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Rating: 
Summary: Good and easy-going self-help book.Meninger is a good writer
Review: However. "De Imitatione" has been one of my favorite books since I was a kid. Also, I'm not religious and has never been. How can that be? That, I think is because the book is not obscure theology. It's very simple, straight-talking, warm and humane, and -- here it comes: it doesn't need any "reinterpretations for the 21 century". It's plenty good for the 21 century as it is! In fact, it's so simple that it can almost be read in the original Latin; here: In silentio et quiete proficit anima devota -- do you need a "reinterpretation"? Get a good, close to the text translation and download the original off the net; then put them side by side and read, you'll see that it is the simplest book ever. What I'm saying is this: leave the classics alone at last! Quit fixing what's not broke, quit "reinterpreting": we're not that stupid, we get it as it is. I'm tired of too many literary people with nothing much to say on their own latching onto some known name and producing "reinterpretations" that no one asked for. If you're looking for a translation (which you should, it's a wonderful book), this is not it, and I suspect you will be annoyed by the attempted, supposedly modernizing, kiddie talk here. That said, the book is a good read in its own right, and at least, unlike in some other cases Meninger makes it clear in the title that it's not a close translation; I only wish the author had enough character to write his own books w/o trying to increase his commercial success by forcing his way in as a "co-author" where the original, long-dead author did a very competent job; there's no need to render every dead philosopher in modern psychobabble. The book, by itself, deserves five stars; the attempt to attach to Kempis deserves one star; multiple ratings are impossible here, so I give it an average. Check it out before buying, you may or may not like it.
Rating:
Summary: Good and easy-going self-help book.Meninger is a good writer
Review: However. "De Imitatione" has been one of my favorite books since I was a kid. Also, I'm not religious and has never been. How can that be? That, I think is because the book is not obscure theology. It's very simple, straight-talking, warm and humane, and -- here it comes: it doesn't need any "reinterpretations for the 21 century". It's plenty good for the 21 century as it is! In fact, it's so simple that it can almost be read in the original Latin; here: In silentio et quiete proficit anima devota -- do you need a "reinterpretation"? Get a good, close to the text translation and download the original off the net; then put them side by side and read, you'll see that it is the simplest book ever. What I'm saying is this: leave the classics alone at last! Quit fixing what's not broke, quit "reinterpreting": we're not that stupid, we get it as it is. I'm tired of too many literary people with nothing much to say on their own latching onto some known name and producing "reinterpretations" that no one asked for. If you're looking for a translation (which you should, it's a wonderful book), this is not it, and I suspect you will be annoyed by the attempted, supposedly modernizing, kiddie talk here. That said, the book is a good read in its own right, and at least, unlike in some other cases Meninger makes it clear in the title that it's not a close translation; I only wish the author had enough character to write his own books w/o trying to increase his commercial success by forcing his way in as a "co-author" where the original, long-dead author did a very competent job; there's no need to render every dead philosopher in modern psychobabble. The book, by itself, deserves five stars; the attempt to attach to Kempis deserves one star; multiple ratings are impossible here, so I give it an average. Check it out before buying, you may or may not like it.
Rating: 
Summary: Inspired re-interpretation of the 15th century classic
Review: This book is an inspired re-interpretation of the message of the 15th century classic by Thomas a Kempis. It is not a translation of the original "Imitation of Christ" but an exposition which is beneficial and relevant for women and men facing today's issues and problems. The goal of Meninger's book is contemplation of God and taking on the contemplative attitude toward life - available for all modern women and men, whether laity or religious, to use now in everyday living.
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