On-the-tape

The Lord is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-Third Psalm, by Harold S Kushner, Alfred A. Knopf, New York; 175 pages; $19.95. Hardback. ISBN 1-4000-4056-6.

Book Review by John A. Dalles

Rabbi Harold S. Kushner is one of the best known authors of our time, having written the classic book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. This, his ninth book, was one of the top ten best selling religious books of the past year. As the title indicates, it is a study of Psalm 23, certainly the most beloved of all of the Psalms. Dr. Kushner writes with a pastor's heart and a special eye toward the healing wisdom to be found in that portion of God's Word.

If you are looking for a book about putting your spiritual life into meaningful practice, you might wish to read this book. It is filled with inspiration and encouragement for an ongoing trusting relationship with God. Kushner takes each phrase of the Psalm as his chapter headings, and verse by verse, provides insight and practical suggestions for how to make these truths come alive each day.

Throughout the book, Kushner utilizes his vast knowledge of the original Hebrew text to help the reader understand the nuances of the words such as "soul" and "cup". He explains the nuances of what the soul is and why the soul needs nourishing. He states, "The world asks so much of us. We give ourselves so totally to our work, to the task of raising our family and running a home that we often forget to take time to nourish our souls..." (page 61).

The fact that God helps us "feel safe in an unsafe world" (page 50) is the Psalmist's theme, repeated and emphasized in every line. Drawing from the world of science and literature, art and great works of theology, this deceptively small book is filled with encouragement and blessing.

Occasionally, Christians forgo reading Jewish authors, forgetting that Judaism is the forerunner of our own faith in Jesus Christ. That would be a mistake. For, here, we have a work that is sacred to both of our traditions, presented by an acclaimed author, dedicated scholar and proven congregational leader. Dr. Kushner is Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts. He has been honored by the Christophers as one of fifty people who have made the world a better place and by Religion in American Life as their Clergyman of the Year in 1999. This is a book to read, give and savor over time.

"The Lord Is My Shepherd, Healing Wisdom of the Twenty-Third Psalm" by Harold S. Kushner is a subjective exegesis of the twenty-third Psalm or Psalm for David. Harold Kushner explains each line of the psalm by placing them back into their original historical context. He also offers us a personal, sensitive, touching, fine and delicate interpretation of this prayer. He demonstrates that the twenty-third psalm is still a source of comfort today in the face of difficulties we are all led to encounter in our lives. His work is not a scientific analysis of the psalm (if that is ever possible to do) but the admirable personal work of a humble man. It is difficult, even impossible, not to feel inspired by this lovely book, which has taken on the form of a spiritual trigger for me and other reviewers as well. It is an excellent book to learn to know your inner self better, and Harold Kushner's words come as "healing wisdom" along with the psalm itself.

I think that "The Lord Is My Shepherd" is a guaranteed spiritual trigger in that it could be very inspiring and comforting for anyone. As for me, "The Lord is My Shepherd" made me realize that God was a source of comfort, and that I had to learn to live my life, appreciate life for what it has to offer me, instead of feeling sorry for myself all the time.

I would like to also thank Harold S. Kushner for his enlightening and healing wisdom.

This is a small volume which gives Rabbi Kushner's interpretation of each line of the much-recited 23rd psalm. One thing that may result from reading this book will be my directing more attention to the words of the psalm as I recite it in the future. I liked reading Rabbi Kushner's ideas because they weren't presented as fact, but only as his opinion. He did it in a way that caused me to think how I would interpret those very same lines. An especially nice touch was that he used examples from many philosophies and theologies rather than just basing his opinions on Jewish thought. This is a very nice book and one that lends itself to more than one reading by people of many religions.

Neely Tucker, a white journalist posted in Zimbabwe, and his wife Vita, a black woman, fall in love with a female infant in an orphanage in that country. The baby's name is Chipo, which means "gift" in the local language. The story, a family memoir, details the couple's attempts to adopt this baby with whom they have fallen in love. The story also explains the political situation in Zimbabwe, which is unstable and volatile, especially toward foreign journalists. There is also a great deal of information about the AIDS crisis in Africa, and how this dread disease has impacted so many families and created millions of orphans. These three topics were interwoven in the book to make a fascinating and extremely interesting story. I could feel the Tuckers' frustration with the bureaucratic red tape they had to wade through in order to someday adopt Chipo. I admired their tenacity--all because of their intense love for this beautiful baby. It would be interesting to follow this little girl into adulthood, and I hope Neely Tucker has such a possibility in mind.

Despite being a wonderful book, LOVE IN THE DRIEST SEASON was difficult to read. Or maybe I should say, "Because it is a wonderful book."

This is a wrenching, ultimately wonderful tale of an American couple who adopts a child. Most, if not all, adoption stories are unique and traumatic at times. This one surpasses a lot of assumptions. For one thing, Neely and Vita Tucker are anything but an average married couple. Both raised in rural Mississippi, they carry with them memories and experiences of American racism. Neely is white; his wife Vita, eleven years his senior, is black. Neely is an experienced war correspondent who has worked for years at the Detroit Free Press, covering the horrors of war, torture and ugliness all over the world. When he and Vita (who has a degree in liberation theology and a background as a paralegal and researcher) move to Zimbabwe so that Neely can serve as the Free Press's African correspondent, they search for something to do in their community.

Ultimately, they end up at an orphanage that is overwhelmed with abandoned children. Many, indeed most of the children at Chinyaradzo Children's Home, have been orphaned by parents who died of AIDS. In past times, children were not abandoned, but taken in by extended families; now, there are few families that can take up the burden. A baby girl named Chipo, or "gift," catches Neely and Vita's eyes and they decide to try to adopt her. They cannot have children of their own, which is seen as a tragedy by the people they meet in Zimbabwe.

Realizing the irony of trying to save one child in the face of the devastation of AIDS, an uncaring and massively overburdened government and the amazing disdain (even paranoia) of President Robert Mugabe, Neely, during this story, is still traveling all over Africa as a reporter. Unlike some reporters who are almost too good at being objective, Neely relates every spin, every defeat, every feeling that these people went through in order to save Chipo's life. They took Chipo in not knowing if she had AIDS, and fought month after month to keep her healthy. But they're not saints, and they don't pretend to be. This is the strength, and pain, of the book. These are somewhat ordinary people --- but with extraordinary patience, resolve and heart.

Neely's job takes him away and often Vita spends weeks alone with a child who wakes up crying hour and hour. At one point, when Neely comes home, he describes his wife as having that thousand-yard stare because she is so sleep-deprived. But neither of them ever thinks of quitting.

The determination of Neely and Vita astounded me. I cannot imagine doing what they did. Some Zimbabwe officials were extremely skeptical of Americans (especially white Americans) wanting to adopt a black baby from Zimbabwe --- it's not done, and sometimes it's seen as some form of kinky sexual gratification. Some assumed that the Tuckers must have bribed someone, which is ludicrous considering all of the work they put in, but apparently not uncommon with the horrid bureaucracy that people seem to deal with in the Mugabe government.

It was so hard to read of the losses, the deaths and the failures at the orphanage --- Vita and Neely more than once decide that they must take in a second child, only to witness that child's death. They already have challenges in their own lives. Neely's parents would not attend their wedding; coming from a racist culture, his parents could not and would not accept that their son would marry a black woman, not to mention an older black woman. And yet one of the finest moments in this story is when Neely's father states (in front of his 50th high school reunion class) that he is proud to have a granddaughter from Zimbabwe named Chipo.

The Tuckers lived in the midst of chaos in Zimbabwe; as Robert Mugabe's regime collapsed, they got out just before the worst chaos. But over and over, they encountered apathy, suspicion, hate and bias; as a journalist Neely was often targeted as someone who reported lies. He was in Nairobi within hours of the embassy bombing, and his descriptions are pure hell to read. He and Vita both dealt with anger and despair, the most amazing stress and depression.

Fortunately, their story ends well. I have nothing but admiration for Neely and Vita, who went all out to save one life. And they are aware of the irony --- that that was all they could do in the face of poverty, indifference and the most astonishing bureaucratic meltdown I've ever seen (it makes some of the bureaucracies I've dealt with seem like models of efficiency). This is a story that must be read and understood, so that these people's lives can be seen and admired.

--- Reviewed by Andi Shechter

"There are defining moments in your life, in which your measure is taken for good and you remember it always. So it was for me then." The reason for this quote is manyfold as it encompasses the whole experience of what this book is about..a reading experience that should please anyone that likes non fiction. The author, a news reporter...white, married to a black woman living in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) wanting to adopt an orphan. This is the premise of the whole book, but you would not believe what they had to go through to accomplish this mission. In fact, the story of how this child came to be is a story all by itself as covered in the Prologue. A fine read with a reminder of what it is like in countries other than the U.S.A.

Dick Summer is a legendary broadcaster who elevated his craft to new creative levels during his on-air career. Today, with projects like "Lovin Touch" he is able to touch so many lives with his words of emotion and passion, so finely crafted and delivered. Dick has done so much for the spoken word and "Lovin Touch" represents some of his best work. Most of all, it's his smooth, silky voice that will draw in the listener. He's a frequent guest on my late night radio show and the lines always light up with people wanting to get in touch with the "poet of the airwaves."

Dick's timeless velvet voice has once again spoken the words that take us back to our early days of new love. Both sensuous and childlike, he reminds us of when our love was new and full of joy and intrigue. He guides us through a small crowded world in an escape of love and intimacy.

Have we taken for granted how important our lovers are to us? Dick asks us to cozy up together for Just a Minute with wine and candle wax. Making love in the rain is far better than going to formal balls; sharing pizza and wine with our lover is more fun than the material things many of us desire.

I first heard Dick Summer on WBZ in my youth of the 60's, and was delighted to find him again on CD. Put a fire in the hearth, pour your lover a glass of wine and cozy up with the romantic words of Lovin Touch, and think about why you are lovers. It will be magic.

But it really is high fidelity eroticism. Not the sexuality of a four color monthly read only for the articles but the sensuality of a mahogany table top with four generations of hand rubbed polish. Dick's blend of prose and music creates a level of anticipation that becomes it's own reward, a wistful recollection of romantic synergy that, if you're incredibly lucky, repeats itself for the rest of your life.

Isabella Bird was an astounding woman. Adventurous, courageous and full of good humor, she traveled by horse through the Rocky Mountains when it was still virgin territory. Although she lived under difficult circumstances, especially during the winter months, and met a number of rough customers along the way, she never lost her nerve or her good nature. This is an excellent book to get a feel for Colorado in the late 19th Century and to admire a woman way ahead of her time.

A must for the reader who is searching for a first hand description of life in the Rocky's in the 1800's. It includes wonderful sketches by the author and great descriptions of characters and adventures in the untamed West. A great book for bedtime and rainy day reading.

This is a wonderful book to bring on your vacation to the Rockies. Miss Bird travels to what are now popular tourist destinations, only she does it before the convenience of a SUVs, Motels, or even plumbing. She meets overworked settlers, fascinating (and surprisingly polite) desperados, and English dandies. She revels in the mountain vistas, sunrises, sunsets and orange moonlight. Her many mile treks on horseback over frozen landscapes, alone in the wild west are an inspiration.

Ruth Rendell is a fabulous British author who has churned out mystery after mystery filled with dark, demented twists. This is another tautly plotted, well crafted mystery with characters that, though seemingly normal, are just a tad off the beaten path.

This book features Martin Urban, a staid and somewhat stuffy young man who would have felt at home in Victorian England. Martin wins a very large sum of money in a football pool with a little help from Tim Sage, an old friend of his. Altruistic and given to some rather god-like pronouncements, Martin wishes to give the money away to the deserving poor, in order to enable them to buy a home. Poor Martin, there are none so blind, as those who will not see.

Beset by subliminal homo-erotic thoughts regarding Tim Sage, he meets a mysterious young woman named Francesca, who is as demure and submissive as a Victorian maiden and captures his heart. Unfortunately, she is bound to another. All, however, is not as Martin thinks that it is.

Enter Finn, the twisted son of Lena, former cleaning lady to Martin's mother. When Finn's path crosses that of Martin's, during one of Martin's fumbling attempts to give some of his winnings away, a very clever dialogue ensues between these two with some unexpected, deadly results.

Fans of Ms. Rendell will not be disappointed by this book. It is filled with the slightly off-beat characters for which she is known, some of whom harbor dark twisted thoughts, while others are entirely socio-pathic. Well-written is spare, clear prose and filled with enough twists and turns to satisfy the most discerning of readers, this is another gem in Ms. Rendell's treasure trove of mysteries.

I went to my library to check out "A Sight for Sore Eyes" as I was trying to describe it to a friend and wanted to re-read it for some details. Discovered "The Lake of Darkness" on the Ruth Rendell shelf.

What a great book! I could hardly put it down. I loved the ending where the bad guy forgets one very important detail and can't do anything about it. We assume that he will be caught, but don't know for sure.

What I like about this book was that the characters seem to be normal, but they are anything but. It makes one wonder what ones neighbors might really be doing.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a great story.

The woman never ceases to amaze me. I have read so many Rendell/Vine books and just can't stop. So few authors can look into the warped, secret side of someone the world perceives as normal in the acutely fascinating way she does. No skipping words or pages in her books.
'Darkness' ranks as one of the most perfectly crafted mysteries ever written. When all the pieces fit so beautifully--without stretching and reaching, without the reader thinking he's on a fictional ride--so perfectly, it is physically satisfying. The reader feels like one of the gods on Olympus looking down on these characters who stumble inexorably into what is to be their fate.
At the end of this book, I sat back and sighed with satisfaction. Yes, brilliant, Ruth. How do you do it?

One room school house, the changing of the seasons and the farm chores for each one...a memior of one man's boyhood experiences. I liked this book and my husband liked it even more than I did. He was born and raised in rural WI, picking rocks, milking, and going sledding with his brothers. This book is well written and reads like a time capsule...the people & chores on a family farm. I would have given it a perfect 5 stars, but there is too much about bees. Less bee watching and the author would have a classic here. Great that his story goes full circle. We learn what happens to the people we've read and cared about...which is always gratifying to us readers.

This is one of those books I will always remember. My children were young when I read it and I felt that it contained many lessons on how to be a good parent. And all in the context of very enjoyable reading. The story about learning to use the horse drawn cultivator shows how a parents help their child develop self-confidence, which is something I see so many people lacking. I can't say enough good things about this gem of a book.

This book is full of humor and spends wonderful time on how a farm is run, explaining the land, the chores, the wonder of living on a farm. Ben's antics with his brothers are delightful, and his account of his evenings with his family are memorable. I read this anytime I need a lift, and share its richness with anyone who will listen.

Very soothing voice, tone and message. She really helps the hurt and I am glad I made this purchase. I will share it with others and recommend it. I only wish there was a bit more insight into the religious side of loss - something that I could know was of God. Still - excellent.

For those who have ever loved and lost a beloved, this guide is a great source of comfort. Sensitive and heartwarming, a wonderful gift when words just are not appropriate. The unconditional love of a pet is such a source of joy, but when we lose them, the heartache can be unbearable. Having been there, I understand how paralyzing grief can be. Arlene Millman...

Purchasing "Legacies of Love" was perhaps one of the best things I could have done to help me through my grief after losing my precious dog on 3/7/02. It has only been a few weeks, and I listen to Teresa's soothing voice and comforting words every day to get through this "coping" period. Her validation that deep grieving over pet loss is undervalued by many on-lookers and "supporters", but completely normal to those of us grieving, brought a sense of peace during a time when there are so many emotions. Those who have lost their companion(s) and don't know how they will go on, will find Teresa's tapes a tremendous source of comfort and graceful inspiration. In honor of my beloved Pupster, I have purchased two additional sets of "Legacies of Love" to donate to my veterinarian's office in the hope that someone facing deep grief after losing their animal will find as much comfort in her words and wisdom as I have.

Ashcroft paints a Proverbs-like portrait of his dad's wisdom. You get the feeling that he wasn't around very much, but had a profound insight in instilling the most important life lessons in his children. It's a wonderful book for fathers who know the importance of the position God has entrusted them with, and I highly recommend it.

As a local sub-commandante for the Albuquerque Operation TIPS unit, I went door to door in my neighborhood trying to give this book away to its various denizens. As I live near a liberal university, I was quickly able to determine who the possible subversives were through each person's response. Thanks to this great book I was able to report over 30 suspected terrorist to the local PPPC (Patriotic Pentacostal Processing Center). And good news, I am told that many of the liberal subversives have now read this book and admitted to their secret tribunals that it is absolutely 100% correct in all its teachings!

In light of his role in the government at this time, it was enlightening and refreshing to read that John Ashcroft had such a great Christian upbringing. The lessons he learned from his father have served him well in public life. This book seems to strive not so much to give an autobiography of John D. Ashcroft, but to show how much his father influenced his life. It is an example to all Christian fathers. Even if the reader might not be a fundamentalist Christian, he or she will learn what an influence one person can be in the life of another. Excellent book!

As a fan of the Little House books, I've read Laura's stories many times. But before she wrote them, she wrote for the newspapers about farm life. This gives such an exciting peak at her adult life, her "what happened next" years, that any true fan should read it.

This is a collection of newspaper articles Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about life in the Ozarks. Many of the articles are full insights into life that still apply today. She wrote about farmer's wives being equal in importance to their husbands, the frustration of dealing with "new technology" (in her case a new washing machine), and many other day to day activities on the farm.

Laura Ingalls' writing for adults, through a newspaper column she did weekly from 1911-1925, is highly amusing, and very thought-provoking for those of us living now in Psychobabble, Let It All Hang Out, Complain and Whine and Blame and Brood California.

Her advice is to simply refrain from even commenting on one's troubles, and avoid thinking about the negative things, the things one can't do anything about.

Try to be positive, try to see that work is necessary, and don't avoid one's job and chores, or you make yourself more miserable.

ARe these the commonsense things that today's adults or children ever hear, outside of a church sermon or Reader's Digest?

It reminds me of my early days in Germany, when slowly the meaning of the old folksongs began to penetrate as I learned the German vocabulary. I'd heard them, hummed with them, and played the kazoo and danced to them; but when I finally understood the lyrics, I realized what a completely different time and place they came from. They encourage people to stand up and enjoy their lives, the chance to walk in the flowers of springtime, to make friends, to have a drink with colleagues or family, to see one's beloved again, and to rejoice that God made you at all.

When I met older Germans, they seemed often to still embody such positive efforts and mentality, in contrast to the American-like cynicism of the young.

This will strike you - assuming you are an adult reading this - when you read Laura Ingalls' columns. I don't know what children would think, but I think they'd like them. They're straight and honest and true, just as she advises us to be.

This refers to the audio cassette version. I really enjoyed this little book. I have read dozens of books on self help, manifesting, New Thought, sprirituality, quantum physics, etc (you know what I mean) but this one pulls everything together. It is simply-stated, enlightening, inspirational, and fun! Wilde reads it with enthusiasm and a charming accent. This is my first Wilde book but I plan to read or listen to all the others.

Treat yourself to listening to this during your commutes and I guarantee, your attitude toward money will increase in the positive and you WILL see an increase in cash flow!

In this valuable little book, Wilde reveals the psychological aspects of the money game, as well as the deeper metaphysical secrets of prosperity. Understanding the flow of money in our lives is one of the great spiritual lessons, as is a thorough understanding of the dynamics of love and interpersonal relationships. Many of the great teachers of mankind have taught that abundance is spiritual - that it is one's feelings and the power of one's thought that create wealth, and Wilde casts new light on these ideas in his witty and engaging style as he discusses the ten laws of abundance. He refers to the works of other great writers like John Randolph Price, Catherine Ponder, Ernest Holmes and Deepak Chopra and has some very interesting views of how manifestation takes place by the power of thought out of the quantum possibility into our three-dimensional reality. Ultimately, it's all about energy and how to cultivate a prosperity consciousness. Wilde is a brilliant writer and this work of his is no exception. As he says: "There's no reason why you can't be very rich and still be an extremely spiritual and wonderfully generous person." I highly recommend this excellent guide to bring those streams of plenty into your life. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.