Campbell Books

Purchased this for my father's, who is a retired brick mason, 67th birthday. The quality of the book, pictures, and writing are all excellent. Upon receiving it, my father immediately began reading and studying the book which is a real testament to its ability to capture and maintain ones interest.

A powerful and original book. Wonderfully rich and beautiful photographs accompany a lucid text.

This is, simply, an outstanding book. While Campbell delivers in taking an unlikely subject (brick? who would have thought?) and making it interesting to the general reader, the real draw of this book is its breathtaking photographs. Suffused with light, stunning in composition, masterful in perspective they practically glow as one turns the page. Will Pryce is clearly one to watch. This is a book that will delight general audiences and architectural historians alike. Buy it!

The author writes easily, seems to know everything, and has a completely unpretentious style. He also chose his subjects well, with many less-well-known examples and only a few icons. As a historian, he occasionaly suffers from their tendency to document, say, the names and ruling periods of the Middle Ages Persian kings before getting to the interesting parts about the use of brick in that era. The photographs are all similar to the one on the cover--deep colors and bright sunlight--and their consistency adds a nice touch. The organization of the book was good too, presenting the subject in manageable bites.

After reading favourable reviews by architectural critics, I was pleased to find that this book exceeded my expectations. The book is an authoritative history of the use of world's oldest building material. Despite its massive size, it is easy to read and covers a lot of ground, from the origins of the brick in mud-bricks in the Near East to the modern day. The clearly written text is complemented by sumptuous colour photographs. For these reasons, it stands out.

This book certainly opened my eyes to the variety of buildings in which brick has been used and introduced many that I would like to visit myself. It makes you look at the world in a whole new way. It not only covers the shows the wide range of design possibilities but also the practical aspects of building in brick. For the serious student, there is an illustrated glossary at the end. A fascinating book for both students and laymen alike.

My husband bought this book a few years back and it has been the best cookbook ever, I use it ALL THE TIME it's inexpensive to make the things in the book, my children love the things I make and I have one son who is a picky eater and he likes most everything I make, I really enjoy the cookbook. Many thanks to you for this GREAT Book

I work full time, have three small children, and a husband that works nights. These recipes are so easy, my children (ages 7, 4, and 2) help me make them--and they will actually eat them!

My teen age boys love to use this book. It is simple, they can fix meals they like, and it is a good way to start them cooking on their own.

Speaking as a non-cook who is forever looking for short cuts, this collection of recipes using Campbell's soups is ideal--and although the idea of using canned soup as a primary ingredient may cause some to roll their eyes in gastronomic superiority, the recipes in this particular collection are both easy and surprisingly successful.

The book breaks down into seven sections: appetizers and snacks, soups and stews, main dishes (with sections for poultry, beef, pork, lamb, veal, fish and seafood, and eggs and cheese) side dishes, and "Campbell's Classics." Recipes range from the extremely simple to the slightly more complicated but still extremely accesible, and few will be intimidated.

While some of the recipes harken back to the sort of thing your mother might have stepped into the kitchen to whip up as a quick meal for the kids, there are also quite a few more sophistocated recipes with international flair designed for modern tastes, including several with an Asian tone. While I doubt these dishes will ever compete with truly made-from-scratch cooking, they are surprisingly successful, quite a bit of fun to make, and offer a result that most will enjoy--particularly when you open the cabinet and are at a bit of a loss as to what to cook for that unexpected guest.

My youngest daughter owns this book and loaned it to me, I'm an experienced 'scratch' cook and this book has amazed me with it's simplicity, the recipes are easy enough for novices and presentable enough to fix for company. I highly recommend it to new brides, college kids, experienced cooks and gourmets - you just can't lose and the presentation is wonderful. Just ordered 4 for gifts. If you have an up coming wedding to buy for, add this inside a lovely covered casserole dish and the bride will thank you forever.

This is a thourough urology review, meanwhile contains contraversial aspects in your front.

This is indeed the best urological textbook, or better to call it the bible of urology , I can not wait for the next edition

If you need to know urology, then you need this set of book. This edition is set up very well. The 4 books make it easier to look up info. It covers all the major topics in urology and is as up to date as any book can be.

This book is the most extensive single source of urologic information available. It covers all basic aspects of urology in a fairly complete manner. The main drawbacks are:
1)Reference authors quoted directly in text. This makes the book fairly diffcult to read in a fluid manner and adds extra length to the already lengthy text. Gillenwater is a much more readble text.
2)Some chapters need a better overall framework. The best example of this is the chapter on adrenal pathology which does not provide a very good thorough to the asymptomatic adrenal mass, by far the most common adrenal problem.
3)Often excessive discussion regarding all the studies for and against an issue. I feel that it would be better to state that an issue is unresolved and then list some appropriate ways of attacking the problem.
4)Certain chapters are written in the 1st person. The chapter on the technique of radical retropubic prostatectomy is a personal account and not a reference chapter. MAny innovations from other centers are missing making this chapter somewhat biased.

Overall an excellent and authoratative view or urology

Medicine is obviously a rapidly evolving field and most medical texts receive a periodic retooling. All revisions should be as thorough and meaningful as the Seventh edition of Campbell's. The text has been sucessfully expanded where appropriate and each section further honed. Figures are elegant, pertinent, and well rendered. The references are all encompassing and as current as one can expect in a volume such as this. If there are any hesitations about updating from the sixth edition (which was also a vast improvement from the fifth) I hope to assuage them, encourage the reader and congratulate the authors.

What's going on? I have been giving this little gem to my kids' teachers every year for more years than I care to count. (For one thing, the price is right. For another thing, every teacher has really appreciated the book--and the other one, RECESS, that followed this one.)

Someone told me that another publisher is going to put the two books together and bring them out with a new title. Does anyone know if this is true? Here's hoping it is. If you know anything about this, please pass the info along to the rest of us. Thank you.

The simplicity and the power of individual situations that face every teacher at some time are heart wrenching and heart warming. Elspeth Campbell Murphy illuminates the mysteries of the profession.

A serious expression of prayer for every kind of student and every kind of occasion in a teacher's life. For those who meditate--excellent reflections. For those who don't--just enough to make you start.

Recently as a new faculty member, my unofficial mentor(who's in her fifties like myself) loaned me her treasured copy of "Chalkdust". It was a gift to her from her dearest friend and colleague in 1989. Elsa handed it to me during these autumn weeks filled with stress; intense stress that is not from adolescent hormones nor wiggling bodies, but from an administration in chaos after the firing of our beloved principal. The militaristic VP's and inexperienced new principal are most teachers' worst nightmare . . . and the souls adrift amidst these chaotic moments are those of our students. ----- Since the pre-dawn hours are my favorite for lesson planning and for arriving in my classroom just as the building opens, I find myself uncharacteristically lagging at home like a mopey teen unwilling to go to school. In fact I've considered leaving the education field all together, even though I am among members of our family's fourth generation of teachers. "Chalkdust" reminds me of the deepest motives for following this challenging professional path: supporting the growth and well-being of shorter younger humans, as well as remaining invested in the learning/teaching dynamic. ----- As a special educator my wonderful students are the learning disabled and emotionally disturbed kids that drive other fabulous pros to screaming tears. The prayer "For the Child Who Lies and Steals" counsels me that my two squirreliest boys are in need of a personal helper like someone from television's "Touched By An Angel". Sure, they're the only two who willingly stay after school to help me redo my bulletin boards for open house, but there are always at least two things missing afterwards. My gentle confrontation the next day brings a sly embarrassed confession from each one, while leaving me utterly confused. Later as I clean colored chalkdust off my navy blazer, I whisper a plea for help for these two. ----- Remarkable Sunny is autistic and since kindergarten has gone through neighborhood schools with the same group of kids. Now in eighth grade, he is not accepted by others as a friend openly, though he is oddly loved by many. Often I read the meditation "For the Rejected Child" for both this young man and for the Sunny in me that feels so akin to this boy's sensitivity and loneliness. ----- My world is filled with educators who are: beginning as aides, like nineteen year-old Omar, my right-hand man in the classroom; my sister, a veteran teacher who tutors dyslexic children as she battles cancer; octogenarian retired teachers; and colleagues in a variety of stages of their teaching careers. Mother (once a music teacher) and I have agreed to buy fifty copies of Chalkdust this Christmas . . . gifts for this holiday season and treasures for future friends who may need encouragement in the middle of chaos.

When I began teaching high school English fourteen years ago, I quickly learned that my perceptions and the realities of teaching did not quite jive. Had it not been for one of my former teachers taking me under her wing, I doubt I'd be in the profession still today. It was a copy of "Chalkdust" that she gave me that served as an inspiration for continuing. Every child a teacher could possibly meet in a career is addressed in this book. My mentor marked particular passages for "In the Middle of a Bad Day" and "For Confidence" and suddenly I found that I was not the only one who felt insecure and frustrated. I think when one begins teaching, she often feels she's on her own-that the support system is not there. This book helps provide the encouragement and the vision to continue after a particularly disheartening day.

The FAST teamwork process in this book really works! Jo Ellen and I teamed with each other, our artist, publisher, typesetter, and many others to complete our project. Our families helped also. We started with our shared vision, and our individual goals were achieved as a result!

In today's increasingly complex business environment, "speed" has become the mantra of successful organizations. The ability to learn and adapt to changing conditions more quickly than the competition is what separates the winners from the losers. In their book, Checkered Flag Teams, Renee Merchant and Jo Ellen Roe capture the centrality of speed in the modern business environment by creatively building their presentation of team development around an auto racing theme. The auto racing theme also provides an interesting juxtaposition by demonstrating the importance of teamwork in a sport that to an outsider seems more of an individual endeavor.

The primary strength of the book is that it is based on a theoretically eloquent and easy-to-understand model of teamwork. I have never been overly fond of Tuckman's model of team development because it focuses too heavily on the social dynamics of teams while ignoring the crucial element of the tasks that the team was created to accomplish. The authors' model of team development (presented on page 31), however, corrects this weakness by providing a convincing case for the need to balance task and process issues in team development.

The more obvious strength of the book is that it provides a number of "tools" for developing effective teams. These team activities are indexed early in the book, so you can quickly locate just the activity that you need. The instructions and rationale for each activity are precise and easy to follow, so that even novice team leaders should be able to employ them successfully. In addition, most of the team activities are fairly brief and to the point which makes them perfect for teams on the move.

I especially recommend the book for teams that are just getting started, as it provides an excellent toolkit for getting teams off to good start. Though it also provides a nice reference for team leaders in any field who are working to develop their team facilitation skills or are just looking for some creative new team building activities.

Checkered Flag Teams: Driving Your Workplace Into The Winner's Circle employs an automotive racing template to provide the corporate manager an up-beat approach to having a strong business team utilizing a "Fast Start Teamwork" process. Authors Renee Merchant and Jo Ellen Roe provide the reader with more than thirty tools and activities that anyone who drives a car can relate to. Included is a completely new communications style inventory, "CARStyles", inspired by the type of vehicle team members prefer to drive. Checkered Flag Teams is highly recommended reading for corporate policy makers, human resource directors, managers, supervisors, team members, consultants, and aspiring entrepreneurs.

This book is a good tool for anyone in a supervisory position. It can be used by the entrepreneur as a blueprint to help build a team that shares and supports the goals of the business. Civic organizations can use the methods and tools provided in the book to make their volunteer committees more cohesive and productive in achieving community goals and vision. The book is written in a way that is easy to understand with principles easily applied to family, church, community, and of course the work place.

Seldom do I see a business book that captures one compelling metaphor and carries it out over an entire book like this one did. The writing is good, detailed, and clear. Further, the book is filled with valuable team-building exercises that will improve communications and effectiveness, as well as work satisfication. If you work with manufacturing teams in the automotive industry, this book will be extremely valuable to you. In fact, it may function at beyond a five star level. On the other hand, if you work in high technology away from the NASCAR circuit and do most of your communicating in a virtual team by e-mail and shareware, this book may not seem very relevant.

The book's main weaknesses are part of its strengths. If you do not follow NASCAR, a lot of the metaphor will be lost on you. For that reason, I think the book would have worked better with more metaphors or one that was more universal than this one. The exercises are very good for bringing out differences and welding them together into an effective team, but they seemed very dependent on having a facilitator. I suspect that this facilitator would normally have to be from outside the team, for best results. Many organizations would not have the resources to draw on facilitators this much. Also, for short-term ad hoc teams, the exercises here could be overkill. There was not enough guidance about what you could cut back on, in those circumstances.

Also, I have seen a lot of team-building exercises blow up due to inexperienced facilitators. This book would not provide enough guidance to the neophyte facilitator on what to do, should a heated disagreement occur.

I graded the book down one star for its facilitator-intensive approach.

After you have finished enjoying new ways to improve team effectiveness, I suggest that you think about where people should work in teams but do not in your organization. What are the costs of this approach? What would have to be done to switch over to teams in those areas? Focusing on those opportunities may be an even bigger payoff than making your existing teams more effective.

May you enjoy the race, as your team is able to move faster, more safely, and more efficiently!

I'm a chemist and in my practical experience in the laboratory I have to say this is probably the best text you will find if you are a analytical reader. Of course, this book is not written with a enjoyable style, but if you bear to read it carefully and really analize the details, you will not regret the effort. This is great for reference and if it wasn't so dull in style It will make a great job as a textbook too, besides this is a classic.

I'm medical student from Hong Kong. I find it very useful in preparing Problem-based-learning tutorilas. The interpretation of the laboratory results are the most useful. It helps me understand more in the PBL cases.

Simple and delightful , filled with nice illustrations this book is necessary to every doctor not only clinical pathologists and laboratorits but everyone who handles daily with ambulatory and infirmary pacients. A must in every uptodate doctor or even meddicine students bookshelf.

I rate this book a "4" as it's essential reading for residents in clinical pathology. A large number of the pathology board questions come directly from this book, making it necessary reading. It's also VERY dry reading, even for a pathology textbook. After reading this book you'll be ready from something comparatively exciting, like watching paint dry. However, due to its importance in studying for the boards, I highly recommend it.

This reference receives from all reviewers the top recommendations for comprehensive, concise, understandable presentations. Every laboratorian needs this reference. The 20th edition is due in February, 2001.

A girl named Pandora, nicknamed Dora has two parents who don't ever want fear, pain, or bad things to happen to her. They don't realize that fear and pain is an ordinary part of life. Her parents hide a box that has bad things in it such as a dead bird or a tear. One day she secretly opens the box and everything horrible rushes out. Her parents soon learn the lesson and they expose her to many new things.

Dora's Box is a beautiful book. The message is even better than the brilliant writing and gorgeous illustrations. The lesson that life is more beautiful when the pain and saddness of real life are experienced is an important one, not just for young readers, but for us parents, too. It's a reminder, that we cannot and should not protect our kids from REAL life. Thanks for the eloquent reminder!

I thought this was a wonderful book and so did my 4 yr old daughter. She picked it out first. I was afraid that it might be a little advanced for her but she loved it. I thought the artwork was beautiful. Em and I would highly recommend this for your library.

This story is about a girl named Dora, and the nice looking witch who granted her parents a wish. The parents were given a box and they put into it everything they did not want Dora to be afraid of. A humorous folklore fantasy adventure containing excellent color illustrations. Will be an excellent book for K through the 6th grade.

I and my 4 and 7 year old children loved this book. I am psychologist and am interested in tales that show how life is the richer when pain is accepted rather than avoided. I loved the message and the illustrations are warm and beautiful.

The book is in good condition but the shipping is too bad. O have to wait 2 weeks for it

This book provides a clear and wonderfully interesting intro to geology. It is one of the best intro texts out there!

This books serves as an excellent introduction to geology and earth sciences. It is extremely well written and explains difficult concepts well. Because it is written as a college textbook the examples and analogies given are drawn from common experience that are easy to understand.
Among the best part of the book are the illustrations which are beautiful to look at and supplement the text expertly, again reinforcing concepts.
I appreciated the way the author has integrated the broad theory of plate tectonics throughout all sections of the book. In particular he has expertly woven the theory of plate tectonics into the history of the earth's evolution and how that in turn has led to the evolution of life.
This book is a great introduction for college students and for the educated layman looking to better appreciate and understand this wonderful place we call earth.

This book is indeed the best introduction to geology you can ever get. It has the most fundamental knowlegde and at the same time it includes a higher level. So it is for all people with an interest in geology. If you are a student and even if you are a normal person with great interest this book will become your favorite. It combins beautyful pictures with nice drawings and great text. It gives a good picture of what it is like to be a geologist and what the work includes.
Simply: you get the best of geology!! Injoy:o)

The sub-title 'Portrait of a Planet' gives you some idea of what this book is all about. It is almost a coffee table picture book, filled with photographs of the earth. Yet at the same time its first edition became the text book of choice at over 300 colleges and universities around the world.

This is the brand new second edition. The new edition has taken comments about the previous edition, integrated them with the results of recent discoveries and more examples, photographs, art work, and text to make the second edition even better. Each chapter of the first edition was sent to an expert reviewer (a world leader on that particular subject) for comment.

The biggest change in the new edition is to stress plate tectonics earlier and stronger to provide the underlying theory that covers most of current geologic thinking.

I also like his explanation of the oil situation. He looks at alternatives and points out that we may well be living in a unique time of history.

THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE STONE-CAMPBELL MOVEMENT is a massive volume on the people, events, theology, and churches involved in the Restoration Movement. The work covers nearly every facet of the movement from the beginnings with Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone to the various sects in the Restoration Movement such as the United Church of Christ, the mainline Churches of Christ, the International Churches of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and many more.

This work is an encyclopedia and thus is a reference book than a book you would enjoy reading from cover to cover in your bed at night. However, I found the articles to be interesting. Each subject is in its alphebetical order and I found the bibliography to be very helpful indeed. The writers are fair and balanced on each subject written. There were a few flaws I found with the work in that it couldn't cover every person I felt they could have nonetheless the authors are to be commended for their labours.

Overall this is a solid work. Those interested in reading on the Restoration Movement as a whole or simply want to know where the Movement stands on various theological issues will find this book very helpful. A good read for disciples of Christ.

This reference is a must have for anyone interested in the American Reformation (Restoration) Movement of the 19th century, involving Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone, Walter Scott, et al. The churches which sprung from this movement are generally called "Church of Christ", "Christian Church", or "Disciples of Christ". The entries are thorough, understandable and well referenced, yet they don't overkill. Covers a broad range of related topics and people.

Unique, thorough, and well-written reference by distinguished scholars among Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Churches of Christ, and Christian Churches/Independent. Edited by three scholars, each of whom represents one of the groups--but edited collaboratively. Thumb-throughable, easy to read. Includes not just the obvious--places, people, institutions--but also well-written entries on beliefs, biblical interpretation, history. A great resource for anyone interested in the beliefs, polity, and history of the three branches of the Stone-Campbell movement.

Articles are brief in some cases and all can be read by a lay person. I recommend this collection of history of a denomination. It also has photos where possible.

The Churches of Christ, Christian Church and Disciples of Christ, ironically enough, all trace their origins back to the nineteenth century Christian reform and unity movement led by former Presbyterians Barton Warren Stone and the father and son team Thomas and Alexander Campbell. Known as the Stone-Campbell Movement, this tradition has a long and vaunted history, not just in the US, but around the world.

At last, a comprehensive, well-written, and readable encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Reformation is available. Long needed, this volume more than adequately meets its goal. The volume is edited by well-known, respected scholars of all three of the major branches of the Movement and written by scholars from within each of the segments, and contains a wealth of material on people, places and subjects relating to the Stone-Campbell Reformation.

Among the subjects, places and people treated are: Alexander and Thomas Campbell, Barton Stone, TB Larimore, FD Kershner, Moses Lard, Daniel Sommer, FD Srygley, Marshal Keeble, KC Moser; Silena Moore Holman; Foy Wallace, Jr.; RN Hogan; Caroline Neveille Pearre; a historical time-line for all three branches of the Movement; the historical attitudes towards restoration in the three branches of the Movement; historical attitudes toward women in the ministry among the three branches; women ministers such as Mary Stodgill and Jessie Colman Monser; attitudes on abortion and women's rights; attitudes on gay/lesbian rights in the Movement; Rice Haggard's influence on the Movement; the Scottish Haldanes and their influence on the thought of Campbell; the International Churches of Christ (Boston); the views on higher education among the three branches; colleges and universities of all three branches; founders of splinter movements and heresies such as Jesse Ferguson and John Thomas; the Movement's attitudes towards Shakers and Mormons; the Movemrent's attitude towards slavery and civil rights; Latino Disciples of Christ; missionary societies; Campbellian and Stoneite communion theology and eschatology; the Declaration and Address; the Stone-Campbell Movement in Great Britain, Russia, Australia and Canada; Hall L. Calhoun; David Oliphant; the Cane Ridge Revial's influence on Barton Stone; publishing houses of the three branches of the Movement; brotherhhod periodicals in the three branches; historical attitudes to missions and a history of missions; the movement's historical attitude towards creeds and confessions; devotional literature; Don DeWelt; etc.

In short, the volume contains articles on practically every facet of the churches comprising the Stone-Campbell Movement.

There are however, some seemingly glaring omissions; for example, from the Church of Christ branch alone one does not find articles on JN Armstrong; Yater Tant; the American Bible Union; or Thomas B. Warren and the Spiritual Sword. One choice made by the editors was to restrict articles only to deceased persons in order to avoid any kind of controversy. The reviewer is aware, however, that editorial choices must be made and are often difficult. Omissions are simply unavoidable.

Among other things, this volume adequately succeeds in pointing out just how diverse the traditions and churches comprising the Stone-Campbell Movement truly are.

All-in-all, the volume is a must-read for serious students of the Stone-Campbell Movement and mainstream American Protestantism in general. Eerdmans is to be commended for publishing such a work, and the editors and contributors commended for their herculean efforts at producing it. It should long serve its goal.

One scholar once called Plotinus 'The most brilliant and original Philosopher after Plato.' While one could also perhaps give that same title to Aristotle or another Philosopher (i.e. Epicurus reached similar speculative heights but in materialism rather than the spiritual side of philosophy), it must be acknowledged that Plotinus is one of the world's most brilliant spiritual teachers, mystics and philosophers, all in one man.

Plotinus was taught by a fellow called Ammonius Saccas, the same man who taught the outstanding Christian Philosopher Origen. Plotinus found Saccas at the age of 26 (so his biographer Porphyry tells us) and proclaimed 'this is the man I have been looking for!' Plotinus is also said to have remarked about not wanting to have his portrait painted because he was in a material body, and telling his students 'to unite the divine in you with the Divine in the universe.'

By the accounts we have Plotinus was a very gentle, intelligent and humble man, probably from the Aristocratic class. While highly virtuous and shunning material wealth, he had many aristocratic friends and also looked after the raising of children and orphans.

Plotinus was a Platonist through and through, regarding all of Plato's works essentially as divinely inspired truth about both the visible and invisible realms of reality. However, Plotinus was also very much in his own right, an original speculative philosopher and mystic of immense creative power. Plotinus was also deeply rational, and was averse to any kind of fanatical adherence to religious beliefs or claims salvation was found by irrational means, such as by magic, divination or worshipping a saviour figure. Plotinus looked sympathetically upon such practices for those who needed the emotional in religion, but for Plotinus, the main goal was to find and unite with the Absolute in so far as it was possible in this mortal body.

Plotinus's cooly rational system is extremely abstract and difficult to fathom. A.H. Armstrong's translation is the best I've seen in English, but even so Plotinus does not write well stylistically and often repeats himself or goes on long digressions over the same point when he doesn't need to. But even so, Plotinus has immense and profound insight into both himself and the Absolute, rarely matched anywhere in the world's mystical or religious literature.

To summarise, the aim and goal of man on Earth is to unite with the highest reality which exists, which Plotinus calls 'The One.' The One is the source of all being, life, and existence, and the creator of the universe, however at the same time it is so transcendant we can't say what it is, only what it isn't. Plotinus identifies the One with the Good and the Beautiful as it occurs in Plato's works, and also says it is unlimited, infinite, and beyond being.

From the One comes the Soul, and from Soul comes Nous or Intellect. From this triad everything in existence rests, comes into being, and returns in a grand procession which never ends.

Despite the fact the One is essentially incomprehensible and ineffable and there is really no way we can rationally understand it as it is, Plotinus believed union with the Absolute was possible by looking within the Self. For Plotinus, this marvelous 'vision', which is the highest happiness to be held in this life, happened four times in his life and references to this estatic mystical experience occur throughout the Enneads. The ascent to the highest reality occurs by looking in oneself once the philosopher has 'purified' himself through the practice of virtue, or by contemplation of the Forms. All help in the ascent to the highest, the One itself.

Plotinus's brilliant mystical philosophy is not only a work of genius in itself, but also had an immense impact on Christianity, Judaism and Islam. St Augustine and many other Church fathers were very deeply influenced by his mysticism, and adopted many elements of Plotinus in their own theological and mystical systems. Plotinus also influenced Islam through the so called 'Book of Causes', attributed to Aristotle, but which in fact was a mixture of the Enneads and Proclus (another Neo-Platonist) in Arabic, especially in Sufi mystical thought.

Today in our age, when the spiritual seems to have less relevance because so much can be explained by material causes, laws and forces through the application of Science, Plotinus can at times seem to be an archaic remnant of an age where irrational belief in magic and the unseen held a superstitious hold over the mind of humans. But, if one tries to read Plotinus not as a master of science but of the spirit, then his striking genius radiates from every page.

Any seeker should try to read and understand Plotinus and listen to what this calm and sagely philosopher has to say.

This Loeb Classical Library edition of the works of Plotinus is in seven volumes. The titles are as follows:

Plotinus I: Porphyry on Plotinus, Ennead I (Loeb Classical Library, 440)

Plotinus II: Ennead II (Loeb Classical Library, 441)

Plotinus III: Ennead III (Loeb Classical Library, 442)

Plotinus IV: Ennead IV (Loeb Classical Library, 443)

Plotinus V: Ennead V (Loeb Classical Library, 444)

Plotinus VI: Ennead VI, Books 1-5 (Loeb Classical Library, 445)

Plotinus VII: Ennead VI, Books 6-9 (Loeb Classical Library, 468)

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Below is the combined table of contents for those volumes:

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME I:

Preface (editors)

Sigla (editors)

On the Life of Plotinus and the Order of his Books (Porphyry)

Ennead I:

1. What is the Living Being, and What is Man? (53)

2. On Virtues (19)

3. On Dialectic (20)

4. On Well-being (46)

5. On Whether Well-being Increases with Time (36)

6. On Beauty (1)

7. On the Primal Good and the Other Goods (54)

8. On What Are and Whence Come Evils (51)

9. On Going Out of the Body (16)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME II:

Sigla (editors)

Ennead II:

1. On Heaven (40)

2. On the Movement of Heaven (14)

3. On Whether the Stars are Causes (52)

4. On Matter (12)

5. On What Exists Actually and What Potentially (25)

6. On Substance, or On Quality (17)

7. On Complete Transfusion (37)

8. On Sight, or How Distant Objects Appear Small (35)

9. Against the Gnostics (33)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME III:

Sigla (editors)

Ennead III:

1. On Destiny (3)

2. On Providence I (47)

3. On Providence II (48)

4. On Our Allotted Guardian Spirit (15)

5. On Love (50)

6. On the Impassibility of Things without Body (26)

7. On Eternity and Time (45)

8. On Nature and Contemplation and the One (30)

9. Various Considerations (13)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME IV:

Preface to the Loeb Plotinus IV-V (A. H. Armstrong)

Sigla (editors)

Ennead IV:

1. [2] On the Essence of the Soul I (4)

2. [1] On the Essence of the Soul II (21)

3. On Difficulties About of the Soul I (27)

4. On Difficulties About of the Soul I (28)

5. On Difficulties About of the Soul III, Or On Sight (29)

6. On Sense Perception and Memory (41)

7. On the Immortality of the Soul (2)

8. On the Descent of the Soul into Bodies (6)

9. If All Souls are One (8)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME V:

Preface to the Loeb Plotinus IV-V (A. H. Armstrong)

Sigla (editors)

Ennead V:

1. On the Three Primary Hypostases (10)

2. On the Origin and Order of the Beings Which Come After the First (11)

3. On the Knowing Hypostases and That Which is Beyond (49)

4. How That Which is After the First Comes From the First, And on the One (7)

5. That the Intelligibles are not Outside the Intellect, and on the Good (32)

6. On the Fact that that Which is Beyond Being does not Think, and on What is the Primary and What the Secondary Thinking Principle (24)

7. On the Question Whether there are Ideas of Particular Things (18)

8. On the Intelligible Beauty (31)

9. On Intellect, the Forms, and Being (5)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME VI:

Preface to the Loeb Plotinus VI, VII (A. H. Armstrong)

Sigla (editors)

Ennead VI (continued in volume VII):

1. On the Kinds of Being I (42)

2. On the Kinds of Being II (43)

3. On the Kinds of Being III (44)

4. On the Presence of Being, One and the Same, Everywhere as a Whole I (22)

5. On the Presence of Being, One and the Same, Everywhere as a Whole II (23)

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR VOLUME VII:

Preface to the Loeb Plotinus VI, VII (A. H. Armstrong)

Sigla (editors)

Ennead VI (continued from volume VI):

6. On Numbers (34)

7. How the Multitude of Forms Came into Being, and on the Good (38)

8. On Free Will and the Will of the One (39)

9. On the Good or the One (9)

The numbers in parentheses indicate Plotinus' order of composition, which differs from the order given them by Porphyry and which this edition follows.

The bracketed numbers for the first two chapters of Ennead IV are an alternate ordering for them.

As is typical for the Loeb classical library books, the volumes are physically small, and the original text (Greek, for Plotinus) is given on the left hand page, with the English translation on the right.

The Preface describes the historical context within which Plotinus wrote, offers a summary of this thought, and a survey of Plotinus translations, commentaries, and studies. This material is supplemented by short introductions and synopses at the start of each chapter, and by abundant and detailed footnotes. The footnotes explain translation difficulties (not uncommon with Plotinus), and also identify the sources of Plotinus' references to other writers. These materials are excellent.

The only thing that this edition lacks is an index. The editors plead the difficulty of indexing Plotinus, and recommend "Lexicon Plotinianum" by J. H. Sleeman and Gilbert Pollet as an alternative. This work is, however, out of print (is it even in English? I am not sure) so it is not a very helpful suggestion. As it is, given Plotinus' rather scattered way of writing, an index is missed.

The Enneads are a collection of Plotinus' writings from fairly late in his life. Porphyry, his student, encouraged him in writing down his teachings, and acted as his posthumous editor (he also wrote a short biography of Plotinus which is included in the first volume). The works as they exist today are as they were received from Porphyry. As editor, Porphyry created his own organization for the works based on subject matter. This order is completely different from the order in which Plotinus wrote them. Porphyry, however, did document the original ordering.

From my own experience, however, I would recommend strongly reading Plotinus' writings in the order Plotinus wrote them rather than the order in which Porphyry arranged them. The major advantage I found was that it was much easier to follow the reasons why Plotinus believed what he did, even if the subject matter does jump around a bit. I tried Porphyry's order first, and almost gave up in despair before trying again in Plotinus' order. I have come to the conclusion that much of Plotinus' reputation as a bad writer is due to unfortunate but well-intended editorial decisions by Porphyry. Given that the Loeb edition presents Plotinus' writings in Porphyry's order, and that the Loeb edition is in multiple volumes, reading Plotinus this way does have a certain entertaining quality as well (first get volume IV, read a treatise, then get volume VI, read another, then get volume I, read another, and so on).

An important recommendation I would make for the reader is that he be properly prepared in his background reading. All of Aristotle and all of Plato would be ideal (as well as a worthwhile activity in its own right), but if the would-be reader of Plotinus finds that a little daunting and wants to get started sooner, there are still a few works that he should make a particular effort to read: Plato's "Phaedo", "Republic" (Books VI, VII), "Parmenides", and "Timaeus"; Aristotle's "Physics", "On the Heavens", "On the Soul", and "Metaphysics". Plato, as the earlier writer, should be read first (by the way - don't be discouraged when you find you don't understand the second half of "Parmenides", Plotinus is going to tell you what he thinks it means in due course, so all you need to do is understand the references). If you don't have Plato or Aristotle, for Plato, Cooper's "Plato: Complete Works" (in one volume), and for Aristotle, Barnes' "Complete Works of Aristotle" (in two volumes), are excellent.

Plotinus' logic is second to none. I personally found more from reading Plotinus than from 6 years in college. the Emanationism as illuminated by Plotinus is the only philosophically logical description of the cosmos, opposite to both creationism and Nihilism/athiesm, as well as opposed to Pantheism and Gnosticism, the philosophy of Plotinus is pithy, intense and has NO EQUAL in intelligence and breadth, period.

Having myself many 1000s of books on philosophy and as an translator of ancient pali philosophical texts, I must say i find that most of which I have read in life to be utter trash, or worthless at best, save for Plotinus.

I personally find the Enneads of Plotinus to be my "Bible", his concise and laser-like accuracy to logic and emphasis of "Union with the One" to be the Paramount of metaphysical writtings.

Its unfortunate that so many Christians seek 'God-talk' in the works of Plotinus, when in fact there are none, for Plotinus, an Emanationist who speaks of the insentient Absolute, the Divine, is utterly opposed to a sentient self-aware Creationistic GOD who holds the fate of mankind in his hand.

Its absolutely unreal that Plotinus' works are so unknown, by and large, having read from all the Presocratics, and other Neoplatonists, and Plato and the rest, none approach the intelligent and insight that Plotinus reaches in the Enneads.

A.H. Armstrongs translation is the best available, the work by Mr. Steven MacKenna is poor at best, and that of T. Taylor is incomplete and far too lose.

I cherish this 7 Vol. translation with the Greek more than any other set of works, the metaphysical emphasis of wisdom and Union (EPISTROPHE) with the One in this collection is the best of its kind which exists. Buy this collection and youll never regret it.

While Plotinus has always had his devotees -(Neo-)Platonism has received a heavy bashing in our times, chiefly a legacy of Nietzsche's and Heidegger's strictures. According to them, it was all something of a mistake.

However, the fact remains that 'Platonism' of a certain sort has to be thanked for some of the most inspired - and inspiring elements of Western culture. Meister Eckhart - for instance, who has certainly been back on the map - is an heir to the Platonist tradition. Nietzsche's view of the Renaissance as a kind of 'inversion' of Platonist thought was entirely mistaken. People like Ficino and members of the Florentine Academy were ardent students of Platonism - especially as re-stated by Plotinus.

Walk round any classic Italian city - and the beauty you see is very much a legacy of Neo-Platonism. It isn't - and wasn't, the 'dead' claptrap Nietzsche and Heidegger spoke of. One upshot of the contemporary disdain for 'traditional' Western philosophy is to look at 'Oriental' teachings. That is a fine and meaningful enterprise. Yet Meister Eckhart - highly infuenced by Platonism, is frequently cited as a Western 'thinker' who is in tune with 'Oriental' thought.

Read Plotinus carefully, and you'll be in for some pleasant surprises. He hints about a process called 'henosis' - becoming 'one'd' with the action of the divine energeia. For him, this was not just something inside the cranium, but an actual experience - like a Zen 'satori.' We are no longer accustomed to the kind of terms and language employed by Plotinus, but the effort to recapture his terms of thinking
brings all sorts of precious intuitions. The most dualistic elements of the Western tradition are relatively recent - a legacy of Cartesian philosophy, modern rationalism and the Industrial Revolution.

It is nothing more than a shallow generalisation to 'lump' all the bad elements of Western philosophy together - as a legacy of Platonism. There is much sublimity and beauty in it, and you will find both in good measure - if you digest the writings of Plotinus.