TTandC: Michelle's Wish List

Jeannine Davis-Kimball: Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines

2008-10-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines by Jeannine Davis-Kimball

My review

Saw her PBS/National Geographic special on Amazons and it was really good. Would really like to get my hands on this book

Amanda Foreman: Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire

2008-09-19T10:23:00.001-07:00

Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman

Have Now::: Melody Beattie: Stop Being Mean to Yourself

2008-09-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

Stop Being Mean to Yourself: A Story About Finding The True Meaning of Self-Love by Melody Beattie

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have this on audiotape, wish I had it on cd and in book form. I loved this book/audio. If you liked Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, you'll definitely like this one. If you didn't like that book, you might enjoy this anyway...

Now own

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John R. Swanton: Creek Religion and Medicine

2008-09-12T14:10:00.000-07:00

Creek Religion and Medicine by John R. Swanton

My review

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Winifred Watson: Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day (and 3 other books)

2008-09-05T07:42:00.000-07:00

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson

My review

was watching the "special features" on the DVD of the movie and found out it was a book from that. Her son has commentary in the "how it came to be" type section. And it was pointed out that she sold the movie rights 3 times! Each time, something came up and shelved it. One time, Billie Burke (? I think), the one that played the Gilda the Good Witch in "The Wizard of Oz" was to play Miss Pettigrew, the role in the movie is played by Frances McDormand (again spelling, not at me swiftest this morning, LOL)

The author was told that this novel was too risque to print at the time, and the only way they would print is if she wrote another book as well, so she did and they did...

So now I know about the book, and would love to read it and the other 3 she wrote.

Odd Shoes (Portway Reprints)by Winifred Watson
Fell Top (Portway Reprints)by Winifred Watson
Jane Austen in London by Winifred Watson

Donna Farhi: The Breathing Book: Vitality and Good Health Through Essential Breath Work

2008-09-02T10:42:00.000-07:00

The Breathing Book: Vitality & Good Health Through Essential Breath Work by Donna Farhi

My review

I think I very much need this book! My breathing techniques need serious work!

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Vajragupta: Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Live

2008-09-01T16:39:00.000-07:00

Buddhism: Tools for Living Your Life by Vajragupta

My review

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From Goodreads:
A guide for those seeking a meaningful spiritual path while living everyday lives full of families, work, and friends. Vajragupta gives clear explanations of Buddhist teachings and the necessary guidance on how to apply these to enrich our busy and complex lives. The personal stories, examples, exercises, and questions in this book help transform Buddhist practice into more than just a fine set of ideals. They make the path of ethics, meditation, and wisdom a tangible part of our lives.
Vajragupta, born Richard Staunton in London, is experienced in teaching Buddhism to students of all ages.

Tate Hallaway: Tall, Dark and Dead

2008-08-30T17:27:00.000-07:00

Tall, Dark & Dead by Tate Hallaway

A delightful new comedy about witches, vampires, and the search for the perfect man. Recovering witch Garnet Lacey manages Wisconsin's premier occult bookstore. And a fringe benefit of the job is getting customers like Sebastian Von Traum-piercing brown eyes, a sexy accent, and a killer body. The only thing missing is an aura. Which means he's dead. And that means trouble. So what's a girl to do if she's hot for a dead man walking? Run like hell-and take full advantage of the nights

Jane Geniesse

2008-08-29T16:46:00.000-07:00

Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark by Jane Geniesse

My review

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From Goodreads:::::

Never mind that upon her death in 1993, the then 100-year-old Dame Freya Stark rated a three-column obit in The New York Times. Mention her name to most Americans, and it will elicit a "Freya who?" The tales and travails of this romantic traveler, who marched alone into the Middle East from Persia to Yemen, discovering lost cities and creating an anti-Nazi intelligence system along the way, are captured in this compelling biography by former New York Times reporter Jane Fletcher Geniesse.

The author unveils not the fearless wanderer whose mappings and 30 books brought Stark awards from the likes of the Royal Geographical Society and made her a darling of British society. Instead Stark is seen as humble, insecure, and forever caught in the role of perpetual alien--be it when the English-born child grows up in Italy, where her mother lives in scandal, or when she plunges alone into the East, a feat never before accomplished by a Westerner.

An unwilling iconoclast whose love of travel, she would say, began as an infant when her father carried her in a basket over the Dolomites, Stark longed for the social security of the times: marriage and children. Proposals fell through, on occasion her beloved was married, or the romantic emotions she felt went unrequited--and besides, as a friend later pointed out, marriage would have spoiled her with its confinements. Rising above depression, self-imposed ostracism, and her numerous illnesses, Stark learned Arabic and how to climb mountains, map, partake in geographical digs, and find a niche in strange cultures.

Initially ridiculed for her passionate fondness of the Middle East, her writings ultimately generated vast interest for that mysterious part of the world, where she was surprisingly embraced, made privy to political movements closed to most foreigners, and even shown precious Islamic documents. At times a nurse, a war correspondent, a negotiator, Stark was a one-woman revolution of her time. Geniesse's intoxicating documentation of her life not only serves to stir up new interest in Stark's many books; it also ensures that the name Freya Stark will live on long after her obituary is but a scrap of yellowed, crackling newsprint. --Melissa Rossi

Craig Doyle: Travel: Where to Go When

2008-08-29T15:27:00.000-07:00

Travel: Where to Go When by Craig Doyle

My review

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From Goodreads:::

The Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Travel series are to be seen clutched in many tourists' hands across the world, and rightly so. If Travel: Where to Go When (edited by Craig Doyle) is designed to be pored over at home rather taken en voyage that has allowed the publishers to produce a handsome, large-scale volume guaranteed to set you dreaming of exotic faraway places.

This is the perfect holiday planner, concentrating on the world's most desirable travel locations, with specific attention paid to when it is best to visit them. The team of consultants (acting under Doyle's expert direction) have provided a series of concise and informative essays on everything from the wonders of the Galapagos Islands to the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef, and from the mule trails of the Cinque Terre to the highly civilised streets of Boston, USA. The latter destination is a good example of precisely what the book does well: pithy, not-a-word-wasted essays giving all the essential information on the destination, with a sidebar on the left of the page detailing how to get there, suggested accommodation and restaurants along with all the information about the weather you're likely to need (the latter is particularly useful -- how often have you seen abroad tourists either underdressed or overdressed, not having done their homework?). On the right hand side of the large, eye-catching spreads are historical details -- never couched in dry prose, just a concise and lively presentation of the facts. A major plus, of course, is the sumptuous photography; everything from a brightly painted, flower-bedecked skeleton at the Mexican Day of the Dead to a glowingly lit night canal in Amsterdam does perfect justice to its subject. --Barry Forshaw

Marc Morris: A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain

2008-08-29T15:24:00.000-07:00

A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain by Marc Morris

My review

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Stephen Fry: Making History

2008-08-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

Making History by Stephen Fry

My review

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From GoodReads:

Those of us who have already discovered Stephen Fry know him as the brilliant British comedian behind TV series such as Jeeves & Wooster and Blackadder, and the author of two enormously funny novels, The Liar and The Hippopotamus. But his new film (in which he plays Oscar Wilde) and his new novel (this one) represent a somewhat alarming departure from his previous work: They're more serious. Though humor is still an essential ingredient of both, Fry's fans are finally getting to witness the emotional depth that this brilliant polymath usually keeps hidden.

In Making History, Fry has bitten off a rather meaty chunk by tackling an at first deceptively simple premise: What if Hitler had never been born? An unquestionable improvement, one would reason--and so an earnest history grad student and an aging German physicist idealistically undertake to bring this about by preventing Adolf's conception. And with their success is launched a brave new world that is in some ways better than ours--but in most ways even worse. Fry's experiment in history makes for his most ambitious novel yet, and his most affecting. His first book to be set mostly in America, it is a thriller with a funny streak, a futuristic fantasy based on one of mankind's darkest realities. It is, in every sense, a story of our times.

From the Hardcover edition.

Mary Doria Russell: A Thread of Grace

2008-08-28T06:57:00.000-07:00

A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell

My review

Amanda recommended this to me, thought I'd like it.

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Review from GoodReads:
published December 6th 2005 by Ballantine Books
binding Paperback
isbn 0449004139 (isbn13: 9780449004135)
pages 464

description

Mary Doria Russell's extraordinary and complex historical novel, A Thread of Grace, is the kind of book that you will find yourself haunted by long after finishing the last page. It opens with a group of Jewish refugees being escorted to safe-keeping by Italian soldiers. After making the arduous journey over a steep mountain pass, they are welcomed into a small village with warm food and clean beds. They have barely laid their heads to rest when news is received that Mussolini has just surrendered Italy to Hitler, putting them in danger yet again. This opening sequence is a grim foreshadowing of the heart-breaking journey these characters will experience in their struggle for survival.

The rich fictional narrative is woven through the factual military maneuvers and political games at the end of WW II, sharing a little-known story of a group of Italian citizens that sheltered more than 40,000 Jews from grueling work camp executions. Rather than the bleak and hopeless feeling that might be expected, the novel has the opposite effect; it reminds us that just as there will always be war, crime, and death, so too will there be good people who selflessly sacrifice themselves to ease the suffering of others. Perhaps best of all, Russell succinctly opens and closes her writing with short pieces that bookend the story with the force of a freight train. Her moving finale wraps up her narrative in the present day, with a death bed scene that's sure to rip the heart out of readers of every faith and ancestry.

On the surface, Russell's third novel may seem quite different from her earlier works. Both The Sparrow and its sequel, Children of God , were futuristic stories about Earth's first contact with alien life forms, but a closer look reveals several similarities. Fans of her earlier books will be pleased to find that Emilio Sandoz, the charismatic Jesuit priest from the first two books, finds new life in Renzo Leoni--A Thread of Grace's charming and haunted chameleon. The two have different circumstances and histories, but both characters are made of the same cloth--tormented by their consciences and plagued by unrequited love. Also similar to her earlier books, the characters in A Thread of Grace don't all enjoy a happy ending. A note in the reader's guide tells us that Russell flipped a coin to determine the fate of some of the characters. This may be upsetting for many readers, particularly those used to Hollywood endings, but it does serve as a frank reminder of the arbitrary nature of war and death. --Victoria Griffith

Edie Eckman: The Crochet Answer Book

2008-08-27T20:04:00.000-07:00

The Crochet Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask by Edie Eckman

My review

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L.T. Meade: The Girls of St. Wode's

2008-08-27T14:48:00.000-07:00

The Girls of St. Wode's by L.T. Meade

My review

Okay Abigail, you've got me curious yet again...this looks like a young adult/childrens book from years ago taking place in England. Right there you have me, but just looking at the cover design kinda intrigued me as well. So will keep an eye out for it.

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Rene Barjavel: L'Enchanteur

2008-08-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

L'Enchanteur by René Barjavel

My review

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would like to get this one to brush up on french.

Fritz Haeg: Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn

2008-08-26T14:36:00.000-07:00

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn by Fritz Haeg

My review

I heard about this idea on tv some time ago and thought that it was a good idea. Just have to have the energy and will power to dig up your yard and start over, LOL.

Wish List

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Manifesto callout, special treatment: Edible Estates is an attack on the front lawn and everything it has come to represent!

Edible Estates is an ongoing series of projects to replace the front lawn with edible garden landscapes responsive to culture, climate, context and people!

Edible Estates reconciles issues of global food production and urbanized land use with the modest gesture of a small domestic garden!

Edible Estates is a practical food-producing initiative, a place-responsive landscape design proposal, a scientific horticultural experiment, a conceptual land-art project, a defiant political statement, a community out-reach program and an act of radical gardening!

Edible Estates is nothing new; growing our own food is the first thing we did when we stopped being nomadic and started being "civilized"!

The Edible Estates project proposes the replacement of the domestic front lawn with a highly productive edible landscape. It was initiated by architect and artist Fritz Haeg on Independence Day, 2005, with the planting of the first regional prototype garden in the geographic center of the United States, Salina, Kansas. Since then three more prototype gardens have been created, in Lakewood, California; Maplewood, New Jersey and London, England. Edible Estates regional prototype gardens will ultimately be established in nine cities across the United States.

Edible Estates: Attack on the Front Lawn documents the first four gardens with personal accounts written by the owners, garden plans and photographs illustrating the creation of the gardens--from ripping up the grass to harvesting a wide variety of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Essays by Haeg, landscape architect Diana Balmori, garden and food writer Rosalind Creasy, author Michael Pollan and artist and writer Lesley Stern set the Edible Estates project in the context of larger issues concerning the environment, global food production and the imperative to generate a sense of community in our urban and suburban neighborhoods. This smart, affordable and well-designed book also includes reports and photographs from the owners of other edible front yards around the country, as well as helpful resources to guide you in making your own Edible Estate.

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 61)

SeriouslyJerome
SeriouslyJerome rated it: 4 of 5 stars
06/13/08

bookshelves: gardening, politics
Read in June, 2008
recommended to SeriouslyJerome by: Kerri
What a great gift from Kerri! And it wasn't even my birthday... it was her birthday!

I thought this would be a how-to book, but the author clearly states it's not. It's more of a brochure/pamphlet for performance art, because that's what he's done - his lawn conversions are part of his artistic & political expression.

It was motivating for me, who is already a convert to the edible landscape plan. It was a couple of years ago that I saw a news report about a local lady who ha...more What a great gift from Kerri! And it wasn't even my birthday... it was her birthday!

I thought this would be a how-to book, but the author clearly states it's not. It's more of a brochure/pamphlet for performance art, because that's what he's done - his lawn conversions are part of his artistic & political expression.

It was motivating for me, who is already a convert to the edible landscape plan. It was a couple of years ago that I saw a news report about a local lady who had converted her front yard into a garden. What I heard was, watering our front lawns (especially in SoCal,) is a complete waste. A waste of water & money. $$$ So my desire to ditch the front lawn has only grown since then. I won't let the boys play out front, so it's not even used for recreation. And we already have strawberries growing out front. After awhile, the whole yard will be converted!

We have big plans for our front yard, which requires money we don't have at the moment, but we can start with what we have....less
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Vicki
Vicki rated it: 4 of 5 stars
07/13/08

Read in July, 2008
This is a quick read, with 4 or 5 essays at the beginning about the tradition and wastefulness of the front lawn, and the idea of planting edible plants in the front. Stories of 5 Edible Estates gardens follow, and then there are several more short bits about people in different gardening zones who have dug up their front lawns and planted veggies. It made me want to read more gardening books!
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Jenn Gardner
Jenn rated it: 5 of 5 stars
01/30/08

Read in January, 2008
I suppose I'm biased because I work at Arthouse, where we currently have a Friz Haeg exhibition on view, and are getting ready to plant Edible Estates Regional Prototype #5 here in Austin - but this is a smart and attractive book about an important topic. Everyone plant some veggies!
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Richelle Reid
Richelle rated it: 4 of 5 stars
08/26/08

bookshelves: currently-reading
Also an inspiring read. I like how it showcases more 'typical' american families converting their front lawns into veggie gardens - and is an honest look at the joys and challenges, and the level of commitment, this kind of a decision makes.
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Kaitlyn Dunnett: Scone Cold Dead

2008-08-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Scone Cold Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett

My review

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When her career ended with a knee injury, Scottish dancer Liss MacCrimmon returned home to Moosetookalook, Maine. But though teaching dance to the local children, helping her aunt run the town’s Scottish Emporium and starting a romance with neighbor and former classmate Dan Ruskin has kept her busy, she misses the life of a professional dancer.So she’s delighted when her old Scots company, Strathspey, arrives in her hometown. Liss arranges a reception for the troupe and even bakes her own Scottish cocktail scones. But when the company manager, who’s been making life miserable for the performers, bites into one and dies, Liss knows her batch has been replaced. Someone’s hiding something—and Liss won’t rest till the jig is up!

Kaitlyn Dunnett: Kilt Dead

2008-08-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

Kilt Dead by Kaitlyn Dunnett

My review

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As a professional Scottish dancer, Liss MacCrimmon has performed strathsprays and reels, jigs and Highland flings until a knee injury cuts her career short. Returning to her hometown of Moosetookalook, Maine, she decides to help her aunt run her Scottish emporium. But when murder rears its ugly head in the idyllic, quiet village, Liss will have to add sleuthing to her repertoire...

Liss hasn't been in Moosetookalook in over ten years, but the quaint little town, nestled in the hilly terrain of western Maine, looks exactly as she remembers it. Only home a day before her aunt takes off on a tour of Scotland, Liss mans the emporium's booth at the annual Western Maine Highland Games. There she gets reacquainted with some old friends and new local characters, including an obnoxious real estate agent and his spoiled girlfriend who insists on ordering a custom-made kilt sewn from a plaid called the Flower of Scotland.

Liss knows a sale is a sale and returns to the emporium that night exhausted yet happy. But her bliss soon turns to dread when she finds the dead body of her aunt's nosy neighbor, Amanda Norris, under a bolt of the Flower of Scotland fabric in the stock room. And if things weren't bad enough, the state police hone in on Liss as the prime suspect.

With the help of Dan Ruskin, a neighbor and former high school classmate, Liss begins her own investigation that uncovers secrets about the residents of Moosetookalook-secrets she wished had stayed buried. Now Liss will have to do some fancy footwork to prove she's innocent while avoiding becoming the killer's next victim...

``

Clemence McLaren: Waiting for Odysseus

2008-08-26T13:59:00.000-07:00

Waiting for Odysseus by Clemence McLaren

My review

Very curious to read a retelling of the story of Odysseus. Especially as the original can seem a bit taxing at times.

Will look for this!

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Nancy Springer: Rowan Hood series

2008-08-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Rowan Hood: Outlaw Girl of Sherwood Forest by Nancy Springer

My review

Would love this book!!! With a birth name of Robin/Robyn Wood, you'd think this tale would be right up my alley. Plus another by Nancy Springer...

Nancy Springer and Jane Yolen, must have's for any youngster's bookshelves, especially a young lady.

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From Goodreads:::::
Hurray for Rowan Hood, the girls' answer to swashbuckling Robin Hood! Rowan, a.k.a. Rosemary, is forced to disappear into the woods disguised as a boy after her mother, a woodwife with healing powers, is murdered by the local lord's henchmen. Ro's only option, other than "toiling in some lord's cabbage patch," is to find her fabled father, Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest. Along the way, this outlaw-in-training is joined by a motley crew of characters: a wolf-dog that catches arrows midflight, a giant of a boy with a spellbinding musical talent, and a runaway princess. Rowan finds Robin Hood and his merry men, but she soon discovers her troubles have only just begun.
Packed with magic, valiant warriors, nasty villains, and edge-of-your-seat adventure, this story is also a poignant search for identity and family. Rowan is a fierce female protagonist with a good head on her shoulders. Girls and boys of all ages would be proud to name her as their heroine. Award-winning author Nancy Springer (I Am Mordred: A Tale from Camelot and many others) tells a riveting tale. (Ages 11 and older) --Emilie Coulter

Outlaw Princess of Sherwood: A Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My review

Another Rowan Hood book on wish list!

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It has been little more than a year since Etty-once Princess Ettarde, promised to the power-hungry Lord Basil-escaped from her father and joined Rowan Hood's band of misfit teens and outlaws-in-the-making. Etty is so happy, she cannot imagine returning to her old life. That is, until her father appears to reclaim her. King Solon is determined to bring Etty back to barter her hand for peace. He will do anything. Even use his wife, Ettarde's mother, as bait. In a cage. In Sherwood Forest. In winter. Etty will not stand for it. Neither will Rowan Hood. An intergenerational battle of wit, will power, and wisdom follows in this third tale of Rowan Hood.

Lionclaw: Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My review

another wish list book and another Rowan Hood story.

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Lionel believes that he is nothing but an awkward coward, and he much prefers playing his harp to drawing a sword. Banished by his warrior father, Lord Lionclaw, he finds refuge in Sherwood Forest and joins a misfit band of outlaws led by Rowan Hood, daughter of Robin. Lionel is loyal and grateful to his good friend Rowan, yet he is also determined to make peace with his father. But when Lionclaw is taken prisoner by Robin Hood one night, he spots his son among the outlaws and vows revenge on him. Suddenly Sherwood Forest is filled with danger, and Lionel wants nothing more than to turn and run. Then Lionclaw's bounty hunters capture Rowan and use her as bait, and suddenly the lion in Lionel is awakened.

Wild Boy: A Tale of Rowan Hood by Nancy Springer

My review

Another Rowan Hood book on Wish List

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Ever since the Sheriff of Nottingham killed his father, Rook has run wild in Sherwood Forest, dreaming of his day for vengeance. Finally, he has found his chance. Not with the sheriff himself, but with the evil man's son, snared by one of the mantraps his own father planted to catch outlaws such as Rook. Filled with clashes of sword and emotion, this page-turning installment in Nancy Springer's Tales of Rowan Hood series will leave readers eager to return to Sherwood, where outlaws are often innocent, and survival is no game.

Rowan Hood Returns: The Final Chapter by Nancy Springer

My review

The final chapter in the Rowan Hood series. Wish List

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Guy Longhead. Jasper of the Sinister Hand. Hurst Orricson. Holt, also Orricson, brother of Hurst. To anyone else, just four names. But to Rowan Hood, the gentle healer who has waited two long years to put names to the men who murdered her mother, they are fuel to feed her desire for revenge. And so she leaves the rowan grove that has become her home in Sherwood Forest, and along with her friends, she sets off to seek these men. Yet she finds that the closer she draws to them, the farther she feels from the healer she has become. Nancy Springer has written a dramatic, stirring final chapter to a series that has only grown stronger with each new tale.

~~~~

Nancy Springer: I Am Morgan Le Fay

2008-08-26T09:50:00.000-07:00

I Am Morgan Le Fay: A Tale From Camelot by Nancy Springer

My review

Another Nancy Springer book to add to my wish list.

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Nancy Springer: Dussie

2008-08-26T09:46:00.000-07:00

Dusssie by Nancy Springer

My review

I didn't know that Nancy Springer was still writing. I read many of her books as a teen and loved them. This looks like a really good read and will add to my wish list.

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Bobbie Hinman: The Knot Fairy

2008-08-26T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Knot Fairy by Bobbie Hinman

My review

this looks too cute!!! read the synopsis and really would love to find this book!

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Bryce Milligan: Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story

2008-08-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Brigid's Cloak: An Ancient Irish Story by Bryce Milligan

My review

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Gary D. Schmidt: Saint Ciaran: The Tale of a Saint of Ireland

2008-08-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Saint Ciaran: The Tale of a Saint of Ireland by Gary D. Schmidt

My review

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Katherine Dewey: Creating Life-Like Figures in Polymer Clay: A Step-By-Step Guide

2008-08-20T18:12:00.000-07:00

Creating Life-Like Figures in Polymer Clay: A Step-By-Step Guide by Katherine Dewey

My review

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Christel Dhom: Making Magical Fairy-Tale Puppets

2008-08-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

Making Magical Fairy-Tale Puppets
By Christel Dhom
Hardcover, 72 pages

http://www.thesilverpenny.com/files/rsteinercollegebks/makingmagicalfairytalepuppets-tn.jpg

available at the above website

also at this site on my wish list:

Making Flower Children
By Sybille Adolphi
Paperback, 96 pages

Making Waldorf Dolls
By Maricristin Sealey
Paperback, 155 pages

Creative Felt
By Angelika Wolk-Gerche
Paperback, 91 pages

The Art of Feltmaking
By Anne Einset Vickrey
Paperback, 144 pages with index

Magic Wool: Creative Activities
with Natural Sheep's Wool
By Dagmar Schmidt and Freya Jaffke
Paperback, 78 pages

More Magic Wool: Creating Figures
and Pictures With Dyed Wool
By Angelika Wolk-Gerche
Paperback, 79 pages

Making Fairy-Tale Wool Animals
By Angelika Wolk-Gerche
Hardcover, 80 pages

Little Felted Animals
by Marie-Noelle Horvath
Paperback, 64 pages

You Can Weave! Projects for Young Weavers
By Kathleen Monaghan and Hermon Joyner
Hardcover, 96 pages with index

Rachel Haab: Fairies: Petal People You Make Yourself

2008-08-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

Fairies: Petal People You Make Yourself by Rachel Haab

My review

Wish List

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Susanna Oroyan: Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook

2008-08-18T20:52:00.000-07:00

Anatomy of a Doll: The Fabric Sculptor's Handbook by Susanna Oroyan

My review

Wish List

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Christi Friesen: Dragons: The CF Polymer Clay Sculpture Series

2008-08-18T20:48:00.001-07:00

Dragons: The CF Polymer Clay Sculpture Series by Christi Friesen

My review

Wish list

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Have Now::: Maureen Carlson: Fairies Gnomes & Trolls: Create a Fantasy World in Polymer Clay

2008-08-18T20:44:00.000-07:00

Fairies Gnomes & Trolls: Create A Fantasy World in Polymer Clay by Maureen Carlson

My review

Wish list book
Now own

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Katherine Dewey: Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures

2008-08-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Creating Lifelike Figures in Polymer Clay: Tools and Techniques for Sculpting Realistic Figures by Katherine Dewey

My review

Want this book!!!

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Kathleen O'Neal Gear (and husband): The Betrayal

2008-08-17T13:23:00.000-07:00

The Betrayal: The Lost Life of Jesus: A Novel by Kathleen O'Neal Gear

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Checked out of library, didn't get to read. Looks like a well written book by a couple who seem to know their stuff (archaeology/anthropology). From the description here at GoodReads and in the cover of the book, I definitely want to add it to my bookshelves.

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Amy Hassinger: The Priest's Madonna

2008-08-17T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Priest's Madonna by Amy Hassinger

My review

Want to read this book. Been interested in Berenger for a long time.

Book cover description:

In 1884 in southern France, sixteen-year-old Marie Denarnaud's family is forced to move when their house burns to the ground. The find a new home in nearby Rennes-le-Chateau, a beautiful village set among hills steeped in history--from stories of a Visigothic presence in the Dark Ages, to tales of Cathar heretics who may have fled crusaders through rumored underground passages, to rumors of gold buried in the caves that perforate the hillsides.

Marie and her family face a chilly welcome in Rennes until the day a new parish priest is assigned to the village. By coincidence, the charismatic young priest is a friend of Marie's mother, and because his presbytery is in ruins, Berenger Sauniere takes up temporary residence with the Denarnauds. Young Marie is enthralled by the passionate Berenger and she revels in his priestly attention, though heavily conflicted by her own growing attraction to him.

Meanwhile, Berenger has attracted the patronage of a wealthy aristocrat who is willing to fund reconstruction of the church. His only condition is that Berenger keep an eye out for anything unusual he might find. Marie begins to suspect that the request has to do with the local legend of a woman who claimed to be descended from the bloodline of Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene. Berenger grows secretive, even as their affection deepens, and Marie must seek the truth without his help.

Historically lush, full of romance and intrigue, The Priest's Madonna blends fact and fiction. Interweaving scenes of ancient Judea with the spiritual journey of a vibrant and intense heroine, it tells a mesmerizing tale of faith, doubt, forbidden love, and illicit passion.

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Sue Monk Kidd - The Dance of The Dissident Daughter

2008-08-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd

My review

Another library book, looks interesting. Wish list.

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James Vanderkam - The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls

2008-08-17T13:01:00.000-07:00

The Meaning of the Dead Sea Scrolls: Their Significance For Understanding the Bible, Judaism, Jesus, and Christianity by James Vanderkam

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
needs more in depth reading, more that I can get out of it with a library check out. Of all the books at the library dealing with the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammuradi Library, this one seemed the best and the easiest to read or comprehend.

Added to wish list so I can peruse more thoroughly.

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Denise Linn - Altars

2008-08-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Altars by Denise Linn

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Very interesting in that it gives you ideas for a personal altar and pictures. Just a "gives me creative ideas of setup" guide.

Wish List

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Ari Elon - Trees, Earth, and Torah: A Tu B'Shvat Anthology

2008-08-17T12:50:00.000-07:00

Trees, Earth, and Torah: A Tu B'Shvat Anthology by Ari Elon

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another library book that needs more in depth reading. Very interesting. Earth centered Judaism.

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Richard D. Bank - 101 Things Everyone Should Know About Judaism

2008-08-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

101 Things Everyone Should Know About Judaism: Beliefs, Practices, Customs, And Traditions by Richard D. Bank

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Very basic, rather easy to understand fundamentals that you would need/want to know about Judaism.

Added to wish list, checked out of library.

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Karen Farrington - Historical Atlas of Religions

2008-08-17T12:42:00.000-07:00

Historical Atlas of Religions by Karen Farrington

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Checked this out of the library. It is really just a "primary" level book, but it does cover some lesser knows beliefs, and some interesting articles. Rather non-biased too, and I do appreciate that. Of course it covers Judeo-Christian-Islamic beliefs and origins, but also covers Hinduism, Buddhism, Tao, Confucianism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Sikhism,Shinto, the beliefs of the Australian Aborigines, Native Americans (north, central and south- I believe), Rasta, Voodoo, Old Norse, Old Greek/Roman, Egyptian, Maori, Easter Island, Quakers, Reformation, Moon, Theosophy, and several more.

Like I said, it's just an overview, introductory book, but a good simple format.

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2008-08-13T09:02:00.000-07:00

Learning Irish: An Introductory Self-Tutor by Michael O'Siadhail

My review

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2008-08-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

The Irish Cairn Murder: A Torrey Tunet Mystery by Dicey Deere

My review

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Murder-Irish Style....It is mid-October and unexpectedly cold in Ballynagh, the small Irish village that Torrey Tunet, the young American translator and sometime amateur sleuth, calls home. She has just built a fire of peat and coal to warm her cottage when a window frame collapses, letting in drafts of icy air. Asking around for the services of a carpenter, she hires local teenager Dakin Cameron to do a few repairs.Dakin is an unusually helpful and likable young man with something on his mind. When he receives a threatening phone call at the cottage, Torrey resolves to try to help him. It seems that Dakin is the son of Natalie Sylvester Cameron, a beautiful heiress whose husband died tragically two years before. Dakin is distressed because someone is trying to blackmail Natalie-and even more distressed when the blackmail attempts lead to a case of murder. Determined to uncover the truth no matter what the cost-including the ongoing enmity of the local police inspector-Torrey Tunet must call upon all of her wits and courage to find a cunning killer at large....

2008-08-12T13:41:00.000-07:00

An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

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Now readers can join China Bayles in ten puzzling cases-and get a taste of her world. This delightful collection features loads of wonderful herbal tidbits on everything from rosemary to feverfew to catnip; recipes for such to-die-for dishes as a Deadly Chocolate Valentine, Ruby's Applesauce Mint Bread, China's Five-Spice Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry, and McQuaid's Tex Mex-and a host of creative ideas for garden and home. It's a one-of-a-kind collection featuring a one-of-a-kind sleuth-who's worth spending some "quality thyme" with!

2008-08-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

China Bayles' Book of Days by Susan Wittig Albert

My review

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A companion treasury from the author of the national bestselling series.

Readers of the China Bayles mystery novels are familiar with the usefulness and wonder of the many herbs the amateur sleuth sells in her beloved Thyme and Seasons shop. Compiled by national bestselling author Susan Wittig Albert at the request of her fans, China Bayles' Book of Days gathers together tidbits and treasures about plants and reveals ways you can put more green into your daily life.

Featuring 365 days of recipes, crafts, gardening tips, remedies, and more, this special volume is a personal calendar of the legends and lore of herbs and also features brand-new essays from the author, clues from China's mysteries, and some special contributions by the irrepressible members of the Myra Merryweather Herb Guild, Pecan Springs's oldest civic organization.

2008-08-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

The Battle Between the Moon and Sun: The Separation of Women's Bodies from the Cosmic Dance by Jenny Kien

My review

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Woman's mysterious bleedings in time with moon cycles were first seen as the human embodiment of the cosmic mysteries of birth, death and rebirth and served as the basis for time-keeping. With the rise of absolute kingships in the Ancient Near East, authority shifted from women and goddesses to men and gods. The male sun displaced the cycling moon as dominant deity. This conflict between the moon and sun estranged women from the cosmic dance and led to their social marginalization. Spiritual imagery became solar, an exclusive and masculine imagery recognizing only one truth and demonizing all else. Incorporated into Judaism and Christianity, this imagery became an integral part of Western culture. The history of the Jewish and Christian calendars show how women were excluded from time-keeping, further marginalizing them. This eliminated the natural world from time-keeping, adding to our alienation from nature. To end the Battle between the Moon and Sun a new spiritual imagery must replace the current solar form. The history of the Battle shows that redeveloping the old female lunar imagery could help restore social inclusiveness and a reverence for life.

2008-08-12T13:36:00.000-07:00

Reinstating the Divine Woman in Judaism by Jenny Kien

My review

from Amazon: Great book which focusses on Asherah and G-ddess Judaism

View all my reviews.

2008-08-12T13:31:00.002-07:00

Cook With Jamie by Jamie Oliver

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Checked this book out of the library, good basics inside. Good for experience as well as beginner cooks.

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2008-08-12T13:31:00.001-07:00

Writing Magic: Creating Stories that Fly by Gail Carson Levine

My review

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In Writing Magic, Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine shares her secrets of great writing. She shows how you, too, can get terrific ideas for stories, invent great beginnings and endings, write sparkling dialogue, develop memorable characters—and much, much more. She advises you about what to do when you feel stuck—and how to use helpful criticism. Best of all, she offers writing exercises that will set your imagination on fire.

With humor, honesty, and wisdom, Gail Carson Levine shows you that you, too, can make magic with your writing.

2008-08-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood: A Treasury of Goddess and Heroine Lore from Around the World by Merlin Stone

My review

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Updated with a new Preface

This collection of ancient images of women as goddesses and heroines brings together legends, rituals, and prayers from China, Celtic Europe, South America, Africa, India, North America, Scandinavia, Japan, and elsewhere.

"Every feminist should have a copy of Ancient Mirrors. . . . These are stories to grow up with."
-Sojourner

2008-08-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

In the Light of the Moon: Thirteen Lunar Tales from Around the World Illuminating Life's Mysteries by Carolyn McVickar Edwards

My review

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Throughout the year, as it moves inexorably through its phases, the moon is a source of wonder, inspiration, and knowledge for countless sky watchers. Now In the Light of the Moon, a companion to Carolyn Edwards’ popular collection of stories about the winter solstice, presents thirteen lunar tales from around the world. Organized into four sections corresponding to the waxing, full, waning, and dark moons, the book collects stories from Australia, Britain, ancient Egypt, the Maya, Korea, Polynesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India, and the Amazon, among other lands and peoples. By seeking to explain the origins and cycles of Earth’s nearest neighbor and our relation to it, each story entertains, instructs, and inspires curiosity about the eternal mysteries of the natural world. Perfect for Halloween and October's Hunter's Moon, In the Light of the Moon's spirited collection of fascinating stories are also wonderful for any time of year.

2008-08-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

The Storyteller's Goddess: Tales of the Goddess and Her Wisdom from Around the World by Carolyn McVickar Edwards

My review

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The Storyteller's Goddess is a collection of more than 30 stories from 20 cultures that celebrate the goddess. They are organized around seven healing goddess principles and are inspired by traditional goddess lore and ancient artifacts. Each one is introduced by placing it in its cultural and historical context, telling the story's origins, and describing props that can be used to invoke that story's goddess--from Kali and Hecate to Shekina, Kuan Yin, Athena, Mary, and Lilith.

2008-08-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice by Carolyn McVickar Edwards

My review

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The winter solstice, the day the "sun stands still," marks the longest night and the shortest day of the year (it occurs either on December 20 or 21). Celebrations honoring the winter solstice as a moment of transition and renewal date back thousands of years and occur among many peoples on every continent. Now The Return of the Light makes an ideal companion for everyone who carries on this tradition, no matter what their faith. Storyteller Carolyn McVickar Edwards retells twelve traditional tales-from North America, China, Scandinavia, India, Africa, South America, Europe, and Polynesia-that honor this magical moment. These are stories that will renew our wonder of the miracle of rebirth and the power of transition from darkness into light.

2008-08-12T13:16:00.000-07:00

Yule: A Celebration of Light and Warmth by Dorothy Morrison

My review

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Those who yearn for spiritual meaning but aren't strongly affiliated with a specific religion sometimes feel left out of winter holidays. Yule is like a hot toddy for these chilled and isolated souls. From mistletoe to gift exchanging, Yule explores and exalts the pagan and regional roots to many of our contemporary rituals and celebrations. For example, lights were historically used to decorate winter homes in order to "frighten negative entities and urge the sun to shine," according to author Dorothy Morrison. Many people believe that Santa's reindeer "represent the stags that drew the chariot of the Norse gift-giving goddess, Freya." Beyond all the fascinating trivia, this is also a book that offers fresh approaches to old traditions, such as having a cleaning ritual that ceremoniously sweeps out the old and makes room for the new season or conducting a reverent "tree blessing" ceremony. Morrison also suggests numerous homemade crafts and gift ideas (many are suitable for children), inviting seasonal recipes (such as Yuletide Ambrosia and Dragon's Layer Cake), and a December calendar that lists traditions and rituals for every day of the month. --Gail Hudson

2008-08-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

Candlemas: Feast of Flames by Amber K

My review

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2008-08-12T13:14:00.000-07:00

Beltane: Springtime Rituals, Lore and Celebration by Raven Grimassi

My review

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2008-08-12T13:13:00.000-07:00

Ostara: Customs, Spells & Rituals for the Rites of Spring by Edain McCoy

My review

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2008-08-12T13:11:00.000-07:00

Lammas by Anna Franklin

My review

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2008-08-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

Midsummer: Magical Celebrations of the Summer Solstice by Anna Franklin

My review

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Summer solstice celebrants will find plenty of inspirational rituals, magic spells, and recipes in Anna Franklin's Midsummer. As in her previous book about the early fall festival of Lammas, Franklin can be whimsical as well as reverent. From the building of a magical bonfire to the staging of elaborate solstice rituals involving priests and priestesses, Franklin offers something for every level of pagan. In the section on "Midsummer Magic and Divination," Franklin gives instructions for placing various herbs and charms beneath the pillow to welcome prophetic dreams. Those who are inspired by the more romantic Shakespearean take on Midsummer's Eve can try some of Franklin's love divination techniques, such as flicking an apple seed toward the ceiling to see if your love is requited. Franklin also gives specific instructions for performing the "Rites of Midsummer." For instance, "The altar should be decorated with golds and yellows--this theme is echoed through candles, clothes and flowers.... Centrally placed should be a sun wheel or sun representation." And for the Martha Stewart-style pagan there are some excellent recipes, including Anise Tea and Comfrey Fritters. --Gail Hudson

2008-08-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

Halloween: Customs, Recipes & Spells by Silver RavenWolf

My review

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Witchs' hats and harvest moon
Ghosts that dance to harvest tune
Apples, goodies, food galore
Halloween has this and more!

Just where did this autumn gaiety begin? Let Silver RavenWolf guide you through the cobwebby corners of time to uncover the history behind Halloween. Honor the spirit of this hallowed harvest holiday with:

Halloween magic: Prosperity Pumpkin Spell, Corn Husk Dolly, Solitary Harvest Moon Ritual

Magical goodies: Candied Love Apples, Witches' Brew, Sugar Snakes in Graveyard Dust

Halloween myths and superstitions: black cats, scarecrows, pitchforks, witches, ghosts and "haints"

Divination: Circle of Ashes and Stones, Magick Mirrors Apple, Pumpkin Seed, and Water Divination

Rituals to Honor the Dead: The Dumb Supper, Samhain Fire, Soul Lights, Spirit Rattles and Spirit Bowls

2008-08-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment of Mabon by Ellen Dugan

My review

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Mabon, Feast of Avalon, Cornucopia, Harvest Home, Festival of the Vine . . . there are many names for this magickal holiday that celebrates the autumn equinox, the first day of fall. Ellen Dugan takes a fresh look at this "forgotten" Sabbat and demonstrates how to make the most of this enchanting season.

Featuring craft projects, recipes, enchantments, and valuable information on harvest deities, Autumn Equinox offers countless ways to bring fall magick into your life. Learn to create witchy wreaths, cook seasonal foods, put together a homemade centerpiece, make herbal soap, and practice spells and rituals using easy to find, natural supplies. This new addition to Llewellyn's Sabbats series also provides magickal correspondences on harvest deities, herbs, plants, and foods for those who want to create their own autumn spells and charms.

2008-08-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

Crossing to Avalon: A Woman's Midlife Quest for the Sacred Feminine by Jean Shinoda Bolen

My review

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Proving prayer to be as valid and vital a healing tool as drugs or surgery, the bestselling author of Meaning & Medicine and Recovering the Soul offers a bold integration of science and spirituality.

2008-08-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

A Passionate Life by Stephanie Cole

My review

A biography of one of the stars of the British comedy "Waiting for God"

View all my reviews.

2008-08-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

Choosing a Jewish Life: A Handbook for People Converting to Judaism and for Their Family and Friends by Anita Diamant

My review

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Married to a convert herself, Anita Diamant provides advice and information that can transform the act of conversion into an extraordinary journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth.

Here you will learn how to choose a rabbi, a synagogue, a denomination, a Hebrew name; how to handle the difficulty of putting aside Christmas; what happens at the mikvah (ritual bath) or at a hatafat dam brit (circumcision ritual for those already circumcised); how to find your footing in a new spiritual family that is not always well prepared to receive you; and how not to lose your bonds to your family of origin. Diamant anticipates all the questions, doubts, and concerns, and provides a comprehensive explanation of the rules and rituals of conversion.

2008-08-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

Judaism for Dummies by Ted Falcon

My review

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Like the many other Dummies books, Judaism for Dummies organizes a wealth of material into an easy-reading format with a warm, accessible voice. Readers can expect to find translations of common Yiddish words, the difference between Orthodox and other denominations, the meaning and rituals of high holidays, the origins of the Jewish people, and a stirring passage about the Holocaust.

The authors make this book especially engaging by deftly tackling those "I've always wondered..." kinds of questions about Judaism. For instance, what are the guidelines for kosher food? What's the Jewish version of sin? Was Marilyn Monroe really Jewish? (Yes, she converted.) And what exactly do Jews believe about God? The authors answer this last question with characteristic reverence and humor: "Some Jews see God as an external force, a Being outside of the universe.... Some Jews say that God contains the Universe.... Other Jews say that God is the universe.... The one thing that Jews won't argue about, period, is that God--whatever you imagine God to be--is ultimately unknowable and therefore un-nameable." They also note that Jews argue with God in order to know God better. They're called "Children of Israel" because of the biblical story in which Jacob wrestles with an angel and gets his name changed to Israel, meaning "one who wrestles with God."

The authors' lively voices give this stylistically formatted book a unique personality. Sometimes they sound as though they're telling jokes at a dinner party: "Have you heard the one about the two rabbis arguing over the Torah?" and "Yom Kippur means always having to say you're sorry." Other times they sound like fireside elders sharing the old stories of an ancient faith. This is an excellent book for someone preparing to become a bar or bat mitzvah. It could also be helpful for gentiles marrying into Jewish families, or any adult who is planning on converting. --Gail Hudson

2008-08-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hebrew for Dummies by Jill Suzanne Jacobs

My review

Wish List

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One of the most amazing things about Hebrew is that, in less than a century, it has gone from an ancient language of prayer and ritual spoken by a few holy men to a modern language of sunbathing, dining, going to the movies, and countless other everyday activities, spoken by millions. Modern Hebrew is a beautiful language, but for a native English speaker it can be tough wrapping your tongue around exotic expressions like “Ha’im Ayn Oogiyot?” (“What, no cookies?”). As with any language, the quickest way to master Hebrew basics is to immerse yourself in its sounds and rhythms. The next best thing to six months in Haifa, Hebrew For Dummies lets you do just that!

Whether you want to communicate with your Israeli cousins, understand Jewish prayers and sacred literature, impress your Jewish in-laws, or you’re planning a trip to Israel, this book/audio package can help. In no time, you’ll:

Master Hebrew sounds and rhythms
Understand basic grammar and usage
Get a handle on the Hebrew alphabet
Make small-talk, and most everyday transactions
Discover the basics of Hebrew blessings and prayer
Gain insights into Hebrew culture and traditions

Each chapter of Hebrew For Dummies is organized around a specific set of activities—such as eating, traveling, shopping, and asking directions—and gives you the lowdown on all the Hebrew you’ll need to get by. Topics covered include:

Eating, going shopping, having fun, sports, hobbies, talking on the phone, communicating around the office, and other everyday activities
Hebrew for travelers, including transportation, hotels, money changing, asking directions, and handling emergencies
Sacred Hebrew, including reading the Bible and prayer books, blessing formulas, sacred rites and services, and more

The enclosed audio CD let’s you pick up Hebrew the easy way—through actual conversations. It features:

Dialogues by native Hebrew speakers
Answers to the Fun & Games activities in the book

The fun, easy way to master basic Hebrew, this book will quickly get you on track with the language skills you need to speak and read Hebrew like a native.

2008-08-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

Leadings: A Catholic's Journey Through Quakerism by Irene Lape

A moving spiritual autobiography blending personal narrative with a discussion of Quaker faith, culminating in a call to personal obedience and unity in the church.

My review

On Wish List

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Born Yogis (Too cute for words!)

2008-08-12T12:42:00.000-07:00

Born Yogis by Susie Arnett

My review

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2008-08-11T12:46:00.000-07:00

Persian Mirrors: The Elusive Face of Iran by Elaine Sciolino

My review

Ooh, want to read this one, I remember how this period of time affected some of my schoolmates. They, when asked where they were from, would sometimes reply "Persia" rather than Iran due to the fear of reprecussions from classmates. Finding out what was REALLY happening in Iran at the time is intriguing.

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Have Now::: The Everything Mary Magdalene Book by Meera Lester

2008-08-06T12:47:00.001-07:00

The Everything Mary Magdalene Book: The Life And Legacy of Jesus' Most Misunderstood Disciple by Meera Lester

My review

Love her mini Magdalene book, would really love to have this one as well.

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2008-08-06T12:45:00.001-07:00

Why Does Santa Wear Red?: and 100 Other Christmas Curiousities Unwrapped! by Meera Lester

My review

wish list, sounds interesting.

View all my reviews.

2008-08-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Mary Magdalene: The Modern Guide to the Bible's Most Mysterious And Misunderstood Woman by Meera Lester

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
adding to wish list

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2008-08-04T05:55:00.000-07:00

The Gospel of Judas : from Codex Tchacos Kasser, Rodolphe.
Title:
The Gospel of Judas : from Codex Tchacos / edited by Rodolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, and Gregor Wurst.
Publication info:
Washington, D.C. : National Geographic, c2006.
Physical descrip:
185 p. ; 22 cm.
Contents:
Introduction / by Marvin Meyer -- Gospel of Judas / translated by Rodolphe Kasser ... [et al.] -- Commentary: Story of Codex Tchacos and the gospel of Judas / by Rodolphe Kasser ; Christianity turned on its head : the alternative vision of the gospel of Judas / by Bart D. Ehrman ; Irenaeus of Lyon and the gospel of Judas / by Gregor Wurst ; Judas and the gnostic connection / by Marvin Meyer.

The Gospel of Judas : from Codex Tchacos Kasser, Rodolphe.

Summary

It was condemned as heretical in 180 CE, lay hidden in a cavern, found by farmers in 1970, sold, resold, and sold again. Upon discovering it at the turn of the twenty-first century, experts authenticated it, conserved it, interpreted it and here published it. Bound to be controversial in both provenance and content, this version of the story of Jesus and Judas Iscariot follows the Gnostic tradition; Judas follows the order of Jesus to betray him so he can shed his earthly body and return to a higher order of spiritual beings. This includes an English translation of the text, followed by commentary by experts hailing from the U. of Geneva, Chapman U., U. of Augsburg and the U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the history of the text, its alternative vision, its condemnation, and its connection with Gnosticism. Annotation #169;2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

CHOICE Review

The National Geographic Society has a hit, or rather two hits, on its hands. Both books are certified best sellers, and the topics of televised specials, along with countless reviews, features, editorials, and Op-Eds. Many are aware of the cloak-and-dagger intrigue that accompanied the discovery and publication of the Gospel of Judas, and of the genuinely startling view it presents of the New Testament archvillain, Judas Iscariot. Since the volumes are reasonably priced and well written, they can be heartily recommended for purchase (preservation of the somewhat breathless attestations of the dust jackets is optional). What is left to ponder is the observation that libraries really do need to purchase both books, the result no doubt of deliberate calculations by National Geographic. In almost all respects, The Gospel of Judas contains everything readers could ask for, including the remarkably prompt publication of a translation of the gospel itself. (The speed of this enterprise--a matter of five years between the first scholarly contact with the document and the public appearance of a translation--contrasts starkly and very favorably with the more than 50 years separating the first discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and their complete publication.) This book offers succinct discussions about the modern uncovering of the gospel, its connections with ancient materials, and its "alternative vision" that turns Christianity "on its head."

By contrast, The Lost Gospel is devoted almost entirely to the murky circumstances of the gospel's modern discovery and eventual publication. Although well crafted, the detailed narrative that Krosney (an independent scholar) presents is probably far more than most readers require. But this volume does contain a series of extraordinary color photographs that no reader will want to miss. Were they in The Gospel of Judas, readers might not need to purchase The Lost Gospel as well. A new book by Bart Ehrman (scheduled for 2006 publication) may combine all of these useful features. Finally, one might ask why, in all of these words, no place was found for any dissenting opinions--not about whether the gospel is authentically old (surely, it is), but whether its perspective, once branded heretical, deserves all of the attention being lavished upon it now. At this relatively late date in the publicity campaign, such arguments might be moot (or muted), but they also deserve a hearing. Summing Up: Recommended. Both books. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers. General Readers; Lower-division Undergraduates; Upper-division Undergraduates; Graduate Students; Researchers/Faculty. Reviewed by L. J. Greenspoon. From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Gospel of Judas 17
Commentary
The Story of Codex Tchacos and the Gospel of Judas
47
Christianity Turned on Its Head: The Alternative Vision of the Gospel of Judas
77
Irenaeus of Lyon and the Gospel of Judas 121
Judas and the Gnostic Connection 137
Endnotes 171
Selected Bibliography 175
Publisher's Note 179

Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

2008-08-04T05:50:00.000-07:00

Reading Judas
Title:
Reading Judas.
Publication info:
Penguin USA 2008.
Physical descrip:
xxiii, 198 p. ; 20 cm.
Summary:
Evaluates the meaning of the controversial, newly-discovered Gospel of Judas, illustrating how the text offers an understanding of Judas's betrayal, the apostles' understanding of Jesus's death, and God's role in the crucifixion.

2008-08-04T04:59:00.000-07:00

Nikon D40 6.1MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G ED II AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor Lens

2008-08-04T04:35:00.000-07:00

The Book of J

(Paperback)by Harold Bloom (Author), David Rosenberg (Translator)

Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Grove Press (November 30, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802141919
ISBN-13: 978-0802141910
Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches

From Library Journal

Modern biblical critics have called the author of the oldest texts in the Hebrew Bible J, standing for Jahweh. Bloom and translator Rosenberg, authors of many works of literary criticism and of Jewish and biblical studies, have collaborated on a clear but controversial translation and analysis of parts of the Pentateuch using the term Jahweh. Bloom claims that the author of J was a woman, living in or at the time of the Solomonic court, 950-900 B.C.E., who wrote these selections not as a religious or historical treatise but as a literary work that Bloom compares to Shakespeare. While Rosenberg's translation is both modern and moving, he has made significant changes in the meanings of the Hebrew text. The proofs offered for these theories are no substitute for hard evidence. Nevertheless, The Book of J deserves consideration as a literary work.

A controversial national best seller upon its initial publication, The Book of J is an audacious work of literary restoration revealing one of the great narratives of all time and unveiling its mysterious author. J is the title that scholars ascribe to the nameless writer they believe is responsible for the text, written between 950 and 900 BCE, on which Genesis, Exodus, and Numbers is based. In The Book of J, accompanying David Rosenberg's translation, Harold Bloom persuasively argues that J was a woman—very likely a woman of the royal house at King Solomon's court—and a writer of the stature of Homer, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy. Rosenberg's translations from the Hebrew bring J's stories to life and reveal her towering originality and grasp of humanity. Bloom argues in several essays that "J" was not a religious writer but a fierce ironist. He also offers historical context, a discussion of the theory of how the different texts came together to create the Bible, and translation notes.

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48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
You can call me J..., June 13, 2003
By FrKurt Messick "FrKurt Messick" (Bloomington, IN USA
This review is from: The Book of J (Paperback)

Harold Bloom's 'The Book of J' caused quite a stir when it first was published. The book contains both introductory essays on authorship, a discussion of the theory of different texts being used to make up the books of the Bible (the Documentary Hypothesis), some historical context, and translation notes.

The bulk of the book consists of David Rosenberg's new translation of the J text, that text having been separated and isolated from the other source texts of the Torah (first five books of the Bible).

The concluding section contains essays by Bloom on different characters and themes in the text, as well as some modern theoretical analysis of the text, isolated as it is in this volume from the greater mass of material in the Bible.

There is a brief appendix by Rosenberg with notes specifically geared toward translation issues and difficulties, as well as source materials.

First, for a little background: since the 1800's, much of Biblical textual scholarship and analysis has subscribed to the theory that most books were not first written as integrated wholes, but rather, consist of a library of amalgamated texts, largely put together by a person who goes by the title Redactor, or R, for short. This was (in terms of Hebrew Bible timelines) a relatively late occurrence. Prior to this, there were various sources, including the J (J for Jehovah, or Yahweh, which is what God is called in these texts), but also E (Elohist, which is what God is called in these texts), P (Priestly, which largely comprises Leviticus), and D (Deuteronomist). The separation of these strands is controversial, and will probably never cease to be. But with literary and linguistic analysis, certain traits can be discerned of each of the particular strands.
The most controversial conclusion which Bloom advances in this volume is that J is a woman, who lived in the courtly community of King David, and that her stories are not only a retelling of the ancient stories which would have been known commonly, but is also a satire and indictment of courtly life as she finds it.

'J was no theologian, and rather deliberately not a historian.... There is always another side of J: uncanny, tricky, sublime, ironic, a visionary of incommensurates, and so the direct ancestor of Kafka, and of any writer, Jewish or Gentile, condemned to work in Kafka's mode.'
Bloom's assertion that J is a woman consists of several 'telling' ideas, not least of which that the J text seems to have no heroes, only heroines.

'Sarai and Rachel are wholly admirable, and Tamar, in proportion to the narrative space she occupies, is very much the most vivid portrait in J. But Abram, Jacob, and Moses receive a remarkably mixed treatment from J.'

Also, on the basis of sensitivity to subject and social vision, Bloom argues for a female J. Of course, women in positions of authority (as any courtly author or historian would have to be) were very rare in ancient Middle Eastern culture, but not unheard of; of course, literacy rates for women were incredibly low, and there has always been the unspoken assumption that, naturally, the authors of all ancient texts are men.

Whether or not you subscribe to this (and I must confess, I am less than convinced, clever and interesting and thought-provoking as Bloom's essay may be), both on the person of the author of J, as well as many of his other equally unorthodox views, this text still provides much food for thought, and an interesting side text with which to read the accounts in Genesis and Exodus.
Reading Rosenberg's translation is, likewise, an interesting exercise. I would wish for footnote or some key to be able to follow along in the Bible, but Rosenberg's purpose was to let J stand as its own text, on its own merits, and thus, without interruption, he has done that here. A refreshing look at familiar texts, Rosenberg's new translation will give things to think and argue about for some time.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:
There is yet more to learn about those old stories!, May 8, 2005
By
Randall Helzerman (campbell, ca) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Book of J (Paperback) If you have a King James version of the Bible, the next time you read Genesis, pay attention to how God is referred to. Sometimes He's called "God" and sometimes He's called "The Lord". The reason for this is that the original Hebrew text uses two different names for God, and the translators were careful to preserve this. When the Hebrew text uses "Elohim" it is translated as "GOD". When the Hebrew text uses "Yahweh", it is translated as "The Lord". If you carefully read Genesis, you'll notice that when Genesis refers to God as "Yahweh", he seems to be very different than when he is refered to as "Elohim".

For example, Elohim is invisible--he never appears to anybody nor can he be seen by anybody--but Yahweh talks face-to-face with people all the time: with Abram, to Jacob, and to Moses and the 40 elders. Elohim seems remote and regimented, whereas Yahweh comes across as mischevious and irrascible. This has prompted some to propose the so-called "Documentary Hypothesis" which posits that Genesis was formed by editing together two or more different books, each book using a different word for God and each book presenting a different picture of who God was and what He was all about. The book of J is the hypothasized book which used 'Yahweh" as the name of God.

Scholars try to reconstruct this book by bringing together all of the passages in the first 5 books of the Bible which refer to God as "Yahweh". The result is startling: the same stories you've heard all your life (The tower of Babal, Joseph going to Egypt, Abram bargaining with God over Sodom and Gomorrah), when read together like this, take on a whole different level of meaning.

This book provides two things in one handy volume: it provides a reconstruction of the book of J, freshly translated by David Rosenberg, and it also provides an extended commentary by Harold Bloom, who is certainly the best reader alive today, and who is uniquely qualified to serve as a tour guide through the experience of reading J.

So to review the book I'd like to review each of these seperately. First, Rosenberg's translation. To illustrate just how good it is at bringing things out of the text which you ordinarly wouldn't notice, I'd like to quote from his translation of the story of the Tower of Babal: "We can bring ourselves together" they said "like stone on stone, use brick for stone: bake it until hard." For morter they heated bitumen. Notice how this translation brings out the parallelism between the tower of Babal and human society: The tower is made out mud bricks bound by bitumen, and society is made out of people bound by language. But people are also just made out of mud--recall the creation story where Yahweh breathes the breath of life into mud. Baking the mud into bricks is symbolic of the people making themselves hard, and using bitumen for morter is symbolic of them using language and government to organize themselves. Rosenberg's translation makes available to us many of the puns and wordplay which other English translations unfortunately lose.

Now, to review Bloom's commentary. Scholarly types are fond of dising Bloom for his tendency to be speculative, to use his imagination to illuminate the reading of the text. But what they are forgetting is that J is a bunch of stories, written for us to experience! To use an parable of Rorty's, its like a surgion describing your wife as a bunch of tissues and organs vs. describing your wife as warm and loving, important person in your life. Yes, "warm and loving" arn't medical terms, but that doesn't make them a bad description of your wife. Also, the very greatest literature, such as J is, will admit of more than one reading, more than one interpretation, more than one point of view.

Bloom here does us excellent service by showing us his point of view on the text, telling us how the experience of reading the text impacts him. The author of J didn't write J just to chronicle some historical figures--the author of J wrote J so that we could read it, and by reading it, become changed into new people. _This_ is the aspect of experiiencing J which Bloom's commentary helps along, and this is the aspect which critics of Bloom's commentary are missing the most.

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Paperback)

2008-07-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Paperback) by Jean-Yves Leloup (Editor)

Product details
Paperback: 200 pages
Publisher: Inner Traditions Bear and Company; 1st U.S. Ed edition (28 Mar 2002)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0892819111
ISBN-13: 978-0892819119
Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 15.2 x 0.3 cm

Product Description
KJ, Napra ReView, May/June 2002

There are some fascinating glimpses at gender politics between the earliest followers of Jesus and the enigmatic personage of Mary Magdalene. Book DescriptionRestores to the forefront of the Christian tradition the importance of the divine feminine.* The first complete English-language translation of the original Coptic Gospel of Mary, with line-by-line commentary.* Reveals the eminence of the divine feminine in Christian thought.* Offers a new perspective on the life of one of the most controversial figures in the Western spiritual tradition.

Perhaps no figure in biblical scholarship has been the subject of more controversy and debate than Mary Magdalene. Also known as Miriam of Magdala, Mary Magdalene was considered by the apostle John to be the founder of Christianity because she was the first witness to the Resurrection. In most theological studies she has been depicted as a reformed prostitute, the redeemed sinner who exemplifies Christ's mercy. Today's reader can ponder her role in the gospels of Philip, Thomas, Peter, and Bartholomew--the collection of what have come to be known as the Gnostic gospels rejected by the early Christian church. Mary's own gospel is among these, but until now it has remained unknown to the public at large.

Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup's translation of the Gospel of Mary from the Coptic and his thorough and profound commentary on this text are presented here for the first time in English. The gospel text and the spiritual exegesis of Leloup together reveal unique teachings that emphasize the eminence of the divine feminine and an abiding love of nature over the dualistic and ascetic interpretations of Christianity presented elsewhere. What emerges from this important source text and commentary is a renewal of the sacred feminine in the Western spiritual tradition and a new vision for Christian thought and faith throughout the world.

Synopsis

Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup's translation of the Gospel of Mary from the Coptic and his thorough and profound commentary on this text are presented here for the first time in English. The gospel text and the spiritual exegesis of Leloup together reveal unique teachings that emphasise the eminence of the divine feminine and an abiding love of nature over the dualistic and ascetic interpretations of Christianity presented elsewhere. What emerges from this important source text and commentary is a renewal of the sacred feminine in the Western spiritual tradition and a new vision for Christian thought and faith throughout the world.

About the Author

Orthodox theologian Jean-Yves Leloup is the founder of the Institute of Other Civilization Studies and the International College of Therapists. His other books include Absurdity and Grace, Lack and Fullness, and a commentary on the Gospel of Thomas. He lives in France.

Pistis Sophia: The Gnostic Tradition of Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and His Disciples (Paperback)

2008-07-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Pistis Sophia: The Gnostic Tradition of Mary Magdalene, Jesus, and His Disciples (Paperback) by G. R. S. Mead (Author)

Product details
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Dover Publications (11 Mar 2005)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0486440648
ISBN-13: 978-0486440644
Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 13.7 x 2.3 cm

The Fall of Sophia: A Gnostic Text on the Redemption of Universal Consciousness (Paperback)

2008-07-30T08:40:00.000-07:00

The Fall of Sophia: A Gnostic Text on the Redemption of Universal Consciousness (Paperback) by Violet MacDermot (Author, Translator)

Product details
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Lindisfarne Press (1 Sep 2001)
Language English
ISBN-10: 1584200006
ISBN-13: 978-1584200000
Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 15.1 x 1.5 cm

Product Description
Synopsis: A fresh translation of the Pistis Sophia from the Coptic and a discussion of its historical setting. Sophia is one of the great symbols of the divine feminine in world civilization and the personification of divine Wisdom. In Gnosticism, the secret teaching of ancient Christianity, she represents the consciousness that all of us share, but which became trapped in the material world as a result of the Fall. One of the most sublime Gnostic texts is the Pistis Sophia or "Faith Wisdom", a great allegory in which the resurrected Christ tells how he freed the divine Sophia from her imprisonment to powers of spiritual wickedness. In this profound yet accessible work, Violet MacDermot provides a fresh translation of the Pistis Sophia from the Coptic and discusses it in its historical setting. She also shows how the story of Sophia is one in which we too can share in spiritual liberation. Her engaging discussion relates this work not only to ancient teachings, but to the thought of C G Jung, Emanuel Swedenborg and the Kabbala.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Participating in the "Gnostic Renaissance", 15 Oct 2007
By calmly - See all my reviews

Violet MacDermot translated the Pistis Sophia from the original Coptic text found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt into English as part of the Coptic Gnostic Library effort. Her translation of Books One and Two that focus on the fall of Sophia are reprinted here. MacDermot here supplements her translation with essays on Sophia's story and the significance of the Pistis Sophia and the Gnostic spirit in general in Western history. The foreword by Stephen Hoeller, "Sophia and the Gnostic Renaissance" adds further to understanding the place of the Pistis Sophia and the ancient Gnostic enterprise in human history.

MacDermot observes that the Gnostic Christians have views that conflict both with that of orthodox Christianity and materialism. Orthodox Christianity seemed to Gnostic Christians demanding of faith and obedience and fearful of self-knowledge. Science today seems too mechanical. From a Gnostic Christian viewpoint, if orthodox Christians complain about science's materialism, it often seems out of a desire to replace it with literalism. Gnosticism offers a third way, one that remembered favorably the ancient Western mythological wisdom of the Persians, Egyptians and Greeks and is today compatible with Eastern wisdom traditions such as Buddhism.

MacDermot follows the spirit of Gnosticism into modern times, presenting a summary of Emmanuel Swedenborg, Otto Weininger, Vladimir Solovyov, Auguste Comte, Rudolf Steiner, Lewis Mumford, Patrick Geddes, Dimitrije Mictrinovic, and Carl Jung, a wealth of leads who presented an organic vision of life. A bibliography of their works and others is included. One can see how the work of the early Gnostics is compatible with and has contributed to similar thought of more recent times

The Fall of Sophia itself is presented as a mythic way to explain the transition from collective consciousness to individual self-consciousness that occurred in the first few centuries of the Common Era. After Jesus finds Sophia fallen, Jesus and his disciples interpret the repentences of Sophia as she finds herself beset upon by evil powers within a chaotic realm. Jesus helps restore Sophia and then shares the mystery of the Ineffable, which can make one a ruler with Jesus, of this world and yet not of this world. By the middle of this story, you may feel like Sophia, overwhelmed by the evil powers. By the end of this story, you may share with the disciples, in an appreciation of the richness of your spirit, something materialism and literalism do not convey.

Macdermot has provided an exquisite context in which to understand the Fall of Sophia and its relationship to some recent thought. If you choose then to read more of the Gnostic texts and/or more of the more recent thinkers Macdermot presents, you may become a participant in a "Gnostic Renaissance" that might transform our challenged society.

Since I first read this book a month ago, it has weighed on my mind. What I had found to be some repetitiveness upon first reading, I'm realizing was a careful reiteration to convey the teaching forcefully.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1584200006?tag=thelanguedoc-21&camp=526&creative=3950&linkCode=st1&creativeASIN=1584200006&adid=1S9KHT50R54GN21E6N55&

Wish list from my friend Kelli's site! (partial list, let's call it number one)

2008-07-24T22:03:00.001-07:00

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My friend Kelli makes these wonderful dolls!!! Handmade. So here I'll keep a list of the ones I want. Her site is Dancinggoddessdolls.com

For the most part, unless no other choice, I collect the 11" dolls. Some only come larger, but I prefer, if able, to keep to 11"...

1. Mary Magdalene:

2. Hestia:

3. Sedna

4. Gaia:

5. Oya (I have the 6" version)

6. Pele

7. Shaman

8. White Buffalo Woman

9. Oracle

10. Cernunnos

11. Dylan

12. Epona

13. Flidais (have )

14. Grandmother Spider Woman

15. Gwynyhfar

16. Medusa

17. Oak King

There's plenty more, but will save for another time.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Taken from my Amazon.com wish list

2008-07-24T22:01:00.004-07:00

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Robin of Sherwood: The Complete Collection DVD

A Bit of Fry and Laurie - The Complete Collection... Every Bit! DVD

The Dresden Files - The Complete First Season DVD

Grey's Anatomy - The Complete Third Season DVD

Bones - The Complete Second Season DVD

House, M.D. - Season Three DVD

The Judi Dench Collection DVD

Cleopatra 2525 - Complete Series DVD

The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. - The Complete Series DVD

Johnny Clegg with Savuka & Juluka - Live! and More... DVD

My Brilliant Career DVD

The Isle of Dreaming ~ Price, Kate, CD

Legends of the Goddess ~ Powers, Laura, CD

Rite the First Time ~ Three Weird Sisters, CD

The Best of Pagan Song ~ Various Artists - New Age, CD

My Big Fat Greek Life - The Entire Series DVD

Butterflies - Series 2 DVD

Butterflies - Series 1 DVD

Song for Ireland ~ Black, Mary, CD

What Do Pretty Girls Do? ~ MacColl, Kirsty, CD

Kite ~ MacColl, Kirsty, CD

Electric Landlady ~ MacColl, Kirsty, CD

Galore ~ MacColl, Kirsty, CD

The Gathering of Spirits ~ Carrie Newcomer, CD

Kindred Spirits ~ Various Artists - International - Europe - Celtic/British Isles, CD

Salty Heaven ~ Bloom, Luka, CD

Prelude: The Best of Charlotte Church ~ Church, Charlotte, CD

Marija Gimbutas: The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe

2008-07-24T22:01:00.003-07:00

The Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe: Myths and Cult Images, New and Updated Edition by Marija Gimbutas

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Have wanted these books of hers for years, but they are hard to find. Definitely on my "Wish List"

View all my reviews.

Marija Gimbutas: The Language of the Goddess

2008-07-24T22:01:00.001-07:00

The Language of the Goddess by Marija Gimbutas

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Have wanted to get my hands on one of her books for years now,and still haven't managed to do it. When I do, then will post a review.

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Jeannie Ralston: The Unlikely Lavender Queen

2008-07-24T22:00:00.001-07:00

The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming by Jeannie Ralston

My review

Saw this reviewed somewhere and piqued my curiosity...especially when to do with lavender even in the most round-a-bout way.

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The Unlikely Lavender Queen: A Memoir of Unexpected Blossoming
by Jeannie Ralston
$23.95 List price

Publisher: Broadway Books
Pub. Date: May 2008
ISBN-13: 9780767927956
272pp

Synopsis

“I couldn’t help but question how I’d gotten to this strange spot in my life, so far from what I’d expected for myself. Yes, there had been a heady romance a few years back. Then a slew of
subsequent decisions, fueled by love and yearnings I didn’t even know I had. But I never, ever would have suspected that this was where the sum total of them would bring me. That afternoon a new doubt dripped into my mind. When do you know, I wondered, whether the choices you’ve made were the right ones?”

___________________________________________

In 1990, Jeannie Ralston was a successful magazine writer and bona fide city girl—the type of woman who couldn't imagine living on soil not shaded by skyscrapers. By 1994, she had called off an engagement, married Robb, a National Geographic photographer, and was living in Blanco Texas, population 1600.

THE UNLIKELY LAVENDER QUEEN is the intimate story of a woman who gives up a lot for the man she loves – her beloved blue state, bagels and all-night bodegas—only to have to wonder: Was it too much? Ralston offers a lively chronicle of her life as a wife, new mother and an urban settler in rural Texas. As she labors to convert a dilapidated barn into a livable home, deal with scorpions and unbearably hot summers, raise two young children while Robb is
frequently away on assignment, she realizes her ultimate struggle is to reconcile her life plans and goals with her husband’s without coming out the proverbial loser. And just when it seems like she might be losing that fight—and herself— a little purplebloom changes her life.

For centuries lavender has been a mystical herb, so valuable to ancient Romans that a bushel would cost nearly a month’s wages. But when Robb returns from a trip to Provence with a plan for growing lavender on their land, Ralston is not convinced—in fact the last thing she needed or wanted was to take up farming on top of everything else. Then, much to her surprise, she slowly but surely falls in love with lavender, and in the course of growing and selling blooms, hosting the public at the farm, and creating lavender products, she discovers a new side of herself. A few short years later, Ralston had built Hill Country Lavender, a thriving commercial enterprise that transforms both her little corner of Texas and her life.

THE UNLIKELY LAVENDER QUEEN will resonate with all women who have faced the tough choices that come with “having it all” and secretly (or not so secretly) hoped for great adventure to come along and surprise them. Ralston’s honest, funny, and poignant memoir is a testament to the fact that such adventures await us around every bend in life.

Publishers Weekly

Arriving in Manhattan for a McCall'smagazine summer internship when she was 21, Ralston was smitten with big-city life. Soon she had the career of her dreams, a Chelsea apartment, even a film student fiancé. Then, on a feature assignment for Life, she met Robb, a photographer for National Geographic, and her life was up-ended.

Before long, Ralston was leaving her boyfriend and New York City, to move with Robb to his home state of Texas. They settled first in Austin, but Robb wanted a less urban lifestyle, so they bought land with a creek and an old stone barn in the Texas Hill Country. Robb's busy schedule of international photo shoots left Ralston in charge of house renovations, hardly her forte. Then Robb had his next idea-they'd raise lavender on their limestone-rich land, which was similar to the soil of Provence. Ralston agreed, provided they start having children. Together, they began a successful niche-industry, growing and processing lavender into a variety of marketable products.

In this satisfying and enjoyable story, the reluctant Ralston eventually falls in love with their fields of lavender. (May)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc.
All rights reserved.

Biography

JEANNIE RALSTON is a contributing editor to Parenting and a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Life, The New York Times, National Geographic, and other publications. She and her family currently live in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

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Savina J. Teubal: Sarah The Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis

2008-07-24T21:59:00.002-07:00

Savina J. Teubal: Sarah the Priestess: The First Matriarch of Genesis,
Swallow Press, 0804008442
The matriarch Sarah as a priestess of high ranking preserving goddess ways and feminine wisdom in the face of a patriarchal paradigm shift. Abraham and Sarah's spiritual life makes much more sense after reading and examining some of these theories.
Empowering and enlightening.

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Stephen Fry: The Ode Less Travelled

2008-07-24T21:59:00.001-07:00

The Ode Less Travelled: Unlocking the Poet Within by Stephen Fry

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
The ONLY reason I didn't give this 5 stars is the fact that I would really love to have this book with an audiobook cd attached, read by Stephen Fry himself. It was so easy to get through when you can imagine his voice reading the words but I kept losing that voice and thus losing my ability to keep up with what I was reading. It makes so much more sense when you "hear" him reading it, and doesn't seem so dry then. If you know his voice, then you probably know what I mean.

Have found out that it is available in audio...found on Amazon.com.

Thanks to the poster on my blog that informed me of such a surprise!

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Anita Diamant: Pitching My Tent

2008-07-24T21:58:00.003-07:00

Pitching My Tent: On Marriage, Motherhood, Friendship, and Other Leaps of Faith by Anita Diamant

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
I WANT THIS BOOK!!! Really badly. I have it checked out from the library, and quite frankly, had to quit reading as I really need my own copy that I can notate places in the book!

3 pages in and already decided!!!! EEEEEKKKKKSSSS!

Friday, July 18, 2008:::::Returned it to the library yesterday, didn't want to, wonder if I could sneak it out and keep it, LOL! Just kidding. But definitely on my Wish List!!!

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Debra Winger: Undiscovered

2008-07-24T21:58:00.001-07:00

Undiscovered by Debra Winger

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just checked this out of the library and am only a few pages into it. I'm impressed so far. I will have to say that I am surprised, because I remember that Debra Winger had a "reputation" of being difficult to work with. But after I saw her, briefly, on The View, and saw this book, I think the label was not exactly deserved. Or rather misunderstood.

But she has sketches, poems and other stuff in the book too, at least so far. She also includes a snippet from "Shadowlands", a really good movie with her and Anthony Hopkins about CS Lewis and Joy (can't remember her last name)

will write more on this later!

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Karen Armstrong: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism,Christianity, and Islam

2008-07-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

A History of God: The 4,000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam by Karen Armstrong

My review

Have several others of her books and really want this book. Added to wish list.

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