History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity

Average customer rating:

Too much speculation
When philosophy become a voyage
Doubting jew
Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity
a good read but ultimately not that satisfying

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity
Rebecca Goldstein
Manufacturer: Schocken
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805242090
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

In 1656, Amsterdam’s Jewish community excommunicated Baruch Spinoza, and, at the age of twenty–three, he became the most famous heretic in Judaism. He was already germinating a secularist challenge to religion that would be as radical as it was original. He went on to produce one of the most ambitious systems in the history of Western philosophy, so ahead of its time that scientists today, from string theorists to neurobiologists, count themselves among Spinoza’s progeny.

In Betraying Spinoza, Rebecca Goldstein sets out to rediscover the flesh-and-blood man often hidden beneath the veneer of rigorous rationality, and to crack the mystery of the breach between the philosopher and his Jewish past. Goldstein argues that the trauma of the Inquisition’s persecution of its forced Jewish converts plays itself out in Spinoza’s philosophy. The excommunicated Spinoza, no less than his excommunicators, was responding to Europe’s first experiment with racial anti-Semitism.

Here is a Spinoza both hauntingly emblematic and deeply human, both heretic and hero—a surprisingly contemporary figure ripe for our own uncertain age.

Customer Reviews:

Too much speculation.......2007-06-27

Overall, I liked the book. I enjoyed the story Goldstein had to tell, particularly her own experience encountering and teaching Spinoza. However, I think the book fell short of my expectations and was, at times, too superficial of a presentation.

I was expecting more development of the connection between Spinoza's thought and the Marrano/Jewish tradition. Also, I was looking for more development of her argument that Spinoza played a major role in "giving us modernity".

The connections here were tenuous and more guessed at than established. Goldstein didn't go into enough detail in trying to make her case on either count. We get mostly loose connections between Spinoza and Marranoism. And on Spinoza's contribution to modernity we get even less. We get: Spinoza was influential on modernity because lots of freethinkers flocked to Amsterdam. Spinoza may have influenced Locke because he went to Amsterdam and left with stronger views on rational, tolerant, republican government. Thomas Jefferson owned a copy of Spinoza's work.

Nonetheless, Goldstein does make room for the stronger point of Spinoza's influence on modernity; namely that he was the first to systematically formulate the essence of modernity: reason, individualism, and freedom.

A good book with plenty of information to chew on, but too much speculation (and if one doesn't read the footnotes, one doesn't know she is speculating).

When philosophy become a voyage.......2007-05-12

This is a very nice (sometimes auto-)biographical novel about a philosophical voyage. The traveller is Baruch Spinoza whose influential ideas about God and separation between God and the State is narrated in a very engaging style. Rebecca Goldstein melts autobiographical, historical and philosophical levels of narration in in an enjoyable way. You are entertained and invited to think about a set of observations including Inquisition, diasporas, jews theology, Teens' life in the Big apple during the 60s, logic and qabbala.

However, this is not a philosophical book neither an introduction to philosophical concepts (some of them are presented in a debatable way); do not think you are reading a philosophical book: the best way to approach Goldstein's last work would be as a biographical reconstruction of a philosopher and his times, and how his ideas impacted on modernity.

Doubting jew.......2007-05-08

A great introduction to a fascinating man and his philosophy. I want to read more Spinoza now

Betraying Spinoza: The Renegade Jew Who Gave Us Modernity.......2007-03-23

Service was excellent. Product is excellent. Thanks!!

a good read but ultimately not that satisfying.......2007-02-22

I think the author had a hard time deciding what she wanted this book to be. It makes a good start at a new historicist effort to understand Spinoza, but is too weak on his text to do that, so it ends up being just a history lesson (albeit an interesting one). It veers into memoir for a time, also interesting, but again too sparse to have much of a point. Then there is the explication of Spinoza's Ethics, but it's way too skeletal to be worth all the pages you have to read to get there. In the end the reader will have a good grasp of a sliver of European history, a decent idea of Spinoza's biography, and a wee bit of an understanding of his philosophy. If that's what you want, this book might be for you. But really it's a weak piece of popular philosophy that isn't going to be satisfying for a person who wants to grapple with Spinoza's thought.

Average customer rating:

Boring carnage? It is possible.
Fair conclusion to the Grail Series
Excellent end to the series
Good historical fiction
Heretic is a confused conclusion to an average trilogy

Heretic (The Grail Quest #3)
Bernard Cornwell
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 006053284X
Release Date: 2004-08-31

Book Description

An epic historical saga steeped in myth and legend, Heretic brings history to life with the wonderful characters and heart-stopping battle scenes that have made Bernard Cornwell a New York Times bestselling novelist.

Thomas of Hookton is a young man but already a seasoned veteran of King Edward's army. His fearlessness and uncanny prowess with the longbow make him a natural leader in what will be remembered as the Hundred Years' War. But the dangers on the battlefield are small compared to those of his true quest -- a hunt for a mysterious relic rumored to be the Holy Grail. Accompanied by a small but able band of soldiers, Thomas travels to his ancestral home, only to find it ensnared in a murderous struggle for possession of the Grail. But it is the arrival of a mortal foe -- and the rumored discovery of the Grail itself -- that forces Thomas to make a choice of historic consequence.

Customer Reviews:

Boring carnage? It is possible........2007-06-06

As I wrote in my review of The Archer's Tale, I was very disappointed in the way this series fizzled out in this, the third installment.Bernard Cornwell was one of my favorite
authors up until "Sharpe's Waterloo", but I feel he's again showing
symptoms of being too prolific.I just don't feel it.....

Fair conclusion to the Grail Series.......2007-06-04

First off: This is book 3 in the series. Go back and read the first two if you aren't starting here.

While you could jump into this book without the first two, you really lose the full effect without it.

Also, the first two books are better while the third wraps everything up, with a somewhat "standard" Grail story.

However a full review is probably silly, because either you read the first two -- and all you want to know if the 3rd one stinks -- and it is an OK book, so I wasn't disappointed reading it since it closed the series. As another review mentioned there is an interesting epilogue to the book.

And if you *haven't* read the first two, start there.

Excellent end to the series.......2007-05-13

The 3rd Book was as good as the first two. Couldn't put them down. Excellent read. Everything that this guy writes is both entertaining and educational.

Good historical fiction.......2007-03-08

I love historical fiction, and I really liked this trilogy by Bernard Cornwell.

Heretic is a confused conclusion to an average trilogy.......2007-02-20

Let me preface this by saying that Bernard Cornwell is probably my favorite living author. I am a huge fan of the Sharpe series, his Warlords trilogy, and his new Viking/Alfred the Great series promises to be his best yet. However, his trilogy about Thomas of Hookton and his adventures in the Grail Quest series have left me unsatisfied. This series started out well enough with the Archer's Tale, which was a riveting account of the English armies in France during the Hundred Years war. Cornwell's usual incredible attention to detail transported the reader back in time (like he always does) and really explains to you why things happened in the historical context. In this case, why the longbow was king of the battlefield. Thomas was your typical Cornwell hero, young and inexperienced but quickly a veteran in the arts of war. He was surrounded by the usual cast of battle hardened but friendly (to Thomas) veterans along with the usual well born foes looking to foil our heroes dreams. Hey, its a formula that works and I have no problem with Cornwell recycling this in different historical eras. He even added a very interesting female character in Jeannette and Thomas was caught up in the events leading up to the Battle of Crecy. Great stuff.

The second book, Vagabond, continued a good story, but started to really delve into the quest for the Grail and the historical events in France, while still relevant, were starting to take a back seat to the Grail quest. My biggest problem with this book is that Thomas would have been crippled for life following a certain episode (an episode I really hope Cornwell doesn't start using on his protagonists - we have George Martin for that). So for me, the book starts to take on a bit of a unrealistic format.

Finally, we come to the final book Heretic, and in my opinion Cornwell loses control of the story. First, he almost completely ignores history. This is more or less a fantasy novel set in France about the Grail. England and France reach a truce, and Thomas' liege the Earl of Northhampton sends him on an improbable task to take a castle in southern France and look for the Holy Grail. Ummm...OK. A shaky start, but the story is engaging as Thomas has his first command and we have a great scene where a castle is stormed and several good episodes of raiding. Then Geneiveve comes in and the story falls apart. She's a heretic condemend by the church and set to burn. She falls into the hands of Thomas and he defies the church and won't burn her, eventually getting excommunicated and losing all his men in the process. Cornwell has never written women well so I give some leeway on his female characters. However this is just sloppy. Someone else pointed this out but it bears further mentioning, I don't think Geneiveve has more than 100 words of dialog in the book. Who is she and why would Thomas throw away his soul and the duty to his liege lord (something conviently overlooked in his decision process) for this girl? All we know is she is anorexic thin and beautiful. Empoverished girls who bathed maybe one a month in the 14th century were not beautiful and its surprising that someone normally so attuned to period detail just lets this pass.

After Part One, the book moves in one confusing circle around the land of Astarac, the historical home of Thomas' ancestors and his cousin Guy Vexille, who I wish would have had a bigger role because he was actually the only interesting character in this book. Instead, we get chapter after chapter about a stereotypical and boring French Knight Joscelyn who we never for a moment suspect is a match for our hero. Vexille meanwhile is consumed by a religious quest and a warrior monk mentality that makes him dangerous (and ruthless). In the meantime, one of Thomas' best friends from the series goes completely insane and illogically turns against him and everyone he's fought with for the last several years. The conclusion isn't bad but it doesn't make up for the several hundred pages of aimless wandering it took to get there.

Lots of good history of course, as always. In particular I like how God and the belief in God is portrayed in the 14th century, even among vicious killers. But Geneiveve has to be one of Cornwell's worst main characters and Thomas slips several notches down the list of Cornwell heroes by the time this book is over. I can see myself rereading book one again, but I'll pass on the 2nd two books in this trilogy. Maybe Cornwell should pick up the war in the 15th century and try again.

The Courtier and the Heretic: Leibniz, Spinoza, and the Fate of God in the Modern World

Average customer rating:

Baruch Wins by a Knockout!
Of Course We Should Care!
Do we really care what old philosophers have to say?
Opposing Views on Religion
lots of interesting facts

The Courtier and the Heretic: Leibniz, Spinoza, and the Fate of God in the Modern World
Matthew Stewart
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ethics & Morality | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0393329178

Book Description

"A colorful reinterpretation…. Stewart's wit and profluent prose make this book a fascinating read."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Philosophy in the late seventeenth century was a dangerous business. No careerist could afford to know the reclusive, controversial philosopher Baruch de Spinoza. Yet the wildly ambitious genius Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who denounced Spinoza in public, became privately obsessed with Spinoza's ideas, wrote him clandestine letters, and ultimately met him in secret.

"In refreshingly lucid terms" (Booklist) Matthew Stewart "rescues both men from a dusty academic shelf, bringing them to life as enlightened humans" (Library Journal) central to the religious, political, and personal battles that gave birth to the modern age. Both men put their faith in the guidance of reason, but one spent his life defending a God he may not have believed in, while the other believed in a God who did not need his defense. Ultimately, the two thinkers represent radically different approaches to the challenges of the modern era. They stand for a choice that we all must make.

Customer Reviews:

Baruch Wins by a Knockout!.......2007-08-30

So many reviews already! Mine will be brief. Matthew Stewart's exegesis of Spinoza is brilliant, the clearest I've ever encountered, and should be taken as a challenge from the past by all adherents of "Intelligent Design". Leibniz is portrayed less sympathetically, indeed as a bit of an intellectual opportunist, as if Voltaire had not already convinced all the world that "Pangloss" was a hapless fool. Even if you, dear reader, are utterly indifferent to the theological/philosophical issues of the 17th C (which are still with us), you may well find this book as sprightly and engrossing as any historical novel.

Of Course We Should Care!.......2007-08-18

If you are honest enough to ask "why do I exist?" or "is there a God?" then you should care. These "old philosophers" affirm the enduring and ever-present tension between the power of reason to understand and the necessity of faith (or an approximation of such) to carry on and to cope. It is rational to struggle with such notions, irrational not to. To peer under the context and understand the motivations, personalities, and failings of those who rose to intellectual heights is to assure oneself of an appreciation of how the greatest of us have sought answers. To suppose such things not worth a care is to sleep through life.

Do we really care what old philosophers have to say?.......2007-05-18

The book is quite readable for the layperson. It is historically interesting, especially the interplay of notables of the era. There is too much repetition of the basic philosophic positions of the principals. The philosophy of both men has for the most part been dicarded by modern thinkers. It would be more interesting if the author had spent more space explaining how more latter day thinkers appraise the contributions of Leibniz and Spinoza. On the whole it was good. R Stageman

Opposing Views on Religion.......2007-05-14

On the back of the paperback's cover, the author, Matthew Stewart, is described as philosopher having sold off his consulting business to live a life of contemplation in Santa Barbara. Intriguing and interesting! Stewart has woven together the ideas and story behind two very distinct minds and world viewpoints. A life of contemplation has been very good for him.

Spinoza, the heretic, lived a simple life not seeking luxury or fame. His atheistic view of an inanimate God is largely viewed as the start of modernity. Leibniz was everything Spinoza was not. He was paragon of superlatives. Fashion-conscious, materialist, well-educated, and overly ambitious seemed to be intrigued with the ideas of Spinoza. After recognizing the consequence of Spinoza's ideas, he defended traditional beliefs. Leibniz was largely forgotten by the world after his death, even though he invented calculus at roughly the same time as Newton and influenced the philosophy of Kant.

I do wish the author took the time to use modern words when presenting some of the philosophical concepts. The language of the late 1600s and early 1700s is hard to conceptualize. For example, Leibniz postulated that the universe is composed of countless conscious centers of spiritual force or energy, known as monads. What the heck is a monad? A small complaint in an otherwise wonderfully executed and researched book.

lots of interesting facts.......2007-05-13

Matthew Stewart's scholarship has yielded an amazing harvest of very interesting facts not learned in a history of philosophy course.
It's sad to learn how human all too human Leibniz was. What a waste of a sharp mind.
But philosophy as soap opera is no better than other soap operas. Wittgenstein likened a gathering of philosophy professors to an outbreak of bubonic plague.

Average customer rating:

Not so much.
Best book
a little disappointed
a little gem
Extremely disappointing

Confessions of a Knitting Heretic
Annie Modesitt
Manufacturer: ModeKnit Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound
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ASIN: 0975421999

Book Description

You are NOT knitting wrong! If you're getting the fabric you want, then you're knitting fine for YOU!.

Now that we've cleared that up, let's investigate how and why you're making your stitches the way you do so that you can follow standard patterns and get the most out of your knitting!

DON'T change the way you knit - learn to make the way you knit more efficient, and more comprehensible!

Customer Reviews:

Not so much........2007-09-18

Not really impressed with this book. It really suffers from lack of skillful editing. I wouldn't recommend it.

Best book.......2007-08-23

I learned to knit Western style when I was a young child about 8 y.o. I was also left handed. Annie Modesitt's book has re-introduced me to knitting. I love this method and have found by stitches are more even, my gauge is easier to read as well as more even and I no longer hate purling in the Continential style as this is much easier. Being a lefty this method is truly the most comfortable I have ever learned. I taught myself using Annie's excellent instructions. She also validates different styles and what works for each person. There is no right or wrong way just the final results. Wish all instructors were as insightful as she is in this book and probably in person also. I will most likely purchase every book she has every written. Even right handed people will love this method and the results they see in their knitted fabric.

a little disappointed.......2007-07-01

I have been knitting for about 48 years so I feel I have ground for informed opinion on knitting books. I tried some of her methods and found them unworkable in comparison to say, Elizabeth Zimmerman's. She has a different way of joining in new yarn that is too visible from the outside. I didn't care at all for the knitted wire objects. What's the point?
I liked her attitude though, in that she believes she has the right to do it anyway she likes. And she does. She needs better illustrations. Maybe tone down the bragging a little. That said, she wrote a book and got it published. Good for her. I haven't.

a little gem.......2007-02-11

I saw Annie Modesitt demonstrate "combination knitting" on Knitty Gritty and almost passed out with joy! It seemed like something that had been created just for ME. This book does not disappoint. It's a grab-bag of priceless tips and tricks, all presented with a light-hearted style (my favorite lines: "a cable is simply a rib with high aspirations" and "sometimes it feels that you need a gynecological degree to pull your yarn from the center of a ball")While it is true that the illustrations are definitely not high-resolution, to me that adds to the "secret tricks of the trade" feel. The Combination Knitting overview is fascinating!

Extremely disappointing.......2006-12-08

As an experienced knitter, I was very disappointed in the amount and detail of information Ms. Modesitt actually provides on her combination knitting technique. Out of the entire book, I found 4 pages to be somewhat helpful.

Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today's Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity

Average customer rating:

Good start, poor finish. Bercot ultimately gets it wrong.
Some wonderful insights to early Christianity
Perhaps one of the most important books you'll ever read
Eye Opening, a Real Wake Up Call
Church history in a nutshell -- and what to do about it!

Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up: A New Look at Today's Evangelical Church in the Light of Early Christianity
David W. Bercot
Manufacturer: Scroll Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0924722002

Book Description

A challenging look at today's evangelical church in the light of the early Christians.

Customer Reviews:

Good start, poor finish. Bercot ultimately gets it wrong........2007-07-03

Warning: This book is full of opinion, conjecture, and false conclusions that Bercot provides no basis for. He has slipped many of them in where they are most likely to go unnoticed and taken for truth. Readers beware.

Some wonderful insights to early Christianity.......2007-04-08

This book, which was brilliantly written by one Mr. Becot, was good at showing some of the flaws and differences that modern evangelicalism holds with early Christianity. It demonstrated how there are many doctrinal and sacramental practices that have been omitted or changed in modern evangelicalism that where once practiced by the first Christians. One example would be the ordinance of baptism, which Mr. Bercot shows was an essential doctrine of first and second century Christianity. And (me being LDS and believing in the apostasy of the true church of Christ) I particularly agreed with Mr. Bercot's view that the church was corrupted by the time of the time of Constantine. So this was a good book and a very interesting read on early Christianity compared to modern evangelicalism.

Perhaps one of the most important books you'll ever read.......2007-01-31

I consider this book seminal in both its topics and scope. If you are a Christian, (or even if you have no interest in church history,) "Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up" will challenge you as perhaps no other can or will.

The early Christian writers, (sometimes referred to as "fathers,") left a body of writings that have been preserved to this day, (enough to fill a 10 volume set.) Though not inspired by God, (as were the Apostles who wrote the New Testament,) their writings do reflect what the early church believed and practiced for almost 300 years, (until the church was severely compromised by an unholy union with the Roman state under Emperor Constantine's overtures.)

When personally challenged to read these writings, David Bercot initially rejected them; discovering that their beliefs were so antiquated and out of step with contemporary beliefs. Yet, as he begin reading them again, he came to the overwhelming conclusion that what the church believes today is *drastically* different from the beliefs of the early Christians.

* Do you believe that a Christian is saved by faith alone, apart from good works? Then you believe a doctrine rejected as heresy by the early church.
* Do you believe a Christian has no choice in his salvation, but is saved solely by the choice of God? The early church understood every person has a free will and is held accountable by God according to the choices made from it. (The pagans of the day were predestinationalists, believing all of life was controlled by "fate.")
* Do believe a Christian can fight and kill in a war, and still go to heaven? The early Christians knew that those who lived by the sword would be killed by the sword, and therefore strove to live meek and harmless lives; preferring to suffer death at the hands of unbelievers rather than fight to save their lives, (like their Master did before them.)

Included in this book is a very simple and understandable description of exactly where and how the church came to disown these original teachings, and why it currently believes and practices something entirely different today. Bercot's style is remarkable in its persuasion and meekness; refraining from attacking or belittling those who take the opposing view. (However, his arguments are unanswerable, due to their unavoidable logic and evidentiary conclusions.)

* If you are a Calvinist, (or of that persuasion,) you will not like this book.
* If you are a modern Evangelical, and believe in "Once Saved, Always Saved," you will not like this book.
* If you are participant or supporter of any war or military action, you will be highly offended by this book.

In short, if you are a denier of the literal words and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are utterly out-of-fellowship with the Believers of the first and second centuries, for they strove to follow Jesus as literally and as earnestly as they could. (And you would be cast out of their churches as a first-class heretic.)

The church today simply does not believe what Jesus taught. The early church did, and we have their writings as evidence of what they believed and accomplished. Scripture decidedly foretells of an end-times apostasy, or "great falling away." When you compare the beliefs of the early church with what is believed and practiced today, you can clearly see that we are most decidedly in the very center of this prophecy. (And its only going to get worse.)

"Flee from the wrath to come!" It was preached 2,000 years ago, and it needs to be preached today. Only the target is YOU, dear Christian, and not some poor pagan unbeliever. (For it will be better for him in the day of judgment than for you, if you refuse to walk in *all* the commands of the Lord Jesus.)

Eye Opening, a Real Wake Up Call.......2007-01-10

You may not care about what the churches the apostles started were like, or you may think that no one knows what they're like. This book will change your mind. This is a well-researched book, very accurate and fair to the early church writings. I've read everything the 2nd century church wrote as a result of the motivation provided by this book, and he spoke truly about what they said.

If you want to continue on the way you have been, don't read this book, because it will shake you up. Bercot is a lawyer, and he argues powerfully for his points in this book. I've listened to plenty of people try to answer his arguments, both when I worked with David (in 1992), and since, including a few months of talk shows on the radio in Sacramento, CA. These arguments are compelling and un-answerable.

On top of all this, the book is incredibly well-written. It is easy to understand and completely captivating. Every chapter ends with a carrot on a stick to drag you for or against your will into the next one. Don't start it at night, because you'll be late for work the next day. You will have to finish it.

This book, because it answers so many questions with straightforward answers and puts the whole world of the early church at your fingertips ought to be a top 10 Christian book of all time.

Church history in a nutshell -- and what to do about it!.......2006-06-12

I was first introduced to Bercot by his masterly "Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs" so I all the more readily took a look at this book. The result was that I couldn't put it down and started hunting for what else he had written on the subject.

Bercot knows what he is talking about from his years of study and research into the Patristic writings -- and this shows through in his writings as he weaves the basic principles of Christianity together and compares them with the pitiful evangelical church of today.

If you are one who is serious about your faith, please read this book. You can find out more about David Bercot on his publishing company's web site at scrollpublishing.com.

Force Heretic II: Refugee (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 16)

Average customer rating:

book 16
Three-sided storyline that I found rather enjoyable
2.5/5, An improvement, but not enough...
Ugh.
The Truce is Broken

Force Heretic II: Refugee (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 16)
Sean Williams , and Shane Dix
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345428714
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Book Description

Swift and deadly, the Yuuzhan Vong have blasted their way across the galaxy—and now stand on the threshold of total victory. Yet a courageous few still dare to oppose them. . . .

Rife with hostile cultures and outright enemies, the Unknown Regions holds many perils for Luke Skywalker and the Jedi, searching for Zonama Sekot, the living planet that may hold the key to dealing once and for all with the Yuuzhan Vong.

Meanwhile, on the edge of the galaxy and in the heart of a trusted ally, old enemies are stirring. The Yuuzhan Vong have inflamed long-forgotten vendettas that are even now building up to crisis point. And as Han and Leia journey on their quest to knit the unraveling galaxy back together, betrayal and deception await them. . . .

Customer Reviews:

book 16.......2006-10-22

this book couldve been half as long had all the nonsense been cut out.theres a lot of politics and ceremonies and the like.i think the author was going for drama,but it came out more like over-detailed and uneventful.there are just certain things people have come to expect from anything star wars.like a light saber battle,a super weopon,the sith,ise of the main characteres in meaningful and interesting events.this book lacks all these qualities.you will,however,have to trudge through it if you are reading the series.now i will give you the low down.the good guys,for some reason,are looking for a living planet instead of fighting the vong.anakan solo is still dead.which still makes me mad.landos super cool droids arent around and niether is the coolest sith since darth vadar in lord nyax.heck,even han solo ,luke skywalker and thier families dont see much action.luke spends the book in a library.oh thats so cool.[ugh].all the real cool stuff happens in like the last 70 pages.there is a assassination attempt on someone important.so the other jedis,not in danger,gave to twart the attempt.i feel so sorry for poor old tahiri.shes not only hopeless about the future but severely depressed and now gas an alternate persona.my heart really goes out to her.nom-anor is hiding beneath coruscant trying to get the shamed ones to revolt.the good guys do find a planet full of droids powered by souls.a terrorist assassanation attempt gets an ok air battle towards the end.jacen solo spends most of his time in the library also.ho-hum.but danni expresses her true feelings for him.lastly,theres the living planet.it is said to ne inhabited by insects.theres dense oxygen.every 3 years a fire god burns up its surface.a prophetess from there is said to have created the force.the planet can jump through hyperspace also.thats all they find out in over 400 pages.they never did find the planet either.

Three-sided storyline that I found rather enjoyable.......2005-12-27

I read the other reviews and I wonder if I read the same book that they did. I genuinely enjoyed the complexity of the book. Perhaps for the Star Wars fan who enjoys duels and battles, this book isn't for you. However, I enjoyed the political complexities present in the book on all three sides of the storyline.

In one, Luke continues on his mission to find Zonama Sekot and hope that it can make the difference in turning the war around. Contrary to one review, the conflict at the end is a huge benefit in their effort to get access to Chiss space, but I will not spoil how. Also, I believe that there is a very good reason that we don't have the map, that is because the Chiss are very secretive and even though Luke, Jacen and the others are looking at records, I am doubtful the Chiss are actually letting them look at star charts showing exact locations. Remember, many were VERY skeptical of their arrival and mission. Not providing us the map makes it more realistic for us in following the story.

The second side is the continuing mission led by Leia and Han to bring the distant regions of the galazy back into the fold. They are taken to Bakaura on the edge of the far reaches of the galaxy, bordering on Ssi-Ruuk space and the Unknown Regions. The political turnabouts in this theater are complex and telling. I agree with one reviewer that the whole ruse was completely predictable, but the subtle mechanisms are intreging as is the climax to the incident.

The third theater is on the planet formally known as Courscant, now the headquarters of the Yuuzhan Vong in the galaxy. Nom Anor is trying to lead a cult based on the Jeedi to being about his revenge on the leadership of the Vong. This is the least interesting of the three, but has some long term potential. Anor is trying to take advantage of the fact that the Shamed Ones have been put down for so long and that they have a desire for something more. This is, of course, a theme seen throughout the world at different stages of history. However, this isn't as well developed as the other two theaters of the book, but hopefully will be in book three.

If you are only into battles and lightsabre fights, this book isn't for you. However, if you are into a more in depth look at various facets of the ongoing galactic war along with the political intrige implicit in it, enjoy!

2.5/5, An improvement, but not enough..........2004-08-09

To say the first "Force Heretic" novel was a monumental dissapointment that made me want to rip my eyes out, would be a minor understatement. Which made it all the more surprising to find that I actually enjoyed this second book in the Williams-Dix composition for the New Jedi Order series.

In all honesty, it appears as though one of the writers (I can't tell which) wrote the first book, and the other one wrote this one, so different did I find the styles. Gone were the plaguing problems of incoherent sentences and paragraphs, stuttering storylines and lack of involvement in the characters. As well, I found most of the intrigue laced in this book to actually work. Previously, I staunchly believed mystery and Star Wars don't mix - they didn't in Episode II, on film, they definitely won't on paper - but at least in the case of Bakura, with so much back-stabbing and betrayal going on at once (even the Yuuzhan Vong get in on it) I was genuinely pulled into the book. The whole plot on Csilla seemed like an afterthought however, and the conflict that occured there seemed a little too mainpulative and coincidental. It would've been much easier for Jacen, Luke and Co. to learn Zenoma Sekot's location without an overly done powergrab. Just my opinion. The plot with Nom Anor as Yu'shaa, the Prophet, also worked well, and helped advance the Yuuzhan Vong side of things with surprising clarity.

Of course, the book still wasn't that great.

The lack of chapters will bug me forever, I'm sorry, it probably sounds petty, but it just doesn't work for me. Call it a stylistic choice if you want, I hate it. The characters were absolutely stupid on occassion (even if I feel Dix and Williams did an ok job of molding them this time), a good case of which is with Jaina. She has ample opportunity several times to free herself from Harris (the Vice-President) and his cronie's grasp, yet waits until possibly the worst time to do so, after two backup character's unneccessarily die. I mean, she only has to fight two guys, and at one point one of them is knocked out of the equation and Jaina isn't even bound by cuffs (as she is when she eventually does break free) and yet she still doesn't act, instead choosing to allow another person to die. Horrible plot-manipulation, flat out. Time and time again, I saw character's make hideously foolish choices that no Star Wars hero or heroine would truly make, just to make the plot advance. It came off as downright lazy to me. That being said, I still enjoyed the plot - go figure.

All in all, this novel was a definite improvement on the previous Williams-Dix endeavor, but still failed in far too many aspects to be worthy of joining the likes of Traitor, Star by Star, or any of Aaron Allston's or Michael Stackpole's novels. 2.5/5 stars.

Ugh........2004-07-15

Whose idea was it to let this slop stretch into a trilogy? All of the important points could have been condensed into a single novel (or maybe even a short story). The New Jedi Order does bring an exciting new plot arc to the Star Wars universe, and there have been some great books in the series, but once we get toward te end, the true marketing genius becomes clear; a reader who has already read a dozen novels and gotten caught up in the story of the war with the Vong, will work their way through even the worst book to make it to the end of the series. Or indeed, the worst three books. Only a couple of interesting bits (like the Tahiri subplot) save this from a 1 star review.

The Truce is Broken.......2003-12-31

The second novel of the Force Heretic trilogy encompasses three story lines. The first story line follows Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, Jacen Solo, and other Jedi as they enter Chiss space in search of the planet Zonama Sekot, in hopes that the planet will hold the key to winning the war against the Yuuzhan Vong. While an interesting tale, it is really a secondary story to one of the other story lines. However, this book does move the story along for Luke and Co.

The second story line is also a sub-story. Nom Anor is the fallen Executor of the invading Yuuzhan Vong race. He has been banished as a Shamed One. Not satisfied to sit back and accept his fate, Nom Anor has begun a heresy of sorts by establishing a cult amongst the Shamed Ones that reveres the Jedi, and looks upon them to free the Samed Ones of the shackles of oppression.

The main story follows Leia and Han Solo, their daughter Jaina and Jag Fel as they return to Bakura. Bakura was the subject of the novel 'Truce at Bakura,' which takes place immediately after 'Return of the Jedi.' In that novel, an alien race called the Ssi-ruuk were threatening to 'entech' an entire planet. Entechment is a process of stealing the souls of a sentient being and using it to control a machine.

Bakura appears ready to sever its ties with the New Republic and form an alliance with a race once subjugated by the Ssi-ruuk. There is more than meets the eye though. The Prime Minister is missing, but then suddenly reappears. The Deputy Prime Minister suspects something is up. Malzana Thanas, the daughter of a political hero of Bakura, is being tried for treason. Intrigue abounds.

Overall, this novel was pretty clever. The story on Bakura had many layers, but about two thirds of the way through, the pieces fall into place rather obviously for most readers. It was interesting, and a bit refreshing, that most of the action took place away from the war against the Vong. However, there is a bit of a surprise near the end of the book that will cause most readers to scratch their head a bit.

Tahiri has an interesting role in this triology. She is dealing with an inner demon, and after this novel, she may never be the same again. This sub-plot has alternated between being interesting and annoying. Hopefully, it will reach an interesting conclusion in the third installment.

I'd recommend this novel to anyone that has been reading the New Jedi Order. I would not recommend starting with this novel. Go back to the beginning and read 'Vector Prime' and other novels in the series first.

Average customer rating:

the lowest rating ive given one yet book 15

A new front for the war against the Yuuzhan Vong

sort of dull, but still entertaining

Eh...it was all right

Pretty bad... 1.5/5 stars.

Force Heretic I: Remnant (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 15)
Sean Williams , and Shane Dix
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Force Heretic II: Refugee (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 16)

Force Heretic III: Reunion (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 17)

The Final Prophecy (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 18)

Destiny's Way (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 14)

Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13)

ASIN: 0345428706
Release Date: 2003-02-04

Book Description

As the bloodied and weary galaxy faces battle once more, the Jedi take on the formidable task of bringing the last of the Empire into the light. . . .

From the ashes of the New Republic—torn to shreds by the savage Yuuzhan Vong forces—the newly formed Galactic Alliance has risen, determined to bring peace to the entire galaxy. But first the Yuuzhan Vong must be contained once and for all. And so Luke Skywalker seeks a world long lost to legend: Zonama Sekot, a sentient planet believed to have repelled an invasion by the Yuuzhan Vong decades ago. Deciphering the enigmatic secrets of Zonama Sekot just might turn the tides of a relentless war.

Aboard the Jade Shadow, Luke, his wife Mara, Jacen Solo, and other Jedi head off into the Unknown Regions, where rumors and clues suggest Zonama Sekot might be found. Yet the mission has barely begun when the searchers stumble into a horrific battle. The Imperial Remnant, in retreat from the mighty Yuuzhan Vong, is about to be destroyed. It would seem those aboard the Jade Shadow have little choice but to leave the Empire to its fate. But these are no ordinary space travelers, they are Jedi. . . .

Customer Reviews:

the lowest rating ive given one yet book 15.......2006-10-13

ok,first of all,im still po/d that the most dangerous sith ever was introduced 3 books ago and still hasnt been used by book 15.so i guess either the new writers have no respect for the previous books in the series or for some reason they chose not to use a god-like sith .this goes back to my points from before.everybody loved anakan solo and chewbacca.both get offed.and both of the solo twins went down the dark side earlier but the dark side was gone by the next book.not worked out just simply dismisssed.thats why i gave this book a lower rating than the previous 14 books in the series.the republic and empire are working together in this one.but theres a ton of poliyical bs they have to bore the reader with 1st to get to that point.jacin solo and a much older danni start a romance.the vong are out being vongs and blowing up planets and sacrificing prisoners.tahiri is still very much depressed over anakan solo even to the point of having schizophrennic-like episodes.nom anor is realizing some mind blowing truths about the vongs spiriyual beliefs the hard way.a lot of interesting stuff happens with him in this book.there is a search going out for a living planet.a new characheter is introduced.hes chewbaccas son,lumpawarrump.not that that makes them killing chewbacca in book 1 ok.an air battle pitting the republic and empire vs the vong goes down along with 3 battles for planets.the vongs lowest caste "the shamed ones" began questioning the truths about the vong gods,threatening to destroy thier most fundamental beliefs.so the vong began slaughtering them.thats about it.of course.I LEFT YOU MANY SUPRISES.anyhow,this book is really hust a jumbled mess.its somewhat interesting but not all that exiting.its a 400 plus page story that couldve been told in 250.and its slow to read,as was book 14.i hope this isnt a trend developing.with only 4 books left,somebody better start picking up the slack or i will be very disappointed.

A new front for the war against the Yuuzhan Vong.......2005-11-29

I really enjoyed this book. Sure, there is some review in the beginning of the book, but not as much as some reviewers would have you think. There is plenty of new material as the main protoganists go off in two different directions on two very different missions, but both designed to ensure the survival of the newly formed Galactic Alliance.

Leia is leading one expedition to reconnect severed links to the Galactic Alliance. They will find surprises on the way. The suspense is evident in several instances through the first stage of this mission and a familar enemy along with a stange alien will make their presence felt.

On the other side of the (not the MLS champion L.A.) Galaxy, Luke is leading another expedition to the Unknown Regions with a stop at the Imperial Remnant. Surprise, surprise, they too will meet with a familar enemy. Political intrigue and a very Latin Americanesque approach by the Grand Admiral typify the reaction of the Empire to the unwanted visitors.

Along the way, we see the continued struggles of Tahiri as well as the development of the young Jedi. There is some repetition of information worked into the story in the form of informing new protoganists of what is happening. However, if you haven't read previous books, you will really miss out on much of the storyline.

sort of dull, but still entertaining.......2005-09-03

this is the first adult star wars book i have read. it took halfway through the book just to get to the first lightsaber duel, which wasn't really a duel at all! had good cover art, though.
there were good things about this book and bad things. entertaining, but if you want a better read, i recommend destiny's way.

Eh...it was all right.......2004-12-17

What was going on in this book? Some character development and then none at all. Complete luck that Luke's party stumbled onto the Battle of Bastion. This whole book was very up and down. First 60 pages it took me three months. Then I started to ease my way through it. It was a rough read. Definitely could have been better. And it's way to long for so much nothing. It was very average and my lord what do the Ryn have to do with anything? Plus these two authors need to quit it with calling Han and Leia "Anakin's Parents" nonstop. Plus this whole thing with Tahiri is quite annoying. And don't Han and Leia and the military Twin Suns Squadron have more important things to do than go to small insignificant planets and stop them from falling to the Vong? Shouldn't they be fighting the true war? What is going on? The next two better explain what's going on...

Pretty bad... 1.5/5 stars........2004-07-24

Of all the New Jedi Order books I've read, I must say this is by far the worst.

Where to begin? Well, the plot itself isn't really that bad - Luke and company go to find Zenoma Sekot, while Leia, Han and the others go to round up support for the Galactic Alliance - as I said, not bad. Even this has problems though. Based on the occurences in the novel, the Yuuzhan Vong are obviously expending a fair amount of resources to defeat possible attackers on their borders - and what is the Alliance doing while this is going on? Nothing. No offense, but after scoring a huge victory in Destiny's Way, the Alliance appears to be back to the New Republic's way of sitting there and doing nothing until they are attacked. The logistics just didn't make sense to me, and it wouldn't have been that difficult to include a new section devoted to say Wedge or Cal Omas or even Admiral Ackbar.

As the plot is really the work of LucasArts though, and not of the writers themselves, any failings in the overall story department can be forgiven. What really made the book dissapointing for me was the writing style of the authors.

In my opinion writing teams rarely work, as authors simply have different views, goals, opinions and thoughts - combining the work of two authors into a single book (or set of books) is a bad idea, in my mind. This is just the start of the problems however.

Firstly, there were no chapters in the book. I can't understand the purpose of this besides forcing the reader to see the "Part" that they are currently reading as a single collection of actions and thoughts - which they really weren't. The lack of spacing between the four sections (not to mention a long prologue and longer epilogue) was offsetting to me, and I missed the deliberate pacing of chapters that all the other New Jedi Order books have. Heck, most books have them. As I said, unless it was some failed attempt at novel artistry, there was no point to it, and just aggravated me.

Secondly, the book went far too much in spurts and stops. Almost useless portions of the plot would be given huge amounts of space, while the conclusions to battles and character depth were rushed, barely mentioned, or forgotten altogether. While I did enjoy the burgeoning love relationships between Jag and Jaina and Jacen and Danni (though I still believe Jacen and Tenel Ka should be together), nothing else really seemed all that well done to me, almost as though the writers were looking to find a niche in the story where their talents could shine.

Thirdly, I found it nearly impossible to follow the flow of the writers words. A paragraph of character thought, for example, would follow normally through a pattern of logic, then suddenly, the character would arrive at a totally different conclusion than I would have ever thought of, or what I thought Williams and Dix were leading me towards. It felt as though the two writers were either confused in the writing of the book, or still attempting to discover their characters and those characters' place in the novel. A prime example (on a larger scale) is with Saba, who, from the prologue, I thought was going to be a main character throughout, but eventually only showed up in any importance at the very end, once again, like the writers just weren't sure what they wanted to do with the characters. For such an important area of the arc plot (ie. finding Zenoma Sekot and possibly dooming the Yuuzhan Vong), it was dissapointing to see the writers meander their way through.

Lastly, the imprecise battle tactics. I had absolutely NO understanding of what was going on during the space battles. None whatsoever. It was really quite sad that the only description of the battles was "The Empire was winning," or "they were on their heels" (those aren't real quotes obviously). It really hurt the book on the whole, as it was practically a nail in the coffin.

I have several other points which also bothered me, but there is a word limit to this review and there's no real point in going on, as anyone reading this will get my point. I didn't enjoy the book at all. I'm almost certainly going to skip over the next two novels as well and pick up with The Final Prophecy, in the hopes of some restoration of the series before Dix and Williams completely destroy it. No offense intended.

Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint

Average customer rating:

Grace apparent through a teenaged girl
Good, balanced interesting read.
Ultimately Unknowable

Joan: The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint
Donald Spoto
Manufacturer: HarperOne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060815175
Release Date: 2007-02-20

Book Description

During the tumultuous Hundred Years' War between England and France, a teenage peasant girl followed her heart and helped save a nation. A vision from God, received in her parents' garden, instructed her to take up arms and help restore the kingdom of France. Without consulting her family, Joan left home on one of the most remarkable personal quests in history. As a young girl in a world of men, she faced unimaginable odds, yet her belief in her mission propelled her forward. Within months Joan was directing soldiers and bravely fighting for her nation. Before long she had become a national hero and was the guest of honor at her king's coronation. Yet fame ultimately became her undoing. The English shrewdly realized that Joan's demise and defamation would disgrace France and provide a more direct route to victory. Captured in war, Joan became a pawn in one of the longest and bloodiest wars in history.

Since her death at the age of nineteen in 1431, Joan of Arc has maintained a remarkable hold on our collective imagination. She was a teenager of astonishing common sense and a national heroine who led men in battle as a courageous warrior. Yet she was also abandoned by the king whose coronation she secured, betrayed by her countrymen, and sold to the enemy. In this meticulously researched landmark biography, Donald Spoto expertly captures this astonishing life and the times in which she lived. Neither wife nor nun, neither queen nor noblewoman, neither philosopher nor stateswoman, Joan of Arc demonstrates that anyone who follows their heart has the power to change history.

Customer Reviews:

Grace apparent through a teenaged girl.......2007-09-21

Spoto's picture of Joan is of a brave, patriotic, spiritual girl who followed what she believed to be God's will.

His descriptions of her months of loneliness, terror and suffering -- chained in a dark dungeon and nearly starving -- and the disgraceful and dishonest onslaught from her tormentors will touch even a Joan skeptic.

Spoto's message: 1) God is against imperialism; and 2) He often sends the least likely person to do the job (in this case, defending the French nation and culture from English invasion).

Spoto's writing is lively, and he doesn't try to hide his admiration for this teenaged girl or his religious sensibilities. It is not a sermon, though, but an enthralling biography that makes a good introduction to Joan of Arc or adds to the understanding of those whom she continues to fascinate nearly six hundred years after her execution.

Good, balanced interesting read........2007-09-10

Having seen several films on her life, I wanted to know more.
The book explains the Englishes motivation to prosecute her, the wisdom of her responses, her belief in her life purpose/mission and expectation of an afterlife.

Ultimately Unknowable.......2007-08-02

This book disappointed me, but I think it was probably inevitable. I have a lot of respect for Spoto as a celebrity biographer, and as a professional theologian with a Ph.D. in religion, he's got the chops to write Joan's life. And, as he points out, due to the extensive contemporary historical records, including her long interrogation sessions, we probably know more about her life than we do about any of her contemporaries.

So why doesn't the book work for me? I think it is simply that Joan is ultimately unknowable. Much of how you regard her comes from what you think about the "voices" that guided her life -- were they legitimately divine, were they imaginary, were they the product of psychosis? Spoto knows this and spends a substantial amount of time on the voices, but in the end it's just impossible to come to any kind of opinion other than the one you held before you opened the book. And Joan in her testimony, straightforward and occasionally brilliant, is nonetheless opaque. When I finished the book, I felt I knew almost nothing more about her: she was an extraordinarily brave and clear-headed girl who heard voices, led military campaigns that essentially restored the king of France to his throne, and was abandoned by the monarch she returned to power and burned to death by the church that later sanctified her. But who was she, moment to moment? I'm not sure anyone will ever know.

Spoto subtitles the book "The Mysterious Life of the Heretic Who Became a Saint." I'm not certain the mystery is one that can be solved.

Average customer rating:

THE WHO'S WHO AT YOUR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Eye-opener
Great New Info
Only Knowledge Will Save You
Learn about the battle going on

Confessions of a Medical Heretic
Robert Mendelsohn
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Reference | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0809241315

Book Description

Covers issues from unnecessary surgeries and prescribed drugs to preventive medicine and home births.

Customer Reviews:

THE WHO'S WHO AT YOUR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL.......2007-09-27

This is by far and wide the best book available which reveals the dirty dealings of the medical industry. Robert Mendelsohn exposes all the mis-truths your doctor tells you. Do yourself a favor try to get a copy of this book. This is one of three books I believe are being suppressed. The other two books being suppressed are THE CANCER CURE THAT WORKED and THE AMAZING LIVER CLEANSE. Oh yea and THE CURE FOR ALL DISEASES.

Eye-opener.......2007-06-07

Good book. A little outdated, but an excellent resource if you are beginning your research on alternative medicines. I recommend this book especially to those who are wondering if there really is another way besides the modern medical movement.

Dr. Mendelsohn is a champion of homebirth. I have had a homebirth and plan to have the rest of my children at home. He gives an excellent argument for the pros of this seemingly pioneer practice.

Great New Info.......2007-04-12

I definitely disagree with all of those bad reviews. I agree 100% that the body has the ability to heal itself and that virtually nothing a doctor "sells" you can help your body heal itself. Let's face it, the medical and pharmaceutical industry is a business. They live off of people getting sick. Now that we know the truth, we can stop this monopoly once and for all.

Only Knowledge Will Save You.......2006-01-28

This book is a must for everyone interested in promoting and preserving good health. Sadly, instead of educating the public in proper nutrition, focusing on disease prevention measures, and researching, studying and promoting the use of effective natural cures, the far removed from nature western medical establishment is indoctrinated into subscribing and relying entirely on pharmaceutical drugs, many of which are ineffective and produce debilitating, dangerous and sometimes lethal side effects.

The cruel reality is that the self serving pharmaceutical drug companies with the assistance of the FDA suppress information and access to healing herb remedies and natural cures in order to keep the public ignorant and completely dependent on their profitable patented drugs. Have cancer? They will make sure you have no other choice but to buy their highly expensive, minimally effective poisonous drugs combined with maiming medical surgical procedures.

The pharmaceutical industry will do everything possible to protect their profits and make us stay away from any natural cures such as the Alpha Omega Lab's "Cansema" herb combination treatment which effectively cured cancer in thousands of people including my mother.

Pharmaceutical companies and their well paid partner, the FDA, will promptly accuse those natural healers and God sent angels of quackery and will see to it that anyone who offers effective natural cures will face swift persecution and unjust prosecution. If interested, you can read the full story of the original Cansema and the unwarranted FDA raid of Alpha Omega Labs posted by Chris Gupta on the web.

There is no doubt there are quacks to watch out for in this world, but make no mistake, there is no quack larger than the pharmaceutical conglomerate. The suppressed and hidden truth is that the effective (and inexpensive) cures for ALL deceases are available out there in nature, right now. With a little ingenuity and persistence, open minded regular folks can do their own research and educate themselves with printed material available in libraries, bookstores and the internet.

Thank to the loving work of angels walking the earth - people of good will among us, anyone can find out about effective and inexpensive natural cures for cancers, degenerative diseases and chronic ailments. But be warned, don't expect your personal physician to support you on this life saving task. Most physicians although well intended are brainwashed. Many are so vested on pharmaceuticals they are completely unaware of and against natural healing substances and will understandably dismiss their effectiveness as quackery. A selected few are wise enough to break the binds of a hostile and intimidating system, but only the "holy and holistic" ones like Robert Mendelsohn are courageous enough to blow the whistle so that you and I can save ourselves and the people we love who will listen.

Learn about the battle going on.......2005-10-28

"A hospital is like a war" Here you have it from a doctor who has been there and done that. As he describes the things that go on in a hospital it is amazing that anyone comes out alive. It does not surprise we when they are several people I personally know who have gotten very ill in a hospital from something COMPLETELY unrelated to why they entered. This book needs to be read by all.

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