End-of-Life Books

After reading this text, it is very clear to me why Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman is considered to be a classic in anthropological literature. Shostak does a fascinating job telling the story of Nisa, a fifty something female member of the !Kung tribe in the Kalahari desert of Africa. The !Kung are classic hunter and gatherers.

The majority of the text is essentially an interview between Nisa and Shostak about Nisa's daily life (the remainder of the text is narrated by Shostak), and the experiences that she has had regarding many aspects of life, including marriage, childbirth, and sex, and family life.

The text is exploding with interesting details of !Kung life. For Example, according to the !Kung, the gods gave them a wonderful thing when they gave them sex. The !Kung people spend much time talking about sex and about sexual endeavors. Also, !Kung women predict the coming of their menses by the phases of the moon. If the moon comes and goes without the commencement of menstruation, pregnancy can be suspected. This suspicion greatly increased when other symptoms of pregnancy are present, such as nausea or unusual emotion. This ethnography is jam packed with great conversation starters such as these.

In Nisa, Shostak manages to include an abundance of dialogue of Nisa and additional narration, while simultaneously producing a very easy read. Nisa is a must read for anthropology students, those wanting to know more about the !Kung people, or anyone who enjoys biographies.

Majorie Shostak's account of her anthropology trip to Africa's Kalahari Desert examining the rituals, lifestyles and existence of the !Kung tribe is not to be read like an expanded version of a National Geographic article. It is written with academic rigor and precise examination of a !Kung woman Nisa. The majority of the book is told through Nisa's words which are translated into English with as much accuracy possible by Shostak. Shostak prefaces each chapter with a more general description of the events of Nisa's life which follow. The !Kung have such a different life style than Westerners, so naturally the story telling methods Nisa uses are a little unfamiliar. There is much more repetition of certain phrases and ideas that some of us might find excessive. If one can get past this they will soon see what an expert Nisa actually is. Also it is a tribute to Shostak that she didn't slice up the narrative to make it more accessible for Westerners.

The book in begun with an extensive introduction, about 40 pages. Although at first this might feel over detailed and cumbersome, it is a necessity to read it before jumping into Nisa's narrative because some of the actions taken might seem unfathomable without a better understanding of !Kung life. For instance, when Nisa describes stealing and hoarding food for herself as a child, we might feel she is extremely selfish. But after reading the introduction we understand that in !Kung life there is virtually no private property. Imagine being a young child and having nothing of "your own." I think we all would have stolen to some extent. Also during the time the book was written there was a struggle within the anthropology communities as to whether these "field work" expeditions we're even worth taking. There were many who thought that the "white man" was so engrained with his own cultural sense of morality that any attempt to interpret or understand someone different would be wasted time. So it is possible that in parts of the long introduction Shostak was justifying to her academic circle why it was important that she did go to see another kind of life.

After the introduction is over, we move into various important events in Nisa's life, described by Nisa and prefaced by Shostak. Although these interviews were not given chronologically they are presented in as workable a series events as possible. We are taken first through her childhood in which Nisa's mother has her second child and no longer allows her to breast feed because it is believed that once her younger brother is born, it is his milk. We are then taken, to various cases of childhood problems. The `Discovering sex' chapter is worth noting, children go away and as Nisa says "play sexually". Although the parent's sometimes mildly scorn this, they remember how important is was for them in developing as sexual beings, so they pretty much look away. I think that our incredibly sexually conservative and private culture could learn something from this. It shouldn't necessarily be discouraged for children to discover certain aspects of themselves, and have sexual feeling, (we should stop pretending as if they don't!)

We are then taken through trial marriages; theeseoften "fail", because the girl married is too young. The most important events in a !Kung woman's life are first menstruation, marriage, and childbirth.

Another chapter worth noting is most clearly illuminates why Shostak's expedition into the Kalahari was so vital to understanding !Kung life. The chapter entitled 'Change' accounts the arrival of the very different Christian cattle herders. The Hero brought, (among other things), permanent villages, alcohol, western religion, tobacco, etc. Although some people might consider some of these things "civilization", (and I would not count myself among this crowd), the sad truth is that !Kung culture is dieing. More and more are forsaking the old way of life for the much more stable continuous food source. And even if the corrupt regimes they live under exploit their way of life to promote tourism, they are being stifled the the exact same regimes. Nisa's generation is the last link to the nearly completely un- westernized !Kung life. Without Shostak's magnificent book we would have a much harder time understanding this beautiful nomadic way of life.

One of the amazing thing about this book, unlike many other cross cultural examinations, is that it doesn't concentrate on some of the "shocking" taboos that might have made it a bestseller, (just under Tom Clancy). It instead just tells the story of a woman. One does not finish it and say, "wow they're different they need Jesus." One feels a connection to Nisa, and we realize not that we are different but that we are more similar than we would know or like to know. This also shows us that they're clearly are universal human emotions. Nisa goes through, love, hate, guilt, grief, regret, resentment, fear, happiness, etc, just like every human being! To go through it is to be human. Even in a culture totally different than ours these emotions are still there. In an age where we feel like we must "spread democracy", like we're spreading humanity, it is all the more important to realize that the same humanity exists whether or not they are infested with corrupt corporate puppets. I would recommend this book to anyone who feels lie they want to know more about other societies, and ways of life, in a more in depth format.

We have two wonderful women to thank for this powerful book on !Kung life, or !Kung life as it should be.

Marjorie Shostak offers readers an interesting and insightful account of her relationship with a member of the !Kung San people of the Kalahari Desert during the early 1970s, a woman known by the pseudonym "Nisa," in her seminal work Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman. The book is a coupling of both Shostak's ethnographic insight and Nisa's life history told in her own words, along with some very interesting photos taken by the author. Shostak admittedly runs into barriers that she must cross, particularly as to whether or not she can trust Nisa, who the rest of the tribe regards as a liar, but really, much can be seen in the lies that people choose to tell as well as the truths. Either way, Nisa's stories are compelling and give the reader a great window into their hunter-gatherer society and the dynamics that make it work. It reveals techniques of tribal socialization and ethic reasoning, the importance of intimacy, as well as offering a model (however debatable it may be) for the ways in which the status of women is compromised by changing demographics.

Nisa's life history account reveals many instances in which can be seen a socialization process that is meant to turn her into a more productive and adaptive person in society. These instances can especially be seen in Nisa's childhood. The !Kung place a high value on sharing in their culture, and Nisa's early tendencies to selfishly covet and hoard food for herself was counterproductive to this ideal. Nisa's mother dealt with her daughter's stealing firmly, often hitting her and screaming such things like, "Nisa, stop stealing! Are you the only one who wants to eat klaru? Now, let me take what's left and cook them for all of us to eat. Did you really think you were the only one who was going to eat them all?" (Shostak 53). By this form of punishment, her mother not only chastised Nisa for her counterproductive actions, but she also reinforced the social norm of the culture - namely, sharing.

Nisa's life history account is also filled with stories of intimacy. The frequency of these stories, as well as her descriptions, reveal much about !Kung principles and social organization. Marjorie Shostak at first assumes that Nisa's focus on sexual matters is her attempt at finding a common ground with a fellow woman, but she soon realizes that it is in fact quite characteristic of !Kung society. The !Kung say that "when the gods gave people sex... they gave us a wonderful thing" and its importance is seen as significant as that of food in sustaining life (Shostak 237). They find talk of sex to be important and it is often used as the subject of jokes "in a deliberate way to dispel tension" such as making pornographic gestures to cheer a man up who had been spat in the eye by a cobra (Shostak 237).

But the act brings out other qualities of !Kung life as well. Many men and women of the society frequently take secret lovers. They see it as an exciting and passionate alternative when those fires have burned out between their spouses. For many women, especially, self-esteemed is gained through their secret games and rendezvous. It also symbolizes another belief among the !Kung, namely, the vitality of women and sex in the social organization: "women are strong; women are important... because women possess something very important, something that enables men to live: their genitals. A woman can bring a man back to life, even if he is almost dead. She can give him sex and make him alive again. If she were to refuse, he would die!" (Shostak 257).

However, despite the powerful feelings a woman may have for her lover(s), it is very important to them that responsibility to their husbands are their main priority, signifying another element in the social organization. Even their lovers understand, as one of Nisa's did when she did not show as promised. He said, "if it was because of your husband, that's all right. But if you do it again, I'll beat you!" (Shostak 245). As Nisa explained:

"When a woman has a lover, her heart goes out to him and also to her husband. Her heart feels strong towards both men. But if her heart is small for the important man and big for the other one, if her heart feels passion only for her lover and is cold toward her husband, that is very bad. Her husband will know and will want to kill her and the lover. A woman has to want her husband and her lover equally; that is when it is good" (Shostak 257).

Perhaps the most significant aspect of this work is the changing status of !Kung women as result of environmental and demographic change. Traditionally, !Kung women have experienced relative equality with men. This is do mainly to the hunter-gatherer existence in which they live, for "!Kung women are recognized by men and women alike as the primary economic providers of the group" by gathering vegetables, roots, etc. (Shostak 216). However, as Tswana and Herero herdsmen have been in the past century moving in on their territory, and whose "village sites expanded to encompass more of the traditional !Kung waterholes, maintaining the !Kung way of life became increasingly difficult" (Shostak 194). This change has affected woman, though, most of all. As some of the !Kung began to settle in these villages they became second-class citizens, for the women's pattern of child caring began to see drastic changes. While these women had previously had a child perhaps once every four years, now those "who live more sedentary lives have shorter birth spacing between children" (Shostak 195). This could be because of cow's milk's effects of birth patterns or women being "better fed and less active," but "in any case, with two children to carry, the women are less likely to go gathering; they become more dependent of the new food sources, animal husbandry and agriculture" (Shostak 195). Because the role that gave women their equal position is now being threatened, so too is their status.

Shostak's study works on a number of levels, and can indeed by appreciated on many as well. Whether one is interested in an ethnographic study of hunter-gathering tribes, or is concerned about feminist issues, or would just like a unique and interesting tale that provokes consideration, this book comes highly recommended.

The book is written by Shostak a woman, about Nisa also a woman, and that makes it more appealing because it deals with a lot of women issues. I know that Marjorie Shostak is now dead and Nisa is dead too. When you live with the author and the person she is writing about all this time it suddenly becomes a part of your life and you begin to mourn their death. I really admire Nisa and all these !Kung women and how courageous they live but I also know they don't live according to this book anymore. Long a go they changed their lifestyles.

Nisa is an autobiography of a young girl who is part of the Kung tribe. I feel that this book was a very easy read, and some parts of it were interesting but others weren't.

The Kung people have many cultural customs and traditions, such as a woman should give birth alone and in silence, or you shouldn't drink your mother's breast milk if you have a younger sibling. But, Nisa is sort of a rule breaker, or as we would call her, a rebel. Nisa had three husbands, I think. Now, many women in America have had multiple husbands so it's not that big of a deal but along with Nisa's three husbands she has at least 17 affairs, or as they called them lovers. When her husband would go out to hunt for two or three nights another man would sneak to Nisa's hut and they would make love until her husband came back. Many times Nisa got caught, and many times she didn't.

Nisa sometimes had reasons for leaving her husbands, but one of them she just didn't like. The Kung have something that is called a tribe headman. This man decides whether it is ok to get a divorce or not. One of the times Nisa didn't even go to the tribe's headman she just went back to her mother's village. Another time Nisa's husband, who was the father of her children died. Nisa cried and cried, but eventually she got over it. Nisa's next husband was a different story. He beat Nisa all the time, sometimes her back even swelled up. Nisa went to the headman to tell him that she wanted a divorce, but he gave her husband another chance. The next time Nisa went with bruises and the headman told her that she could divorce her husband.

Nisa got pregnant many times, but actually only had 2 kids, one girl and one boy. The Kung people believe that women can have miscarriages in many different ways. For example, they Kung believe that, if the child is not wanted by the mother of father that god will take it away from them. Another way is if the mother is hit or injured while she is pregnant the baby may leave her. Nisa miscarried for many reasons. A lot of the time it was because it wasn't her husband who caused her to get pregnant, it was one of her lovers and it was hard for her to tell her husband, so she just kept lying. Another time Nisa's 3rd husband got very mad at her and hit her with a stick, which made it seem as if the baby wasn't wanted.

Like I said before, I thought that Nisa was a very easy read, but it was still very informative. I really enjoyed how each chapter had a little bit about the culture, and a little bit about Nisa and how she fits in with her culture. Because the book was like that, it made it easier to stay interested because it wasn't 20 pages all about the same thing. I thought it was kind of cool that Nisa was a rebel, because if Nisa just followed all her customs it wouldn't be a very interesting book to read. Nisa seemed like she was very intelligent. She knew how to work her way out of trouble, how to cover up things that she knew she did wrong, and most of all how to lie. I never said that she was necessarily intelligent in a good way. If I were to compare this book to The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, I would say that I enjoyed this book more. I think this is because The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down had whole chapters about the war and their trip to America but I was more interested in Lia herself. That's why I liked Nisa so much, the book was more about her then the culture.

I recommend Nisa to people who are interested in autobiographies, but ones that are also about other cultures. I think this book offers a wide range of topics and is a very good book to debate this book. If I were to rate this book I would rate it 4 stars, because it kept me interested yet it was a very easy read.

I don't read much Christian fiction, but this book was a real find.

A "cult" has made an amazing discovery which enables space flight. This sets off a chain of events that is, well, apocalyptic.

This is a strange brew of sci-fi, religious fiction, and social commentary, and it's all done pretty well. Everyone is given a chance to present their point of view, in as balanced a fashion as is possible - hard to do, since eco-terrorists and radical feminists come off as rather unhinged. But this is true to life, so it's hard to fault.

Christian and non-Christians take equal lumps, as far as hypocrisy and rationalization. A Christian woman has an abortion; an anti-gun character has a gun; one main character is a religious survivalist who has no qualms about killing; Christians on the "new world" excuse some of their actions in terms of evolution; other Christians reintroduce slavery; and so on. No-one gets off easy, and everyone's words and actions are examined or challenged. There are a couple of characters which may seem over the top, such as the main villain, Crow, but if the premise of the Christian universe is accepted, it makes sense.

The logical consequences of many worldviews are examined in a fast-paced story - quite an achievement in itself - and the author has obviously thought through things in much detail.

The most frightening aspect is how an entire group of people - the "cult" - is systematically destroyed, lawfully, in the United States, through various means, and especially through a willing press and public opinion. It's heartbreaking to see a family destroyed through "repressed memory" therapy, and how events are "spun" to blame the "cult". But the most frightening thing is that most of these scenarios are not fantastical; many are historical. For example, whole towns have been ruined through "repressed memories" which had children "remembering" sexual abuse that never occurred. A scene in the book recalls Waco. The various views that motivate the people who persecute the cult are current views - radical environmentalism, gender obsession, race obsession, Christophobia, and so on. This could happen today, because it has happened.

However, although we may loathe some of these people, they are presented not as consciously evil but as sincerely following their beliefs or living out their life experiences. Everyone, including the "cultists", are truly human. Their views sometimes come out in little glimpses, such as when a journalist reporting on a harrowing series of events takes pains to point out that an "African-American" is involved. It's subtle, but shows the true idiocy of race obsession. There are other such moments and actions, and the "cultists" don't escape the author's questioning stare, either.

There are many poignant moments here, but the truly memorable one is where the "cult leader" is naming their new planet. As in the rest of the book, the writing is measured but heart-wrenching. I feel I must reproduce it here, for the benefit of those who don't get to read it in context.

"We've been asked many times what the name of the new world will be ... What do you call a world of promise, a world where people are free to live their lives as they see fit, to worship God in their own fashion? What would you call a place of unlimited potential, where the only limits on men and women are those they place on themselves, and the government serves the people, not the other way around. There was once such a place, a brief shining moment in Earth's history that we hope to rekindle. Our new world will share the name of that place - America."

Then we see that the American flag has been scraped from the hull of their spaceship. It's a reading moment to remember.

I read the book almost 75% through the first day, until I couldn't keep my eyes open, then finished it off the next day. It's a page-turner.

Judgment Day covers a universe of people, spiritual battles, and even distant planets. In 690 pages, James David takes you from the earliest days of a new science in anti-gravity to the darkest recesses of anti-Christian bigotry and the evil forces behind it.
If the author had fully explored every character that is presented in this story, and fully vetted the events that unfolded, it would have taken three times the volume to explore it all. As it is, the author gives us small glimpses into certain characters, while fleshing out those we come to care about and respect by the story's end. He even delves into the very psyche of those characters we learn to fear the most (reader discretion advised - half kidding).
I couldn't help but identify with the members of the `Fellowship' and the situations they found themselves in. How remarkably prophetic this story seems now, considering the recent raid on a LDS compound in El Dorado, TX.
I read this book almost a year ago, and it still conjures up images I'll never forget. Images such as the constant awareness of an awesome God who quietly pulls the strings on behalf of those who trust in Him. And, images of a very real enemy we face, who would like us to think is all-powerful, but really isn't in the same league.
The author does not present the gospel or any other religious dogma in an overpowering manner. But, there is an ever-present guidance at work, masterfully leading the reader into the unknown these characters face around every turn.
If you are looking for Christian Fiction for Young Adults, you might try the Vicki Silver Mystery Series
Vicki Silver: The Stolen Gem
Vicki Silver: Cruise Control

Like many of David's reviewers, I started reading the Left Behind series several years ago. I feel ashamed to say I read more than one, but reading them was like eating the crappy candy a few days after Halloween - there isn't anything else good lying around, and one bite just doesn't fill you up.

In fact, I was left with such a bad taste from that series, I became disillusioned with Christian books, and didn't touch one for five years. I spent the last five years reading Tom Clancy, Stephen King, Dean Koontz and classics from my senior high summer reading list (still kicking myself for not reading those in high school).

Judgment Day was in the used book bin at my local store for $7.00, and I bought it with several others. If I had known it was a Christian-themed book, I probably would never have bought it. However, it's been one of the best books I've read in years. Unlike most books by Christian authors, the good guys aren't all good. Like King David, some of them are guilty of serious crimes and nasty thoughts. The whole one-dimensional good guy crap was what turned me off to Christian books in the first place, and this book has given me hope that not all Christian authors write like unimaginative sixth graders.

My only gripe with the book is that the bad guys are so very bad, even when it does not serve them. I went to a pretty darn liberal law school, where I befriended many of the psycho-activist types this book stereotypes. To the last one, they were able to keep their disdain for believers hidden when it served their purposes. However, author David does accurately capture their smug attitudes, and attempts with some success to explain their thought processes.

Overall Judgment Day was a really fun read. I will be looking for all of the author's other books.

I am MOST fortunate that I discovered James F. David back when he released his first novel, "Footprints of Time" several years ago. What a refreshingly original story! His streak continued with 'Fragments' and it's sequel, 'Ship of the Damned' and then came my favorite novel of his to date: 'Before the Cradle Falls'. With Judgement Day this talented and incredibly original author branches off into yet a totally different area altogether...the so-called Christian Fiction genre...although that title is a bit misleading.

In NO way do I see much of a connection between Judgement Day and the Left Behind series it seems to be compared with so often here. They both are fiction and deal with Christianity, but that's about where the similarities end. It's kind of like saying Star Trek and Star Wars are connected simply because they both deal with Sci Fi--and yet on substance they couldn't be more different. That's about all you need to know on the subject.

The story is BIG. More ambitious than anything Mr. David has produced thus far and as a gamble, it seems to have paid off--at least to me anyway. The action is often and detailed as well as entertaining. The story features some fantastic characters, too. Good people as well as the nastiest you'll come across in print. He sets the stage for the two protagonists giving you a wonderful background for why they are the way they are and more importantly, why they both end up doing what they do given the circumstances they are in. Certainly there ARE science fiction elements within Judgement Day, but nothing is so Out There that it threatens to fall into the silly and contrived. I found that the story progressed quite rapidly and sincerely kept my attention throughout making me anxious for what was to happen next after every chapter. I can't tell you how often I began a chapter telling myself, "I'll finish for the night at the end of the NEXT chapter..." only to go back on that vow as soon as I got to that point--and sometimes I re-arranged my vow's rather quickly into the next chapter based on a great deal of different factors.

If you haven't discovered James F. David I would heartily encourage you to give him a try. He is amazingly creative and I would go so far as to call him a writer for those of us who enjoy 'Smart Fiction'...I hope that makes sense.

As both a author and reader of Christian fiction I was impressed with Judgment Day. The characters seemed real and the story line was believable. I guess that I just like books that can hold my interest and make me think at the same time. I recommend this book. Time keeps me from writing a longer review but I wanted to get something posted.
Tommy Taylor

As a nurse who has worked in Oncology, I have found this book very interesting and thought-provoking. It brought back many memories of patients and similar situations. Could anyone ask for a physician any more compassionate than Dr. Groopman? Something for all in the medical field to strive for.

I don't remember why or where I bought this book. I think it came highly recommended to me, as I have worked in HIV research and bioethics for the disabled for years, not as a job, but because it is what I care about. I think I accidently put this book up to sell, thinking it was another book on these same issues I had read years ago. When I got it out to send to another reader, I realized I hadn't read it. I can read quite fast when necessary and after the first few pages in this book, I realized I did not want to send it until I had read the whole thing. So I read it in one evening, and I am so glad I did.

After just undergoing a horrendous couple of years with my own personal physician who threw medication at me in hopes something would help (and he just made things worse), I needed to be reminded there are outstanding and wonderful physicians out there still who see their work not as a way to make money but a way to make a living and provide for their families while still doing the most they can for humanity. I'd read Groopman's work before. He is a very prolific writer, as well as a physician and researcher into HIV and cancer. I don't know how he does it. The man must not sleep ever, and that also earns my admiration. His patients are not easy ones. They are the more difficult ones, and he see his job as being to give them the most time he can possibly squeeze out of their conditions. And that time he gives them, he makes them as comfortable as possible and as able to continue their life's work...this is what is meant by providing people with chronic illness and even illness whose end result is death with a quality of life equal to that, or better than that, than the life they had lived before. Why? Because they know their time is limited, and they seek to fill their remaining time with the most they can stuff into it. EAch of these individuals have different ideas of what constitutes a meaningful life, and each of them learn something from Groopman during their time under his care, and their stories not only taught Groopman something, but in this book they teach the reader something.

I'd always been one of those people who didn't want to undergo chemotherapy for a cancer that would end in death anyhow. But now I understand from Groopman why you would prolong your time here, as long as it could be done in such a way as to achieve my goals and those for my family and friends, and give something back to others as I have always wanted to do (but often had to put to the side while I raised my family).

This is one of the most compassionate books I have ever read. I hate to send it away but at the same time, I want others to read it. It teaches us to put into practice our religious beliefs rather than just spout them. It isn't enough to say 'this is what I believe.' Groopman teaches us that we can put our religious beliefs into daily practice and do the most good by doing that. I would definitely recommend this book as required reading for all students in all medical fields, even research...as we too often lose sight of the very human faces that we are researching for. By putting a human face on these usually unseen people it forces us to work harder and with more focus on moral behavior, whether as researchers, or as medical personnel in daily contact with those who are suffering. Our job is not to judge, but rather to alleviate suffering... Groopman is an outstanding example to all of us, and I hope to incorporate his teachings in my own life and my own work...

Karen L. Sadler

An excellent book of choice for anyone looking to find meaning in the field of health care, who feels swept away by torrents of robotic practices of academic medicine and scientific prejudices.

No small number of my loved ones have required the care of hematologists -- mother-in-law, nephew, two aunts, father, husband. I worked closely with a group of hematologists for several years and had a close friend in that branch of medicine. How, I always wondered, do they maintain the emotional and spiritual resources needed to continue in this challenging line of work?

Dr. Jerome Groopman addresses that very question in the prologue to "The Measure of Our Days." He writes, "I identify several elements that give me hope and strength in the cold company of death. One is modern science and the potential for change it offers. Another is the wisdom and solace found in faith. And, perhaps most important, as the following stories reveal, I draw on the particular lessons -- of courage and endurance -- gained from my patients."

There is Kirk, a venture capitalist with kidney cancer who learns too late what makes a life worthwhile. Dan, a research fellow with hemophilia, contracted AIDS from Factor VIII concentrates before routine screening of the blood supply. Cindy, in her mid-thirties, tried to get over a broken relationship by taking a "freedom week" at Club Med, and came home infected with HIV; she could not face life without the love of a child so she expressed her faith by adopting an orphan from overseas.

Matt contracted AIDS from a transfusion for his acute leukemia in the year before screening of donated blood. Debbie tried to fight off her metastatic breast cancer with the principles of Tao rather than radiation and chemotherapy. Alex always insisted that he wanted to be assisted to die at the first sign of debility from his AIDS, but when the time came he clung to life and his young lover.

Elizabeth used her social status to bring a power play into her relationships. And finally, Elliott, a lifelong friend of Dr. Groopman, learned to reassess the meaning of worldly achievement.

These patients brought their personal strengths to the engagement, and in the retelling of their cases, Dr. Groopman shows his own spiritual depth and the faith that feeds it.

"The Measure of Our Days" has good layman's explanations of the medical situations involved in the eight cases. If this type of language is within your context at all, then I recommend this book to you. Its message of hope goes beyond the dire medical scenarios and speaks volumes about the human spirit.

Linda Bulger, 2008

If Sherwin Nuland hadn't already written "The Way We Die," Jerome Groopman could easily have used the title for this book. Dr. Groopman specializes in cancer, blood-disease, and AIDs patients, so he is very familiar with the way we die. His emphasis in this book is more on the spiritual aspect of dying, although there is also plenty of physical agony and degradation in "The Measure of Our Days."

If I had to sum up the book's theme, it would be: patients who love and are loved struggle hardest to live, sometimes way beyond the point where physicians have given up on them. When they finally do die, their deaths are more fulfilling (easier? better?) than those who die with full wallets and empty hearts.

That sounds kind of hokey, like "Love Story" as written by a doctor, but Dr. Groopman handles the theme very effectively. He's even slightly more optimistic than in his book "Second Opinions," although no one in "The Measure of Our Days" dies as romantically as Ali McGraw. Just the opposite. Most of Dr. Groopman's patients in this book die after extensive chemotherapy, surgery, and physical therapy--the whole painful and nauseous armamentarium of modern medicine (If it hasn't yet struck you how closely physicians resemble the monks of the Spanish Inquisition, you've probably never undergone chemotherapy. Both wield their instruments for our own good).

"The Measure of Our Days" speaks like a modern day Koheleth (Ecclesiastes):

"A man may have a hundred children and live a long life; but however many his days may be, if he does not get satisfaction from the good things of life..., then I maintain that the still-born child is in better case than he. Its coming is an empty thing, it departs into darkness, and in darkness its name is hidden..."

Change 'get satisfaction from the good things of life' to 'love' and I believe you will understand Dr. Groopman's measure of our days.

Although I did like this book and I was able to continue with the characters I learned to love in the earlier book, Push Not the River, I found myself reminded of way too many years ago in a college lecture.
The history was interesting but far too much detail and not enough story.

I fell in love with the heroine, Anna in Push Not the River, yet in this book, Against a Crimson Sky, she had little more than a walk on part in much of the story. If anything this book concentrated way too much on military minutia and history of Poland and did not balance the original story of Jan & Anna's romance enough.

James Conroyd Martin has created yet another literary treasure with his sequel to PUSH NOT THE RIVER. Once again, his fabulous gift for storytelling has given me deeper insight into the history of Poland and has truly helped me understand how the political events of the day affected so many lives. Well done!

I find myself in the minority when reviewing this book. While the historical background and details provided are interesting and accurate, It was, for me, difficult to become attached to the characters. At different points in the novel I found myself disgusted with Zofia and at times really found it hard to like Jan at all, and he's supposed to be the noble/brave husband of the heroine! Also, Anna as a heroine, is lacking in some vital quality which would make her endearing to the readers (just an opinion). I do usually enjoy historical fiction especially when it is set against such an intriguing backdrop of time (such as this book). But in the end, I was disappointed. I did finish, but almost found it difficult to do so. This wasn't a book that I could not wait to get home to read as many others of the same genre have been in the past.

I would like to add that I have not read the first installment of this series. I notice that most of the reviewers that rave about Against A Crimson Sky have read the prequel and I can't help but wonder if my attachment to the characters would have been strengthened if I had read the books in order.

Another reviewer likened the first novel, Push Not the River, to Gone With the Wind (which I find hard to believe in the first place, as Margaret Mitchell is practically unrivalable). But if what the reviewer claims is true and the first book is truly that amazing, then I'm going to have to compare this second novel to Scarlett, the much-read yet ultimately disappointing sequel to Gone with the Wind.

I am not trying to be antagonistic, just stating an opinion.

If you enjoyed "Push not the River", you will undoubtedly also enjoy its sequel. In "Against a Crimson Sky", James Martin delves more deeply into the lives of his characters, always working against the fascinating backdrop of Polish history and culture. He has done a superb job of incorporating what happened in the first book into the second novel. You do not have to have read "Push not the River" (or remember it perfectly) in order to enjoy the sequel. The women characters in particular seem to grow and come alive. And Martin continues to make good use of the wonderful Polish proverbs that he used to introduce each section of his first novel.

Master storyteller and popular pastor Max Lucado is at his best in his 130-page riff on one of the best-loved passages of the Bible, John 3:16, a verse he beautifully calls "an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to the Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels." Following the main text is a 40-day devotional study on the life of Jesus, excerpted from many of his widely-read books.

Lucado kicks off his book with a retelling of Nicodemus's famous conversation with Christ, in which Jesus tells him, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (NKJV) The thought, Lucado says in his trademark prose, "coldcocks Nicodemus." When he asks Jesus how anyone could possibly be reborn, Jesus responds with John 3:16.

The words of John 3:16, Lucado says, are to Scripture what the Mississippi River is to America --- an entryway into the heartland. "Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them." They are "heart-stilling, mind-bending, deal-making-or-breaking." Lucado's anecdotes are warm, poignant, often funny, and help him make his points. Chapter by chapter he unpacks each piece of John 3:16, mining the treasures to be found.

One of Lucado's trademarks is his ability to retell biblical stories in a way that refreshes them for Christians who may have heard them a hundred times before or that piques the interest of the first-time listener. He is not afraid to introduce scholarly terms (anothen) but always unpacks them for his audience in an informative, inviting way. His language is vivid and precise, and his writing reflects that of someone who makes it look easy because he has wrestled over every sentence. "Heart-breakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers prowl this orb.... But God loves."

Humility permeates his work and continues to endear this mega-selling author and his writing to his readers. When Lucado writes about himself, he pens lines like this: "Burger dependent. Half asleep....and sinless? I can't maintain a holy thought for my two-minute commute."

Yet there is a toughness to his theology. Lucado is quick to reach out with comfort, but also refuses to compromise his beliefs. His writing on the "in Him" portion of the passage emphasizes this. Looking at the popular belief that all spiritual paths lead to heaven, he takes a firm stand. "Salvation is found, not in self or in them but in him," Lucado writes. "...Don't believe in you; you can't save you. And don't believe in others; they can't save you."

In another uncompromising and passionate look at the word "perish," Lucado writes a no-holds-barred short treatise on hell. "Hell, like heaven, is a location, not a state of mind...an actual place populated by physical beings." He adds, "There is no point on which I'd rather be wrong than the eternal duration of hell...if God, on the last day, extinguishes the wicked, I'll celebrate my misreading of his words." It is not God's will, Lucado says, that anyone should perish. "...but the fact that some do highlights God's justice." There's plenty of fodder here for discussion among Christians. Yet Lucado doesn't leave it there. He adds that "The supreme surprise of hell is this: Christ went there so you don't have to. Yet hell could not contain Him."

Lucado can be as reassuring as he is tough. Consider this lovely passage:

"Allow the only decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life at times appears to fall to pieces, seems irreparable. But it's going to be okay. How can you know? Because God so loved the world. And, since he has no needs, you cannot tire him. Since he is without age, you cannot lose him. Since he has no sin, you cannot corrupt him. If God can make a billion galaxies, can't he make good out of our bad and sense out of our faltering lives?"

This is a fine introductory book for those new to Lucado's writing and will also be appreciated by his legions of readers. Don't miss it.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid homey style of Max Lucado in this work which is just one more example of his ability and skill as writer who knows his subject well and lovingly.

Reading this book was an incredible experience for me and brought me to tears, all with gratitude, for what Jesus out of His love for me and others. Max Lucado has a beautiful and gifted way of presenting the meaning of John 3:16 and provides the vivid descriptions and context, which is helpful to understanding the power of this verse. Prior to reading the book I could say I was familiar with the scripture, hearing it so many times throughout the years, but reading this book provided me with the understanding of what this scripture really means. I encourage anyone who is actively seeking a spiritual relationship experience with Jesus Christ (versus a religious experience) to read this book.

As the title of Mr. Max Lucado's "3:16: The Numbers of Hope" suggests, this book is almost entirely centered on the most famous bible verse, John 3:16. Mr. Lucado's writing style is very easy to read and digest and his use of analogies throughout the book provide an excellent context to some of the deeper meanings of this simple yet so complex bible verse.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 King James Version)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 English Standard Version)

You see references to this verse throughout your daily walk. People at sporting events hold it up for the television cameras, etc. But have you really ever sat down and thought about the profound meaning of this short verse? That is exactly what this book tries to do. While it does go too deeply into theology, it provides an excellent platform to build off of. Some people have complained in their review of the book about the fact of a lack of deeper study but I don't think that was the intended audience of this book.

Jesus turned the world upside down with his teachings and many argue that this quote is perhaps the cornerstone of Christianity. Contrary to many religious theologies this verse points out the fact that you can't "earn" your way to heaven. How could you? How could you ever good enough in the eyes the perfect being? Instead John 3:16 shows the beauty and easiness to receive eternal life. And yet we as human beings take it and make it difficult.

This is the third book I have read by Mr. Lucado. The other two were Facing Your Giants: A David and Goliath Story for Everyday People and And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ toward the Cross (Chronicles of the Cross). I would also recommend both of these books.

In this book, Max Lucado takes readers on a short tour of John 3:16--one of the best known and most beloved verses in the Bible.

As always, Lucado does a fine job of articulating God's love and longing for humanity. While some might consider "God loves you" a simplistic message, it is the heart of the gospel and a much-needed word of comfort and encouragement for today's increasingly fragmented society.

Suitable for both believers and seekers, the book includes a bonus 40-day devotional on the life of Chirst.

I beg to differ, as one of the earlier reviewers stated, that this book does not offer spiritual fulfillment. I found it awakening many slumbering treasures that I have neglected over the past few years, caught up in other things in my life. I thought it was a delightful treat. I would agree that there is little to no spiritual direction, but it does not purport to be an "owner's manual" for any spirituality.

I would also kindly disagree about its lack of plot. While the writing is more stream-of-consciousness than one typically expects for an autobiography, there is a movement throughout the book which one can follow, and it is not to "nowhere."

I am not a shepherdess myself, and there were times when I thought "ew" (get it - ew/ewe - pun intended!) when presented with graphic descriptions of sheeep husbandry, but it was all part of parcel of the journey. This is definitely one of those books in which the joy is in the journey, and thank you, Mary Rose, O'Reilly, for taking us along!

I was fortunate enough to have found this book in a happy happenstance. I was waiting for colleagues at our local quirky microbrewery on a Friday after work, went over to the shared bookshelf and pulled this off. I intended to return it when I finished, but I think I will donate another book to their library, as this one is too precious to let go! I intend for it to be one of those few books that I re-read over and over.

I found this book boring. Her message was good, but her delivery did nothing for me.

My first impressions of this book were that it was weird. That really describes the first section and a half of this book. It *is* weird reading about the excrutiating details of sheep farming coupled with deep religious insights. But it was weird in a good way, like waking up one morning in the middle of the winter at 6 AM and having the sun already be risen. The further along in the book I went, the more I enjoyed her weird combination of sheep farming, Buddhist retreat, music, and Quaker imagery. I found myself thinking about what she just said constantly; quite frankly, it was an absolute inspiration to me, especially when she starts delving into her life at Plum Village. Her format also makes the book easy to read. You can pick it up for just 5 minutes at a time. With some memoirs, the format of short essays makes the memoir feel disjointed; with this one, it makes it feel whole. I've read many memoirs and many spiritual/religious books. If I had to give a list of my top 3, this book would be on it.

The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd by Mary Rose O'Reilley is a beautiful and insightful memoir. There is something to be learned, pondered over, and highlighted for posterity on almost every page of this book. O'Reilley's humor and down-to-earth honesty regarding spiritual and personal matters made me feel at home, even in unknown territory. While reading this memoir, I learned to pause, remember, and cherish my own breath, to accept what is and what is not.

In the past 15 years, I've read two, "personal memoir"-type books by women writers that totally blew my doors off: Terry Tempest Williams' "Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place" and Mary Rose O'Reilly's "The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd." Very different books, at the end of the day, but both women think and write from deep religious traditions in their lives. Likewise, both have an abiding love for "the land," concretely and metaphorically, so what you hear at the end of that same day are calm but passonate voices that make you listen, make you want to listen hard to the observations, but with sense of deep fulfillment for the experience of it.

As for "Barn," I am neither a Quaker, a Buddhist, a farmer, a teacher nor an "older, adventurous woman" (as one reviewer suggested would be the type of person who would enjoy "Barn"). SO WHAT! "Barn" is a truly a banquet of wise and penetrating insights into the essence work (and working with and caring for animals in particular), of friendship, love, responsibility, accountability to yourself and to others, silence, mediation, the sacred, and, ultimately living honestly. There is much humor, gentleness, and "character" (for want of a better word to describe her inner strength) in the 90-odd "chapters" (some as short as 1 page) that are more like mini-essays on discrete but interrelated topics, so much so that I found myself going back, often, re-reading passages, savoring her prose and her insights, shutting the book, just letting the writing sink in. "Barn," resonated with me (an "semi-older, adventurous man") on more levels than I could ever have predicted. I'm a big fan of Thich Nhat Hanh's work, so the chapters recounting her experience at Plum Village and Thay's "dharma talks" were an added "bonus." Give it a shot, and take your time reading it; it's worth it.

This marks the final volume of writings from the Great One and I have read every one of these literary jewels. I can safely state that Gould as an essayist cannot be beat. He is (and most likely will remain) my favorite science writer as much for his personality as his unique and eccentric subjects. I love Gould BECAUSE of his contradictions and frailties: The arrogance, the ability to offer then reject theories, his pitched battles with detractors, his love of stamps, music, snails and baseball, his startling conclusions but most of all his committment to excellence in all things great or small. He was THE quintessential Renaissance Man, the scientist/scholar/writer with a zeal for life in all its ups and downs.

"I Have Landed" reveals an intellect that was curious to the end. He was capable of being surprised and delighted, something many would not admit. In an act of supreme serendipity, his ancestor's arrival on our shore was Sept 11, 1901. The tragedy of 911 evoked four, brief poetic pieces that celebrated the goodness of humanity even as the rubble swirled in the streets. As in his other works, articles range over a vast tableau of ideas, subjects, memories and controversies, always associating them with some point of natural selection. He was a rebel but not a revolutionary; he shied from such acts as the absurd replacement of the perfectly usable BC & AD with BCE & CE - both indicating the same values.

Gould was not afraid to bare his soul - his love for Gilbert & Suillivan, singing in Christian chorales (as a Jew), baseball, finding a rare book or - overwhelmingly tender - being driven to tears by a brief note from a woman to her son. The research was prodigious (reading original documents in their own language) and the writing humorous, enlightening and deeply moving. Favorites include Nabakov & Butterflies, "When Fossils Were Young", Frederic Church, "Atrocious!", the Narthex and my personal favorite, Hadyn's Creation (in which he sung).

Gould was criticized for his sympathetic views of Marx and religion. His Marxism was more from custom (academia/father) than practice. He was NOT not one of the new breed of anti-American Americans. He loved this country and constantly spoke of the freedom it gave to live our own lives. He often quoted Scripture. Since the Bible is the most influential book in Western culture this is not a startling practice for an essayist. The quotes were always apt and seemed perfect for tales about the human condition. He railed (like Darwin) against scientifically irrelevant anti-God crusades (read Haeckel, Huxley, Dawkins and Denning) as both misguided and ultimately damaging.

So Stephen, this is the Long Goodbye - return to the stars from whence you came.

AR

The late Stephen Jay Gould just managed to close this huge chapter in his life before leaving us with an incredible heap of reflections, just in his whole collection of assays (300 of them), not to say in all his other books. Such a fertile writer might give the impression of scarce profundity, nothing more different from the truth. Gould guides us through history, art and science with such an ease that makes you feel a Gaia voyager in a never ending trip. He was such a heuristic and resourceful guide, you end up completely spellbound with his eloquent digresions. Lovely, just lovely, as always.

Darwin disciple, Stephen Jay Gould, described himself as a "paleontologist by trade," and a "card-carrying liberal in politics" (p. 218). In this anthology of thirty-one essays (some of which are stronger than others), selected from his 300 contributions to "Natural History" magazine, Gould not only reveals his interests in a diversity of subjects including "the scourge of syphilis," Victorian evangelicalism, Karl Marx's funeral, Vladimir Nabokov's (LOLITA) credentials as a lepidopterist, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, but he also shines "the factual torch of modern science" (p. 260)on creationist attacks on evolution, evolutionary theory, and Biblical creation stories. "Let me suggest that, as patriotic Americans" he writes, for instance, in response to the Kansas Board of Education's 1999 decision to remove evolution and big-bang theory from the curriculum, "we should cringe in embarrassment that, at the dawn of a new, technological millennium, a jurisdiction in our heartland has opted to suppress one of the greatest triumphs of human discovery. Evolution cannot be dismissed as a peripheral subject, for Darwin's concept operates as the central organizing principle of all biological science. No one who has not read the Bible or the Bard can be considered educated in Western traditions; similarly, no one ignorant of evolution can understand science" (p. 215). At a time when we need voices like his the most, this intellectually stimulating anthology--Gould's tenth and final book--is a rather sad reminder of what a brilliant, scientific mind the world lost on May 20, 2002, when Gould died at age sixty.

G. Merritt

Gould's passing is a loss to essay writing. No-one ever faulted Gould for the wide reach of his interests. As with most of his previous collections of the columns he wrote for Natural History magazine, the spectrum covered here is spacious in both time and topic. From syphilis to spandrels, he uses his writing talents to reveal, explain, bemuse and provoke the reader. As the final collection of these commentaries, the title is appropriate in many ways. Even here, Gould exhibits his adroit phrasing - some readers thought it was derived from the Apollo 1969 Lunar landing, not the record of an immigrant coming ashore at New York a century ago. Gould touches on this "landing" so often that his reputed bridling at being edited shows as a misplaced conceit.

Readers may wander through this collection at random without loss. With eight main divisions, selection should be easy. The topics listed however, are anything but intuitive. Instead, they represent his - part of his - clever language manipulation. Each reader must select preferences - each reviewer will disclose theirs here. Whatever subject is addressed, you are guaranteed to be confronted with new ideas while enhancing your vocabulary. Some of the new ideas may seem arcane, or obscure. Ironies abound in this collection. The essay on J.F Blumenbach, for example, one of the early classifiers of race, follows a twisted path. You are told the origins of "Causcasian" to describe Europeans. At the same time you are given a stern lecture on preconceived notions when reporting data. By the end of the essay you aren't certain whether to admire Blumenbach or revile him.

Gould becomes caught up in many ironies of his own making. While promoting his stance as a staunch defender of Darwin, here, as in other collections, he never fails to take a swipe at the naturalist. Darwin is castigated for his racist views, his demeaning of women and his elitist social position. Gould also, predictably, unleashes his well-worn lash to flail that equus mortus - "reductionism". Like the emperor's robe, a close look reveals its absence. These are old themes to the regular Gould reader and we mustn't chasten too harshly. There's comfort in the familiar.

The four concluding essays on the World Trade Centre assault reinforce the need for stronger editing. While we in Canada are gratified that Gould found welcome refuge in Halifax, four repetitive essays only dull the impact of the event. These, however, may prepare the reader for that you were advised to first skip - the Preface. Someone who has worked diligently for so many years ceaselessly producing articles of consummate interest with originality and skill deserves a bit of boast. Gould was anything but lazy. Given the vast research and his sharing of interests with us, he deserves our applause. Yet, the Preface to this book, even at the end of a notable career, is more than a little overbearing. That's why it should be saved to last. Readership of this book is split between the long-term Gould fans and newcomers just getting acquainted with this famous essayist. The fan will know what to expect, but the beginner should proceed with caution. Whether this book suits as a starting point for novice Gouldians is dubious at best. Read earlier books and work up to this one. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I really did try to get into the book and I read quite a few of the essays. Mr. Gould had some interesting facts and analogies to convey, but the overall theses of his many articles lack any cogent argument. He uses words well and obviously has a great deal of knowledge about natural history, but to extract exactly what he is trying to argue (and I mean exactly)is difficult at best. He basically hides his assertions through lengthy metaphors, mounds of factual tidbits (that are alas not clearly germaine to the argument) and syrupy rhetoric. In the end, a disappointing read, though I am glad I gave it a shot.

Although we'd been together 8+ years, I was still only 30 when we split, and had no idea how to handle some of the situations and most of the feelings. No kids, just lives and 'things' shared, etc.. This book was tremendously helpful when the decision was made and the 'now what' portion of the split started. The best part was--a year-plus later when I was hitting a critical but tricky new phase of moving on--I remembered some of the things I'd been thinking about lately and going through were mentioned in the later chapters of the book (all good things, but things new nonetheless!). Even though they weren't very applicable at the time (I couldn't see past the current state of feelings to imagine a time when it wouldn't royally suck), more than a year later I re-read those chapters (and earlier ones, too), and realized not only what a valuable book this was at the time, but still is today. Highly recommended, and a great gift to girlfriends going through the same situation (post decision). You couldn't say it any better, and they'll thank you for the support.

LOVED this book. I wasn't sure if it was what I was looking for, but as soon as I started it, I couldn't put it down. As a soon to be divorcee in my late twenties, this book was really something I could relate too. The authors understand what you are going through and really give you hope for the future. I'm already halfway through re-reading it for the second time, and it won't be the last.
The only thing that was missing from this book is that it is written for women without children. It would be great if they had a section for us young mothers too. Other than that I loved the book.

This book is not for people who are not sure whether they want a divorce. It will not suggest that you work harder on your marriage, and it will not tell you that you are making a mistake. It will also not give helpful advice on how to save a marriage. I think the title should be sufficient warning of its target audience.
That said, it is a completely unique book that allows a young, childless woman going thorough divorce to feel that she is not alone. It gave me hope that I might someday be happy again. As someone who had been repeatedly lied to and betrayed by a husband who had been given countless "second chances," I was not interested in hearing that I should try harder to save the marriage.
Well written by intelligent, educated women who had been through divorce themselves, the book really does sound like the advice of a close girlfriend. This book was a life-saver for me.

At 32 years old, I'm the first one of my friends to go through a divorce (after 5 years of marriage), and while my girlfriends were tremedously supportive of me, none of them have ever gone through something like this and there are some things that only someone who has survived a divorce can understand. This book was like an old friend, comforting me, guiding me through the process, assuring me that everything I was feeling was normal and to be expected. A year later, it still sits on my nightstand, battered and highlighted in yellow marker, being read and re-read whenever I need support. Of course, this book is not substitute for therapy, but I don't think I could have gotten through this past year without it. I would recommend this book to ANYONE going through a divorce. I've also seen some reviews on here by someone who finds the book to be "pro-divorce", and that is not the case at all. The authors merely acknowledge the fact that divorces happen, provide comfort and advice without passing judgement on the how and why, and help those of us who are going through the process to make the best of the situation and feel somewhat hopeful about our futures.

I went to the bookstore to pick up a book on divorce - what I found was books that were either very heavy on the legal end or books for women with children. There was nothing out there for books for 20/30 somethings going through a divorce within the first 5 years -that spoke to me, not my mother. Someone recommended this book and I ordered it within the first 3 weeks after the big break-up. I was looking for something that spoke to me, in a girlfriend type of tone, not a preaching tone and this was PERFECT. It took me through what to expect in the beginning, the cycle of what would happen, how to tell people (or not tell people), and what to expect. It had great vignettes within it that illustrated situations similar to what I was going through and served as a general companion that helped me get through the healing process in the first six months. It was exactly what I needed. I would strongly recommend this to someone in their 20s/30s, first marriage, no kids - its right in-line with the chick lit out there and laughs and cries with you. Without this, I don't think I could have handled everything as well as I have. A must read over all the other books on the subject out there!

Politics and religion. Parallel subjects. What so often starts out as a fresh start, a clean break, so to speak, all too soon ends up becoming institutionalized and just as stifling as what it set out to replace. Author Bruxy Cavey deftly points out that Jesus taught that outward appearances involving rituals lacked substance, that faith is about humbly talking the talk and walking the walk, not putting on a pious show.
Throughout history, true believers have recognized the need to get back to core values, hence, the repeated reformations that have taken place when the existing church devolved into an oppressive political machine . All of which is a good thing. Just as in politics, when a party strays from it's values and beliefs and becomes an entity concerned only with maintaining power and control. For those who have just about given up, reading this book will reveal that being "churchy" and being a true Christian are entirely different things.

This book should be given free on the streets!!!!!!!....
I have always been against religion, before knowing God and now that I know it, even more. This book strips away thousands of years of empty, lifeless, meaningless religion. Jesus didnt come to earth to establish a new religion, he came to revolutionize the earth, he came to abolish religion, he was against religion. He has been the most irreligios man who had stepped the earth. Religion doesnt points towards God and God doesnt points towards religion. Many people in order to be against religion they consider themselves spiritual, and they seek an alternative path to spirituality believing that God is equal to religion. Thats why so many people run away from God because they think that God is religion. People are tired of religion. And me too! Who wants to be part of a organized religion which instead of freeing people it enslaves them? Men have turn the word of God into a set of rules and laws. Religion have made atrocities in the name of God along the history. Massacres and cold-blooded mass executions have been made in the name of Jesus because of religion, and not only within the christian faith but religions in general. Religion doesnt cover the breadth of what God is and what you can do with him reigning in your heart. Religion tells a boring story about a boring jesus that was boring and dull. Jesus wasnt like that! He broke the establishment, he went against the stream, he was creative, he never did the same thing twice, he was always innovating...hey! that doesnt sound like religion does it?....Its time to revolutionize this earth like Jesus did. Im glad im part of the generation that will bring the real message of God to the culture. Im from Uruguay (Latin America), to realize what God is doing around the world is great, books like this makes you wanna conquer the world, makes you proud of what you got in your heart, of what you believe. Im waiting impatiently for the next book of Bruxy, I enjoyed this so much, I can picture Jesus smiling with hope, definitely this is the type of book that is backed up with the power of God. The way Bruxy writes is awsome, is such a refreshing reading. He teaches you with examples and basing on the bible. He takes out every religous stereotype and show you the real message of God. Besides he explains in the book that he isnt a special man sent from God who has benn iluminated and that he has "THE" answer. He just isnt afraid to speak the truth...Jesus neither...and me neither...I dont follow any religion. im not into religion. im against it. im a christian. I follow christ.....the most irreligios man who had stepped the earth....

I first want to thank Bruxy Cavey for such well written book. I believe that everyone should read it.
The second thing I want to say is that I feel this book encourages me to start a more focused Christ-centered life.
Thanks!

Galatians 5 says, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

I enjoyed Cavey's writing style and his friendly approach to his readers. Nevertheless, two sorts of problems ruined the book for me. The first sort is theological. The second is research oriented. If either of these problems didn't exist I might have been able to give the book 3 or 4 stars.

The major problem is a theological oversight. The elephant in the room that Cavey never addressed is that God himself created Judaism. God himself instituted rituals and rites. God demanded feast days and sacrifices. What was God's intent? Why did God create a religion just to overturn it? Why did the disciples immediately organize, create a hierarchy, and institutes rites (two sacraments everyone agrees on, more depending on your flavor of Christianity). There were deacons before the first martyrdom. They had apostles, elders (bishops), and deacons -- all found in Paul's letters. Did Jesus fail to teach his disciples that badly? Did the disciples fail to understand so catastrophically?

These questions may, more or less, have standard answers. But to not even address the issue is a rather major oversight.

Hence the title of my review: With such a glaring oversight, the only people this book should convince are those whose momentum climbing the fence will carry them over anyway.

The second sort of problem is research. The first issue that I recall is early in the book, Cavey claims that the water jars that contained the water that Jesus turned into wine were ceremonial in nature, and thus Jesus was defiling symbols of sterility for a life-affirming symbol. This is interesting and wonderful if true. I sure would like to have seen some sort of evidence beyond assertion that this is true. After all, guests would have needed water for drinking as well as rituals.

The second research problem is related to using the cross as a symbol. Cavey wonders about whether if Christ had died on an electric chair we'd wear little chairs on necklaces. Cute. But a little research quickly indicates that this is far from his own idea. It is widely discussed on the internet and it is generally attributed to Lenny Bruce.

The third one is where Cavey remembers hearing of a kid in Sunday school answering the question about faith: Faith is believing what you know ain't so. Great anecdote. Except it is quite commonly known that Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) said that.

All in all, it was rather disappointing.

After years of running away from religion and finally having a tenuous relationship with God, when I picked up this book, I thought, man is this really what I should be reading now? I was concerned Bruxy was going to take me down some unorthodox path, or worse, so I was suspiciously picking through the first couple of chapters. Not anymore. Haven't even finished the last two chapters and this book has blown me away. I'm reading the book and referencing the Bible the whole way. Diving into the Bible more than I ever have before. I really feel like now, I am finally understanding, I finally get what Jesus was saying and living. And I believe. Wow, that's quite a statement. Thanks too to the Drew Marshall radio show for turning me on to this book! Now can we please get rid of the name Christianity? Okay, couple more chapters to go.

This book relates the personal journeys of two women, Carol and Laurelee, with their struggles to overcome obsession with food, dieting and negative body image. In the course of telling their stories and the stories of many women they have worked with, a very powerful set of lessons unfolds. I read the book over a period of months, reading, re-reading, putting it down and then picking it up. There are meditations and exercises in the book that are very helpful. For example, they have an exercise in the book about sending loving thoughts to parts of your body that you dislike. What a concept! The basic message is that an eating disorder is a way of coping with life and by looking deeply at your relationship with food you can learn what it is you really need in life, pursue that, and food will get back into a normal perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has issues with food or loves someone who has issues with food. That includes just about everyone I think!

This book is full of good information on why a person overeats. It isn't a book you can read in one evening. It will take some time to read it thoroughly.

This book was a gift given to me by a friend years ago. I own and have read about twelve books on the topic. Out of all of them, this has been by far the best. It's the kind of book that takes you on a journey inside yourself. If you have any eating issues then this book is a worthwhile read.

While the authors specialize in dealing with people who have issues with Overeating, I felt that the book was very useful in helping me address my issues with anorexia. The book challenges you to dig into the issues behind why you're involved in a practice of eating (for me, restricting) and to understand how you're using food to substitute for other methods of dealing with your problems. I would highly recommend this book to anyone on the road to recovery from and Eating Disorder.

I actually returned this book because it had very little , if anything, to do with WHY you actually compulsively eat. it did not go into or even explained the psychological factors that influence C.O. all this book talk about is how women's self-image is polluted with diet ads etc, etc. it does not deal at all with how to actually stop, in an effective way.

same thing as Overcoming Overeating. the whole point of the book is to stop dieting and to stop having a dieting mentality. also it doe snot deal with the actual cause of you overeating ( which is not dieting)

if you really want to overcome overeating and end your obsession with food, you need to know why you are physiologically addicted to food. why you find so much pleasure in it. and for that you have to read books with substantial research, not just a feminist sound-off.

read : the pleasure trap, LIfe is hard- food is easy , to name a few good ones.

but this one and her other one won't help you at all.