Amazon.com
Pastor and motivational speaker Robert H. Schuller is perhaps most renowned for his weekly "Hour of Power" church service, broadcast worldwide from the glass Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. In Turning Hurts into Halos, Schuller uses his storytelling skills and personal anecdotes to explain the spiritual role of pain and suffering. "Hurts" can ultimately make us stronger, more faithful people, crowning us with angelic halos, Schuller claims. He refers to his wife's recent heart surgery, his own brain surgery, his daughter losing a leg in a motorcycle accident, and the humiliation he endured after being wrongfully accused and sued for assaulting a flight attendant (he was acquitted). Through his personal pain and by helping others who have endured much worse shame and loss, Schuller has learned the value of holding onto hope, turning to God, and gaining perspective on one's pain.
Book Description
"Turning Hurts Into Halos and Scars into Stars" is Robert Schuller like you've never heard before. Though it echoes the extraordinary insight and encouragement you have come to count on from Dr. Schuller, never before has he written a book so personal, so moving. This book is about adversity. Tragedy. Suffering. Despair. But it's also about hope, joy, and the eternal victory in Jesus. This book is about the cross.
Customer Reviews:
Insightful Truth.......2004-04-30
In choosing to respond appropriately to suffering you ensure that the experience leads to something beneficial. Free will is involved in that decision. Dr. Schuller writes, "I promise you that there is gain in every pain." Our reaction to pain is crucial! That choice determines whether we will expeience the benefits associated with the suffering process.
Hurts do not endure permanently. Pain passes. Trials end. He tells us to view pain as a process not an event. God has a purpose for everything. People who have made significant marks are the ones who have responded successfully to adversity. Thank God Dr. Schuller is in that group and left this work and others showing us that we too can make our way through life's challenges.
Never be victimized again - only victorious!.......2001-03-07
Dr. Schuller's first chapter is so aptly titled! "Welcome To The Human Race" - we are all hurting human beings! What sets us apart is our ability to recognize that the hurt is not punishment from God, but instead a reality of our life on earth. Schuller takes his reader through a series of practical analyses of hurt, in much the same way that Elisabeth Kubler Ross taught us to move through the stages of grief. How heavy is the hurt? How hardy (what is its lifespan)? and, How healthy is this hurt? He reminds us frequently that we must constantly examine our priorities and renew our faith that with God, all things are possible. Not an easy road to take, but worth it.
The book is written in an easy to follow manner and uses real life illustrations of both the author's personal struggles with hurt and those of others who survived life's worst tragedies and came out of these fires strengthened and renewed. Had Dr.Schuller omitted his own experiences, this would be just another sampling of inspirational story gathering. But as the "father of possibility thinking" was feeling victimized, he realized that he "needed to delve deep into the meat and potatoes of handling hurts and get over that seductive, self-absorbing, pity-party reaction." And he shares the wisdom of his exploration with us in an easy to read format that time and again reminds us of Schuller's powerful commitment to God.
Both believers and non-believers will find this book helpful as they search for the skills to cope with the hurts that come with divorce, death, destruction and our perceived failures. I liken it to Christian counselor Gary Smalley's teaching that we must learn to "treasure hunt" within a hurtful experience and find ways to bring acceptance and peace back to our lives.
This may be the ultimate gift book for a hurting friend!
Honest help for dealing with life's afflictions.......1999-11-17
I haven't been a big fan of Schuller's other books. The ideas were good, but there was too much "fluff" along with the "stuff." Hurts into Halos breaks the mold by grappling with the real-world issues which afflict us all. Schuller reveals his own struggles and how his faith in God provided practical guidance for navigating difficult waters. I'm giving copies to many friends for Christmas.
This is an extremely practical and enlightening book........1999-09-06
This thought-provoking publication authored by the well-known Dr. Robert Schuller certainly should stimulate the curiosity of its readers. But to round out their spiritual education, they will benefit from the perusal of "From Here to Greater Happiness or How to Change Your Life for Good" by Joel Marie Teutsch and Champion Kurt Teutsch. First printed in 1959, their book really started the consciousness revolution, including assertiveness training and the holistic health movement. It certainly changed my life-and that of everyone I love and know-for good.
The most comforting book I have ever read........1999-09-05
I as all humans have been hurt during my life and didn't at times know where to turn. One day at the library I was I felt, being lead to read this most spiritual book.I know I must continue to read it at different times in my life to give me the strength to go forward,and change the hurts to halo's.
Amazon.com
To call Janis Joplin the Judy Garland of the Woodstock set is in some sense a fair characterization. The brassy, carnal, extravagant, and ultimately pitiable queen of psychedelic rock is indeed a cultural icon. And while Joplin reveled in her own ballsy, boozy legend, its needy, inebriated, real-life equivalent was a shadow that darkened her short life and, in the decades since her 1970 drug-induced death, has come to eclipse the party-girl persona.
To her great credit, author Alice Echols reconciles the two faces of Joplin in this ambitious, thoroughly readable biography. She does so by tracing Joplin from her youth as a natural-born libertine in dreary Port Arthur, Texas, to her emergence as the sole female rock superstar of her era--a period when beneath-the-surface sexism hampered Joplin's progress even while women's liberation was being widely touted. The author does not shy away from sordid sex-and-drugs episodes, and there's plenty of raw material---the singer was promiscuous, bisexual, and, at various times, an alcoholic, a speed freak, and a junkie. Echols, however, elevates this biography above run-of-the-mill rock profiles by painting her subject against an elaborate and ever-changing cultural backdrop. Here is Joplin the aspiring folksinger, the white-picket-fence wannabe, the wayward daughter, the hit-and-miss recording artist, and, finally, the ill-starred spirit with nothing left to lose. --Steven Stolder
Book Description
Janis Joplin was the skyrocket chick of the sixties, the woman who broke into the boys' club of rock and out of the stifling good-girl femininity of postwar America. With her incredible wall-of-sound vocals, Joplin was the voice of a generation, and when she OD'd on heroin in October 1970, a generation's dreams crashed and burned with her. Alice Echols pushes past the legary Joplin-the red-hot mama of her own invention-as well as the familiar portrait of the screwed-up star victimized by the era she symbolized, to examine the roots of Joplin's muscianship and explore a generation's experiment with high-risk living and the terrible price it exacted.A deeply affecting biography of one of America's most brilliant and tormented stars, Scars of Sweet Paradise is also a vivid and incisive cultural history of an era that changed the world for us all.
Customer Reviews:
the best Janis biography.......2007-09-10
This is my fourth biography I've read of Janis' and by far the most well-written and informative. Instead of being filled with personal judgements and opinions it seems to document the happenings in Janis' life and the lives of those around her in a very easy to follow manner. Lots of history about other San Francisco bands and connections in the music world. Photos are great!!
An Overdose Janis.......2006-04-03
Oh Lord, won`t you buy me a Mercedes Benz, my friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends," Janis Joplin sang so outragedly, if it would be seriousness and not satire (knowing very well, that, occasionally, some wishes are not fulfilled). Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends," - that does not matter anyway and applies to God (if there is one) not as an argument: Proof of it is clear to find. Janis Joplin has slaved away and lived, intensive as a lunatic -- this has not changed the mind of God to let her get 100 years old. Perhaps it was not God, however, who set forcefully a final stroke to this style of protesting impudently (Oh Lord, won`t you buy me a colour TV, ...I wait for delivery, each day until three"), it seems, that Janis arrived at the dead end, because she once took pure, separate heroin (her main dealer was just on holiday). Oh Lord, won't you buy me a night on the town, I'm counting on you Lord, please don't let me down, prove that you love me, and buy the next round..." There was not any next round, after she had taken this song ("Mercedes Benz") in the studio - a capella - the instruments should get mixed the next day. But in the night of October 4th 1970 Janis Joplin died. Eric Burdon commented: "Janis did not die of an overdose heroin. She died of an overdose Janis"
Times are a Changin'.......2005-01-03
I found this book to be quite interesting on the level of an historical and cultural analysis of Janis's life. Echols manages to write an objective biography on Joplin that does not get too sentimental or depressing, as have other biographies on Janis. This biograpy provides one with an education on the late 50s/ early 60s (on the level of history and lifestyle); however, it is not as personable as other biographies. Overall a very good book.
Brilliant biography and counterculture history.......2004-12-16
This brilliant book is both a biography of Janis Joplin and a cultural history of the 1960s. Scars Of Sweet Paradise is a very thorough and in-depth look at Joplin's life and times and at the same time an exploration of the quiet suburban life versus the lure of the counterculture. The bohemian underground, unlike some idyllic portrayals of it, had its share of cynicism and destructiveness.
Much of this book deals with this evolving underground as it relates to the music, gender relationships and the merger of art and commerce. It is the story of a generation's restless and reckless life on the edge, from which Janis and many others never returned. The author conducted over 150 interviews and spent 5 years on research to produce this comprehensive work on Joplin and her era.
The Janis that emerges is a complex, multi-faceted personality that inspires admiration and sadness. The story begins in Port Arthur where Joplin's early life is described, including her first exposures to rock and folk music. It follows her to college and her first taste of the bohemian life then on to her first visit to San Francisco and eventual return to Port Arthur.
She went back to SF and her career began to take off. It is fascinating to read about the colourful personalities that she mixed with in San Francisco: the friends, the lovers and the musicians. Echols is a skilful narrator, seamlessly blending Joplin's moves and her relationships with the rise of her career. There are plenty of quotes from contemporary musicians that really illuminate this mythologized period in history.
My only minor complaint is that the author does not seem to share in the excitement as Joplin finally makes it big with Big Brother an the Cheap Thrills album - this story is just given clinically as part of the larger narrative. The various bands, Big Brother, Kozmic Blues and Full Tilt Boogie, are discussed in detail, as well as the recording process of each of the major albums: Cheap Thrills, I Got Dem Old Kozmic Blues and Pearl. The personalities behind her success, like Abert Grossman and Linda Gravenites, are sympathetically portrayed.
Echols explores Joplin's influence on various performers and notes that the heavy metal crowd picked up on her style but that she didn't directly inspire any clones. Ultimately, Janis appears as a brave, wild and very vulnerable human being who was quite likable, if somewhat volatile. There are 35 black and white photographs and the book concludes with a discography, copious notes and an index. Almost scholarly in its depth, Scars Of Sweet Paradise is yet a gripping read that will please her fans and all who are interested in the 1960s counterculture and the evolution of rock music.
Excellent.......2003-11-14
Alice Echols skillfully weaves the cultural nuances of the complicated '60s with the life and times of the great Janis Joplin. Informative and painstakingly researched. This book is far superior to Myra Friedman's overrated "Buried Alive," which is a vast pile of stinky doo-doo rather than a definitive biography. Avoid "Buried Alive" and get this book instead.
Book Description
Have you been hurt by past disappointment, fear, rejection, abandonment, or failure? When pain from the past lingers in your life and causes emotional scars, you need to understand that God wants you to be fully healed.
Healed Without Scars is filled with contemporary and biblical accounts of those who have emerged victorious from life's tests and trials. For years, author David Evans has helped people from all walks of life learn how to live in victory. Let him guide you to a joyful life of wholeness in Christ as you discover that you can be healed without scars!
Customer Reviews:
Revolutionizing!!.......2007-06-11
This is one book that once you pick up, it will very hard to put down. The revelation and clarity given will change your life forever! You will NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN! I highly recommend this book to anyone that's ever been dealt life's share of problems that have never confronted their issues. This book is great for anyone preparing to start a new beginning.
Healing Is Possible!.......2005-07-11
I heard about this book when I was listening on the Christian radio station; Bishop Evans shared his own testimony with regard to the book and it was his testimony that made an impact on me to purchase the book. We know from the Bible that healing is possible but sometimes we need to hear a witness share with us today how God's promises are for us even today! It is unfortunate that so many of us, who are Believers in Jesus Christ, have suffered with abuses of many forms in our lives. We have suffered so many hurts; disappointments; fears that interfere with our faith walk of freedom that comes in Jesus Christ. Yet, here is a book that reiternates the promises of God and God's ultimate motivation, which is love, that we can be healed from our scars. God is able to take that which was meant to destroy us and use it to rebuild us into vessels He can use for His glory as we become instruments of blessings to others because God was faithful to us. If you've been hurt...It's now time to be healed! Healed Without Scars is the promise of God that He is still (even today) the God who heals because His desire is that we be all that He desires us to be...Blessed to be blessing!
uplifting.......2005-07-08
This book really helped me experience the depth of God's love and his interest and willingness to help me be healed and made whole. The author walks you through the steps of healing.
Scarred No More.......2004-12-05
Bishop David G. Evans' book begins where most books end. Many authors have insights into how we can modify our behaviors or how we can manage our emotions, but Healed Without Scars explores the WHY behind our behaviors and emotions. Too often I have found myself treating symptoms only to find myself always having a new set of defeating circumstances to deal with in my life. Healed Without Scars goes beyond the surface aspects of life and helps the reader explore the depths of the human soul, all to bring about freedom.
Bishop Evans offers hope on every page, while taking the journey with the reader towards personal wholeness. There is no way to read this book and not have the tools needed to be healed and free. Bishop Evans balances his personal experiences with his brilliant handle on the Word of God and delivers the Truth on a level that Christian and Non-Christian alike can understand. He explores topics such as the child-father relationship, the importance of faith and praise during the hard times, and the power of forgiveness. Whether you have had issues with abuse, betrayal, addiction, or just everyday pain from life, this book will give you the answers to all of your questions, AND will position you for your healing.
I am eternally grateful for this book..and to know that I can truly be healed without scars.
A candid and straight forward approach to true healing and d.......2004-12-01
Bishop Evans is a gifted writer who reaches out to you personally from the pages of this eye-opening book and takes you beyond your mask and brings you face to face with life issues that we typically cope with but seem never to be completely delivered from.
He has been able to articulate and give me resolve to emotions that I have found difficult to express. I've cried, I've reflected, and I've come away with a better understanding of myself, and those who have been in my life and their impact on me, and mine on them. I've learned to take my portion of responsibility for the aftermath of choices forced upon me and those I've willingly made.
Bishop Evans' own personal experience with his father, the chapter regarding pastor/parishioner relationships and the eloquent way that he relates the prodigal son's father to our Savior standing in the pathway of all our lives with outstretched arms waiting on our arrival helped me to drop some weights that I did not realize were still affecting me; and at the same time has given me expectations for a brighter future with a God who loving accepts me, is watching every step I make, and is waiting for me as I come closer and closer to my final destination in Glory!
Book Description
Written by a former physician and recent widower, this warmly practical book guides the bereaved through the grief process and explains how to live after the death of a spouse.
Customer Reviews:
Exceptional .......2007-05-01
I so appreciated this book and found it to be very, very helpful and insightful. I have given it to several others who lost spouses and each has thanked me and gotten additional copies for their family. My f-law gave a copy to his daughter so she would understand what he was going through following the death of my m-law.
It is now part of the resource library for Faith Hospice in Dallas to help spouses who have lost loved ones. Good for surviving spouse AND those around them trying to help and understand their grief.
Mediocre essay instead of a book.......2007-04-06
of little value to me in my grief over the loss of my wife. would not recommend it at all.
A little helpful........2007-03-23
It does give a good overview of his grieving process. A lot of religion. At a time like this, you might want more religion, or less. That depends upon the reader. It does offer some hope for the future of a widow/er. Some of it I don't agree with, but overall, it does offer some comfort.
"Telling It Like It Is".......2006-08-01
Dr. Mabry waited long enough to gain some perspective before he took in hand to share the journey from grief to wholeness. He left enough bread crumbs of hope along that path to help any who come behind him in the numbness of sorrow and pain. His practical suggestions about what to do on special days shared with the lost loved one, the clothes that must be dealt with, and the way one can face the future without the guilt of being "unfaithful" the lost spouse will be of invaluable worth to all who walk alone for the first time. Any sufferer who struggles to regain one's balance will find "The Tender Scar" to speak with the authority of experience.
A Special Book for A Special Need -- The Ideal Gift.......2006-07-28
I love the title of this well-crafted book. There is no greater understanding of the tenderness of a scar than from a physician. It's with the same tenderness and compassion that Dr. Richard Mabry writes about the death of a spouse. He has lived and breathed the content of this book--yet handles this delicate topic with care for the reader.
From his own loss of his spouse, Richard has created a valuable resource for anyone in this special life situation. Often it's difficult to know what to say or what to give someone who has lost a spouse. Here's the perfect gift. The person might not read it immediately (or they might) but the text will be something that will help each reader turn to the comfort of Jesus in the midst of their recovery.
This book is a valuable resource for any pastor or counselor or funeral director. As they read the book, it's a way they can understand and reach out with help to the people in their path. Also this book is another tool which they can give as a practical help. I hope THE TENDER SCAR will be a book which will stand the test of time. I highly recommend it.
Book Description
Introducing a new title in the Procedures in Cosmetic Dermatology Series! This breakthrough reference presents up-to-the-minute, practical guidance on the use of lasers for the treatment of pigmented and vascular lesionsedited by one of the top laser surgeons in the world, Dr. David Goldberg. Succinctly written and lavishly illustrated, this resource focuses on procedural how to's and offers step-by-step guidance on proper techniques, pitfalls, and tricks of the trade. An accompanying DVD shows clips of key techniques so readers can implement the newest procedures into their practice immediately.
Customer Reviews:
Lost order!!!.......2007-05-31
I have ordered 5 books on one setting. I have received 4 of them in 2 different shipments, but the last one is lost out there somewhere.(I was told that it would arrive before 23/5/07) I tried to track down where my order is but failed to locate it, any help that you guys can offer?
The above comment applies to Volume 2 of the Procedures series which I am yet to receive.
THE WAY TO LEARN ABOUT PROCEDURES.......2007-02-17
Cosmetic surgery laser books are a dime a dozen. This does not apply to this book. Its marvelous.
Book Description
Physical scars represent a story, a moment in one’s life, and they show others that there is a history of healing. Noted author Sharon Jaynes shares with women how their internal scars—marks from past hurts and mistakes—also represent a story of restoration.
With empathy, personal insight, and a best friend’s gentle spirit, Sharon helps readers:
- recognize Jesus through their scars
- receive grace and forgiveness
- remove the mask and be real
- restore the broken heart
- release the power of healed wounds
Encouraging chapters, inspirational stories, godly wisdom, and a Bible study guide lead readers to give their wounds to the One who sees their beauty and who turns hurts into hope.
Customer Reviews:
I just read it again.......2007-06-06
As an author I receive a lot of books to read, or review, or possibly endorse. Most of them are read, and then I move on, but there are a few that I keep on my shelves to read again -- just for me. This is one of those books. I am highlighting portions. I am bending down corners of pages so that I can come back and read again. Sharon Jayne's book is a reminder of who we are and what we can be in spite of past hurts. It's a book worth reading, and keeping.
A beautiful book .......2006-11-13
i recommend this book as a must read for anyone hurting or working with people who have past or present emotional, mental or spiritual life scars. The people in this book have been damaged, some in serious ways. Yet, this isn't a sad book. The pages sing with stories of love and redemption, of joy and grace, and with the message that we are not alone. Not only do others care, God cares.
Sharon Jaynes is as upfront about her own scars as she is about the people who shared their hurts with her. She uses stories from real life and from the Bible to make her point, that no matter how badly we've been hurt, God loves us and He'll always be there to comfort us. She offers Biblical truths backed up with scripture verses to show the power of God's love and how he can heal our hurts and make our scars beautiful to Him.
If you've been hurt, if you're carrying a secret burden, if you think no one can understand or care, then this book is for you. Buy a copy for yourself, and a second one for a friend. You'll find it well worth the price.
Applicable to everyone!.......2006-10-21
How many of us feel ashamed of our scars? Those painful events in our past that we would rather forget, or pretend never happened.
Sharon Jaynes, in Your Scars Are Beautiful To God, uses examples from Scripture alongside modern-day testimonies to share that it is in being transparent about our scars, not hiding them, where the redemptive power of God can truly shine.
There is much insight throughout the book, but two chapters were especially helpful. "Replacing the Wounds" with Scars digs deeper into the reality that, "while we cannot physically forget the details of the wounds of our past, we can choose not to act on them. We can choose to forgive the person who has hurt us and not allow that memory of the offense to control our lives."
Sharon also touches on the delicate fact that we have to want to get well. "We can hug our hurts and make a shrine out of our sorrows or we can offer them to God as a sacrifice of praise. The choice is ours."
"Revealing the Truth" covers the balance between being honest about our past and respecting the lives of others who may be involved in our stories. Sharon says, "God would not have us 'minister' at someone else's expense. If the motive is not love, then it does not glorify God...there is much about my past that I share and there is much in my past that I do not share. Not because I am ashamed, but because it would dishonor someone else."
Other chapters include "Recognizing Jesus Through Our Scars," "Redeeming the Pain by Investing in Others," and "Removing the Mask and Being Real." A bible study guide included at the back of the book is helpful for either individual or group study.
While this book is categorized for women, the truths inside are applicable to all. "Scars? We've all got them. It's how we view them that will change our hearts. It's what we choose to do with them that can change the world."
Armchair Interviews says: A unique way to look at dealing with our past.
Book Description
When Elaine Morgan wrote The Descent of Woman in 1972, it sent shock waves around the world, and is now widely regarded as a key work on human evolution, and essential to any discussion of women's place in society. Now, with The Scars of Evolution, Morgan offers a pioneering look just where it was our earliest ancestors came from, and the legacy--not always advantageous--that they left us. As she sets out to solve one of the enduring riddles of our origins--to discover the evolutionary path that separated us from the rest of the animals--Morgan shows that many of the theories currently accepted by scientists cannot explain our unique features: they leave too many questions unanswered. Millions of years ago, something happened to our ape ancestors that did not happen to the forebears of gorillas and chimpanzees, something that made them walk on two legs, lose their fur, sweat, develop larger brains, and learn to speak. While scientists have visited many a dig and studied many a fossil for clues, Elaine Morgan argues that all of the facts about our mysterious origins are right in front of us--in the form of fundamental flaws in the human design. Our propensity to suffer from lower back pain, obesity, varicose veins, acne, even infant death syndrome, is essentially the result of a cataclysmic event in our distant past. Scientists have long observed that our spines were not made for upright walking. Yet natural selection--the basic tenet of evolutionary theory--dictates that enduring changes to a species occur because of the need to adapt to changes in the environment. While thousands of working hours are lost each year to "bad backs," at some point long ago it must have been an advantage to walk on two legs. The most common theory is that we became bipedal while hunting on the African savannah, needing our arms free for weapons, using an upright stance to see enemies from afar. But as Morgan points out, animals need more speed on the savannah, both for pursuit and flight, than two legs can offer. Her explanation: bipedalism emerged from life in an aquatic environment due to the flooding of the African rift valley millennia ago. The apes that suddenly found themselves stranded in swamp land (a swamp that remained for thousands of years) had to walk upright to keep from drowning. The human tendency toward obesity was once not an unsightly health problem, but rather a lifesaving form of insulation, one present in all aquatic mammals. And as Morgan carefully considers all of our other uniquely human traits--our relative hairlessness, our ability to control our breathing, our inability to maintain proper salt levels--a compelling case emerges for our human origins in a watery environment. Lively, controversial, and presented with a brilliant logic, The Scars of Evolution will change the way you think about the world--and our place in it.
Customer Reviews:
Why Isn't This Theory Taught in Schools?.......2006-07-21
When I was in tenth grade, I went to a science summer camp in Maine. It was there that I was introduced to the Aquatic Ape Thoery by an instructor who was given the chance to present on anything of his choosing. I was immediately fascinated, and read Morgan's book as soon as I got home. Why hadn't I heard of this theory before, and why was the savanna theory so widely accepted when there was little proof that it was true? I am now 23, and in the process of reading this wonderful book once again. I have introduced it to my good friend who is a Christian, and who has been brought up his whole life to doubt evolution. He too is finding it fasciating, and the book is answering a lot of his questions.
I studied biology in college, and have been taught to think critically when examining data and scientific theories. What I would like to know is, why is this theory not more widely known? As far as I know, it is not even presented as an option. I have heard of it from no one but that one instructor from tenth grade summercamp.
I would highly recommend The Scars of Evolution to anyone interested in human evolution, human medical issues, history, to anyone who has had doubts or questions about evolution, and to anyone who is just plain curious. Not only does this book present a fascinating subject, but it is very well written and quite readable.
a valuable contribution worth serious consideration.......2005-09-13
The Aquatic Theory shaves the hair off the naked ape as neatly as Occam's razor. I have never been able to figure out why this has not replaced the far-fetched theories that academia clutches. Bipedalism evolved as a heat reducing mechanism. Oh alleluia I believe I believe! Come on, has theory totally replaced common sense? During the summer now drawing to fall, what did you do to beat the heat? "Hey, I'm hot and sweaty, I think I'll go stand at attention." For me, it was "Last one in's a rotten egg!"
I was already acquainted with the Aquatic Theory when I first read this book several years ago. It seems reasonable to me. I have written polite letters to several physical anthropologists saying that I have rarely seen this theory included in academic discussions, and have never seen a convincing refutation. I have asked them to point out the theory's fatal flaws. To date, nobody has ever replied to my queries.
If you see the Aquatic Theory mentioned in mainstream physical anthropology books, the author usually grabs her few, inconsequential weak points and avoids the weight of her arguments. One book `refuted' the theory by saying that in the water we would be prey to crocodiles. This was his entire refutation. We're safer with lions and leopards? Morgan did make a fatuous statement (not in this book), that women's breasts may have evolved so babies could cling to them. The professional anthropologists love that one! This is their favorite. You can almost hear them giggling as they trot that out, disregarding that this is not a key point in the argument.
I suspect that the main failing of the Aquatic Theory is that Morgan is not a PhD; she is intruding on sacred territory without being a member of the club. What's worse, she is female. Forget the lip service paid to women's rights, where does she get off, trying to tell the men her ideas? (FYR: I am a white heterosexual male,)
If Morgan had gotten a PhD in Comparative Shampooology from Rabbit Hash U, and published her work as E Morgan PhD, the Aquatic Theory would be as mainstream as Continental Drift is now, generations after Wegener wandered off into a snowstorm. Hang in there, Elaine!
Learning other things about human evolution.......2005-08-18
Somebody way down below calls this conjecture. I believe that conjecture, with a bit of evidence and an overall sense of coherence and matching with known facts amounts to what's known as THEORY.
There's a lot of revolutionary activity out there in the sciences and humanities because a lot of the conventional ideas about just about everything just aren't holding much water these days. Egyptologists, for example, confronted with a growing pile of abnormalities and inconsistencies are looking like plain old idiots. No straight-laced anthropologist seems to have anything sensible to say about the spread of humans through the so-called New World. Lynn Margulis is asking tough questions about why DNA is present in places where it shouldn't be and the establishment is clucking like chickens. An astronomer from the Naval Observatory named Van Flandern thinks he has terrific evidence (orbital equations and such) indicating a planet just flat out blew up years ago and he's treated like some kook. Charles Hapgood, too many years ago, found old maps that pre-dated Columbus showing the New World and Antarctica--some of them are more accurate than maps of Columbus's time--and he's still a fringe character. One old map of Antarctica shows it without the ice. We didn't know what was under the ice until the 1950s and it matched this map abit too well.
Richard Ellis, in his book "Aquagenesis" talks about Elaine Morgan's work favorably. He mentions that when he confronts nearly any disapproving scientist he or she can't come up with any reasons why her theory could be wrong. Note how short the "conjecture" review is. It's always like that with these good new and radical theories, that or ad hominum arguments (I came across some of those regarding Margulis). When you have nothing well-reasoned to say, assume a haughty air and just dismiss things. That isn't a review, it's an emission of gas.
Folks, this is going to get worse, not better. With the insane emphasis on specialization currently in vogue we're raising generations of pinpoint specific scientists and thinkers--few generalists concerned with truth and the big picture and all--who will continuously be choosing between the quest for knowledge and the quest for tenure and pensions. If you've spent your entire professional career learning One Big Thing and that thing is being challenged just where does that leave you? Look at all the Harvard MBAs out there who, because they have an MBA from Harvard, can never be wrong. Look at someone like Marvin Minsky who's spent his entire career getting money and attention for saying that the human brain is simple wiring and circuits and consciousness can be designed like a car stereo system. There's plenty of evidence to the contrary (read Roger Penrose) but is Minsky ever going to change his tune and subsequently lose his cash cow? No way. This is about placement and branding too.
Elaine Morgan isn't engaged in a battle of ideas, she's engaged in a cultural and economic battle. Her rightness or wrongness was never the issue, she's rocking the boat--a boat filled with a lot of very comfortable and lazy academics who are enjoying their sabbaticals, their wine and cheese get-togethers, their affairs with students, and their ever-growing lists of publications, and really have no incentive, and plenty of negative incentive, to review any substantial new idea. They look at Elaine Morgan's work and ask, consciously or unconsciously, "What's in it for me?" or "How could I possibly advance my own career by endorsing this?" Cowards.
What is missing almost completely in the academic world is intellectual curiosity, a passion for truth and knowledge, and a sense of wonder about the world. Gone are the days of Richard Feynman types getting gaga over a new idea or a new insight. The big deal now is information and number crunching--cheaper and faster ways of doing the same old thing--and have you seen any genuinely new ideas, some dazzling synergy or intellectual leap, come from this crowd in the last few decades? Hardly. Then toss in all the Politically Correct types in the humanities--the most narrow-minded pack of dogmatists since the Inquisition. Try presenting a new spin on things with that crowd! Walk into a classroom and present evidence that differs with anything being taught in, for just one example, a modern Women's Studies course (I know a young gal who dared to disagree with her feminist prof and was nearly thrown out of the classroom). They will only accept more evidence in support of their beliefs.
Electrifying!.......2004-08-26
A totally different perspective on evolution for paleoanthropologists to ponder over for generations to come. I read the book in a few hours and plan on reading it again soon. I will be anxiously waiting for more material on this subject.
Wondeful!.......2004-06-28
As other reviewers have gone into great detail, I'll just leave it short. This book is a wonderful addition to human evolutionary theory. Even if you don't agree with the aquatic ape theory, you cannot honestly support another theory without first addressing the many problems with current theories that aquatic ape theory easily resolves.
You have nothing to lose (except perhaps, blind allegiance to an alternate theory which leaves too many questions unanswered) and a ton to gain by reading this book!
Book Description
This original work redefines and broadens our understanding of the drama of the English-speaking African diaspora. Looking closely at the work of Amiri Baraka, Nobel prize-winners Wole Soyinka and Derek Walcott, and Ntozake Shange, the author contends that the refashioning of the collective cultural self in black drama originates from the complex intersection of three discourses: Eurocentric, Afrocentric, and Post-Afrocentric. From blackface minstrelsy to the Trinidad Carnival, from the Black Aesthetic to the South African Black Consciousness theatres and the scholarly debate on the (non)existence of African drama, Olaniyan cogently maps the terrains of a cultural struggle and underscores a peculiar situation in which the inferiorization of black performance forms is most often a shorthand for subordinating black culture and corporeality. Drawing on insights from contemporary theory and cultural studies, and offering detailed readings of the above writers, Olaniyan shows how they occupy the interface between the Afrocentric and a liberating Post-Afrocentric space where black theatrical-cultural difference could be envisioned as a site of multiple articulations: race, class, gender, genre, and language.
Customer Reviews:
A Must Have!.......2005-11-18
The authors, Bishop David G. Evans and Danielle Horner, have done an exceptional job creating Healed Without Scars: the Study Companion! A true labor of love! This book powerfully encapsulates Bishop David G. Evans' message in Healed Without Scars, the book. This companion will seize anyone's attention. It is visually appealing and beautifully designed. The pages are laid out in such a way to allow the reader sufficient space for note-taking. This companion has been "carved" in a user-friendly fashion - it is brilliantly and compassionately written, and is non-intimidating to the reader, Christian and non-Christian alike. You will find a limitless abundance of God's awesome Truth in every page you turn!! Using this companion will provide immeasurable and valuable guidance on your journey to healing. By following through and answering the questions posed, I was able to discover areas of my life that required more of God, and this study companion marks a very clear path on how to attain "more of God - less of me." I have found healing where I never thought possible. I strongly recommend this companion, along with Bishop David G. Evans' book, Healed Without Scars, to anyone seeking total transformation of the soul, wholeness in Christ, and absolute healing of a painful past - healing...without scars.
"the How".......2005-07-12
This Companion Journal is the "How" to Bishop Evans' brilliant "what" and "why". This isn't your run-of-the mill workbook, in that it's not a simple re-gurgitation of the text of the book. This is a thought-provoking treasure hunt in a personal journey to a lasting healing. I highly recommend "doing the hard work" to reap the amazing benefits!
Desperately Seeking Wholeness??.......2005-07-01
Equally as engaging as Bishop Evans' book, the Study Companion to Healed Without Scars does not disappoint. Buyer beware, this is not the run-of-the-mill, fill-in-the-blank workbook! This is a WORK book, meaning roll up your sleeves and dig in! Be prepared to do some serious work on your soul. The author skillfully transitioned the original text into a step-by-step guide to "spiritual surgery", a way for you to allow God to come in and remove your self-applied spiritual "band-aids," cleanse and repair your wounds, and make you whole without blemish. The Study Companion complements Healed Without Scars brilliantly. Unlike similar workbooks, it does not merely regurgitate the book; on the contrary, the Study Companion hones in on each of Bishop Evans' points, chapter by chapter and offers challenging questions and life application to you. With plenty of space provided for your own notes and thoughts, the author encourages introspection and reflection. The Healed Without Scars Study Companion is a wonderful forum to meet with God and find freedom from the hurts of your past. I offer my highest recommendation to anyone seeking wholeness!
Product Description
At a very young age Amy Madden was exposed to the kind of inconceivable treatment no one, let alone a defenseless child, should ever have to endure. A brutal stepfather with a murky and painful history of his own found himself in an environment in which he was free to continue the cycle of trauma, committing unspeakable acts of sexual and emotional abuse against Amy and her siblings. Meanwhile, her struggling, overworked mother was unable to see the awful pain and damage that were being inflicted on her children. Amy felt ashamed, hurt, angry, and, most of all, unable to talk to anyone about what was happening to her. She felt as though it was her fault. The only route to dealing with the anguish was to submerge herself into a distrustful, insecure, depressed state. As have many survivors of abuse, Amy felt abandoned, unable to see who she really was, unable to hold on to any glimmer of hope. Only through a long, soul-searching process that involved a combination of therapy, study, prayer, and the eventual strong faith in the power of her own inner strength and spirit the innocence and beauty she had once possessed as a child was Amy finally able to reach a place of understanding and peace. Stolen Beauty is a poignant and necessary book for anyone who is seeking guidance through their own recovery from abuse, or for anyone who works to help survivors and abusers alike. Child abuse doesn t have to end tragically. There are ways to overcome our past. It s never too late to start believing again. It s never too late to recover the faith you ve lost. It s never too late to rediscover who you truly are.
Customer Reviews:
An invaluable testimony.......2007-07-08
Stolen Beauty: Healing the Scars of Child Abuse is the true-life memoir of Amy Madden, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse inflicted on her by her stepfather. Growing up with the shame, hurt, and vulnerability, feeling that the abuse she suffered was her fault, she retreated into a depressed, mistrustful state of despair. The road to recovery was a long and involved process of therapy, study, prayer, and developing strong faith in her own inner strength and spirit - the qualities she once possessed as a child so long ago. An invaluable testimony especially recommended as the experience of a kindred spirit for anyone seeking understanding during their own long journey to recovery from the trauma of abuse.
Beautiful, inspiring and a must read!.......2007-05-15
I devoured this book in less than two days! It's beautifully written and inspiring for anyone who has suffered abuse or is still suffering today from abuse. Madden offers insight to the horrors of abuse but most of all, how to heal from such experiences. Her reflections on healing and forgiveness are astounding and a highlight of this hard-to-put-down tearjerker. She brings home the point that having faith in yourself and learning how to love yourself is a key element in the forgiveness process. This is a must read for anyone who wants to heal from the bad experiences they may have gone through as a child.
Books:
- Two Little Girls in Blue: A Novel
- What Is the What
- Window Art (Klutz)
- Wooden
- Ya Gotta Believe!: My Roller-Coaster Life as a Screwball Pitcher and Part-Time Father, and My Hope-Filled Fight Against Brain Cancer
- A Dignified Life: The Best Friends Approach to Alzheimer's Care, A Guide for Family Caregivers
- A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
- A Loss for Words: The Story of Deafness in a Family
- A Night of Questions: A Passover Haggadah
- A Short History of Nearly Everything: Special Illustrated Edition
Books Index
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Motivational
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Tough Times Never Last, but Tough People Do!
If It's Going to Be, It's up to Me: The Eight Proven Principles of Possibility Thinking
Life's Not Fair but God Is Good
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Don't Throw Away Tomorrow: Living God's Dream for Your Life
