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"Jung in a nutshell" does not do justice to this topic. It is a bowl of nuts.

But my very rudimentary understanding (to put forth one nut of many) is that consciousness, or the differentiation of self is a progression, which arises from a world of the unconscious. Anybody might say such a thing and get lucky, without having read Aion at all. But to read Aion and then say it is putting your money where your mouth is.

The template of self begins at the Anthropos (relying on the second-to-last chapter on the quaternario schema), and crystalizes in the lapis, where consciousness becomes fully realized.

Jung was not prosyletizing Christianity, but used Christ as an allegory of development of self. This is why he resorts to alchemy and Gnosticism, more than patristic forms of Christianity. He saw the philosophical underpinnings of Christianity as a workable model to explain how the higher human, who operates on his environment as well as on his own thinking, rises above his primal, animalist soma.

We began as a perfect template in the realm of the unconscious, we descended into the world of formation (borrowing from the Sephir Yetzirah here), or "Physis," as Jung called it, only to rise again through the quaternario ladder to become Anthropos once again.

By the way, the reader might note that in later chapters Jung seems to drop any mention about "Aion", a term better explained in the middle parts of the book (Ch. 5-11). I think Jung wanted us to apply his quaternario model on a meta-scale, not just as an explanation of the perfection of self and the emergence of consciousness.

As we know, we are nearing the end of the present Piscean Aion (the Jesus era), which was preceded by the war-like Arien Aion (the Greco/Roman conquest era), but which is to be followed by a more intellectual Aquarian Aion (whatever that will be).

The progression of the Aions, I think Jung hoped we would discern, correspond directly to his quaternario schema, and that human consciousness is tied to the meta-physical laws of the universe (in this case, astronomy) just like the ocean's tides correspond to the lunar phases.

I found a lot of this book formidably dense. Recently I read an introductory book on Jung by psychoanalyst Anthony Storr that sheds some light, even though Storr never specifically mentions AION. Storr observes a tendency in Jung's thinking to describe the psyche as a self-regulating mechanism, like the human endocrine system. For example, extraverted activity in the unconscious compensates for introverted activity in the conscious (or vice versa). Also, a neurosis may be the unconscious's way of compensating for overly one-sided thinking in the conscious. Similarly, a schizophrenic delusion may be the psyche's (unsuccessful) attempt to restore a lost mental balance.

Examples of this balance/compensation principle in AION:
(1) The Christ symbol. It's a symbol of the Self (like most of the symbols and archetypes discussed in the book), but it lacks a Shadow or inferior component; consequently, the early Christians were compelled to generate the Anti-Christ symbol. However, since the Christ and Anti-Christ are separate entities in traditional Christian thinking, the Western worldview has become highly dualistic and Manichaean, good vs. evil.
(2) The God archetype. As Western thinking has become increasingly secular over the centuries, the God-image has become repressed into the unconscious, where it emerges in savage political forms such as fascism, a worship of the State. (Jung wrote this a few years after World War II.)
(3) Leviathan and Behemoth. "God's monstrous antagonist produces a double because the God-image is incomplete..." (pg. 120).
(4) Sons of God in Catharist legend: Satanael the elder son, Christ the younger son. Similar to the Christ/Anti-Christ dichotomy.
(5) The "higher" and "lower" Adam figures in some Gnostic legends. The higher Adam represents higher states of consciousness; the lower Adam, the unconscious.
(6) The two thieves crucified with Christ. One is destined for heaven (higher consciousness), the other for a warmer climate (unconscious).

Of course, there's more to the book than this equilibrium-of-the-Self aspect. But that aspect ties in with the main theme, the process of individuation (or ascending to a higher state of consciousness) in the Western mind.

Jung really assaults the reader here with his encyclopedic knowledge of religion and alchemy. A lot of his later work deals with esoteric subjects (alchemy, gnosticism, hermeticism, kabbalah). I found a few of the religious subjects, like the medieval "Holy Ghost" movement, to be pretty interesting in themselves, but unfortunately Jung discusses only those elements that relate to his psychological theories.

As usual, this is another discerning, but difficult to read Jung book. It focuses on Christian imagery as related to Jung's model of consciousness. This model includes 3 layers vs. Freud's 2-layered approach--by adding a meta-layer which Jung termed the Collective Unconscious. Part 1 of volume 9 of the collected works addressed this layer & its denizens, the archetypes. It is very useful to read that volume prior to this one. This one provides additional information on good vs. evil. The socialization process of each civilization or nation attempts to reify acceptable behavior into children. The down side of this is that parts of the child's psyche is split off--or repressed. The conglomeration of these split off parts form the individual's shadow complex. The initial step in individuation is to reclaim & integrate these parts back into consciousness. Such repressed parts, if not brought back to consciousness, slowly gain energy & can affect people negatively--"not being myself" or Freudian slips. Jung found that alchemy depicted much of his psychological discoveries--giving him a relieving confirmation of his views. In another work, he also mentions that the great Hasidic leader, the Great Maggid of Mezerich, described the bulk of Jungian psychology centuries before. Jung looks for image parallels throughout history & all over the planet (similar to Joseph Campbell's quest). The 2nd phase of individuation is recalling anima or animus projections from other people--a topic far too complex for this review--see Schwartz-Salant & Stein's "Gender & Soul in Psychotherapy."

However, Jung had issues with his Christian upbringing (see his autobiography "Memories, Dreams, Reflections), but he finds extensive parallels within Christianity, especially Catholicism herein. His analysis will probably have an upside & a downside for both Christians & non-Christians alike--though perhaps differently. One can find similar parallels in other religions as well. For a good overall exposition of Jungian principles by a Christian theologian, see Hans Schaer's "Religion & the Cure of Souls in Jung's Psychology" & read CW11, Jung's "Psychology of Religion..." I liked these better than "Aion" (& I'm more interested in Buddhism). Jung's split with long-time friend Father Victor White was over Jung's view of evil as an entity vs. White's Catholic view of the "privatio boni"--evil as the absence of good (per Jung's "Letters"). I suggest reading M. Scott Peck's "People of the Lie" for more on this issue.

As in all but one of his books (i.e. "Answer to Job"), Jung takes a Thinking, scientific stance, saying (~Vajrayana Buddhism), "Emotion incidentally is not an activity of the individual, but something that happens to him." This is not my favorite Jung book, but it's worth reading.

_Aion_ is part 2 of volume nine of Jung's collected works. Although _Aion_ is unquestionably a stand-alone work, ideally it should be read after part 1, which is _Archetypes of the Collective Unconscious_.

That said, _Aion_ is one of Jung's greatest works and is one of the first three that anyone who is new to Jung should start with. The first part deals with Christianity, and the significance of the death of Christ. This is treated as a legitimate, factual historical event, yet it is also explained as a collective pschic phenomenon in the general sense. The middle part of the book deals with ancient alchemy, and the symbolic parallels between alchemy and modern conceptions of psychology. This might sound dull, but trust me - you will be surprised to see the uncanny symbolic parallels between ancient magical practices and the most modern, up to date theories of the psyche. This is discussed at length in the section on the "Two Fishes", which is one of Jung's greatest essays (although quite difficult). The final section deals with quaternity symbolism, and features a wide array of strange diagrams. About 200 pages in, these diagrams will become more frequent, and the reader might get frustrated trying to see the significance of these rudimentary drawings. Personally, my advice is to stop reading after 200 pages. All of the useful essays are contained within these first 200 pages, while the final 50 or so pages contains esoteric essays which can be considered, at best, curiosity pieces for the insatiable, die-hard Jungian. The editiors wisely confined this esoterica to final few pages of the book. This is not to take anything away from the book as a whole. Overall, _Aion_ is extremely profound and insightful, and is a must read for Jungians and non-Jungians alike.

This is a must own book for any student of Carl Jung. It covers the basic concepts of his psychological topology in his own words in a brief space and goes into a much deeper dive on the Self. This exploration of Self goes deeply into Christian symbolism and the structure and dynamics of the Self.

Like much of Carl Jung's writing, some of this is very tough going for people new to Jung. It is not a bedside book and the average reader will need to look a lot of things up. However, it is indispensable in terms of the concepts.

There are many good books that can provide commentary on this book and you can find them easily. I would highly recommend that you pick up one of these books about Aion in addition to the text itself. This is a book that has many layers and one which you must be patient with.

If you are merely looking for an introduction to Jung, then I would go with Jung's Map of the Soul by Murray Stein. This is the BEST introduction I know of and quotes Aion a lot. Aspects of the Faminine is also very good for those who want to know more about the anima/animus and a more readable version of Jung's thoughts on marriage, the feminine, etc.

The Viking Portable Jung is also good to get a cross section of Jung's most important thought. However, you will eventually want to read Aion for its depth and extensive elaboration on the nature of the Self.

Saramago at his best! As most of what I have read from Saramago, this book is superbly written. One would never imagine that a novel written in a sort of "stream of consciousness" form, would be plesant and absorbing.

The plot and characters are absolutely universal. The story could have taken place anywhere in the world, in the not so distant future, where man is living the desolate life he created for himself.

Freedon is restricted, dreams are non-existent, and everything is colored in different shades of gray.

Even though at first this may seem like a very sad book, it does have its silver lining: we still have a chance to make the world whatever we want it to be.

Finally, a comment about the main character, Cipriano Algor: Suffice it to say he generates a very strong passion....

Do you ever feel like the world around you, the concrete and steel world, has wrapped you in its austere façade? Do you ever feel like the beauty of individuality is hidden in a world that cares not for the human spirit but for the technological advancement of society? Do you ever feel like you would love to embrace your talent for art and carry out the tasks that enhance your reason for existence, but you find that your job at the big corporation consumes all your time and energy? Do you ever feel threatening fear that your abilities may become obsolete and that society may dispose of you at any moment? Saramago's Characters in La Caverna feel like this when they find out that the corporation that buys their ceramic pottery and sells it to the public, will no longer purchase their obsolete products. The book's captivating flow of occurrences unleashes a series of thoughts in the characters' minds as to existence and the due respect for love and life in general. Great book. Once you start reading it, you will not put it down until it is finished.

Excelente relato! Saramago nos ilustra de manera que despertemos a la realidad.Que tenemos la capacidad de ver luz aun estando entre las sombras,como podemos seguir siendo lo que somos con el solo hecho de ver,analizar y no dejarnos deslumbrar.Es una critica a la llamada vida actual,de las grandes empresas y su virtual retorno a la esclavitud del cuerpo y el espiritu.

La Caverna José Saramago

Carta del nieto de Cipriano Algor encontrada en la sala de su casa y dirigida a sus padres.

Un día desperté a la luz de las estrellas, me encontré perdido en un mar de gente que pasaba a mi lado, todos con la vista puesta en algo. Y así, caminante errante, partí sin rumbo en busca de una salida. Pero salida hacia donde? No estaba dentro de la vida misma. Como era posible escapar a la vida, vivir otra existencia fuera de la mía, de vagabundo errante por el mundo. Vi que podía ver cosas que los demás no podían, pero el mundo era tan inmenso que me costaba trabajo creer que la única persona que pudiese ver las cosas tal y como son, o tal y como yo creía que eran era yo. Por eso era un inadaptado, un paria dentro del grupo social en el cual vivía, un loco u n alienado, un tonto, un holgazán. Me pasaba los días tratando de encontrar una salida mientras los demás se pasaban la vida disfrutando, absortos en la visión de lo que ellos creían que era la felicidad extrema, la dicha, la pasión, el amor. Pero yo sabia que había algo mas allá de las cosas y tenia que averiguarlo. Por fin con paciencia e ingenio logre encontrar en uno de los pisos altos de la edificación una grieta que me condujo al mundo externo. Mi impresión fue tal que no pude dejar de lanzar un grito de libertad. Durante tanto tiempo había vivido encerrado en ese centro que era el mundo, con sus colegios, iglesias, tiendas, con su aire acondicionado y sin mas luz que aquella artificial que iluminaba como un eterno sol y que cuando era niño había confundido con lo que mis padres habían llamado estrellas. Pero ahora era libre. Decidí dejar el centro y nunca mas volver, iría por la carretera en busca de mi abuelo Cipriano, quien según la leyenda había dejado el centro en sus inicios y se había ido a vivir lejos, como en otro mundo, un mundo donde el sol no estaba solo en los libros de historia; donde el agua corría libremente en ríos; donde las estrellas brillaban verdaderas en la noche; y donde la vida, a pesar de ser mas rustica, era mas vida, más humana, sin mecanizaciones de ningún tipo. Por fin después de tanto tiempo, era libre.

Esta situación orwelliana que se describe en la novela de Saramago, es el desplazamiento del hombre por sus maquinas. Como el centro comercial deja de ser una estructura al servicio del hombre para pasar a ser una estructura con hombres a su servicio. El pequeño negocio de Cipriano Algor es dejado a un lado y este debe tomar la difícil situación de irse a mudar en el centro, donde todo es artificial, irreal y risible, pues de lo sublime a lo ridículo solo hay un paso. La novela esta escrita de forma compacta, con todos los párrafos representando sin divisiones, pensamientos, comentarios, diálogos y demás, en lo que para quien no ha leído a Saramago antes es un poco confuso su estilo, pero es la mejor manera de escribir, pues no pierde su fuerza narrativa, deteniéndose a poner excesivos signos de puntuación. En ese sentido comparto con él la manía de escribir oraciones kilométricas a pesar de lo que dicen, que, después de ciertos párrafos, las ideas se confunden y la oración no se hace clara. Escribir para mí es un desafío diario y creo que los lectores deben ser desafiados a seguir las pautas del escritor. La novela merece la pena y bien vale el esfuerzo de sus 454 paginas.

Luis Méndez.

I had the honor of meeting José Saramago at a book-signing in Lisbon's Chiado district shortly after he won the Nobel Prize in 1998. At the time, I wondered if receiving the prize would cause my favorite novelist to sit back and write nothing worthy of note, or nothing at all.

Fortunately, "The Cavern" bears the earmarks of earnestness, diligence, and love of the Portuguese language that characterize Saramago's earlier works. But as a novel it's disappointing. The characters are ordinary and there's not much of a plot.

The central theme of "The Cavern" is that a giant, impersonal, and arrogantly managed shopping center, the Centro, is spreading like an oil slick and sucking the commercial life out of the region. The main character, Cipriano Algor, an artisan potter living in a rural hamlet and eking out a living selling dishes to the Centro, is one of the shopping complex's victims. The Centro treats its suppliers ruthlessly: work with us according to the one-sided terms we impose or we'll dispense with you; and we'll dispense with you anyway when you're no longer useful to us. And the Centro no longer wants to sell Algor's stoneware; its customers prefer plastic tableware that's cheaper and less breakable.

Thus, much of the novel consists of the petty indignities the Centro visits on the desperate and humiliated Algor, a situation complicated by the fact that Marçal Gacho, Algor's live-in son-in-law, is a security guard for the Centro and wants to move there with his wife Marta.

There's a plot there, but it's thin, and it's stifled by overlong narratives, asides, and commentaries that dominate the novel. "The Cavern" is like an opera with much singing and little action. Indeed, few events disturb the novel's languor until the final 35 or so pages of the 350-page-long Portuguese version. And there's little that's compelling about Cipriano Algor, Marçal Gacho, Marta, or the family dog, Achado. They're all nice and all without depth. (And incongruously for such uneducated folk, they often speak the king's Portuguese.) Algor is a stiff, diffident and lonely widower whose inability to act on his interest in Isaura, the widow across town, exasperates the reader. Saramago relies heavily on the family dog for character development (a danger sign), extolling Achado's virtues. But in the end, Achado's ordinary canine behavior fails to inspire interest in itself or to illuminate its owners' personalities.

Moreover, some of Saramago's commentaries are trite and cranky; they lack the acuity of the sketches of human behavior and travails that enliven other Saramago novels. Algor, his family, and his dog are portrayed as the salt of the earth, rather like the Joads in John Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath." The conflict between Algor and the arrogant Centro is an allegory for Saramago's dislike of globalization and the liberalization of the world economy--a dislike he made clear in 1998, when he argued, "Injustices multiply, inequalities become worse, ignorance grows, misery spreads. The same schizophrenic humanity able to send instruments to [Mars] to study the composition of its rocks witnesses indifferently the deaths of millions from hunger. . . . Governments fail to do [their duty], because they don't know how to, because they can't, or because they don't want to. Or because those who effectively govern the world don't let them: the multinational and intercontinental corporations whose power, absolutely undemocratic, has reduced almost to nothing what once remained of the ideal of democracy."

In sum, Saramago stands with the protestors of Seattle, Quebec City, and Genoa. His worldview may stem from the degrading poverty and oppression his grandparents experienced in rural Portugal (see his Nobel Prize acceptance speech). Yet if "The Cavern" were less rigid, it would acknowledge that the same liberalization that creates the Centro should permit Algor (with the help of a government economic-development agency) to leave behind the Centro's nouveau-riche customers and haughty management for the armies of foreign tourists who want to buy handmade Portuguese stoneware, or to sell his goods over the Internet to collectors in Montreal, Adelaide, and Sapporo. Algor is simply trying to sell in the wrong place, and it's not the Centro's fault if it rebuffs him, though it may point to flaws in the Centro's marketing strategy. (On the last point: Saramago's portrayal of the Centro is unrealistic. He presents it as omnipotent and destined to be unbound by time. But the Centro's rigidity and pomposity would appear to consign it to the impermanence of Percy Bysshe Shelley's Ozymandias, fated to become "the decay / Of that colossal wreck . . ." "[h]alf sunk" amid "[t]he lone and level sands . . . ."

It's worth noting that Portugal, like Ireland, has been a European economic success story. According to a Portuguese government report, "Between 1986 and 2000 the Portuguese economy grew by 3.6% per annum, compared with 2.5% for the EU [European Union]. . . . Real GDP growth averaged 5.0% per annum in 1986-90, compared with 3.3% for the EU as a whole, and was the highest in the EU and second highest in the OECD during that period. Growth slowed to 1.7% during 1991-95 in response to a deteriorating European business cycle, but still exceeded the EU average of 1.5%. Portugal pulled ahead in subsequent years, and growth of 3.4% in 1996-2000 was above the EU average of 2.6%." Accompanying that growth, new shopping centers like Lisbon's Amoreiras and Columbo malls have emerged. They have been very popular, and have coincided with a decline in some traditional business districts. Yet Portugal hardly seems economically, socially or culturally the worse for these changes, Saramago's lament notwithstanding. The country was markedly better off in those respects in 1998 than it was when I first visited it in 1992.

My recommendation: if you're a Saramago fan, you may enjoy "The Cavern." But if you're new to him, start by reading one of his better novels, like "The Year of the Death of Ricardo Reis," "Blindness," or "All the Names."

El buen sentido del humor se encuentra, encerrada entre las cubiertas de este libro !
Nomás abrelo, amigo !

que regula tu estado de ánimo y la que al disminuir te manda derechito al ABISMO DE LA DEPRESION, AUMENTA CON LA RISA...
Y este libro ES UN BUEN PRODUCTOR DE SEROTONINA

PORQUE CON ESTE LIBRO...¡INVIERTES EN LA COMPRA DE ALEGRIA Y CARCAJADAS !

Y LA RISA NOS HACE FALTA...
Aqui está, encerrada entre las cubiertas de este libro !
Nomás abrelo, amigo !

QUINCE DÓLARES POR DOS HORAS DE RISAS CONSTANTES...SE ME HACEN MUY BARATOS !

When I first found this book in a second-hand store, I read a few recipes standing in the aisle. I approached them with some pessimism, since I'd never found an authentic, nor even a good, Spanish cookbook. Imagine my surprise to find what could have been my own grandmother's cooking in this book. It was absolutely authentic, down to the dashes of salt. I bought it immediately, and sent it to my mother.

After reading it, she lent it to my grandmother, who laughed and pronounced it as good as her own cooking. After following a recipe (which she never used), she even said that the Arroz con Pollo was probably better than hers! There it was--the highest compliment from the greatest cook in my life.

My mother immediately bought ten or twelve copies, giving us all one, and a then a few more to give as gifts.

The recipes are error-free. If you can follow a recipe, you will achieve delicious, authentic Spanish food every time you cook from it. I guarantee it.

I ordered Clarita's Cocina due to all the positive reviews here. This is the fourth book on Spanish cooking I have bought and I really love this one. It has all my favorite dishes listed and the recipes are easy to prepare at home.
You really do not need a paella pan to create a perfect paella. Clarita's paella recipe is the best I've tried. I also love all her anecdotes of her childhood in Spain and the amusing stories behind some of the dishes. I can't wait to try all the other recipes especially the empanadas, black bean soup, chicken and rice. If you love Spanish cusine please get this book.

This book has the best spanish recipes. Everything I've made so far (and that is about everything!) has come out absolutely delicious!

A little known fact is that Clarita is the grandmother of Orlando restaurateur Manny Garcia. The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Try the Black Beans and Rice. Heaven!

The food in Tampa is an amalgamation of Spanish and Cuban cuisine, unlike the food in South Florida which tends to be more Cuban/Carribbean. This cookbook is easy to use, filled with Clarita's wisdom and stories -- and the dishes are DELICIOUS! Still the best yellow rice and chicken recipe ANYWHERE! Also check out her companion book, Clarita's Cooking Lighter.

This Commentary is a very affordable way to get Martin Luther's insight on his theology of the cross. This book is really a sumation of Luther's beliefs on God and Christ.

Commentary was for a Christmas present. Receiver of the gift was very excited, and enjoys the book very much.

This review covers the Flemming H. Revell Commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to The Galations. This version is based upon Luther's lectures at the University of Wittenberg in 1531 and the translation is based upon the "Middleton" edition of 1575. This is the best version to my knowledge, but it is written in King James english. On the positive side, it reads very poetic, but on the negative, it is harder to follow. I personally like this writing as it is closer to the language of the 16th Century. This book was considered by Luther to be his favorite, and history rates it highly. To summarize, it has a number of messages, (1) Galations shows that a person who is in true faith can fall away if they are negatively influenced by false teaching - a real problem in today's world. (2) That Biblical teaching must be solely based upon Bible scripture, and anyone who teaches man's doctrines using random Bible passages to support his/her sermons is most likely not a trustworthy preacher. (3) That even faith is a gift of God, and not a decision that a person makes. (4) That "Justification" is based upon "faith alone. (5) That Mose's OT law condemns mankind, and that anything a person tries to add to God's grace in the way of works or self rightiousness, denies what Jesus Christ did for mankind on the cross - Galatians 5:4. (6) That good works result from heart felt faith, and that good works do not preceed or contribute to salvation when it comes to "Justification."
The world needs this teaching to be more prevalent; however, the world does not like to hear it; therefore, it is almost lost in today's religious teachings. This work is a masterpiece with few peers if any, and is highly recommended to a person familiar with the Bible who desires to grow in their faith and understanding.

This is, in my estimation, the greatest non-canonical book ever written. Luther expounds Paul's epistle to the Galatians with an insight, power and depth of emotion which is sorely lacking in modern commentaries. He is not concerned with the various potential interpretations of "problematic passages" that fill the pages of other commentaries. From the very first page Luther cuts to the heart of the epistle-the doctrine of justification-in the way that only he can. His bold words and plain-sense interpretations result in a work filled with much of the same force and passion that characterized the epistle itself. The grace of God and the love of Jesus Christ cling to every word like the scent of a precious perfume. I cannot recommend this work highly enough. This is the very essence of the gospel as understood by the one who "rediscovered" the doctrines of faith and grace as he teaches us from the words of the one to whom God first revealed those doctrines. If you are looking for an up-to-date critical commentary or a greek-focused exegetical work then you will not find it here, but if you would hear a plain declaration of the power and wisdom of God then you will not find a better treatise apart from the Bible.

When faced with the ineptitude of my walk with the Lord Jesus I must turn to Luther's Commentary on Galatians! It nearly always brings me to tears of joy as Luther expounds on the love of the Lord Jesus for me a sinner. If Christians of today would make this book a constant book of study, second of course to their Bible we as a church would be able to say along with the apostle Peter,"silver and gold we have none,but such as I have give thee..." Its time for revival in America. Luther's Commentary on Galatians was good enough for the Wesley's amd Bunyan as one other reviewer stated. May I say its good enough for us today. Let's reclaim the power of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and learn the old truth of being justified by faith alone through His grace alone.

TIENEN EL PODER DE ECHARNOS A PERDER LA VIDA !
Esta maravilla te encamina a deshacerte de ellos Y A CONVERTIRTE EN UN TRIUNFADOR EN TODAS LAS ESFERAS DE LA VIDA

JAMÁS SERÁS UN TRIUNFADOR...
Ni siquiera una persona feliz...
Te lo digo en serio, mi cuate

Te demuestra de manera palpable tus errores que, aunque parezcan muy insignificantes, TIENEN EL PODER DE ECHARNOS A PERDER LA VIDA !
Esta maravilla te encamina a deshacerte de ellos Y A CONVERTIRTE EN UN TRIUNFADOR EN TODAS LAS ESFERAS DE LA VIDA !

es DEJAR DE COMETER LOS MISMOS ERRORES UNA Y MIL VECES...
Y eso es lo que me enseñó este fabuloso libro !
De ahi, HASTA LA CUMBRE !

Too few to ruin our lives !
But the book is right !
ONLY FIVE SO COMMON MISTAKES
And avoinding them is so easy.,...
A really marvelous book !

One of the most famous - and infamous - letters in all of literature, De Profundis is a strange little piece of work: either much more than it appears on the surface, or much less. It is something I think everyone should read, if only for its insight into the human character, particularly that of one under great personal suffering. Wilde wrote this extraordinarily long letter from prison to Lord Alfred Douglas, his friend, lover, and the man who - by all accounts - was the reason Wilde was in jail in the first place. Despite repeated assertions in the first few pages alone to the contrary, Wilde seems reluctant to blame himself. He clearly blames Douglas to the hilt, and harbors a certain bitter resentment towards him. And yet... he clearly still hold much dear affection toward - and even loves - Douglas. He still seems to be asking for forgiveness - despite the fact that, by all accounts hardly excluding his own, he was the man wronged. It is quite clear from reading this letter that, desite the view history holds of him, Wilde was clearly a man of very high moral character. Certainly, one would not put Wilde atop a pedastal as the zenith of ethics - he himself says that morals contain "absolutely nothing" for him, and clearly admits - and is proud of - his having lived the high life to the hilt during his youth - but Wilde was a man of principles, and he stuck to those principles to the tragic, bitter end. Perhaps you might say he carried them too far. One gets the sense in reading this letter - or a biography of Wilde - that, not only could he have stopped his immiment imprisonment, but could have severed his ties with Douglas completely - had he wanted to. Apparently, he had his own utterly compelling reasons for not doing so. Whatever the case, Oscar Wilde is one of the most fundamentally and perpetually interesting characters in the whole of history. A self-described man of paradoxes - Wilde was subsequently the true essence of his time, while also being far ahead of his time - De Profundis makes for required reading by one of the most endlessly fascinating individuals you'll ever read about, and also provides a startling - indeed, perhaps too much so - insight into human nature.

De Profundis, though long for a letter, is not a long work in the conventional sense. Consequently, as many editions of Wilde's collected works are available, buying this on its own may be deemed questionable. I highly reccommend purchasing a Collected Works of Oscar if you have not done so already - it's well worth the price - but, should you desire to have more compact editions of specific works, an edition such as this will be privy to your needs.

This is a very moving account of a heartbroken man who was betrayed by a person he loved dearly. The pain, the trauma, the love, the anger, the frustration is evident in every single well-written sentence. This book is not only a window into the mind of one of the best British writers of the late 19th century. It is also a timeless lesson on what can happen when one falls in love with someone who doesn't truly appreciate what they have before them. Of course there are other lessons to be learned in this book but rather than point them out here, I'd much prefer you pick up a copy of "De Profundis" as soon as you can.

Not actually a "letter," though it had to be originally presented as such for him to be allowed to write it while in prison, *De Profundis* is Wilde's masterpiece--one has to have really lived and really, really suffered to have written it and it's amazing that he achieved it.

I only very recently read it--and "got" it. It rings true to me, and is very, very moving and "profound." It ain't summer beach reading.

Wilde is still and will probably always be best known as a "Personality"--that and the author of a couple of decent period plays, a short novel, a few stories, and lots of forgettable poems and such. But THIS--THIS is IT.

He really WAS a great writer, it turns out, after all.

So many people concentrate on De Profundis' accusations cast towards Alfred Douglas. Yes, it's true that the letter was written to him and that Wilde is ruthless in letting Douglas know exactly what he thinks of him but that's not why De Profundis is a great piece of work. It is great for three reasons. Number one - It contains the best account of the life of Christ. Christ as the romantic artist is the only account that has moved me to tears and the only account I can personally embrace. Number two - it is chock full of the Oscar Wilde voice and wit and as a result it reverbates as a true work of art and number three - It is ultimately a work that celebrates the things in life worth feeling - failure, love, injustice, strength and forgiveness.

Don't waste your time with the accusations towards Douglas. He is unimportant. Oscar Wilde is what's important and De Profundis is Oscar Wilde bare.

Ah, me...one doesn't know which to be more irritated
and exasperated with: whether it be Walt Whitman doing
his dissembling shuck-and-shuffle about the children
he had sired (to throw off a probing, serious John
Addington Symonds) -- or Oscar, in this "j'accuse," which
he should have spoken while looking in a mirror, rather
than writing it on paper to Lord Alfred.
This is without doubt a fascinating, horrifying,
and yet in places humorous, "piece de Miserere mei"
(to combine a bit of French with Latin).
If one chooses to believe Oscar, his only fault
was weakness in "giving in" to Lord Alfred. Oh,
come now. Blinded by Eros, reason flies out the
door...if ever reason was in control. There are
some sentences which are devastatingly revealing,
but Oscar doesn't seem to see it. "The trivial in
thought and action is charming. I had made it
the keystone of a very brilliant philosophy expressed
in plays and paradoxes." Ye gods, and little fishes!

And this man dared to call himself a "Classicist?!"
Yikes!!!
The best exercise for the reader is to just take
many of the things which Oscar accuses Lord Alfred
of, and turn them toward the self-blind, self-
justifying Oscar, to see their devastating hitting
of the mark. Never having met the young man, but
only having the "benefit" of hearsay (mostly from
Oscar's literary defenders) Lord Alfred seems to have
been calculating, temperamental (using anger to get
his way), manipulative, etc., etc., etc. The best
description of him may be Wilde's referring to him
with the lines from Aeschylus' play AGAMEMNON,
about the lion cub being raised in a house and
being let loose to wreak havoc and ruin.
But Oscar bears his share of blame -- more than just
that of the "sin" of weakness which he constantly falls
back upon in his own justification. Even in the midst
of what purports to be some sort of penitent cry from
the depths of hell...Oscar still is ever the poseur:
"And I remember that afternoon, as I was in the railway
carriage whirling up to Paris, thinking what an impossible,
terrible, utterly wrong state my life had got into, when
I, a man of world-wide reputation, was actually forced
to run away from England, in order to try and get rid
of a friendship that was entirely destructive of everything
fine in me either from the intellectual or ethical point
of view...." Er, when was the last time that the
"everything fine" had last seen the light of day?
Was Oscar an "Artist," as he consistently claims?
Was he the wronged, harmed Artist? Perhaps only the
reader can decide that for himself. Without doubt
he was witty, acerbic, funny, cute, clever, perhaps
even charming (to some -- sort of like a Pillsbury
Dough Boy with flair and a clever tongue), perhaps
stylish (in a frumpy, velveteen sort of way). Was
he wronged by a predatory clinger and manipulator,
and a hypocritical social prudery and class power
play (Oscar is no Socrates--that's for sure!)? He
hardly seems worthy, in some ways, of being a poster-boy
for Gay Pride parades. More likely, he is a better
warning poster boy for the self-excusing, and never
take-responsibility-for-your-own-actions crowd.
But this is an incredible piece to read and think
about. There is some of it that is mordantly hilarious.

QUE TE DA UNA NUEVA PERSPECTIVA DE TU VIDA...
Mi vida cambió para bien y para siempre con Despierta la Magia de tu Vida Diaria...Inténtalo y no te vas a sentir defraudado..

YOU ARE MISSING ONE OF THE BEST OPORTUNITIES OF YOUR LIFE !
The key word of it is
ENERGY !
AND THE OWNER?
YOU !

UNA HECHICERA ESPECIALIZADA EN ENERGIA Y MAGIA BLANCA???
Es la autora de un libro de "Nombres Mágicos para tu Bebé", y super sabia en la materia maravillosa de LA MAGIA !

¡ES UNA REALIDAD CIENTIFICA DESDE EL PRINCIPIO DEL MUNDO !
Lo triste es que NO SABEMOS ATRAERLA, EXPLOTARLA!
¿Sabes que hay curaciones fenomenales con la transmisión de TU Propia Energía????

No dejes pasar la magia de este libro desapercibida !

Lo leí por la insistencia de mi cuñada QUE ME DIJO QUE ESTE LIBRO LE HABÍA CAMBIADO LA VIDA ( Si, hace meses que la veo transformada y feliz ).
¡NO SABEMOS QUÉ AFORTUNADOS SOMOS HASTA LEER ESTA OBRA !
Nuestra vida está penetrada por una magia que a diario desperidiciamos !
APRENDÍ A UTILIZARLA!
¡Y NO ES UNA TOMADA DE PELO ! ES EL PRINCIPIO CIENTIFICO DE LA ENERGIA !

Este libro nos ensena que las decisiones que hacemos en nuestras vidas afectan no solamente la vida de uno sino a las vidas de sus hijos y las futuras generacions.

Es un libro sencillo, claro, emotivo y muy profundo, para leer, releer y meditar, pero sobre todo para no olvidar. Se lee con facilidad, pero se nos introduce en nuestra propia alma y al revés lo vamos completando con nuestras propias vivencias. Deja una huella muy profunda. Abstenerse curiosos, puede tener efectos secundarios, aunque pienso que todos positivos.

Me encanto este libro. Todas las madres y abuelas lo deben de leer. Es un libro bien escrito, facil de leer y con montones de frases y parrafos que debemos subrayar y tener presentes todos los dias. Imposible leer el libro sin relacionarlo con nuestra propia vida. Trata de la relacion de una mujer con su hija y su nieta, pasando ademas por sus relaciones con los hombres. De una forma realista, no sentimental, nos llena de ternura y de gratitud hacia nuestro nucleo familiar, aunque este no siempre haya sido perfecto.

Al comienzo cuando abri' el libro, pense' que se trataba de otra rareza ma's de la literatura. Pero, poco a poco, me fue' atrapando con su lenguaje reflexivo y tierno que, sin lugar a dudas me hace pensar que es uno de los mejores libros que he lei'do. Con razo'n es un libro internacional. Ah! Un buen regalo para las madres y abuelas.

This book is a must for every woman. It touches every part of our lives. It brushes over our hopes, dreams, regrets, mistakes and the love that makes us daughters, wives, mothers and grandmothers. Susanna Tamaro uses language rich in her culture to paint one of the most touching of literature's portraits!

I often use Ana Lomba's products in my Spanish classes to supplement the conversational curriculum I develop week by week.

This book is great - the students listen at home to the CD, and then read it in groups in class. We discuss the new words they learned, and for older students, we talk about the difference between preterite and imperfect tense verbs (high school).

For an introduction to Spanish, this may be a little overwhelming - but it never hurts to hear the target language in one more format! After a few lessons on the words that will be used, this is an excellent book. The only thing I noticed is that the Spanish translation is more "Spain-y" than Mexican, which is fine - all regionalisms are great, but for my own students, being in Texas, they noticed the difference between the way we speak around here versus this book. Honestly, a TEENY little con. All in all, a great supplement to any curriculum, any age!
Sra. Gose
Author of Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 1 & Flip Flop Spanish: Ages 3-5: Level 2

I am very happy w/this purchase. I love that it's in Spanish and English. A very easy read uses latin american spanish which I appreciate. How can you go wrong w/such a classic story. It is one of my kids favorite stories.

I've recently purchased this book for my 2 kids, 2yrs and 3 1/2. They are both starting to learn spanish. My only complaints about the book would be that the illustracions are not what I'm used to in kids fairy-tale books, though my son thinks this is great... and also, that on the CD the speaker is speaking with a spanish accent, rather than a latin-american one (we were expecting a LA accent as purchased in the US). But, I still give it 5/5 as it is (so far) the best bi-lingual book we have found to both make new vocab reasonable clear and easy for the kids to figue out, and also, for maintaining their interest. My youngest is walking around the house calling his bears the tres osos, and rocking on his rocker saying delante-detras... so the vocab from the book sticks well due to the repetition.

Any book Ana Lomba has her name on, we will buy.

I am a non-Spanish speaking mother of a five year old daughter and two year old son. I want my children to be bilingual. I bought "Play and Learn Spanish" first and have purchased everything else this author has produced. All Ana Lomba's materails are A++++++++

Another fun and interactive learning tool and Another must have if you want to teach and learn Spanish.

My granddaughter is always happy for me to read this book to her. She absolutely loves the storyline, as well as the pictures. The interpretation is marvelous and keeps your interest. Yet, there is enough repetition for a child to really enjoy the story. This is a nice spin on the classic 'Godilocks' tale. She loves the images of the Poppa Bear, Momma Bear and of course, the baby bear. She enjoys repeating the sentences about the food.