O Books

Running with the Horses is a great examination of the book of Jeremiah. I love how the author applies it to present day Christianity. Each page will challenge you and help you to capture what this sometimes puzzling book is about. Give it a chance. It's a great pick for a reading group.

In this study of the life of Jeremiah the prophet we come to see how those who seek to serve the Lord do not have it easy by any means, but the troubles we encounter actually make us more passionate and purposeful and we become all the richer in the process. One of my favorite parts is on page 24 where he says, "Life is a continuous exploration of ever more reality. Life is a constant battle against everyone and anything that corrupts or diminishes that reality." Chapter 7 is especially insightful as it relates to the church today. He says, "What is wrong is to evaluate the worth of words and deeds by their popularity. What is scandalous is to approve only what is applauded. What is disastrous is to assume that only the celebrated is genuine." How true! One can't help but see the similarity of the priest Passhur in Jeremiah's day to the leader of the largest church in the United States today when you read: "Everyone loved to hear him: he was positive, affirmative, confident. He had the ability to draw out the best from everything. He was able to search the Scriptures and find texts that made the darkest days bright." I had to look at the front and see when this book was written. I thought for sure it had to be written in the 2000s, but it was 1983.

Love this book that I'm reading. I've never completed reading Jeremiah straight from the Bible cos I find it very heavy stuff. But after reading Run with The Horses, I'm beginning to appreciate this weeping prophet. I'm still mulling over those chapters that I've read and look forward to turning the pages still. Very sobering stuff in there for personal reflection. You can't ignore what you see/realise in yourself.

What do you do when times get tough? When life gets gritty? When the pressures of life squeeze you pencil-thin? Do you give up, give in, and despair? Or do you rise above the difficulties and uncertainties with faith and confidence? In "Run With the Horses: The Quest for Life at Its Best," Eugene Peterson takes us through the life of the prohpet Jeremiah and shows us how we can live adventurously, courageously, and excellently despite the challenges we will inevitably face.

"Run With the Horses" is not so much a commentary on the book of Jeremiah as it is a meditation on the life of Jeremiah. Though Peterson does move us chronologically through Jeremiah's life, he chooses only certain "episodes" or "situations" to discuss. Peterson ties his meditations on the life of Jeremiah to our lives as Christians, covering such topics as:

* Our identities as human beings with a definitive purpose.
* How we can be misled through deceptive teachings and words.
* How our choices can twart God's purposes for us.
* The importance of being honest and vulnerable before God.
* The significance of persistence and perseverance when enduring life's challenges.
* How God's ways and purposes often seem to contradict what we see and know from the world.

In essence, "Run With the Horses" is a meditation on the anatomy of a life of faith--a risky endeavor that is not for the faint of heart. Personally, I was more challenged and encouraged by this book than any other book I have read in recent memory. Highly recommended.

Ancient Jeremiah as personal trainer? He of the many trials and tantrums?

Revisited via Eugene Peterson's knowledge and sensibilities, the Old Testament prophet comes alive; he compels present-day readers to "run the race." Jeremiah's words and works crackle with passion: visible, audible, and absorbable. You want to be like him--but luckier.

As relevant today as when first published, Run With The Horses is a superb merger of scholarship, story, and style. Personal and eloquent, Peterson's observations and exhortations on postmodern culture mirror the ancient seer's: He challenges our assumptions, assuages our fears, and cheers our God-given aspirations.

Brief selections from a wide range of writers enhance each thought-provoking chapter, and extensive End Notes point the way to further reading. If in doubt about an older book still being relevant, note the subtitle: The Quest for Life at Its Best.

Vague enough to enfuse with personal meaning. Meaningless read hard, and broad read softly. A good book if you want to sway in the romantic waters of an indefinite God, but hardly the work to peak behind the curtain. It studies the fabric. Full of delicious quotes, irresistable.

Kahlil Gibran is a very powerful, dynamic writer. He does it brilliantly each time a book goes live.

Wisdom is poetry that sings in the mind. If we could enchant man's heart and at the same time sing in his mind, Then in truth he would live in the shadow of God.

The quotes from "SAND AND FOAM" enhances the thought process and I find better understanding of the people around me.

Our god exists in ourself. It takes thought provoking book to make us aware.

What a beautiful compilation!

I read Kahlil, when i was 14.
I was astounded by his words,
and compostion.
He seemed to define them very well.
When i read this work?
i kept learning the aphorisms,
and the value of his thoughts.
I had never seen, or read another book
without some knowledge of great worth, and wisdom.
besides the Bible.
Gibrans paintings, also speak to the soul
The painting of The Prophet?
depicts a man who seems to
be an ancient, and of whom Kahlil
says he had never been without
since Lebanon .
When i first started to read Gibran?
i knew that i would read
all his works.
And they will continue
singing theyre words, and theyre thoughts
to the serinity and the solitude
of my mind.

Gibran continues to inspire me in this book. It is written from the depths of his soul and from every beat of his heart, as every one of his works are. Some readers criticize his writings becasue they say it is "too hard to understand". This is a complement to Gibran, because the most precious things in life are not supposed to be easily understood. One must read his books and reflect the meaning into their own lives in order to even began to understand. Don't be afriad to challenge yourself.

This is well written and well organized book. It is truly written for firewall engineers. Its configuration and troubleshooting examples are very helpful to the real problems. The discussion section and tips are particular useful if you want to know the inside stories of screenOS. This book is a must have for anyone who is working in Netscreen firewall at any level.

The writing is superb! And I love the Problem |Solution |Discussion sections of each chapter. It gives great every day problem and solution. I've been working on a large VPN project and this book is EXCELLENT from start to finish. It explains very well in details about VPN - in our case we also had integrated wireless; policy-based routing, BGP, RIP, content security (ICAP; URL filtering), NAT, QoS, VoIP (Avaya & Cisco), firewall and user authentication (802.1x). You can't get any more complicated than our VPN infrastructure - yet the book explains extremely well every aspect of those features in great details. Plus it was a very easy read! I highly recommend this book if you're serious about deploying VPN and firewalls. Great stuff.

This is a must-have book for anyone managing Juniper firewalls. The writing style is very accessible and to the point. The book is organized so you can jump right to the information you are looking for without reading it from cover to cover. Highly recommended.

If you only purchase one security book then this would be it. It is the "How to Manual" for all Juniper ScreenOS firewalls. The concepts and material transcend a small home office to placing large flow based firewalls into the core of a network. Keep this book in your bag !!!

If you are new to ScreenOS then this book is the first and last book to read. If you are a novice then this book will round out your knowledge and skill set.

Simply put, anyone who is currently evaluating or managing ScreenOS based Firewalls should own this book and have it close by.

The 1st chapter of the book alone shows the most useful commands that every administrator needs to know. It also details the architecture of ScreenOS which is the key to creating and implementing a relevant security policy in any network.

The book is well written and organized with CLI commands in bold and CLI responses in plain text which make it easy to differentiate what the user should be typing and what they should be seeing. (There are also some GUI screen shots in the book as well.) The book has excellent examples of packet walks, O.S. Architecture, and network diagrams.

A huge benefit of the book is that it doesn't bore the user with the history of the Internet or TCP/IP, etc. It jumps right in to specific examples and configuration guidelines relevant to what the chapter is trying to cover. The book is also very current and covers almost the latest version of ScreenOS. A great example is that there is an excellent chapter on configuring NSRP (HA) with Dynamic Routing Protocols (to sync routes from DRP's) and how that is configured in ScreenOS 6.0 which was the first release to support that feature. ScreenOS 6.0 is a very current release of ScreenOS.

As a user of ScreenOS for 5 years, I can absolutely say this book will be a welcome addition to my library!

Last note: Chapter 21 covers VSYS or Virtual Systems which is a major strength of ScreenOS and not well understood by many users. That chapter alone makes the book worth the cost.

I bought this book for my husband, who loves Shakespeare's works, history and cooking. This book is perfect for anyone with those passions (especially all together). A bit of history is included throughout, along with original recipes gleaned from Renaissance texts. Quotes from the Bard's plays are peppered about, before each recipe, etc., and most of the recipes have been beautifully photographed, just another way to whet the appetite. The recipes are fun, do-able, a little different, yet not so far out there that you'd never try them. And in the back are suggestions for parties, invitations and so on. A delight for fans of cooking, cookbook collectors and for bibliophiles with taste.

Close but not quite there. As a member of a rather heralded Guild of (amatuer - we do it for love not money) Medieval and Renaissance Cooks, I was anticipating less 'making it up as I go along" and more true redactons of the books Ms Sagan references.

I was delighted that in roughly half the recipes, she quoted the original recipe and acknowledged the source. I was less delighted when she deliberately changed ingredients, left ingredients out or in one case where it was clear that the intent of the recipe was for periwinkles (snail like mollusks greatly esteemed in Elizabethan and slightly post Elizabethan times) and she admits that in a fit of whimsy, she substituted periwinkles the flower.

Not having hauled out the books and done the research I cannot attest that the unattributed recipes come from period, nor may I suggest that they do not. Where I to serve these unattributed recipes, I would label them as "peroid" (period like) rather than period.

For the most part even those period-like recipes do sound delicious!

This is a nice book, and if it piques an interest in Medieival and Renaissance cookery,then it has served its purpose.

Do NOT take her redactions as Gospel - read them, think of the aim of the dish you are making and consult other sources, both modern and medieval period. If you need help google MEdieval Food....

The photos and garnishes are lovely however.

When I opened this book, I did not expect I would have any interest in actually preparing any dishes from it. Rather, I was looking for some insight into the history of cuisine in England around 1600. I was pleasantly surprised to find things which are really interesting to cook.

The book does not strictly cover meals mentioned in Shakespeare's plays, however, it is liberally seasoned with quotes from the Bard's plays making reference to foodstuff and spirits. The recipes are taken from cookbooks of the period which are enumerated in the very good bibliography. The volumes of this period were published from between 1560 through 1650 and all but one (Italian) are written in English and appear to be directed to the English housewife rather than the court of Elizabeth or James.

The biggest surprise is the prevalence of sweet ingredients in almost all savory dishes. If not sugar itself, then sweetness from fresh or dried fruit. The book even states that the English of the period had a serious sweet tooth. The complement to this tendency is the appearance of savory ingredients such as spinach in sweet desserts.

Another common theme in the cuisine of the period was the use of pastry crusts. They used it with just about everything. The remnants of this method can be found in dishes such as beef Wellington, savory pies, and cooking fish in a pastry crust. The method of making pastry crust may be a little unusual to the casual baker, but it is in fact based on a French technique used today for incorporating butter. Instead of cutting in the butter with forks or a pastry cutter, it is `smeared' into the dough with a kneading type of motion using, of course, very cold butter. It would be interesting to know how butter was kept cold in summer.

It is not surprising that the most pervasive foreign influence was not French, but Italian. Note, for example, that one of Shakespeare's most popular plays, `The Taming of the Shrew' was based on a 17th century Italian style of comedy. Tomatoes and chili peppers are totally absent, as they had not even been adapted in Italy yet, but artichokes, cardoons, asparagus, capers, mint, peas, parmesan cheese, and flat leaf parsley are all common. Citrus fruits, both local and from the Mediterranean are very popular. The fact that relations between England and France were probably very cool at this time, and the fact that England was rapidly developing a world wide trading network, especially with the Mediterranean and the Levant explains the popularity of food from that region. It is also likely that French cuisine had not yet achieved the preeminant position it has today and the cuisines and products of Italy, Portugul, and Spain were probably a common trade for English products.

One of the more interesting historical aspects was the fact that many vegetables popular in this cuisine were brought to England by the colonists and soldiers of the Roman Empire. Carrots, turnips, and onions head the list in this category.

It may be surprising to find shellfish, especially lobster and crab in the cuisine of the people, until one remembers that these animals were literally considered trash by boats fishing for cod or other fin fish. These must have been very, very cheap. The only puzzle was how they got to London and still be fresh enough to eat.

It is no surprise that most of the blurbs on the dust jacket plugging the value of the book are from theater people rather than from culinarians. The audience for this book is as likely to come from lovers of the theater as it is from foodies. The author caters to exactly this audience by presenting a chapter of suggestions on how to organize and cater to a dinner party patterned after this Elizabethan cuisine.

This is one of the first books I have found where I was willing to open it purely for the pleasure of the read, however, I was delighted to find interesting recipes, although it is likely I will stick with modern methods for preparing pastry crusts and stocks. One of my few gripes with the book is that contrary to the promise by the author, not every original recipe text was included. It was entertaining to see how the author translated the slim instructions with no amounts specified into a modern recipe with all the expected teaspoons and tablespoons and the like. A worthy, if somewhat pricy volume.

I bought this book because I am a Shakespeare/Renaissance freak and I hoped to be able to make some dishes of the time.

While I cannot vouch for the complete historical accuracy of the recipes, I can tell you that you won't be disappointed by the use-ability of them or the beauty and taste of the end result. My sister and I put on our own "Renaissance feast" for the family, which was loads of fun to do and a big hit.

The recipes call for common and unusual (but not hard to find) ingredients and often use interesting combinations of flavours, such as fruits with meats. All this creates dishes with complex, rich taste.

The Shakespearean quotes and historical tidbits sprinkled throughout the book are fascinating. Original recipes are often given and prove quite amusing. The layout of the book is simple and attractive, enhanced by the lovely photos of award-winning food photographer, Tim Turner. A masterpiece of a cookbook...

Simply the best! Awesome recipes -- I've already tried some and expect to continue my exploration. Beautiful presentation, well-organized, informative and interesting. A recommended read for all!

Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill has assembled a collection of thoughts, quotations, and short exercises about grieving, inspired by work with the Connecticut Hospice, Inc. Each page contains a single thought or quotation, or a chance to express the reader's own thoughts or feelings about a particular topic. The book is divided into sections like Memories, Treasured Possessions, Happiness...Sadness, but it's sometimes unclear how the pages in each section relate to the section topic.

What struck me most about the book was that it would offer someone mired in the chaos of grief short bursts of thought, not requiring sustained reading or focused attention. For someone looking for a narrative thread, or a unifying philosophy, this book is not the place to look. I couldn't help but contrast it with Joan Didion's Year of Magical Thinking, a treatise on Didion's own process of grief, of working through the stages of feeling, thought, and emotion.

O'Neill's book, in contrast to Didion's treatise-like work, gives us bursts of thought, short quotations, and the chance to jot down a few of our own thoughts. About the quotations: I am often disconcerted by quotations in a book like this, where people are quoted out of context, and the reader is given nothing to put the quotation in context. Sometimes the quote is from someone familiar, like Carl Jung or Sinclair Lewis. We may not all be familiar with Jung's or Lewis' work, but we have something of a framework in which to place them. We can find their writings, read their novels. But, who is John Gray, and how does he relate to the experience of grief?

The writings of the author seem to be designed to provoke movement in grief, to give the grieving person a different perspective, a way to begin to think about how life has changed, and will change more.

Armchair Interviews says: For someone who needs some inspiration, a sense that they are not alone in this experience, and a way to find brief, accessible musings on grief, this book could be very helpful.

This book is a wonderful tool for those of us who are "challenged" when it comes to providing emotional support to others at a time of loss and desire to do more than give/send garden variety bereavement cards. Because the book is spiritually uplifting rather than oriented towards religious beliefs and teachings, it is appropriate for giving to everyone from business associates to close friends and loved ones. A nice touch is a page near the beginning of the book where the sender can dedicate the book to an individual's memory.

I wish I had a copy of "Sheltering Thoughts" to read after my dad died. His sudden passing was confusing and numbing to me and all of my family.

I now keep this collection of inspirational thoughts close at hand. Its passages continue to give me a great deal of comfort whenever I'm missing Dad.

This book is my first recommendation to anyone experiencing the deep feelings of grief and loss.

Genre: Grief/Inspiration
Title: Sheltering Thoughts
AUTHOR: Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill
For life and death are one,
Even as the river and the sea are one.
Kahil Gibran

Losing a loved one is part of life but a most difficult and emotional time for all of us.
Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill has experienced grief both personally and professionally. As a psychotherapist and consultant, she joined the caring group of professionals that founded the first freestanding hospice in the United States. This book is the result of years of professional experiences with those that have passed on and those that were left behind.

Sheltering Thoughts is the ideal little book for someone who has recently experienced the loss of a loved one. Although a sympathy card is appreciated, this book will help them deal with their grief in a positive way. Each page is filled with inspiration, encouragement and support. The rhythmic poetry and lyricism make this book an enjoyable read in a difficult time. Famous quotes add interest and retrospect to the message.

Filled with heartfelt emotion and a depth of understanding that only one who has worked with the grief stricken could have, Sheltering Thoughts is well written and well presented in 147 pages. The book is small enough to keep in a purse or pocket enabling it to become a comforting traveling companion. A portion of the proceeds will benefit hospice work.

Recommended by Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.


Title: Sheltering Thoughts
Author: Sharon Gilchrest O'Neill
Publisher: Tate Pub.
ISBN: 1-9332904-3-9
Pages: 147
Price: $10.95 Feb. 2006

Like most `Baby Boomers', I find myself at more funerals than weddings lately, so (following the suggestion of an earlier reviewer) I have started keeping a couple of copies of Sheltering Thoughts on hand and at the ready. I never know what to say at funerals (what can you say?), so I simply give this gift book filled with words of comfort, support and peace. The author's hospice and family therapist experiences and sensitivities are evident in her tasteful assembly of sayings, poems, and lyrics and in her own personal comments as well. When I read it myself, I found it to be a very moving read that stimulated a surprisingly peaceful contemplation of my own mortality.

One of the things I like most about this book is the feedback I get from the recipients. Different people are comforted by, and hence remember, different passages but the book seems to be appropriate for anyone regardless of their religious beliefs (or non-beliefs), and in that delicate regard this book is a safe and universal gift.

The appreciation from recipients (three so far) has been heart-felt and they said that they too will give it as a gift when the situation arises. It appears that Sheltering Thoughts fills a void not addressed by the traditional bereavement approaches. It is more distinctive, intimate and lasting than a card or flowers, and it is easy to mail when I cannot attend personally. It was written just in time for my generation.

I ordered this book but was sent a book on grilling...I returned the grilling book but have not been credited for the st petersburg book..please refer this to the proper dept. thank you!

I ordered this book but was sent a book on grilling...I returned the grilling book but have not been credited for the st petersburg book..please refer this to the proper dept. thank you!

This is a gorgeous book on a beautiful city. My father would have loved this book, he had an interest in all things Russian, he and my mother toured St. Petersburg and loved it. The images in this book are crisp and text highly informative. St. Petersburg has a wealth of beautiful Imperial Buildings and they are shown at their best in this wonderful book. From Peter the Great's Peterhof to the Hermitage, to Catherine the Great's Tsarkoe Selo, the best of Imperial Russian architecture is on display. If you have any interst in Imperial Russian architecture or just enjoy fine books, then i cannot imagine you being disappointed. Highly recommended.

The most gorgeous, comprehensive photographic panorama of the treasures of St. Petersburg. Even if your exposure to St. Petersburg is limited to the Winter Palace, (now the "Hermitage" museum), BUY this book AND buy the unreal, almost surreal DVD "Russian Ark". Both are BREATHTAKING!

This can be an expensive book if you're not buying it used, but it's absolutely worth it. The beautiful pictures are excellent at presenting St. Petersburg's amazing architectural wonders. The text is well-written, and even if you don't have a great deal of knowledge of Russian history, you'll still be able to follow along without any trouble.

A gem - read and enjoy!

After reading "Don't Ever Tell"-Kathy's Story by Kathy O'Beirne and "The God Squad" by Paddy Doyle, I felt the need to inform myself further on the subject of absolute corruption and power in the Industrial Schools in Ireland. "Suffer the Little Children" gave me all the information, and more, on the shocking, shameful, collective sadism practiced in Industrial Schools, orphanages, convents and reformatory schools where different religious orders carried out dehumanising brutality and savagery on innocent little children who were placed in the institutions either through the Courts or the parents themselves to be looked after by the religious and to receive an education.
This book gives us the history of such institutions in the UK and Eire but concentrates on the Irish scene where they continued to exist up to the 1970's. It is well written and a most revealing exposé of a very dark, sick side of Irish history. It also includes personal testimonies which make the book even more gripping as they exemplify and confirm vividly the revelations of such an appaling system.
It also discloses the indifference and conspiracy of silence on an official level which brings to mind Molière's words "It's not what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable". And for bad history not to repeat itself, we must keep informed. This book is a must read.

Ever since the movie .."The Magdalene Sisters" and Frank McCourt's book..."Angela's Ashes", Plus the fact that I am a quarter Irish and love Ireland and her people, I find I want to know more and more about her people and the TRUTH of how they have suffered yet have remained strong and vital and are proud and have given much to our world today!(England should be ashamed of what they have done for far too long, too!)
This book tells an awful story about the horrors of little children treated so badly for years and years. I know sadly that these wrongs can never really be righted for these victims or the words, "I am sorry" will erase the pain in their hearts, but I do hope eyes are open now and this cannot happen ever again to anyone....especially to children...no matter what country they come from and no matter what their color or race. Bless the children and keep them safe!! God bless Ireland...
Linda Steffey

This book presents a portrait of 20th century Ireland that will debunk any nostalgic or sentimental view of the so called 'Emerald Isle'. No shamrocks and leprecauns in this book, but a history of cruelty, abuse and power. It tells the story of how Irish children were incarcerated in huge numbers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in reformatory and industrial schools which were managed by the Catholic Church. Based on detailed historical research and interspersed with gut-wrenching first hand accounts of survivors of these institutions, it shows how an alliance between a power hungry Catholic Church and an indifferent Irish State resulted in the incarceration of the children of the poor. Rather than helping poor families, Church and State removed these children to bleak institutions where large numbers were sexually and physically abused and tortured by their Christian carers. I don't think that I will ever think about the Catholic Church and Ireland in the same way ever again. Anger, saddness, frustration, disbelief, but above all anger - why did this happen? I experienced all these emotions when reading this book. If you want to really understand Irish society, this book is essential and harrowing reading.

This book is comprehensive and deeply moving. I could not put it down. I was disgusted and angry by the end of it. I am ashamed to be Irish and ashamed to be Catholic. How this could have gone on for so long with no help for these children is beyond words. If there is a hell, then open arms to all those sick and sadistic Brothers and Nuns, all of whom were operating in the name of God....! How dare they call themselves charitable and merciful. They are some of the most vile human beings in existence. Between that and the sex scandal in America, the Catholic Church owes many people an apology and some sort of restitution. For shame the Church still chooses to cover up it's misuse of power. If the Nuns and Priests and Brothers were not so sexually frustrated, maybe they wouldn't be so evil. Sorry to vent so strongly. After reading this book, you will feel the same way. Also read Do Penance or Perish, but not as good as this book. Thank you.

This book is one of true meaning an excellent written book, which show's the through Ireland. This books explains the mentality of the religious and states minds. Truly deeply sad book but very much worth the read. This book is excellent in the sense of giving true awareness to the Irish state.
Highly recommended.

Others have aptly reviewed this book. Personally, this book has helped me view God as a loving Father in the OT and NT, and it has enhanced my prayer life!!! Must read for any undergraduate, seminary, or Ph.D. student!!!

If you are an Old Testament professor, this book would challenge and transform your students subconscious, faulty assumptions about God in the OT and I would venture to say it would transform their personal relationship with God--it did mine!!!

This is the most important book I read in seminary because it has fundamentally changed my idea of God. Like most Christians, I was raised to picture the God of the Old Testament as a holy, transcendent God, perennially angry and punitive, distant and strict. I was a closet Marcionite in the respect that my image of the God of the Old Testament was discontinuous with the God Jesus calls Father. As Fretheim says
. . . the picture of Jesus presented often stands at odds with the commonly accepted picture of God. Attributes such as love, compassion, and mercy, accompanied by acts of healing, forgiving, and redeeming, tend to become narrowly associated with Jesus, while the less palatable attributes and actions of holiness, wrath, power and justice are ascribed only to God. . . . Jesus is friend and God is enemy . . . the atonement gets twisted so that Jesus is seen as the one who came to save us from God. [Fretheim, 2]
In The Suffering of God Fretheim wants to lift up Old Testament metaphors for God, particularly those that have been neglected, like nonmonarchical images that show a God more in line with the New Testament, a God so involved with humanity that God suffers with and for humanity. In order to do this, Fretheim rehabilitates anthropomorphic metaphors for God that have been discredited by Old Testament scholarship since Philo, in particular by scholarship that wants to focus on God as transcendent, immutable, free, sovereign monarch and therefore essentially "other" than human. In the continuity of anthropomorphic metaphors throughout the Old Testament, Fretheim sees an indirect but continuous portrayal of a God who gets ever closer to humanity until finally this God becomes incarnate in Jesus Christ. "In the incarnation, God has acted anthropomorphically in the most supreme way." [Fretheim, 6] By focusing in The Suffering of God on these neglected anthropomorphic metaphors, Fretheim wants to expand the number and kind of metaphors we use "so that our operative fund of them will be more congruent with the biblical witness and our experience of God in the world." [Fretheim, 9] In addition, Fretheim believes that these neglected metaphors are really canon within the canon and that they can help us interpret the whole of the Bible and bring together our thinking about seemingly polar opposites, like God's sovereignty and God's grace [Fretheim, 11]. Fretheim essentially redefines God's freedom, God's ability to change, how much God knows, and how God exercises power in the world by showing a God in continuous relationship with humanity from the very beginning.
. . . the Old Testament reveals a fundamental continuity between God and world. God is graciously present, in, with, and under all the particulars of the creation, with which God is in a relationship of reciprocity. The immanent and transcendent God of Israel is immersed in the space and time of this world. Such a perspective reveals a divine vulnerability, as God takes on all the risks that authentic relatedness entails. Because of what happens to that relationship with those whom God loves, God suffers. [Fretheim, 78]
Across the chapters of The Suffering of God Fretheim has delineated throughout the Old Testament a gradual intensification of the way God is present in and for the world. God is getting closer and closer, desirous of ever increased intimacy, until finally in Jesus Christ, God becomes one with humanity. As the last sentence in the book states, "God's act in Jesus Christ is the culmination of a longstanding relationship of God with the world that is much more widespread in the Old Testament than is commonly recognized" [Fretheim, 166]. Recognition of this image of a suffering, relational God in the Old Testament is Fretheim's purpose in writing this book. Fretheim characterizes God's choice to be in relationship to the created order as a "relationship of reciprocity" [Fretheim, 35]. What is more, Fretheim sees this God-World reciprocity as the predominant Old Testament perspective!
That is an exciting concept to someone who [in spite of familiarity with good Reformed thinking about a God involved in history] was more accustomed to thinking of the God of the Bette Midler song "From a Distance." The Old Testament God Fretheim documents is a God who has chosen to be involved in human history, in time and space, and is affected and can change because of this involvement. This is a God who listens to humans, who holds back judgment, who makes room for an unknown future based on the response of humans. This is not some great puppet master in the sky sadistically toying with us. This is definitely Jesus' Abba who treats us with integrity and profound love, and therefore a God I can respond to in the same way.
Fretheim has essentially given me back a whole God, a God for everybody no matter what gender or race or status in life. Fretheim's ideas of continuity and "canon within the canon" I find to be a more positive way of approaching the Old Testament than the feminist hermeneutic of suspicion. This approach allows me to accept more of the questionable passages of the Old Testament. Even in the wrathful warrior God, the God of the flood, the destroyer of Sodom and Gomorrah, I can now see the kind of God Jesus could call father and whom I, by adoption, can call father too.

As other reviewers have noted, the idea of God's vulnerability is often overlooked in church and theological conversations - the immutability of God and omnipotence of God would seem to contradict the idea of a God who feels, much less suffers, in the way the human beings can understand. Fretheim's wonderful text, part of the Fortress Press series of Overtures to Biblical Theology, explores images and situations found in the Hebrew scriptures that would indicate and illustrate this aspect of the divine.

Fretheim writes about God's relationship with the world - this includes aspects such as human understanding of God (anthropomorphic metaphors), the reality of God's relationship, God's internal relationship with the world, foreknowledge, and God's suffering. Fretheim expands upon this idea significantly - God is a God who suffers because, with, and for creation.

God's suffering because of creation has to do with the idea of covenant and relationship - much of the narrative of the Hebrew scripture is built upon the covenants God makes with humanity (the implicit covenant from the Garden of Eden, the explicit covenants with Noah and Abraham, etc.). The call of the prophets and the lamentations and sorrowful psalms all speak to the breach of these covenants, particularly the covenant of Abraham, and how this causes God to suffer. Fretheim uses passages such as the text of the prophet Hosea to show that God is not like a military leader or political leader dealing with insubordination or rebellion, but more like a loving parent dealing with a troublesome child. Fretheim states that this takes more of the image of mother than father.

God's suffering with the people has roots in the Exodus story, but carries forward in many situations through the narrative strand. 'God sees the suffering from the inside,' Fretheim states. God is not powerless in this situation, but God is intimately aware of the suffering of the people, and this has great implications for later understanding of God. Fretheim shows that this suffering-with is not reserved just for the Israelites - in Isaiah and Jeremiah, God's weeping and mourning for Moab is significant.

God also suffers for the people - while this takes on dramatic form in Christian contexts, where Jesus takes on the suffering for all people, the idea of God taking on the weight of sin and suffering for the wrong-doing of the people is also present in the Hebrew scriptures, particularly in the suffering servant imagery, but also elsewhere.

The comparison with Rabbi Abraham Heschel's monumental work, 'The Prophets', is very apt; companionship with authors such as Reinhold Niebuhr and William Placher ('Narratives of a Vulnerable God') are also worthwhile explorations. This book will expand the way God is understood in dramatic, and dramatically human, ways.

Many of the other reviews have already covered the strengths of this book, and I would join them in highly recommending it. I was first introduced to Fretheim's work some years ago in a class on Luther's theology of the cross, a theological tradition I think triumphal evangelicalism could benefit from reading. But having recently re-read the book, I was taken aback at how Freitheim's view of God anticipates the Open Theist arguments of Clark Pinnock, Gregory Boyd, and John Sanders by almost a decade. In many ways, Freitheim's book is better suited to presenting an Open Theistic view of things because he does so without the baggage that Open Theism now seems to carry in the evangelical community.

In any case, if your vision of God is one of a detached and cold First Mover, or of an angry Lawgiver and Judge, then I suggest you read this book as well as Kazoh Kitamori's Theology of the Pain of God. It may do you a world of good.

This is a wonderful book that explores how God relates to the world. It focuses on issues and passages that are almost always skipped over by preachers and scholars. So prepare to be shocked. I've the entire OT several times, but I guess I didn't realize what I was reading or read over it too quickly. For examples, he lists several passages where it talks about God crying. Amazing!

A good resource book to understand what a child can take in the event of death in a family. Recommendable

What a great book. so easy to read, so clearly put. Earl Grollman does a fantastic job of telling adults just how to talk to children about the difficult topic of death. I often feel shy about using words that seem harsh, like Dead, or she died. but those are the only words that really work. Check out this book and find out why.
Every parent should have this book in their library.

When my niece passed away from SIDS a little over a year ago, I called a friend who does grief work at the local children's hospital. He recommended this book ~ even took time out of his day to send me a copy. There is no other book, in my opinion for helping kids deal with the death of a loved one. The book is divided into sections to read along with your kid(s), parts for you to read to help you answer questions your kid(s) may have, references, and much more. ~ CV

I did a research paper for college on how children are ignored during the grieving process, particularly when the deceased is their parent. Of all the many books and articles I found during my research, this book became my exclusive favorite. Rabbi Grollman understands how a child's mind works during each stage of development and provides excellent suggestions and advice on how to reach a child at each stage of understanding and awareness. I hadn't considered some of the things he mentioned but found everything to be sound, make sense, and above all, they work as I help my now deceased friend's young children cope with her loss in their lives. This book will also help the adult to understand death better and come to terms with the loss. A win/win for everyone.

As a therapist specializing in grief for 20 years, I have seen many books that help adults to help children with their grief. This is definitely one of the best because it is a simple and effective guide for adults to use during challenging times. It is very hard, as a parent, to focus on a lengthy and very wordy book. Earl Grollman's book is designed to make it easy to find the aspect of the grief process that you are looking for.

Because I also run a pet loss group, I appreciate the sensitivity he brings to this subject. So often, misguided parents or friends try to replace a pet too soon. This author states, "Do not rob your children of the right to grieve, cope with, and overcome their pain." (p. 71)

I also love the list in the back of resources, including groups for various types of loss, and books and movies that may be helpful. Boy would I love to have a lot of those films in my personal library! It's always helpful to have choices as you're moving through the unchartered territory of each unique grief journey.
Marcia Breitenbach, founder of[...]

The Torah: A Women's Commentary is a compilation of the most recent Torah scholarship that also includes a woman's perspective. Introductory essays by Carol Meyers, Judith R. Baskin and Ellen Umansky are outstanding in orienting the reader to the world of Torah history and post biblical analysis. Alterative perspectives enrich this multi-dimential effort. This volume produced by the Women of Reform Judaism makes me proud to be a scholar and a Jew.

What I have read so far has proved informative and interesting for my study of the Bible.

the first time in the Torah, Bible, Jewish history : women can think and write all the commentary. Great scholars and rabbies and historians! The best way to improve your jewishness and your feminism

This awesome labor of love combines Torah text, commentary, contemporary reflections, poetry (and more.) Because it focuses on the role of women (or their absence) in Torah, it provides a long needed pathway for women to enter into the biblical world and the teachings of a text that has played so great a part in shaping our views of our relationship with the Divine, and each other. Inside it is beautiful in every sense. It deserved a cover more commensurate with that beauty, but why quibble.

Buy it for every Jewish woman and girl you love. (What an extraordinary Bat Mitzvah present!)

What an exciting addition to the growing resources for women in Jewish studies. The contributors are a who's who of Jewish women scholars and interpreters. This book will be so useful for anyone wanting to open their mind to new interpretations of texts.