Amazon.com
About the Authors:

Robert Scoble helps run Microsoft's Channel 9 Web site. He began his blog in 2000 and now has more than 3.5 million readers every year. Scoble's blog has earned acclaim in Fortune magazine, Fast Company, and The Economist.

Shel Israel played a key strategic role in introducing some of technology's most successful products, including PowerPoint, FileMaker, and Sun Microsystems workstations.He's been an expert on innovation for more than twenty years.

An Excerpt from Naked Conversations:

Bloggings's Six Pillars: There are six key differences between blogging and any other communications channel. You can find any of them elsewhere. These are the Six Pillars of Blogging:

1. Publishable.Anyone can publish a blog.You can do it cheaply and post often. Each posting is instantly available worldwide.

2. Findable. Through search engines, people will find blogs by subject, by author, or both. The more you post, the more findable you become.

3. Social. The blogosphere is one big conversation. Interesting topical conversations move from site to site, linking to each other. Through blogs, people with shared interests build relationships unrestricted by geographic borders.

4. Viral. Information often spreads faster through blogs than via a newsservice. No form of viral marketing matches the speed and efficiency of a blog.

5. Syndicatable. By clicking on an icon, you can get free "home delivery" of RSS- enabled blogs into your e-mail software. RSS lets you know when a blog you subscribe to is updated, saving you search time. This process is considerably more efficient than the last- generation method of visiting one page of one web site at a time looking for changes.

6. Linkable. Because each blog can link to all others, every blogger has access to the tens of millions of people who visit the blogosphere every day.

You can find each of these elements elsewhere. None is, in itself, all that remarkable. But in final assembly, they are the benefits of the most powerful two-way Internet communications tool so far developed.

Other Blogging Books

Blogging For Dummies

Buzz Marketing with Blogs For Dummies

Publishing a Blog with Blogger

Book Description

From the creator of the number one business blog comes a powerful exploration of how, and why, businesses had better be blogging: Naked Conversations.

According to experts Robert Scoble and Shel Israel, blogs offer businesses something that has long been lacking in their communication with customers -- meaningful dialogue. Devoid of corporate-speak and empty promises, business blogs can humanize communication, bringing companies and their constituencies together in a way that improves both image and bottom line.

The authors use more than 50 case histories to explain why blogging is an efficient and credible method of business communication. You'll find yourself excited about the possibilities blogs present after reading just a few pages. Discover how:

• Prominent business leaders, including Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks, Bob Lutz from General Motors, and Jonathan Schwartz of Sun Microsystems, are beginning to use blogs to connect with their customers in new ways.
• Blogging has changed the rules of communication and competition.
• You can launch an effective blogging strategy and the reasons why you should.

Featuring a foreword by Tom Peters, this is a resource you and your business can't do without.

Download Description

From the creator of the number one business blog comes a powerful exploration of how, and why, businesses had better be blogging According to these experts, blogs offer businesses something that has long been lacking in their communication with customers-meaningful dialogue. Devoid of corporate-speak and empty promises, business blogs can humanize communication, bringing companies and their constituencies together in a way that improves both image and bottom line. With a Foreword by Tom Peters, author of such business bibles as In Search of Excellence, this book uses more than 50 case histories to explain why blogging is an efficient and infinitely more credible method of business communication. Blogs are easily linked, allowing information to spread rapidly, and blog readers are active, not passive, participants in the communication. Business and marketing decision-makers will find themselves excited about the possibilities after just a few pages. Interviews with Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks, Bob Lutz from General Motors, Jonathan Schwartz of Sun Microsystems, and other prominent business leaders showcase how businesses are beginning to use blogs to connect with customers in new ways Explores how blogging has changed the rules of communication and competition Gives business owners the tools to launch an effective blogging strategy and the reasons why they should Robert Scoble (Redmond, WA) is a technical evangelist who helps run Microsoft's Channel 9 Web site. He is also the company's best-known blogger, whose blog is read by more than 3.5 million people annually and is the top-ranking business blog among Technorati's Top 100. Shel Israel (San Carlos, CA) has been a consultant for more than 20 years and played a key strategic role in introducing some of technology's most successful products, including PowerPoint, FileMaker, and Sun Microsystems' workstations.

Customer Reviews:

Very Helpful.......2007-08-09

As a novice blogger and blog reader, I found this book to be a very helpful initiation into the culture of blogging. While the authors can be a bit "preachy" at times, they do get their message across and I find that their views on what blogging is all about ring true.

If you are already out there in the blogosphere, you will probably not find anything new here. However, if you are just getting your start, and especially if your business is just getting its start in blogging, this is an important book to read.

Great book!.......2007-07-23

I'm really enjoying the book. I'm blogging for my company, and was very interested in the insights of these men. They offer far more than just blogging guidelines - they offer a window into how our communication styles have developed in the digital age, and how to serve our employers with our communications.

Great book - I'm recommending to friends.

Received quickly & in great condition.

Every Marketing person should read this book.......2007-06-01

Blogs are another way of marketing a company's products and services and drawing folks into the raison d'etre for the company doing certain things, or going in a certain direction. Websites offer information, but no dialog.
My take on this book is that .. this is a must read for every Marketing person. Blogs have a huge potential for making companies look human and help sell products.
The book is very 'straight from the heart'. You can see that all over the place :). These guys are really into blogging and passionately so.
The industry examples are very good. Google and Apple not encouraging blogging was a big surprise.

A Practical Guide to Corporate Blogging.......2007-04-07

Naked Conversations is an insightful guide to the phenomenon of corporate blogging. Robert Scoble and Shel Israel have taken the fundamental message of The Cluetrain Manifesto--the claim that `markets are conversations'--and explored its business implications. Less visionary than The Cluetrain Manifesto, Naked Conversations is far more practical and instructive. It's the kind of book that you could recommend to your boss if he wanted to know why he should encourage his employees to blog about work.

The authors put forward a convincing case that businesses large and small need to take blogging seriously. On the one hand, corporate blogging can provide excellent return on investment, particularly in terms of search engine rankings but also, less quantifiably, in shared community perceptions. On the other hand, ignoring the blogosphere or entering it without taking account of its culture risks injuring a company's credibility. A key point is that blogging, unlike traditional public relations, is as much or more about listening as it is about speaking.

The authors divide the book into three sections. The first provides a series of case studies exploring different aspects of corporate blogging. Scoble and Israel point to corporate (and national) culture as the major differentiator between companies which encourage blogging and those which do not. Some companies like Google and Apple have turned corporate secrecy into a competitive strategy. Others simply let the big boss blog, preferring not to allow the minions to express themselves in their own voices. Microsoft and Sun are among the forward-thinking corporations which recognize the public relations value of encouraging their employees to talk online about the products and ideas they care about. The second section gives very practical tips about how and how not to blog about business. The third section, which is the shortest, provides a broader perspective on the place of blogging among other emerging technologies and trends.

Robert Scoble did a tremendous job with Channel 9 while he was at Microsoft. His video interviews introduced me to the people building the technologies I use everyday. I now feel a kind of personal connection to Microsoft and its employees. This would never have happened through advertising and traditional public relations. It came as a result of letting employees speak publicly about what they are working on. Rather than thinking about the company as a `Borg,' I regard Microsoft as a collection of extremely interesting and creative individuals who also listen and respond to what others have to say about their products.

Naked Conversations is not a technical book about how to set up a blog. Rather, it's an introduction to the culture of blogging and how it contributes to business today. Clearly, anyone considering blogging about business will want to read this book first--not just to avoid getting `dooced'--but to gain the right perspective on the risks and returns of talking and listening to customers online.

Good ONE.......2007-03-28

I think the book is really good if you don't have read any book about blogs.
Just in this case, buy it.
Otherwise, just read blogs, do not need any book.
At least this is what I think.

Best Regards,

Average customer rating: Interesting but... A Unique Insight Into A Shadowy World Very Exciting Some good spy stories amidst a lot of complaining One sided view.

By Way Of Deception: The Making And Unmaking Of A Mossad Officer Victor Ostrovsky , and Claire Hoy Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Other Side of Deception: A Rogue Agent Exposes the Mossad's Secret Agenda Israel's Secret Wars: A History of Israel's Intelligence Services Man in the Shadows: Inside the Middle East Crisis with a Director of Israel's Mossad Gideon's Spies, Second Edition: The Secret History of the Mossad Vengeance: The True Story of an Israeli Counter-Terrorist Team ASIN: 0312926146

Book Description

The # 1 "New York Times" best seller the Israeli foreign intelligence agency The Mossad tried to ban.

The making of a Mossad officer is the true story of an officer in Israel's most secret agency.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but..........2007-10-18

Who's to say the book isn't a deception as well? It has been 'confirmed' the author's life has been threatened. But he lives in Arizona, is an artist and has a website promoting his art, his books and his address! How threatened can he be? Yes, the book is good but keep in mind the training this man went through. Deception is the very act of convincing people what they are being told is true. As I always say, question everything especially that which is told to you by the masters of deception.

A Unique Insight Into A Shadowy World.......2007-01-27

I've long acknowledged the Mossad as one of the best, if not the best, intelligence agencies in the world. They have a reputation as being both ruthless and resourceful. Even more unusual is that they have achieved this status with a relatively small organization, compared with, say, the CIA. Ostrovsky explains how this is possible, and details the recruitment and training of prospective agents at great length.

The most disturbing element of the book is the way it conveys the omnipresent yet totally autonomous organization that is the Mossad. Highlighted in this book is the way in which the Mossad operates primarily for its own goals and agendas, and not necessarily in Israel's best interests. Indeed, some of its actions have run against that of Israel's interests, including the jeopardization of the peace process. While many might say he wrote this with Claire Hoy purely for financial gain, I'm convinced that Victor did it out of concern for what he was seeing. It's like that old saying goes "absolute power corrupts absolutely".

In truth, I'm not a great fan of non-fiction, but I made an exception for this book based on the subject matter, and was not disappointed. I would recommend this book.

Very Exciting.......2007-01-04

If you have ever wondered about the Mossad and how they came about this will answer all your questions. A really good book.

Some good spy stories amidst a lot of complaining.......2006-06-23

If this was a collection of short stories it would be great. The disgruntled angle detracts from the stories, and is unsatisfying on its own merits.

First, the good. I won't spoil the stories by repeating them. I'll just say that they are satisfying, and intriguing. Some of the stories have been duplicated -- e.g. in Spy Games -- but the author goes through them in much greater detail here.

Now, the bad. The complaints sound more like whining, and the allegations sound conspiratorial. That Israel has banned this book makes it sexier, but on its merits, it is difficult to believe the parochialism, narrow-mindedness, and short-sightedness that the author extrapolates from a few select (questionable) incidents. E.g. the Israelis keeping their mouths shut about the Beirut bombings. I'm only surprised there wasn't more discussing of the Liberty Incident.

As long as you don't expect the wrong things, this book is a good read.

One sided view........2006-05-31

As expected, anything coming from Victor Ostrovsky will be negative and against Israel. The book is filled with real events, which the author dramatically changed and turned Israel responsible for them. No wonder this book is banned in Israel. In fact, because of the ban, many people believe that this book has true accounts of Mossad activities. True, the book gets interesting, but the author's motive to run down the Israel for everything happening around the world spoils it. This book is a perfect example of blaming a country and its intelligence agency for your own mistakes. I absolutely agree with J. A Magill's review, this book has no credible source of information, except the fact that Ostrovsky once worked for Mossad.

Vindictiveness is the word behind this book. Absolutely one sided, and nothing to prove what author says. All I can say is that I want my money and most importantly my time back. I doubt if I can have either.

Average customer rating: A UNIQUE GIFT TO US ALL Very exceptional resource on early Israeli Judaica

Lighting the Way to Freedom: Treasured Hanukkah Menorahs of Early Israel Aaron Ha'tell , and Yaniv Ben Or Manufacturer: Devora Publishing ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover General | Museums & Collections | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books General | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Jewish Life | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Holidays | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Hanukkah | Holidays | Judaism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: Rashi's Daughters, Book II: Miriam ASIN: 1932687661

Customer Reviews:

A UNIQUE GIFT TO US ALL.......2007-09-13

This is the first major work to focus on the history of early Israel, from the 1930's through 1960's through the beautiful images created lovingly by pioneer artists and craftsmen. From the first waves of immigrants, through the Holocaust and early days, to the blooming of a free democratic state, the book inspires and awes.

Very exceptional resource on early Israeli Judaica.......2006-12-24

From kitsch to true works of art, this book documents all of it with vivid photographs and meaningful explanations. This is one of the finest resources out there on early Israeli metalwork and Judaica. Not only are the works of the more familiar makers included, such as Oppenheim and Maurice Ascalon's Pal-Bell, but the creations of dozens of lesser-known and obscure makers are included as well, which adds to the books utility. Collectors and enthusiasts have been waiting for this for a long time.

Average customer rating:

Cooking the Israeli Way: To Include New Low-Fat and Vegetarian Recipes (Easy Menu Ethnic Cookbooks) Josephine Bacon Manufacturer: Lerner Publications ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Diet & Nutrition | Health | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Cooking | Sports & Activities | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Food of Israel: Authentic Recipes from the Land of Milk and Honey (Periplus World of Cooking Series) Popular Food from Israel The Foods of Israel Today Olive Trees and Honey: A Treasury of Vegetarian Recipes from Jewish Communities Around the World Sephardic Israeli Cuisine: A Mediterranean Mosaic ASIN: 0822541122

Average customer rating:

The Way Home: Tao Passages Dorien Israel Manufacturer: Willow Way ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books | 18th Century | 19th Century | 20th Century | Classics | Contemporary | General | Historical | Humor | Letters & Correspondence | Middle | Old | Poetry | Renaissance | Shakespeare | Short Stories General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books ASIN: 1879473046

Average customer rating: Everyone Should Read before forming an Opinion Compassionate, yet frustrating & incomplete. Blessed Are The Peacemakers Another Correction Correction

Death as a Way of Life: Israel Ten Years After Oslo David Grossman Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux ProductGroup: Book Binding: Hardcover Asia | History | Subjects | Books | Afghanistan | Armenia | Bangladesh | Belarus | Bhutan | Brunei | Cambodia | Central Asia | China | Far East | General | Georgia | Hong Kong | India | Indonesia | Japan | Korea | Laos | Malaysia | Maldives | Mauritius | Mongolia | Myanmar | Nepal | Pakistan | Philippines | Russia | Seychelles | Singapore | South Asia | Southeast Asia | Sri Lanka | Taiwan | Thailand | Tibet | Turkey | Vietnam General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books Non-US Legal Systems | Perspectives on Law | Law | Subjects | Books General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books General | Political Science | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Sleeping on a Wire: Conversations with Palestinians in Israel The Yellow Wind: With a New Afterword by the Author See Under: LOVE: A Novel The Smile of the Lamb The Zig Zag Kid ASIN: 0374102112

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Everyone Should Read before forming an Opinion.......2004-07-13

I had to read this book for a college class, but ended up enjoying it anyway. While he does not reach any conclusions, I do not think that is his intention. Rather, he offers an emotional first-hand look at the complex situation that has developed in the Middle East. The reader experiances the highs and lows of the recent peace efforts, from the hope of Oslo to the tragedy of assassination. There is also an excellent essay on the Holocaust and the effects on Germany and Israel. No matter one's views on the Middle East conflict, this is a book worth reading. Grossman is moderate and rational, a viewpoint that is too often lost in the emotion and horror of the violent cycle that has taken hold in the region.

Compassionate, yet frustrating & incomplete........2004-03-01

The very real suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians permeate the pages of this book and for that it is to be commended. Comprising some 34 articles surrounding the ongoing conflict, this study approaches the issue from a left-wing and a solely, secular stance which clearly hopes for a man-made, peaceful co-existence between the two sides.

However, I found the book to be considerably frustrating at times as I discovered an extremely inaccurate perception of both "Palestinian" and Israeli history where little relevance or importance is placed upon the Jewish heritage to the Land as outlined in the Hebrew-Christian Scriptures, as well as what fundamental Islam has declared in relation to the conflict and the land concerned. Others might disagree.

Without such an understanding & appreciation I personally find that this study is incomplete, despite the noteworthy references to the political process and the failings of those involved amidst the mistrust and despair of the ordinary people on the ground.

The book, whilst recognising the minuscule size of Israel and it's surrounding by numerous, larger, hostile countries drenched in a wave of fundamentalist Islamism, I can but feel uncomfortable with how the source has "legitimatised" the "Palestinian" claim to the disputed territories amidst such a distorted perception of history.

The book correctly describes the conflict as extremely complex and places blame on both sides for the present situation on the ground. This whilst recognising what is depicted as the dread and despair upon the Israeli side where the fingers of an "outstretched hand" of friendship as having been transformed through such anguish into a clenched fist. Indeed, the detail attached to the political aspects of this issue is noteworthy on it's own merits.

Many controversial opinions are outlined in this work and they are recognised by the source as being just that. One opinion is that the Palestinian side has brought about an "intolerable escalation" through the weapon of suicide bombings against Israeli civilians which is cited as "irrational, insane and inhuman" from any perspective.

Would I recommend this book ? - As a complete study on this particular issue...definitely not! For a secular, compassionate reference to the suffering and complexity of the conflict and it's affect upon both sides ...yes it is worthy of that.

However, for a necessary secular grounding in this subject I would highly recommend Joan Peter's epic work entitled "From Time Immemorial; The Origins Of The Arab-Jewish Conflict Over Palestine" as well as Samuel Katz's work entitled "Battleground; Fact & Fantasy In Palestine".

I would also recommend two books which approach the issue from the perspective outlined in the Hebrew-Christian Scriptures, (without which, in my opinion, any context surrounding this matter is incomplete) - Randall Price's "Unholy War; America, Israel and Radical Islam" and Hal Lindsey's "The Everlasting Hatred; The Roots Of Jihad". Thank you for your time.

Blessed Are The Peacemakers.......2004-01-27

Perhaps the greatest insight I got from this collection of essays from David Grossman is that the peacemakers and people who strive for a peaceful solution are truly the greatest heros. It takes courage to overcome base human instincts and seek a fair peace. Mr Grossman does an admirable job of conveying this. This is not so much a book for the Mideast history scholar as it is for the person who wants to get a feel for what it's like to be caught in the maelstrom that envelops Israel and the Palestinian lands today.

Another Correction.......2003-12-30

It should be stated that the Jews didn't "run the British" out of the country like jskibel said. It was far more complicated then that.

It is unfortunate that jskibel, obviously someone who is proud of his heritage, as am I (my father's family escaped what is now known as Lithuania during the holocaust), has let that pride cloud his judgement.

While he is obviously quick to point out Palestinian aggression he does so while seemingly boasting that Israelis drove the British out. I hope that jskibel knows that the Jews, in a quest for a homeland, were doing the same exact thing that the Palestinian militants are doing and that is carrying out terrorist attacks. I guess the main difference now is you have Arabs who resort to blowing themselves up because the guns and rocks that were their original weapon of choice did not work against the tanks of the Israeli Governement.

This book is an extremely balanced view of the current situation. While quick to point out his pride as a Jew and Israeli, David Grossman never once seems to justify the acts of agression that our fellow hebrew brothers carry out. It's unfortunate that such a great book does not create more worthwhile discussion in these reviews instead of the typical finger pointing.

David Grossman seemingly also got what most people don't get... and that is how sad it is that Palestinians have become so desperate that they are willing to kill themselves for their cause. When men and women, some who aren't even old enough to Vote here in the States, carry out suicide attacks we do ourselves no favors by dismissing it as just terrorism, but also finding out what has caused some people to become so desperate as to resort to that type of terrorism.

Great book.

Correction.......2003-10-08

I'd just like to point out to Bryon 72 above that Israel actually did fight a war for independence in 1948. The U.S. did not create Israel "out of pity," as he claims. After the British were driven out by the Israelis, the U.N. devised a partition plan, in which most of what is Israel today would have been given to the Arabs. The Arabs refused to accept the plan and instead declared war on the Jews. The Jews won the war, founded the state, and have been dealing with Arab aggression ever since. As far as Bryon 72's cheap irony goes: when North Americans are willing to die happily in suicide-bombings done by Indians and Mexicans, and Russians are willing to give their land back to the Czar, and the Australians finally decide to go back to England and grant the Aborigines a right of return, and Europeans turn everything back over to the Hapsburgs, then he might have a point or two to make. In the meantime, maybe Grossman is only half right about Israeli paranoia: after all, even paranoiacs sometimes actually have real enemies.

Average customer rating: Admirable idealism and careful observation which fail to see the reality

Death as a Way of Life David Grossman Manufacturer: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books Similar Items: The Yellow Wind: With a New Afterword by the Author ASIN: 0747566194

Customer Reviews:

Admirable idealism and careful observation which fail to see the reality.......2006-06-26

There is something admirable in David Grossman's work here. He is trying to present a realistic and true picture of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. His ideal is of a kind of realistic peace in which human contacts multiply. He does not dream of a love between peoples, but real independence for each one.
This is all admirable. But Grossman as a member of the far left Israel 'peace camp' also is guilty and fails in his fundamental perception of the conflict. He and the Left supported Oslo and Arafat without understanding that from the beginning they were dealing with someone who had no intention of making real peace with Israel.
Grossman in his effort to be fair and balanced has long tended to misread reality, underplay Palestinian destructiveness and misread Israeli defensive efforts.
This of course is not his take on the conflict. He sees dream of the future this way.

"Neither romantic love, then, nor a high wall. I dream of two countries separated by a distinct border. A border that will make clear to each state the space in which it exists as a political entity, as a national identity. If there's a border, there is an identity. There is a new living reality in which this identity can bleed out the poison of illusions and begin to heal.
One more important thing: This is a condition in which-years from now-the two sides will be able to give themselves a new kind of definition-not one contrasted with an enemy, but one that turns inward. One dependent not on the fear that they might be destroyed but instead on the natural development of a nation..
Considering what has happened in the years since this book has been written one wonders how Grossman could have ever expected such a resolution. The Palestinians have run from statehood as it would involve responsibilities and limitations they just do not want to bear. They have preferred economic ruin and chaos to cooperation with Israel.
They have proven Grossman too to be even with all his reservations and realism a dreamer who just was not willing to see the reality in front of his face.

Average customer rating: The Ultimate Verbal Pilgrimmage Powerful and Moving More Than a Theologian It can happen to you Pilgrimage for Beginners

The Way of the Lord N. T. Wright , and Tom Wright Manufacturer: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback General | Christian Living | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books Wright, N.T. | ( W ) | Authors, A-Z | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books General | Israel | Middle East | Travel | Subjects | Books Look Inside Travel Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books Similar Items: The Crown and the Fire: Meditations on the Cross and the Life of the Spirit Evil And the Justice of God Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense Reflecting the Glory: Meditations for Living Christ's Life in the World Paul for Everyone: Galatians and Thessalonians (For Everyone) ASIN: 0802846491

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Verbal Pilgrimmage.......2007-05-24

Originally intended for those taking a trip to Israel, Tom Wright dramatically and skillfully points out that the true Holy Land is wherever believers are. He points out that a trip to the Holy Land may be of some value but not as a matter of 'earning points' with the Lord. An example of how he relates his "tour" to personal life is when he is talking of visiting Jerusalem. Located at 3000 feet above sea level, It doesn't take much of a journey on either side of Jerusalem to find oneself in a wilderness. Just as one may feel 'on top of the world'
one moment and the next find oneself in a physical or emotional wilderness. We have all been there.
I can't recommend this book highly enough. Once again Tom Wright proves he is one of the top theologians in the world, regardless of denomination or location.

Powerful and Moving.......2006-02-17

This book starts out good and then just gets better and better with each new Pilgrimage. Wright takes the reader on a journey with such descriptive writing that one wonders if his degree is in literature, instead of theology and history. Wright deals with the idea of Pilgimage on the road to Damascus, at the Jordan, in the Wilderness, in Galilee where most of Jesus minsitry took place, in Jerusalem, on the mountain where God is experienced in transfigurative ways, Gethsemene, where the agony of purpose takes place, the Cross (the best chapter), the empty tomb and then reflections on current day Israel. This book will take you away and cause you to feel like you were on the mountain, at the Jordan and was a witness of the cross. Wright's reflections are insightful, powerful and moving. Get this book.

More Than a Theologian.......2005-10-02

This will be brief. It is simply a statement about my "hero" in a sphere for which he is often not known, especially in the States. This book is the heart of Tom Wright, the pastor. Written as a pastor to part of his flock going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, it breathes the spirit of pastoral concern. At the same time it reveals a real knowledge of the Land - its history, geography, culture, and current struggles. For those who think that they know NT Wright, whether as friend or foe, it reveals what I like about him most - an academic who left the daily world of academia for pastoral ministry. And what a pastor he must be to his flock - now in the diocese of Durham. I have been to the "Holy Land" forty times and have read dozens of books on Israel, past and present. I will treasure this one more than any of them. I am in the process of buying up all of the copies I can, since it appears to be out of print.
Read it as preparation for your physical and spiritual pilgrimages. It is a wonderful guide to both.

It can happen to you.......2002-02-25

As N.T. Wright notes, "It can happen to anyone. It can happen to you."

Wright's "It" is an unexpected encounter with Jesus Christ. Rarely do we see it coming. Wright makes this clear in the very first chapter of his wonderful book, "The Way of the Lord." He cites Saul of Tarsus' journey from Jerusalem to Damascus. It was no intentional pilgrimage. Yet by the time Paul reached the gates of Damascus, he was already embarked on a journey that would see him travel the world in service of his God.

And so it is for all who follow Christ. As Wright says: "One sort of pilgrimage ends, therefore, and a new sort of pilgrimage begins, with the empty tomb of Jesus." Though we may never travel further than ten miles from home, life in Christ is a pilgrimage. Wright's book illustrates this by comparing different facets of the spiritual journey with different areas Jesus traveled through in his sojourn here.

Each chapter Focuses on an individual area/spiritual facet of life. They are meant to be read sequentially, but I have gone back to several chapters since first reading them and each has its own lesson and can validly stand on its own. This makes this book an invaluable companion for anyone seeking to follow Jesus.

Life in Christ is a wonderful journey--it is truly life "to the full." "The Way of the Lord" is like a tour book of sorts. I give it my highest recommendation

Pilgrimage for Beginners.......2000-03-28

The Way of the Lord. Christian Pilgrimage Today. Tom Wright. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1999.

On the face of it, pilgrimage would seem to be a venerable, natural practice. It is, in fact, highly controversial. To be sure, it has its advocates in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Torah required three pilgrimages a year, one on Passover, one during the Feast of Weeks, and one during the Feast of Tabernacles (De 16.16). And St. Jerome even interpreted some of the Psalms to be a command to make a pilgrimage. By contrast, however, Gregory of Nyssa went out of his way to criticize the practice, arguing that it is important to be close to God and one's neighbors and that pilgrimage made no contribution to accomplishing either imperative. And in more recent times, C. S. Lewis asserted, "The significance of the incarnation is not that God is a god of one place to the exclusion of others; it is that he is a god of all places, active in his world . . . God is to be found especially in people; namely those in need and in the gathered community of the Church . . . It follows that to set off on a journey to grow nearer to Christ is at best a complex matter. It might be that the true search is among those in need . . ." For the ardent pilgrim, Lewis commends the words of Matthew 28.6: "He is not here; he is risen." There is a certain logic to Lewis's position, but at the same time, it misses an important point. Pilgrimage is not about going to a particular place to find God. It is about putting ourselves in a particular place so that God can find us. For people who struggle with the concept of pilgrimage and who are inclined to side with Gregory or Lewis, Tom Wright's brief, readable work on pilgrimage will be a welcome guide. Former Dean of Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire, England, and the new Canon Theologian at Westminster Abbey, Wright grew up in the evangelical tradition. He heard little or nothing about pilgrimage early in his life and his first exposure to the practice left him with doubts not unlike those expressed by Lewis. But much to his surprise, he discovered that "one can learn to discover the presence of God not only in the world, but through the world." This growing realization prompted him to write this sage little work that not only serves as an introduction to the practice of pilgrimage but is also, by design, "a refresher course, from an unusual angle, on what might be called `Christian basics'." Using locations in the Holy Land where Jesus walked, talked, and healed, Wright takes the reader on a virtual pilgrimage, combining biblical scholarship with catechesis and inspirational challenge. But Wright is never facile or dogmatic. His closing paragraph provides a taste of the rest: "We do not go on pilgrimage, then, because we have the answers and want to impose them. That would make us crusaders, not pilgrims; the world has had enough of that, and I dare say God has had enough of that. We go on the pilgrim way, we follow the way of the Lord, because he himself is the way - and, as he said himself, the truth and the life as well. We go to meet him afresh, to share his agony, and to pray and work for the victory he won on the cross to be implemented, and for his way to be followed, in Israel and Palestine, in our own countries and in the whole world."

Average customer rating:

Count Your Way Through Israel (Count Your Way) James Haskins Manufacturer: Carolrhoda Books ProductGroup: Book Binding: Paperback Middle East | Explore the World | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books Similar Items: Colors of Israel (Colors of the World) Israel (A to Z) Welcome to Israel! Count Your Way Through India (Count Your Way) A Kid's Catalog of Israel ASIN: 0876145586

Average customer rating:

The way we were: 1843-2001 Marjorie L Rafal Manufacturer: Congregation Beth Israel ProductGroup: Book Binding: Unknown Binding General | Jewish | World | History | Subjects | Books Israel | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books Connecticut | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books ASIN: B0006RTHOM

Books:

1. Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life
2. Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season
3. Out of the Deep I Cry (A Rev. Clare Fergusson and Russ Van Alstyne Mystery)
4. Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
5. Rashi's Daughters, Book 1: Joheved
6. Rescuing Da Vinci: Hitler and the Nazis Stole Europe's Great Art - America and Her Allies Recovered It
7. Rising Storm (Warriors, Book 4)
8. Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome (Novels of Ancient Rome)
9. Running with Scissors: A Memoir
10. Song of the Road

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books

1. Textbook of Female Urology and Urogynecology, Second Edition
2. History: Fiction or Science
3. 2 Wheels 2 Years & 3 Continents: A Bicyclist's Dream Fulfilled
4. Black Women in America
5. Don't Believe Everything You Think: The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking
6. History: Fiction or Science
7. Grayson
8. Victoria: An intimate biography
9. Communities in Economic Crisis: Appalachia and the South
10. Mutual Fund Fact Book 2002: A Guide to the Trends and Statistics in the Mutual Fund Industry