Michael Wolfe is an excellent writer. He is also a very convincing writer. For years my parents have been asking me to go for Hajj. I compromised and went for Umra. Mr. Wolfe's preface and the introduction convinced me that I should make this journey. I am preparing for the trip in year 2003. Inshallah.
This is an excellent book. Equally enlighting to Muslims and Non-Muslim. I recommend it.

Reading the title, one might think that this is a religion book, in reality this is a unique history book that give us a look at what the common man might experience on the way to and in Mecca through 1,000 years, through the eyes and words of the people who experienced the trips.

I found this book to be wonderful. I enjoyed it alot. It really has showen change in the pilgrimage. I would recomend the book for Muslims, like my self and non- Muslims alike.

Wonderful book with explanations of origin and culture - great addition to your art book library - excellent read and techniques!

If I had to recommend one oriental painting book, this would be it. It includes the most information and the clearest explanations. It is also in full-color and has many beautiful illustrations throughout.

First, the book covers materials including how to choose papers, brushes, and inks. I found the photos of each brush to be very helpful. It then teaches you to how to hold the brush correctly & make basic Asian characters.

There are wonderful step-by-step demonstrations on painting bamboo, orchids, wisteria, chysanthemums, plum blossoms & various animals. Also covered are various landscape elements, water types, buildings, & figures.

The book also covers qi, color, composition, perspective, mounting your artwork and using seals. Some historical information and a glossary in the back are great bonuses.

As a relative newcomer myself to Chinese Oriental Painting, I drifted through a LOT of titles - until I found this one.

Not even the shops in San Francisco's Chinatown have this book.

It is thoroughly laid out, with lots of lovely color pics and every section has a practical lesson to follow and learn from. In depth discussion of tools and equipment options are discussed, and different techniques and applications are displayed and explained in just the right amount of detail.

This is also a hardback book, and, in my opinion, represents real value for money.

I shall lovingly keep this book forever as a great momento of my beginning with this medium, a fine and wonderful work.

I can't recommend this book highly enough - it's great.

Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism by Jacqueline Ilyse Stone (Studies in East Asian Buddhism, No. 12: University of Hawaii Press) Being recognized as a major study in Buddhist studies and recognized as one of the best religious studies books of 2000, Original Enlightenment and the Transformation of Medieval Japanese Buddhism represents some important historical and conceptual clarifications of perennial themes in Mahayana Buddhism.
From flyleaf: Original enlightenment thought (hongaku shiso) dominated Buddhist intellectual circles throughout Japan's medieval period. Enlightenment, this discourse claims, is neither a goal to be achieved nor a potential to be realized but the true status of all things. Every animate and inanimate object manifests the primordially enlightened Buddha just as it is. Seen in its true aspect, every activity of daily life?eating, sleeping, even one's deluded thinking?is the Buddha's conduct. Emerging from within the powerful Tendai school, ideas of original enlightenment were appropriated by a number of Buddhist traditions and influenced nascent theories about the kami (local deities) as well as medieval aesthetics and the literary and performing arts.
Scholars and commentators have long recognized the historical importance of original enlightenment thought but differ heatedly over how it is to be understood. Some tout it as the pinnacle of the Buddhist philosophy of absolute nondualism. Others claim to find in it the paradigmatic expression of a timeless Japanese spirituality. According to other readings, it represents a dangerous antinomianism that undermined observance of moral precepts, precipitated a decline in Buddhist scholarship, and denied the need for religious discipline. Still others denounce it as an authoritarian ideology that, by sacralizing the given order, has in effect legitimized hierarchy and discriminative social practices. Often the acceptance or rejection of original enlightenment thought is seen as the fault line along which traditional Buddhist institutions are to be differentiated from the new Buddhist movements (Zen, Pure Land, and Nichiren) that arose during Japan's medieval period.
Jacqueline Stone's groundbreaking study moves beyond the treatment of the original enlightenment doctrine as abstract philosophy to explore its historical dimension. Drawing on a wealth of medieval primary sources and modern Japanese scholarship, it places this discourse in its ritual, institutional, and social contexts, illuminating its importance to the maintenance of traditions of lineage and the secret transmission of knowledge that characterized medieval Japanese elite culture. It sheds new light on interpretive strategies employed in premodern Japanese Buddhist texts, an area that hitherto has received little attention. Through these and other lines of investigation, Stone problematizes entrenched notions of "corruption" in the medieval Buddhist establishment. Using the examples of Tendai and Nichiren Buddhism and their interactions throughout the medieval period, she calls into question both overly facile distinctions between "old" and "new" Buddhism and the long?standing scholarly assumptions that have perpetuated them. This study marks a significant contribution to ongoing debates over definitions of Buddhism in the Kamakura era (1185-1333) , long regarded as a formative period in Japanese religion and culture. Stone argues that "original enlightenment thought" represents a substantial rethinking of Buddhist enlightenment that cuts across the distinction between "old" and "new" institutions and was particularly characteristic of the medieval period.

Is Enlightenment something that we acquire? Or are we really Enlightened already and just have to realize that? Is Enlightenment something that will take us uncounted ages to achieve? Or can we achieve Enlightenment in this life and in this body? Such were some of the key issues of Medieval Japanese Buddhism. Some of the most popular conclusions, that we are Enlightened already, i.e. are Originally Enlightened, and that we can achieve Enlightenment in this life and in this body, remain both popular and controversial even today. Jacqueline Stone takes us into the little known world of the Tendai temples and hermitages on Mt. Hiei, the stately mountain above Kyoto, where much of the doctrine of Original Enlightenment thought was developed -- and whence it spread to the famous founders of Kamakura Buddhism, including Honen and Nichiren. Stone gives us a panorama of what was going on, what we known about it (not enough), and the long history of what happened and the debates that continue down to the present, debates that involve scholars, sectarian apologists, and the religious practice of many people, not just in Japan, but around the world. A fundamental book for one of the great, and still growing, religious traditions in the world.

Dr. Stone has provided an invaluable window into the current state of Japanese scholarship around the issues of orignal enlightenment teachings (hongaku shiso) and its role in the formation of Kamakuran Buddhism and Nichiren Buddhism in particular. I believe that she quite successfully brings out the complexities of this teaching and shows that it does not necessarily lead to antinomian conclusions and that it was not summarily rejected by the founders of Kamakuran Buddhism including Nichiren. The chapter on Nichiren in this book could also stand alone as an excellent guide to Nichiren's teachings and practice. She shows that there is much more to Nichiren Buddhism than vainly repeating the Sino-Japanese title of the Lotus Sutra in order to gain worldly benefits. She really brings out the depth and profundity of Nichiren Buddhism. This book, however, is not an apologetic for Nichiren Buddhism or even for original enlightenment teachings. Dr. Stone maintains a very objective and impartial stance throughout the book (which could be disturbing to those for whom this religion and these issues are literally a matter of life and death). She provides both the pros and the cons of the issues that she addresses. She is not so much providing a new theory about Nichiren Buddhism or original enlightenment so much as she is attempting to show that original enlightenment and its impact on Japanese Buddhism needs to be reevaluated and that the issues are far from black-and-white. I would highly recommend this book to serious scholars of Japanese Buddhism and to those who want to delve more deeply into the current state of scholarship in Japan surounding Nichiren Buddhism. This is not, however, a book for those who want simple answers to simple questions, or who want a primer on Nichiren Buddhism. For those hard core Nichiren Buddhists and scholars who want to find out the real truth about Nichiren Buddhism and the development of the Nichiren tradition, this book is worth every penny of its rather steep price tag.

Namu Myoho Renge Kyo, Ryuei Michael McCormick

A fine, balanced, insightful, scholarly survey of Zionism and its dark side. This Israeli scholar issues an effective call for readers to take a more enlightened stand on an issue often clouded by ignorance and (anti-Palestinian)racial prejudice. As a former relief worker in the Middle East, I heartily endorse Prof. Beit-Hallahmi's book as an introduction to clear thinking and action about the realities of Palestine/Israel and other, broader, issues. As a professor of social ethics, I find this book well documented and well researched, bringing light to a question which often generates only heat and darkness.

This book is remarkable. It ranges widely but is quite incisive! Covering about 200 years of Jewish life with special attention to the Zionist movement and the State of Israel.
Despite the title, it is not the breast beating of a bleeding hear liberal. It just states that facts and examines the arguments and concludes with a way forward.

True, he probably dwells too much on the "failures" of Zionism. (Zionsim failed to work as intended, that doesn't mean necessarily that it failed.) One might want to compare Tom Segev's ELVIS IN JERUSALEM assessment.

The chapter on religion is worth the price alone! He disentangles the groups like Gush Emunim, the Kach party, Agudat Israel, and Neturei Karta, which tend to get lumped together. Along the way the does much to give the lie to Israel Shahak JEWISH HISTORY, JEWISH RELIGION which sought to lay the sins of Zionism at the doorstep of "Classical Judaism." On the contrary, even today, there is an strong negative correlation between orthodoxy and zionism in Israel.

As for anyone who wishes to question his discussion of religious groups, I would like to point out that religion in Israeli life is a Dr. Beit-Hallahmi and his previous book DESPAIR AND DELIVERANCE deals with this very subject.

This Haifa University Israeli scholar credibly demolishes the myths successfully established by a century of Zionist propaganda. He joins Marc Ellis and Meron Benvenisti(CITY OF STONE)as a courageous "voice in the wilderness" in an Israel where few leaders are willing to acknowledge the massive injustice done to the Palestinian people over the past fifty years. That such a devastating critique of the flawed foundation of a society can come from within it's own intelligentia is, oddly enough, a tribute to Israel and a sign of hope.

Incredible book. Great for beginning to learn the basics of egyptian history.

As a quote expresses on the back of this book, "If you only want to read one book on Egypt, then read this one." Ian Shaw's history of ancient Egypt is a beautifully constructed volume that is at once densely packed with information and high in its level of scholarship, and aesthetically appealing and fairly accessible. The book surveys Egyptian history from 700,000 years before the present through the Roman period (ending in AD 395). This is an enormous task, and one might assume that the book could only be very summary and superficial in its treatment of each period. However, every member of Shaw's team of scholars manages to describe his or her period of expertise in a good amount of detail, discussing not only historical events but also art, religion, economics, and material culture. The book thus very successfully follows current trends in history of approaching periods from myriad points of view. Equally importantly, each author discusses the current problems and debates in the scholarship of his or her field. The multi-author approach allows the reader insight into the nature of research for each stage of Egyptian history: the reader gets a sense of the way in which research is conducted, the modes of analysis applied, and the style and terms of discussion. This book serves as an introduction to Egyptian historiography and to the nature of the study of ancient history almost as much as it serves as an introduction to ancient Egypt itself. Thus, The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt manages a high level of scholarship while remaining a useful survey of a huge span of time and culture. Readers who are unfamiliar with archaeological language might find some of the articles in this volume slightly more difficult than others, but there is a decent glossary in the back, and it is more the scholarly tone than the actual material that needs getting used to. Any reader who is genuinely interested in the topic will be able to read through this entire book without much trouble. My only reservation is this: the highly dense nature of the text means that it is occasionally a bit of a slow read. I read the book for a graduate class with Egyptologist David O'Connor (excavator of Abydos; you will see him mentioned several times in the book) and it took me about a week of constant focus. On the whole, though, this is a remarkable book and probably the best existing introduction to ancient Egypt. With a publication date of 2002, it is also the most up-to-date.

I cannot praise this book enough. Unfortunately in academic areas, introductions and overviews to various fields, particularly broad histories, tend to reflect the opinions and suppositions of the authors much more than render the actual environment they are working in. This book proves to be a rare exception to this sad fact and sets a standard of scholarship to be emulated by all researchers of the ancient world. Never in egyptology, assyriology, or biblical studies have I found a history that did such a wonderful job of laying out the textual and archaeological finds that scholars base their judgments upon. This is important to me, as I am in disagreement with many scholarly communities about issues of chronology. This book, rather than simply laying out tables and dates, supplements those tables with actual references to the texts and archaeological items that have lead scholars to date things the way they have, pointing out inconsistancies and uncertainties along the way.

After reading this book, I have become convinced that the history of Egypt is not as well known as most books on Egypt would have us believe.

The book is a mammoth undertaking, attempting to chronicle the history of Egypt from prehistory until 311 BC. Introductory sections on the state of research and certainty of chronolology are extremely enlightening. I was particularly impressed with the chapters on prehistory and the naqada culture, in which the archeological evidence and its interpretation were expressely explained to the reader, allowing the reader to agree or disagree with the authors as they wish. My only complaint is that the book, being an anthology of essays by a variety of scholars, shows some inconsistancy in its thoroughness. The chapter on the 18th dynasty reads a little like standard books on the subject, that is, the reader is kept from the evidence to support the author's view and the author seems to have trouble distinguishing his own suppositions from the facts of history, at times appearing a little tendentious.

Overall, this book is the best history of an ancient culture that I have yet read.

This fairly short (72 pages) pamphlet is a gold mine of information and analysis of the struggle unfolding in the Middle East. It gives lots of historical detail that cuts through the lies used by the U.S. government (and governments of Great Britain, France etc.) about their military and colonial interventions into the region. I especially appreciated the information on the century-long struggle of the Palestinians-- with its ebbs and flows-- for national independence and to regain the land stolen from them by the Zionist state. It will help you see behind the diplomatic maneuvers and the [lies] of Washington's "peace plans" to the key issues involved, especially the centrality of the fight today for a democratic, secular Palestine. It also helped me see how we're part of one world, and the fight against oppression in the Middle East has big stakes for working people everywhere.

Pathfinder Press publishes several other titles that go into deeper detail on the historical and theoretical questions raised here, including Abram Leon's On the Jewish Question, and the discussion on national and colonial oppression taken up in Workers of the World and Oppressed Peoples, Unite!, and To See the Dawn, Baku--1920, First Congress of the Peoples of the East.

What are the Palestinians fighting for? Why was Israel established? Why do Palestinians think the United States is not on their side? Why is there so much fighting going on in the Middle East? How can the Palestinians win? Who are the real terrorists? If you have ever asked yourself these questions and want some real answers, this pamphlet is a great place to start. It gives a very helpful history of the struggle of the Arab and Palestinian peoples for liberation over the last century. That includes a history of the first Intifada against the Israeli occupation, starting in 1987. And it makes it very clear that the fighting going on today is not because of "ancient hatreds" that people are born with. It shows how the major imperialist countries, including the UK, France and the United States, have blood on their hands and are responsible for much of the misery that the Arab peoples have lived with for the last century. It also shows that the Palestinian people are capable of organizing a political movement that can point the way forward to a democratic, secular Palestine. This is an inspiring piece of work.

Zionism and the Israeli state have always been at the service of Empires ( first the British one and then the Yanki one ) ; until 1979 it was part of a twin set of gigantic military platforms for the Yanki empire,along with Iran.Its alliance with the real 'axis of evil' in Washington D.C. and the brutal repression used by Israel to try to humiliate the Palestinians as a people is making Israel a death trap for the Jewish people , This history, as well as that of the historic program of the orginal fighters ( so-called 'terrorists' unlike Sharon ) for Palestinian liberation against Zionism AND anti-Semitism; the butchery led by Sharon that was the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982; the rise of the first intifada ( uprising ) in the West Bank and Gaza in 1987;all these themes are explored in this powerfull pamphlet.The most basic information about the nature of the Zionist state and the Palestinians' refusal to stop fighting for their land, and the inspiring place of that fight in the world struggle against the Yanqui Empire --it's all here.For the evolution of the PLO leadership after 1987 and the history of the Palestinians' fight through the end of the 90s "Opening Guns Of World War III " and " Captialism's World Disorder " , both by Jack Barnes, are equally indispensible. For "deep background" get " Israel And The Arab Revolution " by Gus Horowitz.

It is amazing to read of the level of atrocity and deceit. Ethnic Cleansing, Localized Genocide, Rampant Racism- it reads like something out of Nazi Germany. But here it is, in the middle of the Middle East, anti-Semitism, committed by Jews against Arabs. Brother against Brother. Palumbo shares with us stories of those who helped the Jews flee the Nazis, and how these same individuals watch the actions of the nascent Israeli Defense Forces, and can see no difference in their actions. Truly, as Walter Wink said, we become that which we hate. We learn hatred, and the practices of hatred, from our enemies. And here one repeatedly hears leaders of the Zionist movement explicitly calling for the same practices as the Nazis, as they worked so well, and even calling for alliances with the Nazis, in order to establish a country 'Goyim Rein', an 'Israel for the Jews, as Germany is for the Germans'.

And it is surprising to hear how most Jews in the first half of the 20th century did *not* want an Israeli nation, as they did not see that as part of God's call for their people. Or how leader after modern Israeli leader engaged in explicit terrorist action- in fact, most of them were on the top 20 list of terrorists by the British government, during the British mandate. Doing the same practices, the same suicide bombings, as extremist Palestinians do today. We become that which we hate. And it's not just Palumbo's opinion- this is a meticulously researched book. If you choose to disagree with what is said, you must prove a large number of resources wrong- including many resources from Israeli government leaders.

This isn't just dry history. Palumbo uses a highly readable format, telling stories through the eyes of the observers and the victims, with additional factual information. Yet he does it in a way that is in now way fictional, but breathes authenticity. He looks primarily at the infamous al nakba, the Catastrophe, wherein the Palestinians were driven from their homeland- a people uniquely tied in self-identity to the land, just as Americans are tied to their sense of the individual in their identities. I reside, therefore I am.

Insult to injury is the Zionist propaganda machine, that has managed to shift the blame for wartime atrocities on to the victims. After reading this work, one may come away with the same feeling- that truly, Israel has been one of the primary leaders in terrorism.

To read more, I'd recommend Wink's Engaging the Powers, as well as Dying in the Land of Promise. Don Wagner focuses here on the history of Christian Palestinians, from the year 33 to the present, and how they were driven away during al nakba, and their experiences afterward.

When I was a teenager, all I knew about the 1948 "war of independence" was what I saw in the movie "Exodus" with Paul Newman and what I read in the World Book Encyclopedia entry.

In that movie the Zionist wanted nothing more than to live in peace with their Arab neighbors, but the "arab neighbors" like children following the pied piper of Hamelin, left their homes (and all their earthly belongings) at the word of radio broadcasts from "Arab High Command". (It didn't occur to me to ask why not let them back once they came to their senses.)

From the World Book encyclopedia, I was told that all the surrounding arab countries declared war on Israel within the hour of it's "declaration of independence" and their armies invaded with single minded aim of destroying the country. Israel, against incredible odds, triumphed over all an as an added bonus ended up with 78% of Palestine, instead of the 52% provided for in the UN partition. (What Luck!)

Michael Palumbo, who previously got the goods on Kurt Waldheim's wartime record, followed up by writing this history from UN archival sources, Palestinian sources, and Israeli diaries and memiors (frequently more reliable than Israeli military and intelligence archives).

No matter how much you think you know about the middle east, how much of a critic of Israel you might be, this book will make you angry. Angry over the continuing injustice, angry over the continuing lies, angry over the continuing manipulation of western opinion (particularly US opinion), angry over the impotence of the newly formed UN.

In this book you will learn that the Palestinians did not leave because they were ordered to, on the contrary Arab radio broadcasts demanded that they *stay.* The Palestinians left, because they were terrorized, coerced, and, when all else failed, forced out. The Zionist movement never had any intention of living in peace with "their arab neighbors." From the very beginning (even before Herzl), they intended to claim the entire land for a Jewish State, and would only tolerate the smallest Arab minority possible. The Arab states declared war, but the fighting had started with the partition a year earlier. Their intervention was half-hearted at best and was never meant to destroy Israel (e.g. they never entered in the "jewish part" of the partition.)

Reading this at this time will give the uncanny sense of deja vu.
You'll find the systematic use of looting and wanton vandalism of palestinian homes and businesses. The same manipulation of opinion. (On the one hand, denying access because of fight. On the other hand denying atrocities, because there's "no evidence."
The destruction of houses with people still in them (by dynamite, not by bulldozers tho').

Also there's Menachem Begin's role in the massacre of Deir Yassin and Yitzak Shamir's role in the assasination of UN mediator Folke Bernadotte. (Keep in mind next time you hear Yassir Arafat a "terrorist.")

The overwhelming feeling will be "how can we have been so lied to for so long."

How indeed?

I read this book a couple of years ago and was very impressed at the level of research the author has done to bring this information to the public. It is hard to find books with impartial view on this sensitive subject, this is a good one. Read it!!

This is an excellent story of an unsung hero of East Africa and the struggle against slavery. The author has repeatedly travelled to Africa, is a physician, and has written an earlier book about West Africa. The book is well researched and is a very good read.

This is a very readable depiction of East Africa, the slave trade and Dr. John Kirk, an almost unknown English hero of last century. He was instrumental in bringing an end to the vicious slave trade in East Africa and his life was interwoven with the famous Stanley and Livingstone pair. Dr. Kirk emerges as a better man than either of those two, by far. A bit choppy at times, but a first class and richly researched history that came alive for me. If you like history, social issues, Africa or just good adventure this this is a very satisfying read.

The physician and the slave trade takes you to East Africa where John Kirk, A Scottish physician joins David Livingstone on the Zambezi expedition. From 1858 to 1863, they steamed up rivers and roamed the jungles enduring blistering heat, rampant tropical diseases snakes and hostile Africans, Arabs, and rival Europeans. Through it all Kirk and Livingstone persevered, promoting commerce, christianity and civilization while working against a powerful slave trade that saw more than 100,000 slaves shipped abroad each year. Maneuvering his way against the endless intrigue of Arab slavers and European geopolitics, Kirk succeeded against incredible odds in convincing the Sultan of Zanzibar to ban the highly lucrative slave trade. This is a gripping true story of intrigue and adventure in East Africa and the end of the slave trade.

There are only a few people who can qualify for nomination as "the person most responsible for the State of Israel being". One of those people is Rudolph G.Sonneborn. The only place you will ever read about him and his unique group, "the Sonneborn Institute", is in The Pledge. Leonard Slater "found" him and tells us of his importance in the creation of The State of Israel in this most important, most unbelievable, but absolutely true story. Everyone interested in Israel should read this book and know not only the facinating story, but learn about Rudolf G.Sonnnborn, one of the most important, yet most private of men, in Jewish history.

Fascinating account of an unpublicized story about weapons purchases in the US and the origin of the State of Israel. Although non-fiction, The Pledge reads like a spy thriller. The book provides an interesting backdrop to today's far more challenging questions, and reminds us that Israel was once the underdog.

"The story of an incredible aand dramatic race against time -- to providea state not yet born with an army that was still illegal -- is told in one of the most suspenseful works of historey ever published. It was an Force was supplied with Nazi fighter planes, bought from Communst Czechoslovakia with dolllars solicited from an American real-estate magnate on the urging of a Socialist farmer, who ran this amateur undeerground operating out of the Hotel 14, a Manhattan hotel known for its high-kicking chorus girls, packed appearances by Frank Sinatra and its little old ladies.

Vastly underrated and tragically out of print, _Psychotherapy East and West_ is Alan Watts' greatest work, and is one of the greatest works of psychology/philosophy of the twentieth century written in English. This book is also an ideal introductory course to the psychology of Carl G. Jung. Anyone who wants to read Jung should read this first (even though it came later) because it encompasses all of Jungs key concepts in an ultra-concentrated yet remarkably readable form. That is not to say that Jung is unreadable, because he most certainly is a great, easily translatable writer. But Alan Watts had the advantage of writing in English, and for this reason I believe _Psychotherapy East and West_ is THE ULTIMATE introduction to psychology for the Anglo-American reader. It represents the new wave of fusion psychology/philosophy/religious Asian cusine. No longer should all these fields be separated. Alan Watts and Carl Jung together have succeeded in combining the fields of psychology, philosophy, theology, and anthropological mythology. This is the new wave of generalized spiritual enlightenment which is also unbiased, critical, sceptical and truthful. It has spawned such other great authors as Julian Jaynes and Terrance McKenna. The best thing about this new kind of psychotherapy is that it is not cold and pretentious with regard to religion, but is tolerant and advocating of any type of belief system which enhances people's well being and mental health. Because it is nevertheless rigorous in uncovering the truth, it resembles Eastern Buddhism. Keep in mind that Buddhism makes no firm and unverifiable claims regarding the existence of God or an afterlife; it is simply a stategy for living one's life in the most enjoyable way possible, and _Psychotherapy East and West_ does an excellent job in making this way of life accessable to Americans. This book is the ultimate alliance of belief, spirtuality, psychotherapy, and mental well-being on the one hand, and truthful, critical philosophy on the other. It does not wish to insulate people from spiritual crises and keep them suspended in naive belief, but introduces us to a new wave of spiritualism that is hardened by scepticism and impervious to doubt. While some philosophy might pride itself on debunking unverifiable beliefs, it does not provide a solution to man's broken and neurotic psychological condition due to his lost spirituality. _Psychotherapy East and West_, on the other hand, is respective of truth, critical and sceptical, yet provides firm answers as to how we can avoid the neuroses and depression that might result from an upending of our spiritual beliefs. Unconditionally recommended. One of my top five books of all time, of any genre.

Alan W. Watts' excellent looks into the world of psychotherapy, in particular those dealing with schizophrenia, and a world of Eastern religion; Hindu, Buddhist, Zen, Tao. The main topic of psychotherapy the author reaches is on the subject of the "double-bind" where one is forced to do two things at once. And the only way a human can do two things at once is to split into two people. Thus we have the psychological break. Discussing the writings of such known authors as Norman O. Brown, Wittgenstein, Freud as well as J. Haley, Erickson, Laing, Reich, Watzlawick, and Greagory Bateson. Noting mainly that the result of psychotherapy is that of the East in their liberation. Liberation and a successful therapeutic treatment are one in the same. The individual is free from binds, either double or singular, yet, now and again able to relate to the others world, as well as the world of the self. Watts "dances" about saying that to be therapeutic, one must also initate a double-bind so the patient can struggle to break it by "being himself." In which, as the subject refers to, to "be spontaneous" (which is in itself a paradox, as if someone were controlling you to do something without thinking). Watts concludes in his classic style discussing the liberation from the self in which words are constantly changing no matter where you are going or coming from. Vernaculars and lexicons are part of the moment, not something to be restricted in time; like all things to be - live in the moment. Reccomended for the theoretical psychologist as well as the Eastern frame of mind reader.

I have many books covering the eastern mental and behavioral teachings; taoist, buddhist, zen, meditation,including DT Suzuki, Watts, Trungpa, the Dhali Llama, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, and have snaked through almost all of Castaneda's books. This particular book by Watts slams the topic down with intense clarity, with more power and direct, practical relevance than most books that cover eastern thought. It is intense, challenging, and Watts plows through relentlessly, viewing many cultural habits, and vindicating his central thesis with precision, humour and always good intentions. I have highlighted, re-read, dog-eared and referenced this book the most. Where Lao Tzu could seem overly refined and get vague, Watts turns the table and gets to the nitty gritty with powerful rewards, yet never losing the scope, the reflections, the principle and process that blend with the product. In addition to Edward De Bono and Carlos Castaneda arguing the same point, Watts here also gives intense support to the value and practical applications of HUMOUR in our lives. I love this freedom. If I died tomorrow, and someone wanted to know what my top 50 books list was, this one would be in the top 5.