Shadow The Books

In studying the history of the Jews of Spain, Historians have performed a glaring dis-service by being ignorant of the two traditions thriving in Spain. In Southern Spain was the Andalusian tradition of Maimonides, representing the traditions of the Geonim and going back to the oral law of Moses. In Northern Spain, was the assimilated tradition of Nachmanidese. Specifically, this book shows very clearly that the Northern tradition of Spain was in fact an adoption of the values of the surronding Christian environment. By attacking Maimonidese, Nachmanidese was in fact attacking the teachings of the Geonim and ultimately, the oral law of Moses.

In a often emotional and always beautifully written expose, Rabbi, Prof. Faur shows that the persecuted have often adopted the values of the persecutors. In this, the tradition of Northern Spain was typical. The real miracle is that Maimonidese and his disciples, in an extraordinary exception to the commpon laws of history, steadfastly rejected the values of their persecutors -- even if this estranged them from their Jewish brethern who did.

Ultimately, only Maimonidese and his tradition have something to say today. This tradition is both modern and ancient: modern in thought and ancient in origin.

Finally, a book that speaks the truth!!!!

I applaud Chacham Faur's insightful and educated view of the Jewish phenomena know as the Spanish forced conversions during the Inquisitional period.
As with all of Chacham Faur's writings the reader is automatically transported into a delightful dialogue with the writers advanced knowledge and eloquent writing skills. With this said, I am very much in agreement with his assessments regarding the converso phenomena.
I also want to point out that I really enjoyed the prologue to the book. It is well stated and motivates one to jump right in and start turning the pages for a delightful journey to Andalusian Jewry, of which the Converso's belong to.
The Converso is a Jewish person who must be acknowledged as fully Jewish no matter what. As our Sephardic Rabbi's have stated they must be welcomed back to the Jewish fold even until this day or in the future, without going through humiliating conversion rituals. That is how it was in Amsterdam and how it should be now. Amsterdam being a great model to follow, showing us how to treat our returning correligionist, with dignity and respect, and allowing our brothers and sisters an opportunity to be fully integrated into mainstream Judaism. In itself this the greatest mitwah we, as Jews, can perpetuate towards all who come back to the fold i.e., to love them back and help in their return in anyway that we can. As history has shown, our Tudesco brethren have always behaved despairingly towards the Sephardim, whether in writing or actions. In many ways they are not the ones we should turn to for help. As Andalusian Jews, we must look to our own, history has proved this to be the only way to fight interreligious rivalries.
That is why I recommend this book to any Andelusian Sephardim, because for one, knowlege is power. And secondly, Chacham Faur is a master at Talmudic tought and Maimodean philosophy. It is a must read for all Sephardim or Tudescos who wish to gain a better understanding of the complexities of being Jewish in austere circumstances.

At times both poignant and prescient, "In the Shadow of Islam" is the revelation of a brilliant mind. The book is, as one would expect from a trade paperback, well printed and bound.

This volume of Isabelle Eberhardt's original Dans L'ombre Chaude de Islam "In the Warm Shadow of Islam" was penned in 1904. As a big Eberhardt fan I still enjoyed reading this slim 1993 edition although it's lamely billed "In the Shadow of Islam". Translated by Sharon Bangert, the omission of this single word from the title, "Warm", quite neatly reverses its meaning. Thus the translator or publishers (Peter Owen Publishers) chose to slyly sabotage Eberhardt's empathic sympathetic message about her chosen faith Sufism/Islam with a beckoning yet ominous tang. I suppose her original title, 'In the Warm Shadow of Islam', (emphasis mine) was too long and Islam-friendly for today's market?

Thus, the publisher's choice perpetrates the ever popular anti-Islamic bent. That said, it's the brilliance of Eberhart's work that manages to shine through even a biased translation.
Without ado, let me provide some of my favorite quotes from In the Shadow of Islam:

"To the extent that I feel myself saturated by ancient, unshaken Islam, which here seems to be the very breathing of the earth...And I understand that one could end one's days in the peace and silence of some southern zawiya, end in ecstasy, free of yearnings, confronting only radiant horizons. " pg 114

"I have jotted these reflections in the margin of a letter...Having written them, I relapse into my feeling of exile, wishing to bury myself even deeper in this hostile south, without any desire for the Paris I have known, where the newspaper's lip-service to feminism was even more repugnant to me than the Parisian coquettes.

I have said nothing in my response worth reading. Why bother? One day paths separate, destinies crystallize. And this is so much more than having made a few friends. When they are good enough to invite us to share their foreign happiness, let's show them what's possible to a true fraternity of minds.

Let's regret nothing, since our happiness and theirs will consist in letting ourselves go one day, into mysterious currents which will carry our souls adrift towards impossible shores. Then we'll enjoy the intoxication of decadence and shipwreck; and wandering over the immense beaches of the night, we'll feel within us the seeds of suffering begin to germinate." pg 70

"...forgetting the principals of tolerance propounded by Islam at its purest..." pg 49

It strikes me that prayer, and dreams, too, should never end." pg 60-61


Please enjoy this timeless piece of writing...still relevant and convincing.

Edith Warner's own words exceed in beauty and simpicity anyone else's account of what her experiences were like in Northern New Mexico during the era of the making of the atomic bomb. Captured for the reader are the feelings of an anglo woman being accepted by Native Americans, the difficult life a woman making it on her own, and her intense feelings about how the war affected pueblo people.
Editor, Patrick Burns, has done a fine job of editing and staying true to the spirit of these wonderful writings!

Edith Warner came to New Mexico from the East in 1922, seeking a place to regain her failing physical health. Rather, she found a place ideal for her spiritual health, an ancient land where she felt at peace. She settled into a little house beside the Rio Grande at a lonely railroad siding called Otowi, where she supervised the off loading of freight. Ironically, in that out-of-the-way location, fate placed her at a crossroads in time, to live between the pastoral life of the neighboring Pueblo Indians and the frenzied pace of nearby scientists ushering in the atomic age at Los Alamos. In the midst of these different worlds, Edith completed her personal journey and touched the lives of everyone who passed her way, from sheepherders and potters to world-renowned physicists. Her story has been presented in two previous books, THE HOUSE AT OTOWI BRIDGE, a memoir and southwestern classic by Peggy Pond Church, and THE WOMAN AT OTOWI CROSSING, a fictionalized and altered version of Edith's life by Frank Waters. Now, IN THE SHADOW OF LOS ALAMOS offers the story through Edith's own writing, with a preface to set the stage.

As a reviewer, I am suppose to tell you whether or not you will enjoy this book, but such a prediction would be based solely on opinion. What I can tell you is that Patrick Burns, the book's editor, was passionately dedicated to his project on Edith Warner and that his admiration of Edith, despite never having met her, shows through in his work. Burns pursued lost documents in dusty archives, salvaged old letters that were about to be destroyed, and talked with Edith's friends and relatives from around the country to gather and preserve this record of her writing, which includes published and unpublished articles, letters, and surviving portions of her journal. IN THE SHADOW OF LOS ALAMOS is the result of years of in-depth research into a remarkable woman and a place in time. Edith's story leads the reader to wonder what might have become of her had she stayed in Pennsylvania, never having found her little house by the river, but we will never know because Edith recognized that she was right where she was suppose to be. She pursued her destiny. Through this book, she continues to inspire others to do the same. My opinion? You will more than enjoy IN THE SHADOW OF LOS ALAMOS.

This has been a delight. It's my 3rd Sally John book reading, and she has not disappointed me yet. The book is very good, easy to read and the story was great. I'll recommend it if you are in a mood for a good Christian Romance.
Enjoy!

SALLY JOHN HAS A GREAT TALENT FOR ENGROSSING THE READERS INTO HER STORY. THIS BOOK IS ONE OF THE BETTER CHRISTIAN ROMANCES OUT THERE, AND I'M ANTICIPATING HER NEXT BOOK. THE READING IS VERY EASY, WHICH CAN BE FOLLOWED EASILY FROM START TO FINISH. I RECOMMEND IT TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO BE ENCOURAGED.

Walter Meyerhof has written something really special. When I read his book - which I did in one 'go', as it was quite impossible to put it down - I felt really privileged to have entered his world and seen something of the joy he has obviously found in his life. INSPIRATIONAL was a title which came immediately to me as the title for this review. INSPIRATIONAL is what this little book is. Thank you, Professor Meyerhof, for showing us the way!

During the Hitler period, a number of extraordinary immigrants came to the USA, fleeing certain death because of their Jewish ancestry or religion. The USA did not make it easy for them to get in. Our society was extremely anti-semitic itself at that time. As a result, only the most promising people managed make the jump.

Walter Meyerhof, who was the son of a Nobel prize winning scientist and who later went on to become a physics professor at Stanford, was one who made it out and made it here. Like many refugees, he was not actually Jewish, but had Jewish ancestry.

The book consists of a number of short vignettes about Meyerhof's life. The vignettes are not really connected into a single narrative as one would expect from a biography, still one does get a picture of the flow of his life.

The book's account of Meyerhof's flight from Hitler is understated, but the sense of the closing of the horrifying vice of death still comes through.

Meyerhof's tales of his encounters with romance are also fascinating in giving us a window into how such things happened even before the "free love" generation.

The book does leave us with many questions about the parts of the author's life that are missing. Still, the parts that are there are well worth reading.

A must read for any and all animal lovers. You'll laugh, you'll cry, it will stay with you and in the end you will feel good inside for reading this
insightful book about the relationship between dog and human. Wonderfuly writen. If you miss this one you'll be missing a lot.

A fun read for dog lovers and others. Some parts are sad, but in the end, there is triumph. An easy read, with an intelligent, conversational writing style. You'll enjoy it.

If you research the Douglas family or just love Scottish history this book is well worth your money. Having spent some years researching the family myself, I can appreciate just how much information is contained within these pages, and how much trouble the author has gone to to bring the family to life. You can buy and read straightforward history of the many battles James Douglas fought, but if you seek to understand the man and why he fought, what he fought for and believed and who influenced him, you will find that information here. Keep a notebook and pen beside you to take notes. Consult the glossary and who's-who in the back. If you know nothing of the family history to begin with, the reuse of names by each generation can get confusing.
This is not a flowery romance, but a portrait of strength of individuals and family, with common goals and support for one another in times we can hardly imagine. It is for the most part backed up by extensive documentation. Where documents fail, other unproven but chosen pieces fit neatly.
Photos throughout add to the story, carrying you along to see the real places, as you can see them now and then imagine how they must have looked before.
James Douglas, like Bruce, was a miracle, loaned to Scotland by the powers that be for the time that needed him. But like all of us, under his armor, he was only human.

History comes to life and invites you to be entranced. "In the Shadow of My Truth" is the second epic novel by Deborah Richmond Foulkes in a series of three, that explore her family's history but also the great history of "The Good Sir James."

The legacy of William le Hardi, the martyred patriot of the first book, "My Truth Lies in the Ruins," is continued in the story of his sons, one of which is The Good Sir James himself. William's widow, Eleanora Lovaine Douglas, vows to fulfill her promise of continuing the fight for Scotland. She raises her sons to reflect the great values of her husband. The three grow up to be King Robert's greatest soldier and most trusted knight, a crusader knight and alchemist healer, and a dedicated squire in service to his older brother, Sir James. What's more is that they grow up to be an honor to their father and to Scotland.

The book begins in the year 1306 and follows to 1330. What it encompasses is a glimpse into the true history of the Clan Douglas and Scotland's Wars for National Independence. But the book holds so much more than that. Here you will see the majestic lifestyle of medieval castles with all the pomp and flourish, you will feel the points of swords in battle and see the death of soldiers all around, you will witness births, weddings and the crossings into the Otherworld. All in such a vivid manner that you will think you had experienced it yourself.

Deborah Richmond Foulkes spent two years in Scotland doing research and spent much time in the libraries of Harvard University and The National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh. I am quite sure that this is only a slight mention of the research involved, as this is the most authentic presentation of historical novel I have read. While this is so, the book reads so easily, so unlike a history book that you will forget that these are true stories and find yourself immersed in a very interesting tale. The plot runs smoothly while Foulkes' descriptive writing is flawless. You won't soon forget the Douglas Clan and will look forward to the next book in the series, "My Truth...A Mist in Time."

Review by Heather Froeschl.

"In the Shadow of Pickle Peak" is one of those fascinating journey books.... the reader gets so caught up in its pages that he/she takes the trip with Malinda,the protagonist, as she relocates with her brother Drew and changes her own life to save his life. In its pages, Malinda finds herself in a true epiphany... she realizes that her life can only be truly lived in the "shadow of Pickle Peak." The book is a must read for a spring or summer day. It is a romance, not just between two individuals but with life itself. It is a celebration of being alive.

Great for an easy, happy read. Full of action all the way, and a happy ending for all - except the poor heroic dog! If you ever feel like a comforting read with a good chance of a happy outcome, you'll love "In the Shadow of Pickle Peak." Well done Marge Dobbin!
Nick Mellersh

I read this book and it was very interesting,the folks of Nicholson Hollow are my grandfathers parents. I never knew any of this until I read the book. The pictures are great,the stone work displayed is a tradition that was passed down to my grandfather, father and brothers.I was truly amazed at the article .This is a great piece of history ,the sad thing is this part of the forest was distroyed by fire around 2000 or 2001.

Acheologist Audrey Horning has written a brilliant and startling reappraisal of the people who lived in the mountains of Virginia prior to the incorporation of Shenandoah National Park. The infamous book "Hollow Folk" had unfairly portrayed these people as broad stereotypes -- unlearned, uncouth, and totally removed from the rest of society -- characterizations that have persisted for decades. Horning has used a combination of archeological research and impressive genealogical work to debunk many of the myths of the mountain society. Her book is an enjoyable and informative mixture of text and photographs, both period and contemporary. The Epilogue is especially concise and considered.

Horning has done a great service to the descendants of these remarkable mountain people. I have read many books on the subject, and hers is by far the best.

In the Shadow of Rebellion, by Gladys Smith (Llumina Press) is a riveting novel based on historic events starting in1889. Maggie Rigby hates mining, hates what it does to men, to their health and to their long-suffering families. She's had a lifetime of witnessing the cruel hardships caused by appalling conditions, low wages and the violence between the miners' union and owners. Despite her dislike of mining and mining communities, she finds herself falling in love with a miner, but a fair, strong man with a promise of beating the odds as an owner of one of the richest mines in the district.

Herself strong, Maggie, as publisher of a newspaper, dares to raise a woman's voice against the dominance of men and the plight of the hard-working poor.

Smith's impeccable research of this epic novel is impressive, reaching into the depths of the inner-workings of mines of the period. Love, compassion and courage play major roles in the lives entwined in the story. Smith's depiction of the people of that era and circumstance is impressive.

The author of IN THE SHADOW OF REBELLION gives the impression that she must have lived parts of this story. Her masterful descriptions make the scenes and action play out as in a movie. In horrifying sensory detail, readers share her experience as she descends into a coal mine. Smith later paints vivid pictures of what mining does to an ecosystem and how mining towns looked in the old west.

Smith sets forth the brutal realities of life as a miner, and the bleak, impoverished lives of their families. Unsparing in her accounts of shocking abuses that created a critical need for unions, she also depicts the cruel and murderous tyranny of some union members themselves.

Seamlessly woven into the main plot are the struggles and triumphs of a liberated reporter and editor who braved genderism to reach beyond approved traditional female roles such as homemaking, cooking, serving, and teaching. This compelling work of fiction is set in the 1800s and early 1990s, but relevant in the present. Smith examines and exposes, in the stark black and white of the past, the real life issues that today pervade our society in subtler shades of grey.