Burke Books

If you believe that truth is stranger than fiction, this is a book you will adore. One remarkable woman's story of her relationship with an extraordinary spiritual teacher, told plain--without hyperbole or self-dramatization. Toward the end of her life, Marie Louise Burke (Sister Gargi) shared excerpts from her intimate journal, recounting the trials and triumphs of her attempts to become a writer under the tutelage of the brilliant Swami Ashokananda. Both humorous and deeply moving, this book is the 'real deal'. Highest possible recommendation!

A Disciple's Journal: In The Company Of Swami Ashokananda by Sister Gargi (Marie Louise Burke) is the compelling and true personal testimony of one woman's spiritual training during the course of two decades, at the hands of Swami Ashokananda (1893-1969), the spiritual teacher of the Ramakrishna Order and head of the Vedanta Society of Northern California. Sister Gargi's journey began in the 1950s as she learned meditation in the Hindu tradition of Vedanta, and as she pursued her spiritual quest Sister Gargi became a literary figure in the Vedanta movement. Sister Gargi's inner development, the highs and lows of the path she followed, and the rewards of patient dedication are all contained in this thoughtful and uplifting account, recommended to all dedicated students of Religion, Spirituality, and Metaphysics.

Collections strong in ministry resources will welcome DOING TIME: FINDING HOPE AT SAN QUENTIN. It offers up a personal story of the author's ten years of prison ministry, visiting men in the cellblocks at San Quentin State Prison, and it provides case histories of issues and spiritual concerns behind prison walls. Spiritual collections strong in ministry services will find it revealing and poignant.

Dennis Burke has captured the "soul" of San Quentin in this moving and
provocative exploration of the minds and lives of the men who struggle daily
to find meaning behind the walls of our massive, oppressive, and unforgiving
prisons.

He tells the story of San Quentin, and more than that, the story life in
prisons everywhere, as only an insider can do. It takes at least a decade in
the bowels of the monster to understand it and to fathom the souls of those
who have been--or may be--consumed by it. And Burke has "done his time" there.

In the end, this is an inspired and inspiring account of the human condition--replete with
telling insights into the rainbow of hate, violence, intolerance, racism,
cruelty, despair, intimacy, strength, weakness, humor, love, and hope that
define us all.

Whelan is the sort of scholar rarely found in this age of academic narcissism. Not kowtowing to fashionability, Whelan presents examples Burke's writings on India in a balanced, considered manner, without including the tempting digressions that could make this a western - non-western multicultural ax grind. Every Burke enthusiast will benefit from this latest excursion into Burke's lesser known works.

Whelan has done a marvelous job at interpreting Burke's political philosophy through the window of Burke's writings on India, Empire, and in particular, the Warren Hastings trial.

Of the various styles of biographies I've read, I think I prefer what Lock has achieved here. It's definitely not the kind of page-turner which Robert Caro delivers, nor is it heavily weighed down with details such as De La Grange has given us with Gustav Mahler. Instead, Lock gives us intelligently written background surrounding the issues and people as they arise; judicious use of Burke's letters (and letters to him) as well as his writings; and details that help bring the era to life. He also brings the themes together, which means the telling is not a simple chronology. Lock gives us all sides of Burke, too: not just the politician and the family man, but the brother and the farmer. What I also like about this book is that Lock does not hesitate to criticize Burke when his behavior is less than ethical or when Burke's arguments are disingenuous. It's a critical examination, and Lock doesn't dumb it down. (I can't wait for volume 2, although my checkbook can.)

This will become the standard biography of Burke - but this book is not just for scholars: anyone with an interest in 18th century politics and culture will benefit from reading this work. The narrative is well written, with much detail and necessary (but not too basic) background detail; overall it keeps the reader's interest. Burke's own works are analysed thoroughly, within the framework of his life.

This book provides valuable information for those interested in the teaching of ESL under church auspices. It emphasizes that setting up a program must be taken very deliberately. Given that, however,it stresses at the same time that with proper oversight, intelligent volunteers can teach ESL after a few training sessions.
It is, however, a bit off-putting that it approaches the provision of ESL classes as a means to recruit church members, rather than offering classes with no strings attached.

This book is easily accessible for a beginning ESL program. It is brief, so those with busy schedules need not set aside weeks to read this. It is broken down into chapters that address questions and issues that arise when starting an ESL program, especially one on a low budget. The suggestions are easily adaptable, and while the author emphasizes a faith-based ESL program, there is plenty of advice for those churches who will not be teaching religion outright along with ESL. The author also includes forms, tests and posters, as well as pages of additional resources. A great book to begin with when investigating your own volunteer-based ESL program.

This excellent piece of historical research and narrative, exposes a considerable level of knowledgement on political, religious and philosophycal matters around the time when Occidental Civilization started the economical, social and artistic processes that developed our society of today. The writing, precise and well informed, goes directly to those facts, and the relations between them, that brought European culture of XIV to XVII centuries, reach the brightness of mankind. Not being a palette of beautiful paintings by italian and flemish masters, but a wise linkage of events taken place on the different areas of Europe, this book represents an important reference by any person dedicated to the study of those times.

This excellent piece of historical research and narrative, exposes a considerable level of knowledgement on political, religious and philosophycal matters around the time when Occidental Civilization started the economical, social and artistic processes that developed our society of today. The writing, precise and well informed, goes directly to those facts, and the relations between them, that brought European culture of XIV to XVII centuries, reach the brightness of mankind. Not being a palette of beautiful paintings by italian and flemish masters, but a wise linkage of events taken place on the different areas of Europe, this book represents an important reference by any person dedicated to the study of those times.

I read this book in grad school, and it was one of the most enjoyable and accessible books I read. It is not a biography of Louis XIV but an extensive study on the image-making of the king. The use of the negative-sounding word "Fabrication" in the title makes the cover look very intriguing as it may imply to some that Burke has uncovered much deceit surrounding Louis' image. Actually, Burke uses this term to mean the process and constant renewal of the representation of Louis XIV (10-11). Burke includes chapters on the following subjects: the types of persuasion used (medals, festivals, allegories, etc.), a brief background on Louis' "sunrise", the organization of Louis' image-making system (academies, etc.), the royal image from the time of "personal rule," image-making through victories, reconstruction through peacetime, Louis' "sunset," differences between the ideal and the real, antagonistic images (loyal subjects making gentle fun or giving hopeful advise and actual enemies of the king), the ways in which Louis' image was perceived including the "targets" of Louis' image-makers, and a comparison with rulers before, during, and after his reign. Strangely enough, the Third Reich is not mentioned in the latter chapter which would be a glaring omission to me had it not left the door open for me to write a term paper making such a comparison.

Burke presents a very thorough study examining such things as the changes in medal inscriptions through the years of Louis' rule to a look at what was meant by "public" during this time (pp. 131 and 152). The many photographs makes for a very interesting and enjoyable book. There is also appendixes on the numbers of medals and portraits created during the different decades of Louis' reign. It is a case study of image-making which, if taken as that, is an excellent, complete study. Do not expect a complicated thesis from this work. Burke, for example, does not pursue very strongly the idea of "charisma" (introduced on page 11)and how much "charisma" is tied to personality and "fabrication." One petty complaint is Burke's tendency to throw in French words and phrases. Most often it does not detract from an understanding of the study but, in certain cases, it can be very frustrating. Two of the worst examples are when Burke is describing how the king was surrounded by the gentlemen of his chamber "even when he was..." [the rest being in French] (91) and when Burke mentions a man who found himself in court for remarking "in brutal simplicity, that..." [the rest being in French] (167). But I won't knock off a star because I do not know Francaise.

The theory that ritual, pomp and circumstance can serve to enhance political power is not a new one. This book, however, makes the case that Louis XIV, in everything he did, worked to style himself as an absolute leader, a god-like ruler. From his artistic and architectural programs, to sumptuary laws, and official celebrations, Louis XIV's goal was always to assert and enhance his power. This is an enthralling book that gives insight to the era of Louis XIV as well as perspective on the use of symbol and ritual to create and maintain power.

I gave this book to a friend who was still suffering years after her abortion. She found the book very therapeutic. Just telling women who have an abortion to get over it is not working. Women need to have a way to heal after an abortion both physically AND emotionally. This book helps women work through the pain in a totally non-judgmental way. I highly recommend it to others who are suffering following their decision to have an abortion.

I have been really hurting since my abortion. I was truly looking for a book that would not make me feel worse about what happened then i already felt but that could offer me hope and understanding. I decided to purchase this book after I had been referred to it. I am half way through the book and haven't been able to put it down. The author really acknowledges the pain that I and others have gone through on behalf of the choice they made. I can't tell you how many times I have felt like I was going crazy because people couldn't understand why I was depressed about the decision I made. I cant change what I did but at least this book offers me the solace and peace that I have been looking for since. Hopefully, in time things will become easier. I definitely recommend this book!

If you need to read about Puerto Rico or are doing research, this should be your first stop. This book is the most comprehensive and well documented book ever written on the legal situation of Puerto Rico. Anybody who has anything to do with the island needs to read this book first.

THIS IS AN ENGAGING AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO PRESENT THE ETHIOLOGY OF A DILEMA THAT HAS BEEN OUT OF FOCUS FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS. THE EDITORS HAVE CHOSEN A VARIED SPECTRUM OF VIEWS, AND IT IS THROUGH THESE DIFFERENT LENSES THAT THE ISSUE SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.

This mammoth, all-inclusive history of American film in the 1930's with almost 200 stills, portraits, and other photographs examines the film output of that legendary decade in its entirely - five thousand movies, most of them personally screened by the author. His skillful division of this mass of cinema into fifty distinct genres - gangster films, horror films, spy pictures, screwball comedies, campus capers, and westerns among them - combines fun criticism, facts, trivia, and social history re-creates a fascinating era for the movie nut, film buff, and cinema scholar. It is the essential volume on that memorable decade and its golden legacy.

I have loved this book for almost 25 years now!! It is the most enjoyable, most informative book ever written by a single author on an era in motion pictures and how lucky we are that it was written on the greatest era of films, the 1930's!! It's a huge book packed with information and commentary on films of the era. What is truly astonishing is that the author wrote this book on superb history and criticism on these era of films years before Turner Classic Movies and American Movie Classics were on the air, primarily from local television airings, revival houses in New York, and research!! Wonderfully packed with information and highly readable, by the time you finish this book you will rightfully feel you can hold your own with anyone if the topic in 1930's Hollywood films. There aren't that many photographs, but you can easily get that elsewhere, finding such superb detailed yet unpretentious writing on the period is the true attraction. Dooley truly enjoys the films of the era but he is not blind to the failings of weaker films or films that no longer hold up (and you will be quite grateful that he rarely gives away "spoilers" when discussing the films unlike many a historian). He writes with appreciation of the pace of the films, the sharp dialogue and charismatic performances of these superb films which he bluntly (and truthfully!) states was Hollywood's finest era. What a shame the talented Mr. Dooley, a novelist, never again wrote a book on film history because he truly takes his place with the greats on the basis on this single volume. If you love "classic movies" you can be certain you will love this book!