Amazon.com
Expecting Adam is an autobiographical tale of an academically oriented Harvard couple who conceive a baby with Down's syndrome and decide to carry him to term. Despite everything Martha Beck and her husband John know about themselves and their belief system, when Martha gets accidentally pregnant and the fetus is discovered to have Down's syndrome, the Becks find they cannot even consider abortion. The presence of the fetus that they each, privately, believe is a familiar being named Adam is too strong. As Martha's terribly difficult pregnancy progresses, odd coincidences and paranormal experiences begin to occur for both Martha and John, though for months they don't share them with each other. Martha's pregnancy and Adam (once born) become the catalyst for tremendous life changes for the Becks.
Focusing primarily on the pregnancy but floating back and forth between the present and recent and distant past, Martha Beck's well-written, down-to-earth, funny, heart-rending, and tender book transcends the cloying tone of much spiritual literature. Beck is trained as a methodical academician. Because of her step-by-step explanation of her own progress from doubt to belief, she feels like a reliable witness, and even the most skeptical readers may begin to doubt their senses. When she describes an out-of-body experience, we, too, feel ourselves transported to a pungent, noisy hawker center in Singapore. We, too, feel calming, invisible, supporting hands when she falls. Yet, whether or not readers believe in Beck's experiences is ultimately a moot point. There is no doubt that Adam--a boy who sees the world as a series of connections between people who love each other--is a tremendous gift to Beck, her family, and all who have the honor of knowing him. --Ericka Lutz
Book Description
The "slyly ironic, frequently hilarious"(Time) memoir about angels, academics, and a boy named Adam...
A national bestseller and an important reminder that life is what happens when you're making other plans.
Put aside your expectations. This "rueful, riveting, piercingly funny" (Julia Cameron) book is written by a Harvard graduate--but it tells a story in which hearts trump brains every time. It's a tale about mothering a Down syndrome child that opts for sass over sap, and it's a book of heavenly visions and inexplicable phenomena that's as down-to-earth as anyone could ask for. This small masterpiece is Martha Beck's own story--of leaving behind the life of a stressed-out superachiever, opening herself to things she'd never dared consider, meeting her son for (maybe) the first time...and "unlearn[ing] virtually everything Harvard taught [her] about what is precious and what is garbage."
"Beck [is] very funny, particularly about the most serious possible subjects--childbirth, angels and surviving at Harvard." --New York Times Book Review
"Immensely appealing...hooked me on the first page and propelled me right through visions and out-of-body experiences I would normally scoff at." --Detroit Free Press
"I challenge any reader not to be moved by it." --Newsday
"Brilliant." --Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Customer Reviews:
Not the story I expected.......2007-10-10
My wife insisted that I read this book. I would not have chosen it myself. Martha Beck tells a story about her son with Down's syndrome, a child that she was advised to abort. Her story is one that many will not believe. She has dreams that predict the future. She gets messages from her son through a medium. She receives aid from angels, or something very like angels. Through all of this, she remains down to earth, and freely admits the difficulty that she has with belief in such things. I, who am not inclined to believe in such things, believe Martha Beck.
Her writing style is fluid and clear. She is a good storyteller. This book is easy to read, and not easy to put down. She tells their story with tremendous verve, and with love. The description of life at Harvard is accurate. I spent four years there. She writes well enough to make me suffer flashbacks.
This is the story of a chance taken, a decision that the world disdains as foolish. In Beck's narrative it is a life affirming move. I responded to this book in an emotional way that surprised me. Her son teaches her more about living than Harvard ever could. If you read this book with an open mind, he will teach you too.
Beck is the best.......2007-09-11
She makes me laugh out loud - she is a fantastic writer.
I read this book while I was pregnant - by accident - it really got me into my pregnancy. Her experience "carrying Adam" was AMAZING.
I HIGHLY recommend all of her book. ALL OF THEM!
I love this author's attitude!.......2007-08-28
I know it sounds inappropriate to describe a book about a mother finding out she is carrying a Down's syndrome baby as hilarious - but there you are. Also heartwarming and spicy! And I would love to know Adam.
Turned my life around.......2007-06-24
I happened on this book while reading one of those women's magazine's book reviews. The moment I got it into my hands, I could not put it down. I am not a huge reader of books but this one I finished in a week. My daughter, who has Down syndrome and cystic fibrosis, was less than a month old when Divine intervention put this book into my arms. I was in a serious state of post partum depression on top of clinical depression that has been with me since college. Martha Beck does not glorify having a child with down's, and it does not paint a horrible picture of it either. What it does is take you to her experience of inner joys, struggles as well as her magical moments. She writes her experience with a hint spiritual happenings as well. She describes her transformation of a self proclaimed feminist who had tight control of every aspect of her life to a woman, mother with a sense of wonder on this magical journey. In the end, Martha Beck allows the unknown to be a open door that she enters freely without hesitation. As I read the book, I could swear that she was describing my life and the feelings I was feeling. I cannot recommend this title enough for everyone touched by the birth of a child.
A wonderful uplifting read.......2007-04-24
This is an amazing book for all parents out there. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who needs a reminder to appreciate all the wonder and joy in your life. A very good read!
Average customer rating:
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Union Pacific: The Rebirth 1894-1969
Maury Klein
Manufacturer: Doubleday
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ASIN: 0385177356
Release Date: 1989-12-01 |
Average customer rating:
- Best GL story... ever!
- I JUST MET HAL.HE'S NICE.
- Graphic SF Reader
- super
- yadda yadda
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Green Lantern: Rebirth
Geoff Johns
Manufacturer: DC Comics
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ASIN: 1401204651 |
Customer Reviews:
Best GL story... ever!.......2007-10-10
An amazing story, an amazing art and of course, the return of one of the greatest heroes of all time!
I JUST MET HAL.HE'S NICE........2007-09-11
i had never read anything about nor known anything about green lantern until this. Now I'm looking foward to buying a few more GL stories.The main point that i enjoyed was the opening "Green Lanterns for dummies" section of this book. Being new to the character i was quickly filled in on all the details comics often leave you needing.it covers who the GL's are,why there are so many,and most importantly (to this story) Hal Jordans back story.I have to admit i didn't fully understand all the parallax stuff but i let stuff go if its too confusing and usually it makes enough sense by the finish.If you havent read Green Lantern before or just want a great story that doesn't need a six book story BUY THIS.It's a great read worthy of a DC start and my real hook on comics.
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
I really didn't think that the restart of Green Lantern would be any good. I was wrong. The artwork is also really, really, good, so that doesn't hurt.
Hal Jordan, after his many bouts of ultrapowerful entityness is back, and gets to go around and interact or biff various hero types, and villains, and even have a Green Lantern Corps again. This is probably the coolest part.
super.......2007-06-09
Just excellent! Geoff does an amazing job of making the first Green Lantern cool! If nothing else get it to see Hal punch Batman's lights out!
In blackness day. In blackness night. No EVIL, shall escape MY might; Green Lantern's light! Those words will truly come alive after reading this.
yadda yadda.......2007-06-02
Green lantern Rebith is one of the best stories i have read. I have been reading comics for the last 12 years. The art is over the the top and the story does not leave you hanging over past events. It get to the the point of the story and yet takes the past and mixes it the present. Most stories would have killed off Kyle Rayner. I loved the part where Hal knocks Batman on his rear. Only he would dare to do that! this book is wrth every penny.
Amazon.com
The original book that brought Goddess worship to the public eye has marked its 10th anniversary, yet it still remains an integral part of the Wiccan canon. The Spiral Dance leans heavily toward the feminist aspects of Wicca, but Starhawk's comments on the new edition make it clear that she is aware of the growing male presence in witchcraft. However, this edition is not some watered down, politically correct revision of the original. Very little is changed aside from the addition of Starhawk's observations on how the book has weathered its first decade, and what few changes she would make if she were writing it today. Readers interested in learning more about contemporary witchcraft, whether considering Wicca as a way of life or simply desiring to understand this earth-based religion, will find a wealth of information in The Spiral Dance, and will notice that it becomes one of the most frequently consulted books in their Wicca libraries. --Brian Patterson
Book Description
The twentieth anniversary edition of The Spiral Dance celebrates the pivotal role the book has had in bringing Goddess worship to the religious forefront. This bestselling classic is both an unparalleled reference on the practices and philosophies of Witchcraft and a guide to the life–affirming ways in which readers can turn to the Goddess to deepen their sense of personal pride, develop their inner power, and integrate mind, body, and spirit. Starhawk's brilliant, comprehensive overview of the growth, suppression, and modern–day re–emergence of Wicca as a Goddess–worshipping religion has left an indelible mark on the feminist spiritual consciousness.
In a new introduction, Starhawk reveals the ways in which Goddess religion and the practice of ritual have adapted and developed over the last twenty years, and she reflects on the ways in which these changes have influenced and enhanced her original ideas. In the face of an ever–changing world, this invaluable spiritual guidebook is more relevant than ever.
Customer Reviews:
Other Books.......2007-09-03
An interesting look at wicca and neopaganism, with some advice. Despite her superhero name, this is not full of crazy talk and weirdness. It is worth a read of you are interested in that movement, and want to discover what makes them tick, even if you have no interest in being a religious practictioner, or having a religion at all.
Let it be life-changing.......2007-07-14
This book can change your life and empower you to be in direct contact with Spirit. You don't need to buy or join anything, and it's all about how Goddess and God are immanent, directly and immediately present in heart, mind, soul and body. If you've always wanted to be a genuine lover of God/dess, this book can give you some ideas for how to really do it and feel it deeply at all levels. It helped me to find some doorways to spiritual bliss. And it's so free of the "power-over" trip of so many religions. It can really be a blessing.
A Great overview of Wiccan ideology.......2007-06-05
Starhawk's The Spiral Dance ranks among what come closest to "classic wiccan tests". After nearly 30 years it's still relevant, insightful, and full of wisdom (even if it does date itself at a few points.)
The first thing that really struck me about the book was how up-front she was about the ideology of Goddess worship and how it related to modern western ideology. She doesn't try to water it down to make it appeal to more people, she writes what she believes and what her readers need to know. Do her proclamations about saving the environment and liberating people from cultural oppression seem a bit ambitious? Yes, definitely. But that ambition shines throughout the book, though the rituals and spells that have been re-printed and re-interpreted a million times, and makes the book unique and far more than just another book on the same old stuff.
The rituals, visualizations, and other exercises are simple, easy to follow, and printed in a different font so they will stand out if you are trying to reference them later. Everything is explained well and designed to be added upon and customized as practitioners become more experienced.
The 20th anniversary edition includes commentary from the 10th anniversary edition, as well as updated 20th anniversary commentary. The commentary is interesting and has much to offer, but it is my one complaint: the two set of commentary at the back of the book make reading the commentary very disruptive to reading the text. It almost requires reading the book 3 times to get it all as a whole (once for the original, and once for each commentary.) It can be difficult to figure out the best way to take advantage of the commentary without getting too removed from the context.
Overall, it is an excellent book and definitely belongs on the bookshelf of any wiccan or new-age Goddess-worshipper.
Very 60's.......2007-03-22
I found this a very informative book on the craft.It has a very 60's feel to it and I found having to go to the back chapters in the book for a more updated opinion on Starhawk's writings to be a tad annoying hence the 4 star score opposed to a 5 star mark.It is more for the Coven orientated student,however as a solitary I still found some invaluable information as a whole.And it also gave me some interesting insight to coven behavior.I would recommend this to other like minded or curious persons.blessed be
In the rivers and the mountains, in the forests and in you, the Goddess is alive and growing..........2006-09-17
Contrary to what other Pagans may have written on this site, I LOVE "The Spiral Dance" precisely because of its political overtones. As an anticapitalist, ecofeminist gay man, I am deeply moved by Starhawk's vision of an earth-based spirituality that honors women, community, the earth, sexuality and the body. Frankly, I am shocked by the outright sexist reviews some people have given of this book, not to mention the widespread denial of the burning times as a patriarchal holocaust against women, gays, and non-Christian people. The eagerness of certain Pagans to minimize the suffering of this period is, to me, a disturbing reflection of the larger culture's willingness to silence the histories and voices of feminist women and other marginalized groups. Furthermore, in at least one review of this book, I detect anti-Semitism, implying that Starhawk can't fully be a Witch if she retains her Jewishness. Such a narrow definition of what constitutes a Pagan denies us the complexities, nuances, individual choices and ancestries that enrich our lives. Need I remind the reader of the many Hebrew Goddesses of the Middle East or the ecological undercurrents, feminism, and social consciousness that informs Jewish tradition (the contradictions of right-wing Zionism aside). Without a doubt, what seperates Starhawk's writings on the Craft from many other Pagan authors is her passion for social justice, ecological sustainability and peace. Personally, I believe that spirituality devoid of concern for other human beings and the earth is nothing more than right-wing, reactionary navel-gazing. Unfortunately, I have met far too many witches who are much more interested in fluffy, woo-woo nonsense like astral projection and past live regression than they are in restoring the land (the living body of the Ancient Mother we supposedly worship). Moreover, as someone who strongly values participatory democracy, egalitarianism and consensus, I really appreciate Starhawk's insights on coven structure and group dynamics. (Coven hierarchies, like corporate hierarchies, do not appeal to me in the least!) Simply put, if you are looking for another New Age book on channeling spirits or casting hexes, then this book is not for you. However, if your idea of magic involves planting seeds in a community garden or marching for peace, then read this book immediately. It just may change your life forever.
Blessed be and tikkun olam.
Book Description
Social visionary Joseph Chilton Pearce’s indictment of cultural imprinting as the cause of humankind’s cruel and violent behavior
• Refutes the Neo-Darwinist assumption that violence is inherent in humanity
• Identifies religion as the sustaining force behind our negative cultural imprinting
• Shows how infant-adult interactions unconsciously block the creative spirit
We are all too aware of the endless variety of cruel and violent behavior reported to us in the media, reminded daily that in every corner of the world someone is suffering or dying at the hands of another. We have to ask: Is this violence and cruelty endemic to our nature? Are we, at our foundation, really so murderous? In
The Death of Religion and the Rebirth of Spirit, Joseph Chilton Pearce, life-long advocate of human potential, sounds an emphatic and convincing no.
Pearce explains that beneath our awareness, culture imprints a negative force-field that blocks the natural rise of the spirit toward its innate nature of love and altruism. Further, he identifies religion as the primary cultural force behind this negative imprinting. Drawing from recent neuroscience, neurocardiology, cultural anthropology, and brain development research, Pearce explains that the key to reversing this trend can be found in the interaction between infants and adults. The adult mind-set effectively compromises the infant’s neural and hormonal interactions between the heart and the higher evolutionary structures of the developing brain, thus keeping us centered primarily in our most primitive and defensive neural foundations, generation after generation. Pearce shows us that if we allow the intelligence of the heart to take hold and flourish, we can reverse this unconscious loss of our true nature.
Customer Reviews:
Either this or the author's previous title, not both........2007-07-02
I ordered this, Pearce's latest offering, together with his preceding 2002 effort, "Biology of Transcendence" and read them back to back, in chronological order. This is the one book, in his output so far, Joseph Pearce needn't have written.
Given that Pearce's incentive for writing this book (p. 190) was triggered by an altogether demonic experience, that behold-and-become function stressed so often in his authorship has here become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Really, a previous reviewer put it mildly in saying "Death of Religion" shows the author retreading familiar ground. In fact, this is an about 80% rehash or rewrite of his previous title "Biology." The very same material has been reorganized, rewritten - sometimes expanded upon a bit, sometimes contracted. I would not say the presentation of it has improved, it is merely a different version. It even uses the same batch of quotes from a select number of, to Pearce's mind, outstanding thinkers.
So because the bulk of the contents is yet again the discussion of the "New Biology," the title of the new book is a bit of a misnomer. The post 9/11 impetus to writing a book on "violent culture" is a thin veneer, a couple of dozen pages bracketing the older material. Pearce carries over not only his favourite quotes but even repeats a number of his own punch lines already used up in "Biology."
Some mistakes slipped through editing: using cases from, to some, controversial para-psychology, one would expect facts to be absolutely in order. Still famous French explorer Alexandra David-Neel turns into an Englishwoman (and gets her name slightly misspelled). From where Pearce got the etymological explanation that "sin" originally meant "separate" (p. 166) baffles. See [...]resource for more trustworthy facts. From "Biology" one remembers Pearce explaining "existence" as "to set apart" (p. 78), e.g. separate, so perhaps he misread his old notes while revamping them.
Commenting upon the ability to live without food (p. 178) without previously having introduced the subject, is another hint this book was hardly the fruit of that "Heureka! effect" Pearce is rightfully fascinated by. Presumably a paragraph was lifted out from an early draft and this reference to supernatural non-food eaters remained in place.
I heartily recommend the previous "Biology of Transcendence" as a great reading experience, upon which this rewrite has nothing substantially more to offer. The book gets three stars given the intrinsic value of Pearce's observations and if you have not read "Biology," nor intend to, you may consider this a very thought-provoking read. But as Pearce devotes quite a number of pages to describing a theory of Julian Jaynes' (The Origin of Consciousness) - a summary not present in his previous work - I really recommend you to go for Pearce's previous "Biology" and also Jaynes' 1970s classic in its entirety instead. That would be a crucial reading experience.
It's a pick recommended for any spirituality collection.......2007-06-09
The Death of Religion and the Rebirth of Spirit: A Return to the Intelligence of the Heart could've been featured in our New Age column but deserves wider mention here for its far-reaching survey blending philosophy, religion and sociology. The study begins with a survey of violence in human society and the question of whether cruelty is part of human nature - and argues that the roots of human behavior aren't violent, but a cultural imprint. Chapters use recent neuroscience, cultural anthropology and brain development research to explore the violent trends, spiritual understanding, and how to reverse violence to achieve a higher level of being. It's a pick recommended for any spirituality collection - particularly at the college level - strong on added cultural analysis.
I've been here before.......2007-05-13
I have been reading Joseph Chilton Pearce for years beginning with "Crack in the Cosmic Egg". His work has been very valuable to me because he explains the spiritual search in ways that are understandable and not all woo woo. This book seemed to me to pretty much cover territory that I was familiar with from previous books. His ideas about the proper birthing and raising of children are important and probably will never have a wide following because of the strength of cultural ways of doing things (another topic that he is very good on). I think this book would be very interesting to someone who had never read any other of his works.
Manifesto of a Spritual (R)evolution.......2007-04-12
Beware! The photo of the author on the book jacket is deceptive. It pictures a soulful, Quaker like grandfather--when all the time the contents of his book are loaded with intellectual hand grenades aimed at the very heart of our culture!
I began writing this review in the usual manner, underlining a phrase here, a word there, scribbling little notes at corners, on the edge--you know, the usual. But after a couple pages I saw that practically every word, every phrase was highlighted, and that there were copious notes all over the place. The book contains so much knowledge, so much insight, and addresses so many of the most vital subjects of life--that to attempt restricting myself to a few ideas here and there seemed almost sacrilegious.
And in the most positive sense this book IS sacrilegious.
In his call for humans to approach the next step of evolution, JC Pearce challenges us to overcome the greatest obstacle to that evolution--our very culture based on organized religion and orthodox science, that in turn arise from humanity's apparent need for PREDICTION and CONTROL. The author is such a master of phraseology that he'll have you convinced in a matter of a few pages that, yeah, they really ARE holding us back.
Pearce is no mere iconoclast--he skillfully demonstrates that the natural replacement for these cultural misconceptions exists and has existed all around us from the beginning of our collective jump from chimp to human (via the common shrew we are now told.) The author illustrates the power & biological source of both the individual & collective creative process, and how they interconnect in "fields of mind." We go along with the author on a developmental human journey from pre-natal conditions, thru birth and from there to the many stages that, where they should release ever higher levels of freedom & pleasure, in reality bind us ever tighter to conformity, frustration & social violence.
And never fear--just because THE DEATH OF RELIGION is a mental revelation, it's a pleasure to read. The writer's source material is life itself & is a record of every day situations and their evolutionary potential.
Reading THE DEATH OF RELIGION allegorically feels like lifting a boulder from one's very soul.
This is one of the most relevant books of our time.
It's a stunning achievement.
Do your Mind a favor & read this book!
The Origins of Psychic Phenomena: Poltergeists, Incubi, Succubi, and the Unconscious Mind
Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide to the Otherworld
Average customer rating:
- Thank you McKenna!
- An Interesting Collection of "Far Out" Ideas.
- A New Trip Down an Old Rabbit Hole
- Some people would like all copies of this book burnt
- You were......and still are....Ahead by a Century
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The Archaic Revival: Speculations on Psychedelic Mushrooms, the Amazon, Virtual Reality, UFOs, Evolution, Shamanism, the Rebirth of the Goddess, and the End of History
Terence Mckenna
Manufacturer: HarperOne
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0062506137 |
Book Description
Cited by the L.A. Weekly as "the culture's foremost spokesman for the psychedelic experience," Terrence McKenna is an underground legend as a brilliant raconteur, adventurer, and expert on the experiential use of mind-altering plants.
In these essays, interviews, and narrative adventures, McKenna takes us on a mesmerizing journey deep into the Amazon as well as into the hidden recesses of the human psyche and the outer limits of our culture, giving us startling visions of the past and future.
Customer Reviews:
Thank you McKenna!.......2007-02-25
Oh, man. With music as our spirit's guide, we ate some mushrooms and journeyed inward throuhout the galaxy. The human body/mind is a spaceship designed for interstellar space travel. Thats the secret hidden power of human beings which others are trying so hard to conceal. Enlightenment is only a few grams of shrooms away, combined with the right music and setting, the surest way to transform into and experience God. To experience The Other within us, to go to a place so far beyond yet so close, to experience whats been felt by so many others throughout the Aeons, words cannot describe. Our physical bodies and Earthly affairs are obsolete. Many ancient civilizations understood this, thus they have no need to be here. They took death as something beautiful. Life here is only temporary. McKenna's book speaks mostly on these topics and much more. First class info from one of the worlds greatest thinkers!
An Interesting Collection of "Far Out" Ideas........2006-03-05
_The Archaic Revival: Speculations on Psychedelic Mushrooms, the Amazon, Virtual Reality, UFOs, Evolution, Shamanism, the Rebirth of the Goddess, and the End of History_ by ethnobotanist Terrence McKenna is a rather interesting collection of essays and interviews revealing McKenna's often rambling thoughts on the various subjects mentioned in the title. McKenna's basic theme seems to be that the hallucinogenic plants have beneficial effects and can result in mind expansion which ultimately will aid society and bring about a utopia. Oddly however, the book rather hypocritically begins with a warning in which the publisher and author note the harmful effects of these substances and their illegality. Whatever one's personal beliefs are about the justice behind so-called drug laws, the fact remains that the hallucinogenic substances and plant products mentioned by McKenna in this book are illegal and possibly dangerous and that ingestion of these substances can result in possible difficulties with the law as well as potentially harmful side effects.
These essays and interviews show McKenna at both his best and worst. On the one hand he argues for an "archaic revival" and a restoration of the principles of shamanism based on his inherent belief that the indigenous peoples of the earth have something to offer modern civilization. However, I disagree with him when he turns to feminist political correctness and rails against Western civilization and Christianity (monotheism). McKenna's central argument is that the hallucinogenic mushroom has co-evolved with man in a symbiotic relationship. Echoing the theories of maverick psychologist Julian Jaynes, McKenna argues that primitive man was not fully conscious (did not possess self-awareness) until he underwent an appropriate transformation. This transformation involved the ingestion of hallucinogenic mushrooms. McKenna then goes off on a tangent in which he suggests the rather bizarre idea that the spores of these mushrooms are in fact interstellar travelers. Here, he mentions the pan-spermia theory of Cyril Ponnamperuma and Francis Crick (co-discoverer of DNA) that life originated in outer space and traveled to earth that way in the form of prebiotic molecules. In much the same way, McKenna suggests that the mushrooms constitute "intelligent organisms" and that they too are interstellar travelers. McKenna's theories developed over time as he traveled the world beginning with India (where he grew discontented over disagreements with the caste system) and eventually turning to the primitive shamanism (Bon-Po) of Tibet. McKenna eventually made his way to the Amazon where he experienced the use of hallucinogenic substances among the shamans there. Indeed, he discusses both the role of ayahuasca and the hallucinogenic psilocybe mushrooms. McKenna also has some rather strange theories on UFOs, regarding them as a sign of the coming world crisis. His theories on UFOs may owe a debt to the famous Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung whose depth psychology serves as the foundation for much of McKenna's theories and who observed the UFO phenomenon as a coming indication of changing world conditions. McKenna attempts to link the UFO and the extraterrestrial to the hallucinogenic mushrooms and hallucinogenic substances in general. He argues that after smoking DMT he experienced a unique phenomenon which he believed involved making contact with an extraterrestrial intelligence. Indeed, the phenomenon of alien abduction and ultimately the allegation of sexual encounters with aliens offers a unique embellishment of the UFO myth and a reverberation in the collective unconscious. McKenna also discusses what he believes constitutes the "end of history" in 2012, the ending date of the Mayan calendar. McKenna believes that with the help of the psychedelics the history of the planet will undergo drastic changes possibly allowing for an aversion of the coming ecological catastrophe. Other essays focus on the Voynich manuscript, perhaps composed by Elizabethan magus John Dee and its links to Rosicrucianism, virtual reality and the role of the virtual in the coming transformation of man's consciousness, and the history of the hallucinogenic mushroom in literature before R. Gordon Wasson discovered it, including references to the works of Lewis Caroll, H. G. Wells, and John Uri Lloyd (writer of the bizarre novel _Etidorhpa_, Aphrodite backwards). McKenna argues for a coming archaic revival brought about by renewed interests in the psychedelics which he believes will usher in a utopia.
While McKenna's theories are certainly bizarre and interesting at the same time, they are also naïve in certain respects. For example, McKenna's ultimate faith in the transformative powers of the hallucinogenic plants must be questioned. Whether or not these substances provide access to altered mind states, I believe it is rather naïve to attribute to them the powers of a panacea which will eliminate all social ills. McKenna's theories on virtual reality are equally interesting given the promise of these new technologies; however, again I believe he is somewhat naïve in believing they will truly transform mankind. Nevertheless despite these criticisms, this book did provide much food for thought on the various topics mentioned in the title.
A New Trip Down an Old Rabbit Hole.......2005-10-31
I just recently finished this book, and i can say it has been one of the most profound pieces of literature i've ever had the pleasure of reading. The topics explored in the book (which are, i might add, VERY extensively explored) ask the reader to look outside of the narrow field of spiritual and philosophical vision that constitutes our cultural typic, and question things one might not have ever thought of questioning. McKenna seems very frank and straightforward through the whole book, not dancing around subjects or refraining from certain phrases that some would be self-concious to use (ie. get loaded).
Instead of seeming to be written exclusively for futuristic scientists with an affinity for psychedelic drugs, the book seems to be aimed at the much wider crowd of anyone with an open mind and a vocabulary. The ideas described vary in topic from UFO abductions to a 15th century manuscript, and everything in between. most of the chapters have some common thread connecting them, the only exception being "The Voynich Manuscript." im not really sure where he was going with this chapter in relation to the rest of the book, but its interesting nonetheless. anyway, the book is nothing but a collection of speeches, essays, interviews, etc conducted by him over the years, and is really meant to be an introduction to his philosophy. His other books: The I Ching, and Food of the Gods, though i havent' read them, have been reviewed to be much more technically worded, hard to read, and aimed at students of mathematics and anthropology/ethnobotany. The Archaic Revival is more or less easy to comprehend, but he does use some terms over and over again that the average person wouldn't know (ie. phenomenology, entelechy, gnosis), so have a dictionary close by if you want to get the most out of the material as possible.
Terrence McKenna has some very bizzarre ideas for sure, and not everyone will relate to all of the ideas expressed in his writings, but i think that most ppl can find something about it they find interesting, and for the psychedelic crowd, McKenna's ideas sound like solaces from beyond, as he so easily verbalizes concepts that otherwise seem impossible to explain. His ideas of social reform and reverting to imitating plants as the role models of human life and civilzation, rather than animals, are so insane that they make more sense than anything i've ever heard. As far as his idea of the end of human history and the transcendence of physical existence into cyber-spiritual entities, all happening by the year 2012, i think he was a little off with the exact figures of time, as im writing this on Oct. 30, 2005 and it doesn't look like the world is going through a historical apocalypse in the next 6 yrs., but oh well--when you're dealing with the entirety of history, you can give or take a couple thousand years w/out compromising the legitimacy of your idea. plus, who knows, maybe on Jan. 1, 2012, we'll all be sitting around watching our bodies dissapear and our souls externalize.
I would reccommend this book to just about everyone, although i imagine it would be very hard for a 13 yr old to read, but im sure there are some very intelligent 13 yr olds out there who could comprehend it. for the open-minded, the book should be fascinating and engaging in its freshness, and for the rigid western thinkers--it should at least crack the shell and expose the possibilities of what's really out there. if anything, i'd say this is a book of non-denominational hope, derived and reported back from the past, and in McKenna's case--the future.
Some people would like all copies of this book burnt.......2005-05-08
I enjoyed this book, as it is so much easier to read than McKenna's other works (some of which are as dry and technical as scientific journals) -- if you are interested in hearing what Mister McKenna has to say, definitely start with this one. The chapters mostly consist of essays which had been published in various new age magazines, as well as transcripts of several interviews with the author, so it all flows rather nicely. Terrence McKenna is widely acknowledged to be one of the world's foremost authorities on the shamanic use of botanical hallucinogens, and unlike Leary and Castenada, he is a true scholar, who apparently is speaking in earnest about a topic he feels is very important. Probably the most significant argument McKenna makes is that the Church and State have colluded in suppressing, penalizing, and attempting to actually eradicate anyone who proposes that the altered perception which occurs upon the ingestion of these alkaloids is, in fact, essential to understanding the true nature of the universe. He states that the Church does not want the average person to have direct access to "God", nor does the State want the average person to be shook out of their complacency and begin to ask difficult questions. These alkaloids are a catalyst which is clearly dangerous to the dominant power structure of our society -- thus they are prohibited. He makes a number of other amusing statements and observations as well. However, several times throughout this book, McKenna started to get rather bizarre (understandable), like when he was presenting computer generated graphs which purported to show exactly when the world would end (and we would all be "transformed into energy beings" or some such), and when he began singing the praises of DMT -- about the effects of which I've heard some rather horrible things (imagine being trapped in a H. R. Geiger painting). If you are serious about studying the multidimensional aspects of the world around you, check out this book, which states that the universe within one's mind is just as interesting, and perhaps even more accessible.
You were......and still are....Ahead by a Century.......2003-09-09
first I would like to quote Tim Leary from his skymaster speech "Terence Mckenna means a great deal to me, he's deffinently one of the 5, 6 most impotant people on the planet......I can't even think of any others....lol....(short term memory loss)...by the way the role Terence is playing right now takes not only vision but it also takes f***ing courage!"
Terence Mckenna is not just a scientist, philosopher, theorist, new age thinker, and shamman, he is someone who took it upon himself, at the cost of his own life, to teach humankind the truth, or something that came closer to truth than any other intellectual or prophet in human history. No one else of the 60's generation will likely go down in history as infamously as Terence will in the changing times we live in and will continue to change. Through the use of psychedelics, Mckenna has delved into the deepest levels of human consciousness and with the rigour and skepticism of a scientist. Deffinently a chalenge to those who think mind altering drugs dullen or stupify the intellect. Terence Mckennas intellect and thought processing speed capacity appear to have been accelerated by his use of DMT and psylocybin if you listen to him on interviews. Here is a person came into the world, underwhent formal schooling and academic training and managed to decondition himself evolving into genuine spiritual domains; surpassing the academic minds and spiritual models of his time and culture. Time-Wave Zero was his project, Novelty Theory his lifes work. Archaic Revival touches upon the ideas of novelty theory in relation to shammanism and extratterestrials, psychedelics and human cultural evolution into the surreal dimensions of hyperspace-spirituality. This is our future, our destiny as a species of absolute evolving consciousness.
Novelty theory is based on the immediate experience we have with reality in which all things in history and science seem to coincide in ways that not only defy explanation, but continuously addapt to their own conservatives. Terence believed novlety was a universal and necessary constant of not only all living beings consciousness but also a binding and cohesive principle of material/physical nature. Cosmological and evolutionary processes occur in accordance to novelties, physical laws and the behaviour of atoms, cells, populations and genetics behave and abide the way they do because it is the most novel thing to do. Simillar to Leibniz conception of this world as the best of all possible worlds, novelty states that this is not necessarily the best nor the only world but it is possible and exists because it is the most novel world. Another one of Terences discoveries was that self-reflective human consciousness evolved from language that the brain facilitated and expanded from the primate because of their consumption of psychedelic mushrooms. In this less popular model, conspiracies of alien intervention and genetic tampering of "reptilian" with "homonid" DNA to form human speciel consciousness is an intervention not by immediate technology from ET's but by evolving biological implantations of psychedelic chemicals into nature. Aliens do not fly arround in spacecraft as suggested by the modern myth, or as vampires, or as any other ancient view of shammanism, primitvism, religion, etc. rather these beings are products of collective collapse of human consciousness. The upright reptilians of millions of years ago, the dinosaurs, we now know only recently, were wipped out by a comet from outer space ("spacecraft"). An instantaneous annihilation through radiation (also a mutanogen) of a reptilian, upright species of intelligent small-brained but fully utillized neocortex had the effect to the disincarnate catastrophe of their energy. That dinosaur energy had to go somewhere, what better way than to evolve through millions of years, psychedelics, and homonids; and eventually upright sentient human bodies for their incarnation to us the proper phylogeny structure (upright soul-body complex). As outlandish as these novel theories sound they will no doubt become the cutting edge models to describe reality and of our evolution if the wars of today do not annilate us first (radiation). And yet another reflection of the Middle Eastern warfare we face today is no longer a search for language, craddles of man, or Messiahs, but that very fossil fuel (oil) that was their energy now embodied as a complexly knotted perturbation of human consciousness.
I recommend all members of the human species to read this book and also purchase Terences Alien Dream Time CD with electronica by Space-Time Continuum. To get the whole scope of these ideas I would also reccomend reading Terences friends; Rupert Sheldrake on morphogenesis, Michael Talbot in Holographic Universe and David Bohm on the Implicate Order.
Book Description
The Star Wars epic continues its dazzling space odyssey in The New Jedi Order–as Luke and Mara, Leia and Han, and others battle the mighty enemy from beyond the galactic rim.
The brutal Yuuzhan Vong are scouring the universe for Jedi to slaughter. With no help from the divided New Republic, the Jedi stand alone against their seemingly invincible foe. Han and Leia Organa Solo risk deadly consequences with their controversial tactics to bolster the Jedi resistance. After uncovering a new Yuuzhan Vong menace, Anakin and Tahiri find themselves wanted for murder by the Peace Brigade. To avoid capture, they jump into hyperspace . . . and into trouble far graver.
Hunted by the Yuuzhan Vong, wanted as criminals by the New Republic, and with unrest stirring within their own ranks, the Jedi find peril everywhere they turn. But even in the midst of despair, while the most fiercest battle of all looms on the horizon, hope arises with the birth of one very special child. . . .
Customer Reviews:
The New Jedi Order continues to impress.......2007-09-14
Rebirth is the eighth volume in the massive New Jedi Order saga, and the second book in author Greg Keyes' Edge of Victory duology. Unlike the first book (Edge of Victory I: Conquest (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 7)), which was primarily focused on Anakin Solo, Rebirth reads more like a classic Star Wars adventure, with different groups of characters off on separate quests yet working towards the same goal.
Rebirth follows Han, Leia, and Jacen Solo as they embark on a campaign against the Yuuzhan Vong's Peace Brigade collaborators. At the same time, Anakin Solo, Tahiri, and Corran Horn infiltrate a Yuuzhan Vong invasion force to try and stop the next planetary conquest. Jaina Solo teams up with Kyp Durron and Rogue Squadron to take out what can only be the Yuuzhan Vong equivalent of the Death Star. As these conflicts occur, Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker must battle for the very existence of their unborn son. Rebirth also marks the return of the mysterious Vergere to the NJO storyline.
Despite the numerous subplots, Keyes weaves them all together quite skillfully, showing both a real understanding of what makes this diverse cast of characters tick as well as the ability to tell a great story. He also continues to give readers a better understanding of the Yuuzhan Vong invaders, further developing characters like Nom Anor (don't you just love to hate this guy?), Nen Yim, and introducing (finally) Supreme Overlord Shimmra.
This is the second of two exceptional books by Greg Keyes. I think Conquest was a better book overall, but Rebirth is as good if not better than any other book (so far) in the NJO series.
One of the Best of the New Jedi Order.......2007-03-23
Greg Keyes' Edge of Victory II: Rebirth is one of, if not the,best of the New Jedi Order novels. It featured strong writing, a good storyline, a wider focus than its predecessor and was also very important to the storyline.
First, I want to discuss the quality of the Greg Keyes' writing. One of the greatest flaws with the massive collection of Star Wars novels on the shelf today is that the writing is inferior. The novels tend to rely on famous and popular characters and, with some exceptions such as Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole, tend to push quality writing aside. Star Wars novels may be written well enough for children but the actual merit of the writing will disappoint most adult readers. However, Greg Keyes' novels are a huge exception to this rule. He writes extremely well. His narration is top notch and his dialog is snappy and realistic. His writing is intelligent and engaging and pretty out of the norm for Star Wars novels.
Although Rebirth focuses heavily on Anakin Solo as its predecessor Conquest did, Rebirth widens its focus to include more of the galactic war. Keyes managed to make me like Anakin, even though the young Jedi was still portrayed as a way-too strong and intelligent young Jedi. I have always thought that Anakin was one of the weakest parts of the New Jedi Order series. He was too powerful, too-smart, he learned too quickly and adapted way too well. Aside from youthful overconfidence, he was an utterly perfect character, which lends an air of unrealism to the series. But Keyes works hard to make Anakin more human, even if he does not make any strides towards limiting Anakin's power.
The plot is rather typical of the New Jedi Order. Luke, Leia, Han and Mara are trying to rally the Jedi who are becoming more divided as pressure from the New Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong cause them to reach their breaking point. Despite the many redeeming qualities of this book, it is not a particularly important one, from the point of plot-advancement. However, it offers excellent character development and a solid build up for the next novel in the New Jedi Order series, Star by Star, which is probably the most important in the series.
edge of victory is great.......2006-08-02
Greg keyes did a good book he finally gave luke his son,Anakin is growing stronger and the battle with the yuuzhan vong continues,and thanks to mara's baby she is saved ,Han and leia were not mentioned much in this book and the Jacen Danni relation ship was over though it would have been good to become fruitful overall this is a great book read it and read the whole njo installment it's really good
#8.......2006-05-03
this is one of the best books of the first 8.a lot is going on in this one for such a short book.the republic want the jedis in exile.luke is on the run so as not to be arrested.his "unsactioned military actions" were acryaly the rescue and relocation of thousands of slaves.luke decides the jedi,being wothout friends,should band together like in the long long ago.the bounty hinyers going after the jedi are gargantuan so they randomly jump through hyperspace without rhyme or reason to avoid capture.mara jade skywalker finaly lets luke help her fight off the disease that is killing her to better save thier unborn child.jaona solo struggles with her place in rogue sqaudrin as it is hard on her.mara jade and lukes method works and she has a baby boy they named ben after obee who called himself ben while in exile.the peace brigade kill a jedi named kelbis nu.however anakan and tahiri chase them off before they can kill more jedi.anakan and tahoti are arrested as local police think they did it.jacens older brother and father could barely take down one gammorrean.[anakan once took 4 on alone].han,jacen and leia take the millenium falcon up and chase down the peace brigade and a big battle ensues.jacen decides to use thr force freely again after a important character from the movies gets thier legs hacked up and he needed it.jacen gets a crush on a 40 year old twi'lek[blue chick with tentacles for hair].anakan,the always busy builds remote droids that fight like the vong to pracrice against.although he has visions of tahiri going evil he treats her no different.anakan saved corrans life[a master jedi].soon enough they are in the space battle too.bad news for the vong as their world ships are getting old.a story is told of the reckless kyp durron once blowing up a planet a week after becoming a jedi.wedge antilles comes out of retirement and into the space fight too.kyp and jaina flirt a lot despite shes nor even legal at 17 and hes like 40.she is almost killed but not scared.however by books end she tells kyp "of you were dying of dehydration on tatoonie i wouldnt spit on you".so either thier courting is off or she really likes him.the vong sacrifice thousands of people a day to thier gods.dissention finaly breaks in the high levels of the vong.since they embrace death they use kamikaze type methods to fight with sometimes.a new vong female gets into the fray at the end who us some sort of seer.she sees the 8th vortex which only 4 people ever have seen,2 of which were gods and one was told by one of those gods.she predicts"now my shaping truly begins and the universe shall tremble at what i create".anakan challenges and kills a vong war captain-just another feather in his cap.he and tahiri share loves 1st make out errrrrrr kisses i mean.this was one of the best books of the series.it ties up a lot of unanswered questions and is really incredible from a sci fi fans point of view.everything youd want in a sci fi novel.
Good book.......2006-02-13
I loved this book. Thought it was better than Conquest. I really did not like Mara's birth being felt by half the family. That is my only issue with it.
Book Description
Italian influence can be seen everywhere in America—in its buildings and its books, in its culture and its cuisine. Passage to Liberty tells the story of how Italians became Americans and fulfilled their dreams of rebuilding the image of Rome in their new country. Readers will discover:
- Removable reproductions of memorabilia and documents
- Engaging illustrations
- Informative text
- And more!
Both a work of history and a moving narrative, Passage to Liberty brings to life the experiences of a people whose talents, contributions, and self-sacrifice helped them to make this country their own.
Customer Reviews:
such a beautiful book.......2006-03-10
Not long after my grandmother's death, I went to a Borders store and was looking through the books on sale. I saw this lovely book and picked it up to leaf through it. The first page I opened the book to was the one with the little handwritten recipe. The recipe was unfamiliar to me, but the small neat handwriting was amazingly like my grandmother's, and the slip of paper it was written on was exactly like a page from one of the little notebooks she used to write in. I didn't have to look at another thing in the book to know I had to buy it. When I got the book home and actually read it, I LOVED IT! The book itself is really good, but all of the little bits that are tucked inside really make it worth the money. It's a lovely book.
Something you'll treasure.......2002-10-31
As you'd expect in a book like this, it tells the tale from Columbus to Madonna, and tells it well, concisely, entertainingly, without being annoyingly fulsome or reverent. What makes this a treaure, though, are all the surprises--you turn a page and find, actually tucked into a corner or attached by glue, replicas of ancient passports, or hand-written recipes, or coupon books from some old immigrant mutual-aid insurance policy. There's even a St. Lucia prayer card from somebody's funeral and the jury's verdict form from a trial of Al Capone. It brings the history to life in a way beyond mere words. If you buy one copy, you'll end up buying more as gifts, without a doubt.It's a beautiful object and a terrific book.
Book Description
Listen to an audio excerpt online in MP3 format—click here.
Buddhist teachings on facing death with openness and insight, from the author of The Healing Power of Mind—now in paperback with a CD of guided instructions by the author.
Buddhism teaches that death can be a springboard to enlightenment—yet for all but the most advanced meditators, it will be the gateway to countless future lives of suffering in samsara. Tulku Thondup wrote this guide to help us heal our fear and confusion about death and strengthen our practice in anticipation of this transition, and to help us realize the enlightened goal of ultimate peace and joy—not only for death and rebirth, but for this very lifetime. In simple language, he distills a vast range of sources, including scriptures, classic commentaries, oral teachings, and firsthand accounts. The book includes:
A CD of guided meditations
An overview of the dying process, the after-death bardo states, and teachings on why, where, and how we take rebirth
Accounts by Tibetan "near-death experiencers" (delogs), who returned from death with amazing reports of their visions
Ways to train our minds during life, so that at death, all the phenomena before us will arise as a world of peace, joy, and enlightenment
Simple meditations, prayers, and rituals to benefit the dead and dying
Advice for caregivers, helpers, and survivors of the dying
The paperback edition includes an audio CD providing guided instructions by the author on how to visualize Amitabha Buddha in the Pure Realm; how to receive his blessings; how to visualize transforming your body into light and sound at the time of death; how to share the blessings with compassion for all sentient beings; and how to rest in oneness. By becoming intimate with this practice while we're alive, we can alleviate our fear of death, improve our appreciation of this life, and prepare for death in a very practical way, while planting the seeds for rebirth in the Pure Land.
Customer Reviews:
An accessible introduction to Pure Land teachings from a Tibetan perspective ..........2007-01-23
Tulku Thondup provides an accessible introduction to the Pure Land tradition as it relates to Tibetan Buddhist views of death and dying - which relate, in turn, to the importance of working with the mind in present life to assure a positive death experience and rebirth. There is plenty here, however, for anyone open to Buddhist views without his or her having to embrace Buddhism formally. The author also discusses the importance of conducting rituals for the spiritual benefit of the dying and the dead, offering a suggested practice for non-Buddhists as well as detailed instructions for experienced Buddhist meditators. The emphasis throughout is on the practicality of the teachings, supplemented by vivid accounts of Tibetan near-death experiences.
The CD contains an extensive and lengthy guided meditation centered on visualizing Amitabha and his Pure Land in the West. This is a substantial practice for anyone wanting to establish a meditative connection with the Buddha of Infinite Light. Open-minded readers not so inclined might still find it worthwhile to follow along at least once in order to experience the Pure Land perspective in practical application as a way to work with the mind in THIS life.
After We Die - a guidebook.......2006-11-25
PLEASE NOTE: I RATE THIS THREE STARS, BUT AM UNABLE TO CORRECT THE SCALE WHICH INCORRECTLY SHOWS ONLY ONE STAR. THANK YOU:
Tulku Thondup's Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth is unique among Tibetan books. It concentrates on our experience after we die and is a guidebook that outlines what to expect when we pass from mortal life to post-life experiences. For example it provides stories of experiences during a time of judgment in the Bardo state.
Thondup gives us vivid details and sample experiences of practitioner's passing sensations during their time of death. It also offers a sense of the wide range of worlds our consciousness may experience after mortal death, everything from hellish chimaeras to celestial, peaceful visions.
His book places heavy emphasis on karma and the belief that deeds determine our experience in a life after this one. It stresses that a consious, kindly life leads to a positive afterlife while a self-centered life leads to more hellish worlds.
With its unique and detailed picture of the relms of consciouness after death, Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth is a worthy addition to the body of literature on the subject of dying and the afterlife.
Everything you are likely looking for.......2006-07-22
I had been recommended this book by a fellow Buddhist practicitioner who does much work with terminally ill patients. Our Buddhist Practice group (Sangha) seemed to have many death and dying issues coming up recently.
If you are looking for a book on the death and dying process from a Vajrayana Buddhist perspective, in my opinion, this is the book to buy.
Tulku Thondup is highly recognized as a Nyingma Master as well as being University Professor and excellent writer.
If you want to acquire an exhastive academic book on the "The Great Liberation upon Hearing in the Intermediate State" (commonly known as the Tibetan Book of the Dead here in the West) I would suggest also buying Graham Coleman's version.
However, for practice purposes and general understanding, Tulku Thondup's "Peace Death, Joyful Rebirth" is unmatched. He not only covers the essence of this text but also recounts wonderful information as only taught by a Tibetan Nyingma Master.
More doubts than certainty.......2006-04-21
Reading this book was no fun for me and added very little to my understanding of the death process. The delog stories lack integrity
Profound and Practical Teachings on Death, Karma, and Rebirth.......2005-08-25
Judy Lief
Author of Making Friends with Death; A Buddhist Guide to Encountering Mortality
The Tibetan understanding of the cycle of life and death is encapsulated in the image of the Wheel of Life, traditionally displayed outside the entrances to meditation halls as a reminder of the preciousness of life, the reality of impermanence, and the powerful force of karma. According to these teachings, our present state of mind and the way in which we lead our lives have direct bearing on our future circumstances in this life and in subsequent lives. Tulku Thondup's book is a particularly clear exposition of this teaching on life, death, and rebirth
In particular, Tulku Thondup, a renowned Tibetan Buddhist scholar, translator and spiritual guide, clarifies the interplay between karma, the six realms of existence, and the many pure lands described in traditional Buddhist texts. He carefully elucidates how the karma created by ones mental state and moral actions can propel one into either desirable or horrific states of existence. Tulku Thondrop encourages us to take responsibility for our life and cultivate healthy states of mind. Whether you believe in rebirth or not, it is easy to observe how our mental habits, which all too often seems to be shifty and out of our control, shape our perception of the world-for better or for worse. By pointing out how this works, Tulku offers the reader a way to unravel these habitual patterns and loosen the forces that propel one to painful realms of existence. In short, he offers many methods to cultivate wholesome states of mind and let go of harmful patterns that entrap us.
Of particular interest are the many stories Tulku has assembled about delogs. In Tibet there are many accounts of people who died and in that state traveled to other realms of existence and other realities, communicating with the dead and receiving teachings, before being sent back as messengers for the living. Unlike accounts of near-death experiences of short duration, it was not uncommon for delogs to return to life after a period of many days. While some of their descriptions may seem frightening or harsh-certainly no nonsense-at the same time, each delog in his or her own way reminds the living of the preciousness of life, the power of the mind, and the possibility of living with awareness, kindness, and openness. The message that what we think and do makes a difference is an empowering one, filled with inspiration and hope.
In a series of helpful appendices, Tulku Thondup has gathered a series of Buddhist rituals for the dying and for those seeking to take birth in the blissful pure land. For those interested in the Tibetan vajrayana rituals, these appendices are an invaluable resource. At the same time, Tulku repeatedly points out that anyone can benefit from Buddhist teachings on life, death and the intermediate state. No matter our tradition or background, each of us can benefit from contemplating the reality of death and the brevity of life; each of us can benefit from letting go of harmful mental states and habitual actions that cause us needless suffering; each of us can benefit from extending ourselves to one another with kindness and love.
Book Description
Written for the general public, The Rebirth of Cold Fusion takes a current look at the scientific discovery that stunned the world 15 years ago and that is making a remarkable comeback today.
Scientists say that, if fusion power becomes commercially viable, it has the potential to fulfill the world's energy needs, using ocean water as fuel, safely, without pollution or harmful nuclear waste. Credible researchers working for respectable laboratories around the world now say that cold fusion shows such potential.
Cold fusion beckons a new dawn in the age of scientific energy research. Neglected but not abandoned, cold fusion has made startling progress as a new field of nuclear science. All of the early objections have been explained, and many new insights have come to light.
The historical information contained in this book challenges the premise that science is always objective. It portrays the professional struggles that those who have explored this controversial subject have endured. It illuminates the blocks to innovation that academic institutions and publishers have posed.
This book displays a cover-up by prominent scientists in the nuclear physics community who have obfuscated the truth and protected their own interests. It discloses little-known historical facts, and it exposes positive reports of cold fusion research written by some of the world's leading critics. It shows that the prominent laboratories alleged to have debunked the discovery mishandled their experiments and gave biased interpretations of findings that may have replicated rather than disproved cold fusion.
While a number of years may pass before we can know whether cold fusion will provide an answer to spiraling oil prices, pollution and global warming, The Rebirth of Cold Fusion makes a convincing case for a large-scale research effort, not unlike the Manhattan Project or the Apollo Program. Policy-makers and the public will need to be informed about the potentially immense political, economic and national security implications of this revolutionary phenomenon.
Customer Reviews:
American Antigravity Review of Steven Krivit's Book.......2004-12-19
Krivit is the world's #1 authority on this research, because he's done coverage on all of the prominent scientists in the field. That's given him a greater scope of knowledge than any one of these individuals on their own would have, and he additionally has the ability to translate this so that it makes sense to the mainstream audience!
More info online at http://www.americanantigravity.com, or Krivit's site at http://www.newenergytimes.com
Want to know what will save us from global warming?.......2004-12-13
If you want to know more than even the scientific profession knows about cold fusion, read this book. As a result you will be up to date about one of the most important discoveries of this century. This book continues the line of books that reveal a discovery that will change the way we live, yet has been broadly rejected. Discover how science behaves when it is confronted by a novel idea and how many of the problems created by conventional technology will be solved.
The Definitive Guide to 15 Years of Cold Fusion History.......2004-11-07
If you're interested in science, politics, energy and the future of mankind, this book is a must read. Cold Fusion will become a case study in how easy it is for science to dismiss an unothrodox idea, and how hard it is for those working outside the science othrodoxy to research a controversial field.
This book explains the Cold Fusion controversy that has raged for the past 15 years. Years that have been full of wars over dwindling oil resources in the Middle East. This is the definitive guide for anyone who wants to understand why Cold Fusion has been so controversal, the current state of research into Cold Fusion, and where Cold Fusion research might eventually lead us. Well researched and well written, this is the book that will redefine Cold Fusion for a new generation.
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