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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent manual
Review: A wonderful guide and disucssion of the practice of contemplation. This book deals with the ancient problem of the "unknowableness" of God by attacking it head on: We can't know God, therefore we must meditate on the Cloud of Unknowing which lies between us and God.Incidently, I think the reason many works on contemplation don't seem applicable to daily life is that many of them were written for and by monastics. In response to the other reviewer, as Ellis Peters says one shouldn't become a contemplative merely to escape from the world without...one must be on fire for the world within.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent manual
Review: A wonderful guide and disucssion of the practice of contemplation. This book deals with the ancient problem of the "unknowableness" of God by attacking it head on: We can't know God, therefore we must meditate on the Cloud of Unknowing which lies between us and God. Incidently, I think the reason many works on contemplation don't seem applicable to daily life is that many of them were written for and by monastics. In response to the other reviewer, as Ellis Peters says one shouldn't become a contemplative merely to escape from the world without...one must be on fire for the world within.
Rating: 
Summary: One man's defence of the contemplative lifestyle
Review: I enjoyed this book because I think I am searching for some kind of mystical escape from the dreary realities of everyday life; the author of this book (unknown) certainly gives permission for that. I think it is fair to say that he totally defends this way of life; the only drawback is I am left with the age old problem that it would be great to live a life of contemplation and glorious devotion to God but who pays the bills or looks after the kids at the end of a strenuous day. This book has a lilting humour woven into the author's down to earth prose style. In comparison to Mother Julian of Norwich he is veritably a stand up comic.
Rating:
Summary: Unknown Knowing
Review: I found this book was fascinating. I also found it pedantic and tiring. The author returns repeatedly to the same precepts with only minor enhancements. Nonetheless, I found value in the central idea which is that the LORD, our GOD, is unknowable. This is an idea which brings with it hope at a time when Europe was in the grips of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War. It is also an idea which Karl Barth articulated when he distinguished between a "no-god" of religious organizations as opposed to the GOD which is completely "other", whom we meet in a personal, spiritual relationship. This idea found resonance with me. I am reminded that I often become so involved with doing that I leave precious little time for being. Familiarity breeds contempt. I find that I am furthest from my LORD when I feel I know her. Contrary, the times I feel closest in my spiritual relationship is when the awe of how little I know about him is apparent. From the comprehensive notes by Clifton Wolters, I learned of the peculiar habits of this author as well as his genuine dedication. If you are interested in strengthening your spiritual relationship by introducing an "unknowable" aspect of the LORD, our GOD, into your meditation, or if you are interested in mysticism as it was practiced in Britain during that fruitful period of the 14th century, this book will be interesting to you.
Rating:
Summary: Unknown Knowing
Review: I found this book was fascinating. I also found it pedantic and tiring. The author returns repeatedly to the same precepts with only minor enhancements. Nonetheless, I found value in the central idea which is that the LORD, our GOD, is unknowable. This is an idea which brings with it hope at a time when Europe was in the grips of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War. It is also an idea which Karl Barth articulated when he distinguished between a "no-god" of religious organizations as opposed to the GOD which is completely "other", whom we meet in a personal, spiritual relationship. This idea found resonance with me. I am reminded that I often become so involved with doing that I leave precious little time for being. Familiarity breeds contempt. I find that I am furthest from my LORD when I feel I know her. Contrary, the times I feel closest in my spiritual relationship is when the awe of how little I know about him is apparent. From the comprehensive notes by Clifton Wolters, I learned of the peculiar habits of this author as well as his genuine dedication. If you are interested in strengthening your spiritual relationship by introducing an "unknowable" aspect of the LORD, our GOD, into your meditation, or if you are interested in mysticism as it was practiced in Britain during that fruitful period of the 14th century, this book will be interesting to you.
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