James A. Pike, the fifth bishop of the Episcopal Diocese ofCalifornia, was a man of many faces. To some he was an iconoclast,a man decades ahead of his time who modernized the Church andrendered it more progressive and open to inquiry. To others he wasa heretic, who polarized and desecrated the Church. Alwayscontroversial and charismatic, he took America by storm in the1960s with his best-selling books, and his weekly television talkshow, Dean Pike, which won him a cover story in Time . APassionate Pilgrim is an illuminating biography of Pike, and anexamination of the tragedies, triumphs, and difficulties thatshaped his spectacular rise to fame and his mysterious death in theIsraeli desert.
David Mamet's interest in anti-Semitism is not limited to themodern face of an ancient hatred but encompasses as well the waysin which many Jews have internalized that hatred. Using themetaphor of the Wicked Son at the Passover seder (the child whoasks, "What does this story mean to you?") Mamet confronts what hesees as an insidious predilection among some Jews to excludethemselves from the equation and to seek truth and meaninganywhere--in other religions, political movements, mindlessentertainment--but in Judaism itself. He also explores the ways inwhich the Jewish tradition has long been and still remains theWicked Son in the eyes of the world. Written with the searinghonesty and verbal brilliance that is the hallmark of Mamet's work,The Wicked Son is a powerfully thought-provoking look at one of themost destructive and tenacious forces in contemporary life.
Author Robert Sitler’s immersion in Mayan culture began with atransformative spiritual experience more than three decades ago inthe ruins of Palenque, Mexico. Led by a local to a nearby Mayanvillage, Sitler discovered firsthand what traditional Mayan lifewas like—a community of people living in peace with each other andtheir physical surroundings. In The Living Maya, he shares thisexperience and many that followed. In the process, he immersesreaders in a rich indigenous culture and offers a fresh view of the2012 phenomenon, focusing on the valuable lessons Mayan culture canteach us in this time of transition. Personal anecdotes areinterwoven with factual information about the roots of traditionalMayan customs and traditions, presenting a rare multifaceted viewof their simple yet profound way of life. The book showcases Mayaninfant care, community building, ties to nature, attitudes towardthe elderly, and orientation to spirituality. In The Living Maya,Sitler shows how following “the Mayan way” can he
Colorstrology is a fascinating blend of astrology, numerology,and color theory that offers exciting new insights about our livesand relationships. Written by renowned astrologer Michele Bernhardtwith the artists at Pantone, Inc., the global authority on color,the system features 366 "birthday colors" that illustrate who weare and how we behave. For example, people born on January 29 (like Oprah Winfrey) sharethe color Keepsake Lilac; they are "ambitious" and "tender" and"born to make a difference . . . it is not uncommon to find [them]in front of an audience." People born on May 11 (like Salvador Dal) share the color Green Tea. They "have a vivid imagination and cansee new ideas and concepts more readily than others." Using Colorstrology, you'll quickly understand how to enhanceyour best personality traits with your birthday color. Thisfull-color book features detailed profiles of everyone you knowplus 366 perforated swatches so you can take your birthday colorwherever you go. PANTONE
In what is both a radical approach to the Bible , and afundamental return to its narrative prose, Robert Alter reads theOld Testament with new eyesthe eyes of a literary critic. Altertakes the old yet simple step of reading the Bible as a literarycreation.
Scattered over much of the world throughout most of theirhistory, are the Jews one people or many? How do they resemble andhow do they differ from Jews in other places and times? What havetheir relationships been to the cultures of their neighbors? Toaddress these and similar questions, some of the finest scholars ofour day have contributed their insights to Cultures of the Jews, awinner of the National Jewish Book Award upon its hardcoverpublication in 2002. Constructing their essays around specific cultural artifacts thatwere created in the period and locale under study, the contributorsdescribe the cultural interactions among different Jews–from rabbisand scholars to non-elite groups, including women–as well asbetween Jews and the surrounding non-Jewish world. What theyconclude is that although Jews have always had their own autonomoustraditions, Jewish identity cannot be considered the fixed productof either ancient ethnic or religious origins. Rather, it hasshifted and assumed new forms
Scientology, created in 1954 by a prolific sci-fi writer namedL. Ron Hubbard, claims to be the world's fastest growing religion,with millions of members around the world and huge financialholdings. Its celebrity believers keep its profile high, and itsteams of "volunteer ministers" offer aid at disaster sites such asHaiti and the World Trade Center. But Scientology is also a notablyclosed faith, harassing journalists and others through litigationand intimidation, even infiltrating the highest levels of thegovernment to further its goals. Its attacks on psychiatry and itsrequirement that believers pay into the tens and even hundreds ofthousands of dollars for salvation have drawn scrutiny andskepticism. And ex-members use the Internet to share stories ofharassment and abuse. Now Janet Reitman offers the first fulljournalistic history of the Church of Scientology, in an evenhandedaccount that at last establishes the astonishing truth about thecontroversial religion. She traces Scientology's development fro
Elizabeth was a beautiful woman who began past-life regressiontherapy for grief and relationship problems. With the help of Dr.Weiss, she delved into former lives, began to understand herpresent, and surprisingly, like Catherine in Many Lives, ManyMasters, made contact with the Masters: highly evolved, ancientsouls who, through her, channeled profound, crystalline messagesfor all people about life after death, spiritual dimensions, andthe purpose of our lives on earth. At the same time, Dr. Weiss wastreating Pedro, a charming man also suffering from grief. He, too,underwent past-life regression therapy to seek solutions andhealing. Dr. Weiss had often worked with couples or families whodiscovered that they had