An introspective glimpse into one man’s long life and the lessons learned on his spiritual journey.
Harper offers an unusual blend of poetry, existential and spiritual musings, social commentary, and inspiring words of wisdom.
The first section of this work—which gathers the author’s meandering thoughts about his “theory of everything”—includes his ponderings on both physical and spiritual existence. The vast majority of these observations are truisms (“Among human beings or Homo sapiens and in reference to racial groups, there is only one race, the human race”; “Not getting any or enough of the right foods can cause disease or illness”), and there’s an undeniable thread of common sense tying the thoughts on physical existence together. Harper goes from statements like, “Earth is a living planet… Earth is a garden of life, a garden of sacred creations of diverse and evolving animal and plant species” to transition into spiritual contemplation, describing the world as “God’s earthly Garden of Eden.” Many of his spiritual assertions are provocative: “I believe that some, most, or possibly all earthly souls have a guardian angel in the spirit existence that can guide or protect, or that can do both.” Harper’s advice, particularly in the poetry section, in which he counsels readers on how to live a fulfilling life, is the work’s most powerful takeaway—the pages are filled with plain-spoken, rock-solid wisdom. The poem “Before I Die” ends with the simple instructions, “Live your earthly life as well as you can.” In “Beware of Destructive People,” the speaker warns, “Beware of the dark forces among the human / race or / confused minds that can dim your light or turn / it off.” Harper’s life philosophy is summed up in a simple yet profound line: “Learn all you can and give all you can.” The lone concern is the difficulty in categorizing this work—it could be considered poetry, philosophy, inspirational self-help, or spiritual guidance, which may negatively impact the chances of readers finding Harper’s encouraging words.
An introspective glimpse into one man’s long life and the lessons learned on his spiritual journey.Pub Date: Nov. 26, 2018
ISBN: 9781984567406
Page Count: 262
Publisher: XlibrisUS
Review Posted Online: Nov. 7, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This a book of earlier, philosophical essays concerned with the essential "absurdity" of life and the concept that- to overcome the strong tendency to suicide in every thoughtful man-one must accept life on its own terms with its values of revolt, liberty and passion. A dreary thesis- derived from and distorting the beliefs of the founders of existentialism, Jaspers, Heldegger and Kierkegaard, etc., the point of view seems peculiarly outmoded. It is based on the experience of war and the resistance, liberally laced with Andre Gide's excessive intellectualism. The younger existentialists such as Sartre and Camus, with their gift for the terse novel or intense drama, seem to have omitted from their philosophy all the deep religiosity which permeates the work of the great existentialist thinkers. This contributes to a basic lack of vitality in themselves, in these essays, and ten years after the war Camus seems unaware that the life force has healed old wounds... Largely for avant garde aesthetes and his special coterie.
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 1955
ISBN: 0679733736
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1955
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