History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Average customer rating:

Powerfully true and direct.
Practitioners will find they owe Thomas Cleary a serious debt
Whatever the secret is, you won't find it in this translation
one interesting translation
A Better Title.

The Secret of the Golden Flower

Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Consciousness & Thought | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Taoism | Other Eastern Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0062501844

Book Description

The first volume of the Starseed Trilogy: Intuitive knowledge featuring a startling new view of human evolution.

Customer Reviews:

Powerfully true and direct........2007-05-02

I have found this very small gem to be powerfully true and direct after working with the method for a very short while ....and backed up with Shodo Harrada Roshi's particular sussokan (breath) method. This seems to be the single most informative bit of instruction that I have come across. I sense that it would benefit a majority of people. Author Cleary is convincing as well.

Practitioners will find they owe Thomas Cleary a serious debt.......2006-10-19

I have been a practitioner in the Tibetan Vajrayana for over thirty years. This short book, which I have put into daily practice has corrected mistakes in my practice to such an extent that I feel I have wasted thirty years. This, of course, is not entirely true. Because of the extensive study during those years I could appreciate the depth of Cleary's translation and commentary as one who has successfully practiced this meditation.

With practice, the book gets more and more profound and the practice more refined. It subsumes the whole of the Buddhist canon and that of Taoism and Confucianism and Christianity as well. In particular it brings one to the realization that scriptures, while valuable, have the danger of enmeshing one in words and concepts. On a more personal note, it has helped free me from trying to reproduce past experiences of enlightened mind, which are now just memories and therefore also concepts and ideas.

I have waded through Stopping and Seeing, also translated by Mr. Cleary in volume V of his collected translations, and would advise against it. It is very similar to Ashvagosha's Awakening of Faith in the Mahayana, translated by D.T. Suzuki, which I studied at length many years ago. After your practice has reached a certain point, perhaps it might be of value to study such treatises.

Another thing that commends Mr. Cleary's translation is that he puts his commentary at the end so the translated text is presented without distractions. For this I am also grateful.

One thing that is not addressed in this or other meditation texts, nor by the meditation instructors I have had, is the basics of sitting meditation. I spent years "on the mat" working through bodily problems such as back aches, legs falling asleep and painful tensions that can be avoided by a few expediencies, to say nothing of the fact that posture is essential to integrating one's entire being in the practice.

First of all, it is important that the body be relaxed. One should not waste precious time trying to assume unfamiliar and strenuous asanas, e.g. the Lotus posture, but should sit on a cushion, e.g. a Zafu, that raises one's butt and use a mat, e.g a Zabuton, that protects one legs and ankles from hard surfaces.

Secondly, it is necessary to sit with the back straight and the spine unsupported. However, one needs to relax into this position, like stacking a pile of coins, once they are straight, you can let go. You do not want to let go entirely because from time to time tensions arise, for example you begin tensing your back, neck or legs. This subtle awareness will allow you to immediately relax such tensions and again let go. In this way you can eliminate years of trial and error on the mat.

I would add that this relaxing into the posture is the same approach you should take to the meditation itself.

Whatever the secret is, you won't find it in this translation.......2006-10-16

Thomas Cleary has probably done more harm to the cause of Western understanding of Asian philosophy than any other individual, even perhaps including H. P. Blavatsky. He seems to translate one word at a time with the result that you understand each word as you read it, only to find that the sentences are incoherent. Since Cleary has been prolific, not hard considering how carelessly he translates, his translations flood the market making it unlikely that others will be published, particularly of works, such as the Secret of the Golden Flower, with a limited market. We can avoid reading Cleary's translations but then cannot find others by more competant hands.

Cleary translates philosophical terms with rather vague English equivalents but never indicates the Chinese term in question. Thus with terms such as "essence" and "primal spirit" one realizes as one continues to read that their meaning is entirely obscure. Of course, the Chinese used terms with multiple meanings that often must be pondered to be understood, as do Western philosophers. "De" of the Daodejing" is an example. It is not exactly the same as its usual English translation as "virtue" but close enough. In the case of Cleary's vague terms one actually has no idea of what they mean. "Essence" has no equivalent in Chinese philosophical writings, nor does "primal spirit." There are various Chinese terms that might be translated as "spirit" but we have no means to determine which is in the original. The book is elegantly printed but of more value would have been the Chinese text on opposite pages, or at least a glossary.

What most frustrates is that one can glimpse what the original text is saying just enough to wish that an understandable translation existed. Sadly, none does. Though Wilhelm's is much better, it is still inadequate because he lacked the concepts to fully understand the text, as did other Westerners of his generation. We can excuse this in him because he exerted himself to trying to understand. One cannot say the same for Cleary, who significantly, never appears at academic conferences in his field.

one interesting translation.......2006-07-09

This book has been very underestimated, even though it was Carl Jung and Richard Wilhelm who edited it some time ago.
In this translation I found out other meanings of the book. This is enough for me. The commentary is also satisfying, after all. The mistakes of the previous translation (i. e., Wilhelm's one) have been corrected, and some partialities as well.
Nevertheless, it is a book requiring an application, a put-into-practice as it were, and you may not be contented with a mere reading. You can see the cake but not have it.

A Better Title........2005-08-09

It is a good reference for the study of "The Golden Flower" meditative technique.

However, some of the low points have already been alluded to in prior reviews offered here concerning this book.

For instance, I too think Mr. Cleary could have done a much better job of trying to offer clarity, and in formatting, his approach in assisting the reader who may not be to familiar in Buddhist alchemy. Instead, he spends about half his time interjecting why Wilhelm and Jung were wrong in their handling of the subject. If that was his original intent then he should have just titled the book as "A Study of Why Wilhelm and Jung Misinterperted the Secret of the Golden Flower".

I think this Classic Chinese Book of Life is so short and sweet but yet so profound that this book is still worth buying.

I can just hear a Chan Buddhist Master saying " Yes Mr. Cleary I know you wrote this book but did you bother to read it?"

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Mythology & Folklore | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Controversial Knowledge | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Celtic | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

The Secret Teachings of the Vedas: The Eastern Answers to the Mysteries of Life Volume One

Average customer rating:

The Secret Teachings of the Vedas - brief impression
"Big Bang" Bulloney!
A very enlightening read
Great Insights into Spiritual Wisdom
Disappointing

The Secret Teachings of the Vedas: The Eastern Answers to the Mysteries of Life Volume One
Stephen Knapp
Manufacturer: World Relief Network
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Hinduism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Vedas | Hinduism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Other Eastern Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0961741015

Customer Reviews:

The Secret Teachings of the Vedas - brief impression.......2006-11-03

The book is quite heavy going, but very informative. You need patience and perserverence to wade through, but if you are really keen about the Vedas, the effort spent reading this book is worthwhile

"Big Bang" Bulloney! .......2006-03-31

Another reviewer here states that the "Big Bang" as the "beginning of the Universe" has "pretty much been proven by scientists"......what nonsense! The "Big Bang" is ONLY a constructed "MODEL" - an attempt to explain what the human organism PERCIEVES as "reality", it is NOT proven by any means, and neither is Evolution. This other reviewer states that the only people who don't buy into the "Big Bang" are crack-brained Fundamentalists. Well, I invite you to consider visting "stangrist.com" and once there, click on the yellow "Library" icon halfway down the page. When in the Library, click on the Topic "Giant Human Remains" at the top of the Archive list. Read the whole article - its short, but shocking - and THEN consider the "Big Bang", Evolution, and what people have been PROGRAMMED to "believe" and what is true.
Then, for more "proof" of the Vedic position, read "The Holographic Universe" and "Mysticism and the New Physics" and see how out-to-lunch the whole "Big Bang"/Evolution cult is.
This is a good book to ponder over after you've absorbed the above-mentioned information because its content will have much more profound impact and make much more sense than if you don't have the proper back-up in the form of well-documented information from sources that don't beat the same dead horse, so to speak.

A very enlightening read.......2006-02-25

Stephen Knapp has the rare ability to communicate Vedic spirituality and philosophy in an insightfull and enlightened way to the average reader. One does not require previous knowledge about Vedism, just an open mind. A very worthhwile read for any person seeking a better understanding of who they are, and their role in this world.

Great Insights into Spiritual Wisdom.......2004-12-13

The Secret Teachings of the Vedas is a great book to look into the lofty spiritual insights of the Vedic literature. I rarely write any such reviews, but I've been reading Knapp's books for some years now and have always found them easy to read and understand the uplifting nature of the Vedic philosophy. I also wanted to say that I don't understand how Henry Booth wrote in to say he was disappointed. It's as if he took a few points he had problems with and forgot all the other significant things in the book.
Like he says Knapp believes you only go from one physical birth to another. This is absolutely untrue since the book spends many pages dealing with the spiritual realm, along with heaven, hell, subtle realms and subtle beings. If that is not life between physical births then what is? Maybe he just didn't get that. Or did he really read the whole book? He also says that Knapp doesn't buy the Big Bang theory, which he says is a proven premise. But that depends on who you talk to. Some scientists are already saying that the Big Bang theory does not uphold the law of matter and energy, and does not properly explain how various elements could have been created. Others feel that the superclusters in space are not what would be expected from an explosive model like the Big Bang, nor would the smooth nature of the background microwave radiation that is detected. So these and other factors point out that there has to be some other explanation. So maybe there is good reason why the Vedic literature does not support what some think is the Big Bang.
So these theories are changing, as is always the case in science. But the Vedic literature does say that the universe is expanding, which is the premise from whcih the Big Bang theory was developed. So it perturbs me when someone writes a review of something based on their own lack of information. So let me conclude that this book on the Vedic viewpoint remains a great source of spiritual wisdom and insight. There are a lot of other points that this book deals with. No one will go wrong with buying this book.

Disappointing.......2004-09-15

Virtually all the reviews on the Amazon.com site gave this book 5 stars so I had high expectations of this book. The book can't be faulted in its style of writing which is easy to follow - the issues I had were with the theology and "science". For example, Knapp rejects the idea that the universe started with the "big bang" which has pretty much been proven by scientists & nobody except a few fundamentalists rejects this any longer. The idea that the universe is bounded by a layer of earth & water is also pretty ridiculous. Knapp's argument against evolution of the eye is also pretty old and has been refuted by biologists such as Dawkins.

Regarding the theology, I can't accept the idea that after death you are immediately plunged into a new physical body (animal or human) without having the chance to review your life & have some kind of input about what happens next, as has been explained by Michael Newton, Robert Monroe & various others. The idea that having sex outside of marriage will mean that you have to embrace a boiling hot body as punishment after death is barbaric and belongs back in the dark ages. But if this is what the Vedas teach then I can't fault Knapp's explanation of it in the book.

On a positive note, Knapp's writings about detatching yourself from the material world are quite good & worth reading. The section on seeing spiritual India is good and there are lots of photos of temples which really makes one want to visit India at some point.

The Secret Teachings of the Tao Te Ching

Average customer rating:

The Secret Teachings of the Tao Te Ching
Mantak Chia , and Tao Huang
Manufacturer: Destiny Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Mysticism | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Other Eastern Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Taoism | Other Eastern Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Tao Te Ching | Bible & Other Sacred Texts | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0892811919
Release Date: 2005-01-31

Book Description

Reveals techniques for achieving spiritual immortality through an in-depth exploration of Lao-tzu's Tao Te Ching

• Includes practices and meditations for living in harmony with the Tao (universal essence) and Te (kind action)

• Reveals the integration of heavenly and human power in the mystic field within us

• Presents Tao Huang's English translation of the Tao Te Ching from the original Chinese Mawangdui text unearthed in 1973

For over 2,500 years the words of the Tao Te Ching, the primary scripture of Laoism and Taoism, have been regarded as among the greatest treasures of the world. Lao-tzu, whose name means "the ancient child," wrote these brief but essential verses that have both confounded and conferred blessings on humankind. Now Taoist masters Mantak Chia and Tao Huang guide readers through the origins of this philosophy, the meaning behind its 5,000 pictographs, and the way of living that generations have followed.

While the text of the Tao Te Ching has been passed down in literary form for generations, the essence of the text can be understood only through heart awakening--a true integration of body and mind--made possible with the insights and exercises in this book. The authors analyze Lao-tzu's teachings, line by line, and offer meditations, interpretations, and practical illustrations that clarify the true meaning and purpose of this classic text.

The Pueblo Revolt: The Secret Rebellion That Drove the Spaniards Out of the Southwest

Average customer rating:

The lesson of NM history
Good with Spanish documents, but otherwise disappointing
Politically Correct for the 21st Century, not the 17th
not so much a history as an excellent guide
A History Hidden on Mesas and in Canyons

The Pueblo Revolt: The Secret Rebellion That Drove the Spaniards Out of the Southwest
David Roberts
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 074325516X

Book Description

With the conquest of New Mexico in 1598, Spanish governors, soldiers, and missionaries began their brutal subjugation of the Pueblo Indians in what is today the Southwestern United States. This oppression continued for decades, until, in the summer of 1680, led by a visionary shaman named Popé, the Puebloans revolted. Before then the many different Pueblo villages had never acted in concert (and never would again). Now, in total secrecy they coordinated an attack, killing 401 settlers and soldiers and routing the rulers in Santa Fe. Every Spaniard was driven from the Pueblo homeland, the only time in North American history that conquering Europeans were thoroughly expelled from Indian territory.

Yet today, more than three centuries later, crucial questions about the Pueblo Revolt remain unanswered. How did Popé succeed in his brilliant plot? And what happened in the Pueblo world between 1680 and 1692, when a new Spanish force reconquered the Pueblo peoples with relative ease?

David Roberts set out to try to answer these questions and to bring this remarkable historical episode to life. He visited Pueblo villages, talked with Native American and Anglo historians, combed through archives, discovered abandoned backcountry ruins, sought out the vivid rock art panels carved and painted by Puebloans contemporary with the events, and pondered the existence of centuries-old Spanish documents never seen by Anglos.

As he explores the mystery of how the fiercely independent Pueblo villages brilliantly coordinated their effective attack -- and how the Spanish successfully exploited Indian disunity to return to power -- Roberts blends research and storytelling in an enlightening and spellbinding narrative.

Customer Reviews:

The lesson of NM history.......2006-10-31

Excellent history. I recommend this book to anyone interested in an accurate history of Northern New Mexico. It is refreshing to read an author who states his bias upfront instead of cloaking it in academic pretentions of "fair and balanced." in "The Pueblo Revolt" Roberts dispels the fantasy of the "bloodless reconquest" of New Mexico.

The Pueblo Revolt was envisioned by the medicineman Pope after he was tortured by the then Govenor of New Mexico. Pope, who was unknown to the Spanish, went to the Taos Pueblo and organized the revolt which resulted in expelling the Spanish from the Pueblos. The Neo-Cons should read this history and learn the true consequences of torturing enemies.

Good with Spanish documents, but otherwise disappointing.......2006-02-19

This is an interesting read and Roberts does a good job with presenting the myriad and complex Spanish documents on the topic. Sadly, he's limited by his lack of knowledge of the native cultures of the southwest. There are some hilarious passages where he's bemoaning the fact that modern-day Puebloans won't talk to him...yet his relationship with these people seems to consist entirely of his showing up and asking pointed questions. He also makes some glaring errors, as in his reference to Peyote "mushrooms" and his suggestions about the kiva at Abó.

Politically Correct for the 21st Century, not the 17th.......2005-11-23

Roberts provides some excellent insights and thought provoking discussion on the history of the Pueblos and the great Pueblo Revolt of 1680.

But this discourse is distracting in its imbalance and agenda. Roberts admits up front that this is a biased history... in that the Indians could do no wrong and the settlers and Christian padres could do no right. But he goes further than that as he consistently mocks the Christians and belittles their often sincere, though humanly imperfect, attempts to "civilize" the Indians and demonstrates that he is in the forefront of 21st Century political correctness and victimization apology, bordering on romanticizing the 17th Century Pueblo people. That is distracting given the setting of the 17th Century in New Mexico, a frontier for the Spanish and home for the Indians, a home that had been conquered and contested among other migrating, opportunistic peoples for generations prior to the arrival of the new opportunists, the Spanish. Instead, this would have been a better history had Roberts shown that both Indians and settlers were in step with their times and no side had a monopoly on either virtue or hard heartedness. Survival in that era was often a testament of cruel excesses on both sides, whether it is settler against Indian, Indian against settler, Indian against Indian or settler against settler. Also it was an era where the more exemplary human qualities of courage, resourcefulness, determination and compassion existed and worked on both sides attempting to thwart those brutal excesses. With historical balance, this might then have resulted in a more insightful work on this tragic and inevitable event in Southwest history. This is an event that cries for objective analysis because of its important ramifications for both cultures today.

not so much a history as an excellent guide.......2005-03-27

Another great book by Roberts... It's not just a history of the Pueblo Revolt but also a guide to the people who are affected by it today. Roberts does a graet job of not only giving a brief history but of getting a "feel" for the current scholorship of his subjects. I was especially impressed with the way this book handled, or attempted to handle, the pueblo side of the history of the Pueblo Revolt. It is still a story that has yet to be told , and one that the Pueblo are telling in thier own way, Roberts allows people to speak for themselves whether it is Pueblo leaders or the archeologists and anthropologists working on the ground. I really recomend this to anyone who is not familiar with the Pueblo Revolt as a first look at the subject.

As usual Roberts annotated biblography is probably worth the price of the book in itself

A History Hidden on Mesas and in Canyons.......2005-03-15

The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 is one of those hazy historical events of which many are aware, but about which few really know much. As with his "In Search of the Old Ones", David Roberts has taken on another topic that combines a fascinating history with the outdoor experience of the southwest. David Roberts does this better than anyone else except, perhaps, Craig Childs. But while Craig Childs writes marvelously of his outdoor experiences in the canyons of the southwest, Roberts weaves in important historical topics that reveal the American southwest as more than just a backcountry experience, but an experience of the human species.

The Pueblo Revolt is an important event, not only to American history, but to human history as well: the Puebloans did indeed drive the Spanish out of the southwest for a time, an event that was never repeated by any other North American native people. Roberts' narrative is engaging and personal: he discovers that, three centuries later, hard feelings still exist between natives and hispanics, yet he is sensitive to all sides and tells the story without bias. He protects Native place names out of respect for native wishes, and he struggles to get modern Puebloans to drop their veil of secrecy to reveal the history that they have kept hidden from the rest of the world. He is not entirely successful in this regard, and must rely upon (as previous historians have also) Spanish documents for his primary sources. Many (not all) of the Puebloan peoples will not share the oral histories that have been passed down to them, as if they are not, themselves, Homo sapiens and a part of the human history of the planet. This is a real shame since their self-imposed apartheid could ultimately doom their rich cultures (and some languages as well) to nothing more than enigmatic footnotes in human history.

Nevertheless, Roberts has navigated through these challenges to write a comprehensive, on-the-ground history of the Pueblo Revolt that will entertain as well as inform.

Secrets from the Center of the World (Sun Tracks, Vol 17)

Average customer rating:

Joy Harjo perfect words to Stephen Strom's photos
Living poetry, connecting all things

Secrets from the Center of the World (Sun Tracks, Vol 17)
Joy Harjo
Manufacturer: University of Arizona Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0816511136

Customer Reviews:

Joy Harjo perfect words to Stephen Strom's photos.......2000-05-18

Joy Harjo is a multi-talented artist - poetry and music (with Poetic Justice) available. Here she has paired her words to Stephen Strom's photographs. His photographs of landscapes have an unusual and very effective use of colors ... many reminding me of the softness of watercolor or pastels.

Joy Harjo has provided text - somewhere between prose and prose poems - that engage the accompanying photographs to create a mythic sense. For example a photo of rose-tinted desert sand with no sky (Overlook west of Tuba City)is accompanied by "Two sisters meet on horseback. They gossip: a cousin eloped with someone's husband, twins were born to his wife. One is headed toward Tsaile, and the other to Round Rock. Their horses are rose sand, with manes of ashy rock."

An excellent book.

Living poetry, connecting all things.......1997-03-11

Nowhere have I read poetry that so completely encompasses the Native American view of the connectedness of all things. Harjo's writings, coupled with Steven Strom's photography of "Indian country" make this a book that I read over and over, each time drawing something new. It is one of the only books I've ever read that convinces me that language is "alive", as alive as we are, as alive as the shoulder bone of a mountian, as alive as a comet which streaks its way across the sky. It is my favorite book. Period.

Secrets of Ancient Cultures: The Inca: Activities and Crafts from a Mysterious Land (Secrets of Ancient Cultures)

Average customer rating:

CLASS LOVED the CRAFTS & INCA history made easier

Secrets of Ancient Cultures: The Inca: Activities and Crafts from a Mysterious Land (Secrets of Ancient Cultures)
Arlette N. Braman
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Crafts & Hobbies | Arts & Music | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Ancient | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0471219800

Book Description

Discover the ancient Inca culture with these fun games and activities!

Make an Inca tunic. Prepare a quinoa snack. Create a royal headdress. You'll have a great time exploring the cultural traditions of these fascinating people as you learn to write an Inca poem, sculpt your own clay portrait in the shape of an Inca jug, and test your bluffing skills as you play Perudo.

This book is filled with activities and projects that will show you how the ancient Inca people lived and played, as well as how they managed to create an empire that extended nearly 3,000 miles! You'll learn about the bravery of Inca warriors as you construct a war shield. You'll discover how the Inca created beautiful music with panpipes and dance bells-and you'll make them yourself! You'll get to prepare a tasty Inca dish called Andean stew. Plus, you'll find lots of amazing Inca facts on topics ranging from history and religion to language, metalworking, and art. So get ready for lots of fun as you discover the ancient secrets of The Inca.

Customer Reviews:

CLASS LOVED the CRAFTS & INCA history made easier.......2006-03-02

Crafts are great, easy to do! Easy to read book, easy directions. Drawing are vivid and helpful.

During Open School night my son's teacher stated that some cultures are hard to teach to a 2nd grade class. I offered my services when ever she needed help or a helpful idea. Matthew came home and said Ms. Rayes needed help with INCAS. Book arrived fast. A day later my son came home with a note. TEACHER LOVES THE BOOK, she raved about it! She has since passed her book onto other 2nd grade teachers who have since ordered their own copies.

Slavery in the Cherokee Nation: The Keetoowah Society and the Defining of a People 1855-1867 (Studies in African American History and Culture)

Average customer rating:

Slavery in the Cherokee Nation: The Keetoowah Society and the Defining of a People 1855-1867 (Studies in African American History and Culture)
Patrick Minges
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Slavery & Emancipation | World | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0415945860

Book Description

This work explores the dynamic issues of race and religion within the Cherokee Nation and to look at the role of secret societies in shaping these forces during the nineteenth century.

Average customer rating:

This is a good book for people who like animals
This book was excellent!

The Secret of the Seal
Deborah Davis
Manufacturer: Knopf Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0679865667
Release Date: 1994-11-15

Book Description

While hunting, a 10-year-old Eskimo boy befriends a seal pup. "When Kyo learns that his uncle is hunting for a seal to take to the zoo, he must use every bit of resourcefulness he can muster to save his vulnerable playmate. Readers are not hit over the head with the theme of animals being best left in the wild. Kyo's transformation from hunter to conservationist is plausible and touching. A welcome addition for younger readers."--School Library Journal.

Customer Reviews:

This is a good book for people who like animals.......1999-02-10

"Soon you will kill Seal not become one," says young Kyo's father, but Kyo had different ideas. Finally the moment Kyo had been waiting for, he was going to hunt his first Seal. Kyo found a seal and was going to kill it when he found how innocent looking he was. As Kyo began inspecting her he realized how sweet and kind she was. Kyo named this friendly creature Tooky. Kyo's Uncle George was coming down to hunt a seal for the Big City Zoo. George goes hunting with Kyo, and Kyo realizes his friend is in danger. Kyo tries to convince George that there is really no seal in Tooky's breathing hole, and leads George away from Tooky's usual breathing hole. They go on a wild goose chase, but don't find any seals. The next morning George went out to Tooky's usual breathing hole, because he had a feeling Kyo was lying. Uncle George finds Tooky, and tranquilizes her. Kyo has to stop his George from taking Tooky to the Big City Zoo, breaking their friendship, and revealing his secret.

I think this was a great book. Towards the end of the book it really grabs your attention because during the book you really fall in love with Tooky. Kyo was a very courageous boy to be able to hold on to his secret.

This book was excellent!.......1999-01-27

This book is about a young Eskimo boy named Kyo, who is going to shoot his first seal, but when the time comes, he looks into the seal's eyes and puts the harpoon down. Kyo becomes very good friends with the seal and decides to name him Tooky. One day, Kyo's uncle comes from the city to capture a seal and bring it back to the city. Every morning Kyo and his uncle go to look for a seal, so Kyo points him the opposite direction of her normal breathing hole, but one morning, his uncle gets up earlier than Kyo and finds the hole. Kyo tries to convince his uncle to let the seal go, but it was no use.

I think this was an extraordinary book! This is definitely Deborah Davis' best book. It leaves the reader in suspense. I highly recommend this book to anybody who likes books that are about relationships between animals and people, and about friends and how far they will go for each other. This book is for all ages. It made me feel like I was actually there through the happy and the sad times.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books