VH

Passionate and So Highly Infectious!

Revisado: 02-28-18

I downloaded several introductory books on astronomy, but this one is my favorite because I caught the author’s obvious passion for the dark sky (the book even comes with a chapter on why we need to fight light pollution). His chapter on his favorite planet was a big surprise and so interesting, but I won’t be a spoiler. Now I know how he won the Carl Sagan award a few years ago for skillfully communicating astronomy to the public. He’s an MIT grad and scholarly, but never condescends; with a youthful kind of enthusiasm he comes off more like the nerdy neighbor dude who’s too into his monomania to go a foot down an ego trip like other celebrity experts. I’m so glad Audible didn’t hire an actor to read this because through the spirit conveyed in his voice I found myself coming into the resonance of the author’s passion for the planets. Now I have the courage—and better, the passion—to sit down and figure out the complicated telescope I bought months ago and closeted! Why hasn’t PBS given him a series yet??

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Great Film Prep & Music Question

Revisado: 09-19-15

First off, can anyone out there tell me the performer of the brief bumper music at the start and end of this audiobook? Sounds like an electronic xylophone and so utterly Martian. I'd love to download a whole CD of this kind of music.
I bought this book to prep for the film coming out in a few weeks. A lot of the many science and engineering details went over my head, but it'll be a little more comprehensible now that I'm listening to it again and I also bought the German version just to keep up with the German I studied for years in college.
The main character reminds me a bit of Star Trek's Dr. McCoy. Homespun lovable grump who's also a genius.
I've got that bug my species is almost ubiquitously embedded with that restlessly builds in us a fever to explore and colonize (but this time around with respect). I hope I live long enough to see humans walking the Martian landscape. This book is a great one for keeping the fire of that fever flaming.)

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One of the Best Books I Ever Read

Revisado: 01-10-13

What did you love best about Tattoos on the Heart?

I don't live or work among gangs, but I do teach at risk children who are mostly of the same ethnic heritage of Fr. Boyle's parish. Many of his insights were particularly helpful for me in dealing with the parents of my students. Many of my students' parents had been once in gangs or prison. There is as much tragedy as there is humor as there is love in this book.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Tattoos on the Heart?

Fr. Boyle is of that wonderful Irish storyteller's tradition. I loved his stories, some very sad, and some very, very funny.

Have you listened to any of Gregory Boyle’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I am not aware of other works by Fr. Boyle. I live in Southern California where he is known throughout as quite a hero by anyone who regularly reads local news or hears it on the radio. I regret that I haven't gone to one of his talks. He travels all around So. CA giving talks.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, I wanted to listen to this all in one sitting. However, Boyle has also some profound thoughts in spirituality and theology interwoven with his tales of working among gangsters. Many times while driving and listening to this, I had to hit the stop button and think for miles about ideas he expressed, fresh ways of thinking about God and our role in the world.

Any additional comments?

Anyone working with troubled kids or adults should read or hear this book. Anyone studying the art of storytelling should also.

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Excellent

Revisado: 01-06-11

This is an absorbing story, better than The Exorcist, at least from the standpoint of authenticity and documentation of the subject. I later saw the trailer of the film LOOSELY based on this book. While it seems like a good film, it makes major changes to the book. The book, narrated by the author, tells the real journey of a Rome UPI based journalist who started off just wanting to write an article about a new Vatican initiative to train and send off an exorcist to every Catholic diocese. So Baglio befriended and followed the experiences of an American priest undergoing what became a thoroughly life altering transformation from a kind of light hearted Bing Crosby type pastor to one who has witnessed "the dark side" and grown very deeply aware of a reality most of us don't want to even think about. The book does not at all see the Devil behind every corner. Indeed it emphasizes that an exorcism only takes place as a last resort after the analyses of a team of a psychologist, medical doctors, and psychiatrist cannot remedy the symptoms and certain overt paranormal activity takes place. Almost all cases are indeed deemed to be of psychological, not demonic, disturbance. It was really spooky to hear of what medical/head shrinker team members (cited by name and institution) reported witnessing. Though I was spellbound hearing this book, I haven't played again it since because it was a draining experience.

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