Utopias Books

Please say this review is helpful to you. They told me that if I post another unhelpful review they're going to kill my ferret.

It was obvious to anyone who has known Peyser that something like this was bound to happen. I refer, of course, to Peyser's bout of aphasia during his freshman year at the College. Clearly this mysterious illness has returned in book-length, perhaps even a global, form. We may never really know what Peyser is up to in this book. Oh, for some Young and Champollion to decode this, the Rosetta Stone of post-modernism!

I don't usually tolerate so-called theory, but this was fun!

Don't let the title fool you--this is a down-to-earth, engaging work that deserves to be read by a much larger audience than the academic field it's probably relegated to.

This is a powerful, bleak book. None of the writers Peyser deals with is particularly optimistic. The possible exception is Howells but there is a dark undertow even to his work which Peyser makes sure we see. So a book about utopia is also a strangely, depressing read. 40 years or so after Brooke Farm, who would have thought things would have gotten so sad? Of course it was the turn the century and the best of the Western thinkers were thinking sad and pessimistic thoughts. And now here we are at the turn of another century and we have this powerful, bleak book. Have we come all that far after this century of bloodthirsty carnage? Is Utopia even further away than it was 100 years ago? Read Peyser's powerful, bleak book and see if you can answer some of these sad questions yourself. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

You know, this is not the sort of book I would normally read. But there it was, suddenly, on the coffee table one night. How it got there I have no idea. Just curious, I began to leaf through the pages, and the words began to resonate with me. Unable to sleep, I read it through in one sitting by candlelight. The next morning, I began to look at things around me differently. First, I removed several unessential appliances from the house in an effort to simplify my existence. Then it became time to de-clutter and I threw out several items I realized I had no more use for. Then, and this all seemed so logical in light of the things I'd read, I divorced the wife and sent her on her why. Sure, she cried a bit, but I knew I was doing the right thing. And I've never regretted it. This is, indeed, one of the best books I've read all year.

After reading Utopia Closes I was so inspired and amused that I joined Amazon and bought some crap (well not crap) just so I could write this review. Sweet! More!

"Utopia Closes" reveals to us an all-too-realistic future where brand names are the only nouns that matter and journalism is a notch below pornography on the ladder of decency. Follow Baby Trousers, in his quest to become a composer in an ugly landscape--whether it is read in Ireland or in the United States, "Utopia Closes" describes a familiar sensation--that of the political apparatus closing around us.

As funny as Flann, as detailed as Dedalus and as wild as, umm, Wilde.
Here's hoping we get a chance to read the whole thing and find out if it's as barmy as Beckett.

Biting, satirical view of the land of the Green Tiger, could it be as bad as this or worse? Read on . . . [[ASIN:B00121WDG0 Utopia Closes - Official ABNA Entrant

A witty and engaging read that ended too soon--loved the ironic crafting of the characters, especially the Marshal.

For golfers, this a wonderful yarn of success on the golf course. For golfers concerned with everyday professional life, this book offers many lessons on how to deal with the pressures of professional life as well as how they apply to the mental side of golf. A must read for every serious golfer - low handicap or high, it will improve your game. It will also improve the manner with which you resolve problems in your professional life.

A telling tale of man's walk thru life. A great gift for the person who loves golf and is searching for the reason of their existence.

Interesting way of selling a religious viewpoint with rewards for people who purchase 10 books or more to help spread the word. This is a missionaries christian guide not a golfing guide.

I have never written a book review and I have never read a better golf book than "Seven Days on the Links of Utopia." This book is wonderfully written and the message is one that can transform your golf game and your life. I believe that the author was truly inspired by God to have written such a wonderful story. Get it. Read it. Share it.

I don't give myself much time to sit and read books, even though I am currently reading three books and haven't finished any of them. When I received this one, I honestly couldn't put it down. Golf's Sacred Journey is so much more than a book of golf. It is a motivational book on life. I have taken some of the lessons that are mentioned in the book to my own personal life and has helped me deal with tough situations. It has also helped my game during the times that I used to get frusturated after a few bad shots, to get back up top and control my game (not someone else's).

This book is a must buy for anyone intersting in the millennium. The works are provoking and the accompanying text is informative and entertaining. Great coffee table material.

"The End is Near" makes you yearn for Divine inspiration regardless of its source or circumstance. The artwork is stunning, the artist bios are awe-inspiring and the essays are thought provoking, empowering and spiritually comforting. This is an amazing gift to give to others...but do yourself a favor and give it to yourself first. And then go out and pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, or a piece of coal and create. This book will make you realize that the best art you ever see could be just below the surface of your own consciousness.

I was completely blown away by the beauty of the visions contained in this book. I am an art student, and i feel the artist in this book are never self indulgent, their vision isn't cluttered by desire of fame and recognition. they are the last american heroes. roger manley did an incredible job of editing only the most incredible pieces, of discovering new talents( paul laffoley,grant wallace) and also bringing new pieces from overexposed outsider art favorite (howard finster). the printing job is excellent and the design lively.i can't wait to see what this publishing company is gonna do next.

By showing the amazing collection of the American Museum of Visionary Art, this book provokes the reader to re-think the distinctions our society draws between genius and madness. I've actually been to the Museum in Baltimore and am thrilled that this artwork is now available on a large scale. This book may not be for everyone, but those willing to expose themselves to its often disturbing imagery will be rewarded.

My wife and I just bought the hardcover and recommend it highly. We loved the reading the background of the authors. It proves that you do not have to be a celebrity or athlete or CEO to be "considered successful". Some of the world's greatest talent are never heard from. We have Dilettante Press to thank for bringing us this fine collection of artists. I work with libraries and recommend this book to all of them.

With this extraordinary book,alraines invites you "...to a lovely trip down the ages".
The novel traces the history of the world from its inception till the modern times.Historical fact and fiction are harmoniously blended in etching out the characters and developing the plot.
A must read for all those who are interested in a soul searching experience.

We are all involved in relationships. Indeed, we are all in relationship with everything and everyone, all of the time. We have a relationship with ourselves, with our family, with our environment, with our work, with each other. Everything that we know and experience about ourselves, we understand within the context created by our relationships.
For this reason, relationships are sacred--all relationships. And somewhere within the deepest reaches of our heart and soul, we know it. That is why we yearn so for relationships--and for relationships of meaning. It is also, no doubt, why we have such trouble with them. At some level, we must be very clear how much is at stake. Yet it is possible to have joyful relationship.

Soul search engine is a thought provoking and touching story about relationships

Written in a magical style that captures the very essence of Divine wisdom,you are guided on a journey of self-awareness and growth. For all those longing for a deeper connection to their purpose and for all souls yearning to be free, this is the book you have been waiting for.

highly recommended.

what is teh secret of life?

what brings us our own unique the set of experiences? choice? destiny? where do we come from?

these are difficult questions and so heavy that most of us would like to not pursue them.

thankfullt al raines does. he moves away from his supernatural horror/thriller domain to explore the nature of reality and truth.

and after a long time i found tat someone has a different take on that. all those old isms communism, budhism, and the religions of yore - lose their meaning completely as raines constructs a new scientific spirituality through a story spanning 14 billion and 36 years - all told in a brief 99 pages.

amazing! is all i would like to say.

if you don't read this book- you'll miss the experience of a lifetime. and if you do - you will cherish the story of rex and stegy, forever!

In many ways the book reminds me of many unforgettable memoirs of people caught up in events over which they have no control. For that reason alone it is worth buying. But stir in the fact that the action happens in our own time and it resonates today and you not only have a fine, entertaining reading experience in your hands: you have something that could change the way you think about events.

Xen: A Novel from the Future is an intriguing science fiction tale about a scientist, Pawkey Seneschal, who loathes humanity's evils so much that he unveils a means to forever rid all humanity of its hate, prejudice, and xenophobia. The secret lies within the "Ten Books of Xen", which are intertwined in a mythical tale about the repeated rebirth of Mankind - N + 1 times. Partly a puzzle for the reader to solve, partly a vision of an utopian future just within humanity's grasp, and partly a reexamination of all that is familiar in ordinary life, Xen is a triumph expressing a crucial message counter-culture and would-be world-transformers of all walks of life, from humanitarians and pacifists to feminists and libertarians.

If you wonder why people continue to wage war, why history repeats itself and why you just discarded your barely touched beverage before boarding a plane, read this book. You'll love the way this novel makes you think. This book is a five plus.

After reading this book, I finally decided once and for all to become a vegetarian!

Xen takes place in the distant future, but is not a typical science fiction novel. If you're expecting lots of action and weapons, move along and don't bother. Ditto if you anticipate the undead, "creatures," horror, fantasy, dragons, etc. And again don't waste your money if you're looking for a sweet, gentle romp into the future. That world, the Utopia, is there, but you won't get to it until having faced a horrific look at the depravity of our species.

Xen is a polemic, an allegory, a satire. How else could a modern day novel dare to begin with the line, "it was a dark and stormy night," if not put forth as a translation from a future language? Even the copyright page gives the reader a glimpse at the spoof that will be revealed in the coming pages.

The book consists of ten vignettes that are ultimately tied together, but this isn't at all obvious until one reads the last several. Things are initially even more confusing because most of the chapters are written in second person point of view, even when the character changes! The reader won't get to a repeat character until chapter 5, with the return of the scientist, Pawkey Seneschal, in his second of three stories.

The book actually starts off (if one doesn't count the foreword, the "translator's note,") with a bet over the fate of mankind, orchestrated between Wind and Water. They come back again in the book of History. In this chapter, the unspeakable ways in which we treat each other as well as other creatures are relentlessly drilled home to the reader, in second person point of view much of the time, making it entirely personal. This chapter is the longest by far and never seems to run out of steam, perhaps much like the ongoing anguish and misery of the suffering, past, present, and future. It ends with a commercial that can only be imagined in the world of Xen. This is followed by the book of Adolescent, in which the reader meets a contemporary high school senior in the future Utopia, as she reflects upon part of a college placement requirement.

Three of the remaining books deal with the future minister of earth. Outrageously, the reader meets the most powerful person on Earth and all the colonies on which humans now live in space, while she is about to have sex with her husband. But it isn't until the reader has finished experiencing this encounter, again that second person point of view, that one becomes aware of just who she is. It is Minister Esse who must deal with aliens who have come to Earth, centuries after mankind has already been traveling the stars, to confront humanity with the true origins of their transformation from xenophobia to "tolerance and enlightenment at all levels."

The book delightfully and whimsically comes full circle as Wind and Water settle the bet and you know who gets the last word, now don't you?

Xen is not a book for everyone. One has to read this volume SLOWLY; it cannot be skimmed. (If you want to know what happens, Water wins the bet...duh!) The sentences are often complex and long; many I had to read more than once. Xen should be read by lovers of words, by those who adore visual imagery and have the patience to read each line very carefully, gratified that they are not able to anticipate the endings of most sentences. A Xen reader is comfortable finding that a single a page can contain multiple words that may require a dictionary followed by four letter words or other vulgarity as well as entirely made up words, e.g. pisseria, igged, ISDs. Xen is pure joy for someone who enjoys alliteration: e.g. ..."she succumbed to the somniferous spell of the local gastronomy"..."the vitriol bubbles out of the beaker and even the dogs hide from the bellicose rantings"...and who doesn't mind not knowing what's going to come next: e.g...."you mentally return to the news and current events. There's a helluva lot of crime over and above the every day publicly sanctioned workings of the government at all levels"..."there is still something wrong with this picture you think, cogitating further about the turd in the punchbowl"..."the answer to that is about as veiled as a nipple in a transparent bra you think"...These latter quotes are all from just a few pages. You get the picture.

Finally, there are numerous amazing metaphors, e.g. ..."on a clock with celestial divisions, even we and our mother earth are not immortal"..."you deconstruct the telomeric clock, one gear and spring at a time, until the blueprint of each piece is traced back to the genetic origins"..."the sun had been crisply frying the heavens and the clouds had been boiled out of their ethereal cauldron..." and epic symbolism: e.g. water, wind, fire.

Xen won't be for everyone in other ways. Pawkey Seneschal is introduced as a quintessential racist, sexist intellectual who really has NOTHING good to say about anything or anyone. His thoughts, which we share in the second person point of view, are vile and reprehensible in the extreme. This IS a book about xenophobia. Seneschal is clearly an equal opportunist here insofar as no religion, race, or any other division or subset of mankind is spared his satire, sarcasm, irony, criticism, lampoon, castigation, or denigration. This diatribe becomes more relentless as the book evolves, which made me eventually wonder if he hates everything. And then it hit me. He hates greed, exploitation and over consumption (his utopia is hardly a luddite existence nor is this a veiled and trite entreaty for anything socialistic, which he hates, too). He hates the subjugation of women, the waste of resources, the hypocrisy of so much of religion and government, the instability of marriage, the barriers of language, nationalism, the use of animals as food or for any other "raw materials." Through Seneschal, the author hates the hate that we intrinsically and genetically harbor. In Xen he begs us to recognize that we have more in common with each other than those things which separate us; hence he implores us to move this knowledge to our first thoughts, no longer to be relegated to after or second thoughts. We do, after all, have free will.

My major criticism of Xen is that it will be perceived as too complicated by some readers. There needs to be an expurgated version in order for the basic story to achieve mass market appeal. I'm not sure how many have the patience for a book like this today.

Since I'm no student of literature, despite being an avid reader, I won't even try to compare Solomon to other authors or Xen to other works. I'll leave that up to others who may review this book.

If you "get it," Xen is a book that you will read again and again. It will join the ranks of your favorites and you will buy copies for friends rather than lend yours out. This book is complex and therefore some readers may not understand or even loathe it. But for those who are up for the trip, it's quite a roller-coaster ride.

This is a book to read over and over. The first time I wasn't impressed at all. I've gone through it now 4 times and get more each time. I wish the words weren't so hard but my vocabulary is now better. :)

I tried for days to solve the cipher since I enjoy a good puzzle. Last Labor Day I sent it to Marilyn vos Savant, figuring she would enjoy a good challenge. I know she must get hundreds if not thousands of queries and guess I wasn't surprised I never heard from her or saw the answer in her weekly column in Parade Magazine, which I devour each Sunday. Last week I contacted Avar Press and was told that they had never been contacted by Marilyn for verification of the answer. Oh well... :(

All I can say is puzzle or no, the book has made me into a better person. I have allowed it to make me question certain values that have been drummed into me by our society. Read Xen and see for yourself.

This book is the essence of awesome. I read it, and as soon as I fiished reading it, I started to read it again. I hope Jones writes a sequel or something. There were so many questions left un answered.

Not many writers have the guts to publish without push from publishers and other literature hounds - but Wally Jones surprises us all with his DIY, don't-give-a-damn-to-the-classics style that's both like a punch to the face and a gentle nod to growing up in an era characterized by a plethora of increasing alienation despite comfortable wealth. His story is more than a mere "coming of age" novel; pulling from personal stories and characters, the complicated plot keeps you wondering how everything ties together until the end. Jones' passion for writing is obvious in the way he presents each character, begging us to see them as more than words on a page or an entertaining read. He tries to say what we all know to be true, without mincing words or imagery.

If you read one book this year, read this. You'll be reminded at just how complicated - and yet somehow hopeful and painfully fragile - life can be.

Walter,
I can't wait till you write another one! I hate to read but I managed to finish your book, no problem! If you ever need a muse, I can so help you out! The next one should be about the last four years in Clemson,SC.! Good luck with your reviews!

Great book! I read this book for a graduate fiction class, citing the examples of creative license used to make a regular work of fiction a fine example of art. I highly recommend this book

I have to say this bOOK rocks my world and i got cold chills when i go toward the end. i can even say that i'm proud to actually know wally jones and have know him for like 4 years and he is kick ass dude, WE ALL WANT TO KNOW WHEN DO WE GET ANOTHER BOOK

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to read, review and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to read, review and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to review, read and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to review, read and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

There comes a time when we have an opportunity to see ourselves through a mirror. This mirror sometimes is in the form of a kindred spirit, a close friend or an outside reference which triggers the imagination- I have experienced such a thing after reading DEATH OF THE INNOVATOR. My only regret is that so many will come to review, read and misunderstand the significance of such a work- referred to as a creative fictional piece- that if truly understood represents the core of self, the spirit of purpose, which is who we are as human beings at our best, even though we may never really grasp the full understanding of such a thing.

William Vernon Founder/ CEO VHCWORLDWIDE

I had not heard of the authors before this book came out. However, I expect that to change. These guys have their fingers on the pulse of what is going on out there. They don't pull any punches and they tell it like it is. Their ideas are a mixture of common sense and genius.

When I read a book on how to improve my business, I want information I can use. "Sales Utopia" wasn't a bunch of theoretical, mumbo-jumbo. It had straight forward sales and marketing strategies that I look forward to implementing. It was very interesting.

What an eye-opener! I would hate for my competitors to read this. If I can implement half of the ideas in this book, I'll be on easy street. It was short, sweet, and full of solid information.

"Sales Utopia" was direct and to the point. Too many other books I have read, were half way full of "filler" information that wasted my time. It got down to business quickly and kept my interest.

I've read a lot of business books on sales, marketing, and management. After a while the ideas all sound the same and everything runs together. "Sales Utopia" had ideas and strategies I had not seen before. It was unique.

Excellent!

A redefinition of what courage means , especially to women. It is useful to everyone.

Especially today, we cannot read enough stories of inspiration, hope and courage. And there are 44 real gems in The Courage Code - as well as the interesting reflections of two insightful authors.

As consultants, teachers, trainers and coaches, Megan Raphael and Jennifer Bryon met many women they would describe as courageous, women who are making a difference in the world, who have endured tragedy, physical and psychological illnesses, who have raised families under the most difficult circumstances. Women who did not see themselves as courageous, all evidence to the contrary.

Their stories help define the new Courage Code, detailed with a sense of organization and purpose in this delightful book. You'll meet women who've built businesses, women who've raised children, women who created life-changing programs for their communities and influenced others to make a positive difference in the world. You'll meet women of all ages and cultural backgrounds, women who have known great want and women who have known great wealth.

The common thread woven among them is the simple message that courage also has a feminine face, one we must value and celebrate. The new Courage Code is an intriguing concept, and I commend these brave women for laying out their lives as part of a new cultural road map.

Their stories are a gift. And as you read through these 360 pages, you will no doubt see yourself and your own courage in them.

Courage has usually been reserved for a male connotation in our social discourse. Co-authored by Megan Raphael and Jennifer Byron, The Courage Code challenges traditional and archaic definitions, and encourages women to get in touch with their own courage, and their own practical desires. The Courage Code reveals how women are culturally trained to serve in a submissive role of pleasing others, and the pitfalls that can occur when the desire to please overwhelms personal identity and needs. A challenging self-help book filled with inspirational true anecdotes, The Courage Code is brimming with motivation drawn directly from the lives of ordinary women who stood up for themselves.

As one of many contributors to the book, I was delighted to see the finished work and how well the authors treated the subject and my contribution. I will reread it again and again because it has so much to say to women in general. I have also purchased additional copies as gifts for women in my family.

This is by far one of the best motivational books dedicated to women that I've ever read (and I am an avid reader of self-help texts). The stories are as inspiring as the women who tell them. I picked up The Courage Code back in April at a women's art event in Traverse City in my home state of Michigan. I've shared it with my courageous female friends (who get the added benefit of my notes in the margin) and it has sparked countless conversations about our own stories of determination in finding our "True North." I can't wait for a second collection of stories...and a third, a fourth...