A suffocating attempt to squeeze UFOs and NDEs (near-death experiences) into the same psychospiritual pigeonhole. Ring (Psychology/Univ. of Conn. at Storrs), well known for his research into near-death experience (Heading for Omega, 1984, etc.), reports that he long resisted investigating other species of paranormal activity (``I don't do UFOs,'' he would exclaim). This blockade ended in 1987, when Whitley Strieber's Communion (Strieber contributes a foreword here) fell into his hands. Ring was hooked, as it dawned on him that UFOs and NDEs ``lead to a similar kind of spiritual transformation.'' In fact—hold onto your New Age hats- -UFOs cause ``a higher level of human being to manifest.'' Ring tries to demonstrate this by detailing typical UFO abductions, which in some respects do parallel religious initiation journeys, but which seem to engender far more fear than enlightenment. The ``Project Omega'' of the title is Ring's attempt to determine the psychological factors that predispose people to NDEs and UFO encounters. He concludes, with neat circularity, that UFOers and NDEers are ``encounter-prone personalities.'' Far more interesting is his discovery that many of these people have suffered a high degree of childhood abuse or trauma. This is suggestive in many ways; what it suggests to Ring is that UFO abductions are not alien encounters per se but some kind of symbolic event, a conclusion that puts him in the ``soft-core'' camp spearheaded by Strieber and Jacques Vallee. Some intense firsthand reports of UFO abductions—these really are scary—ruined by pretentious psycho-pop speculation about emerging ``new levels of consciousness'' and the like. Now that Ring ``does'' UFOs and NDEs, where will he find his next evidence of the coming paradigm shift? Perhaps in the proliferation of wide- eyed books like this.
Pub Date: May 20, 1992
ISBN: 0-688-10729-X
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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