Book Description
Think and Grow Rich!: The Original Version, Restored and Revised. Napoleon Hill's classic book -- the all-time bestseller in the personal success field -- offers a life-altering experience. It teaches thousands of people the practical steps to high achievement and financial independence every year. This new edition is the first to contain extensive footnotes, endnotes, appendices, and an index. Now more than a motivational work, it is also a reference book and a mini-history book providing valuable information about Hill, his times, and his success philosophy. TGR's greatest value is not only that it can make you financially successful. It can help YOU -- or ANYONE -- get whatever it is that you desire from life.
Customer Reviews:
In a self-improvement class by itself.......2007-10-10
Without doubt this is one of the strangest books I've ever read - a combination of dime store psychology and million dollar insights, scientific mumbo jumbo and indisputable facts of life. Of course, you have to make allowances because Hill first published the book in 1937 (!). Amazingly, it's just as relevant and potentially life transforming now as it no doubt was then. (This edition restores lots of original text that was edited out when Hill re-released "Think" in 1960. Ample footnotes provide context for historical references unfamiliar to modern readers.)
The essence of "Think" can be summed up in Hill's signature phrase, "Whatever, friend, you can conceive and believe, you can achieve!"
Hill puts forth 13 steps for internalizing this conceive-believe-achieve mindset necessary for success. Although upon first reading "Think" seems to equate success with piling up obscene amounts of money, Hill goes much deeper. Several times he implores us to decide for ourselves what success means - remembering his principles apply equally well to any goals we set out to accomplish. Hill himself admits his emphasis on money stems from the social conditions of his time, when America was languishing in poverty during the Great Depression.
What I thought made Hill's techniques so persuasive is the twenty-five years of research he put into developing them, based on close-hand observation of super-achievers including Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Andrew Carnegie. If these gentlemen were living examples of Hill's ideas, what more can you ask for?
Even without the research, Hill's advice ring true. But don't expect soothing comfort pills from this self-help book. First, Hill gets in your face. He forces you to face the brutal truth of who you are through a series of self-diagnostic questions designed to take you way out of your comfort zone. Then, Hill puts you to work. His methods force you to think, act, and drill yourself into a whole new way of thinking about life. I'm sure it takes a few readings just to take the first baby steps on Hill's path (I'm on my second reading now).
Anybody who wants more from life, who feels confused, indecisive, frustrated, or oppressed, to any degree whatsoever, in any aspect of his or her life, will benefit from reading this book. It's already making a difference for me.
a collection of oblique and unexplained parables.......2007-10-07
I picked this book up after a rave review by a friend more than 15 years ago.
I started reading it and it made no sense to me. Unlike the parables of Christ, where He at least is credited with stopping for a moment to explain what each story was intended to mean, this book just rambles on.
The parts of it that I finished represented an excruciating exercise in gnostic behavior. It's actually in your face about it suggesting that if you don't understand the stories, you're just stupid. I would not recommend this book to anyone. Only the author knows what it was intended to mean.
If you would like to start learning about how to take care of your clients and employees, I would recommend beginning with "Zapp!" by William Byham. If you need to discover relevant things about yourself and how to begin shaping your future, I would suggest "What Color is Your Parachute" by Richard Bolles, both current and past editions, as he has provided a collection of valuable study tools over the years.
Five Stars for a Classic!.......2007-09-19
If I had known how simple it would be to change my life I would have done it long ago. I was lucky enough to be given this book by a dear friend. With proper thinking my dreams have come true. I sold my book Never Trust A Man In Alligator Loafers in just three weeks! Life has become a series of "creative solutions" and I'm happy for it. My goal is to open my mind to allow the *really big thoughts* to come through and actualize my potential. I know that when I think it's possible it is. And life magically gets a lot more fun!
Read With A Group.......2007-09-04
First of all, of the various versions of "Think and Grow Rich" that are out there, this one is my favorite. The Editor has really done his homework to bring Napoleon Hill's Original work into historical context without bringing in modern day examples like other versions do.
Secondly, I highly recommend reading this book at the rate of a chapter a week with a group study. I had read this book by myself before, but have really accelerated my Awareness by reading it every 3-4 months with a different group of people. You don't have to do it that often, but each time you read this book, you get more and more out of it!
Finally, don't just read the book, but follow the specific instructions laid out in the book. This is the book that every success book out there is based on...it's the original. Do this, and you'll find greatness.
Cheers from the Windy City,
Ryan McIntyre
Think and grow rich.......2007-08-28
This book will be around forever. I have read it at least 10 times now and find some great enlightenment every thin.
Book Description
The high priestess of the hood, Nikki Turner, is back with the novel fans have been feenin’ for: the sequel to her #1 bestselling novel, A Hustler’s Wife.
Des, Virginia’s slickest gangsta, is about to become a dad when he is charged with the murder of his own attorney. But with Yarni, his gorgeous wife (and a brilliant lawyer), now calling the shots, Des isn’t going back to the slammer without a fierce fight. Even with the heat on, Des manages to take his game to the next level and finds a new hustle, one that will allow him to possess the three things all major players desire: money, power, and respect. He becomes a preacher. Reluctantly, Yarni stands by her man as he trades in his triple beam scale for a Bible and a Bentley and makes his Church of the Good Life Ministry a welcoming place for all sinners to step up to the altar.
But when Des’s nephew is killed in the high-stakes heroin trade and Des learns that someone close to him okayed the hit, the dyed-in-the-wool gangsta sets aside the Bible for the gospel of the streets–even if it means risking the one person who’s always had his back.
Customer Reviews:
What happened? The book was rushed.........2007-10-05
I am a big fan of Nikki Turner, especially her novels "A Hustler's wife" & "Riding Dirty on I-95". BUT FOREVER A HUSTLER'S WIFE was indeed rushed and a fairytale comparing it to her other novels and to the first book. I most definitely was dissappointed with the novel. If I would have not read her other novels and "Forever A Hustler's Wife" would have been my first read by Nikki Turner then I wouldnt have misunderstood the hype about her urban literary skills.
Awesome!!! Awesome!!!.......2007-09-18
I really enjoyed reading this book. I searched 4 book stores for this book and they were all sold out. When I finally found it on amazon, I had to get it immediately. I finished this book in about 2 days. I just could not put it down. Everytime I started to put it down, it got good again. Thanks Nikki.
La Dee Da Dee Da.......2007-08-25
The sequel was a bit disappointing. I did get through it but it took me a couple of days. It was an ok book but it wasn't one of those books where I had to read it during every free moment I have. I still had to ween my way through the grammatical errors (fault of the publisher), but it was alright. Some of the stuff was a bit far-fetched. I am from the streets so I have a clue. You can read the 2 books or not read them. I will continue to check her out though. I see here writing skills evolving with time. I recommend support Turner and her writings. Peace and Blessings!
Great!.......2007-08-20
I thought Forever a Hustlers Wife was a GREAT come back. Of course I thought it wasn't as good as A Hustlers Wife, but it was good enough to ease my craving to know where Des and Yarni end up. Reading the Special Message at the beginning really gave me a new respect for writers! This was a great story despite all the struggles Nikki has gone through, and although it wasn't the best I have faith in her that she will come back with something that will blow her fans away!
Forever a hustler's wife.......2007-08-13
First you must read a hustler wife it is a great book 5 stars. Now forever a hustlers wife dosn't do justice to the first novel. it is okay, the book had to many things going on. Bambi from Glamorous life had a part, new characters, Lava who is Des Nephew's girl needs her own book she is a great character. All and all the book was okay it was not as good as hustlers wife, glamorous life, project chick, nor riding drity on I-95 this book is at the bottom of the list for Nikki Turner books. i gave it 3 stars because you cannot give 2.5 stars. Nikki Turner is a great writer it was just probably hard following up on such a great book.
Book Description
Tressa is a fly girl accustomed to the lavish lifestyle that her possessive, deranged, baby's daddy, Lucky, has provider her with. In order to keep her high post standards of living, she has excused so many of his unforgivable actions. It is not until he pulls off the ultimate stunt that she realizes that no mink coat, car, house or any amount of money is worth her peace of mind.
Never blinking or thinking twice, Tressa leaves everything behind, with the exception of her street savvy, and sets out to make a life of her own, one that would be filled with hard times and even harder luck. Tressa soon finds herself making the transition from public figure to public assistance. Every day of her life seems like one drama-filled chapter after another. From the baby daddy drama, to the backstabbing friends, to the various unforgettable men she sorts through and disposes of.
There will be times she has to struggle and scramble just to make ends meet, and other times when she will stand tall and hold her own.
In this captivating tale, Tressa's voyage will expose readers to a side of a struggling single mother that has yet to be revealed to them
Nikki Turner, the best selling author of A Hustler's Wife, once again will take readers on a safari through the jungle of the fierce and stormy streets, leaving readers on the edge of their seats begging for an encore.
Customer Reviews:
PJ's What can you say about them .......2007-09-17
This book was recommended by my daughters friend (teenagers) I was thinking to myself what does she know about picking books, I really enjoyed this book. The book keeps it real for the PJ's, this is a page turner and was off the hook!!! I can't believe I almost passed this up.
Chicks with game.......2007-09-07
I like nikki writing but some of her stuff is weak but the Project Chick was tight, the ending was great and it leave a way to do A Project Chick 2
that's waht make formgood reading and will keep us as loyal readers. As a man I felt sorry for the women in this story but what can I say black women must wise up to the brothers that don't have there best intrest.
The story was so close to home I thought I new her.(:.
From Rags to Riches To so much More!!.......2007-08-13
I really enjoyed reading this book(even though i'm kind of late) I really admired Tressa's character and the way she handled herself throughout the book. she never gave up and continued to be a great mother towards her children no matter how rough things had gotten for her.I kind of predicted the out come with Indie and thought it was funny how Lucky got done in the end. The book would have been better with an epilogue cause I would liked to have known what happened to some of the other characters but overall this was a great read and worth your money!!!
HOT!.......2007-08-13
I read this book a long time ago! I truly enjoyed every minute of it.
LOVE THIS BOOK.......2007-03-02
I loved this book! This was a one day read, because once I started I couldn't stop. I really enjoyed this book. To me, A Project Chick was much better than A Hustler's Wife, but I like everything I read by Nikki Turner. This book was not predictable, which is a quality in fiction that I like, because you do anticipate. I reccommend this book to others, if you are looking for ghetto urban fictional drama, then you made a good choice in reading A Project Chick, A++++
Book Description
Dr. Mikao Usui developed the Reiki System and founded the original Japanese Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai organization. This book shows you the original hand positions of Dr. Usui's Reiki Handbook. It has been illustrated with 100 photos to make it easier to understand. The hand positions for a great variety of health complaints have been listed in detail, making it a valuable reference work for anyone who practices reiki. Now that the original handbook has been translated into English, Dr. Usui's hand positions and healing techniques can be studied directly for the first time. Whether you are an initiate or a master, if you practice Reiki you can expand your knowledge dramatically as you follow in the footsteps of a great healer.
Customer Reviews:
A simple question............2007-10-06
It is well known today that Usui Mikao was many things in his life - but a Doctor was not one of his professions. With the title of this book listing Usui Mikao as a Doctor, it casts doubt on the contents if the author did not know this simple fact.
The "Dr." title was a bit of fiction created by the Takata linage of Reiki (Usui Shiki Ryoho)
I give it 3 stars because I really dont know if this is fact or fiction.
A great addition to your Reiki library........2007-03-28
I found this book to be incredibly useful in my Reiki practice. Even though I had the manuals from my Reiki Master, this book helped to fill in some of the gaps. I still refer to it from time to time.
Life Changing.......2007-03-14
I was given this book by my Reiki Master in Level I. This lifestyle has completely transformed my life, while not interfering with my spiritual beliefs. This is a great addition to whatever culture or religion we believe in.
Great Reference Book.......2007-02-01
This is a full-colour book that details with photographs the hands positions used in Reiki. It's only 80 pages long, but it's perfect for what it is. It covers all part of the body, including the head, the vertebrae and the kidneys. Essential little reference book if you practice or teach Reiki.
Reike Review.......2007-02-01
The books arrived in excellent condition and are very informative in their content.
Book Description
Queen of hip hop fiction Nikki Turner follows her gritty, emotionally charged novel The Glamorous Life with this new tale from the hood featuring a beautiful down-on-her-luck sister who can out-hustle the best of them as she rises from the ghetto to glory.
After Mercy’s beloved dad is murdered in cold blood on her seventh birthday, her mother gives her up to foster care. But despite an unsavory upbringing, Mercy vows to make something of herself–at all costs.
Working as a concierge at a hotel notorious for its shady clientele, Mercy meets and falls hard for a notorious dealer who keeps her living large in Gucci clothes and off-the-hook apartments. Then she lands a real lucrative deal: running drugs up Interstate 95 from Miami to New York.
But Mercy doesn’t want to live the gangsta life forever. She’s got bigger dreams. She turns legit and makes her mark, yet despite a new, cleaned-up career, she can’t get the streets completely out of her blood. A sexy hustler named C-Note steals her heart. And as their relationship heats up, Mercy discovers that their pasts are hopelessly–and tragically–entwined.
Customer Reviews:
Nikki again.......2007-09-10
well this was better than A Project Chick i think that Nikki has gotten lazie and is trying to live on her name. a true artist must continue to put out quality stuff. Riding dirty was good woth reading and a good buy for the money. I would like to see more of this kind of reading.
Confusing.......2007-07-24
HOnestly, this book started off good, but ended up being BORING. I thought the ending was BLAH! Maybe next time, but not this time. Sorry.
Great Read.......2007-07-23
I loved the book. The first few chapters were a bit slow, but once I got to the third chapter I became more interested. This was the first Nikki Turner book that I have read, I am really interested in reading more by her!
Very slow..........2007-07-16
This is my first Nikki Turner novel, and I thought it was very slow. The character development in this book was weak. It was hard to keep reading it, because everything moved so slowly. I will attemnpt to read another one of Ms. Turner's novels.
I LOVED IT!.......2007-07-13
Wow great book ima keep it short n simple go n buy it!!!!! Im not reallly surprised because all of nikki turner's books are great!
Average customer rating:
- Welcome to New Worlds
- This book is an encyclopedia of magick
- golden dawn
- Isreal lives
- An excellent reference, not for beginners
|
Golden Dawn: The Original Account of the Teachings, Rites & Ceremonies of the Hermetic Order (Llewellyn's Golden Dawn Series)
Israel Regardie
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
ProductGroup: Book
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Tree Of Life: An Illustrated Study in Magic
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Modern Magick: Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts (Llewellyn's High Magick)
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Middle Pillar: The Balance Between Mind & Magic: formerly The Middle Pillar
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Garden Of Pomegranates: Skrying on the Tree of Life
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Mystical Qabalah
ASIN: 0875426638 |
Customer Reviews:
Welcome to New Worlds.......2007-01-09
Not for a rank beginner, this massive opus is a vademecum for those interested in and a desire to explore New Worlds. While basic Qabalistic knowledge is helpful (Regardie's ART OF TRUE HEALING or Dion Fortune's MYSTICAL QABALAH), this is a veritable labyrinth of information for the beginner. The new introductions are extremely helpful. Be advised that this is not a "read cover-to cover" tome, but one which must be carefully studied and pondered. While some suggestions are given for approaching the book, each reader must discover his or her own way into this dense forest of metaphysical -- occult, if you prefer, but with the knowledge that "occult" merely means "hidden" and NOT "Satanic" as fundamentalists would have you believe -- teachings and lore. Not for the abecedarian.
This book is an encyclopedia of magick.......2006-11-30
This compendium of Golden Dawn magick will help the interested magician to learn the basics of the Rosicrucian tradition as well as what is involved in magical initiation. Study of this book alone could lead the devout student to the heights of spiritual transcendence and control of spirits. The whole magical universe is revealed in vivid detail.
golden dawn.......2006-07-31
Very good book - can be called a bible for humans, who are looking for self-awakening. Many interesting rituals and informations about modern magic and The Golden Dawn louge.
Isreal lives.......2005-10-19
What can I say..awsome book by one of the Great Magi of our times!Gives you the complete system from top to bottom as far as the Golden Dawn goes.Beginers could use this book...but Id suggest Donald Michael Criegs "Modern magick" first if your realy new to the system!But just to help give you some foundation before you dive into this complete Tome.Suppliment it with some od Isreal's teachings on CD and youll go far.......fast!
An excellent reference, not for beginners.......2005-10-14
Step by step instruction is lacking and certain fundamental ideas are assumed to be known and understood by the reader... a complete beginner would be lost with this book alone. It is an invaluable reference for someone who has a certain level of practical experience, but a book like Don Kraig's Modern Magick would be preferable to start with.
That being said, it is a virtual "must have" in the library of any serious magician, be they traditional GD, thelemite, aurum solis, or of any other western tradition.
Book Description
One of the greatest and most ambitious works in English literature, The Canterbury Tales depicts a storytelling competition between pilgrims drawn from all ranks of society.
The tales are as various as the pilgrims themselves, encompassing comedy, pathos, tragedy, and cynicism. The Miller and the Reeve express their mutual antagonism in a pair of comic stories combining sex and trickery; in "The Shipman's Tale," a wife sells her favors to a monk. Others draw on courtly romance and fantasy: the Knight tells of rivals competing for the love of the same woman, and the Squire describes a princess who can speak to birds. In these twenty-four tales, Chaucer displays a dazzling range of literary styles and conjures up a wonderfully vivid picture of medieval life.
Customer Reviews:
A perfect edition.......2007-02-26
This is an unbelievably great edition of The Canterbury Tales. All I wanted was the original, complete version with definitions for archaic words. But the Penguin Classics edition was all I could find, so I got it. It comes with over 500 pages of extras!!! Super-detailed notes, a great glossary, and lots on Chaucer, his times, literary genres, etc., etc. Multiple interpretations are given for parts scholars don't agree on. I can't believe I paid $80 for the Riverside Chaucer in college! ...which I later sold back for much less. This edition blew me away, and it's relatively cheap.
If you haven't read Chaucer and want to read him in old English, it's tough at first, but it gets easier with practice. There are long tales, short tales, noble tales, bawdy tales, etc. If you just want to read a few, there are cheaper paperbacks with just a few. If you want the complete tales but not the essays and things, they exist, but they're more expensive than this edition!
Chaucer Was a Sly Fox.......2007-02-12
Chacuer's Tales have lived on because they address the human condition with keen insight, humor and honesty. Walking to Canterbury by Jerry Ellis is a highly recommended read for those who want to follow the author on a fun walking adventure along the route of the Canterbury Tales. It is easy reading and filled with heart, humor and amazing little known facts about the Middle Ages.
Great inexpensive complete edition of Chaucer.......2006-10-24
Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales (Original-Spelling Edition). Edited by Jill Mann. Penguin Classics, 2005. ISBN 014042234X.
The Canterbury Tales itself needs no review, as Chaucer is universally acknowledged to be the greatest English poet after Shakespeare and Milton. As Chaucer's Prologue explains, the Tales are stories told by pilgrims en route to Canterbury. They range from tales of courtly love to bawdy farce to fable. Chaucer is a storyteller, and it might surprise some modern people just how entertaining a seven-hundred-year-old collection of stories might be.
Unfortunately, the English language has changed since Chaucer's time, making it difficult for modern English readers to enjoy the Canterbury Tales without a bit of work. Chaucer wrote in a dialect of Middle English (ME) which is a direct ancestor of Present Day English (PDE). This relationship makes Chaucer much easier to read than other dialects of ME further removed from PDE, such as that in which the Gawain poet wrote. Chaucer's vocabulary, consisting mainly of words derived from French and Old English, is also easier than the Gawain poet's. With a little concentration, the modern reader will probably find many ME words that looked unintelligible are actually similar to PDE words. (This edition includes a note on "Chaucer's Language" which explains Middle English grammar well, but due to its use of grammatical terminology, it will be helpful only to those who already know what such things as pluperfect and genitive singular mean.) Getting used to Middle English will take time, but it's worth it.
Now for this particular edition. I found it well edited, with glosses at the bottom of each page and detailed endnotes, which occupy about a third of the volume. Very rarely did I have a question that Mann did not address in one place or the other. There is a 140-page glossary which includes (I think) all words glossed. Archaic characters such as thorn are replaced with their modern equivalents; otherwise spelling is unchanged. My only complaint is its bulkiness: at 1254 pages, it's quite fat.
Here's a sample of the Canterbury Tales as edited by Mann:
Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Ther was a duc that highte Theseus. 860
Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
And in his time swich a conqueror
That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne,
What with his wisdom and his chivalrye. 865
859 Whilom: once upon a time 860 highte: was called
Here's my prose modernization:Long ago, as old stories tell us, there was a duke that was called Theseus. He was the lord and governor of Athens, and such a conqueror that there was none greater under the sun. He had won many a rich country with his wisdom and chivalry.
Now Chaucer can be more complicated than this, but Mann's glosses almost always make him intelligible to the enterprising reader. Many words are very similar to their modern equivalents: "tellen" = "tell," "ther" = "there," "swich" = "such." The French influence is obvious in such words as "riche" and "duc."
As you can see, glosses are identifiable by line numbers at the bottom of the page, but they are not set off in the text. Line numbers correspond, I believe, to the standard lineation of the Tales.
At about twelve dollars on Amazon, this edition is a bargain. It's complete and cheap. I highly recommend it to those who want to read the actual words that Chaucer wrote.
Worth its weight in gold.......2006-05-30
I bought this Penguin Classics edition of Chaucer last year during a visit to Canterbury. I already owned the modernized edition edited by the late Nevill Coghill, but I figured: Hey, I'm in Canterbury--I have to buy a copy. So I bought this one.
For starters, this is the complete text of the Tales, and it is in the original Middle English. While the language may take a while to get used to (for beginners, especially) it's a blast to read. Another plus for this edition is the heavy, heavy glossing and a really extensive notes section which helped even an experienced reader of Chaucer like myself.
If you're new to Chaucer, or even if you're not, this is the edition to have. It's a paperback, so it's portable, and it's complete. You won't be left wanting an odd tale or two with this book.
Highly recommended.
Book Description
For nearly a century, the original version of Upton Sinclair's classic novel has remained almost entirely unknown. When it was published in serial form in 1905, it was a full third longer than the censored, commercial edition published in book form the following year. That expurgated commercial edition edited out much of the ethnic flavor of the original, as well as some of the goriest descriptions of the meat-packing industry and much of Sinclair's most pointed social and political commentary. The text of this new edition is as it appeared in the original uncensored edition of 1905. It contains the full 36 chapters as originally published, rather than the 31 of the expurgated edition. A new foreword describes the discovery in the 1980s of the original edition and its subsequent suppression, and a new introduction places the novel in historical context by explaining the pattern of censorship in the shorter commercial edition.
Customer Reviews:
The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-18
I discovered this book only recently. It attracted my interest because I'm Polish, I was a butcher who worked in processing plants, I'm a writer and I lived somewhat the life of the "hobo" and wrote my own book entitled "Hobo-ing America" which dealt with much of the same material although in a much lighter and more humorous way, I was raised in an inner-city tenement slum area and I have been a laborer and worker most of my life. I didn't see anything not to like in this book other than I didn't write it. I enjoy reading history and I enjoy reading classics. This is both.
Interesting to note, though Upton wrote this book in hopes of changing conditions for working people, it only succeeded his changing conditions for the cows.
Recurring 21st Century Themes with an Ideological Slant.......2007-09-03
Read the uncensored original edition, and it was interesting to see that the themes that pervaded the meatpacking industry in the early 1900's are similar to those of today if one ties in the recently written Fast Food Nation as the 21st century extension of this novel albeit without the novel ending socialist slant.
All of these books, whether non fiction or fiction based on fact present compelling cases that we Americans are ignorant when it comes to how our meat is processed. Since the US media is run by agenda driven individuals,companies, and special (and powerful) self interest groups, it is too bad that the general American public is not made aware of what we can expect in terms of the quality of meat, and its effect on the public, and how we can address and fix this problem.
But I have digressed from much of The Jungle. It is a book that is well written in many parts narrating the plight of the early 20th century immigrant and how large dominating corporations took advantage of the low level workers at that time. Fast Food Nation adds a 21st century view which ties the meatpackers industry with the fast food companies of today.
Coming to America to fulfill one's dream of wealth and happiness is but a pipedream to the many uneducated people that have come to the US on boats, rafts, or planes with no life savings. Working as "slave laborers" they find that they work to survive and have no other life. Jurgis the main character, comes to the US with family and friend members, works hard at the meatpacking plant and through one problem after another can never elevate himself or his family, finding himself and the family thrown onto the streets more than once.
Crime, booze, prostitution, politics, corruption and immigration are the recurring themes of this novel with an added bonus of getting Upton Sinclair's socialist slant during the final chapters to turn a very good diatribe on the "common workers" problems into a yawner and one where you willwant to turn the pages fast as the novel approaches the end.
One hunred years later, Sinclair's concept of Utopia (Socialism) and that the ideology works, as discussed through characters introduced towards the end of the novel is negated by the facts of history, and his introduction towards the end is strange as it does not flow with the balance of the story. However it may have been his way of finding a way to discuss socialism in an environment that would not tolerate it. And rightfully so as it provides a damper on the story.
But...if you can rip up the last 30-ish pages of the novel, the balance of the book stands up well.
A must read!! It's a classic!.......2007-07-08
This is a great book, published in 1906, especially from the historian's perspective. It was a book that after it was written, completely changed the Chicago stockyards. It was written about a Luthanian family who worked there during the beginning of the 20th century. Not many authors can be credited with writing a book that changed laws (The Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) is a direct result of the publication of this book). You have to appreciate a book that had such a monumental impact on many people's lives. The stockyards in Chicago were so bad... and this book brought it to light, not just in Chicago but nationally as well. Last year (2006) it was it's 100th year anniversary. It's a GREAT book and I highly recommend it.
I Loved First 150 Pages, Last 150 are Weaker , but Still Great [45].......2007-07-05
Following the life in America of Jurgis Rudkos delivers tears and hatred which makes the reader want to get up and shout - at those who employ him and at Jurgis as well.
Working in the stockyards of Chicago was hell, the worst time being in the fertilizer division's charnel house where malodorous bone dust swirled about to limit visibility to five feet and intoxicated his every sense of taste and smell. And, after the phosphates layered themselves onto his skin and clothes, he returns home with a stench that cannot be washed out . The smell is so badly terminal that his later imprisonment includes a statement by his roomie - a well worn professional thief - that never before has he smelled anything so bad in the "pen."
But, the place of employment is not the only one at fault. Jurgis, uneducated and well meaning, has to be responsible for his actions as well - he beats the pulp out of an Irish crony who sexually violated Jurgis's wife. In turn, he is imprisoned for a month - during which time the family loses its savings, its home, and their jobs at the plant.
In the first 200 pages, his life sinks deeper and deeper into the abyss. He recovers for a short time when he cow tows to the Irish politicians and makes a few bucks. But, another fight and imprisonment return him to the streets, this time on the lam, from which he becomes a common beggar who is embraced by his long lost sister - now a junky prostitute with enough money to keep her children out of the packing house and in school.
So, with this horrible tale of America, the book ends with about 40 pages of Jurgis's Socialist Manifesto. Remember, in 1906 - when this book was written - Marx and Engels and the like were hot. Really hot. Their writings were received here and in Russia with great fanfare - even if the edenistic portrayal was inaccurate, the life led by the proletariat could not be any worse. The followers rallied to the cry of a better life with better returns for their wages. To those who gave bomb reviews of this book because it was Socialistic propaganda, take note that things were different then and Socialism was one method of reform to be discussed to end the plight of workers like Jurgis.
Ultimately, a truce was made - not in small part because of this book. Federal regulations increased and the industrial giants had to respond to someone other than those silenced by local graft - they had to meet health requirements and more. This incurred more expense, which hurt their bottom line. And, with industrial safety regulations increasing at this time, the wage earning slaves like Jurgis would be less traumatically harmed as the Dante-like workplaces like the fertilizer division's hot rooms of dust would be forbidden.
The fact that this book elicited such political response is most impressive. The writing is equally impressive. The story line is Dickens-like magnificent. This is a must read.
wonderful classic.......2007-05-13
This book is wonderful in itself. This new, revised (more like unrevised!) edition more like the original that Sinclair yearned for, gives this man and work of genius due credit. The book laments of human society and our propensity to greed and suffering. But, Sinclair declares, it doesn't have to be that way. There can be hope, empathy, and love in the most dire of situations.
Average customer rating:
- Interesting Perspective
- Stoned Apes
- Great Book
- AMAZING BOOK!
- An in depth look into Mr. McKenna's view of the mind of modern man.
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Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution
Terence Mckenna
Manufacturer: Bantam
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McKenna, Terence
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ASIN: 0553371304
Release Date: 1993-01-01 |
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Perspective.......2007-09-21
I can't give 5 stars to this book because I know the history of Terence McKenna and his drug use. That said the book does pose interesting answers to age old questions.
"What was the fruit in the garden of Eden?"
"Why did our brains grow larger in ratio to our body weight than any animals in a relatively short amount of time?"
"Why is caffeine an acceptable drug to use daily? Should it be?"
I think people who read this should know it's an opinion given with historical facts to make his opinion seem like scientific and historical fact.
For instance he references what drugs were in use in certain cultures at what times then equates their overall temperament in historical events to the widespread use of those drugs. His claims may or may not have merit, we'll never know but it is an opinion none the less.
That said it is a very interesting read that is hard to put down. Attention keeping, he has one of a kind theories on lesser known early civilizations that could use a second look.
I was sorry to hear his library and personal notes burned up in a fire in early 2007, adding just more mystery to this one of a kind author.
Stoned Apes.......2007-07-31
I seriously was astounded by this book. Great historical knowledge on all sorts of drug and plant use from primates to Bush administration. McKenna really goes in depth about the evolution of language and consciousness. His theory that primates found psilocybin containing mushrooms growing in cow dung in the grasslands of Africa. Is represented quite well. He believes we may have literally "eaten our way to a higher conscious". McKenna really makes the war on drugs look like an absolute joke. He is subtly condescending of close minded politics yet brilliant and charming in informing readers of the power and potential of consciousness expanding drugs if taken properly.
Great Book.......2007-05-13
This book is very good if you are into evolution, shamanism, and the human life. I recommend everyone should read this book. You might get a new insight about life.
AMAZING BOOK!.......2007-02-04
I enjoyed this book and every single last bit of information with it! The information in here I highly agree with and realize is something that we as a nation need to start being a part of. We have learned from the 60's, but it was still a wonderful time. We can take that and modernize it, maybe even improve on some things. But first-we need to end the war on drugs. Overall-this book was great, I highly recommend it, one will learn so much.
An in depth look into Mr. McKenna's view of the mind of modern man........2007-01-11
I really did enjoy the honest and straightforward approach of Mr. McKenna's writing on the subject.
Book Description
One of the Top 100 Spiritual Books of the Twentieth CenturyNew Bonus Materials added to this edition include The last chapter that Yogananda wrote covering the years 1946-1951 that wasnot available in the original edition. The eulogy that Yogananda wrote for Gandhi. A new afterword by Swami Kriyananda, one of Yogananda's closest disciples.This is a new edition, featuring previously unavailable material, of true spiritualclassic, Autobiography of a Yogi one of the best-selling eastern philosophytitles of all-time, with millions of copies sold, named one of the best and mostinfluential books of the 20th century.This highly prized verbatim reprinting of the original 1946 edition is theONLY one available free from textual changes made after Yoganandas death.This updated edition contains bonus materials, including a last chapter thatYogananda himself wrote in 1951, five years after the publication of the firstedition. It is the only version of this chapter available without posthumouschanges.Yogananda was the first yoga master of India whose mission it was to liveand teach in the West. His first-hand account of his life experiences includes childhoodrevelations, stories of his visits to saints and masters in India, and long-secretteachings of Self-realization that he made available to the Western reader.
Customer Reviews:
Ready To Launch?.......2007-09-26
I read this book several years ago for the first time, after many years of reading somewhat similar and associated material. Since then I have heard and read so many accounts of what this book has done for people, and it's true for me as well. For so many it has been a launch vehicle into a kind of magical world of unlimited possibilities. A world where reality is not set in stone, but is a product of the individual, and limited only by the individual's willingness and capacity to hold more. And once you have entered this world there's no turning back, even if you tried, but you won't. However, this is a very limited review intended only for those who are ready and waiting to launch. This book is a long proven and reliable space ship.
Named one of the top hundred spiritual books of the twentieth century.......2007-06-09
Autobiography of a Yogi is the life story of the first yoga master of India who made it his mission to teach in the West, Paramhansa Yogananda, as written by his own hand. A reprint of the first edition published in 1946, Autobiography of a Yogi presents the original unedited text, with a final chapter presented free from changes other editions made after Yogananda's passing, and a new foreword and afterword by Swami Kriyananda, one of Yogananda's best-known direct disciples. Gentle anecdotes, spiritual insights, and a treasury of plain and simple sensibility distinguish this masterpiece. "The life of an advanced Kriya Yogi is influenced, not by effects of past actions, but solely by directions from the soul. The devotee thus avoids the slow, evolutionary monitors of egoistic actions, good and bad, of common life, cumbrous and snail-like to the eagle hearts." Named one of the top hundred spiritual books of the twentieth century, Autobiography of a Yogi distinguishes itself with insight and compassion, and is especially recommended for religious and spiritual studies shelves.
Role model for the Way.......2007-01-08
Very accessible story of how one being found the Way. So much humanness revealed rather than only showing his calling. And incredible references to more familiar western works makes it even more relevent to a Traveler from a different heritage. My teacher said it was a must, and he was right.
A book for life.......2007-01-07
This is a book that a friend lent me and as I read it, I realised I wanted a copy of my own because it was not a book that one could "digest" in one sitting, or maybe even in a couple. I think it is a book that starts to sink in as we go through life. Everyone should read it at least once.
Finally, a yogi with emotions.......2006-11-14
Of all the books by and about spiritual leaders that I have read, this is the one I come back to again and again. Paramhansa Yogananda does not come from ego or judgment when he writes about his spiritual experience. He is not above feeling emotions such as grief and joy, nor does he believe that emotions are something to be surmounted or tamed. This is the only "saint" I have ever been able to digest and trust.
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