Book Description
Margaret Starbird’s theological beliefs were profoundly shaken when she read
Holy Blood, Holy Grail, a book that dared to suggest that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalen and that their descendants carried on his holy bloodline in Western Europe. Shocked by such heresy, this Roman Catholic scholar set out to refute it, but instead found new and compelling evidence for the existence of the bride of Jesus--the same enigmatic woman who anointed him with precious unguent from her “alabaster jar.”
In this provocative book, Starbird draws her conclusions from an extensive study of history, heraldry, symbolism, medieval art, mythology, psychology, and the Bible itself.
The Woman with the Alabaster Jar is a quest for the forgotten feminine--in the hope that its return will help restore a healthy balance to planet Earth.
Customer Reviews:
Thought provoking.......2007-10-08
When Margaret Starbird read the Holy Blood and the Holy Grail she was infuriated by it and decided to do some of her own research to refute it. However she found herself caught up in the story and with her own variant on it. Unfortunately some of the sources she found weren't particualarly historical or accurate and some of her leaps of faith are a bit overdone.
To my mind sometimes a flower is just a flower. There are many examples of artisans finding particular shapes and colours that just appealed to them, and I'm sure they could have done in their sleep to fill in backgrounds. I stitch myself and I find myself being attracted to some of the same imagery over and over, sometimes I look deeper for the meaning but sometimes that pattern just plain appeals to me. I'm sure it was the same with some of the papermakers that Starbird mentions in the book. There may have been some who had meaning but there may have been others who just picked a shape because it was easy, well known, had a relationship with their master or just plain appealed to them.
And this is the main flaw of the book. Just because an image has certain meanings to certain people does not mean that everyone imbues it with that meaning. Just because certain people or peoples imbue certain items with certain meanings does not mean that all people do the same.
It may be that Jesus married Mary Magdalene, and some of the arguments for are quite compelling (the fact that non-married men were a rarity and that this would have been mentioned in the Bible is one of many); but we may never know the truth. The truth at the moment is that Christianity has ignored the female and the feminine for a long time and this is begining to be something they may not be able to ignore for much longer.
This book gained a few points for making me think but lost some for it's slightly rigid view of the feminine and the masculine. Some of the flights of literary fancy are a little overwritten, but her heart is in the right place.
A Penny for your Thoughts!.......2007-10-05
List Price: $16.95
Used: from $0.01
New: from $1.45
All New (71 from $1.45) Used (167 from $0.01)
A penny for your thoughts? That Margaret Starbird's book on Mary of Bethany, who she has mistaken for Mary Magdalene, is selling for a penny speaks volumes. When an item costs more to ship than it is worth, it is not worth moving beyond the trash can. So although you can read Margaret Starbird's thoughts for a mere penny, the postman's time to deliver it is more valuable then the book itself! A christian's literalist view of marriage being the only role for an early Christian woman. Save your penny for a rainy day!
A Great Read.......2007-08-25
I really love that Ms. Starbird has done so much reasearch on Mary Magdalene. Some may overlook her in the bible, but I think she is one of the most important characters and whatever her role may have been, it's nice to know that Jesus Christ had this woman in his life.
Metaphorical Masterpiece.......2007-02-13
A beautiful expose on the sacred feminine. Also worth reading is Gardiner's 'Gnosis' and Acharya's 'Christ Conspiracy.'
Mary is my homegirl.......2007-01-14
After reading The Goddess in the Gospels, I read The Woman with the Alabaster Jar, Starbird's first book on Mary Magdalene. This book is more historical and thesis based than narrative. A lot of the material was nearly the same as The Goddess in the Gospels. It is an awesome book though, and a must read for anyone interested in feminist Christianity.
Book Description
This is Mary Magdalen's personal story of her tantric relationship with Yeshua ben Joseph, known today as Jesus Christ. A love so deep it has survived over 2000 years of lies, to be finally told now, in this, "the beginning of the ending of time." A High Initiate of the Temple of Isis, Mary Magdalen was the Holy Grail, the cup that carried the blood of Christ. And the long-prophesied "sun" that was born to her was a girl named Sar'h.
In the Magdalen Manuscript, given by her and reprinted here, word-for-word as she gave it, she describes the alchemy that she and Yeshua practiced. This is the alchemy that prepared him to sustain life after death, so that he could meet his destiny and lay a trail of light through the death realms, a light path each of us can follow.
This is Her Story, revealing some of the deepest secrets of the Temples, as requested by Isis. To this remarkable test, Tom Kenyon has added a comparison of the major streams of internal alchemy, plus an in-depth look at Egyptian High Alchemy and a clarification of the Alchemies of Horus. Judi Sion, at the request of Mary Magdalen, has added One Woman's Story, which is every woman's story.
Customer Reviews:
Profound and thought provoking.......2006-07-31
I highly recommend reading and contemplating the content in this book. I find that weeks after having finished it, that I am continuing to have insights. Although the principal subject matter is the alchemical relationshop between Jesus and Mary Magdalene, that more universal themes about sacred relationship and the divine feminine predominate thoughout. In some regards I felt like I was reading 3 books here, with the last, affecting me most. The first section, after a descriptive prologue, contains the supposed channeling of Mary Magdalene to Judi Sion through Tom Kenyon. These two people co-authored the book. I could not put this manuscript down. I have some knowledge of alchemy, but Tom Kenyon described it in a way that I had never grasped before. He described the connection to Isis in terms and examples that were understandable but not overwhelming. It's up to the reader as to whether the channeling resonates with them. I believe that the authors are sincere and there is no attempt to sway anyone to their way of thinking. The final section of the book was written by Judi Sion. It was worth waiting for. It was autobiographical in nature and showed how the phenonmenon of this channeling and her struggles throughout her life brought about her awakening. Her openess will speak to many. Enjoy!
Obvious attempt to cash in on the Mary Magdelene furor........2006-06-25
I'm not a big fan of Dan Brown's book, but that's more because of it being poorly written and plotted than because of any feelings about the subject matter. And I'm pretty neutral about the idea of channeling. I did get value out of "Conversations with God", and "A Course in Miracles." So, I came to this with a mostly open mind.
But this book is such an obvious attempt to cash in on the Mary Magdelene craze that's going on right now that I couldn't finish it. He's putting new age dogma into the words of Jesus without even doing any research into the the living conditions and social standards of the time. I don't know which option is more pathetic, whether he actually believes this stuff or if he thinks he can con the public.
overall very good but a few problems.......2006-05-16
This book is written in three parts: (1)the manuscript supposedly channelled from Mary Magdalen, (2) principles of internal alchemy, and (3) one woman's story.
I am always very skeptical about channelled works, as is (interestingly) the book's first author. The "channelled" manuscript is an interesting read regardless of its validity. I found a major error, however, that causes me to seriously doubt the authenticity of the channel. On pages 29-30 there is a description of the Virgin Birth, but it is described as the "immaculate conception" which is a very common misconception. According to the church, the immaculate conception is that Mary Mother of Christ was born without sin; NOT that Mary was inseminated by God in order to conceive Jesus. Because of this error the channelling is highly suspect.
The second portion of the book is excellent. As I delve deeper into the second and third sections I will continue my review.
Book Description
"Smart and earthy . . . richly imaginative . . . the epitome of the storyteller's art."-
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (chosen as one of "The Year's Best Books")
"This amazing book could well become a classic of women's literature."-
Booklist (chosen as one of the "Year's Ten Best Fantasy Books")
Young Magdalen and Jesus, brimming with youthful charm and arrogance, find each other and fall in love, forging a bond that is stronger than death. Their pleasure is overshadowed by a brilliant but unbalanced druid who knows a perilous secret about Maeve's past. The prequel to
The Passion of Mary Magdalen.
Customer Reviews:
The real thing.......2007-05-04
For the benefit of anyone wondering if this is a schlocky historical romance tarted up as a piece of serious fiction: fear not. I haven't seen Maeve Chronicles II yet, but I picked up *The Beginning* (previously published under a different title) to thumb through it and read 20 pages standing in the bookstore. I read around all through it, and I hated to put it down. I can't wait for my own copies of both books to read.
The premise -- that Jesus and Mary Magdalene met as youths at a Druid school in Britain, and Mary was a Bradleyesque Celt -- is ridiculous and wonderfully credible. Cunningham's intelligence and wit pull it off. Imagine Evangeline Walton without inhibitions.
She has researched the Celts just fine, and her bawdy, literate narrator heroine will have you smiling after a single paragraph. I think I'm in love. A sexy chick who can toss a caber. Mercy.
Read it as a brilliant addition to the F&SF genre or with New Age enthusiasm; you will enjoy it. I'm looking forward to every page, and to the unpublished third volume.
Reviewed by Sabrina Williams.......2007-05-02
In an imaginative blend of ancient Celtic Paganism, Christianity, and modern secularism, Elizabeth Cunningham delivers the prequel to The Passion of Mary Magdalen in Magdalen Rising: The Beginning. Maeve Rhuad describes her childhood, being a daughter of the divine raised by eight warrior-witch mothers. An enchanted adolescence brings fourteen-year-old Maeve to meet her cosmic twin, Esus, at college.
The story is told from Maeve's point-of-view, with the awareness that she is speaking to a twenty-first century reader. She relates events that may seem strange to the reader by comparing them to their modern equivalents. This contrast caught me off guard at first, but as the story progressed, I began to appreciate the added dimension. The book is divided into five parts, each representing a phase in Maeve's life.
Maeve is a fiery red head who has been raised and initiated into the world of the sacred feminine, found herself a namesake for legendary warrior Queen Maeve of Connacht, and has earned her entry into a druid college as part of an experimental coed admissions policy. She is also no stranger to sarcasm, and her tongue-in-cheek commentary throughout the novel adds a comic spin to a somber story that, at times, is wrought with tragedy. Her headstrong challenges to Esus's school of thought will make the reader either laugh out loud or sigh in resigned agreement.
The novel is a challenge to conventional thought that offers some fascinating alternatives to popular legends. Maeve is a heroine for today's reader, and the general reverence for the sacred feminine is a refreshing quality. I began this series with the prequel, but I fully intend to get my hands on the first and forthcoming releases. Fans of Juliette Marillier's fantasy will undoubtedly become loyal fans of Elizabeth Cunningham, as well.
The Road to Notoriety.......2007-04-25
Everyone loves a grand storyteller! For some unexplainable reason, some have the gift and some don't. But one thing is always clear - lovers of story instantly recognize a true storyteller, a bard to be sure who can grip the attention and imagination of the listener and hold it far beyond the end of the tale!
Magdalen Rising is an enigma for sure! As the prequel to The Passion of Mary Magdalene, it introduces the reader to the childhood and teenage training of Maeve. Born to warrior witches of Tir na mBan and the god of the sea, Manannan Mac Lir (or so we are led to think for a very long time), Maeve grows with confidence, indeed one may even think precociousness, and grace into the mysteries of nature and the myths of her Celtic beloved people. The visions, extraordinary experiences, and spiritual rites she experiences are totally fascinating, spiked in between her racy, bold, and indomitable spirit!
Nothing prepares her for the actual meeting and interaction she will undergo with her beloved, Esus the Stranger (later known as yes, Jesus), and the opposition and attacks she will face from the authoritarian Druids.
Each story within this novel is connected and rivets the reader, uniting in a deeper understanding of Celtic culture and mythology. Yet the story actually has very little substance beyond this Celtic connection. We never get to know Esus very well and Maeve seems to be a stranger even to her own people, coming from a land whose female inhabitants are believed to be witches. The mystical quality of Druids is somewhat lost and even embattled in this account of the land where Maeve travels to be schooled.
Elizabeth Cunningham is a grand storyteller who fascinates and haunts the reader, creating a legend about Esus and Maeve that obviously carries into later Judaism and Christianity. But it does little more, leaving the reader feeling a bit cheated, especially after the stunning predecessor to this novel!
Reviewed by Viviane Crystal on April 24, 2007
Intriguing, to say the least.......2007-04-06
First Century CE and the child of eight mothers, Maeve is on her way to the Druidic school to study as a bard. There she meets her stepbrother, as she calls him, Esus of Jerusalem, who is also studying there to be an ovate. This is the first year the Druids have taken seven women into their school to study with the males. Maeve, raised with visions and goddess mothers, has a transcendent healing power. When someone is in pain or dying she can relieve their pain, and even bring them back to life, by laying her fiery hands on them.
Some, especially the Jew Esus, thinks she could be a witch, but the powers she has are hers alone and are fashioned after the Druidic arts. Esus and Maeve are very different; he was raised in a crowded world where he "was accustomed to throwing his weight around." Maeve was the adorable, spoiled child being raised on Tir na mBan, who grew up in a world of women and stories. Storytelling is considered an art. The Druids don't write down their stories because keeping memories and shared stories alive creates unity between tribes.
Saying "Tir na mBan" to the Druid's makes them fall into a spell, almost as if this is a mythical place. Maeve's father is the God of the Sea and in her mind Esus and her are both divine. She wants desperately to connect to Esus and she thinks when he shuns her, "So we are different, as different as day and night. But listen, don't day and night meet again and again, one turning into the other? Isn't that how the world is made and made new?"
Magdelan Rising is an intriguing book, combining current pop culture and ancient rituals. This book is a stunning portrayal of a young, naive Esus, who is known to us as Jesus, and Maeve, a gorgeous Celtic goddess who eventually becomes Mary Magdalen.
Excellent book, highly recommended for its levity, wit and knowledge of the first century CE and Druidic culture, along with a glimpse of a confused teenage Jesus.
Armchair Interviews says: This is a phenomenal historical perspective of life in the time of Esus and his foil, Maeve.
WARNING!.......2007-03-15
If there is one thing I cannot stand, it is being suckered into buying a book twice because it has been re-issued under another title. This book is a fun read and I'm really enjoying this series, but don't buy "Magdalen Rising" if you already own "Daughter of the Shining Isle". It's the same book.
Customer Reviews:
The First Female Apostle: Myth and Legacy.......2007-03-23
It was Pope Gregory who began the notion that Mary Magdalene was a fallen woman and the story stuck even after Vatican 2 in 1969. This is a pre-Da Vinci code take on the historical Mary Magdalene. There have been many edits to the Bible, to church history, to the lives of key figures from the earliest origins of Christianity ... and in sorting out fact from fiction ... one must seek to understand the context of teachings first before just blindly believing anything presented to them. Mary Magdalene became an icon of the fallen dangerous women and was used to subjugate women in many levels of church politics. Her history is one of the most controversial topics in the church .... and well worth exploring to understand the intention behind her image.
Back in print.......2006-09-12
Ignore my rating as I have only just begun reading this book but I did not want to alter the overall rating given to date. I have posted this 'review' simply to let it be known on Amazon that the book is back in print and is now published by PIMLICO with the ISBN 1-8459-5004-6.
The best on the Magdalene.......2005-01-30
It's a silly shame that this wonderful book is out-of-print when the Code Mania would sell it like hotcakes. It is, without a competitor, the best all-around book on Mary Magdalene. Buy Karen L. King's translation of the Gospel of Mary if you want an intense but engaging lesson in theology, Jane Schaberg's *The Resurrection of Mary Magdalene* if you want a solid feminist critique, or Margaret Starbird's *The Woman with the Alabaster Jar* if you are looking for New Age speculation, but it's Haskins who pulls it all together.
Tracing the idea of Mary Magdalene from the Biblical (and "heretical") sources to present-day manifestations in film and novel, she provides a survey of the changing role of women and sexuality in Occidental culture, generously illustrated with depictions of the Magdalene. She shows how the "shamed prostitute" myth got its start, examines the claims of connection between Mary and France, and provides a very funny account of the Church supported habit of "relic snatching" that accounts for Mary's "relics" moving here and there from this monastery to that church.
All in all, it is a heavy but interesting read, with no polemic axe to grind. Start here.
deserves 6 stars!.......2002-10-27
This is THE MOST AMAZING book on Mary Magdalen. Susan Haskins goes through the image/personna of the magdalen from the Biblical roots to our pop-culture. The primary references are excellent, it is well put together, it is PERFECT!
An outstanding ýone-stopý resource on Mary Magdalene!.......1999-07-15
Haskins does an excellent job in bringing us virtually every relevant piece of useful information about Mary Magdalene. It's all discussed here -- Mary Magdalene in Scripture, non-canonical Christian literature, artwork, history, myths, and legends. An important work about an important historical and spiritual figure.
Book Description
These are practices designed to strengthen one's energy body. This program guides the listener through the Alchemies of Horus resulting in the use of sound to create altered states of awareness whereby the creative aspects of the brain/mind can be accessed. Previously released as The Alchemies of Horus, © 2003, Tom Kenyon
Customer Reviews:
Transforming!.......2007-05-29
Powerful meditations for those who are competent meditators! I found myself experiencing meditations that are very different. Can highly recommend this product.
Powerful!.......2007-01-05
Highly recommend to those who are wanting to work on opening to the experience of greater life force energy. When I am able to concentrate on Tom's guidance and my breathing, I get very powerful results from this technique. I am sometimes challenged with concentration, this is my own issue, but Tom is good at guiding you back, keeping you focused if your thoughts wander.
Average customer rating:
- Music from the stars
- Magdalen songs
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Songs of Magdalen
Tom Kenyon
Manufacturer: Sounds True
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The Magdalen Manuscript
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The Ultimate Brain: Psychoacoustic Immersion
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Brain States
ASIN: 1591794471 |
Book Description
Songs and tonings by Tom Kenyon that were inspired by The Magdalen Manuscript.
Customer Reviews:
Music from the stars.......2007-08-10
From the moment I began listening to this music I felt my body relax allowing the sounds to penetrate the depth of my soul. For many days I listened to the entire tape each morning after my Qi Gong and meditation. The music seemed to get me through the day on a much calmer basis. Besides that, I listen to the 9th song every night before I go to sleep because that particular song has brought me to a state long desired; a state of ectstasy and bliss. After spending so many years on my healing I recognized the fact that this music was what penetrated the depths to give me some acceleration of all the good I aspire to. I cannot speak highly enough of it. I do not find a word to accurately describe its beauty, gentleness and peace.
Magdalen songs.......2007-04-01
Excellent CD - Very peaceful
it puts me in another deep space, very protected and safe
I often play it when life around me has been too rough
Tom Kenyon is a true gifted songwriter and more...
Book Description
Jack Taylor is walking the delicate edge of a sobriety he doesn't trust when his phone rings. He's in debt to a Galway tough named Bill Cassell, what the locals call a "hard man." Bill did Jack a big favor a while back; the trouble is, he never lets a favor go unreturned.Jack is amazed when Cassell simply asks him to track down a woman, now either dead or very old, who long ago helped his mother escape from the notorious Magdalen laundry, where young wayward girls were imprisoned and abused. Jack doesn't like the odds of finding the woman, but counts himself lucky that the task is at least on the right side of the law. Until he spends a few days spinning his wheels and is dragged in front of Cassell for a quick reminder of his priorites. Bill's goons do a little spinning of their own, playing a game of Russian roulette a little too close to the back of Jack's head. It's only blind luck and the mercy of a god he no longer trusts that land Jack back on the street rather than face down in a cellar with a bullet in his skull. He's got one chance to stay alive: find this woman. Unfortunately, he can't escape his own curiosity, and an unnerving hunch quickly turns into a solid fact: just who Jack's looking for, and why, aren't nearly what they seem.The Magdalen Martyrs, the third Galway-set novel by Edgar, Barry, and Macavity finalist and Shamus Award-winner Ken Bruen, is a gripping, dazzling story that takes the Jack Taylor series to explosive new heights of suspense.
Customer Reviews:
A Solid Third Entry Into the Jack Taylor Series.......2006-10-02
After reading The Guards a few years ago I have been avidly reading any and all of Ken Bruen's work I can get my hands on. His follow up to The Guards, The Killing of the Tinkers was just as good and fast paced.
I didn't burn through this one in a day or two like I did the first two books. The story definitely is not as urgent and Bruen takes his time to tell this story of, among many things, corruption in high places, revenge and betrayel. Jack Taylor himself is still up to his usual self abuse (drinking, many many drugs) and probably takes the worst dive into substance abuse he has yet to take.
The story itself is solid and the characters are unforgettable. While not as fast paced as the previous two in the trilogy, you just might take away more after finishing The Magdalen Martyrs.
Bruen is back.......2006-06-26
After an insipid effort, _The Dramatist_, I was delighted to see Bruen return to the outstanding standard set by _The Guards_ and _London Boulevard_. His writing is not only exquisite and lyrical; the story allows the characters room to develop, even this late in a series of linked novels. _Martyrs_ is outstanding.
Bruen's Third Jack Taylor Tale.......2006-03-23
"The girl was on her knees, polishing the floor. She was dressed in shapeless faded overalls. A spotless white apron bore witness to the laundry she was confined to." So begins Ken Bruen's third installment in the life of his alcoholic, reading, ex-police officer, a former member of the Guards, kicked out of course for excessive drinking. Bruen takes on the Catholic Church here and specifically the awful stain on it, what has become known as the Magdalen Martyrs where unwed mothers were kept literally as prisoners and were forced to do manual labor-- if they were lucky. Some did not survive.
Taylor is hired by Bill Cassell to find one Rita Monroe whom he describes as someone who helped his own mother escape from the awful Magdalen laundry. As usual, Taylor both drinks and reads anything-- from Yeats to Kafka to Khalil Gibran to Robin Cook-- and for one reason or another usually steps on his own feet in trying to carry out whatever his current mission is. Cathy and Jeff make return appearances as does Brendan Flood; the obnoxious Father Malachy; Jack's hated mother who has suffered a stroke; and one breath of fresh air, his landlady Ms. Bailey, the most decent of people.
In much the way Chuck Palahniuk has made the underbelly of Portland, Oregon his own, Bruen makes Galway his town although I'm not sure I want to visit all the places he would take me. Taylor-- as we expect-- sort of falls into figuring out what is going on, and we have the now obligatory surprise ending.
THE MAGDALEN MARTYRS is another Bruen grim tale that will hold you in its spell.
NYC avid reader of crime fiction and literature.......2005-12-09
Bruen is an entity unto himself. completely original characters, stories and style. he is a must-read if you are into crime fiction.
Drowning In the Darkness.......2005-11-07
Jack Taylor is a man unhappy in his own skin. He hates sobriety and he hates his drug and alcohol addictions. Not so much the addictions themselves but the mornings after or the days later after another mind wrecking binge is over. His thin control over the addictions is shaky from the very beginning of this dark read currently available in hardback. What keeps him sane and barely in control is his love for books and his library that he keeps with him when circumstances force him to move from place to place. They have once more made the journey with him as he is back in Bailey's Hotel and hating the holiday season because of the gloomy weather as well as what it represents. He is also very unhappy that Bill Cassell has found him and is calling in his marker. Cassell certainly isn't a friend and the fact that Jack owes him a debt, which forces him to do whatever Cassell wants, sours his mood completely.
On the face of it, it doesn't seem so bad after all as Cassell just wants him to find somebody. He wants Jack Taylor to find a woman that helped Cassell's mother escape the Magdalen laundry years ago. The Magdalen was a horrible place for unwed mothers run by the church in Ireland where appalling abuse was inflicted on the unfortunate young women sent there. The woman's name was Rita Monroe and if Jack does not find her, living or dead, Cassell will punish him severely.
Jack begins his assigned task and before long gets a very physical reminder from Cassell and his minions to work faster. And while, from one point of view the reminder works, on another level it unleashes forces within Jack that neither he nor Cassell can control. Not only does the terror of what was done to him push Jack to the edge of his sanity, his addiction demons are once more awakened and he works the case with a new vengeance-both on himself as well as those who stand in the way.
With frequent allusions by name as well as content to other authors and their novels, which range across a wide spectrum, the novel becomes part mystery read and almost part suggested reading list. As the pages pass, the author spins a darkly disturbing and mesmerizing tale of one man's struggle to remain sane and in some semblance of control while being powerless to stay sober. Jack's neuroses, which are many, quickly become the readers own as his world comes alive on the printed page. The tale is told in fragments and flashbacks in a choppy style overlaying a deep subtext of the pain within and the battle against it. The result is a jolting and intense experience that gives the reader something far different than from most books in the genre.
This entire review previously appeared online at the mystery morgue.
Kevin R. Tipple © 2005
Book Description
For the millions of readers fascinated by Dan Brown's revelations about Mary Magdalen in The Da Vinci Code, here, at last, is their chance to meet the Gospel's most provocative woman face to face-on her own terms.
Make way for a new Magdalen. Born on a Celtic isle to eight warrior-witch mothers, Maeve is raised to be as brave as any hero. In her stubborn, enchanting voice, she recounts her perilous quest for the young man, Esus, whose life she once saved from druid sacrifice. Captured and sold to a Roman Madam, Maeve is sustained by a fierce sense of identity, compassion for her sister whores, and her unquenchable love. When she wins her freedom and finds her lost lover, a stormy life begins for both as we follow the Passion story through the eyes of Jesus's partner-disciple to no man. Not even the One she loves. By turns feisty and funny, outrageous and tender, this Celtic Mary Magdalen challenges all stereotypes, both old and New Age, and brings us to transforming encounter with the divine feminine made flesh.
Elizabeth Cunningham is the author of the novels The Return of the Goddess and The Wild Mother. She comes from nine generations of Episcopal priests. Though she managed to avoid becoming an Episcopal priest, she was ordained as an interfaith minister of spiritual counsel in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. She balances writing with a counseling practice.
Customer Reviews:
That's it!.......2007-09-15
Of course that's how it happened. How else? Cunningham tells an exellent story, well researched and woven into the world of 2,000 years ago. It's alive and fantastic!
Chick lit goes to Rome.......2007-09-08
This is the first I've read of this author, who came recommended to me. Most likely the last. Written in the fluffiest "hey sistah" chick lit style I found it difficult to relate to and/or care about the heroine in the least little bit. I was expecting something along the lines of Anita Diamat's
The Red Tent and boy was I disappointed. Many times a reader can overlook a contrived plot if the character or story is interesting enough, but not in this case. Don't waste your time or your money on this one.
gleefully.......2007-08-13
I've just read Elizabeth Cunningham's The Passion of Mary Magdalen and I recommend it gleefully. In this fun, insightful, challenging, thoughtful, bittersweet & salty novel she reveals Christian & Pagan & Jewish in one whole, shows us the gospels freshly, and stirs our desires. At least, she did for me.
Cunningham navigates the lofty terrain with the grace of one who knows where she is and where she is leading us. Her writing is confident, clear, grounded, and always in motion. There are lots of opportunities to turn away - I confess I nearly put the book down in the first section after finding it to be just a period piece romance novel. But even then the character of Maeve Rhaud (aka Mary Magdalen), in Cunningham's prose, intimates an invitation to something more satisfying. And where she leads, into material long espoused and explained by synods and theologies and Sunday morning sermons, is new and you want to explore it for yourself.
My Magdalene, if you please.......2007-08-12
I got the two books at the same time, and ripped through _Magdalene Rising_ in a few evenings, then settled in for the long, winding road that is the second book. Cunningham's Magdalene is a wonderful character, utterly authentic to her period but someone very aware of ours. As an amateur historian of pre-Medieval Europe, I can say that her Rome and Palestine are as accurate as good research and fine art can make them.
As for the story: It's full of sex and food and flatulence, like life, but it is also a gritty view of the practicalities of love and duty and, finally, luminous when duty kills and love must endure. It's not a fast read, and I took a handful of breathers to read lighter fare -- Janet Evanovich's Plum novels, _Tin Roof Broke Down_, _Deadwood_ -- but stick with it. Most novels are a walk in the park. This one is a summer at Yellowstone: See the geysers, find the wolves, enjoy the air, watch out for bears.
Crazy-Wild Book.......2007-06-14
This tale about a celtic lass, Maeve, who lands in Rome, sold like so much meat, is led to experience her own 'passion' to a rebirth of a new life. If you read the first book this is a must, if not, this will do as a stand alone. It's a page turner.
Product Description
Divine Intimacy is undoubtedly the classic Carmelite work on meditation---a book that helps one arrive at intimate union with God by the practice of considering holy truths. It is a book that shows how to join prayer and action and put the Catholic doctrine on the spiritual life into practice daily. Divine Intimacy has been translated into all principal languages and has met with extraordinary success, bringing encouragement and spiritual profit to lay people as well as priests and religious. For each day of the year, Fr. Gabriel gives 1) a brief introduction, 2) a two-part meditation, followed by 3) a colloquy---holy acts of love, thanksgiving, petition, resolution, etc., addressed to Our Lord and based on the truths just meditated upon. About three pages are devoted to each day, so it reads quickly, and even the busiest person can use it regularly. The meditations for Sundays are based on the Sunday Gospel readings of the traditional liturgical calendar. Grounding his work on a firm Thomistic basis, Fr. Gabriel (1893-1953) draws from Sacred Scripture and the teachings of the great Carmelite Saints, including St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity. His goal---marvelously achieved---is to cover the whole doctrine of the spiritual life in the course of a year. This is a lifetime book---one that is conceived to be used each day and to be read over and over. Divine Intimacy imparts an absolutely Catholic view of life and prepares the reader for the greatest possible union with God this side of Heaven. Made in U.S.A. No. 2107. 5 1/4" x 8 1/4" 1,227 Pp. Leatherbound.
Customer Reviews:
Soaring with the Angels.......2007-03-16
This wonderful edition had been out of print for a few years. Used books were almost impossible to find. We should be so grateful that Tan Publishing has brought it back in print. Carmelite history and prayer began with Elijah on Mount Carmel. From Elijah has descended a long line of saints who have heard the voice of the Lord calling them to leave everything and come and drink from the holy steams of God. This book is an invitation for all to come and pray like the holy men and women of the past. The daily prayers and meditations will lift you to incredible heights. These prayers and meditations are not simply for recitation. When read slowly and reflectivedly, these devout outpourings have the power to snatch you up as well into the sublime intimacy of knowledge and love that our saints experienced in the divine mysteries. So, for a mystical experience and to increase your love for God, I strongly recommend this treasure that is timeless for its truth and beauty.
The .......2006-12-15
There are books beyond number that propose to gently lead a soul by the hand as it progresses through the steps of "Seeking the Face of God". Some of them make a brave attempt but loose the way through vague, sometimes incomprehensible writing. A very few succeed in fits and starts and soon return to my bookshelf to gather dust.
The answer to the search for a book that does exactly what its profound claims promise has ended with "Divine Intimacy"! This is not a small book at 1227 pages but it succeeds in every aspect on every page.
No need for a Theological degree (although many Theologians would profit from reading it) the writing is understandable, truly illuminating and relies on quotes from many saints for pithy quotes always "spot on" the point.
Being a former Religion teacher, Bible study leader, a Master of Formation in the Carmelite Third Order, an isolate Carmelite tertiary for over 30 years and also Oblate of St. Benedict I can assure you "Divine Intimacy" is true to the Faith and not some PC scree written for the balloon and banner crowd. I hate to mention credentials but I want you to realize I am not speaking through my hat here when I tell you that this book will lead you to closer union with Almighty God if you even give it half a try....
Awesome book!!.......2006-11-11
This is a great prayer book! I love mine and would highly recommend it to all!
Book Description
The debut of Marshal Salvatore Guarnaccia of the Carabinieri, a Sicilian, stationed in Florence.
It is just before Christmas and the marshal wants to go South to spend the holiday with his wife and family, but first he must recover from the flu (which has left the Florentine caribinieri short-handed) and also solve a murder. A seemingly respectable retired Englishman, living in a flat on the Via Maggio near the Santa Trinita bridge, was shot in the back during the night. He was well-connected and Scotland Yard has despatched two officers to "assist" the Italians in solving the crime. But it is the marshal, a quiet observer, not an intellectual, who manages to figure out what happened, and why.
In addition to the wonderful atmosphere of Florence, Magdalen Nabb has created a delightful investigator who has been described as "the most Maigret-like of contemporary policemen" by the Times Literary Supplement.
Customer Reviews:
Italian flavor? Not much........2007-04-30
Having really enjoyed Camilleri's Montalbano books, I was hopeful about this, especially after seeing such good reviews. I was greatly disappointed. The mystery itself was all right, although the red herrings were rather expected, but it was the feel of the story which was the greatest disappointment. Rather than having an Italian, much less Florentine, flavor permeate the story, I felt as if the author visited for local color and presented details without substance. Marshall Guarnaccia was barely in the story much of the time, and I got no feel for his personality or quirks. It was the English characters who had the most life, and that wasn't what I was looking for.The Terra-Cotta Dog: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery
For all the future reviwers- Pease do not spoil the mystery.......2004-04-14
I was going to read this book which looked nicely recomended but thanks to the kindly meant but unfortunately revealing review of Maiko Shimoi from Osaka, Japan I will not be reading this book.
Any one else who is planning to read the book please do not read Maiko's review...
Forza Firenze.......2002-05-09
The re-release of Magdalene Nabb's Florentine stories is long overdue ( and shame on her UK publisher for dropping her ).
Congratulations are due to SoHo Press for their continuing ressucitation of some of the finest crime writers ( Van Der Wetterring , Tokagi and Janes etc )who all seem to have been dropped in favour of half-witted serial killer clones.
These are some of the finest crime stories ever written and their evocation of Florence is flawless.Marshal Guarnaccia is one of the most engaging protagonists since Maigret and the stories have a similar emphasis on the observation of character and cause rather than Chritie-esque puzzles.In many ways the mystery seems secondary to Ms. Nabb's exceptional ability to draw the reader into the lives of her characters and the bustle of Florentine daily life.
Buy three copies, one to read and re-read to destruction , one to keep for the time when your first falls to bits and one to give to your best friend.
Brava Signora !
Books:
- Through a Glass, Darkly (Commissario Guido Brunetti Mysteries)
- 'Til Death Do Us Part
- Time's Arrow
- Tolerance Stack-Up Analysis
- Touching the Void: The True Story of One Man's Miraculous Survival
- Trash
- Twice-Upon-A-Time: Born and Adopted
- Twilight of the Superheroes: Stories
- Vegas Rich
- When the Rivers Run Dry: Water--The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-first Century
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