Book Description
Marriage works only when each spouse takes the time to consider the other's needs and strives to meet them. In His Needs, Her Needs, Willard Harley identifies the ten most vital needs of men and women and shows husbands and wives how to satisfy those needs in their spouses. He provides guidance for becoming irresistible to your spouse and for loving more creatively and sensitively, thereby eliminating the problems that often lead to extramarital affairs. The revised anniversary edition of His Needs, Her Needs is a celebration of how the book has helped thousands of couples revitalize their marriages during the last fifteen years. This best-seller identifies the causes of marital difficulties and instructs couples on how to prevent them, guiding them to build a relationship that sustains romance and increases intimacy. With today's soaring divorce rate and prevalence of affairs, Harley's insights are needed more than ever before. An unabridged recording of His Needs, Her Needs, the 15th anniversary edition, is now available as an audio book.
Customer Reviews:
One of the most helpful books I have ever read.......2007-09-14
I read this book after my sister recommended it to me. I only wish I could have read it before my divorce. It is a great book and even after the divorce it was very helpful.
could be better.......2007-08-29
Our marriage counselor gave us this book after I found out about an affair. While the book has many good points, I found it to be heavy on putting blame on the spouse who doesn't meet needs. The reason people have affairs is that they are selfish and covenant breakers. There are other ways to address needs not being met. We are now working out our differences, but at first my husband used the book to justify his actions. It could be a great book, used with care.
Review: His Needs, her Needs.......2007-08-23
This book was given as a gift to a couple who are experiencing difficulties in their young marriage. It was recommended to me by a wife who had used it successfully herself.
His Needs, Her Needs.......2007-08-13
What an eye opener. This has helped our marriage from 50-60% to 100-120%.
So many things we did not know about the differences in how we think.
God Bless.
Interesting Point of View.......2007-07-27
I found it a bit simplistic to reduce a marriage to a set of needs that could be met or unmet. That's what behaviorist theory preaches and so far it has worked in other areas of psychology. Reading within that context, it makes sense that if you fullfill your spouse's needs, there won't be affairs. Quite optimistic!
Amazon.com
Sex should be "an experience to be relished from beginning to end," says Lou Paget in How to Be a Great Lover: Girlfriend-to-Girlfriend Totally Explicit Techniques That Will Blow His Mind. Paget (a woman) aims "to empower you as a woman, heighten the intimacy of your romantic relationship, and enable you and your partner to enjoy yourselves in intense new ways." She lives up to that promise with this friendly, titillating, educational, and explicit guide to enlivening your sex life and keeping your man coming back for more. Is he a bad kisser? Learn an easy strategy to get him to kiss you just the way you like it. Does he object to using a condom? Use your mouth to put it on him (a six-step process, complete with illustrations). You'll find information you might not find anywhere else, such as dozens of explicit manual and oral techniques (many illustrated) that will drive him crazy, a comparison of different brands of lubricant for different uses (along with sexy ways to apply it), techniques for anal stimulation, and a guide to sex toys. This book is fun to read, and will certainly open up the sensuality in your relationship. --Joan Price
Book Description
One of America's most popular sexperts offers a fun, refreshingly modern, totally explicit guide to mastering a man's body.
No matter what age we are or how much experience we have, we all want to be great lovers. Most of the sex guides for women, however, have been prudish, esoteric, or incomplete. The ultimate sexual instruction book for women,
How to Be a Great Lover gives you the down and dirty details that you really want to know on exactly what men like and why, and shares the proven erotic techniques that make for incredible sex you'll both enjoy.
Acclaimed sex expert Lou Paget draws on the real-life experience of the hundreds of men and women who have attended her workshops and presents their secrets and tricks in an elegant, no-nonsense style. Lou has found that in the bedroom (or closet, or kitchen), knowledge equals confidence, and confidence will make you feel empowered, heighten the intimacy of your relationship, and enable you and your partner to enjoy yourselves in a variety of intense, new ways. Whether you are starting a new relationship, have run out of creative ideas, or want to light his fire all over again,
How to Be a Great Lover has enough spicy tips and surprises to excite both of you and leave him begging for more.
From kissing techniques, ways to create the right atmosphere, and a lesson on safe sex--including the "Italian Method" of putting a condom on a man with your mouth--to twenty different manual techniques and the secrets of great oral sex, Lou covers all the basics and more. She offers innovative positions for intercourse, tantalizing moves you can do with a pearl necklace, and a beginner's guide to anal stimulation, as well as a catalogue of sex toys and how to use them. With more than ninety step-by-step illustrations that will show you how to drive him wild,
How to Be a Great Lover provides proven, sure-fire techniques that will make you a master of the bedroom.
Customer Reviews:
Great book with diagrams & steps to help you improve........2007-09-18
This book is definitely one of the best books I've read for those who want to improve their relationships. It's not only a book about how to do things, step by step & with pictures, it also gives you a perspective that you don't expect. This book is for those of us who aren't experts in the bedroom or want to add variety in their sex life. I would recommend it to women everywhere.
So good I passed it on to my girlfriend - her boyfriend is VERY happy.......2007-08-23
This is a great book! Fun and easy to follow. I have gotten compliments and I've even shared it with a friend who's boyfriend has also commented on the improvements/excitement the book has created.
Great information.......2007-06-27
All I can say is it definately has some good information in it for someone who wants to know but is too scared or shy to ask.
Excellent!.......2007-06-14
Every woman should get this book. Enough said.
Just buy it! You only live once.......2007-03-16
I'm glad i got this book.
I waste money on so many stupid things in a day, why not check this out?
You might know most of the info, but you'll feel way more confident.
Book Description
Children ages 4 to 8 have a hard time grasping the concept of “God.” But it can be done through the person of Jesus. Told in a wonderfully inviting style, this Bible storybook shares many beloved Bible stories and reveals how the news and message of Jesus unfolds throughout Scripture, from the Old Testament all the way through the New Testament. Jesus in the Story helps readers love and appreciate Jesus and begin their own journey of faith. Beautiful 4-color artwork throughout.
Customer Reviews:
Heavenly.......2007-10-02
I ordered this book for my grandchildren after I heard a reading from the book on a radio program. My daughter loves the book--as do her children. She uses it for story time and devotional time. Clear presentation of the Gospel with each story.
Excellent.......2007-09-08
Instead of just stories this book brings out the "meaning" behind each, that it's all about Jesus.
Showing the Centrality of Christ in the Scriptures to Children.......2007-08-18
Is the Bible a book of stories? good morals? heroes? No, suggests Sally Lloyd-Jones. Influenced by New York pastor and author Timothy Keller, Lloyd-Jones takes the major movements in the Bible's plot line as well as the familiar Sunday School stories and shows children how the entire Bible points to one man, the God-Man: Jesus Christ.
This is an excellent resource for families in a biblically illiterate age. I highly recommend this book to you. Another outstanding resource is David Helm's The Big Picture Story Bible.
An asset to devotion time........2007-08-13
My daughter and I use this book probably twice a week. The stories are short, but not too short. They all leave the door wide open for a discussion about Jesus. My daughter enjoys the stories as do I. Plenty of well-drawn pictures too. An asset to our devotion time.
Wonderful Children's Bible!.......2007-08-09
This book is amazing - it is humorous and interesting and the kids listened with great interest to all of the stories. Every single story mentions Christ and how He is tied into the "big picture" of the Bible - from the Old Testament to the New. We love this book!
Product Description
Somewhere over the passing years and changing culture, women have lost their way. This book was written to lead them bck home. Regardless of how you began your marriage or how dark and lonely the path that has brought you to where you are now.
Customer Reviews:
This book made me sick.......2007-10-09
There are only a few good points Debi Pearl shared in this book. But as I read, I realized why they had to publish it themselves. No one else would touch this book.
Many of the reviewers have already written how I feel (the ones who thought this book was dangerous and written for wives to be doormats to their husbands).
But there is one section of the book I MUST write about. It is on page 163 and it gives wives a sample dialog that she suggests:
WIFE: "What can I do to help you, Adam?"
HUSBAND: "Pick up the other end of that log, and help me move it over here."
W: "What should my next project be, Adam?"
H: "Have my dinner ready every evening, and take good care of my little ones."
W: "That is a very strong fence you are building, and the gate looks nice. I am so proud of you, Adam. What would you like now?"
H: "Take your clothes off real slow so I can watch...Yeah, you're a fine help meet."
I was so grossed out when I read that. And she calls herself a Christian? This woman and her husband are sick. This degrades women and our role in marriage. Please do not buy this book. I threw it right out as if it were crawling with maggots.
What an AMAZING book!.......2007-10-07
A friend of mine leant me this book....which turned into a "can I PLEASE keep this book!"
Thank you to the Pearls for this true "marriage changer".
It does not matter whose fault the marriage problems are.... SOMEONE has to take the step to make the change. The Lord will bless anyone who seeks to be like Him....
Thanks to the Pearls SO much....
Claire
EVERY MARRIED WOMAN NEEDS TO READ THIS BOOK!!!.......2007-10-02
When the woman in leadership at my church first discovered this book, I was turned off by it becasue they were acting like it was the Bible. I wasn't married at the time anyways so it didn't matter. I do not recommend this book for a woman till she is with in a week of getting married. One God laid it on my heart to read it my whole attitude changed towards my man. I had found what my heart had been longing for, God's way. I am not saying use it like a Bible, yes there is tons of scripture in it and you feel full after reading it. I am saying use this book to get your mind going, put your personality into it. I know when I read it I use it to get my mind flowing and put my own personal touches to what she suggests. All you need to focus on is God's design for a marriage. I truly believe Debi did not mean for it to get church woman to worship this book...even though some seem to. She meant it to tell young woman (even old woman if they will listen) how to be a wife and follow God's design. I am refreshed and the feeling it gives me to be my husband's help meet is out of this world!!! My husband, trust me I reap MANY benefits from it!!! As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!!!
Do not buy this book!.......2007-09-29
We received this book as a wedding present some time ago. I read it during the first few months of our marriage and was completely appalled by its contents.
Before posting a review, I wanted to read it ALL THE WAY THROUGH to be sure that Debi Pearl's propensity to MISINTERPRET Scripture was not just an occasional error, and I found that, from cover to cover, her MISUSE and ABUSE of Scripture was ubiquitous throughout. According to her words, there is a hierarchy: God => man => woman => children. Listening to a marriage lecture by her husband (Michael Pearl) confirmed this unbiblical belief. They really do believe that God talks to the man, the man talks to the woman. The woman ought to submit to her husband's will as if his will and thoughts were God's will and thoughts. She is to submit to him as if he were her Savior. This is what they teach and THIS IS a LIE. Scripture does not say this! If it did, then Christianity would no longer be a monotheistic but polytheistic -- and Christ's mission on earth failed. He came so that there would no longer need to be any mediators between God and people (no more high priests), but according to Pearl theology, the man needs to be a 'high priest' on behalf of the woman. This is highlighted in Debi Pearl's encouragement to wives (in this book) to give up their 'quiet time' with the Lord in order to ensure time to serve their husbands. In essence, a woman needs to give up her relationship with God because her priority is husband, children and THEN God. This is heretical!!! God desires a deep and personal relationship with both men AND women. Every woman's first priority is God -- NOT her husband's.
And just to substantiate some of my statements, here are some quotes from the book:
You are created to be "a helper suited to the needs of a man. This is how God created you and it is your purpose for existing....You are created to make him complete, not to seek personal fulfillment parallel to him." p. 21.
No, this is not Biblical. The Bible does not teach this. God made both Adam & Eve in His own image (so they are therefore EQUAL), and He called both Adam & Eve to rule over all the creatures (see Gen 1:26 - says "so that THEY may rule over..." it doesn't say "him" because where it says "man", God meant 'human beings' - both men and women.) A woman was created to follow God's will, not her husband's. Her purpose in existing is to fulfill God's will, not her husband's. And YES she is to seek personal fulfillment parallel to her husband -- because both men and women ARE EQUAL!
Here's an example of one of the many ridiculous stories from her book:
"As a general rule, my husband just doesn't take the trash out....One day recently my husband saw me struggling out the door with a huge sack of trash in one hand and several empty boxes in the other. Since he was headed in that direction, he volunteered to carry the heavy sack. He walked about ten feet ahead of me, holding the sack out from his body with one hand. I knew he was just showing me how strong he was. I was amused, as usual, by his display of manhood. After nearly 35 years of having me appreciate his muscles, you would htink he would tire of showing off, but he knows I have never tired of watching him perform. When he got near the lare trash trailer, he was really getting into his macho thing. With great fanfare, he flung the large trash bag as if it were a cement block instead of a thin plastic bag too loaded down for his own strength. Of course, the string broke, allowing the bag to hit the side of the trailer, bursting open and dumping trash all over the ground. I could tell he was a little embarrassed as I rushed over to clean up his mess, but he continued on his merry way."
She goes on to say that she used to get irritated and annoyed and made a big deal about things like this but has decided that it isn't worth it to make such a big deal about trash. She understands the male psyche - the male EGO and how hard it is for them to get over their PRIDE, so instead of making a fuss, she cleaned up his mess. Instead of holding him accountable for his pride and mistakes, she excuses and cleans up his mess for him. This is not biblical love. This is unbiblical indulgence.
Later, she goes on to say that if your husband comes home late for dinner without telling you, don't get mad, just wait for him to come home and heat up his food with a smile -- as if you hadn't been waiting for hours and hours. Again, no accountability.
Essentially, the message of this book is this: Let the husband do what he wants. You must be obedient to his every wish - no complaining or you will lose him and your life will be a horror of horrors (you will have to live in a "dumpy duplex" and worse yet, your children will be forced to go to public school), because you are not fulfilling God's purpose for your life of being one man's slave (or, as Debi Pearl puts it, "failed the very purpose to which you were created, to be a suitable helper to a man" p. 58). Every problem in a marriage goes back to the woman; it is always the wife's fault somehow.
I believe the Pearls would preach that a wife should submit to her husband even if he beat her. They would say, If he beats you, you're doing something wrong. Go back and pray and submit until you do things right.
My sisters, this is NOT God's will for our lives.
No one who reads the Bible and knows Jesus should believe a word of this book.
Amazon, please take this book off your catalog!
I've enjoyed this book..however...........2007-09-27
...I do not consider it my Bible....allow me to explain!
It appears, in my opinion, that several reviewers are throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
NO! I certainly do not agree with the total 'Pearl Package' as it's being presented in this book, however, there are many, many good points and I am keeping those & ignoring the rest.
There is no such thing as a 'one size fits all' book that interprets a 'heavenly marriage' --- that being such, I will continue reading other books as well as my Bible & stay in prayer that my marriage continues to be blissful as it has been for years --- well before this book!
We are all adults --- use your best judgment & if you are able, take to heart those parts that pertain to you & toss those that do not! FWIW!
Book Description
This bestselling classic encourages and equips Christian men to lead their families successfully through hazards and ambushes like divorce, promiscuity, suicide, and drug addiction. Men will find practical insight on topics such as a father's influence, maintaining purity, and husband-and-wife teamwork. In this war, renowned men's author Steve Farrar emphasizes, Jesus Christ is looking for men who will not die, but live for their families.
Customer Reviews:
Every Christian Man Should Read.......2007-05-09
This book full of practical advice that can be easily applied in today's separated world. The man, as husband, father and head of the family unit is divinely responsible for the leadership, love, protection and mentoring of our family and is further responsible to other men in the body of Christ for the example he sets. This non-condemning book speaks from understanding and love about the unique sins men face; and, about how accountability and fellowship provide a valuable tool for all Christian men seeking to lead a healthy, happy and blessed life according to the Lord's word. I recommend this book for any man, regardless of his personal maturity in Christ, as a guidebook for saving himself, his family and his soul.
Classic by Farrar!.......2006-05-23
I've read several Christian books encouraging men to celebrate their masculinity, to consecrate themselves to marriage, and to conduct themselves as servant leaders. This title however, far surpasses the others I have read. Farrar through many humorous stories and Divinely-guided insight, reaches deeper into the heart of the Christian man than many other writers do. I consider this title to be the classic work by Farrar.
We need more writers like Steve Farrar, who stir the heart and soul of Christian men to be all they can be for their God, their wives, and their children.
Better than "Finishing Strong".......2006-04-28
He uses too many military and sports illustrations. He tends to generalize about culture. He uses some Christian Psychological and sociological studies. I mean, who cares? If you don't know how the surveys are taken and what questions they ask, what can you tell from them? Anyway, my biggest beef is that he does not talk about about how Christians should function within the Church. Raising a family should be done within the family of families, which is the church. It should not solely be the duty of the lone point man on patrol. I have these same criticisms about "Finishing Strong." However, this book is not as gimicky or poorly written as finishing strong. He gives some interesting advice about "habits of the heart." He makes me look at my own walk with God and how I can do better, which is the purpose of this book. Christians need to be encourage on how to pass on their faith to the next generation. I might even read this book again. I would never do that with "Finishing Strong."
I marginally recommend this book to young fathers. We read this in our small group and everybody else liked it so I am bumping it up to four stars.
Excellent resource for Men.......2006-03-09
I am surprised by some of the reviews here. The book is written in plain language and is very direct in pointing out that men, are failing to fulfill there roll as God intended. It then gives excellent guidance on how take a stand for your family. I have given this book to fellow Christians and those who are not believers, and never have heard anything but positive feedback. In addition to this I have lead men in this study as a group and the results have been wonderful. If you are not REALLY interested at looking objectively / critically at yourself, then don't buy it. Some reviewers here seem unable to move toward accountability. Another reviewer made comment that the book was racist, in that it mentions many current african american families as lacking fathers in the home. As a black man, I realize the truth is hard to take. This is NOT offensive, but enlightening. Great book, and current edition has study guide that is helpful as well.
Like a good movie, you'll want to experience this again and again........2005-09-15
I have read the other reviews of Point Man. I personally disagree with the negative reviews and subscribe instead to the positive ones, as this book has been a most influential read. (have read it 3x and will do so again.) The author puts forth the premise that the family is one of God's gifts, and that the family unit is one of the most influential means for learning God's love/initiating a relationship with Jesus Christ that covers multiple generations/ensuring the continuity of faith. So where is Satan's most effective battle...the family. And how to most effectively neutralize the family...eliminate the point man (i.e-eliminate the Godly effectiveness of the man; destroy the bond between husband and wife/father and child...) I recently took this book to China with me (along with my Bible) for a 3rd reading on the 14 hour flight. Showed it to my Chinese national guide who was about to become a father for the 1st time. He couldn't read it fast enough and couldn't thank me enough for introducing him with such valuable guidance.
Average customer rating:
- Inspiring, funny, appropriate and real
- practical, down to earth advice
- Secrets of an Irresistible Woman: Smart Rules for Capturing His Heart
- A NEW WOMAN
- a must read for all women
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Secrets of an Irresistible Woman: Smart Rules for Capturing His Heart
Michelle McKinney Hammond
Manufacturer: Harvest House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
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| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
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Mate Seeking
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
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Sex
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
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| General
| Psychology
| Sex & Religion
| Sex Instruction
General
| Health, Mind & Body
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Marriage & Family
| Sociology
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ASIN: 1565078438 |
Book Description
Women will discover the rules and scriptural principles about love that ensure solid, godly relationships. Secrets offers practical advice, inspiring prayers, and study questions to help women understand and recognize real love.
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring, funny, appropriate and real.......2007-06-16
I stumbled upon this book and am so glad I did.
The author has an obvious love and passion for Jesus and a desire to tell others about how to be a godly and virtuous woman. Forget "The Rules" - Read and apply the principals outlined in the book and fall in love with the Savior. In a culture that forces one to immediate gratification, this book will inspire and motivate you to pray for your husband to FIND you ("He who finds a wife finds a good thing") while you are pursuing God's plan for your life. In addition to inspiring single women, this book also encourages married women and provides practical advice to becoming an irresistable wife.
The book is easy to read, humorous, points to Jesus, scripturally based and applicable for today. I like the use of scriptural stories which illustrate not only how to be a godly and faith inspired woman, but how the scriptures are truely timeless and relevant. She also starts each chapter with a prayer - beautiful, powerful and authentic prayer - preparing the heart of the reader to greater faith.
practical, down to earth advice.......2007-05-15
I found this to be a very down to earth book with practical advice. I have begun applying some of Michelle's principles and am finding that they really do work. Recently divorced after 28 years of marriage, I was a little unsure of how to approach dating again. I am now in a new relationship. This handy reference has helped my self assurance and I am using my power much more effectively than I ever would have otherwise. Thanks, Michelle!
Secrets of an Irresistible Woman: Smart Rules for Capturing His Heart.......2007-02-17
I think this book is a must have for all single and seeking women. It certainly changed my outlook, and I have since stopped seeking and resolved that Mr. Right will find me.
A NEW WOMAN.......2007-01-05
WOW! This book was so awesome...again, the title would make you think you would become so intriguing and irresistible you'd snag your next mate. NOT SO!
This book helped you to wash away the residue of old hurts and wrong mindsets. To have a heart for the Lord! SO WONDERFUL!
I bought 8 copies of this book for friends and family. It was so life changing I had to share this wealth of knowledge.
a must read for all women.......2006-10-12
I wish that I could have read this book when I was single, because I would have avoided a lot of heartache. This book helped me even as a married woman to make my relationship better. This is the best book I have ever read about relationships. This is her best!
Book Description
In April 1975, as Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, John Bissell, a former Marine officer living in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, was glued to his television. Struggling to save his marriage, raise his sons, and live with his memories of the war in Vietnam, Bissell found himself racked with anguish and horror as his country abandoned a cause for which so many of his friends had died.
Opening with a gripping account of the chaotic and brutal last month of the war, The Father of All Things is Tom Bissell’s powerful reckoning with the Vietnam War and its impact on his father, his country, and Vietnam itself. Through him we learn what it was like to grow up with a gruff but oddly tender veteran father who would wake his children in the middle of the night when the memories got too painful. Bissell also explores the many debates about the war, from whether it was winnable to Ho Chi Minh’s motivations to why America’s leaders lied so often. Above all, he shows how the war has continued to influence American views on foreign policy more than thirty years later.
At the heart of this book is John and Tom Bissell’s unforgettable journey back to Vietnam. As they travel the country and talk to Vietnamese veterans, we relive the war as John Bissell experienced it, visit the site of his near-fatal wounding, and hear him explain how Vietnam shaped him and so many of his generation.
This is the first major book about the war by an author who grew up after the fall of Saigon. It is a fascinating, all-too-relevant work about the American character–and about war itself. It is also a wise and moving book about fathers, sons, and the universal desire to understand who our parents were before they became our parents.
Customer Reviews:
"Would you stop the car? I'd like your help beating my son." .......2007-09-22
This is a searing, honest, and yes, fair account of a young man's reconciliation with his father, against the backdrop of a return to Vietnam.
The dialog Tom records is almost too good to be true, but it's coming out of his tape recorder, so there it is. The elder Bissell comes across as an ordinary, memory-laden senior citizen who happens to once have been a soldier. His drunken implosion, which the author unspools against the fall of Saigon, is a topnotch piece of psychological fiction, but is nothing that the reader catches first-hand from the rest of the book. At times it seems that Tom projects the gook-plinking hophead of media stereotype into his father, but none of that comes out in the dialog. Indeed, at certain points it's the father who has to point out to the son what a bloody horror the war was.
Had Tom been around during the war, he doubtless would have been a protestor. But at this late date, the historical record is in the books. He stitches together quite good second-hand accounts of the fall of South Vietnam, and of the strange career of Ho Chih Minh (though the latter is perhaps somewhat over-basted with "nuance."). An honest fellow, he frequently admits that the North Vietnamese and the NLF were as bad as advertised, and worse than the more conventionally corrupt South. He still refuses to swallow the old wartime lies, though he proposes no way that things could have come out right.
The end of the return tour, with his father raising a toast with a former ARVN his own age, ends the book on a touching and unexpected up note. Mission accomplished.
A fair-use sample:
"A lot of guys I went to basic with died in this place [the Citadel in Hue city]," my father said. "A lot of guys. Guys who joined up again. Guys who kept volunteering. All died right around here." He shook his head.
"Like who?" I asked.
"You don't know them."
"Well, what were their names?"
He looked at me queerly. "What do you care?" This was said with a brusque sort of inquisitiveness, not anger.
I got to my feet. "I'm sorry. You're right. Just morbid curiosity."
My father--the abrupt smile on his face false to anyone who knew him--turned to Hien [the guide]. "What do *you* think?"
Hien regarded his shoes, which looked like small leather noses peeking out from beneath his blue slacks. "I think this is a special place for many people."
My father said nothing and stood there in the wind, amid the grass. When he closed his eyes, it almost looked as though he were listening to someone.
No new insights into fathers and son,vets, or the war.......2007-08-18
As I am unschooled in the detailed history of the Vietnam war, I focus my comments on the other material I expected based on professional reviews of the book.
Specifically, I expected some attempted growth in the father and son's relationship. Nothing huge, which would be unrealistic, but an attempt or a tiny movement. I also expected insight into the effect of a war that divides generations, dominating both the elder who lived it and the younger who were not directly touched by the war but by their wartime fathers.
The book delivered weakly on both counts. Unless, that is, the author's message is that both generations are so traumatized, albeit differently, that neither can soften their assumptions and defenses long enough to begin to understand the other. Instead, they play out their deep attitudinal and behavioral patterns passively and actively. When they do gain a little insight into the other they become angry. Oddly, father and son both seem slightly grateful to have taken their frozen relationship on a road trip to Vietnam. Finally, to find a point about the effect of war on an entire culture, you'd have to use the family as a metaphor for the U.S.
If these were the author's points, he could have expressed them far more effectively, and also more interestingly by exploring and elaborating them. For instance, why is it so difficult for the son to ask questions of his father that could possibly increased understanding? The problem isn't only that the dad's reticent and challenged to explain an inexplicable experience. No, the son also doesn't hear or effectively work with what his dad *does* tell him. Why is this? And, how interesting that it might be harder for those who weren't in the war to embrace the experience of those who were, instead of vice versa?
Another fruitful but unexplored vein was their mutual expectations and assessment of the trip. Why had they each gone, what had they hoped to get out of it, what happened internally for each of them?
Yet another lost opportunity occurred in the majority of the book which was was a discussion of the war organized according to major questions in the son's perspective. These topics, such as "Why were the South Vietnamese Corrupt" and "Could the U.S. Have Won the War", seem to accurately reflect the perspective of those born mid-1970s as the author was. Fair enough. But, how much more interesting it would have been to to compare, contrast, and connect the son's major questions about the war with his father's!
There are plenty of places where a hungry reader might think the author's about to do something interesting like this, but he never really does. If you've followed the war coverage in major newspapers or magazines during the last several years, you're not going to gain much additional insight here. Unless, of course, the historical interpretation is accurate, which I'm not in a position to judge, but other reviewers have cast doubt on.
A son on his father's Vietnam service.......2007-05-30
It has been a generation since the last American soldier left Vietnam, after almost 15 years of substantial involvement in the fight to defeat the army of North Vietnam and insurgent forces. Some 3 million Americans served, 800,000 of them in combat. The names of more than 58,000 of this country's dead are etched into the stark, granite walls of Washington's Vietnam War Memorial.
In his compelling new book, THE FATHER OF ALL THINGS, journalist Tom Bissell, born in 1974, brings that painful era to life in a rich and emotionally resonant narrative constructed around the trip he took to Vietnam in November 2003 with his father. John Bissell, a Marine combat veteran, arrived in Vietnam in April 1965 and served there until he was wounded in a booby trap explosion in late 1966. Acknowledging the humility that any writer must feel approaching a subject that has been covered in more than 30,000 books, Bissell sets for himself the task of recounting "an emotional experience interwoven with established historical facts of the Vietnam War." It is, he writes, "a book about war's endless legacy."
The book is loosely and somewhat idiosyncratically organized into three sections. The first interweaves an account of the last, desperate days before the fall of Saigon with Bissell's imaginative recreation of his father's dismay as he watches those events unfold in his home in Escanaba, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The second, and longest, section poses a handful of queries, such as "Could the United States have won the war in Vietnam?" and "What was the Soviet Union actually attempting to accomplish in Vietnam?" using them as the framework upon which the book's main narrative structure is constructed. The final section, entitled "The Children of the War Speak," contains brief snippets of interviews with Bissell's anonymous contemporaries on all sides of the conflict, reflecting on the ways in which the war's legacy affected them and their families.
Bissell is a gifted writer, whose prose is enriched by a talent for selecting arresting details that will fix the scenes he describes in the mind's eye. In one gripping section near the end of the book he describes the visit he and his father made to Cu Chi, an area that featured an elaborate network of tunnels from which guerrillas launched fiendishly ingenious attacks against American soldiers based there. Another emotionally powerful portion is Bissell's terse recounting of the My Lai massacre in March 1968, which most readers will find chilling in its harrowing detail.
Foregoing any attempt either to glamorize his father's service or to demonize the vast majority of the soldiers who fought there on all sides, Bissell nevertheless portrays his father as a fundamentally decent man, reporting that John Bissell's fellow Marines even nicknamed him "Nice Guy." Like most American soldiers, he was compelled to fight by a sense of duty to his comrades rather than to some at best vaguely understood mission to stop the spread of Communism throughout Southeast Asia. If anything, Bissell is much more judgmental about himself than he is of his father, subtly questioning whether he would have had the courage to do what his father did. One darkly comic scene describing Bissell's attempt to fire an AK-47 at a shooting gallery is likely to have readers wondering the same thing.
The book could have benefited from a map tracing the route of the Bissells' journey, as well as some photographs in addition to the few family snapshots sprinkled throughout the first section. These shortcomings are counterbalanced by a useful bibliography featuring annotations by Bissell on some of the secondary sources he relied upon in this work.
At a time when the United States is embroiled in another unpopular war, the temptation to draw facile parallels with the debacle in Vietnam is almost too great to resist. For the most part, Bissell doesn't succumb to that temptation, perhaps because most thoughtful readers already will find themselves struggling to suppress the echoes of incompetence and bravado from that era that haunt us to this day.
THE FATHER OF ALL THINGS is an intensely personal book that expands outward in concentric circles from the intimate relationship between father and son to the broadest concerns of historical and geopolitical thought. "War is appetitive," Bissell writes. "It devours goodwill, landscape, cultures, mothers, and fathers --- before finally forcing us, the orphans, to pick up the pieces." If this book finds the audience it deserves, it will remind those who lived through that era of the price war exacts, and may help educate those who did not to that grim and timeless reality.
--- Reviewed by Harvey Freedenberg
A writer of great talent - Tom Bissell.......2007-05-07
I've read everything I can find by Tom Bissell. His writing is mesmerizing: a medley of travel log, memoir, novel, and psychological study. I think he is inordinately talented.
With this memoir, his depiction of growing up in Escanaba, Michigan, resonated deeply with me, since I grew up there too and knew his family before he was born. I think he described it well, though his was a dark impression. His honest searching and critical mind were very moving to me.
My heart went out to his father, though a young man, saddled with supporting a wife and child, two siblings, his mother and mother-in-law in his early twenties. The Bissells were peceived as very wealthy and above the ordinary worries of most of our families. They were like the Magnificent Ambersons, and we didn't know the half of it.
I also admired his retrospective on the Vietnam War. It was very well researched and presented with lucidness and poignance. I'm not much of a history reader, but the author had my full attention and understanding.
Some day this writer is going to win lots of prizes. Thanks, Tom Bissell, for a wonderful book.
A Subject Greater Than the War Itself.......2007-05-05
"The Father of All Things" is the latest brilliant offering from one of America's great young writers.
Whereas Bissell's first book, "Chasing the Sea," alternated between his (sometimes humorous, sometimes painful) return to Uzbekistan after a failed stint in the Peace Corps and a deft history of Central Asia and the ability of its peoples to repel or outlast any and all outside powers' tries at conquest, "The Father of All Things" plumbs the depths of one family's experience in the Vietnam War, and the reverberation that war has had on the children of veterans on both sides.
To his credit, Bissell shares more of himself in the memoir sections of the book than he does in "Chasing the Sea." His relationship with his father is one of soft reconciliation after years of -- if not literal, then certainly emotional -- separation. There are courageous and heart-baring passages that would've been clumsy in the hands of a less-talented author, and you can see the warmth that Marine Captain John Bissell has for his son, even when he's teasing him about being a Communist when they go to Vietnam together, almost 40 years after John's last visit, when he was one of the first combat troops on the ground.
Yes, why another book about Vietnam? As Bissell himself states in his brief author's note: "More than thirty thousand books on Vietnam are currently in print. Why another? one might (and probably did) ask. . . . This is not really a book about the nation of Vietnam, or even the Vietnam War. It is, instead, a book about war's endless legacy. . . . When war begins, leaders inevitably frown as they promise courage and bravery, guarantee tragic sacrifice, yet vow, all the same, to see it through. What any war's igniters rarely admit are the small, terrible truths that have held firm for every war ever fought, no matter how necessary or avoidable: 'This will be horrible, and whatever happens will scar us for decades to come.' Indeed, even necessary wars can destroy the trust of a people in their leaders, just as war destroys human beings on both sides of the rifle."
To ask questions of one's government is not treason -- it is one of the highest form of citizenship. And if one's government cannot supply satisfactory answers to its citizens, it is their duty to endlessly question that government. To say this book -- or the author himself -- is anti-American couldn't be further from the truth, and proof is in the pages. Bissell has reported from both Afghanistan and Iraq, and there's a particularly harrowing passage in the book where, trapped in Mazar-i-Sharif in the early days of the 2002 American invasion, he uses a fellow journalist's satellite phone to call his father. He gets cut off in the middle of the conversation and his father, believing his youngest son has been kidnapped by the Taliban, is suddenly thrown back into his own war.
Not only does Bissell do a superb job of honoring his father and the generation of young men who fought and died in Vietnam, he also, with "The Father of All Things," salutes the 20- and 30-somethings of contemporary America, the brothers and sisters of Bicentennial Babies, who are currently fighting and dying in Afghanistan and Iraq because, as it did with their fathers in Vietnam, their country called them to their duty.
Bissell well understands the sacrifices a military man makes, as he lived with them in the form of his father. Yes, this book is about war, and specifically about the Vietnam War and its shadow, but to read it so narrowly misses the point: This is a book about a son trying to understand his father because he loves him.
Book Description
Study after study shows that fathers set up their daughters for success. Involved fathers-whether or not they live in the same house as their daughters-boost their daughters' academic achievement, promote their emotional health, increase their compassion for others, and even bolster the status of women.
In What a Difference a Daddy Makes, renowned psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Kevin Leman seamlessly weaves the latest research on fathering with funny, moving stories about his own parenting experiences. He gives practical ideas and inspiration for fathers and provides specific direction for helping daughters grow into loving, confident, caring adults.
Customer Reviews:
We loved it!.......2007-07-17
I gave this book to my husband as a Father's Day gift, and ended up also reading it myself. Dr. Leman's advice, guidance, and personal stories in "What a Difference a Daddy Makes" really hit home with their accuracy. It forces parents to really think about how they interact with daughters and the long-term effects of a father's relationship with his daughter. Be warned, it is a tear jerker! While reading the book I felt grateful to have a husband who, as I read the book, made me think, "Hey, he does that! Oh, he does that too!" At the same time, there were a few passages that illustrated some things both of us could approach differently with our daughter.
I had two points of dissention with Dr. Leman however. I found his references to daycare as "kiddie kennels" to be offensive and disturbing. It is clear he feels very strongly that mothers should be home with their children. I can understand that, but to resort to slurs against child care, when such high quality care is available and has been shown to actually benefit children, struck me as narrow-minded. Also, Dr. Leman's strong Christian faith influences much of the book. In fact, an entire chapter is devoted to this subject. While it isn't something I disagree with, other readers may have different views. All in all, however, this book is wonderfully written and should be required reading for all daddies!
Life changing.......2007-07-16
After reading this book it made a huge difference in my understanding of my daughter. I am a youth worker and bought it for all the fathers of the girls in our youth group. I have heard nothing but praise for the gift and the book. Dr. Leman is funny, insightful, and impacting in this wonderful book!
Incredible, a must read for any dad.......2007-04-16
What a Difference a Daddy Makes is a great book that stresses how important the role of the father is in the life of his daughter. [...] any books by Kevin Leman before, but once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Dr. Leman keeps the andecdotes coming fast and furious, and page after page is full of great advice.
After finishing the book yesterday, I know this is a book I'll need to revisit over the years as my three year old daughter gets older. Leman emphasizes that dads (and moms) need to be "good" parents. It's almost impossible to be great parents. We'll all fail at times, but it is important for dads to be their and to be involved. It is also important for dads to model what role a man should play in her life. If a girl has a father with bad traits, she will most likeley seek out the same traits as a husband. Leman also stresses to live out God in everything you do in your life. For example, don't set aside a time for devotions. Istead, constantly look to share the Bible, or talk about God, during day to day activities. Leman also points out that fathers are responsible for teaching their girls about the bad parts of life, about how not everyone is nice and about how there will be failure. This leads into one of Leman's strongest contentions: Men must take the lead in teaching their daughters about sex. That's a section I won't need for awhile, but he definitely knows what he's talking about and I believe has written books on the subject.
The father/daughter relationship is a special one. Leman's book is a must-read and a great resource for all dads out there given the privelege of having a little girl. I've also read "What a Daughter needs from a Dad" by Michael Farris, and it is a great book too, but I'd reccommend Dr. Leman's book over that one if you have to choose which one to buy.
All about perspective..........2007-03-26
You will like this book... and you will want to share it and the knowledge with others.
My wife and I are two true opposites. I enjoy cooking; my wife enjoys cleaning. I would rather cook; she would rather clean. She has six sisters and zero brothers. I have two brothers and zero sisters. What do these characteristics have to do with this book?
Everything.
From both perspectives (my wife's and mine), this is simply a superlative book! I consider myself quite savvy, emotionally attached, and a true believer of self and self-awareness. This book further elucidates the concept that the Daddy-Daughter relationship affects all of us.
Yes... mothers are affected by their respective fathers; but, more importantly, they are affected by their husband's relationship with their daughter(s). Before reading this book, my wife did not fully understand the scope of her father's relationship values (or lack thereof). Moreover, through our reading and sharing the knowledge within this book, my wife has learned to appreciate MY relationship with OUR daughter. She now understands the relative importance of me being "the "go-to" guy. She now understands that there are some things Daddies just know and do.
Much like the Mother's intuition, Daddies have a super sense of balancing teaching/learning; strength/subtlety; faith/hope; patience/expectations... and the significant-yet-natural-to-fathers concept of balancing parental expectations with our daughters' fears.
Dr. Leman covers the entire gambit in this quick read. Indeed, there are many other books available on related topics. However, Dr. Leman's approach is simple without being simplistic. You will like this book.
Overstating the Obvious.......2007-03-21
Extremely average book short on anything considered above and beyond common sense. Nevertheless ... a fairly good guide for the first time father. Definitely written with spiritual connotations that further detracted from its intellectual credibility.
Book Description
Based on a careful analysis of the earliest Christian documents and recent archaeological discoveries, The Jesus Dynasty offers a bold new interpretation of the life of Jesus and the origins of Christianity. The story is surprising, controversial, and exciting as only a long-lost history can be when it is at last recovered.
In The Jesus Dynasty, biblical scholar James Tabor brings us closer than ever to the historical Jesus. Jesus, as we know, was the son of Mary, a young woman who became pregnant before her marriage to a man named Joseph. The gospels tell us that Jesus had four brothers and two sisters, all of whom probably had a different father than his. He joined a messianic movement begun by his relative John the Baptizer, whom he regarded as his teacher and a great prophet. John and Jesus together filled the roles of the Two Messiahs who were expected at the time: John, as a priestly descendant of Aaron, and Jesus, as a royal descendant of David. Together they preached the coming of the Kingdom of God. Theirs was an apocalyptic movement that expected God to establish his kingdom on earth, as described by the Prophets. The Two Messiahs lived in a time of turmoil as the historical land of Israel was dominated by the powerful Roman Empire. Fierce Jewish rebellions against Rome occurred during Jesus' lifetime.
John and Jesus preached adherence to the Torah, or the Jewish Law. But their mission was changed dramatically when John was arrested and then killed. After a period of uncertainty, Jesus began preaching anew in Galilee and challenged the Roman authorities and their Jewish collaborators in Jerusalem. He appointed a Council of Twelve to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel, and among the Twelve he included his four brothers. After Jesus was crucified by the Romans, his brother James -- the "Beloved Disciple" -- took over leadership of the Jesus dynasty.
James, like John and Jesus before him, saw himself as a faithful Jew. None of them believed that their movement was a new religion. It was Paul who transformed Jesus and his message through his ministry to the Gentiles. Breaking with James and the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem, Paul preached a message based on his own revelations, which would become Christianity. Jesus became a figure whose humanity was obscured; John became merely a forerunner of Jesus; and James and the others were all but forgotten.
James Tabor has studied the earliest surviving documents of Christianity for more than thirty years and has participated in important archaeological excavations in Israel. Drawing on this background, Tabor reconstructs for us the movement that sought the spiritual, social, and political redemption of the Jews, a movement led by one family. The Jesus Dynasty offers an alternative version of Christian origins, one that takes us closer than ever to Jesus and his family and followers.
This is a book that will change our understanding of one of the most crucial moments in history.
Download Description
"Based on a careful analysis of the earliest Christian documents and recent archaeological discoveries, The Jesus Dynasty offers a bold new interpretation of the life of Jesus and the origins of Christianity. The story is surprising, controversial, and exciting as only a long-lost history can be when it is at last recovered. In The Jesus Dynasty, biblical scholar James Tabor brings us closer than ever to the historical Jesus. Jesus, as we know, was the son of Mary, a young woman who became pregnant before her marriage to a man named Joseph. The gospels tell us that Jesus had four brothers and two sisters, all of whom probably had a different father than his. He joined a messianic movement begun by his relative John the Baptizer, whom he regarded as his teacher and a great prophet. John and Jesus together filled the roles of the Two Messiahs who were expected at the time: John, as a priestly descendant of Aaron, and Jesus, as a royal descendant of David. Together they preached the coming of the Kingdom of God. Theirs was an apocalyptic movement that expected God to establish his kingdom on earth, as described by the Prophets. The Two Messiahs lived in a time of turmoil as the historical land of Israel was dominated by the powerful Roman Empire. Fierce Jewish rebellions against Rome occurred during Jesus' lifetime. John and Jesus preached adherence to the Torah, or the Jewish Law. But their mission was changed dramatically when John was arrested and then killed. After a period of uncertainty, Jesus began preaching anew in Galilee and challenged the Roman authorities and their Jewish collaborators in Jerusalem. He appointed a Council of Twelve to rule over the twelve tribes of Israel, and among the Twelve he included his four brothers. After Jesus was crucified by the Romans, his brother James -- the "Beloved Disciple" -- took over leadership of the Jesus dynasty. James, like John and Jesus before him, saw himself as a faithful Jew. None of them believed that their movement was a new religion. It was Paul who transformed Jesus and his message through his ministry to the Gentiles. Breaking with James and the followers of Jesus in Jerusalem, Paul preached a message based on his own revelations, which would become Christianity. Jesus became a figure whose humanity was obscured; John became merely a forerunner of Jesus; and James and the others were all but forgotten. James Tabor has studied the earliest surviving documents of Christianity for more than thirty years and has participated in important archaeological excavations in Israel. Drawing on this background, Tabor reconstructs for us the movement that sought the spiritual, social, and political redemption of the Jews, a movement led by one family. The Jesus Dynasty offers an alternative version of Christian origins, one that takes us closer than ever to Jesus and his family and followers. This is a book that will change our understanding of one of the most crucial moments in history. "
Customer Reviews:
Unconvincing..........2007-10-09
Being an agnostic does not mean that books like this one do not interest me, and it is not the first book I read on the subject of the historical Jesus. In fact, one does not need to be a believer to agree with Tabor that Jesus was definitely the most influential figure in the history of mankind; and if one does not subscribe to the dogmatic view of the Church on the Christ myth(the huge number of those who do would surely want to crucify the likes of me!), one at least wants to understand how Jesus the man lived and died. In this respect, this book offers some new insight on the subject, but Tabor goes sometimes too far in twisting facts to achieve what he is aiming to prove. In fact he goes so far as to lose his credibility as a historian.
I will just give a couple of examples:
- First, the genealogy of Jesus according to Luke, at page 46 : what is amazing here is that Tabor takes the exact position of the Catholic Church on this issue!When asked why there are two different genealogies of Jesus(supposedly both inspired by the Holy Spirit!!!)the priest who gave me religious instruction when I was a kid said exactly the same thing: Luke gives the genealogy of Mary, whereas Matthew's genealogy is that of Jesus! This hypothesis, brilliantly refuted by D.F.Strauss in his monumental "Life of Jesus"(Chapter 2, paragraph 21), does not stand any chance of being historically true. Furthermore, there is not one single version of the Bible which spells verse 3:23 of Luke as Tabor does:"...being as was supposed son of Joseph, of Heli..." All versions I know(King James, New Version, Bible de Jérusalem, Arabic versions...) read as follows:" being as was supposed a son of Joseph, son of Heli.." So what Luke is saying clearly is that Heli is the father of Joseph, not of Mary!Besides, the reduction of Eliakim to Heli is one of those twists that might convince the reader who has no idea about semitic languages: the H in Heli is in fact a "'ain", like the H in "Hebrew", and cannot possibly have become an "aleph", like in Eliakim!.And finally, a genealogy which pretends to go as far back as Adam can hardly have any credibility at all, and is only good for Christian Theology, not for historical research.
I will not dwell here on the following paradox, one of many that mar the Christian dogmatic view of Jesus: if, as we are told, Jesus is the son of God, why should the Gospel writers go to such extremes to prove that he is descended from David? The answer is simple: the "son of God" myth is a later addition to the original Christian dogma. As for the genealogies of Jesus, both of them cannot be taken seriously, as their authors were trying to prove that Jesus was the Messiah...And the whole of Tabor's "historical" construction of the Jesus Dynasty falls like a deck of cards!
- The second point concerns what Tabor says about Islam at page 187:"there is little about the view of Jesus presented in this book that conflicts with Islam's basic perception".No Dr Tabor! Arabic is my mother-tongue, so I have been able to read the Quran first hand, and Issa, the Arabic Jesus, is the most supernatural of all the prophets of Islam! In fact , Islam's basic perception of Jesus stems from apocryphal gospels rather than from the canonical ones, and we all know that the former have been discarded by the Church because they were judged too "fantastic"( but how they could be more "fantastic" than the canonical ones is for believers to explain!). In the Quran, Issa speaks to defend his mother while still in the cradle! He makes clay sparrows fly like real ones by just blowing on them, a story taken from the "Infancy Gospel" of James...In addition to the fact that the Quran clearly states that Jesus was conceived by Mary without human intercourse! And finally, Issa was not crucified(a reminiscence of the gnostic Basilides), but was "lifted" to Heaven before being caught, and it was poor Simon of Cyrene who was crucified in his stead("They did not kill him nor crucify him, but so it seemed to them..."). So he actually never died, which is contrary to Tabor's main thesis.As a matter of fact, any devout Muslim will consider Tabor's view of Jesus no less a blasphemy than any devout Christian...
Having said that, this book deserves to be read by all those who are interested in the search for the "historical Jesus", and they would have to draw their own conclusions...As for me, I am not convinced!
Excellent Work!!.......2007-09-07
Dr Tabor does due diligence in providing a verifiable historical perspective of what we know about the life of Jesus from the available archaeology and historical text. I found this book enriching my understanding of Jesus and my faith. Anyone wishing to understand Jesus within the context of his time in history will not be disappointed.
A great book that Christians need to read.......2007-09-02
Others have done a splendid job in pointing out both the positives and negatives in the book. The former greatly outweigh the latter in my opinion. But the overall idea that Paul, in a sense, 'invented' Christianity whilst pushing aside the remaining disciples is not a new one.
If more Christians investigated the true history of the birth of their religion I think they would be more than a little shocked. As this book makes clear, Paul developed a theology that differed markedly from what Jesus taught and did in his lifetime. The obvious question Paul supporters should ask is "who was best placed to carry on the Jesus revolution?" - the disciples who knew him intimately, or someone who never met him and claims he was given revelation by a vision? And why would Jesus change his ideas so soon after his death/resurrection and then give them to a total stranger anyway?
As this book reiterates, especially in last chapter ,the gradual destruction of what Jesus really preached by a mixture of Paul, the early church and the Romans is, in reality, a crime against humanity. As a direct result millions have died in the two thousand years since. And still are today.
Great Book!.......2007-08-04
This book was awesome. Anyone interested in history should read this. Lots of info here that many may have never thought about. Much better than Simcha's book.
Deists should love this work of fictional theories.......2007-07-28
Honestly, there were a number of things that I learned in this book:
1) Jesus's father was possibly a Roman soldier named "Pantera." The evidence comes from a late second century text, with no basis in its historicity before this time. Mary apparently was a slut who had a thing for boys planning to become Roman soldiers. Yet this theory goes against everything we read about Mary in the Bible! Dr. Tabor is such a naturalist when it comes to the paternity of Christ, as he holds to a presupposition that a human pregnancy cannot take place unless there is human sperm. Yet Pantera was a second century invention used to contradict the Matthew 1:18 account, as Christians then and today all hold to the miraculous conception of the Christ child. Should this late reference used to contradict the Virgin Birth be taken so seriously in a historical context?
2) Jesus was not really God in the flesh. Instead, he was merely a man. Thus, when he died--and Dr. Tabor agrees that crucifixion did kill Jesus--he was buried. Hence, there was no resurrection. He references a 16th century mystical rabbi to show how Jesus was buried in a town in Galilee. (Strange why the Jewish and Roman authorities didn't look further into the matter and follow this grave so they could produce the body of Christ, which would saved them a lot of hassle since it would have killed any "resurrection" theory. After all, neither the Jews nor the Romans desired the resurrection in the first place.) Just like Thomas Jefferson who cut the miracle stories out of his gospel accounts (ending his "Bible" with "And they laid him (Jesus) in a tomb"), Dr. Tabor is not a believer in miracles. Thus, he cannot accept a miraculous resurrection of a dead body. While he is an empirical evidentialist who cannot believe anything that runs contrary to the miraculous, isn't a presupposition really an act of belief/faith in its own right? Damn the historical evidence, he appears to say, and thus we need to come up with any theory that runs contrary to the supernatural ideas. Is this really fair from a historical perspective? I think not.
3) James and Paul contradict each other. So which of these men were right? Based on my careful reading of both James and Paul, though, I completely disagree and would say it is very clear they actually are in sync. Yes, Martin Luther called James an epistle of straw, but I think a careful reading of this with Paul shows no compromise. The two mean had different audiences and perspectives, which at first glance can be confusing, but when you study what they say, there is no contradiction between James, the leader of the church in Jerusalem, and Paul, who was the apostle to the Gentiles.
4) Jesus was a disciple of John the Baptist. In fact, he says the gospels get it wrong, as apparently Jesus believed John was better than he. Among other implications, the Lord's Prayer is a reflection of the Baptist, not originally Jesus's words. The history used in support? It's called grasping at straws, as it's just not there, or at least objective historians without presuppositions would call this a theory floating in the wind. Anyone can make up what they want and turn it into historical "fact." The question is, what does the evidence support?
5) Jesus's family formed the "Dynasty" who were disciples and leaders of the church. While there is no early support for this theory as well as the fact that this view contradicts Acts and the earliest accounts we have, Dr. Tabor theorizes that James (the "Beloved" disciple written about in the gospel of John) and his brothers played a much more prominent role than the NT lets on. Of course, it is obviously true that James plays an important role in Acts, as he was the head of the church in Jerusalem. But James is never called an apostle, as one sent forth, and he did the vast majority of his ministry in Jerusalem. The evidence to show that Jesus intended a dynasty of his family is lacking.
All in all, the premise of the entire book comes down to these presuppositional nuggets: Don't trust the accounts of history found in the Bible; miracles can't occur; and, billions of people are believing in their Christ in relative ignorance. While I obviously am not a fan of this work, let me give some positive points. One, the creative writing style is quite imaginative, and the author forced me to consider things from an entirely different angle. I like the fact that he tries to utilize archeology in determining history, as this is something that not all historians utilize enough. And, finally, the book does contain beautiful pictures and illustrations, perhaps worth the price of admission.
Unfortunately, however, the work that I thought was meant to be historical comes away as reading fictional. So, if you're looking for another DaVinci Code, then I would recommend this book. But if you are looking for true history, this Jesus of Dynasty just doesn't make the cut.
Amazon.com
Order this book ... and please don't be put off by its pallid subtitle, A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother, which doesn't begin to do justice to the utterly unique and moving story contained within. The Color of Water tells the remarkable story of Ruth McBride Jordan, the two good men she married, and the 12 good children she raised. Jordan, born Rachel Shilsky, a Polish Jew, immigrated to America soon after birth; as an adult she moved to New York City, leaving her family and faith behind in Virginia. Jordan met and married a black man, making her isolation even more profound. The book is a success story, a testament to one woman's true heart, solid values, and indomitable will. Ruth Jordan battled not only racism but also poverty to raise her children and, despite being sorely tested, never wavered. In telling her story--along with her son's--The Color of Water addresses racial identity with compassion, insight, and realism. It is, in a word, inspiring, and you will finish it with unalloyed admiration for a flawed but remarkable individual. And, perhaps, a little more faith in us all.
Book Description
This is a book that will "make you proud to be a member of the human race," says Mirabella, and countless readers have already discovered its power. Written in remembrance of his Polish-born, Southern-raised Jewish mother-who married a black man and raised twelve children, all of whom completed college-The Color of Water is a classic of the memoir genre, a testament to love, and a truly American story.
Customer Reviews:
If you like stereotypes..........2007-09-27
If you like reinforcing stereotypes, then James McBride's book is for you. Jews have big noses, they only care about money, and of course, his converted mother only finds love through Jesus. But let's move past that. A great mother? Perhaps her children would not have had to eat sugar as a meal or wake up at 3 am (when she came home from work with free food from her employer) to eat-- else they went hungry if she had the number of children that she and her could support. Perhaps living in a house where the dog's feces is kicked under the radiator is not an indication of a strong mother. How about when she pays one fare for the subway and puts herself and the twelve children through on that one fare. These are not virtues. The writing was weak; the message was weaker.
A Jewish Mother.......2007-09-24
Legal History of the Color Line: The Rise And Triumph of the One-drop Rule
A better title for this book would be: A Dark Mulatto's Tribute to His Jewish Mother. The word "black" denies the European Jewish ancestry of the author and his siblings and the word "white" denies his mother's ethnic heritage. Mrs. McBride's Jewish ethnic values were far more important to her children's success than being "white."
Parenthood Pride -- A Mother Must Whimper.......2007-08-13
"Times were different then." Something espoused by the author's mother -- a Polish Jew who grew up in the Jim Crow south before World War II, and then raced away from her self-described purgatory to New York -- where she embraced mixed union, poverty and Jesus Christ.
How people of mixed races could live without constant clamour and request for surrender is not known to the 21st century people -- I grew up with bussing and other issues, but never saw a segregated movie theater, water fountain, or seating area. We really don't know how far we have come. And, we don't know how hard the struggle of others has been.
And, to help us understand that path, we have James McBride's autobiography/biography -- in pica print is his tale and in italic (every other chapter) is his mother's biography written by her son or her autobiography as transcribed from her taped sittings with her son.
Some things which she lived with will astound you -- I refer not to the biracial issues, but to the classic violations of Judeo-Christian ethics by the author's grandfather. As a rabbi and devout conservative Jew, the author's grandfather, we learn, abused his spouse emotionally (if not physically), abused his daughter sexually, and abused the black man in the south for personal financial gain. Interestingly, all had the same achilles heel -- each was a weakened victim. The wife a victim of polio and contract marriage, the daughter a victim of youth, and the black people victims of unadulterated 1930's racism.
Emerging from this broiling escapade by the father came the flight of a young woman to New York (the author's mother) who raised 12 bi-racial children whose faces and hair told most strangers they were anything other than children of a conservative Jew who emigrated from Poland.
In the even-numbered paragraphs (those autobiographical passages of the author), I had laugh-out-loud episodes when he recited events of his naive youth when he asked questions about his race, about his mother's race and more. Like Frank McCourt, he delivers the lines in such accurate manner that you feel as though you are sitting back and watching kids in action doing their thing which we, as adults, can not well remember nor well imitate.
This was solid fun reading based upon an extremely unique factual content.
Very disappointing..........2007-07-18
I was very disappointed with this book, especially given so many positive reviews. Though I certainly admired McBride and his siblings' ability to achieve so much given so little, I was appalled and even morally offended by the sheer stupidity and negligence of his mother as she is described (apparently in her own words) throughout the book.
I think we the readers are so overwhelmed with empathy and admiration for 12 children rising out of poverty despite obstacles of racism, poor education, no support from extended family, etc., that we forget to ask the obvious question: why would any person raise 12 children in poverty in the first place?? How is this a good decision? A mother has no job and no discernable skills, and is married to what seems like a great man - wouldn't she think after the 4th kid that "maybe I should make sure I can provide for my first 4 children before I have a 5th..or a 12th?"! To me, this is morally reprehensible! And if that's not enough, the book is littered with negligent decision making while raising her 12 kids. For example, when she drives a car without a license, she seriously risks jail time (and bankrupcy/legal problems if she hits something/someone). What would happen to her kids then? I guarantee if this same woman with no license and 12 children ran into your car, you'd be thinking much different thoughts, the nicest being "what a complete moron"! She obviously must have been a good, strong, moral woman, but she was also lucky. For every 12 child family success story, there are probably 100 other abject failures.
If I went into the woods with no water and no food and no sense of direction, and I made it out alive after 10 days of on-the-verge-of-death adventure, you might be inspired by the luck/perseverence/moral fortitude...or you might just think "why did that moron go into the woods with no water, food, or sense of direction"? That's the way I felt about this book.
A Unique Perspective.......2007-07-14
I loved this man's view of his mother and her passions and struggles. He saw her imperfections but chose to focus elsewhere. In a world where so many are looking to blame others for their stations or place in this world, this son took the good that his mother offered and channeled it. I have always believed that one can either focus on the empty cup and rationalize why the cup cannot be filled, or go into the world and seek the fullness lacking. I love that God is the color of water since that is what I have always believed. My God is so colorless and my love of mankind is also based on a true belief that we're to focus outside ourselves and the world will be a better place. Naive one might say?? I say that it is only the truly brave that reach and expect the world to be a better place.
Books:
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
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