Book Reviews Perceptions Magazine, May 2017
Why Left Hemisphere Dominance Has Brought Humanity
to the Brink of Disaster and How We Can Think Our Way
to Peace and Healing
by James Olson
Origin Press
PO Box 151117
San Rafael, CA 94915
2017, 334 pages, 6 x 9, US $19.95
ISBN: 978-1-57983-051-9
Reviewed by Brent Raynes
An integral philosopher who pays strict attention to many critical details concerning our various left and right brain hemisphere functions and effects, James Olson delves deeply into these hemispheric “operating systems” and the significant impact that they have on our lives, our behavior patterns, attitudes and beliefs, often in an incomplete and deterimental way that is the result of critical self-misunderstanding and due largely to our incomplete, conditioned left brain dominance.
Advocating a holistic orientation and approach, Olson strives to guide us down a more unifying, productive and positive path. In this book, How Whole Brain Thinking Can Save the Future, he explains how each brain hemisphere operates, how they affect how we perceive and deal with many crucial issues in our lives, most of which we're not really conscious of, be they lifestyle choices, political ones, religious, business, and so on and so forth. Olson reveals how humanity today faces a serious crisis due to our dominant left-brain bias and how whole-brain thinking can bring about significant understanding and healing, and actually, as an example, unify America, a country presently being torn apart over political polarization. Olson sees this problem and so many others as reversible if we will just begin to use the potential and balanced powers available in whole brain thinking and doing.
The Complete King Arthur:
Many Faces, One Hero
by John and Caitlin Matthews
Inner Traditions
One Park Street
Rochester, Vermont 05767
2017, 424 pages, 6 x 9, US $24.95
ISBN: 978-1-62055-599-6
Reviewed by Brent Raynes
This book looks like it has real teeth to it. A scholarly and exhaustive presentation of the evidence delving into the historical and mythological background of the legendary King Arthur. British authors John and Caitlin Matthews, with their over forty years engaged in this area of research, are widely regarded as authorities in Arthurian and Celtic myths and traditions. In addition, they're prolific writers who separately and together have authored more than a hundred books, including such titles as
Taliesin: The Last Celtic Shaman, Walkers Between the Worlds, King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land, and Arthur of Albion, in addition to the creation of several tarot decks and oracles.
The authors thoroughly track down a great deal of information that truly informs the reader, certainly in a scholarly way, about everything that the majority of us should ever care to know on this subject.
