First Pre-publication Reviews of “Taneesha Never Disparaging”

My book, Taneesha Never Disparaging, got 2 advance reviews yesterday! Those are reviews that come in before the book is published, which it won’t be until September 1, 2008. I am soooooo psyched about getting these! Here they are:

“Taneesha Never Disparaging is a joy to read. M. LaVora Perry addresses the issues many kids face today—overworked parents, bullying, and social awkwardness—with a fresh and positive perspective. Don’t miss this beautifully and skillfully written novel.”

-David Richardson, Book Review Columnist for Reading Today, a publication of the International Reading Association

~~~

“Taneesha’s voice is fresh, funny, and true as a lotus blossom in a muddy pond.  Readers will become familiar with the word ‘disparaging’ as Taneesha navigates her way through fifth grade as a Buddhist, daughter, and good friend to all. Taneesha Never Disparaging is a warm and welcome read amidst a sea of cynicism.”

-Kelly Easton, Author of Hiroshima Dreams, White Magic, Aftershock, The Life History of a Star, Walking on Air, and The Betts Pets Mysteries

You can read a synopsis, Chapter 1, and new reviews that come in here.

Writer M. LaVora Perry’s Blog

Humanizing Religion, Creating Peace—SGI President Daisaku Ikeda’s 2008 Peace Proposal Presented to the UN

Each year, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda presents a comprehensive peace proposal to the United Nationss. Many of his suggestions have been adopted by UN member organizations.

Here is an excerpt from Ikeda’s 2008 proposal, which is available in full at SGI.org:

Almost twenty years have passed since the end of the Cold War, almost ten since the start of the new century, and still the contours of a new and different way of organizing the world have yet to take shape. While the processes of globalization possess a seemingly unstoppable momentum, this can hardly be considered a global order. Rather, the effort to contain through the application of force the many highly explosive situations around the world has met with limited success at best. The situation could perhaps be characterized as one of global disorder.

Important efforts, however, are being made. Recently (January 15-16), the Alliance of Civilizations Forum was held in Madrid, Spain. Based on the belief that the maintenance of international peace and security requires the overcoming of cultural animosities, more than 75 UN member states and international organizations participated in this event. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon encouraged further action toward peace, saying, “You may have different backgrounds and perspectives, but you share a common conviction that the Alliance of Civilizations is an important way to counter extremism and heal the divisions that threaten our world.”

 To read the full proposal, click below:

Read the summary online
Download the summary (PDF)
Download the full version (PDF)

Writer M. LaVora Perry’s Blog

Dean Lawrence Carter Sr. of Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King International Chapel on the Gandhi-King-Ikeda Exhibit

On October 17, 2006, Dr. Lawrence E. Carter Sr., Dean of Morehouse College’s Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel in Atlanta, Georgia, appeared on Singapore television to explain the significance and contemporary relevance of the “Gandhi-King-Ikeda: A Legacy of Building Peace” exhibit, which has been displayed in several countries. The exhibit, the accompanying Community Builders prize, and the YouTubed GKI video that follow the Singapore interview in this post were conceieved by Dr. Carter.

Dean Lawrence Carter on Singapore Television, Oct. 17, 2006

Gandhi-King-Ikeda: Community Builders, Part 1 of 3

Gandhi-King-Ikeda: Community Builders, Part 2 of 3

Gandhi-King-Ikeda: Community Builders, Part 2 of 3

“Our Shared Humanity”—Video Introduction to the SGI Peace, Culture, & Education Movement

This video, posted in a 4-part simplified version on YouTube in 4 parts and on the SGI.org website in its entirety, explains the philosophy of the SGI Nichiren Buddhist movement. See related post in the Religion/Spirituality/Buddhism category of this blog.

“Our Shared Humanity” Part 1 (simiplified).

“Our Shared Humanity” Part 2 (simiplified).

“Our Shared Humanity” Part 3 (simplified)
“Our Shared Humanity” Part 4 (simplified)


Writer M. LaVora Perry’s Blog

Two New Soka Gakkai Nichiren Buddhism Websites Announced–Highlighting Achievements of Daisaku Ikeda and Josei Toda

Two new Soka Gakkai websites were announced today, Daisaku Ikeda.org and JoseiToda.org.

From Daisaku Ikeda.org
 
Daisaku Ikeda is a Buddhist leader, peacebuilder, a prolific writer, poet, educator and founder of a number of cultural, educational and peace research institutions around the world.

As third president of the Soka Gakkai (value-creating society) and founder of the Soka Gakkai International, Daisaku Ikeda has developed and inspired what may be the largest, most diverse international lay Buddhist association in the world today. Based on the 700-year-old tradition of Nichiren Buddhism, the movement is characterized by its emphasis on individual empowerment and social engagement to advance peace, culture and education. Click here for more…

From JoseiToda.org
 
Josei Toda (1900-5 was the second president of the Soka Gakkai, one of Japan’s most influential lay Buddhist movements. Based on the teachings of the 13th-century Buddhist reformer Nichiren (1222-82), Toda developed a methodology of personal transformation called “Human Revolution” that has become the foundation underlying the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), a worldwide organization of engaged Buddhists promoting peace and personal empowerment throughout the world. Click here for more…

Writer M. LaVora Perry’s Blog

A Buddhist on Barack Obama, and America Keeping Her Promise

Barack Obama’s speech on Tuesday, March 18 was a history-maker. If you’ve only heard sound bites or read excerpts, you owe it to yourself to experience the whole thing.  If you’re a parent, gather your children by your side, and let them be a part of this moment, too. They will remember later on. Please, stop reading this blog right now and watch the video of the speech.

Now, from me: Obama’s former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, did not lie in the video-taped sermons that prompted Obama to give that March 18 speech. The United States did drop two atomic bombs, unleashing horror unlike any humanity has seen since; the United States did start a war without cause, killing countless numbers of babies, grandparents, and other non-combatant Iraqis and our own young people/soldiers, and creating an ever-expanding breeding ground for terrorist groups in the process; and racism is alive and kicking in this country. Regardless of how you feel about Wright’s presentation* and the fact that he spoke about “political” matters in church, in the video clips from the sermons that have been so controversial, these were the points he made.

From where I stand, Wright’s points are only offensive if you really believe:

1.) It’s okay to drop atomic bombs. Or at least it’s okay as long as the United States is the country that drops them.

2. Starting a war without provocation is okay. Or at least it’s okay as long as the United States is the country that starts it.

2.) Racism doesn’t exist in this country.

3.) Patriotism means ignoring the problems that weaken and can potentially destroy the very fabric of your country.

3.) Shooting the messenger is okay if the message is accurate, but ugly.

Personally, I believe none of the above.

In any case, I’m backing Barack Obama because I believe he’s determined to help us all move beyond where we are and go where the U.S constitution promises we can be. I want to go there with him. And I want my husband’s and my children, and their children, to be able to live there.

*Jeremiah Wright’s presentation, by the way, was done in typical religious oratory style for a black American preacher. My father’s been preaching since before I can remember and I grew up seeing the same preaching style demonstrated by Wright in action more times than I can count.

Now,  I’m talking here about the preaching style, not the context of his sermon, which, again, I believe was simply the truth.  I wrote about some of the issues Wright covered, but from a different perspective, on my Buddhist website, FortuneChildBooks.com, here.

LaVora
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