Review Date: 7/5/2012

Barbara Marx Hubbard's book presents her vision of a possible future for humanity - one based on collaboration, heart coherence, and care for the planet and all the beings on it through realizing our Oneness. The first part of the book provides many details of her life and the development of her vision and a loose outline how she envisions the organization of this global shift in various arenas, while the last part of the book shares 12 short essays from others new thinkers, like Michael Beckwith, Ervin Lazslo and Jack Canfield. Her message is hopeful, however Hubbard's writing is geared towards a specific reader - well-educated and comfortable with lengthy and somewhat scientific explanations. She includes many acronyms that she has coined and in many places, Chapter 4 in particular, the book reads like an infomercial in that it teases us with ideas without providing details, referring one instead to another book or film or course to purchase--and many of these materials are written by her. I would have much preferred more meat to be included about what these leaders and new movements are actually working towards and accomplishing and how individuals can concretely get involved. Much of what is in this book can be found for free at Hubbard's website and by listening online to events presented by the Shift Network. However if you are new to Hubbard and the ideas of Oneness, heart coherence or shift in consciousness, then her book provides an introduction to these concepts and more as well as a number of references to other writers and groups whose work you may find interesting. Also, if you are interested in a more scientific and less spiritual focus on the idea of a global shift or elevation of consciousness, then Hubbard may be the writer for you.

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Review Date: 4/4/2013

I read this book, right after reading "An Unquenchable Thirst" by Mary Johnson. The later reads a bit more like a novel, whereas this book contains far more detail about the medical side of Mother Teresa's order and the (incredible) expectation of sisters to give incessantly with little attention given to their own medical care or emotional well-being. As Livermore's true interest is in medicine, it makes sense that her focus is there. I would have preferred more detail on her inner journey while in the MC's, however where Livermore's account excels is in her discussion of her own struggle after leaving the order and how she handles her crisis of faith. All in all, a very good read.

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Review Date: 1/18/2009

Helpful Score: 7

I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I actually only put it down to sleep because the story was so compelling. As I described the story to a friend, he was surprised I would like it so much. That is because there are descriptions of events that are both frightening and brutal. The author doesn't dwell long on the gory details, but gives you just enough so that you have a sense of both the lavishness and trials of lives of Saudi royal women. The result, although a bit too tidy in places, compels you to read on.

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Review Date: 12/25/2011

Helpful Score: 1

I read this for a class on native women, after reading Wallis' "Two Old Women". Reading the fable first, you get a clear sense of how that tale relates to her own life, as relayed in "Raising Ourselves". Wallis shares with readers her unflinching portrayal of native life in the Yukon in the 1960's -- the glorious and the gritty. By framing her own life-tale through the story of her relations, her grandmother, her parents, and her siblings, Wallis is relating to readers in true native style, which is as telling as the stories she writes. The pace of the book is a little clumsy at times, and it seems a bit slow towards the middle, but I never once wanted to put it down. If you want to read about a fascinating family, a talented and resilient woman, surviving in the Yukon, or you desire to know more about native life as Western hegemony bleeds in (through both forced indoctrination, governmental policy and personal desire), then you will enjoy this book.

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Review Date: 4/4/2013

I read this book, and therafter, "Hope Endures" by Collette Livermore who is also a former MC nun. Of the two, this book reads much more like a novel (whereas Livermore's book is somewhat more minute in its detail of the medical and more gritty side of MC life in Papaua New Guinea and Australia). To say the least I was wholly drawn into Johnson's book. In fact, I barely put it down because it was so fascinating. What is most appealing about Johnson's book is that she details the inner turmoil of being part of Mother Teresa's and the challenges of often exhausting work while under constant scrutiny. While sisters are expected to give give give and love love love, they are on the receiving end of neither. This is a fascinating look at the psychology of this situation, as well as an examination of Mother Teresa's order and in some ways the woman herself.

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