The Hand of God: Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe (Paperback)

~ Michael Reagan (Author) "The age of naked-eye astronomy has lasted for most of our time on Earth: if the length of humankind's 2.5 million-year tenure is taken as..." (more)
Key Phrases: Milky Way, David Malin, Jerry Lodriguss (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The idea behind this magnificent book is to pair stunning images from outer space alongside meaningful spiritual quotes from here on earth. Ultimately, the two work well together, suggesting the presence of a divine hand, or at least a divine order in the universe. Editor Michael Reagan deserves much praise for his keen visual eye, as well as his selection of quotes from the likes of Albert Einstein, Jane Goodall, Stephen Hawking, Dr. Seuss, Theodore Roethke, Carl Sagan, Mark Twain, and Annie Dillard.

Many of the photos were taken from the Hubble Space Telescope, offering fascinating glimpses into distant black holes and galaxies. Some images are vivid and romantic like a Renaissance painting. Some (such as the Voyager I photo of Jupiter) seem to suggest that Vincent van Gogh had a hand in painting the universe. Each photo has a concrete caption and clearly explains what is happening and where the image comes from.

With a hint of irony, Reagan placed the following quote beside the explosive, womb web photo of "Star Birth Region NGC 604": "Stars are like animals in the wild. We may see the young but never the actual birth, which is a veiled and secret event." - Heinz Pagels, Perfect Symmetry

It is quotes such as these that make readers feel especially blessed. If not yet true voyagers, we can at least become voyeurs into space and spirituality--the far reaches of our final frontiers. --Gail Hudson --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Founder of Lionheart Books, Reagan has produced the ideal smaller coffee-table book for the 21st century. The Hand of God combines dozens of dazzling images of starscapes and far planets captured by the Hubble telescope with reflections on the self, the stars, and the universe, from writers as various as Oscar Wilde, Albert Einstein, Annie Dillard, and Edward Taylor. To Reagan's credit, the writers selected are admirable, and the quotations from their works are well chosen, but the images alone are worth the price of admission and are as profound as the writings that surround them. Highly recommended.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Templeton Foundation Press; 1st Pbk. Ed edition (September 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890151521
• ISBN-13: 978-1890151522
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #206,752 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awe-inspiring!, July 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hand Of God: A Collection of Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe (Hardcover)

I am enchanted with this book, one of the most exquisite books I have seen in a long time. The photos are beautiful and thought provoking. The carefully chosen texts reflect not only the scientist's natural bias toward the provable, but also the respectful awe of the scientist who cannot totally explain the observable phenomena. It is a book I want to share with many.

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HAND OF GOD, February 4, 2000

By	BONNIE BABCOCK "bebehou" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hand Of God: A Collection of Thoughts and Images Reflecting the Spirit of the Universe (Hardcover)

THIS BOOK REALLY TAKES YOU TO THE WORLD OF "BEYOND" AND MAKES YOU FEEL AS IF YOU ARE REALLY HOLDING THE HAND OF GOD. A MUST FOR ALL WHO EVER WONDER IF WE ARE ALONE, IT WILL BE ANSWERED EVEN IN THE INTRODUCTION.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspire Your Vision, Beautifully., December 16, 2005

By	JAD (The Sunshine State) - See all my reviews

If you are looking for a book to provide snippets of inspiration for others who are dear to you, or, perhaps one that will spark your own prayer and devotional time, this may be the book you are seeking.

"The Hand of God" is a collection of photographs taken in space, many by the Hubble Telescope, showing the vast and awe-inspiring wonder of the universe. These photos, a new "eye on the heavens" show every manner of nebula, comet and star formation for the wondering earthbound traveler. Presented in deep and vivid colors, the photos are thoughtfully paired with inspirational quotations, both familiar and obscure.

Of the many gorgeous images, surprises abound. A view of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and its surroundings looks every bit like a segment of Van Gogh's "Starry Night". A shimmering white cross-like photograph of Galaxy NGC 4640A is coupled with these lines from an ancient Jewish proverb: "God said to Abraham, 'But for me, you would not be here.' 'I know that, Lord,' Abraham answered, 'but were I not here, there would be no one to think about you.'"

Here are page after page of vast and panoramic views--both in word and in photograph, ranging from the tender greens and blues of our own earth, to a halo-like image of a filament eruption on our sun.

One would not classify this as a coffee table book per se, since its 8" x 8 1/2" dimensions are much smaller. It is perhaps best called an end table or nightstand book, suitable for an occasional glance or prolonged study. Either way, the unfamiliar images are profoundly inspiring, and invite the reader to move beyond Arthur Schopenhauer's observation, "Everyone takes the limits of his own vision for the limits of the world." This book is sure to expand your limits and inspire your vision, beautifully.