a very gratefully received gift
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My new father-in-law bought this for us when we married last month and, though I don't myself share the Christian background John O'Donohue's writings clearly spring from, I'm finding it a very subtle, touching book. The sentiments are sincere and tangibly deeply felt, the words carefully and very skilfully chosen to open up a topic and expose it to fresh, revealing light. Has made me re-view a few things, anyway! One of the other customer reviews compares the style to a greetings card but, though I'm not entirely comfortable with organised religion myself, and though I concede this is hardly T S Eliot, I do think that that reviewer may just have an issue with people so uninhibitedly expressing a spirituality that they don't value.
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A modern book of blessings
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John O'Donohue's death earlier this year was a sad, sad loss.
Heard him at Greenbelt in 2007 and he was simply awesome.
If you've not read any of his books, then I would not advise you starting with this one. Start with Anam Cara, which in my view is his masterpiece.
This book of blessings will make much more sense after you've read Anam Cara and perhaps one of his other books first, like Eternal Echoes.
If you have read one of his earlier books then this book will be a treasured resource for you to dip in and out of. John O'Donohue is a wordsmith of the highest order and his turn of phrase is delightful.
He covers themes such as Beginnings, Desires, Thresholds, Homecomings, States of Heart, Callings and Beyond Endings.
It is a book of poetic blessings in his unique Celtic style.
I have used the blessings to encourage family and friends and I too have found solace in the wonderful imaginative depth of his words.
It receives 4 stars, as Anam Cara must rank higher with 5 stars.
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Left me cold
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I was surprised to be bought this book by a member of my close family. They thought it a book for people who have faith in supernatural explanations and for those who do not. I am the latter and an atheist.
Religious believers may glean more useful "blessings" from the texts and prayers of their chosen faith.
Setting beliefs aside, I find the book sentimental, and the language and style of the majority of the blessings on a par with the contents of the average greetings card.
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