addystape's reviews
290 reviews

My Invented Country is Allende's memoir of her relationship to Chile as she attempts to answer the question: What role has nostalgia played in her writing? We learn of her inspiration for House of the Spirits and other works. Allende is funny, sarcastic, and a great writer. I am inspired to read her other works.

A Lesson Before Dying is the story of a teacher's attempt to help a young black man wrongly accused of murder to die like a man, to go to his death with dignity. For the young man, the act becomes one of courage and the most empowering and powerful act of his life. I think the book teaches another lesson about those who are burdened by our prejudices, our distorted perspectives, and who are sacrificed and made scapegoats. In this way, the young man becomes like Jesus and is made innocent by his sacrifice.

Campbell uncovers the roots of Occidental religions by discussing the artifacts and myths of the Levant, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The common themes of the snake, the goddess, the intertwined snakes (caduceus) demonstrate the possible common influences of the subsequent traditions in these area.

This book discusses the various ways to read different kinds of literature and levels of reading. The book not only helped me to approach reading in various ways, but also gave me permission to scan a work to get a quick understanding of its contents.

A collection of essays written by well-known writers of Hispanic and Women's Literature concerning devotion to the Virgen de Guadalupe. These essays explore various aspects of the devotion to the Virgin: history, fascination, first encounters. Very well-written, entertaining, and informative.

A good collection of original documents. Through the original works, readers become acquainted with some of the basic precepts of Buddhism, the differences between Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, and the eloquent words and teachings of the Buddha often expressed in parables.

Very touching and enlightening. This book discusses Malcolm X's life from its beginnings in Michigan. As the son of a Garveyite and religious leader, Malcolm's family was targeted by the Ku Klux Klan. Due to the murder of his father and mental illness of his mother, he becomes cutoff from his history and the knowledge of his father's work. The book takes us through his life as a troubled young man, his life and acceptance of Elijah Muhammad in prison, and his transformation. The interview reveals a Malcolm who is sincere and ultimately devoted to a goal of finding truth.

Shadrack's dance and tribute to Sula (fearless Goddess figure) is an image that remains with me. An ostracized Sula insists upon living without regard to societal constraints. In some ways, Sula is a rebellious, dark woman who seems to become more extreme because of it. Simultaneously, Sula teaches us something about freedom.

Naylor's book has so many different characters representing so many ways of looking at women or the Feminine aspect of humankind. An approachable book with a weighty message.

Karl Popper questions the epistemology of science (including the Scientific Method and the empirical approach) as infallible paths to truth. Popper looks at the problem of hypotheses (the infinite number that can be manufactured at the inception of an investigation and ad hoc AND infallible relationship between open-ended hypothesis/theories with experience).