Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna: A Ten Year Journey

by China Galland

Release Date: September, 1991

Edition: Paperback

Price:

More Info

Mothering Understanding

Longing For Darkness is a beautiful, thoughtful pilgrimage to and communion with the dark, feminine facets of that which is divine. Within the pages of her book, China Galland bravely explores the depths of forgiveness, faith, devotion, loss, love and longing; a journey spanning the globe and the soul.

Kaffeeklatsch with a curious housewife

After following Oprah's Book Club, I came to the sad conclusion that my gender "woman" cannot write. Period! Oprah's book club is a booster for the book printing industry now drowning in an avalanche of incompetent female writers, a disaster for the American culture. She promotes female writers who, due to the lack of brilliance, cannot write themselves safely out of a telephone booth. Though warned, I purchased the above book because the subject of this book has stirred my interest greatly, noticing an ocean of burning candles always at the altar of the black Madonna in the Theatiner cathedral of Munich. I learned that she is a replica of the famous Loreto Madonna of Italy. There are many more black madonnas throughout Europe than encountered in China Galland's path. In kaffeeklatsch style she narrates her trips to other continents in pursuit of the black Madonna and fails her attempt to fit the peaces of her puzzle together to a coherent picture. In her travels she visits Auschwitz-Birkenau and makes politically correct statements which are historically incorrect: "Hitler was popularly elected". Hitler was appointed chancellor by President Hindenburg in 1933. What does this have to do with Longing for Darkness? The author is safest when she quotes (copies) men who have done research on her subject, the origin of the black Madonna throughout history. And only when quoting others does her book gain some merit. I give her a star for being industrious; however, skip this book! I highly recommend for readers interested in this subject "The Cult of the Black Virgin" by Ean Begg.