A history of philosophy in America, 1720-2000

 by Bruce Kuklick. Offering a thoughtful, inclusive overview of American philosophical activity from colonial divines to present-day academics, Kuklick, a historian at the University of Pennsylvania, defines philosophy expansively as "more or less systematic writing about the point of our existence, and our ability to understand the world of which we are a part." This broad definition allows him to include the philosophical aspects of writers often neglected in philosophy surveys, including Jonathan Edwards, Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Dense but clear, the book grounds its panoply of thinkers in their social context, particularly that of an evolving academic establishment for which Kuklick has some choice words ("constipated arrogance," in one case). The history is broken into three overlapping periods: a religiously inspired era (1720-1868), in which ministers, theologians and other amateurs shared equal status with professional philosophers; the "Age of Pragmatism" (1859-1934), dominated by Peirce, James and Dewey; and the contemporary "professional" period (1912-2000), in which American philosophy became more refined and internationally prestigious, but also more fragmented and remote from the public. Admittedly selective, the book becomes too much so at the end: the last 40 years are largely reduced to Kuhn and Rorty, skimming over almost everything else. Yet the book generally succeeds in identifying broad trends while spotlighting curious and significant points. Readers looking for a grounded narrative of American thought's development and contexts will find this book an accurate and compelling guide. --Publishers Weekly (Check catalog)

Love wins : a book about heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived

 by Rob Bell. Outspoken pastor and best-selling author Bell dares to question conventional Christian wisdom, such as the popular belief that states a select number of Christians will spend eternity in heaven while the rest of humanitynon-Christians and those who have not been savedwill suffer pain and punishment in hell. How does a person end up being one of the few? Chance? Luck? Random selection? he wonders. By asking these and other similarly pointed questions, Bell raises issues some may find disturbing or, at the very least, unsettling, not only about religion but about what it means to be a believer. He contends that some images of Jesus and God should be rejected outrightimages contrary to what he considers authentic Christian behavior. Through the use of anecdotes and Bible stories, Bell suggests alternative ways of understanding heaven and hell as well as such deeply Christian concepts as salvation and repentance. Further, he maintains that the cruel rather than loving God so many Christians believe in is a distortion of the Christian spirit. Thought-provoking. --Booklist (Check catalog)

The path : creating your mission statement for work and for life

 by Laurie Beth Jones. Laurie Beth Jones's first business bestseller, Jesus, CEO, made her the writer of choice for the large group of readers interested in bringing a spiritual dimension into their lives and business practices. In The Path, she again -- to great success -- combines powerful spiritual inspirations with sound, practical advice for helping individuals and the enterprises they lead to achieve their highest purposes and potentials. The Path is a complete guide to finding and fulfilling one's mission in life and business through the formulation of a succinct and focused plan. --Publisher (Check Catalog)

The experience of samādhi : an in-depth exploration of Buddhist meditation

 by Richard Shankman. Shankman (Sati Center for Buddhist Studies), one of the leading meditation teachers in the English-speaking world, provides an in-depth analysis of Buddhist meditation, especially drawing from the traditions rooted in the P~li Canon and the Visuddhimagga, an important treatise in Therav~da. This work does not address the meditation traditions found in the Mah~y~na or Vajray~na traditions. The primary intended audience is those who have a meditation practice or are interested in developing one. This is not an academic analysis of the topic, but rather an important primary source. Two related concepts thread through this work, namely sam~dhi (right concentration) and the stages of jh~na (profound meditative states of stillness that are the attainments of concentration and that lead to Enlightenment). Shankman provides excellent summaries of the related content in the major texts of the P~li Suttas and the Visuddhimagga, and also summarizes the controversies concerning sam~dhi and jh~na. The clarity of these discussions alone is enough to make the book a useful purchase. The other significant contribution that this work makes to the field is a collection of interviews with influential, English-speaking Buddhist meditation instructors; the content of the interviews focuses on samdhi. --Choice (Check Catalog)