Edward Asner Books

This book was great! I shared the stories with some of my students. It is so nice to hear the nice things people do.

Basically this is a wonderful idea for a book. The world does need more kindness. And Kindness , being kind to others not only makes us better people it also enriches our lives and gives them meaning. To give is often the greatest form of helping oneself possible.
Nonetheless I could have wished some of the stories here were more 'tough and complicated ' stories. I also could have wished that there was more deep thought about kindness. For kindness too has its qualification in the Jewish wisdom, " He who is kind to the cruel will end up being cruel to the kind"
Kindness is important.We should all be kind as we can. But there is a time and place for everything.

"Imagine what would happen if there were an outbreak of
kindness in the world," notes Daphne Rose Kingma in the foreword
to RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS by the editors of Conari
Press . . . you'd bring "delight and goodness
to yourself and others."

Methinks that could well be possible; i.e., if everybody took
the time to read this short but oh-so-powerful book . . . it is
packed with practical ideas that can be applied to work
situations, such as the following:

I had a client who owed me a good deal of money.
Eventually she stopped seeing me, but each month
I would send her a bill and receive no response.
Finally I wrote to her and said, "I don't know what
difficulty has befallen you that you are unable to pay
me, but whenever it is, I'm writing to tell you your debt
is forgiven in full. My only request is that at some point
in your life, when your circumstances have changed, you
will pass this favor on to someone else."

By the same token, there were perhaps an equal number
of things that could be utilized if you wanted to make
your home life more enjoyable, including this one:

There was a time in my life when everything was working
so smoothly, I found myself sitting at home one Saturday
with all my work done, all my household chores completed:
dishes washed, laundry folded and put away, house dusted,
grocery shopping completed, and that delicious feeling of
having nothing to do. Then I thought about a friend from
work who was a single mother of two small children and
never seemed to have the time for anything. I jumped into
my car, drove over to her house, walked in and said, "Put
me to work." At first she didn't really believe it, but we ended
up having a great time, cleaning like mad, taking time out to
feed and play with the kids, and then diving back into the
chores.

I also liked the quotes sprinkled throughout the book . . . what
caught my attention was the fact that many had not been
seen by me previously, including:

* Do every act of your life as if it were your last.--Marcus Aurelius;

* I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community,
and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever
I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the
harder I work, the more I live. Life is no "brief candle" to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a
moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible
before handing it on to future generations.--George Bernard Shaw; and

The question is not whether we will die, but how we will live.--Joan
Borysenko.

Lastly, I appreciated the thought-provoking suggestions presented
throughout RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS . . . among the ones
that caught my attention were these:

* As you go about your day, why not pick up the trash you find on
your sidewalk?

* Buy a big box of donuts or chocolates for the office next to yours
Or the kids who hang out on the street corner. Or the UPS person
or the mail carrier.

* If you have an infirmed person living near you, offer to do the grocery
shopping for him or her.

This book does not need a long review. It is simply about the very best of what human beings are capable of doing. Random Acts of Kindness is simply the most important book I have ever read. -- Sam Yulish, author of WHERE HAVE ALL THE HIPPIES GONE? and THE HESITANT PSYCHIC.

In 1982, California peace activist Ann Herbert wrote on a placemat at a restuarant "Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty." A fellow diner was impressed by these words, and wrote them down. Gradually they spread and inspired conversation and thought. This international bestseller greatly accelerated the process. Today there is a World Kindness Movement and many organizations spreading the concept of kindness throughout our country.

Bestselling author Dapne Rose Kingma writes the forward, and there is an introduction by Dr. Dawna Markova. But about 63 others participated in stories and ideas for this book. It is a group project than transcends anyone author.

The concept of random of kindness is an antidote to the concept of random acts of violence. Random of kindess are far more common than random acts of violence, and the more they are encouraged, the more they should dominate.

Random acts of kindness can be both as simple as talking to strangers, as inconspicuous as allowing people in a hurry to get ahead of you in line, as generous as doing unsolicited chores for people in need, as philanthropic as paying for a stranger's dinner or sending books to a sick child.

Random acts of kindness can be as fulfilling as climbing a tree after a runaway child, and then leading the child down, or as planting a tree that others will enjoy decades letter. They can be forbearance in the case of a minor traffic accident or of a personal debt. They can be meaningful advice given, compassion and empathy shared. They can be tips given in appreciation of the server instead of the value of the service. They can be the willingness to let others act on misunderstandings despite some element of personal sacrifice by the actor.

The endless examples of the ways people can treat others with random kindness are well sampled in this book. So are inspirational quotes.

Pennsylvania founder William Penn says "If there is any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do, let me do it now, and not dter or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Martin Luther King describes the concept of agape as "understanding, create redemptive goodwill toward all men...and overflowing love which seeks nothing in return. When you rise to love on this level, you love all men not because you like them, not because their ways appeal to you, but you love them because God loves them."

The Dalai Lama says "My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." Jesus says "If you bring forth what is inside of you, what you bring forth will save you. If you don't bring forth what is inside of you, what you don't bring forth will destroy you."

Herman Melville says "We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among these fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects." William James says "I am done with great things and big plans, great institutions and big success. I am for those tiny, invisible loving human forces that work from individual to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, which, if given time, will rend the hardest moments of pride."

M.C. Richards says "Compassion is an alternate perception." Albert Einstein says "A human being is part of the whole that we call the universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest--a kind of optical illusion of conscioiusness. The illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for only the few people nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and all of nature."

So having demonstrated the relevance and the vitality of the random acts of kindness philosophy to both everyday situations and to the thoughts of the world's greatest humanitarians, the authors praise part of the beauty of the concept of random acts of kindness as "the turnaround from the ugliest and most frightening of all phrases: random acts of violence....It's so easy to fear. It's so easy to create an almost palpable reality out of our imagined teerror. Random acts of kindness ring pure and true to that fear, as life-confirming revolutionary acts."

"Kindness," the authors say, "is soft and bubtle. It permeates everything it comes in contact with, remains as a permanent reminder of what could and should be."

At some level, this is a book of great idealism. At another level, it is a book of great pragmatism. A world of kind people is a world that values all people and gives all people the great gift of a friendly and supportive environment.

This reviewer can think of no one who would not beneift from reading this book. At a practical, everyday level it is an invaluable guide to building up communities of hope, trust, friendship, and love. It seeks not a Utopia on Earth, but communities around the globe worthy of the best aspirations of our most profound and visionary insprirational leaders and the day to day lives of our nicest and kindest people.

I have been on several journies in my lifetime, most of them have been bitter experiences. I have been asking questions about my existence and reasons for being in this universe. I have questioned the authority of the church and christianity in my life and the lives of others.

I am an African, and I have witnessed different spiritual powers and and different ways of worshipping and interacting with God. I have spoken with the dead aand it is for real!

Finally, I was in a bookstore in Holland ono faithful afternoon,very depressed and asking God why I have to go through so much hardship in my life, when I accidentally stumbled onto this great book. It has really changed my life. I believe that something propelled me towards this book. I believe that God has finally aanswered my call. I also believe that I deserve to have this great revealation because I have chosen to know the truth. However, I have finally realised that religion is jusst a vehicle used by people to gratify there selfish needs. I have since been living in peace.

This book will keep gravitating to those who are ready for it and no church nor authority in this universe can stop the intensity the message is radiating all over the world.

I choose to wish the messages in these books for my fellow travelers and may your lights continue to shine O Illuminatis!

Great books have a ring of truth to them. As you read, you can feel the truth resonating in your soul. Neale does a superb job of letting Spirit flow thru him into our hearts and minds. If you haven't read any of the CWG books, I recommend that you give them a chance. As to which, I have trouble distinguishing. It's like asking me which was my favorite time connecting with someone I love.

in reading the first book of conversations with God it brought the realization to my inner self that we do have freedom of choice and why would God interfere with that choice. The book was so simple in the writings and yet right to the point. It reveals all the questions that people do have. It opens up our thoughts to realize that other persons experiences are given to us and if we do not do it their way than we are wrong. The book was right when it said that there is no right and there is no wrong who are we to judge others. Very good conversation, the truth is the truth and I am looking forward to reading the other books that have come out. Someone gave me this book as a gift to me and what a gift it has been.

Though Walsch no doubt believes he had conversations with God, a much simpler explanation is that he had an unusual experience of getting in touch with his unconscious. Some would say that this is the same thing, since either A) the the unconscience is God, or B) God speaks to us primarily through the unconscious, anyway. Walsch tries to give us the impression that these conversatons are with THE God, the Universal God, of everything. But, it appears that the god that Mr Walsch is talking to is a highly personal one, with ready answers to the deep personal travails that he is having, and, if it's his unconscience, has a complete memory of his total life's experiences. The god of a more educated person will by necessity have a wider variety of experiences to draw on,and these will be reflected in the god's answers. For instance, Walsch's god, in trying to express his trinity, compares it to the id, the ego, and the super-id of psychology and again later, the body, the mind, and the spirit. Then he says this is equivalent to energy, matter, and anti-matter of the scientists. This reflects a naivete' of both sciences. Physics and Psychology would have alot to say about this speculation, were they inclined to so indulge. I think, perhaps space, time, and matter mght be a better trilogy, where matter consists of both mass and energy, and where space and time are just two different aspects of the ame continuum. But, matter and anti-matter are not so different, and make a lousy illustration of the point. Are we to believe that a universal God would give us a lousy illustration? No, but I think the example is sufficient for Walsch, so his god offers it match his level of understanding. This god says that he has divided himself in order to experience himself discovering himself, and that therefore, our ultimate quest is to discover Who We Are. This sounds good, and comes in part from Eastern religeons,but one wonders if the dynosaurs were also doing this self-discovery? Was evolution strictly designed to lead to humans, or were the dynos searching their souls for a couple of hundred millon years? Was there a dyno Moses who said that dynosaurs were made in the image and likeness of God? Maybe there was also a dyno Neale D Walsch telling them to find out Who You Are. And, when the experiment was all over, the total unconscious of all the dynosaurs brought on the fatal comet. More questions and comments to come.

I was given this book by a stranger. Someone I met one night. It has been the most amazing gift. "it was meant to be" The message in this book changed my life, I in turn gifted it to a friend of mine who was anxiously waiting to buy it, she told me, "Thank you, you have made my weekend". I responded "this book will make your life". I would like to respond to all of those individuals who have harsh negative comments on this book. You are entitled to your own opinion and that opinion is based on your own perception of things. However, the message is very clear. If you do not see the message that is gifted to you via this book, you are at a different stage in your path, You are probably not ready now.

My life is truly changed. A more thorough understanding of the PROCESS has revealed itself and has provided me with a sense of comfort about our collective reality and my individual part in it. Being separate is no longer apart of my reality. My Being has expanded and I am much much more calm in life. When the student is ready the teacher will appear has never been more appropriate for me. I enjoyed this tape set immensely (Over and Over and Over again).

I have been through Book One several times (I have both the book and the CD collection). More than any book I have ever read, this work provides answers to a multiplicity of difficult questions. I view myself as functioning at a higher level ever since first reading the series three years ago. I had an opportunity to ask Deepak Chopra, live on PBS, his opinion of this book; his answer: "Truly channeled directly from God!" The quality of the CD set is excellent. The choice of Ed Asner and Ellen Burstyn was inspired (Ellen never ceases to amaze). This set is a good investment since many people are likely to want to hear the entire book repeatedly!

This is a masterpiece in modern thinking! As I listened to this book I finally realized that I was not the only person who found the little faults in human thinking and behavior, organized religion and government. The philosophies put forth in this book reflect exactly the philosophies of the common person but with one difference...the common person can feel it and act upon it but Mr. Walsch puts it into words for the first time. I have recommended this book time and time again to others and every time I get the same response...I thought I was the only one! I recommend this book highly to anyone who has an interest in living a correct life and has questions that you instinctivly know the answer to but want some kind of confirmation. Good reading!

Many people consider me silly for actually reading this book. They tell me it's ridiculous for God to write such things. The truth is that I do the things I do because God lets me know it's alright. My religion with God is my consciense. Through my consciense God lets me know what's right and what's wrong. This book has definitely confirmed to me that God is always my friend, not an enemy who's waiting for me to make a mistake so he could send me to hell (most of the people I know believe this). Your relationship with God is like a friend's. You have to be loyal, understanding and always listen to their thoughts and concerns. I cried when I read this book. I felt a bond I just couldn't explain. God was funny all the way. I knew God was cool! Personally, I don't believe in the Bible, but I would sure consider this book mine! The Bible seems so unrealistic since it was written centuries ago. The whole reencarnation issue was great. Also the fact that everybody is a psychic is true too. I've made revelations in my life before and that's because I love myself enough to care about my well being and what's right for me.

This book answers many of the questions few people know the answer to after an entire lifetime of search and devotion to spiritual life. There is no doubt in my mind that the words spoken through Neal Donald Walsh are Truth.

this book is haven sent,ive all ways felt that god talks to everyone.and that no-one could have a relationship based on fear,and that anyone and everyone is special to god. i was soo happy to also be clairafied that there is no hell or saten,that god used as a scare tactic to force anyone to chose him.

Throught-out this entire book, I kept exclaiming," I knew that!" But it is always nice to read it from another source than my own inner source. It's nice to know that God communicates with all of us if we but listen. The information and concepts were more than insightful. A Must Read!

This book does not tell you to worship god as much as you should worship yourself. It made me realize that there are many many things we have to learn about , life, ourselves and our relationship to one another

Heard and liked CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD, BOOK TWO by Neale Donald Walsch . . . whereas Book One dealt with personal matters, this dialogue takes on more political and global concerns . . . Edward Asner and Ellen Burstyn served as narrators, along with Walsch, and they certainly added to my enjoyment of the cassette program.

There were several memorable passages; among them:
You do not live each day to discover what it holds, but to create it.

"I am" is the strongest creative statement in the universe. Whatever you say after "I am" calls forth these expectations.

The point of life is to experience who and what you are, then to experience it.

Your life is always a result of your thoughts about it.

The purpose of a relationship is not to have another who might complete you, but to have another who might share your completeness.

If you cannot love yourself, you can't love others.

Ask: What would love do now?

"Brothers Karamozov" is so good right from the first paragraph that I literally could not put it down -- I read it while cooking, during an ultrasound exam (!), even for 5 minutes in church! It's a grand, sweeping epic of a novel, which reads like the latest page-turner on the best seller list -- the characters are so vivid & real & 3D, the most amazing & appalling things keep happening to them and keep being caused by them, & yet at the same time it's a fascinating look at 19th cent. Russian life & mores, at religion, at the psychology of families....just a FANTASTIC novel, I've never read a finer one!!

This amazing epic is a story on four levels. It is a murder mystery and a character study (on a grand scale). It is also a treatise on religion as well as monumental expose of pre Bolshevik Russia. One of the truly great novels I have ever read. Enormous in scope, microscopic in detail. A challenging read that will leave you drained but wanting more.

The Brothers Karamozov is an epic yet personal novel that will knock the wind out of you. My favorite character is the vapid Grushenka who bedevils all of the slightly twisted Karamozov brothers and Father. A great book for its religious, historic, and lyrical values.

This is a darling book, that truly gives you many ideas on how to go just a little bit out of your way to make life better for someone (or in some cases, many others) else. It's a short book, but long on impact. If you're looking for a "rememberance" book for someone graduating, this would be perfect.

As stated in the preface, acts of kindness need not be elaberate or planned. This small book is a treasure trove of esperiences of kindness, given and received. Some are big, like a complete christmas provided for a family down on its luck. Some are small, like not hitting back. It is a reminder that we all have the capacity to reach out. I took this book to church with me, in case the services got too boring. I read it, my kids read it , and I have since reread it several times since. A gentle nudge towards becomming a kinder person.

This small book made an important difference in my life. Example after example of people being kind to each other penetrated and softened my pressured, irritated heart, and made me a better person. It reminded me of something crucially important, something I had forgotten. And how wonderful to be reminded. When I began to put kindness and love into practice, the world transformed from something dull and disappointing into something beautiful and sweet. This is a book about the most important thing in the world.

Although I am not inclined to believe in any supernatural realm, I read the three books in this series, in order. There is no doubt in my mind that the author is a very original thinker. If I were ever to believe in something supernatural, this would be it. However, the ethical sytem the author (or God, it doesn't matter) put forward is, to my knowledge, very new and very different from everything I knew. It is not easy reading; you need a very open mind to accept concepts such as "there is no right or wrong" or "God is not a vengeful god that punishes with eternal torments" I had to read several chapters more than once, and I can say this. Whether you go along with everything in the theology or not, I for one fully embraced the ethical system. It is to my thinking much more advanced, more "human", and likely to lead to much more happiness than anything I knew previously. Our world would be an immensely better place if this were the prevalent ethics. I read that the book has been translated to 26 languages and has touched the lives of millions all over the world. It sure touched mine! I strongly recommend that you challenge yourself to read the three books, and not reject anything off hand. Read the paragraphs you feel to be more "shocking" more than once and give the subject a lot of thought. After the third book, you will have found many concepts revisited more than once, and the whole picture will impress you as very consistent and well rounded. You might feel that not only you acquired new and important concepts, but also that your whole world outlook was changed. In short, your life may have been touched too.

I have read all of Neale's books and now want them on Cd so I can listen to the god/goddess voices that are perfect and sound just as I imagine god/goddess to sound. I purchased book 1 on cd and now plan on getting the collection for my car trips to remind me of my truth and that I am never alone. These books have changed my life as well as my husbands.

This book is GREAT. In fact, the entire collection of CWG books are among the BEST ever written. The deep wisdom shared in these books coincide completely with the unspoken truth that has resided within my heart for as long as I can remember. As I read these words, my heart recognized the profound truth spoken in these books. Reading these books have caused my entire perspective of all of life to shift in an amazing way. I recommend the CWG books to all. Especially for those who are ready to remember the highest truths, see the light beyond the deceptions & false teachings of many organized religions & of our misinformed society & find the true MEANING in life -- The true meaning of "God".

Though I had read Eric Bentley's compilation of the HUAC hearings ("Thirty Years of Treason"), it was not as chilling as this dramatic reenactment of some of the more intriguing testimony. I wish it were on a CD instead of an audio tape, however.

Spy's? History? Real life? What could be better? Beautifully acted!!

There are many people out there that want answers and are not finding them in their church. Many believe that God wants us to worship him every single day and live in our churches. I know of someone that is neglecting their family because the people of the church are his family now!

This book opened my life. I recognized Who had been talking to me all these years. I had thought it was the wind, the clouds, the rain, my imagination. And it was. I knew all along and it made me cry. On my seventh reading now I still cry, and of course, smile. I will read this book forever. Thank God Mr. Walsch wrote it down so I don't have to.

Babbitt is the full-cast audiobook production of Sinclair Lewis' classic satirical tale following real estate agent George F. Babbitt. Scathing and relentless in its mockery of the mindless conformity of small-town, middle-class, white-collar America, Babbitt reflected the dark side of America's economic boom of the early 1920's. The amazing and seasoned voice cast includes Edward Asner as Babbitt and dozens of other great names, from Rene Auberjonois to Ed Begley Jr. to Ted Danson, Helen Hunt, Judge Reinhold, and many more. Highly recommended for public library collections as well as private enjoyment.