The Order of the Universe

At its core, this book is a philosophical treatise on the relationship of the spirit and the material universe. Although the topic of spirit has been brow-beaten in recent years by pop spiritual writers (and the writer of this reveiew has fallen prey to his share), this book stands out. Ohsawa challenges the reader (and heck, all of western philospohy with it)! His powerful allegories and raw intellectual power moved me into a magical space (something like a zen koan). He fluently and systematically speaks to the theories of Max Plank, Neils Bohr, Sigmund Freud, modern art, politics and darn near everything else of cultural import -- pointing out the beauties and arrogances of each. Again and again, he gently invites the reader to question "Where are we going?" and "For what purpose", always returning to the primacy of the spirit, the primacy of our glimpses of the absolute as we travel "up the river of life". And, he certainly does not forget the tangible material universe, which is part and parcel of the whole -- through insightful descriptions of diet, health and other practical concerns (yes, Ohsawa is the father of the modern macrobiotic movement and has written many wonderful books on the topic). This book is better than Yoda!

Well worth it for me.

I'm off to Australia in sixteen weeks and I felt I wanted to keep a momentum of my backpacking experiences. I have always kept a diary, but i wanted something extra special. A Traveller's Diary provides that and more. There's sections in it for just about everything you could want. The first few pages provide a proposed and actual itinerary, followed by a budget guide. There's pages of lined and blank pages for making notes and drawings and for sticking in maps and tickets. at the back is an expenses sheet and some weird red stickers - haven't actually figured out what they're for yet! Finally, there's a pocket to put leaflets and other nick nacks in. The whole book is attractively bound and has a nice feel while there's quotes and tips scattered throughout. I just wish I'd had one when I travelled round America. Or later when I explored France....