Books

The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalen and the Holy Grail

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Metaphorical Masterpiece
Mary is my homegirl
worth reading
THE BEST PRESENTATION YET!
Classic

The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Mary Magdalen and the Holy Grail
Margaret Starbird
Manufacturer: Bear & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Holy Blood, Holy Grail
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Mary Magdalene, Bride in Exile

ASIN: 1879181037
Release Date: 1993-06-01

Book Description

Margaret Starbird’s theological beliefs were profoundly shaken when she read Holy Blood, Holy Grail, a book that dared to suggest that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalen and that their descendants carried on his holy bloodline in Western Europe. Shocked by such heresy, this Roman Catholic scholar set out to refute it, but instead found new and compelling evidence for the existence of the bride of Jesus--the same enigmatic woman who anointed him with precious unguent from her “alabaster jar.”

In this provocative book, Starbird draws her conclusions from an extensive study of history, heraldry, symbolism, medieval art, mythology, psychology, and the Bible itself. The Woman with the Alabaster Jar is a quest for the forgotten feminine--in the hope that its return will help restore a healthy balance to planet Earth.

Customer Reviews:

Metaphorical Masterpiece.......2007-02-13

A beautiful expose on the sacred feminine. Also worth reading is Gardiner's 'Gnosis' and Acharya's 'Christ Conspiracy.'

Mary is my homegirl.......2007-01-14

After reading The Goddess in the Gospels, I read The Woman with the Alabaster Jar, Starbird's first book on Mary Magdalene. This book is more historical and thesis based than narrative. A lot of the material was nearly the same as The Goddess in the Gospels. It is an awesome book though, and a must read for anyone interested in feminist Christianity.

worth reading.......2007-01-04

"the woman w/ the alabaster jar" paints a story of who the real mary magdalen may have been. the author explains her research without trying to sell you her opinion. i found it informative and refreshing.

THE BEST PRESENTATION YET!.......2006-12-15

Margaret Starbird is a gentle soul who has crafted a surprisingly fascinating book. Taking the basic premise of Holy Blood/Holy Grail--which had shocked the author and shaken her faith--she presents that premise in a highly interesting manner. She also offers much more evidence for Mary Magdalene and Jesus having been married than Michael Baigent offered in Holy Blood/Holy Grail, and she presents it in a clearer form. Gone are the dense and obtuse meanderings of Holy Blood/Holy Grail.

This is an engrossing and entertaining read, and will leave you quite thoughtful and exhilerated at the possibilities the truth entails. The Woman With The Alabaster Jar receives five stars and two thunmbs way up!

Classic.......2006-12-14

Margaret Starbird's (1992) book The Woman with the Alabaster Jar was the first of her several books on Mary Magdalene, and it was inspired by her reading of the 1981 best-seller Holy Blood, Holy Grail (HBHG). As such, the book is a blend of her own original research on the subject as well as a good re-hashing of the HBHG vis-à-vis Mary Magdalene and her role in the life of Jesus, and fans of HBHG will be very much at home in Starbird's book.

This 200 page book is really 3 books in 1. The first 22 pages, labeled a prologue, are a small novella about Mary and Jesus. Chapters 1 to 3 discuss the historical evidence for Mary Magdalene, and the remaining chapters discuss the role that Mary Magdalene (and the sacred feminine) played in the art and folklore of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Think of the third part as an excellent supplement to HGBG

Starbird's case and the work on Mary Magdalene is by now standard fare, although in 1992 (pre DaVinci Code) it was pretty revolutionary - Jesus and Mary were married...for various reasons the church hid this fact...they had a child...Mary fled to France after Jesus was crucified where the bloodline of Jesus continued to develop...etc. Where Starbird goes beyond the HBHG tradition is in her emphasis on the "sacred marriage" and its implications. This theme she carries from the OT to the NT and right through the Middle Ages up until the present. Her work is thoughtful, documented, creative, and insightful.

I have some disagreements with Starbird about some of her historical assumptions (e.g., Jesus was "taller than average", he was from Nazareth, nailed to the cross and pierced through the heart with a spear). These are all relatively minor points and all refer to Jesus, not Mary.

With regard to the historical Mary Magdalene, Starbird does cover some basic ground, but she will elaborate in greater and deeper detail in her later books. The strength of this book is the breadth of her coverage of the influence of Mary Magdalene on 1000 years of artwork and folklore, from the fairy tales of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunsel, and Snow White to the foundation of the Tarot cards to the works of Botticelli and beyond.

The bottom line is that this book is a must for any serious person with any interest in the New Testament. It will be particularly beneficial for someone with a wide range of interests beyond the traditional biblical studies approach.

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An easy enjoyable read
O CRUX AVE, SPES UNICA
It's so nice to read about the life of a REAL NUN!
So much fun!!!
A great story of a person you'd love to know

Forever and Ever, Amen
Karol Jackowski
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1594489378
Release Date: 2007-03-15

Book Description

A funny, poignant account of a young woman's experiences becoming a Catholic nun during the tumultuous 1960s.

In 1964, Karol Jackowski was an eighteen-year-old girl just out of high school. But while her friends were heading off to college or finding their first jobs, Karol was following a different path. To the surprise of her family and friends, she decided to enter the convent of the Sisters of the Holy Cross in South Bend, Indiana, and spend the next eight years studying to become a Catholic nun.

Those years were a time of enormous change in the country and in the Church. They were times of joy, dedication, and a great deal of fun, set against the Second Vatican Council and the reforms it fostered, many of which remain controversial today. In this playful and candid memoir, Jackowski pulls back the curtain on the mysteries of convent life, as she recounts her rocky transition from worldly teenager to cloistered postulant; the trials she faced in coping with the restrictions of convent life ("nun of this and nun of that"); and the lessons she learned from the elderly nuns she was assigned to, who weren't nearly as pious as people thought. In prose that's as lively, insightful, and wise as she is, the author of Ten Fun Things to do Before You Die brings us a touching and heartfelt memoir of a woman following her true calling.

Customer Reviews:

An easy enjoyable read.......2007-06-27

Anyone who has experienced Postulancy, Novitiate and/or Community life as a professed nun on an assignment will surely enjoy this book. I highly recommend it.

O CRUX AVE, SPES UNICA.......2007-06-21

This is one of the finest books I have ever read concerning religious life in the post-modern era . Sister Karol provides not only a reflection on her own experience, but portrays well the struggle of all religious during the decades of change following Vatican II. While she presents the Sisters of the Holy Cross, she could be speaking of almost any community of women or men who lived through the turbulent years of rethinking how to build the reign of God. Previous models seemed to be no longer working, but a new model was absent. Only experimentation seemed valid. Even when at odds with community leadership rooted in the old style, this Marianite shares a deep sense of love and respect for the community she joins. It is not so much "the nun's story" as it is a story of becoming a sister to her community, to her friends, to her students and even to her readers. This is a refreshing tome which deserves a large readership because it is the story of the human side of the mystical journey which is the religious life, convent life in America. As one closes the book for the final time the reader is inclined to want to thank Karol for sharing her story, and for her commitment to Holy Cross and the People of God.

It's so nice to read about the life of a REAL NUN!.......2007-06-08

I got this book and I will have to tell you, I was laughing. Sr. Karol has a great sense of humor and tells it like it surely is about religious life. You have to take the hard times with a grain of salt. Her refreshing and very sane look at religious life invites a new wave of Sr. Karols to take over the monasteries and I think that if they were all like her, there would be a lot more charism and awesomeness in religious life!

So much fun!!!.......2007-06-06

This book is so much fun. I just couldn't put it down. In some respects it was an eye opener for those of us who had put Sisters on a plane above humans. Many moments of laughing out loud. Just an absolute delight!!!!

A great story of a person you'd love to know.......2007-05-25

For some reason, books about nuns will always be popular among readers, whether they score 10 or 0 on their own personal religiosity scales. This one stands out because it's so balanced: Jackowski openly shares the flaws of the system and the specific sisters she lived with, but she rejoices in the way the same system transformed her. Along the way, she became an amazing storyteller.

Without being academic or analytical, Jackowski shares some truths about vocation that hold true in any arena. Those who approach their lives with a light-hearted irreverence tend to persevere. Those who take things too seriously tend to drive everyone crazy including, eventually, themselves. The more angelic, obedient novices may have gained temporary rewards, but the rebels were the ones who stayed.

Jackowski tells a great story. I rarely have trouble putting a book down these days, but this one gripped my interest. What works is her ability to convey insight without underlining her points. In a single line, she shows how a dog can turn a community of strangers into a home. And she never openly acknowledges the ultimate irony of her superiors: by sending away the strongest young women, they ultimately destroyed their own communities. Many sisters left, says Jackowski, to escape the "dysfunctional" living situations they encountered.

What I most admire is Jackowski's own personality. She comes across as the kind of woman who knows how to make and keep friends. She knows when to follow the rules and when to ignore them -- leaving her room to comfort a friend and sharing whiskey from the "poodle" with an elderly nun. She's disturbed but not blown away by negative experiences. So she got the worst jobs in the novitiate -- she stayed on course and moved with what contemporary writers would call her inner compass. When you realize she navigated these experiences at a very young age -- she entered the convent right after high school -- her common sense and maturity seem all the more impressive.

Jackowski's website shows how she has carried her humor forward as her own mission. She's shown with stylishly cut short hair and a wide grin. Today she's become a media star, executive who directs a chain of retail stores, a best-selling author and an avid fan of Sex and the City. Michael King, executive producer of SATC, even blurbed her book -- no small accomplishment. She holds margarita parties in her Greenwich Village apartment and I bet half her readers would kill for an invitation.

Presumably the author's first superiors are rolling over in their graves. Karol, as always, literally gets the last laugh.

Death in Holy Orders: An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery

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Another Excellent James Novel
Bored to death by Death In Holy Orders
Beguiling Murders
Overlabored and obvious
Never ceases to amaze

Death in Holy Orders: An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Fawcett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0345446666
Release Date: 2002-03-26

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Despite challenges from Ruth Rendell and (more recently) Minette Walters, P.D. James's position as Britain's Queen of Crime remains largely unassailable. Although a certain reaction has set in to her reputation (and there are those who claim her poetry-loving copper Adam Dalgliesh doesn't correspond to any of his counterparts in the real world), her detractors can scarcely deny her astonishing literary gifts. More than any other writer, she has elevated the detective story into the realms of literature, with the psychology of the characters treated in the most complex and authoritative fashion. Her plots, too, are full of intriguing detail and studed with brilliantly observed character studies. Who cares if Dalgliesh belongs more in the pages of a book than poking around a graffiti-scrawled council estate? As a policeman, he is considerably more plausible than Doyle's Holmes, and that's never stopped us loving the Baker Street sleuth. Death in Holy Orders represents something of a challenge from James to her critics, taking on all the contentious elements and rigorously reinvigorating them. She had admitted that she was finding it increasingly difficult to find new plots for Dalgliesh, and the locale here (a theological college on a lonely stretch of the East Anglian coast) turns out to be an inspired choice. We're presented with the enclosed setting so beloved of golden age detective writers, and James is able to incorporate her theological interests seamlessly into the plot (but never in any doctrinaire way; the nonbeliever is never uncomfortable). The body of a student at the college is found on the shore, suffocated by a fall of sand. Dalgliesh is called upon to reexamine the verdict of accidental death (which the student's father would not accept). Having visited the College of St. Anselm in his boyhood, he finds the investigation has a strong nostalgic aspect for him. But that is soon overtaken by the realization that he has encountered the most horrific case of his career, and another visitor to the college dies a horrible death. As an exploration of evil--and as a piece of highly distinctive crime writing--this is James at her nonpareil best. Dalgliesh, too, is rendered with new dimensions of psychological complexity. --Barry Forshaw, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

On the East Anglican seacoast a small theological college hangs precariously on an eroding shoreline and an equally precarious future. Then, the body of a student is found buried in the sand, and the boy’s influential father demands that Scotland Yard investigate. Adam Dalgleish, the son of a parson, once spent happy summers at the school. A detective who loves poetry, a man who has known loss and discovery, Dalgliesh is the perfect candidate to look for the truth in a remote, rarified community of the faithful–and the frightened. For when one death leads to another, Dalgliesh finds himself steeped in a world of good and evil, of stifled passions and hidden pasts, where someone has cause not just to commit one crime, but to begin an unholy order of murder. . . .

Download Description

Commander Dalgliesh, P.D. James's great detective, returns after four years. An untimely death brings him to the East Anglian coast where a young man has fallen from a cliff at the small theological college of St. Anselm's. He agrees to investigate, but no sooner does Dalgliesh arrive than he finds himself drawn into the labyrinth of a violent mystery.

Customer Reviews:

Another Excellent James Novel.......2006-11-26

Pd James is quite simply a marvel. A Death In Holy Orders is yet another example of her excellent writing skills. I cannot think of another author, especially in the Mystery genre, quite so evocative. The mystery in this book made for a nice puzzle. The characters were numerous, yet well-rounded and complete. The star of this book of course is Adam Dalgleish, smooth as usual. Is the book long... yes it is. However, with P.D. James, the books are meant to be savored, not read in one sitting.

Another 5 star outing!

Bored to death by Death In Holy Orders.......2006-01-13

I admit I haven't read much P.D. James, and this book certainly won't make me anxious to change that. With good editing, this could have been a reasonably entertaining 200 page novel, instead of a boringBORING 400 pager. No wait ... even cutting it in half wouldn't have made the mystery any more mysterious, or the outcome any more believable, or the characters any more interesting, or the writing any more entertaining.

And what was the need for the incest and pedophile sub-plots? The character of the caretaker might have been reasonably interesting, in an outdated Agatha Christie sort of way, but the incestuous relationship with his sister seemed to have been added in for no reason other than just being distasteful. It certainly had no bearing on the plot.

But even more offensive was the sympathy expressed by virtually every character for the pedophile priest Father John, who everyone seemed to feel was just a sad victim of circumstances instead of a confessed and convicted molestor of young boys entrusted to his care. Not a single character expressed any outrage at Father John's actions, or any sympathy for the boys whose lives he undoubtedly ruined. And the one character who was instrumental in having Father John sent to prison was roundly and soundly despised for it by everyone of the eclesiastical college where the story takes place. The pedophile was seen as a sympathetic character, and the man who sent him to prison was seen as mean-spirited and uncaring. Go figure. And on top of that, the whole pedophile issue had nothing at all to do with the plot. Again, included for no apparent reason except for the additional distaste.

If that's any indication of P.D. James's outlook, then I can certainly do without reading any more of her work.

Beguiling Murders.......2005-06-29

Ms. James cleverly navigates her readers through personal sins, management quandary, and society turmoil. Scores of secrets materialize in a minute community. With so many confusions introduced, one forgets that a clear motive might be an answer to any mysteries. Very cunning of Ms. James in weaving her tale and I applaud her in compelling me to think too deeply into matters all throughout the book. I do not understand the reasoning behind writing only one chapter for book four but Ms. James must have an experienced writer's artistic and logical answer in doing so. Ms. James' vibrant use of the English language together with her vast vocabulary results in a pleasurable read.

Overlabored and obvious.......2005-06-23

As a psychological novel, Death in Holy Orders is middling to good. As a mystery, it fails entirely. The culprit of the murder is obvious half-way through, with no attempt to even hide his guilt -- I wondered why on earth I should keep reading. Keep reading I did out of sheer stubborness, but even at the end, when the motive and mechanisms of the crime were all laid out, none of it really was all that convincing. If this is P.D. James at her best, I'd imagine some of her "lesser" works might send me into a coma.

Never ceases to amaze.......2005-03-25

I've come to the conclusion that P.D. James is one of my favorite mystery writers. I only recently picked up another one of her novels; I immediately went and got this one as well. I have no idea why I had never heard of James before a few weeks ago. James does a fantastic job of portraying her characters psychologically. She is adept at getting into the head and heart of the people she writes about.

A young man at a small theological seminary is found buried in the sand, naked. The woman who discovers him, the housekeeper Margaret Munroe, dies about a week later; everyone assumes that her death was due to a heart attack. Or was it? It turns out that the college, established by Agnes Arburthnot in the mid-19th century, is on the verge of closing down for good. The woman's strange will only allows her direct descendents to inherit; since there are none, the college and everything in it goes to the trustees. In addition, there is a priceless Van Der Weyden paiting which hangs above the altar. All four of the archbishops stand to inherit handsomely. A search for a killer ensues; the case is intensened by the death of an archbishop.

P.D. James keeps her reader guessing until the very end. I highly reccomend this book, or any of the other Adam Dalgliesh mysteries.

The Holy Order of Water: Healing the Earth's Waters and Ourselves

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The Holy Order of Water
You'll Be Restored
The most important book you will read this year
The Holy Order of Water:Healing the Earth's Waters and Ourselves
Living Water

The Holy Order of Water: Healing the Earth's Waters and Ourselves
William E. Marks
Manufacturer: Bell Pond Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 088010483X

Book Description

Long gone are the days of drinking naturally pure water from flowing rivers and streams. It is already common today for people to use bottled water or home water filtration systems for their drinking water. How have we come to such a predicament, and what can be done about it? Continuing pollution, ever increasing population and industrial demands, destruction of the rainforests, overpumping of the ground water are all responsible for the deterioration of water quality— but the underlying reason, as William Marks shows in this wide-ranging, thoughtful book, is a lack of understanding of and respect for the nature of water itself.

Marks covers such diverse topics as water's role in the origin of the universe and of life, cosmic rain and water in interstellar space, water in the myths of various peoples and religious traditions, the power of water in the many forms it takes in the natural world, vortex energy and living water, water and the human body, water healing, and a history of water pollution. He offers hope for the future by discussing the work of such visionaries as Theodor Schwenk and Viktor Schauberger. Marks shows us that finally water can be understood only when seen as the mediator not just between life and death but between the physical world and the spiritual world as well.

Customer Reviews:

The Holy Order of Water.......2007-04-23

I am an artist and read The Holy Order of Water about three years ago when I was painting a body of work about water. This interesting mix of personal anecdotes, mythology, and science, supports the realization that I've had after living on a lake for 14 years that water is alive. It gave me lots to ponder while working and I've since decided to focus all of my work on water. Thank you, William E. Marks, for your efforts to raise awareness and preserve water resources.

You'll Be Restored.......2006-09-22

Hello H2O Lovers,

As a layperson on the path of being a true leader in the H2O movement, I am very glad to have been offered this book to open my eyes about the elixir of life.

This book is astounding in its clarity and authenticity. Its fun to read and brings home my actual deepest feelings about water.

It brings you a masterful tapestry from the authors life story, the science, the philosophy and even the spirituality of water.

Read it. I promise it will trasform your life and it will transform your relationship with water.

You will never relate to a cup of water in quite the same way again.

Truly,
Leslie Gabriel aka WaterMan
Host Of "And So It Flows"
WBCR 97.7 FM Great Barrington, MA

The most important book you will read this year.......2006-01-20

This book is as important to the Earth as Water itself. Many of us are increasingly concerned about what we are doing to the environment. Our concerns about the plight of water and its importance to the survival of life on this planet are addressed magnificently in this book that describes powers of water of which even I was unaware!

Water is a mystical, magical substance, and oh how we take it for granted; filling it with carmel coated sugar substances for profit; tossing our waste products into it as if it had no value of its own, wasting it on "the perfect lawn" which servies absolutely no purpose or function, or even washing our cars, which cry the death knoll of Earth daily.

Care enough about Water to read this book. Pass it on to your friends. Give it as a gift for Arbor Day, Earth Day, Valentine's day. It's the most important book you will read this year.

The Holy Order of Water:Healing the Earth's Waters and Ourselves.......2006-01-14

William Mark's book, Holy Order of Water is extraordinary. It has given me soulful connection in understanding water and what it really means for us, as humans, and for myself, personally. The book is filled with fascinating scientific information that I can read (and have chosen to re-read, time and time again), as it enlightens even a non scientist, like myself, to understand what is happening with our water and what we can ultimately do to survive. The wealth of content on rituals and traditions with water throughout the world and time makes this book a valuable resource. Mark's bold statement of "polluting our planet's water is the same as poisoning the blood in our bodies" illustrates his strong passion on the subject and his ability to awakens the reader to the urgency for change. Marks' intimate relationship with water touches on all levels from the physical, mental, to spiritual and is awe-inspiring. It is sublime and yet profound. Holy Order of Water is truly an enjoyable and intriguing read.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book are:
"As we continue to evolve, we will learn how water was, is and always will be the source of our awakening and survival;" "The more of us who believe in the idea that we can create a world that lives in harmony with the teachings of water, the greater the possibility that it will happen in reality;" "You, and your offspring, as members of the human race will either survive or die according to your relationship with water;" "Whatever your situation, there are opportunities available for you to help yourself, your family, and humanity to enjoy a better life through water, and to reduce your life's negative impact on our sensitive water world."

I highly recommend this book.

Living Water .......2005-05-15

The Holy Order of Water is a beautiful orchestra of science, spirituality, healing and hope. Throughout the book, William Marks weaves his awe-inspiring adventures of life and love with water. While Marks makes the interconnectivity between mankind, water and the universe utterly clear; you get that his relationship with water is special. He is not just giving us information or telling the story of water; he loves it deeply. His commitment and passion is beautiful and it makes this book wholly unique and fascinating. I read this book in a day and I continue to go back to it for specific water-related facts, quotes, and information on people/places referenced in the book.

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HOotS Explains all on Ansalon Religion

Holy Orders Of The Stars (Dragonlance)
Sean Everette , and Chris Pierson
Manufacturer: Sovereign Press (WI)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1931567158

Customer Reviews:

HOotS Explains all on Ansalon Religion.......2006-03-22

I must say, everything that I have ever wanted to know about the different religions on Ansalon is covered in this book. For those of you constantly struggling over how to pronounce a certain gods name is also covered, along with all their different names to the different nationalities of Ansalon. Highly recommend this book to all who travel the world of Krynn.

Average customer rating:

Very civilized, very good.
Fine Novel, but not quite her best
Plot, Characters, Background Equal Success on this One
Dust off your dictionary
Keeps you guessing!!

Death in Holy Orders
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345467493
Release Date: 2003-04-22

Book Description

The setting itself is elemental P. D. James: the bleak coast of East Anglia, where atop a sweep of low cliffs stands the small theological college of St. Anselm’s. On the shore not far away, smothered beneath a fall of sand, lies the body of one of the school’s young ordinands. He is the son of Sir Alred Treves, a hugely successful and flamboyant businessman who is accustomed to getting what he wants—and in this case what he wants is Commander Adam Dalgliesh to investigate his son’s death. Although there seems to be little to investigate, Dalgliesh agrees, largely out of nostal-gia for several happy summers he spent at St. Anselm’s as a boy. No sooner does he arrive, however, than the college is torn apart by a sacrilegious and horrifying murder, and Dalgliesh finds himself ineluctably drawn into the labyrinth of an intricate and violent mystery.

Here P. D. James once more demonstrates her unrivalled skill in building a classic detective story into a fully realized novel, gripping as much for its psychological and emotional richness as for the originality and complexity of its plotting—and, of course, for the horror and suspense at its heart. Filled with unforgettable characters, brilliant in its evocation of the East Anglian scene and the religious background against which the action takes place, Death in Holy Orders again offers proof, if proof were needed, that P. D. James is not only the reigning master of the crime novel but also, simply, one of the finest novelists writing today.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Very civilized, very good........2005-09-19

This is a quintessentially British mystery, old-fashioned, and reminiscent in plot style to Agatha Christie, with a murder and all the action taking place inside a closed community. One of the priests or ordinands within a small, remote, High Church seminary must have committed a murder, or two, or three. Commander Adam Dalgliesh, who spent several summers at St. Anselm's as a boy, returns to investigate the death of the young son of an extremely wealthy man, and in short order, additional deaths occur.

A Rogier van der Weyden altarpiece, a treasure trove of ecclesiastical silver, Pre-Raphaelite paintings, and other priceless art objects owned by the about-to-be-closed seminary, provide a possible financial motive for murder, while an incestuous relationship, a secret marriage, a paralyzing fear of the future, and even pedophilia by a much-loved priest are among the psychological motives.

Politeness and "civilized" behavior play a greater role here than they do in many, more "modern" mysteries. There is no graphic sex, no profanity, and no scenes of violence--just the effects of the violence. We see the priests and ordinands only within their circumscribed lives, and there are no scenes that suggest that any of them have any sense of humor or any real need for fun. Although James conveys enough psychological astuteness that her characters do not feel flat, there are at least eight or ten who could have committed the murder and for whom very substantial background information is given.

The reader must follow all of them, along with an equally large number of red herrings, for four hundred pages before the plot is resolved, somewhat anticlimactically. That, combined with maddeningly detailed, physical descriptions of the rooms of the seminary, made this a four-star experience for me, rather than five-star. Mary Whipple

Fine Novel, but not quite her best.......2004-12-17

This is a fine book equal in quality to most of her other novels, but not the best one IMHO. It has a great many suspects, as usual the characterization if very fine, I like Dalgleish a lot as a protagonist. The motive was not all that strong, perhaps, and there were a couple of flaws, but it's well worth the read--far better than most mysteries on the market. P.D. James is no doubt a fine mystery writer. If you like this one, try my favorite (but no Dalgleish) "Innocent Blood" or read "Cover Her Face" or "Death of an Expert Witness." The biggest problem with P. D. James is that she hasn't written more novels! My favorite quotes from this book:

p. 274 Quoting Pascal: `Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction.'

p. 315 If we're on a wild-goose chase, at least they're flying in the right direction.

Plot, Characters, Background Equal Success on this One.......2004-11-23

I can't believe there are only 3 reviews, but I'll confirm what the others said. I have not liked all of P.D. James's books, but this one seems to be the crowning achievment of her lifetime. I generally read mysteries now only if there is a background theme that is of interest, something new I can learn about. In this book it was the Church of England. Being of the Roman persuasion, I found it interesting to compare the two religions and look at the similarities and differences. I also always like stories that involve authentication of art objects, which played a part in the murders in this book. The plot moved along well, and the author did keep me guessing right up to the end. She supported a large cast of characters, with any one of a dozen people as possible suspects. She had the normal couple doing the cooking and maintenance, and then she had Eric and Karen(!). She had a priest who had served a prison sentence for child sexual abuse, certainly a very timely issue. However, which I liked, she never spelled out whether he was actually guilty or had been framed. The person was written as a very sympathetic character rather than the evil stranger who lures kids into his car and then dumps them in a ditch. It gave the reader something to think about. She showed compassion for all of her characters, while at the same time giving many of them dark secrets. The location in East Anglia was interesting also, as this was the same area in which Dorothy L. Sayers set her bell-ringing classic, The Nine Tailors. The only criticism I have is that the motive for murder was not all that convincing. I believe other reviewers said the same thing. This was a great read and I blasted through it on a weekend without putting it down. I now want to see the video.

Dust off your dictionary.......2004-06-08

Death in Holy Orders is the first P.D James tale I have read. I plan on reading others. While Adam Dalgiesh of the Scotland Yard conducts a secondary investigation of a death at a theological college more deaths occur. The investigation is the backbone of the book.

One reviewer described this book as "ponderous" and I agree. The book is long and at times the detail is deep - for some maybe, too deep. The style of author James leads this book to be read slowly and with a dictionary at hand. I enjoyed this book, but found myself starting and finishing a couple other books while following Dalgiesh's investigation. I willed myself to finish this book and in doing so I was entertained and my vocabulary increased.

Keeps you guessing!!.......2003-10-20

This is the first P.D. James book that I have read and clearly I have been depriving myself of some very thrilling and cleverly constructed murder mysteries, which do more than keep the reader turning the pages. This is a well constructed murder/mystery, with not just one death, but 4! The book opens with the death of a young man training to be a priest in an isolated seminary on the rugged English coast. Is it suicide? Murder?

Despite a coroner's inquest, the super competent Inspector Dalgleish comes to investigate further, at the request of the man's father. While there he beomes emborioled in the other deaths, only one of which is obviously murder, committed while he is staying at the seminary. Are all of these deaths connected, and why would anyone want all of these people dead?

This is a really complex story, with nearly all of the characters having some reason to either hate the murdered man, or reason to implicate someone else. I didn't guess who the murderer was until the author wanted me to, and I think that this is fantastic in really good murder mysteries (I hate working out who did it in too short a period of time).

Customer Reviews:

Holy Man: Father Damien of Molokai.......2005-08-13

Very interesting, and informative on the times that the event was occuring in the Hawaiian islands. The story kept focused, and was very easy to read and keep up with.

The Best Book on Fr Damien.......2005-06-25

I visited the leper colony on the island of Molokai, the villages of Kalawao and Kalaupapa last March and this book was recommended to me. I picked it up from a gift shop there as I went round visiting the sites of Fr Damien's enormous and extensive ministry. I also heard from the tour guides, stories of the zeal and dedication with which he ministered to the ill-fated leprosy patients. I also knew about him from other sources.

The book is a wonderful read. It brings to the light of the world a rather obscure life of a Catholic priest who belonged to the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts Fathers and worked in the mission of Hawaii. His devotion and dedication to the ministry in favor of the lepers and his eventual martyrdom as a leper seemed to have moved this non-Catholic writer to go into detailed research and strenuous investigation to bring out such a classic work on the subject. Gavan Daws does not idealize Fr Damien's life or make him a superman. According to him Fr Damien was an ordinary man, a priest with his own frailties and flaws, at the same time a hero and a martyr worthy to be called `holy.' The book in fact, is more than a mere biography of the leper priest. A lot of research and study has gone into the writing of this book which is a story of leprosy in the Hawaiian islands, a history of the Church in the second half of the nineteenth century, besides being the life of a saint-to-be. I hope that the book will inspire ordinary people to make deep personal commitments and fulfill them with extraordinary devotion and fervor.

Undoubtedly the most scholarly work yet on this topic........1998-06-18

"Holy Man" is undoubtedly the finest and most scholarly work to date on this topic. Prior to Daws' work, the overwhelming majority of books on this topic have been somewhat biased as they were produced by Catholic clergy and lay writers. Daws has brought the secular historian's skill to this subject and has produced a truly balanced account of the life and work of Father Joseph DeVeuster. Only a visit to the Molokai, Hawaii, settlements of Kalawao and Kalaupapa will provide the reader with a more detailed account of Father Damian's life and work among the lepers of Molokai. Father Daimian was beautified in 1993. A church inquiry is underway to determine whether or not this "Holy Man" should be made a Catholic saint. "Holy Man" is required reading for anyone even marginally interested in Hawaiian history. In the short period of time this work has been in print, it has become required reading for all students of Hawaiian History, American approaches to chronic and incurable disease and Catholic doctrine pertaining to leprosy and lepers. Daws has written a masterful account of the life and works of this important nineteenth century Catholic clergyman. "Holy Man" is the definitive work on Father Damian and is likely to remain so well into the next century. Father Damian was buried on the island of Molokai until earlier this century when his remains were exhumed and re-interred in his home of Louvain, Belgium. Today, only his hand remains buried on the island of Molokai. The hand is widely regarded as a religious relic.

Excellent Book!! Great history, very inspiring!.......1997-10-29

Gavan Daws does an excellent job writing an unbiased account of the life of Father Damien. The author shows great respect for all the characters that appear in this story. The history surrounding Damien's life is accurate and enjoyable. The book is very inspiring and eye-opening. A must-read if you are interested on the Hawaiian Islands.

Brotherhood of the Sun: A Modern Story about an Ancient Order

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Stellar Novelette.

Brotherhood of the Sun: A Modern Story about an Ancient Order
Patrick Cain
Manufacturer: Lifestream Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The End of Days: Armageddon and Prophecies of the Return (The Earth Chronicles)

ASIN: 0965922316

Product Description

A novel by the author of Caucasia.

Customer Reviews:

Stellar Novelette........2007-05-10

A more radical and convincing speculative work than The Da Vinci Code. Plausible explanations and scientific evidence uncover the earth's cataclysmic past (& future), an ancient global civilization, and the mythical origin of religion. Other excellent books: Secret Destiny of America, The Christ Conspiracy and Golden Thread of Time.

Death in Holy Orders: An Adam Dalgliesh Novel (Mortalis.)

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Odoriforous!
Intricate, Elegant Plot

Death in Holy Orders: An Adam Dalgliesh Novel (Mortalis.)
P.D. James
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Taste for Death
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ASIN: 0812977238
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Book Description

From the award-winning master of literary crime fiction, a classic work rich in tense drama and psychological insight.

On the East Anglian seacoast, a small theological college hangs precariously on an eroding shoreline and an equally precarious future. When the body of a student is found buried in the sand, the boy’s influential father demands that Scotland Yard investigate. Enter Adam Dalgliesh, a detective who loves poetry, a man who has known loss and discovery. The son of a parson, and having spent many happy boyhood summers at the school, Dalgliesh is the perfect candidate to look for the truth in this remote, rarified community of the faithful–and the frightened. And when one death leads to another, Dalgliesh finds himself steeped in a world of good and evil, of stifled passions and hidden pasts, where someone has cause not just to commit one crime but to begin an unholy order of murder. . . .

“Gracefully sculpted prose and [a] superbly executed mystery . . . Death in Holy Orders is among [James’s] most remarkable and accomplished Dalgliesh novels.”
–The Philadelphia Inquirer

“An elegant work about hope, death, and the alternately redemptive and destructive nature of love.”
–The Miami Herald

“Absorbing . . . [James’s] plotting and characterization [are] impeccable.”
–Orlando Sentinel

“P. D. James is in top form.”
–The Boston Globe

Open the exclusive dossier at the back of this book, featuring P. D. James’ essay on penning the perfect detective novel.

Customer Reviews:

Odoriforous!.......2007-04-24

A rehash of the usual James elements. Endless detail on architecture and interior decoration, but no memorable characters, despite all the details. The mystery plot is uninspired. Neither a good novel nor a good mystery. Read The Black Tower or Shroud for a Nightingale instead. Both work better as novels and mysteries.

Intricate, Elegant Plot.......2007-02-09

P.D. has once again given us an Adam Dalgliesh mystery that gathers up many threads and weaves them into a sweeping tapestry of murder and intrigue. Set on a desolate stretch of English seashore, bones often wash up from a graveyard overtaken by the ever-encroaching sea. In the C of E seminary close by the coastline, the doors of residents and guests boast no locks and expand the suspect list. James takes strands of the past and weaves its twists and turns into the present moment, where murder unravels the peace of this place of sanctuary. A quintessential James whodunit with the finely-worked plotlines and imagery we've come to expect from the Baroness.

CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!

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CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

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Product Description

The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.

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