Book Description
26 MILES TO BOSTON slips squarely into the running shoes and minds of the athletes as they traverse the 26-mile, 385-yard course of America's most venerated long-distance race.
From suburban Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to the center of metropolitan Boston, here are the mile-by-mile sights and sounds experienced by the runners. Interwoven throughout is the colorful history of the men and women of manifold skills who have competed in this preeminent event over the span of more than a century.
Profusely illustrated with photographs and maps, 26 MILES TO BOSTON is a book for anyone who's ever wondered what it might be like to run the Boston Marathon.
Customer Reviews:
Contemplating running a marathon as a lifetime achievement?.......2005-03-13
I bought this book for me and my sister-in-law in 2003 when she and I decided to run the Boston Marathon for the first time. Yes, we were bandits as were around 5000 others who wanted to experience running a marathon in the premier marathon of them all. Because most bandits are not hardcore runners, it's a lifetime achievement that brings a level of pride and emotion that most people rarely experience in their lifetime.
I'm so glad I read this book. I was a lot like the author at the time I read it. I was a treadmill runner of around 3 miles every other day. After seeing the affect the NY Marathon had on a co-worker, I decided to run Boston. Through this book, the shared experience of running a marathon as a sub-amateur runner, and the struggle to put ones body in the shape necessary to run such a long distance with no prior experience was terrific. An added benefit, which made the process of running the race more rewarding, was the connection to the history of the race and events that occur along the way.
The overwhelming majority of running books are written to an audience of experienced runners. Thank you, Mr. Connelly, for writing this book for people like me and the 5000 or so other Boston Marathon bandits.
Warning: False Advertising, Insulting -- You'll Feel Cheated.......2005-02-19
The author ran the race as a "bandit", a fact that you don't discover until you buy the book (it is not stated anywhere on the book cover, reviews, etc.) In fact, Amazon states: "About the Author ...MICHAEL CONNELLY competed in the 1996 Boston marathon." This is simply a false statement. Legitimately qualifying for Boston is an integral part of competing, and the author did not do that. He did not "compete" in the Boston marathon any more than I "competed" in the U.S. Open by playing golf as a tourist at Pebble Beach (a frequent U.S. Open site). This taints the entire book and made me (as someone who has legitimately qualified for Boston) feel cheated (I am going to request a refund from Amazon on the basis of false advertising).
Now, I recognize that the BAA has more or less allowed bandits to run the course over the years. As such, it might not have been that bad if the author had simply stated something along the following lines: he respects the talent and effort it takes to qualify and he recognizes that, since he has not done so, his participation is not the same as a legitimate qualifier, but he is nevertheless giving his experiences as a first time marathoner, not as someone who has properly trained and qualified for Boston. But, the author makes no such statement.
In fact, the author berates Marty Liquori for suggesting that bandits should not be allowed to run. Here's an excerpt from the book (p. 43):
"Listen Marty, you're our guest. So mind your manners, pick up your check, and watch the race. When I cross that finish line some twenty-six miles down the road, not with a number but with the storied history of the Boston Marathon in my blood, then I will consider myself qualified! (By the way, Marty, a little fun fact for you: You and I are tied with the same number of Boston Marathon championships.)"
Give me a break. This statement is not only completely obnoxious, it also embarrasingly demonstrates a complete ignorance of running, as Marty Liquori was a middle distance runner (and an outstanding one at that), not a marathoner. Here's fun fact for Michael: your claimed time of 4:30 (p. 237) was more than an hour slower that the qualifying standard for your age. (I guess, by Michael's logic, when I completed the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, I qualified for the U.S. Open.) If there was any doubt before, that should be enough for anyone to reject the book.
But wait, it gets even worse. After completing the course, the author states the following (p. 261):
"I had arrived home safe and sound. Twenty-four hours before, I had walked out of that door a different man. Now I was the proud owner of a Boston Marathon medal and all the physical and mental benefits that come with it."
That is a flat out lie (or the author is delusional), as everyone knows that only legitimate qualifiers (who finish) are given medals, and again is highly insulting to all legitimate qualifiers/finishers.
If anyone is still considering buying the book, there is one other thing that you should be aware of. A good part of the author's description of his "experience" in running the course involves describing how he faced excruciating pain and/or a nearly overwhelming urge to quit at numerous points in the race, but someone he managed to overcome those and keep going to the finish, and how he was suffering after the finish (e.g., "As I walked down the street, with two mylar blankers taped around me like capes, a well meaning girl offered me a PowerBar. I fel like saying 'I don't need a PowerBar. I need to be read my last rites!'")
First of all, after a while, this stuff just becomes constant whining. More importantly, all of this "pain and suffering" was likely due to insufficient training on the part of the author. Apparently, up to six months before the race, he had done essentially no running and not a whole lot of exercise of any type (p. 7). Then, in late October 1995, he had heart surgery and apparently nearly died (p. 11). He then starting limited training in about mid-November (p. 12). Plus, the winter in New England was particular severe that year (p. 43). How could he have possibly done the proper amount of training to run Boston in April 1996? It appears that the author simply had no business running the course and, thereby, "suffered" more than a properly trained runner. Yet, he never admits to his lack of proper training. (Note: he claims to have run 4:30, but he provides no evidence to support that claim.)
Again, this ties back to his being a bandit. As a bandit who had not properly trained, his "experience" is simply not representative of the experience of a properly trained, legitimate qualifier.
You wouldn't buy a book about running by Rosie Ruiz. Don't buy this one either.
Runners Rejoice!.......2004-03-17
Never has a book captured the essence of not only running Boston, but mararthoning as 26 Miles to Boston has. The author's account of his run humanizes the event - and puts a face on the Boston Marathon like never before. In my mind any concerns with the runner's running status (non-qualified) are put to rest by the fact that the three greatest runners ever to run the Boston Marathon support the book with personal endorsements in the form of forewords. Also the Boston Athletic Association lends their own quote to the cover of the book further endorsing the author's account of the Boston Marathon. In my mind the Boston Marathon is the greatest race in the world. People come from all over the world to run in this event - some are qualified some are not. What makes it special is the fact that all are provided the opportunity to compete in the "Open" event. The Boston Marathon is not just for "elite" runners, but runners of all levels, nationalities and backgrounds. I love the way 26 Miles to Boston captured the special qualities of the race and intertwined the author's account and the champions' accounts of the race. I would recommend this book to all runners, marathoners and fans of the Boston Marathon, the elite and non-elite alike.
Boston Marathon from a first time marathoner's point of view.......2004-03-16
Mr. Connelly provides an entertaining back-of-the-pack point of view of his first marathon, the centennial running of the Boston Marathon. Although the book is not a training manual, it is a great account that should be read by first time marathoners. Experienced marathoners, on the other hand, will be able to relate to mental highs and lows described by the author during his run. Most amazing, but not covered in depth, was that the author was dedicated enough to train for the marathon, as a "bandit", during one of the worst winters recorded in New England. That perseverance carries over to pages of Mr. Connelly's book.
Disgusted by inclusion of bandit experience.......2004-03-07
I bought Michael Connelly's 26 Miles to Boston as a Christmas gift for my husband. I was aghast to read that the author had run the race as a bandit (i.e. not registered--either by qualifying, as part of a charity program or any of the other ways to LEGALLY run without qualifying). This one fact all but ruined what otherwise would have been an entertaining and interesting book about one of the world's greatest running events. In particular, his tirade against Marty Liquori, who had the temerity to suggest on-air that unregistered runners respect the Boston Athletic Association's rules and decline from taking advantage of the many course amenities for which they didn't pay (in Mr. Connelly's case this included the expertise of medical staff after the race), reduced my respect for him as a "runner" to the point that I couldn't enjoy the book. I suspect other runners who do respect this great race may have similar feelings. It took me several years to get to the point that I could even consider trying to qualify for Boston; Mr. Connelly decided six months ahead of time to begin a running career and had such a sense of entitlement as to feel that the world owed him the privilege of running the Boston Marathon right off the bat. This would have been a much better book without the inclusion of Mr. Connelly's self-righteously conceived, ill-advised personal experience.
Average customer rating:
- Shrewdly Observant
- Diamonds in the rough.
- A memoir sprinkled with short fiction
- The wonder of childhood and the horrors of war
- Miles of Enjoyment
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Miles of Experience
Boris Zubry
Manufacturer: Rivercross Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Educators
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ASIN: 1581410670 |
Book Description
From his childhood days in the Soviet Union, through his working life around the world, Boris Zubry has been an acute observer of the people around him. In these stories he picks at the fabric of our civilization, at the morals and mores of present-day life from Silicon Valley, California, to Saudi Arabia. His directness is sometimes astonishing; his opinions and prejustice not at all guarded.
Customer Reviews:
Shrewdly Observant.......2005-01-23
Mr. Zubry has offered for readers a thought-provoking collection of essays and stories. They are told with a sharply-etched and compelling point of view. Readers of "Land of Sinbad the Sailor" will learn more about Saudi Arabia than in most textbooks--and they will come away with an understanding of the Mideast's problems that is real and heartfelt. Highly recommended.
Diamonds in the rough........2004-02-24
I often wonder: How is it that there is a lyrical quality to the works of every Russian writer, unmatched by those of any other provenance with the exception of the Irish? Oh, I am aware that Boris Zubry has been living in the U.S. for the past 35 years and has been an American citizen for almost as long. But he was born in Russia and quite obviously raised on a lavish supply of that country's rich literary stock; and also quite obviously he has ingested enough of that fare to easily find his own place in the same literary tradition, somewhere between the works of Alexander Pushkin, Anton Chekhov and Ilya Ilf/Yevgenyi Petrov's "Twelve Chairs," with a dose of Jewish satirist Ephraim Kishon thrown in for good measure.
"Miles of Experience" is Zubry's second book; a collection of stories and stream-of-conscience-style essays set in the Soviet Union of the author's youth, in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and in WWII Poland and Germany. Introducing each entry by a short poem and at his best when writing from a first-person perspective, describing life's small, simple things - pleasures and disappointments, happiness and horror alike - Zubry takes the reader on a trip back in time and space, to places he has seen and experiences he has made; never shying from speaking his mind: direct, unapologetic, sometimes jarred, and not afraid of controversy. You won't always find yourself agreeing with him; but you will be incited to think and to formulate your own position.
The book opens with "Ali," the touching account of an Arab shopkeeper's young son who, raised in a traditional environment, is suddenly exposed to a group of rich city dwellers: an encounter that his simple upbringing leaves him ill-equipped to deal with.
The second story, "Cannon," takes the reader to Portland, Oregon, where a friend of the narrator's acquires a real cannon at an antiques fair and places it into his house's front yard - with unexpected consequences.
"Crickets" (my personal favorite) is a story about the lost innocence of childhood, about a magical summer vacation's ingenious children's game gone horribly wrong, and about lessons learned and never forgotten.
In "Dates," Zubry returns to Saudi Arabia, for a closer inspection of that country's traditions and the clash of its contemporary society with the values of the Western world.
The title of "Domestic Violence" speaks for itself as far as subject matter is concerned - and women readers in particular should be prepared for being confronted with a viewpoint which, while based on the author's personal observations, is as far as can be imagined from a politically correct approach to the issue.
"Jewish Blood" deals with the encounter between a highly-decorated German officer and a Polish soldier on the WWII front lines outside Warsaw - and the discovery of an unexpected link between the two of them.
"Land of Sinbad the Sailor" again takes the reader to present-day Saudi Arabia; and while (particularly in the post-9-11-2001 world) Zubry's analysis here and, partly, already in "Dates" probably reflects that of many Westerners, I would expect there to be some disagreement from an Arab and/or Muslim point of view. Along with "Domestic Violence" and "Sexual Harassment" (see below), this is doubtlessly one of the book's most controversial pieces. Yet, when juxtaposing it with the first story, "Ali," and also taking into account Zubry's praise of Arab traditions like that of hospitality in "Dates," it is clear that his overall view of the Saudi society is far more complex than appears to be the case here; something that should be born in mind when reading his often provocative statements.
"The Last Pogrom" is the collection's single longest entry: part novella, part nonfiction account, it addresses anti-Semitism in the officially atheist Soviet Union and its consequences for the individuals concerned, as exemplified by a promising young engineer studying at Leningrad's prestigious, top secret Institute for Military Mechanics, and his experience during a high Jewish holiday.
"A Room for a Boy" (another favorite of mine) explores a man's secret loneliness: Although well-liked and respected in his community both on his own merits and those of his clever cat, there is an unfulfilled spot in his life ... and he has found a unique way of making up for it.
"Russian Dedication" (rounding up the list of my greatest favorites) takes a hilarious look at the trademark inefficiencies of the socialist economy, Soviet style; seen in a construction project stuck in time and in endless repetitions of the same useless routine.
"Sexual Harassment" tells the story of a woman's discrimination lawsuit against a midsize Silicon Valley pharmaceutical company, and its effects even after it has been settled. Again, the author expresses views that not all of his readers (especially women and members of minorities) will be comfortable with, but which are far from uncommon, and in the author's case seem to be grounded on personal observations.
"Wild Strawberries," finally, is another return to the author's childhood days, and to a magical vacation gone horribly wrong; although in this case not for the narrator himself but for a much-idolized personal hero who is belatedly caught up in the Soviet society's web of political intrigue.
The twelve pieces collected in "Miles of Experience" are diamonds in the rough: Sometimes I would have wished for the hands of a gentle, insightful editor: not to censor of course, nor do I think Mr. Zubry's hand could (or should!) be forced - but to remove some of the rocky edges occasionally obscuring the underlying brilliance, and to bring it out in its full shine. Yet, even without such extra polish they are a joy to read; and in a time when literature (and particularly so, essays and short stories) increasingly seem to be about form and language rather than content, it is refreshing to find an author who is not afraid of expressing a straightforward opinion, while at the same time understanding the lyrical beauty of everyday life.
A memoir sprinkled with short fiction.......2003-06-13
Boris Zubry has written an unusual book: personal essays punctuated by short stories, all inspired by his experiences worldwide. He begins MILES OF EXPERIENCE with fiction about a father and son living in an unspecified part of the Arab world and who come into tragic contact with drug dealers driving American cars. The next chapter, one of the author's strongest, is a personal essay titled "Cannon", which details Zubry's discovery of a cannon at a Washington antique show and what becomes of it. Zubry is at his best when describing simple moments: building a cricket cage out of toothpicks, sharing his house with a lizard in Saudi Arabia, or watching, with his brother-in-law at his side, a Soviet construction vehicle become mired in the mud for the fifth day in a row.
Zubry's style is simple and often repetitive, easily readable and rhythmic. His essays tend to feel like stream-of-consciousness pieces because they meander from one scene to another until the end is reached. Zubry never shrinks from expressing his opinions, as unpopular as they might be; at times he goes on at length about his judgment of a particular situation or person. Although this can get tiring and even offensive, MILES OF EXPERIENCE would be a different book without it. Clearly, these stories and opinions mean much to the author as they are told emphatically and with authority.
I recommend this book especially for readers who have an interest in the former Soviet Union, the Jewish experience, and the unique point of view of immigrants.
The wonder of childhood and the horrors of war.......2003-05-04
Can you picture Mark Twain telling stories with a Russian accent? I can, because I have read "Miles of Experience," a wonderful collection of short stories by Boris Zubry. The Twain-like stories are told in such a way that I pictured myself sitting on the author's front porch (or perhaps his dacha, overlooking the Black Sea), watching the sun set, listenting to the night insects buzz, while he spins warm and fascinating tales of his childhood adventures, his work abroad, or serious stories about Russia.
The twelve short stories are told in a gentle and deeply personal voice. The author speaks with the wisdom of someone who has seen the best and worst in people, and who still manages to find humor in life. Many of the stories take place in the author's native country, Russia. "Crickets," my favorite story, is the bittersweet tale of one idyllic summer spent at a dacha, when the author built a toy castle and caught crickets to populate it.
Those who enjoy reflections on the human condition, told with intimacy and great detail, will surely enjoy "Miles of Experience." I feel I have come to know the author quite well from this book. He makes me smile.
Miles of Enjoyment.......2003-02-21
I know Boris Zubry. I have never met him, I have never spoken to him, yet I know him. How can this be? Because Mr. Zubry virtually extends his hand in warm greetings from the pages of his wonderful book, MILES OF EXPERIENCE.
Zubry writes in a soothing, conversational style--as if he had pulled up a chair next to you in front of the fireplace to engage in a friendly chat. I heard his Russian accent as I read his stories, stories about his childhood in the former Soviet Union, stories about distant lands and distant cultures, stories about persecution, corruption, intolerance. Most of his stories do not have happy endings, yet the reader still treasures them--still treasures the author for presenting them in such a warm, humanistic manner.
By far, my favorite story (although I enjoyed them all) was "Russian Dedication." Zubry provides a hilarious, yet biting, account of a construction project gone awry to demonstrate the hopeless inefficiency and corruption of the former Soviet Republic. It is more than apparent the author has a genuine love for his homeland and its people, but cared nothing for the Communist government. In fact, Zubry renounced his Soviet citizenship in 1978 and became a U.S. citizen in 1984.
Russia's loss is America's gain.
MILES OF EXPERIENCE is highly recommended. As I mentioned earlier, you will get to know Boris Zubry through the pages of this book, and you'll be proud and honored to consider him a friend.
Book Description
For twenty years, a group of spiritual seekers from many religious traditions met in various places around the United States under the rubric of the Snowmass Conferences to engage in the deepest form of interreligious dialogue. The experience was intimate and trusting, transformative and inspiring. To encourage openness and honesty, no audio or visual recording was made of, and no articles were written about, the encounters.
When these encounters came to an end, it was agreed that reflections on what had happened emotionally, spiritually, philosophically, and theologically during the Snowmass dialogues should be written down. The result is The Common Heart.
Here is an extraordinary exploration of the wealth of the world's spiritual traditions combined with dialogue from the heart about the differences and similarities between their paths of wisdom. Participants include Fr. Thomas Keating, Roshi Bernie Glassman, Swami Atmarupananda, Dr. Ibrahim Gamard, Imam Bilal Hyde, Pema Chödrön, Rabbi Henoch Dov Hoffman, and many others.
Customer Reviews:
Not Ken Wilber, but Thomas Keating.......2007-07-11
Wilber wrote the intro, but Keating is the prime mover.
Halfway through this book, I feel such an inner peace just thinking about it. The compassion of the interviewees seeps from the pages to my heart. My favorite quote [as filtered through my memory]:
We are spiritual beings going through the human experience.
The True Heart of Dialogue.......2007-05-12
THERE IS A COMMON MISCONCEPTION of what inter-religious dialogue is supposed to be about. Often, assuming the subject to be "comparative religion," the well-intentioned participants prepare in advance, looking for similarities and differences in their traditions, hoping to find arcane bits of information with which to make an impression on the other. But, this is to miss the point . . . albeit subtly. For the subject is not really "religion" at all, but a relationship based on dialogue. It is not that it is wrong to prepare for a dialogue, but that it is a mistake to think that a dialogue between, say, two representatives of different religious traditions is really about two religions, rather than the relationship of two individuals with different religious commitments. Though a subtle distinction, it was precisely this emphasis on relationship that made the dialogue of the Snowmass Inter-religious Conference (usually, "the Snowmass Conference") a unique and inspiring phenomenon in the world of religion for over twenty years.
The now famous Snowmass Conference was originally the idea of Father Thomas Keating, one of the pioneers of inter-faith dialogue in the Christian tradition and the co-founder of the highly influential Centering Prayer movement. Having resigned as abbot of St. Joseph's Abbey (a Cistercian Monastery in Spencer, Massachusetts) in 1981, Father Thomas took up residence at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado. Officially retired, he began to devote his time to the dialogue work he loved.
In 1983, he was invited to participate in a series Buddhist-Christian dialogues at the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado that would ultimately change his whole approach to dialogue. During these sessions, Father Thomas noticed something interesting:
. . . I noticed that we, the dialoguers, weren't speaking to one another so much as we were addressing the audience. But, on the two occasions when the conveners succeeded in bringing us together a day before the conference, we got on very well and actually got to talk to one another as peers, albeit all too briefly. So I asked myself, what would happen if the whole point was just to get together and talk, without an audience? And what if it was broader than just a Buddhist-Christian dialogue?
The next year, after collecting a host of recommendations, he issued invitations to a select group of individuals. Among the attendees of the first "Snowmass Conference" retreat at St. Benedict's Monastery were: Thomas Keating, Pema Chodron, Douglas Steere, Gayatri Devi, Gerald Red Elk, Rami Shapiro, Bernie Glassman, and Bilal Hyde. It was as impressive a roster as any public inter-religious dialogue had ever had before, except that this dialogue was to take place far from any cameras or eager spectators in an isolated little monastery in the Rocky Mountains.
Naturally, on the first day the group talked about the unique nature of this meeting. Everyone understood the significance of meeting in private, but many were still unsure of how to go about the dialogue in this atmosphere. What were they to talk about? And at what level of exchange were they expected to speak?
Father Thomas knew that if this was going to be successful, it would have to be based on intimacy. But this was a group of strangers. It was obvious that they needed to tell their stories to one another first; comparative religion would have to wait. "This was the reason we were disinclined to have any observers at the Snowmass Conference," Father Thomas told me, "because what was developing was a kind of friendship that enabled us to feel comfortable and safe enough to share, to disclose to each other, what our own spiritual journey was like . . . You usually won't tell your secrets to somebody unless you're friends or until you know that person. So the idea of getting acquainted and being at ease in private was a primary goal."
But, even if the space was safe enough in terms of privacy, there was still one question in the back of their minds: should the conversations be recorded? It was clear that this was an historic meeting and some wondered if they had an obligation to record the sessions:
When the question was raised, "Do we want to tape some of this?" Grandfather Gerald Red Elk said, "No, that would not be good, because then we would be hesitant about people back home hearing what we say. This is intimate stuff, and I think we should not share it outside the group. If the wisdom needs to be heard, it will be heard." That won the favor of everyone, and we've never taped a conference . . .
Thus began one of the oldest and longest-running inter-religious dialogues in the world, and certainly one of the most unique. Over the years, word leaked out about this unusual cabal, and with it came many invitations to hold their dialogue in a public setting. On the occasions that they acquiesced (mostly in the early years) it was an unmitigated disappointment for all of them. The public loved it, but the members felt that something was missing. So they declined any further invitations and went back to what they loved best, an intimate dialogue among friends.
This they continued for 20 years, weathering changes in membership, sickness, deaths, and the increasing fame of some of their members. In 2004, acknowledging their 20th anniversary, they began to wonder if perhaps they had served their purpose and considered calling a close to the Snowmass Conference. But talk of "the end" seemed to give a new energy to the dialogue that year, and they took up an old question: should we not share something of what we have learned? For, by now there was an accumulated wisdom in the group. It was not that their answers were new, but that there were subtleties to them, real-world wisdom born of experience in the trenches of inter-religious dialogue. It is always the simple things that are the hardest to understand and do.
In the end, they decided that they would publish a few memories and a series of aphorisms on what had made their dialogue work over the years in a commemorative pamphlet. Since I was acquainted with four of the ten members, it was suggested that I help them to shape just such a document. I agreed without much deliberation. But, when I looked at their collection of "Points of Uniqueness," I immediately thought that their idea of a pamphlet was too humble; there was something here to be shared with a much wider audience in a small book.
So I interviewed all of the members to learn not what they had talked about, but how they had talked about it. What made it work? What were the bumps in the road? And how did they deal with them? As much as people may have wanted to hear the details of what was undoubtedly a wonderful discussion of religion (me included), this was not what people needed to hear (nor was it in the spirit of the group's original intention).
Thus, our book, The Common Heart: An Experience of Interreligious Dialogue (Lantern Books, 2006) is primarily a book about dialogue. I have reconstructed some of the notes from the first conference in it and give the Snowmass Conference "Points of Agreement," thoughts on "Spiritual Authority and Ethics," and "Points of Uniqueness." But, as wonderful as these pieces are, they are merely the by-product of a profound relationship. The Snowmass Conference members learned to appreciate one another as individuals, and how different religions inform and enrich the experience of an individual, and this is what we can learn from them as we continue to explore the same territory.
A slim book in several ways.......2006-08-19
As sometimes happens when buying a book over the internet, the "packaging" (including the book's description) can be misleading. Case in point from the above book description: "Here is an extraordinary exploration of the wealth of the world's spiritual traditions combined with dialogue from the heart about the differences and similarities between their paths of wisdom." If there's an extraordinary exploration of the wealth of the world's spiritual traditions--it's not in this book. In fact, only about 25 pages of the book even remotely address this subject. And, to be more specific, the main similarities (entitled Points of Agreement) get a whopping 2 pages, while other similarities and differences are meagerly scattered throughout the rest of the book.
As far as the "reflections on what had happened emotionally, spiritually, philosophically, and theologically during the Snowmass dialogues"; those can be quickly summed up as: first build trust and friendship; throw in a healthy dose of open, non-judgmental listening; do this in a spiritually supportive environment; and people will feel safe to fully open up and share their knowledge, experience, and belief systems with others of differing faiths, while further questioning and deepening their relationship with their own.
If you're looking for a book that may help you format how to establish your own interreligious dialogue, you will find some guidelines--though most of those guidelines seemed self-evident.
While, no question, there's a great line-up of leaders in their respective faiths--if what you're looking for is a book that's going to immerse you in the sharing of interreligious dialogue, I'd wager that you'd find this book a disappointment.
Perhaps a more accurate subtitle would have been: "What it was like for some of the religious leaders who participated in the Snowmass Conferences." And the short answer is: it was occasionally a little tricky, but with due diligence and earnestness, they worked most of it out and felt they were enriched by the effort. It gets 3 stars because the book is written with great sincerity and wonderful intention, and the people within its pages are well worth some of your time.
Product Description
A large unbound final report for a three ring binder. Prepared for the Electric Power Research institute, Palo Alto.
Customer Reviews:
Good story with alot of original thoughts.......2006-10-15
Picture riding a bicycle across the country with your dog and being stoned the entire time. You probaly have to be a stoner and free thinker to truly appreciate this book. It is a definate must read.
Excellent! Exciting, stimulating, and an unbelievable story!.......2006-02-06
I just completed this book, "Travels with Lucy" about a man, a very brave one and his small dog traveling across the U.S. via bicycle. It is a great read! It is well put together, and this man can actually write coherently and humorously all while he has you sitting on the edge of your seat turning the pages. My heart always went out to poor Lucy, the poor mutt he dragged along with. But, somehow, she loved the traveling life, too!
This book needs to get out there. It needs a professional editor and publisher- it could be a movie with the right connections.
I travel the U.S. and Canada by plush motorhome and I think I am roughing it! This guy has it all over me!
Buy it! You will enjoy it.
Average customer rating:
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Corrective reading
Miles V Zintz
Manufacturer: W.C. Brown Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 069700774X |
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- Beloved
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- The Craggy Hole in My Heart and the Cat Who Fixed It: Over the Edge and Back with My Dad, My Cat, an
- International Trade and Core Labour Standards
- Sexuality at Work: How Does It Affect You
- Painting the Head in Oil
The Boston Marathon: A Century of Blood, Sweat, and Cheers
The Last Pick: The Boston Marathon Race Director's Road to Success
From Fairbanks to Boston: 50 Great U.S. Marathons
Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon
Boston, a Century of Running : Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Boston Athletic Association Marathon
