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  <title><![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]></title>
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  <description><![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]></description>
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    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[spiritual seekers, fans of Natalie Goldberg, ]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Sat Apr 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
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  <date_updated>Mon May 11 13:20:31 -0700 2009</date_updated>
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    <body><![CDATA[I read this after hearing Goldberg speak at a book signing recently. Someone said they'd read all of her books and she asked if the woman had read <em>The Great Failure</em>. The woman hadn't heard of it and neither had I, so I picked it up. It explores Goldberg's coming to terms with her father's mistreatme...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54447925">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <rating>2</rating>
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  <date_added>Fri Sep 25 21:30:16 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Sep 25 21:31:19 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Two and a half stars for this. I felt somewhat conflicted about it. I felt that the beginning was truly self-absorbed, but I was very moved by the ending of the book. These were fairly heavy topics and I did feel love in this book, but it was still ultimately a challenging read and difficult to like...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72521216">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>22831896</id>
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    <id>1181002</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Alison]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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  <date_added>Fri May 23 14:13:14 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Aug 25 13:09:02 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I mentally wrote the review for this book before I even finished Part I. What I had planned to say, &quot;The Great Failure is aptly named. Of the few things that are right with this book, that is most significant.&quot; I wondered as I flipped through the pages, what was it that I once loved about ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/22831896">more...</a>]]></body>
    
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      <review>
  <id>46188879</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Laura]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Charlotte, NC]]></location>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
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    <rating>1</rating>
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  <read_at>Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Feb 12 16:43:13 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Feb 12 16:43:40 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Awful. My first Natalie Goldberg book and I was not impressed.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46188879]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46188879]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>49476233</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[N.]]></name>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
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  <read_at>Mon Mar 09 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Mar 16 13:43:09 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Mar 16 13:43:48 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Read it for a class. Don't get me started. ]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49476233]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49476233]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[those familiar with author's previous work]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Aug 29 13:33:01 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 17 07:41:45 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book seems written for the author to exorcise her own demons. In previous works, she'd extolled the wisdom of her (late) Zen teacher, Katagiri Roshi. She discovered recentky that he wasn't the saint she'd thought him to be (portrayed him as); this work includes details of her father's abusive b...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5306171">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5306171]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5306171]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>29669432</id>
    <user>
    <id>77890</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Beth]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <id type="integer">798762</id>
  <isbn>0060816120</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780060816124</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">1</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: My Unexpected Path to Truth]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1178480337m/798762.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/798762.The_Great_Failure_My_Unexpected_Path_to_Truth</link>
  <average_rating>3.70</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>10</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<p> One of America's favorite teachers, Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write as a way to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest and wry exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. </p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

    <rating>0</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Aug 08 00:00:00 -0700 2008</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Aug 08 21:22:52 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Aug 08 21:27:38 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was a page-turner.  I read it in two days.  I picked it up because I listened to part of Long Quiet Highway while I was on the bus to Maine a couple of weeks ago.  I had read Long Quiet Highway and listened to the audiobook before.  So it was interesting to get more of the story through this se...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/29669432">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/29669432]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/29669432]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>33144318</id>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">10</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>3.38</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>107</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Sep 17 20:56:36 -0700 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Sep 17 20:58:01 -0700 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book is a tale of a struggle for meaning in life, finding yourself and finding out that the people you look up to might not be who you think they are and what that effect might be and how to try and accept that.  Very open.  Very honest.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33144318]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/33144318]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>16326872</id>
    <user>
    <id>941244</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Erin]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">10</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
  </title>
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  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174508861s/410165.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.38</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>107</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Feb 25 11:25:26 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Feb 25 11:26:49 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This is the sequel in many ways to the memoir Long Quiet Highway.  I got more out of it on my second read as I had lost my own father by then.  Beautiful treatment of the difficult father daughter relationship.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16326872]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/16326872]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>42259884</id>
    <user>
    <id>1111875</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Laura]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Mount Pleasant, MI]]></location>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">10</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
  </title>
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  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174508861s/410165.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/410165.The_Great_Failure_A_Bartender_A_Monk_and_My_Unlikely_Path_to_Truth</link>
  <average_rating>3.38</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>107</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Jan 07 14:37:46 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat May 23 20:43:16 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Insightful and inspiring. I feel like every time I reread this book, I'll get more out of it.]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42259884]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/42259884]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>4697379</id>
    <user>
    <id>286002</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Dawn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Seattle, WA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/286002-dawn]]></link>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">10</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174508861m/410165.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174508861s/410165.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>3.38</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>107</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at>Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2005</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Aug 17 10:21:05 -0700 2007</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Dec 17 05:40:51 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[yup, a great failure on natalie goldberg's part - though i loved her other books (2005?) (1 star)]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4697379]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4697379]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>81324968</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Mike]]></name>
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    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
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  <average_rating>3.38</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>107</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Dec 21 18:41:33 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Dec 17 14:23:34 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 21 18:41:33 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/81324968]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>81324543</id>
    <user>
    <id>301505</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jessica]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Yachats, OR]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/301505-jessica-jackson]]></link>
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    <![CDATA[The Great Failure: A Bartender, A Monk, and My Unlikely Path to Truth]]>
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    <![CDATA[What was I doing standing up in front of everyone anyway? ... They had signed up for this lovely New Age weekend down in Florida -- what was going on with this Natalie Goldberg? I knew only a handful had read any of my books. How was I going to leap over this mess smoothly and talk about writing practice, where I was on solid ground? I mentioned the horses from the seminar title -- ahh, relief on their faces -- they had come to the correct lecture hall after all. <p>Then everything dropped away. I had nothing to say. &bull;&bull;&bull; <p>So begins the journey by one of America's favorite writing teachers. Natalie Goldberg has inspired millions to write to develop an intimate relationship with their minds and a greater understanding of the world in which they live. Now, through this honest exploration of her own life, Goldberg puts her teachings to work. <p>In this wry, nimble memoir, Natalie Goldberg candidly depicts her father, Ben, an old-fashioned man's man who knew no boundaries -- a trait that was at once his greatest strength and most profound weakness. In capturing the essence of this larger-than-life Jewish bartender, she reveals the intricacies of a precarious father-daughter relationship. The tenuous bond with her father leads her in many directions and ultimately to Dainin Katagiri Roshi, a dynamic, celebrated Zen master. In light of an eye-opening discovery that shakes her ideal of this beloved teacher, Goldberg revisits her many years of loyal practice under Roshi's guidance. <p>Elegantly weaving these tales together, this story is finally a search for truth when there are no easy answers. Filled with Goldberg's trademark gifts for both humor and teaching, The Great Failure touches our hearts and minds as we come to recognize the ways in which we fail to confront our illusions.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>2004</published>
</book>

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  <date_added>Sun Dec 06 19:59:52 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Dec 06 20:00:00 -0800 2009</date_updated>
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