Average customer rating:
- I love this book!
- He Should Ask for Readers' Forgiveness
- A delectable melange of imagery and energy!
- Arresting, Inspiring
- Very Descriptive
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The Forgiveness Parade
Jeffrey McDaniel
Manufacturer: Manic D Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 20th Century
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
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General
| Poetry
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United States
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Emotions
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Alibi School
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Actual Air
ASIN: 0916397556 |
Customer Reviews:
I love this book!.......2006-09-23
The images have stayed in my mind long after the poems were read - the juxtaposition of ideas is wholly original and McDaniel has a sense of metaphor that cannot be beat -- highly recommended, check out his other books, too... Forgiveness Parade is my favorite.
He Should Ask for Readers' Forgiveness.......2004-01-29
The best comparison I can think of is this collection of poetry is a Big Mac, when you really wanted something more satisfying like a steak. Poem after poem seems caught up in self-aware, self-indulgent "look at me I'm a poet!" and ideas never taken to their full extent. None of these poems are overly memorable. Some seem just shallow attempts to offend as many people as possible, recycling themes that have been used over and over again, but often done better by other poets. Perhaps he is an excellent reader in person, but the poems should have some power when read on their own, which these fail to do.
A delectable melange of imagery and energy!.......2003-02-27
This book is highly charged with vivid imagery and kinetic energy. Mr. McDaniel writes genius poems of a significant caliber. I highly recommend this book!
Arresting, Inspiring.......2003-01-20
The originality of Mc Daniel's imagination is matched only by the generosity of his humor and the breath of his empathy. Again and again this collection impresses upon us a giddy sense of joy, that alternates quickly with a wry take on pain. In his able hands, McDaniel shows us that the world is plastic, and belongs to all of us. His surrealism is so organic, he pulls it off so effortlessly, that we come to understand that the wonder of his poems is merely pointing us towards the greatness of our own untapped potential. Bravo.
Very Descriptive.......2002-11-20
My boyfriend is taking a poetry class in college. Mind you, he's not "sappy", like the stereotypical image of a poet or a fan of poetry; he's just a writer who wanted to conquer another art form. Anyway, the Professor read one of Jeff McDaniel's pieces and my boyfriend just loved it. He still had me purchase the book for him, though, so he wouldn't seem so "sappy."
Book Description
With Sherrill Kahn's new book, mixed media plus stamping equals breathtaking artistic creations. There's no end to the projects crafters will be able to create after being introduced to the wide variety of materials and techniques in this must- have book. Readers will learn how to: Create layers of color and texture through embossing Make unique jewelry using children's puzzle pieces Transform three-dimensional objects, including buttons, books and wire Stamp on such alternative surfaces as glass blocks, metal and wood Decorate and mount ceramic tiles Emboss velvet and create fabric motifs And much, much more! Each idea is accompanied by thoughtfully organized step-by-step instructions, and most include directions for simple sample project—so easy even beginners can begin right away.
Sherrill Kahn has been creating award-winning artwork for nearly 40 years. She runs a stamp company called Impress Me and lives in Encino, California.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent!.......2007-02-23
If you love stamping and sewing like I do, this is the book for you. Clearly written and leads you to your own creativity!
Creative Stamping With Mixed Media Techniques.......2003-10-31
Creative Stamping with Mixed Media Techniques is another valuable resource and creative inspiration book from Sherrill Kahn. Both books by Ms. Kahn are full of outstanding photographs to inspired dozens of mixed media adventures. Her work is bold and colorful, and incorporates numerous mixed media techniques that are easily accessible to all readers. There are dozens of project ideas in the book that will satisfy crafters, and even more valuable are the demonstrations of painting and stamping techniques that readers can explore and adapt to their own artwork and projects.
Fantastic companion volume to author's first book!.......2003-09-26
If you love rubber stamping and painting on fabric, you need just two books: this one and the author's first, Creating with Paint. I have both books and love them equally-and, more importantly--I USE them extensively in my own artwork.
I have also taken two workshops with the author, Sherrill Kahn, and highly recommend them. Take a workshop with Sherrill if you can! She's a very encouraging, supportive and inspiring teacher, and all of these qualities come across in her two books.
One of my favorite aspects of Creative Stamping is that Sherrill shows you in step-by-step photos how she layers dyes, paint and stamping techniques to arrive at her highly complex fabrics. It's easy once you see how she does it, and that's why Creative Stamping is a must-have for any fabric painters library.
Lots of information, inspiration, and some great how-to projects make Creative Stamping well worth the investment.
Check out Sherrill's web site: www.impressmenow.com.
great pictures 5 star, -dangerous info - 1 star.......2003-09-15
Again, Sherrill has produced a book worth examining for wonderful pictures, and step-by-step techniques. My greatest concern is once again finding the trademarked material TYVEK utilized in craft work. The makers of TYVEK specifically have stated it is never to be heated or used other than for what it is specifically designed for. Deathly toxic, once more it is appalling to find it used with a 'heat outdoors' statement attached. Does the company know this material is being used this way??? As an art educator I must not only be aware of this safety info for myself but for my students. Poor editing let this one slip by.
Book Description
Turn the pages of An Introduction to Mixed Media -- and discover an exciting art course that teaches you how to combine a variety of versatile and expressive media. an Introduction to Mixed Media is a practical guide to a range of artistic techniques. More than 300 photographs guide the beginner through a series of exercises designed to teach all the essentials of working in mixed media. Revealing projects focus on professional works of art, all shown in the making so novices can follow the creative process step-by-step. Unique gallery pages display works of masters -- pictures that will instruct and inspire every student of art. Packed with specially commissioned artworks, clear instruction, and easy-to-follow exercises, The DK Art School offers idea courses for "armchair" art students. The DK Art School series is a new way to learn, improve, or master drawing and painting skills. Carefully constructed courses ensure that you gain both the confidence and the know-how to create imaginative, beautiful pictures. With individual volumes on subjects like still life, portraiture, or landscape, in specific media such as oil, watercolor, or acrylic, The DK Art school series offers something for everyone, and builds into a unique collection of practical art books.
Customer Reviews:
Good general overview.......2000-06-03
This book is designed to open the reader's eyes to the various types of mixed media art and how the techniques are used by different artists to achieve a wide range of effects. The photographs, especially those of the tools and supplies used in the techniques, as well as the photographs of artwork are especially informative, and useful for a beginner. However, if you're looking for specific technique instructions, or tips on how to combine the various mixed media techniques into your own artwork, you may be disappointed. This book left me wanting more, but it is still a valuable addition to a beginning artist's library.
Average customer rating:
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Karkhana: A Contemporary Collaboration
Qamar Adamjee ,
Sandhya S. Jain ,
John Seyller ,
Virginia Whiles ,
Jessica Hough ,
Aisha Khalid ,
Hasnat Mahmood ,
Muhammad Imran Qureshi ,
Nusra Latif Qureshi ,
Talha Rathore , and
Saira Wasim
Manufacturer: The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum/Green Cardamom
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Asian
| Regional
| History & Criticism
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General
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Museum of Contemporary Art
| Exhibition Catalogs
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Contemporary Art
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Pakistan
| Asia
| History
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ASIN: 1888332263
Release Date: 2005-08-15 |
Book Description
"Karkhanas were first established in the 14th century as art and artisan collectives to produce textiles, weaponry, and other objects for South Asian sultanates, particularly of the Mughal empire. This current project, initiated and organized by Pakistani painter Muhammad Imran Qureshi, was inspired by the cooperative nature of miniature painting in those courts. The collaboration began in 2003, when Qureshi, along with five other Pakistani painters Aisha Khalid, Hasnat Mahmood, Nusra Latif Qureshi, Talha Rathore, and Saira Wasim began work on 12 paintings. Each artist initiated two pieces on wasli (rag paper), and then sent the paintings by courier in succession to the other five artists in the group, each of whom applied a layer of imagery, marks, or other processes. The series of 12 miniatures that resulted represent a remarkable experiment in avant-garde collaboration. Solo works by the six artists provide comparisons between individual and collective efforts."
Book Description
Artists constantly seek out new projects, plain and simple. With this new series, they'll find what they're looking for: books by well-known artists, each featuring 10 no-holds-barred, step-by-step, start-to finish projects. Every project includes a list of challenges and learning points, so readers can identify the obstacles to mastering the skill, then master it; materials lists with tips on the different materials available for optimal use; and a preliminary drawing to trace for easy reproduction, along with color mixing examples and pull outs.
With a crystal-clear focus on the projects and only the projects, this series will speak to readers hungering for simple instruction to create works of their own.
Book Description
Discover an exciting new way of painting--a multi-medium approach that combines the vivid moods of watercolor, the punch and contrast of ink, and the intriguing textures of colored pencil. In this book, Sueellen Ross will introduce you to her unique "Four-Step Program"--a simple method of layering one medium on top of another in easy-to-control stages. Step-by-step, you'll see how to use this technique to paint cozy interiors, beautiful flowers, cats, birds and other delightful subjects in a brilliant, realistic style!
Customer Reviews:
Inspiring and informative.......2007-09-27
I have admired Sueellen Ross's beautiful cat paintings for some time, and was delighted when this book was published. I am a cat artist myself, and good instruction books on how to paint cats are almost impossible to come by. Sueellen Ross has a very unique style which combines layers of ink, watercolour and coloured crayon, and builds a realistic and dramatic finished painting. The book shows step by step, not only how to paint cats, but also other animals, plants and furnishings. I tried using her techniques for a painting of my ginger cat in the washing basket, and was very pleased with the result. However, I feel that it was not quite as easy as Ms Ross claimed, and is most definitely not for beginners! This book will probably inspire you to give her techniques a go, and will therefore help to develop your art skills and knowledge. For those who are not painters, but enjoy good animal and feline art, this book will also serve as a good introduction to the work of Sueellen Ross and is a delight to look at.
Excellent realism and creativity.......2007-04-08
The artwork is amazing. The best part for most I'm sure is her step by step instructions to create this work. She gives you instruction on her techniques that you could use on not just the work in the book but for your own work, based on your own reference material. It is realism at its best.
It is not for the beginner, you should be confident in your drawing skills, not just tracing or linework. You should know tonal value and be able to create the illusion of 3D...the better your drawings the better chance you have at succeeding with the techniques in the book.
Fresh watercolor techniques.......2007-01-12
Sueellen Ross has presented an excellent demonstration book on her special techniques in painting animals. As a watercolorist I learned quickly to ignore watercolor books that exhibit paintings I don't care for or am not inspired by. So it is my perception that Paint Radiant Realism in Watercolor, Ink & Colored Pencil, did inspire me to experiment using her techniques so that I could approach her desirable style.
Awesome Book!.......2007-01-04
This book is amazing! For anyone who prefers the control of using a pencil-like tool to work with-whether it be a colored pencil, pen, or watercolor pencil-this book is a must-have. The techniques that the author uses in her paintings will inspire you to try her technique, or develop your own similar technique, to get the same realistic, yet whimsical, quality.
I, personally, like the sort of control that a pencil provides, and can see how this particular method can enrich my paintings. Although the precision of inking in the darkest areas may take some time, the depth it gives to the author's paintings is visually stunning and realistic. And her method of using watercolor as a wash to help fill in larger areas compensates for the amount of inking time.
I was almost finished with a painting in which I used only colored pencil when the book arrived, so I have yet to try the techniques. Even so, while I was working on the painting I was thinking that it would be nice to be able to make the time spent shorter and get the same, or better, results. I am happy with the depth created in the painting, but inking would have eliminated the need for, and the tedium of, building the layer after layer of color pencil that was necessary to achieve that depth. The use of watercolor would have also cut down on the time used to fill in the background areas. I will definitely try the author's technique on my next painting.
Magnificent.......2006-06-02
I found this book to be expensive and wasn't sure if I should buy it, but it tempted me for so long that I ordered it eventually. I do not regret. There are many magnificent illustrations and very detailed instructions on how to achieve these results. Very unique approach to art and wonderful results. I have to warn however that if you are impratient type of person than this book is not for you. You have to have love for detail and accurate drawing to apreciate this mixed media approach. I recommend this book to all artists, who don't mind to spend great deal of time to achieve brilliant results.
Average customer rating:
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Utah Painting & Sculpture
William C. Seifrit ,
Robert S. Olpin , and
Vern G. Swanson
Manufacturer: Gibbs Smith, Publisher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| History & Criticism
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General
| Museums & Collections
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Mixed Media
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General
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Utah
| State & Local
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Utah Art, Utah Artists
ASIN: 087905817X |
Book Description
10 3/4 X 12 In, 320 Pp, 156 Color Plates 63 Black & White Photographs With Magnificence and Vivid Imagery, This Stunning Revision of Utah Art Traces Utah's Artist and Their Creations From The First European Settlements In 1847 Through The Current Generation. In The 1800's Talented Young Men and Women Were Sent East and To Paris By The Lds Chruch To Study and Bring The Ideas of The Mainstream Art World Back To Utah. The Results Were Fascinating. Today Utah's Visual Artists Magnify This Tradition.
Book Description
Six detailed exercises show the exciting effects that can be achieved by mixing ink, watercolor, tempera, charcoal, and other media.
Book Description
Though many artists are open to the idea of using more than one medium to achieve a desired effect, they are often unsure about how to do so successfully. This guide is for those who want to explore the creative possibilities beyond their preferred medium and combine two or more in their work. Detailed information is provided on many different mediums, including pastels, oils, watersoluble oils, acrylics, watercolor, gouache, printmaking, casein, egg tempera, and encaustic. Step-by-step demonstrations outlining potential combinations, archival applications, and safe handling techniques are presented.
Customer Reviews:
Not what I was looking for, but might be for you........2007-08-01
I was looking for a more technical approach to mixing mediums. This one has some history & finished illustrations. It's well put together.
Book Description
Everything budding artists need to know to paint or draw confidently in their own style is in this essential and inspirational A–Z reference, filled with 600 full-color illustrations. From cave paintings to Picasso, technical drawings to cartoons, here is the history of these two art forms, with stunning examples of work by famous masters and practicing professionals. Experienced, respected tutors pass on their practical know-how and technical skills—illustrated in detail—including what tools and equipment to buy and the fundamentals of working in watercolor, oils, and acrylics. Beginners are gently guided through the basics of shape, light, composition, color theory, and perspective; more accomplished artists tackle advanced techniques. Includes master classes in life drawing, still life, landscape, and portraiture.
Average customer rating:
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Martin Assig: Zeichnungen 1993-99
Martin Assig
Manufacturer: Schirmer/Mosel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
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ASIN: 3888141532 |
Average customer rating:
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Barbecue Wt Be: SW
Dell Publishing
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Comic Strips
| Comics & Graphic Novels
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General
| Comics & Graphic Novels
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ASIN: 0446350664 |
Average customer rating:
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Dear Hot Flash Gal: The Answer To A Gal's Every Question
Phyllis Root
Manufacturer: Conari Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Comic
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General
| Humor
| Entertainment
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Love, Sex & Marriage
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Satire, General
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Hot Flash Gal
ASIN: 1573242578 |
Book Description
She may not be a super hero, but Hot Flash Gal sure has a super-sized sense of humor. And listen up all you women of a certain age: laughter's right up there with your beverage of choice as the best medicine for what ails you. Hot Flash Gal is everywoman/anywoman of a certain age as depicted in Kelly Povo's signature style hand-tinted photos of herself, her friends, and her relatives—Hot Flash Gals one and all. Hot Flash Gal answers questions about falling spirits, getting down, and drying up with sly wit and side-splitting illustrations. Hot Flash Gal gives good advice, and every woman of a certain age should give this book to all her friends.
Book Description
Kelly Povo, photographer and artist, creator of Kelly Cards and other inspiring products for women has once again teamed up with Phyllis Root, an award-winning writer with a pointed and gentle sense of humor, to create Hot Flash Gal! The women of a certain age in Kelly's hand-colored set-up shots are riding Harleys, shoveling snow in their swimsuits, and having a blast together as they negotiate the pitfalls, pratfalls, and benefits of menopause.
It's increasingly apparent to millions of women that "that time of life" is their time of life to shine. Any woman who's a bit slow on the uptake—i.e. she hasn't figured out the benefits of menopause—is sure to be won over by this lighthearted look.
"Do you need more than a little help from your friends? Is your girlish figure harder to find? Have your heating bills plummeted? Congratulations! You're a genuine HOT FLASH GAL!"
Hot Flash Gal may not leap buildings with a single bound, but she does appreciate the everyday stuff—family, friends, and doing what you want.
Customer Reviews:
This hilarious book is hot flash heaven.......2005-04-13
If you are in the piercing claws of the dreaded life-change clutches (or know somebody who is) this book is a respite. You will more than identify with the perky prose, and the photographs simply demand that your sense of humor stays in-tact -- even if your perm won't. If you are peri-menopausal, this colorful tome will give a "perspiratorial" primer to what lies in wait. (Aka: You get to laugh before you cry -- uncontrollably, of course.)
Book Description
The rise of a prominent auditory culture, reveals the degree to which sound art is lending definition to the 21st Century. And yet sound art still lacks related literature to compliment, and expand, the realm of practice. Background Noise sets out an historical overview, while at the same time shaping that history according to what sound art reveals - the dynamics of art to operate spatially, through media of reproduction and broadcast, and in relation to the intensities of communication and its contextual framework
Average customer rating:
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Cyberculture Counterconspiracy: A Steamshovel Web Reader
Manufacturer: Book Tree
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Popular Culture
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
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Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
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General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
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True Crime
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
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General
| Arts & Photography
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ASIN: 158509126X |
Book Description
A Steamshovel Web Reader Volume Two, edited by Kenn Thomas. Volume Two includes book reviews, Prouty hypothesis, Loch Ness, Bin Laden (before 911), Casolaro, the Octopus, Reich, Anthrax, Waco, HIV origin, military build-up, Owen Hart, Morrow, castration, the Tippit connection, the pentagon's web, heavily illustrated Manson family exposé, remote viewing and mind control, and much more.
Book Description
A young Muslim activist explains our critical need to counter the recruitment of youth by religious fundamentalists.
Customer Reviews:
Really want to solve world problems ?.......2007-09-05
Patel warmly and understandably offers a solution to genuinely change the world - save it if you will!
Visionary - Practical - An Urgent Read.......2007-09-03
I finished this book the week before CNN began to air their three night special entitled "God's Warriors." If you haven't made time to watch God's Warriors for the 6 hour duration, you should. If you haven't read Eboo Patel's book, Acts of Faith - The Story of an American Muslim, the Struggle for the Soul of a Generation,you must.
Religious fundamentalism continues to be the spawning grounds for extremism that continues to ravage the soul of mankind. It is through the efforts of Eboo Patel and the InterFaith Youth Core (www.IFYC.org), that young adults from all faith persuasions are challenged to learn to live with one another, in collaborative harmony.
The book recounts Patel's personal struggle with forging and cherishing his Muslim identity and faith, as an American, and then launching the InterFaith Youth Core as his vehicle for creating pluralistic understanding within the next generation of young adults who will become the leaders of our world. This book is about how one man decided to become part of the international interfaith youth movement.
As Patel says, "In a world where the forces that seek to divide us are strong, I came to one conclusion: We have to save each other. It's the only way to save ourselves." P. 180
This book chronicles how Eboo Patel came to participate in the movement of religious pluralism. In his own words, "Movements re-create the world. A movement is a growing group of people who believe so deeply in a new possibility that they participate in making it a reality. They won't all meet. They won't even know everybody else's names. But somehow, they all have the feeling that people on the other side of the city or country or the world believe in the same idea, burn with the same passion, and are taking risks for the same dream." P. 181.
What's the meaning of this term "pluralism" from Patel's standpoint? He writes, "To see the other side, to defend another people, not despite your tradition but because of it, is the heart of pluralism." P. 179.
In a world threatened and fractured by the isolationist requirements of religious fundamentalism and extremism, pluralism possesses the essential antidote. In Patels' words:
"America is a nation that has constantly been rejuvenated by immigrants. For centuries, they have added new notes to the American song." P. 176.
"The waters of faith, says one scholar, are so clear that they pick up the colors of the rocks they flow over." P. 176
"Violence committed in the name of a religion is really violence emanating from the heart of a particular interpreter." P. 141.
"Apartheid in South Africa was a violation of the spiritual principles of human togetherness." P. 116.
In an interview with the Dalai Lama, he said: "Religions must dialogue, but even more, they must come together to serve others. Service is the most important. And common values, finding common values between different religions. And as you study the other religions, you must learn more about your own and believe more in your own." P. 96.
"I realized that it was precisely because of America's glaring imperfections that I should seek to participate in its progress, carve a place in its promise, and play a role in its possibility. And at its heart and at its best, America was about pluralism." P. 89.
A wonderful book. A guy I would like to meet. Consider joining Eboo and the Interfaith Youth Core at their convention in Chicago this fall entitled "Crossing The Faith Line" October 28th - 30th 2007
Bill Dahl
Author, Creator, Editor
http://www.ThePorpoiseDivingLife.com
Fascinating education re Muslims in America.......2007-08-02
This book is for anyone interested in understanding the world we live in today. Here is a beautifully written explanation of what seperates mainstream American Muslims from the extemists that dominate the news today. If voices like Mr.Patel's can be heard there would be less fear and apprehension and a greater understanding and appreciation of one of the fastest growing segments of the American population. His search for religious plurality rather than hatred is a must read. I hope it gets the attention it deserves!
A very important book to read!.......2007-07-20
A beautifully written book-if you are an educator, youth leader, or someone who is at all interested in how religion can affect social change, you owe it to yourself to read this book. I couldn't put it down. Doesn't matter if you are a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Athiest, etc-read this book!
Honest, well-articulated, and courageous.......2007-07-03
This is a brutally honest assessment by the author of himself and his surroundings. Often, it is difficult to recognize the person in the book in relation to the one in real life. This wasn't an issue here. What you read is what you get with Eboo.
He has articulated his spiritual/emotional journey well enough that it is easy to connect the dots. For example, on p.42, his sentiment about performing actions to keep him from "falling off the edge..." ties very well with his conclusion that in order to save ourselves, we have to save others. Most people don't get that.
Eboo's persistent and clear definition of pluralism is essential to public policy. At a recent lecture at University of Chicago, the Palestinian journalist, Rami Khouri, pointed out that the greatest deficiency in the radical political parties' rhetoric is that they don't have any understanding of public policy. Consequently, when people have bought into their nationalistic/political fervor and voted them into office, the best that these elected officials could do for the citizenry was to implement trivial, non-consequential policies such as single gender primary schools!! Thankfully, they subsequently get voted out and replaced with people with a more substantive platform and better qualifications for the office. Even in non-democratic countries, people aren't so naïve that they fail to recognize the difference between important policy issues dealing with the economy, national security, and human rights versus superficial, irrelevant and reactionary rules and regulations.
Finally, the author has captured and woven the core principles of Islam so elegantly and succinctly throughout his book, that the reader will inevitably absorb a clearer understanding of this beautiful religion - a journey for which the reader should feel grateful. More importantly, Eboo's subtle style of juxtaposing individuals and events from different religions is extremely effective in putting religions and their followers into perspective.
Book Description
In Acts of Faith, Acts of Love, McGinely explores the overlap of religious and sexual identities in the stories gay men write about themselves. The autobiographical writings of forty gay Catholics (or once Catholics) are analysed. The work is both literary and theological on the premise that experience constitutes one of the four sources of theological reflection, along with scripture, tradition, and reason.
"This is an important contribution to the ongoing discussion of the intersection of homosexuality and religion. McGinley presents a scholarly, well-documented discussion of the integration of sexuality and identity, as well as of the theoretical issues of moral agency and narrative form. He complements this discussion with a sensitive exploration of patterns and themes in contemporary autobiographical writings by 40 gay Catholics (or former Catholics)… . This book resounds with the authenticity and integrity of personal narrative and academic critique. Highly recommended.” -Library Journal “Our newspapers and churches are filled with questions about gay rights, same-sex marriage and gay/lesbian adoption. What we may miss is the human face of the debate. In this regard, McGinley has done a great service, assembling and analyzing forty gay Catholic autobiographies. Some excerpts are funny, others heart-breaking; all attempt to save lives. They are acts of courage and sacred texts because they save not only the author, but also other gay Catholics for whom following church teaching ‘led not to virtue but to pathology.’” -Human Development
Customer Reviews:
love and salvation.......2006-02-24
The naturalness of gay love and desire is witnessed in this book through generously given insight into the hearts of gay people. The author interprets written texts of 40 men identifying as both Catholic and gay, including some who have left the Church after suffering disciminatory love, exclusion, and personal injury. He sets the words and stories of these writers---their acts of love---in illuminating context, witnessing to the intimate connection between love and salvation. The Church claims to love gay people, while judging gay expressions of love, apparently without reference to the lived experience of gays. The author fully documents the mechanics of these arguments, and the power relationships permitting them to prevail. (He also discusses the role of gay priests, and injustices done to them.) As a theology student, I find this thoroughly researched and sensitively written book a valuable resource, revealing what has been hidden, giving voice to those silenced, and understanding to the movement of the Holy Spirit through hearts and bodies and acts of love.
Acts of Faith, Acts of Love, Gay Catholic Autobiographies as Sacred Texts by Dugan McGinley.......2005-08-11
This book, in itself, is a great act of faith in the Holy Spirit and an act of love for both the Catholic Church and for queer Catholics who have been so hideouly oppressed and lately even scapegoated by that same institution. McGinley's writing is superb, at times lyrically beautiful. His scholarship is immense. For example, he understands postmodernism so well he actually transcends it. And his compassion is so real that, at times, it is almost heartbreaking. McGinley is absolutely convincing that there can be no adequate Christian theology on sexuality, and specifically on queer sexuality, without taking into account the real life-in-Spirit experiences of sexually active Christians. I am profoundly grateful to the author for offering us this book. Jim Marion, author of "Putting on the Mind of Christ, The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality."
Acts of Faith, Acts of Love ; a book by Dugan McGinley .......2004-11-10
To err is human, to codify the error is institutional Catholicism. Witness Galileo.
Dugan McGinley, author of Acts of Faith, Acts of Love, speaks to the issue of sexual orientation and the institutional Catholic church. Rather than dialogue, gays have faced a monologue of condemnation from the Vatican. McGinley, yet another fine theologian in flight from staid Vatican corporate culture, points to the impossible dichotomy of Catholic teaching which broadly condemns gays under the cover of politically savvy pastoral window-dressing. The Vatican calls upon gays to " be" moral rather than calling them to a higher moral standard. McGinley won't let the Vatican "love the sinner, hate the sin" because in the end, this reasoning promotes bigotry. Sexual orientation is not about what we do, it is about who we are. Using this paradigm, whether unwittingly or premeditatedly, the institutional Catholic church continues to inspire violence and hatred against gay people.
McGinley illuminates the specific voice of gay men in Catholic contexts. He validates the issue of gender and rather than ignoring or giving short-shrift to lesbian Catholics, simply states that this group also deserves an in-depth review and analysis - and alludes to the notion that a female author may be better suited to such a project. One can't help but feel McGinley's personal connection in this book - particularly in his Acknowledgments and Preface which outline his own journey in writing. The topic of gay men in the Catholic church is close to his heart and his book resonates with genuine experiences - not the least of which is his own.
While many have described the odyssey of gay men within the Catholic church, most of the writings have focused on the autobiographical as the primary interest. McGinley selects printed autobiographies of gay Catholic men to share with his reader. However, he asks us to look beyond the power of these stories to the revelatory lessons we might extract from these acts of literary courage. In the end, McGinley is not only interested in the lived life - he is also dedicated to pondering the reflected life. Thus, we are drawn to patterns, commonalities, and logic in the lives gay men who are also Catholic - how they have survived and how they serve as prophetic voices in the Catholic church. In the name of holism, science, mental health and spiritual wellness, McGinley claims the birthright to full human identity: sexual, spiritual, active and contemplative.
It is interesting to note that this generation of gay men within Catholicism is still looking for the possibility of dialogue with the Vatican. To date, Cardinal Ratzinger and others have had none of it. Just as the sciences moved forward with Galileo leaving Vatican astrologers to the dustbin of history, the Catholic church is increasingly irrelevant on a myriad of human issues. We simply tune out Catholic rhetoric. McGinley shows that as Catholic church structure continues to disrupt one's spiritual relationship with God - whether by virtue of scandal, stubborn antiquation or premeditated campaigns against a minority group - traditional Catholicism will be discarded. Without substantive change on a variety of fronts, the Catholic church is becoming increasingly anachronistic - and for millions, it already has no pragmatic place in daily life.
Advocating lifelong celibacy as the only moral pathway for all gays, American Archbishop Charles Chaput has recently written that "homosexual activity is not just morally wrong but destructive, because it leads the person away from God and the authentic". Yet to follow Chaput's demands for lifelong gay celibacy (and anything beyond a handshake puts this vow in jeopardy) denies sexual and spiritual maturation - and arguably, salvation - for all gay people. Chaput can barely exact celibacy from his own priests within a mighty corporate structure of support. McGinley's shared autobiographies ring truest here. Most gay men have neither the "charism" nor a sustainable infrastructure for lifelong celibacy. Furthermore, because all human beings come to appreciate God's love personified through their most loving human relationships, Chaput's call to gays for lifelong abstinence from intimacy is hollow and spiritually damning.
McGinley's book also shows how the recent priest pedophile scandals have been metamorphed into an anti-gay agenda. Rather than bringing more transparency and honesty into Vatican corporate structure, these scandals have been used to justify more anti-gay hatred and violence. These crimes clearly point to a problem in church organization that apparently feeds sexual misconduct - that's the real point.
McGinley gives voice to a group of faithful gay men, a group that has faced relentless persecution by the Catholic church. As McGinley writes: "In the collision of moral and pastoral rhetoric, it seems the church is more than happy to take advantage of gay people and to use their talents as long as they do not act like full human beings." The denial of full humanity to any group of people is a Catholic tragedy. McGinley abhors the Catholic separation of spirituality and sexuality - for it is a full personal amalgam that is necessary for moral maturity. At the Eucharistic table, we should not seek refuge as disjointed furtive pieces. Rather, we pray as a whole person created by God.
No one is holding their breath for change in the Vatican - but McGinley is convinced that change is on the wing and history is with him. McGinley and other theologians will hold the Catholic church accountable for either their growing irrelevancy or eventual compelled apology regarding sexual orientation. Some may find the notion of a future apology implausible - and gays may wait for centuries like Galileo. In the meantime, God offers grace every day to all - ALL. Gay Catholics love and live their faith every day and offer their poignant witness to the Vatican.
A promising start.......2004-05-12
Dr. McGinley's book is a scholarly, reasoned, and balanced view of current Catholic teaching and actual pastoral practice regarding homosexuality, and the divergence and contradictions between the two. McGinley argues that people cannot be separated from their acts, particularly in the Catholic frame of reference, and so the "love the sinner, hate the sin" ethic is a total contradiction for the gay community.The bios he selects to make his points are a variety of styles and backgrounds, and richly descriptive of the humanity of their writers. This is not a sensational volume, and may prove to be a disappointment to those looking for a "tell all" type missive. It is thought-provoking, and will hopefully provide the jumping-off point for honest discussion among Catholics.
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Acts of Faith: The Autobiography
Adam Faith
Manufacturer: Transworld Publishers Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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