Benedict Books

I found this to be very meaningful and relevant. While there are many parts that could be pulled out for comment, I found one simple part speaking to me specifically. As one who was and is discerning the diaconate, Pope Benedict placed into my heart what will be for me a lifelong motto; "Seeing with the eyes of Christ, I can give to others much more than their outward necessities; I can give them the look of love which they crave."

This encyclical is an imperative for anyone who wants to understand what makes Benedict XVI tick, and what has been making him tick for many years. He is a supreme theologian, but also a man deeply in love with God. In a way that is crystal clear, he explains what it means to say that God is Love, as the apostle John tells us in his letters. This successor to the apostles explains the meanings of the word love, and how they apply to us, in ways only an outstanding teacher, which he is, can do. He helps us understand why the different meanings of the words for love in Greek are important, for each has unique implications. We can understand this most clearly when we consider the dialogue in the Greek text between Jesus and Peter after the Resurrection, where Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Him. In English, we do not see the dynamic of the conversation. In Greek we do, and the difference Benedict XVI explains between agape love (total self-giving love) and filio (love of friendship) becomes clear. Jesus' first question to Peter is, "Do you agape Me more than these?" Peter, mindful of his recent denials, can only respond, "You know I filio you." Jesus then changes the question and instead asks, "Do you agape Me?", not asking for a comparison of his love to that of the others. Again, Peter responds, "You know that I filio you." You can actually feel his inner pain as he understands the difference between Jesus' question and his answer. Finally, Jesus changes the question again and asks, "Do you filio Me?", and Peter responds, "Yes, Lord, you know I filio you." Benedict XVI teaches us in this encyclical that we must be ready to respond to God with an answer to these same questions. He challenges us to look within and ask ourselves how much we love God, and if we do not love God with agape love, we need to develop our relationship with God further because God loves us infinitely with an Agape Love.

Why grovel? God did not write this book. There are serious issues facing the Catholic Church, one of them being the abuse scandal. On page 71 of this tomb, point 29, the Pope states: "The Church has an indirect duty here, in that she is called to contribute to the purification of reason and to the reawakening of these moral forces without which just structures are neither established nor prove effective in the long run." Such could be the epitaph of the Catholic Church in regards to it's betrayal of the victims of the abuse scandals. The Church was criminally complacent, the Bishop's complicity documented, and the Church an accessory after the fact. Instead of this book, I highly recommend reading the Pope's earlier work: "What It Means to Be a Christian."

Justice belongs to God, not just forgiveness; anything less by the Church regarding its conduct in this matter is the very moral relativism and equivocation that the Pope bewails. It would be a grace from God if all Christianity became more objective and honest about its history, thus allowing for real growth and real faith. Here, the Pope desires to elaborate that Christian charitable activity, "contribute to a better world only by personally doing good now, with full commitment and wherever we have the opportunity, independently of partisan strategies and programs" (pg 81). Sadly, this volume lacks the depth and breadth of real moral strength to address the vices perpetrated with itself. Thus it fails to rise to theological heights, and falls flat, unlike several of the Pope's more challenging books, where he addressed the limits and fallibility of the Church. Clearly, God is love, and the Church does not own the sole/soul patent on this. Real faith examines difficult issues, past and present, and moves forward. What is needed is not just a supernaturally empowered scholar, but a leader capable of providing justice, not just forgiveness.

This is an Encyclical worth reading. Over the years I attempted to read several encyclicals and found them rather technical and often difficult to read. I concluded that Popes are not usually good writers and that I would read encyclicals only as reference books. Benedict XVI, for me, breaks the mold. He is an excellent writer and offers fresh insights into Christianity.

Deus Caritas Est is broken into two parts: The unity of Love in Creation and Salvation History; and Caritas, the practice of Love by the Church as a "Community of Love." This letter includes detailed explanations of Benedict's teaching points and would require a long summary. I will focus on several main points that are important to me.

In the Introduction Benedict refers to Scripture and teaches that we "come to believe" in the love of God and indicates that love is an encounter that animates and guides our lives. He proclaims the words of Jesus that the commandments are "united" into a single concept - love. God loves us and we respond by loving Him and our neighbors.

The Pope discusses Eros, the love between a man and a woman. He notes that some Christians want to avoid discussing Eros. He also notes that some Christian leaders forget that we were created as human beings. Christian Eros can be very positive and bring us closer to God. This occurs when Eros, worldly love, joins with agape, love "grounded and shaped by faith". By accepting our humanity we accept God's creation. That love, however, must not be self-centered, as Eros often is at the beginning of sexual attraction. With agape, love seeks the "good of the beloved" and is ready to sacrifice self for other. When fully formed love receives as well as gives, Eros-agape leads to a loving relationship.

The letter also addresses forgiveness. God's agape love is "completely gratuitous" and as such God's love forgives. Benedict refers to Hosea 11 and claims that God's love overcomes God's justice. " I will not give vent to my blazing anger, I will not destroy Ephraim again; For I am God and not man, the Holy One present among you; I will not let the flames consume you."

The Pope suggests that there is an "unbreakable" bond between love of God and love of neighbor. If I "close my eyes" to neighbors, I "blind" myself to God. If I concentrate upon my religious duties and ignore others, I become arid and eventually loveless.

Benedict reminds us that the Church has three responsibilities: to proclaim the word of God, to celebrate the sacraments, and to exercise the ministry of charity. These three are inseparable. For the Church, charity must be the very essence of its activities. The
Church of today, with advances in communication and travel, must address the needs of all people everywhere. Our distinctiveness as a Church equals our charitable activities.

This encyclical has some deep insights. I plan to re-read it with much meditation and prayer. I highly recommend this encyclical.

A clear and concise illumination of the theologic reason for this statement. It actually is not in the creation story but derives from it. It was also fun to read. See the mind of the new pope at work. The press accounts of him being a dour, humorless conservative are wrong,

In MISSING BEAUTY Teresa Carpenter details the destruction resulting from the meeting of Tufts University biology researcher William Douglas and prostitute Robin Benedict. Douglas, a well respected man in his field is presented as being a physically unattractive and socially inept nerd. Benedict was unusual in that she came from a middle class family who loved and valued her, did very well in high school, had some artistic talent, and was not subject to abuse, neglect, or degradation. She did have some history of drug use, but quit on her own and was not the stereotypical strung out junkie. In short, there was nothing in Robin's bio. that would have predicted her becoming a prostitute, and as near as I can tell, she did so because she liked the money and also enjoyed the edginess of the lifestyle.
Douglas, hardly a ladies man, met and became totally infatuated with Robin at which point things went rapidly downhill for him. He got her a ghost job on his lab's payroll, began stealing from government grants on his job, and depleted his family's savings for Robin, convincing himself that he and Robin shared a mutual affection and respect and forcing himself to ignore the fact that whenever he was with her he was on the clock at $200 per hour. As Douglas became weirder and more obsessive, Robin decided he was more trouble than he was worth and tried to end the relationship. I will not give away the plot from this point on.

Teresa Carpenter has written a true crime masterpiece in MISSING BEAUTY.
It has everything I admire in true crime - exceptional and detailed research; background information on the main players so that we get a real understanding of who they are; intelligent and professional writing; and a narrative flow and tension that makes the book hard to put down.
It has none of the trash prevalent in bad true crime - the juvenile writing, copied transcripts, forced dialog, phony melodrama, and the imposition of the author's own personality on the narrative.
The book is 600 pages long but contains no filler and no repetition and, other than very occasionally and then very briefly, it flows like a river.
MISSING BEAUTY exemplifies the best in true crime, and Carpenter's flat out commitment to excellence is to be commended. True crime junkies - read this one!

This book is a very interesting story and, although the author, I feel, detours a bit giving bio's of everyone, it is still an interesting book to the end. It explores somewhat how a girl raised in a healthy, good environment can easily get into prostitution and how this lifestyle hurt her family. The professor who pursued her and led a double life is an interesting character as well.

This book was absolutely excellent; the author was very thorough in her reasearch and really took the reader inside the mind and thoughts of the "primary players." I read the whole thing from cover to cover in one evening; I simply could not put it down. Fascinating reading by a most insightful author. I would read her books anytime! She rates among the best of the true crime genre (e.g. Ann Rule, Jack Olsen). If you are a true crime afficionado, don't miss this one! )!

Thoroughly researched, documented, checked and re-checked for accuracy, in depth analysis-- these are not words or phrases associated with "page-turner" as a rule. But here is the exception. Carpenter's book is all of those things. Any true crime buff who does not have this book in his or her library has a serious lacuna therein. This book is the sort all true crime books WISH they were. While not sparing any details, neither does Carpenter dwell on the seediness of the story, rather focusing her energy on the unfolding tragedy that engulfed two entire families. It is Shakespearean in its arc; one twirl thru a hooker bar (called "Good Times") and Robin Benedict caught the eye of a highly respected biology professor from one of America's top science universities. One or two "innocent" drinks later, they began a relationship that would destroy him, his family, mar the reputation of Tufts University and lead to her violent death.
Douglas' tragic flaw, self-resentment over his physical appearance and a weakness for pretty brunettes along with Robin's unchecked greed lead to a horrific conclusion. Must Read True Crime.

As an avid true crime reader, I was delighted to find a genuine "treasure" of the genre. Teresa Carpenter's extremely well written book recounts her extensive research and a plentitude of salacious details about a very fascinating case.

Reading this book, I felt the vicarious thrill of "discovering" the inside information that must have been painstakingly collected during the investigation of Robin Benedict's murder. Carpenter leaves no lead unexplored, and no conversation or interview unrecorded, allowing the reader a unique chance to hear about not only the "main players," but what those on the periphery of the investigation could add to the sequence of events.

Although Carpenter could have chosen to present the story in a condensed version, I am ever so glad she chose not to do so. Other true crime aficionados out there will probably enjoy devouring the case in its entirety as much as I did.

Detailing the sordid story of how outwardly conservative Dr. William H.J. Douglas, known as "the man" in his research department at Tufts University, became obsessed with graphics-artist-cum-call-girl/con artist Robin Nadine Benedict, Carpenter's book expertly uncovers the events that ultimately lead to Benedict's murder. Although strictly a professor and a prostitute on the surface, both Douglas and Benedict turn out to be much more than what they seem.

Douglas is an overweight, middle-aged, outwardly devoted family man and highly intelligent, dedicated scientist. Simmering under the surface, however, is a strong urge to explore his hidden, more base desires. Robin, meanwhile, also plays more than one role. In her 20's, she is a loyal and devoted daughter to her closeknit family, with potential to succeed as a graphic artist, yet her greedy desire for the material things in life lead her to heed "the call of the streets."

After the two meet at the outskirts of the "Combat Zone" and begin "seeing" each other, karma takes its inevitable course. Douglas finds himself caught up in an obsession so intense he cannot resist its pull. Depleting his own funds, and shaking his marriage and career aspirations to their foundations in the process, he eventually dips into funds from his research grants to finance his rendezvous with Robin.

While Douglas spirals ever downward, Robin uses her ill gotten gains for a down payment on a house with her boyfriend/pimp, J.R. Rogers, and enjoys the rewards of increased monetary gain derived from very little actual "work." For awhile, each of them get what they want--Douglas, a walk on the wild side, and Benedict an inflated net worth--but like all exercises in bad behavior/judgment, it doesn't last.

Finally the inevitable happens--Douglas is exposed at work as an embezzler, loses his job, and quickly finds himself persona non grata in the academic world, not to mention at home. Instead of commiserating with him for her part in his career demise, Benedict keeps the pressure on, mainly for more money. Ulitmately, their cross purposes collide in one final violent showdown that leaves Benedict dead and Douglas in deep disgrace.

In a tantalizing aside, Carpenter hints that the professor's wife may just have had a hand in sending Robin to her maker. The unanswered questions about her role add to the mystery, and make it that much more intriguing.

Teresa Carpenter, your amazing talent has resulted in one very compelling modern day morality tale--I certainly hope this will not be your last true crime book!

This is a very good story with compelling characters. However it is difficult to get the full effect of the story if you aren't familiar with French and your edition doesn't have translations provided in the footnotes.

IMPRESSIONS:
I now completely understand George Eliot's statement about "Villette": "I am only just returned to a sense of real wonder about me, for I have been reading 'Villette' ... There is something preternatural about its power." I have just read this book for the first time and finished it a few days ago, yet I could not immediately write a review as I was still so submerged in the language, the story, and the characters, that I wanted to stay with them for a little while longer before I withdrew.

Virginia Woolf called "Villette" Brontë's finest novel, and though this is the first of hers that I have read, it was indeed a true masterpiece. The intricate character descriptions were vivid and priceless, gentle even in their thoroughness, which cannot but seem harsh at times. There was a quiet and restrained passion to this novel and to Lucy Snowe which I found powerful and compelling. Brontë's personifications were numerous - Death, Reason, Feeling, Hope, and her soul to name a few - and wonderfully imaginative and descriptive. Interesting to note were the comments and undertones disparaging Catholicism and the Catholic Church, and also the emphasis on the superiority of England, the English, and Englishwomen to their "continental" counterparts.

I must admit that though I was somewhat engaged at the beginning, I became subsequently less so. If this occurs with you also, please do not let it deter you, do not put the book away - I read the last 300 pages in one sitting. I found this novel very moving and in this last sitting experienced the range of human emotions - sorrow, as I despaired that Lucy would ever find happiness in her life; joy and anticipation for each interaction between M. Paul and Lucy (the scene in the evening when M. Paul sits at the table beside her and takes offense to her making room for him had me laughing out loud); surprise, despair, anger, and more - I do not want to give specifics on occurrences in the novel which I myself would not have wished to know before I read it.

At the beginning of her stay in Villette I found Lucy Snowe too placid and weak, but my opinion was reformed and though, as I said before, there is a quietness and restraint to her, there is also an underlying passion which is full and lively and which no one could possibly overlook. I loved Paul Emmanuel and even now, writing about him for this review, I cannot help but smile at my memory of him. He sees Lucy as others do not and I truly relished every clash - and increasing moments of accord - between them. Lucy says to herself on the subject of M. Paul: "You are well habituated to be passed by as a shadow in Life's sunshine: it is a new thing to see one testily lifting his hand to screen his eyes, because you tease him with an obtrusive ray" (p. 371).

BOTTOM LINE:
READ THIS BOOK!! I borrowed it from the library and the day after finishing it I ordered a copy, as I already feel a need to reread it and immerse myself in Villette once more.

SUMMARY (from the Penguin Classics back cover):
"With neither friends nor family, Lucy Snowe sets sail from England to find employment in a girls' boarding school in the small town of Villette. There she struggles to retain her self-possession in the face of unruly pupils, a headmistress who spies on her staff, and her own complex feelings - first for the school's English doctor and then for the dictatorial professor Paul Emmanuel. Drawing on her own deeply unhappy experiences as a teacher in Brussels, Charlotte Brontë's last and most autobiographical novel is a powerfully moving study of isolation and the pain of unrequited love, narrated by a heroine determined to preserve an independent spirit in the face of adverse circumstances."

Villette was Charlotte Bronte's last novel, written after she'd achieved significant recognition for Jane Eyre (actually, both novels were written under the pseudonym Currer Bell, and it wasn't until after her death that her real identity was revealed). Villette is said to be her most autobiographical novel, and it does appear to be with the many parallels that can be drawn between her life and the fictional life of Villette's protagonist, Lucy Snowe.

It's not an eventful book per se. It's being told as a past memory, by a now very old Lucy, as she retells the story of her life, at least in pieces - working as a companion to an old woman, then as a teacher in a French school for girls, and the relationships she forms with two men in particular (this is an almost an exact mirror of a point Charlotte's life). It's not a happy book, but not a sad one, either. It's just....real, I guess. I finished it with a sense of sympathy for Lucy and a little sadness for Charlotte. You get a very stark impression of Charlotte through Lucy: dignified and maybe a little humorless, if only because she's very serious about her reputation (Lucy as a teacher/headmistress, Charlotte as a writer), and disappointed in love.

One passage really stood out to me. Lucy is having an internal debate, and it's the old one we all have at one point or another: what we dream of as possibilities and how 'reason' mocks us: "'But if I feel, may I never express?' 'Never!' declared Reason. I groaned under her bitter sternness. Never - never - oh, hard word! This hag, Reason, would not let me look up, or smile, or hope: she could not rest unless I were altogether crushed, cowed, broken-in, and broken-down. According to her, I was born only to work for a piece of bread, to await the pains of death, and steadily through all life to despond. Reason might be right; yet no wonder we are glad at times to defy her, to rush from under her rod and give a truant hour to Imagination."

(*POSSIBLE spoiler alert, although I'm trying not to give away anymore than is necessary to explain what I didn't like about the book.)

I appreciate Victorian novels, among which Jane Eyre is one of my favorites. I am more than willing to make allowances for the conventions of Victorian novels, such as the plot turning on unreasonable coincidences. But Villette just has far too many coincidences to swallow. A poor, friendless English orphan crosses the Channel, and once on the other side she she meets any number of fellow Britons, every single one of whom she is closely related to in one way or another.

But worse, Charlotte Bronte is unfair to the reader in Villette -- she tells the reader that certain things are true, but which are completely implausible for any human being, and completely out of characters for the characters whom she has just sketched. I can't elaborate without giving away spoilers, but the loves, the hates, the jealousies, and the forgivenesses all ring false. This is just a trainwreck of a book, and can't hold a candle to Jane Eyre.

Villette has always been my favorite book. The use of language and description is superior to her other works. I wouldn't need to see a movie of this book, I already feel like I walked in the garden or sat in one of the classrooms. When I first read the ending, I actually loved it, and still do.

This is an excellent book on these two formidable Saints that shaped much of Catholic History at the time of their lives. Classic Tomie dePaola style, a must have for any picture book library!

I bought this book for my nephew who is 10. He goes to a Catholic school. However his parents do not seem very religious or devout. I am trying to help teach the faith to my nephew and nieces in subtle form. Since the artwork is done by Tomi Depaola, this book will go over nicely. The content is good. Just a tad dry. This is where the artwork will help.

I don't want to repeat what has been said by the reviewers listed below my review or the other statements made by the professional reviewers. I would agree with most of what they have said. I do want to say that I believe that this book is one which will be appreciated by both children and adults given the reasons stated elsewhere on this book's page. I also want to point out that while there are few words about Scholastica, the pictures in the book show her as a novice, being accepted into the community and being sent out with other nuns from one foundation to begin another monastery, being chosen of the abbess for it. These pictures are included on the same pages that are portraying Benedict's life and relate to what is happening in Scholastica's life at the same time period as what is being written about which is happening in Benedict's life.

We love it. We always love Tomie De Paola books. His illustrations are wonderful to look at and the text is easy to understand.

I read my first Kathleen Norris book, "Dakota: A Spiritual Geography", in a Humanities class in 1996. Little did I know then that the adept writer would pop up later in my life with the book, "The Holy Twins". Examining the lives of St. Benedict and Scholastica from childhood to their deaths, the book is a careful examination of the path to spiritual enlightenment. To me, this book falls firmly into the category of picture-books-for-adults. The book is a spiritual journey, one that could easily bore children but that contains enough life and verve within its pages to retain interest amongst the older crowd. Illustrated by Tomie de Paola, the book is also bound to garner some interest amongst the "Strega Nona" fans as well.

The story follows the twins, Benedict and Scholastica. As children they played together in the hills of northern Italy. As time passed, however, they were separated and went their different ways. Scholastica joined a convent and Benedict studied, eventually becoming a holy man of sorts. The book mostly examines Benedict and his life, from one near poisoning to another. When the siblings are united their personalities haven't changed much since their days as children and they still react to one another similarly. In the end, Scholastica is the first to pass away and Benedict decrees that he be buried with his twin when he too dies. An author's note at the end (also accompanied by de Paola's illustrations) explains the rule of St. Benedict and gives some additional information about how Benedict influenced monasteries for centuries to come.

As I mentioned before, I personally can't see the little ones put to bed with this as their bedtime story. Certainly the words are simple enough but there's a sophistication to the plot and language that suits an adult reader better. That and the fact that not a whole lot happens in this tale. The book's exceeding interest in Benedict who, as the book itself notes was, "extremely strict and demanding of the monks", and others, is baffling. Why not give us more of a glance on the life of Scholastica? This character obviously has a sense of humor but one minute she's a girl entering a convent and the next she's greeting her grey-haired twin brother. Why the lapse? Benedict's preferential treatment belies the title of the book that would have suggested the tale told the stories of both the characters. Alas that this is not the case.

No objection could possibly ever be made to de Paola's illustrations, by the way. He is just as talented today as he was when he first began illustrating. The use of distance and multiple actions taking place on a single page is impressive. All in all, the tale is given a respect and dignity that a lesser illustrator might have squandered. Such is the beauty of a de Paola book.

Should you wish to teach the tale of two saints from birth to death, this is a good resource to have. But for fun recreational reading, I direct you to look elsewhere. It's a great book, but dry at times and skimpy on the details at others. Altogether an interesting effort.

I found this book to be very inspiring and deepened my faith in Christianity and Jesus.

This book reprints a year's worth of Pope Benedict XVI's weekly addresses at his public audiences where he meditates on the stories of the twelve apostles, St. Paul and other early disciples of Christ. He draws lessons from these that apply to all of us. An excellent and easy read with short chapters that can be read independently.

I have always wondered where the Apostles went to after Pentecost.
The book was informative, but I felt it could have given me more information. I enjoyed what was there and maybe that is all we know about the Apostles. Pope Benedict XVI is very easy to read.

For persons who want to encounter Benedict 16 in an accessible vein, this might be a good place to start. These are more or less straight transcriptions of a series of his Wednesday public talks in the big Paul 6 Auditorium at the Vatican. There has been no effort to enhance them or make them more literary. Even a few awkward phrases are preserved -- or perhaps poorly translated -- although this oddly contributes to an air of spontaneous freshnesss.

The talks were not aimed at giving an in depth look at what is known about the 12 apostles and the other 1st generation disciples treated. The purpose was to pick out an aspect or two of each figure from scripture, and develop it into a short meditation on aspects of Christian life in particular, and the infant Church in general.

While the pope thus aims to stay relatively light and aim for a broad audience, the depth of his penetration -- largely derived from a lifetime of vast reading and study -- is nonetheless evident. This pope is an academic and he simply can't hide it, and the reader is occasionally hit over the head by the scope and breadth of his background in this regard. It is obvious he has simply read everything. This comes across more not in what he says, but in what he chooses not to say.

Benedict also basically hones pretty close to scripture in defining the nugget for each of these meditations. He delves very little into reports on the original 12 by the post-apostolic Church fathers, or much extra-testamental early Christian literature. While obviously not intimidated by modern theology of an historicist bent, he nevertheless stays clear of any controversies with that school. The overall effect is of having particularly Catholic points, theologically speaking, being made in the style of high modern Protestantism, such as the homilies of John Henry Newman as Oxford don before his conversion. In his written work, Benedict only goes farther down that road, such as in the recently published Jesus of Nazareth wherein a whole familiarity with modern theology and its critiques is pre-supposed.

I thus hope that transcriptions of talks like these continue to be published, for the paradox of Benedict is that while there is a plethora of books by him out there, most necessite a degree of specialized study in the post-high school academic sense. He always requires a careful and very very attentive translation -- as unfortunately his most famous talk, in Regensburg about Islam, did not receive from hurried media outlets. He is fascinating to hear, and cozy despite his learning, giving the reader or hearer a privileged feeling like studying under a master teacher.

I have the gut sense -- however generally pleasant in tone -- that these transcriptions could have used another sandblast of polish from the translater. I have heard the 81 year old pope speak in person, and have heard good translations on EWTN of some sermons, and the man is simply transfixing and you know he never misses a beat. He is about as consciously subtle as they come for a modern. These deceptively "lite" chats still pack enough wallup that I really don't think the final dimension in nuance was lacking from Benedict. I am happy that Ignatius is getting his stuff out, and doing it timely, and its hard to criticize them. Readers simply need to be aware that world class communicators demand world class translaters, and that the latter are always a very scarce commodity. Thus 4 stars for what were likely 5 star performances.

Once again, Pope Benedict's talents for brilliant insight and concise communication are made evident in this book. "Jesus, the Apostles and the Early Church" is as profound as it is accessible. Benedict demonstrates, as expected, that he is not only a scholar, but a thoughtful pastor who is very much in love with Jesus Christ and His Church.

Although I've enjoyed visiting the famous religious shrine at Lourdes, France and spent many tourist days attending daily Mass at Rome's St. Peter's Basilica, it's nevertheless a tough sell for me to appreciate the mystical or supernatural side of any human being's spirituality. Loving God and devotion to the sacred scriptures are lots different than talking to the saints or seeing visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Honestly, those fascinating phenomena are alien to a mortal soul who works hard to practice my Roman Catholic faith, like me. Therefore, I'm absolutely consoled by "A Still, Small Voice", by Father Benedict J. Groeschel, because he explains how, oftentimes, even the saints themselves i.e., Saint Catherine of Siena, for example, as well as others around them could be deceived by mystical revelations. As human beings, saints are subject to a memory snafu once in awhile. Many ordinary people do not disclose personal revelations to others until some life event or spiritual director allows them to recount their experience, like Saint Catherine Laboure, for example. Also explained, in wonderfully ordinary prose, is the nature of revelations, how they can be misrepresented and justifiably even dismissed as being real. This summary account of how to better understand mystical or supernatural revelations is an appetizer into other, more in depth, readings by quoted writers like Father Thomas Dubay, author of "The Fire Within", plus the mystical writings of St. Teresa of Avila. Thoroughly footnoted, the information provided in this wonderful read gives credibility to a field of religion many professional clergy would just as soon avoid. I will send copies of this book to several clergy friends of mine who are spiritual guides themselves, because I believe it is a must read for everybody who claims to experience divine revelations but, mostly, it's a source of comfort for those of us who are simply in awe of these profoundly mystical experiences. Moreover, "A Still, Small Voice" stands alone as meditation by itself, even for a skeptic or non-religious person.

An interesting but cautious and fairly dry attempt to discuss how conservative one must be when identifying faith related experiences.

I secured a copy of Fr. Groeschel's book to help me better understand and evaluate a good friend's claims of having messages and visions from God. A cradle Catholic, she began receiving revelations about 5 years ago at age 45--from St. Joan of Arc, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Thomas More, St Patrick,Blessed Mother Mary, Jesus, and God the Father. I am a university professor trained in the philosphy of science, and was at first skeptical but soon began believing her claims. After all, she is a rational person and an administrative law judge to boot. Through the four years of our friendship, I listened to her revelations, with a mixture of awe, a residual skepticism, and some envy because God is silent for me. But I tell myself that God's silence is entirely understandable given the sinner that I am, having only recently returned to my faith after an agnostic lapse of 30 years.

As time passed, her messages grew in frequency. I increasingly began to doubt her. Not only were her messages coming at a daily rate, they were also unfailingly self-serving: God loves her, calls her his "daughter," and promises to protect her from all her enemies who will be "defeated before they even begin." All this to an individual who constantly "strokes" herself, is always right and never wrong, and whom a priest once identified her chief sin as that of pride.

Fr. Groeschel's book has been extremely illuminating and helpful. He cautions skepticism toward all claims of diviine revelations, noting that the Vatican itself is very careful in certifying them. He divides bogus claims into varioius types: some are outright frauds; some are psychologically disturbed; still others are simply self-deluded because of their strong need & desire to believe. Most importantly, he reminds us that God expects more from those whom He favors with revelations--the apostles were often reprimanded by Jesus. The last chapter of the book is especially consoling. Not only has Fr. Groeschel himself not been graced with messages and visions--and I consider him to be a holy man--he reminds us that not all religious experiences have to take the extraordinary form of visions and messages. God speaks to each of us in His own way. As Groeschel put it: "Everyone reading this book has had some remarkable religious experiences in life. Remarkable, but not extraordinary. Unfortunately, we tend to overlook them, to forget them, to tuck them away, to allow them to lapse into oblivion. And yet, they are the words of God spoken to us as real as the words spoken to Abraham, Moses, and St. Paul."

Perhaps one of the defining characteristics of the Catholic Church in the 20th century has been the proliferation of private revelations from Fatima to Medjugorje to Conyers, Georgia. Not every reported revelation is truly from God and not even those private revelations inspired by God but relayed through flawed human beings are free from all error.

How does a faithful Catholic determine which apparition or vision to listen to and which to ignore? And what do we do about those inner promptings we feel when we pray, those inclinations that we believe are God guiding us?

Fr. Benedict Groeschel uses his education in theology and psychology and his incisive wisdom to offer a practical guide to dealing with private revelations, visions, and other phenomena. This book is neither a skeptic nor a credulous observer, but takes the position that the Lord wishes to communicate with His people and does so in varied ways that required careful discernment by them.

First, Fr. Groeschel observes an historic perspective on private revelations and offers a fundamental basis for looking at them. Above all, private revelations are different from the one, complete public revelation in that they reveal nothing new and that the must only be observed in so far as they reflect the teachings already present in Scripture and Tradition, the two sources of the Word of God, public revelation.

Second, the book then delves into the Church's criteria for investigating and then deciding on the authenticity of revelations, a long, laborious process that gives comfort in that error is assiduously avoided through diligence. Among the surprising discoveries presented by Fr. Groeschel is that some revelations by canonized saints were later debunked, even before the canonization was complete. The declaration of courageous holiness does presume inerrancy for all statement . If that were true, then there would be no canonized saints among flawed humanity.

Fr. Groeschel provides many examples of errant revelations, including St. Catherine of Siena's famous declaration that the Virgin Mary herself revealed to the saint that she was not immaculately conceived. How could this be if the Church later declared it a dogma? Fr. Groeschel reveals that the role of the psyche in religious experiences is not completely understood -- and likely never will be -- and we do not know to what extent it will "taint" the vision or revelation. And that is another way in which private revelation is different from the public revelation: the Holy Spirit intervenes in public revelation to prevent the taint of untruth.

The book also makes clear that just because a saint is wrong in one area, it does not invalidate other apparitions or revelations made by him. This is why a Catholic must presuppose a primary obedience to the wisdom of the Church in her declarations of validity. Even if we are convinced of the authenticity of a vision or apparition, and even if we are later proven right when the Church declares a previously invalidated revelation to know be licit, we can never go wrong seeking the wisdom of the Church. After all, reported revelations do not reveal anything that is not already in the Word of God.

Bottom Line : A Still, Small Voice is not a scholarly book, if by scholarly we mean a technical reference for theologians and the like. Instead, it is a practical guide for everyone, from those who eagerly greet each reported revelation as an opportunity to see the Lord's intervention into history to those who cautiously stand back waiting for the Church's declarations. And even more so, it is a practical guide for each Christian who prays, seeking the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the guidance of God, so that we may truly discern our own desires from God's own promptings in our heart.

Father Groeschel has written a comforting, clear and practical book on personal visions and aparitions and the New Age. Drawing on the wisdom of the saints, particularly St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa as well as his own learning, he gives a simple rule for discerning whether your vision is true or whether to believe in an aparition you may have heard of. He also discusses the Course in Miracles and how destructive it was to the woman who wrote it and how it is still dangerous today.

This is a deep subject obviously, but Father Groeschel writes in such a down to earth way that you don't need to be a theologian or a mystic in order to digest this excellent book.

Mirabelle is having a tough time becoming a pirate. After the death of her father, her brothers take it upon themselves to be her guardians. To their way of thinking, this involves leaving her living alone on family-owned land while they sail the seas as pirates.

After her first lonely spell, Mirabelle stows aboard their ship where she is not caught for two weeks. As her brothers attempt to get her safely back home, she does her best to get them to notice she is seaworthy. Her biggest obstacle comes in the form of Damien.

Poor Damien. Growing up he was never allowed to see his mother or brother,though they lived in the same home. As the eldest,his father saw fit to raise him alone and in the image of himself. By the age of thirteen, he was having sex, gambling, drinking, and smoking. His reputation around the town was that of a user and abuser. To make matters worse, he was a wealthy duke. After the death of his fater, Damien sunk so low that he still cannot reach out to his mother. His only ray of hope lies with his brother Adam. After Adam is brutally slain, Damien puts his way of life behind him in search of revenge.

Once fortune and fate place Damien on the same ship as Mirabelle, the sexual tension immediately begins. Mirabelle is instantly pulled to Damien, but knows she must stay far away if she is to prove she is worthy of being a pirate and not a distraction to men.

Damien knows if he is to keep his cover as a seaman, he must stay away from Mirabelle. Revenge is worth more than a roll in the hay.

So the battle begins.

Though this was a well-told and exciting story, I must confess I was a bit disappointed. Too much graphic sex and too little romance left me feeling empty. However, the author has a wonderful way of writing that really kept me interested. I look forward to reading her future books to see her grow.

Armchair Interviews says: Heed the reviewer's specific warning relative to appropriateness of book.

The message of his brother's death changed Damian Westmore's life, the "Duke of Rogues", from one moment to the other. He vows to find the pirates who killed him and nothing and no one will stop his quest for revenge. A twist of fate brings him contact with Mirabelle and her brothers and he joins their crew. What he doesn't know is that this crew is responsible for the attack on his brother's ship. The situation gets even more complicated when the sparks are flying between Mirabelle and Damian. The attraction between them is undeniable, but will they have a chance to be together?

TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION is a really fantastic book. The book kept this reviewer captivated from the first moment on. The characters were really fascinating and unique. Damian is a tortured hero, who completely changed his life from the moment he heard of his brother's death. Mirabelle is a tough heroine who tries her best to proof her brothers that she is a worthy member of the crew. By the way, her brothers play an important part in the story and they are all very interesting characters and this reviewer really hopes that they will get their own stories.

The book is so fascinating because you never knew what will happen next. There is more than just one surprise waiting on the reader. So get your own copy of this book and make place on your keeper shelf!

TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION was this reviewer's first book by Ms. Benedict and definitely not the last, because she is the new addition to her auto-buy list.

[...]

This book is a fun read! Not the greatest story telling of all times, but definitely worth catching.

Being raised without love; introduced to all manner of vices during adolescence; Damian Westmore lived life for pleasure and was dubbed "The Duke of Rogues". Caring only for his younger brother Adam, the shock of hearing of his death at the hands of pirates devastated Damian who took to the sea vowing to destroy the ones responsible. Rescued from imprisonment two years later Damian joined the crew of a ship sailing back to England never realizing that the `crew' were the pirates he'd spent the last two years seeking, or that it included a beautiful woman who would totally beguile him.

Mirabelle Hawkins dreamed of becoming a pirate and sailing the seas with her brothers all her life. After stowing away on their last voyage she had one chance to prove her worth and hold her own. Unfortunately, the enigmatic new navigator Damian was a distraction that was wreaking havoc with both her hormones and resolve. Conversely, Damian was finding it equally hard to remain aloof when it came to keeping his mind and his hands off the stunning siren even with her four brothers on the same ship. In exacting his revenge against her brothers Damian knew there could be no future for such an ill-fated romance and in keeping his oath would lose the woman he desired above all others.

*** TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION is a non-stop action, thoroughly exciting, and exhilarating read by a newer author whose vibrant stories are certain to make lovers of this pirate / regency era genre sit up and take notice. With a deft hand the author paints a deeply moving characterization of the horror of a childhood that shaped Damian's life giving remarkable insight as to his motivations for justice and retribution. Likewise, the same care and detail was given in character building as to what shaped Mirabelle's motivation in wanting the freedom of a pirate's life. The romance was hot and the descriptions of some passionate encounters were sensually stimulating and in my opinion very well done. A lighter touch was added with the antics of Mirabelle's four brothers that evoked some laugh out loud moments along with Mirabelle's good friend Henrietta, whom I would love to see have her very own story proving herself more than ready for a romance of her own. On the whole, I thought this an extremely well plotted story with a twist ending I was secretly hoping for, yet still managing to amaze me when it took off in a shocking direction I had not anticipated. Those looking for a well developed storyline from a vibrantly fresh new voice should definitely take a good look at this new talent!

Marilyn Rondeau, for CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Great plot with 2 very interesting and endearing main characters. And, to top it all off there are plentiful sensual love scenes. This book is a vast improvement from her previous book. Hope the next one's just as great as this one.

As a photographer hobbyist, I found this book to be an inspiration. The idea of taking an area and photographing it over a long time to make it your own is a revelation. I've been inspired to try the same thing at a favorite canyon in my area. Great addition to every photographer's image library!

Heard about the book this past Friday when Senator Ken Salazar gave a copy to Chief Justice Nominee John Roberts as a gift. Picked up a copy this weekend and love it. Incredible photography, and stunning text - plus you can't beat the price! A great gift book for those who love Colorado, the National Parks, are concerned about the environment or just love the outdoors. BUY IT!!!

While this book contains some magnificent photography of this almost unreal place, the photography is not original. The photographs are amazing in terms of traditional 'widely accepted' landscape photography. However in a place as unique as this you really need to go 'outside the box' and go for broke. Too many places have been photographed in this plain, saturated, style. I think the photographers should have tried something different. For what it is, it's a *****. As a book of art it is a ***. And thats what I give it because I am an artist myself. If your more interested in the place and images then the artistic aspect, then I'm sure you'll love it. If you want some real art from this place...checkout Bill Neill, Willard Clay, or John Weller. Those gents were not afraid to actually be creative in Great Sand Dunes.

This award winning book is a must have for anyone visiting or wanting to visit this magnificant national park. The photography is spectacular and the writing superb, providing insight to a landscape that is more complex and varied than a casual inspection can reveal.

As a Colorado native I've spent a lot of time in the San Luis Valley and there is finally a book that goes beyond the obvious subject of the Sand Dunes. Anyone can find the beauty there, but to photograph all the critters and tell about dozens of unique places throughout the Valley is outstanding! I've explored the Rio Grande, the wildlife refuges, and some of the drainages, but rarely have these interesting places appeared as beautifully as depicted in Valley of the Dunes. I'm thrilled these authors and photographers have gone beyond the obvious and introduced such a special place to everyone who treasures new and unique experiences.

Before Benedict Arnold turned traitor, he was a highly-regarded officer in the American Army. Having risen to the rank of colonel, he had caught the eye of George Washington. Arnold was having a significant role in the defense of the northern boundaries of the rebellious colonies to keep British forces from invading from Canada.

Washington selected Arnold to lead part of American forces on an invasion of Canada to remove this threat of British invasion and possibly bring the British possession over to the American side. General Montgomery was to lead the other major part of the American forces. Montgomery would go up the Hudson for an attack on fortified Quebec. Arnold was to lead his force through Maine mainly along the Kennebec River to meet up with Montgomery for the attack.

Arnold did eventually meet up with Montgomery, but not before an arduous trek through the Maine wilderness which weakened and demoralized his men. The delay in reaching Quebec also upset the timing of the planned attack. By the time the American forces joined together, the British were able to repulse the assault on Quebec. They had learned of the advance of the American forces and strengthened the defenses of the city.

The invasion of Quebec was disastrous, though not fatal to the American cause. Montgomery was killed in the assault. Arnold's reputation suffered, so it wasn't long before he went over to the British.

Author of three previous books on the American Revolutionary War, the independent scholar Lefkowitz relates this major, though failed, episode in the Revolutionary War in an engrossing manner that never flags despite its detail as the details are colorful as well as informative. In many cases, the details are revealing as well with respect to Arnold's attributes and character. Readers of popular history could not find a better account of the Arnold expedition and especially the maneuvering leading up to the attack on Quebec and the attack itself. Welcome too is the series of 10 maps such readers can refer to to follow the tale.

I purchased this book with a "Ho hum, another book purporting to offer something new on the Arnold expedition." I was pleasantly surprised in that Lefkowitz has written probably the best complete book on the expedition's march and subsequent battle for Quebec. What was "new" was that the author's end notes were excellent, and his discussions of controversial points were most welcome.

The parts focusing on Arnold were not expressly germane to a book about Arnold's Army, but they did not detract excessively. I would have wanted more on the life of the American soldiers while prisoners of the British and the details of their return, but primary sources on this part of the story are few.

The author lists many references, but only about two dozen would supply probably 99 percent of the information available on the expedition. Actually, this is a story that an historian almost can get his arms around just by reading Kenneth Roberts's, "March To Quebec", at least for the journals by the expedition members. Coupling that with Justin Smith's "Arnold's March From Cambridge To Quebec", and one pretty well covers the ground.

So why this volume? Well, because it brings all of the above together, weeding out the myth (like Aaron Burr's Indian Mistress) and resolving conflicts and discrepancies in source writings. A good example of this is the story by Francis Nichols who maintained that a drunken British sailor fired the cannon that killed Montgomery although Nichols was not there and evidently based his account on heresay. Another is Morgan's comment in a letter he wrote to Henry Lee of finding the second barricade undefended that was probably a fabrication in whole or in part. Another is the discussion of "Dog Lane", a name for the path Arnold used for his approach to the lower town that was apparently added in the nineteenth century.

Probably very little will be added to the story through further research in future years as the vast majority of primary sources are already known (and they are very few.) Once in a while a little is added when a letter is found like that written by my Great-great-great-grandfather James Dougherty who was in Smith's company, captured at Quebec and immediately on being paroled, broke parole and joined Washington to fight on until 1783. Whether or not Lefkowitz's book will someday be considered the definitive work I leave up to future generations, but it will come close.

Benedict Arnold is viewed by most as simply a traitor to the American Revolution, but in fact he was one of the most complex and intriguing people in history. "Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada During the Revolutionary War" follows the traitor's exploits before his infamous act, focusing on his invasion of Canada. He was dubbed the "American Hannibal" by his contemporaries due to his amazing exploits and acts during his less infamous time on the side of the Americans. "Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada During the Revolutionary War" is highly recommended to American History shelves and anyone who would want to learn more about this enigmatic figure of American history.

Ever since reading "Arundel" by Kenneth Roberts in the ninth grade, I have been fascinated by the story of Arnold's expedition up the Kennebec and down the Chaudiere to Quebec. When I heard about this book I eagerly sought it out and got into it. I must pay tribute to the research and historical descriptions of Mr. Lefkowitz. What was most bothersome, however, was the plethora of typos, omitted dates, words left out, and other evidences of a badly-edited work. One of the most irritating things was the consistent misspelling of one of the key geographic sites in the whole story, Lake Megantic. With one or two exceptions this was always spelled "Magentic" in the book. I would say that Mr. Lefkowitz wrote a fine book but was ill served by his publisher.

Author Arthur Lefkowitz's account of Benedict Arnold's army marching through the Maine wilderness to attack the city of Quebec during the waning months of 1775 may very well be the definitive account of this expedition. For those, me included, who would not fit the definition of a historian this book may go into a little more detail than what may interest you. Nevertheless, the book will be worth your time. Many of those who accompanied Arnold on this trip included veterans of the Battle of Bunker Hill in June of 1775. Several who took part on this harrowing trip were called gentleman volunteers. Among them was a smallish man who distinguished himself well named Aaron Burr. The plan of attack was for General Philip Schuyler who was to first attack Montreal from Fort Ticonderoga while Arnold and his men traveled to Quebec through Maine. Schuyler became sick along the way and had to return, and he was replaced by General Richard Montgomery. Arnold and his men suffered on their trek by having to deal with numerous hardships such as portaging their way around numerous waterfalls, insufficient food, freezing weather, and traveling through swamps. There was some question whether Arnold would defer to Montgomery's authority when they joined forces in Quebec, but the two got along fine. With several soldiers' enlistments due to expire with the arrival of the new year and several attempts to get British Governor Guy Carleton to surrender the two generals combined their attack on Quebec on December 31st in a snowstorm. Although Montgomery was killed and Arnold took a musket ball below the knee and the effort to take Quebec failed this experience provided valuable training experience that went into winning American independence. This book is a valuable addition to Revolutionary War literature.

I can't review this product; I gave it to a friend as a gift ...

Rodney P. Hanagriff

Product was delivered in a timely manner. It was in excellent shape. It is just what I was looking for.

I love this Bible! I got the burgundy one -- it's beautiful, just the right size, and easy to understand. I use it daily with "The Word Among Us" monthly magazine. My mother-in-law loved mine so much, she asked for (and received) one as a gift for Christmas.

Great edition for Catholic's or anyone interested in finding out about how Catholic's recieved there faith. Eazy to read print with some explanations included. Well bounded, durable for bring to study or regular use.

Very easy to read and understand. I love it and would advise anyone to buy it.