An intriguing and eclectic—if not always convincing—exploration of spiritual psychoanalysis.
A psychiatrist explores the connection between spirituality and science in this nonfiction work.
“I wasn’t prepared to write books,” the author notes, adding, “the guidance of the Universe forced me to do it.” This sense of divine mission sets the tone for a book that is largely a memoir in its first section, in which the author describes his upbringing in the Soviet Republic of Moldova and the disconnection he felt between his cerebral, spiritual sensibilities and those of his more carnal teenage classmates. Rotaru discusses his marriage and journey through medical school, blending in the story of his early premonitions (“Subconscious Signs of God”). While not the primary focus of the book’s narrative, the author’s belief that his community “lost [its] bearings” following the collapse of communism is a major throughline. (The resulting economic and social instability forced Rotaru’s family to emigrate to Romania before a final resettling in Canada.) Transitioning from memoir-like vignettes, Rotaru, a trained psychiatrist, centers his attention on the connection between spirituality and science. While some readers may balk at the author’s frequent claims of divine ordinance, his spiritual takes, combined with an informed perspective on neuroscience and psychoanalysis, are fascinating. Rejecting a Western dogmatic approach to religion, Rotaru frequently references the writings of Neale Donald Walsch (specifically, his Conversations with Godseries), which incorporate Eastern spirituality. (Human energy chakras, a focal point of Hindu and Buddhist meditative traditions, are described in detail.) The book also dabbles in esoterica like numerology, often citing dates and other numerical data as signs from God. Translated into English from the original Romanian text, this is an accessibly written work in which the author is earnest about his spiritual belief system but never preachy. At over 465 pages, the text is at times repetitive, but Rotaru’s down-to-earth prose is accompanied by an ample selection of diagrams, images, and other visual elements. For the scientifically minded reader, the book draws on a firm foundation of psychiatry, though a more formal approach to scholarly citations would be appreciated.
An intriguing and eclectic—if not always convincing—exploration of spiritual psychoanalysis.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Aug. 21, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.
The veteran actor, comedian, and banjo player teams up with the acclaimed illustrator to create a unique book of cartoons that communicates their personalities.
Martin, also a prolific author, has always been intrigued by the cartoons strewn throughout the pages of the New Yorker. So when he was presented with the opportunity to work with Bliss, who has been a staff cartoonist at the magazine since 1997, he seized the moment. “The idea of a one-panel image with or without a caption mystified me,” he writes. “I felt like, yeah, sometimes I’m funny, but there are these other weird freaks who are actually funny.” Once the duo agreed to work together, they established their creative process, which consisted of working forward and backward: “Forwards was me conceiving of several cartoon images and captions, and Harry would select his favorites; backwards was Harry sending me sketched or fully drawn cartoons for dialogue or banners.” Sometimes, he writes, “the perfect joke occurs two seconds before deadline.” There are several cartoons depicting this method, including a humorous multipanel piece highlighting their first meeting called “They Meet,” in which Martin thinks to himself, “He’ll never be able to translate my delicate and finely honed droll notions.” In the next panel, Bliss thinks, “I’m sure he won’t understand that the comic art form is way more subtle than his blunt-force humor.” The team collaborated for a year and created 150 cartoons featuring an array of topics, “from dogs and cats to outer space and art museums.” A witty creation of a bovine family sitting down to a gourmet meal and one of Dumbo getting his comeuppance highlight the duo’s comedic talent. What also makes this project successful is the team’s keen understanding of human behavior as viewed through their unconventional comedic minds.
A virtuoso performance and an ode to an undervalued medium created by two talented artists.Pub Date: Nov. 17, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-26289-9
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
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
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
