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A New York Times Bestseller

In this compelling volume, Pope John Paul II speaks for the first time on global politics. He discusses his views on freedom and democracy and speaks about the twentieth-century totalitarian ideologies of Communism and Nazism. Making an emphatic appeal for mankind to regard freedom "not only as a gift but as a task" to be used for the common good, he calls for dialogue among all the world's civilizations and religions. ... Read more

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Paul E. Walker looks at this important missionary of the tenth century from a fresh perspective. Though long neglected by historians of Islamic philosophy, al-Sijistani's recently recovered writings establish him both as a philosopher and as an exponent of the intellectual understanding of Islam. The old problem of the meaning of science and religion and their interaction as reflected in the thought of an Ismaili author from the early Islamic period is now interpreted within the framework that brings together ideas and obscure doctrines surviving only piecemeal from medieval Arabic books and treatises. This book provides a coherent overview of al-Sijistani's contributions as a thinker.
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Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent
Excellent book. Gives a good overview Sijistani's neo-platonic contstruct and his rational approach to solving the paradox of tawhid.

Al Sijistani, Neoplatonism and Ismaili doctrine
Al Sijistani was a leading visionary during the Ismaili Fatimid period. This period was marked by a strong scientific spirit, a rational approach to the universe and a markedly humanistic view of mankind's key place in it. Al Sijistani was among the group of thinkers who coopted both rationalism and the philosophical sciences and answered that religious revelation reflected not merely a separate realm, but the whole of knowledge. Hence reason or the intellect was accepted as a valid source of Islamic understanding. Al Sijistani in fact argues that intellect can never be overconsumed, but thrives on being spent. Learning in a variety of ways improves the soul, giving it strength by adding to its share of intellect.
In reviewing this book,clearly the most interesting aspect of al Sijistani's thought is his combination of Neoplatonic ideas and Ismaili doctrine. This book is in contrast with others on the Ismaili movement that tend to focus on the mystical (batin) aspects of the faith. I have read this book several times and really enjoyed reading it because of its rational approach to the Ismaili faith. I was quite surprised by the sound,readily defensible, theoretical foundation that he was able to build for central and critical issues of Ismaili doctrine. ... Read more

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This collection of photography from the 1980s provides a look into the art of contemporary Soviet Union. Images include the earthquake in Armenia and soldiers on the Afghan frontier. ... Read more

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Among the most outstanding Ismaili thinkers, Hamid al-Din al-Kirmani was at the forefront of the intellectual advances of his time and almost on a par with his famous contemporary, Ibn Sina, with whom he shared many philosophical ideas. His ideas on the intellect and the order of creation are a departure from those expressed by early Ismaili thinkers which he endeavoured to amend, thus providing insights into early Ismaili debates about philosophical and scientific concepts. This book presents a systematic investigation of al-Kirmani's life and thought. It focuses on the principal themes of his writings: the nature of human recognition and veneration of God; an understanding of the cosmic order; and the repose and tranquillity of the intellect. The author also examines a number of problems in the biography of al-Kirmani, the affiliations between his metaphysical system of thought and those of al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, and the importance of his writings for the Ismaili da'wa during the late-10th and 11th centuries. ... Read more

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Do you want to have Joy even when life throws you its worst? Unflagging joy, the kind the apostle Paul experienced while in chains and prisons, can be yours, and this down-to-earth guide shows you how. Paul Walker explores the twelve key stresses--from difficult circumstances to low self-esteem to out-of-sync priorities--that threaten to steal your glad spirit. Then, backed by biblical and psychological principles, How to Keep Your Joy offers practical tips for combating those stresses with a life focused on God and His Word. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Too-conventional mystery marketed as horror
Paul Walker, The Altar (Pocket, 1983)

I'm still trying to figure out what significance the title of this novel is a week after I finished reading it. Not that it takes anything away from the book, it's just a tad confusing. As was the marketing-- this is played, by title, cover image, and back cover blurb, as a straight horror novel. In fact, it's your basic mystery-- private investigator and all.

Elliot Kasavian is a writer of childrens' adventure novels. At least, somewhere in the world is a guy named Elliot Kasavian, and he's a bestselling author. The Elliot Kasavian who moves into an exclusive New York town, however, is a private investigator leasing the name, pretending to be the author so he can investigate seven deaths of young girls that plagued the town-- then came to a sudden halt three years previous. The town has never really gotten over the murders, and the mysterious entities who hired the PI think the murderer is still living there, waiting to start killing again. The agency sent "Kasavian" to town with a wife (Susan) and daughter (alternately called Margaret and Peggy), actually actors with pasts equally as dark as Kasavian's own. So not only does he have the town's mystery to wonder about, but he and Susan start the inevitable dance that happens between people when they're forced to live together in a small space without having previously known one another. And to make matters worse, Peggy fits the profile of the serial killer's victims.

If you're looking for a horror novel, you're going to be quite disappointed; all of the frights to be found here are somewhat mundane, in every respect. While it's reasonably well written and decently paced most of the time, those who read the cover and mistake it for a tell-all bio of the currently hot actor (who, as he was ten years old when this novel was released, I am reasonably sure is not its actual author) will actually end up not too far off the mark; Kasavian does a lot of snooping around, being followed, occasionally getting shot at or threatened, and eventually uncovers the mystery and finds out whodunit. Which, if you think about it, kind of sounds like the plot of The Fast and the Furious, except there's no Vin Diesel to keep the ladies happy, no Michelle Rodriguez to keep the guys happy, and no car chases-- in fact, only one car goes above the speed limit. And that's driven by a drunk person. (One of the most interesting moments in the book, for me, was comparing how a drunk driver was handled in 1983 to how the same scene would have been played out in a novel like this in 2006. They are starkly different.)

An amusing way to kill an afternoon, but nothing to go out of your way to find. ** ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from The Journal of the American Oriental Society, published by American Oriental Society on July 1, 2002. The length of the article is 407 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Kitab al-Iftikhar. .(Book Review) (book review)
Author: Paul E. Walker
Publication: The Journal of the American Oriental Society (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2002
Publisher: American Oriental Society
Volume: 122Issue: 3Page: 659(1)

Article Type: Book Review

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This text presents the "Chapter on Satan" (Bab al-shaytan) from an Ismaili work called the "Kitab al-Shajara" by the 4th/10th-century Khurasani da'i, Abu Tammam. The satans of Tammam's "Chapter" are the founders and instigators of the 72 heretical sects of Islam. Each sect has been accorded a relatively lengthy description as perceived from a generally Shi'i and Mu'tazili point of view. The volume contains both a critical edition of the "Bab al-shaytan" and a complete English translation of it. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from The Journal of the American Oriental Society, published by American Oriental Society on April 1, 2000. The length of the article is 905 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Fatimid Armenians: Cultural and Political Interaction in the Near East.(Review) (book review)
Author: Paul E. Walker
Publication: The Journal of the American Oriental Society (Refereed)
Date: April 1, 2000
Publisher: American Oriental Society
Volume: 120Issue: 2Page: 270

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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An inspirational collection of stories explains how people's lives have been changed by faith and celestial intervention, from a terminally ill woman who was cured at Lourdes to a young woman whose prayers were answered on a deserted beach. ... Read more

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If ever an era truly deserved to be called a golden age, it was the half-century heyday of the American West: A gold strike heralded its birth, gold fever drove its explosive growth, and a final gold rush marked its passing. For fifty years, the frontier's golden promise sparked a spirit of adventure, individualism, and independence that shaped our country's vision of itself.

Its legendary heroes and hallowed sites echo in our imaginations -- Wyatt Earp and Wounded Knee, the Little Bighorn and Judge Roy Bean, the James gang and the Johnson County range war. Trail of the Wild West reveals the often-surprising truth behind all the familiar myths, but it does much more as well: In these pages, you'll also meet ordinary men and women whose private diaries and plainspoken letters offer vivid glimpses of an extraordinary time, all the more eloquent in their simplicity. And along with the evocative black-and-white archival photographs, you'll find a breathtaking panorama of full-color images by some of our finest photographers, who create a modern portrait of a landscape still as awe-inspiring as it was one hundred and fifty years ago.

When you open this lavish, fascinating book, you reopen a world that ended long ago but has lost none of its power to enthrall. It's truly a golden opportunity to revisit the glory days of vibrant young America -- and rediscover the Wild West as it really was.Amazon.com Review
Graced with National Geographic's trademark photos, this informative book sheds new light on the old west. Reminiscent of a lovingly and beautifully kept scrapbook, Trail of the Wild West separates fact from fiction regarding legendary tales of this explosive era, bringing voices to both the well- and not-so-well-known people who made it one of the most remarkable periods of American history. Maps, diary excerpts, and archival and landscape photos make this a true collector's item. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Happy Trails
This a is a good book for the casual "Western" reader. The chapters are concise yet interesting which makes it easy to pick it up and read in short intervals.

Illustrations and photography are of good quality. Several antique photos of the famous and infamous are prominent throughout and make the stories more plausible and interesting.

This should make an interesting reference piece to your western studies and reading.

Happy Trails
This a is a good book for the casual "Western" reader.The chapters are concise yet interesting which makes it easy to pick it up and read in short intervals.

Illustrations and photography are of good quality.Several antique photos of the famous and infamous are prominent throughout and make the stories more plausible and interesting.

This should make an interesting reference piece to your western studies and reading.

Trail of the Wild West
Would you like to tour the west, stopping to read the roadside signs and visiting the small museums?This book is that kind of trip.Such a trip has rewards and penalties.The book's title promises the "Wild West."Be aware that the emphasis is on "wild;" as in greedy gold seekers, reckless cowboys, and skirmishes between Indians and Calvary.It would be an error to consider this western history.The subtitle is "...rediscovering the American frontier."That is a misnomer.The American frontier was much broader and richer than the material in this book.

The author tells us up front that his story begins with the California gold rush in 1848 and ends with the Klondike stampede in 1898.This is a National Geographic book.Hence it has beautiful photos, although the photographer has an obsession with the light of early morning or just before sundown.There are lots of sidebar stories and long captions under photos.Many of these connect only loosely to the text into which the author has inserted them.In fact, this book lacks continuity in the same way that you might encounter it if reading roadside signs and visiting small museums.Likewise, the passages are frequently overblown, weighed down with adjectives, and overly influenced by legend or rumor.

This book left me with a troubling impression of negativism.Any group of people; whether homesteaders, cattlemen, lawmen, or anyone else; will exhibit both constructive and objectionable traits.This book views the unconstructive throughout to a greater degree than any book I have read recently.
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This volume integrates knowledge of physiology and the mucosal immune system by providing a systematic survey of the information available on the immunophysiology of the gut. The text features contributions from mucosal immunologists, physiologists and enteric neurophysiologists, who critically evaluate the significance of their findings. This book describes the concept of gut immunophysiology and emphasizes the association between lymphocytes (and their soluble products) and the function of the gastrointestinal tract. It presents information on how the role of nutrition effects both GI hormone release and lymphoid cytokine release, both of which influence physiologic processes. This volume also discusses key issues, such as the role of lymphokines on mucosal function, endocrine control of mucosal immune function and the effects of nutrition and malnutrition on GI function. ... Read more