Powerful, thought-provoking, entertaining
591237
This feminist anthology is unusual in that it's a mix of stories, poems and essays. The fiction is every genre from literary to speculative to magical realism. The tone also changes from piece to piece - some are hopeful and positive, others contain dark matter. This anthology is for dipping into rather than reading through at one go. I found them all worthwhile - whether they're fun or force reflection.  The darkest, perhaps, was Cookies by Catherine Schaff-Stump, a fictionalized but reality-based account of adult offspring of a terribly abusive childhood. (This story is particularly appropriate give the charity this anthology benefits. Kudos to the author for having the guts to put it out there, and to the Editors for getting it for this anthology.) The Mermaid Tale, on the other hand, is a triumphant tale of a woman sea-heroine, who lives the life she wants and wins her love, and The Lion and the Dragonslayer is another adventure story with a happy ending.  I appreciated the essay on blindness, which really made me - as a sighted person - understand there are nuances I'd never even considered.

This anthology benefits the Pixel Project to End Violence Against Women
1625402
Other readers of this book have left some thoughtful reviews above. This is a great book, a thought-provoking book.  To me, a good book is entertaining; easy to get lost in. However, a great book usually present new ideas or perceptions that may be difficult to read and understand.  Books delving into religion are almost by definition, controversial and often subject to misunderstanding. Not infrequently a great book has new or potentially controversial ideas that require me to stop and think, research, rethink more, and eventually I may change at least a portion of one of my basic beliefs or find myself reconfirming one of my basic understandings. In the end, a great book gives me at least one new, life-changing idea or perception.  I may remember the book, but it is the new idea or perception that lives on forever.

Such was my experience with Paul Snider's The Coming Age of Personal Religion.

The book contained many statements and concepts that were thoughtful.  One comes to mind first - Paul Snider wrote The ancestral mind was very much preoccupied with convincing God he should do your will and avoid doing you harm. If you carried out the rituals and ceremonies just right, with exact precision, it might be possible to manipulate God to do your will.  Most religions, and most of us individually, have grown past this understanding of our relationship to God.  Pauls writing reminds me that we humans each have a unique level of development and awareness, that we grow both individually, and even collectively through organized religion, at different speeds according to our abilities and our understandings.  We find that we are in this together, each responsible for each other.

Paul Snider also noted that God could have created us as perfect beings with a single thought. But he had a better idea  A basic thought is that each of us, no matter how great our errors, is a son or daughter of God.  We have a duty and obligation to God and to ourselves, to help each other along the way.  The Coming Age of Personal Religion contains many concepts that you might enjoy contemplating in the light of your ever-changing personal understanding of our journey through this earthly existence. Reading Pauls book just might change you (and cause you to change someone else in some way, large or small).  Paul Sniders book changed my thinking in several areas  I am glad I read it.  Pauls book and ideas will affect my behavior(s) going forward in some small manner, and hopefully that will affect others also.  Like the butterfly effect, a small push is required to start a chain of events, and Pauls book can help us make some significant changes to the world.
1550515
This is an incredible book of self discovery, ascension, existentialism, and a journey you just have to take as you read it.  It provokes deep thought, relates to your own sense of reality, worth and perspective on the world in which you live.  Most books create a way to escape your reality, they entertain and leave you with the happy ending you expect.  This book is less about escaping and more about enhancing your life, enriching your soul, and leaving you viewing the world in entirely different hues.  I cannot say enough to recommend this book to others.  It doesn't matter your usual reading style, this book will absolutely inspire you.
1121545
This is a thought provoking book and entertaining book.

Divided into ten chapters, each one presents a short story that focuses on moral and ethical issues.  It would be great for starting discussions in a Bible study, ethics class, or any other small group.

The topics covered include the following:  evolution, history, abortion, absolute vs. relative values, character, marriage, whether the elites know best, pornography, and relationships.  The last chapter entitled 'Two Lists' about human relationships is one that everyone in our fast paced culture would do well to read and ponder.

Another chapter that is incredibly creative is 'The Vote'.  It deals with the functioning of government - pure democracy vs. a republic.  He clearly illustrates the old adage that democracy is about two wolves and a lamb voting on what is for dinner.

Although it is very short, this book packs a punch.  I highly recommend it.
1887998
This book is a page turner. The studies of Dan Ariely are engaging, relevant, unique, and thought provoking.

I had quite a few wow and aha moments, more than a few times I recognized myself being the predictably irrational human he qas talking about. It was deeply entertaining and enhanced my self-knowledge.

I really don't know how to properly summarize this book in a review. I feel I couldn't do it right justice. If you are into psychology, brain functioning, behavioral economics, you'll love it.
3595676
An enjoyable and thought-provoking read with an intentionally provocative title. The author approaches weighty material in a forthright, head-on style and has some very interesting takes and thoughts on serious subjects. Some fun pop culture references thrown in for good measure, for example, "[When Moses] came back with the first set of tablets, he found the Israelites partying like it was 1999 BC . . . [h]e went bridezilla and broke the tablets and had the Israelites kill 3000 of their brethren." I found this book to be high energy, well-intentioned and engaging. The author is clearly a widely-read individual.
1277498
We're all haunted by ghosts of one kind or another.  The Question is: Will they control our lives, or can we keep them in their proper places?  Walt Jacobs has found a way to put his ghosts where they belong--one in particular--and in this book he uses a highly-entertaining, conversational style to tell story after story about just how he does it.

A sociologist by profession, Jacobs refrains from being "too analytical," yet there is a deep intelligence here.  The stories in this memoir flow so easily that it feels like Jacobs is "just talkin'," but there is much here below the surface.  The casual style allows him to pass on sometimes-painful, sometimes-profound lessons without descending into a lecture format.  At times I was laughing out loud, at other times I could feel my own "ghosts" in the room as I was reading.

The Ghostbox that Jacobs has constructed is filled with powerful memories, yet Jacobs is aware that memory is a tricky thing.  At times he will interrupt the narrative to tell us (and himself) that "Wait a minute, that can't be how it was!"  Yet somehow, in the telling, the stories in Ghostbox help Jacobs get a handle on how it IS.  And that is his point.  As he says near the end of the book, "Ghostboxes help us gain control of lives often full of bewildering complexities generated by the ever-shifting combination of absence and presence..."

Many choose the road of psychotherapy in order to come to terms with a difficult past, but this book tells the story of one man's choice to go a different route.  Despite the obstacles posed by childhood trauma, this book is a story of healing, filled with tales of reconciliation, human connections, and love.  It's a hopeful message, and it's fun to read, as well!
1396573
For me, the ultimate evaluation of a non-fiction book comes from how much the reading of it changes the way you think or behave.  This book is like a peek into humanity from somewhere beyond time and space that is both inspiring and comforting.  In the final chapters, Wright paints an exciting future that is ripe with new possibilities and transcends the boundaries between science and religion.  He manages to explore ideas with incredibly profound religious and scientific implications in a way that is accessible and enjoyable for the reader.

Wright's ideas about an evolution towards increasing cooperation and "non-zero sumness" (and eventually possibly a shared global consciousness) are admittedly speculative.  But whether you believe his hypotheses or not, you can't help but be changed by thinking about them.  I think of this books as one of the best books of the past decade and think it is a must-read for anyone, but especially those working in science, religion or politics.
2235919
This is an excellent book.  It's entertaining and has a good story, with touches of spirituality and fantasy.  It's very inspirational and made me feel like normal people can change the world.  It challenges certain aspects of life in the southern united states, especially surrounding religion, in thought-provoking ways.  (It also had the effect of making me want to buy a new planter.)
539084
Read this book!  It is moving, entertaining, inspiring and gives you perspective on life.  I can't stop thinking about the characters in this real life story.  This is a book for anyone about love, family and the beautiful and not-so-beautiful parts of being human. I frequently thought "Wow, other people think things like that too!"  It is a voyeuristic and intimate look into the minds, hearts and souls of a young family during their most emotional year.  You feel as if you are living it with them through the descriptive narrative and private journal entries.  It will make you escape your world, become a part of theirs and think for days that Bob may just walk through your backdoor from a bike ride.
4826532
Frank DeMarco's Babe in the Woods gives the reader a front-row seat on the journey of a diverse group of individuals into the unexplored realms of human consciousness. One key to the book's success is the mix of characters, which includes a priest, a psychic, engineers, an artist, and so on.  The main character, Angelo Chiari, is a journalist.  All are well-drawn and the interactions between them that help drive the plot forward are often quite moving.  The group has come together for a week-long program at an institute using audio-technology to enhance the latent human capacity to access different states of awareness.  DeMarco takes full advantage of his setup to present a wide range of stimulating opinions and insights into not only the nature of reality but also how different people respond to the unknown.  Chiari, initially a skeptic, is an ideal point-of-entry character for the reader: a journalist with a job to do.

The book works `from the ground up', gradually leading the reader from a starting point of `normal', everyday reality through increasingly intense altered states of awareness.  This step-by-step approach encourages the  reader to consider with an open mind the unfolding ideas and events on his or her own terms, rather than feeling preached to.

One of the most magical things about the novel is that it conveys a sense of possibilities.  It's exciting.  It's a voyage of discovery with these very human characters that engenders the sense that there is more to reality than what we take for granted.  More than that, it allows one to reasonably consider that these `other realms' are not the exclusive domain of rarefied mystics but may in fact be accessible to all of us.  DeMarco doesn't cram this point down our throats; it emerges gradually in the reader during the course of the book.  And that makes this unique novel both intellectually exhilarating and solidly entertaining.
699216
While there are many fine books about middle age, I've never come across one quite like this -- as much personal essay/autobiography as it is psychology/philosophy. And it's a powerful, thoughtful book for being exactly that somewhat unexpected combination. The two strands intertwine seamlessly as the author begins with the startling revelation that completely changed his conception of his life, his family, and himself. Yet the period of often anguished reflection that followed will be familiar to anyone who has reached middle age: the self-doubts, the wondering whether there's any point to life, the reassessment of the past, the longing for what's been lost (whether real or illusory).

What emerges is a healthy shedding of some unwarranted certainties, and the importance of what once seemed like tiny, inconsequential things: simple pleasures, ephemeral details, and an acceptance that isn't necessarily resignation but more like a new, clearer way of seeing life. I've found this to be the case myself. So much that seemed so urgently pressing & vital when I was younger now seems rather ridiculous, especially all the grandiose ambitions that were really a way of covering insecurities & fears. I think one point Hamilton is making is this: you need to have lived & to have experienced enough to be able to look back & see what you were, what you hoped to be, what you thought you'd become, with a longer & deeper perspective. There's no substitute for time where self-reflection is concerned.

So he isn't offering easy & empty reassurance & platitudes. What he is suggesting is a more tripped-down perception of one's own self ... and again, I've found this to be true myself. In short, this is as far from the typically shallow self-help book as you can imagine -- and that's the very reason for reading it. Most highly recommended!
2796326
Friends of mine told me that this was a very good story and that they couldn't put it down. One woman said she found it so compelling that she read it in one sitting. Having read it, I now see why. The core of the book is the relationship between the hero -- a superstar athlete -- and the narrator -- a brilliant philosophy student but crippled trainer of the basketball team. To put it briefly, the relationship between them is powerful, moving and very special.
 There may be a few problems with this book, but its strong points so outweigh them that I consider it a must read. You will be inspired, and may never look at your life the same way again.
225531
Written to challenge and to entertain-- and succeeds remarkably.
431292
This book is a powerful reading experience. Once I had started, I found myself not being able to put it down, and finished it in one sitting. The author has a fresh, frank, and emotionally-resonant voice that keeps you hooked throughout. I particularly enjoyed the vivid descriptions of the city and the shrine depicted in the book  - they really brought the story alive.

Although the story is culturally well-placed, you don't need any specific cultural background to understand and appreciate it. Like all great stories, it has universal themes that would resonate with anyone. At its heart, it's a story of timeless themes, such as loss of innocence, search for self, and coming to terms with the past. The protagonist (Omar) is an appealing character, and I enjoyed following his journey.

Overall, this is a great book that I would recommend to everyone, and would hope to read more by this author.
74729
I can't say enough good things about this book. It's thought-provoking, challenging in the best of ways, smart as hell while still being incredibly entertaining. It's completely transporting.  I can't recommend highly enough.
2319902
Whether you trust Oprah's recommendations or not, this is the book everyone over the age of 30 should probably read this year. Beautifully written, throughtful and thought-provoking, "Freedom" is hard to put down. The difficult choices the characters have to make as well as the emotional pain they inflict on each other are described with such finesse and force by Franzen, it's truly remarkable. I found myself marvelling at the ease with which the author manipulates the English language and the depth of his understanding of the complexities of human relationships. Touching, emotionally draining, intellectually challenging, "Freedom" is a book that makes an impression so deep, it's unlikely to ever be forgotten.