Memories, Dreams, Reflections
by C.G. JUNG, ANIELA JAFFE, CLARA WINSTON, RICHARD WINSTON
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Paperback (23 April, 1989)
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Reviews (38)

An autobiography of Jung's psyche...
In the early pages of his autobiography, Jung says the most important things in his life were not the actual events that occured, but rather his psychic or unconscious life (I am paraphrasing).This book is a look at that internal life.And in sooth, there were many times during the reading of this book that I said to myself: Jung was a complete looney tune!Well, perhaps (there is speculation that at one point he suffered a nervous breakdown).But I have read and continue to read Jung with great fascination and to significant personal elucidation.I found this book to be a most enlightening direct, rather than academic or theoretical, glimpse at the psyche... highly recommended for seekers.

A book about his enlightenment not for finding your own
I am a bit conflicted over this book. On the one hand I am a great admirer or Jung - he has brought a lot to my life. His writings on and abotu Gnosticism and his Answer to Job are some of the most spiritual-awakening things I have ever read. Yet, this book I just didn't find as enlightening as these other works. Don't misunderstand - I liked it but found myself a little bored at times. However (let the contradictions cease!!) I liked the format of this book as autobiogrpahy more than most of the others I have read. I would recommend this to people who want to know about him and the way he thinks (the way he became enlightende) but I would recommend some of his others book for those looking to be enlightened!
Thanks

Revealing Autobiography
I enjoyed this (simply from the standpoint of its being a very well-written autobiography). Though I do not pretend to be an authority on psychology myself - I find something in Jung that is almost more spiritual than scientific. Of course, Jung will not be readily excepted in modern circles for his lack of empirical evidence - but that is not what concerns me - he is a fascinating figure and writer. All I know is there will always be something in life and science that is inexplicable - and this is what makes people like Freud and Jung live on forever - they are so willing to search for what is unknown. ... Read more

Isbn: 0679723951
Sales Rank: 3215
Subjects:  1. (Carl Gustav),    2. 1875-1961    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. General    8. Jung, C. G    9. Jung, C. G.    10. Jungian Psychology    11. Movements - Behaviorism    12. Movements - Jungian    13. Psychoanalysts    14. Social Scientists & Psychologists    15. Switzerland    16. Psychology & Psychiatry / General   

Siddhartha
by HERMANN HESSE
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Mass Market Paperback (01 December, 1981)
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Editorial Review

In the shade of a banyan tree, a grizzled ferryman sits listening to theriver. Some say he's a sage. He was once a wandering shramana and, briefly, likethousands of others, he followed Gotama the Buddha, enraptured by his sermons.But this man, Siddhartha, was not a follower of any but his own soul. Born theson of a Brahmin, Siddhartha was blessed in appearance, intelligence, andcharisma. In order to find meaning in life, he discarded his promising futurefor the life of a wandering ascetic. Still, true happiness evaded him. Then alife of pleasure and titillation merely eroded away his spiritual gains until hewas just like all the other "child people," dragged around by his desires. LikeHermann Hesse's other creations of struggling young men, Siddhartha has agood dose of European angst and stubborn individualism. His final epiphanychallenges both the Buddhist and the Hindu ideals of enlightenment. Neither apractitioner nor a devotee, neither meditating nor reciting, Siddhartha comes toblend in with the world, resonating with the rhythms of nature, bending thereader's ear down to hear answers from the river. In this translation SherabChodzin Kohn captures the slow, spare lyricism of Siddhartha's search, puttingher version on par with Hilda Rosner's standard edition. --Brian Bruya ... Read more

Reviews (361)

Not just a tale of spirituality...
Even those who are not into Buddhism will find Siddharta to be a powerful book.It speaks more of the quest for a boy's initiation into manhood than it does of a wandering monk's search for perfection. Like the works of Roman Payne or the Brothers Grimm, it speaks in a timeless and eery tone revealing Hesse to be more of a poet than a sage.

This book will make you think
This is one of the best books I have read. I just finished reading this book for the second time, and discovered many new things that I had not considered or was not able to understand before. Herman Hesse was extremely interested in eastern religions and philosophy, and this book shows his profound understanding of the teachings of Buddhism and Hinduism. I don't think it's a coincidence that the two main characters of the book -- Siddhartha and Govinda -- are named after real life people (the actual name of "The Buddha" was Siddhartha Gotama, though in this book he is only referred to as Gotama; Govinda a contemporary of "The Buddha" was a follower of the Ajivikas -- a practice which is probably defunct now).

Siddhartha is a fictional account of one man's quest for self knowledge and inner peace. Set about 2500 years ago in India (when the real Buddha was alive and preaching), the story chronicles the life of Siddhartha from his adolescence to old age. During the course of his life, he meets many teachers: the Samanas (ascetics who practiced extreme forms of self-denial and pain), a beautiful courtesan, a rich merchant, a ferryman, and the river. Though he learnt the most from the river, towards the end of the book, an old Siddhartha realizes that "every wind, every cloud, every bird, every beetle is equally divine and knows and can teach us as well as the esteemed river."

This is one book that I intend to read on a regular basis not only to learn from it, but also to see how changes in my own personal perspectives change my interpretation and understanding of the book.

A Classic
Excellent book. Almost everyone love to travel and so did Hermann Hesse to Buddha's birth place. Very few people can understand the spiritual richness and depth while visiting a place. It is neither just geography nor the traditional outfits and customs. There lies the greatness of this author.

( I didn't properly understand the need for stressing the word `Brahmin' wherever possible. I understand that Caste system still exists in India and this Brahmins are on the top of the ladder. Some believe that they have Aryan linage. Initially I got a feel of Nazis and adherents of Nazism behind this book who thought the purported `Aryan race' were superior to other races.But how can it be? Hermann Hesse was condemned by the Nazi government and he was against the German militarism. I felt like I should have read the original work than the English translation to clear this misunderstanding).

The Perl or gem we get from this book is the truth:"wisdom is not communicable. The wisdom which a wise man tries to communicate always sounds foolish" and that is the reason why Jesus could not convince that he was the son of God.

Author gives us the truth that if we are in the spiritual path, what we need not do is spiritual shopping. There is no need to change his/her faith for finding the truth. If we are open, we can always learn from everything, even from a river. And he tells us that "the potential Buddha already exists in the sinner; his future is already there. The potential hidden Buddha must be recognized in him.."

Why should I tell a lot and lot about the book? It will spoil the thrill. So, you read it or not? Don't read this book, be with it. And don't read this book just once,at least the last chapter...read it again and again.
... Read more

Isbn: 0553208845
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Fiction / Classics   

HOME FROM NOWHERE: REMAKING OUR EVERYDAY WORLD FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
by James Howard Kunstler
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (26 March, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Through magazine articles and through his previous book, The Geography of Nowhere, James Howard Kunstler has become one of the foremost decriers of the blighted urban landscape of the United States. Now, in this new sequel to the earlier book, Kunstler moves from description to prescription. The villains, Kunstler says, are zoning laws, real estate taxes, modernist architecture, and, particularly, the automobile. The solutions include multi-use zoning districts, car-free urban cores, revised tax laws, Beaux-Arts design principles, and, in particular, the neo-traditionalist school of architecture and city planning known as "new urbanism." It's possible to disagree with some of Kunstler's conclusions--the hope that large numbers of commuters will give up their single-passenger vehicles for public transit downtown has been discredited in city after city--without abandoning his larger goal: a return to a saner urban geography and, with it, to a saner way of life. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Ideas: B+. Writing: C-.
I bought the book after reading the back cover copy, thinking it would be interesting because cities have always fascinated me. Well, it is hard to describe exactly how I felt reading the book. It was very incisive and eye-opening in explaining why suburban life creates the disconnectedness, the apathy, and the isolation so many people feel--and how the cities in their present state induce the rage and crime typical of those environments. In that respect it was interesting, but I didn't make it to the end of the book because:
(a)All of this was so depressing I wanted to curl up in a little ball and die; and
(b)Kunstler's writing is way off the charts--hyperbolic, strident, and slightly hysterical. I found this very off-putting. He could've said the same things in a normal, calm, in-control way and probably gained a wider audience and opened the subject up for more objective consideration. When people get freaked out, there's no room for actual discourse, so I think Kunstler did himself and his subject a disservice by writing like such a chihuahua.
To sum up, I would like to see other books about this subject written by cooler heads.

A Joy to Read, A Book to Treasure
This is a splendid sequel to "Geography of Nowhere".Kuntler's usual searing wit and no-nonsensestyle is evident throughout.It seemed to cover just about everything that ails urban & suburban planning since WW2.My only misgivings are that is does not adequately address a few issues that lie at the heart of the cancerous growth of America's hideous sprawlscape and the flight of the middle class from traditional city & town life:1.Relentless population growth driven primarily by record levels of legal & illegal immigration, 2.The manipulation of US energy & transportation policy by parasitical corporate interests & their lobbyists, and, 3.The short term, 'throw away' mindset of the building materials industries and the residential McHome developers.The incentive to move to the suburbs is greatly enhanced by the artificially low cost of new homes due to idiotic short-sighted building codes, atrocious bldg materials with little durability, suppressed labor costs due to illegal immigrant labor, and subsidized infrastructure for single use auto use (road networks, vast prkg lots & artificially cheap gasoline).
Overall however, this is an excellent book!

passionate but uneven
This book started out on a strong note, with Kunstler's typically searing rhetoric and a well-written overview of what's wrong with American city and town planning. However, it soon deteriorated into undisciplined discussions about farming and the political saga of Saratoga Springs. Eventually, the book peters out almost completely, as Kunstler waxes nostalgic about his boyhood in New York and ends with a bizarre, egocentric soliloquy that has something to do with painting a McDonald's and biking to the YMCA.

I was disappointed with the unevenness of this book, especially after such a powerful, interesting beginning. Also, Kunstler's personality and opinions on certain issues are likely to turn some readers off; he frequently seems almost crotchety and bitter as he frowns on things like "teenage rebellion," rock & roll, and "black Nationalism." Although Kunstler's commitment to sound planning principles is admirable, his views on more complex sociopolitical issues are so simplistic as to just make him seem stupid (for example, he essentially denies the significance of systematic racial discrimination). Unfortunately, Kunstler makes it seem like he wants to go back to the ultimate '50s version of small-town life, complete with corner five-and-dime stores, ballgames in the Ramble, and cheery milk deliverymen. He does *not* seem to favor exciting urban development like the kind happening in Europe, since it might contain people "dressed in high top sneakers and a sideways hat."

I would recommend Kunstler's "The Geography of Nowhere" to this sequel. Or if you must read this book, maybe you could follow it up with something like William Upski Wimsatt's "Bomb the Suburbs," which at least shows an appreciation for the vibrancy of *modern* city life. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684837374
Subjects:  1. Aesthetics    2. Architecture    3. City planning    4. Public Policy - City Planning & Urban Dev.    5. Sociology    6. Sociology - Urban    7. United States    8. Urban beautification    9. Social Science / Sociology / Urban   

Your God Is Too Small
by J.B. Phillips
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 1997)
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Reviews (14)

Challenges Us to a Bigger View of God
This book helps us learn to accept God as He is rather than as we imagine Him to be. It helps those who have either an authoritarian view of God or a permissive view of Him. We must also face the fact that God does not operate in ways that we can predict. Hence, for example, the challenge of suffering and evil.

Classic
An oldie but a goodie. If taken literally, it can seem quite dated and out of touch, but if one takes Phillips' questions and discusses them with contemporary examples, the book can still be vibrantly relevent.

Towards a Greater Picture of God
In this small book, Phillips strikes at a vital issue in today's church: the multiplicity of false conceptions of God.The false conceptions of God that we hold are damaging to the faith and Christianity as a whole.Phillips brings many of these inadequate conceptions of God to light in the first half of the book, which I thought was some of the most poignant writing in the book.Too often we limit God, especially so that we can have our "God-in-a-box", which is essentially a shrunken-down God that fits OUR notions of what God is like and where He is.This along with many other false conceptions of God which Phillips gives name, create a pseudo-god that we ourselves hardly respect, and neither do those outside the church.And more importantly they do not reflect the true nature of God as revealed in the Bible.

I was slightly disappointed in the second portion of the book where Phillips tries to open up a more full image of God.Most of it was very well written, and I especially liked the way he pointed to Jesus Christ as the "focused" God that came to be among us and die for our sins.However, scattered things in the latter portion of the book I disagreed with, for example, the way Phillips seemed to downplay sin somewhat.The true ugliness and despair of OUR OWN SIN is what nailed Christ to the Cross and was the punishment Jesus bore IN OUR STEAD!This makes the resurrection of Christ all the more joyful for sin-wearied souls, as we have the promise of forgiveness and eternal life WITH OUR SAVIOR!!!It is important that we recognize our own sinfulness and are repentant that we may receive this great gift.Altogether "Your God is Too Small" is a good little book for all Christians to read. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684846969
Sales Rank: 167452
Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - General    2. General    3. God    4. Inspirational    5. Inspirational - Protestant    6. Religion    7. Religion / General   

The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat : And Other Clinical Tales
by Oliver Sacks
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 April, 1998)
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Reviews (69)

To challenge our assumptions on the limits of mankind
I've never read a book like it, but I hope to find many more. Whether I was to love this book rested on maybe three things: I wanted a sensitive and humble genius of an author who could thoroughly amuse me with exceptionally amazing stories. Because Sacks succeeded at this, it will remain one of my favourite books of all time. In 'The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat', Sacks gives account after account of the various people he works with as a neurologist; and behind every one of his patients is a story to challenge some of your deepest assumptions on the limits of mankind. By way of a simple example, if a great many autistic people - having never been instructed in maths - can intuitively grasp this subject at a level to challenge computers, what does this say about mankind's innate mathematical abilities? Maybe our schooling in maths should be more a matter of reminding us than of teaching us, therefore. Anyway, these were the kinds of questions that awoke in my mind as I read this gem of a book, but because this is precisely the reason that I enjoyed it so much, I have given you perhaps the least fascinating example that you might discover the more touching gems for yourself. (Oh, and be careful, therefore, of reviews that might give too much away in these respects and thus spoil some of the surprises for you.) Anyway, you will enjoy the explanation that Sacks offers for an otherwise highly intelligent and respectable man who can mistake his own wife for a hat, but there are many other stories of note, and this book could well develop in you a new fascination for the human brain and mind. I can label it as nothing less than a must read.

Lovely Book
After reading this book I have become a big fan of Dr Oliver Sacks. Hats off to him for showing such a remarkable involvement and empathy in his patients.

This book is about people who suffer from neurological deficiencies, who are considered not normal by people like us. It has three sections: 'Losses', 'Excesses' and 'The world of simple'. The strange title comes from a story where a fine gentleman, a distinguished musician has difficulty seeing faces or scenes as a whole. Read on to see how he mistook his wife.... There are eight other narratives in this section. People touched upon here have lost use of some essential faculty, so the title 'Losses'. And read on, one can even lose the sense of ones body and may feel that the legs or the feet are not there unless one actually sees it! Scary to say the least!

In the second section people may have too much of some faculty, but can that ever be a problem? You bet it can be. There is a lady in her late eighties starts behaving out of character, almost like a teen-ager and then she knew something is wrong. Ten more ways to get victim of excesses, ten more fascinating

Finally there is the world of simple who may actually be geniuses at certain activities like numbers or drawing (Remember `Trainman' an Oscar winning movie where a simple person was a mathematical genius? There are two real people who are as brilliant). And around this with the expert care they can build satisfying lives.

Though the whole book talks about people who are in some sense not normal as we define it but they are beautiful people with enriching lives. This great doctor has brought it out so well in this book that I plan to read all the books.

Touching, Inspiring, Phenomenal
I'm currently a student in a master's level degree program for occupational therapy at the University of Missouri, and one of my professors recommended that I look at this book to see the "human" side of neurological disorders.It's hard to find any "case studies" that aren't straight clinical reporting on the part of the clinician, but this book shines with empathy and compassion.The reader truly sees that individuals with neurological disturbances are not just diagnosis/es - these individuals are human beings.

This book inspired me to choose to do one of my clinical rotations in a traumatic brain injury rehab hospital, and I now know exactly what I want to do career-wise after I graduate.
... Read more

Isbn: 0684853949
Sales Rank: 3354
Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Clinical Psychology    3. General    4. Health/Fitness    5. Nervous system    6. Neurology    7. Neurology - General    8. Psychology    9. Literary Criticism & Collections / General   

Spoon River Anthology (Signet Classics (Paperback))
by Edgar Lee Masters
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Mass Market Paperback (01 January, 1992)
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Reviews (34)

Life Changing
I am now 36 years old. I read this book Christmas break 1985. Mr. Bingham my English teacher had given it to the class to read over the break. I read this book cover to cover in one sitting.
What it meant to me? I can't summarize it in this setting, but it made me appreciate my life and my place in this world.
More than any other book it gave me focus, determination and awe ofthe lives we touch.
I am now a surgeon and i can't tell you how many of my patients come in like characters from this book. And i listen and look at them with the same awe i read twenty years prior.

About Life and Death
I choose read this book the reason, is because manufactures my research paper. Because I am attracted by its theme. I extremely like reading the prose poetry anthology, Edgar lee master's work on happen to conform to my reading need, I in make my research paper time, my English teacher explained for me many about this book meaning, I was not at that time understood very much, because my English proficiency is not very high, but my teacher emphasized had been born of dying, I on by this depth deep attraction, I am tried to read it, I inside discovered the verse extremely only is beautiful, he described many about the life and the romantic love, Respective sound from the grave which possibly honestly finally speaks, is protected by the death shadow. This a series of stories occur in the small town, is matter which the big city cannot occur, all these attract you to explore another different world, although all these let you think not really, but it may purify your mind, lets you feel the different life.

Stirring epitaphs? No; dead boring.
If you get an edition, such as "Signet Classic", that includes The Spooniad and the Epilogue, then you will have three bad works of poetry to wade through, the last two blessedly short.

The idea is a good one; a series of monologues from dead former townspeople, touching the major incidents of their lives, many of them connected, sometimes in surprising ways.But Masters is just not a good enough poet.He attempts blank verse monologues in the style of Robert Frost (as in North of Boston) but succeeds only in demonstrating how difficult a form it is and how it takes the brilliance of someone like Frost to pull it off.I can see that a few of them are worthwhile and would themselves make good anthology pieces, but mostly they are simply second rate prose poems of no significance.

In my review of Winesburg, Ohio I compared Sherwood Anderson unfavorably with Masters, saying that he lacked Masters' humanity.But - like most people, I suspect - I had only read selections from Spoon River.Now that I have paddled the length of it, I can tell you it is meandering, flows very slowly, and contains very little life.
... Read more

Isbn: 0451525302
Sales Rank: 53120
Subjects:  1. Literature - Classics / Criticism    2. Literature: Classics   

100 Love Sonnets/Cien Sonetos De Amor: Cien Sonetos De Amor (Texas Pan American Series)
by Pablo Neruda, Stephen Tapscott
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 June, 1986)
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Editorial Review

If you've ever wished for a fresh and imaginative way of saying "Ilove you" to your beloved, peruse Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's 100 LoveSonnets. This intimate bilingual collection overflows with the master poet'ssignature sensuality and inventive imagery. Written in the 1950s for hischerished wife Matilde Urrutia, Neruda's earnest adoration leaps off the page inpoem after poem: "Your heart is a clay toy shaped like a dove";"Your kisses are clusters of fruit, fresh with dew." Thanks totranslator StephenTapscott, Neruda's dreamy images carry over vividly from the Spanish anddance in the mind for days after they're read.

Neruda pays only loose tribute to the sonnet by employing a 14-line structurefor each poem. As he says, his sonnets are made of wood, rather than the"silver, or crystal, or cannonfire" of a more refined sonnet. Neruda'shumility is apparent as he refers again and again to the natural landscape ofIsla Negra (the Pacific island where he and his wife lived) to describe hissimple dedication to Matilde: "...I am like a scorched rock / that suddenlysings when you are near, because it drinks / the water you carry from theforest, in your voice."

Journeying from the erotic celebration of the body to the spiritual depths ofeternal union, 100 Love Sonnets shows why "two happy lovers make onebread" and "waking, they leave one sun empty in their bed." ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Looks great at first, but turns out to just good.
I bought this collection and at first, I could not wait to read it. I was so excited that I almost pulled over to read it. As I read the translations, I began to notice errors and it completely ruined my high. Spanish in my first language so I noticed the errors right away. Some of the sonnets are done well, but the few that are not completely ruined my excitement. If you can read Spanish, you are lucky because you can read the original versions and get the complete emotional response. Over all, it's a good collection of love sonnets. Sure there not his best, but great other wise.

Lyrical Love Abounds
I have read a lot of Neruda before I reached this volume, and was well-acquainted with his wonderful, earthy style of poetry.Then I hit this volume, and it blew me away even further.The love that he holds throughout his life comes pouring through the pages of this book.

The bilingual edition makes it a perfect bok as well.Translations offer suffer from the vocabulary or the limited vision of the translator.Tapscott's translation is fair, but to do justice to the wonders of Neruda's poetry, you must read it in Spanish.You feel it better, even if you are (like me) a mediocre spanish speaker.

For those hopeless romantics, or poetry fanatics, this collection of poetry is a wonderful, lyrical journey through the passions of Isla Negra and its most famous inhabitant.Words cannot amply describe it... you must read it for yourself!

Magnificent Neruda......
I have been an avid lover of Neruda's work for ten years now.The first book of collected works I read by the glorious exhiled poet from Chile was "5 Decades," which I polished off in 48 hours.I was a twelve year old Neruda fiend from then on.

"100 Love Sonnets" does not fail to disappoint.What you have to keep in mind when you read this bilingual collection is not the strength or weakness of the English interpretation, but your own interpretation of the original Spanish.It is probably best that you read this with Spanish/English dictionary in hand.Not only will you be able to get a sense of the literal translation, but if you aren't a native speaker, will also learn considerable Spanish vocabulary.I would agree with some of the reviewers that the interpretation does fall short.There really is no beating the original Spanish text.There are even simple mistakes made on basis verb tense.Example:"Vendras conmigo" dije--sin que nadie supiera donde y como latia mi estado doloroso.....
Stephen Tapscott says, "Come with me," I sai, and no one knew where, or how my pain throbbed.....
Actually, literal translation would be, "You will come with me," I said--without anyone knowing when and how painful and throbbing was my state....
Quite different, no?Well, at any rate, these poems are worth knowing on intimate level for any lover of literature--Latin American or otherwise.I only hope Neruda can forgive Mr. Tapscott his ignorance of one of the most beautiful romance languages and the significance of the powerful and seductive words the masterful poet chose to describe the affairs of the heart that are at once universal, affirmative and, at times, desperate.....Though the metaphors are watered down in this interpretation, with a good bilingual dictionary and some patience, you can get a sense for yourself of the grand power of his words. ... Read more

Isbn: 0292760280
Subjects:  1. Caribbean & Latin American    2. Foreign Language Study    3. Latin American Poetry    4. Love poetry, Chilean    5. Poetry    6. Sonnets, Chilean    7. Spanish    8. Translations into English