A Mountain in the Wind: An Exploration of the Spirituality of John Denver

Who among us has not been touched in some way by the voice and words of at least one of John Denver's beautiful songs? John 's legacey to the world was his care and concern for the environment and the people who dwell here. His Rocky Mountain High's came from the heart and each recording he made was filled with love and passion for the universe that came from deep within his soul. Each time I hear his voice, I am reminded of his simple, easy-going manner as gentle as the wings of a butterfly, his incredible gift as an artist and his ability to evoke emotion in the listener."A Mountain in the Wind" is indeed how John lived his life and this wonderful book is filled with his love for humanity, his respect for nature, his own personal inner strength and his spiritual beliefs. His sudden, tragic death moved people around the world. Wherever John may be today, I hope he truly does have, "Sunshine on his Shoulder" and the peace and contentment he believed in. For fans of Denver, this is a five star book and highly recommended reading.

Christine Smith's book "A Mountain In The Wind" Is a mirror of John's ideals. For those who love and miss John and his work, this book will be not just a five star book, but a galaxy of stars. This book touched me as I thought only John's music could. The focus in this book is very positive. Christine often mentions the spirit and thoughts behind many of the verses in John's songs. Who he is talking about and what his words ment to him. The people who he admired and was inspired by. When reading this book, I reread many of the pages several times. The messages are so profound that I wanted to affirm them in my mind. It also made me realize that John is still alive in his music and the lessons he gave to us.

Book review by Rob A. Clark of: A MOUNTAIN IN THE WIND BY CHRISTINE SMITH When I first learned Christine Smith was writing "A mountain in the Wind" I knew it was going to be a simple choice on my part to order it. One to support a special human being who I have been honoured to meet via the Internet, and also of course, like many of us, that anything new about John is a must for my collection. However, friends, as you will find out for your self when you sit down and read (with a John Denver CD or tape playing in background!) this is MORE than a book. The words make all kind of images in your head and some will for certain bring a tear to the eye. For example, the story of a 9 year little girl called Jessica Smith takes up over 7 pages of the book but is so moving it took me personally three attempts to read it from beginning to end. Also what comes over time after time after time in the book is the message that John Denver's work did not end that tragic day in October 1997 it is on going and you get the feeling within again while reading that "YES - I can make a difference!" After getting over their initial shock and grief of John Denver's death, thousands of people from the US, UK, Europe, Australia and others worldwide have come together (many never meeting apart from the Internet, mail and phone) with the sole purpose of carrying on his legacy. Christine Smith is one such person. She has dedicated her life to continuing John Denver's legacy of music, as well as environmental and humanitarian work. Christine lives in a cabin high in the Colorado Rocky Mountains; "coming home to a place" she'd never been before from North Carolina 15 years ago. She considers her living in the wilderness essential to 'keeping her feet on the ground' in the midst of the stress which comes with trying to make a difference in the world. As many in FOJD are aware, she is President of the charity Dreams of Freedom and host of the annual John Denver Celebration held in Colorado each October. And now her most recent contribution to ensuring John Denver's legacy is her book: "A Mountain in the Wind--An Exploration of the Spirituality of John Denver." The book is receiving worldwide acclaim with other reviews calling it "brilliant," "wonderful," and "inspirational." Within the book their is a part where Christine shares some of the thousands of letters she has received from all across the world from people sharing wonderful stories of how John's music had blessed their lives...sometimes miraculously. Several of those letters came from UK residents, and several FOJD members are acknowledged in the credits such as Tess Farrington, Christine Moon, and myself, Rob Clark. It is truly a book of truth about John from which you will learn much and will treasure. Of course it goes without saying the book is a must have for John Denver fans, but it is also aimed at peace activists, environmentalists, social justice activists and all who seek to raise their consciousness. I think a

Christine Smith's book "A Mountain in the Wind - An Exploration of the Spirituality of John Denver" is a sensitive, comprehensive, intuitive and inspiring book delving deep into John's soul and spirituality. Her extensive research and keen insight of John's relationship to the universe and his place in it, how he evolved as a spiritual being, who his mentors were, and how he learned his belief in miracles and of hope are all written with utmost affection and in pure honesty by the author.Throughout the book, Christine often refers to lyrics in John's songs to further witness his spirituality and to provide more indepth analysis of his message. She has also included 8 pages of color photos of John and ends the book with a series of moving essays comprising a beautiful memorial to John by the author herself.I truly believe you have to be a spiritual person to fully appreciate John Denver - his music, his message - the man himself. So kudos to Christine for enlightening us about the inner John plus also for portraying a powerful blueprint for us to transform our own lives through spiritual discovery and growth.Since I do not want to give the whole book away, I'll simply say you have to read it! Thank you, Christine, for your time and effort in writing "A Mountain in the Wind"! I know it was a labor of love for you. And thank you, John, for being her inspiration for the book. It's a treasure! Peace. Carole