Richard Books

Chilling, captivating, terrifying express some of the emotional responses one will feel when one reads this book. The author has thoroughly researched his topic. In addition he has presented his findings in a very organized and readable fashion. The writing style makes for easy reading. The author has transformed what could have been a very mundane presentation of facts and figures into a captivating story that is impossible to put down once started. A must read for students of the Holocaust.

"Pack of Thieves" is a riveting account of man's greed coupled with a recounting of the worst crime in modern history - the Holocaust. I commend Richard Chesnoff for an insightful and beautifully written book. A must for every family library!

I literally shuddered from a combination of amazement, disgust, and anger after reading this well-written and quite readable overview of the plundering of the European Jews by Hitler and others starting in the 1930s and continuing to the present day. This book by Richard Chesnoff carefully details the scope and depth of the continuing final financial insult to those who suffered the "Final Solution" at Hitler's hand in the Second World War. Even after fifty years, the lies, dissembling, vile deceptions and equivocations continue, for literally tens of billions of dollars of gold, valuables, and money plundered as a result of the so-called "Final Solution" are still unaccounted for. For anyone old enough to have fifty such years of conscious experience in the world, it's difficult to actually be moved to disgust, to be amazed by anything people do, but the bold, shameless ways in which Europe's thugs, slugs and other lowlife cowards came slithering out of their damp and furtive hiding places to take full and open advantage of the Jews' persecution before, during and even after WWII is enough to wrench the most strong-stomached among us.

Although this line of investigation is by its very nature disturbing stuff, it is well handled by the author, and his even, professional journalistic tone is solid, seldom bitter or vengeful. Instead, his forte is his ability to systematically describe, detail, and document the multifarious ways in which the Jews were ritually stripped of anything of value by their friends, neighbors, and countrymen, and how so many of those of whom so much better should have been expected used their positions of relative advantage to exploit, extort, and even help to exterminate them. From outright expropriation of rugs, art, and valuables by the Nazis to a plethora of scams, false promises, and ultimate betrayals, the bottom line in case after case is personal enrichment at the extraordinary expense of the victims. Were I not also aware of countless stories of so many others who risked and often sacrificed themselves to save Jews, I would be ashamed to be a human being. It is difficult to understand how so many fellows human beings could continue be so cravenly covetous and so heartless as to perpetrate such a campaign of dispossession against those who were so helpless, impotent, and so needing of compassion.

The number of ways in which the Jews were exploited and extorted is numbing; from life insurance scams to funds transfer to numbered Swiss accounts to offers to help individual Jews escape to offers to hide them and spirit them to safety, the various permutations seem endless, and often quite ingenious. Yet one cannot help but be appalled by neighbors calmly expropriating clothing, cars, furniture, apartments, homes, and farms from Jews who were being systematically displaced. There are accounts of individuals coming home from the camps to find neighbors firmly ensconced in the homes, using their home goods, and totally oblivious to the possibility they would have to give it all up to the returning survivors. Many Jews returning to their former homes were threatened, scared away, beaten, or even murdered upon their return.

Of course, the most systematic exploitation was by social institutions; governments, banks, insurance companies, art museums. The degree to which these organized interests have systematically delayed, stonewalled, and denied any access to their records for all these decades is scandalous and disheartening to learn about. While the original impetus was to "Aryanize" the wealth of Germany's Jews to help finance the goals of the Third Reich, the explosion of avarice and greed soon spread throughout the Reich and beyond. What is truly disheartening is the widespread degree to which economic, social and political institutions we would otherwise consider respectable and honorable have participated in the plunder taking. This book is a most provocative reading experience, and one anyone interested in the curiosities and unintended ironies of history can play out their games should read. I highly recommend it, and hope it will be widely read and appreciated.

Pack of thieves is probably the most detailed book I have ever read about the plundering of the Jews in Europe. Throughout the book the crimes committed against the Jews is explained in horrifying detail. In my opinion, I would not suggest this book to the weak hearted as it has many awful pictures and stories of people being destroyed by the Nazis. Although it is a horrible subject to read about, the holocaust is not talked about enough. I think that people should be educated about world history so that atrocities like the mass murder of the Jews never happen again.

Chilling, captivating, terrifying express some of the emotional responses one will feel when one reads this book. The author has thoroughly researched his topic. In addition he has presented his findings in a very organized and readable fashion. The writing style makes for easy reading. The author has transformed what could have been a very mundane presentation of facts and figures into a captivating story that is impossible to put down once started. A must read for students of the Holocaust.

A sequel to Command a King's Ship, Bolitho sails his Tempest farther east into the contested fringes of the British, Spanish and French empires. Capt. Bolitho is among the the islands in the Great South Sea, which is not so Pacific as it echoes to thunderous broadsides and murderous intrigue. Mutiny is in the air again. The state-sponsored (merchantile) economy of peacetime England is rotten, royalist France is in turmoil before its revolution, and the amazing Bligh has survived the mutiny on the Bounty. We see Polynesia in a more exciting time, when traders and free booters were only just entering islands of lovely but deadly natives amid the clash of unsettled national interests and claims. Bolitho has finally met his match in the form of an utterly ruthless and clever pirate who outwits Bolitho time and again, despite the desperate courage of his lieutenants. Kent has again come up with a wonderfully evil pirate to fight, even though we hardly meet him. Is Bolitho too besotted with his love for Viola, who has returned with her husband to develop an island colony? Unfortunately Kent makes Viola's husband so wholly irredeemable there's no tension there. Into this comes a French frigate under a tyrannical captain just as news of the outbreak of the French Revolution roils the tense waters and dubious loyalties further. The effects of tropical heat are graphically displayed, and the implacable scourge of fever finally makes its appearance in the series.

Mr Kent proves once more that he is a master story teller. This book is alive with characters who face a series of dangerous adventures in the service of their king. The story has everything: brigands, upturned cannon, splintered decks, heroic struggle against the odds, friendship, romance, some terrific dialog and character developement, hostile islanders, Royal Marines, some rather bloody battles and above it, Richard Bolitho stands true to his calling. The plot and sub plots are splendidly told and fill the pages with attention to detail, a rich feel for the time period and Allday backing his captain with his broad back and gleaming cutlass.
Great stuff to read on a rainy afternoon by a crackling fire.
What is great about the Kent books is the fact that as in real life, people arrive, influence, some move on and others die. Told with flair and a bold descriptive style makes Kent's books some of my very favorite.
Enjoy

Passage to Mutiny was my first Bolitho adventure. I have read them all, but nothing captured my imagination quite as much as this one. Bolitho and his crew set out to find Eurotas, which was captured by pirates. The relationships between Bolitho and Herrick; and Bolitho and Viola; are vivid and bring out Bolitho's character to enhance the suspensful plot. The fight on the beach ending with Herrick having his back to the sea as a final desperate measure while Tempest's launch arrives just in time to save them kept me on the edge of my seat. I don't think I breathed for at least two chapters. It was one of the most satisfying reads I have ever had.

Richard Bolitho's new command is the Tempest, a 36-gun frigate, built in India of teak. a fifth class like his last command. But teak is a very heavy, dense wood; much heavier than the English oak usually used in the construction of ships of the Royal Navy, and therefor less maneuverable--but exceptionally strong.

The Tempest is picked up in the story entering the harbor at Sydney, the main port of the prison colony of Botany Bay (now known as Australia.)

The Commodore to whom he reports is an old friend with whom he served when they were both lieutenants. But another old acquaintance was also arriving soon from England: the government advisor, James Raymond and his wife Viola, with whom Bolitho had fallen in love on the last occasion of their company, five years previously.

The story continues through attacks by the pirate Mathias Tuke, broadsides, shore parties, a long sea episode in an open boat, hostile savages, and the loss of many good friends and crew members in battler and from fever, and the near loss of Bolito's own life.

This is a fine novel, as is typical of Alexander Kent, and the seventh in the Bolitho series. I have ordered the next three in the series, so taken by the stories am I.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre, USN(Ret)

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books

Passage to Mutiny is the fourth Kent novel set outside of an actual war and the fourth that deals with pirates. In the past Richard Bolitho has ultimately enjoyed great success against pirates while Kent has had mixed success writing about it. This time Kent gets it right in a nail biting, blood and thunder epic. Perhaps Kent's Bolitho adventures reached their peak in the mid-70s and Passage to Mutiny is an example of the writer in top form.

Five years after Command a King's Ship Bolitho is off to Botany Bay. The spectre of two famous captains, Cook and Bligh, hangs over the voyage. Cook explored much of the region and was ultimately killed in the Pacific and Bligh has just lost his ship to mutiny. While he may have fears of mutiny, Kent's Bolitho has both the leadership abilities and humanity of Cook and the seafaring ability of Bligh. His crews will stand with him to the death.

Bolitho's paramour and nemesis from Command a King's Ship are both back to complete the story that Kent started in the earlier novel. While reading Command a King's Ship I was thinking that Bolitho should back off from having a relationship with a married woman no matter what her husband is like, Kent had me thinking that Bolitho should go for it and squeeze whatever happiness he could out of the opportunity that he had.

However, Passage to Mutiny is really about broadsides, thwarting pirates and a great sailing epic. The romance is just a little fluff along the way while manly men do manly things. The story is exciting and succeeds on that level. I did have a few problems with it though. Kent is not always clear on details such as how the wind is blowing, what direction the shore is and the way ports face. He really should include maps or provide additional details so that the reader can visualize what's happening accurately. One can't always figure out why Bolitho is so brilliant if one doesn't know which way the wind is blowing and which direction the ship is sailing.

Still and all I was wrapped up in this one and I look forward to the next Bolitho adventure.

Indiana Jones gets a new female counterpart, but young archaeologist Tess Swift is lucky she didn't try to steal the Ark of the Covenant from the first Indy movie. Tess is spiritually disconnected from just about everything---family, husband, relationships, God---except for a mysterious recurring dream about discovering an ancient scroll. The dream never included any advice for Tess to steal the relic...or did it? tess gets more than she bargained for when she discovers a history of the early Christian Church and the unforgettable love story of Christ's disciples, Aquila and Prisca. Prisca's destiny intertwines with Tess's in Richard Soule's plausible, inventive finale. Soule's work will undoubtedly provoke thought, debate, and soul-searching.

Because I am a fellow author with the same publisher, I was drawn to this book for that reason. Also, I have visions of writing a sequel to my own novel, which is on the life of Jesus. That sequel will, like Peculiar People, involve the story of the early church. I took my time with Richard Soule's large book and enjoyed it. As other reviewers have noted, this is like two books in one. This modern story of a young archaeologist, an unbeliever, but with a "calling" on her life, uncovers the ancient story that recounts the beginning of the Church of Jesus Christ. In places, I was so moved that I shed tears. The book is quite long--the opposite of what publishers are looking for these days. Christian publishers say busy people want little books, quick reads. I don't think quick reads are usually good reads. You get what you pay for -- and, I believe, our investment of time works the same way. What a shame people are too busy to read literature with depth! Richard Soule's story certainly won me over, and I was happy to give it the time it deserves. I think he did good job, considering the book didn't have the benefit of a professional, seasoned book editor. That's all that was lacking, and not by much. There are phrases and pieces that probably should have been changed. But, in general, I was truly captured by this book. The insightful ideas presented about the challenges the early Church faced, and the believable characterizations of Peter, Paul, Timothy, Aquila and Pricilla, and others, are still memorable for me. (I finished the book weeks ago.) My takeaway from Peculiar People has stayed with me. That's a sign of a good read. The Jewish culture of the first Church, and its struggles,confusion, plus the persecution the believers faced, has been dramatically and accurately described. I felt as though I was there and am thankful to this author for his obedience to the Holy Spirit, which certainly inspired him in this endeavor. Richard Soule is a wonderful storyteller.

"Peculiar People" is in reality three books, any one of which could be a best seller. One concerns the life and the spiritual conversion of Theresa "Tess" Swift, an archeologist. Another details the lives of Aquila and Prisca, first century converts to Christianity. The third book is a combination of the two. It is 585 pages of historical fact and religious belief entwined with a fictionalized heroine.

Tess, who is estranged from her husband and her family, discovers an ancient scroll while working at an archaeological dig for the National Geographic. Instead of turning over her spectacular find to the association, she hides it, thinking that its potential value could be her answer to financial independence for the rest of her life.

She spirits the scroll out of Turkey into Italy, where she starts to decipher the parchment in a squalid flat in Rome. She discovers that the document recounts the lives of Aquila and his wife Prisca. Aquila had been present in Jerusalem during the crucifixion of Jesus and became an ardent convert to the Christian faith. Prisca was the daughter of a wealthy Jewish merchant, who, because of duplicity and amazing bad fortune ends up a slave to a vicious Roman master. Aquila had known and loved Prisca before disaster befell her and her family, and is reunited with her after she escapes her vile master.

Aquila baptizes Prisca and the rest of their story revolves around their travels throughout the ancient world, spreading the word of their new God and meeting and working with the likes of St. Peter, St. Paul, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. As Tess works her way through the translation, she experiences a change of character so dramatic that it almost explodes in the conclusion of the novel.

This is a very well written story of early Christianity that is revealing, inspiring and entertaining. Richard Soule does a remarkable job in weaving this fascinating tapestry of life and legend. A must read for anyone.

As one studies the history of the early Christian church recorded in the New Testament, several names become familiar. Two of these names are Aquila and Priscilla, the married couple that worked along side the apostle Paul. Richard Soule cleverly writes a historical fiction novel with this couple at the forefront. Spanning from A.D. 28 to A.D. 78, Soule brings the early Christian movement alive in truly a unique way.

Archeologist Tess Swift illegally swipes an ancient scroll with the hopes of selling it to the highest bidder. Once she unravels the scroll, her life becomes intertwined with the contents of the scroll. Aquila and Priscilla have carefully recorded their experiences. Readers will become so emersed in the rich historical storyline you almost forget that you are reading this along with Tess. While fictional, Soule sticks very close to details such as the visitation of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2), Paul's Damascus road experience and his work with Gentiles, the persecutions, the great fire in Rome, etc. Expect to meet Peter, John, Timothy, and host of other names mentioned in the book of Acts.

Some of the interesting highlights are how Aquila and Priscilla come together as a couple. There love is truly an example for all married couples! It is also a great joy to see how the early Christians banded together to worship and support one another.

Soule pulls Tess away from the scroll from time to time. Each time Tess examines her life --- past and present --- the written lives of the individuals included in the scroll influence her in ways she never imagined. The last portion of this book is very emotional as horrible persecutions are witnessed via the pages of this book and at the same time a young woman draws closer to Christ.

The experience from reading this book will definitely remain with you long after the last page has been read. Soule encourages us all to stretch our imaginations and read the bible with new eyes. These people were REAL, even more importantly the God they served and worshipped is REAL and LIVES today!

--- reviewed by Tyora Moody for Christian Bookshelf

This amazing creation of historically accurate fiction immersed within a human tale written in gripping detail is extremely entertaining and envokes a cinemagraphic experience for the reader of immense proportion. A memorable and enjoyable journey of life in tumultuous times , its unique positioning of stories from modern day and the first century in perfect harmony expertly educates in an experience of visiting the lives of real and interesting people is full of drama, comedy,passion, tragedy and sweetness characteristic of our lives. It is a layering of stories of lives in transition and the world immediately after the beginning of the greatest story ever told.

I just ordered the downloadable (electronic) version of this book and it is truly amazing. I have never read a book about personal finances that was so dense with good advice all in such an entertaining format. If you're trying to get out of debt or just want to better manage your money, I would definitely reccomend this!

This is a great book to help the average Joe or Jane to understand money, finances, and how to groom your credit. It is in a wonderful easy to understand story format, it is free of the boring pages and pages of numbers and statistics, unlike other finance books I've read.

This is a must read. You will learn a lot of information that other finance books of this type fail to cover. I found the information about credit extremely helpful. The manner in which this book was written (in a story format) made it real easy to learn. I would recommend it to everyone!

It is clear that Heward understands his topic, relates his points clearly and accurately, and gives the reader every opportunity to understand how to get his financial house in order.

This book will give you tons of information about how to get your financial house in order. It is easy to read and understand. I believe readers can better understand financial principles taught because this book is very entertaining to read. I would recommend it to all my friends and family.

Stirring, compassionate, profound. One of my favorite books of all time. One of the most poetic books of photographs ever created. Best wishes to Mr. Gere.

This book is really special. The cover, first of all, feels so wonderful. The pages are on incredible quality paper. And the photographs are incredible. It's really a wonderful book.

This book was exactly what I expected from such a sensitive and intelligent man. Thank you, Mr. Gere. We need our hearts broken now and then.

Richard has access to places most people do not. Take, for example, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His Holiness is not accessable to you and I on the level that Richard has. Richard shares private photos, such as plate 63 where His Holiness is in meditation. The photo alone portrays a depth of intensity that the experience offers. Richard also has a true sense of the tragedy of the Tibetan people and can deliver that in a light that few people can ever grasp, even after several trips to the region. Richard is the Pilgrim and we are fortunate to be able to see things in a way he does. Very few photographers can say that of their work. Perhaps it is due to his experience in film, perhaps as a result of his practice as a buddhist, maybe just because the openness of his sharing is felt in his work, regardless of the medium. Thank you my friend for sharing your life with us and a wonderful book.

I cannot look at this book without crying. It is very beautiful yet pierces my heart with sadness, I believe that the plight of Tibet is the canary of our planet. This book is about an amazing and gentle people and my hope and prayer is that it will generate more compassion . The text is very direct and simple and is not next to the photos but at the back. One quote stuck in my mind, "It's all ego." You can see these photos with your heart and they will melt it, if you are open.

I absolutely loved this mystery thriller. Many times when I lay down to read at night, I fall asleep. This book kept me up late, many times. It was hard to put the book down. Heartwarming along with lots of suspense!

I expected this book to be corporate and political and I usually don't get into books like that. This, however, was a suspenseful page turner that was difficult to put down. Since the chapters were short, I found myself saying "okay, one more chapter" until the next thing I knew time had passed and the book was finished in a day and a half. The writing style made this a very comfortable read and I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone regardless of whether or not it's in your usual "genre" because this book has something for everyone. I hope to read many more from Richard Jackson!

I don't normally come back to the site to write reviews, but this book was exceptional and I had to let others know. Chapter after chapter it keeps getting better. By the middle I could hardly put it down. I'll warn you, by the end, I had to stay up until I finished it. It was well written, full of detail, makes you feel like you are a part of the investigation. I will absolutely buy another book by this same author.

Power and Deceit is a page turning action packed must read! Richard Jackson truly has a gift for writing. I can't wait for his next book!

"Power and Deceit" is a great story...if you like James Patterson or John Sanford, you will enjoy this book! Chapters are short, so it is a quick read...and before you know it, you are so caught up in the story, that you won't be able to put it down until you finish it! Thumbs up to this new author on the scene! Hope to see more stories from Richard Jackson soon!

Robert Fripp's novel/faux memoir has much more multi-layered depth than any of the dozen or more Eleanor books I've read. The characters are richer, the stories and themes have many more angles, and the Eleanor who saw more and aimed higher than the powerful people she played with, really comes through at age 80. It's not the most 'pop' or easy of the books, but it's the richest in its vision, much of it coming from Fripp's journalistic rigour as a former CBC series producer for "The Fifth Estate". He sees very far, in many directions--as did Eleanor.

How captivated I was with "Power of a Woman"!

I found the ruthless nature of the twelfth century shocking, wrought
with not only loveless, but murderous marriages! I understood that
alliances (marriages) were the crucial scaffolding on which the survival
of a clan depended, but I did not realize that royal issue became
betrothed as infants, and that the female of the match went to live with
future in-laws in order to be more completely absorbed into the social
intricacies of that clan. Simply, the toddler was held hostage in the
face of present and future intrigues. Shocking indeed.

What particularly fascinated me in this telling saga of noble, military
and religious life during the Middle Ages was the description of how
Eleanor developed her own spin on Chivalrous Love. What a creative way
of compromising three conflicting demands: an individual's yearning for
love and intimate recognition, the passionate and artful culture of
courtship and restraint, and the absolute necessity of loveless,
politically-sanctioned marriage.

I enjoyed the book immensely, and am astonished that the author was able
to write from inside such a particular, feminine persona as Eleanor of
Aquitaine. I was immediately hijacked by the voice of Eleanor, and
became a willing victim of her extraordinary prowess. What a dame!

"Power of a Woman" brings us an "autobiography" of Eleanor of Aquitaine that is accessible and entertaining! Eleanor was Medieval Europe's most interesting woman. In an age when women were considered a necessary evil, and expected to bear sons and be quiet, she defied tradition. She married two of the most powerful men in Europe, and birthed several more. She went on Crusade. She ruled vast territories. She created a definition of love that survives to this day. Telling her story in Eleanor's voice, Robert Fripp shows us Medieval Europe through her eyes: Crusades, wars, enmities, alliances, eternal subterfuge. Fripp's vision brings the very stones and glass of cathedrals and castles to life. History becomes a tapestry which Eleanor works, stitch by stitch. At eighty-one, she hasn't much time. We feel her urgency, the ache in her knees, the chill in her bones. Will she finish before she dies? Her sorrow of lost love, lost children, lost time is as real as the triumphs of her extraordinary life. Eleanor emerges as a woman of great wisdom, dearly won. A real woman, with a strong sense of her place in this life and the next. What a great read! This is so gripping. I got so totally caught up in this story one night that I woke up with images of Eleanor in my mind, and Kate Hepburn's voice in my ear. I love this story."

"Power Of A Woman" is gripping in its wealth of detail. It makes me feel like I am in the midst of all the action. Of all the books I have read, this is the only one that makes me experience what it must have felt like to have lived during those troublesome and exciting times. Such a wonderful and exciting book! "Power Of A Woman" is more than just a book, it bring the people to life in a fresh, new way and contains a wealth of exciting information on its people and the times in which they lived. I highly recommened it to all who want a historically accurate book!

Lady Shirley Cassidy
Dublin, Ireland

Reading this book aloud to my legally blind companion was
immensely fun and educational. We gained many details of Eleanor of Aquitaine's life which I feel other biographers missed, especially her deeply personal feelings around Thomas Beckett. We are brought to ponder Eleanor's emotions in many various contexts. I loved how [the author
explains] her relationship with Richard the Lion. And all so vividly expressed from the mouth of a very wise and passionate woman!

Through diligent research, and artful pen, Robert Fripp brings
Eleanor of Aquitaine to life. I am absolutely amazed at his stunning ability to know the heart of a woman.

The book gives a short and concise overview in cytology with a lot of pictures. You can learn the most basic skills in cytopathology, and even an experienced cytopathologisk can use the book to refresh some basics. Cervix is described in 23 pages. The respiratory tract is described in 11 pages.

I am a practicing cytopathologist and use this as handy reference book. I is very useful for my day-to-day practice. The text is very concise and the pictures are very good. I wishe the second edition will come soon.

It was my dream when I read about this book, having an idea about the major Cytopathology book 'The Art & Science of Cytopathology' I thought that the book is informative but I can't imagine whether all Cytology information could be included in such mini text. It was difficult to me to buy this book because it is not available at home country book stores at the same time no master card facilities. I made a request to my colleague in America and I received the book after three days mail. When I went throuh the pages I found information enough and I used it as an excellent review for the paper I introduced in Uk at the IBMS congress on 'Giant Cell Carcinoma of the Lung. It is my pleasure to comment on a book written by an expert scientist Richard DeMay a pioneer of Cytopathology and really it is a great honor for me to tell this story from Sudan, and it is a real baby for the baby 'DeMay R.M of the Father of Cytopathology George Nicolas Papanicolaou.
Mutaz Ali

Although concise, this so-called "baby DeMay" is far from incomplete or immature, and can serve as an excellent cytopathology resource for a pathology resident. (A staff pathologist with occasional responsibilities in signing out cytologic specimens may also find it useful.) But for the cytopathology component of general pathology boards, this book is arguably the only resource one requires, and is certainly a valuable component of a residency library.

I like to call this book "baby DeMay". It's very well organized, great pictures, and a whole lot easier to haul off the shelf than the Big Daddy DeMays. Excellent as a quick reference and/or a study tool.

In comparison to other,better selling guides, this book excels in that it keeps to the topic at hand, namely, Reiki. The descriptions are thoughtful, the illustrations and photographs beautiful and appropriate. A great book for beginners, as it doesn't bring in confusing and conflicting viewpoints as I have seen elsewhere. Those who already know Reiki, and have other books, may wish to add this to their collection just to see how such a book should be done. Perfect for use during discussions with clients.

This book is a beaurifully written resource about the practice of Reiki, an energy healing method. I recommend it to any one who is interested in alternatives to traditional Western medical practice.

Richard Ellis has recently published a new book which at present is only available through UK distributors. You can find it at Amazon.co[m].uk

The new Title 'Reiki And The Seven Chakras' offers us a unique perspective of the practice of Reiki by drawing on the authors personal experiences and conclusions coupled with an in depth step by step journey through the seven chakras.

Highly recommended

for more information go to www.practicalreiki.com

As a student Reiki, I was referred to this book. As a now Reiki Master, I recommend it to students, or anyone wishing to understand this great Universal Healing Energy that we all have. It has short chapters, that are in depth, with illustrations. It is not the end of all of Reiki knowledge, but Richard Ellis has packed as much as he should have into this easily transportable book. It is sturdy, and has flaps, built into the book, at either end for bookmarking. A great tool for Reiki Masters, and an easy to understand book for newcomers to Reiki.

Richard Ellis' fine introduction into the world of Reiki was just the beginning of a change for my family and myself. It was clear, to the point, and unpretentious; allowing me to understand the world of Reiki though this was the first time I was reading about it.

"Practical Reiki" motivated me to get initaiated as soon as possible, so you can imagine my elation when I found that two Reki Masters reside in Istanbul where my younget son lives. This informatiuon came to me several days before my wife and I were on our way to visit him and spend our holiday in Istanbul. The three of us were duely initaiated and I moved on to the second level while my wife and son decided to wait before they did the same. I can sincerely and unequivocally say that this experience has changed our lives.

I am aware that I have written little about the book. This is because I didn't feel the need to get into any details that the reader will undoubtadly realise by himself. The title says it all: "Practical Reki," this book does not stray into topics that Reki afficionados can only understand. It is a book for all and any who wish to enter, or at least get a glimpse of the wonder that Reki offers. For me it was an inspirartion, a beginning, a stepping stone into a new and fulfilling world.

Thank you Richard Ellis NAMASTE

It's a small book, but packed with philosophic insights that will keep your mind churning. Not a bunch of theory, either, but based on real experience.

Of his many books and writings, this is the one Rose himself said "contains the secret." No serious spiritual seeker's bookshelf should be without it. But don't leave it on your shelf--read and re-read until the "secret" becomes self-evident. Then pass it on.

Here's my review:

The highest human skydive in history began in 1960 at 102,800 ft. From an open gondola dangling under a weather balloon, a man sweating inside a crude space suit stepped out and, while falling through near-space, became the only human to break the sound barrier without a vehicle.

Rose has a similar perspective. I believe this book will be out of reach for most people. I don't understand it all. But then, I'm not enlightened.

For someone (like me) who has followed a system, or, no system, on their own, 'The Psychology of the Observer' will be welcome.

Rose offers a practical approach to reaching a realization of "the Absolute state of mind pointed to by writers of enlightenment."

This is a very thin book, like the air from where the author is writing.

From the introduction: "And the robot forgot his curiosity about his Designer, and projected phantoms of false hope, and monsters of desire. And darkness was projected as light." Whenever I hear of a suicide, I'm saddened; had that victim only known, while walking through the shadow of the mountain, that just beyond is the instant of Vision. Opportunities to benefit greatly are not common in life. This American human being has focussed in every word, caring, careful study, and rare experience. This slim volume approaches an ageless dilemma from a fresh and timely perspective. Its third section, "The Practical Approach", comprises 22 pages of intense helpfulness. "Do not ignore the forces of adversity.... Be concerned chiefly with identifying their effects for the time being, and in circumventing such effects.... The solution shall always remain paradoxical." I've owned this book for years and reread it frequently. As I gain experience, it gains wisdom. Like Ouspensky, Rose is a treasure.

When we reach the point of determination, either through inspiration or disillusionment, to "First know thyself," we're faced with the great challenge: How??? I believe there are two basic approaches to this objective which have been laid out for our times: the quietistic teaching of Ramana Maharshi and the forcefully direct teaching of Richard Rose. Neither can do more than point the way for us to make our own journey, but both point to the same thing: Zen in its purest form, the awareness beyond thought. One does it in terms of dhyana, or subsidence into mental nonactivity; the other in terms of ch'an, or nonaction through action.

You can get a feeling for both approaches from "Profound Writings, East & West" which is also published by the TAT Book Service. Then if you're drawn to explore the second approach, you'll want to study "The Psychology of the Observer." It would help to read and absorb some of Rose's other writings first, particularly "The Albigen Papers," the "Meditation" booklet, and "Energy Transmutation." Let's assume you've done this, or that you feel impelled to jump directly into this book. What will you find?

The first half of the book is titled Psychological Directions. Rose begins by discounting the trend of modern psychology, which is to ignore anything that can't be reduced to physical observation. And here Rose lays out the first guideline for self-definition: "We are not that which is seen. We are basically the observer. In matters of self-observation the view must never be construed as the viewer.... This is where all psychologists miss the point in the business of evaluating the mind. Even if they admit that there is a separateness, or entity called the mind, their view of that mind is with the mind. Through the ages only the mystic was able to come up with an answer as to the real nature of the mind. We might even say that the untutored LSD addict may have a clearer view of the nature of the mind which we ordinarily believe, or accept as being our thinking process, - because he gets a glimpse from beyond our conventional thinking processes and limited sensory input. Candy cannot be described in terms of candy. All definition requires a description or reference to things which a thing is not. The mind must be viewed from outside the mind."

So there you have it. But how do you go about finding such a view? Proceeding from an analysis of Delusion, to Self-Delusion, and then to Defining the Self, Rose lays the groundwork for a description of the structure of the mind - not for the purpose of giving you something to believe but as a roadmap for letting you know that you're not the first person to make the trip, and that there are recognizable mileposts along the way. Each of these entails the observer's jumping to a more encompassing view of the mind's workings, which occurs through a process of triangulation of opposites. Rose states that this progression is the same for everyone's journey to enlightenment, and his testimony is that it is not an endless trip with an infinite number of steps. If fact he diagrams the trip, which is synonymous with the structure of the mind, as a series of three interlocking triangles, and he labels the diagram Jacob's Ladder. When you come to this, I think you'll agree that the analogy to the biblical reference (to Jacob's dream in the book of Genesis) is staggering in its simple brilliance. And if your response is like mine, reading this material will produce shivers of joy in your neurological system.

The second section of the book is a reprise of the above information in the form of a public lecture. Here Rose was aiming at direct communication with other minds, in a give-and-take format not possible in writing. This approach will give your mind new data points for understanding the material, and here Rose broaches the subject of Method: "We have talked about a system of meditation that is like holding a mirror up to the mind, which leads to a state of being in which there seems to be no mind or mirror, no separateness and no comparison. And perhaps for some this wilil seem like a workable system, and some will try to save themselves the trip involved in the system by announcing that they believe everything that I have said. They may go about quoting me, and other authors on the subjects of enlightenment and Zen... [but] Zen is not a doctrine or a philosophy, but a way of life aimed at finding an explanation for that life, and should never be anything that is offered as an explanation of life alone. Our purpose is to find, and then to explain. My purpose here is not even to tempt you with ideas of that which you may find. I outline the trip because I feel that the individual is entitled to some type of roadmap of the 'Way,' from someone who has made the trip and then decides to open his mouth up widely and announce that the trip has a golden objective. My purpose is not to extol Zen or any special system. My purpose is to outline a system which will prove itself as it goes along, and which will reward us at any point along the line, by finding for us a more disciplined and skillful mind. And a mind that is more aware of itself."

In the thrid and final section of the book, Rose pursues the above objective by outlining The Practical Approach. Like his other writings, The Psychology of the Observer is never prescriptive, telling you what you should do, what buttons to push, and so forth. But this last section does provide an approach for bringing the mind under control. The method is "easy to understand and easy to put into practice," as Lao-Tse said in the Tao Te Ching, "yet you will never grasp [it], and if you try to practice [it], you will fail... My teachings are older than the world. How can you grasps their meaning?... If you want to know me, look inside your heart."

This is a handbook for the advanced student, a book that the author said could take a seeker all the way without a teacher.