5 comments about Moses Great Lives Series: Volume 4.

1. Swindoll has done a great job in this series putting YOU in the the sandals of heroes. You may start asking yourself ... "What would Moses Do". I started encouraging Moses ... "Think it through Moses!"; "Moses!, what are you thinking!" as he bumbles along like me. God's Grace prevails. Good bedtime reading.



2. Swindoll takes references to Moses from both the Old and New Testaments and weaves them together with observations and reflections into a relational, nonacademic read that gives the reader a grip on not just what Moses did, but on who Moses was as a person--and how he became that person by God's grooming. Through his conversational, anecdotal style, Swindoll invites the reader to personally take note of and apply divine principles as fleshed out by Moses--for ex, total surrender to God's will and timing, enablement for service, challenges of opposition from without and within, standing alone with God, passing on the baton, etc.



3. I have both this book and his study guide on Moses. I found these books to be instructional to me because God uses hard times of the school of experience to teach us things.
   "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?" (Heb. 12:7, NIV)
   Further Paul says:
   "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest in righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." (Heb. 12:11, NIV)
   Moses was miraculously delivered from a genocide against the male Hebrew babies living in Egypt when they were slaves. Moses exprienced the best of Egyptian life as he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter.
   But when Moses had felt sympathy for a fellow Hebrew who was being beaten by the cruel Egyptain slavedriver, he killed the man: and in so doing this the act backfired on him. He must have thought he was causing a revolution against the Egyptians, but instead found himself running for his life out of the country.
   He was reduced to working as a shepherd in Midian. He married the priest's daughter and worked as a shepherd for him for 40 years!@
   "Can you believe it? A man with advanced knowledge in hieroglyphics, science, literature, and military tactics was now eking out his existence on the backside of the desert, living with his father-in-law, raising a couple of boys and watching over little flocks of sheep."
   There were groupings of 40 year periods of time in Moses'life-40 years in the Pharahoah's household, 40 years "living on the lam" in Midian and his 40 years leading the Hebrews throuth the desert to the land of Canann in the Exodus.
   God wished to humble Moses, a former murderer and fugitive so as to make him into a suitable vessel or conduit of God's miraculous power which he would used in his confrontations with the Pharaoh and during the Exodus.
   God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and sent him to his people and to the Pharaoh with the ultimatum LET MY PEOPLE GO! God worked mighty miracles through Moses and his brother Aaron to make the Pharaoh obey God. What I did notice was how at first the Pharaoh was conviced to obey God's command. Yet God himself with harden the Pharaoh's heart (make it hostile towards God and Moses again_ so that God had more moral justification to inflict more damage on Egypt. God had "stacked the deck" with Pharaoh, so to speak. Finally, it took the Destroying Angel killing all the firstborn of Egypt to make Pharaoh let his people go.
   The last thing I found of interest in Chuck's study of the life of Moses was that when the Hebrews rebelled against God that God simply wanted to wipe them out and make Moses the new father of Israel. Then at Midian when Moses stuck the rock to make water gush from it instead of speaking to it, Moses disobeyed God and lost his right to enter Canaan. I think if I were in Moses' shoes I think I would have just let God wipe the whole ungrateful nation out!
   Moses was the greatest prophet of the Bible, short of Jesus Christ, of couse.
   What I like about some Chuck Swindol books is that you realize that the heroes of the Bible are some rough men who are at odds with society at times. Some have been to prison for their beliefs, too. Some have been executed for what they stood for. Some of the churches and teachings I have heard from some, make me think that the church in the suburbs is like some postive-thinking suburban girl's finishing school! That is sooo-unbiblical!



4. Mother Theresa of Calcutta used that phrase to describe her work. Moses was a reflection of that statement.
   
   You cannot outwit God. Herod tried to kill all the toddlers but Moses was saved by a warning in a dream. The Court of Egypt banished him into the desert but he returned to set the Israelites free. Pharoah's magicians tried to avert the 10 plagues but God's will won.
   
   Moses was a pencil in the writing of Exodus. Christianity and Islam both acknowledge him for the great mission he played.
   
   I agree with another reviewer, Michael Taylor, on whom God uses and why. God will use anyone and anything in his Divine plan.



5. Chuck Swindoll beautifully brings Moses to life. One has a common picture of Moses in the "10 Commandments" by Cecil Demille in their minds. Through this book, one will truly begin to see why Moses is listed in Hebrews in the "Hall of Faith Hereos."

5 comments about How to Hepburn: Lessons on Living from Kate the Great.

1. I must admit I'm still a few pages away from finishing the book, but I had to write to say that I'm loving every page of it. It seems to read part biography, part love letter from a devoted fan, and part amazing graduate thesis in the way each part of Kate's life is analyzed and seen from a feminist's point of view. I so thoroughly enjoyed Karbo's personal comments, and at times comedic footnotes, that I think the author should take the book on the road and do a one woman homage stand up performance of it. If she did, I would be the first in line to offer any help on it in any way. The only reason I couldn't give 5 stars is the lack of any photos that is a must have for Hepburn fans like me, and the fact that it was too short, as I trust I will be sad to come to the ending. Thank you Karen Karbo for a fascinating new look at our never-to-be forgotten Katherine, as well as ourselves.



2. As I was looking at the biographies section of my local independent bookstore, I noticed this compact book snuggled between much larger books about two screen icons who share the same last name, Audrey and Katharine Hepburn. Given the provocative title, I wanted to venture a guess as to which Hepburn the author was talking about since both women have inspired various levels of imitation and adoration even after their respective deaths. As I suspected, the book turns out to be about Kate on the not-so-coincidental occasion of her centenary. However, author Karen Karbo is not really examining the legendary actress's life in detail but rather taking a more cursory look at the cues in her life and memorable quotes that helped shape her enduring persona. Hepburn obviously lived life on her own terms, and Karbo sets out to define what the guiding principles were behind the actress's 93-year-old life.
   
   Toward that end, the author does a reasonably entertaining job of presenting the Hepburn philosophy, steeped as it is in self-mythologizing, but there is nothing revelatory here that would surprise fans. It's common knowledge that the woman was a difficult personality with a wealth of idiosyncrasies. At the same time, she continues to be a beloved icon for her unmovable sense of self and her non-conformist mindset just as much for her enduring career. Karbo's treatment reads a bit like a manifesto, which I'm sure is intentional, but without the cumulative context of Hepburn's life events, there is a lack of resonance to the life lessons presented. Several comprehensive biographies on the market offer theories on her life, though none more accurately encapsulates her philosophy than the subject herself in Me : Stories of My Life. Even better is the two-part 1973 interview Dick Cavett conducted with a 66-year-old Hepburn (mentioned briefly in the book and available on the first disc of The Dick Cavett Show - Hollywood Greats). With her crackling persona in full bloom, the legend threatens to make Cavett into a whipping boy with her unapologetic honesty and lacerating wit. That will give you a more vivid impression of Hepburn's outlook on life than this book really can.



3. Anyone knowing anything about Katherine Hepburn knows, despite film roles and a public persona, that she was in a groveling and servile relationship with Spencer Tracy, the love of her life. No feminist would want to copy her.



4. I'm a woman who loves movies, loves Katharine Hepburn, and loves self-help wisdom. So when I picked up How to Hepburn, all 3 of these antennae were waving. I was taken by the Dick Cavett epigram on the very first page hinting at "some secret" of Hepburn's that made her so successful and content, and found myself in that greedy, plundering mode of reading where you look for something that can benefit YOU. I kept finding absolute gems. The first chapter, for example, is called The Importance of Being Brash, and right away you get what Karbo's doing: entertaining us with inside stories about and insights into Hepburn but also genuinely extracting important ideas for all of us. Hepburn started wearing pants and outraging people in grade school when girls and women in pants were unheard-of, and never stopped; she was the first girl to wear pants to class at Bryn Mawr, and in fact "they became her trademark... her baggies were so raggedy she held them up with safety pins, a style that, when combined with Hepburn's devotion to the pursuit of fun (smoking; skinny-dipping in the library fountain; breaking and entering), could best be described as Hobo Flapper." This really makes me want to cut loose. Maybe I will get some black jeans and wear kohl on my eyes like that boy I saw the other day in the museum.
   
   One of my favorite chapters is Fear Management, the Hepburn Way, mainly because it reveals that Hepburn's seeming fearlessness masked horrible stage fright. This is great news. Katherine Hepburn had stage fright? And went and did all that theater acting anyway? What Karbo says is "The flinty truth is that mostly things get worse, including our fears. Solace is found in acclimation: we may not overcome our terror, but we get used to the sensation of being terrified." This is a wonderful nugget that is not unfamiliar to those of us familiar with cognitive-behavioral therapy.
   
   Like Hepburn herself, this book defies categorization. It is bracing and thoughtful and a lot of fun. It's... well, it's inspiring. It would make a great birthday present for a woman of any age.



5. I looked forward to reading this book, largely because I am such a Hepburn fan. However, I was deeply disappointed. Ms. Karbo is a wonderful, breezy writer. However, the lessons in this book aren't much more than her personal opinions backed up by Hepburn anecdotes. While it's clear Ms. Karbo admires Kate Hepburn, I was not inspired nor enlightened by the material. If you are interested in learning about the actress, I suggest one of the other biographies. If you are interested in life lessons, I suggest a different book.

5 comments about Van Gogh (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists).

1. Well, we should not have been surprised that Vincent Van Gogh presents a challenge to Mike Venezia, because the tragic life of this particular artist does not especially lend itself to the cartoons that Venezia includes in his Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series. On the one hand we are talking about one of the most famous artists of all time, whose paintings now sell for millions and millions of dollars. But on the other hand we have a man who suffered severe emotional problems, cut off his ear, and ended up committing suicide. To be fair, Van Gogh was the epitome of the starving artist, and while none of the cartoons in the book goes too far, the one on the back of Venezia's self-portrait with a paper-cut is over the line given that this is a book for children.

   The strength of the book is that Venezia does one of his best jobs of explaining the unique style of the artist with his look at Van Gogh. It is ironic that in a book where the subject presents such problems, Venezia provides ten cartoons in the book, which might be the most I have seen in any of his volumes to date (there are 22 paintings and drawings by Van Gogh). Certainly the cartoons do not reflect the tone of the text, which deals with Van Gogh's problems in a straight-forward manner. But given the fate of the artist, it is hard to find them totally appropriate. Again, to be fair, this is Venezia's format and we could not expect him to abandon it and perhaps he was trying to provide a counterbalance to Van Gogh's self-destructive impulses. Certainly parents should check this one out and make a judgment for their own children, and teachers should do the same thing for their students. A good alternative text, although written for a slightly older audience, is "What Makes a Van Gogh a Van Gogh" put out by The Metropolitan Museum of Art.




2. This book offered a great resource for my classroom. There is a lot to read about his life and history so I would definitely not use it as a read-aloud. I do however, use this book to point out significant events in his life. The illustrations are light and add humor to an otherwise depressing life. They bring the artist to life and that makes it easier for my students to relate to and it keeps up their interest. Informative and enjoyable, this book is a must have for teachers.



3. My 6 year old liked the paintings in the book and while the book did a decent job of covering the basics, I knew enough to fill in the blanks with what I know about the artist. We also went online and researched some of his life and art. It was simple and to the point and since my child is 6 years old, I woudl say this book would be good for her age group and up.



4. these are a wonderful set of books for children to read to themselves, they are well researched and written. as an art teacher for pre-schoolers I found some of the information too negative, too personal and I really dislike the cartoons, it is too easy for children to focus on those and it detract from the artwork. Still I am glad I bought this one and will buy more, just maybe not to show my students, but to get ideas for teaching to kids.



5. I loved the fact that there is a children's book out there that contained all of my favorite works by Van Gogh, with text to support it, which can be read by my 7 year old. I don't know, perhaps I'm overprotective, but I didn't think one of the cartoons, showing a stick figure of "Mr. Van Gogh" in a NOOSE was appropriate for my son! (The context was that his students drew it....still, inappropriate! If a student would draw that on any chalkboard in any school district, they would probably be expelled!) I am planning on saving this book, for when he is older, and am looking for a replacement van gogh book for now, with only prints of his masterpieces!

5 comments about MemoraBEALEia: A Private Scrapbook About Edie Beale of Grey Gardens First Cousin To First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

1. Reading about a years long relationship through letters and conversations is a very good way to get to know someone. Edith Beale and Walter Newkirk clearly had a special friendship that continued through her last years. The photos and insight gave me a special appreciation for her personality. A good read.



2. Loved it! A very interesting memoir for any Grey Gardens fan. The watercolor illustrations are beautiful, I would love to be able to purchase a print of one. As any GG fan has realized, anyone who knew Edie loved her. Walter, so glad you did not sell her letters on ebay! A wonderful book.



3. I was pleased to discover that Edie's Miami Beach apartment was in a luxury complex (Harbour House) right on the beach! These condos are selling for around half a million dollars! Her condo had a large pool and the beach just beyond-it looks like it was perfect for grabbing "a couple days on the beach". Also fun was to see Edie all decked out in New York city after her move there and all manner of tidbits that fans will enjoy. It looks as though Edie lived the good life after Grey Gardens (did Jackie help?) Thanks for the book Walter!



4. i just loved Memorabealeia,it was nice to get another glimpse of the fabulous Little Edie



5. WORTH WAITING FOR. CHUCKED FULL OF NEW PICTURES AND TIDBITS THAT WE NEVER READ BEFORE. THE PICTURES OF THE ACTUALL LETTERS HAND WRITTEN BY LITTLE EDIE WERE JUST A WONDERFUL SURPRISE AND DELIGHT. IF YOU ARE A GREY GARDENS FAN, OR FANATIC LIKE ME YOU MUST OWN THIS WONDERFUL TREASURE. SCRAPBOOK IS THE PERFECT WORD. THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT SO UNIQUE AND INTERESTING.

5 comments about Lost in Translation: A Life in a New Language.

1. As a senior Literature major, there are many things I am required to read that make my college experience rather painful. This book, however, was not only relevant to the class I was taking but was also the most intriguing book I have read in years, maybe ever. Eva Hoffman's memoir is beautifully written and constructed, and is a must-read for anyone who appreciates great literature.



2. I loved this book when it came out and I love it still many rereadings later. This portrait of the Wandering Jew as a young girl begins with Hoffman's childhood in Cracow, Poland just after the second world war; moves to Vancouver, British Columbia when she is thirteen; continues on to Texas and Massachusetts for her university years; and ends in New York, where she becomes a writer and an editor at the New York Times Book Review. It encompasses many themes: the defining power of language; the cost of changing cultures, the construction of personal identity, and the consequences, for many Jews, of the Nazi and Communist regimes. Hoffman was born in the summer of 1945. Like many Jews in post-war, Soviet-controlled Eastern Europe, the Hoffmans observed Passover and had home-baked challah, on shabbat but Eva was culturally Polish, reading Sienkiewicz's nationalistic novels, playing Chopin etudes, attending church with her friends, receiving gifts on St. Nicholas's Day. After emigration, she adapts to North American culture, first Canadian, then Texan, then New York. This is a memoir squarely in the Jewish immigrant tradition but one in which the immigrant is a graduate student at Harvard, and relates her situation not only to Mary Antin but to contexts laid out by Sartre and Nabokov, Jung and Freud. Lost in Translation contains stories and essays, phrases to ruminate on, ideas to consider. It is a demanding read that challenges its reader to consider her own autobiography, her own childhood, her own assumptions. Having compiled an international bibliography of Jewish women's non-fiction books with poet Irena Klepfisz (available on my website) , I can say this is one of my favorites.



3. I started reading this wonderful book 6 months before I left Brazil towards Israel. After finishing the first Part (Paradise) I just could not keep on reading, and I abandoned the book for a while. After I landed in Israel I re-took the book and was delighted again with the realness of it. A thought occurred to me that the reading was so descriptive of the immigration sentiment that I just could not understand it before immigrating myself.
   
   The book helped me to understand and to organize the infinite sensations that come with the leaving/arriving to another country. How the language affects the way we think and act, how sadness and happiness are mingled into one strange feeling, how we cope and forget without noticing, and how we urge to succeed and prove that we can be part of the new country.
   
   In addition, the book also brought to me new feelings and curiosities about my grandparents, whom also escaped from Poland and Russia in the late 40's. Hoffman describes so well how the old traditions and languages influenced the new live of those who left their country because of prejudice and persecution!
   
   One passage that I am specially fond of: "No, I'm no patriot, nor was I ever allowed to be. And yet, the country of my childhood lives within me with a primacy that is a form of love. (...) All it has given me is the world, but that is enough. It has fed me language, perceptions, sounds, the human kind. It has given me the colors and the furrows of reality, my first loves. The absoluteness of those loves can never be recaptured: no geometry of the landscape, no haze in the air, will live in us as intensely as the landscapes that we saw as the first, and to which we gave ourselves wholly, without reservations." It reminds me of Wordsworth when he writes about Tintern Abbey.
   
   A wonderful life-changing book.



4. Hoffman's description of Poland in the Communist years following World War II is riveting, and so is her narrative of life in the U.S. following her arrival here at age 13. But what impresses me most about this book is its assured writing style, and the author's ability to skip back and forth from one decade and year to another without boring or losing the reader. Hoffman is an unusually gifted writer. I am using her text as a teaching tool for a would-be memoir/autobiographer. Thank heaven her parents survived the Holocaust and brought her to us.



5. A wonderful book on moving from one culture to another and one language to another--Polish to English. Anyone who has had this experience will immediately identify with the author. Eva Hoffman writes beautifully about every nuance of her family's move as a young teenager from Communist Poland to Canada. Cultures that are superficially similar turn out to be very different and the effect on family life is staggering.

5 comments about The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Go Get Pregnant.

1. I felt I had to respond after one person failed miserably in reading comprehension. First, in the beginning of the book Savage made the point and he and Terry had discussed infidelity and were committed enough to their relationship that that would not be enough to break them up. As to the claims about the birthmother being mentally ill, they took care to show that she wasn't. She was able to care for herself, make logical decisions and was sane enough to know that her chosen lifestyle made it impossible to be a good mother to her son, hence choosing adoption. And they didn't relocate to get away from her. They lived in Seattle and used an agency there. She was currently living in Portland, but since she regularly moved from city to city, it wasn't an issue. In fact, those who bother to read the whole thing will discover a chapter in which they flew to L.A. to meet with her after the birth and to allow the birthfather to see the baby. (And according to the legal agreement they signed, they can't keep her from seeing the kid a certain number of times a year, and Savage himself deplored the fact that some adoptive parents don't follow the signed agreements.) A lot of the other complaints seem based on the fact that the reviewer could not tell sarcastic humor from genuine sentiment. Savage is not a hearts&roses style writer. He's a hardcore cynic and likes making shocking jokes, like his fake birthmother letter in which he jests about having drug addicted friends babysit. For every time he made a joke about a baby as an expensive hobby, he also mentioned looking forward to being able to teach him to walk and talk and later watching his Little League games. Plenty of other writers have made similar jokes about their children - Erma Bombeck said she wanted to trade hers in for dogs, Bill Cosby has written about wanting to send his to jail for being annoying. It has nothing to do with how they actually parent - they're just trying for a laugh. Plus, if he really thought it was just a lark, would he and his boyfriend have gone through so much to adopt?
   
   This book has left me much more optomistic about gay adoption, but pessimistic as to the literacy of people on the internet.



2. This is an incredibly honest recounting of how the author and his boyfriend adopted a child. It was fascinating to read about "open adoption", at the time of the book only legal in three states, Washington, Oregon and New Mexico. This system is where the birth mother is allowed to choose the adopting couple and continues to visit the child after giving birth. Worried that no young mother would choose a gay couple, they still go through with the grueling application and review process and are rewarded by being the first couple in their orientation group to be picked. The mother is truly a fascinatingly real character and Savage does a wonderful job portraying her. The scene at the hospital when they finally take the baby is heart wrenching and the author beautifully explains how experiencing the mother's grief completely validates the open adoption approach. This simple book encompasses so much about the human condition it becomes a spiritual beacon of tolerance and compassion.



3. This is such a cute, humorous and honest story; a very entertaining and easy read.



4. I love adoption stories and after hearing Dan Savage on "This American Life" talk about the impact of TV on his young son I wanted to read this book. "The Kid" reminded me of Clara: The Early Years: The Story of the Pug Who Ruled My Life, in which the author relates the tale of adopting her son from Russia (despite the title). Adoption stories are often as long, complicated, and painful as stories of recovery from addiction. There is always a beginning of tenuous hope, a middle riddled with nagging fear, and finally, an end of joyful success which is only the beginning of a new life. Dan Savage writes with wonderful honesty and humor about an authenically scary life decision. His true talent as a writer shines forth in this book. It's a fun read and informative as well if you're planning to adopt.



5. The book was totally amusing - I found myself having to stop reading in several places to laugh out loud.
   
   Dan expressed so well the urge of all humans - gay and straight - to leave something of themselves behind in their children.
   
   For us straight people, it was a nice introduction to the world of gay people. Explaining the lifestyle - and how very much the same we all are.
   
   I'm very much looking forward to reading his other books now.

4 comments about Damaged.

1. Cathy Glass writes a powerful visual book which cannot fail to unleash a stream of emotions in the reader. The disturbing account of little Jodie's eight long suffering years filled me with despair, and more. The incompetence and short sightedness of the Social Services brought intense anger. But, thanks to her carer, Cathy, who introduces stability, structure and most of all love to this damaged child, made me realize there is always hope.
   This is a well written page turner.



2. If you know someone who doesn't believe child abuse exists, this is a great gift for that person.
   If you know someone who is a survivor this is a great book, if you want to understand true feelings, read it.



3. Very insightful story told by the foster parent point of view. I could not put the book down and finished reading it in two days. Anyone who works with children should read this, it is a story you will never forget. Thank you Cathy.



4. This book really made my heart bleed and pound out of angrier for this little girl. Cathy Glass is an amazing woman; she has a great powerful message for all adults who work with children. Try hard to get to know these children who seem to be troubled or are silent and sad. There is so much that can be missed if you don't spend enough time with them. We need more people like Cathy to make a difference. This is a must read book!

5 comments about JPS Hebrew-English Tanakh: Pocket Edition.

1. This is a lovely book... beuatifully put together, a pleasure to hold and read, and with a limpid English translation. I had never seen a Jewish version of the scriptures before and this is a revelation.
   Also, coming from Europe and buying this while on vacation in the US, I found the price amazingly low



2. All I suggest is this: If you have a difficult time reading very small text, DO NOT BUY THIS.
   Also, I was a bit put off by the bar-code printed in the inner cover.
   Other than that, this is a fine translation, the book is well made.



3. Type much too small for mature eyes. If you are price conscious and have good eyes--great deal



4. Best English Translation with almost flawless Hebrew and fits neatly into a big coat pocket.



5. This Tanach is just right for my purposes. It contains the Hebrew text and a Jewish translation into English. The Torah portion is divided up into the traditional Parshiot with running heads. I use it for reference when studying Talmud or other texts. It's compact enough to be portable, but set in clear and legible typefaces.

5 comments about Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey.

1. I loan this book, give copies as gifts, and read it at least once a year. Dr. Jane Goodall's life, from her days as a young British girl with a love of animals and nature to her present incarnation as a world-renowned conservationist, advocate for threatened and endangered animals - particularly primates - and UN Messenger of Peace, is exemplary. In Dr. Goodall's own words, "We have a choice to use the gift of our lives to make the world a better place." Through this book, we may learn how Dr. Goodall has done just that.



2. Jane Goodall is just a wise old soul...no matter what
   her age or yours. She brings good wisdom that is
   understandable and applicable for each one of us to
   be better stewards of the earth and ourselves.



3. I have read REASON FOR HOPE and find that Jane Goodall did an excellent job in describing her life in a way that gives reason for hope in life, especially in difficult times. I was very touched by her description of her relationship with her second husband, Derek, her life with him, and her feelings after his death. It brought back feelings I had after the death of my wife. Jane Goodall is an excellent humanist. Also, she merits the Nobel Peace Prize.



4. This is a very good book. It is a good description on the life of Jane Goodall. Very easy read.



5. I enjoyed Jane's conversational style and the vivid descriptions of the scenic landscapes which highlighted important spiritual moments and exciting discoveries in her life. A nice parallel forms between the scientific and the spiritual when she begins to makes her revolutionary behavioral studies on chimps in Gombe. What should strike any reader is the opportunity that Jane was able to access through hard work and determination. Jane was without a college degree when she began her work with the chimps supported by Dr. Leaky. It was her character that mattered. The book can ramble or become tedious but Janes work is clearly so brilliant as is her knowledge of philosophy and evolution that it kept me pasted. She forms a positive outlook based on the hope that humans will evolve morally before they destroy themselves and countless other life forms.

1 comments about The Pillow Book (Penguin Classics).

1. Relatively little is known about Sei Shonagon's life. We know she was a court lady in tenth-century Japan, at the pinnacle of the Heian period.
   
   And she left behind a glimpse into her culture's period in "The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon." It's a sort of mishmash memoir -- gossip, reflections, lists, and personal recollections are all mingled together, with a light, poetic delicacy that still is striking today.
   
   The story behind the Pillow Book is that when Shonagon (possible real name: Kiyohara Nagiko) was serving the Imperial Family, the Empress Teishi received a bunch of notebooks that she couldn't use. As they were too valuable to discard, she gave them to Shonagon to use as she chose.
   
   And so Shonagon basically poured her thoughts into her "Pillow Book" -- she offers brief reflections on the world around her, diary-like recollections of things that happen among the ladies in waiting, essays on court life, lists, poetry, and pretty much anything else she dreamed up.
   
   One of the most intriguing things about the Pillow Book is the glimpse into tenth-century Japan that it gives. Shonagon's stories are about little things like flutes, disobedient dogs, clothes, and the Empress's ladies betting on how long it would take a giant mound of snow to melt (no, I'm not kidding). Somehow, it leaves the past seeming a little less distant.
   
   Normally these stories would be curiosities only. But Shonagon -- despite her tendency towards snobbery -- had a special knack with prose, and and a bright, shimmering wit. Her charming love of beauty is often enchanting; she often lists things that she finds pleasing, such as moons, summer nights, flowers and willow trees. Her words were almost as pleasant, since she littered her writing with jokes, metaphor and wordplay.
   
   Not that her recollections are without negatives -- she listed her pet peeves (such as parents worshiping a very unappealing child -- something we've all been annoyed with), and things she found depressing or annoying. A stickler for form and ettiquette, she had very precise ideas about how things should be done... right down to how love affairs should be conducted.
   
   If there's a problem with this, it's that Shonagon -- in the manner of her time -- tends to gloss over the more important, unpleasant details of life. And her own anecdotes show that she could be very cruel, as when she gave a mocking poem to a newly-homeless peasant, instead of a promissory note. It may have been typical of her class and culture, but come on.
   
   "The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon" opens a little window into the scented world of Heian-era Japan, and leaves behind the impression of a spunky, sharp-witted lady who would have stood out anywhere.