Amazon.com
Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith has an ingenious, troubling argument. "[E]vangelicals desire to end racial division and inequality, and attempt to think and act accordingly. But, in the process, they likely do more to perpetuate the racial divide than they do to tear it down." Emerson and Smith, who conducted 2,000 telephone surveys and 200 face-to-face interviews in preparing this book, argue that evangelicals have a theological world view that makes it difficult for them to perceive systematic injustices in society. In particular, evangelical emphasis of individualism and free will seem to predispose them to believe that most racial problems can be solved if individuals will only repent of their sins. Therefore, many well-meaning strategies for healing racial divisions (such as cross-cultural friendships) carry within them the seeds of their own defeat. Divided by Faith also includes a brilliant, concise history of evangelical thought about race from colonial times to the civil rights movement. Clearly written and impeccably researched, this book ranks among the most compassionate and critical studies of contemporary evangelicalism. --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
Through a nationwide telephone survey of 2,000 people and an additional 200 face-to-face interviews, Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith probed the grassroots of white evangelical America. They found that despite recent efforts by the movement's leaders to address the problem of racial discrimination, evangelicals themselves seem to be preserving America's racial chasm. In fact, most white evangelicals see no systematic discrimination against blacks. But the authors contend that it is not active racism that prevents evangelicals from recognizing ongoing problems in American society. Instead, it is the evangelical movement's emphasis on individualism, free will, and personal relationships that makes invisible the pervasive injustice that perpetuates racial inequality. Most racial problems, the subjects told the authors, can be solved by the repentance and conversion of the sinful individuals at fault. Combining a substantial body of evidence with sophisticated analysis and interpretation, the authors throw sharp light on the oldest American dilemma. In the end, they conclude that despite the best intentions of evangelical leaders and some positive trends, real racial reconciliation remains far over the horizon.
Customer Reviews:
What You Never Knew.......2007-09-16
This book gets you out of your own hide and context and helps you better understand your context as opposed to the context of others from another type of family, neighborhood, race. We in america have a terrible bias that makes us think of ourselves as the best in the world. We base that mostly on material possessions and military power, not on any real attempt to identify with those in other parts of the world. The same is true of the white culture of this country who do not realize - and cannot without a lot of hard work and introspection - what it is like to be non-white and to grow up in a non-white family, neighborhood, and deal with whites and the predominant white culture. There are multiple white contexts just as there are multiple black and multiple Hispanic contexts - looking at them and seeing the bias helps towards understanding one another and working together. We have a lot to learn about God and Jesus that we can simply learn from breaking down walls and talking.
Powerful, Yet at Times Missing the Ultimate Power Source.......2007-07-31
Please, don't read this book without reading the "sequel": United by Faith.
"Divided by Faith" probes the problem, as understood through a dissertation research project, of race relations in Evangelicalism in America in the 1990s. The results are troubling and at times produce hopelessness. However, facts are facts, and this sort of detailed quantitative and qualitative study is all-too-rare in Evangelical circles.
Emerson's premise is that much of what white Evangelicals do to unite across racial lines end up being counter-productive. He does so by showing a concise history of Evangelical thought about racism from Colonial times to the Civil Rights movement. His basic premise is that most work done is too individualistic--one person trying alone to cross racial boundaries. His basic suggestion is the cross-cultural congregation. Unfortunately, until one reads "United by Faith," how to accomplish this goal is left to the reader's imagination--which may by now have been stunted by all the piles of statistics suggesting that Evangelical racial reconciliation is futile.
The power of God, starting with one person's commitment to cross-cultural relationships, can start a chain reaction--and lead to hope.
Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends.
Intolerant of Policy Disagreement.......2007-04-18
What we have here is a leftist author who believes the way to fix all racial problems is for everybody to accept his policy prescriptions.
He thinks white conservative Christians, although showing little racial animus toward blacks, are "part of the problem" because they don't accept his particular political views. This bias taints any insightful parts of the book.
Some good, some bad in this book.......2006-07-22
First off, I am a white evangelical in a moderately sized city to give you some idea of the perspective I bring to reading this.
THE GOOD:
The statistics in the book (the median net worth of blacks is $3,700 compared to $43,800 for whites, P.13...the subtle racism in depiction of the 'evils' of heavy metal music which is usually consumed by Caucasians and rap music which is more favored by urban blacks, p.15...the 1998 National Congregations Study showing 90% of U.S. congregations are formed at least 90% by one race, P.136) reveal that the Church has a long way to go to demonstrate that "Red and yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight".
The personal anecdotes of average evangelical laypeople, both black and white, help put a human face on the views of those on each side of 'the divide'. It helps to remind us that the answers may not lie in 'one size fits all' political solutions.
Chapter 7, as another reviewer mentioned, does a good job of explaining why it is difficult to maintain a mixed-race congregation. "Birds of a feather flock together" and over time, congregations tend to bleed toward one hue or another even despite the pastor's attempts and the founding members best intentions. (The story of 'First Church' 147-150 is illustrative) Also, the tendency of churches to 'market' themselves toward specific groups cause this too...most churches that feature hymns do not also feature contemporary rock-tinged praise and worship music..those who feature 'black' gospel chorals don't tend to feature country infused "Southern gospel".
THE BAD:
The book seems to be very dismissive towards free will determination and individual effort, even as it states these are evangelicals' bedrock values. Since the authors themselves are evangelicals, it seems self-flagellating that they more or less paint two crucial elements of the evangelical belief system as endemic to preventing racial harmony.
It also does seem to embrace a government oriented method of "fixing things": i.e. whites and blacks would get along better if they rubbed shoulders as neighbors, therefore laws must artificially mandate that this happen. The problem with this is the authors seem to not try and understand WHY the inner city areas, which tend to have a higher percentage of black population, don't have as much racial diversity as they would like to see. Is it all simply "white flight"...or is it possible that people desiring the best they can manage for their families choose not to live in neighborhoods they perceive as crime-ridden and unsafe? The same reason why middle and upper income blacks would choose to leave the same areas...they're doing the best they can to provide safe haven for their children as that's what good parents do (or at least try to do).
The argument can be posited I suppose that what Jesus would do is to go where the 'trouble' is and I can see the wisdom in that perspective, but I'm more willing to take more risks with my own PERSONAL safety in the attempt to minister to others than I am willing to do with my FAMILY'S safety. My wife and child are more vulnerable to criminals and because of that I do my best (nothing's 100 percent mind you..even in our 'better' neighborhood we've seen break-ins) to minimize danger and try to make them feel sheltered.
I second the comments another reviewer made in that the problem seems to be 'fixable' in the authors' view primarily through human efforts. Little to no mention is made of individual believers, both black and white (and other races for that matter), who strongly desire to see Christian racial unity as the beginning of the larger healing of the country by actively PRAYING for it on a repeated basis. For an evangelical, the belief that God ANSWERS prayer is foundational and should be a cornerstone of any push to bind society's wounds.
BOTTOM LINE:
Asks a lot of the right questions and for that it's worth reading. Just don't expect to find the answers for the "race problem" here.
Petty Politics Disguised as Social Science.......2006-02-11
I had high hopes for this book, as I was expecting an analysis of why church congregations are one of the most segregated places in America. Except for one chapter (more on this chapter below), that is not at all what the book is about.
Unfortunately, the bulk of the book plays out into a typical conservative/liberal disagreement. Much of the disagreement between conservatives and liberals stems from two very different views on how the world works. Conservatives generally view the world on an individualist basis, and they count the bulk of life's happenings to be the result of cause and effect from the individuals actions. Liberals generally see the world with a more corporate view; they tend to claim institutions as the causes of problems, and collective responses as the remedy.
The main conclusion of the authors from their interviews with Evangelical Christians is that they claim to want racial equality, and in fact the bulk of them sincerely desire racial harmony in the world and act accordingly in their own lives, but the vast majority of Evangelical Christians are doing nothing to change *the system*. Per the authors, the main cause of racism today is institutional racism - e.g. a stacked legal system, unfair lending practices, unequal salaries, etc. The fact that Evangelicals are not standing up against this is inexcusable to the authors.
The statistical proof for this institutional racism is laid out in chapter one, which brings me to my main criticism. The authors' use of statistics to back up their claims is both sloppy and irresponsible. The issue of race in America is important and filled with emotion; proclaiming loud condemnation based on very poor statistical analysis does not help. I am a professional statistician by trade, and if I was to draw definitive conclusions from the stats that the authors quote, I would be out of a job quickly. If institutional racism does exist, then Christians absolutely should be fighting against it. But I am unconvinced by the given statistics.
But at this point it degenerates into politics. These statistics have been lobbied and attacked by liberals and conservatives for years. This book argues nothing new. Its point: there is a lot of division in America, and if conservatives would adopt the world view of liberals we would all get along.
Chapter 7, however, is the wheat among the chaff. Chapter 7 is an insightful view on race and religion and why congregations are so segregated. The chapter is a bit more theoretical, but the analysis is thoughtful and the conclusion challenging. If possible, I would recommend that people read only Chapter 7 and ditch the rest, unless of course you are in the mood for some typical political bickering.
Book Description
An analysis of contemporary American Judaism within the broader scope of American religious life.
Customer Reviews:
An outstanding study .......2005-02-16
Jack Wertheimer has been for years one of the most thoughtful and concerned writers about the condition of American Jewry. His understanding of the polarization in the community, and the damage done to by assimilation is based on his strong adherence to Jewish religious tradition. The fact however that one diagnoses correctly a certain problem does not mean that one can provide a solution. Wertheimer has at times suggested that instead of worrying about those Jews who show little concern about the tradition, the community direct its resources to strengthening those that do.
In any case reading this work will provide a true understanding of the basic sociological identity of the American Jewish community.
Excellent Discussion of Current State of American Judaism.......2001-12-28
Though currently JEW V. JEW is receiving all the attention in the press, Jack Wertheimer's A PEOPLE DIVIDED is probably a better account of the state of American Jewry today.
While JEW V. JEW imitates midrash in its telling of divisions among American Jews, A PEOPLE DIVIDED gives a more straightforward account and the historical perspective needed to make sense of the battles American Jews are now fighting among themselves. I read this over the summer of 2000, when I was relatively new to Judaism, and it proved an immeasurable help in understanding why the Jewish community is the way it is.
The only reason I don't give this book four stars is that Wertheimer occasionally lapses into his own (rather obvious) Conservative bias. Somehow, he seems to believe that the current wars have started because both Orthodoxy and Reform have branched off from the "true Judaism" represented by the Conservative Movement. Wertheimer also could have paid more attention to Reconstructionism, a branch of Judaism that, though it has some similarities to Reform, has its own internal philosophical battles.
All in all, though, A PEOPLE DIVIDED is an excellent introduction to its subject matter and a book I highly recommend.
A great history book; ignore the hatchet Kirkus review.......1997-12-17
In all respects, this is a wonderful study of American Jews. I urge people to study this volume carefully - and to ignore the hatchet book review from Kirkus. That review falsely claims that his study is "anchored in the 40's and 50's--boom years for the Conservative movement--there's a strong tilt toward his own denomination." This is wrong, and one wonders if they actually read the book. They also claim that "he fails to credit the Reform for initiating a Judaism for nonpracticing American Jews", which is the opposite of what Prof. Wertheimer writes. The biased Krikus review falsely claims that "he should have made the point that traditional Judaism is unchanged since the days of the Pharisees." This is nothing less than religious fundamentalism and propaganda, more suited to right wing Jewish or Christian fundamentalist tracts. Orthodox Judaism has changed a great deal since Pharasaic times, and indeed has changed very much since the 1600s, when halakhic change nearly came to an end after the publication of the Shulkhan Aruhkh. I urge any interested reader to obtain unbiased historical studies of the development of Judaism and Jewish law, such as works by Mendell Lewittes and Menachem Elon, who are respected in all quarters. Although they are Orthodox Jews, they are also objective historians. The rest of the Kirkus review on Prof. Wertheimer's fine book follows in the same angry (and factually wrong) tone, which betrays either a fanatic mindset or total ignorance of history. "A People Divided" is not a book for those who wish to deny history or objective facts, but rather is an objective study of the great challenges facing the American Jewish community today; As such it is directed towards those of any religious (or secular) background who have an open mind as well as a basic education.
Average customer rating:
- Great historical fiction
- Excellent Historical Fiction
- you've got to check this one out
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Faith of Our Fathers: A House Divided
Nancy Campbell Allen
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Customer Reviews:
Great historical fiction.......2006-10-12
I love to read historical fiction so that I can be entertained while I learn. This book helped me accomplish just that! Although the writing didn't absolutely captivate me, I was able to put it down and forget to pick it up again until the next day, I did enjoy it. I think I felt this way because it is packed with so much historical information that the characters aren't as well developed as I like. Towards the end of the book though, the writting really picked up and I became hooked! As I read the last page of the book, I noticed that I might be at the end and found myself saying, "Please don't be over, please don't be over!" Unfortunately, when I turned the page, I found it was the end of the book. I immediately went online to order Volumn 2!
Excellent Historical Fiction.......2004-01-21
This book chronicles the lives of the Birmingham Family on the eve of the Civil War. The family is split with one brother and his family living in Boston and the other brother and his family living in South Carolina. The southern family has a son who is decidedly abolitionist and has been disowned by his parents.
This book is an easy read, but has many characters and subplots going at one time. The author includes actual historical figures in the book to help recreate the atmosphere in the United States during this difficult period. I recommend this book for anyone with an interest in American History with the caution to remember that this is still just fiction.
you've got to check this one out.......2002-01-31
This book was very well researched and written. I started reading it three days ago and could not put it down. After finishing it in 3 days I find myself very eager for Volume 2.
I strongly recomend this book to anyone with any remote interest in the civil war.
Book Description
Novak investigates a belief called the Binary Soul Doctrine (BSD) which states simply that humans possess two souls which split at death, the conscious going on to reincarnate again and again, while the unconscious ends up in a type of limbo judging itself for all eternity.
He goes on to explain that long ago the BSD was the primary belief of a single world religion, which since has been broken into more and more fragments. However, he claims that twentieth-century findings, including the work of Freud and Jung, as well as findings of modern neuroscience and Near-Death research, has marked a resurgence of belief in the veracity of the BSD.
Novak argues—just as those long ago did—that it is essential for humans to integrate these two souls together before death to avoid the nightmare of being split in two at death. He even offers a few steps to help readers start the process of integration.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting to say the least.......2007-06-06
I highly recommend this book. I found it to be very thought provoking, very. I don't necessarily buy everything the author is selling, but overall, without a doubt, I was very impressed with it if for no other reason that to open my mind to new ways of contemplating death and what it means.
Great book ... until the last few pages.......2006-08-14
This a fascinating book that argues quite convincingly the existence of a "dual soul" theory to explain the different claims about the afterlife. It attempts to unite both those who believe (or through an NDE actually experienced) a Heaven/Hell afterlife with those who believe in reincarnation. Novak argues that the human mind fragments at death, with the objective conscious mind going on to reincarnate, while the subjective unconscious mind with its memories, conscience and self-judgment experiences a Heaven or Hell scenario. He offers compelling evidence from traditional religious texts and modern NDE accounts, wile putting them in the context of current scholarship on the right-left brain dichotomy.
I was with him for the entire intellectual journey, until the last few chapters, where he takes this fascinating theory and makes a leap too far based on his own personal religious convictions. Novak argues that the only way for the human soul to achieve true peace and fulfillment is for the two halves of consciousness to be reunited after death. That sounds perfectly reasonable. And then Novak leaves behind his analytical hat and becomes an evangelist -- literally. The final pages of the book become a rather tortured effort to convince the reader that this reunification of the soul can only happen through accepting Jesus Christ, whose death and resurrection reunited the binary souls for us. All you have to do is believe in Jesus, and the spiritual work of reuniting your own inner dualities is no longer necessary.
As a Muslim and a Sufi mystic, I had to smile. As Novak acknowledges, all of the world's spiritual traditions contain the idea that there are several layers of souls and dualities within the human condition, and that the goal of spiritual life is to reunite them. I have learned this from Sufi teachings about the Ruh (spirit) and Nafs (ego) and and have found similiar ideas in Taoism, Jewish Kabbalah, Buddhism and other mystical paths. The methods each of these traditions have developed rely on individual spiritual work and progress on the path. Unfortunately for Novak, these tried and true methods that have helped human beings transcend duality are too "uncertain." So he decides, based on nothing except his own personal conviction, that believing in Christ is a shortcut to healing the mind rift at death, removing the need to do the spiritual work that these "Old Path" traditions require.
For those of us who value human free will and the joy of the personal journey to God, the idea that we should just believe and let "Jesus do the big lifting" is not only erroneous, but it is dangerously self-deceptive. This delusion of vicarious atonement removes individual responsibility for the spiritual journey, which is the central purpose of life. Novak does such a wonderful job of explaining the ancient mystical truth that the human soul is bifurcated and must be reunited, it is a tragedy that he then tells his readers to skip the hard work of spiritual discipline because he believes someone else already did the work for everyone. I feel as if Novak brought his readers to the verge of truth, only to hoodwink them at the last minute. They see the destination, and then are told they don't need to walk to get there. This delusion of vicarious atonement leads to a loss of personal moral responsibility and causes people to take the spiritual life for granted. It is a cruel joke, and I am saddened that a man of such great intellect and passion can't see that his rejection of the very ancient wisdom he uses to buttress his theory dooms his efforts to help humanity at the end. Novak helps people see that they need to overcome their inner duality and achieve unity, and then tells them they don't need to bother to actually do it, because its already been done for them by someone else. If he is wrong, and my heart tells me he is deeply wrong, he has misled his readers and cursed them to spiritual stagnation. His conclusion covers up what he has himself discovered about the purpose of the human condition -- to take one step at a time toward the Infinite, which is One and beyond duality.
Thank you Mr. Novak for showing how the Binary Soul Doctrine is an ancient belief in the human condition. The Sufis, the Taoists and all other mystics new this already. Now if you'll excuse us, those of us "Old Path" followers who believe in individual responsibility and choice will put our knowledge into action through spiritual practice, while the delusional wait for someone else to do the work for them.
A pleasant read, but not a plausible theory.......2005-09-25
It happens only rarely that a reviewer finds a book very interesting, original and well written and at the same time feels that it is built around a major fallacy. This is what happened to me while reading The Lost Secret of Death by Peter Novak, a former counselor. The author has formulated an extremely original theory based on a wide range of sources - varying from religious traditions from Antiquity and exotic myths, to esoteric doctrines, neuropsychological studies, psychoanalysis, and last but not least data about Near-Death Experiences, Out of the Body Experiences, apparitions and memories of previous lives. According to Novak we are made of two clearly distinguishable components: an emotional and normally subconscious part or soul and a conscious, rational spirit. Not only would these two parts be abe to function separately to a certain extent, for instance in cases of multiple personality or split-brain experiments, but after death they would also be literally separated from each other! Soul and spirit would go their separate ways, each with its own subjective awareness. The soul would lose its rational abilities and usually end up in an overwhelming hereafter of love and connectedness, roughly corresponding to the phase of Light in NDEs, while the spirit enters a world of pure consciousness without memory or perception, and may reincarnate from that state. According to Novak, this theory, termed the Binary Soul Doctrine (BSD), would be able to reconcile all kinds of apparently contradictory experiences and visions concerning a life after death. Apart from NDEs and past life therapy these also include stories about lost souls eternally trapped in emotional obessions after they have lost their rationality in the division. Novak shows that his theory probably matches old traditions and he even speculates about a primary religion from a long lost age, which would be related to pyramid-like temples.
All this being said, I must confess I have seldom stumbled upon a theory as strange as Novak's BSD. For instance, the tunnel (or dark phase) and the light that NDE-ers may encounter would in Novak's view refer to a partial division. The author stresses a few exceptional reports of people who are convinced that such a process really took place during their Near-Death Experience, and explains the fact that the large majority does not mention it all as the result of a powerful illusion.
After the temporary division during a NDE the two mental components would get integrated more than before. Novak compares this process with the after-effect (retraction) of stretching a rubber band. The author believes this phenomenon explain the spiritual transformation many experience after an NDE.
About reincarnation Novak claims that only people who are highly `integrated' psychologically would be able to spontaneously recall their previous lives. Memories would only reside in the soul and the spirit must remain sufficiently in touch with the soul in order to have access to them. In reality, some children from the studies by Ian Stevenson and his associates turn out to have been hot-tempered drunkards, drug addicts or womanizers. Not exactly the archetype of psychological integration I might say.
Novak repeats time and again that only his BSD would be able to explain all data, whereas in my opinion there is no inherent contradiction between concepts such as spiritual worlds, apparitions of the dead, and reincarnation.
Finally, Novak also entertains a bizarre theory about Jesus Christ. According to the author it is essential to maximize the unity between soul and spirit during an earthly life, because otherwise they will certainly be divided after death. However, Jesus of Nazareth would have added an alternative to this, because a mental division could also be prevented through believing in Jesus. An original but extremely implausible attempt to reconcile BSD with Christianity.
Peter Novak is a name to be reckoned with by now. If you want to stay informed about theoretical developments in the field of survival after death, it is certainly worthwile to buy this pleasantly readable book.
Food For Thought.......2005-07-10
Novak has constructed a captivating book which seeks to explain n.d.e., the afterlife, o.b.e., past life regression and concepts from religions about the after-life intothe binary soul doctrine based on the difference between soul and spirit which the author links to the differences in the right brain and left brain. Novak believes it is of vital importance we become whole persons as Jung suggested and integrate the different aspects of our being-lest they become split apart in the afterlife. He provides different reasons for why we have a "binary soul" and different methods for integrating the two souls into one.
This is a noble effort on the part of the author to synthesize a lot of seemingly conflicting material about the afterlife into a coherent whole. You may not agree with the author but I think he has done a virtuous job here of making sense of different concepts about the afterlife, o.b.e. past life regression and n.d.e.s-under the notion of binary soul doctrine. Whether you are interested in death and dying books, psychic phenomena, poltergeists, n.d.e. etc this book is enjoyable and informative reading In addition,if you are a professional who deals with death and dying this book may be a good starting point for understanding the afterlife- as there are many narratives about out of body experiences, near death experiences, past life regression, poltergeists, ghosts etc.
Scan this at the bookstore before buying it.......2004-08-28
This book was probably the biggest reading disappointment I have had in the last five years of reading. True, there is a lot of interesting material presented on the Binary Soul Doctrine. However, I found the author's subsequent logic and conclusions so suspect at times that I ended up doubting the veracity of his initial material on BSD.
The material on near-death and out-of-body experiences, past-life regression and ghosts, while interesting and perhaps relevant to the BSD, in no way invalidates other non-BSD theories regarding their origination or nature of their behavior. For example, the author emphasizes the aimless meanderings and seemingly pointless activities of apparitions from certain reported cases for the purpose of supporting the BSD. However, this assertion ignores the implication that can be drawn from the numerous cases where apparitions appear to be completely engaged in both their intellect and emotions.
The most disappointing aspect of this book was the way in the which the author diligently, but with little supporting evidence or reasoning, shoe-horns a conclusion based on the binary soul doctrine into an affirmation of the Judeo-Christian faith. Using some of the weirdest, twisted reasoning I've ever encountered, the author asserts that, while Jesus did not really die for our sins, he did take out a really big loan from the cosmic bank account to cover everyone's "karmic" debt. And, so, you see, we all end up "owing" him in the end anyway. If that's the case, then, the next question should probably be, "Who the hell gave him permission to do that?" If your sincere answer is "God", then you may like this book.
However, if you are a person interested in the phenomenon of the potential survival of the human consciousness but do not crave the affirmation (or denial) of any particular religious belief, then you might want to scan this book before buying it.
Finally, this book claims to provide information on developing a "self" that won't disintegrate at death. A worthy idea but don't expect to find much useful here on that topic.
Average customer rating:
- Solid book, excellent photography, worth it.
- Irresistible!!!
- Magnum Photographer David Alan Harvey Dazzles Viewers!
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Divided Soul
David Alan Harvey
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press
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Book Description
Divided Soul represents David Alan Harvey's twenty-year journey through the Spanish and Portuguese diaspora. In this selection of more than 100 colour photographs Harvey explores the exuberance and incongruities of Hispanic life and culture that hold for him an endless fascination. Since the 1970s Harvey has photographed in Spain, Portugal and throughout the New World, including Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, Brazil and Chile. A passionate and divided soul, where tradition and ritual are inherent in everyday life, is revealed in these photographs of pulsating carnivals in Trinidad, fervent religious ceremonies in Brazil, and intense Easter parades in Puerto Rico. Harvey minimizes the distance between himself and his subjects, producing images that capture the natural choreography of people within places and that resonate with magic.
Customer Reviews:
Solid book, excellent photography, worth it........2004-04-18
I think among the many good street photographers shooting with color filmonly a few really succeded. David Harvey is one of the best. It is a nice book, although it could be nicer one with a bit more imaginative photo editing and much crisper design. Nevertheless this is is a good example of the an excellent resources for the photography students, particularly those interested in Spanish visual culture.
Irresistible!!!.......2003-10-13
This book is pure magic. Harvey has managed to capture the spirit of people's hearts and souls in a way that leaves you speechless... page after page of stunning images that say so much more than these 'people', this 'place'... to my mind, like the best in art and poetry, this book is conveying eternal truths - of beauty, freedom and passion - told through the 'everyday' moments of 'everyday' people, through the 'ballet' of the street.
This is a love-affair with Latin culture, over 30 years of work. If you're into photography, art, humanity, in vibrant full colour, Divided Soul has it all... personally, I found it irresistible!!!
Magnum Photographer David Alan Harvey Dazzles Viewers!.......2003-07-23
David Alan Harvey is a member of Magnum Photos and often shoots for the National Geographic. This collection of images is superb. Harvey does not rest on his laurels. This is color street photography at its best -- and not many photographers are good at it. The compositions are exciting and the colors are part of the composition. The images cover many Spanish-speaking countries over many years and show a love for life. The reproduction of the images is excellent -- much better than the reproduction of the images in his book on Cuba. The lighting he captures is just wonderful. This book speaks to the soul.
Book Description
Named the #1 Rock Biography of All Time in The New Book of Rock Lists
Drawing from interviews conducted before Marvin Gaye's death, acclaimed music writer David Ritz has created a full-scale portrait of the brilliant but tormented artist. With a cast of characters that includes Diana Ross, Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder, this intimate biography is a definitive and enduring look at the man who embodied the very essence of the word soul.
Customer Reviews:
sad.......2007-09-26
i had heard of this book, but never gotten around to reading it. i had heard of bits of mr. gaye's life, but never learned more. i believe in the end i am happy i finally read it. though it is sad. a tormented soul, in part because divided. most troubled. torn and hurt. confused and frustrated.
i liked the way the writer navigates through time, catching you off guard with a u-turn in a decade. and just when you start to wonder how it will tie together, you're there, tightly parked along the curb.
so; no happy read, but insightful and educational. hard to put down. like mr. gaye's best music.
i wound up a bit divided myself for will i be able to experience the music seperated from its context? do i need to?
Fascinating. Compelling. Absurd........2007-09-05
This book is necessary for anyone whose ever wanted to know the way Marvin Gaye's mind ticked. David Ritz was one of Marvin's closest friends until approximately 2 years before his death. The author co-wrote, despite not receiving credit from Gaye, "Sexual Healing" and songs for Smokey Robinson and The Isley Brothers. Although, Marvin was admittedly blazed throughout most of the interviews with Ritz, he offers compelling candor. Gaye's profoundly paranoid sense of self and business/fame becomes nearly absurd towards the last third of the book. You may find it hard to conjure up tears or sympathy for a man who knew how to fix his behavior, but refused to. However, you also learn that Marvin was a product of his father, who regularly beat Marvin and was undeniably jealous of his famous son.
In the end you'll be grateful you read this entertaining book.
Dividided Soul: Life of Marvin Gaye.......2007-07-20
This is an oustanding book. I couldn't put it down. It's sad though to learn how mentally and emotionally disturbed Marvin really was. It's a must read for all Marvin Gaye fans.
Marvin's Troubled Career starts right here.......2004-12-30
Marvin had a lotta history going aside him when this book came after a year he died (the year I was born 1984). The only part interest me is that he had the same feeling wearing women's clothing like his father did when he was recalling back then. 2 me I had the same feature dressing like that like on Mrs. Doubtfire or Tootsie or whatever. Anyway as I was calling he did face a life-and-death situation on where he facing a decision of living the good life vs. the bad life. Or else I would say the resurrection. Marvin was more of a martyr or saved or unsaved Christian thats making it happen. For those that knew him and never read his book or listen to his music, should definitely know the details behind this man. As you know he's like a mentor to me whom I called an inspiration. I 'preciate the good success he had and may his senses still be with him forever. Even tho he's gone now as we know he was shot to death by his father Marvin Sr on April 1, 1984, a day be4 his 45th birthday (something I'll never forget), his legacy and music still lives between us. Sometimes we had to pray and wonder what God has in us in the near future. Look at right now, we lost a lot of music greats that grew between us, for example, Rick James, Barry White, Ray Charles, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Phyllis Hyman, Grover Washington, Jr., 2Pac, Biggie, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC, Aaliyah, Jam Master Jay, Curtis Mayfield, Russell "ODB or Dirt McGirt" Jones, you name it. Like look what they left before they been around. I know a lot of people are worrying that there not here anymore. Praise God. As you know, they not coming back no more, they're still in peace w/ God making sure there spirits, legacies, and memories would never be forgotten. This is something u should watch for when you're living the glamourest life or spirit-filled life. Whether u'll be around or not, you know God always be w/ you no matter what, he'll still be there to protect u and guide u. Yeah I read this book completely and I'll read it to the fullest until I'm dead and gone in the future. I'm 'specially a musician too where I play different instruments which I experiemented while growing up the piano, keyboard, organ, percussion, recorder, guitar, drums, trumpet (which is my 1st love), trombone, a lil bit of the saxophone and flute of course, french horn, euphonium, valve trombone, flugelhorn, etc. I wish MArvin was here to see me play but I'll let him know I still have love and faith for him just like I do with my mom and dad who are an inspiration to me. I recommend you should buy this book and check out other books I read like Mase's memoir, Chet Baker's memoir, Nelson George's Hip-Hop America, Quincy Jones' memoir, Allison Hobbs' Insatiable, Wayne Normis' The Last Street Fighter, and Trouble Man: The Life and Death of Marvin Gaye by Steve Turner. Yeah Marvin would live on in my hearts and hopefully years 2 come. Wish his family would be proud if I see this. Rest in Peace, Marvin Gaye, your spirit lives on in us.
WOW!.......2003-06-17
Just reading this book is enough to make you laugh, cry, and feel for this man. Marvin was an innovator, way ahead of his time. He let us come into his life and live it with him. You read about his inspirations for his 1970s albums (Let's Get It On, I Want You, What's Going On?). You read about his pain, his triumphs, his insecurities. He was a human being as well as an artist. He is truly missed.
Amazon.com
Picture a field of dirt, piled knee high, that covers an area the size of Connecticut, or imagine a concrete sidewalk extending a million miles into space. You will have envisioned, Tom Lewis tells us, the amount of earth moved and the amount of concrete poured to make America's interstate highway system, a network of roads planned far back in the 19th century but completed only a few years ago. The public's view of the interstate system, Lewis writes, has been colored in recent decades by the grim realities of gridlock, smog, and road rage. In their early years, however, these highways seemed to promise the freedom of the open road, a gateway to faraway coasts. Lewis does a fine job of conveying the grandeur of the project, the largest work of civil construction ever undertaken by a democratic power.
Lewis's narrative is peopled with largely unknown figures, among them the little-heralded but critically important engineer Harris MacDonald. MacDonald turned the federal Bureau of Public Roads into a powerful force of social as well as physical engineering and paved the way for the large-scale projects of the Roosevelt and Eisenhower administrations. Lewis, a well-traveled explorer on the byways of technological progress, extends his history well into the past. He describes the building of the first national and post roads, the great parkways that connected such far-flung cities as Winnipeg and Miami, the once rural roads that, over the decades, blossomed into multilane highways--a process that has always depended on what Lewis calls "Americans' faith in technocracy" and their will to shape the future, acre by acre. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
What do Levittown, the 1939 World's Fair, and the Model T have in common? To what invention can the existence of suburban sprawl, toll booths, mall shopping, an oil-obsessed foreign policy, fast food, and air and noise pollution be attributed?
The interstate highway. This landmark enterprise of the 1950s literally changed the face of America for eternity. In 1919, Dwight D. Eisenhower needed sixty-two days to travel from Washington, D.C., to San Francisco. Now, eighty years and 42,500 miles of paved roads later, the trip can be made in less than seventy-two hours.
Divided Highways is the fascinating history behind the efforts to make cement trails across America, told through the stories of the people who dreamed up, mapped out, paved-and even tried to stop-the interstate highways. Popular historian Tom Lewis details "man's triumph over nature" in an engaging, sweeping style. Award-winning film director Ken Burns says: "He tells the story of how we get from point A to point B in America. And just as our lives should be, Lewis makes the journey more interesting and meaningful than the destination."
* Basis of the 1997 Peabody Award-winning PBS documentary.
Customer Reviews:
the american highway system; the pbs version.......2007-10-01
Too bad I only read one book every couple of weeks. Lewis's "Divided History" is somewhere in between a conventional history of the building of the interstate highway's in the United States and a journalistic account of the builiding of the interstate highway's in the United States. Either way you want to slice it- that's nearly three hundred pages on the building of interstate highway's in the United States. It's a boring book- not just because the subject matter itself, but also because Mr. Lewis has apparently never been west of Denver. Aside from a brief two page write up on the 15 running through Vegas, you would think that the "Interstate Highway System" extends from the Northeast to the Midwest and stops.
I pride myself on not needing a highway to get to or from work, but take perverse pride in living less then two hundred feet from Interstate 5. The interstate system and southern california material culture are intextricably intertwined, though the move to the "freeway" system in Southern California predated the national, federally funded "interstate" system by a couple of decades.
Mostly, I learned from this book that once it got rolling, the Interstate highway project was as formidable a behemoth as the "new deal" ever produced. Ironically the interstate project (and by "interstate highway project" I am referring to the massive federal spending program that was literally entirely responsible for the construction of the interstates everywhere in the United States) was initiated not by Franklin Roosevelt, but by Dwight Eisenhower, who had a sick bed conversion to the cause whilst recooperating from a little light surgery.
Along the way, the Interstate highway project gave sustenance to a generation of civil engineers and bureaucrats (or "technocrats" as Lewis enjoys calling them). There is little to commend this book to the everyday reader- unless that everyday reader is as infatuated with the interstate highway system
A "lobby" without the name.......2004-02-09
For me, one of the interesting things in this very interesting book is how Lewis describes the development of the "highway lobby," under the aegis of the Federal Bureau of Roads, without ever (I believe) calling it a lobby. This is certainly not the main focus of the book, but Lewis makes it clear that the highway system would not have been developed without the efforts of the highway lobby.
Informative, with too much opinion.......2002-10-21
Mr. Lewis offers an insightful view to the history of the interstate system in the United States. While the first half of the book is a wonderfully interesting read, I think that the second half of the book becomes bogged down with too much of Lewis's opinion. I agree with his point that the interstate has changed the state of America for the worse; however, his argument would be better served by a factual analysis from which the reader could draw his or her own conclusions, rather than trying to lead us down the path to highway hatred.
A CHRONICLE OF SOCIAL CHANGE.......2001-08-16
The Interstate Highway System forever changed American culture, but the engineers who build it were not thinking about that. They were concentrating on accomplishing the biggest building project in the history of the US. Lewis' book is a chronicle of what they built and how it affected the way we live today. In the pages of his book, we meet some of the people who made it happen. They built huge cloverleaf intersections, mighty elevated freeways, and blasted through mountains to join the east coast with the west coast, north with south.
The book is interesting reading, but goes off in too many directions, giving only a taste of the social changes wrought by the system and the citizen efforts in urban areas like New Orleans and San Francisco to stop ugly highways. The most surprising thing to me was the miscalculation by the highway designers of the social effects. They somehow thought expressways would bring people INTO cities, not thinking that these massive concrete strips would devastate neighborhoods and make it easier for people to live in the suburbs. Gradually, a nation began to learn that highways are not the answer to all our transportation problems.
In my own city -- Detroit -- the building of I-75 tore apart a thriving Hispanic neighborhood in the city, and out in the inner ring suburbs (where I live), a connecting freeway (I-696) was held up for ten years as the tiny municipality of Pleasant Ridge protested the gutting of its small area. In the end, they lost and the highway was built. Today there is a "sound barriar" wall along the freeway, which is down in a ditch, but the constant hum and buzz of the traffic is a steady background noise for the lovely homes that are adjacent to it. Pleasant Ridge is not quite as pleasant as it used to be.
It is good to look to the past to avoid repeating costly mistakes, Yes, we need the Interstate Highway System, and we can honor the memory of President Eisenhower who initiated this ambitious and far-reaching program to bring to America "better roads." The engineering accomplishments are stupendous. I personally watched as I-696 was built and marveled how the engineers tunneled under busy Woodward Avenue and never had to close it down; they built the freeway with little disruption of traffic and I remember the day it opened. It was immediately full of traffic, becoming part of an eventual beltway that will ring Detroit, much like Atlanta and Cinncinati have beltways. I am familiar with those because my family has made many trips down I-75 to Florida. How amazing it is to take one road that passes a few miles from my home in Michigan and just stay on that road all the way to the Sunshine State! I think Tom Lewis admirally captures the mixed feelings we all have about these interstates. Ugly and divisive, yes! Engineering marvels that let us travel safely at high speeds over long distances? You bet!
Watch out for factual errors.......1999-10-26
I found this book to be a fast read and an informative history of the Interstate system, but I was disappointed by some of the factual errors in the book. For example, on the same page Lewis writes that Interstate 15 and California State Route 1 intersect in Victorville and that I-10 and I-15 meet in Mira Loma, CA. Neither are true and it's disappointing that someone writing a book on the highway system (or his editor) didn't do the minimal fact checking involved (with a map!). If such basic errors were allowed to slip by, I wonder what other "facts" in the book are questionable.
Book Description
Bridging Divided Worlds by Jackson W. Carroll and Wade Clark Roof— two experts in the field of contemporary religion— presents a comprehensive study of generational dynamics within congregations. Their groundbreaking work analyzes the crucial role the generations play in reshaping the American religious landscape. Throughout the book the authors examine current religious and spiritual trends and reveal how these changes can offer opportunities for enriching a congregation's faith and spiritual life.
Bridging Divided Worlds offers an insightful analysis of how congregations have historically adapted to change and reveals how various contemporary groups of congregants have dealt with change in recent years. For example, the authors profile three types of congregations: inherited congregations (practices are guided by the past); blended congregations (practices honor inherited tradition and are attentive to generational diversity); and generation-specific congregations (practices are tailored to the needs of a particular generation). With these profiles the authors provide commentary on the strengths and weaknesses of each. In addition to its wealth of information and commentary, this indispensable resource shows how congregations are discovering ways to bridge the gaps and connect the different worlds the generations inhabit to create stronger, richer, and more vibrant religious communities.
Customer Reviews:
Groundbreaking objective research--every pastor must read.......2002-04-11
I've read several books in the past couple of years about bridging the gap between the different generations, and I have to say that this one is the most useful. It's written from an objective point of view, and so gives powerful "snapshots" of different types of congregations and how they are dealing with the generation gaps---some successfully, some not.
Instead of reading about someone else's cookie-cutter "fix-it program," I got a lot of ideas and insights that might work in my own congregation. I highly recommend this book.
Book Description
Generational differences are nothing new in church. There have always been groups and subgroups within a congregation, divided along lines with age. Yet with the possible exception of their educational programs, congregations have generally practiced a "one size fits all" approach to ministry and worship. Whichever group is dominant - generally the older members, although it can be the younger generations as well—sets the tone for musical styles, preaching emphases, and outreach focus.
Frequently the non-dominant groups grow restless and dissatisfied, leaving the church to find better opportunities of service and worship elsewhere. The result is often stagnation and decline.
Based on 19 years of field research, "A House Divided: Bridging the Generation Gaps in Your Church," gives 7-steps to move any church from a one-generational bias, to a healthy Tri-Generational balance.
Key Features include:
Author recognition.
Addresses a very timely issue in a creative way.
Offers a specific strategy for implementation in local churches.
Key Benefits are:
Readers will gain an understanding of the major differences between the three major age/generational groups in most congregations.
Readers will be offered a specific and practical seven step strategy for developing a healthy tri-generational church.
Readers will find ways to not only live in peace within the household of faith, but to minister more effectively to community and world.
Customer Reviews:
Same Gospel, Different delivery.......2002-05-01
I understand how reviewer Rodboomboom arrived at his conclusions in his review above. However, I think he missed the point of the book entirely. Is a hymn holy and sacred because of its style or because of the words in it? If you answer that a hymn is sacred because of its style then you will agree with Rodboomboom's review of this book. However, if you understand a hymn to be sacred because of the words of the hymn, not the style, then you will understand the true value and meaning of this book.
Lets say that 5 composers decide to write a song using the exact same wording from John 3:16. Each of them uses a different style of music (hymn, country, classical, rock, and rap) but the wording is identical. Which version of John 3:16 would you listen to? Personally I would not listen to the rap version. That style of music is almost totally repulsive to me. So if someone were to try to present John 3:16 to me using the "rap" version I would not listen. Why? Because I reject the message of John 3:16? NO!!! I reject the form the message came to me. Put John 3:16 in a hymn, classical or rock version and I'm listening (like rap, I wouldn't listen to the country version either).
Am I wrong for not listening to John 3:16 in a country or rap version? Am I refusing to hear "sound doctrine" if I won't listen to it in these forms? The problem that many churches have today is that they offer John 3:16 only in the "rap" version (OK, not specifically but follow the illustration here). And the people often view my not coming to their church as my rejection of the gospel. They may also believe that the "rap" version of John 3:16 is God's version of 3:16. Let's be honest folks, how many times do you choose to listen to a radio station that plays music you don't like? Why do churches demand every generation to like the gospel packaged in a way that one generation has dictated as God's way? And I'm not talking about taking communion with soda and potato chips. The message of the Gospel can remain the same even though its delivery is different. I don't preach in the same language as the Apostles did. Am I compromising the message or not being "subservient to Christ's desires?" Am I not "under Christ's leadership" because I no longer use those languages? The form can and should change. The message should remain the same.
This book teaches how to present the unchanging Gospel in a way that people will want to listen and in a way they can understand (I don't understand what most rap songs are saying). It does not teach how to dilute the Gospel message so that those not wanting to listen will (2 Tim 4). It does teach us how to become all things to all people that we might save some (1 Cor. 9:22). It teaches us to be a church that is not biased to the ways and preferences of one generation (even though that generation may believe their way is the right way). This is a great book for those concerned about reaching all people (regardless of their generational differences) with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it is a book about how to offer "faithful preaching and teaching and pastoral leadership" that changes lives.
Still Marketing the Faith.......2002-03-21
Rather than resolve the authority divide among dissenting groups in this age when sound doctrine is the resisted way (2 Tim. 4), this work of two veteran church growth consultants suggests a famous marketing solution: General Motors.
If you don't like Chevy, there is Buick. If not Buick, then Pontiac, and so on. Here, applied to sociological categories of every 19 year grouping, if don't like Builder's way of doing the faith, try Boomer's. If not Boomer's, then Gen X. Put these all together under one roof, one modified name to make all happy and one leader, and you have their solution: TriGen Church.
Rather than bridge generation gaps which have always been around and were bridged with putting oneself and one's own desires and needs subservient to Christ's, this GM approach is offered to bring the Burger King "have it your way" church, but do it together to have economic and sociologic scale gains under one united, generation combining effort.
Sounds good enough to Builders, Boomers and GenXer's (who buy into what sociology and market research finds from trend and interview research), but is it Biblical?
This reviewer finds it terribly the opposite. Christ wants all to be one under His leadership. He gives undershepherds (pastors) Ephesians 4 to be His Servants of the Word to make this happen gathering around the precious means of grace, Word and Sacraments. This drives it all!
Why change what God wants done? Well, the answer comes back. The people, a sizeable number of them reject this. Of course, and His Word predicts an increasing number will as we near the end.
This book ignores the Biblical mandate for faithful preaching and teaching and pastoral leadership, and inherits worldly ways of coping with serious spiritual maladies.
A Bridge Over the Divide.......2001-05-07
Bob Whitesel and Kent Hunter in "A House Divided" have addressed the difficult issue that has divided the church for many years. They have taken the information we have known for some while about the three generations addressed in the book and applied that information in creative ways to bridge-building over the generational gaps. Their concept of the Tri-Generational Church as a holistic congregation offers much needed hope to the body of Christ in our time. They provide practical descriptions of the necessary leadership style and worship that will work in the Tri-Gen Church. This book is touching a nerve in the church and will make a positive thrust for the outreach and mission of the church. Wm. Leroy Wise, Pastor of Calvary United Methodist Church, Syracuse, IN
Customer Reviews:
Covering interfaith debates.......2004-01-15
Expertly and inspiringly written by Sandra L. Stanko (a professional writer who is herself involved with in an interfaith relationship), United In Heart Divided In Faith: A Guide For Catholic-Protestant Couples ably and informatively covers the intricate and unique problems involved in a Catholic-Protestant relationship or marriage. Covering interfaith debates, discussing difficult compromises and the universal power of praying for help, United In Heart Divided In Faith is a serious and "reader friendly" self-help guide for Catholics and Protestants focusing upon a shared future.
United in Heart, Divided in Faith: A Guide for Catholic-Prot.......2003-08-16
I thought this work is a good resource for those considering marrying across the Tiber. In today's I am okay you are okay world many people marry across denominational lines and are surprised how unhappy it can be sometimes. The best part of the book is in section three when Mrs. Stanko raises the questions about whether a couple is equally yoked. If a couple is going to be mixed they must at least have a common level of interest and practice. For example if neither of you goes it might work, if both are very involved it can work but you must deal with more theological areas first. What struggles to work is when one of you almost never goes and the other is on fire for Christ. The former sees the latter as a "whacko" and "hyper religious" and the latter sees the former as "dead weight" and "failing to supply enough evidence of your faith that if Christianity was illegal the former spouse could not be convicted". The honeymoon will end and it will not be fun for either of you if you have not throughly thought all these issues through. It is not as simple as getting an agreement on the kids and going from there. What role will prayer and worship play in your lives? Is there actually time to go to worship at Christmas with all the dinners and gifts? Do we really have to go to church on vacation? If you can't agree on these issues then you will be without your best rememdy to problems; praying together. Thanks to Mrs. Stanko couples have a resource to get these discussins started.
Theoretical rather than practical.......2003-07-04
This would be a good resource for a Protestant-Catholic couple who don't know much about the differences between their religions and want to clear up misconceptions. The book is divided into three sections. The first covers "core beliefs" that Protestants and Catholics hold in common, the second covers differences, and the third is devoted to dealing with issues related to marriage. Each chapter ends with questions for discussion. Therefore, it could be a good way to begin reasonable discussion on sensitive issues like Marian devotion, the sacraments, the infallibility of the Pope, etc. However, because of the brevity of the book Stanko is not able to deal with these issues fully, so it might be best to use this as launching pad to further reading about each other's religions. There are already books from both the Protestant and Catholic perspective that do similar comparison/contrast with Catholic and Protestant doctrines, and one might supplement this book with some of those. Occasionally, the brevity of the work means that some issues (like justification) are simplified to what may be a dangerous extent. The average Catholic DOESN'T have quite the same view of faith and works that Protestants do, though the two views are much more similar than most realize. A couple who wants to get into the heart of this issue should turn to the Lutheran-Catholic joint declaration on justification, and to James Akin's _The Salvation Controversy_ for more detailed information.
What disappointed me about the work was that I really was looking for something more practical. I think the focus on common and differing beliefs is great; it just happens that my boyrfriend and I had already done some of this by reading works from each other's denominations. I would have preferred a book that dealt more with the issues that come up briefly in Section three, which is the shortest section. I was also surprised that Stanko said nothing about the differences between Catholic and Protestant sexual ethics. The book is designed for couples who are considering marriage, and for such couples, the Catholic Church's stance on contraception and certain marital acts might be of much more than theoretical importance, but nothing whatsoever is said about this.
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- Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
- Frederick the Great: King of Prussia
- Gettysburg Requiem: The Life and Lost Causes of Confederate Colonel William C. Oates
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- Glimpses of World History
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