Book Description
New York Newsday called this memoir of a warhood childhood in Japan "one of the saddest and yet most uplifting books about childhood you will ever encounter."
Separated from her family in the confusion and horror of World War II, seven-year-old Tomiko Higa struggles to survive on the battlefield of Okinawa, Japan. There, as some of the fiercest fighting of the war rages around her, she must live alone, with nothing to fall back on but her own wits and
daring. Fleeing from encroaching enemy forces, searching desperately for her lost sisters, taking scraps of food from the knapsacks of dead soldiers, risking death at every turn, Tomiko somehow finds the strength and courage to survive.
Many years later she decided to tell this story. Originally intended for juvenile readers, it is sure to move adults as well, because it is such a vivid portrait of the unintended civilian casualties of any war.
Customer Reviews:
Not Great.......2007-06-12
I thought this book was okay. You would like it if you liked learning about Japan during WWII, but I found it badly written. The end is unsatisfactory and the way it was written, even though it was non-fiction was boring to me.
Hope and Miracles.......2007-06-06
This book with its unadorned account of survival through the terrible battle of Okinawa is an important reminder of just how cruel war is, especially to those caught in the middle. Little Tomiko struggles against all odds and lives to tell this amazing story of desperation and courage. Not for sensitive kids; I would recommend this to middle schoolers and older - this is the real thing, not just a video game. Heartbreaking and horrifying, but with beautiful moments and miracles.
traumatized me in 4th grade.......2007-02-01
I just googled this book to show to my friend becasue its recommended as a childrens book and when i read it in 4th grade (im 24 now) this book scared the poop out of me. I dont think its a ppropriate for young children. I still cringe thinking about some of the chapters where she is forced to squezze puss from her amputated friends limbs. Ewwww! Amazing story but i think you should be a bit older before you absorb the ferocious atrtocities of war.
Great for all.......2007-01-15
Title: The Girl with the White Flag: An Inspiring Story of Love and Courage in War Time
Author: Tomiko Higa
Genre: Memoir
Synopsis: Tomiko Hiko was seven years old on the island of Okinawa when Allied forces land. Decades later, she discovers a picture of herself as a child, carrying a white flag and surrendering to enemy forces, with a line of Japanese soldiers behind her. Finding the picture triggered repressed memories, which were compiled in this short memoir of the war years, particularly the invasion. Separated from her family, she faced the enemy alone.
Quote: "Remembering Father's words to die with a brave smile, the author waves at the camera."
Grade: B+
Review: I first read this book in high school, and it is one of the few I picked up at that time that I remember vividly. I have to come back to it every few years to see if it is as moving as I remember it. OF course, it always is. It's a great book the other side of Okinawa, family, love, war.
A great book.......2006-12-27
I fell in love with this book. I'm currently stationed on Okinawa and I can't imagine how a girl so young could wander around the island and survive for so long.
This book is translated so some of the English is broken. However if you're interested in a different perspective of WWII in the Pacific, it's a nice read. It gives you a better understanding of how the Okinawans got thrown into a war they never wanted to fight in.
I love this book, even mailed a copy to my sister.
Average customer rating:
- Shimon Tzabar should have sticked with studying mushrooms!
- How to lose at war
- A Unique, Unorthodox Approach to Modern Warfare
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The White Flag Principle: How to Lose a War (and Why)
Shimon Tzabar
Manufacturer: Four Walls Eight Windows
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1568582595 |
Book Description
Nearly 40 years ago, contemplating a dogfight between Israeli and Syrian jets, Shimon Tzabar got to thinking about how war works. The result is a crystal-clear, at times funny inversion of such classics as Sun-Tzu’s The Art of War. Readers find the facts on why often — almost always, in major conflicts throughout history — victory is not all it’s cracked up to be. Practical advice is offered as well, such as what to do if you’re in danger of winning, and how to surrender in the midst of a firefight. This new illustrated edition of the 1974 original includes updated information on the latest international conflicts, and confirms the timelessness of the White Flag Principle.
Customer Reviews:
Shimon Tzabar should have sticked with studying mushrooms!.......2007-04-16
Shimon Tzabar have based his theory on a few observations. Like what he called a 'retreat'. That 'retreat' could be seen by others as a from of maneuver warfare, assymatric warfare or hit-and-run.
Being a loser may sometimes have positive sides, but not always!!! If you look further in history. There lots more of examples where the loser was wiped out or became slaves.
How to lose at war.......2003-08-03
After explaining the benefits of military defeat the author carefully explains how nations can achieve defeat. The author expounds on the necessities of mistreating your troops, opening tactical gaps in your lines and encouraging the enemy to encircle you. An extremely entertaining read.
A Unique, Unorthodox Approach to Modern Warfare.......2003-08-02
Once one looks past Tzabar's absolutely confident tone, a unique approach to the victor/loser relationship emerges with questionable factual backing. While a good read for anyone interested in the 'art' of war, The White Flag Principle also can spark the interest of those concerned with the new political atmosphere of today's world. With the US as the only superpower, the text provides a step by step handbook approach for anyone looking to benefit through a carefully administered defeat at the hands of such overwhelming force. A unique and thought provoking text, but it receives only 4 stars for the manifesto style writing of Tzabar.
Average customer rating:
- The Flag of our nation
- Great/Easy Read!
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Red, White, and Blue (All Aboard Reading , Level 2)
John Herman
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
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Binding: Paperback
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The Flag We Love
ASIN: 0448412705 |
Customer Reviews:
The Flag of our nation.......2000-06-21
The story, Red, White and Blue: The Story of the American Flag, is a well written and interesting book. It reveiles facts one would never find out. A smart buy for anyone wishing to learn more about our counries past.
Great/Easy Read!.......2000-06-19
Easy, punchy, informative reading about our nations #1 symbol! Beginning readers will love it!
Average customer rating:
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Daniel Richter: Pick Flag White Horse
Wayne Baerwaldt ,
Kitty Scott , and
Scott Watson
Manufacturer: Power Plant
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1894212053 |
Book Description
Arguably no other author has inspired more musicians than has Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Here, for the first time, is a book documenting the music inspired by the works of this literary genius, with insights provided by the artists. The book features a foreword by H. P. Lovecraft expert S. T. Joshi and cover artwork by Joseph Vargo.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent for Lovecraft or music lovers alike.......2006-10-28
The Strange Sound of Cthulhu starts with an introduction to Lovecraft's life. This provides good background for readers who are there for the musical aspect and unfamiliar with his writing. It is strait-forward, giving just the information needed to understand how he could still have an impact on music today, almost seventy years after his death.
The rest of the book is broken down into the musical genres he inspired. From psychedelic rock to country, groups little heard of all the way to big names, such as Black Sabbath and Metallica, have attributed some of their inspiration to Lovecraft.
Hill analyzes the songs--and even group names--that have roots in the literature of Lovecraft. The book compares lyrics with Lovecraft prose, and touches on music rumored to have Lovecraft ties. He gives details of each song, and in many cases, interviews with the artists behind the music. They discuss how their music ties in with Lovecraft, how they were introduced to his writing, and even their favorite Lovecraft tale.
Though the idea of seeing the music described in words may sound dull to some, Joshi was correct in the forward when he said, "Gary has that rarest of skills among music critics: the ability to describe a song, whether vocal or instrumental, in such a way that readers seem to hear it running through their heads."
Though Hill claims that the book is in no way exhaustive on the subject, it is as close to being exhaustive as it can get. It is designed to snare the readers that are there for the music to start reading Lovecraft, and the readers there for Lovecraft to look out for the music. I found myself getting out my old music to listen for what Hill describes.
Product Description
This rare book was found at a church book sale and is in very good condition for its age. It was part of a collection donated to the church and has the original, and only, owner's name on the inside. It has a white flag on the bookcover and a colored frontpiece illustration.
Book Description
Add patriotic pizzazz to any print project with 341 black-and-white images from authentic 19th- and early-20th-century sources. Crisp, detailed cuts of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Grant, and other celebrated figures; banners, emblems, medals; Revolutionary War soldiers and Civil War battle scenes; Independence Hall in Philadelphia; and much more.
Customer Reviews:
Another terrific collection.......2002-04-06
Illustrations primarily from 18th and 19th century sources. More period eagles and flags than you'll ever use. Military graphics mostly Revolutionary War and Civil War. Graphics scanned at 600 dpi and saved in BMP, EPS, GIF, JPEG, PICT, and TIFF formats. Just the ticket for national holidays, history buffs and lending a touch more of authenticity to your Civil War reenactment notices.
Average customer rating:
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Red, White, and Blue
Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton
Manufacturer: Pelican Publishing Company
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1589800672 |
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The white flag
Marcello Venturi
Manufacturer: Vanguard Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
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ASIN: 0814900046 |
Average customer rating:
- The Hand of Chaos - clever title now that I think about it....
- Totally not necessary
- SO REAL! (Is it prophecy?Historical fiction?)
- 5th Book in a Very Good Series
- Chelestra, the Water World
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The Hand of Chaos: A Death Gate Novel, Volume 5 (Death Gate Cycle (Paperback))
Margaret Weis , and
Tracy Hickman
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Into the Labyrinth (Death Gate Cycle)
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Elven Star: The Death Gate Cycle, Volume 2 (Death Gate Cycle)
ASIN: 0553563696
Release Date: 1993-11-01 |
Book Description
Chaos is everywhere as the Lord of the Nexus orders his servant Haplo and the human child known as Bane to further their master's work on Arianus, the realm of air. But their one time companion Alfred has been cast into the deadly Labyrinth. And somehow the assassin Hugh the Hand has been resurrected to complete his dark mission. More important, the evil force that Haplo and Alfred discovered on Arianus has escaped. As Haplo's doubts about his master grow deeper, he must decide whether to obey the Lord of the Nexus or betray the powerful Patryn...and endeavor to bring peace to the universe.
Customer Reviews:
The Hand of Chaos - clever title now that I think about it...........2006-03-19
The Hand of Chaos - Book Five of Seven in the Death Gate Cycle series. This book is another excellent addition to the series, and also necessary to read, no matter what other people say. It is very action packed, and brings back some of my favorite characters (Ex: Bane, Hugh the Hand (shocker...I know!)and Iridal). The book does have its shortcomings, but otherwise it is very good.
This installment starts off right where Serpent Mage ended, with Haplo trapped in the room and the water starting to flood the Sartan City. Haplo escapes (without magic) and heads through Death's Gate, but not before finding out that the evil dragon-snakes have also headed through. He heads to the Nexus, but is beaten there by the Dragon-Snakes, who have already found Xar and pledged their allegience to him. Xar says he is happy to have them on his side. Haplo comes and tries to convince Xar that they are evil, but Xar doesn't believe him. Haplo leaves for a walk as Bane (remember him from Dragon Wing?) walks in and begins chatting to his adopted "grandfather". Meanwhile, as Haplo accidentally meanders infront of the Final Gate, Zifnab comes. Zifnab, while rambling, tells Haplo that he is Sartan, and that his "wife" never died and is still in the Labyrinth, with his child. Haplo is startled by this news, but what is even more startling is that Bane overheard this all.He reports back to Xar, who tells Bane that he is sending him to Arianus with Haplo to continue stirring up unrest and to activate the Kicksey-Winsey. As soon as this task is accomplished, he is to kill Haplo. Bane agrees, and the both of them leave.
Thus the plot is set for The Hand of Chaos, along the way, Hugh the Hand comes back from the dead, We learn a LOT more about the Brotherhood of the Hand, and more about King Stephan's empire. This is a very good book, with only one major shortcoming, Alfred's disappearance. At the end of Serpent Mage, Alfred was being cast into the Labyrinth, yet in "Chaos", we have no news of what is going on with him. This is the only real shortcoming of the book, and it is an excellent, fast paced read. Pick up and read it now!
Totally not necessary.......2005-07-30
First, I will tell you how to get the most enjoyment out of this series. Start with going to the library and renting all of these books. Do not buy them as they are not worth it. Then read books 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7 without reading the footnotes or the appendixes. You have the option of reading books 2 and 5 if you are really enjoying the series, but they are only filler and do not even need to be skimmed. Finally, accept the fact that Weis and Hickman may only be one hit wonders and move on.
Second, I write reviews for those who seek good fantasy and not for the zealots who hang on every Weis and Hickman word. You would think from some of the reviews of this series that these books were greater than War and Peace and written by Bronte and Conrad. In reality, this series is not very good. I am not trying to trash Weis and Hickman, I found the Dragon Lance series to be extremely enjoyable and would give at least the first two series of that line four stars. This series deserves no more than 2 stars. The books are incomplete thoughts that may have been much better had the authors taken more time to flesh out the story. Beware of fantasy books that contain footnotes and appendixes. Usually, these are the telltale signs of poor writing. Having said that, I did manage to read most of these seven books and here are some thoughts.
Many reviewers have made a lot of the fact that Xar is actually tsar or czar. I fail to see the significance here. Xar is a ruler and a tsar is a ruler. So what? What I found to be much more interesting and ultimately distracting was the use, by the authors, of the word mensch. Mensch is a Hebrew word. It is not close to a Hebrew word, it is a Hebrew word. If you look it up, mensch means a person of integrity and honor. What are the authors trying to say here? That all people without ambition or power are full of integrity and honor. I read all seven books trying to understand the use of this word to no avail.
Not surprising considering the books are filled with errors and inconsistencies. Some of these errors and inconsistencies are no doubt addressed in the footnotes and appendixes, but it would take an additional seven books to address all the problems. I believe that most of these problems occurred because the authors did not take the time to complete their work. Perhaps they were pressured by their publisher.
Most of the characters are thinly veiled shadows of those characters from the Dragon Lance series. Only, these characters are not as interesting or as engaging. Part of the problem is that Weis and Hickman never determine where they want the story to go. They blur the line between good and evil, then they erase the line, then they re-draw the line in bold. In Dragon Lance, it was intriguing to see how the characters dealt with the discovery of the duality of their own nature. In this book it is just confusing.
SO REAL! (Is it prophecy?Historical fiction?).......2004-06-23
This is probably the best series of books I have ever read (I haven't read Tolkien yet. I KNOW, I'm sorry!). I just cannot say enough good things about this book series. I literally read it 3 times through, and each time I can relate to a different character and come to see it from their perspective.
The way that Tracy and Margaret bring the characters to life significantly contributes to the reason this series of books is so great. By the end of the 1st book, Hugh the Hand (Best Assassin in the world), Alfred(Sartan Mage), Haplo(Patryn Mage), Bane(son of most powerful human mage alive), and the rest of the characters have almost come to life in your mind.
If you're going to read Fantasy(Or SciFi) start with this! The sense of depth these books have to them makes you wonder if it's actually historical fiction that Margaret and Tracy are writing about and the index each book has is absolutely amazing. Whenever you're confused about something the characters are making reference to (or if you 'missed' [skipped, lol] the part when the character's were discussing it) you can simply look it up in the back index and you'll understand it better than you would have just reading straight through. (THEY EVEN HAVE DIAGRAMS OF EVERYTHING!)
Margaret and Tracy together are unparalleled writers equal to only a few such as Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Knaak, Louis Lamour(SP?) and the like.
I won't be suprised when this series becomes the next movie series. Except for the fact that since the book's environs are so diverse (they 'literally' create whole worlds with flora and fauna and a whole system of language [actually I think it might be latin]) the movie industry right now might not be up to it.
Finally, if you're worried about it being too advanced or too intellectual, don't. The characters are incredably deep, but like real people, are revealed to you slowly through the actions they take and throughout the series, so you're not overwhelmed all at once.
All the books are great, and I will read the series a 4th, 5th, and maybe a 6th time. Although one of the middle books does drag a little because it's mostly about the humans, dwarves, and elves (Mensch: Patryn/Sartan(Magus) word for humans, dwarves, and elves or anyone else who doesn't live thousands of years).
5th Book in a Very Good Series.......2004-05-24
In all probability, people who read the first of the Death Gate Cycle books and like it, are going to want to read all of the books in the series (regardless of any flucutation in the individual books' ratings). Ditto for the reverse: if people don't like the first book, then they're probably not going to want to read any of the other books in the series. Thus, instead of individual book ratings, I've rated the whole series and given a short blurb on any specifics for each book.
Overall, this is a very good series. The authors were amazingly creative in coming up with this concept and the books are well-written, extremely interesting, and internally consistent (mostly -- see below for some exceptions). I highly recommend this series of books for everyone. My comments for the indidual books follow:
Vol. 1 -- Dragon Wing: This book covers the exploration of Arianus: the realm of Air. It introduces us to the two main characters (Haplo and Alfred) and many of the recurring characters throughout the series. It's a well-paced, well-written book that's an excellent reresentation of what to expect in most of the rest of the series. Essentially, if you like this book, you'll like the other six books. If you don't like this book, then there's no sense in reading any of the others.
Vol. 2 -- Elven Star: This book covers the exploration of Pryan: the realm of Fire. Alfred is entirely missing from this book, and Haplo isn't really the centerpiece. Instead, the book is mostly written from the perspective of the mensch and of the newly introduced (and recurring) Zifnab. The one possible weakness in the book is that Weis/Hickman wrote it such that the structure of Pryan itself is more of a mystery than Arianus was in the first book.
Vol. 3 -- Fire Sea: This book covers the exploration of Abarrach: the realm of Stone. Once again, both Haplo and Alfred are present. The characters and areas presented in this book are key elements for the entire series. An interesting book, but not a very happy one at all.
Vol. 4 -- Serpent Mage: This book covers the exploration of Chelestra: the realm of Water. Both Alfred and Haplo are on this world. But, for the most part, they follow separate plot lines. There's a lot of action taking place throughout the book and Weis/Hickman introduce some actual Sartan (besides Alfred). They also bring in an ancient evil to balance the ancient good introduced in the previous book. The most irritating thing about this book is that it ends in a cliff-hanger. The previous books tied up their worlds' activities fairly nicely. Not so in this book. It ends at a very inconvenient spot.
Vol. 5 -- Hand of Chaos: This book returns Haplo to Arianus and the people he met there earlier. Whereas the first four books of the series cover the exploration of the four realms, this book starts the synthesis of the various threads from those books into a movement towards closure. It's a good book, but, unfortunately, it doesn't do anything with Alfred. The previous book left Alfred heading towards a bad end. This book doesn't do anything with that. So, while reading the book, you constantly have this little voice in the back of your mind going "what's happening with Alfred?" Irritating.
Vol. 6 -- Into the Labyrinth: This book ranges across just about all of the worlds of the Death Gate. It brings all of the various threads from the other books to a head. Most importantly, it finally does something with Alfred. The unfortunate thing about this book is that it contains a lot of technical errors (or, more specifically, contradictions). For instance, in Dragon Wing, we're told that a person needs to be familiar with an area to use a transportation spell to get to that area. Yet, very close to the beginning of the book, one of the characters uses such a spell without ever having been to her target location. There are also several instances where the characters COULD have used such a spell, but don't. Likewise, there are problems with replication spells. In Fire Sea, Haplo and Alfred use such a spell to replicate enough food for a large group of people. Yet, in this book, no one seems to consider using a replication spell to produce more of some food. But, later on, those same people are using that same spell to replicate weapons. Plus, at one point, Xar uses a spell to just materialize both food and drink for a party. But, if such a thing is possible, why do the Patryns hunt and, apparently, farm in the Labyrinth? Also, the size of the Labyrinth seems wrong. From the previous books, it's taken hundreds (if not thousands) of years for various Patryns to traverse the hundreds of Gates in the Labryrinth. Yet, in this book, from the very beginning of the Labyrinth they can see the results of things happening at the Final Gate. There's also the problem of how people at the center of the Labyrinth would know anything about the Final Gate.
Vol. 7 -- Seventh Gate: This is the conclusion of the Death Gate series. Unforunately, I didn't much care for it. Basically, it comes across as being pretty sappy. All of a sudden, Haplo and Alfred are best buds and want to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. Most of the various threads are tied up adequately (if not very satifyingly). But, the sudden push towards liberal "peace, love, and harmony" is trite. Of the seven books in this series, this one is the least good. Once again, I didn't much care for the tone of this book. But, since it adequatly ties up most everything that needed tying up, I'm not going to downgrade the whole series because of that.
Chelestra, the Water World.......2003-11-08
I liked this book because I got a close up look at the Sartans who had sundered the world and enjoyed the character development of the dwarven main characters, Grundle the tough female dwarf being my favorite.
The giant dragon-snakes were introduced here and it was in this world that Alfred showed some potential as the Serpent Mage.
Chelestra's realms are now being flooded by the dragon-snakes who wish to escape Chelestra through the Death Gate to reek havoc in the other realms as they have done in Chelestra. Haplo has been imprisoned by the Sartans but because of the flood can now escape and travel back through the Death Gate, hopefully to convince Xar that he is not a trader and to warn him about the dragon-snakes. He also has a desire to find and help Alfred some how.
Alfred and his lover had been at first imprisoned by Samah in Chelestra because Alfred had found out Samah had lied about being aware of the higher power that could have prevented the sundering of their world, and feeling threatened that Alfred had this knowledge, had thrown Alfred and Orla into the Labyrinth.
The strange properties of the water in Chelestra canceled out Patryn rune magic and Sartan mind magic which I found an interesting development.
We also look in on Bane, the nasty widdle kid Xar found potential in and who now calls Xar Grandfather and Hugh the Hand, an assisin hired to kill Bane. Hugh now only wants his own true death and is looking for the only one who can give it to him, Alfred, an exceptional necromancer who had raised him from the dead giving him a strange and intolerable kind of immortality; he could die in a sense, feeling all the pain and suffering of his death only to be ressurected and with an added, sneaky twist...he can no longer kill. "A hell of a note for an assisin" he said. Things get complicated when Bane's mother, Iridal, and the woman Hugh loves, shows up wanting to hire him to find Bane who is being held by the elves.
This was yet another well-done book in the series.
Customer Reviews:
new age twaddle.......2007-06-21
I read some of this book, a real study in wishful thinking. One of the reviewers mentioned that the book is 'not new age'. Hmm ... begs the question, what his new age, considering the first page starts off with:
"The great unveiling is approaching, a time when the power structures of the world begin to crumble and people of the heart sing out a new truth. .... [E]ach of you plays a part in bringing forth the new dawn."
If it reads like new age, smells like new age and dances like new age --- it IS new age. In this case, Christian new age.
There is no compelling empirical evidence to suggest that human or global history is on the brink of any significant cultural or biological watershed. If anything it looks like humanity is poised for extinction. And that's not a bad thing.
I really do not understand this desperate urge to save the human race, which has arguably caused more damage to the planet than any other species ever has or ever could. If you want to save the planet, let the human race die off. If you want to save humans and the planet, you have your work cut out for you and even if hundreds of thousands of new-agers contemplate a better future, it is highly unlikely to change the course the human race has set for itself over the last century.
A Really Nice Surprise.......2007-06-04
I began reading this book expecting to find another goddess spirituality book telling us about how we need to go back to the "good old days" when women ruled the world, when we were one with nature in idyllic Roussean bliss, and how the presence of male energy on the planet should be eradicated so that women can create a perfect paradise - just like they once used to.
What I found was something else altogether - a detailed and balanced account of the historical, cultural and philosophical development leading to our current culture. While she uses the metaphor of the chakra system to trace this development, it is perfectly syncronous with Spiral Dynamics and other sophisticated models of human development. In other words, there is a total absence of magical, New Age superstition and a great presence of balance, perspective and wisdom.
The book is a clarion call to action, to understand the context of our emergence, appreciate the gravity of our current situation and take total responsibility for it on the level of our personal lives. This is all done without guilt tripping or demonizing any aspect of our development, while not denying much of its brutality.
Having studied both Ken Wilber's and Don Beck's work, I find this book in perfect alignment and the author another in a growing chorus of voices urging us to evolve at the level of consciousness in service of the entire race.
Elegantly written, full of heart and perspective, this book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand why we're where we're at and what the next step must be.
An Invitation to Kindom........2006-11-08
Waking the Global Heart creates an understandable picture of cultural evolution. More importantly it creates a hope for what humanity can yet become, if we can begin to awaken to what is possible instead of living with what we have come to accept. As a United Methodist pastor, I found Judith's anaylsis of Christian history to be especially helpful for revealing the process of adjusting Christianity to fit political purposes of the Roman Empire. While Judith's summary of this history could not possibly cover all the nuances of that history, her approach reminds us that the heart message Jesus proclaimed and lived was co-opted by the love of power that dominated that time and this. From the perspective of Jesus message of the heart (the power of love), I have long struggled with the use of the word "kingdom"of God to describe Jesus' goal. While Jesus' call is clearly to create a world based on God's love, "kingdom" carries too much of the "love of power" model. I especially appreciated Judith's coining of the word, "kindom" to describe the goal of social evolution. Waking the Global Heart gives us an excellent model as to what the world can be, if we can move past doctrine to discover unity of spirit in the image of the heart chakra. Dana Wimmer
A roadmap for what humanity needs to JUST DO! .......2006-09-24
WAKING THE GLOBAL HEART, will be kept were I can refer to it often. Anodea Judith has touched all the right nerves to awaken humanity's sleeping giant. As J. Krishnamurti put it, to produce "A radical mutation of the mind." She describes the human condition as an adolescent emerging with the crushing awareness of adult choices. Like a teen age girl staring in disbelief at the drug store pregnancy test that signals a personal Tsunami, a 9/11 and a New Orleans, humanity stands in the postmodern era with no MAPS and no consensus. Like a deer frozen in the headlights, we trouble in disbelief at the chaos we see rushing at us with hurricane speed. Anodea's book is a welcome new MAP, and her words ring true as I recognize the truth of her message: "Humanity's Rite of Passage from THE LOVE OF POWER to the POWER OF LOVE." At first glance her three-part index seems to over simplify the world problematique, but the depth of this luminary volume soon changes everything. One realizes, even in the preface, when she describes her love of untangling strings in her mother's kitchen drawer, that Anodea manifested early the tenacity and the patience needed to create this master work. Thank God she had the perseverance and the chutzpah to write this book! It is a handbook for navigating the transformations urgently needed to heal a world in crisis. Anodea draws frequently from some of my favorite visionaries, Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Dr. Fritjof Capra, and Ken Wilber. Her depth of understanding spans the ancient wisdom, years of experience as a therapist soothing pains of the soul, and the history of humanity's rise to walk on the moon where we saw island earth as the only home we have. Read it once, read it twice, and then take my advice and simplify your Christmas shopping. Keep it close at hand as you struggle to come of age in the generation needed to save the world from ourselves. Anodea's book reminds me of the famous line from Walt Kelly's cartoon character POGO, "we have met the enemy and he is us." She makes it clear in her passionate hope, "Someday we will be the ancestors that I pray will be remembered with gratitude rather than resentment." and "...the current crisis will call forth global cooperation like nothing ever has before." I pray she is right! If she is it will be because she and thousands like her with compassion, love, and a noble spirit inspired us all to create the world our children's children can love in peace and joy.
The time is NOW for co-hearts in the kin-dom to ACT!.......2006-09-12
Anodea Judith is a noted teacher and author on the subject of the ancient concept of the chakras. The chakras correspond to various energy centers of the human anatomy and map to various levels of consciousness and stages of development.
Anodea has taken the same chakra system and applied it to the history of mankind's social, political, religious, and technological development over the past 30,000 years. She has mapped this history against various chakras chronologically demonstrating man's social evolution from the lowest chakra (Earth) to the highest (Spiritual) chakra.
Ms. Judith's thesis is that humankind is in the process of an evolutionary transformation, presently in a state of adolescence and entering a challenging time - the rite of passage - moving to adulthood, where the "higher" chakras, in particular the Heart chakra, will come to dominate mankind's future evolution of political, social, economic, and spiritual systems.
Her conclusions are unapologetically optimistic in citing that there is in-fact a groundswell of individual action towards the attitudes and behaviors necessary to reverse the chaos and conflict endemic in the world today. Indeed, today's chaos is seen as symptomatic of mankind's adolescence and necessary transition to adulthood.
That the jury is still out as to whether we make this transition before we destroy ourselves and/or the planet's ecosystem is clearly acknowledged, but the conclusions overall are highly optimistic that the long-term outcome will be positive. The rite of passage may be rather unpleasant however!.
The book is eminently readable and the various mappings of the chakras to human history are helpfully summarized in numerous charts and tables.
For me, the first three chapters (part one) and the conclusions in part three were by far the most powerful portions of the text. The actual chronological mapping of human history to the chakras was intriguing and indeed the core of the thesis being advanced. However, the passion and intensity of Anodea's arguments come through loud and clear in the first and third parts.
Regardless of whether one is convinced that the mapping of the chakras to historical time periods is firm evidence of an inevitable path of human evolution or a convenient model for the purposes of advancing the conclusions is, I believe, less critical than the heartfelt plea that it is getting very, very, late in the game and that "we", the human species, have little time to clean up our act.
That a significant "transformation" is about the only thing that will save the human species seems abundantly clear to most interested observers. Whether framed in the model of the chakras and the transformation to "species adulthood" or some other form, the central thesis is really that things had better happen fast. Utilizing the chakras, and in particular the Heart chakra, provides a compelling set of guideposts with regard to the direction and types of changes that must occur.
Now from a, "glass half-full, glass half-empty", perspective one is left wondering whether this book and many others like it, are desperate attempts to see light at the end of the tunnel - where there is none - or whether humanity really has the will to manifest the enormous transformation that the author believes is essential. The analytical model used - the chakras - indicates that it is not only desirable, but an inevitable result of an evolutionary process. Let us hope she is right!
Once again, the "think globally, act locally" idea is presented. This book may greatly assist those who are concerned, but immobilized at present, find the will, energy, and determination to organize and act decisively in order to be a part of the essential transformation.
Product Description
Volume 2 contains Sign of the Unicorn, The Hand of Oberon, and The Courts of Chaos
Book Description
Managing conflicts in a non-violent manner
Customer Reviews:
Leading chaos.......2005-12-20
Alexandria writes for those who have to confront potentially violent situations in everyday life. She gives great examples. Her style is easy to read and yet contains excellent advise. Many examples are from institutional settings--would have liked a few more from more typical encounters. However, she did give good suggestions about preventing escalation, which I was looking for.
Product Description
5 massmarket paperback Titles in Amber Series - 1 Nine Princes in Amber - 2 Guns of Avalon - 3 Sign of the Unicorn - 4 Hand of Oberon - 5 Courts of Chaos
Average customer rating:
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Biomechanics of the Hand: A Basic Research Study
Kai-Nan An ,
William P. Cooney , and
Ronald L. Linscheid
Manufacturer: World Scientific Pub Co Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Anatomy | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Physiology | Basic Science | Medicine | Subjects | Books
General | Medicine | Subjects | Books
Physiology | Basic Sciences | Medical | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Anatomy | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9971501031 |
Customer Reviews:
Best Hand Info Around.......2000-04-08
I think that this book is a valuable resource to biomedical engineers and orthopedic surgeons who are interested in learning about hand biomechanics
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