When actor Christopher Reeve was asked in a BBC interview which book he would want if stranded on a desert island; he replied; "The Inner Reality by the philosopher Paul Brunton." A provocative and compelling work; The Inner Reality is an essential guide for spiritual seekers. First published in the 1930s; this remarkable book interweaves the teachings of two great religious figures: Jesus and Krishna. Identifying a common current running through both Christianity and Hinduism; Paul Brunton argues that an "inner reality" or "kingdom of heaven" can be found within each of us. Defining religion as simply the practice of binding oneself with divinity; he encourages readers to embark on the quest for self-knowledge and spiritual communion through a commitment to the contemplative path. With his profound interpretations of the world's sacred texts; from the Gospel of St. John to the Bhagavad Gita; Brunton bridges East and West to guide the reader into the living heart of these ancient traditions. This new edition has been updated to incorporate the author's final revisions and includes a foreword by the Paul Brunton Philosophic Foundation.
#38131 in Books St Martins Pr 2014-10-14 2014-10-14Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 207.52 x 26.92 x 5.47l; 1.00 #File Name: 1620401266400 pagesSt Martins Pr
Review
47 of 48 people found the following review helpful. A Beautiful Love Letter to San FranciscoBy Bret WatersI've been lucky enough to have traveled to many great cities in the world. But I keep returning here; to what the poet George Sterling called "The Cool Gray City of Love". Despite the notoriously crappy weather; ridiculous cost of living; and misfits living on street corners; San Francisco has a certain sense of place that is unmatched in all the world. Or should I say "sense of places" because San Francisco; perhaps more so than any other city; isn't one place. It's is a ragtag collection of neighborhoods; each with its own unique identity; culture; and history. It's a collection of independent villages; united by the proud belief that "normal" doesn't apply here. As the late great columnist Herb Caen wrote "San Francisco is surrounded on three sides by water; and on the fourth by a foreign country."Gary Kamiya's new book is; without a doubt; the best writing about San Francisco I've read since the passing of Herb Caen. The book is a rambling walking tour; a history lesson; a geological exploration. More than anything else; it's a love letter. Or; more accurately; it's 49 love letters; because Kamiya has structured the book as 49 vignettes; each about a particular spot in the City. He takes us from the place where Europeans first camped in 1776 (Mountain Lake; in today's Richmond District) to a small patch of grass on Telegraph Hill where you can still sit today; watching ships sail through the Gate as one could during the gold rush of 1849. With meticulously-researched history and an easy story-telling style; Kamiya writes of how an Englishman named William Richardson jumped off a ship in 1822; befriended the Spanish comandante at the Presidio and fell in love with his 19-year-old daughter as they danced around the campfire that night. Richardson and Maria Antonia Martinez got married; built the first home in Yerba Buena Cove; and raised three kids as a town grew around them. Kamiya writes "It cannot be a coincidence that one of the world's great cosmopolitan party towns was founded by a runaway who had just met a mixed-race hottie at an all-nighter".If you love San Francisco as much as I do; with its twisted history and crooked streets; you will love this beautifully-written book. Highly recommended.15 of 15 people found the following review helpful. History in succulent bites...By Heather E. HagermanThis is a pastiche of people and places; a primer on many aspects of San Francisco. Having grown up nearby I can say that about half of this book is simply common knowledge to literate locals. We have been to the places; seen the view; and know the story. The other half of the material is a revelation; like finding an Indian burial mound in grandma's basement; and suddenly understanding why there is a peculiar slope to her back yard. I found myself on many familiar paths but when the twists came they were illuminating. The other thing that kept me reading was Kamiya's language. He writes with a direct; insightful; and witty style that befits a San Francisco newsman. His sentences are a pleasure to read.One other important thing; I can honestly say this book was the first I have read on a tablet where the experience was better than on paper. I found myself constantly toggling between my reader app and google maps. With google maps I could actually teleport myself to the very spot where each of the 49 essays is embarked. Wow! How technology dazzles.13 of 13 people found the following review helpful. A Walk In The Footsteps Of History . . .By joeAs a San Francisco resident in the mid 80's; I spent hours upon hours of my free time foot walking around every inch of the city; the far reaches of Lands End; The Presidio; Golden Gate Park; The Finance District; The Tenderloin; China Town and South Of Market; etc. Trying to discover and absorb the multitude of different facets of this wonderful place called San Francisco. With COOL GRAY CITY OF LOVE it's almost like going back over every step I walked but this time I get to discover the history of every square of ground; every path I've discovered on my own. It's an exciting revelation to know all that came before and to remember it as I once did before when I knew nothing but a vague idea of it's origin. Thank you Gary for awakening and showing me the spirit of history of this city; the aura of which I sensed when I lived there oh so long ago; my footsteps now a map that I walk in memory; remembering every experience from the COOL GRAY CITY OF LOVE called San Francisco.
