Way Books

This book is great. It is well laid out and clearly written. Our family uses this to start talking and thinking about what virtues are and how to consciously use them in our lives. I highly recommend it.

I bought a copy of this wonderful book from a grocery store, of all places. My daughters and I use this book every day as a devotional guide. The virtues are explained in terms simple enough for my 6yo to understand without being "simplistic". The authors also manage to respect and incorporate the faith teachings of major world religions without leaning toward sectarianism, preachiness, or political correctness.

I find my parenting muscles being stretched whenever we pick this guide up for our daily readings.

This book has taught us how to brake the cycle of shame & blame and then shown us a loving/just way to work with kids to change behavior. It has worked on myself just as much as my daughter and she loves to read or do the virtues picks. I can't express how much this has helped us! We all love the book.Have an open mind and do it for a month you will see results right away.

This book is absolutely wonderful ~ just what Baha'u'llah encourages us to be, and the virtues are beautifully explained and great examples are given!! Very clear to understand & practice. Every family should have this book, hands down. Of course, there are more than 52 virtues we all should learn & practice, but in this format, we can read and practice one virtue per week for a year. We make it a game & share our experiences throughout the week. :) It's been incredibly helpful not only to my daughter in giving her the tools to be a kind, loving, compassionate & confident individual, but also successful in any situation life will throw at her. NOT to mention ~ it's been invaluable to me, showing and teaching me virtues I needed to work on so I can be a better example for my daughter as well. Being a parent, there is no greater responsibility than talking the talk, and *walking the walk*!! LOVE IT!!

I got this book because of a recommendation from a friend. She taught pre school, and when she applied "the virtues" to her class, she said that it was like a miracle.

Personally, my children are older, 10,11,12. I have also had awesome results so far! I have learned to see many situations differently, and it has worked! Each time I have had an opportunity to call my kids to a virtue, calmness reigns. When we argue, calling them to the particular virtue that is needed at that time makes sense to children. It also allows them to be in control of the results. I believe that I will be using this book until they are grown.

Watson knows how to teach! The hand drawn illustrations are marvelous, the descriptions of the tools & methods of using them are superb, the projects have practical value. This is a good example of a must have book for those working with hand tools. Even if you are experienced, you'll find good tips here.

I love this book. I have read some of the chapters two-three times now and get something more each time. As an amateur woodworker, I don't fully understand what each tool can do yet dream of outcomes that the masters create. This book explains in simple terms the what, how and what should be for each tool, be it a hand plane, chisel, hammer, etc. Most of my other woodworking books that speak of tools only touch on how to sharpen and maybe adjust but not the how it does it and how it should perform. This book heads to the top of my stack to reach for when I need some tutoring on a particular hand tool.

This is a beautiful book, the moment I read the first chapter I was wishing I'd bought the hard copy so I could put it in pride of place on my bookshelf.
I loved the illustrations, which are on almost every page and give exactly the right amount of detail in a way that photos can't. But the best part is the author's wonderful writing style, which really conveyed a sense of the timeliness and pleasure of woodworking. Even when describing such mundane things as taking measurements, the author has a great knack of focussing on the human aspect of the process, the decisions that need to be made and the emotions that the wrong and the right decision evoke. This, to me, is the reason working with handtools it is such a satisfying pastime, and this book wraps up all of those experiences in a really beautiful way. Top marks.

Just beginning my adventure in woodworking, this book has done exactly as it claims in the back cover. It feels like I have a readily available experience woodworker in my pocket whenever I have a question about a tool. The explanation is clear like a craftsman would teach his apprentice, and because of this, the obvious question of what tool should I get first and what tool should be my next purchase is easily answered, without actually saying. The drawings make the book almost timeless, not dated by photos, and the diagrams are reminiscent of the technical sketch you may see on a drafting table. I purchased other books along with this, but keep referencing back to this book to answer my questions about what tool do I need for the next part of the job. The writing is easily explanatory and conversational at once, and is quite enjoyable to read. You can either read it in a linear fashion, from front to back, or you can choose the tool you have questions about (from the Table of Contents) and move directly to it to have your question answered.

Free bench plans if you've never built a workbench, are included. This is a book that could sell itself if you had a chance to open it up.

Watson has written a clear and concise user's manual for woodworking hand tools. He includes many of the basic hand tools that are overlooked (such as the brace and drawknife) in other hand tool books. I got more information out of Watson's clear drawings than I did from the beautiful photographs in Garrett Hack's "Classic Hand Tools" book. This book is meant to be kept in your workshop instead of on the coffeetable.

Ireland has a strange relationship with England. For generations we were part of the British Empire and we still have the echoes of this in the designation "British Isles". Many of our countrymen answered the call to arms in World War I and fought on the side of the British Army, something that is often glossed over in history books. Another thing glossed over is the treatment of the Irish soldier after the 1916 rising.

That's really what this book is about. Willie Dunne is the son of a British Police officer, living in Dublin Castle, born in Ireland to Irish parents but for all intents and purposes a Briton. Too short to become a police man he answers the call to fight for England. This story follows him through the trenches, to return to Ireland and experience some of the 1916 rising and back to the trenches. The 1916 Rising is only a short part of the book but with a big impact to Willie's life when the leaders of the British Army start asking questions about the loyalties of their soldiers.

It's an interesting read, I am glad I picked it up because of Dublin City's One City One Book project.

This is a superbly written and moving novel about the thousands of Irish men who fought in the British Army's Irish Divisions in the Great War and were later largely written out of the histories of both countries. It tells with wonderful pose the story of their sacrifice, immense bravery, and eventual disillusionment through the eyes of a young Dublin Fusilier Willie Dunne. It is a novel that says a lot about Ireland in those years and the Great War in general from the view point of some of those caught up in the tragic events. Its central themes have echoes that can be seen in many of the later the conflicts of the 20th century and those of today.

A truly outstanding novel of the Great War that tells the poignant story of the thousands of ordinary Irish soldiers that fought in that conflict and the over 35,000 that died.

This is an incredible touching book. Millions should read this. It is a cry against the violence of war. President Bush should take notice of this message!

He writes like a poet (which he is) and moves his reader as very few other writers ever have. War is brutal and senseless, and it destroys the hearts of the young men (and women now) who go to strange places to fight it. No one can bring home the sense of the innocent soldier who is loosing his soul more than Sebastian Barry, except perhaps Hemingway. Barry writes about Ireland's heart and the hearts of its young as no other.

Sebastian Barry's Booker shortlisted "A Long Long Way (LLW)" isn't just about the First World War. If it were, there wouldn't have been much of a point to it, since landmark works by Robert Graves, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Own, etc already define the canon of war literature. The accolades that have greeted the publication of LLW have much to do with the fact that Barry offers a fresh perspective of the war experience and the poetic sensibilities he brings to the telling of it.

LLW is about the heartrending confusion and torn loyalities one Willie Dunne of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers fighting for king and country against the Germans experienced when the 1916 Easter uprising erupted that would destroy trust among compatriots, strain family relationships to breaking point and precipitate personal identity crises. It is Willie's ordinariness that generalizes his simple hopes and dreams, making them the symbol of Irish consciousness.

Ironically, despite the many battle scenes of war, terror and destruction common to war stories, restraint and understatement typify Barry's richly poetic prose which spawn fully drawn and utterly memorable characters like the sergeant Christy Moran, Father Buckley, little sister Dolly, and the tragic Jesse Kirwan. Scenes that show little Dolly's unconditional love for her big brother, Willie's father's rejection of his son for siding with the nationalists and committing - in his mind - treason are poignant, though more often heartbreaking. The brutality of Jesse Kirwan's execution and the discovery of a buddy's betrayal that would lead to Willie losing his sweetheart Gretta only heighten the pain that's felt when the knife is driven deeper into the wound.

"A Long Long Way" is a wonderful piece of work, an exceptional book. The subject may seem a little well worn, but Barry doesn't just give it a special spin, he offers a perspective rarely encountered in war literature. Highly recommended.

A great book for parents, children, brothers and sisters alike. Fantastic insight to society settling for mediocrity and allowing the "inmates" to run the asylum. Many of our parents used to say, "No, because you don't get everything you want, and that's just tough." But we find ourselves saying, "Maybe" or "Next time". If we REALLY want to see young people in our society excel saying "No" is a great place to start.

Generally insightful and helpful. The author provides a number of specific examples that are applicable to real-life situations - educators and parents would get a lot from this book, as it's an easy read and practical.

I purchased two copies of this book after seeing Dr Walsh on television. I sent one copy to our daughter, who was expecting our first grandchild, and kept the other for myself, as a refresher course. After reading it, I was so impressed, I decided to get copies for my nieces and nephews, and my adult children who aren't parents yet. Dr Walsh shares the same kind of pragmatic approach to child rearing that my own parents used, but he shows us how to teach "old fashioned" values in the modern world. Every parent should read this book, and grandparents should read it as well. Raising children has always been a tough job, but never before has a parent had so much competition from outside influences. Parents, grandparents and other adult family members need to work as a team, and provide reasonable, but consistent limits.

The first few chapters about the influence of media and advertising, and how they have shaped our culture and values over the last 40 years is very enlightening. They explain a lot about issues we see in the workplace with younger employees.

It is easy for us parents to get caught up in saying, "yes" and giving into our kids demands. It was just easier for me to give my kids what they wanted (when reasonable). At the very least it quieted them down, for a little while. However, what this book showed me very clearly is that we have an entire culture of "Yes", "Anything you want honey" and "My child couldn't do anything wrong". It also made it very clear that this attitude, or culture is hurting our kids and making our lives miserable. Dr. David Walsh delivers a strong dose of reality in one word, "No". Incredibly he does it in such a way that children and parents can enjoy more freedom and less anxiety. It becomes perfectly clear why we parents need to hold our children to rules and make them earn respect, and delay gratification.

When we give our kids everything (they think) they want it fosters attitudes of instant gratification; worse we set them up for failure and ourselves up for needless struggle and hardships. We or I also need to feel good about holding my children to higher standards and expectations, and Dr. Walsh does and excellent job of spelling that out in this book. There are many suggestions and checklists for each chapter.

This book has so many great lessons and insights; too many to list in the 5 minutes I have to write this review. All I can say is that I highly recommend the book "No' to any parent and then pass it along to some parent who doesn't need it. You will understand what I mean after you read it.

First off, don't let the generic "self-helpy" cover and title of this book turn you off. This is one of the better parenting books I've read this year. It's extremely well written and engaging with endless amounts of useful tips and food for thought. The author is not just a PhD, but also an experienced parent who has clearly spent ample professional and personal time working with kids of all ages.

I completely agree with his premise that:
1) parenting isn't easy and certainly isn't (and shouldn't) always be fun
2) the most successful parents are those who work hard to remain flexible, open, and calm
3) we owe it to our kids to set appropriate boundaries and enforce those boundaries consistently
4) rules are not "one size fits all" but should be tailored to fit not just the child's age but also the child's individual needs and personality
5) the judicious use of "no" with your child -- while it may produce some acting out in the short term -- will eventually pay off for your entire family (and, dare I say it, society) in the long term

Why four stars? As a parent who is very focused on my young child's nutrition, I was surprised this author recommended witholding meals from toddler/preschool age children who refuse to eat/finish lunch or dinner. While I think this is a valid technique to use with older kids, the fact is toddlers a) are natural grazers and not likely to eat everything put in front of them for the "big" meals of the day and more importantly b) have smaller stomachs, higher levels of energy, and are prone to low blood sugar and therefore should eat at least every two to four hours a day. I totally get how important it is to teach your children that their choices can either lead to a positive or negative outcome. But I personally don't feel witholding food is the way to go at this age. Should you withold desserts and treats? Totally! But don't send a toddler to bed hungry -- look for alternative food sources (fruit, carrots, crackers) to ensure they aren't sleeping on an empty stomach.

Aside from the one negative, and regardless of what your personal parenting style is (laid back, strict, etc), I recommend you do yourself and your kid(s) a favor and get your hands on this book. Chances are it will either confirm that you've been doing the right thing all along (and provide some additional tools) or give you the wake-up call you need to get your family back on track.

Well written easy read. The ideas of the "Stop walking on eggshell" e.g. "it is not your problem" but explained to the lay man in a practical way. A four stars because in my opinion it is bias to the "leave" scenario: the author solution, but the simple outlines can be reinterpreted to "leave the situation" without getting sucked-in.
For the one that leaves read: "A Promise to Ourselves" of Alec Baldwin: hold tight.
The "One Way Ticket" book will nevertheless give you more than just a glimpse of sanity: thank you Ozzie_Tinman.

This book is helpful to us ozzies (those without bipolar) and lets you know that what you are experiencing is not unusual. that others are going through exactly what you are also.

This book is really written for folks with family and friends who are either diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) or are exhibiting similar symptoms. I have both family and friends who have various psychological disorders including Borderline, Depression, Bipolar, Anxiety, Autism, etc. Information useful to many types of psychological disorders is included in this book. It hits head on a variety of symptoms and how to deal with them. While the focus is on BPD it has lots of how-to information for related or similar disorders.

This is a great book. It's partly about the journey of the author "Ozzie" as he recounts dealing with his borderline wife. It's heartbreaking and encouraging at the same time. Ozzie has had quite a tough time but he's handled it with a grace that I hope I can achieve.

One Way Ticket To Kansas is also about educating us on symptoms, possible responses to behavior, access to support, etc. If you think you have someone near you with BPD you really should read this book. This is this kind of book I'll buy and give away to people needing the help. It's just that good.

Best of the book: Chapter 7 "Ozzie Stinkin' Thinkin'" where Ozzie helps us understand how our own thinking becomes warped. Even better he helps us understand how to modify our thinking to become healthier for us, and at the same time possibly healthier for our loved one with BPD.

Buy it now for immediate insight and support.

I hope you enjoy One Way Ticket To Kansas.

This is your ticket to the start of a healed you! Ozzie_Tinman is the best pilot you can have in your journey to recover from the emotional scars caused by being affected by a borderline. Although the writing is hardly academic or professional, you will be given the best advice on how to start your journey to Kansas. Yes, the only way to save yourself is to LEAVE THE BORDERLINE FOR GOOD. Tips to remember:
1.Ozzie_Tinman is a great pilot but YOU have to make all the arrangements for this flight and that includes getting the ticket, the passport and making sure you get a good seat and buckle up (these metaphors will make sense as you read the book).
2. Don't get obsessed with reading about BPD- you don't need to become an expert - you need to heal yourself! I recommend "Boomerang Love" but that's about all you need.
3. LEAVE, LEAVE , LEAVE - Don't assume the borderline will get better- according to the book for a borderline to cure itself it takes at least 4 years to happen and much therapy.
4. Regain your self-esteem as that is what is preventing you from moving on!
5. Kansas is a wonderful place that you have been before (you met the borderline) - you can get back there, difference is that you will be stronger, more beautiful, and much smarter than when you were before the borderline drained your soul!
6. Think positive and don't dwell on then 10% of good times you had with the BPD- those were FAKE attempts made by the BPD to win you over so that the remanding 90% of time you suffered you will long for the good times to come back.

This book is a must have for all people who have a borderline person in their life. This book is an easy read and captures the true feelings a person without borderline personality disorder is experiencing. It has helped validate me as a person and has allowed me to move on. I highly recommend this book !!

This is a true journey of finding compassion and love for all life and putting the discovered empathy to work in hopes of guiding humanity out of suffering and healing the ravaged Earth. Hartmann has traveled the world and lived amongst the most lacking and depraved of humanity, yet is able to help them and glean wisdom from these experiences. He explains his affiliation and wisdom learned from Masters Stanley and Muller, two very intriguing men. Teaching our children well and "humble actions" that all can easily embrace are well delineated.

This is a book that should appeal to everyone from the religious, agnostic, humanist, and ecologist. Be forewarned, though, that one might feel compelled to read all of Hartmann's books for this man has much to offer! His, "The Last Hours of Ancient Sunlight: Waking Up To Personal and Global Transformation" is highly recommended, also.

Here we follow the author's "adventures" in several different parts of the world, usually following his spiritual / sociological / ecological mentor who picks up worms in the rain and puts them safely on the grass. The mentor says if you want to be a great spiritual leader, "... begin with the smallest work, a tiny act of compassion for the least of the least. (hence, the worms) And do it in secret." And be a vegetarian.

The book is anecdotal (and wanders off the subject a lot) with spiritual and socio-ecological themes. My favorites: a discussion of lapis lazuli (my favorite stone) in praise of its "spiritual purity" and a very important discussion regarding television's harmful impact on children -- not for its presence, but because too much television means a lack of reading to kids, which actually causes a deficiency in the brain's ability to develop the visualization of what they hear and imagine.

It's worth your time. ....

I just finished reading the Prophet's Way.. I was absolutely entranced. All that I have read, combined with our first real energy crisis in California has really made me wake up, although I feel more like I'm in a daze thinking about all of it.

I never thought about vegetarianism in this way it is presented before. I never knew that a meat-eating lifestyle perpetuates the disintigration of our earth and reaches out to harm so many areas. "Diet for a new America" is what I'll be reading next.

This book left a strong imprint in my being. I was very moved by its true stories about the magic of living by faith and total self-giving. The author lays his life on the line again and again, and his example draws us to do the same, for the sake of a humanity and a planet glorified by the Love of God.

Not every theory and spiritual exercise in this book resonated fully for me. But there was much food for thought in the author's ideas, and much usefulness in his exercises. Most important for me however, was the living example of people making a real difference in the state of the world, by being true to their deepest convictions, and being a Light of Godly service.

The life of Herr Muller is truly an exceptional example of esoteric spirituality, combined with very practical, energetic service. Hopefully, his example will become less exceptional, as more people catch the fire of transformation that this book serves.

Thom's book cracked my heart wide-open. It' clearly the definitive journey of our time: waking up to the possibility, certainly the responsibility, of reaching toward a maturity of Soul. This journey takes you into the Suffering of the World. From the Hunt Clubs in Bogota, Columbia: those who hunt children for sport. To the poverty of Africa, India, and the diminishment of the integrity of the Earth itself.

This is a book that you FEEL to the Depths of your Soul. It shakes you and changes you.

After reading the book several years ago, it was my honor and privledge to visit with Thom and his mentor Herr Muller in Germany, and walk the Prophets Way Path. It was a moving and life affirming moment. It launched me to embrace a suffering world.

I now work with At-Risk kids taking them into the wilderness. I listen to their stories. Hold their pain by affirming and mirroring the best in each one of them. We are all linked in a common humanity and that is the message of Thom's book. It affirms the best in each of us and asks us to CHANGE.

Nobody in my family has Down syndrome, but I still found this book to be well written. It is not a how to book, it is simply the experiences of a mother who was surprised at birth with premies, including one premie with Down Syndrome. It is not a happy happy uplifting I'm so grateful for all my blessings book but it is an honest story of the work, the shock, the complicated set of feelings, the processing of said feeling, and the reactions of friends and family. I was left with a determination to keep up with this family and especially darling Avery.

How I wish that the young people I work with could read this book and realize that a child is not a cute toy to dress up, but a human being that may have profound needs, or at any rate special needs, and that they need to build a firmer support system and gain maturity before throwing that B/C away.

PS If you're reading this, former neighbor who shunned the family as if Down is as easy to catch as chicken pox, your cruelty shocks me.

This book took my breath away with its factual, emotional, and honest capturing of the journey through the birth, diagnosis, and early growth of a child with Down syndrome. Groneberg clearly displays the confusion, guilt, exhaustion, fear, and (later) unparalleled joy that the news, 'Your baby has Down syndrome' brings. I hope that all new parents of babies with DS will read this book and find validation, encouragement, and most of all hope as they walk through the initial maze of doctors' offices, therapy appointments and stacks of insurance papers. Groneberg rightly emphasizes that the delights and treasures brought to their family by their son with DS makes it all worth it.

I think this book should be the first thing a parent receives from the hospital, along with the diagnosis of Down syndrome. If it were, so many new parents would be spared some of the misconceptions, confusion, and fear that often accompanies the initial diagnosis. If you are a doctor, family member, or therapist in contact with new parents of babies with DS, please consider giving them this book. It will do them a world of good.

This book is wonderful! As a new mom with a son with DS, I cannot express how accurate this book depicts the wide range of emotions, confusion, feelings of being lost and guilt, and most of all love we all feel for our children. This book should be handed out in the hospital before you leave with your child. It would help to ease so much fear and help you understand, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! I was in tears so many times through out this book and remember thinking, "YES, that is exactly how I feel/felt!"....HIGHLY recommend to anyone and everyone! If you don't understand DS, read this and educate yourself!! Great book!

In ROAD MAP TO HOLLAND Jennifer Graf Groneberg reveals a lifetime of lessons learned in a very short time-span. Her message of hope resonates with the joy of her ultimate discovery that one of the greatest gifts she can give her children is to simply teach them how to love. Read this book, read Jennifer's blog, and join in a celebration of a unique family with a mom-writer at the helm who's gracious and generous enough to invite us all along on her ongoing journey of discovery.

I couldn't put this book down.

The author writes about her experience with premature delivery of twins, one of whom is diagnosed with Down syndrome, and the first two years of their life.

This isn't just a story of a mom having to come to terms with that trip to Holland, but an honest mom's story--of balancing the arrival of twins with her preschooler, the affect that her situation had on friendships--both good and bad, her marriage, and her perception of herself as a woman.

This is an excellent book--honest without being morose, uplifting without coming across as saccharine-sweet. A must read for all moms.

This is a must read for anyone who uses a computer for their work. The book suggests the reader skip to the summary in the back and save even more time by not reading the book - great idea. Since what Bill Jensen has to say can be said in so few words because he know what he wants to say, how he feels about it and what he wants the read to do.
Read it or at least the summary; then just hand it to a co-worked, family member or anyone you just want to help out.
I have deleted more e-mails without opening them then ever in my life. Since I read this book it has handed back hours a day to me that I was wasting on work and e-mails.

I think this book is the best book ever written for dealing with the business world today. I feel like it was written for me. I wish I had access to this book 5 years ago, I could have used it.

Thank you for your contributions for helping to make a healthier more informed work environment and employee for those who take a long time to get there.

Bill Jensen's ideas and tactics have crystallized my ability to be effective. I read "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" before reading Jensen's original "Simplicity", and for me, "Simplicity" is superior because (1) it explains the rationale behind Jensen's ideas and (2) offers invaluable guidance on effective presentations. "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" 's examples were not as helpful to me as the initial wisdom and suggestions in "Simplicity". Read them both!

What I like about this biz book:

1) Its fun and challenging "If your boss doesn't get it, and has a high likelihood of never getting it... time to say "goodbye". Pretty simple right?

2) Attitude of "You don't have to be a victim of corporate crap"... reminds me of a refrain I have heard from my husband when he talks about his day job "They can't even run their own life, I will be damned it they run mine"

3) Respect yourself more. Your time is valuable. Push back.

4) The complexity starts from within. From within my own company, within myself.

The How To Section(s)
Email
Scan incoming subject and author, if not relevant hit "delete"
Scan email for 1) action to take 2) deadline date.

In sending messages use the 3"x5" space constaint.

If it is simplier it is more likely to be done. Make it easy.

Remember the key: what do you want them to know, feel and do!

Presentations:
Turn the one point you want people to know into a question. Provoke conversations. Give everyone handouts. Use of Stories is a good thing.
1 hour presentation = 20 slides MAX!

Meetings Big Idea!! When you agree to chair a meeting approachit as if you have just been handed a portion of someones life. Because you have. Run a meeting like one that you wish you had been invited for.

Helpful hints 1) get only the important people 2) get the right people 3) define what success looks like 4) Mentally see the successful meeting 5) Put the objective of the meeting up front
6) Be passionate about the people and reason of the meeting.

With a title like this, Jensen's book should be flying off the shelf. I know it caught my eye when I first saw it. We all want to "do" less and "accomplish" more and there are some excellent ideas in this book to help you do just that.

Nothing in this book is easy, though. Someone as inclined to follow the rules like myself will find it difficult, if not impossible, to implement the more demanding recommendations. This is a shame, as these people are those who would probably benefit the most.

Even if you don't think of yourself as a rabble-rouser, you should still read this book and take heart that there are some possible methods of extracting yourself from business situations that leave you feeling busy, but not very productive. There are ways of escaping the bureaucracy and yet keep your job.

The cutest, yet still effective, idea in the book is the "Less-O-Meter" associated with each chapter. These graphical gauges give you an "at a glance" reading on how much Courage you will need to put this tip in place, how difficult it can be and the possible yield to your productivity and happiness.

You may be ready to take on your whole company and engage in full-scale "pushback", but implementing even one idea from this book could do a world of good for you, your job and your career, while helping your company, as well.

It was nice to read this explanation of Jewish customs and what not. I've ready many books that are overviews but this had alot of FEELING.

To read the book feels like you are having a personal explanation... with good comparison, wit and humor.

* * * People who read this will also like the following.
You Can't Buy a Halo

Herman Wouk examines Judaism in a modest manner that informs without preaching. Wouk looks at his religion from his Orthodox practice, but with easy-reading prose made for all audiences (Jews, Christians, etc.). Readers learn about the Sabbath, Torah, holidays, rituals, feasts, and other vital traditions in this, the world's oldest monotheistic religion. We also learn about Judaism's three main branches (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform), plus pious and non-practicing Jews. Additionally, Wouk examines his own perspective. The result is an informative and personal look at Judaism, particularly in the USA.

Some note that Judaism has changed somewhat since this book arrived in the late 1950's; today there's more ultra-Orthodox, non-practicing, even messianic Jews. Still, this is an informative, valuable book. Readers might also enjoy Wouk's popular novels, including THE CAINE MUTINY and WINDS OF WAR.

This is my God has become a classic on Jewish Thought and Culture. If you are just beginning or are a seasoned scholar, This is my God has something for you.

I totally recommend this book. You will enjoy immensely. Read it with a highlighter, you are going to want to quote it later.

Wouk, Herman. "This is My G-d: The Jewish Way of Life", Little Brown and Company, 1959. 1988.

How I Live

Amos Lassen

Here in Arkansas, especially from my gay friends, I contstantly get questions about my being Jewish. After a few moments of discussion, I usually refer people to Herman Wouk's "This is My G-d" which, even though is not new, explains basically everything Jewish in the easiest way. The book goes with me wherever I go. I keep a copy in my office at the university, a copy in my study and one in my suitcase. Anyone who wants to know what Orthodox Judaism means to a well informed and intelligent Jew but who is an American (by birth) as well, can find out what he wants to know in this book. Written in terms that are easy to understand, the book stands alone in being a guide to the Jewish religion. Herman Wouk is a wonderful person to consult on matters Jewish. He writes with humility and wisdom and his explanations are clear and concise.
There is a lot of literature on the Jewish religion available and new books on seem to be published almost daily. Wouk gives us a brief history of the Jewish people and an excellent discussion on the meaning of G-d. He explains who we are and how we have survived and carefully looks at the importance of symbols in the religion.
In part two of the book, Wouk approaches issues of faith and sows how it is impossible to study all of it. Looking at the holiday calendar, he is able to equate the observance with the nature of the Jewish mind and explains in detail what the synagogue is and what purpose it has. Looking at the dietary laws and explaining how orthodox Jews observe them is an experience that I have not found in other books. Wouk manages to bring the laws to a level of understanding that explains and codifies them. He also speaks of clothing and shelter which I found especially interesting as most do not realize that there is a certain way that Jews look at them.
Wouk takes us through the life cycle--from circumcision to Bar Mitzvah to death and explains issues of love and marriage. Looking at law, Wouk explains the differences between Torah, Talmud, common law and modern theory. Finally he looks at the state of Judaism in the present and evaluates the various schisms in modern Judaism.
The newer edition contains an epilogue which deals with Israel and the question of Jewish survival. For a novice this is a place to begin and for others it is a book to consult. Surely a religion that has lasted thousands of years cannot be written about in just 300 something pages but I tell you, it has been a great help to me in both understanding myself and explaining Judaism to others.

This work is a wonderful introduction to and survey of Orthodox Judaism. This book stands out from the pack of other works on the same topic in that This Is My God was written by a master novelist (Wouk gave us Winds of War, War and Remembrance, The Caine Mutiny, et al). Herman Wouk is passionate and candid in what he writes here.

The tone is conversational, unconfrontational and uncondescending. Although packed with factual information, Wouk keeps it personal and interesting by moving back and forth between the mechanics of Orthodox Judaism, and his own personal experience - especially his formative years under the hand of his beloved, learned and pious grandfather. Considering the scope, it is brief, by the author's own admission.

Wouk explains the basic approaches marking Orthodox, and to a lesser extent Conservative and Reform, Judaism. He discusses the practice . . . dietary laws, tallit, the Sabbath, the Feasts, etc. He sketches history and historical figures (I especially appreciated his sorting out of the great sages and each of their places in Judaical history). He describes the source texts - Torah and Talmud. Also, Wouk easily could have - but did not - bury the reader with Hebrew phraseology.

This book is unique and well worth the time for an interested truth seeker of ANY faith to invest. I could continue with the praises of this work, but I would just be repeating what other reviewers have already written.

I will add a couple of critical comments. This book, published in 1959 (written while the State of Israel was only 10 years old, how remarkable!), has become a bit dated. (Obviously no fault of Wouk's here). Orthodox Judaism has evolved increasingly into what people call "Ultra-Orthodox" and has become largely identified with Hasidic dress and practices. In today's world an observant Orthodox author, out of reverence, may well have refrained from penning the title "God", preferring rather "G_d" (interesting since the diety's personal Name is not actually God . . . a gentile word having rather pagan roots). Orthodox vs Conservative vs Reform have all changed a bit over the years. I was disappointed that Wouk did not even mention the phenomenon of Messianic Judaism, which has grown greatly since the book was authored. Wouk also more or less wrote off the Karaites as an extinct sect . . . but that movement has also grown greatly since the book was authored. But of course Wouk's passion is Orthodoxy, and my point is that there has been much change even in the brief historical period since 1959. This is a minor criticism and hardly detracts from the value of the book.


Secondly, although I was drawn to this book by its enticing title, it would have been more accurately titled, "This Is My Religion". Orthodox Judaism wholly embraces the the Talmud. Unlike the Torah, the Talmud is arguably the work of great men, but not necessarily of God. There is wide and heated disagreement on this point. But in Wouk's book, any insight as to the nature of God will have to be inferred from the general discussion.

But again, any truth-seeker, and especially followers of the God of Israel, should have this information. An observant and learned Orthodox Jew will likely find no new information here, but may enjoy Wouk's personal perspectives.

I think this is the best introductory book on contemplative prayer I have read. If you are looking to increase the depth of your prayer life this is an excellent place to start. "Contemplative Prayer" by Thomas Merton and "Everything Belongs" by Richard Rohr are good follow ups. Of course, you may want to start reading the Desert Fathers themselves at some point! Blessings

The book is very inspiring and useful especially to those who are at the crossroads of their lives. It's a life-giving book and brings you closer to God. In fact, a friend who's in her challenging stage in her life is using this book.

This book presented itself to me when I was deep into a project and just needed some factual answers. It's only 94 pages. I thought I could read it very quickly.

Ha.

It did give me answers, but it wasn't a quick read. It was the kind of book that had me reading a page, then pacing the floor, waiting for the million thoughts it excited to settle down so I could read the next. This went on for a week. And then I read it again, and read it out loud to friends. The cheap copy I bought is already wearing out.

What's it about? Simply, it's about the ancient practices of the Desert Fathers, of solitude, silence and prayer, how and why they came about, why they are needed now, and how they can be made to work in our crowded, noisy, distinctly non-contemplative lives.

The thing that first got my attention, was Nouwen's description of the problem of worldliness in the church, our tendency to think the way everybody else thinks. Worldliness, not simply in the way we've all come to see it, drinking and carousing, that sort of thing. He talks about the sneakier form, the kind that creeps in without our noticing, that has us convinced that what makes us valuable, what makes us worthwhile, is what we own, what we have accomplished, and what people think of us. Take those away and we have no reason to exist.

Think what that does to us. Think how it drives our choices, how it colors our view of others.

That's what began to get my attention - but I knew the book would be precious to me when I read the story of St. Anthony, who after some twenty years of practicing the disciplines of solitude, silence and prayer was finally able to pray genuinely - talking to God as himself, not the person he thought or wished or hoped to be. When he rejoined humanity, his very presence was healing to people because at last he could look at them with clean eyes, he could really see them as they were, not as accessories to his own self esteem.

Can you imagine how that way of being would change everything?

Buy this book. If you can, get a good strong copy. It's going to have to hold up to much reading.

This book is about how people who are engaged in active work to help others also need to spend time in prayer with God so that they can be more peaceful and more in touch with who they are and who they need to be.

This is a book that should be required reading in highschool or maybe earlier.