Customer Reviews

In the House of Memory: Ancient Celtic Wisdom for Everyday Life

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In the House of Memory was a fantastic read. Well-researched and well-written, it's the kind of book that can't be fully digested in one reading. Steve Rabey does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into the time of the Celts and making him or her feel at home. I found the content to be truly inspiring. Within the pages of this book, one who is weary of modern spirituality and the shallowness of contemporary culture will find an oasis of depth and meaning. The stories of Celtic saints will challenge anyone, and Rabey's practical insights on ways to integrate their spirituality into a modern lifestyle gives the work great practical value. This is one I'll read again and again.

I think the 1 to 5 stars spread in the 2 reviews posted at this time says a lot. The book is very good AND very poor. Very good in that it has a wealth of information and one can pick up and start reading almost anywhere and glean something. Very poor in the paper and picture quality and in the organization. It is as if the author has too much to say and so it just tumbles out. However, I did think that the scope of the book was good and the the "sidebars" were well done. The index helps; the table of contents does not. It is a fairly good book as a 2nd or 3rd book on Celtic spirituality. Start with Mitton's "Soul of Celtic Spirituality" or Bradley's "The Celtic Way."

I was disappointed in this book. While it is intended to be an overview of the Celtic tradition, both before and after Christianity, I found it to be annoyingly superficial. His suggestions for applying certain traits of the Celts to our lives reminded me of some really poor "self-help" books I've come across. I realize that this book just wasn't for me; but for anyone desiring an excellent introduction to the Celtic tradition and Celtic Christianity, I would highly recommend "Celtic Christianity" by Timothy Joyce. Another very good recent find was "Listening for the Heartbeat of God" by Newell.

I wanted to like this book. However, Rabey's take on things Irish is definitely "Celtic Lite," and intended only for those who like to skim the surface, read the comic book, get the T-shirt and go home. As a leader of pilgrimage to Ireland and other destinations ..., I had hoped to use the Rabeys' books as references for my pilgrims -- but the once-over-lightly approach is suited only to the American tourist who wants to keep moving yet feel he/she's seem something worthwhile. ...