African Openings to the Tree of Life [Paperback]

Erskine Peters (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1987

African Openings uncovers the universal essence and life generating principles of African religion, philosophy, mythology, folklore, rituals, and symbolism, ordered and crystallized. These principles pertain to one's total development, relating on different levels to the person, the family, the social group, the spiritual group, the neighborhood, the community, and work organization. These principles are intended to orient one toward understanding, seeing and living life as an on-going process. The principles may be used to deal with, or simply reflect upon life in its many aspects. Certain principles when turned over in the mind and meditated upon may provide solutions to a vast range of problems. The second portion of the book is an invaluable, concise essay on the profound significance ideas and symbols have upon the building of cultures, civilizations and personalities.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Erskine Peters completed his Ph.D. at Princeton after studying at Yale and Oberlin. He is presently Professor of English and Black Studies at the University of Notre Dame. He has also taught at U.C. Berkeley and UCLA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 71 pages
• Publisher: Regent Pr (May 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0916147061
• ISBN-13: 978-0916147068
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,360,590 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Truth of Life Distilled into a few lines at a Time, July 31, 2005

By 

Eshe Riviears "Herbsistah" (Newborn, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: African Openings to the Tree of Life (Paperback)

Professor Erskine Peters was a gentle and awesome soul!

I took a class with him at UC-Berkeley and he had the utmost patience with everyone, unlike some Professors that were annoyed with undergraduates and their arrogance.

This book releases, to the reader, the same kind of patience with our searching and seeking of wisdom from our Elders. This book is full of the wisdom of our Elders and would be great for speechmakers, teachers, copywriters, or anyone that would like a great quote to have people think about for the rest of their lives.

These snippets of Elder wisdom feel like a heart-beat.

I am thankful to Prof. Peters for his wisdom in collecting them for us to live with them, and for me, he lives through them.

May you continue your journey, Professor Peters! Ashe!!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read., April 15, 2000

By 

C. J. Likely "hola" (atlanta, georgia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: African Openings to the Tree of Life (Paperback)

I had the honor to take a couple of classes with Dr. Peters (who passed away in 1998) at the University of Notre Dame and although it has been several years since I had originally read this book, it's spirit lives on in me now. For people of African descent in the United States, this book opens new doors to us that because of a history of slavery, we were ignorant of. Don't get me wrong, this is not an exclusive book, anyone, regardless of your ethnicity, race, heritage, etc., can gain something from reading it. It re-affirms our natural beliefs that we are all connected, there is meaning in everything, and we are responsible not only to ourselves, but to each other, our ancestors, our progeny, and to the cosmos as well.

It is a book, once you've finished reading, you'll be surprised at how much it lingers with you.