book reviews: new releases
Abducted by Aliens: or, How I Learned to
Cope with High Strangeness, Government Harassment, and My Mother
What is America? - A Short History of the New World Order
The Shell Game
God is an Athiest
Astral Projection and the Nature of Reality
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself
[link]: The Secret Library of Hope: 12 Books to Stiffen Your Resolve
Endgame - I: The Problem of Civilization; II: Resistance
Novels, Essays, and Stories by
Nowick Gray
(synopses, sample chapters, free ebook downloads)
Alternative Publishers of Books in North America
The Path of Empowerment
Revelations
Progressive Logic: Framing a Unified Theory of Values for Progressives
Let Today Be a Holiday: 365 Ways to Co-Create with God
The Golden Thread of Time: A Voyage of Discovery into the Lost Knowledge of the Ancients
Aquarius Now: Radical Common Sense and Reclaiming our Personal Sovereignty--Marilyn Ferguson
10 Books that Teach Compassion for Animals
Cancer: A Personal Challenge
Three New Self-Help Books
Love is Not a Game (But You Should
Know the Odds)
Dream Maker--Grigor Fedan
The Spiritual Life of Animals and Plants--Laurie
Conrad
There Must Be More Than This: Finding
More Life, Love, and Meaning by Overcoming Your Soft Addictions
- by Judith Wright
Unlocking Alien Closets: Abductions, Mind Control,
and Spirituality--Leah A. Haley
Carl Melcher Goes to Vietnam--Paul Clayton
The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred Drumming--Michael
Drake
Eternal Treblinka: Our treatment of
Animals and the Holocaust--Charles Patterson
Unidentified Flying Objects: Starcraft--Der
Voron
Looking for the Summer--Robert W. Norris
Gem's Story: The Spiritual Journey Of A Shy Girl
And A Perfect Monk --Joost Boekhoven
Enlightenment in Our Time: The Perennial Wisdom
in the New Millennium--Lonny J. Brown, Ph.D.
Conjuring Maud--Philip Danze
Mother of All--Richard Schiffman
The Shell Game--Steve Alten
This explosively topical political action thriller sports three subtitles
hinting at its primary themes: "The End of Oil," "The Next
9/11," and "The Deception of a Nation." Alten has planted
himself firmly in the contemporary arts movement blending fiction and non-fiction,
as this documentary of the future incorporates many points of research about
the all-too-real events of 9/11 and the global research wars it fuels to
this day. Assassination, rigged elections, false-flag "terror"
operations, all play a role in this future-present drive to war with Iran.
John Dos Passos with his "newsreel" footage in the U.S.A.
trilogy of a century ago broke new ground then, and that technique of
blending fact with fiction finds new relevance today - when media spin puts
objectivity in question, and the historical record is washed away before
it is even registered, by a fresh assault of fast-breaking story lines.
Orwell's Animal
Farm
and 1984
also come to mind here as earlier works unmasking the true nature of the
"New World Order." When the nukes come to American cities, who
will know their origin and purpose? In this book the web of truth and lies,
already half-woven, is laid out for all to see.
God is an Athiest--N.Nosirrah
This unusual book is a modern Tristram
Shandy - which is to say, it will probably not be wildly popular, except
as a word-film in the "cult" section; but its incisive and intelligent
wit on matters spiritual and worldly offers a refreshing alternative to
most tomes normally found in the genres of fiction, spirituality, autobiography,
or philosophy. This book has all of those elements couched in a voice which
is at once profoundly irreverent and mystically sound. Fundamentalists beware:
the God of this religion brooks no pat description, no belief system, no
creed or manifesto except perhaps that of freedom from such limitation,
with a healthy dose of comic irony in both concept and conversational delivery.
Astral Projection and the Nature of Reality:
Exploring the Out-of-Body State--John Magnus
This comprehensive study of astral travel is both a practical guide and
a profound examination of the nature of reality. John Magnus shares a wealth
of personal experiences along the way, inspiring and equipping us to make
the inner journey. In case we have difficulty with one method, he supplies
numerous techniques and pointers. Key to the whole enterprise is to consider
our physical reality in a new light, as simply one possible realm among
many.
Astral projection has much in common with lucid dreaming, as Magnus’s
oft-cited dream journals demonstrate. In any case, whether waking or dreaming,
inside or outside the body, the key lesson for consciousness is to become
more aware, and in doing so, to realize the greater potential for manifestation
of our soul’s desire.
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself--Michael A. Singer
With all of the numerous approaches to spiritual development being presented today, it is so refreshing to find a book truly original in its simplicity of style and approach. The combination of profound insight and simple, direct writing amount to a single impression and impact, which I would define as clarity. After the first illuminating chapter on who we really are -- not the incessant voice we are used to identifying with, but the silent witness -- it is hard to imagine where Singer will take us from there. Yet chapter by short chapter (easy and compelling to work through 3-5 pages at a sitting), the layers of our obstructing habits of thought are peeled away, and we emerge even clearer than before.
The forms and filters imposed by ourselves and our society are many, and each is a metaphor for the others. The inner voice in one incarnation is an "inner roommate"; in another, it is a dreaming self that can awake to conscious or lucid dreaming, and waking life. The ordinary self holds on, but can be persuaded to let go, centered and peaceful. The heart can open from its fearful life within walls, to an ocean of infinite energy. Thorns of pain are useful but ultimately not necessary. Our psyche can become a comfort zone or cage, yet we can choose to go beyond. The solidity we cling to can be seen as the illusion it is; instead, we can choose unconditional happiness. Contemplating death, we can be inspired to live more fully in our worldly experience. Reaching "God" demands letting go of the lower self, not in judgment but release to ecstatic love.
To summarize the points of the experience of reading this book does not do it justice, as the real clarity comes from the easeful consideration and contemplation of each problem and solution, presented in turn. Simply put, this is the spiritual book of the year.
Alternative Publishers of Books in North America (6th edition)--Byron Anderson
under the auspices of The Alternatives in Publication Task Force of the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association
"Alternative press as a term is nearly inexplicable. Everything is alternative to something else, meaning that one could theoretically define alternative as one would wish. Yet, in social and political arenas, alternative is a term generally associated with the political left. The 102 headings found in the subject index further help to define the presses by assigning them publication interests in the areas of, for example, sustainable development, punk, social justice, gender studies, human rights, anarchism, and globalization. The presses provide a platform to spread progressive ideas to activists and ordinary citizens alike, and the publications help the ideas find a place in our culture."
With the conglomeration of big-money interests controlling the vast majority of media, information and disinformation, and opinion flooding to the North American public, it is refreshing to see this compendium of alternative publishing outlets. Even without stable funding, there seems to be an unquenchable commitment to providing alternative venues for those with something to say that's outside the mainstream party lines. This book is a valuable resource for authors and readers, with an inspiring preface and a no-nonsense listing of 126 US presses, 19 Canadian and 18 international entries with a North American address or distributor. Each listing is comprehensive, with both nuts-and-bolts details and a thorough blurb about what the press covers.
There are even 12 listings in the index under "Alternative Culture" - so I guess I have my next networking direction cut out for me.
Revelations--M. Scott Byrnes
Revelations is a novel in the mold of Dan Brown or Michael Crichton. That is, the dialogue is plain and action-oriented. The plot is primary, and in this case overrides anything like literary character development. The story in this book is intriguing, as there is mysterious evidence on Mars of a long-extinct civilization. On earth, Tim Redmond struggles with his own mysterious powers of vision and destiny. The book traces the confluence of these two speculative currents. I found the action long-delayed by uninspired conversation in research and conference rooms, spiced by cuts to harrowing missions collecting pieces of the puzzle. While for me the conversation fell flat and the action was trite, the concept kept me going. The same is true of my last ventures into Chrichton and Brown, however, so if this genre is your cup of tea, you just might enjoy it.
Progressive Logic: Framing a Unified Theory of Values for Progressives--William J. Kelleher, PhD
Kelleher, a professor political science at UC Santa Barbara, breaks new and necessary ground with this book, a throwback to Thomas Paine and the early radical thinkers that helped created the United States. It has long been apparent that progressives lack the unifying force that puts and keeps conservatives in power: in the latter case, a do-nothing philosophy, or an appeal to fundamental fears and security needs. What progressives can offer as a rallying point both for political organization and popular support, is a single clear and unassailable value proposition. Kelleher states this as follows: "All persons always deserve positive regard." What may seem at first glance to be a precept of Quakers or other idealists, can actually be found at the core of many of the fractured progressive movements of the past and present. What has been lacking is the vision and will to organize around a common principle; we now, however, have Kelleher's concise and readable analysis to help guide a fresh start.
Let Today Be a Holiday: 365 Ways to Co-Create with God--Rose Rosetree
This is the vanilla ice cream of self-help books. The style and content matches the promotion and distribution of the books, as Rosetree seeks a market in the general population. That said, it’s always good to be able to bring spiritual messages to people who need them, and to make those messages accessible. Rose Rosetree, who also does “face readings” of people’s auras from their photographs, is well tapped into mainstream consciousness, and serves as a capable medium through which to bring spiritual angles into everyday life. Each page provides another such angle for a day, as she fills the year with simple advices, poems, guidance, queries, and steps to self-improvement.
The Golden Thread of Time: A Voyage of Discovery into the Lost Knowledge of the Ancients--Chrichton E.M. Miller
As a layman entering into the realms of archaeological politics and radical revisions of history, Chrichton Miller has opened himself up to many challenges. In this book he sets out to defend his theory that the ancients knew more than is commonly believed about astronomy, navigation, and architectural design, and about the links between these arts. In fact he claims to have found the missing link in the Great Pyramid, a simple cross and plumb line providing the technological means to accomplish astonishing feats which heretofore have been unexplained by conventional history. If the scholarship is uneven and conclusions larded with conjectures, at least this is a fascinating read which should put to rest many key assumptions about the ancient world--for instance, the notion that they believed the earth was flat.
Aquarius Now: Radical Common Sense and Reclaiming our Personal Sovereignty--Marilyn Ferguson
Yes, it’s been a full quarter-century since Ferguson’s groundbreaking book The Aquarian Conspiracy, and here she attempts to update the cultural currents that make up the great paradigm shift we’ve all been waiting for (and, come to think of it, participating in). The trouble is, there’s not much meat in this new meal; but rather a lot of pudding, or padding, or more precisely, a succession of glib one-liners lifted helter-skelter from other readings and tossed willy-nilly into this new-age salad. The topics and subtopics and catchwords (“metastrategies”) are all very heady and trendy, even profound and you might say necessary; but somehow for this reader, they are already familiar, or at least tamely presented. Is it because some of us have been doing the work for twenty-five or more years? Or is there a relative irrelevance to all of this theory and concept, when too many still haven’t bought into the need for a new paradigm in the first place? For this reviewer the lack of substance comes down to the bibliographic style of the writing itself. When every brief paragraph, every disconnected sentence is merely a quote or paraphrase from another writer, there is not enough original cement between them all to hold it together. The back cover is full of praise for the book from the usual array of notable PhDs and authors, so there must be some appeal, either to those more in the know than I, or perhaps to those more in need of a crash refresher course in popular/intellectual “alternative culture.” If you are in one of those camps this may just be the book for you.
Cancer: A Personal Challenge--ed. Bob Rich, PhD
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1877053112/cougarwebworks
Bob Rich has assembled a comprehensive and readable collection of personal stories and informative articles that should guide anyone in becoming acquainted with cancer and its conventional and alternative therapies. The book is well balanced in its approach: no-nonsense scientific descriptions of the medical conditions; heartfelt narratives of personal journeys with disease (involving acceptance, recovery and support); and insightful portrayals of alternative healing methods. Chief among these are various forms of meditation and visualization, with proven effects in reducing the threat or impact of cancer. All in all this book is a powerful testament to the power of mind over body, convincing both scientifically and spiritually.
Dream Maker--Grigor Fedan
http://www.grigorfedan.com
Dream Maker begins with a chronically depressed man, Martin Devon,
struggling with a failing marriage and a collapsing business.
At his bleakest hour he is helped during his sleep. He finds himself
revisiting a past life, Britain 464 AD and encounters mystics
who practice meditation and Agape, practices that were to be eradicated
in a few more centuries. The Arthurian legend also figures prominently,
and the book provides a good factual account of the time period.
In the course of events Martin discovers the cause of his condition,
but also the means to heal himself. It's a fun, good read with
substance.
The Spiritual Life of Animals and Plants--Laurie
Conrad
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0759658722/cougarwebworks
Clairvoyant, music teacher and psychic healer Laurie Conrad has
written a charming and engaging book about her often miraculous
experiences of prayer and healing with her numerous cats, dogs,
and other fauna and flora. The book is disarmingly simple, almost
naive...yet powerful and believable, as we read about how the
animals respond to (and sometimes help compose!) classical music,
pictures and statues of holy figures, and directed prayer.
Unlocking Alien Closets: Abductions,
Mind Control, and Spirituality--Leah A. Haley
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1883729084/cougarwebworks
If you're already a believer and want to be entertained with
a continual stream of abduction fantasies--er, experiences--then
this is the book for you. But beware; They might be onto you then.
Usually I'm pretty open-minded about these things, but when the
abductions happen daily (nightly) and take every form seen in
the literature, it gets to be a
bit much. To her credit, Leah Haley is educated, articulate, and
passionate about the personal growth lessons implicit in her long
history of contact with "a whirlwind of dark mysteries"...which
include media mistreatment and shadowy government coverups. Ultimately
it comes down to a judgment call about what is real; a leap of
faith. This is the choice for "unwitting victims" like
Leah, as it is for the reader.
Carl Melcher Goes to Vietnam--Paul Clayton
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591133009/cougarwebworks
This slim novel (196 pages) came out of nowhere (ebookland) to
become a finalist at the 2001 Frankfurt eBook Awards, alongside
such a notable as Joyce Carol Oates. Its style is plain and unassuming;
its content likewise confined to the daily experiences of the
mundane foot soldier in Vietnam.
Yet this book has a certain naïve charm that grows on the reader,
at the same time as the narrator experiences the growing horror
of the doomed ground war from close up. Neither the beginning
nor the end of the story, framing a year's tour of active duty,
are earthshaking. Yet in the reading of it we have a compelling
portrait of a real and likeable person undergoing the life-and-death
charade that is war.
The Shamanic Drum: A Guide to Sacred
Drumming--Michael Drake
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1591131642/cougarwebworks
This book is a valuable, well-researched, and well-written treatment
of all aspects of shamanic drumming. The author weaves together
both ancient and modern lore, from oral shamanic chants to modern
physics and biology, along with personal experiences to illuminate
the practice of sacred drumming.
He draws most heavily from the Native American shamanic tradition,
which uses the frame drum, but also covers similar traditions
from other primal cultures around the world.
I didn't find much in this book that I hadn't come across elsewhere;
yet perhaps nowhere else have I seen such a wealth of information
and insight specific to the use of the sacred drum for contemporary
shamanic and healing uses.
Included are step-by-step exercises, analysis of different beats
and tempos, and chapters on cosmology, journeying, power practice,
and healing the earth. Recommended to anyone seeking to connect
deeply with the drum as a tool for personal, interpersonal, or
group spiritual and healing work.
website link
Unidentified Flying Objects: Starcraft--Der
Voron
http://www.publishamerica.com
Starcraft has a lot of interesting material thrown together:
this sums up my reaction to the book. Aimed at "UFO beginners,"
thought-provoking questions are raised and intriguing evidence
is presented (from an array of sources of inconsistent reliability)
for the long-term presence of alien intelligent life on earth.
Unfortunately, the material is unprofessionally written and poorly
organized. There is no central principle or conclusion, except
that we are not--and have not been for a very long time--alone.
Some of most captivating evidence concerns areas showing apparent
ancient nuclear blast damage, in a number of archaeological sites
from Scotland to the Sahara. Other chapters (in no particular
order in the book) cover UFO sightings and crashes, extraterrestrial
technology (the most poorly documented), biological/genetic engineering
of humans, and secret US government research on alien starcraft.
If you are not already convinced of the existence of starcraft
on earth, this book is unlikely to do it for you. But it might
open your eyes to some startling "facts" to ponder.
Looking for the Summer--Robert W. Norris
http://www2.gol.com/users/norris/
Bob Norris tells a riveting true-to-life story of the Vietnam
era and its aftermath. A young man has a high draft number, joins
the Air Force, and then serves a year in military prison rather
than going to war. This archetypal predicament serves as background
for the adventures related here, beginning in Paris and extending
to Germany, Afghanistan and India. David Thompson has left the
U.S. and is seeking a broader vision, finding in the world around
him and within himself the inspiration to write. Along the way
he finds friendship and support by a number of other interesting
characters, who accompany him in a journey of discovery. Physical
danger and political intrigue are part of the bargain, but these
he survives until the final revelations he receives in the squalor
of India. Finally he is able to come to terms with his own private
demons, his estranged father, his homeland, the past.
The book is entertaining, fast-paced, and well-written. The language
is fresh and smooth, the characters are alive, the scenery vivid.
We are able to identify with Mr. Thompson (presumably Norris)
through his struggles to find meaning and peace in his self-exile.
Mr. Norris has given us an apt and representative portrait of
a generation.
<back
to top>
Gem's Story: The Spiritual Journey Of A Shy
Girl And A Perfect Monk --Joost Boekhoven
http://www.gemstories.com
I particularly enjoyed having this ebook along, efficiently packed
inside a 12-oz mini-computer, during a recent walking journey
through Spain and Portugal. The journey of an unusual young girl
in the company of a wandering monk was evocative of some of the
same truths my partner and I were discovering. The simple style
made for refreshing and easy reading, and also was good for reading
aloud. Yet reading aloud raised the question of how different
the two main characters' voices are--not very. They seem in fact
to become more similar as the story progresses; but perhaps this
is intentional, as the connection between the characters increases.
The text reads like journal entries...yet its place in the action
is more like interior thought...yet dialogue and conventional
narration is included, too. Somehow it all works, anyway, as the
central theme is certainly gripping and allows the story to carry
our interest despite stylistic questions or minor flaws. The overall
effect is of a cartoon or comic-book type presentation: a fable,
a parable, a fairy-tale, using simple word pictures and captions
to carry the story forward. The stark lack of detail in physical
and cultural setting is not necessarily a fault, as prominence
is thereby given to the narrative device of the two alternating
voice-tracks.
The ending seemed to me too abrupt, summarized. The revelations
and spiritual lessons in the second half weren't new, though at
times they were presented as if they were. And after following
both characters through their learning about the oneness of God's
all-present manifestation, I found the monastic conclusion rather
sterile. Still, it's a captivating love story with unusual spiritual
depths, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to explore
the ways in which love and wisdom might conspire.
<back
to top>
Enlightenment in Our Time: The Perennial
Wisdom in the New Millennium--Lonny J. Brown, Ph.D.
http://www.BookLocker.com/bookpages/lonnybrown01.html
http://www.holistic.com/lonny
This is a book I personally had trouble reading; but it might
be just the right book for another spiritual seeker. My problem
was that I found nothing new in it. I had already been exposed
to the ideas and philosophies and wisdom teachings so thoroughly
described and collected here. Truly, however, Mr. Brown has done
a remarkable job in bringing under one roof the many teachings,
practices, questions, and insights that any quest for wisdom must
encounter.
In the matter of style I was also disappointed, finding quotes
and second-hand knowledge substituting for original thinking.
By contrast I think in this regard of a truly fresh and original
treatment of spiritual awakening, Satyam Nadeen's From
Onions to Pearls: A Journey of Awakening and Deliverance;
another is Eckhard Tolle's The
Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment.
In my opinion, the shining jewel in this volume is a guided
visualization through the path of the seven chakras. I found
Dr. Brown's elucidation of these energy centers comprehensive
and vivid.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend Dr. Brown's compendium
to anyone coming relatively new upon the landscape of alternative
spirituality. For more seasoned inner travelers, however, I would
recommend looking elsewhere for a stimulating read.
<back
to top>
Conjuring Maud--Philip Danze
Philip Danze's first novel is a dazzling descent into a heart
of darkness, while also an enchanting tale of an unusual romance.
The vivid imagery and taut narrative carried my interest solidly
to the end. Danze gives us a simple yet unique love story in an
unforgettable setting in equatorial West Africa in the early part
of the twentieth century. A recommended read--scheduled for print
release in October 2001 by GreyCore
Press.
Mother of All--Richard Schiffman
Richard Schiffman has written an entertaining and illuminating
portrait of one of India's lesser known saints: a woman who earned
by her exemplary spiritual depth the name, "Mother of All."
A humble housewife in the tiny village of Jillellamudi, "Mother"
ministers to all and sundry with the same self-effacing yet all-powerful
message of simplicity, identifying with, and manifesting without
effort, the undiscriminating grace of the mothering cosmos.
Schiffman writes both from his first-hand experience with the
Mother and, in top-notch story-telling style, of Mother's early
years on her somewhat miraculous path to public fame. His elucidations
of the Mother's message of wholeness are at times repetitive and
lengthy, but always well-articulated and clear. The book concludes
with the memorable sayings of the Mother herself, who passed from
her earthly sojourn in 1985.
Cougar WebWorks 
Learn djembe and dundun rhythms the easy way
