5 comments about The Warburgs: The Twentieth-Century Odyssey of a Remarkable Jewish Family.

1. This was a great book to read and a very interesting story about one of banking's oldest and greatest families. It was wonderfully written and has numerous insights on what it takes to be a success. Ron Chernow seems to have an eye for picking out the important little details as well as giving the reader a great sense of the big picture. Also some great history lessons about WWII. It gave me a view of the war which I hadn't seen before from Jews who were at the top of the economic scale. The history lesson was worth the entry fee. Highly recomended!



2. They were minor Court Jews. Money-lending was created by anti-semitic barriers. Court Jews identified with authority figures. Ancestors moved to Altona, an area under Danish rule. It was near Hamburg. In 1773 a Warburg moved to Hamburg.
   
   The Warburgs were nearly incestuous in an attempt to keep the banking riches in the family. They suffered from manic-depression and schizophrenia. The Warburgs engaged in empire building by courtship. The Hamburg ethos was sombre and middle class. The Warburgs and Schiffs made a matrimonial alliance in 1895. The Warburgs were strategic, as it turned out, but they did not engage in arranged marriages.
   
   Paul Warburg, the husband of Nina Loeb, was never at home on Wall Street. He became a great theoretician of central banking. Felix Warburg, to the consternation of his father-in-law, Jacob Schiff, built a Gothic mansion on Fifth Avenue. Lillian Wald's settlement house on Henry Street was founded by the Schiffs and the Loebs.
   
   Aby Warburg of Hamburg, a private scholar, established the Warburg Library. Aby was a pioneer of interdisciplinary study. Paul Warburg, located in America, worked after the crash of 1907 for banking reform with Nelson Aldrich. The Aldrich Plan of 1911 called for a National Reserve scheme. Many of the ideas survived in the Federal Reserve Act. In 1914 Paul Warburg began to serve on the Federal Reserve Board. Felix Warburg headed the Joint Distribution Committee for Jewish charities.
   
   After the First World War Aby experienced periods of madness and luciditiy. Max Warburg traveled to America to meet with government leaders to explain the need for the reduction of reparations and the hyper-inflation troubling Germany. Erwin Panofsky and Ernst Cassirer were professors at the university in Hamburg that Aby and his brothers helped to found. Aby was treated at the clinic of Ludwig Binswanger. Freud took a personal interest in Aby's case. Aby left Kreuzlingen, the clinic, for good in 1924. His breakdown had dated from 1918. Aby died in 1929. His associates Gertrud Bing and Fritz Saxl brought out the first two volumes of his collected writings in 1932. Kenneth Clark has stressed his importance to art scholarship.
   
   Felix supported Jewish farm settlements in Soviet Russia until they were taken over by the state in 1930. Paul Warburg had never believed in perpetual prosperity. Paul's advice had cushioned the Warburgs in the crash, (they had moved out of stocks). Paul issued public warnings in March 1929 foreseeing the crash and the Depression.
   
   In Germany Max, in Hamburg, treated the fortunes of Felix and Paul as bank reserves. Paul lost his fortune upholding the Warburg honor. Max had been tempted to overextend by his imaginary safety net. THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY published Jimmy Warburg's poetry. He was Paul's son. Paul had tended to be straitlaced. Paul died in 1932. The Warburgs did not believe they would be driven from Hamburg. In 1933 the Warburg Library was moved to England. Kristallnacht ending Max's stay in Germany. He and his family ended up in the United States. His brother Fritz was detained and his passport was revoked. Finally he and his wife were permitted to leave for Sweden. Max's daughter Lola was one of the people in England devising the Kinder Transport program.
   
   Eric Warburg, Max's son, saw Hamburg again in 1945. It had been half destroyed by saturation bombing. Eric and his son Max did resume banking careers in Hamburg. Unconnected institutions under the influence of other members of the Warburg family existed in London and New York. The book is fabulous. It is a family saga describing an array of interesting and very brave people.



3. This great novel-like biography makes one almost feel like a member of the Warburg family (which Chernow correctly determined was a family worth reading about). On the side, this book also provides a nice history of Zionism and gives a seemingly accurate flavor of the early twentieth century experience of German Jews (and more generally of accomplished immigrants to America around the turn to that century). Chernow's verbal precision makes his writing a pleasure to read, but also limits the pace - so set aside a lot of time and enjoy!



4. Setting aside the technical aspects of the research and the depth of this book, it alters how you feel about the German Jewish experience. Even though most of us will never experience the kind of wealth and privilege that accompany the Warburg family - it is expertly portrayed in this book - you're feelings about the German Jewish experience will change. The book is about a family and their achievements and tragedies that are dramatically effected by the events of the 20th century. For everyone interested in connecting with the feelings of your ancestry and understanding a piece of the financial history of modern America, this is a compelling book. It will help you take on depth, compassion, understanding and an abiding sense of sadness and tragedy at what happened to the Jewish families in Germany. It also leaves you with a sense of wonder at the durability of this family and their accomplishments.



5. I couldn't put down this book. An amazing study of an equally amazing family. To Chernow's credit, the book reveals the multiple facets of the Warburg clan in such an even-handed manner, I never felt the need to gloss over praise or polemics. I enjoyed this book so much, I am now reading his biography of Alexander Hamilton.

4 comments about Sing Me to Heaven: The Story of a Marriage.

1. OK, so I'm not a first time reader of "Sing Me to Heaven." I am a colleague of Margaret Peterson's (English Department) who got to read this wonderful book chapter by chapter as it came out of her computer. I loved it then; I love it now.

   In this book -- about AIDS, about marriage, about faith in hard places (war zones, if you will) -- Margaret has been self-disclosing, without ever becoming narcissistic; she has been technical, without ever being tedious (I loved the information she gave me about AIDS and its treatments.); she has been deeply moving, without ever becoming sentimental; she has been critical, without ever becoming spiteful. She has been funny, lyrical, tragic, cynical, hopeful -- all without excess.

   How has she done that?!

   You will love the book if you are a poet -- pay particular attention to the "Land and Sea" reflections. You will love the book if you are a scientist -- pay particular attention to MP's descriptions of drugs and effects. You will love the book if you are a musician -- type "Sing Me to Heaven" into a good search engine and listen to an online rendering of the title song. You will love the book if you are an honest Christian -- pay particular attention to the chapter on the rhetoric of AIDS and the one on the "healing" service. You will love the book if you are in love -- pay attention to the entire work.

   Margaret Peterson has walked multiple tightropes in this book, including that between the past and the future. Loving Hyung Goo has not kept her from loving Dwight Peterson; loving Dwight has not made her forget Hyung Goo.

   Buy it! Savor it! Learn from it! Give it to dear friends for Christmas!




2. Thank you, Margaret Kim Peterson, for sharing your own very special true story. Your writing style is brilliant and deserving of praise. I was captivated from the beginning.

   Sing Me To Heaven, the Story of a Marriage, is the perfect title. It is a unique story written by an obviously gifted author who, in an intelligent and sincere way, details her memories of shared times and solitary times during her marriage to a fine young man who had the misfortune to be HIV positive.

   I find the book to be thought provoking. Read it as I did, with an open mind, and you'll see.




3. In a time when marriage and commitment are seen as temporary, optional, and convenience driven, Margaret Kim Peterson's insights into her own marriage seem particularly valuable. The issue of AIDS, and our response to the disease and the individuals afflicted with it also raises many important points. This is a must read, you will be affected by this book!



4. Falling in love with Hyung Goo Kim was the best and worst thing that ever happened to Margaret Kim Peterson. In her recently published memoir SING ME TO HEAVEN: The Story of a Marriage, Peterson does an exquisite job of explaining how both were true.

   The short explanation is to say that Hyung Goo was HIV-positive. This revelation while the couple was dating threatened to dissolve their burgeoning romance for reasons that are all-too-obvious. But it was a combination of not-so-obvious reasons that ultimately brought the two together in marriage.

   "I wanted so desperately to know and be known, to love and be loved, and I had never met anyone with whom that seemed like the remotest possibility. I could sense that possibility already welling around the two of us. To have said to him at that point, 'I'm sorry; would you please go away' would have felt like cutting off my arm. I just couldn't do it."

   Hyung Goo's HIV-positive status accounts for the worst part of falling in love with him. With heartbreaking detail, Peterson recounts their collective descent into the hell of hospitals and medicines and painful physical deterioration when Hyung Goo officially contracted AIDS and he began his halting march towards death. This aspect of the story alone is an incredibly valuable inside look at the real work of dying with a terminal illness.

   But HIV also plays an unexpectedly large role in the best part of falling in love with Hyung Goo:

   "We began to see only gradually and toward the end of Hyung Goo's life the ways in which the present and anticipated grief of our marriage had contributed to the richness of our life together. The sorrows of our life had not simply detracted from our happiness, but had shaped and even contributed to that happiness. In the Spring of 1995, it was becoming clear that Hyung Goo was not going to live much longer --- maybe a year, probably less. In the midst of his worsening illness, he and I were coping together in much more cooperative and mutually supportive ways than in former days. 'It really is remarkable how far you two have come in just four years,' Martha commented to me.

   She was right; but I wanted more. Where might we have been in ten years, if we had them?

   'It's fruitless to ask that question,' Martha said. 'If you had ever thought you had that kind of time, you wouldn't be where you are now.'

   It was impossible to see AIDS itself as good. But it was equally impossible to see that the particular good Hyung Goo and I had experienced together in the midst of AIDS could have been obtained in any other way. The requiem that we stand for one another and with one another was not something external to our marriage, like a piece of black crape draped over the frame of an otherwise sunny and cheerful picture. Our individual and shared sorrows were part of the picture itself, shadows without which the picture and its characteristic beauty would have been, if not gone, than at least altered beyond recognition."

   Peterson's narrative provides an intimate and moving look at a marriage in which the looming specter of death brings present joy, love and sustaining faith into sharp relief. The couple ate dinner off their fine china every day at a table cluttered with hundreds, if not thousands, of pills and medicine bottles, reminding them why the special plates shouldn't be reserved for future occasions.

   Listening to the Margaret of today reflect upon the Margaret of yesterday, it is clear Hyung Goo left her with the invaluable gift of an inculcated sense of self and stability. Indeed, the deeply therapeutic nature of this marriage is one of its most notable aspects:

   "We were both looking for a love affair when we began our courtship. We wanted affection and companionship and romance and we got them; but we got something far deeper and more transformative as well ... Like Max in WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, Hyung Goo wanted most just to be where someone loved him best of all. In our marriage he found that place. I couldn't have loved him more if there had been ten of me. And the more I loved him, and the more I relaxed into his love for me, the more worthwhile and competent he felt; until in the last year of his life he had settled into a confident, gentle, joyful, sense of himself as a man and as a husband."

   There are love stories and then there are love stories. The former are as pleasant as they are predictable and they tend to be thoroughly forgettable. The latter earn their italics with uniquely honest depictions of the predicament of being in love. These tales have the ability to transcend their specifics to address larger issues of what it means to be human, and they have the uncanny ability to take up residence in the mind (and heart) of their readers. SING ME TO HEAVEN is a love story with italics.

   --- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel

1 comments about Life Lessons from the Hiding Place: Discovering the Heart of Corrie Ten Boom.

1. Speaking from the authority of someone who lived and traveled with Corrie ten Boom, Pamela Rosewell Moore dived into archived papers and her own dear memories of Tante Corrie to provide this new work. At the heart of the material is 'how is Corrie relevant to today's Christian?' and how can I as an author show that to my readers? The depth of Pamela's experience with Brother Andrew and with Corrie ten Boom makes her a cherished author for every Christian reader.

5 comments about We Just Want to Live Here: A Palestinian Teenager, an Israli Teenager -- an Unlikely Friendship.

1. Ashley Southard
   English Book Review
   April 16, 2004
   The Arab/ Israeli conflict has been discussed in many books, and Americans hear of it every day in the news. But do you really know both sides to the story? We Just Want to Live Here, a story of teenagers Amal Rifa'I (a Palestinian) who is planning on studying special education in an Israeli college, and Odelia Ainbinder (an Israeli) who is part o a socialist/Zionist movement before she gets ready to join the military living in Israel, shows the opinion of both sides of the conflict. Amal and Odelia met one summer while at an exchange program in Switzerland. After, they were asked by journalist Sylke Tempel to begin writing to each other discussing the conflict in which they are living.
   This non-fiction book is presented as a compilation of the letter the girls wrote to each other. In these heart-to-heart letters, Amal and Odelia discuss political, social and ethnic issues. This book was published for people who are passionate about the "bad blood" between the Palestinian and Israeli issues. These letters really dig deep into the soul of the people of Israel, Palestinian and Israeli alike, and readers begin to feel compassion for these girls. One of the only weaknesses of this book was the fact that there was really no plot or suspense to keep a person reading. Many people watch TV shows consistently because of the suspense, and many people like books that are the same way. This book lacks that appeal, and it is easy to become bored with this book if you don't wish to delve into the Palestinian/Israeli conflict.

   Unlike most books, these letters truly had no bias. Each teenager is from one side of the conflict, and they discuss the modern issues in such a way that the reader genuinely gains an understanding of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Readers begin to realize the stupidity of the prejudices that people hold and realize that you cannot make judgment about this dispute until you completely understand the emotions of both peoples.
   I would recommend We Just Want to Live Here for readers who are interested in this dispute. People who are passionate about this ongoing war will not become bored with the lack of plot in these letters. The letters really help to achieve true understanding of this everlasting issue.




2. "Boom," a bomb goes off two blocks away from your school, just as you are leaving class. This isn't that rare of occasion for the two teenage co-authors of the book, We Just Want to Live Here. In this book they are often left to decide how they feel about the suicide bombings and other occurrences in their hometown, Jerusalem. Sylke Tempel put the fascinating letters between these very different teenage girls together into this great factual book about living in Jerusalem during the second Intifada.
   Sylke Tempel does a great job putting together the letters in a logical order that helps the reader to understand the conflict in Jerusalem from both opinions. By using a Palestinian girl (Odelia Ainbinder) and an Israeli girl (Amal Rifa'i) you were flushed with both aspects of such topics as the suicide bombings, the army, school and even normal girl talk such as boys. Through both girls' lives, their views of the other side were only composed of what they heard from their friends, family and media making them only see a glance of the big picture. The girls' way of expressing their feelings made you get in the shoes of both sides of the conflict. They didn't leave anything out about their beliefs on what should be done to solve the conflicts between the Palestinians and Israelis. their feelings are even supportive of the other side. For example they agree on such things as how influential their parents were to their lives, yet abruptly disagree on such issues as whether Odelia, the Israeli girl, should join the army after her year off. Sometimes all they would do through their letters was learn more about the other persons culture, which is what happened when they started talking about such things as school and getting married and moving in with boys. This book is very un-biased because it shows how real teenagers on both sides feel about the conflict. Sylke Tempel makes it very clear that she wants people to receive no bias towards either side. She does this by showing both sides of the argument and showing how neither girl is evil. Because of the way Tempel broke up the book, it reads very fast and is easy to understand. The girls' discussion was very interesting and sometimes even shocking to learn how they felt on different issues.
   We Just Want to Live Here, is a great read for people of all ages. It would probably be better for girls to read because it is written by girls and sometimes would get a little into girl talk. Being the letters of real girls, this book would be great to read as a class in history or English. This is because it is very factual and a great un-biased way to learn about the conflict in Jerusalem. Before reading this book I would suggest to have previous knowledge of the conflict to better understand what girls are talking about. Overall this was a great, educational book filled with many different opinions and thoughts. I would definitely recommend this book to someone wanting to expanse his or her knowledge in the Arab-Israeli conflict.



3. In the summer of 2000, a group of Israeli and Palestinian teenagers were invited to Switzerland. Despite many misunderstandings between the Jews and Muslims on the trip, tentative friendships were formed. However, just before the students returned home to Israel, the second Intifada broke out reminding each participant of their differences. Two young women on the trip who did become friends were Palestinian Amal Rifa'i and Israeli Odelia Ainbinder. Two years later, in June of 2002, journalist Sylke Tempel began looking for a young Israeli and a young Palestinian to exchange letters and ideas in order to create a book that would tell the story of Palestine, Israel and the Intifada in their own words. She found the ideal pair in Amal and Odelia. The result is WE JUST WANT TO LIVE HERE, a series of letters and conversations between Amal and Odelia.
   
   Just 18 years old when they begin corresponding, the women are wise beyond their years and patient with each other's points of view. There is much potential for name-calling, disrespect and worse in such a dialogue, but Amal and Odelia behave with a restraint and open-mindedness often sorely lacking in regards to this difficult and delicate subject. Covering topics such as Jerusalem (where they both live, geographically close but socio-cultural worlds apart), school and the Israeli army, both women are not only quite honest and articulate about their feelings, but are also well versed in their cultural and religious history and tradition. To further illustrate certain points, each invites family members to share her story and thus we read about Odelia's parents and Amal's grandfather in their own words.
   
   Even with such an open dialogue, Amal and Odelia realize there are some things they may never see eye to eye on --- each has a different interpretation of the formation history of the State of Israel, each interprets the plight of the Palestinians in a very different way. Yet they both agree that continued violence is not the answer and hope for strong leadership for the Israelis and the Palestinians. One major problem they both identify is the lack of knowledge about each other's culture, religion and history. Knowledge, they stress, is key to a sustainable peace.
   
   As the book was being written, both Amal and Odelia faced adult life and responsibility --- Amal was engaged to be married and Odelia was preparing for her mandatory service in the Israeli army. Yet the tone of the book still reflected a youthful hopefulness and youthful frustration.
   
   Poignant, brutally honest and sometimes heartbreaking, WE JUST WANT TO LIVE HERE is written with the idealism of youth and the cynicism of those who grow up amid war and violence. This is a book that puts a human face on the violence and destruction of the Israeli-Palestinian war and invites the reader to question her beliefs and opinions. Amal and Odelia are brave and admirable, willing to open their hearts and minds to each other.
   
   WE JUST WANT TO LIVE HERE is not about solutions or roadmaps to peace. It is the tale of a friendship and intellectual exchange in spite of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. I highly recommend this book for those who want a glimpse of what life is like for teenagers in Israel.
   
   --- Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman



4. It is interesting to see the views of two young women caught up in this conflict. My main complaint about this book is the chronology in the back of the book.
   
   1. Under 1947 Temple writes "The Jewish population in Palestine rises from 24,000 to 630,000 due to several ways of immigration (aliyah; plural, aliyot) between 1882 and 1948. This more than triples Palestine's Jewish population at that time" It seems to me that the Jewish population increases by 26 times, why use triple? I really have no idea what she is referring to.
   
   2. Under 1948 Temple writes "Declaration of the independent state of Israel on May 14 by Israel's first prime minister, David Ben-Guerion. On the following day, troops from Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia attack Israel. The Jewish underground movements, Lechi and Ezel, launch a wave of attacks against Arab civilians, which culminates in the massacre at Deir Yassin, where 245 inhabitants lost their lives. According to UN estimates, 700,000 Palestinians fled or were driven out of their homes." Deir Yassin occurred on April 9, five weeks before Israel declared independance and Arab armies intervened. Most of the Palestenians who were driven out of their homes were expelled before May 14.
   
   3. 1956 - Not mentioned, England, France and Israel invade Egypt. Retreat under US pressure.
   
   4. 1987 - Temple writes "In opposition to the nationalistic PLO, Israel supports the foundation Islamic factions, which will be the origin of he fundementalist Hamas (Arabic for "enthusiasm/excitement") under its leader Sheikh Achmed Yassin."
   Hamas was formed in the late 1970's and had been supported by Israel from the beginning.
   
   5. 1994 - Temple writes "Hamas commits suicide bombings with the goal of sabotaging the peace process." Hamas committed it's first suicide bombing in response to murder of 29 muslims at a mosque in Hebron by Baruch Goldstein an american born far right settler. Temple leaves out the part about Baruch Goldstein.
   
   There are some other things that I don't think she is very evenhanded or possibly even correct about in the chronology but I don't have time to research everything. The most glaring error is getting the date of Deir Yassin wrong, simple historical research.



5. Forget the negative reviews---this is a wonderful, sweet, realistic and educational view of what it's like to live in Jerusalem, as seen through the eyes of two teenage girls...one Muslim and the other Jewish. I am impressed with the intelligence of these two young women. They don't chat about rock music or Britney Spears or trendy clothing--instead, they describe the love they feel for their city and how they can each do their part to create lasting peace. The girls get into serious political debates and they disagree quite frequently, but they respect each other as human beings and the friendship is strong. It's fascinating to learn what young Israelis think of America--Odelia, for instance, believes it's far more dangerous to live in New York than in Jerusalem! This is a warm and endearing book. I recommend it to anyone interested in contemporary Jerusalem (or all of Israel) and what life is like there. I learned a lot from reading it.

4 comments about Thomas Becket.

1. Frank Barlow set out to write the definitive Becket biography. Mission accomplished. Thomas Becket, the 12th century english politican/archbishop/martyr/saint, rose from semi-obscurity to become chancellor of england under Henry II and then became Archbishop of Canterbury. After becoming Archbishop, he promptly got into it with the King (his buddy) over whether religious clerks could be subject to the king's punishment (among other issues), fled to France and spend five years arguing with Henry II over who was right and who was wrong.
   
   Upon his long awaited arrival in England to resume his position as Archbishop, he was promptly murdered by some over zealous nights. The rest, as they say, is history. He was soon made a saint because his blood had miraculous healing properties(eww.)
   
   Barlow knows his primary and secondary sources. When the sources are unclear, he says so. When the sources are absent, he tells you. It is clear that Barlow is not overburdened with a love of Becket or King Henry. His understanding of 12th century politics and religion (really the two were inseperable) is unimpeachable.
   
   In summation, I found this book just as interesting for its portrait of 12th century society (albeit the elite side of society) as for the story of Thomas Becket. I doubt I will ever read another book about Becket after reading this one.



2. The author has read all documents, all letters and memoranda, all notes and chronicles from eye-witnesses and other people around Thomas Becket. Maybe even too much or too many. He tries to rebuild a full biography with all personal intentions and meanings from this imbroglio and forest of testimonies. He succeeds quite well, though at times he seems to be overwhelmed with details. Yet he clears up a few facts. Becket was of Norman extract by both his parents and his father was a merchant in London. Jean Anouilh's myth of a Saxon father and a Saracen mother is clearly ousted. The book is also clear about Thomas Becket's life. He sure was the friend of Henry II, in spite or because of a ten years age difference. But this did not mean he took part in Henry's drinking and womanizing. In fact he appears to be a very serious and tedious person who does not really like the pleasures of life, even if, as the Chancellor, he is obliged to have an apparently ritzy life. The point is he was a good Chancellor and had a good influence on Henry, though as the Chancellor, he had no real power, except on church services for the King and the copying service of the crown. He probably taught Henry his job and kept him within some limits. When he was the Chancellor he did all he could to impose and improve the King's power, and limit and contain the Church's. He forced the Church to accept to pay the various taxes the King needed for his wars. But Henry tricked him. Was it with his agreement or against his will? We will never know. Henry appointed him Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the church in England. This enabled Thomas Becket to finally lead the life of austerity and rule-governed behavior he desired. He was able to wear the monastic underwear under his archiepiscopal dress. This will determine in his new life intransigence and exaction for himself and the others, including the king. He became the best defender of the church and refused the king's power in the judicial field that was encroaching on the church's courts of justice. He refused criminal clerks to be tried by lay royal or feudal courts, monks who became such to escape serfdom to be in any way recaptured, and his appointing priests to be in any way questioned by local feudal barons. The book though never enters the question of the contradiction between Saxons and Normans. The author uses the word English and we do not know if he means Saxons or Normans born in England. Barlow thus avoids questioning the main problem of that time: the colonization of England by the Normans and the integration of the Saxons in the new emerging English society. From this moment though Thomas Becket became Henry's archenemy. The king will do all he can to destroy him. Thomas Becket will go in exile and use the French church and the Pope to get a reconciliation, though he must have thought it was a foolish bargain knowing the king the way he did. But he accepted against all odds to go back to Canterbury where he will be assassinated within days after his return, just after Christmas 1170 in the cathedral itself. This death will start a popular pilgrimage and myth, and the King will come on his own repentance pilgrimage there in 1174 in order to recapture the support of the Church in England against the rebellion led by his eldest son he had had the carelessness to have crowned before his own death, though against the will of the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Becket in exile at the time. Actually on this question, in this situation the book is by far too short concerning the role of Eleanor of Aquitaine, his wife. But the main shortcoming of the book is that his conclusion is factually right but historically short. Thomas Becket will have helped the church to stand against old feudal customs imposed onto the church, thus appearing as if defending the freedom of the church, what will appear later in the Magna Carta, and yet that made the church stand against the King in his attempt to build a more centralized political order with one single tax system and one single royal judicial system. And at that level the King is going in the right direction since such reforms are needed to guarantee equality to all and a more centralized society, a less divided and exploded society, in a way one "rule of law" in the whole kingdom. This will also appear in the Magna Carta, though less clearly and it will take a few centuries for it to become a reality. These two directions, civil liberties and a more unified just and fair territory and political system, will be the very basis of the political organization that will finally emerge, for the first time in the western world, after the Glorious Revolution. Barlow does not see this perspective though he notes the great improvements that will appear in the judicial system after Thomas Becket's death, the church essentially yielding to the King's justice.
   
   Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne



3. I'd always enjoyed the movie version of this play, with Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole, so I decided to read the play. There are, naturally, some differences in the scripts. And, one can't help hearing Burton's voice when reading Becket's lines. The play is a strong, yet not overly sympathetic, portrayal of Thomas Becket. He's shown with both strengths and weaknesses, although the king is seen more as flawed throughout. If someone had not seen the film version, I'd recommend reading the play before seeing the movie in order to make an independent judgment. But then, do yourself the favor of seeing the film.



4. A wonderful friend of mine who lives in England requested that I purchase this book and read it. I am going there to visit him and see the culture and beautiful landmarks of history and he felt this book would help me to understand more before I get there. Thank you for your help of providing this book on some of that history.

5 comments about The Savage My Kinsman.

1. This book definitely teaches so clear, in a practical way, how to love our neighbor. Elisabeth Elliot not just lost her husband but also she was willing to love those who took her husband's life. Wonderful story of love. I suggest if you have not read "Shadow of the Almighty: The Life and Testament of Jim Elliot" and "Through Gates of Splendor", you should start with those two. Everything will make more sensed at the end.



2. I really enjoyed this book. I read "Through Gates of Splendor" before I read this book. After I finished this book I read "At the end of the Spear" by Nate Saint. I was encouraged to again focus on what God has planned for my life after reading these three books. I recommend this book to all.



3. Betty Elliot goes back to the primitive Amazon tribe who murdered her husband and four other missionaries. She lives with them, with her three-year-old daughter, for a year. She laboriously learns their language (altho her daughter learns it quicker). She isn't sure that she is particularly the better human being.



4. The book came on time and was very encouraging to read. Its awesome how God can change people who have never heard of Jesus into worshipers of Him.



5. If you have read "Through Gates of Splendor" by Elisabeth Elliot you are eager to find out what happened after the 5 missionaries got killed by the Waodani (Aucas). This is the book that continues the incredibly inspiring story. This book is very well written and describes very realistically the life and questions of a missionary. You will love to read this book from start to finish and then you want to know more. Continue with the book by Steve Saint "The End of the Spear" which is also a great book.

2 comments about Seven Days in Haiti.

1. This powerful little book is definately a must read. Michael Barrick journeyed to Haiti on a mission to discover what it really meant to be "a bond-slave for Christ", and in 7 short days, found out that and so much more. He tells of the places he went, and how life really is in Haiti for Christians and non-Christians alike. He talks of how the churches in Haiti are very much like the 1st Century churches of the book of Acts. He meets many interesting people, from missionaries to pastors to kids being helped by various ministries in the country. That is also why I say it is a must read for child sponsors, as we see first hand how sponsorship of these children changes their lives in ways we cannot imagine.
   
   I wish I could adequately put into words how good this book really is, but my advice is buy this book and read it for yourself. Its short and sweet, but powerful nonetheless. It is money and time well spent.
   
   If you are interested in child sponsorship of children in Haiti, I would recommend His Hands For Haiti, where 100% of the cost goes directly to the children. You can check out the many children still waiting for sponsors at [...]



2. I received this book perfectly on time. Great condition and great service. Thank you.

3 comments about A Recipe for Hope: Stories of Transformation by People Struggling with Homelessness.

1. If you ever passed a homeless person on the street and wondered what his story was, this is the book for you. The author draws back the curtain on several clients of Chicago's Inspiration Corporation, where she is a volunteer. Because the people trust her, they share their stories with startling frankness, which is very moving. It's amazing how filled with hope the people in this book are. After a while, you begin to see patterns, and draw some broader conclusions about homelessness.



2. Like all the books I review, I consider this one to be well written and contain a message suitable for the intended audience. Beyond that, "A Recipe for Hope" seems so important I'd like to buy the world a copy. First, the oral histories really "put a face on" the homeless and those who serve them. Author Karen M. Skalitzky is a teacher with a master's degree in literacy education. She developed this project after volunteering at two programs sponsored by Inspiration Corporation, a Chicago non-profit that serves the homeless. She tape recorded many of the stories at the organization's Cafe Too, a public restaurant where menus, preparation, and service are handled by volunteers and members of the culinary training program. All of those who chose to be interviewed have connections to Inspiration Corp. programs, and most are current or former clients.
   
   The foreword and introduction contain some statistics on homelessness and background on the service providers mentioned. Lisa Nigro, the former Chicago police officer who got started 16 years ago, delivering sandwiches and coffee from a child's wagon, tells her story early in the book. Eventually she and her husband accepted an invitation to set up a "Cafe" in Russia. Jenny Urban is another staffer who spoke with Skalitzky. Urban graduated from culinary school, moved to Chicago in pursuit of a restaurant career, and ended up as food services manager at a center for women who are homeless before she became director of the internship program at Cafe Too. These staffers are united in the understanding that anyone can become homeless; everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity; and when properly designed and managed, services to the homeless can make a significant difference.
   
   Their philosophy is borne out in the words of those represented in "A Recipe for Hope"--grandparents, singles, children, couples, professionals, laborers, immigrants, educated, mentally and physically disabled, addicted, convicted, whatever stripe you want to apply. The sentiment that most represents my feeling after reading these stories is similar to that expressed by the four-year veteran staffer, Rian Wanstreet, just 25, whose interview closed with these words: "I'm going to talk about this place for the rest of my life."



3. Reviewed By Shawn Remfrey
   
   This incredible book should be a staple in every American household. Karen Skalitzky is a volunteer at both Inspiration Cafe and Living Room Cafe in Chicago-the cornerstone of Chicago's ten-year plan to end homelessness.
   
   As she began to get to know the patrons, she began interviewing them, beginning with `What does it mean to tell your story?' and ending in wisdom. The book is from those interviews with every-day people who have lost their homes, and sometimes families, to bad decisions. You'll keep thinking: That could happen to me!
   
   You might first think this book is going to be really depressing-stories about drug addicts, alcoholics, and people who just don't care about their lives. Instead you find a treasury of wisdom and knowledge from people that learned things the hard way-or bad circumstance. A few were involved in drugs and/or alcohol, but that wasn't the beginning for them.
   
   People from all walks of life have become homeless. One successful man decided to open a business with a buddy, and with one wrong choice, he was on the fast track to homelessness. Another story is of a top executive for the Kraft. While employed, he directed the funds to help feed the hungry and homeless, but he never felt it was enough. At retirement he found humanity that was missing at the Inspiration Café.
   
   Every interview is a success story-but not on the first try. They have all learned incredible secrets of life that each and everyone needs to know. The most important thing that I learned, is that homelessness can happen to anyone at any time-even me! Though it is difficult to get past the prejudices that we were born with, a homeless person isn't necessarily lazy or drunk or stoned. Often they are just down on their luck and need a hand to get back on their feet.
   
   Ms. Skalitzky wrote this book to share this wealth of knowledge. Those interviewed wanted to share what they've learned in the hopes of helping others not make the same mistakes. For each book that is sold a percentage goes to Inspiration Corporation that encompasses Inspiration Cafe, Living Room Cafe, and Cafe Too.
   
   Armchair Interviews says: This book is insightful, well-constructed, truthful and eye-opening.

5 comments about Stories of Padre Pio.

1. Those who are interested in Padre Pio will both enjoy and be inspired by this book. The 20 well written chapters depict a uniquely powerful and soulful priest, one who seemed to have the rare power of reading another's deepest feelings and conflicts. To his confessors his sometimes brutally frank and brusque advice seldom missed its mark. The book also contains an arresting epilogue about Padre Pio's last days and hours. Following this is a fascinating account of the life of Madame Tangari, the spiritual daugher of Padre Pio throughout much of her life, and a woman who lived a life of great faith and bravery. If you wish to be deeply inspired by profound stories of Christian faith , I hope you will read this book!



2. A beautiful book, highlighting the important in life very clearly. Food for thought! Food for reviewing attitudes in life.



3. Shows how Padre Pio healed bodies, souls and hearts--through miracles, providential "coincidences," etc. Assistance in illness, bereavement, broken marriage, irrational fear, business, exiting Freemasonry, finding lost objects, spiritual life and conversions. Rare firsthand view of this great, holy priest.



4. My father gave me this book in 1998 as a gift. I couldn't put it down I finished it in one evening. My family and I have been followers of Padre Pio since my mother heard a talk given at her school in the 1950's. I have read seven books about Padre Pio and this book is still my favorite one of the seven.
   
   Madame Katharina Tangari was so brave and a true follower of Padre Pio. I hope someone writes a book and a movie about Madame Katharina Tangari's life. If you want to learn about Padre Pio's struggles and road to Sainthood this is the book for you.
   
   After you read this book you will want to travel to San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy and see where Padre Pio lived and died. A year in a half ago I went to San Giovanni Rotondo and I was not disappointed.



5. This book was great, it showed us yet another side, another view, another person's personal interacton and thoughts on this great saint. I couldn't put it down. Great Book! I also recomend "Padre Pio: A Man of Hope" by Renzo Allegri.

5 comments about Out of the Black Shadows: The Amazing Transformation of Stephen Lungu.

1. Stephen Lungu came to Stanford University to speak recently, and his testimony was one of the most moving testimonies I have ever heard in my entire life. I bought the book so that I could ask my friends to read it. I think the key to the testimony is that... most of the time, when Christians witness to other Christians, it is difficult to accept their perspective: Christians often get responses like, "it's easy for you to believe, you havn't suffered adversity", or "you simply believe because you were taught to believe when you were little." Mr. Lengu's testimony is nothing like this; from being abondoned as a small child and being taught by his environment to hate Christians, people, and God, he was able to turn his life around and see Jesus. Incredible evidence that Jesus is life-changing, and real, and the Savior.



2. I was recently given this book as a gift because a friend of mine had heard Stephen speak at the bible school he is attending, and his testimony encouraged him so much that he bought a copy and had it sent to me, I loved it! It is truly inspiring and an amazing testimony of God's power! It left me just in awe that the God that saved Stephen is the same God that I love and serve! I encourage everyone to read this book and share it with everyone they know! God Bless!



3. This is a book that you won't be able to put down. To read of how God in His mercy transformed Stephen's life from a life of total devastation and hopelessness into one of purpose and meaning and usefulness certainly builds one's faith and creates a desire to know this God of his. It encourages and gives hope to anyone who struggles with feelings of inferiority and "what's the meaning to life - is it worth the living?" Well worth the time and money - you will get more than you paid for!



4. Stephen Lungu has written a gripping biography of his violent young gang life from the slums of Rhodesia to the missionary pulpits all over the world - this is the remarkable story of Stephan Lungu.
   
   A black boy orphaned by his mother to life on the streets at age 4, Stephen learned to do little more than survive. Taken in for awhile by a relative of his mother, Stephen left home and joined a gang by age 12. The gang, The Black Shadows, committed all sorts of violence, generally on the more wealthy white ruling class, robbing them at knife or club point of their money and possessions. People were stabbed to death, clubbed, and suffered all sorts of violence.
   
   Stephen and his group were about to fire-bomb a missionary tent with thousands of worshipers, when Stephen was transformed by the born-again message of a recent woman, and then was convicted of his sinful state by the preacher. That night was the turning point of his life. He stopped his gang activities and began preaching the life-saving message of Jesus to anyone who would listen, especially on public buses, where he led many people to a knowledge of Christ.
   
   Later taken in by a white missionary, the previous subject of his racial hatred, Stephen learned to read, write, and become a member of civilized society and the family of God. It took him over a decade of study, but soon he was ready to bring his message of transformation to greater Africa, and then later the world. Today, Mr. Lungu is a world-renown missionairy.
   
   Stephen Lungu's story is one of the power of God to transform even the vilest sinner into a loving child of God. It's message is heart-warming and inspiring to all. Truly, no one is too far gone to respond to the message of God.
   
   I was encouraged and inspired by Stephen's story, and how God can powerfully transform even the worst sinner.
   
   Buy this book and share it with a friend.
   
   Jim "Konedog" Koenig



5. I was blessed to hear Steve speak shortly in Belgium...I had to read the full account of his story and you will also want too. I plan on passing this book around for many others to read and believe/be encouraged by his amazing story as well! God is using this man and will bless you through reading this book! Two thumbs up..you won't be disappointed!