Charles Williams Books

It is interesting that Wordsworth should never have published his most impressive poem. Norton calls it the "most original long poem since Milton's Paradise Lost," and it certainly deserves to be ranked alongside the master of the English epic. This poem was not published until after Wordsworth's death in 1850, and there are several versions of it (which are included in this book). The 1798-1799 version is very short, but the 1805 is expanded and includes many epic devices which Wordsworth borrowed from Milton and others. The 1850 version is basically a revised 1805 edition. It is not necessary that you read all three versions of the poem to understand its power, but it is useful to have them all at hand like this.

The Prelude is an autobiography about Wordsworth's early life. It is full of sublime images of the world through the eyes of a Romantic, and includes some of the most beautiful imagery ever set to verse in English (I believe). Wordsworth's reflections about the evils of ambition and self-absortion, among other things, are also very powerful.

This poem has been widely quoted by such Christian authors as CS Lewis, and has been admired by many great English poets. It is truly a masterpiece, an epic poem done in the tradition of English Romanticism. You can get this poem in many compilations, but usually in abridged form. This edition features the poem in its entirety, and in three version. This poem is essential to any study of English Romanticism.

I entirely disagree with the prevailing reviews on The Prelude. We have no other secular poem about the futile search for meaning in a meaningless world so fine as the Prelude: it is the Paradise Lost of those who search or long for a fleeting significance. What is significant about the poem is not that we believe what Wordsworth claims about the power of nature and the mind, but that he tried so hard to search out some sense of meaning and order- Wordsworth is the first Modernist writer before there was a name for his anxiety. This edition is wonderful in the way that it presents the 1805 and 1850 versions on opposite pages- it also contains the 1799 version- a real tour de force. Read The Prelude, read it carefully and take it too heart- there is no Song of Myself without Wordsworth's humane yet Promethean quest for significance.

I used to like the Romantics - but this revealed to me the extent to which they were all immersed in their own selves so much they couldn't see beyond the individual. Wordsworth is long-winded and dull in linguistic terms, but admittedly some of the imagery (boat-stealing episode) is inspired. It is, fundamentally, all about himself though, and traces his own poetic growth which is interesting as a topic, but not the way Wordsworth does it. He throws in a few token pictures of the poor, who he was so concerned about, but these tend to be superficial compared to his own self. Dull, dull, dull, a complete waste of time. If you have to read it for a course, get the york notes or only read the 1799 version

This book articulates a vision of the world and of the emotions it inspires in a cerebral, yet densely imaged poem. Wordsworth did not want the poem published for fears that it was too self-absorbed; adressing earlier reviews that have made this complaint, it is true that the poem is self absorbed in that it presents the vision of the world from an individual perspective...as all poems do. I find Eliot's use of quotations and footnotes drawing on his banks of memory and reading to be far more self-absorbed than this: a poem intended to communicated clearly. It is true that it is personal in that it was written to a friend with devotion and love, but this does not detract from the power of the language, the power of the vision, and the impact of the poem upon the age(s). As for comparing Wordsworth to a modernist, that comparison is difficult to make as the modernists rejected the romantic's formal language and optimism (both present in the prelude, despite moments of recognition of a bleak 'wasted' world).

I really don't like blank verse, yet Williams verse, with its intense focus on the Incarnation, is great. I think it helps to have read his theological works first and to be fairly well read on Arthurian myths, but an some level any Christian should hear "the song of another" Williams bore.

One of the three books I really want on a Kindle so I can carry with me.

"The cone's shadow of earth fell into space, and into, other than space, the third heaven. In the third heaven are the living unriven truths, climax tranquil in Venus. Merlin and Brisen heard, as in faint beelike humming round the cone's point, the feeling intellect hasten to fasten on the moving earth's hide. In the third heaven the stones of the waste glimmered like summer stars." That's the only poetry I can recite and I probably got it wrong. It's from Taliessin Through Logres and The Region of the Summer Stars, Williams' two cycles of Arthurian poetry (here in one volume). Without reading C.S.Lewis' commentary in Arthurian Torso (also in this volume)I wouldn't know what he meant, but these lines have something most poetry doesn't; they sound like an incantation, pulsing with power and vision. Like everything Williams wrote, they seem to pull you into another place and the walls between the two worlds dissolve. That's the effect of hearing these poems. Understanding them is another matter. Numerous critics have pointed out that they're rather hard to understand; C.S. Lewis penned his significant commentary in an effort to make Williams' last (and unfinished) poems accessible to a wider audience. He brilliantly succeeded both in opening these poems to the reader and showing how they complement Williams' other writings and echo his ideas. Lewis couldn't keep these two cycles from going out of print, but this Eerdmans volume, scarce as it is, gives credence to Williams' self-penned epitaph, "Poet, Under the Mercy."

This book comes in four parts 1)Taliessin through Logres (collection of Charles Williams' poems about the Arthurian saga as seen through the eyes of the court poet Taliessin) 2)The Region of the Summer Stars (more of Williams' poems about the Holy Grail) 3)Arthurian Torso, consisting of a) Charles Williams prose work on the history of the Grail/Arthurian legend, entitled The Figure of Arthur, and b)C.S. Lewis's commentary on Williams' poetry, entitled Williams and the Arthuriad. A fine introduction by Mary McDermott Shideler accompanies the Eerdmans edition of this work.

I found Arthurian Torso to be the best part of the book by far. By itself, it deserves a five star rating. Williams traces the fascinating history of the Grail with the legend of King Arthur and the Round Table using a combination of scholarly acumen and lucid tutorial explanations. In other words, it is both accurate and understandable. Lewis, in turn, adds insightful commentary about both the Arthurian saga and Williams' poems on the subject. Lewis's wisdom and lucid prose are as delightful to read on this matter as they are about other subjects he tackled.

Unfortunately, I think the poetry will appeal to very few people. I give it a one star quality (which, when combined with the five star quality of the Arthurian Torso give the book an overall rank of three.) Even C.S. Lewis admits that Williams' biggest fault is his obscurity. (There are times when even such a scholar as Lewis - who not only loved the Arthurian legend, who adored poetry, and who had discussed this poetry at length with Williams himself - found himself puzzled by parts of it, describing parts of it as "cryptic", or saying "I end in doubts" or "There are things in this piece which I do not understand.")

I was unmoved by this poetry. It was like trying to read something in an unfamiliar language - no meaning was conveyed.

So all in all, this book receives a mixed review. If the Arthurian legend interests you, then this work is worth obtaining, simply for the Arthurian Torso section of it. If you get anything out of the poetry, it will be a bonus.

This poetry takes some time to master, but it is well worth the effort. It recounts the rise and fall of Arthur's kingdom from the point of view of Taliessin, the court poet. The non-linear lyric pieces are a perfection of the craft; especial standouts are "Taliessin's Song of the Unicorn," and "The Queen's Servant." Perhaps if enough people become familiar with this hard-to-find classic, it will reappear in print! All lovers of Arthuriana: this is a must. Tawny M. Goswitz

We have enjoyed reading this book. It is filled with history and anyone loving the Northwest and Young Life will enjoy this book. I can highly recommend it.

Through The Rapids: The History Of Princess Louisa Inlet by history buff Charles William Hitz is an engaging and informative chronicle of British Columbia's Princess Louisiana Inlet which is part of the beautiful fjord country of Canada's west coast. From the inlet's formation; to the story behind its name; to famous individuals who have lived in the inlet; to the tale of Tom Hamilton and the Malibu Club that he built, and much more, Through The Rapids is a most enjoyable and fact-filled compilation of Canadian regional history.

This is a fine reference work on the history of Princess Louisa Inlet. Mr. Hitz's personal experience and interest in the area have produced a very readable and interesting compilation of historic facts, pictures, and lore about this beautiful place. It is extremely well researched and should take its rightful place among the histories of the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada.

Chaz Hitz has come up with a thorough modern history of one of the most beautiful places in the world. Princess Louisa Inlet is Canada's Shangri-La: exotic, remote and populated over time by a wildly diverse cast of characters. Anyone who has seen this place will find a ready reference for their further explorations in the book and a kindred spirit in its author, a man driven to document his life-long affair with the inlet in a book that is the result of thorough scholarship and intensive research.

Malibu Club figures prominently in the life of the inlet as it does in the writing of this book. Yet Malibu's is not the only story told here. Part of the beauty of this book is the effort Hitz has undertaken to bring to light the experiences of everyone who has had some effect on the place. This book is first and foremost a labor of love, each page reflecting the author's passion for the place and the people there. Through the Rapids is essential reading for those who are planning a visit to the inlet and anyone already under its spell.

This book helped me get a good start in my Accounting college courses. It lays out the fundamental principles of Accounting simply and clearly. Its emphasis on the process leading to, creation of, and analysis of financial statements, would be very helpful to anyone who may need to understand just what a company's financial statements really mean

This book helped me a lot understand the various topics of accounting quickly and easily. If you completely dont understand anything about accounting, this is the book for you.

This is an easy book to follow. Lots of exercises for practice and the answers are in the text so you can check and see if you got it or if you need to study more.

Excellent book on the history of Basenjis from Veronica Tudor-Williams (kennel name "Of the Congo") who played a key role in the history of basenjis in England and America. A must have book for the serious collector of basenji memorabilia.

The three versions of this book (original red cover, second edition blue cover and last green/grey cover) are all out-of-print and highly prized by basenji fanciers. Some of the only exsisting photographs of original imports/first generation dogs are within its pages. Really not the book to get if you are researching to pick a dog (you'd want Susan Coe's book for that) but a true piece of Basenji history to be treasured for its frankness and those elusive early photographs.

The basenji, an African hound that yodels instead of barks is indeed exotic. Basenjis clean themselves like cats, don't shed and females come into season once a year.

This book gives an excellent introduction and overview of this very distinct and unique dog indeed.

Basenjis have a long history spanning over 2,000 years. They were the loved and pampered pets of Egyptian nobility; basenji shaped footstools were common during that era. Basenjis were often the subject of art. Paintings of basenjis, basenji shaped footstools and even Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Underworld had a basenji head are all testaments to the cultural influences this dog had.

Clean limbed and graceful, this yodeling dog is also known for being loyal to a given owner. Lovable and spirited, the yodeling dog will certainly find a place in the hearts of many.

This is so clear and so interesting, it's impossible not to get caught up in it and easy to forget that it's a textbook.

I really have to compliment Babbie on taking a potentially dry subject and making it fun. Not only is this book a very complete and easy to understand introduction to research methods, but it is also, at times, downright funny. I highly recommend this book. I gained a deeper understanding of research methods by reading The Basics of Social Research and Babbie's unique writing style made me want to learn more.

I was dreading taking this required course in collge, "Methods of Social Research." This was the required text and it has made my life easier. I could actually understand the concepts. I highly recommend this text book.

While I agree with the notion that there are likely plenty of congressmen who are "bought off" by special interests with cash-rich lobbies, this book has an obvious statist bias that made it difficult to get through the whole thing.

The book never addresses the fundamental causal issue in judging whether someone has been unduly influenced by a contribution. To wit: How can we tell if 1) a legislator has voted for X because he got money from a group supporting X or 2) if a group supporting X wisely give money to a legislator likely to support X? This may seem trivial, but it is the heart of the matter since the difference determines if a vote was due to conscience or corruption. Compounding the problem, Lewis seems to assume that for every problem, there is a solution in law or regulation that would fix it and anyone opposing that solution is corrupt. What if there are just going to be some dangerous things in life and it isn't the government's job to provide us with an idiot-proof, Nerf world in which to live?

In addition, the book is very politically one-sided in its choice of examples. That is, there are more than a dozen chapters on big corporations with lobbies concerned with environmental laws, FDA regulations, et cetera (and the cliche diatribes against the NRA). But there is no mention of left-leaning groups like AARP, the trial lawyers, trade unions, teachers, et cetera who wield plenty of influence on the Hill. I would never claim that plenty of big companies don't do their best to buy votes, but the focus on traditionally Democratic groups buying legislation is conspicuous in its absence.

On behalf of the book, I will say that *within* any particular arena, the author goes out of his way to point to suspicious activities by both Republicans and Democrats. And, rather than explicitly suggesting new campaign laws, he promotes voter vigilance. Of course the examples cited are very enticing (if inconclusive) and if they prompt people to pay more attention to Congressional goings-on then Lewis will have done everyone a service.

- Mike B.

The book should be distributed to all high school and college students as an introduction to the world of realpolitik. Given the sodden apathy of American adults, it may be that our only hope for radical change lies in their children.

My topic line says it all. We've all heard and followed the stories about how Congress is beholden to special interests, and how they have in turn done favors for various industries in return. However, this book puts it all together in a way that has really upset me. And yet it is not a sensational cheap book. Per the Acknowledgements section of page 351 ff, it was a huge team project of the Center For Public Integrity involving 10 writers and 25 researchers. And the Center has written and published a number of books during the past 8 years, so they didn't start fresh in researching the topics covered.

Christian Mythmakers is a good overview of some of the thoughts and ideas of various Christian fantasy writers. While the chapter on John Bunyan is basically little more than a summary of Pilgrim's Progress, the rest of the book is interesting and thought provoking. The chapter on Charles Williams is a "must read" for anyone interested in or confused by Williams' work.

I had the privilege of taking courses under Dr Hein in the early 90's at Wheaton. He is a very knowledgeable teacher and has great affection for the people he is writing about in this book. If you have any interest in these authors, this book is a must read. I wasn't aware that he had written this book when I came across it looking for books on George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis. As an Economics major, I somehow ended up taking four Lit. classes from Dr Hein because he is such a good instructor and passionate about his subject matter.

This book is a fascinating look at ten Christian mythmakers, that is authors who have used the power of myth to convey Christian truths in a new way. The narrative begins with John Bunyan and his seminal Pilgrim's Progress, continues through George Macdonald, G.K. Chesterton, Charles Williams, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and finishes up with Madeleine L'Engle, Walter Wangerin, Robert Siegel, and Hannah Hurnard.

Professor Hein begins with a short biography of the author, and then proceeds to explain the author's work, examining its theology and significance. I found this book to be quite fascinating, with the author giving me a look at these masterpieces of Christian literature in a way that I had never thought of before. If you are a fan of any of the authors above, then I highly recommend that you get this book!

How does one tell the nearly 2000 year history of the relationship between the Body of Christ and the Holy Spirit? Charles Williams was well-read, thoughtful, and ambitious enough to try, and this book is the result. And beyond the history of the incorruptible Spirit of Eternal God informing and otherwise dealing with His ever mutating and apparently ever corruptible Church is the Mystery of their mutual "co-inherence." Williams is superb in continually reminding the reader of just how profound and multi-faceted this on-going puzzlement is.

The more familiar one is with both Williams' writing and neo-Platonic outlook on the one hand and Church (and European) history on the other, the more rewarding will be this book. However, if one is new to both, he should not plan to begin with this work. Parts of it will be nearly incomprehensible. If like me, you're already a fan of Williams and know a fair amount of Church history, you may still occasionally be put off by wading through yet another patch of "clotted glory" and then suddenly enthralled by his insight, perspective, and original way with language. If you plan to read Descent of the Dove, plan to take your time. You will probably need to and you will certainly want to.

This book has been out of print for some time like so many of William's writings. Several years ago I ordered a used copy for an extravagant amount of money, so it is nice to see it for a decent price. This book is a summary of church history as seen from William's characteristic vision of the distinction and the interrelationship between The Way of Negation and the Way of Affirmation. Many of the figures and movements that Williams covers are traditional but they are illuminated in exciting new ways by his thought. The chapter on the Reformation alone is worth the price of the whole book. Others are non-traditional, for example, his very brief positive and cryptic mention of a group called the subinductae in the early church. If you have a taste for Williams at all (which many do not) you won't be disappointed.

This book truly expresses the depth and universality of Christ's offer of redemption. Although some have called him difficult, Williams writes with wonderful erudition and style. This is my favorite book by Williams. If you like the writing of C.S. Lewis and George MacDonald, I recommend this book.

I ordered this book because a friend of mine recommended it.
I waited with anticipation for its arrival.
When I finally received it and opened up the box I was saddened.
This is one of the cheapest books that I have ever held in my hands.
The quality of the book is second hand. The pages were falling of as I skimmed through it. The font is an ugly type, about size 10, so it is not a pleasant read. Also, some of the pages were blank. I tried to get a refund or an exchange, but I was told that all of their copies were in that condition. Also, the introduction made me fall asleep. It is so monotonous and illogical.

THIS IS AN ITEM DESCRIPTION CLARIFICATION ONLY:

The link at the top of the page under 'also available in....:' shows AUDIO CD as an option. If you click on this link, the title at the top of the page will show 'Dogmatic Theology (CD-ROM) (Audio CD)'. At the time I purchased this, the words '(CD-ROM)' were not included in the title; hence I was misled into believing I would receive a set of audio CDs; I in fact received a CD-ROM of the book.

I subsequently notified Amazon of the incorrect title and suggested it be changed to 'Dogmatic Theology (CD-ROM)'. Amazon made the change to the title; however, the words (Audio CD) are still showing at the end of the title.

Please understand that if you order 'Dogmatic Theology (CD-ROM) (Audio CD)' you will receive a CD-ROM, not an audio CD set (no such set exists to my knowledge).

(Please take note that this is not a 'review' as such; it is simply to clarify the product description for you so you know that the audio CD option shown is actually a CD-ROM. And I hope my comments are helpful). Cheers.

In order to write this review, I have to tell you a personal story.

Back in my early 20's, having come out of a church tradition that was not Reformed, and to be honest, somewhat anti-intellectual, 6 of us jumped in the car one Saturday morning to drive from Rochester, NY - about 2-1/2 hours, to Herkimer, NY. A sleepy little town in Upstate NY, Herkimer was also home to a Reformed Baptist church (I didn't know what that was at the time) pastored by Fred Heubner. There, in the balcony of Fred's church, was the seed of what a lot of us know today as Cumberland Valley Bible Books Service. Back then, it was just Fred's passion to get the best Puritan and Reformed literature he could into the hands of likes of these 6 yahoos. We had begun the quest. We were soon to be junkies. And Fred was our Pusher.

Stepping, pawing and drooling over stacks of books, commentaries and other publications, the likes of which I was certain belonged only to a by-gone era; Pastor Heubner patiently listened to and answered the questions of these reformational neophytes - gently guiding and explaining as we went. We had come to buy. Each had set extra bucks aside for this literary excursion. And there was SO much. What to buy? What would do me the most good? What would I get the most mileage out of? I wanted to get a grasp of Reformed theology - a base, a system. And then I saw it. Glistening in all of its shrink-wrapped glory. A little 3-volume, hardback set with these imposing words on the spine in golden ink "Dogmatic Theology", "Shedd." "How' bout this?" I asked Pastor Heubner. He smiled the smile of a man who knew I had bitten off too much, but that once I had gotten the taste in my mouth - I just wouldn't be able to spit it out.

To be completely frank, no one set of writings has ever impacted my life as much since. Nor do I think any will. Which is why I will really begin my review with this statement: Alan Gomes has performed a service of incalculable value to the body of Christ in the editing and re-issuing this incomparable work - Shedd's Dogmatic Theology.

I cannot tell you how many times over the years I have encouraged young men looking to truly master theology to read Shedd. And up until this new edition, Shedd's Dogmatics had been pretty much out of print since the 70's. I was always lending my copies and counseling others to keep their eyes open for sets wherever they could. One company photocopied them and I think they owe me a huge commission for the number of sets I sold for them.

What rests between the covers is a rare confluence of engaging literature, sound doctrine, riveting logic, Biblical philosophy and scientific exegesis. Shedd, to say the least is solidly Reformed. Some have argued he stands second among the greatest of the American Theologians - Edwards occupying first place, and R. L. Dabney the third. But for accessibility, lucidity and usefulness, I personally set Shedd at the head.

What I discovered, and I hope so many of you will discover, is the thrill of reading well organized, exquisitely argued theology from someone who both loved his subject, and the art of communicating it in writing. These qualities make him immensely readable, even though his 19th century prose sometimes requires a second take. He loves truth. He loves Biblical truth above all. And He loves to make it understandable, reasonable, and cohesive. Gomes writes: "Shedd's value for the modern student. "Careful study of Shedd's Dogmatic Theology is, I dare say, much more than an intellectual exercise: it is an esthetic experience for those who appreciate the comeliness of truth. If truth is beautiful in itself, then Shedd's vigorous and stately prose sets before us incomparable beauty beautifully expressed." I agree.


His balanced, insightful and wonderfully reasoned section on Vicarious Atonement is second to none, and served to rescue me from the throes of the hyper-Calvinism which is often rearing its ugly head these days. It is worth the purchase price alone. His work on endless punishment and Hell, in a day where both are challenged from virtually every corner is compelling, convincing and in my judgment - definitive. Yes, he tends toward supralapsarianism and traducianism. Live with it. Even when you disagree, you come away respecting the how and why of his positions. And for a thorough analysis of why various false doctrines break down logically and Biblically, his style of extremely tight reasoning makes him a study in learning to think better. He will make you think better.

Born in 1820 in Massachusetts, William Greenough Thayer Shedd pursued academics and taught first in New York City. Converted during that year, he then entered Andover Seminary and ventured upon the Pastorate. Later, he would co-labor with Gardiner Spring at Brick. Throughout his career he served as a professor of English literature; professor of sacred rhetoric and pastoral theology (Auburn Theological Seminary) and professor of New Testament literature and Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary.

What makes Shedd's Dogmatics sing though, is not as much his erudition, which is evident on every page, but the fact that he was a preacher in his own right. (You should also check out his twin volumes "Sermons to the Natural Man" and Sermons the Spiritual Man" - recently republished by Solid Ground Books) So it is his work here, even though at times minutely technical, has a preacher's ring to it. I seldom go more than a week without referring to something in Shedd. This is a priceless resource.

All that being said - and doing my best to avoid hyperbole (though some I'm sure will disagree), what Gomes has done in his masterful re-work, amounts to Shedd on steroids.

This new edition has extraordinarily useful features I had only dreamed of. First, I have to note that Gomes gently modernized things stylistically (capitalization, punctuation, archaic spellings, etc), without any abridgement or paraphrasing. He added a much needed biographical sketch of Shedd. I say "much needed" because nothing BUT biographical sketches exist on Shedd today. There are no full biographies extant. So this becomes valuable in it own right. Third, he has added two very useful glossaries. One for terms Shedd assumes you should already know (the various "isms" of Church history for instance - talked to anyone about Nestorianism lately?) The second is a biographical glossary giving you sketches on the various people he cites - who are both myriad and unfamiliar to most modern readers. The fourth great feature is that all 3 volumes are synthesized into one. In the original set, the 3rd volume was a collection of miscellaneous citations, expansions and references to material in the first two. Now, the contents of volume 3 have been woven into the main text. This is just superb. Fifth, Shedd's writing style tended to omit subdivisions in his arguments - Gomes painstakingly supplies them. No easy task at all. And lastly, because Shedd was at ease supplying us with quotes in 5 or 6 different languages, Gomes knows WE aren't so conversant and mercifully translates them for us. Huge help.

One last BIG feature. You see, I haven't purchased this new hardback version myself yet. I can't get over my fear that somehow I'm betraying the purist in me. And even though my bindings are broken, my notes smeared, and more is now underlined than not - It was my first. I can't give it up. So what? So now, it is available in electronic format. That I DID purchase. As soon as I possibly could. The ability to do word searches, highlight, and cut and paste make it transcendent.

Look, I've got Hodge. I've read Hodge. I love Hodge. Same for Berkof. And a couple of others. Give me Shedd - any day. Shedd crystallized and systematized theology for me, and then made me love philosophy. He made me think of God and Christ and salvation in noble and uplifting ways few others can - period. No small tasks. And that, all the while inviting me to read and think and reason more and more. I owe him a debt I can never repay, a debt happily increased by Dr. Gomes exponentially.

Buy Shedd. Read him. You will NOT be sorry.

Dr. Gomes, from the bottom of my heart - THANK YOU!