More well-meaning New Age psychopop from the author of Guilt is the Teacher, Love is the Lesson (1990), etc. According to psychologist Borysenko, who tends to gush, her ``soul has burned with the question why''—specifically, why does God allow suffering? The answer is found in this, as she puts it, ``extraordinarily special'' book that offers a ``new and much needed psychology'' of healing—new, that is, if one has never cracked open a self-help book or watched Oprah, Phil, or Sally. Borysenko's basic premise is, in fact, as old as the hills: that suffering is ``an opportunity for soul growth.'' She tries valiantly to situate this idea in world religious thought, but she constantly mangles her sources—for instance, repeatedly misreading John of the Cross's ``dark night of the soul,''which refers to an aridity that comes in advanced stages of contemplation, as equivalent to psychological disorders (in Borysenko's own case, a childhood bout with compulsive-obsessive disorder). On the other hand, Borysenko does know her transpersonal psychology, and the book teems with condensations of the ideas of Larry Dossey, John Bradshaw, Stanislav Grof, et al., as well as innumerable plugs for Borysenko's earlier volumes. Despite minor differences, all these writers broadcast the same idea: that spiritual growth is possible but takes effort, including the overcoming of fear, addiction, and other deep-seated traumas. As for methodology, Borysenko seems fond of women's confessional groups, men's drumming groups, and, above all, past-life therapy (we travel back to medieval Britain, among other locales). She's keen on meditation as well, and offers a watered-down, de-Christian-ized version of centering prayer, and a watered-down, de-Buddhist-ized version of walking meditation. This fire in the soul may warm already converted New Agers, but most others will find it wan comfort indeed.
Pub Date: April 7, 1993
ISBN: 0-446-51466-7
Page Count: 256
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1993
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
Striking research showing the immense complexity of ordinary thought and revealing the identities of the gatekeepers in our...
A psychologist and Nobel Prize winner summarizes and synthesizes the recent decades of research on intuition and systematic thinking.
The author of several scholarly texts, Kahneman (Emeritus Psychology and Public Affairs/Princeton Univ.) now offers general readers not just the findings of psychological research but also a better understanding of how research questions arise and how scholars systematically frame and answer them. He begins with the distinction between System 1 and System 2 mental operations, the former referring to quick, automatic thought, the latter to more effortful, overt thinking. We rely heavily, writes, on System 1, resorting to the higher-energy System 2 only when we need or want to. Kahneman continually refers to System 2 as “lazy”: We don’t want to think rigorously about something. The author then explores the nuances of our two-system minds, showing how they perform in various situations. Psychological experiments have repeatedly revealed that our intuitions are generally wrong, that our assessments are based on biases and that our System 1 hates doubt and despises ambiguity. Kahneman largely avoids jargon; when he does use some (“heuristics,” for example), he argues that such terms really ought to join our everyday vocabulary. He reviews many fundamental concepts in psychology and statistics (regression to the mean, the narrative fallacy, the optimistic bias), showing how they relate to his overall concerns about how we think and why we make the decisions that we do. Some of the later chapters (dealing with risk-taking and statistics and probabilities) are denser than others (some readers may resent such demands on System 2!), but the passages that deal with the economic and political implications of the research are gripping.
Striking research showing the immense complexity of ordinary thought and revealing the identities of the gatekeepers in our minds.Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-374-27563-1
Page Count: 512
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Sept. 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2011
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