General Books

The Last Lecture (Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series)

Randy Pausch, Jeffrey Zaslow

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• The Last Lecture
• Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 816 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand."
--Randy Pausch

A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them. And while they speak, audiences can't help but mull the same question: What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance? If we had to vanish tomorrow, what would we want as our legacy?

When Randy Pausch, a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon, was asked to give such a lecture, he didn't have to imagine it as his last, since he had recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. But the lecture he gave--"Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams"--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment (because "time is all you have...and you may find one day that you have less than you think"). It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living.

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

Wherever You Go, There You Are

Jon Kabat-zinn

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Features:

• Made with the Best Quality Material with your child in mind.
• Top Quality Children's Item.

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 91 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Keeper 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is a book to keep in your library for periodic re-reading. I wish I hadn't waited so long this time, to re-read it. Understanding and practicing this "philosophy" can change one's life for the positive.

Kabat-Zinn & Tolle 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I read this book after reading Ekhart Tolle's two books and listening to Jon Kabat-Zinn on Oprah's radio program. His ideas parallel Tolle. I devoured the book and recommend it to anyone who wants to grow in mindfulness.

Editorial Review:

The time-honored national bestseller, updated with a new afterword, celebrating 10 years of influencing the way we live.

When Wherever You Go, There You Are was first published in 1994, no one could have predicted that the book would launch itself onto bestseller lists nationwide and sell over 750,000 copies to date. Ten years later, the book continues to change lives. In honor of the book's 10th anniversary, Hyperion is proud to be releasing the book with a new afterword by the author, and to share this wonderful book with an even larger audience.

The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: The Spiritual Classic & International Bestseller; Revised and Updated Edition

Sogyal Rinpoche, Patrick D. Gaffney, Andrew Harvey

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Subjects -> Literature & Fiction -> Classics -> Chinese

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 98 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Breaking down the barriers of mind 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

When I first read this book I found it "very" hard going. As I recognised fairly early on the path, the more difficult something is, the more you have to gain by facing it head on. This book was really the first book that taught me true compassion. Persevere with this book, read it again and again, and you may just find that your whole view of the universe and reality has shifted to something far, far better.

"In the ground of primordial perfection, attain nirvana" 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This earns nearly a hundred positive reviews already on Amazon; it's been out fifteen years, and remains highly acclaimed. I read it when it came out, and remember being moved. Re-reading it (and this eloquent, accessible volume rewards such repetition) after tackling the rarified expansion of its message in the psychologically and religiously advanced study "Luminous Emptiness" by Francesca Fremantle, the richly contextual edition by Robert Thurman of the so-called "Tibetan Book of the Dead," and the pithy primer by Stephen Hodge & Martin Boord, "The Illustrated TBoD," I felt ready to return to Sogyal's earlier study. (These three texts have been recently reviewed by me.) TBLD predates the rest of these books, and it pioneered the presentation of the after-life instructions of the bardo teachings in light-- literally-- of how we can integrate its teachings into this life as well as preparing us to assist those who are dying through its advice.

Sogyal writes with winning clarity. Edited by Patrick Gaffney and Andrew Harvey, this book shows what intelligent inspiration can accomplish. So much of what crowds the shelves of a religion section in a bookstore fritters away wisdom with platitudes. Sogyal, by welcome contrast, strives to encourage us with what can be a rather discouraging central lesson from the bardo. We have failed many times before in previous existences to break free of illusion. Each time we die, we must have whirred past the Grand Luminosity, without recognizing Rigpa, the primordial "nature of mind." This gets complicated, as you can imagine, but Sogyal has set up a cogent presentation of the fundamentals of meditation, Buddhist conceptions of true reality, and the danger of "active laziness."

Pages 18-20 sum up powerfully this last tendency we have to be consumed by our petty lives, and the need to wrench ourselves free of "false hopes, dreams, and ambitions." These lure us on like salty water in a desert towards a mirage, he warns. Instead, taking on the power of the bardo instructions, for those who have died and for our own preparation for death, becomes the ultimate imperative.

I confess after a second time reading this I remain rather uncertain about how, practically, we can find masters to assist us in spiritual practice. This is the missing link in many Buddhist works for newcomers, but this may impel those so changed by their encounter with the learning here interpreted to seek such spiritual direction themselves. After all, Buddhism demands that we take action to begin to liberate ourselves now, rather than wait for revelations or intermediaries. We are cautioned not to do certain practices without guidance; others, however, as with mantras or simpler visualizations, can be attained more easily. Also, the ecumenical applicability of these Buddhist lessons to those of other faiths-- or perhaps none that they can readily adhere to?-- widens the impact and usefulness of this guide.

Many of the methods that Tibetans follow will elude Westerners outside of a few contacts in a few places with gurus or lamas, of course. Therefore, one can become discouraged: how can an everyday person attain the discipline that will enable him or her after death to resist the illusion to be drawn back into existence? The TBoD constantly insists that recognition of Rigpa will bring about freedom, yet it also shows how easy it will be to remain trapped in fear, attachment, confusion, or oblivion as we pass through an unimaginable array of sights and sounds after our death.

Therefore, Sogyal and the TBoD, naturally, are absolutely correct. The utter necessity of struggling to come at least closer to these daunting visions and yearning prayers colors poignantly the stories, legends, and parallels he finds from Tibetan wise people he has known, near-death experiences, quantum physics, and meditation techniques. You sense Sogyal's grounded in profound respect for those from whom he has learned his teachings, and there's a genuine humility and open-hearted compassion that infuses the wisdom in these pages. The revised and expanded edition, by the way, does change the pages internally but I could not find, on spot-checking with the original printing, much change except for addresses of Rigpa hospices at the end and a brief introduction that places the enthusiastic reception of the 1993-4 printing in perspective.

Editorial Review:

This acclaimed spiritual masterpiece is widely regarded as one of the most complete and authoritative presentations of the Tibetan Buddhist teachings ever written. A manual for life and death and a magnificent source of sacred inspiration from the heart of the Tibetan tradition, The Tibetan Book Of Living and Dying provides a lucid and inspiring introduction to the practice of meditation, to the nature of mind, to karma and rebirth, to compassionate love and care for the dying, and to the trials and rewards of the spiritual path.

A Grief Observed

C.S. Lewis

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 137 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Raw and true 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

CS Lewis looks death into the face; he does not flinch and does not console himself with platitudes. He had lost the love of his life and his pain is palpable to the reader. This is a raw and honest book but it is not at all depressing: At the end of the book, Lewis begins to recover: his wish is simply that, on his own death bed, his lover will come back to him and give him the consolation of seeing her face again.

Rather surpisingly, I was diagnosed with terminal cancer myself three weeks after doing this review. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord! If you read this, say a prayer for me that I may die with courage and joy!

Editorial Review:

In April 1956, C.S. Lewis, a confirmed bachelor, married Joy Davidman, an American poet with two small children. After four brief, intensely happy years, Lewis found himself alone again, and inconsolable. To defend himself against the loss of belief in God, Lewis wrote this journal, an eloquent statement of rediscovered faith. In it he freely confesses his doubts, his rage, and his awareness of human frailty. In it he finds again the way back to life.

Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying

Maggie Callanan, Patricia Kelley

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Total reviews: 164 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A blessing 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Final Gifts is a blessing for anyone going through the experience of sharing "nearing death" end of life with a loved one. This book was given to me by Hospice nurses and it opened my eyes and helped me to understand some of the communications that my mother was trying to convey. I recommend this book to anyone who has a terminally ill loved one.

Editorial Review:

Five years after its first publication, with more than 150,000 copies in print, Final Gifts has become a classic. In this moving and compassionate book, hospice nurses Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley share their intimate experiences with patients at the end of life, drawn from more than twenty years experience tending the terminally ill.

Through their stories we come to appreciate the near-miraculous ways in which the dying communicate their needs, reveal their feelings, and even choreograph their own final moments; we also discover the gifts—of wisdom, faith, and love—that the dying leave for the living to share.

Filled with practical advice on responding to the requests of the dying and helping them prepare emotionally and spiritually for death, Final Gifts shows how we can help the dying person live fully to the very end.

Healing After Loss: Daily Meditations For Working Through Grief

Martha W. Hickman

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 122 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Comforting, and thought-proviking 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

The author has managed to combine comforting and validating words, as well as pointing out little things in every day life from which to find the strength to put one foot in front of the other. This is the first book I've read which has really helped since my sister died unexpectedly one year ago. My grief counselor recommended the book, and not only am I grateful, but I will pass this on to others I know who are hurting.

Excellent resource 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I first came across Martha Hickman's Healing After Loss after my late husband died.It was one of the most helpful things I read at that time. In my work as a hospital chaplain I have given copies to several people who have experienced the death of a family member, and many have found it to be a great blessing.

The best book for anyone suffering from a loss 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I was given this book after the suicide of my dear sister. There were so many days when I could find no comfort except for in reading the entry for the day. I now give this book to everyone I know who suffers a loss instead of a sympathy card. I buy them in lots of 4 or 5 so I always have them on hand.

Editorial Review:

For those who have suffered the loss of a loved one, here are strength and thoughtful words to inspire and comfort.

Will the Circle Be Unbroken?: Reflections on Death, Rebirth, and Hunger for a Faith

Studs Terkel

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Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

“IT’S THE UNGUARDED VOICES HE PRESENTS THAT STAY WITH YOU. . . . Terkel’s interviews may not allay fears about death. But reading them certainly encourages life while we have it.”
–The New York Times

Whether it’s Working or The Great War, the legendary oral histories of Studs Terkel have offered indispensable insights into all areas of American life. Now, at eighty-eight, the Pulitzer Prize winner creates his most important work on a subject few can comfortably discuss: death.

Here, in the voices of people both esteemed and unknown, are wise words, meaningful memories, and compassionate predictions about the experience of life’s end–and what may come after. A grad student explains how her two-year coma convinced her of the existence of reincarnation . . . A Hiroshima survivor reconciles her painful memories with the stoicism of her Japanese culture . . . Actress Uta Hagan expresses how her art is her religion and will be her legacy . . . Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler relives his World War II ordeal, after a torpedo left him in a lifeboat among injured and dying comrades . . . An AIDS counselor reveals why healthy gay men may require the most crucial psychological help . . . and a retired firefighter admits he “never felt so alive” as when he was doing his dangerous job.

From the sheer physical facts to the emotional realities to spiritual speculations, all aspects of death are openly expressed in this wonderful work, the stirring culmination of Studs Terkel’s brilliant career.

How to Survive the Loss of a Love

Peter McWilliams, Harold H. Bloomfield

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 148 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

When you're still raw from loss, this book really helps 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

You know what its like after a loss.. you find yourself living second to second, minute to minute, hour by hour and it takes forever just to make it through!

How do you make it through the long dark seconds, night after night, day after day?!

Well this book is like a soothing balm for the soul. It wont solve your problems but it will hold you gently while you go through your pain. This book slowly brings you through the haziness of the thick, raw grief you are feeling.

Read as much as you need, when you need and it will help you find your path to healing.

When I broke up with my ex I felt like I was dying. This book helped me live through each second, then each minute, then each hour until I was able to see there were steps beyond the pain.

I hope this book helps you too.
xxx

Editorial Review:

Completely revised and expanded to nearly twice its original size: the 2-million-copy national bestseller that is one of the most directly helpful and inspirational books available on the subject of loss--either by death or divorce--and emotional recovery.

An Hour to Live, an Hour to Love: The True Story of the Best Gift Ever Given

Richard Carlson, Kristine Carlson

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 25 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Please read and put into practice in your life. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I cannot think of a better book to recommend. Those who should be reading it, likely are not and those of us who try to cherish each moment are likely to be the fans. Like preaching to the choir...if only the others would listen too.

A MUST READ 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

SPEAKS FROM THE HEART. WISH EVERYONE IN THIS SITUATION COULD PUT THEIR FEELINGS INTO WORDS AS ELEGANT.

Don't take life for granted! It is a gift! 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This book was enjoyable reading. It makes you think about how short life is and how we take our loved ones for granted that they will always be there. Fact is: they will not always be there so let them know how much you love and care for them now while you can.

Love it 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Well written and such an inspiration. This is a life lesson we all need to hear everyday. Life is a gift and we need to enjoy the journey.

Editorial Review:

Kristine Carlson has created an incredibly moving book in memory of her late husband, Richard, including his love letter to Kristine on their eighteenth wedding anniversary. The letter answers the questions, "If you had one hour to live and could make just one phone call, who would it be to, what would you say, and why are you waiting?"

Waking the Tiger : Healing Trauma : The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences

Peter Levine, Ann Frederick

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Total reviews: 51 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Disappointing Book 2 out of 5 stars.
8 of 12 people found this review helpful.

The fact that the body remembers the psychological injuries inflicted on the mind is not new. What I found very disappointing and almost incredible is the fact that the author draws up a list of possible abuses and puts at the same level the trauma of a painful surgery and the emotional or/and sexual abuse of a child mistreated by her parents for years. The book is simplistic and first of all sends the wrong message to people who carries deep emotional wounds. It is close to the superficial self-help books that claim that they can solve your problems once and for all. This must be untrue given the huge number of books of this kind, all of them promising what they do not deliver. And the reader who needs serious help keeps buying the latest "secret" book that holds all the answers to your problems.

Editorial Review:

Nature's Lessons in Healing Trauma...

Waking the Tiger offers a new and hopeful vision of trauma. It views the human animal as a unique being, endowed with an instinctual capacity. It asks and answers an intriguing question: why are animals in the wild, though threatened routinely, rarely traumatized? By understanding the dynamics that make wild animals virtually immune to traumatic symptoms, the mystery of human trauma is revealed.

Waking the Tiger normalizes the symptoms of trauma and the steps needed to heal them. People are often traumatized by seemingly ordinary experiences. The reader is taken on a guided tour of the subtle, yet powerful impulses that govern our responses to overwhelming life events. To do this, it employs a series of exercises that help us focus on bodily sensations. Through heightened awareness of these sensations trauma can be healed.