Review by Booklist Review
In introducing this set of two-plus-page essays meant to spur meditation, Moore restates the point he made in his first best-seller, Care of the Soul (1993): "All our problems, personal and social, are due to a loss of soul." He has come to see, he continues, "that soul is lost in our everyday lives whenever we try to force ourselves to fit some norm of health or correctness." So the thing to do is to plunge ever deeper into the "original self" that each of us possesses within ourselves and that "reeks with pleasure." To help in the quest for ever greater selfishness--er . . . originality, that is--the book's tiny disquisitions expound on such propositions as "Being smart about life leads us down a superior but narrow road of self-deception" and "Modern life and thought have been severely weakened by a chauvinistic attitude toward paganism." Some overall messages are to be open to life and others, to recognize the subtlety of such qualities as gender and youth, and to acknowledge the divine, which is a mystery. Those who have followed Moore this far will probably stay with him here and perhaps embrace this volume's relative terseness and economy more enthusiastically than they would another long-chaptered, discursive book. --Ray Olson
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Cynics may roll their eyes at the publication of another book by Moore--eventually, they will imagine, he'll saturate his market. But this new, slender volume from the bestselling author of Care of the Soul deserves a wide readership. Indeed, in a rare reversal of the usual publishing pattern, this offering is much more satisfying than the books that made Moore famous. This may be, in part, because it is short; Moore does not fall into the trap here of repeating the same point. The 50 or so short reflections that comprise the book each open with a quotation and then an aphorism of Moore's own making. Emily Dickinson's famous "I'm Nobody! Who are you?" is followed by "The project of being a self is the surest way to feel like a person." A line from the Song of Songs precedes "Our deep human sexuality will be fulfilled only when we discover that the lover we seek is divine and beyond finding." Then come Moore's essays, some of which echo themes from his earlier books--e.g., the soul (or lack of it) is central to modern malaise, and we should seize the moment while still seeking the transcendent. Best of all is the art: a woodcut by Joan Hanley graces each essay. Presented in an unusual and attractive square format, this may well prove to be the rare gift book--and the rare Moore title--with substance. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Moore (The Care of the Soul) has come under fire for the apparent, or perhaps latent, conservatism of his views, but his newest work of spiritual counsel shows a singular openness and flexibility. Here he welcomes the strange, celebrates women and sexuality, and looks for the sublime in the humble. Moore writes with grace and concision, and his text is punctuated by spirited woodcuts. Highly recommended, and likely to be in demand. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
