Appearance
Blood: Art, Power, Politics, and Pathology
This book accompanied an exhibition at the Museum fur Angewandte Kunst und Kunsthalle Schirn, Frankfurt am Main in 2002: reading this enthralling book makes one wish that the exhibition had traveled!James Bradburne is the primary author of this treatise on the vital body substance Blood - a fluid that has challenged the imagination of philosophers, scientists, clergy and artists for centuries. Beginning with the paintings from the Middle Ages preoccupied with the blood of Christ as a symbol for both death and life, this survey is wonderfully illustrated with high quality reproductions of paintings, etchings, sculpture from the past down to contemporary art of video and installation performances that focus on blood as the single most important source of life, death, sickness, health, miracles, power, domination and subjugation.Not always for the faint of heart, Bradburne includes images of Gunther Brus in his self-mutilation performances, drawings of the elements of blood, references to blood as the transmitter of AIDS and other past and present atrocities. The spectrum of the topic extends from the art houses and cathedrals to the media and cartoons and is fairly complete in the resonance it creates in the dichotomy of positive and negative.Would that there were more exhibitions of this quality and bravery! But what remains is a book that makes for fascinating reading and looking, and more than that an isolated exhibition cannot hope for as an extended life! Grady Harp, March 05
Paradoxes for Living: Cultivating Faith in Confusing Times
A paradox on the surface appears as a contradictory statement but on closer reflection reveals a fundamental truth. Christians live in a faith full of paradoxes but find themselves unable to fully understand their meaning. Is Jesus really serious when he says in order to become strong, we must become weak? Are we expected to become like children before we can enter in the kingdom of God? None of the above makes sense but in order to understand our role as Christians in this life we must struggle with these statements and many more.Paradoxes For Living is an invitation for us to explore these numerous paradoxes in our faith and go through the process of embracing them in order to live a full life. N. Graham Standish brings to us those scriptures that seem so contradictory but through study and reflection we see where these verses call upon us to live a more authentic Christian life. Our author is not squeamish in having us deal with the issues of power, suffering, self-examination and other topics that confronts our tendancy to become comfortable in a world whose mores we fail to question.Standish's book is not just a theological treatsie for one to debate in the classroom. Nor is it just a simple Bible study resource where we can gloss over its meaning. Paradoxes cuts deep into your soul and calls you to further cultivate your faith in these chaotic times in which we live. After each chapter, the reader is given reflective exercises to do as well as questions to reflect upon. The author also provides you with additional resources to help you in your spiritual growth. This is an excellent book for both individual as well as group study in fostering spiritual maturity.
Paradoxes for Living: Cultivating Faith in Confusing Times
This book has helped me to dive deeper in my own personal spiritual journey. It has helped me make sense of so much about Christian faith and spirituality that mystified me before. What's ironic about his is that this is a book that stresses true faith and spirituality as becoming comfortable with mystery. The whole point is that it is by living paradoxical lives that we grow closer to God: by becoming weaker we become stronger; by becoming child-like we become mature; by knowing ourselves we know God; by living through pain we discover joy; and so forth. This allows me to live in a way that lets go of compulsions, and instead is willing to live in ambiguity and faith.
Night Terrors (Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Simon Spotlight))
NIGHT TERRORSAlice Henderson (2005)RATING: 4/5 StakesSETTING: Season TwoCAST APPEARANCES: Buffy, Willow, Cordelia, Xander, Angel, Joyce, Giles, Principal Snyder, Oz, Ethan RayneMAJOR ORIGINAL CHARACTERS: The Night Terror (demon)BACK-OF-THE-BOOK SUMMARY: "Banished to the realm of dreams, the Night Terror stalks its victims as they sleep. By replacing another's soul with its own, the demon can assume anyone's body and wreak havoc in the real world. But the effect is short-lived. Human bodies soon break down under the tremendous stress of the transfer, and the Night Terror is forced to find a new body to inhabit. That is, until it discovers Buffy's secret and imagines the Slayer would make an ideal-and permanent-host. . . ."REVIEWNight Terrors will always hold a special place in my heart because it's the first Buffy Choose-Your-Own-Adventure ("Stake Your Destiny") book I've successfully completed on my first try. Indeed, one of the aspects that sets this book apart from most others in the series is the wide range of possible endings, ranging from complete success to mediocre survival to outright death.The core plot of the book is an attempt by a demon, the Night Terror, to take over the bodies of residents of Sunnydale by entering into their dreams. This leads to some really interesting and fun dream sequences with Buffy, and shows us examples of how White Hats like Giles, Joyce, and Angel would be like if evil (of course, this last one we know all too well).The writing is smooth and the dialogue is appropriately quirky. In addition, crisp action scenes and a well-researched bad guy help keep the plot moving. Definitely one of the better Stake Your Destiny books.Jhaeman's Buffy Reviews: www.geocities.com/jhaeman
Night Terrors (Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Simon Spotlight))
This is a pretty good Buffy book. Not the best but not the worst. I enjoyed the story. A demon named Mare, the Night Terror, takes control of peoples bodies while they're sleeping. After awhile their astrol cord will break and the persons body will go into a coma. My favorite story in this book is when the Mare takes of your, Buffy's, body and she gets banished into the realm of dreams. It's cool to see what the the other characters are dreaming. The other major story in this book is when the Mare takes over Angel's body. This brings out Angelus too. Ethan Rayne is also involved in part of this book. There is also zombies and a mummy. If you are a fan of Buffy then I think you should pick up this book. The Author did a great job keeping the characters true to the show aswell.
Night Terrors (Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Simon Spotlight))
I think that this book was fantastic to those who are avid loyal Buffy readers and fans it was unputdownable. It is a must read.