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Hafiz, a secret Sufi, came to prominence in his day as a writer of love poems. That love transformed into an all-consuming passion for union with the divine. In The Gift, Daniel Ladinsky bestows on us the impassioned yet whimsical strains of Hafiz's ecstasy. Never forced or awkward, Ladinsky's Hafiz whispers in your ear and pounds in your chest, naming God in a hundred metaphors.
I once asked a bird,
"How is it that you fly in this gravity
Of darkness?"
She responded,
"Love lifts
Me."
Like Fitzgerald's version of Khayyam's Rubaiyat, the language of The Gift strikes a contemporary chord, resonating in the reader's mind and then in the heart. Ladinsky's language is plain, fresh, playful--dancing with an expert cadence that invites and surprises. If it is true, as Hafiz says, that a poet is someone who can pour light into a cup, reading Ladinsky's Hafiz is like gulping down the sun. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
An extraordinary new translation of the world-renowned mystic poet Hafiz.
More than any other Persian poet--even Rumi--Hafiz expanded the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Because his poems were often ecstatic love songs from God to his beloved world, many have called Hafiz the "Invisible Tongue." Indeed, Daniel Ladinsky, the accomplished translator of this volume, has said that his work with Hafiz is an attempt to do the impossible: to translate Light into words--to make the Luminous Resonance of God tangible to our finite senses.
With this stunning collection of 250 of Hafiz's most intimate poems, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in translating the essence of one of Islam's greatest poetic and religious voices. Each line of The Gift imparts the wonderful qualities of this master Sufi poet and spiritual teacher: encouragement, an audacious love that touches lives, profound knowledge, generosity, and a sweet, playful genius unparalleled in world literature.
Customer Reviews:
Inspired Translations.......2007-08-08
These poems are inspiring in the truest sense of the word. Reading each poem/prayer is liking breathing deep on fresh sweet air of wonder and delight. The vital energy of each short meditation doesn't fail to touch the people around me--even those who do not like poetry. I've given away several copies of this book, and so far everyone has responded with absolute joy.
A gift.......2007-08-02
I bought a copy of this book and could not find other copies locally so I ordered 5 copies from Amazon. I gave them to friends. Every page is special to all. Open this book anywhere and start. His words touch the soul. If you like Rumi, buy this you will not be disapointed.
The Christ's Breath is Here.......2007-07-30
Hafiz (c.1320-1389) sometimes spelled Hafez, says in this book,
"I am a hole in a flute that the Christ's breath moves through--listen to this music."
What an extraordinary claim that is, that my heart feels is true--for the wonder and magnificent gift of any great poet is to somehow touch our souls with God's hand--with divine music.
The Gift has been considered one of the best-selling spiritual poetry books in the English language for nearly a decade now. It's showing all the signs of becoming a lasting, well-deserved classic. In these brilliant, deeply tender, witty and full-hearted renderings, Ladinsky releases the true spirit of this most beloved Persian poet and spiritual teacher and makes him fully accessible to our times.
Hafiz has influenced and nourished many writers, poets and scholars through the centuries, including Nietzsche, Byron, Hugo, Lorca, Goethe and Emerson. If you're interested in knowing more about some of these eminent poets own words about translation/renderings, please read on, below, following some of these shorter gems from The Gift.....
The Sun Never Says
Even after all this time
The sun never says to the earth,
"You owe me."
Look what happens
with a love like that,
it lights the whole sky.
The Scent of Light
Like a great starving beast
my body is quivering,
fixed on the scent of Light.
You're It
God, disguised as a myriad things
and playing a game of tag,
has kissed you and said
"You're it --- I mean you're Really IT!
Now it does not matter
what you believe or feel,
for something wonderful,
major-league wonderful,
is someday going to happen.
And an excerpt from, I Have Learned So Much
I have learned so much from God
that I can no longer call myself a Christian,
a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, a Jew.
The Truth has shared so much of Itself with me
that I can no longer ...
For those interested in the conversation that goes back and forth about the legitimacy of renderings and translations of Hafiz, this may be helpful information:
Professor R. A. Nicholson's scholarly work with Hafiz in the late 1800's and later, that of Professor A.J. Arberry, have long been considered the gold standard of Hafiz's literal translations in to the English language. In a 1948 review of Arberry's translations, Harvard Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Eric Schroeder, praises his work and agrees with Arberry about the difficulty of presenting this greatest Persian poet to English speaking minds. "For Hafiz' beautiful verbal surface is too complex to retain the felicity of poetry when fully rendered into English. The acoustic structure of English equivalents, it is superfluous to say, could never echo the flawless music of the Persian words." Schroeder's review states too, "The only service of translation is to make the foreign poet a poet of one's own country."
Goethe translated Hafiz and said of him..."Hafiz had no peer!" Of the task of translating, Goethe says, "I revere the rhythm as well as the rhyme, by which poetry first becomes poetry; but that which is really, deeply and fundamentally effective--what is really permanent and furthering--is what remains of the poet when he is translated into prose... I therefore consider prose translations more advantageous than poetical ones... Those critical translations that vie with the original seem really to be only for the private delectation of the learned."
Emerson too rendered Hafiz, about whom he stated, "He fears nothing. He sees too far; he sees throughout; such is the only man I wish to see and be." Emerson's translations were both free renderings and translations all made from German sources, for he did not read or speak Persian with any fluency.
Contemporary poet/translator Kenneth Rexroth states, "The writer who can project himself into the exultation of another learns more than the craft of words, he learns the stuff of poetry. It is not just his prosody he keeps alert, it is his heart." One can't find a more alert and exultant heart for our modern world, than Hafiz in the pen of Ladinsky.
I find Mr. Farhad Bahrami's five star review here (May 8, 2002) edifying. Bahrami, who says he reads Hafiz in Persian "all the time", calls Ladinsky's The Gift, "The Best Hafez `translation' ".
If you're drawn to know more, by all means read scholars' translations. If you want to dive in to the complex beauty of the Persian language, go there. But if you want immediate holy refreshment and the encouragement and joy of Hafiz's perfect heart, take The Gift -- or one of Ladinsky's two other Hafiz works, I Heard God Laughing and The Subject Tonight Is Love -- home with you!
These are NOT TRANSLATIONS OF HAFIZ........2007-06-30
This book was my first introduction to Hafiz. The poems in this book are all very beautiful. However, anyone picking it up, and anyone who is interested in Hafiz, should know that these are contemporary poems and are not genuine Hafiz poems. They are NOT translations of Hafiz poems. Ladinsky's poems are the ones most people in the West are likely to associate with the name Hafiz, and I guess that's good for Ladinsky, but many people have been upset by what he is doing. I encourage people to read the actual works of Hafiz.
delightful and enlightening..........2007-05-16
Whether you are a seeker of spiritual insights, or of great love poems, or both, this book belongs on your nightstand. Hafiz' poems are radiant with his delightful understanding of God and Love, and Ladinsky's translation of them is brilliant, rendering them as accessible and poignantly zany as e.e. cummings. It's wonderful for reading to someone you love (including yourself.)
Amazon.com
This is the exciting and highly literate story of the real Lawrence of Arabia, as written by Lawrence himself, who helped unify Arab factions against the occupying Turkish army, circa World War I. Lawrence has a novelist's eye for detail, a poet's command of the language, an adventurer's heart, a soldier's great story, and his memory and intellect are at least as good as all those. Lawrence describes the famous guerrilla raids, and train bombings you know from the movie, but also tells of the Arab people and politics with great penetration. Moreover, he is witty, always aware of the ethical tightrope that the English walked in the Middle East and always willing to include himself in his own withering insight.
Book Description
The monumental work that assured T.E. Lawrence's place in history as "Lawrence of Arabia." Not only a consummate military history, but also a colorful epic and a lyrical exploration of the mind of a great man who helped shape the Middle East as it exists today.
Customer Reviews:
A Unique Masterpiece.......2007-09-25
This is one of the great books of the 20th century. That it could be written at all is almost a miracle in itself. Take a brilliant Oxford student trained in the old classical tradition, place him in the Arabian desert as advisor to the wild Bedouin tribesmen during their revolt against the Turks and have him write with an acute sensitivity and unparalleld insight into what was transpiring before him and you may have some notion of what the book is like.
It's a long book. You will learn a great deal about blowing up a railroad bridge in the desert, about camel rides, thirst, and hunger and the heroism and brutality of war. The portraits of Sheik Auda, Sherrif Ali and Prince Faisal of the two Arab boys who Lawrence takes under his wing are masterpieces in and of themselves. The nobility and savagery of the desert tribesmen contrasted with the cold stoicism of the British and the inculcated cruelty of the Turks are just some of themes addressed during the course of the work. There are brilliant passing insights as to the Semitic inspiration for all the revealed religions and their relation to the desert beautiful descripitions of the terrain the weather and the obstacles encountered. When Lawrence says that from the beginning he believed the Arab revolt would succeed because it grew out of a sympathetic population was opposed by a modern army that could not garrison the territory occupied one wishes that President Bush had read it instead of just seeing the movie. Read it yourself.
The Hejaz War.......2007-06-10
The Hejaz War of 1917 was written by Colonel T.E. Lawrence at the Paris peace talks in 1920 -21. Lawrence understood the Arabs thay did not conquer territory but they brought the Arab tribes together to conquer the Ottoman Turkish Army whom they considered poor soldiers. The Hejaz is the Red Sea coast parallel to the extinct lava fields of the 3,000m high Hejaz mountains. The Hejaz railway, linking Damascus with Medina, was attacked by Lawrence's Hejaz army until the Turks could no longer repair it. The Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the bible of Guerilla Warfare and should be read by General Petraeus US Armed Forces Commander, Iraq.
The taking of Damascus intact in 1918 by the arab army before General Allenby's allied army at least ensured Sheikh Feisal became King of Iraq. The Sykes -Picot treaty of 1916 ensured the Middle East was divided up by Britain and France directly leading to the present Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Stylistic autobiography with insight.......2007-01-09
Mr. TE Lawrence was not only a gifted tactician/strategist but also a scholar of the highest order. His writing style is rich and descriptive avoiding the dry pitfalls sometimes associated with autobiographies. The story of the Arab revolt from the man who helped shape and guide it is an invaluable resource to have. TE Lawrence's thoughts on irregular/unconventional warfare are insightful and still lessons to be rememembered today. An enjoyable and insightful read- perfect for any military history collection.
Learning the Arab way.......2007-01-05
For me, the complexity of the Middle East seemed unfathomable. By reading this book, carefully, delving into the author's text, I have a better understanding of the people of the Middle East and their many tribes and cultural ways. I also can begin to understand their rivalries and methods of dealing with each other. It is a very complex society that will take the USA years to understand and deal with.
Extraordinary - History and the Man.......2006-11-10
At a critical time, the right man steeped forward (if somewhat indirectly) to encourage an Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. This classic war novel is more than the usual, as it reveals a character tortured with self analysis.
Highly recommended.
Average customer rating:
- Truly Rumi
- who is the beloved?
- almost indescribable
- Amazing
- An outstanding introduction to Rumi!
|
The Illuminated Rumi
Jalal Al-Din Rumi
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ASIN: 0767900022
Release Date: 1997-10-13 |
Book Description
Rise up nimbly and go on your strange journey to the ocean of meanings...
In the mid-thirteenth century, in a dusty marketplace in Konya, Turkey, a city where Muslim, Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist travelers mingled, Jelaluddin Rumi, a popular philosopher and scholar, met Shams of Tabriz, a wandering dervish. Their meeting forever altered the course of Rumi's life and influenced the mystical evolution of the planet. The bond they formed was everlasting--a powerful transcendent friendship that would flow through Rumi as some of the world's best-loved ecstatic poetry.
Rumi's passionate, playful poems find and celebrate sacred life in everyday existence. They speak across all traditions, to all peoples, and today his relevance and popularity continue to grow. In The Illuminated Rumi, Coleman Barks, widely regarded as the world's premier translator of Rumi's writings, presents some of his most brilliant work, including many new translations. To complement Rumi's universal vision, Michael Green has worked the ancient art of illumination into a new, visually stunning form that joins typography, original art, old masters, photographs, and prints with sacred images from around the world.
The Illuminated Rumi is a truly groundbreaking collaboration that interweaves word and image: a magnificent meeting of ancient tradition and modern interpretation that uniquely captures the spiritual wealth of Rumi's teachings. Coleman Barks's wise and witty commentary, together with Michael Green's art, makes this a classic guide to the life of the soul for a whole new generation of seekers.
Customer Reviews:
Truly Rumi.......2007-08-23
Excellent job of portraying Rumi and presenting appropriate Rumi reminders throughout the year. So glad Coleman Barks is a part of...
who is the beloved?.......2007-04-27
Going through this book was my introduction to Rumi. And a profound one it was. Through the interwoven effect of Rumi's poetry rendered by Coleman Barks and the beautiful images by Michael Greene, I came closer to understanding the Universal meaning of The Beloved and Divine Love.
This book somehow illustrated spiritually cryptic things for me: What does it mean to have compassion for The Other? What does Sacred Interconnection mean? How do we love our selves or others in that secret place where there is no ego, no fear, no illusion?
Take your time with this book. Don't expect results right away. I found that I got some things from it almost immediately... And other things I had to come back to a few times in contemplation, or many times, to really appreciate.
I found it amazing how Michael Green's collages of modern (colliding atomic particle paths), ancient, religious and astronomy photography, brought about inner movement and emotion within me.
A great gift for yourself if you are a Seeker...and also to those of your friends who are, too, whether they know it or are about to find out.
This book has led me to explore other translations of Rumi. Above all, it has helped get me to a greater appreciation of the universality of the Love of God, sans the human limitations that religion, culture, gender or language restrict the word "God" to.
almost indescribable.......2007-04-12
It's often said you can't gain any true 'mystic experience' or 'hidden wisdom' from 'reading a book'. Often that holds true, but things like Rumi are the exception. I'm the sort of person who hates poetry. I relished the accidental "Cruel prank" done on the "Poetry Analasyst" in the late Mr. Vonneget's "God bless you Mr. Rosewater". But, Rumi moves me to joy, to tears to love and to feelings beyond. And this book is an excellent tribute to him. Well worth getting multiple copies, for you will likely loan them to people who'll keep them forever!
Amazing.......2007-01-26
As a lifelong bookworm, I've gotta say: this one is a gem. Incredible illustrations, and a caringly, lit glimpse into the mystery and depth of Rumi. One of those ones you want to pass on to the most special people in your life. The kind of literature that runs against the grain of our aggravating times and quickly reminds us of something higher to aspire to.
An outstanding introduction to Rumi!.......2007-01-05
In the 13th Century, a Moslem scholar, philosopher and poet, from what is now modern Turkey wrote of the human condition The condition hasn't changed and the words still have the same impact as when written. Hence, he remains popular as ever. Perhaps one might think the terms philosopher and poet off putting. This is not the case. He writes in a style to encourage intuitive thinking rather than our usual logical Western style. This is the mode necessary to understand man's deeper nature. It is a style shared by those wishing spiritual and psychological enlightenment. Reading Rumi makes one a more thoughtful deeper person. Curl up with this book by yourself where you are free from distraction and have the time to let your mind wander. You will get nowhere reading this while commuting or watching TV!
This is book is the place to start with Rumi. The illustrations not
only compliment the writing but are picked to give you a psychological study of what is being said. The current translation is the best I have seen for the modern American World. Coleman Bark's translation of an ancient language into our vernacular makes you feel like Rumi wrote the original English version.
Richard Hunter, MD, Behavioral Neurologist, Atlanta.
Book Description
This volume makes available some of the most important discovered source material for the historian of the ancient Near East.
Customer Reviews:
A useful compendium of original source material.......2004-10-01
I obtained this volume of translations of Ancient Near Eastern texts and pictures along with its companion Volume I - An Anthology of Texts and Pictures which was first published in 1958. This volume, which was published in 1975, includes translations of more recently discovered material selected from the 1969 anthology of Supplementary Texts and Pictures Relating to the Old Testament.
This volume contains 72 texts and about 110 black and white photographs of artefacts from various and states and cities of Ancient Near East. The documents include myths, laws, treaties, inscriptions, hymns, letters, wisdom literature etc, from Egypt, and from the Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and later periods of Mesopotamia.
The format is similar to that of Volume I with cross references to the ANET text number. Translations have been made by 13 eminent scholars, most of whom have provided some explanation of the content and meaning of the texts they have translated. In general, however, there are fewer notes than in Volume I, and no cross references to illustration number or to any biblical passages.
I found the translations to be generally quite readable, but, in the same way as for Volume I, they definitely had to be read with full care and concentration to understand them, and some, being somewhat fragmentary, are rather more difficult to follow than others. In reading the texts, I was, of course completely dependent upon the translations and the interpretations of the scholars themselves. In particular, I found the comments and notes by Professor S N Kramer on the various Sumerian Texts to be most helpful.
I am happy to have read this book and its companion, because they have given me some direct insight into the cultures of the Ancient Near East. Whether it is better to obtain the larger parent anthologies is, I think, a matter of whether you are prepared over US$250 for the latest editions of these two volumes ( ISBN 0691035032 for the texts, and ISBN 0691035024 for the pictures). But if these smaller volumes are anything to go by, then they are probably worth it.
I didn't want to spend that much on this subject at this stage of my studies. So for the moment, I have decided to be selective about next set of texts to read, and as a next step, will be studying Volume II and III of Miriam Lichtheim's translations of Egyptian texts, and William L Moran's translations of the Amarna Letters.
A useful compendium of original source material.......2004-10-01
I bought this book along with its companion: Volume II - A New Anthology of Texts and Pictures, because it was time for me to see for myself what the the original sources had to say about the Ancient Near East.
This volume, which first was published in 1958 contains over 70 ancient texts and about 280 black and white photographs of artefacts from the Ancient Near East. The ancient documents include those from Mesoptamia, Egypt, Canaan, Israel, Assyria from the period about 2500BCE to about 500BCE. The editor states that the selection of texts was made from the point of view of relevance to the biblical Old Testament, having been taken from the original larger anthologies of texts (ANET) and pictures (ANEP) which were originally published in 1955 and 1954 respectively.
The texts themselves have cross references to the original text number, the relevant illustration number, and the specific biblical passages where there seems to be some point of contact, The translations were made by 11 eminent scholars, all of whom have provided an explanation of the content and meaning of the texts which they have translated, as well as providing useful notes on aspects of the text which might require clarification
I found the translations to be generally quite readable, but they definitely had to be read with full care and concentration to understand them. Some, being somewhat fragmentary, are rather more difficult to follow than others. In reading the texts, I was, of course completely dependent upon the translations and the interpretations of the scholars themselves, but at least I am now starting to have a fuller understanding of the cultures of the Ancient Near East.
3 of the 18 Egyptian texts in the book were included in Miriam Lichtheim's Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume 1: The Old and Middle Kingdoms, and I noticed that the translations in this book had been somewhat shortened. Except for a difference in style, however, I did not notice any significant differences and found it very interesting to compare the two translations.
All in all, I am very happy to have read this book, which will probably serve me as a useful reference from now on. As so much work has been done on ancient text translations in the 35 years since the two parent volumes were published, and the price of these full anthologies was in excess of US$250, I am glad I chose to buy the shortened versions. That is not to say that I won't buy them sometime in the future, but in the meantime, I want to be selective about the next set of texts to read, and have decided, as a next step, to read Volume II and III of Miriam Lichtheim's translations of Egyptian texts, and William L Moran's translations of the Amarna Letters
A Stimulating Resource.......2002-10-19
Volume II or "The Ancient Near East" is a good companion to Volume I, containing mythic, legal, and monumental information from the Middle East Bronze and Iron Ages. It really puts you back there to read actual letters and contracts, or to see the developments in poetic, narrative and visual arts. The only real problem is the lack of consistent dating infomation, particularly for the artwork. It makes it difficult to form a conceptual picture if things are presented in what appears to be a random order.
Indispensible Guide.......2002-04-08
Absolutely recommended for anyone who is interested in studying the culture and writings of the ancients in the near east. Many documents are translated and there is a gallery of photographs of items and what they are/signify. Some of the language used in translation is a tiny bit dated (the occassional thee and thou and so forth) but that doesn't diminish an excellent resource.
Just a little bit boring.......2002-01-06
I love ancient history and found the book interesting, but just a little bit stale.
Book Description
To Persians, the fourteenth-century poems of Hafiz are not classical literature from a remote past, but cherished love, wisdom, and humor from a dear and intimate friend. Perhaps, more than any other Persian poet, it is Hafiz who most fully accesses the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Daniel Ladinsky has made it his life's work to create modern, inspired translations of the world's most profound spiritual poetry. Through Ladinsky's translations, Hafiz's voice comes alive across the centuries singing his message of love.
Customer Reviews:
Divine Hafiz.......2007-08-04
A lifelong fan (dare I say devoted?) to Hafiz and his many works, this book is a must have. Nothing compares to reading Hafiz in Persian, but this book comes very, very close. Hafiz is enlightening, spiritual, refreshing, and above all, very full of wisdom. His works are truly magical, especially considering after all these years, people are still compelled to his work and mystified by his writings. Classic.
Luminous soul food!.......2007-01-19
Hafiz is, together with Rumi, simply one of the greatest poets to have walked on this earth (in my opinion), and Ladinsky's translations bring them to English speakers in a way that we can easliy and deliciously assimilate. This book of enlightening poems will make your soul glow and shiver with delight, if only you let it...
Skip Ladinsky - read Hafiz.......2006-02-26
Once again, Ladinsky claims to be presenting English speaking readers with the work of the great Persian poet Hafiz, and once again, he hasn't felt the need to actually learn Persian or actually base these works on any previous translation of any poem by Hafiz. These are the poems that Ladinsky imagines Hafiz might have written had he been a twentieth century baby boomer Californian disciple of Meher Baba, instead of a 14th century Persian Sufi Muslim. Ladinsky believes (or claims to believe) that Hafiz told him these poems. If so, the afterlife hasn't done anything for the great poet's literary talent.
all you need is love..........2006-01-17
and this book to keep you in touch with your heart.
The beautiful words will take your mind on a sweet journey.
A MUST.......2006-01-15
Read Hafiz any where, any time, in any language.
Take a time to think about it deeply, again, again, and again.
You must try to understand it with your heart, not with your head!
I think no matter in which language is written or translated, Love has only one language.
Book Description
Discover the wonders of ancient Egypt through a fascinating journal from a lost expedition — a treasure trove of fact and fantasy featuring a novelty element on every spread.
Who can resist the allure of ancient Egypt — and the thrill of uncovering mysteries that have lain hidden for thousands of years? Not the feisty Miss Emily Sands, who in 1926, four years after the discovery of King Tut's tomb, led an expedition up the Nile in search of the tomb of the god Osiris. Alas, Miss Sands and crew soon vanished into the desert, never to be seen again. But luckily, her keen observations live on in the form of a lovingly kept journal, full of drawings, photographs, booklets, foldout maps, postcards, and many other intriguing samples. Here are just a few of EGYPTOLOGY's special features:
— an extravagantly gilded cover, featuring a raised Horus hawk pendant with three encrusted gems
— a playable game of Senet — ancient Egyptian checkers — including board, pieces, original-style dice, and rules
— a souvenir booklet showing how to read simple hieroglyphs
— a scrap of textured "mummy cloth"
— a facsimile of the gilded mummy mask of King Tut
— a gilded eye-of-Horus amulet with a "jewel" at the end
Rich with information about life in ancient Egypt and peppered with Miss Sands's lively narration, EGYPTOLOGY concludes with a letter from the former Keeper of Antiquities at the British Museum, explaining which parts of this unique tale may be accepted as fact, which are guided by legend, and which reflect the author's delightful sense of fancy.
Customer Reviews:
A stupid pop up book.......2007-08-31
What a waste of paper. I was very disappointed when my cohort recently purchased this book. She told me it was a pop up book for little kids, but I could see through the lies and deceit. Unlike my friend Maryanne I can see this book for what it really is....a cheap gimmick to exploit the middle class of America. As if we didn't have enough I-Spy books, pop-up books, and Dora the Explora books. Her kids did enjoy the book however, and even learned a bit of Egyptian culture. The ends do not justify the means. I would much rather have my child look up Egyptian history and culture for a fraction of the cost on the internet. Please save your money and invest it in a more productive manner. Children can learn from pop-up books, but poor quality books like these are not worth the money.
Egyptology is not a fantasy adventure.......2007-05-29
This book is very nice to explore (especially for children). However, as a professional, degree-holding Egyptologist myself, I find it insulting to place my work alongside Dragonology and Pirateology. Egyptology exists in the real world, and it is truly fascinating (which is why I have devoted my life to it). Too often, people ignore the realities of the field, preferring its fantastic versions. In my opinion, this hurts the perception of ancient Egypt as a whole.
That being said, this book is well-made and would be fun for children to explore. Buy your children this book to pique their interest in the field, and maybe eventually gear them towards more accurate representations of the Egyptian past.
Great book for kids.......2007-05-25
This is a great book to introduce kids to ancient egypt history. It is fun and easy to read. The cover is interesting and attractive. My son likes this book a lot and is using it to support basic facts in a school project.
Great book.......2007-05-12
This book is much like all the others in the series. It's very well made and nice looking and the kids love to explore all the pockets and envelopes inside. The price is great and I would recommend any of these books.
Amazing book, best gift for a young teen.......2007-05-07
This book is one of the most memorable presents I have given to my sister. It is really good for young kids because it includes lots of mysteries that the reader has to solve. The pages are extremely beautiful and original and the book really looks fancy. I haven't read it, however my sister is fascinated by it and has requested other books from the series.
Average customer rating:
- Innocents (not innocence) Abroad
- Twain's Post Civil War Tourism in Europe and the Middle East
- Twain's first "Grand" tour of the Old World
- Twain, the Terrible Tourist
- Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad
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The Innocents Abroad (Dover Value Editions)
Mark Twain
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ASIN: 048642832X |
Book Description
The Innocents Abroad sold over 70,000 copies in its first year and remained the best-selling of Twain's works throughout his lifetime. This classic records Twain's keen wit and amusing observations during his trip through Europe and the Holy Land in 1867. Edition also includes all of original work's charming illustrations. 234 black-and-white illustrations
Customer Reviews:
Innocents (not innocence) Abroad.......2007-06-25
It was with delight that I picked up Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad. Above all other other authors, it was probably Twain that directed me towards my degree (minor though it is) in English. I also love to travel and see new cultures and places. Because of this I couldn't have imagined a better author than Twain to accompany on a romp through Europe and the Middle East. The first couple of pages alone were entertaining, so I plunged into it with excitement. What I found is that not even Mark Twain can avoid the eventual tediousness that comes with travel memoirs, someone rattling on and on about this place or that place, the art they saw or the cities which are apparently unique but all seem the same. However, if there is anyone you would rather be with throughout all that monotony, it is the master of satire himself. Every time I thought I was descending into the point of no return boredom, Twain threw out some anectdote or image or some completely irrelevent story that made me laugh out loud. Several times I laughed pretty hard, other times I simply smiled, but no matter what, Twain rescued me from not wanting to finish the tour. Some of my favorite moments were the constant naming of all guides as "Ferguson," no matter what their actual name or nationality, the never-ending quest for a good shave from foreign barbers, or reflections on the random, non-sensical thoughts of the passenger nicknamed "the Oracle." By the end, I was interested not only to see parts of Europe, but from the point of view of a very fresh, post-Civil War American. Twain's encounter with the Russian Czar is almost too good to be true, and his insights in the Holy Land are both funny and thoughtful. Something that I had never noticed in his previous writings, either because of my own negligence or his careful writing, was the power of Twain's description. It is with the most passing ease that he masterfully paints a picture of what he is seeing. My brother tells me that Mr. Twain also wrote a travel narrative on a trip around the equator. Europe was fun enough that I don't see a reason to not join him all the way around the world. I'll keep you posted.
Twain's Post Civil War Tourism in Europe and the Middle East.......2006-04-01
As the United States was recovering from the devastating effects of the Civil War, a group of "pilgrims" (as Twain calls them) boarded a steamer for an extended five month picnic to Europe and the Holy Land. His passage was paid, about $1250, by a newspaper in California in return for a series of what turned out to be 50 letters documenting this tourist experience. In the process, he got a lot of mileage out of caricaturizing his inner circle amongst the some 65 pilgrims, making them famous...and the book made from the letters made him famous.
Although his humor and irony is not as concentrated as that in "Huckleberry Finn" and later books, the suggestion of great literature is present. "Innocents" is rampant with characteristic understatement. In a day before political correctness, he notes, "The people of those foreign countries are very, very ignorant...in Paris they just simply opened their eyes and stared when we spoke to them in French! We never did succeed in making those idiots understand their own language."
In Tiberius, he noted that the women wore their coins of dowry on their headdresses: "Most of these maidens were not wealthy, but some have been kindly dealt with by fortune. I saw heiresses there, worth, in their own right, - worth, well, I suppose I might venture to say as much as nine dollars and a half. But such cases are rare. When you come across one of these, she naturally puts on airs."
He does not sugar-coat his view of the middle east and holy land - a thinly populated barren wasteland whose religion handicapped them then as now. During a trip to Jordan over roads supposedly subject to raids by roving Bedouins, he wrote, "I think we must all have determined upon the same line of tactics, for it did seem as if we never would get to Jerico. I had a notoriously slow horse; but somehow I could not keep him in the rear to save my neck. He was forever turning up in the lead. In such cases I trembled a little, and got down to fix my saddle. But it was not of any use. The others all got down to fix their saddles, too. I never saw such a time with saddles. It was the first time any of them had got out of order in three weeks, and now they had all broken down at once. I tried walking for exercise - I had not had enough in Jerusalem, searching for holy places. But it was a failure. The whole mob were suffering for exercise, and it was not fifteen minutes till they were all on foot, and I had the lead again...We were moping along down through this dreadful place, every man in the rear. Our guards, two gorgeous young Arab sheiks, with cargoes of swords, guns, pistols, and daggers on board, were loafing ahead. 'Bedouins!' Every man shrunk up and disappeared in his clothes like a mud-turtle. My first impulse was to dash forward and destroy the Bedouins. My second was to dash to the rear to see if there were any coming in that direction. I acted on the latter impulse. So did all the others. If any Bedouins had approached us then from that point of the compass, they would have paid dearly for their rashness."
Delightful in every respect, this is still a chronicle of travel, and readers who have experienced any of the myriad of locations will be more consistently entertained. Astute readers may observe evidence of the history and experiences gained on this trip used frequently in Twain's subsequent writings.
His more acclaimed "Roughing It" is a duplication of his travelogue efforts, but in the more familiar United States. Interesting (in "Innocents") is his positive view of stage coach travel in the US in comparison to train travel by steam engine in Europe. Can you imagine in today's world enjoying a thousand-mile trip over rut-filled excuses for roads behind a team of horses?
Anyway, this is a great intro to the early Mark Twain - Five well-deserved stars!
Twain's first "Grand" tour of the Old World.......2005-12-26
Between June and November 1867, Mark Twain was a participant in an excursion tour of the Mediterranean area of Europe, Asia, and Africa. This book is basically an account of that trip, based on letters he had written for (mainly) the "San Francisco Alta California" during the trip (the paper thus paid for the trip). It's an interesting blend of fact and fiction.
Sailing aboard the "Quaker City" steamship, the journey begins in New York. First stop is the Azores and then Gibraltar, where Twain hears the legend of the Queen's Chair. A short side trip to Tangier gives him his first exotic tastes - right out of the Arabian Nights. The Fourth of July finds him at Marseilles, from which he travels by train to Paris (where he gets a painful shave in addition to visiting the Louvre, Notre Dame, and a theatre that has cancan dancers). He spends a day at Versailles before returning to Marseilles.
The ship is now off to Italy, where Twain spends the next month visiting Genoa, Milan (he tours the cathedral and its sculptures and La Scala), Lake Como, Venice (a big disappointment), Florence, Rome (where he spends a lot of time viewing the Vatican), and finally Naples (which he thought filthy). Greece was their next stop, then Constantinople, where he comments on the slave market there. They sail to Odessa, which really offers no sightseeing opportunities, a welcome respite after Italy.
Traveling then to Asia he visits Smyrna and Ephesus, and then moves on to the Holy Land. In Damascus Twain becomes ill for a day, but continues on to Palestine and the Sea of Galilee (another disappointment). At Nazareth he imagines it hasn't changed since the time of Jesus. Jerusalem seems a very small city to him; it is here that Twain weeps at the grave of Adam, a "blood relation." A week or so later he continues to Jaffa overland where he meets the "Quaker City" and sails to Egypt. He goes to the pyramids and the sphynx, which impresses him greatly. The ship sails from Alexandria for home in early October, making a few stops along the way (one lengthy one in Spain, which Twain found delightful). They stop at Bermuda (most enjoyable to Twain) and land in New York in mid-November.
Twain has a keen traveler's eye, though his humor would sharpen with time. Only his second book after the Jumping Frog sketches, he hadn't yet mastered the sharp satirical observations that graced later books (ROUGHING IT, for example, which is quite a bit funnier). But certain "themes" were already forming - his poking fun at religion, for instance: he observes that the relic of Jesus' Crown of Thorns at the cathedral in Milan is not as handsome as the one at Notre Dame. When he compares things seen on his trip with things back in America (something he doesn't do enough) he can be humorous: he compares the canals of Venice with a flooded river town along the Mississippi - neither which is very appealing in his view. He is always interesting, however, and the book is a joy to read.
Twain, the Terrible Tourist.......2005-12-03
Cliches aside, retrieving the outlook of mid-19th Century isn't easy. Having successfully concluded the upheaval of the War Between the States, the people of the USA, while bruised, felt confident. Their sense of righteousness was enhanced - they'd quelled a rebellion and freed slaves. Some took that attitude to other lands. The 1867 SS Quaker City excursion to Europe and the "Holy Land" was but one of those forays. It was special in that it carried one of the more discerning observers the United States had produced - Sam Clemens of Hannibal, Missouri and points West. He was to post letters to the San Francisco newspaper "Daily Alta California" describing the journey. The trip and the account opened Clemens' eyes and those of his readers over numerous legends.
In Clemens' baggage was a strong religious sense imparted by his mother, Jane. This cargo was balanced by Twain's more worldly experience on the Mississippi and his life in the mining communities in the West. When he crossed the gangplank to board the steamer, his gaze was sceptical and his pen ascerbic. His portrayal of the Quaker City's passengers began as they traversed the Atlantic, but it is his depiction of "foreigners" in their homelands that both shocks and enlightens. Starting with the Azores stopover, Clemens' observations of the islands are a tribute to their charms. Of the people, however, he has little positive to impart. They are dirty, noisy, conniving and devious. In general, they're "not American".
The use of the "innocents" is exemplified by Twain's description of contact with the Europeans. Educated in the minimal language training of the day, the travellers struggled to impart their wishes in French shops and restaurants. Twain seems to lay responsibility for this on the French "failure to understand their own language", but his description of the exchanges makes it clear where the problem lay. There was another side to this coin, however. Europeans were caught up in their own affairs. The United States was a remote and unknown element to them - "they'd had a war with somebody recently". Twain notes his shipmates were even then tinged with the arrogance that would fully blossom later. Respect for "tradition" had a variety of expressions in the "Quaker City" passengers. Twain depicts them all with delightful detachment.
As the ship made landfall in Mediterranean ports, Clemens and his comrades visit the "standard" tourist haunts. Paris is a must, Genoa is a treat, Rome is a maze of cathedrals and art galleries. Quickly disenchanted with "guides" he renames them all "Ferguson" and rebukes them at every opportunity. Michaelangelo seems so pervasive in Rome that the Pilgrims ask if Greek or Egyptian artefacts are his work - to the consternation of the "Ferguson" of the day. Twain's flexibility and ability to adapt to events leads some of the "innocents" to take the train from Rome to Naples - a city under quarantine. While the "Quaker City" lies still in the harbour, Twain and his companions tour the city and visit Vesuvius. A similar ploy works in Greece.
It is in the "Holy Land" that Clemens' descriptive powers and distrust of "authorities" flowers most brilliantly. Like many of his fellow passengers, he's been subjected to many tales from "Scripture" and a spate of earlier travel writers in Palestine. Unable to criticise the Bible outright, he lets the words speak for themselves, allowing logic and common sense to question dogma. The effusive travel writers, who had insisted Palestine was a "paradise" are brought out in contrast with Twain's observations of the barren desolation that was the Levant. He is scathing in his criticism of people who fabricate conditions there in order to sell their books. His veracity, of course, nearly had the opposite effect. "The Innocents Abroad" manuscript was originally rejected by Twain's publisher.
Sam Clemens' reputation was "made" with this book. It touched on many aspects of how people in the United States viewed themselves and the world. The subtle, but incisive, comments on tradition and legend were seeds finding fertile ground in a dynamic nation setting the practical foremost. "Innocents" was a challenge to dogmas and a paean to the sense of "realism" that permeated the post-Civil War era. The "Romantic" Era, still evident in mid-19th Century in the earlier accounts of Palestine, would be whisked aside. "Innocents" would be instrumental in that sweeping it away. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad.......2005-08-20
This Dover Publications Edition includes all the illustrations from the original publication in 1869 that are absolutely wonderful.
I purchased this book as a gift but I'm afraid I won't be able to give it away.
The Innocents Abroad is an ageless book for anyone who has ever traveled (and for anyone who has never traveled) that can be read multiple times and will always give the reader the same enjoyment and fun that was inspired at first reading. Mark Twain's ability to tweak character flaws and situations are, at the same time, hilarious and thought provoking.
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- Will Touch Any Bibliophile's Heart
- PLEASE!
- Agree to disagree
- A rare portrayal of a strong Muslim woman
- 4 1/2 The Woman Who Saved a Library
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The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq
Jeanette Winter
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Alia's Mission: Saving the Books of Iraq
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ASIN: 0152054456 |
Book Description
"In the Koran, the first thing God said to Muhammad was 'Read.'"*
--Alia Muhammad Baker
Alia Muhammad Baker is a librarian in Basra, Iraq. For fourteen years, her library has been a meeting place for those who love books. Until now. Now war has come, and Alia fears that the library--along with the thirty thousand books within it--will be destroyed forever.
In a war-stricken country where civilians--especially women--have little power, this true story about a librarian's struggle to save her community's priceless collection of books reminds us all how, throughout the world, the love of literature and the respect for knowledge know no boundaries.
Includes an author's note.
*From the New York Times, July 27, 2003
Customer Reviews:
Will Touch Any Bibliophile's Heart.......2007-06-08
The courageous story of one dedicated librarian, her friends, and how they saved the majority of books from Basra's Central Library from destruction. I have shared this book with folks from five to 50, and every last one of them was touched. It's simply a must for every classroom, library, and anyone who loves books, libraries, and reading.
PLEASE!.......2007-02-08
My wife and I brought our 5 year old son to an interview at a private school we were interested in. They had a box full of this particular book sitting there in front of us while the head-master was evaluating our son. My wife and I each picked-up a copy and flipped through it. I have no problem with childrens books about what's going on in Iraq if done properly. This isn't one of them. At one point, the iraqi woman (Alia) who saved the books shuttles them to her friends restaurant, and they hide them in sacks and curtains. Here's a sample of the story (and I'm paraphrasing - not for effect or an attempt to exaggerate anything, but only because I don't have the book in front of me): "Soldiers [the illustration depicts an american soldier] came to the door of the restaurant and asked Anis [the owner] why he has a gun. 'To protect my business' he replied. The soldiers didn't enter the restaurant, and so Alia and Anis knew the books would be safe." So that's the "hint of the United States' involvement" that the paid reviewers spoke of: Apparently, the evil americans were prepared to destroy all the books if discovered. Garbage.
Agree to disagree.......2006-06-08
I think this book will always divide its readership. I have worked in the past with a Lady from Iraq. A well educated, literate and articulate woman, who was educated in Iraq by Iraqi's so for those who think the Iraq was liberated rather than invaded and through the actions of George and Tony et al they will always believe that it was only those actions that allowed the people, women in particular a greater amount of freedom. That is not always the case... should we see ourselves as "saviours"? This will always be a matter for debate. As a Librarian myself I agree that given the right set of circumstances I would indeed take and look after the stock from my Library as I believe that information IS the key to power. So to this title's detractors yes, read in isolation it could be misleading, yes the "invasion/liberation" will have done some good and after many a long discussion with my former colleague, it has, HOWEVER for those who fall on the invasion side, I agree does any government have the right to do what ours (and I include the british here) have done? We are not Iraqi - we are not there, we will never PERSONALLY know. But read this book whichever camp you fall into, read it to your children, explain it to them in context. That is what you should do. Remember, BOOKS ARE POWERFUL I'm glad this book is generating so much discussion. This is what books do, the Librarian in the story understood this, that is what THIS book is about.
A rare portrayal of a strong Muslim woman.......2006-05-13
There are many wonderful things about this book which have already been mentioned by 27 of the other reviewers. However, what struck me the most was that Alia Muhammad Baker, the main character of The Librarian of Basra, is a strong Muslim woman who becomes a heroine in her struggle to preserve her faith and country's heritage at her cherished library.
This is very critical considering that most readers of this book probably view Muslim women as oppressed and passive as opposed to strong and committed to their faith.
Anyone who wishes to offer a more balanced presentation of Muslim women in their classroom or to their children should get this book and read it themselves and to kids.
4 1/2 The Woman Who Saved a Library.......2006-03-15
This contemporary story about an Iraqi librarian rescuing 70% of the Basra Central Library's books speaks of both individual courage and the irreplaceable value of books. It's based on actual events: With Allied bombers approaching Basra in April 2003, chief librarian Alia Muhammad Baker asks the local government for permission to move the books. For reasons not explained to the reader, official deny her request, "so Alia takes matters into her own hands." At first, she drives small loads to her home, but when the bombing begins and the library staff flees, she adopts a larger plan to save the books. A network of friends and relatives (most notably neighboring merchant Anis Muhammad) race to hide 30,000 books in Muhammad's nearby restaurant:
"'The books must be saved.' All through the night, Alia, Anis, his brothers, and shopkeepers and neighbors take the books from the library shelves, pass them over the seven-foot wall, and hide them in Anis' restaurant. The books stay hidden as the war rages on. Then, nine days later, a fire burns the library to the ground." As first reported by New York Times journalist Shaila K. Dewan, Baker and her friends waited out the bombs and then moved the thousands of books to the homes of friends, where, presumably, many of them still wait out the violence. An afterward explains that Alia Muhammad Baker suffered a stroke not long after and underwent heart surgery; she is "healing, and despite all, she is determined to see that the library is rebuilt."
The story begins weakly, largely due to some rather conventional pictures that evoke Saturday morning TV shows. Smooth, Western-looking faces speak about the impending war ("Will planes with bombs fill the sky?"), but the multitude of talking heads seems flat. (Older readers might like M. A. Stamaty's 32-page "Alia's Mission : Saving the Books of Iraq" for a more detailed and realistic version of the story.) However, Winter's introduction of the librarian personalizes the story, and her increasingly authentic pictures add realism and a sense of urgency to the rescue. In several dramatic scenes, Winter's bombing planes fill the fiery night sky, tanks shoot long lines of gunfire, and citizens flee against silhouetted minarets, domes, and palm trees. No bloodshed is shown, but Winter convincingly and appropriately shows the ensuing devastation. (There's also a 4-page daydream sequence about a peaceful Iraq, beautifully illustrated with colorful colors and motifs.) The Iraqi people who participated in Baker's "underground" book relocation probably risked their lives to save the books, and I expect that their story will evoke emotion and strong emotions and passionate discussion.
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Tun-huang Popular Narratives (Cambridge Studies in Chinese History, Literature and Institutions)
Victor H. Mair
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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Tun-huang Popular Narratives presents authoritative translations of four vernacular Chinese stories, taken from fragmentary texts usually referred to as pien-wen or 'transformation texts'. Dating from the late T'ang (618–907) and Five Dynasties (907–959) periods, the texts were discovered early last century in a cave at Tun-huang, in Chinese Central Asia. However, written down in an early colloquial language by semi-literate individuals and posing formidable philological problems, the texts have not been studied critically before. Nevertheless they represent the only surviving primary evidence of a widespread and flourishing world of popular entertainment during these centuries. The tales deal with both religious (mostly Buddhist) and secular themes, and make exciting and vivid reading.
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- Thoughts on Oz
- There is more in heaven and earth. Mr. Oz, than is dreamnt of in your prophecies
- A great deal of wisdom in a very small package.
- Poor packaging for great content
- An Important and Excellent Read
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How to Cure a Fanatic
Amos Oz
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
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ASIN: 0691126690 |
Book Description
Internationally acclaimed novelist Amos Oz grew up in war-torn Jerusalem, where as a boy he witnessed firsthand the poisonous consequences of fanaticism. In two concise, powerful essays, the award-winning author offers unique insight into the true nature of fanaticism and proposes a reasoned and respectful approach to resolving the Israeli Palestinian conflict. As an added feature, he comments on contemporary issues--the Gaza pullout, Yasser Arafat's death, and the war in Iraq--in an extended interview at the end of the book.
Oz argues that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not a war of religion or cultures or traditions, but rather a real estate dispute--one that will be resolved not by greater understanding, but by painful compromise. As he writes, "The seeds of fanaticism always lie in uncompromising righteousness, the plague of many centuries."
The brilliant clarity of these essays, coupled with Oz's ironic sense of humor in illuminating the serious, breathes new life into this centuries-old debate. He emphasizes the importance of imagination in learning to define and respect other's space, and analyzes the twisted historical roots that have led to Middle East violence. In his interview, Oz sends a message to Americans. Why not, he proposes, advocate for a twenty-first-century equivalent of the Marshall Plan aimed at preventing poverty and despair in the region? "What is necessary is to work on the ground, for example, building homes for hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees who have been rotting in camps for almost sixty years now."
Fresh, insightful, and inspiring, How to Cure a Fanatic brings a new voice of sanity to the cacophony on Israeli-Palestinian relations--a voice no one can afford to ignore.
Customer Reviews:
Thoughts on Oz.......2006-11-04
This is a short book, but what it lacks in length it more then makes up with in the depth of the story. Oz's writings examines the problems in the Middle East, without getting into an scapegoating. He is focused on identifying what is wrong and what needs to be done. He does not suggest any re-drawing of maps, or other policies but the need to imagine.... and to understand that you must read the book.
There is more in heaven and earth. Mr. Oz, than is dreamnt of in your prophecies .......2006-04-17
Amos Oz, is in my judgment, one of the greatest contemporary writers. His memoir " A Tale of Love and Darkness" is a literary classic of tremendous power.
However Oz is also a 'political prophet'. And often holds forth in a way as if to suggest he feels himself taking upon himself the mantle of his Biblical namesake. Here he should perhaps have been a bit more cautious and remembered the Jewish teaching that in our time 'prophecy' is given to 'children' and ' fools'.
In this small gathering of small works Oz reiterates his well- known analysis of the Israeli- Arab conflict. It is as he understands it a 'dispute over land' between two peoples each of whom has a legitimate claim. The fanatics on one side( A fanatic in Oz's term is one for whom every means even the most bloody justifies the end) are those who say ' all is mine, and nothing is the others'. The reasonable people of which Oz is as he understands it preeminently one( though he makes it clear he too was raised as a little fanatic in pre- Jewish state 'Palestine') understand that there has to be a painful, reasonable compromise. The end of fanaticism is as he understands it the end of the Arab- Israeli conflict. A divided Holy Land, two states, one predominantly Jewish, and one Arab.
This analysis is of course not simply Oz's but has been the analysis of the moderate left in Israel, a good share of Western European Governments, and successive U.S. administrations.It now is the 'dream' of the vast majority of Israelis. It is on the basis of this analysis that US diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East has been conducted for more than half - a - century.
The problem however is that the analysis is drawn along too broad, too symmetrical and at the same time too limited lines. It is not right to say that the conflict is 'primarily' about land. Such a position was more credible three decades ago, but today given the rise of a worldwide pan-Islamic movement , it misses the mark.
The truth is that what Oz calls 'fanatics' are the great majority on the Islamic Palestinian side. ( He denies this, but the recent 'Hamas' victory in the Palestinian elections suggests he is once again ' sweeting' Palestinian positions) . The fact is that there is no symmetry between the ' fanaticism' of the Islamic world and the alleged 'fanaticism' of the Jews even those Oz calls ' settlers'. There is no Jewish Literature no settler Literature calling for the extermination of Palestinians, as there is daily Palestinian and Arab propaganda calling for the murder and elimination of Jews.There has never been deliberate Israeli effort at murdering Palestinian civilians, while murdering of Israeli civilians is a generally accepted Palestinian tactic.
Oz misleads and presents a false picture in harping on an alleged an unreal symmetry between Israelis and Palestinians.
One question of course is why he would want to do this? One answer is very simply that the kind of answer he gives makes a reasonable solution possible. Another answer is that it of course puts him above , makes him the good guy with the Europeans the Americans the Nobel Prize Committee , everyone else who would like to see the conflict resolved in this way.
Perhaps what I have just said is unfair, though Oz's tendency to preach his own views becomes increasingly irritating as they diverge with the years from the 'reality on the ground'.
Had Oz' had a bit more honesty he would have given up certain familiar 'socialist egalitarian 'mantras of his youth- and understood that there is a tremendous assymetry between the Jewish Israeli position and the Islamic Palestinian one. He would have had the honesty to understand that one very vast civilization, the Islamic, has a set of problems , which are endangering other human beings throughout the world. One such leader of that civilization , a leader who considers himself the great protector of the Palestinians, Mohammed Ahmadinejad has been continually threatening to wipe 'Israel ' from the map.
Perhaps Oz's analysis on ' fanaticism' would have been more convincing had it focused on Mr.Ahmadinejad and his ilk.
i.e. Willy- nilly whether it likes it or not , Oz's country Israel is involved in the conflict of those who champion freedom and democracy against those Totalitarian- Terrorist- Islamic Regimes which would make the 'Koran' our sole bed-time reading.
A great deal of wisdom in a very small package........2006-03-05
I usually do not find books written by Israelis or Palestinians about past or present events in the land whose very name is a matter of perspective and politics to be very interesting or enlightening. The authors usually either have an agenda or are engaging in pure propaganda. This book (along with David Grossman's "Death as a Way of Life") is a rare exception.
In lucid, eloquent and sensitive language, Oz presents the situation and the necessary cures not for Israelis, not for Palestinians, but for human beings. If you do not like this book, you are probably a fanatic, and not subject to logical persuasion.
Poor packaging for great content.......2006-02-22
Amos Oz is plain-spoken, lucid, brilliant. But Princeton UP did a disappointing job with the production of the book. The 2 essays and 1 interview that make up this book are short, and you can't change that. But what kept them from using larger paper? With exactly the same type-setting but wider margins, we would have gotten a beautiful small book. Instead, it looks like one of those over-priced mini books of bad poetry.
An Important and Excellent Read.......2006-02-16
Two very short, thoughtful essays and an interview on the conflict between the State of Israel and the (inevitable)Palatinian State; it is about real estate (and economics) stupid; read it and, then, join the Order of the Teaspoon.
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