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Unleashes something between strange and wonderful
Still thinking
Admirable in spirit
Delightfully Enlightening and Indulgently Educational!
Not your ordinary book

Museum of Lost Wonder
Jeff Hoke
Manufacturer: Weiser Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1578633648

Book Description

The Museum of Lost Wonder is a book with a mission, simply stated: To illuminate life's mysteries. The execution is nearly indescribable. Think McSweeney's production values and design pyrotechnics. Think traditional esoteric symbols in a childhood garden of wonder. Think graphic novel and an adult version of the coolest activity book ever made. And you'll be somewhere in the neighborhood.

Jeff Hoke has created a history of the human imagination with visual cues and clues and wonderment about and around everything you ever thought and everything you wish you'd been crafty enough to think. He has built a museum accessible to all, in book format, arranged with 7 halls (representing the seven stages of alchemical process) in which the questions of the universe unfold. All one needs to enter is some basic understanding of the human experience.

Open The Museum of Lost Wonder, and step into an alternative world full of beautiful drawings, interesting historical tidbits, thoughtful challenges to common myths, and projects and pursuits to complete at home. Pages pull out with cutouts for building models. Hoke's museum is graphic novel meets quantum physics meets mythical journey meets spirit.

Hoke begins with The Calcinatio Hall where the featured exhibit is The Beginning of Everything and leads us into halls like The Sublimatio Hall, with the exhibit How To Have Visions. In The Separatio Hall the exhibit Where Are You Going challenges us in our own journey. Through each hall we are led into an exhibit that questions our own understanding of life and urges us into new ways of thinking. As in wandering the great, immense halls of an ancient museum with endless corridors and fascinating exhibits, the reader is instantly pulled into this enormously imaginative pursuit. Each page is full of depth and questions. And each hall features a special fold-out interactive page.

The Museum of Lost Wonder is a ray of hope in a dreary world. It is an oasis in an age when we are inundated everywhere we go with messages of consumption and materialism. It is an invitation into the imagination of a brilliant artist as well as a welcome back into your own imagination. It is a call to challenge your mind and your mind's eye to re-assess what you believe to be true and what you know to be true. Once you enter the museum, there is no turning back. For the price of admission you get a whole new perspective on the meaning of life and your purpose in it.

Customer Reviews:

Unleashes something between strange and wonderful.......2007-02-07

I'm not sure what this book set out to do, but it certainly fires up the imagination of anyone who looks at it. The drawings and constructions are masterful, the little experiments and mental expeditions are thought provoking and the organization is absolutely indecipherable. If you have a brain and it could use a little exercise, get this book.

Still thinking.......2007-01-22

A beautiful book, interesting, creative, but somehow a bit quaint. The last forty pages seem very disjointed, but maybe I just missed the point. The artwork is meant to be in an old style, 1900's style with broad and heavy lines and unrealistic imagery. Yet intriguing.

It is worth the price of purchase just because it is so intriguing while at the same time being sometimes a bit too cutesy in a seeming effort of being creative.

Give the book a try. It is worth the mental tweaking.

Admirable in spirit.......2007-01-02

First allow me to extend my thanks to the several other reviewers who gave lengthy and informative reviews of this book. Without them, this review would be much longer.

This book has filled for me a very personal need for synthesis in science and mysticism. It is excellent in both its content, but also its approach. Jeff Hoke has managed to balance his satire of both mainstream science and orthodox religion very well. Regardless of what your personal background may be, this book will make you question some aspect of your current paradigm of thinking.

Further merit must be extended to Hoke for his popular delivery of some very interesting and profound ideas connecting alchemy and psychology. Although these ideas are largely due to the work of Carl Jung, the simultaneous presentation of a physical process of transformation (alchemy) and a mental process of transformation (a quest for transcendence) reflects the authors deft abilities as a museum exhibit designer. Having done some museum exhibit design for a course at MIT, I see that the themes of repetition and symbolism, visual splendor and quality text-based content, show the mark of a true master.

For someone who is interested in general patterns of varying systems, this book is a true delight. The focus on archetypes found in multiple settings, whether it be the origin and evolution of things in the physical universe, or the stages of personal development one encounters throughout life and one's quest for self-actualization and transcendence, is truly inspiring. Having the isomorphism between the physical and the mental sketched out in broad strokes is what really earns this book its five stars.

Before signing off, I must comment on some of the negative aspects of the book. There are sections and quotes, which make me question the historical accuracy of the book. This is a minor point and pales in comparison to the book's better qualities. I am not a professional historian, so take the following critiques with a grain of salt. Hoke tries to bill Socrates as an important figure who, upon sentencing, "escaped [the Athenian government's] wrath by suicide." (page 76) A read of Plato's dialogues Crito, Phaedo, the Apology, etc. show that Socrates was ordered to drink Hemlock posioning as his sentence, which he faithfully obeyed (seeing it as a commitment to the democratic process of Athens). This historical fact is extremely important for understanding a large section of Plato's work. Hoke's portrayal of Socrates as a coward escaping punishment through suicide, left a really bad taste upon first reading. The book still has its merit, but a little fact-checking would have prevented this unnecessary blemish.

Finally, I have to vent a little on the all too common popular packaging of just plain false things about quantum mechanics. Mr. Hoke joins in on this saying that a century of quantum mechanics has taught scientists that "the key to objectivity is to be emotionally detached to the point where we don't taint our experiences with projections of personal expectations" (page 84). This statement is true of the scientific method in general, pre-dating quantum mechanics handedly. Hoke, like so many other popularizers tries to bill the idea that somehow the Schrodinger equation includes a variable for the experimenter's mental state, where it certainly does not. Fortunately for all of us, Hoke sticks mostly to what he knows and appeals only generally to science.

Delightfully Enlightening and Indulgently Educational!.......2006-11-13

If you're looking for some "adventurous" reading during the coming cold winter months, you don't have to look further than Jeff Hoke's "The Museum of Lost Wonder." When I was preparing my thoughts about reviewing this book, I kept trying to figure out just where I was going to place this book as far as literary genre is concerned; How to categorize it? -- Where does it fit? Externally, it looks like just another "coffee-table" contribution. But even coffee-table books can be categorized for the most part. This book, however, is almost encyclopedic in its coverage, drawing its information from a vast variety of resources, including philosophy, astronomy, religion, biology, physics, psychology, the arts, ancient alchemy, modern quantum mechanics, and even Eastern intellectual thought. I have decided, therefore, to place this book in the seldom-used literary genre called intellectual "potpourri" (and, yes, there is such a category).

As for me, I'm going to leave it on the coffee table in my living room for quite a while so it can be easily perused by my guests and myself. It will be a coffee-table book in my home, at least for a while, although it is much more than merely another "showpiece." You see, this is a book not meant to be read from cover to cover in, say, one or two or even three sittings. This is a book to be, well, "savored"; think in terms of tasting and appreciating a fine wine or some unusual hors d'oeuvres. The enjoyment of the experience should be spread over time.

I think the best approach to this book is this: pick it up, read the introductory parts, and then skim through it, briefly pondering the excellent (and should I say, "tantalizing"?) artwork offered, and stopping here and there to read some of the text as one's interest is piqued. Then come back to the book now and then, find a section of particular interest, read that section, maybe do a few of the suggested experiments (yes, there are some interesting little adventures here!), and maybe put some of the models together. Models? Oh, yes, this is much more than a book to be read. It is also an "activity" book and, I suggest, mainly for older teenagers or adults (most of the models would prove difficult for young children to assemble, in my opinion). There are seven models that can be put together to illustrate the seven themes (or "exhibit" halls) of the "museum."

And, yes, it is truly a "museum," although not like one most of us are familiar with. The purpose of this museum is clearly stated by the author: "Discover...forgotten things in the world around us. Recover...forgotten things in the world within you. Uncover...forgotten things not in this world at all." There is no doubt that the museum -- that is, the book -- lives up to its purpose. As the author's bio in the back of the book points out: "This is not just a book, but an experience." And that, it truly is. One of the experiences you'll have is being accompanied through the museum, er..."book," by "Gnomon," a cartoonish stick-figure who appears now and then in comic strips or individual panels and seems to function as sometime guide and sometime thought-provoking character.

Each one of the seven exhibit halls has a specific theme, beginning with "Calcinatio" (Hall of Technology), continuing with "Solutio" (Hall of Aquaria), Coagulatio" (Zoological Garden),"Sublimatio" (The Observatory), "Mortificatio" (Mausoleum of History), "Separatio" (Science and Faith), and ending with "Conjunctio" (Gallery of the Arts). Each of these exhibit halls has its own "Muse"; now, if you don't know what that is, you'll have to find out for yourself. Within these informative halls the reader will recognize the likes of famous philosophers, including Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes, some very influential scientists, such as Abraham Maslow and Sir Isaac Newton, as well as discussions of topics both futurific and arcane. How about playing the "Heroic Vacation Game"? How about building a "Carousel of Life" model? How about performing a "sensory deprivation experiment" right at home? These and much more are here in "The Museum of Lost Wonder."

Now, a few words of warning to potential readers -- and these reflect strictly my own personal assessment of the book. If you have a closed mind, limited in its capacity for imaginative thought, this may not be the best book for you (although, I guess it could help open your mind a little if you gave it a chance!). If you are really squeamish about uncomfortable and unfamiliar ideas, you may want to think twice about reading this book (on the other hand, maybe this is just the antidote you need!). And, finally, if intellectual "weirdness" and wandering into "strange" territory will challenge your own beliefs and you're fearful of having to rethink those beliefs, you may want to pass this book by (but, of course, you'll pass up an opportunity to expand your horizons and enhance your life!). So, if you decide to go ahead and experience a trip through this "museum of lost wonder," don't say I didn't warn you.

In conclusion, just let me say that Hoke's book is delightfully enlightening and indulgently educational and the artwork is extraordinary, witty, and, in many ways, downright clever. And speaking of the artwork, which is really the bulk of the book (at least it seems that way), I'm glad that he was the one drawing it all because I wouldn't attempt to take on such a massive project (and it would be interesting to know how much time it took him to draw all the illustrations!). I highly recommend this book to everyone who really enjoys the experience of "wondering," that childlike phenomenon that we adults all too often lose, much to our own regret. This is a thought-provoking, mind-expanding, and thoroughly engaging book and, if you actually do the experiments and assemble the models, you'll get some physical exercise, too! What more could a reader ask for the cold winter months to come?

Not your ordinary book.......2006-11-06

This isn't your ordinary book. That was my first impression upon seeing the dust jacket. This impression deepened when I took the dust jacket off to see the beautiful and substantive artwork engraved on the cover. The heavy paper used in this book also speaks of quality. The tone thus set by form, substance followed.

One of the things I have noticed in reading material selection is that people generally select books or periodicals that support what they already believe. For example, people with far left beliefs tend to read the New York Times and consequently see the world only through that lens. We tend to filter out input that challenges our beliefs, thus those same people who read the NYT generally don't read Ann Coulter. Of course, the reverse is true as well.

Most of us go through life being comforted in our existing perspective, because most everything we read or hear supports what we believe. If you look carefully at your own choices, you will almost certainly see this is the case. Which brings us to Hoke's book.

Often, referring to a book as "challenging your views" is a way of saying it's "in your face" and probably espousing the particular opinions of the author. That's not the case, here. Hoke merely presents information and asks questions that make us wonder about how thing work, how things are, and even the why.

The book comes across as built, rather than written. Hoke uses the display theme in the actual content, reflecting what's intimated by the title. Every museum I've visited (and I've lost count of them) has its artifacts arranged into groupings of a particular theme. You may wander around in one room or a group of interconnected rooms to view a particular grouping. These groupings might be called halls, gardens, galleries, collections, exhibits, and so forth. This book presents ideas the way a museum presents artifacts. It's a clever concept, and well-executed.

The book also contains seven templates for paper construction projects, in the form of models that help the reader explore a particular concept. I personally am mortified at the thought of taking scissors to a book like this. Hoke can challenge my view on this one all he wants, and he'll make zero progress. The solution is very simple, though: cut up and fold a photocopy of each model plan, thereby preserving the book and enjoying the model at the same time.

As an example of what you'll find in this book, consider Chapter III. This is titled, "Coagulatio." The subtitle is "The Zoological Garden in the Museum of Lost Wonder." The page immediately preceding the chapter title page contains pertinent artwork, the word "Introspection," and a quote from John Muir. That quote is "Most people live on the world, not in it."

As we proceed through this chapter, we read interesting facts on the various "displays"--just as we would in a physical museum. But we'll also find such things as a thought experiment, a Plato vs. Aristotle exhibit, a "Duck or Bunny" exhibit, a brain mattering diagram, a visitor survey, Experiment Alley ("Imagining a Self"), a pattern for a model that illustrates several concepts (memes, scenes, genes....), and quite a few other interesting items. Every chapter is like that--giving the sense of walking through a museum and enjoying the exhibits. As with a physical museum, each exhibit has its own reason for being there. It isn't necessarily sequential to (or even tied to) the other exhibits.

One of the chapters contains a section on how to have visions, and it contains several exhibits on the subject. That, of course, segues into the section on dreams. This, again, replicates the museum experience. But this particular museum aims at getting the reader to wonder, to think, and to step outside the constraints of simple fact and look beyond immediate perceptions.

Hoke's own words best sum up the point of this book. "Unlike modern museums that try to separate fact from fancy, the Museum of Lost Wonder encourages you to join these seemingly disparate ways of looking at things so you can decide what's meaningful." This is the challenge presented to the reader.

On the dust jacket cover is a simile of a standard admittance ticket--one of those little tickets that comes on a roll of 500 or 1,000 and says, "Admit One" on it. On this ticket, we read, "7 Exhibit Halls -- 7 Paper Models. Turn Your 2-D Ideas into 3-D Reality. Leave Your Baggage at the Door."

Then comes the kicker: "Everything You Need is Inside!" Does Hoke mean inside the book, or inside the reader? The answer to that depends on you. If you have an imagination and a sense of wonder about this amazing universe, then grab this book and prepare to boldly go where you no doubt have not gone before.

How to Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age

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Quick Turnaround
Classic
Think About a Different Book on Critical Thinking
Poor Critical Thinking Skills
Sound concepts in an easy to read package

How to Think About Weird Things: Critical Thinking for a New Age
Theodore Schick , and Lewis Vaughn
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 007287953X

Book Description

This brief, inexpensive text helps students think critically, using examples from the weird claims and beliefs that abound in our culture to demonstrate the sound evaluation of any claim. The authors focus on types of logical arguments and proofs, making How to Think about Weird Things a versatile supplement for logic, critical thinking, philosophy of science, or any other science appreciation courses.

Customer Reviews:

Quick Turnaround.......2007-06-12

Received product just over 24 hours from ordering. Was worried about overnight delivery accuracy, but was pleased to receive order on time, as promised.

Classic.......2007-02-04

This book is extraordinarily well-written. It covers much, and covers it well. Not only is it a good primer on skepticism and critical thinking, it should definately be required reading for all "postmodernists." Filled with endless examples and clever arguments, this book is a gold mine for anyone teaching a class on critical thinking or even general science.

Think About a Different Book on Critical Thinking.......2007-01-23

Several other reviewers have made comments to the effect that this book is a bit lame. I agree but instead of regurgitating their complaints I'll specify a few of my own.

Thomas Kuhn, which the authors talk about on pages 83-86, is listed as a hard-core relativist. Even if one limits oneself to reading Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions this claim about him cannot be supported. While it is true that Kuhn's work spawned consonance from many such people that shouldn't be too surprising since Kuhn's book is a work of philosophy/literature and not science. Literature, of any sort, is particularly ripe for such abuse. On page 86 the authors say, "We can even say that people with different conceptual schemes experience the world in different ways". That, in a nutshell, is Kuhn's main point - and to make him out to be an Absolutist Relativist is simply not useful.

In discussing the Availability Error (pp 140-144) in confirmation bias the authors use the example of Madey & Gilovich's study using the reading of a faked diary of prophetic dreams. "When subjects were asked to remember as many of the dreams as possible, they remembered many more of the dreams that were fulfilled than those that were not". What they failed to account for is the fact that dreams that 'came true' were in fact mentioned in the diary twice and the ones that did not 'come true' were mentioned only once. So that of course the students remembered 'true' dreams more often; since not only is there the "wow" factor involved in prophetic accounts coming 'true' but by repeating a story using different verbiage the effect on ones memory is more than twice as much. This mnemonic effect is why professional journal articles have an Abstract, Body and Conclusion.

The authors do a disservice to Intelligent Design by inserting it into the discussion on Creationism (pp 189-191) and then misunderstanding it to boot. There is no indication in the text that we've switched topics - in fact, it seems that instead of re-writing the chapter to deal with the new threat of ID the authors merely lumped in some opinions on the subject. This has the unfortunate effect of disrupting the flow of the text.

The authors also seem to misunderstand Michael Behe's contention (cf Darwin's Black Box) that certain biochemical processes are irreducibly complex. Most biologists, we are told, reject Behe's argument that "the parts of an irreducibly complex system could not have evolved independently of that system". The authors commit the logical fallacy of Equivocation (see p 300 in their book) because by definition any process that is irreducibly complex cannot be built up through time given functional Independence of it parts. If the authors really want to go head to head with the Intelligent Design ideas they should tear into Icons of Evolution - the book that does the most damage to Darwinians IMHO.

Really, almost any other book on logic/critical thinking is better than this one. Stick with Copi's _Introduction to Logic_ (if it's still in print) and you'll be able to think circles around any weirdness you might encounter.

Poor Critical Thinking Skills.......2006-01-07

This book can be savaged by the very critical thinking skills it proposes to teach. The authors insist that a proposition be accurately defined. But rarely attempt to accurately define the concepts they use as examples. They devote a great deal of space to explaining the weakness of individual perception and memory, then insist that reality can only be that which one percieves. One of my greatest criticisms is regular reference to the work of Hyman. Any good skeptic is skeptical of the work of a professional debunker. Hyman is well known for debunking any scientific effort for one might wish to discredit. Thus their regular dependence on Hyman damages their already questionable veracity.

I forced myself to the last chapter, a chapter the authors claim to be example applications of their proposals. I felt they did a poor job of debunking homeopathic medicine, but when they abrubtly dismissed "water witching" because the working hypothesis they defined was faulty, without any discussion of scientific studies or in fact any discussion of the past success or lack thereof, of "witching", I just closed the book and set it on the shelf. It will be in the next batch I trade at the used bookstore.

In conclusion, the authors are sloppy, prejudiced, deceitful, and not particularly good writers. Their position damages science by furthering the cause of those who would call science a "religion" and even worse, but promoting the ideology of the closed, bolted, and sealed mind.

Science has come a long way since Newton first published. The authors seem unaware of this fact.

Sound concepts in an easy to read package.......2005-12-28

I never stop enjoying this book. I pick it up every few months just for a tune-up. It presents a variety of related concepts, many of which are in their most basic form, in an easy to read format. Some elaboration here and there for the sake of clarity would have been beneficial, but the basics are covered well. I get a sense that Schick and Vaughn had fun with this one.

Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation

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A "Victim"
It's a helpfull book
Perfect for those who grew up with "Teen Witch" (like I did)
Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation
Be careful with this one

Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation
Silver RavenWolf
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0738703192

Book Description

The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation This book has everything a teen Witch could want and need between two covers: a magickal cookbook, encyclopedia, dictionary, and grimoire. It relates specifically to today's young adults and their concerns, yet is grounded in the magickal work of centuries past. Information is arranged alphabetically and divided into five distinct categories: (1) Shadows of Religion and Mystery, (2) Shadows of Objects, (3) Shadows of Expertise and Proficiency, (4) Shadows of Magick and Enchantment, and (5) Shadows of Daily Life. It is organized so readers can skip over the parts they already know, or read each section in alphabetical order. Selling Features

By the author of the best-selling Teen Witch and mother of four teen Witches A jam-packed learning and resource guide for serious young Witches

All categories are discussed in modern terms and their associated historical roots Includes endnotes and footnotes that cite sources or add clarification A training companion to Teen Witch and To Ride a Silver Broomstick

Customer Reviews:

A "Victim".......2007-07-02

This is a review about all of Silver Ravenwolf's "To Ride a Silver Broomstick" and its sequels and her BOS-Encyclopedia book.

Until today, I never realized the ineffectiveness of Silver Ravenwolf's books. I am 16. I have read/owned her books since I was 11. When my (christian) aunt came into my room about one week ago when I was playing with my cousins, my immediate reaction was "Oh no, she's going to think I'm corrupting her children with what she thinks is a 'Satanic, evil' religion." When I reflected upon my reaction, I realized I was judging my aunt, and Christianity, and that I, I was the one who was being judgmental and persecuting her. Silver Ravenwolf's books do slam Christians. I totally bought into her slander. Who doesn't want to feel better than one third of the world, more enlightened than one third of the world? Everyone wants to feel like they know secrets that other people do not. Everyone wants to be "right." I was/am no exception. If you want tolerance, it is not in these books, although they preach tolerance.

I have also come away with a paranoid attitude toward Wicca/Witchcraft. I feel like it is forbidden, hated by society. Silver Ravenwolf encourages teens to hide their practice from people for fear of persecution. Maybe she is right, but I feel scared to even TALK about it. That is not an attitude that anyone should have about divinity or their chosen religion.

Also, if you asked me to define "Wicca" or "Witchcraft" I would give you a very vague answer. I do not know the difference - what have I been practicing?! I could tell you some stuff about paganism, but not Wicca.

Well, I have begun studying ceremonial magic out of "Modern Magic" by Donald Michael Kraig. I have not read any reviews of the book, but I feel like I finally have an idea what I am supposed to be feeling in the rituals I perform. Kraig is very clear about what is factual history and what is mythical "history." With Ravenwolf, spellcasting techniques were so vague that I felt I had no solid base to work from.

The only way to practice a religion is the way it is meant to be practiced, not any way you feel like it. Even Wicca, a new religion, does have core beliefs that need to be adhered to. You can't just study the occult in general and consider yourself Wiccan or a Witch.

DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER. YOU WILL ONLY GET WRONG AND VAGUE INFORMATION. I WAS MISLED BY HER BOOKS.

It's a helpfull book.......2007-06-30

I love the book.
Some people said that is complicate. But what in the live is not? Is more easy if you read the other book of the author
My firsth language is not english but I don't think that the vocabulary is too complicate.

Perfect for those who grew up with "Teen Witch" (like I did).......2007-06-20

I'm a big fan of Silver RavenWolf, even though many people really like to trash her style. So her historical information may not be completely, perfectly accurate, or she may not write what everyone wants or expects her to write. I can guarantee that no one's book on The Craft is perfect, and Ms Ravenwolf is no exception. But what she never fails to do is to encourage her reader to follow their heart. Although the information in _Solitary Witch_ is mainly aimed at the college-aged group (those who grew up with _Teen Witch_ and now are adults), the information and rituals in this tome are beneficial to practicioners of all ages. I highly enjoy this book, although I believe that it could have been organized a bit better. Overall, it is a perfect book for those who have progressed past _Teen Witch_ and are hungry for the next step up.

Solitary Witch: The Ultimate Book of Shadows for the New Generation.......2007-05-29

I admit to being a fan of Silver Raven Wolf. I am enjoying this one every bit as much as her others. There is a wealth of information that is simultaneously mystical and practical.

Be careful with this one.......2007-04-08

This book is a good place for more itermediate students of the craft. Some people complain about miss Ravenwolf's style. Since she aims her work at trying to simplify the Craft for the teenage neophyte,her books have been perhaps rightfully accused of being "fluffy". This book is certainly no different. The style is simplified. Easy to follow. But this isn't a book for the random neophyte. This book is more of a complete Book of Shadows,loaded with Silver's private spells,personal insights,and things beginners simply won't know. It's clear she expects the student who picks the up to already be familiar with the basic concepts of spellcraft,meditation,and magickal ethics. In fact if I remember correctly she even states something to that effect in the introduction,followed by a list of suggested reading materials to familirize oneself with the basics. That explains the certain lack of essential materials another reviewer pointed out earlier.

The other thing that screams this isn't for the average neophyte is the sheer size of this thing! At 558 pages without the appendicies,this is the most completely book for the Solitary i think I've ever seen! But at that size it's a straight up intimidating book! It's massive! Before you even think about getting it,you have to decide if you have the time to set aside and seriously look at it,or even the storage space to do so. I know that's a turn-off to some people.

And then,as that one other reviewer pointed out,there's the allusions to Christianity that pop up throughout. Personally I have no love lost for Christianity. The behavior of certain Christians and they way they twisted Christ's truly positive words to their bitter,prejudicial,discriminatory,biggotist,and downright hateful worldview pushed me far away from that path. But I don't see the problem here. As I have pointed out,Silver addresses her work towards a more mainstream audience,and isn't out to threaten them or denounce them,but rather lure them in to teach them some truths about this Path. And besides,one the things that attracted me to this way of life was it's non-prejudism and it's acceptance of the validity of other forms of spirituality. But apparently these allusions are a problem to some people. And so for them,this would not be the right book.

So on final analysis,this is a good book if you can stand the fact that it's for somewhate more advanced students,is written in a rather mainstream than scholarly manner,is incredibly large,has a lot of Silver's own private spells over instructiosn on how to write your own,and has certain allusions you might not like. Otherwise,it's probably best to avoid it.

When the Impossible Happens: Adventures in Non-ordinary Reality

Average customer rating:

Light but entertaining read
Impossible? Never...
an ineresting new view on many potencial mind structure
Grat view of Transpersonal Psychology
Leader in Consciousness Research

When the Impossible Happens: Adventures in Non-ordinary Reality
Stanislav Grof
Manufacturer: Sounds True
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 159179420X

Book Description

Feelings of oneness with other people, nature, and the universe. Encounters with extraterrestrials, deities, and demons. Out-of-body experiences and past-life memories. Science casts a skeptical eye. But Dr. Stanislav Grof—the psychiatric researcher who co-founded transpersonal psychology—believes otherwise. When the Impossible Happens presents Dr. Grof 's mesmerizing firsthand account of over 50 years of inquiry into waters uncharted by classical psychology, one that will leave readers questioning the very fabric of our existence. From his first LSD session that gave him a glimpse of cosmic consciousness to his latest work with Holotropic Breathwork, When the Impossible Happens will amaze readers with vivid explorations of topics such as: • "Temptations of a Non-Local Universe"—experiments in astral projection • "Praying Mantis in Manhattan" and other tales of synchronicity • "Trailing Clouds of Glory"—remembering birth and prenatal life • "Dying and Beyond"—survival of consciousness after death Here is an incredible opportunity to journey beyond ordinary consciousness—guaranteed to shake the foundations of what we assume to be reality—and sure to offer a new vision of our human potential, as we contemplate When the Impossible Happens.

Customer Reviews:

Light but entertaining read.......2007-06-20

Most of Stan Grof's books are full of Big Thoughts, but this one is on the light side. Good bedside reading. Short chapters are just the right size for a one a night rhythm.

Impossible? Never..........2007-05-24

Grof's latest work tells stories some of us have heard many times before, but it's interesting enough anyway. I think the book is more accurately entiteld "When the Improbable Happens: My Speculations about Reality, Most of Which Conveniently Ignore the Most Lucid, Rational Possibilities." Unfortunately, despite what some reviewers claim, there is absolutely nothing paradigm-busting here. Grof presents notable, novel coincidences, and suggests that such nuggets are veritable proof that there's something Very Deep going on. Unfortunately, not a SINGLE experience he recounts can be said to be literally "impossible." I mean, first of all, assuming they all took place as described, then they are the DEFINITION of "possible," since they otherwise wouldn't have taken place! The ONE SINGLE SOLITARY INSTANCE in which Grof himself has the opportunity to test his ideas and experiences in the realm of objective reality, with scientific empiricism, he fails to do so, essentially because he gets the creeps when he ponders the possible repurcussions of *proof*. That's the problem with assigning meaning to coincidences; the only meaning they truly have is that that we assign to them! Think about it: in the realm of INFINITE POTENTIAL, just about anything is possible. On a moment to moment basis, few of us experience highly novel, completely weird coincidences. Um, yeah, duh! That's why they *seem* so strange and significant, simply because they're unlikely. The more unlikely and striking a coincidence, the more meaning we attach to it. Where is the scientific evidence that PROVES BEYOND ALL DOUBT AND RATIONALIZING AWAY OF THESE MATTERS? *It doesn't exist*. Where is the astral projector who can, in a controlled study, travel across a continent, read twenty words on a list, memorize them for an hour, and travel back to his/her body and repeat the words verbatim, with nary a single mistake? That never happens. Instead, we have information "suggestive" of such-and-such. Essentially, the book rests on the human feeling of "like, that was so WEIRD, dude!" to posit the objective existence of a realm of non-ordinary, um, stuff.

That said, the book is highly thought-provoking and interesting, despite the extremely huge holes in its logical foundations.

Again, I ask, where is 100% undeniable evidence? Where is the nuclear bomb of mysticism?

an ineresting new view on many potencial mind structure.......2007-05-12

A very light writting on almost new self investigation between psichology and spirituality. very interesting and an excellent aproach to a new vision for anybody who seek to see between lines.

Grat view of Transpersonal Psychology.......2007-04-09

If you are interested in C.G. Jung or have ever wondered about the dimensions of the world around you then this is the book for you. Grof is a transpersonal psychology pioneer and has opened up a new paradigm for trascendental thinking. These are basic stories and will keep you guessing about trying these yourself. I wish we could all have these experiences

Leader in Consciousness Research.......2007-02-26

Stan Grof is one of the great thinkers of our time. Not only has he made astounding discoveries about the human mind, he has put this knowledge to use in helping people. A truly inspiring book.

Refuge of the Apocalypse: Doorway into other Dimensions

Average customer rating:

A Fantastic Journey to Hidden Dimensions
A BIG Piece of the Rennes Puzzle...

Refuge of the Apocalypse: Doorway into other Dimensions
Elizabeth Van Buren
Manufacturer: The C.W. Daniel Company Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0852071817

Book Description

A temple built by Cosmic Intelligence has been uncovered in France.

Customer Reviews:

A Fantastic Journey to Hidden Dimensions.......2001-08-16

I couldn't agree more with the previous review. This book is a rare jewel. It is far more poetic than factual, and many of the statements and assertions it contains will irritate and infuriate the skeptic and the cynic. On the other hand, this is the real deal...this book does a superb job of crystallizing the intangible spiritual forces and dimensions that make Rhedae such an unforgettable flower of eternity. It is a haunting and ultimately nonverbal book, and I'd have to say it's one of my all-time favorites. Every page is packed with awesome and nebulous mysteries. You'll either give it five stars or you'll think it's the worst piece of gibberish you've ever seen....sheer poetry from beginning to end. Vive le Cardou!

A BIG Piece of the Rennes Puzzle..........1999-03-16

Too bad ALL of the "Rennes-les-Chateau Addicts" don't have this book... they might then have a CLUE!

This is a MARVELOUS compendium of arcane lore, compared and listed alongside details of that most interesting mystery of Southern France which makes clear the absolute ANCIENT nature of it, and makes irrelevant all the silly conjectures about the "Tomb of God" or the "Horse of God" or buried "treasure" of the 3 dimensional ilk.

Ms. Van Buren's conclusions are VERY deep and complex, but entirely in keeping with the demonstrated complexity of this phenomenon. It has proven over and over again to "shift and move" with the assumptions and expectations of the "seeker," showing us that there is not a simple nor cut-and-dried answer as so many expect to find. It is TRULY an alchemical work...

The SERIOUS Rennes-les-Chateau and "Shepherds of Arcadia" aficionado cannot afford to NOT buy this book!

Secrets in the Fields: The Science and Mysticism of Crop Circles

Average customer rating:

excellent book
Incredible and even more creditable.....
Different.
A Must Have
Very Good Book

Secrets in the Fields: The Science and Mysticism of Crop Circles
Freddy Silva
Manufacturer: Hampton Roads Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1571743227

Customer Reviews:

excellent book.......2007-06-27

This book got to me very quickly, It was much thicker than I expected and filled to the brim with loads of scientific knowledge. I thought I knew all there was to know about crop circles but this book openned me up to a whole new and completely cool perspective. The middle color section is filled with beautiful pictures. Its a great addition to any open minded book collection! I LOVE IT.

Incredible and even more creditable............2007-05-29

Freddy Silva has devoted his entire life to studying the crop circle phenomenon.. I highly recomend this book to anyone who has a want for knowledge.. He states the scientific facts of his and other reseachers findings.. He dis-credits the fake crop circles made by the hand of man and proves the authenticity of the seemingly impossible formations of true crop circles.. This book will take you on a journey and is very hard to put down.. At the price that amazon is selling it for brand new, I would deffinatley recomend getting this book... You won't be dissapointed.....

Different. .......2007-05-07

I saw this book at Barnes & Nobles, felt inexplicably DRAWN to open it and the gorgeous crop circle pictures as well as the very DIFFERENT style of writings and offered possible theories of them, well, I went straight home to devour it.
The book never sits on the shelf for long. Everytime the subject of crop cirlces come up, this book is opened up again.
Beautiful book, beautiful pictures, beautiful concepts and suggestions, thanks for writing this, Mr. Silva!

A Must Have.......2007-01-30

This book is THE classic on crop circles, and is really a 'must have' for all those even vaguely interested in them. You couldn't want for a more complete explanation of what we know so far, with beautiful diagrams and photos to speak to your imagination and to a very deep part of us that most of us have almost forgotten about.......LOVE it!!!

Very Good Book.......2005-09-19

I found Silva's book very thorough in its detailing of the crop circle phenomenon, particularly in regards to clearing up the discrepancies between real crop circles vs. hoaxes. I like how he mingles thorough research with personal observations and experimentation. I also really enjoyed the chapters about the connections to sound, light, and ancient cultures and spiritual traditions. As someone who is not very scientifically inclined, I found Silva's language to be accessible, as I found myself wishing I had paid more attention to my geometry and physics classes when I was in school. I'm always fascinated by serious discussion of the mysteries of our universe, and this book certainly did not disappoint in that regard.

Missing Pieces: How to Investigate Ghosts, Ufos, Psychics, & Other Mysteries

Average customer rating:

The most intelligent book on the paranormal out there.

Missing Pieces: How to Investigate Ghosts, Ufos, Psychics, & Other Mysteries
Robert A. Baker , and Joe Nickell
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Borderlands of Science: Where Sense Meets Nonsense

ASIN: 0879757299

Customer Reviews:

The most intelligent book on the paranormal out there........1999-11-30

This really is invaluable to anyone interested in researching paranormal claims. Full of humor, references and suggestions, it's like a gigantic handbook, or operations manual for the paranormally inclined. Told from a skeptical point of view, the insight and commentary is enlightening. A must-have in the library of anyone who has an interest in all aspects of the supernatural.

Cryptozoology A To Z : The Encyclopedia Of Loch Monsters Sasquatch Chupacabras And Other Authentic M

Average customer rating:

Excellent and entertaining!
A great collection of cryptozoological oddities...
Not the book that I thought it would be
Informative and a very good start off point for those interested in cryptozoology
An Excellent Reference Point

Cryptozoology A To Z : The Encyclopedia Of Loch Monsters Sasquatch Chupacabras And Other Authentic M
Loren Coleman , and Jerome Clark
Manufacturer: Fireside
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Unexplained
Exploring the Darker Side of America... Strange Highways: A guidebook to American mysteries & The Unexplained

ASIN: 0684856026

Book Description

The ultimate quest for the world's most mysterious creatures

The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, the Abominable Snowman -- these are the names of the elusive beasts that have caught the eye and captured the imaginations of people around the world for centuries. Recently, tales of these "monsters" have been corroborated by an increase in sightings, and out of these legends a new science has been born: cryptozoology -- the study of hidden animals.

Cryptozoology A to Z, the first encyclopedia of its kind, contains nearly two hundred entries, including cryptids (the name given to these unusual beasts), new animal finds, and the explorers and scientists who search for them. Loren Coleman, one of the world's leading cryptozoologists, teams up with Jerome Clark, editor and author of several encyclopedias, to provide these definitive descriptions and many never-before-published drawings and photographs from eyewitnesses' detailed accounts. Full of insights into the methods of these scientists, exciting tales of discovery, and the history and evolution of this field, Cryptozoology A to Z is the most complete reference ever of the newest zoological science.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and entertaining!.......2007-06-12

I have had this book for a while and just recently had to buy another copy because the original one I had was so beat up and well used that it finally fell apart!
Mr. Coleman and Mr. Clark have outdone themselves. The information in this compilation of Cryptids and those that hunt them is exquisite. Though they left out some people and Cryptids the ones they included are well thought out and reserched and give enough info on the others for people to do thier own reserch if they want.
I absolutely loved it and the fact that it is written in an easy to get lexicon is a plus!
I can't wait for the next compilation from these two authors!

A great collection of cryptozoological oddities..........2007-05-24

This book is a fantastic addition to any researcher of strange creatures, paranormal phenomena, and bizzare mysteries.

Not the book that I thought it would be.......2006-10-06

This book was extremely disappointing. A great volume of the book was filled with details about individuals who have an interest in cryptozoology. Perhaps three names belonged in the book, if even that. Some of these people do not belong in a cryptozoology book any more than I do. Take away the sections on people pursuing bigfoot and other oddities and you are left with a scant book. I have enjoyed the author's books in the past, but this book fell short.

Informative and a very good start off point for those interested in cryptozoology.......2006-08-04

Loren Coleman and Jerome Clark's book, Cryptozoology A to Z is a very informative encyclopedia that clearly and simply states the facts about the cryptids (animals of interest to cryptozoologists) and those who investigate and study such animals. There's other books that deal in much ore detail about specific cryptids, but for those whose interest in the subject of cryptozoology is still in the basic stage will find this book helpful in starting them out on a very interesting and fun hobby or calling.

An Excellent Reference Point.......2006-06-18

Not only deals with the many cryptids you've probably heard of, (Yeti, Bigfoot, Nessie, etc.) but others like the Shunka Warak'in, Chuchunaa, and Nguoi Rung most probably have not. The many tales of recent zoological discoveries, will also infuse fans of the still-waiting-to-be-classified with new hope. But more than just an encyclopedia of Cryptozoology, it is also a great biographical reference source to the who's who of researchers. Not the most exhaustive work by far, but for the price, a great place to start.

Night Siege: The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings

Average customer rating:

It's not until someone reads up on Nikola Tesla that one finds out that all UFO's are most likely experimental aircraft
night siege
Plato's Cave Projected Onto the Hudson River Valley Skies
The Government can't deny
Both UFOs and occasional ultralights at same time

Night Siege: The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings
Dr. J. Allen Hynek
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 156718362X

Amazon.com

New Year's Eve 1982 marked the beginning of one of the most puzzling UFO cases in recent times: the Hudson Valley "siege." The siege begot over 7,000 sightings of a boomerang-shaped craft or crafts moving silently through the sky over New York and Connecticut between 1982 and 1995. Night Siege is the collaborative effort of Hynek, Imbrogno, and Pratt to report the data gathered from witnesses of this mystifying experience, without speculation of what it might be. If you missed the first edition of Night Siege, this is your chance to delve into the Hudson Valley mystery. If you have read the first edition, you may be interested in the additional data covering sightings from 1986 to 1995, the graphical analysis of the UFO's appearance, and the chronology of the sightings. Aside from the purely factual value of the catalog of reports in Night Siege, its coverage of an undeniable series of events that somehow went largely untouched by the local authorities and the national media invites speculation into the origins of these silent objects. --Brian Patterson

Customer Reviews:

It's not until someone reads up on Nikola Tesla that one finds out that all UFO's are most likely experimental aircraft.......2007-01-18

A few years ago, I read this fascinating account about the famous "Weschester Boomerang" sightings of the Hudson Valley and what made this so believable was that it was coming from the type of people who were highly educated and were the type of people who laugh at people who claimed to have witnessed UFO's. The first time I had ever heard about these sightings was on an Unsolved Mysteries episode. A number of people thought this was a spaceship from another world and so did I at one time. However, it wasn't until I researched the life, times, and inventions of a brilliant genius named Nikola Tesla that I realized that all UFO's are most likely secret government projects that are still using his inventions to this very day. What is incredible about Tesla is that he invented a lot of technology that we use today back in the late 1800's!! Among his inventions were remote control, lasers, X-Rays, Alternating Current, Radio, Robotics, and Wireless Communication, just to name a few. What is amazing is that he had over 700 patents and a lot of his work he had to keep secret, for fear of being stolen from other people, which is why we haven't heard much about his inventions until years later. In fact, computers were actually already being developed as early as the 1940's, using Tesla's technical know-how, and Tesla was by far not the only genius who developed items that were way ahead of their time. When one sees how much technology was actually invented over 100 years ago, then it is not hard to believe that the government around the 1980's would have a huge metallic structure that could fly silently, especially when one realizes that technology is exponential. Also, in recent years there have been a number of articles written about the government experimenting with anti-gravity technology--no, not from aliens, but from geniuses like Nikola Tesla.

At any rate, this book is well-written and is surprisingly down to earth for being a UFO book and is fun reading.

night siege.......2005-08-04

great book on what went on in Hudson Valley, New York back in the late 1980's. Five stars! jim pianfetti

Plato's Cave Projected Onto the Hudson River Valley Skies.......2003-08-25

Despite its ominous title, Night Siege: The Hudson Valley UFO Sightings by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, Philip J. Imbrogno, and Bob Pratt is a sensible, sober book on the subject of unexplained aerial phenomena. Witnesses to the events and active participants in the investigation during the period described, the authors have limited the book to examining the dramatic 13 - year UFO wave that took place over the Hudson River Valley from 1982 through 1995. During that period, the UFOs were seen by an estimated 7,000 people and reported to authorities by at least a tenth of that number.

The "boomerang - shaped," brightly - lit UFOs behaved like brazen tricksters and interactive provocateurs during their reign of the night skies. Most often described as "bigger than a football field," the silent objects flew less that 500 feet above heavily populated commercial and residential areas, stopped traffic on freeways, turned sideways and spiraled through the air like Ferris wheels, dived into and flew out of bodies of water, hovered over single homes and cars for minutes on end, responded to lights flashed in their direction with dramatic light displays of their own, and disappeared over the horizon in bursts of unbelievable acceleration. Several witnesses reported that the objects dematerialized - or "vanished" - right before their eyes.

On the night of July 24th 1990, an enormous, apparently nonchalant UFO hovered over the Indian Point Nuclear Reactor Complex and came within thirty feet of the only reactor in operation. Awestruck plant personnel had the object on camera for more than fifteen minutes, and were given tentative orders to shoot it down. Helpless police officers confronted the UFOs and repeatedly explained to panicked callers that they did not know what the objects were. The FAA reported that witnesses were seeing nothing more than small lightweight planes flying together in formation, an explanation few accepted. The national media ignored the sightings year after year.

However, identically - described objects were reported in the area as early as the mid - Fifties, and have been reported in subsequent decades from countries all over the world. Commonly known today as "black triangles," a number of theorists - experts and amateurs alike - believe the triangles are the product of United States "black operations" military programs. The most common theory is that the objects are enormous "solid dirigibles," or "stealth blimps," that function as transportation systems for large numbers of soldiers and masses of heavy equipment.

Were the Hudson Valley UFOs secret advanced - model solid dirigibles? If so, why did they repeatedly fly over areas where they would inevitably be seen by a great number of affluent, educated people? What practical purpose could their colorful, complex light patterns have had? If the objects were created to carry government troops, why has no soldier come forward to discuss his or her experience on such a vessel? If the United States has access to such incredibly advanced technology, why weren't these ships utilized in recent wars? Why are the United State's space shuttles still built with comparatively rudimentary and unreliable technology?

Though the presented evidence often seems highly credible, it is difficult to accept that the United States government, as it is generally understood to exist, can presently create and control objects like those reported here. Nor is there any sound reason to believe that the Hudson Valley UFOs were extraterrestrial craft. Interpreted imaginatively, the objects seem like nothing so much as highly advanced, unmanned investigatory probes or other scientific tools -- immense to us but tiny, perhaps even microscopic, to their creators -- from some greater plane of reality that were intermittently thrust into mankind's perception, and then removed from it with equal ease. Like objective correlatives to the allegory of Plato's Cave, the objects seemed like tangible, mocking proof that the universe is a much stranger place than mankind, with its dogmatic "consensus reality," wants to accept. This is true regardless of the genuine facts concerning their nature and origin.

The authors remain admirably restrained and objective throughout, hesitantly putting forth ideas but drawing no conclusions (except for one unfortunate slip in Chapter 16 when the UFOs are described as "something [that is] not of this Earth"). A number of witnesses of the phenomena-including police officers -- are quoted at length. Reports of alien abduction phenomena, what some witnesses called "telepathic communication" with the object, and CE - IIIs are noted but left purposefully undiscussed. As Jung concluded in his "Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies," "Something is seen, but what?"

The Government can't deny.......2002-01-26

A gripping read with powerful evidence that leads to the usual one and only conclusion - and still the government denies! Do not be put off by the appalling American English, with the terrible date system (days, months, years please), and few inconsistencies in the text. A map would have been useful, but otherwise there is not a single person who should not buy and read this book now.

Both UFOs and occasional ultralights at same time.......2001-10-18

UFOs flew heavily through the lower New York state area (including Pine Bush, NY--Silent Invasion), for more than 20 years 1978-2000. In the mid 1980s, some idiot pilots thought it would be fine to "fool" people and pretend they were UFOs. Fortunately, many people had been seeing clear-cut ships/UFOs--nuts and bolts, windows, pod marks, for several months or years, and continued seeing them, in addition to the planes "pretending" to be UFOs, while "stuck" with our earthly technology--engines that make noise. The ships/UFOs have technology so much more advanced than ours that we can only begin an attempt to unravel their mysteries.

Touch of Wonder: Staying in Love with Life

Average customer rating:

The BEST book in my entire library!
Secrets of Living Life to Its Fullest.
A TOUCH OF WONDER
A Gift Which Keeps Giving
This book helped change my perspective on life.

Touch of Wonder: Staying in Love with Life
Arthur Gordon
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0800756029
Release Date: 1996-02-01

Book Description

A collection of memorable art-of-living pieces designed to make the reader fall in love with life.

Customer Reviews:

The BEST book in my entire library!.......2007-04-26

I can't say enough about Mr. Gordon's book. His stories are timeless. He is not the least bit "preachy" but it is very hard to put this book down without taking some important life lesson from it. "The Night The Stars Fell" is a good chapter, but every chapter in there is simply awesome. I find myself skipping from one chapter to an entirely different one, totally out of sequence, and that's fine for me. I find what works, what's important to me in my challenges this week, and that is the beauty of this book.

Secrets of Living Life to Its Fullest........2006-09-28

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. This describes this lovely book in just one sentence, but as I enjoy elaborating, here are some things you will find in it:

Before last April, I wish I had found this advice: Keep yourself constantly aware of how decisive timing can be in human affairs; make a pact with yourself never to act or speak when driven by the whirlwinds of anger, fear, hurt, jealousy or resentment. Sharpen your powers of anticipation and learn patience; Learn to get outside yourself. So many people keep busy getting things done that they reach the end of their lives without ever having lived at all.

Love life and it will love you right back. Accept his proffered love as you two have a lot to talk about; age, music, notions, as you get to know the real person, with a touch of wonder. The wonder of life is realizing that you love someone you can't have, but you will survive just the same. To be loved, to be openly admired, are human needs as basic as breathing. People who give admiration and affection get them back -- if what they give is spontaneous and sincere.

These days, they are afraid of pushy (strong) women unless they married them before they got that way. Becoming absorbed in nature is the formula at a touch of wonder, like you feel when looking at a beautiful baby with the bright eyes of wonder. Eric still has the innocence in his sparkling eyes at six years as he is autistic, a math "wonder" already. He is a marvel, the miracle of life itself, a challenge as he grows and learns the underside of life. He is sensitive enough to see things as they really are. Brett did, too, at that age.

In the South, we have been taught that charm will get the charmer all sorts of things that money can't begin to buy. It doesn't hurt to get charmed, but take it for what it is. The law of the echo: whatever you send out -- honesty or dishonesty, kindness or cruelty -- ultimately comes back to you. Since the beginning of recorded history, mankind has had the conviction, based partly on intuition and partly on observation, that in the long run a man does indeed reap what he sows. "The greatest teacher who ever lived was well aware of the conflicting impulses of the human heart, and left no doubt as to which side He was on. He said, 'I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.' Small children could not resist flinging themselves headlong upon Him. 'Forbid them not, of such is the kingdom of Heaven.' Most people think that He was referring to their artlessness and innocence, but I like to believe He also had in mind their energy and enthusiasm." What about the "Jonah Factor"?

A TOUCH OF WONDER.......2006-08-30

This is my favorite book of all time, and I have read HUNDREDS. I get this out and reread it at least once a year. It helps to inspire me and, sometimes, to get me through rough times. I have given this as a present to many people, and they have all thanked me profusely for it.

A Gift Which Keeps Giving.......2000-10-05

I read this book years ago and have re-read it many times since. Each time I gain a new insight. I have given this book as a gift to many people. We now share insights over and over again! No matter if you are feeling down or up about life, this book helps! READ IT, LIVE IT ....

This book helped change my perspective on life........1999-04-02

If you want a better idea of what God's perspective might be on our lives, this book is for you. Without ever being preachy, Mr. Gordon masterfully retells his own life experiences and in doing so gently nudges the reader to consider the divine light cast on their own everyday thoughts and happenings. Its imagery is unforgettable and truths timeless. Mr. Gordon drops hundreds of little jewels of wisdom in this book, and the wise reader will gather them up and carry them always.

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