A from VA

A great version of a great book

Revisado: 03-22-24

I'm listening through this book for the second time and am again struck by how great it is. No-nonsense instructions for how the Christian life should be lived - so different from the judgmentality, intolerance, and self-righteousness that are driving so many people away from the Church today. The words are inspiring while the narration is soothing, creating a calming, uplifting effect that makes this a perfect devotional for the hectic morning commute before a day in the trenches.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Thankful for this book

Revisado: 03-22-24

Origen is my favorite theologian. He offers a view of the Divine that is elegant, carefully thought-out, lush, deeply pious, and full of wonder. So, I was very grateful when I came across this Audible book just in time for Lent. Even if you are not necessarily seeking "new" (ancient) spiritual perspectives, Origen is still worth reading because of the incredible historical and cultural details one encounters in his pages because the man lived and worked during such a pivotal moment for both Christianity and the Roman Empire. Joseph Trigg provides great biographical and historical detail as well as a cogent analysis of Origen's works. Meanwhile, John Telfer's fantastic vocal skills and accent imbue this book with extra dignity.

One caveat, though: Trigg's aim here, he says, was to provide some of Origen's works that were less well-known and not translated into English elsewhere. I am grateful for this because most of what I found here was new to me. That being said, some of this material is definitely "second-semester stuff." Someone new to Origen would probably find ON FIRST PRINCIPLES or the excellent compendium SPIRIT AND FIRE (both available on Amazon in print) an easier, more cohesive way to get to know the heart of Origen's theology. While Trigg's work is full of depth and profound ideas, there are also obscurities, minutia, and times where Origen seemed to be 1) writing for a more specialized audience, or 2) going off on long tangents or - dare I say it - occasionally missing the point. Still, for anyone who has read ON FIRST PRINCIPLES, this is a great next step, or - for the lifetime student of theology - there is a treasure trove here.

Plus, that one can listen to this on Audible instead of just adding it to their bookshelf of good intentions (as I so often do) makes Trigg's work impossible to pass up.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

A Facebook battle between 3rd Century theologians?

Revisado: 03-22-24

Origen is my favorite theologian, so I read all I can by him. This work is a little different, though, in that it is essentially Origen's response to another theologian (Africanus) who calls him out for sloppy scholarship regarding an apocryphal portion of Daniel. There are some nuggets of spiritual insight here, but we mostly get a glimpse into Origen's personality and especially the methods he used in scholarship, philosophy, and spiritual inquiry. So, this book would not be - in my opinion - a place to start in the study of Origen or his theology, but still remains very interesting and full of historical value about this fascinating time in waning Antiquity. I found it a good use of my money and time.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Great little book, but indeed very "fragmentary"

Revisado: 03-22-24

I bumped into Clement of Alexandria (not to be confused with the Apostolic Father, Clement) in a book on Origen. This is a good little (that is, about 103 minutes) collection of his works, largely as they appear quoted in other surviving sources. Some good spiritual insight and nuggets of wisdom, as well as a smidge of Church history that was very appropriate listening during Lent. One of the best things about the book to me was the narrator, who attacked sentences with an enthusiasm that made the work come alive. A great use of $5 and 2 hours.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Why has no one insisted I read this before?!

Revisado: 06-09-23

I’m a lifelong mythology enthusiast, and of course I had Heard of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Yet, I had no idea how comprehensive and illuminating this work was. I have literally been looking for this my whole life. A whole class could (and should and probably is) be taught on this, so I won’t go long here. But if you want an encyclopedic account of the corpus of Hellenic lore (and Indo-European lore by reverse extension) then you need to hear this.
Some have complained of the narrator. He grew on me and ultimately I found him to be excellent if you stick with him.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Love this.

Revisado: 03-02-23

This is said (probably over-simply) to be a hybrid of Proclus’ Neoplatonism with Christian thought. It remains, however, very Christian while being much more clear and easy to follow than Proclus (or certainly Plotinus). If you like Origen, you will probably like this. I saw some reviewers complain of bias in the commentary. I cannot say if that is true because I skipped past the 9 chapter introduction to the work itself (problem solved). What I can say is that this has been an enriching and uplifting book and perfect for my second week of Lent.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Great translation with many valuable extras

Revisado: 02-13-23

This is an excellent translation of an absolute must read classic. It includes a lengthy appendix of Musashi’s other works as well. The last of these - an examination of warrior ethics and the life well lived - belongs with some of the best of wisdom literature.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Valuable Resource

Revisado: 03-28-22

Tragically, there is not that much that really survives of Norse lore in primary sources, and so it is easily achievable to just listen to the Poetic Edda and read the Prose Edda, the Volsung Saga, and hit a few others, and then know much of what there is to know about it. But though this course retraces some of these steps, it offers structure and a lot of insight that would be hard to come by anywhere else. Dr. Crawford's course is intended for the beginner or intermediate enthusiast, but even those who have loved this stuff for years will find insights and details they had not expected. This is a chance to geta 12 hour orientation to the tales, ideas, and beliefs of the Vikings from a bona fide Norse expert - not just another book or video. You should get it.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

One of the 3 best writing courses/books I've had

Revisado: 01-14-22

This is immediately useful. I do not think every bit of it applies to every person, but there is much here that I had not even thought of. I already see a difference in my writing,

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Maybe good money advice ... but bad life advice

Revisado: 11-26-21

I got this course as a little financial tune up, which most of us need from time to time. While the course was well-presented and the instructor believes (and apparently has lived) what he is talking about, it was not really what I expected. This is an introduction to something the author calls "the FIRE (financial independence/retire early) movement," which is basically the doctrine that one should pinch every single penny, and then pinch it again, all while working as many jobs as possible all in order to make one's expenses a fraction of what one earns ... so that one can leave the rat race as early as possible. If one spends a fourth of what one makes, for example, and invests the rest wisely, then one year is like 4, and one might retire in 10 years rather than 40. Sounds great ... but as a recovering workaholic myself, and as a paramedic who has seen many people die in their early 60s, 50s, and even 40s, I will tell you that this is terrible life advice. Maybe it makes sense for single people who absolutely loathe their job, but if you have a family, children, or a career that you can be proud of, then why the hell would you subject yourself and those around you to a self-inflicted grind, all so that you could burn away the productive, potentially-happy years of your life just to go write a novel or knit a blanket a decade early? Yes - you must be fiscally responsible, self-controlled, thrifty, and hard-working if you are going to escape the debt cycle and not chase emptiness in life, but the things that are around you right now, like family, friends, your health, experiences, recreation, and small pleasures, are far more of a sure thing and far more satisfying than some future payout that may never come. It would be far better to find a job that you like (or better yet, love) and people and things that make you happy every day (while practicing good fiscal and moral hygiene) than to burn yourself out only to emerge with a million dollars but not really knowing your children.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 7 personas