5 comments about Grayson.

1. The book grayson, a true life story of a then seventeen year old woman who encounters a baby gray whale in the Pacific near Long Beach, is a story that is poetically and so beautifully told it will linger, I guarantee, in the mind of the reader for a long time, if not forever. This book, about interspecies communication is so beautifully written that I have nothing but admiration for the writer and her exquisite sensitivity. It is a story that is deeply philosophical in nature as the writer describes metaphorically her maintenance of personal positivity and her own soul desire to communicate with this whale and its lost mother. Can we communicate non verbally, with each other, with other species? Read this book and ponder deeply. I recommend this and hope you love it as much as I did and do!



2. Grayson, by Lynne Cox is a wonderful concise book with lots to say. There are three different story threads running through it. The smaller thread is about a girl athlete with lots of will and determination, and the second is a nature story about the sea animals in southern California and the third thread is the most moving. It is an inspirational story about a girl tiring to help a young baby whale finds its mother. It is a story for all ages. I'm 38 and I loved it, bought one for my 1st edition collection, and I bought another for my younger ten-year-old sister.



3. While listening to this tale as an audiobook, I was surprised to be sitting at the edge of my recliner! For a very simple premise, Lynne Cox crafted a plot with a lot of excitement.
   
   I was touched by the sense of communion between the human swimmer and the baby whale, each of them vulnerable and exposed.
   
   The communication and intelligence of the whales in this story, plus a mega-pod of dophins, made me think of the line, "Goodbye, and thanks for all the fish!" the title of Douglas Adams' fourth book in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series. (Where Wonko the scientist posits that dolphins were the actual creators of planet Earth.)
   
   I now own Grayson in an audio format and as a hardcover book, and I consider it a treasure.



4. A sweet story for any age. True, and the information given is stunning. Imagine swimming with a whale! Would be good to read aloud to a 9-12 year old, but I cry everytime with joy at the ending.



5. I love the ocean and found this book beautiful and moving. It describes the experience of meeting a baby gray whale and then trying to help it find its mother. There is some wonderfully descriptive writing of the ocean, and facts added in that give it more meat. It also gives lots of advice and encouragement, not to give up, to follow your dreams and that anything is possible. We bought the audio book for a family vacation and my 4 year old and 7 year old both enjoyed the story very much. They are excited to attend a grunion run and are also excited about whales.

5 comments about Grace After Midnight: A Memoir.

1. GRACE AFTER MIDNIGHT is the striking autobiography of Felicia "Snoop" Pearson, star of the critically acclaimed HBO series, The Wire. In the short but poignant memoir written with David Ritz, Snoop recants her upbringing in the tough streets of Baltimore, the place that both raised and almost killed her.
   
   Born with cross-eyes and crack in her system thanks to a drug-addicted mother, Snoop had much to overcome in the first moments of her life. She was no more than three pounds at birth, but surpassed the grim expectations placed on her. After years in foster care, she was taken in by a loving older couple, Cora and Levi Pearson. They offered her a good home with Christian values and worked to make sure Snoop had a better life.
   
   By her pre-teens, Snoop had her first taste as runner whose quiet strength took her far in the game. At 12 years old, she was witnessing murders, drug deals, shakedowns, and way too much for a girl her age. One of her mentors, a man known as "Uncle," took Snoop under his wing and tried to get her abandon her dangerous behavior, but it was too little too late when Snoop ended in the Jessup State Penitentiary at 14 for murder.
   
   While there she turned her life around, gaining a new appreciation for doing the right thing. With Uncle's help, she left there feeling like she could do anything - and quickly found her good intentions weren't worth much. That is, until she met Michael K. Williams from The Wire, landing the role of a lifetime with no acting experience.
   
   The rest is history.
   
   Snoop's story is compelling and heart wrenching. You see the innocence of a child wanting her mother and a heart growing cold from rejection. You also glimpse a woman truly turning her life around, trying to obtain the grace after midnight she found in prison. And you also witness a woman true to her sexuality, being openly gay all her life.
   
   For that, she should be applauded.



2. I am very pleased and satisfied with my book, it came in a timely manner



3. A painfully honest but depressing look at what it is like to grow up under the worst conditions. The slum didn't grind her up but, until the wire, she caused grief for society. Help, to her, came from unexpected places and a wonderful set of foster parents. It is a story that we, who grew up in kindness and a clean environment filled with good role models, should read.



4. Felicia Pearson's memoir seems truthful, and she makes very little effort to put herself in a more attractive light. Surely her cowriter wrote a very large part of the book, but it consistently reads as her own voice. I think the book is worth buying, but most reader will finish it in well under two hours.



5. This book was interesting, it told the story of "Snoops" life as a child and her life style as a young women, it told just how strong she is and was, also it was very touching. I read it in one day, it was interesting, it was her autobiography. If you watch the Wire and you are a fan of hers you should read the book.

5 comments about The Rose That Grew From Concrete.

1. A window into the mind of a 'rose' that was truncated too young. I think this collection of poems by 2-Pak showed the new direction that he was thinking of for those young men standing around on the street corners of our cities.



2. I have used this book of poetry with teens to share the beauty of Tupac's writing at the age of 19. His writing is powerful, sensitive, truthful and filled with hope.



3. The rose that grew from concrete is a good simple book filled with Tupacs poems on numerous subject matters easily read and understood. Also If you're not familiar with Tupac this book gives you a great insight into the rapper with acknowledgements , preface, foreward and introuduction.



4. I bought this book because everyone kept telling me that he was a poet and his words were deep blah, blah, blah...
   
   I was disappointed to find that his poems were simple and not "deep." It is not his best work. His best work will be found in his music, not here.
   
   I had expected a lot more in this compillation of poetry.
   
   Don't missunderstan me, I love the artis and his music. I was just expecting more dept and originallity in the poetry. I think I will stick to the music as his best work! Long live Tupac Shakur!!
   
   He gets two stars because I did like the very last poem.



5. This book is an awesome piece of art. I liked all the poems in this book and the editors did a great job because some words/letters I didn't figure out on my own. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry and have an open mind. Also...all Tupac fans should have a copy of this book.

5 comments about The Translator: A Tribesman's Memoir of Darfur.

1. 
   RATING: 4 out of 5
   
   
   This was an extremely difficult book for me to finish. I would pick it up and read and I would become so agitated that I would have to put it down. It was so hard to understand why someone that had endured so much strife in trying to escape from the Sudanese Army that took away the only life he had ever knew would then risk his life to return to a country that was still so hostile. I have read several memoirs written by those who have left their homeland for various reasons, and have been unable to return but have worked untiringly to bring peace to their homeland from afar, many of them with hopes of someday returning. But for Daoud, he was going back into a country that had not changed, and where his brethren were dying daily, yet he still felt some obligation to get the story out by going back in. Daoud did not wait for peace, but jumped right back in with foreign journalists in hopes that the international community would hear their cries before all of his people were dead.
   
   It is a bravery that is uncommon, and his story should be required reading for all high school students in this country. They should take this injustice on as a community project. A project to make this a better world, where we all respond immediately to the needs of a community no matter how far away.



2. The story of Daoud Hari or David is captivating tale of how one person can choose to make a different. Dauod was raised in the Darfur region of Sudan and lived a very traditional lifestyle until his village was attacked in 2003. Daoud describes in detail the impact of murder, rape and pillaging as his country was torn apart by different warring factions.
   
   After escaping and helping others to leave safely, he looked for opportunites to serve as a translator. David used his gift with languages and courage to guide reporters into Darfur to allow the stories of his people to be shared with the world.
   
   The power comes from the truth of David who is living with the danger of returning repeatedly to Darfur and the conviction to serve as a translator, which will make a difference for his people.
   
   Don't miss this amazing story.



3. I wasn't sure I wanted to read this book. I was dreading the horrible stories, the Rwanda-like massacres, the neverending awfulness that would make me want to weep if I wasn't so numb from hearing it all day every day from the CNN loop. At some point the numbers get so large, it's impossible for to comprehend and I just shut down. I really didn't want to read it. But I'm tremendously glad that I did.
   
   Part war memoir, part genocidal survival guide, part humanitarian challenge, Daoud Hari's slim book is a triumph. I have no idea how one can endure what he has endured and still remain so human, let alone exhibit the tremendous spirit Hari shows here. Along with the horror stories I was dreading so much (ashamed as I am to say that), are the testimonies to our individual and collective strength as human beings. Over and over again, Hari challenges us to put ourselves in his shoes, to relate as if it were our town, our home, our sisters, daughters, fathers, cousins. What if it happened to us? Would we be so brave? Would we be destroyed or keep going? Would we do everything we could knowing we could die in the next minute? Would we rage at God or renew our faith?
   
   My favorite chapter is a small one. Nestled in tiny Chapter 10, Hari describes the refugee camps in detail for the first time, a sea of bright colored fabrics from the clothing and makeshift decorating of the women and girls, all sweltering amid the temporary shelters made out of canvas and plastic tarps. And there it is. "Canvas and plastic make very hot shelters in a desert, and these were what the world had sent - exactly the wrong thing and not nearly enough of it." I couldn't believe it. It's so obvious! What were we thinking? What had we done? Did we just send scraps of material we didn't need? Was it intentionally ridiculous or just some horribly embarrassing mistake? There's no way of knowing, but it again drove home the point that paying attention to the details of life's necessities can make the largest difference. If just one of the brilliant architects competing to build the next mall in Dubai would instead focus their energy on building practical, portable, sustainable refugee housing that could be deployed at a moment's notice anywhere from Darfur to Palestine, we could start to alleviate the suffering of millions of the displaced.
   
   For those that have suffered so much, the least we can do is shine a spotlight on their stories. I'm ashamed for delaying my reading; I'm trying to make up for it by telling everyone I can about Hari's book and, by engaging in meaningful dialogue about the crisis in Darfur, determining if there's maybe one more thing I might do to help.



4. 
   How does anyone survive? Nothing is hospitable neither the inhumane climate nor the "human" society.
   
   Daoud had a short adult life before this war. He got an education and saw some of the world through restaurant work. He spent some time in the prison systems which was merely prologue for what was to come.
   
   Most teenage males are recruited by one army or another, and they join for a meal. For those with skills like driving, mechanics or languages, choices are more complex. They can join an army, a government, an aid organization or the press... but the end result is most likely the same.
   
   When you think of the combination of skill, luck and outside intervention that resulted in Daoud's survival, you have to mourn for all the others. What is the best probable future for the 14 year old soldiers he encounters or the 2+ million people in the refugee camps? What changes and what resources are needed to give this large a population a shot at a decent life?
   
   This book is a fast read, but before you start, its best to read the synopsis of this war at the end of the book. It's only a sketch, but a starting point to understand the no-win situation the people of this region are in.



5. Daoud Hari is indeed a blessed man to have survived capture and imprisonment- risking his life to tell the world of the human tragedy called Darfur. This book speaks volumes of his profound courage and of the brave reporters and others who ventured right into the line of fire so that the world will know. The heartbreaking descriptions of the carnage is hard to read at times, but I am most haunted by the child sitting in the grass who stopped crying and waved goodbye as Daoud and the news crew had to run for their lives. This is one man's tale of survival on a tragic journey and his willingness to fight injustice. He is blessed because there are those who must survive to tell the world. We can each make a difference.

5 comments about Chronicles: Volume One (Chronicles).

1. This is a very enjoyable and most importantly, readable book. Who would have thought Dylan could write so well, be such a good story teller in straight forward language? After spending years listening to his lyrics I have to admit that I was surprised by how well this is written. Surely songwriting and penning an autobiography are very different arts, but Dylan does it. Apparently sans the ghost writer.
   
   This book is full of the early years in NY, sleeping in other peoples places, working his way into the in-crowd, meeting his hero, Woody Guthrie. Be sure to pick up this gem as well! Bound for Glory (Penguin Modern Classics) Great stuff. He does get a little off-track with the making of a particular LP, "Oh Mercy" but works his way back round to the before time.
   
   Was he really asked to join Peter, Paul and Mary?
   We got a look at girlfriend Suzy that appeared on an album cover, very interesting.
   And between the lines you can sense the pressure of being the spokesman for a generation.



2. If you're not very familiar with Bob Dylan and want to learn more about the man this is really not the book for you. I suggest you read Clinton Heylin's tome, "Behind The Shades, Take 2" which compiles just about every known fact about Dylan from the people who have known him - an excellent book in every way. Chronicles is a different animal. I think you are more likely to appreciate it if you are a fan of Dylan's work. I'm in the process of going through it for the second time and have realized that I am enjoying it more after I have cast aside all notions of what I want the book to be. WHAT THIS BOOK IS NOT: 1. It's not a tell all biography. You won't find out much information that's not out there already. There are no intimate revelations of Bob's love affairs or anything sensational. 2. It doesn't cover Bob's whole career, just 3 brief periods. 3. It's not necessarily all true. Dylan often paints himself in the best light, as a normal guy. I have my doubts. 40 years of unabated idolatry will screw anyone up to some extent. You'll read about the pressure he's under, but don't expect specific revelations about a dysfunctional Dylan. WHAT THE BOOK IS: A fascinating discourse on specific times in Bob's life. I don't know why it was such a surprise to me but Bob is a great writer. Whatever percentage is BS I don't care; I enjoy it anyway. He has an amazing attention to detail and I was able to lose myself in descriptions of places and situations. Plus he does reveal his thoughts on songwriting and many things. When I stopped hoping for him to discuss something specific I was able to sit back and enjoy whatever he gave me. Again I shouldn't be surprised; it's always been that way with his music also. I hope he does continue this series and give us another book or two, whatever he chooses to write about. I will surely go along for the ride.



3. Bob Dylan takes his prodigious talents for language and turns out one of the most remarkably honest rambles of raggle-taggle prose since Jack Kerouac. From the first few pages, describing an ambitious but reserved young man whose future role had not yet been defined, I was willing led down memory alley. The artistic subworlds of New York, with its hanger-onners and would-bes. invoke countless anecdotes about the creative lives of others. Remarkably sketched, and poignantly personal, I never felt the usual strain that often comes with more self-important memoirs. Dylan's voice remains remarkably rough and earnest, glissing between gorgeous metaphors and cowboy expletives . . . but always uniquely his own. His own assessment of his artistry, usually inferred than described in achingly obvious detail, lure the reader into a smoky area in between the lines. Simply one of the best autobiographies I've ever read . . . by no means intended only Dylan mavens, this work will readily appeal to anyone who knows that the music industry involves a lot more than what 'American Idol' has led us to believe. Here's a real damn American Idol, from what I think at least. This book packed more punches than five years worth of New Yorker short stories.



4. Skipping all over the place, definitely not a chronological account of Dylan's rise, but more of a stream of consciousness series of the highlights, lowlights, or significant moments in the life of a true artist. Chronicles volume 1 is accessible and an interesting read to anyone who loves to read, the flow of words very easy. They just pull you along. I for one wasn't sure how good a writer Dylan is, but he's pretty good. I recommend this book to all Dylan fans, and anyone who likes to read a good autobiography.



5. Count me as one of the skeptics who felt positive that they wouldn't like this memoir. And, please, now feel free to point out how snotty and wrong I was for feeling like that.
   
   To say Bob Dylan has written something great is not an unusual thing to do in most situations, but to say he wrote a great book, about himself no less, does seem surprising. It is surprising because of both the candidness Dylan shows in this book and the right level of self-examination that doesn't cross the line into plain ol' weirdness or didactic ramblings. What comes through is that Robert Zimmerman seems to know exactly who Bob Dylan is, and he appears to have a more measured respect for the complications of his inseparable doppelganger than any of his cultish fanbase could ever hope to have.
   
   There are two other things that really delighted me about this book. The first is how Dylan is a very accomplished writer...not just of lyrics, but of prose. From reading his vivid descriptions of something as simple as the snow falling, I realize that in another time, had his life pointed him in another direction, this guy would have been a top-notch novelist, right up there with the best. The other thing that I loved, and perhaps the thing I would most expect from him, is the non-linear approach he took to telling his story. Chapters jump around in time, and large portions, decades even, are left out of the story. With a lesser writer this would have been a real distracting way to go about business, but in Dylan's capable hands it becomes stylistic, mirroring the way the mind works, in which connections aren't always made from one moment to the next, but, rather, from one moment in time to another moment years earlier...or later.
   
   Even if you are, like me, not a major Dylan fan, I still suspect you would be hard pressed not to admire the writing here, or the manner in which the story is told like scattered scenes from a disorganized scrapbook that suddenly come to life so as to show the fleeting facets of one unknowable person. Very recommended.

5 comments about A Thousand Days in Venice (Ballantine Reader's Circle).

1. This book was recommended as a better read than the current best seller, Eat Pray Love. While they are superficially similar, in that both authors love Italian culture, food and the joy of living, this book is more in depth at giving a flavor of Venice and background into Italian culture, through the eyes of an american visitor.
   The author describes the many steps necessary to make the transition as an american into a country with ancient, almost ingrained customs. Her love of Italy, the food and the traditions, comes through with gusto.
   This is also a memoir of an unlikely middle age romance, which is refreshing, even when things don't go smoothly within the marriage.
   As a counterpart to studying Italian conversation and language, this is a wonderful book about Italy and Venice and Italy's people, and what they've survived. I have gone on to read the 2 subsequent books about the couple's travels and adventures in other regions of Italy.



2. I thoroughly delighted in this true story only after getting through the preposterous, high fructose corn syrup sappy, first 20 pages - factual though they may be. Having guffawed, rolled my eyes, and saying out loud to no one, "I am not reading this!" at page 12, weeks later I picked it up with my interest piqued and didn't put it back down until the end. Marlena is an intelligent writer, never wasteful with her perfect words and allusions. She was enraptured with her Italian settings and immersed in them, not distant from their ancient exoticism like so many authors who prattle on with some cold, repeated, textbook authority. I would read anything by her again in a heartbeat. There is purity and security both in her romance and her writing. Actually she is pretty inspirational by simply following her heart, her loves.



3. If you are looking for a wonderfully human story of pure delight, this is the book for you... It gives you a real flavor for one of the most romantic cities in Italy.... You can almost smell the food... and feel the puch of the tourists... She is steeped in the Italian experience...



4. In a world of multitudes of choices, Marlena chose the road (or actually, waterway), less travelled. She fell in love with someone she barely knew and moved half way round the world in the process. She opted for the unexpected - an adventure. I chose Marlena's story as my "beach read" this summer and it was perfect. It's quick and light - fun! She didn't weigh her story down with complaints about how different we all are - she chose the language of love (and food) to find commonality - yet she still added charming stories that suggested how Italian lifestyle and priorities are a bit different from Americans. Instead or wondering "what if..." - she did it! What a brave soul!



5. Reading De Blasi's story is like going to Venice in person. Love her comments on italian men and all her recipes that come with the book.

5 comments about Good Dog. Stay..

1. Short and oh so sweet!
   
   Yes this is more of an essay than a full blown novel, but the writing is worth every dime. There are so many phrases in the book that I read and re-read. Spend the money and keep this book for revisiting over and over.



2. This is a 45 minute short story about Anna's dog, Beau. I am not a fan of animal stories as they usually either end up getting hurt or dying. The same is true in this one. It is the life story of Beau and as all life stories, the end is death. That brings tears to me which is why I don't like these types of stories.
   
   I believe Anna wrote this as a way to heal from her lost of Beau more than trying to tell a readable story. This is not to say the story doesn't make sense. It does. I just hear in Anna's own words how much she and her family cared for Beau and how much his loss meant to them.
   
   As with all stories, there are the good times and the "bad dog" times, laughs and tears and general day-to-day life. If you want to hear about a good dog's life, this CD will provide that.



3. I bought this book for my husband as part of the grieving process after our 14-year-old black lab died. I expected Anna Quindlen's usual wisdom and frankly I was disappointed. The text was very short; not enough in quantity or quality to justify a book in my opinion. Worse, every page featured those awful cutesy stockhouse dog photos that seem the antithesis of the honest and straight style I expected based on reading her wise columns in the NY Times for many years. The book came across as a celebrity milking something very thin for some extra cash. Come on, Anna, you can do a lot better than this!



4. I think she is such a wonderful author and love her books. This was yet another treasure.



5. Loved this book - sounded just like what we went through with our yellow lab. Quick read - heartwarming.

5 comments about Born On A Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant.

1. Although autistic savants often amaze us with their feats of memory, typically they lack the communication and people skills to be able to share their stories with others. Daniel Tammet, a high-fuctioning autistic savant with Asperger's Syndrome, has lived an atypical life. He was featured in a documentary, "Brainman," and has appeared on numerous television shows around the world. The title of the book comes from David's synethesia. He identifies numbers and words as colors or shapes. Thus his Wednesday birthdate translates to "a blue day" because the word "Wednesday" is colored blue in his mind's eye. If you enjoyed the movie, "Rainman," you'll appreciate reading about this most unusual autistic man.



2. Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet is an autobiography that you will either find totally engrossing or terribly tedious. Fortunately, I was one who was enthralled by Tammet and his incredible story.
   
   Tammet is unusual in many ways. First, he was diagnosed with Aspergers Syndrome (a high level form of Autism), but not until he was 24 years old. He describes in great detail his childhood experiences and how different he was from others. Second, he is a savant with extraordinary abilities in math and languages. In fact, he is so unique that he was featured in a documentary called "Brainman," a take-off on the movie about another savant, "Rainman." And last, what makes him truly incredible is that he is able to express and explain to others how he views his world--something very difficult for people with Autism.
   
   I found Tammet's entire story fascinating--how he sees numbers as colors and shapes, how his loving family supported this difficult but gifted child, his schooling, his journeys to other countries to teach English, the scientific studies that have been done on him and most of all, how he copes as an adult. I found it especially interesting as an educator to see how the Autistic mind works.
   
   How very fortunate we are that Daniel Tammet was able to give us his story in Born on a Blue Day.



3. Having read a little on Synesthesia in Diane Ackerman's ' A Natural History of Senses'.. I did believe Daniel Timmet's visual experiences of numbers and words.. A little into his childhood.. I was scared as to what will happen to him as an autistic child.. But with his diverse experiences in another country.. he has gone way far where he can answer the question of Allie Cone's(a mountaineer character) students "Do you know what its like when the only direction is down?"



4. The information on the cd is great to hear. This author is fascinating to hear about. It helped me see why my son who is autistic does some of the things that he does. THough I was disappointed in the product. It would not play in my car cd player and that is why I bought it. I had to take the time to copy and burn it to 6 discs so that I could listen to it. It would not play in anyones car. Besides that, it was great.



5. After I saw the author on television, I had to get his book. As an analytical person with a background in mathematics, I had to see how someone could do calculations in their head that would take me hours to run.
   
   The book takes Daniel through his life in his own words. He explains what went on in his mind and what he felt that made him act or act out. An absolutely fascinating look into how an autistic savant (Asperger's Syndrome) experiences the world.
   
   He sees numbers as having shape, texture and color, fitting them together like a puzzle to solve complex math problems. He can even tell what day of the week a date will fall on in the past or future.
   
   Who's to say his mind isn't working correctly and mine isn't? Do the math.

5 comments about Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance.

1. Just when my faith in America was at an all-time low, along comes Barack Obama and his very human, extraordinary memoir, full of hope, suffering, loss, joy, redemption, and an abiding faith in God. This is an amazing life: born of a white, American mother and a Kenyan father, he embodies the world spirit at its best. If Obama becomes President, I just know that the whole world will praise America and rejoice. Just think about it for a moment. Fathers and mothers all around the globe will know that their grandchild can potentially grow up to become President of the United States of America. The respect and love America will receive shall eclipse anything She has ever known. It will know no bounds. People we never thought would love America will shed tears of joy. Obama is a Godsend. This memoir is quite explicit, describing even his drug use and loneliness. But it's refreshing to see such a forthright, honest account of a politician's life. Barack Obama made me fall in love with America all over again. God bless this wonderful Country! Finally, a politician I can believe in! I'm so excited for the Future. I had first read "The Audacity of Hope," which I enjoyed, but it already reads like somebody writing as a politician. I much prefer "Dreams from My Father" for its candidness. This is truly a man to remember. Here's to hope!



2. A great story, made all the more interesting by the political prominence that the author has achieved subsequent to its publication.



3. Barack Obama has a gift of writing. This is my second book from him. I liked this book because it was only speaking on how things were.As I've seen some people have had issues and called him a racist. If you really read the book then I would not know why you would call him that.They obviosly missed the point.
   Because of his backround i believe that he can unite people within the states and he can also unite America with other countries again.GO OBAMA!



4. I will admit that I was among those Republicans early on who were intrigued, almost swept away, by Obama-mania. His oratory skills, his charisma, his down to earth style had me almost believing that he could join our two warring parties and make everything all right again. Knowing this, my husband nestled Barack's autobiography in with my valentines gifts last February. With great eagerness I began to read and at first I was totally absorbed. I loved Obama's writing style and his honest reflections. But as I turned the pages I began to find myself asking that old commercial question "Where's the beef?". It was an interesting story but, after I got well past the middle of the book I found that he was, in fact, just like thousands of successful social activists, idealistic, self-reflective and magnetic. But what else set him apart? The fact that he is bi-racial? Or that he did not know his father? That he was raised by his grandparents? No, these are common experiences for many Americans. Instead of revealing what kind of leader Obama would be, the book seemed a very long and winding story that never really found its point. I was let down, not by the style of the book (Obama does all his own writing and it is very good), but rather that, in the end, I knew so little of his political views on any subject of importance. On one level I can recommend this book as a well written, easy to read story of a young man finding his way. But if you are looking for guidance as to how to cast your vote, I suggest you skip this book and go on your knees.



5. This is truly an amzing story that provides much insight into the life of Barack Obama. It was hard to put down for even a moment. His life has been one incredible journey that has led him to where he is today. The details of his life and the impact on him help you better understand what drives him and has given him the strength to pursue his goals. Great read and a must for everyone.

5 comments about Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman.

1. Yvon Chouinard began his foray into business as a way to create a product for himself and his climbing colleagues. His desire to life an unconventional lifestyle, along with his mother's philanthropic influence, led him to create what Patagonia is today: a socially responsible business that makes high quality products while tending to the environment and its employees. Chouinard believes in his people and they in turn trust him.
   
   Author, "Trust is Everything: Become the leader others will follow"



2. this is the best business book i've read in a long time, hands down. and, that's a bit strange, in many ways. because it's not a pure business book -- let's call it a business memoir. chuoinard tells his own life story, including a detailed telling of the creation of chouinard equipment, and then patagonia. he's sometimes-arrogant, he often unfairly generalizes, he occasionally overstates his case. he's overly proud of this "i did it my way" path.
   
   but... it works. and there are nuggets in here that are so wonderfullly different than what one would read in other business books. in a sense, this is a "life book" -- it's about leading a company who is voraciosly and unflinchingly committed to its mission and values, even when those are contrary to profit. it's about a company or an organization being about something other, something more, than revenue and profit. and, really, it's about being the kind of person who knows herself, knows his values, knows her strengths, knows his commitments, and works ruthlessly to keep them. for chouinard, those values are all about the environment. so the book is packed with both the theoretical and the practical when it comes to environmental issues (including lots of side stories).
   
   personally, i found the environmental stuff really helpful. we (ys) aren't patagonia (either in their singular commitment to environmental issues, or in many other ways). but we are trying to become more green. but the environmental passion of patagonia transfers, conceptually, to what other organizations could be passionate about (assuming that something is outside of themselves).
   
   so...
   1/3 personal and organizational memoir
   1/3 environmental manifesto and practical organizational guide
   1/3 business book on passionate commitment to internally and externally focused organizational mission and values
   
   i'm going to buy a case lot of these (really), and give them to the ys exec team, the ys green team (a group of ys staff working on ways to help ys be more environmentally friendly), and some on the zondervan leadership team.



3. I found the book to be very enjoyable and definitely thought provoking. Even though I don't run a company, it got me thinking about ways I could have a similar affect on our world in my own job and personal life. If the book did that alone, I would consider it a success.



4. The tone of arrogance and condescension really diminish what would otherwise be a good autobiographical case study of growing a hobby/skill into a successful brand. Critical self assessment is sometimes subordinated to over emotive passages and screeds about Chouinard's take social and economic trends. Some of the more interesting aspects of forming company goals and culture were lost amid a general tone of contempt for what Chouinard considers `the business world'. The good stuff is there, you just have to get past the maverick chest thumping and "I am a reluctant businessman and I run my business better without old and tired business practices and paradigms. . . like profit".
   
   Two things were rather galling. First, the first sentence "No young kid growing up ever dreams of becoming a businessman." Well, sorry, a lot of kids actually do, they dream of following a parent or relation in a particular line of business or endeavor, just because Chouinard wasn't like that doesn't mean it doesn't occur.
   
   Second, the restructuring of 1991 was a prime example of the arrogance and hypocrisy that marks the books tone. In July of 1991, Patagonia fired 20% of its workforce. So what does Chouinard do? He packs his executives off to Argentina for a `walkabout' to discuss goals and direction. Nice. You fire a bunch of people then you blaze a huge carbon footprint down to Argentina to brainstorm. WOW, that is brilliant. Excellent use of corporate and global assets. That's the kind of morale crushing maneuver that Chouinard pillories `the business world' for throughout the book. "Where's the boss?" "Oh, after the red ink of the second quarter, he and the executive committee went to Argentina to figure things out." Right out of Dilbert.
   
   Again, some good information buried amid the screed and propaganda (at Patagonia, it's not propaganda, it's activism). I would recommend reading Goldratt's `The Goal' parallel with this. Still, the book is a good case study of brand development and growing a hobby/skill into a corporate business.



5. I thought this book was excellent. It definitely causes you to think about the relationship of your business to the world at large.
   
   The most helpful part of the book was how Patagonia incorporated their principles into the decision making for the corporation. The real world examples were helpful and easy to understand.