Book Description
I tell of a time, a place, and a way of life long gone. For many years I have had the urge to describe that treasure trove, lest it vanish forever. So, partly in response to the basic human instinct to share feelings and experiences, and partly for the sheer joy and excitement of it all, I report on my early life. It was quite a romp.

So begins Mildred Kalish’s story of growing up on her grandparents’ Iowa farm during the depths of the Great Depression. With her father banished from the household for mysterious transgressions, five-year-old Mildred and her family could easily have been overwhelmed by the challenge of simply trying to survive. This, however, is not a tale of suffering.

Kalish counts herself among the lucky of that era. She had caring grandparents who possessed—and valiantly tried to impose—all the pioneer virtues of their forebears, teachers who inspired and befriended her, and a barnyard full of animals ready to be tamed and loved. She and her siblings and their cousins from the farm across the way played as hard as they worked, running barefoot through the fields, as free and wild as they dared.

Filled with recipes and how-tos for everything from catching and skinning a rabbit to preparing homemade skin and hair beautifiers, apple cream pie, and the world’s best head cheese (start by scrubbing the head of the pig until it is pink and clean), Little Heathens portrays a world of hardship and hard work tempered by simple rewards. There was the unsurpassed flavor of tender new dandelion greens harvested as soon as the snow melted; the taste of crystal clear marble-sized balls of honey robbed from a bumblebee nest; the sweet smell from the body of a lamb sleeping on sun-warmed grass; and the magical quality of oat shocking under the light of a full harvest moon.

Little Heathens offers a loving but realistic portrait of a “hearty-handshake Methodist” family that gave its members a remarkable legacy of kinship, kindness, and remembered pleasures. Recounted in a luminous narrative filled with tenderness and humor, Kalish’s memoir of her childhood shows how the right stuff can make even the bleakest of times seem like “quite a romp.”


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

"Back in the day..."
This narrative wasn't a story, but was a running commentary on the author's memories of her life on a midwest farm during the 1930s. Although the book is subtitled as being a story about the Great Depression, the family farm Kalish writes about was insulated from the GRAPES OF WRATH sort of deprivation we associate with that era. There are no characters, very little dialogue, no sense, really of who the narrator is, or of her age, or about her sisters and brothers, her parents, aunts and uncles, except by what they ate, how they prepared it, how they were thrifty to the extreme. While these facts are interesting, especially for one such as my slightly obsessive-compulsive self, I found myself wondering about Kalish's intent in writing such a memoir. In the classic sense of memoir, there is no introspection that gives wisdom to an examination of one's past. She hints at a brief struggle with Christian faith, but never goes further, and only at the very end do we finally learn something concrete about her actual life. I found it to be a charming little book filled with stories and recipes from back in the day. I'm amazed that the NYTimes considered it one of the top books of 2007.

Little Heathens: Hard Times and High Spirits on an Iowa Farm During the Great Depression
This is a wonderful glimpse at depression era farm life.You share the view of a young girl as she shares the experience with her siblings and cousins.She is part of the "little kid" group.The story is chock full of old time remedies, reciepes, and life without tv, electricity, cell phones, or cars.It was before my time, but my husband and I were inspired to reminise about our own old days.

A wonderful story
This is a wonderful story.I have loved reading this book and was sad when it ended.This book has given me questions to ask parents and grandparents and has helped me learn so much about them.I enjoyed the recipes and can't wait to start trying them out!

Little Heathens
Reading this book, I relived my Iowa farm childhood.She is a gifted writer who made me smell the freshly plowed earth, hear the harnesses as the team of work horses pulled the corn planter, and feel the cold in the upstairs bedroom with frost on the inside of the windows from our breathing.I could hear the meadowlark singing, a song that I believed I had forgotten completely.This book remembered the positives of our times and did not dwell on the negatives.I enjoyed every page of it and although I lived in the other corner of the state, I could see her home as easily as I could remember mine.Highly recommended.Thank you.

Upbeat account of life on Iowa farm
I was really looking forward to reading this book, but I was left disappointed. The New York Times rated this as one of their best non-fiction books of 2007, and I have to say that I am not sure why. It was like a real-life Little House on the Prairie, without all the covered wagons and moving from place to place, but not as interesting. Much of the chores were the same- milking, threshing, even making head-cheese. Even though this book takes place much later than the Little House books, the lifestyle it describes will be very familiar to readers of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

The writing was clunkier than I expected- much of the book ended up being a laundry list of chores and every-day occurances. While I got a great picture of what every-day life was like on the farm, I did not feel that I got to know the author at all. She does talk a little bit about her insecurities growing up, and her experiences after the farm, but only just a little bit.

One big positive of this book is that it is very cheerful and upbeat. The author is able to look at a very difficult time both economically and personally with a lot of warmth and fondness. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Laura Ingalls Wilder books (because for its clunky and sometimes boring style, it isn't a long book and goes fast) or anyone who wishes to visit/revisit this time in a way that is nostalgically cheerful, which is unusual for the time period. ... Read more

Book Description
Moments after finishing a six-month sentence in the Roanoke jail for a crime he might not have committed, Baptist minister Joel King is served some unwelcome papers.His wife wants a divorce, and the teenage vixen everyone believes he seduced is suing him for five million dollars.

Holding on to his faith with a white-knuckle grip, Joel accepts a ride out west with Edmund Brooks, a member of his former flock who has some Commandment-challenging ideas about helping Joel help himself.From the author the New York Times Magazine called “the drinking man’s John Grisham,” Plain Heathen Mischief ranges from the cross to the double cross, from Virginia to Las Vegas, from courtrooms to trout streams, as Martin Clark follows his Job-like hero through dubious choices and high-dollar insurance scams to a redemption no reader could possibly predict. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

Umm, that's Missoula MONTANA!, folks . .
Set predominantly in the Big Sky country, my state of birth, "Plain Heathen Mischief" is a most interesting morality play.Are there shades of grey?Or is anything beyond the straight and narrow path just plain heathen mischief, as the protagonist's old professor (who he used to call Dr. Brimstone) used to say?Often quite unlikeable, Joel King nonetheless does what he does with a consistent desire to do whatever it is he is doing for the greater good.With often misplaced loyalty - and with the burden of being seen as a child molester by the law enforcement community, even if the young woman who he is accused of having sex with was 17 and even if she was the aggressor - he fumbles along, straying farther and farther away from his beginning point as a Baptist preacher.With his sister Sophie - who is often earthy to the point of vulgarity - to act as a foil to his prudery, I found myself liking this book despite myself.Not knowing Missoula very well, I can't tell if the landscape was described very well or not - maybe a native Missoulan can step up and tell us?But Montana winters were definitely described to a "T" - Brrrrr!Recommend from me for anyone looking for something a little different to pass the time.

What else could happen?
This is definitely the story of Job.I couldn't put the book down once I started it, but I kept thinking "how can this guy be so gulible?"As usual, I got into the characters and Joel (Job?) was someone I felt for.When I hear myself saying to a character, "don't do it!", I know I'm into the book. His sister, Sophie, was remarkably believable in her no-nonsense, out-of-patience take on life.Of course, if I had a brother like Joel, I'd be the same way.What a fun read.This would a good book for discussion in a book club.

Great story, great characters... but the dialogue?
I'm willing to suspend a fair amount of disbelief when reading a novel: I know that few authors can accurately reflect human speech in their narratives, and often we wouldn't enjoy novels that did. In Plain Heathen Mischief, though, I couldn't do it. Main character Joel King is interesting, and his attitudinal shifts only seem slightly pat, but basically all of his dialogue (and others) is a series of competing monologues. More people speak seven sentences at once, without interruption, full of clever metaphors and snappiness, than I've ever met.

This is a significant negative in what otherwise is a fine caper novel, with some great turns and fun character development.

I'll certainly read another Clark novel - I enjoyed reading most of this - but I was exasperated by the end. Talk like a normal person!

A Step Back
I will try to be as fair as possible in this review because I really like Martin Clark's writing, and I know he reads these reviews. First the good: Clark has matured exponentially in his grasp of the English language since his first book, "The Many Aspects of Mobile Home Living." This is a beautifully written book. His phrases are just right and often startling in their artistry. I'm rather envious that a judge has attained such a high literary level. However, the main weakness of this novel is the protagonist, Joel King. He's simply a flat, dull character. I found myself never really caring about him or his moral dilemmas. And his passivity was nettlesome. This was disappointing to me because the characters in "Mobile Home" are very rich, complex, real, and downright funny. While there are spiritual themes in "Mobile Home," there are more religious ones in "Plain Heathen Mischief." Christians should respond well to this novel. "Heathens" may find it overbearing. I'm still a fan of Mr. Clark, and I will read his third novel. I hope he returns to the characterization that made him a star.

Suspend Your Disbelief
What a fabulous ride this book is. Beautifully written, dialog that absolutely sizzles. This isn't an "inspirational" novel. No God beams or angels with flapping wings appear to hand Joel King a Hollywood-style redemption. Instead this book is filled with outstanding description, emotions, and characters that are at once poignant and so goofy and hilarious, they jump right off the pages. Sa'ad X. Sa'ad and Edmund made me think of a Johnnie Cochran knockoff and Cosmo Kramer. I hope Martin Clark is working on his next book because he's got a sale here. ... Read more

Book Description
Carey was an early 19th century missionary and Baptist minister.He was one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society.He is credited with translating the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, and many other languages.Carey states that in order to spread the word of God it is first necessary to understand the religion of the world.Carey believed it is necessary to understand sin and how it has spread.Carey proposes that welook at the state of the world and then decide what more a Christian can do to enhance the Christian way of life. ... Read more

Book Description
Richard North offers a complete revision of our view of Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian paganism and mythology in the pre-Viking and Viking age. He discusses the pre-Christian gods of Bede's history of the Anglo-Saxon conversion with reference to a god known as Ingui. Using expert knowledge of comparative literary material from Old Norse-Icelandic and other Old Germanic languages, North reconstructs the slender Old English evidence in an imaginative and original treatment of poems such as "Deor" and "The Dream of the Rood." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The most vital book on the subject in fifty years

North has done something no author has done with regard to his subject in far too long; he actually took the time to look into it and put forth his own thoughts instead of regurgitating the works of others. (Most notably Stanley's "search for AS paganism")Just when I thought there was little ground left to break on the subject, along comes North's book and challenges long held and long overlooked aspects of Anglo Saxon pagan belief. From the onset of the book to the final chapter on Paulinus and the Stultus Error (which is brilliant I would like to add)I did not set this book down once.A must have for the student of Anglo Saxon culture and Theodisc Heathens alike.Brilliant work from a brilliant scholar.Wes thu Peter North hal!

good Heathen stuff
While I found Mr North's overall view of Anglo Saxon Heathenry a bit short, his specific information and his comparitive knowledge and examples with the rest of the Germanic world is a treasure for todays Heathen/Asatruar.If you can spare the $, and are not new to Heathenry, get this book. You will be amazed at what hints of Heathenry survived in Anglo Saxon literature. Wes Heathens Hal! :-) ... Read more

Book Description

With a style that combined biting sarcasm with the "language of the free lunch counter," Henry Louis Mencken shook politics and politicians for nearly half a century. Now, fifty years after Mencken's death, the Johns Hopkins University Press announces The Buncombe Collection, newly packaged editions of nine Mencken classics: Happy Days, Heathen Days, Newspaper Days, Prejudices, Treatise on the Gods, On Politics, Thirty-Five Years of Newspaper Work, Minority Report, and A Second Mencken Chrestomathy.

In the third volume of his autobiography, H. L. Mencken covers a range of subjects, from Hoggie Unglebower, the best dog trainer in Christendom, to his visit to the Holy Land, where he looked for the ruins of Gomorrah.

Customer Reviews (1)

The "Bad Boy of Baltimore" Autobiography Vol. III
From Ungie Hornblower to nomination for the vice presidency, Menckenserves up autobiographical shorts that'll make you howl.Though he livedon Hollins Street for most of his life, his stories paint a full picture of"Charm City" from 1890-1936 (at least from the eyes of the mostfeared and respected critic of the time). ... Read more

Book Description
A handbook of the group or solitary practice of the alternative religious discipline known as Greater Theodism. Theodism, or Theodish Belief, is a revived Prechristian European form of folk-religious polytheism, the primary goals of which are religious and historical authenticity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Theodism not for me
I am of the opinion that Theodism represents an English expression of Germanic lore.Theodism, while Germanic in nature, gets lost in English tradition and speaks a different language when trying to express an ideal rooted in a separate culture.I am sure there are those who will find the Theodish expression something that speaks to them.I, on the other hand, do not.I struggled various Theodish expressions that speak of the same things found in Asatru (Icelandic), but yet come across speaking a different language.I respect Theodism as a part of the Heathen belief system, but find little in it that speaks to the fiber of my being as does the Icelandic expression of Asatru.

The Sacral Kingship of the Theodish Belief
"I hereby swear that, while I live, I shall never raise voice, hand or weapon against the Sacral Kingship of the Theodish Belief, excepting it be in self-defense, nor ever aid or abet any other who does so.And moreover that I hereby bend my life to rightful deeds with a Right Good Will, in Wisdom, Generosity and Personal Honor."--This is the oath of the Theodsman - The followers of Theodism, the religious practice of the pre-Christian Anglo-Teutonic tribal folk.Recognizing the Gods, Woden, Thunor, Tiw, Frea, Heimdallar, and others of this vein.

Greater Theodism is, perhaps, a more structured following of the Old Gods, than say Asatru.It maintains a more tribal faith.In addition we see the concept of The Sacral Kingship in Theodism - connecting men directly to the Gods.Along with a discussion of the Gods, a detailed glossary, and a suggested bibliography - This book is certainly well worth reading.

very good book
I, Michael L. Rayborn, did NOT write the reveiw below. Some people have connected me to the reveiwer below due to my interest in reavers and have somehow assumed that I am "American Reiver", I absolutely am NOT. I would never dream of discrediting Sacral Kingship as it is highly documented in lore. All of the Norse Kings claim lineage from either Frey or Woden, therefore it would be rediculous to say otherwise. I have this book and I enjoy it very much. The guy below is a tidwit and I do not want to be associated with this reveiwer.

A cult of Fakery
This book is one of those that does more harm then well...

Extremely shoddy research and some stuff completley made up.There is no historical evidence of sacral kingship in britain.this book is truely about a man who wanted to start his own heathen cult.

if one followed much of "Garman Lords" methodology one could probably say that the Ancient tribes of Northern Europe believed just about anything.
He makes a strong case of 2 + 2 = whatever fits into your ideas.

Essiental Reading for any Theodsmen, Heathens and Pagans.
Garman Lord lays out the basics of Theodism. The Tribal belifes of the European Pagans. Especally thous of England and Contintal Europe. The book methodically tackles all the problems we have in the world today and what can be done about them. But you may not like the answer. Also this book gives a summary on how to run a group, practice solo and gives a run down of the more popular Gods and Goddesses. I'd give it five stars but the book is skempy on how to do rituals, or magic in honor of the ancient Gods of our Race. Still it is a very good read. ... Read more

Book Description
Today, most intellectuals agree that (a) Christianity hasprofoundlyinfluenced western culture; (b) members from differentcultures experiencemany aspects of the world differently; (c) theempirical and theoretical studyof both culture and religion emergedwithin the West.The present study argues that these truisms haveimplications for theconceptualization of religion and culture. Morespecifically, the thesis isthat non-western cultures and religionsdiffer from the descriptions prevalentin the West, and it is alsoexplained why this has been the case. The authorproposes novelanalyses of religion, the Roman `religio', the construction of `religions' in India, and the nature of cultural differences. Religionisimportant to the West because the constitution and the identity ofwesternculture is tied to the dynamic of Christianity as a religion. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

most misunderstood
This work is most misunderstood by those who approvingly cite this, and by those who criticize this work. This misunderstanding has nothing to do with the structure of the book, but everything to do with the nature of any scientific hypothesis. The author has *not* criticized the concept 'religion' because the latter is western:do we think the concept of positron is western?And this book is not a critique of essentialism: entire natural sciences are `essentialistic.' `culture' is not monolithic; of course, species is not monolithic either, yet is amenable to study.What properties of Christianity are ones by virtue of which Christianity is a religion? Here Sweet Willman, in his criticism of the book, presumed that the properties of Christianity = the properties of religion. There are others who criticize it because it conflicts with their intuition.Of course, the author explained the necessity of experiencing religion in India.

Coming back to what the book does: the author identified a set of problems through historical research. Any theory of religion has to solve these problems.The author proposed a hypothesis of religion that solves these problems, and further explains the experience of believers; that shows why one can't study, say, Christianity as religion without being a believer. Then it is showed, one is compelled to do theology in order to study Christianity as a world view. Given this, the author shifted the study to a different level of abstraction: religion as that which generates a configuration of learning. This hypothesis sheds light on various issues: skepticism of Antiquity; origin of natural sciences in the West; vacuous debates of all sorts of relativism; cultural differences; theories of actions; etc. In other words, this theory does generate more problems, and can solve the same problems-in the long run.

The author nowhere did mention that `Hinduism', `Buddhism' etc. are not `something' else but not religions; whatever conceptual gestalts these entities `Hinduism' etc. refer to are non-existent in the way unicorn is.

An excellent book: read it.
It is not often that one reads a book that changes one's outlookdrastically. This is one such book. I am really impressed. Sooner or later,the ideas propounded in this book will prove to be a major challenge tomany disciplines like anthropology, religious studies, and such like.

An excellent book: read it.
It is not often that one reads a book that changes one's outlookdrastically. This is one such book. I am really impressed. Sooner or later,the ideas propounded in this book will prove to be a major challenge tomany disciplines like anthropology, religious studies, and such like.

A Clear Stream of Reason
Although the theory on religion that is submitted in this book is generally found to be highly controversial, Balagangadhara's arguments are so strong that one cannot simply dismiss this theory as intellectual'spielerei'. His account identifies crucial constraints on Western thinkingabout other cultures and the social world in general, and convincinglyexplains why even 'giants and geniusses' have not been able to surmountthese constraints. I heartily recommend this fantastic book. In thelegendary words of one reader: "it might even change your worldview." ... Read more

Product Description
Mildred Kalish is a retired professor of English who grew up in Garrison, Iowa, and taught at several colleges. ... Read more

Book Description
"No better than a pack of heathens." That's what their grandmother called Charma Deane, Bess and Minnie, three cousins growing up in rural Orla, Arkansas. To them,nothing could be better than being a heathen girl. But when life gets complicated, even the wildest girls grow up. Charma Deane learns that lesson the hard way when Bess steals her fiancé, fails to tell her about her mother's death and then threatens to evict their aunts from their family home.

Now, years after leaving the "Aunt Farm" behind, Charma Deane's back to make peace with the past and repair the strained ties with Bess. Together again, the three heathen girls face their demons and remind each other of their old vow: live without limits, love without question, laugh without apologies and make sure that whoever dies first won't be sent to heaven looking like hell.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

storyteller
Heathen Girls! I never actually understood what that meant. It took a while to get the characters and their names straight in my head. As most books, the actual drama occurs in the last one or two chapters.I had no feelings invested in these people. When it finally came together, everything was clear, but it didn't really matter because the three girls were still friends.One strong, one quiet, and one arrogant but expected to be still loved which she was till her end. All in all, it wasn't a great book or a bad book.I base my review on whether I would keep this book and read it again and the answer is no.

Looking for a great summer read
If only there were a whole shelf of Luanne Jones books to read my summer would be all about reading. Her characters are real with the flavor of the south.I am waiting for more from this very talented author.

Novel has Southern flavor, but themes are universal
The epic journey is a time-honored theme in fiction, and Luanne Jones's new novel HEATHEN GIRLS rests both plot and character on that theme. Although the main character Charma Deane's journey doesn't cover thousands of miles geographically, it does cover a lot of ground emotionally.

Charma is summoned to the Aunt Farm, the George family's spiritual center, where she spent summers with her cousins Bess and Minnie. Bess is about to evict her aging aunts, Fawnie and Shug. Both the older women were, at different times, married to the same man who died years before. They are affectionate rivals now for family attention.

In returning to the family home, Charma confronts ghosts from her own past as she attempts to deal with her aunts' eviction, her cousin Bess's pending death, and her cousin Minnie's conflicts with her own daughter. Mother of two grown sons, and now divorced, Charma dances around feelings for the man she almost married, Guy Chapman. Guy literally left Charma at the altar many years before, but as the story unfolds, it becomes apparent he had good reasons for doing so.

The story line rests on each character coming to grips with what the cousins call the "sacred self." Interwoven into the narrative are snapshots of Southern culture, both past and present. Urging the reader on are family secrets and customs, both specific to the George family, but also familiar to anyone with a large extended family.

There's a poignant passage where Guy Chapman, now owner of his family's funeral parlor, speaks of the new South, but the message stretches across a nation. Guy returned to his hometown to save the family business, but in truth, the business is run by Dathan, an African American. But Guy keeps up appearances, knowing the business would falter if the townsfolk knew the real brains didn't reside with a member of the Chapman family. "You know they can make folks integrate the schools and the work force," he tells Charma. "But in those most private places where you have to lay your hands on someone..."

Charma knows what he means, responding, "Churches, mortuaries, and beauty shops." (pg. 295)

The novelist tells her story in an unpretentious, spontaneous manner, with Charma as narrator. The main character and those closest to her complete a personal journey that, in the end, makes each of them a wiser and stronger person. Some passages will require a careful read; it's obvious the novelist has a higher aim than writing just another chick lit tale.

The reader will enjoy a zany romp through antics of a Southern family whose aunts are irreverent, and whose cousins prove that blood is thicker than near-sibling rivalry. Luanne Jones rests much of the storyline on dialogue, and it is inevitable for a reader to entertain hope that the book might make its way to the big screen.

HEATHEN GIRLS is an entertaining read and offers home-spun philosophies on families and friends that keep the story in the reader's heart once the book is closed. Jones is a very good story-teller. We could use more of that in contemporary fiction.-Reviewed by Kay Day, editor, Creative Writer US*;Based on a review published at CW

Great Story! Must Read.
This story of cousins who share a deep bond along with some family secrets is a must read for anyone who loves irreverant humor and characters who stay with you long after the book ends.

From the opening pages when I first met Charma Deane, her nemesis Bess, and the women who live in and around the Aunt Farm I was charmed, touched and tickled. The story explores relationships in all forms including social Southern small town life, true love, old friendships and new.But most of all it shows the power of women.

This is the kind of book that would be perfect for a book club or just to share among friends. It will be on my 'keeper' shelf.

Heathen Girls
Charma Deane thinks that her aunt has just summoned her to yet another "death watch" at the "Aunt Farm", Fawnie's regularly irregular decision that this is it, she's on her way out of life. However, that's not quite the case. Her cousin, Bess, has decided to dispose of the Aunt Farm, throwing Fawnie and Shug out on the streets, as it were. Charma has been elected to stop it. Charma's resented Bess for years, thinking that somehow Bess' pushing her into the water and the subsequent rescue by Charma's father caused his death. Now, she's ready for battle, in a weary way. However, it's a bit more complicated than that; Bess is dying, and wants to spend her final days at the Aunt Farm. She also wants to reconnect with Charma and Minnie, to make peace. That is something Charma definitely needs. She's had a few other things against Bess over the years, and has been trapped by all her fears. In her own way, she's dying inside. Now, the three cousins will have a chance to live and love again, in the shadow of death.

*** This is a complex book, in the vein of Nicholas Sparks or Steel Magnolias. The characters are earthy and real. Like the aforementioned books, this one takes a different spin on what a happy ending means. It's a rainbow composed of smiles and tears, not tear free. Though the plot is virtually not present, there is a lot said here. ***

Amanda Killgore ... Read more

Book Description
The Heathens, originally published in 1948, is a description ofmany of the world's religions by an anthropologist who had a knack forputting complex concepts in popular terms. Although, to our late 20thcentury sensibilities, the language may sound demeaning and/orpatronizing, in fact, once the reader realizes the book's historicalsetting, it is clear that the author is a gifted communicator and askillful popularizer. His descriptions were so respected that in 1962the book was reprinted by The American Museum of Natural HistoryLibrary for inclusion in its offerings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Eye Opener
I read this book for an anthro class many years ago.It had a major impact on my thinking and has stayed with me all this time.I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in human beings and the way wethink.

Very good
To be brief, a higly enjoyable, easily digested introduction to primitive religions, and more subtly an excellent introduction to cultural anthropology in general. ... Read more

Book Description
PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

"Heathen slaves and Christian rulers." No injustice is done to

Christians in the title given this book. The word "Christian" is

capable of use in two senses, individual and political. We apply the

words "Hindoo" and "Mahommedan" in these two senses also. A man who

has been born and brought up in the environment of the Hindoo or

Mahommedan religions, and who has not avowed some other form of faith,

but has yielded at least an outward allegiance to these forms, we

declare to be a man of one or the other faith. Moreover, we judge of

his religion by the fruits of it in his moral character. Just so,

every European or American who has not openly disavowed the Christian

religion for some other faith is called a "Christian." Furthermore,

such men, when they mingle with those of other religions, as in the

Orient, call themselves "Christians," in distinction from those of

other faith about them... ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (14)

not very good
The impression I got of this book was that it was a humourous look at the Christian 'end of the world' or book of Revelations. But it just wasn't funny and was rather weak. To be honest, I don't think I got 25 pages.

Not what I expected, and not in a good way
No, I'm not a Christian rapture-ist and I actually wanted very much to like this book. After all, the size and influence of the fundamentalist Christian movement in this country are immense, apparently extending all the way into the White House and the Oval Office. I know this is just my own humble opinion, but I find this scary and depressing.

So I do believe that a good, clear, *well-researched* "guide to the Rapture" by a non-believer would be timely and useful to those of us who don't embrace the notion that one day Jesus will issue a call and naked believers' bodies will fly upward toward heaven, etc., not to mention the roles of the "mark of the beast" and the rest of the nonsense contained in the Book of Revelations.

And yes, this book could be humorous, but in my own view, most of the humor would derive naturally from the peculiarity of the doctrines and beliefs that comprise Rapture Christianity. Instead, however, author Jim Gerard has apparently done only a small amount of research and then has embellished his meager findings with a whole lot of kooky commentary and absurdist tangents. It's a kind of Dave Barry-esque treatment, and for me it just did not work. In some places it's actually difficult to differentiate between what is truly strange or funny about the Rapture community and what is merely "schtick" added by Gerard to beef up his chapters and evoke readers' guffaws.

Some people obviously enjoy this type of humor, and hey, more power to 'em. I just found the book to be unacceptably thin on actual material and way, way too long on contrived one-liners.

A RapturouslyFunny Send-up of the End Times
"Beam Me Up, Jesus" by Jim Gerard is a rapturously funny send-up of the End Times, a user's guide and self-help manual for the Left Behind leaners among us. Gerard surveys a post-Tribulation landscape where 666 is a product branding name and smoke belching horse locusts cramp everyone's dance card. Mr. Gerard wants us to know that the Revelation will be televised and that its corporate sponsors are the same evangelical capitalists who have re-imagined Jesus as a huckster for Deal or No Deal or perhaps Who Wants to Marry my Magdalene. "Beam me Up" is a good old fashion Apocalyptic rant. The book is a must read for those who favor a night at the Algonquin Hotel in the company of the College of Cardinals (or better still, the 1946 Saint Louis Cardinals), Tammy Faye Bakker and John of Patmos. Read it today.

a witty, biting, and irreverent satire of the Christian "industry"
Jim Gerard does for the Christian industry what Michael Moore does for the healthcare industry, except with more factual information, far more humor, and less personal tonnage. As a longtime Christian believer, "Beam Me Up, Jesus" made me both laugh and cry. Yeah, the book is irreverent, but then so is most of what passes for Christianity today. You can't read parts like Chapter 6 or the Epilogue and not see some of the worst of what the traditional church has become.

And that, I think, was Gerard's point. Relax everyone, he's not bashing Mother Teresa. But when the church fathers come with the torches to take Jim Gerard away, I'll be standing next to him.

I`m a believer but I still laughed
I read this afterperusing the splendidly hilarious "Who moved my secret?",also penned by Gerard.I consider myself spiritual and a practicing Christian in an empiric sense.Yet ,I was able to laugh at the staunch rigidity and half-baked theologies satirized in these pages ,since the author wasat least somewhat careful tofocushis derisionon theself-righteous proselytes and the misguidedacolytesas opposed to the Deity. This is anextremely talented writer who has burstonto thescene and is taking no prisoners.He reminds me of a cross between H.L. Menckenand George S. Kaufman. Although the title was somewhat unsettling to my Christian sensibilities, yet I was able to guffaw and even roar at various parts of this work.Who knows, perhaps I`ll be repenting afterward but this opus was sinfully funny! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

disappointing
while there were many interesting elements in the story and the telling of the tale, my feeling is that this book would have made a much better short story than full-on novel.there is far too much "filler"and when i finished the book and looked back on what actually happened, i realised that the only parts that i found grabbed me were at the very beginning and the very end. the middle part was just transportation to where the story picks up again.

Good, but Edric is no Graham Greene.
This is a story of the Congo, before WWI.It takes place at a remote British trading station in decline.The protagonist, while not naïve, is inexperienced.Most of the British, especially the protagonist, are decent people, while the Congo itself is the home of depravity. The main character, while intellectually very astute, is also inexperienced, and has a fatal interest in, even attraction, to aspects of this depravity.Had Graham Greene written this book, the story would have delved deeply into the psychology of this character, but Edric is not up to such a task as a writer.What we have is a competently written story.While there are some sensational events, most of the story proceeds at a leisurely pace, while still being interesting.Edric is good with dialogue and in capturing the atmosphere. I wonder if the main event isn't too sensational, and not realistic, or at least not representative of the Congo, but for the most part Edric writes in an understated way, without loss of effect.

The Heart of Darkness has never been so dark.
It is 1897, and a motley group of British functionaries is running a concessionary station, only marginally successful, in Ukassa Falls in the Congo Free State, trading and exploring, mapping new areas of the country for further exploration, and using natives to strip minerals from quarries. Individually, however, their primary mission is protecting themselves and their jobs, while keeping an eye on a more lucrative Belgian enterprise across the river and on the slave-trader Hammad, who fancies himself the potential emperor of a future, native-run country. When gunfire signals the arrival of an unexpected visitor, Capt. James Frasier hopes it means the return to British jurisdiction of his friend, Nicholas Frere, who, missing for 51 days in the wilderness, is now in Belgian custody, awaiting trial for killing a native child.

At an agonizingly slow pace, Edric builds the tension and an ominous sense of mystery. Though he readily admits his guilt, Frere refuses to defend himself, simply accepting whatever fate has in store. He is almost certain to be turned over to local authorities in Brazzaville for trial and hanging, eventually, but he will not tell anyone, even Frasier, the circumstances of the child's death.

Edric's characters come to life through their conversations, conflicts, and actions, rather than through passive descriptions or long biographies. The reader, too, must be active, accumulating important details on his own by observing the action, some of it intense, and participating in it, however reluctantly. Several grim and explicit scenes of atrocity attest to Edric's abhorrence of the mistreatment of indigenous people (the subject also of his novel Elysium, set in Tasmania) and of the destruction of birds and wildlife. His opposition to colonial arrogance, religious fanaticism, mindless bureaucracy, and lock-step adherence to rules and regulations underlies all the action here.

Describing the wilderness as "more permanent and invincible than anything else I can imagine, something as potent and as indestructible as evil or truth itself," Edric transmutes it into a living force which dramatically affects all its inhabitants. The river, with its traffic, both unites and divides, and when, at flood tide, it scours its banks and destroys pilings and jetties, one cannot help but see parallels with the interrogations of the steadfast Frere. Images of light and dark and echoes of Heart of Darkness are constant, and when "the horror" is finally revealed at the end, it out-horrors anything Conrad ever dreamed of. With a conclusion full of literary pyrotechnics, this is a chilling recreation of the worst nightmares of colonialism and of man's inhumanity to man. Mary Whipple ... Read more

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Marcus has the blues. His wife, LaDonna, is doing twenty-five days in the Shakopee Women's Detention Center for selling a house she didn't own--and putting a hex on the judge. LaDonna's marketing her own brand of facial cream called Madame LaDonna's Herbal Beauty Care Products. And Marcus' mother, who's got Mormons upstairs and heathens all around, sees her chance to liberate Marcus from that infernal woman at last.

Welcome to the world of the Gabriel family, three generations of curious, headstrong, and frighteningly independent-minded people living in a country called the Midwest. From Marcus' war with his unruly sixth-grade class to his voluptuous neighbor's pursuit of Jesus and the perfect sex life, the Gabriels and their friends are all going a little bit crazy. For with scheming, loving, eternally optimistic LaDonna doing time, the tribe is falling apart. And now the question is--how far can they slide in twenty-five little days? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Dysfunctional Family.....Totally!
HEATHENS was sad, thought provoking, strong, and funny as hell! The Gabriel family and their neighbors are all suffering from a bad case of the strange and disturbed. Believe this, it was those traits that made thisbook as memorable as it was. David Haynes has made me look at my neighborscloser, and run for my car in the mornings. Great stuff! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Yeayah!
Freakin' coolest play ever.I loved it so much.So much drama.A bishop, a missionary, and an orphan try to help a group of heathens become better and have God in their life.They start to find religion, but not in the exact manner as the bishop would hope.After a while he gets upset and changes the church so that it is more Catholic and the town does not approve of this and they all go back to being Heathens again.It is a play about friendship, religion, betrayl, and finding your home.

"If I had a home, I would never leave it.I would keep it with me, always."
~Billy

Touching, worthwhile and fascinating story of Appalachia
If you are interested in the early American protestant church, Appalachian history, America in the 1830's, or a good, gripping story with real people, this is a great book.The author reconstructs a bishop's project ofbuilding a mission in an area that has forgotten God - folks who'sgrandparents fled the revolutionary war and became heathens.The storyreminds me of "The Education of Little Tree" but with teeth andwith a strong message. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

REVIEW of Alarcon's Treatise
REVIEW: If you have an interest in Mexica incantations, Mexica medicine, or first hand accounts of the every day life of the Mexica, this editorial team has translated one of the best source books you can find. Written in 1629 by Alcaron as a guide to understanding the Mexica religion and beliefs that were hampering the conversion of the Indians.

Alcaron's goal was to prepare other Catholic Priests by education of the past. Along the way, Alcaron wrote a fascinating collection of various incantations used by the Mexica for such things as blessing a fishing net to curing a broken heart. His attention to Mexica herbal medicine along with generous recent research by the editorial team, has combined to serve as a textbook on the subject.

The book is easily read and the incantations are in Nahuatl as well as paraphrased in English. Some of the more interesting incantations related are: About the Incantation and Spell of Those Who Rig Lime Kilns, About the Incantation or Witchcraft That They Use in Order to Hunt, Beginning with the Hunting of Fowls, About Fortune-telling with the Hands. Further contains a host of incantations for medical purposes including, belly pains, bone fractures, and others simple and complex illnesses.

Appendices attached to this book are full of information relating to place names and linguistic terms that will be of interest to a serious reader. Of interest is the attention to the breakdown of the meaning of the Nahuatl terms to the root level. This work will leave you questioning traditionally accepted terminology and academically accepted myth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Looking for Magic in Melanesia
This is one of the best travelogues you will ever find about any place, anywhere!
Not to mention about countries as obscure as Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands - two rarely visited, but fascinaing archipelagos indeed.
The author does in-depth research about the history and culture of these places before setting out on a personal voyage retracing a route that was taken by his great-grandfather who had been a missionary in these parts. His homework pays off very nicely: not only does he succeed in getting everywhere he wants to, but also writes a book rich in background info in addition to his personal impressions and adventures. And he certainly does get to some remote parts of these remote countries: the Banks Islands and Maewo in Vanuatu, or Temotu province in the Solomons are out of the way places visited by very few.

Why only 4 stars then?
Well, even though the author claims to be an atheist and thus tries to examine the role of religion in local cultures objectively, he soon becomes obsessed with the idea of finding "magic" ("true" magic, that is) in these islands. He is hoping to find it performed by everyone and anyone from traditional medicine men to the local Anglican clergy, undeterred by the fact that he himself admits every single incident he has managed to observe was either a very obvious trick or at best the result of what could well have been a natural coincidence. This change in focus of the book became a bit annoying eventually.

But all in all, an excellent, amazingly well researched account.
Definitely recommended if you are interested in this region at all.
I read the book just before visiting Melanesia, and it was as good a reading as any to prepare me for my trip there.

And a tip: the book is still available in new copies on Amazon's Canadian site - have a look there if you can't find it here.

Enthralling and inspiring journey
This book is a fascinating journey that explores the power of simply believing in something, whether it be religion, myth, an icon or people themselves.It presents facts without prejudice yet reveals fascinating details of the author's personal, emotional and geographical journey as he follows his great grandfather's footsteps to the other side of the world.It combines stories of academia, theology, history and contemporary issues in a non-confrontational yet intriguing presentation of generations and cultures colliding in our ever-shrinking global community.I highly recommend reading Charles Montgomery's "The Last Heathen".It is an exceptional story which deserves a captive audience.

A Terrific Read
Fabulous book.Part travel, part history, part meeting of two cultures, the author lays it all before you with a delightful sense of humour, a discerning eye, and a sincere respect for the people of Melanesia.It opens up a window to a world most people know nothing about and are unlikely to ever encounter. For me, as a frequent visitor to that part of the world, it was wonderful a trip down memory lane.

magic
By the time a little packet of sand gets opened on page 2 of the book, I got swept up in a tale much grander than the postcard idyll of the cover seems to suggest. The narrator travels tough terrain and has adventures of the kind best experienced in an armchair; he tells them eloquently and passionately; but the real magic of the book is how these experiences are woven into larger and deeper ideas that elevate it past almost all travel writing.
It is beautifully written, it is a great book and like all great books, it transforms the reality of the reader; in the end it is their world that has changed, that has become less familiar, less certain, and strangely more alive. ... Read more

Book Description
Mendelssohn, Goethe, and the Walpurgis Night is a book about tolerance and acceptance in the face of cultural, political, and religious strife. Its point of departure is the Walpurgis Night. The Night, also known as Beltane or May Eve, was supposedly an annual witches' Sabbath that centered around the Brocken, the highest peak of the Harz Mountains. After exploring how a notoriously pagan celebration came to be named after the Christian missionary St. Walpurgis (ca. 710-79), John Michael Cooper discusses the Night's treatments in several closely interwoven works by Goethe and Mendelssohn. His book situates those works in their immediate personal and professional contexts, as well as among treatments by a wide array of other artists, philosophers, and political thinkers, including Voltaire, Lessing, Shelley, Heine, Delacroix, and Berlioz. In an age of decisive political and religious conflict, Walpurgis Night became a heathen muse: a source of spiritual inspiration that was neither specifically Christian, nor Jewish, nor Muslim. And Mendelssohn's and Goethe's engagements with it offer new insights into its role in European cultural history, as well as into issues of political, religious, and social identity -- and the relations between cultural groups -- in today's world.John Michael Cooper (Southwestern University) is the author of Mendelssohn's "Italian" Symphony (Oxford University Press). ... Read more