Passion The Books

I found this book extremely helpful, insightful, humerous and basically my new reference book for daily living.

As a motivational speaker, I have been reading self-help and motivational books for years. Never before have I found a book that contained the "basic" highlights of every book I have read. Tina provides a gentle blend of psychology, science, common sense, and life experiences in a "gentle" to read style that informs rather than preaches. Her chapters on "self-talk" are so intuitive that you have to put the book down occasionally to let the information marinate in you mind before proceeding. I look forward to reading this book again and again.

This has become one of my favorite books. Bernie Siegel, M.D. put it succinctly when he said "This book can be a great help to those ready for transformation." Well, I am always ready for transformation; who isn't? The beauty of this book is that it is simply written and easy to understand. After having read it -- I gobbled it up voraciously in two days -- I now go back and re-read certain sections that help remind me of how to meander upon my own "gentle path."

It was an easy read, even while dealing with deep and emotional issues. Tina Thomas has a clear, no-nonsense, down-home style which goes right to the heart of the matter. This is one of the best books I have read about improving one's attitude and eliminating all traces of the negative. It also makes a wonderful gift for friends and loved ones. After reading it, I obtained ten of them for my best buddies!

As a therapist myself, I find it rare to discover a self-help book that really says anything new or useful. Not only does the author do both but she also has a delightful conversational style and inspirational examples. Her explaination of the brain and how to reprogam are brilliant. I also enjoyed her deeper understanding of the positive intentions of emotion - very insightful. I had the opportunity to meet the author at a workshop she gave and was also impressed with her congruency - clearly she is a woman who LIVES her message! She is dynamic and enthusiastic yets exudes peace & compassion. Reading her book is like being at her workshop, or better yet, like finding a dear wise friend.

Very sexy! I loved listening to this on the commute in to work - kept me in a good mood throughout the day! Although the benefits were even better on the days I listened to it on the commute HOME...

I loved the book, and got the audio for a friend who's really into audiobooks, and after he raved about it, I borrowed it back from him... Erotica on audio is really great! I think it especially works well with an anthology such as this one. My lover and I listened to 1-2 stories at bedtime for a week. Quite an inspirational experience! Susie Bright's choices rule, of course, and I think the audio adaptation is really well done and super sexy! I say, "Check it out!"

Truely wonderful. Varied, caring, and *HOT*.

Finally, a hands-free erotica experience... I think this is a really well-done product and recommend it highly - very sexy. The first story, "Rubenesque", is one of my favorite erotic stories of all time.

The revered quest to satisfy your lover through her G-spot by Relating Anatomy Into Lovemaking is Mr. Schuessler's definition for the Holy G-rail. Michael Schuessler's informative little novella is jam packed with true life experience and tips for men and women on how to find the g-spot as well as how to self-love, warm-up, communicate, and experience the total effect of the g-spot climax.

With the help of his Special Lover, Michael explains in step by step detail the art of finding and enjoying every ounce of pleasure the g-spot climax invokes. This book is small enough that anyone man or woman can conceal in a jacket pocket, or purse to pull out in times when a little "reference" may be needed.

I would recommend The Holy G-rail to anyone trying to discover ways to spice up a relationship or are looking to heighten the sexual experience with their partner. Mr. Schuessler is a remarkable writer that really enforces the word, "hands on," the diagrams are also helpful. There are more books to come in the pleasuring series so be on the lookout for those, but for the time being go out and pick up your copy of The Holy G-rail today and start experiencing what you've been missing. 5 Hearts

This book is truly amazing. Yes I was alittle sceptical at first, because there are a zillion books on the G spot..But none (and I have read quite a few) are as detailed and right on as this book. And the best part of this book is that it works -100 percent! This book is a breathe of fresh air among the G-spot books. If you only buy one G-spot book, this is the book you need to buy!

The book is simply amazing in its approach to finding the G-spot!
within moments me and my Gal were in heaven WOW..I also like the fact that it shows so many different levels of relationship building. Its really easy to read. Simple to actually find and do and only took me about 40 minutes to finish reading the whole book! I've re-read it many times now and I am finding different levels of understanding each time.. WOW is all I can really say Great!

Don't wait, buy this book! Schuessler lays out the essential steps for find the "g-spot" and pleasuring your partner, both from an anatomical standpoint, and a spiritual one. Gentlemen, your lady will be blown away, and thank you for using these techniques. Don't wait, get this book!

I found this book to be a very informative and empowering read. The information is presented in an easy to understand and clear way by dividing fantasies into categories. Basically it examines the meaning of sexual fantasies in a woman's life somewhat like one could do with dreams. However, dreams are unconscious/subconscious whereas fantasies are more of a conscious process.

Okay, this is a nice light read for those wanting to delve into their own fantasy life. Based on fantasy workshops, the authors have been able to classify women's fantasies into six catagories, diagram them, take them apart, and examine how they influence or are influenced by our daily lives. This book also focuses on removing harmful or unwanted sexual fantasies that might be impeding growth in a relationship and discusses when and how to bring up fantasies to a partner that might not be receptive. The authors also caution against going from fantasy to reality unless you can really constrain the environment or keep the fantasy playful with easy ways to escape the situation. Overall, this book was very helpful in sparking more of my imagination, and I can see how it would help those with unwanted fantasies too. So, get ready to get aroused and to think through what's really behind the scenes of your favorite fantasy if you pick this one up.

For anyone suspicious that Nancy Friday's dated My Secret Garden lacked legitimate research and analysis, this new book is a welcome resource. It gives the reader more than just summaries of women's fantasies--although obviously you cannot write this book without describing them. But this book goes on to show how to use those fantasies.

Sex therapist and author Wendy Maltz and writer Suzie Boss have combined their talents in this new book about women's sexual fantasies. Together they explore the origins of women's most private thoughts, the most common fantasy roles for women, and how sexual fantasies may function to enhance one's sex life. Wendy Maltz's capacity as one of our country's leading experts with respect to healing from past sexual abuse is also reflected in this book. Chapters on how to recognize fantasy traps and heal or even change unwanted fantasies provide individuals with important insights and tools to alter disturbing fantasies. Finally, the authors offer advice on how to share fantasies with your lover and how to create new fantasies.
I found this book remarkable as it addresses an important issue in a very matter of fact way. Once again, it becomes clear how diverse women's sexualities are. The authors provide a logical framework for different fantasy styles by separating sexual fantasies into two broad categories, 1) scripted fantasies which may contain scripted plots and identifiable characters versus 2) unscripted fantasies with a primary focus on sensations rather that character roles. These two categories are by no means exclusive. In fact, many women draw from both in order to make up their personal fantasies.

Different women have different modes for getting sexually aroused, and while some prefer visual stimulation, others may find that auditory, tactile, olfactory, kinesthetic (related to body movement) or flavor stimuli are important ingredients to trigger sexual arousal. Maltz and Boss conclude: "…Sex therapists have recognized for years that fantasy can be an effective aid in helping women with sexual performance. They have frequently recommended the use of fantasies to boost sexual response, sort of like a vibrator of mind…The beauty of fantasy is that we can tap this wellspring of creativity at any time, in any place, with no one else privy to our thoughts…"

I very much agree that sexual fantasies are private thoughts, which do not necessarily have to be shared with others. For those who choose to share their fantasies with a partner for sexual enrichment, the authors offer sound advice on how to best accomplish this and they provide various guidelines for how to enact fantasies while honoring each other's limits.

In conclusion, I can highly recommend Private Thoughts to anyone, female or male, who wants to learn more about the power of women's sexual fantasies.

Cheri Register's book "Living With Chronic Illness" was both validating and helpful to me.
Eight years of living with chronic migraines has effected my faith, self-image, independence, relationships, work aspirations and what I consider my purpose in life.
At first I tried to minimize the migraines disabling effect but over time and with more acceptance I have, for the most part, found ways to accommodate and live with them.
Register describes many of the challenges of living with chronic illness. Sickness in our culture is seen as an enemy to be fought and defeated. These war images cast chronically ill people as victims, and it's sometimes seen as a character defect if we experience suffering, grief or fear. Instead of �battling� the illness we can accept it as something we live with that is our normal state of being. The realization that we can be happy and sick is a major lesson.
Our culture expects a person's disability to be a test of character or an opportunity for heroism. People effected with illness should not have to prove their value to others. We are not better or worse, no more heroic or cowardly, strong or weak than healthy people. We are people first not a disease.
Other hurdles for the chronically ill include: loss of autonomy, (self-reliance and being financially self-supporting carries the imprint of virtue). For the chronically ill not pulling your weight is compounded by the fear of becoming indigent and feeling different. Unemployment not only involves economic loss but the loss of identity, productivity, self worth and a sense of meaning. Register says it is important to separate our economic and identity issues from the quest of human worth. When we accept our illness we can stop looking for a cause to blame or a miracle cure.
Chronic Illness challenges our relationships. Adversity can bring couples closer but with chronic illness the adversity comes and goes on a regular basis. The crisis may even become the core of the relationship. Illness highlights and compounds the gender differences. Females are trained to show emotion and males to hide them. It is easier for women to "be there" for intimacy and shared vulnerability. Women often want simple consolation from their husbands, what they get instead is a rational solution. Seeing their mate sick leaves many men feeling powerless. When a relationship requires sustained expression of thoughts and feelings it may become burdensome for the mate.
Register illuminates patience as a way of life for the chronically ill. Acceptance means taking realistic control over how we live and being ready for chaos. The "one day at a time approach" helps. When pain grows intense it demands complete attention. It also helps to focus on the recovery instead of the traumas.
Most doctors are more comfortable caring for acute illness. When medications do not work the patient rather than the medication is often blamed. Few doctors are honest about the limits of medical knowledge and trust patients enough to be partners in care.
Register acknowledges that anger, fear and grief are healthy responses to physical suffering. The value of catharsis allows us to face the emotions head-on rather than avoid or dismiss them. It is reassuring to hear that having suicidal fantasies are a normal consequence of chronic illness and not evidence of losing hold. Since most people do not act on their suicidal thoughts, considering death as a way out of the pain often diffuses the suffering. Also, when we confront the suicidal fantasy head-on it looses its power. Register even came to regard her own suicidal fantasies as a treasured choice. Knowing that suicidal thoughts are a feature of the illness is empowering.
Instead of asking "why me?" the chronically ill are better served by the question "what now?" And for people of faith we might ask, "what do you want from me God?" which implies not penance but fulfillment of a mission. Instead of seeing chronic illness as a punishment for sin, an endurance test, a divine plan geared to your natural capacity or a random event Register recommends we see chronic illness and suffering as central to the human condition. It is our own share of life's condition - a way of life not an aberration. Register says, to live with passion allows us to live with the dynamics of contradiction in joy and sorrow, caring and indifference, in courage and fear, in friendship and alienation. Passion is a fully human and divine spark that burns with life.
To answer the question "what should I do?" Register says, "Just live your life, pain and all with attention and purpose." Lived fully, the experience of illness can free us from the curse of perfection. For people of faith learning to feel God's pain makes us more attuned to God's pleasure. Life is a beautiful tapestry being woven with our lives, it's pattern visible only to God.
Register redefines the disabled hero as one who demonstrates a capacity to come through multiple ordeals with their will intact. Instead of winners and losers, survivors have moments of courage, moments of cowardice, moments of determination and moments of despair, moments of glory and moments of humiliation. That many of us survive these ups and downs is a miracle that happens many times a day.
Register describes the ingredients of survival for the chronically ill: a sense of humor, tenacity, a will to live, discipline, inner strength, trusting ourselves, inner peace, acceptance, a support system, faith, skepticism, and a belief in a Higher Power and Purpose. Instead of saying, "There but for the grace of God go I" we might say, "Here, with the grace of God, I am." Our bodies are, after all, our medium for experiencing creation.

"Living With Chronic Illness" has probably been one of the most important books in my collection as I deal with chronic illness myself. I met the author in 1990 and heard her speak about the unique nature of rare and chronic diseases, and found myself nodding and smiling throughout her talk. If you are dealing with a chronic illness, you will re-read this book (or sections of it) for years as you experience different problems. Mine's marked up with yellow highlighter and underlined passages, a sign of how deeply and personally Cheri's writing touches my heart. I saw that she's revised and updated this book, so I would unhesitatingly recommend that one sight unseen too.

Register, who has a chronic illness herself, has interviewed other patients in Minnesota to get their views on subjects ranging from marriage to work. I found myself underlining so many sentences. The book has been a comfort to me since I first bought it in 1991. It has seen me through asthma and depression. One drawback, which Register acknowledges--all her interviewees are from Minnesota so there is no geographical diversity. Also, from their names and descriptions, they all seem to be African- or European-American--no Asians for example, and I didn't find any gay people. A more diverse sample would have made this a stronger book. Overall, I highly recommend it, and I hope she's still around to publish more! I really appreciated her sharing so much about her life.

"Living With Chronic Illness" has probably been one of the most important books in my collection as I deal with chronic illness myself. I met the author in 1990 and heard her speak about the unique nature of rare and chronic diseases, and found myself nodding and smiling throughout her talk. If you are dealing with a chronic illness, you will re-read this book (or sections of it) for years as you experience different problems. Mine's marked up with yellow highlighter and underlined passages, a sign of how deeply and personally Cheri's writing touches my heart. I saw that she's revised and updated this book, so I would unhesitatingly recommend that one sight unseen too.

With the subtlety of an impressionist brush, a picture quickly emerges of love, intrigue, and a passion for the people of Croatia. Lovers and Mad Men takes the reader on a detailed tour into the inner workings of the Croatian Nationalist Movement as it gains power as a political force. The reader is whisked through the back streets of world capitals and into dark alleys for clandestine meetings with the leaders of terrorist groups. Keeping just steps ahead of the dreaded Yugoslav secret police, you go with the Busics to meetings in smoky cafes and bars. You can almost taste the Slivovitz. Busic then keeps the reader by the hand as she details the inner workings and hard life of a committed member of a subversive group. She opens her emotional being for all to see as her passion for her lover, Taik, and the Croatian people grows. It may read, at times, like an action packed fictional work of Ian Fleming, but it is all true, as experienced by a regular girl from Portland Oregon. Take this one with you on that long plane flight. With this book, you won't mind economy class.

Sometimes the seeds of revolution are nurtured in backrooms, sometimes in the beds of lovers. This is the autobiographical account of a young American woman's involvement in the Croatian underground in the 1970s. It chronicles her internal machinations as well as her role in the movement to free Croatia from the totalitarian grip of communist Yugoslavia. At first, her involvement is for love of her Croatian boyfriend (Zvonko), then from a deep commitment to the liberation of Croatia. It began with a little favor--the dumping of pro-Croatian leaflets from a tower in the center of Zagreb which resulted in her arrest and brief imprisonment in Yugoslavia. The couple's subsequent activities, and flight from the Yugoslavian secret police, are then traced through Austria, Yugoslavia, Germany, France, Ireland, and the United States, ending with the coup de grace of an airliner hijacking as a political statement in New York City in 1976. Her story reminds the reader that youthful idealism, naivete, and bravado are the best fuel for the fires of unfolding revolutions and insurrections. The author relates her story with superb humor, unflinching honesty, and some wonderfully written prose; especially memorable is the account of her incarceration in Yugoslavia. Her account illustrates well the paradox of one country's criminal becoming another nation's folk hero. Julie Busic served thirteen years of a life sentence for her role in the hijacking. Her husband, Zvonko (Taik) Busic, has just begun the 25th year of his sentence.

Scene: 1976. French sharpshooters surround an American aircraft parked on the tarmac of an airport outside Paris, while inside a blonde, pretty American girl - an educated, nice girl anybody would be pleased to have for a daughter - struggles to make things as comfortable as possible for the hijacked American passengers. Kind of movie-of-the-week stuff. Except ... she's not a flight attendant. She's one of the hijackers.

This dissonance between who Julienne Eden Busic is and what she appears to be, indeed what she was growing up in a small Oregon town, forms the essence of her unusual and illuminating memoir, Lovers and Madmen: A True Story of Passion, Politics and Air Piracy.

In language that is luminous, thoughtful, original and flayingly honest, Busic describes her transition from apolitical schoolgirl to revolutionary and the catalytic agent: love. But in Busic's rendering, the line between love and fate blur.

She meets exiled Croatian dissident Zvonko "Taik" Busic on a street corner in Vienna, though "meet" is perhaps the wrong term -- he seems to be stalking her. Yet he's late for their first date, careless about time. In fact, without in any way being violent or overbearing, he moves early to assert dominance in their relationship. "In truth ... I am too fond," Juliet says to Romeo after agreeing to marry him after only one meeting. "And therefore thou mayst think my `havior light: But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true than those that have more cunning to be strange." Julie and Taik's romance has that quality, if not so much the passionate declarations of Shakespeare's famous lovers, still the sense of the hand of fate trailing downward, touching one then the other, almost as if at random, linking them forever together, no matter how high the cost.

And the cost is very, very high. Julie first does six months in a squalid Yugoslav prison for smuggling and distributing revolutionary leaflets inside that then-Communist nation. When she is finally freed, upon bathing, she leaves a scum of dirt in the bathtub, so filthy is she from her ordeal. Taik neither congratulates her on her stamina nor thanks her. It seems that, so ingrained in him is the idea that one suffers for one's convictions that he doesn't even acknowledge her sufferings for his.

And his conviction is that people should be allowed to express their own culture in their own country, to be free men on the land on which they were born. Busic paints him as dark, foreign, next to her open, American blondness. But such convictions as his are quintessentially American. Which is why, when the idea of a non-violent hijacking occurs, it is upon American soil that it is hatched and the plan is to educate Americans, who have been kept largely in the dark by U.S. media, of the plight of the Croatians, this annexed people caught up in the country-carving that occurred in the wake of World War I.

The plan seems naive in retrospect. Post September 11th, chillingly so. Yet, in an odd way, still "necessary" from the revolutionary perspective. Even after the fall of the Iron Curtain, the recent Balkan bloodshed, the emergence of Croatia as an independent nation, Americans still aren't quite sure what it's all about, whose side to be on, can't understand such bloody, nationalist feuds.

Perhaps, in addition to her fateful love for Taik, this sometimes irritatingly innocent American naivete is what propelled the author toward her revolutionary destiny. To many world citizens, America must seem like a fat and innocent child, the majority of its citizens largely unaware of the sufferings and political machinations affecting the daily life of most other residents of this planet. Once made aware, however, some Americans chafe at their confinement in the playpen, feeling, with George Bernard Shaw, a longing for "the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap, the being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

Julie Busic, with her Master's degree in German and linguistics, served thirteen years in a federal prison for her role in the hijacking. Taik, gray-haired now but still buttressed by his convictions, the support of Croatian nationalists who consider him a hero, and, not incidentally at all, the remarkable love of his wife, Julie, remains imprisoned in a country, the United States, still reeling in shock that political struggle can touch its residents so personally.

Lovers and Madmen is a travelogue of the underground revolutionary life. Julie and Taik move from city to city, sometimes ushered out by security police, sometimes ducking under windows in fear of bullets. They drink wine in Paris with a gentle, artistic dissident who would later be assassinated, scrub floors in dingy Cleveland apartments to scrape together a living on the run, collaborate with Irish revolutionaries. And throughout, they endeavor, together, to discover, what is this thing that has touched and joined them: this fateful love that endures, across oceans, cross culture, behind bars.

Julie Busic's Lovers and Madmen is a fascinating and inspiring story about love - a woman's love for a man and for a nation.

In 1976, four Croatian dissidents and an American woman hijacked a plane in a last-ditch effort to expose the oppression of Croatians within Yugoslavia and the political assassinations of Croatians throughout the world. How did a young American woman become so impassioned about a people for whom she ultimately sacrificed her own freedom and true love? This compelling question guides the reader through the narrative, leading to an intimate discovery of Julie's courage, compassion and spirit and an exploration of one's own heart.

As she shares the details of her life with husband Taik and recounts the events that culminated in the fateful hijacking, Julie tells a riveting and engrossing tale. There is romance and adventure, comedy and laughs (Julie's encounters with some peculiar Croatian ways are hilarious), suspense and tragedy.

Lovers and Madmen is essentially about the passions that drive lovers and madmen...the intersection of love and politics and how it shaped one woman's life.

The biography is excellent. All the gore and the glory of a magnificent poet, a magnificent poet. So impressed was I, that while having innumerable books by Neruda, and his posthumously published memoirs, I still went out and obtained Obras Completas through a bookstore in Madrid. I have summered on Isla Negra and had the good fortune of meeting Matilde. The author does an outstanding job of giving us the most objective portrait of Neruda, not hiding the blemishes. Neruda was always a boy with a huge heart and lots of love for most (mostly women). Quite sad that a poetic voice like this is gone. Sad also that in his politics Neruda was myopic. The radical left, the radical right, what's the difference? He could never see that point. The author brings this issue out as well with verisimilitude.

Reviewer: A reader from London, UK United Kingdom

Not many writers lead such a colourful life as Neruda. The Chilean Nobel prize winner was not only a diplomat, a world class poet, and a lover of many women--- he had three wives and many mistresses---he was also a supporter of the Republican cause in Spain, responsible for rescuing many of Franco's enemies, and a staunch left-winger who wanted to write for the many rather than the few . . He was forced to flee for his life over the Andes on a donkey when the Chilean government became a tyranny, and was close to Allende at the time of his death. Feinstein tells the story judiciously; he honestly addresses the poet's continuing support for Communism, even after Stalin's crimes were widely known , and does not attempt to palliate his many infidelities. What comes through is Neruda's passion for life, and Feinstein's passion for his subject. A riveting read.

More than thirty years ago, I gave a copy of Neruda's "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair to the woman who would later become my wife. All these years later, I still read Neruda's poems aloud to her, and I am still nourished in the autumn of my own life by the rich array of poetry that this great writer produced from his adolescence to old age. Adam Feinstein produces a loving, yet unflinching, portrait of Neruda. Here is a man whose generosity and determination saved the lives of hundreds of refugees from war-torn Spain. Yet here, too, is the man who abandoned his first wife and their developmentally delayed daughter, betrayed all of his wives, and shamefully continued to embrace Stalin's legacy long after many of his peers were humbled by the recognition of Stalin's evil. What I most enjoyed about Feinstein's biography, however, is the way in which Neruda's poetry is charted in the context of his adult developmental. Learning about the broad changes in Neruda's path through his life, the failed marriages, the political career, the aging poet, helps place all his works in a context that enriches the reader's experience of the poetry. In the end, however, we are left with a mystery: the biographical details of Neruda's life cannot explain the greatness of his poetry. This childlike, vain, and self-absorbed man was also a stunning genius, whose passion for life will illuminate the lives of others for centuries.

Pablo Neruda, of whom Garcia` marquez has called"the greatest poet of the 20th century-in any language",has never had a full length biography in english.Until now.the man Neruda that Mr.Feinstein portrays is an often selfish,self absorbed genuis,who invented his own myth and ferociously hung on to it until his death,a couple of weeks after the murderous coup that took the life and lifeblood of his beloved Chile,and installed the US puppet regime of the neo-fascist Augusto pinochet. In his memoirs, Neruda never mentions his abandonment of his wife and handicapped child, not her subsequent death during WWII.His long held Stalinist beliefs,which in his memoirs he speaks of ruefully, are fully exposed here by Mr feinstein, though he seems to lack any historical prespective on this issue.His philandering is also brought to light[ad nauseum,actually} before meeting Matilde,his third wife[and by most accounts, the second love of his life,after his country} People who only have been introcduced to Neruda through the wonderful film Il Postino might be shocked at the great poets behaviour.[BTW,the novel Il Postino,a novella,actually is well worth reading,and is far darker then the film]All of the greats of the 20th century are here: Garcia Lorca,Sartre,Picasso,Nazim Hikmet,Mistral,Borges`.Nerudas life was often like a movie,surreal and silly. What Mr feinstein doesnt grasp,despite his copius research, is how such a bob vivant,political radical,philandereer inveterate collector,could have written like a slumming angel,for if anything,Gracia Marquez is quite correct.Canto general is a classic on the same level as Leaves of Grass[whose author was also deeply flawed,no?}Residence on earth,20 ,love poems and a song of despair[written as a very young man, which is covered very well in this book]The touching,brilliant 100 love songs for his wife[then mistress] matilde is not fully explored as i would have liked. I am biased,i admit.I read neruda every day,we have a woodcut of him over our kitchen table, my husband wears a wrist watch bearing Nerudas image,so we obviously love him. I found watching his satue crumble painful, and another lesson in hero worship. This book, successfully portrays Pablo Neruda in a;;his glory [and not so glorious ways] and gives, at last a full blooded portrait of this great treasure of the americas. Highly Recommedded

Clarice Lispector combines philosophy, autobiography and sociology when whe writes her turning around books. They are short, compact, evocative. They challenge old concepts of what makes fiction/reality.

I know that "human gender" sounds weird in English.I'm trying to persuade you to see the H. and the G., now invert it as it would be in Portuguese G.H. I also know that the word "Gospel" does not have the double "entendre" that "passion" evokes in Portuguese. If you read the King James version of the Bible, you may find "The Passion according to Mark, Luke, Matthew..." If I mention these aspects of the title is because this book should be read with a spiritual approach of some sort. Clarice uses language in the most unorthodox manner, a stylistic trait that the translator unfortunately neglects. He actually tries to "conform" to a more mainstream presentation of the text so the average reader understands it. He way didn't get it. Two thumbs down for him. In spite of that, Clarice's supernatural ability to pierce the soul comes across intensely whenever her fluid words challenge our preconceived, static understanding of what things mean. Biblical allusions (both in the Jewish and Christian sense, mixed with Eastern and Western mistical traditions can be subtly and overtly detected in G.H.'s (Genero Humano, Human Kind)inward exploration and personal revelations. The text is fluid and, as such, serves as a changing mirror to the reader, that is, as you read it the narrative transforms itself to reflect your inner projections. Whatever meaning you attribute to Clarice's words comes from your inner life. But, as she said, "don't worry about understanding. To be alive is much vaster than understanding..." Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the vision of your soul.
P.S. I strongly recommend this book to the dying, to those facing major life transitions, and to the truly living.

Clarice Lispector is certainly the best thing we have concerning to women literature in Brazil.She is able to touch our hidden feelings. This small book contains every thing one must reads over a lifetime.Sometimes it hurts, sometimes it tastes delicious.

Clarice writes beautiful poetry, but in prose. She permanently talks about solitude in large cities, most the times about woman solitude.

There is a totally trivial incident. Someone is alone in a flat that gives a view of granite hills (a very common sight at Rio de Janeiro, where she lived). Suddenly she finds a huge cockroach and has to fight or flee. And facing it, reviews her whole life, identifies with the cockroach and takes the decision to fight her fears.

The above script may not sound much, but Clarice is a master of the word, writes marvellous short stories and, as Guimaraes Rosa, another brazilian writer tells, "the Devil is on the details".

This was an enjoyable read for me but I thought it could have been great with a little more polish. I felt as though there were some parts that were disjointed and other parts not fully explained - e.g. why bring up the countess if there's no storyline associated with her? - seemed pointless - or the connection of Robert to whichever criminal - or the ending. The ending was just not tied in well to the happenings of the story. I don't want to give away a spoiler to explain but I just didn't understand all of the motives of all those involved in the crime and tying them into the storyline and how it had progressed - the murder just seemed thrown in there too. It was just a bit jumbled for me. The h/h were likable and the romance good, but I just can't put my finger on it exactly except to say it needed more polish. Maybe less focus on descriptive details and more on explanations...just simply tell the story, clearly and concisely.
Mayber a better editor would have hepled with the polish. Note to editor - p. 2! - "...he had just became aware."

Another good book - sit back and enjoy from first page to the last, it kept my interest, well written and, well, other reviewers gave the story line, I will only repeat it was worth the purchase, worth the read

This read deserved much more than 5 stars. Rory Jameson is about as sexy a hero in a historical romance novel as I've ever read and Winter Ashburn is extremely likeable. From the moment of their very first encounter on the first few pages of the book, I was completely wrapped up in this story. I enjoyed the dialogue and the wit between these two. I enjoyed the conflicts they each faced throughout the story and within themselves. But most of all, I loved the way he loved her. I think I fell a little bit in love with him myself. He is dark, he is dangerous, he is incredibly sexy and he is passionate about Winter. I also enjoy the way Melody Thomas writes a story. She weaves it so well that you can't help but feel as if you're there too. She does not bore with descriptive details but what little she does offer, and the way she does it, makes everything come alive. I have yet to read one of her books that I didn't love but this is my favorite. A very well written story. Don't start it unless you have lots of time.

In 1877, now thirty-two, which is old age in his profession compounded by his enjoyment of all types of vices, Rory Jameson has spent years bringing thieves to justice. However, outside of London he stops his work temporarily at the request of his sister to visit his estranged dying grandfather to make a final peace. On the trek to his family home someone attacks and wounds Rory. Former toast of the Ton Winter Ashburn takes the wounded aristocrat to a cottage so he can heal.

Winter remembers Rory as the rake who thought she was a fallen woman. Still she is attracted to her patient and him to her. As they fall in love, Winter worries her actions could cost her mother and brother plenty as the family patriarch her odious Uncle wants the half gypsy dead.

This is an engaging Victorian romantic suspense, which readers will enjoy from the first stolen kiss until the final kiss with a bit of a mystery and a lot of romance in between. The story line is character driven with a strong lead couple and a deep support cast. Fans will enjoy PASSION AND PLEASURE IN LONDON (and outside too) as neither Winter or Rory are ready for love yet both welcome it even as they hide it from their beloved.

Harriet Klausner

Books continually pass through my office shelves--as an editor and a writer. Terry Glaspey has created a "keeper" or a book that will remain on my shelves. Why?

He combines simple stories, quotations from well-known people about the value of books with outstanding design. The overall effect is a beautiful package which celebrates the printed page. What a great effort. Get this book--even if you buy it used.

Although not as good as the author's previous book "Great Books of the Christian Tradition," I did enjoy the picturesque tribute to books and the quotes about books from various authors. This is a book solely for booklovers and will probably not appeal to anybody else. Since I share Glaspey's love of books, I found this slender and lovely volume enjoyable. I just wish his last book previously mentioned was as nice and hardbound since I use it so much! - Brad Clark

Beautifully illustrated and interspersed with wonderful quotes from book lovers, literature buffs and readers who read for life. It's hard to believe this exquist book is out of print already. I've owned my copy for a couple of years now and I pull it off the shelf re-read sections (or the entire book) every couple of months.

I hope that Amazon can find this out-of-print book for you! This slim hardcover book, is a feast for the eyes, as well as the mind. Each of the eight chapters is beautifully illustrated with a variety of pictures depicting mankind's love affair with books over history. Each chapter has a few pages by the author, but then he includes a LOT of quotes from various thinkers on reading and libraries from centuries past. One of the quotes is used on Amazon bookmarks: "When I get a little money, I buy books; and if there is any left I buy food and clothes." by Erasmus.

Two of the chapters I especially enjoyed are "A Place to Read" and "The Lure of Libraries". At the end of the book, a few lined but blank pages are included for "My Personal Book List" where the reader can jot down titles of books that have been recommended.

I noticed that Terry Glaspey is coming out with another book about reading and books this coming June. I'm looking forward to checking that one out!

Please see my other reviews of Christian books and music!