Reviews (3)

Status Report on the Wilber Project
Ken Wilber started out 30 years ago in "Spectrum of Consciousness" trying to butt-weld Buddhism onto western developmental psychology.Now in "Integral Spirituality" he is trying to imagine what religion would look like if it accepted that the modernist critique of pre-modern religion and the postmodernist critique of modernism (including science) are true.
Spirituality with intelligent thought: not a bad idea
The previous reviewer has done a great job summarizing the content in this book, so I'll just make a few simple comments. This book will probably be most enjoyed by people who have some familiarity with Ken Wilber's work (thought this is not necessary). Not a lot of time is spent defining and suiting his theory (thank goodness, since he's already done that in a hand-full of previous books). It was refreshing to see Wilber present some significant new ideas, some revisions of previous ideas, and he also began to relate different parts of his model to each other in a more dynamic fashion (thought there is still a long way to go).
Integral Theory, with some application to spirituality
The book mostly presents a theory of how to theorize about spirituality, rather than simply delivering a direct theory of spirituality.By this late stage, we must set high standards for Wilber to meet, for the content of his theory and his presentation of it.This presentation is not as condensed, polished, and finished as one would expect from the expert on integral spirituality; it's a hashing-out of a rebuttal to one aspect of postmodernism, and a repeated urging to take that one aspect into consideration.It has an unbalanced emphasis on "the myth of the given", as though the only aspect of postmodernism to think about is how mystic experiencing is shaped largely by cultural factors.The presentation gives the sense Wilber is still in the midst of working-out these ideas; we'll have to wait for someone else to boil down his top-heavy use of jargon into plain-spoken English in a balanced, polished presentation with straightforward subheadings.
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Subjects:  1. General    2. Philosophy Of Religion    3. Religion    4. Religion & Science    5. Religion - Socialissues    6. Sociology of Religion    7. Spirituality - General    8. Religion / General    9. Religion: general    10. Spirituality   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (252)

One of the best you will ever read
This is an easy to read book, which managed to make profound points about life, pain, and fate.I enjoyed reading the first part of the book and learning about what it was like to be in such a hellish place (a concentration camp), and yet still being able to be positive about life.What more can I say than its an excellent book?

I learned: All the Auschwitz survivors, including the author, had something significant yet to do with their lives!
MAN'S SEARCH FOR MEANING
fascinating!
this is simply a must read for those interested in the human experience.Some of the positions concluded in this book may not be the only way to think on the issues involved, but still, this book is a great psychological workout with deep insights. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Austria    2. Biography    3. General    4. Holocaust    5. Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)    6. Personal narratives    7. Psychological aspects    8. Psychologists    9. Psychology    10. Psychology of Religion    11. Philosophy    12. Philosophy / General    13. Psychoanalysis & psychoanalytical theory   

Reviews (18)

Provides many links between these functions and composer effectiveness and strategy.
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC could have been featured in our Health Shelf section, but is reviewed here for its importance to musicians and any interested in music. It's the first to provide a comprehensive scientific analysis of how people experience music: chapters blend psychology, neuroscience, and musical examples from classical to rap to explain different facets of music and how they are perceived by the brain. Lest you think this overly scientific, it also provides many links between these functions and composer effectiveness and strategy.
Fascinating: Music listening as a personal tour through labs, studios and living rooms
Dan Levitin's "This is Your Brain on Music" is a rather unique book. I don't know any other book that bring together personal anecdotes from the music recording world, a wealth of current insights into how our brain allows us to even listen and enjoy music to the more arcane problems of how we structure our ideas into categories.
Not good
This book is carelessly written and edited, with a surprisingly large number of factual errors and misstatements of various kinds.I had high hopes for it, but I came away disappointed, even angry.Although there is some valuable material (p. 187 is great), too much is unacceptably sloppy.The music-theoretical explanations tend to be simplistic and misleading.Some are wrong.Trouble starts early, with a definition of "the A minor scale" as "the one minor scale that uses only the white notes of the piano keyboard."But this "natural" minor scale is not analogous to C major in the way Levitin is implying.The observation that Beethoven's Fifth "restates a melody using different instruments" trivializes a sophisticated musical language."Shave and a haircut" and "Gee Officer Krupke" are not the same rhythm, though Levitin says they are. (They're related, but not identical; it would have been illuminating to discuss the difference.) Mozart did not write "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" at age 6 (or any other age) though he did composevariations on it.(Levitin's claim that the stress pattern in this tune is TWINkle twinkle LITtle star is peculiar, or at least highly debatable.) The definition of a "whole note" as a note that "lasts four beats" is unhelpful.The claim that 6/8 is a "somewhat common meter in which we count six beats to a measure and each eighth note gets one beat" will be news to most practicing musicians, for whom this meter normally has two beats.Schoenberg is lazily called a "contemporary" composer though he died in 1951.The note C is defined as the "dominant" note of a piece in the key of C, which is bound to confuse anyone who is subsequently taught what a "dominant" is.Another problematic sentence:"Musicians refer to the pleasing-sound chords and intervals as consonant and the unpleasing ones as dissonant."But this is not what musicians understand by consonance and dissonance.Levitin's analysis of the slow movement of the Haydn Surprise Symphony doesn't jibe with the music; he says that "the main melodic idea spans barely more than half an octave, a perfect fifth" -- and so what? -- but the first 4 bars cover an octave, and the first 8 bars an eleventh.Another puzzling sentence: "There is nothing intrinsically catlike about the word cat or even any of its syllables [sic]"And what about the author's dismissal of "attempts to please the audience through musical obsequies [sic] rather than through soul." I cannot imagine a classical musician who would not wince at "Many of the greatest musicians of our era lacked formal training.... in classical music, George Gershwin, Mussorgsky, and David Helfgott are among those who lacked formal training..." Leaving aside the "unmusicality" of the repetitive writing, it is time to stop exploiting poor David Helfgott, who, however much he suffered personally, is not considered "one of the greatest classical musicians of this era" by any serious practitioner.Levitin must be a more responsible researcher and sincere music-lover than this book suggests, and I'm sure his intentions were good.Perhaps Levitin's editor is more to blame than he himself is. The objections I've listed may seem niggling. I've listed them for two reasons: 1) it would take too much space to discuss larger issues, and 2) I think such mistakes are evidence of the book's overall carelessness.Some books I would recommend instead of this one are more technical but also more stimulating and informative, notably Music and Memory by Bob Snyder and the recent Sweet Anticipation by David Huron.
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Subjects:  1. Acoustics & Sound    2. General    3. Instruction & Study - Theory    4. Music    5. Music/Songbooks    6. Philosophy & Social Aspects    7. Psychological aspects    8. Psychology Of Music    9. Science    10. Science/Mathematics    11. Science / Acoustics & Sound   

Reviews (38)

The horrible effects of cancer
I used to admire this woman.She was smart.She inspired me when I was young.It is a shame, however, to see her intellectual decline in her last years.Was this the effect cancer had on her brain?First, I can't understand how a book written with more heart and passion than brain and analysis can be called "The Force of Reason." She appeals to our feelings and fears more to our rationality.Second, she conviniently chooses historical events that only prove her point sometimes ignoring undeniable facts.For instance, she quietly forgot the role of Christianity in the Conquest of the Americas and the slaughter of the Indian races.Or the role religion played to justify the worst atrocities of the European powers.And what about the survival of Catholicism in Spain in spite of eight centuriesof Muslim domination?Yes, there were churches andsynagogues in Muslim Spain.This manifesto doesn't look very different from those fascists wrote about Jews in Europe in the 1930s. Poor woman.

God Bless the Christian Atheist, Oriana Fallaci
Oriana Fallaci is no longer among the living. We will have to do without her unrelenting opposition to Islamic nihilism.She died in the United States.Her fellow Europeans essentially expelled her from the continent.They made Fallaci's final years a living hell.As an ex-Catholic, I am more then a little irritated by the Roman Church's capitulation to the radical Muslims.Fallaci described herself as a Christian atheist and was more of a defender of the "true faith" than its own hierarchy!"This Catholic Church without which the Islamization of Europe, the degeneration of Europe into Eurabia, could have never have developed. This Catholic Church that remains silent even when the crucifix gets insulted," added the author.
A hero of our time
Oriana Fallaci, a famous journalist and former antifascist partisan, offers her fascinating views on Islam, its history, and the threats facing the Western civilization as well as her personal story that has become even more striking after the 9/11 attacks. For security reasons, Fallaci had to move to America, a country she views as the main hope of the Western civilization, and so do I, a citizen of the Czech Republic.
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Subjects:  1. International Journalism    2. International Relations - General    3. Philosophy    4. Political    5. Political Freedom & Security - General    6. Political Ideologies - General    7. Political Philosophy    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Sociology    10. Current Events / General    11. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (11)

A Great Short Introduction To Darwin and his Impact
I found this to be just an extremely helpful shorter study of Darwin, pleasantly written, but containing much valuable information packed into its 283 pages.One particular talent of the author is the ability to explain scientific issues in the most understandable fashion--somewhat of an unique talent in my experience.Wisely, the author does not recapitulate the well-trod voyage of the Beagle, but begins his discussion after Darwin's return from this epic voyage in 1836.The central issue simply put:why did it take Darwin better than 20 years after his return to publish "Origin of Species"?To answer this question, the book focuses upon a biography of Darwin during the years prior to the "Origins" publication in 1859.One sees how much data and supporting evidence Darwin had amassed during this period--but still no publication. In fact, it was not until A.R. Wallace sent Darwin a paper from the Far East, which closely paralleled some of Darwin's own ideas, that Darwin sprang into action and produced his monumental book. An entire chapter is devoted to the book itself, the clearest and most understandable compact analysis I have seen. Next, the author addresses (again in a clear and compact chapter) the course of evolutionary thought (and anti-evolutonary thought) that resulted from Darwin's book. As throughout the rest of the book, this chapter is as even-handed and fair as one could wish for. A super bibliography is attached as well. Basically, this is an informative and pleasant reading experience, both for experienced Darwin/evolutionary hands as well as those new to the topic.

Darwin's own secret notebooks and personal letters provided the foundation for this coverage
The Reluctant Mr. Darwin by David Quammen comes to life in a vivid rendition by actor and award-winning narrator Grover Gardner, who brings passion and enthusiasm to this story of Darwin. Darwin's own secret notebooks and personal letters provided the foundation for this coverage, which tells of the evolution of his theory.
Darwin diagnosed
This was pretty good as a diagnosis of Darwin and how he became the man and how he created his ideas. Good points include how he went back to England and stopped collecting for a while until he was inspired by the writing of one of his proteges. We see Charles Darwin, the man, in this book. It lacks pictures and graphs and could have benefitted from them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography And Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. England    7. History    8. Life Sciences - Evolution    9. Natural Selection    10. Naturalists    11. Scientists - General    12. Miscellaneous Items    13. Science / Evolution    14. Science: General Issues   

Reviews (114)

A Gift to Me!
After seeing his video, The Seven Decisions, I had to have the book.It is entirely different, but with the same message.I then bought three to give as gifts.Andy is a great story teller, and very entertaining.I highly recommend this book, and you'll want to get another one to share (keep your own).

Am I a Voice in the Wilderness?
I bought this book based on the blurbs, and the fact that I enjoy an occasional Steven Covey - type read.
An excellent book
I really enjoyed The Traveller's Gift which was recommended to me by one of my very successful friends.I am a huge student/trainer of Personal Development information, and what I liked most about this book was it's freshness.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Christian Life - General    2. Conduct of life    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Inspirational    6. Inspirational - General    7. Personal Growth - Success    8. Success    9. Personal Growth    10. Self-Help / Success   

Reviews (5)

***** Get the Message: "Stop Suffering and Start Living!" *****
Russell Targ, a physicist as well as paranormal researcher, and J. J. Hurtak, a Judeo-Christian and Buddhist spiritual teacher have written a book of great importance for the rest of us. As they suggest, it is today because we have leaders that are ignorant about our oneness with not only each other but the Creator, they make absurd statements that actually lead to war and untold suffering such as, "Those who are not with us are with the terrorists." The modern physics of nonlocality and remote viewing research all show our potential for experiencing expanded awareness that yield to a deeper understanding of why avatars like Jesus uttered: "If you see me, you have seen God." More so, these authors speak to why the Dalai Lama described Nagarjuna as one of the truly enlightened people of all times and places. Thus, Targ and Hurtak describe a peaceful and joyful path based on these teachings and graciously share them with all who have ears to hear and eyes to see this ultimate truth: "We are one global human being" as the shamans themselves declare worldwide. The Maya priest-shaman use the word "In La'kech," that translates as this profound realization in English, "I am another yourself." Read this book and stop suffering, then start living a self-empowered life now!
The End of Suffering - A profound unity of science and spirit
For us, "The End of Suffering: Fearless Living in Troubled Times", is a book that unifies the greatest insights of the realms of quantum physics and the greater mystical teachings of the East. In these troubled times, when the synthetic self dominates the false image of society a new lotus of spiritual-scientific wisdom emerges from the muddy depths of the confused web of hyper-specialized reality. Nagarjuna talks to us of the middle way, which takes us into hyper-spatial/temporal realities where we learn to bring the rest of the greater 'Love' story into the sciences. If we as humanity are going to become the embryo gods the ancient scriptures talk about - the three jeweled lotus, then we need to understand the key concepts this book is saying. Which is that we are all interconnected and that our state of 'mind' plays a greater role than we where lead to believe. In the current super information age, universities and other educational organizationsare asking the question where to next? This book certainly does give a beautiful flow plan for new models of how our education and ultimately humanity must go, if we are to create a future of hope. For through the practical secrets of little gems in this book there shines now for us a hope for our future.

A Timely Guide
Russell Targ, a nationally known physicist and consciousness researcher, and J.J. Hurtak, a similarly well-known philosopher of both Judeo-Christian and Buddhist traditions, have come together to offer modern readers a path through the maze of our culture's delusions to an inner-state of compassionate serenity.The authors' divergent expertise produces an interesting synergy, a good combination of philosophy and science which seems particularly apposite to understanding contemporary angst and suffering.Thewriting is gracious and the thinking clear.This is a book to read and consider carefully.
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Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Buddhism    3. Healing - General    4. Inspiration & Personal Growth    5. New Age    6. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    7. Personal Guidance    8. Quantum theory    9. Suffering    10. Popular psychology   

Editorial Review

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Reviews (167)

Choices
This is a fascinating, entertaining, short read about a group of travellers who take a bus excursion from hell into a place where they are given a chance to go into heaven. Surprisingly, they actually seem to prefer hell.This is not a book about what heaven is like or what hell is like.It's about people like us, and our choices, and how they affect our lives as eternal beings.
Bus Ride through Eternity
Admittedly, I have a certain degree of difficulty decoding C.S. Lewis's brand of science fiction/Christian fiction.It is not so much that I can not appreciate his writing as that I have trouble picturing the fantastic concepts that Lewis paints.This being said, I was able to take quite a lot from this book.
A masterpiece
I think this is one of Lewis' very best. He attempts in this work to paint a picture of heaven and hell based on his understanding on Christian theology; and what a picture it turns out to be! I found myself captivated from the beginning with the author's depiction of the confines of hell and its inhabitants, which then become a perfect foil for the soul-lifting glory of heaven that he goes on to describe. What makes the work so powerful is the believability of the picture that is painted, despite its speculative nature and imaginative leaps.
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Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction - Religious    3. General    4. Good and evil    5. Religion    6. Religious - General    7. Christian Interest    8. Fiction / Religious    9. Modern fiction    10. Religion / General   

Reviews (27)

This book changed my life
Shane's book is inspiring, humbling, and truthful.I knew a lot of what he said before but he gives ideas that you can actually use to transform your life into one that God would've wanted Christians to live.After reading his book, I became much more active in things that matter and am passionately involved in the "irresistable revolution" and think that anyone reading it would have a similar experience.Have the faith and courage to do what you ought to (and this book is as good a place as any to start!).

First book I could NOT finish.....Same old subject chapter after chapter
The book starts out ok, and makes you want to get up and help the world out. But how many of us can really go and live on the streets? I did not like how he disregards and is negative aboout political leaders and leaders in general.God put these leaders in place for a reason and according to the Bible was should be obedient to the leaders placed above us. It doesn't mean we have to like everything, but we don't need to bash them. Shane is too much on "God is love" and not enough on "we need God because we are sinners".

Revolutionary to a non-Christian
If you are a non-Christian or one who has spurned the faith because of the hypocrisy of the church regarding war, the poor, and other issues, then you may find this book a valuable read.
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Subjects:  1. Christian Life    2. Christian biography    3. Christianity - Christian Life - Character & Values    4. Christianity - Christian Life - General    5. Church and the world    6. Political    7. Radicalism    8. Religion    9. Religion - Christian Life    10. United States    11. Christian Interest    12. Christian life & practice    13. Religion / Christian Life   

Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Psychology    3. Psychology & Psychiatry Profession - Ethics    4. Psychotherapy - Counseling    5. Counselling    6. Psychology & Psychiatry / Counseling   

Reviews (4)

Class
we just got these books for my art history class, and this thing is amazing. color photots, detailed information, and interactive site. yeah, its nice
Gardner's Art Through the Ages, Volume I
this book is perfect for the class I am taking. aj

Brief Opinion
The newest edition of this book has some great qualities about it, namely the interactive cd to be utilized as a study aid (the flash card section was beneficial to me), the variety of objects chosen to represent the period/culture have improved, in my opinion, from the other editions as the book has updated archaeological finds. The only disappointing feature I found was in the text itself. The "extra" information boxes including explination of ancient religions and preservation techniques were facinating, but the bulk of text I found to dance around the point. It kept trying to be politically correct, such as changing Venus of Willendorf to Woman of Willendorf. Granted this new take is supposed to account for counter arguments against the purposes of certain objects, but I found that in the attempt to be objective there was a loss of passion for the object and culture itself. I also found that the terminology the book chose to define within the text was unneccessary (vocabulary such as hypostyle hall needs to be defined, not vocab such as carbon dating). However, overall the book holds to the tradition of the series by displaying stunning visual images (all objects are in colour no less!)and the information presented is rather informative, even if the style of writing is "too correct" in some places. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. General    4. History    5. History - General    6. Subjects & Themes - General    7. Art / General    8. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles   

Reviews (3)

concept Physical Science
I can't seem to find the area to post recommendations for the company I bought this book form. Mindspring.com. They were very prompt in mailing this book to me. My child has started using it yet, but the promptness of the delivery was very important to me. Thanks

A good book
hello i love the book because it explains you alot of things and it helps you to understand.it is a good book because with the pictures you understand better the lesson an this book has a lot of pictures

A good book
hello i love the book because it explains you alot of things and it helps you to understand.it is a good book because with the pictures you understand better the lesson an this book has a lot of pictures ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Physical sciences    2. Physics    3. Science    4. Science (General)    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Science / Physics    7. Science: General Issues    8. Teaching of a specific subject   

Reviews (14)

Feast for the Soul...and your business
Dr Cloud serves up a delish and varied plate in his most recent offering toward healthy living. This book is highly readable, yet worthy of slow savoring as opposed to a quick snack.
Integrity: The Courage to Meet the Demands of Relity
For those in business, ministry, and anyone with a relationship, this book is a must read. The principles that are learned will change your life, I just thought I knew what integrity was, now I see the areas I need to improve in my life so that my relationships will be so much better. An excellent book!

Generalized overview with little new insight
I agree completely with the Becksted review (I also noted that it was helpful, but I meant it would have been helpful had I read it before I bought the CD).
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Subjects:  1. Applied Ethics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business Life - Inspirational    4. Character    5. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    6. Integrity    7. Leadership    8. Personal Growth - Success    9. Personal Guidance    10. Self-Help    11. Business & Economics / Management    12. Christian Interest    13. Christian life & practice    14. Religion / Christian Life   

Editorial Review

If the prescriptions for getting rich that are outlined in books such as Read more

Reviews (279)

...like giving or getting Galileo's book on the solar system as a Christmas gift in 1632
My professional work involves evaluating money managers and trying to "understand" a manager's skill vs luck and where the manager might fit in an overall portfolio.So I have spent 30+ years slashing my way through the jungle made by academics who think they can put markets and reality into nice, predictable models; and worse, listening to the sales pitches of money managers and other financial salesmen who want you to believe they are predictably worth paying very high fees and subjecting your money to untold risks.
interesting but too long and arrogent
The author has some interesting things to say on randomness and probability and how it effects our day to day life. However what could have been an interesting long essay does not a book make! Furthermore he is really annoying in the way he makes snide and unjustified remarks about various people. For example - he may think Buffet is a lucky fool and he may be right (I do not understand the markets enough to judge this one). However he doesn't stop there. He goes on to attack Buffet for living a moderate life style (so what) and ends with musing if money isn't importent for Buffet why doesn't he become a monk or a social worker. Well this was before Buffet gave away most of his fortune and I hope Taleb is suitably shamed. I suspect this guy is fueled by envy and probably an inferiority complex (as he comes across as sooo superior).
Oh, what could have been
As someone with a taste for statistical theory, this one was disappointing.Taleb is constantly casting around for what exactly he wants to write about.Yes, he passably develops his theory that people read far too much into random events.He does this through a series of personal stories, which unto themselves are entertaining.But, it's never clear if he's writing an autobiography or discussing randomness and I came away from this book no more enlightened about randomness than I had been before.If you are a novice in the area and are looking for a light introduction on the subject, it's a good book.If you're already familiar with the concept of randomness, don't bother. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Chance    5. Economic Statistics    6. Finance    7. Free Will & Determinism    8. Investment Analysis    9. Investments    10. Investments & Securities - General    11. Random variables    12. Statistics    13. Business & Economics / Finance