A great read for the patient but thirsty philosopher and soul searcher.
Our dreams may be more valuable than we know, says one visionary scholar.
It has been said that our dreams are simply the result of the subconscious mind trying to open a locked doorway to knowledge, and a pathway to memories that sometimes feel as tangible as reality. According to Jung, the father of analytical psychology, dreams come from the amount of an individual’s psychic energy and help determine whether they’re an extrovert or an introvert in waking life. This idea of dreams and manifested memories is at the crux of the debut work by philosophy scholar and professor Harris (St. John’s College, Univ. of Maryland). The author is not just a teacher, but a student of Jungian dream examination and how this idea crosses over to other philosophies, evolutionary linguistics and great works of literature and art. This all leads the spiritual traveler to a better understanding of what their dreams and memories mean and what our hearts truly desire. Through careful examination of concepts from titans like Aristotle, Plato, Jung, Nietzsche, Hegel, Asian philosophy mentor Roshi Zenkei Shibayama, Native American and Buddhist influences, Harris presents powerful intersecting ideas to the reader. He also draws parallels between literary works by Sophocles, Plato, Dante, Jorge Luis Borges, James Joyce, Lady Murasaki, Ezra Pound and others. Works of art included in the book—from the collage on the front cover to the familiar sight of the eternal Ouroboros at the end—make an impact on the reader, and mathematics and poetics also play a role in defining the author’s desire to “shatter” common ways of thought. Like most philosophers espousing new ideas, Harris tends to speak at length to make his point at times, but the book is ultimately rewarding.
A great read for the patient but thirsty philosopher and soul searcher.Pub Date: May 26, 2011
ISBN: 978-1432776220
Page Count: 262
Publisher: Outskirts
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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