Adams Books

This book is so helpful and insightful. It is quick and easy reading. I definitely recommend it!!!

This is an amazing book. Sherfield covers everything from helping others, to being true to yourself, to making your new positive thinking habits persistent. I found it to be inspiring and truly motivational and this book will find a permanent place on the bookshelf next to my bed (where I keep the books that I go back to again and again and again.)

I hope this book finds its way to many, many people. If I had only known some of these things when I was younger, I could without a doubt have had a much happier and more fulfilling life. But as he says, it is NEVER too late. Thank you, Mr. Sherfield.

i'm embarassed to say i bought this book but it really helped me get my self-esteem back. I'm sure some of you people feel the same way.

if you do EXACTLY what the book says to do: this will help. self-esteem has gotten a bad reputation lately.

But this book explains how self-esteem is based on accomplishments, not unproved sayings or chants. the best thing to do is to read this book and learn from it. this book helped me tremendously.

This book is quite incredible. It goes over the details of a low self esteem and really is the perfect self-help book. I got out of a bad relationship not to long ago and finally recognized something about myself. This books has helped me recognize some demons that I have to rid of and it is truly an amazing book. It is very easy to read and understand.

This is a great book for girls 8, 9 or up! Very positive msessage. Waiting for the next book.

Fairy dust is the best book I have read this year in school. I read it for a book report and it was so much fun. The fairies are cool and have a fun time helping kids out. Hopefully Fairy dust fairies will help me and get I'll get an A on my book report.

My mother bought me this book because I love fairies. This is now my favorite book of all time. The fairies in the book are so cool and have all different looks. My favortie is Rosalinda because I love the color Pink. Her Pink Fairy Dust gives you courage when you need it most so I will be using it when I have big tests at school. My favorite part of the book is when Amber lets the special Fairy Dust necklace work its magic.
I would recommend this book to any of my friends. I can't wait for the next one!

As a middle school teacher I would highly recommend this book to anybody, especially those seeking a means to increase a young girls self-confidence. This book is a very enjoyable and vivid read, the troubles Amber's faced with are easy to relate to. Truly enjoyed!

These authors are among the best at recreating the look of old painted furniture/folk art. Very clear pictures are helpful. Also, they use an easy recipe (basically, vinegar, honey and pigment) which is easy to concoct for new users, unlike mesy oil based potions or those horribly complex formulae or lousy British-based ingredients which noone has ever heard of or found. For as cloise to instant gratification as you can get, this is the book to order for all beginners and intermediate grainers. (Advanced finishers can write heir own book.....) Enjoy!!

An incredible book which quickly became on of my favorite reference materials when studying antique painted furniture and reproducing authentic designs. Contains tips and techniques for your own projects and presents a good array of antique items as well. Very authoritative and offers sound advice on how to pull off complex projects without the complexities involved.

I used to reproduce painted pieces for top name American furniture manufacturers. I worked on projects with the late Dr. Robert Bishop, former curator of the American Museum of Folk Art. We used authentic items in the collection as study guides. He once asked me to come to New York and conduct a workshop. Unfortuately my schedule could not allow it at the time.

This is the workshop book you need. This is outstanding in design and concept. This was not around when I was doing this professionally and had to rely on my own talent, resources, and old texts to be my guide. Now it is all simplified in this one book.

You can buy 100 books on the subject. But this is the only one you will need.

This book does the best job I know of showing wood graining, vinegar paint finishes, and Rufus Porter style landscape painting that I know of, and is also very sound on marbleizing. The illustrations and photo gallery are the best I have seen in any book anywhere. It has a narrow focus on doing Early American style furniture, but if you have any interest in this area you need to have this book. 7 stars!

You've seen those wonderful grained picture frames or pieces offurniture in the shops for thousands, but never went to a classbecause it was too expensive or none was offered in your area. This book is the answer to your prayers! It is filled with loads of photos of antiques and furniture, etc. that have been decorated with vinegar glazes or with handsome primative-style murals. It is also one of the few books that even reveals how to do smoke graining...the whispy finish on many an old rocking horse or on furniture and smalls. Just add this to your shelf which should also include THE ART OF FAUX by Finkelstein, PROFESSIONAL PAINTED FINISHES by Marx, and DECORATIVE FURNITURE FINISHES WITH VINEGAR PAINT by Russell. All are well worth the investment. Happy Painting!

GREAT for kids and parents. A BEAUTIFUL book that everyone should own! i wish there were 50 stars that i could use to rate this book!

Just a note: this book appears on School Library Journal's Best Books of 2001 list (SLJ December 2001).

I collect picture books. This one is different from all the others I have. The text is a poem consisting of seven pairs of lines. Each line has four words: Fork Plate Knife Spoon -- Morning Evening Midnight Moon. ... The pictures tell a story of their own, they do not "illustrate" the poem. The poem is the music for the pictures, or, maybe, it's the other way round.

This is a book for all ages. Even very young children can memorize the poem and discover the story told by the pictures. For adults, it's a book of art and poetry. I think it's misleading to sell it for "reading level 4 to 8".

This book is remarkable. The poem uses simple words in fun rhythms while the story is told through the beautiful illustrations. It's a tale of a young girl setting off on an adventure through the world - she crosses a bridge, builds a house, meets a bear, crosses an ocean and eventually makes her way back home to her loving family. It's a pleasure to read aloud and to find the details in the pictures. I bought copies for all my favorite kids.

This book was a god-send when I was recovering from my experience with rape and I have recommended it to countless others in the crisis intervention work that I do with other survivors. It is one of the best books available for explaining the after-math of rape to survivors and to their friends and family. This book is NOT SCARY TO READ. Far less likely to trigger fear and panic responses in survivors (especially recent survivors) than many on the market. The content is honest and comprehensive but not graphic or anecdotal. The organization of the book is such that even someone suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (whose powers of concentration may be significantly diminished) can read and digest it relatively easily - the sections are very short and the type is large. Each chapter also includes "for the friends and family" sections, which give invaluable advice about how loved ones can support the survivor and take care of themselves as well. T! his book was the first "person" to tell me that what I was experiencing was a normal reaction to what had happened to me and that I wasn't going crazy. It's a very important book for anyone who is recovering from rape or anyone who cares about someone who is.

I read this book after an experience that I had in college. It was very easy to read and also informative. "Free of the shadows" is a great book for anyone who has experienced sexual assault. It is also a good book for family and friends to read who are trying to help a love one get through a difficult time. I loaned the copy I had to a friend, who in turn loaned it to a friend. I have been looking for a copy of this book for years! Ever bookstore that I went to told me that they couldn't order it. They said it was unavailable. I am very happy to see that this very resourceful book is still in print.

This book is fantastic. My friend was raped, and I wanted to get her a book that wouldn't scare her but would answer her questions thoroughly. This entire book is a series of VERY helpful questions and answers grouped by topic in chapters. A good book for raising self-esteem and helping get on with life. I agree that it is definately NOT scary to read, and definately one of the more gentle books to read. This is an especially helpful book in my case where my friend believes it's her fault, when it really wasn't. It helped a LOT!!

At first I thought it was overly simplistic. But I think its like that for people to be able to read it immediatly after a rape. Anyway, I think its very good. As rape tends not to be something that is openly discussed amongst even close female friends, (for me anyhow) it gives the opportunity to outline some pretty basic guidelines which- sadly just arn't discussed as freely as they should be. Very good. I thought I was pretty aware, but this reinforced and highlighted perspectives that lurk in the mind, but werent addressed. Surprisingly informative. Made me realize how far reaching the effects of the rape were and how recovery from the effects of the rape were just as important as recovering from the rape/assault itself. If you are on the recieving end of unwanted sexual attention, this is a great book. I have found that there seem to be very few books about rape, which is surprising, as I have always found rapes and assaults to be far too commonplace in this society. I think the word rape puts a lot of people off, because they think it always refers to something quite extreme or violent, but sexual assaults are often not 'OTT', but can be just as scarring. -meaning the act itself is one of violence, but the rapist will not always beat people up or yell etc,. It might be a threatening act, but be equqlly as damaging to the psyce as a more voilent rape scenario.

After I have seen this book I must say that it is a "must" that anyone should have. It is shameful that somebody that wants to become the undisputed world champion, tries to win it by means that do not belong to the sport. To accuse someone and to have no proof at all of anything, it is only show of seomone who is not capable of getting anything via normal ways.
Definitely Kramnik won "EVERY SINGLE POINT" on the chess board. I have seen the San Luis 2005 book, and I would say, that yes it might have some points in which Topalov could have worked on his own before computers were well developed. But, to try to win a WCC match by no sportive means. That's something else!. NO EXCUSE for that!!!
I really like the book!

If you are a typical chess amateur like me who loves to read chess books more for the anecdotes, and sort of wishes that the games and analysis would somehow automatically permeate through to my consciousness, then you will love this book.

The stories and accounts are fascinating, Ilya Luvitov in particular asks some very sharp and direct questions and this brings out the best of Bareev. And snippets in between from thoughts of Kramnik and Lautier and the occassional quip from an Kasparov interview keep making the book more colorful.

The games are full of diagrams and there is both sufficient text commentary that you dont need to setup a board and also there is enough analysis to keep one busy if one did get the pieces out !

A book not to be missed, unique amongst all chess books in the way it captures the very heart of the human element of competitive endeavour.

First I want to clarify and say that this book deserves its good reputation, and its high selling volume since it first came out is justified. One can enjoy penetrating into thinking process of the skilled chess professionals who had been interviewed from the Kramnik camp, as well as read excripts from the other GMs cited from different sources.
Sheer amount of psychology involved into pre-game preparation is puzzling, and drive one to continuously read it. Concreatly, I was more interested into reading details of pre-game preparation process and post-mortem reactions, than of analysis of the games played. Fortunatelly, analysis material of the games is significantly lighter that that of the "San Luis 2005" book, but still it wouldnt mind if some more textual explanation had been added into it, especially at late opening phase mortals nowdays are hard to grasp.
From historical perspective this is the book to have on your chess shelf to cover world championship matches starting from 2000 and leading to final unification match in 2006.
Recommended.

From London to Elista: The Inside Story of the World Chess Championship Matches That Vladimir Kramnik Won Against Garry Kasparov, Peter Leko and Vesilin Topalov I found the book to read easily and the material with analysis is very strong.

this is a great book. mansbach used to to publish a journal called elementary, and so i thought i'd check out genius b-boy cynics. i started reading it on the train and couldn't put it down until i finished the enire thing.

There's some terrific stuff in here. Playfulness, inventiveness, nonstop supercharged language. Mansbach is as talented with words as any writer. The book will give your intelligence a workout. And it's FUNNY-- without ever undermining its serious intentions. Very impressive. Shackling Water was no accident.

And I should add: for poetry with such an aggressive intelligence, there's a lot of heart in it, some moments of sublime tenderness-- "Black Marbles," "Sin Titulo." Really quite amazing.

Even if you don't usually like poetry, you'll like this. Mansbach's poems are like nothing else out there: funny, sharp and hard-hitting. He flows from topic to topic with ease, and his rhythm and wordplay are off the hook. This has none of the pretensions usually associated with poetry; it's like reading the lyrics of some incredibly well-read, clever and reflective rapper. Highly recommended.

Adam Mansbach's debut poetry collection, genius b-boy cynics getting weeded in the garden of delights, gives us a glimpse at what overused terms like "hip hop poetry" should, but seldom do, refer to.

Hip hop is only occasionally the subject matter of Mansbach's poetry -- alongside topics like race, family, consumerism, academia, love, jazz, popular culture and religion -- but a hip hop sensibility infuses his work. He collages words and ideas like the best DJs, samples voices, rhythms and ideas with a skill and wit worthy of the RZA or DJ Premier, twists and invigorates and layers language with up-to-the-minute wit.

And yet, Mansbach is more in the tradition of T.S. Eliot than he is in keeping with the contemporary poetry scene. His best pieces, like Eliot's, are long, winding narratives which shift from topic to topic, their structures revealing themselves cagily. Poems like "It's Your World Tour," "Black Marbles," and "Sticknmove" are searingly insightful, strikingly personal, and often hilarious attempts to grapple with the complexities of life. As with Eliot, the uninitiated may have to grab a reference book to properly understand all of Mansbach's allusions, but in this case the privileged insiders are more likely to be genius b-boy cynics than scholars.

Mansbach's scope of reference is so wide, though -- as Michael Eric Dyson, author of Holler If You Hear Me: Searching for Tupac Shakur, has written, he is "equally comfortable with high cultural classicism and vernacular vibrations" -- that his work is challenging to almost any reader. In a single piece, it is not unusual for Mansbach to cite cultural markers as diverse as Phil Ochs, Eryka Badu, Wallace Stevens, George Wallace, Grand Wizard Theodore, Phase 2, Tennessee Williams, and Shaharazad Ali, to name just a few of those who crop up in the first few pages of the expansive "It's Your World Tour."

In shorter pieces, Mansbach is often more pointed. In "Frontlines," he discusses the gradual process by which academics lose touch with reality: "late at night you gaze/at the titles on your university housing pinewood bookshelf/and beg james baldwin's forgiveness/because the fire this time stopped burning after two degrees/leavin you strong enough for a man/but ph.d balanced against outrage/like the scales of justice." In "Gotta Be," the tongue-in-cheek subject is his own obsession with Nikes, and in "Veen" he envisions a world in which "God plays time" like drummer Elvin Jones. "Knight in Shining Karma" explores fear and vulnerability in love relationships, drawing on kung fu movies and cold war terminology to do so, while "A Visit With My Brother David" is a poignant, straightforward narrative about a trip to prison.

The only thing longer than the title of genius b-boy cynics getting weeded in the garden of delights is the talent of its author. Adam Mansbach's poetry is dense with music, with insight, and with honesty. His is that rarest of poetry collections: one destined to become dogeared.

This is an excellent book on the election of Bishop Gene Robinson. I just love this man and loved reading about his extrordinary journey to become Bishop. I had already read his own book "In the eye of the storm" and this one helps to fill in more information about the foundations of the Episcopal church and how an election for Bishop is conducted and how different this one was because of Gene's same gender orientation.Going to Heaven: The Life and Election of Bishop Gene Robinson

"Going to Heaven" is less a biography or life of its subject, the first openly-Gay bishop in the history of Christendom, than it is a fine piece of journalism describing the death-grip of heterosexist patriarchy. The book's audiences include LGBT Christians of any denomination, those interested in the dynamics of church schism, and ordinary Episcopal laypeople who wonder what the heck is happening to their beloved Anglican Communion.

Ms. Adams makes clear that the consecration of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire is much more a symbol of schism than its cause. The wheels were set in motion long before anyone outside the diocese ever heard of the man. She traces the breakups within Anglicanism to the fall of the British Empire and the end of the Cold War, which left a shadowy, right-wing think tank called the Institute for Religion and Democracy, formerly aimed at destabilizing the Soviet Union, with nothing to do. So, like most such institutions, it simply traded missions and started focusing on liberal churches instead, lest they start influencing U.S. foreign policy toward such nightmares as world peace and justice for the poor.

The poor bishop ends up caught in the crossfire. Born to landless farmers in rural Kentucky, raised in fundamentalist simplicity, attracted to piety, music, books and boys, he somehow lands a scholarship at the (Episcopal) University of the South, and from there his future is set in motion. He is introduced to a whole different world of liturgy, scholarship, gentility and faded wealth, which accomodates his own gifts of energy and open gregariousness. He goes to seminary, gets ordained and happily married, has two daughters; but inevitably he must confront his own inner nature. With the help of his gracious wife, he does so successfully; the day of their divorce, they dissolve their wedding vows in church and take communion together.

He works long, hard and well as a bishop's assistant, and at some point meets the man of his dreams. Who this partner is is never quite made clear here, nor is Canon Robinson's ex-wife interviewed. Both those omissions weaken the book somewhat and keep it from being a complete biography. Privacy is respected a bit too much; some quotations fail of attribution and certain villains of the piece (other churchmen) are allowed to scamper away. But this reveals the author's real purpose: solid, insightful and original reporting on the hidden drama of church politics. There she seldom disappoints.

The book is greatly enhanced by scores of photographs by Jonathan Sa'adah showing the bishop, his lover Mark and ex-wife Boo, their daughters, various church personalities, even Sir Elton John.

What we are left with is a humble priest who has grown into the job of diocesan bishop and international symbol. In extensive, self-disclosive interviews, he shows himself to be just the sort of open personalty by whom some people come to know Christ. That he is the object of others' scorn, derision and death threats says everything we need to know about his enemies' willingness to use Gene Robinson for their own purposes.

I hope that Ms. Adams will go on from here to produce another book about the Anglicans' schisms, which continue to unfold in worldwide headlines. She already has the background and covers its complexity with clarity and insight here. The issues now go beyond Gene Robinson and the Episcopal Church; there is much to discover about the secret promoters of division, in the United States, England, Nigeria and elsewhere. A good place to start is in Falls Church, Virginia, where a breakaway megachurch is populated by conservative Baptists and Methodists in high positions in the current U.S. government.

By the time former Presiding Bishop Frank Griswold spoke out against the invasion of Iraq and consecrated Gene Robinson, the Institute for Religion and Democracy had long since been cutting the ground out from under them.++

The author of Going to Heaven is a life-long Episcopalian who is part of the Diocese of New Hampshire, so she is able to offer a lot of additional details about the process of electing Gene in this fascinating book. But what I loved most about the book is that it's not a salacious account of some flash-in-the-pan controversy; instead, it's the spiritual biography of a thought-provoking, deeply prayerful bishop.

It is particularly interesting to see how a person as unassuming and grounded as +Gene steps into his new high profile role. In the numerous direct quotes from him, taken from his interviews with the author, he stresses that he didn't see himself in either side's depictions of him -- he sees himself neither as the devil conservatives paint him as, nor the angel he has become to progressives.

I suspect the controversy over +Gene's election and consecration would be much less sharp if people on all sides were aware of who he is and what his agenda is. (Nine-tenths of that agenda is just being a good bishop for the Diocese of New Hampshire and dealing with the day-to-day needs of his flock.) This new biography is a great step toward clarifying precisely who he is and what he stands for, and I'm grateful to its author for bringing it to light.

As soon as I finished reading Elizabeth Adams' biography, Going to Heaven: The Life and Election of Bishop Gene Robinson, I gave thanks. As a lifelong supporter of human rights, a clergy wife and committed Episcopalian, I was grateful that the biography taught me so much. It taught me more about Bishop Robinson, the man, than all of the news coverage, feature articles and specials that have swirled into the popular press since the announcement of his election. It taught me about Gene Robinson, the gay man, and all that that meant for this individual. It taught me about Gene Robinson, the reluctant poster child for gay rights, and the history of the gay rights movement in the states and in the world. It taught me about Gene Robinson, the committed clergyman, and the inner workings of the church I call mine. I gave thanks, believing that Adams wrote the book with people like me in mind.

Now that I have had time to think more deeply about Adam's biography, something that her writing and approach encourage, I have another perspective. This book is also written for the many people honestly struggling with the issue of gay rights and all that means. I remember well the summer of 2003 and the small knots of committed Christians who gathered after mass despite the suspension of coffee hour to talk about Gene, gay rights and the powerful sermons my husband delivered. I remember their struggles, their confusion, their desire to know more, to go more deeply, to do and think the "right" thing. Adams' biography is for them. She gives them much to think about. She helps them see the bigger picture. She holds their hands as they get to know a not-so-perfect creation of God, the world he occupied and the church he serves. In the end, her biography talks about the power of love, not such a bad message in a time of strife.

This book is incredibly adorable. I love reading it, and my 21-month old son loves hearing it. Well, not so much anymore...he made me read it over and over again, probably a hundred times in 3 weeks, and now he has it memorized and no longer wants to read it. But he can talk about the Statue of Liberty, can pick out the Washington Monument and U.S. Captiol, and can tell you who lives in the White House. All these are important things for him to know, and my friends think it's amazing that he knows them at his age. The pictures are cute. It's a great, quick read at bedtime.

This gorgeous introduction to the USA and all its wonders is beautifully illustrated. Other books in this series have boring, more work-book-stiff-looking art. This one shines. The stars in the sky, the twinkle in children's eyes, the feathers on the bald eagle... all have depth and a softness that renders this book a wonderful gift. We have given it to foreign guests several times! And our toddler loves the bedtime ritual of putting the whole country to sleep :)

Beautifully designed by author/publisher Adam Gamble and illustrator/toy designer Suwin Chan, "Good Night America" is charmingly entertaining board book which is highly recommended for preschoolers and depicts some of America's most icon settings with respect to the nation's vast natural and cultural wonders. A multicultural group of children visit various attractions ranging from Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty, the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, and more. The rhythmic language of the simple but engaging text provides young children with the passage of both a single day and the four seasons while representing the beauty of each selected site. The debut title of the new "Good Night" series from Our World of Books, "Good Night America" will make a thoroughly entertaining addition to family, preschool, day care center, and community library board book collections.

I have enjoyed this entire "Good Night Our World Series" with our son for almost 2 years now. Any child 1 1/2 years or older will love these books. I would go as old as 7 years for the reader, depending on your child. I highly recommend this particular book, Good Night America, for anyone who wants to introduce our land to their children. The quality of their books are wonderful; thick sturdy pages with colorful illustrations. The writing is simple and perfect for bedtime; lots of "hello's" and eventual "good nights" to special places around America that the book discusses. We also enjoy the other "Good Night" series of books that highlight San Francisco, Provincetown, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket specifically.

Since our child has a tough time going to sleep and likes to travel, this is a perfect series for him. He goes off into dream land with quiet appreciation about adventures in a particular place he loves or wants to visit.

Also wonderful if your child has a friend who has moved to a particular town that these books cover-it will peak their interest in where their friend is living now and it'll make it an interesting experience to explore instead of a sad one. And, if sadness comes up, it is a good way to discover that your child may have deeper feelings you were unaware of around a friend moving.

The only reason I gave this one particular book in the series one less star, is because of a sentence in the book that states: "America stands for what is right". We always replace that with" "America stands for diversity." Seems an appropriate change because these words appear next to the Statue of Liberty, and we recognize the beauty of this as we are only second generation Americans. All in all, these are great books!

I found this book when the summer was still young, read every page several times over, with greatest pleasure! What a thinkers' paradise Heidegger's wife built there for her husband (a sign in Todnauberg contradicts Sharr's book, suggesting that Heideggers wife built the hut from her inheritance -- she was familiar with the village from ski holidays).

Here one finds embodied in a building Zengetsu's suggestion for the Zen student, "Poverty is your treasure. Don't exchange it for an easy life".

Of course it is difficult for anyone, including Heidegger himself, to really make sense of the place. It has significance only for Heidegger the thinker, as a place that came to support and sustain his thinking, in which he could be creative, in which he felt comfortable. He probably dind't know himself why this place "worked" for him and it probably would not work for anyone else (unless you grew up near the High Black forest and were intimately familiar with the landscape and its people). For Nietsche it was the Engadin, for Heidegger the High Black Forest -- German thinkers seem to have a long tradition of attachment to place and so do Japanese. So, does Sharr's book really have any significance beyond the pretty pictures?

I think it does. It made me contemplate when and where I will build my own hut. It made me understand embodiment. The simplicity of the philosopher's hut keeps reminding me of what is truly essential and strips away everything else. Here Heidegger could dwell directly in the elements of unpolluted-by-modernity-life itself -- the wind, the trees, the rocks, the traditions of the region.

This book is really nice small book, well written, illustrations throughout the book, etc. As some of the finer details concern a.o. the colours of the hut, the colours (?) of Heidegger's thinking and his direct environment, it should have been done in full colour. This book gave me some brilliant insights and saves me a lot of time. I'm now sure I will never read anything from Heidegger, sorry Martin.

It discusses the hut from an architectural perspective, situating it in valley & comparing it to his city home.

It gives a good sense of what it would be like to have used it in the way Heidegger did, without overreaching into architectural determinism.

If you have an interest in Heidegger, this is a clever little monogram on the place where Heidegger wrote or was inspired throughout the course of his career. The funny thing is, it is such a meager, crappy little hut that I guess he had no choice but to think profoundly. As architecture - well, it's laughably German: bare essentials, hardly comfortable, no cross ventilation, no indoor plumbing. And somehow that last factor takes the wind, so to speak, out of all that hermeneutics. Nothing like imagining Martin bent over a log to de-mythologize one of humanity's greatest thinkers.
The hut is still in the hands of his family, so it is not really a tourist site, but there is enough interest for the local government to signpost it and then ask everyone to respect the family's privacy. The black and white photos are collected from a series done in the sixties, and the author notes that they are somewhat staged. That's alright. It gives you the impression of how close the quarters were. Spartan is far too luxurious a concept. Nonetheless, this is where Martin came to follow those paths that led to the clearings wherein he began to consider how to uncover what had been appropriated. And all that is to say, that for its barren uncomfortableness, it is all the more remarkable that it was in such a setting that such piety was contemplated.
In short, the hut had precious little to do with it, I suppose. The landscape must be spectacular. Considering who came to visit him here, it is all the more remarkable. The place must have reeked. My estimation and admiration for both Elfride Heidegger and Hannah Arendt has increased exponentially. If you have had any experience travelling with Germans over the summer, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Against this setting is also a consideration of the more suburban digs Martin and his brood occupied in Freiburg. It seems more comfortable and while I gather Marty wasn't as keen on it, at least there was running water. The two settings compose an almost Monty Python pastiche of the life of Martin Heidegger - a bit like the Sartre sketch Cleese and Idle did: "OW, 'e's in his room sulkin again - all what about I dunno".
Much is made about Heidegger's brief flirtation with the Nazis, and his banishment to Todtnauberg (mostly self imposed, mind you), and as an ardent student of his work, I think it's time for a reality check: one, he gave up the Nazi post within a year, and in fact five years before Kristallnacht (ever wonder why? Of course not, it would force you to admit and forgive), and two, Hannah forgave him for being pissed at Jewish students who were annoying him and stating incredibly stupid propoaganda policies. And if she could forgive him, that's good enough for me.
Besides, look who is ghetto-izing and annhilating a minority now - as Victor Hugo would have it, those who refuse to learn from history.....
In any case, yer not likely, mate, to find hidden swastikas and egyptian icons writ backwards and cryptic messages stating "Paul is the walrus" anywhere around. This was a simple, really basic, unattractive hut in a beautiful setting that Martin found ideal for his enterprises. Hardly sacred space, but sacred enough for him.
The book is a quick read, but file it definitely under the cult of personality studies that seek vicarious approximation to glory in fetishizing the most insignificant details that have nothing to do with the heart of being, Being, Martin.