en-US Mon, 31 Jan 2022 11:29:12 -0800 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 6067326 160 Brian Blessed 0861018281 Ade 5 4.33 1991
author: Brian Blessed
name: Ade
average rating: 4.33
book published: 1991
rating: 5
read at: 2009/01/25
date added: 2022/01/31
shelves: climbing, reference, slowly-reading
review:

]]> 819315 182 Christopher Jamison 0753821494 Ade 5 spirit, reference
Now finished, though this is a book to return to. What I particularly found heartening, encouraging and maybe life changing was that I have for such a long time been upset by pick and mix new ageism, self-centred consumer guides to 'spiritual' comfort, the exploded array of bricolage that is on an ever growing rubbish heap of those who have plundered bits and pieces of the great religions, made religion an enemy of spiritualism, supported full on the ideology of atomised selfseeking consumerism. That I witness this among some of the professed, the ordained and the church leaders breaks my heart.

I am still a very confused person, but a book like this, read slowly, cannot be simply one of many objects put on a shelf or in a cupboard, reduced eventually to another torn fragment of a desecrated tapestry. The call is for a whole life involvement (not a holistic this, that or the other cd from amazon), being, stabilised, centred commitment, sacrifice. Did you know that sacrifice has the root of sacred, the making holy, whole, healing? It is a call from the gravity of selfishness to sharing and binding and community (that poor, poor word that has been so violated). There are no private compartments on the way to salvation, the Abbot says. the book is a resource and guide with hope at its heart.]]> 4.13 2006
author: Christopher Jamison
name: Ade
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2009/02/05
date added: 2012/07/21
shelves: spirit, reference
review:
Came my way accidentally. I'd put it onto an amazon order before Christmas as a present for someone who liked the Abbot's words, but I found her a signed copy in a local bookshop. So I got it along with my first January order from amazon since I had not deleted the order list. I like it. I saw the TV series, and have a soft spot for Abbots and monasteries. Seven steps to sanctuary. But I fall at the first which is being nice to everyone all the time, and I kind of resent the routine and somewhat snidey attacks on popular culture, and poor people as being somehow ungodly. On the other hand, if I were to get myself into order and actually resist the currents of distracting excitements and denials that claim me, I would, will, doubtless possibly, yes, "doubtless possibly", find this a glorious and wise book. The implication is that it will end up on the shelf, or in its little place for occasional convenient spiritual visits (convenient, in that they incur no more or less importance than other items from an interesting catalogue of life), and the views I may have on the book are less important than really the mind that holds the views. But goodreads is no forum for such. In hope, I do like Abbot Christopher.

Now finished, though this is a book to return to. What I particularly found heartening, encouraging and maybe life changing was that I have for such a long time been upset by pick and mix new ageism, self-centred consumer guides to 'spiritual' comfort, the exploded array of bricolage that is on an ever growing rubbish heap of those who have plundered bits and pieces of the great religions, made religion an enemy of spiritualism, supported full on the ideology of atomised selfseeking consumerism. That I witness this among some of the professed, the ordained and the church leaders breaks my heart.

I am still a very confused person, but a book like this, read slowly, cannot be simply one of many objects put on a shelf or in a cupboard, reduced eventually to another torn fragment of a desecrated tapestry. The call is for a whole life involvement (not a holistic this, that or the other cd from amazon), being, stabilised, centred commitment, sacrifice. Did you know that sacrifice has the root of sacred, the making holy, whole, healing? It is a call from the gravity of selfishness to sharing and binding and community (that poor, poor word that has been so violated). There are no private compartments on the way to salvation, the Abbot says. the book is a resource and guide with hope at its heart.
]]> 750619 Atlas of the Universe is the ultimate reference to the stars, planets and celestial objects using the most comprehensive information available.

The book features the latest images from the Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Telescope, Mars Express, the Cassini spacecraft and 2004 Huygens probe of Saturn and Titan. The stunning images are explained with clear and detailed text. The full color book illustrates and explains the nature of every category of celestial object in a clear and concise manner.]]> Patrick Moore 0540087912 Ade 5 reference 4.38 1994
author: Patrick Moore
name: Ade
average rating: 4.38
book published: 1994
rating: 5
read at: 2009/01/25
date added: 2012/01/29
shelves: reference
review:

]]> 9500360 So Spirited a Town is a book about how Liverpool has been seen through the eyes of others, but at the same time it is also a personal and moving record of growing up Liverpudlian in the mid-twentieth century: exploring the light-hearted meaning of coming of age “Scouse� while never forgetting that De Quincey’s “many-languaged town� is a cosmopolitan, multiracial seaport with an often tough history of poverty, industrial strife, migration, and, above all, humor. ]]> 256 Nicholas Murray 1846311284 Ade 4 history, reference
The negatives first. Murray hasn't lived in the city since the 70s, and his claims to be a 'scouser' are dubious since Waterloo where he was brought up and which he describes as a northern suburb of the city is not in Liverpool. To be fair, it's as near as makes no difference, and his childhood memories of the river and the docks ring true. More serious is his irritating interjections to proclaim himself a son of the city (little asides to having a 'bevy' for example). Son of a headmaster, his filtering of the world is very much of the middle class Liverpudlian variety - that is, a sort of implicit weakly sentimental museuming of the place. I found atrocious his claim that after the recent massive influx of capital to build a gleaming shopping centre, skyscrapers, expensive hotels and apartments that Liverpool has overcome its 'difficulties' and is on the rise, hence the title of the book and the accompanying picture of Jacob Epstein's Spirit of Liverpool Resurgent which is located at the main portal of the former Lewis's department store. Former, because it is awaiting transformation of its derelict shell into expensive shops, an hotel and apartments. No. Liverpool behind the political and mainstream claims is made of thousands of citizens awaiting any sign of resurgence.

Positively, the book's a great collection of resources. It is more than prepared to look at the city's historical problems of injustice, poverty and immense suffering, and locate these in the mainstream discourses of the fabulously wealthy mercantile classes. Murray provides many literary references of those who passed through or stayed in Liverpool. He includes the writings of nearly forgotten working class writers, and offers a (bare) political outline of emergent socialism. What is frustrating and puzzling is that the book provides no index, but there is a good bibliography. It's a reasonable 'journalistic' read.]]> 3.60 2008
author: Nicholas Murray
name: Ade
average rating: 3.60
book published: 2008
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2011/05/07
shelves: history, reference
review:
This appeared to coincide with Liverpool's Capital of Culture Status in 2008.

The negatives first. Murray hasn't lived in the city since the 70s, and his claims to be a 'scouser' are dubious since Waterloo where he was brought up and which he describes as a northern suburb of the city is not in Liverpool. To be fair, it's as near as makes no difference, and his childhood memories of the river and the docks ring true. More serious is his irritating interjections to proclaim himself a son of the city (little asides to having a 'bevy' for example). Son of a headmaster, his filtering of the world is very much of the middle class Liverpudlian variety - that is, a sort of implicit weakly sentimental museuming of the place. I found atrocious his claim that after the recent massive influx of capital to build a gleaming shopping centre, skyscrapers, expensive hotels and apartments that Liverpool has overcome its 'difficulties' and is on the rise, hence the title of the book and the accompanying picture of Jacob Epstein's Spirit of Liverpool Resurgent which is located at the main portal of the former Lewis's department store. Former, because it is awaiting transformation of its derelict shell into expensive shops, an hotel and apartments. No. Liverpool behind the political and mainstream claims is made of thousands of citizens awaiting any sign of resurgence.

Positively, the book's a great collection of resources. It is more than prepared to look at the city's historical problems of injustice, poverty and immense suffering, and locate these in the mainstream discourses of the fabulously wealthy mercantile classes. Murray provides many literary references of those who passed through or stayed in Liverpool. He includes the writings of nearly forgotten working class writers, and offers a (bare) political outline of emergent socialism. What is frustrating and puzzling is that the book provides no index, but there is a good bibliography. It's a reasonable 'journalistic' read.
]]> 879727 Clare Foster 1844035603 Ade 5 reference, slowly-reading 3.69 2007
author: Clare Foster
name: Ade
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2009/01/25
date added: 2009/01/25
shelves: reference, slowly-reading
review:

]]> 836861 Jane Perrone 1843545489 Ade 5 slowly-reading, reference 3.88 2007
author: Jane Perrone
name: Ade
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2009/01/25
date added: 2009/01/25
shelves: slowly-reading, reference
review:

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