a stimulating challenge for our mind and for our hearts
584986
We all regards doctors as men of science, men who need to follow a scientific approach to their job but who apply it to life in general, and we do like this about them. We highly regard science and we are so blinded by it than when it comes to a 'limit', we think there's no further explanation, if none is given by what we can see and measure. This book opens up our minds and our hearts to a broader approach, to a challenge for our limits, through a very clever and extremely 'inspiring' Devil, who breaks the rule of Science, according to which we so much love to live.
This philosophical and rich dialogue is extremely fascinating in the way it unsettles the reader by questioning not only his/her beliefs, but the whole human behings' credos. It's the most perfect way and the finest literature for the individual who likes to find his own answers through a mind-stimulating dialogue. And by the time you read the first page you find yourself to the last in a blink of an eye.
On a personal level, by reading this book each one of us can read about their own life, and it may be a step ahead for everyone to a deep and profound inner knowledge.
Looking forward to being again inspired in this way,
Roberta
4880411
"New Proofs" is an extremely challenging yet rewarding read, but it is not for the faint of heart.  All totaled, I probably read the book 3 times, as I had to double and triple back numerous times in order to assimilate Father Spitzer's massive intellectual yield.  And I do mean massive.  The good doctor employs Socratic method, Platonic allegories, tautological analyses, mathematical proofs and sound logic & rationale to propound his arguments.  I was quite amazed at the author's ability to adduce the existence of an Unconditioned Reality via an elegant, logical argument.

Father Spitzer's writing style is somewhat mechanistic and overwrought and though highly disciplined, it lacks personality, as well - he loves the word "probative."  I highly admired this work, and as expansive as it was/is, I can't help but wonder who the target audience was for this exegesis?  I feel quite sanguine in asserting that this book isn't for the general public, but it is well worth the effort if you're willing to put in the time.

4 stars today!
3578262
Dumbfounded by the sheer gift of God to pen such a thought provoking novel as this. Thankful that it stimulates not only imagination but challenges the mind to seek, trust, and give oneself over to such a Loving and Nurturing Savior!
1390241
Mr Gold adroitly and expertly advocates the necessity of reading in our lives. Actually he goes as far as claiming that reading is a biological necessity in the same way as eating is. Reading is thinking, imagining, understanding, feeling and healing. It is an activity that is far from an escape or an avoidance of reality because it provides the reader the necessary relief from the ad hoc reacting and chaos of socialising by taking care of us, leading us and letting us imagine alternative lives through the complex paths of experience and language.

In this sense reading truly is a therapeutic experience and Mr Gold gives numerous examples of patients he managed to cure by giving them novels to read because they are an experiential tool for re-seeing and reordering the reader's own confusing experience. Novels take on our confusion, they bear our burdens and leave us to see the larger picture we cannot see because they offer another perspective.

Reading being the most powerful and plentiful source of information, it isn't surprising that a vital element for the survival of any totalitarian regime is to take control of what people read because language is power. Authors like Aldus Huxley, George Orwell and above all Ray Bradbury have masterfully illustrated this point in their novels, the latter showing what happens to a civilisation in which television replaces literacy. People may still be able to read but they are what we may call "literary illiterates".

No doubt Mr Gold's message is clear: we have to read for the salvation of our spirit.
1273842
"A Parkinson's Reading Companion" begins with a beautiful, hopeful and life affirming premise...that the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, does not preclude a happy and fulfilling life.  The author dedicates this work "To all people-with-Parkinsons; may your lifes journey be happy and fulfilling."
Dr. Church, himself afflicted by this frustrating condition, presented his 2016 UNC biology class the opportunity to share public or personal inspirational quotes on subjects representative of a life well lived.  These included characteristics such as hope, strength, courage and persistence in the face of adversity.
Through this challenge to his students,  he acknowledges that all of us, physically well and not so well, are in need of heartfelt encouragement.
Obviously, not in denial of the adversity of life with Parkinson's, Dr. Church shares his experiences living in the context of physical disability.  In Chapter Ten, " Words Worth Living," he  offers an explicit description of one gradual but progressive effect of Parkinson's Disease, which those dealing with this devastating illness must know only too well.
"Having a disorder like Parkinson's is like walking on the ocean's shoreline where your feet sink a little into the sand as the wave moves you slightly by its impact; slowly evolving, subtly changing, mysteriously arriving."
Yet, in spite of the enormous life adjustments that Parkinson's Disease demands, this collection of inspirational quote after quote, reminds us all of the power of positivity.
Although this compilation of "words worth living" is presented to the PD population specifically, the wisdom mined through these thoughtful offerings of encouragement and support is all inclusive. Read this book. You will leave its pages inspired and challenged to live happily and fully...not necessarily because of your present circumstances... but because you refuse to be defined by them. "You are still you."
1345172
Sometimes it takes a mere event, a word from someone we trust, or an idea to be the catalyst for reshaping the limits of our own humanity.  In Echoes of Mind, we are not just given one catalyst. Levy and Parco offer page after page of insight, and through their short and provoking stimuli we are drawn - we are propelled - to become better examples of humanity.  In a time where leaders are so polished in a temporary masquerade, we need a way to dig deeply into our fractured characters and start the restoration - the renaissance - process.  This book is certainly a critical component to that effort.
3251531
The question posed by John Brockman was "What do you believe but cannot prove?" It might be classed as one of those Mediaeval "angels on the head of a pin" queries. However, this is the 21st Century and what we know of Nature now stands in stark contrast to what was known then. The responses show that serious questions remain to be resolved. Not all of them can be, as the issue concerned lies either in the past or is too remote for close study. Some, of course, lie in the realm of what we deem "consciousness". A vague term in its own right, made even more difficult when the various respondents offer their own definitions. That tactic, however, makes the answers more stimulating by creating fresh questions. By selecting novelist Ian McEwan to write the introduction, Brockman shows he doesn't consider the question limited to scientific speculation. McEwan demonstrates his knowledge of the scientific issues [would that more fiction writers matched that capacity!] and how "inspiration" has advanced our understanding of Nature.

Although he doesn't describe the process, the reader will soon learn that the editor has placed the responses in some general categories. The first area of interest is cosmology - who is out there? How might we learn of them? Can we ever reach worlds light years away? More to the point, how is the universe put together and why in that way and not another? Are there other universes we can't see? Since many of these questions touch on what we call "values", the next grouping addresses that sort of reply. What is "morality" and what are its origins? In this collection, the "divine" is bypassed, leaving only humans to provide the answer to those "eternals". Yet humans, the responders acknowledge, are the product of natural selection. We have had a long time with even longer biological underpinnings to develop ideas of what is "moral". And moral issues are considered with other emotional aspects of our relations with others - including that favourite topic, "true love". As "love" is limited among humans without language, how we communicate and how language developed is another aspect of our evolutionary roots.

None of these behavioural characteristics of our species can be adequately explained until we have some notion of what drives them. Human consciousness is receiving greater attention through brain research. Cognitive science is revealing what is ticking over in our brains when we deal with such factors as "love" or "communication". A precise definition of consciousness has yet to emerge. The respondents here include one who feels consciousness doesn't even emerge until the language facility is fully developed. Others, using different criteria, even assign consciousness to the lowly cockroach. That consciousness may be at a different level, and operate in more constrained circumstances than that of our species, but consciousness it remains. It is in this segment of the collection where the respondents include the views of colleagues in their essays. That alone is enough to demonstrate the importance of the issues raised here. It may also portend deeper questions on wither the human species is bound. Will humans merge with computers as a means of enhancing their cognitive capacity?

Some more random responses to the "Edge" question conclude the collection. A few direct social issues are addressed, along with associated predictions. Is the human species "improving" and can that be directed are typical examples. Rounding out a fascinating collection, these last are wide-reaching and may be more immediate than the foregoing replies. With such a talented stable of commentators, Brockman's gathering is of immense importance. These are real questions under investigation by highly qualified thinkers. McEwan himself reappears in a thoughtful note all of us should consider. It has great impact on how we conduct our lives - and how novelists portray that behaviour. This is an enduring collection, and should be on every bookshelf. Add it to yours. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
1857078
I was intrigued from the beginning.  A book title that we all know to be untrue.  It had me thinking what is this all about?  I opened the cover and began reading, immediately feeling at ease with the style and tone of the book and the journey it suggested would lie in the pages ahead.  A book that spoke to our human desire to be more.  I found it to be a powerful collection of thoughts that takes you on a journey with the author and challenges the way you may have looked at life, without ever stopping to consciously question or wonder.  A journey that makes it impossible not to explore our perceptions of ourselves and the world we live in and invites us to consider making more conscious and deliberate choices.  A reminder that our choices, whether deliberate or inadvertent,  shape and mould our personal reality.  An insightful book that affirms things really are what we decide them to be and that no matter what happens along the way, and how unquestionably difficult  and real some struggles can be, that life is worth living. With an undeniable honesty this thoughtful book combines gentle meditative passages, humour and a life affirming realness that made me want to continue reading.  A journey well worth taking.
166933
If you have ever wondered if there is more to this world than what you can percieve with your five senses, then this book is for you.
 But the book should come with a warning label, because Mr. DeSouza takes us on a journey that challenges everything that we think and believe and in a style that is uncompromising.
 For some it will be just too much to handle. Their heads will spin. For others, it will open doors and offer a glimpse into an exciting new world.  A world in which we as Human Beings have the potential to become so much more than we have ever dreamed possible.
 The Para-Investigators is a book about transformation, and Like Paul Revere, Mr. DeSouza is sounding the alarm for the necessary transformation that must take place to ensure Humanity's survival.
 In my opinion, you cannot read this book and come away unchanged.

  Dr. Richard Sparacino
3509819
I have been enthralled and excited by this book. I believe it makes an important contribution to an understanding of the situation we are in now and how it has come into being. If we can understand how our view of reality has been created and controlled by an imbalance between the two hemispheres of our brain, we would be able to gain a different perspective on our predicament rather than remaining stuck, without benefit of insight, within it.

McGilchrist explains how the growing and now dangerous dissociation between the right and left hemispheres of our brain has brought into being the culture of the modern Western world as well as the mind-set of the politicians, "opinion-makers" and the media that direct and control it.

Drawing on his experience as a psychiatrist but also on a long-standing interest in and knowledge of history, literature and philosophy, the author offers the reader a vitally important, even crucially important key to understanding both our own nature and the deficiencies of our present view of reality. The Master and His Emissary is grounded in a profound understanding of the neuroscience of the brain and an equally profound understanding of different historical epochs that have exhibited either a balance or a lack of balance between the left and right hemispheres. If read by enough people who are not caught in this imbalance, it could have the power to shift our culture towards a position of greater balance, thereby freeing us from the straitjacket of beliefs in which, for too long, we have been imprisoned. Altogether, a brilliant, inspiring book. Anne Baring, psychotherapist and author
2364911
Genrich Krasko, a physicist by education, is a keen student of the works of the late Dr Viktor Frankl.  It is this unique combination of the critically objective orientation of a natural scientist and the deeply personal quest to find meaning in life that is brought to bear on the writing of this rather unusual and highly thought-provoking book by the author.

The author is clearly an ardent believer that as human beings, we are endowed with a freedom to find and realize life's meaning contained in the tasks, responsibilities and challenges we are faced with throughout our lives.  Our response in performing these tasks, embracing these responsibilities and heroically meeting life's challenges, gives shape to our commission and calling as human beings and allows us to give our lives stature and meaning.  The unique slant of this book is that these truths are considered not only within an individual life context but also within the broader framework of American society.  The author espouses the belief that the call to lead a highly accountable life not only addresses every individual person but also every nation and, in this case, the American people.  How does American society shape in the light of these demands for meaningful living and how, particularly, does it give an account concerning the education of its young?

Genrich Krasko was born and educated in Russia, and this book is particularly interesting because it is an expression of an immigrant's personal experiences in his adopted homeland.  The adjustment to his new home with the personal responsibility of raising a family and caring for a grandchild in a society earmarked by freedom and affluence, challenged his scientific mind and brought many sharp insights to bear on the nature of American society with a vivid realization of the unique challenges it faces.  The author's basic contention is that freedom without the challenge of responsibility and the realization of values that transcend the immediate, here and now luxuries and pleasures can only end in the senseless void which Frankl described as an existential vacuum.  The happiness secured through instant gratification is short-lived and empty of any real life content.  Drug abuse, addiction, lawless and violent, decadent and indulgent behavior are all efforts to relieve what is, as the author illustrates, an unbearable boredom of being.

The book will appeal to anyone interested in understanding the existential challenges facing affluent society, and will be of particular interest to the American reader.
4014617
Michael Sales and Anika Savage have set about reminding us of what's possible, that organizations may "embrace the enthusiasm for life that is so human, so that our work systems become as resplendent as our natural systems."  Other reviewers have spoken eloquently to the substance and practicality of this book.  I want to celebrate its imagination and life-giving qualities.  What delights me is finding Sierpinski triangles, Christopher Alexander and Ervin Laszlo back to back in an examination of elegant solutions, finding T.S. Eliot quoted as a final reminder about exploring, seeing W. Brian Arthur and Ray Charles quoted about the process of deep discovery, and finding a gem from Henri Bortoft in a section on embodying.

Having experienced my share of organizations that have fallen short of being life sustaining, I found the combination of vision and tools for implementing hopeful and exciting.  The human spirit wants to and will flourish.  This book points to how organizations can create the conditions for that to occur, and is itself an example of what can result when it does.
4715190
"Jenna's Journeys" is a fascinating and stimulating journey into the mystery of life unseen all around us. The book opens a portal to the deepest understanding of the purpose of human creation and reveals the giant puzzle that spans the world covering time and space. "Jenna's Journeys" tells the story of one person's journey into the workings of the human mind and our reason for being. The central figure is a person of real power who with great humility guides us to accepting our divine side as well as our human side. Simply reading it will open your eyes to the new worlds of possibilities. And the very astute realizations in the story will help you to achieve your highest potential.
1066529
This book displays Gore's broad and deep knowledge, as he considers the trends that will influence our future. At times exhilarating, at times terrifying, this book challenges us to consider the future and how we will interact with it.
I believe the book is ultimately hopeful posing the huge challenges ahead in the context of the wonderful possibilities and potential that we as humans can access.
The book is written in entertaining prose and it is a delight to see Gore's intellect in action. I was inspired, scared, motivated and challenged. To call it thought provoking is a disservice to the intellectual nourishment available here.
128561
I found this book to be interesting, challenging and easy to read.  Part of the time it reads like a good novel, but each page is packed with jewels of information and ideas.  The ideas in this book are being discussed by professionals in long-term care and the book presents a challenge to the traditional theories of aging and reframes the human aging process as part of a larger process of human development.

In terms of human development, our cultural biases against older adults (elders) is pointed out and how our society wants to keep people locked into adulthood has been exposed.

Elderhood was an important part of human culture in pre-industrial societ and Dr. Thomas advocates for the role of elder to be rediscovered and brought back into theories of human development.

I especially liked Dr. Thomas's use of the five ages of the lifecycle and his discussion on DOING and BEING.  This was reminiscent in my mind of material I covered when taking pastoral counseling courses and how important it is to get people to feel comfortable just being human and being loved, cared for, and honored.  Our society does have a focus on DOING and Dr. Thomas does and excellent job of placing this cultural critique and mode of living under the microscope.  Rather than utilizing psychological terms, Thomas explains the importance of BEING in simple to understand and utilize terms.

The chapter that discussed the assault on childhood reminded me of Strauss and Howe's second book the 13th Generation, which pointed out the sociological trends that have impacted the lives of persons born from 1964 to 1980.  This generation was robbed of its childhood and is the first post Baby Boom generation.  Although Dr. Thomas gives no indication of having read Strauss and Howe, this chapter covers many of the same themes and makes many similar social critiques.

I was expecting more hard data and solid statistics in this book since Dr. Thomas indicated in the preface that it was written as a response to Dr. Robert Butler's Why Survive.  Unlike Dr. Butler's book, this book does not contain the same depth and breadth of statistics and policy analysis.

The new model for long-term care presented by Dr. Thomas is worthy of further study and this book does make a contribution to the field of gerontology in that the Green House model is innovative and worthy of putting into practice.  I look forward to reading the journal articles that grow from this work.

In terms of who would benefit from this book and its contribution to the field of gerontology, I believe that it should be read by professional in the field solely for the manner in which it exposes the insidious nature of ageism in our society.  Long-term care professionals will benefit from reading this book as would policy makers, politicians, and those seeking to improve the lives of human beings at every stage of human development.  I recommend this book.  I would enjoy hearing what others think about this book.

On a personal level, it has helped me identify some of my own biases and in that it has pointed me to areas where I need to work and grow on my human growth and transformation.  A good book should do that.
3902871
I really enjoyed Geoff Bellman and Kathy Ryan's book, I found myself wanting to keep reading the next chapter, but holding myself back so I could let the concepts sink in! I thought this was a very good sign indeed and in this context I especially liked the thoughtful yet challenging personal exercises throughout the book. "Extraordinary Groups" provoked me into thinking through my own most powerful group experiences and I focussed on one in particular, the book provided me a new lens to review that group experience which happened in 1989-1991 and still lives with me. I now understand the dynamics of that experience and I can apply these to new experiences. A rewarding exercise and a great read.
3757420
An exciting book and one that we share with many people