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alayamorning's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
kelownagurl's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book. He has a thoughtful poem for every occasion and situation. My meditation instructor often reads from this book. I might need to buy my ownn copy.
mattshervheim's review against another edition
inspiring
3.5
I'm conflicted about this. I was hoping to love it. It seemed right up my alley — O'Donohue even described the act of blessing as "like the discovery of a fresh well" in the "parched deserts of postmodernity," which is exactly the sort of metaphor I find tantalizing.
And I did like a lot of the book. Each blessing is written a loose poetic form and addresses one topic, life event, or challenge. There were a few — "For Eros", "For Love in the Time of Conflict", and "For Belonging" — that I loved.
(Here's a great couplet from "For Love in the Time of Conflict":
And I did like a lot of the book. Each blessing is written a loose poetic form and addresses one topic, life event, or challenge. There were a few — "For Eros", "For Love in the Time of Conflict", and "For Belonging" — that I loved.
(Here's a great couplet from "For Love in the Time of Conflict":
Reach out with sure hands
To take the chalice of your love,
And carry it carefully through this echoless waste
Which totally reminds me of that incredible scene in Tarkovsky's Nostalgia, you know, the one with the candle? Now there's an image!)
That's the positive. The negative is that I found O'Donohue's metaphysics... cloyingly optimistic? Disconnected from reality? Vague and platitudinous?
The frustrating thing is that it's his tone, more than his positions, that bothers me. I know that says as much or more about me than it does about O'Donohue. Since I loved his On Being interview about landscapes, maybe I'll just chalk this one up to a poor reader/book match and leave it at that.
annawencl's review against another edition
5.0
This is only book that I have owned that has stayed on my nightstand from the first day I picked it up.
John's beautiful crafted blessings will serve you in one way or another at every moment in your life.
John's beautiful crafted blessings will serve you in one way or another at every moment in your life.
padawan17's review against another edition
5.0
This book is truly a masterpiece. Wonderfully written, deeply thought out, and just beautiful to look at. There's a blessing for every situation. A blessing for the end of the day. A blessing for a nurse. A blessing for one who is feeling lonely. A blessing for before and after meals. A blessing for death, or for life, or for anything in between. Do yourself a favor and get this book. I guarantee that there will be something here for you.
ciannait76's review against another edition
5.0
A lovely book of blessings from a wonderful author, who is now gone. I know that some people thought this book had a new agey feel to it, and maybe that is so, but it does not detract from its simplicity or beauty.