Average customer rating:
- The struggle of transcending one's self
- Beautiful and very human
- The delimma between what you should do and what you want to
- A Brilliant Honest man
- In the usual style of Fr. Louie
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Learning to Love: Exploring Solitude and Freedom (Merton, Thomas//Journal of Thomas Merton)
Thomas Merton
Manufacturer: Harper San Francisco
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Similar Items:
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The Other Side of the Mountain: The End of the Journey (Merton, Thomas//Journal of Thomas Merton)
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Dancing in the Water of Life (Merton, Thomas//Journal of Thomas Merton)
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Entering the Silence: Becoming a Monk and a Writer (The Journals of Thomas Merton, V. 2)
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A Search for Solitude: Pursuing the Monk's True LifeThe Journals of Thomas Merton, Volume 3: 1952-1960 (Merton, Thomas//Journal of Thomas Merton)
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Run to the Mountain: The Story of a VocationThe Journal of Thomas Merton, Volume 1: 1939-1941 (The Journals of Thomas Merton, V. 1)
ASIN: 0060654848 |
Book Description
The sixth volume of Thomas Merton's acclaimed journals is the most revealing and unpredictable yet as the cloistered Merton falls in love with a beautiful young nurse. Revealed here in its entirety for the first time, Merton's passion spills across the pages as he struggles to reconcile this unexpected love with his monastic vows.
Spanning from 1966 to 1967, Learning to Love finds Merton in his mt active period. Troubled by events at home and abroad, he expresses anger at wars in Vietnam and the Middle East and outrage at racism and injustice in American society. At his intellectual peak, he reads widely and voraciously, carries on an active global correspondence, receives such high profile friends as Joan Baez, Jacques Maritain and Thich Nhat Hanh, and writes insightful essays on topics from Zen Buddhism and Vatican II to the works of Albert Camus all the while penning poignant love poems for M., furtively calling her from the monastary and arranging to meet with her, all the while searching his soul for answers to his crisis of the heart that has "made a mess out of everything."
Inevitably, the affair is discovered, and Merton is forced to acknowledge the consequences of his situation. Bewildered and desperate, he reassesses his need for love and his commitment to celibacy and the monastic vocation and discovers, painfully, that the only possibile solitude is "the solitude of the frail, mortal, limited, distressed, rebellious human person, made of his love and fears, facing his own true present." Revealing Merton to be "very human" in his chronicles of the ectasy and torment of being in love, Learning to Lovecomes full circle as he recommits himself completely and more deeply to his vocation the very "root-fact of my existence" with a new and deeper understanding of the nature of both wordly and spiritual love.
Customer Reviews:
The struggle of transcending one's self.......2006-07-04
If there is anything this book has taught me, it is that there is no escape from the human condition. No matter if you are living as a monk in the woods or living in the midst of 9-5 city life, there is no real sanctuary from the struggles of humanity. Merton's writings on his struggles to reconcile his desires and remain true to his vows are enlightening. These are the struggles that all of us face, in one form or another. You can't help but love and appreciate Merton, the man, found in this journal.
Beautiful and very human.......2004-11-13
This was actually the first I ever read or heard of Merton. I read this book at a time when I was going through a bit of a struggle myself in regards to who I was and what I believed. I was raised Catholic, but no longer felt that I had any place in the Church and then I felt guilty for having those feelings. What Merton does so beautifully and bravely is to show his own struggles and his own humanity to the world. He struggles with the idea of being a hermit vs his desire to change the world; with his love and devotion to the Church vs his love of a woman; with his need for solitude vs. his need to be surrounded by other intelligent, compassionate minds. It's a fascinating read. I think one of the things that struck me most about it was how unselfconsciously he writes about what he's going through. It's not a book overflowing with self-judgment or condemnation. On the contrary, it's a book filled with the idea that he is as human as the rest of us and has the same flaws and desires, yet what he does with those flaws and desires is really up to him. That's no small discovery. It's one we could all stand to make about ourselves.
The delimma between what you should do and what you want to.......2004-03-10
"Learning to Love" captures the ache of forbidden love better than any work I have ever read. Merton's honesty, as mentioned in the other reviews, sets the gold standard for how we should converse with ourselves and with God. Ultimately, through meditation and prayer, Merton decides that his affair has opened his heart so that it holds a greater love for God, and the experience of going against his vows humbles him.
Anyone who is a true believer, who struggles to live that belief in daily life and who tries to reconcile the faith and the heart will enjoy this book. I can also recommend this book to people who are interested in journaling, as a example of "getting to the heart of matter" (Graham Greene) and to people who want a good introduction to Thomas Merton. I have gone on to read a number of his journals and his other books. He is most well-known for Seven Story Mountain. The Merton in that book is far younger and more naïve than the erudite and humble Merton displayed in these pages. Had I read Seven Story Mountain first, I never would have picked up another Merton book. Luckily for me, I picked this Merton book up first.
A Brilliant Honest man.......2001-06-11
here is the volume that was much anticipated, the volume of Thomas Merton's diaries that dealt with his "love affair" with a young nurse, Margie Smith. By this point in the diaries, Merton has become a full time hermit{as someone once remarked, the busiest,most voluminous hermit in history. Or,as Merton wrly titled one of his diaries, A VOW OF CONVERSATION}. Moving further away from the obdient young novice of volume 2,Merton as always in full tonged battles with his Abbot,James Fox,,has been exploring eastern religions,trying to find the center which unites all. Then, he goes to a louisville hospital to have back surgery,and falls deeply in love with a young nurse. Always honest with himself,Merton knows where this is heading, and knows, even in his early entries, that this will not end well for her. There is a sweet episode when Joan Baez arrives,and after Merton tells her about his new love, insists that they drive straight away to Loiuisville to go to her{they do not.}There is nothing salacious here,and Merton comes to grips with his poor treatment of woman in his early life{he had fathered a child in London, and mother and son had died during the blitz in WWII},and finds another side in himself. Interspersed within this is the usual Merton gold, the ability to see through modern problems for what they are{fleeting}, and come up with crystalline insights{his commenst on his prayer life while he is essentialy leading ,for him, a compromised life, are very interestin.] This is top flight Merton, now on the top step, cleansed and looking east,where on the horizon, is the next and last volume, and the Asian journey. Essential,non-sensational,always edifying.
In the usual style of Fr. Louie.......2001-05-01
As usual, his journal style leads me into deep contemplation, but his honesty in dealing with all issues reminds the reader that he is a man before a monk or priest. I reccommend this book to all Seminary Students and those seeking quiet prayer and contemplation.
Book Description
This book is a vivid first-hand account of the birth of the world's youngest county, East Timor, of the lives of individual Timorese during the long decades of Indonesia's repressive occupation, of their often heroic struggle for freedom, and of their efforts to cope with and make sense of the dramatic historic shifts engulfing them. Based on years of research, and lengthy interviews with East Timor's past, present, and future leaders, the book explores the complexities of East Timor's internal politics.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Pacific Affairs, published by University of British Columbia on September 22, 2003. The length of the article is 690 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: BITTER DAWN: East Timor, A People's Story.(Book Review)
Author: Tanja Hohe
Publication:
Pacific Affairs (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2003
Publisher: University of British Columbia
Volume: 76
Issue: 3
Page: 507(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
The subtle arts of management and leadership have been developed over thousands of years by the Chinese. The Book of Leadership and Strategy represents the Taoist culmination of this long tradition and is one of the most prestigious works of ancient Chinese thought. Collected here are insightful teachings on the challenges of leadership on all levels, from organizational management to political statecraft. The translator, Thomas Cleary, has chosen and arranged these teachings to emphasize the most valuable lessons of Taoist wisdom for modern Western readers. Like Cleary's best-selling translation of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, this work will serve as an enlightening guide for people in business, politics, and government.
Customer Reviews:
Extracts from the Huainan Tzu.......2005-06-04
Cleary brings us another brief, readable translation from the Taoist canon. This time, it's a compilation of extracts from the Huainan Tzu (or Huainanzi). Unlike other books, this has multiple authors, guest philosophers in the court of a king of the small Huainan nation. If there's any choppiness in this list of brief lessons, it's probably due to the book's mixed origin rather than Cleary's editing.
He chose to arrange the aphoristic anecdotes into four chapters, on State, Warfare, Peace, and Wisdom. These readings are much less direct than other authors on statecraft - Han Fei Tzu or Sun Tzu are clearer to a modern reader, and more immediately applicable. Like other Taoist authors, these convey the sense that proper following of The Way is the only goal. Within The Way all other things, including peace, prosperity, and victory, ensue with the inevitability of water flowing down hill.
Some of these teachings are clear enough, though, and applicable immediately in today's world. "In early spring, ... pregnant animals are not to be killed and birds' eggs are not to be taken." Natural and agricultural resources need to be managed properly in order to stay productive for the long term. It's a lesson that is too rarely remembered in modern policy-making, when resources must be stretched to feed so many more people. Elsewhere, the Huainan masters direct their invasion forces not to destroy resources or plunder the populace, in order to keep the majority's good will after a change of regime. They knew this over two thousand years ago, but we're still applying the lesson only poorly today.
This isn't in the first rank of Taoist writings, but it's a readable and worthwhile addition for anyone who wants to dig a bit deeper. It complements Sun Tzu and Mo Tzu as much as it does Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu. It gives a little extra perspective on today's world, too.
//wiredweird
PS: This book's content also appears as one section of a larger collection, Cleary's "The Taoist Classics, Volume I."
A philosophical look at leadership and strategy..........2001-02-25
This book is more philosophical than some others of similar titles and natures are. It views leadership and strategy through the lens of Taoist thinking, and as such is more concerned with the spiritual and ethical development of a leader. The book is broken into four sections: State and Society; Warfare; Peace; and Wisdom. Each is linked to the other, and follows the previous topic. There is a lot of discussion on the health of a given society, and how both the heads of a society as well as the people within it reflect and affect its overall health. There is a lot of focus on the causes and effects of warfare, as well as the ethics of waging war properly.
This is a small book, one that you can keep in your pocket or briefcase, perfect in size for reading on the train into work or while sitting in a doctor's office. It's full of essays that will make you think, and perhaps re-evaluate how you deal with certain situations in your life. It is worth buying, no question about that.
up there with the bible.......1999-12-16
i read on the subject of eastern philosophy and the book of leadership and strategy is one that encompasses a typical taoist thought. very informative, and makes more sense than most holy books. thomas cleary is on my list of authors
Book Description
No wild animal captures the spirit of North America quite so powerfully as the wild horse--nor has any faced such diverse and potent enemies. In this provocative account, Hope Ryden--who helped to ensure the passage of the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, which grants mustangs special protection--combs the history of these proud and noble horses. Descended from the Spanish horses ridden by the conquistadors, they evolved into the tough and intelligent ponies that Indians--and later, explorers and cowboys--learned to rely on.
From the period when wholesale extermination of the buffalo was under way until recent times, commercial and political interests have sought to eliminate the wild horses as varmints. In this update to this classic story, Ryden tells of the successes and failures of regulation, and includes stunning color photographs. The subject of a front-page article in The New York Times when it was first published,
America's Last Wild Horses continues to be a compelling testament to the life of a uniquely American symbol of grace and wildness, and is a must-read for horse lovers and Western history enthusiasts everywhere.
Customer Reviews:
A remarkable book. Conveys meaning, insight, understanding, and sensitivity........2006-02-16
This book first came to my attention when I saw a review of it in Time Magazine, 1970(!), and then again in a National Geographic issue 1977.
My first copy (Ballantine Books, Inc. May 1973) became so dog-eared and worn, that I bought the revised edition (Lyons Press) as a gift to myself in Dec 2000.
Quite a remarkable book in it's history, coverage and research. The mustang has been much maligned by ranchers and the U.S. government as a nuisance and classified as "domestic strays," thus various methods have been used to round up these poor beasts (remember the film "The Misfits"?)and subject them to every kind of mistreatment imagineable, including death.
Thankfully, through the efforts of Ms Ryden and her book, and various animal protection agencies, we now recognize the contribution, history and legacy that these horses have played such an important part in the history and settlement of the American west. They are the only living heritage and symbol of the history of the west, and as such, should be granted protection as an endangered species from all levels of government in the U.S.
A truly wonderful book. A must have for every horselover. Belongs with Ms Ryden's companion book "Wild Horses I Have Known" which features full colour, full page, never before published photographs not seen in her first book.
Good read but written with a distinct pro-Canada bias.......2005-01-13
I learned a lot about how the West was formed from this book. Hope has done some wonderful research on this topic. I agree with Hope about the US government's mistreatment of wild animals. They're disgusting and they're still spewing their false propaganda to get the naive American public to believe their falsehoods. However, Hope makes several extremely pro-Canada opinions which I disagree about. First of all, the Canadian government has allowed wild horse hunting to be legal, even today. There are only 200 wild horses left in Canada, compared to about 37,000 (BLM estimates - who knows how truthful they are) in the American wild. Canada treats its wild animals dastardly. Each year, hundreds of thousands of baby seals are slaughtered for their fur. Their bloody carcasses are strewn on the virgin white snow, a sad and tragic reminder of the callousness of the Canadian government to its wild animals. They're no better than the US government when it comes to wild animals and I think in some ways, the US government is better than their northern counterparts, especially over the last thirty odd years. Canada also has an ancient and very archaic domestic animal protection law. Last year, animal protection agencies worked to have a new, tougher law passed but it was defeated in Parliament.
Full of Information!.......2000-04-07
This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in wild horses and mustangs. The author does a great job of providing historical knowledge and facts about the early relationship between wild horses and men, and about how horses roamed America before they were reintroduced by Europeans. The author also discusses current issues involving mustangs and their future in the American West. This book is so good I definately needed it for my personal collection.
Book Description
An inspiring pictorial account.
Years ago, wild horses ran free throughout the world. As the lands that domesticated horses helped explore and settle expanded, the wilderness shrank and the wild horses began to disappear.
When
The Last of the Wild Horses was first published in 1984, there were only 400 Przewalske horses. All were found in zoos, and none existed in the wild. Since then, successful conservation and breeding programs have resulted in a wild population of 1,200.
This book is a pictorial tribute to the spirit and beauty of wild horses and the hills, field and plains they roam. Martin Harbury covers a variety of breeds in regions around the world including:
- Przewalskes of Asia
- Tarpans of Poland
- Ponies of the British Isles
- White Horses and the Camargue
- Horses of Sable Island
- Australian Brumbies
- American Mustangs.
Each breed's characteristics, behavior and living conditions are explained as well as the vigilant protection of the habitats that they require for survival.
This fascinating pictorial history will please naturalists, horse lovers and conservationists alike.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful photographic survey of wild horses.......1999-08-23
This is a fabulous photographic survey of the major remaining wild horse populations of the world. The variety of breeds & settings maintains interest from cover to cover.
For each of the 7 breeds there is an extensive history, physical description, behavior profile & current status. The photos capture the character & personality of the horses in their natural settings.
There are athletic mustangs of the American west, primitive horses of Asia & Europe, rugged British ponies, beautiful white horses of the Camargue in France, & a hardy band braving the winter on Canada's Sable Island.
Packed with large color photos, this book will be a unique & treasured addition to any horse lover's library.
Book Description
Wild Horses explores all the world's wild herds from the rugged ponies of Great Britain to the sublimely beautiful white horses of the French Camargue region and the majestic and athletic Mustangs of the United States. Written by one of the most prolific equestrian writers of the century, Wild Horses contains spectacular images by the world's greatest equestrian photographers, and would make a fabulous gift that will be treasured by horse lovers everywhere.
Average customer rating:
- closer to 4 1/2 stars
- A BOOK TO COME BACK TO AGAIN AND AGAIN
- Delightful Reading
- Disappointed
- Nice surprise
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The Last True Cowboy
Kathleen Eagle
Manufacturer: Avon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 038097522X |
Amazon.com
When her brother dies unexpectedly, Julia Weslin joins her grandmother Sally and sister, Dawn, on the family's Wyoming cattle ranch, prepared to stay the summer before deciding whether to sell the property. Julia's attraction to women-loving cowboy K.C. Houston, the new foreman, complicates an already emotionally fraught situation, as does the discovery of a herd of wild mustangs, some of which are blind, and Julia's conflicted feelings for her flirtatious sister. Wonderfully wrought relationships--including a touching romance between Sally and a long-time ranch hand--plus vividly rendered details about horses and cattle ranching make for highly rewarding reading. --Ellen Edwards
Book Description
A cowboy is as good as his word,
but what if the words are "I love you?"
The first moment Julia Weslin sees K.C. Houston, she senses her world is about to be turned upside-down. The long, lean cowboy is the last of an untamed breed of ment who live aby their word and love by their own set of rules. And for Julia, who has returned to Wyoming and the cash-strapping High Horse Ranch, K.C. is a dream come true. He can tame a sprited horse with just a single touch, he offers to help save the ranch, and he awakens in her a need she thought she'd lost. But Julia knows that this sexy drifter would never break a promise, and while he's filled her days with loving and her nights with passion...he's never told her that he'd stay forever.
Customer Reviews:
closer to 4 1/2 stars.......2007-10-02
This is my first novel by Kathleen Eagle. I'm not much into 'horse stories' but I found this one informative and engaging. It was a bit slow for me in the middle but I didn't lose interest. The characters were interesting and varied. I am curious if there is a sequel to pick up on Julia's sister, Dawn in her post-Roger phase but I couldn't find evidence of one. It would also be fun to see how some of the boys fared after their exposure to Julia and K.C.'s influence.
A BOOK TO COME BACK TO AGAIN AND AGAIN.......2007-07-31
This is one of those books that quickly become an old time favorite. A book you come back to again and again; each time finding something new and heartfelt. Ms Eagle develops the story in a slow leisurely pace that reminds one of lazy summers. Through her description of the Wyoming and the wild horse, the story comes to live, making one want to take a trip to see it for themselves. The characters are both human and complex; they are developed in a way that allows you to understand and sympathize with each person's insecurities. If you never read Ms Eagle before, this would be a great novel with which to start.
Delightful Reading.......2003-07-24
This was a great novel. From the very beginning I couldn't put it down. The Last True Cowboy has a great story and full interesting characters. I wanted to read slow and make it last, but I couldn't stand waiting to see what happened next. It's a novel you can truly get into.
Disappointed.......2001-11-07
Kathleen Eagle is one of my all-time favorite authors, but "The Last True Cowboy" just didn't deliver. Much as I hate to admit it, I agree with the reviewer who found the plot weak and the swaggering, beer-drinkin', boot-stompin' cowboy bit a little too cliche and overdone.
Though K.C. Houston mentions on two or three occasions that he's got some Indian heritage, American Indian life, itself, plays no part in this novel. Of course, I don't mean to put Ms. Eagle in a box, but her vast knowledge and love of American Indian heritage gives her storytelling a very rich, almost spell-binding appeal that I found I sorely missed in "The Last True Cowboy."
I did enjoy the descriptions of the wild mustangs, but the characters of K.C., Julia, Dawn, Sally, Vern, etc., just didn't pull me in the way Ms. Eagle's novels usually do. I couldn't wait to finish it so I could get started on the other Eagle novel I recently purchased.
Nice surprise.......2001-07-20
Having just read a poor novel involving horses, I had very low expectations for "The Last True Cowboy" (cheesy title and all). I was quite surprised. I got hooked from the very first page, and one of the things that impressed me the most was the language -- this book is extremely well written, and a pleasure to read. I wanted to read it as slowly as possible to savor it, yet couldn't wait to see what was happening next. The story is very well paced, and the women figures are very well developed. They are strong characters, yet flawed -- as human as you can get. Even though you might not agree with their actions, you can see where they're coming from. The family dynamic is very believable, and the romance is not bad either. All in all I thought it was a very "grown up" story. Not your average paperback novel.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from E, published by Earth Action Network, Inc. on January 1, 1998. The length of the article is 1169 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
From the supplier: The slaughter of horses has raised several economic and environmental issues. While many humane groups generally oppose this practice, some are calling for federal reform regulations for the slaughter business. However, business owners oppose the proposal citing environmental hazards as reasons.
Citation Details
Title: The last roundup: wild horses - and yesterday's prized pets - get sent for slaughter(Currents)
Author: Jim Motavalli
Publication:
E (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 1998
Publisher: Earth Action Network, Inc.
Volume: v9
Issue: n1
Page: p14(4)
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Books:
- Legend: The Life and Death of Marilyn Monroe
- Letters of a Woman Homesteader
- Living In Hell: A True Odyssey of a Woman's Struggle in Islamic Iran Against Personal and Political Forces
- Lost In Place: Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia
- Love Is Stronger Than Death: The Mystical Union of Two Souls
- MADAME SADAYAKKO. The Geisha Who Bewitched the West.
- Mango Elephants in the Sun: How Life in an African Village Let Me Be in My Skin
- Marine Sniper: 93 Confirmed Kills
- Mathmaticians are People, Too: Stories from the Lives of Great Mathematicians
- Maverick Marine: General Smedley D. Butler and the Contradictions of American Military History
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