Meditation Books

This book will help you to use wisdom from the Bible as you pray through difficult times. By inserting a name in the prayers you know you are asking for God's will for a troubled person.

I often found myself inserting my own name where name of a "prodigal" you are trying to reach would go.

A wonderful book that has brought great comfort to me. I wish there were more like it.

This book is a wonderful adjunct to one's devotional prayers. It offers encouragement, and powerful prayers that may be said on behalf of prodigals. For anyone who has had a prodigal in their life, this book can turn one back to a simple trust in the Holy One, who not only parted the Red Sea, but brought the Apostle Paul to faith in Christ, and has worked in countless other lives to bring about salvation, reconstruction, and renewal. Let this little book be a healing balm when you undergo suffering on behalf of a prodigal. A worthwhile purchase for an individual, or to share with others. Blessings!

This book offers insight and thoughts to help you through this time. It has helped to read and offer some peace as you go throught this time. The book helps to remind me that God is with me and my child.

I don't think I have ever had a book that ministered to me more than this one. There isn't one reading that's not full of insight and encouragement. This easy, little book profoundly helps to renew my strength and hope in prayer for the prodigals in my life.

Moments for Families with Prodigals provides comfort for those hurting and confused, encouragement for those whose faith is weak, and hope when you feel all hope is gone. This collection of prayers, promises, and insights makes one realize that they are not alone in their pain. It reminds you that God is aware of your pain, and He is not distant or disinterested. He wants to guide you through each situation and give you new strength to carry on the task of loving when it hurts the most. These devotionals will help you do just that. It encourages you to never give up on your prodigal.

There's not much I can add to these reviews. I would just say that Elder Joseph's letters are eminently readable and that, although it is true he maintened a standard of asceticism far beyond that which most people are capable of, there are many practical aspects of this book that the ordinary individual can use and apply in his own spiritual journey.
Ditto on the beautiful appearance of the book. It is a joy to handle and look at.

The wisdom and sweetness of the Elder's words make this book a true treasure. He epitomizes the very essence of spiritual fatherhood. It comes as no surprise to learn that Elder Joseph's spiritual children and grandchildren ( if you will ), number in the thousands, and that his blessed memory lives on in all of their hearts.

Excellent translation of the Greek version. This book demonstrates what an incredible saint Elder Joseph the Hesychast is. His writings will inspire you to practice the Jesus Prayer without ceasing. His ascetic struggle and love for Christ and the Virgin Mary will bring tears to your eyes. I am truly amazed that we have had such a saint in our century. This book is definitely one of the best Orthodox Christian books out there.

This is a collection of letters written by an illumined Eastern Orthtodox holy man who lived in the 20th century on the holy mountain of Athos in caves and huts. It is a book for those who want to go more deeply into the interior life of Christ, girded by the written instructions of an experienced guide and elder, without having to go outside the Christian tradition to do so. I am finding it an invaluable tool and motivation. One must understand however that it is a book by a monk and ascetic. Not all of what he instructs is practical or even possible for those of us who live in the world. But in the same way that one might read a book by Lance Armstrong on bicycle racing, without having any hope or possibility of achieving his level of accomplishment, this book will motivate and challenge you!

Elder Joseph's letters are awe-inspiring as well as action inspiring. This collection of letters comes from several sources (they don't all have the same recipient.) He addresses clergy, monastics, laity (both in Greece and abroad.)

The level of asceticism he practiced he never pushed on anyone else. He expected much out of people, but made them want to be that way of their own will. He wasn't interested in having a bunch of puppets. He was a true spiritual father, not a spiritual dictator.

Many of his ideas, sayings, etc will seem "radical" to most English speakers. After a while though, you realize Elder Joseph isn't the radical one, he is living the God-inspired life, while the rest of us aren't quite hitting the mark.

More than anything though, you realize how his love of God has caused him to have extreme love for all of creation...even those that didn't like him. Elder Joseph was a man of incredible discipline, humility and love. He was always strict with himself, willing to admit when he was wrong. He was kind, generous, and loving to others.

I can't say enough good things about this book. The Elder's words just melt you with joy and challenge you to become like Christ. I also want to comment on the literal book itself. The hardcover edition is beautifully put together. Embossed cover, multicolor printing, nice art, quality paper, binding etc. If taken care of, this book should exist for generations.

Buy this book, and challenge yourself.

This is the best Christian devotional I have ever read. It is sure to bring you closer to God as you meditate on Charles Spurgeon's writings based on the Bible.

This book is a fantastic daily devotional. Charles Spurgeon helps you to grow closer in your walk with the Lord. It is a book that you will look forward to reading everyday.

Reading a Spurgeon devotional is like having the perfect dessert after a perfect dinner. Morning by Morning is just such a treat. Spurgeon's eloquence reaches a spiritual level that challenges the reader yet clarifies great truths of the Bible like few others. Like C.S. Lewis, he illuminates without expanding beyond the source. This little volume would make a great gift for any Christian.

I chanced upon this daily devotional in a local bookshop. I didn't know it was that good. I just bought it because I needed something extra for the morning before going off to work. As I began going through it, I realised how inspiring, motivating and crystal clear Spurgeon was able to explain some of the things about God. Along the way, it gave me many fresh revelations; things that I accepted previously as a Christian but never really understood why. As mentioned, many of the devotionals were inspiring and motivating. I really felt that God was speaking to me so lovingly through Spurgeon's devotionals. I'm not the only one who felt this way. Many of my friends and colleagues whom I shared the devotionals with felt the same way. Spurgeon's devotionals brought them so much closer to God and made some of them so much more passionate about God. This is definitely the first-choice daily devotional to go through first thing after we wake up every morning.

Every morning,I could meditate in God. I'm lazy but this book make me eager. God give me this book to work hard.....

This is a great way to start your mornings, a cup of coffee, a breakfast roll and a tidbit from Henry. A great addition to any devotional life!

Henri Nouwen gives us all a wonderful way to start each day! His inspirational and thought provoking views of life, both practical and spiritual, are just right for any Christian. Although Nouwen was Roman Catholic, his writings provide "soul food" for anyone looking for something more from day to day life. I would recommend this lovely little book to all.

A wonderful collection of short readings to give pause for thought each day.A good introduction to Henri Nouwen's writing style, and a look at his heart.

Here's Henri Nouwen, wishing he'd memorized more prayers: "I fear that in crisis situations I will have to depend on my own unredeemed ramblings and not have the Word of God to guide me." This admission reveals Nouwen, a revered spiritual teacher, to be accessible to the ordinary seeker. And the fact that this quote is taken from a reflection called "The Value of Memorized Prayers" further shows Nouwen as one open to all avenues toward holiness. The 112 single-page reflections in this work, chosen from Nouwen's writings on prayer, solitude, and community, are sure to inspire and encourage all who reflect on them. As a bonus, the book is sized to fit in pocket or purse and includes charming photos of Nouwen. Faith-sharing groups could turn to any page for a discussion starter.

Henri Nouwen, in my opinion, will be considered one of the most inspired Catholic writers of the 20th Century. Nouwen wrote from his lived experience of being human and yet, finding himself always on a quest for a closer union with God.

With Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and Mother Teresa, Nouwen will in time be considered one of the luminary spiritual writers of the last century.

Mornings With Henri Nouwen is just a series of very brief reflections that can be used to start one's day. I really like these types of books and tend to leave them in different places around my house so that I will come across different ones at different times of the day.

The topics covered weave Nouwen's writings into them and are truly good thoughts to consider at the start of the day.

Highly recommended for a spiritual focal point to start the day with. James J. Maloney
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

amoda is certainly on her game. what a flowing, balanced book.

cannot recommend it high enough. she modifies osho and other experts in her own lived-thru, expert way.

it would have been even more perfect had there been a CD with this!

it deserves to stay in print! at this low price (see the amazon sellers!), you can get one for yourself and others. a great gift.

no fluff here. straightforward wisdom from all chakras.

i love how amoda is speaking from her own deep experience, from or AS her own embedded, embodied chakras..................namaste! jai jai amoda!

The ecstatic experience of a thousand club nights sensitively distilled into an essence you can work - and play - with in the privacy of your own home. Highly recommended!

Amoda has dance in her blood and healing in her heart. In this book, she brings the two together to show how movement can be used to heal wounds, free the spirit and connect with the sacred dimensions of power and potential. Her focus is shamanic and she draws upon a vast heritage of spiritual wisdom from the ancient experts on out-of-body, soul-full experience, which she then transplants to the modern dance hall and sets firmly within the Culture of Rave. If you'd like to know immortality through movement, ecstasy through energy and touch the divine through the power of dance, then Amoda will take you there. Connect with the infinite, vast and timeless - the cosmic being that is YOU.

Find joy, bliss, and ecstasy in the present moment. Moving into Ecstasy is a modern approach to liberation based on ancient tantric yoga teachings and philosophies. Filled with easy and practical exercises inviting you to "get out of your head and into your body" such as meditation, breathing, movement/dance, ritual, chakra/kundalini work, and self expression and self examination. This book explores a wide range of techniques to liberate the mind and open the heart with a fun and joyous attitude.

Be in the moment. Forget the past and don't fantasize about the future. Engage, connect and be in the present moment. This is the main message of Amoda's book Moving into Ecstasy. The journey through the chakras and the dance create an amazing spiritual connection, one that has truly changed my life... but the underlying tow of the book is a connection to the self and a connection to now which everyone can tap into. Amoda encourages us to get out of our heads and our habits and into the body, embracing our sensual and our intuitive sides. The exercises in the book help us strip away these habits and conditioning in order to become fully aware of the lives we are living right now. As Amoda says 'Moving Into Ectasy is a wake-up call to life'.

I found "Music of Silence" a perfect book to accompany me on a week's retreat to a contemplative Benedictine monastery, where the life of a day is built around the offices, or hours, from Matins through Compline. David Steindl-Rast is a Benedictine monk who has written this companion of reflective essays for each of the monastic hours, to take the reader though the day, as it were. The essays are surprisingly wide-ranging, delving down many paths, from the Zen Buddhism of Thich Nhat Hanh to Rilke. They open up the meaning of such little hours as Terce and Sext, and in doing so they illuminate the various spiritual stages of every passing hour of the day, from night to night. Returning to my secular life I found myself still pondering the hours we pass through daily, as the stages of each passing day really do illuminate a whole life lived.

I purchased this complete with a copy of "Chant" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo de Silos.

The beauty and stillness of this is enchanting and refreshing to the mind. We truly enter the world of sacred monastary in this way.

Just beautiful! Pax Domini!

While walking the reader through the daily life of a monk's spiritual journey, this author also inspires the lay person to listen to the "Music of Silence".

Every chapter deserves contemplation. The book gives everyone a direction to follow, as the hours of the day flow.

I found it even more inspirational to listen to Gregorian Chant while reading. I especially like "CHANT" by the Benedictine Monks of Santo Domingo De Silos.

If you truly need a break from the hectic pace of today's life then this book is a must read.

It has become a permanent part of my library and look forward to reading more from this author.

The author discusses how time can be a deeply sacred part of the hours of our lives, and why an appreciation of time has been developed by the experts of the monastic orders. Nothing is as ordinary, or as sacred, as time. Far from being an infinitesimally small unit of measurement or a means of separating one event from another, time provides the means by which the still, small, silent voice of God may be heard. This is a book to take on a sabbatical journey.

Steindl-Rast examines the moods implied in the canonical hours of the day. I have purchased both the book and the audio tapes of the book. The ideas expressed by Steindl-Rast are positive, valuable, and applicable to daily life. Prime, for example, occurring early in the day, according to Steindl-Rast, might be considered too early and simply an oh-no-here-we-go-again complaint. (my word, not his!) Or, it can be considered an opportunity, kind of a drumroll to our work of the day, preparing us to go ahead with energy and commitment.

Steindl-Rast uses a picture by Fra Angelico, which includes angels for each of the canonical hours, to explain many ideas. He also quotes the poets Robert Frost and Rainer Maria Rilke in his explanations of ideas. The excerpts of poetry are excellent and have led me to read more of each of these poets.

The music of which the author speaks is Gregorian Chant. And the words of the chants are the prayers and meditations that express the hours.

A high school music teacher, I have found the author's defining of the roots of words to describe their applications to be an excellent way to share vocabulary with my students. I have also found many ideas about music and a positive approach to life, all of which my students seem to appreciate.

This is an excellent book.

M C Papadolias

Steve Georgiou's new book invites his readers to discover that they live not only at a certain postal address known to the postman but also, and more significantly, on Mystic Street -- a street that begins at one's front door and stretches to wherever you happen to be going on a given day, whether to the supermarket or a mountain top. Mystic Street is not a line on the map but a way of life in which the main project is to be fully present wherever you happen to be, and thus to be continually rescued from boredom and be snapped awake in a state of surprise. Steve presents his invitation autobiographically, recalling particular experiences he has had while traveling his own Mystic Street. Yet this is less a book about his own life than an invitation to the reader to be more attentive, to live a more contemplative life, to discover beauty in unexpected places. The book's many photos add another level to the text. The cover photo -- light shining on wet cobblestones -- might have been taken on one of the Greek islands, most likely Patmos, where parts of the book are located. Altogether a refreshing read!

While this is one man's book about grace in his everyday experiences, it could well be every man's or woman's. The invitation is to be awake to it.
His mentor Robert Lax had always told him to "go with the flow." Grace is the flow of our everyday life.
Grace is also the thread that Georgiou finds in his daily experiences and weaves into the tapestry of his life. There are 65 main chapters that teach by, for want of a better term, the "gentle awakening" method: Grace is there; you just need to open your senses to perceive it.
The book is not only a good, gentle read with short chapters making it easy to pause for reflection, but the chapters themselves help you develop the habit of wakefulness to grace. It does not set out to be a how-to book, but the desire to be aware of grace alive in the moment (aka, to take a sensuous stroll on Mystic Street) becomes rather overwhelming.
The chapters have plenty I-wish-I-could-have-been-there moments. For example, one for me was when three teenage girls boarded the midnight subway laughing and shouting, disturbing the tired, dozing, zombie passengers who just wanted to be left unbothered. After a while, the girls quieted and began singing a stirring Gospel tune in harmony, praising the Lord. The tired were restored, the dozing were awakened, the zombies were enlivened and the wanting-to-be-left-alone were connected! When two rough looking thugs boarded the car there was a momentary lapse into tension and fear, but the girls not only kept on singing, they sang louder. Soon other passengers joined in the refrain. The chapter meditation was on music's impact on our body and spirit, but what a marvelous sparking moment in time!
This is a book to read and read again, but is also a wonderful book to give.

I really enjoyed Georgiou's "The Way of the Dreamcatcher". The qualities of his luminous perspectives on the poet Robert Lax have carried over into his new effort, a personal memoir of an enlightened ordinary life. There's a deep "innocence" in the way the author turns over the every day happening to discover treasure where it's least expected. An easy read that's like taking a walk with a good friend.

In his latest book, "Mystic Street", Steve Georgiou has a turn of phrase that often strikes me as being true to the experience of so many of us: "we are travelers of the heart" (p.32). Consequently, I read Georgiou's book as an invitation to travel the uncharted territory of my own heart and life experiences. It's something of a travel book, one that describes a fabulous journey through inner and outer landscapes. One slowly and attentively responds to the beckoning of mystery; mystery woven like a fine, rich thread through the everyday and the ordinary. In this case the "everyday and the ordinary" is Steve working toward his doctoral degree in Religion and Art at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. "Mystic Street" carries on from where Georgiou's earlier book "The Way of the Dreamcatcher", left off.

And, I must say, the views from this continuing journey are of a type that make you stop, dead in your tracks. You stand still. You "wakeup" as if from a dream. You rub the sleep from you eyes and you look and you see the wonder of the holy and the sacred in all that you know you've seen, but somehow, not really noticed. It's enough to take your breath away!

To have read this book is to have unwrapped a gift of great value.

Mystic Street is a great book to take into a quiet place and meditate
on the
deeper things of life. As you read it you feel your spiritual quest
deepening,
chapter by chapter. It is a book that leaves you with a kind of
tranquil awe
and reverence for both creation and for the Creator who made it all
happen
in the first place.

A fine, wise book. Direct, simple and useful. It helps one focus on what is truly important. Naikan is beautifully produced and a pleasure to read and hold. Author Gregg Krech has a graceful prose style that provides the reader with a clear, insightful roadmap. A welcome addition for those who value a purposeful, personal library.

This book offers much to anyone interested in cultivating a grateful outlook in life through reflection. Inspiring quotes, poetry and practical exercises complement the text, which describes Naikan's Japanese roots, but is presented in a Westerner-friendly way. There's even a little section on Benjamin Franklin's efforts at self-reflection. The book's format lends itself to dipping in for a quick tidbit as well as a cover-to-cover read. Readers may find themselves thanking their socks for keeping them warm, or enjoying a pizza with mindful attention. Very inspiring!

I hope to buy copies of this book for Christmas this year to give to all of the people I love. I read this book and applied its principles to my life and especially my relationship with my husband. It is transformative! By using the techniques discussed in this book, which are really very simple to use, you gain a truer, fuller picture of what is happening in any relationship in which you are involved. It has helped me to truly appreciate my husband, something that hasn't happened in a very long time. Of course, he feels that appreciation and the result has been a wonderful transformation of our relationship. I recommend this book for everyone as I can't imagine anyone for whom it would not be life changing in some degree.

As an aging pilgrim who has tried to improve her life via the zigzag path of running, meditation, simplicity and organic gardening, I find Greg Krech's Naikan an astoundingly effective small volume. As someone said, the practice of Naikan is about " What is" rather than " What was" or "What might have been." Like most Americans, I find it reassuring that the ancient Naikan techniques fit into my fast forward world easily. Thanks, Gregg Krech, for providing a better map for my life journey.

Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, And The Japanese Art Of Self-Reflection by Gregg Krech (Executive Director, ToDo Institute, Middlebury, Vermont) is an accessible, "reader friendly" guide to the spiritual art of mental composure and cleansing through an ancient tradition of harmony and balance. Individual chapters address the nature of Naikan, and its practice and usefulness in everyday life. Offering simple exercises that the reader can do to train himself or herself in this healing and revealing way of deeper understanding, Naikan is a fascinating and meaningful guide, and highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to improve themselves in general, and their emotional well-being in particular.

I consider Nietzsche to be the most honest, profound and relevant thinker available to those who are lost and nauseated in a godless, overly- democratised world. This is not to say that Nietzsche is without faults, and serious ones at that. Nevertheless, at his best he combines an honesty, seriousness and profoundity that are, in my view, unsurpassed.
With this in mind I would recommend to anyone who wishes to undertake a serious study of Nietzsche to begin with the Untimely Meditations, and particularly the essays on "History" and "Schopenhauer". These two works especially illustrate Nietzsche's obsessions, his character and his general orientation.

These four "Meditations" deal with, as has been noted in other reviews, a very diverse number of topics. Primarily, however (and apart from the scattered passages of philosophical interest), they are criticisms, or more accurately explanations, of culture. Although they deal with issues such as sholarship, literature, science, art, and of course philosophy, the recurring theme in all four is culture. What it is, what kind of culture is desirable, how culture comes about, etc. These discussions are found in each of the Meditations, some more fragmentary than in others.

These are some of Nietzsche's early writings and they reflect that fact. They are similar to "The Birth of Tragedy" to certain degrees in style and in content. They are not fully or even primarily philosophical works. Nietzsche is here still under the influence of Richard Wagner and Arthur Schopenhauer and although it can be seen that he is breaking away from those influences (for instance, the Meditation on Schopenhauer does not focus on Schopenhauer's actual philosophy as a source of education for Nietzsche so much as Schopenhauer the man, and the Meditation on Richard Wagner is not as strong and unified as the other Meditations are and it does not present a wholly flattering picture of Wagner, dwelling as it does on his psychology - it's tenor is not always one entirely of approval) he has not really begun his philosophizing yet.

The other way they show how early on in Nietzsche's career they are is in the writing itself. While "The Birth of Tragedy" had technical issues even ignoring the philological and philosophical concerns (as amazing a work in aesthetics and culture as it was), these four works do as well. Don't get me wrong, even in Nietzsche's first book his command of language shows itself and these are beautifully written pieces in their own right, but neither his first book nor the four Meditations can quite measure up, stylistically, to Nietzsche's later works like "Twilight of the Idols".

Still, the Meditations are interesting in their own right. "David Straus, the Confessor and the Writer" deals with a number of topics. One of these has to do with faith and doctrines of beliefs. Nietzsche, who used to enjoy reading Strauss's "Life of Jesus", blasts Strauss mercilessly (in a way that really hasn't changed if you happen to watch any TV at all) for putting up his own secular faith in place of religious faith and you can almost hear the unspoken words "Last Man" which Nietzsche would write so contemptuously of in "Thus Spoke Zarathustra". The fact that Strauss shared similar views on religion as such with Nietzsche mattered little. Strauss, in Nietzsche's opinion, tried to change the fundamental views of the world (from the supernatural to the material/deterministic) without drawing new conclusions from that. Basically, Strauss was viewed as one of those who saw Darwin and that which he stood for as of great benefit to mankind without realizing the kinds of change such a shift in worldview that implied. Essentially, Strauss represents the type (the Last Man) that has ultimately been victorious, in large parts of the world, over Nietzsche. The kind who shifts his superstitions to material science but keeps the Christian morality, or the Christian conclusions based on that premise (which, because of the shift from afterworld to this world, is no longer a valid premise).

Later on, Nietzsche bashes Strauss's prose, although the final examples of bad German that Nietzsche picked apart in the original are simply cut out of this version because of the translation difficulties. It would be somewhat pointless to hear a German criticism in German _of_ German if it has all been rendered (deliberately badly) into English.

"On the Uses and Disadvantages of History for Life" is an interesting piece which points out a central tenet of Nietzsche's philosophy of life. A thing may only be "good" to the extent that it is life-promoting. This is, I'm pretty sure, the main reason Nietzsche fought so hard against anything he perceived as nihilistic. Nietzsche says in here that to a certain extent, for man to function, he must be "unhistorical". On the other hand, he applauds the type who can be as historical as possible and still function. Throughout these meditations you get a sense of Nietzsche's approval of the "higher" or aristocratic type that was to culminate in his conception of the overman.

"Schopenhauer as Educator" is, as I have said, not so much about Schopenhauer's philosophy as it is about the lesson's Nietzsche took from Schopenhauer's life. Nietzsche claimed, towards the end of his life, that this essay was not written about Schopenhauer but about himself. While I don't really buy that, I am inclined to grant, after reading it, that some of the attributes Nietzsche praises in Schopenhauer were either slightly altered or completely fabricated and that Nietzsche was writing into this Meditation things he admired and wished to emulate. For one thing, I don't think you could really say that Schopenhauer was "cheerful" in any sense of the word. Schopenhauer was a pessimist in more than just a philosophical sense and his writings about anything contemporary or tangible seem bitter (not just the stuff about Hegel).

I'll leave off the final Meditation. It's not as clear as the others, but there is a lot of interesting cultural commentary, including a very great deal about art and culture. There is one passage I would like to quote as an example: "Wherever 'form' is nowadays demanded, in society and in conversation, in literary expression, in traffic between states, what is involuntarily understood by it is a pleasing appearance, the antithesis of the true concept of form as shape necessitated by content, which has nothing to do with 'pleasing' or 'displeasing' preciesly because it is necessary and not arbitrary." (Richard Wagner in Bayreuth pg. 216)

Although there was a revolt against form in the early part of the 20th Century, like most revolts it made certain gains and was summarily crushed.

These Meditations constitute necessary reading for any serious Nietzschean (and I use that term without any sense of irony - if Nietzsche hadn't wanted adherents he shouldn't have left any writings, unsystematic or not) and help greatly with a proper understanding of his ideas (which can be misconstrued if you start with later writings and don't read them analytically).

This translation is, of course, excellent and the Cambridge Texts series is about the best on the market right now. Even though I have the paperback editions of Nietzsche's works the binding is more durable than some hardcover books I have purchased.

Nietzsche and Wagner were adept at picking on their contemporaries in a way that is so thoroughly unpopular now that I would not be surprised if this book is never again printed with the Introduction by J.P. Stern which was in the 1983 version reprinted in 1989, and which I purchased in 1990. It is clear from that introduction that David Strauss had read the first portion of this book and furnished his friend Rapp with a clear question about Nietzsche's character in a letter of 19 December 1873. "First they draw and quarter you, then they hang you. The only thing I find interesting about the fellow is the psychological point -- how can one get into such a rage with a person whose path one has never crossed, in brief, the real motive of this passionate hatred." (p. xiv) Those who are familiar with legal procedures, or how the media treats anyone who is suddenly perceived to be a fink, might enjoy this book as something that might be considered an unforgivable outburst today. Who could wish for such a triumph now, over intellectual paths which crossed twice? When Nietzsche was young, he perceived a scholar who displayed the real Straussian genius. Later, Nietzsche could only find a writer who, "if he is not to slip back into the Hegelian mud, is condemned to live out his life on the barren and perilous quicksands of newspaper style." (p. 54) I could have rated this book a bit higher, for being much more truthful than is expected of scholarly work today, but the kind of scholars who read these books might have no idea what I meant, or they know that they are better off not raising questions about those political issues which are most questionable. Nietzsche's real fearlessness began here.

Nietzsche wrote "David Strauss, the Confessor and the Writer" in 1873, the first of his Unfashionable Observations, at the behest of Richard Wagner. David Strauss was an eminent theologian, whose The Life of Jesus Critically Examined (1864) had had a tremendous impact due to its demystification of Jesus' life. Strauss had contended that the supernatural claims made about the historical Jesus could be explained in terms of the particular needs of his community. Although Strauss defends Christianity for it's moral ideals, his demythologizing of Jesus appealed to Nietzsche.

Nevertheless, Wagner had been publicly denounced by Strauss in 1865 for having persuaded Ludwig II to fire a musician rival. Not one to forget an assault, Wagner encouraged Nietzsche to read Strauss' recent The Old and the New Faith (1872), which advocated the rejection of the Christian faith in favor of a Darwinian, materialistic and patriotic worldview. Wagner described the book to Nietzsche as extremely superficial, and Nietzsche agreed with Wagner's opinion, despite the similarity of his own views to Strauss' perspective on religion.

This Unfashionable Observation, accordingly, was Nietzsche's attempt to avenge Wagner by attacking Strauss' recent book. In fact, the essay is at least as much an argumentative attack on Strauss as on his book, for Nietzsche identifies Strauss as a cultural "Philistine" and exemplar of pseudoculture. The resulting essay appears extremely intemperate, although erudite, filled with references to many of Nietzsche's scholarly contemporaries. The climax is a literary tour de force, in which Nietzsche cites a litany of malapropisms from Strauss, interspersed with his own barbed comments.

Nietzsche's second Unfashionable Observation, "On the Advantages and Disadvantages of History for Life" (1874) is "unfashionable" because it questions the apparent assumption of nineteenth century German educators that historical knowledge is intrinsically valuable. Nietzsche argues, in contrast, that historical knowledge is valuable only when it has a positive effect on human beings' sense of life. Although he acknowledges that history does provide a number of benefits in this respect, Nietzsche also contends that there are a number of ways in which historical knowledge could prove damaging to those who pursued it and that many of his contemporaries were suffering these ill effects.

Nietzsche contends that history can play three positive roles, which he terms "monumental," "antiquarian," and "critical." Monumental history brings the great achievements of humanity into focus. This genre of history has value for contemporary individuals because it makes them aware of what is possible for human beings to achieve. Antiquarian history, history motivated primarily out of a spirit of reverence for the past, can be valuable to contemporary individuals by helping them appreciate their lives and culture. Critical history, history approached in an effort to pass judgment, provides a counter-balancing effect to that inspired by antiquarian history. By judging the past, those engaged in critical history remain attentive to flaws and failures in the experience of their culture, thereby avoiding slavish blindness in their appreciation of it.

The problem with historical scholarship in his own time, according to Nietzsche, was that historical knowledge was pursued for its own sake. He cited five dangers resulting from such an approach to history: (1) Modern historical knowledge undercuts joy in the present, since it makes the present appear as just another episode. (2) Modern historical knowledge inhibits creative activity by convincing those made aware of the vast sweep of historical currents that their present actions are too feeble to change the past they have inherited. (3) Modern historical knowledge encourages the sense that the inner person is disconnected from the outer world by assaulting the psyche with more information than it can absorb and assimilate. ( 4) Modern historical knowledge encourages a jaded relativism toward reality and present experience, motivated by a sense that because things keep changing present states of affairs do not matter. (5) Modern historical knowledge inspires irony and cynicism about the contemporary individual's role in the world; the historically knowledgeable person comes to feel increasingly like an afterthought in the scheme of things, imbued by a sense of belatedness.

Although Nietzsche was convinced that the current approach to history was psychologically and ethically devastating to his contemporaries, particularly the young, he contends that antidotes could reverse those trends. One antidote is the unhistorical, the ability to forget how overwhelming the deluge of historical information is, and to "enclose oneself within a bounded horizon." A second antidote is the suprahistorical, a shift of focus from the ongoing flux of history to "that which bestows upon existence the character of the eternal and stable, towards art and religion."

Nietzsche's third Unfashionable Observation "Schopenhauer as Educator" (1874), probably provides more information about Nietzsche himself than it does about Schopenhauer or his philosophy.

Schopenhauer, in Nietzsche's idealizing perspective, is exemplary because he was so thoroughly an individual genius. Schopenhauer was one of those rare individuals whose emergence is nature's true goal in producing humanity, Nietzsche suggests. He praises Schopenhauer's indifference to the mediocre academicians of his era, as well as his heroism as a philosophical loner.

Strangely, given Schopenhauer's legendary pessimism, Nietzsche praises his "cheerfulness that really cheers" along with his honesty and steadfastness. But Nietzsche argues that in addition to specific traits that a student might imitate, Schopenhauer offers a more important kind of example. Being himself attuned to the laws of his own character, Schopenhauer directed those students who were incapable of insight to recognize the laws of their own character. By reading and learning from Schopenhauer, one could develop one's own individuality.

"Richard Wagner in Bayreuth" (1876), the fourth and final of Nietzsche's published Unfashionable Observations, was intended as an essay of praise to Wagner, much like "Schopenhauer as Educator." Nietzsche's relationship with Wagner had been strained by the time he wrote the essay, however, and the tension is evident in the text, which emphasizes Wagner's psychology (a theme that would preoccupy Nietzsche in many of his future writings). Nietzsche, himself, may have been concerned about the extent to which the essay might be perceived as unflattering, for he considered not publishing it. Ultimately, Nietzsche published a version of the essay that was considerably less critical of Wagner than were earlier drafts, and Wagner was pleased enough to send a copy of the essay to King Ludwig.

Herein lie the seeds of Nieztsche's notion of Eternal Recurrence, which will germinate in The Gay Science, and bear fruit in Zarathustra.

Neitzsche's treatment of the four "types" of history in "On the Uses and Disadvantages of History for Life" is facsinating, both in its own right, and as a prelude to the notion of eternal recurrence.

This is really a book that must be read by anyone serioulsly interested in Nietzsche's philosophy.

If something just seems to be not quite right, you have an unsettled feeling about what God is up to in your life...this is a Must Read. What about that deep down gut pain- that no medicine seems to be able to reach?...read Scotty's story. Truly amazing.

God used Scotty's book to let me see some of my deepest hidden, yet denied pains. I can truly say this was a great instrument in God's continuing Grace to disclose and heal my brokeness. I have given this book to several of my family and friends- and they shared similar experiences with me.

Through the tears- of pain and joy... this is Good News- you will be blessed.

Like Heinz 57 on a delicious steak, this book brings godly seasoning and satisfaction to the soul.

This I'm sure is an eloquent exposition of the (hesed) love of God. It burns bright with hope and fills the heart with astounding encouragement. There's no better subject than the love of God properly propounded and proclaimed.

This is a book I want to read and maybe reread.
Light My Fire with your love, Lord! Light me up!
Scotty is a godly man and pastor on fire with the love of God.
I have a friend who is into "chasing God" but Scotty shows through his preaching and writing that God is the Chaser and we must allow ourselves to be caught by his love seen in the finished work of Christ.

For too many Christians, who take the Bible and their duties seriously, God's love is a concept that is comprehended without being apprehended. Scotty Smith's very personal account of how God moves us to a greater understanding of His great love for us is a wondeful tool for people who only know duty and doctrine in their Christian walks. But, this book is doctrine as well, in the best way! It is doctrine applied, and since all theology is practical, Scotty Smith shows how understanding and receiving God's love changed him.

Here is a sample from the introduction: "In essence, this is the story of God's pursuing and passionate mercy revealed in his Word and through his Son. It is the story of how subjects of futility and foolishness become objects of God's affection. It's about how God makes worshipers out of idolaters, a wife out of a whore." (p. 6).

Each chapter has a prayer at the end to ask God to apply some aspect of what the chapter has covered. There are some thought provoking and heart probing questions in the back of the book for each chapter, to help you apply the book to your life and walk.

Personally, I read this book when I really needed to hear its message (and the message of the Bible that it explains), and it has helped me to "have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge" (Eph. 3:18-19, NIV).

I highly recommend this book, not as some quick fix formula to "jump start" your walk, but as a starting point, on a journey to grow in your understanding of the God who has loved you with an everlasting love! Pick one up today - you won't be disappointed!