Book Description
A simple walk through Washington, D.C. began a profound journey of personal discovery and renewal for Newt Gingrich, one of America's most influential politicians and commentators. At the National Archives, the immortal words from the Declaration of Independence that we "are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights," jumped off the page and into his heart with the simple truth that from day one in our country's history, the Author of freedom was not the state nor even the Founding Fathers. Our basic human rights and freedoms were-and are-"Creator-endowed." Gingrich sounds a clarion call for us to recognize that the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that we hold so dear are inseparable from a sincere and humble acknowledgement that these gifts are only the Creator's to give. As a bonus, the book includes a "walking tour" of Washington, D.C.
Customer Reviews:
God & America.......2007-09-26
This book was another top notch, highly informative conservative-traditionalist volume that speaks the truth that America is indeed a Christian Judeo nation at heart.
It is so vitally important for American culture to return to our moral religious values, and seek the historical truth that indeed the Founders were very spiritual people who upheld very Christian ideals in springing to life the American nation.
While Thomas Jefferson was a Deist (not an Atheist but one who believed that God had sprung the universe into life with little involvement in the affairs of man), many of the founders themselves were personally brought up in the Christian tradition. I can recall the miracle on Christmas when George Washington crossed the Delaware River to storm the Hessian base camp, or his Thanksgiving Day prayer.
One can come to the logical conclusion that the inspiration of the American idea was spawned from the both the secular notions of the Enlightenment era, and the philosophies of Christianity.
Regardless of those extremists out there who try to twist history into something that it wasn't for PC reasons or their own personal contempt for American Christian ideals, there is no United States of America with out the traditions and philosophies of Jesus Christ.
This is one fantastic book worth your time and money.
Rediscovering God in America.......2007-09-10
The book is an excellent reminder of the source of strength and wisdom that all our founders looked to as they made decisions concerning the founding of America. There is a clear discussion of the separations issue and the foolish conclusion that our leaders did not want God a part of public life. It reminds us of the importance that all leaders in the first 100 years of the country place on Christian faith.
faith is still here..........2007-07-26
Millionaire in 365 Days: The Daily Plan to Get There
America is the MOST faith based country in the world....But ???
Newt is such an interesting guy...it is worth reading to get a sense of the history of how our country's founders and there on saw faith as part of America.....buy it, if you have faith in America as well...
Outstanding.......2007-07-21
I read with interest how our founding fathers consistently built buildings with the reminders that there is a Supreme being, God, who has blessed us with this country, our constitution, and our democracy. There are so many nihilists around us that would destroy all of this. Evil does lurk in this world. A well writtent book, succinct but accurate with historical facts.
Great CD!.......2007-07-16
This CD is very helpful for anyone visiting our nation's capitol. I wish we'd had it before our visit.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Chinese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Doctors & Medicine
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Lawyers & Criminals
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Early Civilization
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Historiography
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Victorian
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Chinese
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War on Drugs
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Arabic
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Armenian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Czech
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Greek
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Hungarian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Korean
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Norwegian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Persian & Farsi
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Polish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Portuguese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Romanian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Swedish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Turkish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Online Research
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Native American
| Earth-Based Religions
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Science
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Magic & Wizards
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sailor Moon
| Popular Characters
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Pilates
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Fashion
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Children's Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Health Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside History Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Reference Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Romance Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
*The crucial Ohio get-out-the-vote effort that lifted Bush over Kerry.
*The Terri Schiavo controversy.
*The push for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.
*Attacks on Roe v. Wade.
*“Intelligent design” in our science curriculum.
The evangelical right has pushed all of these initiatives, led by the immense behind-the-scenes influence of Dr. James Dobson, the founder and chairman of Focus on the Family: an organization that has grown from its roots as a local parenting advice center to a powerful ministry that broadcasts Dr. Dobson each day on more than 3,000 radio and 80 television stations in the U.S. alone. Dobson has supplanted Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, and Ralph Reed as the spokesman for tens of millions of American evangelical Christians--even though Dobson is not a minister, but a family therapist with a doctorate in child development.
Dobson maintains that the American political and social spectrums are firmly rooted in a centuries-old Christian tradition--one that has come under siege beginning in the 1960s, spear-headed by court rulings that have undermined the necessity of religion in public life. With the support of evangelical followers, Dobson has garnered more and support than many ever thought possible and has harnessed this power to wage a crusade in support of strengthening abortion restrictions and establishing anti-gay rights litigation.
The Jesus Machine is the first book to examine Focus on the Family as the cutting edge of the larger evangelical movement, backing what many view to be goals in common with the current political agenda of the Bush administration, as it works to become the voice of mainstream America.
Through exhaustive research, Dan Gilgoff, a Senior Reporter for US News & World Report, exposes the intricacies of the Focus on the Family’s rallying cry and the drastic implications they hold for the future of America’s political system.
Customer Reviews:
An important window into the evangelical political worldview.......2007-09-01
I am so glad I read this book. It is difficult for someone like me who believes that the intersection of religion and government is dangerous to the liberties I believe our country was founded on to understand why this movement acts in the way it does. This book helped me to see where they are coming from, without the divisive rhetoric that pervades most discussions of this topic.
I still found the evangelical vision for America a frightening one, and one I do not support, but a little knowledge about the movement helps remind me that these are human beings with deeply held beliefs, however frightening I may find them.
Very Well Written.......2007-08-24
Before reading this book, I expected that it would inevitably take sides on what has proven to be one of the most controversial issues in politics. I am pleased to report, however, that Gilgoff does an excellent job of keeping his own views and opinions (whatever they may be) out of the book, and instead relies on the facts he collected during extensive researching and interviewing. In addition, the book reads very well and flows smoothly; not at all like a textbook. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to learn more about the influence of religion in today's politics.
Name above all Names.......2007-08-14
Can we agree? This 2007 book has one of the most shameful titles in recent memory.
Still, please don't let yourself be too offended. Believers can still refer to these pages for top-flight reporting about contemporary national politics, seen through the prism of politically active evangelist Christians, especially author and radio personality Dr. James Dobson.
Use a book cover if you must. That way you won't miss this well-sourced and highly objective account of how evangelical activists helped swing our last presidential election. The author, a USNWR political reporter, obtains unprecedented access to back-room partisan maneuvering involving pastors and Capitol lobbyists. He describes in fighting among evangelicals that helps explain some rather surprising outcomes in recent U.S. Supreme Court nominations, U.S. Senate campaigns and failed attempts to amend the U.S. Constitution.
Church-going Americans vote differently. So, who will emerge to mobilize what could be the biggest single voting bloc in the 2008 election? Two things are clear, judging from this book's in-depth interviews with America's leading Christian public figures. First, there is no monolithic evangelical movement. Second, expect conservative American evangelicals to seek even greater involvement in partisan politics, despite their many disappointments chronicled here.
Next question: will new leaders like Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? (Purpose Driven Life), step forward on the national stage to mobilize American Christians? If so, we can pray that they re-read their NIV Men's Devotional Bible to remind themselves that Jesus did not call his followers to be "power brokers". This excellent political book offers a cautionary tale (or two) of how religious leaders and sometimes their followers too easily can lose sight of What Jesus Demands from the World, especially when we stop to consider the Great Commission.
Gilgoff on CSPAN.......2007-07-28
I just learned about Gilgoff's book a few minutes ago when Gilgoff appeared on CSPAN during it's book-talk program. It was aired on a Saturday afternoon and there had to be no more than 8 or so people in the audience. I found it interesting that Gilgoff told of receiving the "nastiest email I had ever received" from none other but the good Doctor Dobson himself. So, not having yet read the book, now my curiosity is piqued. I would like to learn what set off such a nasty response from Evangelical America's finest.
Misleading Title.......2007-07-01
Readers who pick up this book based on its provocative title are likely to be disappointed. It literally is a book about "how" evangelicals are winning, and definitely not a book about "why" they are winning. Gilgoff does an excellent job of talking about how the Evangelicals have grown and expanded, but doesn't provide very much analysis on how they were able to accomplish this beyond surface issues.
The book does not address the core question of whether this expansion is appropriate, nor does it really delve into the history of religion and politics in America. The book begins, essentially, by suggesting that before the modern evangelical movement, there was no serious or organized religious-political force in America, which is somewhat historically oblivious, particularly because Evangelicals themselves assert that religion has been a prominant aspect of our society since the beginning.
I would not say this is even a neutral book, because the net-effect of the book is simply to offer flattery and praise on the expansion of evangelicals because it doesn't touch any of the sensitive issues along the way.
All in all, I would not suggest that people read this book if they are looking for analysis on the subject of evangelicals in America, unless they are looking for a broad, decontextualized survery of the topic.
Book Description
From the Pilgrims who settled at Plymouth Rock to Christian Coalition canvassers working for George W. Bush, Americans have long sought to integrate faith with politics. Few have been as successful as Hollywood evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson.
During the years between the two world wars, McPherson was the most flamboyant and controversial minister in the United States. She built an enormously successful and innovative megachurch, established a mass media empire, and produced spellbinding theatrical sermons that rivaled Tinseltown's spectacular shows. As McPherson's power grew, she moved beyond religion into the realm of politics, launching a national crusade to fight the teaching of evolution in the schools, defend Prohibition, and resurrect what she believed was the United States' Christian heritage. Convinced that the antichrist was working to destroy the nation's Protestant foundations, she and her allies saw themselves as a besieged minority called by God to join the "old time religion" to American patriotism.
Matthew Sutton's definitive study of Aimee Semple McPherson reveals the woman, most often remembered as the hypocritical vamp in Sinclair Lewis's Elmer Gantry, as a trail-blazing pioneer. Her life marked the beginning of Pentecostalism's advance from the margins of Protestantism to the mainstream of American culture. Indeed, from her location in Hollywood, McPherson's integration of politics with faith set precedents for the religious right, while her celebrity status, use of spectacle, and mass media savvy came to define modern evangelicalism.
Customer Reviews:
Aimee Semple McPherson.......2007-08-24
I was very curious about the "real" Aimee. I grew up hearing tales about her and her lifestyle. Book was very interesting.
Book Description
2004 COVR AWARD-WINNER!
From "Aarab Zereq" to "Zos Kia Cultus," this is the most up-to-date, comprehensive guide to the history, philosophies, and personalities of Western occultism.
Written by an occult scholar and practitioner with the assistance of hundreds of experts in the field, this volume presents the latest in scholarly research and points out errors in previous writings-revealing truths much more interesting and dramatic than the fictional histories that obscured them.
The New Encyclopedia of the Occult is an invaluable reference guide to magic, alchemy, astrology, divination, Tarot, palmistry, and geomancy; magical orders such as the Golden Dawn and Rosicrucians; important occultists; and religions and spiritual traditions associated with occultism such as Wicca, Thelema, Theosophy, and the modern Pagan movement.
Customer Reviews:
Good list of titles. But articles biased, cover title is arrogant, and certain articles can incite hate between occult groups........2007-07-07
It is very useful to have a comprehensive list of occult subjects in one place, as in this encyclopedia. But it should be called ``A' New Encyclopedia of the Occult', not ``The' New Encyclopaedia of the Occult'. Different occult groups have different ideas about the subjects discussed. So it is biased to present one perspective on a subject as `the' perspective.
For example, in the article entitled `Initiation' on p. 242, it says that spiritual, as opposed to physical ritualistic initiation, "has very little to do with the reality of initiation as actually practiced by magical lodge organizations". But this is biased because in certain significant magical lodge organizations, initiation is actually considered to be a spiritual transformation, not a physical ritual. An example is explained in Chapter II of "A Compendium of Occult Laws" by the Rosicrucian Grand Master, Dr. R. S. Clymer, entitled "The Philosophy of Occult Initiation" (1966).
I would also like to pick up on the article "Randolph, Paschal Beverly", beginning on p. 389. This is an extremely offensive article, which can incite hate between occult groups. For example, it says on p. 390, "Unfortunately Randolph's considerable creativity and intelligence were more than overbalanced by his arrogance, egotism, and uncontrolled temper". This is bad history. It is bad because it does not corroborate different primary sources before concluding what Randolph's character was actually like. Arthur Marwick, a professor of History at the Open University, explained that even the most accurate history is only about 80% true. History is a representation of the past. It cannot be considered identical with the past.
Randolph is highly respected by Modern Rosicrucian orders, and his teachings are used by them as the foundation. For example, referring to the preface of "Compendium of Occult Laws", by the Rosicrucian Grand Master Dr. R. S. Clymer, he says, "The second section, "The Philosophy of Occult Initiation", is based almost exclusively upon the secret writings of those versed in Hermetic Science and Alchemical Processes, notably Dr. P.B. Randolph ..."
`The New Encyclopedia of the Occult' even contradicts itself concerning the character of Paschal Beverly Randolph. For example, on p. 390 it says, "[Randolph] ... travelled on the anti-Spiritualist lecture circuit, attacking Spiritualism as earnestly as he had praised it a few years earlier." But as is explained in the article "New Age Movement" in the same Encyclopaedia, page 330, paragraph 2, "...occultists of the Victorian period shook their heads at the excesses and follies of the mesmerist and spiritualist movements ..." So Randolph's actions were in harmony with the Victorian occultism zeitgeist.
Randolph also explained that his intention was not to attack spiritualism. Randolph states, for example, in his book, "Soul, The Soul World," Chapter 8, Paragraph 21, in which he outlines Rosicrucian philosophy, "The sole business of this book is not to controvert any current system of philosophy . . . but to give forth what I know to be the truth." This of course means that Randolph's intention was not to attack spiritualism, but simply to express his Rosicrucian philosophy. When defining one thought system, it is necessary to contrast it against others that are different. This is the way that academic argumentation works. Such argumentation and contrasting does not constitute attacking e.g. explaining how chemistry is not biology is not an attack upon biology by chemistry. Randolph also explains: "much herein given necessarily antagonizes a few of the popular Spiritual theories" ("Soul, The Soul World," Chapter 8, Paragraph 21). Explaining that the Rosicrucian view of the Soul World is hierarchical, necessarily antagonises spiritualism, because it is impossible to describe the soul hierarchy without saying that certain souls are lower in the hierarchy than others. There would be no Masters if there were no apprentices.
Further regarding Randolph's abandonment of the spiritualist worldview. Bryan Magee says in his text `The Great Philosophers' (1987), Oxford, Oxford University Press, p. 66, that the abandonment of one's beliefs that are shown to be flawed in the light of new knowledge is part of what constitutes intellectual advance.
"There is no justice in the world's censorious eyes. They will not wait to learn a man's true character. Though no wrong has been done them, one look - and they hate". - From Medea by Euripides, Lines 18-21 (431 BCE)
Referring to the above reasoning, if you want to know about occultism, do not rely on `The New Encyclopedia of the Occult'. It is safer to corroborate what is written in the articles with other sources, preferably direct (e.g. what occult orders actually say about themselves), primary, and several secondary sources about a particular subject.
Good Reference .......2007-05-13
So I'm pretty new to occult studies. I bought this book due to general interest and to help decode some references made in lyrics by the band TOOL. I would say it is a pretty informative, but like any encyclopedia the topics are addressed in very general terms. However, I've felt completely lost after reading about some topics. This is likely due to my inexperience with the occult. I imagine I would get a great deal more out of the encyclopedia if I had more basic knowledge. This is a good reference for starting primary research into a particular field of occult study. I would recommend it to anyone who has a general interest in occult studies.
Amazing Collection of Information.......2007-03-31
Greer has done an amazing amount of research putting this massive collection together. This is history, definition, and explanation all in one.
The editor needs to be spanked, however.
Even so, the poor editing does not bring this great reference book down from five stars. This book should be read and reread by every pagan, magic worker, and interested individual. Both the scope and depth are incredible.
I'm definitely a J.M. Greer fan, but this work stands out above Greer's typically excellent body of work.
Objective & Informative.......2007-02-27
I have read numerous books and magazines from the points of view of critical rationalists who speak condescendingly or dismissively of occult subjects; from religious conservatives blindly (and almost always with no correct information) condemning occultism as misguided or evil; and an inexhaustible number of fawning new-agers with illogical and false beliefs about history and religion (who are often as violently judgmental of religious conservatives as the religionists are of them). Written by an educated, logical practitioner, this is the single most objective and broadly informed work I have ever encountered on the subject of the history of western magic and modern occultism. I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject, most of all to practitioners.
Where did you find that information?.......2007-01-29
Mr. Greer provides us with some of his great expertise on the subject of magic, wizardry, and just about anything having to do with the world of the Occult. It is well laid out and easy to find the information you are looking for on just about any subject you can think of in this genre.
As always, Mr Greer provides us with a fantastic source of information.
Book Description
This book tells the fascinating story of how the American continent, described by Lord Bacon as "The New Atlantis," seems to have been set apart for the great experiment of enlightened self-government long before the founding fathers envisioned the rise of the American Republic. Drawing upon often neglected fragments of history, evidence is presented which indicates that the seeds of democracy were planted one thousand years before the beginning of the Christian Era, suggesting that America is not merely a political and industrial entity, but an "assignment of destiny."
Customer Reviews:
The Secret Destiny Of America.......2007-08-07
Prolific author Manly P Hall's life work was getting to the bottom of stores of historical, hidden, fundamental knowledge of human life on earth. Here he chronicles the efforts of quiet real leaders of human/social/political/human spiritual development from pre-history to the end of World War II. In the United States Of America, he tells of the reason for the establishment of an entirely new type nation in a new world which is to be a model, mentor and guide to other nations which have people aspiring to the universal and common human goal of liberty and self determination. To wit: "WE hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness--That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed...." As he wrote at the end of WWII, it seemed to Hall that humanity had at last a solid hold on a corner of the goal. It is terrifying (to me) to see our government racing madly backwards toward a "Directorship" heedless of the agonizingly won and saved freedom we uniquely cherished as a light to struggling peoples and a human spiritual (not sectarian) guide and help to right and happy living on earth. Is "America" over?
America's Occult Blueprint.......2007-06-27
Reveals western civilization's hidden history and America's true founders. Other excellent works: Brotherhood of the Sun and The Christ Conspiracy.
LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE FREEDOM TO PURSUE HAPPINESS.......2007-06-08
WHEN THINGS ARE AT THEIR DARKEST THERE IS ALWAYS LIGHT THE NEXT DAY. GLORIOUS BOOK, WE MUST MAKE IT TRUE: HERE AND NOW.
Fantastic.......2006-04-17
This is a fantastic book. I have been reading Hall and his books are very intelligent and enlightening. I have little doubt that what he writes here is true. I do fear however that this vision of America becoming an enlightened nation has been lost in a cloud of greed. America is now a large corporation where the rest of the world has placed it's stake. Look at our nation, we are now a nation of obese, greedy, lazy, uneducated, and apathetic slobs. We are caught in what I call Celebrity-ism (in wich we idolize and obsess with celeberties and their every move)and drowning in materialism. It is sad really. Maybe one day we will re-awaken to fufill the Secret Destiny of America.
long lost paradigm.......2003-06-04
recaptures the essence of the constitutional founders of AMERICA
Book Description
In language that vividly evokes the lush summers of Cairo and the stark beauty of the Arabian desert, Leila Ahmed tells a moving tale of her Egyptian childhood growing up in a rich tradition of Islamic women and describes how she eventually came to terms with her identity as a feminist living in America.
As a young woman in Cairo in the 1940s and '50s, Ahmed witnessed some of the major transformations of this century--the end of British colonialism, the creation of Israel, the rise of Arab nationalism, and the breakdown of Egypt's once multireligious society. Amid the turmoil, she searched to define herself--and to see how the world defined her--as a woman, a Muslim, an Egyptian, and an Arab. In this memoir, she poignantly reflects upon issues of language, race, and nationality, while unveiling the hidden world of women's Islam. Ahmed's story will be an inspiration to anyone who has ever struggled to define their own cultural identity.
An Egyptian woman's "richly insightful account of the inner conflicts of a generation coming of age during and after the collapse of European imperialism." --The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
Leila Ahmed is a great writer!.......2006-12-26
I enjoyed very much reading this book. The level of description used is capable of transporting you to Leila's birthplace and enjoy her life's journey. This book reads like a novel even though it is a biography. I recommend this book to anyone interested in the Pre- and Post-Nasser era in Egypt and how it affected the Egyptian middle class of the time. Another book about Egypt during that era I would recommend is Samia Serag El-din's The Cairo House. Happy reading!
I relate to this book on so many levels...........2005-01-26
I wasn't sure what I would find when I chose this book. But Dr. Ahmed's thoughts on creating her identity and the societal forces that crafted her upbringing are astounding. Her tale of defining herself as a woman, an Egyptian, an Arab, a Muslim, and an American resonated very deeply with me.....
An eye opening account of what it means to be a Muslim.......2003-12-17
I thought that this book was amazing. I've read many books about Islam but I think that this book actually gave me a sense of what it means to be a Muslim. Sometimes when reading about religions we often only get an overview of the practices and beliefs of a religion but we rarely hear from believers of a particular religion and how they incorporate the beliefs of their religion into their everyday lives. For me, it was also interesting to read about Egypt during the 40's and 50's because it was something I have never studied before. It was interesting to see the religious diversity in Eygpt and how quickly that all changed with the rise of Nasser. Another thing I had never realized that Egyptians practically had the title Arab forced upon them, but most would never otherwise identify themselves as Arab. I think this book really exposed me to a world and a lifestyle that I had never known existed, and I think this is a must read for anyone who is open to seeing a new perspective on their world.
A Border Passage.......2003-12-15
A Border Passage by Leila Ahmed is an interesting book and definitely worth your time. Within this book Ahmed confront issues of colonialism and differences between the Islam of women and that of men. The story is written as an autobiography as Ahmed recounts her childhood. The juxtaposition of the Egypt and England, where she goes to school, illuminates considerations of post-colonial loss of identity. A book that I strongly recommend for anyone interested in learning more about Islam.
Compelling and Beautiful.......2003-05-06
A lyrical autobiography of several passages from her own
childhood to adulthood, passages to other countries and
passages within Egypt's history. Dr Ahmed's book provided
a revelation regarding the Islam of men, something we've
recently learned to fear, and the Islam of women, something
that as a Christian I could wrap my arms around. Her
discussion about the beauty of an aural tradition and how
the human voice breaths life into the words by adding vowels
was worth re-reading several times. I am not only recommending
this book to friends who simply love to read a good book
but to a study group that is looking for sources of
information on what it means to be Muslim.
Book Description
Nearly 40% of all Americans have no connection with organized religion. Yet many of these people, even though they might never step inside a house of worship, live profoundly spiritual lives. But what is the nature and value of unchurched spirituality in America? Is it a recent phenomenon, a New Age fad that will soon fade, or a long-standing and essential aspect of the American experience? In Spiritual But Not Religious, Robert Fuller offers fascinating answers to these questions. He shows that alternative spiritual practices have a long and rich history in America, dating back to the colonial period, when church membership rarely exceeded 17% and interest in astrology, numerology, magic, and witchcraft ran high. Fuller traces such unchurched traditions into the mid-nineteenth century, when Americans responded enthusiastically to new philosophies such as Swedenborgianism, Transcendentalism, and mesmerism, right up to the current interest in meditation, channeling, divination, and a host of other unconventional spiritual practices. Throughout, Fuller argues that far from the flighty and narcissistic dilettantes they are often made out to be, unchurched spiritual seekers embrace a mature and dynamic set of basic beliefs. They focus on inner sources of spirituality and on this world rather than the afterlife; they believe in the accessibility of God and in the mind's untapped powers; they see a fundamental unity between science and religion and an equality between genders and races; and they are more willing to test their beliefs and change them when they prove untenable. Timely, sweeping in its scope, and informed by a clear historical understanding, Spiritual But Not Religious offers fresh perspective on the growing numbers of Americans who find their spirituality outside the church.
Customer Reviews:
I couldn't put it down!.......2007-07-17
It may be difficult to believe that "I couldn't put it down" would be a description for a reader's reaction to a book of this genre, but it certainly was mine! I even found myself flipping to the references every page to something. I read it for personal interest, but started taking notes for better retention, and ended up with almost 20 pages of notes. I will read it again, and probably also buy other books by Mr. Fuller on this subject. Bravo!
A Primer in Understanding the Spiritual, but Not Religious........2005-01-29
Robert C. Fuller, a professor of Religious Studies, says "The United States is arguably the most religious nation on earth." He offers a myriad of statistics to cement the aforementioned notion. The meticulously researched book focuses on about 20% of the American population who are "Spiritual, but not Religious." Fuller states his purpose "is to explore the history and present status of unchurched religion in the United States."
Fuller delves headlong into the Herculean task by elucidating the late 1600s and forward into the 21st century. Our modern times are exposed in the humorously titled chapter, "Barnes and Noble as Synagogue." An enormous amount of information is disseminated. At times it feels like one is reading a textbook for a religion class. However, a history of the seeker is clearly expounded.
William James (1842-1910), the "highbrow intellectual," personifies the seeker. He receives the most coverage, but Fuller covers numerous individuals and topics efficiently, e.g., mesmerism, Edgar Cayce, New Age movement and Swedenborgianism. Fuller explains why spiritualism is appealing to those who "decided that existing churches were both emotionally and intellectually stifling." This book is only a start for anyone who wants to truly understand the emerging complex group labeled, "Spiritual, but not Religious." Nonetheless, a thorough, historical overview of unchurched America is presented.
Bohdan Kot
"American Spiritual Metaphysics" - a historical primer.......2004-12-30
Robert Fuller's volume on being "Spiritual, but not Religious" should really be called 'Towards a History of American Spiritual Metaphysics.' Writing for an informed but not always scholarly audience, Fuller's book is a work of synthesis. By its own admission it adds nothing substantial to the specific phenomena discussed, but performs a much more valuable function. For what is perhaps the first time, a religious historian has done for American Metaphysics and Spirituality what Jocelyn Godwin did for English-speaking esoteric world (in "The Theosophical Enlightenment.")
Fuller traces the beginnings of unchurched spirituality, and brings to a more popular light what early American religion scholars have known for some time, that despite much hot air to the contrary, early America had a very low church attendance, down to 1/6th of the population around the Revolutionary War. Instead, non-ecclesial forms of spirituality and religious magic, the heritage of Elizabethan occultism, filled much of the practical religious void left by a distant, judgmental Calvinist god. But even at this early stage, Fuller (citing Perry Miller) uncovers that there is a link to immanence and pantheism found even as early as Jonathan Edwards, and finding fruition in a series of religious awakenings, in the early 1800's, after the Civil War through the early part of the 20th century, and in the years from 1960-1975. We see American Swedenborgianism, Transcendentalism, Mesmerism, and Spiritualism linked in a history of religious themes and impulses. We even see both the well-known technical side of Spiritualism, and the lesser known but just-as-vital speculative side, with the writings of Andrew Jackson Davis. Connecting these impulses to the development of Emersonian pantheism, Theosophical esotericism, and the development of Humanistic Psychology in William James, Ken Wilbur, and Carl Rogers, we begin to get a sense of the multi-threaded history of non-ecclesial religion that has grown up alongside more widely acknowledged institutions.
If there is a weakness to Fuller's work it is that the writing is at times not consistent, and well-made points are sometimes re-emphasized redundantly across chapters. As well, the contributions of Amerindian and African/African-American spirituality are mostly absent, although receiving occasional nods. But overall, this pioneering effort deserves high marks for its (extremely overdue) daringness to discuss contemporary Paganism and Goddess worship in the same vein and impulse as Ralph Waldo Emerson's forays, and James' emphasis on personal experience. The price and effort of the volume alone are rewarded by a single chapter, which attempts to draw cross-era generalities between these metaphysical non-ecclesial forms of religion. And for Fuller's concise and consistent rebuke of Robert Wuthnow's, Sydney Ahlstrom's, and Robert Bellah's heavy-handed and opportunistic criticisms of this ongoing, vital, and enduring tradition, he earns praise. This places him more in line with perhaps the other scholar of his stature studying this tradition, Robert Ellwood.
Christopher Chase, PhD Fellow, American Studies
Do Americans Still Believe in Religion?.......2004-01-08
Quite frequently, when someone talks about religious life in America, it is common to hear news that sounds somewhat negative. "America is not quite as religious as was in the past", experts say. "They don't have the commitment to religious places of worship like they once did and they don't follow the strict moral code of their ancestors".
Author Robert Fuller is a professor of Religious Studies at Bradley University and he has studied extensively about this "flight" away from traditional religion. But what Fuller has found is that Americans are still believers in a higher being and they still consider themselves moral beings. The difference between now and then is that today, Americans tend to express their religious feelings in a more inward way, and they don't participate actively in organized religion. This is the new face of religion in America, and it is examined in this book, "Spiritual, but not Religious: Understanding unchurched America".
Fuller points out some revealing statistics that shows the movement of Americans away from tradition houses of worship and over to a more personal relationship with God. Americans don't like the standardized formula that is so prevalent in most churches. They want to express themselves in their own, unique way. And they want to rely more on the power of their own minds to get in touch with spiritual feelings.
Fuller writes mostly about the history of spirituality in America and the trends of the past two centuries that have gotten us where we are today. He doesn't dwell much on the present state of spirituality and why Americans are increasingly attracted to this as an alternative to traditional religion. This is one of the drawbacks of the book, in my opinion. It's good to know about the history and how we got where we are. But I would like to know more about the present- day spiritualists and why they feel so strongly about their mode of practice.
Fuller presents some good, thought- provoking material on the history of spirituality in America and what we can expect in the future. The nation is becoming more and more diverse all the time, and that includes diversity in religious beliefs as well as in cultural backgrounds. Churches will need to find more and more ways to accommodate these "drifters" who prefer their own method of religious practice to that of customary churches. If churches ignore this, Fuller predicts that they will continue to lose more and more members. Something must be done if American churches hope to grow and thrive in the new century.
Very interesting.......2003-03-22
Fuller provides readers with a fascinating survey of spiritual movements through American history that took place largely beyond the pale of "organized religion." He presents a convincing case that the spiritual seeking and experiementation that we see in our own day is nothing new. Particular attention is given to common themes such as the pantheism and other Eastern influences, mesmerism and other psycological experiences, and individualism.
Fuller clearly has a point of view that will irk Christian readers - he certainly seems to applaud spirituality divorced from orthodox Christianity. But Christians who want to seriously engage their culture will find this book terribly interesting. We should be challenged to remember that our own faith should not be conventional and enslaved to the culture, but should be counter-cultural, life-changing, and authentic. Perhaps those who know Christ and have the SPirit within them should be more often characterized as spiritual but not religious.
Book Description
Throughout much of the modern era, faith healing received attention only when it came into conflict with biomedical practice. During the 1990s, however, American culture changed dramatically and religious healing became a commonplace feature of our society. Increasing numbers of mainstream churches and synagogues began to hold held "healing services" and "healing circles." The use of complementary and alternative therapies-some connected with spiritual or religious traditions-became widespread, and the growing hospice movement drew attention to the spiritual aspects of medical care. At the same time, changes in immigration laws brought to the United States new cultural communities, each with their own approaches to healing. Cuban santeros, Haitian mambos and oungans, Cambodian Buddhist priests, Chinese herbalist-acupuncturists, and Hmong shamans are only a few of the newer types of American religious healers, often found practicing within blocks of prestigious biomedical institutions. This book offers a richly comprehensive collection of essays examining this new reality. It brings together, for the first time, scholars from a wide variety of disciplinary perspectives to explore the relatively uncharted field of religious healing as understood and practiced in diverse cultural communities in the United States. The book will be an invaluable resource for students of anthropology, religious studies, American studies, and ethnic studies, health care professionals, clergy, and anyone interested in the changing American cultural landscape.
Book Description
"The Varieties of Religious Experience," "Pragmatism," "A Plurialistic Universe," "The Meaning of Truth," "Some Problems of Philosophy," selected essays including addresses on Emerson, the Philippine question, the California earthquake, and the famous "The Moral Equivalent of War." The last great works from a seminal figure in the history of American philosophy and psychology.
Customer Reviews:
William James in the Library of America.......2007-01-05
The great philosopher and psychologist William James (1842 -- 1910) is best-known as the founder, with C.S. Peirce and John Dewey, of the distinctively American philosophy of pragmatism. James is that indeed, but he is much more as well. This volume of the Library of America series consists of five books and nineteen essays by James written between 1902 and 1910. (A separate Library of America volume includes James's earlier writing, including "Psychology, A Briefer Course" and the essay "The Will to Believe".) The volume will give the reader a feeling for the breadth of James's philosophical, scientific, and religious concerns. The volume is edited by Professor Bruce Kuklick of the University of Pennsylvania who has written extensively about James and about the history of American philosophy. In this volume, Kuklick provides an unusually thorough chronology of James's life to accompany James's texts.
For those readers with no prior familiarity with James, I suggest beginning with a brief essay "Answers to a Questionniare" (p. 1183) that James wrote in response to questions from a colleague at Harvard about the role of religion in life. In his answers, James briefly summarizes his theism and his conviction of the value of religious experience. He writes that "Religion means primarily a universe of spiritual relations surrounding the earthly practical ones, not merely relations of 'value,' but agencies and their activities". James says that his belief in immortality had increased over the years as he is "just getting fit to live." As to the authority of the Bible, James states that it is not his authority in religious matters. Rather, he describes it is "so human a book that I don't see how belief in its divine authorship can survive the reading of it."
This short questionnaire response provides a wedge into the over 1300 pages of text in this volume. James was trained as a physician and a scientist and was greatly impatient with what he viewed as philosophical abstractions. Yet religious concerns were at the heart of his thinking. James undertook the traditional philosophic attempt to reconcile the teachings of science with those of religion. His famous teaching of pragmatism was, as he stated in the first chapter of his book "Pragmatism" designed to to so. Other philosophical positions that James developed, including radical empiricism, pluralism, and meliorism were designed to honor the importance of human feeling and effort and to emphasize the large role of the spiritual in human life.
James long had the ambition of writing a systematic exposition of his philosophy in a book, but he never did so. (His final book, "Some Problems of Philosophy", published after his death was an attempt to do so, but it was left incomplete and sketchy. It is included in this volume). Thus, with the exception of "Some Problems" the books included in this collection are series of lectures that James delivered over the course of the years. They are beautifully written and aimed for the most part at an audience of nonspecialists. But, on the whole, the books consist more of suggestions and of paths for exploration than of detailed philosophical argumentation. Reading the books in this volume will show the reader how James's thought changed and developed over the years.
The first book in the volume, "The Varieties of Religious Experience" consists of the Gifford Lectures James delivered in Scotland at the turn of the Twentieth Century. The "Varieties" is still my favorite James book, with its unique combination of psychology and philosophy, as James attempt to explain the value of the religious life by describing the forms it takes in the lives of individuals from many times and places.
Probably the most famous single work of American philosophy was James's "Pragmatism" which again consists of a series of lectures delivered in New York City and Boston. In this book, James made high claims for the importance of philosophy and developed pragmatism as a method and as a philosophical theory of truth. In a subsequent book called "The Meaning of Truth", James gathered together thirteen of his essays, in addition to a Preface and two new essays, to try to explain in greater detail his theory of pragmatism and to answer objections to it. The "Meaning of Truth" is James's most difficult and technically dense book.
In his final book of lectures, "A Pluralistic Universe" James's thought turned in new and more speculative directions. The book continues James's longstanding attack on the absolute idealism, derived from Hegel, which was still preeminent in his day. James develops a philosophy he calls radical empiricism derived in part from the French philosopher Henri Bergson and in part from the German thinker Gustav Fechner. The book places limitations of the value of conceptual, scientific thinking looking instead to the stream of experience and the flow of human consciousness. In this book, James engages in speculative philosophy, adopts a form of idealism almost in spite of himself, and goes far beyond the pragmatism of "Pragmatism" and "A Theory of Truth". This book is James's fullest statement of his thought, and it does not always get the study it deserves.
As I mentioned, James left his final book, "Some Problems of Philosophy" incomplete, but what we have of it is a valuable complement to "A Pluralistic Universe." The essays in this volume cover a variety of topics, philosophical, psychological and otherwise, and, with the brief response to a questionnaire I mentioned at the outset of this review, provide a good approach to the longer works. I tend to like the more popularly-oriented of the essays, especially the great essay James wrote on "The Moral Equivalent of War." Again, this is an essay that newcomers to James need to read. The essay on "The True Harvard" has moving things to say about the intellectual life, and the "Address at the Centenary of Ralph Waldo Emerson" is a fitting tribute to its subject.
There is much to think and reflect about in this compilation of William James's later writings. His philosophy still has much to teach.
Robin Friedman
Remember: This book is volume 2 of a 2 volume set.......2006-02-27
The previous "reviewer" who criticized this book for failing to include The Will to Believe; Psychology, Briefer Course; and the essay on radical empiricism does have a point: those writings are important to understanding Mr. James's philosophy. However, what "A Reader" failed to discover in A Reader's exhasutive researches is that Library of America has issued a COMPANION volume to this work, entitled in a burst of literary inspiration William James--Writings 1878-1899: Psychology, Briefer Course / The Will to Believe / Talks to Teachers and Students / Essays.
Because the works that A Reader sorely misses were written PRIOR to 1902, one might expect they would appear in an earlier volume, maybe even one subtitled Writings 1878 to 1899. I point this out for information purposes only.
If you have any interest in William James (and you should), then buy both of these volumes. The LOA editions are not only authoritative, but also have excellent, tight bindings and wonderful paper--not to mention priced to sell.
Forget any other edition--If you want a book to read, enjoy, and re-read without breaking the bank or worrying about broken bindings or loose pages, then buy both of these books.
And look at what else is offered by the good people of Library of America.
The cash value of the American mind.......2005-11-16
There is more than one William James. James is philosopher, psychologist, and researcher in religious experience. In this volume are collected a number of his greatest works, including the incomparable 'Varieties of Religious Experience'. In this work James' own particular mental crisis is included, as is his development of the concept of 'twice- born'of that kind of human being who having gone through the dark night of the soul, emerges to see the world with a depth of understanding those 'once born' cannot know.
This volume also contains James summary statement of , what is often claimed to be, the only original philosophy invented in America, 'Pragmatism'. Along with C.S. Pierce and their pupil John Dewey , James is the great founding figure of ' pragmatism' of bringing a theory of truth before the world which stresses the consequences of the statement, the ' cash value' of the idea.
I myself prefer the depth of experiences offered in 'The Variety of Religious Experience' to the rather plain fare given in the purely philosophical writings.
But James is a great American classic, a 'must read' for those who would truly know the American mind and experience.
very good volume.......2005-07-02
in addition to the five full books, many of the collected essays are great, particularly an interview he did, his essay on the Philippine Question, on the Emerson Centennial, and others. For its small size and price, it does gather a great deal of stuff.
Philosophy of/in common sense.......2003-08-13
I loved this book. It's a bit of a long haul to read though as it encompasses I suppose many books in one volume. The author in my opinion writes very well, it might take a bit of getting used to but believe me it's well worth the perseverence! The information he provides seems to be concentrated in each sentence, so if you're in for a casual read with a thought here and there on whats being presented you're gonna struggle to get the full worth of this book. Having said that, understanding comes in levels and I think to deepen your realisation of some of the ideas presented here a scan re-read could be in order! Just a brief word about style and approach. Like I have said in the title, common sense seems to shine through on a lot of the ideas here, with James seemingly steering us home taking us away from our wayward thoughts and bringing us to that place where he appears to be totally grounded. Definitely some different and refreshing approaches though, with thoughts of "yeah, that's quite good, I might have come to that conclusion had I really thought about it" coming when you read some of the passages. But I suppose his real strength, is his ability to penetrate into the heart of issues and expose the core of the matter at hand, and divulge points using the succinctness of logic. As much as he asks of himself he will ask of others, I refer of course to his critics. Some of the passages look at those who oppose his ideas, and where his strict governance of himself is telling in the text, he exposes the lack of veracity and looseness in his opponents words.
Overall then, a great book, with some great ideas giving direction and purpose to those willing to invest in thought and definitely (due to the length!) in time!
Books:
- Rock n' Blues Harmonica: A World of Harp Knowledge, Songs, Stories, Lessons, Riffs, Techniques and Audio Index for a New Generation of Harp Players (Includes ... book and 74 minute stereo CD Jamming Buddy)
- Rockin' Out: Popular Music in the USA with CD (3rd Edition)
- Same Kind of Different as Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together
- Scars of Sweet Paradise: The Life and Times of Janis Joplin
- Self-Healing With Sound & Music
- Singing for the Stars: A Complete Program for Training Your Voice (Book & 2 CD's)
- Slave Songs of the United States
- Smart Moves: Why Learning Is Not All in Your Head
- Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel
- T.R.: The Last Romantic
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Minto Pyramid Principle: Logic in Writing, Thinking, & Problem Solving
- Saracens, Demons, and Jews: Making Monsters in Medieval Art
- Ignorance and Liberty
- Koala Lou
Winning the Future: A 21st Century Contract with America
Culture Warrior
Our 50 States: A Family Adventure Across America
America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at War
Godless: The Church of Liberalism
