Product Description
Singing sensation and American Idol favorite David Archuleta tells his inspiring personal story. Includes full-color photos!

A runner-up on American Idol and successful music artist, David Archuleta was named one of the "breakout stars of 2008" by Forbes magazine and landed the number two spot on the Billboard charts.

In Chords of Strength David shares his unexpected and inspiring journey, including how he overcame vocal cord paralysis to achieve his dream of being a singer. He reveals insecurities he felt about his voice-before he realized that he loved the way singing made him feel more than he disliked the way he sounded. In this personal memoir, David opens up about the strength he draws from his unshakable faith and unyielding family. He pays tribute to those who continue to inspire him and through their example help him believe in himself, his talent, and his abilities.

Intimate and uplifting, Chords of Strength allows a unique glimpse of the man behind the music and offers hope to anyone with a passion and a dream. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

So very Archie
This book is so very Archie!It reads like he speaks.If you are a fan, you'll understand that statement.Good behind the scenes info on the Idol experience.Confirmation of David Archuleta's character, which is genuine and honest.

David Archuleta book review
This book arrived in good time and in excellent condition.Thanks to the seller!

I am also very pleased with the book although I have not read it yet.... Well presented.David Archuleta is an awesome vocalist... WE have seen him in person and his concert remains one of our very favorite.He is a sweetheart and extremely talented.LOVE his voice!

I couldn't put the book down.
I could hardly believe what I was reading came from him at 18 years of age.He is so smart, talented.He used words that I never have heard before.I am 53.This book really lifted me up.Its great.I especially hope a lot of teens read this.The faith that David has.He will always be a star. God put David in this world for some of us to learn from. Thanks David

A book mainly about his American Idol Journey
I'm a big David Archuleta fan, yet I wanted to know more about the man behind the music,so I bought this book. If you want to know him more as a person, this book would not help! I finished reading it tonight and I can tell you that the book is basically a detailed journey of him entering American Idol and then going on tour.He speaks of the trials and tribulations he faced while competing as an Idol contestant and how he gained self-belief through the support of God and his family. The first few chapters of the book are the only chapters which 'somewhat' focus on his personal-life. In the early chapters he talks about his family background and the what music means to his family. Then before you know it ,David begins his journey as a musician. Starting with 'star search' and finishing with american idol and his debut album. If you want to know more about the 'professional-life' of David Archuleta buy this book,because this is what it deals with-David the 'musician'.

Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance
I have read this book two times already and would go for the third time and each time I get more and more out of it. I have laughed and cried each time....I feel like David is right there talking and telling me, in his own words, his story. It is beautiful and very well written book and I'd say that everyone should take the time and read what this young man when though while he was on American Idol and especially during his young years overcoming vocal cord paralysis. David truly is an amazing singer. I have meet him and he is an amazing young man. A true role model for everyone, any age... ... Read more

Product Description
Modern psychology deals exclusively with personality, ignoring the dimensions of spirit and soul.This book provides ground-breaking theories and techniques for healing and self-realization.Topics covered include: the development of personal power and the functioning of the conscious and subconscious minds; unconditional self-love and the inner child; the Christ Consciousness and how to achieve it; physical immortality, and psychic self-defense. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

pitfall
This book is a pitfall, just like many others out there. The only reason I gave it one star is because perhaps it might be a good lesson, especially for people who like to think they are better than others, more spiritual and advanced.
If you follow the teachings of this book you are going to be stuck with your 'clearing procedures' forever. You will also provide a good feeding ground for all kinds of non-physical entities feeding on your energy and using your physical body for their own agendas.
Your ego is the best guidance and protection you are given in this reality, getting rid of it is opening yourself up to invasion.
Think well about the whole ascension concept, what really happens to you when you ascend, where do you go?
The best way for people to grow and learn is to trust their inner guidance. Go out in the nature, watch what's around you, use your senses and learn. Don't listen to 'big cats' trying to get your attention and distracting you.

Ascension
This book was suggested to me by P.R.DuBois. I am happy to say it has enanced my spiritual growth by leaps and bounds!

"...I must speak the truth."
The first couple of chapters of this book had some good reminders. In fact, the book is sprinkled with good thoughts and ideas. I was very glad to have found it in on my bookshelf this week.

It's not very well written, however. Whole chunks (multiple-paragraph chunks) are repeated a number of times in the book, ver batim. (I got it the first time.)

Stone talks about the importance of transcending the ego, yet his ego gets in the way a lot. He has a chapter of "Pitfalls and Traps on the Path to Ascension". He forgot one: Vanity in your spiritual achievement / superiority. It must be difficult to write a book like this with your ego on the side, but a good editor should have been able to help with this.

He also warns against being judgmental, yet he devotes a chapter--a long chapter--to ripping traditional therapy to shreds. He justifies his judgment as "wielding the sword of discernment". ("Psychiatry is a nitemare. I hate to be so blunt and don't mean to be critical; however, if I am going to wield the sword of discernment, I must speak the truth.") This was just the most blatant example of judgment.

Nevertheless, the book does have some thought provoking ideas and interesting techniques. You just have to work hard to get to them through the extra text. If this book had been properly edited (for repetition and ego, for example) the book would have been less than half as long, and easier to read. You might find it a worthwhile read, but be prepared to skim.

shows the obstacles many experience on their paths to God
I found this book to be a great help in showing me the many pitfalls people take in their path to self mastery. Shown from a perspective of mastery, it clearly explains how one can avoid and see through troubleareas in one's life and reach the calm depths of inner peace. This is abook of transpersonal psychology. It will give you many tools and exercisesfor you to use throughout your day that will help bring you levels ofrefinement quickly. ... Read more

Product Description

David Ritz presents his uniquely candid and and intimate account of the tumultuous life of the Prince of Soul music, Marvin Gaye.

Author Ritz has assembled years of conversations and interviews from his life as a close friend and lyricist to the gifted Soul sensation, and tells the Marvin Gaye story with fly-on-the-wall accuracy and detail. From his early years as an abused child in the slums of Washington DC, through his rise to the very peaks of the Motown phenomenon, his fall from grace and subsequent comeback, to his untimely death at the hands of his father, Marvin's story is the stuff of legends. The cast of characters includes the Jacksons, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and countless other icons of the world of soul music.

The definitive biography of an enormously gifted and sensitive musician.

Product Description
In this groundbreaking book, David H. Rosen, M.D., offers depressed individuals, their families, and therapists a lifesaving course in healing the soul through creativity. This is a book about transforming depression and its powerful pull toward suicide into a meaningful alternative. In Transforming Depression, Dr. Rosen applies Carl Jung's method of active imagination to treating depressed and suicidal individuals. Having dealt with depression in his own life and the suicides of loved ones, Dr. Rosen shows that when people learn to confront the rich images and symbols that emerge from their struggles, they can turn their despair into a fountain of creative energy. He details the paths of four patients whose work in painting, pottery, and dance - in conjunction with psychotherapy - led them from depression to a more meaningful life. Their dramatic paintings illustrate the text.Part One presents an overview of the biological, psychological, sociological, and spiritual factors involved in the diagnosis of depression.Part Two provides a new therapeutic approach to treating depression, focusing on the symbolic death and rebirth of the ego (ego-cide) as an alternative to suicide.Part Three presents in-depth case studies from Dr. Rosen's practice.Part Four discusses how we can recognize crisis points and how creativity can transform depression. The author pays particular attention to the problem of teen suicide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Personal Egocide & Transformation
This book as an incredible insight and guide into egocide and personal growth. It's a book I am privileged to read. I highly recommend it for young and old. I shall treasure this book and keep it in my shelves for a long time for myself and others.

I know very few people who haven't had at least one great personal loss or difficulty in their life. Even more disabling, when the event freezes one image of 'self and personal growth' in that trauma for many years to come, resulting in `arrested personal development'.

Rosen's book helps put such personal losses and challenges into perspective and provides a resolution path through egocide and transformation where one loses old destructive personas or egos and achieve individuation towards a new, truer and healthier self.

Creative understanding of depression
This is a must read for all who have struggled with depression. Dr. Rosen helps us understand depression and different ways of healing. He examines the motivations to live and the transformations that must take place. The four studies given in part three are amazing journeys to read.

Absolutely Wonderful
This book was absolutely wonderful to see.I got it and couldn't put it down.I have lived with depression for many years and been diagnosed for 3 years.I read this book and found it very helpful.I am a poet during mydepressive and non-depressive stages (not a very good one, but a poetnonetheless), and I think it is a wonderful approach that seems not to betaken very seriously.The pictures included in the book speak to me aswell.I also do many collages, and they seem to help.If you want a goodbook, I recommend this one.

Four case studies of patients recovering from depression
Dr. Rosen provides a beautiful illustration of four patients' paths fromdepression to health. The four case studies reveal how Rosen encourages hisdepressed patients to express and experience themselves through creativearts-painting, dance, and pottery-during their courses of traditionalJungian psychotherapy. In the end, all four patients discover that life isa meaningful alternative to suicide.

Transforming Depression falls shortwith regard to its practical usefulness in treating a growing problem inour population (although the author doesn't make a claim that he intendsthis to be a part of his work). Dr. Rosen's innovative approach asdescribed, requires highly trained, narrowly focused specialists-whichtranslates to highly paid therapists whose services and skills areinaccessible to most people. It's a beautify theory, but hardly somethingwhich might be useful to solving a serious public health problem. ... Read more

Product Description
Many who embark on a spiritual quest discover that the people they meet along the way ultimately point them back home, into the very soul of the religious tradition they had left behind. So it was with David Zeller, whose spiritual odyssey took him across the globe, through traditions including Zen Buddhism and Hinduism, and into relationship with some of the world's most compelling spiritual teachers.

Thoughtful and endearing, provocative and witty, Zeller's delightful stories recall his meetings with the likes ofCarl Jung, Shlomo Carlebach, Alan Watts, Sri Pad Baba, the "Mother" (Sri Aurobindo Ashram), Carlos Castaneda and many others, well known and unknown--and the experiences and teachings that ultimately allowed him to rediscover his own spiritual heritage.

From the stimulating days of California's Bay Area in the 1960s, to a kibbutz in Israel, to the time he spent as a sadhu in India living outdoors and bathing in rivers, these stories of Zeller's spiritual adventures remind us all that even the most meandering path can, in the end, bring us to our true spiritual home. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This is an unimaginably sweet and real book...
I totally loved it!!!!

Having lived a very similar life my jaw dropped when I read it.


It's a really important book for anyone investigating the real spiritual quest.

I really regret that I never had a chance to meet Rabbi Zeller!!!!



Ephraim Jeffrey Geltman

A 'heilegen' life- story
There are many different ways of telling a life- story.One is through encounters or meetings with significant others, often teachers. This is the method David Zeller chooses to relate his quest for deeper spiritual understanding.
The child of a Jungian therapist he at an early age initiated a meeting with Jung. And Western psychology Carl Rogers, Maslow remain a part of his background. But the greatest part of his quest and his focus is on remarkable, non- conventional spiritual teachers. And these he meets in abundance especially in his wanderings in India. Among the teachers he meets are Sai Baba, Sri Pad, Swami Hariharananda. These teachers are tremendouslyinfluential, but the single great teacher , guru , master, Rebbe of Zeller's life is the heilegen Reb Shlomo Carlebach.
Carlebach more than any other teacher puts Zeller in touch with his own Jewishness. And the meeting with Reb Shlomo is decisive in Zeller's spiritual path. Reb Shlomo is the 'mesader Kedushin' at Zeller's marriage to his wife Elana. It is Elana, the mother of Zeller's first three children, who makes the decision to move the family to the religious community of Efrat in Israel. Elanadeath from cancer is the most painful part of this book.
In a chapter subtitled 'Life After Death' Zeller movingly tells of his meeting Hannah- Sara, who would restore his soul, and be the mother of his youngest- child.
This book has much for spiritual questing souls , both in its description of the characters he meets along the way, and Zeller's own spiritual development. And it is highly recommended on this basis.
Zeller is one of a remarkable group of pupils who were inspired by the great Reb Shlomo Carlebach. Among them was my own holy teacher, his master joker and humorist, the person who more than anyone else I have ever known could lift the soul of every person he meet, the great Reb Dovid Herzberg. He like Zeller was again one of the many remarkable souls who Reb Shlomo inspired and uplifted on their own spiritual paths.
May the light of these holy teachers shine more strongly in Israel , and for the redemption of all Mankind.
Amen.

... Read more

Product Description

American soul music of the 1960s is one of the most creative and influential musical forms of the twentieth century. With its merging of gospel, R&B, country, and blues, soul music succeeded in crossing over from African American culture into the general pop culture. Soul became the byword for the styles, attitudes, and dreams of an entire era.

Female performers were responsible for some of the most enduring and powerful contributions to the genre. All too frequently overlooked by the star-making critics, seven of these women are profiled in this book -Maxine Brown, Ruby Johnson, Denise LaSalle, Bettye LaVette, Barbara Mason, Carla Thomas, and Timi Yuro.

Getting started during the heyday of soul, each of these talented women had recording contracts and gave live performances to appreciative audiences. Their careers can be tracked through the popularity of soul during the 1960s and its decline in the 1970s. With humor, candor, pride, and honest recognition that their careers did not surge into the mainstream and gain superstardom, they recount individual stories of how they struggled for success.

Their oral histories as told to David Freeland address compelling issues, including racism and sexism within the music industry. They discuss their grueling hardships on the road, their conflicts with male managers, and the cutthroat competition in the recording business. As each singer examines her career with the author, she reveals the dreams, hopes, and desires on which she has built her professional life. All seven face up to the career swings, from the highs of releasing the first hit to the frustrating lows when the momentum stops.

Although the obstacles to stardom are heartbreaking, these singers are committed to their art. With determination and style these seven have pressed onward with club appearances and recordings. They survive through their savvy mix of talent, hubris, and honesty about their lives and their music.

David Freeland is an oral historian and artistic adviser of a performance series at Columbia University's Miller Theatre. He has been a guest lecturer at Columbia's School for Social Work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Ladies Of Soul
Seven great stories about the R&B ladies.Spans the 50's-70's with these woman & the story behind the screens.Great read.Seller A+.Quick delivery.

1 on every 10 men
The history of (soul) music has been predominantly the domain of men. Only the really exceptional women like Billie, Aretha and Diane Washington were mentioned among the greats.

This book is made up from different interviews with Ladies of Soul like Bettye LaVett, Maxine Brown but also Timi Yuro (white).

I haven't seen a book yet that gives so much attention to the female voices of soul and is therefore worth buying. It is also a very pleasant read.

AN EXCELLENT BOOK ON UNDERRATED SOUL SISTERS
David has written a compelling, honest and excellent tome on a diverse range of soul sisters some of whom have never received the mainstream recognition enjoyed by others.That he would take time out to track down Ruby Johnson and Timi Yuro and include such soulful divas as Bettye Lavette, Maxine Brown and Carla Thomas is to his eternal credit; I'm hopeful that there will be a follow-up since there are other women who deserve the kind of truth-telling treatment he offers.Bravo!

A very different, unusual account
David Freeland's Ladies Of Soul profiles the rise and fall of seven female performers of the 1960s. Maxine Brown, Ruby Johnson, Carla Thomas, Timi Yuro and others are revealed, from their struggles for success to issues involved in their music. A very different, unusual account.

very well concieved Book
a Book such as this Enlightens Many of Artists that didn't get a fair shake for Various Reasons.I got a chance to read this while also Reading David Nathen's Book on Diva's.this Book is very well Detailed&gives alot of Insight to many things.worth a checking into. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (56)

divided soul...indeed
This book is very interesting...and disturbing.Marvin grew up with far less than desirable surroundings.The dark side of Marvin never left him...so sad.

marvin gaye's divided soul book
excellent book. recommended for all marvin gaye fans and those who are looking for a little more insight into Motown records and Berry Gordy. Like going back with all the music listed.

Wow I didn't know
I didn't know that the song "Troubled Man" so accurately described Marvin Gaye. A musical genius, Marvin battled his demons his whole disturbed life. His own worst enemy. It's unfortunate when his self torture was what drove his greatest works. You never know what those you admire go through and this book gives you a look into the psyche of a legend. There's many things I didn't know about Marvin, and there's some things that part of me wishes I didn't know after reading this book. You have a romanticized view of people that you admire and when you realize that their human side doesn't match the fantasy sometimes you feel disappointed. Overall though I feel sadness more than disappointment. I'm sure he had some good times but you'll read this and wish he would help himself 1st and get out of his own way second. I still love and admire Marvin's music and have a greater appreciation for it knowing the pain it took to create it.

very good read
I really enjoyed reading this book. I read it in two days. It's a "must read" for any Marvin Gaye fan. It's sad to know the man who brought so much happiness to others through his music was so troubled with his life. Marvin Gaye was a musical genius and he is truly missed 25 years later.

a'Kihoro
Growing up with Motown, Marvin Gaye was(is) my favorite solo artist. Upon realizing the 25th anniversary of his death, I needed to hear lots of his music. Browsing the Amazon site, I discovered "Divided Soul." I immediately purchased the book and raced through it the first time. The second reading revealed most of what I missed in dialogue and the story, while upon my third reading I've discovered additional nuances of understanding in his life. Now, I've recommended the book to other fans including my own daughter. Marvin is linked to all of us in ways none of us could imagine, and though his life was tumultuous, he deeply engraved a mark in the history of music that will live on forever. ... Read more

Product Description
The Pop, Rock, and Soul Reader: Histories and Debates, Second Edition, traces the evolution of diverse streams of American popular music from the 1920s to the present. In this richly textured anthology, well-known scholar David Brackett brings together more than 100 readings from a wide range of sources and by writers who have played an integral part in the development of popular music criticism. Brackett includes articles from mainstream and specialized magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals, as well as interviews and autobiographies of musicians and other music industry insiders. Organized into broad time periods, the chapters are divided into sections by genre, and these sections are organized chronologically. The chapter divisions parallel those found most frequently in textbooks on popular music.
Representing a wide variety of time periods, styles, and genres--and including groundbreaking criticism on disco, hip-hop, rap, and techno--the selections introduce students to important social and cultural issues raised by the study of popular music. Topics covered include the role of race, class conflict, gender roles, regional differences in the reception of popular music, and the relative value of artistry versus commerce. Extensive editorial introductions and headnotes supply context for the selections, provide links between different eras and genres, clarify the issues raised by the documents, and explain their historical significance. The second edition of this captivating anthology features eleven new source readings and introductions, further reading and discography selections for each chapter, and a companion website containing student and instructor resources. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great Shape
Book in great shape, but never received a "shipped" confirmation and could not follow the delivery time.

Hard to Beat
This book does a shockingly good job of covering the whole 20th century in music.If there's one gap that could be filled, I wish the author had added more of himself. Choosing to view his task as being more of an editor than an author, he provides a minimum of connective material, just enough to tie things together.Tell us more, David!

Pop, Rock and Soul Reader
This book arrived on time and was in good condition. It was cheap to get which is a blessing for a college student.

A nice round-up of articles on rock history
I'm using this book for a Social History of Rock and Roll class, and it's an incredibly easy read without being dumb. The subject matter is complex, but it's done in a way that's presented with a good setup to give you the proper background and context for each article and why it's important. We're skipping around for the class, but I'll be putting this book on my nightstand/in my house for quick 10-min reads. Superb collection. ... Read more

Product Description

Can couples realistically hope to become soul mates? Can they learn to create deeply intimate relationships? David and Lisa Frisbie review up–to–date studies showing that marriage is still the best environment for couples to enjoy health, happiness, and more. This informative and entertaining guide reveals practical steps for developing spiritual intimacy through practices like these:

• tapping into the unifying power of prayer
• creating a safe haven by removing masks and living transparently
• admitting mistakes and extending forgiveness
• facing sorrow, disappointment, and loss as a team
• growing together through many seasons and years

Readers will be inspired by the Frisbies’ interviews with several couples who have developed long–term, highly successfulrelationships. Husbands and wives will find new motivation and resources to lead them on their spiritual journey of becoming one.

Customer Reviews (5)

Our Small Group Loves This Book!
Our young-married small group loves this book! We've been laughing our way through it, and learning while laughing.

For one thing, this book hits us right where we live --- It's like these authors have been following us around, taping our kitchen conversations on a Flip video recorder. Wow! How do they know these things???

This is first book we've studied where everyone actually does their homework. Everyone does their reading, because the book is so readable and so interesting.

We are laughing and learning here!

Good from a Conservative Christian Perspective
This book opens in an informative manner that can draw in readers from almost any spiritual background. However, the author becomes increasingly heavy-handed in his use of teachings from his conservative Christian perspective, which employs an Old-Testament view of God. If readers from other traditions can translate these teachings into their own spiritual language, the book can be helpful for mending a marriage. His view that Transparency and Vulnerability are important for any marriage to thrive is right on.

These authors put the "soul"back into soul mate marriages
Every now and then a book will grab you from the first page. It will quicken within you a hope or create a bubble of excitement. You can't wait to read more. And, on a very rare occasion, this book will even be non-fiction. The Soul-Mate Marriage is just one of those books for me.

I've read marriage books that promise results. Some of them have delivered. I've read about how to properly feed and care for my husband. Excellent information. I've read marriage books that teach me how my brain works (I'm both Venusian and Spaghetti, or so they say). I do love to read books that encourage me in this dance called marriage. I find it highly valuable to cultivate what is arguably one of the most important relationships I will have. And STILL, after years of reading these marriage-building books, I found one with different information that I will be quoting for years to come.

Building upon the theory that every marriage relationship needs more TV--Transparency and Vulnerability (sorry guys!)-- The Soul-Mate Marriage encourages deeper, more fulfilling marriages. They use humor, real-life stories, and their experience as marriage counselors to teach us how to make our marriages great (not just "pretty good"). This book does attempt to speak to readers right where they are so there are portions that may not apply to all readers (if you've already chosen a spouse, I suggest you not go looking for another using their how-to-choose-a-spouse methods, for example). However, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this book to anyone and everyone looking to improve their marriages. After all, who doesn't want to be the marriage that everyone else envies?

Armchair Interviews says: Excellent resource for couples and singles from this couple.

FIREPROOF Your Marriage: Next Steps after The Love Dare
If you've seen the new "FireProof" movie and taken "The Love Dare," here's the next step for your relationship, from veteran family counselors Dr. David & Lisa Frisbie.

So readable --- I couldn't put it down --- I was caught up from the very first story of the young parents fighting at the counselor's office. WOW.

This is a hugely readable book; give it as a gift and someone will thank you for it --- because they'll actually read it! This book won't get dusty on a bookshelf or a coffee table somewhere.

I bought this book at a megachurch in Southern California where the authors are frequent speakers and presenters. I've attended several of their marriage workshops and they're the same in person as they are in these pages: positive, encouraging, funny...and filled with hope.

Isn't there enough depressing news about marriage these days? Here's exactly the opposite: step-by-step encouragement about how to take your relationship to a closer, stronger, more intimate, more satisfying place.

Lauren Hodge
Apple Valley, California

REAL HELP: Not Available Anywhere Else
Let's face it: most marriage books tell you to communicate better, learn how to fight fair, and go on date nights more often. Haven't we read this stuff in dozens (hundreds?) of books so far?

HERE'S SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. This new book by family counselors and authors Dr. David & Lisa Frisbie talks about things NO OTHER MARRIAGE BOOK has ever talked about. There are topics, ideas and concepts here that I have not seen, heard about, or read in any other published book.

This book focuses on how to "go deep" in a relationship. So you can forget about date nights and love languages (valid ideas, but they are widely available elsewhere). Instead, this book shows you how to begin right where you are --- and build spiritual and emotional intimacy into your marriage relationship.

The chapter on "Busting the Ghosts" (dealing with past sexual relationships) is among the best sections of the book. So clear, so helpful and so very needed in today's world where many of us marry after having had one or more previous sexual partners.

This book amazed me and I'm not easy to amaze. I was among a handful of readers who were given sample chapters while the book was being written, so that we could offer feedback and criticism. (The authors told me they sent sample chapters to more than two dozen married adults in their 20's, 30's and 40's for input, feedback, and criticism.)

I don't know if my reading and input made any difference in the final form of this book, but here's what I do know --- THIS MATERIAL IS NOT IN OTHER BOOKS. This is clear and simple: REAL HELP. It is not available anywhere else that I've seen.

Barbara Sheldon, M.S.W.
I also recommend: Fireproof Your Marriage: Couples with Book(s) and DVD ... Read more

Product Description
GOD, GIVE ME THE STRENGTH TO WRITE.IT IS POWERFUL.IT IS TRUE.SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, WILL LISTEN.

I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.I followed a path that always seemedclear, but that in reality was unseen.The path led me here...and now I must stray.Remain until my judgment.My body can travel on, and I can still laugh, but I cannot clear the dust from my feet.I may regret, but cannot repay in this life.If I still live, someday I will try.All that I now can do is write, write in agony for all who travel this way.They will not heed, but at least they will know where they are when they reach these flat lands.You see, there are no more hills to hide behind.I have flattened them all.

Danny is dead - who is speaking?

Danny's spirit.

The mind must 'die' before the spirit can live.

About a boy, written by himself and seen in the writing.

So wrote eighteen-year-old David Schwimmer in the waning months of his life.And all during his seventeen years David also brilliantly recorded - in his journals, poems, and stories - his agonizing struggles with his soul over his psychological and sexual dilemmas.

Through his journals, we also see David strive to become a writer, a long distance runner, an outdoorsman and a friend.We are with him as he begins toexperience his sexuality an we watch his spirituality flower beside it.We observe him wrestling with personal relationships in high school and college, see his efforts to question and direct his body, mind, and spirit, carefully nurturing his own conception of himself, while attempting to deal with his inner problems. We watch him work at practicing unconditional love.

This record of David's inner life has been compiled and edited by David' s father, George Schwimmer, Ph. D.It is a ritual journey through the mind and soul of David, in which David tries to search out who he is and why he is on Earth.This is the fundamental search that all human beings undertake during their life, to discover who they really are.Everyone who has read David's journals describes David's writing as deeply moving, touching all who experience it. ... Read more

Product Description

Is "Chicken SOup" Too Sweet for Your Soul?

When you take the road less traveled, do you get lost? When bad things happen to other people, do you feel good? Do self-help books make you feel selfish and helpless? Congratulations, you're one of us. Welcome to the farthest side of reality -- and the first collection of stories sure to harden your heart and dampen your spirit.

Chicken Poop for the Soul

Here is the story of "Step-Mother Teresa" who turned an orphanage in Calcutta into a sweatshop...and "The True Meaning of Love," romance as seen from a stalker's point of view. Explore the positive side of feeling bad in "The Joys of Depression." Learn the code of the urban teacher who vows "I will never respond to a student's demands, no matter how outrageous, with the phase 'Over my dead body.'" Read the multimillion-dollar government study that discovered that the primary cause of anxiety in America is government studies. And, finally, learn the true secret of happiness.

Ruthlessly hilarious, this is the world's first "sinspirational" book, a guide absolutley guaranteed never to be a selection of Oprah's Book Club. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Just a Pun. Not Fun.
I bought this book because of the title alone.Who wouldn't?It's a great pun on the "soul" books, unfortunately actual chicken poop is probably more exciting than this garbage.Most of the stories are based on the same ironic and unfortunate events that sort of all have the same motive...someone ends up in the hospital with a life threatening illness just before he should go to prison for a crime he committed, a business man or child misses out on that "special moment in life" just before their business fails or they die.People decide to be mean to each other because it makes them feel good.

As you can see, it is indeed quite a stretch.And most of the stories are not funny.They are just bland.I almost wanted to throw the book down several times, but suffered through the entire thing.There are maybe four or five stories in it that are clever enough to retell or remember, but the rest is...for lack of a better word...crap.

There are also fillers such as poems and famous quotes from political figures which really have nothing to do with the premise of the book.They are just useless page fillers. Dig deep in this mess if you are looking for something funny, but it'll still be a waste of time.Watching chickens scratch in the dirt is just about as entertaining. Clever idea, but in the end, all the author had was a title.No concept and poor execution.

FUNNY!
For those of you down in the dumps, this is a good book to look at and poke fun at yourself and your problems.I gave this as a tongue-in-cheek book, and the results were hilarious.

Not thick enough to stop a bullet, but just enough to read
I got this book as a gift in June.I had suffered an accident while unloading a truck.A huge printer slipped and fell onto my leg, which put me into the hospital for about a week while I had a few operations done.I washoping this book would help me pass the time, but the dark heart that wrote this shed no light upon the world and only continued to showcase all that is wrong in the world.I was hoping it would be a little bit uplifting, but it's not, and to top it off, it's not funny either.The title is witty, but that's where the inventiveness stopped with this book.Don't waste your money.

Terribly lacking in humor, writing skill, and planning...
The stories in this book were advertised as being incredibly funny but they AREN'T. The only funny part was the title of this book. This could have been such a funny and entertaining read if it weren't for the poor planning and lousy writing skills. The writer is lacking in the most important area of all and that's called "talent". This book gets a big fat "F". It's a safe wager to make that the author, Mr. Fisher, also got "F's" on his What I Did On My Summer Vacation essays in school.

Isn't it funny how the positive reviews come from "A READER" and not Amazon certified "REAL NAME"? That certainly says it all. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!

Lame
Save your money and don't buy this one. It is not in the least funny and I can't believe this even got published. ... Read more

Product Description
A support group you can hold in your hand, this loving and inspirational collection of intimate stories,by cancer patients and their loved ones, medical professionals, clergy and friends, is a must-read for anyone affected by cancer. Writers shsre all their experiences-from the diagnosis, to breaking the news to loved ones, to discussing the effect on home, school and work, from securing a medical team to living through an ever changing self-image, from the embarrassment of losing hair to discovering a new spirituality.

A bonus book, a no-holds-barred memoir by cancer patient Elizabeth Bayer,is bound into this volume, after the full-length Chicken Soup for the Soul book.

  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great book!
I purchased this book as a gift for my mother after she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.My mother is a strong woman, and she tried to cover up her fear after she was diagnosed.When I gave her this book, it brought tears to her eyes. After reading for a few days, she told me that the book helped her understand what her treatment would be like and what she could expect in the future.She was so encouraged by the personal testimonies in this book and it helped her confront her fears.I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for hope, encouragement, and insight on cancer and how it affects our lives.

Chicken Soup book
As a three-time survivor of cancer, a friend gave me this book.I enjoyed it so much that I passed it on to another friend.Now I needed a new book for a terminal patient since I no longer had a co py.I know he will profit also from reading it.

At Ease
There is a major theme that runs through everyones personal story .
No matter whatthe aspect there is a continual nervous feeling,no matter how brave the individual. This collection is compiled in in such a positive way that all the persons involved with their cancer and circumstances are similar.My cancer too.
Reading it at first was difficult but after the first few stories a sense of ease set in and they became meaningful.
As a person who generally avoids such books I did not put this one down. My thanks to my friend who turned me on to it.
Jeffrey Toplin

A lens called cancer
Even if you don't have cancer, you know someone who does.How can you understand them? Help them?Be the friend they need?You can start by reading this book and understanding what life looks like when viewed through the lens called cancer.

And lest you think that the book is full of morose and morbid stories, please know that this book will make you laugh and smile as much as it will make you cry; cancer seems to brings out an extraordinary range of emotions.

Understand this disease and understand better the people you love who face this disease.Read the The Cancer Book.

It Takes A Courageous Village
I wish I was courageous as the people in this book. I am not. It was hard to read. But it takes more courage to write about it as these folks do. And much more than that, is just to face it straight up. All the while not knowing if the outcome would be in one's favor. That can make for an adventurous tale. And unlike a patient, a reader is rewarded for facing it. Because at the end we will find uplight, or tears.
Any book that makes you laugh and cry is wondrous indeed.
But it is the different depths of love that are revealed in this one.
Thank you for this worthy book.
As the youth say, love ya! ... Read more

Product Description

If it looks like it. Smells like it. And makes you laugh like it. It must be...

Chicken Poop for the Soul II
More Droppings

Sick of feel-good anecdotes...or just plain sick? Either way you'll love this hilarious collection of fifty "sinspirational" stories that will tarnish your heart and fill your soup bowl with castor oil.

Here is "The Incredible Journey of Little Tiger," a lost dog who will find his way home if it kills him -- or his master...and "A 'Poor' Movie," Hollywood's multimillion-dollar epic on poverty. Explore "The Incredible Similarities Between Abraham Lincoln and Jim Carrey"...and learn why "The Shape of Advertising" fills out a bikini. Read how one whiff can trigger bitterness in "A Scents Memory"...and why "A Cat's Eye View of Dogs" will make Rover play dead forever. And finally, learn how "Finding the Good in People" can work to your selfish advantage.

Outrageously funny and downright cynical, these fowl tales will have you clucking and chuckling...till it's your turn to buy the farm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

This book smells like poop
Sorry, just don't think it is that funny. Don't waste your time.

Good Bathroom Reading -- really
Some cute, some not so cute little stories with a twist of humour.Not good for much, excecpt . . .

poop is funny!
poop is funny!only weird thing bout it is that it is a spoof.the book is funny!the gooseflumps reminded me of this book!

Good idea gone inane
The title is the best part of this book. The stuff inside isn't as funnyas you might hope. May be good for a snicker, but you're not likely toguffaw. ... Read more

Product Description
Explores the unacknowledged psychological element in Maimonides' work, one which prefigures the latter insights of Freud. ... Read more

Product Description
Many people are familiar with the Enneagram, a description of personality types. Many are increasingly familiar with Essence, meaning qualities of being, a rapidly developing field in modern psychology. The 9 Dimensions ofSoul is the first book to relate the two, understanding the personality types of the Enneagram in relation to the Essence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

concise, original, clear
I've read alot of enneagram books, but this book definetly one of my favorites, precise, clear, and finally an enneagram book that did not repeat the usual material on types but offered original thoughts on presence, spirtual/psychological growth and the enneagram: recomend highly

The 9 Dimensions of the Soul
I first learned about enneagram in a psychology course that I took. This ancient personality typing essentially places all people within nine personality categories. There are a number of parallels that relate to the results such as archetypes, specific personality traits, important incidents in childhood, colors, passions, and fixations. It's really quite fascinating.

With that said, the most interesting thing about enneagram is its accuracy. I have never seen a more accurate description, chillingly so. Used for personal understanding of the self and personal growth, it is an amazing tool.

When I saw The 9 Dimensions of the Soul, I had to have it. This book does a very good job of presenting the various aspects of the original enneagram system. Then, the author adds an additional layer to this information through connecting particular essences to each personality type. This only strengthens the potential use of this system as a means for self understanding.

A beautiful book on the enneagram!
Having lived and worked with the enneagram for a number of years, this beautiful book has added so much and inspired me in my own process and in my work. I strongly recommend it to you who want to grow and you who want to know.

Review from Ginger Lapid-Bogda
David Hey has written a simple, profound, and important book for helping us understand the Enneagram. With clarity and precision, he has taken this often hard-to-understand aspect of the Enneagram -- the Essence in each of us and how this relates to our Enneagram type and our search for meaning -- and made it available in a form that reads like poetry. As an Enneagram author myself (Bringing Out the Best in Yourself at Work" and "What Type of Leader Are You?"),I understand the challenges involved in taking this sometimes compex material and putting it into a form that others can readily understand and use. David has risen to this challenge.

New Dimensions of the Soul
The Enneagram and the teachings of Gurdjieff I have found to be too arcane for the casual reader. Hey's book The 9 Dimensions of the Soul provides an entertaining and informative analysis of some of this difficult material. As you read this book it is impossible not to begin to see how the enneagram applies to our own actions and everyone we deal with in our lives. This book also gives insight on why we behave the way we do. What I also found both useful and fascinating is how these profiles can be applied to the collective and how we work together. I would recommend this book to anyone who has seen a pattern in their own behavior. ... Read more

Product Description
151 Inspirational Reflections to help you rise above life's intimate challenges.Has love for yourself, or a life partner, been elusive? Have you ever felt lost in your own existence, unable to truly accept who you are? Are you living a life that lacks inner peace? Well, take heart, you are not alone. Like everyone else, David Essel struggles with these same issues and along his path has uncovered some revelations that will help you to feel again, leading you one step closer to true love and inner peace. Reading a reflection or two a day will allow you to connect even deeper to all that you are.SEARCH. GROW. LOVE. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Straight to the heart and soul
Hi David, I finished your book tonight and I must say it really hit my soul, deep. Parts of it made me cry like a baby, I mean sob. It was like looking in a mirror at my own soul. You are such a wonderful person David.... You have helped me in ways you don't even know. It's made me look at myself and the wall I've built up for years. Your book has made me see things I couldn't before, things I was afraid to see. I thank you for writing it all out in words. Your words come from my heart and soul. Sincerly w/ love Mona L :)

A journey to inner peace
As you look into "Phoenix Soul" you will see a reflection of David Essel's journey during a difficult time in his life. Each step of the way is documented in 151 Inspirational reflections.

These poems and streams of thought mirror David's pain, frustrations, challenges, loneliness, joy, loss, growth, expectations, fear, and desire for answers and personal fulfillment.

His words are at times a guide to awareness (Spectators In Our Life), at times a story of his past experiences (My Experience with You), and then often a revelation of a secret in life (The Key to Life).

The book is divided into three sections. At the beginning of each section, David gives us an insight into the meaning of each chapter.

Within "Searching" we find writings to encourage using personal experiences as a powerful tool to increase learning from awareness. This collection reveals the inner conflicts of the soul. "Growing" explains the concept of becoming more aware in order to grow as a person. In "Loving" we are encouraged to love unconditionally and to take the risk of loving. In this last section there is some delicious imagery and we are encouraged to seek out our inner child.

I loved "Loving You, Loving Me," a beautiful yet profound poem/lesson in how when we love others we are in fact giving ourselves the gift of love.

Through his words, he also addresses issues of self-hate, hiding our true feelings, judging others, understanding differences, hope for the future, healing, loss, patience, renewal, acceptance, respect, friendship, caring, trust in a higher power and the interconnectedness of all life.

The title "Phoenix Soul" comes from the story told by many cultures. "Phoenix is the Greek word for dark red or purple. The Phoenix bird is a symbol of hope and immortality. Through the ages it has meant many things to many religions and cultures. In ancient mythology is it associated with a bird which lives in Arabia, near a cool well.

Every morning the sun god was said to stop his chariot to listen to the bird sing. The splendid red and gold plumage has also given it the name of "The Fire Bird." Only one Phoenix bird is said to exist at a time.

When the bird felt its death was near (every 500 or more years), it would build a nest of incense (cinnamon, spikenard and myrrh) twigs. This was then ignited by the sun and fanned by its own wings. A new Phoenix bird then rises up from the ashes. "The Phoenix Bird" by Hans Christian Andersen in 1850 is well worth a read and tells a similar story.

To David, the bird's anguish and rebirth are symbolic of how we can be vulnerable, heal and rise again to the next challenge. The crucial message of his work is that out of the depths of despair can emerge a new life, a life stronger than before.

~The Rebecca Review

A treasure that can be found in everyone's soul.
Walt Whitman wrote,"Without effort and without exposing in the least how it is done the greatest poet brings the spirit of any or all events and passions and scenes and persons some more and some less to bear on yourindividual character as you hear or read."David Essel hasaccomplished this in his writings.I felt a connection with this man thatso bravely and openly shared his experiences of life, through letters on apage, that became words, that became sentences, that transformed into myown life experiences. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I know that allwho read this, men and women alike, will be touched in a profound way.

Phoenix Soul Embraces the Whole of Human Experience
In reading this rich and rewarding book of reflections, I learned more about myself.Throughout the book, the author teaches us to stand mindfully in the totality of the human experience.Whether in pain ortriumph, we all have lessons to learn through our experiences.David leadsus deeply into his own world and we find out how his quest forself-discovery parallels our own.Reading his words, I saw myself, I sawmy peers, and I began to understand how none of us are alone in ourfeelings.The book is divided into three sections:Searching, Growing,and Loving.Each section contains reflections that demonstrate how throughpatience, love, and the power of belief, we can rise like the Phoenixthrough any difficult circumstance.David opens himself up to the world,and makes it safe for us to feel, to experience, and to participate.I'mbetter for having read this material, and I highly recommend it to men andwomen alike.

An inspiring work of hope
I'm so glad I took the time to buy Phoenix Soul and read it. I really enjoy how the work is presented in poetry-and I don't normally like poetry all that much. I think what won me over was the introduction that waspresented before the poems. It gave the work increasedmeaning-understanding where the writer is coming from instead of justtrying to figure it out for yourself and relating those feelings withexperiences that I've had-producing empathy which is a gift that in mymind, has no price. The experiences that the author has had seem to reflectsome of the feelings that I have experienced throughout life and coming toconclusions that help to inspire.

In that the author has felt feelingsthat I feel makes the experience of reading Phoenix Soul so much moresignificant and important. My favorite poem was "It Matters". I didn't findthe work dark at all-but more as moving towards a lighter place where youwant to be. I enjoyed Phoenix Soul very much. ... Read more

Product Description
In a letter to David Gurewitsch, Eleanor Roosevelt's personal physician and friend during the last fifteen years of her life, Mrs. Roosevelt wrote, "Above all others, you are the one to whom my heart is tied...." This defines the intense relationship between Eleanor Roosevelt and David Gurewitsch-- friends who often traveled and entertained together and eventually, after his marriage to Edna Perkel, bought and shared a town house in Manhattan.

Their private friendship, a companionship they both treasured, has always intrigued historians, but not much was known about it. David kept diaries and took thousands of photographs, but he never publicly discussed their time together. Now, for the first time, his wife, Edna, has decided to reveal their story and hers after she married into their complicated relationship. Reading David's diaries and the hundreds of letters that he and Mrs. Roosevelt exchanged over the years, and then reflecting on her own life after the death of her husband, enabled Edna finally to write this story. She sheds new light on Mrs. Roosevelt's very private journey of self-discovery as she gained the confidence and knowledge to follow her own personal and political convictions: visiting Khrushchev at his home in Yalta, working on Adlai Stevenson's campaign, being charmed by the young Senator John Kennedy into giving her support for his presidential candidacy, and above all inspiring the love and respect of people all over the world for her compassion, eloquence, and devotion to humanity.

Given her husband's unique role as doctor and confidant to Mrs. Roosevelt, Edna Gurewitsch draws on his insights and her own as a close friend to offer us a very human and inspiring portrait of this complex woman. Perceived as a strong and deeply caring person, which she was, Mrs. Roosevelt also struggled terribly with loneliness and jealousy and a need to transcend her sometimes overwhelming feelings of inadequacy. Her capacity for friendship was enormous, and Edna Gurewitsch describes what it was like to be on the receiving end of her exceptional thoughtfulness-- the carefully chosen gifts left on doorsteps, the generous notes, and the open conversations she welcomed with a humility that never trumpeted her own virtues or called attention to herself as one of the great minds of the twentieth century.

Kindred Souls is filled with personal and unpublished letters from Mrs. Roosevelt. Sometimes chatty and fact-filled, but more often heartfelt and passionate, these letters reveal her yearnings and vulnerabilities as well as her comings and goings, her personal as well as her global concerns. And yet they are always balanced by her special dignity and probity. The book also includes thirty-two pages of never-before-seen photographs taken by David Gurewitsch. Combined with the author's own memories and observations, Kindred Souls is a unique, intimate look at three friends and their extraordinary lives.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Recommended
I "read" this book as a book on tape.If you love Eleanor Roosevelt as most people do, you'll feel you "know" her almost as a friend after reading this book. One story in the book that stands out in my mind is this:Eleanor liked to always be 'on time' when she had an appointment or was going to a play, concert, or outing.Dr. Guerevitch and his wife were going with her to a concert onetime.They were "behind schedule" and arrived at the theater a few minutes late.As they entered the theater the audience started to applaud.Mrs. Roosevelt was "miffed" saying with some angry emotion to the Doctor and his wife, 'See, we're late...the audience is already applauding for the conductor!' Eleanor didn't realize that the audience was applauding for HER... not the conductor! This indicates to me that she was a rather "humble" person who wasn't self-centered. Whatever your political persuasion, you'd have to admit that she was a noble person who tried to "do good" in her life. Email:boland7214@aol.

Good book.

Lovefest
In 1945, David Gurewitsch became Eleanor Roosevelt's personal physician.Within two years, they became close friends, traveling companions and confidants.Edna Gurewitsch chronicles the relationship between her husband and Mrs. Roosevelt in Kindred Souls:The Devoted Friendship of Eleanor Roosevelt and Dr. David Gurewitsch.

Eleanor Roosevelt was one of the most intelligent, gifted, powerful, energetic yet humble women of the 20th Century.But despite all these attributes, she suffered from a definite lack of confidence in her abilities.This lack of self-esteem had several roots including her miserable childhood, her insensitive husband, her domineering mother-in-law and the shabby treatment she suffered by her five self-centered, spoiled and undisciplined children.To compensate for this serious lacking, Mrs. Roosevelt surrounded herself with an orbit of friends who served as her surrogate family.Mrs. Roosevelt demanded much from her friends, but rewarded them with love, loyalty, devotion and generosity.Her list included Esther Lape, Marion Dickerman, Nancy Cook, Lorena Hickock, Joe Lash, and others.Dr. Gurewitsch was her closest friend for the last 15 years of her life.Right before her death, she wrote to him "above all others, you are the one to whom my heart is tied."Once David married the author, they became a threesome.They even shared a house together until Mrs. Roosevelt's death in 1962.

Edna Gurewitsch's book can best be described as a lovefest.Her fawning descriptions of her "perfect" husband become very nauseating very quickly.If there are any warts exposed in Kindred Souls, they belong to Mrs. Roosevelt. She could be demanding and emotionally needy at times, and often revealed a jealousy toward those she felt were usurping her attention.There were often intrigues between her children and her friends, and even among her friends, as each group vied for Mrs. Roosevelt's love in return.Her children were the worst, as they often found themselves on the outside looking in.

For a Roosevelt fan, there is not much new information to be had, except for the background of Dr. Gurewitsch (which may be interesting, but is not the reason I purchased this book).For most readers, I'd recommend skipping Kindred Souls and reading instead one of Joseph Lash's Roosevelt biographies, or better yet, Blanche Wiesen Cook's two-part biography on Mrs. Roosevelt (which I understand will eventually be six books in all).

Adding to the ER mystic
I certainly do not claim to be an expert on the life of Eleanor Roosevelt. However, I have read my fair share of books on her life and that of FDR. As a result, I thought I was aware of ER's circle of friends and the people who shared a close relationship with her. When I discovered KINDRED SOULDS - THE FRIENDSHIP OF ELEANOR ROOSEVELT AND DAVID GUREWITSCH on audiocassete at my local library it came as a welcome surprise. David Gurewitsch was a name that was new to me.

Edna P. Gurewitsch's 2002 book is a memorable history of the relationship between the author's husband, Dr. David Gurewitsch and ER. Based mainly on letters between ER and Dr. Gurewitsch and journals along with Edna's memories, the book presents a charming portrait of Mrs. Roosevelt as a pragmatic, driven, thoughtful, quirky, emotional and sometimes difficult friend. The relationship that developed first beween ER and David, who was ER's physician, and later with the addition of Edna when they married, makes for an interesting insight into the dynamics of this unique set of human relationship. Did ER really love David, a man many years her junior, and resent the intrusion of Edna? Did she finally come to accept this "other woman" in a strange threesome in order to maintain her relationship with David? These are questions that no one can answer and one that the prospective reader can ponder for themselves.

The Roosevelt children do not fair wll throughout the book, which covers the last years of Mrs. Roosevelt's life. They come across as seemingly lacking concern for their mother, going to her when they were in financial straights, especially Elliot and living lives where they believed that the society owes them a great deal because of their place in history as Roosevelts. It becomes almost trite to talk about the result of a dysfunctional family, but it's the only thing that seems to fit after listening to Edna describe ER's relationship with her children. Surprisingly, the references to FDR are few and far between. Edna speaks from the prospective of those who argue that ER took on a new persona as her own person after her husband's death and moved on with her life.

As I said, I don't claim to be an expert on ER, however, I know that she was extremely close to Joseph Lash. Then there is the rumored relationship with her one time driver, state trooper,Earl Miller, both of whom were younger than ER. There was ER's life long friendship (allegedly lesbian) with Lorena Hitchock and her interesting relationship with other women. And these are just the ones that I remember.

As a prolific letter writer ER left a great legacy in her writing. The thousands of letters addressed to "my dearest friend" with comments of "how much I love and miss you" were left behind for historians now to consider. Are we now judging her late Victorian style by 21st century standards? Were these loving comments a result of ER's loneliness and her desire to be loved in return? Only a psychologist can figure that one out.

ER clearly had a close relationsip with Edna and David. Such is evidenced by the fact that she chose to live the last years of her life with them. She traveled with them, spent weekends and evenings with them, and basically made them her family, based on Edna's account. Although Edna talks about ER's many circle of friends, how they also interacted in her life or spent time with her, I came away feeling that there was a part of ER's life that was left out in this particular picture. According to Edna, ER's life was totally encompassed in that of her and her husband to the exclusion of others.

For those who know a good deal about Eleanor Roosevelt, this is an interesting read. As I stated, I listened to it on audiocassette. The reader did a good job of varying her voice but I feel that there were several mispronunciations of proper names. The work included interesting political insights of mid 20th century politicians, especially Adlai Stevenson and JFK. But fitting the Gurewitsch's into the greater picture of ER's life is, I believe, still open for debate. In hindsight history is always reveaaed in the light most favorable to the writer, especially one who claims to have the close personal friends of a famous person. However, I would love to hear other views of the relationship between David Gurewitsch, Edna Gurewitsch and Anna Eleanor Roosevelt. I'm suspect that there is another side.

Generous, enlightening & uplifting
This is an astonishingly generous book that gives a different look at the real life of a larger-than-life woman. Mrs. Gurewitsch was (apparantly) completely unthreatened by the strong, deep, and intimate (in the non-sexual sense of the word)relationship between her husband and the redoubtable Mrs. Roosevelt. She limns the outlines of the relationship gently, with great compassion for Mrs. Roosevelt and frank admiration for her many accomplishments. Still, this is not hagiography- Mrs. Gurewitsch tells her story with simplicity and affection, but is still clear eyed about her subjects human foibles.

Through her portrait, and through the extracts of letters to David, it becomes clear that the infamous Lorena Hickok letters must be read in the context of an era (and a woman), in which language was rather more effusive.

Like so many things about Eleanor Roosevelt, the book is a bit bittersweet, but she clearly had made her peace with life, and in the end Mrs. Gurewitsch has repaid Mrs. Roosevelt's trust and friendship. The book is not a comprehensive biography, but you may inspired enough by what you read that you go read one!

A different look at Eleanor Roosevelt
I enjoyed this book. After reading so much "trash" about Mrs. Roosevelt and her friendships, this book is revealing without delving into smutty, unproveable theories.It provided a lot of personal information about Eleanor Roosevelt's last years, public and private, as well as valuable insights about her complex personality.On occasion, the author's somewhat proprietary feelings toward her connection with Mrs. Roosevelt were in evidence, but on the whole, it is a memoir that no one with an interest in Eleanor Roosevelt should miss. ... Read more

Product Description
Shot through with lively scenes of pastor-fisherman David Hansen's beloved parishioners and trout streams, this book poignantly reminds a soulless age what it's like to have a soul and inspires in us the longing to possess one again. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Soul, Spirit, Heart, MInd...
What is our soul?Is it synonymous with spirit or are they two different entities? Are we spirits or do we have spirit, and is it our soul or our spirit (or both) that goes to Heaven?These are some very challenging,subjective questions that I often like to philosophize about.This is thereason I picked up David Hansen's book.While I knew this book would bedeep reading, I was pleasantly surprised bythe intellectual challenge itprovided.

David Hansen will take you on an in depth journey into thesoul, and the common Christian philosophies on exactly what our soul is. Hansen thorougly and reflectively analyzes all views on this topic withoutforcing his view as being superior. Hansen describes our souls as beingempty, and our spirit being what we immerse our souls in, like a sponge. This is the most creative way I have heard this put, and this is just oneof many analogies he makes that helps the reader to understand.

Thequestion of whether or not we are body, soul and spirit(Trichotomy) orjust body and soul (Dualism) is just the tip of the iceberg.Hansen alsodiscusses what the role of the soul is, its function in the context of thisworld, and the question of the soul being our unique identity.Hansen alsodiscusses at length the concepts of heart and mind, and how these differfrom the soul and spirit.

This is a must-read for people who want toexplore and reflect about the Christian faith and ideas about the soul.Itis not the kind of book you pick up and read over a couple of days.It isthe kind you reflect on and read a few pages at a time, but I have gained abetter understanding of my soul through the pages of this book. ... Read more