Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

(From my review on Amazon in 1998.)

Each sentence is a ponderable morsel.

Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom is truly a work of art. Over the past three years, I have been working on discovering myself through self-help books, 12-step programs, religious study, and personal introspection. This book summed up everything I have learned (the hard way) during this time, and presented it in a beautiful package that was invigorating and thought-provoking to read. It was a pure joy. I began reading it in January, and have only just finished it last night, because each sentance was a ponderable morsel. Sometimes I would read a phrase five times over in order to fully grasp and apply it's meaning to my life. This is not a 70 mph trip through the show more McDonald's drive-thru, this is a seven course meal in Vienna, and every bite demands that you hold it in your mouth to savor it.

Anam Cara is one of the best non-fiction books I have ever read. I plan to read it again in a year or so, because I know I will get new things out of it. I am already loaning it to a friend, and have a couple of others in mind I'd like to loan it to. I can't keep this from the ones I love. show less

Anamchara is Celtic for "Soul Friend". Wonderful and ancient comforts from the poet scholar of things Celtic, John O'Donohue. Ireland's "spiritual heritage"--nakedly pagan tree-worshipping magic inner flood-lit basket-hoops of remedies gathered from balmy Nature.

Even as today, we face shocking "changes" at the hands of malevelent forces, this book speaks of " how "change and possibility are so faithful to us."

The editors promise Universality in themes. For example,
friendship, solitude, love, and death:

Light is generous.
The human heart is never completely born.
Love as ancient recognition.
The body is the angel of the soul.
Solitude is luminous.
Beauty likes neglected places.
The passionate heart never ages.
To be natural is to be show more holy.
Silence is the sister of the divine.
Death as an invitation to freedom.

And yes, this is just that silly and captivating and hopeful. show less

This was one of the hardest star ratings I have ever given a book, I am not sure why, I think because rating the contents of the book somehow felt like cheapening them. I gave it three in the end, because although I am glad I read it, and some parts have stuck with me, it wasn't as interesting, nor as magical in its prose, as I had hoped.

Although it was a short book, with short chapters, it still felt difficult to push through it. I liked the chapter structure, following the Celtic theme of life's circularity but I think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if it had gone into more detail, and introduced more Celtic mythology - of which there seemed to be relatively little, in comparison to the author's personal 'wisdom' - which I show more think made up far more of the book. Celtic wisdom and mythology was a topic I was looking forward to learning about, but after having read this I don't feel as enlightened as I thought I might.

I liked the etymological explanations, the bits of Irish history when they arose, and the poetry scattered in the pages. There certainly was some nice tidbits of wisdom in the pages, various perspectives on life/death/friendship/love. I feel the attempt to marry Christian and Celtic teachings together as though they existed happily together in peace throughout all of history was a bit insincere and almost whitewashing the reality of Pagan-Christian relations. I am not sure of the author's personal religious leanings, but Christianity has a long history of adopting pagan myths/symbols and christening them as their own. show less

This is a book that touched me deeply. To put it very simply, it is a book about friendship.
That "soul friend" that each of us long for and yet so few of us are fortunate to claim.
This is a story of humanity and yearning. It is a story of love and loss and spirituality. O'Donohue writes in a poetic and compassionate way about life.

There is so much depth to this book that I hardly know where to begin. The insights into the spirituality of the five senses alone is worth the read. For those who might be seeking deeper spiritual development and certainly for those who are students of Celtic spirituality, this book is a must read - O'Donohue explores Celtic wisdom and spiritual understandings in light of modern understandings of Christian spirituality to give insight into the way the two come together and the depths of the spiritual traditions with the Celtic practices of Christian spirituality.

Irish poet, philosopher and Catholic scholar John O'Donohue guides readers through the refreshing and lyrical landscape of the Irish imagination, offering a treasure trove of Celtic insights, stories, and teachings on the universal themes of friendship, solitude, love, and death.

Here's the thing with O'Donohue. He writes mystically and poetically. I'd rather hear him speak than read his words. Actually, reading it on Kindle is a weird, weird trip. I think this is one of those books that you have to have in print, in hand, with a cup of coffee or a pint of porter at hand, sitting on the deck overlooking a natural scene.

I LOVE the guy, I just find that it's hard to read this particular book in the form that I have it.