A brilliant and urgent appraisal of one of the most profound conflicts of our timeEven before George W. Bush gained reelection by wooing religiously devout "values voters;" it was clear that church-state matters in the United States had reached a crisis. With Divided by God; Noah Feldman shows that the crisis is as old as this country--and looks to our nation's past to show how it might be resolved. Today more than ever; ours is a religiously diverse society: Muslim; Hindu; and Buddhist as well as Catholic; Protestant; and Jewish. And yet more than ever; committed Christians are making themselves felt in politics and culture.What are the implications of this paradox? To answer this question; Feldman makes clear that again and again in our nation's history diversity has forced us to redraw the lines in the church-state divide. In vivid; dramatic chapters; he describes how we as a people have resolved conflicts over the Bible; the Pledge of Allegiance; and the teaching of evolution through appeals to shared values of liberty; equality; and freedom of conscience. And he proposes a brilliant solution to our current crisis; one that honors our religious diversity while respecting the long-held conviction that religion and state should not mix. Divided by God speaks to the headlines; even as it tells the story of a long-running conflict that has made the American people who we are.
#80654 in Books Richard Lloyd Parry 2012 2012-05-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .30 x .5 x 5.08l; .74 #File Name: 0374230595454 pagesPeople Who Eat Darkness The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo and the Evil That Swallowed Her Up
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Top shelf for one's permanent libraryBy TokiraThis is the best book I've read in years. Mr. Parry's writing brings this very frightening story right into the reader's consciousness; with his detailed recounting of the terrible events surrounding the disappearance of a Nice English Girl in an unfamiliar system.This one ranks right up with Thomas Thompson's Serpentine; as another outstanding international crime saga.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Sad but propulsive story of a good girl trapped by bad people.By Brian Clewly JohnsonI like 'true crime' stories and this book is among the best. Being the father of three girls who journeyed safely through their hazardous 20s; it's shocking to read how quickly they may have fallen; like this poor English victim of a Hong Kong serial rapist/murderer. Richard Parry writes the story with verve and compassion; he has a forensic eye - both for details of the crime and th characters swept up in it. Highly recommended.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Compelling ReadBy S. B. ButlerThis review says everything I wanted to say: People Who Eat Darkness is a factual account; but it is as compelling as any thriller. The narrative gallops along; with dramatic twists; turns and half-resolutions. Joji Obara; Lucie's abductor and apparent murderer; is every bit as brilliant and terrifying as the fictional Hannibal Lecter . . . The author's discussion of the effects of Lucie's murder on Tim and the rest of the Blackman family is intimate; sensitive and chilling . . . intelligent; compassionate. (Melanie Kirkpatrick; The Wall Street Journal)
