Customer Reviews (1)

4.5 Rating. Very interesting, and great details.
12 chapters of knowledge. David Marshall Lang has created a masterpiece which breaks down the history of Armenia little by little. There area also tons of pictures of ancient Armenian artifacts, and incredible pictures of Armenian locations. This book was incredible. Page after page of facts. Only problem was it seemed to be a little short (300 pages). Could have been a bit longer.

Gave it a 4.5.

Do I Recommend This?: Yes ... Read more

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In a series of eighteen essays by ten apologists, this book explains how disputed Catholic doctrines are not "unbiblical", but instead are actually based on Sacred Scripture. ... Read more

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“Number One” was a phrase my father—and, for that matter, my mother—repeated time and time again. It was a phrase spoken by my parents’ friends and by their friends’ children. Whenever adults discussed the great Chinese painters and sculptors from the ancient dynasties, there was always a single artist named as Number One. There was the Number One leader of a manufacturing plant, the Number One worker, the Number One scientist, the Number One car mechanic. In the culture of my childhood, being best was everything. It was the goal that drove us, the motivation that gave life meaning. And if, by chance or fate or the blessings of the generous universe, you were a child in whom talent was evident, Number One became your mantra. It became mine. I never begged my parents to take off the pressure. I accepted it; I even enjoyed it. It was a game, this contest among aspiring pianists, and although I may have been shy, I was bold, even at age five, when faced with a field of rivals.

Born in China to parents whose musical careers were interrupted by the Cultural Revolution, Lang Lang has emerged as one of the greatest pianists of our time. Yet despite his fame, few in the West know of the heart-wrenching journey from his early childhood as a prodigy in an industrial city in northern China to his difficult years in Beijing to his success today.
Journey of a Thousand Miles documents the remarkable, dramatic story of a family who sacrificed almost everything—his parents’ marriage, financial security, Lang Lang’s childhood, and their reputation in China’s insular classical music world—for the belief in a young boy’s talent. And it reveals the devastating and intense relationship between a boy and his father, who was willing to go to any length to make his son a star.
An engaging, informative cultural commentator who bridges East and West, Lang Lang has written more than an autobiography: his book opens a door to China, where Lang Lang is a cultural icon, at a time when the world’s attention will be on Beijing. Written with David Ritz, the coauthor of many bestselling autobiographies, Journey of a Thousand Miles is an inspiring story that will give readers an appreciation for the courage and sacrifice it takes to achieve greatness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Review of Journey of a Thousand Miles: My Story
Book came in new condition. Took a little longer than expected to arrive. Haven't finished reading it yet, but so far a good read. It depicts the life of Lang Lang from his early childhood to his stardom as a pianist and all the harsh roadblocks he encountered throughout his journey. Some of the details probably got lost in translation when the author wrote the book, but nevertheless, a good read.

A Look Into Lang Lang's Past And Present - Very Interesting!
I have heard much from various people about Lang Lang and his 'display' of piano playing, some might say. I feel he's a great musician that emotes himself a bit more 'out there' than others who are more reserved. You learn exactly where Lang Lang gets his drive and passion for music inside of this memoir.

This book is a fascinating read: Lang Lang collaborated with another writer to give you this very understandable book about his upbringing. Lang Lang goes all the way from when he just started piano, to his dad pushing him along the way, winning competitions, not doing MORE competitions, to how he is so utterly successful in the United States and throughout the world nowadays.

You can almost read each chapter as a separate look into Lang Lang's memory; I know that is how I read parts of it that I knew would fascinate me more than others. It is great to be able to hear this young pianist's thoughts about life, through practicing 8 hours a day, to finally feeling more like a "normal teenager" when he finally took a break from practicing due to an injury. He goes into detail about his life with performing, which I found to be thoroughly interesting.

Whether you are a harsh critic or committed fan of Lang Lang, I highly recommend this book. It is a quick read because of how easily the words flow out of the page. There is much to expect from Lang Lang in the future, seeing as he is still only in his twenties. I am looking forward to hopefully reading another memoir from this great artist farther down the road!

too much showmanship
I really do think Lang Lang was overrated. It was disturbing when his facial expression has gone too wild when he was at the piano. It is definetely a degrade downplay when considering him one of the greatest. A classical pianist should have put more values into the music itself; otherwise, it is rubbing of the listeners ears in a bad way. The visual presence of Lang Lang is destructive to the music he is playing.

Fabulous book
An ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING account of this young musician's life and the launching of his career. Couldn't put it down.

Achieving greatness the Chinese way
It is difficult for those who have not experienced it themselves to understand what type of society was created by the Cultural Revolution in China. Lang Lang, one of the world's foremost pianists, gives us an interesting glimpse of domestic life in post-Cultural Revolution China in this engaging autobiography. The story starts with Lang Lang's birth in 1982, some 6 years after the Revolution had ended.

During the Cultural Revolution, musicians and artists -- along with many other types of people -- were sent to work on farms and learn from peasants. Lang Lang's mother was a singer and actress, and his father had always dreamed of being a professional musician, but their dreams had been thwarted by the Revolution. The book tells the story of Lang Lang's training as a pianist, learning to read music before he could read letters, and seeking out the best piano teacher in the city when he was four.

The story is one of a father sacrificing everything and demanding everything to live out his own ambitions through his mostly-willing child. After many years of constant practice, Lang Lang wins admission to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, then ultimately moves to America and achieves international fame. It is a well-written and inspiring story that raises issues about the fine line between parental encouragement and child abuse in the development of extraordinary talent. ... Read more

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Three preeminent historians provide an ecumenicalportrait of Mary by exploring the varied ways in whichthe mother of Jesus is perceived. For Pelikan, Mary is thefocal point for spirited theological discussion and dogma.For Flusser,Mary is a symbol for myriad Jewish motherswho suffer and endure—the mater dolorosa in a world oftotal inhumanity. For Lang,Mary is the wife and motherthrough whom flows the love and devotion of centuries offaithful Roman Catholics.Their engaging text, for the first time available in paperback and with a new preface, is enhanced by forty-eight pages of full-color illustrations, accompanied by excerpts from early Christian sources and from the Mary legend traditions. Illustrations include photographs of actual sites as well as magnificent reproductions of art inspired by Mary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Mary in Ecumenical Perspective
After more than 500 years of antipathy to Mary as "idol worship" or objections on other grounds, Protestants are looking deeper into the Biblical passages about Mary that have long been neglected across the Catholic-Protestant divide. Mary is finally more out in the open as a topic of discussion, reflection and devotion among many across the spectrum of Protestantism.

Protestant appreciation and attention to Mary at a popular level became more apparent on March 21, 2005 when Time Magazine devoted its cover to Mary. In "Hail, Mary", David Van Biema noted that many Protestants are finding their own reasons to celebrate Mary in ways that stretch far beyond the traditional birth narratives.

Within weeks of the publication of the Time feature article, Fortress Press, a mainline Protestant publisher published Mary: Images of the Mother of Jesus in Jewish and Christian Perspective (2005) under the triple authorship of Jaroslav Pelikan, David Flusser and Justin Lang. Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox and Jews will find much that they can appreciate about Mary in this slim tome. Jews can connect with Mary as the "mother of sorrows." Orthodox Christians of every denomination can connect to Mary as mother of Jesus and of God. Catholics enjoy a diversity of theological and devotional approaches to understand, celebrate and venerate Mary.

Mary as Jewess and Mother of Sorrows Then and Now

The late David Flusser, an internationally renowned scholar of New Testament and early Judaism and also Professor of Comparative Religion at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem urges us to reflect carefully on Mary as a devout Jewish woman. Flusser urges us to remember that Mary was a real living person in history who functioned within the late Judaism of her time. For him, Mary is the Jewish mother of Christ and should be seen as both a symbol of the church but also a symbol for her people.

Flusser urges us to reflect on the past and present Mary as our "mother of sorrows." As a practicing Jew, Flusser discusses Mary in the context of Jewish martyrdom. For Flusser, the cross of Jesus belongs to Christology and Jewish martyrdom. Mary therefore possesses a "transcendental worth." Therefore Mary is the "certain link between Jesus and the Jewish People." Through her sufferings, human suffering is made holy and this understanding can "cross all confessional boundaries." One only need to think of Mary's profound sorrow over the fate of European Jews in the Holocaust.

The Theology of Mary

Jaroslav Pelikan the pre-eminent historian of the development of Christian doctrine is no stranger to Mary. His Mary Through the Centuries (1996, 1998) and earlier Jesus through the Centuries (1985, 1999) were critically acclaimed best sellers. His essay "Mary and Christian Doctrine" reminds us that Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox believers share certain essentials about Marian beliefs despite the notable differences since the Protestant Reformation. Actually, the differences stretch back to the Council of Nicea in 325 where Bishops of the Church differed over the legitimate development of doctrine beyond the language of the New Testament environment.

As doctrine and devotion developed, Pelikan noted that "Christology and Mariology are inextricable" in the sense that without Christology, there can be no doctrinal belief regarding the place of Marian belief and devotion.

What then is the place of Mary that holds ecumenical assent across the confessional lines? What can be said with reasonable assurance is that Mary authenticates the true humanity of Jesus because he was "born of a woman." Second, Pelikan asserts that Mary is the Virgin Mother and that this belief is the "unanimous teaching of all the orthodox fathers of the church . . . a patristic consensus." This teaching was subsequently affirmed by Luther, Calvin and Bullinger as the reformation consensus too. This unity of belief is of course, reflected in the Creed shared by all Christians.

Mary is also seen as Mother of God by Catholics, Lutherans and Orthodox Christians while the Reformed denominations of the Reformation do not hold as firmly to this consensus in terms of the development of this doctrine as reflected especially in Catholic teaching.

The remaining explanations of the Marian doctrines such as her perpetual virginity, immaculate conception (i.e. born without sin) and the assumption are not universally shared across confessional lines primarily because differences in beliefs about church authority and how far one is authorized to say that doctrinal beliefs develop.

Pelikan's sketch of the Christian doctrine of Mary is especially valuable because it is succinct, clear, readable, the product of wide learning and arises out of his own education and devotion. Pelikan was a Lutheran for most of his life but converted to Orthodoxy late in life.

Mary and Catholic Practice

Justin Lang a Franciscan priest sketches Mary in the context of Catholic devotion and practice. Immediately, Father Lang wonders if the "Marian age of the Catholic church is at an end." He laments the loss of devotion in this secular age but see opportunities too.

This first thing Lang tells us is that within the Catholic Church its theologians are divided into "Mariological maximalists and minimalists." Given these two poles of theological thought what is a Catholic (or others for that matter) to make of Mary? Part of the answer is that theology and theologians are not the full measure of Catholic teaching practice. The Catholic Church has had its share of wayward theologians over the centuries-especially in the Post Vatican II era.

How then should Mary be approached? Farther Lang asserts that "Mary ... is the summation of all that the church and Christian life must be if they wish to correspond to their own center, which is called Jesus Christ." From this perspective, Christians and especially Catholics are called on to me maximalists when it comes to Mary.

In his view Mary is the pre-eminent model of holiness. Mary guarantees the humanity of Jesus and affirms the Incarnation in that she is the bearer of God (Theotokos). Since Mary is so full of grace, she is worthy of devotion and veneration which must not be confused with worship. Catholic teaching has always been clear on this critical distinction.

The Life of Mary in Brief Text and Pictures

Christian art, symbols and icons of the West and the East offer splendid visual entries into the Christian life that inspire and offer an added dimension to devotion the editors of this fine book provide an excellent sketch profile of the life and mission of Mary in 48 full color plates of art from around the world. These visual representations can teach as much as the word if you just let them lead you deeper into the mystery of Christ and Mary.

The authors and editors of Mary: Images of the Mother of Jesus have in the space of just over 100 pages done Christians and all other readers an enormously good service by making Mary uniquely understandable in our time for all audiences.
... Read more

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This readable introduction to American public education law is designed to assist practicing educators, college and graduate students, parents, and the public in acting on everyday legal issues such as student expression, church/state separation, student and teacher discipline, curriculum, legislating and lobbying, parent associations, discrimination, special education, No Child Left Behind, student privacy, and more. Unique features include practical situations, the "Facts and Find" research method, and the "Cascade" approach to understanding the American legal system. ... Read more

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Macs in the Ministry - Your ministry demands your time, energy, creativity, passion and commitment. But you've got a Mac, so you have a tool that can save you time and energy, spark your creativity, and enable you to keep your commitments without losing your passion. Find out how to harness the programs you already have, along with additional resources you may want to consider, to help you in nearly every aspect of your ministry.

Part One of this book is about Inspiration: about discovering what's possible. Learn how to use online resources or Bible software to prepare a lesson or sermon. Discover the variety of ways you can present your message to a congregation or audience: using video created in iMovie, photo slide shows prepared in iPhoto, original music recorded in GarageBand, and more elaborate presentations using Keynote or specialized worship software. Learn how you can publish your message to a wider audience: through flyers, handouts, and other print publications; by creating podcasts and vodcasts (video podcasts) and distributing them through iTunes; by creating your own professional-quality CDs and DVDs; by making your videos available through websites like YouTube; or by developing your own great-looking websites using iWeb and Apple's MobileMe service.

Once you're pumped about all the exciting ways you can present and publish your message, you'll probably need to enlist some help from others. Use the Mac to get members of your congregation or church youth group participating in your ministry. With so many different ways to use Macs in ministry, there are countless opportunities to get people using their gifts in service to the kingdom.

Going one step further, you'll even see how the Mac can be used to meet practical needs. Forget car washes to raise money for youth retreats and mission trips! Why not develop and sell personalized greeting cards, calendars, audio CDs, or video DVDs? How about starting a ministry to train people in the community to do basic video editing, page layout, or web design? With a little creativity, you can use your Mac to minister to people's practical needs as well as to present a polished message.

Part Two of this book is about perspiration: about actually making these things happen. Here you'll find a series of projects that will show you how to do all the things you're now inspired to do. Get step-by-step instructions for creating an iMovie, developing slide shows and print projects in iPhoto, recording and publishing podcasts, producing a DVD, and developing a web-site in iWeb. See what you can do using other applications like Pages, Keynote, Bible study software, and worship presentation software. Where Part One will get your wheels turning, Part Two will actually get you moving! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Macs in the Ministry
I have a hard copy and a digital copy. Why? I am really enjoying the digital copy because I am on the go and when I am waiting for the sky train, bus or a friend for coffee at Starbucks I can continue reading. Great! educational material. The best is that as the writer says over and over, "We must communicate the message about Christ, the good news that any who call on His name can be saved from the penalty and power of sin."
Dr. Ronald Edgecombe ... Read more

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Is it really important that the wine we use for Communion be made only of grapes? Why not anoint the sick with corn oil instead of olive oil? Do the material parts sof the sacraments really make that much difference? Yes, they do. In this unique and fascinating book, David p. Lang shows us why the material elements of the sacraments - like bread, wine, water, and oil - are absolutely crucial to our faith. You'll find not only the answers to your questions, but the reasons behind those answers. And in the end, you'll have learned something important about our relationship with God: that God cares for our material being as well as our spiritual being. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a treasure on moral teaching
I finally had time during the Holiday break to do some "private" (i.e., non-professional...) reading at my pleasure and I have discovered this book that is truely a treasure.
Dr. Lang holds Ph.D.s in both mathematics AND philosophy and he approaches the subject matter (sic!) through both "secular", logical thinking AND through faith/scripture arguments. The first four chapters on water, wheat flour, grape wine, and olive oil lead the reader in a very informative and interesting, deep discussion - but it were Chapter 5 and 6 on the human "matter" involved in the sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony (i.e., genders) that "blew me away". Dr. Lang managed to present a case for objective morality parallelling BUT independent of Scripture, that is, accessible and acceptable to any reader, believer or not. His argumentation on human morality (and the natural role of the genders based on and relating to it) is so clear and deep that I would certainly recommend this book (or at least those chapters) to be required reading in our university's liberal arts/theology core. I am most certainly going to use this reference whenever I touch on Catholic social teaching in my courses. I do not easilly get carried away and enthusiastic to such extent by any single reading - so please forgive me that this time I just had to share the zeal this author has given me!

Faith and Reason in Wedded Bliss
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested on why the Church so adamantly insists on the importance of particular material substances for the valid use of the God-given means of grace. This book convincingly demonstrates that controversies surrounding such seemingly trivial issues as wheaten vs. non-wheaten bread for the Eucharist evince the great chasm that exists between most of contemporary thought on the one hand and a *truly* Catholic worldview on the other. A philosophical and Scriptural tour de force!

Good Response to the New Gnosticism
David Lang's book explains why the Catholic Church takes the position that she has no power to alter the matter used in the sacraments. The matter or material used in each sacrament, whether water in Baptism or wheat bread and grape wine in the Eucharist, matters because it originates in divine choice. Lang shows how that divine choice fits into the long panorama of salvation history recorded in the Scriptures. Lang also relies on philosophical argument to show how particular matter makes a difference. This reasoning also applies to the issue of priestly ordination of women because the proper matter for the sacrament of holy orders is a male candidate. Lang's work illustrates the Catholic view that God works through particular forms of matter and so makes the choice of matter significant. Lang's arguments counteract the New Gnosticism prevalent in modern Western culture that views distinctions between different types of matter as unimportant. It is worth reading because it exposes how the desire of some to arbitrarily change the sacraments contradicts both divine revelation and human reasoning. ... Read more

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One of the best known examples of the hagiographic novel, this is the tale of an Indian prince who becomes aware of the world's miseries and is converted to Christianity by the monk Barlaam. Barlaam and Josaphat (Ioasaph) were believed to have re-converted India after her lapse from conversion to Christianity, and they were numbered among the Christian saints. Centuries ago likenesses were noticed between the life of Josaphat and the life of the Buddha; the resemblances are in incidents, doctrine, and philosophy, and Barlaam's rules of abstinence resemble the Buddhist monk's. But not till the mid-nineteenth century was it recognised that, in Josaphat, the Buddha had been venerated as a Christian saint for about a thousand years.

The origin of the story of Barlaam and Ioasaph—which in itself has little peculiar to Buddhism—appears to be a Manichaean tract produced in Central Asia. It was welcomed by the Arabs and by the Georgians. The Greek romance of Barlaam appears separately first in the 11th century. Most of the Greek manuscripts attribute the story to John the Monk, and it is only some later scribes who identify this John with John Damascene (ca. 676–749). There is strong evidence in Latin and Georgian as well as Greek that it was the Georgian Euthymius (who died in 1028) who caused the story to be translated from Georgian into Greek, the whole being reshaped and supplemented. The Greek romance soon spread throughout Christendom, and was translated into Latin, Old Slavonic, Armenian, and Arabic. An English version (from Latin) was used by Shakespeare in his caskets scene in The Merchant of Venice.

David M. Lang's Introduction traces parallels between the Buddhist and Christian legends, discusses the importance of Arabic versions, and notes influences of the Manichaean creed.

Customer Reviews (3)

Early Christianity Meets Buddhism
I came upon this book by chance through a reference to an early Christian text which was based upon the story of the Buddha.I was intrigued and needed to read the book for myself.

This book, Barlaam and Iosaph, has long been attributed to St. John of Damascus and was written in about 750 A.D. subsequent to the Nicene Creed (mentioned in the text) and about the time, the editor informs us, of the Iconoclastic Controversy within the Christian Church.

The book begins with an introduction which describes a journey of an Apostle to India for purposes of encouraging conversions to Christianity.A remarkable feature of the story is the clear parallels it has to the life of the Buddha.

There was a mighty king, Abener, a pagan who persecuted the Christians.He had a son, Iosaph.At his birth, it was predicted he would be either a world ruler or a Christian holy man.The king sheltered Iosaph in a palace and gave him every pleasure imaginable.At Iosaph's entreaties, he was allowed to see the palace grounds.During these sheltered trips, he encountered an old man, a sick man, and a beggar and became aware of the transitory, suffering character of human life.

This story, of course, will be familiar to every student of Buddhism.

Iosaph is tutored in secret by a Christian ascetic, Barlaam.After many lengthy discourses on the nature of Christian doctrine, based primarily upon the Hebrew and Christian Bibles and upon Church fathers, Iosaph converts to Christianity.He is persecuted by his father.We see a debate between defenders of Christianity and the idolators.Iosaph is tempted in the flesh by a lovely wanton woman but with the help of God resists the temptation -- with great difficulty.Abener offers Iosaph one-half his kingdom.Iosaph accepts and Christianity is spread throughout this land.

Abener sees the error of his ways, repents of his persecution of the Christians and of his son, converts to Christianity, and dies redeemed.Then, Iosaph meets his destiny.He renounces his kingdom and leaves to assume the life of a mendicant monk in the desert.

He is able to find Barlamm and continues under his tutelage until Barlaam's death.Iosaph renounces his kingship at the age of 25, we are told, and spends 35 years as a monk wandering the desert.

There is much Buddhism here but much of early Christianity as well.The closing scenes of the book, including Iosaphs' renunciation of his kingdom and the description of his life in the desert as a monk, are for me powerful moments, strange as they may be to current sensibilities.There are also a good many digressions and parables throughout the text that help take the weight from the lengthy expositions of doctrine.

This book is one of the earliest in the Loeb Series of the classics.I didn't know about early Christian awareness of Buddhism and this book showed it to me.There many books that explore current relationships between Buddhism and Christianity and Judaism.Here we have it at and early date, and I would love to learn more.

This is a tale of the life of the spirit which still has power to move the reader with the power of the religious, ascetic life.

"An Epic of Faith and Triumph"
To place this on the shelves of classic christian literature would indeed be appropriate.This book is essential for the layman or scholar alike.I would also suggest reading it to your children at home.The content of the text has a serene fluidity that will keep you paced and at ease with the storyline.Although, there are no really big climatic peaks in this story, but the book just seems to maintin a poetic and heartwarming balance the whole way through.I will read this masterpiece again, and I hope you will grasp ahold of this wonderful relic of Christian literature.

The Great Classic of Eastern Christanity
Each of the major Christian traditions may be said to have a classic thatexpresses it's spirit in words.For Catholicism, Dante's "DivineComedy" can arguably be said to be the greatest literary work by abeliever.Reformed Protestantism might claim "Paradise Lost" inthe same way.For Independant Protestentism, Bunyan's "Pilgrim'sProgress" serves as a common touchstone and expression of the faith. All are well-known to educated Westerners.From the East, nothing olderthan Dostoyevesky enjoys a wide reading.St. John Damascene's"Baralam and Iosaph" takes the place within Eastern traditionthat the other classics do in their own.Early Church tradition heldthat St. Thomas converted India. That conversion did not hold.St. John ofDamascus, writing in the 6th century, told the story of India's secondconversion.The story may be a legend based on the life of the Bhudda, wholived a millenium before.Certainly there are resemblences: St. Johnwrites of a prince, brought up in a palace, who never sees anything butbeauty and ease, until he leaves as a young adult.On the first day of hisjourney, he meets with a cripple, a sick man, and an old man, and is throwninto a spiritual crisis.This is consistent with Bhuddist traditionsregarding their founder.The stories differ with what comes after.Unlikethe Bhudda, Iosaph does not found a religion; rather, in fleeing hisfather, King Abenneir, he takes counsel from a monk, Baralaam, who impartsthe faith to him.Eastern Christanity, in the sixth century, was in astate of spiritual ferment, as the faith constructed what Malachai Martincalled "castle visions" in his book, "The New Castle." The castle vision was a culture's original but fully-developed concept ofhow life on Earth ought to be, and what Man's relationship to God was meantto be.(The other great castle visions included Catholicism, the LutheranReformation, Angkor Wat, and American idealism, according to Martin.)St.John wrote in a century that saw the rise of Mohammad and Islam; the fallof the Zoroastrian Persian Empire; and the Iconoclast schism that threatnedto tear the early church apart.Other heresies abounded: Arian kings ruledGothic lands in the West; Nestorians abounded in the East, even reachingChina.A writer of the previous century remarked that when one asked thebaker for a loaf of bread, the reply was likely to include a discussion ofthe nature of the Son, or on His procession through the Father, or on thetwo Natures in one Person, and the like.Stylites stood upon pillars foras much as a half-century, praying and fasting, in all weather, wearingtheir beards for garments, living on what the birds and pilgrims broughtthem.The world was then near the zenith of what Spengler called"Magian" civilization, in his "The Decline of theWest."Magian civilization was the name given to all the religousmovements, beginning with Zoroaster in the 7th Century, B.C., and thepost-Captivity Jewish prophets, including both Christanity, Islam, and thehost of neo-Platonist, Gnostic, and other movements, that looked beyondthis world to a Judgement Day and taught that a spiritual war was beingfought between Good and Evil.Even as these religons were, in many cases,mutually exclusive, they shared the common characteristics noted above, andgave a distinct flavor to the age between the conversion of Constantine andthe Crusades.In this milieu, St. John wrote of Iosaph's flight fromhis angry father, of his life in the desert with Baralaam, and of theireventual capture by Abenneir.Iosaph's meek and holy example broke throughthe old King's hard heart, and he, too becomes a monk, after a life livedas a bloody tyrant.(Abenneir is even named on the feast day of Baralaamand Iosaph in some Eastern communities.) The passages on Iosaph andBaraalam's life as desert monks will conjur strange feelings in Westernminds:the joy with which they fasted, denied their bodies, andvoluntarily endured pain in pursiut of holieness are utterly strange to ourway of life.Whether or not St. John was passing on a legend of theBhudda unknowingly or not, the spirit of the East, when it was first andfully the East, prevades this remarkable work.Reading it is like openinga wondow into the soul of a distant world, yet one that was, in time andspace, much nearer to the beginning of Christanity than we are (and perhapsnearer spiritually, too). -Lloyd A. Conway ... Read more

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For over half a century, food policy has mapped a path for progress based upon a belief that the right mix of investment, scientific input, and human skills could unleash a surge in productive capacity which would resolve humanity's food-related health and welfare problems. It assumed that more food would yield greater health and happiness by driving down prices, increasing availability, and feeding more mouths. In the 21st century, this policy mix is quietly becoming unstuck. In a world marred by obesity alongside malnutrition, climate change alongside fuel and energy crises, water stress alongside more mouths to feed, and social inequalities alongside unprecedented accumulation of wealth, the old rubric of food policy needs re-evaluation. This book explores the enormity of what the new policy mix must address, taking the approach that food policy must be inextricably linked with public with public health, environmental damage, and social inequalities to be effective.

Written by three authors with differing backgrounds, one in political science, another in environmental health and health promotion, and the third in social psychology, this book reflects the myriad of perspectives essential to a comprehensive view of modern food policy. It attempts to make sense of what is meant by food policy; explores whether the term has any currency in current policy discourse, assesses whether current policies help or hinder what happens; judges whether consensus can triumph in the face of competing bids for understanding; looks at all levels of governance, across the range of actors in the food system, from companies and the state to civil society and science; considers what direction food policies are taking, not jsut in the UK, but internationally; assesse who (and what) gains or loses in the making of these food policies; and identifies a modern framework for judging how good or limited processes of policy making are.

This book provides a major comprehensive review of current and past food policy, thinking and proposing the need for what the authors call an ecological public health approach to food policy. Nothing less will be fit for the 21st century. ... Read more

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A compilation of quotations taken from interviews with k.d. lang. This book takes the reader into her mind, exploring her controversial attitudes to lesbianism and vegetarianism, as well as her music and career. ... Read more

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This second volume in the World Art series illustrates the sweeping breadth and diversity of Europe’s artistic history, from prehistoric cave drawings to 20th century abstraction. With an introductory essay, timeline and visually inviting two-page spreads, this volume offers superb color reproductions of important paintings, sculptures, tapestries, glasswork, mosaics and other European masterpieces accompanied by cogent commentary from renowned scholars. ... Read more