History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It

Average customer rating:

Is more than i was expected
A Thought-Provoking Critical Analysis Of Black Culture
Speaking For Us!
Enough by Juan Williams
Juan Williams -- The Black Radical

Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America--and What We Can Do About It
Juan Williams
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307338231
Release Date: 2006-08-01

Book Description

Half a century after brave Americans took to the streets to raise the bar of opportunity for all races, Juan Williams writes that too many black Americans are in crisis—caught in a twisted hip-hop culture, dropping out of school, ending up in jail, having babies when they are not ready to be parents, and falling to the bottom in twenty-first-century global economic competition.

In Enough, Juan Williams issues a lucid, impassioned clarion call to do the right thing now, before we travel so far off the glorious path set by generations of civil rights heroes that there can be no more reaching back to offer a hand and rescue those being left behind.

Inspired by Bill Cosby’s now famous speech at the NAACP gala celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Brown decision integrating schools, Williams makes the case that while there is still racism, it is way past time for black Americans to open their eyes to the “culture of failure” that exists within their community. He raises the banner of proud black traditional values—self-help, strong families, and belief in God—that sustained black people through generations of oppression and flowered in the exhilarating promise of the modern civil rights movement. Williams asks what happened to keeping our eyes on the prize by proving the case for equality with black excellence and achievement.

He takes particular aim at prominent black leaders—from Al Sharpton to Jesse Jackson to Marion Barry. Williams exposes the call for reparations as an act of futility, a detour into self-pity; he condemns the “Stop Snitching” campaign as nothing more than a surrender to criminals; and he decries the glorification of materialism, misogyny, and murder as a corruption of a rich black culture, a tragic turn into pornographic excess that is hurting young black minds, especially among the poor.

Reinforcing his incisive observations with solid research and alarming statistical data, Williams offers a concrete plan for overcoming the obstacles that now stand in the way of African Americans’ full participation in the nation’s freedom and prosperity. Certain to be widely discussed and vehemently debated, Enough is a bold, perceptive, solution-based look at African American life, culture, and politics today.

Customer Reviews:

Is more than i was expected.......2007-10-17

Hay! Is more than i was expected. Thank you amazon and sender.

Take care

A Thought-Provoking Critical Analysis Of Black Culture.......2007-10-13

Juan Williams has eloquently and courageously put to words thoughts that I've had for many years. I find it interesting that it took a speech from famed comedian / actor Bill Cosby to spur Mr. Williams to take center stage in the culture battle within the black community.

Nevertheless, this book exposes to the world the mindless rhetoric and failed strategies of many of the so-called civil rights leaders that are just as much a drag on the ability of American blacks to successfully pursue the American dream as slavery and racism ever was. I would even go so far as to assert that self-appointed civil rights leaders practice an entirely new brand of slavery, economic slavery, designed to keep a noble and proud culture chained to the failing polices of past radicalism and confrontation that had their place in the 60s but are woefully inadequate today; and which only presently exits to serve the self-interests of those who promote them. While Mr. Williams hints at such, a bolder, more clearly articulated statement would have been a welcomed addition to his work. My only other disappointment with Enough was the lack of footnotes and source citations for many of its claims.

Minor criticisms aside, this is a well written book. Mr. Williams presents his ideas in a smoothly organized fashion that rivets the readers' attention in a vice grip of paradigm shifts, provocative ideas, and conservative thought that the black community would do well to consider. Its been said as a political force the black vote is taken for granted by the Democrat Party and written off by the Republican Party. Many of the reasons are revealed in this book. How can either party consider blacks to be politically relevant when the emerging leadership in politics and pop culture debase and disrespect their own people and the rule of law?

As so well stated by Mr. Williams, the key to ending black poverty and lack of social progress lies within the black community itself. Government can throw billions more dollars at the problem with equally meager results as seen these past 30 years, or blacks can rise above the crass, degrading, demeaning, and enslaving icons of rap artists, self-serving civil rights leaders, tolerance of neighborhood crime, and lack of moral courage to propel the race to unimagined prosperity. Enough is certainly a step in the right direction.

Speaking For Us!.......2007-10-06

It took one speech by one man at one moment frozen in time to set off a barrage of discussions on the Black community's progress post-civil Rights era.

Bill Cosby, famed doctor of the Cosby show, stood in front of the crowd as if he was a preacher standing at a pulpit speaking truths from the Bible instead of having a congregation of the willing eagerly anticipating his every word the crowd was members of the NAACP who expected a simple congratulatory speech from the non-controversial celebrity. The event that Mr. Cosby made his infamous speech was deemed, by him, to be appropriate--it was the commemorating the 15th anniversary of the Brown vs. the Board of Education Supreme Court ruling (this ruling prompted the eventual integration of public schools across America--making the "separate but equal" policy unconstitutional). Irregardless of how you felt about Cosby's speech, you have to admit that it took immense courage on his part to risk his reputation and long-standing alliances (both political and social) to draw from his wisdom that he has gained over the years as an actor, activist and as a black man.

The author, Juan Williams, of "Enough....", is an accomplished commentator (known from his correspondent work on NPR and Fox News) exceptionally delved into Mr. Cosby's argument about the downturn and complacency of the Black community after the Civil Rights Movement. He took each hard-hitting point of Bill Cosby's speech such as the lack of importance on education leading to increased drop-out rates, social failures as result of deteriorating family cohesion, the long-term effects of criminal elements within neighborhood of all economies--especially poorer areas, lack of credible leadership to further carry-on the torch of the movement, cyclical poverty effecting the economic wealth of the community, and the ill-conceived plea to seek reparations from the federal government for the crimes against our ancestors.

Mr. William's approach to analyzing Bill Cosby's argument for change was reminiscent of a college professor that taught one of my "art of argument logic" courses--he presented a theory, dissected it, built it back up, presented opposing views and brought it all full circle!

As I read this book, I realized that it was justified for Cosby (or anyone else) to point out the shortcomings within the black community to invoke change. Why should we continue to go on with our lives being disillusioned? Everything is not okay! Cosby's speech is simply a rally call to everyone, in particular, those that will take heed to his battle cry. We are not at war with this mystical force out there to get black folks (aka "the man"), we are at war with "crabs in the bucket" weighing down on the community making it appear to the world that we are a community who continues to fail whether in education, economic advancement and social imagery. I know that Cosby wasn't speaking to everyone--not all blacks are dropping out of school! Not all blacks are unaware of the sacrifices that our ancestors went through so that we can enjoy the freedoms that we have today! Not all blacks are accepting of the negative images and buffoonery that is in the media! Not all blacks are accepting of anything that sets us back to a period prior to the civil rights movement!

People within the Black community should not dismiss Bill Cosby as just some old, rich man with nothing better to do than to nitpick at the "wrongs of the young generation". His speech had validity and needed to be heard and what better venue than at event celebrating a freedom that some black people take for granted--the right to an equal opportunity to a quality education under the eyes of the law.

Enough by Juan Williams.......2007-10-05

This was an awesome book that should be mandatory reading for Liberal Arts majors and just the general public. The author describes a realistic pathway for both blacks and whites in the search for racial harmony.

Juan Williams -- The Black Radical.......2007-09-28

I used to think that people like Mr. Williams were sellouts. Now, I know better. When you look at what he is saying...he is saying the same thing as Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam. (Farrakhan just has a slicker approach.)

That is, the Nation draws you in with their "hate whitey" message, but when you join they slowly flip the script. When you attend the meetings, buy the tapes, and read the there books, the message is the same:

1. Eat good foods (How to eat to live).
2. Take care of your responsibilities. "Every brother needs a job. If he doesn't have a job, then the brothers need to get together and create him one." -- Farrakhan
3. Don't buy things (cars and homes) you can't afford. - F.O.I. meetings
4. Educate your own children. - If they won't treat you right, they won't teach you right. N.O.I slogan

What more needs to be said? Juan Williams is as pro-black as you can get!

Eyewitness Travel Guide to Jerusalem & the Holy Land

Average customer rating:

Too Early for review
Great guide
Best book of this type I have read
Excellent resource!
The best guide book to the Holy Land

Eyewitness Travel Guide to Jerusalem & the Holy Land

Manufacturer: DK Travel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0789451700

Book Description

The guide that shows you what other travel books only tell you!

Flanked by Africa, Asia, and Europe, the Holy Land encompasses Israel, Palestine, and parts of Jordan and Egypt. Jerusalem is the walled city at its center divided into three parts: Modern Jerusalem, The Mount of Olives and Mount Zion, and the Old City -- the Old City is made up of the Jewish Quarter, the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, and the Armenian Quarter. Experience the Western Wall, Hurva Square, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and many other important sites. With more than 800 full-color photographs and detailed street-by-street maps DK's Eyewitness Guide: Jerusalem and the Holy Land details the history and beauty of this land from the Sea of Galilee to the Negev Desert. Whether you're visiting St. Catherine's Monastery or exploring the coral reefs in the Red Sea, this one guide is the only reference you will ever need.

Customer Reviews:

Too Early for review.......2007-06-08

I will tell you more about this book once I am back from the holy land

Great guide.......2007-06-01

I bought this book for my dad for Christmas because he was planning on going to Israel for a week. He's a "planner" type, and had already made himself a complete itinerary. After reading it, he changed his whole itinerary! He just got back from his trip, and said that this book had been extremely helpful. One bit of advise, he said that to go to some of the places, you either need to go with a tour group, or hire a personal guide for the day. He opted for the second option and was able to see more than most people can accomplish in a week.

Best book of this type I have read.......2007-05-15

Very thorough, well organized, easy to read, good pictures. I recommend it completely.

Excellent resource!.......2007-04-10

We just returned from our first trip to the Holy Land. We had many other resource aides, as did other people. This was a book that was very easy to use, very inclusive for information, and many people were borrowing it to use during our 2 week visit. We left the other resources at the hotel and just used this one. It was fairly lightweight and a convenient size. I would highly recommend this book for home use or as a resource for a trip to the Holy Land.

The best guide book to the Holy Land.......2007-03-31

I just got back from the trip to the Holy Land (Egypt, Jordan, and Israel). This book is the best book you can ever had, especially with color graphics and pictures to show you the structure of various important sites and buildings. You can find other guided books when you are in the Holy Land; however, I still think this is the best book to carry with you.

The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land

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The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land
STERN
Manufacturer: Carta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0132762889

Book Description

This four volume hardcover set covers over 400 archaeological sites in Israel, Jordan, and Sinai. Written by 180 leading archaeologists, The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land is an essential reference tool for archaeologists, historians, Bible scholars, and explorers. Arranged alphabetically by site name, the volumes cover all periods of human settlement in the Holy Land from the Stone Age to modern times.

Crusader Art in the Holy Land, From the Third Crusade to the Fall of Acre

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Crusader Art in the Holy Land, From the Third Crusade to the Fall of Acre
Jaroslav Folda
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521835836

Book Description

This book tells the story of the Architecture and the Figural Art produced for the Crusaders after the battle of Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, during the one hundred years that Acre was the capital of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem, 1191â€“1291. It is an art sponsored by kings and queens, patriarchs and bishops, clergy, monks, friars, knights and soldiers, aristocrats and merchants, all men and women of means, who came as pilgrims, Crusaders, settlers, and men of commerce to the Holy Land. The artists are Franks and Italians born and/or resident in the Holy Land, Westerners who traveled to the Latin East, Eastern Christians, and even Muslims, who worked for Crusader patrons.

Israel: A Biblical Tour of the Holy Land

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israel
Excellent overview of Bible History, whether you go or not

Israel: A Biblical Tour of the Holy Land
Neal W. May
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1577781538

Customer Reviews:

israel.......2007-02-26

I teach an adult Sunday School class and like to make the history come alive. This book really does that. It adds an appreciation for the idea that the places in the Bible are real. It covers the Holy Land nicely as it is today, but adds a lot of Biblical history - why is the area meaningful. At the same time, it is highly readable. The only drawback that I find, is a lack of maps. But that is a personal preference, since I used to teach geography. Also, if you are looking for lots of pictures, this is not the book for you.

Joyce the librarian

Excellent overview of Bible History, whether you go or not.......2000-09-04

I was looking for a good overview of Biblical History in preparation for a visit to the Meditterranean when I chanced upon this book. Wow. Clear and concise, readable, and linked to the geography and sites still present.

Book Description

There is no shortage of stories about the crusades, or of biographies of those who played the leading roles in this, the greatest epic of the Middle Ages. But there has been no book in which we could find, recreated, the way of life, the world view, the everyday social organization of those who tempted adventure. They were kings and paupers, barons, clerks, women, and merchants. Some were driven by their faith, others by the spirit of conquest, and some by a hunger for greatness and wealth.

Régine Pernoud presents for us a living picture in which we can view, first hand, the awe of the Christians as they beheld the Muslim world, the myriad ordeals they sustained while traveling for years in unknown lands, and the remarkable way in which they managed to adapt, to colonize, to erect churches and fortresses, and to abide for centuries in the face of an adversary far greater in number. Here, an unrecognized page in our history finally reveals itself. A great historian and writer brings this colorful period alive.

Régine Pernoud, a renowned French archivist and historian, is among the greatest medievalists of our times, and the success of her books has helped to bring the Middle Ages closer to us. Among her numerous works are Those Terrible Middle Ages! and Women in the Days of the Cathedrals.

Customer Reviews:

This woman was truly a genius.......2006-06-09

This book uses the Crusades and the Crusaders to illustrate how feudal society lived and how feudal man thought. This book is not a narrative of the Crusades proper and does assume the reader has some knowledge of the events.

I found surprising that the culture of "Truce of God" (the restrictions on warfare imposed by the Church and observed by most European combatants) was such an obstacle to raising a Crusading army. Also since the Crusades were not a war of conquest, most Crusaders left when they felt they had fulfilled their vow. For example after the 1st Crusade less than 2500 Crusaders remained in the Holy Land. When you add logistic difficulties, Byzantine treachery, and internal rivalries it is amazing the Crusaders accomplished as much as they did. Most important, though she doesn't gloss over when atrocities were committed, she makes irrefutably evident that, overall, the Crusaders made a positive contribution to life in the region: something you are not likely to read about the Crusades from modern American writers.

Regine Pernoud was a historian unlike any I have read. Her ability to present what it was like to live in medieval society and to think like a medieval person in a manner that a modern reader can relate to is nothing short of wondrous. Her description of places and events is almost poetic. Her historical insight is literally jaw-dropping. If, like me, you imagined that it must have been horrible to live in the Middle Ages this book will give you a different picture.

Her translators also need to be congratulated since they have done a great job transmitting her words of genius.

A thoughtful and unforgettable trip through history.......2004-04-05

In The Crusaders: The Struggle For The Holy Land, renowned French archivist and historian Regine Pernoud focuses upon the human aspect by presenting profiles of those who undertook the Crusades ranging from the kings, to the barons, clerks, women, merchants, and paupers. Whether driven by faith, conquest, or greed, their individual and collective perspectives are vividly described, and providing contemporary readers with a detailed and lasting impression of the shock of Christian perspectives created when introduced to the Muslim world. A thoughtful and unforgettable trip through history that virtually puts the reader in this long-ago era, The Crusaders is an ideal introduction for non-specialist general readers.

"Don't Confuse Me with Facts".......2004-02-13

This book is a wonderful corrective for two sets of people: (1) Those who idealize the Crusades, the crusaders, and the culture which surrounded and informed them; (2) Those who uncritically villify everything that the folks in the first category idealize.
Pernoud presents the Crusades in all their considerable glory and all their considerable shame. For example, an entire chapter is devoted to the character of St. Louis, the "perfect crusader", who so well embodied everything that was good in the crusader mentality. Juxtaposed to that, we hear of Frederick II of Hohenstaufen, the "crusader without faith" who broke into the Thirteenth Century like a walking talking preview of the less gentle times to come -- a herald of Machiavelli, Napolean, and LBJ. As an admirer of the Middle Ages, I had always viewed Frederick II was an aberration -- like an intruder from another planet. But no. Pernoud shows (without a soapbox) that it should not be surprising that a Frederick II should arise -- even in the most civilized of centuries.
Pernoud makes these points, as I said, without a soapbox. He writes sober history -- Jack Webb style. And this sober recital of facts is just what ideologues on my side and on the opposite side really need.

Average customer rating:

excellent comprehensive Los Angeles History
Poetics of place and time in the Los Angeles Palimpsest
Wow! Great Book
a tour of a world very different than suburbs I know
Great fro Teaching

Holy Land: A Suburban Memoir
D. J. Waldie
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393327280

Amazon.com

Welcome to Lakewood, California, the world's largest suburb and the subject of an oddly mesmerizing account of its creation by D. J. Waldie. Waldie describes how bean fields were drawn up, sectioned off and divided up--leaving tracts for small houses of similar design. The author changes while the land around him does, in a story of how people make places and, more so, places make people.

Book Description

"Infinitely moving and powerful, just dead-on right, and absolutely original."—Joan Didion

Since its publication in 1996, Holy Land has become an American classic. In "quick, translucent prose" (Michiko Kakutani, New York Times) that is at once lyrical and unsentimental, D. J. Waldie recounts growing up in Lakewood, California, a prototypical post-World War II suburb. Laid out in 316 sections as carefully measured as a grid of tract houses, Holy Land is by turns touching, eerie, funny, and encyclopedic in its handling of what was gained and lost when thousands of blue-collar families were thrown together in the suburbs of the 1950s. An intensely realized and wholly original memoir about the way in which a place can shape a life, Holy Land is ultimately about the resonance of choices—how wide a street should be, what to name a park—and the hopes that are realized in the habits of everyday life. 20 illustrations and a new introduction for this paperback edition.

Customer Reviews:

excellent comprehensive Los Angeles History.......2007-05-13

In southern California, land and water were everything in the 20th century. The author did an excellent job researching the tract house expansion from the construction details to the social impact they had family lifestyles. Especially interesting, was the explantation of the water rights and development of Artesia. All the familiar landmarks of the LA basin suddenly take on new meaning.

Poetics of place and time in the Los Angeles Palimpsest.......2007-05-13

D. J. Waldie's Holy Land: a Suburban Memoir is so beautifully and carefully written that I found myself reading segments out loud for the simple pleasure of savoring the language. While writing of his life in a housing tract in Lakewood, California, Mr. Waldie, writing in short and interweaving passages and segments, examines his everyday life in an almost commonplace suburb with precision and grace. His family, neighbors and friends emerge as people we may know. His house has a familiarity to many of us, even though we have never been there. Mr. Waldie, however, sees everyday life so clearly and makes even the "how to" of putting together a stucco tract home so interesting that I could not put down this book and felt a great sadness when I had finished. His is a lovely and important story about a very smart and gentle man who cares deeply about aspects of Los Angeles history and is eager to hear stories of our Southern California future.

Wow! Great Book.......2006-07-02

I live in Lakewood with my husband and two (now grown) children. This book shares a lot of history that I was unaware of when we first moved here, and after reading it, I understand why Lakeood is as charming as it is. People stay here for generations. Parents live up the street from their children and their children's families. I have always loved it here and am very proud to call it "home".

a tour of a world very different than suburbs I know.......2004-11-01

When I read this book, I was surprised by not by how universal Lakewood is, but how little Lakewood resembles the suburbs I grew up with.

In Lakewood, most blocks have sidewalks, streets have grids so you can walk to anyplace without going out of your way, and conveniences such as shopping are a long walk away- not exactly New Urbanism, but not exactly conventional modern sprawl either. Lakewood may be sprawl, but it is sprawl with a human face.

By contrast, in Atlanta (where I grew up) sidewalks end about 3 or 4 miles from downtown, in subdivisions built at about the same time as Lakewood or even a few years either- and usually nothing is within walking distance of a suburban house, and even if it was the absence of sidewalks (or often of any other accommodation to pedestrians such as walkable lawns; the streets often go right up to the street) would make walking very dangerous indeed. Atlanta is sprawl without a human face. I think Atlanta is certainly more typical of the South.

Great fro Teaching.......2004-01-24

I taught this book as the last reading in an undergraduate course on Western suburban history. The students responded with tremendous enthusiasm. They recognized much that was familiar in Waldie's strange hometown (a strangeness common to suburbs all over the West). This book crystallized a feeling of loss for many students. Suburbs like Lakewood, or like the tract house developments going up today all over the region and nation, feel emptied of history for the children who grow up there. Their names (Lakewood?) like their green lawns are imposed, divorced from the land's human and natural history. Children feel this and they know something is missing. This book opened up the opportunity for students to express their own feelings and experiences of suburban life.

Book Description

Long gone are the days of drinking naturally pure water from flowing rivers and streams. It is already common today for people to use bottled water or home water filtration systems for their drinking water. How have we come to such a predicament, and what can be done about it? Continuing pollution, ever increasing population and industrial demands, destruction of the rainforests, overpumping of the ground water are all responsible for the deterioration of water quality— but the underlying reason, as William Marks shows in this wide-ranging, thoughtful book, is a lack of understanding of and respect for the nature of water itself.

Marks covers such diverse topics as water's role in the origin of the universe and of life, cosmic rain and water in interstellar space, water in the myths of various peoples and religious traditions, the power of water in the many forms it takes in the natural world, vortex energy and living water, water and the human body, water healing, and a history of water pollution. He offers hope for the future by discussing the work of such visionaries as Theodor Schwenk and Viktor Schauberger. Marks shows us that finally water can be understood only when seen as the mediator not just between life and death but between the physical world and the spiritual world as well.

Customer Reviews:

The Holy Order of Water.......2007-04-23

I am an artist and read The Holy Order of Water about three years ago when I was painting a body of work about water. This interesting mix of personal anecdotes, mythology, and science, supports the realization that I've had after living on a lake for 14 years that water is alive. It gave me lots to ponder while working and I've since decided to focus all of my work on water. Thank you, William E. Marks, for your efforts to raise awareness and preserve water resources.

You'll Be Restored.......2006-09-22

Hello H2O Lovers,

As a layperson on the path of being a true leader in the H2O movement, I am very glad to have been offered this book to open my eyes about the elixir of life.

This book is astounding in its clarity and authenticity. Its fun to read and brings home my actual deepest feelings about water.

It brings you a masterful tapestry from the authors life story, the science, the philosophy and even the spirituality of water.

Read it. I promise it will trasform your life and it will transform your relationship with water.

You will never relate to a cup of water in quite the same way again.

Truly,
Leslie Gabriel aka WaterMan
Host Of "And So It Flows"
WBCR 97.7 FM Great Barrington, MA

The most important book you will read this year.......2006-01-20

This book is as important to the Earth as Water itself. Many of us are increasingly concerned about what we are doing to the environment. Our concerns about the plight of water and its importance to the survival of life on this planet are addressed magnificently in this book that describes powers of water of which even I was unaware!

Water is a mystical, magical substance, and oh how we take it for granted; filling it with carmel coated sugar substances for profit; tossing our waste products into it as if it had no value of its own, wasting it on "the perfect lawn" which servies absolutely no purpose or function, or even washing our cars, which cry the death knoll of Earth daily.

Care enough about Water to read this book. Pass it on to your friends. Give it as a gift for Arbor Day, Earth Day, Valentine's day. It's the most important book you will read this year.

The Holy Order of Water:Healing the Earth's Waters and Ourselves.......2006-01-14

William Mark's book, Holy Order of Water is extraordinary. It has given me soulful connection in understanding water and what it really means for us, as humans, and for myself, personally. The book is filled with fascinating scientific information that I can read (and have chosen to re-read, time and time again), as it enlightens even a non scientist, like myself, to understand what is happening with our water and what we can ultimately do to survive. The wealth of content on rituals and traditions with water throughout the world and time makes this book a valuable resource. Mark's bold statement of "polluting our planet's water is the same as poisoning the blood in our bodies" illustrates his strong passion on the subject and his ability to awakens the reader to the urgency for change. Marks' intimate relationship with water touches on all levels from the physical, mental, to spiritual and is awe-inspiring. It is sublime and yet profound. Holy Order of Water is truly an enjoyable and intriguing read.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book are:
"As we continue to evolve, we will learn how water was, is and always will be the source of our awakening and survival;" "The more of us who believe in the idea that we can create a world that lives in harmony with the teachings of water, the greater the possibility that it will happen in reality;" "You, and your offspring, as members of the human race will either survive or die according to your relationship with water;" "Whatever your situation, there are opportunities available for you to help yourself, your family, and humanity to enjoy a better life through water, and to reduce your life's negative impact on our sensitive water world."

I highly recommend this book.

Living Water .......2005-05-15

The Holy Order of Water is a beautiful orchestra of science, spirituality, healing and hope. Throughout the book, William Marks weaves his awe-inspiring adventures of life and love with water. While Marks makes the interconnectivity between mankind, water and the universe utterly clear; you get that his relationship with water is special. He is not just giving us information or telling the story of water; he loves it deeply. His commitment and passion is beautiful and it makes this book wholly unique and fascinating. I read this book in a day and I continue to go back to it for specific water-related facts, quotes, and information on people/places referenced in the book.

The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700 (Oxford Archaeological Guides)

Average customer rating:

Great Guide
Invaluable
The Real Da Vinci Code!
Unique guide for archaeology minded traveler to Israel
An excellent guide for the layman.

The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide from Earliest Times to 1700 (Oxford Archaeological Guides)
Jerome Murphy-O'Connor
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0192880136

Amazon.com

This book is an excellent choice for visitors to the Holy Land who want to take an in-depth look at the area's historical sites. Among this Oxford guide's special features are 150 site plans, maps, diagrams, and photographs; routes through the Old City of Jerusalem; a brief historical outline; and a glossary of essential terms. Oxford Archeological Guides: The Holy Land is also a useful source of practical advice on museum hours, suggested dress, travel and lodging contacts, as well as information on visiting desert locations such as the Judaean Desert and the hills of Elat.

The first half of the book covers sites in the city of Jerusalem, grouping them into areas for easy exploration. Maps accompany each site described. The second half of the book features an alphabetical listing--from Abu Ghosh to Yehiam--of key sites scattered throughout the Holy Land. Each site includes a reference to its position on the "Israel Touring Map" (available at bookstores in Israel), and especially recommended sites are starred or double-starred.

As an added bonus to this edition, more than 70 shaded sidebars offer a mini-anthology of ancient texts. "Not only do such documents illustrate the sort of material on which our historical knowledge is based, but their vividness and immediacy give a new dimension to the sites," writes author Murphy-O'Connor. --Kathryn True

Book Description

The Holy Land, as the geographic focal point of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, has immeasurable resonance for the pilgrims it has attracted since as early as the fifth century BC. The Holy Land is an indispensable, illustrated guide to over 200 of the best Christian, Jewish, and Islamic
sites in the City of Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Land from earliest times to 1700. Each entry explains the history and topography of a site, as well as its function and significance. Father Jerome Murphy-O'Connor provides a brief historical outline from the Stone Age to the Modern Period,
and lists sites accordingly.
The Holy Land presupposes little knowledge of history or archaeology and gives clear directions on how to find sites and monuments of interest--both well-known and those less familiar. With entries including the Damascus Gate, the Holy Sepulchre, the Via Dolorosa, Mount Sion, the Dead Sea,
Hebron, and Jericho, this indispensable guide includes detailed maps, plans, and illustrations further illuminating these spectacular wonders.

Customer Reviews:

Great Guide.......2007-09-24

Very informative with good descriptions. The language is a little difficult to interpret at times and I wish there was a little more history with each site, but overall a great guide.

Invaluable.......2007-05-16

Recommended to me by an archaeolgist long active in Israel, I found this book quite helpful in appreciating a number of sites (and sights) I recently visited (and saw) in the Holy Land. For folks who are looking to learn more about various ancient sites than the typical tour guide can offer, this will be well worth its price. In addition to its being informative, I found the personality of its author evident and engaging.

The Real Da Vinci Code!.......2005-01-02

If you really want to separate the wheat from the chaff - this is the way to begin.

In this book, Jerome Murphy-O'Connor will take you behind the hidden doors, under the altars, down secret stairways and forgotten streets on an amazing adventure. It's not a lesson in theology - you have to bring your own. It's a guide to what can be seen, what can be touched with your hand.

With all the digging that's been going on since this book has been published, I'm eagerly looking forward to an updated edition.

Unique guide for archaeology minded traveler to Israel.......2002-12-16

Unique guide for archaeology minded traveler

The little known Oxford Archaeological Guides series provides information that you cannot find elsewhere This guide was written by Jerome Murphy-O'Connor in 1980 and was revised for the new Oxford Archaeological guides series in 1997 as the initial offering of the series. O'Connor provides a wealth of information here that you wont find in regular guidebooks. The topic of biblical archaeology is too large to be addressed by any one book. The author squeezes all he can into less than 500 pages. The section dealing with Jerusalem is most detailed. Outlying sites receive less attention. There is useful information about hours of operation and practical matters such as directions to remote sites. In addition to describing the various areas of interest, there are sections giving the history of the different peoples of the holy land, both historical and present day including sections on the Druze, the Philistines, the Samaritans, the Essenes and the Nabateans. There is a good attention here to changes over time with an emphasis on how the appearance of each site evolved over the years. Interesting comparisons are made with the condition of sites in the present day and their description in ancient texts including Josephus' "The Jewish War" and the Bible itself. This book would be inadequate as the only guidebook for a visit to Israel. I would recommend the Knopf Guide to the Holy Land and Baedeker Israel for routine tourist information. Some minor drawbacks: the drawings and maps are not as detailed as they could be and the few photographs that are provided are black and white and of poor quality. These complaints are not critical flaws; the book would still be invaluable even if it didn't contain a single illustration.

An excellent guide for the layman........2000-05-31

We recently returned from two weeks in Israel where we traveled around on our own with this book and the Lonely Planet Guide. Our trip would have been much poorer without The Holy Land. The strength of the book is its description of almost every ancient site of interest in Israel with line maps of the present structures and historical descriptions of the sites. The author includes quotes from ancient historians and medieval pilgrims as well as citations to the Bible. He approaches all the sites with respect but does not hesitate to call the authenticity of some sites into question when the historical or archaeological evidence does not support it. He points out that greater faith can be placed in the Christian sites where there was evidence of pre-Constantinian veneration, before the questions of pilgrims "excited the imaginations of local guides." For me this makes the more credible sites such as the Holy Sepulchre and the house of Peter even more moving.

For practical information on hotels, buses, etc. you should pick up the Lonely Planet Guide, but for infomation on the historical and religious sites this is the best book I have seen.

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