Ethics Books

I thouroughly enjoyed this book by Edmund Kern. He does a great job of encapsulating the morality of Harry Potter. Excellent use of resources and summarizing other books written on Harry Potter. The book is written in easy to read sections and is understandable to those who have not taken philosophy courses. Great for parents who enjoy the stories and want to explain to their children what moral decisions Harry must make and the morality of the decisions he does make. Though one hasn't had to have read the HP books before buying this one since Kern's book summaries of books 1-5 are excellent. This is a great starting point for any parent who has wondered, "Should my child read Harry Potter?"

Kern's easy-to-read, educated analysis allows us to relive the stories while seeing how they build confidence and self-understanding through Harry's choices, based on values rather than outside pressure. 50-some years old, left brained and typically interested in non-fiction, I started reading the Harry Potter books because I admired so that they made kids interested in reading. I believe reading is the key to a child's futures and I wanted to understand the motivation these books were giving young people. So far, I've loved 5 of the Potter books and the 6th one is on order. I also gave the Potter fever to my 74-year-old Dad and brother, a tough 34-year-old in prison who read and then passed them around to other inmates! He said, "Now I see why Mom loved to read." Then I found and read the Wisdom of Harry Potter by Edmund Kern, drawn by the great art on the cover, subtitle and Table of Contents - not to mention Kern's credentials and Introduction. The Wisdom of Harry Potter made me feel great for "choosing" to delve into Rowling's stories. Mr. Kern deserves 10 stars for sharing his brilliance so delightfully!

This book is the most carefully studied, in-depth look at Harry Potter that I've found. It not only discusses the books' morality, but relates it to Rowling's use of history, legend and myth. It is a must for Harry Potter fanatics, but if you haven't read them yet and still want to, save this one for last.
I would recommend it to anyone who prefers to read books with substance and without platitude. It's clear, concise style would make it a useful tool for any teacher whose students are reading the Harry Potter books. "The Wisdom of Harry Potter" has a wonderful way of showing how philosophy can be interwoven with literature.
Any parents who've had doubts about their children reading Harry Potter will find this an excellent resource. And I would go so far as to challenge any of those people who want to ban these books from their children's libraries to find fault with the logic of this book.

This is a wonderful work, well researched and fascinating...

"Harry Potter" is a popular, but very controversial series. From accusations of encouraging witchcraft to complaints about the book's social themes, there has been much criticism of the series, despite its massive appeal. In "The Wisdom of Harry Potter: What Our Favorite Hero Teaches Us about Moral Choices," Edmund M. Kern presents a defense against the criticisms and succeeds brilliantly. His defense is comphrensive, thoughtful, detailed and well-organized. He even goes further, providing background on the series and offering his own analysis of the books' themes. Although his references to the books occasionally contain small errors in detail, it is obvious that he has read them and it helps that he is also a parent. (Although he stresses that his book is not just for parents, but anyone who's interested in a thorough analysis of the series' themes.) He has also held discussions of the series on the radio.

Edmund M. Kern posits to great effect that the themes of the books are an example of modern-day Stoicism. He develops this theory nicely in the first three chapters, while also touching on other themes and other critical analysis of the books. The fourth and fifth chapters tackle both the religious and social criticisms of the books. Kern exposes many flaws in arguments against the series. uses examples from the books along with intelligent commentary to reassure those who don't know what to make of the idea that the series corrupts readers or demonizes them somehow.

Kern shows that imagination is the key to this series greatness. While it may not present a perfect society, it is very real in many ways, and readers can relate to it. I recommend this book for any "Harry Potter" fan interested in a well-written defense of the series.


I hope this book is someday updated, because right now, it has only a brief analysis of "Phoenix" and, of course, nothing on "Prince."

As a former student of Roxbury Latin and attendee of our infamous "halls", I enjoyed returning to my roots to read over many of the wonderful speeches that I heard so many years ago. I would recommend this book to people of all ages- if not for the lessons and values expressed in Tony's words, then for the often humorous and entertaining anecdotes told along the way.

I picked this book up in the Harvard bookstore when I was visiting Boston last summer. I thought it would be a good birthday gift for my son-in-law.After I got it home I sampled it and got hooked. I bought a copy for myself and for my son too. I wish it had been available 7 years ago when I was trying to help my girls pick colleges and goals. Dr.Jarvis has a way of making some very complicated things very clear. I would recommed this book for anyone who is helping young people but I think it would be especially helpful for widows with teenagers. It gives some very clear advice about what is important in life, what some of the lies of our culture are, and encouragement to reach beyond our narrow lives and embrace new things.

Mr. Jarvis is like a modern, entertaining T.S. Eliot. His social criticisms are sharp and opinionated, his expectations firm and unwavering, his hope unlimited. Jarvis adapts tidbits of his own life (embellished perhaps, yet always poignant and usually fun) into his broader discussions of social ennui and relaxing values--and how to avoid them. At his most severe he is a bit too preachy, but overall his vignettes are not only touching, but adaptable to most any life. At the core of his ideology is the belief that there is more to human life than the self; people of all faiths and backgrounds can thus empathize with his demanding opinions about growing up (and living) in our time. Well, in any time. 'Life you may evade', said Eliot, 'but death you shall not'. Jarvis urges us to make the most of our brief time in this life, and look with hope and humility towards the next.

I don't know Jarvis personally, but these essays are tremendously inspirational especially when you consider that they make up some 25 years worth of talks to the Roxbury Latin students. It's refreshing to hear an educator who freely told students that RL was NOT a college prep school but rather a preparation for leading a moral life. His collection of talks combines anecdotes and encounters from many years and ties them together into talks that you just WISH you could read out loud to every student in the country: that you really never get away with anything, that college admissions is not the be all and end all to every academic quest, that we should go out of our way to help others and make an impact on them. This was a fantastic collection -- I ended up dog earing dozens of pages and reading them outloud to anyone who would listen. Do yourself a favor and read it pronto. They don't make them like Jarvis anymore.

With Love and Prayers : A Headmaster Speaks to the Next Generation is the best inspirational book that I have ever read. It is written to be read by teenagers to help them through this unsteady time in their lives. This book tells them that they can become wiser if they are not self-centered, selfish, and arrogant. I believe that if people show these virtues everyday the world would be a much kinder and wiser planet.

This book is refreshingly reminiscent of "The One Minute Manager." There are so few gems like this that simply and clearly give the important substance of a topic without wandering through needless arcane rhetoric that sounds intellectual but leaves the reader wondering what to do. Concrete information that every fundraiser needs to know - from creating a budget to finding and asking for money to appropriately recognizing donors is presented in a step-by-step, plain-spoken way. And it all makes immediate sense. Just to make sure the reader grasps and personalizes each concept, Dr. Goldstein makes every chapter interactive. Each principle is reinforced with a few questions for the reader, such as: "List 3-5 `sizzles' that would sell a potential donor," "write a snappy `p.s.' that prompts a potential donor to donate," "list 5 lawyers who specialize in wills and estates who might work with you to find major donors." As a brilliant and most useful caveat, Dr. Goldstein lists different resources specifically related to each principle that the reader can utilize for more information.

I recommend this book to those in traditional sales positions as well as fundraising because many of the principles - compelling sales letters, relationship-building, face-to-face sales calls, choosing the most likely leads, record keeping, effective public relations campaigns and web site development - obviously pertain to both fields. As a former College Vice President of Institutional Advancement, I sent many staff members to workshops that only seemed to promote the mystery of fundraising. This book was really all they needed.

I highly recommend "You Can't Go Wrong By Doing It Right" to anyone who wants to be a success in business, whether you have an established business or are starting a new one. In this age of high tech, there is one constant -- people. If you do not understand and know how to deal with people, all the high tech will not help. This book is a breath of fresh air for people like myself, who are tired of dealing with companies by voice mail and endless menus to make selections that only lead you further and further away from a real person. "You Can't Go Wrong By Doing It Right" is about real people, real situations and the kind of genuiness that keeps customers for life. As I read each of the 50 principles with each entertaining example, I found myself saying I would like to be treated that way both as an employee and a customer. Not only is the book a roadmap to success in business, it is beautifully written.

There are 50 invaluable principles for being successful in business in this book. The writing was succinct, powerful and to the point. Very easy and enjoyable reading. I loved learning about the history of Burdines and the Burdines' family. The founder of Burdines was inspiring having failed dramatically 2 times in his life then in his 50's beginning the mega successful "Sunshine Fashions" department store. I highly recommend this book. It should be in every business person's library.

My husband, who recently started his own business, and I loved reading this clever and complete presentation of sound business practices. As we all know, the best way to succeed is to emulate the successful. Dr. Goldstein has given us the history of a famous South Flordia family by outlining their strategies in an easy-to-follow guide. There is something for everyone here from the independent entrepreneur to the corporate executive. You really can't go wrong by doing it right - and by reading this book.

This is a business book that sifts through the superfluous and presents an abundance of concise, effective and time-tested principals for doing business. It is destined to become a classic. "You can't go wrong by doing it right" speaks to the business novice as well as the seasoned executive; it should be required reading in the classroom and boardroom. Kudos to Dr. Goldstein for resurrecting the lost art of doing business the right way. Perhaps the title should be, "You can't go wrong by reading this book." I highly recommend this book without reservation.

I was about to write a review and read what the person below me wrote and Im shocked! This book is very very text dense -- as well as well designed with appealing graphics. I learned a lot of good psychology concepts from this book. The author discusses many psycholgoical theories cincluding "masochistic equalinitrium" where people self sabotage themselves subconsiously -- due to the familiar pain they experienced in their chlldhoods....bring themselves back to the their familair comfort zone -- or rather discomfort zone --as the author explaiins. I also learned about why I might repeat negative behavior in my career -- the author writes about "Keeping Down With The Jones' Syndrome" -- about how we might feel guilty overshadowing friends and loved ones -- epsecially we women. The book was very informative and I recognized myself a lot in these pages. I loved the graphics -- they made understanding the psycholgical terms more fun and more memorable. This book is MUJST for anyone who feels like they have "bad luck" -- and makes you wonder if you are subconsiosly doing things -- perhaps feeling bad about feeling too good for subconsious reasons. The author then goes on to give some very helpfyul techniques to combat against this. Thanks to the author for creating such a great read!

I just bought 3 copies of this book to give to friends. It is a beautiful piece of art with powerfully organized advice about the important stuff that keeps all of us from living life to the fullest.

I was reading my copy of it in the gym this morning. The lady on the exercise machine behind me asked "what is that book you are reading?" I told her about it and she said "I have many friends who should read it." I have many friends who should read it too, but I'm not going to lend my copy to any of them without having a backup at home for myself and one to share with the members of my family.

I'm not going to say that this book has changed my life, but I do think that having read this book twice will help me change my life.

I'm a 22 year-old (Catholic) student about to embark upon the daunting "Real World," and my mom just gave me this book. I'm buying it for all my girlfriends as a graduation gift; I've found it entirely self-helpful in a witty, stop-complaining-and live-in-the-now, NOT-your-mom's-advice pocket-sized book. And with each page's creative graphic eye-candy, and laugh-out-loud quotable counsel (I have) it's just incredibly difficult to put down. I'd like to shake Ms. Salmansohn's hand.

I am a big admirer of Ms. Salmansohn's books...from her humor books to helpful, insightful psychologically oriented books like this one. I enjoyed this book so much I wound up reading it twice within the week I purchased it...and then bought another for a gift to give my friend. I now just ordered HOW TO BE HAPPY DAMMIT and am eagerly awaiting its arrival! I thoroughly 10000% recommend this book.

Great in depth knowledge in how to be professional at the art of Magic.
I am not worried about the ticks being exposed at all as the ones in this book are old well known examples designed to open the magicians mind to creating their own acts. If you are serious about learning magic this book is a good overall manual for developing your skill to a higher level.
From understanding stage demeanor to training techniques this book is a great read.
Lawrence O'Leary

This book did not disappoint. A well researched body of work and written for the average layperson. While some of the chapters stalled in certain areas, the overall work is great for those who must figure out how these magicians do the "impossible" tricks they do.

I ENJOY THE BOOK IT WAS EASY TO UNDERSTAND AS WELL AS IT WAS INTERTAINING.

Magicians use more than smoke and mirrors to deceive audiences, but their secrets are rarely revealed. Writer and magic enthusiast Nathaniel Schiffman's Abracadabra! Secret Methods Magicians And Others Use To Deceive Their Audience provides a lay reader's guide to common methods used to fool or mislead audiences. While experiments and magic tricks are included, the focus here is on how a magician manipulates the audience toward belief: an intriguing expose is created.

Ten years ago author Ian Wilmut shocked science and the general public when he revealed his team of researchers had cloned the first sheep from an adult cell. His revelation was to spark a controversy not just in science, but among consumers and the general public. AFTER DOLLY: THE USES AND MISUSES OF HUMAN CLONING continues the discussion, surveying the current state of the field of cloning, discussing the science behind Dolly's creation and its refinement since, and posing a strong statement on the moral necessity of cloning to cure disease. A pick for both general-interest collections and any who would understand the nature of human cloning issues today.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The most famous sheep in the world, and the most famous lab animal, was Dolly, born in 1996. She was the first mammal cloned from an adult differentiated cell, but she was not at all the first clone. Ian Wilmut was a scientist within the Scottish research team that cloned her, and ten years on he has written a useful book, with science author Roger Highfield, _After Dolly: The Uses and Misuses of Human Cloning_ (Norton) which not only gives the history of producing Dolly, and Dolly's life story, but also describes the developments in cloning since then. Wilmut has necessarily become an advisor on the ethics of cloning and embryo research, and while there will be many who disagree with his utilitarian views set down in his book, they do represent a thoughtful scientific opinion of where cloning and embryo procedures ought and ought not to be used.

Wilmut makes clear that Dolly was not the first clone, but the first mammalian clone produced from DNA derived from a differentiated adult cell; he gives a history of pre-Dolly cloning. While the ideas behind cloning are simple, carrying out the procedure is extremely difficult, requiring precise manipulation of unimaginably small cell parts. The manipulation machine, for instance, by which a technician looks into a microscope and carefully removes or replaces cell nuclei, sat on a desk that sat on a heavy metal plate that in turn sat on squash balls to absorb any vibrations from a door slamming or even a radio playing. Wilmut favors human embryo research because of its potential outcomes. The earliest embryo (even sometimes called a pre-embryo) is a blastocyst, a microscopic ball of around a hundred cells in a hollow sphere. There is not enough differentiation within the blastocyst into even primitive nerves, and so we may definitely say that the blastocyst has no awareness and no capacity to feel pain. Wilmut for this, and many other reasons given here, feels that there is no possibility of cruelty to a blastocyst, and that they can be subjected to experiment. He does feel that embryos deserve elemental respect; they should be used in research when there is no other means of doing the research, and any embryo thus used should be used with the consent of the adults whose DNA was joined to make it.

Wilmut is firmly against what he sees as the folly of cloning humans, and that the production of "designer babies" even if feasible (they are not even close) ought to be rejected. Again, this is a judgement based on practicality: he asks us to imagine rich parents who hire a staff to engineer an intellectually gifted child, only to wind up eventually with "a sullen adolescent who smokes marijuana and doesn't talk to them." Also he points out that cloning has huge risks and costs in making a clone; for Dolly, for instance, 277 donor udder cells were transformed into only 29 embryos, only one of which prospered in the surrogate mother. And no one really knows how good a clone Dolly was; she had a good life and seemed to enjoy being sociable due to her fame, but she lived less than eight years, not a good outcome for a pampered sheep. Dolly was a remarkable experiment that helped us better understand the biochemical mechanics of reproduction; Wilmut is strongly against any such experimentation on humans. His book gives up-to-date reporting on where scientists are and are heading, including the catastrophic mistakes by the once admired, now disgraced Woo Suk Hwang of Korea. Wilmut's passionate arguments about using the current technologies sensibly and ethically to benefit future generations ought to help in understanding the ethics of the most controversial area in biology.

Ian Wilmut - with the help of science journalist Roger Highfield - tells the exciting story of how he and his group cloned Dolly, whose donor cell came from the udder of an adult sheep. Much of the book describes the science surrounding the multistage procedures of cloning. The challenges are enormous because of the immense complexity of the reproductive process and for technical reasons. The nuclear transfers themselves were done under a microscope on cells much smaller than the dot at the end of this sentence.

Cloning has been successful in many species of mammals but according to Wilmut, attempts to clone humans are not ethical, feasible, or even desirable. The success rate is extremely low, abnormalities of pregnancy are the norm, the newborn mammals that survive are frequently not entirely normal, and identical genotypes ignore the environmental factors that influence individuality. This can be tolerated in cattle, but certainly not in humans. Using stem cells to cure disease is an entirely different story. Scientists are learning how to manipulate these cells to become replacements for diseased tissue in humans.

In 50 years, scientists may be using stem cells to cure Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, heart disease, and perhaps scores of other diseases. They might learn how to grow customized organs in the lab, rendering transplant waiting lists and immune suppressive therapy unnecessary. In 10 years, they should have somewhat of a handle on a few of these diseases and stem cell treatments or cures for a couple of them. Unfortunately, this valuable research has been slowed by political and ethical controversy.

Wilmut takes a respectful and humble view of these valid ethical issues and the religious objections surrounding experimentation on a human embryo. His bottom line, however, is that the real immoral act would be to withhold definitive treatment of disease from that group of us who are already born.

"After Dolly" is written for a wide variety of readers, requiring knowledge of high school biology and a little genetics. Wilmut modestly gives away virtually all the credit to his team and other researchers, while thoroughly examining the science and history of this dynamic field. Amid the hysteria and media frenzy surrounding Dolly's birth and life, and the tons of newsprint generated about the possibility of cloning humans, Wilmut was perplexed by the lack of details written about how and why they cloned her. He is now excited to finally tell this story.

Ten years ago today, on July 5, 1996, the famous sheep called Dolly was born. There were no press announcements, for her "creators" had yet to submit the paper on the experimental methods and results to a professional scientific journal. It was not until February of the following year that most of press and the world got to hear of this extraordinary accomplishment with mammalian cloning. There is probably no single scientific experiment that has caused such controversy as this one, with most of this controversy coming from a misguided and publicity seeking press.

The authors present in this book an overview of the experiment from standpoint of Ian Wilmut, as one who was directly involved in bringing about the birth of Dolly. Written with the assistance of a professional writer, Wilmut gives the reader a fascinating look into the science behind Dolly, and also make commentary on the biological and genetic science that came after her birth. All of these developments are very exciting, and are ample proof that we are living in extraordinary times. Genetic engineering is a fascinating technology, and hopefully it will continue to play a large role in optimizing the health of all organisms, human and otherwise.

As expected from his public discussion, Wilmut is against reproductive cloning. However, his warnings against its practice he backs up with scientific argument, detailing the many problems that arise in attempts to clone mammals. The authors do touch on the ethical arguments against human cloning, but their arguments on this account are faulty, and have been successfully countered by other individuals, and will not be repeated here.

Wilmut comes across in the book as being a very practical, patient, and humble man, and one who is definitely fed up with the public outcries and misrepresentations of biological science in today's newspapers and magazines. The reader is left with the impression that Wilmut felt honored to be involved in the Dolly experiment, and even might have been slightly surprised at its success, comparing for instance his laboratories with other more equipped laboratories across the ocean.

Cloning from adults at the time was "proved" to be "impossible" by some molecular biologists of the time, as the authors point out. One can only imagine then the excitement when Wilmut and his team verified through ultrasound that the Dolly fetus was healthy. And their determination to proceed with the experiment, in spite of the "impossibility" proofs, is another strong argument for ignoring the opinions of experts when doing scientific research. Frequently the experts are correct, but their words are not sacrosanct, as laboratory experimentation in this case proved all too well. One hates to think of the research that has not been done because of discouragement from "experts."

Since the book is about genetic engineering as it progressed after the birth of Dolly, one expects to find discussion on transgenesis and pharming, and this is indeed the case. The authors give an encapsulated but effective overview of the developments in genetic engineering primarily from the viewpoint on how they will affect human health.

The authors are optimistic about the future of genetic engineering, but are hesitant to engage in utopianism. They want to leave the impression that genetic engineering will have a minimal impact as compared with what has been done via natural evolution. But as the technologies of genetic engineering become more perfected, and as mammalian cloning becomes better understood, it is fair to say that genetic engineering will have a major impact in the twenty-first century. If it enhances human intelligence and health, if it makes couples happy with children born through human cloning, if it creates thousands of new transgenic animals and plants, in short if it radically changes the biosphere as we know it in a way that makes life on Earth more harmonious, then Wilmut and his team, along with all the other genetic engineers, deserve not only our utmost respect and praise, but also our envy: for taking the first steps into a fascinating new frontier.

As I've gotten more days of sobriety under my belt I started to get curious about the history of AA. I figured that a program that has been around as long as AA needed some investigation.

I discovered, after reading "Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age", that AA had some tough times getting started.

It's all in the book: How AA spread from state to state; the money problems; the wives; the early meetings. Incredible, interesting stories!

After reading this book I had a better understanding and appreciation for how the program works. It's really miraculous. And it is illuminating to see that Bill and Bob tried just about everything to get the program going -- so when I question their suggestions or get in the mood to "rewrite" a tradition or two I have to remember that many of my ideas are not original -- it's most likely been tried before!

The "spirit" of helping others was made clearer to me. In these modern times when so many people come into the rooms from rehab or the courts, it is easy to forget what a wet drunk is and how to work with him/her. The book makes it clear that the early fellowship SOUGHT OUT drunks!! How many of us actually do that today? This is incredible ... especially when reading about the first fellowships in other cities. These guys did some MAJOR 12-stepping.

So if your program is stale or you are feeling curious, read this book for an injection of gratitude and appreciation. It worked for me!

I am from Eden Prairie, MN. and this is a thoroughly enjoyable piece of homework that a sponser can give a sponsee. In our AA Fri. nite meeting (it's been around for 25 years), we consider it a don't miss title.

If you want to know some of the history A.A., this is the book. Find out about 'Rule 62' and the controversy surrounding the steps, traditions and affliations - even the story of how the booze industry almost co-opted AA! The early days are all here - well, almost all.

I have had a copy of this book since early in my sobriety and it has helped me follow the path that Bill W. and Dr. Bob took when they started the fellowship of AA. It is indispensable when trying to put together spiritual and religious concepts. As it states on pp. 166-167: "Such were the final concessions to those of little or no faith; this was the great contribution of our atheists and agnostics. They had widened our gateway so that all who suffer might pass through, regardless of their belief or lack of belief." "God was now expressed in terms that anybody - anbody at all - could accept and try." So if you or someone you know wants to know the "why" of it, direct them to this book! In case you were wondering my sobriety date is 1/25/1977 and AA literature has been an absolute necessity in my recovery.

Some people, unfortunately, never seem to develop into full-fledged human beings. They remain caricatures but can sometimes be extremely successful. Foster has crafted an interesting and compelling story about how these people interact with their world and provides some insight into their motivations. They can be dangerous, but are also very easy to spot. Sometimes winning isn't worth it, and sometimes accomplishing a goal can jeopardize something more important.

In addition to being a nice read this novel can serve to help a young professional consider their ethical/moral bearing. Foster knows real estate and loves LA and makes both inviting to the reader. I highly recommend this book to anyone starting a career in an aggressive and competitive field or to anyone who likes a good story.

Riveting and compelling. I loved the suspense, drama and romance. A page-turner. Strong characters with strong motives and driving passions.

Opened up an aspect of the Real Estate world until now unknown to me, and which I found intriguing.

A must-buy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from cover to cover. Suspense, romance, twists in plot, ethical dilemmas, intrigue, and downright ruthless tactics by the antagonist all make this a good read.

As a 4th generation realtor, it was nice to finally read a book written by someone in the business - if you are in the business then you will have "names" for each character - people you know just like them.

If you are not in the business, you will understand what draws so many in and why they stay in this cutthroat world.

The author has obviously pored a lot of his heart and soul into the story, providing great realism and fact.

A great read, don't buy it unless you have time to read it cover to cover.

The names are different but every character in Alpha Male will remind you of people and personalitites in you own life.

The pace is fast and the story intriguing. Anyone involved in sales will be able to associate with the moral and ethical challanges presented in this book.

The stirring romance will keep you in your chair; because you won't be able to stand up!

Literatura especial para ser leida por adolescentes,ya que el autor se expresa de una forma muy amena y con un buen sentido del humor.Sobre el tema creo que hace una buena descripcion de los conceptos que van encadenados a lograr una buena manera de vivir, con alegria y con inteligencia y sobretodo con LIBERTAD.
NO existe un codigo de etica, el cual debemos acatar, sino que la Etica, la hacemos nosotros mismos,con nuestras decisiones , con nuestras actitudes,con nuestros conocimientos y sobre todo con nuestra conciencia.

I have read hundreds of books. When people ask me which one is my favorite, I always say Amador by Fernando Savater. I do not have children, but when my nieces and nephews turn 14, I will surely give them each a copy. The most important tidbit of wisdom is clearly and compellingly explained in this concise book. Very few writers can make you a better person just by reading their book. If you can only read one more book in your life, this should be it.

En un mundo donde tienden a expanderse los espejismos que nos conducen a buscar nuestra realizacion personal o felicidad en falsos valores, es muy alentador redescubrir que la riqueza, el poder, el conocimiento o la fama, solo adquieren sentido y tienen plena justificacion si nos sirven para mejorar nuestras relaciones personales con quienes nos rodean. Es lastimoso pero frecuente ver que en demasiadas ocasiones nos arrastran a deteriorlas.

Se trata de la obra cumbre de un docto filosofo español que solo alcanzo mundial reconocimiento cuando decidio darle un regalo trascendente a su hijo adolescente, que le sirviera de guia para escoger los valores que dan real sentido a la vida, y con amor simplifico y concentro lo mejor de sus conocimientos e ideas en este breve texto de sabia y sencilla filosofia practica.

I'm on page 70 now, not quite halfway through this quick-reading little gem.

If a book doesn't grab me in the first three pages, I don't read it. I broke off reading Rebecca West's Black Lamb and Grey Falcon at page 680 to read this wonderful little book, which I bought and it is beautifully printed and bound. What a find! This man gently addresses his son as I would mine, but so much more clearly. He explains concepts like freedom and self-discipline, bringing in superbly appropriate quotations of the great thinkers, ancient and modern. This reminds me of the better philosophy courses I had in college. It was written so recently that he also refers to things we have in daily life such as computer games. This book is as accessible and lucid an introduction to ethics as I could hope to find. I am going to buy two more copies: one for each of my children.

Why on earth did they take it out of print so soon?

This book represents a REAL MASTERPIECE of work--VERY DEEP PROBING, DEEP REASONING AND THOUGHT, and VERY DEEP HEART work into Christian theology and the rights of non-humans. It is worth much more than 5 stars.

This book should not be overlooked by ANY person concerned with the rights of non-humans. It is first-rate superb work, splendid work from a well-known British priest and theologean.

I really CANNOT GIVE ENOUGH PRAISE to the author and this book. Finally activists have an ally linked to the Christian Church who REALLY SPELLS IT ALL OUT FOR YOU IN GRAND STYLE AND IN PERFECT STYLE WITH ALL THE DETAILS. You could not find a better example of animal theology--and really--of "REASON and JUSTICE" for non-humans in the name of the Christian Church in any other book or writing. I was astonished at the exhaustive and exquisite effort involved in this book.

REALLY trust me on this one!!

Nadia

Andrew Linzey provides a thought-provoking, erudite argument for why Christians ought to be concerned about animals. He does not resort to ill-founded arguments or emotionally manipulative pleas. Rather, he outlines in logical fashion the issues at hand: Animals are one of God's concerns; because God cares for animals so should those who claim to be God's people.

The first part of the book makes the case for animal rights--but Linzey carefully defines what he means by animal rights. Animals have rights because they were created by God and have intrinsic value as a result. Linzey does not put animals above humans or even discuss them in terms of "equal rights." Instead he asserts that while humans are given dominion over all creation, dominion is defined as service, protection and compassion. In other words, dominion is not unrestrained power and the right of superiority, it is the responsibility to love the world as God loves--via service. He does not minimize humanity, but demands that our humanocentric belief that God is only concerned about humans is simply wrong.

Linzey challenges the church to rise up to her responsibility. In several chapters, he outlines how irresponsibly the church has acted in regard to the environment and animals--both in theology and praxis. Yet, in other chapters he describes signs of hope-moments when Christians have stood up for ethical treatment of animals.

Linzey has spent years of his career developing his arguments. This book represents a collection of his best work (several chapters were previously published in other formats). The work is copiously footnoted and rigorously researched. For anyone who wishes to explore the issue animal rights from a Christian perspective, this is an excellent place to start.

Once again, Dr. Andrew Linzey has delivered a wonderful and inspiring appeal for Christians and peoples of every faith to embrace the highest virtue - EMPATHY. He proclaims that a heightened sense of empathy brings us closer to God and permits us to live in harmony with one another and all of creation. A commitment to jump off our "human" pedestal and experience the wonders and beauty of God's creation in a humble and respectful manner is the true essence of Spirituality. "Animal Gospel" is a truly enlightening exposition.

Andrew Linzey is often called the chaplain of the animal rights movement, but that is hardly fair. The title, "chaplain," suggests someone who gives a bit of moral advice or adds some solemnity to a public occasion. Linzey does much more than that. For many years, he has been developing one of the most creative and constructive Christian theological projects. He is a systematic thinker in the sense that he examines and transforms every aspect of Christian doctrine from the perspective of compassion for animals. Yet he also is faithful and consistent in his appropriation of the Christian tradition. Indeed, he manages to recover aspects of Christianity of which even the most faithful are frequently unaware. I have often taught Linzey's earlier book, Animal Theology, in a college course, and that book is pitched at a slightly higher level than this one. But this book, Animal Gospel, is his most passionate and engaging work yet. If you are interested in what Christian theologians say about the animal rights movement, this is the one book to get. Linzey blends the theoretical and the practical in a comprehensive vision of what it means to be a Christian, not just what it means to be an animal rights activist. If you read this book, your views of Christianity will be changed as much as your views of animals. My only problem with Linzey is that sometimes he is too quick to use the language and assumptions of the animal rights movement, but the more I read of him, the more I realize that he uses the rhetoric of rights as a strategy to best implement the compassionate ideal of Christian faith. There is a growing movement among theologians to talk not just about the environment or nature but also about our specific obligations to animals, and we owe this movement to Linzey's pioneering work.