5 comments about Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

1. Sadly, there are a small percentage of people reviewing this book who are simply cynical and mean-spirited. The message of this book is not about Greg Mortenson, it is about what one person can do when they put their mind to it. I've never been so hopeful and inpsired by one person's persistence. What he is doing is selfless and amazing and you cannot help but want to get involved. I will recommend this book to ALL my friends and family! I think everyone should be informed of this story and the work that's being done to help so many children. This book is also an excellent page-turner! It read like a movie and kept me on my toes of what was to come next.
   At the very least, you will get an up-close and personal look at what life is really like in Pakistan and at the most you will be inspired to commit some works of kindness yourself!



2. Greg Mortenson's love for the people surrounding K2 mountain is what drove him to the depth of care and concern that he could muster up to keep going back to a country at war, to provide schools for children who didn't have anything left but this. How sweet the story is of Greg's determination to reach out to a people, who from no fault of their own, at war with the world since the dawn of time, to enable their girls to feel a part of the human race and not subserviants to it. Thanks to the great people working with Greg to keep the fires burning and for luck on his side. If it weren't for luck, sometimes I wonder if Greg wouldn't have had the success he did. Or maybe it was the sheer fact of dumb luck that got him going. Sometimes you just have to believe that the stars aline, that something larger than yourself is listening in and guiding the way. And so you, too, can read this book and feel the intensity of the trip Greg took to make this happen. I highly recommend you to read Three Cups of Tea, one sip at a time.



3. Amazing Story. As inspiring and adventurous as this book is, it also leaves a lasting impression of the determination of human spirit. The concept of pluralism is well captured by the deeds and words of people involved....My personal connection to story came when I realized that I was hiking around Skardu in August 1995 while Greg Mortenson was planting the initial seeds of his good deeds by building a bridge several miles north. From my personal experience I can validate Mortenson journey and it remained real from start till end.



4. Amazing story of one man's mission to bring peace to the world, starting with one of the most difficult areas on the planet. I've never felt so inspired by a true story. He is so right, this is the way out of all the hatred and fear in the middle East. I think this is a MUST READ for every human being.



5. This well written documentary about the Muslim world helps to dispell the anxiety, suspicion and fear we may have toward Islam. It warmed my heart and I couldn't put it down.

5 comments about Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson.

1. I read this book for my high school summer reading because I thought it was going to be a quick and easy read, but it turned out to be me much more than that. "Tuesdays with Morrie" is a book about Mitch Albom and his favorite college professor, Morrie Schwartz. Over the years Mitch and Morrie lose touch until Mitch see's Morrie on TV and discovers that his favorite professor has Lou Gehrig's disease. Mitch decides to visit Morrie, not knowing that his weekly visits will soon change his life forever.
   
   At each lesson, Mitch watches Morrie's illness progress. Soon Mitch discovers that his weekly meetings with Morrie are more than just a visit with an old friend, it's a discussion on how to live your life.
   
   "Tuesdays with Morrie" turned out to be a truly inspirational story. Mitch Albom's writing style not only kept the book interesting, but he also taught me a valuable lesson. Enjoy each day as if it were your last.



2. I had heard so much about this book and it continued to be on that "must read" someday when I have available time. So I finally got around to it. I am glad I read it. I find that I like Mitch Albom's style of writing (I also just finished The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I find him to be clear, concise and not overly descriptive -- I can not tolerate authors who need many pages to describe the color of the autumn leaves!
   
   Yet, maybe because of the hype, I expected more. For some reason, although I appreciate the soundness of Morrie's philosophies, I felt they weren't presented in an inspirational, life changing style. Overall, it left me somewhat flat. (And for me, that is quite unusual.)
   
   However I am thrilled that it's another off of my to be read list.
   
   Barbara Kent, author Success in the Words of the Masters



3. The author of this book does a nice job of realying what the dying professor wants people in our country to hear before he passes on. For me the best message Professor Schwartz delivers is in these words that are so applicable to the problems our country is facing and our leaders just don't get it: He said, "We don't see what we could be." The prof goes on to relay the message that we are lacking compassion for one another and he got that right, didn't he? Norman Jones, Ed. D. author of Main St. vs. Wall St.:Wake-up Calls for America's Leaders



4. I read this book after reading five people you meet in heaven for school going into the book I had a positive attitude. Since I read five people it was very meaningful and had a clear message that it was trying to send and I knew tuesday's with morrie would be the same as well. I have not been a very avid reader in recent years, but with this book it put me on track to start another book as well as another Albom book. This is a great author, he needs to write more because I would read and very quickly. The text is very easy to go through if determined two or three of his books could be read within a day or two.



5. Facing certain death in a predetermined amount of time likely produces some of the most meaningful reflections of one's life. I suspect anyone at facing this would have a far more grounded viewpoint on the significance of material and philosophical aspects. In Tuesdays with Morrie, we are privy to conversations with Morrie Schwartz, a Brandeis University professor who died of Lou Gehrig's disease, and one of his affected students named Mitch Albom.
   
   Each chapter represents a conversation Morrie had with Mitch trying to provide some lasting guidance and perspective about life. What makes this book especially profound is that Morrie is not just an ordinary person forced to reflect on his life, he in fact had spent a lifetime studying human expression. The bulk of the book will give any reader pause, a point of relativity that enables one to consider for a moment what is truly is important.
   
   This book is short, sad, weighty, and most importantly profoundly valuable; one I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in examining life's philosophical questions.

5 comments about Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America.

1. Twenty years from now, I believe we will look back on the Harlem Children's Zone as the place where the first large-scale solution to urban education was forged. As I write this, the US Dept of Education is reviewing 337 Promise Neighborhood planning grant applications -- each striving to replicate the model in a different city.
   
   We are incredibly fortunate that NY Times education reporter Paul Tough saw the possibilities early and spent five years tracking the genesis story as it was happening. He's an excellent writer and "gets" the poverty:learning linkages and why success requires dramatically different approaches.



2. I was assigned to read this book for a class and thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it. I would recommend this book to any one who is interested in improving the lives of children from disadvantaged neighborhoods. It really opens your eyes to the real problem of poverty and gives you hope that we can do something to fix it.



3. This book was so well written. It completely changed the I now look at poverty and education. There is hope. Reformers should take note. This is the way for real change. This is the way for real hope. Amazing!



4. If you are interested in childhood development, the future of education in America, and "closing the achievement gap" this book is a must-read. Engaging and fascinating, in turns inspiring and daunting, this book delivers it all. Paul Tough manages to make a cliff-hanger out of a biographical, scholarly work. Filled with the highlights of mind-blowing scholarly research, this makes you stop other people in their tracks and demand "listen to this!"



5. Geoffrey Canada has developed a comprehensive, holistic formula to successfully educate poor kids in Harlem who historically have not had a good educational outcome. This book details the work that went into the program his Harlem Children's Zone developed and administers. One of the best parts of the book is the detailed discussion of why kids who come from a background of poverty more often than not do not do well in school. It debunks myths that these kids have inferior intellects. It covers how their upbringing by well-meaning but highly stressed and beleagered parents puts them behind their affluent peers. It details how Canada, who was born in a poor neighborhood in the South Bronx, decided that if these kids were going to succeed in large numbers that his approach was going to have to affect every part of their lives, not just what happens while they are in school. The city I live in, Charlotte, NC, struggles with many of the same problems of a wide achievement gap between affluent white kids and poor black and Latino children. I am telling anyone who will listen that there is a way to educate all of the kids in our community and that what Geoffrey Canada has come up with may be the best approach. This is a great book that anyone who is passionate about public education and the inequities that exist in them will enjoy reading.

5 comments about Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher's First Year, Expanded Edition.

1. It took almost the full two weeks to arrive but it was in great condition and an excellent book!



2. Educating Esmé was my book of choice when I was given a selection to choose from for my education class. It seemed interesting and fun. I am happy I decided to read it, Madame Esmé's personal story in her classroom in a marginalized area of Chicago, can teach anyone a whole lot about the education system and the needs of students in our country. While I am not saying that every school and every first year teacher faces the same kind of challenges she did, anyone can learn from Esmé's experiences. As a first year teacher she seemed very confident, maybe even a little bit overconfident, but I think it was part of the reason why she was successful in her school. In a rough neighbourhood and with the administration not being very caring or supportive of their staff, no one was going to make it easy for her and she had to stand up for herself. Madame Esmé was not a perfect teacher, she had flaws, but she genuinely care about the children and was passionate about making these kids succeed, even if it still did not meet the standards. The great majority of the children in her classroom came from poor households and with minimal or non-existent parent involvement. Some of her students were also recent immigrants to the country with limited or absent English proficiency. All of her students were performing under the level expected for their age and grade. Unfortunately, I think the students in Esmé's classroom represent many students in American schools today. Madame Esmé complained more than once that without parental involvement, there was only so much she could do; she worked tirelessly to help her students to the best of her abilities. The administration was apathetic and dispassionate about the children and their well-being, Mr. Turner and Ms. Coil the principal and vice-principal respectively, had little intention to really make a positive change in the kids lives. It seemed as if they had given up on the students even before they met them. Madame Esmé had great ideas of how to get the children interested in reading and learning, the time machine and the corner with books used as rewards for good behaviour and good work, were awesome ideas. If I ever become a teacher, I would definitely try to implement things like those in my classroom. The description of her room made me want to be that classroom, full of colour and amazing images. Based on the description of how some of her students lived at home, I am sure Madame Esmé's classroom was the most vibrant inspiration and the safest place for many of them. Overall, I greatly enjoyed the book, and while I know Madame Esmé's first year as a teacher might have not change all of the students lives, I am sure she made a difference and that makes it worth writing and of course reading.



3. Educating Esme is a fabulous book for all teachers. It tells of Esme' first year of teaching experience. Esme is faced with the challenge of educating low performing students in an inner city school. She describes the many challenges that take place in her classroom. Esme' also provides an inside look into the stragegies that she used to motivate and teach her students.
   
   Teaching respect and honor to low performing students was just a portion of Esme's teaching skills. She challenges her students to perform and in the end, they perform better than anyone ever expected them to. This book is inspiring, funny, and sad in many ways. Esme's stubborn nature and wit gave her the ability to survive and never give up on these problematic students. If you need inspiration, I recommend this book to lift your spirits and make you laugh. Esme' also has many teaching secrets to share with her audience.
   
   Brenda Jones (author of "Standing Up" and "No I Don't Want to Play Today"Standing Up



4. In the book Educating Esme: Diary of a Teacher's First Year, Esme Raji Codell recalls her first year as a fifth grade teacher and all of the good and bad experiences that came along for the ride. I was so captivated by her story that I read it cover to cover in one sitting. Codell's word choice and wit are light and humorous. I laughed with her, I cried with her, but mostly, I was inspired by her.
   
   Not only is this a great book for new and future teachers, but anyone who cares about public schools, and the challenges and successes teachers meet on a daily basis. Codell does so much more than simply teach ABC's and 123's: she is mother, father, counselor, conscience, and friend to her students. She builds time machines, wears roller skates, and teaches yo-yo tricks. Yes, she has her fair share of bad days, but always looks to her students as motivation to continue teaching.
   
   This book is invaluable for all teachers and students pursuing a career in education. Codell reminds us all that teaching is not a 9 to 5 job. It is truly a lifetime commitment.



5. I had to read this book for an education class I am taking. I liked the diary format and loved the honesty from Madame Esme. I am a first year teacher in a high school but share many of the feelings, concerns, and frustrations that Esme had in her first year. I would recommend this book to any teacher, teacher to be, or even anyone working in a school system.

5 comments about The Water Is Wide: A Memoir.

1. Pat Conroy is an honest writer. Throughout this powerful book, he blames himself--his ego, for getting in the way of educational success, or at least bringing about some minor changes on the Island. While he certainly was as good an enemy to himself as any other, that fact does not dilute the powerful evil of prejudice and fear that runs freely and daily through the Island's educational enterprise.
   
   At times, Conroy reminded me of Yossarian inn Catch 22 or Leper in A Separate Peace--wild, chaotic, and bound to bring fear to those who didn't understand or appreciate him for what he was--a teacher, pure and simple.
   
   While this did take place in the South, it could have been in any segregated school system. His tracing of segregation and desegregation is seering in its honesty, charitable in its perspective, and a sad testimony of this phase of American history. If we pay attention to this book, perhaps we will learn from it.



2. It's short and easy, but it's just an okay read. I like books about inspirational teachers, but Pat Conroy spends a little too much time patting himself on the back while criticizing everyone else involved.



3. I read a news article about Pat Conroy and his book, The Water is Wide. I was instantly intrigued. I bought the book, read it and could not put it down. Since the book is written about his exploits as a teacher to "colored children" in a southern atmosphere and dealing with attitudes of a more southern nature, I'm surprised that he got as much accomplished as he did in his 1-year term as a teacher. All of the characters portrayed were painfully believable. This book tells it like it was during the 60's. I would definitely recommend the book for everyone who has an open mind, a sense of humor and is not afraid to delve into life's realities.



4. We enjoyed this book, gave us an insight as to how poor and neglected our neighbours are right here in our own country.
   Plus it was well written and kept your interest.
   A quick and informative read, yes, we recommend it.



5. I read this book over a year ago, and I still think of it as one of the best books I have ever read. I admit I am not a "well read" individual, but I read a book or two a month and this one continues to stand out. I agree with other reviews that it is a must read for teachers. I personally found the book so appealing because it left me laughing, then crying, then angry, then sad. It pulled and tugged at all of my emotions and made me see that I have given up too easily on some things I have wanted changed in my own life. Pat Conroy had to be creative and innovative to get through to the children as well as their parents. I believe he learned as much from the kids as they did from him. I was inspired by his story.

5 comments about Up from Slavery (Dover Thrift Editions).

1. I read this book with my 12 year old as part of a book club.I didn't know much about Booker T. Washington,and this book was very interesting.He was truly a remarkable man living in a time of extreme change for our country.I feel I now have a broader view of the post slavery South then I had,even growing up there.



2. A fascinating read about the life and times of Booker T. Washington and his march from slavery to one of the foremost men of his time.
   
   His views may seem quite antiquated in today's world, given what has happened and not happened in the last 100 years in race relations and it is easy to see how Black leaders of today might be critical of Washington's views and perspectives.
   
   But to do so would be to make the all too common mistake of imprinting and transferring today's value system and experiences on a culture and time of long ago. Anyone can look back with 20-20 hindsight and criticize. What matters most is having a plan to move forward from where you are, and Booker T. Washington certainly had that. His is a remarkable story of courage, grace, and iron-willed determination, for himself and for his race.
   
   While today's leaders and purists might criticize Washington, it should never be forgotten that he took the first steps and led his race and the entire South in the first steps, no matter how imperfect they may be in hindsight, up and away from slavery.
   
   There had to be a Booker T. Washington to bridge the gap between what was and what was to be. He knew his role and peformed it well.



3. Up From Slavery Booker T. Washington has been one of my all-time favorite American heroes -- ever since I first read about him in 4th grade. Washington had a gift for writing, and his autobiography, as well as his essays, are very easy to read, understand, and enjoy. The more I study and learn about him, the more impressed I am with his vision, his integrity, and his drive to improve his people and their lot in life.



4. a good read with much information from the early america era. Booker T. Washington use the brain over violence and suceeded where others failed. excellent read.!!!!



5. What an outstanding autobiography regarding a true American heroe! This book details the triumphant acts of Booker T. Washington's efforts to not only develop the famous Tuskegee Institute, but to positively build bridges with America. A former slave who became a self taught, political mastermind came from the worst of what humanity had to offer to meeting and influencing American Presidents. What an honor it would have been to meet a man who provided so much to the African American man and woman. He was also willing and often did help southern whites in his community. It's ashame that in America, where education is offered legally, there is a 50% dropout rate among African American high school students. This man and his "cadres" fought for and provided educational opportunities in a country that treated them worst than second class citizens. This book should be a required reading in ALL schools, especially those predominantly filled with African Americans!

5 comments about There Are No Shortcuts.

1. Esquith is a little too much like Harry Wong. He assumes everything will fall into place when you get your assignment. He also disparages mandatory curriculums which are assigned to teachers. But he doesn't take into account the following:
   1. The students schedules can be changed constantly, so they're never in the same class for more than two weeks.
   2. The kids may come to class too angry to learn.
   3. Politics may be more important than the kids' education.
   
   There are many other factors that keep teachers from providing the very best. Luckily for Mr. Esquith, everything fell into place for him. But we can't all rely on luck.



2. After hearing Esquith's name come up several times when defending the subject matter of my own book [on teaching,]I felt like I should examine the work of this kindred spirit; I was not disappointed. Although he has been accused of being self-serving, I know from first hand experience that it is virtually impossible to tell such stories without putting yourself in the eye of the storm, BECAUSE YOU ARE! I envy those that "can't relate" to the stories Esquith tells, and I bleed for those of us who read them and shake our heads solemnly at the realization that they are all too true. Continue to fight the good fight, Mr. Esquith; and keep writing about it - your stories need to be heard.Why Are All the Good Teachers Crazy?



3. I read Rafe's book Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire first and thought this book would be different, being how it was his first...basically he talked about the same things/situations in both books. I loved Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire and was looking for something different but found that it was pretty much identical to the other. Still good information though...



4. I have read all of Rafe's books and can say that they all inspire me to continue learning and teaching after thirty-seven years in the classroom.



5. Excellent for Elementary Educators. Some application to Middle and High School. Inspires all teachers to reach for the best performance.Funny at times, but grounded in reality. Somewhat political at the end. Small disappointment.

5 comments about Work Hard. Be Nice.: How Two Inspired Teachers Created the Most Promising Schools in America.

1. This is a great example of what can be done if the circumstances allow. It highlights the Problem that is existent in our public schools with their limitations on teachers time and students time. This also provides much of the meat for the Lemov 49 Principles because it shows the many ways you can follow to grab the kids attention and make learning fun again.



2. Not to say that Jay was being intentionally dishonest, but I really don't think that he takes into consideration what is at the heart of the KIPP method. The young teachers at these schools are essentially acting like surrogate families to these students and in most cases after these students leave the KIPP schools, they return to average or below average academic performance. You can push students really hard and force them to succeed, but KIPP schools fail change the essential nature of their students. On another level, the founders of KIPP schools were less motivated to change the world and seemed far more interested and motivated to create a business empire for themselves where they could get extremely wealthy on the taxpayers dime. While all of this is happening, young teachers are being burnt out and discarded and students and families are being deceived by their slick business gimmick. Overall, I don't feel as though the book was as informative as it needed to be.



3. As someone new to the world of education reform, I was inspired by the courageous story of how KIPP started. The book puts a human face on the "big bad charter schools". In creating KIPP there were mistakes, miscalculations, and well meant short-comings, but all of it was followed with a passionate spirit to find what worked. Jay Mathews is an excellent story teller and I would also highly recommend his Washington Post Column. Overall outstanding read.



4. I am a public school teacher who frequently gets frustrated at the bureaucracy of public education. It is a very long process to get rid of bad teachers and to get approval to do anything innovative. I had heard about KIPP in the news and was interested to learn more about it so picked this book up. I was surprised in how hard it was to put it down as I was glued to the back-story that Jay Mathews painted so clearly.
   
   It is a shame so many people, unions, administrators and bureaucrats (most of which tend to be center-left in thinking) are so against charter schools. Yes, as with anything, there are good and bad charter schools but I would have to guess there are a whole lot less bad charter schools than there are regular, bad district-based schools.
   
   Even if you are not a fan of the charter movement, I would highly recommend this book. Sometimes when your only goal is what is best to educate students, the answers have to be found outside of the system. I am not saying what they have done is perfect and I found some areas that I really did not agree with but the results are pretty impressive!



5. I absolutely loved reading this book. Not only is it an inspiring story of the journey of 2 passionate teachers and their mentors (and the journey continues), it was written in such a way that it kept drawing you in to find out more about Levin, Feinberg and the others who have shaped the KIPP story. While it is primarily a story about teachers making a difference to inner city American children, it's appeal is far broader as it tells of people whose work is changing lives for the better and are giving hope to many who are facing a difficult and limited future.
   I live and work in a totally different country (Australia) and educational system but have drawn much inspiration and ideas that I will apply to my own life and teaching - particularly as I reflect on the passion, drive and perseverance that these people have shown on numerous occasions. I will be passing this book around to my friends!

5 comments about Teacher Man: A Memoir.

1. A "must read" for every teacher and for anyone wanting a rich, well written story of classroom life in the trenches in the New York school system. My favorite Frank McCourt book.



2. Easy quick read. Lack of quotation marks for dialogue takes a bit to get used to, hence 3 stars instead of 4. Entertaining and enlightening read about being a HS teacher decades ago in NYC . Some of the stories a bit scary, some heart-warming yet none of them dull. Can't come away from reading this w/out thinking how much a teacher's experience is incredibly important and that teacher's generally deserve all the money or benefits they can get. Angela's Ashes is now on my short list.



3. The academic establishment surely frowned upon Mr. McCourt's unconventional teaching methods; methods borne from desperation to hide his inadequacies. He was the teacher you would have gladly traded any of the stuffed talking heads that took up space in the front of the classrooms of our childhood, the ones you are challenged to remember their names decades later. But the true beauty of Mr. McCourt's genius were the life lessons students carried with them after graduation, especially the unreachable who were the most likely to fail. Fortunate for us, Mr. McCourt retired to write his masterpieces, especially his memoirs. Though we suffered through years with less capable teachers, simply following his story in the classrooms of New York make us richer. His mastery of the English language and dexterity weaving prose are nothing less than captivating.



4. What can I say...Frank McCourt does the Irish justice with his natural talent for storytelling: the humor is off the charts, the heart tugs at your tears only begging you for more tales. As an Irish girl with Limerick in her blood, I am instinctly drawn to Mr. McCourt, so simliar to my own relatives to the point to where its uncanny. He paints his life in words that emanate laughter and tears interchangeably. This was an excellent bookend to the previous Angela's Ashes and 'Tis. Three books high on my shelf of preservation and forever in my heart.



5. He has a wonderful writing style which I admire, however I didn't like this particular book. He wrote very little about his students, and very little about his teaching life. Most of it was about his sad childhood and his extramarital affairs.

5 comments about The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci.

1. Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit priest, lived in China for 27 years, from 1582 to 1610, working towards the conversion of the Chinese. Do you think he bit off more than he could chew ? Maybe so. At any rate, he gave it his best. Why he was inclined to do so, and how he went about doing it, are the basic topics of this most interestingly constructed book. I would say there are several levels to consider. First, the training and background of such a missionary figure in that time, including the works of philosophy and religion that influenced him. The hardships of being a missionary are not neglected. Second, the Chinese society of that time and why Ricci's mission was basically "Mission Impossible". Third, a study in contradictions: the misunderstanding of each "side" of the other's longterm goals, the contradictory images of other faiths (Buddhism, Judaism, Islam), the clash between trade and faith in Europe, and the different concepts of morality. While globalization had begun, it had a long, long way to go. A fourth theme might be more literary: how a scholar like Spence could construct such a literary approach to history, making it sparkle and shine in ingenious ways for a reader. I was fascinated by this process. I would say that for anyone interested in history per se, this would be a five star book. However, if you are primarily concerned with China, this study is more about Europe and perhaps, "Europe meets China in the late 16th century". If you are more interested in Europe, there are probably more central works for you. Readers interested in what a `memory palace' might be are advised to obtain a copy of the book. It's a fascinating read if not the easiest.



2. As I grow older, I worry sometimes about the aging 'muscle' in my head. I had noticed that Thomas Harris mentioned this book in the back of his novel Hannibal, so I ordered it; Not to be like the fictional Dr. Lecter, but rather to develop my memory and keep it honed.
   This is book about history, about discipline, about a passion. Spence knows his stuff, to be sure, but I find his style to be aggravating--the research is phenomnal and very much appreciated, but there are times when it interrupts the flow of the read. This is the only reason I give it four stars instead of five. Otherwise, it is a Five-star. I like the book immensely, and I am learning.



3. Not being interested in Christian missionary work in China, I had resisted reading this book for years. That was a terrible mistake and another example of how you can't judge a book by its cover or title. The Memory Palace of Matteo Ricci is not so much a book about Matteo Ricci or missionaries as it is a look at the two continents of Europe and Asia in the late 1500's to 1610 (when Matteo Ricci died). It covers subjects such as crusades, plagues, theology, the arts, travel, China leading up to the fall of the Ming (1644), corruption, punishments, dress, the role of Buddhism in Chinese society, slavery, sodomy, food and so much more.
   
   Yes, it is a book for historians or those interested in historical times, especially the Inquisition and Christianity's outreach to foreign shores, but its breadth of topics is so unusual, and its treatment of these subjects through the eyes of one man who left his native Italy to travel to Rome, Portugal, Goa, and eventually China so detailed, that the rewards of reading this book were wholly unexpected and thus a wonderful surprise--like opening a tin to discover a jewel box.



4. This book had some wonderful nuggets about Ricci and China, but there were so many tangents and mind-numbing details that it was challenging to read. The main issue is that the book is thematic in nature rather than chronological. On one page Spence is talking in detail about China in 1582 and the next he's talking in detail about Portugal in 1567. He flips back and forth across the decades and the continents enough that it's very difficult to get a picture of Ricci's life. A lot of Spence's content seems pulled from history books on Europe, having little or nothing to do with either Ricci or China. If you want a random, panoramic view of life in the late 1500's this book is for you. If you're looking for a comprehensive, orderly look at Ricci or China or his memory system you may be disappointed. It's worth the read, but with appropriate expectations.



5. You can find a summary below with floors for chapters, http://olivierinshanghai.free.fr/npds/chinois/ricci.pdf