Book Description

A Woman's True Story of Heartache Turned to Joy

When Judy and Jim Robertson felt a spiritual void in their lives, they found "the finest people in the world" to embrace them and a beautifully packaged religion to entice them. Once drawn into Mormonism, they quickly climbed to leadership positions and became worthy temple Mormons, only to become disillusioned with the teaching and demands of the LDS church.

From her unique insider's viewpoint, Judy shares her life as a Mormon woman, her rediscovery of the Jesus of the Bible, and how she and Jim found freedom as they left the LDS church in the face of persecution and confrontation. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Very good part on the Temple, otherwise so-so
As an ex-mo, I thought the book was average. There are much better exposes of the LDS church ("No Man Knows My History" by F. Brodie, "Secret Ceremonies" by D. Laake, and "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church" by R. Abanes.)

The best part of this book is the chapter concerning the Temple ceremonies, which is very descriptive. Otherwise, I thought the book glossed over a lot of things, and was rather preachy. ("Get to a Christian church as soon as possible, before Satan grabs you!!") The argument about Mormonism not being a Christian faith is also flawed. The Church may have some different doctrine than a lot of other Christian denominations, but they do preach Jesus' life, example and teachings. The problem is a lot of the other stuff they throw in as well, which was not my personal cup of Mormon-forbidden tea.

You want a balanced view? Read as much about the Church from as many different sources as possible (including LDS, but particularly non-LDS literature), taking note of all personal biases and motives. There are better places to start than this book though. (See above)

A true view
This book truly describes a woman's perspective of the Mormon church and it's misleading teachings. Mrs. Robertson describes
The Temple ceremony in great detail, which most Mormon's fear to even discuss with close family members. It made me feel sick to my stomach to read what goes on in these secret ceremonies, because I was starting to accept Mormonism as a Christian religion, instead of the cult it TRULY is. I live in a huge Mormon community, and I see how unhappy most of my mormon woman friends are, now I know why. This book was extremely helpful to me.
Several of my friends who have left the church, and felt the persecution of this action have found this book an inspiration.

A little misleading
From the title and description I thought this book was going to be about someone facing the difficult decision of leaving Mormonism. The first half of the book does tell the story of converting to and then leaving the religion. However, the second half of the book seems to be an attempt at converting the reader to become an anti-Mormon. It seems to imply that the Mormons are a group of people that need to be saved from their own beliefs.

I have been a Mormom all my life and have now come to the conclusion that I do not believe much of what the LDS church teaches. However, I do not believe that the Mormon church is as evil as this book would imply.

I am also concerned about anyone promoting their religious ways as the only way. This author learned that she did not fit the mold of Mormonism. If anything, assuming that all peope are the same is the greatest problem with Mormonism. Shouldn't this have taught her that not all people would fit the mold of her particular type of Christianity?

By targeting Mormons as people that need to be saved, she is essentially promoting an attitude of distrust and hate toward anyone that happens to be a Mormon. Hate is never good for anyone.

Not what I was looking for
This book was not what I expected. I bought it because my sister is converting to Mormonism, much to the shock and displeasure of my family, and I wanted to learn more about the LDS Church, especially from someone who decided to leave it. I wanted a fair, factual, intelligent, balanced picture of Mormonism. I did not want something written with a harsh, narrow-minded "fundamentalist Christian" slant, like The God Makers. Well, that's what this book is. Near the end of the book, you will find out that the author and her husband were interviewed for The God Makers documentary, which, if you don't know, is an extremist, inflamatory, biased, unbalanced look at the Mormon church. This book does not provide a fair and balanced look at Mormonism, so if that's what you're looking for do not buy this book.

All true
all things are true in this book. Iw as baptized a Morm and left he group becasue bad things. So you must buy and realize as I come to know that bad again to you ... Read more

Book Description

Brother Andrew's ministry began with smuggling Bibles behind the Iron Curtain. His phenomenally successful book God's Smuggler was born from that mission.

But as communism in Eastern Europe declined, Brother Andrew shifted his focus to strengthening the Christian church within the Islamic world. In a time when a mass exodus of Christians has drained the Middle East of God's light, Brother Andrew headed into this war-torn land to bring hope and encouragement to those who remained.

Light Force recounts the continuing saga of Brother Andrew's most recent mission. Through dramatic true stories, readers get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at real people affected by the centuries-old conflicts in this volatile part of the world. Now readers can join Brother Andrew and fellow Open Doors missionary Al Janssen in their quest to strengthen God's light in the Middle East. These gripping accounts of Christians caught in the crossfire will captivate readers everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description

The rigor of becoming an Airborne Ranger is exceeded only by the challenge of being one - but those who join their ranks find fulfillment in something bigger than themselves. In the same way, pursuing God's objectives energizes our everyday lives. Former U.S. Army Ranger Chuck Holton shows how God oversees our training and gives each of us specific skills to accomplish the mission He has for us in this great spiritual war. Riveting action and powerful vignettes offer potent spiritual ammunition for the battles of every Christian serving in God's army. Find out what it takes to be a more elite soldier. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Good book
I'm currently non-denominational and chose to read this book for two reasons: I served in the same Regiment as Mr. Holton (different time period) and I'm currently at a crossroads in my life concerning the idea of organized religion.Simply stated, I'm a lost sheep amongst the herd.
So I figured maybe I could pick up a few jewels from this book. And I feel I did.
But to the interested reader, be aware that this book is heavy on Army speak, to the point that I think it would take the average reader some time to try and understand what he talks about. I thought his stories were humorous, but then again much of what he says I've done before. So just understand that and further understand it's STILL worth reading.
It's an excellent resource for any soldier who's struggling to find the application of God in his life. I came to a realization yesterday that I'm missing something and oddly enough this book appeared in my life the same evening (odd, huh?). Fortuitous as it was, I read it in a day and firmly believe he deals w/ real-life issues concerning combat, leadership, and most important, spirituality, which in turn makes for a very good, down-to-earth read.
Three stars for the subject it covers; casual, combat-disinterested readers may not enjoy (even though combat isn't the issue he's hinting at--it's really revelations LEARNED from it which is the pot of gold).
If you're compelled by anything I've said, check it out.

buy this book right now!!!
ok i'll make this quick. this is a book that will be read in my house for years to come... one of the best i have ever read. if you have any doubts about this book... forget them... this book demands a rating higher than 5...(...)

A More Elite Book
I read about this book in New Man Magazine.... And I must say... This is a great book for anyone to read... I have shared it already with atleast 5 people.... So do yourself a favor and pick it up.

Wonderful Read
This book is such an inspiration to soldiers and thier families that I would highly recomend it to anyone with a soldier or family member in the military.This book will encourage and inspire you.
Pick it up and see for yourself.

Wonderful Book
I know Chuck personally. I go to church with him. he is a great guy. you'll love this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Saint Teresa (1515-1582) is widely considered one of the greatest mystics and woman reformers of the Renaissance. Author Cathleen Medwick (a former editor at Vanity Fair and Mirabella) clearly invested an enormous amount of research into this impressive biography of a brazen and complicated woman. Although she broke many of the social rules for nuns and even women of her day (for instance, she slept under the stars, traveled at whim, and spoke her mind freely), it was her ecstatic raptures that made her so controversial. "Sometimes she dropped to the floor and was frozen in position for hours, unable to speak," writes Medwick. "At other times she conversed with God directly, a dangerous practice, the Inquisition often having its ear to the door." Readers will find a fascinating character in this fully flawed and charismatic Spanish saint. More delightfully, readers will appreciate Medwick's strong narration and sense of story that sustains us through Teresa's trials and tribulations--and expertly leads us to her final rapture. --Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (19)

A Labor of Love
This book was assigned for me to read in view of perhaps using it for a study group at my church, so I read it pretty closely. Cathleen Medwick must have spent years researching her topic with love and dedication: the book follows Teresa of Avila very closely and we come away feeling that we have been in the presence of a towering spirit, though always down to earth, humble, and obedient to her superiors as expected from a dutiful nun, who also happens to experience unbelievable extasies while remaining extremely business-savvy and diplomatic. The book is extremely well written, and the passages that are translated from Teresa's own writings are lively and engaging. It made me want to read Teresa's own works, especially her "Vida" and "The Interior Castle." One caution: Medwik doesn't baby her readers, and if she's first translated a Spanish word or term, she will be using that word without translation in the rest of the book, so you have to pay attention. I had trouble with the hundreds of characters that are introduced in this book with whom Teresa had dealings during her long life, but only very few take on flesh and bones in this biography beside herself and some of her confessors. An index of Spanish words, and a list of characters might have been helpful to the distracted reader. A very thorough scholarly work that can be enjoyed by any serious reader eager to get acquainted with Teresa's life and times.

Fascinating Historical Account of a Female Saint
I greatly enjoyed reading Cathleen Medwick's extraordinarily detailed biography of Saint Teresa of Avila. Saint Teresa shines forth as a fascinating historical figure in TERESA OF AVILA: THE PROGRESS OF A SOUL because she seemed to have an innate ability to continually seek the highest possible spiritual path throughout her life. Whenever temptation arose, she was willing to do whatever might be necessary to right herself again -- regardless whether the form of temptation or evil took human or supernatural form.

Medwick maintains a detached tone throughout this riveting story, which provides one with a better idea of what it was like to live in Saint Teresa's time (with the Inquisition wreaking havoc in the lives of some spiritual people). Descriptions of how Teresa must have felt as she experienced amazing spiritual epiphanies are handled with grace and aplomb by Medwick, who shares the facts without ever stooping to speculation nor overly exalting Teresa.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to better understand what life was like for a spiritual woman in 16th century Europe whose utmost desire was to be as close to God as possible.

A nice enough tale about an important saint
Some reviewers complain this book does not describe Teresa's mysticism. This is true. Perhaps the subtitle is confusing, but the inside jacket flap will tell you there will be little mysticism discussed in the book. For those of you considering this book over the Internet, let me reiterate: this is not a book on mysticism.

That said, this compelling book describes the life of one of Catholicism's most prominent saints. It works as a foil to the saint's own writings. Reading Teresa's works alone tell you little about her world. Lacking context, you cannot hope to understand why she was writing what she wrote, the way she wrote it, and what she was really trying to say (without saying it directly). Medwick does not psychoanalyze Teresa. The book is a rather dry history.

For this reason, I *really* recommend Gillian Ahlgren's "Teresa of Avila and the Politics of Sanctity" and Alison Weber's "Teresa of Avila and the Rhetoric of Femininity". These two books more clearly depict the contours of the battles between Teresa and the Church. As a woman mystic, Teresa caused all sorts of problems: women could not teach theology, yet she was a teacher. Following her death, the Church "de-feminized" the saint in a process sad, chilling, and instructive. Unfortunately, these two books are fairly academic - big words, complex sentences, and sometimes impenetrable logic. (A warning to those who avoid those sort of things.)

Saint Teresa's writings speak for themselves
I have read almost everthing that St. Teresa of Avila wrote. My favorite book is the Interior Castle. While Ms. Medwick is obviously a scholar, I found her 'biography' of St. Teresa to be lifeless and depressing. The author never seems to grasp the essence of St. Teresa's relationship with "His Majesty" and her identification with Christ's suffering. You don't need this book to provide 'revelations' on Teresa's faults and frailties. St. Teresa lays them out for all of us to see in her own writings, and very honestly. Medwick seems to make fun of St. Teresa (sometimes slyly), and I found the book to be hostile to its subject. I would really like to know her motivation in writing this book. It will be the first book I have ever thrown in the trash. And I LOVE books. If you want to read this book, read the works of St. Teresa FIRST. Also, more insight into the transformative powers of St. Teresa's writings can be found in the life and writings of some of her followers, including Edith Stein.

great disappointment
Although Medwick is an assiduous researcher, she is a relentlessly dreary writer. Anyone interested in the life, mind, spirit and times of Teresa of Avila should look elsewhere. Lots of details as to where Teresa went when; lots of names of supporters and persecutors, ad nauseum. All in all, an awful book. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Close the Dragon Gate
Great disservices to people whom are searching for information and enlightenment on Taoism. The authors used a map of china and a few books on Taoism to take the reader on an almost 300 page fairy tale coated to read like a biography. The characters shift personality quicker than a chameleon does color. I think there is a story in the book but the contrived situations get in the way.

Seems to be a fake
This book looks like pure advertisment of Wang Liping who is said to be chosen as 18th generation transmitter by one Taoist sect. Difficult to read because every second page I stumbled over direct or masked praise on Wang Liping / sect abilities. In the end (as expected) Wang Liping finishes with giving lectures to hundreds of students of Qigong. Special pages dedicated to how simple Wang lives, etc. Taoist teachings are scattered all over the book and don't give the impression of integrity.

One quote from the 1st page: "Over the preceding years the three Taoist masters had been engrossed in secret consultations about the matter of utmost importance, not only to them but to the world at large... trying to find a successor ...". Well after this matter important to the whole world I already assumed that money spent on book was wasted.

Quite a good tale...
This is a similar book to Deng Ming Dao's "Wandering Daoist" only the story of Wang Liping's training is not embellished in the manner of Saihung. Although I'm sure the average western practitioner of Qigong will likely shake his/her head regarding some of the 'training' methods used by the three old masters it is a good reminder of what one used to have to (and perhaps still should?) undergo before getting into serious practice. It is interesting how, right from the start, Wang Liping demonstrated many qualities essential to following the Tao including great patience and humility.

The book follows his initial training including stints in a hole in the ground and under a large cast-iron kettle. It then follows his journery with his masters into the mountains just as the Cultural Revolution began to sweep across China. Along the way many lessons are imparted including some interesting methods of cultivating with trees. The main portion of the story ends with Wang Liping's return to his village and subsequent marriage (!) as his masters admonish him to carry on the way in a form suitable for the new age.

The book finishes with some commentary on Wang Liping's present activities including some stories from his group training sessions - some of the first held in China as strict controls on Qigong began to be lifted.

I enjoyed the story as well as the information contained in here. There are some great views on meditation, including the aforementioned tree style, in addition to the overview of his training. There are also some very interesting tidbits about the location of the lower Dantien shifting in relation to the cultivator's distance from the equator. There is also an interesting comment that there are meridians within the body that are not terminated - that is, they are open to the universe.

Recommended...

Personal Experience
After reading this book, I had the fortune to meet a long time student of Wang LiPing and to study with this student for two years. He taught many of the techniques spoken of in the book and demonstrated a number of them. My teacher is now studying with a Buddhist master and has no vested interest in supporting Wang LiPing, however he vouched that Wang LiPing in fact demonstrated to him and many other students in china many of the techniques discussed in the book such as the weather changing, dream control and so forth. There were also a number of other things not discussed in the book. At any rate, based on my experiences with the techniques and based on my teacher's abilities and his stories of studying with Wang LiPing, this book is a true account of what Wang LiPing went through.

As for the way it is written, I found it to be mostly fascinating but it doesnt have the prose that Deng Ming Dao's books have and so it is difficult reading in certain places. On the other hand, this account is a true story, unlike Deng Ming Dao's trilogy and so if you are truly interested in Taoism this book is a must.

An invaluable document of contemporary Taoism
I can vouch that this is a truly astounding and brilliant book, as you would only expect it be - (look at the other books Cleary has translated, and tell me that a man with his skill and judgement would waste his time on something worthy of a one or two star review.) It comprehensively covers Wang Liping's full training and in doing so thoroughly discusses the philosophy and principles of Taoism. Along the way it details numerous Taoist practices, some only in as far as is safe or possible. Wang's apprenticeship takes place on the road over the Cultural Revolution, and is also unusual in that Wang has three teachers from two generations - a grandmaster and two mentors. The narrative is rich with annecdote, explanation and detail, though if your feeling sluggish, keeping an eye on the scope and depth of what is being gestured towards can prove a little testing at best. As such it can in fact make for disconcertingly easy reading - (most of it was related to two of Wang Liping's students by Wang Liping himself over a series of meetings.) As a document of Taoism as it stands today this book is particularly valuable: it sets out the monumental tasks, responsibilities and difficulties facing a lineage holder during China's uneasy settling after a century's upheaval and, perhaps most importantly, it unceasingly places Taoist philosophy and practice in the context of contemporary knowledge and epistemology. What becomes abundantly clear on reading the authors' lucid explanations is that in its interaction with modern knowledge Taoism is set to become the science par excellence and that, in essence, it is just that already. anguspretty@hotmail.com ... Read more

Book Description

"From its opening pages, in which she recounts her own premature birth, triggered by terrifying rumors of an incipient pogrom, Bernstein's tale is clearly not a typical memoir of the Holocaust. She was born into a large family in rural Romania...and grew up feisty and willing to fight back physically against anti-Semitism from other schoolchildren. She defied her father's orders to turn down a scholarship that took her to Bucharest, and got herself expelled from that school when she responded to a priest/teacher's vicious diatribe against the Jews by hurling a bottle of ink at him...After a series of incidents that ranged from dramatic escapes to a year in a forced labor detachment, Sara ended up in Ravensbruck, a women's concentration camp, [and] managed to survive...she tells this story with style and power." -Kirkus Reviews

"There are many recent accounts of Holocaust victims, but this work stands alone as a testimony to personal strength and an independent spirit." -Library Journal

"Extraordinary." -Booklist

"An engrossing history lesson as well as an important archive." -Faye Kellerman
"Well-told...deserves a prominent place in the archive of Holocaust survival stories." -Publishers Weekly

"One of the best of the recent wave of Holocaust memoirs"(Kirkus Reviews)

--An ALA choice for the Top Ten Best Books for Young Adults, and the second-place winner in the General Trade Nonfiction category at the New York Book Show
--Includes an introduction by Edgar M. Bronfman
--Written by a strong woman with a colorful and unusual story to tell, this book is a standout in a popular subgenre of the memoir form ... Read more

Reviews (30)

A Review of The Seamstress
My fathers family from Romanian perished in the Holocaust and I was curious about the history of the Romanian Jews which is why I chose this book. I read it in four days. Seren is the type of person you will never forget. It was her courage and the loyalty she had to her sister Esther and to Ellen and Lily that kept them alive. It is told in a very straight forward manner and Seren never glosses over the facts. I am aamzed that she was able to survive the camps and the trainride near the end of the book and that she continued to use that strength to get her past the war and to her married life and a mother to her children. I highly recommend this book, and not just to those of a Jewish heritage but to anyone because of the inspiration I found in this book. Seren Tuvel is a woman I would have been honored to know.

One of the finest books I've read in some time.
The Seamstress is a spellbinding book, and is certainly unlike other books about the Holocaust. A moving posthumous memoir, this book should make everyone's "must-read" list. The author tells her remarkable and unusual story with grace and power. She was a rural Romanian Jewish woman born at the time of the rise of the Nazis and virulent anti-Semitism in early part of the 20th century. This book reminds us of the importance not only of courage itself, but how courage combined with other strengths can permit us to survive (if not always overcome) evil. A fine, fine book.

Captivating Memoir
In the early 1030s, as Hitler grasped his power tightly; the Jews began to be treated very unfairly. For years they had been considered "dirty", but their lives were about to become miserable. During the 1930s many Jews and others who would have hurt the Nazi beliefs, like homosexuals, Jehovah's Witness believers, and other "criminals", were put into concentration camps and basically not allowed to live.
The story of Seren Tuvel, a young, Jewish woman, is a story of courage and will to survive. Seren was always different from her family, for she had no intention of staying in the home her whole life. She left her family behind in a village in Romania and moved to Budapest to study while she was still a young teenager. In school, Seren was teased for being a Jew, though she did not look like a Jew. Seren had long, blonde hair and blue eyes, just like anyone native to the land she was living. When she was in Budapest, she quit school and became a seamstress. Soon, as Germany gained power, the Nazis slowly crept into her life, taking away her rights and some of her dignity, just because she was Jewish. It was not difficult for her to find jobs, like it was for other Jews, because Seren looked like a Gentile. As the war in Europe went on, her family dispersed to different places, like Israel or to different cities in Romania and Hungary, but the Jews soon would not be able to travel. Before long, Jewish men were taken into the labor force to support Hungary. Only weeks after that, the women were also forced to help support their enemy. Seren, her sister, and two friends met up at this point and would stay together to survive. They went through the work camps, leaning on each other for survival.
Seren Tuvel must have known how important her story of courage was, because just years after moving to America, she began to write her story. Seren (Sara) Tuvel-Bernstein wrote her memoir magnificently. Her leadership, love, and devotion to her loved ones, were revealed in such a precious manner that the reader cannot help but love her. Seren wrote, "I felt completely responsible for these three young girls[Seren's sister and two friends]; to me we were all sisters. I had to do everything in my power to enable us to remain alive." She revealed the truth in her own perspective and still showed some of the perspectives of the others around her, for example what her family and friends though of the events that had been happening.
A great strength shone through the book as Seren told the readers exactly what she had been through, although all of what she said was her interpretation of the event. She confessed her feelings about people, even a man named Samuel, with whom she did not have the feelings that he had for her. After he had told her his feelings and she told him something that made him very happy she wrote, "What in the world have I let myself in for now?" Seren let Samuel think that she had the same feelings for him, while, really, she had no intention of settling down with anyone. There were other instances where Seren told the reader her thoughts during all the horrible events in her life that she had not told many other people. Writing those confessions gave her memoir a strong truth and power.
Although Seren expressed how she felt easily, the people around her, especially the family members, were not well depicted. Two very important family members, her sisters Esther and Zipporah were some of the members that were somewhat confusing. Those two people were not easily recognizable in the beginning. Once the sisters got their share of being alone with Seren, they got their own distinct voice. They each should have gotten that closer to the beginning of the story.
The memoir of such a great survivor during the Holocaust is a fantastic book to read. A reader will see what Seren Tuvel and the other Jews went through and get close to really getting to know the author. Seren does not get gory and give too many horrifying details of anything that happened, but the readers see enough to really feel what the prisoners of the Nazis went through. The story is absolutely amazing! It is not fast-paced, but Seren keeps the reader hooked and shows what her life was like.

Captivating
Like others, I could not put this book down. Seren's story was captivating--she was incredibly strong in the face of horror. The fact that she was not German and explains what happened to the Jews in Eastern Europe gave me a perspective I have not had. And, like other reviewers, I found her lack of bitterness amazing. This was the first Holocaust book I've read which made me understand that people had no idea what happened to members of their families. I knew it before; this time I felt it.

Heartwrenching!
I read it in one sitting. This book really touched me as no other has. I'm a 'tough guy', but sobbed like a baby at one particular point...but I won't give it away! I've collected some great WWII biographies, and this one tops the list. ... Read more

Book Description

"There are some things about God that, were I to stop believing them, my world would change color, my hope would turn sour, and the meaning of my life would be yanked inside out."

In this moving spiritual memoir, finished shortly before his death in December 2002, Lewis Smedes, beloved teacher and best-selling author, takes readers through his own lifelong walk with God.

In "My God and I" Smedes gives voice to both the struggles and the joys of his life, revealing his deepest questions to a God who would never let him go and expressing his eager anticipation of the day when, as God promises, all things will be made new. "It has been ‘God and I' the whole way," Smedes writes. "Not so much because he has always been pleasant company. Not because I could always feel his presence when I got up in the morning or when I was afraid to sleep at night. It was because he did not trust me to travel alone."

Yet "My God and I" is more than Smedes's personal account of his travels with God — the theological odyssey that was his life. Like all his writings, this book also models and instructs. Through his honest confessions on the nature of Christian faith, Smedes offers gentle insights not just about God but also about human life and how it can and should be lived. And for those interested in the particulars of Smedes's professional life, these pages include many anecdotes by one whose career was linked closely with shifting currents in modern theology and with some of America's premier educational institutions.

Above all, "My God and I" will provide a source of spiritual comfort to those who, like Smedes, continue to strive after the presence of God. It will also be a cherished good-bye for the many people who have been touched by the wisdom, wit, and charm of Lewis Smedes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

ever present God
Once in a while a writer opens their soul so they can touch ours. My God and I is memoir with theological depth. Lewis Smedes shares his wounds with forward movement. He reminds us that we all have wounds, but how have they and will they shape us. I am thankful for his constant reminder that God is present, even if we can't or don't want to believe it.

Thank you so much.I miss you, Dr.Lewis B.Smedes.
I am shame for myself for almost 30 years because my grade is bad and leave the school.I lost any confidence about myself(this is the tragedy of Taiwan's students).Thank God, He save me in this very moment,and lead me to work at Literature Department of Campus Evangelical Fellowship in Taiwan.in here I read the chinese dition of Dr.Lewis B.Smedes's works,He encourage me to discern the difference between sin and shame, healing me gradually,release me from accusation from my own heart.Just receive the grace of God,forgive and forget is the best way to face the past,hold God' promises is the best way to face today and uncertain future.
This is especially true for me,and now I realize this is a spiritual warfare.only by God's grace can I live modestly and happily.I thank Dr.Lewis B.Smedes so much that I want to interview him personally.unfortunely, He was die last year's December,but I more precious his work,because he still speak to me with his works.comfort me through his gentle words and remind me the life of Christian is a warfare, need to take up the whole armor of God.
Thank you so much. I miss you, Dear Dr. Lewis B. Smedes. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Learning about a life of growing in the spirit with God
There is a formative sense to his writings, a recollection in faith and God
that is delicately wrought and said with a sense of the imminence of God in
his life as a young man, and the beauty of poetry. I like that he comes to
the subject of generations and of the various human forces of mankind in
twentieth century history with a willingness of being open to some
imaginative life that seems touched with the Holy Spirit. I wonder about
this man of Christ, and his life that is lived in a way that is really
outside my experience and observation (saintly); here is Dom Bede's genuineness in faith
and his own religious devotion. When reading the work, I sought: I want some of that richness that is
tenderly present. I understand this to be his first book. One reason to read the work for me I found is to look for it to open me, and there I found a kind of widening of the vista where there
is a wind that blows that says this is a strong current in our lives. Here in this book, an autobiography of a man of God, there is a larger sense of the Christian faith ecumenical, a to
be of our future, yet with the promise of Christ that says we are this
unique group, Christian. The book is about the modern world. So it comes to me that way, and as I go through
it I sought some taste of the wisdom that is inherent in what is a
life that is gifted with the Grace of God. Certainly there is the inter-religious, and some notes to understanding an inner dialogue including the dialogue of prayer. Someone needs to want to read this kind of work to enjoy it in that light. The slim volume is good for reflection and meditation. One reflection it offered me was newly awakened: to think of charity. This "Golden String" is a holy kind of history. For me I continue seeing it as a kind of religious record and writing. The book was recommended by a monk to me. He said it was like reading something by Thomas Merton.

One of the World's Greatest Spiritual Autoiographies
This book is a very truthful look at one man's struggle to find the meaning of life. It is a fascinating look at a very complicated and sensitive individual. He describes his spiritual journey from agnostic to Roman Catholic monk in candid detail. He details his early agnsoticim, hisepiphany during his final year at Oxford, his friendship with C.S. Lewis,his Waldenesque experiment. his pantheistic pagan nature worship along withthe poets who he was inlfuenced by and finally his discovery of theorthodox Christian tradition, rebellion against rationality and journey toIndia. Griffiths reveals himself to be an unusually ecumenical man, findingwisdom in the Gita, Dhammapada and Dao de King as well as the gospels. hemakes no attempt to gloss over the inconsistencies in the gospels, butintimates how they echoed the things that he had come to believeindependently of the Bible. The main fault of the book was that hiseventual conversion to orthodoxy seemed to be somewhat improbable -- we arestill left wondering how it is that such a man was eventually able toreconcile the butchery and savagery in so much of the Bible as well as muchof the moral corruption with the mystical god that he claims to have known.he also identified the Catholic church with the "mystical body ofChrist" (Hooker) but fails to reconcile this with the church's historyas one of the most brutal and repressive institutions in western history.He mentions that the 12th century was the height of human intellect andcreativity, that Giotto and the medeival thinkers and artists were farsuperior to those of the renaissance (which he absurdly regards as the"beginning of the decline" of human acheivement) without giving avery good notion as to why he thinks this. The problem of his conversionwas really still a mystery after I had finished the book -- it just didn'tseem to fit somehow. Readers may do well to keep in mind that this book waswritten while he was in his late 40's and that he still had not assimilatedthe wisdom that he was to learn in his 40+ years in India -- this book,therefore, is a rather immature work, but is essential readers for allinterested in modern religion, mysticism or comparative religion. Ipersonally found this book of more value than Augustine's"Confessions". I think you will too.

From Atheism to Spiritual Depth where East Meets West
After Oxford Bede Griffiths started life as an atheist who felt the need for 'something more.'He first found it in nature and the English poets Wordsworth and Coleridge.He pursued this further with the study ofphilosophy, went through Descarte, Kant and into Coleridge's synthesis withPlatonic concepts.Griffith believed he was also a communist, or certainlya socialist, in the pre-World War II days.

Richer experiences withnature led him to a belief that what he found in nature was what he alsohad heard preached from church pulpits in his childhood.This led himfirst to the Anglican Church, then to the Catholic church because he wantedto become a Benedictine monk.

Once taking his final vows he remainedcontent in a monastery in England.Eventually he was invited to help outat a Benedictine monastery in India. There he began to learn Sanskrit andstudy Hindu and Buddhist scriptural classics.He left that monastery aftera few years at an invitation to join an even stricter Cistertian monasteryin another part of India.

He became strongly influenced by thespirituality of the principle religious philosophy of India, Vedanta.Hecombined Vedantic spiritual practices with Christian monastic practices andeventually established a Christian ashram with overtones ofIndianHinduism.There he and his monks' practices include meditating twice aday, praying the eight Benedictine monastic hours, and reading thescriptures of the three principle religious traditions -- Judeo-Christianbible, Hindu-Buddhist scriptures and Moslem Koran -- at each of the eightcanonical hours.This ashram/monastery has become famous for its broadecumenical practices.

The Golden String is one of the great spiritualbiographies of the world. ... Read more

Book Description

With eloquence, candor, and simplicity, a celebrated author tells the story of his father's alcohol abuse and suicide and traces the influence of this secret on his life as a son, father, husband, minister, and writer. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

An Act of Love
"I not only have my secrets, I am my secrets. And you are your secrets. Our secrets are human secrets, and our trusting each other enough to share them with each other has much to do with the secret of what it is to be human."

In Telling Secrets, Buechner does just that. He tells the details of his most intimate life. He tells of his struggles and his tortuous search for answers to life. And Buechner finds some answers. He finds that so much of the secret of live is to love and to love means being able to lay bare that core of our being, that soul with the "print of God's thumb still intact." And this book is just that. In an tremendous act of love, Buechner is baring his most essential soul and allowing the reader to connect and learn.

It's difficult for me to express how much I love this book. It is short, but each page holds enough wisdom to fill volumes. Telling Secrets is a book that has earned a prestigious spot on my bedstand where I can reach it easily the times I need it most.

Enabling Truth to Heal
This book is a must-read for anyone who counsels, ministers and teaches others, because it is a soul searching quest for truth. The author reveals the painful and heretofore submerged past of his childhood, and with each revelation or insight, he is one step closer to healing. Thus we are encouraged to do the same - to relinquish secrets that cause guilt and pain is a necessary step to healing. The writing style flows as though we are witness to the author's personal journal, yet the story is amplified so that we the reader can appreciate the lessons he learned from life experiences. A refreshing aside to the book is the author's vulnerability in re-opening certain wounds and through faith is finally able to release and heal. We too are encouraged to let go and let God!

TRUST
This has been one of the most moving texts I have read in many years, both emotionally and spiritually. No book has touched me to the core at this point in my journey than "Telling Secrets" - for Buechner has pricked my heart like no other.

In an unassuming style and a tender but poingient language, Buechner draws out of the reader their own secrets, portraying the healing that comes from vulnerability, and helping us become human along the way.

This is not merely a Christian or spiritual book, but a book wrapped around humanity which encompasses our faith, feelings, hearts, minds and bodies.

Thank you Fredrick for your secrets.

powerful
In this little reflective book, Buechner shows us the importance of recollection... the redeeming quality of memory. As in all of his autobiographical work, Buechner is remarkably transparent and honest. Whether or not you have enjoyed his fiction, (and I have) I believe there is something here for us all to relate to and identify with. Two passages in the book are very TELLING as they apply to the SECRETS that we all have: Firstly, "We cannot undo our old mistakes or their consequences any more than we can erase old wounds that we have both suffered and inflicted, but through the power that memory gives us of thinking, feeling, imagining our way back through time we can at long last finally finish with the past in the sense of removing its power to hurt us and other people and to stunt our growth as human beings." Secondly, "It is through memory that we are able to reclaim much of our lives that we have long since written off by finding that in everything that has happened to us over the years God was offering us possibilities of new life and healing which, though we may have missed them at the time, we can still choose and be brought to life by and healed by all these years later."

Reading the first two books in the memoir series (The Sacred Journey and Now And Then) are not prerequisites to enjoying this one, for its message is self-contained. But if you start here, you'll want to look into the others.

A profound, accessible book by an overlooked author
Buechner is an overlooked author who produces profound insights and writes in a vivid, accessible style. The book opens with a recollection of his father's suicide when Buechner was a boy. It is told without a trace of self-pity, yet captures a youngster's perspective. He writes of his mother's damaging narcissism without any of the rancor typical in contemporary memoir, most likely because he can place his life story in the context of his Christian faith. While he writes from a Christian viewpoint, his story and its theme about being open about our complete selves will touch anyone who has felt loss and doubt.

It is a slim volume, written with a novelist's eye for detail. If only all theologians could communicate like this. ... Read more

Book Description

Jon Katz, a respected journalist, father, and husband, was turning fifty. His writing career had taken a dubious turn, his wife had a demanding career of her own, his daughter was preparing to leave home for college, and he had become used to a sedentary lifestyle. Wonderfully witty and insightful, Running to the Mountain chronicles Katz's hunger for change and his search for renewed purpose and meaning in his familiar world.

Armed with the writings of Thomas Merton and his two faithful Labradors, Katz trades in his suburban carpool-driving and escapes to the mountains of upstate New York. There, as he restores a dilapidated cabin, learns self-reliance in a lightning storm, shares a bottle of Glenlivet with unexpected ghosts, and helps a friend prepare for fatherhood, he confronts his lifelong questions about spirituality, mortality, and his own self-worth. He ultimately rediscovers a profound appreciation for his work, his family, and the beauty of everyday life--and provides a glorious lesson for us all.
... Read more

Reviews (76)

Living a dream
Running to the Mountain is your basic mid-life crisis story except that Jon Katz -- for all his protestations of financial woes -- managed to afford to do what the rest of us would love to do: buy a little cabin in the woods, fix 'er up, and live the country life, watching the sun set. Sounds wonderful to me and more power to Katz for managing it.

The heart and soul of the book was lacking for me. It wasn't emotional enough. He outlined his concerns regarding his career, marriage and daughter, the changes in the lives of his friends, the lack of acceptance in our society for men who work at home while the wife does the nine-to-five dance, but he laid them out as simple facts. The emotional turmoil and confusion associated with mid-life re-evaluations (I'm in denial about having a "crisis") is not there.

His relationships with the locals was interesting and his observations of Thomas Merton and his writings were excellent.

For all of us who dream of escape, here's one for us! Just fill in the emotional blanks to suit yourself.

A wonderful book for all us aging boomers
I first encountered Jon Katz through his mystery novels about a downsized Wall Street type turned suburban private investigator. I liked his stuff. Then, I discovered the Jon Katz who writes on internet and freedom issues for slashdot.org and the Freedom Forum. I like him even more.

Then I read his latest book, Running to the Mountain. It's about aging and spirituality written around his purchase of a cabin in upstate New York and an attempt to write a book on Thomas Merton while there.

Books on these topics are often more preachy than insightful. Running to the Mountain isn't preachy at all. In fact, it's hysterically funny in places. In between the laughs, it got me to think more than I have in years about parenting and other relationships, where I'm going with the last third of my career, and, of course, the last half of my life.

It is by far the best book I've ever read on spirituality and personal growth and is a must for all us aging boomers.

UNEXPECTED TREAT
I first read A Dog Year (because I have a Border Collie too) and really enjoyed Jon Katz style....so I ordered Running to the Mountain not knowing what to expect. I was more than entertained, enlightened and even "introspected" (if that's a word). I just wish I had read it first, before A Dog Year, as I would have appreciated all the references and time spent at the cabin with the dogs. Can't wait to read his latest.

Thomas Merton Deserves Better
I read this because I enjoy John Katz's work and also Thomas Merton's [having spent a week at the Abbey at Gethsemani last year]. While the book is entertaining, the idea of it having anything to do with Merton's quest for solitude, contemplation and a soul jouney is misleading. Had Katz ever [even for a week], turned off the computer, telephone, CD, TV, etc. he might have had a chance at interior change. His reasoning that, unlike Merton, he had found inner peace.....was self-serving. He may tell himself that he wanted to take a spiritual jouney with Merton [page 14], but he was never willing to do the "work."

Midlife angst on a mountaintop
Ready to escape from his world -- Manhattan and a well-paid dream job that "lots of people would covet," Katz first escaped to the life of a writer. Approaching fifty, he now finds a house in "a small corner of upstate New York," where he retreats to write and cogitate for several months. Accompanying him are a dead monk and two dogs, as he says. The monk is Thomas Merton, whose presence begins to seem real as Katz carves out a contemporary version of a hermitage.

I found some of the soul-searching a little embarrassing to read. This author, a product of years of psychoanalysis, has no qualms about sharing his thoughts. However, the reflections on midlife are right on. Katz's doubts (yet another comeback?) are real and realistic. Read his thoughts on the "lonely generation:" with no guidance from parents or ancestors, we have to face change.

Worth a read as a role model for those who feel the call of the mountains. ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents the lives of twenty well-known and little-known Christians in search of the pattern which leads to the abundant life Jesus promised. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

An eye-opener for anyone hungry for more of God
I come from a non-charismatic background so I was cautious about anyone offering special solutions for the Christian's spiritual life. But Edman presents case after case of people whom God touched in unique ways but all had these three things in common: they were hungry for more; they had a second experience AFTER conversion and this experience with God proved to be a turning point in their walk with their Lord. A great book for people who are open to more of God. Is totally unbounded by denominational lines. Shows that while God deals uniquely with the searching heart, he is predictable and faithful. If I may add a personal word, this is one of the top 10 books that have influenced my whole life. I am glad to see it is still in print! You will be too! If you are hungry for God and His kingdom, this book is for you.

From Performing to Abiding
If you've reached the place in your Christian walk where you find you're running on a tiring performance treadmill offering no end and no rest, then V. Raymond Edman's They Found the Secret is the book for you, because it certainly was for me. I was prompted to get this book after hearing Charles Stanley speak and write about it on several occassions. In my own walk, I had no peace, no rest. Ministry was just work, work, work. If I could have transferred certain people to the Aleutians, I'd have done it. That's when this book came around. Through very simply written mini-bio's, V. Raymond Edman explains how each person literally "stumbled" into the abiding life (John 15), and how after stumbling into it, their Christian walk and life was revolutionized. Such is my own testimony. Regardless of your personality type, in one or more of these sketches, you'll see yourself and what you need to let go of. Once you do, then you, too, will have found the secret.

Get this book!
When a very well-known SB pastor said this book "Absolutely revolutionized" his Christian life, I thought it was at least worth the minimal cost to see what he felt was so important. WOW! How simple! I have been a christian since age 12, raised in Church, PK, Sun morning, Sun night, Wed night, Thurs visitation, church pianist, etc etc etc all my life - how could I have missed this point??? How I wish I'd known it all these years. What a joy! What a relief! What a secret...

A wonderful sampling of authors who Abide in Christ
How often do you get to find a dozen or so new favorite authors, all in one book?

A very balanced book with authors from every type of ministry and experience but similar messages told in their own ways...

Should be a must-read for anyone who loves the Lord.
Next to the Bible, the Secrets book has had a huge impact on my life. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking a deeper relationship with Christ.

No where in the book did it claim that these people went on to leave perfect lives once receiving the Holy Spirit, that would mean they were without sin, which is, of course, an impossibility. It does claim, however, that there IS more than Sunday Christianity. The book shows how these saints wanted a more intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus. They realized that there must be more to Christianity than what they felt in themselves and saw in their churches.

The Secrets book introduces you to the third person of the Triune God: the Holy Spirit and the work he will do in your life.

This is NOT a charasmatic book. It is one you will not want to put down and one that you will re-read many times over. You will find yourself praying for the presence of the Holy Spirit in your own life as it convicts you of unbelief and neglect of allowing the Holy Spirit to move in your life.

I would urge anyone seeking a closer walk with Christ to read this inspirational book. I would pray it make as large an impact on your life as it has on mine. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

A Highly Recommended Biography of Mormonism's First Lady
This is one of the finest examples of what can be accomplished when diligent and skillful historians of Mormonism move beyond their religious biases and seek to understand a subject rather than engage in religious polemics. Written by Linda King Newell and Valeen Tippetts Avery, this biography of Emma Smith, the wife of Joseph Smith Jr., the Mormon founder, presents a sweeping and dramatic portrait of this remarkable woman.

Generally accepted as a pathbreaking book, "Mormon Enigma" rehabilitated the image of Emma Smith as the obstinate and faith-shirking figure that had long held sway among the Mormons and at the same time debunked the image she enjoyed in Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, now the Community of Christ, which she joined in 1860. In that tradition she was "holier than thou," a good samaritan who faithfully discharged her responsibilities to ensure that her son, Joseph Smith III, became president of that dissident group. In both instances the result was positive. The book placed Emma Smith into an interpretive framework which taught Mormondom much about its trials and sacrifices, triumphs and tragedies. The work made possible, along with other historical workds, a major reinterpretation of the formative period of Mormonism.

This book is must reading for anyone who even pretends to be well-versed in the history of Mormonism. Buy it, read it, pass it on to your friends.

Enlightening scholarship
Perhaps the most accurate biography of Emma Smith. The authors, one a member of the LDS (Mormons,) and the other a member of RLDS (Reorganized LDS), represent the events of Emma's life with a respectable balance of sensitivity and scholarly detachment.

Without resorting to theological conclusions or endorsements, Mormon Enigma presents the difficutlies associated with Emma's marriage to the charismatic religous leader, Joseph, and gives insights into the turmoil that accompanied her throughout her life. Her opposition to polygamy, ridicule by Joseph and his companions, and her influence on the evolving culture of the church are all well discussed.

A reader's perspectives and beliefs can be challenged, but the integrity of the authors cannot. A highly recommended read for those interested in the history of the early Mormon church.

Piercing book--it really cut me to peaces.
Hot diggety dog! I think I have been waiting all my life for such a book. You know that we all need information, since information is power to do all th0ings. I think this book made my day.

So we have Emma, the cryptic woman who we know so little about. In fact, everything mormon is a secret, mystery, and/or confusion. This book has got to be the capstone to all things written about Emma. Jospeh Smith wrote a leter from Jail, and he said said that he had an "inexpressible anxiety for his wife and children . . . who were entwined around his heart." (Letter to Emma 4 June 1844) He really hated her, but we have all tasted hate, so that is no excuse.

that sums it up, since she did move away, anmd all else is unknown. I have to give my hand to Linda and Verleen for this book of all books on this subject of all subjects.

They all must pay. Every one of them! As my Bible says, which is my only friend, they will pay forf evrthk

First Rate All the Way!
This biography is first rate. Along with Thomas Alexander's biography of Wilford Woodruff, this is where prospective Mormon biographers should look for an example. It is balanced and even handed. When I finished the book, I felt like I knew WHO Emma Smith was and what she had gone through. All too often, Mormon biographies provide us with a lot of facts and experiences about a persons life, but leave us wondering who someone really was, not just what they did.

The biographers masterfully handle the extremely complex world of polygamy. They don't choose the easy way out of victimizing Emma and demonizing Joseph, or the other way around. They show the difficulties faced by both without passing judgment on either one.
Anyone who reads this marvelous book will have a greater appreciation of Emma Smith and a much greater understanding of early Mormonism.

A Great Woman
This biography is well researched and shows what a great and strong woman Emma Smith was. It was especially interesting to see how she dealt with the polygamy issue with Joseph Smith and also to see how well she raised her children after his death. The only reason that I marked this book down a little was because the first third of the book was a little difficult to get through. In this part of the book it seemed to me that I was reading a biography of Joseph Smith, rather than Emma. As a footnote, it was also interesting to note some of the trials the authors have faced from church leaders due to their writing this book. They seemed to have gotten into a little trouble for sharing some of the less flattering aspects of Joseph Smith's and Brigham Young's actions. If anything, the authors treaded lightly in these areas and could have been much more blunt in sharing their character defects in regards to their treatment of Emma. But kudos to the authors for being willing to write what they did. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Stormie
This book was fabulous! It gives hope to the hopeless, and really helps you to believe that the power of the holy spirit can work. I was very moved and recommend it to anyone, especially someone is not familiar with Christ. Anyone in recovery from any addiction will find hope and strength in this book.

Incredible Eye Opener
My wife grew up with an abusive mother and a spineless father, so this book presented many parallels to her real life experiences. My wife left childhood with deep wounds, that left deep scars that just would not go away with without therapy and 100% dependance on Jesus Christ. Slowly but surely, the wounds and scars are being cleansed and healed. I strongly recommend this book for everyone, even if you've not lived in a house like Stormie's, you may know someone who has. This book will give you a glimpse of what many kids have to grow up with, and in many or probably most cases, live with the rest of their life. Most of all, she describes what I'm sure was a sometimes-painful-solution to acquiring a happy and normal life.

Holding On!
The heart breaking account of a young girl who grows up with a mountain of pain and loneliness! It helps us to see that we all have ghost in our closets and that we can over-come with the help of faithful friends who stick with us even when we turn our backs on ourselves. The miracle of Gods love and endurance and how we can continually lean on his awesomeness.

Phenominal!
What an awesome book! I could hardly put it down. As a child, Stormie experiences physical and emotional abuse from her mentally ill mother, which led to Stormie making poor choices in her young adulthood. As an adult she experiences healing and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. THis book led me to give my life to the Lord eight years back, and I've been with Him ever since!

Inspirational, encouraging, life-changing
I love this book. Stormie relates the trauma and turmoil of her young life and how they led her to the point of complete physical and emotional breakdown. But when she opened her heart to Jesus, she began to learn how to walk in emotional and physical health and she relates the full story of how God miraculously and lovingly restored her to complete health in her body and most especially, her emotions. I recommend this book to many many people only I never lend out my copy - it's far too precious! ... Read more

Book Description

What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all.

Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say.

•••

So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work.

In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance.

Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.

Book Description

When he began coaching boys' cross-country at a small Catholic high school in New Jersey, Marc Bloom almost quit in frustration. The boys rejected Bloom's attempts at discipline and were also-rans in competition. Bloom persisted, fueled by the spiritual teachings of his Jewish faith to "repair the world." When he combined those teachings with the boys' core Catholic values, the team responded with soaring results. They ran their hearts out, collecting trophies and learning values of commitment and passion-the spiritual victories Bloom had yearned for. Bloom and his squad formed rare bonds of love that built toward a perfect race in the state championships.

Marc Bloom, an award-winning journalist, is a features writer for The New York Times and Contributing Editor of Runner's World.

Book Description

An inspiring story of tremendous tragedy and grief followed by the immense faith, hope and love of the Sonnenberg family.Its message is that no matter how tragic the circumstances in life, they can be overcome with a positive attitude and knowledge that God has a purpose for your life.With God’s love and strong support from family and friends, people can survive, even thrive, through life’s difficulties. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (10)

A Personal Portrait of the Pope from a Catholic Politician.
Former Mayor of Boston and U S Ambassador to the Vatican, Raymond Flynn draws a very personal and intimate portrait of Pope John Paul II. Through the various events, incidents and celebrations narrated with meticulous detail and color, the personality of the Pope comes alive to the reader. The impact the Pope has had on the average American public is truthfully brought out. This book will be of interest to an American Catholic who would be able to identify the personalities from American politics and Catholic religion, at the same time can feel along with Flynn in his admiration for this man of God. Indeed it's a smooth and delightful reading worthy of the Pope as well as of the Ambassador.

Outstanding Book!
I have read many books about His Holiness Pope John Paul II, and this is by far the BEST book I have read about the Pope. It is very easy to read. Infact, once I started to read I could not stop until I finished the book. When I was done...I could not stop crying. Former Ambassador Flynn did an outstanding job in giving his reader a rare and personal glimpse of the Pope, that other authors who have written biographies about His Holiness simply cannot convey. I especially found the stories of the mother who lost her son, and when the Pope offered Flynn money stating it was not church money, but the Pope's own money to help pay for the medical bills of Flynn's oldest son very moving and touching. For those who have never met the Pope...after reading this book you will feel as if you not only met him, but have known the Pope as an intimate friend for years.

VIVA IL PAPA!!!
Ray Flynn has taken from his