5 comments about Son of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices.

1. I LOVED this book. It is a painful, yet beautiful story of a young man that was brave enough to seek truth, even if it meant the unraveling of everything he was taught to believe in. The beauty of the story is the depth of his love and compassion for the Muslim people, even though he no longer shares their faith. Not only is the story full of beauty, it also is full of espionage and thrilling missions that will keep the reader turning the pages until late in the night.
   HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.



2. ...and I read a lot. I drive 2+ hours a day back and forth to work listening to Audio Books. This is a gripping story, I can't stop thinking about it. The risks he took, leading a double life at the top of the most violent group of killers in the world. Most books are interesting but I don't expect to ever shake this one. Mosab is still on a mission. We sit around fretting about the Middle East while civilization unravels. Mosab is perhaps the only man with a complete picture of the wretched travesty, and he's not sitting, he's carrying the world on his shoulders. Our leaders are lost, so Mosab is putting his life on the line to save as many as he can. My heart goes out to him. For those of you who pray, pray God will protect and sustain Mosab.



3. Originally I bought this book as a thank you for saving many Jewish (and Palestinian) lives. Once I started reading it, couldn't put it down. Devoured it. Can not recommend enough.
   
   
   P.S. Some things still puzzle me, namely how could 25+ y.o. "religious" in the eyes of Hamas still be unmarried? How could PA's intelligence unit not uncover him using the CIA equipment? How could he explain to Hamas insiders the fact that he was studying in university (why not focus every minute of your life on killing Israelis, I would ask if I was a Hamas henchman), mingling with the Americans, and disappearing during the day for prolonged periods at a time?
   
   In any event, this book is a must-read, and once again, thank you Joseph for saving lives. Doesn't matter in the end which God it is - Muslim, Christian or Jewish - you are going to heaven no matter what happens. Jewish scriptures say "He who saves one life saves the world entire".



4. Excellent read. I've never heard much about Israeli prison but this describes how Hamas leaders in jail scrutinize their fellow Hamas members, then arrange excruciating tortures with signatures to forced confessions to bestiality, incest, satyrism, etc. Israeli correctional officers are brutal and the facilities are inhumanly cold, hot, etc and lacking in proper toilets of food. Most disgusting was how Hamas and the PLO calculated how to start another intifada well before Sharon's visit to Dome of the Rock/Temple Mount area.
   Intriguing story line, great perspectives on daily life in the Israeli territories are backdrops to the writer's developing interest in Christianity culminating in his conversion.
   Definitely worth the time!



5. Mosab Hassan Yousef presents a very one-sided highly pro-Palestinian twist on his life in the 1990s as the son of a leader of Hamas. Contemporary Palestinian history emerges with the creation of Israel in 1948. Without regard for Jews forced to leave Muslim countries, the author recounts his youthful memory of innocent Muslims randomly shot and killed by IDF soldiers and Jewish settlers. In this history, Yasser Arafat is the peace-maker in the Middle East securing from Israeli Prime Minister Rabin a two-state solution for Palestine. As the author grows in awareness of the violence surrounding him and Shin Bet details of Hamas activities, he drifts into a sense of disillusionment and bewilderment at the Arab/Palestinian anti-Western all-pervasive apprehension of anything linked to Israel or the West. With nothing but his word to offer to substantiate his claim to a more accurate depiction of the history of Hamas and given his woefully inaccurate description of an earlier history we can document, it is difficult to accept his version of the Palestinian fate that cannot be reinforced by less biased sources. Yet there remains the curious matter of his conversion. Converts from Islam to Christianity are front-line candidates for the Koranic proscription of the death penalty. Additionally, the author's alleged collaboration with various Israeli agencies in finding and killing Hamas leaders would also appear to elevate his credibility. However, conversion and collaboration are very deceptive terms. All told, it is hard to trust the author.

5 comments about Courage and Consequence: My Life as a Conservative in the Fight.

1. Coming hot on the heels of Sarah Palin's first fiction novel comes Karl Rove's lieography. It's hard to believe there are still people out there listening to him, let alone taking him seriously. Look this comes from a person who voted Republican for the majority of his life but the roots of why I finally said enough was enough is on pretty clear display here. Lies, distortions & misinformation...it's all here and the so called "liberal media" just keeps eating this stuff up. I just wish the crackpot Texas crowd would take a cue from Bush 43 and shut the hell up. The previous administration was a big enough disaster on most fronts that I for one would like a little separation from being reminded of it.



2. THIS IS ONE OF THE WORST BOOK BUYS I EVER MADE, IT IS NOT EVEN WORTH THE COVER, SAME OLD SAME OLD STORIES, AN ASSEMBLY FROM FOX NEWS REPORTS.



3. This is a great look at the history we have just participated in. Great insight in politics and how easy it is for those who chose to pursue serving in a public way can be corrupted. It shows the tangles and ties that lead to many downfalls. By choosing the truth, not what we hope we hear, we can be better at picking our representatives. This is an easy book to read, I loved it!!



4. This book provides a good insight into the mind of Karl Rove who was clearly a political genius. A must read for open minded intelligent readers. For those closed minded liberals they won't get the pleasure of this memoir bc as ideologues they won't be able to read this valuable piece of history.



5. From the administration that lied the country into the invasion of Iraq here we have lies, lies and more lies from the person who did the thinking for Bush. How much of this farrago he actually 'wrote' is anyone's guess. Save your money.

5 comments about The Politician: An Insider's Account of John Edwards's Pursuit of the Presidency and the Scandal That Brought Him Down.

1. There are no words to describe this tacky low-class piece of writing they are calling a book. Andrew Young is just a whiney snake who is "scorned" over getting burned from his own shameful mistakes. Don't waste your time or money.



2. Both John and Elizabeth Edwards wanted to desperately to become President and First Lady that neither her cancer nor his affair with Rielle Hunter would stop them. The insider who was soon embraced as "family", and has his own desire for power and grandeur, has a front row seat as this disintegrates. Soon the truth comes out. (Some radio talk hosts have mused that if the affair had broken earlier, and Edwards removed himself from the campaign, it could have been Hillary and not Obama who won the crucial early primaries, had his votes gone her way, and who knows...?)
   
   Young details how he worked for the Edwardses and ultimately accepted the fatherhood of young Quinn--but it was John Edwards who fathered that baby. With
   lies and deception, Edwards tries to hide the affair but soon the National Enquirer exclusive breaks and ultimately he had to admit the paternity. The man hailed by Rolling Stone in 2007 as "The Real Liberal" (their piece pronounced him "so well
   married", ironically enough) is shown for the manipulator and liar that he is.
   I enjoyed Young's retelling of this political scandal. Edwards was portrayed as
   a dream candidate, handsome and dynamic. Just remember: if something seems too
   good to be true, it just may BE too good to be true!



3. I am not sure I believe everything that Andrew Young has written. I am only about a third of the way through, but it sounds like he is just trying to make money and dish a lot of negative things about the whole D.C. scene, yet trying to seem like he was so naive. It makes for fairly good reading, but I would not put a whole lot of faith on the system into it.



4. I could not stop listening!!!!Besides the book itself giving a fascinating first hand look at the man John Edwards as well as politics in general, the reader of this audiobook is one of the best I have ever heard. Even my friends who don't like audiobooks, who happen to listen to this in my car comment on how captivating this reader is.



5. This book left this reader wondering why we continuously elect narcissistic, spineless, and morally bankrupt people to be our leaders. John Edwards and his wife are brilliant but vain, ruthless, self absorbed, and lacking any empathy for the common man. The author knew all of this long before we did but he continued to be an embarrassing and shameless lacky for Edwards and Elizabeth. You can only wonder why.
   
   This book is well written and gives the reader real insight into what it takes to be a successful politician in this country. Unfortunately, what it seems to take is a larcenous heart and access to huge sums of money. At the Federal level too many of our leaders believe Machiavelli when he wrote "The end justifies the means".

5 comments about Going Rogue: An American Life.

1. Reveals the details of her life and the reasons for her actions. Answers the many questions I had about her goals and ambitions.



2. If you want to read about the real Palin read Going Rouge: Sarah Palin An American Nightmare edited by Kim & Betsy Reed. This book will really open your eyes to the real Sarah Palin, you betcha'.



3. After reading this book I learned a lot about the nasty politics that are present. Sarah did a great job explaining the behind scene look in politics in the most professional way without throwing mud or feel sorry for me. This book is not only educational, it is inspirational for every day life. If you want to learn what it's like to be in a presidential campaign or governor of a state with a touch of inspiration; buy this book.



4. Sarah Palin, Joe McCain, Plumber Joe, former President Double-Dumb-Dumb, Hillary Clinton, (mo)Joe Biden, Michael Skeletor Chertoff, Mad(cow) Albright, Janet BurnBabiesBurn Reno et all - this and thus is the menagerie or rather the bestiary of American politics. And we didn't even add the assembly of blowhard talking heads (think Blitz and Rush and Hannity-Fannity and Dr. Olbie plus penologists Friedman, Krakenheimer and hordes of 'former' you name it - now still delusional generals, disgraced politicians, heroic draft dodgers, financial schemers.
   
   'Oh... life', my husband sometimes states because they've lost their religion and they're now worshiping at the altars of Tweedle-Dee and Double-Dumber and pop, pops Sarah out of seemingly nowhere - she can see Russia and she's therefore an expert and sometimes she can see the Moon, that possibly making her an accomplished lunatic.
   
   But here she is now - the new literary talent and best-selling powerhouse, son Trig in a duffel bag and full of ideas like... I forgot but she's got many. And she tweets and she googles.
   
   So... yeah. I want the cartoon edition soonest.



5. I had formed an opinion of Palin during the election and was curious as to whether I might have been too harsh, so I read a biography of her written by an author who is independent of the Palin campaign and found my opinion softening. The final step was to read the authors autobiography and make a final determination about my feelings toward her with the knowledge that autobiographies are almost always written to put the author in the best possible light.
   
   The autobiography begins with Palin growing up in Alaska and her time in school and at college. At times reading like a travel brochure for the state, it paints the picture of a fairly normal teenager in a normal household with normal teenage desires and difficulties.
   
   The next portion of the book is dedicated to her election as mayor and to the Governor's office. It details her opinions about a number of things from how to run government to her feelings about the typical politician and how they conduct business. At times she intentionally misleads the reader slightly with statements that she is the governor of the largest state in the US (which is true geographically, but not by any other measure) and that seems to be her trying to puff up her resume. She does deal with some of the rumors from when she was governor and her opinion of the press during that time.
   
   The final section deals with her being chosen for the position of Vice President by John McCain and is, by far, the most interesting section of the book. She gives her opinion of how the campaign was run and what mistakes were made by the campaign. In fact, she gives the impression that if the campaign staff had listened to her they would have won handily. I am sure there is some difference of opinion on things that happen on the trail, but what I found most interesting was her sniping at a senior McCain advisor who has helped elect a number of Republicans to national office. His only response (he lives near where I live) was that the section of the book dealing with the campaign was misfiled as non-fiction and should be reclassified as fiction.
   
   What comes across most strongly is that Palin is thin skinned and cannot stand to be criticized. Anyone who does criticize her is wrong and biased against her despite what the criticism may be. In addition, she doesn't know how to handle criticism other than to lash out at those who do criticize her. Sadly politics, especially at that level, is a blood sport and you need a very thick skin to be able to survive. The other quality that surfaced about her is that she tends to speak first and then think. This creates misstatements on her part, which she then criticizes the media for covering.
   
   I think it is an important book to read, as it allows the reader to see some of the real candidate. And that is important to discovering the character of a candidate.

5 comments about End the Fed.

1. Ron Paul forgets one thing. There is not enough gold in existence to run the American economy. The money supply would shrink so small that the USA would be thrust into a massive depression.



2. Never got the book. The seller did credit my payment but I would have rather gotten Ron Paul's "End the Fed."



3. I very much enjoyed this book and I wonder if it might make a profound contribution to humanity. I know that sounds both very lofty and improbable. But I can't help but believe that this country would change dramatically, and for the better, if the electorate were familiar with just the basic information provided in this book. Ron Paul tackles a complex subject with much success. IMO, he provides a compelling, reasonably complete overview of the role of central banks generally, their deeply flawed history and role managing money and economies, and consequences to the very nature of government and citizens' well being.
   
   These are lofty, important topics, but Ron Paul manages to describe the Fed and it's many profound impacts on our lives, and he supports the connections he makes with compelling reasoning. Even if the book receives little attention, and so fails to build a large consensus for change, readers will benefit personally from a deeper understanding of our flawed banking system and it's likely impact on both government and the economy. These topics, so carefully addressed by Paul, truly are fundamental to our lives. They should follow math and science in school curriculum.
   
   I'd offer a few more details of my perspective of his book:
   
   End the Fed is very readable: I got through it on a couple cross-country flights. In my mind, the book is geared toward relative beginners, but folks with a good familiarity with the Fed and it's history, and it's basic functions, should greatly appreciate the content too. I would think some of the material he quotes from former Fed governors would interest even experts on the subject. He mostly avoids charts/math if that's a bugaboo for you, and I personally had no problem with any assumptions of basic knowledge made in the book. While I've personally never considered Ron Paul to be eloquent or particularly clear in his speech, I think this book is extraordinarily well written and edited: it is clear, concise, and compelling.
   
   Readers unfamiliar with or wary of Paul or the topic might wonder if the book is partisan or politically biased. It's an important concern, because as Paul illustrates, the Fed is inextricably connected to government. My view on this issue was very favorable. Paul is a self-described Libertarian, and he includes a chapter entitled, The Libertarian Case . Further, throughout the book, Paul is straightforward in his respect for and belief in free markets and voluntary exchange.
   
   However, I personally found no partisan bias against Democrats or favoring Republicans in this book. Paul weaves together a fairly complete, if basic (and I swear very interesting) history of central banking and monetary policy in the U.S. He properly gives credit, good or bad, where it is due. Andrew Jackson (father of the modern Democratic party) is properly credited with terminating the charter of this country's second central bank, at great personal cost to him. And while Woodrow Wilson and a Democratic congress is credited with chartering the current Fed, Paul takes care to describe the many years of lobbying of money interests that finally resulted in passage of the act. Nixon's decision to renege on Bretton Woods and close the gold window in 1971 is well described, along with the profound negative consequences to this country.
   
   I'm trying to be brief here, and in any case my point is simple: Paul covers a lot of ground and does so with credibility. While I'm no expert on the subject, I've read several historical books on the topic and I think Paul's treatment is accurate and unbiased. This book is not kind to Democrats or Republicans, but neither is it unfair. The book does compellingly attack our established banking system; since that system has been well developed and supported by both parties, their roles are impugned accordingly. But the emphasis of the book is more pedagogical than political, and is generally more uplifting than a simple indictment of a flawed system. Paul provides a well-reasoned voice for all citizens, liberal and conservative, Republican and Democrat, against a corrupt money system. The book is anti-establishment, but it is even handed, and importantly, it is constructive.
   
   It's hard to conjure up a shortcoming when you're generally so impressed with a book. To complain about any single aspect improperly raises its importance. Nevertheless, I'll offer one issue where I'd like to have seen more detail. Paul provides almost no detail into structured finance, and the role it played in this current downturn. His chapter entitled, The Current Mess, is reasonable, but it is far from complete. Since he included some details while excluding others, I'm troubled by the result, but only modestly so. In his defense, the chapter really places the downturn into historic perspective, as a predictable consequence of a fatally flawed banking system. But to give mention to the Community Reinvention Act or Equal Credit Opportunity Act, while ignoring MBS's and CDO's, and the fortune Wall Street made packaging fraudulent debt, is on it's face silly. But Paul is no apologist; he states plainly that "Wall Street... wants protection from downturns and cares little about truly free markets". Further, an honest accounting of Wall Street's roles in this debacle is not damning to Paul's thesis. He makes this point over and over in his book: the moral hazard created by the Fed enables all sorts of reckless behavior, including that led by bankers.
   
   As a final equivocation, I'd offer that a reasonable treatment of just Wall Street's role in this debacle, setting aside government, the Fed, and discussions of regulatory failure and moral hazard, etc., would fill a book itself. So my complaint becomes almost trivial: if you're going to spend a couple paragraphs describing failures of a liberal policy, be sure to write a couple more adjacent to them drawing a picture of how Wall Street profited immensely from it. As an aside, I've read only a few of the very many books available that focus on Wall Street's specific role in bringing on the credit crisis, but I can confidently recommend Charles Morris's Trillion Dollar Meltdown. It was one of the first available, and compares favorably on both readability and detail. While Paul provides a wonderful introduction into the big picture framework that underpins where we find ourselves, he stops short of some detail that I think is important to consideration of today's problems. Specific to our current unfolding debacle, Morris answers the question of "how", while Ron Paul addresses the bigger question of "why".
   
   In summary, I think Paul has done a great service by authoring End the Fed. I hope it's widely read and that it helps to create a thirst for more knowledge in this area. The quality of our government, and more importantly of our lives, depends very much on the topics he tackles.



4. Ron Paul is one of THE only national politicians with integrity in the country. In fact, I would be hard pressed to name another. 'Ending the Fed' has been a passion of his for many years and this book is more than just an argument for ending the Fed but it also contains a lot of autobiographical details that I found very interesting as a fan of this man. Especially noteworthy was Paul's refusal to be bought off by a businessman in Texas. I can only imagine the pressure that must be on a congressman (especially a new one) to play by Washington's rules of catering to lobbyists et cetera.
   
   The book gives us the history of the Federal Reserve, highlight the important events like the Great Depression, Breton Woods, and the current economic crisis. Ron Paul successfully demonstrates that the Fed is the cause of the most of our economic woes in the last century. Comparisons with (the mild) economic recessions prior to the Fed makes this abundantly clear. Paul suggests not the outright destruction of the Fed but instead we should allow for competing currencies in this nation. When it becomes evident that the Fed's fiat money is meaningless, it will be done in by itself.
   
   I give only four stars because I still think the inner workings of the Fed were only glossed over. I would have liked to seen more coverage of exactly how they 'create' money etc. I also would have liked to seem comparative analysis of central banking in other nations. Do they all have central banks? Can we see that one's that don't are better off? I think looking at central banking on the international scale would bolster Paul's argument.



5. I appreciate Ron Paul's life long work in pursuing an understanding of economics and central banks. I would recommend this book to any serious student of the economy of this nation. It is well written and easy to read. Paul does a very good job in explaining the Fed.

5 comments about True Compass: A Memoir.

1. I can't help but note what a wonderful gift to his family this memoir must be. It is also a valuable piece of history as it details Edward Kennedy's life in the senate and beyond. It's a story about the good times, the bad times and all those in between.
   Even though he was in his deathbed - he died at age 77 from a brain tumour - he was writing this book. One gets the feeling that there was so much more for Kennedy to accomplish. He lived life to the fullest and now has passed on the torch. Well done!
   I definitely recommend this book.



2. Very candid, amusing, personal ... revealing the good and the bad .... a very good read.



3. I have been struck by what I perceive as a man's struggle to to do his best amidst some difficult and unusual circumstances. Few if any of us were dealt the cards Ted Kennedy was dealt, some heartbreaking, some wonderful opportunities,others I can not even imagine. But what I came away with was his admirable love of family, his strong faith,his great intelligence and a sense of humor that occasionally made me laugh out loud. I thought he came across as gentlemanly and a man who tried to do his best with each day. That said, he; as all of had some horrific regrets and made some choices,the consequences of which he carried with him all of his life. I felt he tried to do what he could to make life better for all. He could not change or undo some of the sadness in his world, he could only move forward and try and learn from life and do better with each day.
   Personally, I think that is what we all need to do. He lived life large and he had large sadness and crosses to bear, he was after all;only human. If you want to focus on one or two of his greater regrets, that would be a shame and missing an extraordinary life. Yes, he did make some huge errors and while I was never a big Kennedy fan I found much to admire,respect and I truly felt sad for many of the burdens he carried.



4. The beginning chapters of this book are quite engaging, so much so I couldn't
   put it down. Here Ted shares much of his family story growing up as a Kennedy.
   Allowing the reader to grasp an understanding of the larger than life figure
   and influence his father,Joe, ruled within their lives and his personal quest
   for his son(s) to become the first Irish Catholic President. His
   mother Rose and her many extended trips to Paris. As
   well as his adoration for older brothers; Joe, John, and Bobby. Within the threads
   of his story earlier in the book the shaping of our countries most recognized
   political family are made clear. My disappointment is as the story travels
   midway it becomes page after page of his political career without the continued
   depth of his surrounding family story in relation to such events. His marriage
   to Joan amounted to maybe a page. One of the codes of conduct within the family
   is to protect the family privacy and loyalty always to one another. This personal
   oath is maintained in the latter part of the book, as Ted is clearly not comfortable
   sharing the family stories during his adult life as he was throughout his childhood.
   So for me it became a matter of record of his senate history with added details minus
   the personal which could have made this a great book instead of a good one.
   After reading True Compass,I was given the biography of Jackie Kennedy, American's Queen by Sarah
   Bradford. A book I could not put down, deserving of 5 stars. After reading Bradford's book and
   its parallel of history to Ted Kennedy's bio both politically and personal I rated his the 3 stars.
   I highly recommend America's Queen as a follow up read.



5. I read memoirs for two reasons: to gain insight about our human condition through the lives of others, and to learn something about an individual who is interesting and engaging. Ted Kennedy's memoir, True Compass, provides reading pleasure on both fronts. As to insight, this memoir presents ample examples of the ways in which perseverance builds character: every time Ted was knocked down, he got up again. His resilience and hard work appear throughout the memoir. The extended Kennedy family lives with intense public attention and scrutiny, and True Compass provides an inside perspective on how that played out over a lifetime. Sailing and the sea feature prominently throughout Ted's life and in this memoir. The lion of the Senate lived a full, rich and imperfect life. Reading his story from his point of view brings to life dramatic moments in modern American history and allows all readers to increase their understanding of this person and those times.
   
   Rating: Three-star (Recommended)

5 comments about Infidel.

1. This was an incredible autobiographical book- one I will keep on my coffee table for years to come. This is a story of strength and perserverance. Ayaan is an amazing writer and person who makes the words on the page come alive with emotion by her choice of diction. The book engulfed me over two days whereas I was unable to set it down for any given time.



2. As a sympathizer with today's Muslims, as they reel under the blows of militant imperialism, I picked up this provocative title for insight into opposing views. Ayaan's story -- the cruelty against women in Somalia, and her dash to freedom -- is moving and inspiring. It's a forceful reminder of the need for moderate and progressive Islam to supplant extremism and anachronism.
   
   But at times Ayaan lacks information needed to interpret events. I lost her on the equation, 9/11 = zero God. The Enlightenment thinkers she admires believed in a Creator, for the simple Reason that the universe could not create itself. Ayaan's expedient, that life somehow just creates itself, earns no marks for analytical curiosity faced with the ultimate mystery -- why does anything exist in the first place?
   
   For me, 9/11 was a huge marker in an opposite direction. It laid bare the unfathomable depravity of the rulers of the West. The proofs are manifold and overwhelming, beyond a shadow of doubt: 9/11 was a war pretext made in USA. WTC Towers 1 and 2 -- and #7, the collapse covered up by the media -- were all destroyed by controlled demolition and nanothermite, not airplanes. The alleged Muslim hijackers were fakes or patsies...
   
   Ayaan has exchanged a world view where Islam has all the answers to the reverse, a blind faith in the West. She can't see Islam as another religion in the Abrahamic tradition, a brave effort burdened by the human vices and cultural baggage we all struggle under. Religions are only as good as their membership. Despite today's need for reforms on women's rights, Islam did pioneer values of equality, brotherhood and religious tolerance six centuries before the Catholic Inquisition.
   
   People don't realize how much today's Middle East is the fruit of centuries of Western influence. It is Saudi oil wealth that funds the spread of Islamic fundamentalism, and it was the British who replaced the moderate, civil Hashemite dynasty with the Saudis and Wahhabis in the late 18th century. Then in the 20th, Britain broke Arabia off from cosmopolitan Turkey, to become their dependency.
   
   All classic divide-and-conquer doctrine -- extremism isolates a rival power from potential allies, according to "Islamic Fundamentalism: Fostered by US Foreign Policy," chapter 15 of 9/11 Synthetic Terror: Made in USA, by W. G. Tarpley. Also, in Terrorism and the Illuminati, David Livingstone writes, "Islam does not pose a threat to the West. It is the contrary that is correct. Islamic terrorist organizations are hotbeds of impostors in service of Western imperialistic objectives."
   
   Nor is the empire averse to using liberal ideas for the same ends, the way British intrigue used the Enlightenment figures whom Ayaan admires to foment the French Revolution and topple France, their greatest rival. Similar tactics are used today to excite gullible idealists against any government that does not bow down to the money masters' scheme of things.
   
   In our time, the US put Saddam and the Taliban in power to crush the left, then used them as a casus belli to take over their oil and gas. And the American Enterprise Institute has drafted Ayaan as a token cheerleader for these wars. I was shocked to find her beating the drums on her blog to escalate the war on Afghanistan. Her own autobiography documents all too well how women and children suffer the most from war.
   
   Ayaan's worst suffering in Africa came not from Muslim men, but from the absence of her father Abeh, a moderate, enlightened Muslim. Here again there is a geopolitical dimension. Abeh was a freedom fighter against the Somali dictator Siad Barre -- a Marxist atheist. History's worst mass murderers -- Jingiz Khan, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot -- were either atheist or agnostic. The problem is not religion, but that people are so easily duped. Religion is just one of many factors used by the unscrupulous to divide and conquer.
   
   Ayaan gives a fascinating anecdote of Siad Barre's last days, how he sent his death squads on false-flag operations, massacring people and writing in blood that it was done by the rival clan. We all know the result, the disintegration of Somalia into genocide, famine and warlordism. Yet it doesn't occur to Ayaan that 9/11 was also a false flag op? Enough has been written on 9/11 for an intelligent person to take notice.
   
   On his return, unfortunately, Abeh brings the final straw, arranging her marriage -- against her wishes. Much as one sympathizes with her flight to freedom, no doubt the ancient custom of matchmaking served a useful purpose, and might be welcomed even today, as long as free choice is respected. Young people in the West spend man-years of time and energy to find a mate. Yet the result is a disastrous divorce rate, which further weakens our social fabric. Ayaan herself is apparently single and childless.
   
   She is mistaken that there is nothing the West could learn from the East, or that Islamic countries are congenitally incapable of reform. A few years ago, Morocco's new King reformed the family law to reinstate the rights of women. Although it will take time for the culture to adapt, there has always been a great constituency for progress in the Islamic world, which cannot afford to hobble half its population, as Ayaan says. The crux is that Western imperialism has always lined up to subvert, destabilize or crush progressives, because only they have the potential to liberate their countries from today's neo-colonialist regime.
   
   I only hope Ayaan's work helps mobilize those progressive forces, rather than becoming a another alibi for the oppression of Muslims by the powers that be -- capitalizing on another divide-and-conquer front, men against women? More provocateur than peacemaker, she is still a great writer, and I hope she writes more. (I've offered to publish her next book, about an encounter between Mohammed and Enlightenment philosophers, but got no reply.)
   
   I hope she also reads more from alternative views. There IS another, very different slant on things, and the Western media, even the NYT bestseller list, can not be blindly trusted to tell you about it! That viewpoint is more effectively suppressed in the West than by any repressive regime.
   
   Ayaan could have saved herself and her Dutch hosts a world of trouble by absorbing two Mohammedan teachings -- to respect other people's beliefs, and speak to people in terms they understand. Two tips on social hygiene that also happen to be values held by Dutch politicians. You don't get through to people by shock, by insulting what they hold sacred.
   
   Muslims do need persuasive voices to help distinguish between what is timeless in their faith, and what is old cultural baggage. Islam came into the world in the 7th century, in the depth of the Dark Ages, a time of extreme cruelty and ignorance. So the claim that Islam's dispensations regarding women were meant to protect them is not an empty one. Even today, women still need protection, but of a different kind for a different time.
   
   To sum up, Infidel is a masterpiece -- as anti-Islamic propaganda. As an autobiography, it is a tale of great promise, but great disappointment -- a story of a well-meaning young person who got in over her depth, fell into a trap, and became a tool for the enemies of her people.



3. I'll keep this short because the book must speak for itself-- growing up in America I never truly realized how fortunate I am. I'm 32 years old and always disparaged being a 'woman' because of being treated somewhat unfairly (grew up in the deep south east). This novel made me want to run down the road proclaiming loudly that I am a female and I am beautiful and fully intact. It also opened my eyes to the fact that females are usually the quickest to keep other women down in order to keep the status quo. I don't know why, but many of the women of Islam are just as militant about suppressing themselves as their overly patriarchal men are. I will forever be grateful to her for writing this, even if it means that she has to live in hiding and under protection.



4. This is the best book I have read in years. As I progressed in reading it I could feel more and more empathy with the author, and could not resist creating many earmarks, something that I usually try to avoid.
   
   Having said this, I think there is one aspect that could have been investigated better: the similarities between Islam and Christianity. What Ayaan saw was a sharp contrast because she went from a strictly Muslim family, living in a Country that was several centuries behind the west, to the 21st century in Holland. But if we look back at 100 years ago or more it wouldn't be hard to find that some of the bad things about the way women are treated by Islam today have ancient roots even in the Christian religion.



5. So I finally finished Infidel, and I still hold to the opinion that this book is not a great literary piece. The monotonous rhythm of events never changed. So, while I know all the names of these people who were important and influential in her life, I don't have a 'sense' of any of them.
   
   It was interesting, though, following her rise and the literal politics of how one goes from being a Somali refugee to a member of Holland's parliament. And, I was really interested in her message. In a world where it is so politically incorrect to speak against a specific religion, Ali lives every day in fear of her life for what she has exposed about what Islam teaches to Muslims.
   
   In 2004, Ali made a short film with a producer called Submission. In it, four women represent four types of oppression that she feels Islam perpetuates - total submission to men, arranged marriages, physical abuse and sexual abuse. (The last female is a young girl who was raped by her uncle, but is now pregnant and so will be punished for having sex outside of marriage.) She uses verses from the Quran that she feels supports the oppression.
   
   The producer who helped Ali with this film was murdered two months after its release in broad daylight - a knife plunged into his chest stabbed a five-page letter of warning addressed to Ali.
   
   She says the world would be outraged if it new how many honor killings occur today. And, "[t]he fact is that hundreds of millions of women around the world live in forced marriages, and six thousand small girls are excised every day."
   
   So she has dedicated her life to giving a voice to all the Muslim women who are oppressed, abused and silenced.
   
   It is one thing for a person of means to learn of someone's plight and spend the rest of their life fighting for a cause of the weak and helpless. It is quite another for a women with no means, who knows first hand, to rise above out of sheer will and be able to enlighten the world around her of what she knows because she has lived it - and escaped. This is what makes Infidel a worthy read. Infidel

5 comments about John Adams.

1. A new found respect is gained for John Adams in the pages of this book. He was a bigger and more important figure in American history than people realize and greater than many of his more famous contemporaries.



2. I learned so much reading this book and have a newfound admiration for John Adams. If not for his keen foresight, his tireless work in Congress we may well not have the government and freedoms we now enjoy. What a true patriot who did all he could without the fanfare and adulation he absolutely deserves, but he probably wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you, David, for your thorough research on a man whose life, one among a choice few, has touched every American.



3. A wonderful history lesson not devoid of intrigue. If you like American history and don't like it dry, this is for you. Mccullough can plod (The Great Bridge took effort) but this was a page turner.



4. I have had a very positive experience with the purchase not only was the price unbeatable the condition was perfect and the delivery was on time in fact early. Thank you, How do you do all that with such small profit margins?



5. Title: John Adams by David McCullough
   
   Pages: 656
   
   Time spent on the "to read" shelf: 2 ½ years
   
   Days spent reading it: 10 days.
   
   Why I read it: I read 1776 by David McCullough and really enjoyed it. I thought I might like his biography of John Adams as well.
   
   Brief review: I am not usually a biography person. David McCullough is changing my mind. John Adams is a phenomenal account of one of our founding fathers. McCullough, rightly, throws us right into the American Revolution and fills in John Adams' back story as the biography progresses. McCullough is in control of the story the whole time. He masterfully weaves the primary sources of John Adams' life into the narrative. There is enough to keep us in touch with how the characters themselves felt, but not so much to overwhelm the reader.
   
   John Adams' story really is remarkable. I was totally drawn into Adams' world. In this biography you feel his triumphs, and his failures. If there is anything that falls short in McCullough's telling, it is that we love Adams too much. Even though Adams has faults, it is difficult for the reader to recognize those faults or accept them.
   
   There were a number of highlights in this book for me. First, it is interesting to see that the political scene during Adams' day had striking similarities to today. Newspapers were one-sided. Politicians were accused of (and committed) adultery. This sometimes ruined or advanced their careers. Political parties made clear lines that hurt the nation, fighting for their party instead of what is right for America as a whole. The world seemed like it was in moral decay. There were even boring sermons, and thankfully some not so boring . And I could say something about the French (like here), but I'll (sort of) refrain.
   
   Second, issues surrounding the Civil War were not absent from the founding of the country. The North/South divide was evident even in the founding of the nation. There were issues of economics, culture, slavery, and state's rights even in the beginning. They would simply come to a head in the Civil War. Slavery especially was a real issue during this time. One question that is constantly raised, but never resolved, is: How could men like Jefferson and (gasp!) even Washington promote the God-given freedom of all men, but kept slaves even until their deaths? Adams did not have slaves and abhorred the idea. He was true to his principles even when it was not popular or advantageous. I respect that a lot.
   
   This biography was fantastic. I loved reading it from start to finish. I think McCullough has a master's touch in writing history. He really pulls us into the time period. Through his writing I felt like I was actually there. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It is a must read for history lovers. And in truth, it is a book that inspires. Adams' history is America's history. Here was a man who gave everything for his country, and laid the foundation for the freedom America enjoys today. If you take the time to read this tome (and it is pretty long), you will definitely be rewarded. It is rich with lessons about life and liberty that we can all apply to our lives. I highly recommend.
   
   Favorite quote: [In commenting about the French Revolution]: "But he had 'learned by awful experience to rejoice with trembling.' He could not accept the idea of enshrining reason as religion, as desired by the philosophes. 'I know not what to make of a republic of thirty million atheists.'"
   
   Stars: 5 out of 5.
   
   Final Word: Revolutionary.

5 comments about Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.

1. Received item in a very timely manner...would certainly recommend this seller to others...keep up the good work! God's blessings and prosperity to you!



2. Doris Kearns Goodwin has shown again why she is one of the greatest historians of this generation. I understand the scandals that have arisen about possible plagiarism, but Kearns Goodwin writes great history. In this book, she not only gives detailed stories of the lives of these great men and their families. She also probes the motivation of the men who are the characters in the book and the issues that controlled the political climate of the period from 1840 to 1860.
   But Kearns Goodwin gives us much more even than this. She takes you to the era about which she writes. She tells you what clothes were being worn, what was for sale in the stores, how influential newspapers of the time were and how dirty train rides were.
   Pick up this book and take yourself back to the 1850s and live the lives these great men lived.



3. 
   After Reading Gore Vidal's Lincoln, for the second time, I yearned to read more. I wanted to read more on Lincoln's Presidency including some of the people around him especially, Salmon Chase, William Seward,Edwin Stanton and lessor known characters as Kate Chase,John Hay and John Nicolay.
   
   I found Team of Rivals a brilliant read on the Presidency and had no trouble in devouring the whole book.
   
   The characteristic that impressed me the most, was Lincoln's refusal to carry grudges against those who opposed him and in many cases won them over to his side to help him achieve his goals in carrying him all the way to the Presidency.
   
   Lincoln had a very strong belief in himself that allowed him to pick the very best men for his cabinet, to withstand the pressures of a divided political party and to carry on a war that for a very long time contained one reversal after another, and not least of all a wife that didnot know when to stop spending, and with all of this a death of a beloved son.
   
   I found the details in the book were very informative and enteresting and were not a hinderance as some have suggested. Highly reccomended



4. A pantheon such as Abraham Lincoln and his presidential term(s) have been scrutinized and considered in uncountable written and spoken works. The trick then for any author wishing to undertake a new study is to find a fresh angle or (at best) unearth previously undiscovered and revelatory documents. Doris Kearns Goodwin chooses the former as she expertly exposes the Lincoln presidency as one which had a politically savvy, but initially overly antagonistic cabinet, which Lincoln must then manage while exhorting his administration to follow his leadership. In fact, the overriding point with this superb narrative is Goodwin extoling the seemingly limitless political acumen of Lincoln while he oversees a time in American history as crucial as any before or since.
   
   Crucial members of his administration are profiled here, providing the reader with a unique, sort of "back-door" look at the Lincoln presidency. We see how the personalities of Edward Bates (Attorney General), Simon Cameron (Secretary of War), William Seward (Secretary of State), Gideon Wells (Secretary of the Navy) and Salmon Chase (Secretary of the Treasury) are generally elitist in nature and condescending to Lincoln in particular while initially being astounded that such a seemingly torpid character could become president. Asked to then participate in the administration in cabinet level positions, they almost collectively see their role as administering and reigning over the government while Lincoln serves largely as a figurehead. Goodwin's mastery here is showing the slow evolvement of Lincoln's ability to form a cohesive advisory body while applying his heretofore unseen political prowess in managing the government in an ever broadening crisis that threatens separation of the Union.
   
   He takes office and is immediately faced with increasing southern secessionism and forced to take action to maintain the Union. The start of and subsequent prosecution of the Civil War absorbs his administration...Goodwin provides a dissecting view of the war from the government's perspective and shows again and again how Lincoln is adept at taking and managing one crisis after another. Topics such as his inserting himself into the war strategic effort where he recognizes the ineffectiveness of George McClellan, the dismissal of Cameron as Secretary of War with the brilliant decision to insert Edwin Stanton in his place and his administering of domestic policy to meet the war effort are given a fascinating review by Goodwin that goes far in further amplifying Lincoln's stature as a great executive. He finds an obscure general in Ulysses Grant and inserts him as commander of the war effort... another prescient decision that accelerates the conclusion of the war. All this while continuing to build strong and ever growing loyalties among his partisans forcing them (with the exception of Chase who continues to vehemently disagree and disparage Lincoln) to reconsider their initial perceptions of him and his leadership capabilities. Goodwin is overwhelmingly illustrative of the forming of these ties and the deep personal affection that each cabinet member thus renders.
   
   The denouement of the war and Lincoln's assassination with the subsequent actions of the government, particularly Stanton, are the highlights of the book. We see the heart wrenching outpouring of affection and respect from the American public and the administration as all recognize that a great leader is no longer among us. The disarray that follows Lincoln's death is certified when Andrew Johnson takes office and we see how his southern leaning tendencies is the arbiter of a long and unnecessarily drawn out reconstruction effort...Goodwin compares this with how Lincoln may have handled reconstruction and determines that a much more compassionate and reasoned effort would have most assuredly ensued.
   
   There are a surprising number of authors of historical biographies that are criticized for deification of their subject...and true, some of these paint their character study in an unreasonable light, but not so with this magnificent investigation of the Lincoln presidency by Doris Goodwin. An estimable scrutiny of his political faculty integrated with a marvelous historical narrative, Goodwin makes Lincoln "hero worship" chic while dispassionate at the same time, a tough combination. Highest recommendation. .



5. Team of Rivals is a sparkling history by anecdote. Kearns is a masterful writer, and the book puts the breath of life into her subjects.
   
   Her theme is best summed up by the remarks of Lincoln's contemporaries, quoted on page 572 of the hardback edition:
   
   "Herein, Swett concluded, lay the secret to Lincoln's gifted leadership. 'It was by ignoring men, and ignoring all small causes, but by closely calculating the tendencies of events and the great forces which were producing logical results.' John Forney of the Washington Daily Chronical observed the same intuitive judgment and timing, arguing that Lincoln was 'the most progressive man of the age, not waiting to be dragged by the force of events or wasting strength in premature struggles with them.'"
   
   As far as the story of a man always guided by principle--in Lincoln's last battle, to ramrod the Thirteenth Amendment through Congress--Kearns shows Lincoln twisting arms, dangling emollients and largess before its opponents, and dissembling if not outright lying--to successfully obtain its passage. Clearly Lincoln could be savagely expedient, despite being guided by an unswerving moral compass.
   
   But although she is always eager to burnish Honest Abe's reputation when it is clearly earned--Kearns is strangely silent on this account. This is not to dismiss the book as hagiography, but simply to point out that it is not entirely even in its judgments.

5 comments about The Revolution: A Manifesto.

1. Whether one agrees with all of the writer's opinions, its a compelling read. Interesting, well written.



2. Have not started to read the book. I purchased the book based on Mr Pauls' reputation as a congressional maverick.



3. All I have to say is Ron Paul keeps getting nothing more than respect from me, Keep up the work Paul. Im behind you.



4. When you read this book, study every word Dr. Paul has to say, cause it's all true, Ron Paul is about the only honest person in Washington right now, and it's a breath of fresh air this country needs, everyone should pick up this today, and get on the true freedom bandwagon, and take back our country, the way the founding fathers would have wanted it.



5. I already agreed with many of Ron Paul's political views and hoped to find a factual persuasive prose that might inspire the masses. Instead it created doubts in my support of Ron as a potential leader among leaders. I really liked his use of the term Republicrats, and his stance on finance, the Fed, our bloated military spending, Iran, civil liberties with some exceptions, and for the most part his interpretation of the original constitution. I have read many other works that centered on one topic that far better explained the topic than Ron's synopsis. Before one gives blind faith and heroic elevation to our founding fathers, I would suggest first reading: A Peoples' History of the United States by Howard Zinn. When Ron says there were "alleged monopolies" that ...dictated prices to hapless consumers. Laborers were forced to accept ever-lower wages. And thanks to their superior economic position, giant corporations effortlessly parried the attempts of anyone foolish enough to try to compete with them.", I was astonished, and when he continues with the next sentence I have to think he is ignorant in many aspects of US history.
   "Every single aspect of this story is false, though of course this version of history continues to be peddled and believed." He refers to the struggles of the working masses (as little as they are portrayed in public schools) as " a comic-book version of history." WOW !!! Tell this to the West Virginia Coal Miners who were paid with company credit and had to live in company owned housing and whose "coupons fell short of covering the basics as they could only be used at company owned stores.This was not limited to West Virginia. To completely ignore the struggles of the working classes and believe unfettered free market capitalism is the answer to all our problems is beyond belief. Even today, we have sweat shops in this country, and certainly our predatory corporations have outsourced these sweat shops to foreign countries.
   Our founding fathers created a working constitution that served their needs and remarkably has been flexible enough to change with the times. However we must remember that less than 50 % of the people were represented in the original government. One had to be a MALE LAND OWNER in order to vote and slavery was condoned as it had been from Jamestown to that time. The founding fathers were human.
   I was most disappointed in a lack of clear plan to move his agenda forward. How would he propose to handle all the problems arising from a move to a gold standard and abolishing the FED ?