Renaissance Books

After I read this book, I went to an attorney about a legal problem. The information I got from the book allowed me to ask the right questions and I'm sure I reduced the attorney's time (at $225 an hour) by at least 25%. I'd have paid a lot more for information like that. I'm looking forward to Nancy Jones' new legal books. A happy reader. Stephanie Gardon, San Francisco, California

I was at the bookstore checkout counter when this book came into the store for the first time. I was going through a divorce and needed some sensible advice. I splurged on a copy and discovered some information that saved me several thousands dollars when the showdown came at the lawyers' offices. Thanks a lot Nancy L. Jones!

Wow, was this audio guide easy to use. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the informative content. By using the audio guide we really understood everything about this world famous piazza. The background music was an added plus that we had not expected. By following the audio guide in conjunction with the provided map we were able to see and understand everything about st. Mark's Square in the time we had available. We will be looking for WhiteHot Productions audio guides every where we go in the future. Kudos to the narrator for making this so enjoyable.

I have toured Venice many times but never with the excellent audio guide provided by WhiteHot Productions. It clearly and logically explains what one sees and allows plenty of time to situate yourself before each stop. The narration is excellent and the musical interludes charming. This audio guide is a must for any thoughtful understanding of the Piazza San Marco.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM HONORABLE JOHN PRESCOTT, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER OF UNITED KINGDOM AND OTHERS
Recommendation by Eric Chipps, Chipps Management Consultants
In today's world of international conflicts, religious strife, North and South disparities, terrorism, extremism and unilateralism, harmony renaissance is the only common value universal solution. The tide of Harmony Renaissance is inevitable. All present will become pioneers of Harmony Renaissance. Harmony advocates non-violence. Its' premises are tolerance, acceptance, respect, equity, patience and humility. As powerful as we are we will not have nobility and hope unless we practice humility. This is the new global awareness. Harmony is the conduit to facilitate multi-directional cultural flow not just from West to East and North to South. Harmony is the all-embracing unifying force for unity in diversity.

Dr. Fung has initiated the World Harmony Organization in North America and has already attracted interest and support. It is a growing influence in North America, Europe and China from important figures in academic and social circles, economics and politics, as well as a growing number of concerned citizens in many countries.

Clearly, the policies of confrontation currently contributing so much to world tensions are unproductive, as well as damaging to the progress of society. By developing the ancient Chinese promotion of harmony, the Organization hopes to become again the third pillar in supporting democracy and religious principle as the foundation of a more peaceful and productive world.

More information can be obtained from the Organization's website at WorldHarmonyorg.net which allows a measure of the extent to which harmony is increasingly an influence. You may also contribute opinion via WorldHarmonyforum.blogspot.com By his talk today, Dr. Fung hopes to generate recognition among influential people of the role that a young, dynamic America, endowed with resources should be advocating harmony renaissance.



Excerpt from Jan 2007 speech by Hon. John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State, United Kingdom:
There's been a great deal of talk about harmony in recent times. In fact, the academic, Francis Fung, has argued in his recent paper "Chinese Harmony Culture: Old and New - Promise for a Less Confrontational World" that China is witnessing a harmony renaissance.
He claims that great debates are happening today in China over whether Socialism with Chinese characteristics can be Socialism with harmony. And Fung maintains that China's harmony socialism will provide an alternative model, as the leading system of governance in the 21st Century.
Indeed, I note that in October the Chinese Communist Party launched a national campaign to build a more harmonious society. In doing so, China appears to be reaffirming its own rich cultural tradition of harmony.
And now, opening the Sheffield Confucius Institute, I reflect on the fact that this emphasis on harmony between man and nature is part of a tradition of Chinese thought going back 2,500 years. This tradition has, of course, evolved and changed over time."



Blog Response by Morgan Steacy

I have been reading professor Fung's letters and articles, posted to his blog site for the last week, and have become comlpetely enraptured by the hope of future possibility that they bring. Although there is nothing that I could do physically, as I am in Toronto, and the World Harmony Festival is taking place in San Francisco, if there were anything that I could do from home to volunteer my time over the summer months, I would be thrilled to be a part of something that I have been advocating myself for some time privately.
I am currently a student at York University in Toronto, Canada, studying East Asia focusing on China. My main area of concern lies squarely within your realm of thought insofar as ascertaining the facets of Chinese thought that may be able to ameliorate the social situation of my country and the world at large. I am certain that I would be able to contribute to your organisation with great success.
Please feel free to contact me by any means, and I look forward to being in touch.

Having identified the problem as being an inability to understand the varied needs and values of nations as they relate to the implementation of human rights, Fung goes on to suggest that it is the imminent Harmony Renaissance that could reveal the solutions. Harmony requires that people allow for the differences between cultures without passing judgement. It requires that people take the time to ask questions and make decisions after they have heard the answers.
The concept of ritual is instrumental to Confucianism and may lend itself well to this discussion. The tenet holds that in carrying out ritual properly one becomes a human being. The performance of ritual requires genuine interaction with another individual or individuals. If we were to think of every moment as being ritualised, we would be forced to connect to the other that we intend to judge rather than simply imposing our own standards upon the other on whom those standards have no bearing.
Excusing nations for all violations of human rights is certainly not what is being called for. Nor is Fung necessarily claiming that each nation should independently determine the degree to which human rights can be provided. Rather the importance of what Fung is claiming lies in the acknowledgement and acceptance of difference. The manner in which a country behaves is determined by its history, its geography, its current socio-economic make-up and intangible cultural traits. Without a profound understanding of all factors involved it is impossible to understand decisions made. It is with this outlook that modern leaders and citizens must enter the global-political realm and replace careless judgements with calculated decisions based in the growing tide of harmony.
Morgan Steacy, York University, Department of East Asian Study

In volume three, Needham picks up where he left off and continues his church history masterpiece. While no historian can be exhaustive in scope, Needham nevertheless manages to cover the great men and events in more detail than one would expect, all the while keeping things in their historical context. Most importantly he writes interesting history! These books are a delight to read because they display the hand of God in the acts of history. No naturalist historians need apply!

Needham correctly believes that Christians today can learn and profit from the lessons of the past: the battles that have already been fought, issues that have already been debated, and leaders who have come before us. And he is able to present all this information in a manner that leaves Christians excited about the great work Christ has done through His church, from the first century through to our own day.

One of the most unique, useful, and enjoyable aspects of Needham's histories is the material he places at the end of each chapter. There he gives samples of the primary sources about which he has just written. These brief glimpses of the writings of the great pastors, humanists, heretics, and theologians help the history come alive to modern readers, most of whom have never interacted with these great works before.

I eagerly await volume four. These histories will be the standard for years to come, right up there with d'Aubigne, Wylie, Schaff, and the like.

This is a great tab book for those who are interested in learning Renaissance guitar. The cd that comes with it is very nice, almost worth the price itself. If you're into that Bard/tavern music/medieval type stuff, you'll love it.

I only recently became interested in Renaissance guitar, and this book has been extremely helpful. Some really nice, slow beginner pieces in here, and others are a bit more challenging. Think of it as a baby step toward learning more complex classical pieces.

So, if you're looking to learn this style, I recommend it, it's great fun and very pretty. Also, having a classical guitar isn't required obviously, but if you want the appropriate sound it's highly recommended.

Just like the other tours offered by this company I was very impressed with this audio tour. The narration was perfect without getting too boring and the way they navigated me through this gallery was so easy. Great job.

Isn't technology great. For my trip to Italy I purchaed a MP3 player to use on my flight. I saw this product on Amazon and boy, was I impressed. The content was superb, the narrative excellent and the background music an added bonus. Was it great to go around a musuem without having to continually refer to a book. If you are going to Venice, you must buy this product.

Not too many people are aware of Rev. Powell's frist love, and getting and entirely differnet viewpoint of this man and his first wife. Her sister was Freddie Wasington who was a dancer at the Harlem Cotton club. Blacks would entertain but couldn't be patrons of this clun. This sort of discrimation is what Rev. Adamd C. Powell fought for!!!!!!!!!

If you don't know who Aemilia Lanyer was, please read about her or better yet read her works. She lived in London during the 1600s and was of Jewish-Italian descent. She became the mistress to Lord Chamberlain and may well have been Shakespeare's "dark lady". The most amazing and fabulous thing she did was publishe poems. Her poem "Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum" is a bold, well written poem and defends women of negative stereotypes which have been forced upon them since Eve. In "Eve's Apology," this portion of the poem is spoken from the point of view of Pontius Pilate's wife, who is begging for the life of Christ. She explores who is really guilty in original sin.

The essays in this book written about Lanyer and her works tell of her life and poetry and sheds new light on gender and class identity. Her male contemporaries at the time were John Donne, Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare.

The experts who write the essays for this book have done their research and make good, convincing arguments. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to understand Lanyer more thoroughly.

I bought this book for school and it came to me quickly. It was in great condition, i had no problems!