Abstract but discerning
930464
My first impression of this book was that it was nothing more than rampant ramblings of senseless quibble.  Once the reader understands that this is a psychoanalytical, socio-political, cultural and philosophical study of Andrew Jackson the man, versus the times he endured, it is truly an insightful work.

Touted as a man of iron-will, determination and unbound democratic principles, Jackson was a man for the ages which he represented.

Praised for his efforts in the Florida Indian battles and the Battle of New Orleans against the British (and denounced by some for his disregard for orders), he nonetheless came out on top of the situation for the people and his country.

He exhibited qualities of the self-made man and this is what swayed his popularity.  Jackson started from humble beginnings, and with his resolve and perceptiveness, became not only President of the United States for two terms, but was also looked up to as a hero with no self-limitations.
401141
This book is a serious examination of Wabi Sabi as an art form. The author Andrew Juniper set himself a daunting task in his endeavour to explain a virtually inexplicable philosophy which has its origins steeped on oriental antiquity. In carefully thought out comparisons he clarifes the qualities of Wabi Sabi as opposed to the qualities of western art. Wabi Abi is not about the perfection so often sought after in western art: it is about imperfection found in a myriad of art forms which show reality as it really is and not as he says "through the window of the intellect".
I found this to be an informative book, one which I will return to as a reference for my own artistic endeavours,as I have concluded that within us all there is a little of the"intuitive appreciation of transient beauty in the physical world" which is Wabi sabi.
2490524
This short work offers some personal insights into Van Til's epistemology, which consists of a presuppositional viewpoint where all knowledge is an extension of God's creative action. It is not particularly convincing, but I would consider it worthwhile for those interested in Van Til as a thinker.
379682
The analysis of language has been of some interest to philosophers. This book explores language and religion, focusing on the idea that religious propositions or assertions do not make sense because one cannot falsify them. The problem here is that traditional philosophy and psychology are not falsifiable either. It is true that religious language makes assertions regarding the "whole" or "totality," of which humanity could never have accurate knowledge. Such statements are always "faith," and therefore not certifiably false in the mind of the adherent. They would require some future state of knowledge to be shown true or false. He has done a good job exploring various options in this area. If interested in this area of the philosophy of religion, a classic work.
1322868
The first time I ever stumbled on the word "numinous" was in a doctorate that proposed to analyse vampires as "numinous entities". Then, reading CS Lewis, I again crossed that word's path, and eventually, I decided to read the real thing.

In very short, the numen (from which the word "numinous" is based) is the mysterious, overpowering, and terrifying aspect of the Deity. It is "non-rational" in the sense that it is not to be grasped by concept and ideas, but something to be felt in one's flesh and soul, like actual fear, awe, and majesty.

Otto focuses on that aspect too often neglected by some religious people themselves: the mysterious and unknowable. Fanatics have a tendency to consider only that, to the expense of the rational side of the Deity. But both similarly denature It.

While this book is a classic, and a worthy reading for anyone interested in the subject of God and the studies of religions, I will say that, personally, I seem to have missed out on some of the things mentioned in the book. Maybe I badly read certain parts, or maybe the book is complicated and dense enough that a second reading is required to clearly understand it all. Or both.

In a way, Rudolf Otto gives mysticism the kind of analysis it deserves, and re-establishes those more obscure areas of religiosity as something worthy of our consideration, and undeserving of our scorn.
1026644
Mr. Friedman has produced a reasonable summary of the Gurdjieff ideas and praxis, informed principally (and largely with accuracy) by the extensive Commentaries of Maurice Nicoll. The author has strung together the sections of the book in a logical fashion, although, as Ouspensky once said, the ideas seem to have an organic logic all their own.

Practice is emphasized over theory, though of course some minimal structure is needed for ones personal work to be profitably organized. This need is adequately addressed, but there appears to be a significant departure from principle in the paragraph introducing the Enneagram at the end of the Chief Feature section.

While Im no defender of any orthodoxy, and the theory of personality types is duly noted as being outside Work ideas, it is worth the time to make a couple of points about this. As a relatively advanced topic, the Enneagram is given woefully superficial treatment by this association with so-called personality types. Type in work jargon refers to essence, rather than personality. Even if a relation of acquired personality to inborn essence could be speculatively advanced, and those categories enumerated as given here, what benefit would that have for the potential growth of understanding? Worse than none, as this kind of increase in knowledge is almost tailor-made to arrest the kind of unbiased efforts leading to being which are acknowledged by Friedman as paramount.

Since Mr. Friedman states on page one his motive in writing is to see if this re-organization of Work ideas can improve his own application of them to his life, I hope that he and his other readers can take my caveat in the spirit of helpfulness intended for it. As for me, I am probably going to get the most benefit from the authors generous sharing of his experiences in trying to apply these ideas in his own life.
2611789
This book has a reputation for being the most difficult of Guenon's purely metaphysical works. Perhaps this is because it is an explanation, or rather introduction, to the totality of Creation- manifest, unmanifest, higher, lower, and probable. Here are described the manifest worlds of the material plane (the least part of creation), the higher planes of more subtle states (touched upon in _The Symbolism of the Cross_ as lying along the vertical axis), and all the possible, but unmanifested worlds on any plane (which sounds remarkably like the modern conception of the "multiverse.")
Yet, it is pointed out that all of this still falls far short of true infinity- it is a small included subset of the unlimited Source.
The human intersection with creation is also covered. This includes hints of "non-corporial modalities" of human existence and consciousness. This covers simultaneously existing aspects of human consciousness on higher planes, that ordinary waking consciousness is ordinarily unaware of (yet, which comprise the greater part of consciousness.)
Above all, it is emphacised that the human state is in reality only one small state of manifestation among countless others. there are an unlimited number of levels in the hierarchy of degrees of existence. Moreover, the human state occupies no priveleged place in the ensemble of universal existence- the human state is in no way "metaphysically distinguished" in relation to other states. It just happens to be the state where most of us find ourselves at the present. That is all it is. If there is anything "special" about the human state, it lies in that spark of the Divine that lies at the heart of all of us, where the divine ray intersects with gross matter. And this intersection can occur at any point on the vertical axis of creation. It is also suggested that nonhuman, never human, entities share this creation with us.
All of this is not just idle "New Age" speculation, these are the conclusions of Guenon, the great metaphysician and mathematician.
869143
The nuanced narrative of the book with its vague imageries and uncertain recollections makes the reader form his own conclusion of things. It reflects the complexity of human emotions showing the narrator fluctuating between acceptance and denial, struggling with his memories which he does not pretend not to embellish and also justifying away his behaviours when they compromise his principles. We see shades of our behaviours in him even while we condemn his fascist ideals.
548850
This is a daring, ambitious, complex, thought-provoking book. My reaction is mixed. On the positive side, I admire the author's largely successful attempt to look at the character of "God" from a fresh perspective, that of a complex character as revealed only in the pages of the Bible, rather than the God of an often uncritical religious dogma. On the negative side, Miles:
* Makes a lot of assumptions and conclusions that do not seem warranted. For example, in Chapter 2, "Generation," Miles says about God's command "Let there be light" that "One does not speak commandingly to oneself. It is rather as if a carpenter reaching for a hammer were to speak the word 'hammer' aloud." What is the author's point? If a witch or wizard speaks a spell or incantation to summon magical or natural forces, the spell caster speaks not to herself but rather to the source of the forces being summoned. I was especially uneasy with Miles' assumptions about details of God's existence that are based not only on what is explicitly stated in the Bible, but also on what is left unsaid. In the life of any significant literary character, can we automatically assume that anything about the character that is not explicitly stated does not exist? For me, the answer is "No." As I continued through the book, I found myself repeatedly in disagreement with the validity of the assumptions upon which many of the author's conclusions were based.
* Is often needlessly verbose.
* Writes in a stilted style that I often found irritating. I particularly did not enjoy his often pedantic tone, his seemingly gratuitous use of needlessly esoteric verbiage, and his use of the "royal `we.'" The frequent use of "we" would not have bothered me so much if I had felt that it implied a sort of partnership between author and reader, but too often that seemed not to be the case.
My recommendation: If you are open-minded and are interested in theology, religious history, and literary analysis, then read this book and arrive at your own conclusions.
This review is based on the paperback version of the book.
1933527
'The Portrait' is hard to categorize. Part-autobiography, part-reflection, this short work stems from the author's early life in the Philippines. Divided into twenty-four brief chapters, the author engages in a monologue with the reader. Very clearly a debut work, 'The Portrait' gives the impression of being primarily a cathartic experience for the author; indeed, the first 17 chapters (the bulk of the work) are filled with purely abstract musings on the nature of life, love and friendship. While 'listening' to these naive ramblings is initially charming, it very quickly becomes monotonous - particularly since the naivety is frequently contradictory and self-aggrandizing.

The 'substance' of the work finally makes an appearance in the last few chapters...somewhat overdue, but a welcome respite. These chapters deal with the solidifying experiences of the author's erstwhile untrammeled sexual desires, and in particular coming to terms with his attraction to younger males. Had "The Portrait" began here, it would perhaps have had the potential to be a compelling read.

English is obviously not the author's first language, and consequently the hardy reader must bear with the plethora of grammatical issues, which are frequently intrusive. There are occasional glimpses of talent (albeit deeply buried) in this work, and it will be interesting to see if having purged the abstract musings in this first book, his subsequent writing gains in direction and substance.
3203365
As an abstract expressionistic painter, I appreciate the approach of making connections for drawing, as well!  Normally I am not crazy about representational art, but this sheds a whole new light on the subject.
410109
Poetry like abstract expressionistic paintings should be enjoyed for the emotion it stirs
and not judged narrowly by the words "I don't get it" - that being said, the musings of this poet
more than satisfy
2283867
An interesting read but the style of anlysis seemed disturbingly close to the the sort of "historicism" that formed the basis for Marxist analysis of history and for his predictions. The majority of his predictions have turned out to be, at beat, partially true; not that this reflects badly on his views but simply that he was mistaken.

As most "social science" writings, one has to take most of what is written with a very large grain of salt; there is little real "science" in this area although perhaps as the field matures this will change - though I doubt that the behavior of human groups will ever be amenable to more than very coarse analysis.
502537
Elsewhere USA tells a sociological story about how American society has evolved in recent decades, initially using as its device the comparison of the imaginary types "1959 man" with "2009 man."  At the start of the book, meeting the imaginary types, I found the book a bit annoying--the description of "2009 man" seemed to me a caricature of a very particular version of modern American life: the self-important, well-educated New Yorker who has a hard time understanding that any life of value could be lived away from New York.  To my reading pleasure, and maybe to the detriment of any coherent organization for the whole book, however the importance of that charicature gradually went away as the book progressed.  Instead, it became a thought-provoking and fun to read series of riffs drawing from sociology to analyze modern life.  The book gradually demonstrates the usefulness of the sociological imagination as a lens for making sense of our social world--riffs about why we've come to accept sitting through advertising to get to watch movies in a theater, or why personal crime rates have gone down as inequality has risen, or how the idea of growing work insecurity is a myth (the book notes at several points, perhaps with a degree of psychological insecurity, that we are more likely to lose a marriage than a job).

As a social scientist myself (though not a sociologist), I didn't always agree with the interpretations offered in Elsewhere USA but I did appreciate the book's attempt to offer an accessible but educated interpretation of modern life.  The idea of a book that attempts a contemporary version of "The Organization Man" or "The Lonely Crowd" is a worthy endeavor.  It is, however, important to be aware that this books interpretations are just that--attempts to understand rather than definitive conclusions.  There is, in fact, a helpful reminder of that fact in a footnote very early in the book when market de-regulation is held up as a stabilizing force because in a globalized economy risk is so widely distributed there is little economic risk--an interpretation that seems ludicrous amidst the 'great recession' of 2009 brought on (at least in part) by reckless de-regulation.  But to the credit of "Elsewhere USA" each interpretation offered in the book is emphasized as only part of the explanation.  The social world is damn complicated, a simple fact that some find frustrating and I find fascinating.  That is also a fact that makes me appreciate this book as a series of well-crafted riffs spun into a thought provoking narrative--even if most of the individual lives I'm familiar with bear little resemblence to that of the wealthy Manhattanite caricatured here as somehow representing an epoch.
3620497
This is an interesting take on a creation scenario by a competent modern physicist. It is too limited by the pedestrian concerns of academia and lacks much of the magnificent expansive wonder of our universe. Like trying to to express the glorious vivid colors of a bright summer's day with a black and white photograph, the shapes and forms and basic content are present, but lacks so much.

For decades I have heard someday advanced physicists will encounter the gurus and mystics as both advance their understanding. It now appears the mystics will need to find the physicists, probably over near the university.
1412508
Eugene Peterson has set out to write the initial volume of what he calls a `Spiritual Theology' and after reading it I'm still not sure I can tell you what a spiritual theology is.  I would be more likely to call this text a poetic approach to systematic categories.  The book has a three part structure, which, at points, seems motivated by both Trinitarian and Chisological (birth, death, & resurrection) considerations, investigating how Christ `plays' in creation, history and community.  These are cleverly named treatments the doctrines of creation, anthropology/soteriology and ecclesiology.  Around each of these topics Peterson examines two biblical narratives, a challenge (Gnosticism, moralism, and sectarianism respectively) and a `sing post' practice that allows us to participate in the doctrines (Sabbath, Communion and Baptism).

It is a lovely, devotional and poetic text that I have quoted nearly every time I have written or spoken since I began reading the book (Peterson seems to compose sentences as if he were writing a poem or song).  His treatment of communion, discussion of the communal nature of human existence (`You are not yourself by yourself') and exposition of 1John are each alone worth the price.  However, these highlights demonstrate the weakness of the text.  It does not seem to hold together as a cohesive work of theology, but rather a set of topical theological investigations and textual commentaries, organized somewhat arbitrarily.  I found the piecemeal approach of systematic, biblical and practical theology to be fragmented and sometimes hard to follow.  Fundamentally, though, I applaud the attempt to re-cast fully orthodox theology in new, helpful language and categories and find Peterson's prose to be an insightful, quieting and devotional way to end the day.
4736111
Although I agree with Bostrom's conclusion that machine super intelligence is coming soon and will have a  devastating impact on humanity,  all of the ideas discussed are purest speculation.  Every time the author makes an assertion I find myself adding,  "or maybe not,  we just don't know." But that kind of qulification,  though honest,  would make book unreadable.  I'm glad the author,  and many others are doing some advanced speculation,  something to think about,  but wrapping it up in academic language suggest that this is something more than a collection of vague ideas and
speculations.  It isn't.  I recommend that his book be taken with huge grain of salt.