Book Reviews
Created | Updated Sep 19, 2002
I work in a bookstore. It would seem to follow, rather logically from my point of view, that I read. In fact, I very much enjoy reading. I also like sharing the interesting things I've been reading. So, here I go with my first book review. Hope you find it interesting.
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Title: Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice To All Creation
Author: Olivia Judson
Copyright 2002 by Henry Holt and Co., LLC
ISBN: 0805063315
Have you ever wondered about the actual sexual habits of critters other than human beings? Is it always boy and girl, in the missionary position (like some would like to have it)? Dr. Tatiana, in a question and answer advice column format, explains it all in terms everyone can understand. Everything from exceptionally promiscuous girls to hermaphrodites who can do it with just themselves to happy homosexual couples. And who says you only need two? Slime molds can have over five hundred different sexes! Hermaphroditic European giant garden slugs twine their 85cm long penises around each other while hanging upside down from a thread of mutual mucus. And so much more. Ms. Judson is also a serious scientist, and so for those more scientific-minded people, she has included an astonishing 37-page bibliography and copious notes on each chapter. She includes everything to satisfy every prurient and scientific interest alike!
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Title: Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions
Authors: Joyce and River Higginbotham
ISBN: 0738702226
Copyright: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2002
This is an excellently written, fairly in-depth, introduction (much like the title says!) to general modern Paganism. Even for those of you who have been practicing for a while, this book is worth getting into just for the interesting ideas that the authors put forth. It's got the Pagan 101 stuff...like "What is a Pagan?" and "What's Magick?" as well as information on holidays, ritual, ethics, diety, and belief systems. It has a very interesting section on Satan and God. And an absolutely fascinating chapter on theories of how magick physically works, using some of the latest physics and quantum mechanical theories (don't let those big words scare you - they explain them in quite easy to understand terms and they've got an excellent bibliography for those of you who would like to research more about those theories).
Not only all that, but at the end of each section (and chapter) there are exercises that you can work through so you can understand both yourself, your beliefs, and the world a little better. The exercises range from simple self-guided meditations, group meditations, homework exercises, and visualization techniques to guided journal entries and questions to think about.
All this is excellent for those of us (me definitely included!) that need a bit of guidance and a push to get things going sometimes. All in all, I learned some new things and started thinking about some old things in new ways. It was a fun book and educational.
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Title: Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice To All Creation
Author: Olivia Judson
Copyright 2002 by Henry Holt and Co., LLC
ISBN: 0805063315
Have you ever wondered about the actual sexual habits of critters other than human beings? Is it always boy and girl, in the missionary position (like some would like to have it)? Dr. Tatiana, in a question and answer advice column format, explains it all in terms everyone can understand. Everything from exceptionally promiscuous girls to hermaphrodites who can do it with just themselves to happy homosexual couples. And who says you only need two? Slime molds can have over five hundred different sexes! Hermaphroditic European giant garden slugs twine their 85cm long penises around each other while hanging upside down from a thread of mutual mucus. And so much more. Ms. Judson is also a serious scientist, and so for those more scientific-minded people, she has included an astonishing 37-page bibliography and copious notes on each chapter. She includes everything to satisfy every prurient and scientific interest alike!
----------
----------
Title: Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions
Authors: Joyce and River Higginbotham
ISBN: 0738702226
Copyright: Llewellyn Worldwide, 2002
This is an excellently written, fairly in-depth, introduction (much like the title says!) to general modern Paganism. Even for those of you who have been practicing for a while, this book is worth getting into just for the interesting ideas that the authors put forth. It's got the Pagan 101 stuff...like "What is a Pagan?" and "What's Magick?" as well as information on holidays, ritual, ethics, diety, and belief systems. It has a very interesting section on Satan and God. And an absolutely fascinating chapter on theories of how magick physically works, using some of the latest physics and quantum mechanical theories (don't let those big words scare you - they explain them in quite easy to understand terms and they've got an excellent bibliography for those of you who would like to research more about those theories).
Not only all that, but at the end of each section (and chapter) there are exercises that you can work through so you can understand both yourself, your beliefs, and the world a little better. The exercises range from simple self-guided meditations, group meditations, homework exercises, and visualization techniques to guided journal entries and questions to think about.
All this is excellent for those of us (me definitely included!) that need a bit of guidance and a push to get things going sometimes. All in all, I learned some new things and started thinking about some old things in new ways. It was a fun book and educational.
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