Clark Books

I read the book with great anticipation. Bought some oysters as well to go along with the whole experience - some little French ones. Prepared them as Ms Clark suggested. Ate them with a chilled chablis. Half and hour later - sick as dog, sick as dog. Turns out the best way to prepare oysters is not (repeat not) to let them sit on the back porch in the sun all day. Never make a mistake twice and won't eat those Belon oysters again. But the book was quite good

which I with sword will open." Ms. Clark corrects our collective thinking on the most famous oyster metaphor in literature, indicating it has nothing to do with a pearl, or as she delightfully says, "but we would rather think not." Ms. Clark dazzles the reader, certainly this one, with her remarkable erudition, which she has focused on the raising of one seemingly simple sea creature, on the south coast of Brittany in France. Ecology, biology, sociology, history, zoology, literature are some of the intellectual areas that are drawn upon to create this one-of-a-kind book that made Locmariaquer an essential destination. But so much has changed, been lost, and yes, even improved since Ms Clark wrote her book at the end of the `50's, long before the coming of the TGV, and before the death of many of the species that she writes about. It was also long before the era of mass tourism.

This area of Brittany has long been poor, noted for two things: the baby oysters, and the large prehistoric megaliths at Carnac. The author describes the Parisian gourmet's excitement with the arrival of the season's latest harvest, carefully listing the classifications and prices, but also contrasts this seemingly ephemeral interest with the harsh reality of producing this crop with an image hard to forget: an 18 year old girl wanted out - drank a bottle of muriatic acid, it took her half the afternoon to die, and "they had heard her screaming way over at Saint-Pierre."

In chapter five Ms. Clark covers the oysters significance during the period of the Second Empire, giving the reader delightful dollops of history, and sociological insight from that period. Many of the greats from this period, as well as the lesser known make their appearances.

It is the quality of her observations that also helps place this book in the unique category. Concerning the revival of Brittany's "folk culture," she says "...embarrassing revival of bagpipes, folk dancing, folklore, etc., as if the word "folk" used that way weren't a death warrant in itself." Also, for the late `50's, the prescient: "Let's face it, there are too many people. The shores of the temperate zones are simply not big enough to hold them in July and August."

La Villemarque, a regional writer, is placed, as a pearl if you will, within the context of the national writers, Malraux, Sand, Proust, et al. Cassanova's famous exploits, and the "driving energy" are also wonderfully described.

Though the species have now regrettably changed, and the flavor probably diminished, there is a wonderful "oyster bar" in Montparnasse that would be the ideal setting for digesting this masterful book in many settings. After the second glass of wine, one might also speculate what her life might have been like, with her husband Robert Penn Warren, known most famously as the author of "All the King's Men."

The opening line of this book is:
"WHAT YOU NOTICE in the month of May is the tiles, like roof tiles but white, stacked by thousands at one point after another along the shore."

The last line on page 203 is:
"BENEFICIENT Oyster, good to taste, good for the stomach and the soul, grant us the blessing of your further mystery."

In between these 200 pages concerning oysters, Eleanor Clark wrote a definitive classic on the amalgamation of geography, human history, ecology, and commerce. One reads much of the mystery or the character of this mollusk at this Breton coast. It expresses itself through the human being just as it does through its own.

These oysters of Locmariaquer can be appreciated or thought of in two ways. How they are farmed in this northwestern Breton Coast can be thought of as being incidental. The important thing, some argues, this is a place of scenary, good oyster eating, and tourism. Or one can see with an understanding eye, as the author wants the reader to see, at the landscape. This Locmariaquer landscape, with the oysters, is repleted with the rich voice of its ancestors, myths, history, and human foibles.

Equipped with this behind the scene knowledge, the mystery of the Locmariquer mollusk is revealed. Now we can trippingly roll off our tongue why these Breton oysters are dear to the gourmet. Put on a few more dozens of these oysters on the barbie, won't you? No, not on the doll.


*Note: This book was published in 1964. In the 1970s, some if not all of the oyster varieties named in the book had been devastated by parasites. Today, the region is cultivating the hardier Japanese oyster, the Japanese naissain (the Gigas) variety, to sustain the industry and a way of life.

About 25 years ago I stumbled upon Eleanor Clark's history of the oyster beds in Normandy, or her memoir of living near the oyster beds. It's been a long time, but it was simply the best combination of food writing, history, travel writing and poetry that I ever read (yes, I'm reviewing a book that I read 25 years ago, but it stayed with me). My sister and her family are going to be living in Normandy, so I have to buy it for them, and reread it myself. It's unique; it makes every other book about travel and food and "our life in ...." seem pallid.

If you enjoy the arts, colonial history,
Greek mythology, drama...it's in there...Keneally weaved all these teams brilliantly to create a masterpiece in my opinion.

This finely crafted work is one of Keneally's most notable. Portraying a man in an agony of moral conflict over his love for a woman convict yet constantly aware of the family left behind in England, The Playmaker addresses human feelings at many levels. Like so many of his books, Keneally has taken figures from history, weaving a plausible tale of the life they might have led. His examination of the mind and heart of Lieutenant Ralph Clark, during the early years of the Port Jackson [Sydney] prison colony, a is deeply moving account. Far from home, these exiled people face disturbing choices. Keneally compares the founders of the Sydney colony with space travellers, isolated in a dangerous situation with limited resources.

Clark's task is the staging of a play in celebration of the king's birthday. Assembling a cast from the convicts, he's confronted with a range of personalities from house maids to forgers. Keneally's research has dredged up backgrounds of these transported felons; the thieves' guild oath is a particularly fine touch. His real talent, however, is in presenting this material through his characters . Each of his figures projects a reality surpassing other writers of historical fiction. While his descriptive narrative may make modern allusions, none of his persona are dragged out of their original time frame. Ralph Clark is particularly well drawn. Keneally has a special talent for presenting us with an 18th Century man's feelings and aspirations as much as it's possible for us to know them.

That this book has been returned to the active sales list is a testament to its value. It should be read by more people. The 18th Century setting is less important than what Keneally has to say about people. Add this book to your shelves with confidence. It's worth more than a single read.

The earliest days of Sydney, Australia, and the prison colony which was its first population center provide a dynamic setting for this ambitious, old-fashioned novel. With a broad scope, grand design, and sensitive treatment of universal themes, it has the weightiness of an epic, but is far more vigorous and more involving than that, with vivid, sympathetic characters who come fully to life.

Transported halfway around the world to a forbidding and alien landscape, men and women prisoners share their personal struggles, providing a vitality and emotional punch one does not often find in fiction. The reader soon discovers that the prisoners are not all that different, of course, from the civil servants and Marines who administer the colony--everyone in Port Jackson (Sydney) is a prisoner in some way or another, be it physical, spiritual, or emotional.

Lt. Ralph Clark's decision to produce George Farquhar's early 18th century comedy, The Recruiting Officer, with an all-prisoner cast leads to many emotional conflicts. Though the play provides the participants with a way to achieve a measure of dignity, they must still bow to the strictures of the colony off stage. Many prisoners wield cruel powers over other prisoners, while Marines and administrators exert power over both the prisoners and the aborigine inhabitants of the area. The restrictions imposed by the church, in the person of Rev. Dick Johnson, aggravate tensions by concentrating on rules of behavior rather than on the human soul.

Against this backdrop of the restrictions on their lives, Keneally's characters are set in high relief, their humanity contrasting sharply with the impersonal forms of government which are imposed upon them. Meticulously depicting 18th century England, its government, its penal system, and its social structure, along with early Australia, its first western inhabitants, the decimation of the aborigine population, and the social conflicts faced by its characters, this is one of Keneally's greatest novels, a timeless story based on real journals, stunning in its effect. Mary Whipple

I read this book seveal years ago, before Keneally's name became so widely known as a result of the success of Schindler's List (the movie). This book stands out in my memory for the great ability to transport us to a different time, place and way of thinking. I found it to have been very skillfully written. I subsequently read other books of his as a result of the pleasure derived from this one and was not disappointed.This book deserves to be more widely known.

I Enjoyed the characters, liked the hero alot, and his girlfriend was great.Great car chase!Book really draws you in immediately, and keeps you all the way through, I couldnt put it down!

Reviewer: Joanna Drummond (see more about me) from Los Angeles
Lots of action and good characters I liked (and some pretty bad ones I didn't!). It moved right into the story on page one, and

The plot moved quickly and kept me on my toes. A woman who likes good suspense, it had just the right amount of romance,too: enough for me and not too much for my husband, who liked it so much he did not put it down until he was done. The chase through the city and the battle on the highway were thrilling and real. And the ending was perfect. BLOOD OF THE HELGSBERG, his first Matt Clark thing is next on my list, and then I'll eagerly await this writer's next effort.

ROBERT HOAGLUND HAS COME UP WITH A NEW HERO MATT CLARK. FROM THE TIME YOU START READING THIS NOVEL YOU FEEL YOU ARE RIGHT THERE IN THE ACTION, AND THERE IS PLENTY. THE BOOK IS WELL RESEARCHED AND THE LOCALS ARE PLACES I AM FAMILAR WITH. THE CHARACTERS ALL SEEM VERY REAL AND AS YOU ARE READING ,YOU ARE THERE WITH THEM. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL WHO LIKE SUSPENCE ,A TOUCH OF HORROR, AND JUST PLAIN GOOD READING. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

Starts out so fast you're into it before you realize it. Good characters you understand, several good plot twists, and just about the time you wonder what's next another action scene explodes. And I sure would like to meet Rachel, Hoaglund's heroine. Matt Clark seems like the kind of guy we all would like to know, Almost a five, but definitly a high four.

The previous reviewer is right. There is no doubt in my mind that this is written by Michael Chrichten. Same exceellent plot. Same
accurate science. Why out of print so long?

I read this book when it came out in paperback. I was a fool and leant it to a friend who never returned it. I have spent the last many years trying to get another copy. But it is out of print. If someone knows where to get it let me know *please* This book is one reason I studied Entomology.

What wonders can be had with a medical entomology book ;)

if you can find this book read it!!!!

I found this book, read it, loved it, raved about it, loaned it and never saw it again. It mixes [apparently] accurate science with a killer's diabolical mind. The plausibility makes it especially chilling. Read this if you can get your hands on a copy!!

scientificaly accurate thriller involving multiple revenge murders. very well written to the extent that one wonders why no other books by the author have been published. reminiscent of books by michael chrichton--in fact same first name & last initial! excellent plot hard to put down. why out of print

Rebeccasreads highly recommends A RIVER AWAY as a lusty series of vignettes, with some luscious romance, & a passel of Revolutionary War stories from 1773 through 1807.

Telling the stories around the artifacts Marilyn Dungan unearthed, she breathes life back into a thrilling, frontier era. I do hope she acquires an audiobook version of A RIVER AWAY, because it will translate to the spoken word excellently.

Rebeccasreads highly recommends A RIVER AWAY as a lusty series of vignettes, with some luscious romance, & a passel of Revolutionary War stories from 1773 through 1807.

Telling the stories around the artifacts Marilyn Dungan unearthed, she breathes life back into a thrilling, frontier era. I do hope she acquires an audiobook version of A RIVER AWAY, because it will translate to the spoken word excellently.

Dungan's concise and descriptive language breathes life into her main character, Valentine Dalton. I keenly felt his love and passionate dedication toward his country, his wife, Hannah, and their children. Although this novel is considered a work of fiction, the author's portrayal of this man and his life made me feel that I was given a "true and accurate" glimpse into the heart and soul of this historical soldier and hero. It also shows the research that the author must have done to so clearly illustrate the period of time in which this story took place. I have enjoyed reading all of Marilyn Dungan's novels (The Laney McVey Series) and this book has piqued my interest so much that I would love to ask Ms. Dungan if she is going to make this into an historical fiction series. I sure hope so and I can't wait for her next publication!

I really enjoyed A River Away and read it in less than a day. I was really intrigued by author Marilyn Dungan's writing ability. I would recommend the book to readers that enjoy American history and adventure laced with a tender love story.

I had the privilege of taking a river trip with Tom Mullen a few years ago, and I'm pleased to recommend his book, Rivers of Change.

In Rivers of Change, Tom Mullen examines the ways in which the Missouri and Columbia Rivers have been changed by man and how that's affected life along the rivers. Tom took this trip after being out of the United States for years as a water management specialist in the Third World. When he decided to move back to the U.S., he took the summer to explore the rivers and get reacquainted with his own country. Buying an old camper, he set out with no particular agenda other than to follow the Missouri and Columbia and meet and talk with people along the way.

While a book that focuses on river management might not sound interesting, Tom is so open-minded and willing to listen and observe that you really get a balanced picture of the merits and consequences of managing wild rivers. If you are interested in dams and river ecology, you will find this book to be a refreshing and non-preachy look at the subject, with nice bits of personal philosophy thrown in.

Reviewer: Liz Clare, co-author of the historical novel "To the Ends of the Earth: The Last Journey of Lewis and Clark"

Thoughtful and well-researched, and a total pleasure to read. This book is a combination of "Blue Highways" and "Travels with Charley" - a wonderful travelogue of life along backroads (and back rivers!) America. But more importantly - I learned an amazing amount about rivers and water management. The author's obvious knowledge of water systems is presented easily and effectively.
Now, living next to the Rio Grande, or visiting New Orleans, I have a much better understanding of how wildlife (and people) are affected by these rivers. If you enjoy reading about real people, their lives (and their rivers), and like to learn a bit at the same time, I highly recommend this book. A great alternative read in these days of "Lewis and Clark remembered".

This was published as a column on March 18 in the Atchison Daily Globe, Atchison, Kansas, by Marilyn Fontenot.
Marilyn Fontenot is an award winning journalist and investigative reporter for the Globe.
-------
I'll never forget the day I met Tom Mullen. It was on Memorial Day a couple of years ago when I was assigned to the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas, to take pictures. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the trees were green and the view from the river from Veteran's Memorial Park was breathtaking. When I stood by the monument, under that great American flag, watching the Mighty Mo move on down the banks under one of the last remaining truss bridges in the world, I knew I was swirled around historical surroundings and I liked it.
Very proud veterans, who still consider themselves soldiers, came to the river for their annual Memorial Day service not far from the Amelia Earhart Bridge.
After I was done, I took a few more minutes to absorb the atmosphere, while thinking of Kubla Khan, the Alph and that "the sacred river," when I noticed someone else in my Xanadue.
And he just sat there watching the river.
He didn't seem to notice me and it looked like he was studying something - paying close attention to something.
So, I walked up to this stranger and stuck out my hand.
"Hi, I'm Marilyn Fontenot, isn't it a beautiful day?" I said.
"It sure is," he said. "I'm Tom Mullen. Glad to meet you."
He told me he and his truck, Six Pack, were "just passing through," and they had come by way of St. Louis, Mo. He was on his way to Oregon and was working on a book. He was in Atchison to find Dan Bowen, the wildlife biologist at Benedictine College. I was intrigued and asked him plenty of questions and he so graciously answered.
He had places to go, people to meet and things to see, he said.
We spent a lot of time together while he was in Atchison. I introduced him to people in town and he found the ones he was looking for.
We met at Mueller's Locker for mozzarella sticks and shrimp for lunch and Purcell's Landing for beer and burgers for supper - all along the Missouri River.
"Tom, you know the hardest thing for a writer to do is write," I told him when he got discouraged.
"I know, I know," he used to say.
The time flew by and soon he said adios and I said happy trails.
I hadn't heard from him in months then a couple of weeks ago in April I got a package in the mail.
"Rivers of Change: Trailing the Waterways of Lewis and Clark," by Tom Mullen, was slipped inside complete with my name in the acknowledgements.
It didn't take me long to read the entire book. It's one of those books you start and can't stop until it's finished.
What a trip that was.
He took me with him to exotic places where I met a slew of colorful strangers. He canoed untamed and scenic river stretches, bicycled beside river barges, scuba dived and explored the makings of dam power plants, all the while he kept meeting strangers.

Tom found Jim Nower, a farmer in Weston, Mo., who said "I'm 81 now. My family's been on this farm since Great Grandfather Nower got here in 1856."
In Doniphan he was looking for a monument, which was placed there by Benedictine Monks along the river when they settled in Doniphan in the middle 1800s.
Then he went looking for Wolf River Bob in White Cloud and found him.
"A man with a tousled Kris Kringle beard and a pony tail stood. He almost saluted when he heard his name," Tom wrote

"Yessir, `at's me," he said. "Wolf River Bob."
Tom and Six Pack kept going
They followed that ole' river all the way to Astoria and the Pacific Ocean through tamed Crow country where he talks to Joe Medicine Crow then to Fort Peck Lake in Montana, "When the Land Belonged to God."
He and Six Pack finally made their destination.
It wasn't long before he convinced a publishing company to publish his book where his "Rivers of Change" takes us to a Xanadu, with its own twists and turns of prose and lyric with a visual that puts us on the page.
I'm glad I met Tom Mullen that day in May. I'm glad I took the time to make a stranger feel welcome in a strange place. I'm glad he had the courage to keep going.
I'm glad I was intrigued.

Enhanced with 30 black-and white photographs and 8 maps, Rivers Of Change: Trailing The Waterways Of Lewis & Clark by water resources consultant Tom Mullen introduces the reader to an American yesteryear of devastating floods, exploding steamboats, forced migrations, wandering rivers transforming thriving cities into deserted ghost towns, and wild rivers tamed into domesticated canals by dams and dredges. The focus is on a part of the Lewis and Clark route along the Missouri, Yellowstone, and Columbia rivers. This is a history that is enhanced with colorful characters, quirky historical anecdotes, and candid conversations "from off the beaten trail". Highly recommended as an addition to college and community library American History collections, Rivers Of Change will prove to be especially interesting to non-specialist general readers with an interest in environmental water issues -- past and present.

Sadie makes a snowman in her back yard and uses food items to make the eyes the mouth and the nose. Animals and birds eat the food items and the snowman melts every time, but Sadie continues to make him over and over again. Repetition is the name of the game here. My 3 year old daughter has had this book for more than a year and almost knows all the words. An absolute must for any parent especially those who live in snowy areas where their children can relate to Sadie. This is a fun and exciting book that encourages child participation and even allows me to enjoy reading it to my daughter. Buy it, it's wonderful!

Sadie makes a snowman in her back yard over and over again using food items for the eyes, nose and mouth. Some animals and birds eat the food items, but Sadie keeps building the snowman until the spring comes and there's no more snow. She puts the melted snow into her freezer for the summer and then when it snows again in the winter, she takes it out and rebuilds him all over again. Repetition is the name of the game here, encouraging child participation and assists with memory. My daughter is three and has had this book for more than a year now. She loves it and knows nearly all of the words. I very much enjoy reading this story to her because she seems to get so much pleasure out of joining in. An absolute must for all households especially those who get snow during the year when their children can relate to Sadie. I hope they put this out on general release again soon, I want to buy it for all my friends' children. Buy it, it's wonderful!

This story has real nice illustrations. Here's what the book's about: Sadie is a girl who is trying to make a snowman. The first time she makes a snowman some animals eat what she used for the eyes, mouth, etc. and then he melts. Sadie gets depressed but the next time it snows, Sadie makes another snowman. Problems come up for each one she makes. Can Sadie find a way to solve her snowmen problems? Find out when you read this book.

This book may be small, but it has a big meaning. It's about a girl named Sadie who made a snowman in her back yard. Unfortunately, some birds ate the "eyes", a squirrel ate the "nose", and a raccoon stole the "mouth", and the snowman melted down. So the next time it snowed, Sadie made the snowman all over again, but the same thing happened again. The animals stole all the ingredients, and the snowman melted away. This happens to her a few other times, but she never gave up. To find out how Sadie resolved her problem, read the book today!

This is a great book to read to children. It helps to show them that no matter how many times you may fail, or however many times something goes wrong, to keep on trying because things will work out in the end.

Someone needed to produce a treatment of the shepherding movement that really brought it to life for those of us not old enough to have lived through it. What is unique about this treatment is that it tells the story from a positive but not defensive light. For this reason, it could be influential for those leaders who have only seen the shepherding movement as falsely criticized. We get to see how 5 well intentioned and anointed men created a system with problem that hurt people in the end. David Moore repeatedly claims objectivity, and it is clear that was his intention, but in my opinion, this book tells only half of the story--the leaders/teachers half. Moore is honest enough to admit that he was a pastor in one segment of the movement. While it does identify some problems at the end that need to be corrected, it takes the same approach that the shepherds took all throughout the controversy--that the teachings were right, but the applications were wrong. This is clearly an excuse. Jesus said, "every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit." Matthew 7:17 If the doctrines are right, then the system should produce good fruit. The many damaged lives which came out of the shepherding movement, are not addressed in this book, and a complete telling of the story would need to do this. This book should be read in conjunction with Ron and Vicki Burks "Damaged Disciples" for a more complete picture. As Moore says, some of the theology in the Burks book is probably an overreaction, but the stories there will help the reader understand the "other side" of the issue.

Now, I do not want to be understood to say that this movement did not produce any good fruit. I genuinely believe that these men uncovered new dimensions to Scriptural truths which are relevant and needed for our times, and that as they themsevles believed, a core element to creating a form of Christianity with the power to bring down secular humanism. To the degree that they were right, many were helped in the movement. However, something in the doctrines must have been wrong, or else there would not be so many tesimonies of people wounded so deeply by their many years in the movement. One example would be the doctrine of absolute submission to a discipler. Jesuit history should show the error of this idea. Giving *absolute* submission to anyone other than Christ is idolatry, and can lead to severe problems. You cannot serve two masters.

The church needs to discover how to practice church authority in a way the helps and empowers people and has safeguards against ungodly bondage to leadership, and many are currently trying to do just that--hopefully with the lessons of the past in mind. In fact, it has been rightly recognized that certain elements of the New Apostolic (NAR) movement are similar--but hopefully now with the enslaving doctrines removed.

I'm glad that Moore has written this book, and it provides a lot of needed information to place the movement in context, however I hope that those whose lives were ruined in the movement are not forgotten, and remain as a marking stone for the future path of the church.

After I wrote my original review of this book I found this summary and these quotes from some familiar and respected Christian leaders:

Summary:
==========
(from T & T Clark, back cover of book) This is an engaging history of the Shepherding Movement, an influential and controversial expression of the charismatic renewel in the 1970s and 1980s. This neopentecostal movement, led by Bible teachers Ern Baxter, Don Basham, Bob Mumford, Derek Prince, and Charles Simpson, became a house/cell church movement in the United States. The Shepherding Movement is an ecclesiological case study of an attempt at renewing church structures. Its emphasis on submission to a personal pastor, or "shepherd" as the movement termed it, brought accusations of authoritarianism. The Shepherding Movement's story provides a unique perspective on the history of the charismatic renewal in the United States and its struggle to handle a controversy that forever changed the Renewal's ecumenical character.

About the author: S. David Moore is Associate Professor at the Life Pacific College in San Dimas, California.

"The Shepherding Movement" Book Reviews

"The major authentic and scholarly study of the Discipleship/Shepherding movememt...Moore has given us a well-written book that is a significant contribution to our understanding of the period."
-Vinson Synan, Dean of the School of Divinity at Regent University

"David Moore offers a scholarly, yet warmly pastoral look at more than a piece of history, for he also gives us an insightful, prophetic resource for study and growth."
-Dr. Jack Hayford, Founding Pastor of the Church on the Way in Van Nuys, CA and Chancellor of the Kings College and Seminary

"This is a cerful, objective account of a highly charged issue...an authentic insight of great importance. S. David Moore has performed a valuable service also for the Roman Catholic Charismatic Renewal, where similar issues arose."
-Kilian McDonnell, President, Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research, Collegeville, MN

I am literally a child of the Shepherding Movement, with my family joining while I was quite young. On balance, my experience was very positive, yet I know of others who believe their experiences were different. So when Professor Moore's book came out, I was interested to see how the overall, wider movement was evaluated.

Professor Moore promises a fair and balanced look at this controversial movement. In my opinion, he delivers. He concisely lays out the history of the movement from beginning to end. Writing with a historian's eye, Moore places the rise of the Shepherding Movement in its context. The Charismatic Renewal was sweeping the nation, but many of its leaders and participants were unaccountable, unattached, and simply drifting from one meeting to the next. To foster accountability and maturity, leaders like Bob Mumford and Charles Simpson began teaching about spiritual authority and covenantal relationships. Eventually, five leaders came together to emphasize these and other teachings (the so-called "Ft. Lauderdale Five"). Moore leaves no doubt that the Shepherding Movement arose in response to a real need and with the best of intentions.

Unfortunately, many of the critics also thought they were acting with the best of intentions, though a few - such as Pat Robertson - come across as self-appointed judges who felt little need to actually engage the leaders of the Shepherding movement with their concerns. Others come across concerned about losing their own turf or financial contributions to the Shepherding Movement. Jack Hayford comes across as someone concerned, but believing the best about those with whom he disagreed and attempting to engage them in direct dialogue. Indeed, it is to Moore's credit that both Charles Simpson and Jack Hayford endorse his book.

I was impressed with the openness of leaders like Simpson and Mumford, who not only granted Moore several interviews but also turned over their private correspondence to him - a treasure of primary data that any historian would love to have. Moore puts it to good use, following the movement from its inception to the dissolving of the "Ft. Laurderdale Five," then tracking the individual men in their ministries after the fact. Moore also reminds us of the benefits this movement had on the broader Christian Renewal: Hosanna/Integrity Music; the emphasis on Covenant in understanding God; the idea of spiritual mentoring; and, the emphasis on home groups and cell groups.

I have always considered myself fortunate to have been involved in the Charles Simpson sphere of the Shepherding Movement. After reading this fine book, that belief is reinforced. Professor Moore deserves much credit for this concise and fair history of an influential movement within the Charismatic Renewal.

This book offers a well researched (David Moore personally interviewed all of the living principle players and many of the secondary players) snapshot of how "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" challenged, leavened, edified, and damaged large segments of the Charismatic Movement of the 1970's and 1980's. Good, bad, ugly, and everything in between - it's all here! In addition to reading this book I have purchased and listened to the audio tape edition (available directly from David Moore or from Charles Simpson Ministries at http://www.csmpublishing.org). I found the content and the author's findings in the audio edition of this book to be the perfect companion to this edition - which is scholarly, objective, balanced, and fair.

On a personal note, I entered the Shepherding/Discipleship movement in as a result of the 1977 San Francisco Men's Seminar. In fact, I discovered in this book that the seminar that I attended was the last of it's kind. (It is amusing to consider that these "gender specific" seminars were controversial at the time since they are now common place. This books helps one gain insight into how the Shepherding Movement broke ground in areas like this)

Was I hurt during the Shepherding/Discipleship movement? Sure, just about everyone involved in the Shepherding Movement was to some degree - especially the leaders. I left the movement angry, bitter, and muttering, "Never again!" However, by doing personal research, reading, prayer, and a few "Matthew 18's" I consider myself healed, sealed and congealed. And, friends, there was a lot to be healed from due to the imbalances and errors of this movement! Candidly, there were personalities back then that are still alive and, in my opinion, that one would be wise to be avoid. Why? Some have learned and moved beyond the lessons from Discipleship and some have not.

That is why this book is SO important. It is primarily a work of scholastic history. As the cliche' goes, "Those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." And, yes folks there are churches repeating the errors of this movement even as you are reading this review - I can guarantee it!

I say this from personal experience. You see, after I exited the Shepherding Movement (around 1990 or so) I noticed that several of the churches that we went to were practicing Discipleship - one even taught it from the pulpit - but all were in denial.

One church leadership group, in particular, was brutally traumatized when I brought this fact to their attention. I was rebuked for even suggested that they were "like them!" This told me that the errors of Discipleship weren't exclusive to, "the big four or five" or even a particular movement at a particular moment in time but were simply a formalized, doctrinized form of widespread pastoral, pastoral staff, and cult-like control issues. These errors and imbalances are common to the Church universal past, present and (probably) future. Jesus referred to it as "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" (Revelation 2:6) the word "Nicolaitan" transliterated, I was told by David Rose (who is not mentioned in the book because he was one of Derek Prince's men - the book focuses mainly on the Mumford and Simpson "branches"), to mean "one who gains victory over the people". I think that you will find this "doctrine of the Nicolaitans" in whole or in part just about everywhere there are churches filled with those sinful creatures called, "the sons of Adam and the daughters of Eve" (to borrow from C.S. Lewis). If you are one such creature, you will learn much about yourself (and maybe your church) from this book.

There is also much positive to learn from the Shepherding Movement. Integrity Music was a direct by-product of the Shepherding Movement (our worship back then was legendary). Some base concepts and doctrines of Promise Keepers and the men's movement of the early 1990's were directly or indirectly influenced by the Shepherding Movement as well - whether they will admit it or not is another thing!

Yes, we made a lot of mistakes but we got a lot right as well. To this day I believe that our ecclesiology was dead right but our application of those truths was dead wrong! Hey man, if you can get a bunch ex-hippies interested in Theology and historic, credal, normative Christianity THAT alone must be divine, can you dig it?

At the end of it all I think that we all came to realize what depraved sinners we really are. I know what I am capable of without God and daily reliance on the Holy Spirit - and it's NOT pretty!

So in the end, perhaps the BEST by-product of the Shepherding Movement was humility based on heightened self-awareness of our frailties and flaws. After THAT epiphany there ain't much to be arrogant about! As Bob Mumford said, "I walked in a way that is embarrassing to me now!" In my case I can only say, "Ditto!"

Just to show you that one CAN come home again, I have returned to one of the "remnant churches" (as the author calls them) and I am very, very, very happy and content with where our local church is and where I am at. As they say, "Always learn from experience - preferably someone else's!"

The monolithic learning displayed by Wolfhart Pannenberg is incredibly focused and lucid in this, the first volume of his systematic theology. Dealing heavily with prolegomenal issues (though not necessarily in the traditional sense) Pannenberg delves into the historical understandings of revelation, religion, God, The Trinity, and the attributes of God. Pannenberg is a highly original thinker who has not been conversed with in American theology as heavily as his genius may warrant, but who has nonetheless irrevocably changed the penumbra in which we perform the task of systematic, historical, and philosophical theology.

For anyone familiar with Pannenberg's other works, when he commits to explaning something, he is exhastively thorough (steeped especially in German and Lutheran thought, though the spectrum of his program is highly ecumenical.) The only complaint I may really levy against Pannenberg is the seeming absence of dialogue with Continental and Anglo-American postmoderns (e.g the Deconstructionism of Derrida, or the Post-Metaphysical thought of Marion, or others such as Wittgenstein, Foucoult, Ricouer, Fish, etc...) Nor does there seem to be any interaction with the so called "Yale," school--as tenuous as that marker may be-- with either Frei or Lindbeck, who, it would seem, would indeed present challenges to Pannenbergs eminantly historical/correspondance understanding of the biblical representation of and eschatologically oriented historical process, as opposed to Lindbeck's understanding of doctrine being a linguistic system, or Frei's now famous theory that the Bible is "history like," and should be read on the terms of the text itself rather than as historical/reconstructivist document.

Pannenberg however, does adopt and modify the program set up by Gadamer's "meta-critical" approach to hermeneutics, seeing all of human knowledge as finite and situated in the historical process, so that true understanding will only come with the Eschaton's consummation. This essential relationship between understanding part/whole, and the interplay (what some would call a modified version of the hermeneutical circle used for the process of history) between tradition interpreting current experience, which in turn sheds new light on past events, culminates in what Pannenberg sees a proleptic disclosure of the eschaton in Christ. So that Christ, as the future of the world, is already a power in the world shaping the future that He is. Rather that understanding the Word of God (as is traditional) as God's self-revelation (in the sense that most would take from Barth, of a God who is directly self-revealing or unfolding) the primary content of the Word is never God Himself, but always directly about us and our world, and then secondarily or indirectly about God. In Pannenberg's opinion this allows for the multiplicity of forms that revelation and the Word of God takes, but also for the integration of new experience, which Pannenberg adopts from a synthesis (and evolution) from both Hegel's understanding of History as a whole, and schliermacher's understanding that the contents of any finite experience are always "carved out of the infinite," so that meta-critically, religions see the implicity context of any given moment as it is in relation to the greater whole, the Universum or the Infinite. Here also, Pannenberg gives greater coherence to Descarte's ontologism of retroactive significance of our at first "nonthematic perception of the infinite, from which we understand all finite things through attributing limitation." Here, we do not fully initially perceive God as God, but as a nonthematic infinite that comprehends, unifies, and inter-relates the nexus of experience. Only later do we attribute the significance of God to this Universum, and thereby recognize that God was always present even if we did not know Him as such (e.g. when the Lord gives the divine name in exodus 3, the patriarch to whom he refers himself for his identity to moses knew God as El'Shaddai but not as YHWH) Hence the signifigance of this thought means that the Christian God, as the GOd of the heavens, is either the basic or foundational (perhaps maybe even more rightly transcendental) or a delusion. Here to we see hints of Pannenberg's deep involvment in Field Physics in his second volume, for Pannenberg beleives we cannot rightly understanding anything without reference to God.

In the last sections of the book, Pannenberg deals with the Trinity. He criticizes rightly the traditional Latin models, of attempting to derive the Trinity from God's unity as Spirit (e.g the tradition developed from Augustine's mens, notitia, and amore, as in Peter Lombard, even up to Barth who see's God as Revealer, Revealed, and Revelation) because this seems to collapse into Sabellianism as it assumes a single underlying subject. Nor does Richard of St. Victors adoption of Augustine's understand of a God who Loves Himself fully, where God-as-His-own-object exists aside God as the God who loves Himself, and where also the Love between them is given hypostatic and ontological personhood, because this again assumes the beginning (even if only logically rather than temporally) of a single subject, and the other two being secondary or suboordinate, thus falling into what has been traditionally called "suboordinationism."

Rather, as is well known, Pannenberg has a "ground up" approach that starts with Jesus' relation to the Father, where He submits to the Father and distinguishes Himself, allowing the Father to be God in Distinction to HImself. Just so (and of course I am butchering Pannenbergs brilliant scholarship here, so read the book if you aren't satisfied with my feeble attempt) God the Father is such everywhere only in relation to Jesus, so, borrowing from Athanasius, the Father would not be Father without the SOn. COnversly, of course, the SOn is not SOn without the Father as Father, so precisley in suboordinating himself (economically, of course) he allows the Father to be Fatherly, and so is Himself Son in this instance (which opens up quite a lot of possibilites for explaining how the kenosis operated.) When Christ was crucified, his identification of the sOn was jeopardized in this supposed defeat, and so, since the Father is God only in relation to this SOn, the Father's identity as king on earth was questioned, and so both are referred to the operations of the SPirit, who is precisely the power and person of their "future", who raises Christ and identifies him truly as Son, and so the Father truly as Father. Again, I am leaving out a lot of quality insight...

The final part of this book, I will leave you with, is the attributes of God intepreted through the interactions of the community of the Triune Godhead. These operations are explained through Pannenbergs adoption of the Hegelian "true infinite." In traditional terms the infinite was seen as that which was opposed to the finite (in neo-platonic via negationis and apophatic theology etc...) but in this way the infinite is defined against or seperated from the finite, and so is itself having boundaries and just so not finite. The true infinite transcends its own antithesis to the finite, comprehending the finite in its place and so being truly infinite. Thus, for example, the incarnation is an actualization of the infinity of God, where He is not merely "above" us, but greets us in our own condition (this is an important reaction to traditional theology which basis its attributes on causality rather than action. Just so, Pannenberg reacts to hyper-apophaticism saying that pure transcendence in terms of say, Paul Tillich's "Being itself," cannot exist, because transcendence itself expresses a relation, so a being that we know is totally unknown or beyong predication is a contradition...)

All in all, this is an enormous book that I recommend for anyone seeking to go beyond traditional expositions on theology.

I noticed that no one seemed to supply the table of contents for Vol. 1, and so I thought it would be helpful to provide that here. As an interesting side note, I've heard from some friends that Pannenberg is a wonderful preacher. I'd be curious to hear how he brings works like this to those entrusted to his care.
Not light reading, can be a bit dry, but worth it.
CONTENTS:
Abbreviations
Foreword
Chapter 1 The Truth of Christian Doctrine as the Theme of Systematic Theology
~Theology
~The Truth of Dogma
~Dogmatics as Systematic Theology
~The Development and Problem of So-called Prolegomena to Dogmatics
~The Truth of Christian Doctrine as the Theme of Systematic Theology

Chapter 2 The Concept of God and the Question of Its Truth.
~The Word "God"
~Natural Knowledge of God and Natural Theology
~The Proofs of God and Philosophical Criticism of Natural Theology
~Theological Criticism of Natural Theology
~The "Natural" Knowledge of God

Chapter 3 The Reality of God and the Gods in the Experience of the Religions
~The Concept of Religion and Its Function in Theology
a. Religion and the Knowledge of God
b. The Concept of Religion, the Plurality of Relgions, and the "Absoluteness" of Christianity
~The Anthropological and Theological Nature of Religion
~The Question of the Truth of Religion and the History of Religion
~The Religious Relation

Chapter 4 The Revelation of God
~The Theological Function of the COncept of Revelation
~The Multiplicity of Biblical Ideas of Revelation
~The Function of the Concept of Revelation in the History of Theology
~Revelation as History and as Word of God

Chapter 5 The Trinitarian God
~The God of Jesus and the Beginnings of the Doctrine of the Trinity
~The Place of the Doctrine of the Trinity in the Dogmatic Structure and the Problem of Finding a Basis for Trinitarian Statements
~Distinction and Unity of the Divine Persons
a. The Revelation of God in Jesus Christ as the Starting Point, and the Traditional Terminology of the Doctrine of the Trinity
b. The Reciprocal Self-Distinction of Father, Son, and Spirit as the Concrete Form of Trinitarian Relations
c. Three Persons but only One God

Chapter 6 The Unity and Attributes of the Divine Essence
~The Majesty of God and the Task of Rational Discussion of Talk about God
~The Distinction between God's Essence and Existence
~God's Essence and Attributes and the Link between Them in Action
~God's Spirituality, Knowledge, and Will
~The Concept of Divine Actiona dnt eh Sturcture of the Doctrine of the Divine Attributes
~The Infinity of God: His Holiness, Eternity, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence
a. The Infinity and Holiness of God
b. The Eternity of God
c. The Omnipresence and Omnipotence of God
~The Love of God
a. Love and Trinity
b. Attributes of the Divine Love
c. The Unity of God
Indexes
~~~~~Subjects
~~~~~Names
~~~~~Scripture References
And there is the Table of Contents, for those strange folks, like me, who enjoy seeing these things before we dive in.

In this, the second of a three volume work in systematic theology, Pannenberg picks up where he left of from the first volume. In the last chapters of volume one he explicated the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, making this one of the themes of the whole system. In vol two he hones his skills to discuss the doctrines creation, anthropology, christology and salvation. In typical Pannenberg fashion, the topics are given exhaustive examiniation. In the chapters on creation and anthropology he examines the various subjects in light of modern science and philosophy, carefully decerning what is useful for Christian theology and what is not. The method for his chapters on christology begin with a discussion on the relation of anthropology and christology. This is in keeping with his earlier christological work Jesus-God and Man, which also supports a Christology from below. However, the systematic goes beyond his earlier monograph since it explicates the work of Jesus in light of the Doctrine of God and Salvation. It is an example, then, of from below to above. This second volume sets up for the third volume which will deal with the church and eschatology. But rest assured, the themes of the truth of Christian doctrine and the Trinty will be integrated into the next volume as it was in this one. This is not an easy read, it is very demanding. However, once the mountain is climbed the view is great.

I cannot even begin to hope to interact in detail with this magisterial work. One of the blurbs on the book jacket acclaims this work as significant as the 20th century works by Tillich, Barth and Rahner. It's true. If one wants more detail than I can provide in this review, I recommend the review by Christoph Schwobel in Modern Theologians or the respective secondary works by LeRon Shults or Stanely Grenz. Volume I (ISBN 0802836569) covers prolegomena, God and Trinity. Volume II (ISBN 0802837077) covers creation, christology, anthropology and some soteriology. Volume III (ISBN 0802837085) covers the rest of soteriology, pneumatology, ecclesiology and eschatology. First, very briefly, this work is not light reading. It is a theologian's theology, unmatched in its scientific approach. Although one may beg to differ on the details of his treatment, he has a breathtaking command of scripture, historical theology and the Continental philosophical tradition. The figures that populate these pages are Calvin, Barth, Ebeling, Wilckens, von Rad, Althaus, Krestschmar, Moltmann, Schlink, Origen, Aquinas, Scotus, Rahner, Augustine, Schleiermacher, Kant, Hegel, Dilthey, Melancthon, and of course Luther. Second, more than any other contemporary theologian, P. has taken seriously the categories of history, anticipation, promise and hope without sacrificing a high standard for the pursuit of truth in the academic conversation. His basic reason for this is that the truth of the gospel claims the church so that she can witness to the world. However, truth is only grasped provisionally on this side of the eschaton, because only at the eschatological consummation is the full totality summed up and revealed (Dilthey). This entails an openness to public debate, not a retreat to argument by assertion or authority. In some ways, I would say that P. has recovered the original sense of auctoritas, which is the power to _persuade_. (Of course, it would take me too far afield to discuss why conservative Christians have emphasized authority in response to modernity). The critiques of P. have been the obverse of what his acclaim. First, the difficulty of the work has drawn the criticism that he is pastor-unfriendly, and that he has scholasticized the original excitement of 20th century theology. I can certainly sympathize with this; hence, I would recommend P's former student, Stanley Grenz (_Theology for the Community of God_). Be that as it may, the reception-history of many scholastic theologies have often been unfriendly at first, until people realize they need a rigorous treatment to solve theological problems they can't solve by themselves (e.g. Aquinas). Second, American reception of P. has been guarded, because of his unfriendliness toward liberation theology. Yet, as has been pointed out, this is because of his own experiences with Marxism from his roots in East Germany. However, to find out how he cashes out his theology into ethics, one has to look other parts of the P. corpus. Third, does his theology of history make God subject to his creation and evacuate divine simplicity? More specifically, is his own view of "divine infinity" as the sum of the transcendent attributes adequate to maintain the Creator-creature distinction? Fourth, how sucessful is his ecumenical ecclesiology in attempting to synthesize various positions normally seen as incompatible? E.g. his view of Eucharist as anticipation, anamenesis, epiclesis & trans-signification tries to sublate Anabaptist, Reformed and Catholic positions into a broadly Lutheran position. Fifth, his epistemology emphasizes the "not yet" of truth in tension with the "now." Hence, the noetic path to the ontic reality of Christ is the work of Christ in his death and resurrection (note the mating of historicist concerns with Melancthon's "we know Christ through his benefits"). Hence, his Christology proceeds "from below" by starting with the Christ-event to his person. This is the obverse of Karl Barth's Christology! It would take me too far afield to discuss his Christology, but this "apologetic" move raises the question of whether his dialogue with the world is prior or posterior to his own dogmatic decisions. All in all, I cannot recommend this ST highly enough. It is certainly stimulating reading, and will help theologians give an account for the reason for their hope.

This cookbook is one of the best I have ever used. I am not the greatest cook and every recipe I have made from this book comes out perfect, it is very easy to understand. This book has nice pictures and a great deal of information about all of the ingredients. I use this book at least once a week and recommend it highly to anyone who wants to try Mediterranean cooking.

Great recipes, great food, simple instructions, be creative !
Life is many things - make great food and culinary adventure one of them !
If you like the foods of the Mediterranean, you gotta get this book.

These two authors write stunning books of delightful, easy-to-follow recipes, with lush, evocative photographs, and great attention to detail on the culinary fundamentals of each recipe. The only problem is that they keep recycling and republishing the same recipes/photos over and over again. I got burned three times. I bought the book "A Taste Of The Mediterranean", which I liked so much that, impetuously, I went online and bought three more titles by the same two authors, Jacqueline Clark and Joanna Farrow. I got "The Mediterranean Cookbook" (the one with the close-up photo of some ripe tomatoes on the cover). It turns out that this is the exact book as "A Taste Of The Mediterranean", but with illustrations in place of the photographs. The third book I received was "Mediterranean Country Kitchen", which while it is a lovely book, is nothing more than a condensed version of the same recipes/photos from "A Taste Of The Mediterranean". Lastly I bought the newer hardback book "Mediterranean : A Taste Of The Sun". This is an outstanding, lengthy book (500+ pages), but about half of it is "A Taste Of The Mediterranean" recycled in its entirety. I would certainly recommend the new one "Mediterranean : A Taste Of The Sun" as the finest and most complete of Clark and Farrow's sumptuous books on subject. But I'm feeling angry and a bit duped at buying the same book over and over again. Buy the new one, skip the earlier, cleverly-disguised retreads.

Often cookbooks with pretty pictures are low on substance. This book is not one of them. Yes, there are pretty pictures, more than that. Some of them are gorgeous, but it's the recipes that make one pause and then want to rush to the kitchen after a trip to the super market and stop eating junk when they could eat food like this. A stunning collection.