A lovingly assembled calendar of uplifting quotes and commentaries, perfect for reading on tough days.
A collection offers inspirational quotes arranged from January to December.
In his work’s Introduction, Vu (Searching for God, the Precious Treasure, in My Daily Life, 2018, etc.) presents the familiar metaphor of the morning coffee to begin the day. The author then provides readers with a calendar of quotes designed to start them on the right mental note with “a quick spiritual boost.” Vu, a Roman Catholic priest, selects his quotes from a wide variety of sources irrespective of their spiritual provenance. The main purpose is to counteract what he describes as the menacing chaos of the modern world. Thus proverbs from many nations appear alongside scriptural passages and quotations from such figures as Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, and Gandhi. The author supplies these quotes, adds commentary of his own, and labels the results “Inspirational Coffee” or “Wisdom Tea,” depending on whether his aim is to give his readers the high energy of a morning mug of coffee or the nerves-soothing calm of an afternoon cup of tea, with the sections most often taking the form of a prayer. For example, Vu quotes the book of Proverbs (in a modern translation): “Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!” The author’s gloss follows: “Wisdom comes from past mistakes and life experiences that can give you valuable insights for the future.” Then he caps off this segment with Wisdom Tea: “Wisdom of God, help me to see the value of your special gift and try to acquire it over my lifetime.” While the stirring quotes are carefully curated, Vu’s commentaries can sometimes be obvious or even plodding. When he quotes William Gladstone’s famous line “Justice delayed is justice denied,” for instance, he follows up with: “When justice is delayed, it tells the world that something else is more important than itself.” But generally the dialogue he sets up with his own chosen quotations in this heartfelt book is gentle and humane. Many readers will no doubt find the effect of perusing page after page of such discourse comforting indeed.
A lovingly assembled calendar of uplifting quotes and commentaries, perfect for reading on tough days.Pub Date: July 9, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4575-7043-8
Page Count: 214
Publisher: Dog Ear Publishing
Review Posted Online: Sept. 19, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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