2 comments about Abraham Joshua Heschel: Man of Spirit, Man of Action.

1. I've always loved Heschel's writings and all that I knew of his life, but never thought any of it could be expressed in a form that kids could get. Or Rose did it!
   When I heard about this book, I was excited by the possibility of my daughters learning about Heschel. I read the book through. I think it will be perfect for middle school kids. It doesn't assume any background.
   A wonderful gift for your friends' children aged 9-13.



2. This is a beautiful book! Mr. Rose shares the incredible story of Abraham Joshua Heschel with grace and skill. This is an important addition to the small collection of literature for young readers on the lives of great religious and political figures in the United States.

5 comments about When I Was a Soldier.

1. In the book, When I was a Soldier, in my opinion, this was a very good memoir. The author, Valerie Zenatti, did a great job about writing what its like to be in the military for Israel. I really felt a sense of connection with the characters in the book. She did a great job at writing about scenery, character building, and self-inquiry.
   This book did a good job writing about scenery. When I was reading her descriptions of the surrounding area, I really almost felt as if I was there and I was easily able to picture the spot she was talking about. When she was talking and describing Tel Aviv, I could picture what it looked like in my mind. Her character description was also very well done. When she described certain characters I could imagine what they looked like without much thought. The descriptions she used were very in depth, but easy enough for almost any one to understand.
   The book also did a great job at showing her self-inquiry, it almost made me think about myself. From the time she left her home, to the time she left the military, she changed a lot. She started to question about the ways she thought or acted. When I read this book I also thought about the way I thought about some things. She was once immature and more worried about what people thought about her, she cared more about some guy who would stand her up rather then being the stronger person. When she started to question that, she started to become stronger, and now she cares more about doing what is right for her and what is best for her, rather then worrying about what some other person thinks. This memoir made me think about that a little bit as well.
   The character development in this memoir was also done very well. Her character started as a co-dependent eighteen year old about to go off into the military and she only cared about her boyfriend and her friends and she needed them. By the time she got out of the military, she was independent and didn't need her friends to live but still loved to have them around. Her other characters that she was with in the military also built up a lot of their own personalities as the memoir progressed. A lot of the characters in the story, by the end, had their own personalities and contributed their own special part to this memoir. In my opinion, that is one of the things in this memoir that made it very good.
   (And theres my extra credit for critical lit)



2. Being both informative and inspiring, When I Was a Soldier really lets you see the world through a girl soildier's eyes and get a glimpse into Jewish culture and history.
   This book is about a girl named Valerie who starts off as your average 17 year old. However, when she turns 18, she is forced to join the army, and her life turns upsidedown. As she juggles her friends, family, the army, and the despair of losing her boyfriend, she holds tight to her dream of one day writing a book.
   With determination, hop, persistence, and bravery, Valerie Zeratti shows shows the world what it truly means to be a girl soilder.



3. Book Review of When I Was A Soldier:
   When our grade was assigned to read a nonfiction book, I groaned. The class then went to the library to pick out, either a biography, an autobiography, or a memoir. I searched and searched for a book that didn't look too boring, but all were things like Jane Arre or something else without a plot. I was on the verge of despair, when I saw a book in the corner of the room that didn't have soft watercolor pictures of ladies in frilly hoop skirts and a scrawling title, but that had a picture of a young girl in an army uniform on it with the title When I Was A Soldier. Ever since I was little, I've always wondered what it would be like to be a soldier and for many years I had the dream of one day joining the army and being a hero that girls everywhere would look up to and say that girls could do anything. Now that I've grown out of that aspiration, the feminist part of me, and the interest in the army remains, so I picked up the book. The back cover had a passage form the book on it that mirrored perfectly my views; "Why should I hide the fact? I'm fascinated by my submachine gun. They're instruments of death and we're finding them easier and easier to handle. We don't think for a moment that we might that for real someday. But at the same time, it's the ultimate sign that we really are soldiers, on completely equal terms with the boys. And it makes me feel proud." It's perfect. I checked out the book and put it in my locker to take home, and eventually forgot about it. That night I remembered it and started reading. I couldn't stop.
   This book is a passage in Valerie Zenatti's life that illiterates the duties, drawbacks, and rewards of being in the Israeli army. She writes about the average soldier in a peaceful base far away from any fighting. You wouldn't expect this; I was expecting wondrous heroics and endless action. But I was wrong. Valerie describes her two years in the army with a sense that she is living through it at that very time, and not years later. She vividly describes the conditions at her bases and her tasks with the emotions of a growing teen-ager. She writes about her anger and sorrow on losing friends and lovers, and her wishes for the future on gaining new ones. I was very impressed by this book and how it was written. I highly recommend this to young adults and those who have a bad stereotype of nonfiction books. This will change how you look at the genre. I truly intend to read more nonfiction books in the future.



4. When I first saw this book, I thought I was in for a great war story. This book is more than that. Zenatti tells her fantastic story about how she managed to leave her friends and family, loose her boyfriend, and still work so hard in the Army that she earns to be in the Secret Service. Usually when you read biographies, you think of endless boring facts, but when you read this, it's like you are right there with Valerie. You feel what she does, and you just get right into the story. I recomend this to, well, everyone. If you do plan to get this book, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.



5. When I saw the "JUV" label on the spine of Valerie Zenatti's memoir I must confess I was quite a bit apprehensive about delving further into the book than its front and back covers. However, I must urge you not to make such a mistake; this book merits a read, not just a look.
   
   I was born and raised in New York, about half a world away from Israel: the notion of entering mandatory military service upon turning eighteen is so alien that I had to continually remind myself while reading that this work was not by Robert Heinlein but rather by Valerie Zenatti. Nonetheless the latter, serving as protagonist and narrator, does a wonderful job shepherding her reader through compulsory "peacetime" military service. This is hardly the demoralizing world of boot camp we have all seen 307 times in literature and film. Valerie isn't dressed-down by an evil drill sergeant, her head isn't shaved, and she doesn't lose her identity to become a faceless cog in the military machine.
   Valerie's story and rite of passage is much subtler. She drifts apart from her friends but only as much as can be expected. Her superiors are more often than not women a few years older than her. At the conclusion of the story she doesnt find herself in a pitched gun battle but instead in a routine surveillance op. The freshness of the tale never ceased to keep me involved.
   
   Politically the book is fairly neutral. Characters express both left and right-wing sides to Israel's questions, with the author actually falling more on the former. Though I am not someone intimately acquainted with the struggle between Israel and its neighbors, I beleive that this book would be acceptable to most audiences. First and foremost it is the story of an 18-year old girl; it rarely stops to comment on politics and certainly never preaches.
   "When I Was a Soldier" is an exceptionally quick read (indeed so much so as to be a detriment; though the book has a decent narrative structure I would have preferred more of Valerie's second year and a less abrupt ending) and a good one. It has not lost its wit, charm, or exigence in translation and I thoroughly reccomend it.

1 comments about Remember World War II: Kids Who Survived Tell Their Stories (Remember).

1. I am especially fond of this book because my mother-in-law tells her story as a 6 year old child living in Pearl Harbor and recounts her memories of the bombing. The inclusion of these "personal" accounts of war makes you consider things that you may not have considered before... like a mother trying to maintain her composure while her husband leaves for duty all the while keeping small children quiet, safe, and in complete darkness at night... As children, they have memories that they did not totally understand until they were adults and pieced the pieces together of what had happened. There are many other personal accounts of the tragedies of WWII and the book includes many personal photos, maps, and a war timeline that describes the events that took place. The timeline would be an especially useful source for youth preparing a school presentation or project about WWII.
   
   It is not a long, excessively detailed book (only 61 pages) but is perfect for youth and provides an understanding that they can relate to since the stories told are told by adults who experienced the events as children. As an adult, I, too have enjoyed this book very much, as well as my kids (elementary and middle school ages).

3 comments about The Diary of Petr Ginz.

1. A very thought provoking account of the holocaust. At such a young age Petr inspires through his art, poetry, boyish nature and keenness to learn. Such a clever boy could have grown to be an amazing man and no doubt, if given the opportunity, would have contributed a lot to the world. Unfortunately he was murdered at Auschwitz at age 16 so we are left to a two year snippet of life as he saw it.
   
   His account of Prague during the occupation is very matter of fact, which is very poignant in itself, as it seems almost a natural state of being to Petr. His diary provides a unique insight into the systematic erosion of his rights and the rights of the Jewish community, and the seemingly endless transportation of his friends and family.
   
   Sad and cruel. But I'm glad the diary was uncovered and I was able to experience it is such a small way.



2. This book must be read by both young and old. It will touch your heart and soul. I was moved to tears many times while reading.



3. In reading numerous Holocaust accounts, one is struck especially by the tragic loss of young lives, who had yet to experience the richness of life...Petr Ginz is one such soul. The Diary of Petr Ginz is a chronicle of a 14 year-old boy's day-to-day life under Nazi occupation in Prague. The entries themselves are brief, but are accompanied by Petr's poetry and illustrations, a testament to this young boy's talent, and resilient spirit. His diary chronicles his life between 1941-1942, and ends in Aug 1942, prior to his being deported to Thereisienstadt where he was incarcerated for two years before being sent to a tragic end at the Auschwitz death camp. One can't help but feel a sense of impotent rage at the Nazi monsters that robbed so many innocent souls of a life meant to be lived, especially at the senseless killing of ones so young, and in Petr's case, and many others, possessing such talent that would have enriched the world. This is a remarkable diary, in the vein of the diary of Anne Frank, and other Holocaust diaries that prove the resilience of the human spirit during a dark period in history.

1 comments about Convoy To Auschwitz: Women of the French Resistance (Women's Life Writings from Around the World).

1. I am so glad that this book was translated to english and published here in the States. Please, don't get me wrong, but it is "nice" to have a book about other victims of the Nazi death camps besides Jewish accounts. It serves to remind us and teach us that others too were sentenced to those Death Camps. Many gypsies, resisters, communists, christians, and lesbians, all from different countries, EVEN GERMANS, were sentenced and died at the camps. This book in particular is a Who's Who, a list of a convoy of resisters (mostly communists) from France (mostly french, but there were other nationalities as well) who lived and died together. Each name has a story, some more than others. Stories from the survivors and from what relatives that could be found after the war.

   It's amazing that this book was first published in 1965 and is only now being published here in the US. But I'm glad I got to read it.

5 comments about New Revised Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses and the Magical Uses of the Psalms.

1. Unfortunately, this book is not a revision or improvemnet of the original sixth and seventh books of Moses as originally translated. It is an improvemnt on the De Laurence editon only becuae it has better type setting. It has no proper scholarly atributions nor are the seals corrected. For someone who is the least bit familiar with this magical work, it is not worth the money.



2. This book was confusing to me. I read the book in its entirety and had no clue what it was about. If you are a beginner, you may want to go with a more simpler book.



3. Even the text are printed very clear. But the most important, the seals are printed in a very vague way. many details in the seals are not photocopied well. I can only give 3 stars maximum. :/



4. Having read through it I decided to give it a try. Why not, it was so simple and hardly took any time to do, unlike magical conjurations and such - and much safer too. To keep it short, I now have a job and cured a liver problem, backache and an eye problem. When I say I cured.....I didn't do anything!!! It just happened!! Give it a try - I'm sure you'll find something in it for you.



5. This book is held in some regard by people in the Eastern Caribbean islands. It has no connection with the 'Obeah' voodoo practised there, it originated with German emigrants to the U.S. The people of the islands first got their copies the same way I did. They answered a mail order ad.

5 comments about Julius Rosenwald: The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck And Advanced the Cause of Black Education in the American South (Philanthropic and Nonprofit Studies).

1. On page 74, this book states, ...[Sears] now sold prefabricated houses...Each piece of the house was clearly marked...The Sears houses...remained in the catalog until the late 1930s..."
   
   I can't speak to the rest of this book's accuracy as it relates to the rest of Rosenwald's fascinating life, but I am able to authoritatively say that this wee snippet about Sears Homes is NOT accurate.
   
   Sears did NOT sell prefabricated homes in the early 1900s. These houses were pre-cut, not prefabricated and lest one think I'm splitting hairs, these two terms have radically different meanings. Words *are* important.
   
   Next, each piece of the home was *not* clearly marked. More than 1/3 of Sears Homes had NO markings on the lumber. THis idea (that each piece had a mark) is another common misconception that is oft-repeated but has no basis in fact. And, the only pieces of Sears Homes that were "marked" were the framing members - and only after 1920 (or later).
   
   Last, these homes did not "remain in the catalog" until the 1930s. Sears had a page or two in their catalogs promoting their specialty catalogs, "Sears Modern Homes catalogs". Those "Sears Modern Homes catalogs" were issued semiannually until their last catalog was issued in 1940.
   
   The story of Sears is an important one and it's even more important that the facts in that story be historically accuate.
   
   Rose Thornton
   author, The Houses That Sears Built



2. This book is an in depth and intriguing study of the businessman and philanthropist, Julius Rosenwald (JR), and the early twentieth century. I congratulate Dr. Ascoli for thoroughly researching and telling JR's story. Unfortunately, until this book was published few living Americans knew of JR and his impact on American society. The reader will be amazed to learn that so many business practices that we take for granted today e.g.profit sharing were ideas of JR's and begun at Sears. In philanthropy, too, he was innovative and cleverly spread his wealth to broad elements of society while he was alive---not perpetuating it through a foundation after his death.
   The book should be required reading for MBA students, students of American history and law and those in the philanthropic and non profit studies field and everyone else will find it fascinating too.



3. An absorbing account of Julius Rosenwald's rise in the mail-order world of merchandise and the changing world of class, politics and culture. Here was a man who made millions at the turn of the 20th Century and proceeded to give it to society in areas where he felt it lacked. A must read for all of those involved with and interested in the world of philanthropy, the African-American experience and history.



4. Julius Rosenwald: The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck And Advanced The Cause Of Black Education In The American South by Peter M. Ascoli (an academician and the grandson of Julius Rosenwald) is the definitive biography of Rosenwald, a pioneer not only in transforming Sears, Roebuck into the greatest mail-order firm in the world, but also in philanthropy. He helped build more than 5,300 schools in the American South, among other efforts to improve the lives of his fellow citizens such as the Rosenwald Fund. Exhaustively researched and packed cover to cover with minute detail, Julius Rosenwald is highly recommended reading given its author's considerable accomplishments in business and humanitarian spheres alike.



5. This is a fascinating book about a man who was a well-known business man and philanthropist in his day and is all but unheard of today. In his well-researched and interestingly written account of Julius Rosenwald, Peter Ascoli vividly portrays a man who was ambitious, idealistic, groundbreaking in many ways, and humble. While JR, as the author calls him, is known mainly for his excellent management and leadership at Sears, it was his philanthropy that made JR stand out. In these days of the super rich, business scandals such as Enron, and Warren Buffet's recent gift to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this story of an upstanding business man with morals, and a humble philanthropist this is biography is extremely relevent, and it is a story that needed to be told.

1 comments about People of the Bible: Life and Customs.

1. This book is excellent from children through adult. It really helps to understand the beginnings of a faith community in a way that children can understand and adults can as well. It is an easy read without the long details. I woudl strongly recommend it for anyone who works with students of all ages

No comments about The Book of the Just: The Unsung Heroes Who Rescued Jews from Hitler.

5 comments about The Jewish State.

1. First published in 1896, this book gave rise to modern Zionism. Given the impact of the Middle East situation on the planet, this book should be read by everyone to better understand the world we live in today.
   
   For me, two things stand out from the book. Firstly, the "internalisation" of anti-semitism (see "Causes of Anti-Semitism" on page 23) whereby Herzl himself accepts (in my view quite wrongly) that European anti-semitism is inevitable due to certain characteristics of the Jews. Secondly, although leaving the question open of whether to emigrate to Argentina or Palestine to create the Jewish state, in either case Herzl just ignores the fact that both countries were inhabited, with people who might not want incomers creating a new state for themselves in their midst.



2. In this review I refer to this edition,from Filiquarian Publishing,only. Without question this document has extreme historical and philosophical importance. Everyone who has an interest in the history of Zionism, Israel, Jewish migration and development, or even just a general interest in sociology or economics should have a copy in their library. But not this edition! It is so rife with typographical errors, misspellings, dropped words and such that it is often unreadable. An hour or two's work by a copy editor would have made a world of difference.



3. This book is the basis of how the state Israel should be created according to the end of the 19th century "Wiener" Theodor Herzl.
   In fact many of his considerings were used to create the zionist state Israel, except his idealistic and visionary view where Palestinians (Filistines originally from the Greek island Philistos) were given "a piece of the cake": jews and Palestinians were considered in his opinion to live peacefully and happy together in this "altneuland" or"aviv".



4. Not the best book to read on the subject, lacked a lot of information and found it to be not very interesting. Have read better ones on this subject.



5. Herzl's book is a must-read for anyone who wants to get a sense of the Zionist movement and the passion of its most famous leader. It's a short book, easy to read, but provocative-- situating the reader in a period when Jews had both become emancipated from the ghetto and begun to attain some social and economic power. No surprise that anti-Semitism was an almost immediate result. I recommend it for Jews and non-Jews alike.