Inprint - New Books of interest by Jeanne Spiro

No Enemy to Conquer: Forgiveness in an Unforgiving World by Michael Henderson, foreword by the Dalai Lama. (Baylor Press, $19.95, Paperback.)

Forgiveness has an image problem, says British journalist Michael Henderson. The perception that it is a soft subject has obscured the significance of forgiveness in public life. In No Enemy to Conquer, Henderson reports true stories that demonstrate that forgiving and asking for forgiveness are not merely personal or religious actions, but can influence national and international affairs. In a time of hostilities, terror attacks, and clashes around the globe, these stories are a step toward a geopolitics of mercy.

Henderson argues for policy makers to take seriously the approaches outlined in the book, offering dramatic evidence of their effectiveness. It’s not about theory, but about the hard won experience of real people. Their stories show the best that people are capable of under the worst circumstances: victims of extraordinary loss extend themselves to the perpetrators; courageous men and women reach out across religious, cultural and political boundaries to talk with the other; and people acknowledge responsibility for wrongs done by themselves or their communities, allowing victims to heal, move beyond the desire for revenge, and stop the cycle of violence.

Improving relationships between Christians and Muslims is another of Henderson’s goals for the book. “A challenge for Christians today is to get to know Muslims individually and to realize that attacks on Muslims are often also an attack on the role of faith in society,” he says. “Forgiveness and reconciliation are essential in relations between the West and the Muslim world and in how we look at and treat each other. The building of relationships of trust is surely a priority.”

Building such relationships of trust, grassroots efforts and private diplomacy have brought forth reconciliation in places of terrible violence, such and Israel and Palestine, Rwanda, India, Pakistan, Lebanon, Northern Ireland, and many more. No Enemy to Conquer also features contributions from peacemakers such as Desmond Tutu, the late Benazir Bhutto, Rajmohan Gandhi, Jonathan Sacks, and others, and includes contributions from leading scholars in the field.

The End of Materialism: How Evidence of the Paranormal is Bringing Science and Spirit Together by Charles T. Tart, Ph.D., forward by Huston Smith and Kendra Smith. (New Harbinger Publications, $29.95, Hardcover.)

Science or Religion? How about both? Science seems to tell us that we are all meaningless products of blind biological and chemical forces, leading meaningless lives that will eventually end in death. The truth is that unseen forces such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, psychokinesis, psychic healing, and other phenomena inextricably link us to the spiritual world, and while many skeptics and scientists deny the existence of these spiritual phenomena, the experiences of millions of people indicate that they do take place.

In this book, transpersonal psychologist Charles Tart presents over fifty years of scientific research conducted at the nation’s leading universities that proves humans do have natural spiritual impulses and abilities. The End of Materialism makes an argument for the union of science and spirituality in light of this new evidence, and explains why a truly rational viewpoint must address the reality of the spiritual world. Tart’s work marks the beginning of an evidence-based spiritual awakening that may profoundly influence our understanding of the deeper forces at work in our lives.

Healing into Possibility: The Transformational Lessons of a Stroke by Alison Bonds Shapiro. (New World Library, $14.95, Paperback.)

Alison Bonds Shapiro suffered two debilitating and nearly fatal strokes, 24 hours apart. Today, after a remarkable recovery, she is a business consultant, college board chair, active grandmother, and motivational speaker. Healing into Possibility chronicles her experience as she discovered that how she brought herself to her recovery would make all the difference in what happened to her after her strokes.

In the process of facing the depth of her injuries, Alison learned, through trial and error, that her attitude could change everything. In this touching book, she teaches simple principles we can all use when faced with illness, injury, or any other seemingly insurmountable problem—principles like the art of the small goal, skillfulness and persistence, being creative, and letting go.

Positive, direct, and inspiring, this book shares Alison’s experiences and is also filled with wonderful stories of others who show what is possible. We are there as Alison learns to walk again, faces the challenges in front of her one by one, and then applies the transformational lessons she has learned to the rest of her life.

Healing the Rift: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Spirituality by Leo Kim. (Cambridge House Press, $24.95, Hardcover.)

A Gallup poll conducted in 2000 revealed that ninety percent of the people in the United States believe in a spiritual dimension, yet most of us also believe in science. While science attempts to explain our world without a creator, spirit, or the forethought of design, and constantly seeks new information from which to revise its theories, spirituality accepts that the most important aspects of our world are hidden and beyond human comprehension, and identifies this realm as composed of the spirit, the soul, and God. Healing the Rift takes us through a metaphysical and scientific journey that explores where we came from, what we are, and the illusory nature of reality.

Are we simply a collection of cells in a human body that eventually becomes ill and perishes when it fails? Is there a greater plan? As a scientist developing new drugs for the treatment of cancer, Kim felt powerless as he watched patients die, an experience that led him on a decade long quest to understand human existence. Healing the Rift chronicles his fascinating metaphysical and scientific journey. He reveals how recent scientific breakthroughs led him to the belief that the world is a blending of mind and spirit, explaining the science behind his discovery in entertaining, approachable terms that help us make sense of our own search for answers.

Transformational Speaking: If You Want to Change the World, Tell a Better Story by Gail Larsen. (Celestial Arts, $16.95, Paperback.)

There are memorable speakers who impress the world with their delivery and style, but fail to move people into action. And then there are transformational speakers—those who reach people on a deeper level and inspire them to make a difference in the world. The best speakers aren’t canned, predictable, or practiced students of technique. To be agents of change, they need to discover the core message they were born to deliver, communicate it powerfully, and ignite in others a passion for what matters most to them. From “I have a dream” to “Yes we can,” their stories resonate so we not only agree, we believe.

Transformational Speaking proves that we all can deliver a powerful and inspiring message if we go deep enough to find what is ours (and only ours) to say. Most books on public speaking focus only on technique, presentation development, and overcoming fear. This goes well beyond the standard, unveiling the myths of what makes a great speaker and teaching anyone who wants to change the world—from seasoned speechmakers to reluctant orators—how to access their own true voice to speak effectively and change minds. Larsen helps business executives, community organizers, activists, life coaches, counselors, and other leaders mine the deep well of their life experiences to become the authentic, potent speakers that only they can be. Whether a speech is impromptu or planned, casual or career-making, Larsen reveals the essence of successful speaking in a resource that anyone can use to capture the heart of their message in their own words.

Freeing the Genie Within: Manifesting Abundance, Creativity & Success in Your Life by Debra Lynne Katz. (Llewellyn Worldwide, $16.95, Paperback.)

Whether we want to manifest more money, a loving relationship, a great place to live, our own business, or more joy, peace, and passion than we imagined possible, Freeing the Genie Within will show us how. It is for those who may be familiar with the law of attraction, but are still struggling with stubborn obstacles or unfulfilled goals.

Debra Lynne Katz presents simple yet powerful techniques to overcome hidden emotional and spiritual barriers to success. Each chapter is designed to help us shift our energetic frequencies through energy healing, clairvoyance, and a variety of effective techniques that can be used everyday. We can create the life we’ve always dreamed of with the help of this informative guidebook.

Tarot for Life: Reading the Cards for Everyday Guidance and Growth by Paul Quinn, foreword by Rachel Pollack. (Quest Books, $17.95, Paperback.)

Paul Quinn says we don’t need to have psychic abilities to read Tarot cards effectively, but we do need to be curious—curious about who we are and about the opportunities for growth in our daily lives. He transforms the Tarot from fortune-telling into the ultimate self help tool for intuitive guidance, empowerment, and wellbeing.

Tarot for Life shows us how we can use the Tarot as a vibrant way to access inner wisdom and to gain meaningful, practical insights into our relationships, career, family, and personal development. Quinn explains how the Tarot can offer soul directed advice to help make wiser choices, and he shows how even the cards that look most troubling can convey support. Newcomers and experts alike will value his thought-provoking examples and entertaining anecdotes that explain complexities without reducing the cards’ mystical power. Quinn’s unique view opens the Tarot as a lifelong aid to enhancing awareness, self-knowledge, and joy—right here, right now.