5 comments about The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

1. I was so inspired by the premise, and I wondered what beautiful prose a man "locked in" would produce. Unfortunately, I found it average. The most inspirational part of the book was his willpower to write it, in his condition. It is also valuable to note how much he could think under the circumstances.
   His situation however, was not unique, though his case was more extreme than most.
   His life was not particularly inspirational - he seemed to live for fine cars and fine food and travel. A nice book, but probably more meaningful to his family and friends than the population at large.
   Look elsewhere for inspiration.



2. This is in review of the english translation by Jeremy Leggatt.
   
   This is a difficult book to review. On the one hand, the chapter in the life of Jean-Do Bauby that this autobiographical piece captures is one which no decent person would wish on another human-being. Let alone imagine themselves having to live out. In this regard, this is a hero story of epic proportions.
   
   But as an author, and as the protagonist of the stories he chose to share, the Jean Bauby of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is something else entirely.
   
   I began the book with infinite amounts of sympathy for the man and his plight. By the end of the book I felt I had just finished reading some of the lower-rated sections of the Michelin Travel Guide.
   
   And this is the troubling part - is a person who reads this book and is left feeling less-than-inspired heartless and unfeeling? Or is the rave reviews of the book more because of the feat and life lived to create it and less because of the book itself?
   
   In the end I was left with the impression that the Jean Bauby as presented in the book was a difficult man to sympathize with. I am not a fan of the Randian hero, so perhaps this flavors my feelings, but I came to feel that the diving bell was no new feature in his life. It just affected his ability to connect and relate to others before it came to afflict his entire body.
   
   Ultimately, as a book, it was disappointing. And as a window into his diving bell, I can only hope or assume that there was more to the man than came through.
   
   For those who knew him, I'm sure it was a gift. But for the rest of us, I think that the emperor is naked.



3. Its one of the few times that the movie adds to the book, both should be experienced and are inspirational



4. The word "unique" is probably overused, but here it applies. This book was written by a stroke victim who was paralized except for one eye-lid. He laboriously wrote the book with the help of a therapist who kept reading the alphabet and the author would blink his eye when she came to the right letter. In this way, he is probably the only completely paralized stroke victim who could transmit his feelings and memories. Since his brain and senses functioned perfectly, he was able to do this. If you think that this is a depressing book, you are wrong - it is really uplifting. The movie made from this book is also very much worth seeing.



5. I thought this was a wonderful quick read. I saw the movie and couldn't wait to read the book. How amazing that in all his struggles he was able to write this book. It shows you that even without body function the amazing strength of his will can go on.

5 comments about Think LIke A Champion: Building Success One Victory at a Time.

1. Mike Shanahan shows how people can learn from mistakes, be flexible, and organize a team (business or sports).
   Much can be learned from this book and help one form good habits for success.



2. I have heard this advice before: If you want to be successful
   at something, find the most successful person you can in that area, listen to what they say, and try to follow it. Well, its hard to imagine a football coach more sucessful than Mike Shanahan. Here's a guy who started with a dream: to be a head football coach, started as an unpaid volunteer for a college team, and worked his way to be one of the best, most respected, coaches in the NFL (winning 2 consecutive Superbowls) at a young age.

   The great thing is, he has written a book that is designed to help people win beyond football, in any area of life. Shanahan breaks it down for you: the way he prepares, some struggles he's had, some ways he motivates people (including the little things that we learn are so critical), very good wisdom concerning life, and a lot more. Also very critical is the fact that this book is very easy to read and understand.

   You even get a bonus section in each chapter written by some of the greatest people and minds in football: Paul Tagliabue, Jerry Rice, Bill Walsh, John Elway, Deion Sanders, Steve Young, George Seifert, Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Al Michaels, and more. They give their own take on the subject being discussed in the chapter, which is not only informative, but like the book itself, filled with wisdom.

   The chapters consist of 16 basic areas to focus on to become successful, things like: Preparing (all of life is preparation, and not preparing is preparing to fail), Sacrificing (don't expect to get anything good done without sacrifice, if it was easy, everyone would do it), Learning (without learning, you will be hopelessly stuck where you are), Detailing (the devil is definitely in the details and that's where things often break down). This is just a taste of the wisdom in this book. Highly recommended for people looking to improve themselves.




3. A die-hard Broncos fan from the days dying watching those ridiculous striped socks and watching Fran Tripuka get killed, what a job Shanahan did turning it around into two Super Bowls in a row.

   Learning of his background and his principles makes me now not only a more avid Bronco fan, but also a Shanahan fan as well. His perseverance from the days of his kidney injury to how he became part of Sooner coaching staff till today is truly one of principles of success through hard work, not gifts or who you know or any of the other myths most people who never get anywhere fall for and are unmotivated. Most of them just don't ever want to work hard at anything, but have it handed to them. Shanahan disproves all that bunk and shows how it came to be. Unbelievable that when given the Raiders head-job, didn't even have the downpayment for a house.

   This guy is very endearing to so many of us who never had the backgrounds for those connections, but wanting something bad enough, and always believing it, achieve it one goal at a time.

   Great advice, especially appreciate his concern for balance.

   Excellent read. Thanks, Mike, from a new fan and admirer.




4. Straight-forward, crisply articulated and with practically no unnecessary fluff, Mike Shanahan's book, "Think Like a Champion," compellingly argues that the game of life is basically won or lost before the "players" take the field. Shanahan asserts his point of view over sixteen easy-to-digest chapters (each about ten pages or less) on the diffent tenets of becoming the best at what you do.

   What I liked about this book is that while the author culls specific examples from his football career, the "moral of the story" is clearly applicable to ANYONE seeking to become the best in any endeavor. Offering an excellent, enjoyable read to both sports enthusiasts and non enthusiasts alike, the author's writing style is to neither excessively arm-wave nor make unsupported generalizations.

   In fact, part of the Shanahan's credibility here is in his willingness to name names when providing examples of people living up to a credo espoused in a given chapter or more dramatically, falling short.

   Written with humility, Shanahan's book leaves the reader feeling that there is nothing magical to becoming a huge success -- other than having a plan and putting in the blood, sweat and tears required to make that plan a success. Or as the author concludes, citing legendary coach Vince Lombardi, "Your quality of life is in direct proportion to your commitment to excellence." So true.




5. Straight-forward, crisply articulated and with practically no unnecessary fluff, Mike Shanahan's book, "Think Like a Champion," compellingly argues that the game of life is basically won or lost before the "players" take the field. Shanahan asserts his point of view over sixteen easy-to-digest chapters (each about ten pages or less) on the diffent tenets of becoming the best at what you do.

   What I liked about this book is that while the author culls specific examples from his football career, the "moral of the story" is clearly applicable to ANYONE seeking to become the best in any endeavor. Offering an excellent, enjoyable read to both sports enthusiasts and non enthusiasts alike, the author's writing style is to neither excessively arm-wave nor make unsupported generalizations.

   In fact, part of the Shanahan's credibility here is in his willingness to name names when providing examples of people living up to a credo espoused in a given chapter or more dramatically, falling short.

   Written with humility, Shanahan's book leaves the reader feeling that there is nothing magical to becoming a huge success -- other than having a plan and putting in the blood, sweat and tears required to make that plan a success. Or as the author concludes, citing legendary coach Vince Lobardi, "Your quality of life is in direct proportion to your commitment to excellence." So true.

5 comments about Everyday Enlightenment: The Twelve Gateways to Personal Growth.

1. Worth buying and seeing his movie -- a great self-help book for any one of any age.



2. I needed this book like a nearly dead,confused,thirsty traveller wandering aimlessly through the parched desert needs water.
   Over the past 2 1/2 years I have read, referenced, and reread this book countless times. I also bought the book on tape and often listen (sometimes just a chapter) for an easy self-centering. Thing is- I'm the sort that rarely watches a movie twice and if I love a book I might read it again- in a couple years. I can't get enough of this timeless wisdom- truly a map to concious living.
   
   All I can say is this is the only "spiritual read" and "self help" book that I gravitate back to time and time again. It truly covers every pittfall and challenge to the human condition.
   
   Thank you Dan Millman- I'm so very gratefull for you!



3. This book takes you up the summit of our selves, step by step through well yet openly defined pathways that lead to some consciousness which is all you'll need to keep coming back to-awakening through reading is the ideal experience and why we should do so. Each chapter or gateway has several short to mid size sections that makes it great for commuting and chewing on nuggets of wisdom. This too I found through the library web catalog quite gratefully while this book includes the Peaceful Warrior workout that also makes it worth buying so we can learn and pratice enlightenment through all our day to day actions.



4. Dan Millman has placed the most practical guide I have seen for living the ins and outs of the real world. We can't go sit on a mountain or retreat to a lake hideaway to revive ourselves. This book tells you how to live the 8-5, rush hour traffic, life while maintaining yourself physically,mentally and emotionally. This is what everyday enlightenment looks like.



5. This guidebook by Dan Millman has useful and wise information for everyone. This book is not your typical trite self-help book that's been rehashed 1000 times.
   
   Dan Millman has done extensive training in meditative disciplines, mystical practices, and other endeavors in the search for enlightenment. While he found these practices to be highly inspirational and wise, he also realized that these practices didn't do any good if you couldn't perform your everyday tasks in an enlightened manner. Thus-Everyday Enlightenment.
   
   The book offers 12 practical and well thought-out-of areas or gateways to pass through for optimal growth as a person emotionally, physically and spiritually. Some of the gateways are: self-worth, money, health, emotions, taming the mind, trusting your intuition, sexuality, love, and serving others. As you apply the suggestions in each chapter you'll find yourself becoming more successful with that particular gateway. When you combine all the insights and wisdom you've learned from the gateways you can't help but live in a more satisfied way.
   
   Dan makes it clear that none of us are ever going to perfect these gateways. They serve as signs and guides to lead us on the path of continual improvement. After all, enlightenment is what you do in the moment. In other words, it's the moment-to-moment awareness and actions that we bring to the present that make us enlightened. No one is ever completely enlightened-they just act more enlightened than others in their day-to-day affairs.
   
   I found many of the anecdotes in the book to be inspirational. Especially inspirational was the chapter about serving others. There are many wonderful stories of people doing extraordinary acts of kindness to help others. If you don't find these moving you might want to get your pulse checked.
   
   The wonderful thing about this book is that Dan writes in a clear fashion that is highly accessible to anyone. He also offers practical examples that aren't just fancy esoteric abstractions. Another thing of importance is that the information in this book doesn't depend on your personal beliefs, sexuality, religion or anything similar. The information rises above factional differences to a unified place that works for all humanity. However, you have to have the effort and willpower to apply the lessons taught.
   
   What makes Dan's writing so impressive is that from these common bonds of enlightenment that apply to all of humanity he elaborates on them in a way that has personal meaning. He doesn't preach to people but accepts them as they are and shows them a path to take. He realizes that everyone's path is a little different but at the same time it's the same as well...The paradox of enlightenment. Read this book for yourself and start applying the techniques and lessons contained therein. This will open up a move vivid picture of reality that creates happiness, enlightenment, and awakening.

5 comments about All but My Life.

1. This book was gripping and I could not put it down until I finished it. It's so hard to believe the hardships so many endured for being Jewish. A must read. Beautifully written with rich detail.



2. I read this book a long time ago and just got done listening to the book on tape for the second time. It is the most powerful representation of the Holocaust I have found. Please read this book if you want to learn about the Holocaust from a gifted author and survivor.



3. Despite the horrors around her, and fellow prisoners dying and becoming mentally unbalanced every day, young Gerda Weissman managed to survive several Nazi camps from the late 1930s through the grisly end of World War II.
   
   Imagine being a teenager, wrenched away from your beloved parents, older brother and home -- and never seeing any of them ever again. It would be enough to make anyone unstable, not to mention bitter. Yet somehow, Gerda emerges from her horrifying ordeal stronger than she began. As her body heals in a hospital run by the Allies during the spring of 1945, Gerda begins a relationship with Kurt Klein -- a young soldier who urges her to tell her story.
   
   Now an elderly woman living in Arizona, Gerda Weissman Klein is able to see just how far she's come from the young Jewish girl living a priviledged life in Poland. Yet at the same time, her writing style allows readers to see clearly just how that same persona has managed to live such a rich, eventful life to the fullest all of these years.
   
   I've read many Holocaust memoirs, though I must say that Gerda's story is beautifully and distinctly told.



4. Every book that I've read on the holocaust contains descriptions of the horrors that man are capable of exerting on fellow man. Simultaneously, each one also differs in very interesting ways that make it unique. I appreciate Gerda Klein's simple writing, and how well she expresses her feelings and experiences.
   Books like "All But My Life" help keep the past (however dark) alive. I think that human beings have a lot to learn from such memoirs - politics, society, and human nature - it's all there. Highly recommended.



5. It's been several years since I last read 'All But My Life' but it's easily the best Holocaust survivor account I've ever read. This was on the curriculum of a class I took on the Holocaust but I was grateful they made me read it. You should be warned this becomes a very vivid, painful story, and I found it difficult in places to stop crying. It's a good illustration of why the Holocaust was so evil, and such a waste. Why did talented, loving people like this have to die? I have also read 'Night' by Elie Wiesel, which was excellent, but nothing I have read has affected me like 'All But My Life'.

5 comments about Wake Up, I'm Fat.

1. I love Camryn Mannheim and her book. I'd give this a 4.5 if I could, because since she wrote the book, she's lost quite a bit of weight and puts the reasoning for it on being a mother.
   
   I hated it when Carnie Wilson went from being a NAAFA member and spokesperson for loving yourself at any size to being obsessed with being thin. She's admitted to lying about why she had WLS and has made a snootful of money pimping it to others. She has been a major factor in the deaths of hundreds of (mostly) women who didn't make it after the surgery and her recommendation of it.
   
   And I am very saddened by Mannheim's abandonment of her principals of fat-acceptance and the people who have supported her and her book.
   
   Isn't there anyone out there who will stay committed to the cause and not cave in when someone runs some cash under their noses or threatens their career if they don't lose weight?
   
   Ack. Love the book. Disappointed in Mannheim today.



2. I just happened into a copy of the book when I had a little time to kill, then I could hardly put it down. I enjoyed the book and the many reviews that have been written here. I normally write reviews on obscure books where there are only a few, if any, reviews so this is different for me and I doubt if i have too much to add. Beyond the self acceptance theme that has been much reviewed (I have fat issues and support Camryn's views (mostly)), I liked the book on many other levels. Of course I liked the humor and human interest of growing up in America. The struggle for success story is good too. I especially liked the unconventional approach to the book itself. Frnakly, I did not much the Cammy--fat dialogs, but I liked many of the other, unusual things like asides and notes to herself and others throughout. There were other quirky approaches that I really liked too. I really like the book and recommend it highly.



3. Camryn Manheim is an sassy, award-winning actress and laugh-out-loud funny. This book is a personal account of her experiences of fat-ism and her journey to self-acceptance.
   
   Manheim is a natural storyteller and, being overweight myself, there was a lot here to relate to, but although I enjoyed the book, there were no groundbreaking revelations for me here ... though it does make a pretty strong case against society's obsession with being thin, this book is in no way a "self-help" book (to be fair, it doesn't claim to be) and it didn't help me to "make peace" with my fat. It did however make me laugh a lot and that's reason enough to encourage others to read it!
   
   Thank you Camryn, for speaking out for big women everywhere.



4. Camryn Manheim is a fat activist. Her experiences in a world where people are literally dying to be thin include getting in to the NYU Masters of Fine Arts program, gracing the cover of "fat" magazines such as Radiance and winning an Emmy for her performance on The Practice. She is a likeable, mature and attractive woman who has fought passionately for what she believes in. But does that make one a good author? In Manheim's case, it damn well does.
   
   "Wake up, I'm fat," is a hilarious, bittersweet page-turner. This socially critical memoir mainly deals with one individual's struggles on growing up in our superficial world. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, be it because of their race, religion or looks, will immediately be able to relate to the amiable narrator.
   
   Manheim manages to be honest about the ugly underbelly of today's beauty image and her struggles without sounding whiny. She uses dark humor and clever prose to describe how she got to where she is today.
   
   Subjects such as erotic weight gain or personal ads are also dealt with in this book. They may make the reader feel slightly squeamish at first, but ultimately they just make this book a more interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about "the underdog being on top" or who simply likes a good story told well.



5. After reading the past reviews, I wonder if I'm the only man who read this book. The first thing that caught my eyes, I'll be honest, was the cover picture. Camryn is a gorgeous woman with very nice legs. She is also a person of deep character, who has persevered and triumphed despite the prejudices of our shallow society. She relates her struggles in a moving way, but avoids the whining, "why is the world so unfair?" tone that unfortunately characterizes some similiar works. If you want a glimpse into the mind of a powerful, beautiful and intoxicatingly magnificent woman, then you will enjoy this book.

1 comments about Thurgood Marshall (2 Cassettes).

1. In the book 'Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice' Lisa Aldred acurately tells the story of lawyer/judge Thurgood Marshall and his struggle to fight racial inequality. This book is very detailed and helpful. It mentions interviews with Marshal, speeches he made, and comments his family made about him. Wonderful!

5 comments about People Of The Century: One Hundred Men And Women Who Shaped The Last One Hundred Years.

1. Lists such as these are always going to be subjective and hotly debated by people who disagree with them, but for the most part, I think this list was pretty solid. Along with a lot of the usual suspects, such as Sigmund Freud, FDR, Charlie Chaplin, Albert Einstein (who went on to be named as TIME's Person of the Century), Hitler, Dr. Martin Luther King, and Mao Zedong, there are numerous people who aren't always considered for lists such as these, such as Pete Rozelle, Harvey Milk, Juan Trippe, Willis Carrier, A.P. Giannini, Leo Burnett, and Bill W. I had actually never heard of a number of these people, but as the essays showed, they did some pretty important and influential things in spite of how their fame might be overshadowed by that of more obvious people of the past century.
   
   However, there were more than a few glaring omissions. I'm utterly floored that Stalin was left off of this list; how could anyone not consider him one of the most important people of the century? Or Elvis, Drs. Gregory Goodwin Pincus and John Rock (inventors of the birth control pill, easily one of the most important inventions of the century), Pope John XXIII, Pol Pot, Babe Ruth, Fidel Castro, Mussolini (another huge omission!), or John Logie Baird and Charles Jenkins (inventors of television)? As someone quite interested in antique televisions, I was extraordinarily disappointed that in neither the essays for David Sarnoff nor Philo Farnsworth were these men or their mechanical scanning-disc televisions, which were actually a lot more common in the late Twenties and early Thirties than most people have been led to believe, mentioned. Essays like these only perpetuate the myth that the history of television only begins in 1939 with the debut of electronic television. The essay on Louis B. Mayer also reported as fact that old urban legend about Clark Gable running someone over and then having it covered up by the studio while someone else went to jail in his place. Fortunately, most of the essays seemed to be free of such urban legends and incomplete history.
   
   The majority of the essays also seemed to be rather fair and balanced, addressing the shortcomings of the subject instead of just endlessly praising them as demigods. Only a couple were like the one for the Kennedys, seeming more empty and unspecific instead of in-depth and giving us real reasons why this person or group should be considered one of the greatest people of the century. I'm a fan of the Kennedys, and even I thought that one was rather shallow and vapid! On the opposite end of the spectrum, Peggy Noonan's essay on Ronald Reagan (possibly the book's longest by far) was obnoxiously sycophantic. Contrary to what some people think, the man was not some sort of demigod. Even though I'm on the completely opposite political page from him, I do have to agree he was one of the century's most important people. I just wish a more impartial person had been found to write the essay on him, addressing his negative aspects (such as creating the homeless problem, ignoring the AIDS crisis till his presidency was almost over, the Bitburg fiasco) along with his more positive aspects (such as helping to end the Cold War and making Americans feel proud of themselves again). And along with the glaring omissions, a number of the people selected were just bizarre. How are we supposed to believe that Bruce Lee, Princess Diana, Pelé, Steven Spielberg, or Oprah are among the most important folks of the past century? In serious commparison to people like Dr. Jonas Salk, Jackie Robinson, the Leakeys, Walt Disney, and Eleanor Roosevelt? Important and influential in a certain decade or a certain field, certainly, but in terms of the overall century?! It's also way too soon to fairly evaluate the true importance of some of the people in the final section of the book. And why was there no index?
   
   In spite of the shortcomings, this is a pretty good book through and through if you're interested in 20th century history (however Western-centric most of the book is) and some of the personalities who made the past century so eventful.



2. This audio presentation of "People of the Century" is I'm afraid mostly a dissapointment. Dan Rather serves as the overall narrator briefly mentioning the 100 people included with a select few of these people given an expanded presentation written usually by a famous author or personality (i.e. Lee Iacocca writing about Henry Ford; Salman Rushdie about Ghandi,etc.).

   My criticism lies in the fact that some major figures were briefly mentioned while some lesser lights were highlighted. Examples of this include only brief mentions of people like Ronald Reagan and Ray Kroc(founder of McDonald's)while questionable figures like Margaret Sanger, Watson and Crick, and Charlie Chaplin are given expanded treatment.

   There is of course the fact that many of these articles are slanted ideologically and that some articles are written by unabashed fans of the historical figure (i.e. Arthur Schlessinger on FDR)while other articles are written by critics (i.e. Richard Shickel on Walt Disney) thus furthuring to unbalance the presentations.

   The Best Inclusions in my view: Rushdie on Ghandi, Iacocca on Ford, and Elie Wiesel on Adolph Hitler.

   While you might learn something from this work, you would be better off reading individual biographies of these people




3. Very disappointing. Much of the narrative spits out facts that everyone already knows. Most of the rest is decoration, trite commentary and superficial philosophizing. The piece on Bill Gates is typical. It was delivered in a contemptuous tone, skipped the exciting history of Microsoft, and even dismissed "The Road Ahead" as trivial! Similarly, Iacocca's piece on Henry Ford does not even mention Ford's infamous bigotry. In fairness, I must say that I did learn a bit about the lesser known people, and enjoyed the imaginative piece on Gandhi. On the whole, though, if you've ever heard of Winston Churchill, this CD will probably bore you.



4. It¹s countdown time whether we face it or not. And the bestsellers prove it. We¹ve encountered books predicting happenings for the millennium we¹re about to greet and books listing people, businesses, music, inventions, events that have made impacts during the millennium we¹re leaving. In addition to Life: Our Century in Pictures and Russell Ash¹s The Top 10 of Everything 2000, there are seemingly 1000 collections about these 1000 years. One book worth looking at is PEOPLE OF THE CENTURY with a forward by Dan Rather of CBS and an afterward by Walter Isaacson of Time Magazine. The compilation features 100 men and women who influenced the century, rather than the millennium.We reunite with leaders, artists, and intellectuals who gave us rock Œn¹ roll,jazz, flight; shopping malls, existentialism, bytes; splitting the atom, penicillin, cloning of sheep, and Bob Dylan. Those writing the profiles with reputability include William F, Buckley, Rita Dove, Molly Ivins, Roger Rosenblatt, and Deborah Tannen. Descriptions of the contributors appear in the index along with photo credits, nicely referenced. We readily expect some profiles: Henry Ford, Anne Frank, James Joyce, Rosa Parks, Theodore Roosevelt, and Igor Stravinsky, We might have forgotten others: Sigmund Freud (as profiled by Peter Gay) and Leo Baekeland, the maker of plastics who moved to the U.S. from Belgium in 1889. We ask ³why?² of others. For example, Hitler is included, as is Bart Simpson. Nobel Peace Laureate Elie Wiesel bluntly admits how frightening it was to write of Hitler. And some readers might bluntly admit how foolish it is to read about ³forever 10,² make-believe Bart Simpson. Others might question ever-lovin¹ Oprah being among the 100, but the criteria put her on the list. PEOPLE OF THE CENTURY concerns people who ³cast a long shadow.² We are refreshed by some inclusions: Emmeline Pankhurst, for instance, reminds us of the women¹s-right-to-vote, which she achieved for England in 1918 (2 years before America¹s in 1920.) The book is arranged chronologically, beginning in 1903 in nearby Kitty Hawk and moving poignantly to 1989 with the ³unknown,² lone ³everyman² in Tiananmen Square. In this compact history, people are profiled as well as pictured with a ³life-at -a glance² bio. The index needs improvement ( so that readers can more easily locate people by their fields) and so do Dan Rather mixed metaphors. ( The new age is ³taking flight² and becoming a ³rough draft.²) Also Paul Rudnick could use poetic sensitivity when writing about Marilyn Monroe. He callously groups her with American commodities of Coca-cola and Levis. Isaacson¹s afterward reminds us of the century¹s lessons: ³freedom won² and not the pursuit of ³material abundance² but the nurturing of ³the dignity and values of each individual.² Obviously some of these lessons were learned the hard way. PEOPLE OF THE CENTURY reminds us to repeat the goodness of our history, repel the other, and to think as we close this year, this century, this millennium.



5. This presentation of 100 great people of the century (as selected by the editors of TIME) is noteworthy both for its bias and limited scope - it is heavy on Americans and late 20th century personalities - and for its writing. Each person is presented to the reader through an essay, and most of these essays are not capsule biographies so much as meditations on the nature of the person and his/her influence. The strange pairing of certain authors and subjects (Elie Wiesel on Adolf Hitler or Salman Rushdie on Mohandas K. Ghandi) allow for some interesting insights and speculation. More sympathetic pairings of author and subject (George Plimpton on Muhammad Ali, Rita Dove on Rosa Parks, Philip Glass on Igor Stravinsky) offer equally interesting, though less speculative, pieces that are quite fun to read.

   Overall, the quality of writing in the book is quite high, and even when it isn't (as, for example in Bill Gate's essay on the Wright brothers or Lee Iacocca on Henry Ford) the insights of the author - because of who and what they are - allow the ideas to take on a level of significance that makes up for so-so skills as an essayist.

   I received this as a Christmas present and spent most of Christmas day reading through all the essays. It provided a very pleasant way to review the century we are leaving. My one regret with the book is the inclusion of a few subjects that simply don't belong (Brue Lee, Bart Simpson? )which necessarily restricted the field that could be included. It is, of course, a personal bias and everyone will have their own take on who should or should not have been represented, but in the entire list there is only one novelist, one poet, one composer, one painter; yet there are numerous political and military figures. Understandable in terms of overt impact on history, but it sells the cultural aspects of the century short._

5 comments about A Cook's Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal.

1. The book arrived in a timely fashion and was in pristine condition. Great price, too. Thanks.



2. When I buy a cook's book it's to learn about exquisite cuisine food of different places culture and not to learn about different hangovers of the writer



3. Reading this book on my daily commute certainly stirred up an appetite by the time I reached my destination!
   
   The colourful speech and frank tone of Kitchen Confidential is also present in this book, and still very entertaining. However, I found the book more like a collection of short stories than one continuous piece, as it jumped from country to country, and sometimes back to a previous country.
   
   There's some discussion of the culture that surrounds the food, but it certainly doesn't have the detail that he provided about professional cooking.
   
   My favourite aspect to this book is the flair and passion for describing food, done so well with imaginative descriptions that I feel like I can almost taste it. If restaurant menus were all written with such expertise, I'd by hypnotized into always eating out!



4. Anthony Bourdain has a sweet job. Traveling the world, sampling its culinary delights...its the kind of job that one would never even imagine exists until someone creates it. And it is a bit odd that he should have this job. Anthony Bourdain is not a great writer, although he manages to turn a decent phrase. I have no idea if he is a great cook or not, but by his own admission he is not one of the greats. He is a great traveler, and has enough courage and sense of adventure to give it all a try, even though things don't always go well.
   
   Which is pretty much the same with "A Cook's Tour". I have never seen TV program that the book is based on, but I am a big fan of "No Reservations" so I suspected something along the same lines. This book follows much the same format of "No Reservations", with Bourdain hitting various culinary spots across the world and trying what they have to offer, no matter what that might be. A whole pig in Portugal. Haggis in Scotland. All the goodness Mexico has to offer. And of course the infamous cobra's heart in Vietnam. He doesn't like everything he tries, but he tries everything that is offered.
   
   Its good. Its interesting. One of the great things about Bourdain's style of travel-eating is that we could do it too. He doesn't hit the high-priced, pretty and polished restaurants that most readers of the books could never afford. He hits the street stalls, the home cooking, and wonders at the delights of the common meals that make everyone happy. I have been to a few of the places showcased on "A Cook's Tour", and it makes for a nice walk down memory lane to think of breakfast vodka in Russia, or deep-fried pizza in Glasgow.
   
   Strangely enough, I think the one place he didn't get it right was in Japan, which is where I happen to live. I was looking forward to see what he would have to say about the place, and what delights he tried and what he thought. Instead, he had a traditional kaiseki dinner at a ryokan in Atami, accompanied by no less than two geisha. We are talking probably a multi-thousand dollar event here, something experienced only by the very super-rich of the Japanese populace. Not exactly "eating local", and a bit of a disappointment.



5. Yet another great book by Anthony Bourdain. Reading it makes me want to drop everything and travel somewhere and enjoy the blissfulness of enjoying food all over the world!

5 comments about Founding Brothers.

1. In the afterglow of the HBO series on John Adams, I grew interested in some of the founding fathers, many of whom had seemed boring to me ever since I read their bios in grade school. Ellis does a highly intelligent and readable job of laying out the personalities, conflicts and battles of the whole group during the first years of the nation. I particularly like the chapter on the duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Also great is the chapter about George Washington, who had seemed a cardboard character to me until my interest was piqued by the TV series. Ellis is more than a little inclined to repeat himself in that particular way academics have, although his ruminations are likely to advance the story, although a bit wordily. That aside, this book is worth digging into by anyone who wants to know what those guys were really all about and who doesn't want to be told by some ideologue what to think about them.



2. If I had to recommend one book to read in a year, I would recommend The Founding Brothers.
   
   Joseph Ellis recounts the early stages of American history with six historically-based tales about the Founding Fathers or, as he thinks of them, the Founding Brothers. The stories of Jefferson, John Adams, Madison, Washington, Hamilton, and Franklin (more of a Founding Grandfather, Ellis asserts) highlight how the period after the Revolutionary War was the most politically treacherous in our nation's history. It was the Founding Brother's talents and foresight that allowed them build a country out of a revolution which, in most cases, falls short of ideals because of personal ambitions.
   
   The stories of the Founding Brothers is completely factual, however, the stories are written so that the reader can see the emotional and personal character aspects that the Brothers experienced during the early years of our nation. The stories are interconnected and woven so that even though each of the stories highlight different facets of the nation's early history (the ratification of the Constitution, the question of slavery, the infamous duel at Weehawken, the location of the new republic's capitol), the major players remain the same. Their personalities are built together to create interesting and insightful history.
   
   This book won the Pulitzer Prize. After reading, I found that to be no surprise at all. It's an excellent read with a blend of wit, conviviality, learnedness, and intelligence.



3. Others have commented upon Ellis' problems with the truth in his personal life, and I will not revisit those issues here. However, while this book is a good read and tells interesting stories, there are factual problems here when you get down to the details. First, the book is poorly documented. Only direct quotes seem to be cited with footnotes. Thus, when the author makes questionable assertions, his sources are unidentified. For example, he claims that the idea of political parities was new in the 1790s. Anyone with a fundamental knowledge of colonial or British politics knows this claim to be false. Second, Ellis claims that Jefferson's affair with Sally Hemmings has been proven by DNA evidence beyond all reasonable doubt. Again, this claim is false. The DNA testing has only proved that a member of the Jefferson family fathered Hemmings' children. Personally, I believe it was Thomas Jefferson, but the DNA evidence has proven nothing beyond a reasonable doubt. Third, Ellis claims that Hamilton's pamphlet against John Adams had no major impact on the election of 1800, which is a fact others would certainly dispute. These are some examples of Ellis' weakness with details and facts. His interpretations are often made, it seems to me anyway, to fit his preconceived agenda. George Washington, for example, is portrayed as the father of big-government liberalism.
   
   This book is very readable, but the stories seem disconnected to me and some statements of fact and assertions are highly questionable. I cannot even see very clearly what the overall argument is in the book. I almost wonder if these stories were bits and pieces left over from other works that Ellis threw into a book he thought would easily sell to the general public. If you read this book, read it critically and do not take it at face value. I'm really not sure why this book won a Pulitzer. It must have been for the writing itself. This book is a good read, but it is often very bad history.



4. Ellis presents this as if it were a light little book: a collection of vignettes about the Founders that will give us some random insights into the Revolution and the early Republic. It certainly reads like a light, little book. The pages turn easily, and it is a very entertaining read.
   
   But, beneath the very decorative surface, this is a very serious book. It is nothing less than a prolonged series of explorations into the contradictions at the heart of the Revolution and of America. The fundamental contradiction which Ellis sees is between the spirit of the Revolution -- which opposed all authority of any kind -- and the needs of the new Republic to have effective leadership. This is why the unity of the Washington period gave way to the extraordinary bitterness of the partisan warfare during the Adams Administration. Washington, Hamilton and Adams focused on the need to build a nation with effective institutions of leadership. Jefferson and Madison saw any strong leadership -- until THEY won the White House -- as a betrayal of the Revolution.
   
   It would be easy for Ellis to see Jefferson as essentially a hypocrite. The great exponent of freedom who kept slaves. The merciless attacker of the shoemaker's son (John Adams) as an aristocrat when he inherited his wealth. The leader of the slander and defamation against both Washington and Adams, who served as a high official in both of their Adminstrations.
   
   All of this is true, and Ellis examines it, but there is more to Jefferson than just hypocrisy, and Ellis sees that as well. As he explains, Jefferson had a great talent for creating stories, which fit grand narrative lines. Unlike Adams, who insisted on seeing reality as a mass of messy contradictions, Jefferson also saw the world as playing out the simple and inspiring lines of the great Englishtenment melodrama in which reason and freedom marched to their inevitable victory over superstitution and feudalism.
   
   This, of course, speaks to Jefferson's ability at self-delusion -- of which he was a master -- but there is more. The new Republic needed a founding story. People need a simple narration, to use to make sense of their world. Adams was quite unable to giving one to America; he insisted there there was no simple story line. Jefferson was so incredibly effective as a leader, precisely because he could create these story lines and make people believe them. More than all of the other Founders, Jefferson was able to create a new iconography for the new Republic. Ellis sees, and lucidly explains, all of these levels of Jefferson, the self-deluding hypocrite who flattened out the messy parts of reality to fit the story line in his head, but then made that story line THE story line which inspired the new nation. Very complex stuff, and Ellis does full credit to it.
   
   The insights into the individual leaders are just extraordinary. Ellis simultaneously is deeply sympathetic to, yet harshly critical of, nearly all of the Founders. He understands them, and he sees into their souls. He loves and admires them, yet no one is more aware of their failings. This is not a book with easy answers. Instead, it is a book



5. This book contains chapters that describe slices of early American history, and the men involved, beginning with the Burr/Hamilton duel, and ending with the reconciliation of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson at the end of their lives.
   It's an excellent book and I was sorry when I finished it. The only flaw is that in some cases, particularly the duel, the author seems to beat the subject to death. Despite this, I'd recommend it to anyone with an interest in the establishment of our nation.

5 comments about Rocket Boys (The Coalwood Series #1).

1. Homer Hickam grew up in a rural isolated mountain town but went on to win the National Science Fair.
   
   This book is his story and how he was successful.
   
   I bought 24 copies of this book to inspire my advanced 6th grade Reading class. They loved the book. In our discussions they mentioned never giving up. Homer and his friends kept trying until they had success.
   
   Thank you for sharing your life with us, Mr. Hickam.



2. ... "On June 4, 1960, the Big Creek Missile Agency, fresh from its medal winning performance at the National Science Fair, is sponsoring a day of rocket launches at its Cape Coalwood range. Everyone reading these words is invited..." This quote can be found on page 356-357 of a book called Rocket Boys; this statement showed me that the success of the main characters was a result of personal hard work and teamwork.
   
   "Rocket Boys" by Homer H. Hickam, Jr. is a nonfiction account of a group of friends from Coalwood, West Virginia in the early 1960's who have a fetish for making rockets. Homer and his friends have a dream to shoot a rocket up into the clouds. This story gives the reader a message that dreams really can come true.
   
   Rocket Boys is one of the strongest books I have ever read. The author accomplished his goals to tell people that team work is one of the most important things to know in your life. This book is recommended for people that like space and rockets and who want a hopeful book to read. Reading Rocket Boys really gets you thinking about team work and how far you can get with it.



3. I was a little disappointed by the ending and the fact that Homer Hickam gave John Kennedy the idea to go to the Moon but other than that I couldn't help but root for the band of misfits.



4. I bought this book and the audio tapes and my son and I listened and read this amazing book together. Our plan was to read for 30 minutes a night...however it was sooooooo good we listened and read for 5 hours!
   
   We are now going to rent the movie that was made from the film! All systems go....we enjoyed the adventure!



5. Children in West Virginia mining towns became coal miners. They did not become rocket scientists. But it did not matter how well-known this was, for Homer "Sonny" Hickam, Jr. there was only one way out. He was the right age and had the right amount of ambition when the United States and Russia became entangled in the Space Race and as far as he was concerned, his fate was sealed.
   
   Hickam's writing carried the comfort of conversation with an old friend. It was remarkable how easily I became nostalgic for neither a time nor a place that I had ever known. The story drips with the passion of a man who if he had to do it all over again, probably wouldn't change a thing. He understood and appreciated the importance of everything that happened to him and helped him on his way.
   
   One thing that I found particularly fascinating was how closely this book resembled the old proverb that It takes a whole village to raise a child. And I mean no disrespect to Mr. Hickam when I point out how amazing his circumstance was in that he could not have done it alone. The stars seemingly aligned perfectly so that one boy from West Virginia could capture the hearts of so many people that he would be able to get such invaluable assistance. There was probably no way anyone else could have done what he did. And that is to his credit. (The way his path was guided by fate, or something like it, reminded me of how Ruth Reichl became a food critic in Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table.)
   
   I loved this book for Hickam's ability to transport me from my favorite reading chair to a West Virginia high school in the late 50s. I found myself hanging on every word wondering what would happen next. There is something special about an intelligently written story about a successful man who takes no credit for himself, but rather gives it to each person who helped him make his dreams come true. Rocket Boys may now find itself among the short list of my favorite books.