and richly described with a necessary sense of the absurd. Wrong paints a far more nuanced picture of the wily autocrat than we've seen before, and of the blatant greed and paranoia of the many players involved in the country's self-destruction. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (39)

Mobutu at the Heart of Zaire's Darkness
Throughout history, Africa has claimed the moniker of the Dark Continent, originally due to its mysteriousness, wildness, and danger.However, there is a new darkness that has overtaken modern Africa, a darkness that plagues the content. This darkness is composed of governmental corruption, violent coups, genocide, ethnic cleansing, guerilla warfare and other forms of exploitation and violence.

One of the most blatant examples of this impinging darkness was the rule Zaire's President Mobutu.His insatiable thirst for cruelty brought Zaire, a nation with massive potential for wealth and prosperity, to its knees and subsequently destroyed the will of his own proud people.

Michaela Wrong follows the rise of Mobutu, the once obscure military aide, and chronicles his nearly instinctual political maneuvers which finally consolidated his grip on the throat of Zaire.Wrong also illustrates the effects of Mobutu's "kleptocracy" which essentially bled the nation and its people dry of any wealth, and economic potential.

Apart from bankrupting a nation, perhaps the saddest result of Mobutu's reign was destruction of a nation's will.The people of Zaire not only grew disillusioned with Mobutu's leadership, but became disillusioned with the hope of betterment.In the minds of many of those living in Zaire under Mobutu, the thought of struggling everyday to eek out a living seemed pointless.At the end of that day, the Mobutu government would come and reap all that was so painfully sown.

The title of book is In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz, named after the power hungry character in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Wrong does draw vague parallels between the two. Still, the parallels do lend an interesting twist to the work.Both Mobutu and Kurtz were corrupted by power and the vast wealth hidden in the darkest Africa, and once they tasted those sweet riches, their appetites became insatiable and cost Africa dearly.

Good book, bad writing.
This is an interesting read and definitely worth the time.Unlike some of the other reviewers, I wasn't bothered by her loose chronological order.

What did bother me, however, was her absolutely terrible writing style.Wrong seems not to understand that significant over use of a thesaurus, "clever" allusions, and purposefully obscure vocabulary are not suitable replacements for good writing.

All in all, I would recommend the book, but you may need to skip over some of her more distracting examples of bad writing.

A good place to start your reading on Congo/Zaire
This book was recommended to me by a bookseller here in Washington, DC when I mentioned my interest in reading King Leopold's Ghost.I have no relationship to the author.Like many U.S. residents, I have a fairly limited understanding of political history and current affairs in African nations.(Not completely so; recent travel in Egypt and Kenya raised some awareness.)Still, I was very appreciative of the author's presentation of the Congo/Zaire story: more a series of snapshots than a linear telling of the events.She did a decent job of suggesting that Mobutu's failings were hardly his own - sharing that responsibility, instead, with Belgium (within the broader context of colonialism) and, more recently, with Western governments and financial institutions (the IMF and the World Bank) that continue to profit from and exploit the African political landscape.Further, the author shows how these larger political games affected the people within its borders: her telling of the workings of the black market economy in the period of mega-inflation had my rapt attention.I also appreciated what the author revealed about how corrupt leadership benefits its collaborators at all levels.(Halliburton, anyone?) I don't think she let Mobutu off the hook; she just didn't slip into that trap of leaving him as Mr. Evil the way that some suggest that Hitler didn't have the collaboration of an entire nation of people.If you approach this book as someone's engaging story of how Congo/Zaire came to be what it is today rather than a historical researcher's dreary recounting of the facts, you'll like this book plenty AND be willing to learn more about the country.Off to King Leopold's Ghost now... ... Read more

Isbn: 0060934433
Subjects:  1. Africa - General    2. Current Affairs    3. General    4. Government - Comparative    5. History & Theory - General    6. Politics - Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations   

The Stars My Destination
by Alfred Bester
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 July, 1996)
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Editorial Review

When it comes to pop culture, Alfred Bester (1913-1987) is something of an unsung hero. He wrote radio scripts, screenplays, and comic books (in which capacity he created the original Green Lantern Oath). But Bester is best known for his science-fiction novels, and The Stars My Destination may be his finest creation. First published in 1956 (as Tiger! Tiger!), the novel revolves around a hero named Gulliver Foyle, who teleports himself out of a tight spot and creates a great deal of consternation in the process. With its sly potshotting at corporate skullduggery, The Stars My Destination seems utterly contemporary, and has maintained its status as an underground classic for forty years. (Bester fans should also note that Vintage has reprinted The Demolished Man, which won the very first Hugo Award in 1953.) ... Read more

Reviews (184)

Htich your wagon...
This, quite frankly, is my favorite sci-fi book. Alfred Bester is the hidden genius of sci-fi, overshadowed by the amiable popularity of Heinlein and the visions of Asimov.

What Bester does in this and to a lesser extent in the Demolished Man is take a hero and stretch him into an unrecognizable, almost Heathcliffesque proportion. But in that stretch the hero (now anti-hero) is believable and human. Bester is different from his contemporaries (and not at all like his supposed 'heirs' in cyberpunk, but that's a different story) because he uses human emotion as his template, not human sociological patterns, though this is a pattern in his stories. Overall, Bester is by far my favorite speculative author, because he is not afraid to do weird things but also not afraid to make a rapist and vengeful man into a hero.

Blew my mind.
Only now do I know how much of this seminal book was lifted to create movies like Star Wars and The Matrix. The famous line about being 'More machine that Man" that I associated with darth Vader - comes from this book. The ability to move so fast everything appears so and bullets warp space - this book.

Provocative; 3 1/2 stars
I will say up front that I do not read much sci-fi.This was a book recommended to me by someone who knows her stuff.Gully Foyle starts off as an empty shell of a human being, bent only on destruction (for somewhat valid reasons).What Bester does is show the evolution of a human being, and he throws in some astonishing moments that can be seen as metaphors for God and creation.The last section makes you feel like you are inside a psychedelic poem. ... Read more

Isbn: 0679767800
Subjects:  1. Bester, Alfred - Prose & Criticism    2. Fiction - Science Fiction    3. Science Fiction    4. Science Fiction - General    5. Sciencefiction    6. Fiction / Science Fiction / General   

The Politics of Jesus
by John Howard Yoder
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Paperback (01 May, 1994)
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Reviews (10)

stunning
This book has shaped my personal theology like few others. It offers unique insights into the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a compelling critique to so many traditional streams of Christianity that consider the life of Jesus to have minimal relevance for our lives today.

The Unashamed Theologian
This book is one of those that you will either completely hate and despise, or one that will completely rock your world.In my case, it was a world-rocker.Yoder was far ahead of much of nonfoundationalist and postliberal theology in his masterful work at simply reading and interpreting the Bible (and particularly the gospels) as if its content mattered for how we understand and perform social ethics.

The first part of the book is a contention that Jesus is not irrelevant for ethics.Yoder sucintly knocks down arguments that would seek to ground the substance of ethics in some norm other than God revealed in Christ.

The largest chapter of the book involves a close reading of the book of Luke, showing that Jesus, far from being apolitical, offers an alternative political possibility to that of Ceasar.Yoder goes on to discuss other biblical and historical issues such as the Jubilee language in the gospel of Luke and its implications, the oft-batted about passage on "the state" in Romans 13 - this section is simply masterful; Yoder is incredibly persuasive about how this passage has been misread out of context by those that seek to make Christian theology underwrite civil government.Yoder also examines the issues of war in the Old Testament, showing lucidly how these passages do not support an ethid of violence.There are also extended treatments on Pauline thought, including the Yoder's controversial (and brilliant) treatment of the Household Codes.There is a final chapter on Revelation is worth the price of the book itself.

This is definately a must-read.Even if you disagree with everything Yoder says, this book is a classic and presents questions that must be thought through by anyone who claims to follow Christ.

Was Jesus a Dove?
I am borrowing a term from my youth and the Viet Nam conflct when people were labeled Hawks or Doves by their reaction to war.

Yoder makes a case that Jesus was VERY political.He was not uninterested in world events around him.He was involved, but not in the way that much of the religious right is today.More likely, he made the footsteps that Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mother Theresa later walked in.This is a book on politics, power, and pacifism.At least that is the way that Yoder sees it.

Many Christians do not agree with Yoder, but he is not easily dismissed.This book is well written and each chapter of this revised edition contains an epilogue that helps to update it with new information since the days of the first edition. ... Read more

Isbn: 0802807348
Sales Rank: 20090
Subjects:  1. Christianity    2. Christianity - Theology - Christology    3. Christology    4. Example    5. Institutions & Organizations    6. Jesus Christ    7. Pacifism    8. Political and social views    9. Religion    10. Religious aspects    11. Social ethics    12. Theology   

The Little Friend
by DONNA TARTT
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Hardcover (22 October, 2002)
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Reviews (501)

Mixed Feelings
I read The Little Friend because I had already finished Secret History and really liked it. However, I had a mixed reaction to this second novel. I liked the character development and the depiction of life in the South of the 70's, and I was impressed with the pace of the book. Oh, it wasn't fast paced! Actually, it moved slowly. But I find Ms. Tartt very skillful at making me take the story at her intended pace rather than at my own. I have no idea if others find this to be true, but I became convinced early on that Ms. Tartt was not going to allow me to hurry.

In retrospect, I enjoyed almost everything about the book, except the ending. I was disappointed as I read the final pages. It seemed that Ms. Tartt found no resolution to her plot, that the novel just stopped. I have read other novels wherein specific events or circumstances were left to my imagination, but the ending to The Little Friend was jolting.

The Little Friend is a Good Read.
12 years have passed since the murder of a small child and still there are no answers to this mystery.Enter Harriet, the now 12 years old and the sister of the murdered little brother is set on finding the killer.Along with her partner and pal Hely they secretly go about their investigation with the Ratcliff family already their suspect.The Ratcliff's are a family with a history for trouble thus convincing Harriet that they are the prime suspects.Dragging along Hely she goes deeper and deeper and finds herself in serious danger, involved way over her head.

Harriet's Mother has been distraught and bedridden all the years since the murder.With nobody to take care of her but her good hearted maid and her relatives, four woman who are terrific characters that Tart has created.Harriet's Grandmother and her three great aunts.Ladies of the south, old ladies each with a very strong personality.Harriet struggles with her family, with her secret search for justice with the infamous Ratcliff boys.

What I like about this book is the story is well written, the characters are terrific.The story takes you into the south of the 1970's and pulls you into a great plot.

Slow moving - poor enough charachter development.
The ending left me sadly disappointed. Maybe I was missing the whole point. But at the very least I expected the situation at Harriet's house to be resolved.That some children are expected to live in such a situation is despicable. That Harriet managed to be such an amazing person coming from such an unloving, uncaring family is astonishing.
I enjoyed parts of the book but the main the reason I kept reading until the end of the book was to find out what happened. So its understandable thatI was disappointed.
I read this book as it was recommened by Anne Rice but I have to say I wish I had liked it more but I just did not enjoy it.Harriet's grandmother for example comes across initially as such a strong woman, who gets things done.However she does nothing to help Harriet and Allison and does not even try to understand what Harriet's illness really is at the end.

If you like a slow moving book which shows how people interact with one another perhaps you will like this one. But for me I won't be recommending it to any of my friends. ... Read more

Isbn: 0679439382
Sales Rank: 74748
Subjects:  1. Brothers    2. Death    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Historical - General    6. Literary    7. Mississippi    8. Murder victims' families    9. Sisters    10. Fiction / General    11. Reading Group Guide   

Byzantium: The Early Centuries
by JOHN JULIUS NORWICH
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (18 March, 1989)
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Reviews (22)

Why not what works?
Why can't all histories, especially school textbooks, be written more like this?I studied Byzantine history in high school and that was the most boring class I can remember.However, these were some of the most interesting and exciting books I've ever read.If school texts were written like this, parents would have a hard time dragging the kids away from their homework to watch some TV.Oh, No! That would be parental abuse!But why not some common sense in the selection of books for students?What could be wrong in having them read something that would spark some interest? We've tried everthing else--why not what works?

Constantine's New Rome
Under the reign of Constantine, the previously obscure (but strategically-situated) city of Byzantium became the new capital of the Roman empire; thus was born what was to be known as the Byzantine empire; thus also begins John Julius Norwich's epic.The story of the "early centuries" incorporates many of characters that are familiar to students of the late (Western) Roman empire:Constantine himself, the introducer of Christianity, Julian the Apostate (who tried to reverse the religious tide), the Theodosian emperors and Valens.By the time we reach Justinian, however, the Western empire has collapsed and the main question is whether it can be reconquered by Belisarius (which, of course, it wasn't).At which point, Norwich takes us through the 300 years between Justinian's times and the revival of a Western empire under Charlemagne.These 300 years contain some of the most fascinating religious and political power-plays in world history and Norwich delights in relating their more salcious aspects.As but two examples, we meet Emperor Heraclius, a hugely underrated military and historical figure who decisively blocked Muslim aggression, plus the wonderfully-named Emperor Justinian II Rhinometus - who, as Latin scholars will already have inferred, was the Emperor whose nose got cut off.The entire series is a tour de force and a decisive riposte to Gibbon's notion that Byzantium didn't matter.

Too entertaining to be history?
John Julius Norwich creates a landscape of blood-soaked battlefields dominated by glorious conquering armies, and glittering marble cities filled with golden churches andrestless plebeians who are as passionate about theology as they are about Chariot races.His book is filled with interesting characters:mighty emperors and generals, scheming wives and lovers, and devilishly shrewd nobles and bishops, to name a few.Norwich's story is hard to put down, and he is one of the few writers talented enough to make his historical figures leap into life and remind us that they were real people.

Is this an epic movie?A blockbuster novel?No, its history, Byzantine history, to be precise.It's not like any history you have read before.Don't look for endless lists of footnotes, dry re-hashing and reinterpretation of primary source evidence, or some Earth-shattering revelation of the latest archaeological findings.This is not a "scholar's" history, so lower that nose about 45 degrees!

And yet, Norwich gives us absolutely no reason to doubt him.His conclusions are reasonable and sound, and he makes occasional references to respected scholars such as Ostrogorsky or Bury to support his work.Norwich's history is the kind of history that inspired Machiavelli to produce a great work of political philosophy:reasonable, yet passionate and human, and above all:READABLE!

So turn off the TV, put your kids to bed and kiss your wife goodnight, pour yourself a generous cognac, and ensconce yourself in the comfortable chair by the fire -- while Viscount Norwich enthralls you into the wee hours of the morning with his masterpiece which is too good to be history! ... Read more

Isbn: 0394537785
Sales Rank: 83148
Subjects:  1. Byzantine Empire    2. Byzantine Empire - History    3. Christianity - History - General    4. Christianity - Orthodox Churches    5. Eastern Europe - General    6. History    7. History - General History    8. History / Europe / Eastern   

The Translator
by John Crowley
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (05 March, 2002)
list price: $24.95
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Editorial Review

John Crowley's The Translator is a novel with a time bomb ticking over its head. It takes place during the dark days of the Cuban Missile Crisis, as an American coed develops a complicated relationship with an exiled Russian poet who is her college professor, poetic collaborator, and perhaps lover. Innokenti Falin is a man of many secrets--but then, so is Christa Malone. Growing up, her father spoke only vaguely about his work with the government and computers; her Green Beret brother died under mysterious circumstances in Southeast Asia; and Christa herself has a few things in her past that she'd rather not contemplate.

In their power to evoke the physical pleasures of poetry, the scenes in which Falin and Malone work together evoke A.S. Byatt's Possession, another gripping novel about language and the life of the mind. Improbably, Crowley even makes the act of translation sexy:

She thought, long after, that she had not then ever explored a lover's body, learned its folds and articulations, muscle under skin, bone under muscle, but that this was really most like that: this slow probing and working in his language, taking it in or taking hold of it; his words, his life, in her heart, in her mouth too.

The novel's principal shortcoming is that it can't quite make up its mind whether it's a cloak-and-dagger cold war novel or a less realistic fable about love, loss, and the power of art. Nonetheless, as thedepiction of an era, a passion, and one woman's helplessness in the face of history, The Translator succeeds. Much can be forgiven of a book that makes us feel that words are important--that they can in fact change the world. --Mary Park ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Lost in Translation
I thought this novel would be interesting, and it was, at the outset. I found myself engrossed in the lead character and in the misplaced Russian literary figure teaching somewhere in the midwest. There were good pieces of poetry that were being analyzed, and an interesting relationship was being developed between student and teacher.
But somewhere in the middle, I lost interest because there was just too much preciousness about it all, too much meandering in the writing, and I didn't seem to care anymore.
I did read the work all the way through, but never regained interest in it.
I wouldn't recommend it.

Lost Its Way
I thought this novel would be interesting, and it was, at the outset. I found myself engrossed in the lead character and in the misplaced Russian literary figure teaching somewhere in the midwest. There were good pieces of poetry that were being analyzed, and an interesting relationship was being developed between student and teacher.
But somewhere in the middle, I lost interest because there was just too much preciousness about it all, too much meandering in the writing, and I didn't seem to care anymore.
I did read the work all the way through, but never regained interest in it.
I really wouldn't recommend it.

Disappointing
This is the first book I've read by John Crowley; I'd been attracted to buy it from a review, and was particularly looking forward to many of its elements--an exiled poet from Russia, how language can change the world, a look at the time when I grew up (I'm the same age as Kit, and I also grew up and went to college in the Midwest), with a backdrop of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which I didn't know much about.

However, I never got drawn into this novel--the writing seemed to keep me at arm's length, and I just didn't care about Kit, the young student/poet who is looking back at her days at college with the newly exiled Russian poet Falin, while also visiting Russia--and Falin's poet friend(s)--for the first time, years later. The writing of this book r