Ours Blog will cover with Biographies Memoirs Books Reviews. All of book are share here is about Biographies and Memoirs of someone. I hope you will enjoy what I share to you.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks >> Fascinating Story Wow This book tells the true story of Henrietta Lacks and her family s attempts at understanding how her cells have impacted science It is part medical research history part human interest and part science lesson Civil rights and patient s medical rights are also woven in throughout the book I w
Three Cups of Tea With Headphones Playaway Adult Nonfiction
Three Cups of Tea With Headphones Playaway Adult Nonfiction >> A Treasure There are few books in life that a person would forever keep at his side and of those select few I treasure this one most I find solace in the pages of this book especially in my most trying times and this is because those precious words contained within them remind me that difficulty is always
Liar s Poker >> Terrific portrait of 1980s Wall Street before the MBAs arrived If you want to know what the big Wall Street bond firms were like before the MBAs took over this is the book It s a great portrait of 1980s Wall Street the way that traders and investment bankers used to appear in the eyes of the young MBAs they hired and the ridiculous training that newcomer
Courage and Consequence My Life as a Conservative in the Fight
Courage and Consequence My Life as a Conservative in the Fight >> Setting Bush s record straight A well written clarification of the President s accomplishments and yes some significant mistakes A book like this from an insider who was so close to the facts is much needed to counter the reporting by a media that on the whole tended to be politically biased against President Bush
Author : Jay Kopelman Total Page : 269 Publisher : Thorndike Press Publication Date : 2007 05 16
From Baghdad With Love A Marine the War and a Dog Named Lava Thorndike Press Large Print Nonfiction Series >> Lava s Story This is the BEST book I have ever read Even though the story of Lava was so touching it gave a frank insight into the war This story is one that I d love to see on the big screen >> A Great Easy To Read Story Being an ex Army soldier of the OIF/OEF time I have a tendency to be drawn towards Iraq stories You could say that my draw becomes almost magnetic when it involves dogs With that being said the second I discovered From Baghdad With Love it skyrocketed to the top of my must read pile
Even with my biases this book was absolutely phenomenal It is extremely easy to read and has the feel of talking to a war buddy in this case LTC Jay Kopelman as he illustrates the journey of his 4 pawed buddy Lava s journey home to America The book may not be absolutely correct when it comes to writing and journalism There are a lot of right and like s in it but I think instead of hindering the story it brings you closer to it There s a bluntness to a soldier things aren t sugar coated or dazzled up and there s an understanding of war that many people can t understand LTC Kopelman doesn t bother to make sure what he s saying is politically correct he just calls it like it is which I also enjoyed
Soldiers are an interesting lot From a vet side of view I often read these types of books because we re not exactly normal in the head anymore and it gives me a long lost feeling of belonging So I immediately was brought to the familiar comfort of soldier to soldier war stories But I don t think you have to be a soldier or even a dog lover for that matter to feel the profound impact that this story will have on you deep inside
Whether you are looking for something that s easy to read or you just want an incredible story about a heroic journey this book hits it right on the head
>> A difficult book to read but overall a heartwarming story of rescue for both animal and man I honestly felt that this book was one of the most memorable and true to life books that I have read in many years I would recommend however that the book not be given or read to children or young teenagers because of the graphic descriptions of war injuries and how clearly descriptions of those injuries from bombs and other devices had left soldiers dismembered and near death so many times over during this war The one prevailing theme of a heroic soldier and his rescued canine angel absolutely made this book and its story one I will never forget or cease to be amazed at
Author : Abraham Verghese Total Page : 352 Publisher : Vintage Books Publication Date : 1995 01 01
My Own Country >> Given as a gift many times I read this book years ago and re read it every so often because of the way the story hits home about the beginning of the AIDS epidemic and the struggle of a doctor trying to cope with a difficult situation I think Dr Verghese does a marvelous job of capturing and conveying his feelings at the time and how it was to deal with this new disease Although at times a difficult book to read it has been my choice as a gift on several occasions for both friends and family especially where someone has been considering medicine as it demonstrates what lengths a physician can go to care for their patients
One of my all time favorites I also enjoyed his book The Tennis Partner though this one is I feel the stronger of the two >> Review for My Own Country It was delivered very quickly which I was pleased about However there was a small blood like stain on the book which I wish I knew about before purchasing >> Applicable in Many Different Ways Dr Verghese s book is a heartfelt tale of two stories his own foreign born family s inclusion and exclusion in a rural Tennessee community and the inclusion and exclusion of his patients within their own community Dr Verghese is an infectious disease doctor who predominantly treats HIV positive patients He did his residency in Johnson City TN and found himself to be much like his patients outcasts The book flips between the stories of his patients and those of his own family both the sad anger producing stories and those that make you cry
Verghese is a talented writer and captures a pull in me I highly recommend this story The lessons learned can be applied to anyone finding themselves excluded or in the minority
Author : Patrick Dillon Total Page : 544 Publisher : Broadway Publication Date : 2010 03 02
Circle of Greed The Spectacular Rise and Fall of the Lawyer Who Brought Corporate America to Its Knees >> Good Intentions Confounded or Cut From the Same Cloth The gloss starts on the cover of the book with the subtitle the story of the lawyer who brought corporate America to its knees Never even close to the truth while Bill Lerach certainly attracted the enmity of corporate America this hyperbole does nothing to answer the most interesting question why did this happen and how did he get away with it for so long
There is a great deal of debate over the efficacy of class action litigation as a means to keep corporations honest Given the state of the world it seems a good case can be made that they fail as a tool to curb wrongdoing It s also the case that for every Enron WorldCom and HealthSouth case there were a significant number of cases that were groundless but were settled to avoid the cost and distraction of protracted litigation At the end of the day in view of the enormous wealth acquired by Bill Lerach Mel Weiss and other members of the plaintiffs bar much of the benefit of the litigation seems to have accrued to the lawyers rather than the investors
I was interested to see that another reviewer concluded the authors disliked Lerach I reached quite the opposite conclusion They seem to put him on a pedestal lending credence to the position that his good works outweigh his unjustifiable conduct The truth of the matter is that greed is not confined to the executive suite or law firms for that matter It s difficult for humans whatever their station in life to not succumb and take the easy way out
The story did jump around and the sequence of events was occassionally hard to follow And there were some technical issues as other reviews have pointed out It is certainly an interesting story and a cautionary tale but one at the end of the day gives far too much credit to Bill Lerach He is a thief plain and simple >> Bill I Hardly Knew You This book is interesting journalism about a character who is bigger than life Bill Lerach is a brilliant individual whose creative theories and ruthless execution made his an enemy of many companies The authors decided to tell a story and they told a fascinating one with unbelievable characters The story really is similar to others in 1990 who started out with an effective business plan and then overdid and destroyed themselves In many ways Lerach was not different than the Enron folks who he clearly hated He was so caught up in the need to make money or to be powerful that he felt the normal rules of law did not apply to him He cheated to get cases It is unclear from the book whether he thought he could do a better job or that he was manic
Like so many people like him he either never had a moral compass or he lost it In any event he became a disgrace to the bar through his tactics
My issue with this book is that there is no effort to consider the real issues seriously I was hoping there would have been an more in depth consideration of Lerach s contribution to general welfare Also I missed any analysis by the authors of why they felt he acted as he did i do not believe that the authors made the case that people like Lerach reduce corporate fraud I think because they destroy respect for the system they give the abusers the ability to say the law is not fair so I am not doing anything wrong by abusing it Like Lerach explaining why he bought plaintiffs The lack of such an effort did not reduce the pleasure of reading this book I just felt cheated that I did not get to understand Bill better >> Compelling fascinating fair and insightful A tremendous book A gripping page turner that every reader will enjoy even people without a background or specific interest in politics or law Objectively and thoroughly reported the authors make complex subjects understandable and present the tale of a larger than life character in a tale that someone will certainly turn into a blockbuster movie
Author : Paul Johnson Total Page : 256 Publisher : Viking Adult Publication Date : 2010 03 04
Jesus A Biography from a Believer >> Great job personifying Jesus
Overall I really liked this book It was an easy read and did a great job personifying Jesus I was brought up Christian and am practicing today The first half of the book I d say was nice most of the stories recounted were those that you were taught in Sunday School It was a pleasant read but I didn t really learn anything However I found the last two Chapters of Jesus life very interesting and is the reason I gave the book four stars The last two chapters are about the Cruxification and the Resurrection What I found most interesting wasn t exactly how Jesus was crucified as we ve all learned about that before but the politics that were going on to allow for such an event and tragedy to happen I always wondered why a crowd that was so excited to see Jesus on Palm Sunday could turn on him so in one week s time and this book helped answer that The last two chapters also help you understand the relationships Jesus had with his disciples and the women in his life This book would also be great for non Christians who want a basic understanding about a man who has a whole religion based on his teachings
>> Score One for the Believers Mr Johnson has brought his formidable talents to bear in this supremely satisfying life of Christ a timely response to the latest publishing fad being book length diatribes by the supposedly learned and wise who denigrate religion and by not so subtle insinuation the Savior Jesus Christ As religious education wanes Jesus Christ has become to many not an object of veneration or daily study but a caricature or figurehead it is an unfortunate reality that too many believers fail to study their own beliefs and in this lack of appreciation they fall prey to those who mock religion The triumph of Mr Johnson s achievement is that he portrays the Christ of the Scriptures and is not interested in theological arguments so much as building faith and belief In speaking of the Savior believers of all types need more of this kind of approach the Christ was worthy of emulation in every respect
Mr Johnson argues that Christ lived a comfortable and educated life as a God with men and loved it His was a real life Jesus loved people loved a good meal He was supremely observant and compassionate He missed nothing and saw everything My favorite part of the book was Mr Johnson s telling of the miracle at Cana his portrayal of the relationship between Jesus and Jesus mother was illuminating The genius of the book is that it is not an explanation of why and how Jesus at once the most intelligent and powerful being to ever walk the earth allowed Himself to be made a sacrifice for mankind rather it is a biography a description of what kind of Man He was according to the historical record A deceptively difficult task that only a seasoned expert at the height of his powers could pull off as effortlessly as does Mr Johnson In summary Jesus was and is the perfect friend the epitome of unselfishness the example of everything good the author of the golden rule
The work is short and by no means exhaustive It makes conclusions that may be controversial to some but throughout the work you sense that Mr Johnson loves this man Jesus Christ and is in absolute awe and wonder of the divine intelligence exhibited in everything that Jesus said or did This reviewer will admit to the same bias I love the Christ and strive to live according to His example While it is the earnest hope of every believer to someday know more of He whom we seek to emulate Mr Johnson s little volume should be a welcome gift for anyone who seeks to follow the Master
Author : Dean Karnazes Total Page : 304 Publisher : Tarcher Publication Date : 2006 03 02
Ultramarathon Man Confessions of an All Night Runner >> Great Exposure to the Sport for Non Runners My sister gave me this book as a quick read and I will admit it managed to keep my attention for the better part of the day
I think without going into too much detail it would be best to divide the book into two sections Pt 1 the Author s Background and First Exposure to the sport of Ultramarathons Pt 2 Subsequent life for the Author since then
Part I is what basically hooked me Often as a runner it is quite hard to explain to others why I do what I do sometimes running in the rain ultra races trudging through snow to complete my 5miles for the day etc And I believe in this book the author does a great job at capturing his personal reasons for picking up the sport As he states off hand several times everyone has their own reasons for running and perhaps that is what captivated me reading one person s story and experiences all the ups and downs What I best loved about this section was the attention to details somewhat in what it is like to run extreme distances The pain the discomfort the bodily functions the joy the walls and the myriad of emotions in between As much as I would like to say it is as easy as putting one foot in front of the other the author here does a great job at showing it is that but also soo much more The time required the early and late night runs to maintain levels the diets the cramps and the strong desire at time to just say screw this and walk away His description up through his first 100mile race is worth checking this book out
Pt II however this is where I agree with other reviews it becomes apparent he is trying to market himself and promote this how I would describe it sense of superficial humility He is not the first to do all of what he has done nor is he the last The dialogues he has with friends and family often come across as completely fabricated in his defense it keeps the story flowing and I would have done without them It is here that I had to force myself to finish the book He blazes through the rest of his races without much detail other than self promotion for his belief of following his heart What he does not describe is the reality of the situations as he captured so well in the first half The author must be financially secure and then some for very few of the ultra runners I know can even afford to do what he does Trips across the country in a RV entry fees transpo all the while keeping his family in tow are costly and he makes it sound as though us mere normal runners do not do the runs he does because we are lazy WHen in fact the simple truth is one can not afford it Everything has its price and he glosses over this fact while rubbing in the readers faces that not only does he have a Mercedes a lucrative job with liberal leave but also an RV to bring his team along I am not trying to discredit the man he IS very good at what he does and he IS inspirational I was just disappointed because I thought the first half did an OUTSTANDING job at encouraging people and non active folks to get up and at least try
All in all I gave this a 4 star review It is a pretty quick read and if you re not tempted to run at the end you read it too fast I would recommend this book for the first half alone and say if you want to read the rest great but the first half is what I believe will capture and inspire the mundane person into challenging themselves for something great a pursuit of pleasure through a course of pain
Shoot inspired me to do my 50mile race in June 2010 >> Great Inspiration I purchased this book for my husband who has been running for several years and is looking to go to the next level and compete He read it in ONE DAY It is written in a comprehensive and entertaining dialogue that makes you feel like you know this guy Our 14 year old son who is also a runner is reading it now Great book >> Exceptionally Motivating I m one of those guys who tends to fluctuate in weight as well as fitness level and inherently my level of motivation determines both of those A former college athlete I was always in very good physical shape and could basically eat anything and be alright As the years have gone on heck I m only 28 I find myself having one poor eating day and gaining five pounds and finding it incredibly difficult to maintain my exercising motivation I have a 2 year old daughter a 7 month pregnant wife work all day play the role of husband and daddy all evening and in the winter months yes even in Arizona it s just so cold and difficult to become motivated at 4am
Enter Ultramarathon Man A good friend of mine plays the part of my motivator He s in excellent shape is incredibly disciplined in every aspect of his life Before heading out to Mexico last summer he dropped this book off at my door and said read it and enjoy Two days later I had read the book front cover to back and I did thoroughly enjoy reading the book I read it again and now 6 months later coming out of a rut I ll be reading it yet again
Why It s an enjoyable read that is incredibly uplifting and inspirational on several levels this superhuman that is Dean Karnazes is so humbled and down to earth about his accomplishments that you feel as though you re reading a book by your best pal or by your biggest fan He wants you to read his story and then create your own off of that I m not saying that he advocates someone 50lbs overweight to go out and run Badwater I m saying that he makes you want to challenge yourself to reach beyond what you believe you are capable of doing That s why I love the book As each chapter progresses I want to set it down lace up my shoes and head to the mountains for a run no matter what hour of day it is At the same time the book is so fast paced and enjoyable it s difficult to set down so you just keep reading
Will it go down in history as a literary masterpiece No But it s about as motivating as it gets
To the people who say Dean s not even the best ultrarunner out there but the book makes people think he is get over it The guy wrote the book and did a damn good job at that
Author : Rosalie Maggio Total Page : 512 Publisher : Prentice Hall Press Publication Date : 2001 09 01
How To Say It How to Say It >> Boss s Day Gift I gave this book to my manager and director for those moments when you are searching for just the right word or phrase >> How to Say it Book Review I found this book to be very helpful It covers a lot of different senarios Words are sometimes hard to find this helps me to get started >> Excellent Book Good book for improving Writing skills For those who would like to learn the guidelines for writing letters for personal and business purposes this book provides clear instructions and a variety of examples
Author : Carolyn Jessop Total Page : 448 Publisher : Broadway Publication Date : 2008 12 30
Escape >> Cheers for Carolyn
By far this is the best memoir I ve read in awhile and I m an avid reader Jessop s tale of freedom from tyranny will stay with you Her story of the FLDS cult and polygamist lifestyle is so shocking it s almost hard to believe but the fall of the FLDS and its members including her former husband Merril Jessop and the cult leader Warren Jeffs is well documented I was turned onto this story when I saw the Fall 2009 edition of the National Geographic which showed Merril Jessop his wives and his many many children on the cover The photos looked so staged and unnatural almost uncomfortable that I wanted to know more about the FLDS especially about the women in their long pioneer dresses and ridiculous hairstyles and found the answers I was seeking in Carolyn Jessop s Escape The memoir is well written definitely a page turner and surprisingly relatable Cheers to Carolyn for her outstanding work for her bravery
>> Escape This was an extremely well written story of this remarkable woman s life I never knew much about the Mormons or this more extreme branch The author brought me into her world and let me experience a culture and religion very different from my own
She starts out describing when she was a young child living with her parents While some of what she described seemed extreme to me it was nothing like what was to come From her unbelievable marriage to the things her husband put her through I kept expecting to get to the end of the book and discover it was fiction It was so foreign to everything I ve experienced its hard to believe its true
Her triumph through adversity is very inspiring and hopefully made some change in those states who choose to ignore the abuse without full investigation I hope it also inspired those who wished to leave as well
This book also offered some background into Warren Jeffs as well who became very well known through the news It showed yet another side of a man I can barely understand
Before you read this book please prepare yourself to cry cheer and experience an entire range of emotions You can go from one page to the next feeling angry and joyful all at the same time >> Excellent Book You will LOVE it I started reading this book on a Friday night at 7pm and had it finished by 10pm on Saturday I could not put it down The book is excellent I passed it on to my mother right away and she loves it also I kept forgetting that I was reading a true story it jsut doesn t seem possible that this is going on today in the USA You will love this book
Author : Dan Barker Total Page : 392 Publisher : Ulysses Press Publication Date : 2008 09 01
Godless How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America s Leading Atheists >> Exceptional This book really hit the spot I am a former bible college student and I can think of no better mind to help mine than someone who has been there too This book supported my efforts to do what I had struggled to do for years get honest instead of continuing to play games with observable facts >> The verdict still out Sometimes the reviews are as entertaining as the books This is written on my kindle apologies for typos I have an interest in human nature psychology and philosophy as well as metaphysics and basic instinct I never cease to be amazed at the human condition or thought processes My lack of certain belief would lead some reviews to say i was forced into religion as a child NOT had trama as a child that caused doubt who hasnt chose to doubt because its popular funny i hadnt noticed with the flood of christian recruiters everywhere or that i must have a lack of interest in religion also false as i am very curious and try to learn as much as possible about varied religions Im not motivated by money as others suggested not one person has dropped by to drop off a load of cash for my research efforts I still havent read of the adult trama the author suffered that drove him away as one reviewer suggests Nor am i callous tu suffering and for the reviewer who suggests atheists are reticent to debate highly emotionally charged debates on morals be thankful we havent met Most interesting was while one questions what would impel man to be moral under atheism another touts that they wouldnt live their life differently if they were atheist so they arent missing anything Hmmmmmm very interesting indeed can i get an amen here Lol hilarious What has always troubled me is how many self professed christians have never fully read the bible Whats more frightening is the ones who have that dont question some of the insanity Ive only scraped the surface myself and will continue to study but starting at the start why arent more people troubled by some of these stories Genesis 19 30 38 the tale of Lots daughters who got their father drunk so they could become impregnated by him Really Justifiably of course they did this because there was no man to lay with them as is the custom all over earth This should not be shocking because just prior to that Genesis 19 1 8 Lot offers his virginal daughters up for sex to disuade the angry townsfolk from raping the visiting angels who have sheltered in his home Oh then that crazy Judah sleeps with his sons wife whom he mistook as a street prostitute Before he realizes it was his daughter in law that he patronized he learns that Tamar is a prostitute who is now pregnant from her escapades he cries out for her to be burned to death That is until he realizes he himself is the father or Tamars child Oops well nevermind that Genesis 38 6 25 I could go on and on and with determination I will get thru this trollop beginning to end and woe be the jaunty fundamentalist who seeks to debate my moral substance based on religion Bring it Furthermore plenty of the story just doesnt make sense How could we be created in Gods likeness and be so inherently evil Why do we believe we had to be created yet the almighty just IS How is it ok to cruelly mistreat the animals we eat Oh right I forgot because god said they are ours to be ruled over How silly of me Of course animals are nothing more than property at our disposal They dont have feelings Only unenlightened human arogance would believe that we are so special that we are above all the laws of nature and balance Only human ego would believe that it is our godly duty to fill the earth with our progeny destroying everything in our paths In a modern world where it is clear that we have reigned ourselves pun intended into a corner completely depleting the earth of everything we need to survive many still believe this is the path we are meant to take We have to eat two apples today to get the nutrition of one apple just 20 years ago A clear sign that we are in real trouble as a species But dont worry folks God has a plan to get us out of this mess As we approach the certainty that we have overpopulated the planet to the point of certain disaster take comfort that the rapture is near at hand Keep faith that our rescue must be just around the corner Yes lets hope so because the alternative in another 500 years is looking pretty grim Never in history has one species ruled so supremely that it has elimiated itself Natural predators in the wild destroy their young to prevent just such suffering in the long run The planet itself has a peculiar way of keeping the checks and balances But of course we must be special somehow above the obvious laws of nature We are so smart right Ticket to mars anyone I would encourage everyone to devour as much knowledge as possible research every possible theory or angle and use your head This book is interesting as well as many other view points It doesnt take god to know what is wrong here PS For a reaonable fee I will be happy to rescue your beloved pets after the rapture >> Overcoming childhood training Godless is one of the best descriptions of how a person steeped in religion finally recognized it for what it was and changed to atheism The task was exceedingly difficult and unfortunately few are able to make this change The hope of this book is to show others with deep religious training that they also can cast off the bondage of religion and open the door to rational thinking
Author : Ron Chernow Total Page : 832 Publisher : Vintage Publication Date : 2004 03 30
Titan The Life of John D Rockefeller Sr >> book My husband really enjoyed reading this biography He could hardly put the book down Well written and very interesting >> Titan An amazing book to read not only was the book so enthralling I wanted to read more after I finished reading it as a result I bought the dvd to learn more about this great man and understand his life and business better I also got some education from the business practices he implemented as well as learned how much of an impact his business had on society and how we are still impacted by his businesses today some 140 years later If your in business or what to be in business this is a must read book surely to have a positive affect on you >> Amazing I don t usually read books like this however I found Titan to be exceptional It is well written and tells a fascinating story Moreover it provides many insights into the times during which Rockefeller lived
Author : Caroline Knapp Total Page : 258 Publisher : The Dial Press Publication Date : 1996 05 02
Drinking A Love Story >> so boring I couldnt even finish it This book was all over the map None of her stories made any type of timeline She jumped back and forth and gave looooong descriptions of too many incidents The book made no sense Just some half asses self analysis with a few stories thrown in for variety I would like my money back for this one >> Jarring but eye opening account on the life of an alcoholic A sad story that offers and heart wrenching truthful account on the life of an alcoholic This book will dispell many stereotypes and give you an new persepective on the disease of alcoholism A good read >> From one alcoholic to another There are certainly better books to inspire or encourage a person with the disease A Drinking Man s Life etc This book was laborious With due respect to the author this seemed to be therapy for her vs education or help for others As a recovering drunk I feel there are SO MANY ways to explain the problem and the solutions w/AA Very little offered in this book
Author : Ben Carson Total Page : 232 Publisher : Review Herald Pub Assn Publication Date : 1990 06
Gifted Hands >> Great reading After seeing the movie it is good to read the book and get the REAL story This doctor is amazing not because of his medical prowess necessarily but as a human being and brother in Christ What a loving man And his mother I wish my mother would have been more proactive in my life She is a great human being but a little push would have gone a long way Dr Carson and his brother have reaped the harvest of a loving caring and spiritual home Thank you for writing about your feelings in this book Hope Cross >> gifted hands book This book is a inspiration to all involved in the health care field and having faith in oneself to fulfilling your dreams You can do anything you set your mind to conquer Great book >> Inspiring book must reed I red this book many years ago and it was inspiring for me then through my university education and is still today at my work I ordered this book for a friend of mine who does not understand Croatian but I m glad that this book is available in Croatian launguage as well This book is a great gift to both children and adults
Author : Maya Angelou Total Page : 192 Publisher : Random House Trade Paperbacks Publication Date : 2009 10 27
Letter to My Daughter >> Not as heavy in the lecturing as some of her books I was disappointed there was not a daughter but premise is okay Interesting background of author pretty horrible a couple times I admire her tenacity maybe got some of that from her mother Still she was odd It would have probably have answered questions that arouse during the reading if the author explained her mothers behavior more A lack of responsibility bothered me a little The poetry section was good Angelou s preachy tendencies were less apparent than in other books All in all it was okay >> ok Ok I wanted more from this book it could have been so much better seller was good >> another good one by a living legend Letters to my daughter was a great read and i enjoyed reading with my youn daughter and we both got a lot from it i am a big fan of hers and she never lets me down She is a living Legend I also love why do caged birds sing
Author : Walter Isaacson Publisher : Simon Schuster Audio Publication Date : 2003 07 01
Benjamin Franklin An American Life >> Great overview of Benjamin Franklin and his times I felt this book was a very helpful and interesting introduction to Ben Franklin I liked it even more than I had expected to and I would certainly recommend it to others It provides a great sense of both the man and his times One of my favorite parts was the end when Isaacson provides an overview of how people have responded to Franklin s views over time including our time Ben Franklin is such a central figure in American history and this book is an engaging way to learn about him
>> Another poorly done biography by Isaacson Anyone who wants to understand Benjamin Franklin would be well served by reading Steven Johnson s book The Invention of Air which is mostly about Joseph Priestley but often mentions Franklin The Johnson book does a fine job of showing that aspect of Franklin to which the disappointing Isaacson book gives short shrift Franklin the scientist
The Isaacson biography is also sorely disappointing because it is so what So pedestrian so conventional so obviously a poor rehashing of much better Franklin biographies that preceded this one One wonders why Isaacson even bothered to write the book Money perhaps Whatever his motivation the result is poor
I felt much the same about Isaacson s biography of another intriguing personage Albert Enstein In that book Isaacson manages to fog up the science because the physics in question obviously overwhelms his ability to comprehend it much less write about it although he tries anyway to the dismay and confusion of the unfortunate reader
But Isaacson as any layperson could understand the science that Franklin explored and was so important to in his era Indeed Franklin was primarily known during his time as a scientist not a politician/statesman And Isaacson fails to capture that in his book Instead we just get another humdrum biography apparently churned out for a buck Too bad
I do wish Isaacson would stop writing biographies at least about those people I admire >> Placing Franklin in Context Well written readable and balanced Presents the unappreciated breadth and depth of Franklin s contributions while not glossing over his lack of emotional commitment The chapter tracing the wax and wane of American appreciation of Franklin with the passage of time alone is nearly worth the price of the book
Author : Robert Baer Total Page : 284 Publisher : Crown Publication Date : 2002
SEE NO EVIL >> America s Favorite CIA Case Officer Goes Direct to the People See No Evil is many books in one It s a biography telling a very interesting story about how life s twists and turns shaped a young man such that he was identified by the CIA as good agent material Baer s unusual upbringing had the advantage of giving him the ability to operate in any country independently and keep his wits about himself This is also a history book weaving a tale of many events with which Baer played a role as an intelligence gatherer The events have to do mainly with violence in the Middle East and the constant power struggle there Last See No Evil is a general book about intelligence and the CIA complete with information that should be helpful to reform the Agency
The most important aspect of this book is the picture it shows of the Central Intelligence Agency and its role in government We all know from the newspapers that human intelligence was underutilized and not trusted compared to high tech signal and satellite intelligence and the U S government now recognizes this and plans to correct the problem Beyond that however are the underlying problems that make human intelligence a chronic problem for government There will continue to be a lack of human intelligence which takes many years to build up and because the political system does not readily allow human intelligence to thrive
Baer shows how many of the important people at the CIA the remaining and flourishing old boy network enhance careers by avoiding risk Some create paperwork making it appear as if they re busy while cooperatively censoring intelligence politicians would find inconvenient Others are true professionals and risk their lives doing what they were hired to do The true professionals in doing their job jeopardize their careers by definition For example a case officer operating in a foreign and hostile environment would naturally have to associate with foreign nationals In doing so the case officer is exposed to investigations related to any number of charges such as providing secret information to a foreign intelligence agent The mere act of a case officer doing his or her job is professionally risky Human intelligence work when done properly is not necessarily good for one s career
Baer reaches out through his books to get public support for the stated mission of the CIA Politicians of either party probably will never voluntarily allow the Agency to do its job appropriately due to inherent conflicts of interests Namely top politicians need intelligence that suits their political purposes whether to award contracts to donor corporations or conduct a political career enhancing foreign policy But facts are supposed to be neutral and intelligence personnel are charged with getting to the truth whatever it is Therefore the CIA probably benefits by having advocates such as Baer to inform the public about the need for non politicized intelligence
After listening to the audio version of See No Evil twice ably read by the author I feel a bit pessimistic about quick reform of the intelligence community I don t know how the intelligence community can avoid being politicized Career rewards for shaping intelligence to fit policy are too great a temptation for the all the CIA s upper echelon to avoid I think However this may be a common problem for all governments The matter then becomes one of relativity How politicized is our intelligence community compared to others See No Evil does not address that question but hopefully Baer will produce another good book that does
>> Telling account of the Middle East Baer is a skilled historian having actually been a part of the recent history of the CIA His account of the American politics with the Middle East is enlightening to say the least
Politics and intelligence is all too often politicized for unnecessary agendas but Baer seems to be able to disassociate from the potential for pointing fingers and accusing a political group for the failure of CIA operations Instead the failure is one of bureaucratic leaders afraid to take a risk for intelligence
The author takes the reader through a journey from his days of uncertainty as a grad student the highly secretive spy training and his own journey in finding Iran at the root of all evil While the book focuses on his entirety in the CIA and takes the reader through the timeline of events Baer is quick to reference how each event built upon the previous and the evidence continued to lead back to Iran
No doubt this book s popularity and poignant nature spawned his following book The Devil We Know >> let down I m surprised at the large number of favorable reviews I was very excited to read this book from the description but ended up disappointed It started out great describing what it was like to join the CIA and the training etc Then it begins to get dense with names and details and the bigger picture gets obscured
There is a whole lot of complaining in the book and when I read a book like this I must always remember that hindsight is 20/20 It is very easy to criticize decisions in the past when the outcomes have already been determined Nonetheless the author does present some valid overarching criticisms of the CIA and I m sure the CIA would do well to heed them
The author does not give a lot of historical context to his situations and I think that hurts the quality of this work Unless you are a die hard CIA enthusiast you may want to pass on this one There are other better books that expose the CIA
Author : Zondervan Total Page : 288 Publisher : Zondervan Publication Date : 2006 02 01
Second Chances/Broken Wings SC FCS >> Found the writing rather child like in word and content I suppose being a Christian requires a child like belief in the beginning at least but this book was a bit too simple in it s content and writing style to be believable or enjoyable for me I am not saying that I do not believe that the experience happened to the author but for me it definitely loses depth and credibility in the writing >> Loved It This book is another sincere testimony of the reality of life after death There are so many good lessons that can be learned and applied to our lives >> Return from tomorrow Great Book Forces you to have a strong reflection on your life and your future
Author : Harriet Ann Jacobs Total Page : 134 Publisher : General Books LLC Publication Date : 2010 03 07
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl >> Great purchase Purchasing this textbook thru this company saved me about 50 00 It came to me in perfect condition and I am very thrilled with the amount of information the book has It s really easy to read and gives lots of examples >> Incredible and well told Incidents in the life of a Slave Girl is the incredible life journey of Harriet Jacobs a k a Linda Brent from oppression to freedom One could scarcely believe the lengths a human soul would suffer to attain it
I was engulfed in Harriet s story There were things I never put much thought to like the lives of the slaves of kind masters were held so delicately in balance for when they die life can change so quickly and even the granting of freedom upon death can be no guarantee of freedom Harriet makes a passionate argument for why slaves even under kind masters should be set free
Harriet describes things so hard to believe I did find myself doubting like hiding in quarters so cramped she could not stand up for seven years It s not that a person wouldn t want to do that given the alternative of slavery and she didn t know initially how long she would be there It s implausible because this storage shed was on her grandmother s property and that property was under suspicion so that it was searched inside and out and no one thought to search the shed just because no one ever went in there The attic of that shed would have been the first place I d have looked even if it didn t look like it had a door Her children weren t supposed to know she was there but her son figured it out because he heard her cough Well he was just a little boy and he figured it out Surely others heard noises as well
Secondly her master sought her as he would try to woo a girlfriend When she ran away he searched for her and offered rewards as would be expected of slave owners However after seven years neigh even more he continued to travel north in search of her Even if he were smitten with her I wouldn t have expected it to last that long Considering she was his slave I would think he would have thought her forever lost property and she d been replaced except for maybe outstanding reward money Harriet said slaves were treated like dogs and people don t usually travel the states for seven years looking for lost dogs
Overlooking those details I was able to enjoy the book Harriet Jacobs was a talented writer I lived her life through her words Though it sometimes read like fiction it could not have been better told
>> Excellent Novel Wow Where do I start This novel is the epitome of a well rounded slavery novel The details were nothing short of amazing At any given moment I can find myself vividly imagining the scenery and ambience that the novel speaks of This is one of my favorite pieces of literature and I believe everyone should experience this vivid account of Harriet s difficult ascent from slavery to freedom I only wish there was something to tell of how Harriet s life progressed where the novel leaves off
Author : Joe Torre Total Page : 528 Publisher : Anchor Publication Date : 2010 03 09
The Yankee Years >> Not Just About The Yankees While Mr Torre s first book was told from his perspective this book is told second hand via Tom Verducci Verducci weaves a great narrative of the all the drama and action behind the scenes with the Yankees The stories about A Rod and Clemens make for good reading but the problem with this book is that it seems to leave a bad taste with his former employer Not only are some players called out but management is painted in an unfavorable light
I particularly enjoyed the chapter on the Red Sox comeback games and how sabermetrics changed the game for a while I m interested after dealing with the Steinbrenner family and now the McCourt family what sort of stories will come out working for the Dodgers
If you are a baseball fan a Joe Torre fan and or a Yankee fan this is an entertaining and insightful read If you are none of the above get a cookbook >> Not just for Yankee fans Joe Torre and Tom Verducci have joined together for a real winning combination Joe s calm style shows through in every line as does his enthusiasm for his team and his players and his absolute love for the game The book doesn t just cover the good times and the highlights either There are sections on the heart wrenching losses the games booted player and manager errors and just plain getting beat by a better team Oh yes there are also beautiful full color photo inserts that are worth more than their thousand words I highly recommend it for any real baseball fan out there >> Scored with this one My husband requested this book for Christmas he is a big baseball fan and loves the Yankees so this gift was definitely a home run He is currently reading it and it enjoys it very much Thank you
Author : Stefanie Wilder Taylor Total Page : 240 Publisher : Simon Spotlight Entertainment Publication Date : 2009 07 07
It s Not Me It s You Subjective Recollections from a Terminally Optimistic Chronically Sarcastic and Occasionally Inebriated Woman >> Success from unlikely origins While I truly enjoyed the optimism of Stefanie her irresponsible youth annoyed me Some like to live vicariously through others and that was really why I give the book 4 stars She said and did things I would never do and I enjoyed seeing the results but I may have been a bit too much of a prude for the first few stories Her recklessness and laziness got to me but then again she clearly had a difficult upbringing It sounds as if she raised herself and really you have to admire who she became as a result And as I said her optimism won me over It s in turns touching and funny disturbing or maybe I m more of a prude than I realized and entertaining It ends suddenly but upon reflection I recognized how far Stefanie had come from the first short story and that was a satisfying ending >> Really really liked it Great read full of humor and hilarity I thought the author really gave us something to laugh about as well as something to chew on I will be recommending this one to friends >> huh Maybe I have read some truly witty books and columns but I didn t see it with this book I read it earnestly hoping that the recollections would become sarcastic and smart Well I finished the book and I m still waiting This book was a disappointment and I would not suggest it to others
Author : Dean Koontz Total Page : 288 Publisher : Hyperion Publication Date : 2009 08 25
A Big Little Life A Memoir of a Joyful Dog >> Is he the only person with the cutest smartest bestest dog in the whole world Of course not because all of our dogs are like that I know he supports Canine Companions for Independence and the like I do too But his style is so wide eyed Gee whiz that I couldn t read it Didn t plan to read the ending anyhow We have a handful of dogs waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge All of you do too as does Mr Koontz >> Bonding Dean Koontz gives us a biography of Trixie as well as a glimpse into his own life and thought processes I was predisposed to like this book because i like how Mr Koontz uses the english language There is grace and humor in his writing no matter the subject Being animal lover helped too When he talks of time and memory Ch 16 dogs and death Ch 17 he is preaching to the choir i have no doubt that animals have a consciousness and dare i say it Souls But if you prefer txtspk and are convinced of mankind s superiority in all aspects of life this is not for you >> Dean Koontz never fails As a dog lover and Dean Koontz fan I was doubly pleased with this offering Koontz is clearly a man of heart or he wouldn t have his beloved goldens in nearly everything he writes and I m happy that his popularity permitted him to write this tribute to a wonderful dog He understands them as only a true dog lover can
Author : Doris Kearns Goodwin Total Page : 768 Publisher : Simon Schuster Publication Date : 1995 10 01
No Ordinary Time Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt The Home Front in World War II >> Great sublimation This rather dense book was a pleasure to read and great education for me The author is so good at weaving historical events both dry subjects and personal accounts and keeps you engaged and curious Even their flaws in personalities and relationships seem to have produced significant accomplishments a great case of sublimation >> No ordinary read My early memories of the Depression and WWII were dim I was just a small child during that time What are vivid are the feelings of love and adoration for FDR by my mother and her family One of my fondest experiences was taking my Mom to Warm Springs GA to visit his home and place of his death
I have learned through the years that the mere mention of Franklin Roosevelt evokes extreme emotions he was either loved and admired or hated and condemned There seemed to be no middle ground
I learned so much about this man his politics our country the Great Depression and WWII in this remarkable Doris Kearns Goodwin biography She has the ability to put you there as an observer during so many pivotal times in American history Her seamless segues from past to present allow the reader to understand this man s past as it is woven into his life s story You can almost visualize Winston Churchill running about the White House in a velvet robe
So importantly it also let s one understand his loving yet poignant and painful marriage to Eleanor
Regardless of your politics reading this book is truly an uncommon experience
>> No Ordinary Time The best book on Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Ms Goodwin won wide aclaim for this book and deserving so Full of facts that you never knew and historical background on the family and their views Very Interesting and a fast read
More Blood More Sweat and Another Cup of Tea >> Good thing it was free I guess I didn t read the reviews well enough This is not so much a story as a bunch of diary entries Not impressed He doesn t seem like he enjoys his job very much
The Blind Side Evolution of a Game >> Casual football fans will love this book What a great book Michael Lewis not only knows how to put together a captivating story he does so with subtle wit and plenty of insight His meticulous research is obvious he ll casually mention a former player and then go into detail about that player s career and its importance to the history o
In Defense of Food An Eater s Manifesto >> Pithy and Powerful Eat food Not too much Mostly plants writes Pollan It s been a few weeks since I read the book and I still remember that Words to live by The book expands on those simple sentences in the subsequent chapters The book is short and well written and dare I say life changing I was already a f
With the Old Breed >> Good read Does a great job of putting you in the shoes of a grunt Didn t serve during WWII but have served in every conflict since Viet Nam and he nails some of the experiences HIs descriptions of what you see hear and smell are dead on Good book and it s on the list of required reading for Marines
Eat Pray Love One Woman s Search for Everything Across Italy India and Indonesia
Eat Pray Love One Woman s Search for Everything Across Italy India and Indonesia >> Another crazy divorcee writes a book How original If I have to read one more mind numbingly insipid novel written by some pill popping neurotic woman who can t keep her life together I will scream I am SO SICK of these women thinking they can write books I am just so tired of their pathetic attempts at humor They allll think they hav
