There are numerous books that I have read as part of a thematic review, those are listed under my "Thoughts: Thematic Book Reviews" page (see links at bottom).
Here on this page are links to individual books I have read, a small fraction of the books I have read, and how they impressed/influenced me.
The list is in aphabetical order by AUTHOR, not in any subject or time order.
AUTHOR: Michael Baigent
The Jesus Papers, Exposing the Greatest Cover-up in History (With a few personal notes at the end)
AUTHOR: Harold Bloome
Bloome's latest book "Jesus and Yahweh, the Names Divine" did nothing to cheer me up, but he did share a few of my prejudices
AUTHOR: James Burge
New Thoughts on Heloise and Abelard a celebrated and tragic couple from 900 years ago
AUTHOR: Thomas Cahill
Mysteries of the Middle Ages I was positively impressed but did turn critical regarding two areas of the book's coverage, one of which (I felt) I was vindicated in criticizing when next I read the book "Montaillou" (see the Ladurie book review below.)
AUTHOR: Norman F. Cantor
The Last Knight, The Twilight of the Middle Ages and the Birth of the Modern Era Reading this book gave me some insights into our own times, unsettling insights in that some of the things I don't like about the current national and interational situation seem to have their roots in the times described by Cantor
AUTHOR: Paulo Coelho
"Eleven Minutes," with emphasis on the Courtly Love connection (second link on page).
AUTHOR: James Cowan
Other James Cowan books such as A Saint's Way, A Mapmaker's Dream, and Letters From A Wild State are mentioned in the new Rumi Ruminations pages.
AUTHOR: Glen Craney
The Fire and the Light, A Novel of the Cathars and the Lost Teachings of Christ (this is a link to Glen Craney's website) Craney wrote an exciting work of historical fiction. It is fiction, it is a tapestry of thoughts, words and actions woven into a credible fabric and anchored by historical places, events and characters. It is historical fiction at its best. My observations are linked here, as are the observations of a friend who volunteered to also write a book review.
AUTHOR: Paul Davies
Paul Davies published another book (I reviewed his The MInd of God under a 'Thematic Review,' see link below). I heard it discussed on National Public Radio, went and got it, read it, liked it, and reviewed it. It is called Cosmic Jackpot, Why Our Universe is Just Right for Life.
AUTHOR: Richard Dawkins
In late 2008 I read and commented on two books on religion with extremely opposing views. Ursula King's Christian Mystics, The Spiritual Heart of the Christian Tradition, and Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion. Why? Because I thought I could find a common thread, a very thin one, by which to hang my own God-concept using insights gained from the diametrically opposed viewpoints expressed in these two books. And I did!
AUTHOR: Dan Goodrich
A convoluted review of Mercury Champagne by Dan Goodrich and The Terror by Dan Simmons
AUTHOR: Sam Harris
The End of Faith I was disturbed by this book so wrote down and shared some of my impressions. In 2007 I updated this review to include his newest book Letter to a Christian Nation
AUTHOR: Nicholas Ifkovits
Cloud Drops was an entertaining book featuring a very delightful afterlife. I discuss it briefly in a very short review, and contrast it with Connie Willis' novel Passage, which also takes a peek into the afterlife. Willis' afterlife is not delightful.
AUTHOR: Dan Kane
To Our Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant Friends I received a copy of this book from a co-worker, the book's author, Dan Kane. I had previously reviewed the web-based precursor to this book. Kane builds an internally coherent belief structure soundly based on his reading of the Bible. I do not share his beliefs. I see the Bible and Christianity very differently. I am an unbeliever.
AUTHOR: Ursula King
In late 2008 I read and commented on two books on religion with extremely opposing views. Ursula King's Christian Mystics, The Spiritual Heart of the Christian Tradition, and Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion. Why? Because I thought I could find a common thread, a very thin one, by which to hang my own God-concept using insights gained from the diametrically opposed viewpoints expressed in these two books. And I did!
AUTHOR: Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie
Montaillou: Promised Land of Error This book (to me) vindicated a criticism I made about the Cahill book (listed above). It also brought me back to 2001-2002, when I was on the trail of a woman dead for 700 years with whom I felt a strong/strange connection until I told her tale on this website.
AUTHOR: Judith Lindbergh
a thrall's tale A very, very impressive book.
AUTHOR: Kathleen McGowan
The Expected One Comments relating to how this very well written book impressed me.AUTHOR: Robert Munroe
AUTHOR: Kate Mosse
Labyrinthe Just a comment on one page in the book, not a full review. It is another story about the Cathar heretics, or Good Christians, in Southern france, with a modern twist, very well written.
AUTHOR: Robert Munroe
Ultimate Journey (in two parts)
AUTHOR: Barbara Newman
Sister of Wisdom, St. Hildegarde's Theology of the Feminine (lenghty excerpts used by permission)
AUTHOR: Zoé Oldenbourg
Destiny of Fire (some thoughts on love, life and time after reading this tale from the crusade against the Cathars. . . Also see the Thematic Reviews (link below) page entry involving two Oldenbourg books dealing with Courtly Love, The Cornerstone and Cities of the Flesh, with a historical introduction taken from Oldenbourg's Massacre at Montsegur)
AUTHOR: Zoé Oldenbourg
The Cornerstone (some thoughts on the disturbing relationship between faith and war after reading this tale from the time of the crusades)
AUTHOR: Kenth Pedersen
A Strange American (reviewed on the same page as the Ahmad Shavary book listed below)
AUTHOR: Simone Pétrement
AUTHOR: Anne Rice
Christ the Lord Comments relating to how this superbly written book impressed me in the context of where I am in my life at the moment.
AUTHOR: Jana Richman
Riding in the Shadows of Saints, A Woman's Story of Motorcycling the Mormon Trail. (With a note from the author.)
AUTHOR: Mary Doria Russel
A Thread of Grace (Fiction with deep insight into human nature.)
AUTHOR: Mona Lisa Schulz
AUTHOR: Ahmad Shavary
The World Outlook of Rumi (reviewed on the same page as the Kenth Pedersen book listed above)
AUTHOR: Dan Simmons
A convoluted review of The Terror by Dan Simmons and Mercury Champagne by Dan Goodrich
AUTHOR: Margaret Starbird
The Alabaster Jar the Mary Magdalene story
AUTHOR: Frank Tipler
The Physics of Christianity I was initially pleased, then dismayed at this book, but upon reflection realized it is not all that different (except for its strident pro-Catholic/Christian bias) from some of the books I read as part of a thematic review on what is new in physics last year (see this link to go back to that thematic review).
AUTHOR: Amy Wallace
Sorcerer's Apprentice, my Life with Carlos Castaneda. (With a note from the author.)
AUTHOR: Connie Willis
Passages was an entertaining book about a 'scientific' (science-fiction) peek into the afterlife. I discuss it very briefly in a very short review and contrast it with Nicholas Ifkovits' novel Cloud Drops, which features a much more entertaining peek into the afterlife.
AUTHOR: Gary Zukav
The Seat of the Soul and Soul Stories (reviewed on one page).
A third Zukav book, one on physics, was reviewed under the Thematic Reviews category.
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