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- Somewhat disappointed...
- Insightful But Sort of Recycled
- An unexpected look at the other side of The Daily Show's cynical mastermind
- Good Perspectives with some humor thrown in!
- Funny and Satirical Take on Life...Black's Life
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Nothing's Sacred
Lewis Black
Manufacturer: Simon Spotlight Entertainment
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ASIN: 1416914811 |
Book Description
You've seen him on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart offering up his trademark angry observational humor on everything from politics to pop culture. You've seen his energetic stand-up performances on HBO, Comedy Central, and in venues across the globe. Now, for the first time, Lewis Black translates his volcanic eruptions into book form in Nothing's Sacred, a collection of rants against stupidity and authority, which oftentimes go hand in hand.
With subversive wit and intellectual honesty, Lewis examines the events of his life that shaped his antiauthoritarian point of view and developed his comedic perspective. Growing up in 1950s suburbia when father knew best and there was a sitcom to prove it, he began to regard authority with a jaundiced eye at an early age. And as that sentiment grew stronger with each passing year, so did his ability to hone in on the absurd.
True to form, he puts common sense above ideology and distills hilarious, biting commentary on all things politically and culturally relevant. "No one is safe from Lewis Black's comic missiles." (New York Times)
You have been warned....
Download Description
"You've seen him on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart offering up his trademark angry observational humor on everything from politics to pop culture. You've seen his energetic stand-up performances on HBO, Comedy Central, and in venues across the globe. Now, for the first time, Lewis Black translates his volcanic eruptions into book form in Nothing's Sacred, a collection of rants against stupidity and authority, which oftentimes go hand in hand. With subversive wit and intellectual honesty, Lewis examines the events of his life that shaped his antiauthoritarian point of view and developed his comedic perspective. Growing up in 1950s suburbia when father knew best and there was a sitcom to prove it, he began to regard authority with a jaundiced eye at an early age. And as that sentiment grew stronger with each passing year, so did his ability to hone in on the absurd. True to form, he puts common sense above ideology and distills hilarious, biting commentary on all things politically and culturally relevant. ""No one is safe from Lewis Black's comic missiles."" (New York Times) You have been warned.... "
Customer Reviews:
Somewhat disappointed..........2007-07-30
If I had known that this book was just a bunch of stuff from his stand up acts thrown into writing, I would have saved the money. There were some things about him that I didn't know before (most of the stuff about college and his brother) but other than that, I could recite it word for word from his routines. Maybe I'm just a big fan and I've seen all of his acts more than a few times...but that is why I bought the book. I gave it a 3 because I just couldn't give Lewis Black anything below that. I did appreciate the stuff that wasn't from a routine and it wasn't a poorly written book.
Insightful But Sort of Recycled.......2007-06-09
I will start out clearly: I liked this book a lot. It was enjoyable, funny, and very insightful. Serving as an almost autobiographical account of Black's entire life, a certain familiarity with Black is necessary, as you must hear all the words in your head as you read them in Lewis' voice, or they lose much of their power. That said, considerable familiarity with Black's stand-up is also detrimental, because much of the book is reworkings of stories from his act. This is most true in the first third and the last two chapters of the book.
All in all, I am glad I read it, and for anyone looking to not be a working professional, I give you your survival guide.
An unexpected look at the other side of The Daily Show's cynical mastermind.......2007-06-05
I got this book sight unseen, not knowing at all what it would be like but trusting that the comedic genius of Mr. Black would not let me down. Though that turned out to be true, I must say I didn't expect an account of his early years so much as his classic Daily Show rants. This is a very interesting read to get into the mind of the famous comedian; I had no idea he was an esteemed playwright and even a government worker in his earlier days. Naturally, the tale is peppered by his classic dark humor that will leave you chortling many times over.
If anything, I found this book somewhat similar to Jeff Foxworthy's, Tim Allen's, and Jay Leno's - a humorous look into the mind behind the humor. An excellent read.
Good Perspectives with some humor thrown in!.......2007-03-12
Lewis Black takes on a lot of issues from the current political scene, to a troubled kid growing up. This book is really an autobiography that takes different parts of Black's life and summarizes each part into a specific theme, with Black's keen insight and a lot of humor thrown in.
Black seemed to be someone from highly intelligent parents (his father built ocean mines and his mother was a math teacher) who probably got involved with the wrong crowd and got caught in the drug craze of the 60's and 70's. Somehow he never let himself fall too far and was able to straighten himself out on his own (he never mentions in the book if he ever went through rehab). He seemed to have a lot of talents that never panned out and was lucky to get a break with his comedy.
Black seems to have a pretty keen prospective of the goings on in Washington. Though he really attacks the current administration and is obviously a democrat, it doesn't stop him from attacking every president that followed Kennedy whether they were democrat or republican. There is an incident described by Black involving Johnson and the corpse of Kennedy that may turn readers off (Black lets you know in advance in case you want to skip over those pages) and you are not sure if he was being serious or not.
I read most of this book in one sitting.
Funny and Satirical Take on Life...Black's Life.......2007-01-10
Having been a fan of Lewis Black's stand-up comedy and television segment on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" I had high expectations of this book. I was relatively pleased with the result.
While some of the material found in the book heralds back to stand up material of Black's that has been around awhile, the additional material was both funny and insightful. This book provides a better picture of the early life and college experience of the young Lewis Black that has formed who we know today. It is particularly interesting to see how he more or less stumbled into the career he finds himself in, especially when one considers how (admittedly) terrible he once was as a comic.
While not an autobiography in the truest sense, Black's retelling of his own experience in a humorous manner makes this a nice read. And it's funny. Very funny.
Amazon.com
Judaism is in danger of compromising the core values which have made this religion so resilient and enduring through the millenniums, according to author and NPR commentator Douglas Rushkoff. The strength and longevity of Judaism lies in its original values—iconoclasm, media literacy, its ability to encourage inquiry instead of obedience. But Rushkoff argues that these values have become dangerously compromised to the point where Judaism is now more concerned with adherence to a righteous path and unquestioning assimilation. Unless the Jewish community restores its emphasis on "inquiry over certainty and fluidity over sanctity," he believes it will be impossible to reach the numerous disaffected Jews who are struggling with the intense and sometimes terrifying challenges of modern life.
As a media watchdog and social commentator, Rushkoff (Coercion: Why We Listen to What They Say) is especially attuned to the negative affects of globalization and media technologies. One of his main gripes is that Judaism is starting to function more like a global corporation. For instance, instead of challenging the market culture's influence over children, "Jewish outreach groups are hiring trend watchers to help them market Judaism to younger audiences," he writes. The good news, notes Rushkoff, is that Judaism also has a "Renaissance Tradition," in which it has faced similar crises in the past and successfully reorganized itself according to its original tenets. He sees the potential for such a Renaissance now, and even offers ideas on how this could come about. With its inflammatory premise and hard hitting message, this book is destined to stir enormous controversy and, ironically, a good deal of inquiry and debate within the Jewish community. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
Acclaimed writer and thinker Douglas Rushkoff, author of
Ecstasy Club and
Coercion, has written perhaps the most important—and controversial—book on Judaism in a generation. As the religion stands on the brink of becoming irrelevant to the very people who look to it for answers,
Nothing Sacred takes aim at its problems and offers startling and clearheaded solutions based on Judaism’s core values and teachings.
Disaffected by their synagogues’ emphasis on self-preservation and obsession with intermarriage, most Jews looking for an intelligent inquiry into the nature of spirituality have turned elsewhere, or nowhere. Meanwhile, faced with the chaos of modern life, returnees run back to Judaism with a blind and desperate faith and are quickly absorbed by outreach organizations that—in return for money—offer compelling evidence that God exists, that the Jews are, indeed, the Lord’s “chosen people,” and that those who adhere to this righteous path will never have to ask themselves another difficult question again.
Ironically, the texts and practices making up Judaism were designed to avoid just such a scenario. Jewish tradition stresses transparency, open-ended inquiry, assimilation of the foreign, and a commitment to conscious living. Judaism invites inquiry and change. It is an “open source” tradition—one born out of revolution, committed to evolution, and willing to undergo renaissance at a moment’s notice. But, unfortunately, some of the very institutions created to protect the religion and its people are now suffocating them.
If the Jewish tradition is actually one of participation in the greater culture, a willingness to wrestle with sacred beliefs, and a refusal to submit blindly to icons that just don’t make sense to us, then the “lapsed” Jews may truly be our most promising members. Why won’t they engage with the synagogue, and how can they be made to feel more welcome?
Nothing Sacred is a bold and brilliant book, attempting to do nothing less than tear down our often false preconceptions about Judaism and build in their place a religion made relevant for the future.
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
Nasty and Profane.......2006-08-22
This is a horrible book written from a very nasty point of view. Basically, this is a systematic dismantling of everything sacred about Judaism - to the point where the author actually uses the sacred name of God in the book. Obviously, the author knew that his use of the name of God would deeply insult those devoutly Jewish, and just as obviously, the author did not care if he insults deeply held beliefs.
It's important to understand that this is coming from a man that feels that what is now Israel will soon no longer exist as the Jewish homeland - and he demonstrates absolutely no concern for that, either.
No concern for the basics of the Jewish religion, disdain for the Jewish homeland, and disdain for the future of the Jewish race. Anti-religion, Anti-Judaism, Anti-Israel. There's a word for that.
What was he reading?.......2006-07-18
Mr. Rushkoff...what were you reading? The view you hold of the Scriptures, of Kadosh texts founded on revelation, and study..The Torah--the Navim - the Writings- seems to be another one than we have had as a people for these thousands of years.
I can not recommend this book!
Engaging read, even for the non-theologically inclined........2005-04-29
One of my oldest friends is a practicing Jew, despite being an Atheist. Judaism to him is a set of cultural practices handed down and revered from generation to generation--much like High School football in West Texas. He suggested, very strongly, that I read this book.
I knew I had to read it when I realized that the Amazon reviews of this book primarily boiled down to two types:
"LIES, LIES, LIES. (Even though the only lies I can point out are in intellectual details, not the core substance of his book.)"
"THIS BOOK OPENED MY EYES. I CAN'T BELIEVE A BOOK ON RELIGION IS SUCH A PAGETURNER."
While Rushkoff's work has a few flaws that I noticed, and probably a few more I didn't, this book is a very, very strong critique of not only modern Judaism, but of religious traditionalism in general.
While I disagree somewhat with his state intent and the leap he makes from his critique to get to his conclusion, he writes a very compelling case against what is held as established Jewish tradition. Many of the spears of hypocrisy that people throw at the religious right are melted down and reformulated into bullets which Rushkoff shoots at modern Judaism with alarming ease and accuracy.
His core point is that modern Judaism is in crisis. Essentially, his largest criticism is that Judaism is more about the preservation of traditions and the concept of a "chosen race" than it is about the preservation of faith. It is more about ensuring intermarriage and raising Jewish families than it is about understanding or debating the core precepts of Jewish faith.
While I believe he diverts slightly from what I picked out as his core point, the book is nonetheless an enlightening read from any standpoint of the situation. The book is has funny moments, heavy moments, and is quite the page turner for a non-fiction work. He writes in an engaging, anecdotal style that is clearly intended for a younger, more cosmopolitan audience.
What he presents is not something I can reformulate here, but think of all the books you've read that really angered or enlightened you. Why did they anger you? Why did they enlighten you? If you can see why the books that enlightened you seriously angered others, then you'll understand why this book is very meaningfully powerful and controversial.
Worthless.......2005-03-14
It is ironic, Nothing Sacred : The Truth About Judaism is nothing but lies.
Rushkoff's understanding of Judaism and scripture is hugely limited and flawed. Not sure what his point is, save to say it is quite wron
Not a very thoughtful work.......2005-02-28
This is a puzzling book. It seems to be addressed to Jews in general. But it doesn't appear to have much advice for most of them. Of course, Rushkoff is completely free to follow whatever religious views he pleases. The question is whether this book has much to offer anyone, Jewish or non-Jewish.
Rushkoff traces the history of Judaism, a religion he appears to feel is not quite monotheistic enough! Let's just say that I would not have thought of this criticism. He then deals with the question of whether Jews are a race or whether they are simply individuals who follow Judaism as an idea. Well, that is a good question. Perhaps Jews ought to be more active in seeking converts. But I think this exaggerates reality: plenty of people convert to Judaism.
Another problem with the claim of Judaism simply being a collection of individuals is this: denial of rights to Jews is an attack on not only specific individuals, but also on the Hebrew-speaking people as well as on human rights in general. It does no good to pretend that there is no such thing as homo sapiens, or no such thing as the Hebrew-speaking people.
Well, what does the author think of Zionism? It's too religious for him! Had Zionism only been secular, it would have worked!
With all due respect to the author, this is totally preposterous. A typical early kibbutz was about the most secular community one could have imagined. Attacks on Zionism have generally been due to the secularism of the Zionists. Even religious attacks on Zionism would not be mitigated were the Zionists all to assure everyone of their secularism! Zionists do insist on rights to life, liberty, and property. But this is true for both religious and secular Zionists. Were all Zionists secular, they would still demand their rights.
I'm sure the author means well. But I do not recommend this book to anyone.
Book Description
Encouraging students to recognize their identity with Shiva (the all-pervasive Lord), these commentaries on verses of Kashmir Shaivite philosophy illuminate the experience.
Customer Reviews:
Delicious Food for the Soul.......2006-04-28
NOTHING EXISTS THAT IS NOT SHIVA includes jewels of wisdom from Shiva Sutra, Gurugita, Vijnanabhairava and few other texts with Muktananda's enlightening commentaries.
Muktananda keeps on reminding the reader that Shiva is everywhere present and that a spiritual aspirant has to keep this always in his awareness. Here is an example related to working successfully with mantras:
"The one who repeats the mantra is Shiva, the mantra Namah Shivay is Shiva, and the Lord of the mantra - its goal - is Shiva. The secret of the realization of a mantra lies in repeating it, having identified oneself completely with Shiva. In the Svacchanda Tantra, Lord Shiva says:
'O Goddess, only he who knows that Shiva is within himself as himself realizes the goal of the mantra.'"
The book is to be read, re-read, savored, absorbed and, of course, applied. As I read it once I found joy bubbling within me. I'll be reading it many more times.
A profoundly moving and insightful book.......1998-04-28
This book is composed of brief commentaries by Baba Muktananda of individual lines of various sacred texts as noted in the title. Sometimes it may only be a paragragh or two; sometimes a page. But I found this simple format and these brief explanations to be profoundly moving and enlightening. As I would read a commentary, and I would only read a few a day, I would find myself drawn naturally into a profound contemplative orientation towards my thoughts and actions and notions about myself and my life. It always felt very healing and as if unnecessary burdens were dissolving on the spot. I would at times be moved to tears of gratitude, to meditative silence, to joyful realizations. This book is indeed food for the heart, soul, and mind. It is alive with blessings. It is literally, not metaphorically alive, and if you relate to it with care and attention, you will find yourself in a sacred and precious relationship.
Book Description
In her characteristic direct and forthright style, Marie Fortune tells the shocking true story of a scandal that took place in a typical church in an average city. It should never have occurred, but its telling helped to focus the national spotlight on a serious problem that is more pervasive than any of us would like to believe. The author founded and directs the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence, Seattle, Washington.
Customer Reviews:
Back In Print.......1999-08-09
This book deals with the growing problem of male pastors sexually abusing their parishioners. What is intended to be a position of trust , is used in ways that can destroy lives. The pastor uses his power and pastoral office to victimize parishioners. The result is destruction of lives, marriages and sometimes congregations. I know the damage this can do, and of the problems people struggle with to put their lives back together. Ten years ago I left parish ministry in a congregation in the Midwest. I had spent two years there, following a pastor who had not only been sexually abusing that congregation, but also had been doing the same sexual abuse in his former parish. At that time the Bishop's office let him move, perhaps in hope against hope that he would not offend again. Now a strict policy has been formed to deal with the problem . There is also an effort to screen pastors to prevent such abuse by pastors. While it is not a poplular explanation today, some clergy are evil. This book is helpful and well worth reading, as are all her books. A few years ago, I heard Marie Fortune give a guest lecture at a Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. There were both male and female seminary students at the lecture, as well as a few pastors who had experienced the effects of a pastor who had sexually abused them or their congregation. Sadly, some of the male seminarians walked out of the lecture withn the first 15 minutes. August 9, 1999
Book Description
Long before the Bush administration had heard of the Taliban and their scorched earth policy toward women, feminists were alert to the threat to women’s freedom posed by religious fundamentalism, in Afghanistan and throughout the world. Nothing Sacred is a unique collection of feminist writings from America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia on religious fundamentalism and women’s oppression—before and after September 11. Is secularism a necessary condition for women’s liberation? How has religious fundamentalism contributed to discrimination—and violence—against women, both in Muslim countries and the West? Contributors reflect on the rise and fall of the Taliban and the contentious debate among feminists about the U.S.-led war on terrorism. Nothing Sacred also confronts and challenges the simplistic “clash-of-civilizations” thesis advanced by Samuel Huntington and his disciples, developing a more nuanced and compelling analysis of the culture war that continues to pit religious conservatives against advocates of women’s empowerment and human rights not only in Afghanistan but everywhere. The volume includes a variety of perspectives and views, and ultimately advances a new, internationalist feminism. Contributors include Arundhati Roy, Barbara Ehrenreich, Karen Armstrong, Gloria Steinem, Eve Ensler, Susan Sontag, Ellen Willis, and Laura Flanders.
Customer Reviews:
Everyone needs to read this book!.......2004-02-10
This is a really terrific book, confronting some of the most urgent questions in our world today. Is secular feminism a purely Western phenomenon? is religious fundamentalism always at odds with women's equality? should American power be used to free women in other countries, as Bush claimed he was freeing Afghani women from the Taliban? With fundamentalist Islam -- and repression of women -- on the rise in post-war Iraq, and fundamentalist Christians opposed to women's freedom of choice running the USA, the questions this book raises are tragically timely. The authors bring fascinatingly diverse perspectives to the table. Some are strongly committed to the secular, others committed to more humane, egalitarian interpretations of their faith. This book contains writing by some of the sharpest living female intellectuals, and represents a wide range of experiences, political and religious views and nationalities. Betsy Reed has done a wonderful job of culling and shaping this work into a beautifully conversational whole. Katha Pollitt's introduction is, like all her writing, brilliant: elegantly irreverent and clear-headed. Provocative and absorbing -- everyone should find something to disagree with! Buy it now!!!!
Deep, complex.......2004-02-05
This collection of essays by scholars and journalists East and West gives a fascinating and detailed picture of the threat every kind of religious fundamentalism poses to women's human rights. But it does more -- it offers fresh ways of understanding the appeal of fundamentalism to men and women both. We think of fundamentalism as ancient -- actually it is a modern response to rapid and uneven social change, including modern roles for women. Karen Amstrong makes this argument in "The Battle for God," but she is mostly interested in theology. I learned more from "Nothing Sacred," because it explicitly describes the worlds from which fundamentalism emerges, the hopes it exploits and the damage it does-- not just in the Muslim world, but in "Christian" America, in Israel, and in India. Wherever religious movements seek to restore a lost and imaginary pristine past, women are the big losers.
Provocative and smart.......2004-01-28
The essays seemed expertly chosen to represent a widely divergent set of opinions. With an intro by the extraordinary Pollitt, how could you not get pulled in?
What an Interesting Book.......2004-01-28
The essays in "Nothing Sacred" are a great antidote to the simplistic mainstream thinking about the "war on terror" [sic]. From Katha Pollitt's fantastic introduction through all of the various essays, I learned a lot about the feminist perspective on religious fundamentalism.
Average customer rating:
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Nothing Sacred
Michael Vollbracht
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
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Binding: Hardcover
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The Fine Art of Advertising
ASIN: 0847822451
Release Date: 2000-10-20 |
Book Description
World-renowned couturier and illustrator Michael Vollbracht gives his personal and priveleged perspective of glamourous personalities in the worlds of fashion, entertainment, stage and screen in this zany, tell-all, irreverent volume. The oversized, all-color book is devilishly rich in verbal and visual images of legendary celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Elton John, Andy Warhol, Tina Turner, Joan Crawford, Michael Jackson, and many others. A stunning volume of superstar portraiture, Nothing Sacred demystifies the icons of popular culture.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing IS Sacred.......2001-04-19
It's hard to believe. In fact, for all I know, some of it may not even be true! But the shaded topics and colorful caricatures of bigger-than-life personalities sure ring loud with entertainment if nothing else. Vollbracht's writing is as vibrant as his pictures - witty and pointed with big splashes of color. His Elizabeth Taylor story is almost worth the price of the book. His pictures certainly ARE worth the price of the book -they're flat-out gorgeous.
Great for the biggest table in your house. You'll look at it many times over.
Average customer rating:
- Persuasively arguing for a "kingdom" version of Christianity
- A "non-realist" interpretation of Christian doctrine
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Is Nothing Sacred?: The Non-Realist Philosophy of Religion: Selected Essays (Perspectives in Continental Philosophy, 28)
Don Cupitt
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0823222039
Release Date: 2002-01-01 |
Book Description
Since 1980, Don Cupitt has been developing an ever-more radically antirealist position in philosophy. Most recently, he has sought to go beyond ecclesiastical religion to a this-worldly humanistic religion of life. This book brings together for the first time essays written over twenty years that show Don Cupitt developing his highly distinctive theology.
Customer Reviews:
Persuasively arguing for a "kingdom" version of Christianity.......2002-09-14
Is Nothing Sacred?: The Non-Realist Philosophy of Religion by educator and philosopher Don Cupitt is an outstanding selection of informative and challenging essays examining a "non-realist" interpretation of Christian doctrine. Persuasively arguing for a "kingdom" version of Christianity that resonates more strongly with the original Jewish Jesus Christ, Professor Cupitt draws his philosophy and theology in part from the wisdom of Kant and Kierkegaard, while also accepting insights from Buddhism and the contemporary philosopher Richard Rorty. Is Nothing Sacred? is a provocative, intriguing discussion, and highly recommended for academic philosophy, theology, and Christian Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.
A "non-realist" interpretation of Christian doctrine.......2002-09-05
Is Nothing Sacred?: The Non-Realist Philosophy of Religion by educator and philosopher Don Cupitt is an outstanding selection of informative and challenging essays examining a "non-realist" interpretation of Christian doctrine. Persuasively arguing for a "kingdom" version of Christianity that resonates more strongly with the original Jewish Jesus Christ, Professor Cupitt draws his philosophy and theology in part from the wisdom of Kant and Kierkegaard, while also accepting insights from Buddhism and the contemporary philosopher Richard Rorty. Is Nothing Sacred? is a provocative, intriguing discussion, and highly recommended for academic philosophy, theology, and Christian Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.
Average customer rating:
- Nothing Sacred More Than Lives Up to Its Title.
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Nothing Sacred: A Novel
Tom Flynn
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Galactic Rapture
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Letter to a Christian Nation
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The God Delusion
ASIN: 1591021278 |
Book Description
"Reading NOTHING SACRED is like attending an evangelical camp meeting for religious skeptics--a hand-clapping, foot-stomping, drum-beating, alleluia-shouting celebration of the sovereign human mind. I invite all fans of philosophical science fiction to step inside the tent and watch Tom Flynn work his magical demystification of consecrated nonsense and sanctified absurdity. All praise the Darwinian selection processes for accidentally giving us this hilarious and valuable writer." -- James Morrow, author of ONLY BEGOTTEN DAUGHTER and TOWING JEHOVAH
If Harlan Ellison, Tom Clancy, James Morrow, and Friedrich Nietzsche cowrote a novel, they might produce NOTHING SACRED. This sequel to Tom Flynn's critically acclaimed first novel, GALACTIC RAPTURE, takes place in a galaxy-wide future civilization that's obsessed with religion, yet furious at Terra (Earth) for giving rise to the most popular creeds of all.
Terra may be the planet where humanity originated, but sophisticated Galactics treat it like a dismal stepchild. Few Terrans seek their fortunes among the stars. Those who try face patronizing discrimination. Into this Galactic crucible leaps Earth-boy Gram Enoda, alongside an impossibly intelligent electronic sidekick who's simultaneously his secret weapon and the bane of his existence. Enoda just wants to get rich. Instead he stumbles into the center of a top-secret, half-baked plan to (yes, literally) save the galaxy.
Like GALACTIC RAPTURE, NOTHING SACRED is brimming with complex plotting, searing black humor, colorful characters, and penetrating examinations of religious and philosophical issues--all woven into a can't-put-it-down techno-thriller.
Customer Reviews:
Nothing Sacred More Than Lives Up to Its Title........2004-06-24
In his fast paced, action packed, dazzling take on a future time alarmingly close to our present, Tom Flynn skewers religion as it's never been skewered before, as he also takes on philosophy.
Philosophy may never recover.
I laughed so hard that it took me at least five attempts to get through Chapter 5, the introduction of Enva Corglinu, the Prophetess of Nullity, who takes Nihilism to it's illogical conclusions. Which hasn't stopped me from re-reading it again and again as a quick "pick me up" since.
It wasn't the only chapter (or verse) in Nothing Sacred that I was happily forced to reread because I was laughing so loud, I couldn't hear myself. On top of that, I had to fight my husband and three children (1 in high school, 2 in college) who keep "borrowing" the book once they figured out the source of my mirth. It was easy to track the book; they weren't quiet either.
There isn't a computer geek or gamer alive who won't envy the relationship between Gram Enoda and Computer, his philosophical, biochip based computer that insists on calling him "Bucko." They're a pivotal part of the intrigue, which includes a quarantine of Terra (earth) by the Galactic Confectory to stop the further spread of its major export: the religions that have created major problems throughout the Galaxy. Meanwhile, drugs, the substitution of "reality" for life, business and media based religions, and so many other topics are satirized with such great wit and style, the seriousness of what Flynn has to say about our time is almost painless. Almost.
While the Galactic Confectory fights to regain control of its member planets and deal with the infighting between the various religions and philosophers, it even more importantly has to prevent another devastating attack by the Tuezi devices that periodically enter the Galaxy from another dimension, destroying whole planets in seconds. Everyone converges at the site of the planned attack, and the conclusion is perfect, it just couldn't happen any other way.
Nothing Sacred is actually the sequel to Tom Flynn's scathingly brilliant Galactic Rapture, which eerily predicted reality television, and could well have been part of Mel Gibson's inspiration for The Passion of the Christ, although it's really unfair to blame Flynn for either travesty.
You don't have to read Galactic Rapture in order to thoroughly enjoy Nothing Sacred, but you're definitely going to want to get your hands on a copy soon as possible.
Book Description
The Zen school of Mahayana Buddhism contends that each one of us is already a Buddha — the enlightenment we seek is always within us, waiting to be realized through mindfulness and concerted spiritual work. This truth pushes us toward practice, in the hopes that we may awaken our potential and live up to what is inside us. This is a notion taught widely by ninth century Zen Master Lin Chi, and in his tradition Thich Nhat Hanh employs the teachings and writings of Mahayana Buddhism to discuss specific topics in Buddhist study and practice. With these teachings, readers have the tools to awaken the Buddha within.
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- Shrek 2 (Look and Find) (Look and Find (Publications International))
- Sight Unseen (Warner Forever)
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