Anthony Books

Great book. One of my top 10 of all time.

Great book written all in the gang-slang of the futuristic day. This book is a classic and a must-read for those who liked the (also excellent) movie. But the book has a lot of neat things missing from the movie and one is able to enjoy more detail of the language Burgess created out of a hodge-podge of disjointed Russian (for the most part.) Like in the movie, you will soon be rooting for young Alex no matter that he is a rapist and murderer. This is part of the genius of the work.

(This review covers the 21-chapter version.)

A Clockwork Orange could so easily have been atrocious. Instead, it is a classic, and deservedly so. Burgess has crafted a brilliantly original novel, with a distinctive and unique cockney-Slavic idiom. Aside from the novelty, and the aesthetic innovations, A Clockwork Orange is also an enjoyable book to read. I got the sense whilst reading, however, that, in lesser hands, a novel with similar aspirations would most likely have fizzled into overly-self-aware pretension and gratuitousness. That Burgess pulled it off is testament to his talent.

I do think that the 21st chapter seems a bit tacked-on, and the coda of the 20th, to me at least, is a better, more apposite ending. But this is a minor quibble, and most people like to end a book with optimism anyway.

Unlike most dystopian novels, which tend to focus on what may happen to government in the future, "A Clockwork Orange" focuses on the nature of the individual in the future. Our protagonist is Alex, only 15 years old but already a habitual criminal, roving the streets with his band of friends, taking advantage of every opportunity to wreak havoc on the world around him. The boys have no qualms about attacking the helpless. In fact, the more helpless the victim, it seems, the more pleasure the boys take in the act. The most interesting and disturbing aspect is that the boys manage to maintain a strange sort of innocence even as they commit the most heinous and violent crimes. They aren't doing any of this out of malice toward their targets; in fact, it seems to matter very little who they pick as a victim. They are creating mayhem just because it's fun for them.

Everything changes, however, when one particular break-in goes horribly awry and Alex finds himself sentenced to 14 years in prison for murder. There, though he manages to create an illusion of good behavior, we see that the experience has no real impression on his sense of morality. Then, after two years, he is chosen for a new, experimental rehabilitation program, designed to rid him of any desire to indulge in, or even contemplate, any acts of violence. As we see, however, this "treatment" also leaves him without any choice in the matter of being good or not. He HAS to be good because he is programmed to be. This, of course, raises the question central to the book: Does good behavior actually mean you are a good person if you have no freedom of choice?

The book can be a little difficult to get in to at first, predominantly because of Burgess's unique style. The story is narrated by Alex and thus, is written in the complex slang language, invented by Burgess for this book, that the youth of this society engage in. For example, a sentence taken from the opening chapter: "He looked a malenky bit poogly when he viddied the four of us like that" (pg. 5). There is no glossary, but if you stick with it, you will start to develop a feel for what most of the words mean after a couple chapters. However, if you find yourself having difficulty, a nice, comprehensive lexicon can be found on Wikipedia if you search for "English to Nadsat" (due to review guidelines I am not allowed to include a direct link). Unfortunately, it is alphabetized by the English equivalents, not by the slang terms, so looking up a word can be a little difficult.

One final note of interest: The original British publication of "A Clockwork Orange" had 21 chapters, as does the current American edition. However, when the book was first published in the United States, the last chapter was dropped. As Burgess explains in his introduction to the restored version, publishers considered this 21st chapter a sellout. Whether it is or isn't is up to you to decide, but I can tell you that the presence or absence of the last chapter makes a huge difference in the overall feel and message of the book. Without the final part of the story in place, the book offers a bleak message, implying that human nature cannot really change. On the other hand, reading the book with the final chapter in place gives us a little more hope. Beyond that, Burgess tells us in his introduction, interpretation is up to you.

This review refers to the restored, 1986 Norton & Company edition.

This book Is amazing!!! The way Burgess creates his own slang and original character personas is only a few aspects of his writing. I recomend it to everyone. But to the point of this review, the book is essential with the 21st Chapter, its shows the coming of age in Alex's personality, and it definately humanizes him, makes him very relatable. And that is how Burgess wanted the book to be read.

As a Southern historian I liked the book very much. However, I was and am confused about the hospital where the book began. It seemed to be Chimborazzo in Richmond as he was wounded at Petersburg. However, I thought later that it may have been in central North Carolina as he was traveling west toward the mountains. That was never explained and the map inside the cover helped very little. I felt the book dragged somewhat at times, but overall was excellent.

I also saw the movie and was pleasantly surprised that it was very good and stayed close to the book. I always have problems with movies and found two glaring errors and one significant omission. Nicole Kidman was dressed as a cross between a Gibson Girl of the 1890's and Miss Kitty of Gunsmoke. I never understand why they can't do the ladies' clothing correctly for the 1860's. Renee' Zelwiger was miscast as Ruby. She needed to be much bigger, fatter, and more country. Renee' comes off as a city girl trying to pass for a country woman. They should have had Jude Law go back and kill the guy with the women after he got loose from the chain gang, as happened in the book. Finally, the band was playing "Sittin' On Top Of The World". That song was not written until 1930. So much for historical research.

Avid fans of Charles Frazier's classic novel "Cold Mountain" novel who have followed its translation from book to film now have a keepsake coffee table edition celebrating the move, which is much more than a collection of movie photos. The novel "Cold Mountain" is the story of a pilgrimage, and in the same tone compliments Cold Mountain: The Journey From Book To Film, tracing the odyssey of the movie created by an English directory and his international team of filmmakers: a six-year odyssey. Yes, there are over 185 photos by a number of photographers - but there are also extensive references on pre-production, post-production, and analyses of how the film was created, adding a depth and dimension which elevates Cold Mountain: The Journey From Book To Film far beyond the status of mere coffee table embellishment.

I am a Cold MOuntain fan! I love the book! When I saw the movie, I was somewhat disappointed. Don't get me wrong; it is a great film, but it is so different from the book. When I rated the screenplay, I gave it three stars (out of five), because I felt it "violated" the book in so many ways. This book (Journey from Book to Film), however "redeems" the screenplay, because it explains and illustrates the process of adapting a book to film, and helps the reader understand why the movie "must" be different from the book. This is an absolutely beautiful and essential book for anyone who cares aqbout how the book became a film, and the end result. It is a lovely and well-done book. Highly recommended. By the way, you will want to read the novel again after seeing the movie and reading this book!

This is a beatiful book on the making of my second favorite film of the year, the first being The Return of the King. The book expolres the novel's journey fromm book to srcipt to screen and has over 180 lavish pictures and illstrations. I have not bought any other of these books from Newsmarket becasuse it did not really not what to expect. What i got was a grand expolarartion of what it takes to make a grand film like this. The Music was great in the movie and there is extenisve pages on the making of the soundtrack as well as 32 pages of beatuiful black and white photos taken on the set. If you love movies buy this book, it doesn't even really matter if you have seen the movie or not the book well just make you want to see it a lot more.

Anthony Minghella has become today's poet of images. His films are lyrical and very emotional. They are beautiful, always thoughtful and very touching. That's why I counted my lucky stars when I learned that Minghella would next adapt one of the best and most beautiful books I've ever read, Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain.

Could Mountain: The Journey from Book to Film takes you on the road that everyone involved with this film walked down. First, we meet Minghella and Frazier, as they both discuss the writing of the book and of the script. Then, we meet the producers, the set desingers, the cinematographer, the costume desingers, the actors, the editor... Everyone who played a major role in the making of this film is presented in this book.

I haven't yet see the film and cannot say if the greatness of the book translated well when it was taken to the silver screen. But judging from the interviews and the pictures in this film, I have to say that I don't think I'll be disappointed. The pictures in this book are beautiful and very attractive; you can already tell that this will be one heck of a film to look at (the pictures alone are the kind of visual candy you can't pry yourself away from). And then, the book also reprinted parts of Minghella's screenplay. And like we saw in his other films, The English Patient and The Talented Mr Ripley, Minghella really has a knack for writing engaging and touching dialogue.

Reading this book only made me want to see the film even more. It's rare that you are allowed to partake in this kind of journey, following a film's progress from point A to point Z. But this book brings you right into the heart of the film's production, discussing all the problems the crew faced, and telling us little annecdotes about the making of this film. Cold Mountain might not end up being the greatest film ever made (although I do wish it is), but I can tell, judging by this book, that it will be a great and very important film.

I love to use encyclopedias like this to gain a quick introductory nugget of information about a topic. Thiselton gives me 300+ words in the very specific field of "Philosophy of Religion".

This is a tool. Read systematically through specialized encyclopedias like this, especially in fields of study that you normally do not travel and you will gain a broader knowledge of the world of ideas.

A sampling of the entries:
"Arguments for the existence of God" (2.5 pages)
"John Hick" (2 pages)
"Nagarjuna" (1 page... and don't try to tell me you already know who Nagarjuna is)
"Post-mortal existence of the self" (3.5 pages)
"time" (1 page)
"Zen philosophy (1/2 page)

Of course, the strength of any book is whether the author knows the subject matter and is good with the pen in explaining the material. Thiselton shines in both.

Written by a research professor of Christian theology, A Concise Encyclopedia Of The Philosophy Of Religion is a meticulous compilation of theological terms, notable historical figures, belief systems, logical terminology, and much more. Arranged in alphabetical order, entries range from "agnosticism" and "Aristotle" to "via negationis/via negativa" and "Wittgenstein, Ludwig Josef Johann". Entries are nether excessively lengthy nor overly brief; each one succinctly summarizes its topic in plain terms lay readers can appreciate. A Concise Encyclopedia Of The Philosophy Of Religion strives to leave all bias at the door, and present a multitude of extremely divergent ideas in as unbiased and evenhanded a manner as possible. Highly recommended as a reference and resource especially for lay readers and novice to intermediate students of religious philosophy.

Anthony Thiselton is a well known name in evangelical circles for his extensive work in contemporary hermeneutics and exegesis through titles such as "New Horizons in Hermeneutics" (1992), "Two Horizons" (1980), and the more recent "The First Epistle to the Corinthians" (2000; New International Greek Testament Commentary Series). Thiselton's most recent work is a compendium of his insights into major figures and trends within contemporary hermeneutical, theological and philosophical thought. And students of these contemporary issues will not be disappointed with the timeliness and depth of the topics covered.

"A Concise Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Religion" is precisely that; an encyclopedia containing over 300 entries and sub-entries relevant to any informed discussion of philosophy of religion. In addition to the classic figures generally present in such discussions, Thiselton brings to the table all those others who are just as relevant and crucial to contemporary discussions. Although it is more than tempting to list all the names covered by Thiselton, I will list only a few I was quick to look up: Austin, Ayer, Barthes, Bergson, Chisholm, Derrida, Hartshorne, Henry, Husserl, Levinas, Malcolm, Plantinga, Quine, Swinburne, Whitehead, and Wolterstorff.

All of Thiselton's articles are cross-referenced to allow you to find other topics related to your inquiry within the encyclopedia. He also intentionally explains "virtually every unfamiliar technical term, and will introduce unfamiliar thinkers". This is an excellent resource for students and laymen. I have used this frequently while writing papers or to gain refreshed insight into the thought of a particular figure mentioned in my other readings.

This book can be recommended for students of theology and philosophy, and will be of particular interest to those pursuing contemporary theology, hermeneutics, postmodern theology, historical theology, and philosophy of religion. The book's intent is to provide a contemporary, up-to-date textbook for university level students in these fields. Thus it may prove helpful to teachers striving to expose their students to these same issues.

It may come as a surprise to some that religion, in particular Christianity, has a philosophy--that is, a closely argued intellectual underpinning. How rigorous and convincing this philosophy is might be discerned through a careful reading of Professor Thiselton's book.

First, let me note that the book is mostly about Christianity. Thiselton makes some attempt at including other religions, especially Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, but unfortunately the pertinent entries are, on the one hand far too "concise" to be helpful, and on the other reveal that Thiselton is, as he admits, not an expert on these subjects.

In the main entry on Buddhism ("Buddhist philosophy") for example, Thiselton writes, "Consciousness is not understood as a stable individual consciousness in the sense held by Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Descartes, and Locke." Instead it is "transitory" and subject to "continuous change." Modern (or probably I should say "postmodern") cognitive science would agree that our consciousness is transitory and continuously changing, yes; but this misses the point of Buddhism. In Buddhism it is better to say that the self does not exist and consciousness is an illusion.

Thiselton also writes that "nirvana" is the "extinction of all unproductive or worldly desires." This is not quite correct and again misses the point. Nirvana is the extinction of ALL desire, "productive" or otherwise.

To my mind, the great empiricists of the Enlightenment, especially David Hume, more or less buried the idea that Christianity could be justified in a logical sense. This was long before Nietzsche declared that God was dead and before Marx opined that "religion is the opiate of the people." Nonetheless I think it is interesting to read the historical arguments put forward by the great minds of Christianity, especially Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, Descartes, etc., and even William Paley, famous for his watchmaker argument for the existence of God. Equally interesting is the retort and refinements from great thinkers like Hegel, Kant, Kierkegaard and others.

At times Thiselton's prose gets a bit beclouded and at other times more than a bit mealymouthed. Consider this (he's talking about the controversy over Darwin's The Descent of Man): "It is arguable that a certain narrowness and brittleness on both sides about the incapacity of empirical data to arbitrate on the uniqueness of human personhood as bearing the divine image added confusion rather than light." (p. 90) Uh...could it be that he is saying that no amount of empirical data is going to prove that we are made in God's image?

While there is no entry on "intelligent design" or on "design" (or on "creationism," for that matter), Thiselton follows theologian Frederick R. Tennant who wrote that "gradualism of construction is in itself no proof of the absence of...design." Thiselton adds, "Design may be seen in the provision of necessary conditions for the emergence of designed effects by whatever route." (p. 91) In other words, Darwinian evolution is part of God's design. Furthermore, there is always a Designer regardless of how evolved His designs! It is hard to argue with that, and I won't. I also like to have my cake and eat it too.

Thiselton's bias often insinuates itself into the text. For example he writes that Islamic philosopher Ibn Sina "underlined the implausibility of an infinite chain of contingent causes, in contrast to the more reasonable explanation that behind all finite causes stood the One Necessary Being, who is neither caused nor contingent." (p. 117) To say that Ibn Sina "underlined the implausibility" is to suggest that the implausibility is somehow established. It isn't. To my mind, at least, the "infinite chain" is no more or no less implausible than the idea of a "Necessary Being. "

Although somewhat of a skeptic myself, I like Thiselton's witty retort to scepticism: "if sceptics deny the possibility of knowledge, how do I know that I cannot (with more exploration) know?" (p. 276) Indeed there is no certainty in this life. We have only a choice of something that seems more likely or something that seems less likely.

I also like Thiselton's statement that "God...is not an 'object'; still less an object in space and time." (p. 121) That coincides nicely with my idea of God.

Although my bias about the nature of religion is at odds with that of Professor Thiselton, I nonetheless recommend this concise introduction to the philosophy of religion for undergraduates studying religion. I use the word "introduction" because this book is quite a ways from being encyclopedic, and should more properly be entitled something like "A Concise Compendium of Christian Religious Philosophy with Critiques."

One final point: religion is a slippery subject. Especially tricky is the idea of God. Whenever you find yourself talking about God to someone, always be sure that you and that person have the same or a similar definition of God. Thiselton provides a nice introduction to the various ideas and definitions of God in the entry, "God, concepts and 'attributes' of" on pages 118-123. He puts the small quotes around the word "attributes" because as mentioned above his idea of God is outside of time and space and therefore cannot have attributes in the usual sense of the term.

Anthony C. Thistleton is one of the rare thinkers of our generation that has the ability to extend their knowledge over a vast array of philosophical and theological topics, and yet maintain the ability to keep them in focus and synthesize them for the edification of others. His past works, which include Two Horizons in Hermeneutics, its sequel New Horizons in Hermeneutics, and the NIGTC commentary on 1 Corinthians, are all themselves examples of the scholarly level of Thistleton's work, and his latest, A Concise Encyclopedia of the Philosophy of Religion is no dissapointment.

Containing several hundred entries, including (but, of course, not limited to) entries on thinkers such as Riceouer, Barth, Derrida, Foucoult, Pannenberg, Moltmann, Heidegger, Hegel, Feuerbach, Fichte, Aquinas, Augustine, Lyotard, Plantinga, Scotus, and Freud, and entries on various topics such as Evil (e.g. Theodicy), Causality, Contingency, Demythologization, marxist critique of religion, hermeneutics, postmodernism, The Five Ways of Aquinas, etc...

Thistleton is especially strong in areas of explaining post-modern thinkers and hermeneutics, but quite adept in all other areas (except, perhaps, his explanations of eastern philosophies, which he admits is not his strong area, but are nonetheless sufficient for their purpose, and do not seem excessively truncated when compared to the other articles)

The cross-referencing of the articles makes it especially easy, not only to see the interrelations between thinkers and schools, but is a helpful tool for organization that makes accessing the information a snap.

The only critique I have of this book is a problem that I have of encyclopedias of philosophy and theology in general, that because of the territory covered, the amount of depth in each article is limited. On some occasions also, Thistleton despite his careful indexing or definition of terms in other areas, sometimes uses vocabulary particular to the thinker that he is explaining without expounding on the specific meaning of the term. This is rare, however, and often if the term is not specifically defined, it's usage is made clearer by the context in which it is presented.

This book will be an invaluable asset to all students studying theology and philosophy, and is a key asset, especially as an auxillary source.

For a fuller reference, I recommend Audi's Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, which has multiple contributors and fuller individual articles, albeit with much less emphasis on specifically Christian schools and terms.

This book inspired me to buy a grain mill and start pestering my local natural-foods store to carry whole grains. I baked good bread before, but freshly ground grain makes a huge difference. The profiles of the bakers here are fascinating, the pictures are enticing, and the recipes and techniques really work. Too bad the book seems to be out of print; I hope it is reprinted soon.

This book contains great photos and great recipes! I am an artisan bread baker and this book comes off my shelf again and again. The recipes are all hearty country loaves from around the world. Its a great read with interesting profiles on bakeries - and breads from around the world. From New England USA to Germany to India. There is not a lot of extra info in this book, Linda gets right down to the stuff we want to know about - baking bread! Buy it - you won't be disappointed!

I own and use a variety of cookbooks almost daily since we have eclectic international tastes. And baking bread is something I do the old fashioned way a few times per week. There is nothing as sumptuous as the smell of bread baking or the taste of a warm piece of bread slathered in real butter. And the heartier the better. None of the light as air no substance white bread for me.

And this book is a bread bakers delight and a big book packed with luscious photos as well as step by step directions for breads from dozens of countries. They even have glutten free bread recipes.

Some of my favorites are the Sunflower seed and olive bread on page 20, mixed grain sunflower loaf on page 19,Huron or whole wheat berry bread on page 27, rye bread with dry fruit on page 43, the various rye breads, stout and oat bread, and the green tea bread. And I really love the Lincolnshire recipes from England and of course Lusesekatts from Sweden which we will be savoring this week during celebration of St Lucia.

This is one of my all time favorite sit in a comfy chair near the fire with candle burning and plan for my next bake bread day books............. And it would make an excellent gift for any bread baking novice or master baker.

This is a beautiful book and contains a very eclectic mix of recipes. The directions are clear and concise, the pictures are beautiful and provide some visuals for those who like to see what things should look like. I do wish that Collister had provided a dry yeast alternative in some of the recipes that call for cake yeast, but that's not major enough to downgrade the book. Collister concentrates on English mills, but again that's not a big deal. I'd definitely recommend this book as a wonderful addition to your baking library.

After having been initially inspired to bake bread by Jamie Oliver, I progressed to this book. I have spent many hours digesting the wealth of interest and information in "Country Breads", and have had many successes with the recipes, I have actually had many requests to bring bread to work. My only complaint with the book would be that it is a little England-centric. It goes on and on about the Shipton Mill and its flour, and some of this flour is specified in recipes. Shipton Mill is a little far away from Melbourne, Australia! My favourite recipes are: the rye "Pain de Reucht", the baguettes made from a 'poolish', and the San Francisco Sourdough. I would certainly recommend the book as it has taught me a great deal, although only as a third or fourth book purchase on bread baking, not as a 'Bread Bible'.

Biographies can easily become subjective, as they rely upon the person telling the story. With diaries, we have almost a first-hand look at what the writer was thinking.

These diaries of Alma Mahler reveal the usual thoughts and feelings of a teenage girl and young woman. Alma desperately wishes to "be somebody," but she's not sure of how to achieve it. She spends years studying music, and practicing composition, but her works are simply fair or good, but not remarkable.

Then, she finds out what she's really outstanding at: attracting brilliant artists from all fields. This includes men such as Gustav Mahler, the composer, Walter Gropius, the Bauhaus architect, Franz Werfel, the novelist, Alexander von Zemlinsky, the composer, Gustav Klimt, the painter, Oskar Kokoschka, another painter, and many others.

Although her own art never achieved for her the fame she would have liked, perhaps she inspired all these other greats to go beyond what might have been their own limitations. There is a tendency, as you will see from photographs of Alma, to believe that men were attracted to her because of her spectacular beauty. But as you will see from these diaries, her personality must have also played a large role. She is coquettish, yet honest, and vacillates between between overestimating her successes, yet feeling humble about how much more she wishes she could be.

But what I believe you will find the best feature of this book, is seeing geniuses like Gustav Mahler and Walter Gropius, through the eyes of a young woman, who saw them up-close, as real, live men. It's like traveling back in time, for a close-up, personal look at these famous artists.

Alma Schindler - the goddess, the muse, the center of attention ... How did she manage that? How did she become an obsession of so many genial men, a thing of admiration of the Secessionist Vienna? But simply - she was a remarkable woman. And also, happened to be pretty and at the right place at the right time, born into an artistic family. It was said that she had a hearing defect. She would move closer to her companion in order to hear better. Men found that irresistible.

One would expect her to be vain and conceited. Through her diary, we entered her mind - she is none of that. At least, not more than any of us. She is an insecure girl. She has fears, doubts about herself, she loves passionately... Alas, her anti-Semitic feelings are shocking. At first, she is quite tolerant and objects anti-Semitic sentiments. Then she changes. One can only find the reason in propaganda being already pretty aggressive. She lives among Jewish families, loves Jewish men and marries two of them. Why then? And how did it happen that she married Mahler so quickly?

"Please God, give me some great mission, give me something great to do!" She could have been quite a good artist. Her drawings show certain talent that could have been developed into something much more. She could have taken drawing classes and maybe, her mission would have been even greater. But she pursued music even though it
seemed that she lacked the talent - not one of her opera impressions on the notepaper correspond to the real score. She never composed a great opera she dreamed of. But she left her mark in the history of arts and love.

This book is a great document. The correspondence between the authors just adds to the value. I only wish there were more photos of Alma as well as letters that she received. It would have been nice to read passionate words of her admirers. At the end, instead of an epilogue, there should have been a short biography. And a word of two about her sisters and mother would have been valuable. What happened to her sister Maria? I guess I need to start searching.

Is it true that Alma claimed she was for decades the main authority of Mahler's works, values, character and his day-to-day actions and movements?
Is it true that, initially, and for many years, her various publications quickly became the central source of information and references for Mahler scholars and music-lovers alike?
Now we can know why, later, her accounts have been treated as unreliable, false, misleading and often impaired soundness? It is a fact that these imperfect accounts have nevertheless had a great influence upon several generations of music-lovers, hence the legend: " Alma's Problem""
How about what she wrote in her two books (memoirs) and their impact on Mahler studies'. (Why did she write two memoirs? - My Life, My Loves, and My Diaries 1898-1902) - Alma was a graceful, well-connected and influential woman who outlived her first husband by more than 50 years. (This reminds me of Cosima and Wagner. Cosima outlived Wagner by 47 years). How trustworthy is any story laid by women who outlive their notorious husbands for so long? Shouldn't they be given credence, though there may not have been full and final grain of truth in it?) - The greatest difficulty in writing one's memoirs is to keep a certain detachment at a time when passions were running high. True in her old age Alma wouldn't admit that her apprehensions with the past `'husband and wife"" days had been influenced with the benefit of hindsight when she now perceived the significance of events after they have occurred. Within 50 years Alma's reminiscences of past events couldn't pass without nostalgia or without an urging wistful desire to return, at least in written thoughts (modified and garbled), to a former time in one's life when young - I saw her picture, indeed she was very beautiful. Alma claims that Mahler 'feared women' and that their relationship was never really without danger, arguing that he had almost no sexual intercourse right up to his forties (he was 41 when they met). In fact, Mahler's long record of prior love affairs-- including a lengthy one with Anna von Mildenburg -- suggests that this was not the case. Whereas Alma's flirtation and first kiss was in her teens - as she boastfully said so. ".In her memoirs she must have been looking for an edge over Mahler. True?
Alma Mahler (then Schindler) played piano from childhood and in her memoirs reports that she first attempted composing at age 9. Was that false or true??(She knew that Mahler's parents had arranged piano lessons for him when he was six)
After Mahler's death, Alma did not immediately resume contact with the young architect Gropius. Between 1912 and 1914 she had a highly agitated affair with the artist Oskar Kokoschka, ((who created many works inspired by his relationship with Alma, including his famous painting: Bride of the Wind.)) Strangely enough, I read something like this: "" After Alma's departure from his life, Oskar Kokoschka notoriously ordered a custom life-size doll resembling her in details. Rumors say that he was seen at a local theater in Vienna holding the doll as his companion"" Could this have been true? Was he mentally insane? Was it plausible that Alma has had love affair with a mentally sick man that she did not recognize his flaws from the very beginning? Oscar must have been a most difficult partner, impetuous and mentally unbalanced. Such rumor must have made him the laughingstock for the intellectuals. How could Alma have been `attracted"" by such character? Gustav vs. Oscar (quite the opposite, yet she could sustain the dissimilarities! - Was she so eccentric?)
During the emotional instability in their marriage after Mahler's discovery of the affair (Alma's infatuation with Walter Gropius 1883-1969 - a German architect and founder of Bauhaus and is widely regarded as one of the pioneering masters of "modern" architecture) Mahler took a sincere interest in Alma's musical compositions; completely regretting his earlier attitude when he dropped her talents out. (Was Mahler a capricious person - dictating his authority - as when he dropped Alma's talents in the past?) (Controversial-no doubt!)
Upon Mahler's endeavoring, and under his coaching and assistance, Alma prepared five of her songs for publication (they were issued in 1910, by Mahler's own publisher, Universal Edition). During this time, Mahler had one and unique consultation with Dr. Sigmund Freud. Why? Backlog of hard feelings I believe; they had watched with apprehension the gradual encirclement of the Jews or was it the curse of the ninth - Mahler knew he would not live long after his composition of the Ninth symphony that he completed in 1908 (perhaps!) If it were to seek guidance from Freud on Mahler's unsatisfactory relationship with his wife, this would sound absurd to me. Okay, but what was the outcome of such consultation?? Did they discuss the behaviors of Mahler's wife' or the anti-Semitic backlog of hard feelings? (Mahler was Jewish, so was Freud- Sigmund Freud knew his compatriots only too well - they give in to moral pressure) At the Opera, Mahler stubbornness in artistic perfection had created enemies, and he was subject to perpetual attacks from anti-Semitic circles in the press. His resignation from the Opera, 1907, was hardly unexpected. (Incidentally: Dreyfus affair divided France from the 1890s to the early 1900s and its repercussion continued until well after WWI)
The hard feelings of anti-Semitism must have adversely impacted his marital relationship with Alma? Initially, under Austro-Hungarian laws, no imperial posts were to be filled by Jews!!! Hence, in 1897 when he was 37, Mahler could not occupy the Directorship post at the Vienna Opera.
Something else, Mahler has had a clash with Brahms (Didn't he?) While at the university, he worked as a music teacher and made his first major attempt at composition with the cantata Das klagende Lied. The work was entered in a competition where the jury was headed by Johannes Brahms, but failed to win a prize. (Did he feel the brunt of Jewish curse?? It could be!!)
(In later years, however, Brahms was greatly impressed by Mahler's conducting of Don Giovanni.)

As a long-term diary writer myself I was interested in Mahler-Werfel's diary and the manner in which the voice of the nineteen-year old woman is expressed (and the next two years of her life). Often when I reread my own writings I cringe at my ideas and philosophies when I was young and it takes some time for me to empathise with myself and regain a feeling for the person I was. One of the great features of these diaries is that they truly express the voice of the nineteen-year old, they have not been edited to provide a more sophisticated voice. Perhaps Mahler-Werfel cringed a bit at herself in the way I do, perhaps that is why she never published these diaries during her lifetime, although we do know she gave it some consideration. But I think it is important that we heed the voice expressed in youthful writings because it reassociates us with the people we once were, and hopefully gives us greater empathy with the youth of today.
The most challenging aspect of these diaries is Mahler-Werfel's revelations of her growing sexual awareness with its contradictions, rapid changes of view, hesitancies, self criticism, and intemperate admissions. This is emotional and at times erotic writing. While we can allow Mahler-Werfel the licence to say what she wants about herself, it is less readily acceptable that she describes the behaviour of her partners - some of them quite historic figures. But this is the voice of youth going through very tumultuous personal times. Most people move through these times with varying degrees of ease and distress. Mahler-Werfel's writing reminded me of Wedekind's play `Springtime Awakening'. The awakening is not satisfactory for all - and is sometimes disastrous. For Mahler-Werfel we can only speculate.
Mahler-Werfel associated with many great artistic figures - in the times of these diaries there are Gustav Klimt, Alexander Zemlinsky and Gustav Mahler. Her reflections on these figures make them more alive than many histories. For her, they were living pulsing human beings and we see them in that way.
But was Mahler-Werfel extraordinary herself? I find it hard to decide. She obviously was not your average woman of the time, and yet it is possible to see her as just a spoilt rich girl who happened to have a pretty face. In her diaries she speaks of writing a song (lied) in a day, playing the whole of Tristan on the piano in an evening. And yet her musical examples noted in the diary are so poorly notated and often so inaccurate that it is hard not to think she had little genuine talent. Perhaps someone else completed the lieder from her tenuous musical ideas. But equally possible is that she was a real talent and, as popular history tells us, was suppressed by Mahler in their marriage. To me, however, there is another reading in that marriage to Mahler enabled her to renounce her musical ambitions, which she knew would never match those of Mahler no matter how hard she worked. To be fair about her musical notation however, we need to remember that all her writings border on the unreadable (perhaps that was deliberate - a sort of code?) although the single-minded line drawings she included are quite fine in a limited way (are they all of pretty Alma herself?).
Another way to judge her musical astuteness is her reviews and critiques of the many concerts she attended. At first look they seem to match the views of the day - wildly supportive of Wagner, dismissive of Bach, Saint-Saens and even Mozart. Was she just copying the view of the day? But then there are the changes of view - suddenly the opinion on Mozart changes, she starts to see some flat spots in Wagner. This does seem to suggest self-awareness in her musical views and even if it is selective acceptance of different critical opinion she shows a capability to make the change. There is one final thought that came to me as I read the diaries - perhaps her influence was so great (it certainly wasn't trivial) that she went some way to actually forming the critical view of the day.
I was immensely fascinated by these writings. If you are interested in human development and artistic creativity I recommend you do not overlook them. One thing is certain - Mahler-Werfel was an impassioned writer as a young woman.

Alma Mahler was a fascinating woman and this diary gives an unique insight into her personality and those she knew. Her growing years, developing both emotionally and in personality come through as does her determination and zest for life. Her time with Gustav Mahler is fascinating and sheds an interesting light into his character and fears at this time. A fascinating read.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE STONE-CAMPBELL MOVEMENT is a massive volume on the people, events, theology, and churches involved in the Restoration Movement. The work covers nearly every facet of the movement from the beginnings with Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone to the various sects in the Restoration Movement such as the United Church of Christ, the mainline Churches of Christ, the International Churches of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and many more.

This work is an encyclopedia and thus is a reference book than a book you would enjoy reading from cover to cover in your bed at night. However, I found the articles to be interesting. Each subject is in its alphebetical order and I found the bibliography to be very helpful indeed. The writers are fair and balanced on each subject written. There were a few flaws I found with the work in that it couldn't cover every person I felt they could have nonetheless the authors are to be commended for their labours.

Overall this is a solid work. Those interested in reading on the Restoration Movement as a whole or simply want to know where the Movement stands on various theological issues will find this book very helpful. A good read for disciples of Christ.

This reference is a must have for anyone interested in the American Reformation (Restoration) Movement of the 19th century, involving Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, Walter Scott, et al. The churches which sprung from this movement are generally called "Church of Christ", "Christian Church", or "Disciples of Christ". The entries are thorough, understandable and well referenced, yet they don't overkill. Covers a broad range of related topics and people.

Unique, thorough, and well-written reference by distinguished scholars among Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Churches of Christ, and Christian Churches/Independent. Edited by three scholars, each of whom represents one of the groups--but edited collaboratively. Thumb-throughable, easy to read. Includes not just the obvious--places, people, institutions--but also well-written entries on beliefs, biblical interpretation, history. A great resource for anyone interested in the beliefs, polity, and history of the three branches of the Stone-Campbell movement.

Articles are brief in some cases and all can be read by a lay person. I recommend this collection of history of a denomination. It also has photos where possible.

The Churches of Christ, Christian Church and Disciples of Christ, ironically enough, all trace their origins back to the nineteenth century Christian reform and unity movement led by former Presbyterians Barton Warren Stone and the father and son team Thomas and Alexander Campbell. Known as the Stone-Campbell Movement, this tradition has a long and vaunted history, not just in the US, but around the world.

At last, a comprehensive, well-written, and readable encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Reformation is available. Long needed, this volume more than adequately meets its goal. The volume is edited by well-known, respected scholars of all three of the major branches of the Movement and written by scholars from within each of the segments, and contains a wealth of material on people, places and subjects relating to the Stone-Campbell Reformation.

Among the subjects, places and people treated are: Alexander and Thomas Campbell, Barton Stone, TB Larimore, FD Kershner, Moses Lard, Daniel Sommer, FD Srygley, Marshal Keeble, KC Moser; Silena Moore Holman; Foy Wallace, Jr.; RN Hogan; Caroline Neveille Pearre; a historical time-line for all three branches of the Movement; the historical attitudes towards restoration in the three branches of the Movement; historical attitudes toward women in the ministry among the three branches; women ministers such as Mary Stodgill and Jessie Colman Monser; attitudes on abortion and women's rights; attitudes on gay/lesbian rights in the Movement; Rice Haggard's influence on the Movement; the Scottish Haldanes and their influence on the thought of Campbell; the International Churches of Christ (Boston); the views on higher education among the three branches; colleges and universities of all three branches; founders of splinter movements and heresies such as Jesse Ferguson and John Thomas; the Movement's attitudes towards Shakers and Mormons; the Movemrent's attitude towards slavery and civil rights; Latino Disciples of Christ; missionary societies; Campbellian and Stoneite communion theology and eschatology; the Declaration and Address; the Stone-Campbell Movement in Great Britain, Russia, Australia and Canada; Hall L. Calhoun; David Oliphant; the Cane Ridge Revial's influence on Barton Stone; publishing houses of the three branches of the Movement; brotherhhod periodicals in the three branches; historical attitudes to missions and a history of missions; the movement's historical attitude towards creeds and confessions; devotional literature; Don DeWelt; etc.

In short, the volume contains articles on practically every facet of the churches comprising the Stone-Campbell Movement.

There are however, some seemingly glaring omissions; for example, from the Church of Christ branch alone one does not find articles on JN Armstrong; Yater Tant; the American Bible Union; or Thomas B. Warren and the Spiritual Sword. One choice made by the editors was to restrict articles only to deceased persons in order to avoid any kind of controversy. The reviewer is aware, however, that editorial choices must be made and are often difficult. Omissions are simply unavoidable.

Among other things, this volume adequately succeeds in pointing out just how diverse the traditions and churches comprising the Stone-Campbell Movement truly are.

All-in-all, the volume is a must-read for serious students of the Stone-Campbell Movement and mainstream American Protestantism in general. Eerdmans is to be commended for publishing such a work, and the editors and contributors commended for their herculean efforts at producing it. It should long serve its goal.

A complete, entertaining, informative, and poignant tribute to one of America's most self-sacrificing and spunky heroines. Full of quotes that make you want to laugh, cry, and stand up on a soapbox. Its best quality is the wide range of appeal: HERstory experts can find in-depth quptes and minute details, both women and men will be inspired by this courageous woman. Sherr does an excellent job of compiling the quote so that they flow almost by themselves, and fills in the gaps when necessary. After reading the book, you will truly believe that "Failure is impossible!"

This is absolutely one of my favorite historical biographies. This book really makes real what an influential person Susan B. Anthony was in her own day, and who she really was. The in-depth direct quoting from writings of the time and the extensive documentation together present a strong case. After reading this book, it's shocking to me that someone this important in our history would need a major struggle to have her statue drug out of the basement into the light of the Capitol Rotunda.

I found the book very inspiring, because Ms Anthony devoted her life to what must have seemed to most people at the time to be a hopeless cause: women's suffrage. She constantly had to pitch her case to those who could grant suffrage; those who one might think would be least sympathetic: men. Her dedication to her cause and her success in making progress is a valuable lesson to anyone faced with a seemingly impossible task.

I cannot thank Ms Sherr enough for this wonderful book, and beg her to continue applying her talents to fill in our women's history gaps

My youngest daughter (7 yrs old) needed to do a biography on a famous woman for school and chose Susan B. Anthony. I must admit I didn't know very much about her other than she was the leader of the sufferage movement.

I looked on Amazon and chose this book because of the reviews. The book is specatular. It is a collection of her speeches with connective writing from the writer providing historical perspective.

The combination of Ms. Anthony's own words with the understanding of women's position in society at the time made for a very powerful book. The first chapter made the most impact on my daughter which begins with the facts about women in those days.

I believe this is a book that needs to be in everyone's library.

I thought this book was fantastic. I found Lynn Sherr made Susan B. Anthony come real to me. I loved the speeches and correspondence included in the biography...I would have loved to have met this woman...in her lifelong battle for the vote she went from a social oddball to esteemed matriarch of the cause. I really enjoyed the contrast between her a Mrs. Cady-Stanton. My previous knowledge of Ms. Anthony consisted of the 3 lines included in most high school history books....now I have a profound respect for her work and achievement and found her an inspiration.

Excellent book, a rare history book where the author allowed the subject of the book to speak in her own words, and not try to speak for the person. Anthony's letters and other correspondence are found in this book, and it's in reading these where we the reader get a more accurate portrayal of Anthony, then what we would read elsewhere. I used this book as one of my resources for a US History class, and it was very well received.I would recommend this book highly to anyone with an interest in the woman's rights movement, or anyone who needs to do a research paper on this remarkable woman. This is one of the rare history books that will always be interesting, as it was presented fairly and without predjudice from the author, or subsequent history. Modern Day Women take the right to vote for granted, but after reading this book, it's very unlikely that they will continue to do so. I know I had a whole new appriciation for my fore-mothers who sacrificed so much. A must read!

This book is a must if you are taking Fire Officer 1 in the state of Florida

this book is a must read for firefighters and officers, a great book. know you enemey ftm ptb egh

A great book to help refresh what we may already know but have forgotten over the years.

Anthony has done a great job putting this book together (with a little help from his friends). This book is written in english, not technical jargon. He knows what he's talking about and explains it beautifully. A must read for every fire officer or anyone who wants to be a fire officer some day. Whether volunteer or career, this is the book you need!

Anthony has done a great job putting this book together (with a little help from his friends). This book is written in english, not technical jargon. He knows what he's talking about and explains it beautifully. A must read for every fire officer or anyone who wants to be a fire officer some day. Whether volunteer or career, this is the book you need!

Wayne Meeks, professor of Biblical studies at Yale, looks at the world of the first century Christian church in this book, 'The First Urban Christians'. He has a follow-up volume, 'The Origin of Christian Morality', that progresses into the world of the second century Christian church. Together these volumes give a rare insight into the earliest development of the church -- as so many denominations take as their authority the actions, decisions, and conventions of this time (as they understand them), a look at the formative years of Christianity (and later Christendom) is valuable indeed.

This book looks at social description of early Christianity, bringing in history, politics, sociology and philosophy in various degrees. Meeks is looking for the 'ordinary Christian' in the early church, something he claims we do not often find in the scriptures or other writings of the time. This requires that we know as much as possible about the general cultural setting in which early Christians found themselves, as their writings and practices handed down to us constitute a response, if not directly then at least indirectly, to their times.

Despite the pastoral setting of many of the gospel stories and parables, Christianity was largely an urban phenomenon in its earliest days (as would be true of most any sect or cult that would grow in early times -- it would take root in and transfer by movement between cities; indeed, Antioch, one of the major cities of the time, was where the term Christian was first coined). Meeks looks at the issues of city growth, from village to city to empire (it is no mistake that the Roman Empire derived its name from a city). Urban Judaism had unique traits that are examined here as influential in early Christianity. Meeks also explores different issues such as the role of women in urban society, mobility issues and the kinds of interconnections people in cities would make, intra-urban and inter-urban.

After this examination, Meeks continues to look at specifically church-related issues in urban, Pauline Christianity. These include the various rituals such as baptism and eucharist, governance and hierarchy issues in the early church (very different from later, imperial Christianity), and patterns of belief -- remember, this is a time when there was not only no set canon of scripture, but no creeds formulated yet, either. Meeks also explores briefly the unknown and controverted rituals -- how did the early Christians marry (or remarry)? How did they bury and mourn their dead (for we know it was of concern to many early Christians that people were dying prior to the return of Christ)?

Meeks provides ample footnoting citations, a generous bibliography of secondary sources (35 pages of this!), and indexes of biblical references, modern authors, and subjects. This is an excellent text for study and reference, and gives good insights into a world we take for granted often that we understand (due to our familiarity with the New Testament scriptures), yet really is foreign in time and space.

Biblical scholar Wayne Meeks wrote the first edition of THE FIRST URBAN CHRISTIANS in the mid 1980's. He collected not only scriptural information, but also historical and sociological information to reconstruct the world of the earliest Christians. At the time it was considered to be groundbreaking research. Today this work is considered by many to the standard bearer of sociological studies concerning first century Christians.

Meeks studies the earliest Christian communities established by St. Paul. Meeks acknowledges that in the minds of most people, the first Christians were poorer peasant and agrarian people, but the reality is probably different. While the gospel may have been first preached in such settings, the faith started in urban areas and spread first from one city to another, then to the countryside. While Meeks does mention many of the early Christian leaders in his work, his primary focus is on the writings of St. Paul and the day to day life behind these writings, since historically these writings are the earliest Christian sources.

Topics in the book include the urban environment of Pauline Christianity, social life of the early Christian community, the formations of churches, conflicts, rituals, and how belief shaped the lives of the early Christians. The book also has an index to help with information on specific subjects and a scriptural reference index for people who need to use the book for a quick reference for study or preparation of preaching.

Meeks has a scholar's attention to detail and provides a great deal of information in this work. He also has the reader in mind. Knowing that the work will be read both by scholars, students, and those interested in a deeper knowledge of scripture, the work is informative and readable.

While the information in the book is no longer new, it is still current. Students and those wishing further study will find Meeks' copious notes as well as his bibliography helpful for further study.

I wouldn't write a sermon without it! Great insight to the world and social condition of the early Church. I find that it helps bring the then and there to the hear and now.

Meeks takes a look at the first Christians from a perspective rarely found in typical Christian Bible dictionaries, encyclopedias, and commentaries. The strength of this work lies in the fact that Meeks is specifically unveiling the social customs and mores of the first century. Especially helpful are his discussions on the living and working conditions of the first Christians.

Since we are nearly 2000 years removed from the social context on the early church, a book such as this helps us to see what we have been missing.

Very up-to-date information, thoroughly discussed and analyzed. The book is laid out by subject, so it's easy to go back and find information. It is basically a complete description of the Roman World of Paul's time, right down to the tiniest detail that we have available. The only downside is the sheer density of it. But if you can muck your way through it, this book is simply groundbreaking in its analysis of the world that Christianity was born into.

promt delivery. recommended by one of my tutors at university. frank easy to read, some of the illustrations made me smile but i found them easy to remember.

The pictures were fun (especially pg. 79) and the text clear and informative. This book has explained some Freudian concepts better than some of my classes in college have! Fun and stimulating at the same time... what more could someone ask for?

The 'xxx for beginners' are marvellous not just because they give you a valuable grounding in forbidding subjects, allowing you to approach primary texts with more confidence, but because they are so entertaining, even in subjects you have little interest in. Though this book is a much-needed introduction to and exposition of Freud's basic theories, making you feel clever as you join the dots you always knew were there but for the intimidating jargon, the real joy is in the irreverent presentation, especially the illustrations. These are full of in-jokes about Freud's life and times which are not always treated explicitely in the text, as well as being technically expert, imaginative and, sometimes, bracingly shocking. So while it is pleasing, in these anti-Freudian times, to be reminded of the man's incalculable importance and influence, the illustrations offer an in-built critique that puts everything in perspective. Great fun.

This book is just a book, but a better book than its successor of the same title by Richard Osborne. Mostly because it does not hang onto the relationship between Jung and Freud as long and focuses more on the theories of Freud. In fact, what I really enjoyed about this book is that gave a good round about summary of most of Freuds theories inside each book. Certainly acts a good stepping stone for those who need to know Freud in a hurry and wants the gist of his work. Richard Appignanesi displays good understanding of Freuds work and summarizes it well and concise. Reccomended for the prodigal psychologist.

(See page 79 for explanation and a very funny illustration of the second stage of psychosexual development). This book, in addition to being very informative, is also incredibly funny. Very well written and drawn; though in the form of a comic book, it is nevertheless a splendid introduction to Freud's life and work. The author and illustrator are quite witty as well as knowledgeable, and in this book they have succeeded at what should be the goal of all beginners' book writers: piqued my interest in the subject and made me want to learn more. Would be a great supplementary text in a course on Freud or on psychology/psychoanalysis in general. Highly recommended!