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For the record my blurb on Prisms has been called "the best blurb I’ve ever seen," which I think is unnecessarily limited in scope. It is the best blurb anyone has ever seen.

https://philipchristman.substack.com/p/2024-summerfall-books-a-biased-preview-18b

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Also, as I read through Roland I get some indications that you might be in agreement with the Loyola Marymount professor Eric Perl when it comes to classical Greek philosophy and its continued relevance in fields like Philosophy of Mind. Have you heard this name before? A couple of his works are titled “Thinking Being” and “Theophany: The Neoplatonic Philosophy of Dionysius the Areopagite.”

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author

Yes, I know Perl’s work well; and yes, I am in agreement.

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By the by, I recently found out that he has ended up repudiating all forms of confessional religion for a few reasons. It seems like the primary one is their exclusivity, especially the EO and RCC. The second is because he believes that even though apophatic theology plays a role in many Christian traditions, he still thinks former and current Christian philosophers and theologians are far too ontic in regards to talking about God.

Obviously this is an intensely personal decision, and I sort of side with him, but I was wondering where you stand in regard to these two issues.

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author

As I said, I am in profound sympathy with Perl's views. That said, he could learn a bit from Bulgakov. Or from Ramanuja, perhaps.

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founding

I purchased the Bulgakov essay collection, "The Sophiology of Death." Is this an adequate look into his most important views, or should I look elsewhere as well? I am reliant on English translation unfortunately.

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Congratulations! Hadn’t heard of either of these so glad you put them on my radar. Just reading through Roland now. What a delight!

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While I rarely listen to audio books, an audio version of All Things are Full of Gods sounds like great fun. I look forward to driving with friends or family, playing a well-chosen passage and hearing their reactions!

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Prisms, Veils is very enjoyable, every story is wonderful. I hope the creative spirit that inspired these stories may also inspire a collaboration between yourself and Jordan Wood in writing a musical on St. Maximus, Stanton lectures notwithstanding.

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author

Thanks so much. But don’t tell me; tell all your friends at Amazon.

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Done!

I would imagine sales have skyrockted

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I pre-ordered both books (our Amazonian Overlords [may they be merciful in their fecundity] have informed me that Prisms will be arriving today). All true Hartheads pre-order.

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you probably haven't read it, but do you think feser's new book on the soul would be worth reading at all?

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author

No.

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you saved me 35 bucks, thanks!

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author

Really, it will be just another Thomism-for-Dunces volume. Ed isn’t a deep thinker.

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David - random question so feel free to ignore it . Do you have any recommendations for book illustrators? I’ve been reading mainly illustrated works and love Arthur Rackham, for example, now I’m looking for others that I should be aware of…

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Woo hoo!!

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author

Don't make me send a complaint down to HR.

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Exciting! I’d preordered the latter as soon as I could, but just added the first to the list as well.

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I received my copy of Prisms, Veils a few days ago. I know you've often suggested that your fiction rather than the theology is your most serious work, but I never quite believed it. Reading through this collection, well, I'm coming to believe it.

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author

Theology is a sideline in my mind.

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author

Oh, and feel free to tell the Amazon comment box.

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Jul 6·edited Jul 6

Once I've finished I will do.

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I ordered Prisms, Veils long ago and expect it on my Kindle on July 1st.

As for All Things Are Full of Gods, I am still hoping that it will have a digital version before its publication by the end of August. If you tell me that such an edition is not planned for the near future, however, I will immediately order the hardcopy version as I want to read it as soon as possible. 

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author

There will be a Kindle version.

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Splendid! I wonder if that be a portion of a Renoir on the front cover of Prisms, Veils? (Whose son is the film director.)

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author

It’s Berthe Morisot.

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Ah - thank you!

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Excited for both!

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1. Pre ordered and en route.

2. Very nice. I’m not familiar with this particular person, but I’m interested regardless. I found Derek Perkins reading of TASBS amazing.

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Looks like Beresford has mostly narrated historical romance novels, so I can only assume there's plenty of bodice-ripping and flirtatious fan-waving in All Things Are Full of Gods, along with the metaphysics.

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author

She has clear diction. But, yes, many a bodice is ripped.

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founding

Thank you brother. Looking forward to both.

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author

And I’m looking forward to your rapturous reader review on Amazon.

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