Editorial Review

America's favorite devotional, now in its 35th year with more than 20 million copies sold, Daily Guideposts is a trusted companion, helping readers to live and grow their faith every day. Every year since 1977, Guideposts has published Daily Guideposts, a devotional guide containing short inspirational pieces to be read each day of the year. They are designed to bring readers closer to God and their faith by helping them to live fuller, richer lives. Each piece offers a personal perspective on faith, love, inspiration, and understanding. With this year's theme of 'Growing in Love,' Daily Guideposts is tapping into a subject that is a key to spiritual growth. Each Daily Guideposts devotional includes: a short Scripture verse for reflection; a true, first-person anecdote that shares the ways God speaks through ordinary life events; a brief prayer to put the day's message to work in each reader's life. By taking a few minutes each day for reflection, Daily Guideposts readers will become more aware of the spiritual richness in their lives. ... Read more

Reviews

Inspiring Guide to Everyday Christ-inspired Living, October 31, 2010
This treasure trove of encounters with various aspects of the Christian faith, written by 55 contributing writers from all over the USA, is so captivating that it is highly likely that you will find yourself wanting to read more than one day's entry at a time. The contributors range widely in the paths that they have chosen along life's way, yet all are bound together by their solid belief in the one true Savior, a belief that has enabled them to survive many a storm.

In a section called "Friendship Corner" we are introduced to all the contributors one by one, as they recount what the key elements of the last year have been for them and their loved ones. The personal focus in this section of the book allows one to come to know them as friends and companions on the journey that the reader takes with the Lord. Told in direct speech, the entries round out the lessons that the contributors share with us as we traverse the year with the assistance of this invaluable guide to Christian living that provides a one-page devotional lesson for each day of the year.

Though the encounters are each unique, the style of the whole book is marked by its liveliness, humor and sense of compassion for, and empathy with, others. Each entry consists of a single true, first-person story, starts with a single Bible verse that inspires reflection, and ends with a short, relevant prayer of the contributor for the day. In addition, there is a range of special features that provide additional insights into different aspects of Christian living, as well as short contributions made by readers of previous Daily Guideposts. The special features include lessons in downsizing, coping with change, overcoming disappointments, surviving depression, renewing marital commitments, and moving home. In addition, Mary Brown ponders the seven images of Jesus starting with "I am ..." during Advent.

Guideposts is a non-profit organization that reaches out to millions of average Americans in their homes each day to inspire, encourage and uplift them, helping them to overcome any challenges that they meet along their way. Daily Guideposts 2011: A Spirit-Lifting Devotional is wholeheartedly recommended for any person who wishes to strengthen their faith in the year ahead. This volume is the 35th anniversary edition of the work, which was first conceived as a collection of Fred Bauer's reflections on the importance of faith in his own life. [Reviewer for BookPleasures.com]

... Read more

Editorial Review

The National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of The Reformation returns with the definitive history of Christianity for our time

Once in a generation a historian will redefine his field, producing a book that demands to be read-a product of electrifying scholarship conveyed with commanding skill. Diarmaid MacCulloch's Christianity is such a book. Breathtaking in ambition, it ranges back to the origins of the Hebrew Bible and covers the world, following the three main strands of the Christian faith.

Christianity will teach modern readers things that have been lost in time about how Jesus' message spread and how the New Testament was formed. We follow the Christian story to all corners of the globe, filling in often neglected accounts of conversions and confrontations in Africa and Asia. And we discover the roots of the faith that galvanized America, charting the rise of the evangelical movement from its origins in Germany and England. This book encompasses all of intellectual history-we meet monks and crusaders, heretics and saints, slave traders and abolitionists, and discover Christianity's essential role in driving the enlightenment and the age of exploration, and shaping the course of World War I and World War II.

We are living in a time of tremendous religious awareness, when both believers and non-believers are deeply engaged by questions of religion and tradition, seeking to understand the violence sometimes perpetrated in the name of God. The son of an Anglican clergyman, MacCulloch writes with deep feeling about faith. His last book, The Reformation, was chosen by dozens of publications as Best Book of the Year and won the National Book Critics Circle Award. This awe-inspiring follow-up is a landmark new history of the faith that continues to shape the world.

... Read more

Editorial Review

The New York Times bestseller by the former governor and presidential candidate-an instant classic, reissued for 2010.

Christmas has become synonymous with shopping, overindulging, and stress. But according to Mike Huckabee, that was never God's intention. Going back to the Nativity, Christmas is supposed to be about simple things: faith, love, family, and hope. The hard part, in today's crazy world, is remembering that those simple things are the most precious.

Huckabee recounts twelve Christmas memories that range from his childhood in Arkansas to his years as a young husband and father to his time as a governor and then a presidential candidate. These true stories will help you smile, take a deep breath, and maybe slow down your own holiday treadmill.

For instance, as kids, Mike and his sister would sneak open their gifts before Christmas, play with them, then rewrap them so their parents wouldn't notice. The plan worked great until one Christmas when young Mike unwrapped a brand-new football...that was covered in mud. That led to a powerful lesson about patience and a reminder that the best Christmases are the simple ones. ... Read more

Reviews

A Simple Christmas is a Christmas must!, November 13, 2009
The sweetest book I've read in years. Regardless of political party, it will melt your heart. No politics here just great memories of a simplier time. I laughed and I cried and you will too.

Simply great, November 18, 2009
A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories that Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit by Mike Huckabee is a pretty gentle reminder that the spirit of Christmas isn't at Macy's, or Belk's, or under the tree on Christmas morning.

Mike Huckabee shares twelve candid and heartwarming stories from his life. The story of an early Christmas in his married life when nothing about the future was assured is one of the most touching and sincere lessons in the book. What comes shining through is that while Huckabee seems self assured and on point as a politician and political spokesman, his personal life has been one of ups and downs......not unlike the rest of us.

A Simple Christmas is a gift you should give yourself and those you love.

I highly recommend.

Peace and Merry Christmas

Simple Is Beautiful, November 16, 2009
If you are looking for an inspirational book for the holidays, this is it. I was very surprised at the stories Mike Huckabee shares with the reader. I didn't realize all the hardships he and his family have experienced and the problems he has overcome. I now understand who this talented man really is. Whether you agree with his political views or not, this is a must read.

The Power of Simplicity, November 21, 2009
The Power of Simplicity

Whether you are a believer or not, Christmas is a time of family gathering, personal reflection of the year expiring and of course, the year to come. Most importantly, it is an affirmation and celebration of what C.S. Lewis termed "the Grand Miracle".

As is usual, the bookstores are full of re-issues of Christmas classics and new books too. They come in all varieties. There are inspiring stories that lift the spirit and others that display the many shades of faith. Each year, I try to find at least one Christmas book that offers something unique.

Such is the case with A Simple Christmas by Mike Huckabee, a former Governor of Arkansas, a Baptist minister and now host of the Huckabee program on Fox. He shares 12 stories that celebrate the true Christmas spirit--stories than can engage all audiences--not just Christians.

By turns large and small, the former Governor shows us the importance and power of simplicity for families during the Christmas season and beyond. The stories are largely autobiographical and told with unusual grace warmth and wit. You get to know Huckabee in an intimate, direct and personal way. He writes much like he speaks and you can identify with him on many levels as each story unfolds.

In the introduction, Mike uses his famous wit and humor to describe how he would have done things differently if he were God but in the end, God's "Grand Miracle" was both radically simple and superior to our sophisticated thinking. In doing so, he makes the story of Mary and Joseph become alive for us in contemporary times 2010 years later. You feel the power of simplicity.

And then, we are treated to 12 stories from childhood to now in Huckabee's personal and family life. Each story is headlined by a one word theme or focus. Patience is profiled from his childhood--a lifelong problem for him. Sacrifice describes his hardscrabble existence starting out in near abject poverty. Two others share perspectives on the timeless importance of families and traditions being the glue that holds us together.

Some stories stand out because you can identify with them in a very personal way. Such is the case with story number 6 titled "Crisis". Married only seven months to his wife Janet, their world was plunged into crisis when Janet was diagnosed with spine cancer in 1975. Thirty-three years ago, cancer was a much more deadly diagnosis then than now for many cancer forms.

My wife and I faced the exact same crisis in 2006: spine cancer. A 10% chance of walking again for her but aggressive treatment and 24 months of intense physical therapy restored her ability to walk. Janet too had a good outcome following surgery and thankfully, a much shorter recovery. Suffering tests our soul and spirit but we do not suffer adversity alone. "God's greatest gift to us is not to remove us from crisis, but to walk through crisis with us."

In the closing chapter titled "Rewards" Huckabee reflects on the rich rewards of life despite its ups, downs and surprises. He reminds us that "a great Christmas isn't the expensive one or the elaborate one. It's the simple one." We might not hear it above the din of parties and bright lights.

You'll surely hear and realize it in stillness and in silence. With open hearts and thankfulness we encounter God in Christ. We encounter his saving grace and providence. This warm and witty Huck wishes us a simple Christmas.

Readers Be Warned: Get Some Kleenex Before Starting This Book, November 21, 2009
This reviewer is not a big Mike Huckabee fan, but this book has some very moving non-political messages in it. Even a jaded, cynical critic like me found some pretty powerful messages in at least two of the chapters in this autobiographical book. Those dramatic Christmas stories may have affected me as strongly as they did because I find them particularly poignant because our family is going through a similar situation as the life and death battle against cancer of the spine that Huckabee's young bride faced only a year after they were married. The lessons the author details about how this first-hand experience with miracles was only another of the important lessons he learned as a twenty-year old man. His words give hope to all of us.
As the title suggests, this collection of twelve Christmas Stories from Huckabee's life do celebrate the true Holiday Spirit. Not all of them will move the reader to tears, but they all have a moral and in a few instances it's easy to see the source of the former Arkansas Governor's conservative philosophy. This is the story of a man who lived the American Dream and moved from real poverty to the highest success that hard work and trust in God that only America offers all its residents. This is definitely an inspiring read even for the Ex-Governor's political opponents and people who simply don't like him. Some messages transcend mere politics.

A Simple Bio from child to Presidential candidate--& Christmas, November 20, 2009
Although each chapter eventually suggests simplicity at Christmas, this book is more a biography of a pastor/communicationist/politician, his 50s-60s childhood and beyond. But it is a fun bio, often quite humorous, in a similar style like another pastor/writer/commentator (Philip Gulley) that I find homespun and worthwhile reading. Being only 7 years older than Mike Huckabee, I can relate to much of his early life, and the beginning marital financial struggles. The Simple Christmas connection to each chapter's theme was a different way to link together chunks of Huckabee memoirs. It's like a Huckabee 12 Days of Christmas.

For those caring to see some chapter details, with favorite quotes:
Intro: A Simple Christmas-- An earthy nativity rendition. "God spent His first few moments as a human in a food dish (manger)." p.xxvii
1 PATIENCE-- Lord, give me patience 'right now.' "I've come to terms with my "sins" of unwrapping gifts before Christmas" p14
2 SACRIFICE-- p.26 "the pain of seeing someone gather up my prized (guitar)" after the necessary sale. His parents also sacrificed their own gifts to buy this author's 1st childhood guitar. Christ sacrificed His own life.
3 LONELINESS-- "rarely...dead, death, and passed away. We just said it was "potato salad time."" p.38. Painful moments worse than cancer--loneliness.
4 FAMILY-- p.57 "not Jamestown but Georgia...dumped out of debtors prison in the old country...poorer than the dirt." Funny descriptions of members of author's family tree; nuttier than any oak or walnut tree.
5 TRADITIONS-- consistency, wholeness, tranquility, connections, certainty, & security "If there ever was a place where things stayed the same, it was church." p.79
6 CRISIS-- Cancer and "refugees from Arkansas" p. 101. Life & hope the only affordable Christmas gifts that year.
7 HOPE-- Moving forward--pregnancy miracle--new job. p.118 "high cotton for a kid like me" From the shadow of death to the springing of hope.
8 STABILITY-- A good management position to buying the American dream home. "Very grown up & stable." p.137
9 LIMITATIONS-- P.147 "Understand just how "dexterity challenged" I am," Accepting help when needed, even from God.
10 TRANSITIONS-- p.170 "Christmas is the perfect time to reflect" then look ahead.
11 FAITH-- Author's spiritual birthday. 5 yrs later this faith inspired his father's spiritual journey.
12 REWARDS-- last page: "A baby cries. God is speaking. It's a simple message." Christmas

OK, I'm from Indiana, Republicanism comes with the dirt, but this book is not about politics, just a politician, and his family, and their life's struggles and joys, and how A Simple Christmas always worked best, when possible.

Huckabee: A politican AND a writer, November 20, 2009
Not only can Huckabee articulate the issues of the day...he can write--write well...and write about non-political themes...

I could relate to the story of Mike wanting a guitar...When I was in my teens nothing would do but for me to have a guitar! (I was going to be a rock star, don't you know...) My single mom was strapped for funds, but I didn't know how bad it really was. Well, she got me my guitar. And with every passing year, I appreciate her more...

This book truly touched me.

Another holiday book that touched me:Christmas Gifts, Christmas Voices: A Holiday Novel of Hope and Healing This inspiring story shows how the actions of just one individual can have far reaching effects for good...

Get off the Holiday Treadmill and Back to The True Meaning of Christmas, December 21, 2009
Mike Huckabee shares what he has learned about the true meaning of Christmas---faith, love, family, and hope. In twelve homespun chapters he shares how he has learned to keep it simple. Like the first Christmas, which he assures us was not like Mary and Joseph would have planned it, but simple---as God orchestrated it. I would recommend reading one chapter each day as a way of meditating on a countdown to Christmas.

"Patience" - Mike recounts his impatience with the long wait to open Christmas presents and his lack of understanding the postponement of joy. In his mature years he has come to terms with the fact that anticipation helps him appreciate things more. The lifetime spent on this broken earth filled with all of its shortcomings, problems, and pressures will help us appreciate Heaven much more when we finally get there.

"Sacrifice" -Mike shares his passion to become a Beatle and details his life-long love of guitars. We share his joy at getting his first guitar at age 11 and are privy to the sacrifice his parents made to order this from the JC Penney Catalog. He relates what he learned about sacrifice and how the greatest sacrifice of all, God's gift of Himself, is still the foundation of every Christmas.

"Loneliness" - This was my favorite entry and the most moving of all the stories he recalled. He details his urbane and sophisticated Uncle Garvin from Houston. The last Christmas they spent together was Mike's most meaningful, not because it was a happy one, but because it wasn't. A young Mike learned the real meaning of Christmas is not giving toys but giving God's grace in person to someone who is no longer in a position to give back.

"Family" - This chapter centers on a quote from Isaiah, "Look to the rock from which you were hewn; to the quarry from which you were dug." We learn about Go-Go, his maternal grandmother, and the large gatherings of diverse personalities which is still the embodiment of Christmas traditions.

"Traditions" - Mike learns why we love traditions---because they are a connection to our past, give us a sense of security about the uncertainties of our future. He also learns they don't have to be fancy or costly; they just have to be consistent. Whether it's a tree-cutting family trek, baking cookies, or decorating the tree with the same ornaments year after year, the comforts of tradition are constants in our changing lives.

"Crisis" - As a newlywed, he learns about the most precious gift of all. His wife Janet faces spinal cancer and the prospect of death at age 20. The young couple learned God's greatest gift is not to remove us from crisis, but to walk us through it. True faith is tested not in the joyful times, but in the hard ones.

"Hope" - The Huckabees receive a true Christmas miracle when Janet gives birth. They learn that out of the depths of despair can spring hope and affirmation and the reader will also learn what the Huckabees have been topping their tree with ever since.

"Stability" - In this biographical sketch, the reader learns how the Huckabees became homeowners and how Mike got his first big career break.

"Limitations" - When attempting to put a tricycle together on Christmas Eve, Mike got an unforgettable lesson in pride and learned it's ok to admit we need help. He came to learn that Christmas is about accepting he was incapable of putting his own life together and would always need God's help.

"Transitions" -Mike discusses the milestones in his life, his career changes, his decision to act on his original goal of entering public life, the bias of the media, and his presidential bid. He reminds us to focus always on what truly matters---faith, family, freedom.

"Faith" - Mike writes affectionately of his father and how this hard-working role model taught him not only how to live but also how to die.

"Rewards" - Mike discusses his years as Governor of Arkansas and though his Christmases were much more complicated, he learned that God loves us when we have nothing and He loves us when we have a lot.

We to get back to the real meaning of Christmas, November 23, 2009
This is an uplifting book, but Huck is an uplifitng positive person.

After listening to the depressing nightly news, I read a chapter or a half a chapter before I go to bed. I sleep much better because the stories counteract the negative mood of this country.

Some of the stories I can relate to. I was married about the same age as he was but about thirty years before. There were very few apartments to rent because none were built during WW2 and we didn't have much money. But, with God grace, we made it. Simpler probably not but sixty-one years later we still have each other and appreciate what He has provided for us all these years.

Patricia Fagerstrom

Great book as long as you don't mind it being informal, December 12, 2009
The book is rather informal, written more like he is preaching or telling a story around the fire. I liked it though. It's a simple book with a simple yet very important message. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This Text Bible offers readers the clear and accurate New Living Translation along with features such as a topical verse finder, full color maps, words of Christ in red, and a full color presentation pag--all at an affordable price. ... Read more

Reviews

Disappointing Kindle Version, October 1, 2008
The NLT is my favorite translation of the Bible. I have paper copies, but, I wanted a version for my Kindle.

Unfortunately, there are two problems with it. The red letter sayings of Jesus are rendered a light gray, almost unreadable. In addition, the Chapter links are not arranged wisely. Making it difficult to navigate to certain sections.

Very disappointed with the rendering. With some minor adjustments by the publisher, this would be an excellent addition to a Kindle library.

Nice Translation, April 1, 2006
I started reading the New Living Translation while working through an upper level course on Greek exegesis. I was simply looking for a version that emphasized a sentence-by-sentence translation as opposed to a word-for-word translation (because I was required to do this type of translating for my assignments). I was pleasantly surprised with the NLT. It is a very impressive work, and makes for very smooth reading. The translation team also made the wise decision to translate the dates in the text into their modern equivalents. So, whereas previous translations might read that a certain event happened in, say, the twelfth year of a certain king, the NLT will (based on historical data) read that it happened in "586 BC" or "on April 22nd, 722 BC" They have also done the same thing with other forms of measurement (including currency, weight, and time). This makes the events seem much easier to relate to.
For these reasons (and others too) I think this is a really good version. So, if you are looking for a translation that focuses more on the overall meaning of each sentence, and not just the meaning of each word, I heartily recommend this one.

A Refreshing Edition of the Word, May 1, 2007
I find that reading different translations of the Bible helps to keep it "fresh" for me and give me new insights. This NLT is one of my favorite translations for regular reading because it flows so smoothly and I discover new meanings and nuances that I did not realize in reading other versions. The "contemporary" language (things like weights, measures, time, etc.) gives it a modern immediacy that helps me to integrate it into my everyday experience in the secular world.

Several of us at my church use the NLT - and I've noticed that whenever someone reads an NLT aloud in adult Bible class, it seems like at least one other person in the room comments on what a good rendering that was, and asks "what translation is that?"

Comment on Red Lettering, April 8, 2009
This comment is to aid others planning to get this edition of the NLT and not to aid with an opinion of the translation itself. The words of Christ are dim but readable on the version I downloaded on April 7, 2009. However, they are very readable and I perhaps don't see this as big a draw back as others have. I look forward to reading it and comparing it to other versions of the Bible I have on the Kindle 2 presently. I agree with another reviewer that various translations keep you very interested in reading the Bible.

Wonderful work of Art, May 12, 2007
There's no other bible like it on earth! This bible breaks every single scripture down for clear and concise understanding. It totally reads like a book and it's so difficult for me to put it down. I love it! I highly recommend this bible to all who are ready to accept the knowledge within. This bible is a true blessing!

Kindle version -- what were they thinking?, December 31, 2009
I am chiming in on the Kindle version's very unfortunate choice of gray lettering for the words of Christ. It really makes reading the gospels a labored experience, trying to discern the gray lettering on the Kindle's light gray screen background.

The obvious decision should have been to make ALL the text black. Some NLT print bibles do just that, so why wasn't that followed?

I do very much like the New Living Translation, a great balance of accuracy and readability in it's dynamic-equivalence approach to translation. It makes for a great reading Bible (versus a more literal study translation).

However, a possible work around for Kindle users is to use the NLT for everything other then the gospels. For the gospels, I would recommend The Voice New Testament, that is also a great readable translation for reading large portions of the bible at one time.

Also, if you own an iPhone, be aware that a free Kindle program is available for it so you can read all your Kindle books. The iPhone renders the words of Christ in red and the white screen background provides great contrast. The iPhone, surprisingly, isn't that bad of an e-reader and may be all you need for a bible study or class. The soon coming iPad also promises to be a great device for this type of problem with it's ability to render color like the iPhone.

Hopefully, Tyndale will get the message. (And while I am at it, I wish the Kindle Bible producers would address the issue of the superscript verse numbering that makes the line spacing very uneven and choppy. As a web designer I know that is an easy fix.)

Update: I now own an iPad and would say, for the Bible, this is the ticket. Olive Tree's NLT app is the answer to all the above mentioned problems. The Words of Christ are robustly red with an option to turn them into any color you want. The superscript verse numbers do not force the line spacing into uneven, choppy paragraphs but keeps all lines nice and consistent like your print Bible.

Best of all, the app has a very fast navigation system to find passages quickly. You'll be able to take it to a Bible study or even keep up with the pastor's sermon. Also, highlighting and note taking is the best I've seen in an eReader yet.

1 of Only 3 Known "Non-Tech" Language Modern English Bibles, October 30, 2005
The NLT, God's Word Version, and The Contemporary English Version (CEV) are the only 3 I have found using common English terms for "technical theological concepts." Where all others use "theological terminology" meaningless to the non-skilled reader, and require external study aids to understand; terms such as "justification, propitiation, expiation, sanctification, redemption, regeneration," etc. the NLT, GWV and CEV have rendered the Greek roots into common every-day terminology. The NIV, ESV, NAS, NKJV, etc., by opting to maintain/use these "tech terms" have done so to preserve 400 year-old obsolete terminology in vogue in universities/seminaries at the expense of clarity and ease of understanding for the non-theologically trained reader. In my opinion, this puts the NLT, CEV and GWV light-years ahead of the popular NIV/NKJV pack in reader comprehension. For non Christian readers investigating Christianity, and for new Christians (and a lot more of us who enjoy understanding what we are reading), this unique difference/distinction of the above 3 versions (using non-tech terms for key theological concepts) puts them light-years ahead; and puts God's Word where it belongs, out in the open where it can be understood and applied by the average reader. Even if you favor the NIV/NKJV/ESV, etc., consider this new way of evaluating modern English Bibles before you update your Bible inventory.

Poor Kindle Rendering, August 29, 2008
Poorly formatted for the Kindle. It is a"Red Letter Edition" that renders words of Christ in a very light grey - difficult to read - I ran it by some seniors in their '70's and they lost interest quickly. Maps included are copies of color versions from original hard back edition, grey scale limitations of Ink system not factored - maps are unusable. Cannot zoom in to view. Columnized TOC wastes screen space. Search capability of Kindle not taken advantage of. No commentaries, dynamic links or annotations included. Overall I was very disappointed. I hope an update edited for the Kindle will arrive.

Very Understandable and the red/gray issue was not an issue!, April 11, 2010
I just downloaded this version and have been comparing several different versions side by side. The one I have used the most is the NIV version and have always enjoyed it. As several people have said, it is good to have the different versions to hopefully draw new understanding. I have done just that! Several verses that I thought I understood I have been misinterpreting. Comparing can be a real eye-opener!

One of my main goals was to determine how difficult it really is to read the words in "red" or gray on the Kindle 2. I did not find it hard to read but thought I would just increase the sizeof the print to see if that made a difference. Indeed, it was considerably easier and that may solve many problems for some of you. Now if you are colorblind, that may be a different story.

Well, I actually just checked with my husband who is 65, prefers large print books, and is colorblind. I had it on the 3rd smallest print size and he said he could see it just fine but did prefer the next size up when I showed him the change. Hope this helps.

All in all I am very pleased to have purchased the NLT version and am sure I will thoroughly enjoy reading and understanding the Bible more and more each day!

great book, May 7, 2007
This is an excellent translation. Modern language, while not as poetic as The King James version, makes understanding the meaning much easier. ... Read more

Editorial Review

See how the brain works while using it in the process of reading this book! Most of us have no idea what's really going on inside our heads. Yet brain scientists have uncovered details every business leader, parent, and teacher should know - like that physical activity boosts your brain power.How do we learn? What exactly do sleep and stress do to our brains? Why is multi-tasking a myth? Why is it so easy to forget - and so important to repeat new information? Is it true that men and women have different brains?In "Brain Rules", Dr. John Medina, a molecular biologist, shares his lifelong interest in how the brain sciences might influence the way we teach our children and the way we work. In each chapter, he describes a brain rule - what scientists know for sure about how our brains work - and then offers transformative ideas for our daily lives.Medina's fascinating stories and sense of humour breathe life into brain science. You'll learn why Michael Jordan was no good at baseball. You'll peer over a surgeon's shoulder as he proves that we have a Jennifer Aniston neuron. You'll meet a boy who has an amazing memory for music but can't tie his own shoes. ... Read more

Reviews

Why is a book on the brain in the top 25 of Amazon's leadership books?
I believe personal productivity and performance as a leader are directly correlated. Just like we have to lead a team, we have to lead ourselves to a higher level of a productivity and effectiveness. In all of the leadership classes I teach, emphasis is placed on knowing yourself. When you know yourself it provides you the ability to adapt to weaknesses and leverage your strengths (increase your personal productivity and effectiveness).

Knowing how your brain functions is part of knowing yourself.

This book is so insightful and valuable that I sent copies to my clients. The value of the book hinges on the understanding of the brain and how it works which allows me to leverage that knowledge for increased personal productivity and in my interactions and relationships with others.

Myth Busters for the brain!

The book is a fairly easy read because the author uses stories to illustrate the functionality of the brain. This book is not a "leadership-lite" book filled with cute and truthful antidotes, but a book with hard science communicated in an interesting way. Dr. John J. Medina is a developmental molecular biologist. He also shares what scientists don't know about how the brain works!

This book gave me many, many take-aways and here are just six ...

I. Some parts of the brain are just like a baby's and can grow new connections and strengthen existing connections. We have the ability to learn new things our entire life. Medina states this was "not the prevailing notion until 5 or 6 years ago." So much for the "you can't teach and old dog new tricks excuse." The old dog line is exposed for what it really is...an excuse.

II. Humans can only pay attention for about ten minutes and then need some kind of reset.

III. The brain can only focus on one thing at a time. This is further rationale on the futility of multi-tasking.

IV. Exercise increases brain power and aerobic exercise twice a week reduces the risk of general dementia by 50% and Alzheimer's by 60%.

V. There is a biological need for an afternoon nap.

VI. The brain is very active during sleep and loss of sleep hurts cognitive and physical ability.

Buy and read Brain Rules. It will benefit you.

One of the reasons I read leadership books is to learn new things but also to get old truths hammered into my thick skull so they result in action. Action! So you may know or have heard of some of the truths in "Brain Rules" but I guarantee the author brings them to you in a unique an interesting way with solid depth that will allow you to easier implement those truths into how you handle yourself and others on a daily basis.

Dr. James T. Brown PMP PE CSP
Author, The Handbook of Program Management

Fascinating look at the space between your ears, as well as practical application...
When an author and industry expert you hold in high regard says a book is the best one s/he's read in 2008, it's probably a good idea to take notice. So when Garr Reynolds of Presentation Zen fame recommended Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home, and School by John Medina, I decided that should be something I get sooner rather than later. After reading, I can see why he recommends the book so highly. Medina's 12 "brain rules" are based on solid science, but they're presented in such a way that you can actually apply your new-found knowledge.

Contents:
Exercise - Rule #1: Exercise boosts brain power.
Survival - Rule #2: The human brain evolved, too.
Wiring - Rule #3: Every brain is wired differently.
Attention - Rule #4: We don't pay attention to boring things.
Short-Term Memory - Rule #5: Repeat to remember.
Long-Term Memory - Rule #6: Remember to repeat.
Sleep - Rule #7: Sleep well, think well.
Stress - Rule #8: Stressed brains don't learn the same way.
Sensory Integration - Rule #9: Stimulate more of the senses.
Vision - Rule #10: Vision trumps all other senses.
Gender - Rule #11: Male and female brains are different.
Exploration - Rule #12: We are powerful and natural explorers.
Acknowledgements
Index

When Reynolds reviewed the book on his site, he focused on how these rules pertain to the art of making presentations. Attention, as explained by Medina, means that the brain does not multitask (much to your bosses dismay), we notice patterns and abstract meanings better than recording detail, and you have basically 10 minutes before the audience checks out without a new stimulus. Vision, the sensory "trump card", is the dominant sense, our brain controls what we see (and it's not totally correct), the processes to "see" something are very complex, and most importantly, we remember and learn best through pictures and not written/spoken words. That one insight alone should be enough to make you totally rethink the way we attempt to present to people...

Now, even if you're not approaching the book from a presentation angle, the book is still outstanding. Something like memory, an act we take for granted, is a deep mystery that we still don't understand. Medina shows by studies and real-life examples how things *might* work, knowing full well we haven't even begun to understand but a fraction of what goes on there. Sleep, something that boosts brain power, is *not* a time of relaxation for the brain. In fact, it often kicks into overdrive. Why? There are still no definitive answers. But he does go on to prove how *lack* of sleep can utterly render you incapable of rational thought and physical action. When you've worked through all 12 of the brain rules, you'll have a more complete understanding of how you can affect the quality of your brain functioning, all the while being entertained and amazed at what lies between your ears.

Every time I got to the end of a chapter, I started to put the book down. But then I'd think "just one more and then I'll turn out the light." Needless to say, I was at the end before I knew it. Like Garr Reynolds, this is one of the best books I've read this year, and one that I'd recommend to others for a number of reasons and purposes.

Stop Battling Your Brain!
The genius of this book is that it uses the most recent scientific research, discussed in a very entertaining way, to identify 12 rules for optimizing your most important tool - your BRAIN. Read the chapter on "Attention" and you will never give a presentation in the same way again. Read the chapter on "Sleep" and you will understand why an afternoon nap can be the most productive 20 minutes of your work day. Read the chapter on "Exercise" and you'll finally get why great ideas (ok, and maybe some clunkers but at least you're thinking!)come to you in the middle of your workout. Like the author, you may toss the guest chair and put a treadmill in your office with a bracket for your laptop - this gives new meaning to the concept of management by walking around. The bottom line is that brain science is beginning to produce really useful information about how our brains are wired; this book is a user's manual on how to work with the way we're wired instead of fighting against it. I highly recommend it.

Rule #0 Read this Book
The Summary
John Medina has written one of the best brain books I have read. He is a molecular biologist and director of Brain Center for Applied Learning at the Seattle Pacific University. He explains the latest research on the brain, and there have been a lot of advances recently on how the brain works. He boils them down to 12 rules that will help you in all walks of life. If you want an owner's manual for the brain then this is probably the one that should be handed out with every new-born.

The Audience
Everyone and I mean everyone should read this book! As long as they have a homo-sapien brain, if you have one of the older models; homo erectus, neanderthal you should probably wait for evolution! This is truly an owner's manual for the brain! If you are a student or knowledge worker you should run; yes running will actually help you digest the material in the book better (Rule #2 - Exercise - exercise boosts brain power); to buy it and read it! Medina outlines some of his own thoughts on how to leverage the rules in the home, school and work.


The Details
John Medina has written one of the best brain books I have read (Rule #5 Short Term Memory - repeat to remember, Rule #6 Long Term Memory - repeat to remember). There are many books out at the moment that talk about the latest research on brains but John's is undoubtedly the best. Neuroscience has taken some giant leaps in the understanding of how the brain works in the last 20 years. I was researching AI back in the early 90's and since then there has been a lot of new research in this area. For the last year I have been catching up and reading everything I can find on neuroscience and that was how I stumbled across Medina's book. I nearly put it aside since it seemed too basic but boy am I glad I didn't. This book is fun to read and I learned a lot. I love John's approach of only including research that follows certain criteria. For a study to appear in this book it has to pass the Medina Grump Factor (MGF) - (John refers to himself as a grumpy scientist)
1) Research must be published in a peer-reviewed journal
2) The research must be successfully replicated
Even though the material in this book is based on cutting edge research you should not feel intimidated. This book is well written and the material is presented following many of rules that are outlined. The book is actually a pleasure to read!
Following these rules has lead Medina to not only structure the book so it is easy to digest; adding stories, chunking information, providing summaries etc but he has also included a DVD with videos and an accompanying website with more information and references. This is truly a full sensory experience (Rule #4 - Attention - We don't pay attention to boring things!, Rule #9 - Sensory Information - Stimulate more of the senses, Rule #10 Vision - Vision trumps all other senses)

If you want to understand your brain and improve it; and everyone should want to understand their brain and improve it; you should read this book.


The Take-Aways
I can't say enough good things about this book. John Medina has written an excellent book leveraging all the latest research about the brain and turning it into a set of rules to remember. Your brain will never feel the same again! Read and then follow Medina's advice on how your brain remembers new information and how often you should review it (Rule #5 Short Term Memory - repeat to remember, Rule #6 Long Term Memory - repeat to remember).

Kes Sampanthar
Inventor of ThinkCube

Everyone who works in schools should read this!
With a fabulous DVD (stimulate more of the senses, Rule #9 and the visual trumps all, Rule #10) to kick off the book, this direct, funny, fast romp through about 30 years of brain research makes neurocognitive findings fun! "If you wanted to create an education environment that was directly opposed to what the brain was good at doing, you probably would design something like a classroom," says Medina--and we thank him for confirming what a lot of us have sensed for a long time.

Other important Brain Rules: we need to move to learn better, every brain is wired differently (there is no one type of learner and we need to construct environments that celebrate cognitive diversity in schools) and perhaps most important: We are powerful and natural explorers! I sure do wish everyone who designs instruction, works in schools, or (tries to!) learn in schools would read this. We don't pay attention to boring things.

What? Is it time for recess yet?

Updated Easy to Understand Brain Science for Everyone
This book is chock full of the latest brain science in an easy to understand format by an extremely engaging, funny, sharp man who will change the way you think about yourself, others, and the human brain. It's a must read for teachers and business owners but it's honestly totally accesible to anyone from any walk of life and the concepts apply across the board to everyone on earth. Best of all, it dispels many commonly held beliefs (right brain/left brain, 'you only use 10% of your brain' etc) in very clear terms. I am buying copies of this book for all family and friends for the next year until I've gotten through their birthdays and holidays. It really is that good. Do yourself a favor and spend the paltry amount of cash this excellent book costs. You will wind up inspired!

Incidentally, if you ever have the opportunity to see John lecture, see if you can find a way to attend. His presentations are the living embodiment of the fundamentals from the book and he will have you in stitches to boot!

What we all need to know about how the brain works

In the Introduction, John Medina expresses his concern that most people are "out of the loop" in that they are unaware of recent and important revelations in modern neuroscience concerning "how the mind works." His purpose is to explain 12 "brain rules" and devotes a separate chapter to each. "Easily the most sophisticated information-transfer system on Earth, your brain is fully capable of taking little black squiggles on this piece of bleached wood [i.e. ink on paper] and deriving meaning from them. To accomplish this miracle, your brain sends jolts of electricity crackling through hundreds of miles of wires composed of brain cells so small that thousands of them could fit into the period at the end of this sentence. You accomplish all this in less time than it takes you to blink. Indeed, you have just done it. What's equally incredible, given your intimate association with it, is this: Most of us have no idea how our brain works."

At this point, I need to reassure those who are now processing the "little black squiggles" that comprise this review that the key ideas in Medina's book are readily accessible to a layperson such as I who - until reading his book - had little (if any) understanding of "how our brain works." It is amazing but nonetheless true, Medina asserts, that there is a young man who can multiply the number 8,388,628 x 2 in his head in a few seconds "and he gets it right every time," that there is a girl who can correctly determine the exact dimensions of an object 20 feet away, and that there is a child who at age 6 drew "such lifelike and powerful pictures" that she got her own show on Madison Avenue.

Briefly, here are five of 12 principles for surviving and thriving at work, home, and school. Medina's analysis of each responds to two questions "How?" and "Why?":

#5: Repeat to remember.
Excerpt: "We now know that the space between repetitions is the critical component for transforming temporary memories into more persistent forms. Spaced learning is greatly superior to massed learning."

#7: Sleep well, think well.
Excerpt: "The brain is in a constant state of tension between cells and chemicals that try to put you to sleep and cells and chemicals that try to keep you awake."

#9: Nourish the five senses with increased stimulation.
Excerpt: "Our senses evolved to work together - vision influencing hearing, for example - which means that we learn best if we stimulate several senses at once."

#10: Vision trumps all other senses.
Excerpt: "We learn and remember best through pictures, not through written or spoken words."

#12: Our brains are by nature highly inquisitive (i.e. "powerful explorers")
Excerpt: "Babies are a model of how we learn - not by passive reaction to the environment but by active testing through observation, hypothesis, experiment, and conclusion."

To repeat, Medina's explanations of "how" and "why" are presented in layman's terms without "dumbing down" what is obviously complicated information. He succeeds brilliantly, not only when explaining "how our brains work" but also when and why they work best... or when and why they don't. After reading Chapter 4 in which he explains what he calls "the 10-minute rule," I decided to limit my subsequent reading of his book to 10-minute increments, then shifted my attention to another task. After you read Chapter 4, you'll understand that decision.

A DVD is provided with each copy of this book and John Medina suggests (as do I) that it be viewed before processing the "little black squiggles" that comprise his lively narrative.

One final point: I wish this book had been available years ago when I was completing my formal education, beginning a career as an English teacher, and then starting a family. That said, I can at least purchase copies for my three sons and daughter...and will. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The narrator of this extraordinary tale is a manin search for truth. He answers an ad in a localnewspaper from a teacher looking for seriouspupils, only to find himself alone in an abandonedoffice with a full-grown gorilla who is nibblingdelicately on a slender branch. "You are theteacher?" he asks incredulously. "I amthe teacher," the gorilla replies. Ishmael isa creature of immense wisdom and he has a storyto tell, one that no other human being has everheard. It is a story that extends backward andforward over the lifespan of the earth from the birthof time to a future there is still time save.Like all great teachers, Ishmael refuses to make thelesson easy; he demands the final illumination tocome from within ourselves. Is it man's destinyto rule the world? Or is it a higher destinypossible for him-- one more wonderful than he has everimagined? ... Read more

Reviews

Read Ishmael Carefully, January 28, 2002
I've read several reviews of this book and found that, despite Quinn's careful attempts to get his message across clearly and unequivocally, many readers misunderstand the finer points of Ishmael's arguments and end up praising or condemning Ishmael for the wrong reasons. Here is a short list of common misunderstandings you're likely to encounter in the course of reading reviews of this book:

(1) The central message is a hackneyed statement about saving the planet: All we have to do is this or that. We need to treat the earth better, or treat each other better, etc....

No, the author has no such message. He is not even concerned with saving the planet. He merely points out that, in the past, there were many ways a human could make a living in the world that did not threaten to render the planet uninhabitable. As George Carlin once said: "The planet isn't going anywhere. We are!" The author recommends that if we are concerned about our future, then we should find out as much as we can about these other ways of living in the world and what made them sustainable.

(2) This is communism.

No, this is tribalism, the cultural traits of which have been found to be conducive to sutainable ways of living.

So-called communist countries operate the same unsustainable lifestyle as so-called democratic countries and are just as hierarchical and corrupt. Nothing new, except the academic devaluation of the individual. In "democratic" countries, the devaluation is not openly professed, only practiced and theoretically implied. Progress means the same thing in both societies: the technological displacement of people.

(3) The ape is omniscient; skeptics beware.

Skeptics always beware. Ishmael is the ultimate skeptic. He takes nothing for granted. His arguments are based on information available to any human being with a library card. You'll remember that when the student enters Ishmael's room, he notices dozens of books on history and anthropology piled up on the shelf. You don't have to take Ishmael's word for granted. If you're skeptical, go look it up. The ape is not omniscient. He's well informed.

(4) The book proclaims: "There is something unnatural about the way we live."

I agree. There is nothing natural about the way we live. But there's nothing natural about the way any human has ever lived.

There's never been an all-natural people. We are and have always been all-cultural. Nature supplies us with the urges to satisfy certain life imperatives (i.e. nutritional, procreative, protective, etc...). But culture determines the way we go about responding to these urges; that is to say, there is nothing natural about the way we satisfy these natural desires. We may be at a loss to change our nature and the urges we feel, but we are capable of constructing a better, more sustainable way of responding to nature's edicts.

(5) Based on the arguments of the book, one could conclude that "we, as a species, are...."

Quinn has nothing conclusive to say about humanity or "we as a species," except that every human is dependent on culture and that the bulk of the information that constitutes human cultures is mythological. His main concern here is with the general evolution of two distinct ways of living on this planet. One is sustainable, the other is not. We as a species have not messed things up. One culture out of tens of thousands has managed to make a mess of things. By engaging in unsustainable behavior that threatens to destroy the ecosystems upon which humans everywhere depend (i.e., totalitarian agriculture), we - the people of a single culture - are precipitating the extinction of humankind.

Ishmael: A Critical Analysis of Civilization, March 8, 2002
It is a general rule that any particular culture can only be understood by someone outside of it - a neutral observer, unaffected by prejudice or indoctrination. This is the reasoning behind Quinn's choice of a gorilla named Ishmael as the main character of this novel, who conducts a series of dialogues analyzing the whole of civilization itself.

But what is the civilization that Quinn looks at? Instead of muttering about monumental building and written language, Quinn treats civilization in a method that is becoming increasingly popular: as the result of a critical mass of humanity that makes possible rapid advances in knowledge and science. For this to be possible, intensive agriculture must be used to raise the population density to such a point that civilization occurs.

So Quinn uses a gorilla as an outsider looking in and perceiving the reality of civilization - of cultures using intensive agriculture to dominate the world. His conclusions are for the most part negative: he concludes that civilization is not sustainable in the long term (that is, over millions of years).

The observations used to come to this conclusion are relatively well-known; that civilization is the greatest disaster to befall earth in the past 65 million years. In terms of pollution, deforestation, extinction, and overall negative impact to the web of life itself, humanity is supreme among all the species. What Quinn does not share with the others who know these facts is a belief that civilization will overcome any difficulties it encounters. Civilization, to Quinn, is the problem, not the solution.

_Ishmael_ is the presentation of these ideas in a Socratic method from a gorilla to a man "with an earnest desire to save the world." There isn't really any plot to this book, nor does Quinn intend there to be. The disappearance of Ishmael at the end of book is the only story-like element in _Ishmael_, and it is really an attempt by Quinn to set the reader free - to encourage him/her to think about civilization for himself rather than be told about it by a telepathic gorilla. I've always had the feeling that this should be considered nonfiction, rather than a story.

The problem presented by _Ishmael_ is simple: civilization is the problem. The solution is both simple and complex: in order to preserve a human niche in the ecosystem, we must go beyond civilization. Working to figure out just what this means is one of the great joys of reading _Ishmael_, whether or not you agree with Quinn's assessment of the situation. _Ishmael_ is a book that will make you look around and think, and perhaps reach some conclusions that you may find surprising. Highly recommended.

listening to Ishmael, April 16, 2005
This book's been alternately excessively hyped and criticized. Some of the reviews on this page make me question whether those reviewers and I read the same book. The book's arch premise is highly focused (not simplified) in order to successfully posit its all-embracing point: human beings are ignorantly destroying the world in which they live. It's not a book about a return to primitive man, neither is it about ideas already understood by most people; if that were the case, corporate greed, mindless militarism and fetishistic destruction of the environment would not be the cataclysmic problems they have assuredly become. There's a good deal of honest wisdom in the pages of Ishmael despite the quasi cultic aspects found on the ishmael.com website. This is a book that can help teach people in this society to listen. THAT's its erstwhile contribution. Try this experiment sometime: note how often you experience someone say they "listened to" something (a book, another person, the circumstance of any human quandary) and contrast it with the number of times you hear people say they "heard" something. The results of this simple little survey will astonish you. THAT's the value of the tale of teacher Ishmael. Until any society that measures its wealth by consumption is converted to a culture that listens, any hope for the necessarily radical reconfiguring of the means and the end is a pipe dream. The book addresses that condition with insight, a superbly original idea, an intriguing 'hero' and a genuine push for a wakeup call that fairly charges out of the author from beginning to end. Great literature it ain't - a critical choice is what's revealed, and it's powerful.

Excellent, May 1, 2006
Much like the One Book for Waterloo this year, Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer, this book looks at the history of humankind on this planet and all we have done to it. It will challenge the prevailing belief that more and bigger is better. The book begins with an ad in the paper "TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have earnest desire to save the world. Apply in Person." In the book, the gorilla Ishmael has learned to communicate through thought with humans. He also has a message that we cannot afford not to hear. The book focuses around a series of conversations between Ishmael and his student. It presents a different interpretation of how we went from being a hunter-gather society to an agrarian one. Also how that system is bound to fail. For me the most haunting thing in the book is two quotes. Early on we see a poster that states: "WITH MAN GONE, WILL THERE BE HOPE FOR GORILLA?" p.9 and much later, on the back of the first poster, "WITH GORILLA GONE, WILL THERE BE HOPE FOR MAN?" p.263. This is a great read especially for a sunny summer afternoon, or two. This is also the first in a trilogy.

Negative reviewers have missed the point..., August 4, 2004
Some quotes that have caused me pause:

"The earth is on the brink of environmental collapse because the evil white people have forgotten that the world does not belong to them."

"Its central tenet - that human beings, through their total disregard for the world around them, are destroying the Earth"

Way to miss the boat.

First of all, in no way is Quinn saying humans are a disease, that white people in particular are a disease, or that "Western Civ." is responsible. Quinn is saying that for millions of years humans existed on this planet without conquering it, and that that they did so sustainably. It is not "human beings" that are responsible, it is the "produce or die" culture that's responsible.

Jean Jacques Rousseau posited that the greatest crime in the history of humanity was when one person fenced off an area and said "this is mine." The rest is, unfortunately, history. It is not that we're human, it is how we are living. We are under the delusion that there is no other way to live - but we have 3 million years of shared "non-history" to point to to show that before our culture, humans lived just fine, thank you. Since our culture's inception, we have been on the track to disaster - War, Famine, Slavery, Plague - all fruits of this cultural tree. And with no one even considering the possibility of changing course (and frankly, why would they when the rewards are "comfort" and "wealth"), there is nothing but a great brick wall at the end of this tunnel to look forward to.

This book is not meant to do anything more than wake us up from the mind-numbing hum of the culture that tells us there is no other way to live. It is not meant to offer solutions - how we choose to act upon waking up is not Quinn's responsibility. He's not a guru - he's a thinker, and while his prose may be muddy (God - some of that dialogue can be interminable) his ultimate goal is achieved. We cannot, having read this book, say that we are unaware that for millions of years, people did not live as we lived - and they thrived. Of course, the definition of "thrived" has changed under the "one right way to live."

As it stands, we have maybe another 30-50 years before we (and by WE I don't mean "Americans" or "Africans" or "Asians" or anything of the sort - I mean "Participants in the "produce or die" lifestyle) hit the wall at the end of the tunnel. We produce more than we can consume, because to do so affords us "wealth" and "comfort." As a result, our population climbs steadily, and keeps climbing, though it's dangerously high right now. Quinn is saying that in the other story we enacted for millions of years, wealth was not measured by digits in a bank account, and comfort was not measured by the number of products we could buy after slaving on this cultural pyramid.

The message is - "Look around you and ask: - is there another story that we could be enacting? What kind of damage are we doing to ourselves and this world by enacting this one? Can we enact another before it is too late?"

Other authors have gone further and offered solutions. Skinner (Walden Two), Callenbach (Ecotopia), Schumacher (Small is Beautiful) are some good examples.

It's a wake up call. And in that, I must say it is an unmitigated succcess.

Clarifying points, March 31, 2005
Yes, the philosophy behind Ishmael is a simple one.

Yes, the writing is basic, slowly paced, sometimes repetitive, and barely backed up by any data.

Yes, many of us have encountered similar beliefs elsewhere, or we came up with them ourselves in high school.

A few people have said this, and I'd like to reiterate: in the end, it doesn't matter. It's an important book.

I'm amazed at how many people have sneered at this book, dismissing it by saying, "Everyone already knows this, idiots." Do they really? Maybe they did discover it for themselves in high school, but many of those people (myself included), thought that we were alone in thinking the way we did, or listened to Mother Culture's insistence that human "progress" was inexorable. This book is a reassuring reminder that many of us humans do know how to live, and that minds are being changed. Granted, I wouldn't recommend that anyone's education be based solely off Ishmael. Read it, and then go out and keep reading. You want evidence? It's out there, being written by scholars with more scientific credibility than Daniel Quinn. Check out his website at www.ishmael.com if you want to know what he recommends for additional reading, or just go out and explore on your own.
To those critics who claim to "already know" everything in this book: do you really? If so, why are you spending so much time trying to discredit it? A key part of the book, perhaps THE key part, is that this knowledge does no good if it isn't shared. So you've studied the works of great philosophers and noted ecologists? Good! I am genuinely glad. But if you really buy into the ideas presented in this book, then help to teach them instead of cynically blasting Quinn's approach. He may not help everyone, but he helped me, and I know I'm not alone.

I would also be suspicious of any reviews which claim that the book promotes the ideas that humanity is "bad" or "a virus", that the book is racist, anti-semetic, anti-christian, or anything of the sort, that the book is anti-technology, or that the book promotes the idea that we have to return to a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Quinn takes pains to distance himself from all these criticisms, and those who make them need to read a little more carefully.

Since this is supposed to be a review (not a review of other people's reviews), I highly recommend this book. Though it may not be for everyone, I encourage anyone with even the slightest interest to give Ishmael a shot. If you're skeptical, try a friend or a library, but I'm confident that many of you will want this on your shelves for years to come.

Use Ishmael as a springboard, September 26, 2004
Honestly, the majority of these reviews aren't worth reading except to see that people either love or hate Daniel Quinn's ideas and/or writing; there are few with a moderate stance.
The most prevalent criticism is that Quinn's main points aren't novel, and I agree, but I'm sure that most people wouldn't have heard them before anyway.
In addition, his ideas are presented as if the reader is rather dense. However, in his defense, most people are.
I'll tell you now, you won't be impressed by this book if you have some useless degree is philosophy. So stop writing reviews to show off how bloody smart you are. Nevertheless, I believe the average person can take something worthwhile away from this book.
Quinn's writing is far from the best, or most engaging, and I agree that the dialogue is often unrealistic. However, to anyone who takes issue with the student's "yes"/I see" answers, I have one response... ever heard of Plato? Well, then, try reading his Dialogues, I believe it will ring a bell.

In short, I recommend this book to anyone who desperately needs to look beyond his or her own small, petty life. And that's almost everyone.

Gorilla Teaches Man To Save Himself! Film at 11!, December 7, 2002
This is not an easy book to review. Billed as "A Novel," futurist Daniel Quinn's tale of humanity's condition and fate on the planet is really only a "novel" in the same sense that James Redfield's "The Celestine Prophecy" was labeled a "novel:" Ishmael is basically about the author's philosophy and a set of teachings, wrapped in a thin veneer of very minimal storyline. The core lesson? Sustainability is essential to our survival. That's the "short version." Now....

I expect some of you will have come here because the book is "required reading" in a philosophy course; or perhaps because you heard about it and have an interest in philosphy. And you will no doubt find it "annoying" that the author has tried to write a "story." Others may be considering this as a "novel," and you will probably be disappointed that there really isn't much "story." Because there isn't, and you'll most likely find Quinn's slightly "preachy" style offputting. If you've read some of the other 500+ reviews, you probably noticed that most of the negative comments had to do with confusion over what the author "is trying to do."

Thus, in order to get something out of this book, I suggest that you abandon any need to make it fit a "genre," and instead just consider the underlying philosophical message. If you enjoy discussions about "The Meaning Of Things," you could well enjoy this book. If you consider yourself a "Serious Philosopher" be aware that "Ishmael" is quite introductory-level in its presentation.

That said, Ishmael is the "story" of a teacher and a student. The teacher (and also Quinn's "mouthpiece" for conveying his philosophy) is a telepathic gorilla; the student is the man who answers an unusual ad in the paper: "TEACHER seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person."

The book presents Quinn's interpretation of the tale of humanity. As we progress through the book, we learn about the "hows" and "whys" of "The Way Things Are" in our modern world, and "how they got to be this way." Ishmael (the gorilla) uses a variation on "Socratic teaching" to guide his student to drawing his own conclusions. Finally, Ishmael (Quinn) presents us with some possible solutions to change the inevitably apocalyptic scenario that represents humankind's final destiny, should we continue along our current path. Whereas a solid 80-90% of the book is dedicated to conveying the author's philosophy, we're occasionally sidetracked by the thin thread of "plot," there to remind us that we're ostensibly reading a novel, rather than a philosophy text.

Quinn's ideas center around the premise that at some point, humanity decided that it was no longer subject to the basic "laws" of nature and the universe. He argues that our ensuing problems with pollution, overpopulation, hunger, disease, crime and a host of other issues can be traced back to the point when we decided to no longer follow the "Gods," but instead to BECOME those "Gods," bending the world to our perceived needs and whims; and creating our own definitions as to what is absolute "good" and "evil." Along with this, we developed our "civilized" habits of taking more from the Earth and the Universe than we actually need. End result? 1000s of species dying, and eventually we will succumb, as the natural end game of a process we started, ourselves. Please note that I use the term "Gods" very loosely in this paragraph, as this is not a religious book.

From a philosophy standpoint, the book succeeds, in as much as it makes us think about life, and our future on this planet. From a "story" standpoint, there's not much there. Overall, I found "Ishmael" to be an enjoyable and fairly easy read, and I think the somewhat "general" nature of the book is attributable to the fact that Quinn is essentially using it to "set the stage" for a subsequent series of books that go on to explore his philosophy in greater detail.

Final thoughts: Well worth reading (9 out of a possible 10 bookmarks). If you have an open mind, and an interest in "big pattern thinking," it's not a stretch to understand why "Ishmael" is as awarded and talked about as it is. Potentially, a life-altering book-- but you MUST "think outside the box."

Book for Reraders with an Earnest Desire to Save the World, October 6, 2000
A friend of mine recommended this book to me in 1992. When she described to me the book's premise, a dialogue between a telepathic gorilla and a not-so-subtly dense man, I have to admit, I was not exactly eager to buy a copy. Thankfully, she persisted, and when finally she just presented me with a copy of it, I began to read... and read... and read... to find that she was right when she told me that what the book is actually about is something you have to read for yourself to discover.

My history prior to reading Ishmael had involved efforts to address problems regarding the environment and social justice. I had always been frustrated at the conventional devices for change, never quite able to communicate exactly where my frustrations lay. I did know that my frustrations were rooted in a sense that what I was doing was having little more effect than trying to stop a dam from breaking by stopping up the cracks with tissue paper. I also knew that the changes needed were much more than any amount of political persuasion, noble savage idealism, scientific sequestering, philosophical masturbation, or religious transcendentalism could possibly produce.

It has been seven years since my first reading of Ishmael, and this book's profound impact on me, my goals, and my overall cosmology has not wavered since, but has in fact increased exponentially, particularly with reading Mr. Quinn's follow up pieces, The Story of B and My Ishmael. In Ishmael, Daniel Quinn manages to cut to the heart of our culture's various ailments without resorting to any of the expected conventions of our time. The reason for this, as Mr. Quinn clearly illustrates, is that these conventions are as much a result of our culture's ill paradigms as the problems they occasionally attempt to remedy.

But this does not even begin to touch on the depth of insights contained in this masterful work. Mr. Quinn synthesizes numerous schools of thought - primarily anthropology, history, biology, and theology - in such a way as to paint a truly all-encompassing portrait of how we got here. Most importantly, he successfully fleshes out the root of what it will take for any significant and lasting change to be made.

The premise of the conversation between man and ape is more a metaphorical framework, a vehicle for the eye-opening ideas therein, than a device to provoke an emotional response. Nonetheless, one cannot help feeling a sense of loyalty and affection for the humorously smug (and rightly so) gorilla we come to know as Ishmael.

And we owe a debt of gratitude to the book's fictitious narrator. His dense skull need not be taken personally as an estimation on Quinn's part of the mentality of his readers. It is a practical device that makes this book comprehensible to even those readers with little prior understanding of the laws of biology, the principles of evolution, or the various other foundations of this piece, and merely requests the patience of those readers who do have knowledge of such subjects. And for those readers who find this man's ignorance occasionally frustrating, you will find humor and respect in how Ishmael himself responds. At least, if you do not, you will find a role model for the patience you will need to develop if you wish to be a part of provoking such change yourself.

My involvement and concern for issues such as the environment and social justice have not wavered either, but have merely changed their expressions... to ones more effective in the long run and with a deeper, more practical understanding and a sense of hope that I had not known before.

Deeper and more profoundly mind-altering than any book on conspiracy theories, celestine prophecies, or back-to-the-woods survivalism - by the simple virtue of its depth and profundity laying in its unabashed stripping of our cultural mythologies - Ishmael is truly a book for any reader with an earnest desire to save the world.

Ready to rethink your entire existence?, October 12, 2000
This book alone reshaped how I think about everything. It is a narrative dialogue between a gorilla and a na�ve, disgruntled young man. The man represents a common cultural icon, the kind we all know too well: unhappy, hopeless and confused. The gorilla: wise, challenging and viewing the world of humanity from an animal's perspective. Ishmael, the gorilla, takes the narrator onto a journey of humanity while challenging the him to see humanity, and its role on this planet, in a way never before told. What's more is that everything Ishmael brings out is confirmed by the work of anthropologists, philosophers, biologists and ecologists, and, unlike others who question humanity's position in life, Ishmael questions whether we need prophets. A new way to live is more on his agenda, and it may follow the model lived by humans for millions of years: the tribe. This book is touching, easy to read and difficult to grasp. I've read it six times, taught it as a high-school unit twice, and I still haven't received all that is presented in here. I joined an Ishmael email list for some time and discovered most of the people on there saw Ishmael as some New Age guru telling us to eat a vegetarian diet and live simply. (Needless to say, I quickly left that list.) I recommend this book selectively--because I'm not sure many who read Ishmael actually understand it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Written for parents with children of any age, this insightful book provides perspectives and procedures for shepherding your child's heart into the paths of life. Shepherding a Child's Heart gives fresh biblical approaches to child rearing. ... Read more

Reviews

A good read, May 17, 2007
This book, I imagine, is (or will be) considered one of those modern classic parenting books. Ted Tripp draws on his vast experience as a pastor, counselor, school administrator, speaker and father to share with us his perspective on raising children. His underlying principle is that our role as a parent is to guide our children to understand themselves and the world in which they live. To do this effectively, we have to do more than just tell our children, we must lead them through open communication, self-disclosure, living out our values - shepherding their hearts. Tripp states, "The central focus of parenting is the gospel. You need to direct not simply the behavior of your children, but the attitudes of their hearts."

The book is laid out in two parts: Foundations for Biblical Childrearing (the philosophy) and Shepherding Through the Stages of Childhood (the implementation). He begins with exploring the idea that the heart determines behavior. He walks through the various influences our child development that affect what fills the heart. He then reminds parents of their place of authority. I think this is an important concept to internalize, because I increasingly see in our culture a desire to be friends with our children, rather than parents. We focus on making our children like us, and so we gloss over the difficult responsibilities like discipline.

Tripp then moves into a section on goals, and what I loved about this part is how he shifts our focus from ourselves to God. For example, rather than wanting to raise well-behaved children - because it makes us look good or because it gives us control - we want to raise children who love God so much that they want to live in obedience to Him (not us!). These and other goals he discusses may seem good, but they are not Biblical.

The last section of the first part discusses many different Biblical methods, ranging from communication to spanking. While I appreciate his discussion and agree with many of the points he makes, parents should be aware that he does express some fairly rigid beliefs. Personally, I think you should consider the personality of each of your children and apply the methods that are most effective. However, parents should not dismiss the rationale and Biblical mandates behind what he suggests just because they disagree with the method or the extent to which it is used.

The second part is intended to be a more practical implementation of his philosophy. To me, this is the weakest part of the book. I walked away from the book still unclear how to implement most of the ideas he had discussed.

Overall, the concepts in this book are great and well explained. It could stand to be a little shorter and more concise, and needs more concrete points of application. But it is definitely worth the time to read.

Practical advice from a radically different philosophy, April 11, 2003
The key thing that distinguishes Tripp's book from most parenting books is that he rightly understands that our goal in parenting is not to produce children who are obedient, nor is it to produce children who are happy. Rather, both of these are the beneficial result of raising our children in such a way that we are always addressing the issues of the heart (selfishness, rebelliousness, discontent, etc.) rather than just working on the externals.

Tripp gives some very practical advice to this end: how to recognise the "teachable moments", how to spank, the problems with strategies that don't work (e.g. bargaining or bribery). He also makes it clear that discipline only works in an atmosphere of trust and communication. I was very pleasantly surprised to see someone agree with me that in a situation where you "know" your child has done something wrong, but you don't have the evidence to prove it, the right thing to do is to encourage honesty on their part, but if necessary to let them get by with it, rather than acting on a presupposition that might be wrong and injuring the trust between parent and child. He also writes a good bit about parenting goals and strategies for different age groups (from toddlerhood to teenage).

The book does have its flaws, though. The most serious is that Tripp does not do a sufficient job of setting the context of what we are about in parenting. Doug Wilson's Standing on the Promises does that well, and should be viewed as a necessary companion to this book. As another reader pointed out, he also does not effectively discuss how to build attachment during the early years (although he hints at it - for instance, his insistence that the child be laid across the lap for spanking is grounded in a desire to not distance the child and he condemns parenting methods that attempt to manipulate the emotional fears of children to achieve a result).

I was tempted to give the book a lower rating due to some philosophical problems with Tripp in his view of whether God promises to work through godly parenting to bring children to faith, his views of education and socialisation and so on. However, he does not work out a practice consistent with these flaws and touches on them only tangentially, so they can mostly be overlooked.

He also has a tendency to be a bit absolutist about things that aren't absolutes. For instance, he sees spanking as the only effective means of punishment in discipline. He rightly understands that the purpose of spanking is to get the child's attention so that the real work of discipline (the teaching aspect) can proceed out of the infraction, but doesn't seem to understand that with some children there are more effective means of getting their attention. I'm a big fan of spanking, but have recognised in my own daughter that sometimes the removal of privileges is much more effective.

Excellent book - even those who don't spank can glean much, October 3, 2008
I first read this book while a teacher at a Christian preparatory school. It was recommended by my supervisor, the Head of Lower School. It changed the way I dealt with my students and behavior issues that arose each day. I loved learning how to focus on the heart and using different styles and types of communication, depending on the situation and heart of the child. It is challenging to sometimes figure out the root of the behavior, and even more challenging as teacher of many students, to find sufficient time to talk and communicate with each child, but well-worth the pursuit. I obviously did not use spanking as a classroom teacher, but other modes of behavior correction. Now, 8 years later, I am a mother of 2 small children and reading the book for the 3rd time. We do use controlled, biblical spanking with our children. (How does one "back up" one's words without a spanking with small children? Especially if they refuse to go to time-out? Maybe I just have stubborn kids!) Anyway, even if you have chosen not to use spanking, you can still glean very valuable content from this book regarding communication and reaching the heart of your child, as I did as a classroom teacher. We are God's instruments to teach, raise, and train our children, and I don't believe that Tedd Tripp thinks that we actually ARE God (in response to another reviewer!) This book, while not perfect (is any book?), is very worthy of your time to read. I gained much out of it, and it is helping my husband and me in our journey to raise children with God-centered hearts.

How about a balanced review?, September 30, 2008
I read this book because it seems to have such a polarizing effect on those who read it. Wow. Either this is a one-stop parenting book, or it's a license to abuse children written by a nut! There's no in-between, is there!

Well, yes there is. I'll give this book a solid three stars, and here's why, from a free thinking Christian perspective (I'd like to think).

First of all, contrary to some of the more hysterical one-star reviewers, experiencing a few moments of sting from the buttocks is not the worst thing that can happen to a child, and it's not child abuse or perverted. It's what's happened to untold millions of children throughout history who became adults who contributed to their civilizations.

I believe the dominant form of child abuse occuring in our culture today is neglect. Leaving a child on his or her own to grow up as an undisciplined, untrustworthy narcissist is a far greater abuse to a child than the "spankings" it might have took at an early age to teach a child accountability.

Tripp's "spanking doctrine" is described within a context of communication and consistency, and within that context makes sense. Children are often irrational, and often don't respond to complex psychological manipulation techniques or reasoned negotiation. Spanking to me is a last resort. I think I've spanked one of my two sons an average of once a year, and not out of venting rage but because at the time there was nothing else I could do to end a bad situation.

Truth be told, I'd likely be a better person than I am today if I'd been raised according to all the principles described in this book. Hurts to write that, but there it is.

However, the author's biblical mandate for spanking is just plain poor logic. On page 31, Tripp says, in so many words, that I'm supposed to spank my children because Proverbs 6:23 commands me to and it would be a sin to disobey that command.

Well, there's Proverbs 10:13 that says "Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment." (NIV)

Obviously, that's a command straight from God that I should do my best to make sure anyone who "lacks judgement" is punished with the "rod". So, here's me at a party: "I'm sorry, but what you just said shows a genuine lack of judgement, so even though it's awkward and embarrasing for both of us, and might land me ten years in prison for assault, I'm going to have to beat you with a rod because God tells me to. Or, at least do my best to arrange for you to be beaten by someone else, because this passage just says you need to be beaten with a rod somehow".

So many Christians don't seem to understand that we are not bound by the Law of Moses, and I assume much less by the Proverbs, at least in terms of their being a collection of literal laws that count as sin if we don't obey them to the letter.

Furthermore, special needs kids have a way of trashing any prepackaged methodology for child rearing. My oldest son is high-functioning austistic. Spanking is simply not an option for him because he has a very high pain tolerance, doesn't interpret spanking as discipline, has little sense of shame, and the one or two times I tried spanking him years in the past he just laughed and hit me back. Then what do you do, Dr. Tripp?

Also, the useful information in this book could have been presented in about twenty pages. I scanned through it in a single evening and it seems I was reading the same stuff over and over again. Maybe some poeple need that to gain understanding, I just found it tedious.

And finally, Dr. Tripp did convict me that too much of my discipline, and my wife's, is emphasizing behavior modification and not attempting to point the heart of our children toward God. I really don't believe that if a child changes his/her behavior without a change of hear that he/she falls under the same condemnation as the Pharisees (page 5). My kids aren't religious teacher! Sheesh! Still, Dr. Tripp is right to emphasize that the goal of parenting is the child's heart, not just confirming to behavioral standards. I want to raise a Wally Cleaver, not an Eddie Haskell.

Misinterpretation of the Bible, February 14, 2007
This book was recommended to me by a friend. I borrowed it from the library and read it. I found that the first half of the book offers some good insights on the goals of parenting and is thought-provoking. The chapter on communication is not bad. The second part of the book, which addresses practical applications, is the weakest part of the book. I found the author's practical approach to child rearing very much based on Old Testament ideas. For example, the author's recommendation of most important lesson for children from birth to age 4 is that they should learn obedience. Parents must force them to obedience by use of corporal punishment, to the extent of spanking eight months old babies.
The theological basis for this is the passage from Ephesians 6:1 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." and the passages in Proverbs (Pr 13:24, Pr 22:15, Pr 23:13, Pr 23:14, Pr 29:15) that we are all very familiar with.

First, there is a problem with the interpretation of the Proverb verses. The book did not give a good explanation of the word "rod" and "child" in the Proverb passages. The word "rod" is "shebet" in Hebrew. Most of the time, this word symbolizes authority. There are only a few places that "shebet" is possibly referring to a literal rod in connection with hitting someone. The Hebrew word "na'ar", which was translated "child" in all of the "rod" Scriptures in Proverbs, refers to young men most of the time. I believe the rod passages in proverb were figurative. Proverb 23:13 says "Withhold not correction from the child: for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die". But there is one instance in the Old Testament that associate the rod with a literal beating (Exodus 21:20 "And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished."), where it talks about a man beats his servant to death. If the proverb passages were talking about a literal rod associated with beating the children, then we would have the Bible contradicting itself. So figurative interpretation of those verses could mean that parents using the parental authority to discipline (teach, disciple, educate, instruct) and guide their children. Even if Proverbs 23:13 were referring to a literal beating, taken in context, it would have to be speaking about a grown child (na'ar). Since The verses before and after are written by a father speaking to his grown or almost grown son. You can find a good analysis of theses versus by doing a google search and checking the original Hebrew in Strong's concordance, also available online. I have to say the figurative interpretation seems to be more in line with how Jesus treated little children in New Testament. There is a good analysis on this by noted pediatrician William Sears. See reason #6 in the link below that explains why spanking is not mandated by the Bible. Here is a link: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/6/T062100.asp#T062101

Second, the logic used in the book to justify forced obedience is flawed. Ephesians 6:1 says "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." It is a command addressing the children directly. And this obedience is in the context of "in the Lord", not anything that the parents wish or demand of the children (always picking up the toys after play, always come to the parents immediately when called, etc.). Our words are not to be hold to the same standard as biblical mandates for the children. Also, Ephesians 6:1 doesn't say "Parents, make your children obey". Rather, Ephesians 6:4 says "And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." We are all mandated to obey the Lord. But the Lord does not force obedience on us. He didn't act as a cosmic police, giving us punishment whenever there is the slightest disobedience. Rather he mainly draws us to obedience by His everlasting loving kindness and faithfulness, especially when we are new believers. God does discipline us, but the extent of His discipline is based on the level of spiritual maturity of each believer. It is not a one size fit all approach. And His discipline is firmly rooted in His love. On the other hand, we parents are just sinners saved by grace. We some times make demands based on our selfish interest. Is it always a fair trial for parents to play the role of plaintiff, judge, and police in a parent child conflict situation?

Third, the author's obedience standard seems too high even for many adult Christians to reach, not mentioning small children, many of whom are not even converted to believers yet. Here are some quotes from his book:
"Obedience means more than a child doing what he is told. It means doing what he is told---
Without Challenge
Without Excuse,
Without Delay"
Such a high standard of obedience, even Moses would have failed to reach the standard at the burning bush when God asked him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses was certainly finding all kinds of excuses. Moses should have been punished by God using the author's logic. Later when Moses was more spiritually mature, God did punish him for not obeying God's command (striking the rock instead of speaking to the rock as God commanded.) God took away his privilege to enter the promised land. Just an example of God's discipline based on the maturity level of the believer. Many of us are very familiar with greatest commandments (Love your God with all your heart....; Love your neighbor as yourself). How many of the adult Christians live in obedience of these commandments all the time? Has God punished us every time we do not live up to these commandments? There are many many other commands in the Bible that we fail to carry out on a daily basis. In fact, only Christ Himself could have lived out all the commands of God perfectly. I would have been beaten to death many times in a day if God used the same logic and method that the author used on his children. I am deeply aware that I fall short of the glory of God in many many ways. I need His Grace and guidance to help me to conform to His image. The biggest flaw of this book is that according to the author the children are under the law and the parents under the grace. What a double standard!

I am also deeply troubled by the attitude in this book that parents should be almost like God to their children and have complete control over their children, including their hearts. This is almost a sinnful atitude. Only God knows a person's heart. And only He can change a person's heart by the work of Holy Spirit. We (parents and children alike) are all sinners saved by grace. God granted us so much grace. Shouldn't parents do the same to their children? As Christians we are no longer bound by the law of Moses, much less Proverbs. But we are bound by the law of Christ. We are mandated by God to show the kind of patient and kind love that Christ himself has modeled.

I do not doubt that some people will see short term results by implementing his methods, but to the detriment of long term relationship. Children will be more compliant in short term out of fear of more punishment. Quote from his book: "You must challenge disobedience and persevere until the lessons of submission are learned." But what will be the long term results though? As a parent maybe you want to check this link out for a real life experience of a girl subjected to a similar kind of discipline method: http://www.geocities.com/cddugan/RoyLessinOpenLetter.html
The method, when applied consistently, is very much like a glorified negative behavior modification system that leaves long term scars for the children. It made me feel sick in the stomach when I read this true story.

It took me quite a while to get out of the theological confusion this book has brought to me. My daughter was almost 3.5 when I read this book. She was having some behavior problems. At that time the book seemed to me to be based on sound biblical teachings. So I tried out the discipline method as outlined in the book. It didn't work. It sent me crying to God asking for directions. After much prayer, consulting with spiritually mature christians who have raised great children, and contemplating how God tought me as one of His children, I discovered that the key to solve my daughter's behavior problem was more love and attention (at that time I was a full time working mother with two children). Her problems were rooted in lack of attention from me. I have seen a dramatic change in her behavior after this was rectified. A year later, when she was almost 4.5, she accepted the Lord into her heart. The Holy Spirit convicted her. Another dramatic change after her conversion. Both her father and her pre-school teacher noticed this change in her. Also, during the time of seeking the Lord's guidance, I have checked all the versus in the old testament that contain the Hebrew word "shebet" (rod) and the verses containing "na'ar" (child). I became convinced that the proverb passages were not a mandate from God for parents to spank their children. Rather they are talking about exercising parental authority.

In summary, the author seems to be someone who earnestly wants to help Christian parents raise up godly children according to God's word, There are some good points throughout the book. But the takeaway messages are very troubling. I have full respect for the author's good intention, but cannot disagree more on his practical applications set forth in this book.

I Wish I Read This Book 17 Years Ago!, March 15, 2007
I just read a very unfavorable review of Tedd Tripp's "Shepherding A Child's Heart," and I was shocked. This book brings the Biblical truths of child rearing together in a clear, concise, godly, and gentle manner. In no way does it invite the tyranny that the review I read implies. Do you have children? I entreat you to employ the principles outlined in this book just as they are meant to be: Gently, sober-mindedly, and lovingly. The fruit you bear will be a blessing, rather than the grief you experience watching your children waver in their relationship with God, unsure of when to obey or even how to respond to God-given authority in their lives and watching them bear the painful consequences of unsubmissive hearts and hearts not turned toward God. A spanking administered by a loving, sober-minded parent, teaching obedience without challenge, without excuse, and without delay is a life saving necessity as opposed to watching your children receive their "spankings" from an unloving, ungodly, uncaring, cruel world as a result of their lack of "submission" to God-given authority. (THAT is child abuse). Our culture has made spanking socially unacceptable, as it has so many other Biblical principles (i.e. wives submitting to their husbands, mothers actually staying home to raise their children...). That is the only reason that Mr. Tripp advises that spanking take place in the privacy of your own home. He's not claiming you should hide while you spank - that would indicate that what you are doing is wrong. Rather, he is sensitive to the unbiblical state of our society. Discipline truly makes children feel safe. It's as if they know that when they are being disobedient, they are in a dangerous place, and it is our duty as parents to rescue them and bring them back to the circle of safety of honor and obedience to God-given authority. If not, we are contributing to their destruction. I know, as I did not always practice this with my children, and now I am dealing with teen agers who unrighteously challenge and struggle with authority. It breaks my heart, not because it is an inconvenience to me, but because of the danger THEY are in. Once again, I wish I had read this book 17 years ago!

Excellent, biblically based book, February 19, 2007
I have read this book several times and have listened to the audio CD of the conference that Pastor Tripp does, and I did not get the same impression as reviewer Jo Ragan AT ALL. I am wondering if Jo Ragan actually read the book or just skimmed through it and shut it as soon as a reference to spanking was found. Pastor Tripp is extremely gracious and loving and this attitude is evident all throughout the entire book. It is especially evident in the CD series. I would encourage other 'comment readers' to read the book for themselves and not base their decision on what was said in this one. We are Biblical parenting instructors, and we refer this book, as well as Paul David Tripp's book, Age of Opportunity, quite often. In our opinion, with the exception of God's Word, these books are two of the very best parenting books out there. Yes, they condone spanking for outright rebellion (so does God' Word), but they also stress the importance of discerning between actual rebellion and childishness, the importance of overwhelming your children with praise and encouragement, and the importance of dealing with the sin issues (anger, etc..) in the parents heart. Both of the Tripp brothers discuss the importance offering grace to your children, at times, and they overwhelmingly stress the fact that discipline is to point our children to their need for Jesus Christ, not something we do because we are angry. I HIGHLY recommend this to all parents.

Awesome, July 6, 2008
I had no idea how many things I was doing wrong!!! And everyone thinks I am a good parent. By the worlds standard, I suppose I am. By Gods standard I was falling way short! Ted Tripp has shown me how to be kind and loving to my children. To explain to them why we do what we do, not just because I want it, but, because God calls up to do it! What a concept! IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN PARENT, THIS IS A MUST READ! I am enjoying parenting so much more, now that I am in line with Gods will!

1 Star or 5, January 15, 2009
I was spanked as a child. I hold a Master's degree and have never been to therapy. I love my parents and respect and value their opinions. I have never doubted one day in my life that they loved me and wanted the very best for my life.

Most of the one-star reviews seem to be from those who have been adamantly taught that spanking is out of the question. If they complaim about beng spanked as a child it is probably because there was not a love relationship in the discipline but rather anger expressed in fury. That is far from what Dr. Tripp is calling for in the book. Even Berkley did a study a few years ago that demonstrated that spakings did not harm children.

I loved the book and I reccomend it to every parent I know.

Shepherding a child's heart: wise advice and one key error, March 17, 2010
Like any father I have always found parenting to be both challenging and rewarding. When I came to faith as a 31 year old with two daughters aged 3 and 5 years I was confronted by a new challenge, how would I raise my children to know God and be obedient to him? As an academic with interest in child development, learning and how families structure learning in the home, I also have more than a passing interest in parenting. As a new Christian, I quickly learned that the Bible was our family's key resource and that this was where I was to seek God's wisdom on how to be a wise parent. It took many years before I even realised that there was a large market for Christian parenting resources and that many of the books published evoked varied responses from Bible believing parents.

1. Tripp's Error

After hearing many references to Ted Tripp's Book, 'Shepherding a Child's Heart' in recent years from young parents, I decided that I needed to read and review it. So I did so on my blog 'Just In Case' ([...]). I see this as a very helpful book with some excellent and biblical advice written by a godly and wise Christian, but it has one major flaw. The error is signalled on page 59 when Ted Tripp suggests that:

"We cannot be indifferent to [parenting] methodology. Biblically, the method is as important as the objectives. God speaks to both issues. He is concerned not only with what we do, but also with how we do it."

I believe that the second sentence in this short paragraph is false. The first sentence is difficult to dispute, yes we should give careful consideration to how we parent; we can't be "indifferent to methodology". And perhaps, God has spoken through his word in places to give some pointers to methods. But I don't believe that God is concerned with how we do parenting in the sense that he might favour specific methods, let alone one main method of discipline as we see argued in Tripp's book. Of course, we should use the Bible to inform our practices, but to claim that the Bible offers clear guidance on disciplinary method has little biblical justification. God is certainly concerned that we act as godly parents who seek to honour him and bring glory to his name as we care for and lead our families. Like many authors of parenting books before him, Tripp allows his own methods, which he suggests worked well for his children (and I have no reason to doubt that they did), to become the yardstick by which he assesses the appropriateness of other approaches, before using the Bible to justify his approach while dismissing others. Suggesting a single method ignores key variability in children and parents. For example, not all fathers are capable of controlling their anger and avoiding the warnings that Tripp gives about abuse of punishment. Furthermore, all children are different, even in the one family! They have different personalities and psychological make-ups which cannot be ignored. I believe that slavish adherence to one method will make it harder to avoid the warning of Ephesians 6:4, "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord".

2. Tripp's wise advice

I find Tripp's emphasis on 'the rod' all the more frustrating because the first half of this book lays out a sound biblical framework for the basics of parenting. Until I reached p.59 I found little that I could question and much that I would applaud. For example his comments that:

The gospel is the central focus of parenting.
Far too often parents focus on changing children's behaviour; instead we need to look beyond behaviour to the rebellious heart that produces it (Luke 6:45).
Our every effort should be to ensure our children internalise the message of the gospel.
There are many influences that shape children, including family values, the structure of the family and its history, family practices like conflict resolution, how roles are defined, and how families deal with failure.
Children like adults are covenantal beings that must choose who they will worship and serve - from the womb we are wayward and can go astray (Psalm 58:3).
Parents have the critical task of 'shepherding children's hearts' to be oriented towards God.
Punishment must always be corrective not punitive and be an expression of love of wanting what is good for your child - Discipline must not be in anger, for revenge or just to punish.
Our goals for parenting are always to see God glorified in our lives, in our children's lives and in our family.
Communication is all about dialogue (not monologue) and is vital to good parenting.
It is important to regularly diagnose our children's relationship to God (Tripp offers a helpful strategy for this) that gives biblical focus to parenting.

3. The Rod

While I do see a place for occasional physical punishment (e.g. a slap on the legs, or a tap on the hand of a toddler who defies my instructions and verbal prompts) as a parent, I don't see much biblical evidence for the major priority that Tripp gives it in this book and his claim (in effect) that 'the rod' is the most biblical of methods, trumping threats of punishment, withdrawal of rewards and privileges, isolation (e.g. the 'naughty chair') etc. Like several high profile books on parenting in the past, this one is in a sense a corrective to overly permissive and unbiblical parenting, but it goes too far. This is a blog post rather than an essay, so I won't go into great detail about my objections to the priority given to 'the rod', but I'd like to simply list some of these objections to the emphasis given to corporal punishment and Tripp's dismissal on biblical grounds of some other parenting methods.

There is no question that Tripp is correct that the Bible supports his advice that parents need to be concerned primarily about their children's hearts, not their behaviour. Parents need to help their children understand that they are sinners and that the cross of Christ should be the central focus of childrearing. He is also correct that parents must discipline their children to curb these rebellious hearts and to train them in obedience - obedience to parents, obedience to other authorities and above all, obedience to God. But how we do this is less certain and there is very little biblical justification for 'the rod' being the primary tool for training your child alongside communication (p. 150). Because 'the rod' is spoken of in Proverbs there is certainly justification for considering it as one method, but exactly what form 'the rod' should take is debatable. Even Tripp's use of Proverbs is open to question, for not all the references necessitate a reading that physical punishment is intended, and certainly there is doubt about the form it should take today. In my view it is unclear whether 'the rod' need only refer to physical beating, spanking, hitting etc. For example, I'm not convinced that Hebrews 12:5-11 (a passage he uses) provides justification for Tripp's thesis that physical punishment is what is intended - let alone his brand of spanking - as the key biblical method. This passage speaks of a father's discipline as being for a child's good and that it leads to the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Heb 12:11). But it hardly provides justification for Tripp's form of discipline; that is, pulling down a child's pants and paddling them a sufficient number of times to hurt them, from any age when they show resistance to you (p. 151). This he suggests can be as simple as resisting a diaper change. While we must help our children to recognise their sinfulness and rebellion, we need to be careful that we do not lose sight of the fact that we also need to help them to grasp an understanding of God's mercy, forgiveness, grace, patience, love and ultimately the possibility of redemption as sinners in Christ. I'm not suggesting that Tripp makes this error, but over-use of 'the rod' may well leave less room for children to learn these things about God.

In contrast to Tripp's justification of 'the rod' is his quick dismissal of many other forms of discipline as unbiblical. While I agree with him that far too often parents appeal to 'pop psychology' for answers, other criticisms are unjustified. For example, he dismisses what he calls 'punitive correction', that is, the threat of punishment to control children (p.64). But surely as a form of discipline a biblical case can be made for it. The Bible has many examples of God warning his people of the consequences of wrong behaviour, and often links punishment, wise behaviour and blessing (e.g. Deuteronomy 28). The pattern for warning of impending punishment is set in Genesis 2, with the ultimate warning that if Adam were to eat of the tree of knowledge that he would "surely die". We must also remember that there is a two way relationship between 'the heart' and behaviour. Yes, our behaviour reflects our heart, but repeated uncorrected behaviour begins to set patterns that influence the heart.

4. Summing up

There is so much good material in this book that is sound biblicly, but its impact is reduced as Tripp embellishes this with his advice that physical punishment is the key tool for discipline. He is right in suggesting that parents should talk to their children when they rebel and that they should appeal to their consciences, but why must this be followed so regularly from a very early age by physical punishment? I would encourage parents to heed Tripp's encouragement to use the Bible as the key resource in guiding our parenting and not expect to find biblical support for a single method to train our children in godliness. This book is one of the few books to offer a sound biblical framework for parenting, it's a shame that the section on method (which also has much good advice) is flawed due to Tripp's preoccupation with 'the rod', and a very narrow interpretation of what it means in practice. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"The real cycle you're working on is a cycle called 'yourself.'"

One of the most important and influential books of the past half-century, Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance is a powerful, moving, and penetrating examination of how we live and a meditation on how to live better. The narrative of a father on a summer motorcycle trip across America's Northwest with his young son, it becomes a profound personal and philosophical odyssey into life's fundamental questions. A true modern classic, it remains at once touching and transcendent, resonant with the myriad confusions of existence and the small, essential triumphs that propel us forward.

Reviews

Why I'm Writing Review Number 473 of a 30 year old book, November 2, 2006
I'm compelled to write this review after browsing the others, because something has to be said about book that isn't being pointed out for someone who is interested in the book for the first time.

At this point, this book can be found on the front table in your local bookstore. Other philosophy books can be found in the philosophy section either collecting dust, or being perused by someone intensely interested in philosophy who is well versed in debates that have gone on for centuries.

I have listened to the author, Robert Pirsig, being interviewed, and it seems that he did, in fact, intend for this book and its premise of "Quality" to be the great, all encompassing philosophy, presented in a straightforward, readable manner. However, despite Pirsig's intention, that is not quite why this book has become so famous.

This book is famous because it fills a perfect niche in that it introduces some very complicated philosophical questions in a form that the common reader will find interesting. Pirsig is attempting to create a practical philosophy and sets the book against the background of actual experience to make the questions he ponders real for the reader.

With that in mind, if you are not clamoring for a debate with someone else who is knowledgable on the ins and outs of Kierkegaard and Spinoza and are simply looking for a readable book that makes a real attempt of answering the big questions in life, this book is for you.

What I find interesting, and somewhat disturbing, is that many choose to deride this book because it doesn't agree with their notions of philosopy, but fail to grasp that the people who are most likely to read this book won't even be at the table to understand their objections to it unless they read it.

Probably no book has ever been more successful in interesting people in philosophy in the first place. So why are people who are interested in the subject eager to send them away because it disagrees with something they read in some banal tome?

Bottom line, if you ran across this book at your local bookshop or had it recommended to you by a friend, you must read it. It is an awesomely thought inspiring book and asks questions you never thought to ask or at least didn't know how to put your finger on. It's both a good novel and a great introduction to philosophy for people who have an interest in greater questions but not all the time to pursue them. I don't think you should worry about the fact that someone with a Masters Degree in Philosophy, or an equivalent knowledge, is bothered by the book. Also, I wouldn't be thrown by the title. The book isn't trying to sell you a newsletter or convert you to any church (despite the use of the phrase "The Church of Reason") and is only using a bit of Zen philosophy as a grounding for its premise.

Pirsig's premise does have a tendency to never be overtly stated, but I believe that he does this because he doesn't want it overly simplified in the way I'm about to do it.

Pirsig's premise is that we live in a world of both the "Classical" and "Romantic" or, as I'll simplify it, "function" and "form", respectively. Pirsig sees the problems in our world as the result of an overemphasis on form, when function is more essential. However, pure "function" has problems of its own. For example, our bodily organs carry out the function of allowing us to live, but one doesn't really desire for our skin to be translucent so we can watch these functions. In fact, we would have a revulsion to such a thing. Therefore, we have a combination of both of "form" and "function"; our organs work very well without our having to see them. This is the desirable state. This desirable state is called "Quality". Good "function" seems to bring about its own desirable "form". May the decorative towel be damned. That's grossly oversimplified, but there it is.

Finally, one shouldn't be thrown off Pirsig's premise by the fact that, quite frankly, he tends to be an impatient father and not very easy to get along with. While reading the book, it becomes apparent that Pirsig is sharing this with us because he is oblivious to it himself. He makes it obvious that he doesn't understand why no one is pondering the philosophical implications of repairing a motorcycle or why his young son isn't arriving at all of the conclusions he is, despite the fact his son is eleven. He seems to be trapped in the context of his own view of the world.

So, if you want to wade your way through all of the pontificating, please take the time to read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". If you really, really like it, you'll have to read Pirsig's other book "Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals". Though "Lila" takes a narrative approach that's a bit less readable than "Zen and...", it gives a more comprehensive view of Pirsig's philosophy. Read both. Then you can debate with the philosophy majors.

Over 2000 Years of Wisdom in 373 Pages, May 2, 2000
In my (1/e)*100 years on this planet, during which I devoured at least ten times as many books, I have read only two more than once - "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is one of them. In this monumental 1974 work, Robert Pirsig has achieved what few others have managed before him and, to the best of my knowledge, nobody else has accomplished since: a perfect unification of philosophy, adventure and mystery. His "Chautauqua," or traveling tale, takes the reader on a profound tour of ancient Greek philosophy, the steppes of Montana, and even a little bit of Zen Buddhism, with endless surprises and much original if not truly inspired thought along the way. Through his self-portrayal by means of the unforgettable and eerily enigmatic character Phaedrus, Mr. Pirsig shares his far-reaching search for the meaning of life, and himself. His fundamental concern is with the following seemingly simple but in effect infinitely complex question: "How can one distinguish "good" from "bad?" The question is posed and addressed in many different forms throughout the book, and in the process the concepts of truth, value and quality are dissected, reassembled, and again dissected and reassembled many times. Mr. Pirsig has an uncanny sense of timing, and he never allows the heavier passages to labor on too long. This is avoided by craftily interspersing his philosophical discourse amongst very down-to-earth and charming observations made during a motorcycle trip that takes the narrator and his seemingly troubled son Chris from the American Prairies to the Pacific, and forms the prevalent background for the entire "Chautauqua." "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is a totally unique creation. Not being one to lend himself easily to corny clich�s, I nevertheless believe that this is one book that definitely could dramatically change your life, whether or not you believe in Zen or have ever sat on a motorcycle. If you love somebody, buy them this book

Well-written, thought-provoking, and courageous., December 18, 2000
Part road novel, part philosophy, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance ("ZMM") met with huge critical and commercial success when first published in 1974. Narrator and son ride from Minneapolis to San Francisco; meanwhile, both are haunted by the narrator's past insanity, brought about by his "chasing the ghost of rationality". A series of philosophical monologues addresses questions both mundane - how to fix a motorcycle - and metaphysical.

Today ZMM retains a sizeable following, although criticism of it is very polarised: Pirsig's fervent self-assurance when dealing with philosophical questions converts some readers into "followers" and tends to exasperate everyone else. Mostly structured as a "solution" rather than an "inquiry", as the title claims, ZMM's philosophy is too often accepted without question, and it is frequently and regrettably true that the more positive the review, the more philosophically na�ve the reviewer. Nonetheless, this should not disallow ZMM from being considered on its own merits.

ZMM is not an introductory philosophy text, more a "once-in-a-lifetime" philosophical statement; the comparison has already been made with Hofstadter's "G�del, Escher, Bach", and Hofstadter's description - "a statement of my religion" - could well describe ZMM, too. When one considers the motivation required to sustain Pirsig's long and solitary struggle in writing and publishing ZMM, the rhetorical fervour of his arguments becomes more understandable. Those who attack Pirsig as pompous or narcissistic fail to appreciate the degree of self-belief needed to complete such a highly individualistic work. So, we can certainly admire him for trying - but is ZMM any good?

Some of Pirsig's arguments rest uneasily, such as his blithe acceptance of scientific relativism; and in rejecting subject-object dualism, he paints himself into some peculiar corners, such as his disquiet at the lack of beer cans littering Crater Lake National Park. But there is much in ZMM that is good and thought-provoking, too, especially where education is concerned: all teachers should read this book. And even during his tougher metaphysical monologues, only the driest, most rigid mindset could fail to find Pirsig's rhetoric engaging. Here, his wild claims about the importance of his philosophical arguments are gently counterbalanced by his acknowledged previous insanity: Pirsig takes care to label them the "ramblings of a madman", though not without a certain knowing irony.

ZMM is not just philosophy: it is also a fine piece of travel writing, and a history of Pirsig's teaching career. It remains a novel, however, and not an autobiography: whilst the events described did occur, subtle details have been changed. Most importantly, Robert Pirsig "the author" differs from the narrator, who in turn differs from his former personality ("Phaedrus"). The subtle conflict between the narrator's unifying philosophy, and the barely resolved tensions between narrator/Phaedrus and narrator/son, produces a fully intended irony. Criticism of the narrator is unfair and misguided when it is directed at the author.

Pirsig writes with great clarity. Well-structured sentences and careful use of italics give his writing great explanatory power, reminiscent, for this reviewer, of the biologist Richard Dawkins. We may not agree with Pirsig, but we are rarely in any doubt about what he means to say. Nonetheless, there are inevitable uncertainties at the core of ZMM, concerning reason and its limits. The antipsychiatric "insanity as enlightenment" nettle is never fully grasped, though one senses that this is Pirsig's belief; moreover, the analytic intractability of the Eastern philosophy that he embraces means that ultimately, the "inquiry" never reasons its way to an answer. Those seeking an absolutist metaphysical system will not find it here, and one can imagine Pirsig's sense of unease at becoming a latter-day religious guru.

ZMM is very much unique: four and a half years in the writing, but decades, one senses, in the germination. Fans will enjoy the 25 or so extra pages, cut from the original manuscript, available in DiSanto's "Guidebook to ZMM" - but skip the dreadful philosophy chapters. Pirsig wrote a sequel of sorts, "Lila", in 1991, but its sour atmosphere and slack reasoning make it strictly for the converted. Evidently Pirsig coped badly with his post-ZMM fame: one can imagine the sackloads of witless fan-mail. Unquestionably, for this reviewer, ZMM can stand alone: a model of clarity in written argument, a fine American road novel, and an inspiring demonstration of one man's ability to think for himself.

The Joy of Engagement!, October 24, 2001
Before reviewing Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, let me mention that most people will either love or hate the book. Few will be indifferent.

Those who will love the book will include those who enjoy philosophy, especially those who are well read in that subject; people who ride and maintain their own motorcycles; readers who are interested in psychology, particularly in terms of the mass hypnosis of social concepts; individuals who are curious about the line we draw between sanity and insanity; and people who want to think about how to deal with troubling personal situations, especially as a parent. As someone who has all of these interests and perspectives, the book fit my needs very well.

Those who will dislike the book are people who like lots of action in their novels, dislike the subjects described above, and who want easy reading. This book is very thick with concepts, ideas, metaphors, and layering which reward careful reading and thought. Most text books are considerably easier to read and understand. Few modern novels are any more difficult to read from an intellectual and emotional perspective.

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has several story lines that intertwine to create a synthesis of thought and experience:

- a father and young son take a motorcycle trip from the Midwest to California
- the father has an internal dialogue with himself about what he observes about the people around him and their engagement with life and technology
- the father attempts to reconstruct the ideas and perspective he had before being treated as a mental patient (which treatment destroyed and distorted his memory and personality)
- the father looks at the great philosophers of western and eastern civilization and attempts to integrate their thoughts into an aesthetic built around our ability to know quality when we see and experience it
- the father deals with the incipient signs of mental instability in his son and himself.

The book is almost impossible to characterize, but let me try anyway. Perhaps the closest book to this one is Hermann Hesse's Siddharta. At the same time, there is also a strong flavor of Zen and the Art of Archery. On the Road by Jack Kerouac covers some of the same intellectual and emotional territory. John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men considers some of the same questions of personal perspective. In terms of challenging the constrictions of society, there is also an element of The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit here.

What is most remarkable about the book is the way that it pinpoints the spiritual vacuum in the pursuit of more and shinier personal items. Unlike many books from this time, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance upholds a concept of nobility and worth connected to pursuing material progress in ways that reflect eliminating low quality and replacing it with high quality. Think of this as being like the joy of craftsmanship, compared to the dullness of the assembly line. By setting high standards, expanding those standards, sharing those standards with others, and inspiring people to experience life more fully, we can move forward spiritually as well as intellectually. The motorcycle maintenance details connect these abstractions back to the practical issues of every day, as we roll along across country with the author and his son dealing with the realities of keeping our bike running where the repair and parts options are very limited.

The book's afterward is particularly interesting, in which Mr. Pirsig opines about why this book has had such great and lasting appeal and tells you what happened after the book ends.

Ultimately, I felt uplifted by the high respect that Mr. Pirsig has for his readers. He takes us very seriously, thinks we are intelligent, and pays us the compliment of believing that we can learn to fundamentally change all of our perspectives and experiences.

After you finish this book (if you decide to read it), I suggest that you think about where you disengaged from the challenges, tasks, and people around you. Then, pick out one area and get deeply involved. As you master that one, take on another. And so on. Soon, you will have new and greater respect for yourself . . . and more rewarding relationships.

Get your hands dirty!

Where is the Quality in science and technology?, March 28, 1999
If you are thinking of reading this book there are some things you should know right off. 1. This is not a book about Buddhism, or Zen. It explores the ways in which eastern philosophies can help western thinkers move toward Quality. 2. This book covers a lot of ground, very quickly and is not a philosophical textbook. If you don't know much about philosophy, this book will not change that fact, but it will make you question a lot of the assumptions you have made. 3. This book will change your life! This book is about Quality. If you have read the Tao Te Ching, you have already read a book which attempts to explain Quality. It is the unnamable, the One. Pirsig asks us to question whether science and logic can really bring us closer to the "Truth." Ever since Socrates began using the dialectic to try to discover Truth, humans have been on a quest to find it. The tool we use is known as scientific method. We have been using scientific method for a long time, and it has given us a lot of useful knowledge. It has not, however, brought us any closer to finding an absolute Truth, which is true for everyone everwhere. Quality is undefinable. It comes before thought, and before actions. Any attempt at describing it is useless, because as soon as you attempt to categorize it, you are only talking about one aspect of it. What Pirsig does in this book, is attempt to show us ways that we can use Quality in our lives. He calls his main character Phaedrus. Which comes from Plato's dialogue by the same name. Reading this dialogue will help you immensely in following the arguments he presents. Don't be fooled by this into thinking that Pirsig is a Platonist. Phaedrus was a Sophist, as is the Phaedrus in this book. Neither the historical Sophists, or Pirsig, buy into Plato's concept of absolute "Truth." If you are at all interested in the ideas of subjectivity and the influence of location (in time and space) as it relates to philosophical, religious and scientific claims, this book will greatly interest you. If you're a "post-modernist" you've probably already read this book, and if not, this book will help you to crystallize a lot of your objections to Modernism. If you feel that the world is becoming more and more empty and hollow, and think that part of your basic humanity has been stolen by alarm clocks, concrete, automobiles, and (can I say it?) computers, this book may help you in finding the Quality that resides within technology, yet is so often ignored by those who wield technology like a biological weapon. If you've ever thought that the whole world was crazy, and want to learn more about what really makes a person "insane," you should know that this book is written from the perspective of an insane man. If you are searching for answers, this book will give you a few more questions, and help you realize that life is about the questions, not the answers!

A Narrative and Philosophical Masterpiece, July 11, 2000
I first read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance as a college senior twenty-five years ago. I remember then being frightened by how this man's determination to pursue a philosophical idea to its conclusion, even if it were against the grain of established conventions of thinking, drove him insane. I was afraid deeper study and questioning might do the same to me. I know now, however, that I'm not insane. I also know that twenty-five years ago this story of a man and his son travelling by motorcycle from Minnesota to the Pacific Ocean took deep residence in my soul.

I've been a teacher now for twenty-three years, long enough to forget some of my initial influences. But, as I read this book all these years later, I realized that my philosophical view points, examples I use to illustrate ideas with my students, what I believe the purpose of an education is, and several other bits of pedagogy and ideology originated in Pirig's story.

I highly recommend this book, maybe especially if you are unread in philosophy and would like a readable, enjoyable, and provocative entree into the history and vocabulary of philosophy.

It's a deeply moving, intellectually stiumlating story. Its devotion to story-telling and philosophical inpuiry is indeed most rare.

An Exhilarating Ride Well Worth Taking!, January 5, 2001
I first read this book in 1975. I particularly appreciated then the concrete illustrations used in the development of Pirsig's philosophy. However, I was not prepared at that time to follow the details of the logic used to develop his main point, namely, that in ancient Greece rationality had unfairly toppled mysticism as a valid source of knowledge.

I always intended to read the book again and finally last month I found an open week, bought a copy of the new 25th anniversary edition, and went at it. The text is unchanged in content but the print is larger and much easier to read than in my old paperback edition. The margins are wider and allow more annotations. It is well worth getting this Anniversary edition.

This time I got much deeper into Pirsig's main premise--the one noted above. Pirsig believes Quality to be the missing element in today's culture, but he says it must be kept undefined so that rationality will not be able to kill it again as it did thousands of years ago.

My major satisfaction from this novel still comes from the unusually perceptive and cleverly-wrought metaphors that Pirsig presents to advance his philosophical arguments. I have so many favorite ones it is difficult to choose among them. For instance, he labels the University as "Church of Reason," indicating it fanatical devotion to rationality at the expense of other values not approachable through rational means. No wonder professors of philosophy feel threatened. Rationality is their bread and butter!

Other illustrations: He compares the experience of looking out of a framed car window with the frameless view you get riding a motorcycle and uses this as an example of breaking down the subject/object boundary. He indicates that his objective is not to deal with "the 'news,' the silt of tomorrow" which accumulates when the river of culture bends, but to try to deepen the channels of "the best" that lies ahead along the river's future course. He likes to follow "an arrow that enlarges sideways in flight" rather then tracking its forward path in order to find "lateral truths" that point to falseness of axioms which prevent hitting the target. He points out that "institutions such as schools, churches, government, and political organizations of every sort all tend to direct thought for ends other than truth, namely, for the perpetuation of their own functions." I have often pondered this telling truth.

Ultimately, he finds Quality to be the uppermost element of the triad of truth--the creator of both subject and object, residing in the interface between the two. His comparison of Quality with the ancient text of the Tao is exhilarating!

The Quality of this novel is extraordinary for me. It exhibits many of the aspects of Quality in writing such as integrity, imagination, flux, continuity, suspense, insight, pathos, and allegory as it attempts to find the missing element in today's technology-dominated world. It is one of the five formative books in my life, and has a place on my "favorites" bookshelf next to Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass" and the poems and essays of D.H. Lawrence.

Resonance Required for Highest-Quality Experience, August 26, 2001
"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is an entire experience in philosophy and spirituality condensed into what I found to be a very thought-provoking anti-novel. It has three main "streams" of thought: the story of the motorcycle-riding narrator and his son, the story of Phaedrus, and the Chautauqua that is the narrator's way of explaining Phaedrus' philosophy.

Though the first two chapters of the narrator's musings are slow to bring the reader into the plot, intriguing mystery elements are revealed by the end of Chapter 3. By this time, the reader should know that Phaedrus spent his whole life searching for a ghost, found the ghost, "thrashed it good," and became one himself. However, the nameless narrator cannot tell Phaedrus' story without also giving the reader a crash-course in history, philosophy, and of course, motorcycle maintenance (through the Chautauqua, of course). I now warn those who cannot bear long lectures about dead historical figures, slippery concepts or technical minutiae to leave this book alone.

Part I of the book is set chiefly in the Dakotas. During this part, the Chautauqua mostly discusses the classical-romantic split in people's thinking. What makes Robert M. Pirsig's discussions unique is how he deftly brings Zen concepts into the reader's understanding of the split.

Part II begins with the narrator's arrival in Montana. It is the reader's first real encounter with Phaedrus (an unforgettable, though hardly endearing, character) and the first introduction to the "ghost" that he so passionately pursued. (The ghost's name: REASON. One of its popular haunts: SCIENTIFIC METHOD.)

Part III takes place during and right after the narrator and his son's hike up a mountain. The chapters in this section are almost entirely devoted to the Chautauqua. The discussion of the ghost of Reason is dropped and a full, in-depth explanation of something outside Reason, Quality, is taken up. Pirsig takes great pains to say how Quality determines our values, creates our mythos and touches our hearts. Those who like taking detours when an interesting topic distracts them will love this part. Those who don't care for such detours and want to get on with the story will find this part long-winded and over-written. (This is their second warning!)

Part IV continues and ends Phaedrus' story as the narrator and his son go through Oregon and California. In the Chautauqua, Quality is joined by Reason once more. The reader finds out how Phaedrus travelled to the University of Chicago, took his philosophical inquiry to its logical end, and finally became a "ghost" himself. His conclusions about what is Real, about what is True, about what is Beautiful, and about what is Best, can prove liberating to anyone who has been independently wondering about them. The ending also contains an interesting twist in the story of the narrator and his son.

I can find connections between the ideas in this novel and those in the essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson, the parables of Kahlil Gibran, the poetry of T. S. Eliot, the books of the Bible, and other great spiritual or philosophical literature that generations have read and shared. (Pirsig even explains the why and how of this phenomenon in the Chautauqua.) To best enjoy this story, the reader must relate to it--or resonate to it.

Bridging the gap, October 19, 2003
Pirsig takes us on a literary chautauqua that dives into the split between romanticism and clasicism, and speaks magnitudes about the philosiphies and sciences of Eastern and Western Cultures. The book has seized rave reviews across the globe, and held best-seller status for record amounts of time. One wonders, what could possibly be in this book that has made it so accredited for such a long time? The answer is that the book takes the reader on a journey that was never supposed to happen. Pirsig elucidates, in four hundred pages, about the conflicts with his son, and himself. Phaedrus, Pirsig's former personality, is represented as a ghost from Pirsig's past. Phaedrus takes the reader through Greek logic, Eastern culture, and Buddhist beliefs. The book gives a good explanation of the differences in Eastern and Western cultures, and how the splitting of the two has caused problems throughout the world.
Coming from a background of the dry sciences, my reading of classical literature is hardly amazing. These two topics do not go together and rarely have anything to bridge the gap. This book does that job wonderfully. For the first time, I understood literature of this complexity, because it deals with the sciences and the arts; it kept me interested and also made me relate my life to the characters lives.
So, what do I suggest? If you have the time, the patience, and an open mind, this book will do you wonders and will stick with you for years to come.

Courageous and Unforgettable, July 12, 2001
Many of my thoughts keep returning to ZAMM. It has been a while since I read it last, and I am going to read it again. I have spent the last couple of hours reading reviews here, and it's evident that there is wide disparity in how readers receive this book. One has to wonder what that says. Is Mr. Pirsig onto something or not? Personally, I am confident that he is, and the way that it is done is so masterful as to be almost magical. At times, I can spot something that doesn't ring quite true, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter because the truth that he is trying to tell is still there.

Multiple themes are woven together: the ride across some of America's best with his only son and the relationship that's theirs alone, a narrative about insanity through the clouded memory of someone that had/has been labeled as such, an examination of western philosophy and its influence on western thought, an alternative eastern perspective, and more.

For many of us that are writing reviews here, Persig begins to unlock a whole realm of possibility. The possibility that awareness of existence (quality, truth, God, whatever you want to call it) may be approachable by non-rational means. Neither logic, anlaysis nor the scientific method may provide the ultimate path. And, without these familar touchstones we are threatened to lose our certainty. Accepting this possibility is both liberating and frightening! It is to stand on the threshold of . . . In a sense, it's a simular place in thought to where the world stood when Columbus discovered the new world.

To be willing to follow Persig with Phaedrus and participate in his Chautauquas is an adventure in courage. One must look into the frailities of our own sanity. It is tempting to deny to oneself this vulnerability, and doing so may render this book meaningless and shallow. However, the participative reader finds the captivation of an "Alice in Wonderland."

Not a text, not a novel, not fiction. It is an autobiography! It's hard to believe that it's true, and the book ends before the story ends -- just like life and the reality that endures. Robert Pirsig is a hero to have gone so far in pondering the "deep channels", and then in sharing his bounty with us.

I'm going to read it again. Thank you Robert. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"Who is coming to our house?

Someone, someone," says Mouse.

As Pig makes room, Lamb cleans up, Goose stacks the hay, and Duck lines the crib with eiderdown, Mary and Joseph are on their way by donkey. All the animals welcome the baby Jesus to their home. ... Read more

Reviews

An instant favorite, a must for Advent, December 9, 2001
Kids all know Santa is coming to their house. Do they know about Jesus coming? If you're looking for ways to give God a little equal time during the pre-Christmas crush, get this book for your kids. Little ones love to hear about animals, so the barnyard perspective of the first Christmas night is particularly effective. They will love the pictures, which depict the busy goings-on of each animal who has a job to prepare the barn for the special visitors. As the pages proceed, a subtle nighttime darkness grows, demonstrating the long wait children will associate with waiting for Christmas: "But it is dark," says Cat. "They will never come," says Rat. "Yes, they'll come, says Mouse. "Someone's coming to this house." The hypnotic cadence of the the spare text will keep them interested and turning pages to find out the answer to the all-important question: "Who is coming to our house?"

I bought this book for my under-two-year-old boys and my nearly five-year-old daughter never misses the nightly reading. It is a new Advent family tradition we all enjoy.

Also Good for One and Two-Year Olds, June 6, 2001
Who is Coming to Our House? is a super-favorite of my granddaughters, 14 months and 2-1/2. The black-outlined familiar farm animals and the final picture of the baby Jesus are just what they love. They study the details: apples, Joseph's lantern in the distance, Mary's toes. And the soft verse is hypnotic. A perfect last book before bed. No need to save this one for later. It is becoming my standard baby gift.

A beautiful and simple story of Christmas!, January 10, 2004
I have loved this book for years! It is the sweetest story of Christmas seen through the eyes of the animals. It is my favorite children's Christmas book simply because it is so understated, and yet so powerful. This book is great for toddlers and early readers (my 2nd grader loves reading it to his siblings). A must have for your children's story collection.

A wonderful, colorful book for preschoolers., November 15, 1997
I love this book - my children love this book. We bought it several years ago for my first child; it is now well-loved and well-worn. I teach at a Christian preschool and I am buying each child a copy for Christmas this year. I read it to them last week and the pictures and the suspense of "Who is coming to our house?" held them enthralled and quiet through the entire book...A high recommendation from 12 four-year olds!

Great book :), December 9, 2001
I've had this book for 18 years and it's still one of my favorites. I love the simple story line and it tells the story of the birth of Jesus in a unique way. I am working towards becomming a preschool teacher and this will be a must in my classroom. If your looking for the best book for a child this is deffinatly it.

Perfect for the very small, November 15, 2006
When my sons first started to be really interested in having books read to them (at about 12 or 13 months), this was the first book they repeatedly "requested". One of the reasons this book works is that most pages feature a single animal "speaking" a single sentence. This makes it extremely easy to provide a different voice for each animal. (Just make it up--I use a low, slow voice for the cow; a loud, nasal voice for the goose; a soft, high pitched voice for the mouse; an aristocratic, pompous voice for the peacock, etc.) The simple text and the voices really make this book engaging for the little ones. (Though not requested anymore, my 4 year old is still interested in this book if I'm reading it to his 1 1/2 year old brother). Furthermore, the art is wonderful--detailed and realistic, but not cluttered. This is also a very nice Christmas story--but, of course, the nativity story is lost on a one year old. The main reason my children love this book is the lovely art, the animal voices, and the easy way this book sets up the opportunity to pick out, point to, and name different animals and their sounds. Like other reviewers, I often give this book as baby gifts.

A Family Tradition at My House, November 28, 2006
I fell in love in love with this book as a young mother and it quickly became a favorite with my kids. Every year as we decorate for Christmas, this book is carefully unwrapped and placed on our coffee table with the manger scene that I have had since childhood. Every grown-up that picks it up wants to know where I got it because they absolutely have to have one. It is the sweetest, most simple story I have come across about the nativity. The sentences are short and rhyming and the story is told from the viewpoint of the animals in the manger. For example,the first lines are: Who is coming to our house? "Someone,someone," whispers Mouse. Each animal tells what job they are going to do to get ready for a 'visitor' that is not seen until the last page. The illustrations are bright and bold and fill in the blanks that the simple text cannot provide. I am now purchasing copies to save for future grandchildren (my kids aren't even married yet:)!)in case the book can't be found when it's time. If you would like to create a family tradition that helps you remember what Christmas is all about then this book should be part of it.

Forgetable Book, December 2, 2009
I bought this book for my 2 y/o daughter based on the rave reviews and it really fell short of expectations for me. It is a cute book with lots of animals, and my daughter does like the animals. However, the purpose of buying this book was to teach the Christmas story and this book does not do that. The whole book, except the last couple pages, are animals in the stable saying "Who is coming to our house?" and cleaning the stable. Then suddenly Baby Jesus is there and the animals know Baby Jesus is coming to their house. That is basically the whole story. It doesn't teach anything about bible story of Christ's birth. I gave it 3 stars because of the appeal of the animals, but I do not recommend this book if you want to teach your child the story of Christ's birth. Don't believe all the rave reviews, buy something else.

A Wonderful Christmas Book, September 2, 2003
A dear friend bought this book for my daughter last year at Christmas. Though she was barely 1 years old, this book instantly became her favorite and, even though it is now summer, we have to read this book at least once a day (sometimes 3 or 4 times). It's a wonderful way to introduce the Nativity story (and the true meaning of Christmas) to young kids. The illustrations are wonderful and the rhyme keeps their attention. I highly recommend this book!!!

Our family's favorite Advent / Christmas book, March 4, 2001
The animals know someone's on the way, and the stable must be made ready. Everyone participates, from the tiniest chick to Mama pig. Ashley Wolff's linocuts enhance the text in a warm and loving way - and she includes some rather unusual barn animals as well.

Our family reads this book every night in Advent, to gently remind us that we, too, must prepare our hearts to receive Christ. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The One Year Bible presents the entire Bible in 365 daily reading portions, combining selections from the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. Ideal for daily devotions, Scripture memorization, and family Bible-reading time.

This special edition is available in two options: the softcover is valued priced; the hardcover edition comes with a CD-ROM of The One Year Bible--an even better value!

Features: Daily readings include portions from OT, NT, Psalms, and Proverbs A key verse/section of Scripture is highlighted each day Presentation pages for gift-giving Easy-to-read, accurate NLT text ... Read more

Reviews

For non-Christians or anybody who hasn't read it and wants to read the whole Bible to decide once and for all, August 26, 2009
It seems that most of the other reviews for this Bible were written by people who are already Christians and who have many years of experience reading the Bible, so I thought I would write one from my perspective also. I am not a Christian (at this point anyway) and I recently ordered this Bible because I decided it was time I actually made an effort to read it to decide for myself once and for all.

I have spent much of my life wondering whether any of Christianity's teachings were true or just wishful thinking, and perhaps also a good sales job perpetuated by ancient people with an agenda. But it's quite easy to have an uneducated opinion about something you vaguely know about but haven't actually read! So, I decided to actually start putting forth an effort to read the actual Bible, the whole thing, from beginning to end. I hoped that this exercise would put the issue to rest in my life and I would be able to decide once and for all what I thought about Christianity.

I ordered this Bible because the concept intrigued me - read the whole Bible in one year! A good friend of mine told me about the NLT translation and how great it was, so I ordered that version. I also ordered a "regular" NLT Study Bible that has a lot more notes and explanations about everything - introductions to the different parts and things like that.

I received this One Year Bible in August, and when I opened it up, I randomly flipped through and saw that there was a scheduled reading for each day. So I turned to the page for that date in August and started reading. I read the entry for that day. Then I skipped a few days, and finally got around to getting caught up on my reading. I had forgotten what that first day's reading was about, so I reviewed it a little, and then read the several days' worth of passages to get caught up to the present day. That's when I realized that the story continued from day to day!

This may sound silly to someone who knows the Bible well, but maybe it will make sense to someone like me who doesn't. I had thought that the people who developed this particular Bible reading method maybe had chopped the Bible up into various "pieces" which took up the right amount of time to read, but I hadn't realized that if you start reading this Bible on January 1 of a given year, you will start everything at the natural beginning. And if you happen to start reading it in August, you will be picking the book up in the very middle and it won't make much sense. It will be like picking up any other book and starting to read it in the middle.

Like others have said in their reviews, each day's scheduled reading includes some passages from the Old Testament, some from the New Testament, and then a few Psalms and Proverbs too. If you look at the January 1st entry, you'll see that the Old Testament reading starts with Genesis 1:1 (the beginning of the Old Testament), and the New Testament reading starts with Matthew 1:1 (the beginning of the New Testament). So if you start on January 1st, you'll start reading the beginning of the Old and the beginning of the New simultaneously, a little each day.

Well, by getting the book in August and starting to read the August entries, I was plopped down in the middle of the book of Job for the Old Testament and Corinthians for the New. So when I started reading, it all seemed very random in nature. I began to wonder if a bunch of random "pieces" of the Bible put together in some unknown sequence would have enough of an overall thread to teach me anything. But when I read several days' worth at one sitting, it dawned on me that yesterday's Job readings continued with today's Job readings and the same with Corinthians. I had an aha moment!

So I turned to the January 1st entry and saw that it began with Genesis as you might expect. Like I said, this may sound silly to someone who knows the Bible well (they might have immediately thought "what am I doing deep in the book of Job on the first day of reading?"), but I didn't know any better so I just kept reading.

So I have a suggestion for people like me who want to read the Bible for the first time ever and who don't happen to get it in their eager little hands until well after January 1 of a given year. The day you start reading it, just start at the beginning of the book as though it were January 1. That way, your readings will be in their proper sequence. I suppose the developers of this book could have titled the daily scheduled readings "Day 1" and "Day 2", etc., instead of "January 1" and "January 2" so people could start reading on any day of the year, but since they didn't do that, I think it would be helpful to just pretend they are titled that way and start reading on January 1 regardless of what date you actually start reading it. Another idea is to get this or give it as a Christmas present! That would make starting on January 1 very easy.

I also ordered a regular NLT Study Bible because I figured I should have one of those too. The One Year Bible is not a Study Bible, so there is a minimal amount of footnotes and no study explanations or background information (at least as far as I can see so far). It is strictly a Bible meant for daily reading (no disappointment there - it doesn't claim to be a Study Bible). If someone really wants to read the Bible for the first time, I would suggest they also get a Study Bible version for more in-depth understanding of what they are reading about.

Having said all that, I really like this Bible very much. I would have given it 5 stars but for some reason, the Amazon screen won't let me give more than 4 stars. But really, I have no complaint with it at all. I love the NLT translation. I vaguely remember the King James version from my youth with all the thee's and thou's and this is a HUGE improvement. It makes the Bible actually readable and comprehensible, and at the same time, it is my understanding that there is a ton of scholarly research behind it. So it's easy to read but not at the expense of being an accurate translation. I realize there are all sorts of other readable translations that were made prior to the NLT, but since I'm reading the Bible now for the first time, I decided to use this very recent translation that also had a good reputation for seriousness and accuracy.

And I really like the read-it-in-one-year concept with scheduled daily passages. Just start reading as though today is January 1, and things will make more sense. And if you can, it will be helpful to also refer to a Study Bible to occasionally get more background and explanation. But I really think having this One Year Bible will encourage me to keep up with it, since the passages aren't very long each day, and you think "surely I can read this for 10 or 15 minutes every day". So whoever thought of the concept had a really great idea, it seems to me. Definitely worth the money so far.

The One Year Bible, November 17, 2005
I've attempted to read the Bible through many times and have never been able to keep up with it. However, a friend recommended to me this version, which separates the daily readings into OT, NT, Psalms, and Proverbs, and it is AWESOME! It's so easy to stick with, and I am over HALF WAY through the Bible! I highly recommend this Bible for your spiritual growth and journey through the Word.

A great way to read through the Bible, January 18, 2007
The One Year Bible is the best way of reading through the Bible in a year that I have found. It is set up to read a passage daily from the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Psalms, and Proverbs all starting at the beginning of each Testament and book. You don't get bogged down in some parts of the laws and prophets which can be boring or depressing. There is refreshment from reading a variety of passages, and that helps the reader to continue reading throughout the year. The New Living Translation is easy to read which makes the devotional reading of the Bible more enjoyable for people of all ages.

The Perfect Tool to Read Through The Bible, July 18, 2006
It looks like an impossible task--to read the Bible from cover to cover. THE ONE YEAR BIBLE divides the impossible into the possible. Each day includes a reading from the Old Testament, a reading from the New Testament, something from the Psalms and a portion of Proverbs.

Anyone can read the sections in a short amount of time. With consistency, you CAN read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation. It will change your life. I know because I've used this book numerous times over the years. I highly recommend it. You can begin any time of the year--not just in January.

One of the best Kindle Bibles available, July 7, 2008
If you're looking for a Bible for the Kindle for regular structured reading, this one is a winner.

The translation is very readable. It is a devotional translation, not a "Study Bible" or scholarly translation.

For a Kindle book, the format is excellent. It is laid out with daily readings by date. Each day has an Old Testament and New Testament selection, followed by a Psalm and a Proverb or two.

The selections provide a sequential Genesis through Revelation trip through the Bible in one year plus the books of Psalms & Proverbs in digestible hunks. (One of my problems with most "Bible in a Year" schemes is that they insist on reading Proverbs in huge unrelieved daily hunks, guaranteed to give you mental and spiritual indigestion).

The readings are footnoted in Kindle hyperlinks for alternate readings and explanations of where the reader friendly translation substitutes a modern equivalent for such things as ancient Hebrew dates and the like.

I only wish that where the New Testament quotes the Old Testament the hyperlink gave not only the citation in the footnote (which it does), but also hyperlinked the actual OT passage cited. (The New International Version Kindle edition does both, which is very handy.)

I only wish there were a Catholic edition of this One Year Bible, with the pseudographical/apochryphal books of the Catholic canon included. Alas, so far the only Catholic Bible of any type available for the Kindle is the dated (and terribly formated) Rheims/Douay.

very helpful, August 25, 2005
I use this book in order to make it easy for myself to read the bible in a systematic way from cover to cover. I would suggest using it side by side with a standard bible of your choice. Overall I say that this is a very helpful and well conceived work. The authors seem very careful in providing an accurate interpretation in modern language.

a great way to get into the Word!, February 18, 2006
There has been a lot of controversy over how to best read through the Bible. I have for many years simply followed through the biblical order from Gen to Rev and that has been fine. Yes there are the long boring parts (especially geneaologies!) but you just press through, right?
Well, as we began our new pastorate I was praying for some insight as to how to encourage our people to read their Bibles regularly. I know the benefit of regular spiritual nourishment through the Word of God, but many people struggle to maintain a healthy diet in this way... Then I happened upon Tyndale's promo. We ordered several Bibles and began sharing and encouraging our people to use this as our church's plan for the year. We are basing our Wednesday night study/discussion on the readings of the week previous... everyone is excited and we have over half of our church reading through together, as families in many cases. We are getting many good reports about how easy it is in this format and translation. What a blessing to lead a church that is reading the bible together! It comes up in conversation, in our weekly study, in our Sunday AM messages and even announcements! I would recommend this layout and this plan to anyone who wants to get into the Word... it is really helping our church to literally be "on the same page" as we seek God together!

Wonderful motivator!, March 16, 2006
I purchased 7 copies of this Bible for my Sunday School 5th and 6th grade class. They had been trying to read the Bible every day, but rarely succeeded. However, since they've had the One Year Bible, my students are succeeding more and more. Additionally, my mom, my daughter, and I also have one. It's great to be on, literally, the same page with them each day, even though geographically we're miles apart. It's cool to be able to call and discuss things, or email, and they instantly know what I'm referencing since they just read it themselves. This is great for group reading and for accountability.

Simplified Daily Bible Reading, December 11, 2007
I have found The One Year Bible truly simplifies the process of covering my daily readings from all aspects of the Bible (OT, NT Psalms, etc)in a concise manner. I do, however, find a need to refer to my standard bible to clarify some of the ways the wording in this bible is phrased. This bible does not provide the very helpful footnote explanations that I find a need to refer to in an effort of enhancing my understanding of what is being said and the historical events occurring during the time the various books are written.

Kindle edition, December 10, 2009
I like this format of chronological reading. It helps place some the biblical history timeline. Good format for daily reading.

My only complaint is the formating that is lacking in the Kindle Edition. Needs chapter marks and better refeerence/links throughout the book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Un Bijou for You
I read this book the way I read Ms. Karbo's book on Katharine Hepburn: greedily, with an eye to what was in it for me. I plundered every chapter heading: On Style, On Self-Invention, On Fearlessness... does this fit me? Could I/should I adopt this for my own? With some, like On Embracing the Moment, I thought, Oh sure, I've already got that; with others, like On Living Life on Your Own Terms, I was stopped short, and I thought Yeah! I've gotta cultivate that!

The other compelling thing about this book is that once you get past self-interest, you discover that Coco Chanel was an amazing woman. She invented modern fashion, and to do so had to rise above poverty and an actual orphanage. This was great material to draw on and reshape, which she did: Ms. Karbo says Chanel "lied about or embellished everything in her childhood...she had no respect for anything she didn't create, and that included her own history." Her trajectory included being a shopgirl, seamstress, cafe singer, and kept woman before she got to couturiere extraordinaire, and she owed nothing to anyone but herself. She was self-made and a revolutionary.

Karen Karbo tells Coco Chanel's story in a lively way and mines it for usable wisdom. I recommend this book for any fashionista, for sure, and for any francophile, and for any woman who loves the struggle. I especially like it for women who make things or strive to make things, like books or sculpture or businesses or anything else. The Gospel According to Coco Chanel is heartening and a lot of fun.

Mais oui...
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed this book... I loved Ms. Karbo's previous book about Katherine Hepburn, but as a longtime -- and unabashed -- fan of Chanel, I was really looking forward to this book when I read about it a few months ago in Bazaar.

Like Chanel herself, Ms. Karbo does not disappoint. Her writing style is tremendous -- witty and fun, moving and historically insightful, she is like a terrific dinner party guest you want to stay for the weekend (and tell nonstop Coco Chanel stories, of course).

I picked this book up as an impulse on one of the front tables of B+N, and read it over the course of two days.

As a modern woman who loves Chanel, I am suggesting it to all my stylish girlfriends, it would make a perfect hostess gift.

And by the way, I HOPE that Karbo gets that real Chanel jacket she is dreaming of.

a mini-biography, with great dish and helpful wisdom
Coco Chanel couldn't be making a star turn in media at a better time.

Start with Anne Fontaine's film "Coco Before Chanel", coming to American theaters this fall after dazzling audiences in Europe. It's the right film about Chanel: the early years. And though the facts are as murky about pre-Chanel Chanel as about the fashion icon, the theme --- a woman born without advantages, making her way in the world --- is more universal.

But the better reason for women --- and the men who love them --- to pay attention to Chanel is because she was a cheerleader for self-sufficiency, in good times and bad. So skip over the fashion. Consider only the politics. I mean: ours.

Is this a great time to be a woman in America? I'm not so sure. More American women may now be going to college than men, but when they graduate, they're still looking at salaries as much as 30% lower than men get for the same work. The anti-choice movement, always noisy, has upped the volume --- and the violence. And it seems that a sizable number of American men won't be happy until all women are homebound mothers, wearing the equivalent of the burqa.

No writer has a better understanding of what it means to be Chanel and what it means to be a woman who admires Chanel than Karen Karbo, author of the short (240 pages) and addictive The Gospel According to Coco Chanel. Karbo is the granddaughter of Emilia Karbowski, known as "Luma of California" for the clothes she designed for the wives of movie moguls in the 1950s. Which is to say: Karen Karbo is real and unashamed of it: "I am the average consumer." She looks for Chanel jackets on eBay. And she writes as if she's having a conversation with a close friend over double-shot lattes.

Who is Chanel to Karbo?

Chain-smoker. Workaholic, though she could stay in bed all morning with a newspaper. Leo, with a Pisces moon. Born nobody. Fell in love once, but not again. Her bigger love: money. "Money was more than her security blanket. It was her ongoing victory lap." And restrained: "Even though Chanel insisted on having the best of everything, she didn't insist on having everything."

Are you hearing "Sisters Are Doing It for Themselves" in the background? You should be.

Karbo delivers a mini-biography, with perceptive and amusing commentary:

"She looked like the girl at school who conned you into breaking the rules with her, then let you take all the blame."

"Her childhood was the Belle �poque version of a country-and-western song. The only thing she lacked was a dead dog and a wasting disease."

"She compulsively lied about her past, and then lied about having lied, and then disavowed the lie about the lie."

Along the way, great trivia abounds. Yes, French women wore hats adorned with feathers --- but did you know that, in 1911, in France, 300 million birds were killed to provide those feathers?

And, because Karbo really is your new best friend, she even labels the punch line: "Cut to the chase, don't waste time doing stuff that seems essential to your life and business, just because other people do it."

Just so. The fashion is merely fascinating, a means to an end. The life lessons? For a woman trying to find a safe haven in America, this book delivers more wisdom --- and wit --- per page than Dr. Phil will dispense in a lifetime.

Getting Centered with Coco
There is something intrinsically refreshing in reading about a woman who was completely herself. This wonderful book is such a reminder to me and to women in general to live life on their own terms, to get on with living and being and loving, forget what everyone else thinks you should be or become. Personally, it felt centering to me. Karbo gets it right. She extracts from Chanel's life the jewels of wisdom that might not be evident in the broader picture. Maybe it would be more accurate to say pearls of wisdom as Coco made pearls de rigeur for anyone with her sense of style. With wit, insight and clarity Karbo makes sense of how one woman changed so much about the world, not just about fashion, but also about love, sex, color, comfort, design and scent. Clearly, we have entered a time of a Coco resurgence and I hope we get to learn the lessons more fully and pass them on to more generations.

""The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!" - Chanel
In 225 pages, Karen Karbo manages to give one a real sense of who Coco Chanel was as well as her acerbic sense of humor, her passionate sense of style, and a sense of what made this enigmatic woman tick!

Chanel permanently changed fashion through a driving vision of what she wanted. You'll find nuggets of her off beat wisdom scattered among the various chapters on style, self-invention, fearlessness, surviving passion, on success, money and more! Throughout the book Karbo interweaves her quest to acquire (fair means or foul) a genuine Chanel jacket!

There are other biographies of Chanel that are more indepth, but Karbo's wit and humor gives you a picture of Chanel that somehow makes you think of her as if she is sitting beside you advising you on life. As Chanel once said, "A style does not go out of style as long as it adapts itself to its period. When there is an incompatibility between the style and a certain state of mind, it is never the style that triumphs." Somehow, Chanel has managed to transcend decades and adapts to each generation as the yard stick for class, style, and relevance.

"Classy and Fabulous"
Fashionistas beware, once you crack the front cover of Karen Karbo's "The Gospel According to Coco Chanel" there's no turning back. Chronicling the rags-to-riches story of the woman who revolutionized how we think about clothing, Karbo's narrative is compelling, witty, humorous, and peppered with poignant advice on how to live life like Mademoiselle Chanel.

Built on a framework of Chanel's incredible history, "The Gospel" tackles everything from self-invention, to embracing the moment, to, most importantly, living life on your own terms. From style tips to speaking your mind and not giving a damn, Karbo effortlessly blends narrative and life lessons to create a book which is, in a word, fabulous.

I LOVED this book and would highly recommend it to anyone interested in fashion, Chanel, or simply becoming a stronger, more independent, and successful woman.

Read, Learn, Enjoy
I thoroughly enjoyed this book about Coco Chanel. It was fun, informative and did not gloss over Chanel's less than perfect life and personality. The author writes as a friend talking to you and is never overbearing or condescending. The line drawings added a great deal to my enjoyment of this book. The bibliography at the end is very helpful. I don't usually buy hardback books, but I highly recommend this book to those who love fashion, fashion history and quirky personalities. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the tradition of Bertrand Russell's Why I Am Not a Christian and Sam Harris's recent bestseller, The End of Faith, Christopher Hitchens makes the ultimate case
against religion. With a close and erudite reading of the major religious texts, he documents the ways in which religion is a man-made wish, a cause of dangerous sexual repression, and a distortion of our origins in the cosmos. With eloquent clarity, Hitchens frames the argument for a more secular life based on science and reason, in which hell is replaced by the Hubble Telescope's awesome view of the universe, and Moses and the burning bush give way to the beauty and symmetry
of the double helix. ... Read more

Reviews

From someone who's actually read the book!, May 14, 2007
After looking through some of the other customer reviews found here, I was dismayed by the amount of "blog-style" entries: that is, people who may have only glanced at the title or saw Hitchens promoting the book on CNN or YouTube and decided to just speak up, either in support or condemnation. However, if you're curious about the book and just want to know what to expect, may I humbly offer some actual information?

Hitchens, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, author of books too numerous to mention and contributor to smaller magazines such as Free Inquiry, adds to the recent renaissance of pro-atheist books with his own provocatively-titled contribution. Whereas Sam Harris (The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason) sees dire warnings and Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion offers a defense of science, Hitchens uses his long experience in journalism to illustrate the madness that results when faith is unchallenged by reason. Dawkins has been criticized for adopting a harsh tone (an assessment I disagree with), but Hitchens is the one who really pours on the anger and witty derision. Some sample chapter titles make it clear he's playing for keeps:

Chapter two: "Religion Kills"

Chapter Four: "The Metaphysical Claims of Religion Are False"

Chapter Seven: "Revelation: The Nightmare of the Old Testament"

Chapter Eight: "The 'New' Testament Exceeds the Evil of the 'Old' One"

Chapter Nine: "The Koran is Borrowed From Both Jewish and Christian Myths"

That should give you a pretty good idea of the tone, but the chapter titles prove to be no mere cheap provocations. Drawing on decades (if not centuries) of scholarship that exposes the cobbled-together recipes for the holy books of the three "great" monotheisms, he shows them to be products of a violent time when scientific information about the world was unavailable and most people were entirely illiterate. He then gives modern day examples of how these myths have been put to horrendous use (yes, 9/11 is mentioned). In one section, he revisits the sins of "Agnes Bojaxhiu, an ambitious Albanian nun who had become well-known under the nom de guerre of 'Mother Teresa'," which he covered at greater length in his previous controversial expose The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice, and reiterates how the "miracles" ascribed to her are so slap-dash and false they're almost comical.

While he devotes much of his outrage at "the big three" (my phrase), he also offers a chapter titled "There Is No 'Eastern' Solution," which would have to find disagreement with Sam Harris, who argues that many of the spiritual practices of Buddhism, shorn of their supernatural trappings, could be beneficial. Hitchens, ever the realist, wants us to know that history doesn't bear these claims out.

Hitchens often delivers his ideas like he's trying to splash his martini across your face at a party--at one point he muses "Why do people keeep saying, 'God is in the details'? He isn't in ours, unless his yokel creationist fans wish to take credit for his clumsiness, failure and incompetence"--and the result is often thrilling reading. His vitriol can be unnerving sometimes, like when he asks "Is Religion Child Abuse?", not to mention the full title of his tome. Never trust a book that splashes the word "everything" on its cover; it's usually a sign that the author is either desperate or foolishly grandiose. After reading the book, I don't think Hitchens is either, but in his worst moments he shows symptoms. In any event, I'm sure he doesn't intend this to be a work of (pardon the phrase) "evangelism"--he doensn't hope to influence even the mildly religious--but like that martini in the face (followed, perhaps, by an olive to the noggin), he wants to deliver a wake-up call. Some may see only a plea for attention, but he would quickly redirect you the the world outside.

And thus he spake..., August 5, 2007
My favorite part of the book is the last third. By that time Hitchens has made his arguments about how Religion Poisons Everything and is now rebutting the best intellectual arguments against his thesis. What would become of human decency, morality and ethics without religion? How do you address the inherent human need to believe in something and take comfort in a higher power? What are the god-less alternatives and aren't those institutions as bad or worse? Doesn't religion provide stability to society by pacifying individuals in times of darkness and uncertainty? It is hard to sum things up and provide sound bytes about something as complex as religion, but my take-away from this book is that any religion (by design) has the ingredients of becoming totalitarian, when successful; and totalitarianism of any kind leads to ultimate power corruption.

Hitchens makes his arguments and rebuts the best counter-arguments with passion and panache. If you are amongst the majority of people in the world - believers - his irreverent sense of humor may lead you to immediately brush him off as a partisan hack; while the unbelievers will get a kick out of each of the thousands of punchlines that Hitchens artfully mumbles. However, if you belong to the third category - an intellectual who chooses to look beyond a bi-polar view of the world when it comes to religion - I would urge patience with Hitchens' indulgence as a genius linguist (when you have it, it is hard not to flaunt it!) and you will find this book extremely rewarding and will not go un-satiated. If you are seriously debating the merits and demerits of religion as an institution in the society we live in, you have glanced at the perfect place, no matter what your affiliations.

If you are looking for education on the various major religions in the world, their origin, history, interconnection, impact, popularity, etc.; this is NOT the right book for you. The book presupposes basic knowledge about these topics, and on several occasions I felt that I lacked the prior knowledge to appreciate many nuances in Hitchens' arguments.

Hitchens is no economist, and he does not get into numbers and measurements. But Hitchens is a seasoned intellectual, and does utter the voice of reason grounded in the sound principles of philosophical debate. His knowledge and wisdom about religion are comparable (arguably) with "good" reverends and pastors. The book is written in commentary style, but does have a semi-structured flow to it.

Just like this book lashes out at totalitarianism in the form of religion, I wish someone writes a book lashing out at totalitarianism in its other most ugly form in the modern world - Nationalism.

a necessary reactionary voice (with some qualifications), July 9, 2007
I am not suprised that religious people are offended by this book as Hitchens' language can (at times) be aggressive and polarizing when describing the believers of a given faith. To call all believers of a religion thoughtless imbeciles or to call them just plain stupid seems to me out of hand. However, as I read some of the half-baked religious apolagetics being written in the one or two star reviews of his book, perhaps Hitchens was not out of hand at all. (As a side note, to the reviewer who wrote "Christopher Hitchens is NOT great", you are truely an ignorant moron who has only strengthened the resolve of 'unbelievers' with your blind, hypocritical and borderline racist remarks. The very fact that you accept all the criticisms Hitchens had to offer about Islam but you object to his critique of 'us' "civilized Christians" (as you put it) only reveals your blind prejudice.)

I think many (if not all) of Hitchens arguments have been presented in the past but as the spectre of religious fundamentalism rises in our modern society perhaps an "anti-theist" revival is in order as well. Though I have to say that Hitchens' random derision of 'multiculturalists' (like Karen Armstrong) because they are too soft on the behaviour of religious people or because they are too sensitive to the beliefs of a given people seems to be counter-productive at best. We live in a diverse society which relies on mutual respect for other peoples cultural beliefs. Reviving a kind of soft Jacobin anti-clericalism does not really seem feasible (or desirable)in this day and age.

Read and buy this book, especialy at the price they are selling it for, but if you are not really interested then read some Voltaire, Hume or Nietszche instead.

Reason prevails, July 8, 2007
Christopher Hitchens, in his hard-hitting and revealing new book, "god is not Great", has found the courage to say what so many of us have thought for a long time...religion is its own curse and has been a plague endured by millions for centuries. With science and reason as his guide, Hitchens debunks just about everything from god and the Bible to Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Mother Teresa and more... and he does it with a breathtaking panache. It's the best book on this subject I've ever read.

No mere bystander when it comes to faith, Hitchens recounts his own associations with religion and how he moved to his current intense feelings about the topic. As a lapsed Christian who has moved towards atheism, I found myself concurring with just about everything he says. Not content to simply disagree with the faith-based crowd, Hitchens lambastes them. Good for him. The chapters in this book are all relevant to 2007 and some really stand out. One chapter entitled "A Note on Health", gets this book going full steam and another one toward the end, "Is Religion Child Abuse?", cuts to the quick. The Catholic Church, to Hitchens's credit, comes under scathing attack...I wish he had written even more about the abuses that this institution has caused.

Hitchens warns about secularism, too, (citing non-religious movements such as Fascism and Communism and the immense suffering they have inflicted). But it is religion itself that Hitchens finds almost intolerable. He closes by saying "religion has run out of justifications...it no longer offers an explanation of anything important". Bull's-eye! Religion should be in the business of putting itself out of business.

"god is not Great" is an important book in large part because it demonstrates convincingly that science has trumped religion and continues to, everytime. The depth which Hitchens tackles religion and its ramifications is matched by a compelling narrative style that has become the author's "signature". I highly recommend this book for its courage to tell the truth.

Intelligent discourse on religion with an appropriately embittered slant., July 9, 2007
I have never read a book that so matter-of-factly and flawlessly made its argument seem the only possible point-of-view. This book could possibly be the most important and relevant piece of literature written in the past decade. Christopoher Hitchens so effortlessly weaves a tale of religion's many downfalls that it sometimes seems as if his subject has done the research for him. In a world where people who look inward for strength are ridiculed, persecuted and often brutally abused, raped or murdered by those who look toward the sky for guidance and find solace in cartoon-logic, this book serves as a beacon of hope for those, like myself, who sometimes feel weakened beneath the burden of Mankind's history of savagery. I bought this book as soon as I heard it had been written and every page has been incredible. The writing style might be a bit too literate for some, which has already - in the case of certain neo-religious talking heads, Denis Prager for example - lead to bad reviews by means of excluding some for its readership, but the patient or already well-read (open-minded) audience will find it a delightful read.

I'll end with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

"The Bible may, indeed does, contain a warrant for trafficking in humans, for ethnic cleansing, for slavery, for bride-price, and for indiscriminate massacre, but we are not bound by any of it because it was put together by crude, uncultured human mammals."

Very readable, erudite dismissal of theistic pretensions, August 7, 2007
Part of the recent effusion of bestsellers providing an explanation of the underpinnings of the atheist / secularist worldview, Hitchens' book approaches the subject from a different angle; and it deserves space on your shelf. This book concentrates on dispelling the moral and utilitarian pretensions of theism rather than engaging in a detailed analysis of why their specific claims about the universe at large lack support. Hitchens' style, unlike that of Dawkins or Harris, for instance, emphasizes argument-by-anecdote. He tells stories about people and events which he links up to social movements, political events or philosophical principles. This makes his book eminently readable, especially for newcomers to the subject. Still, he can be quite galvanizing, to say the least; so I would hesitate to make this a book club selection for people I do not know well.

Hitchens' book provides what I think of as "cocktail party atheism" rather than the more rigorous argumentation presented by others, e.g., by Dawkins, Dennett or Ehrman in their books. As such, Hitchens' book, while entertaining and educational, does not lessen the value of reading the wider body of secularist literature.

Now what ?, August 6, 2007
Hitchens has brilliantly and logically articulated what the many (though relatively small) who share his view have long felt. Religion is so entrenched in our and the world's culture that there is little hope that anything can change despite the reasoned thinking of writers like Hitchens, Dawkins, and Harris. What a shame.

God is not Great, August 6, 2007
Hitchens has produced a book which is both timely and scholarly. Scholarly that is in the sense that he has read widely and has had hands on experience with a number of cults and religions, and timely in that the world seems currently to be polarizing into fundamentalism as against atheism. His arguments are well reasoned and supported and will appeal to the faithful, but of course men convinced against their will are of the same opinions still. At times I found the text inclining to the discursive, although this is being somewhat ungenerous, and certaily worth a second reading.

Believers Are Missing Out, June 28, 2007
Believers are missing a lot by not reading Hitchens' book. You should not let that title, "God is not Great," spook you. Pretend that the title is something more appropriate. In my opinion, for instance, a better title might have been "Religion is a Many-Splendored Thing," because the book is really more about religion than about anybody's god.

I can sincerely recommend this work to the faithful--of whatever faith--but especially to Christians. As a Christian, though I was a studious one, I never realized how much about my faith, and about the Bible, my teachers and pastors were not telling me (and may very well not have known themselves). I later learned much of this omitted data on my own, and this is largely the information you will acquire by reading Hitchens' book. It is a bonanza of fascinating facts.

Contrary to what you may have heard, Hitchens does not try to persuade you that there is no supreme being. Rather, he explains things you've probably wondered about but didn't know where to go for the answers. For instance, he explains why God hates ham; he shows that the Muslims' "Koran" is largely just a ripoff of the Old and New Testaments; and he makes miracles more understandable for doubters.

If there is one book--besides the Bible, of course--that I would recommend to most Christians, I think this is it. And if you're not much of a reader, I hope you'll at least read Chapter 18, "A Finer Tradition."

Don't believe everything you've been told about Hitchens' book. Don't knock it 'til you've read it!

God is not Great, July 8, 2007
You need to read this book by Christopher Hitchens. "God is not Great" is a terrible name for this brilliant journalists book. If you are looking for a new enlightenment of truth not faith, then this book is for you. I am not atheists, agnositic yes. Hitchens makes a ultimate case against religion and a more secular approach to life. You will come away with more than when you arrived. Chet Zaremba, Fort Lauderdale, Fl. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the author of the bestselling Anam Cara comes a beautiful collection of blessings to help readers through both the everyday and the extraordinary events of their lives.

John O’Donohue, Irish teacher and poet, has been widely praised for his gift of drawing on Celtic spiritual traditions to create words of inspiration and wisdom for today. In To Bless the Space Between Us, his compelling blend of elegant, poetic language and spiritual insight offers readers comfort and encouragement on their journeys through life. O’Donohue looks at life’s thresholds—getting married, having children, starting a new job—and offers invaluable guidelines for making the transition from a known, familiar world into a new, unmapped territory. Most profoundly, however, O’Donohue explains “blessing” as a way of life, as a lens through which the whole world is transformed.

O’Donohue awakens readers to timeless truths and shows the power they have to answer contemporary dilemmas and ease us through periods of change.

Reviews

A blessing is a reminder of who we are, March 4, 2008
John O'Donohue died peacefully in his sleep on January 8 of this year. He was working on a book on the late medieval mystic Meister Eckhart. Hopefully, enough of it was completed to warrant a posthumous publication. In the meantime, his To Bless the Space Between Us is O'Donohue's parting gift.

The book is a collection of blessings. That doesn't necessarily sound too exciting until one recognizes the deep-down meaning of a blessing, and O'Donohue's introduction provides some guidance. In our overly busy culture, he writes, we frequently race over the "crucial thresholds in our life" without pausing to take note of their significance. We no longer have "rituals to protect, encourage, and guide us as we cross over into the unknown" (p. xiv). A blessing is precisely one of those protecting, encouraging, and guiding rituals. It memorializes our transitions, connects us with a wider community (since none of us really ever travels alone), and strives to "present a minimal psychic portrait of the geography of change it names" (ibid).

Blessings, then, are all-important. They serve to orient us in our life's journey, establish fellowship with fellow travelers, and remind us of what we too often forget: that we are pilgrims, not haphazard wanderers.

Because there are all kinds of thresholds that lead to new stages of the journey, O'Donohue has written all kinds of blessings: for obvious thresholds such as birthdays, parenthood, adulthood, old age, and death; for interior thresholds such as courage, grief, addiction, suffering, loneliness; for the thresholds of callings to the priesthood, marriage, farming; and for the thresholds that our yearnings for love, peace, and friendship can nudge us towards. Some of the blessings O'Donohue gives us are breath-takingly beautiful; others, not so much. As he himself confesses, blessings are difficult things to write. They're not poems, because they're not oblique, but rather are direct addresses "driven by immediacy and care." Yet they're not utterly unpoetic, either, because in their immediacy they must also be evocative.

Given O'Donohue's passing, it's not amiss to quote a bit of one of his most beautiful and haunting blessings (p. 72): "For Death."

From the moment you were born,
Your death has walked beside you.
Though it seldom shows its face,
You still feel its empty touch
When fear invades your life,
Or what you love is lost
Or inner damage is incurred...

That the silent presence of your death
Would call your life to attention,
Wake you up to how scarce your time is
And to the urgency to become free
And equal to the call of your destiny.

That you would gather yourself
And decide carefully
How you now can live
The life you would love
To look back on
From your deathbed.

When you find yourself in times of trouble....., March 4, 2008
"Endings seem to lie in wait," John O'Donohue wrote. His certainly did. He died in his sleep, January 3, 2008, on vacation near Avignon. He was just 53.

I met John O'Donohue only once. I had read Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, the 1997 book that made him deservedly famous. "Read" is wrong. At 100 words a minute, I had, over weeks, absorbed enough of this deceptively simple exploration of "soul friendship" to grasp that here was an original thinker, a gifted poet and, most astonishing of all, a philosopher who had forged a way of looking at the world that was painfully aware of human frailty but insistent on the triumphal power of divine love. And he wrote beautifully.

A book this exciting, you have to talk about it. I mentioned O'Donohue to Sarah Ban Breathnach, the author of the Oprah-annointed Simple Abundance and Moving On. As luck would have it, she and O'Donohue were friends. And when he came through New York, Sarah generously arranged a dinner.

That was the night I learned to drink single malt. And was there ever a better teacher in the art of sipping than an Irish philosopher and mystic who had worn the collar for 19 years? I don't recall what we talked about, and neither can my wife, who does not drink; all I remember is the cascades of laughter, the unbuckled happiness of people who are thrilled to be alive, and together, and sharing good fellowship with sympathetic souls in a nice restaurant on a rainy New York night.

An evening like that is so rare I think of it as a religious experience. John O'Donohue, a holy man if ever there was one, had a lot of nights like that. A recent interviewer wrote, in memoriam, about a morning when O'Donohue came to breakfast with a hangover, having polished off an entire bottle of single malt with friends the night before. "The bottle didn't die," he announced, "without spiritual necessity."

That offhand remark was quintessential O'Donohue. He never failed to connect the worldly with the sacred --- and see it all as holy. As a writer and a man, he reminded me of the priest who was a friend of Proust's. Yes, he believed there was a Hell. But he didn't believe anyone went there.

Where do our deepest beliefs come from? Generally from childhood, and then not from what our parents and teachers say, but from what they do and who they are. In John O'Donohue's case, his mother was the family's loving center. His father was a stonemason and farmer --- and, O'Donohue thought, the "holiest man I ever met, priests included." Sometimes the boy would bring tea to his father as he worked the fields. Often, young John heard him --- praying --- before he saw him.

O'Donohue had a superlative education, earned a Ph.D. in philosophical theology from the University of Tubingen, became known as an expert on Hegel and, later, Meister Eckhart. As a priest, he loved the Church's sacramental structure and its mystical and intellectual traditions. He also loved writing. Eventually, an officious bishop made him choose. "The best decision I ever made was to become a priest," O'Donohue would say, years later, "and I think the second best decision was to resign from public priestly ministry."

In fact, he had his issues with Catholicism, especially its views on sex and women. The Church, he said, "is not trustable in the area of Eros at all." And it "has a pathological fear of the feminine --- it would sooner allow priests to marry than it would allow women to become priests."

He was just as hard on other denominations. Religious fundamentalists, he said, "only want to lead you back, driven by nostalgia for a past that never existed, to manipulate and control you.... [Their] God tends to be a monolith and an emperor of the blandest singularity." New Age spirituality, he felt, was a smorgasbord, and undisciplined. Not that he found any comfort in secular life. He scorned the mall, feared for the spiritual health of the young, and had a special dislike for media folk, "non-elected custodians of sensationalism."

His bedrocks were his faith and "the Celtic imagination," which, he said, "represents a vision of the divine where no one or nothing is excluded." The blend he created was pure joy: "I think the divine is like a huge smile that breaks somewhere in the sea within you, and gradually comes up again."

O'Donohue was no Pollyanna. He was deeply troubled by bad things happening to good people. But he also saw that "a lot of suffering is just getting rid of dross in yourself, and lingering and hanging in the darkness is often --- I say this against myself --- a failure of imagination, to imagine the door into the light."

So it makes sense that O'Donohue's last book would be nothing but invocations and blessings --- a simple, how-to guide that, in effect, takes him back to his father praying in the fields. By the fact that we live, we are blessed; by the light that shines in our hearts, we have the power to bless others and be blessed by them. Is there a purer, more elementary form of the divine in action?

He asks: What is a blessing? His first answer is formal, and expected: "A blessing is a circle of light drawn around a person to protect, heal and strengthen." But then the poetry enters: "It is a gracious invocation where the human heart pleads with the divine heart." And then there's the magical factor: "When a blessing is invoked, a window opens in eternal time."

We need to impact one another's lives in this spiritual way, he writes, because the process of living in a post-industrial, media-drenched world moves us further and further from our innate wholeness. Only direct action can breach the distance. Happily, it takes no special training to bless one another. It's just a matter of gathering yourself --- and finding the words.

In "To Bless the Space Between Us," the poet in O'Donohue seeks to break the shackles of dead language. He offers fresh blessings, and on topics the Church might overlook --- not just for a new home, marriage and child, but for the parents of a criminal, for parents who have lost a child, for those experiencing exile, solitude and failure.

These blessings look hardship in the face, but only as a challenge. In our souls, and, especially, in our hearts, O'Donohue believed, we are all home. We never left, we never will. How hard it is to hold that thought. And yet, when we take the care of others into our hearts, something happens.....

You may not have a problem with the plainspoken language of O'Donohue's blessings. I do. Maybe it's just a writer's discomfort with another writer's words. But the invocations that dot the book --- my God, could this man write! Just one example:

"Our longing for the eternal kindles our imagination to bless. Regardless of how we configure the eternal, the human heart continues to dream of a state of wholeness, that place where everything comes together, where loss will be made good, where blindness will transform into vision, where damage will be made whole, where the clenched question will open in the house of surprise, where the travails of life's journey will enjoy a homecoming. To invoke a blessing is to call some of that wholeness upon a person now."

Death was nothing to John O'Donohue --- a silent friend who walks beside us all our days. And on the other side? "I believe that our friends among the dead really mind us and look out for us," he wrote. "Often there might be a big boulder of misery over your path about to fall on you, but your friends among the dead hold it back until you have passed by."

Let it be.

To Bless the Space Between Us, March 2, 2008
The Mystery works in powerful ways through John O'Donohue but never more so eloquently than in this exquisite collection of blessings, even for aspects of life for which we typically don't seek support or can't find words. As he speaks of these transitions, I find it remarkable that this was his last work, published after his sudden death. Those of us who love John will find solace in his acceptance of the sacredness of every aspect of life. He has left a work that will continue to bless and reach us in both celebration and the darkest of hours. To hear his voice adds to the poignancy of these blessings.

John O'Donohue at his best, April 12, 2008
I have this item in book and CD formats. What a gift to our spirits! His brilliance and depth of understanding of the heart and spirit are incomparable! For those who are ministers, there's a lot of inspiration for sermons/homilies in this book. There are blessings that can be incorporated into various rites of passage, as well. He brings to light how little we bless each other and the positive difference it would make if we would. He is the soul friend of everyone who's read his works. I highly recommend this book. I'll be buying several more copies of this book as well as Anam Cara (also by John O'Donohue).

Classical Music Spoken, April 3, 2008
After getting used to the sweet but very strong Irish English of John O'Donohue you feel the warmth in your heart that you were always looking for. All his blessings transcend to that place your soul longs for; it's classical music spoken.

Hope and Blessings, April 3, 2008
This book of blessings is a great gift to us all. I bought the book and the audio CDs and I have used both almost daily since I received them. It is a CD/book you will use, because the occasions for the different blessings will arise in your life. The author's lovely Irish brogue as he reads the blessings and the music of Irish harpist Aine Minogue allow for a deeper understanding of the written word.
The Irish poet and philosopher John O'Donohue did not shy away from topics that will make us cringe. He wrote a blessing "For love in the time of conflict", a "Blessing for the Parents of one who has committed crime", and - possibly one of the hardest tragedies of all - a "Blessing for the family and friends of a suicide".

John O'Donohue was a priest for 19 years (before he committed all his time to writing and speaking) and he knows about death from his work with the sick and the dying. But at the same time he is intimately familiar with the opposite of impermanence, he knows about the living presence of the light in our lives.
He talks about the luminous light in the mystical landscape of the Burren in the West of Ireland (his home), that reaches us when we become still to listen and witness. If we are mindful, nature and landscape can alert us to the eternal and we might be allowed to see a light that will speak to our human fears.
The blessings in this collection address crucial thresholds: A New Year blessing, a Morning Offering, the birth of a child, starting a new job, the breakup of a relationship, the experience of failure and the joy of friendship to name just a few. The invocations provide the structure of rituals that will protect, encourage and guide us on our life journey. Rituals have been neglected and become lost in post-modern secular society, but parallel to their disappearance awoke an incredible hunger for some kind of spiritual observance of the milestones in our lives.
John O' Donohue reaches way back into the Celtic tradition of blessing your loved ones, and he makes this tradition accessible to us in a simple, refreshing and non-dogmatic way.
It seems auspicious that John O'Donohue was able to finish this book and the recording of the CD before he was called home unexpectedly - in his sleep- at the age of 53 in January 2008.
Visit www.johnodonohue.com for more information.

A gem of a book, April 6, 2008
This book is a treasure. Since it arrived in the mail I have read from it every day. It has the most beautifully written Blessings that sound like lovely music when read aloud. There are Blessings for all occasions. This book is a must have for anyone who loves to inspire others through public speaking especially those who work with people in the helping professions. Makes a great gift too! I havent been so excited 'bout a book in a long time. Go ahead buy it... you wont be sorry, and then read it to others and watch their reaction.

O'Donohue's blessings for us all, April 22, 2008
When I grew up, every Friday night my mother would put her hands on my head and bless me with a prayer. There was always something special about that experience that has stayed with me. O'Donohue's book of powerful blessings (non-denominational except for a meditation on the eyes of Jesus) covers the breadth of life experience with depth and compassion for self and other. I savor this book and keep it close by to share with others. What a gift from O'Donohue! What a great loss: his death silenced more from such an exquisite voice of the human soul.

There's is nothing I've ever read quite like this!!, December 14, 2008
I grabbed this book off my shelf before a flight, and all the way there I was reading it and sharing with my fellow-passengers..."here, read this one, this is so beautiful (sniff)" and they'd read it and it would bring tears to their eyes, too. Then, when I got there, I met two women from Ireland, and I asked them if they had ever heard of John O'Donohue. "Know him? Oh, yes, he was a dear friend of ours," they said, "and do you know that the western half of Ireland went into mourning when he died? He was such a lovely soul, we still can't believe he's gone." I went and grabbed my copy of this book and brought it back and asked the one if she would be so kind as to read the Introduction (which isn't to be missed!!!!!) and then one of the blessings, thinking that in her lovely Irish brogue it would be more like listening to John O'Donohue himself. And it was a magical time.

Okay, you have to know that I'm a Unitarian, believe that there are many paths to enlightenment. I don't read much of anything any more, it seems there's not enough time in the day for all I'd like to do. But these blessings invoke power to strengthen a soul. First they open one's heart; a brief window that allows the hard shell of bitterness about ones' life not turning out quite as one had envisioned it to fall away and to be replaced with a loving softness, a kind glow that refreshes, even as one sits there in amazement. How did this guy write these? How did he write about a pregnant woman or parents of a child who has committed a crime and make one feel that he KNEW what he was writing about? But he did. It is so amazing.

So, back in South America, I read the introduction to a North American woman who has made her home there, and she took the book, held it close and said, "May the blessing that I need to read be the one I open to." And when she opened the book, it was "For an Exile." We all got teary-eyed as she read it; she is in a self-imposed kind of exile. When she finished, she tried it again. The next one was, "For Old Age." I laughed. "Well, that one didn't work very well, as you aren't old, Catherine." Catherine's 87-year-old mother-in-law, who was sitting with us, stayed me with her hand. "This one's for me, dear." And it was.

It's been all I can do not to tell people about this book, and the ONLY reason I'm waiting is because everyone I love is getting a copy for Christmas. It is simply the most beautiful writing I have ever read. May the blessings within it help to heal and strengthen you.

Love this Book, September 4, 2008
I absolutely LOVE this book! My husband & I are planning for a family, when I got this book in the mail I opened randomly to a page somewhere in the middle and magically turned right to the blessing for "The Mother-To-Be"! So amazing! My yoga instructor reads us passages from this book sometimes (how I heard about it) and everytime she does, the peaceful, blessed effect is palpable. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Jon Krakauer’s literary reputation rests on insightful chronicles of lives conducted at the outer limits. He now shifts his focus from extremes of physical adventure to extremes of religious belief within our own borders, taking readers inside isolated American communities where some 40,000 Mormon Fundamentalists still practice polygamy. Defying both civil authorities and the Mormon establishment in Salt Lake City, the renegade leaders of these Taliban-like theocracies are zealots who answer only to God.

At the core of Krakauer’s book are brothers Ron and Dan Lafferty, who insist they received a commandment from God to kill a blameless woman and her baby girl. Beginning with a meticulously researched account of this appalling double murder, Krakauer constructs a multi-layered, bone-chilling narrative of messianic delusion, polygamy, savage violence, and unyielding faith. Along the way he uncovers a shadowy offshoot of America’s fastest growing religion, and raises provocative questions about the nature of religious belief. ... Read more

Reviews

Faith and Murder, July 15, 2003
"I was doing God's will, which is not a crime." - Dan Lafferty

The above quote is from a man who brutally murdered his fifteen month-old niece and her 24 year-old mother in their home while his younger brother was at work. Lafferty's older brother Ron convinced him to commit the crime by claiming that God had spoken to him and instructed that it should be that way. Both men were born and raised Mormons, but turned to radical Mormon fundamentalism as adults. Through their horrific story and the history of the Mormon church in genral, author Jon Krakauer examines the larger issue of how relgion leads some people to commit unspeakable acts.

"Under the Banner of Heaven" is not an anti-Mormon diatribe, as anyone who has actually read it can attest. Krakauer, who had such a massive success with "Into Thin Air," should be applauded for taking a risk following up that work with a potentially controversial project well outside his area of expertise. Part travelog and part history, "Under the Banner of Heaven" is a very unique true crime book as the various narrative threads are wound together by the author. The simple yet forceful narrative style that made Krakauer's Everest such compelling reading are very much evident here.

Overall, "Under the Banner of Heaven" is an outstanding true crime book that raises some disturbing theological questions.

Brilliant synthesis of history, religion, and abuse, September 25, 2003
Jon Krakauer admits he has become obsessed with extremes. It takes one form of extremism to go on an Everest climb, as he shows with "Into Thin Air." Now he returns to the West of his youth. Yet this is not the book he planned to write. Krakauer admits he wanted to describe how today's LDS Church, with their clean-cut, do-good approach, is at odds with its founding history.

Instead, he decided to write about fundamentalist Mormons. While the LDS Church declared polygamy illegal in 1890, it took time for the practice to end in the official church. Those who would not accept the changes continued polygamy, with groups moving to Mexico and Canada. And there are those who continue this practice today. Krakauer is determined to understand how this came to be. In order to do this, he must retell the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.

While polygamy is no longer accepted by the current LDS authorities, the average Mormon seems less inclined to stamp it out. Krakauer shows several cases of gung-go district attorneys who go after polygamous families, and how these white knights are subsequently removed from office in the next election. He introduces us to small towns where everything and everyone in it answers to one man, the head of the Fundamentalist LDS church (FLDS). All property is owned by their church's corporation. And the girls are married by age 14. Krakauer finds many of them married to men who are already related to them, and at least a generation older. Women are seen as transferrable property, with marriages cancelled should any church member run afoul of the church leader.

And remember Elizabeth Smart? Here was a case of a modern Mormon family running into another FLDS wanna-be. Krakauer contrasts her case with another 14-year-old, a FLDS community member, who was hidden in another FLDS community when her sister tried to rescue her from an early marriage she didn't want. The difference between the media treatment of the two kidnap victims is horrifying.

All this is merely background for a shocking murder case, where two LDS members who moved toward FLDS decided to kill their sister-in-law for being a bad influence, and her two-year-old as well. Both men insisted they were acting on revelations from God. Krakauer turns this into the Court's unease with discussions of religious belief and sanity.

The negative reviews of this book appear to come from LDS members who are unhappy with Krakauer's history of their church. It's a pity they missed his important points on the danger of revealed religion (where anyone can justify anything), or the welfare fraud committed by FLDS communities (subsequent wives declare themselves single parents and don't identify the father, while living in a trailer in his backyard), or the uneasy relationship between mainline Mormons and latter-day polygamists. It's a shame they are unwilling to look at their own church's rapidly mutating scriptures, where Krakauer shows how doctrinal racism was not removed from church teachings until the 1970s. One might ask how many of them actually read the book rather than took the advice of their stake president to publicly condemn it.

Read it for yourself, then let us know. It is a fascinating, disturbing, insightful, and important book.

Not Anti-Mormon...just Intelligent, September 25, 2003
This is an extraordinary book, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Though the Mormon Church has expressed it's hostility toward the book, as with all ostriches, they are simply sticking their head in the sand and asking the rest of us to follow suit. Thank goodness for people outside the Church who look in, and tell us what they see.

This is not an anti-mormon book, and the fact that Latter-day Saints and their leaders are so worked up about it seems to me to be a recognition that Krakauer is hitting pretty close to home. Ironically, he handles the modern LDS church with kid gloves, and is very careful to make the distinction between the Mormon Fundamentalits and the Mormons themselves. However, and this is the point that should be lost on no one, both churches hail from the same "common ancestors," and have evolved rather organically from those early prophets, most importantly Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and John Taylor. At the time of Wilford Woodruff the world saw a split, and those familiar with the paradigms of biological evolution will recognize exactly what was going on. Today we see two radically different organizations with radically different messages...but they came from the same place.

Here's another juicy item that must drive the Church nuts. The fundamentalists are perfectly justified in their position on polygamy, extreme patriarchy and racism. After all, if those were the "revealed word of God" back in the early days of the church, then who are the modern day leaders to deny that word of God today? Just because wicked governments :-) refuse to cooperate should be no reason to back away from the most important points of doctrine. If it was good enough for Daniel to not back down (resulting in being cast into the lions den) then it should be good enough for modern prophets to not back down, either. (Okay, it's pretty darn important for me to state that I'm simply pointing out the fundamentalist argument, not my own opinion...)

At the end of the book you are treated to the prosecution team's argument that religious thinking is NOT insane, even it is, on the face, irrational. Any religious person should be moved, not disturbed, by the thoughtful arguments made by the prosecution's witnesses, many of whom were Mormon.

There are those who review this book who claim that the history is all wrong because it isn't always consistent with the "faithful history" that Elder Boyd K. Packer et al promote, and which is often the only history Mormons are familiar. Krakauer has consumed a great deal of history, and has drawn some really important conclusions. To throw out his book as "inacurate" because of a few minor disagreements on interpretation of facts would be like throwing out the quantum theory because we can't actually "see" a quark. The viewer, or the reader, interprets what they see or read and comes to rational conclusions based on their assessment. I want to read what other people DECIDE ON THEIR OWN after doing the research, not the same, tired old stories that have been approved and fed to the sheep year after year after year. I 've read a ton of Church history, and nothing that Krakauer said raised any red flags for me. But if there is a mistake in his "facts" somewhere (and if it's there, it's tiny), then it is still immaterial. The conclusions that the reader draws as they read how religious zeal CAN lead the faithful far, far astray is dead-on, pun intended.

This is an excellent, excellent book, and no one, Mormon or otherwise, should be "afraid" to read it, or afraid to consider what the implications might be.

The persecution complex abides . . ., August 5, 2003
The vocal, unfavorable response to this book by many LDS people (I exclude the LDS Church, which had a pretty fair response) is unfortunate. What this reaction reveals is that as a people we continue to be very thin-skinned when it comes to any hint of an unfavorable review. In short, we have a persecution complex.

LDS people would do well to remember that there are other groups out there (Catholics, for one) with far more serious press issues who are dealing with these problems with far more honesty and grace.

The previous reviewers are correct about some of this book's faults. It does have some errors of fact, but to be fair, it does a far better job than most non-LDS examinations of this kind. Krakauer has a fair grasp of LDS history and culture. A faux-pas like calling Mark E. Peterson a prophet should not be grounds for dismissing the book altogether.

One must also remember that Krakauer is examining people who belong to the fringe of Mormon culture and placing them in the context of Mormon history. Though he should have been more careful about distinguishing between members of the LDS church and so called "fundamentalist Mormons" (this is, after all, a name taken from the name of one polygamist group), many LDS readers react as though he aimed criticism at the contemporary LDS Church.

Were I about to read this book for the first time, I would treat it as a "true crime" story that benefits from better than average writing and interesting (though somewhat sensationalist) historical treatment. The book is not history; it is a poignant reminder that religious fanaticism, be it Muslim (Usama bin Laden), Christian (David Koresh), or Mormon (Lafferty brothers), is potentially, and sometimes actually, deadly.

BY THEIR ACTS YOU SHALL KNOW THEM, August 5, 2003
Two books have recently been published about cold blooded murder in Utah and figuring prominently in both is the LDS church -- the Mormons. The more publicized is Jon Krakauer's UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN. It is about recent (1984) murders and the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart committed by individual members of Mormon Fundamentalist sects that exist in southern Utah,Arizona and elsewhere. Krakauer says they may number 100,000. They have been excommunicated by LDS authorities for polygamy and other deviation, but claim to be following the original teachings of church founder Joseph Smith. Sally Denton writes in AMERICAN MASSACRE about the near annihilation of the Fancher-Baker wagon train at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah on 9/11/1857. That barbarous act, the slaughter of 120 defenseless men, women and children, according to Denton, may have been authorized by church leaders and was certainly carried out by Mormons who believed they had official sanction for their acts.

The two authors exhibit contrasting strengths as writers. Krakauer is the better prose stylist, but Denton has put together a more cohesive book. Krakauer succeeded in getting members of the Fundamentalist Mormon community (including the muderous Laffertys)to talk freely. He gives the reader an intimate, unspairing view of the crime and the criminals -- as Mailer did in THE EXECUTIONER'S SONG. The story of Smart's kidnapping gives the book a torn-from-the-headlines timliness. Krakauer uses the two contemporary incidents as a springboard to examine the LDS church's historical record of violence. He admits readily in interviews that he relied heavily on secondary sources (like historian D Michael Quinn) for his depiction of the historical aspects of Mormonism. Denton has done far more original historical research for her book: from reading diaries and oral histories in Arkansas (where the Fancher expedition originated) to combing through the National Archives, US Army records, and those of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She reconstructs the trial of John D Lee, the only man convicted of the atrocity, from court records, his diaries, and contemporary newspaper accounts. Denton provide chapter notes and an extensive bibliography to support her scholarship.

I recommend reading both books. At a time when Islamic religious extremism is on everyone's mind, we need to be reminded that the United States has produced and is producing its share of dangerous zealots. Krakauer refers to the Fundamentalist polygamists of southern Utah as "the American Taliban". In AMERICAN MASSACRE one can find the roots of the religious fanaticism that bears bitter fruit in UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN.

Read it between the lines..., November 3, 2003
Hmmmm...have some of these harsh critics actually read the book?

I knew nothing about Mormonism before I read this story. But by the last hundred pages, I was thinking very emphatically to myself that Mr. Krakauer took GREAT PAINS to emphasize that the devil here were these two murderers, neither the Mormon religion itself nor even fundamentalist Mormons (although the latter are portrayed as being less blameless).

I did not pick up this book intending to come away with a comprehensive history of Mormonism. I did not pick up this book intending to read a true crime story.

No, contrary to some "misled" individuals who claim to have read this book, I picked up this book intending to read EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE FRONT COVER, Einsteins. It states right on the cover, and I directly quote:

"On July 24, 1984, a woman and her infant daughter were murdered by two brothers who believed they were ordered to kill by God. The roots of their crime lie deep in the history of an American religion practiced by millions..."

What does this sentence mean to you? It doesn't say, "The Evils of the LDS Church" or "...two Mormon brothers..." For anyone reading those critiques that so harshly pan the book because it "wasn't what they expected," please read the quote that I have written here, and then tell me what you expect to read. I promise you that what you read into that quote is what you will get when you read this. These brothers' roots were indeed in LDS...that does not mean that LDS is wicked, and I never once saw it that way, even without any prior conceptions about LDS.

And as for you critics who think that Mr. Krakauer is biased because he is agnostic, I find it hard to believe that you could forgive him his well-researched and well-balanced, conscientious manuscript, no matter WHAT his spiritual values. If he was Jewish, you'd find something "biased" about that. And ditto if he was Lutheran, Catholic, or Mormon himself. No matter what religion he was, because he's writing about religion, you'd say he was biased.

Of course, the only "unbiased" person is the completely ignorant one. Everyone who learns something has an opinion about it. I dare any critic to tell me otherwise. But as far as this book is concerned, Mr. Krakauer has taken the utmost care to make the condemnation of this crime of which he writes as narrow and as specific as possible.

Mr. Krakauer points out to us time and time again that these are resentful, looney-tunes, fundamentalist, ex-communicated-Mormon brothers who murdered their sister-in-law. So unless you are a resentful, looney-tunes, fundamentalist, ex-communicated-Mormon brother who wants to murder their sister-in-law, know in advance that this book does not set out to offend you.

Read it to learn, not to judge, and ye shall be the wiser.

Very Good Storytelling, September 24, 2003
To me, the key to a good book, fiction or non-fiction, is whether it is told well.

Jon Krakauer is a gifted storyteller, and "Under The Banner Of Heaven" is a very well told story.

In addition to covering the 1984 murder of a woman and her child by self-proclaimed Mormon Fundamentalists (acting, as they claim, on a mission from God), Krakauer takes the time and patience to cover some of the history of the Morman religion. He interweaves historic events with the contemporary storyline and gives a kind of insight not common to a "True Crime" story.

For those wondering, Krakauer takes great care to explicitly draw the line between Mormons and Mormon Fundamentalists. This is a critical point in the book.

I had no information about the Mormon religion or its history and found this book engaging and very well written.

It's a good read, and thats what books are all about. I recommend this book to all.

Fascinating and discomfiting, July 23, 2003
It's intriguing to read the reviews of those who paint Krakauer's book as misguided or poorly researched. This book is a well-written, well-documented overview of the current Mormon and Fundamentalist Mormon faith. He beautifully relays the history of the Mormon church, and then explains the schism(s) that have erupted, resulting in various sects of Fundamental Mormonism.

This book wasn't written with the purpose of bashing Mormons; rather, it illustrates the bastardization of any religion that comes about when twisted minds utilize the religion to justify all their actions (ever heard of the Crusades?). To read about Dan Lafferty (a self-described Fundamentalist Mormon who beat his wife) guiltlessly explaining that God had told him to murder his sister-in-law and 15-month old niece is shattering. How can anyone reason with a nut like that?

If you wish to stretch your mind, learn a great deal, and recognize that America's religious roots aren't nearly as flawless as most like to believe, then this is a great book. If you prefer to wallow in ignorant bliss, leave it on the shelf.

All-American Extremism, October 4, 2003
In this contentious book Jon Krakauer takes aim at Mormon Fundamentalism, an often bizarre and extreme belief system that has led to much bloodshed right here in America. We have our religious fanatics and extremists too. Critics will accuse Krakauer of belittling the Mormon faith altogether, possibly out of personal spite. At times he gets uncomfortably close to doing just that, especially when describing the order's history. For example, he contends that Joseph Smith concocted the infamous plural marriage (polygamy) doctrine as a divinely ordained excuse to cheat on his first wife, and subsequent "true believers" have spread all sorts of suffering in order to uphold what is basically a religious red herring. The evidence is pretty strong but will surely lead to controversy. Also, in his historical study Krakauer doesn't always succeed in separating the extremists from mainstream Mormons, although making that distinction in the present is the main point of the book. But aside from that underlying difficulty, Krakauer certainly focuses on modern extremists, as the Mormon faith is especially prone to increasingly extreme factions who are not afraid to spread murder and mayhem in the name of their peculiar belief system, including the polygamy doctrine. All of this leads to the case of the Lafferty brothers who claim that their brutal murder of a young mother and her baby, within their extended family, was justified by their religious beliefs and commanded by God himself. While Krakauer can't always stay impartial about the basic Mormon belief system, he does illustrate how religious extremism truly works, with spectacular and terrifying results. This is possible in any religion and any society. [~doomsdayer520~]

Required reading for every American--and every Mormon, September 10, 2003
As an individual raised in the Mormon church who was repeatedly exposed to various Fundamentalist groups operating in and out of the mainstream LDS church I found this book to be invaluable and deeply vindicating.

Mormons are wonderful people with a strong and deep committment to the universal ideals of Christianity. However, they are often reluctant to be self-critical, especially about the more controversial aspects of our history.

The reason Fundamentalist groups have continuously splintered from the mainstream LDS church is the simple fact (as beautifully illustrated by Krakauer) that the modern LDS church bears little resemblance to it's radical, theocratic and chaotic origins. This fact should be embraced and celebrated by mainstream Mormons, not rejected and villified.

The mainstream church was wise and prescient to change it's position on many of the controversial teachings of it's early leaders. Just as most modern Christian faiths have done to balance their responsibility to society and the spiritual needs of it's members.

The goal of the Fundamentalists is to return the mainstream church to it's less than noble roots. This is why they are successful at recruiting otherwise devout Saints into their ranks. They preach a twisted, politicized, radical doctrine which (contrary to the vehement protestations of Mormons) are entirely consistent with many of the less-known but nevertheless regretably true ideas of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young and others.

It is this literalist interpretation, along with the mindset that all things must remain unchanged no matter how much society and the role of the church has changed, that breeds Fundamentalism.

If Mormons want to rid themselves of these parasites and malcontents, they need to come to terms with the realities of early Church history and the necessary evolution of the faith from those early years.

Just as devout Muslims have watched in horror as their faith has been infested and bastardized by Fundamentalist parasites who would return Islam to the decadence of some of it's early leaders, Mormons must recognize that these groups are trying to do the same with their beloved Church.

Just as Christian Terrorists like The Army of God have done it to other Protestant Faiths.

Its time to recognize Fundamentalism for what it is. Part of that realization is recognizing the ugly aspects of our past and present.

Fundamentalism has no place in Mormonism nor any other religious faith. It is an afront that must be vigorously opposed and clearly identified. That cannot happen if Mormons continue to refuse to recognize scandals of the past nor the coddling of such groups in the present.

Even as we speak, I know young men and women in the mainstream Chruch who are being preyed upon by Fundamentalist groups. This is not fiction, it is a dire warning to be heeded. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

This book will disturb most Christians...in the best way possible, November 19, 2009
When Helping Hurts is a compelling book that will be a significant help to the Church for years to come. The first chapter alone is worth the cost of the book and ought to be read by every church leader in every ministry category. This is not just a book for the missions committee (although it ought to be required for everyone involved in missions) or the Outreach Director, or the pastor. I think every Christian in America would benefit. Most evangelicals would be rattled.

There are several benefits from this book. Since most people read book reviews to try and determine whether they want to buy and read the book, let me mention those benefits.
It doesn't just pick on the Church or her leaders. This book is personal; it will pick on you. It was deeply convicting to me as I read it. I realized that as many times as I have been moved by stories about the fatherless and the widow, the poor and the sick, I am not purposefully living for my life, and leading that of my family, to intersect with these members of society. I have forsaken the needy by my enslavement to convenience and stuff. My house is conveniently situated away from poverty. I hardly see the needy. And then there is my busyness. All my important tasks that keep me far away spending myself on "behalf of the hungry" (Is. 58:10) are often where I find my own significance and worth. I am convicted that although I hold to the position that all humans are created in the image of God, I don't live as such. And I realize that I do have a god-complex (although every time I read that phrase in the book, my first reaction was, "No I don.....okay, I do. I do.").

The authors are not writing from lofty chairs in academia. They pen their own confessions. One of my favorites is, "I confess to you that part of what motivates me to help the poor is my felt need to accomplish something worthwhile with my life, to be a person of significance, to feel like II have pursued a noble cause...to be a bit like God...I sometimes unintentionally reduce poor people to objects that I use to fulfill my own need to accomplish something. it is a very ugly truth, and it pains me to admit it, but `when I want to do good, evil is right there with me' (Rom. 7:21)." [p. 65] They also give a number of examples that show where they blew it. This communicates not only humility, but also a sense that there's a bit of a journey involved. Helping the needy will never become neat, clean and orderly.

This book is highly biblical, both in its use of Scripture for application as well as in developing a theory of poverty that serves as the framework. You won't be able to get past a few pages at any point in the book without being confronted by biblical truth (and a helpful reference). And it does not do what many books on this subject do, namely, present steps and practices for alleviating poverty dissected from the Bible as the source of these truths or from the Holy Spirit as the source of divine power. Rather, the authors continually remind you of the authority of Scripture and our dependency on the Holy Spirit for power and guidance in the journey. One good example is early in the book, as the authors lay the groundwork for the importance of relationships in assisting the poor and sick. They take the reader back to the relationship in the Godhead, the Trinity. And from there they expand and explain how ministry flows through relationships. The poor are not going to be helped, without hurting them, if we just conduct drive-by ministry.

This book is also highly practical. The authors not only explain best practices and steps to take, but they give examples of what they might look like. And they also offer gracious critiques of benevolent practices that many of us have followed. The strange thing is that while reading many of the critiques, the thought ran through my head, "That always seemed a little unwise to me." You'll finish with not just new techniques, but will actually have an understanding of why some things work and some don't.

Many in the church will want to read this because of their local outreach. But this book is just as important for global outreach. In my job, I am continually laboring to help churches understand the importance of their short-term trips not becoming drive-by (or fly-by) ministries. Feeding the poor is wonderful. Caring for the orphan is beautiful. Both are biblical. But to be the best these ministries can be, both need to be in the context (connected to) a sustainable ministry. Biblically, you can't escape the fact that this is the church. Ministries that are conducted apart from the church die when their leadership dies (or moves, or changes strategies, or gets new vision, etc...). They are simply not sustainable. But when ministry is conducted in and through the church, there is lasting fruit. New believers are folded into that work. And when the US worker (or partnering church) leaves, the church will continue the ministry.

I don't get to read a ton of books, but this is one that has so impacted my thinking and stirred my heart, that I am encouraging everyone to read it. It's one of those books. I've got a stack of copies with me for my next journey to share with folks. I think it will disturb you too, in the best way possible.

Provocative, much-needed analysis of where our attempts to help have gone wrong, July 13, 2009
Thank you, Brian and Steve, for this tremendous book. So often we miss the unintended consequences of our wonderful intentions. For anyone who has been on a mission trip, plans on going on a mission trip, or is thinking about supporting missions, please pick up a copy of this book. Its thorough analysis and helpful guide to thinking through long-term issues will dramatically refine your understanding of the world and of missions.

Chris Horst
HOPE International
www.hopeinternational.org

Lives Changing, July 9, 2009
Yep, I know. "Lives changing" is not grammatically correct.

Nevertheless, I use this play on words to indicate that this book is not just life changing for you, me, and other readers, but, for the millions who we can and must serve. This is about THEM and their lives, even though it starts with you, me, and our churches.

As we learn and put into practice the authors' supremely wise counsel, we will see enormous increases in the effectiveness of our ministries to a hurting world. I dare say as well that as we see these profound qualitative improvements, the quantity of our efforts will skyrocket as well - we'll want to do far more as we discover the joy of doing far better.

Thus, This Is Big. To say this is the best book ever on the subject would be, believe it or not, an UNDERstatement. That's partly because it's not only a book - it also has fabulous accompanying materials (website learning and discussion aids, courses, speakers, trainers, etc.) that will significantly help readers and churches put these "lives changing" ideas into practice.

All this is literally an unbelievable Gift from God - for the church and the world.

Dave Larson
Economic Development Consultant
Portland, Oregon

Good but not Great, May 15, 2010
Good but not great is how I would describe the book When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Yourself. I would argue that Christians can and should learn from the insightful way that these authors look at poverty and its alleviation. I would also say, however, that the book can grow tedious and the ideas do not appear to be transferable to all contexts.

What I Liked

The authors of this book have a clear love for the poor, but not the sort of adopt-a-stray-puppy love that many wealthy folks have toward those less fortunate. The truth is, sometimes adopting a poor person or people group as your pet project might harm them and you, and Christians need to know this truth for themselves.

I found the authors' description of different kinds of poverty very helpful. Not all people who we think of as poor are impoverished in the same ways. The poor could have extra need for healing in their relationship to God, self, others, or the rest of creation. This book addresses all these categories.

The authors also do very well when pointing Christians toward more than one kind of aid that a poor person might need. While our gut reflex is to give immediate relief in the form of food, money, or service to someone in need, the authors wisely attempt to guide readers to a bigger-picture approach. Sometimes immediate relief is needed. Sometimes rehabilitation or skill-development is more appropriate. The authors show us how wise decision-making in this category can be a life-saver for the needy and the helper alike.

What I Did Not Like

While much of the book is very solid, I have to confess that this book simply grew hard to read after a while. The authors obviously had even more information, volumes worth of information, that they wish they could have packed into this little book. Unfortunately, the broadness of scope that they work toward in later chapters makes the reading far more tiresome than it is in the beginning of the text where readers are just becoming acquainted with this new view of poverty and help.

Recommendations

This book would be an excellent resource for church deacons or benevolence committees who need to think very clearly about how to help the needy in their area. It is a good work for pastors to ponder as they consider mission trips and giving for the congregation. Even county ministerial groups might want to take a look at this work for guidelines for how a larger group of churches might think differently about the poor. But, do not think many should pick this up for pleasure-reading. It get's thicker as you go.

How can poverty be alleviated?, November 23, 2009
Fikkert and Corbett have provided a critical analysis of why so many development and relief efforts in the Majority World do not succeed and, more importantly, what might be done to truly alleviate poverty. What are the causes of poverty? What does the bible tell us about these causes? What might be done to alleviate this poverty in such a way that it is sustainable, that the impoverished conditions don't return when the aid worker or program ends. The book is extremely well written and grabs the readers attention through colorful examples drawn from Fikkert's and Corbett's own experiences in development work in Africa and in the US. While written from a carefully thought out Christian perspective, the analysis would be helpful to those of other faith's as well. It is a terrific book.

Read this before you try to help the poor, April 22, 2010
When well-meaning Christians attempt to alleviate poverty, they often unintentionally do more harm than good, according to Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert in this book. It is an important message for Christians from Western countries to hear before they march boldly onwards with their poverty relief efforts. Poverty is not solved simply by splashing cash around.

Poverty is not just an absence of money; it is also about broken relationships, and people living in poverty have often been acculturated into a poverty mindset. Materially wealthy people have poverty in their lives, just as do materially poor people, and if you want to serve the poor in a non-arrogant way you need to acknowledge your own struggle with brokenness. Helping people out of poverty is more about people and processes than about projects and products.

This is an important book which needs to be read by any church groups involved in poverty relief, and I am therefore reluctant to offer criticism. However, I think that, in the context of today's African poverty, the authors' ideas of relief, rehabilitation and development do not fully take into account the economic conditions driving people into poverty. When war, disease, famine, corruption and many other forces prevent people from improving their conditions, successful development is almost impossible. If people are living in conditions which Western Christians consider unacceptable, then the option of refusing to provide ongoing relief on the ground that it creates dependency is not in my opinion morally justifiable.

A Fresh Look at Social Ministry, February 24, 2010
As the pastor of a rural church in the heart of Appalachia, I am confronted with the harsh realities of material poverty on a daily basis. Generational poverty is not a pretty sight, but neither is the attempt of many to alleviate that poverty. Most people are emotionally moved by images of poverty. Then, after the initial emotional response, the question becomes how can the materially poor best be helped? Unfortunately, most attempts at helping are futile at best and can even be destructive. Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert do a very good job of addressing that question in their book, When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor...and Ourselves.

This book is far from a typical, tired, social gospel guilt trip. The authors begin by building a theologically sound foundation by defining the true nature and mission of Jesus, His church and the Gospel. It is only out of that correct understanding of the Gospel that truly beneficial social ministry can occur. From there, they lay out their case that much of what is done in the name of Christian charity is not beneficial. They do not shy from their belief that, "when North American Christians do attempt to alleviate poverty, the methods used often do considerable harm to both the materially poor and the materially non-poor." They further state that their concern, "is not just that these methods are wasting human, spiritual, financial, and organizational resources but that these methods are actually exacerbating the very problems they are trying to solve."

The authors did not just take the opportunity of this book to rant against what they see as wrong. In addition to accurately depicting what is wrong, they do an outstanding job of pointing out a better way. Once the problem is clearly understood in the reality of the fall, material poverty can be addressed in the right way. "The goal is not to make the materially poor all over the world into middle-to-upper-class North Americans, a group characterized by high rates of divorce, sexual addiction, substance abuse, and mental illness.... Rather, the goal is to restore people to a full expression of humanness, to being what God created us all to be, people who glorify God by living in right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation."

This book does not attempt to be a step-by-step guide for how to develop an effective ministry to the poor. It is not a "how-to" book, despite the fact that it gives good examples and suggestions. Instead, its strength is in the way it challenges paternalistic mindsets about the poor and realigns social ministry with the Gospel. The premise is sound and the theological foundation is solid. Because of that, any ministry that is developed from it will help without hurting.

A must read for anyone has ever given to charity!, October 15, 2009
When Helping Hurts is an important book for anyone that has or is giving to a development or relief organization. It digs deep to get to the root of the problem with giving money and resources away. The authors continually describe how we can undercut the development of those in need with our giving. Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert provide alternative solutions to giving money away to efficiently help those in need.

This book helped to raise questions in my life and has served as a great yardstick to measure if I have been actually hurting those I thought I was helping. When Helping Hurts is a great book to go through with a group because the authors spur discussions throughout the text.

A fantastic resource for understanding helping the poor, July 21, 2009
When Helping Hurts should be in everyone's top 5 list of books to read & keep on hand for wisdom in planning & evaluating efforts to truly help the poor (whether in the US or internationally).

This book is a quick read, engaging, and jam-packed with wisdom: including practical ways to understand & evaluate the real, holistic effects of a program on the people it's designed to help.

Because of insights gained, I am making plans to add/change parts of programs I oversee to make them more holistically helpful not hurtful.

This book is a wake up call for the American messiah-complex, October 19, 2009
Buy this book. Borrow a copy and don't give it back! If you have a heart for the poor or are thinking of entering into a ministry that serves the poor don't start without reading this book. If you are already in the ministry to the poor you will find this book an invaluable resource. Any person considering going on a short term mission trip should not leave the country without reading this book. At least one gifted person from every church in America should read this book and teach it's principles passionately to their adults and youth. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In the rush of modern life, we tend to lose touch with the peace that is available in each moment. World-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and author Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to make positive use of the very situations that usually pressure and antagonize us. For him a ringing telephone can be a signal to call us back to our true selves. Dirty dishes, red lights, and traffic jams are spiritual friends on the path to "mindfulness" -- the process of keeping our consciousness alive to our present experience and reality. The most profound satisfactions, the deepest feelings of joy and completeness lie as close at hand as our next aware breath and the smile we can form right now.

Lucidly and beautifully written, Peace Is Every Step contains commentaries and meditations, personal anecdotes and stories from Nhat Hanh's experiences as a peace activist, teacher, and community leader. It begins where the reader already is -- in the kitchen, office, driving a car, walking a part -- and shows how deep meditative presence is available now. Nhat Hanh provides exercises to increase our awareness of our own body and mind through conscious breathing, which can bring immediate joy and peace. Nhat Hanh also shows how to be aware of relationships with others and of the world around us, its beauty and also its pollution and injustices. the deceptively simple practices of Peace Is Every Step encourage the reader to work for peace in the world as he or she continues to work on sustaining inner peace by turning the "mindless" into the mindFUL.

"This book of illuminating reminders bid us to reorient the way we look at the world...toward a humanitarian perspective." --Publisher Weekly ... Read more

Editorial Review

Perhaps no book in this generation has had a more profound impact on our intellectual and spiritual lives than The Road Less Traveled. With sales of more than seven million copies in the United States and Canada, and translations into more than twenty-three languages, it has made publishing history, with more than ten years on the New York Times bestseller list.

Now, with a new Introduction by the author, written especially for this twenty-fifth anniversary deluxe trade paperback edition of the all-time national bestseller in its field, M. Scott Peck explains the ideas that shaped this book and that continue to influence an ever-growing audience of readers.

Written in a voice that is timeless in its message of understanding, The Road Less Traveled continues to help us explore the very nature of loving relationships and leads us toward a new serenity and fullness of life. It helps us learn how to distinguish dependency from love; how to become a more sensitive parent; and ultimately how to become one's own true self.

Recognizing that, as in the famous opening line of his book, "Life is difficult" and that the journey to spiritual growth is a long one, Dr. Peck never bullies his readers, but rather guides them gently through the hard and often painful process of change toward a higher level of self-understanding. ... Read more

Reviews

A classic self help, spiritual discovery book, July 18, 2003
The book opens with the words "Life is difficult." Once you accept that, it becomes a lot easier!

But most of us don't accept that. We think if we do things the right way, or if other people would, then eventually life would become easier. Our material needs will be met, love will bloom forever, bad things won't happen to us, and life will unfold according to our individual needs and wishes.

Guess again. If you're constantly trying hard and finding life to be a major disappointment, you may find comfort and practical help in the reading and re-reading of this book.

Peck writes in an easy to read, easy to understand manner, writing of his life and that of many of his own patients. He begins with a section on Discipline; the next is on Love; then Growth and Religion; closing (how appropriately) with Grace.

When first I read this, in my mid-twenties, (living life in what one of my 'friends' called Life in the Breakdown Lane) the sections didn't look like they'd offer anything to help me. Discipline was something I wanted to act out against, not find solace in. The section on Love, I was disappointed to find, did NOT provide any instructions on how to find a knight on a white horse. Growth and Religion seemed some kind of a paradox to me, and I was sure that Grace was nothing more than a name I wished I had.

But within those Sections I have again and again(at different levels) found peace of mind through solutions that at first I didn't fully understand, but came to believe in -- for anyone looking for help in improving their lives, from a non-dogmatic, non-fundamentalist point of view, I'd strongly recommend this book.

Read it, learn from it, and just as happens to the bunny in the children's book, The Velveteen Rabbit, you'll find yourself becoming more alive, and more 'real.'

I'd also encourage the reading of Sheldon Kopp's "If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him" and (if you're looking for some comic relief, always good when stressed) watch "Groundhog Day."

This is truly a gem of a book (though I haven't liked many others of his).

worth the effort, March 5, 2003
The way this book is writtenat times light, nurturing, and joyous but often heavy, challenging, and confrontationalis a metaphor for Scott Peck's perspective on life. The first sentence of the book, "life is difficult," reflects Scott Peck's idea that spiritual/mental growth must be worked towards, that human beings are generally lazy, and that growth of consciousness is a life-long process. Everything is generally working against our growth: laziness; defense mechanisms employed to maintain the status quo of mental illness over the struggle for accepting responsibility; confusion over the true nature of love; resistance to "grace" (the idea of being open to our unconscious and the symbolic language of God); lack of discipline; adults being mentally and spiritually immature; poor parenting resulting in nuerosis and character disorder; and a culture that generally defends, accepts, and nurtures sickness over health.

Sometimes Scott Peck's language is a little heavy, but it's only because he packs so much valuable information and insight into each page. The first chapter on Discipline (a tool to solve our problems. Another great Peck idea: see problems as challenges, and it is in our response to problems that life takes on its meaning and color) was a bit dry to me, but contains excellent information on delaying gratification, balancing and bracketing (attempting to listen to others/view situations with objectivity), dedication to the truth, and a key to anyone seeking to grow: ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY.

The second section on Love was fascinating to me. Scott Peck does a great job debunking the myth of romantic love, but perhaps most valuable is the idea that real loving is about nurturing your own or another's spiritual growth. Love is an action and a decision, not just a feeling. It's so easy in our culture to imagine love as a feeling, red roses, wine, dinners, etc. That is the illusion of romance but has nothing to do with the work and courage of real active loving (Scott Peck says if an action doesn't involve courage or work, it's not loving!). Also in this chapter are a few controversial ideas, namely open marriage (Scott Peck's extension of the idea that loving involves encouraging an individual's total development...hmmm...sort of vague extension to me to involve plural relationships. what happened to discipline?) and even Scott Peck's suggestion that he would have sex with a patient if he felt it would further both their spiritual development! (do not agree with this at all. any person in treatment is not in a position to navigate such power dynamics)

The final section on Grace reminds us to look to our unconscious for information and guidance. Dreams, nagging thoughts, sudden insights, etc. from our unconscious, which Scott Peck says knows more than our conscious ever could, are signs that there is a God, and he/she/it is a loving God interested in our spiritual development (reflection of Scott Peck's idea of love, and a good idea if you ask me). These signs are meant to prod us into action.

In general, although at times you will be re-reading pages to make sure you got the meaning, and sometimes Scott Peck's language will seem heavy and plodding, this book will help you see where you can expand the boundaries of your spirit, your mind, and your life, how you can love bigger and better (and make it mean more to everyone), how your life can have meaning and consistency, and how to be a loving, conscious person, parent, lover, mate, and friend. I underlined a LOT in this book, and going back to read just my underlines I am amazed at the amount of loving, valuable insight in this book. Growing and truly accepting responsibility for the quality of our lives is not as easy as it sounds. Scott Peck is very aware of this and gives a lot of support to keep on journeying this road less traveled.

The "bible" of life- more than that, a book to live by., March 20, 1999
I have read many books in my lifetime but none has had such an impact as this one. This is easily, hands-down the best book of its kind. I have read Further Along the Road... by Peck and while it had useful information, it was not as informative and enjoyable as this book. ( I would also highly recommend "People of the Lie") I enjoyed the stories of his personal life as well as the patients he helped (and that had helped him) along the way. This is a serious book that still made me laugh & cry sometimes. It touches on so many issues of responsibility and discipline that no review I could write could possibly do it justice. Despite a previous reviewer's comments that this book is inaccessable- it is not! Very easy to read & not too technical. This is a book that anyone who is willing to open themselves to the pain of change & challange, will forever be changed & enriched. And the author himself admitted that any definition of Love would be subject to criticism from others- but dealing with something as nebulous and intangible, I think Mr. Peck does a terrific job. Especially when he notes what love is NOT. It has helped me to identify when someone's motives are not out of love- which seeks to help the person it touches. I really cannot think of another book that is as important as this one. Give it to a loved one as a gift--a gift they will never forget and hopefully- if they aren't "character disordered" they will see that this book can help them perhaps more than any other.

A Healer, October 20, 2000
I am a therapist. Part of my treatment for all of my patients includes giveing them a copy of this book and book An Encounter With A Prophet. Both books are God sent.

A Truly Life-Changing Experience, February 2, 2000
I first read "The Road Less Traveled" at a rather low point in my life. I needed something, but I wasn't sure what. This book was it! So many of Dr. Peck's insights really hit home. I felt he had written the book for and about me. For once I felt as if someone really understood me, and I felt that I understood myself and my life much better. This is no doubt due to the fact that love and spirituality are subjects which we all must deal with on some level. I suspect that those who don't like this book or don't "get it" are those who aren't ready to accept the messages it contains. The section about Love is one of the best writings on this subject I have ever read, and the author's thoughts on Grace will be of interest to many. Some may not agree with certain aspects of the book, e.g., religious views or the merits of psychiatry. But there is still enough thought-provoking content to interest the open-minded individual. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking personal growth who has the courage to look at his or her life honestly.

THE BOOK THAT SPIT THE STRAIGHT RAW TRUTH OF LIFE, December 8, 1999
I've read a lot of books about life and stages of life that people claimed were awesome and were must read books. The books were all right but never really told the truth about life. Such as life is hard and during life we face challenge in each stage of our lives and once you get pass that life is easier and more understandable. Peck is the only author that tells the truth about life. A lot the problem that he faced and talked about I could relate to and if I couldn't I new some one who faced them problems. From reading this book it show me that I'm not the only one who faces problems in life. It's easier for a person to talk about situations they didn't encounter, but from what a friend may have told them. That is probable the reason why I can't relate to the authors. But with Scott Peck, I see that he has faced the same problems that everyday people faced and if he hasn't his patient have faced these problems. There was one section in this book that really influenced me. The section on Discipline this section dealt with Problems and managing time. I recommend this book to all people who are experience any problems in life this book is guaranteed to help you in any stage of your life that is experiences difficult situations.

For many, it's a life-changing read, April 8, 2007

How amazing that we are still writing reviews on this record-breaking book 30 years after its writing! As another reviewer said, "The Road Less Traveled had an epiphany effect on my life." That has surely been the case for thousands of readers. Peck's insights into spirituality (not to be confused with religion) had a far more profound, immediate and direct effect on my adult spirituality than did my strict religious upbringing and my entire education at private religious schools (without disparaging the lessons of my childhood rearing).

The section of this book titled "Discipline" taught me that "spiritual" means more than just religious--and I have been infinitely more in tune with my spiritual side (the non-physical aspects of who I am) in the 20 years since the first of my many readings of this book than I ever was before.

The advice on love is indispensable. I used to tell everyone I dated that our relationship could not proceed until after they'd read that section--so they'd know what love is and is not! Another favorite section is where Peck talks about how most people stop drawing their maps of the world (their view of reality) at an early age because it is extremely painful to make revisions. But wise people embrace the pain of constantly redrawing our maps because it results in great rewards of meaning and purpose.

Some have mocked Peck's first sentence, "Life is difficult," as a great big "duh." They fail to mention the point he makes... how he builds on that. According to testimony, entire lives have been changed by the end of page one. Life's most important truths are the simplest ones (I learned that from this book, and it is so true!), and once we understand that life is difficult by definition, instead of assuming it is expected to be relatively easy, then suddenly it no longer seems the world is against us personally, and life is no longer so difficult. One page, changed lives!

I have given 20 to 40 copies of this book as gifts over time. But I always recommended only the sections on Discipline and Love. I told them I really didn't get much from the section on Grace, and that they should take it or leave it as they wished. (I can't deduct a star for this, since the rest of the book is so good.) I also agree with those who have said parts of the book are a difficult read. My first copy was a gift to me, and I didn't read it for several years, not until too many people recommended it for me to ignore it any longer. I had gotten bogged down in the case histories--the psychiatry talk. But be patient. The good parts are always just around the corner.

A book this successful, this enduring, and with so many accolades and favorable testimonies cannot be ignored by wise, thoughtful people.

An answer for the problems of today., July 22, 1999
Ever wonder why, when you think you are in the greatest relationship of your life, it suddenly ends? Or how about the reason you can't seem to get your work done and your falling behind in all aspects of your life. "The Road Less Traveled; A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth" by M. Scott Peck, M.D. could be the answer for you. M. Scott Peck wrote a book using the experiences of his patients and some of his own and tried to relate them to the problems of everyday people in the real world. In the first section of his book he talks about discipline, self-gratification, character disorders, responsibility, and depression. He explains that all of these are healthy and the only way to get beyond them so they do not become a problem is to admit that you have a problem. Because if we ignore them they will only cause more pain and suffering. In section number two, Peck talks about love, falling in love, and falling out of love. He teaches us how to recognize true compatibility, how to distinguish dependency from love, and how to become one's own person while in a relationship. This book is one that should be read by anyone who has questions about their life. It can show you how to take control of your life so that you can experience it to the fullest. No more sitting and wondering why things are happening to you. It is like having your own psychaitrist in the palm of your hand, just a whole lot cheaper!!

Before Peck Forgot His Own Advice, October 19, 2003
"The Road Less Travelled" is a book about non-conformity - being brave enough to admit that your life isn't going as well as you think it is, and finding your own path towards the truth, love, and perhaps even God. Most people with even the most modest amount of self-awareness go through a stage whereby they challenge their own/parents/friends/societies beliefs and start to look for answers. Few however, truly do change; instead they resign themselves to a mediocre existence of habitual worship (to God or to money) and habitual love. This book's message is clear: do not to give up so easily, keep on searching!

At the time M. Scott Peck wrote the book, a main area of interest to him was Zen Buddhism, which fundamentally deals with the fact that our desires cause suffering (see "The Four Noble Truths of the Buddha"). As a consequence of this, the book is a mixture of his own brand of psychology and psychotherapy (think along the lines of C.G. Jung), Eastern philosophy with a dash of Christianity thrown in for good measure. Peck's questions and ideas are nothing new, however, he skilfully relates his own professional experiences with patients to exemplify the importance of self-understanding, so that we might break free from our suffering. As part of this, Peck obliges us to examine the fundamental questions of our existence - what is the real nature of love? Is there any order to the universe? What is the meaning of life itself? Peck never directly gives us the answers, but does ask the questions and offers up his own theories.

"The Road Less Travelled" is a good book for those searching for some truth in their life, and one that I think everyone should read at least once. After this however, Peck clearly forgot his own advice. He became a "Born Again", started up a foundation, and gave several lectures on psychology, life, and his love of Jesus (see "Further Along the Road Less Travelled"). I am not saying there's anything wrong with choosing a religion, though in my experience you develop a tunnel vision on things, which is clearly what happened of Peck. Still, "The Road Less Travelled" comes recommended to everyone, just realise that Peck doesn't have all the answers.

A Must-Read for Anyone Willing to Change, July 23, 2004
I cannot think of a better manual for life, its principles applicable to everything from the tiniest minutiae to the most important decisions you will make during your days on earth. It is a compelling, at times overwhelming, collection of experience, anecdotes, and wisdom; if read with a willing mind and heart, it will change your life.

Dr. Peck brilliantly does in this work exactly what he compels the reader to do, which is to express consciously that which is normally hidden under many layers of denial, confusion, or downright lies. He tells us the many things that we already know about life, and we immediately recognize them as true, yet somehow the ideas themselves seem novel, and at times foreign or impossible.

I recommend this book if you have ever stepped foot into an incompetent therapist's office, if you know there are things you should do that you just don't (and don't know why), or simply if you are yearning for direction in your spiritual growth. Don't try to read it cover-to-cover; take it in pieces, and its deeper meaning will reveal itself to you. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Most people don't expect you to understand what we're going to tell you in this book. And even if you understand, they don't expect you to care. And even if you care, they don't expect you to do anything about it. And even if you do something about it, they don't expect it to last. We do. – Alex and Brett


A generation stands on the brink of a "rebelution."

 

A growing movement of young people is rebelling against the low expectations of today's culture by choosing to "do hard things" for the glory of God.  And Alex and Brett Harris are leading the charge.

Do Hard Things is the Harris twins' revolutionary message in its purest and most compelling form, giving readers a tangible glimpse of what is possible for teens who actively resist cultural lies that limit their potential.

Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life.  Then they map out five powerful ways teens can respond for personal and social change.

Written by teens for teens, Do Hard Things is packed with humorous personal anecdotes, practical examples, and stories of real-life rebelutionaries in action. This rallying cry from the heart of an already-happening teen revolution challenges a generation to lay claim to a brighter future, starting today.

 

Follow Alex & Brett Online
www.TheRebelution.com ... Read more

Reviews

Not a "Christian"? Read THIS review, May 26, 2008
I am NOT a fundamentalist Christian- I am a liberal, ultra-progressive Roman Catholic and a democrat. I am writing this because, although I have different political and spiritual views from the authors of this book (and nearly all of the reviewers) I thought this book had a lot of ideas worthy of thought.

I didn't always agree with certain ideas (though a modest dresser myself, I wasn't happy with parts of their modesty survey). Nor do I agree with some of the authors' religious statements and conclusions. But after deciding to "agree to disagree" with those parts, I can honestly say that the overall thesis and message of the book I completely agreed with. Moreover, this book was very well written and inspiring, even for me, an adult well past the teen years.

I'm not going to waste space on Amazon talking about the good points of the book- plenty of reviewers have, and you can read what they wrote. All I'm saying is, you can disagree with certain political and religious views of the authors and still get a lot out of this book.

Update October 2009- With this many people reading this review, I decided to plug in a couple of complementary reads to "Do Hard Things"
If you are looking to do something big try Zach Hunter's "Generation Change (Christian book)" or Barbara A Lewis' "The Kid's Guide to Social Action (somewhat liberal bias)." If you can "agree to disagree" with examples you may not like, the content in both books is superb.
If you are looking to straighten out your life try Peter Benson's "What Teens Need to Succeed" and Sean Covey's "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens."
Thanks for all the positive feedback, and congratulations to the Harris brothers on writing such a successful book.

Rocking A World of Low Expectations, April 22, 2008
I've often reflected on something I experienced when I was studying in college. With a busy semester ahead of me, I decided to take "Death and Dying," an elective that had the reputation of being an exceptionally easy course (a "bird course" we called it back then). On the first day we arrived in the lecture hall, the professor handed out a reading list and what he assured us were the lecture notes for the entire course. With these in hand, we were told, there was little use in showing up for the rest of the year unless we were really and truly interested in the subject matter. It was not a difficult course, he said, and we could probably do fine if we just turned in the assignments and showed up to write the exam. Needless to say, most of us took this as an opportunity to have an evening to ourselves each week rather than actually sitting through long and boring lectures on a subject that was of little interest. Also needless to say, most of us earned very poor grades. I've contrasted this in my mind to courses where the professor challenged us on the first day that his would be an exceedingly difficult course and one that would require the best we had. With such a challenge, many students rose to the challenge. Knowing that expectations were high and knowing that we faced a long and difficult fight, we reacted by putting out more effort and ultimately by doing better.

High expectations, it seems, often results in greater performance. Tragically, we live at a time where we expect very little of teenagers. The teen years, we seem to think, are a time where we can and must expect little. If our teenagers manage to avoid dangerous drugs, manage to avoid pregnancy and manage to avoid completely derailing their lives, we consider these years a success. We maintain low expectations and are not surprised when teenagers deliver very little.

Do Hard Things is a book for teens--and a distinctly different kind of book for teens. "Check online or walk through your local bookstore. You'll find plenty of books written by fortysomethings who, like, totally understand what it's like being a teenager. You'll find a lot of cheap, throwaway books for teens, because young people today aren't supposed to care about books, or to see any reason to keep them around. And you'll find a wide selection of books where you never have to read anything twice--because the message is dumbed down. Like, just for you." But this book is a challenging book, and one written by teens and for teens. It is written by Brett and Alex Harris, whose greatest claim to fame (other than being the younger brothers of Joshua Harris) is being the minds behind The Rebelution--one of the internet's most popular sites for teens and now a series of conferences. This book continues the message they've been communicating in every other forum.

That message is simple but far too often overlooked in society today: rebel against low expectations. They cast a vision of a better way of doing the teen years in which so many teens have been "conditioned to believe what is false, to stop when things feel hard, and to miss out on God's incredible purpose for [the] teen years." They look at five kinds of hard--five different kinds of hard things that can challenge the expectations of those around them: things that are outside of your comfort zone, things that are beyond what is expected or required, things that are too big to accomplish alone, things that don't earn an immediate pay off and things that challenge the cultural norm. They describe each of these through stories and examples drawn primarily from their lives and from the lives of other "rebelutionaries" who have shared their stories with the authors.

Though this book is targeted squarely at teens, I can't deny that the message rubbed off even on this reader whose teen years are far behind. There is something inspiring in watching teens shake off the low expectations that plague their lives and there is something in it that makes me want to examine where I may also have fallen prey to low expectations. Writing as the proud older brother of these authors, Joshua Harris says truly that "Every former teen needs this book, too. I know I do. There's no age-limit on the Rebelution. It's never to late to do hard things."

For too long our expectations of teens, and their expectations of themselves, have been far too low. In Do Hard Things Alex and Brett Harris rebel against low expectations and encourage their peers to meet the challenge of doing tough things for God's sake and for God's glory. I wish I could have read this book when I was a teen. I'm glad that my children will have the opportunity. I pray it will stir them and stir a whole generation of young people, to use their teen years to do the hard things God calls them to do. And I pray that the teen years are only the beginning, only the foundation, of lives lived to the glory of God.

Fantastic book -- great graduation gift!, April 15, 2008
This book is incredible. Many of us have seen teens, young adults, even thirty-somethings who are floundering through life. They can't seem to get any traction. Frankly, this approach to life drives my crazy, because I live on the other extreme. The Harris twins pinpoint the problem as a plague of low expectations when we're teenagers. As a result, we aren't trained to push ourselves and ask how God can use us -- especially during our teen years.

The verse that motivates their ministry is I Timothy 4:12. I smiled when I saw that as it was my life verse until I was 30 and decided I might need a different verse since I wasn't exactly a youth anymore. I've often wondered what my parents did or didn't do that made me believe anything I wanted to do/be was possible if it lined up with God's Word and will.

There was an expectation that everything was training. The teen years weren't a time to goof off. Instead, they were a time to prove myself and gain increasing independence as I proved myself faithful. Everything I've done, accomplished, am doing is a direct result of that philosophy.

In a sense this is exactly what Do Hard Things is about. It challenges teens to intentionally do 5 kinds of hard things:

1. Things that are outside your comfort zone.
2. Things that go beyond what is expected or required.
3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone.
4. Things that don't earn an immediate payoff.
5. Things that challenge the cultural norm.

We'd all benefit from applying those principles to our lives. But how much better if we taught them to young people. I've talked about this book since starting it. Eric is lined up to read it. I'll be giving it as graduation gifts. And it will land in my children's hands by the time they are twelve, so we can fully discuss and apply these principles in their lives.

Catholics and DO HARD THINGS, June 12, 2008
I was ironing in the laundry room when I saw 19 year olds Alex and Brett Harris, authors of the new book "Do Hard Things" on The Harvest Show, on WHME-TV. I immediately thought of how well they carried themselves. Their enthusiasm and love of God seemed genuine and impressive. I set my iron down to carefully listen to them explain the premise of their book, and was hooked. After all, I have nine children, including four teenagers, and what they were saying to teens their age rang true--Go above and beyond. Do more than expected. Challenge yourself. Love God. Do hard things. I ordered a copy of their book the next day.

Being a bona fide book lover (and God-lover too), I couldn't help but open the book and start reading it before the mailman had even left my driveway, even though at 40-something I am far older than the intended target audience. I was immediately surprised. In the opening pages the Harris brothers describe "an imaginary abbey of Dundelhoff" ... "on the outskirts of a small town in Germany" whose monastic inhabitants "eat colorless, tasteless sludge--once a day. (and) They only drink lukewarm water". The Harris brothers criticize the imaginary monks who "believe that the more miserable they are the holier they are and the happier God is." That seemed like a slam on real monks, and was also a misrepresentation of what the monks I've read about believe. Is it coincidence that these authors chose this example for an illustration of what kind of hard things not to do, or did they know that Martin Luther, who led the protestant break from the Church, was a defected German monk? Further, framed in this way, a monks' life was presented as a folly. I got what they were trying to say--God doesn't want us to be miserable when we do hard things for Him-- but the way they said it seemed like criticism of what real, holy monks do, and the Catholic Church indirectly.

As one would expect from Protestant authors, Martin Luther is presented as a hero in "Do Hard Things". Harris and Harris write, "Neither Wilburforce (a British philanthropist and politician who led a movement to abolish slave trade) nor Luther could have stood against the evils and injustices of their time if they hadn't first learned to stand against the evil in their own hearts." Implied, of course, is that slavery and the Catholic Church were similar *evils*. Catholic parents should take note of these subtleties and point them out to teen readers of this book.

Another criticism of "Do Hard Things" is the Harris brothers' advice to toss out caution when witnessing Christ to others. In the book we are introduced to Grace Mally, a nineteen year old girl who "promised God she would witness to whomever she found at a park near her house. As the story is told, she found "four burly construction workers" painting. Grace said, "I knew I couldn't allow fear to take over," and she approached the workers (who were "surprisingly friendly") to witness to them. This deviates from faith and treads upon being foolish. One young girl alone with four strong, burly strangers in a park is not smart, and it is na�ve to think otherwise. Sometimes God gives us healthy fear--hesitation, to keep us safe. I hope young girls reading "Do Hard Things" don't take the Harris brothers' implied suggestion to approach strangers alone and without fear. Again, I get the authors' point--be brave and not afraid to witness Christ to others, but doing so in this instance seems foolhardy.

On the other hand, "Do Hard Things" contains excellent challenges for teens. The Harris brothers encourage their peers to go outside their comfort zones, go beyond what's required, tackle things that are too big to accomplish alone and that don't necessarily pay off immediately. Finally, they encourage teens not to be afraid to go against the crowd. These are good challenges.

The book has other fine attributes. I have to applaud the Harris brothers on their zeal and ambition. The book is well-written, and clear in ideas and examples. Particularly touching are some teens' testimonies, including that of Brittany Lewin, 18, who successfully ran the campaign of Bob Shaffer in the fourth congressional district of Colorado (incidentally a Roman Catholic who was awarded the Benemerenti Medal by Pope John Paul II.) According to the book Brittany states, "I believe the doors God has opened for me and the lessons he has taught me through politics are only preparing me to be the wife and mother He wants me to be. Going from campaign manager to home manager sounds great to me. Being a wife and mother is a higher calling than politics." It is amazing and uplifting to read that this young woman successfully managed a political campaign. It is even more impressive that her priorities are in order and she values the important task of raising children for God. "Do Hard Things" highlights well what various outstanding teens are doing to make a difference in the world.

Overall, "Do Hard Things" has all the right heart. The authors' intent is good. While the framework of the book is distinctly protestant, Catholics can safely share this inspirational work with properly catechized teens. The message "Don't accept low expectations--strive higher" is a good one. I'd like to see Catholic youth explore this idea in the context and beauty of the authentic apostolic Faith. I'm sure we can find a few saints as examples of people who also weren't afraid to do hard things.


Theresa Thomas
Catholic writer and home schooling mom since '94

REBELLION AGAINST LOW EXPECTATIONS IS A GREAT THING!!!, April 16, 2008
I wish I could have read this book in high school. I think it verbalizes the cry of teen's hearts everywhere. I wanted to do more. I wanted to be more. I did what I thought I could - if only I could have realized I could do more...but it is never too late to do more and become more. And so, that is the challenge that I will take to heart from this book. Please check out this book and buy a copy for every 13-18 year old that you know...and one for yourself too!!!

A Must Read - Not Just For Teens!, April 15, 2008
Don't let the short length or easy-to-read conversational writing fool you, there's a lot of meat packed into these pages.

This book begins with the story of how Alex and Brett were challenged by their father to do hard things and how they heeded that call and the results of their efforts. It then goes on to discuss what they mean by hard things (and offers suggestions of what the five primary types of hard things are) and how teens today - individually and as groups - can set out to change the world by doing hard things on small and large scales.

The underlying premise of the book is simple: don't waste your teen years doing what it takes to just get by - push yourself and make a difference. It's a message that so many people (not just teens) need to hear and heed - with recent research showing that, on average, people are beginning to extend their adolescence into their 30s (the consequences of which we haven't even begun to understand.)

In addition to recommending this as reading for any Christian teen you know, I would recommend this to anyone who works with teens. It would be great to see youth groups begin to embrace the notion that they can and should be doing hard things. Beyond that, I would encourage 20-somethings (and heck, 30-somethings) who are wondering if this is all there is to life to give it a read and try to catch a vision for what the future will hold if we all move past "good enough" and begin to do hard things.

Great book, but not perfect, May 5, 2009
Twin brothers, Alex and Brett Harris, wrote this book at the ripe old age of 19. The book itself is a testimony to the fact that teenagers can do hard things- like write books. Just look them up on youtube. They really are a sight to behold. Having a tremendous amount of experience in debate, they are taking on scholars twice their age. And the Harris family is no stranger to such a feat like writing a book. Their older brother, Joshua Harris wrote I Kissed Dating Goodbye at 21.

So, what is this book about? Essentially, it is a challenge to teenagers to take up the mantle of leadership (of young adulthood) while they are still teenagers. On page 4 in their own words:

"What you're holding in your hands right now is a challenging book for teens by teens who believe our generation is ready for a change. Ready for something that doesn't promise a whole new life if you'll just buy the right pair of jeans or use the right kind of deoderant. We believe our generation is ready to rethink what teens are capable of doing and becoming. And we've noticed that once wrong ideas are debunked and cleared away, our generation is quick to choose a better way, even if it's also more difficult."

And that is what they indeed do- debunk the wrong ideas about teens and build their case for a Biblical view of young adulthood with plenty of examples sprinkled throughout.

They start out by giving us the background to their philosophy (called the Rebelution) and how they came up with the idea of writing a book. The only thing noteworthy here is the connection it has with their family. Take note dads- they didn't start doing hard things on their own, their dad took the initiative by challenging them to do things outside their comfort zone.

By far, the most intriguing chapter for me was chapter 3- titled "the myth of adolescence". I have heard other youth pastors, like steve wright, and family counselors talk about this before, but it was the Harris bros that really fanned the flame in me to find out more. This chapter is the "debunking wrong ideas" part of the book. In essence, it says that for the past 70 years or so (but not longer than that) Western culture has bought into the idea that the age of adolescence (from 11 to 17 years of age) is a special sub-category of human psychological development. But, with it, we've bought into some assumptions that are not Biblical and can be easily debunked by making wise lifestyle choices.

The Harris' bros. brief analysis of the myth of adoloscence serves their intentions well. They note that before the 20th century, maturity was only divided up into two parts- childhood and adulthood. The third division, adolescence, has only served to give teenagers a seven year long vacation from responsibilities. Instead of challenging our teens to take on the mantle of adulthood by strengthening them in all the areas of life that need to be strengthened in order to meet the demands of adulthood, we have coddled them, treating them like children for as long as possible.

The assumptions that our society has bought into when it comes to adolescence are diverse and tied to 19th and 20th century social history. For a full treatment of the subject read The Case Against Adolescence by Dr. Robert Epstein or for a resourceful website on the subject, see youth pastor Sean Higgin's blog (just google him).

As for the rest of the book, the highlight comes in Part Two when they explain what qualifies as "hard things". I'll list them for your convenience:

1. Things that are outside your comfort zone.

2. Things that go beyond what is expected or required.

3. Things that are too big to accomplish alone.

4. Things that don't earn an immediate payoff.

5. Things that challenge the cultural norm.

They spend a chapter on each one and let me tell you, even though this was a book written for teenagers, it certainly convicted me! It's one thing to say you believe these things and preach them from your armchair pulpit, it's another to put them into practice.

Although I like most of this book, I do feel the need to point out some of the weaknesses (after all, never buy a book based on it's cover).

a. No "Parent" factor. The Harris bros were right in avoiding any advice they may feel tempted to give parents. There is nothing more off-putting to parents than to have someone who has no parental experience try to give them advice. Be that as it may, parents CAN learn from them albeit indirectly. But, I had to look elsewhere to attain resources for parents on this subject matter.

b. Not a lot of life experiences.Somebody once told me, when I told them I was interested in writing, never to put pen to paper until you reach the age of 40. Because you will later regret what you write. I can certainly attest to that notion. Out of the dozens and dozens of seminary papers I wrote, only three of them made onto this blog and it's simply because the others, no matter what grade I got, expose how little I knew back then.

Again, this book is written BY teens FOR teens. But, there were a couple of adults that have read this book and found it uninspiring. But I think that those who found it uninspiring were already highly motivated leaders in their field and were disappointed at the lack of depth in some areas. They also have to keep in mind that this book is for the teen who struggles with being a leader. This is not written to adults who already are leaders. Be that as it may, their youth, as incredible as the accomplishments they have under their belt, reveals a limited range of life experiences in which to draw from.

c. They commit a writer's faux pas. They talk about themselves way too much. In school I was challenged to write my papers and go the whole way through without using the word "I" in reference to myself. The exercise was to help you stretch your research abilities. It is too easy to rely on oneself as an example of the point you're trying to make (which I have done twice now in this blog- but I'm not the one writing a book ). Although they give many examples and testimonies of other teenagers, they tend to talk quite a bit about their blog and that's when the book drags.

d. Not enough gospel. The last chapter is a beautifully written chapter on the gospel and how Jesus did the ultimate hard thing- he took on the sins of the world so that we can have an eternal relationship with Him. However, a truly deep Christian thinker, will find ways to easily saturate anything they say with the gospel. It takes a skilled writer and thinker to do that, something that I know I couldn't do and only a few people I've seen do it. I only bring this up because the tendency is to kind of look at this book as legalistic, which it is not.

All in all, I do highly recommend this book. Even though I spent a lot of time on its weaknesses, I did that because I care about the subject matter. Maybe they'll hurry up and finish their second book that they're writing and address some of these issues.

Right now, I'm developing a devotional for my youth group based on this book. We're in preparation mode for a mission trip we're going on in a couple of months and this book I think will get us into the right frame of mind. I will print this devotional on my blog for public use, once it is written.

www.pastordefalco.wordpress.com

Don't Miss this Book!, April 15, 2008
My Take: For 15 years I've been recommending, talking about, telling any who would listen about an article that directed the course of our parenting as our children entered their youth. The article was called Myth of the Teenager by Dr. Michael Platt and can googled.

Alex and Brett have taken the same message and speak it to TEENS - the very people that NEED to hear the message. They are out to lead a rebelution (rebellion against low expectations of teens). I believe that if this message catches fire in this generation it will change our society. It's that strong and powerful of a message. This book is written in an easy to read style and is filled with concrete illustrations and helfpul advice to motivate teens to Do Hard Things. I'm about 2/3 of the way through this book, but I am confident in recommending it to to you and your teens. In fact, along with a few other books (I Kissed Dating Goodbye, Not Even a Hint, Don't Check Your Brain at the Door, The New Tolerance..), Do Hard Things has become "highly recommended" reading for our teens. We like this one enough to put it on our "list".

The authors begin by leading us to rethink the teen years. They go on to mention 5 kinds of HARD things we should do: things that take us outside of our comfort zone, things that go beyond what's expected or required of us, things that are to big to do alone, things that don't pay off immediately, and hard things that go against the crowd.

Though this message is written by teens and for teens, I found myself encouraged and excited as I read. In fact *I* have been prodded to Do Hard Things. I've been hammered. You and your teens may be as well if you read this book. ::snort::

I feared this book would be boastful or arrogant; honestly it doesn't come across that way. The authors continually give the honor and glory for their fruit back to God - where it belongs. I also feared I wouldn't like the book. I don't like most books written on how to parent teens or written to teens. I LOVED this book. I felt like these young men were saying the same things we've been saying for lo these many years to our teens.

Great Book for Teens, June 4, 2008
I've worked with teens for forty years, and I've noticed that we expect less from them now than we used to. It's reflected in the way we treat them, the way we talk to them, even the way we teach them. We dumb things down for them and insist that learning must be fun. Alex and Brett refuse to accept that view of their generation. They founded TheRebultion.com, and today the are among the most widely read teen writers on the web.
In Do Hard Things, they urge teens to accept challenges, and resist limitations established by others as to what they can accomplish. The emphasis here is on becoming everything God intended you to be, and it's a great book for teens. Recommended.

Not Just for Teens, April 15, 2008
How long has it been since you've read one of those life changing books? The kind that creates a shift in your thinking.

This is your next one.

Do Hard Things is supposed to be a book for teens by teens encouraging teens to rebel against low expectations. Apparently I didn't get the memo. And I needed the kick in my 32 year old pants.

I dog eared so many pages in this book to share with you today that I may as well just go back and read the whole thing. All the folds are obnoxious.

I was especially stung by the chapter addressing people who are used to hanging out in the "above average crowd." Good grades came easily to me. Good genetics help my build and stature (I know for a fact it isn't self control in the jelly bean war that keeps me slender). I am not a standout athlete, but I was generally medal worthy at the 3A high school level. And I got used to being recognized for achieving things I didn't try very hard to achieve. And then these guys have to go and burst my bubble with the idea that just because I may have been "smarter than the average bear" it was still far below my potential (My mentor in college said the same thing. Rats.). They said this:

"God set His standards this high so that we won't make the mistake of aiming low. He made them unreachable so that we would never have an excuse to stop growing."

I'd like to interrupt this post to tell you that the last 30 minutes of my life, while not looking from the outset like a "hard thing," has been one of the more difficult as far as life expectations, and while I'll not expound on it, suffice it to say, I'd like to quit typing and go read a chick book. I don't want to do hard things. I want to sit on my rear and eat ice cream. And I think somebody knows that. But I am going to tell you about this book, anyway.

So, I intend to buy this book for each of my nieces and nephews and one for each of the youth pastors in my church. I'm making my husband read it, and probably both of my sisters. And if that isn't enough, I think YOU SHOULD READ IT TOO.

If you aren't a teen, you still probably know a teen. And unless you are over the age of 60, probably need to read it for yourself anyway (before you pass it on to a teen).

Don't be fooled, this isn't just a teen book. But if you know teens, they really should read it. Okay? O-K.
... Read more