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On the Shelves Reviews of new books & more Healing Ground: A Visionary Union of Earth and Spirit, photography by Trish Tuley and poetry by Myra Dutton, Celestial Arts, 127 pages, $24.95 A chance meeting between a photographer disillusioned by the corporate world and a poet who shares a passion to serve the environment through art has resulted in Healing Ground, a powerful book of images and words that will resonate with lovers of the natural world. This collection represents 10 years of hiking through nature and enjoying the landscape before us. The photographs and poems, a much-needed reminder of our endangered and sacred Mother Earth and her capacity to heal the soul, also remind us of our connection with Mother Earth and our responsibility to her. True Mother In ancient groves of shimmering light, I rest my brow on furrowed bark, Listening to the slow cadence Of the Mother's forested heart, And hear my name rise from the depths, long and drawn out, with the query, Do you know how much we love you? The Double Goddess: Women Sharing Power, by Vicki Noble, Bear & Company, 296 pages, $18. Healer, teacher, artist and noted author of women's studies Vicki Noble has written a book that celebrates an archetype that empowers women and teaches them how to share that power with each other. Artistic representations depicting two women in intimate relations with each other, or as a single body with two heads, have been discovered in important centers of early civilization. The archaeologists who first discovered these figures dubbed them Double Goddesses and linked them to ancient cults of the Great Mother. Vicki Noble validates this Great Goddess connection and asserts that this icon expands our understanding of ancient female autonomy and sovereignty. The Double Goddess offers women an archetype for the sacred potential of female bonding. Choose Peace & Happiness: A 52-Week Guide, by Susyn Reeve, Red Wheel, 192 pages, $16.95 Based on Mahatma Gandhi's eternal philosophy, "Be the change you wish to see in the world," Choose Peace & happiness offers readers weekly practices, ideas and suggestions for how they can become happier and more peaceful as individuals and groups. It helps readers change their thinking and actions to bring about inner peace, as well as find happiness within and without, for themselves and the communities in which they live. Susyn Reeve began Choose Peace & Happiness as a result of a workshop she developed and taught for Mont Sinai-NYU Health, a large medical center in New York City, in the aftermath of September 11. She then formed a virtual Peace & Happiness group of people who read the material and shared their experiences and responses via email. Mom's View: Children's Books | by Paula Behr The Tree, by Dana Lyons, illustrated by David Danioth, Illumination Arts Age Level: Four and Beyond Imagine if an ancient tree told the story of its life. Perhaps it has. As the author rested against a magnificent Douglas Fir he said he clearly heard the story contained within this gem of a read. The lush illustrations are also drawn from the 800-year-old tree's perspective. Its trunk feels a grizzly's claws and we see this from the angle of being atop a tree looking down at the bear. The artwork evokes feeling of being in an ancient place of priceless beauty where so many days have passed that time seems to stand still. Will this timeless forest be razed and where will the animals live are questions that are raised by the Old Fir. Similar questions floated around our house including "Mommy, does it hurt the trees to be cut?" and "Can the kids save the trees?" This book is a storytelling gift with a powerful environmental message and a beautiful art wrapping! Grandad's Prayers of the Earth, by Douglas Wood, illustrated by P.J. Lynch Age Level: 5 and beyond (Be prepared to answer questions about Grandad's death if reading this to a young child) The author of Old Turtle has penned another wonder! On a young boy's walk in the woods with his best friend, his Grandad, he asks about prayer. This question taps Grandad's deep well of wisdom and beautiful thoughts on prayer are poured onto each page. Grandad explains how all creatures of the Earth pray such as birds with song, flowers with sweet breath and people with words. Some of Grandad's wisdom bits include the idea that each individual's spark of life given to the collective whole is a gift of prayer and that when we change ourselves the world is changed. When Grandad dies and the boy is grown he uses his Grandad's words to answer his own question of long ago," Are our prayers answered?" Prepare for warm and colorful artwork, tender thoughts and even some tears when you read this one! THE EDGE REVIEW POLICY As part of its regular content, The EDGE is launching On the Shelves, featuring reviews and descriptions of books, videos, CDs and DVDs, not so much to critique but to inform our readers of new releases. The EDGE offers two options for reviews: • Guaranteed Publication A maximum of 300 words in the form of a review, containing title of release, size in pages or length, and cost, will be published in The EDGE with the purchase of a display ad, appearing on a facing page from the review. The publisher, author, artist or agent must contact our sales representative and agree to buy a display ad. The review must be sent to the Editor of The EDGE by the 15th of the month. Reviews must be e-mailed as a text document to editor@edgenews.com or sent to: The EDGE, P.O. Box 25543, Woodbury, MN 55125. Ads are due on the 17th each month. Your ad is to be sent to us electronically as a .pdf file. For specifications, go to www.edgenews.com/submission.pdf or call Steve at toll-free 1 (800) 356-5804. E-mail ads to: edgeads@ edgenews.com. • Possible Publication Recent releases, chosen at the discretion of The EDGE staff, will be described and/or reviewed each month. Pub-lishers, authors, artists or agents may send new releases of books, videos, CDs or DVDs to The EDGE, but there is no guarantee of review and products will not be returned. Send items to: The EDGE, P.O. Box 25543, Woodbury, MN 55125. Contact Tim Miejan, editor, with any questions about getting books or other products for review to him at (651) 578-8969, toll-free 1 (888) 776-5687, e-mail editor@edgenews.com. Contact Cathy Smith, advertising sales consultant, with any questions about seeking guaranteed publication of a review, with a paid display advertisement at (763) 757-5665, toll-free 1 (888) 246-9221 or e-mail cathy@edgenews.com |
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Jan 2004 |
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