Spirituality Books

"The Temple of the Twelve" bills itself as a spiritual fairy tale, and this is an excellent way to describe it. The central character, Caroline, presents herself at the Temple of the Twelve (Colors) to begin her life as a novice priestess. Each new moon, a different one of the twelve Colors (they are gods and goddesses) comes to visit her and gives her a new task to complete to prepare for becoming a priestess. As you read, you follow Caroline on her journey, and learn with her about the nature of the Divine, about love, about compassion, about what it means to have a calling. The imagery is deep and beautiful; the characters are rich and warmly drawn; and the writing is gentle, yet powerful.

One of the reviews on the back notes that "In using colours as Deities of Initiation, the Author transcends all differences between various paths of Pagan spirituality and unifies them all." I'm hardly an expert on paganism, so I can't tell you whether that's the case, but I *can* tell you that this book is worth reading no matter what your faith is. The themes in it are universal, as is Caroline's struggle to find and fulfill her vocation. As a Catholic, I have found it to be a remarkable aid in my prayer life, and it will take its place in the "frequently used" collection of spiritual books I keep on my desk. It has deeply touched and inspired me, and it has help me grown closer to God.

Let me give some examples. The tasks Caroline complete include discovering who she really is, and coming face to face with that truth; identifying her emotional wounds; finding her strengths; discerning her vocation; coming to terms with the fact that she is a child of God; and trusting in the Divine. Who among us, in a life of faith, can avoid these questions, these tasks? They are a part of every (or almost every) spiritual path, and rarely are they treated more beautifully than they are in The Temple of the Twelve.

In sum, I highly recommend this book to everyone who is seeking to grow in their spirituality. Reading it has been a great blessing to me, and I'm sure it will be to you as well.

I love this book! I just finished reading it. When I first started the book I wasnt so sure, it seemed kind of corny but I continued reading it thinking It would be a cute read for my young daughters. By the second chapter I fell in love with it. I had to resist marking it up with my highlighter and notes because I want my girls to read this without my influence. I truly believe this book is important and entertaining.I will probably re-read this book after my girls and then write my notes so that I can go back to it when I need. Better yet I think I will purchase this book for each my daughters so that they can mark it up with their own thoughts and feelings.

I am so honored to know dear ELF (Esmeralda Little Flame) and be friends with her. It was because of that friendship, I was even aware of this book. I would not have missed the experience for the world and I look forward to the other two books of the trilogy.

This book has colors personified as deities. You can feel like you are really interacting with the colors and that they speak to you. You feel like you are Caroline "Little Bird", so engrossed you will be in her experiences.

The colors already have meaning in my life as an artist. How much more so as I have seen them through the eyes of "Little Bird". This not only tells of her experiences as a novice in the Temple, but reaches deep into the past of many lifetimes.

One thing, whether colors are as real and personal to you as deities, you can not deny they are always present. An ever constant in our life. The representations are dead on with how I feel about them. It's like something that most creative people know deep within.

I was profoundly touched by this book. Something that soulful and deep can't merely be called entertainment, rather it goes deeper and gives the reader a challenge. I intend to notice colors more now. I thought I noticed them before, but there is always room to delve deeper.

This book was wonderful - not only the story itself, but the journey on which it takes the reader. It lead me to quite a bit of self-examination, and allowed me to embark on my own spiritual journey. I absolutely love this book, and look forward to more from Ms. ELF.

This book touched me deeply, in ways that opened my heart up to the magick within myself. Regardless of what spiritual path you follow, this book is a must-read. It teaches you how to work through many aspects of yourself, in a beautiful, fairy-tale kind of way.

Beth Moore is one of the best in her daily walk with the Lord!! She has many Bible studies in which I had read her poems, so I thought this book was a must!! Well worth the read!! Verleen

Having read everything Beth Moore writes, I was again touched by the sensitive way she portays a woman's heart and soul. I believe God annoints her words with a whisper of His.

As always, Beth Moore delivers in her honest, engaging and encouraging way. She is an interesting and intelligent writer who shares her life journey with you. Any woman would be able to relate to her stories and insights. She's one of my favourite Christian writers.

I wish she'd come to Australia so I can see her in person...

A great buy!

i love poetry and these are some of the best poems Ive ever read. They are very deep yet very easy to understand.

If you love Beth Moore, you will not only have a compilation of some of the wonderful personal writings she has shared in her studies, but you will also learn more about Beth and the challenges she has faced in her life that has made her the inspired woman of God that she is today. God uses her mightily to minister to others, and her tender heart and love for God comes through so beautifully in this additional gift of creative writing and poetry. A delightful, heart-provoking read.

Really like the author... but haven't read this book... but expect to like this book.

Indeed, this is a book that must be read and understood. A simple reading reveals that it is truth incarnate. We must learn to relax and flow with the changes that are already upon us, because they are necessary for our complete evolution into spiritualized matter. What wonders will be wrought when matter becomes spiritualized! We will soon find out! Keep in mind that this book was written in 1991, yet its prophecies are already in fulfillment. Global warming is taking place, and the poles are indeed beginning their meltdown as the book suggests. Why? Because they must! As mankind begins his changes, the earth must respond likewise. As man is beginning to explore the realms that were once off limits to him because of his own isolating ideologies, the areas on earth that were once off limits are now becoming open to man as well. Non-fertile areas must become fertile as man begins to harvest from his spirtual center. The deserts are about to bloom, and nature is making those changes possible because of man's changing nature. Nature is responding to man, and will continue to respond to the positive loving responses that mankind was designed to have. Look at how nature is stumbling. She has always gone on the same old path dictated by the same old unenlightened orbit that mankind has travelled on for thousands of years. What has happened? What has confounded our good earth? The earth's wobble is no longer stable, weather patterns and weather behavior have become unpredictable. Why? Because the foundations that mankind have depended on are also changing and all of mankind is in an organized process of revolution to a new world. The earth is temporarily confused as to whether to continue with the old pattern, or begin the new. She has two groups of people pulling her in opposite directions! She is in travail! The new must take place, and our good earth will respond. She may groan temporarily as she changes, but change she must to adapt to the new gifts that are beginning to radiate from man. Growth is now exponential, so the wave is cresting ever higher on a daily basis. Even our animals and nature itself is changing. Look at how even the wild animals are looking to man for direction. The fear of man intrinsic in the wild animal is beginning to depart. The Garden of Eden is returning, and man's rightful place as a loving ruler of this creation is beginning to unfold. What must come next? It seems quite obvious that the next physical change that must occur is a magnetic pole shift. The magnetic force is already weakening as the postive forces returning to the Godhead are just about even with the forces of those stuck in self manufactured egos based upon survival. Once the magnetic poles shift, we know that the new leap into the new world has already taken place, and incredible changes will be forthcoming. Read the book for personal and spiritual insight. It is poetically written, and very easy to digest. It is time to ride the crest of the wave that you were designed to ride, and this book will bring it back to rememberence, lest you forget.

If reading how truly great you are and how everything is going to be truly great, this book is for you! But maybe one of his reasons Was to focus more on the positive?
I'm referring to black opps - on a global scale - of course. This May be a sign that something significant is around the bend.

How's about, "The comingling of planetary joy, human volition and the Star Maker's intent will swirl together in a unified whirlwind of love."

He generally seems to have reworded traditional (kabbalistic etc) terms and added a dose of new age sleep filler.

The paradox in all this, to me, is that we supposedly pass through our subconscious mind to access the superconscious...
Ken Wilber addressed this in his thoughts on pre and post egoic consciousness.
But neither of these authors address the findings concerning engineered artifacts Millions(+) of years old.

I can only imagine that we lost something along the way. This as to not having evolved enough...

But ultimately, we are talking Integration - as to cutting off or transcending aspects.

I also think he should've mentioned something about sexual energies. How to deal with This major force. It's These energies and polarities that run the universe.

But it still feels to be an uplifting book. This is an art you know.

What's funny for me is that in my days of shroom use, I basically experienced everything he wrote about. I indeed experienced this evolutionary leading edge... and that we are All on a cosmic Vector to something akin to godhood.
Won't bother with the infinitely darker experiences.

Of all the personal growth/spirituality books I've read in the past 30 years, this is the one I love the most. In a lucid and inspiring style I can only characterize as "poetic prose" I felt the influence of divine presence in every line of this beautiful book.

I've enjoyed several other books by Ken Carey, particularly "Starseed Transmissions" and "Flat Rock Journal". However, "The Third Millenium" takes the reader into a realm that feels both divine and yet eminently accessible in a way that far exceeds his other work. The message is poetic and reassuring. I found myself filled with a sense of awe, relief and pleasure just in the process of reading it.

Anything as profoundly inspiring as "The Third Millenium" most certainly draws on the energy of a consciousness that lies beyond our normal awareness. I treasure this book with a reverent heart.

A book that addresses a similar spiritual outlook with a completely different voice and in a more personalized style is
High Way from Hell: Using Emotion to Fan the Fire of Enlightment.

This book is another excellent example of the channelings that are taking place more and more. These spiritual channelings are not showing up in most of the established churches because they are still stuck in the past. Channelings are showing up in poetry, books, screen plays, movie scripts, songs, billboards, cereal boxes and even graffiti. Seemingly unlikely channels are popping up all over the world. There is a reason for this which becomes clear when you read. But, read without judgement because when you pre-judge all you hear is yourself and what's the point in that? Read it, re-read it and then just let it simmer. When you are ready you will 'get' it.

This book is life changing! It clearly explains who we are, what our purpose here is, and how to manifest our heart's desires! I highly recommend this book to anyone on the "spiritual path"!

I refer to this book daily to gather my strenght, focus my thoughts and clear my path. I beleive that this book has truly chaged my life because it has changed my perception, and that's all it takes. God and good is in you...use it.

As my thinking evolves, I find new meaning to what Holmes writes in this little book every time I have read it. I first read front to back years ago and have reread through a couple of times. I keep it out, pick it up, read a sliver and let that paragraph or page or chapter settle in to a new clarity in my thinking. All of us on the many paths to the awareness of the One, Spirit, God, Buddha, Mohammed, all paths will enjoy this book.

This is a "must have" book for any spiritualist, especially those embarking on the path of metaphysics. Dr. Holmes is a pioneer in helping people change our lives by changing the way we think about and look at ourselves. This is a little book of big Truth, simple and powerful, one of those timeless books that I refer to time and time and time again, and that I suggest to almost everyone that I work with.

If I had only one book to buy in my entire life, This Thing Called You would be the one. No other book that I've read so clearly speaks the truth about who each of us is and our place in the universe. And it's all about merely changing our minds, changing our attitudes towards life. Pretty simple stuff, really. But unbelievably powerful and attainable for everyone. Don't miss this book!

Rabbi Harold Kushner is best known for his book When Bad Things Happen to Good People, but this work is in my judgment his greatest contribution to the philosophy of the spiritual life, Kushner's pièce de résistance. Using my favorite Hebrew Bible text, Ecclesiastes, as a springboard, Rabbi Kushner writes about the "ultimate thirst of our souls": the need for "meaning," for "the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter." Rabbi Kushner offers readers his wisdom -- born out of years of study, struggle and life experience -- about how to live a life that matters.

READ this BOOK! Rabbi Kushner hits on so many relevant and pertinent topics that you will be amazed how you see yourself in the anedotes and examples used to illustrate Kushner's point. Rabbi Kushner uses the Old Testament story of Ecclesiastes to illustrate how man's search for happiness is eternal and not unique. I could not believe how similar Ecclesiaste's view on life and search for happiness are so similar to my own. I found myself stopping on many occasions and telling my wife "READ THIS!"
I have been on a self-help book crusade for the past several months. Reading a bunch of these books have helped in finding some understanding to the search for happiness I have been after. After each book, I can say one or two of the points explained in the book have made sense and have some good practical applications to dealing with everyday situations that arise in my life. Kushner's book is by the far the best. He gives you straightforward and understandable examples of the negative behavior that conflict in man's search for happiness.
From the opening pages Kushner had me! He hits the nail on the head when he says the lines "If you ask anybody what is more imporant - work or family? - without a doubt they answer family. But then ask them how much time they spend away from family by putting work ahead of family and making work more important than family obligations." (paraphrased) He has many of these observations that help the reader get some insight into how destructive these behaviors are towards our supposed goal of happiness. I highly, highly recommend this book - READ this BOOK!

A great book and one the everyone should read at some time in their lives!

Thanks again for getting me the book so fast and in such good condition!

Gary

A thoughtful, spiritual examination of why fame and fortune do not produce happiness, and why "average" and "successful" people often feel emptiness in their lives. Many brief anecdotes are used to illustrate the author's observations, which are linked to the book of Ecclesiastes.
Read by the author. You will read (or listen to) this more than once!

Kushner is a sage and this book is a classic. As always Kushner's knits together wonderful stories, quotes, and historical observations that are always on the mark and move his thoughts forward. The disease that plagues our age is overconsumption and Kushner invites the reader to step away from the table of materialism and instead search out the things that really matter.

All the books of James Allen are profound and way ahead of their time. This is a must read and requires deep meditation. A Timeless Classic.

Great book. His writings are inspiring. You will also note some interesting biographical info in the beginning.

'Mind is the Master-Power that molds and makes,
And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes
The tool of Thought, and shaping what he wills,
Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:-
He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:
Environment is but his looking glass.'
-From the book

This book was my introduction to 'Change your thoughts, change yourlife'. A friend gave me this book several years ago and it dramatically changed the way I began to think. It just made sense, it clicked with me. I was also very surprised to find out that all those years I was thinking that my thoughts were private, no one but me could know them. Then, I read this and realized that our thoughts do show in many ways: appearance, health, our circumstances, etc.

I have read many books on this subject and this is one that will ALWAYS remain in my collection. I still pull it off the shelf and read it occassionally. It's overflowing with valuable wisdom on how your thoughts create your world.

This volume has 5 books in one. It's a small but somewhat chunky book with 384 pages.

This is the volume to start with, but I would recommend all three volumes in "The Wisdom of James Allen" series. These books are valuable to read in marathon sessions, yet they can be practically consumed in short sittings. A meal of just a few pages will give you sufficient spiritual energy for the day. I recommend reading and re-reading because the wisdom is timeless and the principles can be applied daily. This is important reading for clergy, counselors and anyone who wants to start the quest of being a guide by first learning to guide themselves.

As a Man Thinketh is a must read and has been for most of the 20th and now the 21st century. To get this companion piece with other great writings by James Allen is amazing. I would suggest it for anyone who is interested in finding the tools necessary to command their own lives.

I flipped through this book once and...nothing really hit me. Then I read it again, highlighting, circling, crossing things out -- and finally realized just how much this book is worth. It's pretty tiny as far as books go, but filled with lots of information that isn't for light snack reading. I'd advise you to keep it on your shelf and go back and read it when you're drawn to it- each time you read it, you can get something else out of it, depending on what stage in your life you're in and what information resonates with what you need to hear at the time. Some gems:

"...Stop trying to push the river."

"There is no point dwelling on what holds fear or pain for you; if you do so you will only create the same kind of energy and multiply your ongoing frustration with life. The only natural way out of these difficult states is to follow the path of happy thought forms leading to your own direct experience of the joyfully and fully transcendent state of bliss."

"Your every thought, every choice of action every decision and reaction creates the world of form. If you don't enjoy what you're doing and the life you're living, do something to change it and the entire creation will necessarily conform, since you are both the foundation of the world and its creator. You are all-powerful in the expression of the life force, and the life force must conform to your inner choices."

"The process by which you can accept new thoughts, release distrust and skepticism of them, and integrate them into your nature, is the same process by which you will transform your lower nature into something finer and greater."

"You are unhappy because you are so much more than this and because you've forgotten why you're playing the game..."

I could go on and on...but go find your own pearls ;)! These are points that some of us already may be aware of, but reading them again can serve to cement them in your mind. The book also has a summary of all the points at the end, which might help you digest the information further.

Highly recommended. Enjoy!

I discovered my own truths while reading the Brotherhood's in WG. On Page 6 it reads, 'we will reconnect the dots' and WG definitely keeps it's promise. I know I am on a good path and it feels great! Judi T. is an amazing person and WG is a wonderful gift to us all. Enjoy, you will!

"Wisdom's Game" is a book that must be read with an open mind. Although is it a spiritual book, you don't have to be religious to benefit from reading it. This is a small book with a big message: pain and suffering can lead to growth, but only if you don't allow yourself to wallow in it. Disappointment, rejection, and other setbacks are a part of life, and of course it is normal to feel bad when things like this happen. However, if you change your perspective during these times, you can feel better sooner, rather than later. Each chapter includes quotes about a different subject in the book. I particularly like this one: "It is every human's task to face fear, examine its underbelly of resistance to experiencing pain and sorrow, and move ahead anyway."

I have known Judi Thomases for a long time, and long respected her as a healer, so it was my great joy to be able to read her book, Wisdom's Game.

Initially, I had trouble with the "game" analogy, but as I read along, I realized that I had the uncanny feeling that I was remembering something that I once knew and had forgotten... and the words rang true.

All my life, I have carried a memory- as an infant and a very young child, I remember feeling that some grasp that I had of something, some kind of consciousness was slipping away, almost the way one feels after waking up from a profound dream- and then having the memory of that dream slip away.

In a way, it was more the opposite- it was more like going to sleep... and I can truly say that I have spent my whole life slowly waking up.

Judi's book rings true to my sense of this very early memory, and helped me to "wake up" even more... and for that, I am very grateful.

Reviewed by Deah Jackson for Reader Views (5/06)

This book is simply amazing. I read this book four times in a month before I even decided to write this review. It is only 105 pages, but it is a lot to digest, and it is a book that every time you read it you gain a new piece of knowledge. Judi Thomases, the author of "Wisdom's Game," has a background in astrology, tarot, psychic development and channeling. This book was channeled through her by The Brotherhood of Light Workers. Is that too "new agey" for you? Well don't let those things fool you; this book is DEEP regardless of your beliefs or religious background.
As I read this book, I remember it feeling like I was eating chicken soup on a cold rainy day, it was so comforting! The book talks about the game of life and how to turn suffering into joy. The book is separated into small chapters and before each chapter there is a preview and an inspirational quote. Each chapter is a gem within itself, explaining why we are here on this earth, and how to deal with pain in our lives. It offers new perspectives on life and anyone who reads this book can gain higher levels of consciousness just by reading the words of truth written within this book. "Wisdom's Game" exposes the bigger picture, the greater plan of life.
For example the first chapter's preview states: "Wisdom teaches that, while temporary pain is normal, continual suffering over its cause isn't necessary. We can instantly change our thoughts to take things more lightly." Another one of my favorite quotes in this book is from chapter five. "It is the impetus of suffering that always stimulates the greatest desire for change. Suffering, and nothing else, is the abrasion that produces wisdom." Oh my gosh! Of course it is! Aha! Light bulbs, everything went off inside of me! When I read that quote I felt a rush of understanding within myself. So many times, when I have gone through difficult times, I have asked the question why? Well within this book are the answers to the why of why we suffer, and how to deal with pain in a better way. I can really see myself re-reading this book, especially when I might be going through a difficult time.
This book is simply amazing and so needed for the human Light Workers in times like these. "Wisdom's Game" is truth and inspiration from cover to cover. I would say, if you have somehow stumbled across this book and this review, you HAVE to read it... no, you have been CALLED to read it. I would guarantee that anyone that picked up this book would gain something from it! Five stars plus!

My husband bought this for me for Christmas. We're faced with giving birth in February to a child who will require several open heart surgeries. I've been struggling with the anticipation and fear - mostly of the unknown. It's made the days hard to get through.

I've picked up this book no less than 10 times in the few hours since he's given it to me, and each page contains a small wisdom that reminds me to focus on where I am at this moment - even if it means embracing the anger and the fear. Each page is a gentle reminder that the moment is where we are; to dwell in the unknown is to miss living fully in the now. All the rest, everything before and beyond the now, is out of our control - and this book makes that concept a little less frightening.

Highly recommended.

I'm very happy to have encountered this little book... its size is conversely related to the wisdom of its content.
It has openned my eyes to a "new" reality and little by little is opening my heart to the present moment and nothing else.
The quotes or stories come from very different backgrounds and authors, all pointing to the same direction (or no direction at all) No matter what you believe or don't believe please allow your heart to enjoy the wisdom that you will find in this book, or more accurately, in you own heart.

Very inspiriting. Great read daily to give a person focus.

I love Josh Baran's 365 Nirvana Here and Now. The first time through, I read it linearly. Now I pick it up when I desire a dose of truth, a moment of contemplation. Each of the short selections is rich in an of itself. Additional golden nuggets from Baran provide a deepening of experience, a context that reaches across traditions. A comprehensive, thoughtful and lovely book.

I decided to dog-ear special selections in this book. There are a lot of dog-eared pages! It is eternally gratifying because one inquires further into various authors and masters quoted (they are listed in the bibliography) and the journey continues-or just stop journeying, stop doing and enjoy just being as suggested on every page. Wow, Josh Baran did all the years of research and all I have to do is open the book.

Word cannot begin to say how insightful this author is. And still speaking to us many years after his death.

Once again Andrew Murray gives excellent counsel for spiritual growth. Every believer needs help along the way and Absolute Surrender is a great tool to use as a springboard. The message is meaty and to be taken in with the intent of life transformation! As Jesus lived His life in absolute surrender to Father God, so must we, and this book points the way!

THIS IS THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOK I HAVE EVER FOUND OTHER THAN Andrew Murray,THE POWER OF Intercession. I suggest the whole world would Understand the Bible A whole lot clearer if they just read Andrew Murray Books. What A wonderful Evnagelist he was.

This book was truly insightful and should be used as a tool to assist all who strives to improve their Christian walk.

Right up there near Brother Lawrence's "The Practice of the Presence of God" (free online at the Practice Gods Presence web site) are the wonderful works of Andrew Murray. "Absolute Surrender" is a classic in every sense.

These gifted children of God have a way of restating, enlivening, and magnifying the very words of Our Lord and do greatly glorify Our Father.

Dr. Prabhu has composed a real page turner. Complex issues are well explained and put in terms that a child can understand. In fact, some key characters in the book are children. Excellent characterization and a tight rein on the story telling makes this book both entertaining and thought provoking. Highly recommended! For those with interest in science or religion this is a must read.

Precocious Anita's queries on science and God mark the tempo of Gurpur M. Prabhu's Anita's Legacy: An inquiry into First Cause. The author attempts to unravel the enigma of the universe through Anita's initially childlike and gradually more mature inquiries. Her ex-army officer neighbour, Major Kay, and she relish their discussions on everything from Newton's laws to 'a blue god on a mountain'. Anita dies in her sleep 'two weeks short of her 16th birthday', and while no one had ever seen Major Kay cry, on this day his 'tears could not be contained'.

The book is aimed at helping the reader 'find the Truth' or "find out what this [your cosmic legacy] is before you die". It is modelled along the lines of Jostein Gaarder's Sophie's World in making a child the protagonist, perhaps to keep complex answers simple without sounding simplistic. But Prabhu's book juxtaposes both eastern and western philosophies and theology in its search for truth. What is perhaps most fascinating about Anita's Legacy is that it turns established 'truths' on its head, whether it is in the theories of Einstein or Heisenberg or in questioning the completeness of the Bible.

Prabhu is a professor of computer science at Iowa State University. He grew up learning Hinduism and spirituality from his granduncle Swami Vireshwarananda, a translator of the Bhagavad Gita into English. "I have not provided answers in the book," he says. "It is about the struggles for answers and questions that bother you sometimes."

The book tries to strike a balance between science and spirituality, and, in suggesting loopholes to any theory, proposes that there is always another way to look at things.

-- Anna Mathews, in the June 3, 2001 issue of The Week, India's No. 1 Weekly News Magazine

I have been struggling with many of the issues you have described, and have gone into a fair amount reading in this literature, but must confess that it has been largely limited to Western thought and Christian theology. My recent encounters with Eastern thought have begun to open up new vistas and have enabled me to begin to become familiar with alternative paradigms to Western thought which offers a different perspective on religion and spirituality. Your book has spurred additional thought on my part. You have performed a great service to a much wider audience of interested readers who are struggling with these issues. --Professor John Wong

In Prof. Prabhu's book there is something more than just a story about an ancient martyr. Restoring to us the times in which the discrepancy between science and mysticism was unknown, he encourages us to direct our efforts to both these objectives simultaneously and to derive therefrom the paradigm for scientists who today are confused about the mystery of God. And although I resent some of Prabhu's remarks about Christianity, I find the purpose of his novel admirable. -- Professor Maria Dzielska, Poland

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? Was the 'Big Bang' theory just a big hoax or did the world come about after a violent explosion?

Questions, questions, questions.

And few satisfying answers. "Why is there something instead of nothing?" ponders Gurpur M Prabhu, the author of Anita's Legacy - An inquiry into first cause and goes on to provide new insights into matters using physics, metaphysics, philosophy and spirituality.

And the result is a novel that marks a clean departure from a whole genre of fiction. For those who have had their fill of romantic capers and adventure sagas, Anita's Legacy... offers a welcome break.

At the centre of the story is Anita, an inquisitive teenager with a probing mind that questions the established tenets of religion and physics and seeks answers. Her mentor who endeavours to come up with answers to her queries is a retired Major Norman Kay, an agnostic at heart. Then there are the girl's parents Alan, a research scholar, and Meg, and Anita's romantic interest Chris.

With these characters Prabhu has woven a tale that takes the reader on a quest for first cause and it is to his credit that he has been able to sustain interest right through, making optimal use of science and religion, the Bible, the Gita and the works of Omar Khayyam, to elucidate his theories and substantiate his arguments.

A mixture of fact and fiction blended with care, the book ends with the death of Anita and Major Kay, both dying with many of their questions unanswered and their theories un-corroborated. And perhaps for the first time a book has a surfeit of blurbs, credits from lay readers and established writers that sing praises and highlight the book's intrinsic values.

The author's simple, lucid style carries appeal, scientific jargon notwithstanding. A certain degree of poignancy and a tinge of sadness also enhance the book's value considerably.

-- C. V. Aravind, Deccan Herald Newspaper, Bangalore, India, Sunday, May 27, 2001