3 comments about An Easy Burden: The Civil Movement and the Transformation of America.

1. Heard AN EASY BURDEN, written and read by Andrew Young--an
   early adviser and colleague of Martin Luther King who went
   to become the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,
   among other things.
   
   The book provides a stirring account of the civil rights movement,
   starting in the 1950s . . . it got me thinking about the role not only
   played by both King and Young, but by many other leaders of the
   time . . . in addition, it gave me a different perspective on how hard
   this must have been; i.e., to fight for change without being violent.
   
   The author is quite candid in his views . . . just has been the case
   throughout his life, he is not afraid to mince words (or opinions)
   and while some may disagree with what he says or the way he says
   it, you will gain an increasing respect for the man if you read AN
   EASY BURDEN.
   
   I especially enjoyed the ending:
   Everything I know now convinces me that the struggle to eliminate
   racism, war and poverty is a burden, but in America, with all the
   freedom and opportunity afforded us under our constitution--in the
   most productive society in human history--it is an easy burden if
   we undertake it together.



2. An Uneasy Burden is a wonderful read. One major reason is that this autobiography is not about self praise or telling a one dimensional story. I usually do not care for most autobiographies. Young is very honest and candid, often critical of himself and some events or occurences within the Civil Rights Movement.
   
   I really liked the spiritual themes that were so present within this book, "My Yoke is easy and my burden is light," and "For unto whomsoever much is given of them much will be required." If you are searching for purpose and growth within your life I highly reccomend this account from Young. This book made me think long and hard about what direction and what I can do for others who are in need or are hurting.
   
   One of the most interesting things is Young's dramatic account of the march in St. Augustine and Selma. I do not agree with all of Young's politics but I have really found him to be an inspirational and genuine person. Andrew Young was a man searching for purpose, and he found purpose in life. He has a lot of spiritual insight and delivers it in an authentic narrative.



3. Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta and official in the Carter White House, details his time as an assistant to Martin Luther King Jr. in this work. After some semi-interesting biographical background, we get a good view of the inside of the civil rights movement. Young shows all the conflicts within the movement and the spiritual values that kept it going in face of adversity. A very fine work on the topic for those of us who were not alive during the movement and also showing how hard it truly was on those involved. It truly made me realize how difficult it is to stand up peacefully when met with violence and oppression - numerous times I thought how poorly I would have reacted to such violence. For those who call King soft, nonintellectual, conformist, attention-seeking or weak, this book should dispel those myths.

5 comments about The MESSENGERS CASSETTE: A True Story of Angelic Presence and the Return to the Age of Miracles.

1. Angels really do exist, but I probably never would have read this book had it not been for the fact that I too began to "notice" some oddly recurring numerical sequences about a year ago and then experienced various Angelic "occurrences" which are continuing to this very day!
   
   Then, some of my friends began to report some very "interesting" things. Being a professional reporter and editor for many years - Hearst, CBS and NBC affiliates, numerous other papers - and a College-Bowl (like "Jeopardy") All-Star player, and having some truly remarkable friends around the world, it did not take me long through research and personal contacts to find out that Angels were involved; and that's what led me to "The Messengers" which is the true story of a multi-millionaire Jewish businessman in Portland, Oregon named Nick Bunick who not only begins to "notice" the "Divine Numbers" but also has high-level business associates who also "notice" them and soon begin to encounter Angels.
   
   Yea, it was just like my deal, except Bunick and associates experienced a few things that, so far, have been even wilder than my own experiences. Wow!
   
   Among other things, Bunick, it turns out, also has been told by several psychics over the years, friends of friends, that he "walked with the Master Jesus" in a previous life. Well, old Nick, a tough but open-minded man, finally is "prompted" to visit another friend's past-life therapist just to see what happens. Remember, Bunick is a real-life, top-notch businessman who also is Jewish. He doesn't need money, he really doesn't want the publicity, and why would a modern-day Jewish entrepreneur want to stick his neck out for Jesus? What he does want are some answers to some very nagging questions. Something money can't always buy, so why not give hypnosis a try?
   
   Enter Julia Ingram who, over many sessions, finds that Nick Bunick not only walked with Jesus but was none other than Saul of Tarsus who later became known as "The Apostle Paul."
   
   Interestingly enough, I also have read "Sleeping Prophet" Edgar Cayce's "Story of Jesus" which was written long before "The Messengers," and information about Mary, Joseph, Jesus, Paul, and the Apostle Lucius provided by Cayce fully supports information about the same that is found in "The Messengers." The latter book, however, sheds a lot more positive light on Saul "Paul" and provides additional details about Jeshua "Jesus" and his ministry, contemporaries, and followers.
   
   I believe Nick Bunick deserves a lot of credit for having the curiosity, persistence, and courage to see this book through to completion; and I also applaud Julia Ingram, G. W. Hardin, and all the others who were part of the amazing story and/or contributed to the volume's success.
   
   To appreciate this book, one only must have some faith and an open mind, but it helps to be knowledgeable about Christianity and metaphysics (or at least the concept of reincarnation); and it really, really helps if the Angels start "prompting" you. Smile.



2. I admire the author of this book as I have been in her presence
   at a Women's retreat and am inspired by her and her book.



3. This is a book that I have owned for many years and I found that all the information written about remains a wonderful research book in understanding why we are all here.



4. Makes you aware of what's going on around you. There really are angels near to help and guide us - we only need to stop and listen.



5. a true revelation. g.w.hardin can certainly be classified as one of our chosen light workers on earth. this book certainly renews our faith in the angels. it was so captivating i couldn't put it down. thanks for the messages.

5 comments about The American Dream.

1. Broadcast journalist Dan Rather collected inspirational stories from a cross-section of Americans who expressed their feelings about transforming dreams into reality. Themes include freedom, enterprise, pursuit of happiness, family, celebrity, education, innovation, and service. The recurring theme throughout the book is that America uniquely provides opportunities for one to not only dare to dream but also to actively pursue those dreams. That our visions can come true if we believe in ourselves, accept help when it is offered and work hard.



2. The American dream was the idea which guided us through the early days of the republic. We were the first nation to be founded on an ideal, "toward a more perfect union, the establishment of justice." This dream provides the best common ground on which to build the American future. Dwight Eisenhower felt that "freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed -- else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die."
   
   Unless a people are educated an enlightened, it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty or the capacity for self-government. The MacArthur Fellowship allows normal intelligent Americans to find their dream. It is a no-strings award given to an individual for being a committed and active student. You can't apply for this fellowship' you don't even know if you are under consideration. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation hires one hundred authorities from a variety of field each year to nominate potential fellows. They serve anonymously and diligently. It's designed to be a bolt from the blue, a reward for work done and an incentive to keep going. "Professional scientists feel threatened by these up-an-coming geniuses; Ph.D. is woven into the very fabric of their sense of self-worth." My son worked hard for his Merit Scholarship to attend the University of Chicago where he earned his PhD in Astronomy. But, let me tell you, just getting that degree after ten hard years of work and study does not guarantee success. He's had his highs and lows with NASA, but in a way he has achieved part of his American Dream.
   
   Dan Rather, my favorite news anchor, is from Texas (and proud of it). Previously, he has written DEADLINES & DATELINES, THE CAMERA NEVER BLINKS, and THE PALACE GUARD. Some years ago, he was mugged on the streets of New York City, but it didn't faze him. He continued to live his American Dream to enhance his fans' lives and perform his reporting duties with honor and truth.



3. First off, I love Dan Rather. He's a wonderful, passionate man whom I love to watch on the news. The problem is, he's not a writer. Not a very good one at least. This book is a noble attempt, but there is just so much that's wrong with it.
   
   For one thing, there is just some bad writing in it. It has a lot of errors in fact and a lot of typos. Among others, he writes that Texas A&M University (rather than Texas Tech) is in Lubbock, and he says that Ryne Sandberg in in the Baseball Hall of Fame (he just should be soon). There is also bad grammar (this is beyond the Texas colloquialisms in the book which I think are fine-I'm a Texan myself). These are fairly small problems, but they are oftly annoying, and they are not good signs in a book written by a journalist who's supposed to report facts. Furthermore, he just has few narrative talents, at least not those required for a book. He tells the stories as a journalist on Headline News would--concise, to the point, and without much flavor. They're just there; the reader is rarely drawn in.
   
   The most glaring flaw, though, is that there are a lot of flaws in logic in the book. For instance, one of the stories is about a ten-year-old boy who realizes that many of the underpriveleged at his school cannot afford school supplies, so he works together an organization that collects and disperses those needed supplies. This is all obviously a good thing. But then, Rather relates a joke told by the boy's mother who said she needed to haul the school supplies around so she "traded in [her] Lexus for a Durango, and now [she's] getting a Yukon because the Durango isn't big enough." My problem is the huge contrast here. On one hand, there are all of these kids lacking necessities and the heroes who are helping them are laughing about purchasing one expensive SUV after another for themselves. How is this inequality emblematic of the American Dream? How does this book manage to lament the rising poverty rates and terrible living conditions and still manage to promote excessive materialism? There are some people in the book who are praised for having overcome hardship to make millions (some of them stepping on other people's heads to do so) and others who are praised for having given up millions to help those in need. Frankly, these two "ideals" don't go together. Nevertheless, these people, according to Rather, have all attained the American dream. There are a lot of contradicting ideas expressed in these stories. Furthermore, I don't really think Rather has a great concept of what the American dream is. When Sister Sylvia Schmidt founds a homeless shelter in Tulsa, OK, I don't think she is following the American Dream. I think she's following dreams that go far beyond the American Dream, and I think she's rejecting the prevalent, primarily materialistic, concept of the American Dream of today's society.
   
   I'm giving the book two stars because I like Dan Rather, and because some of the stories were rather inspiring. Neverthess, it's not a good book. I will continue to watch Dan Rather on tv, but I'm quite sure I won't read a book by him again.



4. This was a very inspirational book. It brings to life the work of dozens of heroes...people who love America. There is SO MUCH greatness in the country. It is time we concentrate on that instead of dwelling on the negative stories. Don't tell Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, but Dan Rather will go down in history as one of the great broadcast journalists of all time. He walks the walk and talks the talk.

   I never understood why some people hate Dan Rather so much. What a great book!!

   Jeffrey McAndrew
   broadcast journalist and author of "Our Brown-Eyed Boy"




5. Clearly, an inspirational book - well written, cogently presented - all in true-to-form Dan Rather style. Whilst telling us about many "American Success" stories, Rather seems to suggest that the right idea at the right time, combined with hard work, stamina, and perhaps a little bit of luck will ultimately get you there - to riches (material and otherwise). Sadly, it's also part of the American Dream that the rate of failure is much higher than one expects, and occasionally, the reason for failure is also rooted in the "American Dream".

   Nevertheless, it's good to know that the Dream continues - a refreshing reminder amongst often too much bad news.

   A good read - but don't get too carried away.

4 comments about Now.

1. Lauren Betty Bacall writes a very interesting memior about life and love in Hollywood. She doen't merely name drop. In fact she focuses on her life and the people that revolved into it. She met quite a few interesting people, but doesn't seem to use that to make her book more exciting. It was very interesting to read how the relationship with Bogie happened and how she struggled through the relationship with Jason robards. The book was enlightening as to how a real person in a time of great stress deals with loss and the breakup of relationships. It is a must for true biography readers.



2. Bacall, Lauren.
   Now
   New York: Alfred A. Knopf
   214 pp., $23.00. ISBN 0-394-57412-5
   Publication Date September 1994
   
   Lauren Bacall, is a screen legend, has been a star of movies, television, and theater for over sixty years and her book tells the story of how she feels about her work, her children,
   her homes, her acting, her friends, and more.
   
   The introduction of the book gives a glimpse into what her life was like between the ages of forty and sixty, how she has lived her life and the impact people she has met have had on her life. She views life at 70 as a survivor and considered herself lucky to still be acting at all.
   
   Ms. Bacall does not know what she would do with herself if she did not work. She views working as a reason to get up out of bed, if your working you can pay the bills. The most important thing is that when you work in a movie, on television, or on stage you'll always be doing something you love to do.
   
   She is grateful for being close to her daughter Leslie Bogart. She is more in love with her grandchildren from her sons Steve Bogart and Sam Robards then she ever thought possible.
   
   She has realized late in life that she needs her children which surprises her. She examines all the fears that she went through in getting a country house in Amagansett. Once she had it then she spent years continually making as many changes to it as
   possible. In the end when she sold it she realized she had spent more time living in other places than this house.
   
   She recognizes that the older she gets the more difficult it is for her to be able to still get great roles, she realizes that work is much harder physically. She is human and points out body parts that have changed and is really comfortable with this.
   
   She comes to terms with her own mortality and how hard it is to still be alive when so many of her friends are now gone. Her life has come full circle, her daughter Leslie got married.
   Her son Steve is married with 3 wonderful kids. Her son Sam's marriage ended, but she knows he will find someone else.
   
   In the end she is still alone and she is reconciled to the fact that she no longer wants that for herself anymore. She is always the eternal optimist and thinks that maybe there is someone out there for her. She is a strong woman who has done it her way and not followed all the rules of Hollywood.
   
   She still considers Humphrey Bogart to have been the love of her life and will never get over his death.
   Rachel D. Dvorkin
   Elgin, Illinois



3. Read Bacall's "By Myself" before this - she writes as if she assumes that you have. She actually rehashes a lot of what she wrote in that book: her work on Broadway, people in her life, etc. I didn't necessarily mind that - I read this one directly after the other so it complemented it. I would've found it very slight by itself, though. In this one she also talks about putting together her dream home and finding it lacking, and about her grown kids and their lives, some other topics too.



4. "Now" isn't as fulfilling as was "By Myself" but is still a good short read for anyone interested in Lauren Bacall. The book covers the 15 years after her first publication "By Myself." If you're new to Lauren I would suggest reading "By Myself" first and if you would like to see a more personal side of the actress give this book a try.

No comments about Yami: The Autobiography.

No comments about Six Lessons for Six Sons: An Extraordinary Father, a Simple Formula for Success.

1 comments about Diana, Princess of Wales: Queen of Hearts, An Audio Tribute. Her Life. Her Thoughts. Her words ..........

1. So unique!!! Not overly narrated, this four-sided "anthology" is a collection of speeches, stories, ceremonies and sermons spoken by Diana, her family and acquaintences; beginning with her birth and ending with her death. Besides Diana, herself, we hear from the Queen as a young woman and present-day; also, President and Mrs. Clinton, Nelson Mandella, Mother Theresa, and many others. We also hear a story from Diana's second cousin, which is humorous and interesting, but I didn't entirely understand why it was included--thus the four stars, instead of five. This collection is absolutely enjoyable to listen to over and over again and leaves the listener wanting to hear more!

5 comments about The Most Beautiful Woman in the World: Obsessions, Passions, and Courage of Elizabeth Taylor, The.

1. This bio is mostly interesting and included some things I didn't know before. However, I found a glaring mistake that makes me dubious about the rest of the book. The author says Earl Holliman played one of the sons in the movie Giant. This is not so. Earl Holliman played the eldest Benedict girl's husband. This irritates me no end and makes me wonder if the book is well-enough researched.



2. I found the book very enchanting and interesting. I was unable to put it down. I have always been a huge fan of Elizabeth Taylor, she was mesmerizingly beautiful in her prime of life. I would not quote that she is the World's most beautiful woman because that title also belongs to:
   
   1. Model Beau-Latasha (being the most beautiful of all time)
   2. Model Cindy Crawford
   3. Actress Raquel Welch
   4. Actress Aishwarya Rai
   5. Actress Sophia Loren
   6. Sportcaster Jayne Kennedy
   7. Singer Lena Horne
   8. Singer Vanity
   9. Model Gia Carangi
   10. Actress Angelina Jolie



3. One sentence came to mind as I closed Ellis Amburn's biography of Elizabeth Taylor: "Why didn't Liz sue?" Amburn puts new meaning into "bad taste" with his biography, which revels unashamedly in gory details, sex secrets and every diva moment that Taylor ever had. It's embarrassing just to read.
   
   Taylor's childhood is treated with more or less indifference -- it's her teen years that begin to spark Amburn's interest. She studies the relationships she had with men from adolescence onward, particularly the asexual ones that she had with attractive heterosexual men, and the "a-loving" ones that she had with gay ones.
   
   That tendency, Amburn argues, took her through several unhappy marriages and plenty of explosive relationships, including ones that shattered assorted marriages. In the midst of all this, she also weathered health crises and worldwide censure with plenty of guts, becoming a sort of grande dame of the filmmaking business.
   
   Love her or hate her, Elizabeth Taylor is a larger-than-life figure, and there's plenty in her life to fuel a biography. Many biographers have managed to describe her lifetime with grace and taste, despite her sailor's mouth and tumultuous love life. She doesn't have to be portrayed as squeaky clean, just human.
   
   Unfortunately, Amburn usually chooses to focus on the more grotesque aspects of Taylor's life. She delves into the sex lives (complete with sometimes disgusting details) of everyone who had been involved with Taylor, especially the gay men. Which, by the way, make up a lot of the book -- Amburn attaches the "gay" tag to quite a few men, the only way that she manages to pay any attention to them. That particular preoccupation hangs over the entire book like a stormcloud. Don't the heterosexual men in Taylor's life deserve equal scrutiny?
   
   Taste is nowhere to be found here -- Amburn has an almost obsessive interest in Taylor's breasts, and the sexual and penile details of her husbands, lovers and pals. What these things add to the history, she doesn't bother to say. The sledgehammer writing is that of a tabloid reporter, but without the restraints of an editor, Amburn appears to have gone wild.
   
   Taylor herself comes across as a blowsy diva, without a single redeeming characteristic except her acting skills. Amburn, don't bother writing a biography if you don't have any liking or respect for your subject. Not that she's alone; her husbands are all portrayed as walking disasters of alcoholism, gambling and physical abuse, and her kids are nonentities. The only person Amburn seems to have any liking for is Taylor's costar and friend Montgomery Clift, who is shown as a suffering saint.
   
   Ellis Amburn's "Elizabeth Taylor" is practically a how-to guide on how NOT to write a biography. Don't even bother, except for a laugh.



4. This book is the tabloid version of an Elizabeth Taylor biography, reading like stiched-together daily exposes in such a newspaper. It displays in endless detail the sexual orientation of virtually everyone she ever spent time with, any arguments she ever had where someone else was present, and any unladylike things she may have said or done. Her movie work is discussed in terms of how it related to her marital relationships and financial problems. Occasionally, the book also criticizes her for having a healthy sexual appetite.

   Normally, biographers either like the person they write about or want to create a more accurate account of the person. Mr. Amburn did not seem to fall into either of these categories. His objective seems to be to portray some of the other people in Ms. Taylor's life more sympathetically.

   The book's main thesis is that Ms. Taylor has had loving relationships in her adult life with people who are gay or bisexual and unloving ones with everyone else. This connection is also made to Ms. Taylor's relationship with her father, despite the fact that she did not have a good relationship with him. But the book doesn't get beyond that into much of the motivation. Many men were attracted to Ms. Taylor like moths to the flame, and this attraction did nothing to bring out their better qualities. She seems to have lived in a world where her physical attractiveness made her a target for fans, men, and exploiters of all sorts. Little is made of the potential to see her as victim of peoples' perceptions of someone who is physically attractive. She also doesn't seem to get enough credit for generally being an open-minded person, which may explain her lack of sexual-orientation prejudice.

   According to press reports and this book, Ms. Taylor has had more than her share of illness, injury, and physical and emotional pain. Yet she has led a generally productive artistic life, and has played an increasingly important role in bringing sympathy and support to the cause of overcoming AIDS. It would have been natural to have focused on these positive reflections of her underlying character, and the difficulties involved in overcoming ceaseless, searing pain addiction. No one is going to be perfect under such circumstances. Yet the book wallows in her use of drugs and drinking to soften the pain, in endless tales that add little to the biography.

   Naturally, Ms. Taylor is famous in part for her marital difficulties. Those should have been in the book, but they became too much of the book to be rewarding to the reader.

   As someone who was a working actress for most of her life, another aspect of the book you might expect would be extended dicussions of her work. You will find relatively little of that. It is as though the author thinks that her work is of virtually no importance. I certainly was moved by her performances in National Velvet, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Giant, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I liked her performances in many other movies. I would have liked to have read much more about her work in these roles where she was more successful.

   The best part of this book is the beautiful color photograph of Ms. Taylor on the cover.

   If you are wondering why I did not give the book a one star review, it is because the photographs are good and the writing style is perfectly adequate. The three star downgrade is for misfocus, exploitation, and a hidden agenda.

   After you finish looking at Ms. Taylor's cover photograph, consider what you would like to know more about public figures. Then when you are thinking about reading a biography about that person, check to see if the biography focuses on the areas you care about before reading them. That will save you a lot of time.

   Also, ask yourself how we should consider someone's life. To what extent should we consider good deeds? Bad deeds? Repentance? Motives? Physical appearance? Obstacles to progress? Ms. Taylor's life raises these issues rather nicely.

   By the way, if you find a biography of Ms. Taylor that you like, please do write to me. I'd like to read it.




5. As another reviewer said, I have read most ot the biographies written about Elizabeth Taylor, and I am usually disappointed! They seem to never capture the woman; the authors tend to rehash old news clippings, or scandal sheet gossip.In doing this, the authors never do this woman justice. Not only is Elizabeth an icon of our time, but she has become one of countries greatest AIDS activists.This in itself took tremendous courage! There is more to this woman than celluloid, and ex-husbands. Face it, she's one great dame! I wish to some day read a biography of her that truly celebrates the woman that is Elizabeth Taylor!

1 comments about Nathaniel's Nutmeg.

1. I loved this book, it was very readable and it covered an area of history which I personally found really interesting.
   
   The title is misleading as the story is not centrally based around Nathaniel. This is more a collection of tales from European age of discovery. These tales are fascinating often hilarious and Milton does not spare us the true picture of the cruelity and barbarity of the time.

5 comments about The Northern Lights: The True Story of the Man Who Unlocked the Secrets of the Aurora Borealis.

1. The Northern Lights is a roller coaster ride through the extraordinary life of Kristian Birkeland. Influenced by the great minds of his time, this story recounts the struggles that he endured as an under-appreciated Norwegian scientist. His traveling from the snow-topped mountain of Haldde to the hot dessert of Egypt, is intermixed with a slew of brilliant discoveries showing the true benefit of dedication. This perseverance leads him to make exciting inventions that keep his life exciting because of the treachery and deceit that follow his success. This novel clears the name of this famous scientist in hopes that the world will never again forget the consequences of scientific prejudices.



2. This tale of Kristian Birkeland and his aurora quest was simply enthralling. His will-power alone was awesome, fighting against the wind and his enemies to find the truth behind the beautiful northern lights.
   
   Who knew how dangerous the winds would be? Who would not suffer along with him in our imaginations as he and his assistants took shelter from the cold?
   
   I found his courage and strong focus truly amazing and inspiring. It makes my life puny by comparison.
   
   Larry Rochelle, author of GHOSTLY EMBERS: VISIONS OF TOLEDO.



3. As reviewer Carter points out, this book is a biography of Kristian Birkeland, not a scientific treatise on the Northern Lights. And as reviewer Hoge points out, the writing style is more mainstream pop than dry academia. Personally, I found it quite readable. I'm not doing serious research on the subject, so I was fine with being entertained while I learned a little more about how the scientific community worked at the dawn of the 20th century. The primary criticism I have is that Jago was rather biased in favor her subject-- maybe justifiably so, but her flag waving was a little too blatant for me at times... Also, she stretched her material a bit, probably could have been a shorter book. Still, if you enjoyed books like Sobel's "Longitude" or Larson's "Devil in the White City," you'll probably enjoy "Northern Lights."



4. This book is a very intriguing biography of one of the great minds of the early twentieth century. It tells the story of Norwegian scientist Kristian Birkeland and his obsession with the aurora borealis. The book starts off with his first expedition in Lappland, observing the Northern Lights from a mountaintop observatory over a winter season. Jago then takes us through the results of the expedition, and Birkeland's dreams for further research, and his inventive projects for funding his research. She follows Birkland through the rest of his life, including his role in starting Norskhydro, his trip to Egypt, and his death in Japan. What struck me about Birkeland's genius was how he turned design failures or accidents into new discoveries and further inventions- -how a high-voltage switch became a magnetic cannon, and how a magnetic cannon was transformed into a fertilizer furnace. Jago's descriptions of Birkeland's expeditions carry the details that are usually only found in travel narratives.

   The narration by Michael Cumpsty is quite clear throughout, and I was especially impressed by his ease with pronouncing the Danish, Egyptian, and Japanese names. One of the challenges of listening to a book of this type is following the scientific explanations orally. Although I got a basic idea of Birkeland's theories, I think reading them on paper instead of listening to them on tape would have been a little easier. I also missed the footnotes and biography that must have surely been available in the print version. Nevertheless, the tape was quite enjoyable and very informative.




5. Dear Lucy Jago,
   I really enjoyed this book! I read the complete title so I knew it was about the MAN who unlocked the secrets of the Aurora Borealis... not about the "powerful and mystical Northern Lights". What an amazing man he must have been. Thanks for showing us his human side, strengths and weaknesses. I'm still left wondering what else he might have been able to accomplish if he had lived longer (and had a more healthy life style!)
   I thought this book had a good balance between the technical aspects and storytelling. I didn't want a physics book about Aurora, if I did, then I would have gotten one. I wanted a history of science book, I wanted to know the "story", I wanted to meet the people, I wanted to know the community reaction at the time. I got all that and more.
   Thanks for your fine work, I had an enjoyable few hours reading it.