I read this book when I was writing my disstertation for the University. I found it both competent, giving facts and details, and also entertainig. Extremely well-written it is a book that gives the reader a deep insight into British society and its customs.

From El Planeta Platica Lawrence Taylor and Maeve Hickey's The Road to Mexico (University of Arizona Press, 1997) offers a delicious narrative and evocative photos on the blue highways stretching from Tucson, Arizona to Magdalena de Kino, Sonora. "The Old Nogales Highway is a road, like the fabled Route 66, shares in an American romance different from that of that of the interstate. Here, the up-to-date sits awkwardly, unstylishly cheek by jowl with the embarrassingly eccentric and the downright ugly." (p. 58) Proving that travel is best enjoyed when it's not rushed, the authors take time to talk to the people who live in the Sonoran Desert. Anthropologist Taylor quotes a wide range of people from American Automobile Association clerks "Lots of cars get stolen down there" to muralists to cattle ranchers. The book finds its voice in this regional chorus and turns its focus on picturesque characters, such as the U.S.-borne mariachi who won't cross the borderline: "Fernando was not about to risk the Mexico of his imagination, of his mariachi, by penetrating that border. He would consider flying over it, landing in the center of the nation, in the Guadalajara of Mariachi Vargas, but Fernando Sanchez was not going to take the road to Mexico." (p. 9)

Dr. Kennedy is my pastor.This book was written and is used to teach an understanding of church leadership and authority.It also supports the home group (or C.A.R.E. groups as we call them at the North Church in Carrollton Texas).That acronym stands for Caring and Reaching Everyone.This is a really good book and I highly reccommend it.This is also a required textbook and course given at the North Church.

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Pier Paolo Pasolini was most remembered as a controversial filmmaker -- Salo;120 days of Sodom is his most notorious, famous because it proceeded his tragic death. Likewise, Pasolini possessed others talents: painting, which was undermost and, as already proved on this site, writing. Pasolini began writing prose/poetry at an early age but soon developed his talent as a fiction writer (some of his films were originally novels). Roman Poems, beautifully translated by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, is a collection of Pasolini's scribblings: mainly prose, eulogies, odes, and long-poems. These compositions were compiled from different sources: some books dating from Pasolini's teenage years, others sometime before his death. Roman Poems presents many themes but usually centers around Pasolini's lifestyle as a street hustler and derelict; his poems are generally set in his Roman homeland --hence the titled. Moreover, Pasolini has created a ideology all his own, attacking groups as the aristocracy, Fascist Italy, Capitalism, and sympathizing the proletariat and the underdog. Of all the pieces in the book, the ones that stands out the most is "A Sentimental Education," and "The Resistance and its Light;" both exhibiting intense imagery and spirit for which Pasolini was known for. Unfortunately, Pasolini was persecuted and despised by many people: indeed an untimely death for an artist of his time. It's sad to say that people still have a hard time comprehending Pasolini, and this incomprehension usually manifests itself as deep-seated hatred. Roman Poems presents Pasolini as a man who anticipated a change in politics as well as a change in art. Those who will read are taking a great step.

Taschen triumphs again with a beautifully produced overview of Lichtenstein's entire career, with excellent reproductions of his major works and some less wellknown pieces. Essential.

It has been an exemplary sample of my belief system as a designer. I was a student when I learned of Halprin's work, and have, always had a sense of affinity for the philosophic approach he has been able to publish. I am thankful that individuals, like Mr. & Mrs. Halprin have been able to promote a conscientious process for decision-making. I think I lent my book to someone and now I am unable to find it in my library. Either I must stop lending books, or

I have been looking for a 'true' first reader for the past six months. This is it! Rug Bug offers repetition, word sounds that follow all the rules, and a few new sounds that reoccur to build reader confidence (i.e., rumble, stumble, tumble). Other so-called first readers are apparently designed with no attention to mastering basic sounds and try to accomplish too much within the scale of first attempts. Frustration does not lead to a love of reading. Rug Bug (and its' partner "Red Hat, Green Hat") are obviously designed with success in mind. My four year old twins love the feeling of reading mommy a story. We anxiously await the next additions to the series.

The book 'Safed Spirituality: Rules of Mystical Piety, The Beginning of Wisdom' is a text produced by the Paulist Press for their series on the Classics of Western Spirituality (see the end of this review for more information. The translation of these texts were done by Professor Lawrence Fine, who also wrote the introduction. At the time of its printing, Fine was a professor of religious studies and Jewish studies at Indiana University, and I took a course in Jewish mysticism under his direction.

'The renaissance of Jewish mystical life that took place in the Galilean city of Safed in the sixteenth century is one of the most significant and remarkable chapters in the history of Judaism. The ideas that developed there, the rich literature that was produced, the stunning array of teachers it nurtured, established Safed as one of the great centers of Jewish creativity.' Given this glowing introduction to the place and time, it is remarkable that few people, including few Jewish people, have ever heard of Safed or Safed spirituality. In the preface by Louis Jacobs, the idea of normative Judaism's resistance to things mystical is explored. Certainly in an era where Hasidic Jews are no longer unknown people and Kabbalistic mysticism is made popular by pop stars and New Age spiritualists, to explore the great production of the community of Safed makes sense.

Safed spirituality had no qualms about reinventing the symbols, practices and traditions of Judaism, and in that has an interesting modern sensibility to it. However, the Safed community was careful not to push beyond the boundaries of 'orthodox' Judaism, and so remains firmly a part of the greater Jewish communal experience. The Safed community benefited from a convergence of historical events, including the expulsion of Jews from various European kingdoms, most particularly the Spanish explusion of 1492, and from tolerance and trade within the Ottoman Empire at the time. Fine describes the Safed community of the 1500s as having five primary features that constituted innovations in Judaism:

- messianic fervor
- organised brotherhoods
- ascetic behaviour
- ritual innovations
- contemplative practices

Fine has selected two types of literature from the Safed community to present in this text. First, there is the Hanhagot, codes and practices of religious behaviour. Second, there is the Resh-it Hokhmah, which translates as The Beginning of Wisdom, an ethical-mystical text written by Elijah de Vidas.

The Hanhagot are, in effect, practical daily instructions. This is not out of keeping with greater Jewish custom and practice, where writings such as the Talmud are esteemed for their organisation principles and exacting prescriptions for action and behaviour. 'Forsaking speculative, theoretical, and analytical concerns, the Haghanot are usually composed of lists that, in a terse, systematic format, enumerate practical behavioral standards and expectations. In tone they are conspicuously directive and didactic. In this latter respect, the Haghanot are very much like Hebrew ethical wills, letters written by a father to his children before his death, or by a scholar to his community.'

There are six sets of texts presented here, by Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, Abraham ben Mordecai Galante, Abraham ben Eliezer ha-Levi Berukhim, Joseph Karo, and Isaac Luria. These include instructions as well as reflections, hymns and brief biographical statements of each spiritual leader. The instructions range from how to pray, how to observe Sabbath, how to conduct interpersonal relationships, and much more.

Elijah de Vidas' text on The Beginning of Wisdom is deeply steeped in Kabbalistic literature and practice. The entire book is divided into five 'gates' each one of which is long and involved, exploring specific points of the mystical journey such as far, love, repentance, holiness and humility. While the Kabbalistic influence is very evident, Elijah de Vidas incorporated much non-kabbalistic literature from the medieval period into this work, as well as drawing on Talmudic and Midrashic texts, including the Bible.

The text included here is a condensation of de Vidas' book. This was done by Jacob Poyetto in 1580, one year after the publication of the original. Poyetto's abridgement contributed greatly to the readability and popularity of the book, and concentrates far more on practical aspects of de Vidas' text.

Fine includes an appendix that includes a description of the Sefirot, a useful glossary of Kabbalistic and Jewish mystical terms, a selected readings list divided by subject area, and a good number of notes from the texts.

This is indeed an interesting text highlighting spirituality from an influential period in Jewish history. It is worthwhile for anyone interested in Jewish history or in mysticism and spirituality generally.

The series of Classics of Western Spirituality is produced by the Paulist Press. With an impressive editorial board comprised of many of the top scholars from around the world, the CWS series includes texts from the most ancient of sources to very recent modern compositions. All texts in this series include significant portions of the original sources, with generous commentary in the form of introductions, notes, and appendices. With new volumes being produced all the time, the CWS series is a great achievement in religious studies and the study of spirituality.

As the first chapter suggests, we're all outsiders...Puerto Ricans playing Cuban rhythms, Cuban players playing jazz, white guys arranging Latin dance music and Latin Jazz...the book at times is hard to read, owing to my lack of proficiency in reading music; however, for anyone who is reasonably well versed in sight reading the excerpts are short...the chapters on percussion are extremely easy to read--even for the "non-reader"...and uncertainties are cleared up by listening to the accompanying CD, which has patterns that lend insight into the intricacies of Latin music. The book makes a convincing case that there is room for an academic approach in understanding salsa, while making it equally clear that there are shortcomings as well. Well done.